In Pursuit of Pretty Things

Stripes, Smoke, and Mirrors (Fitting Room Reviews)

2012-01-27T01:48:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone and happy Friday! What's a better way to kick off the weekend (we're very nearly there!) than with some fitting room reviews? (Yes, I know. There are probably quite a few better ways, but let's all pretend together for a few minutes, yes? Thanks.)

Anthropologie has, for the past season, been bombarding our inboxes with lots of emails heavily promoting the striped Bailey 44 dresses. I pretty much dismissed them out of hand because 1) the length of the first iteration (the Tiered Stripes Dress) was such that I knew - knew - that I would look pretty ridiculous in it (and I think that conviction bears out in the review below), and 2) I'm not a fan of body-conscious dresses. They make me, if no one else, terribly conscious of my body and all its imperfections, and really, who needs that kind of added pressure? I was, therefore, totally ready to forget the existence of those dresses, despite Anthro's efforts to the contrary. That is, until I came across Jess's reviews of the dresses (in her blog, Consume or Consumed, here and here) and suddenly, I started to feel curious about them. This is, essentially how I ended up standing in an Anthropologie fitting room, with an armful of striped Bailey 44 dresses. And here's how it went:

Pieced Column Dress:

I decided that the Pieced Column Dress, with its shorter length, might be the way to go for someone with a petite stature, so started off with that one. I'm wearing it in an XS, and I have to admit - this might be the first body-conscious dress that I'm actually wanting to buy for myself. Ever. In Jess's review, she mentioned how the staggered, almost criss-crossing stripes created a "smoke and mirrors" effect that really disguised body flaws, while still accentuating your curves - and you know, I have to completely agree. At least, looking straight on, I had a really hard time, even with my own gimlet and fairly critical eye, spotting any unseemly lumps and bumps that would normally send me scrambling to get out of clingy clothing. It's a bit harder to disguise a poochy tummy from a side view (and for the sake of honesty, I'll admit I was totally sucking in for that photo, above right, having just eaten dinner), but overall, I think I could live with it. The skirt is shorter - it hit about an inch and a half above my knee, so for women who are taller, it'd probably be substantially shorter. The dress is a pull-on style, made of layered, jersey fabric. It's lined and it's dry clean only. It's pretty much unlike anything else in my closet and I think that alone makes it a great candidate for my February purchase. Totally wishlisted.

Tiered Stripes Dress:

This is the Tiered Stripes Dress, and I'm wearing it in a size Small, because the Fashion Valley store was out of XS on the night I was there. It's big on me - but I think that were I wearing the XS, it'd pretty much be identical to the Pieced Column Dress, except for the additional 12" (give or take a few) of fabric that add to the length of the skirt. As I suspected, the length was problematic on me - it's supposed to be midi, and ostensibly, the XS might be an inch or so shorter, but at least in the size Small, I felt like a little kid wearing her big sister's hand-me-downs, that she still needed to grow into. Like the previous dress, this one is pull-on, and dry clean only. Pass for me.

Sorted Stripes Dress:

Here's the third of the Bailey 44 column dresses - the Sorted Stripes Dress, which I'm wearing in the XS. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting much from this dress, and while it wasn't quite as good as the Pieced Column Dress at smoothing out my figure, I was pleasantly surprised at how pretty the dress is, on. It's definitely too long on me, hitting a good inch below my knee (the dress hits at the top of the model's knee in the product shot), but the variegated striping did a good job of accentuating the body's curves while distracting the eye from other figure flaws. The dress, like the other two, has a pull-on styling and is dry-clean only. If there was a petite version of this dress available, I might totally spring for it. As it is, I still like it enough to have wishlisted it for consideration at sale time.

And while we're on the topic of stripes, I have to share this little jacket that caught my eye, as I passed by the Kate Spade window display. Stripes! Peplum! Love! It's the Kate Spade 'Ari' Jacket:

Kate Spade 'Ari' Jacket

Thanks for stopping by!

In Bloom (OOTD)

2012-01-26T00:26:00.000-08:00

I don't remember what this cardigan's name is. I just know that I haven't worn it in many moons, so I decided to pull it out for a spin. I considered, briefly, wearing a skirt with it, but, well, I was feeling lazy. A skirt would have required tights because it was chilly the day I wore it (Monday, I think). And it already seemed like a ton of work to put that shirt and the cardigan together.

What? I told you I was feeling lazy.

Sweater: Anthropologie Cardigan (similar here, here, and here)

Shirt: Target Boys' Long-Sleeved Checked Woven Shirt (in size L; similar here and here)

Jeans: AG Angelina Bootcut Jeans (similar here for non-petites)

Shoes: Diamond Stitched Skimmers, Anthropologie (similar here, here, and here)

Watch: Michael Kors Clear Crystal Chronograph (similar here, here, and here)

Bracelets: Invisible Children, The Rose Bracelet;

Until There's a Cure Bracelet

Kate's Outfit (obviously, she's not too lazy to put on tights...):

Top: BabyGap (similar here and here)

Skirt: Peek Tiered Skirt (similar here and here)

Tights: Dotted Tights, Target (similar here, here, and here)

Shoes: Skechers "Shuffle Lights Hearts Sparks" Sneakers

For those of you local to San Diego, or planning a visit, I want to tell you that I had lunch at this amazing little place called The Carnitas Snack Shack. I had the Pork Sandwich, which had fried pork loin, pulled pork, and bacon on it (yes, that was three kinds of pork) along with the most amazing pepperoncini-pickle relish. I about died. How good can a pork sandwich be, you wonder? The answer, my friends, can be found here. (And you should note that it runs along the lines of, "pretty freaking amazing"-good.) For non-pork eaters (I hear you're out there), there were also vegetarian, fish, and beef options, which I hear are also fantastic.

Hope your day is a great one!

Pretties on My Mind... (Wishlisting)

2012-01-24T01:42:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to lie. I'm really glad we're in the last week of the month. I'm already listing, considering, weighing, rationalizing, finagling...trying to decide what should be my February purchase. I'm actually beginning to wonder...should I set myself a budget, rather than a # of items? On the one hand, I could conceivably allow myself to buy one thing that's quite pricey, which wouldn't help at all with the whole, "save more," resolution. On the other hand, if I were to set myself a monthly allowance for clothing, I could end up buying too many lower-priced items, which wouldn't help my "too-full closet" and "keep the house cleaner" (at least, my room-portion of the house...) situation. I suppose, what I should really do is set myself a budget in tandem with the one-item-a-month rule. But...well, this all comes down to the fact that there are two things that I really want. I mean, really, really want. And, of course, quite a few other items I'd really quite like as well. But two that I'd have bought yesterday, if not for this resolution:

The J. Crew Heart Me Sweater (now sold out, but am hoping to hunt down somewhere) and the Club Monaco Shawna Shirt.

I confess, I'm somewhat obsessed with Club Monaco's offerings lately. For instance, the outfit below:

In order to recreate this outfit, I need the following items:

1. Lexi Sleeveless Blazer (similar here, here, and here)

2. Dorothy Sweatshirt (similar here, here, and here)

3. Jessie Tank (similar here, here, and here)

4. Tylor Pant (similar here, here, and here)

There's also this outfit:

For which I'd need:

5. Tate Quilted Vest (similar here and here)

6. Elise Sweater (similar here, here, and here)

7. Shawna Shirt (I'm almost definitely certain to buy this. As soon as I'm able.)

8. Vaughn Skirt

And then, of course, there are a few non-Club Monaco items I'm longing for:

9. Kate Spade 'Gail' Dress

10. Kate Spade 'Adette' Dress

11. Anthropologie Bike Lane Dress

12. Milly Lettie Dress

And to round it all out, a stunning shoe:

13. Rachel Zoe Gored Platform Sandal

And no worries, friends - I'm not actually planning to cave and buy 13 things before the week is out. Nor am I planning to cave and buy anything before the week is out. I'm just, you know, thinking things through. Though, February 1st might see me sporting that Shawna Shirt... ^_-

Have a great day!

Like Candy (OOTD)

2012-01-23T00:30:00.000-08:00

Thanks, everyone, for your kind words and encouragement regarding my resolutions (you all accurately honed in on the one that'll be hardest for me - the shopping one...). This top is my official January purchase - the Kate Spade Bow Ellis Top - which I found on the sale rack at Nordstrom, on second cut.

I know, right? What are the chances??? I don't know about the rest of you, but I find Kate Spade clothes to be...well, reamingly expensive. Especially at full price. Particularly since I'd love to buy nearly everything. So, on the rare occasions a Kate Spade item makes it into my wardrobe, it's either because I developed a wholly unhealthy obsession with said item, or because I completely, unexpectedly, and serendipitously came across that item on sale, and maybe had a coupon code to boot. Something like that. Or, like this. At any rate, this one is my January keeper, and I love her. She's like candy, isn't she?

Oh, wow, did I just anthropomorphize a sweater? Mmhm. Yes. Yes, I did.

Sweater: Kate Spade 'Ellis' Sweater

Shirt: Burberry Button-Up (similar here, here, and here)

Pants: J. Crew Minnie in Stretch Twill

Shoes: Madewell Leopard Calf-hair Skimmer (similar here, here, and here)

And while I was snapping my OOTDs, Kate asked me to pause and hold on just a minute...

Kate's Outfit:

Sweater: Target Cherokee Cardigan (similar here and here)

Skirt: Mini Boden Gypsy Skirt (similar here and here)

Leggings: Carter's Toddler Leggings

Shoes: Skechers 'Shuffle Lights Hearts Sparks' Sneakers

Apparently, she had some posin' to do:

(It would seem I do that with my feet a lot. Notice her intent focus and concentration...)

Hope you're all having a great Monday!

Better Late Than Never (Resolutions)

2012-01-21T23:26:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! A happy Lunar New Year to you all, and happy year of the Dragon to all my fellow-Dragons! According to the lore of the Chinese Zodiac, we are a very interesting group indeed - though, as with all things related to astrology, I read about this stuff for fun, more than anything else. Still, as my DH (who is also a Dragon) reminded me the other day, our "Dragon" years have held significant milestones for us and our lives. I'm excited to see what this year might bring.

That being said, I also have spent the last few weeks considering what, if any, New Year's resolutions I might adopt for 2012. Here's what I've come up with:

Really really really cut down on my clothing purchases. (I recently did some epic loads of laundry, and suffice it to say, there's just no physical space left.)
Save more (should be aided by Resolution #1).
Keep the house cleaner. (sigh)
Fix up the backyard.
Be more organized. (a never-ending battle, for this ENFP)
Get fit.
Live up to my potential. (Be braver!)

Looking these over, I'm starting to think I might as well have added, "Climb Mt. Everest" and "Write the next Booker Prize winner," (both virtually impossible). Still, I'm nothing if not optimistic, and as one of the Dragon's major characteristics is its good luck, maybe I'll actually be able to accomplish some of these things this year.

Anyway, I can honestly say that I got off to an okay start, as I returned some clothing items I impulsively purchased (didn't need 'em) at H&M, Target, and Gilt Groupe. I did however, make a purchase this morning, after finding these on sale (30% off) at Neiman Marcus' home sale:

'Genevieve' 16-piece Dinnerware Service
I love the pretty pattern, and that it's an everyday set. The set I currently own is ten years old and showing signs of wear, so when I saw this one on sale (it's not a bad price, for 4 place settings...), I swooped on it.
As for resolution #1, I think I'm going to try my hand at giving myself something along the lines of Dea's rule, which is one clothing item a month. We'll see how that goes.
How long do you think I'll make it? ^_-

Girls' Night Out

2012-01-20T23:15:00.000-08:00

A couple weekends ago, when Rowan and the DH were attending an anime convention in Los Angeles, Kate and I had a girls' night out.

We had dinner at Nordstrom Cafe.

All done!

Kate picked out some new shoes. (They're rainbow, sparkly, and they light up.)

We visited Anthropologie. (And the Disney Store. And the Sweet Factory.)

We had good times. ^_^

You may have noticed that we removed Disqus as our commenting system. Now that Blogger's native commenting system handles threaded replies, we decided to revert to it, as with Disqus, any comments that were left via a mobile device (like smart phones, etc) were "lost" until I re-imported them, and even then, there was no guarantee that the import would necessarily work. This seems a shame, as more and more people are accessing the web via mobile devices (myself, included) and so, despite the disarray that will exist in some of the posts with more threaded responses in the comments (our first book club post, for instance lists all the comments in sequential order, rather than threaded, which of course renders most of the discussion into...well, nonsense), I think this will be better, overall, in the long run.

At any rate, I hope you're all having a lovely weekend. Stay warm and dry, everybody!

Bits and Pieces

2012-01-19T00:43:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Happy Thursday! I chipped my back molar a couple nights ago, so spent a good part of yesterday getting my tooth fixed. Suffice it to say, there's nothing like a visit to the dentist's chair, followed by an afternoon of half-my-face-feels-like-it's-been-stuffed-with-wool numbness, and an evening of ow-why-is-the-right-side-of-my-face-sore-oh-yeah-that to kill any desire to wear cute clothes and take OOTD photos.

Which is why you're getting a "bits and pieces" post. It's sort of like Trader Joe's All-Fruit Bars Ends & Pieces...only, with blog-fodder. (I <3 TJ's Ends & Pieces, by the way. Tasty! And economical to boot!)

Yep, that's what you get here - quality remainders, folks. Quality.

Okay, so here's an OOTD, I snapped whilst in a fitting room, sometime after Christmas. (I know it's sometime after Christmas as I'm wearing my Christmas gift):

Jacket: Rachel Zoe Sullivan Leather Blazer

Top: Jedidiah 'Smile' T-shirt

Jeans: AG Angelina Bootcut Jeans

Shoes: Me Too Ruffle Flats (similar here and here)

Some fun goodies I ran across while out and about recently:

Tory Burch 'Robinson' Envelope Wristlet - I love that it really looks like an envelope!

And oooh, the very pretty (and highly functional) inside of the Tory Burch 'Robinson' Envelope Wristlet! Though, I think, in terms of a new wallet option, my heart might be set on this one instead (I can't resist the little hedgehogs!)

Elizabeth and James 'Jamie' Tie Neck Blouse & 'Willie' Belted Pin Dot Shorts

I love this outfit! Too fun and retro-sexy. Makes me wish it was summer. And that I was 19 again, so I could pull this off. (Oh, and a more budget-conscious option here: If You Dot It Top and Soulmates Dotted Tap Shorts)

Here's the Kate Spade 'Belina' Dress, which I tried on in a size 2 in these (rather blurry--sorry!) photos. The size 2 was a touch big on me - I think I'd be safe sizing down to a size 0, were I to buy this. It's made of silk, is lined, has pockets, and an exposed back zipper. The size 2 hit me about an inch and a half above my knee, so was a nice length, I thought. It's got 3/4 sleeves. Overall, I definitely liked it - and Rowan pointed out that it matches my phone case - but I don't know if I love it enough on. Wishlisted for consideration at sale time.

Hope you're having a great day!

STANDING AGAINST SOPA AND PIPA

2012-01-18T06:52:00.000-08:00

It's important to stop piracy. But not at the price of freedom on the web.

Tell Congress: Stop SOPA and censorship of the web.

Reticent... (OOTD)

2012-01-17T00:05:00.000-08:00

...is something I'm generally not. But today, I've got nothing. I've been looking at this post draft all day. Trying to think of something interesting to talk about.

Um, well, it was cold in San Diego today. In the mid-50s for a good chunk of the daylight hours, which is nigh on freezing in these parts. Nigh on.

And, um, I did loads of laundry today. In fact, there's a load in the dryer now, even as I type.

Mm...I'm out of breakfast food - no toast, no eggs, no cereal...just some toddler yogurt - so will have to run out to the grocery store early tomorrow morning. I hate having to go out so early in the morning.

