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Style Dtour - Hawaii

Tee | Lanston (made in USA)
Shorts | Iron Man
Shoes | Nike Roshe Flyknit (also on sale here)
Bag | Clare V Agnes Backpack
I had the distinct pleasure of taking a little vacation to Kauai recently, and wanted to do a quick recap of what I wore. This is part one. My outfits were nothing too spectacular as I spent most of the time in a bathing suit, which I am not putting on this blog, haha, or dressed for comfort and ready to explore. However, it is really what I wore, so here we go.
First off, I highly recommend the Nike Roshe Flyknit. The knit nature of the shoe does make my feet look like little red boats, but they are incredibly comfortable, and I love them. I found them to run an entire size large, which is what the reviews online said (they are a half size smaller than your usual Nike size, which equals a full size smaller for me), but I didn't believe them and initially the pair I ordered were too large. I'm sorry for doubting you Nike-review-leaving community. I sort of want another pair. 
Tee | Ivy Park
Bralette | Aerie Lace T-Back Bralette
Shorts | Iron Man
I basically lived in this black pair of exercise shorts all week. They are so easy to wear, they go with everything, and something short is almost necessary when it is over 85 degrees and humid outside. The most amusing part of these photos, to me, is that you can see where I was in the span of the vacation based on how tan I am. These first photos are clearly from the beginning of the trip.

I am almost positive, as I have mentioned before, that I am too old to be shopping at American Eagle, but damned if they don't make some great bralettes. This one has a fun geometric pattern and if I wasn't wearing a bathing suit, I was basically wearing this. It is still in stock on Aerie's website, along with a bunch of other cute bralettes. I am also pleased to report that this Ivy Park tee (only available in white now) has held up well. You never know what the quality of collaboration/celeb-designs is going to be, but I've worn and washed this top a bunch and it is still soft and hasn't pilled on me.
And then at the end of the trip, I ended up on Mars.
What do you end up wearing on vacation? Does it end up being only a small fraction of what you packed? (Not like that happened here...just asking for a friend.)

Shiny Ponies + Sunday Reading


Heels | J. Crew Glitter Mosaic (old) (similarly glittery) (same design but toned down)
Hello there, I just have a quick word this weekend. 
Jenna Lyons, the creative director of J. Crew, refers to awesome shoes as "Shiny Ponies", and I can't think of a better way to describe these heels. These are like the shiny, gilded shoes of my dreams, and it doesn't even bother me that they leave a trail of glitter wherever they go.

For your Sunday perusal:
1. A throwback video, where you can hear more about it from Ms. Lyons herself:




2. This article resonated with me, one of my biggest fashion pet peeves is the lack of pockets in women's clothing and/or ridiculously small pockets: The Politics of Pockets (Racked).

3. Also, I couldn't be happier, if in fact, the new trend in office wear is comfort (WSJ).

4. An interesting look at Dede Wilsey, the controversial president (maybe?) and major benefactor of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (NYT).

5. Lastly, another look at how consumer's sale expectations have impacted fashion retailers, and in particular, Banana Republic. I know that I personally always wait because I know that anything I like will go on sale (Glossy).  

Self-Portrait in Black and White

The brand, Self-Portrait, is a newish brand that seems to have really started to pop up everywhere. I first noticed their fairly eye-catching Azalea Dress:

Their use of lace and color was exciting, and I was eager to try one of their dresses. They are definitely expensive, but they do appear on sale on the Outnet and Asos. I found out that, while breathtaking, these dresses aren't very petite-friendly. The Azalea, for me, was basically too long everywhere - the straps, the torso and the overall length (I'm 5'2''). Also, I had to order up a size, as when I got the US 0, I couldn't even zip it up. I probably could have gone up two sizes (since I generally don't like tight clothes) but then the length was really much too long. I gave up on my Azalea dreams, but then months later, I stumbled across another Self Portrait dress that spoke to me, and it was on sale!
The fit was much better for me than the other Self-Portrait dresses I tried. It was still a little long in the torso (as you can make out from some lumps in the photo above) but otherwise fit very well. The coolest part of the dress is the fabric. It is hard to describe, because it is sort of see-through, like lace, but laid out in rows, and the fabric is thicker - like a neoprene. I ended up making the photos black & white, as otherwise it is hard to make out. 
The coolest part is the black, which is open, but covered with a cute bib-like element. I ended up wearing this dress to a wedding, and will probably wear it to any and all cocktail-attire events I can get invited to.

