Fashion's Night Out Chicago

I'm way behind in posting, so you're getting a post dump today in an attempt to quickly catch up so I can bring you Emmys red carpet coverage starting tomorrow.

A bit over a week ago, I was invited to Saks' Fashions's Night Out event. It was definitely a bigger party, and louder party, than the Brian Atwood event that morning.

I dragged my friend Niki along.

But I'm sure the free champagne at least was worth it

Saks had models wearing Brian Atwood shoes

even the ostrich-feather "it" shoe for fall. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I won't be wearing these this fall, or ever really.

We perused the shoes

and did some great people watching

Why didn't I wear my fascinator?

Then we got bored pretty quickly with Saks and moved along to the newly opened TopShop

It's gigantic and definitely worth a visit

Their theme for fall seemed to be "sequins"

Which is fine because I oddly have been having a hankering for sequins myself. Not that I bought anything because the line was ridiculously long.

This was me attempting to take a pic of the makeover stations they had going on for the public, but silly people stepped in my way. Boo!

From there we went to Neiman's where these lovely people were standing inside

and this fortune teller was sitting inside.

Sorry, Saks, but Neiman's definitely had you beat in the entertainment department. And hands down killed it in the food department. There were like 6 food and drink stations on each of their 4 floors.

But forget the food and drinks and even the fortune teller, Niki and I were very entertained by the hats.

I made Niki model some of the hats for you



But then I just had to try this one, for realsies, not for jokesies. I was in love. And then I saw it was made by Philip Treacy, aka milliner extraordinaire for the Royal Wedding. Ooo, I want.
How did y'all spend Fashion's Night Out?

Neiman Marcus Wine & Shoe Pairing Event

Last week I had the supreme pleasure of being invited by the Waldorf Astoria to attend a Wine & Shoe Pairing at Neiman Marcus. It was small and intimate, but really fun. They'd pair a comfort wine with a comfort shoe, like a spectator Chanel pump. As a non-drinker, I don't know much about wines so I really can't tell you what paired with what, but I can tell you I really did enjoy watching the shoes being walked around by the models. I also enjoyed the dresses they paired them with, but no one was talking about the dresses, so I can't tell you what they wore :( Since my hands were free of wine glasses, I got a hand massage by the people of Fresh. It was divine.

Then our little band of wine tasters/shoe fondlers, made our way to the shoe department where the wine and shoe pairings continued and we were given gift bags that included a $200 gift card to Neiman Marcus. Um... best gift bag ever!

I used my gift card for these simple and useful Tory Burch flats. Lord knows I'll wear them a million times. When it's not Aerosoles soul mate season, it's Tory Burch flat season.

Tory Burch, $235 @

And with my gift card, they were basically free. Who can say no to that?!

I will admit that what I really really wanted were these Valentinos.

Valentino, $645 @

OMG divine. I swear my foot/leg has never looked so darn sexy as when trying on these spiky stilettos. But, sadly, they were not to come home with me. a) I need another pair of black pumps like I need a hole in the head. It's not like I'm working, where on earth would I ever wear them? b) My stay-at-home-mom budget definitely does not allow for $700 Valentino shoes. As much as I would like it to. *sigh*

But I am very excited about the Tory Burches. I wish I had taken my camera to take pics of the event, but it was intimate and I definitely would have been the weirdo snapping pics with my gigantor dSLR. Oh well, maybe next time.

@Available in more colors