Back Story

When we consider wearing a certain outfit, we always look in the mirror. And while we may consider what the back of our clothing looks like, it's not often at the forefront of our shopping decisions. And yet the truth is that people will be seeing us from all different angles- as we approach them and as we walk away. So why not consider some pieces that are just as interesting (if not more so) from the back? Of course, my fabulous plaid dress has a cool exposed zipper in the back, so you already know I practice what I preach:

But while you may admire me for my honesty and integrity, that doesn't exactly help you find your own clothing with interesting back details, does it? Well, lucky for you, I'm a whiz at finding cool stuff on the internet and this case is no exception. 

BCBGMaxAzria Belted Jacquard Dress, Nordstrom, $278.00

C&C California Crochet Back Maxi Dress, Zappos, $128.00

Sparkle & Fade Knit Bow Back Dress, Urban Outfitters, $48.00

Penumbra Knot Back Dress, Revolve Clothing, $130.00

Oolong Blend Top, Modcloth, $42.99

Cooperative Bow Back Dress, Urban Outfitters, $79.00

Aiko Short Sleeve Gallant Bow Back Dress, Bloomingdale's, $188.00

Carolina Herrera Origami Back Dress, Bergdorf Goodman, $2790.00

Carmen Marc Valvo Chiffon Drape Back Dress, Neiman Marcus, $680

Bevv-B, Steve Madden, $99.95

Sam Edelman Lorissa Spike Pump, Revolve Clothing, $200

Whether it's interesting draping, an exposed zipper, beadwork, or cut-outs, whether its a dress, blouse, skirt or a pair of shoes, consider wearing something with an interesting back detail, and your departure will be as interesting as your arrival no matter what the occasion. 

The Problem With Being a Clutz...

... is that sometimes due to your clutziness, you end up breaking your toe the morning of a job interview. And the problem with being stubborn and living by the mantra, "Beauty Hurts," is that you end up shoving your (likely) broken toe into a pair of fabulous high heels (that truly do make your whole outfit, by the way) and then hobbling off to the interview. As much as I wanted to get a photo of my fabulous interview outfit today, it just did not happen. Yes, I slammed my foot into the wall this morning, like an idiot. And yes, I put the heels on anyway, wondering why nearly 30 minutes after slamming my toe, it was still in excruciating pain. I managed to walk normally into and out of the interview and was even offered the job on the spot! (More on that soon.) But when I got home, it was not only pouring rain outside and terrible lighting inside, but I was absolutely DYING to get those shoes off. As soon as I kicked them off, my little left pinky toe started to swell. It's still throbbing. I don't know if it's broken, but it sure does hurt, so I can't imagine it's not broken. I've never broken a toe, so I have nothing to compare it to, but like I said, it sure does hurt.

I not only kicked off those heels, I also jumped right into a new pair of Life is Good sweatpants that my brother brought home for me last night. I've been in them ever since and my fabulous outfit is upstairs strewn across my bed where I left it when I changed. Maybe if the weather (and my toe) improves later in the week, I'll try to snap a photo for you.

So as not to leave this as a completely fashion-devoid and disappointing post, here's something fun and fashionable for you:

Urban Outfitters is having a sale with all sorts of items for only $9.99! Check it out here. I kind of like these cheap-o items:

Mixed Media Pleated Earrings, $9.99

Matte Plastic Round Frame Sunglasses, $4.99

Deena & Ozzy Ludlow Oxford, $14.99

Happy bargain shopping, everyone!

Shoesday Tuesday- I'm back!

After an incredibly busy couple of days, I am happy to announce I am back to blogging! Friday morning was spent doing final cleaning and packing preparations in my Pennsylvania apartment. Friday afternoon was spent picking up the truck and the car tow-carrier, then we had to figure out how to take the carrier off the hitch, then pack the truck, then figure out how to get the car up ON the carrier and attached to the truck again. It was not easy and I would never have managed without some amazing friends helping me out. You guys know who you are! After we finished the packing and car-towing situation, a couple of friends sat with me on the floor of my empty living room with sandwiches and a bottle of wine for a "house cooling." I'd never heard that term before, but I kind of like it.

