Style Want: Terra Azzura by Guerlain + Pucci, and Why I Want It

I am not a beauty blogger. Heck, I can't even manage to wash my face on a regular basis, and I've been known to once-in-a-while (ok, way more often than that, but let's pretend, shall we) not even bother with makeup in the office.

But I do love a product or 3 (see my Sample Pledge, here).

I'm also a sucker for the old French design houses. And for the mad crazy beauty of an Italian great.

Therefore, my stylish friends, when Bloomingdale's nicely sent me an email this morning (just a regular ol' promotional email, not a blogger-y-please-post-pretty-please email) touting the marriage of two of my style icons in a beauty product, well, let's just say that I'm adding it to my Things I'd Like to Have List. Why, you ask, does Guerlain matter to me? Just think Shalimar + my mommy. Even my mother-in-law knows that I love old fashion things, and gives me lovely old French perfumes bought in Paris flea markets.

Ignore the cream sample in the foreground. The Molyneux box in the background contains a lovily-bottled ancient French perfume that, while it probably smells nothing like it originally did, still holds (lord knows how long after) a stunning, old school scent. It was one of my MIL's first gifts to me, after she went to Paris on a relative whim with 2 girlfriends.

And Pucci? Yeah. I'm a scarf-a-holic. And a print-a-holic. Though I've not worn them much lately (pre-#healthyme, I felt like a scarf around my neck was just too much and made my face quite frankly fatter than it was already), but among my prize possessions are scarves of all varieties from my grandmothers, a Schiaparelli scarf (thanks, Malena, for the amazing gift) in a marvelous blue-green print, and an Ali Ro dress that screams "I copied Pucci" in a way that I think is just marvelous. One day, I'll have the real thing.

Original link is long gone, but here's the post in which I first purchased the dress at the Clarendon South Moon Under (and found my Style Mojo again, for what it's worth)

I have no idea if it's worth trying, but I'm thinking that it might just be my next #healthyme goal reward. Anyone with me?

Thank you, Bloomie's, for the image that I not-so-slyly poached from your Terra Azzurra page.

A couple of additional style notes my brain connected from this post but aren't necessarily related:

1) Crazy, ridiculous excited about the "Impossible Conversations" Schiaparelli/Prada exhibit at the Met. As I've mentioned, I'm planning a trip to NYC with The Bean and my mommy (The 2 Elsas + I). Can't wait.

2) Crazy, ridiculous excited that, as the Schiaparelli website now says, "Rendez-Vous en Juillet 2012."

3) Malena's. Yes, DC people, she's in West Chester, PA. But a) she has a rubylane store, and b) she's phenomenal. She's my dealer, and the woman responsible for The Bag.

Style Dilemma: How to do respectful and still rock it

Kate of Perpetually Nesting tweeted me last week, asking for help with what to wear to a conservative wedding in May - she can't show arms, shoulders, or legs. Hmmmph. It's an afternoon wedding, and we're not sure about the reception venue.

Eeek! This. Is. A. Challenge.

My first thoughts take me to a long, formal gown. But no. It's an afternoon wedding. Unless they're bucking convention (and isn't everyone these days?) and going black tie in the middle of the afternoon, formal in the afternoon just won't work.

Second thoughts take me to, unfortunately, an old lady pants suit. No.

Next, I'm leaping to a women's tuxedo, a la Michelle Pfeiffer or any of the Major Leading Ladies who've gone there in the past 15 years. But truth be told, as amazing as that could be, it would be leap for a Normal Person to go there at a Normal Person Event. Never mind that this is potentially a traditional crowd (Armenian Orthodox church), in which case a woman in pants is just not what you do. You'd have to have massive amounts of cojones to pull it off. PerpetuallyKate's got 'em, but I don't think that's what she had in mind.

So I'm back to some sort of long dress. Think. Think. Think. Bear with me. Let's call this post Part I. I'm convinced I can find more choices.

South Moon Under has this interesting jersey "maxi dress." I like to call it a gown. While form fitting, the black jersey could be incredibly forgiving. It is black, which is not everyone's first choice for a wedding, and it does have a scooped back. Given my own Orthodox wedding experience, it's nothing a little shawl won't handle, but still.