Yeah, okay, I'll stop now, and put us all out of our misery. Here's what I wore a couple days ago (and no, I don't know what I'm doing with my hand in that first photo either. It's like I'm about to pop an invisible piece of chewing gum):

Outerwear: Stella McCartney Hooded Cape in size 40 (similar here, here, and here)

Top: H&M turtleneck (similar here, here, and here)

Jeans: AG Stilt Skinny Jeans

Shoes: Apeppazza Martin Wedge Boots (similar here, here, and here)

Bracelets: Invisible Children 'The Rose' Bracelet

Have a great Tuesday, and thanks for stopping by!

A Cycling We Will Go (Fitting Room Reviews)

2012-01-16T01:44:00.000-08:00

I admit that I was a bit disappointed not to find the Bike Lane Dress at the Fashion Valley Anthro when I was there, last weekend. So, one evening, I slipped out after dinner to see if the UTC Anthro might have it in stock. They did. But of course, if I was planning to head to the fitting room anyway, I needed to check out a few more things (it's only reasonable, don't you agree?).

Madero Hoodie:

While browsing the sale rack, I came across a lone Madero Hoodie, in an XS. I love it! The hood is pretty big - not your small-just-for-looks-will-barely-cover-the-back-of-your-head sort of hood. Oh no, it verges on capacious, and it's lined in a soft sherpa-like fleece. It should be noted that the body of the jacket is not lined, so this isn't going to be a particularly warm layer, if that's what you're hoping for. It's got functional pockets on the front, a tie-waist sash, and a fitted silhouette. Totally came home with me that night.

Top of the Line Chemise:

I'm wearing the Top-of-the-Line Chemise in an XS, and it's funny, because it was hanging with other normal clothes in the store, and not with the lounge things, so I thought it was a dress. As you can see above, it'd certainly work as one - if you can get past it's rather boxy shape. A belt might help in that regard, but as it's already a little on the shorter side (hitting above my knee by an inch or so), a belt would definitely shorten it further. It's cotton, machine washable, and super comfy. I can totally imagine it being the perfect thing to pull on over a bathing suit, as evening falls at the beach. Or, just to lounge around the house in, on weekends. Wishlisted for sale time.

Sweet Enticement Dress:

When I saw the Sweet Enticement Dress show up online, I was immediately interested. It has pretty details, a silhouette I love, and a reasonable price! So, when I saw it in the store, I grabbed a size 2 (I'd just eaten a pretty big dinner, and thought I'd play it safe - see photos above) and added it to the pile of things I was taking with me into the fitting rooms. Well, sadly, this dress - while it had so much potential, has fallen far short of the mark for me. The size 2's bodice was just too big on me, and made the whole garment look...well, frumpy. The skirt hit at the top of my knee, which was a decent length, but everything else just didn't quite lay right. I thought maybe it was a sizing issue, so I asked the very helpful SA if she might bring me a size 0. She did, and it was a tiny bit better but also a little bit worse (see photos below).

The size 0 fit me better in the bodice, but still didn't lay as nicely as I'd prefer...the lace back on this dress is beautiful, but I almost wish it had one of those smocked elastic panels, as that might improve the fit. Also, on the size 0, the skirt was definitely shorter, hitting a couple of inches above the knee. There's an attached slip, that gives the impression that you've got an actual detachable slip, when you don't (basically, only the back half exists). This, I think, is actually more convenient than having a fully separate slip, as there are fewer straps and things to get twisted up in when you're taking the garment on and off. The dress is made of cotton, has pockets, and is hand-washable. Overall, I found it to be very disappointing, and back to the rack it went. Pass for me.

Sweet Enticement Dress in size 0.

Detail of the lace back of the (size 2) Sweet Enticement Dress.

Bike Lane Dress:

I tried the Bike Lane Dress in the size 0, and suffice it to say, it fit like a dream, except for the length. The dress is a winner for me on a number of points - adorable print, great fit, cotton, machine washable, and it's got pockets. There's also a side zip, and some boning, which held the dress up, though I can't vouch for it staying up should I start jump-roping, or some similar activity. The big drawbacks here? The length (it hit me beneath the knee) and the fact that it's strapless. Do note that there is a petite version of this dress available online, but the 0P is already sold out (gosh, my fellow shorties are fast!). It does come with removable straps, but having dealt with those on other strapless Anthro dresses, I know that they're basically useless. Were I to buy this dress (and believe me, I'm sorely tempted), I'd consider taking it to my tailor and asking him to remove the bottom two inches of the dress, then use the extra fabric to sew in actual shoulder straps. Imagine how cute and easy to wear this dress would be, then! At any rate, it's definitely wishlisted, preferably for sale time, though I don't know how long I'll hold out...

Grass Court Dress:

Here's the Grass Court Dress, which I'm wearing in a size 0. It's funny, I didn't realize, until I was in the fitting room with it, that the eyelet fabric of this dress is actually made up of crossed tennis rackets. Absolutely fun and whimsically sporty. I've mentioned it before - I've got a weakness for greens, so even though I wasn't really drawn to the cut of this dress (I was worried that the narrow-cut shoulders and full skirt would contrive to make me look more pear-shaped than I already am), I decided that I'd give it a spin, anyway. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. The bodice fit beautifully, and the waist hit at my true waist. The skirt was on the longer side, hitting me below the knee - I'm not sure if I could try shrinking it a bit to shorten the length (it is cotton, after all), or if I'd be willing to fork out the extra dollars to have it taken up. The dress has a side zipper, pockets, is made of cotton, and is machine washable (yay!). It also comes with a removable multi-colored braided belt which sort of reminded me of a summer-camp craft...not totally keen on it, but I don't hate it either. I'd probably opt to wear other belts I own, over this one. As I mentioned before, the shoulders are cut inwards a bit, and the back is almost (though no quite) racerback, so a normal bra would probably not work with this one. Overall, I like it, and have wishlisted it for consideration at sale time.

Well, that's it for now. For those of you who have MLK Jr. Day off, hope you're having a great time. And for those of you that don't, hope your Monday is going well. Thanks for reading!

A New Leaf (Anthropologie Fitting Room Reviews)

2012-01-14T23:09:00.000-08:00

Last year (2011), wasn't the best in terms of my relationship with Anthropologie. Like many of you, I felt...less than thrilled by the selection, and I spent far less time in their stores and fitting rooms than I did the previous year (2010). I'd still walk in and through the stores when I was at the mall, but I felt less and less inclined to pull anything to try on, and well...as you may have noticed, all of this contributed to the dearth of Anthro fitting room reviews being posted here.

I think this trend may be about to change.

Now, I don't want to rush and make any proclamations here - there was a point, mid-year, when Anthro faked me out by making me think it was going to leave off on all the tribal/bohemian/trendy stuff and make a return to the fun, whimsical, more classic styles that I learned to love them for - when actually, it was just a couple random items that caught my attention in a catalog. So, while I'm definitely trending towards optimistic, due to what I'm seeing in the stores and website at the moment (there are easily a dozen dresses that I'd totally introduce to my closet if I had the means), I'm not going to hold my breath. At least, not yet.

Still, what they've got going on was enough to get back in their fitting rooms again, so here we are! Anthro fitting room reviews.

Embossed Basket Dress:

I've been sort of walking past the Embossed Basket Dress for the past month or so without any desire to try it on. But lately, I can't help noticing this green version (I've got a weakness for green dresses...), and so, here I am, giving it a go. I'm wearing this in in the XS, and found it to fit very comfortably. It's a pretty simple sort of dress, made of heavy textured knit. The waist hit just a touch low on me, but it should be noted that I am short-waisted, so that's probably okay for most, and it's totally workable for me too. The skirt ended right at the top of my knee, so a really perfect length for me too. There's a back zipper, a nice cap sleeve, and it's machine washable (yay!). Can't remember now if there's a pocket or not, but I don't think it had one. Overall, a totally unoffensive, if somewhat uninspiring dress, that I could totally wear, but for which I wouldn't pay full price. Wishlisted for sale time.

Dropwaist Mini Dress:

This is the Dropwaist Mini Dress, which I'm wearing in size 2. I've got a few extra pounds I picked up over the holiday season (happy fat?) so I knew that if I tried the 0 on a drop-waisted dress, it could be bad news bears. The 2 fit me comfortably, and I'll say right now that I rather liked it. It's definitely a shorter skirt, hitting about 3 inches above my knee, which means it'd be lots shorter on taller women (something to keep in mind). I have seen it styled as a tunic though, so that might be an option, if you're uncomfortable with the length. Some drawbacks - no pockets (I know, I'm so spoiled), it's dry-clean only, and it's got a rather untenably deep slit in the back (for me - see photo below). I found that long slit gaped open every time I moved my arms. Kind of a bummer as I'm not willing to go bra-less, and I'm not so into the idea of wearing a cami under this. If I were to buy this dress, I'd probably stitch up the bottom half of it, to give me a bit more coverage. Or, if that made it too hard to get the dress on and off, I might install an exposed zipper. Wishlisted for consideration at sale time.

Detail of the back of the Drop Waist Mini Dress.

Swing Away Dress:

You may not know this about me, but I have a soft spot for swing dresses. I think maybe it takes me back to happy memories of wearing these smock-like dresses as a young child. Whatever it is, when I spotted the Swing Away Dress in my local store, I had to pick it up and take it into the fitting room with me. I'm wearing it in size 0, and well...it was roomy. This is okay, as it's meant to be roomy. But I think, if one wasn't careful, one could look as though one were wearing a muumuu. Or a tent. I liked the length on it - it hit me at the knee - and I liked that it has pockets. I also like that it's well-lined and opaque. The puffed sleeves puffed quite a bit (as you can see), and in the dressing room, I didn't like them. Looking at the photos, though, they don't seem too bad. There is a petite version of this, which I find interesting. The dress is made of a wool-gauze and is dry-clean only, which isn't great. I thought the embroidery on the shoulder plackets was pretty if unremarkable. Wishlisted for consideration at sale time.

Goji Plaid Dress:

I'm wearing the Goji Plaid Dress in a size 0. This silk dress seems to be a variation on the familiar Take Action dress silhouette, with the substitution of an attached sash waist, a slightly fuller skirt, and a triangular cut-out in the back. I didn't love it - while it fit me well in the front, with the waist hitting at my own true waist, the back was too long, and caused the cut-out area to bunch unattractively (see photo below). This may not be an issue for longer-waisted women. On a positive note, the cut-out is placed more strategically, covering bra straps/fasteners. Less happy? Well, the shoulders of the dress are, like on the Take Action dress, cut in a bit. When I'm wear my Take Action dress, I usually wear a racerback bra with it, so as to avoid having my bra's shoulder straps peak out. Obviously, this dress isn't going to work with a racerback. So, uh...I have no solutions for this issue. It is, for me, a moot point, as there are a lot of dresses at Anthro that I'd prefer to own. Pass for me.

Detail of the back of the Goji Plaid Dress.

Draped Snail Tank and Mystery Maeve Skirt:

When I saw the Draped Snail Tank on Anthro's website, I was smitten. I couldn't wait to see it and try it on. This is slightly odd, as it's print is dotted with snails, and I definitely objected to the snails that crawled across the In Clouds Blouse. I can't say why I am not bothered by these snails in the least, but I never claimed to be consistent, so there you have it. Anyway, when I saw it in the store, I grabbed it in this punchy pink color (so fun!) along with this nubby wool skirt (not available online - but made by Maeve, priced at $98). I'm wearing the skirt in a size 2, and I don't have much to say about it except that the 2 was too big for me (I'm fairly certain I can size down to the 0 with no problem), there was a back zipper, and I'm pretty certain it had pockets. I definitely like it, and think I'll spring for it when it goes on sale.

I tried on the Draped Snail Tank in a size 0, and I found it to be...blousy. This is not helped by the fact that it's completely split open in the back, from the neck down. I don't love this feature of it, and if I were to buy this top, I might, for my own use, stitch it closed (I know, I'm no fun at all). I was able to tuck the top into the skirt, with some success, but as you can see from the photo (above right), it didn't want to stay tucked. The top is made of silk, is hand-washable, and still manages to be super cute and I'll probably try to grab it on sale, despite my misgivings about the open back.

The split back starts directly beneath the top ruffle at the neckline, and continues down to the very bottom of the garment.

Dropped Dots Dress:

When I first saw the Dropped Dots Dress in-store, around the New Year, I wanted to try it on, but couldn't, because there were no more 0s or 2s on the floor. This last week, however, I came across both, so took them into the fitting room with me. I'm wearing the 2 in these photos, and I'll admit that it's entirely because I couldn't zip up the size 0. I've not experienced this often, in Anthropologie, so needless to say, I blame this entirely on my overindulgence during the holidays. But that being said, I need to note that I've tried on other size 0 dresses since then, and have had no problem zipping into those, so...maybe this one's just cut a bit more snugly? I don't know. Anyway, I'm wearing the size 2, which fit me very well in the front, but bunched a bit, in the back (see photo, above right). Again, I attribute this to the fact that I'm both short and short-waisted. The waist is also a bit dropped, compared to most of Anthro's offerings with this silhouette, hitting at the top of my hips, rather than at my true waist. That, along with the surprisingly poofy skirt, made for a...well, poofier skirt than I expected. The back of the bodice was cut into a low-V, which ended before exposing my bra strap. I really actually love the back of this dress, and wish the whole thing fit me better, because I'd totally buy it. Sadly, one can't buy a dress just for the back of it (or can one?), so this one will be a pass for me.

Detail shot of the back of the Dropped Dots Dress.

That's it for now, but there are more to come. Hope you're all having a great weekend!

Happy Friday, Friends!

2012-01-13T07:52:00.000-08:00

Hi, everyone! I'm sorry I haven't posted for a few days - I've got at least two fitting room review posts in the works. But as I won't be able to get either of those up until late tonight at the earliest, I thought I'd let you know about two little bits of fun.

Happy Birthday, Future:Standard!

The first is that it's Future:Standard's 1st birthday! To celebrate, they're doing a 20% off promo off your entire purchase, from now 'til Monday (use code: WERE1ML). My picks include the Dylan Dress, the Aztec Print Blouse, the Rio Ruffle Blouse (I once saw owner, Jessica, wearing this top - SO cute!), and the Amy Skirt. Best of all? They're ALL on sale. Yay!

The second bit of fun I have to share is the Sassy City Chicks shopping event, coming up this February 23rd, at the Horton Plaza event space. I went to this with a friend of mine last year, and even though we got there at the tail end of the event, it was still a lot of fun. For those of you who've never been, think in terms of a fashion vendor fair, with clothing, accessories, and other fun stuff. Also, if you purchase the Tote Ticket ($20), you get a tote bag with some free gifts, complimentary spa treatments, and complimentary cocktails. And if you decide to go, today, you can grab a Tote Ticket for $5! Click here to buy a ticket, and use the promo code: SASSY5 (code expires 1/13/12 at 5 PM). Also, shoot me an email to let me know you're going - maybe we can meet up and shop together!

Otherwise, hope you're all having a great Friday!

Anthro's Got Our Backs...?

2012-01-09T18:15:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday, everyone! Hope your week started well. I just wanted to bring up an interesting phenomenon I've been noticing with Anthropologie's current selection of clothing.

The back of the Entwined Dots Blouse - so surprising, when you see the demure front.

Quite a few of their items are...well, back-baring, for lack of a better way to put it.

The back of the Lace-Backed Blouse makes this top! So pretty! But...does that mean I need to wear a cami under it, when I go to work?

For quite a while, my biggest beef with Anthro was their sheer tops. It confounded me as to why they persisted, despite customer grievance, to offer up tops that were really fantastic and practically-perfect, except for their incontrovertible transparency. But now...well, now it seems they've made a bit of a reversal (hehe, no pun actually intended) and a lot of their shirts and dresses include some feature that shows off some or more of the wearer's spine and incidental parts.

