Signing off for a week or so...

...because I got married over the weekend, and we leave for our honeymoon soon!  We're heading to Moorea (an island off the coast of Tahiti).  We'll be staying in an overwater bungalow, and I'm a HUUUGE fan of swimming and snorkeling, so I'm super excited!  Here's an aerial of our resort:

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The Hilton Moorea, AKA home for the next week and a half!

It wouldn't be an AllDressedUp post if it didn't mention fashion somewhere, so here's what I wore to our rehearsal dinner:

Dress: Calvin Klein via Nordstrom
Necklace: Vintage

Last, but not least, our awesome photographer posted a couple of preview pictures on her blog for us already, so I'll leave you with those until we get back!

A day (or two...or three...) at the beach (+OOTD)

Every year, my fiance's family spends the middle two weeks of June on Long Beach Island, in New Jersey.  His extended family also intermittently meanders onto the island through out the two weeks, and we all stay within the same block of each other. 

Even though we were getting married in, ohhh, 10 days, we didn't let that stop us from driving across two states to spend five days on LBI with the fam.  We only had about two and a half good "beach days," but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.  Even on the days when it was too chilly to actually sit on the beach, I made sure to spend some time walking on it:


Sweatshirt: J.Crew spindrift sweatshirt
Shorts: J.Crew anchor shorts
Necklace: Swarovski conch shell necklace (it was my grandmother's from many years ago)
Sunnies: Gap

LBI is a charming little island that's about 20 miles long, and only half a mile wide.  I love it, because it's almost trapped in the middle of the century.  There are lots of great old-school Italian restaurants, ice cream parlors, little beach shops and boutiques, and very few touristy-type spots.  One of the few tourist attractions is a teensy tiny amusement park called - what else? - Fantasy Island.  Every year, my fiance and I ride the ferris wheel, which is by far the biggest ride there:



The Fantasy Island Ferris Wheel, all instagram-ed up. 

Do you have a summer escape relatively close by?  Do you visit it regularly?

Busy busy bride

Hi all.  I hope some of you are still with me.  Thanks for the encouraging comments (I'm looking at you, AppGal and Tabitha :) )!  I am still reading all of your blogs and comments on my blog.  I've had some major computer (and life) issues that have kept me from blogging for the past few months.  I've also been trying to figure out what direction I want to go with this blog.  I'd love to make blogging more of a focus in my life, so I'm going to keep writing and reviewing and see where it takes me.

Since I last wrote in January, I've had some biiig changes in my life.  My future mother-in-law had a catastrophic health event in January (she's doing well now - with some major adjustments - thank God!), I started grad school, I *still* had no plan period during the school year, and I've been in wedding planning overdrive.  Oh, and, uh, I'm getting married a week from tomorrow (!!), so things have not slowed down.

 Because I can't do a blog post without some pictures and an OOTD, here are a few pics from my tea party bridal shower, which was held at my parents' house on Memorial Day weekend:

Dress: Sincerely Sweet dress from Modcloth, no longer available
Pumps: Wishing and Taupe-ing Heels, Jessica Simpson via Modcloth (super comfortable for 4 inch heels!)
Don't mind my underdressed dad in the background; this was just before he escaped the estrogen!



Decorations outside: my mother's groovy 1980 Victorian-style bridal veil/hat, and shoes and a clutch-turned planters

 

A place setting from the shower; because it was a tea party theme, everyone got their own antique tea cup to take home.

I adore this quirky teapot.  My matron of honor used several of her grandmother's teapots to make centerpieces.

Gorgeous bow in my color scheme!  If you look closely in the upper left-hand corner, you can see my mama's bridal portrait with that crazy hat.  Apparently, after she came down the aisle, the first thing my dad said to her was, "Nice lid!"  How romantic ;)

Alright, that's it for me tonight.  It's good to be back in the blogosphere!



A Vintage Red

This OOTD revolves around a dress that was one of my first vintage buys verrry early on in high school (9th or 10th grade, I think).  It's a red boucle unlined belted shift from the late 50s-early 60s, and it's one of my favorite pieces of clothing ever.

