The Square Root of Style

Anthropologie Wish List

2011-05-26T13:17:00.000-04:00

I've noticed on other fashion blogs that people don't seem too thrilled with the latest offerings at Anthropologie (or lots of other stores, for that matter).

I must admit that I concur.

But as I've mentioned in the past, it's no real surprise to me, since I have always preferred my fall-winter wardrobe to my spring-summer one. I like to layer things; I don't like my neck or arms exposed (weird, I know); and my legs are so pale that I hate wearing shorts and skirts.

I hope this season to pick out a few things from my closet that I like, and basically wear them into the ground. If I make it to September alive and clothed, I will be satisfied.

So I've been pretty surprised at how hard I'm lusting after a few certain dresses at Anthropologie considering my anti-spring tendencies. Aren't these dresses amazing? I love the mint greens and pastels. They're quirky, but still sweet. And the shapes are simple enough that they could be worn to lots of different occasions.

They're all pricey though, so I'll have to wait for a few cuts before they're in my price range. I get to visit my sister in a few weeks and we plan on lots of Anthropologie shopping. I hope these dresses are in store so I can try them on!!

Verdant Slip Dress $138

Sugared Dress $198

Gathering Breeze Dress $258

Out and About: When Anthropologie and J.Crew collide

2011-05-20T19:50:00.002-04:00

Do my eyes deceive me?

I was browsing J.Crew's site this evening and found their "See How They're Wearing It" feature, which depicts nine different women all wearing the Perfect Linen Shirt.

Imagine my surprise when I saw what I'm pretty sure is Lil's Plaited Brushstrokes Skirt, on sale at Anthropologie for $49.95!

I love Courtney's look because it combines the easy, preppy cool feel of J.Crew and the funky, free-spirit vibe of Anthropologie. I've pretty much been shopping exclusively at J.Crew and Anthropologie for the past few months so it's great to think about how their aesthetics complement one another.

Plaited Brushstrokes Skirt $49.95

My April 2011 Purchases (aka Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing)

2011-05-07T16:18:00.002-04:00

Oh, Suzanne....You were doing so well! Remember February? When you only ordered some sweaters and a couple of workout tees???

Sigh..... Yes, I did a very bad, bad thing in April. I discovered Talbots. I have heard tell about Talbots' recent attempts to modernize their clothing, but I had no clue what they even were so I didn't really care at the time.

And then, I got a coupon in the mail. And then realized that we actually HAVE a Talbots store in the area. And it's been downhill ever since. I love everything! I love all the pretty work clothes for a kind of job I don't actually have yet. But someday, I will be the best dressed person in that TBD office.

BABY'S GOT THE BLUES: One particular thing I prided myself on in April, was that I carefully considered my color options. I love blue. I have always loved blue. But I see magazine articles and Website images of svelte models wearing neutral, neutral, neutral, and I say, "I want to be that!" In particular, I love the idea of wearing a pretty floral skirt with a slouchy tan sweater belted on top. CUTE!

Well, sometimes, we just have to recognize that we can't buy into every single trend. Because no matter how much I want to embrace spring's neutral craze, I just don't look good in creams or white. I'm very pale with less-than-pristine skin, and I need rich colors around my face. My eyes are blue, and so I like the look of blue tops to bring out my eyes.

Along those lines, I purchased the Temperate Climes Pullover (size Medium), which is a GORGEOUS blue color. It's very comfortable, albeit a little short. But over dresses, or high-waisted pants or skirts, it will be just beautiful. I also got the Floating Clef Earrings in blue, which I thought might be a nice accessory to bring out my eyes (even if I'm wearing neutrals on top). Totally frivolous. They're a very pretty blue but they're very dangly/long, and for a person like me who rarely even wears studs, I'm not sure that I will ever reach for these except for special occasions.

TALL ORDER AT TALBOTS: I also got two dresses from Talbots: the Bardot dress (size 8) and the Chiffon shirtdress in French teal (size 8). Both of these dresses are absolutely gorgeous. The Bardot dress is fitted up top with cap sleeves, and flares out beautifully which fakes me some curves. I bought the Crossroads Belt at Anthro (size L) specifically to pair with the Bardot. The neutral version is almost a flesh-colored tone with pink threading. Up-close, it's a bit frightening, but I think from far away it looks much more demure. The Chiffon shirtdress is a stunning teal color with an easy fit. It flows beautifully, although the teal belt that came with it is about 3 sizes too small for my thick waist.

Also from Talbots, I got a pair of grey Cross-Dyed shorts (size 10), Amelie Floral skirt in blue (size 8), and the daisy lace pencil skirt in white (size 10). All of which I plan to wear with my new blue pullover from Anthro! And I think J.Crew's gingham vintage schoolboy shirt in light mist (size 8) will also go great under the pullover. (I'm wearing this shirt as I type; I've worn it twice in the past week since I got it. I love it! A little pulling in the bust, and my third button down has popped open quite scandalously a few times, but I love the style and the color.)

WISHLIST FULFILLMENT: And lastly, I bought the Pond Reflections dress (size 8), which I've been hoping to hit sale for quite some time. I tried it on in a store a few months ago, and I loved the length, the floral pattern, and the easy-to-wear vibe. What I don't love is the top half---it requires a strapless bra or none at all, because it criss crosses in the back and the straps in the front come in almost like a halter top. However, I plan to wear this as more of a skirt anyway, with sweaters and T-shirts layered over the top.

Alright, that does it for April, folks. Your job is to slap me on the hand whenever you telepathically sense that I am going to try to purchase something. (Which is kind of all the time...) It's a tough job, but someone has to do it!

I Spy Anthropologie: Sable Trimmed Cardi

2011-05-05T08:53:00.000-04:00

Good morning, blogger world!

Just a quick post before I head off to work. I figure I really need to get my blogger act together because right now The Square Root of Style has been so neglected that it has accidentally become the premier Internet spot to find pictures of sugar bears. I kid you not. I get about twenty hits a day from people Googling "sugar bear pictures." All because of this year-old post. This is my service to the world!

Alack, alack, for though I love sugar bears, I also love fashion. So here's a sighting of Anthropologie that I found on People Style Watch's Website. Click here to see the picture flourishing in its natural habitat.

It's Dianna Agron in Sparrow's Sable Trimmed Cardi. Anthropologie is marketing it as a beach cover-up, but how cute is it as a relaxed "airport-style" cardigan? I have an old Loft purple, leopard-print scarf just like hers, so, of course, it only makes sense for me to purchase this flowy topper. Right?

Of course, right.

Sable Trimmed Cardi ($118)

My March 2011 Purchases

2011-05-01T16:17:00.000-04:00

Hello, everybody. Long time, no see. I've been MIA, and now I'm a month behind on my monthly clothes purchase updates. Oops! Turns out I also went hog-wild shopping in March and April----coincidence? I think not.

Why?

A.) Because it's actually embarrassing to publish my purchases. The more I buy, and the bigger my "rectangle of images" gets, the more I realize how addicted I am to accumulating "stuff." Knowing I have to share my purchases at the end of the month actually curbs my spending impulses.

B.) Because seeing what I've bought recently, helps me keep track of what I already have in my closet, and whether my new "must-haves" would really fit into my aesthetic, or if I already have a similar item that can serve the same purpose.

C.) Because I'm a little bit obsessive-compulsive, and "tracking" my monthly purchases actually satisfies the same craving I have for purchasing those things. So instead of buying, I spend my time editing a "Purchases" image and a "Wish List" image in Microsoft Paint.

Anyway, I went crazy in March and April, so expect to see some major editing in May. Summer weather is almost upon us, and I don't expect to like many things anyway. Cross your fingers!

MARCH 2011

OFF-SEASON DEALS: Most of the items I bought this month have been on my wishlist at Anthropologie for quite a while. Evident in their complete inappropriateness for impending spring. :) But don't those fall colors look gorgeous together? Deep wine. Mustard yellow. Reddish-clay brown.

I love the Eastpointe Garden Top (size 6), and I'm already plotting to buy its Spring version, the Loosened Shelby Blouse, in the floral motif!

The Theodora jacket is great. I got it in a size 8, and the color is unlike anything else in my closet (very true to the product pic IMO). I will be able to fit thicker layers under the size 8 and be comfortable. Unfortunately, the jacket is also quite heavy, and thus will probably be hanging in my closet until fall when the weather is colder!

The bummer is that I went to wear these three items together several weeks ago....and found the anti-theft tag still on my sweater. DOH! I called the Anthropologie store and shipped it back for them to remove the item. Not only did they refund my shipping cost, but they gave me an extra 10% off the purchase. Anthropologie, I love you....

NEUTRALS AND BASICS: I bought these Pleats Galore Pants at Anthropologie with absolutely no expectations. I mean, what CAN you expect for $19.95? Turns out, I really like them! The Size 8 fit well (one size down from my regular pant size), and the pleats don't seem to add as much bulk around my hips as I had thought they would. My only fear is that, being black, they'll attract fuzz and puppy hair.

The black tunic (Facile Camp Shirt) I also got in size 8, and it pulls a little around the bust, but not too badly. It came with loop threads on the sides for the cloth belt, but I snipped them off so I could wear the shirt tucked in without the belt (otherwise, the loops stuck out quite noticeably.) I wore this shirt to an interview, tucked into a vibrant turquoise pencil skirt and felt very comfortable and confident in it. I've since also worn it untucked over jeans (without the belt).

The khaki bow skirt I saw/tried on in a White House Black Market store and kept wavering between the size 8 and the size 6. I ended up not getting it, and of course, found out later that it was pretty much OOS online. Oof. I later got a coupon in the mail for $25 off $125 so I called the store and ordered the skirt and some jeans I had tried on. The jeans are my new everyday go-to. They're a size 10, PLUS they're very stretchy, so they are flattering but don't give me a muffin top. :) They are called The Favorite Blanc jean, and I highly recommend them.

SPRING SPLURGE: This Talbots Amour Floral dress doesn't look near as slinky on me as it does on the model. But I did have a horrible time finding the right size. The bottom fit on all the sizes I tried, but the V was way too low/scandalous. I went from Size 8. To Size 6. To Size 8 Petite. To Size 10 Petite. I ended up sticking with the 10 Petite because the waist was slightly higher, making the V higher. I'll still probably need to wear a little lacy camisole underneath it though. I love the gathering at the hip, which drapes beautifully and hides my tummy. It's only available in a neutral color online now, but try your store for the gorgeous coral color pictured!

I Spy Anthropologie: Potpourri Edition

2011-03-25T00:20:00.001-04:00

Hi, everyone. Long time, no see!

I've been super busy, so please excuse the lack of posts. I just have time for a quick post tonight to give you a backlog of Anthropologie sightings I've been hoarding. Enjoy!

1. Spliced Ikat Shift in an Edible Arrangements TV ad

(Too bad this shift dress didn't look this good on me!)

2. Liquid Bouquet Tank in a Honda Odyssey Magazine Ad

(I originally saw this in one of my old InStyle magazines, but eventually took this picture from
an old Redbook while visiting my grandmother........I've got my finger on the pulse, baby...
No, really. That's my finger right there....on the pulse....see it?)

3. Cockatoo Feather Dress worn by Kate Walsh

in the InStyle Look of the Day (March 14, 2011)

I am in love with this dress. I am not, however, in the love with the $498 price tag. Yikes!

And as always, remember to check out Anjali's great blog, goldenmeans, for even MORE great Anthro sightings!

My February 2011 Purchases

2011-03-01T10:28:00.000-05:00

What, you ask----this is it?

Yep, I was quite frugal during the month of February, mostly due to financial reasons. There's something eye-opening about standing at the front door, counting out quarters, to pay the Girl Scout who is holding your Thin Mints hostage.

Oh, you guys.... I didn't *actually* do that.

I made Husband do it.

heh, heh.

But I did have to shake the beejeez out of my Cabbage Patch doll piggy bank to get said quarters, so that alone was traumatic enough to scare me into shopping-restrictive submission.

It was really tough, I admit it. And a few times I almost caved and made some huge purchases, but now that the month's over, I do feel proud and ... somewhat liberated. It feels good to overcome materialism, and I'm able to focus on appreciating what I have.

Of course, I say all this, and a new month is starting, and who knows how long my willpower will last. But I can only hope that my good habits will continue. Wish me luck!

THE PURCHASES:

Zoetrope Cardigan (Anthropologie): When I added the Zoetrope Cardigan to my wishlist several months ago, no way did I think it would ever make it to my doorstep. At $238, it was nowhere near my budget. Enter Cut #1 to $120. Still too pricey but I kept tabs on it just in case. And, voila! Enter Cut #2 to $60. Much more palatable for my wallet. I got the Size Medium, and truth is, I like this sweater, but I'm still not sure if I am keeping it. The sleeves are very tight, so I could only wear a sleeveless/short-sleeve thin layer underneath. Since it's currently so cold out and this sweater is pretty thin, I'd like to wear a third layer over the cardigan (like in the Anthro styling pic below), but I don't currently have anything that fits the bill. I'm afraid that on its own, it's a little too wacky in-your-face. It sorta needs a layer on top to tone it down (even though it would cover up the thick black/white stripe pattern on the back of the cardigan).

Fab Plimsolls (Boden): Both J.Crew and Boden have been churning out catalog styling pics with grey sneaks and dress pants, and I've been dying to try it out myself. I've been on a shoe shopping ban since January 1, but this was the perfect pair to break my ban for. I'll get a lot of wear out of these, and the details are marvelous: the metallic toe cap, the denim body, the ribbon laces. I am normally a size 9 US, so I got a size 40, which fit perfectly. I do think the "Boden" label is a bit ostentatious on the back of the shoe, but I doubt anyone will really notice.

Brittany Jumper (Boden): I have been pining over this top for a while now, but I was worried about sizing. My only previous clothing purchase from Boden was the denim laidback shirt, which I got in a size 8, but it a little tight. So this time, I sized up to a 10 (just in case). It fits perfectly for me (a little loose and comfortable). It's very thin and see-through, otherwise I would say I could have gotten my regular size 8. As it is, I think an 8 would have emphasized my tummy. Even with the size 10, I'll probably wear a white or nude camisole underneath to tuck everything in. I love the light grey color though and the soft fabric, and can't wait to use it with some fun pattern mixing.

Nike Dri-FIT id Women's Training T-shirt: I bought three of these shirts for working out. And I love them. They're semi-fitted, so you don't look sloppy even though you're comfortable. Sometimes I just get sick of wearing revealing tank tops, so this is a nice change of pace for those days when I'm not trying to be a fashion-plate. Truth is, these shirts are so great that I am considering buying more: to sleep in and even to wear out in the real world. Great purchase. (For comparison's sake, I purchased one Nike Pro Combat Core Women's Training T-shirt, hated it, and returned it. It was way fitted, and accentuated my big tummy problem area.)

2011 Oscar Awards: My Favorite Dresses

2011-02-27T23:44:00.000-05:00

I only watched a few moments here and there of the Oscars, but I'm thinking that I must have been born in the wrong generation...

Because I much more enjoyed the "old Hollywood" presenters like Kirk Douglas and Billy Crystal than all the hipster presenters who seem so self-absorbed and, I don't know, ugh. In fact, I found most of the behind-the-scenes, lesser-known winners to be endearing and witty just the same (kind of what I wish the "stars" were more like sometimes....) I just read an article that apparently the Oscar producers basically discouraged nominees from reciting long lists of names in their thank-you speeches. I guess it worked, because they've all been quite good.

I thought the contrast of Jeff Bridges's making all the best actress nominees crying and Sandra Bullock's roasting all the best actor nominees was well played out and entertaining. A little obvious, maybe---Let's make all the ladies cry!---but I was glad to see some of the men tear up a little, too.

But, anyway, onto the fashion. Did anyone else feel like Reese Witherspoon was totally channeling Julia Roberts in her 2001 Valentino gown when she won the Oscar for Erin Brokovich? Just sayin'...

Photo Credit

Gwyneth Paltrow looked sleek and shiny in her Calvin Klein gown. I especially liked the unexpected deep, skinny V neckline. When most stars tend to think "more is more" when it comes to decolletage, it's nice to see a starlet think outside of the box when it comes to sexy elegance.

Photo Credit

The pale lavender color and lacy delicacy of Mila Kunis's dress was breathtaking. She looked quite stunning, and it's no surprise that she seems to be the media's darling so far for Oscar red-carpet coverage. Her picture is everywhere! Great dress, Mila.

Photo Credit

I loved the necklines of Melissa Leo's and Hailee Stenfeld's dresses during the TV coverage, but I wasn't wowed by their dresses from the bust down OR how they photographed.

I also loved the colors of the dresses worn by Natalie Portman (purple) and Jennifer Hudson (orange), but I wasn't in love with the dresses themselves. Pregnancy dresses are kind of shapeless by definition (though the wide v-neck was quite flattering), and Jennifer's dress just seemed a little too in-your-face with the, ahem, you know.

So, there you have it. That's all I've got. Congrats to all the winners, and must say I'm very excited to see The King's Speech!

Valentine's Day Dinner

2011-02-26T10:50:00.000-05:00

Yeah, right, I know. Who writes a Valentine's Day post on February 26? I do---that's who!

Truth is, we kept everything pretty low-key. On the "real" February 14, Husband took me to Starbucks and reloaded my rewards card as a gift. Thanks, baby! Then, on the "fake" February 14 (um....that is to say....February 15....), we made reservations at a Japanese steakhouse we'd never tried before.

Unfortunately, I didn't realize until we were in the car and on our way, that it was basically one of those places where you sit around a table with strangers and watch the chef cook on the grill in front of you. Yick!

That's right. I'm not a big fan. Husband was actually surprised because we love bus tours and ghost tours and ...hibachi tours? Apparently, he thought that a chef "guiding" us through dinner was right up my alley. And the funny thing is that I'm the one who suggested this restaurant. I have attended several parties in my life at a similar-type Japanese restaurant---heck, I think I might have even had MY OWN birthday party at one of those places once. But it's one thing to have a group of people you know sitting at the table. In our case, our romantic Valentine's dinner turned into us sitting on the corner of a table, staring at a woman and her three kids. SMOOCH!

Luckily, we made it through the night without too much incident. The food was delicious, the chef was very understanding of our social awkwardness, and it was one of the kid's birthdays, which took most of the heat off us to be entertaining. I guess the main reason I don't like these type settings is that I feel realllllly bad for the chef because I feel like such a dud customer. I mean, I laugh at his jokes, but I'm not very outgoing or fun. Husband is the same way. That's why we wuv each other. :)

Anyway, the morning after our dinner, Husband explained to me that I shouldn't feel bad for the chef anymore because he realized that we actually gave him a 50% tip. Yeah. That's right. FIFTY percent. Apparently, the 18% gratuity they automatically applied (and that was pointed out in the menu) was NOT just for parties of 8 or more, which is what I assumed. Then, they didn't give us an itemized breakdown with the bill, and we were so flustered to get the heckola out of there, that we gave an additional 15 bucks.

So, Happy Valentine's Day, hibachi chef! I hope that our ridiculously huge tip will cloud your memory as to our fuddy-duddiness.

Martin & Osa purple rococo long cardigan, Limited criss-cross brown belt,
Anthropologie Night Blooming dress, HUE black tights, Seychelles Kiss at Midnight pumps

Today there is an Empty Nest marathon on TV so Husband and I are taping the entire day's worth of episodes to replay without commercials. I've never seen it before, but Husband liked it as a kid. And apparently it's a spin-off of The Golden Girls (or vice versa? we can't decide), and we watch that every night before bedtime.

Tomorrow, Husband wants to have a Godfather marathon and make spaghetti and drink lattes. (OK, the drinking lattes part might have been my contribution...)

