Fall's 3 Trending Plaids

Royal Stewart Tartan

Fall's 3 trending patterns are not new, nor do they ever truly go out of style, yet they are hot looks right now, and all the designers have them in their collections. How old are they? Each pattern is centuries old and British in origin. 

Prince of Wales - is Glen plaid or checks, short for "Glenurquhart" (a valley in Scotland) and is usually made of black/grey and white but can have stylish accents of another color. It was favored by the UK's Edward VIII for his custom made suits. He was the king who abdicated to marry a divorcee, American Willis Simpson. Present day Prince of Wales attire includes: 1) Persona by Marina Rinaldi's check jacket; 2) MSGM check blazer and skirt and 3) Farfetch Samantha Sung butterfly check dress. 

Houndstooth - is a two-toned  pattern of small broken, or jagged checks that is suggestive of a hound's (or dog's tooth). Also called four-in-four check, or guncheck. Its origin is likely the Scottish lowlands. The fall Ann Taylor offers lots of attractive houndstooth plaids like the above: 1) Anne Taylor Trumpet Sweater Skirt; 2) Ann Taylor Chesterfield Coat; and 3) Vianne Sequin Pumps.

Finally Tartan - is a pattern of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands of multiple colors, which is traditional and iconic to Scotland. Chic specimens are  a 1) J. Crew Black Watch Tartan Poncho Scarf; 2) Patricia Nash Rienzo Tartan Satchel and 3) Ralph Lauren Tartan Blazer.

In fashion everything old becomes new again, no? Do you have a favorite fall tweed?


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8 Shapes Of Feet

Illustration: Library of Congress

Thanks to what pops up on my Facebook feed, I now know what the shape of my foot is called. I have Egyptian shaped feet, the 1st illustration below.

According to science, it means absolutely nothing. Despite the names given to each foot shape, there is no correlation between how your toes align on your feet and your ancestry, or personality traits, therefore I won't bother expounding on them. In fact, people of all ethnic groups, nationalities and personalities have each type of feet. So all we really know is what the name of our own shape of feet is. And it's all in good fun. 

Here are 8 types of feet people throughout the world have:

Using this above illustration going in order: 

1) Egyptian - The toes are tapered going from the longest big toe down to the little toe.

2) Roman -  The 2nd and 3rd toes are longer in length than the big toe. It is the most common of all the foot shapes.

3) Greek - The 2nd toe is the longest toe. The ancient Greeks found this foot shape to be aesthetically appealing and incorporated it into paintings and sculptures. Later artists followed suit. Michelangelo's David and the Statue of Liberty have Greek (also called Morton's) toes.

4) German - The big toe is the longest, followed by toes nearly the same length.

5) Oriental - Looks like the dark foot on the right. The toes are very slightly tapered, more rounded then an Egyptian foot. 

6) Celtic - The foot with a tattoo.

7) Peasant - Also called Giselle, all the toes are nearly the same length.

8) A Very Short Little Toe
👠👞👡

As mentioned, a majority of people have Roman  shaped feet, and because the 2nd and 3rd toes are about the same length, it's thought to be good for balance and may give athletes an advantage in sports. I think after a lifetime of practice all 8 foot shapes work well for balancing a body as people are so adaptable.

Peasant shape feet

In my research I also learned that some people can wiggle their little toes while others can't, but must use a finger to move them. It turns out I can move my little toes unassisted. Now what can I use my newly found talent to accomplish?🙂

The Greek shaped foot - David on the left and The Statue of Liberty on the right.

Have you figured out the shape of your feet yet? Oh, get wild and crazy ... also see if you can wiggle your little toes. We'll start a movement!😊

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Walmart's New Earth To Skin Care

Walmart now has it's very own skincare line, called Earth To Skin. The collection contains simple, clean and luxurious ingredients. There 28 products of cleansers, toners, serums and creams. Each one is packed with anti-oxidants and protective agents, all found in nature . There are absolutely no parabens, phthalates, petrolatum, mineral oil, sulfates, or glutens, and the skincare elixirs are not tested on animals.

There are 4 formulas which treat different skin needs: 

1) Super Greens - are anti-oxidant rich (containing vitamins A, C and K) created to detox the skin of impurities.

2) Super Fruits - brim with vitamins C and B6 to smooth, brighten, moisturize and add radiance to the skin.

3) Monika Honey - calms, smooths and hydrates sensitive skin. It also has anti-bacterial properties.