Dress: Vintage, no label (I think it may have been homemade)

Long-sleeved t-shirt: Coldwater Creek, sz. small

Tights: Merona, sz. small/medium

Shoes: Nine West Riane, sz. 7.5

Necklace: Vintage

This is one of those outfits that really can be made or broken with makeup, so broke out of my routine and went for a '50s-inspired demure pinup look (I know that's an oxymoron, but I AM a teacher, so I gotta tone it down a bit).  I did a black cat-eye liner with a bold red lip and kept the rest of my face pretty plain.  I'd like to think it worked, but since my only audience was a bunch of 14-16 year-olds, I'm not sure that they got the allusion.  Heck, I'm not sure they could even tell me what an allusion is, even though it was a vocabulary word for about a month.  Sigh.

Do you use makeup to complement your "look," or do you have a set makeup routine?

OOTD: A remixed blouse

Just an old OOTD I wanted to share with you all from about a month ago (Yes, I am that behind on posting.  For shame.).

Blouse: Lemon Liftoff Blouse, Girls from Savoy, Anthropologie, sz. 4 (remixed here)

Cardi: Merona, Target, sz. small

Jeans: Joe's Jeans, Anthropologie, sz. 28

Shoes: Cole Haan Air Lyric, sz. 7.5

Pin: Vintage

Earrings: Target

How darling is that little owl pin?  I originally bought it to turn into a necklace earlier this fall, but I think I may keep it as a pin.  I felt very Emma Pillsbury-ish in this outfit.  Not a bad feeling, in my opinion. 

Have a great day!

A Secret Rut

I have a secret to tell you guys, but you have to promise not to tell.  You won't?  Okay, good.  Here it goes:  Sometimes, when I find an outfit I really like, I wear it over and over again.  Sometimes twice in one week, even. 

This post is a tale of one such outfit. 

Sunnies: Gap

Sweater: J.Crew Fair Isle, sz. small

Collared shirt: Ralph Lauren, sz. P

Jeans: F21, sz. 28

Shoes: Miss Albright Lake & Land Heels, Anthropologie, sz. 7.5

Necklace: Target ($2.00 on clearance)

First, I wore the offending outfit for Thanksgiving dinner at my family's house.  We *barely* dress for dinner, and we always dress for comfort, because our feast often lasts for hours. 

I liked the outfit so much that I wore it to a "Friendsgiving" dinner at my wonderful - and talented - friend (IRL and in the blogosphere - if you like crafty stuff, or just like looking at pretty things, check out her blog, Kristy's Crafts!) Kristy's house. 

I felt so warm and toasty in my outfit that I decided to wear it to school the following Friday on a jeans day. 

The beauty of wearing this outfit so often in such a short span of time was that none of these events had what I like to call "overlapping people."  Not one person (edit: other than my fiance, he wanted me to tell you that.) saw me in the outfit more than once.  And I'm sure they would have noticed if they did.  HA.

Do you get stuck in secret outfit ruts?  If so, what're a few of your go-to outfits?

OOTD Nov. 18th and some lame excuses

Hey everyone.  So sorry it's been over a week since I've posted.  ::hangs head in shame:: 

Here are my lame excuses, in prose-form:
I've discovered that winter darkness (It gets dark between 4:30 and 5:00 PM here now...ick) makes me extremely sleepy this year.  It may also be my ridiculous new work schedule - no plan period, cafeteria duty, three preps - or my ridiculous new workout schedule - pre-training for a half marathon (here we go again), daily yoga and strength training - or it just may be a combination of all three elements, but I find myself conking out before 9:00 every night.  This used to be my blogging time.  Looks like I'll have to find a way around it!

Anyhow, as promised, here's an OOTD from the middle of November:

Sweater: Trouve via Nordstrom, sz. sm.

Skirt: J.Crew No. 2 Pencil Skirt in double-serge wool in jazzy purple, sz. 4 (remixed here and here)

Tights: Merona, sz. sm/md

Shoes: Missoni for Target, sz. 7.5

Gold heart necklace: Vintage

Mixed metals necklace: A gift from my daddy :)

This skirt is possibly my best buy from J.Crew thus far.  I've already worn it three times this school year, and I have several more outfit ideas in mind.  It's thick, so I was able to tuck in my bulky sweater with no lines.

