Category:

The animals in my closet

9/3/2014

Animal prints are classic & seem to me to convey a little old Hollywood grace & glamour.

Here are the animals in my closet...

I began in 2010 by ordering just a zebra-print belt from Boden >>

I also bought a couple other leopard-print belts at Forever 21 for next to nothing & an animal-print microfiber purse from Amazon.

Boden still carries a similar belt:

Boden Waldour Waist Belt, $38

J. Crew dress, Boden belt

Last year, I found this leopard-print dress at Land's End for under $30. Very easy to wear.

Land's End dress, GAP maternity cardigan

Land's End Women's Petite Sleeveless Pattern Ponté Welt Pocket Dress, $29.99

My youngest son's very favorite item of mine is this leopard-print cardigan because it's so soft. I got at H&M for $5;
I noticed over the weekend they still carry them in store for $14.95.

F21 fake leather skirt, GAP top, H&M cardigan, Boden boots

Over the summer, I came across this animal-print skirt from Banana Republic that I managed to snag for the "kill price" of $9.50.

Photobombed by my son! :-)

J. Crew Factory crewneck sweater, Banana Republic skirt, Madewell necklace, Denver Museum of Nature & Science cuff, Piperlime sandals

Banana Republic Heritage Animal Print Jacquard Cargo Mini, $39.99. (I called the flagship store in S.F. to get the kill price!)

I'd always wanted animal-print shoes with mid-heels, & I finally got some from Sole Society.

Sole Society Isabelle pumps

Sole Society Isabelle, $69.95

These subtly-printed crops go with everything gray does & helped update my pant selection.

Anthropologie sweater, Boden crops

Boden Bistro Crop Trousers, $26.40

My latest acquisition is this leopard-print sweatshirt from H&M.

H&M sweatshirt, GAP shirt, Urban Outfitters jeans

H&M sweatshirt, $9.95

H&M Sweatshirt, $12.95

So what about you? Do you own many animal-print pieces? Did you buy them recently or in the past?

You may also like...

A leopard-print vest I'm eyeing for fall...

Uniqlo Women's Ultra Light Down Printed Vest, $39.90

More animal prints...

& yet more animal prints...

2 Comments

Return of the killer bodysuit

6/28/2014

5 Comments

While we weren't looking, bodysuits (also known as leotards) came back--and not just for the dancer or the baby in your life. I do love that they never come untucked & always give you a smooth line. I've posted some tamer ones below, but you'll find some hotties out there!--especially from Forever 21, Asos, Love Culture, Urban Outfitters, & American Apparel (click here for the AA ones if you dare!).

From H&M...

H&M Long-sleeved Bodysuit, $29.95

H&M Long-sleeved Bodysuit, $10

H&M Long-sleeved Bodysuit, $10, back view

H&M Jersey Bodysuit, $9

H&M Long-sleeved Bodysuit, $10

H&M Lace Bodysuit, $12.95

From Bebe...

Bebe Sleeveless Wrap Bodysuit, $68

Bebe Silk Wrap Bodysuit, $79

From Forever 21...

Forever 21 Classic Bodysuit, $19.80

From Asos...

Asos River Island V-Neck Moulded Shoulder Body, $26.86

From Aeropostale...

Aeropostale Striped Bodysuit, $5.99

From Urban Outfitters...

Urban Outfitters Motel Aggie Sunflower Bodysuit, $42

From American Apparel...

American Apparel Leopard Print Cotton Spandex Jersey Double U-Neck Long Sleeve Bodysuit, $38

When was the last time you wore one?

5 Comments

Comparison shopping: suede ankle boots

11/23/2013

6 Comments

Have you used ShopStyle, Flit, or other comparison shopping websites much?
I usually just search my favorite stores on my own. I feel like the shopping sites are limited to certain stores--do you think that's true? But sometimes they can help you find the best deals.
I recently searched for a suede bootie. I wanted a heel that was not too high & not too low, & I didn't want a western flair. I found the options below (organized from least to most expensive) through ShopStyle, through a google search, & on my own.
I've started to believe that it's worth spending a little more on shoes because you wear each pair so many times & often for several years.
Any guesses on which bootie I picked? Which one would you pick?

