Blank Canvas

Let's start off the week with a great little dress, shall we? This Dorothy Perkins dress was one of those peplum finds that I had stalked forever online. The color I really wanted was a luscious grass green, but, alas, it sold out in my size before I could make up my mind to pull the trigger. The blank canvas of nude turned out to be a happy (and more versatile) runner up.

I use to have (well, still have but it nowhere near fits) a flannel caramel-colored sheath from Banana Republic that I always wanted to wear with a green belt. It never did fit (and it's time for me to give it up, methinks) so the outfit idea continued to languish. So this nude dress sprung to my mind as a way to finally wear the combination. The dress is best worn with a belt, actually, so it was fate!

Dress - Dororthy Perkins / Belt - Banana Republic /
Clutch - eloquii / Heels - Nine West "Bigspender" (via  Endless)

Lest a dress nearly the color of my skin wash me out, colorful accessories were necessary. The belt was already a given, but the combination of other accessories would plague me. I don't think I hit the right mark with this particular combination, but I couldn't resist the punch of green and coral. (Truthfully, I just couldn't resist wearing these shoes!) I will say that the necklace is closer to the green of the belt than these pictures let on; they seem more complementary in real life. As a whole, the outfit might be a case where a little more editing was necessary, and I confess myself feeling somewhat self-conscious for much of the night on that score, but there it is. Funnily enough, I received several compliments on the necklace and quite a few on the shoes. So maybe I shouldn't have hung so tightly to the belt, eh?

Necklace - Modcloth (gifted) / Ring - Banana Republic / Earrings - Anthroplogie /
Nailpolish - Re-fresh Mint (China Glaze)

That's the nice thing about a blank canvas, though; the options for next time are endless!

Rainbow Bright

Neither my usual color palette nor silhouette, I was drawn to this flirty little dress. What's not to love about a wide black waistband, navy scoop neck top, and vibrant, swingy skirt?

For a kid-friendly day of music featuring everything percussion, I figured I could step over a few lines of work-appropriate attire and really play with color for this outfit. Bring on the purple tights! I could have chosen navy instead, but I wanted to bring out more of the colors in the skirt, and this was perfect. I toyed with open toed sandals for the look, but nothing I had really worked. I needed to ground all that color with chunkier footwear, like a wedge or wood sandal, but alas, I had neither. Hmm, what about booties? Though rarely worn and something rather outside of my comfort zone, they seem to have been a pretty perfect option for the outfit.

Dress - Lane Bryant / Denim jacket - Theory (eBayed) / Tights - We Love Colors /
Booties - Payless / Handbag -  Urban Outfitters

The dress sleeves themselves are actually quite cute; a short sleeve with ruching on the top makes for something very easy to wear alone. And I could have - it eventually became warm enough outside to warrant it. (Yay for the return of outdoor pictures! My goofy facial expression simply belies a casual frustration with the shade/sun ratio at my usual photo location....) But, as always, I felt myself wanting an extra layer. Casual, easy - a shrunken, cropped denim jacket it was.

Ring - Ruche / Necklace - LOFT / Earrings - LOFT / Nail polish  - Haute as Hello (Essie)

How else I can possibly wear this dress, I really don't know. Bottom line, I definitely prefer tights with it - it is just too short on me and I know I won't wear it otherwise. Considering that it's a spring/summer frock, this is quite the conundrum...

Exclamation Necklace

I'm pretty sure I planned this outfit around this utterly gorgeous necklace. And the fact that I wanted to look fabulous for the last day of Nutcracker merriment, of course. Neither teal nor peach might be the first colors that jump to mind during the holiday season, but I loved how the the pretty peach tones of the necklace looked against the cool hue of the dress. Teal is so my color anyway, and the fit of the dress is pretty great too. Not a bad canvas, I say.

Dress - Ann Taylor / Belt - Banana Republic / Mocha tights - We Love Colors /
 Brown buckle pumps - Christian Siriano for Payless

Thanks to a run in my favorite Spanx sheers, I decided to go with tights for the ol' gams. Since I loved the unexpected combination of teal and brown the last time I wore this dress, I went with mocha tights and darker brown heels to create a nice tonal effect. A wide belt in a tan snakeskin helped define my waist and balance out the colors, but I wonder if I could have benefited from a more streamlined look without it. Next time, I guess. Besides, it was all about the necklace anyway, remember?

