Pining for Something I Can't Have

There are many things that you can find in every city you go to, no matter what part of the world you're in. But there are things that still remain exclusive to certain countries—at least for now. Unfortunately, one of those things is COS, a high street brand created by the genius' behind H&M. I've only recently discovered COS, but every time I see new looks from them, it's torture because I can't purchase them. I love the clean lines and modern edge which is all topped off by the fact that the line is delightfully affordable. Currently, they only ship to select countries in Europe, but I'm hoping and praying they'll start catering to the US market. Until then, I'll just have to satisfy my cravings with pictures...unless someone abroad wants to mail stuff to me...anyone?

First Chill

There's a chill in the air and all I want to do is buy every cozy sweater in sight. From a classic cable-knit to the more embellished and flashy, fall is here and it's time to start layering! Here are a few of the sweaters that I'm craving that are also seriously out of my budget. Hey, a girl can dream right? In the meantime, I'll be hitting Zara and Topshop for my fix.

 

Sweater Season by semisweetstyle featuring chunky sweaters

New Additions, Welcome to the Family

A warm welcome to my two latest shoe purchases. I've been looking for ankle booties for a while now, especially since I've finally admitted to myself that fall is coming.

I originally had my eye on the Isabel Marant ones, but my current funemployment situation means I can't spend $$$ on a single pair of shoes. So, I got something similar instead. The black pair are Steven by Steve Madden (here) and the tan pair are DV by Dolce Vita (here). I got them shipped overnight via Zappos VIP which is beyond amazing. Both shoes are so comfy and the heels are just low enough that I can wear them all day long.

Missoni x Target x Stella & Dot

I could go on and on about what a massive logistical failure the whole Missoni for Target collaboration was, but at the end of the day, I can't help smiling whenever I see those cheerful prints. I didn't end up buying much from the collection except for a couple towels, candles, cards and a martini shaker.

My friend Kristina got a delightful sweater and she has just challenged me to style it with the latest jewelry from Stella & Dot. Well, Kristina, the challenge has been accepted!

I decided to do three looks: one for the bohemian gal who loves to pile on her jewels, another for the more serious business-oriented gal and another for a lover of all things luxe. Here's what I came up with.

Missoni x Target x Stella & Dot by semisweetstyle

Love what you see? Head to Kristina's Stella & Dot boutique: http://www.stelladot.com/sites/kristinahagerty

Into the Wild

While my boyfriend plans our excursion to Death Valley—the one he's been trying to get me to go on for years—I  am of course planning what I'm going to wear. Surprise, surprise.

While I would be perfectly content to never have to sleep in a tent or pee behind a bush, my SO is a huge camping enthusiast. Since he indulges my frequent shopping sprees, I, in turn, put my high heels aside in favor of something a bit more rugged.

One of my biggest qualms about camping, aside from the bugs and lack of showers, is how difficult it is to look remotely attractive. No offense to REI and other camping supply stores, but that stuff is ugly. Functional, sure, but hideous and made of plastic. I don't know where the clothes took a frumpy turn after the elegant explorer outfits of the 20s, but they did.

On the other hand, fashion magazines like to put their spin on camping gear with couture-filled spreads. But while they're pretty to look at, 4-inch heels just won't cut it when you're trudging up a mountain. So what's a fashion-loving gal to do for a weekend in the middle of nowhere? Well, here's what I have in mind for our trip.

Since we're going to Death Valley in October, the weather is going to be a bit of both extremes, highs of 90 with lows of 60. Layers are essential, as are clothes that I don't mind getting a little—or a lot—dirty. When I started making my list, the first thing I turned to were clothes in various shades of brown and olive. But really, what's stopping me from wearing neon yellow in the desert? Absolutely nothing.

The Not-So-Basic Black Pump

I'm usually pretty good about keeping up with designers, both new and old. But I must have been living under a rock because I'd never heard of Walter Steiger until Barneys started pimping out his delectable black pump on their ads. After clicking on the link once, I'm pretty sure the shoes are stalking me.

Steiger's been designing shoes since the 60s and 70s, but has been on relative hiatus since the early 80s. Now, he's experiencing a resurgence in popularity and I'm seriously dying over these shoes. I'm not a classic shoe kinda gal—even the most basic things need a bit of oomph!—so these are totally up my alley. With a curved heel, platform front and luscious gold lining, even black pump naysayers will find little to complain about.

Now, if only I had the $750 to make these mine.

Photo: Barneys