Kohl's SONOMA life + style® Suede Ankle Booties, 4 colors, 24.99

Urban Outfitters Dolce Vita Joust Suede Ankle Boot, $59.99

Amazon Nine West Women's Fletch Ankle Boot, $61.33

DSW Bandolino Demelza Bootie, 2 colors, $69.95

Nordstrom Vince Camuto Grayson Bootie, $74.47

Victoria's Secret The Metro Bootie, 6 colors, $79

GAP Suede booties, $89.95 minus 20% with the code GAPLOVE

Lord & Taylor Ellen Tracy Randa Suede Boots, 2 colors, $89 minus 20%

Marks & Spencer Indigo Collection Suede Elasticated Panel Ankle Boots with Insolia®, £59

Nordstrom BP Trolley Suede Ankle Boot, $99.95

Arhaus Jewels Billie Boots, $195

Garnet Hill Giorgia Ankle Booties, $198

Sundance Catalog Aventura Boots, $198

J. Crew Aggie Suede Ankle Boot, 2 colors, $278 minus 25%

Don't forget: If you see a shoe you like in a store or catalog, get its exact name & look it up online. Many manufacturers will carry it, & you may find a lower price.
Also, you really should never pay for shipping when it comes to shoes--almost everyone ships them for free.

6 Comments

Sign here...

9/30/2013

4 Comments

"A great lasting wardrobe is not about a certain look, but about dressing as yourself."
--Fashion journalist Lou Stoppard

I'm flattered when a friend says "This looks like you" when we're shopping because it implies that I have a signature style. Whether or not you realize what your signature style is, you probably know your signature colors.

It's easy to tell kids' favorite colors because they wear, like, only purple or (in the case of my son) only orange or green (ugh!).

I've only just come to realize that my signature colors are red, white, & gray. In fact, I'm having a hard time getting dressed this morning because all my red, white, & gray things are on the bed:

not pictured: red & white maxi dress, red, white, & gray scarf

I don't why I love these colors (my husband thinks I secretly wish I were a sailor in a foreign navy), but I remember when I first wore those colors together years ago, I felt 100% like me in them.

Now I often buy two of the same thing, so I have one for play & one for work.

Here are some of the items pictured above with links to the stores if you're interested in any of them:

Urban Outfitters BDG 3/4 Sleeve Striped Boatneck Tee $18.00 •2 for $24

These tops come in a bunch of cute designs, & you can mix & match
2 for $24. I got two of the same, of course, so I could wear one into the ground & keep one brighter.

Garnet Hill Aimee Twist Knit Top, $28

This Garnet Hill top is pretty similar to that
<<UO top, but you only get one for $28. I had to work pretty hard not to buy this one.

Land's End Girls' Stripe V-neck Cardigan, $34

I bought this cardigan because of its red & gray-striped sleeves.
I can't decide if I like the other colors in it, but it's fun, looks ok with jeans.
I got it at a discount this summer in Girls' XXL.

J. Crew Factory Gingham Popover, $24.99 (minus 30% with code SHIRT30)

I bought this shirt to go under black sweaters as in the outfit below.

The benefit of having signature colors is that after a while most everything in your wardrobe goes together fairly easily.

Of course, new colors are always coming into vogue, people change, and I like lots of other colors & combinations.

I'm not always dressed in red, white, and gray, but most days I'm likely wearing one of those colors. They just feel right for me.

What are your signature colors? Do you buy multiples when you find things in those colors?

4 Comments

Dressing down fancy

9/18/2013

4 Comments

In my dream world, every item in my closet would be getting worn. As someone once said, your clothes need to pay rent for closet space, earn their keep, get out into circulation. So I was excited last week to see the fashion tip from Piperlime that we wear a nightlife dress out to lunch. Since then, I've been thinking about ways to dress down my fanciest dresses, the ones that almost never see the outside of the closet door. Not sure about wearing them out to lunch, but I'm thinking you can wear most anything to happy hour :-)

Here's the look Piperlime suggested we wear to lunch...

