Putting On my Lip Gloss - Chick Lit and Fashion: BCBG

It’s summer. It’s hot. It’s prime time for beach reading; but do you ever find yourself getting distracted by whatever it is you’re reading? If you’re like me – and it’s no secret if you follow my blog that my favorite summer beach read is anything in the chick lit genre – I’ve caught myself day dreaming about those luscious stilettos, mary janes and knee high boots that Sondra keeps talking about in Beth Harbison’s Confessions of a Shoe Addict. While reading an old Emily Giffin or Lauren Weisberger novel, I’ve gotten lost in fantasy about all those beautiful designer gowns and dresses I last saw on the runaway. Whatever it is, by the time I’ve sprung back to reality, I realize I’ve completely spaced out the last five pages of my book and I stumble to find my place or sometimes, I’ve already put my book down, and the next thing I know I’m surfing the web for the lastest in designer fashion. If this sounds like you, you might relate to the fashionistas of chick lit.

Every reader of those candy covered paperbacks knows that chick lit and fashion go hand in hand so I thought what better time to celebrate some of my favorite styles and designers than during a summer spread of chick lit fashion features. This week I’m going to start with one of the inaugural (to me) designers who has always had ample space in my closet since I first learned what being a chick lit fashionista was all about: BCBG. From BCBGirls, to BCBGMaxAzria to the fabulous BCBG standalone brands, BCBG is always hot on the cusp of the latest in designer fashion, from romantic lace, black and white contrasts or geometric and artsy prints to complement the classic floral designs. I have always found something (and sometimes) everything to make up a season’s worth of wardrobe staples and some pieces just for fun.  

Since I’m reading and writing all the time, I no longer have time to shop at the mall like I used to but who needs to go anywhere when you’ve got a world of shopping in front of you with just one click of a mouse. I remember when I found Bluefly years ago; I was ecstatic. Fashion + discount + mail delivery right to my apartment? Too good to be true, right? Nope, Bluefly has proven itself to me time and time again to be one of the few trusted discounted sites in designer wear on the web. In fact one of the very first pieces I ever bought from the fashion forward web site was a BCBG black and white, floral halter dress! Bought years ago it remains one of my favorite summer staples.

My personal favorites from BCBG have always, hands down, been their dresses; but I also love their babydoll and drapey tops, and of course, there many varies and creative shoes for the “sole”.  One of my oldest and favorite pairs of summer BCBG Shoes are a neutral tan 2 ½” wedge with a criss-crossed, double strap in a super soft suede. Hot, hot hot; but with my birthday right around the corner, I’ve got my eyes on some new summer styles.

Among my favorites this summer that I’ll definitely be seen wearing while I read the latest from Beth Harbison, Emily Giffin, Candace Bushnell and other chick lit fashionistas include the drapey tunic, (many) colorful babydoll tees with romantic and flirty details, long and short dresses (I can never have enough dresses!) and of course, strappy sandals and high heeled wedges. I think every girl needs a new pair of black strappy sandals each summer and a funky pair just for fun (see the python BCBG shoes I picked out!). I think I will always be a fan of the babydoll top and dress, no matter how old I get. Although Black and white (and this year silver and grey) continue to reign in the shades of my closet, I am loving this summer’s bright colors in green, purple, and yellow. Anything floral will always get my debit card swiping although the tie-dyed, ombre and artsy, geometric fashions I’ve seen on the site this year have given me something new to add to my collection. Check out the rest of the garb at BCBG at Bluefly and then check back in and let me know:  

What chick lit books will you be reading at the beach this summer? And what will you be wearing while you read it?

Here are some of my favorite Fashionista Chick Lit Books to check out this summer or any season:

Top Ten Fashionista Chick Lit

1. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
2. The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
3. Fashionistas by Lynn Messina
4. Lipstick Jungle by Candace Bushnell
5.  Beneath a Starlet Sky by Amanda Goldberg & Ruthanna Khalighi Hopper
6. Shoe Addicts Anonymous by Beth Harbison
7. The Debutante Divorcee by Plum Sykes
8. I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk
9. Adored by Tilly Bagshawe

10. Falling out of Fashion by Karen Yampolskey

Who made your fashionista list??

