OOTD: Remixing the NYE dress

On NYE, I wore this Rory Beca silk dress (sold out in purple) because it was the perfect combo of casual and dressy. Since my new year's festivities were pretty simple, I decided to wear something I knew I would be able to wear in other ways. Here's my quick, first shot at re-styling it (although I think the choice of blazer may not have been ideal. I'll do better next time). Pretty go to for me: leggings and a blazer to finish it off. I'm way too predictable. :)

Dress: Rory Beca Claudia dress (here)

Blazer: Urban Outfitters

Belt: Express

Tights: Hue

Shoes: ROSEGOLD Sandra Convertible boots (here)

I can't believe my nice, long holiday break is over! I'm back at work but don't have school until after MLK day, so I shouldn't complain too much. I already miss my couch, blanket and cup of coffee, though.

And yes, to those people wondering if I'm actually wearing clothes without a coat (and the occasional bare leg)... it's true. Dallas has really yet to see coat weather save for a few days and some chilly nights. Compared to last year (e.g. 2 snowstorms BEFORE Christmas!), the weather has been great for dress-wearing. Score.

OOTD: Its the final countdown.

When I bought my Tucker blouse, I loved the colors and print: pretty grey undertones, pops of coral, abstract florals. I assumed (dumbly) that I'd wear this baby out throughout the summer. Well, that was before I realized our temperatures would reach heat indices of 115 (I'm not kidding.). I thought, "That's fine! I'll just wear it when the weather get's cooler. Right?" Wrong. Looking at it now, I realize it's pretty summery to be wearing through the fall. What's a girl to do?

1. Wear it and hope I can run fast enough from building to building so that the sweat doesn't build up enough to leave stains (ewww, TMI).

2. Eff it all and wear it in the fall, despite its blatant spring-like tones. (With a chunky beige cardigan? And boots/jeans?)

3. All of the above.  :)

Here's number one in action... (p.s. These are indeed shorts. No, I am not prancing around town in a skirt that barely covers my lady-parts. No, when I bend over you don't get a sneak peek. Yes, they still are super short!)

Top: Tucker Washed out Watercolor blouse

Shorts: UO ruffle tap shorts

Shoes: {from a local boutique}

Belt: F21

Also... when the heck are we going to see a Tucker for Target lookbook? Hmmm? I'm dyin' over here, peeps!!

OOTT (outfit of the traveling.)

Readers. Oh readers. Its been a while, huh? Sorry about that, but as you may know, I just came back from DC yesterday evening and was so tired. Lovely Rosa and her cutie chihuahua Lola wore me out! After I sort through the pics (and when my computer wants to cooperate and let me get my pics off of my iPhone!), I'll post a few of what we did/ate. THANK YOU! to Rosa for hosting such a lovely weekend! We had a fabulous time. :)

Until then, here's a quickie of what I wore on my traveling day. The A+O Wrap Around Cardi came in the mail a few weeks ago and I heart this thing. The material is definitely gauzey, so it's not a fall/winter staple as much as it will be good for the summer/fall transition. But I also plan to layer with it (turtleneck under it; blazer over it). There are so many ways to wear this, but I tried it with a belt and liked it a lot. It was a perfect "inbetweener" item for the cold plane/the warm weather in DC. And the color is just so pretty!

(p.s. I did wear shoes for the airport. I just didn't want to wear them until the airport. Heh.)

 Tank: Nordstrom BP white camisole

Cardi: alice + olivia wrap around cardi (see link above)

Shorts: UO ruffle tap shorts

Belt: F21 bow belt

I'm a cheater.

Carrie (SATC) says she's cheating on fashion with furniture... I am apparently cheating on it with pillows.

Let me explain.



No, wait. You know what? I won't explain. I'll just show...

Shall I go on? :)

These gorgeous little throw pillows are designed by The Home Centric. Sigh. And p.s... that one near the top with the silk roses in the beautiful neutral pastels? You best believe that baby will be mine, perfect on a small chair in the nook in my new master bedroom. Doesn't it remind you of that Anthropologie Whorled Roses tank? Somehow, it does seem more appropriate being on a pillow rather than my chest. :)  It's decor-love, lovies! Maybe these pillows are my first foray into the world of interior design. Juuuust maybe.

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.)

OOTW(eekend): pure exhaustion.