Necklace - Anthropologie / Ring & earrings - Banana Republic 

Handbag - Steve Madden

Summer's Last Breeze

I think this late summer has finally left us. The leaves are falling in earnest (the nightly crunch crunch heard outside our window by passers-by is always a welcomed sound) and the space heater has been turned on more often than not. (We are not yet ready to commit to actually turning on the heat.) But with such gorgeous fall days as we've had, I'm finally ready for all of it. '

This day might have been that last of these warm days. Expecting it to be so, I wore this sweet grey shirt dress from Lane Bryant (which sold out almost immediately), paired with my ever-comfortable Nine West wedges in minty green. Definitely appropriate for the warm 80 degree afternoon, I was glad I could wear it a second time not only for the sake of the blog but also for a busy performance evening. I love everything about this dress - it's wonderfully comfortable, fits like a dream, and its steely neutral hue lends itself to any number of colorful accessories. I'm sure there are layering options for the cooler days ahead, but I haven't yet brought myself to consider them...

Grey shirt dress - Lane Bryant / Handbag - Tano "Boogie Bucket"

Today, I felt like the summer breeze as it passes through for the last time.

Necklace - Lane Bryant Outlet / Earrings - The Limited / Ring - Ruche / Nails - Eve-y on the Eyes (Sephora by O.P.I.) / Sandals - Nine West (via Amazon)

Congrats to my giveaway winners! Thanks to all who entered!

Laced with Love

I love the resources offered in the world of blogging. I wanted to try this Lucie Lu dress (the "Amelia" ), but afraid of how it would actually look, I started searching for blog reviews of the dress to help guide my purchase. As luck would have it, Diva in Deep Thought had just such a review! Bolstered by her styling of the dress, and inspired by her love of lace, I gave it a try. The pretty details, and especially the layer of lace, did not disappoint, and I found that - unlike other Lucie Lu dresses that I've tried - it fit decently in the bust and waist. (Usually, the fit is much too large.) It is actually still just a smidge big, but it makes for a comfortable fit perfect for a hot summer's day. And the length is simply perfect!

Dress - Lucie Lu "Amelia" / "Instant Sleeves" in Heather Grey - Lucie Lu / Purple peep-toes - Nine West

I decided to pair the dress with yet another color of the Lucie Lu Instant Sleeves that I so adore, figuring that the indoor AC would chill things down considerably and, as per usual, allow me to cover up my arms a bit (even if it did cover up the embellishment, too). But after much running around, I was glad to disrobe the sleeves and let the whole package of the dress shine through. The perfect scoopneck and wide shoulder bands do nicely offset any fear of arm flab I usually have. And I was pleasantly surprised at the overwhelming number of compliments I received as guests came through the doors!

Ring - TJ Maxx / Necklace  - LOFT / Earrings - LOFT

I must admit, I continue to wonder if I should have gotten the beige/grey combination (the Fiona) instead (I LOVE pairing those neutrals together!), thinking that it would be a more interesting color palette than white and grey. But you can't go wrong with those classic colors, and as the Diva in Deep Thought said, it makes for endless options with accessories!

And hey, if you haven't yet heard, I have a giveaway coming up featuring (hint, hint!) something worn in this post! Stay tuned!!

Birthday Celebration

We celebrated Bob's birthday last Friday! Per his request, we went to our favorite restaurant in town (the same place we went for my birthday) and had a truly mind-blowing meal. We also had more than our share of wine (note the empty bottles and glasses in the last picture), making us grateful for a Saturday of nothing that allowed us to recuperate. (And boy, did we need it.)