SMU has a number of other maxi dress choices, but they can be frumpy or too casual, as well as too open. Again, we can solve the "open" problem with a sweater, shawl, or jacket.

Now. The next look is a little tougher to pull off. It would require some very edited jewelry choices (I'd go for brass or gold, structured, geometric pieces, rather than the softer long chains. Keep it out of beachwear and in the HipCoolMamaWear. H&M (will you H&M marketing people please please please put the US merchandise online thankyouverymuch) has this breezy 70s-inspired frock.

Should we end up with a sleeveless dress of some kind, we need to cover up. If the shawl route just isn't covered enough, there's the jacket route. This won't work with all choices (really only with a solid-colored, fitted (read: not flowy) dress), but I'm in love with this bolero. Normally, "bolero" means "something my mom used to wear and I'd try to convince her otherwise," but this thing? I ran a across it on my Friday jaunt to the Atlantic City outlets (more on that later) and fell in love. Must. Find. Way. To. Wear. Or foist it on someone else, like Kate, for me to live vicariously through her fashion.

Stay tuned...I'm on the hunt...

Style Dilemma: Chic in Church

My nephew is getting dunked this weekend. Well, it's a Presbyterian chuch, so just drizzled on, unlike my Bean, who was full monty and dipped to her head (screaming and peeing on the nice priest).

BabySis (better known in this world as Prettyinpink) has a lovely navy jacket and pale skirt, very demure, ladylike, and appropriate mama.

I, on the other hand, am at a loss. I have a standby suit - which I wore to The Bean's baptism - but it's navy and cream. Am not going to do that to BabySis.

So I'm searching for a nice summer dress, as I have none in my wardrobe. My only recourse is Clarendon shopping, which is oddly mixed with boutiques and chains. I'd love to Buy Boutique (Farinelli, for example), but just can't do the cost right now, even with summer sales. I can't stomach spending more than $50 on a dress. (A quick run through South Moon Under last week yielded nada that wasn't fit for the beach.)

So Ann Taylor Loft it is. My choices, per webbrowsing...

White with a toddler is a serious risk, but love the cut and detail. And slightly over my $50 budget

Maybe not summery enough, and maybe not daytime enough, but pretty color and looks effortless.

Pretty rich pink, adorable detail, but maybe too casual.

Potentially shapeless (though I rarely give credit to models, as half the time things look better on real people), and maybe too beachy.

The other consideration? One of the two choices I'll give The Bean is deep pink - not too far off from the 2nd to last dress above. Now that would be just too, well, Junior League. Will just have to see what looks good in the dressing room!

Am I? I think so...

I think I might be back.

Thank you for your patience, and apologies in advance if I slide back into a sleep-deprivation-induced style slump. It's bound to happen again.

H and I are going out on a Date tonight. Yup, capital "D." He has a childhood friend who is the chef de cuisine at Nage downtown, and since I've only ever met him once before (on the sidewalk when he was in town with another friend for a wedding), I've pretty much begged H to take me to dinner there. Can't wait 1) for dinner, 2) to honestly meet Our Friend the Chef, and 3) for a few hours of real time with H.

Oh, yeah, and 4) to Wear My New Dress.

I have absolutely nothing in my closet suitable or that I'd want to wear on a dinner date. Everything is either "work appropriate" or I've worn it 300 times already. I love my blue & white scarf top & linen skirt ensemble, for example, but I wear it to everything since I first donned it for our wedding rehearsal - 2 years ago.

So Tuesday I cornered H and said, "You want to watch me try on dresses at lunch?" I've become quite the speed shopper, and, well, he loves to see me try things on. Probably the only husband in the world like that, but he does. Very helpful, actually.

So...the Clarendon shopping trip...(let's just say I miss All About Jane)

Free People - Bust. 20-somethings who will grow up to wear Chico's next door. A few cute tops, but I wanted a dress.

ATL - Despite recent successes, Work Appropriate.

