This cannot possibly be for real

Via Daily Candy...who apparently thinks Boston is a gas ridden city as no one else was informed of this essential accessory, perhaps it was because of the Boston baked beans? I'm not sure which is more bizarre, the Subtle Butt from Boston's Daily Candy or the Bird Turd kit from LA's.

Is Johnny Depp Katie's Stylist?

• Red jacket--check
• Sleek modern bob--check
• Bug eye sunnies--check
• Pale, creamy skin--check
• Pale pink lip--check

Is Katie Holmes taking her style cues from Suri's DVD collection?

Images from x17online and lovefilm.com

So fabulous it deserves two posts

Cuffington posted this link earlier today...you MUST go check out this Jezebel post:

Image from jezebel

Ten ways to tell you are not yet a grownup

I often lament the fact that I do not yet feel like a true adult. For sometime I've been thinking about writing a column on the subject. Today I was motivated to put pen to paper, so to speak, by Ashe Mischief who has resolved to become a real grownup in 2008. I really admire her resolutions for the New Year, so much so I plan to adopt several myself. On that note, I raise a final toast to my inner girl...here is to hoping she grows up a bit this year. Here are ten ways to tell that you might also have not yet reached adulthood:

1. You never have more than $40 cash in your wallet at any one time, and in fact that number is usually closer to $5. When visiting the ATM you would never take out more than $60 at a time, and that is only because you owe your friend $20 for picking up the tab at lunch at that charming cafe that only took cash.
   
2. You don't balance your checkbook. In fact, generally speaking, you just check your balance every few days online to make sure you have about the right amount of money in your account.
3. Take out. It's what's for dinner.
4. Breakfast and lunch primarily consist of caffeinated beverages, and perhaps some carbs if you are feeling peckish. More often than not you might forget to eat breakfast all together.
   
5. You own four aprons from anthropolgie, which you wear to make Pillsbury slice and bake cookies. Thanks to Clueless you know that the log of dough should be sliced and not just plunked down on the cookie sheet whole.
   
6. Your hairdresser lectures you on the importance of regular haircuts during your annual or biannual visit. At this point in your life the only thing that would motivate you to make more regular appointments is the appearance of lots of gray hair.
   
7. All free food is good food...as a result you've made a meal of the bell pepper and lettuce garnish with a small bag of Lays potato chips.
8. Car maintenance, home maintenance, bicycle maintenance...these things tend to happen on an as needed, emergency basis. In fact self maintenance seems to be the on type of maintenance that occurs on a regular basis, even more so when one is dating.
9. You own sufficient socks and underwear to avoid doing laundry for two months.
   
10. At work, in large meetings, you rarely contribute productive commentary. You actually spend the better part of the meeting day dreaming about shoes, your birthday, your blog, Tom Welling...

Image from thkimdesigns.com

The anti-IT bag

Sick of IT bags? Try this cheeky tote for a change! The bag is a play on Anya Hindmarch's "I'm not a plastic bag" tote that sold out in minutes everywhere.

Image from astupidbag.com

Black Friday Burnout

Sophia (after purchasing a $20 fake Christmas tree from Target): I think my Christmas tree is better for the environment than a real tree
Marilyn: I don't know it might come out as a wash in the end
Sophia: But, what if I kept my Christmas tree for 10 years, certainly that would be better than cutting down ten trees
Marilyn: Plastic isn't biodegradable, when you throw it out it will still be really bad for the environment
Mom: Besides, your tree will never last ten years
Sophia: Well, what if I bought a REALLY expensive fake tree and kept it my entire life
Mom: All fake Christmas tree end up looking crappy after a few years
Marilyn: I guess no Christmas tree is the best thing for the environment
Mom: OK, Scrooge
Sophia: Well, you could plant your own Christmas tree in your backyard and never chop it down. You would just decorate it every year for Christmas outside.
Marilyn: That would definitely be the most environmentally friendly option.
Marilyn: I really like my new shoes.
Image from www.beyondblossoms.com

Male Restroom Etiquette

This is completely hilarious, although I've now been told by several men these rules do not apply to restrooms during sporting events.

Manvite needs some tech support

So, I was going to write a little post lauding and lampooning Manvite.com, a new evite like service that produces online invitations for exclusively manly parties (football, cigars, cougar hunting). Tragically, when I tried to sign up as a new member AND when I tried to enter email addresses to send my manvite to I was told that my email addresses were invalid?! At first I thought they had some sort of girly email address detector and were rejecting the email address "chic.and.charming" because it was not manly. Then, I tried a different gender neutral address and was again rebuffed! Perhaps manvite should spend a little more time debugging their product and a little less time playing beer pong in the executive dining room. Anyway, I have captured a screen shot of the invitation building page above for your personal amusement. There were some extremely chauvinist adverts down the sides of the manvite, which I originally posted with this post. I could not deal with seeing a bunch of half naked women on my blog, so I cropped them out.