Some more Self-Portrait dresses below are below - have you tried anything from them, and how did you find the fit?

Power of Plaid

I work with a lot of men, and many of them have a similar, repetitive work uniform: dress slacks and a plaid button down shirt. I guess they are rubbing off on me, because I now also own a plaid shirt. This one is Equipment, which I found at Nordstrom Rack (they have some other really cute Equipment tops on sale here). 
When I wore this to the office, I got more compliments from my male coworkers than I have ever received from them before. I think it is probably because it is one of the only outfits I've worn that they can imagine on themselves. Now if only I can get one of them into a trendy, sleeveless knit vest...
Top | Equipment
Pants | Theory
Vest | Halogen
Heels | Banana Republic

Friday Earrings

I rarely wear jewelry on a day-to-day basis, but I am trying to change that. I'm not even sure why I don't, because I like it, I like it on other people (I'm looking at your Iris Apfel) and I see the importance of jewelry to pull together an outfit! Also, I have some pretty pieces that currently don't do much other than keep my jewelry box company.
I think it is because whenever I put on more than 1 or 2 skinny bracelets or a minimalist ring, I feel like I'm just piling it on. Like I'm just being ornate - which is nuts. For a casual Friday outfit I pushed myself, and made myself wear earrings AND a top with a beaded bauble neckline.  There are always things I'm trying to refine about my personal style, but this one feels pretty darn achievable. 
What are your go-to jewelry pieces and what designers do you love?


Outfits Lately 9.14.2016

More weekend sartorial tales, as told by a hallway mirror. I feel like I rocked a lot of athleisure last month - for which I credit/blame the Olympics =)
- - - - -
This outfit is essentially all the textures - lace, silk, suede, wool - I was really on a roll.

Jacket - Rebecca Taylor | Top - Vince | Pants - See Thru Soul | Shoes - Gentle Souls
- - - - -
This water bottle is from Bkr. I had seen it around and caved because it is really cute, and I found it on sale. I like that it is made of glass but still feels sturdy, and I dropped it shortly after I started using it and the silicone sleeve protected it perfectly.  I dislike that the spout/opening of the bottle is rather small. There are probably other cheaper, just as aesthetically pleasing glass options out there.
Top - T by Alexander Wang | Pants - Paige Jimmy Jimmy Skinny Boyfriend | Shoes - Paul Green | Water bottle - BKR | Sunglasses - Ray Ban

Romantic Ruffles

I love the romantic detail on this sweater, but it is yet another piece I owe that can't really be layered. The ruffles, like the sweater itself, are made of a fairly thick material, so they create uncomfortable bunching under anything fitted in the shoulder. That being said, I love the ruffles, the color, and the feel of this sweater, so I just bide my time for appropriate weather, and then, boom, all ruffles all day.
Sweater | Banana Republic
Pants | Paige
As an aside - does anyone have care recommendations for their sweaters? I think you aren't supposed to hang them because it can stretch them out, especially in the shoulders, but for one like this, if I fold it and put it in a drawer, it literally takes up a third of the drawer. What would Marie Kondo do?
Some other ruffle options are below:

Bow Wow

The title of this post amuses me, because I am referring to a bow, like rhymes with go (and which is on my shirt), but by putting it next to wow, you instantly think I mean bow like rhymes with now and it is hard to switch your brain back to the other pronunciation.
My evil genius knows no bounds haha.
Just a simple work outfit today, featuring a slightly whimsical tie-front blouse. These flats are also my new favorite work shoes - the Cece ballet flat from J. Crew. I find their pricing to be so erratic, when I bought these a few months ago they were majorly discounted, but now are full price on the website. If they go on sale again I will totally buy more - they are really cute and comfortable. I found they run TTS. 
Top and Cardigan | Random brands from Nordstrom Rack
Pants | Gap Skinny Ankle Pants
Shoes | J. Crew Cece Ballet Flats in Suede
I feel like this print would also fit in nicely on a child's plastic toy.

