Anthropologie

I absolutely adore Anthropologie's amazing dresses, but I am often even more enamored of the artful way they photograph the clothing. I received a catalog in the mail the other day and fell in love with this photo:

Everything, from the slightly distressed wood on the floor and bed, to the wall coverings, to the light from the window, to the door that stands ajar, to the bright red of the model's lip color- it's all just perfect. Even though the model is clearly posed, it still feels like a shot that involves action of some kind, but instead of motion within the photo, it's the movement of the viewer as we enter the room. It's brilliant. Not brilliant enough for me to buy the dress, though. In fact, this one caught my eye without the artful presentation:

Stemmed Sweetbriar Dress, $168

First of all, it's precious. Second, I adore the shoulder detail and the fact that it's asymmetrical. And you know I'm a sucker for florals and this shade of blue, so when they are combined, I can hardly restrain myself.

Another fabulous Anthro item is this adorable purse:

Finely Glazed Bag, $148

At first I found myself falling in love with this bag, but then I realized it was just the brightly printed scarf tied into a whimsical bow that I was really drawn to. And since that's the case, I don't have to drop $148 on a bag when I could just buy a scarf for $10 and tie it onto any bag in my close. The central placement of the bow is rather appealing, but even with a scarf tied around the handle, it would still offer the same vibe as this one and in a way that keeps my checking account intact. 

Of course, there are the occasional items that don't break the bank. These beauties are all on sale right now, so snatch 'em up while you still can.

From the Earth Sunhat, $29.95 (was $48)

I love hats, especially wide-brim hats that shade my face from the harsh rays of the sun. I have incredibly sensitive skin on my face, so I've recently invested in a few wide-brim hats to help combat the UV rays. This one would be a wonderful addition to my arsenal.

Garden Variety Sunglasses, $9.95

Of course, if the sun is bright enough that I need a hat, I probably also need some shades. I am still on the over-size lens trend, even though aviators and wayfarers are more en vogue these days. Sometimes it's okay to ignore a trend, especially if the previous one really works for you. These days I'm sporting a pair of Jackie O. shades in black. The frames are round and wide and I love them. Maybe they'll make their way on to the blog one of these days.

Mirasol Wingtips, $49.95

You all know how much I love my lace-up oxfords- flats, heels, cut-outs, leather, fabric, whatever- I adore them. And these have such a lovely feminine vibe to them. Maybe it's how they're so open- they show a bit more of the foot and ankle. And of course the vibrant red is just to die for. Too bad they're not available in my size, or they'd be on there way to my door right now!

Gilded Lily Skirt, $39.95

I adore this skirt not only for it's flattering silhouette and interesting layers, but also because it's incredibly versatile. While shiny fabrics aren't always my first choice, this one is more sheen than shine- it's a cotton/linen blend and as such it can be dressed up or dressed down, depending on your mood or your situation. A beaded top and strappy heels would dress it up, while a simple tank with lace trim and pretty ballet flats would just as easily dress it down. It's also essentially a neutral color, so you could pair just about anything with it. Once again, as my size is not available, it will not be visiting my closet anytime soon, but that doesn't mean you can't have it!

Happy Friday, everyone! Enjoy your weekend and try to stay cool!

Team Jacob?

Shoe Dazzle just cracks me up- their latest promotion rides on the tailcoat of the multi-billion-dollar franchise known as the Twilight Saga. Just to set the record straight, I HAVE read the books and seen the movies. In fact, just last night I went to see Eclipse. I'm Team Edward all the way and proud of it. Why on earth Kristen Stewart would want to keep that relationship a secret, I'll never know. If I was dating Edward Cullen, I'd be all, "That's right! Look at me!" And make fun all you like of the Twi-hards, but Stephanie Meyer is laughing all the way to the bank. I wouldn't mind cashing in on something THAT successful, you know what I mean?

