purple + citron

I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again... This dress {Banana Republic... 2 years ago, maybe?} is ridiculously comfortable... plus it allows for Granny-Underpants.  {Yes, I said "underpants"... Sometimes when I'm feeling dainty, I say "underpinnings"... I loathe the P Word. Blahrg!}  GAP currently has a similar frock in stock... you better believe I snapped that sucker up as well!  

Purple Dress - Banana Republic

Citron "Heritage" Cardigan - LEC

Nude Patent "Happy" Pumps - Ann Klein via Piperlime {2009}

Yellow "Danielle" Earrings - Kendra Scott

Blush Metallic Skinny Belt - J.Crew

White Ceramic Watch - Fossil

Reader Question Answered:  My exact watch can be found here!  It is the Fossil Women's CE1004 White Ceramic & Gold Bracelet White Analog Multi-Function Watch.  Phew!  That's a mouthful!  

Barney Tights

That's what Evs calls these.

He also asked if this wasn't the same thing I wore yesterday.  

Um.  No.  But I see his point. 

Dress - BCBG

Tights - Merona via Target

Black Patent Loafer Pump - Cole Haan

Pearl Cluster Earrings - Etsy Seller Bridal Emunique

Belt - Banana Republic

White Ceramic Watch - Fossil

Some questions answered...

- How do you create your wavy hair? 

I do the "curl down" with a 2 inch barrel curling iron... check out this how-to from Amy and Lyndsay! 

- Where did you buy the silver metallic peep-toe wedges?

They were purchased at Neiman Marcus although I cannot find them online.  The NorthPark store in Dallas had them 3 weeks ago! 

yes, I'm alive...

... and no, I'm not preggers.

Here's a photo to prove both declarations.

Emerald "Hailley" Silk Dress (with backless cutout) - Anlo

Black Tights (not pictured) - Spanx

Black Patent & Suede Pumps (not pictured) - J.Crew

Mixed Media Necklace - Amrita Signh

Black Sequined Belt - Old Navy

White Ceramic Watch - Fossil

Cheeky-Pinky

It's the Hairy Chest Shell!  {Not to be confused with the Hairy Chest Jacket!} This one works best with a little something to reign in the ruffle-fest... like a skinny belt!  

PS: Does my mirror need a major 409-ing or what? 

Slim-Crops from GAP, obvs.  And the shoes...I'm in love!  (Oddly, these don't appear to be online... but I bought them in-store 2 weeks ago for $40 - total steal!)

My dad is going to be tickled that so many people ask about my medallion coin necklace!  Read all about it here.  And please forgive my chesticle-mole... the iPhone makes it looks completely creepy.

Pint "Heritage" Cardigan - Lands' End Canvas

Blush Ruffle Shell - Ann Taylor Loft

Black "Slim Cropped" Pants - GAP

Gold & Black Pom-Pom Flats - GAP

Pearl Cluster Earrings - Etsy Seller Bridal Emunique

K-Stamp Necklace - Sonya Renee

Gold Medallion Coin Necklace - gift

Metallic Blush Skinny Belt - J.Crew

  

Evolution of an Ensemble

This is how so many of my mornings go...

ISM (Inspired Shower Moment) leads to interesting layering...

... which I'm digging...

...but not with the pants!

(length of ruffly shell cuts me off at the thigh, 

enhancing their thuderness)

Oooo, I do like it with the pencil though...

... but NAY on the chunkier loafer-pumps. 

Daintier Flannel Bow Pumps are just the ticket! 

Final Verdict?