4) Tea Time -  has anti-aging ingredients, including white, green and black teas to encourage quick cell turnover and diminish fine lines. Mushroom extract and chamomile impedes inflammation (a major cause of aging skin); and herbal ingredients gently rejuvenate and tighten aging skin.

Skincare with effetive ingredients can be pricey, but Walmart developed its line to be affordable for everyday use. Full size products cost between $7 - $10, or you can buy a starter kit for $10 to try the formula suitable for your skin.


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It's An Upper East Side Halloween

Date night!

Let's take a tour of my Manhattan neighborhood. Lots of Upper East Siders are keen for Fright Night to began.

Some are flying high solo while others are suspended with like-minded fends, um friends. 

Every undead body is putting his, or her best face, or sheet forward.

    

Dangling, crawling and hanging out until dark. Just biding the day howling!

Dressed to kill, um party and rehearsing a few new skills like levitating. Practice makes perfect!

Killing um passing time at home ... and marking the way for tonight's prey, um trick-or-treaters.

Getting one's party face on to greet and let early arrivals inside.

Putting all the heads together, the old and new. How naughty to start eating Halloween treats before everyone arrives!

   

Remembering an ancient spell: "Eye of Newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog." Hmm, where did the tongue go? It was near one of the heads a second ago!

But mostly just counting down the hours and resting one's bones: "Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones."

 

Chillin' on a fence until the fun begins. Won't you came a little closer!?!

Happy Halloween from Gotham City!🎃👻



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The Brownstone Next Door On Halloween

I don't know the neighbors who live in this brownstone, but every Halloween they put a cemetery in their front yard and all these spooky creatures ... and every year I walk over to look at their creativity.

The brownstone is 4 stories high. Every level is covered with tombstones, witches, skeletons, giant spiders🕸️, ghosts, and other ghouls.👺 

Obviously the homeowners love celebrating Halloween and since they make the effort, I decided to photograph and post it for THE SAVVY SHOPPER'S readers to see. Consider this a preview. Because tomorrow we'll walk around my neighborhood on Manhattan's Upper East Side for a look at nearby Halloween decorations!💀

Stay turned, there is much more eeriness to share. Return here tomorrow for more evil spirits! If the grim phantoms let me snap them and walk away, that is!😱🧛‍♂️

Look ... a ghost

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Farewell Travers Fine Jewelers on Madison Avenue

These smart phone photos don't do the jewelry justice.

Recently I discovered one of my favorite shops on Madison Avenue, Travers Fine Jewelers, closed it's doors for good. Although much more high end than I can afford, I loved looking at its fine jewelry, and once partner, Sam Travers, let me try on a gorgeous oval stone ring I long admired! It was a Ceylon 12 carat sapphire and 14 solitaire diamond ring ... in fact a stunning replica of Diana, Princess of Wales' engagement ring that her son, Prince William, gave to fiancée, Kate Middleton upon their engagement. As you see, the shop also had the matching lookalike sapphire and diamond necklace and earrings Diana often wore, as well as, many fine diamonds, Burmese rubies, Colombian emeralds, Tahitian South Sea pearls, elegant watches and a variety of other beautiful necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings. Is it any wonder I gawked at the shop's window display every time I passed?

Although the jewelry was beyond my budget (by 6 figures!), it was fun to see what flawless, top-of-the line stones look like.

This is the 12 carat sapphire and diamond ring I tried on. I love it! One of the partners once said he had sold it, but he was joshing!😍

Occasionally, I'd tease the partners by saying: "Oh, you're selling the sapphire and diamond ring I want to buy!!"🙂 At times they'd come to the front door of the shop to promise me a good price, to which I'd reply, "When I get my invitation to the Met Gala, I'll be back!"

Since the shop has closed, it appears I'm not the only person to have no society events where I could wear such lavish and expensive pieces of jewelry. I mean, where can I go? To the grocery store? Up and down Madison Avenue? Down into the subways? I think not!🙁

It's a tough time for brick and mortar stores. Travers Fine Jewelers is the 3rd retailer on the Upper East Side to close recently. Pier 1 shut its doors in late summer; and another of my favorites, Laytners (for home goods) is closing up shop after 31 years. All 3 businesses added to the milieu of my neighborhood, and they will be greatly missed. 

Whenever I walked by Travers, I looked for MY 12 carat sapphire and diamond ring. I always thought, "One day somebody will walk in to buy it. Unfortunately it will be somebody else, not me." :((( Philosphically speaking, I suppose I was spared the pain of losing it. But now the window is bare, the store empty and the glitter is gone.

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