Outfit: from the archives, part 1.

Nope, no "OOTD" (and none for possibly the next couple of days). This is for two reasons:

1. I have an odd shark-like sunburn right now, despite my frequent turning-and-basting techniques this weekend. I do hope to remedy this with time and a less martini/sangria filled brain this Saturday. (it's really not all that bad, but I'm still too scared to see what my stupid camera will make my skin tone look like until I have a day or two to even out.)

2. I have some archived photos and this sunburn/weekend come-down has been leaving me wearing my comfiest skirts, dresses and tee shirts. My current outfits aren't really fodder for a fashion blog... so the archives, it is!

Plus, hey... I like this outfit. It's a little weird, because I'm kinda-sorta wearing a cardigan as a shirt (gasp!). This is not a new trick, people, but I'm not usually a cardi gal and don't tend to incorporate them much into the wardrobe. That is, until I discovered the two I recently got at Nordies about a week ago. I love the grey one I wore here because it just seems to fit so well, and the color of this one is just so purrrrdy. It's like hydrangea or something. Not sure I even really know what color a hydrangea is, but I assume it's a pretty purplish-pink like this cardigan. Yep. Aaaaanywho.

Tee: Old Navy black tee

Cardigan: Nordstrom BP 3/4 sleeve cardigan (on sale!)

Skirt: Babooshka Boutique (ohhhh Etsy.)

Belt: F21 bow belt

Shoes: Liliana Bardor pumps

Necklace: Simply Vera Vera Wang

I think I may try this with the cardigan closed for a cleaner look, too. The thing about this skirt is that the paper bag style of it bans me from any sort of longer cardigan over it (or else there are weird bumps). Which, you'd think was OK living in Texas, but nooooo. Air conditioned buildings are brutal, and if you're wearing something that's not sweater or blazer-able, then you're bound to freeze the tush off ya. This was my solution, and it's perfect because the color is almost the exact color of the flowers in the skirt. (The hydrangeas? No, ok, they're some sort of pink daisy hybrid, whatevs.) This, of course, made me love this damn cardigan even more. Ooouff. Ohhh and do you see the pockets? Love the pockets! 

(p.s.... I am quite aware I need to change up my poses. I'm getting a little bored with this inverted right toe thing. I'll get on that, stat.)

OOTD: First 'Fursty!

Waaaay back when, I composed this list of designers I wanted in my closet.

(Quick disclosure, especially since the lovely Veronika just did a post about this, which I think is great to discuss: my closet has always been a mix of designer/mainstream [ya'll know I need my F21 as much as my Shopbop], but I really think the more into fashion I get, the more my idea of "designer" changes. I now think most of the stuff Shopbop carries is designer, whereas I used to think the epitome of couture was whatever Nordstrom TBD carried. Not that it isn't really pretty and nice and quality [please understand I'm not judging brands here because I do not discriminate-- ask my closet], but I've had the [mis?]fortune of gaining more knowledge about the millions of gorgeous designers out there, and it's been quite difficult trying to fill my closet with designers I respect and think are worth the cash.)

I've checked Rebecca Taylor off the list (and know that I haven't seen my last of her! sigh, love), and figured it was time to check off another. DvF was one of them. Up until now, I've not found anything by her that I thought was worthy and affordable enough (because honestly, $450 on a dress is just not in the budget at the moment!), but the Neiman Marcus pre-sale had such great stock, I had to finally cave. This top may be a season or two old, but it has a timeless quality about it that I knew would take me from season to season, year after year. Great fabric, nice flowy, elegant fit, beautiful pattern... Plus, a $265 down to $90 price-tag was within the budget, so it happened. Yes. It happened.

Top: DvF Ortega "In Budding Roses" blouse

Skirt: Etsy (gruhche)

Shoes: JS Cedary Sandal

Necklace: The Limited

It looks great dressy, like above, or even just with skinny blue or black jeans. It's a little tough to get the sleeves in to a blazer, but trust me. I'm working on it. :) The color palate is bright but somehow stays out of the loud and obnoxious realm. I'm very happy with it, and it was a nice little addition to my pre-sale fun! (The Robbi+Nikki top I've been talking about is great, too! It'll will be in an OOTD soon, believe you me...)

OOTD: "Ikat" of the Tiger.

Ha! Get it?! Like that awesome (coughSARCASTICcough) song Eye of the Tiger? Grrr, baby. :)

(...and Happy Mother's Day!!)

