3 Must-Have Accessories for Visiting New York

--By Kim Moshtaghi

D&G Sandpiper Watch
$275.00
Available at: nordstrom.com

I have been in New York for about a week now, and have quickly learned there are three necessities that you need in the City. Staying with my girlfriend from college, I’ve been getting a good feel for life here and its fast-paced, unpredictable weather. As much as I love New York, I have a new found appreciation for San Diego’s stable weather. Not knowing whether you’re going to get rained on doesn’t sound stimulating to me. I mean, when I’m wearing a jacket that isn’t water resistant with sandals that have serious slipping potential on a sunny day, the last thing I expect is a dreadful downpour. Well, in New York anything is fair game, so it is important to be prepared!

My first crucial item on the list is a stunning watch. It’s New York, so I wanted to pick a watch that is fashion savvy, but gets the job done on busy days. It’s easy to loose track of time in the city, and sometimes even the date! This D&G Dolce&Gabbana "Sandpiper Lady" Pavé Dial water resistant watch is perfect to wear in the city. Running around all the time, trying to deal with the major foot traffic, makes it crucial to be wearing a nice, yet a practical watch. Knowing the date and time will ensure on-time appointments, even in chaotic New York. This white, clean, big, fashionable watch will definitely complete phase one of my NY must haves. With water resistance up to 100 meters, you don’t have to freak out every time there is a drop of rain coming down.

Badgley Mischka Debra Tote
$398.00
Available at: saks.com

Necessity number two is a medium size tote! Walking everywhere and wanting to take all the things you need to last the whole day without a pit stop at home, makes it convenient to have a large bag at all times. Basically, you’ll need it to fit your iPod, sunglasses, umbrella, makeup for the day, and, most importantly, hand sanitizer. This Badgley Mischka Platinum Label Debra Shoulder Tote is perfect.

Lastly, you’ll need a small short umbrella that will fit in any kind of bag, especially a medium size tote! This London Fog Women's Genie umbrella couldn’t be more fitting for a New Yorker: it’s stashable and adorable. Supposedly, it’s the world’s shortest umbrella-- I challenge you to find a smaller one! With this umbrella handy-- easy to take everywhere, or simply leave in your bag-- being drenched by the rain will never be an issue.

There you have it, three items that will make visiting or living in New York more enjoyable.
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Kim Moshtaghi is a contributing writer for Adventures in the Stiletto Jungle. Born in Germany, Kim is currently based in sunny Del Mar, California, where she also serves as Stiletto Jungle's Director of Sales and Promotions. Kim has a communications degree, a third degree black belt, and a totally covetable Gucci handbag collection.

Spring Fashion: Bold & Bright Color

--By Kim Moshtaghi

Custo Barcelona Printed Mini Dress
$82.80 (was $92-- save 10%!)
Available at: edressme.com

Bold, bright colors are everywhere for spring. In order to be different, this year fashion has taken a quick twist to no rules. Some girls love it, but some of us are stuck not knowing what to buy. It seems that the upcoming spring season has decided to go for ‘80s inspired clothing with a major twist-- diagonals and a lot of funky prints. Python has come back in a new way and bright colors are being paired together, and it looks flashy and daring. It wasn’t my idea, but I’m starting to see some great things coming from this crazy “no rules” trend.

Although there are hundreds of things to choose from for the spring season, it is always those eye-popping dresses that get me. When the weather is warm and breezy it’s nice to have a fun, bright dress to wear. No matter what occasion, you’ll feel like your strolling along in the sand. You can also pair it with some killer chunky shoes, because it’s all about mixing and matching the bold with even bolder accessories.

Bebe Zebra Enamel Bracelets
$44.00
Available at: bebe.com

This brings me to my first item: a sexy Vibrant Warm Printed Mini Dress from Custo Barcelona, which I adore. This dress is eye-staining fun. The color combination-- the orange tones with blue-purple-- is beautiful and very in tune with the spring 2009 runways. I like how the hint of yellow smoothes out the bolder colors-- it settles the dress. The baby blue rope belt that cinches the waist adds a touch of femininity. I love the fact that the blue belt is unlike an ordinary belt by being a braided rope. Style is all about diversifying and Custo has always been good about updating their bohemian, laid back style by adding surprise sexiness to their soft clothing. Custo Barcelona clothing can look odd on the hanger, but—wow-- do they transform into something radiant and striking once on.

