Hello my lovelies! Have you missed me? I’ve missed you! It’s been a little while and I hope you’ve been enjoying the Refinery 29 coverage. They’re pretty great, no? 

So here’s the checklist–Work is good, Mr. Numbers is good, Maya is good. Our apartment situation has resolved itself for the time being–Maya and I are housesitting for her second cousin, who is away on sabbatical. It’s a pretty sweet situation because not only are we in the Hollywood Hills, we’re also catsitting, so Boo has a friend to play with. Now I don’t feel so bad when I leave him at home all day. 

So for many of you, spring is just around the corner. And that means the shopping is fierce. I’ve been getting hit with floaty dress cravings every weekend, which I’ve been half indulging, half avoiding. So I guess that makes the entire situation about even? The thing about floaty dresses is that they while they make me feel like a woodland sprite, they also make me feel overly girly. I like to keep things balanced, so I just bought these hard rock Chamak bracelets. I feel like they anchor things beautifully, don’t you? 

-Emily Warren

OK kids, let me level with you. Life—it’s insane right now.  Styling job, Facebook application, this blog…. it’s all amazing stuff but doing it all is sort of killing me.

So this is the plan: Refinery 29 is a big fan of this site and we’ve been talking about ways to partner up. I am going to stream some of their content onto this page and see what you guys think of it. No worries—it’s all AMAZING coverage. They have the latest in trendspotting (street style photography), shopping (an eBay blog and rad shopping roundups), and insider fashion news, and I’m convinced you’re going to love it. Never fear—I will be popping in now and again to update you on my adventures.

Happy reading fashionistas! 

-Emily Warren

I’m not Irish so I’ve never really taken part in St. Patrick’s Day festivities. However, both sides of Mr. Number’s family hail from Waterford, Ireland. This means that this weekend, I will be attending Mr. Numbers’ family’s annual St. Patrick’s Day party and I fully intend to look as green and lovely as a lucky shamrock.

All clichés aside, I am pretty excited about this Wishdrobe, which is about to transcend its Wishdrobe-iness and become a permanent part of my closet!

-Emily Warren

Despite major geographical and aesthetic differences, the collections shown at the most recent fashion weeks across the globe had one color in common: navy blue.

While this color is forecast to be important next season, I see no reason not to scope out the offerings available now. Pay special attention to image 1, which incorporates the red and indigo combination seen in Moschino’s collection.

-Emily Warren

About two months ago, we got a new client. A VERY, VERY famous client. We’d heard nightmare stories about her from her former stylist, but we decided to take her on because she has pretty cool taste for a total PSYCHOPATH. Why do I call her a psychopath? Well, today she threw a cup of coffee on me.

Yes. A cup of coffee. Freshly brewed. Very hot. Completely ruined my outfit. She threw it at me because I apparently didn’t hear her when she said that a pin I was inserting into her dress bodice was getting too close to her EVIL FLESH. I apparently grazed her enough to be doused with a latte.
I was stunned. I had no idea what to do. So I started laughing. Because really—it was such a ridiculous, over-the-top reaction. The kind of thing you read about but never believe could be true. And there she was, pinned into a couture gown and screaming her head off. At the moment when the laughing was about to turn into crying, Ms. Classic walked into the room, surveyed the damage, and just about took her head off. I was amazed. She has such amazing customer skills that I thought for sure she’d find a way to smooth things over. But she told LADY DIVA just where she could stick it and practically ripped the gown off her body. It was amazing. I love Ms. Classic more than ever.

-Emily Warren

Maya is going on a date! I am so excited for her! She’s trying to be really lowkey about it, but she is getting really nervous. I know this because I found her standing in front of her closet in a trance and when I asked her what she was doing, she wailed, “I have nothing to wear!”

This is very atypical of her, so I knew he must be drop-dead gorgeous. Which he is. She showed me his Facebook page, and he’s 100% her type—indie rocker mixed with construction worker and a little bit of punk thrown in.

I took her shopping yesterday so she could burn off some of the stress and get a cute little outfit to wear on their tapas rendesvous.

Speaking of parents, mine have suddenly popped back into my everyday life. Or, rather, they will be. They called me to say that my mom was asked to speak at a conference in San Diego last minute and they are coming to visit me NEXT WEEK. Which means several things:

1) I will have to clean my house. And make my messy bed. And force Boo sleep with me and not on the guestroom bed, which is covered in about 1” of cat fur. He hates sleeping with me because I am a flailer.

2) They will meet Mr. Numbers and I will no longer have a boyfriend once he realizes that I come from two of the most uptight people on the face of the earth.