You wouldn't know it, but that slit on the back of the Dropwaist Mini is long, and tends to gape open at the least provocation (review coming soon).

Which could be considered an improvement over the see-through fronts...except...well, I don't know that my bra straps are decorative enough to put on display, nor that my back is necessarily as svelte as I'd like it to be, should the world be invited to peek at it through my clothing.

Sigh.

If it's not one thing, it's another.

The Fringed Lace Top is so pretty (this is the back)! But wearing a cardigan or jacket over it to make it work-appropriate would totally miss the point of wearing the shirt at all, right?

I will say though, that a lot of these items are gorgeous overall, and for many of them, the problem is easily solved with a strategically placed cardigan or blazer. But there are a few where the most ornamental part of the item is the see-through back, and well...maybe I need to figure out how to make my backside more presentable?

Believe it or not, this is the back of the Draped Snail Tank (which I was totally in love with, until I tried it on). It's totally split from the neck down, and free to fly open at the slightest gust or spin. Yep. Like that.

What's your take on all this?

The Dropped Dots Dress is pretty discreet, as far as exposed backs go. I rather liked it myself (review to come).

Does Anthro have your back?

Copycat (OOTD)

2012-01-08T17:49:00.000-08:00

About a year ago, Kendi (of Kendi Everyday - one of my absolute favorite style blogs) blogged herself wearing this skirt. This fairly simple but totally wearable outfit, sent Kathryn and me into a frenzy. There's just something about Kendi's very accessible and pretty style (did you see her most recent outfit, featuring the Tile-Quilted Mini?) that makes it so easy to imagine myself in her outfits. Anyway, we both ran out looking for the skirt in our respective neighborhood Gap stores (me in San Diego, and Kathryn in OC), and I found success in tracking down the skirts here, at the UTC Gap. And even better? I think by the time I found them, the skirts were on Gap-style super sale, and we paid something like $7 a piece.

Yesterday, I was casting about for something to wear, and found this old American Eagle v-neck sweater at the back of my closet. Which then reminded me of Kendi's outfit and made me remember that I hadn't worn that skirt since...well, a year ago. So, I decided to pull it out again (different sweater, no belt, added a scarf).

Yep, I'm a copycat. But sometimes, that's okay.

Sweater: American Eagle v-neck sweater (similar here and here)

Skirt: Gap skirt (similar here, here, and here)

Shoes: Apeppazza 'Martin' Boots (similar here and here)

Scarf: Similar here and here

Tights: Nordstrom tights

Bracelet: Invisible Children The Rose bracelet

Hope your weekend was a good one!

The Good, The Bad, and the Fugly (OOTDs & the New Year)

2012-01-07T13:55:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, and a happy New Year to you all! I apologize for my absence here - the first week back to work from the winter holidays was a bit of a doozy. I had a research proposal due on Friday, and got it finished and submitted (along with budgets and budget justifications - the first time I've ever had to write one of those) by the skin of my teeth. Phew!

So, as to the title of this post - let's start with the good, shall we? Lately, I've been wearing - and loving - this bracelet I picked up from Invisible Children, at the Shop With Purpose event that took place in San Diego in early December. It's the Rose Bracelet, the proceeds of which goes directly to assisting women who've been trapped in human trafficking situations in Central Africa. Living my very comfortable life, in the U.S., I can't even imagine the horror and struggle that these women face every day, trying to survive and hoping for escape or rescue. It's a small gesture on my part, but as Invisible Children frames it, by buying it and wearing it, it's a way of keeping them in mind, and saying to them, "I will fight for you."

Invisible Children: The Rose Bracelet

The rose gold color is so pretty, and it's sizable. By moving the "handles" on the bracelet, you can make the bracelet bigger or smaller, to adjust to your own wrist-size.

Now, let's move onto the bad. So, when 2011 closed up shop and 2012 opened its doors to new starts and renewal, I started to make all kinds of resolutions regarding curbing my shopping habits, saving more, and finding joy in what I have rather than constantly look to what I don't have. And then...well, then, I came across this:

Stella McCartney Hooded Cape

It was on sale at Nordstrom's Designer Finale (60% off original prices, with an extra 15% off) and I had a few Nordstrom Notes saved up...and well, suffice it to say, I got it for considerably less than the price of it on the link above. But even so...it totally flies in the face of my resolutions, and I'm so conflicted about it. On the one hand, it's an amazing deal on a really unique, super cute piece - and on, it's a great fit in the shoulders, has a removable hood, is a good weight for San Diego winters and falls (not very heavy, but definitely warm enough) and I think it'd just be amazing with skinny jeans, pencil skirts, my full skirts, boots, pumps, flats...oh, I could go on and on. On the other hand...well, it's a significant purchase, super-sale or not, and oh, I don't know. What do you think? Keep it? Take it back?

Okay, and now, onto the fugly. Well, it's hopefully not as bad as all that, but I got some new glasses (had to spend down the Health FSA, by the end of the year, you know). I decided for my "spare" pair of glasses, I'd pick out something different from the frames I usually wear, and so, I went with these. I like to call this my "Harry Potter"-look.

Dress: Bailey 44 faux-wrap dress (similar here, here, and here)

Sweater: Cashmere cardigan (similar here, here, and here)

Shoes: Seychelles booties (similar here, here, and here)

Necklace: Miss November Studio Umbrella necklace

Watch: Michael Kors crystal chronograph (similar here and here)

Bracelet: Invisible Children Rose Bracelet

I'd totally fit in at Hogwarts, right? And then, one last OOTD - last week was unseasonably warm. As in, "in the 80s during January"-warm. So, despite the fact I was mostly cooped up indoors, working away on that research proposal, I did take advantage of having to go out to pick up Rowan from school to enjoy the weather. And wear shorts. (Apologies to those of you suffering through real winter weather right now - I'm not trying to rub it in. Much.)

Top: Target Boys' Gingham Shirt (size L: 12-14)

Bottom: Anthropologie shorts (similar here, here, and here)

Shoes: Givenchy Clog Platform Sandals (similar here, here, and here)

Belt: J. Crew Patent Skinny Belt (similar here)

Necklaces: Nordstrom necklace (similar here, here, and here)

Anthro necklace (similar here and here)

Bracelet: Invisible Children Rose Bracelet

Hope you're having a great weekend! Thanks for reading!

Looking Back: Carol's Favorite Outfits of 2011

2011-12-31T15:32:00.000-08:00

Happy last day of 2011, everyone! For lack of anything else to write about, I thought I'd jump on the "Year in Review" bandwagon, and take a look back at the outfits that stood out to me, each month of this past year. Kathryn had quite a few stunners too, but due to my lack of planning (surprise, surprise), I didn't get a chance to ask her feedback.

(Note to self: add that to list of resolutions. Plan better. For everything.)

Anyway, here are my top 12 (one from each month of...sort of) OOTDs of 2011!

January 2011:

James Perse top, Anthro Peppered and Striped skirt, Miu Miu pumps

February 2011:

Anthro Dog Trot cardigan, Anthro Daring Dart blouse, Banana Republic skirt, Banana Republic cami, Anthro Rensselaer T-strap shoes, J. Crew belt, Ms. November Studio necklace

March 2011:

Alice + Olivia dress, cashmere cardigan, opaque tights, suede platform slingbacks

April 2011:

Anthro Happy Morning sweater, Citizens of Humanity Hutton jeans, Givenchy Platform Clog sandals

May 2011:

Anthro Neo-Refinement Pullover, Pure and Good Scoopneck tee, Citizens of Humanity Hutton jeans, Givenchy Platform Clog sandals

June 2011 (okay, okay, so this one's actually from early July. But I like it better than anything I wore in June, so we're just gonna pretend, 'kay? Thanks):

Benetton Blouse, Kate Spade Lillith Striped skirt, Tod's slingback pumps, Marc Jacobs Karlie

July 2011:

Forever 21 bow tee, AG Stilt jeans, Givenchy Platform Clog sandals, Until There's a Cure bracelet

August 2011:

H&M sweater, Anthro Heatwave Shorts, Givenchy Platform Clog Sandals, Michael Kors Crystal Chronograph watch

September 2011 (sssshh! Don't tell, but this one is from August too. Better than my actual September outfits...yes, I'm totally cheating.):

Gap tshirt, H&M Mesh Midi skirt, Jimmy Choo Phoenix espadrilles, Anthro Gleaming Intersection Scarf

October 2011:

Anthro Unconditional Osier dress, Tod's boot, J. Crew skinny belt, Kate Spade Hang in There necklace

November 2011:

Mossimo Cardigan, J. Crew Minnie, Jedidiah Tee, Pink Studio booties

December 2011:

Anthro Hallowell Cowlneck, AG Stilt Jeans, Mossimo tee, Apeppazza boots

Have a safe and fun New Year's Eve. Thanks for being with us this past year. We can't wait to see what 2012 brings us all!

"Get In My Closet!"

2011-12-29T20:59:00.000-08:00

Erm...did I say that out loud?

Kate Spade Belina Dress

Can you blame me? It's a rainbow-confetti-polka-dot dress. Just sayin'.

A Few Outfits More (OOTDs)

2011-12-28T08:14:00.000-08:00

When I was a girl, my mom would say how easy I was to dress. I'd wear just about anything she brought home to me. I liked it all. Color, print, trend, etc - I didn't have a very defined style then, and when I think hard about it, I'd say that I don't have a terribly defined style now. I can tell you with something close to certainty what I won't wear (body-conscious skirts and tops not really my thing, for instance), but I'll also dabble in all the various "style profiles" that exist out there. I remember flipping through a book on style once (was it the Lucky book? Or the Instyle guide? Can't remember...) and it gave me all these profiles I should try to identify with - "gamine," and "classic," and "bohemian," and "runway," etc. I sort of liked them all. I like my cinched waists and full skirts. I love my skinny jeans and asymmetrical hems. I love ruffles and bows but I love clean minimalism too.

It's the variety that makes getting up and getting dressed in the morning so fun - and for me, this sort of reflects the many hats I wear in life, from day to day. Researcher, mother, blogger, wife, educator, friend, daughter, bibliophile, fashion-fiend, geek, etc, etc, etc...

What stories are your clothes telling the world about you, today?

Sweater: H&M Cardigan (similar here and here)

Top: Anthropologie (similar here, here, and here)

Skirt: Anthropologie Hop, Skip, Jump Skirt (similar here, here, and here)

Belt: Anthropologie Snake Bite belt (similar here and here)

Necklace: Miss November Studio Ladybug Necklace

Shoes: Apeppazza Martin Boots (similar here, here, and here)

Tights: Simply Vera Opaque Tights (similar here and here)

There's something I really love about asymmetrical handkerchief hems on shirts. I'm not sure what it is, but maybe it has something to do with the fact that they give me explicit permission to keep my top untucked? Sometimes, less really can be more.

Top: Robbi & Nikki Jersey Top

Pants: AG Stilt Skinny Jeans

Shoes: Miu Miu Suede Platform Pumps (similar here and here)

Watch: Michael Kors Clear Crystal (similar here and here)

Bracelet: Until There's A Cure

Hoping you're having a great day!

Future:Standard Giveaway - WINNER!

2011-12-27T22:57:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it? It's ANOTHER giveaway winner! The winner of the beautiful Willow Top from Future:Standard is none other than:

Hunguren!!!

Congratulations, Hunguren! Please email me ASAP at carol.prettythings [at] gmail.com, and I'll get you in touch with the very lovely people at Future:Standard, so that they can get your prize out to you.

In case you were wondering, Hunguren's name was drawn via a number generated on random.org (see below) that was matched against our list of entries (which you can see here):

I want to extend my thanks to all who entered this and our other giveaways this past month, and also to all of you for coming to visit us here, in our little corner of the 'net. We couldn't do this without you.

Jedidiah T-Shirt Giveaway - WINNER!

2011-12-27T22:44:00.000-08:00

Hi, everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas (and if you don't celebrate, hope you were able to enjoy some nice time off) and are having a great Wednesday. I just want to extend a huge thanks to all of you who entered the Jedidiah t-shirt giveaway. The lucky winner of a Jedidiah t-shirt of their choice is:

LizS!!!

Congratulations, LizS! Please email me ASAP at carol.prettythings [at] gmail.com, and I'll get you in touch with the lovely people at Jedidiah, so you can get your t-shirt.

LizS was selected at random from our list of entries (you can see it here), using random.org's number generator:

Thanks again to everyone who entered, and even if you didn't win, I hope you'll consider supporting the good folks at Jedidiah and the very valuable work they do.

My After-Christmas Wishlist (Ahem)

2011-12-26T14:31:00.000-08:00

Because wishing is free. ^_-

1. Anthropologie Wingtip Mary-Janes (I got a gift card for Christmas! I think I might use them on these...)

2. Rachel Zoe 'Nico' Dress (after all, what else will I wear, while I shop at Target?)

3. Anthropologie Last Call Jacket (to do create an inverted version of RZ's outfit here)

4. Anthropologie Flared Brynsk Dress (a day-appropriate alternative to the Nico dress)

5. Future:Standard Dylan Dress (on sale now!)

6. Kate Spade 'Daycation' Lacey Wallet (and look - there's an adorable hedgehog version too! Can't decide which I like better...)

7. Kate Spade 'Flicker-Melinda' Satchel (in Berry or Dark Lapis? Maybe both? This is a wish list, after all.)

And what I wore on Christmas Day:

Top: Banana Republic Merino Sweater (old! Similar here, here, and here)

Skirt: Trina Turk Ponte Knit Boot Skirt (similar here, here, and here)

Shoes: Apeppazza Martin Boots (similar here, here, and here)

Scarf: Faux Fur Necker, Anthro (similar here and here)

Necklace: J. Crew (similar here and here)

I'll be back later with the winners for the Jedidiah and Future:Standard giveaways. Hope your Monday is going well!

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T23:53:00.000-08:00

A 2011 Holiday Greeting from In Pursuit of Pretty Things

Photos by Sean Estipona

We wish you a Merry Christmas

And a Happy New Year

Good tidings we bring

To you and your kin

Good tidings for Christmas

And a Happy New Year

Well, while figgy pudding sounds...nice? (what is it, anyway?) I'll leave off from the song here...

...and say that we're so grateful for another year of all your friendship and readership here at In Pursuit of Pretty Things. It's been quite a journey...

...and it's a journey we're happy to take, with all of you.

And so, we wish you a very Merry Christmas

And a Happy New Year.

Love, Carol & Kathryn

A Fistful of OOTDs

2011-12-22T18:13:00.000-08:00

Obviously, I'm running low on post title ideas. I'm not sure if two OOTDs would make a whole fistful. And it's possible that Sergio Leone is rolling in his grave right now. And if Clint Eastwood actually ever heard that I'd cannibalized the title of the film that put him on the map, as it were - well...

Suffice it to say, I'm pretty sure that when the DH, who is a huge fan of Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns (particularly the Man With No Name trilogy) will do any or all of the following when he sees this post: sigh, shake his head, groan loudly, roll his eyes, and/or look at me in bewilderment. **EDIT** Just wanted to update you, that my DH's response was, "Awesome!" And then he went on to suggest my next post be called, "For a Few OOTDs More," and the one after that, "The Good, the Bad, and the Fugly" (his words, I swear). Just goes to show that even after nearly ten years of marriage, we continue to surprise each other. Or something. ;)

Yes, so there's no relation between the title of the post to this post's content either. I'm just having one of those days.

This is what I wore yesterday - I was running lots of errands, sitting on the floor wrapping lots of presents, taking the kids to the park, etc. When I was getting dressed, I did consider putting on a skirt and tights with this top and cardi, but practicality won out over cuteness, and I went with the jeans and Sperry moccasins.

