St. Patrick's Day Fashion

On a day where so many proudly wear obnoxious green outfits, I'm here to tell you that you can dress in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day without looking like a fool. Last year, I incorporated all the colors of Ireland- green, orange and white, into a fun spring outfit. You can do that, or stick with just green, but regardless, try to do it in a stylish way that  maintains the spirit of the day, but also keeps you looking chic. 

Gardens of Versailles Dress, Modcloth, $119.99

Clover Cadence Dress, Modcloth, $57.99

BCBGMaxAzria Print Top, 6PM, $58

Cooking Show Top, Modcloth, $39.99 

Organic Zip-Front Jacket, Fair Indigo, $44.95

Cuff Bracelet, Etsy, $15

Orange Flower Cuff, Etsy, $8

Handmade Chrysoprase Teardrop Necklace, Etsy, $110 

I didn't forget the men, either: 

Poplin Shirt, Old Navy, $20 

Chill Cap, Life is Good, $20 

Of course, the choices for women are a lot more varied than for men. I love simple green and white printed clothes- they look so bright and summer-y. Of course, St. Patrick's Day in New England this year will likely be in the 40-degree range, maybe as high as 50 if we're lucky, but I'm skeptical. The point is, I just might need a bright green print to keep the winter doldrums away! What about you? How did you dress on this St. Patrick's Day? 

Casual Renee

There is photographic proof that I do not ALWAYS get dressed up. It's true. Like when I walked the Freedom Trail on Monday:

Here I am in the Boston Common, just starting the trail I didn't get a photo of the whole outfit, but it's one of my favorite Life is Good long-sleeve t-shirts and my skinnies. I cuffed them up and wore them with comfortable sneakers. It ended up being pretty sunny and since I was still sporting the "six eyes" look because I was still on pink eye medication, I ended up buying a ball cap to shield my eyes from the sun:

In this photo, I just got some good news, so my friend Amy thought that would make a great photo. I agree! You can see my lovely new $7 (bargain!) ball cap that I bought from a street vendor to keep the sun out of my eyes. It worked like a dream. And as my other friend Aaron pointed out, it matches my shirt. I swear, I did that completely by accident.

So there you have it: proof that I can dress down. Believe it or not, there are people who have asked if I am capable of doing it. Happy Wednesday everyone!

Shoesday Tuesday- Vacation is over

So, tomorrow I begin my 7 1/2 hour drive back to Central Pennsylvania. I will likely post all of my shopping booty from this trip as the week continues, but I just have to tell you that one amazing purchase includes a pair of cream high-heel cowboy boots that are wicked awesome. ("Wicked" is a term New Englanders use to mean "very, very, very." Ex. "Those boots are wicked pissah.") I also got some interesting vintage pieces (like the gloves from the other day), a whole slew of Life is Good garb, as well as a cute outfit from TJ Maxx, and a fabulous sun hat from Marshalls. The best find ever was the boots, though and I'll tell you why when I post an outfit with them.

My vacation consisted mostly of eating delicious food, shopping, and spending time with friends and family. I got to spend some quality time with a lot of good friends who I haven't seen in a long time, so even without all the great shopping, I consider this vacation one of the best I've had. Also, I did manage to eat cannoli and gelato from the North End of Boston, a lobster roll from a dive-y seafood stand (where the best seafood is always served), and ice cream from my favorite ice cream stand (Memories in Exeter, NH). I like to revolve my vacations around food and shopping. Doesn't everyone? I particularly enjoyed eating foods that are regional treats. Central PA has some good food, but I would never in a million years order a lobster roll there.

Anyway, I encourage each and every one of you to take a trip to New England when you have a chance. Not only is there delicious seafood (find the most run-down ramshackle-looking roadside stand near the seacoast for the good stuff), but it's beautiful (mountains, seacoast and a lakes region) and full of wonderful cultural events (like Red Sox games and county fairs). But bring the bug spray or those new clip-on bug repellant things (the black flies are wicked brutal). For breakfast, find a mom & pop diner and make sure to get real NH (or VT) maple syrup on your pancakes. Parker's Maple Barn is a favorite place of mine (order the Parker's Special with the deep fried French toast (deep fried!!!) or the daily pancake- either choice is a winner). Take a day hike up Mount Monadnock- (the most frequently hiked mounted in the word- we recently surpassed Mount Fuji for that coveted title, although the website has yet to be updated) on a clear day you can see all the way to Boston. Speaking of Boston, take a morning to walk the Freedom Trail, then grab lunch in the North End (it'll be cheaper than dinner) followed by a quick trip to Mike's Pastry to stock up on chocolate chip cannoli (get at least half a dozen- you can thank me later). After lunch, if the weather is still nice, take a walk along the Charles River. Check the schedule of the Boston Pops- they may have an outdoor concert on the esplanade. Our Fourth of July concert is legendary and traditionally ends with a performance of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture complete with real cannons and the bells from the Old North Church (which you saw and learned about on the Freedom Trail earlier).

And do it all wearing one of these:

"Wicked Pissah" men's t-shirt, $18.95

 

"Wicked Pissah" ladies t-shirt, $17.99

Just kidding- you might look like a tourist trying to fit in if you wear one of those t-shirts. Instead, if you really want to blend in, drop your "r's" (pahk the cah at hahvahd yahd) and definitely wear one of these:

Yankee Hater t-shirt, $26

Yankee Hater hat, $9.95 (sale price)

Don't you love how they've taken the Yankee's logo and changed the "N" out for an "H?" Clever, right?  Malicious, but clever. And Red Sox fans are nothing if not clever, malicious. Anyway, to pull off the the true Yankee Hater look, wear either the t-shirt or the hat, but not both. You don't want to look like you're trying too hard.