Saturday morning I was up bright and early putting the last few items in the truck and then I made the eight hour drive up to New Hampshire. I made excellent time and it was (thankfully) an uneventful drive. It only took about an hour to unload the truck, and take my car off the tow. I really wish I'd taken a picture, because even now I find it hard to believe that I did the drive with the truck and my car towed behind it all by myself! I had to get gas twice along the route and of course I had to navigate the tolls and highways. It was definitely stressful. I kept thinking I'd look in the mirror and my car would be gone! Fortunately, that never happened. Everything arrived in one piece and now I'm happily settled back home.

So that explains why I didn't blog on Friday or Saturday, but it's Tuesday, so what's my excuse for Sunday and Monday, right? Well, Sunday was spent first at church and then at an afternoon gathering with several families from church. My mom is so excited for me to be back in the area, she promised the hosts I would attend. She enjoys showing off her kids. After a delicious meal of pasta with meatballs, sauce, garlic bread, salad and some decadent desserts, I finally went home and spent the rest of the evening unpacking and organizing. Since I was so organized with my packing, it was pretty simple to unpack it all. Unfortunately, I went from having two large closets in my bedroom to one medium-sized closet. I managed to find a place for everything without feeling too cramped. Monday was another day for socializing- my friend Amy and her husband were up in Boston for a couple of days, so we spent the entire day walking most of the Freedom Trail. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I'd never walked it before, but now that I have, I definitely recommend it if you are in the area. It's a great way to see a LOT of Boston and get a little history lesson, too. My favorite stop on the trip was Paul Revere's house, mostly because it's in the North End, so it's not far from Italian restaurants and pastry shops full of all sorts of decadent and delicious things. Yum!

So that brings us to Tuesday, and I'm back on the laptop, posting a blog. But I can't post only about the last four days of moving and socializing. Nope, it's Shoesday Tuesday, so I have to show you a pair of the most beautiful t-strap two-tone heels I've seen in a long time:

While at Quincy Market (basically the mid-point of the Freedom Trail), we took a little detour into one of the many shops. Our stop? Urban Outfitters, of course. These two-tone wing-tips took my breath away- I fell in love. I did, however, exercise restraint. At $48 for the pair, it was not an easy thing to do. If you want a pair of these for yourself, they're available online as well.

I considered justifying the purchase by telling myself I could wear them to my job interview this week (yes, isn't that exciting?!?! A job interview!!!). But even I know how deluded an idea that was when I consider that I haven't even decided on an outfit, so how could I possibly justify buying a new pair of shoes at this point? Maybe after I get the job, I'll consider buying them for myself as a reward. Time will tell. In the meantime, I've just stressed myself out over picking an outfit for the interview, so I'm gonna end this post and head up to my cramped closet to figure it out. Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Shoesday Tuesday- Shoe Karma

You all know how I'm obsessed with lace- up oxfords, right? I've posted about them quite a few times. And there was the pair from Urban's that I ended up getting and absolutely loving. I wore them around NYC right before my vacation and nearly ruined them. I got caught in a downpour and they ended up saturated in grimy, city rainwater. Gross. Also, walking millions of city blocks in them wore away at the delicate fabric and I ended up with dramatic wear on the sides near the soles. Both huge bummers. I managed to clean the grime out by washing them, but they just haven't been the same since. It's a sad story, I know.

Anyway, I toyed around with the idea of ordering a new pair. As of the end of my vacation, they were still available on Urban's website, but something kept me from buying a new pair. I just had a nagging feeling that it wasn't the right thing to do. Since then, my black ballet flats from Target have been making more frequent appearances in my day-to-day attire. Then, while out shopping for work today, I experience what can only be described as oxford euphoria. Remember the oxfords with the delicate cut-out detail that I loved so much a few months ago? I blogged about them here, but in case you don't feel like hopping back to that post, here's a picture to refresh your memory:

I DIE.

No joke, I've never really stopped loving these oxfords. So, back to my shoe karma story:

I was on a mission for work today. I was trying to hunt down a fabulous gown for the show I'm designing. I drove all over creation while on this mission visiting millions of stores. Well, really just central Pennsylvania and only about a dozen stores, but it felt like a lot more. I ended up at the KOP mall (my favorite)- specifically Bloomingdale's. I remembered that there was a spectacular formalwear department there, which is what drew me in, but what I ended up with was not an amazing gown. I ended up with my favorite cut-out oxfords of all time! They were originally $130 when I saw them months ago. When I bought them today, I paid $40.77. That's right. Nearly 70% off the original price. Oh, snap! If that wasn't fate, I don't know what is. Don't you just love happy endings?

