Review: Madewell Brightside Ruffle Tank Mini Dress.

 So, as I mentioned on Monday, I bought the Madewell Brightside Ruffle Tank Mini Dress which is too many words but it's a really cute dress! I'm keeping this review on the short side today because this week has been bonkers, but I wanted to show you this dang cute dress:

Here it is just by itself - the Brightside dress is a really simple tank-style dress with a tier at the bottom. I'm wearing a medium and it hangs perfectly without catching on my hips. The only thing that's annoying is that it's a tank cut that requires a racer-back style bra. I'm actually wearing a strappy sports bra because I don't have a regular racer-back style bra and don't really feel like buying one just for this dress. It works fine and I'm comfortable. Here's how I'd most likely wear this:

A casual look with my Madewell Sidewalk sneakers, a denim jacket (similar style) and my beloved Clare V Midi Sac. This is an easy street style look that suits me fine. That said, a little black dress seems is still a little black dress, so here's a dressier look:

Here I'm wearing my Madewell Harper mules, my MJ quilted single (similar and adorable style) and a longer tassel necklace. Nothing groundbreaking, but how cute is this? TRULY DAY TO NIGHT IF THAT WAS A THING I DID. Ahem. I ruined it because I'm always cold: 

It's still cute though, right? I feel like you can throw a denim jacket over almost anything and it'll work out okay. Here's a closeup of my necklaces and my face: 

My lipstick is the one I was just raving about - Dior Addict Shine 980 and I can't say enough nice things about it. I'm also wearing my Gorjana compass coin pendant and my Dean Davidson labradorite tassel. 

That's it for my review. It's a great, easy dress and I think it'll get a lot of wear this summer. 

Adrien: Stripes for Days.

Hi there! The weather finally got it's act together so I decide to celebrate with bare legs. Did I shiver like a poodle at my desk all day? Damn right I did, but for the half an hour I was outside, it felt great. I'm wearing an old Banana Republic dress that I love:

If you don't have a striped fit and flare dress, get on that. This Cynthia Steffe option looks super flattering and I love the crazy colors in this Nine West dress. The Gap also has a cute summery version that might have potential. The closest thing I could find to my dress is this one by Kate Spade. Spendy, but super cute. 

Details! A bold stripe requires a bold necklace, so I'm wearing my chunker of a tassel pendant. It's Lulu Frost for J.Crew and nobody does a tassel quite like Lulu. This beauty is still on sale! Someone buy that. For the more modest budget Kendra Scott does a nice tassel and for under $50, this Rebecca Minkoff is awfully pretty. My watch is an old black studded La Mer wrap that I totally forgot I owned. I used to wear it a lot on the blog. 

My shoes are Madewell Sidewalk Skimmers in a purply-blue suede. I love them. They don't seem to be carrying the Skimmer style anymore, but the blue suede Lydia flats look pretty amazing. BR also has a blue suede pointy flat that's currently on sale. Ooh, and check out this Marc Fisher pair! That color is closest to my pair. 

And finally, so I don't freeze to death in the morning, I threw on my excellent Madewell Beckett jacket. Thanks, Marianne! It shouldn't work with this dress at all but I think it does. An olive utility jacket is the perfect in-between weather option. The Fleet jacket at Madewell has potential and this Target Merona jacket looks like a great under-$40 option. I don't generally link Forever 21, but damn, this is cute. 

Oh, and finally, my bag is my ancient Marc by Marc Jacobs Hillier hobo. There's an updated version (on sale here!) but I just keep on carrying my old one.

Adrien: In-Between Weather.

I debated a bit about posting this outfit. It's not the most interesting thing I've ever worn and the lighting that morning was terrible, but eh. There are things I like about it and it does a decent job (bad lighting aside) of my general outfit philosophy -  simple clothes, interesting details.

