Monday, October 31, 2011

Monochromatic Monday: Brown

Happy Halloween!  I was originally going to post a photo of our Halloween outfits, but I could not get them edited in time.  So Monochromatic Monday, it is!

I am Wearing:
Sweater: Christian Berg (Mr. Fantastic picked it up in Germany)
Camisole: Nordstrom Rack
Slacks: The Limited
Shoes: Dolce & Gabbana
Clutch: Lauren by Ralph Lauren
Necklace: Carolee (Bridesmaid Gift in 1999)
Earrings: Costume Pearls gifted by my grandmother
Bracelet: Monet

The weather has been really wonky here for the last few weeks, we go from warm, sunny and beautiful to rainy and grim to windy and cold.  This results these quasi-schizophrenic posts of me in sweaters and jeans and summer dresses!


I love cashmere! It is so soft and warm, it just makes me feel all cozy and comfortable. Mr. Fantastic picked up this sweater for me last year when he was in Germany and I have to admit that I love it when he thinks of me during his travels.  One recommendation I have for those who own cashmere is to hand wash it with shampoo instead of washing it in the washing machine with regular detergent.  I've also tried Woolite with great results, but I love it when I find a great smelling shampoo for my cashmere and merino wool sweaters.


The slacks, I think I wear more often than I should.  Again, blogging has really highlighted my tendency to go back to the same items over and over again.  I wear these pants way too often and I actually skipped taking photos of an outfit I loved last week because I was wearing these pants!  Maybe it's time to find a nice pair of navy blue or even red slacks to mix this up a bit.


The necklace is by Carolee, costume pearl earrings were a gift from my late grandmother and the bracelets are Monet and thrift finds.  The handbag is Lauren by Ralph Lauren. They aren't exactly brown, but they are kind of brown. Oh well, this might turn into one of those outfits that needs to be redone later when I figure out how to dress.


The shoes are by Dolce & Gabbana and I think they are very timeless.  I love the pointy toe and the heel height is perfect for me: high enough to give me a boost and not so high they're inappropriate.  The deep brown color coordinates well with much of the clothes in my closet.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Easy Sunday in Boyfriend Jeans

Yesterday was very hectic, but today's reward is that I get to take it somewhat easy. Today we had a family birthday lunch and I wore this comfy outfit so that I could eat and not be busting out of my clothes. I added some blingy jewelry and strappy shoes to disguise the lazy intent of the ensemble.
 
I Am Wearing:
Top: Nine West; Denim: Joe’s Jeans
Earrings: Express (old); Necklace (Fossil)
Bracelets: DIY & Marc Jacobs
Shoes: L.A.M.B Darek
I bought this necklace for a strapless dress I was wearing to a charity event earlier this year, but it turned out to not be the right color for the dress. The gunmetal color competed against the silver tones, but it was different from all the other pieces I owned so I kept it in the hopes that it would dress up an otherwise plain top. Thankfully, I like the sparkly contrast to this knit top. The earrings are at least 5 years old, purchased at Express.
Mr. Fantastic wants to redefine how I account for his gifts because I pointed out that these strappy sandals by L.A.M.B were a gift from him. He says that it can't count as a gift if I picked them out and stood there while he paid for them while I think that if he paid for them, they are a gift! So I am undecided as to how to account for them. We were at Nordstrom Rack and I tried them on and refused to take them off wanted them, so he bought them. He's nice like that sometimes. The pitch is somewhat brutal, but they are so pretty that I can't see myself getting rid of them.
I hope everyone had a terrific Sunday!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Weekend Errands

After the heartbreak of the last few days, it’s time to regroup and get on with it. This is my “I still love the Rangers” outfit.

I am Wearing:
Sweater: Old Navy
Jeans: Levi’s
Shoes: BCBG Max Azria
Purse: Calvin Klein
Necklace: Thrifted
Earrings: Old Navy
Bracelet: Marc Jacobs

We have a ton of errands to run today as the kids are having a “Not Halloween Party” get-together on Monday and Mr. Fantastic and I have two costume parties tonight and a birthday brunch tomorrow. It was exhausting just typing it!
I got the necklace during an office swap several years ago and I used to only wear it on Valentine’s Day, but now that I noticed I only ever wear my Monet or Express necklaces, I am trying to branch out a bit and incorporate some other jewelry I have. I never used to carry this bag anymore either and ever since I started blogging, I realized that it goes with so much. It rarely gets put back in storage now.
These shoes were such a saga! I found them at Neiman Marcus Last Call last year on clearance for $34. In my euphoria over what a great deal I was about to score, I only tried on the left shoe which was a 36.5. Giddy that it fit and contemplating how to sneak these into my closet, I quickly grabbed the box with the other shoe and made my way to the register. The attendant didn’t check them either and after paying for them and getting home, I finally put both shoes on. That’s when I discovered that the right shoe was a 36! Which is only a HUGE problem because my right foot is a tad wider than my left foot and I could NOT stand it. After I went back to the store, they had already sold the other mismatched pair and I was stuck because it was a final sale. It wasn’t until two months later that I stopped into a NMLC during a visit to my brother’s in Austin when I found an identical pair. Try to picture the ridiculous and joyful dance I did when I realized that it was on sale for $7 because the pair was mismatched with the left shoe a size 35 and the right shoe a 36.5!!!!!! That is how I got this pair of BCBG Max Azria leopard flats for $41 and months and miles of patience!
Have a great weekend!

