I Bought It Files: SHARK Bracelet & Faux Fur Leopard Print Coat!

I realized yesterday that AN ENTIRE DAY HAD PASSED without me engaging in ANY sort of online shopping experience. So today I vowed to right that terrible wrong.

I had an online gift certificate to Fred Flare, which is one of my favorite stores of all time (run by some of the nicest PEOPLE of all time -- Chris, Keith and Jen are LITTLE MIRACLES), which is why I'll soon be the proud owner of a new leopard-print faux fur coat AND a Disney Couture shark bracelet. TWO NECESSITIES, of course.

($78, FredFlare.com)

I've been on a mission for MONTHS now to find a great faux fur coat, and I hope this one delivers. It's no Wren fur coat, but it's also not $795, now is it?

($54, Disney Couture, FredFlare.com)

I'm not necessarily a Disney person, nor am I usually into licensed merch (often it skeeves me out), but I do positively LOVE Disney Couture's jewelry, particularly because it doesn't look like kid Disney stuff. And it's made really well. My Disney treasure chest ring, also from Fred Flare, looks brand-new after years of wear. Oh yeah, and Disney Couture's Tron merch is out of this world. (Get it?) Anyway, I ended up buying this shark bracelet. Because I really really needed a shark bracelet, as it turns out.

Oh yeah, get 30% off with code word "Flare." YAY! Love a sale!

I Dream Of: Wren's Leopard Fur Coat

($795, Wren, Shopbird)

The leopard fur coat. It's so classic, so decade-unspecific. So Anne Bancroft-classy and at the same time so old-lady-with-a-cigarette-hanging-out-of-her-mouth-and-waving-a-flyswatter-around crazy.

But mainly, I just love how dreamy a leopard print coat can be. What's under it? Who cares. The coat is the outfit.

Prada's Cavallino Bowler Is Doing Wild Things To My Head

I don't know who I think I am, but apparently I'm the kind of person who somehow, suddenly looks at Prada bags. Generally I write off Prada bags a.) because I can't afford them, DUHR, and b.) because I associate them with those terrible nylon black backpacks which are just the worst. But somehow I'm all into the idea of Prada's leopard-print Cavallino bowler.

($3,100, Prada, NeimanMarcus.com)

Great, right? Too bad I enjoy "eating," and "having an apartment" and "not being wildly in debt."

Anyway, my obnoxious Prada leopard-print bag fantasies inspired a major animal-print binge, which netted the following:

($585, Hammitt, Searlenyc.com)

Studs with animal print can be a leeeettle cowboy, but this bag by LA brand Hammitt still kinda works.

($745, Stella McCartney, Net-a-porter.com)

The elusive zebra-colored leopard print! Score!

($564, Opening Ceremony, Asos.com)

Opening Ceremony! Why are you so good to us? (And also, why are you so expensive?)

($158, Sam Edelman, Nordstrom)

Sam Edelman's Katrice wedge FTW! So '70s it's sick!

($80, Topshop)

I love an adventurous outfit, but have these leopard-print harem pants crossed the line from adventurous to crazy? Like Real Housewives table-flipping levels of nuts? Also, as much as I wanna make harem pants "work," I'm becoming increasingly convinced that they barely even look good on models whose body types are "pencil."

($36, Walmart)

Finally, this IS FashionBinge, where we do love a good deal, so far it be from me to leave you without something affordable. I mean, this Walmart leopard-print bag isn't the absolute worst. I'd carry it to the gym. Seriously, just tell people it's vintage deadstock, and they'll be all "ooh!"

Eureka! Le Perfect Animal Print Skirt!

(£38.00, Oli.co.uk)
Ugh. Damn you, Oli! WHY do you not ship to the US? HATERS! Normally I'm not in love with tulipy skirts as they can make the short look like certified l'il people. But I'd make an exception for this pink-and-gold leopard-print skirt. NEED.

What Comes Around Goes Around Super Sale Online And In-Store!

Y'awl! One of my favorite NYC boutiques -- What Comes Around Goes -- around is having a sale. So go do it to it. I went last time and my duder got some GREAT stuff -- there was excellent ladies' stuff too. He just happened to find some good, soft tees. Shop in the store: 13-17 Laight Street NY until February 24, or take 20% off at ShopWCAGA.com through Sunday February 16 with promo code "VALENTINE."

BTW, that very Mad Men cropped leopard "Garbo" jacket I wrote about back in September of ought-8... used to be $495? It's $200 now, but you can get it for $160 with that promo code. HURRY, doves!

(What Comes Around Goes Around)

OH: PS, happy Valentine's Day! I got a subscription to In Touch! FTW!

Mad For This Cropped Leopard Jacket Because It's Sooooo Mad Men!

I LOVE me a sweet little leopard-print cropped jacket. There are about a million things it looks great with, and now that I've developed a full-blown addiction to Mad Men, I see little reason why Matthew Weiner shouldn't reward my enthusiasm and evangelism of his show with this very relevant cropped leopard-print jacket by What Comes Around Goes Around. Because Lawd knows, I can't afford its $495 price taggity tag. Bew.

