This Here's A Tale For All The Fellas

There are few things more attractive than a well dressed man. I've dated my fair share of guys who have had questionable style, and I've never let it be a deal-breaker for me. Unless they aren't willing to take some advice from their girlfriend, who ultimately wants them to look good, or they have a love for Teva's & all things Patagonia {those are hard wardrobe habits to break} I can usually work my magic. As much as I like a dapper looking fella, I find it semi charming when a guy needs a ladies help navigating a department store & getting dressed. When it comes to wardrobe rules as it pertains to men, the fit is the key. Pants should not be too baggy yet not too snug. The shirt should not drag on the ground or turn into a crop top if they reach for a high five. The shoes should be clean and jacket should be tailored. Simple enough, right? Lots of guys argue, "I just don't care" but the bottom line is ... If you look good you feel good. If you feel good, you play good. And if you play good, you get paid good. The design team behind Comune prove season after season they know how to make a guy look good, and their Fall 2010 collection is no different. Take notes, fellas. 

Want to purcahse Comune? Check out the stocklist here.

*Oh, and check out my friend Eric. He likes to eat chowdah, surf powdah & he dig's Comune too.

Rich & Rare Were The Gems She Wore

Let me introduce you to Mayu Bijoux, a collection of handmade jewelry inspired by the rich textures of Eastern markets and the vibrant colors of Paris.  Mayu incorporates a unique mixture of vintage beads, fresh water pearls, hand dyed silk, crystals and floral notions into her pieces. The colorful collection of earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings is elegant, yet rough around the edges.

Mayu, originally from Northern California, spent summers in Kyoto, Japan with her grandparents, scouring the flea markets for trinkets and textiles. Later, Mayu lived in Paris, working in a small couture bridal house. Her travels throughout Jordan, Turkey, and Tunisia further inspired her collection. Mayu currently resides in Brooklyn, New York.

Mayu’s love of style, her appreciation of quality artisan work, and her attention to detail, have ultimately created this special collection. She embraces the irregularities of the silk dying process and combines complimentary colors and textures of beads and vintage notions, making each piece unique. As a result to the hands-on process of braiding the silk for the leis, hand-linking the chains, and designing the original moldings for her silver and copper designs, Mayu is able to achieve a rustic, yet fresh and whimsical collection.

I am so thrilled to announce my collaboration with Mayu, as we have teamed up to design an earring exclusively for readers of Gigi Ouf THE BLOG {shown above}. This limited edition design is available on the Mayu Bijoux website, here with a special 20% discount! Pair these earrings with your favorite LBD or simple jeans and a T to add that wow-factor. I mean, an outfit is just an outfit until you add the frosting!!

Sittin' Pretty!

Last night I was invited by the lovely people of City Search SF to attend an evening of pampering at the Vidal Sassoon Salon, downtown San Francisco. About ten ladies and myself were treated to eyebrow threading {my first time ever and I will never go back to waxing}, deep conditioning hair treatments, hair cuts, color specialist consultations & blowouts. I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with some friends while indulging in glasses of bubbly and delicious Susie Cake treats as the fabulous beauticians worked their magic. After the event, a couple of my girlfriends and I headed over to a funky little bar called the Royal Oak {where we ran into Susan, the tranny} to show off our shiny new do's. I love the eclectic nature of San Francisco and all the great hidden restaurant's and bar's, I will never get tired of exploring this city.

My walk to the car in Nob Hill this morning, I love waking up in San Francisco.

When it comes to pampering yourself, always remember....

"If a little is great and a lot is better, then way too much is just about right" - Mac West

Thanks to Citysearch SF, Vidal Sassoon, Blink, Susie Cakes, Mumm Napa & most of all, Susan for letting me snap a photo of you.

Bay Lady

Last Saturday my mom, dad, myself & 20 of our closest friends headed out on a Sailboat, The Bay Lady for a sunset cruise around the bay. The weather could not have been more gorgeous, proving once again that we are so lucky to live near one of the most beautiful cities! We departed from pier 40, sailed to Alcatraz, under the Bay Bridge and back to McCovey Cove {near the beautiful AT&T ball park} where we could hear the crowd cheering our San Francisco Giants on!! The cruise was followed by a dinner at Local, where we shared plenty of laughs, pinot & delicious wood oven pizza's in our own private wine cellar room. I am so lucky to be surrounded by great friends and family, it truly is what life is all about. Thank you to all who came for making the evening so memorable! xxo

{outfit- Michael Kors leather jacket, FT1 blouse, FT1 baubles, Barney's CoOp boots, Joes Jeggings, Vintage RayBan wayfayer sunnies}

{our hilarious waiter who worked our party & loved posing with the girls}

{A funny video of us, almost falling into the bay....}

Simply Vera

We're a fan of name brand designer duds for low budget shopaholics, here at Gigi Ouf THE BLOG {I've mentioned a few here & here}. It is such a fabulous way for every girl to feel like they can be a part of the high fashion world without the high fashion price. Out of all the collaborations I have seen this fall I have to say Simply Vera's Fall 2010 look book for Kohls blew me away {kind of like the wedding gowns at the Vera Wang Bridal fashion show I attended, here}. I love the juxtaposition of the tailored jacket's and rugged jeans with the flirty flair of the scarf's and printed blouse's. I get a lot of e-mail's from readers asking how to spruce up their work wardrobe and I think this line is the perfect answer {minus the jeans of course, depending on where you work}. Every piece in the collection works with one another making it easy to create lots of different outfits and they can transition from day to night with ease. Simply pack a shorter skirt, ditch the flats or loose the jacket and your ready for a night out with some friends! Shown are just a few of my favorite looks I had to share with you all. Style them with some of Target's 2010 Fall accessories and you will be a bonafied recessionista!! 

The Girls Are Back

...and so is Chuck Bass, phew. 

Haute Couture, the Prince of Monaco & a romantic summer in Paris, lé sighhh. Serena Van der Woodsen & Queen B know how to do it right. Belle's du jour. So happy that Gossip Girl is finally back, my Monday nights just got significantly better. I can't wait to see what kind of fashions and fiasco's unfold this season. 

Bonsoir mes amours. <3

Check out the video of Eric Daman {costume designer of Gossip Girl} sharing his secrets for looking chic on any budget, here.

Working For The Weekend

This weekend was pretty busy for me, starting Friday night doing a Tart Collections trunk show {working 10 hours in 5 inch heels, hello blisters!} and Saturday meeting with a few clients and my creative director Justine, of Low Budget Rockstars to chat about a few face lifts for the blog. Saturday evening I enjoyed a delicious dinner + a few glasses of Etude Chardonnay {my absolute favorite} at Anchor & Hope in San Francisco with some fine ladies and a late night karaoke marathon at the house which led to a successfully unsuccessful Sunday. Instead of completing my infinite to-do list, I found myself enjoying the day by lunching outside in the beautiful sunshine, taking a leisurely walk with a girlfriend to catch up & shopping online for hours. Every website I went to I found myself saving links to send over to one of my BFF's Lindsey. After about the eighth link I saved I realized I was no longer shopping for myself, I had started shopping for items Lindsey should purchase to update her fall wardrobe. So here ya go Linds, I'll take a ketl soda splash of grapefruit for all this hard work!!

{olive zip jacket, christian louboutin siouxsie flat, J.Crew sequin harem pants, Chara oversized cardigan,  michael kors saddle bag, ysl leopard cashmere blend scarf, nastygal tops, missoni beanie, beso booties, chanel khaki collection nail polish}

*ps, check out the Tart Collections blowout sale on HAUTELOOK. Insane deals you cant pass up!