April Wishlist

WHY IS IT STILL COLD??? Seriously- I can’t believe how chilly its been lately! Spring is supposed to be warm! Or at least sunny. I’ve gotten neither. I’m supposed to be running in a 5k next weekend and my training has been seriously derailed by the weather. Its super windy and cloudy… maybe this is why my April wishlist is on the edgy side (for me at least).

1. This Skull Bracelet would look cute on its own OR stacked up with other bracelets
   
2. Madewell has ELEVEN different washes of chambray shirts this season. Such an easy breezy Spring look!
3. I love the unique shape and mix of materials of this Felix Rey clutch
   
4. Tortoise frames in a classic shape- these Ralph Lauren Sunglasses have to get some use in the sun sooner or later!
5. J.Crew came out with a great line of watches this season- especially this vintage-esque aviator watch
6. I don’t know if I’m “cool” enough to pull off this parka jacket– but I’m in love either way- added bonus that it converts to a vest!
7. I can’t never own enough Bloch flats. They are a ballet shoe company which means they are SO soft and comfortable.

Late-Winter Party Looks

Who knew February/ March was such a busy social season? Nick and I have a bunch of parties coming up in the next two weeks- but no complaints here- I love a good excuse to go shopping and get all dressed up! The tough thing is- its a hard season to dress for. Glittery Christmas dresses are starting to look silly, but so is wearing a full out Spring look. You also never know if the venue is going to be too warm or too cold- and dress codes start being all over the place if it starts snowing. To avoid being too casual or too dressy, a long sleeved cocktail dress is always a good go-to.

I’m in love with all four of these looks- the first two styled with a classic vibe and the second two more ELECTRIC- and each is wearable right into warmer weather. (They are all lightweight materials) Which is your favorite? Any tips for dressing up when its AWFUL outside?

Keep an eye out on twitter and instagram to see what I actually pick! Spoiler alert: it won’t be the $900 Missoni 😦

Business Casual

Ohhhhhhh Businesss Casual- the most vague of all dress codes, ranging from dressy jeans to pencil skirts with silk tops. But with all the flexibility- people STILL get it wrong. There must be some serious grey area on the line between “casual” and “business casual”. I know I work for an engineering company (notoriously challenged dressers) but I was in SHOCK today when i saw a girl walking around in a hoodie. Not a cute sweater hoodie- an actual sweatshirt. I mean, dressing for work shouldn’t be so difficult! Pretty much my rule is “If you can wear heels with it, its a go” but I guess not everyone got the memo. I’m not saying you have to have some super corporate/ super expensive wardrobe- but I think if you want to be taken professionally in this world, you need to dress professionally.

So here is my quick guide to dressing for the “business casual” office. Let me know your thoughts- maybe I’ll extend this feature to different dress codes as well- or maybe even put together a feature for the guys out there (are there any who read this??….besides you, Nick?)

The best part is I think that each one of these tops could be matched with ANY of the bottoms- that’s 25 different outfits for those of you counting!!

Ladies do NOT wear hoods

Hello October! It might have been 80 this past weekend but this week it’s not supposed to go above 60 and just like that- we’ve entered coat season. I’m actually surprised I haven’t blogged about coats before. If you know me well, you probably know that I have quite an addiction. In my closet there are my trenches in several lengths and weights, wool jackets in ever color and a few fancy treasures. You can have your $3000 “it” bags…. I DIE for a new coat. This probably stems from an addiction started early in life by my mother and then solidified later by my father who used to take me to the mall SOLELY to purchase “a coat for every occasion”.

So today, I thought I would share a few of my “coat rules” for buying AND wearing:

1. Keep it timeless and simple- but make sure there is one special detail to each coat. This could be anything from a belt, fancy buttons or a unique color.

2. layer, layer, LAYER! Coats are just another accessory- and look great when matched to the rest of the outfit

3. Don’t be afraid of cropped sleeves- a perfect excuse to invest in leather opera gloves!

4. Match the length of your coat to the length of your dress or shirt. I get it. Not everyone has 30 jackets to pull from. But if you are wearing a pencil skirt- DON’T wear a pea coat- it ruins the entire look. There are of course, some exceptions, but this is a good go by.

5. Burberry is ALWAYS worth the money. So if you get the chance, spring for it.

6. You might be accused of being a fashion victim, but it is very on trend to wear your coat draped over your shoulders. It treats the coat like a frame for the rest of your outfit.

7. Ladies do NOT wear hoods. This one actually came to me from a salesman at the Neiman Marcus at Copley Place, but has stuck with me ever since. I think next to my length rule, this is my number 1. Obviously a heavy raincoat hood for running errands or working on the farm might warrant breaking this, but if the goal is to look chic- scratch any coat with a head covering. Invest in a pretty umbrella and hat instead.

Now go out there being warm AND fashionable!

Fall Colors

Yesterday Nick and I went to Fenway Park for an amazing food festival hosted by Phantom Gourmet. Even though it was pretty chilly with on and off showers- there isn’t much that will scare away a New England crowd, and people turned up to sample the 100+ vendors in swarms. We tried everything from clam chowder to pulled pork sandwiches and there was definitely a healthy dose of people watching. Which is where this post really begins. I was almost at the point of disgust to see that 99% of people at the event were wearing jeans- and the only reason I can’t say 100% is because I wore black leggings. I wish I had taken a picture to demonstrate how everyone looked exactly the SAME.

Which got me thinking, since when are jeans the American uniform? When given the option we seriously wear nothing else! Don’t believe me? Look around. At the grocery store? Jeans. At the airport? Jeans. At a bar? Jeans! I mean I get it – there are few options for pants that are comfier or more versatile than your trusty blue jeans, especially when it starts to get cold- but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other options! Especially this season, because the amount of colored denim in stores is almost more than regular jeans! There are no excuses, ladies! I know this past summer pastel jeans started working their way into Boston wardrobes- but lets not stop there! I’ve rounded up a few beautiful examples of how to wear these colored jeans right through fall-  would you do it? Which look is your favorite?

Sources: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5