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! 

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. 

Outfit of the Day: Travel Outfits!

Hello! This week has been crazy so I haven't had time to post, but I wanted to mention that Marianne and I actually got to see each other IN PERSON last week! We met up for a long weekend in Austin, TX and had a grand time. Next week I'll post more about our trip (and everything we wore), but today I want to share our travel outfits:

This is my ultimate airplane outfit (plus my denim jacket which is in my backpack.) I'm wearing my favorite Wilt high-low ombre tee (non-ombre version) with the best travel pants ever - my Athleta Brooklyn Ankle pants. I also pulled out my packed-and-nearly-forgotten Madewell Sidewalk Sneakers and y'all, they are so cute! I should wear them more often. Mine are sold out but this pair is the update and this version is on sale! My Think Royln bag has become a favorite and was great for travel. 

Yes, Marianne really does look this cute when she travels. Her dress is Old Navy and it's sold out but this blue striped version is basically the same dress and it also comes in two prints. Marianne's adorable perforated sneakers are Camper (and on sale!) and she loves them.

I mean, duh, of course we are friends, would you look at this? Ridiculous. Both of our suitcases are Calpak 24" and I believe with both got them at TJ Maxx. They have a floral version right now but how cute is this marble print carry-on at Nordstrom? The terrazzo print is pretty great too. 

Our backpacks are both the Lo & Sons Hanover and I reviewed mine here, though I believe the current version has been updated with more pockets, etc. It's lightweight, minimal and has a suitcase sleeve which we both love. 

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. 

Monday Mood: Fresh White Sneakers.

Lately I've been obsessing about one of my closet holes - the fresh white sneaker. There's just something so fashion-y and cool-French-girl about this trend and even though I'm not a big wearer of sneakers, I do love it when something casual and relatively inexpensive is suddenly cool. Well, inexpensive as long as the fresh white sneaker of your dreams isn't Golden Goose. But there's no need for that. There are some really great and affordable options. I posted recently about this pair  of Sidewalk Sneakers from Madewell that I bought when they were 50% off:

Madewell said they run big but most of the reviews say they run TTS so I got my usual size. They showed up and man, they are CUTE. I love the metallic accent on the back and the snakeskin detailing:

But, they felt a tiny bit big. But not...too big? (I feel like a half size down might be too small.) It tried them on briefly, wasn't sure and then later I tried them on again with my favorite Bombas no-show socks* and wore them around the house a for a while. I really think it helps to walk around in shoes before deciding on fit because feet sometimes need time to think it over, you know? (At this point Marianne would accuse me of talking myself into them.)

The more I wore them, the more I liked them! They are a lot of shoe, like fashion sneakers are, and visually takes some getting used to but I think they might be keepers. Madewell is low on sizes and snakeskin might not be for you, so here are some other options because we all need options, right?

Marianne wants this classic pair of Nikes even though she knows they'll be too wide. 

(She just hasn't talked herself into them properly.) 

This Topshop pair is super inexpensive and I love the gold grommets! 

Another classic. You can't go wrong with a badass pair of Stan Smiths.

You knew this was coming, right? One day I'm gonna do it. 

*Marianne thinks fashion sneakers only looks good worn without socks and I don't disagree but I also hate not wearing socks with sneakers so I get around it with these no-shows from Bombas that actually stay on my heels. Love them.

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.

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: 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.

Adrien: So Frenchy.

