Summer Sandals

Summer's pretty much here and with the beautiful change in weather, every girl needs a cute, comfy pair of sandals! Now that I am no longer a scrubby college student at Cal, it's probably time to trade in my beloved Rainbow flip-flops for something a little dressier to pair with my summer outfits (hello dresses and skirts in bright colors!). Unfortunately, despite all the choices that are out there, finding a pair I've liked has been more of a difficult task than I expected.

Finally, thanks to some help from a co-worker, I picked up a perfect pair from Urban Outfitters!

   

The Ecote Braided Leather Sandals are exactly what I've been looking for: simple, cute, comfy, and will go with any outfit. I've been wearing them for a week now and love that they are so lightweight and soft. The sandals come in five colors (all very cute and wearable) and are only $28! They may not be the dressiest or trendiest pair of sandals, but I'm loving how easy they are to slip on for weekend and nighttime outings.

These sandals also appear to be a huge favorite of The Hills' girls. Lauren Conrad has been spotted out and about in black and cognac versions while her BFF, Lo Bosworth, was recently seen with the ivory Ecotes while donning a cute summer dress:

(photo credit to Pacific Coast News)

Cinco de Mayo, Chanel-Style

Every now and then, a genius marketing campaign hits you when you least expect it.  Like on a holiday that people celebrate merrily with tacos, margaritas, and cacarachas (or if you were at work like me, you read about other eople's  festivities on Twitter... sigh).  Today, Cinco de Mayo for those of you who missed it, Chanel partnered with Saks Fifth Avenue to promote and honor its signature perfume, Chanel No. 5.

Large Chanel flags decorated and lined the side of building, window displays boasted scenes with both size bottles of the fragrance, and whimsical street signs re-dubbed sections of the avenue as "Avenue Chanel No. 5".  Along with the eye candy, Chanel gave away free deluxe samples of the scent, and also unveiled its just-for-Chanel short film, Train de Nuit, starring Amelie actress Audrey Tautou (love!)

(photo credit to Racked)

I'm impressed by this fling of creativity - come on, it's PERFECT: Saks Fifth, on Fifth Avenue + Chanel No. 5 + May 5th. I love when things just work, and this idea and partnership meshed beautifully on so many levels. I also applaud the use of different medium in the execution: the visual displays both above and at ground level, the commercial teasers that got people wondering about what Chanel had up its sleeve, and the samples of the perfume to link the scent with the experience of the day.

More about the perfume, it was purposefully created to be made up of synthetic notes, that is, unnatural scents as opposed to its floral counterparts. This is the reason why upon first encounters, many would describe it as on the strong and heavier side. The rich composition includes ylang ylang, jasmine, vanilla, patchouli, and iris.

I don't personally use the perfume - I prefer lighter scents for now, but appreciate the timelessness of the fragrance, an extention of the classic yet modern appeal of the brand itself. Well done, Chanel, excelente.