In Evening Air

My last post was so long, this one will be short, I promise!

I think I'm one of the few people who actually loves the fact that it's 9 pm and 82 degrees out. I can think of far too many cold dreary summers that make me thankful for this weather. Even with the humidity, even with the intense heavy rains we get every other afternoon which drench everything in minutes and clear up within the hour.  I was a little mad I got caught in it yesterday in my suede sandals, but they'll be okay.

I wanted to finish up my Lucky inspirations so today I wore the 'downtown style' look.

I really love this skirt. It hasn't been out since my style challenge with it, and I think it's had enough off time. I always feel very classy wearing it, and it was one of the first high waisted skirts I ever bought, back when I wasn't actually sure it was something I could pull off with my short torso.

I really like her leopard scarf. It's $25 at HSN. I think I'll keep an eye on it and get it if it goes on sale. It's kind of too hot for that big a scarf right now anyway. Except for at work and in the grocery store, where I am always a popsicle.

The Rundown

Skirt Ilsi NY - Top TJMaxx - Wedges Macys - Scarf Belonged to my Great Aunt - Belt Gap - Ring Lia Sophia - Earrings TJMaxx - Sunglasses Borrowed from my sister

I've worn this ring quite a few times, but I don't think I've ever shown a close up. And did I mention how much I adore this lavender polish?? I haven't worn purple nails in probably a decade and I couldn't be more pleased with them now!

This post title is taken from the Future Islands album of that name. It's been raking in the play counts lately.

June Lucky Checklist

Lucky is the only magazine I currently subscribe to. I used to get Vogue, but my Vogue dreams so rarely came true, and they took up so much darn space that I just let it run out.

Lucky however, is very attainable. When each new issue comes I like to save it for a Saturday morning when I can sit in the sunny part of the house and sip my coffee and look through it. Back to front (since I always like what is in the back more than the front) littering it with the little 'yes' stickers.

June was a particularly good month, there were tons of looks I wanted to try and items I wanted to acquire. June is nearly over, so I thought I'd share everything I loved, and everything I actually did/bought.

On this page, I love the black and white dress. As a result, I ended up with both this zigzag skirt, and this dress:

Yup. I bought it. You'll see it later this week.

I wanted both blazers on this page, and the bright floral shorts! I went to Ami Club Wear to check out the blazer, since it was only $27, and I was super turned off by their photo:

Sorry, that's just awful. Incidentally people liked it, as it is sold out. I got my really nice Gap blazer anyway. Plus, I'd rather have a wool/poly blend than a rayon/poly blend.

I was also disappointed by the looks of the k-mart blazer on their website, and I don't have a k-mart anywhere near me to check out, so I'll be looking for a white blazer else where. Anyone know where there is a good one?

The floral shorts are $64 at Miss Me, and I was hoping to find something for a little less. Still looking.

I love lace, and the necklace, bracelet and earrings were very appealing to me because they had the "I could do that" factor.

A fringe benefit of dedicating the better part of five years to costume making is that I have piles of left overs. Three of my costumes involved lots of lace appliques and I would go around thrifting wedding gowns and other dresses for $15 and harvesting all the lace. I sort of felt like a butcher, but trust me, they were ugly.

Maybe I went overboard. Anyone interested in a lace jewelry giveaway?

I wanted those oxfords. I wanted them now! (and by now, I mean the beginning of May, when this issue arrived at my door.) I went to GbyGuess.com and found no oxfords. I kept checking. No oxfords. I decided to email Lucky, surely they would know. I got a prompt reply"

Fine. I can wait. June comes. No shoes... No shoes! I finally decide to email Guess. Another prompt reply:

ARG. Patience is a virtue. I suppose. But I wanted to wear that outfit, since I totally could put it together. Since that's not happening until the fall,  I wore this instead:

More blazers. I spotted this super 90's bright yellow silk blazer by Anne Klein II. I surgically removed the shoulder pads. But I'm not sure. I don't know that I can pull of such a big, bold blazer. I decided to style it just like in Lucky.

What do you think? 

ps. this look is about a million times too hot for summer.

I love this cosmos dress. But at almost $400, it's not going to happen for me. Instead, I picked apart the elements of the look and made my own from what was in my closet.

