Shoe Candy

As 2009 comes to an end, I thought I would leave you with wishes of Louboutin's dancing in your head. The below Louboutin's are by far the most drool-worthy pair I've found to date. These beauties are the perfect shoe to go with my New Years dress. . .but with a near $3000 price tag will most likely never find a spot in my closet. :(

Christian Louboutin Jeweled Platform

Check back in 2010 for my top 10 Trend for 2010, and more to come!

Rodarte for Target - Released EARLY!

I'm not typically one to gush over Target's designer collaborations, however, the Rodarte collection is an exception. And, much to my surprise, they have released the collection in stores a day EARLY! These pieces are sure to sell out, so scoot over to Target quickly to see the pieces.

I had a chance to swing by and I LOVE the collection. Everything from the detailing, closures, and even the tag are high quality. My favorite pieces are three dresses in black, gold and light blue that combine elements of silk camisole's with floaty tulle. To preview more of the collection, visit the blog of fellow blogger Louisa at Large who posted a look-book early on this week!

You MUST Know About This!

If you are anything like me, you have an abundance of cocktail dresses hanging in the back of your closet collecting dust. You also are probably on the hunt for the perfect dress for the holidays and New Years Eve. It's not that you don't like the cocktail dresses you already own, it's that you have already worn them, maybe on multiple occasions. Unlike shoes or a sweater, cocktail dresses are one of those items that you only get a handful of uses out of.

Enter Rent the Runway. For a fraction of the price of buying a new dress, Rent the Runway allows you to rent designer dresses to wear for an event! Stocked with the season hottest designer dresses, members can rent a dress costing upwards of $500 or more for just $50-$200, depending on the dress.

You can search by categories such as: New Years Eve, Meet the Parents and Date Night. Stylists are also on call to help with sizing decisions and suggestions on how to accessorize your look.

Unlike popular bag rental site, Bag Borrow or Steal, I find Rent the Runway completely affordable, and the fashionista's answer to never repeating the same dress. They even offer an option of renting a 2nd size for FREE! This ensures that you won't end up without a dress due to fit. I have found that many of these dresses are available right now in stores, so why not go try them on for size and fit there, and then rent them online!

Rent the Runway is a fairly new site, but I am excited to see what happens next season when their current dresses are no longer seasonal. My hope is that they will be selling them for steep discounts, giving members another way to score a top designer dress for cheap!

Want to join? Follow this invitation link: http://renttherunway.com/referral/lprattes

Holiday Look Blog - Look 3

Winter Wedding - evening by thestylemaison

Items in this set:

Diane von Furstenberg Lele silk-chiffon strapless dress, $385

Grey faux fur bolero, 49 GBP

L.A.M.B. Rhett - Black, $200

Monsoon Accessorize - Bugle Bead Bow Satin Clutch, 8 GBP

Betsey Johnson Love at First Tights in Black, $30

An invitation to a winter wedding can sometimes present a tricky situation - what to wear. Often winter weddings are a slightly more upscale events, that require a cocktail dress. Although wearing black to a wedding is perfectly acceptable, many people shy away from it. The problem then arrises of what colors are appropriate to wear which won't overshadow the bride?

Winter Wedding Guidelines

1. Do not wear any shades of white or ivory to a wedding; red should be avoided as well.

2. Ideal colors to wear are rich jewel tones, which add interest, but are subdued enough to not make you the center of attention (it's not your day after all).

3. During this season of sequins, metallics embellishments a general rule should be to keep all "flare" to a minimum.

4. Tights are an important part of a winter ensemble as they promise to not only keep your legs warm, but make any dress more winter appropriate.

5. If the wedding is held in a conservative church bring a pashmina to drape over your shoulders during the service if wearing anything shoulder baring.

6. Avoid anything too tight, low cut or short.

Gift Guide - The Jet Setter

Whether your travel enthusiast friend loves a luxury vacation or is a budget traveler, the gifts below are bound to inspire another adventure. Think outside of the box with a travel magazine subscription, or a city pass full of tickets to attractions in the city nearest you. For the sensible traveler a universal adapter or digital language dictionary are top gift choices. Channel a jet setters inner fashionista with some great DVF luggage or a stylish bag for carry-on liquids.

1. iTRAVL Multilingual Communicator & Dictionary - $549

2. Neiman Marcus Luggage Tags - $18

3. Citypass - $49 $ up

4. Lapin Vilardi St. Germain Jewelry Roll - $50

5. Lewis N. Clark Universal 4-in-1 Travel Adapter - $24

6. Conde Nast Traveller Magazine Subscription - $20

7. DVF Hearts 21in Rolling Carry On - $139

8. Luxury City Guides - $9.99 each

9. Urban Aid: Arrival Survival Kit - $39

10. Pack This! Packing Checklist - $6.95

11. Kate Spade Par Avion Airline Bag - $50

Take it to another level by booking a trip on Gilt Groupe's newest travel sample sale website Jettsetter. With everything from lavish european villa's to local boutique hotels, Jetsetter is a great way to find amazing deals on hotels. Click here to sign up and book your next trip!