Top: Tarpan Buttondown

Sweater: H&M cardigan (similar here, here, and here)

Jeans: AG Angelina Bootcut

Shoes: Sperry Top-sider 'Skiff' Moccasin Flats

Necklace: Bib Necklace, Nordstrom (similar here, here, and here)

Today, despite having more errands to run, I decided that since there was going to be much less floor-sitting involved in today's activities, I'd be more adventurous in my outfit selections. I recently ordered this fur collar from Anthro, when it went on sale, but haven't worn it until today. I think I kind of love it! In this outfit, I think I was channeling some of the colors and textures of the Fossil Clarissa Jacket, which I love, but not as much as the Rachel Zoe Sullivan Leather Jacket (I know, sorry, I'm a little obsessed...).

Sweater: Cable Knit Sweater, Future:Standard

Skirt: Hellebore Sweater Skirt, Anthropologie (similar here, here, and here)

Scarf: Faux Fur Necker, Anthropologie (similar here and here)

Shoes: Apeppazza 'Martin" Wedge Heel Boot (similar here, here, and here)

Necklace: Oh Hello Friend Pocket Watch Necklace

Belt: Oh Hello Friend Bow Belt (similar here and here)

And before I close out this post, I want to wish a very happy birthday to my sister, Irene. Much love and big hugs, lady!

Black, White, and Red All Over (OOTD)

2011-12-21T00:41:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, there's no flattering shots but the side angle. Yep. It was that kind of OOTD-photo day:

Top: Vintage Thermal Tee in Stripe, J. Crew

Pants: Minnie Pant in Stretch Twill, J. Crew

Shoes: 'Eddie' Pointed Toe Flat, Tory Burch

Necklaces: Triple Strand Black and White Necklace, J. Crew

Black and Crystal Necklace, J. Crew

On the other hand, I spent a very productive day getting the rest of my holiday shopping done. Now just to wrap. And prepare some home-made goodies.

Also, thanks to those of you who weighed in on all of my fitting-room tweets today. That Rachel Zoe Nico Dress (see photo below) is so fantastic. I tried it on, at Kathryn's behest, to see "what it looks like on a real person." If you're interested in it, take note that it definitely runs small, compared to Anthro and J. Crew sizes - no vanity-sizing going on here. I was wearing a size 2 in that photo, and it felt snug (but in a good way, since really, no one wants to be wearing a strapless dress that's too big...). I love the dress, but have nowhere to wear it. Except Target. And the grocery store. I want it regardless:

Rachel Zoe 'Nico' Metallic Brocade Dress

Can I borrow someone's glamorous party-filled (and I'm not talking the kind that comes with bounce-houses and over-sugared 6 year olds, thanks - got that covered already) life for just a day? Just so I can have an excuse to wear something like this?

No? Thought not. But if you change your mind, you know where to find me: in the Nordstrom fitting room, hanging out in my new favorite dress. ^_-

Rachel Zoe and Nordstrom

2011-12-20T01:53:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday night, I had the pleasure of attending a Rachel Zoe personal appearance event at Nordstrom, here in San Diego's Fashion Valley Mall. Rachel Zoe is a pretty well known figure in fashion and pop-culture circles, but for those of you who don't know her, let me introduce her as a celebrity stylist (she's done red carpet styling for Hollywood A-listers such as Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Garner), the founder of The Zoe Report, author of Style A to Zoe, star of Bravo's hit reality series "The Rachel Zoe Project," and now a designer of her own line of apparel, footwear, and accessories collections.

Yeah, did I mention she had a baby this last year? Mmhm. I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

Anyway, while I knew of Rachel Zoe, prior to this event, I didn't know a lot about her. So, I did my research (consisting mostly of signing up for The Zoe Report - super fun stuff - and watching some clips of "The Rachel Zoe Project" online), and well - she's this incredibly energetic, creative, and well...wacky (you'll understand if you watch the show) individual. She's also an incredibly gifted stylist and designer - listening to her talk about the pieces in her collection was truly fascinating. She came across as funny, articulate, and really intelligent about what looks good on women's bodies (I know people say that about all the designers, but it's really true) and what might be useful in a woman's wardrobe.

The event took place in the Collector's department of Nordstrom, which was curtained off to provide a sense of intimacy and also exclusivity (I heard that only 100 people were invited to attend) and featured a fashion show of Rachel Zoe resort and spring 2012 collections, narrated by Rachel Zoe, with some additional commentary by Ferdie Lopez, Nordstrom's national senior designer retail director. The clothes were really beautiful, and listening to Ms. Zoe discussing each glamorous piece (you'll see what I mean below) actually made me start to think that I could pull some of these off, even with my very ordinary life.

All of the Rachel Zoe pieces featured in this post are available through Nordstrom, however, many are not yet available on their website. For more information on purchasing, contact Nordstrom customer service.

Please note - this is a very photo-heavy post.

The setting for the event, as people were beginning to enter.

I attended the event with the lovely Maya, of Kinzie Says, and we had nearly as much fun admiring the clothes, shoes, and handbags (oh, the handbags!) of the other attendees as we did looking at Rachel Zoe's collection.

Sipping grapefruit liqueur cocktails while we waited for the show to begin. Wine, still and sparkling water, and a variety of delicious hors d'oeuvres were served as well.

Rachel Zoe introducing herself to the audience, with Ferdie Lopez, Nordstrom national senior designer retail director.

Rachel Zoe 'Olivia' Silk Maxi Dress

First, I love the color and drape of this dress. The way the silk moves as the body does, is just fantastic. It manages to be stunning, despite walking a fine line (or maybe because of?) between ancient Grecian nobility and peasant-dress. Rachel mentioned that she's worn this dress herself on a number of occasions, and finds it very versatile - can be casual and also very dressy, depending on how you style it.

Rachel Zoe 'Sullivan' Leather Blazer, 'Sylvia' Cowl-neck Halter Top, 'Julie' Skinny Jeans, and 'Audrey' Platform Booties

I about died when I saw this outfit. Those of you who follow my twitter account may already know that I'm obsessed with that leather blazer. The cut of it is so fantastic, and the leather is buttery soft as well as un-stinky! (I'm not a fan of strong leather smells.) Love, love, love!

Rachel Zoe 'Joplin' Houndstooth Georgette Dress and 'Audrey' Platform Bootie

Um, shirtdress? Ruffles? Understated houndstooth print? Yes, please!!! (I tried this on and loved it. See photo at bottom of post.)

Rachel Zoe Print Silk Halter Dress and 'Blake' Sandal

Rachel talked about how she loves animal prints, but likes to do them like this - and to be honest, I have to tell you, until she said, "animal print," I didn't even realize that's what it was - it's pretty subtle. This dress is just astonishing - so dramatic and beautiful and elegant. Added bonus? Rachel mentioned that she travels with this dress a lot, and the silk doesn't wrinkle or crumple in her suitcase! (Good for the iron-challenged, such as myself.)

Rachel Zoe 'Dionne' Dress and 'Blake' Sandal

Rachel Zoe 'Nico' Metallic Brocade Strapless Dress

Maya and I both gasped when this dress appeared, and I can tell you that Kathryn has also noticed it (and has asked me to try it on - which I plan to do tomorrow - keep an eye on those tweets!). It's just darling, and it kills me that I don't have anywhere to wear this sweet little number. How perfect would it look layered under any number of cardigans in my closet? Or that fantastic leather blazer...? (Someone, please, invite me to a dress-up party, now.)

Rachel Zoe 'Yvonne' Sequin Wrap Dress and 'Blake' Sandal (photo credit: Maya Omar)

No joke. If ever I were to decide I was going to wear a sequin dress, this would be it. Really.

Rachel Zoe Gold Sequin Mini Dress

Um...unless, of course, I decided to wear this sequin dress (more animal print! Again, not totally obvious, right?) How does a gold sequin mini manage to look this adorable?

Rachel Zoe Sheer Silk Blouse and Palazzo Pant

The outfit above is in striking contrast with the one that follows:

Rachel Zoe Empire-Waist Gown and Cardigan

I wish you could have heard the collective gasp that went up from the audience, when this number appeared. Just beautiful.

Rachel Zoe Printed Silk Halter Dress

There's something incredibly provocative about a woman's shoulders and back, and Rachel Zoe's halter dresses really know how to capitalize on that allure. The print of this dress really grabbed me. It makes me think of the patterned coloration that happens as waves wash in and out at beaches with variegated sand colors. Or layers of sediment under a river. Either way, it evokes both earth and water for me. I really love that.

Maya, Rachel Zoe, and myself

As Maya put it so eloquently, we had to fight our way through a throng of women dressed in fur-vests and leather pants to get to Ms. Zoe in order to take this photo. (I love her outfit. Can I have her outfit please?)

Rachel Zoe dresses being live-modeled after the fashion show portion of the evening.

What shopping event would be complete without some shopping? I tried on two things - and loved both. My budget being what it is right now (eaten up by holiday expenses), both had to stay in the store. But they're totally wish-listed for sale time. (Though I am trying to convince the DH that he really wants to get me the blazer for Christmas. ^_-)

Rachel Zoe 'Joplin' Houndstooth Georgette Dress

Rachel Zoe 'Sullivan' Leather Blazer

And the jacket I keep raving about - the photo on the left isn't that great, but the one from the back (above right) really shows off the amazing cut of this blazer - it makes my waist look so tiny! And I can tell you right now that the truth is nowhere close to that. It's like a magic blazer. Magic.

Thanks for sticking with me through this epically-long post. And thank you to Nordstrom for the invitation to this fabulous event. I had such a great time, and am so glad I got to share it with you!

One For You, One For Me (OOTD)

2011-12-18T18:41:00.000-08:00

So, how's your holiday shopping going? I confess - I'm not done yet. I know, I know, you expected more of me. But between work and kids and various house guests and other family obligations over the past few weekends, I just haven't had the time to take care of business.

This is not to say I haven't done any of my shopping. I'd even venture to say that I've checked off about 2/3 of my list. And really, only some of the much harder ones are left. But this is neither here nor there. Especially since what I want to discuss here is the phenomenon of "one for you, one for me," shopping. Anyone else struggling with this? I will be the first to say, that I am definitely afflicted. Case in point, the Hallowell Cowlneck I sprang for, when I was picking up a couple other gifts for friends...

(Kate wanted to join me. Who am I to say no?)

Sweater: Hallowell Cowlneck

Tee: Mossimo long-sleeve crew-neck tee

Jeans: AG 'Stilt' Skinny Jeans

Boots: Appepazza "Martin" Wedge Heel boot (similar here, here, and here)

Necklace: Oh Hello Friend Pocket-Watch Necklace

Bracelet: (hidden by Kate's head) The Rose Bracelet, Invisible Children

By the way, the major missing accessory for this outfit? A speeder bike. And the Endor Moon. Because seriously, I'm definitely channeling some "Princess Leia fighting on Endor," in this one. ;)

Paper Flavor Holiday Gift Card Giveaway - WINNER!

2011-12-18T01:17:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday, everyone, and a great big thanks to all who entered the Paper Flavor Holiday Gift Card set giveaway! The lucky winner of the super cute cards pictured above is:

whatjesslikes!

Congratulations, whatjesslikes! Please email me ASAP at carol.prettythings [at] gmail.org, and I'll get these cards out to you - hopefully in time for you to send out to some lucky friends.

And just to keep us honest, you can see the random.org drawn number below, and our list of entries here, which is how we determined the winner.

Thanks again to all who entered. If you want another chance to win some great prizes, check out our other giveaways going on here and here. Best of luck to you all!

Yet Another Dose of Holiday Cheer and Festive Giveaways!

2011-12-15T18:30:00.000-08:00

Okay, I have to admit - when I realized I was going to be able to give this next thing away to one of you, I nearly passed out from sheer giddiness. In fact, I'm barely restraining myself from just pulling the trigger and buying it now. For me. Not for you. The one for you is being generously provided by one of my favorite ethical online retailers, Future:Standard.

My friends, let me introduce you to the Willow Top:

Willow Top

Long-time readers will know that I love Future:Standard for their fantastic ethics (all of their items are sourced from vendors who exercise sustainable and fair trade practices and they're a member of 1% for the Planet), and the fact that F:S is a local San Diego-based small business, and again, woman-owned. It doesn't hurt that there's lots of stuff in their shop that really need to make their way into my closet either (like this blouse, this dress, this dress - look at it on the model! LOVE!, this skirt, and well, I could go on for a while).

Oh, gosh. I think I might really need that d a c e dress in my life. Gah! Focus, Carol! It's a giveaway post - not a wishlist post!

So! What was I saying? Oh, right - a Future:Standard giveaway! One extraordinarily lucky winner will receive the Willow Top (pictured above - a $160 value!) in her size.

Entering is simple. Here's what you have to do:

1) Check out Future:Standard's online store, and leave a comment below, telling us what your favorite item is.

For a second entry:

2) Follow this blog (easy-peasy - just click on the Google Friend Connect button in the sidebar). Let us know in the comments below.

For one more entry (and a grand total of 3 chances to win!):

3) Tweet about this giveaway, including @raphaela235 and @FutureStandard. (Let us know you did it, in the comments below.)

Entries will be accepted through Wednesday, December 21st. We'll tally all the entries and then do a random drawing for the winner. Just a note - please don't leave your email in the comments. We want to help you protect your contact information. When we draw the name and number of the winner, we'll post it, along with directions for that winner to contact us. If for some reason, the winner doesn't get in touch with us within 48 hours, we'll redraw, and announce a new winner, etc.

Good luck to everyone, and thanks for entering!

***This giveaway has now ended. Thanks for your interest!***

More Holiday Cheer & Festive Giveaways!

2011-12-14T18:30:00.000-08:00

Here's the next giveaway in our Share the Holiday Cheer week!

When I placed my order for the "Nerd Girl" Thank You cards (I got the folded card, without lines) from Paper Flavor, they included this adorable freebie:

A set of five holiday cards, featuring super cute characters!

Why do I love Paper Flavor? Well, they're a women-owned small business, that features really fun and cute illustrations. Also, you can ask them to customize your cards - for instance, I saw that they had the "Nerd Girl" image printed on t-shirts and tote bags and on flat cards with lines, but I wanted them on folded cards with the word "Thanks" printed under the image on the front. I sent them an email, and within hours, they'd replied that yes, they could make those cards for me, and sent me a link for ordering!

This is really the benefit of shopping with small businesses - more often than not, they can work with you to get you what you want. Win-win.

This is a Super Quick--Super Cute giveaway for the set of 5 Paper Flavor holiday cards, meaning you only have 24 hours to enter! After 24 hours (6:30 PM on Thursday, December 15th), the entry period will close, and we'll draw a winner.

Entering is super simple. Here's what you have to do:

1) Check out Paper Flavor's shop. Tell us in the comments which character is your favorite (there's about a million ridiculously cute illustrations).

For a second entry:

2) Follow this blog (super easy - just click on the Google Friend Connect button in the sidebar). Leave a comment letting us know.

For one more entry (and a grand total of 3 chances to win!):

3) Tweet about this giveaway, including @raphaela235 and @paperflavor. (Let us know you did it, in the comments below.)

Entries will be accepted through Thursday, December 15th. We'll tally all the entries and then do a random drawing for the winner. Just a note - please don't leave your email in the comments. We want to help you protect your contact information. When we draw the name and number of the winner, we'll post it, along with directions for that winner to contact us. If for some reason, the winner doesn't get in touch with us within 48 hours, we'll redraw, and announce a new winner, etc.

Good luck to everyone!

***This giveaway has now ended. Thanks so much for your interest!***

Sharing the Holiday Cheer With A Few Festive Giveaways!

2011-12-13T18:30:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Hope this day finds you all well. So, if you're shopping for Christmas, you've only got 12 days left, to track down and purchase all those wonderful gifts. If you're shopping for Hanukkah, your time is even more limited, as you've only got 8 (!!!) days left. We're going to help alleviate some of the pain with a handful of giveaways this week. These are items that are totally gift-worthy (or keep-it-for-yourself-worthy), and are sourced from or provided by socially-conscious businesses or organizations, so I feel like it's even more in keeping with the spirit of the holidays.

