If you are anything like me you have an excess amount of change floating around inside your purse somewhere between the bottom and the inside pocket...  There is nothing I hate more than having to pay for something and digging around for nineteen cents so I don't have to break another bill.  I will also admit that I have a change pocket on my wallet and a small change purse floating around inside my purse, I just don't think often enough to use them.  However, if I had one of the many adorable Gucci Change Purses I would pull it out every single time I had an extra penny to put away.

My absolute favorite is the Heart Shaped Coin Purse with key chain, charm and zip top closure in beige/ebony crystal GG fabric with brown leather trim and light gold hardware.  It is cute enough that I would love looking at, small enough to fit comfortably inside my purse without adding bulk and enough of an eye catcher that I would love others to see it. 

My second choice is the Wristlet with heart shaped Gucci crest charm with studs and a zip top closure in beige/ebony crystal GG fabric with brown leather trim and antique brass hardware.  This is such a classic Gucci product and has a timeless heir about it.  Again, it is small enough to be unobtrusive inside your purse but could also  be carried alone around your wrist if a purse isn't an option.

With holidays right around the corner this would be a delicious little diddy to add to your wish list!  Who knows, you may wake up to find that your Santa has stuffed deep down inside your stocking!

OK, so I am not typically a girl who shops sales because, let's face it, sale items are normally out of style, previously worn or overstock.  I like to pride myself in knowing that my wardrobe is pretty on top of the latest trends and never worn by anyone other than myself ( I have a weird thing about other people in my clothes and shoes, but that is for another story...).  However, I was browsing through the Gucci.com Womens Shoes when I perused their Sale section.  I couldn't believe what I was seeing!

If, and that is a mighty big IF, I am going to purchase a sale item it must be a very classic design that will last a couple of years so I can wear it without fear of some caddy friend asking, "Isn't that from LAST SEASON???"  Anyway, I digress...  What I found in Gucci's Sale section for Women's Shoes is pretty amazing!

I love a pair of stiletto heels that can make any ensemble look stunning and that is precisely what I found!  They have the "Milady" high heel sandals with Swarovski Crystals bamboo detail and horsebit ring buckle all placed very appropriately on a 4.1" heel in a Light Gold Leather or Black Leather.  WOW!!!  The black leather is always a safe choice but the Light Gold Leather is so light it almost looks silver but almost looks platinum (and yes there is a difference if you look close enough between silver and platinum).  Can you possibly think of any color that would not look magnificent paired with these shoes?  I can't, that is why I promptly ordered myself a pair!

And, as you all know I am a sucker for practicality occasionally so my other purchase was the "Page" 4.1" high heel peep toe with an ankle strap.  There is an interlocking G on the back and a horsebit ring buckle and, my favorite part, the heels are white patent leather!  So, that is not so practical when you think about it but I know without a doubt that I can wear these heels with most of my business attire and my casual wear.  I can definitely justify that as a practical purchase!

Picking up where we left off, Gucci is in turmoil and the family's infighting has created serious problems for the fashion giant. In 1972, Aldo Gucci expanded the company's reputation and brand power by signing a deel with American Motors Corporation (AMC) to design a special luxury trim package for the AMC Hornet Sportabout. This, along with the Gucci Accessories Collection, opened the company to wider markets and a larger range of brand recognition.

Despite this, the Gucci dynasty came crashing down when the Perfumes division, which the Accessories division was to prop up, outsold it and thus lost the company a lot of money. This and the lower-priced items in the GAC had the result of spoiling the company's name amongst their base customers: the higher-end, luxury fashion market. It was fast becoming just another fashion brand in a sea of fashion design.

Cheap knockoffs of Gucci's products began to appear at the same time, further soiling the company's name. Then the death of Rodolfo (Aldo's chief rival) and the inheritance by his son Maurizio brought about huge changes in the company. The younger generation, lead by Maurizio, bolstered by a lawsuit with Gucci's chief rival LVMH, and the stepping or ousting of older and more contentious family members changed everything.

Looking outside of Gucci's talent pool, Maurizio began to revitalize the company's image, and in the late 1980s began to make Gucci one of the world's most influential fashion houses. For the first time in it's long company history, the company went public in 1995 and two years later, the company acquired watch licenses and began producing some of what are now the world's best-known fashion watches.

Now, Gucci has reached iconic status, with people the world over recognizing the logo, name, and fashions almost universally. Black Gucci shoes, Men's Gucci jackets and jeans, and even Gucci branded business and credit card holders have reached the status of household recognition.

Gucci is fashion and that's why people like us love it so much. It's not just a name, it's a whole history of beautiful design.