Strapless dress with uneven hemline: check.
Metallic flat sandal: check.
Gold cuff bracelet: check.
Something shiny: check.

Still on the list:

I still have three more precious June days, so there.

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The Go-To Dress, gotten to again

I work nine hour days at my job, which means I don't usually work five days a week. Which is really nice, so on a morning like this one, when I do have to work, I woke up feeling particularly exhausted and uninspired. More than forty hours a week is too many, even if I do use my overtime pay to treat myself to shoes.  I was thinking about these:

As it was Friday, I went to put on my jeans, but after two seconds the heat in my room was found to be so stifling, I had to get out of them.

Not knowing what to put on - in addition to making me late(r), lead me once again to this color block dress. Bless the simplicity of the dress. You can always look like you've tried without trying. A couple accessories and you are perfect.

At work I wore my long sleeved black cardigan, but I changed to the little striped one once I got home.
I'm not the type of person who immediately changes clothes upon getting home from work. I feel like changing is a way of signifying that I'm not going anywhere or doing anything else for the rest of the evening.

Staying dressed keeps the options open; tonight I went for a walk in the center of town and got coffee at Starbucks. No cute barrista tonight though.

The Rundown

Dress Gap - Shrug Gap - Sandals Onex - Necklace Aldo - Earrings Taken for Granite

Here are all the other times I've relied on this dress to make me look great with minimal effort:

The Shoes, clockwise from left:
N.Y.L.A Ragine Clog, $80 at DSW
Madden Girl Setra Reptile Ruffle, $40 at DSW
Nine West Rocha Pump, $60 at DSW
G by Guess Sling back sandal, $70 at G by Guess

(They are all kind of expensive, but it is supposed to be a treat after all. Who knows, maybe I'll just go to TJMaxx...)

Waiting Game

Look at this cute blazer from the Gap. Adorable. And I love blazers - plus, I needed a navy one. I spotted it in the store about a month ago and was a little shocked at it's price tag of $98.

Gap, who do you think you are? Banana Republic? J. Crew? I was expecting something more like $60. Not that I would pay $60, but when it went on sale it would be decent.

So I waited. Since I have a Gap credit card, I sometimes get coupons, and occasionally get my $10 rewards, but you aren't allowed to use a coupon and a reward in the same transaction (who knows why) so this 25% off went in the trash.

Photo by Louis Abate

Then last weekend I noticed a 25% off clearance sign, so went in to check it out.

I found a freshly reduced price tag! The extra 25% would make it $45, and with this discount I could actually use my reward, so that made it a respectable $35.

It's always a toss up for me, do I buy something when it first goes on sale and there are still lots of sizes, or do I wait it out, until it gets to the really low closeout price, and chance that my size will still be there?

Some times I wait, sometimes I just want it enough not to take a chance.
Have you ever heard that saying "If you didn't want it at full price, you don't need it when it's on sale?"
I don't believe that for a second! I'm always waiting for my right price.

Do you wait for a good sale, or do you just buy it because you love it, no matter what the cost?

I also picked up the braided leather belt I'm wearing, which had been reduced to $12, and today is the third day I've worn it since I got it!

Today's look was really based off of the blazer. That was the only piece I knew I was going to wear, and then I decided on the striped skirt, but was stuck on what color cammi to wear. I tried mustard, I tried red, then I thought light blue would be perfect! But I don't have a light blue cammi. Neither does my sister - I looked! So I went for more stripes!

It still amazes me how I went from hating (horizontal) stripes to all out loving them, and now my closet is filled with them!

The Rundown

Blazer, Cammi, Belt Gap - Skirt H&M - Sandals Unlisted - Earrings Taken for Granite - Necklace Macy's

A Bittersweet Beginning

Today marks the first day of summer, the longest day of the year. I can still remember that day in december, the shortest day in the year, when I told myself, "It's only getting better from here!" And now, here we are, starting up the shortening process again!

The Rundown

Top Avon - Pants Gap - Sandals Nine West - Belt Gap - Ring LuShae - Earrings My Mom's - Bag Charm and Luck

I think that is why summer always goes by so quickly, with each day slightly shorter than the last. I wish today was in August instead of June.