So, to start, here's the first of the giveaways. The folks at Jedidiah, (whose tees I'm wearing here and here) have generously offered to provide one winner with the t-shirt of their choice from their online store!

Why I love this company? Jedidiah is a humanitarian-based clothing brand, that collaborates with non-profit organizations who help provide vital and important services to those in need. Every Jedidiah piece is inspired by those organizations and the proceeds from every sale goes to the charitable organization. So, when you buy something from this company, not only do you get a great piece of clothing, but you're also supporting good causes.

Really, what's not to love?

Entering is super simple. Here's what you have to do:

1) Check out their online store, and leave a comment below, telling us which tee you'd pick, if you were to win.

For a second entry:

2) Follow this blog (easy-peasy - just click on the Google Friend Connect button in the sidebar). Let us know in the comments below.

For one more entry (and a grand total of 3 chances to win!):

3) Tweet about this giveaway, including @raphaela235 and @jedidiahusa. (Let us know you did it, in the comments below.)

Entries will be accepted through Monday, December 19th. We'll tally all the entries and then do a random drawing for the winner. Just a note - please don't leave your email in the comments. We want to help you protect your contact information. When we draw the name and number of the winner, we'll post it, along with directions for that winner to contact us. If for some reason, the winner doesn't get in touch with us within 48 hours, we'll redraw, and announce a new winner, etc.

Good luck to everyone!

***This giveaway has now closed. Thank you for your interest!***

An Anthro Primer, Vol. 4

2011-12-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

Pleated Ponte Skirt? Tie-Neck Sweater Dress? Someone in Anthro's merchandising department is dropping the ball, when it comes to naming! How are we supposed to feel worldly and well-read if there aren't mysterious and seductive allusions to other cultures, art, and the natural world, liberally sprinkled over the names of the items in their catalog?

How am I supposed to write the next installment of the Anthro Primer, if I have nothing more inspiring to work with, than Ribboned Collar Top? All three of those words, after all, are positively intelligible and incredibly...ordinary.

Dear Anthropologie staff, just in case all of our ribbing in these posts (and no, I have no illusions that we're nearly that important to you, but one never knows) have started to wilt your creativity - let us be clear. We actually really enjoy the crazy names you come up with for the products you sell. Please, keep up the good work. Because truly, as descriptive and completely straightforward as the name, Lacy Longsleeved Tee may be, it's not nearly as thrilling as something like, Serissa Tulle Blouse. Which, by the way, is how we're going to start the next bit of the Anthro Primer (for previous installments, see volumes 1, 2, and 3).

1. Serissa Tulle Blouse - Serissa refers to a genus of flowering evergreen shrubs commonly called Snowrose, Tree of a Thousand Stars, or Japanese Boxthorn. This is a plant I've seen about quite a lot, though I had no idea, prior to the writing of this post, what it was called.

A bonsai version of the Serissa (image source)

2. Yarlung River Top - The Yarlung River, (also known as the Yarlung Zambo or the Yalu Zangbu) is the highest river in the world, flowing through South Tibet Valley and part of India, where it's known as the Dihang. It passes through the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, which is the world's largest and deepest canyon. It is the setting of some controversy (over the "discovery" of the Hidden Falls - one of three waterfalls, which were considered somewhat legendary, as they remained unseen by Western eyes until 1998 - though Chinese explorers had photographically documented the falls a couple decades earlier) and tragedy, with the deaths of expert and amateur kayakers who were attempting to navigate the Zangbo Gorge.

3. Pinnate Shimmer Shell - From the Merriam-Webster dictionary: resembling a feather especially in having similar parts arranged on opposite sides of an axis like the barbs on the rachis of a feather pinnate leaf; - see LEAF ILLUSTRATION - pin-nate-ly adverb. Which seems very appropriate for this particular top.

4. Pattern Call Blouse - Okay, this is a tricky one, and I may be completely off-base on this. There are a couple different possibilities as to what this name may be referring. My best guess is that it has something to do with the calling that happens in square dancing - I've found some references online, where that type of calling is referred to as "pattern calling." I also read, on Wikipedia, that square dance callers do something known as "patter" calling, where they intersperse rhythmic rhyming into what their calling. I also found references to "call patterns," which seem to have something to do with coding software. I'm going to guess, though, that it's more a reference to the square dancing, as the print on this shirt is evocative of a quilt, and in my mind, the two (quilts and square dancing) are both related to a more bucolic way of living.

Pattern Call Blouse

5. Altiplano Tunic - The Altiplano, which means "high plain," in Spanish, is a broad expanse of high plateau (apparently, the highest on earth, outside of Tibet), located in the central Andes, in west-central South America. It's bounded by eleven large and active volcanoes (of the Central Volcanic Zone - yikes!).

6. Vinalhaven Cardigan - Vinalhaven is the name of a small town located in the Fox Islands in the state of Maine. In the 19th century, it was one of the state's largest quarrying centers, known for its high quality granite - stone from those quarries were used in many structures of note (including the Washington Monument, the State Department Building in D.C., the Brooklyn Bridge, the Pennsylvania Railroad Station, and the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia). Many of those now-abandoned quarries have filled with groundwater, and have become popular swimming holes for both residents and visitors. Vinalhaven hosts an active lobster fishing community and in the summers, is a well-established destination for affluent Northeasterners.

7. Testcard Pullover - Test cards, also known as test patterns, are used by television broadcasters, to facilitate calibration, adjustment, and alignment of equipment - in particular, cameras and camcorders. These television signal tests are usually conducted when broadcasters are starting up or closing down, as these are times when they are transmitting, but are not broadcasting any programming. Test cards were originally actual physical cards, which cameras were pointed at, but these days, test cards are digitally generated allowing vendors, viewers, and television stations alike, to adjust their equipment for optimal functionality. Erm, because that's what I'm doing whenever I see this pattern on my tv screen....

8. Talgarth Pencil Skirt - So, Talgarth is a small market town located in Southern Powys, in mid-Wales. It's got some seriously historical roots, with tradition naming it as the capitol of an early medieval kingdom, Brycheiniog (later conquered by the Normans somewhere between 1080 and 1095). Some of its oldest structures include a 14th century parish church and a 13th century tower - which now houses the Tourist Information and Resource Centre. Incredible, right? They just don't make 'em like they used to.

9. Nazca Skirt - So, the name "Nazca" refers to a region in southern Peru, where there are a series of valleys and a desert that goes by this name. There is also a town in this area called Nazca as well as an ancient culture. Most interestingly, however, are the Nazca Lines, which are a group of geoglyphs (essentially, figures and lines "drawn" into the earth, via shallow trenches) that are believed to have been created by the Nazca culture between 400 and 650 A.D.. The figures include images of birds, fish, monkeys, humans, trees, and flowers, as well as other animals and geometric shapes. The Nazca Lines were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, and are the source of much conjecture (translate: "conspiracy theories") over the methods of creation as well as purpose of the figures.

Nazca Lines - Spider

10. Rodna Halter Dress - When I looked up "Rodna," I found that there's a village called Rodna Veche in Romania, after which are named the Rodna Mountains. The Rodna Mountains are a part of the Eastern Carpathians that run through northern Romania. They're well suited for hiking, and famous for their late snows, that permit skiing well into June and sometimes July.

So, that's it for this edition of the Anthro Primer. Hope you enjoyed it!

Has Anyone Else Noticed?

2011-12-10T23:44:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago, I got a Fossil catalog in the mail. I don't usually get them, and it caught my eye, but because of the slew of catalogs I've been receiving lately (it is the holiday shopping season, after all), I didn't actually process how cute the outfit on its cover is.

Until this morning. Have you seen this? And does anyone else think it's as cute I do?

Coat: Clarissa Jacket and Dress: Scarlett Dress

Also, just a couple days ago, Kendi, of Everyday fame, wore a faux fur jacket, which made me think, for the first time in my life, that maybe I needed one of my own. And while I was doing my due-diligence, researching on the Fossil website, well, what did I come across but this little lovely?

Jacket: Cory Jacket and Dress: Ruth Dress

It's not quite as cropped as hers, but it looks luxurious in a very Kate Spade sort of way, don't you think? As for something closer to Kendi's jacket, I thought this one looked pretty close. Do you wear faux fur? I haven't, myself, but you know...there's a first time for everything, right?

Santa, I've Been Awfully Good This Year...

2011-12-09T00:10:00.000-08:00

...and I'd really really really love these sweaters:

Outlined Celandine Cardi (and in ivory too, please! - see review here)

Impasto Pullover

Hallowell Cowlneck

Hildasay Sweater
Did you ask Santa for any of Anthro's 50% off sweaters?

Yes, Please!!! (The Perfect Leopard Print Flat)

2011-12-08T00:18:00.000-08:00

I've been searching for the perfect pair of leopard flats (documented here and here) for months. I wanted a good print, calf-hair, and a pointed toe.

I think I've found them:

The Leopard Sidewalk Skimmer
And with Madewell's current 25% and free shipping promo (on a purchase of $150 or more, 'til Friday, 12/9), these shoes are pretty reasonably priced. The only downside? My size was sold out in the Madewell store in San Francisco (where I first came across them), and is backordered online until January. Not ideal, but for that price and all my requirements checked off, I'm willing to wait.
And while we're talking shoes, I may need to update my old black Tory Burch Romy flats (sadly, showing the signs of 3 years of heavy wear) with these pointed toe Eddie flats. I'm pretty hard on my flats, since I wear them a lot, and am always running after my kiddos in them. Patent finishes seem to hold up against my abuse for a lot longer than matte leather, so I think these could do the job.
It's a good time to be my feet.
What about you? What are your feet wearing these days?

For the Guys (Holiday Gift Guide 2011)

2011-12-04T10:46:00.000-08:00

We are now in the first weekend of December! Which means, depending on what particular holidays you may or may not celebrate, you have about three weeks - give or take a few days, to finish shopping for your gift list. I like to think that some of the gift lists that preceded this one may have included gender-neutral gifts, but I suppose that since there were quite a few things that weren't gender neutral, it's only fair to include a gift guide for the guys in our lives. Now, let me quickly qualify this list - you may or may not know that I'm a bit of a geek at heart (and well, my husband is admittedly an uber-geek), so my list leans more towards the geekier end of the spectrum. Meaning, you probably won't find a ton of sports-related gift ideas here - though my DH has also really loved going to an NBA game from time to time. Anyhow, here it is - the next installment of our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide.

For the Guys:

1. Memetics Tees: So, if you wanted to really impress my husband, you'd pick out this Chatsubo tee from Memetics Tees. A reference to William Gibson's cyberpunk classic, Neuromancer, you'd seriously up your geek cred (if that's what you're looking to do ^_-) by giving tee, or one of any other tees from this online site.

2. Han Solo in Carbonite Ice Tray - You don't need to be all that geeky to appreciate this - can you imagine? Little Han Solos frozen in carbonite...er, ice...floating in your drinks and/or punch bowl? I know. Awesome.

3. Whole Foods Gift Card - I asked a male friend of mine what he'd want for Christmas. He said gift cards. Or food. Or gift cards for food. Mmhm.

4. Fossil Estate Flight Bag - Yes, I know, it's a man-bag. But the fact is, iPads (which this bag is designed to safely carry) don't fit into pockets. So, since he won't buy himself one, and he can blame the fact that he owns it on you, you should get him this. Because secretly, he'll be grateful for it. Especially when he realizes there's no reason on earth he needs to be carrying around an entire backpack or briefcase, with just the iPad rattling around in it, if he has something that lets him carry it and access it incredibly easily.

5. The North Face E-tip Facet Glove - If you live in colder climes, and you use mobile devices with touch screens, you'll understand the value of having gloves that keep your hands warm while you use whatever app you happen to need at the moment. The Echo gloves provide a sleeker alternative.

6. J. Crew Secret Wash Shirt in Faded Gingham - Clothes are always a good gift, especially if it's something 1) he'll wear and 2) he probably needs. I love it whenever I see my guy friends wearing gingham. It manages to look both sharp and comfortable. Don't know how that happens, but there you have it.

7. Mougin & Picard for J. Crew Grande Second Watch - Watches are like jewelry for men. This one has some particularly nice details.

8. Gilt Taste food gifts - Have you ever shopped on Gilt.com? It's basically a website that acts as a hybrid between an outlet and a sample sale. Recently, they started their food sale site - and I totally thought of them, when my aforementioned guy friend said he wanted food. This, for instance, is Hancock Gourmet's Maine Shore Dinner. Click here, for an account, if you don't already have one.

9. Nerf Vortex Praxis - They all secretly (or not) eye these things, you know. Make him believe in Santa again.

10. Lego Super Star Destroyer Set - Legos. Star Wars (again). The sort of thing their parents never bought them when they were kids, but they've always wanted. The Millennium Falcon is another favorite, and don't forget the Death Star.

In the end, the best advice for what to buy for the guys in your life, is to find out what they're into (hopefully you already know) and figure out how you can get them the stuff they want but never buy for themselves. If yours aren't quite like mine (see above), share with us the sorts of things that have been a hit in the comments below. We'd all love to know!

TEDx San Diego

2011-12-03T07:10:00.000-08:00

I'm at TEDx San Diego today. You can watch along with me here, on the livestream, which should start running at around 8:30 AM PST/11:30 AM EST:

Watch live streaming video from tedxsandiego at livestream.com

I'm super excited about this - Martha Beck and Richard Dreyfuss are among the scheduled speakers today. But there are SO many more amazing people with awesome ideas, who'll be presenting as well.

Both my DH and I will be there, and tweeting from it (follow my twitter stream in the side bar - @raphaela235 and my DH is @lawmune). If you decide to watch parts of it, tweet us and tell us what you think about what you're hearing and seeing.

Have a great Saturday!

Smiling (OOTD)

2011-11-30T23:41:00.000-08:00

I'm sad to report that the weather in San Diego has turned. We've dipped back down to a chilly mid-60s range (yes, I know, we're total wimps), and we're supposed to get some really gusty winds today and tonight.

So, no more bare legs and sandals. But sweaters are once again totally acceptable in every regard.

This past Saturday was, as I mentioned in a previous post, Small Business Saturday. To do my part, I decided to go ahead and order the "Smile" t-shirt from Jedidiah, and as they also happen to be a locally-based San Diego company, I got my order delivered in record time. And I have to say, I love it - I love this t-shirt. The graphic quite literally makes me smile, and the cut is flattering (yes, even with t-shirts, cut matters) and buying it is helping to provide support to youth in need.

It's like a super shirt. A super cute shirt. *happiness*

Sweater: Mossimo Supply Co. Shawl Cardigan, Target

Top: Women's Smile T-shirt, Jedidiah

Pants: Stretch Twill Minnie, J. Crew

Shoes: Pink Studio (similar here, here, and here)

Kate wanted to come say hi. And as the timer was ticking down, she stood next to me, smiling up, as sweet and still as you could want. Then, about half a second before the camera actually shot the photo, she started dancing around.

Two year olds. ^_^

Hope you're having a great day! Thanks for reading!

Until Our Ships Come In (Holiday Gift Guide 2011)

2011-11-29T00:24:00.000-08:00

So, the truth of the matter is this: my Christmas gift list is too long (lots of family) for me to really splurge a lot on each present. I really really wish I could. Every year, I find myself wishing that I had the budget to pick up that "totally awesome thing that Person X would absolutely love!"

You know what I mean, right? Sometimes, the strain of gift-shopping is less about finding the right gift, and more about finding the right gift I can actually afford.

