Dotty + Weekend Reading

Blazer | Theory
Top | Emerson Fry
Pants | Joe's Jeans
Shoes | Rachel Comey Mars

This week was pretty busy, and I feel like my brain is just out of words. Luckily, I can use photos, and link to other people's words down below. These photos show that I am really into skinny jeans with these boots right now. I think the skinny jean in a dark color makes my legs look really long. The slight heels also makes me very aware of my posture and so I always try to stand up straight. I look at least 5'5'' in that photo, don't you think =) 

   I'm also all over the dark color-palette-spectrum here as well, as well as with polka dots and stripes: the top is navy, the jeans are black, the blazer is grey, and the boots are actually sort of maroon. 

For your weekend perusal:

Matched

Cardigan | Target
Top | ALC Floral Silk Top
Pants | ALC Floral Silk Pants
Shoes | Paul Green

     I absolutely love this jumpsuit, except it is not a jumpsuit, it is pants and a top. This might make me love it more, because it is still cool, slouchy and comfortable, but you don't have to unzip yourself with yogic elbows or sit in a public restroom with no top on, on the days you wear it. It also has freaking pockets!

     Regardless of the practicality, since I was already wearing open-toed shoes, and, you know, a silken printed jumpsuit on a Friday, I decided to tone it down a little bit with a cardigan, while I was at work. After work I went out for drinks and boom, the shoulders came out. 

Business casual, maybe?

I got both of these pieces on the Real Real, about 3 months apart. Both are still available (in varying sizes) on the Real Real's site, although I bought mine for about half the price, so it might be worth waiting for their next big sale. I thought I found the pants first, but a look at my old clothing spreadsheet (yea, I keep a clothing spreadsheet) reveals I actually bought the top first. It makes sense - I probably would have been unwilling to go for the crazy pants, right out of the gate. As I generally strongly prefer solids, it is sort of a bold print for me, but I love the color and the geometric floral vibe. The top and bottom are both 100% silk, and are very soft and breathable. I'll be doing some traveling to hotter climates in the coming weeks, and this will probably be coming with me.

Do you have something you wear that just makes you feel ultimately cool? How often do you wear it?

Satisfying Souvenirs

Coat | N/A
Top | Target - Mossimo
Jeans | Citizens of Humanity
Shoes | Rachel Comey Mars

     I have started a tradition of seeking out thrift or consignment stores when I am on vacation, in order to find a souvenir. It is a nice way to avoid touristy memorabilia, explore a city's second-hand scene, and get some awesome clothing. Based on what I've seen so far, I think Denver might hold my top spot for second-hand finds. Thanks to a recent trip to Amsterdam, I finally got to implement this system internationally, rather than just domestically, and used Yelp to try and narrow down where I should go.  

     This coat is from Wini Vintage, which honestly, was pretty darn similar to a consignment store I might find in the Bay Area. It is an awesome mini-caped wool coat that fits perfectly. Not only that, but it has a charming red lining, that peaks out when you wear the coat unbuttoned. The sewing on the outside of the coat is also red, but is pretty innocuous until you see it next to the red lining. The woman working at Wini Vintage was really helpful and not at all pushy, and when she saw me trying this on, she brought a few other coats she thought would look good. There was one more, military-inspired coat I really liked but since I did only carry on luggage, and didn't really need two more wool coats, sacrifices had to be made. 

  I really like the little cape, but, who knows how I'll feel about that design element years from now. Luckily for me the cape is detachable! Affixed with three buttons hidden behind the collar, and when removed, the coat is streamlined and sharp looking. There is no brand label on the inside, but it does still have the tag letting me know it is made of wool. 

How do you shop for souvenirs, and what are some of your favorite finds?

The Buzz + Weekend Reading

Call me a bee-keeper 'cause I kept the bee shirt. (Try not to hurt yourself when you do an eye roll there). It ended up being strangely appropriate for this past week, because I was quite the worker bee, due to a more hectic than usual work schedule. Until it normalizes, I just have to keep floating, like a butterfly (ok I'll stop, I'll stop).

