Rain, Rain, Go Away!

I've been extremely fortunate that for almost the entire summer, nearly every one of my days off was blessed with beautiful weather. Today, not so much. It's rainy and cold and I just want to stay curled up in bed all day long. Yesterday, one of my coworkers commented on the fact that she doesn't own a rain coat. And now it's pouring outside, so Kristin- this post is for you!

This cool jacket caught my eye because of its great fit, textured fabric and cool pleated collar: 

Pleated Collar Metallic Cotton Trench, Ann Taylor Loft, $128

I'm absolutely drooling over Banana Republic's Mad Men Collection Leopard Print Trench. The color is subtle and not at all over-the-top, so you could feel comfortable wearing this jacket every day! 

Mad Men Collection Leopard Print Trench, Banana Republic, $198

If the pale leopard print is too neutral for you, you may want to try a bolder print. I like to wear bright colors and bold prints on rainy days- it helps combat the gloominess. This striped trench might just do the trick, especially if you had a nice bright red umbrella: 

ASOS Stripe Collarless Trench, ASOS, $137.21

Sometimes you just don't feel like wearing a trench. But what other options do you have? Well, this cape is a great start! The color is so rich and the silhouette is so retro-60's- it's perfect over a pair of skinny jeans or a fitted skirt with tall boots: 

Botany Professor Cape, Modcloth, $69.99

Another cool silhouette option is the slightly boxier swing coat style. This military-inspired version keeps the look crisp and clean while also featuring cool details like epaulets and big, silver buttons: 

Ahead of the Fleet Jacket, Modcloth, $154.99

Don't let a little rain get in the way of having a fabulous day out on the town. Just grab your Wellingtons and an umbrella and one of these fabulous raincoat options and head on out! Enjoy this rainy day, everyone! 

Shoesday Tuesday- Amazing Miu Mius

As promised, this week I'm featuring some amazing shoes by Miu Miu. These shoes are not for the faint of heart- they are beyond bold- these shoes are over-the-top:

Glitter and Calf Hair Pumps, Net-a-Porter, $650

Glitter and Suede Peep-toe Ankle Boots, Net-a-Porter, $890

Zebra Print Suede Brogues, Net-a-Porter, $490

I love how rich the materials and textiles are- these shoes look as expensive as they are. Maybe someday I'll splurge on a fabulous pair of Miu Miu's but for now I'll have to be content just looking. 

Project Runway Season 9 Episode 6

What a disappointing episode this was! I am a little upset that so few of the designers actually bothered to follow the parameters of this weeks' challenge. The concept was to create and AVANT GARDE design, was it not? I just saw so little on the runway that could actually qualify as avant garde.

Laura's design was pretty, but oh-so tame. I've seen plenty of gowns like this on the red carpet, on the runway, even at work:

Olivier's design was another snooze-fest, but he didn't even have the saving grace of good construction. Nope- he glued his garment together. Explain that, will you?

The third and final flow-y, boring, sheer fabric dress was made by Viktor, whom I normally adore. This week, his dress was a complete disaster from start to finish:

Unfortunately, the remaining designers didn't fare well, either. Nearly everyone fell short in one way or another, but Josh C. and Kimberly did it in style with some leather to spice up the night. Unfortunately for Josh, it meant he was auf'd for the second time this season. 

Josh C's Look

Kimberly's Look

Apparently, to them, "avant garde" means tight leather mini and weird embellishments. 

The worst of the worst, however, were Bert, Bryce and Becky: 

Bert's Look

Bryce's Look

Becky's Look

I have no words for Bert, except maybe "Do you HATE women THAT MUCH?!?!" No offense, Heidi, but even YOU would not look good in those pants. That outfit would have been more suited to the stilts challenge. Bryce's straight-jacket dress was just dumb. I said it. It was dumb. When is he going home? Next week, I hope. And as for Becky, it's a basic black dress with some building blocks on the shoulder. Her failure was in not taking it far enough. Also, the long part of the dress should have been lined in an interesting color, don't you think. Isn't that her thing- fun linings?

As for the ones I consider to be in the "top," I was still underwhelmed. Anya's look just seemed incongruous. Sometimes I think the designers make a checklist of what can qualify as avant garde and just select a few off the list to create something totally bizarre. For Anya, her checklist included an exaggerated silhouette, atypical fabric choices and feathers. I love Anya, but I do NOT love this. 

Josh M's look was my favorite, but it had nothing to do with the sad story about his mom. How contrived that one week he's the nasty villain and the next week, he's all weepy. Of course I feel bad about his mom, but at this point I think he may be gunning for an Emmy nomination for Best Actor in a Drama. Regardless, I liked his look best: 

Winner Anthony Ryan made a sheath dress and then appliqued a bunch of "paint strokes" onto it. I am still unsure as to what about this is avant garde? 

This look could easily be worn on the red carpet if it were a little more refined, but there isn't anything about it that says "Avant garde." Correct me if I'm wrong, please! He did a nice job of translating the art work he and his partner created, but that's it. There is nothing over-the-top or exaggerated about this dress. I don't feel he deserved the win, but again, I'm not sure any of them did.

