No Es Amor... Es Una Obsesión (It's Not Love, It's An Obsession)

**NOTE: ALL PICTURES DOUBLE AS LINKS TO THE WEBSITES THE ITEMS CAN BE PURCHASED THROUGH.**


♫ PLAYLIST ♫
OPERATION IVY - Yellin In My Ear
GARETH EMERY - Sanctuary
TEGAN AND SARA - Walking With A Ghost


The warm weather days are in full swing, at least here in The South. Sure, the humidity and merciless rays of the midday sun are something I don't eagerly welcome during the daily walks with my son at 11 a.m., but I sure am glad I can finally wear my shorts and dresses.

Dare I stop there?

Every season, I find something I get over-the-top obsessed with. This past winter, my "thing" was for black blazers worn with dark-washed skinny jeans or black leggings. I amassed a collection that is now waiting to be dry cleaned and put away until November. The summer and fall of 2010 brought about my love of long necklaces that draped past my chest and to my pregnant belly. I can't wear those now because my son would grab them, and if he didn't tear them off my neck, would probably strangle me with my own jewelry. And during the winter months of 09 alone, I purchased eight pairs of boots. My husband had asked me if I needed all of the booties, ankle boots, knee-highs and thigh highs of every print, style, and heel height that I bought. I told him I would rather give up eating fried food for three years than to give up boot collecting. This is a big statement from me guys.

You get the point.

So what am I about to fall in lust with this season? Never mind the latest trends and styles that are on the runway, in high-end boutiques, at the mall, or in RTW collections. These are my latest TDF's.

Boxy Bags

This year, I am trying to get away from the slouchy bag that chicks around me carry around all the time. I already have terrible posture, why get a satchel that imitates my spine? Boxy bags stand out from the sea of overly clichéd slouched handbags, and to me, they offer the illusion of stability and sturdiness in an otherwise crazy and frazzled day (which I have everyday)! While doing some "window shopping" at UrbanOutfitters.com, I found three bags I really fell in love with.



The Ecote Blanket Structured Lady Satchel in Red Multi (right) was the first to catch my eye. The fabric outer has a faux-leather trim (I call faux-leather animal friendly) and a fully lined red interior. It's wearable as a crossbody thanks to the removable straps, or as an arm candy with the padded handles. I love it because not only does this piece stand out, it's also just $59.00.



When I saw the BDG Canvas Satchel in White (left) on the Urban Outfitters website, I thought "SCORE!" Aside from loving the color, loving the trim, and loving the size, I especially adored its chicness and wearability. I also thought that this was a great way to carry around my wallet and lip balm along with Little Baby's bottle, bib and diaper should we traipsy to the mall together. For $59.00? Yeah, I bought it.



And for something a little smaller but just as cute, Cooperative's Smart Small Lady Bag (right) has a two-tone theme that gives it pomp and panache. I mean, it's no Birkin Bag but consider that it goes without the Birkin price ranging from $9,000 to $150,000. Not sure about you, but I want that to go towards my mortgage and not my purse. With that being said, the $49.00 price tag makes it more accessible, and you won't have to feel so guilty about dripping ranch dressing on it (happens to me ALL THE TIME) or getting it scuffed up.





Wooden Bracelets

It seems that it will give me the South Pacific feel that I long for when I spend the hot days under the summer sun. That cool island breeze, the splashing waves, and me sipping my favorite vacation drink, The Dirty Banana. And all from some bangles I would just wear on my skinny little wrists!



Available at Nordstrom.com for $28.00, Spring Street Design Group's Set of 4 Wooden Bangles (above) complement a summer outfit by giving it that exotic feel, without taking all the attention. The handcrafted shapes give it personality, and the simplicity says a lot about the vixen that is wearing it. Being an islander myself, I tend to stay away from "exotic jewelry" because I don't want to run around looking like a cliché. However, these wooden bracelets are so different from the rest of my accessories that I just instantly had a love-at-first-sight moment.

Another wood bangle I spotted was available on the American Eagle website. On sale for $11.95, the AEO Studded Wood Bangle (below) is a single bracelet with plenty of glam and glitz. It's a mix of a calm, earthy forest and busy, glamorous downtown. It's the only single piece I would wear on my arms during a day out.



Espadrille Sandals

Sure, espadrilles have been around for a long while now. Although I was aware of their presence on women's feet every spring and summer, I didn't quite like them much because the soles looked like straw and hay braided together and made to look like rope. Ironically, this is the exact same reason I love them now. Espadrilles were once peasant footwear since the 1300s in Catalonia and Basque, and were made fashionable in the States during the 1940s by Lauren Bacall and again in the 80s by Don Johnson in Miami Vice. I mean, who doesn't wanna dress up like Crockett?!

Below are two of the picks I found on Piperlime.com. The Very Volatile Majorca Espadrille (below, left) is a platform wedge with ankle tie wraps. I love the height of the shoe and how laid-back it would look with either a floral dress or a crisp white button-down tucked into some army green or light brown shorts. The only problem we have is that they do not have this in my size! Unfortunate since I would have immediately purchased it for the price of $49.00. Rampage's Bernadine Espadrille is a lower wedged platform sandal also available for $49.00 at Piperlime. The braided instep gives it a dressier look and the sleek lines of the straps are so sexy and feminine without being too showy.



What are you latest fashion obsessions? Share with me what you have to have this year!

- Arlene H.J.