But enough about that, back to Shoe Dazzle. They asked Twilight celebrity Stylist Melis Kuris to select two shoes and two sets of jewelry, inspired by Team Edward and Team Jacob. Each Shoe Dazzle member is then offered one in her showroom. Apparently Shoe Dazzle and Melis think I'm Team Jacob. Patrice is the shoe that showed up in my showroom:

Along with Call of the Wild:

I don't mind Patrice, but there's no way I'm spending $39.95 on a cheap set of bracelets with matching earrings. Honestly, WHO matches their jewelry anymore except 6-year-old girls and women over the age of 60? And what about faux rhinestones reminds you of a boho, earthy style? I'm puzzled. Perhaps the most entertaining aspect of this selection was the first sentence of the description of Patrice:

"Woodsy and wild, Patrice is feral in faux snakeskin and raffia."

I don't know about you, but somehow "feral" isn't how I want my shoes to be described. Images of dirty, wild cats come to mind. It's unfortunate because the shoes are actually pretty fierce, but I was turned off by those five little letters. I didn't get a close look at the Team Edward options, but the original email I received notifying me of this additional selection in my showroom had a picture of a black faux-leather cut-out bootie with a black rhinestone and pewter necklace and earring set. They seemed to be the standard gothic vampire cliche, which isn't really my style (nor is it the Cullen's, which is odd). Not that the Team Jacob options had me swooning, either.

Anyway, I think this might be another month of opting out of Shoe Dazzle's selections. They must be sick me by now, constantly rejecting their shoes. Sorry, Kim Kardashian- I'm just not feeling it right now. You were closer with your SATC2-inspired selections.

Best Accessory EVER

Please forgive the less than flattering angle on this photograph- I merely want to show you all the BEST ACCESSORY I HAVE EVER WORN:

Look closely and you will see my backstage pass to the Ringo Starr concert that played at AMT on Tuesday. I need to frame that sucker. And yes, I did get to meet Ringo, very briefly. Then I listened to his soundcheck and then I watched the concert which was fabulous. Never in my life did I ever expect to hear a Beatle sing live. When he sang "Yellow Submarine" and "A Little Help from My Friends," it was absolutely surreal. I'm only 31 years old. When the Beatles came to America, my parents hadn't even met. It would be another fifteen years before I was born. I've always been a Beatles fan, but I never imagined I would get to hear one sing only 100 feet away from me, much less meet him. Ringo sang a few songs down front, but for much of the concert he played his Ludwig drum kit, the same style kit he played with the Beatles. Of course the Beatles logo on the bass drum has been replaced with a star. It's funny- one of my coworkers said he felt chills when he heard Ringo singing, but less thrilled when he sat down at the drum kit. I sort of felt the opposite. I felt like when Ringo sat behind his drum set it was like going back in time a little and that gave me chills.

The other amazing thing about the evening was hearing all the other members of the All Starr Band. The band is made up of some of rock n' roll's greats including Gary Wright (Dream Weaver), Edgar Winter, Rick Derringer of The McCoy's, Wally Palmer, Richard Page and Gregg Bissonette. I mention the McCoy's because during the concert Derringer told the story of how the McCoy's have the distinction of having had a No. 1 hit on Billboard- "Hang on Sloopy"- while the Beatles' "Yesterday" was at No. 2. Of course it only lasted a week, but still- that's quite an accomplishment. The concert was wonderful- these guys all played and sang like the rock stars they are.

It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I'm glad I was there to do it. Next up- Paul McCartney! (If only...)

Shoesday Tuesday (and a handbag)

Hello all! I trust you all had a fabulous Fourth of July holiday weekend. I know I did! I took a break from posting because I was busy enjoying the backyard barbeques my friends were having. It was a fun weekend and one where I meant to post an outfit picture (from a Saturday night party), but I didn't manage to get a photo of the whole outfit. I'll have to wear it again sometime this summer and post it then. My actual 4th of July outfit was fine, but not so exciting I felt the need to post it on the blog. And since this is Shoesday Tuesday, I figured I'd post my most recent selections from Shoe Dazzle. Unfortunately, I don't like ANY of the shoes they selected for me this month- they just weren't my style. The best option was "Carolina," but I already own a pair of grey pumps. Granted, they don't have the snakeskin detail or platform of this shoe, but they work for my wardrobe. The rest of the shoes were just not that cute, in my opinion. Not even worth posting to be honest. Maybe I'll ask for a second round of shoes.

