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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween!

Happy #Halloween everybody! #pumpkin
A pumpkin I spray-painted with metallic paint for a cool decoration

Happy Halloween everyone! Halloween is my second favorite holiday (and was my very favorite as a kid; not because of the candy, but because of the awesome costumes my mom helped me make . . . and because I was obsessed with the idea of witches and magic and still am a little bit).

I'm not wearing a costume today, but I gave myself Halloween nails and chalked my hair just for fun. 

#Halloween #nails
Hair chalking!!! #color

Last weekend, I dressed as a flapper for a costume party. Ryan went as Aladdin and wore these really killer harem pants I made for him. (The photo just doesn't do them justice.)

Aladdin plays guitar - #halloweenparty
#halloweenparty
Halloween
Halloween

Tonight, I'm going to a Samhain celebration and ancestors dinner. I'm taking a big crock pot of my French onion soup to honor my paternal grandmother who passed away a couple years ago. I feel really grateful to have this opportunity to remember her and share stories about her with friends, especially since I was unable to go to her funeral which was out of town and coincided with my semi-fianals that year.

With Memé in Giverny
Doing watercolor with Memé in Monet's garden in Giverny when I was 14

With Memé in Langres
With Memé looking out over the walls of Langres, our ancestral home, on the same trip

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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Fall Trend: Graphic Novelty Sweaters

Novelty intarsia sweaters


One of my favorite trends this season is the graphic novelty sweater. I especially like cute intarsia ones with portraits of animals or people. At the top of my wish list right now are sweaters from... 01. J.Crew, 02. Urban Outfitters, 03. Urban Outfitters, and 04. Madewell. Which is your favorite?

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Monday, October 29, 2012

What I wore today: 10/27/2012 (Alice)

Alice outfit: rosebud dress, grayscale color-block over-the-knee socks, flatforms, cropped paper-thin cashmere sweater from Styemint,

Ryan and I went to the Cincinnati Ballet on Saturday to see their production of Alice in Wonderland, which was wonderful. The ballet is one of those things that we both really enjoy doing together. I love that Ryan has such appreciation and enthusiasm for something is a passion of mine and was, at one time, a big part of my life. 

I usually dress up quite a bit for the ballet, but I felt like being warm and comfortable, so I landed on this outfit, which seemed to strike the perfect chord for me that night. I especially like the drape of the cropped cashmere sweater over the dress.

Alice outfit: rosebud dress, grayscale color-block over-the-knee socks, flatforms, cropped paper-thin cashmere sweater from Styemint,
Alice outfit: rosebud dress, grayscale color-block over-the-knee socks, flatforms, cropped paper-thin cashmere sweater from Styemint,
Alice outfit: rosebud dress, grayscale color-block over-the-knee socks, flatforms, cropped paper-thin cashmere sweater from Styemint,
Alice outfit: rosebud dress, grayscale color-block over-the-knee socks, flatforms, cropped paper-thin cashmere sweater from Styemint, Alice outfit: rosebud dress, grayscale color-block over-the-knee socks, flatforms, cropped paper-thin cashmere sweater from Styemint,
Alice outfit: rosebud dress, grayscale color-block over-the-knee socks, flatforms, cropped paper-thin cashmere sweater from Styemint,
Alice outfit: rosebud dress, grayscale color-block over-the-knee socks, flatforms, cropped paper-thin cashmere sweater from Styemint,
Alice outfit: rosebud dress, grayscale color-block over-the-knee socks, flatforms, cropped paper-thin cashmere sweater from Styemint,
Alice outfit: rosebud dress, grayscale color-block over-the-knee socks, flatforms, cropped paper-thin cashmere sweater from Styemint,

Open-back rosebud-print dress - Urban Outfitters (seen in full here)
Cropped paper-thin cashmere sweater - Stylemint
Grayscale color-block over-the-knee socks - Target
Gray suede flatforms - Free People

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Sunday, October 28, 2012

Featured on IFB's Links à la Mode


PJ Top Outfit: Victoria's Secret pajama top, polkadot AG jeans, black velvet loafers, studded-bottom bag
I'm so pleased that my pajama-top outfit post was featured in this week's Links à la Mode post on IFB. Thanks, IFB! See the other posts they featured below.

