Hot Pockets

Between having a baby, planning a wedding and of course managing both a household with two kids, a dog and a husband-to-be as well as a business (the Troc, of course!), well, my time to surf the net and read fashion magazines has become pretty non-existent. It wasn't until the day before when I was searching for something to wear on my head for my wedding day that I stumbled across the just launched capsule collection by Derek Lam for eBay.

I love Derek Lam. I think his clothes are smart, timeless, super chic and just well-tailored. For Christmas one year, he gave us editors these amazing thick black cashmere jacket-cardigans. A shawl collar, no closure, hits at the right place at your hip and has pockets! I love pockets on anything and everything. Even my pajamas have pockets (two of them: one for the baby monitor and one for my cell phone). It's made by Simply Vera by Vera Wang (a brand I have mentioned numerous times before on this blog) available at Kohl's. It really is a must for new mommies. Plus, I think it's seriously chic enough to wear as a swimsuit coverup for the summer. I bought this tunic in an XS, S, M and L. Yes, you might find that excessive but if you're a new nursing mom, you know that you don't want your favorite and easy top to be in the laundry pile until the weekend. So for all you new mommies out there who are nursing, GO BUY THIS TOP! And even if you're not nursing, I recommend buying this ASAP! This is a great tunic for summer -- for sleeping, lounging and as I said before, as a swimsuit cover up.

But going back to Derek Lam, I had no idea about the new capsule collection and wondered how long it had been out. With my good fortune I saw that it just launched a couple weeks ago. I'm thinking about the short version of this dress seen on Rachel Bilson. What do you think? At $225, it's not exactly cheap. And I've heard mixed reviews on the quality...

But there is that huge selling point for me...it has pockets!

photo source tunic: Kohl's

photo source Rachel Bilson: Daily Mail UK

photo source Derek Lam dress: eBay

Fashion for the Masses

It might be New York Fashion week and Narciso Rodriguez's Fall 2010 collection will hit the runways but for those who don't have the money to afford his eponymous, designer threads can now get a little piece of the action with his new line for eBay. Yes, eBay. Forget about Target, H&M, Top Shop and the other usual suspects. This time the famed online auction seller has found a new niche in featuring a "designer-for-less" line of their own.

Narciso Rodriguez for eBay launched this week and perusing the line I have to admit I was surprised by the prices. The jersey dresses are simple, like most of Narciso's signature line, but I don't think they have enough of the seaming or contrast color blocking that warrants a price tag of over $125. Yeah, there's the now ubiquitous "exposed zipper" detail which is nice but I want more design especially at a $250 diffusion price point. Personally I love the simplicity of the scoop neck jersey dress; it's slightly reminiscent of a staple DVF dress I own. And yes, if it was DVF for $270 I wouldn't balk. But for some reason the $270 price point for a diffusion eBay line seems a bit steep. If I could feel the fabric and be convinced that it's not cheaply made, I would think about it. But what really got me going (and in a bad way) was the $450 price tag for the canvas espadrilles. Four hundred and fifty dollars...really? I love a good espadrille, but trust me when I say it's all about Castañer (a Spanish shoe company) and you won't be breaking the bank. The mark up on these Narciso for eBay espadrilles makes me seriously wonder about the mark up on the dresses...like I said, a $125 price point seems more appropriate.

I like that Constance White, the Style Director of eBay, who used to be with the New York Times and WWD is using her clout to bring something different and new to the eBay marketplace. While it's nothing new to have designer clothing for less, I appreciate this new approach to it. I just wish it wasn't mid-priced and instead more affordable for the masses. Or else I wish she made it strictly an auction-only line with limited availability.

What do you think of this eBay line? Are you going to place your "bid?"

image source: LA Times

image source: eBay