Browsing Tag

fall 2014

Business Casual

Closet Confection: Little Navy Dress + The Urban Shoe Myth

Cos Dress-3Cos Dress-2Statement NecklaceCos Dress-1Christian Louboutin Mary Janes
{Cos Little Navy Dress, Burberry Trench (also smitten with this plaid trench), Celine Handbag, Mango Necklace, Hermes & Vita Fede Bracelets, Christian Louboutin ‘Charleen’ Pumps}

I wear certain articles of clothing to death in everyday life, but the pics don’t always make it to the blog.  This little navy dress is an excellent case in point! I purchased it while in Italy last Christmas, and I just can’t get enough of it.  It’s perfectly polished and ladylike, plus it’s wearable in different seasons.  I find myself reaching for it whenever I need to be presentable for work but don’t have the time (or the energy) to fuss over my outfit.  I believe every woman should have an arsenal of pieces like this in her closet… or at least women like me who are notoriously grumpy and sluggish in the morning.  Over the years I’ve tried to build a wardrobe that works for me, and not against me.  So far my growing fleet of standout dresses and well-made shoes has served its purpose, and I can generally cobble together a decent outfit in under 5 minutes.

Speaking of shoes…

Maryjanes are hands-down my favorite style. And for the past 3 years, I’ve reserved a little space in my bank account for a classic, black patent leather pair by Christian Louboutin. I’ve tried (and failed) at walking in monstrous Lady Dafs. And earlier this year, the Neo Pensee looked promising.  But as soon as I stood up, I realized that the 120mm pitch defied all sense of reason and perhaps a few laws of physics.  After a while, I started to think my dream heels were just an urban shoe myth.  I’d just about given up when, lo’ and behold, Charleen stepped on the scene. With my birthday 6 weeks away just around the corner, I took a leap and decided to treat myself.  And I’ve been in shoe heaven ever since!

Has there ever been a dream item that you just had to have in your closet? What was it, and were you eventually able to find it?

Everyday Outfits Product Reviews

Closet Confection: Cloudy Skies + A GoGoGolosh Giveaway

gogogoloshgreen-sweatergreen-sweater-1miu-miu-gingham-shoes
{Ralph Lauren Sweater, Paige Premium Denim Jeans, Lancel Tote, Miu Miu Shoes, Rain Boots c/o GoGoGolosh}

As I stepped out for brunch this past weekend, I felt like jazzing up my outfit a bit with a pair of fancy kicks.  And wouldn’t you know it; just as I was heading out the door, I checked the weather on my phone and learned there was a 80% chance of thunderstorms later that afternoon.  At that point, I’d normally have just two options:

  1. Throw caution to the wind and wear my heels with reckless abandon. Screw you Weather.com and your infinite lies!
  2. Put my precious shoes back in the box, and change into more sensible footwear. [Insert sad face here].

Luckily, the genius team over at Go Go Golosh came up with a third option and were gracious enough to let me take them on a test drive…

go-go-golosh-1

Ta-da! Enter these cool rain boots that fit over your footwear.  While growing up, I remember my dad wearing a similar contraption to protect his dress shoes. Years later, I always wondered why no one ever came up with something similar for women.  In any case, I’m glad they finally did.

And now for the best part…

go-go-golosh-5go-go-golosh-6

These babies are PACKABLE and fit ever so nicely inside of my tote bag! They’re pretty light, so I hardly even noticed them.  I definitely plan on slipping them into my luggage the next time I go on vacation.

As luck would have it, it wound up pouring that afternoon.  And I was grateful to have my GoGoGoloshes to keep me dry.  They held up pretty well, and the only design flaw is that I wished there were some sort of drawstring or adjustable closure near the top of the boot to help them fit more closely to the leg. But all in all, I give them two thumbs up!

umbrella3go-go-golosh-4

Let’s face it: there’s nothing worse than slogging on a pair of rain boots because you think it’s going to rain only to have your legs encased in rubber all day while the skies are blue and the sun is beaming… Actually, scratch that. It’s probably worse to ruin a great pair of kicks all because you were too stubborn to heed the weatherman’s warning.  Neither option is fun, but now you can have your nice shoes and wear them too… in any weather!

GoGoGoloshes come in lots of fun colors, and you can check out more on their website at www.gogogolosh.com! For a chance to win a pair of your own, just submit your worst bad weather experience (shoe-related) to maria[at]gogogolosh.com. The best story wins a free pair, and everyone else will get a 30% discount code emailed for participating.

 P.S. This post is linked up with the following:
More Pieces of Me | PinkSole | I Would So Rock This | Still Being Molly

Business Casual

Closet Confection: Hearing Crickets

Crested-Blazer_Sweater_Dress-1Tommy-Hilfiger-Sweater_Dress-3Crested-Blazer_Sweater_Dress-3Tommy-Hilfiger-Sweater_Dress-1Tommy-Hilfiger-Sweater_Dress-2Crested-Blazer_Sweater_Dress-2Tommy-Hilfiger-Sweater_Dress-4
{Ralph Lauren Crested Blazer, Tommy Hilfiger Sweater Dress, Lancel ‘Daligramme’ Tote, Fendi Sunglasses, Handmade Espadrilles via Casa Hernanz}

I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect cricket sweater for at least 2-3 years, but I’ve always come up empty-handed.  In my mind, THE ONE would come in a creamy cableknit wool with red and navy trim and slightly puffed shoulders.  As my search continues, I’ve managed to tide myself over with this adorable sweater dress I plucked from the clearance rack at Century 21 a few months ago. I decided to venture into full-blown preppy territory with my ensemble by adding a crested blazer and my much-treasured espadrilles that I purchased while on vacation in Madrid.  And of course, my personal habadasher (aka my husband) refused to let me leave the house without a proper pocket square to match.

I’ll still be scouring eBay, Etsy, and various vintage shops for a proper cricket sweater, but this fun little dress will certainly do for now. And if push comes to shove, I also have my eye on a few of these more modernized options below.

Thanks, for reading!