I'm wearing a Banana Republic slub tee that I really quite like. Slub tees tend to have a good drape and the texture makes it more interesting. Banana generally does an okay job with the slub tops and I am hopeful about this cobalt blue scoop neck version! I also think this ruffle hem top is really cute but probably not for me. I also keep looking at the slubbed boatneck top but I think it's mainly because the model's brows are amazing.  Here is a ridiculous close-up:

Texture-y! I'm wearing a BR necklace I bought last year that has been such a nice staple. Something like this House of Harlow pendant would give you a similar look or, hey, this Forever21 pendant is pretty damn cute.

The usual suspects. Giles and Brother cuffs and my MBMJ Too Hot To Handle Hobo in cement which  I carry too much. It's just so easy and I love the neutral color. This grey Liebeskind hobo at Anthro is definitely a good comparable and, for the price, this studded-trim bucket hobo at Last Call is pretty interesting. Oh, I feel I should also mention that the bucket version of my bag is on sale in cement! 

It's hard to tell, but I'm also wearing my Madewell sidewalk skimmers in leopard print. They starting to get a bit ratty, but I still love them. Madewell hasn't restocked skimmers in a while but J.Crew has a pointy leopard flat that looks very nice and this Bettye Muller pair at Last Call is under $100! For a cheap-n-cheerful option I like the look of this Express pair.

 

 

I've been wearing the hell out of my new (to me) Madewell Beckett jacket. There are a ton of similar olive jackets out there but I think this ModCloth version is ridiculously cute and a total bargain. I also love the clean lines of this Coupe Olive Jacket and this one by Vince Camuto also looks great. You can't really lose. It's the perfect in-between weather layer and I'm grateful that Marianne encouraged me to find one. (She wears hers quite often in her IG outfits.)

That's all I got! I am hoping to pull out my spring/summer clothes this weekend mostly because I'm real sick of my winter stuff. Burn it all! (Except the jacket!)

Outfit of the Day: So Fresh, So Clean.

Hello! I haven't been able to take outfit photos for the last week because I broke my tripod. (Like, broken so thoroughly that even I was impressed. It was busted.) I finally got it's replacement in the mail so I decided to build an outfit around my fresh new Madewell sneakers: 

Look at me, wearing a dress! This is a Madewell t-shirt dress from last year and I'm happy to tell you that it's available on NR for less than $25. It's a good one! Just pretty basic and comfy and I'd say TTS. It also comes in black for a few more bucks but why not stripes? I also like this slightly odd oversized t-shirt dress. For something similar, this striped dress is really cute and it has pockets! 

I decided to pretend I was going somewhere and added some color with my red Longchamp Le Pliage Cuir bag. It's lightweight but holds a ton. It's on sale in the all-red nylon version which is pretty appealing and I also love this version with the wide strap. 

 If I were going somewhere (I'm not) I'd bring along my J Crew chambray shirt as a cardigan layer. It really brings home the basic level of this outfit. Heh. But seriously, I do love a chambray shirt in the summer to throw over just about anything. The J Crew version is great but Old Navy also does a good job and it's even available in plus sizes. On to details:

My earrings are by Amano Studio - a purchase I made last year at a boutique in Sacramento. Really beautiful and inexpensive! I'm also wearing my old Giles & Brother fishhook pendant which is long sold out but this horn pendant has a similar vibe and I love this layered pendant as well. 

One last look at my clean new Madewell Sidewalk sneakers! They're so fun with the metallic and snakeskin detailing. I gave you some other options earlier this week but a reader commented that BR has a good version and aren't they cute? I especially love the pair with the red heart, which are nearly sold out! So many cute sneakers, so few places to wear them. Sigh. 

Outfit of the Day: RTR

As promised I wore a whole lot of my rented finery the other day and felt jaunty af right up until I walked out my door and my neighbors dog jumped on me. THESE ARE NOT MY CLOTHES, DOG. (I petted him anyway because he was cute.) Here it is:

So here I'm wearing the silk Joie top that I really love. I got the medium but could probably have worn a small. I just wanted it drape-y so I could wear it over my favorite skinny jeans. This particular print is sold out but I also love this Joie print of little champagne glasses, this floral print is gorgeous and this one too!  If it's an insect print you want, this one is pretty similar and there's this one by Frame Denim. I also think this petite option is super cute. 

