I Dream of Purple

The past few summer wedding seasons have been pretty uneventful for us. I've taken the relative inactivity as a good sign - it means most everyone I know is already married! Hooray for everyone! Come to think of it, Bob and I are probably the last couple left in our circle of friends. We'll get around to it, I promise! I see a delightful elopement in our future...

Happily, however, we did have one lone summer wedding to attend - a close friend of Bob's from college. And it meant a trip to Boston! We saw his family and lots of mutual friends, and we even managed not to kill each other on our drive - yes, you read that right, drive - out there. In fact, I quite enjoyed the 17 hour trip (gratefully split up in Ohio with close friends). We had ideal driving weather, and the scenery in New York State is second to none. Even better, our I-Pass worked for all the tolls out east! (Call me dorky, but this really excited me.)

Julia Pleated Dress - c/o Kiyonna

Ah, but what to wear, what to wear. Between packing on the pounds this past year and leaving my job, finding something in my closet was not only my only option, but it was a daunting one. So I was thrilled when I decided to poke around Kiyonna's new arrivals and found their new Julia Pleated Dress. Even more thrilled, I was, to have Kiyonna send it to me! This dress is PERFECT. Perfect for my body, perfect for the occasion (a conservative Jewish afternoon wedding), perfect for all the things I want it a great cocktail dress. Elbow-length sleeves? Check. Knee-length or longer? Check. Flattering but not too revealing v-neck? Check. Slimming, concealing, and feminine design features at the waist? Check! PRETTY, VIBRANT PURPLE COLOR?!? CHECK CHECK CHECK!!! (It reads bluer in pictures - blurple? - but it really is a gorgeous shade of purple.) On top of all of that, it's made of an easy, comfortable material that drapes flawlessly and doesn't wrinkle. I did wear the dress with Spanx, but I could have easily gone without - it fit that well! Seriously, as soon as I received the dress, I emailed Kiyonna to tell them this was my new favorite dress and they need to make it even more colors, STAT.

Necklace - Banana Republic (old) / Ring - Banana Republic (old) / Earrings - anniversary gift
Nails - No More Film by Essie (via Ulta)

The wedding was indeed lovely, as was the rest of the trip. And we got home just in time for me to start freaking about the fact that I'M TEACHING MUSIC HISTORY AGAIN AFTER A 5 YEAR HIATUS! And maybe working at Sephora. One week down and already exhausted! It'll make for an interesting year, to be sure!

Shoes - Audrey Brooke (old, via DSW) / Clutch - gifted

Honestly? I'm just happy to have things to dress up for again. =)

To the New!

This holiday season has been a whirlwind of good things all around. Engagement, birthday, Christmas with family, outings with friends visiting from out of state. So much to celebrate as I close out 2012 and ring in 2013! And it wouldn't be a proper celebration without a great dress (thank you Kiyonna!) and all the trimmings. And a frosty winter's night background that somehow complements it all perfectly.

Betsey Ruched Dress  - c/o Kiyonna / Shoes - Kelsi Dagger / Coat - Larry Levine

Truth be told, Bob and I have gone back and forth about how we wanted to welcome the new year. In many ways, our engagement only just 2 weeks ago has brought us so much excitement that there doesn't seem to be any way to make the end of the year much better! We have forgone our traditional NYE/anniversary meal at our favorite local restaurant in favor of Potbelly sandwiches and cookies (our bank accounts need the reprieve after so much holiday spending anyway) while Bob clears out the DVR and I whip up this blog post. (Full disclosure: the party gear, complete with Spanx, was donned earlier for the photo shoot and now lies in wait...while I've spent the last few hours relaxing in comfies.) Instead, we'll venture out late to share a bottle of wine and the festivities of downtown just in time for the stroke of midnight. Mother Nature brought plenty of snow, so I just know the sights will be lovely (even if the sidewalks aren't...)

