Blog Archives

T-shirt dresses

5/31/2014

Do you own a t-shirt dress? They can be the easiest thing to throw on sometimes.

Here are several options out there in all price ranges. Some of these companies have yet more...

From Athleta...

Athleta Striped Tee Dress, $89

Athleta Tee Dress, $69

From J. Crew Factory...

J. Crew Factory Long-sleeve Stripe T-dress, 2 colors, $29.50

J. Crew Factory Rope Print Tee Dress, $24.50

From Garnet Hill...

Garnet Hill Easy T-shirt Dress, in 4 colors, $48

From Madewell...

Madewell see by chloé® t-shirt dress, $219.99

Madewell shimmer t-shirt dress, $59.99

Madewell striped t-shirt dress, $69.99

From Anthropologie...

Anthropologie Soraya Dress, 2 colors, $69.95

From Victoria's Secret...

Victoria's Secret The Little Tee Dress, $29.99

I bought this dress above n gray stripe a couple years ago. It's so soft! I confess I wear it as sleepwear some times.

Victoria's Secret T-shirt Dress--Vintage, $34.99-$44.99

Victoria's Secret V-neck Dress, $29.99

Victoria's Secret Strappy High-neck Dress, lots of colors, $19.99-$29.99

From Target...

Target Merona® Women's Knit T-Shirt Dress Collection, $19.99

Target Merona® Women's Knit T-Shirt Dress - Solids, $19.99

From Old Navy...

This first dress is the #dealoftheday! It's only about $10! My friend Rachel bought it & looks amazing in it!

Old Navy Women's Striped 3/4-Sleeve Dresses, $12.97 minus 15%

Old Navy has many more options if you click here.

Old Navy Women's Fitted Tee Dresses, $24.94

Old Navy Women's Rugby-Stripe Tee Dresses, $29.97

From Piperlime...

Piperlime Hive & Honey Lizzie Stripe T-Shirt Dress, $69

Piperlime Tinley Road Dreamtown Dress, $44.97

From Urban Outfitters....

Urban Outfitters BDG High-Neck Knit Keyhole Dress, $49

Urban Outfitters byCORPUS Stripe Tee Dress, $49

Urban Outfitters Pins And Needles Lace Tee Dress, $59

Urban Outfitters Textile Federation All Seeing Eye Tee Dress, $79

Urban Outfitters BDG Stripe Tank Midi Dress, $49

Urban Outfitters Silence + Noise Addison Bodycon Mini Dress, $59

Any favorites? I love some of the shorter UO ones, but I'd wear them as tunics with a slim pant.

T-shirt Sunday Tees

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The sweatshirt=the new silk shirt?

5/27/2014

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"...in today's culture, the sweatshirt has become the new silk blouse."
-- Fashion Designer Juan Carlos Obando

I wish I could say that we could just pull all our sweatshirts out of our drawers (or pick them up off the floor :) & voilà! we'd be styling the new silk shirt. If the sweatshirt is indeed the new go-to top for all our tuxedo pants & work skirts, I'm afraid we'll need a new one that doesn't have stains on it & the name of our alma mater across its chest. I'm not positive our old faithfuls won't work, though--I may have to try it!

The boxy shape of a sweatshirt is another problem. I don't look particularly good in a square shape (who does?).

But I can see the versatility of the sweatshirt look--it mutes & brings down the fanciest of fancy pants--in a good way.

Supposedly, Einstein wore a lot of sweatshirts.
He makes them look smart! :-)

Here are a few sweatshirts you may want to look at if you're considering taking on this trend...

J. Crew Factory Short-sleeve quilted sweatshirt, $29.50

J. Crew Factory Medallion-print Sweatshirt, $24.99

J. Crew Paneled Sweatshirt in Surf Stripe, $78 minus 30%

J. Crew Paneled Sweatshirt in Navy Floral, $78 minus 30%

Anthropologie Starboard Sweatshirt, $49.95

Banana Republic BR Monogram Silk-Back Sweatshirt, $34.99 minus 35%--FRONT

Banana Republic BR Monogram Silk-Back Sweatshirt, $34.99 minus 35%--BACK

Whistles L'Ete Logo Sweatshirt, £60

Piperlime Pam & Gela Hi-Lo Sweatshirt, $165

Baukjen The Asymmetrical Jumper, £79

H&M Sweatshirt with printed design, $9.95

Zara Two-tone Sweatshirt, $49.90

H&M Sweatshirt, $39.95

J. Crew Jacquard Floral Sweatshirt, $34.99 minus 30%

J. Crew Jaspe Tunic, 2 colors, $79.99 minus 30%

Maybe you do already own one like this one?