Piperlime Diamond Horizon Dress by M Missoni, $795

This dress is a little over my budget :-)

"You can never be overdressed or overeducated" --Oscar Wilde

Now that fall's on the way, our options open up a bit. One way to dress down the fancy is to throw on a casual jacket. What do you think of topping your fancy dress with a military-inspired jacket?

Urban Outfitters Ecote Canvas Military Jacket, $89

You could also add a casual vest or wear funky boots with your fancy dress. Reminds me a bit of the bride I saw over the summer in a wedding dress & high tops :-)

Sadly, I can't afford one of those cute little jackets right now, so I'm settling for trying the jacket I bought off season over the summer:

Backcountry,com prAna Sylvie Jacket, $57.17

In today's uber casual world, you can often be accused of being "dressed up."
Do you like to dress up? Do you wish we weren't all so casual all the time?

You may remember this Urban Outfitters Staring at the Stars Dress I bought a year ago. It's featured in this post with a beautiful leather PoseManikin necklace.

I last wore it to a Roaring 20s themed fundraiser.

It doesn't get out much :-)

So here's the outfit I plan to wear to see Glenn Berggoetz's film "To Die is Hard," being shown free Tuesday night (Sept. 24) at The Forest Room 5 in Denver. This showing will benefit the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. Details here.

I realize the dress is not so dressy, and the jacket's not so casual. But I'm excited to take the jacket out for the night, and I'm thrilled to put my dress back into circulation! (even though I'll probably hear "why are you so dressed up?" Lol.)

Do you have a fancy dress you'd love to get into circulation? Any other ideas how to dress down fancy?

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One trip:
One necklace

Topping your dress with a pullover & other ideas for getting more of your clothes into circulation

What are you wearing
on a plane or bus?

4 Comments

Of trends & tie-neck blouses

8/13/2013

2 Comments

Do you follow clothing trends? Instead of jumping on a trend, I watch the trends to find the ones that are most "me"--the ones perhaps I've been waiting for all my life, the styles I would have designed if I had any skill in that area. It's more like hopping on your train home rather than hopping on the first train that comes in no matter where it's going.

Tie-neck blouses in The Lady's Newspaper in the 1880s

Most trends are typically not so new, only "new to thee" (as Prospero says to Miranda). The style has likely appeared somewhere first--on a runway, on a style icon, in an era ages ago.

Here's a case in point: I thought tie-neck blouses were a fairly new trend. I thought they'd come out about two years ago. But I just found someone talking about them in 2008. And I think this type of top actually has its roots in a much more distant past. I could see royalty wearing a version of them or perhaps musketeers! And I can imagine Audrey Hepburn, hip '60s chicks, and schoolteachers on the prairie wearing them.

Still, for some reason, these blouses call to me. I think they just feel like me, whether they're popular now or not. When I bought my first tie-front top two years ago, I thought I was one of the only ones wearing it. Of course, since I bought it at The GAP, probably millions of others women were thinking the same thing :-).

Most trends last through several years. You often think a trend is brand new and fleeting. But truth is, most return the following year and for several thereafter. Sometimes it's just easier to find in stores, sometimes it's subtly changed or amplified, but pretty much it's just the same trend as last year. Like skinny jeans, for example.

I thought I was wearing one of the only tie-neck blouses available when I bought this one at The GAP two years ago. It hasn't been the easiest item to wear. It seems supremely conservative even while it's trendy.

Lots more tie-neck blouses are in stores now...

A bunch of lovely sleeveless tie-neck blouses from Nordstrom...

Nordstrom Sleeveless Tie Neck Knit Shirt, 5 colors, 5 sizes, $49

Nordstrom Halogen Tie Neck Sleeveless Top, 4 colors, 5 sizes, $69

From Anthropologie...