Did I mention anything about our being fuddy-duddies, yet?

Red Plaid, Blue Plaid

2011-02-21T10:21:00.001-05:00

I just discovered my love for flannel. Supplemented by a love for plaid.

I got both of these shirts from American Eagle last month, and I've seriously worn them both about 50 times already. (Don't do the math. It will only frighten you.) They're men's shirts (size small), and although they're cut a little too straight for my hips, the longer length makes up for any snugness. Because I can actually tuck them in without them coming undone!

I find that women's button-up shirts are often cut way too curvy/fitted for my liking. It's like, I know I'm a woman, I don't need my shirt to constantly remind me. And we all know that women are shaped in all different ways so the odds of comfortably fitting into a woman's shirt is drastically reduced. Men's shirts, all the way, people. Trust me.

This post also has the pleasure of debuting my new haircut! I've never really had a haircut that I love (excepting, of course, the haircut I got at my grandma's house when I was about 9, and we went to some hairstylist school, and they gave me a free black velvet scrunchie and braided my hair. Score!) But I lucked out this time and ended up really liking this haircut. These two pictures were from Day 1 and Day 2, so of course I haven't been able to replicate this beautiful flat-ironed do. BUT, the good thing about this haircut is that if I pull my hair back in a ponytail (which is what I end up doing 90% of the time anyway), and just flat-iron my bangs, then it actually looks presentable---hooray!

American Eagle men's plaid flannel shirt, Limited silver belt,
Canterbury Trousers, Tommy Hilfiger brown midcalf boots

American Eagle men's plaid flannel shirt,
Loft jeans, Gola women's harrier green sneakers

In other news, I have been enjoying wearing my Gola bright-green sneakers simply for the funny reactions. My dad laughed and shook his head when he saw them. My dentist "oohed" and said I must be getting ready for St. Patrick's Day. They're also very comfortable; even though I had never previously heard of Gola, I would definitely recommend them if you're ever interested in a pair of sneaks.

Boden Remix: Laidback Denim Shirt

2011-02-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day, readers! Husband and I will be celebrating on Tuesday night instead of today to avoid the crowds. I will be sure to post our dinner details, which are always international and always enjoyable. In the meantime, I thought I'd share an outfit I wore out a few days ago!

As part of my first order from Boden a few months back, I got their laidback shirt in pale denim. I got a size 8, and it's snug. If I had it to do over again, I would size up to a 10. But I was too lazy to return it at the time and figured I would make it work. The problem was that I bought it mainly to recreate this awesome look from their Website and catalog (below). And that requires it to fit over a SECOND button-up shirt. Quite a challenge.

Luckily, I had an old, short-sleeve, white shirt from Express (because there is no way I could get long sleeves under this shirt!). Seeing the product picture again, I realize that she has a few buttons undone at the bottom of her shirt, a look that I may or may not want to replicate. It would either look cool and "laidback"...or it would just look like my big old belly burst the buttons off my shirt...

Regardless, I felt very comfortable and put-together in this outfit. I even added to the outfit my Boden crossbody bag (the same bag worn by the model). But mine is the plain brown leather, and hers is the super-cute leopard print. I wore this outfit to go shopping, which ended up being a pain with all the layers coming on and off (minus), but I was also warm enough that I didn't need to wear a coat (plus).

I never would have thought to layer two collared shirts over each other, but I hope to play around with this look more often! Boden generally has offers for free shipping and returns, which makes me more willing to purchase more, even though I'm still wary about their sizing.

Right now, I have a few basics in my shopping cart at Boden: the Brittany Jumper and the Fab Plimsolls. I plan on getting the size 10 in the shirt, just in case, even though I'm thinking the style would be more forgiving. And I want the size 40 in the shoes, which translates to my regular U.S. size 9. I will keep you posted with how the sizing fares once I pull the trigger! :)

I Spy Brent Spiner!

2011-02-09T22:36:00.000-05:00

If you follow my sister's blog Princess of Taylor (which you probably do!), then you have seen some of her very thought-provoking posts about Data of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

And if you haven't seen them, then get crackin'! You can click here for a Brent Spiner birthday post, here for some Star Trek movie analysis, and here for a really good discussion about celebrities and how they handle fans. Now scoot!

But wait! Before you scoot, instead of my occasional "I Spy Anthropologie" post, the other day I was excited to spy ----you guessed it, BRENT SPINER!

I was watching the old, spooky TV show Tales from the Darkside, and all of a sudden a familiar face popped up on the screen. It's funny, though, because I wasn't even sure it was Spiner at first! He played a very Southern preacher with a heavy accent and an emotional plea to "Grandpa" that he is dead and should start acting like it! Very not-Data-like at all.

The episode ("A Case of the Stubborns") was from 1984 ---- three years before the character of Data was created ---- which made me wonder if perhaps a celebrity's "inability" to move past a role is somewhat self-imposed? Maybe an actor gets so used to playing a character, or after realizing that a certain type of acting worked for him in the past, he's unable to act without channeling that character or its idiosyncrasies. It almost becomes second nature to them. Then again....maybe he's just super young here and not wearing android-white makeup!

Just a thought. Anyway, you all lucked out because not only did my screenshot capture Brent Spiner, but it also shows a youthful Christian Slater and a decaying Eddie Bracken (later known as the toy store owner Mr. Duncan in Home Alone 2!) If that doesn't make you want to watch Tales from the Darkside, I don't know what will!

P.S. I just showed my husband this picture to see if he could identify any of the actors. Dear readers, I'd like you to meet Josh Hartnett (OK, passable), ~~The Rock~~ (????) no wait, Andy Kaufman (still a ????), and Grandpa Muenster (LOL).

Tips for Styling Maxi Skirts in Colder Seasons

2011-02-07T17:14:00.000-05:00

A few months ago, I impulsively bought the Tumbler Maxi Skirt in black. I figured that a long skirt is perfect for a person like me who shies away from showing too much leg. Also, it's a little dressier than just wearing pants all the time. When it arrived and I tried it on, I really liked it, yes, but I wasn't quite sure how to style it.

Then, it went on sale and I got a price adjustment to about $40 so.....let's just say that I was determined to make this work.

I pulled the skirt out of my closet to wear the other day, but ultimately gave up and hung it back up because I couldn't figure out what shoes to wear! Sure, in the summer, you can just wear some open-toed sandals or wedges, but when it's cold out, my toesies might not be so keen on that idea.

So like any good blogger, I took to the Internet. And apparently I'm not alone with the whole shoe-pairing question. The following is what I learned about my own preferences for maxi styling. I hope it also may help you!

1. I like the look of same-color shoes (for my purposes, black shoes with a black maxi skirt) or maybe cognac shoes for contrast. I like the look of "tough" shoes, combat-type flat boots or less-tough boots with a little height, but I don't want to look "too" urban. Maybe a lace-up wedge like my new Steve Maddens?

Free People Tencil Rib Maxi Dress

Free People Maxi Scoop Long Sleeve Dress

2. Playing with the skirt length is required. I like the look of to-the-floor skirts where your shoe doesn't even matter because it looks so flowy and bohemian. But I also like the look of ankle-length skirts that show off your shoes. What looks best on me will probably depend on my body shape and height. Lucky for me, my maxi skirt has a foldover style so I can either wear it as a tube dress or fold the waist over and adjust the length.

3. Keep it simple and think about proportions. I like the looks most with neutral colors and simple shapes/proportions. My favorite is this Michael Kors one---so classy, right? But I also like the look of a striped casual top and a cropped vest with a long skirt. It seems to work great with both casual and more formal looks.

Michael Kors Fall 2010 runway

Rachel Pally Skinny Long Skirt at Shopbop

4. Which also segues into the matter of belts. I like the look of emphasizing the waist with a wide belt, whether it be under or over another layer. I also think the idea of a hip-slung belt (though a little more hippie-chic than I'm used to) would be a great way to elongate my stumpy torso and fake some good proportions. :)

Elizabeth and James Taylor Long Skirt at Saks Fifth Avenue

Anthropologie Irresistible Maxi Dress

5. Long necklaces seem to elongate the body to keep the skirt-wearer from looking "stumpy." I'm of average height so every little would help, right?

Piperlime Promo Pic

With that said, after all my research, I finally decided the brave the world with my new skirt. And I'm pretty happy about my look! I don't own a hip-slung belt so I had to improvise with a Gap jeans belt that I purchased in a Large. All in all, I'm loving the proportions, and the LOFT grey topper I bought has met all my expectations and even exceeded them!

Tumbler Maxi Skirt, Gap leather belt, My grandma's hand-me-down necklace,
JCrew black turtleneck, LOFT grey melange cropped drape jacket

Here are some more good links if you're interested in finding further information about styling, the trend itself, or helpful images:

How to Wear a Maxi Skirt at Diabolina Fashion Diary

Three Easy Tips for Pulling Off a Maxi Skirt at Glamour.com

OOTD with Plaid and Maxi Skirt at Style Pantry

The Maxi Skirt Fashion Trend at The New York Times

All Choked Up

2011-02-03T19:14:00.000-05:00

I've often heard of people who hate wearing things close to their neck---scarves or turtlenecks, for example----because they feel like they're being choked.

I happen to be of the opposite persuasion. Because I hate baring my neck, especially when it's cold outside. During college, I literally wore Victoria Secret ribbed turtlenecks every day. After I wore them all into the ground, I began to think that the only way to keep my neck warm was to wear a T-shirt or a sweatshirt, i.e. something with a high crew neck. But now I realize that I can wear low-cut tops and just tie a scarf around my neck! Hooray! This realization has definitely helped me to have more fun getting dressed when the weather isn't the best.

Unfortunately...my neck idiosyncrasy follows me into bed, too. Ever since I was little, I always had to sleep with the covers over my neck to ward off any vampire-type monsters. Even in the middle of summer, I have to at least have a light sheet tucked up to my chin. Unfortunately, the other night, Docker was sleeping at the bottom of our bed and I couldn't pull the sheets all the way up where I would like! It turned into quite the restless night for me. It didn't help matters that Husband had a cold and he kept making scary noises (think The Grudge) in his sleep. My only recourse was to elbow jab him in the ribs every time he started up again (and then to play dead so he couldn't yell at me). Maybe he'll just think it was a dream??

This outfit features one of my favorite Christmas presents this year! It's my J.Crew sweater in soft peacock from my wonderful sis at Princess of Taylor. I love this blue color, and it's so comfy. Thanks, sis! :)

J.Crew La Femme Cardigan in Soft Peacock (from my sister!), Old Navy grey leopard-print tank top,
Canterbury Trousers, Old Navy grey/white scarf, Tommy Hilfiger brown mid-calf boots

My January 2011 Purchases

2011-02-01T13:23:00.000-05:00

Well, January is finally over! I felt like I did *SO* good on my shopping this month, but I still got way too much, didn't I? The truth is that I went to the mall on the 29th and bought six of these items, sooooo....::sheepish grin:: On sale, people! ON SALE! :)

Overall, it helped pass the time that I had several shopping fiascos this month, including a rip in my new Canterbury Trousers and a charge-send for my Florist's Arrangement Sweaterdress that was almost all charge, and no send! Also, I ended up buying the Pointedly Skirt---twice. And apparently I'm a dumbbell and tried on the 12 in the store (and thought afterwards that it was the 8). So neither the 8 nor 10 fit at all---go figure! I kind of got over the skirt in the meantime, but I'm still bummed about all the dough I lost in shipping costs.

This month, I ended up getting quite a few neutrals---navys, and greys, and whites---which is a new goal I've latched onto. And I think it will serve me well as I try to build a "working wardrobe." I'm weary from trying to match all the crazy patterns in my closet, and I think the right neutrals will help tie them all together. Here's a breakdown of my purchases:

MENSWEAR: That's right. All four buttoned-down shirts I bought this month are cut for men. The two plaid flannel shirts are American Eagle, and I absolutely live in them. Fantastic purchase. The white and navy dress shirts are from Gap, and I think these will be great staples for work, and will be very versatile under all my colored cardigans. The American Eagle watch is technically a women's watch, I think, but I picked it mostly for its austere, men's quality.

CARDIGANS: At the end of the day, I love the ease of blouses topped with cardigans. Granted, as I get older, I run the risk of looking like every-other-preppy-mommy-on-the-go (without the little Square Root, of course). But, oh well. Maybe we're not all born to be fashionistas after all.... I loved the leopard and diamond patterns of these LOFT cardigans. They'd even be a great pop of pattern underneath a blazer, I think! And I have high hopes for the cropped grey topper (also from LOFT), that I envision wearing over longer tunic-style shirts, and maybe even with my black maxi skirt! I felt a little guilty after I purchased the navy cardigan because it's so basic, but it's a great length, very comfortable, and a nice neutral to top over almost anything.

DRESS PANTS: I've already worn both my navy/plaid and grey pants several times. I know pants can be more difficult to style and to find the perfect fit with, but I still ultimately prefer them to skirts and dresses. I'm still contemplating taking these both to the tailor and getting them altered to be jusssst right. But I admit it: I'm chicken. And I'm cheap. I just have to be careful not to squat too unladylike or I'll split my pants again, for sure!

I think all of these purchases fit into my true aesthetic, and I've already worn most of them at least once. I haven't yet tried on my sweaterdress because after all the trouble it took to get it...I'm afraid I'll have another Pointedly disaster! All in all, I think I made very thoughtful choices, but still could be less impulsive. On that note, I've already got my shopping cart at J.Crew sitting and waiting for me to pull the trigger! ::heh, heh::

February shopping----here I come!

SAG Awards 2011: My Favorites

2011-01-30T23:25:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you, but I've had a very lazy weekend. And what better way to wrap up a lazy weekend than to lie in bed watching a bunch of beautiful people dress up and clap feverishly as they hand each other awards?

Well, honestly, I'm only watching a few minutes of the show while I'm blogging here just in case I say below that I *love* some dress that actually looks horrendous in person. (Or the opposite, as in the case of Melissa Leo's silver dress that was quite pretty in the TV broadcast, but whose shiny material and fitted silhouette photographed pretty poorly around her tummy area.)

Anyway, I was pretty impressed with the SAG Awards's offering of evening wear. Although there were a few of the usual suspects wearing boring dresses.... (Wow, ladies, how DO you look so pretty with long, wavy hair and a beige-colored gown with cleavage---incredible!) For the most part, I saw lots of creative embellishments, bright colors, and interesting construction.

I thought Jayma Mays looked quite arresting in her peach(?) dress, but I can't decide if it's just her fresh makeup and gorgeous hair that I liked. I also liked the delicate red flowers of Tina Fey's strapless dress. Unfortunately, both of them made it on the LA Times' 10 Worst Dressed List. Lame!

I also thought Helena Bonham Carter looked very romantic with her simple black/white dress and large curls, but that may just be because I'm so used to seeing her wearing wacky shizz. :) And I'm still on the fence about Mila Kunis---she looked stunning in her red-drenched gown, but it also kinda freaked me out a little---because you know, it was a red-drenched gown.

The three below are my favorite. What were your favorites?

Julie Bowen

Am I just biased because I've been watching so much Boston Legal lately? Or I am just biased because I've decided to fully embrace my love of menswear-inspired clothing? Meh. Who cares if I'm biased! I think Julie Bowen looks absolutely stunning, and effortless to boot. Classy and real. My #1 Favorite of the Night, for sure!

Claire Danes

Another stunner from Claire Danes. She really knows how to rock the strapless dress. Normally I would scoff at the boring silhouette, but I love the texture and colors of the print. And the belt adds an interesting, more casual feel to the dress. All in all: another effortless masterpiece.

January Jones

I've never seen Mad Men, so I can confidently say that I am not all biased when it comes to January Jones. She's gotten a lot of flack for some of her recent fashion choices, but I really respect her willingness to be inventive and unabashedly modern. Personally, I think this dress is absolutely stunning. I already saw it on at least one Worst Dressed List, but you know what I say to that: LAME! It's a gorgeous silhouette with a luscious print. Bravo, January.

*all pictures from InStyle.com.See more here.

I Spy Anthropologie: Wightwick Manor Dress

2011-01-28T07:21:00.001-05:00

I think this latest Anthropologie sighting officially makes me an Anthro-dork. (As if that were ever in doubt...)

It's the Wightwick Manor Dress (that I just so happened to wear earlier this week!) in a Bank of America TV commercial. You only get a small glimpse of it behind all the foreground clutter, but the cool retro print and the great shirtdress design that I love so much were sure to catch my eye!

All Dolled Up...

2011-01-26T10:54:00.000-05:00

....and nowhere to go.

I got all spiffied up today in my Wightwick Manor Dress, but the weather is not being agreeable (sleet and snow) so I decided to play it safe and NOT drive up and down the interstate all day. Which means no work today.

What a bummer! Normally, I would get changed into some comfy lounge clothes, but I think I'll try to keep this outfit on a little longer just to enjoy my fleeting cuteness. :) Maybe I'll run an errand or something. Hey, at least the baristas in Starbucks got to see me!

In other news, I think maybe I should take a blogging hiatus more often! It seems like I get more followers when I'm NOT here. Hmmm.....are you all trying to tell me something? No, no, no. It's my wonderful sister's doing over at Princess of Taylor. She has graciously again included me in her awesome giveaway celebrating her one-year blogging anniversary! Click here to sign up and you can win a pair of handmade earrings and a $50 gift card to the store of your choice!!! Woohoo!

Wightwick Manor Dress, Red opaque tights, Miz Mooz boots,
Limited infinity scarf, Circle Game Belt

Lots of exciting things happening in the Square-Root household, but unfortunately, not necessarily clothes-related. I'm kind of hitting the wall in terms of shopping. I've been very good about keeping my shopping to a minimum this month, but it's been very difficult/depressing. As soon as February 1 rolls around, I already have three shopping carts full and ready to go! :P But even still, shopping just isn't bringing me the joy it used to. So I'm trying to find new outlets, including more exercise, more work (and hence more $$$!), more Quantum Leap watching, and more Starbucks (and hence less $$$!).

Anyway, hope you're all staying warm and I will be back again soon! I am anxiously counting down the days to the end of the month so I can "analyze" all my January purchases. :) Whee!

Canterbury Trousers (Take Two...)

2011-01-18T21:06:00.000-05:00

Hello, all!

Unfortunately, I've been nursing some kind of sickness all weekend, and I have been curiously tracking the ebb and flow of my alertness. One minute, I'm running around my house moving furniture and folding laundry, and the next, I'm nestled on the couch with the puppies sleepily watching anything and everything aired on the Investigation Discovery channel.

As far as being sick goes, I've had worse. But I think I must have some kind of ear infection, because my left ear has been hurting, and my balance has been a little off the past few days. In fact, this morning, I walked up to an ATM machine but miscalculated how close I was and ended up hitting my head on the top of the machine. Then I started laughing so hard that I almost fell backwards. Oh, I hope somebody was watching that security tape....

The good news is that I am wearing my wonderful, fabulous, terrific Canterbury Trousers today. I had been stalking these online for a while, and they finally went on sale last week, I think. Product reviewers had very different opinions on whether to size up or down, but since size 10 was available and size 8 wasn't, I had to try the 10. I figured if it didn't fit, I would at least know more about sizing so I could try searching stores without as much risk involved.

Turns out the size 10 works. They're very long; the perfect height for me (I'm about 5"6) when I'm wearing a few inches of heel. The subtle plaid pattern is great. The pants are navy, and the plaid is a mixture of black, red, and pink----but like I said, subtle. The waist is a little loose, but they're comfortable. So comfy in fact that I feel like I'm wearing pajamas! Always a plus. I suppose I could take them to the tailor if I wanted them to be a little more fitted.