J. Crew Factory Heathered Sweatshirt, $26.50

I bought this sweatshirt in the winter from Banana Republic. It has only worked out so-so. I love the beading on the collar, but the rest of the sweatshirt has a slight sparkle (you can't see it in the photos). I think it'd be easier to match with things if it didn't have the sparkle--it's sometimes just enough extra to categorize an outfit as "too much going on."

Will you be making like Einstein & getting yourself a sweatshirt? What do you think of this trend?

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Oh peplum, my peplum

5/27/2014

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I had to wait a long time for my peplum to come in. I learned that it's best if peplum fits well, depending how structured the top is.

The peplum problem: seems to me, most peplum must be fitted to look right. When this peplum top from GAP first arrived, it was obvious that it wasn't going to work because it was too big for me. I returned it & had to wait another week or so before a smaller size was available. I still think it's too big, & I'll probably return it.

GAP Eyelet Peplum Top on me

GAP Eyelet Peplum Top, also in navy, $34.99

GAP Eyelet Peplum Top on me

This Garnet Hill peplum top is also too big for me, but since it's not so structured, I can belt it. I love the color with my gray skirt, so I'm hoping it looks ok since it's not available in the next size down. I have a weakness for all-one-color outfits (as you know). I'm hoping to wear this outfit to my son's continuation ceremony.

My top is Garnet Hill sleeveless peplum top in a medium, $38

My skirt is a GAP girls' in size 16 plus, $18.99

How has your peplum worked out? Have you had similar troubles?

More peplum

Attempts at wearing
all one color

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Papa don't preach: battles with parents over clothes

5/26/2014

4 Comments

"A little rebellion now and then is a good thing." --Thomas Jefferson

Fights over clothes? Growing up I had some doozies with my dad. Generally the fights were over "brand new" clothes hanging in my closet that I'd never worn. Typically I'd never worn them because style in school is complex, & I knew better than he did what I needed to wear to navigate those difficult waters.

Did you fight with your parents over clothes in high school? Did you want to wear something they thought was inappropriate? I didn't fight with my parents over whether something was too short or too low-cut but rather over whether my clothes looked (to them) like rags. I also battled with them over an all-black phase I went through.

Did you ever hide something in your backpack & then change into it on once you got to school? I can remember doing this, but I can't remember what it was.

This past weekend I took stock of the times I get mad at my own kids over clothes. Here are some of the main reasons...

Not wearing new things, & then ending up outgrowing them. Case in point: some Heelies my youngest has outgrown before ever really wearing them. This is much like the times my dad got mad at me, but my son has a good reason: it was too hard for him to learn to skate in Heelies.
Wearing clothes for, like, an hour & then putting them in the hamper. And then asking for a new outfit to put on (when you could just pull the nearly-clean outfit out of the hamper & put it back on!).

Not wearing a pullover or jacket when it's cold out. Ditto refusing to wear pants (instead of shorts) when it's cold. This was a daily battle in March. Classic parenting battle really.

Asking me to get their clothes when they can get their own. This one's kind of sweet but also pure laziness on their part.

Losing something. Lost your mittens, you naughty kittens.
Stretching out their clothes by stuffing their entire bodies inside their tops.

Leaving dirty socks on the floor & under the couch & leaving their shoes all over the house.

Well, I guess we've established that I get angry with the kids about clothes. My fights with my dad were few & far between in comparison.

Of course, I know that these fights are about a lot more than just clothes. They're about responsibility & sharing in the upkeep of our home & not wasting.

It's funny because I resolved never to fight with my kids about food. I guess we shouldn't be fighting over clothes either?

Did you fight (argue) with your parents about clothes when you were in high school? Have you had arguments with your own kids over clothes?

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O City, city

5/25/2014

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What city do you hail from? Would you wear a city tee with your favorite city?

L.A. & NYC get their names on t-shirts all the time. I like that these tees feature other cities too...

T-shirt Sunday Tees

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Skirting the issue

5/20/2014

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The skirts at H&M are driving me batty this week because I want them, but I don't want to pay for them. They aren't expensive, but they are if you buy several of them. This post will hopefully help relieve me of my obsession for another day or so until H&M offers a discount or at least free shipping!

It's the ruffle that's killing me: I want the ruffle. I also like the description of this skirt--"thick, textured jersey. Raw-edge ruffle at hem." It sounds thick enough to hide figure flaws yet jersey enough to work for summer.