But it is still the beginning of summer, and there are still eight more days of June. June always feels like it has the most potential, like you could do anything this summer, late nights swimming, long days at the beach, four day weekends on Block Island or day trips to the city, or icy blended cocktails with live music during steamy hot nights... It could happen. I hope it happens.

So I had meant to do a post last night to wrap up my weekend, but it was a long busy one, with my towns annual festival and then Father's day with not one, but two birthday parties to attend. (Neither of which were terribly exciting, friends of the families babies... had to make an appearance though.)

I like my town's festival, it's pretty much the same every year, but there is joy in tradition. Friday night Vonda Shepard preformed, who I only really knew of because she was on Ally McBeal. But I liked her music and it was fun show.

Saturday all kinds of vendors cover the green, tons of jewelry. Almost to the point of boring. But I did see this: 

After all my hard work of creating my own, why did that damn necklace have to go and show up? Just plopped on the table, like it's nothing. It was $25 too. Not too bad, considering it's $57 counterpart. Part of me wanted to buy it. Part of me said I could just go and sell it on ebay for $100, which I could. But I knew if I brought it home it would stay, and that it would be insulting to myself if I did. So I snapped the picture and walked away.

The vintage store that opened recently, Coco's on the Green had a tent, and everything in it was $10. You know that is my heaven and while I had an armful of items, sadly most didn't fit. I did come home with one dress, and here is a little preview:

I have no idea where I'm going to wear this. Anyone want to go for cocktails in swanky club in NYC? Anyone?

I indulged in my yearly strawberry shortcake, just layers of goodness.

And I wore my cute turquoise floral dress, which is somehow so much shorter than I remember it being... Any ideas on what might look good layered underneath it? I felt like when I sat down a little too much was on display!

The Rundown

dress tjmaxx - belt gap - sandals nine west - hat market in italy - necklace lia sophia

That evening a Fleetwood Mac cover--oh sorry, Tribute Band played, and they sounded really good. True, I can't exactly compare to the real deal, but I had a good time, save for this creepy old dude who kept trying to dance with me! He put his hands on my waist, kept trying to take my hands, eventually I just had to leave!

Why is it that I always seem to attract the creepy old dudes? Cute young men, I implore you -- Flirt With Me!!!

Sunday morning was the Road Race that I neither partake in nor watch. Town Pride!! I do partake in the pancake breakfast however, which is tasty. Almost anything covered in butter and strawberries is pretty darn tasty though. It's tradition, and I enjoy it.

These are my leftovers, as taken for the MacroMondays theme of Trash.

And that is all. Until next year. I'm already looking forward to my shortcake.

Happy Summer everyone, I hope it is everything you imagine.

Pile on the Pepper

I've never felt that layering jewelry was something I could do well. So today was a bit of an experiment, perhaps a bit over the top, but not in an outlandish kind of way.

I started out safe - two necklaces, one long, one short. I've done this combination before, only this time with two unique and bold pieces - the rhinestone carrot, and the pocket watch.

Then I went on to bracelets, three of them, a silver cuff, a gold cuff, and an orange bangle. Each is fairly ornate - again pieces that don't necessarily need any accompaniment.

Since I really wanted to layer it on, I twisted two skinny studded belts together, adding even more orange to the outfit.

And to top it off, my layered ring, also featuring orange stones, and the fedora. Why not, who doesn't love a fedora?

It seemed like a wise idea to keep my canvas otherwise neutral, so I chose a denim skirt and a white top. I don't really own any plain white tops, so the huge flower applique is about as sublet as I've got. Haha.

I tried to think of some rules for layering, but every one I could come up with, I broke; such as layering in the same color metal, or layering small dainty necklaces or thin bracelets. But who says fashion needs rules anyway?

The Rundown

Skirt Gap - Top Gap - Sandals Ciao Bella - Fedora Market in Italy - Carrot Necklace Betsy Johnson - Pocket Watch Necklace Etsy - Gold Bracelet Avon - Orange Bracelet Kohls - Silver Bracelet NY&Co. - Ring Lia Sophia - Belts Gap

Rundown (get it?)

Excuse the goofy face!