Catching Up On What I've Been Wearing Lately

I have been going through a whole lotta personal sh*t right now so I'm feeling less than inspired in the fashion department.  The fact that I'm not wearing pajamas and bare feet out of the house is a bit of a surprise to me.  Dresses are pretty mindless though so that's what I've been throwing on until I pull my head out of my butt and try to find my happy place again.  In an effort not to completely throw my creative outlet out the window I am posting these recent outfits.  Sorry but I don't have the motivation to post outfit details.  If you are curious you can ask me in the comments.  Thanks for reading my pissy post today, ladies.  Hopefully, I'll be back to blowing sunshine and sparkles out of my arse next post. 

Jemima Meets Dotted Arbor OOTD

I have a lot of skirts.  Yet this one is my favorite which I manage to rotate all four seasons.  Maybe I love that it is short without being a mini, thus making my legs look longer.  Maybe I'm just a sucker for peaches.  Whatever it is I have yet to become bored with coming up with new combos for this skirt.  

Today I chose the lovely Jemima cardigan to pair with it.  The orange of the cardigan somehow works with the deeper shades of pink in the peaches despite the fact that the orange in the cardigan is quite bright; tropical bright.  The pink flowers seem to be a pretty close match to the lighter pink in the skirt though, and I think the leaves on the flowers mimic the leaves in the skirt very well.  I would not be able to wear this top alone with pretty much everything else in my wardrobe but the high waist of the skirt works very nicely with this shrunken cardigan.

Outfit Details:
Cardigan: Anthropologie Moth Jemima Cardigan (I went with a medium and it fits nicely)
Skirt: Anthropologie Corey Lynn Calter Dotted Arbor Skirt (sized up to a four here)
Shoes: Hush Puppies
Belt: Anthropologie Looping Lanes

Little White Dress OOTD

I got this Susan Monaco dress several years ago and paid a pretty penny for it, but didn't wear it for a couple of years on account of my closet swallowing the dress whole and forgetting I even owned this lovely, versatile frock.  I have worn it a couple of times this summer and love the blank slate that it is which allows me to transform it into any look I want. Today I went Bohemian layering bracelets, a cool belt, scarf, big earrings, and colorful sandals.  Summery, fun, and no-brainer dressing -the ultimate outfit for me!

Outfit details:
Dress: Susan Monaco
Belt: Anthropologie
Shoes: Anthropologie
Scarf & Bracelets: Target

Ephemere OOTD

Ephemere: Lasting shortly, transitioning.

That's your vocab lesson for the day.  At least it was mine.  Gotta love how Anthropologie is always coming up with those out-there product names.  Better than boring ones though, right?

I jumped at my chance to wear some jeans today since it is on the cold side and rainy.  I coulda really went all hippy-dippy with this blouse today but I kept it simple since I am too busy to think right now and my closets are a real mess and mostly still boxed up from my recent move.  Today's outfit was along this train of thought: I wanna wear jeans, now what can I grab without tripping over boxes?  This is how that turned out.

Outfit details:
Top: Anthropologie Odille Ephemere Peasant Blouse
Jeans: Holding Horses
Necklace: 2011 Anthropologie
Shoes: Frye Wedges 2011

This old thing? OOTD

I am working on some reviews that I hope to have up soon so til those are finished I've got an outfit for ya.  I absolutely love this dress.  It is old, like 2006 old.  I bought it at a little boutique that went out of business when the economy went south.  It is 100% silk, but not that silk-silk, kinda feels a bit like cotton so it's not so fancy feeling.  It would fit a wide variety of bodies because it is entirely adjustable at the neck and waist.  Love the retro pattern.  I pull this dress out every summer to wear a few times and it looks equally good dressed up as it does with flip flops.  I chose some lovely Chie Mihara's in grey (they have cute hearts on top) to give it a more dressed up look for work.  

Reviews!

Ok, had a few minutes at my local store so I snapped some pictures.   I'm 5'6.5", 120 pounds currently.  I have a petite frame, long torso, small bust, a large rear and thighs.  I am consistently a size 2, XS, and wear size 26.

Floriography Cardigan $138

I am wearing the size small here.  It is a little loose so I would size down to an XS to buy.  I absolutely adore this sweater and plan on making it mine once it hits sale.  Please hit sale!  Heck, I will gladly get the small if I cannot track down the XS.  This sweater is in the vein of the Anthropologie I fell in love with and seek out in resell all the time.  The sweater is 100% cotton and oh so soft.  You can hand wash it too which to me means throwing it in the "hand wash" cycle in my machine and laying flat to dry.  I spend a small fortune on dry cleaning and frankly I'm sick of it so this sweater is perfect in so many ways.  The sweater is fitted with 3/4 sleeves and has an open weave in the back.  I cannot even express all the ways I adore this sweater. A+

Strung Spots Romper  $188

 This is a size 2 in the regular sizing (petites available online).  There was no 0 in stock to compare so this is all you get.  I am swimming in this romper.  Even standing on my tippy toes the pants were several inches too long.  Is the model wearing petite or is she really THAT tall?  The neckline is adjustable which is a really nice feature and the model shot is great but with the overall fit being so incredibly huge on my body it's really hard to give an accurate review other than size down, down, down!  I'm sure I won't have the opportunity to try on a 0P but I'm guessing that would be my only hope in this over sized romper.