($495, What Comes Around Goes Around, Active Endeavors)

Sure, this is an investment piece, but the price ain't exactly recession-friendly. Here are a few pieces that are:

($49, Newport News)

Only thing I'm not down with is the single-button enclosure. Creates a nightmare boob-tent situation for larger-chested ladies. But you C-cups on down, have at it.

($49, INC International, The Uber Shop)

Yay zebra prints!

($49, QVC)

I have a vintage Stuart Lang satin animal print top like this that I LOVE and wear all the time in the coldy months. Because it's so thin, it's perfect for wearing under cropped jackets (that aren't leopard-print, obvs). I like the side-tie here, and the shape of the top -- billowy, loose but feminine -- is so flattering. I'd give it a shot.

+ More of my Mad Men obsession in the form of Joan Holloway and Calvin Klein's Secret Obsession.

Lovely In Leopard Prints

Recently at work, a friend mentioned -- in passing mind you -- her quest to find a pair of red and black leopard print flats. Somehow that same unseen force that grips you and renders you incapable of turning off the TV during the Lifetime original TV movie, "Life Is Not a Fairy Tale: The Fantasia Barrino Story" grabbed hold of me yet again and guided my hand through over an hour's worth of online browsing. While I netted (har) almost no worthy results (defeat!), I did find tons of other totally worthy animal print stuff (success!)

First, a few words about animal prints, especially leopard print. First of all, I think it goes without saying that when wearing animal prints, it's a crime -- nay, a SIN! -- to wear more than ONE animal print item at a time. I can specifically remember being at a party late last year and noticing a girl wearing what would've been an otherwise totes acceptable outfit -- black pants, a white button-down, and some leopard print flats. BUT... horror of horrors: her bag... was... ALSO leopard print. NO NO NO! A WORLD of no. I HAD to point out the gaffe to SOMEONE, and since I was at the party with my boyfriend, I settled for telling him. Even he got it. And quickly. Please, don't let be that girl. When it comes to animal prints, remember: One or NONE!


Onwards...

First...

($36, Papillon, Babygirlboutique.com)
If you described this dress to me, I'd think it was totally fugzville. But it turns out that while in theory, the idea of a leopard-and-flower print sundress would be terrible, I actually think this is adorablay and beyond.



($57, Hell's Belles, Babygirlboutique.com)
With an all-black outfit and denim jacket? Suuuper cute.



($104, Hell's Belles, Babygirlboutique.com)
While this bag is definitely pushing the farthest reaches of my rockabilly sensibilities, I do think it's fun. Especially the wallet. Though I do feel like I almost be compelled to go to Lucky Cheng's or something just to show this bag a good time.



($108, Tyler, Shoes.com)
This was one of the most high end examples of the leopard print flats I found. They're definitely purdy, but it wasn't difficult at all to find totes similar versions.



($22, eBay)
Just one example.



($29, eBay)
Dudes, I actually really love these. They'd look tight with some darker skinny jeans. They also come in other colors like beige and yellow.



($18.99, Vinci, Amazon)
Nice n' easy. I like the brown bows too.



($24.99, Mossimo, Target)
The always-dependable Targs comes through with the Dodie peep-toe wedge. Done and done!



($60, Naughty Monkey, Whatapair.com)
A classic case of "I'd really need to see those in person." But, they could be cute. Or they could look too much like dog and not leopard spots (bad). Also, I grew up being taught that leather shoes were GOOD. And people, not shoes, are vegetarian. But if that's your thing, go 'head.



($129.95, Faryl Robin, Solestruck.com)
Okay, these technically aren't animal prints, but from afar you could totally mistake these wedges as such. So, I'm throwing them in. I sincerely adore Faryl Robin. I'll say it again.

They're also amazing in "apricot"

($129.95, Faryl Robin, Solestruck.com)



($59, Michael Kors, Michaelkors.com)
These tiger print slides are fucking rad.



($63.95, Luichiny, Shoebuy.com)
I found these Luichiny Maddie flats everywhere, especially in the leopard style above. (Shoebuy appears to have the best price on them, by the way -- over $10 less than Zappos). I also found lots of the rather off-putting blue and silver spotted version, which actually grew on me:




But 6pm.com has them in six different styles, including zebra, which I really hate. But I truly heart the orange/gold style the most:




(Apprx $42, eBay)
These are just too delightfully trampy to pass up. They're so fun yet SO impractical. The first and last time I wore a pair of wedges that high, I made it about 15 feet outside of my building in the morning before I carefully turned around and tottered back home to change into some *slightly* less senseless footwear.



(Apprx $19, eBay)
Possibly more slightly yet LESS impractical than the above shoes.


... And finally, should you need to cool off after all that animalistic shoe shopping...

($49, Target)