Picking up where we left off, Guccio was prospering with his new company and, having designed a new logo, was hitting the world with a wave of new products to go along with it. After his death in 1953, his son Aldo took the reigns and began leading the company forward into the modern era.

The company opened boutiques in London, Paris, and New York, displaying Gucci clutch wallets, Gucci hats, and more to the entire world for the first time on a large scale. During this expansion, Gucci suffered in-fighting amongst family members over inheritance and rights of ownership. Despite this, the company expanded into the Far East in the late 1960s, opening stores in Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Korea.

This was when the now-famous and immediately recognizable GG label was introduced. Gucci's Floral silk scarf was made famous by actress Grace Kelly during this time as well, producing some of the hottest sales the company had seen to-date. At this time, Aldo's sons had taken over departmental operations and he was free to design more often, producing the Gucci Accessories Collection (GAC) in 1979.

This new collection allowed the company to showcase lower-priced items such as cosmetic bags, pens, and lighters to augment the Gucci Perfumes sector and to introduce people to the luxury name without luxury prices. All the while, family alliances and arguments still threatened the company.

In the last installment, we will look at how these issues resolved and how Gucci and the famous GG logo went on to dominate the luxury fashion world.

Have you seen the Gucci Women's Cruise 2009 Runway sets?  Absolutely gorgeous!!!  If I had enough cash and space I would own each and every single piece.  Not only are their models top of the line but it so very clear that their products are as well.

My absolute favorite is the giada shell/stripe printed fil coupe lurex full gown with knot detail.  It is an ankle length dress with a beautiful pattern all the way through.  The mixture of greens, black and cream is stunning and will easily complement any combination of skin and hair tones.  The length is perfect for a leisurely stroll through that quaint little island town or a romantic dinner for two on the beach.  To finish it off Gucci added a deep plunging neckline with a knot detail.

My second favorite is the orange silk shantung front-tie dress.  Talk about cute!!!  This Runway dress is almost too cute for words really.  The color is bold and bright but classy enough to be worn by women of all ages.  The cut is fun and flirty and would be especially cute worn with Gucci's high heel espadrille wedges in light brown suede, which was paired with it for the runway show.

My final pick from this runway show would be the nectar shell printed jersey boat neck dress.  It is perfect for an 5 course meal followed by a night partying in the VIP lounge of your favorite club.  This dress is elegant yet sexy.  While I do like the white sandals Gucci paired it with for the runway show I would much prefer to see this dress paired with a pair of chocolate brown stilettos, it would make such a stronger impact.  This is also the perfect dress to wear with a cute pair of leggings and a pair of ballet flats to run around doing errands in.

All in all, I give the Gucci Women's Cruise Runway show two thumbs up!  They have once again captured their normal elegance, sex appeal, fun and flirty attributes we have all come to love to own and love to wear.

 
photo credit: bbaunach   The Gucci Fall 2009 Women’s Shoe Collection has left me wanting more and more and more…  More of these shoes to fill my overflowing closet!  Rather than bore you with details about every single pair, because that is how many I really like, I have reluctantly chosen my top five choices…

My first true love from this collection is the 'Ginevra' brown leather high heel boots with gucci crest ornament and a 4.1" heel.  To me, there is nothing that screams sexy more than a stiletto pair of fabulously luxurious leather boots paired with a super sexy above the knee dress.  This is a look that can work almost any crowd and styled with the right hair, make-up and accessories will place you at the top of everyone’s list for best dressed. 

Have you seen Roma?  Well, let me introduce you to her, 'Roma' is a khaki python high heel ankle strap platform sandals with bamboo detail on a 4.1" heel.  Wow!!!  This pair of shoes is smoking hot and I cannot wait to mix and match my clothes to see just how limitless my options will be with this pair of shoes.  These would be great with a business suit to add just the right amount of femininity and sex appeal or with a pair of jeans to show that just because you are casual doesn’t mean you can’t be sexy too!

If you have read any of my other posts you remember me talking about the Babouska Line offered by Gucci’s 2009 Fall Collection, well included in that line are what I consider the hottest pair of Gladiator heels ever!  Let me preface this by saying I do not particularly care for most of the gladiator style shoes that have come out this year and feel that most of them should have been left on the runway, but every now and again I see a pair that can actually accentuate an outfit rather than over take it.  The 'Babouska' is black leather with antique brass hardware, high heel open-toe sandals with horsebit ring buckle and studs set on a 4.1" heel.  Even with the gold studs these shoes will add pizzazz and class to whatever outfit you choose to wear them with.