 Novella Strapless Dress $158

 I chose a size 0 in this dress which is my normal size for strapless dresses.  It is cotton and machine washable, what a plus!  In this instance my baby B-cup worked against me.  No way could I fill out the bust in this dress and my 34.5 inch chest couldn't hold it up either.  So maybe this frock is better suited for the bustier among us.  I love the swingy skirt on the dress and thought the sash was a nice touch too.  Actually, all the pretty details on this dress made it a winner.  Ooh, except one little thing.  The dress I had on had a broken zipper; I hope this isn't one of THOSE dresses and it was simply a defect on the one I tried on, but you have been warned.  You will be sized out of this dress if you are petite like me.  For those that can get a good fit I highly recommend.

Jacoba Chemise $40 on sale

 I really love a pretty white summer dress and I thought this chemise could pass for beach or weekend wear.  I know, I know, this chemise is sold out online but it is still available in stores so maybe with the tempting price this will help someone out.  I am wearing my own cotton slip under this all cotton chemise and unless you are wearing this as a (see through) nightie you too will need a slip.  I really love the vintage look to this chemise and found that the waist tie gave the perfect fit.  It is true to size and felt very light and airy on.  I actually brought this home with me but in reality I'm not sure I need this in my already over flowing wardrobe so I think I will probably return it.  Perhaps, it will make it to second cut and then at $20 it would definitely stay in my closet.

Striped Spinnaker Blazer $98

I fell in love with this blazer when it hit the website and had such high hopes even though it is synthetic which I try to avoid when possible.  Sadly, I was quite disappointed with this blazer once on.  I chose a size XS and think it fit perfectly.  Sometimes I go up to a small or 4 in blazers so if you take two sizes go with the lower one in this blazer.  I absolutely hated the shoulder pads.  In the second photo you can see how wide they make my very petite shoulders look.  I like my hour glass figure and didn't appreciate looking top heavy thanks to this jacket.  I also felt the wide lapel was a bit much and didn't like how sloppy the stripes looked on the side view.  Plus, it's dry clean only; there are plenty of cute sweat-shirt like blazers that are machine washable so I don't appreciate the added expense here.  Overall, just not for me but I'm sure someone will make this look great.

Thanks for checking out my reviews!

Pretty Weekend Wear

I found this dress on eBay recently and I love it.  I think it may be by Corey Lynn Calter but I cannot really remember.  It is all cotton, a bit pilly, but I love it.  It is that perfect summer dress to wear with flip flops, sandals, or some comfy canvas sneaks.  I'm rocking some super cute polka dot navy sneakers I got from Boden this summer.  I have worn the dress several times and always get compliments so I guess the quirky print of little ducks all in rows is lovable to everyone else too.  

I think all women should love their bodies; I really love mine -flaws and all.  I especially love my tiny bust; I get to wear super low cut dresses like this one and not look like I'm flashing a whole lotta cleavage (not that there is anything wrong with it if that's your thing!).  I love modest dressing but low cut tops don't look modest on larger chests without a cami or tank so it's nice my tiny barely B cup's work so nice for me here.  

So, in news about my keratin treatment let's just say I wouldn't do it again. Nothing is different about my hair and I'm out $145 for the treatment (including tip).  My friend recently had a keratin treatment and said hers did nothing either.  She had a treatment before they changed the formula and said it was fantastic so I guess the new formula sucks.  My opinion?  Save your money, ladies!  

Giraffe Skirt OOTD

I missed out on this skirt in 2005 and have waited my fair share of time to have it finally come my way. I found this skirt recently on eBay and absolutely adore it.  Today I paired it with a lovely Odille top in the palest shade of yellow to compliment the sunset tones of the skirt.  I am going to have fun pairing this skirt with less obvious color choices in the future.

In other news I got a keratin hair treatment yesterday.  I have great hair, but it tends to frizz easily.  I have recently found that washing with conditioner instead of using shampoo on a regular basis has helped tremendisouly but I had already bought my Groupon for the treatment so I went ahead with it yesterday.  My goal is ending frizz and not stick straight hair so after consulting with my regular stylist I had the girl doing the Keratin treatment only use the straight iron for three passes per section.  I cannot wash, wet, sweat, or style for 72 hours.  I will update after my first wash to let you know how this goes.