Dress - Anthropologie / Shrug - LOFT / Nude patent pumps - Guess (via Piperlime) /
Purple patent clutch - MAXX New York (gifted)

For the event, I wore this Anthropologie sale score (it has pockets!!) that I had intended to wear for Valentine's Day, but since we didn't go anywhere, it continued to languish in my closet. I must admit that it doesn't fit as well as it could in my bust/back area (gimme a few more weeks on Weight Watchers, though...) but fortunately its full a-line skirt is very forgiving. (And thank goodness for shrugs and Spanx.) Besides, Bob insisted that I wear it because he simply loved me in it, so the decision was made for me. =)

Necklace - LOFT / Earrings - LOFT

The print is pretty spectacular - blue and purple and orange and lime green brush strokes - which makes accessorizing fun, and I sure took advantage of it! I even got a manicure in a bright violet shade just for the occasion.

Bob's Outfit: Faux-linen blazer - Lauren Ralph Lauren (Kohl's) / Shirt - Robert Graham / Pocket Square - Banana Republic / Jeans - Polo Ralph Lauren / Shoes - Donald Pliner 

The man of the night was looking mighty fine himself, I might add. But he always does.... =)

And the food!! The food!! Here's just a "taste" of some of the amazing dishes we enjoyed.

Fried sweetbreads with black summer truffles and garlic scapes; Copper River Sockeye Salmon with smoked fingerling potatoes, greens and a mustard sauce

Happy Birthday, my dear Bobby!

Day to Night

I wore this outfit yesterday, a day which tested my ability to transition from being well-dressed with a slightly more daytime/professional vibe to a fancier look for evening. I rarely care about such things, but the day's multiple events seemed to dictate the need: meetings, office for paperwork and emails, interesting conference panels, more paperwork and emails in the office, meet with and brief staff on performance needs, attend lecture, performance and reception, followup with staff. I'm actually kind of impressed that my outfit had such mileage! I was also impressed that I was still standing at the end of the day. (For what it's worth, I'm not standing at all today.)

Grey embellished sheath dress- Dress Barn / Grey cardigan - LOFT / Embossed belt - Banana Republic / Flats - LOFT

I scored this dress on clearance at Dress Barn for $18 and I was actually surprised how easily it does transition from day to night. Throw on a cardigan and some flats and I was good to go! It was so easy it was almost criminal, really... I liked the choice of this grey cardigan in a slightly lighter tone, which gives the outfit a little more dimension without having too much contrast. I did add the belt to the dress, however. The dress is a sheath that was just a smidge big on me. Without the belt, I lacked any sort of definition in the waist. I also liked the addition of the lighter tan color of the belt to break up the grey. (You know I love grey and ivory together!)

And of course the natural (no pun intended) choice: a tan handbag...

Handbag - Steve Madden (via Endless.com)

Once evening had come around, I did need to meet with the staff, but as I was attending the evening's performance, I wanted to get a little fancier. Off with the cardigan and flats, on with embellished open-toed bronze heels! Saucy.

Bronze embellished peep-toes - BCBG (eBayed)

I just love the embellishment on the dress - so simple yet so striking. It's because of the colors in it, too, that I knew tans, bronze and cream would go smashingly.

Ring - Banana Republic / Earrings - The Limited

What a fabulous clearance find, eh?

Pop that Collar

I got dressed today! I took pictures! And...I'm posting!

Evening performances started right back up again today. As it was only one house, I kept the attire a bit lower key than I might have otherwise. And considerably more comfortable...

Shirt Dress - Lane Bryant / Skinny Belt - The Limited / Patterned Tights - Simply Vera (Kohl's) /
Suede Taupe Knee-High Boots  - Nine West (via Amazon)

Necklace - LOFT / Earrings - Lane Bryant

I bought this dress yesterday at Lane Bryant's killer clearance sale. After 60% discount and a coupon, I paid $11 for this bad boy. Believe it or not, I didn't yet own a shirt dress (or is it a trench dress?) of any kind, which many would argue is a closet staple. Well, I had been eying this dress for a while, but every time I tried it on, I always felt it looked a bit frumpy on me - especially the matronly neckline. But for $11 I thought, "Why the hell not? I can do something with it." And as I'm not feeling terribly great in my own skin (thanks to more than my share of holiday pounds), I definitely appreciated the roominess of the a-line shape.

