I really like this one... I have been on a little search to find a sort of "abstract art" dress. Something printed... to wear over tights that makes me look artsy and 20-something-cool. Because that's what I am, right?
Oh my... I love this dress. It's gray. I am trying to get myself into more a-lines but this is really adorable. I do worry about the fit - Target is hit and miss for me.
We have had some cold weather recently in my neck of the woods. Just a few rain storms and hail once, for a few minutes. But either way, I have a hankering for fall in a bad way. Although, because of this premature cold weather (and husband going back to school), I am a little sad that summer is ending.
Anyway, onto my favorites this fall. Some of these are things I already own and some are things I feel I NEED.
I don't know why, maybe it's because some designers have already released fall collections. I have suddenly gotten obsessed with getting a new wool coat. I kind of don't think it will happen this year... especially since I got a new down jacket last year.
Anyway, I have been wanting a bright color coat for a while but perhaps a neutral makes more sense.
Here are a few I've been loving lately.
There is no denying it. It seems to be in my essence. Although, I am not sure how I got this way. I think I liked being feminine sometimes but now it seems I hardly have any desire to be anything else. A few items I am craving as of late:
I was just reminded about Boden. Lovely UK clothing store. I discovered it probably less than a year ago, but I had forgotten about it. I browsed around and loved almost everything I saw. Of course, that could be partly because it was spring time and lovely there. Unlike where I am. I scraped ice and snow off my car this morning.
So ready for these kinds of things. 
I bought the dress. The one I posted on November 18. I kept looking at it online and watching the price go down and a few days ago I tried it on in store. I hadn't fully decided until yesterday afternoon that I really had to have it. After text messaging back and forth to my mom and sister.
Here are some of the things we said:
I sent my mom a picture of me in the dressing room, wearing the dress and she said
"OMG! You look just like the model. It is beautiful!"
Then later she said, "I keep looking at this. It is so pretty!"
I told her that my husband and I decided that I could either have the dress or a new pair of jeans, to which she responded,
"Get the dress! Have him take you out to a nice dinner!"
"Dad just saw the dress. He said "It's a no brainer" between that and jeans! You look fabulous!"
Then my sister: "I saw a picture of you in that dress! So cute! You got it, I hope. It's like the most perfect dress for you!"
So, as you can see - I needed that dress. And it was discounted even further by the time I got to the store today to buy it (after calling last night to have them hold it).
Here I am - the proud owner of a silk dress. Was $150. Marked down to $23.99.
I really hope this dress lasts me a while and becomes a classic in my wardrobe (and really hoping that I can get back to this size someday after I have children).
I am starting to wish I had some decent dresses. They are so easy to put on and look put together. Well, that is, easy if they fit and are cut well. I have two dresses but one just isn't very good quality and the fit leaves something to be desired. I am finding that being thin is somewhat harder to dress than everyone normally thinks (including myself). I don't have much shape and many stores just don't go small enough.
Anyway, I wish I had a couple of decent dresses.
Exhibit A - From Francesca's Collections
I would love to wear this one if/when I go back to France to visit my host family, if it's in the spring or summer.
Exhibit B - From Shabby Apple
I don't have that elusive, perfect black dress. I really like the style of this one.
Exhibit C - Also from Shabby Apple
I'm not entirely sure what this one would be, but I love it. A lot. Something sort of fancy, but different from the typical black. I love gray. This one looked so good on the model, who seemed to have a similar body type to me.
Of course, I still love those ones from Banana Republic, but they are very fancy, holiday party type dresses. Not anything I really need (despite being on clearance *sigh*).
I need a trench coat. That should probably be the next thing I invest in. I don't know when that will be, but I like to keep things in mind. I also like to think about the styles I like, because even though a trench is a trench, there are a lot of different styles to choose from. I love this one I found on a blog. She says the photo is from a 1974 Burberry advertisement. I am kind of on a 60s-70s kick right now, but I think this style stands the test of time.
I also like this one, by Tahari ( I found it a long time ago on Overstock, but I think it sold out).
I like this color for me and my needs. I also like this lapel style. I have a small upper body, so I like the big lapels. As always, wear what is best on your body type and coloring.
Since my style has been evolving, I have been looking down at my everyday casual shoes and not liking them as much. They're ok, I just don't see them as me very much anymore. I have had several pairs of these shoes and have always loved their comfort - it is truly second to none (that I have tried). And while comfort is still important, I think I would like something a little more grown up and something that didn't make my pants bunch up funny because of how big the shoes are.
