(t minus 2): mini-backpacks that pack a majorly stylish punch

what's old is new again, and that definitely rings true when it comes to mini-backpacks. before i delve into my wishlist items for this topic, let's take a quick strut down memory lane. 

so growing up, i was a total tomboy. i went to an elementary/middle school that required uniforms, which was fine by me, and my weekend wear consisted primarily of a yellow tshirt and overalls (sidenote: overalls are another item from the past that i'm coveting in the present). given that i wasn't sweating what to wear, it's little surprise that accessorizing wasn't at the top of my priority list. 

but then, cher horowitz snapped her fingers and said 'as if' and all of a sudden, mini-backpacks were everywhere. and that did it for me. goodbye, denim hobo bag from kmart (yes, seriously. but i assure you it wasn't as heinous as it sounds). hello, red patent leather mini-backpack from the department store. since then, handbags are my (fashionable) achilles' heel. 

flash-forward a decade or so and the mini-backpacks are back, and i'm so very glad about it. 

on to the round-up!

the olsen twins were the ones to get my really revved up about this style again. at the top of my wishlist is this classic beauty by the row:

i've recently discovered the accessories line KARA, and i am obssessssssed. this mesh & leather number is amazing:

and finally, because im a sucker for anything quilted, i can't not have this quilted style from pixie market:

(t minus 3): an ode to ear cuffs

seriously, my new favorite type of jewelry

this beauty is by feliks + adrik for of a kind. i have a ring by them too, and it's what got me back into the habit of wearing rings regularly - feliks + adrik really does offer the perfect, wear-everyday pieces, i think. really simple but unique, clean designs that have an edgy vibe.

some other cuffs that i'm coveting intensely enough at the moment to earn them a place on my wishlist include...

the least preppy way to wear pearls:

Emma Deux 14-karat Gold Pearl Ear Cuff by Sophie Bille Brahe

for the romantic:

Love Ear Cuff by Jacquie Aiche

classic bars x 3:

Large Three Bar Cuff by BRVTVS

(t minus 4): Lacquer Lust with Chanel

what's a holiday without some haute couture? at least for your nails...

given that my nail polish collection has been growing exponentially ever since i traded in those peel-off polishes of my childhood for their sleeker, grown-up counterparts of NARS, YSL, Essie, MAC, and obviously, Chanel, it's unsurprising that my holiday wishlist includes a nail polish collection to make any lacquer-lusting aficionado downright giddy:

L'Édition Ultime by Chanel:

as robust as the Chanel sub-set of my nail polish collection is (the most recent shade i snatched up was Magic, part of the exclusive Nuit Magique set that debuted during Fashion's Night Out, which unfortunately didn't happen in NYC. so i was all sorts of delighted when the shade was released online as well in December), there are actually quite of a few of these curated vernis shades that are missing. 

the top three included in this set that i've always had my eye on are Frenzy, a chameleon-like lilac-gray, Dragon, an unbelievably gorgeous shade of red, and Ballerina, a subtle shade of pink that's as sophisticated and sweet a neutral as you can get. 

must-have shades + a protective base coat + pampering hand cream = a top spot on my holiday wishlist

(t minus 5): i wear my heart on my tee

i like graphic tees/sweaters way too much. it's almost getting to the point where i'm hard-pressed to pick out a top that DOESN'T say something on it. my closet is basically full of mini-conversations happening at all times. 

i fully acknowledge this is a problem, because while i love graphic tops, i also think they are a style that's rather restricted to a fairly specific point in your life. a very playful point, i think. and i mean sure, i'm hoping that ill still be in playful mode 5 years from now, or 10, but realistically, how likely is it that ill wake up at say, 37, and think, man, today is a day to wear that t-shirt that declares 'sorry for partying' ? 

sidenote: i do kinda love that tee. and who knows what ill be doing at 37. maybe i will still be sorry-not-sorry for partying. 

anyways, with all that said, as of december 2013, if it's got something witty/cheeky/just-so-random-it's-brilliant scrawled across it, odds are, i want it. a few examples...

seriously, don't be such a mermaid. gosh. 

yes, i certainly do think all shirts should give good advice. kinda fits in with my general stream of consciousness here...

so on to wishlist theme #3 - GRAPHIC TEES! & SOME SWEATERS!

artsy option: i have been eyeing a deer dana tee for quiiiite some time...the sketches are so good. and the characters are even better.

voila: this song of style-eluxe collab one might be my favorite of the bunch, and it looks so cozy, so plus 10 extra points right there.

good girls/bad girls: im basically a really boring good girl, so maybe i can get this and wear it ironically?

book nerd: litographs is this amazing online store that creates totes & tees inspired by the actual words of classic novels. from far away, the shirts just appear to feature a print of some iconic scene from the book, but lean in and you've got the WHOLE text. at the risk of being totally cliche, i love the great gatsby one (tho the great expectations one is a close second):

lipstick lover: while i do love lipstick, im not sure i love it enough to spend $500 to wear it as a sweater. so it's probably a good thing this MSGM x Toilet Paper Magazine item is sold out:

NY Love: pretty self-explanatory.

(t minus 6) ohhhh snap: i'm a sucker for snapbacks

lately, i have been allll about snapbacks, which is the next theme on my wishlist. 

speaking of wishes, i wish i had snagged this one designed by theopholius london, before it sold out:

but i am really happy i got in on this one by ztheart

anyways, the snapbacks/snapback-inspired hat styles that have earned a spot on my wishlist are... 

1) the morris star hat by marc jacobs

lovelovelove the multi-colored stars and oversized greatness of it

2) maison kitsuné 'parisien' hat (and on sale too! is this a sign?)

3) and finally, taking a page from rihanna's epic style playbook...the 'BOY' cap