So, for those of us who are not part of the 1%, but who still want to find our loved ones things we really really think they might enjoy, find useful, or even - dare we hope? - love, here's a place to start. The next installment of the 2011 Holiday Gift Guide features things that are $45 or less. Not $100 or less, not even $50 or less (seriously, sometimes, that $5 really matters). $45. Or less.

Until Our Ships Come In:

1. Pieces Heavy Knit Snood: I love the cable. And the button. And the chunkiness. The color is great too - so earthy and warm. *happy sigh*

2. J. Crew Golden Stripe Bracelet: I love this - so chunky and elegant (funny how those two words can actually describe the same thing) with vintage flavor.

3. Bobbi Brown "Classic To Go" Palette: I think the name kind of says it all, don't you? Everything you need for an understated day-time look. A great gift for the make-up wary who secretly yearn to wear make-up. (You know who you are.)

4. By Design Nordic Sweater: So, yes, it's acrylic. And yes, it's from the Juniors department at Nordstrom. But I kind of love it! Stripes - delicious red and gray ones! And it's light enough to layer over and under other things. Oh, the possibilities!

5. Shining Time Statement Necklace: It's really pretty, and it tells time. *another happy sigh*

6. Rachel Rachel Roy Fair Isle Snood: This snood (hehe, that word makes me giggle everytime I see/hear/say it) comes in at the high end of our price range, when measured at full price. But if you act fast, you may be able to grab it at 30% off (not sure how long that promotion is going to last)! Which makes this a very affordable, but still super cute gift.

7. Iron Lace Earrings: On the one hand, I loved the idea of lace jewelry. You know, earrings and necklaces, and such. On the other hand, I didn't love that it was so...floppy, sometimes. Pretty pieces of lace don't always hold their shape when dangling from a single point, do they? These earrings solve that problem. So lovely.

8. Filigree with Joy Necklace: Both striking and lovely.

So, what do you think of our $45 and under list? Are you constrained by budget on how much you can spend on gifts, or is this the one time of year you throw caution to the wind and splurge on others? What do you think we should have included? Tell us below!

Oh the Weather Outside's...Delightful? (OOTD)

2011-11-27T22:11:00.000-08:00

I finally got my camera back! Yay!

Dress: Ihrin Dress, Anthropologie (similar here, here, and here)

Shoes: Wedge Sandals, Charles David (old - 2006? similar here and here)

Necklace: J. Crew (similar here, here, and here)

Watch: Michael Kors Crystal Chronograph (this is also cute, and love this one too!)

We're back home after a few days with family and friends in Orange County. Southern California is experiencing some unusually warm weather - sunny, with temps in the high 70s to low 80s, clear skies - which due to the occasional gusty breezes and dry heat lead me to think it's got something to do with the Santa Ana winds are at work. If it weren't for the shorter daylight hours, I would have thought we'd time-warped back to summer. Whatever it is, I'm not complaining, especially since it meant I could go out today in my new dress in bare legs and sandals.

I hope the sun is shining for you, wherever you may be. Have a great Monday!

For the Socially-Conscious Consumer (Holiday Gift Guide 2011)

2011-11-26T18:32:00.000-08:00

It's Small Business Saturday, everyone! I hope that during your pursuit of pretty and other cool things, you'll consider supporting a small business (they, along with working and middle class families are the backbone of America, after all!) today and throughout the year. As you well know, I, like many others, tend to patronize large businesses when I'm doing my shopping. I think this year, though, I'll make a strong effort to spend some of my hard-earned dollars at smaller businesses, so even though today is the actual Small Business Saturday, be ready to see that phrase pop up throughout 2012, as I explore small businesses in San Diego and wherever I may happen to be. Also, if you're a small business owner who thinks our readership might be interested in what you have to offer, shoot me an email. Maybe we can feature you here, in our small corner of 'net.

Until then, here's our next installment of the 2011 Holiday Gift Guide. This time around, we're looking out to give you some suggestions for gifting that socially-conscious and conscientious friend of yours (you know, the one who's always signing online petitions to save endangered species and fight human trafficking, re-tweeting Doctors Without Borders, and coming by to gather your canned goods for the local food drive? Yeah, we know him/her too. ^_^)

For the Socially-Conscious Consumer:

1. Future:Standard: Most of you have seen my posts regarding Future:Standard before. I love the concept of sustainable and socially-conscious clothing. I'm dying over the dress pictured above (the Mongolian Tweed Cocktail Dress). The Good: shop from this online women’s apparel retail shop that features solely humanitarian and environmentally-friendly brands and give back to 1% for the Planet.

2. Leoluca Handbags: Is it just me, or would that handbag (pictured above) look great with the tweed dress from Future:Standard? The Good: This high-end line of handbags is 100% designed, sourced and manufactured in the USA(which means they're helping support the employment and livelihoods of people who are being paid fair-trade wages, etc) from two California-based best friends.

3. MusiCares: We joke all the time about starving artists - but often forget that it's a reality for many who choose to enrich the lives of others through their art. The Good: MusiCares works to provide a social safety net for musicians and others who work in the music industry. Help a music-lover in your life show their appreciation. Purchase a T-shirt to support the efforts of the GRAMMY MusiCares Foundation.

4. Jedidiah: Some of you may remember when I won a t-shirt from this company via a Twitter contest a few weeks back. I love the tee, and even more, love the fact that all the proceeds of every sale goes to helping partner charities. The Good: Purchase any clothing item and help build an outreach center for homeless youth in NYC through StandUp for Kids. Also, on Black Friday – Cyber Monday, receive complimentary shipping and a complimentary gift with every purchase.

5. The Honest Kitchen: Are you an animal-lover? Do you count a furry, four-footed friend as a member of your family? Check out the range of healthy, high quality pet foods provided by this business. The Good: Purchase holiday treat packs of raw, wholesome foods for your pets and give back to a range of animal-focused charities through their Pawlanthropy program.

6. The Intersection Event: Is there a budding social entrepreneur on your list – or a busy executive who wants to learn how to use their business success to give back? Consider getting them tickets to The Intersection Event at Pixar Headquarters in January, feature speakers such as: actress and UNICEF ambassador, Susan Sarandon; technology expert and CTO of Walt Disney, Greg Brandeau; design connoisseur and CEO of IDEO, Tim Brown; the entrepreneurial founder of AOL, Steve Case; passionate leader and VP of Google, Marissa Mayer; social activist and SVP of World Vision International, Dr. Chris Pitt; computer scientist and President of Pixar Animation Studios, Dr. Ed Catmull and more.

7. GIVEN: Graphic tees are always an easy gift, and here's another source for some that help others while showing off great design. The Good: Purchase a T-shirt and help eliminate famine in the Horn of Africa. Men’s and women’s available. Supports World Vision.

8. The Paradigm Project: You could go to the local big-box store and buy any number of attractive ornaments that are perfectly serviceable for decorating your tree. But imagine one that would actually change the lives of an entire family? The Good: Purchase a Christmas Tree ornament and a stove will be given to a family in Africa, saving $280 of local income, 1,300 hours of time, 33 trees and a 60% reduction of toxic smoke inside their home.

9. Rain Tees: Is there a tree-hugger in your life? Or even a kid who likes to climb trees, play in the shade of trees, or has found refuge in the branches of a tree? Then consider getting them a shirt that stands in solidarity with trees - and the good of all living things on the planet. The Good: Purchase a T-shirt and plant a tree in an area of deforestation.

10. Phoenix Activewear: We all make those resolutions. You can help your friends and family take a step closer to actually fulfilling them. The Good: For the gym-lover on your list, shop this line of activewear that is 100% designed, sources and manufactured in the USA (jobs, jobs, jobs. 'nuff said).

Hope those gave you some good gift ideas (heh, sorry, sometimes I can't help myself). There are lots of other great small businesses working to promote positive change in the world - if you know of one you think people should consider, tell us about 'em below!

For the Digital Denizen (Holiday Gift Guide 2011)

2011-11-25T17:04:00.000-08:00

Happy Black Friday, everyone! Hoping you all had a great Thanksgiving, and a productive "first day of the holiday shopping season." I went out to a local Anthropologie with my sister, sister-in-law, and good friend for their Black Friday sale at 6 AM, and well...it was a crazy madhouse sort of experience, but still fun, in it's own wacky way. My SIL, who is not a shopper, actually found a couple of items she looked amazing in, which was great! I'm hoping I can persuade her to guest post about her experience, as I think her perspective would be an amusing and interesting one.

I snagged an Ihrin Shirtdress (there's not been a shirtdress made that I've felt able to turn down...) and a Bojagi Pullover, which is appropriate both culturally (see past Anthro Primer post here) and wardrobe-ly. ^_-

I was less successful finding gifts for some of the folks on my gift list - sometimes it can be really challenging to find the right present for someone on the fly, like that. I did pick up a couple things for people on my list, but the vast majority of my gifts for holiday recipients are still pending. And really, as much as I like to think the peeps on my list will appreciate a carefully chosen Anthro item as much as I would, I know that for some of them, nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, for those who spend a good portion of their lives tapped into a digital space, they might prefer gifts with a different kind of functionality.

So, here it is - the next installment of our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide.

For the Digital Denizen in Your Life:

1a. Marc Jacobs Crossbody iPad Case: For the tech-happy fashionista in your life, here's an iPad case that looks like...well, not an iPad case. If I didn't know better, I'd think this were a super adorable handbag. Quilting? Chain strap? Will carry and protect my mobile devices? Can you really ask for more?

1b. Burberry iPad Cover: Here's an iPad cover that says, classic, sophisticated, and well-connected (digitally-speaking, anyway).

1c. J. Crew Printed iPad Case: Chic and easy on the pocket-book. Love the leopard!

1d. Kate Spade iPad Sleeve: Executed in Ms. Spade's trademark quirky, tongue-in-cheek style.

2. Evernote Premium: Evernote is one of the premiere organizational apps currently available. It's incredibly simple to use and can help you organize and keep track of all the various bits and pieces of data floating around in your head. This cloud-based program allows you to save anything you see, hear, think, or find interesting. You can load it across all your devices, allowing you to access your "notebooks" across platforms. Notes (which can contain text, documents, audio files, images, pdfs, webpages, articles, etc.) can be linked to each other, shared out to everyone via social media or with a single individual. Everything you store in your notebooks is searchable - even the text in images! For more confidential data, there are security features available. Try the free version if you've never used it yet, but if you have a friend or loved one on your holiday list who's trying to juggle 1-5 different lives and rely heavily on their mobile device(s), this might be a special treat for them.

3. Spotify Premium: When I first downloaded and tried out the free Spotify app, I wondered, "How can they do this???" It seemed, essentially, to be a music player much like my iTunes, only...with just about any song or album I wanted to listen to, not just the ones I own. For those of you who are wondering, it's different from Pandora, because it requires - and therefore allows - you to choose your own playlist. Why buy the premium version? Well, first of all, it's commercial free (I hate the commercials. Seriously seriously hate the commercials in the free version), allows you unlimited amounts of (extra high quality) streaming music, let's you use spotify on your mobile devices, and also maintain offline playlists. So, basically, it's a subscription to their enormous music catalog, to take with you, wherever, and listen to, whenever. How enormous? Well, big enough that between my DH and I, we've yet to look for a song or album that we couldn't find (minus certain known band/label holdouts).

4. Eye-Fi Pro X2 8 GB Class 6 SDHC Wireless Flash Memory Card EYE-FI-8PC - Do you have a blogger or photographer on your holiday gift list? Consider this - a memory card that not only stores photos and videos (as usual), but wirelessly uploads them (RAW or JPEG formats) to your computer. I know. It's like, whaaa---?

5. Dropbox Pro - Because sometimes, 2 GB (free version) of cloud-based file storage and sharing just isn't enough.

6a-b. Abbi New York Computer Bags - So, six years ago, when I bought my first Macbook, I also purchased my first computer bag, and I wanted it to be cute. Functional and cute. No black, no nylon, no backpack, thank you very much. I found the answer in Abbi New York, who created fantastically cute, feminine, highly usable (well padded with room for other stuff - notebooks, file folders, my wallet, etc), and really reasonably priced (under $200!) computer bags. I purchased the Valerie, featured in the image above. I carry it to this day, and still receive compliments on it, even now. You can too...if you live in Japan. When I did a quick search of Abbi New York on the web, I found that even though this is an American company, based out of NYC, they only seem to be selling in Japan!!! This is too sad for words, because I really want the style featured in the image above (6b) as well. Maybe if we all ask very nicely, they'll sell and send to us here in the States, and elsewhere too (check out their really outstanding collection of computer bags at this link)? In the meantime, you might want to also check out this Marc by Marc Jacobs computer bag, this other Marc by Marc Jacobs computer bag, this Kenneth Cole Reaction Computer Tote, or this Nine West Computer Tote.

So, what do you think? What else should I have included? And what did you score this Black Friday?

For the Analog-Aficionado (Holiday Gift Guide 2011)

2011-11-23T02:28:00.001-08:00

It's holiday shopping time! I don't know about you, but I love holiday shopping. Sure, I don't love the crowds, the maddeningly disordered stores and displays, or having to wrap box after box afterwards. But I do love making up my lists, researching through catalogs, magazines, and blogs for gift suggestions, and finding that "just right" gift for someone on my list. Last year, we wanted to provide a gift guide, but just didn't get around to it, due to poor planning, etc. This year, though, I decided it'd be a good way to ease into my own holiday shopping.

And besides, it's an excuse to come up with random "types" of people for whom we may be shopping.

So, without further ado, here's the first part of the In Pursuit of Pretty Things 2011 Holiday Gift Guide.

For the Analog-Aficionado in Your Life:

1. Paper Flavor Stationery - Made of paper! For use with pens and pencils! Can be placed in the post! - and the illustrations from Paper Flavor are ridiculously cute. I've already ordered the Nerd Girl thank you cards for myself (glasses! - if you do something nice for me, expect to receive one soon!). You can get $20 off an order of personalized holiday cards with the promo code: PFELVES20.

2. Orla Kiely Small Journals - Like #1, also made of paper! Can be used with pens and pencils, and used to store notes, ideas, and other outpourings of the self, without fear of hard-drive failure! Added bonus - pretty covers featuring Orla Kiely designs we've all come to know and love.

3. Moleskine Volant Notebook Ruled: Set of 2 - These slim little notebooks come in a variety of colors (I favor the pink and green shades myself...) and are perfect for slipping into your handbag (you can pretty much count on me having one in my purse at any given time). Comes in handy for lists, taking notes, and jotting down thoughts and ideas. The last few pages of each book are perforated, so that you can easily tear out sheets, should you wish to pass a note to someone else. Comes in super handy when dining out, and the kids need to be entertained - the tear-out sheets are great for drawing on, creating paper hats, folding origami, etc.

4. SE 11 Function Credit Card Size Survival Pocket Tool - It isn't just the guys who need to be prepared. And this one, with it's slim profile and discreet case, won't leave you feeling like you're lugging around a tool box.

5. Crosley CR40 Mini-Turntable (Red) - I know that technology has rendered listening to music via digital formats super high fidelity, but I actually love the crackling static that accompanies listening to music on vinyl. There's something just so...comforting about the sound. Sort of like memories of riding my bike - the pink one with the banana seat and white plastic basket adorned with three plastic daisies - down the street when I was 9 yrs old, with my little sister sitting on the back around my neighborhood. Or eating coconut-pineapple ice cream from Thrifty's. Oh, and I love the mid-century modern aesthetic of this particular turntable.