Dusty Amethyst Ruffle Front Shell - Ann Taylor Loft

Dark Blue V-Neck Cardigan - J.Crew

Black Pencil Skirt - Ann Taylor

Black Flannel Bow Pumps - J.Crew

Black Satin Headband - Ann Taylor

Gold Shamrock Earrings - gift

Skinny Blush Metallic Belt - J.Crew

Cast-Offs

Black Pants - Banana Republic

Gold "Reva" Flats - Tory Burch

Black Patent Loafer Pumps - Cole Haan 

And an answer... I had a question about how the Heritage cardigans wear... I definitely wear these multiple times before cleaning - I don't find they stretch out at all!  Although, my normal "medium" in tops is slightly looser in the Lands' End Canvas sizing, so the cardigans are a bit larger to begin with... so there's really no pulling that would cause stretching.  The only part that wears a bit are the bends in the elbows (they get wrinkly), but those are usually back to normal after I hang them up for a while! 

Lady Luck

Confession:  I am not feeling my outfit today.

Solution: I shall cheat and answer a fun question from Michelle, who writes:

Hello to my fashion guru. I have read your blog for some time now and need a little advice. Can you post an outfit that you would wear in Vegas. Say going to a club...etc. I need help. I have been scouring rack after rack and cannot find a thing. HUMF....(insert huge sigh) Appreciate it! :)


For me, Vegas is all about *Sparkle* and since the sequins that always come with holiday attire have carried over into springtime trends, there are loads of glitzy frocks out there that are fun and flirty, without being trashy! Some of my favorite examples, all courtesy of Nordstrom:

Pisarro Nights Sequin Chiffon Blouson Dress

JS Boutique Sequin Sheath Dress

Adrianna Papell Sequin & Paillette Mesh Dress

Pisarro Nights Sequin Shift Dress

That first bunch is sassy and spangly, but still a bit more versatile (ie: the black, gold, and silver colors would transition perfectly to winter cocktail attire for years to come).  The last two are a bit more costume-y... a bit more "classy showgirl," if you will!  

Aidan Mattox Niteline Sequin One Shoulder Dress

Aidan Mattox Niteline Bead & Sequin Embellished Dress

If audacious sequins aren't your thing, the following dresses still have that Shimmer Factor... they're also both flattering in the tummy area, ensuring you can enjoy the famous Vegas culinary scene without stressing over a little post-dinner pouch!  

Aidan Mattox Niteline Metallic Silk Bubble Dress

Laundry by Shelli Segal Beaded Metallic Jacquard Dress

Here's hoping your trip to Vegas is a lucky one!  

makin' it work + garment care

Every Thursday, I lead an information session for potential clients or folks who have on general legal questions.  I usually try to wear a legit suit for these meetings so that I look the Lady Lawyer Part... otherwise, I usually get the "eres tan joven para ser abogada!" (you are too young to be a lawyer!) or "hablas espanol! que sopresa!" (you speak Spanish! what a surprise!).

Truth be told, I always get that last comment, regardless of my attire, but the suit jacket tends to discourage the "but you're a baby!" remarks.  Unfortunately, I was fresh out of clean suits, so the Turn-a-Dress-into-a-Skirt + Jacket combo had to do... Makin' it work, like my Favorite Gay Boyfriend Tim G.

Half-Sleeve Tie-Waist Jacket - Banana Republic

Silk Circle Dress - Banana Republic 

Patent Loafer Pumps - Cole Haan 

Gold Bangle - Coach 

And to answer a question from yesterday...

Garment Care:  I'll be honest with you, we are Dry Cleaning People.  I LOATHE ironing and between Evs and myself, we have tons of items that cannot be washed normally in the W/D.  I used to attempt hand-washing, line-drying, then ironing on some of my "hand wash only" items, but it just took too much time and my clothes never held up as nicely.  Therefore, the only thing that gets laundered in our home are t-shirts, socks, workout gear, jeans/shorts, PJs, linens (as in towels and sheets - not clothes made from linen) and unmentionables.  

Nearly everything you see me wearing here to work gets dry cleaned... including things like my cotton cardigans, sweaters and shells.  I know the tag says they are safe for the washer and dryer, but dry cleaning doesn't screw with the shape and doesn't cause pilling.  Plus everything comes back neatly pressed and feeling new.  You'll often see me wearing clothes I purchased several years ago... they would not be in a wearable condition today if I was tasked with laundering them!   