The shoes, on the other hand...ugh.  Not very comfortable.  But they complemented the sweater, so I pushed through for the sake of fashion :)

Inspired: OOTD

About a month ago, when J.Crew's November catalog came, I sat around with some of my friends/J.Crew fans at school in the morning before the day started flipping through the pages.  When I came across one of the pages, one of the girls said, "You have that skirt!  You could totally recreate that look."  So, I was inspired to give it a shot. 

Here's the catalog page with the aforementioned outfit (a big thanks to Suzy at Bichonluvr's Closet for scanning this catalog for us!):

I loved how effortlessly chic this look was, and it was really pretty effortless to recreate and personalize.  Here's what I came up with:

Turtleneck:  J.Crew merino turtleneck sweater in black, sz. small

Skirt:  J.Crew liquid silk skirt in bright dahlia, sz. 2 (reviewed here, remixed here)

Socks:  Black trouser socks...honestly, I think I stole them from my mom (sorry mama!)

Shoes:  Nine West Riane, sz. 7.5

Heart and filigree necklaces:  Vintage

Here's a detail box I put together (Don't mind the awful look on my face or the crooked necklaces, it was preeetty darn early in the morning.):

Overall, I was pretty happy with the outcome, but the socks + oxfords made me nervous.  A couple of the sophomores made fun of the combo and said I looked "just like an English teacher" (duh), but I haven't ever taken fashion advice from 16 year-old boys, and I don't plan on starting anytime soon ;) 



I'll post the Polyvore for the outfit below, but before we get to that...

I know I have some new readers, so I want to welcome them to the blog!  :) 

J.Crew Catalog Inspiration with handbag options by alldressedupnoplace2go featuring knit tops

Have a wonderful day!

OOTD: Vintage Oranges and Browns

Because yesterday was the first day of November, I decided to dress the part in shades of autumnal oranges and browns:

Cardigan:  Merona for Target, sz. small

Dress:  Vintage late '60s/early '70s era

Necklace:  Vintage '70s marble beads

Bracelet:  Wooden '70s beads, compliments of MamaAllDressedUp's high school years :)  

Shoes:  Cole Haan Nike Air Lyric Bronze heel, sz. 7.5

I found this dress last spring in a vintage store in Pittsburgh called Eons, and I get compliments on it every time I wear it.  It looks like it could have come off right off the rack of Anthropologie or Modcloth.  The dress is sleeveless and cotton, and it has a pretty, yet appropriate, V-shaped back.  The construction of the dress is timeless; it's one piece, with a top that blouses out over the pencil-like skirt.  It came with a sash that can be tied on the front, back, side, or anyone else you please. 

I know I sing the praises of vintage clothing quite often, but it's a song I don't get tired of singing.  If I had the resources (namely, vintage clothing stores that aren't 45+ minutes away), I would source an entire wardrobe from vintage clothing.  Clothes just aren't made as well today, and it seems like clothes in the 40s-70s were made to fit women with curves.  Sigh.  /endrant.  :)

Well, I'm off to read this year's Pennsylvania High School Mock Trial Case.   I help the fiance advise our high school's team, and this year, the case is about saving endangered bog turtles from a pharmaceutical company's plant.  I wish I were kidding.  I will leave you with a picture of my inspiration for the trial:

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Isn't he cute? 

OOTD: Navy and Raspberry - plus an Anthro shoe review

Poncho-cardigan:  Merona for Target, sz. small

Sweater dress:  Brooks Brothers, sz. small

Belt:  Merona for Target, sz. small/medium

Tights:  Merona for Target, sz. small/medium

Shoes:  Miss Albright Lake & Land Heels, Anthropologie, sz. 7.5

This OOTD was from Wednesday and was inspired by Anthropologie's Lake & Land Heels by Miss Albright.  I ordered these shoes last week after I decided I needed a non-black pair of oxford-like heels.  After reading the reviews and seeing the sale price - $79.95 - I decided that my closet was sorely missing this pair of shoes.  Here are the shoes on their own:

After wearing these shoes all day, I can reaffirm the positive reviews on the website.  I'm on my feet pretty much all day, and these shoes kept me comfortable.  Some reviews on the website said to size down, but I ordered my regular size 7.5, and they fit just fine.  The adjustable ankle strap allowed for a tighter fit. 

