Today's Flavor: Pandamonium

Here are some photos of what happened when I tried to get Lillabelle to wear my panda hat. You can read more about the company that makes these hats and why they are so popular in San Francisco right here.

I think that one of the reasons I find pandas so appealing is because of the way they sport that classic combo of black and white. I'm a little confused by why they have not expanded their dietary horizons to something a little more nutrient-rich than bamboo by now considering their carnivorous digestive systems, but at least they look good while being inefficient. And while wearing a big, goofy panda face on your head might not be a look that works for you, anyone can sport this classic black-and-white spotted look with these finds.

| 1. Coach, Alex Sneakers | 2. Mini Figure USB Flash Drive | 3. Mossimo Mix & Match, Polka-Dot Twist Bandeau Swim Top & Polka-Dot Mock Side Tie Swim Bottom | 4. Tanya's Scrappin' & Stitchin', Panda Cupcake Toppers | 5. Iwako, Black Panda Eraser | 6. Jessie Steele, The Lady's Apron | 7. Mini Panda Skillet |

| Photo Credit: top. Me; 1–7. See links provided. |

The Head Panda

In no way do I consider myself a sports fanatic. You'll never catch me checking stats on my BlackBerry or staying at home just to catch a game on TV. But I will admit that after the SF Giants' success last season, I have jumped onto the Giants bandwagon. You'll never see me threatening to divorce my spouse on Facebook if he roots for another team and I don't feel a personal need for the players to succeed in order for me to carry on with my life. (I see folks who are really into sports make these types of hyperbolic assertions.) But I can appreciate how the Giants' success has brought the people of San Francisco together and I want that city-wide pride to continue. So, it is for these reasons that I purchased my first piece of sports fan gear ever. You'll see people wearing these panda hats at Giants games because player Pablo Sandoval's nickname is Kung Fu Panda—presumably since he is quite nimble despite his panda-esque physique.

When I bought the hat at the SF Pride festival, I had the pleasure of meeting one of the co-creators of this now-famous hat style. He and his business partner did not seem much older than me and all they had was a unique idea that they pursued. He told me about how they were just selling the hats outside in the cold when the Giants Dugout Stores approached them about selling their hats at the ballpark. I love hearing unexpected success stories about people who are brave enough to pursue their dream jobs. The Head Panda has since expanded to carry other cute animal hats for zoos, other sports teams, and schools. Prices are much lower than at the Giants Dugout Stores if you buy your panda hat directly from the source.

| Photo Credit: N. Morello, for The Yuppie Lifestyle. |

Summer Picks From Zara for Less than $40

I bought this skirt from Zara last weekend. I don't usually wear things with floral patterns but I thought the flowers were small and abstract enough and I really liked the combination of orange and yellow over a soft cyan. The store is currently filled with great pieces for the summer—lots of bold-yet-bright colors and light fabrics. It's really too bad that Zara doesn't have an online store for those of us who are Stateside because I'd probably have a lot more Zara items in my closet if they did.

Zara is a label that has always baffled me because some of their stuff is very reasonably priced while other items will give me mild sticker shock. I wouldn't expect a thin, polyester-rayon T-shirt to be $60 but I'd expect to pay more than $40 for a well-constructed, 100% cotton, pleated skirt. I know they have the more casual, youth-oriented Trafaluc line that is priced lower overall but their main collection also has plenty of dressy items that are half the price of similar items at, say, J.Crew. These are some of my favorite summery items from their site, and they're each less than $40.

| left. V-neck Dress With Belt | top-right. Full Skirt | bottom-right. Sequinned Skirt |

| Photo Credit: top. Me; bottom. See links provided. |

Cheap Skinny Belts

Lately I have been obsessing over skinny belts. It started with this one from Anthropologie that I have in green and wore practically every day for the first two weeks after I bought it. Skinny belts are great for cinching boxy dresses and wearing over long cardigans. I also think they are easier to work into an outfit than those extra-wide belts.

I recently bought these three skinny belts from H&M. H&M is usually hit-or-miss for me but I've been digging a lot of the stuff they've put out in the last few months. One of the great things about these belts is that the cost of all three of them combined was less than the cost of the one belt from Anthropologie. Yes, I do notice a difference in the quality (the ones on the left and right have a particularly plastic-y feel to them) but when you are just looking to update your collection of fun everyday accessories, I don't think that necessarily matters.

What accessories do you look for in quantity over quality?

| Photo Credit: Me. |

Today's Flavor: Vanilla Ice Cream Cone

The night I bought this dress, there was a special spring event at the French Connection store on Regent Street, complete with cocktails and swag bags. Not only was the store packed, but everyone was scrounging to find this dress in their size. The fitting room girl congratulated me when I told her I was getting the dress because at least twenty girls had asked her about it already that evening. It might very well be the most popular dress in London.