My post title is "Canterbury Trousers (Take Two...)" because I actually was going to wear these one day last week. I even got out the front door wearing them, but I bent down to pick up a box of envelopes to put in my car, and ****rip*****. There's a hole in my pants, dear Liza, dear Liza.

I was pretty devastated, but I showed the pants to my mom, and she mended them up (lickety-split!). And now I am in love again. Thank you Mama, for mending my duds. And thank you Anthropologie for selling me these pants.

And thank you ATM company for making your ATM machines out of shock-absorbent materials.

Canterbury Trousers, JCrew perfect-fit T-shirt in rosewood; LOFT leopard cardigan;
turquoise necklace, gift; Tommy Hilfiger mid-calf boots

I Spy Anthropologie(?): First Falling Blouse

2011-01-11T06:16:00.000-05:00

When my husband and I are driving in our car, I have a bad habit of yelling out when I see something important alongside the road----like, I don't know, a gopher. Or maybe a dog walker.

I personally don't see anything wrong with it, but apparently it can be "startling" for the driver. Who knew?

Luckily, my husband has grown more accustomed to my similar habit of yelling at the TV when I see suspected Anthropologie items. (Although I am starting to feel a little guilty each time he excitedly asks what he missed and why I want to rewind...) It's just Anthropologie, dear...

This latest sighting is a tricky one, because I'm pretty sure it's Anthropologie's First Falling Blouse, but I'm not 100% sure. I even tried IDing this blouse by comparing the placement of the leaves, but the results were inconclusive. (Although I'm holding out hope for our pending fiber and DNA tests...) It was an nTelos commercial, and I'll let you take a look at the screenshots and make your own mind up about whether it is or it ain't.

UPDATED: LOFT fitting room reviews (and a rant)

2011-01-10T08:22:00.003-05:00

Ugh, I say it every time, but lemme say it again: I am so sick of LOFT's shenanigans.

Their branding shake-up in the past few years has produced some great styling options, yes. But it has also pushed their prices into the stratosphere, ushered in their coupon/discount tomfoolery, and given me the impression that they intentionally keep their Website inventory low to prefabricate demand on certain items.

And yet, here I am again with fitting room reviews, and a bag full of new LOFT purchases sitting in my kitchen. What can I say?

Compared with how much $$$ I used to spend at LOFT, I've definitely cut back in the past few years for both financial reasons and simply on principle. I don't always feel good after I make a LOFT purchase. I'm always left holding my breath, waiting for the next promotion to realize I could have gotten my item for XX amount cheaper. Luckily, on this particular shopping trip, my mom and I gave the store manager the what for when she wouldn't let us use one of our coupons (that clearly said it could be combined with other offers). We eventually insisted on making our purchase in two separate transactions (of course, once WE came up with that idea, then suddenly she was all johnny-helpful, "Oh, of COURSE, we'd be happy to do it in two transactions...." Hmmm...then maybe YOU should have suggested it!). So we got all our items for about 50% off. Great deal, right? Because we all know that LOFT NEVER has 50% off deals (oh, wait...come to think of it....they do...). So as far as I'm concerned, we, the customers, are happy, so LOFT should be happy, too. It's just a shame that they make us feel so guilty for standing up for ourselves.

Anyway, end of rant: onto the reviews...

Striped Boat Neck Tunic $59.50

I bought this top, which I'd been admiring in LOFT's online lookbook for a while. I loved its casual/nautical feel when paired with grey dress pants. In my store, they only had the size small in Navy, and it ended up fitting just fine over a white short-sleeve T-shirt. However, if they had the Medium, I probably would have sized up. The alternating stripes are sheer, which I thought looked really cute. The sleeves are marketed online as "long sleeves," but they are rolled up and buttoned as three-quarter sleeves. I didn't try unbuttoning them.

Colorblock Top (On sale)

This top is OOS online, but there were tons left in my store's sale section. I didn't even bother listing a sale price, because LOFT's sale promotions change so often, that God only knows how much you may end up paying for this! I tried the size small and medium because I had no idea how this top was going to fit. The picture on the left is the MEDIUM; the picture on the right is the size SMALL. The small seemed to hug my tummy in an unflattering way, but the medium seemed too drapey for my taste. The sage green/grey color combination was pretty, but it just didn't work for me. The bottom is elastic, which I almost always hate (this was no different).

Marisa Spring Wool Trousers ($89.50)
I tried on all my tops with these pants. I gave in and took my ill-fitting grey trousers to Goodwill a few weeks ago, so I'm in the market for some new ones. Here, I tried on the size 10, which sat very low on my hips and as you can see, were way too long.

Unknown Cardigan ($54.50) Updated 1/12/11: Shibori Stamp Print Cardigan

I don't remember seeing this cardigan online and it wasn't on sale in-store, so I'm going to assume it's a new arrival that hasn't made it to the Web yet. But, boy it's pretty. And reasonably priced, too. I got the Size Medium, which was snug, but fit well. I probably would have tried the Large if it were available to see whether that fit a little better. The color is a pretty teal/green that looked gorgeous with a white T-shirt underneath and grey dress pants. I totally bought this, with very little persuasion needed.

Marisa Spring Wool Trousers ($89.50)

These are the Size 8, which I would use to purchase. They were snug in my waist, but overall a good fit. They were comfortable, but there was nothing special about these. And certainly not for ninety bucks. If I can hold out for a good online promotion, I might get these in the grey, but these weren't anything I had to have. Basically I just want grey pants, not necessarily these grey pants---does that make sense?

Ikat Spots Crew Neck Cardigan (On sale, $62.99)

I'm obsessed with the idea of animal prints as neutrals, and was totally bummed that this cardigan was basically OOS online. Imagine my delight when I found this sweater (size large) lurking in the petite sale section. I balked when I saw it still had a regular-price tag of $89.50, but all the petite sweaters were on sale. I checked with the cashier, and she confirmed that the regular sizes were on sale, too. Woohoo! Large was all they had, so again, I probably would have taken the Medium out of habit. But the Large allows me to button up the cardigan with absolutely no pulling in the buttons. My mom initially thought this color washed me out when I tried it with the grey pants, but when I put on my green pants she said she liked it more. She maybe just knew I liked it a lot. :) I got this sweater, too.

This was the outfit I wore to go shopping. Nothing too amazing, but it was cozy!

GAP blue sweater

American Eagle men's plaid flannel shirt, size small (on sale and highly recommended)

Limited necklace

Anthropologie Simply Sketched Pants

Anne Klein Ladell black suede boots

Ringing in 2011 with a Resolution

2011-01-08T14:18:00.000-05:00

Hello, everyone!

It was nice to have a little break from blogging to recover from the holidays. I had SO much fun seeing all my family and drinking lots of Starbucks holiday drinks, but alas, it's back to the daily grind for me.

Like most people, I've taken the new year as a great built-in marker to re-evaluate my life, my blog, and where I'd like to see myself in the future. I didn't make any concrete resolutions per se, but I have identified a few things I'd like to work on.

For starters, I am going to start wearing my wedding ring. ::pregnant pause::

Yeah, I know, I've been married four years, and why, you may ask, do I not wear my wedding ring? Well, Husband started freaking out about a year ago because I'm very forgetful and he was positive that I was going to lose my engagement ring. So I promised to stop wearing it.

The problem is that my engagement ring was the only anchor keeping on my too-big wedding ring, so then I freaked out that I would lose my wedding ring! So I stopped wearing it. (And after all that, it was HUSBAND who lost his wedding ring and had to get a new one. Ironic, dontcha think?)

Anyway, in the past year we've actually had fun imagining what people are thinking about us.... Even though we go to our local Mexican restaurant almost once a week, they ALWAYS ask if we want separate checks. And I've totally gotten Husband addicted to nightly Starbucks jaunts----do they think we are having a latte affair?

I personally don't think anyone notices whether you're wearing a wedding ring or not, but Husband says men most certainly do. All men except for him, of course---harumph....

So that's my personal "resolution," but you're all probably much more interested in my "clothing" resolution. Like everyone else, I spend too much on clothing and would like to cut back. But not just for monetary reasons. I want to LOVE my clothes. I want to value each piece individually, and remember the story behind it, and the first time I tried it on and swooned.

But it's hard to do that when your closet is growing so quickly that it's invading the rest of your bedroom like a bad case of kudzu.

I recently saw a neat post series at Wardrobe Review, where Shannon evaluated her 2010 purchases month by month. And I loved the idea of pinpointing the pros and cons of purchases, to analyze what worked out and what didn't. And being able to fit all your monthly purchases in a little photo box---so tidy! LOL. So be on the lookout for some kind of evaluation like that from me in the future (and as a result, much fewer purchases!)

On that note, I had a real hard time with the Anthro sale this past Tuesday because several things from my wishlist made it to sale. I finally narrowed it down to three items: the Pointedly Skirt, which I tried on here, the Florist's Arrangement Sweaterdress, which I also tried on there/here, and the Spliced Ikat Shift, which I thought might flatter my rectangular shape.

Unfortunately, the shift dress didn't work out as planned. I loved the length, the band of color at the bottom, the stripes of pink pattern along the sides of the dress to emphasize my hips.... But rather than creating more curves on my figure, it emphasized my thick middle even more. There's a built-in slip that isn't a problem size-wise, but was tight enough that I was aware it existed (not a deal-breaker but nevertheless annoying). Also, there are pockets, but they're not exactly functional because of the form-fitting design of the dress. And they bunched up on the front of my thighs, which was again, annoying.

I love the color and pattern, but it just didn't flatter my figure as I had hoped, and for $80, that's still a pretty penny to pay.

I hate to leave you on a bad note, so instead I will tell you about a recent wonderful customer service experience at Anthropologie. I had held off on buying the Florist's Arrangement Sweaterdress but knew I would cave if it got a second cut----well it did! But it sold out online before I could snatch it up. I called customer service and they found a couple left in stores. I was too lazy to call stores myself, so they offered to call for me.

Well, boo, but I got an e-mail yesterday morning saying they couldn't locate the item. I was sad, but hey, it's $49.95 back in my bank account! But this afternoon, I got a phone call with a strange number from a Colorado area code so I didn't answer it----am I the only person left in the world who screens her calls? Anyway, they left a message, and guess what! It was from a sales associate at a Colorado Anthropologie who had found my dress!

I immediately called her back----well....actually..... "immediately" after I checked the Anthro website to confirm the store's phone number and make sure I wasn't going to give my credit card number to a random stranger, lol----and now, she is shipping it to me ASAP.

Anthro?----I think I love you. (....as if it were ever in doubt....)

Anthro Reviews: Deuxhill Cowlneck, Pointedly Skirt, Florist's Arrangement Sweaterdress, Je Ne Sais Scarf Tee, Wily Sweater

2010-12-29T23:55:00.000-05:00

::biggggg strrrrrrrretch...::

That's right.

I'm back, folks.

And I'm ready to flex my blogging muscles after a relaxing week of merriment and atrophy.

Well, sort of ready. The truth is that I think I might have pink eye (what am I, eight years old?). So although I got all spiffied up today in my Peppered & Striped skirt and Wish You Were Here Cardi, I regrettably did not take any pictures.

Instead, I have some Anthro fitting room reviews. Because---yay!----over Christmas vacation, I got to go shopping at Anthropologie with my mom, sister, and grandma. It was so fun to be in the store with them, and we all came away with armfuls of goodies. Of course, my fitting room reviews tend to be slightly irrelevant to the rest of the shopping world (since I like to surf the sale rack for golden oldies), but lest I lose my blogging groove again, let's get to it:

The Florist's Arrangement Sweaterdress (on sale $79.95)

Oh, how long will this dress languish in the sale section? It's gotten crummy reviews, but I thought its alleged flaws might actually work for my figure. I was kinda right. The pleats around the hips give me the illusion of an hourglass figure, and the scoop neckline and floral applique draw the attention up to my face. The fabric is soft and has a nice, subtle jacquard. All in all, I really liked this dress, and husband liked the picture, too. But Mom and Sister both thought the color washed me out. Even with the add'l 25% off, I won't bite, but if it gets a second cut, I'll probably jump on this.

Wily Sweater (no longer available, but check your stores)

Yay! I went back and forth stalking this cardigan online, and eventually I raised the white flag. But then ~~I found~~ my sister found a Size Medium hiding in the sale rack! Rejoice! It's ridiculously cute, and the foxes are so subtle that they just look like polka dots from far away. I love how the sweater has two layers so you can either wear the top layer buttoned (like above) or unbuttoned (which reveals a red striped vest-like layer). The length is nice and long. The only negative is that my sister has also been stalking this sweater, and she gave me the stink-eye when I decided to buy it. :) Love ya sis! Underneath the sweater, I'm wearing the deuxhill cowlneck (see below....).

Deuxhill Cowlneck ($88

I loved the purple color online, because I wanted to recreate Anthro's recent catalog look with a purple top and the Peppered & Striped skirt. Unfortunately, they only had a size 8 in purple which was way too big. I like the versatility of the cowlneck and the drape of the shirt, but I definitely needed to get a size 6. I ended up kind of being indifferent to the purple color. The fabric was silky and very comfy.

Deuxhill Cowlneck ($88)

Enter Size 6 Navy! I really only brought this in the dressing room for sizing, but I ended up really liking the pattern. In the store, they had a display with this top and a long dark fuchsia cardigan, which looked so pretty. There are several buttons on the cowlneck so that you can wear it as more of a funnel-neck or a flat collar. I ended up taking this one home with me!

Pointedly Skirt ($128)

This was another experiment based on bad reviews. My sister tried on this skirt (see her review here), and even though I liked it on her, she was not a fan. Since I am loving the A-line, longer length skirt trend of the moment, I thought I'd give this a try and hope that its flare might fake me some good old fashioned hips. And, it did! This is a Size 8, and it was snug but comfortable; I might be OK or even happier with a size 10; I'm not sure. When I first tried on the skirt, I looked down and exclaimed to myself, "Why is there a gigantic hole in the middle of this skirt?" Oh....I then said....it's the pocket.....After a few tugs, I was back on track and loving this skirt. I hope to pick this up on sale if it's still around.

Je Ne Sais Scarf Tee ($58)

I really loved this shirt. I only tried on the neutral motif for sizing purposes (it was the only available size medium....again, I was initially interested in the purple colorway). But once I had this on, I loved the colors. The scarf around my neck adds some color to my face so I'm not washed out, and the beige shirt (yes, it's regrettably completely see-through) is a nice neutral. So it's like the best of both worlds. I put this back on the rack, fully intending to stalk it online, only to later find that it was sold out online in all of the colorways in size medium. YEEPS! I freaked out and did my first charge-send by calling a store in Dallas, TX, and they are very graciously sending me one.

OOTD: Blogging in Bed

2010-12-16T11:07:00.000-05:00

I woke up to a nice snowfall this morning so I'm blogging in bed. This would be the perfect day to wear this robe, yes? Soooo cooooozy.

And now: my prepster-look from yesterday for your blog-viewing entertainment:

(Eddie Bauer sweater, Limited infinity scarf, J.Crew perfect-fit tee, LOFT khakis, Steve Madden Melanee oxfords)

And have you checked out Anthropologie's sales today? 25% off regular-price jewelry and an additional 25% off sale items (no codes required). I'm personally struggling about whether to cave on a certain dress that I was hoping would get a second cut first....

Because stores should know by now not to mess with me when it comes to sales. I placed an order at J.Crew with some "great" deal a few weeks ago, only to see an even "greater" deal a few days later---so you guessed it, I placed the whole order again. And now that J.Crew is presumably having their "greatest" deal now (30% off sale and free shipping at $150), is it wrong that I'm considering placing the order a THIRD time?!

I probably won't be around for the next few days, but I'll be back as soon as I can!

OOTD: Workout Apparel

2010-12-14T12:58:00.000-05:00

I haven't had many OOTD posts lately because my camera is off getting repaired, and I can only take pictures of myself with my phone in my warped skinny-mirror. And although I personally love to look at myself in my warped skinny-mirror; it somehow feels like a lie to try to pass off its depictions as truthful OOTDs! LOL.

It's also been bitterly cold lately so it's hard to give any kind of priority to fashion when you're just struggling to keep warm.

So instead of my regular outfits, I decided to show you some of my favorite workout apparel in the cold weather. I teach dance aerobics classes a few times a week, and I used to always wear NY&Co. black pants. I saw these WorkItOut tights on Athleta's Website a while back and thought they looked adorable with skirts on top, so on a whim, I bought a pair and a few skirts. And what can I say....true love!

I got Size Medium, and they fit perfectly. The length is great for me---nice and long. I'm about 5'6 and they cover up my entire leg, but can be "scrunched up" to be a little shorter if you prefer. They also come in Petite and Tall. They're very thick, warm and surprisingly comfortable! They pack you in, yes, but you don't have to do the "wiggle" to get them on or anything. There's a drawstring in the inside waistband so you can tighten them more if you need to. Their availability fluctuates, but I ordered a couple of reflective pairs that are on backorder till January. I'm hoping they restock because these will be my new go-to winter workout pants.

The Printed Powermesh CYA skirt I'm wearing is also a size Medium. There's not much to it (kind of just a swath of fabric), but the length is nice and it doesn't get in the way of my movement. I also got it in the blue jungle kitten colorway, though I find that colorway kind of hard to match with my current selection of tank tops. The yellow tank top and black jacket are both from NY&Company. The shoes are Ryka Studio D Mid, Size 9.5, my go-to workout shoes. I also have them in black.

In this second set of pictures, I'm wearing the same bottoms but I layered two tops---because it was freezing! I later sort of regretted this while working out, but I appreciated it when I walked outside again. I wish there were more short-sleeve options for workout apparel. Tanks are cute, but sometimes it's nice to just wear a semi-fitted T-shirt. I layered this Athleta top over an Old Navy green sleeveless tank that's got great longer length.

I highly recommend Athleta workout gear, even though they're pricey. Their items wear really well, and they're unique.

Unfortunately, by the time items hit sale, the sizes and best colors are usually pretty picked over. They have had a few 20% full-price sales this holiday season, and if you see one again, jump on it! Even though Athleta is now part of the promotion-heavy Gap companies, Athleta is rarely included in company-wide promotions.

Here are a couple of other items I'd recommend from Athleta.

Chakra Tank (I really like this top in Size Medium, but I have to wear a sports bra for support underneath, so it kind of ruins the pretty back design.)

Pizzazz Tank (I haven't bought this one, but it looks sleek and still has some great colors left!)

Sleeveless Twist Top (I got this in green size Medium, which is no longer available, but there's still pink and blue. The long length is great, and it's one of my favorites. The fabric is thick and stretchy, which is a plus.)

Paisley Diamond CYA Skirt (I got a size Small because it was the biggest size left. It's short, but it fits. And I got lots of comments about the cute glittery diamonds!)

Nusa Rollover Skirt (I got a Size Medium. At first, I thought it was kind of tight, but after I wore it a few times, it wasn't bad so maybe it stretches a little? I got the sky blue color, and it's so comfy. You could live in this skirt! You can roll the top up or down to change the length, and there are so many pretty colors left.)

Oh, and here are my puppies. Happy Tuesday!

I Spy Anthropologie: Yuma Cardigan

2010-12-10T23:51:00.000-05:00

I was recently browsing through People's "Star Tracks" feature and found this picture of Blake Lively, in what appears to be the Yuma Cardigan, currently available at Anthropologie!

And it can be yours for a mere three hundred and ninety-eight dollars----eeks! Click here to view the image of Blake (because I freaked myself out by actually *reading* People's website terms of use....)

