I Ain't No Faux

It's official: fall is upon us and the forecast calls for an abundance of faux fur.

Thanks to Celebrity Stylist Rachel Zoe and her new QVC line, fashionistas and starlets everywhere are sporting her $80 faux fur vest from the sold-out-in-ten-minutes Rachel Zoe collection. Those who weren't quick enough with their digits have been reduced to bidding furiously on Ebay to own one at three times the price.

I've always been an admirer of faux fur and have been cuddling up in fuzzy acrylic/polyester threads since the Sadie Hawkins dance in third grade. Back in '02 I attended the "Vanilla Sky" premiere clad in my favorite coat at the time: a faux fur, caramel colored, box-cut waist coat from Bebe. At some point during the after party, I told Cameron Crowe how badly I wanted to work for his production company, Vinyl Films. He told me to send a letter to the office and sign it "the girl with the great coat." I never did get to work for Vinyl but the fact that I was complimented by one of my favorite Directors for my sense of style makes up for not having that resume credit.

One scorching summer day in July, I was flipping through a Saks fall catalog and came across a vest that screamed at me from the glossy pages. It said, "pick me and not the $700 lambskin Vince vest." I hear you, Mr. Vest. I tore that noisy ad out and put it up on my bulletin board 'til I could actually rationalize spending $318 of my hard earned paper on a vest. That didn't take very long. I headed to Saks in Bev Hills several days later and all was right in my closet for fall '09.

I must say, my Joie faux fur vest has been getting a lot of heat lately. Everytime I wear it, someone either compliments me or tells me I look like a woolie mammoth. It never goes unspoken about and makes for a great conversation piece.

In"vest"ing this season is an absolute must whether you manage to find an RZ one (there's a wait list on QVC) or splurge on a different Designer like I did. And, in honor of my late sister Heather, I can be found several nights a week in my apartment wearing only my vest, undies and a beer...channeling my inner Penny Lane.

(Pictured above on Rachel Zoe is the vest by Joie sold at Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdale's, $318. Below the two Joie vests is the Rachel Zoe Faux Fur Vest with Hook & Eye Closure in Red Fox available on QVC, $79.80.)