H&M Ruffle Skirt, also in white, $29.95

If you need a black skirt, H&M has a bunch of different styles in the store & online from slightly sheer to flippy to pencil.

H&M Pencil Skirt, $17.95

H&M Pencil Skirt, $34.95

H&M Pencil Skirt, $24.95

H&M Flared Skirt, $29.95

Let's face it: this skirt should be on sale. It's really a fall material, almost tweedy, almost wool-like.

H&M Knit Skirt, $29.95

I also like this gray skirt & this polka dot one...

H&M Pencil Skirt, $24.95

H&M Pencil Skirt, $17.95

I've already bought this one. I think the red is fun.

H&M Pencil Skirt in red, $12.95

The skirt is 62% cotton, which I like--it's not a polyester affair :-)

Same skirt in black, beige, & dark blue...

H&M Pencil Skirt in black, $12.95

H&M Pencil Skirt in beige, $12.95

H&M Pencil Skirt in dark blue, $12.95

I have to size up two sizes in all H&M skirts, which makes me feel like a tubba, but what are you going to do? I'm hopeful the larger sizes will sell out more slowly!

This post does make me feel a little better! I realize that the real issue I'm skirting is my obsessiveness. Ugh! Do you obsess like this?

2 Comments

Pretty as a flower

5/19/2014

2 Comments

A slideshow of 8 wearable floral-print dresses, $24.95 & up. Do you like one of them? 

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A tee that plants trees

5/18/2014

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Earth Day may have passed, but just buying this cool $15 t-shirt is a way to do our part. For each of these tees sold, Gasan will plant 10 trees through the charity Trees for the Future.

T-shirt designed by Amy Sullivan © 2014 www.amyleesullivan.com

Gray GASAN Wolf T-shirt, $15

I found out about this tee through my friend Allie Oliver-Burns.
Allie is an artist, a graphic designer, an earth-conscious chef,
a jewelry designer, & a writer.

She has a beautiful blog & an Etsy shop. You really should follow her on Facebook & Twitter & Pinterest because she is always doing something interesting! She is also a kind, gentle person who cares about our planet & about being good to other people.

Here she is looking so cute in her brand new Gasan Wolf tee... >>

A few of my favorite recent posts by Allie...

An Interview with Danish singer Eivor

Allie's amazing chocolate cake recipe!!

Allie recently won a scarf design contest from Printed Village. If you click through this link, you'll get to see a video of Allie sharing her thoughts on designing.

So have a wonderful Sunday, everyone. Enjoy some time in nature this weekend if you can.

T-shirt Sunday Tees

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The trip not taken

5/17/2014

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These are the clothes I didn't pack for the short trip I didn't take...

The color palette I'd planned for was neutrals, pink, & gray. I figured that way everything would match everything else.

These colors seem lovely for spring. Here are a bunch more examples of them paired together...

a couple sold-out favorites...

Nordstrom Rack ASTR Sequin Pencil Skirt, no longer available

Fossil Edie Shift Dress, no longer available in these colors

pink, white, khaki...

J. Crew Vintage Cotton V-neck Tee, $29.50 minus 25% with the code PACKME

with a touch of blue...

J. Crew Linen Baseball Tee, $39.50 minus 25% with the code PACKME

J. Crew Factory Outfit Obsession #5

H&M Floral Dress, $24.95

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Just be you

5/14/2014

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"The bottom line is being confident and owning the skin that you’re in is the sexiest thing you could do." --Erica Aguilar

I'm excited to feature this special article celebrating real beauty by 19-year-old Erica Aguilar...

How ugly do you feel today? Did you wake up staring at your closet not knowing what to put on? Did you settle for your usual hair down, no makeup, jeans-and-a-tee routine because you didn’t see the point in going all out? So far today, have you looked at another girl or the cover of a magazine and thought, “Why can’t I look like her?”

Sometimes, we really can’t appreciate ourselves. It’s not a disease or a condition. It just is what it is, but there are ways to help stop this. Being 19 years old, I believe it’s worse among teens. Pressures are all around us: our favorite magazines plastering photoshopped images of our favorite female celebrities on their covers. Everywhere teen girls look--ads for our favorite clothing lines, tiny mannequins, TV shows, movies, fashion shows, ads for makeup, shampoos, curling irons, you name it--are perfect, size-zero, air-brushed models for everything. It’s as if teenage girls are supposed to have flat tummies, long perfect hair, a “thigh gap” (for those who don’t know, it is having a gap between girls' legs while they stand with their feet together), and a nice pair of breasts in proportion to the perfect butt. Sadly, though, these girls are not real.

