Layered Nudes

I hit on the bright idea to layer nude fishnets over nude nylons, the idea being that the nylons would keep my legs warm and the fishnets would sort of hide the nude nylons. It definitely did keep my legs warm, and it had the added benefit of making the fishnets a LOT more comfortable, because these are really course and leave an imprint on my butt when I sit down (sorry for the TMI). However, it still didn't hide the weird color of these nude nylons, which I've realized really need to be replaced. The shade just doesn't look very natural to me, and they aren't quite sheer enough for my taste. But, the idea was still a good one, and I'll definitely try it again with some better nylons. Or maybe better yet, I'll find a good pair that has the fishnet pattern woven right in. Anyone have any recommendations?

Capelet: Forever 21
Shirt: Target
Belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Skirt: Eva Franco
Shoes: John Fluevog

Occupational Hazard

Can you hear the angels singing? That's because I finally found The Perfect Pair of Casual Black Shoes. After literally years of searching (not continuously, mind you), and looking at pairs of shoes online until my eyes crossed and my head hurt, and finding an ideal shoe only to discover it wasn't available in my size, and thinking and rethinking the choices I had narrowed down, I finally took the plunge and bought these. And holy smokes, are they the comfiest shoes ever. My feet have joined the chorus of angels in song.

My requirements: black shoes that are a little outdoorsy looking, weatherproof, with a 1 - 1.5" heel so I can wear them with longer jeans, rubber soles that have good traction in the rain, a wedge heel for stability, cute enough to wear with skirts, and comfortable enough to walk in all day. Yes those are tall orders. Why I needed all those qualities in a single pair of shoes is no longer clear even to me, but it was a lingering obsession of mine and I was determined to fulfill  it. I found an awful lot of cute shoes and great deals while I was scouring the internet for these, I can tell you. Some of them, like my Timberland boots, also ended up in my closet. It's an occupational hazard, I guess.


Dress, belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Cardigan: Cynthia Rowley
Shoes: Bastien

At the Crossroads

Yesterday's sweater dress wasn't the only gem I found at the Crossroads Trading Company; when I spotted this blazer I just knew it was going to fit me perfectly. I fell in love with the 40's-style wide lapels and beautiful tailoring in both the front and the back, and at $40 it was an amazing steal for a designer piece that's in perfect condition.

The blue sweater ended up being more hidden than I intended it to be, but the v-neck just left too much skin exposed for as cold as it was, so much of it was by necessity covered by the scarf. The sweater is a basic cashmere one and has been a wardrobe staple for many years; it was nice to bring it out again and layer it under this gorgeous blazer, and I like the way it picks up the subtle blue stripes in the skirt's pattern.

Blazer: Karen Millen England
Scarf: Banana Republic
Sweater: Nordstrom, ages ago
Skirt: La Redoute
Boots: Scoop in Copenhagen

Christmas Skirt

Mark got me this skirt for Christmas; isn't it fabulous? I'd been stalking it for quite some time on the Anthropologie website, so I didn't realize how much cuter it is in person. The navy and white stripes are much more obvious in person than they looked online, and the fabric has a soft, almost flannel-like texture. The draping and ruffles are such fun details to find on a pencil skirt, too; I thought the softness of the skirt made a nice contrast to the structural, geometric detailing on the jacket, even though color-wise the two pieces match perfectly. Together they almost have the look of a suit, but are so much more interesting than one.


Jacket: vintage (from a shop in Paris)
Skirt: Eva Franco
Hat: ADS Hats
Shoes: BCBGirls

Just For Kicks

I have Fawn to thank for this dress; it was she who alerted me to the fact that All Saints was having a big sale (and still is, by the way). I'd had my eye on this dress for quite some time, but in fact it was out of stock in my size when I first discovered it. When Fawn told me about the sale, I decided just for kicks to see if it had been restocked, and lo and behold it had. Not only that but it was marked down 30%, so clearly it was meant to be.

What really made me fall in love with this dress was that it has a slate blue stripe pattern. If I have one complaint about All Saints it's that most of their clothes are solid black or gray; now to be fair, that's probably the one thing that keeps me from unloading the majority of my income there, so in a larger sense it's probably a good thing. But nevertheless, coming across All Saints items with color is something of a rarity, so color AND pattern together made this dress a must-have for me. Even though the fabric of the dress still comes across as a neutral, I could easily pair it with brighter colors and make the blue stripes stand out.

The dress has all the interesting detailing and amazing quality I've come to expect from All Saints. The shape is great for my figure because it adds volume up top and at the hips, while at the same time showing plenty of leg. It looks warm and cozy all layered up here, but it's a light enough cotton that I can also imagine wearing it with bare legs and arms (the dress is sleeveless) for a summer look. As an added bonus, that pile of fabric at the back of the neck unbuttons into a hood; I'm not sure I'd actually wear it that way, but I love that the possibility is there.

Dress: All Saints
Cardigan: thrifted
Belt: Urban outfitters
Tights: Noa Noa
Boots: Bronx

Just For Kicks

I have Fawn to thank for this dress; it was she who alerted me to the fact that All Saints was having a big sale (and still is, by the way). I'd had my eye on this dress for quite some time, but in fact it was out of stock in my size when I first discovered it. When Fawn told me about the sale, I decided just for kicks to see if it had been restocked, and lo and behold it had. Not only that but it was marked down 30%, so clearly it was meant to be.

What really made me fall in love with this dress was that it has a slate blue stripe pattern. If I have one complaint about All Saints it's that most of their clothes are solid black or gray; now to be fair, that's probably the one thing that keeps me from unloading the majority of my income there, so in a larger sense it's probably a good thing. But nevertheless, coming across All Saints items with color is something of a rarity, so color AND pattern together made this dress a must-have for me. Even though the fabric of the dress still comes across as a neutral, I could easily pair it with brighter colors and make the blue stripes stand out.

The dress has all the interesting detailing and amazing quality I've come to expect from All Saints. The shape is great for my figure because it adds volume up top and at the hips, while at the same time showing plenty of leg. It looks warm and cozy all layered up here, but it's a light enough cotton that I can also imagine wearing it with bare legs and arms (the dress is sleeveless) for a summer look. As an added bonus, that pile of fabric at the back of the neck unbuttons into a hood; I'm not sure I'd actually wear it that way, but I love that the possibility is there.

Dress: All Saints
Cardigan: thrifted
Belt: Urban outfitters
Tights: Noa Noa
Boots: Bronx

Ladylike

For this outfit I tried something completely different with this dress, covering the top half by buttoning the jacket up all the way. I was immediately struck by how just buttoning the jacket gave the outfit a Victorian vibe, so I built on that by adding the tulle skirt to give the dress a fuller shape. I thought the boots added a little bit of an equestrian feel.

To bring in some more off-white and continue in the vintage vein, I finished off the outfit with my grandmother's double-stranded pearl necklace. I just love this necklace; it's classic without looking stodgy, and of course every time I wear it I'm reminded of my wonderful grandma Ruth. I think she would've liked this outfit; I felt very ladylike wearing it, and my grandma Ruth was most definitely a lady.


Well, I'm off to start my weekend early. Happy Friday, everyone!




Dress: eShakti
Jacket: a gift from Sal
Skirt: Noa Noa
Boots: Modern Vintage