Thursday, March 31, 2011

Dress Time!

It is time I posted about dresses, since I love shopping for them! When I was a teenager and had to deal with spaghetti strapped and body hugging (in a bad way) slip dresses, it was so refreshing as an adult to discover that dresses can actually be flattering and comfortable.

I found this one on Piperlime.com, which I started checking out recently. I had thought they carried mainly shoes, but they sell a variety of goods — especially dresses at reasonable prices!

Unfortunately, this dress is on sale for $230.99!! It is way beyond my price range, but I love it and hope it will be reduced further. I can wait, even if it takes quite a while.

Bookmarking your favorites online is a great way to remind yourself to check on full priced items, since they might go on sale at any moment. One of my friends taught me that!


Shoshanna Scoop Neck Tulip Dress, Multi Tweed, $230.99

I also found this poor women’s version that I am considering purchasing, although not many sizes are available at the moment (only medium). It’s on sale for $20!



Ya Los Angeles Sleeveless Dress, Green, $19.97

Obviously, I'm into green at the moment, and it must be my spring sensibility taking over.

We shall see! If I get either, I will definitely edit this post to reflect that.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Miz Mooz Heels

I love the brand Miz Mooz – they make such cute shoes, and the prices are pretty affordable.


Miz Mooz Women's Yvonne Sandal, $99.95 on endless.com

Link to the shoes are here on endless.

Now, I do not want to lead you astray, since I have not actually purchased these. I HAVE seen them in person at a local store.

They are SO cute! I love them. I can’t stop thinking about them.

I’m here to inspire. And be bossy.  Short and sweet posting today. Go shopping NOW!

Monday, March 28, 2011

New Boots, Spring Weather

Now that Spring weather is coming to the Bay Area (hopefully!), I bought a new pair of boots! Wierd timing I know....


(Gabriella Rocha, Amber style)

I found these last September and considered ordering them, but eventually decided they were too expensive at $100.

Flat boots were my obsession last fall – I wanted a pair that looked more polished than sneakers, but did not have a high heel (FYI - these do have a hidden small heel, but very comfortable!). I get SO tired of wearing heels, but do not always want to look super casual.

Just last week I found them on a discount shoe site for $34!!

6 pm.com seems to be affiliated with Zappos, and sells shoes at very large discounts. I noticed the price had already gone up for these boots since I purchased them last week, so get the good deals when you see them!

Shoe websites seem to do this often –  they put something on sale, and then are constantly changing the price depending on the demand. 

Yea SUNSHINE and Happy Monday! Yikes.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Noir Reading

Definition of Film Noir: a motion picture with an often grim urban setting, photographed in somber tones and permeated by a feeling of disillusionment, pessimism, and despair.

Mildred Pierce, a novel by James M. Cain, is a lot in the news these days.
ISBN: 9780307946591/$14.95

Cain is considered the father of noir – he is also the author of Double Indemnity and The Postman Always Rings Twice. They were both made into legendary movies of the 40’s starring Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, Lana Turner, and John Garfield.

Kate Winslet is starring in a HBO miniseries (that premieres this weekend) of Mildred Pierce that co-stars Evan Rachel Wood and Guy Pearce.
Back in 1945, there was the Joan Crawford movie adaptation, which I have seen many times and adore. At the time, Joan Crawford was considered a “has been” in the movie industry, and Mildred Pierce revitalized her career. The IMDB trivia page mentions that fact here. If you have never seen the old movie, you should go and rent it now! Joan is tremendous as Mildred – tough as nails, but also very sympathetic and human in her own way.

I finally purchased a copy of Mildred Pierce at the local independent bookstore last week. I have made my way through Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler in the last year, and thought a title by James M. Cain would be a great edition to my library of crime fiction as well.  


The book is not a murder mystery as the original Crawford movie, but a real page turner with a character you can not forget. When the book opens, Mildred appears to be an ordinary 1930’s housewife with a husband out of work because of the depression. As the opening scene goes on, it is clear that Mildred is not your average woman for any era. She is extremely tough and asks a lot of herself, husband, and children. Mildred is single minded and driven, and her relationship with her daughter Veda embodies this in everyway. Veda has one goal: to become a wealthy and prestigious member of Pasadena society. Mildred only has one goal as well: to make Veda happy and become wealthy for her daughter. The whole book is set around the tug and pull between Veda and Mildred – Mildred tries to hang onto Veda and give her what she wants; Veda is always manipulating her way in and out of her mother’s arms trying arrive at her goal, whatever it takes.

There is a psychological element to Mildred’s portrait as well, with Cain relentlessly revealing some of her innermost thoughts. They can be quite disturbing, even for modern readers.

Apparently, Cain was a reporter before he started writing books, and this is reflected in the careful description of the settings and clothes. This gives the reader a very detailed look at what 1930’s Los Angeles was really like.

I literally could not put this book down and read it in a single sitting, ending at one a.m.

Happy Reading! Go to your local independent bookstore and check it out!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Spring is for Bikes!

Biking is wonderful! In the last year, I have suddenly been converted into an urban bicycler.

It is so freeing not driving everywhere, and you feel more connected to the outdoors.



My friend had pointed me to the Public Bikes website, and I had been salivating over them! Since then, they have also come out with two models that are more reasonably priced.

I was able to get enough money together to buy a model about a month ago, and it is such a smooth ride. The bikes are constructed very well, with details like the fenders and chain guard adding a lot to the experience. Also, it is gorgeous!

http://publicbikes.com/

Check them out!

P.S. They also have the best rear wire basket for sale. You can take it off the bike easily and tote it around to farmers markets or stores. It came in handy just the other week at the library to carry around books. You can find a link to it here.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Love Red Shoes


BC Shoes, Shipwreck

I just found these shoes in bright red at a local shoe store, and I love them! (I could not find a picture in red anywhere!) The red is a really fun color that would brighten any outfit (along with the yellow pictured as well). They make me feel a bit like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, without the sparkles of course.

They are perfect for spring with a cute dress or jeans.

The shoes are super comfortable and have a very manageable heel, at a little over two inches only. They are a nice alternative to those giant wedges that everyone is going to be wearing this summer, since they are not so bulky.

Speaking of giant wedges, there are some REALLY cute styles out there. I currently have several bookmarked right now to check on, but they make me feel a bit intimidated! These shoes are baby steps....

Introduction to Sophia Shops

Let me tell you right now -- I have a problem. At least everyone always says so. :)

I LOVE shopping. At any moment, I am obsessing about an item of clothing that I would like to own. Unfortunately, I do not have unlimited funds, so many of these items never make it into my personal collection. However, some do.....even though my pocketbook might not stand it!

This blog is a collection of clothes I love — whether they are in my own closet, online, or in a store. Other items, like books or food, might sneak in every now and then, since I love to read and eat!

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, which everyone knows is rife with amazing street fashion and hipsters. Alas, I am definitely not a hipster. The clothes featured on this site will be reflective of a more casual aesthetic, not fancy designer labels or super trendy looks.

I would welcome submissions of outfits or items of clothing that are your favorites as well — email me and I will post if appropriate.

Thanks for tuning in, and happy reading!