A Little Lace

I'm making decisions, ya'll; making decisions and movin' onward and upward. The past few days have given me opportunities to reflect on the things I want most out of life, what I'm good at, what keeps me the most engaged and fulfilled. I won't go into too many particulars at this point, not least because nothing has really been put into action yet, so please forgive my (necessary) ambiguity. (Although, if you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you may have some idea.) It's all definitely in its early stages, but even the baby steps feel pretty darn good.

I'm getting oh-so-closer to being caught up with my outfits, too! I can't believe how long it's taken me to get back into the groove post-summer, but I thank you for sticking with me and encouraging me along with the way! It's so nice to know you're out there, ya know?

Lace shoulder tee - Lane Bryant / Ponte pencil skirt - Dorothy Perkins /
Handbag - Furla (via TJMaxx) / Shoes - Nine West

This outfit was ensemble #3 that owes its inspiration to product styling rather than stock photos. (See also #1 and #2.) I mean, I completely passed over this mostly uninspiring lace shoulder tee a few times both online and in store. On its own, it's kind of an unflattering snooze, even if it does reference current trends. But add a belt (rule of thumb, methinks) and some long necklaces ala the seasonal mailer, and you have yourself a surprisingly classy yet terribly comfortable outfit. Lane Bryant, whoever styled your August mailer knocked it outta the park. YA HEAR ME! More of this, please.

Belt - Lane Bryant / Necklace - Lane Bryant / Ring & Earrings - The Limited /
Nailpolish - Essie "Bobbing for Baubles" (via Ulta)

Seriously - tee shirt and ponte knit pencil skirt? It's a well-worn silhouette in these here parts, but never has it felt so much more like lounge wear than work wear.

Also.... BE SURE TO VOTE! MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! I'll be a nervous wreck for most of the day, without or without a major performance to supervise, but at least I'll have work to keep me somewhat distracted until the votes are all in!

Bright Side

As I inch closer to the craziest two working days of the year (a.k.a. commencement weekend), I attempt to keep my shiz together. This may or may not involve multiple happy hours with friends, lots of delectable coffee from Zingerman's, and trying to keep my apartment clean. (State of apartment = state of sanity.) Oh, and preparing for it. I hear that works.

Ah, but what to wear, what to wear. Two 16-hour days require easy attire. Comfortable, fun, confidence-boosting, something with a belt that I can clip my radio onto... Practical yet stylish. Something tells me I won't manage to take pictures at either 6am or 11pm, however, so I might I'll have to keep you guessing. Or maybe I'll just, you know, re-wear something. (Genius!)

Top - LOFT / Pencil skirt - Charter Club (Macy's) / Sandals - Bandolino (via Endless) /
Handbag -  DKNY (via TJMaxx)

But as I edge ever-closer, I still have to get dressed this week, yes? Oh sure, I'll wear my coral skirt again. And I'll wear the grey version of my lacey layered top with it. Two rights make a right.

Ring - The Limited / Necklace - Banana Republic (eBayed) / Earrings - LOFT /
Nailpolish - Cartwheels on the Catwalk (Sephora by O.P.I.)

Laced Layers

Look familiar? This outfit is, more or less, a reinvention of this one, made even better by an extra dash of green with the sandals. In fact, I had wanted to wear these green sandals with the first outfit, but I thought black peep toes made for a slightly dressier ensemble. I actually consider this outfit as the casual version of the first, but leave it to me to consider a ponte pencil skirt casual. Well, in my closet, it really is...

Okay, okay, there really isn't very much that's casual about this outfit, especially given the fact that a few people thought the outfit was a dress. Is it possible to even try to be casual with this necklace? Or with the sandals? Or with, you know, a skirt?

Top - LOFT / Pencil skirt - Lane Bryant / Sandals - Nine West (via Endless)

It was the backdrop of beige and blacks that dumped another idea for this fabulous necklace in my lap, though. I continue to experiment with textures and layers with this necklace, and the more there are, the more I seem to love the result.