3) They will want to see the studio. At which point, they will inevitably say something about how nice it must be to play with clothing all day. And I will have to grit my teeth and apologize to Ms. Classic afterwards.

I am totally freaking out. Can you tell? I am actually fairly excited that they are coming here because I do miss them. But I totally fear their judgment, of which they often have a lot.

-Emily Warren

Mr. Numbers has been watching me get slowly more and more stressed about our housing situation and he asked me to move in with him.

I have no idea how I feel about this.

I like him. A lot. I’ve never been in love, but I feel like this might be love? And while I might be an impulsive person, I also really hate the idea of sharing a bathroom with a gentleman. Also, I love living with Maya.

But it WOULD be a lot of fun to have Mr. Numbers around all the time. That would mean we could make dinner together every night and I’d have someone I could always watch Sunday morning cartoons with.

My mother would kill me.

-Emily Warren

Milan Fashion Week was a luxurious romp through all the wonderful avenues a designer has to express him/herself.

There were Marni’s boxy coats, Roberto Cavalli’s wrapped miniskirts and lace-up leggings, Prada’s shocking shades of red, Bottega Venetta’s supple leather shifts, Aquilano.Rimondi’s bold shouldered coats, Jil Sander’s deceptively simple tailoring (and that to-die-for ivory and red funnel-necked coat), and Moschino’s parade of navy and red dresses. (Photo courtesy of Modelinia)

Many houses were sending models down the runway in hem-scraping thigh-high boots, so get ready to see a new alternative to (and warmer version of) the sleek look of leggings!

-Emily Warren

I have never reported at a Fashion Week, but I love to imagine what I would wear. It would obviously be something chic and pulled-together, but I would incorporate my favorite thing—intelligent details.

There’s something about a bright and unusual color set off against a darker palette that I love. And layers—even though it’s a Wishdrobe, I always like to plan for unexpected weather:

-Emily Warren

Who does kooky better than the Brits? London Fashion Week ended February 24th and I’ve finally carved out a moment in my schedule to look at the pictures (Photo courtesy of Modelinia).

This is what I loved the most:

1. Luella Bartley’s ladylike punk
2. Marios Shwab’s geologically-inspired mini dresses
3. Erdem’s ornate patterns and progression of puffy to lanky silhouettes
4. Mary Katrantzou eye-popping perfume-bottle dresses

-Emily Warren

I have found my latest weakness on the Internet. Modelinia is an absolutely fascinating glimpse into the lives of models. You can read profiles, see interviews, get beauty tips, and completely lose track of time. I watched it for two hours last night! I work with models often, but I never really get used to being around them. There’s something about the height that just makes them so ethereal and effortlessly graceful—even when stumbling over an 8” stiletto in a fashion shoot.

Check out this adorably campy Heidi Klum video!

-Emily Warren






Jerell Scott shows off a handmade jacket from his collection.
“I design for the individual.”
“I am a designer that sews for every woman.”
There was much drooling over this handbag from Korto’s line.
Ray Babul in a Ray Ray U.S.A. jacket and Joe Exclusive in Jerell Scott.
Designer Jacqueline Dadou poses with Marine Corps members organizing the Toys for Tots drive.
People in LA are b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l.
Sir Earl shows off his Dior ear piece.

Last night, I went to the launch party for the Lounge Collection by Kelly Nishimoto expecting to shoot the red carpet. I was greeted by a pink and furry one instead–a cute detail that pretty much guided the spirit of the evening, which was unabashed girly fun. The thing about these events is that EVERYONE there is stylish–from celebrities to PR staff to the security guards at the door. I took a bunch of pictures so you can get an idea of what it was like. Feast your eyes on the fabulosity!

-Emily Warren

Designer Kelly Nishimoto hugs Brazilian supermodel, Vanessa Nunes.	Kelly Nishimoto models showing off her latest collection.
Erin Tenner and Jennifer Mitzkus–PR girls always look amazing.	Singer Holly Palmer is radiantly chic in Isabella Oliver.
Actress Lorielle New shows off a vintage headband.	Actor Andrew Roach is casual and cozy.
Pei Pei Wu mixes a Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent dress with an H&M belt.	Pei Pei’s cocktail rings.
Security guard Twin Sue is fly in a porkpie hat.	Security guard Kalongi Yero looks like a million bucks.