Michael Kors Turquoise Watch
$225.00
Available at: nordstrom.com

My next fun find is smaller and will be an add-on to your spring wardrobe. This upcoming season is all about chunky looks, bold accessorizing and going all out with every part of your body. So, I think these Zebra Enamel Bracelets from Bebe will be fun to have because they will be excellent for pairing with other cuffs or bracelets, especially different color combinations. These bracelets are available in watermelon gold, which I love, Green Isle, and purple-- all of these colors are part of the cool group for spring. So get one set or a couple to layer together to get the fun, ready-to-rise summer attitude. I like the idea of getting a set of 5 different mix and match bracelets.

My last hot item would go great with the Bebe bracelets. This gorgeous Michael Kors Turquoise Cuff Bracelet Watch is astounding! The watch is over the top hot, just what fashion is demanding from all of us. With sparkling stones all over and bright turquoise it’s very sophisticated and bold. It won’t be hard to tell time with this watch on. Odds are you’ll always be glancing at it anyway.
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Kim Moshtaghi is a contributing writer for Adventures in the Stiletto Jungle. Born in Germany, Kim is currently based in sunny Del Mar, California, where she also serves as Stiletto Jungle's Director of Sales and Promotions. Kim has a communications degree, a third degree black belt, and a totally covetable Gucci handbag collection.

Win a Tag Heuer Watch ($1150 - $4500 Value!) - Hot Contest

Wishing for a glammy oversized watch to be waiting for you under the Christmas tree? Your wish could come true thanks to Tag Heuer and Lucky Style Spotter. The luxury watch maker and Lucky Magazine's super fun social stylemaking site have teamed up to offer four lucky winners a gorgeous Tag Heuer watch, valued at $1150 to $4500 (pictured below).

So, what do you have to do to win one of these gorgeous watches? Click on the banner above, or here, to visit the contest page. Select the Tag Heuer watch that best describes your personal style, and then upload a picture of yourself sporting that look to Lucky Style Spotter. The four top-rated looks will win!

New & Hot: Marc Jacobs Buckle Digital Watch

Marc by Marc Jacobs Digital Watch
$175.00
Available at: shopbop.com

This might just be the most fabulous digital watch ever. Ok, it may be the only fabulous digital watch, ever. But, that's beside the point.

The new Buckle Digital Watch from Marc by Marc Jacobs is whimsical and fun, but still completely stylish. I gave up on digital watches around about third grade. They have always struck me as a little "telling time for dummies." But Marc Jacobs has inspired me to reconsider my hard line position on digital watches. This oversized buckle cuff with nondescript white-on-black digital face is perfect for pairing with casual clothes on a regular basis. Added to a dressier ensemble, this sleek watch would create a funky counterpoint. The key to the appeal is that, at first glance, this watch appears to be a trendy leather cuff. Only a closer look reveals the useful digital time readout. Fun.

Click on the photo to link directly to where you can purchase the Marc by Marc Jacobs Buckle Digital Watch online.

Fall Fashion: Philip Stein Teslar Watches

--By Jules Newmark

Philip Stein Large Round Watch
$875.00
Available at: saks.com

One of my favorite accessories is a great watch. There’s just something about the feel of the cold links or the exotic leather band hitting your wrist that looks so fabulous while being efficient, I just can’t have enough! This has been a fun summer with all the white watches, from Fendi to Juicy Couture to the infamous Chanel white and diamond time teller, but now let’s talk changing seasons. Let’s have the chat with Philip Stein in mind. If you haven’t already checked out this line of luxurious and well-made watches, go to PhilipStein.com immediately. It’s not like you have to put the white watch away and end your vacay dreams for the year.

Philip Stein Small Frosted Watch
$630.00
Available at: saks.com

The Harmony Collection [right] has “balance and beauty you can see and feel” while being the perfect arm candy to start a conversation. The watches not only add to a fabulous outfit with options of ostrich, silk calf, lizard, or alligator, but also add to your sense of well being. The design of the watch is made to help balance a person’s Chi to improve sleep, relieve stress and even decrease jet lag! Inside each watch, there is technology to replicate the Earth’s natural energy, therefore bringing you back down to repel the negative electronic energy from all the appliances we live by day to day.

Also check out the Small Round watch in the Modern Collection [large round pictured top left]. You can add any dial you want, with diamonds or without and then pick from one of nine types of bands in all different materials. Sounds like a watch lover’s shopping dream!
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Jules Newmark is a contributing writer for Adventures in the Stiletto Jungle. Jules is currently based in sun drenched San Diego, California, where she works, and works the scene, as a modeling agent. Jules's beauty must-haves include mascara by Dior, perfume by Calvin Klein, and a really good sunblock.