Sumana Dress OOTD

I love a dress that works all season.  This semi-hippie-bali'esque number does it very well.  It works beautifully in the winter with a sweater coat and boots and goes right into the hot days of summer paired with some sandals.  It's easy to wear and always garners tons of compliments.  Gotta love a dress that requires zero thought on how to style.

Morning Story OOTD

Super busy in my world right now, but I wanted to stop by my lil blog here with an OOTD in the Morning Story dress.  I am wearing it with the Leahi shrug and accenting it with the Talitha necklace and my Frye wedges from last year.

Reviews!

I have a handful of reviews on new items I found in store the other day.  Re-capping my stats I am 5'6.5", 122ish pounds, petite build, very small chest and waist, ample thighs and rear.  I am consistently a size 2.



Flocked Cobalt Dress $188

I took a size 2 in this dress and found it to be TTS.  This dress is a cotton-silk blend with the dreaded polyester lining.  At the almost $200 price tag I find the lining to be an insult.  Previous price points from Anthropologie in silk, cotton, and silk-cotton blends have come in at reasonable price points so I cannot forgive the lining in polyester on this dress.  I don't think you would have breathability issues since this is such a short, loose fitting dress but I don't like the mixing of cheap fabrics with expensive fabrics if this is not reflected in the price.  The dress has a nice swing to it and is super fun to wear but I think it is rather limited and the little poofy dots kinda cheapen the look when examined closely. The dress has rave reviews so far.  Shrug.  I guess it's just me that is overly un-impressed.

Satsuma Sweater Tank $148

I took a size XS in this sweater and found the fit to be spot on.  I love the blend of cotton and linen in this sweater and the fact that it is hand washable (which for me means use the hand wash cycle in my machine) but I did not like the overwhelming look of the flowers at the neckline and the way the waist poofed out in unflattering shapes at the waist.  I had a feeling this sweater would not translate well in real life and I think I was right here.  While the material felt nice the look is definitely not for me.

River School Skirt $98

I adore the River School (cotton with polyester lining).  I'm wearing my usual size 2 here and found the skirt to just fit.  There isn't a whole lot of wiggle room but I think this slim fit of the skirt is supposed to fit like this; I would not size up as I like the length and how it looks on, plus it is in no way uncomfortable.  I am soooo going to purchase this skirt when it hits sale, if I can bear to wait that long.

Oroya Echo Skirt $118

Overpriced?  Yep.  This skirt reminds me of the much cheaper, all-cotton Fresh Cut skirt.  This skirt is Viscose and dry clean only.  Plus, this skirt is way more expensive and in my opinion no cuter or better fitting.  I just don't get the price point here.  Not worth my money any where near this price, I think this is worth around $30.  I'm wearing a size small and found it to be a little tight; I bet I could have sized up but then I wonder how much added poofiness I would gain at the hip.  I guess sticking to your usual size would be best here though you could try sizing up.

Undergrowth Tank $68

TTS, wearing my usual XS.  I really like the undergrowth tank; it is a fantastic casual option to your basic tank.  There is a lot of interest going on here between the striped front, floral back, and chambray top.  Plus, it is super comfy with a loose fit perfect for throwing on for a hot, summer day.  It's a wee sheer but a nude bra will suffice.  It is a cotton, polyester, nylon blend so don't expect longevity here (plus, it's a bit fussy requiring hand washing) but at second cut I would get this tank for casual weekend wear.   

Backtracked Top $68

Here is another cute, tank option that is pretty much the same style as the other tank in this review set.  Everything runs true as above, TTS (xs here), sheer, pretty casual tee in Polyester-Cotton.  This one is made by one.september and also requires a hand wash.

Sagiso Blouse $168

I am wearing an XS here but it felt a bit constricting; I would probably size up to buy because I prefer a looser fit for a style like this one.  I like the cotton-silk material and the lovely, delicate lace work, though I'm not a fan of the way the sleeves poof at the top (I'm sure there is a term for this but I don't know it).  I think this top is already delicate enough with the lace and would have like a normal sleeve to kind of balance out this uber-femine design.  It is a pretty top but didn't wow me, especially for the price.  

allegra Boatneck Dress $118

I am wearing a size 0 here because there were no size twos on the floor.  It actually fit quite nicely when on but getting this dress off caused a mild panic attack.  See in the stock picture showing the back of the dress how the zipper ends and then there are two straps?  Well, those straps don't move nor stretch so it was near impossible getting this dress off of me.  I wonder how the size two would work with this those straps and if it would be big elsewhere?  This is a great all cotton dress requiring hand washing with a very subtle uneven hem.  I really loved this dress on, the light blue color feels so light, the breathable cotton, retro neckline, stripes.  The price is nice too.  I guess that's why this dress is selling out fast.  The straps in the back make this a deal breaker for me though; I don't want to fight my clothes when I'm taking them off.  

I hope these reviews help some of y'all out.  Enjoy your Independence holiday!