A little more than a year ago, I spent several months living in Morocco as a nanny to two terrible children. And when I say terrible, I mean biting, kicking, and devious. I loved the country, but every cup of heavenly mint tea drunk while watching the sun set over Marrakesh was also spent in the company of two shrieking terrors. If I could do it all again, there would be no demonic children, no baggy overalls I had to wear to withstand their food fights and marker wars, and certainly no giant backpack full of coloring books, snacks, and water purification tablets. Therefore, today’s Wishdrobe Wednesday will be dedicated to fabulous travel togs for the global wanderer.

How often do you find comfortable and stylish in the same dress? Almost never. And in retro-travel cotton khaki? Astounding. Can we discuss the triple buckle belt cinching the look together? Impossibly chic.

Let’s face it, shoes built for walking and hiking are almost always awful to look at. Which is why footwear for this Wishdrobe is skipping sensible and going straight to hot. You may not be able to scale Machu Picchu, but you can write a heck of a letter back home in these architectural platforms.
-Emily Warren

Maya just got back from Art Basel. The good news is that some museums are interested in showcasing her work! The bad news is….I was wearing her shoes when she walked in the door. Maybe it was because I was baking cookies and MAYBE there was some flour on the floor and MAYBE some flour had gotten on the Victoires, but she was…upset. And Very Angry Maya refused to show me her photos, which is totally depressing because the fashion at Art Basel is utter insanity and I was so looking forward to seeing her snapshots. I ended up going online to get an idea of what I missed but I must say that it wasn’t the same as eating homemade cookies with my best friend and ooh-ing and ah-ing over the latest sumptuous styles. Boo must have been feeling my pain because he decided to climb up on the couch next to me and fall asleep as I ate snickerdoodles and watched old movies. I love my cat.

-Emily Warren

I am sitting in a storm of clothing. A blizzard of blouses. A tornado of trousers.  If I am killed in a tide of belts, at least I can say I went surrounded by the things I loved….

In short, we have a huge number of shoots this week and the samples are pouring in from different designers. All day long, I have been folding, hanging, steaming, and categorizing. It’s taking me maybe a little longer than it should because I have to stop every few minutes and marvel at the platforms and the trenchettes and the plaid berets. Ms. Classic, on the other hand, is plowing through everything like a fashion-guided missile. She doesn’t seem to get distracted by the stitching on a Fendi Spy Bag. But I guess that’s what lunch breaks are for….

I need to know these items like the back of my hand. When I see the wall of Lanvin boxes I have to tackle, it feels like an impossible task. Is it possible to hire an assistant for an assistant?
-Emily Warren

The shoes I’ve been dreaming about for about a year materialized in my house last night. Or, rather, I was walking to the bathroom and saw my cat, Boo, batting something around in Maya’s closet. I went in, purely to rescue whatever it was and….well….I fell in love.

Wouldn’t you? I mean, they’re perfect. They have a great texture, the heel height won’t torture your feet, and the blue is nice and neutral. So I borrowed them.

I’ve known Maya since kindergarten. She and her sisters always had the best clothing—her mother owns a vintage store. Their house was like a candy store for the clothing obsessed. I spent the vast majority of my free hours in her mother’s closet playing dress-up. But Maya never seemed to care. She’s got a thing for color. Like, a weird thing. As in, she picks a color each month and sticks to it. She’s been doing this forever. Right now, she’s wearing all green. Green pants, green sweaters, green flats, green jackets, green jewelry. She looks like a stylish shrub.

Anyhoo, Maya HATES it when I borrow things from her. But here’s the thing…she’s not in town right now. She’s showing several of her installations at Art Basel Miami. AND, she’s in her green phase, so these beautiful Victoires are just sitting around, lonely and unworn. It’s just not fair to the shoes. So I liberated them from Maya’s strict closet-ocracy.
-Emily Warren

As some of you may know, last week was a little bit insane, what with starting a magazine while holding down a fulltime (though fabulous) job. But I’m not complaining! Least of all because today, I decompressed a bit with a serious shopping trip. Is there anything more luxurious than waking up late on a Saturday, getting an orange juice and a croissant the size of my head, and then heading out into the misty morning for the hunt?

The mission today was cocktail jewelry. Ms. Classic’s holiday party is on the 17th and it’s absolutely necessary that I make a good impression. This is the dress:

Black and simple, yet festive and fun. The perfect holiday getup.

At first, it seemed like I might strike out. Nothing seemed right. I hit about five different stores and spent far too long analyzing the pros and cons of silver vs. gold. I ended up annoying a bunch of salesgirls (you’d think they’d never dealt with picky customers!) and finally ended up buying a bunch of options. What do you think? A, B, or C? I kinda love the Rachel Reinhardt bracelet (Option C.), but the detailing is sort of brownish—I think I could make it work, but Ms. Classic would probably notice….she’s got bionic eyes.