I love the blue suede and light brown leather, and the tassels are the perfect touch.  I got compliments all day.  My only two complaints are that one set of tassels came untied several times throughout the day and the one strap dug into my ankle a bit when I walked.  After wearing the shoe all day, however, both problems seemed to be somewhat alleviated.  I think once I wear the shoes in, they'll be fine.  This shoe is still available on Anthro's website in sizes 7.5 - 11. 

Channeling Cruella

My school is observing Red Ribbon Week this week for drug/alcohol prevention and awareness.  Our Red Ribbon Week is similar to spirit week because we have theme days in which staff and students are encouraged to dress a certain way.  Monday was "Wear Red" day. 

Would you believe I only own one article of red clothing?  Inevitably, when I wear it, someone makes a Cruella de Vil reference.  Every. Single. Time.  However, while looking for a picture for this post, I was hard-pressed to find anything that even remotely resembled the offending red cardigan.  This was the closest match I could find:

Source

Now, here's my Cruella-esque OOTD:

I guess I can see how the polka dots give off the dalmatian vibe.



Cardigan:  BCBG, size sm.

Dress:  Vintage 1950s-era, size unknown

Tights:  Merona for Target

Shoes:  Nine West Riane (on sale for $62.30!), size 7.5

A quick word about the shoes - if you're looking for a comfy, high-heeled oxford, I can't recommend the Riane enough.  I've had this pair of shoes for less than two weeks, and I've already worn them five or six times.  They're a great basic for the fall/winter months.

Now, if you'll all excuse me, I'm off to don some long black gloves, smoke from a cigarette holder, and scare a hundred or so puppies. 

Professional Purple

Part of my week of craziness last week involved my school's Open House, where parents come in and do a walk-through of their child's schedule.  Our open house has a bell schedule, so parents spend about 10 minutes in each class.  I always try to look professional, yet approachable at Open House, because it's really important to me that parents know they can call/email/talk to me about anything they or their son/daughter may need.  This is what I wore:

Blouse:  Missoni for Target, sz. XS

Skirt: J.Crew No. 2 Pencil Skirt in double-serge wool in jazzy purple, sz. 4

Belt: Merona for Target, sz. S

Shoes:  Cole Haan Nike Air Peep-toe Pumps, sz. 7.5

First of all, I don't know what it is with me pairing that skirt with that belt.  I can't stop wearing them together, even against my better judgment.  I know I should've worn a black belt, if any belt at all, with that outfit, but I just. can't. help. myself.  I feel like that blouse would probably work well with a black pencil skirt, and THEN maybe I could throw on the belt.

I ended up going to the chiropractor about an hour before Open House, and he really did a number on my hip.  I had been having problems with it popping wayyyy out for a few weeks, and he's been working to get it back to normal.  Of course, the night of Open House was the night that it FINALLY moved back to where it's supposed to be.  That meant that I was supposed to stay off of my feet the rest of the night and most of the next day.  I laughed when he told me that.  He did say that heels would hurt, but they wouldn't hinder my recovery, so of course, I wore them.  Stupid girl, lol.

I did spend most of the night sitting in front of the "classes" of parents, instead of standing, so I considered that a fair compromise. :)

Modcloth Love

Before I begin waxing poetic about my favorite local label, I want to apologize for being such an absent blogger and commenter this past week.  It's been a week of craziness both at school and at home, so hopefully things will calm down soon. 

Now, onto the love.  I am not kidding you at all when I say that Susan Kroger, Pittsburgh native and founder of Modcloth, beat me to living out my own dream.  In high school, she spent her free time scouring thrift and vintage shops for unique finds.  By the time she went to college, Susan had amassed such a collection of cool clothes that she and her then-boyfriend (now-husband!) started selling them online.  Their business boomed and blossomed into what is now the popular online-only retailer, Modcloth. 

