Style Inspiration: On My Mind and on My Boards

Little crazy here, folks, so a quick look (in case you aren't following me on Pinterest already) into what's on my mind and on my boards lately - and why.

Glittery, soft sparkle from Queen of Dresses DVF; How I'm Going to Style My KISS and Motley Crue T-shirts for the Office (thank you, Refinery 29. or not. see this old post about H thwarting my Rocker Chic(k) efforts ); the Gap pants that made it into my closet this weekend and are already lined up for constant rotation (more colors, please!); Catherine Malandrino, a longtime fashion and style idol (despite the fact that I now wear flats), whose dresses I now fit in; a Chloé coat this Winter Girl is craving; a peek into an upcoming post on black maxi skirts for a musician friend (and the rest of us).

The Big Climb: What Made It Into My Closet (or in a shopping bag on the chest in my bedroom because I haven't managed to put them away yet)

As promised, here's what I did buy in my 3 hours, 4 stores whirlwind tour of Chevy Chase (read: Friendship Heights. Let's get real, people. The places I shopped are not the Shops.)

Loehmann's: I bit the bullet and annoyed the Fitting Room Lady with too many items. I actually had no interest in trying on anything. At all. But I did. And despite the MICHAEL Michael Kors dresses not fitting, and the German-designed (designer totally escaping me at the moment) blouses being wonderfully

structured - but not for my current body, I didn't lose hope. I only ended up with a dark mocha pencil skirt, but I did walk away with inspiration for The Climb.

J. Crew: As I tweeted day of, I was very disappointed that this shop (and I do still need to research whether it's a company-wide policy) doesn't carry anything above a 12. Seriously. That's why I went there. Because I know I can get well-tailored, good quality, classic clothes in sizes that fit. In my bag going out the door? A great black & cream sailor T with shoulder buttons (to satisfy my apparent obsession with All Things Nautical and 4 (cream, grey, black, white) cami/tanks I can wear underneath things like Big Comfy Sweatshirts.

Banana: Ah. Home. Here, my frustration was that the 12s and 14s were not. At all. I'm certainly willing to concede differences in cut, but really? You know when you start to try something on, get it only so far, then find yourself saying, out loud, "Uh, no"? Yeah, that's what happened with the trousers I tried on. I did, however, walk out with a cute navy ruffle-front T, a pale blue sort of ballet crewneck sweater, and a Wrap Dress That Fits (oddly with no online picture). I have an eternal struggle with any belted dress, the supposedly flattering on everyone but not really wrap dress included. So when I found this graceful cream and navy version in a weighty, elegant jersey, I was thrilled. I haven't worn it yet, but that's just because I can't bring my self to put tights on with it, and, well, sometimes a girl lets things go longer than she should in the winter.

Gap: My two rouched Ts, black knit dress, and poppy dressy T with flowy scarf neck (bought without trying on at the counter) were the only things of interest in the store. Seriously. I find that The Gap ('cause that's it's real name, and I refuse to change it) goes through long periods of Nothing. This is apparently one of them. The store was filled with Bad 80s and Grey. I'm in love with Grey. Love. But this was too much. Entirely too much.

Cafe at Mazza: mango smoothie and spinach and feta croissant to inhale on the way home to take The Beans to the playground

Still to go?

Buy new shoes. I have a Girls' Weekend coming up next weekend here in Jersey. We're planning a trip to the outlets in AC. If I don't find anything there, I'm banking on ginger and simply soles at DSS. All but one of my Go To pairs I scored there at those boutiques.

Get healthy. Getting there. H and I are vegan for Lent. He's Orthodox, and it's the way they do it. So I'm supporting. I'm not strident about it (evidenced by the Break Day today, in which chili and ice cream were both ingested), but I can tell. Even after just a few days, I feel less well having had my Break Day. So back on the bandwagon tomorrow.

Buy a few pieces I love NOW. Started. And still working.

Keep going. Yup. Am still going.

Success?

Since you asked, I did manage to shave this morning, but just couldn't bring myself to wear the wrap dress. Don't know why. So instead, am wearing my retro AT navy suit skirt and a buff cable cashmere T, Chie Mihara pumps. Something dreadful is going on with my hair, so I've resorted to the DC Ponytail.

Not stunning, but perfectly presentable.

The Bean, however, is the picture of summer loveliness in her "new" Baby Lily. Magenta & orange on white, paired with magenta bloomers, it's the perfect thing to go with her Baby Lizard suncreen. (Grandmom picked up the shift at a PA consignment shop - go Grandmom! - so the pattern is probably a few seasons old - can't find it on the site, but this is the dress, at right.)