This dress screams for accessories, however. I knew right away that I would wear some fun tights, and these patterned burgundy ones were just a perfect shade to wear with its deep, dark navy (definitely nearly black) color. (I also have some super fun raspberry colored leggings, but those will probably wait for warmer months.) The belt it came with also had to go (one of its other main frump-factors), so  I added one of my own for a pop of color. I can also see doing belts in a myriad of other colors - yellow, tan, orange, pink, etc. etc. To make it a little less matronly, I also unbuttoned the first button and popped the collar - like the cool kid I am. =) (It didn't really stay that way for long, though.) As for the boots, this was their first wearing. I got them for only $61! They are originally $179! (Amazon is kind of awesome when it comes to shoes sometimes.) I do love the color with the dress - I think it all makes for a great overall palette. But because of the shaft height, you don't really get to see my fun tights very well. They worked, though, especially for these Midwest winters. Besides, it didn't really matter THAT much. =)

In other news, I'm in the market for a new camera. Just waiting patiently to see if the price goes down. I'll probably be taking the plunge this weekend either way. Here's to new toys and better pictures!

A Night to Remember

Thank you SO much for all your kind birthday wishes and compliments! This post is a little later than I had intended, but that's me - always late to the party. =7 I had a wonderful time with wonderful friends, and I am happy to share a few moments (and outfits) with you here! (In other words, this post is photo heavy!)

First, the obligatory full-body outfit pose from home, with fresh make-up, hair and sassiness:

Dress - Connected Apparel (I cannot remember where I got it, though) /
Navy faux suede pumps - Payless / Necklace - Urban Outfitters

Let me say a few words about this dress. It's been in my closet for a few years now. I first wore it for my sister's bachelorette party back in 2007 (I think). I was heavier then, so it was considerably tighter on me, but after I'd lost a bunch of weight, I still came back to this dress often - especially when I had gained a few pounds but needed a dead-sexy dress to still make me feel good. Unfortunately, I've gained back more than a share of those pounds, so I was so happy to be able to rely on this number for my birthday. It's a dress that really celebrates my curves, you know? And what better dress than that to wear for a birthday - one that celebrates YOU?? =)

The dress is just perfect for a winter night's event (long-sleeves, thick cotton material), with totally figure-flattering details. Its double-banded waistband perfectly defines and accentuates my waist, with a roomy but shapely bottom to conceal all manner of sins below. The deep v-neck showcases my buxom girls and narrows my broad shoulders. (A good bra - thank you Lane Bryant plunge - is imperative with that much cleavage, though!) The length is also perfect for my tastes - I love a retro length that hits below the knee (as you see for my love of pencil skirts), showing off just a bit of my calves and ankles (which I generally love), but not too much to make me feel uncomfortable - or cold!

I toyed with various pops of color in my accessories for a long time, vacillating between blues and pinks in shoes, jewelry, and handbag. This necklace filled the space of my décolletage the best, however, even though it was still a neutral color. So, I relied on the color of my fabulous fuchsia Gustto, and finished off with these rich (though not bright) navy pumps. I thought it was a good balance of colors, but I clearly think that my shape is the star in this outfit, rather than color. =)

Handbag - Gustto (via BBOS)

You saw a few preliminary pictures with this same backdrop at the restaurant. I just love the burgundy walls (especially with my dress) and I couldn't resist having a little fun with a "prop." As we were pretty much the only party in the entire restaurant at this point (we had an early reservation) I figured I could act like I owned the joint for a bit.

And now, meet my boyfriend of nearly 6 years, Bob. He's cute. =) He also knows how to rock an outfit like the best of them.

Bob's Outfit: Navy blue blazer, redone with mother of pearl buttons (his idea!) - Polo Ralph Lauren / White button-down with blue diagonal stripes - Banana Republic / Light blue tie with pink stripes - Haines & Bonner (via TJ Maxx) / Pink pocket square - Polo Ralph Lauren / Brown heathered pants - Jos. A. Bank / Brown cap-toe oxfords - Johnston & Murphy / Glasses - Ted Baker

I love the backdrop here - rows and rows of wine bottles in lounge room of the restaurant (located on the other side of the room from my picture above). I did actually try to take the outfit picture in front of it, but it sadly did not turn out well. (Stupid camera. I have a new one on my wish list, though! We'll see if Santa pulls through.)