My initial instincts were correct in that it needs to be tucked to be worn to work, and that the dramatic sleeves are the best part. I'll be washing/drying this weekend, so we'll see what happens to the sizing.

Top | Victoria Beckham x Target
Jeans | DL1961
Shoes | Cole Haan

 Regardless, you and I have made it to the weekend, so here are some sites for your perusal:

1. A (sadly) word-only peak inside the closet of NYT fashion critic, Vanessa Friedman (New York Times)

2. A snapshot into the life of Elle fashion director, Samira Nasr (The Cut)

3. The people at People try to do like Kate Middleton and only carry a small clutch.

4. I have a white button down, but if only I had the rest of the accessories featured in How to Style A White Shirt For a Week (Man Repeller); and

5. Have you heard - WalMart might be acquiring men's fashion company, Bonobos, much to their fan's dismay (Glossy).

Thanks for stopping by!

Lady Day

Dresses | Alyssa Nicole

     A little while ago I attended an event in the city that I found out about on Instagram (which maybe is a thing people do all the time?), called the Femme Fair. It was sort of a blogger-bazaar with a, the Future is Female, vibe. If you want to know more, I'll just go ahead and link you to a recap by one of the ladies who planned the event here. 

     The absolute highlight, for me, was discovering the Bay Area designer, Alyssa Nicole. She was selling samples from her line at heavily discounted prices and I just so happened to fit into her sample size, so it was a real treat. I was drawn to the pink dress above, from across the room, and just made a bee-line for it. The print is pretty loud, but I think the tailoring helps keep it from looking over-the-top. After shimming into the dress over my jeans and t-shirt (the line for the few changing rooms was crazy long) I also ended up buying the blue one, since they have a similar shape. I don't really have any other dresses like this in my collection, and love how feminine they are - the cinched waist and the bell sleeves are very ladylike, and I love her use of print. Not only that, but both dresses are fully lined (which makes sense for the regular price point, but since I got them at a discount, was amazing).

If the clothes alone were not enough, Alyssa, and her mother, who was there assisting, were both incredibly nice. They answered all my questions about the collection and about the line - it isn't every day you get to speak with the person who designed, must less made your clothing - and it was great to meet them. I always enjoy opportunities like this because it helps connect your clothing to a real person and their passion. I am now all set on ladylike dresses, but will definitely be keeping an eye on this designer in the future. 

This one was a little bit big in the bust - I guess her fit model is a little chestier than I, haha

 Last but not least, check out the cute packaging! Since this was a sale event she probably didn't have to give out bags of any kind, but it is little things like this that are a nice personal touch and that leave you with such a positive overall impression.

Thanks for stopping by!

Professorial

Top | Vince
Pants | Joe's Jeans
Cardigan | Rag & Bone
Shoes | Cole Haan
Earrings | Alexis Bittar

Ok, so it might only be my loafers that evoke a professor's wardrobe, although I think the oversized cardigan plays into it as well. All I need are some elbow patches and a leather briefcase messily stuffed with paperwork.

For this casual outfit, I tucked a silk shirt into some jeans, threw on a comfy cardigan and felt fairly put together for someone wearing skinny jeans. I think the shirt, due to both the fabric and color, add a little polish. It is more like a tunic than a shirt, so the cardigan is necessary because there is a ton of extra fabric in the back - I typically only tuck this shirt into skirts because there is too much fabric otherwise.  

I also added some sparkly earrings that I love! I first saw them on Blue Collar Red Lipstick, and was instantly drawn to them. They are Alexis Bittar, and it just so happens that they were on final mark-down clearance on their website, so I purchased. They always garner compliments, are light and easy to wear, and I love how sparkly they are.

Thanks for stopping by.