Clutch - ? / Earrings - Anniversary gift / Necklace - LOFT / Ring - Banana Republic
Nails - Essie "Waltz" and OPI "Mauve-ie Star in Making"

But here's the kicker. I'm all dressed up with places to go, looking and feeling fabulous, but that's not even what excites me tonight. What excites me most is the fact that I've been blessed with such a wonderful partner in life - and now for life - to share it all with. We'll start the new year together, with so many more wonderful things (and the not-so wonderful, too) to look forward to.

I hope all of you will start off the new year in ways that make YOU the happiest!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Classic with a Twist

Valentine's Day came and went, and with it the romantic weekend in Chicago that Bob and I had planned: a downtown boutique hotel, reservations at Blackbird, a little Michigan Avenue shopping, an IKEA trip. Above all it was an opportunity to get fancy and eat glorious food in the name of a holiday that we otherwise don't care too much about. However, the nasty midwinter flu virus had other ideas for us, and we had to cancel the entire trip. We were totally, utterly bummed. It wasn't until last week that the both of us really started feeling better, and it wasn't until this past Monday night that we finally decided to take each other out - a Valentine's Day do-over date night, without the pressure but still with all the fancy.

My fancy was none other than this lacey confection, the Cosmo Cocktail Dress, from Kiyonna. Kiyonna knocked it out of the park yet again with this dress. Just below knee length, elbow-sleeves, sweetheart neckline exposed through the lace overlay (and you can wear a regular bra!), beautiful construction....and exquisite lace. THIS is my LBD, my friends. I have finally, after all these years, found it.

Cosmo Cocktail Dress - c/o Kiyonna / Belt - Talbots / Snakeskin clutch - eloquii /
Suede platforms - Kelsi Dagger "Linzy" (eBayed)

Worn alone, it is nothing less than stunning and classic, but I quite like it with a belt. Doing so allows for tons of styling options! In fact, had I worn it for Valentine's Day, I was planning to go all-out-holiday with a deep red belt, red snakeskin clutch, and red nails. Now that we're decidedly into spring, I went with springy corals instead. I love the whimsy they impart to the the dress! A neutral snakeskin clutch was the perfect choice to add a complementary but modern edge to the look, and black suede sky-high platforms rounded it all out.

Earrings - Ruche / Ring - Banana Republic / Nail polish - Essie "Haute as Hello"

And it was a lovely evening. A gloriously warm golden hour allowed us to walk to dinner, snapping pictures along the way. Our favorite restaurant downtown seated us at the coveted front window table and served us a delectable tasting menu of farm-to-table delights: a citrus salad with radish, ricotta, black olives and fennel; pan-fried monkfish over a bed of linguine with jalapeno, green onion and lemon; spare ribs with broccolini and potato salad; parmigiano reggiano with 16 y/o balsamic; and a chocolate buttercream-filled chocolate cupcake that even Bob, the sweet-tooth-less wonder, approved. Oh, and lots of wine.

A wonderful time will always be had when good food, good company, and a pretty dress is involved. It was a do-over, possibly done better....

My cute date =)

A Good Year

While watching Bridget Jones's Diary before bed last night (I couldn't imagine a better way to top off my birthday, by the way), I realized that it was Bridget's 33rd birthday for which she hosts that dinner party with her friends, joined by the incomparable Mr. (Mark) Darcy, joined later by the elusive Daniel Cleaver, ending by the two basically fighting over her. She finally wins the man of her dreams not long after the new year. (Can that kiss from behind be any more goose-bump inducing?) A good year, I say...

Betsey Ruched Dress - c/o Kiyonna / Bracelet - Banana Republic /
Clutch - Lodis (eBayed) / "Linzy" Pumps - Kelsi Dagger (via Piperlime)

So far, I can't say I've had any complaints. I got to celebrate my birthday a few days early with close friends, good food, and a dance party I'll always remember. Then I got to get dolled up for dinner with Bobby at our favorite restaurant in town, where they served a menu customized just for us and just for the 1988 Château Haut-Brion Bob had received last month from his parents. (Pause for the "Holy crap!" from all the oenophiles out there.) Another good year, indeed...