There's really no other name for this weekend other than exhausting. It was insanely productive, though! As previously mentioned, our new house must be decorated (aka time to get rid of our college-past and embrace our "adult" future), so the hubs, MIL and I hit up some sales early to check some things off the list. I'd say we managed to save thousands on what we bought this weekend and got some really, really nice things. A gorgeous camel micro-suede couch... hand-tufted rug... 5-piece table and chair set... decorative foyer table, to just name a few... and my personal fave? A zebra-esque vase that everyone else seemed to hate at first and then really warmed to. Heh. Shows them for not having faith in my design-taste! (also on sale for 1/2 off! Nice)

(I've got the best spot for this, too... I plan on filling it with some curly branches and setting it in one of our little stairway alcoves. Perfect!)

We also managed to find some of the pieces to bring my master-bedroom ideas together, which I think I'll save reveal-wise until it starts to coalesce some more. I must say, it's morphing into something a little different than I had originally planned, but I'm loving it nonetheless. The inspiration-colors, though, played a big role in what it's starting to look like. Can't wait to share... eventually.  :)

Here's an outfit of the weekend, perfect for some well-deserved champagne Sunday brunch at Kirby's Woodfire Grill (nom nom nom)...

Top: Robbi + Nikki crepe silk top (my pre-sale score! similar here)

Skirt: F21 ruffle skirt

Belt: F21

Shoes: JS Cedary sandals

Necklace: Express multichain necklace

Wahoo, finally debuting the top I had been talking about for ages! I never could find this online and really never saw it any other place than at NM's pre-sale, but I snagged it for $50ish marked down from $180ish. A good deal in my opinion! The "shoulder pads" are a bit crazy but since the shirt is pretty simple, it's such a fun detail. The material, including the shoulder detail, is so soft and luxurious. A nice piece by the Robert Rodriguez family! Only sucky thing is you can't really wear a sweater or jacket with it since you'd lose its character, so it's a summer top only. Maybe I'll get creative, but we'll see. :)

OOTD: A color encore...

First thing's first: I had a very good and productive day yesterday.

1. I finally found out about my financial aid, and looks like we're getting more than I thought, which is great. Especially with the whole house thing looming... no one wants a mortgage + a lack of funding. So, crisis averted!

2. As I mentioned yesterday, my new closet has shoe cubbies. That fact alone will probably put a smile on my face for some time to come. I'm definitely planning on being really organized and creative with my new closet and will make sure to do closet photos when we move in.  (side note: for those of you asking for pics, I'll be sure and do those... eventually. I'm a little embarrassed by my poor decorating skillz, so although I'm exercising my design-bone, I'm a novice. And you have to bare with me. Merci.)

3. I was quite productive shopping yesterday! I got two new cardigans (here and here) and a fantastic new pair of pants. As you may know, I've been in the market for non-jean pants and finally found them. They are the Hinge silk pants, and as a quick review: they run TTS and are made of the softest and prettiest silk. Fabulous... I recommend for anyone in the market for the "soft/easy pant" look.  (Outfits with them to come.) I've been so bad about getting staple-pieces recently, so these new additions will maximize my closet and hopefully even save me some moolah in the future.

4. I, like many of you, realized how underwhelming the Anthropologie sale really is, and saved myself some serious dough. :)

Anyway, on to an outfit. With PINK. MORE PINK.

(By the way, still not sure this all works together-- something about the blazer and shorts combo? I think I'm worried about the proportions. I think it's ok, but still not 100% positive... this is what these photos are for, lovies!)

(hahaha... that face! I was trying to be fierce, and then started to laugh...)

Top: BCBG pink tee

Blazer: Zara Basics blush blazer

Shorts: UO ruffle tap shorts

Shoes: Steve Madden Tristanos

Necklace: Bakers multi-chain necklace

OOTD: Pink Part Pwo (I mean, TWO.)

(Quick update: after some issues with the foundation and some in-depth discussions on the value of homeownership vs. mental sanity, we've decided to move along with the townhouse. Which means we'll be moving in about 1 month! Yay! I'm a little nervous about the whole thing, especially after hearing the foundation estimate--YIKES--but I think in the long run it's a good investment. And the bright side is my closet has shoe cubbies. SHOE CUBBIES, ya'll!! p.s. that's been a lifelong dream of mine, to own a closet with shoe cubbies. Anyway.)

Was not kidding about this pink thing, folks! (p.s.: the top's color IRL is more strawberry than it is coral... but I couldn't get the color just right on Photoshop without making my face look sallow. Nice.)

[Plain.]

[Cardi.]

[Jacket.]