Anyway, I can't tell you enough how much I love New England- just the other day a Boston driver honked his horn at me and it made me smile. So I cut him off and slowed down. It's the New England way.

Life is Good

Before I started working full time in theatre, I had a 9-to-5 office job where I basically worked as a recruiter, interviewing people, and placing them in various positions at my client companies. It was interesting work for a while, but definitely not a career for me. At least not at that point in my life. Anyway, while I was working there, my younger brother needed a job and I ended up placing him with one of my favorite clients- Life is Good. He's been there ever since (about 7 years). One of the perks of having a brother who works for a clothing company is that I get a lot of their clothes cheap and even free on a pretty regular basis. (Of course, the fact that I helped him get the job is a great incentive for him to keep me stocked up on the goods.) However, you don't see these clothes on the blog all that often, since they are mostly super casual clothes that I tend to wear working out, or hiking, or kayaking, or basically doing things that don't really require very fashionable clothes. I understand that my style of dress isn't necessarily practical for every lifestyle, and some people need to wear far more casual clothing on a regular basis. I joke around that I dress like I'm going to a cocktail party every day of my life. Not everyone wants to look that way as mch as I do. For those people, I highly recommend Life is Good. It's another company that has great products paired with a good cause. The amount of community service and charity work done by this company is enormous. I also appreciate their tag line: "Do what you like. Like what you do." And to top it off, their clothes are the softest, most comfortable pieces you'll ever encounter. Their tees and tanks are perfect for layering and they come in pretty colors with interesting print details as well as basic solids. A few of my favorites:

Bigwater Daisy Creamy Tee, $30

Wildbunch Organic Tee, $35

Singing Heart Tee, $30

Guitar Tank, $20

Another LIG product I love is the "shortie cap," a baseball cap with a smaller, "shorter" visor. They are so adorable and much more flattering than a regular ball cap. The small  visor is daintier, more feminine and flattering on just about any face. I wear mine all the time if I'm going to be out in the sun hiking, kayaking, or even at a backyard barbeque.

Shortie Cap, $25

Over the years, I've managed to collect a bunch of their hats- bucket hats, visors, etc., but my favorite is definitely the shortie. Because Life is Good makes quality clothing, their pieces are suitable for any casual situation. Here's a perfect set of his and hers outfits for a backyard BBQ, a walk in the park, a day on the golf course or even an afternoon running errands around town:

Hers:

Radiant Sun Tee, $30

Women's Witty Cropped Pant, $60

Shortie Cap, $25

Tattoo Guitar Tote, $35

His:

Good Vibes Tee, $35

Khaki Shorts, $50

Retro Scally Cap, $25

Football, $20

The key to looking polished in casual cothes is to make sure they are fitted and neat. Take the time to press your khaki cargo shorts, toss your tee into the dryer for a minute to get out the wrinkles, or even run a warm iron over it. Sometimes just hanging it in the bathroom while you shower will do the trick- the steam helps release the wrinkles. All too often, people wear oversize t-shirts and sweatshirts and end up looking sloppy and disheveled. Choose tees and tanks that are fitted and you'll always look better, I promise. You can always wear a pair of wedge sandals instead of flip-flops to help elevate the look, too. Add some casual jewelry like a wooden bangle bracelet or a leather cuff to keep the look from being too generic and you'll be stylish even at the most casual event.

Shoesday Tuesday- Redemption

Do you ever start your day off in a really foul mood for no good reason other than you're just not looking forward to what your day holds (or what you think your day holds)? That was me today. I woke up earlier than I like to in order to go to work to do the part of my job I enjoy the least. I started off the day with a bad attitude. I struggled with it all day, but in the end, I couldn't help but cheer up and here are my three reasons for why I just couldn't stay cranky. But first, my outfit today:

Jeans & t-shirt: Old Navy

Sneakers: Converse

Hat: Life is Good

Sometimes basic is best. It's funny because jeans and a white t-shirt actually feels kind of sexy. Well, until I layer on braids and a ball cap. The pink Converse help keep it light-hearted and girly at least. Anyway, it's not my best look, but it's comfy. After taking this photo I headed off to work where my bad mood was foiled.

Reason #1 I couldn't stay cranky: Midway through the day I ended up accompanying a few other coworkers to scout a location for a video shoot we're doing later in the week. While there, we discovered this tree:

That's my other boss, Matthew, clowning around for the camera. Isn't this tree GORGEOUS?!?! How can you NOT smile when you look at it? It's amazing!

Reason #2 I couldn't stay cranky: Ben & Jerry's Boston Cream Pie Ice Cream. Many of you may not know that I started blogging with a humble blog about ice cream. I'd say it's a bit of a passion of mine. I eat it year round and Ben & Jerry's is at the top of the list. To read my ice cream blog (which has strayed from just ice cream to include whatever I find delicious, click here.)

There is one way to describe this ice cream: life changing. After eating life-changing ice cream, how could I possibly stay cranky?

Reason #3 I could not stay cranky: New shoes! It is Shoesday Tuesday, so isn't appropriate that when I got home from work today my new Urban Outfitters cut-out oxfords were waiting? They are SO adorable! I love them!

I can't wait to wear them with one of my sundresses. What I like about these shoes is that they are barely there, much like a ballet flat, but they have the lace-up detail that makes them more oxford-esque without being masculine. The raised dots on the fabric are super cute and also help to keep them more feminine. That's the key with oxfords- you have to find a pair that is feminine and light enough that you don't look like you are actually wearing clunky chunky mens shoes.

So there you have it- the three reasons of the day why I could not possibly stay cranky. Is there anythng out there that just forces you to smile and be positive no matter how foul your mood? For me, it's obviously something pretty, something tasty and shoes.