And with this outfit post I get to announce a super fabulous partnership with Kiyonna as part of their Blogger Brigade! They sent me this stunning Betsey Ruched Dress especially to wear for my birthday. It's been hanging in my closet for a few weeks now, and I've been beyond excited to finally wear it. I even found (the less expensive - and available size 11 - Kelsi Dagger version of) the gorgeous grey patent platforms that they'd paired with the dress! The restaurant was rather empty last night (it was a Tuesday night, after all), but the few that were around couldn't stop talking about the dress. The "devil in the blue dress," they told me...

Ring - Banana Republic / Earrings - Anthropologie / Nails - "Designer...de Better!" (O.P.I. Muppets Collection)

Even Bobby was looking mighty fine (as he always does) in his Oxxford suit, striped french cuff shirt, and a new yellow and blue polka dot pocket square of his own choosing.

Suit - Oxxford (via Filene's Basement) / Shirt - Banana Republic / Pocket square - Loehmann's /
Watch - Seiko Chronograph (via Amazon) / Cufflinks - Zales (gifted)

You know, it was a rather low key day when I think about it, but a quiet evening over a delectable meal with my sweet boyfriend, who never fails to make me feel special, birthday or otherwise, was pretty wonderful. And the fact that I got to do it in a gorgeous dress that celebrated my curves in the best way possible made it even more amazing.

Thanks to Thad and the rest of the staff at Bacaro for helping, too!

Wedding!

I went to a wedding out of town yesterday, which itself was a feat because I really didn't know if I could justify getting away from work to go. But, I could - and truth be told, I needed to (for my own sanity) - and I was glad I did. It was, however, the WORST planned trip my BF and I have ever went on. In fact, there was NO planning, which meant that fighting, screaming in the car, grumpy faces, unwilling favors, and even potential break-ups were at an all-time high. We did get home safely, though - but not until 3am after a 4 hour drive with not nearly enough caffeine. Ugh!

But the wedding was lovely, and I got to spend time with old grad school friends whom I miss terribly. I don't say it enough, or probably at all, but I do. I miss having girl friends in general, actually - and the lack of them in my life is more my fault and the walls I build around me. It's something I'm trying to remedy, but old habits (and even older wounds) die hard...and heal even slower... I think I really just need a few girl friends who I can bitch about the BF to, especially when he and I seem close to breaking up over his horrible driving. =7

As for the outfit, I pulled out a dress I hadn't worn in awhile (I was VERY proud of myself for not thinking I needed to buy something new) and I was SO happy to find that it still fit like a glove. (My weight has fluctuated a LOT this year....)

Double-knit origami dress - Banana Republic

I thought burgundy was a perfect color for a fall wedding, and it was still warm enough outside to warrant the cap sleeves. I LOVE the architectural detail of this dress, though I have to admit that the folds at my waist tend to make me look just a smidge preggers from the side. But I did not care. The dress is just so "me." (I have it black, too...) The fact that it's a double knit made it GREAT for the 4 hour car ride, too - not a single worry about it wrinkling!

I actually changed my shoes into a navy blue faux-suede platform pump nce I got to the wedding. (Yes, I brought two pairs because I just couldn't decide!) I initially thought the dark blue color made the look just a little less matchy-matchy (though they did match my manicure), but after I saw our initial pictures, they just made my legs look unbearably pale (well, they are, but I don't want to emphasize that), and they also seemed a little too dark for the overall color scheme. And more importantly, the were too big and kept slipping off my heel. Annoying! Glad I still brought along these beautiful shoes!

Metallic burgundy pumps - Charles by Charles David (via Zappos) / Dot clutch - Lodis

I normally wear silver with this dress, but I'm loving gold accessories lately, so I went that route instead. I love these colors together! They make for a very warm, luxe look. (The necklace is a single strand doubled.)

Gold angle/flower earrings - Banana Republic / Gold ring - Banana republic / Gold/burgundy stone necklace - The Limited

This picture was taken later in the night, so my eye make-up is all smudged and (oops) my black bra is peeking through... We'll blame the picture angle. Note to self - wear a full plunge bra next time.

Congratulations Ann and Kamran! Thanks for inviting us! I only wish we could have stayed longer. Next time, perhaps BF and I will actually plan such a trip....