Look what I found!

When I published this post, it erased my Valentine's Day post! Selectively, because the lovely readers' comments were not erased. No idea what happened.  Well, everyone's a critic. 

Meanwhile, here are some of my latest finds:
The gadget to the right is called a Model Bag, and was invented to make life easier backstage at fashion shows. It's clear plastic, about 10x11 inches, and slips over a dress or suit hanger and has pockets to hold the stuff that goes with an outfit. Not the shoes, but the stuff. Simple?  Duh.

And it might just be useful for certain outfits in your closet - the dress that requires a particular bra strap, the extra buttons for a jacket, the little belt that you only wear with the one thing and you can never find when you need it, the special tights, tags, labels... The fashion compulsives among us could add a card with notes about when it was worn, dry-cleaned. Or it could hold souvenirs of the special night you wore something.

I'm not suggesting that you rush out and spend another small fortune on dumb closet accessories, we all have too many gadgets that don't work or that worked once. I do like the idea of keeping the stuff with the outfit, but not pinned on to it, though, and I'm sure there are plastic bags or extra jewelry pouches or whatever around your house that could serve the same purpose.

And for events, weddings, confirmations, a special date, these bags could add a nice touch of "don't worry, it's all here." You can find the little charmer at the Manhattan Wardrobe site. They have regular site-wide promos and lots of other cool clothes-care gadgets there, too.

Also, while in Maui, I really overworked my long cotton scarf,
what with changes of temperature indoors and out - breezes, air conditioning - and so I just ordered a few new ones - these, to be precise - all cotton, lightweight, from Levi's, where there's a 30% off site-wide thing going on. The code is SPRING. Nice to find a cute casual scarf that's inexpensive and not synthetic.

I shamelessly ordered a leather utility vest, too. There's a Levi's not far from me, so if any of this stuff doesn't work out, the return will be easy. Somehow, though, when I'm in the store, I see quite different merch from what's on the web. I ordered up a size because the model looked like she was having a tough time getting it buttoned over her tummy (I sympathize). See, this is what happens when you complain too much about showing underfed photo-shopped models.... but I think I'll like the vest. Will remember to report.

And a lovely pair of spring shoes that I pre-ordered from City Soles last November on promo - well, I figured I had plenty of time to change my mind - finally arrived, and I am delighted with them! I'd love to have a smaller pic, for the sake of harmony, but Blogger is in a Mood. So here they are. Yes, they are Chie Mihara. Yes, they are dead comfortable. No, you may not borrow them. City Soles has great sales and great promos and a good selection of Chies and other goodies. Oh, dear.