Thanks for stopping by!

The Best and Worst Ads in the Vogue September Issue; As Decided By Me

I shall be the judge and jury! The September issue of Vogue is out and it is always one of my favorites. This year's issue is huge, and packed full of ads. Since the September issue is always a big deal, brands pull out all the stops, so I thought it'd be fun to see how they did and analyze whose ad jumped out at me. FYI, I excluded all perfume ads from my deliberation because otherwise all the worst ones would be perfume ads. Perfume ads are seriously the strangest things!

What Is Happening With Your Face?
Best:
I don't know if this ad necessarily makes me want to buy Secret, but the image grabbed my attention, and the text made me smile.
 Worst:
This ad is otherwise perfectly fine, and I like the texture of the dress and bag. However, the red lines on her face look like a child was playing on the magazine with lipstick. I feel like they distract me rather than add to the look, and some awesome hair accessory or hairstyle would have been better to punch up the look.

Sullen Models
Best:
To me, these two ladies look cool - I like the outfits, shoes and accessories. I was surprised to see this was Coach, to be honest. Good on you Coach.


Musing on Quality + Saturday Reading


     I consider myself to be part of the generation for whom fast fashion, for better or worse, has had a huge impact on my expectations and relationship with clothes and shopping, and I'm sure the impact will only be greater for those younger than myself. I sometimes hear, from older adults, that our generation doesn't know how to recognize quality and I wonder if that is correct. Do we rely almost exclusively on other things, like name brand, or advertisements, or even fabric content ("well it is 100% silk...")  as a barometer of quality?
    I was thinking about this recently because I dusted off the bag pictured above, to take to a wedding. This evening bag belonged to my grandmother, and was purchased in the 1930's. It is over 80 years old, and has held up like a champ - not a single bead has come loose or fallen off. The few contemporary beaded pieces that I have barely last a few years, much less a few decades. To be fair, it isn't like I use this bag everyday, I save it for special events, but even still, the quality of it impresses me. 
     What do I have, if anything, that will still be in mint condition 100 years from now? Is it unrealistic to expect anything I have still will be? I'd love to hear your thoughts and how you judge the quality of your pieces.

And now, in other news, some articles for your perusal for the long weekend:


1. I adore Stacy London, and I recommend her recent article on fashion, personal style, and aging. (Refinery 29)

2. The striking images above are from a great fall fashion photo shoot New York Magazine did last month. (The Cut)

3. The article titles Racked uses are sometime's so spot on: We Can't Figure Out Amazon's Weird Pricing System. I always check Amazon if there is a specific thing I am trying to find, because I've found that certain sizes are sometimes heavily discounted. However, just browsing that site for clothes/accessories, if you don't know what you want, is terrible. 

4. Last up, an article on the journey of Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia, from Oscar de la Renta, to opening their own label, Monse, and now back to Oscar de la Renta to serve as the creative directors. Turnover at fashion houses has been high, but I'm excited to see what they do. (NYT)

Tweed-y Bird

I have really been branching out lately. I bought my first item of animal print, and now, I have my first piece of tweed!

Recently, I've tried to make a conscious effort to only shop in person, rather than online, and I wonder if that has something to do with it. If I saw this on the J. Crew website, there is no way I'd ever add it to my cart. When I saw it on the final sale rack in the store, however, I was drawn to the color and texture of the dress, as well as the fun fringed sleeve. 

I am wearing a P0, and I think this dress runs a little small. It could be because the fabric has no stretch, but it is fully lined and has pockets.
Dress | J. Crew (on sale) 
This dress has every single color in it!
A summer of firsts - maybe I'll have to give kombucha another try...