To cut down on cost, I've found a dry-cleaner that runs weekly specials, I steer clear of the "designer dry cleaners" (I'm lookin' at you Bibbentuckers and Eco-Cleaners!), and we wear things until they are truly dirty - ie: until they are visibly stained or smell.  That sounds gross, but most things don't need to be washed after one wear (or two, or three) if you are clean when you put them on and avoid spillage.  Plus, wool suiting shouldn't be dry cleaned unless absolutely necessary as it causes the material to get shiny.  Evs has a portable steamer which helps immensely to gussy up suits after sitting in them for 14 hours.  

you'll have to rip my cardigan from my dead, lifeless fingers

As you can see from my outfit choices this week, if you told me I could no longer wear cardigans to work, I'd slap you silly... I'm talking Stephen vs. Irene Real World Seattle Style here, folks. 

This was one of those mornings where I had in mind what I wanted to wear (dark turquoise rosette neck shell - pictured - with a pencil skirt and jacket).  Then the pencil skirt was no where to be found.  Nether were my favorite pinstripe pants.  So then I had to go with option 3 - black pants from BR that I love but are high-waters in anything but flats.  And I think flats look lame with a full, formal suit... Off goes the jacket in exchange for the cardigan.  

And THAT'S how we got to 3 LEC Heritage Cardigans in 4 days.  Wphew. 

"Heritage" Cardigan in Turquoise Sea - Land's End Canvas

Dark Turquoise Silk Rosette Neck Shell - Banana Republic

Black Pants - Banana Republic

Black Bow Flats - Jessica Simpson via Nordstrom

Gold Disc Earrings - Sonya Rene 

Gold Medallion Necklace - gift 

Note: For those of you have have asked about LEC's sizing, I did a post on EA (click here) extolling the virtues of LEC and including a little blip about sizing!  

Q&A: Non-Wool Suits?

Thanks for all the positive responses to my last post!  One reader comment / question I wanted to address...

So, I'm an aspiring med student and spent this winter interviewing. I looked EVERYWHERE for wool suiting - and just didn't find much. Everyone talks about buying wool, and I am totally on board with this. But when the rubber hit the road, I couldn't find any that didn't look matronly on me or worked for having curves (I am a very hour-glass kind of girl).

J.Crew has wool suiting, but my local store carried none of it (only some weird cotton suit - who buys a cotton suit?!). Ann Taylor had it, but it was HORRIBLE. The sales associate even agreed. Banana Republic pants do not fit my junk in my trunk. And even Nordstrom didn't have any wool suits!

So what's a girl to do? I bought a very attractive synthetic fiber suit that I love, but I still wish it was wool. Thoughts on other places to look? Just suck it up and order several sizes/styles from J.Crew to find the best (I didn't have enough time to go that route this year, needed a suit just 3 weeks after I found out and I always need alterations, so I had to go with something that didn't need to be shipped. Thoughts welcome... 

Don't fret!  A wool-blend suit is ideal, but not a total necessity... I tend to say NO SYNTHETICS not because there aren't great, high-quality suits made of rayon / polyester, etc but because its easy for the first-time-suit-shopper to fall victim to one of the bad apples once they start skipping down Viscose Road.  Two of my favorite Nordstrom brands make lovely suits that contain a blend of synthetic fibers...

Classiques Entier 

(polyester / viscose rayon / linen / spandex)

Semantiks 

(viscose rayon / polyester / wool / spandex)

Elie Tahari also makes some lovely wool blend suits - slightly pricier, but wool! 

And if you like the J.Crew suiting (which is of very good quality, I hear - especially the Super 120s), go to your local store and have a salesperson order several options in different sizes for you - they'll ship straight to the store so you won't have to pay shipping costs and there's no obligation to purchase!  I do that all the time with merchandise that isn't available in my local store!  

