April showers bring May flowers...

...So here's a little wish list to get us through monsoon season.



I bought one of these bubble umbrellas from Urb's last year and rattled on and on about how precious it was - until the Chicago wind tore a nice, neat rip in it the very first time I took it out. LAME. Despite the fact that this parasol is better suited to misty garden strolls than gale-force gusts, the seafoam color is springy and inviting, yet neutral enough to complement any outfit.



Also topping my spring wish list: this princess trench from Kenneth Cole Reaction. Only $99 on Bluefly.com, it brings a feminine (yet not overwhelming) touch to a rainy-day classic.



And what wet-weather ensemble would be complete without a pair of Hunter wellies? Cut slim enough to flatter but roomy enough to house a foot clad in your standard ballet flat or sneaker, a pair of rain boots is a beautiful alternative to soggy toes and tired mukluks. No better place to experiment with color than in the item of clothing more likely to see April showers than clash with May flowers - the boots are available in everything from hunter green to sunny yellow, but this red strikes the perfect balance between punch and panache.

A new scent-sation.

Today's is the soupiest of mornings. I almost drowned on the way to get my coffee, felt decidedly adventurous for venturing out at all, and opted (adventurously) for Irish Cream syrup instead of my usual Sugar-Free Vanilla. Despite the soggy skies, I had gone to the trouble of spritzing before leaving Evanston Place - so I was super pumped when the barista complimented me on my new perfume, a fruity "floriental" by the kooky but irresistible Betsey Johnson.



My perfume obsession began a few weeks ago, when I used up the last of my Aquolina Pink Sugar and decided it was time for a more mature signature scent. My wish list is a long one, but Betsey was my first indulgence - and I have to say, I couldn't have picked a better fragrance for myself. With top notes of grapefruit, tangerine, and blackcurrant berries undercut by a blend of floral bouquets and sensual amber, it's flirty and funky without being overpowering - and wins bonus points for its adorable art deco bottle. Sephora.com describes its personality as "eccentric, wonderful, tantalizing" - and while my perfume collection has a long way to go, I think this purchase was the perfect place to start.