Yesterday I decided I wanted to dress like a French stereotype so put on my best striped shirt and my Frenchiest bag and...a scarf:

We'll talk about the scarf in a minute. My shirt is the Everlane heavyweight tee which I bought a few years ago and have worn pretty consistently. It's quietly become quite a staple in my wardrobe just by being the right amount of oversized and easy to wear. It's not hard to find a great breton striped top - this one at Boden looks perfect and this color block version at the Gap is interesting. Or, if you want to be fancy you could go for an amazing KULE shirt. But, I'll just say that the Everlane heavyweight is really solid and at $45 it's not terribly expensive. Now, the scarf:

It's super cute, right? My friend Crystal made it and I've had it for years. I'm not sure I'm a neckerchief kind of person (though I like it better in the pics) so instead I put it on my bag: 

Much better! I switched it out for a giant Ann Taylor tassel necklace because that's how I do. My cropped pants are Banana Republic and they have moto detailing that never shows up in the photos. I believe they're the Sloan fit? Pretty basic stuff but I wear them a lot. In searching for a similar pair I found these ponte moto pants at Athleta and now I'm like, well, I need those. Dammit. Details:

Ann Taylor has a lot of tassel jewelry right now including this pearlized pendant (which I like even though I'm not a fan of pearls), this really cute seed bead tassel that comes in several colors and this tassel/charm combo which I totally want. There's also this rope tassel thing but it confuses me. My ring is Alexis Bittar and my bracelet is the modern screw cuff from Bijouone.

My bag is my trusty old LV epi leather Speedy. It's such a classic and always fun to carry. You need a red satchel, right? I'm not generally a Kors fan but this one is just damn nice and the price on this Ralph Lauren satchel is also quite nice. My bargain pick is this cute red turnlock satchel at TJ Maxx!

Finally, my flats. They're the Sidewalk Skimmer which Madewell has stopped carrying because everything is terrible. They do currently have some ballet flats but they're not my skimmers. If you want purpley-blue suede flats, maybe this pair by Ralph Lauren or these by Sam Edelman? Alas, the skimmers were the best. 

Adrien: It's Come To This.

Still sick of all my summer stuff but it's forced me to dig a little deeper in my closet and come up with some groundbreaking stuff here:

I know! Cropped pants and a t-shirt. It's a cute t-shirt, though with good details (like an exposed zipper in the back) that I always neglect to photograph. It's from Ann Taylor and I tend to forget I have it. They currently have a tee with a similar shirttail hem but I like this long sleeved version at LOFT. And I'm usually frowny about cap sleeves but I love this drapey purple tee at Athleta. And since we're talking about purple, how beautiful is this DVF top? Ugh. So beautiful.

My cropped pants are Banana Republic Sloan Fit and they have cool moto details that totally disappear in photos. (That seems to be the theme of this outfit - cool details you don't get to see. Sorry!) I wear them lot and I should probably try on a few of the new Sloan Fit styles for comparison. I really like this olive pair but who knows with BR. Everlane has a new pair of stretch ponte skinny pants and I'm super curious about them, so that might be an option. And of course, there's always the J.Crew Pixie pants, which I keep meaning to try. People swear by them. 

Daniel stopped by to make sure my black pants had the proper amount of cat hair on them. Thanks, buddy. On to details:

I'm wearing my rediscovered La Mer wrap watch which now has a fresh battery so it even tells time. I've had this watch for a long time and it's still holding up great. Despite that, I'm still pretty into the white version.  My beaded spike necklace is Banana Republic who is currently tempting me with this silver spike pendant. Ann Taylor has this beaded pendant which is similar to mine except replaces the spike with a tassel. You know I like that. And for pure spiked goodness, I love this Lulu Frost pendant a LOT.

My bag is an eBay-purchased black MBMJ Too Hot To Handle hobo that I've been carrying a lot. The Ligero style is similar (and on sale!) but this black leather Fossil hobo is a much nicer price and looks damn good. And, for under $100, this sleek hobo at Kohls is a great inexpensive option. 

Finally, my Madewell sidewalk skimmers in leopard. They're my favorite and they are in bad shape because I've worn them a ton and calf hair just doesn't have great longevity. But, I love the look so I'll probably get another pair. The Gemma flat by J.Crew definitely appeals but this pair at Talbots also looks pretty nice. Or, I could go for something a bit fun like this scalloped trim pair? Or, ooh, maybe this t-strap pair? Or patent leather captoe? Gah, I need to lie down.