Yep.  That was what I wanted to do from the time I was about 13.  Susan just had a few years on me, that's all.  :)  Seriously, though, I am obsessed with Modcloth not only because Susan's success story is so awesome, but also because it's right in my own backyard.  Since Modcloth ships mainly from their Pittsburgh headquarters, I can order something online and get it within a day or two.  Instant online shopping gratification!  Last week, I wore a couple of outfits centered on Modcloth pieces.

Cardigan: Guess, sz. S

Dress: Bernie Dexter, Modcloth, sz. XS

Silver Unicorn Necklace: a gift from my mom

Shoes: Target, sz. 7.5

Modcloth not only sells vintage pieces, but they also sell lesser-known indie labels.  Bernie Dexter is a designer who is known for her flattering construction and her 1950s-inspired rockabilly designs.  So you can fully appreciate the yummy cut and pattern of the dress, here's a stock photo:

 

Sigh.  So pretty. 

Last weekend, we had a glorious warm-up in the weather, and I was inspired to take a break from grading essays to go register at Crate and Barrel with the fiance.  I put together an outfit with a J.Crew Tippi sweater and a couple of pieces from Modcloth:

Say hi to my furbabies, Sassy and Puff, in the background.

Sweater: J.Crew Tippi sweater in bold peri, sz. S

Skirt: Puddle Pleasures Skirt, Modcloth, sz. S

Necklace: Vintage

Shoes: Chasing Down Dreams flat, 80%20, Modcloth, sz. 7.5

That skirt is still available, and at only $34.99, I can't recommend it enough.  The skirt's only downfall is that it's linen, so it will need ironed quite a bit (if you can't tell from my picture).  Here's a look at the skirt in all of its ironed-out glory:

And just look how stinkin' cute these shoes are up close:

If you haven't already checked out Modcloth, go go go.  It's a great site with a cool story behind its beginning.  And PS...the sales are always awesome :)



I've been published!

Well, sort of.  Earlier this week, I received an email from our awesome wedding photographer friend Leeann from Leeann Marie Photography letting us know that our engagement pictures have been featured on the Delighfully Engaged blog!  Pretty excited about that.  You can see the post here. 

Since I'm talking about our engagement pictures, I figured I'd take a couple of minutes to finally show you all what I wore and explain my choices.  All of the following images are taken from either the Delighfully Simple blog or from Leeann's blog, and all were taken by Leeann of Leeann Marie Photography.

Outfit 1:

Dress:  Mompos Dress from Anthropologie, size 2

Shoes:  Red leather heels from some random store in Italy

Bracelet:  Target

Earrings:  A gift from a friend (part of our bridesmaid jewelry set from her wedding)

This was my first outfit choice, and it was slightly Alice-in-Wonderland/Dorothy-inspired.  I knew that no matter what else I wore, I would wear the Mompos dress.  The dress has a slight print, but it isn't too busy, so the focus remains on us instead of the print.  Plus, it comes with a built-in crinoline.  What says "I'm having a glamorous reading by the lake on a blanket" more than a crinoline? 

I paired the Mompos dress with red shoes because I love seeing a pop of unexpected color in photos, and I know that Leeann has a shoe fetish that rivals my own.  Plus, I wanted our pictures to be whimsical and storybook-ish, and you really can't get more fantastical than a pair of red patent-leather peep toes in the middle of a field.   For about half a second, I contemplated replacing the built-in belt with a red patent-leather belt, but I realized I wanted the shoes to stand out on their own, so I kept the belt as-is.

For this outfit, I kept the accessories classic and minimal.  Again, for engagement pictures, the focus should be on the couple, not on the clothes and accessories.  I kept the future Mr. AllDressedUp in a neutral complementing outfit.  He's wearing a Brooks Brothers shirt and tie combo that features understated light pink and sky blue.