Anyhow, People's image reproduction policy may not give me that warm, fuzzy feeling, but I bet this blanket-like sweater sure does! (badum-ching!)

Happy Friday night!

Yuma Cardigan ($398) by Cynthia Vincent

Reviews: Shoes, Shoes, and Shoes

2010-12-09T18:36:00.000-05:00

I'm in quite a pickle here, readers.

I have been trying to be more thoughtful with my shoe purchases lately, and it's working! Unfortunately for my wallet, that means all the pairs sitting on my living room floor seem really great! The difference between the pros and cons of each pair is quite diminutive and therefore difficult to put into words or quantify.

Even worse is that with my last Endless order, I used a discount with a tiered minimum purchase amount ($100 off $300; $60 off $200; $30 off $100), so I have to be financially savvy, too, when deciding what stays and what goes.

Wanted Shoes Women's Travel Ankle Boot, Black Leather, Size 8.5

I bought these boots, along with the black Anne Klein Ladell, a few months ago, thinking they'd both serve the same purpose so I'd pick one. But I like them both! The Ladell is suede and dressier; I've already worn them several times and still love them.. But I've been hanging onto this boot still because it's a little bit rocker-chick, cheaper, and more casual because it's made of faux leather. I sized down a half-size (from 9 to 8.5) because of the reviews, and they fit well. No complaints. They're comfortable enough. But the height worries me----perhaps it cuts my leg off at an unflattering point?

Gola Women's Harrier Suede Sneaker, Green/White, Size 9

Honestly, I started searching for colored sneakers to reach the minimum purchase amount I needed for my discount. I found this brand (Gola), and was intrigued. Unfortunately, most of the colors I was drawn to were sold out. This was the only color left that I even remotely liked. My reasoning was that if I'm going to always reach for comfortable shoes, they might as well have some personality. These are very comfortable, look really well-made, but they're so bright! They weren't cheap, so I think maybe I could find a pair cheaper that I really love.

NineWest Women's Snowdrift Oxford, Grey Suede, Size 9

I loved these shoes online in blue (the style looks similar to a shoe sold at Anthro last season). But I figured that grey would be more versatile. I think these could be a real workhorse pair of shoes in my closet: they'd go with practically everything, be comfortable enough, and still have a heel to elongate my legs. When Husband first saw them, he said they made my feet look really small---and not in a good way, he thought they made my feet look really nubby, lol. I like the way these shoes tie very tightly (the lace comes through the side flaps of the shoe, so when you tie them tight, the flaps sit very snugly against your ankle. In other words, the opening is not rigid so there's no annoying gap.)

Rocket Dog Women's Satire Ankle Boot, Brown Rider, Size 9

I have been sitting on this pair for a while and unsure about whether they'd actually do what I want them to do. I would like to wear these under jeans and with bare legs in the spring/summer, maybe with some chunky socks and short skirts. These fit well and are comfy, but the calf opening is very wide. I know that's the style and all, but could I get over it? If I get these, I would force myself to give up my rejuvenated love affair with the Nine West Peroxy (which I reviewed here in tan, then returned, and now decided I DO need in dark green).

Steve Madden Women's Dessertt Ankle Boot, Chestnut, Size 9.5

I discovered these shoes first on Kendi Everyday. On Endless, the shoes got horrible reviews, but I figured I'd try them out anyway. And they are definitely cute. I've never worn wedges like these so they're a bit puzzling, but comfortable enough to stand and walk in. I sized up a half-size (from 9 to 9.5) because of the reviews, but they're a little loose in the opening. Otherwise they fit fine, so maybe it's the price you pay for a good fit everywhere else. These are simultaneously fashion-forward and old-standby, and I'm sure they would be very versatile, but are they too chunky?

STEVEN by Steve Madden Melanee Oxford, Cognac, Size 9

These I am definitely keeping, because I wore them the other day! As you may already know, I have been searching for a good oxford for a few months now. These are very menswear-inspired, and even though they have lace-holes, there are no laces. So they have a nice casual feel. They were incredibly stiff though, and I worried about them possibly chafing (especially my ankles, where the opening kinda sticks out). But after wearing them for a day, they molded to my feet and were really comfy.

Wanted Shoes Women's Jag Oxford, Gray, Size 9

This purchase was another attempt at the oxford-trend. I like them, and Husband liked them, too----at least that's what he said initially. But then when i showed him the Melanee (above) he said, "Yes, those are even better. They look less like bowling shoes." What? LOL. I got these in grey because I thought maybe my oxford-troubles were because of the brown colors I was trying (and also because I saw a J.Crew catalog pic with cropped wool grey pants and grey oxfords. Cute!). These were a reasonable price, and i can always use more flats. Whereas the Melanee had to be broken in, these shoes were comfy right out of the box. But since I'm already keeping the Melanee, do I really need another pair of oxfords?

Husband says he likes the Steve Madden Dessertt, the Gola sneakers, and the Steve Madden Melanee. What about y'all----which ones do you like/dislike?

DIY Anthropologie (From Me, the World's Worst Present Wrapper)

2010-12-07T12:24:00.000-05:00

I have a real problem when it comes to wrapping presents.

It's disconcerting, to say the least, because I like to think of myself as pretty crafty. I love to scrapbook; I create handmade greeting cards; I made the table centerpieces for my wedding; I even have spruced up a few boring purses with flowers and feathers.

But whenever a holiday rolls around, I grab the wrapping paper, tape, and scissors----and deftly hand them to my husband. He's the wrapper in the family. And not just because I'm wrapping-illiterate. But because he's a spectacular wrapper. His presents get compliments consistently. He prides himself on only using one piece of tape on each side of the box. His lines are always even, and sometimes he even matches up the pattern so the seam is, well, seamless.

But at least I can say that I come by my wrapping habits honestly, because if I'm the world's worst wrapper, then my dad is the second worst! He'll never live down the time he gave a present in a plastic grocery bag---the handles tied in a knot, of course! Unfortunately (for me, that is), he's actually stepped up his game in the last few years, whereas I continue to get worse and worse.

I think I am a bad present-wrapper for the same reason that I'm a bad cook. If it's simple, then I get bored, and I cut corners, and I use a lot of tape and too much paper, and who really cares anymore. But I don't have the skills (or the not-cheap wrapping paper) to make a complicated design look professional.

Despite my bad track record, I thought it would be nice to "creatively" wrap some of our Christmas presents this year. I saw some really awesome-looking pictures on Anthropologie with some materials way out of my price range. But hey, I figured I could try to use things I already had at home. These are the results:

INSPIRATION FROM ANTHROPOLOGIE:

Vintage Stamps, $6.00 for 50
Spin Me a Yarn Skein, $4.00 for 14.2 yards
Lacy Wrapping Paper, $10 for 3 sheets (30 x 20.5 inches each)
Merry Menagerie Gift Tags, $10 for 10
TOTAL COST: $30.00

I loved the postage stamps because they add a fun pop of color. And the lace texture of the wrapping paper makes the entire thing seem lavish and expensive. The different shades of green in the yarn add visual interest, plus the handmade/crafty feel that I always love.

MY ATTEMPT ($0):

I only had one color of yarn: purple. But I think I might run by Michael's so I can add another color because I really think it will add some dimension. For wrapping paper, I used the white side of patterned Christmas paper. It's a little see-through so to do it again, I would probably splurge and buy a light-color pattern paper. I used some really old stamps from my sticker box that I think I got for free a long time ago from organizations soliciting donations. (The animal stamps say 1992 or something! What can I say, I keep everything...)

INSPIRATION FROM ANTHROPOLOGIE:

Snowy Anisoptera Tie-On (dragonfly), $6.00
Dress it Up Ribbon, $12 for 7.5 yards
Printed Stripes Wrapping Paper, $10 for 3 sheets (27.5 x 19.75 inches each)
TOTAL COST: $28.00

Pattern mixing in wrapping paper!? Yes, please! These blue colors are amazing together, and I love the randomness of the thickly textured ribbon knots. Much more modern than the traditional "big bow in the middle" concept.

MY ATTEMPT ($0):

Considering I just used random wrapping paper scraps that I had left in a box, I thought they look pretty cute together. Of course, for a more sophisticated look, I would go to the store and buy paper in more complementary colors. But this is for my 10-year-old nephew, and I hope he likes it the way it is! I didn't really have any good, thick ribbon, but these green and red ribbons still look cute knotted. They were kind of difficult to knot and make them tight enough. Taping the knots didn't really help and looked horrible. Because I used paper scraps (and because I was lazy), the dividing lines are not exactly even. On a second attempt, I would be sure to make things a little straighter.

These wrapping jobs both took me a while to complete, but I was able to use things I already had around the house, which was nice. Clearly, if you went out and bought specific materials, you could make some gorgeous presents for Christmas or any other special occasion! And if I (the world's worst wrapper) was able to churn out these semi-acceptable packages, just imagine what you could do! :)

To see more of Anthropologie's awesome wrapping ideas, click here.

OOTD: Lucerna Dress

2010-12-06T19:42:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you all, but at my house, all us people and puppies are snuggled up on the couch waiting for the Pats and Jets to duke it out on Monday Night Football.

Husband and I have both decided that no matter the outcome of this game, we hope it's definitive and determined early on. I love the Patriots and all, but man, they stress me out. Those exhilarating, last-second, come-from-behind TDs may *seem* fun, but they are generally the product of three and a half quarters of tense nail-biting, angry yelling at the TV screen, and heart palpitations. And then outsiders complain about the Patriots' running up the score every so often---man, it's the LEAST the Patriots can do for their fans after putting them through heck all the time!

(Free People black beanie; Banana Republic sweater;
Gap cable thigh-high socks; Miz Mooz boots;
Lucerna Dress (sized down to small); LOFT grey tee

Isn't it funny how pets always get so inquisitive when their parents take OOTD pictures? Anyway, I heard from a very reliable source that Docker and Jack are going to hit the jackpot this Christmas...

Can't wait to share!

OOTD: First Snow

2010-12-04T18:52:00.001-05:00

Today we had the first substantial snow of the season. Yay!

My mom and I went Christmas shopping earlier this morning, and the good news is that she found almost everything on her gift list. The bad news? I only purchased one gift, and then realized that I forgot to include about four people on my list in the first place, so I actually made negative progress. I'm awesome like that.

These photos are not the best in the world, but I am blogging them because they have a good back-story.

Husband and I were at Dunkin Donuts getting our pumpkin lattes earlier today, and I was telling him about how I'll never really have a good blog because all the really popular bloggers take gorgeous pictures in exotic-looking locales, usually with their photographer husbands. (I know, right?---whine, whine, whine) But, anyway, he immediately stopped the car in the back of the parking lot and said, "Let's do this. Give me your phone."

He's so sweet! And, what can I say about the experience? Well, it was about as awful as I imagined it would be! LOL. Husband left the car on and running, I ran to my spot in front of an empty field and stood awkwardly for a minute or so while he snapped two quick shots. Then we dashed back into the car and sped off like a bunch of no-good troublemakers.

(Old grey coat, LOFT striped scarf, LOFT white tee, AE navy v-neck sweater,

J.Crew toothpick cords in ochre, Miz Mooz boots)

Three cheers for awkward fun with Husband! Maybe this photo-taking thing just takes a little practice.....or a little talent.....or just a whole lotta chutzpah!

I'm working on it.... :)

OOTD: Neutrals are Easy

2010-12-03T21:45:00.000-05:00

I have a deep, dark secret that I'm dying to get off my chest....

I am having a secret love affair.

There, I said it. Except.....it's not really all that secret. Husband even knows about it. In fact, during the day when I whine about my heartache, he goes out and drives my love over to our house. Isn't he sweet? I rendezvous with my love at least once a day, sometimes more, and my heart is aflame when ever he's not around.

What's my love's name, you ask? Why, it's Gaviscon. And, in my lovestruck eyes, he's the only remedy for a broken heart! (ba'dum-ching!)

(J.Crew beige turtleneck, AE plaid men's shirt, old Ann Taylor cashmere cardigan,
World Cargo Pants in beige, Anne Klein Ladell boots)

Hahaha, did I get you going for a little while at least? I know, I know. Horrible puns....what can I say? :)

Anyway, whenever I have an easy time getting dressed in the morning, I size myself up in the mirror and incredulously say, "Whoa, that was too easy...... What gives?"

And every time----every time!----I look down at my clothes and realize I've dressed myself entirely in neutrals. A smorgasbord of browns and whites and beiges and blacks and not only greys with an E, but grays with an A, too!

Incredible, isn't it? Neutrals really ARE easy!

OOTD: Rectangular Me

2010-12-01T23:03:00.000-05:00

Today I had an epiphany.

I very much wanted to wear my Safekeeping Capelet to work, but I still haven't figured out how to make it look proportionately pleasing on my rectangular frame.

Because in all my Internet research on body shapes, sometimes I find discrepancies about what I should wear and what I should avoid. For instance, empire waist tops. Good for enhancing my bust? Or bad for being flowy around my midsection? Or pencil skirts. Good for enhancing my hips? Or bad for emphasizing my long, straight lines?

Unfortunately, the one thing *everyone* agrees on is that I should avoid tops that end right at my waist. No good can come of them for a short-waisted, rectangular girl like me. After I took my pictures today and scanned through them, the rationale of this caveat suddenly became clear.....

When you don't have a defined waist----the last thing you want to do is direct the viewer's eye to your nonexistent waist. (...somewhere, a light bulb turns on....)

(Acting Out Skirt, black tights, Anne Klein Ladell boots, Gap grey crew socks,
Safekeeping Capelet (on sale!), LOFT old green sweater)

It's a real bummer to be told that you can't wear a certain style just because of your body shape. I'm sure there are extenuating circumstances-----my being a better stylist, for one-----that could help mitigate the badness, but for now I just have to cry.

::CRY!::

I want to wear my capelet all the time, but I also want to look my best! Any suggestions? What about shorts? Or maybe an A-line skirt? Should it be high-waisted? Or low-rise? Help!

I hope it doesn't seem like I'm gratuitously self-loathing or anything. It's just that I really want to "understand" fashion. I see so many bloggers who look nice. Every. Post. How do they do it? It seems like they have figured out their personal style and what makes them look the best and feel the best. If you saunter through my old posts, you quickly see that I have a fashion identity crisis, to say the least.

It's partly because my job dress code is nonexistent. And it's partly because my day-to-day life has little continuity so it's hard to find a style groove. And it's partly because I went to private school in high school and wore a uniform every day.

Enough ranting! Let's just say that I hope this epiphany really sinks in so that I can better understand my closet and my body better. :)

OOTD: Layers upon Layers

2010-11-29T21:06:00.000-05:00

Today at 10:30 AM when I left for work, my outfit seemed like an OK idea. Unfortunately, seven hours later when I left my office, my toes were frozen, my dress was staticky, and I inadvertently turned my jacket sleeve into a tourniquet because my arm was bent for 20 minutes holding my cell phone up to my ear. But, hey, at least my hair improved over the course of the day! Yay for positivity!

I meant to take a picture without my jacket on, but my camera is kinda wonky at the moment, and Husband says we need to send it off to the manufacturer to get it fixed. And anyway, my office is super cold and I didn't take off my jacket all day so really, I'm just being faithful to my fashion text. Yay for transparency!

(LOFT dress, Very Volatile Warrior booties,
Berry Bush tights, LOFT purple cardigan,
Circle Game Belt, Bolton's brown leather jacket,
Kohl's nude half-slip, LOFT grey tee,
old plaid scarf)

Surprisingly, I think all the patterns I mixed go pretty well together (the tights; the dress; the scarf), probably because they've all got the same color purple in them. I did not, however, feel as confident mixing my neutrals today. It's hard making sure you don't look too "matchy-matchy," but on the other end of the spectrum, also making sure you don't look like a crazy cat lady.

OOTD: Vest(ival) Festival

2010-11-28T17:55:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a fantabulous Thanksgiving like I did! I only wish I could have spent more time with my family before our vacation was over! We pretty much ate and ate and ate.....and watched the Patriots win.....ate and ate and ate....and watched Punkin Chunkin 2010 for a few hours....and then ate some more.

We drove home on Friday, so we didn't get to do any Black Friday shopping. So tonight, I am gearing up for Cyber Monday.

Well....actually, I'm not. At the moment, I'm burnt out on shopping, and my stuffed closet is starting to really get on my nerves. Endless.com has a great deal if you're looking to stock up on some shoes ($30 off $100; $60 off $200; $100 off $300), and it's already active on their Website. I'm going to spend the rest of the night trying to maximize my savings, because Endless must know that a lot of these shoes are going to be returned (in effect, cancelling out a lot of the customer savings). I am still looking for oxfords and maybe a cute lace-up wedge bootie.

I'm also hoping that J.Crew will have a good sale with a percentage off AND free shipping, so I can buy my Donegal tweed pants and maybe a cashmere sweater....Otherwise, I'll avoid most other retailers because I'll either A.) want to buy things I don't really need, or B.) see my previous purchases at a much cheaper price. Neither scenario makes me smile.

This weekend, I was all about comfort but it was a little chilly so I relied on warm vests for added layers. This first outfit (from today) features my new Limited puffer vest. The fur collar is detachable, and though it tickled my face a little, it made the vest seem much more luxe. I tried the size Small first, thinking I wouldn't want it to be too bulky, but it was too short. So I took my regular Medium.

(Limited puffer vest, Limited white Tee, LOFT jeans, Miz Mooz boots)

My second outfit (from Saturday) features my Old Navy fleece vest. I bought this black vest last year and really love it. So a few days ago, I bought this year's version in white and carbon grey. :) I also wore my new American Eagle men's plaid flannel shirt (size small). The Website says this color is "AE Blue," but it's most definitely grey/black/white. This outfit was completely utilitarian, because we had our second Thanksgiving of the year (this time with Husband's family!) and I didn't know whether Husband's 10-year-old nephew would want to go hiking in the woods behind their house. (It was too cold! We ended up playing Angry Birds!)

(ON black fleece vest, AE plaid men's shirt, LOFT jeans, Miz Mooz boots, Ann Taylor pearl earrings)

OOTD: Mirror Images

2010-11-23T19:48:00.000-05:00

We got a big Anthropologie sale this morning---what fun! Plus, it sounds like there may be even more markdowns tomorrow! Whee!

I bought a few pairs of pants, a few pairs of tights, and this dress, which was a complete impulse buy!

Onto my outfit of the day. The top portion of my outfit came together pretty easily this morning. But then I had to figure out what to wear on the bottom, and I hit a roadblock. So being lazy, I just repeated the same color scheme from up top (brown and light grey). Not my first choice, of course, but hey, it got me out the door and on the road to work, so I'm happy.

LOFT grey tee; Banana Republic outlet brown sweater; Blue pashmina (gift that mom bought in Turkey);
Banana Republic skirt; Target grey footless tights; Miz Mooz boots

Also, good news: Docker got her stitches out! I wasn't present at the time, but a little birdie told me that she was very brave and that she made a new dachshund BFF at the vet. Good girl, Docker!

OOTD: Pattern Trickster

2010-11-22T20:04:00.000-05:00

Only three days till Thanksgiving. Hooray! I hope my sister makes her delicious sweet potato pie (*hint, hint*). Normally she has to make two whole batches because between me and her Husband, that stuff goes quick!

Sadly, I'm not much of a cook myself. But a few years ago, I volunteered to make the mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner. (InStyle magazine had an interesting-looking recipe by Katie Lee, ex-Top Chef host, ex-wife of Billy Joel, and EX-cellent cook, I must say...) But did you know that scallions and shallots are not the same thing?

NEITHER DID I!