6. Lomography Diana Mini- 35mm Camera - It's a camera that uses film that isn't disposable! Remember these? (I suppose if you're under 25, you actually might not...which is a little mortifying for me....) Anyway, you know the hipstamatic and instagram apps that are so popular right now for their "retro film processing" looks? This is the original - sort of. It uses 35mm, rather than the better known medium format - but look. If you've never used actual film before, it's better to start off slow. ^_-

7. Hermes Cape Cod GM Watch - So, they say you can tell the difference between a Gen X-er or older and a Gen Y-er or younger, by whether or not someone is wearing a wrist watch to actually tell time with, as opposed to wearing one as an accessory. I happen to have been born in a year that sits at the boundary of the X & Y, so I like to wear a watch to tell time and as an accessory. The Hermes Cape Cod GM, with its Swiss-made Quartz movement and silver dial, double-tour barenia calf-skin strap, satisfies both sets of requirements.

That's the first installment of our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide - what did I leave off, that should have been included? And are you checking out the Anthropologie sale today?

That Time of Year (OOTDs)

2011-11-22T18:36:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year, everyone. And no, I'm not talking about holiday-shopping season...though it's that time of year too (more on that later).

I'm talking about the holiday eating season.

And I have to say, I've gotten a head-start. These past few weeks, so packed with work-related stress means that I've been eating badly - fast food in a rush, or skipping some meals entirely, then gorging at the next, or comfort eating (mmm, bread and butter, french fries, Halloween candy). And being super busy with work has meant I haven't had any time to get out and participate in my favorite form of exercise: mall-walking.

It's been...unfortunate. I've gained about 4-5 lbs. (Okay, so that sounds lame, but it's enough to make the waists on pants & skirts feel tight.)

Which may not seem a lot, unless you're 5'2". You petite ladies understand, right? The extra weight shows up extra fast when you're on the shorter side. Less room for it to spread around, you see.

And it doesn't help that we're coming up on Thanksgiving this week. Not to mention that everywhere I go, I'm confronted by abundant displays of holiday treats and goodies. Sometimes, it's like the world is conspiring against me.

It's been over a week since our last post, and well...we'll talk more about why later. The good news is that my work life is easing up - at least in one work-intensive aspect - and hopefully that means I'll have more juice left in my reserves to post on a more regular basis. On the other hand, I was in Orange County a couple weeks ago, visiting family and meeting friends, and...I left my camera at my mom's house.

*Cue cries of dismay and great gnashing of teeth*

Anyway, I've only got a few, iPhone-snapped OOTDs to share with you, that I happened to take (or ask my husband to take) when I had the opportunity. And as they span a period of about three weeks, you can see me slowly put on the pounds....

What I wore a few weekends ago:

Shirt: J. Crew Factory, 2009 (similar here and here)

Sweater: Sweet Cables Pullover, Anthropologie (similar here, here, and here)

Pants: AG Stilt Skinny Jeans

Shoes: Tod's Lace-up Boots

Necklace: Kate Spade 'Hang in There' Necklace (on sale here! Similar here, here, and here)

And a couple weekends ago:

Remember those extra pounds I mentioned...? Well, here's what I wore this last weekend (and I blame that ridiculous grin on my husband, who was helping me by taking the photo with my iPhone, but also making me laugh, so that I'd look, "more natural":

Shirt: Perfect Shirt in Medium Gingham, J. Crew

Sweater: Fisherman Sweater, J. Crew (more colors available in-store)

Skirt: Trina Turk Ponte Knit Boot Skirt

Tights: Frenchi Tights, Nordstrom (similar here and here)

Shoes: Indigo by Clarks (similar here and here)

There were, of course, many more outfits in the past few weeks - some of them quite good! - but without a camera and precious little time, I didn't document them at all. So sorry for that - these are slim pickings, I know.

Coming up over the next week, I'll be posting some gift guides to help you with the already-here holiday shopping season. Regarding the holiday eating season...well, good luck to all of us with that.

Thanks for reading!

Kate & Anthro (Mini Fitting-Room-Reviews)

2011-11-14T02:03:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year! The time of year that Anthropologie releases its holiday selection of ridiculously cute clothing for small children. This past weekend, I visited Anthro and can you believe I'd actually forgotten that these items might be in-store?

I know, I know...have I mentioned that work's been crazy lately?

So, here we go. Without any further ado, some Kate-sized fitting room reviews:

Malted Tweed Cardigan & Tussie Mussie Skirt:

Laughing at Mom's efforts to snap a non-blurry photo of her....

Kate's wearing a size 2T in both the skirt and top. While I totally loved the Tussie Mussie Skirt - it was huge on her. The skirt was practically falling off her hips, and if you look closely at the photo below, you'll see her diaper is peeking up over the waist of the skirt. Kate is on the petite side - I think at her last check-up, she measured in at around the 50th percentile for height and 25th percentile for weight - so take my review of sizing with that in mind. I will say, however, that up 'til now, I haven't ever found a 2T sized item that she couldn't wear - and well, I'll put it right out there. This skirt? She couldn't wear it. Not unless I pinned the waist to shorten it some. The good news about the larger sizing is that if I did buy it (which I hope to, eventually), she'd be able to wear it for at least two years. Wishlisted for sale time (second cut).

The Malted Tweed Cardigan is by far my favorite-est thing Kate tried on that day. Again, she's wearing the size 2T, and it fit her pretty much perfectly. Note that the sleeves hit at her wrist, and I'm going to guess that by next year, this sweater might be "short" on her arms. It's beautifully made, from a soft, nubby wool blend, and the ribbon is too cute for words. Its double-layered bubble-hem effect is created by the fact that when unfolded and laid flat, this sweater is all one piece. The inner layer is like a vest, with buttons and no sleeves. The outer, "top" layer has the sleeves and closes via ribbon. I absolutely love this sweater - there's something so classic and When We Were Young-Christopher Robin about it, if you get what I mean. It's reamingly expensive for something Kate won't be able to wear for more than a few months (basically costs as much as a full-priced grown-up dress), so I'd really only be able to consider it on second cut. Fingers crossed, and wishlisted for sale!

Swish! Swish!

Sweetest Pup Cardigan & Twisty Tulle Bubble Skirt:

Again, Kate is wearing size 2T in the sweater and skirt. First, the skirt. Totally confusing and weird. The two things that occurred to me as I observed Kate in these items were, 1) my 2 year old does NOT need to be wearing a mini skirt - ever, and 2) did I get this on her correctly? On the hanger, it sort of hung...well, straight. But once I pulled it up to her waist, it was doing this weird twisty thing, and while I'm well aware that it's behavior is reflected in its name, I couldn't help thinking maybe it was me? That if I could get it on her correctly, and not quite so twisty, it wouldn't be as short? (See model shot here, on the product page for comparison.) I tried, truly, to straighten it out and lengthen it. No luck. Also, there's an interesting bow/tulle appliqué that's cute in theory, but once on the child, really just looks like a mess. I couldn't get this off her fast enough. Absolute pass for me.

The cardigan features a darling critter print and interesting tulle ruffle down the button placket, and some tulle appliqués in the shapes of flowers (practically invisible) on the side. Not my favorite, but I didn't hate it either. I don't think I'd pay $88 for it. Wishlisted for further consideration at sale time.

Dotty Little Frock:

Kate has a darling liaMolly dress from last year, which she still wears, that reminds me of this dress, in terms of general shape and cut. Like last year, I find that her current size, 2T, is far too big for her, but unlike last year's dress, this one's cut is not nearly as flattering for her toddler-shape. Kate doesn't have a waist to speak of at this point, though she does have the most adorably (and age-appropriate) round belly. The waist-tie seems to actually be shooting for the waist, and maybe if she was, say, three inches taller, it'd work. Also, in terms of fit, the neck-hole was too small. Kate does have a larger head, but really, this was kind of ridiculous. I barely got it on her, and had it been a smidge more difficult, I would have given up, as continuing to try to get the dress on over her head might have caused injury. So, fit considerations aside, I still have to say I was disappointed by this offering - I really love liaMolly and was hoping to pick up at least one, if not more dresses for Kate from this brand, as we've had such a good experience with last year's dress. The color and patterns were really pretty, but I found the bow and high neckline fussy looking and the flared cap sleeves slightly awkward. Definite pass on this dress for me, but hoping to find the Flitter and Flutter Dress for Kate to try soon. I think that one could be a winner! Fingers crossed!

That's it for now. Thanks for reading, and have a great Monday!

Happy Weekend! (Random fun)

2011-11-12T10:06:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! How are you? Doing well, I hope. I'm sorry I've been away for so long. It's positively criminal to treat a blog this way. I do apologize.

That being said, I've been teeming with things I've been wanting to share with you, but every time I sit down to write up something, 1) life interferes (usually in the form of my children) or 2) I remember that I'm still underwater with work (and will probably continue to be 'til the end of next week) and all of my energy and momentum drain away.

So, I've decided that I'm just going to start posting bits and pieces, even if there isn't a lot of context for them. Just because I've been wanting to share with you, and if I keep waiting, they'll all slip through the sieve of my mind and never see the light of day again. For instance, this infographic (I love infographics. They're usually so cleverly designed and generally have good information/insights. Some of them are just rubbish - all flash, no substance - but even those are interesting to look at, just for their structure. Okay, sorry - see? All these thoughts. Teeming! Spilling out all over the post. It's like blogger-Tourette's!) - I know it really has nothing to do with the sort of content we usually post - but it made me 1) chuckle and 2) groan inwardly (wow, are you Brits passive-aggressive or what?) and well...now I'll think twice when one of you tells me something I've done is "quite good."

Source

Okay, so I'm going to go work on another post now. (One with pretty clothes in it!) It's all about the small wins, sometimes, right?

xo!

Inspiration from a Duchess (A Quickie Review)

2011-11-11T00:45:00.000-08:00

Greetings and salutations!

It's been awhile, eh? My apologies for the extended absence. I hope you're all well!

As it turns out, while Carol was on the search for the perfect coat, I was channel-surfing when I caught a glimpse of the Duchess of Cambridge in a gorgeous red coat that made me drool:

It's embarrassing to say, but I've always had kind of a thing for stuff celebrities wear. It's a total guilty pleasure, and I peruse those "what they wore" articles like nobody's business.

So when I saw Kate Middleton in that red L.K. Bennett coat? Aiyiyi. It was love. Love!

...but it was a problem. Because the coat (called the "Ami" coat, by L.K. Bennett) is sold out in my size.

Gah.

And so began my internet search for a similar-ish red coat. Which led me to head to the mall to track down this one, by Express...

Wool Blend Long Fit and Flare Coat

I'm wearing a Small, and I'm not 100% certain but I'm pretty sureI love this. Since I can't have Kate's awesome coat, I'm thinking this one might do. It's got a nice fit, and the description really is apt - it fits and it really does flare. I mean it really kinda adds a little badonkadonk, amirite? But - honest question - is it a bad type of badonkadonk? Or is it possible to live with?

Or is it just that I have a prominent bandonkadonk?

I have so many questionz!

The flap pockets are fake. They're just there for show. There are hidden seam pockets located below them.

Here's me, channeling my inner Duchess - by...adding a belt (because belts totally translate to mean "Duchess"):

The length is not as long as the L.K. Bennett coat, but this Express coat currently on sale for 30% off. And I do like the big black buttons.

Maybe I look a little too "Little Red Riding Hood"...but...I don't care. I like it.

What do you think? Is it a decent replacement for a coat I can't find?

Anyway, I hope you're all well...take care, and thanks for stopping by!

xoxo

The Search for the Perfect Winter Coat (And Pssst! Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale Starts Tomorrow!)

2011-11-01T19:09:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! How are you all, this first fine day of November? Doing well, I hope. In case you didn't already know, tomorrow (November 2nd) is the start of the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale for Women and Children. I'll definitely be scoping out the kids' departments for some cool-weather items (Mini Boden!) for Rowan and Kate, and in spite of the really lovely weather we're experiencing here in San Diego (currently, daytime temps in the mid-70s), I'm on the search for a good everyday jacket/coat. Something I can dress up or throw on over jeans and a tee. You know.

The holy grail of winter outerwear.

It seems to me that this shouldn't be all that hard - finding a coat you can kind of wear with everything. But for some reason, outerwear, almost more than any other type of clothing, seems to be persnickety about what I'm now going to call, opportunity orientation (yes, I did make up that phrase, and no, it has nothing to do with what you're thinking - this is a PG-13-rated blog, thanks very much - our Twitter feeds in the sidebar, notwithstanding). By which I mean the range of opportunities for which any item of clothing may be deemed appropriate.

It's even harder to find the right type of outerwear for someone living in a place like San Diego. Because face it, while we whine with the best of 'em about how cold it gets during the winter (otherwise known as the period between December and February, where temperatures are known to drop into - gasp! - the 40s), we really don't need the type of cold weather outerwear that say, our friends in the Northeast (my sympathies on your recent record-breaking snowstorm & resulting power-outages!) may require. Having spent a few years living in upstate New York, I am acutely aware of the difference. So, that being said, I'm also looking for a winter coat that's warm enough to keep me snug should the weather dip down into the high 30s and 40s, but light enough to just keep the chill off, when we're looking at the mid-60s.

Hey, I have been living here (San Diego) for a few years. It's scary how fast your body acclimates to temperature differences. The low 60s really can be chilly!

So, with that in mind (along with the Double Points I can earn during the first few days of the Half-Yearly Sale, I perused Nordstrom's selection, and here's what caught my eye:

Elie Tahari Wool Coat with Fox Fur Trim

This coat is so lovely - despite the real fur trim - that I keep looking at it. Unfortunately, it's not really what I need (want being something completely different of course) - that kind of pale, winter white is just asking for dirt smudges & staining (I am the mother of two children - one a toddler and one very partial to activities that bring his hands into contact, well...winter-white-coat-staining-things. Should I somehow grow up to become a wealthy Russian aristocrat, this coat (with a faux fur collar, thanks) would totally be a contender. Until that day, I'll keep admiring it from afar.

Laundry by Shelli Segal Wool Blend Anorak

Early in the pre-fall season, I came across this Burberry coat. I love it. Love, love, love. Unfortunately, I don't have $1000 to spend on a winter jacket (I know, shocking, right?). So, barring that, this Laundry by Shelli Segal Anorak comes pretty close to the Burberry version, except for that faux fur lining - which, happily is detachable (yay, buttons!). And, at under $300, is so much closer to my actual budget. Only concerns? It could be too casual. Also, it could be too big. It looks sort of biggish on this model, who we all know is probably at least 7" taller than me. What do you think? And how much does it matter that it's only available in navy?

Burberry Brit Check Pattern Jacket

Okay, I just think this jacket is adorable. It's sort of quirky with that empire waist and gathered lower panel. The wool blend fabric and lining mean that it's probably the perfect weight for a SoCal winter. It also looks like I could both throw it on over dressier, work-appropriate outfits, or jeans and a tshirt. There is a print, so it's less versatile in that regard, but it's a pretty neutral color, so I'd say it's still pretty wearable with a large range of things in my closet.

The hold-up? The price. Be forewarned, those of you who click on the link to see the product page. Burberry packs a mean punch, when it comes to sticker-shock.

Burberry Brit Double Breasted Coat

Yes, I know, yet another Burberry coat. "Really, Carol, you've got to get a grip," I can imagine you saying. Well, the good news is, this one is on sale. Which means it's still in the range of a higher-priced J. Crew coat. But, again, it hits all my points - will work over dressier work looks (possibly even standing in for a blazer in a pinch), good over jeans and a tshirt, black, so pretty much will play well with everything in my winter wardrobe. It also looks to be a good weight for San Diego winter months, and will hold up well under the stress of small hands, feet, and bodies. So far, it's the one I like the look of best. But even on sale, it's still a little more than I want to spend.

What about you? Have you found your Perfect Winter Coat yet? What are you considering? Share below!

Halloween Greetings

2011-10-31T01:27:00.000-07:00

Hello, friends! Can you believe it's the last day of October? Halloween? No, me neither. This whole month feels like it just slipped from beneath my fingertips somehow. In fact, the past few weeks flew by in such a blur of hectic activity, we didn't get our Halloween pumpkins until...well...last night.