My wearing the Rachel Zoe Lana Twill Cigarette Pants in a size 6. They are super comfortable and I love the gold button detailing. I do not love that the side pockets stick out and make my hips look bigger but that always seems to happen. I'm not tempted to keep them though because my Everlane pants are similar enough and it's not that hard to find a black cigarette pant. They're nice, though. 

*sob* I love it so muchhhhhh. This is the Veda Jayne jacket in grey, size medium. It fits snugly which looks great if I'm wearing a silk blouse but I can't get much else under it. The leather is buttery soft and the lining is cotton and quite cozy. The jacket they sent me has a broken buckle, which is my only complaint. (I can't really wear it zipped up anyway. 😬) 

I love the color so much! But, if I'm going to invest in a leather jacket I will probably be boring and go with black leather. I found several grey jackets I love, like this one at Barneys and this BB Dakota version but I worry that it's trendy and will look dated in a few years. What to do? AllSaints Balfern? Madewell Ultimate? I am also going to try a few more of RTR's offerings, like this Doma moto jacket and this Slate & Willow version.

 Ugh. So buttery soft. More details:

I'm wearing my Soko Paddle Pendant which Marianne gave me for my birthday. It gets a lot of compliments! Bag 'n shoes:

I just posted about my MBMJ bag last week so I'll give that a rest. My flats are Madewell sidewalk skimmers, which I recently replaced via Poshmark. I had a pair in the same color that I wore until they were sad and faded but I loved them so much I found another nearly-new pair. I wish Madewell would make them again! In the meantime, this Franco Sarto blue suede flat is pretty interesting and this pair at Anthro is super freaking cute. Also, Tory Burch is not my favorite but these flats look really nice. 

That's it! I'll post another outfit with the DVF dress soon.

BUY THIS (Because I Already Did): Madewell Leopard Sidewalk Skimmer.

A reader recently pointed out that my Madewell leopard flats are on crazy sale!

The Sidewalk Skimmer in calf hair

They're marked down already and code COZYUP gets you an extra 40% off (plus 3% back with eBates! That's my referral link! Woo!) Some of the sizes are backordered but I think they're worth the wait. So, if you were thinking about ordering them, now is the time to go for it. I have two pairs of the Sidewalk Skimmers and they are really good quality. Completely leather-lined and look more expensive than they are. Go!

Adrien: Leopard is a Neutral.

I have days like everyone where I get dressed in running-late stages and kind of lose the plot when it comes to the outer layers. It's almost like my brain just forgets what I'm already wearing and swears that, "YES. THIS NAVY SKULL PRINT SCARF TOTALLY WORKS. WEAR THAT. YOU'RE LATE. GO."

My brain says that kind of thing a lot. I wasn't even sure when I took these pictures if what I was wearing was cute or tragic but I think...cute? Definitely cute. Mixing patterns makes me nervous but I've always been of the mind that classic leopard print is basically a neutral anyway, right? Right.

The leopard flats are my new Madewell Sidewalk Skimmers and I love them as much as I hoped I would. My jeans are Shockoe Denim and my jacket is the J.Crew Downtown Field Jacket, a staple. My scarf was a gift and I don't remember who makes it (I'm pretending it's McQueen) but this one is a great inexpensive dupe. 

My bag is vintage LV and was a big, scary, worthwhile purchase a few years ago. Everyone needs a red satchel in their closet! I currently like this one by Fossil. Or, for the super tight budget, this is really cute.

Leopardy goodness! I'm glad I held out for a code and got these Madewell flats. Highly recommend. 

Outfit of the Day: Just An Average Saturday.