Unfortunately, I didn't learn this tidbit until *after* I tried to slice and caramelize the scallions. Yummmm....burnt onions. After a quick trip to the grocery store to rectify my ingredient mishap and cooking attempt #2, the mashed potatoes with caramelized shallots were a success. Well, at least, I thought so.

I offered to make the mashed potatoes again this year, and Grandma said we'd just make instant... :)

Ann Taylor black cashmere v-neck sweater, Muted Garden Henley, Charlotte Russe skirt, Anne Klein Ladell boots, Gap thigh-high socks

Today, I was a little apprehensive about wearing my new Gap thigh-high cable socks, but I just kept telling myself that if I was confident then everyone would think they looked cool! I started out with my hair in a braid, but decided that might look too "school-girl," so I spent the rest of the car ride to the mall trying to muss my hair up. In case you were wondering, I did end up getting my PA at The Limited for my new vest, so I am quite pleased with them now!

My mom told me today that I did a good job mixing patterns because my mauve henley and taupe skirt don't actually go together at all but I tricked people into thinking they do! (Or something to that effect....) LOL.

OOTD: Starbucks BOGO

2010-11-20T16:08:00.000-05:00

Today I went shopping with my mom. We checked out LOFT's Friends & Family 30% event, but, what can I say? Meh. I just get so frustrated with their pricing shenanigans that I never feel good about making purchases there anymore. I just dread the next time I check my e-mail and see some "even-better" deal starting tomorrow.

Instead, we spent the bulk of our cash at The Limited today, where my mom bought some really pretty colored tops (including this cobalt blue one) and I found this adorable fur-lined puffer vest. Of course, we were still not immune to the pricing shenanigans. I paid full price (::heart attack::) but *supposedly* this will be rectified on Monday. Only time will tell.

After our strenuous day of shopping, we tried some seasonal pumpkin pretzels at Pretzelmaker-Pretzel Time (drizzled in caramel---yum!) and then we went to Starbucks for their special on holiday drinks. The buy-one-get-one-free special began Thursday and ends Sunday; it's at participating stores from 2-5 pm. Today is my third straight day of peppermint white mochas. YUM!

(Banana Republic cardigan; River Bow Necklace; Simply Sketched Pants; Old black boots; J.Crew black perfect-fit crewneck tee; Free People black beanie; Starbucks Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha)

Real Thang vs. Knockoff: Anthropologie Curly Top Cardigan

2010-11-18T15:58:00.000-05:00

Since I've been limiting my online shopping to a few select stores recently, I haven't been spotting as many knockoffs, but this one caught my eye while mourning my beloved shorts at Talbots.

Today, I found a great discount code at Fabulous Florida Mommy for 25% off and free shipping, but OF COURSE my shorts have sold out in my size. I blogged about them here. Oh well, back to the drawing board...

In the meantime, on to the knockoff. I really loved the Curly Top Cardigan at Anthropologie (especially the blue!), but I missed out on it when it hit sale and I dawdled. Talbots has a similar version called the Rosette Cardigan on sale for $69.99 (before the discount!). The Rosette Cardigan is not nearly as dramatic with the ruffles, and seems more classic than quirky, but that blue! Love it.... Besides blue bell, the sweater also comes in soft violet, mist heather, black, and ivory. Also, it looks like the Talbot rosettes only go down the entire length of the sweater on the button-hole side, which could be an issue when wearing it unbuttoned.

The Real Thang:

The Knock-Off:

OOTD: The 2010 Goodbye Tour Begins

2010-11-17T20:53:00.000-05:00

This morning when I woke up I had a surprisingly jaunty step in my walk. I took a shower, watched old-school America's Next Top Model episodes as I got ready for work, and then I proudly pulled out my Starbucks "Free Birthday Drink Coupon" for registering my Starbucks Gift Card. What a day! ::ALL SMILES::

You see, after my "closet crisis" last night, I decided to go through my closet and purge all the clothes I just wasn't sold on keeping. I put all these clothes neatly folded in a big, pink laundry basket in the middle of my bedroom and came up with a plan: For the rest of 2010, I am going to wear a couple of these items each week and finally decide: should it stay or should it go!

Actually, there will be more than just a "KEEP" or "DONATE" pile. I will also have a "WEAR FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR AND THEN THROW AWAY" pile (for my saddest-looking lounge pants). And a "TAKE TO THE TAILOR AND FIX" pile (for hems that are just a little off). And maybe even a "KEEP IN CASE I LOSE 10 POUNDS" pile (for that Banana Republic skirt that just keeps pulling funny...).

NO!

Bad Suzanne. No more piles.

Anyway, I had such great intentions for this new "Goodbye Tour" exercise that I wore THREE items from my pile this morning.

1. My Banana Republic turtleneck that I bought in a Large coz it was the only size left and super cheap, but it always seemed big. But as a layer, I love the forest-green color! KEEP!

2. My cheap green socks, that match my turtleneck, thankyouverymuch. Get used to these puppies, ladies, coz these are being WORN LIBERALLY THROUGH YEAR-END, THEN TOSSED.

3. And Number Three. ::sighhhh:: Number Three. These are my Ann Taylor Loft grey dress pants. I bought these back when I liked to hide behind big, loose clothing so they're really a size too big. The hem was always too long to wear with my requisite flats, but I took one for the team today and wore my Seychelles mary-jane heels. Problem fixed!

Oh, no, Suzanne. Problem not fixed. Unfortunately, I didn't take my pictures until I got to work, at which point, I said, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PANTS? Well, first of all, my zipper was down. Go team! But even after I corrected my indecent faux pas, these pants were still just----I don't know...-----off. They're a size 10 (one size too big), and I'm realizing that even though I can get away with wearing them lower on my hips, their being a size too big is messing up the fit everywhere else, too!

I ended up taking a gazillion pictures before finally I just said----forget it! The pants legs were just so wide that they were doing the craziest things down there without my consent. This was the only picture that came out halfway OK, and I don't even have any feet!

(Also wearing my Old Navy fleece vest and an old LOFT pendant necklace)

So my question is----do I get these pants tailored? Or do I just buy brand-new dress pants that already fit? I don't really need any dress pants at the moment, but if I had them, I would wear them! I'm just not sure if it's better to work with what I've got or to start anew. I hate condoning a throw-away society, but these weren't too expensive to begin with so I don't want to invest a lot of $$ into them.... I also don't even know if it's possible to fix these pants in the way I need them to be fixed??

I await your verdicts...... :)

Closet Crisis: Too Many Clothes

2010-11-16T19:14:00.000-05:00

Today I sat around all day doing nothing (are we seeing a pattern here?), and boredom eventually drove me into my closet, where I tried recreating some J.Crew outfits from the 2010 holiday catalog.

The exercise ended up being a success, and I have a few great ideas for outfits later this week. I'm actually inspired to go through all the rest of my magazine clippings and saved Website images and do the same thing.

Because I don't know about you, but I'm constantly cutting out all these "inspirational" images and seeing outfits I like on other blogs, but I never get around to actually using all these great resources. By the time I'm getting dressed, with endless possibilities and my overloaded closet, it's hard to pinpoint my wardrobe goal for the day.

I guess the same problem could be identified in my shopping habits. With regular weekly Anthropologie sales (and now, Black Friday sales looming over us everywhere), it's easy to buy, buy, buy, without really taking a moment to wear, wear, wear. Today, I haven't (yet) bought anything from the Anthropologie sale (although my Feathered Perch Skirt is down to 80 bucks!), because especially after seeing my closet, I'm really frustrated by what I have, what I want, and what I don't really need. Anybody have any good closet-purging tips?

A few days ago, I picked out the few things I really want to buy at the moment, although it's not necessarily an exhaustive or particularly affordable list, I am hoping to use it as a guide for the rest of the year so I don't go absolutely bonkers this holiday sale season... We'll see how I do....

The goods:

1. Talbots Flannel Belted Shorts (I love the look of winter shorts with tights)

2. Talbots Fine-Gauge Crewneck Sweater in Soft Violet (This is more conceptual, not necessarily this shirt specficially. I like the idea of pastels paired with the Feathered Perch Skirt...)

3. Anthropologie Opaque Tights in Red (ready to pair these with the D'Armee Dress AND the Wightwick Manor Dress!)

4. J.Crew Wide-Rib Wool Tights in bronzed ochre (For the Wightwick Manor Dress and the grey shorts!)

5. Anthropologie Wightwick Manor Dress (I love shirtdresses! And this pattern is divine...)

6. J.Crew Cashmere Femme Cardigan in Soft Peacock (This is another conceptual one; I was surprised the other day to find that I don't have any vibrant blue cardigans---a total failure for me since blue is like my signature color! This sweater seems luxe and has lots of great color options, but it's so darn expensive.)

7. J.Crew Donegal Tweed Minnie (I must have these pants. That is all.)

8. Anthropologie Feathered Perch Skirt (It's just a navy skirt---is it worth $80? It's been so long since I got to try it on in the store that I can't remember if I even liked it anymore...I tried on the size 8, and from my foggy memory, I am considering sizing up to a 10 and hemming as needed. But I just can't remember!)

9. Anthropologie D'armee Dress (I have been waiting so patiently, Anthro. Please go on sale!!)

Oh, and, unfortunately, Jackers felt the heavy burden of my closet crisis today, too.......

Oh, mommy. Please tell me this mess will be cleaned up before bedtime....

OOTD: Thigh-Highs

2010-11-15T20:13:00.000-05:00

Today I broke out my new Target thigh-high socks. Not bad for five bucks, eh?

For the past few weeks, I had been pining for some fancy pairs over at Free People for about $20 each, and then a few days ago, I ended up purchasing some at Gap for about $8. Then, the next day, I went to Target, and saw these for only $5.

I justified buying this grey pair because I missed out on the grey Gap ones I liked so much (they sold out; I ended up getting two pairs of the white). Since the socks I want to wear always seem to be in the dirty laundry hamper, I figured that backup pairs are always a good idea.

(Old LOFT sweater gifted from my sister; old Express tank top;
old J.Crew shorts; Target thigh-highs; Miz Mooz boots)

Honestly, I didn't really care too much how these socks looked. Why? Because:

A. They were comfortable.
B. I got to wear some of my neglected shorts, and
C. They kept my legs warm on a cold day.

Folks, that's what we call a win-win-win situation.

OOTD: Herringbone Blazer

2010-11-12T23:47:00.001-05:00

Today my yellow Lab, Docker, had surgery to remove a fatty tumor in her side. She came out just fine, but I foresee a very sleepless night for all of us, because she's been having trouble lying down comfortably all night. Poor thing! And I think Jack (our cocker spaniel) is having sympathy pains. He sat on the couch and cried all afternoon while Docker was away! Now, of course, he's just sad because he's not getting as much attention as his sister!

I have to get up early tomorrow to substitute-teach two aerobics classes. On the one hand, it's nice to basically get paid for doing the same set twice in a row, but, boy, does it wear me out! If I'm very sweet though, Husband might offer to take me to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast afterwards. (Cross your fingers!)

This is my outfit from today, which is not only unremarkable, but totally non-photogenic. This is the only half-decent picture I took (out of about ten), and the most blog-worthy part is that the doorknob makes me look like the incredible shrinking woman.

I bought this sparkly belt from LOFT with the specific purpose of wearing it as a necklace (like Chloe of The Chloe Conspiracy always does!), though I had some trouble styling it to my satisfaction, and I bought this Gap herringbone blazer (because Kendi of Kendi Everyday looked so cute in it!).........Hey, what can I say? I'm a fish.

Also featured in this outfit are my LOFT jeans, my Tommy Hilfiger brown boots, my black J.Crew tee, and my LOFT purple V-neck cashmere sweater.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

OOTD: Crazy Cat Lady

2010-11-11T11:34:00.000-05:00

That's right. I'm the Crazy Cat Lady. Pleasure to meet you.

This is the first time I've worn my Victorian Valentine skirt, which I bought on sale way back in July. It's not that I didn't like it---in fact, quite the opposite, I *loved* this skirt the second I tried it on. I just don't reach for skirts in my closet very often. This was a real risky buy because when I first spotted this skirt I was simultaneously intrigued and horrified. The shape seemed flattering enough, but it was truly the borderline-psychotic pattern that drew me in.

It's got flowers.

It's got feathers.

It's got cherries.

It's got cherubs.

It's got mirrors.

Oh, yeah.....and it's got cats.

But, seriously, look at this picture and tell me that you see any of those things!!! It just looks like a really colorful blob pattern, doesn't it? LOL.

Old Navy scarf; Limited grey tee; Miz Mooz boots; Victorian Valentine skirt;
Coach purse gifted from my sister!; J.Crew boiled wool sweater

Speaking of crazy cat ladies, I actually wore this outfit yesterday and meant to post it last night. But I got mad at my husband after work and started stomping around the house looking for my laptop, which I couldn't find. So clearly he had stolen it. But, oh, no, I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of asking where it was, so instead, I lay in bed with the puppies and watched House reruns all night.

And of course, while getting ready for bed, I moved a big pile of skirts and *poof* there was my laptop underneath.

Crazy Cat Lady, indeed...

OOTD: Catharsis

2010-11-08T19:17:00.000-05:00

When I was a child, my mom kept a decorative block of wood in our kitchen behind the sink. It was a thin rectangular block, and on the front side, it had a bunch of sticks glued down in a mishmash of two-dimensional shapes----some sticks with ends touching, others just jutting out into the void. Short sticks with long sticks. Parallel lines with perpendicular ones. Triangles with squares. But not a curve in sight.

At first glance, it always just looked like a bunch of random sticks. What did it mean? But, if I squinted my eyes just right, sometimes, I could see between the sticks. That is when I realized that the void in-between those slivers of wood was not just black space. It actually spelled a word: SERVE.

I guess you could call it an early incarnation of the magic-eye trick. On mornings before school, as I sat in my PJs at the kitchen table, it would catch my glance--those sticks-- and I would again clench my teeth and lower my eyes and----A-HA!

You've been served, old block.

In later years, the block kept its place of honor at the kitchen sink, but I no longer strained to understand its hidden meaning. I began to see the word right away, without any effort. And because of that, the piece lost some of its mystery to me. But at times I still found myself squinting intently---not to find meaning in the piece, but to destroy meaning. To rediscover the formlessness of the wood, rather than imposing order upon it. To go back to a time when the world just *was*.... before there were concrete expectations, and rights and wrongs.

I often think about that block now and how--if I tried hard enough--I could float between both worlds. Enlightenment and darkness. Mediation and immediacy. Design and randomness. And I think about how nice it would be if I could just as easily transition between other "a-ha! moments" in my life.... or maybe not so much slide back and forth, but to simply retreat. To throw on my PJs and nestle into the "before" when the world was open and full of possibilities---not tied down by one, finite word: SERVE.

I didn't get much sleep last night because I finally voiced my intentions to quit a volunteer position that nearly killed me this summer. Melodramatic? Maybe. But the stress it induced opened a floodgate of insecurities and guilt within me that I'd like to dam back up again, thank you very much. Quitting was probably the hardest thing I've ever done, because I DON'T QUIT THINGS. I also CAN'T SAY NO. I mean, that's how I got roped into the whole mess to begin with. But, honestly, who of us can say that dreadful word? I feel like many women today silently suffer the same plight because we want to be everything to everyone. I told Husband that at least this horrible experience has taught me that I have limits. No, he said, it just taught you that it's OK to admit it.

Banana Republic long grey sweater; J.Crew black tissue turtleneck tee; Ann Taylor Loft taupe skirt shortened by Mom; Verveine Necklace; Grey tights; Anne Klein Ladell Boot in Black Suede (on sale!)

P.S. I promise that I'm not nearly as pathetically depressed as this post makes it sound! But it was quite cathartic to write this all down in a somewhat productive manner (as opposed to sending Husband yet another "frowney" face text message) And Husband already vetoed my completely reasonable request to move to Washington state....tomorrow.....So thank you for letting me blow some steam.

OOTD: J-E-L-L-O (aka A Night with Bill Cosby)

2010-11-07T15:37:00.000-05:00

On Friday night, Husband and I went to see Bill Cosby perform. We were very curious to see if he would have an opening act (like Jerry Seinfeld did earlier this year), but our question was answered pretty quickly when a few minutes after the 8 pm showtime, the man himself sauntered out onto the stage and sat down in a makeshift "living room" setting with a chair, a table, and a trashcan. He wore open-toed sandals, athletic windbreaker pants and a grey sweatshirt emblazoned with the phrase "HELLO FRIEND." The only aspect belying the intimate setting was the large TV screen hung up behind him so that all us cheapskates in the upper balcony seats didn't miss out on any of Cosby's renowned facial expressions!

He started out tentatively, asking a roadie to bring out water a few times and the sound guy to turn down the echoing sound, both lighthearted requests that warmed the audience up just as effectively as an "opening act" would have, and serving the double purpose of endearing Cosby to his audience right from the start.

For the next two hours and fifteen minutes, Cosby told a series of funny stories, ranging from fried turkey fiascos to his grandchild's Godzilla obsession to his confusion about the Book of Genesis. Apparently, (at least according to Husband) some of the stories were his old standby jokes, but it was all new to me, and even Husband enjoyed the nostalgic flavor of the oldies but goodies. He had an overall theme of "Thanksgiving" jokes, which he almost skipped, when early on he started to tell a Halloween story and stopped mid-sentence because the "voices in his head" were telling him to do the Thanksgiving bit.

At seventy-three years old, Cosby was just as lovable and vibrant as I always imagine him, with a little bit of curmudgeonly grandfather tossed in, too. A few times while watching him, scenes from Ghost Dad (my Cosby-throwback memory of choice) popped into my head with a certain inflection in his voice, or movement of his hands. I occasionally caught myself focusing more on the large TV screen behind Cosby, and I tried to force myself to watch him instead, to get the real experience rather than filtered through a TV lens.

At the end of the night, my face hurt from smiling for two straight hours, and my abs ached from laughing. I had even laughed at all of the wife jokes that normally seem jaded to me in comedy routines--but from Cosby they seemed more like an endearing tribute to his life and family. (And how could I contain myself when he complained about how his wife gives him only one drawer in the house for his clothes....and it's always moving....) He even managed to slip in a few "grown-up" jokes without ever having to elaborate inappropriately (I saw some young kids in attendance). In fact, his timidity and feigned baffledness at such topics, was itself funnier than any explicit joke would have been.

All in all, it was a fantastic night, and very reasonably priced, which I'm going to further attribute to Cosby's awesomeness (even though I have no idea how prices get figured). And, dear readers, for allowing me to indulge myself today in preserving these fond memories on my blog, I leave you with an outfit. A boring one, yes, but it features my new Verveine Necklace from Anthro's latest sale. When I put this necklace on Saturday morning, Husband confusedly asked me, "You do know we're only going to Dunkin' Donuts, right?"

Oh, Husband....

OOTD: Buoyant but Bored

2010-11-06T00:13:00.000-04:00

Today was the slowest, most boring day EVER at work!

I much prefer when work is busy because the day just flies by. Also, since I get paid by the hour, on slow days I have quite a predicament:

Do I give up and drive home 45 minutes immediately, even though I've only worked an hour? Or do I sit around being bored for another couple of hours just to make it worth the trip?

Yuck.

Today I ended up getting all wrapped up in a huge project that I've been putting off forever, and stayed a couple of hours longer than I would have even normally intended! Double yuck.

Anyway, at least I'm feeling good about my outfit today! I think I finally accomplished one of my fashion goals completely by accident!