"Carolina"

Despite not being impressed with the shoes, there was a handbag that caught my eye and I will likely drool over it for the rest of the month. Take a look:

"Antigua"

First of all, it's one of my all-time favorite colors. Second, the cut-out of the faux-leather is simply stunning and it stands out even more against the creamy interior fabric. I absolutely adore it. I may have to own it before the end of this month. We'll see. I'm actually in the market for a new bag. Most of mine are starting to feel worn out or I just don't love how they function. Maybe Antigua will be my new every day bag. Time will tell....

Rate My Look- I'm a shoe addict

I went to the mall yesterday and bought another pair of shoes. I seriously have a problem. I can think of nothing I need less than a new pair of ridiculous shoes and yet there I was swiping my debit card for these beauties:

Originally $99, I ended up scoring these Steve Maddens for $34.39 after 2 hefty discounts and a $10-off coupon I got in the mail. In my defense, I tried VERY hard not to buy them. I even left them in the store and continued shopping around the mall. I got very lucky at H&M and bought a top I thought was selling for $12.95, except when it rang up, the price turned out to actually be only $4.95! I thought that would be enough to satisfy me for the day, but I had that feeling you get when you know you just have to have something. I debated and sweated it out for a while until finally just doing it. After all, at $34.39, they really were worth every penny. And since they are close-toe pumps, I'll actually be able to wear them into the cooler months as well. The only unfortunate thing about the purchase is that I felt an immediate need to wear them as soon as I bought them, which I did. Why is this unfortunate? Well, I'd also dropped about $45 on a pedicure earlier in the day and these shoes completely hid my fabulous new nail color! But I think the outfit worked despite my hidden toes (and I can wear sandals today):

I don't often have buyers remorse because I rarely buy something that I don't wear. I'm not afraid to wear the same outfit multiple times, so that also helps justify my purchases. The cost-per-wear argument is often a strong one. And I always go by the rule that if I can walk away from something without looking back, I know I didn't really love it or need it. If it pains me to walk away (as it did initially with these shoes), then I know I have to go back. And of course no matter how I feel about a dress or a  top or pair of shoes or earrings, it's important to live within my means, and sometimes that means walking away even though it nearly kills me. Fortunately, yesterday I didn't have to walk away. Judge me for my consumerism if you must, but in this economy, any stimulation we can offer will be a good thing. Look at it this way: I helped that sales lady earn a bit of commission, which she may turn around and spend which in turn will help someone else earn their paycheck and so on, so in the grand scheme of things, I'm just doing my part to turn this recession around. Really, I'm a humanitarian. In fierce purple shoes.  

Tony's photos at last

Remember when I told you my fabulous friend Jen was going to the Tony Awards? Well, we Skyped that day to discuss the outfit and I think she really nailed it:

First of all, isn't Jen a total BABE? Second, I love the plunging neckline of this dress and because it's a modest length and has the lovely dolman sleeves, she's not showing too much skin. (Although I hear there was a bit of double-sided tape involved- tricks of the trade, folks, tricks of the trade.) I also love that she mixed her metallics up. She stuck with a mostly silver scheme, but the shoes also have a bit of a darker pewter metallic finish to them, so nothing is too matchy-matchy. This helped keep the look modern and on-trend. Jen also added the brooch to the dress and I think it really adds the perfect amount of glam to the the look. There were several earring options discussed, but I was happy to see she went with the chandeliers. Like I said in that original post, the Tony's are a good opportunity to add a bit more drama to an outfit and I think Jen nailed it. Thanks for letting me post you on the blog, Dubba J!