Although I was greatly fooled by what I thought was a gift from the gods (namely, the Intermix coupon that ended up having more strings attached than I expected), I looked cute on my shopping trip Saturday! It wasn't all bad-- if you read my post from earlier, you'll see I took advantage of the ever-tempting Neiman Marcus Pre-sale event. Ladies, this is a killer. Do not go unless you plan on dropping dough. I rarely go in to Neiman's, but when I do, it always seems like pre-sale time and I always leave with a new credit card bill (hate they don't take Visa debit). Plus, the SA was cute and I recognized her from my retail days (she worked across the street from me at an adorable boutique that has since closed). We had a nice long talk about what a shame it is they don't carry Geren Ford at Neiman's (we were both wearing GF). Speaking of:

Top: Geren Ford Tiger Ikat overlap tank

Blazer: Zara Basics blush blazer

Jeans: Hudson signature bootcuts

Shoes: Charles by Charles David reptile wedges

Necklace: Flavanilla (etsy)

This top was actually a part of my Friends and Family loot at Shopbop and I snagged the last one (though it's still available at Intermix and Geren Ford's site). That always makes it more special, right? I love this top so much. When I saw that pattern I knew it would be the perfect way to marry the feminine aesthetic I gravitate towards with the tribal trend that is "in" for spring/summer. Plus, it looks great with my new Zara blazer (which sadly hides the back of this top. I'll save that for another time). I have been looking for a tailored blazer for a while now and wanted one in white or black. But. I spotted this pretty blush color and couldn't resist. It fits me wonderfully and has a great weight to it-- I think it will work for most of the year despite the springtime hue. I love when pieces are pretty and special enough to be worn without a lot of adornment or extras, so all this called for was my "Love" necklace and I was out the door. I'd say it was a great Saturday, even counting the sad news about my strings-attached coupon. Win some, lose some.

Giveaway Week 2 of 2!

Morning, lovies! Without further ado, I present to you: my second week of giveaways! A little belated, but no matter-- this week's giveaway is sponsored by the lovely Flavanilla. She has a fabulous Etsy shop, which you must check out, plus a blog that's always filled with pretty pictures. Her designs are always fun and whimsical and are perfect to wear alone, or pair with other necklaces (like I did on Saturday's OOTD post). I love her Love necklace that she kindly sent me and hope you'll enjoy the offering she has for you: a lovely flower drop necklace!

(I'm always a sucker for pretty packaging!)

Ok, here are the rules of the game:

1. For one entry, comment on this post below and be a follower of Fetching Fashions! In the comment, please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win. This is imperative, folks. :)

2. For a second entry, tweet this giveaway! Please leave another comment below if you tweet and leave your twitter user name in the comment. (In the tweet, you must reference both the giveaway with Flavanilla, and obviously, my blog post. Here's a sample you can cut and paste: Visit Fetching Fashions for a chance to win a pretty necklace by Flavanilla! Deets here: http://bit.ly/bqkhdq)

That's all, my lovies. Happy entering! The giveaway will end on Friday, April 23rd at midnight.

OOTD: Love, zebra.

Two years ago, I had an unhealthy obsession over T-Bags. It's not to say I don't still like their designs, but there was something about the comfort of the material and the bright colors that had me in a tizzy. I'm glad I loved them when I did, because the dresses and shirts that I own are super comfy and are a great way to look cute + still be comfortable. Not sure I'd shell out the price for a rayon dress these days, but back then I did and thank goodness. :)

Wearing the Love necklace again... can't wait for Monday's giveaway. :)

Also wearing the CV for Target wedges. Wore them all weekend. Srsly. Heart.

Copying my newest style icon, Anh from 9 to 5 chic. Love the way she folds up her skinny belts and had to try myself! :)

Dress: T-Bags zebra print dress

Sweater: Anthropologie Summerweight cardigan

Belt: Express from forever ago

Necklace: a mystery Etsy designer (mwahaha)

Shoes: CV for Target cognac gladiator wedges

The winner is...

Hello, lovies! This morning, I ran the random.org generator to randomly select a winner of my jewelry bar giveaway. Here's how I numbered everything: Every entrant got a number based on the placement of their comment (the first commenter got #1, etc), and then got two consecutive numbers if they were also a fan of the jewelry bar on facebook. Thank you all for the entries-- the most successful giveaway to date!! Great news to all who didn't win (and really, even the one who did!): Late this week (or possibly early next, depending on when I get the item in the mail), a NEW GIVEAWAY will be held featuring another great Etsy designer. So definitely stay tuned for that.

Without further ado, the winner of this week's giveaway was Nicole Q (#62)!  Nicole, I've emailed you and gave you directions on how to get a hold of the jewelry bar. Let me know what you pick; I'd love to see the final product. :)

And like I said, definitely stick around for next week's giveaway. It'll be just a pretty, I promise.

