Need: Alexander McQueen Double-Buckle Western Belt

Despite the fact that McQueen could not be more hot right now, I have always had a lot of respect for the women who could wear McQueen without ostentatiously participating in a trend. This double-buckle Western belt is an amazingly intricate piece that I could see fitting seamlessly into my wardrobe. The tooled leather and embossed brass buckles give a traditional belt enough detail and excitement to make almost any outfit. I'm thinking that the belt and collar tips might be a bit much?

Alexander McQueen Double-Buckle Western Belt, $495, at neimanmarcus.com

Brimfield Find: Vintage Sterling Silver Collar Tips

With a little nudge by my friend Naomi, I pulled together a spontaneous trip to Brimfield for their annual spring antique show. Along with Mark and Tanya we piled into a Zipcar for our very own three hour tour to Massachusetts. My buying impulse didn't kick in early enough and thus I only came home with one item, but thankfully I am obsessed with that one item. I scored these amazing vintage sterling silver and brass collar tips by the Mexican artist Ricardo. The lady who sold them to me (also wearing collar tips) told me that if I polished them, the brass would shine like gold. Naturally my first reaction more along the lines of how very Balenciaga they could be. Alas, they will remain tarnished for now riding the line between my newfound love for authentic Western style and my longstanding love for high-fashion with a sense of humor.

Photos by Mark Iantosca