Ring - Ruche / Necklace - Modcloth (gifted) / Earrings - Ruche

Handbag - DKNY (via TJMaxx)

Defaulted

Today was one of those days that I had a completely different outfit in mind than what I actually walked out of the house wearing. I had been looking for another way to wear this top, though, and this is what I came up with. My default is always a pencil skirt, you know...

Yellow and grey is a favorite combination of mine, so I went for one of my more casual, ponte versions. I'm not sure I love the proportions with a skirt, but the way the lace print thins out near the border seems to help a bit. What really brings the whole outfit together for me is the handbag, though. I've been looking for a funky black handbag for a while now, and this DKNY black nylon and (lots of) gold hardware TJMaxx find was IT. I'm rather impressed how perfectly it completes the outfit, really.

Amber Room Top - Anthropologie / Pencil skirt - Chloe Dao (eBayed) /
Heels - Nine West  "Hopefloat" / Handbag - DKNY (via TJMaxx0

As a top I was over the moon to get my hands on, I really am having trouble how else to style it. Any suggestions?

Ring - The Limited / Earrings - LOFT

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 =)

Musical

I attended a remarkable concert last night: the St Olaf Choir's 100th Anniversary Tour. It was a concert that made me miss the act of making music, especially singing in a choir. Yep, little known fact, I was a singer in college (a pianist, too), and some of my most cherished memories involve choirs and the music we created. The sound of the voice, of the harmonies and dissonances possible, the tone colors, the texts - these have always moved me more than anything else. And I just miss it. The choir's performance was inspiring: impassioned yet restrained, spiritual, genuine and nearly flawless. And it's got me thinking that I need to find ways to make music again...

Lucille lace skirt - c/o Kiyonna / Fur collar cardigan - Eloquii / Camisole - Eloquii /
Platforms - Nine West  "Hopefloat" (via 6pm.com)

And so, a remarkable night calls for a remarkable outfit, does it not? (Or is it that a remarkable outfit calls for a remarkable night?) Absolutely. I received the luxurious Lucille Lace Skirt from Kiyonna just in time for this concert, and it was just what I wanted to wear for the occasion. It fits like a dream - comfortably fitted and hitting ever-so-perfectly below my knees. The seaming in the front draws nice lines along the body, and the champagne underlay is so classic and elegant. I felt like a million bucks; I felt like I owned the place (though in my position I guess in a sense I already do), commanding attention, respect, and even desire from all who crossed my path. Okay, okay...I might be getting carried away, but isn't that we should feel everyday? It never fails to amaze me what power clothing can have...

I did have some trouble fining the perfect top, however. Black lace over nude lining makes for rather limited outfit choices. The right silhouette, restrained details, and good structure were also important to me. I needed to find something that stood up to the skirt but didn't detract from it, something that highlighted my curves while highlighting the skirt itself.

I decided I needed to stick with a black top, using color where I could in other accessories. A buttoned cardigan seemed too plain, but I didn't have much else in my wardrobe (believe it or not). A portrait collar could be glorious, but I didn't have anything in the right color or material. (Velvet? No.) But thanks to Eloquii's 46% Superbowl day sale, I thought I'd try this fur collar wrap cardigan of theirs. It was final sale, but it was cheap and getting great reviews. I thought that its v-neck and wrap shape (which Kiyonna's ever-amazing Evania also recommended) would offer the perfect silhouette. The fur collar was a great detail on its own, but it also seemed a perfect complement to lace. (I'll have to thank the trends for this one.) It wasn't until I received it in the mail and tried it on did I realize that it really was the perfect top for the skirt. I could stop looking!

Ring - Banana Republic / Necklace - Anthropologie / Earrings - The Limited

I waited to choose accessories until I put everything on, rummaging through all my jewelry for the right color component. My inclination was turquoise, mainly because it was the same direction I went with the gold and black palette for NYE. But this was also why I wanted to do something different. Gold, definitely, but I need a little extra color somewhere. After a few misfires, I came to this striking peach stone necklace. It was just the right amount of color I was after, allowing me to leave my earrings and ring to simple golds. The only obvious choice in all of this were nude platforms, come to think of it...