Boston Day Trip, Antiquing and Bringing Back Gloves.

Yesterday was a fabulous vacation day. I drove down to Boston to see one of my very best friends. Since moving to Pennsylvania, I haven't been to Boston, so I was long overdue for a visit to my favorite city. We started off the day at a HUGE antique store-five enormous floors of antiques. We spent hours going through the booths and peering into the glass cases full of jewelry. There were SO many interesting things to see- so many items that I wanted to incorporate into an outfit or to use as inspiration for a new garment.

One accessory that I was continually drawn to were vintage gloves. As Beth pointed out, Betty Draper wears them. And we know how I feel about Betty Draper's clothes! Anyway, we decided that it is time to bring back the gloves. So I bought a pair to match the Bouchard Original I happened to.be wearing and put them on for our walk to the North End (to pick up cannoli from Mike's Pastry).  

I plan to wear them again soon, and especially once I can get a few more pair. So what do you think? Am I crazy? Did the musty air in the antique shop get to my head? Or is this a great trend to bring back? Look closely at the picture of Beth and I and you will see the coral wrist gloves I am wearing. I felt that since this is kind of an "out-there" fashion choice that I would break my rule about matching accessories to the outfit. I decided to select a pretty color that blended in with the print of my dress. Beth also looked fabulous yesterday in a new chambray skirt from Urban Outfitters.

Overall, my vacation has been very enjoyable. I have a trip to the seacoast planned for today, where I hope to eat a lobster roll. (All my vacation plans revolve around food.)

Happy Monday, everyone!

Back to the Ladies

Ladies- I know I've been focusing on guys fashion for the last few days, but don't worry- today it's all about you. I'm back to womens wear for at last today.

Anyway, I was persuing ModCloth tonight, looking for a new pair of lace-up oxfords. After a brutal day in New York City yesterday, my cut-out oxfords from Urban Outfitters are pretty much trashed. I'm really sad about it, but I figured I could buy an exact replacement pair OR I could shop around and see if I find something I like better. Honestly, there aren't many out there in the same price range that are as fabulous as the originals, so I will likely stick with them. But that's not the point. The point is that after I visited ModCloth's shoe department looking for potential replacement oxfords, I hopped on over to the skirts section and found this beauty:

In a State of Suspense Skirt, ModCloth, $56.99

I'm in love. It would be adorable with a cute pair of heels and a simple black top. Since the skirt is so stunning, I'd keep the rest of the outfit simple and allow it to be the focal point of the outfit. Did I mention that I love it?

I'm on vacation as of tomorrow and I'm hoping not to break the bank by shopping too much while I'm away, but time will tell! At the very least I need to replace my oxfords, which really shouldn't count towards new clothing purchases since they're a replacement set, right? Aside from the shoes, there's nothing I can think of that I really "need." Of course that hasn't stopped the shopping in the past and I'm sure it will be the same in the future. And when I'm on vacation, there's no stopping the shopping! I see different friends and family each day, and everyone wants to do the same thing- shop! Of course, I have NO problem obliging, but I'm sure my checking account would appreciate it if I curbed my enthusiasm just a bit. The good news is that whatever I buy will eventually end up on the blog, so it's not only clothing, it's inspiration!

My posts may be a bit erratic while I'm on vacation, but I will probably be able to post at least a couple of times over the next week. Enjoy the rest of your week, everyone!

Romper Rave

My fabulously stylish friend Amy emailed me today about some super adorable rompers she recently added to her wardrobe and they were far too cute for me not to share them on the blog. First, the rompers:

Silence & Noise Knot Front Romper, and BDG Strapless Tie Front Romper

$48 each at Urban Outfitters

She wrote:
"Any thoughts on accessorizing the first one? I'm thinking maybe a belt around my waist...I'd like to be able to do some casual stuff and have a few dressy night-out options w/ it for the summer... Do you think the romper trend is heinous?? I know you don't support the 80's style revival but...some of them are so cute!!"

Ok, for the record, it's not that I don't support the 80's style revival, it's that 1.) We should only be reviving the style choices of the 80's that were actually good and 2.) We should be updating and modernizing them, not just regurgitating them. And now I'm stepping down off my soapbox...

To answer Amy's question, I decided to make a couple of collages.