I have also been thinking about the "mom shoe". Someday I do plan on having kids. Comfort will take on a whole new level of importance, I am sure. But I also think that looking halfway decent will take on a new level of importance because when you think you look good, you feel good and confidence is half the battle.
I have found a few options that I want to file away for someday when I am in the market for new shoes and also when I am a mom and I might forget that comfort can be cute also.
Here is the first option I found.
And another one, similar to the first.
Keen has some cool options too.
I always get a little misty at midnight, celebrating the new year. I don't know why. It's just exciting and optimistic and I am with my husband, whom I love dearly. I've always kind of wanted to go to or host a lavish New Year's Eve party. I like the idea of fancy parties, but I don't really have any friends who are into that kind of thing. Is it a Mormon thing? I mean I hear about people needing a new outfit for "holiday parties" and "little black dresses" and stuff like that, but Mormons just don't do that for some reason. So it seems, anyway. Maybe it's because of the stage we are at in life . My husband and I and most of our friends have very tight budgets and none of us have party dresses and nice suits. Or glamorous accessories.
I guess I will plan and dream for when we are "grown up" - out of debt, out of school, and we have at least one kid that is old enough to babysit the others so we can get dressed up and go to a party.
I did get a little prettied up for last night. We spent New Year's Eve at a friend's apartment. They are married and have two small children, (in bed for the festivities). We played games and ate snacks and watched the ball drop in New York. I dressed in my new black cashmere sweater, new black pearl necklace (on sale at Kohl's the day before), trouser jeans, and nails painted silver. I felt so great (I am in love with my first cashmere sweater). I really do love to look nice.
I am really excited for this year. It's fun to be an "established couple" and not so much newly-weds anymore (well, some people probably think we still are but we've been together for three years). I am going to try to stay optimistic and happy and keep my house in order. I am glad we are halfway done with the first year of law school! This semester will go by fast, right?
Recently I posted this long-winded post about how there's all this stuff I need, especially winter stuff. Now I can check one or two off that list and I am so glad.
I ordered two wool skirts, a gray one and a light brown one. Warm and neutral and should last me a long time.
The best part is that they were a steal. Compared to most wool skirts out there. I could hardly find any for under $70. That kind of money is just not in the budget right now. I found these skirts, the perfect skirts, on Etsy (from this seller)! It's usually not the first place I think to look, but every time I do look, I am so pleasantly surprised. Cocktail ring - check; Wool skirts - check; Knit beret - check. All hand made and very reasonably priced (so far I have only bought those skirts for myself and a ring for my mom for x-mas). 
Old Navy has cashmere now! I have not seen/felt it in person, so I cannot tell you about the quality or softness. But for $69.50 (and on sale this weekend!), it is worth a look. I seriously want some cashmere and this may be a good start for me, on our law student budget. 
Lately, I have been getting mildly obsessed with essential, timeless pieces. I am starting to feel like I have gaping wholes in my wardrobe. And since it is getting cold, most of the items I think I need are cold-weather items.
I don't have any great sweaters that will last forever. I don't have any cashmere!! How can I not have any cashmere? I really want a few cashmere sweaters in neutral colors and a few in pretty colors. Black, gray, white, pink, teal, plum. Neutrals will always stand the test of time and colors will brighten up those days of winter when you are soo ready for it to be over and everything around you seems gray or white or brown. I know this seems to go without saying, but it was something I had to learn - always buy colors that flatter your skin tone, regardless of what is in style or how cute the cut is.
Anyway, I also need tweed skirts in neutral colors, to pair with sweaters and blouses in pretty colors. One of my problems is that I grew up in Arizona and now I live in the mountain west. So, in Arizona I didn't need all these winter wardrobe basics and in college, I rarely went shopping and even if I did, I knew nothing about winter wardrobe staples (yes, it's true - moving to a snowy climate does not automatically teach you what you need to wear to survive the snow). I got a down jacket when my dad took me up to college freshman year, but it was . . . less than cute. Back then, I didn't know what was flattering or that a winter jacket could even be cute and flattering. When I went to France for a semester abroad, I bought a cute jacket there, but it was about 9 euros and not the highest quality. Now, three years later, I am realizing it is time to retire that one because the polyester fill has gotten thin and flat and it no longer insulates well.
So, since I just love to look at things, I made collages of the things I need to fill out my winter wardrobe.
This actually makes me kind of excited for winter!
When I am pregnant, I would like to invest in something like this.
Especially if I am pregnant in the winter... It looks cozy, soft, comfortable, chic. Most of all, it seems like something that could "grow with me" and do a good job minimizing the belly. But let's be realistic. I know there is no miracle article of clothing that will make me look like I'm not pregnant when I am 3 weeks away from delivering. But these seem a little cuter than just sweats and college hoodies. With the deep V neck, you can wear a pretty color underneath and feel slenderized by the black, without feeling like you have to say good-bye to bright colors altogether.