Image is a screenshot from manvite.com

I am an incubus of viral plague

I am an incubus of viral plague: count yourself lucky that you can interact with me from a safe distance through the internet.
Image from inl.gov

Manolo Blahnik is a man

Dear Neiman Marcus Last Call Employee,

Manolo Blahnik is a man. This is a picture of him with one of his fabulous shoes. I am sorry that you read an article stating that Manolo Blahnik was female. As you can clearly see Manolo Blahnik is either a man or a drag king, I vote man, as does the rest of the online fashion community. In fact, if you go to www.manoloblahnik.com you will find that his biography is divided into sections entitled "The man" and "The shoes." So, the next time you notice a customer trying on every half price Manolo she can wedge her gigantic foot into praying that one will fit, forcing her to feel as unloved as an ugly step sister trying to force her foot in the fabled glass slipper, please refrain from further infuriating her by ignorantly and persistently arguing about the sex of Manolo Blahnik.

Thank you.
Sophia

Image from splendora.com

Let's hope your cat has a sense of humor too

I think cats get a bad wrap. I mean really, it takes quite a sense of humor to tolerate a lime helmet or yellow yarn pig tales being attached to your head against your will. The picture of the cat wearing the lime hat has been around for quite a while. I had it as my desktop on my college computer for several months. So, when I came across eenodol on etsy, the shop immediately reminded of the poor cat in the lime hat who had been subjected to the whims of an owner who had enjoyed one too many margaritas. Eenodol must have a profoundly patient cat (and dog for that matter). If you too have a patient cat, who you believe is in desperate need of a costume this Halloween, you should go check out Eenodol! Prices range from $10-$28.
Images from eenodol and a pesky chain mail that I received five years ago

Shopaholic Pop Quiz

A new mall is opening about an hour away from my house TODAY. Not just any mall, a truly fabulous mall deluxe!! Stores that I have heard of but never been able check out will be opening! Stores I grew up with that have been oddly absent from my life will be opening! Delish new restaurants will be opening!
Here are just a few examples:

• Madewell~ GAP:Banana Republic::Madewell:J.crew. That's right, Madewell is J.crew's cheaper and simpler sister store. I have high hopes for their jeans and I have high hopes that they will actually carry a size larger than 12 in the store.
  
• Ruehl~ Banana Republic:GAP::Ruehl:Abercrombie and Fitch. Ruehl is A&F's attempt to hold on to its customers when they graduate beyond loud music and overpowering cologne scented shopping experiences. It is supposed to be hipper and older, but based on its website (here) it still looks sex drenched. I have high hopes based on a short article I ready in Lucky, probably in 2004, but I have been unable to find actual pictures of their clothing online.
• Zara~Zara:Spain::H&M:Sweden. Zara is a very similar concept to H&M, but has been slower to infiltrate the United States. I first became acquainted with Zara in the UK, and boy am I happy to finally see it State side.
• Extra Credit~ Not at the new mall, but a short drive away-Kohl's, which will be launching its Vera Wang line on Wednesday.
  

So, now to the dilemma:

Chicken Charming

From a very young age I mispronounced the word "chic" as "chick." It has proved a very difficult habit to break. I have now told at least three friends: "Guess what! I've started a new blog! Its called Chick and Charming." To add another level of embarrassment, when the words come out of my mouth in an excited exclamation it actually sounds more like "Chicken Charming." One of my friends has threatened to buy www.chickencharming.com and set up a blog because everyone I tell about my blog,"chicken charming," will actually end up at her blog instead.
Image from thismoment.blogspot.com

Diamond Dust

One of the best television shows of all time had to be Arrested Development, a zany documentary style comedy about a dysfunctional and slightly criminal family involved in financial scandal. Jason Batemen played Micheal Bluth, a widower with a confused teenage son (George-Micheal played by Michael Cera who is currently starring in Superbad) and completely self centered and insane extended family. Hijinks ensue.

One of the more hilarious incidents involves George-Micheal purchasing diamond dust for his girlfriend Ann. At a later point, his uncle, Tobias smears the diamond dust all over his body causing him to look like a giant silver member of the blue man group. I won't even attempt to explain further--just netflix it!

So, what does a necklace have to do with it all? I was perusing the Internet and I ran across a collection of diamond dust encased in jewelry at Individual Icons. It was just too perfect so I had to post it for all of my fellow Arrested Development fans. A quick Google search turned up at least one other source of diamond dust jewelry: Uncommon Goods. Individual Icons has a wider selection, including cuff links, but is a little pricier. Another product that Arrested Development fans might get a kick out of is the crushed pearl powder released by Fresh as part of the now discontinued Memoirs of Geisha line. I actually purchased this powder and it is divine! It makes my uber pale skin glow and shimmer in a way that makes one wonder why anybody would ever tan. The only draw back is that every time my husband sees the package he giggles because all he can think is "diamond dust."
Images from fashiontribes.typepad.com, amazon and wikipedia