Bridesmaid Dress Mess = retail rationalization

Hello, fellow JCAs! You must believe me when I tell you, I really was going to try to stay away from shopping this weekend. I swear. Then my plans came crashing down like a flimsy drying rack with too many sweaters. Now I sit in a crumpled mess of retail temptation.

I'm in a wedding on June 19th. I made the hour-long trek to the bridal store in January or February to try on bridesmaid dresses. A dress was chosen, I was sized, all was well with the world.

Then I lost 20 pounds. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm ecstatic, but it's been the cause of too much retail rationalization. Nothing fits, so I must buy new clothes, right? It's also been the cause of the Bridesmaid Dress Mess. You see, the bridal store is the only bridal store in the country that doesn't offer in-house alterations. This was last week's panic. I found a woman that teaches with me who will do the alteration I'm anticipating I'll need on the dress (I went from a size 8 or 10 to a size 4. My bridesmaid dress is an 8.), but she, of course, needs some time and wants to do a few fittings. No problem. I figured I'd just use my last 1/2 of a personal day at work today, take the afternoon off, make the journey to the bridal store, and pick up the dress. That would leave me about an hour and a half to get back to my house and go to a garden party with my mom this afternoon. A HUGE outlet mall is conveniently nestled right off the road on my way home, so I figured I'd stop at the crewlet, buzz through, and be on my merry way.

Oh, cruel, cruel fate.

I called the bridal store yesterday, and the dress isn't in yet. Not only is this going to be a headache for me (I have zero time next week to go pick up the dress) and the woman doing my alterations, but this predicament has left me with a wide-open afternoon on a beautiful day. Nothing to do. The outlet mall beckons.

So, you see, I really must go to the outlets for the afternoon. I'm really left with no other choice. With this DC trip coming up this weekend, and the current 20% off crewlet offer courtesy of the Queen Bee, it's plainly what was meant to happen. Because it's the crewlet, however, I will shop with extreme caution. I promise.

All dressed up with someplace to go! Packing dilemmas...

Good morning, everyone! This weekend, the BF and I are heading to DC. Of course, I'm 97% sure I broke two toes last night, and this morning I woke up with a head cold, but we're going come hell or high water. I got us a pretty decent deal through RueLala to stay for a night at the Fairfax on Embassy Row. It's supposed to be part of Starwood's Luxury Collection, but after reading reviews, it sounds like it doesn't really deserve the rating. Oh well. I'm not too fussy, so it should be a good time no matter how "luxurious" it is.

Anyway, on to the clothes. I've been trying to figure out what to wear in the car (I'm thinking J.Crew's Jessie Dress in either muted grape or slate), and then what to pack for the weekend. We'll only be there Saturday and Sunday, but I have no idea what we're doing (I know a bunch of the JCAs are in DC...anyone have any recommendations?). I've been polyvoring my little heart out this morning, and I've come up with a bunch of outfits that are a combination of my last J.Crew shopping spree and some older NY and Co. items. I'm not great at the polyvore thing yet, so bear with me.

Weekend outfit option 1 - day

Items in this set:
Softspun cotton pocket tee - bright coral, $33
J.Crew Starfish cinema short - abyss blue, $60
MADISON, 29 GBP
Studded bar-car belt - J.Crew, $38

Weekend outfit option 2 – day

Items in this set:
J Crew sequin stripe henley tank, $60 quarry, $68
Women's new arrivals - tees and knits - Softspun cotton cardigan -..., $50
New York and Company - Skinny - The Skinny Ankle Jean, Optic White Wash, $37
Women's shoes - flip-flops - Shimmerveil leather capri sandals -..., $50
J. Crew - Fireball cluster necklace (copper), $55

Weekend outfit 3 – night

Items in this set:
Knotted starfish dress - J.Crew, $130
MADISON, 29 GBP

Weekend outfit option 4 – night

Items in this set:
Sequin falls cardigan-J.Crew (Fawn), $170
Perfect-fit tank - pale buff, $18
New York and Company - Shorts - The Gramercy Short - Metallic Brocade, $35
MADISON, 29 GBP

Weekend outfit option 5 – night

Items in this set:
Women's sweaters - cotton - Fiore cotton cardigan - J.Crew, $120
Women's new arrivals - lounge and beach cover-ups - Frankie mini-dress -..., $55
MADISON, 29 GBP

Weekend outfit option 6 – day or night

Items in this set:
Women's sweaters - cotton - Fiore cotton cardigan - J.Crew, $120
Softspun cotton pocket tee - bright coral, $33
New York and Company - Shorts - The Gramercy Short - Metallic Brocade, $35
MADISON, 29 GBP

(Note: I couldn't find my NY and Co. wedges from yesterday's post on polyvore, so I just substituted similar wedges.)
I can't figure out what to take! HELP! Also, how would you accessorize the starfish dress? Any and all critiques, opinions, comments, etc. would be welcome.