At least one of us looks good.

And...breathe

...at least for a little while.

One deadline down, 34 to go.

But in the meantime, a gal's got to dress herself. Or at least attempt to, which is what I think I'm doing. I haven't successfully dressed myself, really, since I wore my ATL outfit. Shoes are a big factor - or rather, my lack of a basic shoe (no matter how much I say I'll wear my new shoes, and I do, sometimes I just need comfort comfort comfort, and out come the smelly flats) - in the non-style. As is my absolute inability to pair patterns and colors successfully on three hours of sleep. Today, all I could manage was blue on blue, and even that was really really iffy.

Presentable, but much more likely to end up on someone's "Don'ts" page than not.

I may attempt to shave my legs tonight when I shower - Big Deal. Not sure handling a razor on said sleep deprivation is a good idea, though. If I get through that, I think I'll pull out the wrap dress tomorrow. One piece is hard to screw up.

We'll see if I get that right.

Note to Self...

...and word of advice to the Infintessimal Readership.

No wrap dresses on windy days.

Somehow, I always manage to don the wrap on the windiest day...

but I look good...

Style Dilemma Solved: Being the Hot Wife at a Reunion

H's high school reunion is next Saturday.

Have to look hot for him - it's my wifely duty.

So I've been on the hunt for a dress to wear. We looked a little last weekend - hence the sweater dress post. And since the reunion is next weekend, it was today or never. So in the mom-mobile we piled, off to Nordstrom (I had a gift card to spend!).

The results? About 4 dresses on...2 liked, 1 hot.

M Missoni - amazing knit, obviously, and gorgeous color. Bottom was great, top just not so flattering on milk-producing boobs.

ISSA London wrap dress - not this exact one, but you get the drift. Lovely, but black & white, and, well, (sorry Dariaux), but a wrap dress. Just didn't do it.

Iisli cap sleeve mini - a sweater dress, yes. And absolutely f-ing amazing on. The delicate grey I bought isn't available on the website, but trust me, it's perfect. Hugs just a little more than on this model (heck, anyone has more curves than she does). Hot.

Now I just have to find the right tights and shoes. I'm thinking ruby slippers.

H&M and Sweater Dresses

Both debatably good.

Me? I love a good H&M shop-a-thon. But sometimes, well, sometimes it's just so "on trend" that there's nothing in the store worth even trying on, let alone buying. Clearly, if the trends are not what the average woman would want to buy or wear, then there's less. This summer, there were tons of adorable things - just not fit (literally) for a 9-months-pregant woman. The trends just didn't allow for a bump. But they did look great on Sugarplum and 31204ever.

Dariaux, who makes her home in Atlanta, took advantage of a biztrip to Chicago and stopped in their H&M. She, on the other hand, was not happy with what she found. We discussed the merits of the Swedish store and the trends therein...

DC Celine: it's almost like going to a steinmart or loehmans - you have to go frequently

Dariaux: you are so right.

DC Celine: also depends on the trends - if they're good ones, you can do well. ifnot, then ICK.

Dariaux: oh, this was definitely the ICK trends. The baby doll dresses, sweaterdresses (ye gods) and sometruly hideous colors. Blech.

DC Celine: i'm in love w/ sweater dresses. loved them in the early nineties, love them now (depending on shape, obviously). had two on yesterday that were great - though part might be my newly rediscovered figure.

Dariaux: this is where we differ. i've hated them since the 1970's. i think they are unflattering on most and tend to bag in the bottom once one sits for any period of time.

DC Celine: point taken. i was actually going to argue that they can be very forgiving. could be fodder for a philosophical debate. but sagging at bottom: hadn't thought about that. had one a while back, and can'tremember if that was the case.

Dariaux: and thus lies the dilemma with the sweater dress. Yes, they are lovely and yes, they can be quite forgiving and flattering . . . until you sit down. Then it becomes a disaster. I've never had one that didn't sag with time.

DC Celine: i'm just looking for it to be hot for h's 15 year reunion. ;-)

Dariaux: I still think wrap dresses are the hottest. sooo flattering, particularly when one shows some cleavage. And wearing some great pearls.

And with that, we enter an entirely different discussion.

This post shows you a couple of things (not in any particular order):

1) that two people can differ greatly on their opinions of sweater dresses while agreeing on H&M in general

2) that wrap dresses will always be great

3) that two reasonable, grown-up, professional women can spend inordinate amounts of time discussing innane things while maintaining airs of competency and even effectiveness.