Puttin’ in Work


 
Edited by: Jess of Fresh Jess
The bloggers are hard at work this season! This week’s roundup goes well beyond your usual outfit posts. What have IFB’s independent designers and stylists been cooking up in their studios lately? What off-the-beaten-path trends have you been exploring lately? Who is inspiring fashionable Halloween costumes this season? Which bloggers and designers are other bloggers fancying in recent weeks? All of these answers and more await you in this week’s Links a la Mode roundup. There are some truly unique and interesting voices being heard this week. Keep it up IFB!

LINKS À LA MODE: THE IFB WEEKLY ROUND UP: OCTOBER 25TH




 

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Friday, October 26, 2012

My BHDLN wedding gown story (in Instagrams)

Hello there, beautiful gown. #bridal #weddinggowns #wedding

I didn't expect to find a wedding gown so soon. But I suppose I should have, since I knew exactly what I wanted (lacey, romantic, vintage-inspired but still youthful) and what I didn't want (ball gown, strapless, lots of bling). 

But I still didn't expect the search to be easy. Since 99% of wedding gowns are strapless fit-and-flares with lots of bling, I knew that I would have a pretty small sample size to choose from.

And yet, I hadn't been engaged for a full month, hadn't had the ring made, hadn't announced it to my friends and family, when I saw the gown that I knew I wanted to wear as I said my vows to Ryan.

It was just so me. I'd never seen a gown that was so me before. And I knew that I could spend the rest of my 17-month-long engagement looking, and still not find another gown that was as me as this gown was. 

The gown in question is from BHLD. Since it was last year's style, I knew it would be discontinued soon. I had to act fast. I would go try it on, find out if it really did meet all my expectations in person (or, I guest in gown), and, if so, I would buy it. (It turns out it was good I acted fast, as I ended up buying the very last gown available in my size).

Showroom - #weddinggowns
Gowns and gowns and more gowns! #weddinggowns #bridal #wedding #fashion #Angel wing celing

Since BHLD is in Chicago, I enlisted my bestie Sarah, who lives there, to help. I also chose her because she's one of the few people whose opinion I trust, since she knows my style and would never push me toward a gown that she liked if that gown wasn't me.

Also, she's really good at being a mom and snapping all those photos and saying things like, "You look beautiful," and "I'm so happy for you."

And, that's how I came to spend a magical morning in the shopping heaven that is BHLDN's Chicago store, followed by a terrific sushi lunch with one of my favorite people. It was one of those moments I'll cherish my whole life, and I'm glad I have these photos to help me cherish it. 

Love this girl. @sarahbaberson I'm so glad you could join me on this special day. There's no one else I would have had with me.
Spicy crispy tuna makes @sarahbaberson a happy girl. #yum #sushi Minty tulle and white fur. Mmmmm
#Bridal sashes and belts
Such a sweet touch from BHLDN
Special delivery! #weddinggown #bhldn
Sneak peek - #weddinggown

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Wednesday, October 24, 2012

What I wore today: 10/20/2012 ('80s Hipster)

'80s hipster outfit: red corduroys by Pilcro, sneaker wedges, gray sweatshirt, gray blazer, knubbly loop scarf from anthropologie green wool hat from Topshop, studded-bottom bag


Ryan hit the nail on the head when he said that this outfit looked like something the artsy girl in an '80s movies might wear. He's so right. When I first saw this hat, I thought it was very Madeline, but, with the right shoes, it reads more Molly Ringwald.

Speaking of shoes, can we stop for a moment and talk about these shoes? When I first saw the Isabel Marant sneakers wedges (or, as Ryan calls them, "sneaky wedges," because the wedges is sneakily hidden), I was a bit obsessed. I loved them for how incredibly unnecessary their were. They seamed to me to represent the pennacle of having fun with fashion. 

But, as they were over $600, I resigned myself to the fact they would never be mine. After all, something that silly rarely generates enough demand to create affordable designer-inspired versions. 