Hey! Here are some clothes I put on my body for a Saturday lunch outing with Kate. It is not terribly exciting but I felt pretty good about it:

My smocked black top is from Loft, purchased last year. It's one of those things I bought, wore a few times and then totally forgot about. It's cute though, right? It's still available in plus sizes and this one from H&M is similar and very inexpensive. For an upgrade, I'd go with this pretty Frye version (on sale in black) or hell, this one from Johnny Was if you're feeling fancy. It looks okay all hanging out but I also really like it tucked in: 

Oh hi! There are those fucking Madewell jeans I never stop talking about or wearing. I can't help it, they are consistently the best and I should probably just get another pair, like these which have a great wash and a curvy fit and dammit, I want them. 

Okay, this is something I saw a lot in Paris (though usually the bag was Chanel or YSL or something amazing) - the boxy crossbody bag worn high and tight. I assume it's to make it harder to be pick-pocketed but it is also kind of a fashion thing. I was into it and halfway through the trip I quietly notched my strap up a few holes. Here are the details: 

This is my J.Crew signet bag which is your perfect little weekend or vacation crossbody. It comes and goes from the website but the Harper crossbody is available as a more structured option. My shoes are Madewell sidewalk skimmers from a few years back and they are a favorite of mine! This spring they have a really cute suede ballet flat that I especially love in red. If you desperately desire blue suede flats like mine, check out these from Banana Republic!

Okay, y'all. This is my new labradorite tassel necklace and it is my absolute favorite thing right now. I get so many compliments and it's just one of those things that makes an outfit. There are matching earrings and NR has a whole lot of other beautiful Dean Davidson jewelry as well. Sigh. 

Finally, I've been getting a lot of good wear out of my Veda Jayne jacket (check eBay for grey) which is the perfect thing for a chilly spring day. Or any kind of day, really. I love it a lot and highly recommend, if not this jacket, a similar version. There's a cool off-white leather jacket at TJM and a non-leather grey moto jacket at Anthro that would work well for spring but, um, AllSaints has a REALLY excellent dove grey suede jacket that you should probably consider. Just think about it, that's all.

Outfit of the Day: A Little Droopy.

You guuyyyyys.  I got a great, droopy utility blouse from Anthro recently (way, way on sale and unfortunately sold out in the color I bought) and I have already worn it three or four times even though the style doesn't really suit me. I DON'T CARE. It's so comfy and floaty and sack-like that I just throw it on over some skinny jeans and get on with my life. Honestly, I love this style of oversized drop-shoulder blouse (see the very popular Madewell Central shirt which also doesn't suit me) and will just keep wearing it because sometimes I just want a comfy sack-shirt:

See? It looks like a hot mess in this pic but it's still kinda cute, right? (Right?)  It's better with a bit of tucking:

In generally I like a blousy top and the deeper neckline on this one helps to keep it from being too covered up. For something similar, this H&M version is really cute and a bit less droopy and this more tailored J.Crew version would be great for fall. 

My jeans are my thrifted black Madewell pair which, I'm going to admit right now, are slightly too high rise for me. I have my eye on this pair, the black version of my super-favorite Madewell jeans. The heart wants what it wants, y'all. I didn't do a close-up but I'm wearing my monogram necklace from Anthro, which always gets compliments. 

Same ol' MJ hobo which is still hanging in there, being a really good bag. This new MJ hobo is probably the most similar. I'm also wearing my excellent Madewell Reid flats which are much more comfortable than the old sidewalk skimmers ever were! That's it for today, thanks for hanging in with me.

Stuff I Bought: Not-Quite-Fall Edition.

I have a mental list of things I'd like to buy for fall/winter and have recently knocked a few of those items out with my usual brand of idiotic impulse shopping. It's great to be me.  First up, I received my Grayson dress and it's great:

I'll post an outfit soon! Unfortunately it's true that Grayson is shutting down so this dress is sold out in black but still available in a few colors and in cotton. I took a size 3/M in this and it's generous. My linen dress is also still in stock but everything is final sale. That said, I'm tempted to order a button up shirt before they're gone because people seem to love them! 