New & Hot: Scoop NYC Watches

--By Jules Newmark

Scoop Pave Bezel Watch
$40.00
Available at: hsn.com

Time... it’s priceless. People charge for time, wake up at a certain time, loose hours flying into another zone of time, but when it comes down to it – people have to keep track of it, like it or not. Wearing a watch and having the time on you at all times might seem obsessive to those carefree individuals who go time-free, but the watch is one piece of jewelry I think is a must have! And why not go big if you’re going to wear a pertinent piece of jewelry with such an important cause.

Scoop Boutique is back with us yet again. The fabulous NYC-based boutique has created their own line of oversized watches in various colors, which are so cute. Celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Paris Hilton and Heidi Montag are sporting this trendy big watch style, but with the big names and top dollars to go along with the celebs. But the Scoop watches can be purchased for $40 on hsn.com. These bling-encrusted watches are a hit! These watches not only keep you in line with the trends, they have a beautiful mother-of-pearl dial and come in summer colors of turquoise, lime and pink as well as others.

As hsn.com states, “SCOOP girls don't have time to commit a fashion crime. That's why this Mother-of-Pearl Pavé Bezel Bracelet Watch is the stylish solution to timekeeping. The polished bracelet boasts a chic three-row, offset link design as round clear glass stones lend sparkle to the bezel from pavé settings.” Wow, this watch not only looks like you got your money’s worth, but may even turn the heads of the Heidi Montags of the world.
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Jules Newmark is a contributing writer for Adventures in the Stiletto Jungle. Jules is currently based in sun drenched San Diego, California, where she works, and works the scene, as a modeling agent. Jules's beauty must-haves include mascara by Dior, perfume by Calvin Klein, and a really good sunblock.

ONLINE DEAL: Up to 50% Off Gucci, YSL, Fendi & More

Dior Rasta Tan Saddle Bag
$499.99 (was $1,200-- save 58%!)
Available at: smartbargains.com

While supplies last, you can score amazing designer accessories from labels like Gucci, YSL, Dior, Fendi, Marc Jacobs, and Prada for up to 50% off retail price. Sound too good to be true? Not in the least.

Online outlet SmartBargains-- one of our Top 10 Sites for Designer Bargain Shopping-- is currently running an amazing Designer Accessories Sale. They have acquired very limited quantities of super high end handbags, watches, sunglasses, and wallets, and put them all on sale for amazingly low prices. In some cases, there is only one item left in each style. Things are going fast, so definitely jump on this hot, hot sale.

Gucci Ladies 1500 Watch
$299.99 (was $545-- save 44%!)
Available at: smartbargains.com

The selection available includes a huge variety of designer goods, a couple of which are pictured here. I remember when the Christian Dior Rasta Tan Saddle Bag first came out. I spotted it in the Dior store in Las Vegas and I instantly knew it was going to be a huge hit. The vibe is luxe, yet laid back, and the Dior saddle shape is a modern day classic.

Speaking of classic, the Gucci Ladies 1500 steel watch is about as classic as they come. This bracelet style watch will work perfectly with any ensemble, from your boardroom best suit to your fave LBD. I think that makes it quite investment-worthy.

Click on either photo to link directly to where you can purchase that designer accessory online and on sale, or browse the entire selection available at the SmartBargains Designer Accessory Sale. Hurry, supplies are very limited. Get the first word on the hottest online sales delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to Stiletto Jungle and get free updates by e-mail or RSS. Take Stiletto Jungle with you wherever you surf with the Stiletto Jungle Connect Toolbar featuring Google search.

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ONLINE DEAL: Burberry Charm Watch Bracelet 49% Off

Burberry Charm Watch Bracelet
$299.99 (was $595-- save 49%!)
Available at: SmartBargains

Some things never go out of style and today's Online Deal is one such item. This classic, upscale charm bracelet with watch charm will be a gorgeous addition to your wardrobe now, and stay that way for years to come.

The Charm Watch Bracelet from posh British label Burberry is decked out in 18k gold plated charms that depict the most fashionable British icons. The charms include: Burberry trench coat, Burberry "B", Big Ben Tower, Burberry riding boot, British flag, dangling clock charm, Burberry handbag, double decker bus, British phone booth, umbrella and a terrier dog charm. It's just so much fun! Plus, the clock charm features a working watch with Swiss movement, so you'll always be on time to your shopping dates, and the whole thing comes with a 2-year limited warranty since it is technically a watch. Very nice.

Click on the photo to link directly to where you can purchase the Burberry Charm Watch Bracelet online and on sale for 49% off retail price. Want the best hand-picked Online Deals delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to Stiletto Jungle and get free updates by e-mail or RSS.

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