On-a-casual-afternoon-date:

Gladiator Sandal, Flirt Catalog, $34.50

Skinny Faux Leather Belt, Forever 21, $4.80

Jenna Hobo, Nine West, $39.99

Stringy Chain Earrings, Forever 21, $3.80

Blurred Bangle, Forever 21, $5.80

This may seem like a lot of accessories, but they are all pretty neutral and therefore allow the amazing detail on the neckline to really be the star of the outfit. That's also the reason I've left out a necklace as a styling option. With such a strong detail like the super cool pleated knot on the bodice, it's important to let it be the star and not wear anything that will compete with it.

Hipster-at-the-farmer's-market:

Metallic Stripe Ombre Scarf, Old Navy, $12.50

Joan & David "Zena" Flat, Nordstrom, $99

Kurt VonnegutPop Art Canvas Tote Bag, Etsy, $16

Ok, so maybe the only thing that make this outfit hipster-esque is the Vonnegut tote bag, but I couldn't resist. Sue me.

Night-out-on-the-town:

Drop Earrings, Aldo, $10

Metal Bangles, Old Navy, $9.50

Textured Platform Pump, Make Me Chic, $26.70

Alligator Pattern Front-Flap Clutch, Stacie's Gifts, $37.50

Once again, the romper is the star of the outfit- every accessory is neutral without being too match-y. The simple gold jewelry glams up the oufit and in those platform heels, your legs will look amazing.

What do you think of the romper trend? Love it? Hate it? Have a million in your closet already?

Thanks to Amy for the inspiration for this post. I'm looking forward to seeing a picture of her in her romper to post on the blog! No pressure, Amy, but I think we'd all enjoy it!

UO Oxfords- Update with an outfit

BETH N.- this post is dedicated to YOU and your hatred of the oxford trend. (Don't you feel special- you've got a blog post dedicated just to you! XOXO)

If you follow my blog, you know that I'm obsessed with the oxford shoe trend and that yesterday I received my pair of Kimchi Blue cut-out oxfords from Urban Outfitters. I immediately snapped a few photos of them:

Even looking at them now, I'm just completely enamored of these shoes. As Rachel Zoe would say, I die. Last week sometime I wrote a post about the oxford trend- how pairing it with a feminine, flirty dress creates the perfect balance of masculine and feminine. Click here to be taken to that post. If you don't feel like clicking around the blog, have no fear for I have created a very similar outfit to the one featured in that post using (you guessed it) my new oxfords!

First of all, these are the most perfect oxfords EVER because they have a large cutout on the instep that helps minimize the masculinity. It also makes them a lot more summery. They are perfect, also, because they are nude, so even though they are trendy, they're still essentially an innocuous accessory. Since they are flats, I paired them with a dress that 1.) hits slightly ABOVE the knee and 2.) floats away from the body. In other words, a dress that accentuates my legs even without heels.

So, Beth, if you weren't convinced before that oxfords can be totally fabulous, what do you think now? Have I made a good case?

And finally, for your entertainment, the out-takes on this photo shoot. You can see I'm standing on some sort of concrete tunnel wall opening. Well, the camera was on a steep incline facing down toward the concrete structure. I set the timer and then slipped and skidded down the hill, hopped up onto the concrete and then stride to "strike a pose" before the timer ran out. It must have looked pretty hilarious to my neighbors!

Oops! Didn't quite make it in time!

This one's a great shot of the shoes, but I cut off my head zooming in too far! D'oh!

I got sick of slipping up and down the hill, so finally I switched locations to in front of this tree. It's not quite as pretty as yesterday's tree, but it'll do.

Have a great day everyone! And don't forget to leave up to three comments on the giveaway post to be entered to win a cool leather cuff!

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.

I found them...

Remember my love affair with these oxfords?

I tried them on at Nordstrom and fell in love, but they cost over $130, so they were WAY beyond my budget. I've been dreaming of them ever since. Then the other day my BFF called and told me to immediately get a copy of People Magazine's Style Watch issue. I did. She said it was chock full of so many great things I just had to see it. She was right. I encourage each and every one of you to go get a copy of this magazine. It's so wonderful. Shoes, bags, dresses, tops, jeans, jewelry- it's got everything a girl could ask for. Including... (drum roll please)... these from Urban Outfitters:

Are these beautiful or what? I actually love the large cut-out. I think they're very feminine and for an oxford shoe, that's quite an achievement. And the best thing about them? They are $38! Less than half the cost of the Bloch's from Nordstrom! I admit, I bought them immediately. Sometimes I have no self control. But can you blame me? Really?