Soft neutral shades like cream, nude, and taupe are going to be big this spring. I love the way a man looks in a light-colored suit on a warm day, and I also love the way my cream dress looks with taupe nail polish. Here are some ways to work these easy-to-wear shades into your life this season.

| 1. Zara, Oxford Blazer and Trousers | 2. Badgley Mischka, Dasher Flats | 3. French Connection, Penny's Party Silk Dress | 4. Essie, Mink Muffs Polish | 5. Hobo International, Lauren Clutch |

| Photo Credit: top. Me; 1–5. See links provided. |

Souvenirs for His Wardrobe

After writing about some of the clothes I bought in London, a reader asked that I write about Nick's finds as well. Nick got two new shirts from Ted Baker, one of our favorite London-based labels. They are good for guys who need more slim-fitting items.
| left. Ted Baker, Mabley dogtooth print shirt | right. Ted Baker, Upping gingham check shirt |

What I love about Ted Baker are the little details they put into the clothes that you can't even see on the product photos on their website. One of the shirts has this pale purple stitching just on the inner edge of the collar and a tiny strip of lining with a floral pattern. Since it's a casual shirt for which you'd leave the top button undone, you can catch glimpses of the floral pattern when the shirt is worn.

| Photo Credit: top. See links provided; bottom. Me. |

Souvenirs for My Wardrobe

Several people who have seen my trip photos on Facebook have asked me about the clothes I am wearing in them. It seems that my friends are more interested in looking at my outfits than at the places I visited, which is why I love them. Here are some of the clothes I purchased while in London.

| left. French Connection, Mine and Yours dress | middle. Zara, Pleated Skirt | right. H&M, Striped Dress |

These are all available in the States right now as well. For labels that are based in the UK like French Connection, buying in the UK is a better deal than getting what's imported here. The dress above retails for £135 (currently about $220) in the UK with the tax already added in; yet, in the States, it retails for $258 plus tax, which I think is a little overpriced. For other European-based stores like Zara and H&M, cost is pretty much the same whether you buy in the UK or here.

| Photo Credit: See links provided. |

All the Girls in Potrero Have Shoes Like These

I bought these shoes from Urban Outfitters hoping they would be good walking shoes that aren't sneakers. I never feel like I am myself when wearing sneakers (I don't really do casual), so it's hard for me to find shoes I can actually travel in. Alas, the tongue on these tan oxfords rubbed my feet in a funny spot. I was strongly considering returning them.

The day that I was going to put together my returns for shipping, I popped over to Whole Foods for my daily grocery run. I could not help but notice that at least three other girls shopping at the Potrero Hill Whole Foods were wearing shoes just like these—menswear-inspired tan or brown oxford flats with cutouts and/or cute detailing. I decided to keep the shoes because they suddenly had a cool factor (which meant they didn't need to be comfortable!). Here are some other options for if you are looking to blend in here in Potrero.
|1. Lucky Brand, Christa | 2. Dorothy Perkins, Tan Soft Brogues | 3. Jeffrey Campbell, Miller Oxford | 4. Aldo, Zulaiga |

| Photo Credit: top. Me; 1–4. See links provided. |

Today's Flavor: Pops of Pink

I got this scarf from Anthropologie recently and have been planning my outfits around maximizing the opportunities to wear it. I love how much the pink florals stand out against the black and the softer greens and neutrals. I usually wear it with a black top and a simple gray skirt, and adding this scarf to the mix adds instant excitement.

I even took the concept of bright pink accents on a dark background and applied it to the valentines I made this year. I'll post photos soon. In the meantime, here are some other ways to add a pop of pink to your life, without overdoing it.

|1. Pietre Flower Knob | 2. Paul Smith London, Polka Dot Tie | 3. Power of Pink Dress | 4. Kate Spade, Kamille Pumps | 5. Kate Spade, Great Expectations Book Clutch |

| Photo Credit: top. Me; 1–5. See links provided. |

Feed the Storks

As I was taking my seat at Plow this afternoon, a group of six girls at the table next to me swarmed towards me wanting to know where I got my dress. I don't know if I have ever received compliments on a dress from that many different people in that short of a time span before, so I guess my dress is pretty awesome. This is it.

| French Connection, Midnight Stalks dress |

In case you, too, would like to own this awesome stork-printed dress, as an added bonus, French Connection is offering a 30% discount on all purchases until tomorrow. Enter the promo code: FF2010.

| Photo Credit: French Connection Autumn/Winter 2010 Collection |

The Breakfast Grub.

I'm obsessed with these themed postcards from Atelier Nouvelles Images with the white backgrounds and the little photos.

I recently picked up this breakfast-themed one to add to my collection. I love the contrast of the soft greens and blues of the dishes with the golden brown colors of the pastries. It has been making me happy every time I look at it on my wall.

The Bay of Pig.

While on the subject of things that have both a pig motif and a San Francisco motif going on, here is this adorable poster by Alyson Thomas. Embedded in the drawing of the pig is a map of all the San Francisco neighborhoods, but what I think makes it cute is how the important pig parts are still labeled alongside them; I love how the northwest corner of my neighborhood touches the ham border.

I almost want to write to the owners of Plow about how they should put one of these in their restaurant. But for now, I have one hanging in my own dining room.

You can get your own here.

| Photo credit: Alyson Thomas of Drywell |

Ces bottes sont faites pour marcher.

One of the pluses of moving to a city that is often gray and drizzly is having an excuse to shop for boots. I couldn't decide whether I wanted the classic Hunter rain boots I have been eying for years, or something that screams my girly style, so I ordered all of these from Zappos to see what they'll look like in person. (Zappos + their easy return policy = best online retailer ever.) Opinions on which ones I should keep are welcomed in the comments.

|1. Hunter, Original | 2. & 3. Kate Spade, Randi | 4. Pikolinos, Turin |

Also, here is a fun video of people lipsyncing to Eileen's 1966 French cover of "These Boots Are Made for Walking".

Updated on 10|28|10:
Lifestyle Tip: If you are considering ordering some Hunter rainboots, be sure to size down. I usually wear a US 6.5. I tried on a size 37, which was indicated on the box to be a US size 6. The boots obviously have no zipper and after putting one on, I could wriggle my leg and foot out of it without actually touching the boot with my hands.

| Photo Credit: Zappos |