A harmonious outfit, I dare say. Music to my ears. =)

Post-performance in the Lower Foyer of the Great Hall

New Territory

I bring you my first Eloquii purchase!

I kind of ignored their initial launch last fall. Though I loved their concept, I didn't care for anything they offered at the time, thinking it a rather boring and meager plus-sized selection of items from its older sister, The Limited. But after continued buzz over the past few months, I decided to give them another look. I was very pleased to see a much larger selection of items this time around, especially fabulous dresses and - wait for it - pencil skirts!

Cardigan - LOFT / Lace top - LOFT / Pencil skirt - Eloquii / Heels - Nine West

I am always, endlessly, often fruitlessly searching for well-made, great-fitting, just-below-knee-length pencil skirts. Basic colors are my bare minimum, but fun, bright ones - especially the perfect red - have become a personal holy grail. Now, I know Talbots technically fits that entire bill and then some, but I cannot justify shelling out $100+ per skirt, especially when I tend to buy in multiples when I find things that really work. So when I happened upon the selection of pencil skirts at Eloquii, I was thrilled! Teal! Purple! Basic browns, blacks and blues! And $60 with 40% off (at the time)!! Free shipping both ways (no risk to find the perfect fit)! YES TO ALL! Well, at least to teal and brown. For now, anyway.

Handbag - Furla Carmen Shopper Grande Handbag (via BBOS)

And it's a great skirt. The fit is generous, the length is ideal, and the color is saturated. It's lined and it even has a wide waistband that makes tucking in shirts perfection. I went with my usual size on bottom, 16, and while it fits a little bigger than a 16 at Lane Bryant or Talbots, I find that my post-holiday body prefers it that way. The only blip is a little extra room at the top hip, but it's not too noticeable and it fits well everywhere else. As you can see from the pictures, the skirt lays beautifully, and it is wonderfully comfortable.

What I'm most exited about is how this skirt has opened up all kinds of new outfit opportunities, breathing new life into one-hit-wonder tops. Ah, the combinations are endless!! I've always been a basic-colored-bottom kind of girl (if you haven't noticed), so this is really new territory for me. And I love it!

Ring, earrings and necklace - Banana Republic

Laced Down

Well, I got through an extremely rough week, capped off by a truly challenging day on Saturday. I'm still kind of reeling from it all, to be honest... This week, Bob is away on business, and while I'll miss him terribly, it does mean I have the apartment to myself! I have big plans: mega-cleaning, rearranging the living room (with the purpose of having a functional indoor photo location), eating too many Totino's pizzas (a guilty pleasure that lingers from my single days), hem and hang my bedroom curtains (finally), and - if at all possible - start decorating for the holidays! We leave for Boston on Saturday to spend Thanksgiving with Bob's family, so if I'm going to decorate, it'll have to be sooner rather than later. I just can't believe the holidays are almost here again!

"Fiona" Dress - LucieLu / Denim jacket - Theory (eBayed) / Grey tights - LOFT (?) / Flats - LOFT

I thought I'd try dressing down this lace dress today, so I started with a denim jacket. Tights were a must, but they made my shoe choices more difficult. I didn't want to wear boots, and I toyed with wearing sandals, but I was totally self-conscious about the tights-sandals combo, regardless of how popular it currently seems to be. So I opted for my trusty flats. Between the jacket and sandals, I think I succeeded in putting together a pretty casual look.

Ring - Banana Republic / Ginko and Gunmetal necklace - chrdesigns on Etsy / Earrings - Lane Bryant

And yes, you sure have seen a few versions of this dress before: the "Amelia" in grey and white and the "Piper" in black and pink with cream embellishments. I love the lace overlay, the straight skirt that hits perfectly below my knee, and the pretty embellishments that make each dress unique. I continue to experiment with more ways to wear them!

Handbag - Gustto