Today's Outfit: High and Low

In true working girl style, I often like to mix and match higher end, more expensive clothes with lower end, less expensive clothes to make outfits that are a bit more unique and easier on the wallet. I'm thinking about making this idea a weekly feature of my blog. Here are pics and reviews of today's High and Low outfit:
I had to take a close-up pic of the earrings because I love them so much. I've had them for years and I'm just rediscovering them.

• J.Crew Jackie cardigan in White, size small - $62 (unfortunately, the white color is not part of the summer sale that the J.Crew Aficionada informed us about this morning.)

• New York & Co. Scoop neck pocket tee in Protesting Orange, size small – $14.95 or 2 for $16

• J.Crew Sunshine peonies pencil skirt, size 4 - no longer available online, but $39.99 at the B&M? Anyone know if they're still in stock anywhere?

• New York & Co. Peep Toe Wedge Sandals in Charming Pearl (color out of stock in site, but the local store had a ton left last week), size 8 - $16.17

• Earrings - $15 at a charming little local vintage clothing/jewelry store that has since closed and broken my heart

Here are some reviews/thoughts on the pieces in this outfit:

The skirt: I LOVE LOVE LOVE the sunshine peony print, and I've been in love with it since it came out. The perfect shirt ($49.99) and coccinelle dress ($89.99) are still available and are part of the summer sale. However, does anyone have trouble with their J.Crew pencil skirts riding up? My new oak tweed 21" doesn't, but this 24" does. I'm not sure if it's because of the length or if it's because I have a relatively small waist and some junk in the trunk =P Whatever the reason, I have to keep pulling on it. Oh well. I love the print enough that I am willing to risk the embarrassment of getting caught yanking at the hem.


The scoop neck tee: I actually like this version of the boyfriend fit tee for $14.95 better than J.Crew's softspun cotton pocket tee for more than twice the price at $32.50. The fit is better...it's a bit more snug, so I feel like it's more feminine. PS...Protesting Orange?? The color is gorgeous and matches the sunshine peony print perfectly, but if I was web-shopping and came across this color, the name itself would deter me from buying this shirt. Just a thought.


The cardigan: I love how soft and lightweight the Jackie is. For spring/summer, I like the shorter sleeve length also. The only downside is that you can pretty much see right through the white color.


The shoes: Pretty comfortable, for less than 20 bucks. I can teach in them all day and not have sore feet by 3:00 PM. I love the cute knot detailing.


The earrings: Like I said, I just rediscovered these after they were hidden away in a drawer for 5 years. They're a bit kitschy, but I love the colors and I couldn't resist putting them on with this outfit. And they're clip-ons that are actually comfortable to wear!


I'm interested to know 1) if anyone has seen any of the other sunshine peony print stuff left in the B&Ms, and 2) if the 24" pencil skirts ride up on anyone else.

Have a fabulous day, everyone! :)

A Fabulous Summer Read (No Matter Where You Are!)

Good morning, fashionistas! With Memorial Day Weekend coming up, I thought I'd give everyone a bit of recommended reading for summer:
Coco Chanel made the best of every situation. So no matter whether you're spending your summer frolicking in Vegas, letting the Caribbean waves lap at your toes, or laying on a float in the pool in your own backyard, I recommend making the best of your summer situation by reading The Gospel According to Coco Chanel: Life Lessons from the World's Most Elegant Woman by Karen Karbo. I'm sure this book has made its way around the fashion blogs, but since I'm a blogosphere newbie, I figured I'd throw my two cents in.

My mom gave me The Gospel for my birthday last year, and I have re-read it several times. With help from cute illustrations by Chesley McClaren, Karbo does an excellent job entwining Chanel's own trials and tribulations with life lessons we can all learn from. Karbo describes a life that was flat-out gritty at times, but she makes sure the reader understands that Coco Chanel was an absolute pro at being fabulous, no matter where she found herself.

I already knew I couldn't thank Chanel enough for the cardigan, but after I read this book, I began to realize that I should thank Chanel for her attitude as well. From fearlessness and spontaneity to style and self-invention, Karbo begins every section with a Chanel (or in some cases, supposed Chanel) quote that encompasses the theme of the section. My personal favorite? "A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous."

Fashion and philosophy often go hand-in-hand in the couture world, but this book makes for a light, but thoughtful summer read that weaves the two together beautifully for the rest of us.