I love looks that are blousy on top and fitted on the bottom, but I've been having trouble figuring out the proportions. Yesterday, my latest Anthropologie order arrived, including my Found Foliates Tank and Buoyant Bunches Cardi in wine. They don't *really* match (the leaves on the top are dusty rose, purple, black, teal, and bright blue), but I thought the pieces still look cute together. The slim-fit pants and mid-calf boots keep my bottom half looking long and lean, and the scarf draws attention to my face. I'm learning, guys!

The Found Foliates Tank is not at all what I expected, but I fell in love with it after trying it on. It's super soft jersey and has a flowy fit. I got my regular size Medium. The straps are actually ribbon, and the ends have to be tied in the back (they slide through the fabric back of the shirt), sort of like a halter top. So you'd need to wear a strapless bra to wear it alone. The bow makes the back a bit bulgy under a layer, but not too bothersome.

The Buoyant Bunches Cardigan is a Medium, and it's pretty fitted, but I wouldn't size up since it doesn't need to close. The sleeves are about 3 inches past my elbow, so this couldn't be a top layer in the winter. It's more of an early-fall layer. It's very casual, and I think when it wears out (hopefully, not too soon), this cardigan could definitely serve double-duty as a lounging-around cover-up with a little pizzazz.

I also added my Simply Sketched Pants, which are sold out online but are showing up in my Wishlist priced at a second cut of $19.95. Wowzers! Also, my mid-calf brown Tommy Hilfiger boots and a pashmina my mom got for me when she went to the Mediterranean.

For being such a boring day, things got much more exciting later tonight when Husband and I went to see BILL COSBY! It was really great. I'll try to write up a post this weekend to give you more of the details! In the meantime, goodnight and pleasant dreams! :)

OOTD: Denim Weekend

2010-11-04T21:00:00.001-04:00

Today is rainy and cold, and I'm exhausted because I stayed up too late playing Rock Band 3 with Husband last night, so I'm not planning on getting too dressed up today. Lucky for us, I still have a few outfit pics that I never posted.

This outfit is what I wore for part of my belated-birthday bash over the weekend. We went to eat at Outback Steakhouse (alice springs chicken and bloomin onion----yum!), after we went to a performance of monster Broadway songs by some local high schoolers. It was good, but we were kind of shocked at how much all the Broadway plays borrowed from other media (Shrek....Rocky Horror Picture Show....Little Shop of Horrors...Beauty and the Beast....Evil Dead....lol) Obviously, it's safer for production companies to invest in a project that already has a built-in fan base, but it's kind of embarrassing how shamelessly they fall back on "sequels" and "adaptations." Anyway...

This is my LOFT denim tunic paired with a J.Crew navy perfect-fit tee, my Stormy Plaid Tights, my Miz Mooz boots, and my brand-new River Bow Necklace that my sister got me for my birthday! I wore it straight out of the gift box. :) And it just went on sale so I'm crossing my fingers that Kathleen can get a price adjustment!!!

I ordered a few pairs of boots from Endless yesterday (I am seriously a shoe-trying fiend...) and they should be arriving in the next few days, so I'll keep you posted. I'm looking for a casual low boot, similar to the Nine West Peroxy that I reviewed here. I keep thinking maybe I should re-try the Peroxy, because maybe it wasn't that bad? Maybe if I tried a different color? Or with thick socks to add some texture? We'll see...

Hope you had a great Thursday!

OOTD: The Caped Crusader

2010-11-03T22:14:00.000-04:00

Today I wore my brand-spankin-new Safekeeping Capelet.

::SCREAMS:: LOVE! ::SCREAMS::

I had been stalking this baby since I saw it in Anthro's latest set of adorable outfit pictures (below), and Husband surprised me and got it for my birthday!! He's the best!

I'm wearing a size Medium and it fits perfectly. It is a cropped fit, so you have to like that style, of course. The fabric is so soft and it's very comfortable to wear. It's lightweight (perfect for a nice fall day), but I was able to wear two thin layers underneath and stayed quite cozy all day. The coin purse it comes with is darling (the purse is attached to the coat by the side-pocket zipper, but you press down on the zipper prong and the purse detaches)

I totally want to recreate this entire look, and I surprisingly have most of the components already (except for the maroon undershirt and snazzy patterned gloves....um, so really, scratch that last statement about having most of the components"). .....Oh, and the bike. But since I don't actually know how to ride a bike, well......we'll just let that one slide.....

OOTD: Clearance Shopper

2010-11-02T22:10:00.000-04:00

I hope you all had a fabulous Halloween!

As for me, my Halloween was pretty much identical to the way it is every year. I get really excited and fill decorated treat bags with candy and toys, and then I spend the entire night staring out my window looking for nonexistent trick-or-treaters. It's pretty sad, actually.

For some reason, Husband and I thought maybe this year we'd have a surge in kiddies, but we had about twenty, which is pretty much our standard number here. We live in a really old neighborhood----and no, I don't mean old houses----and there just aren't that many kids to start with. Plus, our neighbors are all complete stick-in-the-muds, and don't even stay home on Halloween night. Last year, I had several groups of kids walk RIGHT. PAST. my house, while I stared longingly out the window.

This year, I promised that would never happen again, so I stocked up on lots of decorations for the outside of our house. We even strung orange Halloween lights around our lamp post.

Mr. Bones wears the desperation well, don't you think?

We still had at least one group of kids run right past our house again. Geez. What more can I do. At least the kids that did trick-or-treat at our house were completely adorable, so that helped a little. I ended up giving most of our leftover treat bags to Husband, who in turn gave them to all his co-workers. Sigh. I keep telling myself that I am slowly building a fan base for our neighborhood so it might take a few years to get the word out. LOL.

So, anyway, this is my outfit from Monday, when I went to all the after-Halloween sales with my dad. Um, but they were pretty lousy. I am not at all embarrassed to say that we hit five different stores, but all I left with was a fake pumpkin and three packages of treat bags. LAME! Prices just weren't as fantastic as I was hoping, and nothing was jumping out at me anyway.

Old Navy cashmere hoodie; Free People Cable Beanie; Muted Garden Henley in Mauve; Black Keds; Limited jeans

Oh, well. The good news is that otherwise I had a really great weekend--including lots of belated birthday festivities. And in short, let me just say that my family rocks! I got the greatest presents this year, and I'm so excited to use all my new goodies and introduce them on my blog. :)

Fitting-Room Reviews: Lots of LOFT

2010-10-28T12:29:00.000-04:00

Today is my birthday! I turn 27 years old. And I have the grey hair and heartburn flares to prove it. :)

In honor of my special day, I am sitting on the couch, drinking a pumpkin latte, watching Investigation Discovery Channel, and wearing my Morning Meadows Robe, which I scored on a popback a few months ago and hadn't got to wear yet because it got cold too quick. Luckily(?), it's been super hot lately so it's the perfect weight for a lazy birthday afternoon.

Since I have no real intentions of leaving this spot on my couch, I thought I'd share a few LOFT fitting room reviews from over the weekend. Enjoy!

Gold Brocade Skirt $69.50
I came thisclose to buying this skirt, but I ultimately let it go. I loved the pattern on the skirt. It's slightly metallic, and I believe it was cream/brown. I also loved the colors that LOFT paired with it in outfit stylings (taupe, a peachy mauve, and burgundy), but I didn't actually like the skirt itself.

First of all, it's very short, and sitting down was uncomfortable. I tried on the size 6, so maybe I could size up for length? Secondly, I own a million skirts----and I hardly wear any of them. I'm much more inclined to wear a dress than a skirt. And third, I already own two similar J.Crew skirts with metallic threading: the gold mica mini, and a navy herringbone skirt. I love them both, yes, but they're limited to one or two seasons because of the fabric weight. This skirt would probably have a similar fate.

This skirt is almost sold out online, but my store had plenty of sizes so be sure to check yours out! I'm pretty sure that the top I tried on with this was the Hidden Chain Tee in size Medium. It was a pretty eggplant/purple color, but ultimately just a slouchy Tee. Nothing special.

Unknown Faux Fur Trimmed Vest

I'm late in the game on this one as this is LOFT's earlier incarnation of the fur vest, but I saw it on the rack and had to know. I love the lush look of faux fur trim, but this was a little much. The sweater vest is made of a soft cable-knit, and it's quite cozy. But the fur trim is just too big. This is no longer available online, but you might find one or two left in your store. I tried on a Small and it fit well.

The more recent incarnation of the Faux Fur Vest can be found here, but I wasn't really drawn to it in the store. When I was little, I crafted a "fur coat" for one of my Troll dolls. I basically cut out a rectangle of black-and-white fur material, then cut two arm holes in it. That's what this kind of looked like (to me) on a store mannequin. I find it very strange, because I'm drawn to fur vests EVERYWHERE online, but I just haven't been impressed with LOFT's attempts to date. I guess they're still working out the kinks...

Inky Blue Wash Denim Leggings ($69.50)

Good thing I didn't look at the price tag in the store. GEEZ! These were nothing special. I got my regular size 8 and they were skin tight. They showed all my belly bulge---I believe the term would be "muffin top." LOL. Yeah, not exactly what I'm going for. I only brought them in the dressing room to pair with the Striped Side Pleat Tee in size Medium, which you all know that I DID take home (and wore in this post). I would wait for a good LOFT sale if you're interested in denim leggings. I think these will still be around for a while.

Unknown Jacket (On Sale for $55)
I don't know what the name of this jacket is, but I had to try it on after realizing it was the same one worn by Kendi at Kendi Everyday in this post.

But how come it looks so cute on her and not on me? (Don't answer that!)

I actually did like the jacket; it was a soft almost sweat-shirt like material, and I didn't feel like it made my shoulders look big like most blazers do for me. But, it DOES still make me look a little boxy. When it comes down to it, I just prefer sweaters to jackets anyway. But if you ARE a jacket person, this is a nice casual one.

Try your store, and stay vigilant for good sale-sales. LOFT has been driving me nuts lately because they just had their 50% off sale sale. WOOHOO! Except the tanks at my store that were $4.99 three weeks ago, mysteriously were $9.99 again...The day after the sale ended? "SALE UP TO 70% OFF" and the prices are again all different. Pah-leeze. Stop toying with my math skills, LOFT....

OOTD: Today and Tonight

2010-10-27T22:53:00.000-04:00

Last night, Husband and I watched a movie called JCVD, which stars Jean Claude Van Damme.....as himself. Some of the story is based on Van Damme's real life, and some of the story is purely fictitious. It's kind of surreal, and probably too complicated to explain adequately in the space allotted here. But, just trust me and rent it if you can (Netflix has it). It follows Van Damme the movie hero's return to his home of Brussels, and how he gets mixed up in a bank robbery. You don't even have to know a lot about Van Damme to appreciate the film, but you may just come away from it wanting to give him a big ol' bear hug (like me!).

Tonight we're sitting on the couch watching Jason take Manhattan. ::groan::

But the good news is that you get two outfit pics for the price of one!

TODAY

Today's weather was horribly muggy and not so much fun (for me OR my frizzy hair....). I wore my Bianka blouse in the black motif, my J.Crew toothpick ankle pants in soft ochre, and my Miz Mooz boots. Very equestrian chic, I think. :)

TONIGHT

Tonight, after my aerobics class, Husband and I went out for sushi to celebrate my 27th birthday (a day early). I pulled out my Know the Ropes dress, Circle Game Belt, Proscenium Cardigan, and same Miz Mooz boots. We ordered our favorite "Sumo Roll," which has grilled tuna with a light tempura and drenched in yummy sauces. We also tried a sweet potato tempura roll, a scallop roll, and a spicy chicken tempura roll. Fabulous!

Husband wanted to get both puppies in the picture. So you get demure Docker shying away from the camera and brazen Jack licking my knee(?!?!?). Oh, and our messy kitchen/dining room.

Have a great night!

OOTD: Stripes (x2)

2010-10-26T15:21:00.009-04:00

For the past few nights, Husband and I have been watching Friday the 13th movies.

We already knew "the twist" of movie #1, so it was kind of a yawn. But #2 had us jumping out of our boots. And #3 (aka the 3-D one!) was campy, but still scary! Film #4 was streamlined for maximum gore. And Film #5 was just plain dumb. Film #6 went back to its original glory (and added a camp full of little kids to worry about!), and Film #7 added a kick-ass heroine. And it keeps going and going and going and going.....

I had never seen any of them before, and now it's become kind of an obsession just so we can say we saw all of them! And, truthfully, when you know all the back story about "Jason," he's much scarier. I just always thought he was some psycho hockey player!

It's also intriguing to see the evolution of the characters and humor in the movies, which started in 1980 and came out with a sequel every year. The one constant, however, is that I find myself compelled to shout at the TV "cute boots" at least once in every film. LOL. Those 1980's girls really knew how to rock the ankle boot!

Now I am sitting on the couch watching Friday the 13th: The Series, which was on TV in the late 1980s. It's about two antique dealers who hunt the world for spooky artifacts. Awesome 1980s goodness. I used to watch this show with my dad when I was younger (this, and Beyond Reality, which starred Harry Belafonte's daughter. DAY-O!)

Speaking of my dad, we went to lunch at Arby's today, and I broke out my brand-new LOFT purchase: the striped side pleat tee in twilight magenta (size Medium) and the Bold Brush Stripe Scarf in twilight magenta. That's right. LOFT handed me this pattern combination on a silver platter. And it's so pretty with the grey and the brown and the magenta! I'm also wearing my AG Stevie Crops and my Miz Mooz boots.

Here's a closeup of the twilight magenta patterns.

OOTD: Black and Brown

2010-10-25T20:06:00.000-04:00

Just call me a rebel without a cause...

I admittedly don't know much about fashion, albeit a few tried-and-true rules, which I'm apparently all about breaking.

First, it was mixing denims. Now it's pairing black with brown. What's next? White after Labor Day??

Despite my rebellious spirit, I can kind of understand the rationale on black/brown because I have been feeling a bit off all day. But, at the same time, I'm not completely positive that it's the black and brown that is causing me grief. So, who knows...

Today, I am wearing my J.Crew perfect-fit BLACK long-sleeve tee; my BROWN Tommy Hilfiger mid-calf boots; my BLACK Eloise leggings; and my BROWN jacket from Bolton's that my mom bought me for my birthday! Plus, my Express ruffle DITSY-FLORAL dress (which I'm wearing as a skirt underneath my Tee) and my Limited GREEN/GREY-STRIPED skinny scarf.

That's right. I'm mixing PATTERNS, too. Eat it, fashion... :)

OOTD: The Big Picture

2010-10-22T19:45:00.000-04:00

The good thing about keeping a blog is that you get a broad overview of your outfits. This helps me every morning because A.) I can easily remember outfits I liked/disliked; B.) see what clothes I naturally gravitate toward so that I can refine my own personal style; and C.) notice trends in my wearing habits so that I can shake things up a bit!

After looking back into some of my outfits recently, I've noticed that I have a real menswear-obsession. LOL. I already knew this, of course, but I was still pretty shocked at all the neutrals and suit-like materials I've been flaunting recently. I think my sister's comment on my "Denim on Denim" post about my reminding her of Meathead from All in the Family finally put me over the edge. LOL.

So, today, I decided to pull out the "girly vibe" in my wardrobe. Well...I tried to pull out the "girly vibe." :)

I'm still wearing my navy pin-stripe pencil skirt, which is part of an old suit from LOFT. (Tangential Question: If I bought the suit when LOFT was still Ann Taylor Loft, can I honestly say it's from LOFT? That seems to belie the store's less fashion-forward past...also known as, when I could actually afford shopping there every weekend....Hmmmm......)

I'm also wearing an old (ann taylor) Loft purple cardigan, and my new Mrs. Woodward's Camisole (on sale!). I was going to wear my Circle Game Belt, but switched it out for a cheapie alligator-print one from NY&Co. because I didn't want it to be too matchy-matchy with my Seychelles Kiss at Midnight Mary Janes (aka Anthro's Hidden Sun Mary Janes).

In Anthropologie's styled pics, these shoes looked a lot more orange, but in person these are more subdued (Endless.com calls it Saddle Tan, if that helps). I was disappointed when I pulled them out of the box, yes, but it's probably for the best. "Real orange" shoes might be a little too far out of my comfort zone, and as far as fit, these shoes are top-notch in my regular size 9 so I'll probably get lots of wear out of them as a more neutral color. (Sometimes I size down to an 8.5 in Seychelles, but these are OK, albeit a little gap in the back.) Even easy to walk in! I only got a small little blister on my right pinky toe. :)

Have a great weekend!

OOTD: Denim on Denim

2010-10-21T16:16:00.000-04:00

Normally I would not have even gotten dressed today! I teach a class in the morning and a class in the evening, so what's the point of getting dressed in between? Honestly, I was planning on napping the entire afternoon....

But in a very complicated, very unfortunate series of events, I DID end up getting dressed today. The short explanation is that Husband owed me pancakes. (And he will have to earn back my trust before he is ever entreated to refrigerate my leftover iHop strawberry-banana pancakes again....) To even the score, we ended up going to iHop AGAIN for lunch, where I opted for the pumpkin pancakes this time.....mmMMMmmmm.......

Because this outfit was basically unplanned and short-lived, I did a little experimenting. (Because there's no place like IHop for being fashion forward!) I started the outfit with my black JCrew turtleneck, my Miz Mooz boots and my AE skinny jeans. Then I added a Forever 21 knotted necklace and my old Gap jean jacket (which has seen enough of the Goodwill pile to know that it's living on thin ice).

Can you mix denim with denim? I've seen plenty of celebrities do it lately, and, I admit that I don't feel like this is *awful*. But is it a little too country? Is it pushed over the edge by the fact that I went to buy Blake Shelton tickets in this outfit after lunch?

Oh, and you can thank my Husband for cutting off the top of my head in this picture! His response to my admonishment?

"It's a fashion blog---not a haircut blog!"

Wise man I married....

OOTD: Blue Skies

2010-10-18T20:14:00.000-04:00

What an exhausting day! I just got home from teaching aerobics this evening, and then Husband reheated some spaghetti for me. Mmmmmm. Now we're waiting for Monday Night Football to start. I'm in my jammies, but I'm still considering an offer from Husband to go get some coffee before we settle in for the night.

Today's outfit was pretty basic. It's my Gap blue sweater, my LOFT Marisa coin-pocket navy pants, my Tommy Hilfiger calf-height brown boots. And my LOFT floral scarf. Basic, yes. But any and all shades of blue make me happy, so that's what matters, right?

Crossing my fingers for an Anthro sale tomorrow, but it's 10 days till my birthday so I don't want to do too much shopping!

So I guess this means I don't get an Anthro birthday discount this year. ::cry:: I guess I could call Customer Service, but I'm too lazy. And also, I was hoping by some miracle to get one of those online-only discounts that are allegedly floating around, since it's a trek to my nearest store and I'm super busy for the rest of the month! I'm not too torn up about it, though.....

OK, just got hit by a major wave of the sleepies. G'night, everyone!

OOTD: Head Gear

2010-10-17T13:31:00.000-04:00

Blog readers, meet Mr. Bones.

Mr. Bones, meet my blog readers.

There. Now that we're all properly introduced, we can get on to my outfit of the day. Well, it's not really an entire outfit worthy of posting, but I did finally break out my Target fedora. Have you all seen that TV ad for Target where the woman is debating whether she wears hats? And she imagines she's wearing her hat, walking in an apple orchard, commenting on her handsome husband and perfect children. And then she's back in Target, looks at the cheap price of the hat, and says she "totally" wears hats.

I love that commercial. Because I think it's genius! It's exactly how I feel about hats, and it's EXACTLY what happened in Target when I bought my Fedora. I think it was $12. For $12, I can try wearing hats. (I also instructed my mom at the time that it was her duty to make sure I actually do wear the hat...That was like 5 months ago! Way to go Mom! :P)

We went to Dunkin Donuts this morning for breakfast, and I figured that sitting in a car in a drive-thru was a good way to ease into fedora-dom. Now I'm sitting on the couch watching football further breaking in my hat.