See what I mean? Disappointing, right? I want an avant garde do-over challenge where they actually create something dramatic and bold! Please, designers, don't let this happen again! 

Accessories Anonymous: Miu Miu Handbag

Sometimes it's fun to imagine what I would shop for if I had an unlimited budget. I might go for this luxurious Miu Miu Handbag:

Matelasse Nappa Leather Flap Handbag, Miu Miu, $1,750.00

Is that bag luxurious or what? The peacock color is so rich and the pleating and quilting of the leather is beautifully done. A bag like this deserves an outfit that will let it be the star- a simple LBD, nude pumps and simple jewelry would work great to create a polished outfit worthy of such a sophisticated bag. Miu Miu is also known for amazing shoes, so check back on Shoesday Tuesday to see an incredible example of their shoes. 

What Can Happen in a Year...

Exactly one year ago today, I wrote this post and took the leap of faith that I needed. I quit my job with no plan other than moving back home to New Hampshire. At first, I was terrified, not knowing what the future held for me. But I'm a firm believer in faith and in a higher power and shortly after I gave notice to AMT, my current job practically landed in my lap. My friend Danielle called me to say that her sister Nicole had given notice at her job, too. While that may seem like an interesting coincidence- two acquaintances quitting their jobs within hours of each other- to me it was much more significant. I'd mentioned to some friends months prior to quitting my own job that the field I was interested in pursuing was the bridal industry. After a lot of research, I came to the conclusion that I was most suited to alterations. My background in design and sewing seemed to have prepared me most for that and I knew I would find it far more interesting and challenging than anything else. So back to that coincidence? Nicole's job that she had resigned from was the job that I currently have- the Alterations Manager for an amazing bridal boutique.

Now that I've been back in New Hampshire and working a new job for nearly a year, I'm completely blown away by how fortunate I am. Yes, I worked hard to get here and I'm currently working hard to get through my first wedding season, but I also feel so fortunate to be able to work for such an amazing company with incredible co-workers doing interesting and challenging work. I've had an amazing year, and I've been able to spend a lot of time with some of the best friends I know- new and old. There are days that are tough- days when a "bridezilla" or her mom decides to say something mean or nasty to me. There are long days and hard days and sometimes sad days- like when I hear that a bride will not be picking up her dress as scheduled because the wedding has been canceled. But at the end of every day, I look back and reflect on all I said and did and I walk away knowing I did the best job I could handling any given situation. And most of the time, I get to have a blast helping lots of incredible women look absolutely stunning for one of the most important days of their lives. See what I mean? I'm incredibly fortunate.

It's amazing to me what can happen in a year. But it did take a little bit of courage to start the ball rolling. So if you are in a situation like I was- a situation that is making you unhappy, whether it be your job, or where you live or a friendship or relationship that isn't working out- DO something about it. I have always said that I do not want to be the type of person who is unhappy and does nothing about it. If you've ever met someone like that, you'll know what I mean. So don't be that person- make a change. You won't regret it!

Shoesday Tuesday- Jelly Flats for Amy

While on the cape a couple of weekends ago, my friend Amy found dozens of tiny little jelly fish washed up on the shore. Using a child's beach spade, she diligently scooped each one up and helped them all back into the ocean. And while I'm sure many of them ended up washed up on the shore again, I think we were all proud of Amy for trying to save the jellies.

For me, the only kind of jellies I care to have in my life are these:

Melissa Campana Jelly Ballet Flats, Saks Fifth Avenue, $80

I'm not saying I wish the baby jellies an ill will, but I'd rather focus on the retro trend of jelly shoes. After all, the jellies at the beach can sting you! These ones just make your feet look pretty. 

Accessories Anonymous: Watch It!

I've been wearing the same watch for a couple of years now and it occurred to me recently that it might not be a bad idea to have more than one watch. As it is now, if I break the one watch I own (and I've done that before), then I'm stuck without a watch at all. For some reason, I rarely think of my watch as a fashion choice aside from the fact that I tried to select one that looked and worked more like jewelry in terms of appearance. My current watch was selected for how well it works with my Tiffany's bracelet, a piece of jewelry I rarely remove.

Perhaps it's time to find a new watch (or two) to broaden my horizons a bit. I found a few that are quite striking:

Fossil Watch in Rose Gold, Macy's $115

There is something about rose gold lately that just sucks me in. It is so warm and rich and feminine. I love it! Sometimes true gold is just too harsh and bright, but rose gold has such a soft look to it. It's perfect. 

Yellow Black CZ Gold Tone Watch, Amazon, $16.99

I love how this watch could pass so easily for just a pretty, sparkly bracelet. It's not an "every day" kind of watch, but it really could add a touch of funk to an outfit. 

Stuhrling Original Women's Fashion Watch, $78.99

This watch is so fun, I can hardly stand it! I love the wide look with the fabulous artwork on the clock face. It would be fun just to look at it all day! But alas, I don't think my boss would appreciate that type of work ethic.

Having lots of watches can be just like having lots of shoes or lots of  any fun accessory. Use it to enhance or complete your outfit and you can't go wrong!