Life in the Jungle: Fashion, Luxury, Style, and More

It was 2:33 a.m. when I strolled in from the latest girls night. Even for us that was a stretch in time. As we said our goodnights all of us were already groaning about how few hours we had left to sleep for one obligation or another awaiting us the next morning...
But it WAS the Sex and the City 2 premiere, and what better excuse to get out.

As Carrie Bradshaw said herself, in An American Girl in Paris Parte Deux, “it would be childish of us to deny our lives weren't changing...but for this night, none of us were going anywhere. That's the thing about really good friends and a really great Manhattan.”

And what a great night it was. Of course the first thing I want to do is tell you all about it and dish on every single juicy romantic moment. But it would have really pissed me off if someone did that to me before I saw the movie, so I will keep my comments as unbiased and neutral as possible, which naturally means that the fashion is all I am left to discuss. Keep Reading!

Ah yes, here is a name that draws an intake of breath in admiration, be you man or woman, this is a woman that has been admired for generations for an infinite number of reasons. If you ARE a woman, then you know full well just why she is so adored. It is no secret that I heart Jackie O, and I know that I am just one of many women that….even generations after she is gone, I join a throng of followers in the shadows of grace and elegance that she left behind.

Many do not know that Jackie Kennedy Onassis was a social debutante before she was a First Lady, and it was her blue blood upbringing that taught her the importance of timeless style. She knew and reveled in French couture long before she met Mr. John. And then she became the First Lady in many more sense of the word. She was THE “first” Lady to bring glamor to the White House. She then wore modest but traditional fashion with her fawn coats, clean suits, A-line frocks, and infamous pillbox hats. She perfected the little black dress like nobody else could, and she did so with the help of her favorite designers Dior, Givenchy, and Chanel. Even when JFK’s death ravaged a nation, she mourned him in nothing else but a coat of strength and a simple but stunning Valentino dress. Read More!

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I have always been in awe of the elusive Birkin. And what fashionista hasn’t? In all honesty, this is not even the prettiest handbag I have ever seen, yet if I were ever given the opportunity to own an authentic piece, I wouldn’t think twice. Why? Because just like my Louis Vuitton that I barely use, or my bone handled Gucci that has yet to leave my closet, superior fashion is a work of art to me.

And just like many collect fine Monet’s, I collect, when I can, the finest fashion because it is awe inspiring to me. And the Birkin is no exception. But the Birkin rises above almost any other iconic fashion symbol, and I have always wondered why. Why is there a three year waiting list and a price tag higher than the average compact car? My curiosity got the better of me so I did some exploring….and I bring it to you in a series of notes on why the Birkin is the Birkin. What is it about THIS bag that, even after twenty years it is still the holy grail of the handbag? Keep Reading!

Sitting in a fabled café in NYC the other day with the girls, attempting to fill the gaping hole in my love life with a $12 cup of coffee (and we weren’t paying for fancy décor, that’s for sure), the envelope with its gold seal glared up at me from the table.  Supposedly romance was in the air and I simply wasn’t interested.  Yes of course I am a romantic...duh...but honestly sometimes I just want to talk clothes, and rarely do the notions of romance and fashion marry in such a manner that leaves me satisfied.  But with a big event looming, and the invitee list lending potential to more than a few awkward moments, the notion of “great love” could not help but come up in conversation.  And they wonder why I’m not so interested in overanalyzing this gaping hole in my love life, when all the while, the gaping hole between the cocktail and black tie sections of my closet is…embarrassing really.

Whatever I ended up with was going to be spectacular, because it needed to be. My only goal was to be the one turning heads, not using arm candy for that purpose.

What was I going for?  I needed something that would make a very bold statement about who I was.  Single, and fabulous. And yes, it needed to literally turn heads (and not in the Tyra Banks in a catsuit kind of way) It would have to be something that would outdo every other woman, that would showcase every fabulous part of me, but yet something that would still be...simple, elegant, unique but of course, timeless.  My tried and true little black dress standby would certainly work, but it wasn’t enough.

I started online, because that’s where all the little gems of the world are hidden, and because often enough that’s the only way that I can manage the rest of my life and shop at the same time.

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Welcome to the Jungle...or, at least, my jungle. I'm starting this blog as an ode to one of my favorite shows (Lipstick Jungle), and one me and my circle of girls can relate to oh so well.

Our everyday experiences embody what we colloquially refer to as.....Life in the Jungle. Some of us do have hunters and gatherers in our lives, and some of us, notably me, simply don't. I prefer to do my own hunting and gathering in the jungle of the three B's -- Bergdorf's, Barney's, and Bloomingdales.

Yes of course I am a hopeless romantic. Most women are, I think we've been genetically coded as much, or at least so I am told. For MY life though, while I enjoy picking at the occasional thread of romantic fabric that may weave its way into my day to day, I don't make it a priority. You'll more than likely hear a little bit about that here, but you will find more on fashion than anything else. And high fashion at that. Because I'm worth it. And so are you.

Yes, fashion is my art and my relationship with fashion is the one relationship I have that will always keep me guessing, but always leave me completely satisfied...until the next juicy find. And at Life in the Jungle you will find my running commentary on everything luxurious that fully completes me, and that I think can complete you...or your look.

I love to follow the style icons because they have graced the lives of our previous generations to mold fashion into what it is today. Luxury, retro, glamor, high fashion, timeless pieces of art and creations of genius are all things I crave to have or crave to know more about. If there is something you're craving, share! I love to hear of new finds, new possibilities, new labels, and anything related to the high fashion industry. And I'll be sure to bring you just the same.

So sit down, grab a latte, or your martini of choice, and stay a while. Welcome to my LIfe in the Jungle.