Victoria Beckham x Target: Fitting Room Review

I should say at the outset, that this is more of a look at the fit of the collection on someone who is petite, as well as a general comment on quality - but first, some thoughts:
     I was of two minds when I first heard about this collaboration. On the one hand, I am down with Victoria Beckham. I liked her as Posh Spice and I like her as the head of legit fashion-line Victoria Beckham, and Victoria by Victoria Beckham.  Additionally, because those two lines are rather expensive (some of it, my-annual-shopping-budget-for-one-piece expensive), I like the idea of her doing a Target collab, where everything will be priced below $80.
     On the other hand, these collaborations can so often be disappointing or gimmicky. The quality often isn't that good, putting these squarely in the category of fast-fashion, and the items sell out quickly and then are re-sold online for far more than they are worth. Additionally, take a black dress, of which this collection features several. Instead of buying a black dress from this collection, just because it is VBxTarget, I think I'd prefer to spend the time to find a black dress that is either a better fit, or better quality, or more functional and that will stand the test of time. Who knows, maybe the black dress in her collection will do that, but I don't think that is the point. I thought this piece by Glossy was an interesting read and notes that the point is to drive you to the store, or keep a positive association with it in your mind, so that you will consider doing more of your shopping there in the future. It also helps the designers reach a broader audience that they might otherwise. 
     All of that being said, I decided to check it out anyway. I needed to go to Target and I always find reviews to be helpful so I thought I'd get out there and review - read on for my thoughts.

My 'What-If' Clothing

Cardigan | Rachel Roy
Dress | J. Crew
Shoes | J. Crew*

Living in an apartment means that I have much less closet space than I want. Full disclosure, for an apartment, I do have more closet space than average but, that being said, it still isn't as much as I'd like! As such, in addition to my half of the closet, and my half of the dresser, I have a tub of clothing that are my "I can't quit you clothing" and which is shoved under the bed. About twice a year, when I do some half-hearted KonMari-ing, there are inevitably a few pieces where I think (i) I haven't worn this in a while, (ii) I rarely wear this, (iii) I would wear this if it fit better, but I keep them anyway, just in case.

*Obviously the Jenna Lyons news also was in my head this morning. 

This cardigan is a perfect example. I got this cardigan in 2011, from a Macy's in Pasadena. I don't know why I remember that, but the memory is burned into my brain. I wore it a bunch for a few years and then for whatever reason, stopped wearing it. It is a little itchy, but I love the color, which honestly, these photos do not do justice. I don't need this cardigan. If I hadn't thought about it this morning and pulled it out of the bin, I would have worn a green or black or grey cardigan and gone on with my day and still felt pretty jazzed about the outfit. Instead, I thought of this piece, pulled it out (loved the color combo) and now, I'll probably keep this for another few years. I won't start wearing it frequently because it doesn't speak to me in the same way it used to, but I'll keep it because this outfit serves as proof that I might wear the cardigan again in the future. 

Here's the question - if I have space for it, is it so wrong to keep these pieces? Is it practical to have them sit there for a future event that might not come, rather than donate them and replace them with something I will wear on a weekly basis? Do you have clothes in limbo and if so, what do you do with them?

Close up of the detail.

Thanks for stopping by!

Photo.synthesis

Top | Rag & Bone
Pants | AG Jeans
Shoes | Paul Green
Clutch | Mansur Gavriel

We had the most beautiful weekend in SF this past weekend! I love how on a sunny day, everything feels refreshed (this is probably my born/raised California-ness showing through). I got a hair cut, I did some spring cleaning --> sky's the limit. Since it was 70 degrees and sunny, obviously I wanted to start to work on getting a little color (which might take a while). In addition to trying to maximize my Vitamin D intake, I also wanted to express my excitement about spring, and thought neon yellow was an appropriate way to do so. 

This tank is 100% silk, and very thin, making it perfect for the warmer weather, while also ensuring it isn't see-through. I normally don't go for yellow, especially highlighter yellow, but I was really drawn to this print and love the way it looks with dark jeans. I'm also excited to wear this tucked into a pencil skirt for work. I'm not positive what color pencil skirt it will look best with, but I'll get there. 

 Thanks for stopping by!