-Emily Warren

A.	B.	C.

Tonight I attended the red carpet for Divine Design, a ridiculously fun annual retail fundraising event that basically turned an entire floor of the Beverly Hills Hilton into a giant designer boutique. 100% of the proceeds directly benefit Project Angel Food, a free meal delivery program that feeds thousands of people suffering from HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other debilitating illnesses. Fashion+philanthropy=right up my alley, so I decided to attend and absorb some of the good vibes.

Alongside Ms. Classic, I’ve worked on dressing many stars for the red carpet, but I’ve never actually attended one as a reporter. First of all, it was almost IMPOSSIBLE to tear myself away from all the racks of deeply discounted duds. I barely made it. But it was even more exciting to stand at the end of the press line with my questions in hand. Everyone was perfectly lovely and so passionate about the cause. The cherry on this fashion pie was when I met Tadashi Shoji. You may remember that I am a huge fan of his. He was super charming and wearing the coolest glasses. Below are some photos I shot—enjoy!

David Furnish in Lanvin, Janet McCormack in Betsey Johnson (worn under the trenchcoat–you can see a few silver spangles peeking out), and Eric McCormack in Ted Baker.	Tadashi Shoji in Ralph Lauren and Amanda Lin in R.J. Graziano for Tadashi Shoji.
Lisa Rinna in Dolce & Gabbana. “I’ve decided to shop in my own closet this year. You’d be surprised what you’ve got! We’re all on a budget right now. This is a vintage Dolce & Gabanna that’s ten years old. Isn’t it fabulous?”	Cheryl Burke in David Meister. “Comfort for me is the #1 priority.”
Sheryl Lee Ralph in Tadashi. “For me, fashion isn’t a luxury. It’s ‘How does this make me feel?’ There’s nothing wrong with something off the rack now and then!”	David Arquette in Propr, a clothing line he plans to launch in the spring with Ben Harper.

However, for me, the true fashion star was this woman I saw browsing the racks. I can only hope that when I am her age, I still relish all the possibilities of fashion and rock them on a daily (or in this case, nightly) basis.

-Emily Warren

The coffee is wearing off. Which is hard to imagine. I’ve had three cups and it’s only noon! My plate is totally full today. We have three fittings and I have to borrow a steam machine from Ms. Classic’s friend because I somehow broke ours yesterday. But the steam machine is in Malibu and our studio is in Hollywood and I have to return several bags of clothing and accessories to three different studios downtown. I would make you a map, but then YOU’D get stressed. Oh, and Ms. Classic is on a new raw diet and needs me to get a very specific salad at a very specific raw bar where the line is out the door and I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I’M GOING TO GET IT ALL DONE!

So sorry.  Too much coffee. I get all whacked out. Below I posted a photo of a pair of Ferragamos I have to return today. I am sad to say goodbye–if I had more time, I’d take them to lunch and give them a proper sendoff. . . .

-Emily Warren

Today it’s Wishdrobe Wednesday. What is a Wishdrobe, you may ask? It’s basically the wardrobe I wish I could have if I lived in a perfect world. Like if dollars grew on trees. Dollars and cookies. I’m a firm believer in being prepared, so I keep an online record of all the things I’d like to add to my collection and update it weekly. This Wednesday, I’m shopping for an Oscar dress. Am I going to the Oscars? Nope. But the whole idea of a Wishdrobe is that some day, I might.

I love over-the-top looks as much as the next gal, but when I’m dreaming about the red carpet, I think simple is best. I have lately been obsessed with this navy blue Tadashi gown.

Like, stalker obsessed. I look at this photo entirely too many times a day for it to be healthy. If I paired it with a Chanel silver pearlescent resin camellia cuff, I’d feel like a 1920s sea nymph that has come ashore for a night of glamour. And who doesn’t want to look like that?

So let’s make it official: I’m adding the Tadashi to my Wishdrobe. I’m about to call my best friend (and new roommate!!) Maya, to tell her I’ve finally found my A+ Number One Oscar Dream Dress. Hold on a sec . . . she’s picking up . . . she says, “What about that Marchesa you were so gaga over last month!?” . . . I’m hanging up. Can you BELIEVE her? Readers, I ask you—is it unrealistic to have several A+ Number One Oscar Dream Dresses? I think not.

-Emily Warren

Just got off the phone with my mother. That phone call didn’t go well. She wanted to remind me to call my dad for his birthday and I told her I was organizing our latest shipment of Christian Louboutins (trust me, this is an awesome task). To which she responded “I still can’t believe we sent you to McGill University just so you could play dress up all day.”