I've never really been an "accessories" person, and I still don't really wear jewelry all that often. But lately I have been totally crushing on hats and gloves and scarves and leg warmers(?!?!) for fall. So I have big plans this fall for my accessorizing.

I'm wearing my boot-cut LOFT jeans, my navy Keds, my Target fedora, and an old Radiohead concert Tee that my Husband bought for himself but in the completely wrong size----so I inherited it!

OOTD: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2010-10-15T20:35:00.000-04:00

Three or four months ago, I borrowed my parents' step-ladder to put away our Christmas decorations in our teensy-weensy attic. (Yes, putting away Christmas decorations....Don't try to do the math. It will only cause me further embarrassment!)

The ladder has been sitting in the doorway of our "catch-all" second-bedroom ever since.

Then my dad asked me last week if we still had the ladder because he wanted to do some yard work. "SURE!" I said. And he came to pick it up a few days later.

How was I supposed to remember that all the Halloween decorations were STILL IN THE ATTIC!?

Oops.

So he came back over with the ladder yesterday to help me bring the boxes down. But when I climbed up to take a look in our attic, all I saw were boxes and boxes of Christmas stuff. "I'm too short," I told my dad. So he went up on the ladder to see what he could see. In the meantime, I opened up our hall closet and gasped.

There was my bag of Halloween decorations on the floor!

Double oops!

I felt so bad about the whole mess, that I offered to buy lunch for my dad---who I found out sometimes reads my blog (HI DAD!). The good news is that I found all the Halloween stuff that I bought last year on November 1 at 75% off at Michael's and JoAnn Fabrics (the day after: it's the only way to shop for holiday decor!!)

My husband was abnormally motivated when he got home yesterday and even helped me decorate outside! I had two foam headstones that say "RIP," and he glued wooden stakes onto the backs so we could secure them in the ground. Then he strung some orange Halloween lights on the lamppost and front window. Meanwhile, I glued together my "Mr. Bones" foam skeleton and taped it to our front door.

The only problem is that it all still seems a little sparse. "Sparse," as in I'm afraid that the neighbors are just going to think that we randomly buried two bodies in our front yard "sparse." While we were out driving, I saw a cute front-yard setup with a scarecrow, some potted flowers, pumpkins, and hay bales. So....those are now my top shopping priority. Clothes? Who cares about clothes? ::wink, wink::

Onto the outfit. And if you look closely, you can see some of my "sparse" holiday decorations. Creepy, huh?

This is my Limited yellow trench coat that I have been kind of scared to wear because it's so bright. But I think my new Free People black Cable Beanie retains my aura of mystery.... Am I a moody hipster? Or am I a sunny prepster? The world may never know.

I wore my new LOFT Striped Sweater with Corsage underneath, some old LOFT boot-cut dark-wash jeans and my Seychelles Ritas.

In the next seven days, I will be teaching nine aerobics classes, so I may be fairly out of commission for a while (as in, I will be wearing lounge pants in bed every waking second that I'm not at the gym!). But I've been so proud of myself lately for getting dressed up that I want to keep trying as much as possible. Wish me luck!

Shoe Reviews: Urban Outfitters

2010-10-14T22:31:00.000-04:00

It's another round of shoe reviews. I ended up returning all three of my last pairs (the Cheerrio booties, the oxfords, and the Peroxys). Boo! I figured that I'm not rich enough to keep shoes that I'm only feeling lukewarm about. I will eventually find the shoes of my dreams. It just might take a little bit more effort.

I had tons of fun taking pictures of these shoes, so I'll let the photos do most of the talking. I think I'm keeping both heels, but the oxfords are another bust.

On to the reviews!.....

Deena & Ozzy Suede Heel Boot in maroon. Regular size 9.
The color of these shoes is gorgeous. They look so plush and expensive. There's a little bit of room in the back of the heels, but not anything troublesome. I was initially worried that the wine color might limit the possibilities, but now looking at it with these neutral bottoms, I think it's a neat pop of color!

UO Suede Pump in red. Sized down a half size to 8.5.
I think these are the great shoes that Kendi Everyday always wears on her blog (and raves about!) If they are, then I can see why. They're very comfortable (I sized down to an 8.5 on the Website's recommendation) and they're super cute. The red is more of a coral/orange, but that just gives them extra character in my opinion. These will work with skirts and pants alike.

Deena & Ozzy Toe Cap Oxford Shoe in grey. Regular size 9.
Another pair of oxfords, another fail. I'm kinda torn about these, but Husband flat-out hated the shiny toes. In looking at the pictures though, I think the contrast in fabric might actually help the look because it adds dimension to the otherwise squatty-leg flat shoe. I'll keep looking. Someday my perfect oxford will find me...

OOTD: Free People

2010-10-13T20:45:00.000-04:00

This morning, my husband's car battery died, so he had to take my car to work, because he had a meeting at 10, but then his meeting got canceled, so he came home and jumped his car off my car, and then he decided not to go back to work.

What does this all mean to me? It means he took me to Dunkin Donuts this morning! Yay! It also means we went and bought our Bill Cosby tickets. Double yay! It also means that I didn't get to work until 1 pm and just got home about twenty minutes ago. Yuck. But, hey, we all have to make sacrifices for love, food, and laughter sometimes----right? :)

So a big, warm welcome to all my new followers over from my sister's blog, Princess of Taylor. Isn't she so sweet!!?? If you haven't entered her fun giveaway yet, click here. I can't wait to see what the secret prizes are!

Onto my outfit! I just bought these two tops from Free People, which I only recently discovered online. Its hard and soft combinations quickly drew me in, but it's pretty ridiculously expensive. Lucky for me, the tank top I was eyeing went on sale a few weeks ago, woohoo! I sized down to a Small, but it's still pretty loose-fitting. I don't think I'd want to size down any further, because then I'm afraid it would emphasize my hips even more. My husband says the graphic looks like a cat (I think it's supposed to be a horse?). Whatev!

The Lace Mock Neck Top is one of the lace tops I was debating over a few posts ago. I bought this in the black, and sized up to a Large. It's comfortable. So comfortable that I might even have been able to take my regular size Medium. The neck is a little loose and there seems like a lot of extra fabric on the sleeves, but it's not anything too bothersome. I had plenty of room to put a short-sleeve tee under this, and it wasn't scratchy or constricting at all.

As for the rest, I'm wearing my Miz Mooz boots again, my Simply Sketched Pants, and Boden Messenger Bag.

That's all for now! I bought a few shoes from Urban Outfitters, so be on the lookout for some reviews later this week.

OOTD: Banana-Fanna Oh-Manna

2010-10-12T20:57:00.000-04:00

Today was a very long day indeed. I thankfully got a lot of stuff crossed off my to-do list, but boy, it sure knocked the wind out of me. I worked late tonight, so Husband and I met at our Mexican restaurant for a secret, romantic rendezvous again. And I was feeling saucy so I got some sort of banana colada with my huevos rancheros. And now I'm muy sleepy.

So needless to say, short post tonight! I wore my Vappu Dress, Miz Mooz boots, light grey footless tights from Target, Boden bag, a necklace I made, and an old Limited shrug cardigan.

I'm a little mad at my shrug actually. I bought this on super sale at The Limited at least a year ago, and I thought it was so cute, but I machine washed it and shrunk it. Boo. It's been sitting in my closet ever since, with one foot in the Goodwill pile. Well, gosh darnit, if this shrug doesn't look cute with this dress. You'd think that would make me happy, but no. Instead, I'm peeved because this experience only ENCOURAGES me to continue holding onto things well past their welcome. Because SOME day they'll become useful again. Bad shrug. Bad.

OOTD: Boot Kicks Bootie

2010-10-08T21:17:00.000-04:00

OK, so I acknowledge borrowing my title from a DSW shoe commercial. But it totally applies! This week, I taught two aerobics/weight training classes, plus two additional classes as a student, and now my bootie is (ess oh are eee) sore.

Deep-down inside I wanted to wear some nice comfy flats on Friday. But fashion won out. And my bootie got an extra workout as I negotiated walking (and driving!) in four-inch heels. Yowza!

Other than the four-inch heels, I am madly in love with my new Volatile Warrior Booties. I liked the brown and Husband liked the black, so I bought them both at Endless. The brown ended up being PERFECT! I felt like the black pair was maybe too dark to see some of the cute details. Endless had an automatic 20% discount for $125 worth of certain boots, so I'm kind of debating whether to return the black pair, since I'll lose the discount. Maybe they're both worth keeping?

These shoes are surprisingly easy to walk in. Well. They can be deceptive, because they're the kind of shoe that you *think* you're OK in, and then one false step sends you down to the ground. But the sole is rubber, so that helps you keep your footing a little easier.

I wore quite a few new pieces in addition to my booties. For one, my Simply Sketched Pants in green (which I rolled up here). I am ECSTATIC that I bought these pants after leaving them behind in the store a few weeks ago. These are the green (I tried on the beige initially), and I love the color and the fit. I got my regular pant size 8. They are only $49.95; seriously, get these pants!

Also, I wore my Urban Outfitters Delicate Initial necklace. It has an S! It got kind of twisted though in the morning, and I had a hard time sorting it out, so the jury's still out on this one. It's cute, but it may be more hassle than it's worth.

And after finally pulling the trigger on some J.Crew wardrobe basics, I am truly a convert. This is the perfect-fit long-sleeve crewneck tee in black. It's SO thick and comfortable. The Medium fits great, and I'm honestly ready to buy multiples next time I place a big order to get free shipping. :)

In light of my recent "fashion research," I think this outfit would be even better with a looser top. Maybe like this top in heather/black from Heidi Klum's HKNB line for New Balance on Amazon.com. (Yes, I'm a dork, and I want this because it was on Project Runway...) Or maybe this top from Anthropologie? Hmmm.....

It's so exciting to actually have a fashion opinion! Even if it doesn't actually work out like I imagine. LOL.

Anthropologie Wish List: Tees and Dresses

2010-10-08T13:41:00.001-04:00

For some reason, none of the new arrivals at Anthropologie has been calling to me. Maybe it's because my personal style is starting to evolve, or at the very least, my interests of the moment. I just placed a couple of orders with Free People and Urban Outfitters, both of which offer fantastic styling ideas on their Websites. I am being more attracted to grunge and hipster aesthetics. Weird, huh? But, try and try again, I CAN NOT FIND A PAIR OF OXFORDS! Okay, so maybe I'm giving up a little too soon (I've only tried two pairs), but seriously. I think I have to resign myself to the fact that sometimes you may *LIKE* a trend, but that doesn't mean you can *WEAR* a trend. ::cry::

Anyway, the whole point is that in the past few days, Anthropologie FINALLY added some pieces that piqued my interest. Some pieces are older than others, but I figured I'd just pile them all in together.

City Grassland V-Neck $78
I love the longer length of this top (it reminds me of my Next Year's Lily Top!). I also love this top's open v-neck and the more substantial shoulders. And the zebra print---squee! It's funky, but the neutrals keep it tame. This shirt will be mine at first-cut.

Finessed Turtleneck $48
I love this shirt's ruching (which you'll see more of farther down the list). It's otherwise understated and fitted, and it would draw attention upward, to hopefully disguise my nonexistent waist. I am curiously drawn to the brown. I don't have any brown in my wardrobe, but I think it would be great for fall with other neutrals. And my mom says that wearing brown makes people trust you! :) $48 is totally reasonable, so I'll stalk this one and may buy it at full-price if the numbers dwindle quickly.

Floral Frappe Top $58

Here's a similar top with ruching. I'm not actually sure what color I prefer. I like the navy, moss, and pink. I hope that this goes on sale quickly so that I can get all three! A great basic top with a little something extra.

Volante Tee $58
Again with the similar top! This time, there is a bow-like flap of fabric on the shoulder. Again, I love several of the colors, but this is the purple.

D'armee Dress $138
I've already mentioned in another post that I love this dress, and I am patiently awaiting its going on sale. I bought the Mrs. Woodward's Camisole to be layered underneath. It's a simple silhouette with the very trendy military look. I am dying to wear this with boots and dark red tights like the styling pic!

Awaiting Wings Dress $158
Yay! I've been waiting for the perfect ensemble dress with a dark-print top, and this one is great! I like the color combinations of oranges and navys: perfect for fall. A cardigan would be gorgeous over this with the ruffles on the bodice. With all that being said, I could live without this. If it goes on sale though, I'll give it a shot.

Taking Turns Top $68
This color is super fantastic. Too bad I don't have gorgeous dark skin the color of this shirt's mannequin form! Even still, I love this green, and the neckline, the twist in the front, and the draping in the front are frickin' fabulous together. I can't see enough about this shirt. Let the stalking commence....I've paid full-price before, and I'm not afraid to do it again!!!

Wightwick Manor Dress $128
This blue and brown pattern is gorgeous. And, of course, I love shirtdresses. This one has such a retro look to it. For some reason, I'm really attracted to patterns that border on drab or bland. I'm hoping everyone else is sick of shirtdresses already so that I can snag this one on first-cut.

Amethyst Medley Shirtdress $198

I loved this the minute it popped up online. It looks simultaneously girly/pretty and casual with the buttoned-down top. And I don't have any purple dresses in my closet---bonus! There's no way that I can pay $198 for this dress, and even a second cut won't do me much good. So, dear readers, please do not buy this dress so I can be sure to snatch it up on second cut. Thanks! :)

Loosely Looped Tee $58

Of course, I love the purple color best, but that's sold out online in Medium. BOO! Oh well, the grey is pretty, too. I love the simple shape with the one ruffle(?). Can I call it a ruffle? It's more like draped fabric, which seems more streamlined and elegant than a ruffle. This is shirt #4 in my wishlist, and yes, it is not lost on me that they are all fairly similar....It may end up being a race to the sale section for me: Whoever gets there first wins a spot in my closet!

Now that I've added them all, I feel like the list is pretty long! And it's exclusively tees and dresses! But, honestly, these are pretty much the only things I'm even remotely attracted to at the moment... Now, this list often fluctuates and changes as Anthropologie adds new styled pics and I read other bloggers' reviews, but maybe, just maybe, I'm getting better at determining what holes are in my closet and what positions have already been filled. Now this list is not to say that I will actually limit my purchases to these items (hehe), but it's good to remind myself what I am specifically looking for.

Anthro Reviews: Henleys Galore

2010-10-07T14:53:00.000-04:00

Even though there was a HUGE sale at Anthropologie this Tuesday, not much of it was calling my name. I did, however, pick up a few "lounge" items that were either on my wishlist or too cheap to pass up! Hope the reviews help!

Mrs. Woodward's Camisole (now $29.95)

I got my regular size Medium in this camisole. There is elastic smocking on the back though, so I probably could have sized down to a Small. The straps are thin lace, and you can see my bra straps peeking out. Sizing down might make the straps a little tighter, which I would like. As it is, I wanted this camisole for layering (not wearing on its own) so these minor quibbles will not affect my purchase. The length is nice and long, and the pattern is SO vibrant and pretty. It's totally cute, and I can't wait to see how it goes with the rest of my closet. (And I'll patiently await the D'armee Dress going on sale so I can recreate the product styling!...)

A close up of the pattern and lace----so pretty and vibrant!

Suspended Droplets Henley (now $19.95) in Rose

This is me sucking in my belly. LOL. I got my regular size Medium, and this was very fitted. The sleeves are very long, which I don't personally mind. The scoop was also very low. I bought this to layer, but I'm not convinced by the neckline. Nor am I convinced by the rose color. I keep trying things in "pink," thinking that it would be a nice color on me, but I always feel so washed out in it. I think I'm so pale-skinned that I need bright pinks instead. At $19.95, I'm torn. If I decide to send back a couple of other items that have been languishing in my closet, I'll throw this in, too. Otherwise, it's not worth the time, effort, and money to send it back.

Muted Garden Henley (now $29.95) in Mauve

You may remember that I first reviewed this henley on my guest post at Princess of Taylor here. I tried on a Medium in the store, and it was pretty snug in the arms, so I planned to size up to the Large. Here it tis! When I took it out of the box, I thought "Oh, no, I made a mistake. It's huge!" But when I got it on, I actually was surprised that there seemed to be little difference between the Large and the Medium fits! Well, that's not completely true. It was just loose enough that I felt more comfortable with the potential of wearing this as a stand-alone top. The arms were still snug, but a little more comfortable, too. It's still see-through. Eh. But now, at least, I have room to put a thin camisole underneath. I love the pattern!

Horizon Defying Henley in Grey (now $9.95)

I have been eyeing this top for quite some time. I still couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger at its first-cut price, but at $9.95? I think this might even be a third cut! Geesh. I had initially liked the blue, but that one sold out online, so I picked up the grey. It's see-through, so I would really only use this as a layer. I like the subtle striping. Oh, and I got my regular size Medium. If I bought more of these, I would probably do the Large (and hope that the sizing difference is only slight, as the muted garden henley's is). For $9.95, what are you doing even reading this review???? Just buy it! LOL.

OOTD: Everyone Knows It's Windy

2010-10-06T21:06:00.000-04:00

Brrrr! Isn't it ironic that I've been *dying* for fall weather for three months, and now that it's finally a little chilly, I'm whining about how cold my office is? Ironic. Don't ya think?

I wanted to get to work early this morning, but my closet would have nothing of it. I tried on Outfit #1 and didn't quite love it.......ten outfits and thirty minutes later......I threw Outfit #1 back on and said, Deal with it! I wanted to go to Starbucks, but the road was closed out of my neighborhood so that I had no choice but to drive in the opposite direction of my caramel macchiato. Not cool, utility company. Not. Cool.

It was super windy outside, and I ended up adding my new J.Crew glovelettes to keep warm in my office, which has the tendency to be either sweltering hot or freezing cold. An otherwise blah day took a turn for the better when my boss said my Excel spreadsheet was AH-mazing. You might even say that I *excel* at Excel. SHAZAM! :)

This is my silver Oratory Dress, Proscenium Cardigan, Boden Messenger Bag, Circle Game Belt, Miz Mooz boots, Anthropologie polka-dot tights (that my sister bought for me!), and my new Urban Outfitters Asymmetrical Free Bird Necklace in goldsilver. Here's a closeup of my necklace and all those fine buttons:

And thanks everybody for the nice comments the other day on my Banana Republic recreation! I think I might be brave and pull out my fedora in the next few weeks...in the meantime, I just bought this Slouchy Beanie from Free People, which Husband and I both love! So this might be a good baby step into hat-dom. :)

OOTD: Beige and Grey

2010-10-04T20:24:00.000-04:00

Today I decided to test my copycat skills and recreate a great look I saw on the Banana Republic Website.

I just splurged and bought two tissue turtleneck tees (black and beige) from J.Crew after pining over them for the past few years. Of course, as much as I craved them, I wasn't *exactly* sure how they would fit into my current wardrobe. So imagine how excited I was when I spotted this combination a few days back of a beige turtleneck and grey sheath dress---which I already own (it's from NY&Company)! I think it goes really well together. I threw on my Circle Game Belt and Boden Messenger Bag as usual.

I was really excited about the top portion of this outfit. On another day, I think I'd trade out my LOFT taupe leggings for some tights with color (maybe patterned, or dark red?) And I'm still working on a good pair of tan oxfords and/or booties. These are some Miz Mooz boots that have been patiently waiting for me in my closet since I bought them earlier this spring.

