LE CATCH

It seems the powers that rule shoe shopping on the internet convened yesterday and unanimously decided to put the cutest high heeled sandals on sale. Lucky us! The Outnet has a slew of Alaia (which rarely gets discounted) and Saint Laurent sandals (the bedrock of street style stars and the like) up for grabs, including this studded nude pair and this embellished black beauty. At Barneys Warehouse there are gems like this elegant Manolo Blahnik, this ankle-strap Givenchy and this cracked leather Derek Lam. Out and about I also turned up these insane lace-ups from Jason Wu, these whimsical Rupert Sanderson t-straps, and these spot-on River Island wraparound sandals that at $100 are practically on sale! (The ones above are by Isabel Marant, but you can find a similar, less expensive pair here.)

Photo: Sincerely Jules

$58*, j.crew

This floral print top is resplendently summery--and especially hard to resist at 25% off (through 3/25), along with all new spring arrivals at J.Crew. Don't mind if I do!

1. J.Crew floral popover, $58*, jcrew.com
2. Tory Burch cat-eye sunglasses, $195, shopbop.com
3. Venessa Arizaga beaded bracelet, $75, shopbop.com
4. Elizabeth Cole leather and chain cuff, $148, shopbop.com
5. Kenzo clutch, $385, forwardbyelysewalker.com
6. DV by Dolce Vita sandal, $99, piperlime.com
7. J Brand cut-off denim shorts, $150, netaporter.com

Get this price--and 25% off everything else with the code HEYSPRING through 3/25. My new favorite spring pieces include this simply elegant leather clutch, these excellent cropped jeans, and this pretty lace top!

After some rigorous in-depth research (i.e. poring over pictures from the Fall 2014 collections in four cities), I now suspect that we'll all want a retro-looking top handle bag in the very near future. So, I've made things easy by narrowing it down to these selects: this most coveted Tod's mini satchel (as pictured above, but I also love the slightly larger size), this fashion-insider favorite M2Malletier clutch, this ladylike Tory Burch, this budget-friendly Hermes-blue Asos, this velvet Dolce & Gabbana, this striking zipper-trimmed Milly, and this easy red side pocketed Topshop.

Photos: Buro 247, The Cut, Style, Le 21-ieme, Refinery 29, Collage Vintage

$136, anthropologie

Last summer in Santorini my friend and I stumbled into a random but excellent swimsuit shop, where we cooed over all the unusually cool, wildly patterned, cleverly reversible bathing suits. Of course, I snapped one up--but have since lost it somewhere in Mexico! This bikini will be this summer's replacement.

1. Emilio Pucci silk chiffon dress, $2690, netaporter.com
2.Wildfox sunglasses, $169, shopbop.com
3. Maaji reversible bikini, $136, anthropologie.com
4. J.Crew metallic sandals, $118, jcrew.com

I am sorry to report that snow showers are in the long-term forecast for the east coast (yes, more slush next week!), but perhaps I can alleviate some wintry misery by sharing with you some hard-to-find pieces that flawlessly handle the cold-then-warm-then-cold climate typical of spring that will, I assure you, come! I'm talking coats and jackets that are ideal for layering over a lightweight or chunky sweater or (best case scenario) a simple t-shirt or blouse. Take for example, the vibrantly-hued Reiss pea coat, above, as sported by Olivia Palermo in London last month. I love its fresh pop of color and how it "springifies" her look. These colorful toppers from Topshop and Nicholas do the same. Also fun: a vivid print coat or jacket such as this leopard Maison Scotch, this floral River Island, and this embellished Dorothy Perkins bomber. This striking white BA&SH coat (20% off) is also drop-dead amazing, but if you're looking for something left of center, why not this Michael Kors sleeveless vest (cute when belted too, and it's 65% off!). Of course, you can't go wrong with a classic trench such as this Club Monaco. I also adore this (Chanel-y) fringe-trimmed Kate Spade coat and this slightly edgy zipper-accented one from DAY Birger et Mikkelson. More springspiration below!

Photos: The Fashion Eaters, Never Underdressed, W Magazine, Dans Vogue, Pinterest

$35, j.crew

These pretty pearl drop earrings are a fresh, elegant, forever-chic (the list goes on and on) alternative to everyday studs.

1. Elle Sasson crop top, $260, neimanmarcus.com
2. J.Crew pearl drop earrings, $35, jcrew.com
3. M Missoni raffia clutch, $320, shopbop.com
4. Proenza Schouler ankle strap sandals, $595, netaporter.com
5. Elle Sasson embellished skirt, $625, neimanmarcus.com

Like all Angelenos, my morning started off with a pre-dawn 4.4 earthquake, which literally jolted me out of bed. Though I've lived in LA for years, I am still not accustomed to the earth moving under my feet--and don't think I will ever be! I did my best to conceal my rattled nerves from my kids, who had never experienced an earthquake before. My youngest son (age 5) thought a strong gust of wind shook the house. Meanwhile my seven-year-old son's friend, who lives across the street, believed the trembling was due to a giant leprechaun emerging from his closet for St. Patrick's Day! He was distraught to say the least! Fortunately, in the end, nothing broke and no one got hurt... that is until my husband called me several hours later from Santa Barbara, 120 miles from home, where he had not been "quaking" but rather surfing. From the emergency room, he reported that he had dislocated his shoulder, then assured me that he was "fine" and "not to worry!" Needless to say, it's been one of those days! The only good thing that has gone right: the arrival of these stunning Givenchy sandals on my doorstep this afternoon. I am looking forward to wearing these beauts in less anxious times! P.S. I also eked out a happy grin when I discovered this killer $99 H&M fringe suede clutch a few minutes ago. What a find!

$268,* asos

This navy cotton blazer has the perfect (and ever elusive) ratio of classic to right-now-chic.

1.. Duffy t-shirt, $110, netaporter.com
2. Maison Scotch embellished tweed blazer, $268, asos.com
3. Raquel Allegra leather paneled shorts, $590, netaporter.com
4. Stela 9 bucket bag, $106, shopbop.com
5. Vanities bracelet, $165, modaoperandi.com
6. Dolce Vita sandals, $119, shopbop.com

* Enter code LUCKYDUCK to get this price and 20% off all full-priced merchandise at Asos through 3/19.

I'm kind of obsessed with the idea of wearing an evening clutch like this during the day as a cross-body bag and only carrying the bare minimum!

$178, french connection

Dior is pairing these punchy, girly-girl colors for Fall 2014 (take a look at this soon-to-be-iconic pink and red number), but this silk dress makes it a cinch to pull off now. (P.S. I also love the idea of throwing a perfect leather moto jacket over it to toughen it up a bit.)

1. French Connection silk dress, $178, frenchconnection.com
2. Vivienne Westwood mother-of-pearl earrings, $250, shopbop.com
3. Kenzo clutch, $165, forwardbyelysewalker.com
4. Givenchy ankle-strap stilettos, $620, netaporter.com