Aw, the loving (read: schmoopy) gaze...

I'm clearly all smiles with this boy at my side. =)

Friends! Look at them rockin' that photo op pose...

Group shots!

This girl here, a (former fellow) grad student finishing up her dissertation, has always rocked an outfit, especially a jacket. She has her own style that I've always admired and has even inspired me on many occasion. I tried to talk her into starting her own blog, but she wasn't having it. Maybe I'll have her guest post from time to time. =) In the meantime, check back for an update of her outfit deets. (I have to get them first!)

I didn't take pictures of the food, which, as the (sometimes obnoxious) foodies that we are, we often do, but after a few glasses of wine, great conversation and laughter with friends, and extraordinary food, I didn't even think of taking food pictures. Oh, and this isn't a food blog. And I was hungry! Seeing as how we've been to this restaurant for all of our birthday celebrations, we can confidently say it was heart-stoppingly tasty. Thanks to the phenomenal staff at Bacaro for a memorable evening!

A Christmas tree made of wine corks - Awesome!

Birthday Dinner (Preview)!

What a wonderful birthday dinner I had with friends tonight! This is just a teaser for you now, but more pics to come, I promise!

PLUS, the spoils of my Anthropologie birthday shopping spree...

See you soon!

"Blog" is for Backlog

Dear friends! I'm so sorry for disappearing into the blogiverse for so long. Thanksgiving vacation was a welcomed and glorious time, and I spent so much time unplugged (well, except for online gift shopping) that I've found it hard to get back into the blogger groove! But, I'm back, more or less - a few (or more) pounds heavier but a whole lot more relaxed. And guess what? I'm just 5 heavy performance days and 2 crazy commencements (in one day) away from an even more wonderful trifecta of celebrations at the end of the month (birthday, Christmas, New Years/6 year anniversary). But, I've a lot of catching up to do in the meantime!

Today was an early day, but one that went super fast thanks to back-to-back children's performances. And you know what finished off this relatively easy-going day? I got to meet the super sweet, lovely and stylish Tania from What Would a Nerd Wear. This blogiverse is a small one, friends! It was great not to only meet a fellow grad student (if I in some way still consider myself one), a fellow blogger (even if she is off-the-charts more established), and a fellow clothing-lover (period), it was wonderful just to befriend yet another amazing lady. I do hope we become fast friends!

Sadly, I was an idiot and didn't even think to bring my camera to capture the visit (see how out of the blogging habit I am?), but she did (looking terribly cute in one of her 30-for-30 outfits), so maybe I'll try to finagle the picture from her. In the meantime, the usual outfit pictures shall follow!

An early morning means the hair goes up. I fell back on this comfy and generally forgiving sweater dress that I haven't yet worn this season, paired with taupe boots and big, long jewelry. I'd been looking for ages for a good sweater dress - that is, one that isn't super short and horribly bulky - so this was a great find from Kohl's last winter. Scoop neck, three-quarter length sleeves, and hits just below the knee. Score!! I still want one in a cozy winter white or beige, but navy blue will do too  - especially if it's any indication that it's my most worn color label...

Blue sweater dress - Kohl's / Taupe boots - Impo (via DSW)  /
Necklaces (yes, 2!) - Lane Bryant and The Limited (I think) 

And the Christmas decor is up! I LOVE the holidays - the colors, the music, parties with family and friends, the warmth inside in contrast to the cold outside... I find myself staying up much later than normal these days, just to sit in my living room with nothing but the Christmas lights on. And to watch The Holiday, which I might watch every day until the new year.

Tan pleated handbag - Steve Madden (via Endless.com)

Earrings - New York & Co. (I think)

Well, thanks for sticking with me, friends! Get ready for a holiday-packed weekend of outfits and Nutcracker galore. And maybe even some catch up from the last few days...