In other exciting news, Jen is currently the assistant choreographer for an Off-Broadway show. Who knows- maybe the next time she's at the Tony's it will be as a nominee! Fingers crossed!

Couture Allure

So I FINALLY got on the Mad Men bandwagon and put seasons 1 and 2 in my Netflix queue. I am now officially addicted, not only because I'm dying to see more of Don Draper's past and find out who knocked up Peggy (we're supposed to think it's Pete, right? But I suspect there may be a little twist headed my way. Time will tell...), but I am also obsessed because I live and breathe for the fashions. Actually, that is the primary reason many of my friends told me to get on board with this show. They all kept saying, "You'll LOVE the costumes!" Naturally, as a costume designer, that was quite appealing to me. I actually really love designing period costumes because there's an extra challenge of not only being historically accurate, but also of trying to stay within those confines while also making the looks fresh, new and unique. But my point is that my friends know me VERY well because I love the show and I love the costumes. If it weren't for all the issues women dealt with back then, I would have loved to live in the 60's.

Recently, I was perusing the interwebs for some costume-related research and I stumbled across Couture Allure, which for anyone who loves the clothing of the 50's, 60's and even 70's is a treasure trove of amazingness and wonderment. Are those even words? Who cares! This site is to die for! Need proof? Here it is:

Cotton Floral Full Skirt Dress, $185

I adore this yellow dress because it also reminds me of what Chuck might wear on Pushing Daisies, another favorite show because of the fashions. But it also reminds of something Betty Draper would sport if she got together for lunch with some of her lady friends.

Fuchsia Wool Wiggle Dress, $175

If this fuchsia frock doesn't scream "Joan Holloway" I don't know what does! Joan is one of my favorite characters for a lot of reasons, one of which is her clothes. She always looks flawless and so super sexy. Her red hair is fabulous, too. She is the iconic sexy secretary of the 1960's and she knows it. Her form-fitting dresses show off her curves in the most feminine way.

Cotton Striped Full Skirt Dress, $375

Another perfect Betty Draper dress, this one more of an every day frock. It features one of my very favorite color combinations- yellow and grey. I adore the way the stripes are sewn to create a chevron effect down the front of the dress. Stunning.

Navy Wool Dress, $145

Can't you just picture this on Peggy while she makes eyes at Pete Campbell? Maybe he'd rip the collar on it, too...  

Green Wool Dress, $195

I adore this suit and I could absolutely picture it on Rachel. She'd wear it to one of her "business meetings" at lunch with Don where they'd smoke cigarettes and talk candidly about the sexual tension between them. She is a fabulous character and I'm looking forward to seeing more episodes about her. I love that she is a strong woman defying convention (and her father) and really working hard to make something of her store and herself. This period in our history was huge for women and I like the Rachel represents that small but powerful group who refused to let the fact that they were women stop them from reaching their goals. (See, it's not ALL about the smoking and the affairs!)

Apricot Organza Party Dress, $165

Now that I've covered my favorite characters, I'll switch gears and just show you my favorite dresses from this site. Since I pretty much always dress like I'm going to a cocktail party, I'm going to post my favorite cocktail and formal dresses. I like picturing myself in them at the opera or a symphony performance or a White House state dinner or something else as unattainable as the dress. 

Full Skirt One-Shoulder Dress, $275

This red one actually reminds me a bit of my red dress that I made last Christmas. I'm looking forward to the cooler weather because I'd really like to wear it again. The heavier cotton sateen and the sleeves make it a little warm for July. But I digress...

Pink Silk Cocktail Dress, $135

Full Skirt Party Dress, $750

Cream Satin Party Dress, $475

I really don't have any words for the last two other than "Oh. My. God." It must be so much fun to work on the wardrobe for a show like Mad Men. Someday, maybe... In the meantime I'll just enjoy this amazing website and their even more amazing vintage fashions.