SURPRISE! Week 1 of 2 of Giveaways!

**Thank you for the entries! The giveaway is now closed.**

Surprise, lovies! For the next two weeks on Fetching Fashions, we have two (count 'em, TWO) great Etsy giveaways! Woohoo! And ya'll know how much I love me my Etsy.

First up this week is the jewelry bar. You recently saw me wear my pretty necklace here, which I bought for myself when I bought three lanyard necklaces for my bridal party as thank you gifts. I was super-happy with the purchase and was stoked to find out that the jewelry bar wanted to do a giveaway with me! Here's the prize: the winner gets this beautiful 14k-gold-filled necklace with gorgeous gemstone of her choice (mine is very similar and trust me, it's so easy to wear)!

Here are the gemstone choices (note the size differences too, FYI):

Ummm, how awesome is that? All you have to do to enter is simple (I quite prefer simplicity; don't you?):

For one entry, comment on this post and become a follower (just let me know in the comment if you are a follower). Also, I forgot to say this, but please leave your email address in your comment! Otherwise, I'll have no way to reach you!! :(

For an extra entry, become a fan of the jewelry bar on Facebook! (please enter a separate comment for this by just letting me know in the comment). the jewelry bar lets you know about special promotions and secret discounts on her fan page, so make sure you visit.

The giveaway will end on Tuesday, April 13th at midnight, so get your entries in by then!

Also, be sure and Tweet this giveaway to your friends. The more the merrier, no? :) Good luck, all!!

OOTD: (g)ruched skirt.

OK. That is not how you spell her Etsy name (it's gruhche), but it was just too punny to pass up. Sorry folks.

As per expected, I'm in total lust over this skirt. It's a beautiful tulle over a knit body-con skirt and is the most amazing cream color. And again, I'm finding a lot of ways to style it... I totally recommend one for everyone. That is, if you're ok with the super-crazy-body-hugging clothing. Because nothing is getting hidden in this baby, whew. Here are some of my stylings (again, PICTURE OVERLOAD follows).

 

  

 

1. Pretty casual. I think the fun pattern and colors on this top make the skirt a little more casual. Although, it's not really a casual skirt. Could be paired with my fave denim jacket (heh) for the afternoon and then worn as is for the evening. 

Top: Express

Shoes: MICHAEL Michael Kors

Necklace: Nordstrom BP jewelry

  

  

  

2. Sexay. The lace + tulle combo definitely says "nighttime" to me and would be gorge for dancing and drinks. I spiced it up a bit with the edgier shoes. 

Top: Free People lace top

Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell

Necklace: Express, ages ago.

  

  

  

3. Color! This is wearable tucked in or out and is a popular way to style for this season. Pair a loosey-goosey top with a fitted skirt and voila! Insta-spring.

Top: F21 satin top

Shoes: Chinese Laundry zebra hair wedges

Necklace: (top) EPIC apparel; (bottom) ModCloth 

  

  

 4. Copy cat. OK. I copied this idea from Coley. Heh. I like the striped idea, especially belted like this. But this top is a little too long (since it's a tunic), so I would ideally go with a shorter top. Still like it, though. :) Plus, it's definitely casual!

Tunic: F21 striped tunic (this would be better prolly)

Belt: Steve Madden via Nordstrom

Shoes: Circa Joan and David kitten heels

Faves? Dislikes? What would you pair with it?

Can I shop yet?

In terms of my shopping-life, the past day has felt like 500 days. I am not cut out for this "40 Days of No Shopping" bull crap. Ugh. And this cute Anthro dress went (quite shockingly) on super-sale today-- gals, did this not fit right err sumthin? I can't quite understand it, but guess what? It's not happening for me anyway. ARGH.

Tesserae Dress (Anna Sui for Anthro)

In other, happier news, the wonderful, beautiful and ever talented Vera shipped my skirt and it arrived in my mailbox this afternoon. Yay! I woulda styled and taken pics of it tonight but I'm having one majorly bad hair day. So yeah not happening.  But visit her Etsy store, because she has a grey version of my skirt in store now! And I want it as well, but OH YEAH. I CAN'T. Awesome. Lovely Nicole did a fabulous job styling it over on her bloggity blog yesterday, so check it out. I'm totally stealing the striped shirt idea. So cute.

Ya'll, I'm weak. Wish me luck. This is just bad... bad...

