Ice Cold

I just got a haircut - can you spot any differences?
Top | Rebecca Taylor
Shorts | Anine Bing
Shoes | Paul Green

     This type of top is known as a cold-shoulder top - it tries to have its cake and eat it too, by evoking the cut of an off-the-shoulder top, while still allowing you to move your arms freely and wear a regular bra. These have been popping up all over stores and apparently, are a bit divisive (at least they are among my friend group, although thankfully not divisive enough that it stopped my friend Jess from stepping in as my photographer). 

     I also don't like many of them (in particular, when it is a cold-shoulder sweater, as that seems to defeat the purpose of a sweater), but I do love this one =). It is Rebecca Taylor, and was found at Saks Off Fifth. I like that there is a little tie on the sleeve (noticeable in the photo below) so you can cinch it all the way up, or let it fall, like I currently have it, and I like the little window detailing on the flutter sleeve. 

As I was venturing to a warmer climate, I paired them with a new pair of silk shorts, and tucked in the top, creating a faux romper effect. I spent quite a while looking for the perfect adult summer shorts. It is a bit hard because I wanted something that (i) wasn't denim, (ii) wasn't too long and not too short, (iii) didn't have an elastic waist, and (iv) had pockets. This pair is Anine Bing (a brand I had never heard of) and, per Google, looks like it is the eponymous line of a fashion blogger. They are a nice soft silk, and while I wouldn't pay full price for them (and didn't, thanks to the magic of Nordstrom Rack) I have high hopes for them, and this top, this summer. 

I'm still working on my "sitting" poses.

What say you on the cold-shoulder debate?

Fashion Week(end)

Dress| Johanna Ortiz Bluebell Silk Embellished Maxi Dress
Shoes | Paul Green
Jacket | Veda

     I recently attended the amazing wedding of some friends, for which I was lucky enough to borrow an outfit for one of the nights of their celebration. After seeing what I would be wearing that night, I decided to double down and just make it a fashion weekend. I love clothes (obviously) and I think that style and fashion should be fun, and sometimes, dramatic. 

     This is what I got to wear the first night:

I was only borrowing this shalwar kameez (and if you ever happen to read this blog, thank you S!) and thought it was amazing. It is three pieces, the heavily embroidered dress, a pair of pants (which in this case were a loose, palazzo pant), and a scarf. The dress is designed for maximum twirl-ability and the whole look is insanely comfortable. I loved wearing it, and as almost all of the other guests at the event were similarly dressed, it was a great way for clothing to help me feel even more connected to the festivities. 

The henna also helped as well, although as I am sometimes lacking in grace, I got it all over my other hand, and was narrowly stopped from getting it on my face, as well. 

 Knowing I was wearing that first outfit for night one, I decided to break out a Johanna Ortiz dress that I bought this year from UAL (I did a brief write-up on them here), in all of it's peplum-glory. As an FYI, I am wearing an XS, and while it zipped, I could have easily sized up. This dress is totally special, and I felt great while wearing it. I love the print, the little embellishment beads in the middle of some of the flowers, adding a fun 3D effect, and obviously the peplum. 

A peplum, for anyone who doesn't know is a "short, flared, gathered or pleated strip of fabric attached at the waist of a women's jacket, dress or blouse to create a hanging frill or flounce" (and per Dictionary.com). I found out at this wedding that very few men know what a peplum is, so I took upon myself all night to get the word out (and if you don't know, now you know).

I felt like a very fashionable statue all night (I think due to the draping) which is good, because the open back (sadly no photos of this) and the tight waist basically demanded very good posture. I am thinking of having a tailor transform this into a separate peplum top and skirt, so that I can wear get more wear out of it. There is also an itty bitty pocket in the peplum (photo below), but it isn't really large enough for more than some dollar bills and a hair tie. When I found myself alone in the bathroom, some selfies were obviously a necessity:

What is your favorite wedding outfit? 

Thanks for stopping by!

Fall Redux

Sweater | Uniqlo x Lemaire
Top | No brand tag
Jeans | DL1961
Shoes | Cole Haan

     The weather around here has been a little chilly lately, which is bit of a bummer. It means a windy walk to work and then an even colder office (why can't we tone-down the office A/C, why?!), so I've had to dig some of my sweater and jackets out of the back of the closet. What is an even bigger bummer is a recent crush of work, and thus the more infrequent posts. 

Shashay all Day

Blazer | Theory
Sweater | J. Crew
Skirt | Alyssa Nicole

Today, I have one more look at an Alyssa Nicole piece I bought at the Femme Fair (read about it here), this amazing skirt. I was initially a little hesitant because I thought it was too fancy for work (and since I don't have an elegant enough social life, all my purchases are made with work in mind), but I was talked into it by some fellow fair attendees and I'm so glad I purchased it. It is a trumpet skirt in a shimmery white fabric, a little bit corporate and, due to the color and glittery material, a little bit bridal. (I badly want to wear it with a metallic tank that I have, but need to find the right occasion).  

The flare in the skirt is pretty dramatic, but since it fits so well, and I kept the rest of the look very streamlined, the volume didn't overwhelm me. I decided to double down on the bridal element, by pairing the skirt with a cream colored sweater, which also has a little jeweled element. Then, to try to drag myself back toward the corporate end of the spectrum, I added a tailored black blazer. I was pretty pleased with the end result - maybe I should be fancy more often.

This skirt makes me want to sashay. 

Do you incorporate fancier dress pieces into your everyday wardrobe? If so, what sort of pieces? 

Happy Fourth of July!

Top | James Perse
Pants | AG Jeans (Made in USA)
Shoes | Asics Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66
Jacket | Rag & Bone (Made in USA)

In honor of the holiday and the time off of work, I wore blue and white and decided to pose moodily on a stoop - just as our forefathers anticipated, I'm sure. 

     Half of this outfit is secondhand (the jacket and the jeans) and the top and shoes were purchased new. The top is actually the same as the James Perse top I sung the praises of here. I rarely buy multiples of anything, but in this case, I loved that black top so much I hunted it down. It wasn't super easy, but I eventually found it online. I bought it in blue and also bought a backup black top as well. Basically, if you see me around in the next few months, there is a good chance I'll be wearing one of those shirts.

    Speaking of which, I luckily avoided a situation where I needed multiple varsity jackets. I was doing laundry too quickly and dumped this one in the washing machine (it is a wool blend and dry clean only). I caught it before it was transferred to the dryer, but even just the short trip in the washing machine caused it to shrink quite a bit. Luckily, it was a medium and oversized before, so the sleeve length is almost perfect now, but I got quite lucky. I wear this jacket all the time too, so it would have been a real blow. It is the only jacket I have that I can drape over my shoulders, like you see in fashion magazines, and doesn't just look (totally) ridiculous. 

Happy holiday, if you are in the US, and thanks for stopping by!