'80s hipster outfit: red corduroys by Pilcro, sneaker wedges, gray sweatshirt, gray blazer, knubbly loop scarf from anthropologie green wool hat from Topshop, studded-bottom bag
'80s hipster outfit: red corduroys by Pilcro, sneaker wedges, gray sweatshirt, gray blazer, knubbly loop scarf from anthropologie green wool hat from Topshop, studded-bottom bag
'80s hipster outfit: red corduroys by Pilcro, sneaker wedges, gray sweatshirt, gray blazer, knubbly loop scarf from anthropologie green wool hat from Topshop, studded-bottom bag
'80s hipster outfit: red corduroys by Pilcro, sneaker wedges, gray sweatshirt, gray blazer, knubbly loop scarf from anthropologie green wool hat from Topshop, studded-bottom bag '80s hipster outfit: red corduroys by Pilcro, sneaker wedges, gray sweatshirt, gray blazer, knubbly loop scarf from anthropologie green wool hat from Topshop, studded-bottom bag
'80s hipster outfit: red corduroys by Pilcro, sneaker wedges, gray sweatshirt, gray blazer, knubbly loop scarf from anthropologie green wool hat from Topshop, studded-bottom bag
'80s hipster outfit: red corduroys by Pilcro, sneaker wedges, gray sweatshirt, gray blazer, knubbly loop scarf from anthropologie green wool hat from Topshop, studded-bottom bag
'80s hipster outfit: red corduroys by Pilcro, sneaker wedges, gray sweatshirt, gray blazer, knubbly loop scarf from anthropologie green wool hat from Topshop, studded-bottom bag
'80s hipster outfit: red corduroys by Pilcro, sneaker wedges, gray sweatshirt, gray blazer, knubbly loop scarf from anthropologie green wool hat from Topshop, studded-bottom bag
'80s hipster outfit: red corduroys by Pilcro, sneaker wedges, gray sweatshirt, gray blazer, knubbly loop scarf from anthropologie green wool hat from Topshop, studded-bottom bag
'80s hipster outfit: red corduroys by Pilcro, sneaker wedges, gray sweatshirt, gray blazer, knubbly loop scarf from anthropologie green wool hat from Topshop, studded-bottom bag
'80s hipster outfit: red corduroys by Pilcro, sneaker wedges, gray sweatshirt, gray blazer, knubbly loop scarf from anthropologie green wool hat from Topshop, studded-bottom bag

Sneaker wedges - Target
Red corduroys - Pilcro and the Letterpress, Anthropologie
Sweatshirt - Gap
Blazer - Forever 21
Loop scarf - Anthropologie
Wool hat - Topshop
Studded-bottom bag - eBay

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Monday, October 22, 2012

What I wore today: 10/19/2012 (Pajama Game)

PJ Top Outfit: Victoria's Secret pajama top, polkadot AG jeans, black velvet loafers, studded-bottom bag

My tips for making the pajama-top-as-daywear trend look chic, not sloppy:

01. Pick a solid color or a simple pattern like stripes rather that a kooky pattern that's obviously designed for sleepwear.

02. Roll up the sleeves and tie the front or tuck it in. These little touches give the top a new shape and make you look pulled together, and not as if you just rolled out of bed.

03. Add jewelry. Like rolling your sleeves, or tying the front of your top, adding jewelry gives your look an air of thoughtfulness, which helps your outfit read "intentionally trying out a fun trend" rather than "slept through my alarm this morning."

04. Have fun with it. I paired my pajama top with velvet loafers that hint at the idea of smoking slippers. I don't want to look like I rolled out of bed, but I do want to take advantage of the glamourous, loungey feeling that my satin pajama top is bringing to the outfit party. After all, if I just wanted to look like I was wearing a plain top, I could just wear a plain top. But, as I'm wearing PJs, why not wink a bit and let my outfit have a sense of humor.  

Full disclosure: trying out new trends can be scary. I offer these tips in the hope that they can assuage some of your fears if you've been drawn to this trend but haven't had the confidence to take the plunge yet because you worried you might not be able to "pull it off." However, don't think that my giving advice means that I am in any way immune to the same insecurities as you. I wore this outfit to work and I was really nervous about it. Once I got to work, however, I got three compliments: two from people who realized it was a pajama top and one from someone who didn't. Their kind words reassured me.

Sometimes fashion is fun, and sometimes it's scary . . . and sometimes, like the best things in life (roller coasters, falling in love), it's a little of both. 

PJ Top Outfit: Victoria's Secret pajama top, polkadot AG jeans, black velvet loafers, studded-bottom bag
PJ Top Outfit: Victoria's Secret pajama top, polkadot AG jeans, black velvet loafers, studded-bottom bag
PJ Top Outfit: Victoria's Secret pajama top, polkadot AG jeans, black velvet loafers, studded-bottom bag
PJ Top Outfit: Victoria's Secret pajama top, polkadot AG jeans, black velvet loafers, studded-bottom bag

Satin pajama top - Victoria's secret
Polka-dot jeans - AG, Anthropologie
Velvet loafers - Urban Outfitters
Studded-bottom bag - eBay
Necklace - J.Crew Factory
Bracelets - Anthropologie, Asos, J.Crew
Diamond watch - Citizen

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