Top: Express ruffled tank

Jeans: Hudson signature bootcuts

Necklace 1: Codename Ivy

Necklace 2: White House Black Market

Sweater: Line ruffle cardigan

Jacket: F21 Peplum jacket

Belt 1: Express skinny gold belt

Belt 2: Rodarte for Target leopard belt

Shoes: BCBG Max Azria reptile slides

I really couldn't decide how I liked this top best, and I'm still not sure if I have a preference looking back at it now. I needed a little something to throw over it, since air conditioned buildings in Texas are frigid, but couldn't find the "right" thing. I do feel like anything over it covers up its prettiness, since the raw-looking ruffles make the top. But practicality must win, lovies. Hubs preferred look #2 with the cardigan... but I think that's mostly because he really does not like the Rodarte belt. Boo on him. :)

What say you, readers? Is there a perfect cardigan/jacket to throw over this ruffled tank?

OOTD: The pink parade.

Lots of the outfits I've put together recently have included a pink hue, whether it be blush or barbie hot pink. Not sure the source of my recent pink-madness, but I must say I'm enjoying it. I'm a girly-girl. There's no doubt. Pink has always been my favorite color, and with my light-ish colored skin and ruddy complexion (which oddly carries a more yellow tone on the rest of my body), I find I can (usually) wear it and have it be complementary. So, a premature apology for the amount of pink you're likely to see in the next few weeks.

(It really doesn't help that my new pink Zara blazer goes with just about everything in my closet... I heart it and want need it in black, stat!)

Top: BCBG Max Azria cashmere tee

Belt: BCBG Max Azria (the original Snakebite belt, heh)

Skirt: F21 striped mini

Shoes: Liliana Bardor pumps

Scarf: Tolani ombre linen scarf

(p.s., This is my "recreated" look from the post I did on Bazaar's recent issue.... most definitely inspired rather than a direct copy, but the mag gave me the idea, at least!)

Was it just in Dallas, or did Tolani scarfs take over the summer last year? It was probably regional, but  Tolani was the "hot" scarf to own... seen on Jessica Alba and Hillary Duff, most notoriously. The boutique I worked in carried tons, and all we did was dress in scarves last summer. Which means I have a ton, and I never seem to wear them anymore. I'm attempting to fix that and re-incorporate them into my spring wardrobe. We'll see how that goes... and if the weather cooperates!

Helmut pants, Redux.

I thought I might as well post these pics, since the pants have since been returned. Sigh. I don't regret returning them at all, but I still think they were pretty and fun and different. And were great for dress-up photo shoots. And look at that hourglass figure on the corset photos! Loooook! :) (please don't laugh. That is all the hourglass this gal will see, ever.)

Bustier: French Connection (same style, diff print)

Sweater: The Limited cropped cardi

Tank: Express ruffled tiers cami

Jacket: F21 Dean Denim jacket

Shoes: N.Y.L.A. Extravaganza pumps

Necklace: Nordstrom (don't recall designer's name)

Earrings: prolly F21...

(And the returned pants: Rebecca Minkoff Helmut pants)

(p.s. Better pics with that bustier and the Express tank are to come... two of my fave new tops, man!)

OOTD: Inspector gadget.

(Who else loved that show? Penny was my fave... she was so smart! :) )

I've been so busy around here, lovies. I wish I could say it's been some big preparation for the blog, but unfortunately it has nothing to do with the blog. First, I was sick, which made me a zombie to the world, then I my immune system found its way back to me, and then things got busy. House-buying busy... yay! We're in closing right now on a townhouse, and I'm thrilled. But it always seems good news comes with a bad side, and the bad side is the inspection (which occurred this morning) didn't quite go to plan. We need to call in a structural engineer (the big-wigs) to investigate some foundation issues. Great... anyone with home experience knows foundation issues are analogous to car transmission issues-- the biggest, baddest and (typically) most expensive concerns. If the issues are bad enough, we may have to walk away. Boo. But I'm hoping for the best... and hopefully, my evenings will be mine again some time soon. So I can come back to you, my readers, and give you what you want: more gratuitous photos of moi. (Ha!)

This afternoon found me a few hours to mess around with some outfits, so I've stockpiled some dress up sessions for some OOTDs to come. Which means, like it has been recently, most of the outfits seen will be not really OOTDs, but some version of what I want to wear... I promise to get back to regularly scheduled programming soon.  Promise.

(I'm really Anthro'ed out today! By the way, I do love this top, and it looks very cute with my white shorts, too!!)

Top: Anthropologie Nexus Top

Jacket: Anthropologie Immutable Jacket

Jeans: Hudson signature bootcuts

Shoes: Madden Girl

Bracelets: courtesy Maria! thanks, girl.

Earrings: dunno. Sorry.

And as a little update: the Rebecca Minkoff pants went back to Shopbop for someone else to buy... sigh. I think I liked them more than many of you (and I still think the fit was pretty good-- I actually like pleats and think I can pull them off), but the heart of the matter was that I just know I wouldn't wear them. I know I'd just end up reaching for my jeans or a skirt instead. Old habits die hard!