Proof

Jacket | Veda
Dress | Rebecca Taylor
Clutch | Reed Krakoff x Kohls
Shoes | Matt Bernson

      I went to a wedding this past weekend, and was finally able to take a few photos of this dress! I mentioned it as one of my favorite purchases of 2017, but hadn't taken any photos of it previously. 
     It is a dark navy with metallic thread embellishments, and has a three-tired skirt that floats and moves in any breeze. I had planned to wear a pair of four-inch red suede heels (and a coordinating red lip) but an hour before heading out there was a short downpour, with a looming threat of more rain. I figured flats were more practical, as I'm not very graceful in heels to begin with. A leather jacket and blue and black color-blocked clutch finished off the outfit. 

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!

Upgrade

Jacket | Veda
Dress | A.L.C.

I originally was wearing a black cardigan with this outfit but I thought it looked a little bland. So, before I headed out the door I reached for this trusted leather jacket, which I think was a more fun and polished choice. 

    This dress is by A.L.C., and before I stumbled across them on the RealReal, I was not really familiar with the brand. Since then, I've come to admire the way they do prints, and now have a few of their pieces, including printed silk pants, which is not an article of clothing I thought I would ever purchase. 
      A.L.C. is the brainchild of stylist-turned-designed Andrea Liberman. I'm sure you are familiar with her styling work because she was the stylist responsible for putting J.Lo in the famous green Versace dress that she wore to the Grammys in 2000. You can read a short "day in the life" piece about Andrea here (I always love reading these and feel like people who do them always get up early). I generally find the sizing to be TTS, although all of their tanks are too big in the bust for me, and so I either have to get the straps shortened, or they show my bra on the side. The pricing is also pretty varied, the dresses (which are usually 100% silk, which is great) retail for several hundred dollars, but I got this one on the RealReal for less than $50, so I think there are certainly deals out there to be had. 

Do you have any brands that, once you found them, have become a wardrobe staple? 

Back in Black

It's been cold and overcast, and I've retreated to a sleek, black look. I'm excited for this year to be over, and I'm looking forward to putting together a look at my best (and, more interesting) my worst purchases from 2016. 
Something that definitely will not be on the worst list (aside from the fact that I got it in 2014), is this jacket. I bought it as a gift for myself at the start of a big life achievement, and then was too scared to wear it for another 6 months because I didn't want anything to happen to it and I can be overly precious with my clothes sometimes. Clearly I got over that fear, which is good, because I needed this jacket to add some edge to an otherwise very feminine wrap dress (last seen when I was channeling Lorelai Gilmore). I added a beanie, gloves, and my walking-to-work shoes, and I was ready for the gloom.  

Jacket | Veda Max Classic in P
Dress | BCBGeneration
Shoes | Asics Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66
Bag | Cuyana

Seen here with my commuting shoes.

It looks good unzipped or with the collar popped.

Leather Jackets As The New Cardigan?

I've started wearing leather jackets in the office, the way that I would normally wear a blazer or a cardigan. I think it definitely is more casual, but I think it is also just plain cooler. I try to pick well-fitting and streamlined leather jackets so the fact that I'm wearing outerwear, indoors, is less noticeable. 

Top | SFMOMA Calder T-shirt
Jacket | Veda (last styled here)
Pants | DL1961

Up the Steps

I love summer. It might not be warm yet in the Bay Area (hence the jacket), but when the sun is out and shining, it feels like we are almost there!

 

Top last worn with the matching pants, here.

I've been looking for a comfortable and well-made pair of flats with a little bit of personality, that I can wear on the weekend or to work. Talk about a tall order - I tried about five other flats before I tried the Pinky by Coclico. I've sung the brand's praises before, and so far, I like their flats as much as I like their heels. 

Thrift Tuesday - May 17

Welcome to the first installation of Thrift Tuesday!
Much of my wardrobe is made up of clothing purchased secondhand, either from thrift, consignment or other resale stores, and I wanted to use this weekly segment to highlight some of the pieces I've found recently. It can take a little more work to find gems when shopping secondhand, but, as I enjoy the thrill of the hunt, I say bring it on.

Tibi Slip Dress - Crossroads Trading Co. 

Retail: $395

Paid: $37.50 (paid for with CTC giftcard)

This print of this dress is what first caught my eye. I wasn't sure a slip dress would be a good look for me, as I am not curvy and the cut of a slip dress is very straight up-and-down. I think, in this case, the bright, repeating pattern adds visual interest that keeps it from looking so shapeless or like actual sleepwear. I also added the leather jacket to give it some edge. 

I found this hanging up in the top row of a Crossroads Trading Co. I'm not if they do this in all the Crossroads, or just the few I have been in, but there are usually a few pieces that are hung up around the perimeter of store, almost hanging from the ceiling. Usually these are "nicer" brands, items that are more expensive, and pieces often in excellent condition. This dress was no exception, and I was pleased to see that it was 100% silk, and fully lined.

Until next week, here are a few other slip dress and leather jacket options, arranged from lower to higher priced.