Anthropologie Tilda Tie-Neck Blouse, $148

From Urban Outfitters

Urban Outfitters Coincidence & Chance Tie-Neck Secretary Blouse, 5 colors, 4 sizes, $39.99

From Forever21

Forever 21 Buttoned Tie Neck Bodysuit, $15.80

L.L. Bean Signature Tie-Neck Blouse, Mallard Print, $95

This blouse is from L.L. Bean Signature. The same blouse is pictured to the right.

L.L. Bean Signature Tie-Neck Blouse, Mallard Print, $95

A couple last thoughts on trends...

Sometimes the trend serves a purpose. I've become a new fan of high-low maxi skirts because I like to walk and walk pretty fast. I've sometimes steered away from long tube-like skirts because they restrict your stride: you have to take fairly small steps or lift up one side. High-low skirts, on the other hand, are missing the front panel so you can run to the bus without having to hold your skirt.

Wearing something trendy can take years off. Wearing something trendy (even if it's not as new as you thought) can make you feel young and up-to-date.

So basically there's no hurry. I'm pretty sure the new trend will be around next year and the year after. You have plenty of time to see if it suits you, if it calls to you.
For me, I just keep an eye on the trends, waiting for my train to come in.

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Never count your clothes--
but if you do, here are
some ways to live with less

Trend alert: lasercut

Planes, trains, & buses:
clothing & public transportation

2 Comments

Side-by-side: mini-wedge espadrille sandals

7/16/2013

0 Comments

Well, here's some frightening proof that you must research every shoe online before purchasing.
Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters are sister companies, I believe. They are selling the exact same sandal, but it's on sale at half price and in more colors at Urban Outfitters and not at Anthropologie. The sandal is also available at Maraisusa.com. I rather like the sandal myself and would prefer to pay half the price by walking across the hall or surfing just down the internet dial one click :-)

$54.99
at Urban Outfitters

Urban Outfitters Marais USA Espadrille Mini-Wedge Sandal, 3 colors, $54.99 (was $110), free shipping

While we're at it, here's the J. Crew version of almost the same sandal.

J. Crew Marina Mini-wedge espadrilles, $79.99. Extra 30% off with the code EXTRA30

$110
at Anthropologie

Anthropologie Espadrille Wedges By Marais USA, only in coral, $110

Maraisusa.com Jitney Wedge, 4 colors, $110

More tips
for stretching
that dollar

More Side-by-side

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Trend alert: lasercut

5/22/2013

0 Comments

Next to the lace, crochet, & eyelet, you'll find a new look that gives a peek at skin--lasercut.

See it on tops, dresses, shoes, & more.

Dr. Evil planned to use "lasers" to punch a hole in the "Ozone Layer"

H&M lasercut tunic, $29.95

I love the simplicity of this tunic!
It hasn't yet been released in our local H&M stores, but it appears in the H&M magazine and should be in soon.

Target Mossimo Supply Co. Laser Stud Leather Belt - Brown, $16.99

Urban Outfitters lasercut top, in store, comes in several colors

Anthropologie Baka Cut Slingbacks, $168

Anthropologie Baka Cut Slingbacks, $168 (online & in store)

Anthropologie Kerchief Cut Pouch, $39.95

ModCloth Stencil Artist Bag, $49.99

Macy's SR Squared by Sondra Roberts Handbag, Laser Cut Wristlet, $40.99

You may also like...

Eyelet lace

Glow-in-the-dark
tops & tees from H&M

Wear your heart on your sleeve:
Macbook sleeves make great teacher gifts

0 Comments

A return to styles of the 80s & 90s

4/15/2013

29 Comments

In past years, we've seen a return to the 70s (bell bottoms and boho--right on!), a return to the 20s (a toast to Gatsby!), and a return to the 60s (hello Madmen). Now, for better or worse, we're seeing a return to the 80s & 90s.
What 80s or 90s fashion do you welcome back and which ones should we banish forever?

Sweaters with bobbles...