Have you read this book? What do you think? Do you have any other great fashion or non-fashion summer read recommendations?

J. Crew New Arrivals Summer 2010 Reviews and IRL Pics

One of the girls I teach with invited a few of the teachers to a private J.Crew shopping party in Pittsburgh's B&M store this past weekend. What a blast! We all saved 20% on purchases of over $125, which wasn't a tough mark to hit. I had an opportunity to check out several new arrivals fresh off the shelves. Here are my reviews:




This is the starfish print dress ($128) that appeared on the website for a short time then disappeared last week.

Likes:the fact that it fit really well (size 4) and was TTS. It also had a very light, airy feel to it as the fabric is not heavy at all.
Dislikes: the fact that it had a weird pouch of fabric at the stomach, but that might be because I have a bigger bust. The length was also an issue. I won't be able to wear it to work, but it'll be excellent for dinner, bridal showers, and weddings this summer.

Next outfit:


Softspun Cotton Pocket Tee in Bright Coral - $32; size small
Starfish Cinema Short in Abyss Blue - $59; size 6

Likes: The shorts are a fun print and fit TTS; the linen is very soft and appropriate for summer. The length is very flattering as well.
Dislikes: The tshirt is very baggy, and although this is how it's supposed to fit, it's not very flattering. I plan on tucking it into the shorts and styling with a gold or cream-colored belt.
I purchased both of these items.

Next up:



Marin dress in Navy - $128; size small
Studded bar-car belt in Bronzed Avocado - $38; size small

Likes: Loved the silky material of the Marin dress. I also loved it cinched with the belt. It was very comfy.
Dislikes: It seemed to run big. I know I keep repeating that for pieces that are supposed to be a bit more roomy, but without the belt, I seemed to swim in the dress. I also didn't like how wide the neck was.

I did not purchase either of these two items.

Next up:


Chambray Maxi Dress - I can no longer find this on the website, but the store had a ton of them

Likes: the color
Dislikes: everything else. I seemed to get lost in this at 5'2", and my 34D bust just kind of hung out all over the place. Maybe with some major tailoring, this would've been an okay dress.

Didn't purchase this one.

Next:


Frankie mini-dress in Neon Peach - $55; size small
Fiore cotton cardigan in Natural - $118; size small

I've had my eye on this outfit for a while but decided to wait to purchase until the party because of the sale.
Likes: the colors, the fit of both pieces (both TTS)
Dislikes: the shortness and straps of the Frankie dress, the price of the cardigan (way overpriced, but I bit anyway because I've been in love with it since it came out), the fact that I need to wear a bra with the dress, but the straps make it very difficult

I purchased both of these pieces and can't wait to wear them.

Last, but not least...my favorite:


Sequin falls cardigan in Fawn - $118; size small
Sequin necklace tank in Wild Mushroom - $64; size small
Oak tweed pencil skirt in Natural - $110; size 4

I love love LOVE this outfit minus the sequin necklace tank. I didn't purchase the tank because it was relatively expensive for a tank top. I went with the Perfect Fit tank in Pale Buff for $18 instead.

Likes: LOVE the gauzy material of the sweater and the flattering vertical sequins. I also LOVE LOVE LOVE this skirt. It is VERY worth the $110. It's soft and the 21" hemline hits perfectly above the knee for me (again, I'm 5'2"). Both the sweater and skirt fit TTS.
Dislikes: The hemline of the skirt might be a bit short for taller women. The only other complaint I have is that I'm going to want to wear this outfit all summer, and it'll be too hot for the sweater.

I bought this outfit and I'm wearing it today. I've gotten several compliments on it.

I also tried on the neon madras shorts for $59, but they fit relatively tightly around my legs and were an odd length. They weren't comfortable at all. The starfish shorts were a much better choice.

Overall, I had a successful visit to the Crew B&M this past weekend. If you have any questions on any of the items pictured, ask away!

Short and Sweet: About the Blogger

I'm a twenty-something high school English teacher who loves fashion. Because I'm a teacher in a relatively rural area, I really have very few opportunities to strut my fashionista stuff. As I made the decision to start this blog, I began to think about my grandmother who passed away when I was seventeen. She looked just like Audrey Hepburn, and dressed like her too - even though she lived in a small town with a population of just over 100 people. My grandmother believed wholeheartedly in being fabulous every day. She never saved anything "for good," as many women of her generation did. She served every meal on her best china and cooked in gold high heels. I've decided to live like her. Even if I am all dressed up with no place to go - other than the dinky corner cafe or the high school where I teach - I plan to go anyway and look fabulous while I'm there.