In truly fall-like news, I was recently influenced by a blog reader (hi, Robyn!) who told me she'd heard that the Quince cashmere fisherman sweater is similar to the Jenni Kayne version so I ordered one for Blog Science:

This is Very Important Sweater Research, yes? She also ordered the Quince sweater and the Jenni Kayne version to compare. (I consider this to be dangerous behavior but she promised to let me know her findings.) I can't do much about the wonders of Jenni Kayne cashmere but if you you're tempted by the Quince version, you can get $20 off your first order through my link. (Full disclosure: I get Quince credit with each sale.) 

Lastly, this isn't really a "fall" purchase but I wanted a truly comfortable pair of lightweight, packable sneakers for travel that are also not completely hideous. I love my Madewell Sidewalk sneakers but they're leather and more for fashion than serious walking. Marianne suggested I check out the Aertrex Carly which are super-sexy arch support sneakers. This is where we are, I guess. But they come in good colors and they are SO lightweight, so they'll pack well:

I tried them on and they seem great? They didn't have the white in my size in-store so I ordered them (though now I'm eyeing the leopard print and having mild regret.) I'll report back! 

Adrien: ZZzzzzzSHOES.

This entry was supposed to be about the top I'm wearing (yay! Another top that's not actually a t-shirt) but what's really popping out? I mean, come on. The flats are insane. Insane! I may as well be wearing a dusty potato sack with them. I love the color so much and was shocked to realize I'd never worn them on the blog.

They are the Madewell Sidewalk Skimmer (on sale in the color I'm wearing!) and I'm desperately waiting for a coupon code so I can also buy the leopard print version. I get so many compliments on these flats, y'all. They're decently comfortable and leather-lined, which I really like, though they did require a bit of breaking in. 

The jacket is my J.Crew Downtown Field jacket (which I posted about here) and the split neck top is another recent sale find from Ann Taylor. Photos don't really do it justice. It's got a subtle teal line in the pattern which makes it more interesting. 

My giant tassel necklace is also from Ann Taylor (but this one is gorgeous) and my bag is a Marc Jacobs Stella tote (via eBay) though this aweome MBMJ tote is pretty similar.

Annnd, that's it. Blue shoes. Zing.

Review: MBMJ Baby Groovee Satchel (and an outfit!)

Fall shopping! I've been shopping like I was shot out of a cannon. That made sense in my head. One of the main things on my list was a burgundy/oxblood bag and even though I am sure it's a color that will work really well with my fall/winter stuff, I still didn't want to spend a ton on a new bag no matter how beautiful.  I hit up eBay and ended up with this little nugget:

MBMJ Baby Groovee

I know I'm boring with my Marc Jacobs fixation but he does such interesting colors so it just made sense to go that route. I'd first fixated on the larger Classic Groovee satchel while watching Orphan Black because one of the characters carries it. I was going to go with that size but it's really...large and I was afraid of it looking like luggage on me. The Baby Groovee looked too small but the deals on eBay were really good and I found one in good condition in the exact color I was hoping for. Whee:

It arrived and while it is a small bag, I had no problem shoving in my wallet, makeup bag, sunglasses case, kindle and other little bits. It's a perfect everyday bag as long as you don't need to carry the world around with you. The only downside is that it looks kind of awful when worn using the longer strap. It just turns into a sad leather pudding lump. Womp.

Okay, now my outfit:

 I'm wearing my new Banana Republic moto pants but you can't see the cool details AT ALL which kind of sucks. I really like these pants - they're comfortable, hold their shape and are more interesting than your average pair of work pants. The padded knee detail looks really cool IRL but you'll just have to take my word for it.

My t-shirt is some sad old Gap thing, my leopard flats are Madewell Sidewalk Skimmers (new version) and my belt is from Target. I'm doing double-leopard today and I'm not going to apologize for it. The more the better, I say.