**Putting on My Lip Gloss is a series of blog posts that represent my personal thoughts, ideas and general ramblings related to chick lit reading and writing. Every day is an inspiration – I never know where my next post is going to come from, but when it does, I always feel like putting on my lip gloss! Thanks for reading.

Techonology & The Girl Next Door: IT in Chick Lit?

I have several new books that I will be reviewing this summer that take on the theme of technology in one way or another. For instance, in the latest book I finished, Confessions of a Call Center Gal by Lisa Lim, the main character is working in telecommunication, helping customers with their Internet service. Phone Kitten by Marika Christian offers an alternative view at working at a “call center” in which young Emily embraces her hidden talents to be a successful “phone actress”. Click: An Online Love Story by Lisa Becker probably takes the most direct approach of all, similar to the 2007 release, Holly’s Inbox by Holly Denham, as the story, itself, is comprised of email after email after email. I have come to really appreciate this format, mostly for its creativity and ability to tell a whole story through a unique medium. But where did this whole idea come from? Was it Bridget Jones’ Diary? Was it the infamous AOL- ping, “You’ve Got Mail” in the chick flick of the same name, starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks?

Whatever it was, it’s been made clear that since the dawn of the Internet, email, blogs and now, e-books have taken off, and chick lit is one genre that remains ahead of fiction’s latest IT trend. What’s your take on the whole email format in chick lit fiction?

I’ve been trying to keep track of all the books that I’ve read, or that I’m eager to read, that use the diary/letter/email format throughout the entire novel. Here are some of my faves that made the list:

Top Ten IT Chick Lit

  1.      Bridget Jones’ Diary by Helen Fielding

  2.    Holly’s Inbox by Holly Denham

  3.     Click: An Online Love Story by Lisa Becker

  4.    Love, Rosie (aka Where Rainbows End) by Cecelia Ahern

  5.     Save As Draft by Cavanaugh Lee

  6.     Boy Meets Girl (Boy  #1) by Meg Cabot

  7.     Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

  8.     Holly’s Inbox: Scandal in the City by Holly Denham

9.     The Edge of Reason (Bridget Jones #2) by Helen Fielding

10. He Typed, She Typed by Amy Turner & Mark Van Wye

What IT Chick Lit books am I missing?? Which IT Chick Lit novel is your favorite?

Sneak Peek: Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand

Sneak Peek at the Pages of....is a new feature I'm going to post periodically at Lip Gloss and Literature in which I will feature books I'm currently reading, about to read or want to read. Some of these may be debut novels, new releases and others may be oldies but goodies. I hope with "Sneak Peek", I can introduce you to more, great women's fiction and chick lit novels to check out. Enjoy and don't forget to check back later in the month for a Review of the Sneak Peek featured book.   

Silver Girl is the latest in women’s fiction from Elin Hilderbrand. She has attracted a substantial following, most known for her popular, beach-themed books with titles such as Barefoot, The Island, The Castaways, A Summer Affair and Nantucket Nights, among a few others. Living on a remote island off of Massachusetts, I imagine Elin Hilderbrand finds peace, solace and inspiration for her novels in her small community of Nantucket. Being a Cape Cod “transplant” myself, I am even more eager to engage in her contemporary, romantic women’s fiction books.

Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand

Meredith Martin Delinn just lost everything: her friends, her homes, her social standing - because her husband Freddy cheated rich investors out of billions of dollars.

Desperate and facing homelessness, Meredith receives a call from her old best friend, Constance Flute. Connie's had recent worries of her own, and the two depart for a summer on Nantucket in an attempt to heal. But the island can't offer complete escape, and they're plagued by new and old troubles alike. When Connie's brother Toby - Meredith's high school boyfriend - arrives, Meredith must reconcile the differences between the life she is leading and the life she could have had.

Set against the backdrop of a Nantucket summer, Elin Hilderbrand delivers a suspenseful story of the power of friendship, the pull of love, and the beauty of forgiveness.

Synopsis provided by Goodreads. Silver Girl has already received an average rating of 4.19 Stars on the social networking site for book lovers and addicts everywhere, Goodreads.

****What do fireflies, baseball, water and reading have to do with one another? They are all different activities on Elin Hilderbrand’s Top Ten List for How to Survive the End of Summer! Wanna check out the full list? Click Here.***

For more info on Elin Hilderbrand or any of her novels, visit her web site at http://elinhilderbrand.net or see her profile on Goodreads.