Of course, because I'm ridiculous, I can't just stop at this fortuitous combination from my closet. I MUST have the studded gloves and this infinity bracelet that Banana Republic pairs with its outfit. I have the fedora--mine is black--still not brave enough to wear it out, though. Maybe someday....

Oh, and if you're looking for a coupon. Get 30% off your Banana Republic, Old Navy, or Gap purchase (never Athleta, grrrr) with coupon code SAVEBIG. Plus free shipping with orders $100 or more. Expires October 5 (tomorrow/Tuesday). Happy Shopping! :)

OOTD: Friday Prepster

2010-10-01T21:23:00.000-04:00

I should be watching Dateline NBC right now, but Husband is playing soccer on XBOX Live. Grrr. *Someone* is cruelly exploiting our new DVR, hmm?

**YAY, he's quitting! I think I have some kind of supernatural telepathic power!**

Today I would have loved to have a pair of leopard flats. Coincidentally, yesterday I DID have a pair of leopard flats. But today they are going back to Endless.com. ::sniff, sniff:: They were not very comfy and too shiny. But do not worry, friends, I will find a pair soon!

In the meantime, herringbone will have to pick up the slack. It's my AG Stevie Crops, white JCrew long-sleeve blouse, and yellow LOFT popover sweater. Also my Boden Messenger bag --yada,yada,yada-- and a LOFT silver cuff.

Keith Morrison----here I come!

Style Inspiration: Gwen Stefani

2010-09-30T13:23:00.000-04:00

I remember when I thought Gwen Stefani's style was completely out there, and it still is! LOL.

But, lately, I've been increasingly enamored with her casual looks. She has an ability to wear very trendy looks and make them seem accessible. She mixes masculine and feminine, soft and hard, short and long. In all honesty, I would probably never have the courage to wear any full-blown Stefani outfits, but she stands as a GREAT example of being confident and knowing what you like.

I also love her hair. I'm a serious dope when it comes to styling my hair. Her hairstyles are always unique, and they can transform a casual outfit into something really amazing.

I love the footless black tights with the strappy sandals. It adds the perfect element of surprise. And her hair! Funky but totally cute. Photo credit.

Totally casual and comfortable, but she uses accessories to create a look all her own. Photo Credit.

I love how Stefani plays with proportions in her clothes. She's great at mixing baggy with fitted or short with long.
Photo credit.

Love that wrap and hat! Another great display of accessorizing. Photo Credit.

I totally want to recreate this! Her pattern mixing is subtle but so effortless. Photo credit.

I love this gown she wore a few years ago. It's a perfect mix of feminine/girly with the tulle and flowers, and masculine/casual with the T-shirt shape of the top. Photo Credit.

OOTD: Mixing Patterns

2010-09-29T19:58:00.000-04:00

As much as I struggle with styling my hair, I occasionally fall into what I call my "hair-do sweet spot." Every strand falls into place without looking too done-up. I can pull it back, leave it down, pin it up, and be happy with it. In short: I love my hair.

Unfortunately, these sweet-spot moments are few and far in between. Oh. And did I mention that they usually occur somewhere between 7 and 8 o'clock in the evening? Yeah. Coz that's helpful!

I have tried and tried to replicate these sweet spots so that I can have a good hair day rather than night, but I just can't figure out the pattern. Wash my hair now? Wash my hair later? Blow dry? Air dry? Hairspray? De-frizz gel? Expensive shampoo? Cheap conditioner?

Shower in the morning? Shower in the evening? (Shower at suppertime?)

Today was an attempt to re-create my Tuesday night sweet spot. It's not quite up to par, but it's certainly better than my usual messy bun. To detract from my hair altogether, I decided to try mixing patterns today: a LOFT paisley cardigan and my green polka-dot Picture Frame Blouse. I was on a roll with the blues and greens so I added my (Seychelles) Stroke of Midnight Heels and then my goes-with-everything Boden Messenger Bag.

Also, I caved and finally bought a rose necklace I had been eyeing at Urban Outfitters for some time. It's called the Tiny Rose Necklace, and although it's ::ahem:: tiny, it's just what I've been looking for. You can double-stack coupons at Urban Outfitters by entering the first coupon code, submitting the page, and then hitting the "Back" button, entering the second code and hitting submit again. Get free shipping with FALLFORIT, plus 10% off with HAPPYFALL (expires Sept. 30, I think).

OOTD: Cozy Cable Cargo

2010-09-28T17:10:00.000-04:00

Yes, I am wearing the same pants (my Level 99 World Over Cargos) two days in a row (please don't judge!) I love them, and they are cozy, and that's that. Although I did notice that they had stretched out a little, making the fit looser.

Today I also wore my Anthro Next Year's Lily Top and Banana Republic Cozy Cable Cardigan in grey heather. I sized down to a Small in both the top and sweater. Every once in a while the sweater was a little itchy on my back, but for the most part, it was very comfortable. The perfect weight for a fall day, I'd say.

To accessorize, I used my trusty Boden Messenger Bag, old green herringbone flats (that tear up my feet...ouch) from LOFT, and my NY&Company leopard skinny belt.

The aviator sunglasses were cheap from The Limited. I love them, but I always feel a little presumptuous when I wear them in public. Husband and I both had eye appointments today and got our eyes dilated. Boy, it gets bright in a hurry! Unfortunately, even though he told me this morning to remember my sunglasses for afterwards---I forgot! So I slipped these on as soon as we got home. .....Ahhh, sweet relief.....
.

Out and About: I Spy Anthropologie

2010-09-28T11:07:00.005-04:00

I've got Anthro-colored glasses lately. Everytime I turn around, I'm running into Anthropologie...and I love it! Well, sometimes. On the one hand, it's neat to see other people appreciating Anthro, but I alternatively love guarding the Anthro secret with my life. I mean, we like Anthro because it's unique! The more we see it in the real world, the less "unique" it becomes.

The blog goldenmeans always does a great roundup of Anthro sightings on TV. (In fact, she's currently rockin' the nominations for the Anthropologie Blogging Collective's 2010 Blog Awards for said feature...) Though my sightings are far less worthy in comparison, I thought I'd share a few of my own sightings around town (the good and the bad!). Enjoy---

1. Stretching Sprigs Cardigan in a Vonage TV commerical

It's not a particularly funny ad or anything, so I doubt that it will ever make it to YouTube, but I swear I screamed "That's my sweater!" the second I saw it. But the size Large has been sold out online for a while already. Thanks for rubbing it in, Vonage....

The woman wears it over a bright blue dress, which I kind of like, but it also seemed much more generic than I would expect out of an Anthropologie piece. Husband also commented that he thought it looked way too small on her. (Glad I didn't settle for that Medium!)

9/28/10 10:00 PM UPDATE: I forgot I have DVR now! :) So I took a few screen shots of the Vonage ad. And actually, seeing it again makes me realize I think this woman looks absolutely adorable! Funny how your memory can play tricks on you sometimes...

2. Man Shops Globe on the Sundance Channel

This isn't exactly what you'd call "new news," but, hey, gimme a break, I just got Dish Network, remember?

This reality TV show follows Anthropologie buyer Keith Johnson as he travels around the world looking for unique home items. A show about my favorite store ever? Yes, please! It's interesting to see these items in their natural habitats. Whereas a crazy bird statue may seem strange perched on the shelves of Anthro, a woman's workshop full of knome figurines seems eccentric and inspired in her Swedish home.

The show is currently in its second season, so I still have quite a few Season 1 episodes to get caught up on. Netflix has the Season 1 DVD listed (but unavailable), so maybe it will be available soon! Cross your fingers. :)

3. "The Frown Song" by Ben Folds

NOTE: You may want to skip this one if you don't want to hear about a potential bad side of Anthropologie!

First, let me say that Husband and I love Ben Folds. Husband saw him in concert before we met, and even got him to autograph a CD booklet! Husband also spent the first three months of our courtship sending me Ben Folds songs via AIM and asking for my opinion. (Apparently I passed!) We played "The Luckiest" at our wedding as we lit our unity candle. So it was with mixed emotions that I recently listened to the words of his "Frown Song" (2008) and his not-so-nice mention of Anthropologie:

Tread slowly from the car to the spa

Like a weary war-torn refugee

Crossing the border with your starving child

It’s a struggle just to get to shiatsu

Present the waitress with your allergy card

And tell her all your problems

And leave no tip at all

Down to the shoe store with your friends

Speculate who might be f---ing the guru

Rock on, rock on, with your fashionable frown

Rock on, rock on, spread the love around

Rock on, rock on, with your fashionable frown

Spread the love around

Do you remember how we managed before

We could afford real nervous breakdowns

Or before the Anthropologie store

Was erected on Indian burial grounds

So really don’t you see a little of yourself

In the bathroom attendant that you just scowled at

Or the child who’s hiding inside

As you wipe the smile off the teenage barista

[Chorus]

All right

You’re gonna be all right, baby

Floating back from the spa to the car

A state of bliss, and it wasn’t the steam room

Sometimes life’s not so bad

Now we know who’s been f---ing the guru

Ouch.

I explained to Husband that Ben Folds probably just used "Anthropologie" because it has such a poetic name. Yes? Maybe? Please? Oh, well....

In the context of the whole song, it sounds like Folds is criticizing privileged, egocentric people who are unable to connect to people who are really struggling. And I guess the specific allusion to Anthropologie could be a comment on "Western" domination over other cultures, which certainly involves some egoism. Maybe Folds thinks that Anthropologie usurps the creativity of real artists and assimilates them into its capitalistic framework? (That's like a $10 sentence if I ever saw one....) I don't really know enough about corporate Anthropologie to have an educated opinion, but after watching Man Shops Globe, I guess I can see that interpretation.

Or maybe Folds is targeting the people who shop at Anthropologie. Gasp! I admit that Anthropologie has nurtured a capitalistic fervor in me that I've never known before. And as much fun as "Monday sale nights" and "stalking" products are, these behaviors do require some self-involved tunnel vision.

Like I said, I don't have the knowledge to either back up these claims or dispute them, but they are interesting to consider.

4. Feathered Perch Skirt in October issue of InStyle

pg. 193 InStyle Magazine, October 2010.

I admit that I was a little disappointed when I saw this Anthro skirt in my magazine. My hopes of getting a first (or even second) cut for this skirt become much smaller when the rest of the world has the scoop. (Because clearly, the ENTIRE WORLD reads InStyle!! :P)

The good news is that I love the color complements suggested by stylist Rob Zangardi: peach, lilac, white. And pairing this long navy skirt with a tucked-in cashmere tee? Love!

Outfit of the Day: Rainy Days and Mondays

2010-09-27T21:44:00.000-04:00

What a rainy weekend! It has literally been raining nonstop since Saturday, which I admit has its pros and cons:

Cons:

Husband wanted to cut the grass before it rained. Oops!

Wet puppies and/or puppies who refuse to go outside at all

Flood watch---eek!

Driving on the interstate in the rain....alongside tractor trailers.....
Bad lighting outside forced me indoors for my outfit picture!

Pros:
Cold weather means I can break out the fall wardrobe!
The sound of rain on the roof when you're falling asleep
Since it was so dark in the morning, we slept in and got some extra ZZZ's!

First up, it's my Level 99 World Over Cargos. These are THE most comfortable pants I've ever worn. I got a size 29, and they're slim without being constricting. They have a somewhat low rise, so while sitting at my desk, I kept checking to make sure I wasn't being scandalous. And, guess what, I wasn't! Yay!

Also making its debut today is the Wish You Were Here Cardi. You can't really see the details far away, but there are yellow accents in the sweater, so I thought it looked really nice with my From O'Keeffe necklace. I also threw on a white LOFT tee, my Boden Messenger bag and Steve Madden flats to keep the look pretty neutral.

Outfit of the Day: Anniversary Date

2010-09-25T14:59:00.000-04:00

As promised, here is my outfit from our anniversary date on Thursday night! A few years ago, Husband and I instituted an international theme for all our special occasions. On top of this, we have a special place in our heart for one particular restaurant. It used to be a post office, but had since been renovated into a restaurant.

We had one of our first Valentine's Day dinners there, and we loved it! We decided we would always go there for Valentine's Day, but unfortunately, we only got to go one more time before (wah!) they closed it! A few months later, they opened a Spanish restaurant in its place, so we went there, and it was just horrible. LOL. We had a mushroom appetizer that was really slimy, and we shared a paella entree that was gritty! Despite all the flaws, it was still "our place," so we figured they had a year to work out all the kinks for our next outing! Unfortunately, this eatery didn't make it, either.

But a few months ago, ::gasp!:: restaurant number three opened! This time, it was casual dining. I had been planning for weeks to wear my new Leifsdottir Feliciana Dress for our anniversary, but I was worried that it was a little too fancy so I tried to dress it down with my flats (initially, I was going to wear my black heels and a silver cuff bracelet). Lucky for you, we had tons of trouble finding a spot to take our picture (it was super sunny, and Husband kept yelling at me not to put the camera on the trashcan!) so my feet got cut off anyway! You can envision my feet however you would like. :)

You see, Husband and I have perfected the art of taking our picture without anybody's help. First of all, it's fun. We feel totally silly putting our camera on tables and trashcans and chairs, but sometimes it's fun not to take yourself too seriously! And second, we're both pretty shy, so it's usually torture to decide who is approachable to ask for help. (And it's very common that people walking by offer to help without us having to ask. Bonus!) So I thought it would be fun to show some of our creative pictures over the years. Enjoy!

Here's Husband and I in the lounge of our cruise ship to Alaska last summer:

I love the look of this skirt and shirt together, but I accidentally washed this skirt afterward and it's dry-clean only. Ruined. ::cry::

And here's Husband and I on our honeymoon in Savannah at the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low (the founder of Girl Scouts!):

Squatting is an essential pose to learn when taking pictures with inanimate photographers...

And here we are at the lake earlier this year. I caught my first fish that day!:

The one-handed quick pic: A classic.

Oh, and in case you're wondering? Restaurant Number Three was a hit. We had a crab-cake appetizer (yummm), and we both got chicken salad. (Well, he got a chicken-salad sandwich, and I got a grilled chicken salad. Both yummy!) For dessert, we got two pieces of pie and ice cream to-go and ate it at home on the couch. Perfection!

Happy Anniversary to Me and Husband!

2010-09-23T13:40:00.000-04:00

Happy Anniversary to Me and Husband! It's hard to believe that it's been four whole years since we said "I Do"!

We got married at Callaway Gardens in Georgia---if you're ever down that way, I highly recommend it! My husband's family is originally from Georgia so they used to go on vacations there when he was a kid.

After Husband and I started dating in college, we took a trip down during Spring Break and loved it! We fed the ducks, watched their "Birds of Prey" show, played tennis and racquetball, and went to the nearby animal safari! When we went to visit their little memorial chapel hidden in the woods, an older couple walked by and asked us if we were planning our wedding here. We just smiled!

A few years later when we started making wedding plans, we both knew right away that the only place in the running was Callaway Gardens' beautiful chapel.

You know who that is! It's me and Kathleen from Princess of Taylor!

Shoe Reviews: Seychelles Cheerrio, Nine West Peroxy, Very Volatile Marlena

2010-09-22T14:45:00.000-04:00

One shoe trend that I have consistently loved this year is the masculine/rugged shoe paired with the feminine skirt/styling. I like the contrast (and I admit, I also like the prospects of wearing comfier shoes with dressier outfits!)

However, I'm having difficulty pinning down the right pair of shoes. This post covers three pairs of shoes that I recently purchased but I'm still unsure about. Luckily, I ordered them from three great shoe dealers: Endless, Zappos, and Piperlime. All three sites offer free shipping and returns. At the time of publishing, Endless and Zappos both give you 365 days to return your item; Piperlime gives you 45 days.

Nine West Peroxy in Taupe ($98.95 at Zappos)

In my mind, these shoes were perfect, but IRL, they made my legs look very stumpy. My husband also said they made my feet look very long. Neither of these things is good. In skirt picture #1, I tried flipping up the boot flaps; in skirt picture #2, I left them down. (Flipping didn't help.) The shoelaces are also incredibly long, and you have to get pretty creative to make them the right length. (For me, this entailed, wrapping the shoelaces around the back of the shoe, pulling the laces through the holes in the side flaps, double knotting.) I tried tucking in my skinny jeans into the shoes, but I still felt stumpy. I just don't think that the 3/4 inch heel is enough. As for the fit, my regular size 9 was OK. They were comfortable enough, but not amazing sole cushioning. These shoes also come in black leather, black suede, and dark green suede. I would be curious to test the other colors if I had a store nearby, but I didn't like the fit enough to mess with any other online testing.

Seychelle's Cheerrio Bootie in Dark Brown ($90.02 at Endless)

These shoes are a little bit Mary Poppins, a little bit rock n' roll. I'm afraid that these might be a little heavy for what I want them to do. They look much better with a skirt than the Peroxy, but it's a lotta look. I tried tucking in my pants again, but the shoes are so slim that even my really-fitted,skinny jeans look bunchy. I would only be able to wear leggings or tights with these, though I think those would both be flattering. My regular size 9 fit OK, and the 3 and 3/4 inch heel is still easy to walk in and gives me the height I need to elongate my legs. The problem, however, is with the boot opening. Endless lists the measurements of the boot opening as 10 and 1/2 inches around. As you can see from the picture, there's PLENTY of room. It makes them look like they don't fit, even though they do fit everywhere else. There's an inside zipper, in addition to the front shoe laces. Also available in clay and black.

Very Volatile Marlena in Natural Medium ($60 at Piperlime)

I've liked the look of menswear oxfords for a while now, but couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger. The cheap pairs I found all had bad reviews about comfort, and I've spent too much $$$ on shoes lately to invest in a more expensive piece. I thought I'd give these oxfords a try when I placed an Athleta order recently and wanted free shipping. (What can I say, I'm a fish!)

And the verdict? The jury's still out. I like the look of these with a skirt (although I'm not sure how I feel about the socks). And I almost wore these the other day, but I put them away because I thought I might want to return them. They are very stiff, and not very comfortable. Maybe I could break them in a little by wearing them around the house. But as is, I wouldn't keep them. My regular size 9 fits otherwise.

Outfit of the Day: Date Night

2010-09-21T21:33:00.000-04:00

On my way home from work tonight, I met my husband for dinner at a Mexican restaurant. We don't eat out very often so sometimes we initiate a spur-of-the-moment date. For some reason, driving separately makes it seem like more of a special occasion than just loading ourselves in the same car after hemming and hawing about what's for dinner. And I must say that after a long day at work, it's exciting to reunite with your spouse away from home and all its distractions (why did you park in the garage? did you get the mail? turn on some lights!! BARK BARK BARK!)

After a hearty meal, we went home and watched Date Night with Steve Carrell and Tina Fey. It was cute, but I think having those two in a movie together is simultaneously genius and foolish. On the one hand, they're the two funniest people on TV (in my opinion): Why WOULDN'T you want them joining forces on-screen? On the other hand, that's a lot of pressure. How on earth can you make a film that lives up to such expectations?

But at the end of the day, this film is like any other film individually starring Tina Fey or Steve Carrell (for instance, Baby Mama or Dan in Real Life). It's not always laugh-out-loud funny, but it's still endearing and fun to watch.

Speaking of old married couples, Husband and I celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary on Thursday! We're planning another date night, and I can't WAIT to get dressed up for our special evening night. Stay tuned!

Today was a little breezy in the morning, but by the time I got to work, it was hot, hot, hot, again. I'm wearing an old Loft grey chiffon-bow tee and grey sleeveless long sweater vest. Also my American Eagle red ballet flats and Anthropologie AG Stevie Crops and Sunken Ship Necklace, both of which I snagged on sale. And big surprise: my Circle Game Belt and Boden Messenger Bag.