Friday, October 28, 2011

Heartbroken in Texas

Tonight, the St. Louis Cardinals dashed the hopes and dreams of our Texas Rangers and won the World Series.

I still love the Texas Rangers; I am the biggest homer you will ever meet. I love all the Dallas teams and would never root for anyone else.  Even though my heart is broken, I will still love you tomorrow.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Parisian Chic in Texas

I started this blog with the objective to explore what exactly it is that I call fashion and/or style.  I do believe that there is a huge difference between the two and my hope is that I can one day navigate between the two without effort.   One of my goals is to find chic clothes to wear primarily to work.  It will be an added bonus if I can ever wear them out of work!

That said, I really hope to showcase looks that I find stylish and not too difficult to put together.  This weekend I had brunch with a close friend of mine, Morgan.  I am always amazed at how stylish and effortless she looks.  I did end up attacking her with my camera at the Farmer’s Market.  Get ready for photo overload!
She is Wearing:
Sweater w/ floral detail:  Old Navy
Striped Tank: Old Navy
Red Tank: Mossimo for Target
Skirt: Old Navy
Shoes: Predictions for Payless
Purse: H&M
Necklace: Forever 21
Red and Black beaded bracelets: unknown shop in Chinatown, San Francisco
Earrings: Target
Watch: Bella's House (boutique), Rockwall 
We usually end up talking for a while before choosing a place for brunch on weekend mornings. I was telling her about some of the bloggers that I was reading that participated in the MNG by Mango for JCPenny challenges and how I wish I knew how to put together outfits inspired by London, Milan or Paris.  I was thrilled to get to breakfast and see her Parisian Chic outfit!  That she threw together with an hour’s notice!
Yes, she owns a necklace that not only has LOVE written in French…it has an Eiffel Tower! Seriously! The only drawback is that I now had to type that her amazing necklace is by Forever 21.  

Most of you don’t know that Mr. Fantastic and I keep a running list of banned businesses and Forever 21 is on our Banned List.  Why? I could pretend to be noble and tell you that I was horrified by the discoveries of sweatshops and child labor, but the truth is that I simply can’t stand knock-offs and F21 knocked off the red Christian Louboutin sole about two years ago.  I don’t mind “inspired” styles, but straight up knock-offs really disappoint me.  Imagine my dismay when I was done writing this post and had to admit that this rocking necklace is from a Banned Business.

I am very jealous that Morgan gets the very first H&M tag on my blog because H&M is one of my all-time favorite stores.  But, since I still haven’t managed to get to the H&M store in Dallas, I will have to deal with it.  How amazing is this red handbag? I don’t even own a red handbag and this one rocks.  This makes me want to shop.  BTW, did you hear that Gilt Groupe is now a part of Ebates?  Sign up for both and get great designer duds on sale, PLUS cashback everytime you shop! 

Best thing about this rocking brunch outfit? I can totally see this outfit in the office on those days where you want to be comfortable, but put together.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Pleats and Layers

I mentioned that I picked up a new Halogen sweater at Nordstrom Rack last week.  I am so thrilled that the weather is finally cooling here in Texas. Yes, highs in the 70’s and lows in the 50’s is cool!  I can finally wear my sweaters!

I am Wearing:
Knit Top: Adrienne Vittadini
Sweater: Halogen
Skirt: Nanette Lepore
Tights: Spanx
Boots: Charles David
Clutch: MAC by Rebecca Minkoff
Bracelets: Marc Jacobs and DIY
Necklace: Monet
Earrings: Old Navy

One of my favorite thing is pleats. I love pleated skirts, pleated dresses, even pleated shirts, so I loved finding this Nanette Lepore skirt in charcoal grey wool that is work appropriate.  Sadly, most pleated skirts and dresses are not very work friendly. These boots are by Charles David and they are definitely very old.  I love the deep burgundy leather, the mid-calf height and comfy stacked heel.  Not to mention the buckle.

I bought this crossbody Rebecca Minkoff clutch for a trip to San Francisco, but I didn’t receive it in time for my trip.  I still like it and my favorite part is that I can throw way more than one would think in this bag and still keep my hands free, so I tend to wear it a lot on the weekends.