South Moon Under - proverbial jackpot. Results below. And yes, I'm making you wait til the end to get the winner.

Molly New York Clarissa - fun print, but oh, so did not work over the Boobs.

Frenzii Sleeveless Jumper - I didn't actually try this one on, but it's the closest thing on the website I could find to one of the finalists - the scooped neck, exposed shoulder is gorgeous on me - and would be on many people. The dress I tried on had the collar in a 60s-esque large loop crochet. The swingy fullness was infinitely flattering, and not at all "are you pregnant" question inducing. Got HUGE thumbs up from H.

Ali Ro Dolman Print Dress with Belt - one I wish I'd tried on, but didn't. Not in my size. SMU had a load of short dresses with not-so-exposed tops - one of the sexiest things you can do, in my book.

Alice & Trixie Silk Print Maxi - My print bias is showing, I know, but here's another one I didn't try on - H wasn't all that excited about the maxi dress thing (what can I say, he's a Leg Man...no, wait, a...oh, forget it, he just appreciates Women). These all remind me of dresses I really need to check with my mom about - she had some great ones I used to play dress up in...

The Winner

Ali Ro Retro Pinted Shift Dress

Heavenly combination of sexy elegance and a sense of humor. I put it on and knew - more so than when searching for that elusive wedding dress. Skirt hits my thighs in just the most flattering place, the vertical print elongates, and the neon pink and orange in the retro print puts a little "I love the 80s" humor in it for me. Love the bracelet-length sleeves, too, though I probably won't bother with any jewelry. Dress doesn't need it.

I've been on the prowl - ok, prowled down the street yesterday to ShoeFly - for a shoe. First choice - black patent stiletto (thanks for the style confirmation to the lovely hip blonde - MUST find her name - working yesterday). Simple, classy, and the dress just screams for patent. For daytime, I'd do a patent flat, but we're going to Dinner. If I can't snag a pair, I'll make do with a classic Ellen Tracy black satin sandal I have - they'll work, but looses some of the wow! factor, I think.

And I have to remember to dig through the purse collection, particularly to see if I have one from Mom-Mom that'll work.

I'll see if we can take a pic or two at the restaurant or ask some nice random person on the street to snap a mobile shot...

Take Me Back...

...to the day we spent frivolously and ended up with lovely trinkets.

It was hard. We were in South Beach with BlueSuitGirl - a Labor Day Hurrah, chancing the hurricanes and staying at the adorable South Beach Deco Hotel Nash. Cafeteria, B.E.D., Delano (on a slow night - who're we kidding? we wouldn't have gotten in otherwise - so not cool enough), Nikki Beach...sigh.

Those were the nights. By day, it was a whirlwind of those odd little pseudo-Euro-Russian boutiques and fabulous little stores. BlueSuitGirl and I snapped up more than our share of bargains, including handmade sandals, silky tops, and jewelry. Especially the jewelry.

It was nearly the end of our trip, and just around the corner from the hotel was this sweet little shop full of baubles. Alexis Bittar, Tarina Tarantino (whose lucite beads I bought in NoLA, even longer ago), and Tova, to name a few. We spent nearly two hours in the store, trying on this and that, deciding, buying gifts, and gifting ourselves. In the end, we walked out with more for others than we did for ourselves (prettyinpink got a white leather heart cutout clutch for Christmas that year, and Mommy got a dainty little necklace of aquamarine and amathyst drops).

But then there was the necklace. Anymore, I can't remember whether it was Tova or Bittar, but the pale green stone and droplets cascading around it remind me of something a fairy would make. To wear to the most stylish places. (I'll try and remember to post a pic soon.)

Why write about this now? Well, even though it was years ago, Tova was collecting emails (I think they must have been the store owners, ultimately) for when they went online. And I just got an email this week - they're opening a sample store - unfortunately up in Montreal (just one more reason to visit the European city this side of the pond), but it reminded me of all of their great pieces. The DC area sports a couple of locations - one strange retailer (must be a parent company) on Wisconsin, and South Moon Under, but they do sell online, so snap up a reasonably priced piece or two to celebrate the almost spring weather.