American Eagle’s own lingerie and apparel line called Aerie has suddenly decided that they are no longer going to use “super models” or photoshop the girls they are using for their advertisements. For a while, on Instagram they only posted quotes from celebrities and regular girls on what being real meant to them and how they truly are beautiful. They had pictures of some girls who were “real.” They still were nicely thin and had the perfect shades of skin with no imperfections. Sure, some girls out there really seem perfect: with being naturally thin and having bright eyes and long hair and smooth skin, but it still wasn’t really real. It wasn’t until about a week ago they shocked everyone with actually posting a picture that caught everyone’s attention...

Image from aerie on Instagram

Her back is facing the camera, but she is turned enough towards it that you can see half of her face. The camera is zoomed in on her but not drastically. The tropical background is blurred out of focus. She is a young girl, possibly in her early twenties, with curly dark brown hair with light brown highlights and a sweet, white smile. The general point of view is on her; you start from the top to get a look at her face and move down to her body to see what she’s wearing by the company. She’s in a bright green bandeau with a lace trim and in their “cheeky” panty that’s a nice ocean blue color, with a pattern of fun seahorses and a lace trim as well. In actuality, though, what they really want you to look at is much more than what she’s wearing. Her bare bottom, hips, and part of her leg show actual stretch marks. Her back isn’t perfectly smooth or one tone of color. She looks like your normal, average real girl. Many young women responded with positive comments and thanked the company for actually coming through with what they were trying to represent: that real girls are beautiful.

windycityjenny Image from ae.com Style Gallery

American Eagle's website also now has other models that have a much more natural look to them. One girl whose face you can’t see in the picture is also showing a pair of their “cheeky” panty and a fun lacey bra. Although she seems like one of those naturally thin and pretty girls, on her back you can spot a patch of what looks like a red birth mark, and her arms have creases. This would be something they could easily take out and give her the perfect back and arms, but they decided to stick to their word again and not drastically change her.

The more you browse American Eagle's website, the more you see more beautiful girls but who really haven’t been retouched. Their elbows are natural and wrinkled. They have some cellulite on their legs and bums. They have freckles everywhere or other birth marks or scars that have made them who they are.

"The more you browse American Eagle's website, the more you see more beautiful girls but who really haven’t been retouched. Their elbows are natural and wrinkled. They have some cellulite on their legs and bums. They have freckles everywhere or other birth marks or scars that have made them who they are."

If you click to shop their swim line, right away you see a caption next to a model on a sandy beach with the perfect clear water waves, and it reads “summer is here. Whether you’re flat as a surfboard, or curvy like a coconut, there’s no such thing as a perfect beach body.” Although it is a cheesy, catchy caption that anyone could put to try and promote real beauty, I know I paused for a second. Every girl is hesitant at some point to wear a swimsuit when summer comes around. They feel completely naked and believe that everyone is only going to see the flaws that they see in themselves. Simply reading that caption gave me a little spirit. I did actually believe that no real woman has the perfect beach body. Every woman has their flaws, but nothing should hold me back from going out in a swimsuit this summer.

"I did actually believe that no real woman has the perfect beach body. Every woman has their flaws, but nothing should hold me back from going out in a swimsuit this summer."

The bottom line is being confident and owning the skin that you’re in is the sexiest thing you could do. As cliché as that might sound, it is the truth. Aerie has been pushing for this change, and they have shown light into what real beauty is. They don’t need tear-jerking commercials or frightening time-sped images of someone photoshopping a girl. It’s simple: all they need is ads that show real girls with occasional quotes such as “the real you is sexy.” This is possibly one of the first “real beauty” campaigns I’ve seen that doesn't push too hard to expose what they are doing.

If girls want to shop the American Eagle company or have before, it’s a positive from the company that will want girls to keep shopping because of what they are supporting. Aerie trumps others like Victoria’s Secret “Love your body” campaign by a million because they are gaining more customers like me: a real 19-year-old girl who shouldn't feel ashamed of my body because I do not look like a big time model like Miranda Kerr; I should be confident and proud that I am real and not photoshopped.

by Erica Aguilar

RachelBlau? Image from the ae.com Style Gallery

Comment from OMF:
Thank you so much for sharing this inspiring article, Erica. I love seeing the movement toward using real, unphotoshopped girls & women as models! I think people have had enough of false, rail-thin models. I'm glad
American Eagle is leading the way for other stores.

Aerie's Real movement was also discussed on Good Morning America, on E! News, & on Twitter: #aeriereal
For more info, click here.

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