Outfits Not Just Clothes

It has been well documented here and here  that I am a frequent shopper at Jcrew and Jcrew Factory. So when I was looking for a new pair of shorts for this summer, of course I checked them out.  And I found this: Tweed Front Tee Now you are correct the above is NOT a pair of shorts, but instead a tweed t-shirt. BUT the colors/textures of this shirt reminded me of my summer outfitting palette from here .  So I've decided to get these shorts: Chino Shorts And in doing so I am proclaiming blue my official power color of spring/summer 2013.  Last year here , it was orange.  Plus I think the tweed tee and chino shorts are going to make a great summer casual outfit. Let's go blue!

In this post I discussed my need for an office appropriate summer dress. I ended up ordering (in 2 different sizes) this dress: Candy Striped Dress and this dress: Colorblock Ponte Mini Dress And even with the extra size neither dress worked and both went back. :( Not willing to give up on Piperlime.com I ordered this dress: Neon Jacquard Leather Trimmed Dress And it totally rocks! I'm very much looking forward to office outfitting with this piece. The vegan leather trim gives it that bit of edge that I like, and the pattern is kind of retro, but fresh. Feeling pretty fierce with my workplace dress triumph I went out on a limb and purchased a romper: Parrot Print Romper Rompers are tricky. First, they are fairly juvenile and not the easiest item to pull off after age 25. Second, there's the question of functionality. Can you get in an out of it without assistance in a bathroom stall in under five minutes?  And thirdly, where to wear

trench- Asos , shirt/sweater-Nasty Gal(similar here and here ), skirt /necklace-Jcrew(similar necklace here ), rings/bracelet- Jewel Mint , loafers-Forever21(similar here ) Spring has FINALLY arrived! And even though this skirt is from the winter collection the colors and textures mimic the budding trees and shrubs of spring. I love the greens of April and this outfit matches the new and fresh feeling of the season.  This trench is perfect for the chilly mornings we're having right now.  

    The studs on this collar reflect the polka dot pattern AND provide a bit of edge to this lavender confection.   Click on this pic to better see the button details.   These straps give off a pop of color AND keep your foot in this deceptively high heel. Mullet-Tuck!   blazer-Gap(sort of similar here ), blouse-Nasty Gal(sort of similar and way cool here ), trousers/bracelet-Jcrew Factory(similar here and here ), heels-Zara(more heels here )   Yesterday I had a Little Blue Suit #LBS, today I'm busting out the Little Lavender Suit, or is this pink? I can see it both ways. I love that this "suit" is actually separates from two different retailers. It is important to keep a mental tally of what you already own when shopping. That's why I love online shopping at home, where my closet is right there to reference. Of course, sometimes you just have to buy an item if it speaks to you regardless of whether or not you know how it will work w

I didn't review/discuss the Spring 2013 collections as I did the Fall shows here and here .  But, I did have a gander through some runway show pics via Style.com  and found some unexpected inspiration from designer Mary Katrantzou , who was not previously on my radar.  Some of her looks for Spring 2013: The bright blues of this collection felt very fresh for spring. So often spring equals pastels, but for Mary Katrantzou it's all about bold blues with graphic black and white.  My real world take involves two pieces from Dorothy Perkins and a blazer I have from Asos: Navy Scarf Print Blouse   Geo Print Pants Navy Ombre Blazer, kind of sort of similar here I've had this blazer, from Asos , since the fall and it is a strikingly close match to the MK blazer above. The shirt and pants, from Dorothy Perkins , invoke the graphic prints and color palette of the Mary Katrantzou looks.  I'm hoping that the tonal similarities among the thr

      A little skin to balance the conservative neckline and collar of this blouse.   Sun-spray!         blazer /pants-Jcrew Factory(similar here ), blouse/bracelet- Le Tote , heels-Prabal Gurung for Target(similar here ) Like a LBD(little black dress) I'm advocating that all ladies should have a LBS(little blue suit).  I've worn this before here .  It's a very versatile combo: this suit can be casual with a t-shirt and loafers, a fun take on cocktail attire with a slinky blouse and heels, and in this instance for work, with a high-neck blouse and funky sandal booties.  And like any suit it's always a good idea to break up the pieces and wear them separately.  Word to the wise, no matter how many times you may wear one half of a suit get both dry-cleaned at the same time/frequency. Now some notes on lighting.  The above pics were taken on our back deck. We tried to get the shots near where we park are car in Shadyside, but the direct

    blazer-Forever 21(similar here ), blouse- Prabal Gurung for Target , pants-Diane Von Furstenberg(from the fall 2012 here and sort of similar here ), heels-Nine West(similar here ), necklace- Le Tote These pants are AMAZING,(you may recall them from this post ). A runway piece from Fall 2012(granted not direct from the runway because I am not a model and would not fit in THAT pair of pants, but manufactured from the runway). I love everything about them: fabric, color, drape, fit. They have kind of an 80's vibe in a good way, and they are a definite statement piece, but quite comfortable to wear. This outfit is a perfect mix of high and low. The pants are straight-up designer American sportswear, the blouse is a designer collab from target, heels, name brand Nine West, and the blazer (my good old standby) from fast-fashion retailer Forever21.  Its outfits like this one that make me proud to be an American.   Oh and Happy Earth Day!  

            jacket /necklace(similar here )-Jcrew, blouse(similar here ) /pants /shoes(similar here )-Gap, bracelet- JewelMint , sunnies-Ralph Lauren(similar here ) I'm a big fan of blue and green color combos they are always so fresh in my mind. These pants are just so much fun, right?  And a Godsend. I felt like this past fall and winter all the colorful trousers were cropped!! Come on retailers a teal wool/tweedy cropped trousers SOUNDS great, but in the midst of winter ankles need to be covered.  So, when I saw these full length green pants at Gap I picked them up right away. I kind of want to get a size smaller because they do have stretch and have already gotten a bit loose, plus they appear somewhat bulky in these pics.  What do you think, size down?