UnCasual Friday

After my jeans debacle last week ("BUT IT WAS IN THE EMPLOYEE MANUAL!!!"), I attempted to redeem myself with my Friday Attire.  I still sported Lazy Hair and flats, but threw on a dress and cardigan to appease the Wardrobe Police (even though I'm the only attorney in the office today - I don't need Bad Employee JuJu!).  Of course I forgot to take full-length shots before I left, but here's the best I could do with the Sbux bathroom! 

Teal Ruffle Neck Cotton Dress - Nordstrom (exact brand unknown)

Black Boyfriend Cardigan - White + Warren

Metallic Gunmetal "Lissie" Flats - Tory Burch

Gold & Amethyst Feather Earrings - Kendra Scott

Gold Medallion Necklace - gift

Magenta Skinny Belt - The Limited 

For everyone with Lands' End Canvas sizing questions, head on over to EA for a guide!  

MORE PANTS! Plus...

Didn't wear polka dots...

But I did wear MORE PANTS!  Pants I've had since I was 18!  That's NINE YEAR OLD PANTS!  I know.  I am such a crazy cat.  Like, the craziest.  {says the girl dressed as the lovechild of Mr. Rogers and Queen Elizabeth I}

+

=

Magenta Ruffle Shell - J.Crew

Camel Silk V-Neck Sweater - Banana Republic

Pinstripe Black Wool Pants - J.Crew

Patent Serengeti "Juliet" - J.Crew

Gold Flower Earrings - J.Crew

Gold Medallion Necklace - wedding present

Gold C Cuff - Coach

Drugstore Makeup Review: CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain 

I'm a sucker for lip-anything.  And market something as a big, smelly-good marker for adults?  Sold.  

{color is "Berry Smooch} 

These really do go on like a marker... which is harder than one would think. (Or maybe just as one would think? I dunno... I've never applied Crayola to my mouth.  That sounds dirty.  Oh well).  Not the type of product you can just roll on while driving. I also think lip liner would be a beneficial addition.  And lipgloss over the dried stain is a must.  Also: DO NOT APPLY TO DRY / CRACKED LIPS.  Its not pretty - it will go unevenly and will stain the cracks and dry patches for eons (literally, 72 hours). But once you get the hang of the application, it does last for a while!  These photos were taken after 4 cups of coffee.  Yes, four.  Big ones.  No judging. 

Color lasts around 3 hours. 

Questions Answered...

(1) What kind of shoe inserts do you use?  I use a variety of Dr. Scholl's "For Her" insoles... You can purchase them from CVS and I just choose whichever seems most applicable. The ones I slipped in my AT Perfect Platform Pumps are the "High Heels" inserts.  

(2) What kind of self-tanner do you use? It seems like I've used pretty much every self-tanning product on the market!  I like the Neutrogena Foam alright, but I find that the lotions that gradually build your "tan" offer the least possibility of orange tones / streaking.  My favorite is Dove's Energy Glow Daily Moisturizer.  

(3) What's the story of the Gold Medallion Necklace? Where did you Dad purchase it? My sweet padre actually had this necklace made for me as a wedding gift.  The story itself is rather serendipitous and you can get the full scoop here!  

Questions Answered: Ann Taylor Pumps

I've had some questions about the Perfect Platform Pumps from Ann Taylor...

Comfort: Yep, they are actually comfortable!  Well, as comfy as 4 inch stiletto heels can be.  The platform distributes the weight along your foot which really helps with the comfort.  I stood in them at a bar for 4ish hours last Saturday night and I didn't want to saw my feet off at the ankles, if that's any indication. 

Sizing: These run true to size, if not slightly large.  I bought my normal size 9 but had a teeny bit too much wiggle room (the 8.5s were definitely too small).  I put a Dr. Scholl's in them, and they're perfect now. 

Hope that helps!