The earrings are from Old Navy and the necklace is my trusty Monet.  I hope you all are having a wonderful week!  It’s coming up on the busy season for my family and I hope that you all are getting ready for the holidays!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Monochromatic Monday: Beige

We've had a cool weather break this week!  It's given me an excuse to pull out my boots and sweaters. I love it!
I am Wearing:
Sweater: Gap
Camisole: Victoria’s Secret
Skirt: The Limited
Boots: Colin Stuart for Victoria’s Secret
Purse: Calvin Klein
Necklace: Thrifted
Earrings: Thrifted

I love the monochromatic look and I am always thinking of how to pull it off myself.  Cooler weather doesn't necessarily mean winter (or even fall!) in Texas, but I love this "winter white" color, plus I wanted to try piling some beige on top of beige.


Both the purse and the boots are more than five years old, but I will admit that the purse is probably closer to 15 years old!  I love that the boots are ruched and fold perfectly and that they don't come all the way to my knees.  The pointed toe does date them a bit, but they are still one of my favorite pairs.  I've had these repaired so many times by either adding new heel tips or soles or even just getting them polished.  I found these earrings and necklace in my jewelry box and I think I found them at a thrift shop or garage sale somewhere.  They aren't signed.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Sunday Brunch

I wore this to brunch and a "Meet the baby" gathering last weekend and I have to admit that I was gobsmacked by how many compliments I got.  Mr. Fantastic is kind of a nerd and most of his friends are as well, so I was pretty surprised that most went out their way to compliment the shoes or the clutch or me in general.  This is definitely going into heavy rotation now.

I am Wearing:
Top: Old Navy
Camisole: Nordstrom Rack
Jeans: Joe’s Jeans Petite Provacateur via HauteLook
Shoes: Giuseppe Zanotti
Clutch: Proenza Schouler
Necklace: Icing
Earrings: White House | Black Market
Bracelets: Marc Jacobs, New York & Co., DIY via Honestly…WTF?

This is my first attempt at stacking more than two bracelets at a time.  The top bracelet by Marc Jacobs is a gift from Mr. Fantastic. I mentioned a while back that I thought these bracelets in Latin were cute and he surprised me by buying me the one that reads "Nemo Nisi Mors" which means "No one but Death shall part us." Fitting isn't it?  The red bracelets I bought years ago at New York & Company.


The black necklace I bought three years ago at Icing in preparation for a charity event Mr. Fantastic and I were attending.  It turned out to be the night he proposed to me and I love wearing it because it brings me happy memories. The earrings were purchased at White House | Black Market during one of their recent red campaigns.  I love it when they add a dash of color! One of my favorites was the hot pink a couple of years ago and of course, RED!

The shoes are a very old Giuseppe Zanotti design (circa 2005 or 2006)...I didn't buy them until they were pretty much on closeout several seasons later. The big buckles definitely attracted a great deal of attention! I wore these because I knew that I was going to be super comfy while carrying a baby! Which I managed to do for quite a while, go me!


Now if I can think of how to recreate this look with other pieces so it doesn't look exactly the same everytime! I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!

Friday, October 21, 2011

Fall Luxe Lust: Boots and Booties!

I get way too many emails everyday alerting me to the most fabulous sales.  It's actually not even fair that I am bombarded on a daily basis by beautiful things that I want, I want, I WANT!

This morning, the offender was Bergdorf Goodman.  Look at these babies! I want all of them, and sadly, will probably get one at the most...
Prada
Bottega Venetta
Chloe
Last Spring, Mr. Fantastic took me to San Francisco for a long weekend and I wanted to find something other than tennis shoes to wear for walking around town.  I always get the most horrible blisters when we travel no matter what shoes (flats or sandals) I wear and the only time that it hasn't happened is when I wore my Uggs to Tokyo almost four years ago.  In addition San Francisco in March was not going to be as cold as Japan in January so I couldn't wear my Uggs around town.  My sister let me borrow a pair of her riding boots by Born and they were super comfortable and they looked great!...Sadly, I had to return them to her once my trip was over.  I've been searching for the perfect riding boot ever since.  I loved the three above by Bergdorf Goodman.
Lanvin

Valentino
And I only jumped on the bootie bandwagon in the last few years, during a trip to Europe.  Mr. Fantastic and I had been married for all of one month and he gifted me with a pair of Christian Louboutin Sigourney (see below) booties for being a great wife for a month!  I got to wear them in Vienna for a short while before I had to take them off because they were so painful. Luckily, they are now broken in and are definitely a go to shoe in my closet.  I want both booties above and think any of them would be great to wear with jeans, skirts or really anything I want to wear them with!


Outfit:
Sweater: Gap
Skirt: Gap Premium Denim
Fishnets: Victoria’s Secret
Shoes: Christian Louboutin
Mr. Fantastic is wearing:
Suit: Calvin Klein
Shoes by Kenneth Cole