I keep thinking about that teal coat I posted here a while back. I keep wanting it. So, the other day I thought I would check to see when I originally posted it, lusting after it. I told myself that unless it had been at least two weeks, I couldn't justify buying it (or asking Santa for it). When I checked, it had been three weeks.
Three weeks and still wanting. I would say that's a pretty good rule. Although I am starting to wonder if maybe I will feel dumb after the colorful coat trend passes... Will I someday be embarrassed that I have a turquoise coat? Will it become the acid washed, elastic cuffed jeans of tomorrow?
I am not sure. But today I was playing around and I made this. 
Here is that coat, with that purse, with jeans and boots that I already have. *sigh*
This is an unfortunate picture. I mean, unless you want to go out dressed like a bowl of oatmeal, why wouldn't you add some color to this?? That is one of the great things about this blazer - it goes with everything! Not just other beiges.
Anyway, that very picture may be why it hasn't sold so well and why it is on a huge discount right now. I kind of wish I hadn't seen that it was on sale because my money is very budgeted right now. I hardly have enough to buy everyone Christmas presents.
So, right now all I can do is dream. Well, I guess that's what this blog is for.
OK, so to tell the honest truth, I really have no need for a party dress at this point in my life. But oh, how I would love to have one. Not only that, I would love to be invited to or host a holiday party that required a beautiful party dress.
I was going to Banana Republic to check out some of their jewelry and on the first page of the women's category, I saw this.
Sweet mother of pearl. Immediately I thought, "I might need this". EVEN THOUGH I have really been craving a lovely shade of emerald, with gold and black accessories.... mmm. Purple might just be the right thing to stand out amongst all the red and green at the holidays.
However,
I went to the dresses section, scrolled down a bit and saw this.
Caribbean forest. Granted, it's not quite the "emerald" shade I was imagining, but it is very lovely. And actually, the slight muted-ness of it is kind of nice.
You thought that was the end? I scrolled down further and saw this.
Oh, BR. Why do you have to do this to me? Make this beautifully-cut dress in a pretty satin fabric in 3 different colors that I could love.
I'll get back to you about the jewelry... yeah... still drooling.
I said in my last post that I had just undergone a sort of fashion overhaul. I was hesitant to post this, but this is my "honest" blog. Plus, I have basically no readership yet.
So, anyway, I used to dress badly. I mean, there were times that I would dress up and look nice and fairly put-together. But I still didn't really have good style, if any at all. I was like a really bad episode of What Not to Wear, and by "really bad" I mean that it was just NEVER. ENDING. I didn't have Stacy and Clinton to snap some sense into me. Until one day, when I did. I started watching the show this summer and soon became addicted.
Anyway, let's not go into detail about how many hours I have spent learning about style in a short amount of time. But it was about time. I started to realize that I was done with college and couldn't get away with wearing jeans and hoodies and t-shirts all the time.
So let's look back at an outfit that used to be quite common for me.
This would often be worn with an over sized boys' track jacket and perhaps a rolled bandanna on my wild curls, when it was short. Oh, and my go-with-everything shoe (of the past) - my standby black Etnies skate shoe. Those pants were about 3 sizes too big. I never knew what size I was. And I always thought wearing pants that "fit" were going to be uncomfortable. Just, FYI -- they are not. All I can say is I must have had a heck of a personality because I really never had trouble finding guys that enjoyed being with me. This is the girl my husband fell in love with.
Let me add that once I got engaged, my husband started to gently encourage my wearing clothes that fit and looked a little nicer. And no, I did not get offended.
So, here's what I wore the other day. I wore the pants with a different shirt to work, but then I got this new shirt in the mail so I wore it to a friend's baby shower that night.
Tweed pants, gold ballet flats. Um yeah. Different. I am not sure if my legs are really as big as they look in this picture. At first I thought it must just be the angle, but maybe I have gained weight (my husband and I don't have a scale). Oh well. That's irrelevant.
I grew up in a warm climate. The winters never dipped below about 37 - at night. And even then it was big news the next day. Like, "My car had frost on the corner of the windshield this morning!!".
I went to college and now live in a place that gets snow. For a while I thought I hated snow, but now I don't think I can ever give it up. Coats and cute fall/winter clothes are just too worth it!
I am really into all these saturated jewel tones and I love colorful coats. Here is one I am currently dreaming about. Too bad these are going like hot cakes because of the ludicrous sale.
