What I wore today: 06/16/2013 (Milk and Cookies)

I love tucking a t-shirt into a skirt and blousing it over the fitted waistline. Usually, I'll pick a band tee and a girl skirt for a nice contrast (seen here), but this time I was in a matching mood. I even used the skirt's pale-pink zipper as the inspiration touchpoint for my accessories. 

I wore this to Brunch with my parents on Fathers' Day and to see the movie Before Midnight, which I really enjoyed. I first saw Before Sunrise when I was about 17 and saw Before Sunset soon after that. Since then, I've bought them both and watched them many times. 

One of my favorite things in life is having long, interested conversations, so it's kind of thrilling to see films based on that idea and on the idea of falling in love with someone that way.

EDIT: This post has been submitted to IFB's Project "Black and White Ball." See the other submissions here. 

"Scalloped Stripes Pont Skirt" black and white bubble skirt - Girls from Savoy, Anthropologie

Zevs dripped Chanel logo t-shit - eBay

Pink satin ballet flats with ankle ties - had forever

Rose gold pouch - Marc Jacobs for Target

An ode to my favorite flats

 

They are not the nicest shoes I own, nor the most expensive (not even close), but they are the irreplaceable ones. 

I never predicted when I picked them out from Modcloth three years ago that these simple quilted flats would become such a vital part of my wardrobe. All I remember thinking was that they looked like Chanel but were a hell of a lot cheaper.

Soon, though, I found myself reaching for them more often that I did for any other shoe in my collection. Not only do they fit my feet perfectly, they go with almost anything. I wear them with straight leg jeans and silk dresses alike. These shoes do no discriminate. They love everything I pair them with, and they love to go anywhere I take them.

These shoes are troopers, and they've put up with a lot of wear and tear like true champs. 

However, their leopard lining has come loose several times and had to be re-glued, not a serious repair but a reminder that they are indeed not Chanel and will probably eventually wear out beyond repair.

This is the thought that haunts me at night. I become possessed with fear of the day I won't have these perfect flats to fall back on, and I rise from my bed in a cold sweat to scour the internet for anything that might serve as a replacement. 

But, alas, nothing compares. Even most Chanel flats I see tend to have those horrible bows on them. I despise those bows. I like simple, clean lines . . . I like my flats and no others can replace them. 

So, for now, I'll just have to keep re-gluing their lining, and hoping they hold up. Sheer will can keep shoes from wearing out, right? . . . Right?

(All photos - including those above - link to full outfit posts)











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What I wore today: 02/28/2012 (Back to basics)

Sometimes it's nice to go back to basics with an outfit that's simple and casual but chic. ...and then pile on the bracelets and rings.

Straight-leg jeans - Gap

Pointy heels - Target

Zevs Chanel t-shirt - Online boutique

Long strand of pearls worn as bracelet - Nordstrom rack

Tiki rings - Modcloth

Ros gold ring - Target

Diamond and two-tone watch - Citizen, Macy's

Rose gold watch - Amazin.com

Handcuff necklace - Girl Props

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What I wore today: 02/03/2012 (Jailhouse Rock)

It wasn't my intention, but when I looked at these photos today with the double denim outfit and the barred-up windows, I realized I look a bit like a prisoner outside of a prison. ...But in a very chic way... I hope.

This is sort of a new twist on this outfit. Because I switch the jeans a high-waisted pair, I was afforded the opportunity to tie my shirt (one of my favorite retro trends) without showing midriff.

I love this shirt and these jeans. They are two of those items that you buy on a whim, not expecting them to become favorites, and the subsequently wear almost once a week for the next nine months. See how else I've worn them below in the outfit details at the bottom of this post.

High-wasited jeans - Twenty8Twelve, The Outnet (also seen here, here, here, here, and here)

Ruffled chambray shirt - The Limited (also seen here, here, and here)

Vintage Chanel bag - eBay (also seen here)

Booties - Payless (last seen here)

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DI(fr)Yday: How to artfully display a small treasure

Here's an idea for how to display that small treasure that's been sitting on a shelf or in a box somewhere, unnoticed. You know the one: that baby tooth or family heirloom, that special stone or trinket.

For us, it was Coco Cha-snail, a black and pink snail shell that Ryan found when we were staying in Sweden the summer after I graduated from college. Ryan, who, after seeing Coco Avant Chanel had joined me in my Coco Chanel obsession (we are currently reading her biography together) named her Coco Cha-snail, and we knew immediately that we would keep her forever.

Coco, just as we found here, sitting on a rock in Sweden

But then the thing sat on our shelf, rather than being displayed and labled somewhere that guests could see her and ask about her, prompting the story of our whispered conspiracy as we filled out customs forms on the Air France flight home -- a form that specifically mentioned snails. "Don't tell anyone about Coco," we giggled in hushed tones.

But now, as we move move into our new place, it's the perfect opportunity to reevaluate our decor, make new art, and decorate our space together.

Here's how to frame your own treasure . . .

You will need:

- Watercolor paper

- Watercolors and brush

- A shadowbox (found in the frame section of a craft store)

- Glue

- Scissors

- A thin marker or calligraphy pen

- Your treasure, of course

Step 1. Cut a piece of watercolor paper to fit the back of your shadowbox.

Step 2. With a light shade, give your paper a wash of color. I like to let the strokes show a little bit, leaving the color darker in some places than others. Let dry.

Step 3. With a darker shade (like black), paint a frame in the middle of your paper and a label box just below it.

Step 4. Now, paint a series of diagonal lines in a repeating pattern (such as: narrow, narrow, wide, space, narrow, wide, narrow, space) across your paper from corner to corner, leaving the frame and label box blank as shown

Step 5. Paint lines in the same pattern crossing the first set of lines perpendicularly as shown. This will create a plaid pattern.

Step 6. Using your thin marker or calligraphy pen, label the treasure and decorate the corners of the frame if you want.

Step 7. Glue the treasure to the center of the frame. Let dry.

Step 8. Glue the paper to the back of the shadow box.

Step 9. Put the shadow box back together, first making sure the glass is smudge free.

Now, display your treasure proudly!

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What I wore today: 12/18/2011 (moving house)

As half my wardrobe is still across town, and the majority of my shoes are in boxes, my outfits haven't been the greatest as of late. (But, we're almost moved in so -- along with holiday preparations and balancing work -- it's been a productive week!)

However, yesterday we took a short break from move-in madness to attend a family gathering for this little guy's second birthday as well as his dad's more than second.

I mean, when someone invites you to be anywhere near that adorable face (not to mention Veggie Tales cake), you don't turn them down.

So, to make myself presentable for Ryan's family (and a cheeky outfit shoot just before), I decided to layer, layer, layer and see how it went. It ended up being a pretty cute outfit don't you think? Neutral layers are such a good emergency standby; I don't know what I'd do without them.

Straight-leg jeans - Gap

Leather boots - Journey's

Vintage silk and lace camisole - Valley Thrift

Ruffled cardigan - New York and Co. (Christmas gift from my sister-in-law a while back)

Vintage blazer - thrifted

Vintage bag - Chanel

* * *

Before we saw family, though, we took a moment to have Sunday brunch (walking distance now!) just the two of us, which was very restorative . . . not to mention delicious.

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