I’m a huge fan of Dave Sedaris. In his most recent book of essays he writes about his time living in Japan for three months. He aptly describes the way residents in his new, very foreign, neighborhood dress.
“Are the people wealthy? Middle class? A woman can wear a tattered dress over two pairs of pants, and it looks to me like Comme des Garcons, last season maybe, but still smart and expensive.”
This description applies to my current situation living situation. As a full-blooded east coaster living in the alternate universe known as Berkeley, I am aghast and perplexed by the fashion, or lack of, I am subjected to daily. My friends and I play a game, homeless or hipster. We can never figure out whether the ill fitting clothes and raggedy shoes are the new “it” item. And since it’s so endemic I’m not sure if I’m the one out of style.
So, where do I go when I wake up during the middle of the night in a cold sweat thanks to the fashion duress Berkeley puts me through daily? Manhattanite.com. Immediately I click on JetSetter to see what items I would wear en route to NYC when I have finally reached the last straw of fashion ridiculousness in the East Bay. Passport panties? Well. . .who said fashion had to be practical??
As soon as I sign on to Manhattanite.com I ignore the Shopping Bag total I have let accumulate. $1,000 worth of merchandise I have not yet “checked out”. . .um, I’ waiting for the right time. But instead of letting my grand total deter me from any further web surfing, I usually browse the Look Book to see what is up and coming or what I can buy (or could potentially buy if I had a better credit rating) on pre-sale, before it hits most boutique floors.
Most recently I found a favorite of Nicky Hilton and Hillary Duff; an adorable ruffle keyhole tank by Nu Collective 
. Won’t find something that adorable between the homeless park I live next to, which, by the way, doesn’t have a pool to wear a cute little Shoshanna bandeau bikini 
.
Buuuuut, fall is quickly approaching so bathing suits aren’t the first thing on my list. A cute little vintage inspired bolero by Voom by Jon Han 
and patent pumps by Laura Brandon 
definitely are, however.
Before I know it, the sun is rising and my eyes are glazed over from staring at fun accessories (for women, babies and even puppies!) and I’m nodding off to sleep, dreaming of a more fashionable Berkeley courtesy of Manhattanite.com.
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