(Seriously, it was one of those months where you keep thinking you'll have time to get to that later, and before you know it, later turns into four days ago, and oh crap, tomorrow's Halloween and we don't even have candy to give out to trick-or-treaters yet!)

Have you ever been to a pumpkin patch (not the real kind - more the "pop-up" type that appears in random deserted spaces and/or suburban parking lot) the night before Halloween? It's a little...surreal. Of course, when you get down to it, all of it's just downright kitschy and strange. But seriously, hanging out in a picked-over, empty-ish pumpkin patch in the late evening?

Totally feels like you're in some kooky indie film. (Or a horror movie, but I vastly prefer the former to the latter, thank you. So, we're going with that one...)

Carnival-like atmosphere...only not...

When you're 2 and 6, it doesn't matter whether the setting is strange. You're just super excited that you're finally getting pumpkins! Rowan spent the better part of a half-hour, examining every last pumpkin in the patch, before choosing the one he wanted. Kate...well, she spent that time, just being Kate.

Gratuitous and sort of requisite image of really weird gourds. Just out of curiosity, anyone know if these things are even edible?

I've got my fingers crossed that sooner than later, we'll be back to our more regular (frequent) posting habits. In the meantime, hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween!

Happy Birthday, Mommy

2011-10-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

October 28, 2010

Just popping in to wish a very happy birthday to my beautiful mother.

I am so grateful she's here to spend it with us.

Treasure your loved ones, always.

xoxo

bbiab (Quick Snap OOTD)

2011-10-23T00:59:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to drop by and say hey.

...as opposed to "heyyyyy," which would indicate a significant amount of alcohol intake...which, at this point, I feel like I could really use because:

My husband and I were involved in a minor 3-car fender bender on the freeway
I experienced mild whiplash as a result
I've had a million meetings for work lately
I've been stressed out due to these meetings

As can be expected, I've been taking refuge from the daily grind through...hockey. Which is kind of funny, because hockey will only be a good refuge when my team is doing well.

So I guess it's a good thing they went and won four games in a row.

...yes, it's embarrassing to admit that I've had a fair amount of my days made or ruined based on how my team does.

Anyway, Saturday was "FaceOff Fest"...an event where fans (mostly season ticket holders) got to watch practice, tour the locker room, ice skate in the arena...and get autographs and take photos with the team.

This is what I decided to wear... (ugh, apologies for the poor quality photo)

James Perse off-the-shoulder top

(mine is SUPER old but it's held up well!, similar, modern version here)

Forever 21 Skinnies (similar-ish here)

H&M Necklace (similar here)

Matrushka Construction Earrings

Me Too "Paige" Flat (on sale! woo!)

These flats were something I had my eye on during the Anniversary Sale that I decided to pass on, and as soon as the sale was over I decided I wanted them after all. Oops. Well, good thing they eventually ended up going on sale again. Because these puppies are comfy for a pointy-toed shoe. And there's just something that feels so chic about a pointy-toed shoe, no? AND...(the best part) I had Nordstrom Notes from my Anniversary Sale purchases that went toward buying these shoes.

I love Nordstrom Notes and Nordstrom Notes love me.

#winning

The necklace was something I had spied on Rosa of Love at First Shop here. However, when I went to my local H&M, they only had two necklaces left and they were both broken. I politely asked the manager if I would be able to take parts of the two necklaces to make one non-broken necklace. She said to go ahead and give it my best shot and then basically gave me the necklace for pennies.

Woo! Pennies!

...it's the little things you have to treasure, when you're under a crap load of stress.

And, since no Kathryn-authored post that mentions hockey would be complete without some sort of hockey-related photo, here's one I snapped during practice today, of the Ducks' current backup goalie, Dan Ellis:

(you can't really tell from this sweaty photo, but he's actually rather handsome in person)

Okay...well, I'm hoping things will slow down a little bit soon and I can be back to my regular, irregular posting schedule. Until next time!

Thanks for reading!

xoxo

It's Been Quite The Week...(checking in & an OOTD)

2011-10-21T22:35:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! So sorry to have been away for so long. Both Kathryn and I have been dealing with really very busy weeks at work.

In fact, we're not quite sure we're in the clear yet.

It doesn't rain, but it pours. (Apparently, even here in Southern California.)

I actually wore a handful of pretty fun outfits this past week, and Kathryn reported this was also the case for her. Sadly, neither of us had the time to snap photos of them. In fact, the outfit below is one I shot a few weeks back, but never posted, because I thought it was too boring.

Bear with us. We're hoping that in a week (or a month) or so, we'll be back to programming as usual.

Top: Cotton blouse, Colors of Benetton (super old; similar here and here)

Skirt: Anthropologie (similar here, here, and just for swoon's sake: here)

Belt: Looping Lanes Belt, Anthropologie (similar here and here)

Shoes: Platform Clog Sandals, Givency (similar here and here)

So, what about the rest of you? How was your week? Hopefully, less frantic than mine?

Working It: What's Your Type? (OOTD)

2011-10-15T14:39:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Hope you're all having a great weekend. It was a light posting week for us here - work has been super busy for me, but I have to say, it's also been pretty exciting. I'm starting to feel recharged and excited about what I'm doing, which is a really great feeling.

For all of us, regardless of our chosen occupations - be it full-time professional, working mom, stay-at-home mom, part-timer, or student (haha, some of us are quite gifted at making an entire career of this ^_-) it matters that what you're doing resonates with you and aligns itself to 1) your goals and values, and 2) your temperament, talents, and other more intrinsic attributes. While neither of these things are particularly fixed or static, it helps to be able to get a snapshot of what they are to help us better assess what may or may not be working for us in finding satisfaction and meaning in our jobs.

There are a lot of tools out there that can help you do this, and I'll be mentioning at least a couple of them in this series. The first - and one of the best known - is the Myers-Brigg Type Indicator (MBTI). Based on the work of Carl Jung, it seeks to measure and identify the psychological preferences of individuals that influence how they see the world and make decisions. The MBTI sorts these preferences into four dichotomous pairs (Extraversion or Introversion, Sensing or Intuition, Thinking or Feeling, and Judgment or Perception), resulting in a total of 16 possible types. These types aren't totally fixed, and in some people, can change over the years.

If you don't know your type yet, you can take a free online version of the test here. For more information about the different types and how they see/interact with the world, there's a pretty good website on it here. Also, if you want to read more in-depth on the Myers-Brigg types and how they interact with each other, I recommend David Kiersey's Please Understand Me II: Temperament, Character, Intelligence. It's fascinating stuff (if you find this sort of thing fascinating. Clearly, I do).

So my type? I'm an ENFP - extraversion, intuition, feeling, and perception. I love being around and with people. I'm pretty darn idealistic - and I'm usually pretty vocal about it. I'm fairly open-minded, and find interest in a variety of issues, ideas, and content areas. I'm also more messy than neat, more likely to be diplomatic or spare someone's feelings, than be blunt and (harshly) truthful, easily distracted (because everything is interesting!), impulsive, and goofy. I hate routine, repetitive tasks (housekeeping is anathema!) and love big ideas (hence my fangirl tendencies about TED).

Top: Silk Blouse, Ports 1961 (similar here, here, and here)

Pants: Wide-leg denim trousers, Tory Burch
Necklace: Hang In There Glasses Pendant, Kate Spade
Shoes: Platform Clog Sandals, Givenchy
Watch: Crystal Chronograph Watch, Michael Kors (and on sale here!)

So, what about you? What's your type?

The Art of Fashion: Timken Museum of Art

2011-10-12T00:19:00.000-07:00

On the last weekend of September, I had the opportunity to attend the fourth annual Art of Fashion at the Timken Museum of Art, here in San Diego's Balboa Park. The Art of Fashion is a collaboration between the Timken and Fashion Careers College (FCC). Students from FCC are invited to use art from the Timken's permanent collection as inspiration for clothing designs. Their designs are then showcased, in front of the art that inspired them, at the Art of Fashion. Proceeds from the Art of Fashion benefited the Timken Museum's art education programs.

Here are some of the amazing pieces created by the designers, worn by models, and sometimes posed with the designers themselves (please note this is a very photo-heavy post):

Art: Bartolomeo Veneto, Portrait of a Lady in a Green Dress
Designer: Suzanne Lemasters

This ensemble is one of the six that were selected for exhibition at the Timken during the month of October.

Art: Philippe de Champaigne, Christ Healing the Blind
Designer: Sharlene Borromeo

The designer incorporated some very literal translations of imagery from the painting, into this dress. The bodice is made up of mountain peaks and aqueduct archways wrap around the waist.

Detail of hair and makeup; by Salon on 30th

The makeup on this model was so beautiful, I had to get a close-up of it, to share with you. Just amazing!

Art: Francois Clouet, Guy XVII, Comte de Laval
Designer: Charise Noelle Crawford

The designer of this outfit (somehow the word "outfit" seems inadequate, but I don't know what else I should be calling them) made the feathered headpiece herself. I loved the softness and texture it lent an otherwise simple and almost austere ensemble.

Art: Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, View of Volterra
Designer: Jasmine Johnson

I loved the back of this dress - it evoked the landscape featured in the painting perfectly, and the sheen of the fabrics really brought out the richness of foliage and rushing water beautifully.

Art: Benjamin West, Fidelia and Speranza
Designer: Camille Lim

There was something so elegant, simple, yet lush about this dress, that it caught my eye over and over again. Just beautiful!

Art: Raphael Peale, Cutlet and Vegetables
Designer: Jeffrey Parish

As weird as this dress is, it was definitely one of my favorites. The use of the red printed fabric to evoke the marbling of meat was just brilliant.

Art: Francois Boucher, Lovers in a Park
Designer: Hellen Magni Nitschke

This dress seemed to be a guest favorite, the night of the event, drawing lots of attention throughout the evening.

Art: Petrus Christus, Death of the Virgin
Designer: Heather Panetti

I thought this dress captured a playfulness in its shape and length that I really liked. And can I say I love how the designer coordinated her own outfit to the dress she created and the painting that inspired it?

Art: Frans Hals, Portrait of a Man
Designer: Ashley Tipton

This number grabbed a lot of attention with its dramatic "ruff" that was inspired by the stiff ruffled collar worn by the gentleman in the painting. There was something rather insect-like, about it, and I have to confess that I was seized with the desire to see what would happen should the dress be caught in a strong gale. Made me think of Theo Jansen's works (which I love).

Art: Kazan Mother of God
Designer: Arturo Mendez

This gown took up nearly the entire room that it was displayed in - the train was that long. I loved the colors here, and there was some really beautiful detailing at the high waist, with some sort of lace applique layered beneath the waistband. But my favorite thing about this was the shawl-like vest she's wearing over the dress. It was really gorgeous.

Tables in the galleries.

Along with the artwork and fashion, there was also a charity auction taking place, and lovely drinks and refreshments being served. I think this may be the only time I've ever eaten in an art museum...you know...nibbling on tasty hors d'oeuvres and sipping champagne while admiring paintings... (which leads me to this other sort of random thought - the Timken would probably be a fantastic venue for a smaller (but really nice) wedding).

Seating area on the patio. The Timken Museum opens in the back to the Lily Pond and other museums and buildings.

My own outfit for the evening.

Twilight over the Prado

Overall, it was a gorgeous event and I'm so glad I was able to attend. If you're local to San Diego or happen to be in town, I highly recommend you check out the Timken - it's a small, intimate sort of museum, and it has a really beautiful collection, which I am looking forward to perusing at leisure, sometime in the future. Admission to the museum is always free too, which is an added bonus, and as I mentioned before, some of the designs from Art of Fashion will be on exhibit during the month of October.

Thanks for reading!

Thread Show - A Quick Reminder

2011-10-07T23:43:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! I just wanted to give a quick reminder to all our San Diego and other SoCal locals that the Thread Show is this Sunday, from noon to 5 PM (starts at 11 AM for those holding VIP tickets, which are $25). The cost of attendance is $5, but I have two extra tickets, if you still want to attend. Please email me (carol.prettythings [at] gmail.com) ASAP to let me know, as I'm trying to finalize plans with everyone.

I have to say, the more I hear about this event, the more excited I am. An Anthropologie sweater designer, Lia Molly will be there, as will Jedidiah and of course, one of my favorites, Future:Standard. There are also supposed to be over one hundred other fashion, jewelry, and accessories designers in attendance, which is really exciting too. It was just covered in San Diego Magazine, and it sounds like it's going to be a serious blast.

Oh, and if you're coming, you might want to know there will also be a clothing swap, for those who want to trade their own clean, gently used clothes for those of others - that sounds like it could a really fun and budget-conscious way to get some fresh looks in your closet. The details for the clothing swap can be found at the bottom of this page.

Yay! I can't wait, and am looking forward to spending a fun afternoon shopping and hanging out with some of you. Hope to see you there! ^_^

Working It: What's In Me - and You (New Feature and an OOTD)

2011-10-07T07:49:00.000-07:00

As you undoubtedly heard, Steve Jobs, founder and long-time leader of Apple, Inc. passed away earlier this week after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 56 years old. As we grieve the loss of this innovative, inspiring, and brilliant human being, I'm compelled to revisit his oft-quoted message urging people to find work they love that inspires their passion and allows them to create fulfilling lives.

What are the things in your life, that you get up for every morning? The things that you love to do - the stuff that feels like a win, just because you get to do it?

In my work, I have the opportunity to spend a lot of time reading, writing, thinking and talking about educational initiatives that help students prepare for careers. We're always asking kids, "Who do you want to be? What do you want to do?" But these are questions that adults should be asking each other - or themselves, as well. As Pamela asked the other day, "Have you thought about what else you might have in you?"

The fact is, it can be really hard to answer a question like that. Some of us know - have always known, and will always know, what it is we were born to do. The rest of us - well, if we're lucky, we figure it out, sooner than later. The thing is, as Steve Jobs so eloquently reminds us, we don't have a limitless amount of time to figure it out. And we shouldn't settle. As he put it, "The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you've found it."

What do you think? Are you still looking? Have you settled? Or have you found it?

I enjoy my work. It's good, it's meaningful,and it's even important. But I don't know if it's it for me. It may be that I just need to find the right angle on my current job - tweak it and nudge it into place, if you will. There are a couple of projects that are just launching, that may lead me there. Or it may be that I should be taking another direction entirely. I'm in my mid-30s, and I feel that while I have done some really strong work throughout my career, it hasn't always been great work. And with every month that passes, the sense that I need to find it - this amorphous, undefined passion - becomes stronger. If you, like me, are still trying to figure out what it is that may be your life's calling - what's inside you, if you will (thanks, Pamela, for such an apt bit of phrasing) - then, I'm hoping you'll find this new feature helpful and interesting. I'm going to be revisiting and trying out various tools and resources that might be able to help me (and maybe you) zero in on a fully realized version of myself (or yourself). And if you happen to already be there (so lucky!!!), I hope you'll chime in and share your experiences discovering that part of yourself. Here's a short video, that kind of gets to the crux of the matter for me:

Okay, here's what I wore last Sunday - due to unusual circumstances at work (I've just transitioned to a home office! And that's meant packing and moving and unpacking and organizing, and general craziness and chaos, on top of all my regular work...) I'm way behind on posting. But I got so many compliments on this outfit that day (and particularly on the dress), I wanted to share it. Apologies for the bad hair:

Dress: Unconditional Osier Dress, Anthropologie

Shoes: Tod's Leather Bootie

Belt: Skinny Leather Belt, J. Crew

Necklace: Hang in There Glasses Pendant, Kate Spade

Hope you're all having a great Friday! Thanks for reading!

In Memoriam: Steve Jobs (1955 - 2011)

2011-10-05T17:02:00.000-07:00

A bright light was extinguished today.

Your life altered the trajectory of so many of ours.

Our world is the richer for you having been in it.

And the poorer for your passing.

Rest in peace, Steve Jobs.