Deep breath.

For my mom, fashion is the annoying thing that kept us fighting all the time when I was a kid and I wanted to rock my Easter dress every day and she wanted me to wear sensible overalls. For me, it’s a magical key that let’s me be anyone I want at any point. Just wearing a bracelet I got when I was a nanny in Morocco can bring me back to the spice markets in Rabat. Maybe fashion won’t save the world, but it can change people’s lives on a daily basis. And I am happy to be a part of that. I just wish there was some way my parents could be even a teeny bit proud of me. My dad won’t even acknowledge my new job. Let’s just say that when I moved to LA to work for Ms. Classic, they were MILDLY UPSET.

So let’s focus on the good things. Chanel. Betsey Johnson. Prada. Balenciaga. Vivienne Westwood. Marchesa. Erin Featherston. Zac Posen. Proenza Schouler. My new sock monkey slippers.

-Emily Warren

I’m glad Ms. Classic is being so cool about letting me photograph items from around the studio. She seems to think that this project will help me develop a more editorial eye. You see, when we get shipments in from designers, she goes through everything like a fashion-guided missile, whereas I get stuck marveling over all the details and beautiful craftsmanship. Ms. Classic says that if I had my way, I’d wear six pairs of shoes at once. And she’s right.

I’ve only been working as a stylist’s assistant since March. It’s really different from what I was doing before. I was a web designer! In Paris! Which sounds maybe kind of interesting but wasn’t at all. Or at least, I wasn’t suited for it. Hours and hours in front of a computer when I just knew that outside my window was a parade of the most stylish people on earth and I WAS MISSING IT. And the shopping….don’t even get me started on the shopping. It was divine. It was transcendent. For the first time in my life, I was surrounded by total fashion hounds and I no longer hand to hide my fashionista ways.

Ms. Classic and I met totally by accident. I was having coffee at the amazing Café Malongo in the Sixth Arrondisment, bemoaning the fact that my boss had been wearing the same tie for a week and smelled like air freshener, when a really well dressed American woman asked if she could share my table. She complimented my Courrèges jumper (which I scored at a thrift store in Montreal—ten points for me!), which immediately made her my New Favorite Person. It turns out that she was a celebrity stylist in town from Los Angeles to style one of her clients and her assistant had walked off the shoot. We immediately hit it off talking about my favorite Parisian vintage stores and about an hour later she offered me the job. Voila! A new city, a new job, a new life.

-Emily Warren

My name is Emily Warren. This is my magazine. Yes! I have a magazine (little dance of victory). Ever since I can remember, I have been absolutely, positively, practically crazily in love with shopping. There’s something about the hunt—when you know you have that perfect cocktail dress in your sights—that really quickens the pulse.

I have an amazing job as a stylist’s assistant. For example, the other day I was actually holding IN MY HANDS a dress from Marc Jacobs’ 2009 Spring collection. It might be the most beautiful item of clothing I’ve ever seen in person. I almost passed out.  I’m not kidding. My boss, Ms. Classic, made me sit down (more on her later) and have a glass of water. She always complains that I’m too affected by this stuff. But I think that anyone who doesn’t tremble at the sight of genius needs to get a pair of glasses.

I live in L.A. and it’s fantastic. The personal style here is out of control. Each weekend I go shoe-watching (like bird watching, but so much more satisfying) in a different neighborhood. The other day I was sitting at Lamill Coffee and conquering the Saturday crossword when I spotted a pair of tall charcoal patent leather boots walking by. Where had I seen them before? The studio? A shoot? An episode of Ugly Betty?  Did it even matter? I had to have them. I put on my sleuthing hat and took to the Web.  Lo and behold, I was able to bag them on Bluefly.com!

Some may argue that $568 is entirely too much to spend on shoes, but I have several pairs in my closet that are definitely more than five years old. When I do the math, over five years these Miu Mius will have cost me a paltry 31 cents a day! I’m not one to brag, but my clothing detective skills are getting seriously sharp. OK, I’ll brag—I am the Sherlock Holmes of Internet shopping.

-Emily Warren

Shopaholics, rev your engines! This magazine includes a virtual store where you are given $1,000 just for signing up. You can buy killer gifts for yourself or your pals and store them in a custom closet. Suggest cute accessories, borrow your BFF’s new Jimmy Choos, or lock items so no one can take your favorite Little Black Dress. The more friends who add the application, the more money is deposited in your Shopometer. On your mark, get set, go!

-Emily Warren