Outfit #2:

Shirt:  Gathering Tank from Anthropologie, size small

Bracelet:  "I Read Banned Books" bracelet from Kards Unlimited

Jeans:  Joe's Jeans from Anthropologie, size 28

Shoes:  Cole Haan Air Nike Peep toe pumps, size 7.5

Again for this outfit, I wanted to keep the concept relatively simple.  The gathers of the gathering tank brings the eye right to the face, and I figured the green color would blend with the surroundings to bring out our faces even more. 

While I don't recommend trying to camoflauge yourself when dressing for photographs, but I do recommend wearing colors that complement your skin, hair, and eyes.  I felt like this shirt did all three relatively well.  Plus, green is one of our wedding colors, so I wanted to give a slight nod to that in the engagement pictures.  I wore the bracelet because it has several shades of green in it, but also because it matches the literary theme of our photos and of our wedding.  The shoes jeans and shoes acted as comfortable neutrals.  I put the fiance in a Banana Republic blue and green striped white button-down  and jeans so that we weren't exactly matching, but our outfits again complemented each other.

Outfit #3:

Dress:  Vintage 1950s polka dot dress

Shoes:  Same red heels as above

Necklace:  Pearl necklace (stolen/inherited from my mom)

Earrings:  Silver hoops (a gift)

Again, simplicity is key.  I brought this dress along, not sure of whether or not I'd need it.  Leeann spotted it and gave me the go-ahead to bring it.  That's why she's awesome.  She understands that sometimes you just need another dress.  :)  Anyway, I kept my accessories simple once more with a pearl necklace and small silver hoop earrings.  The fiance remained in his outfit from before.  He's not as high-maitenance as I am, apparently.  ;)

I noticed while writing this post that I only wore 1-2 accessories per outfit.  That's probably a good rule of thumb to stick to when you know you're going to be photographed.  Now, if only this post had been published before Nicki Minaj went to the 2011 VMAs at the end of August:

Source

Oh well.  Maybe she'll take note for next year.  ;)

Dress Like an Egyptian: A Consignment Score

Hi, all!  I hope you've had a restful weekend!  I thought today I'd show you guys an awesome designer score I found last weekend while shopping with a good friend.  When we were fueling up for our shopping excursion at lunch, my friend and I talked about how shopping creates a type of high.  For some people, the high is just about instant gratification: scoring an item as soon as it comes out.  For others, the high is a culmination of what I like to call "the dig," "the find," and "the score."  I love going to consignment or vintage stores (mainly vintage stores...I love clothes with a rich history), digging through every item they have, finding something alluring, and scoring it at a great price.  This post is about one such item.

After reading about Topshop Unique's Egyptian-inspired Spring 2012 line here on the Fashionista blog a couple of weeks ago, I was super excited to pick up the Nanette Lepore Hieroglyhpics Dress at a local high-end consignment store. 

Trying on the dress with some Charlotte Russe heels the day I brought it home

The dress was a size 0, but I tried it on anyway, because I just couldn't pass up its amazing print and gorgeous saturated hues.  And honestly?  Who doesn't want to be a size 0?  I squeeeeezed into it, and I am so glad that, for just a second, I let myself think I could possibly forcibly shove my size 4 self into a dress two sizes two small.  By some fluke or graciousness of the fashion gods, it fit!  Here's a closeup of the print that begged for my attention on the rack:

The colors of the dress are saturated enough that I can wear it in the fall, but are bright enough that I think I can wear it during spring and into summer, too.  I believe this dress originally retailed for around $350, and I scored it for a little less than $75 in perfect condition. 

For my birthday, the fiance got us tickets to go see Wicked, which I had never seen, so I figured I could wear this dress.  It was cold and rainy, so I added tights, a cardigan, and boots.

Cardigan: NY & Co.

Dress: Nanette Lepore

Tights: Merona for Target

Purse: Vintage

Boots: Aldo

At first struggled with how to style the dress; it has so many gorgeous colors to pull from for accessories, and like a kid in a candy store, I wanted to use them ALL.  In the end, I decided to keep everything but the bag neutral and let the great print speak - rather loudly - for itself. 

The dig, the find, and the score certainly paid off in this instance.  Are you a digger, or do you like instant shopping gratification?