Etsy Designer Spotlight: Talulabelles

I haven't forgotten about this running feature! I've just been bad about it. :)

And real quick before the post ensues: thanks for the responses yesterday! I'm actually a little shocked that most of you feel you couldn't pull off the look for one reason or another... especially because Oprah herself has deemed it an "easy look" to wear. Hmmm... Shows us how much she knows, huh? :)  I hope a few of you try it at least once, 'cuz lemme tell ya-- it's like wearing pajamas without having to wear the Pajama Jeans. And I swear, if I catch any of you wearing those, I'll be forced to bring out my styling AND psychology skillz on yas.

On to more interesting things: Etsy is known for the myriad of jewelry designers who make spectacular baubles, and Talulabelles is no exception. She hails from the UK, but don't fret, US buyers-- shipping is always free. And that's impressive for a small business! She uses a mixture of new and repourposed materials to make stunning pieces. Let's take a gander, shall we?

Chrysanthe Lace Applique necklace, $54

Baileys Over Ice earrings, $26

Olivia Corsage Necklace, $115

Hedgerow Fairies bracelet, $74

Chrysalis Butterfly earrings, $26

My fave has to be the lace applique necklace in the first picture-- the gold gets me every time. Gimme gimme. Check out her other stuff, too.... it's all worth a look!

Finally.

I've been eyeing Vera's Etsy shop (shop name: gruhche) for some time now and waiting to settle on an item. She makes the most gorgeous, fabulous, beautiful and feminine clothes. Since I have a Vegas trip coming up, I think the Ivory Mummy Skirt will be perfect for a loose fitted top and high heels, day or night. I just can't wait-- I'm finally going to own a Gruhche design! Thank you, Vera, for making such puuuuurdy clothes. :)

(Pictures from her blog-- all credits to Vera.)

Isn't it so sexy and pretty? Yay! :)

EDIT: Just found this insanely pretty Rebecca Taylor skirt... but me thinks it's way too similar to the one above to buy it. Sad. Someone please buy this so I may live vicariously through you, thanks. (p.s. Check out more of RT's stuff here!)

Etsy Designer spotlight

Morning, everyone! Since I love independent designers and love to support them, I'm thinking about starting a spotlight post a few times a month on designers I find and fall in love with. I'm going to kick off this feature with a designer I found from the ever-wise Dramatis Personae. Color Me Conscious, a designer from my parent's home-state of New Jersey, designs with a purpose: a portion of each sale goes to a "cause of the month." For January and February, Color Me Conscious will donate a portion of proceeds to Heart Disease Awareness Prevention, RED. (Check out her Etsy site for more info on the cause and, obvi, her amazing designs.) How cool is that? Oh and wait. Check out her super-insane-pretty-awesome cuffs. I'm a-gettin' me one of these babies.

Of course, she designs other things, too, and everything is just so pretty. But these cuffs are what my dreams are made of. And that picture right there above? That print will go PERFECTLY with my F21 Twist skirt and Steve Madden Zebra pumps, hello?! It's like she read my mind.

Anyway, check her out! And tell me what you think...

Wishlist: updated...

My husband remarked yesterday that no matter how much I want something, a day later, something else makes my wish list. Which is sorta true... I think what he doesn't understand is that while I continue to love the item I initially wanted/got, I begin loving something else in addition. But there is room in my heart for alllll items. Awww... I'm so loving. :-P

Here are some things my heart desires... while still leaving "love-room" for the things in my closet:

Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent

I'm so smitten with this pastel dress. I would wear it so infrequently, but it would be a special day when it debuted!

Bellatrix Printed Chiffon Top

This looks 100 times better in person, and it is so absolutely me. The colors, pattern, and soft, flowy fabric are ideal qualities in clothes for my taste. With jeans or a high waisted pencil skirt, it's a winner, for sure!

Go Jane purple rosette suede pumps

Another "me" item... and look at the peep of animal print on the heel! Eeeeeekkk!!

Forever 21 Rose print dress

Love by YAYA did a dress super-similar to this last year and I lusted after it for a while, eventually deciding the bodycon thing is not useful... but I think I've changed my mind. Yoink!

Anthro's Converging Roads Sweater Dress

Simple but so cozy. Every time I see it in the store, I have to touch it and look at it for a minute. I haven't pulled the trigger yet... but I can imagine it being a go-to comfort dress, totally!

Victorian Vintage Ribbon Multi-Strand Necklace (by designer135)

Oh boy, the love affair with Etsy continues. So pretty, and I love thinking that I'm getting something made from love and one of a kind.

A smattering of selections indeed, but I think I'm noticing that pastel-based theme continuing here... hmm.... I forsee my Spring wardrobe looking like the Easter bunny threw up on it. Let's hope that works out for the best.