Cut-Outs and Greek Key

Now that we are in May we have begun to encroach upon Wedding Season!!!! This year is light for me, just one wedding and bunch of pre-wedding fun (see bacholorette parties, bridal showers, and dress shopping). Even though there is only one main event, I decided I needed a new dress for the occasion.

I popped down to LIT on Newbury and tried on what felt like 25 dresses. As much as I love the store, they are all about the short girls - most frocks barely covered my bum and the long dresses barely covered my ankles.

In the end, I bought a dress by The Addison Story. It is super comfortable but impossible to describe. After scouring the internet, I finally found some pictures. Voila!

The key holes around the neck and down the back are what really sold me on the dress. They are elements that just spark interest. Additionally, I sometimes have redness on my upper arms, so I am extremely grateful for having the coverage without having to have full on sleeves. Can't wait for June to wear this out!!

Excited for a White Summer

I am not the most graceful or delicate woman out there. Every summer I day dream of owning a white summer dress and wearing it out in public without immediately tripping/falling into dirt or eating/dropping food in my lap. While I am not the most klutzy person in the world, I do tend to have problems with white.

Well, H&M is coming out with the Conscious Collection which, as luck would have it, features white spring/summer fashion. Basically this is awesome because I can now get a white dress for cheap but still look hip and happening.

Normally I am not one for full sleeves, winter or summer, but this dress is calling my name. In fact it is yelling it from across town. Dare I say, it is a little on the short side, but I feel those lacy sleeves balance the garment out nicely. I could envision myself wearing this dress, but I can't quite figure out where I am going. At the moment, I just see myself walking down the street. (but not in those shoes, I am really over that style in a major way)

The other dress that caught my eye is this one. I find that volume around my stick-frame usually ends up looking pretty great. I am a bit worried that the flow begins right at the boob line, as without any assistance with defining that curve, my bust goes buh-bye. Additionally, an A-line that starts that high has high odds that the shape of the dress will make my legs look like that they start up at the armpits. This dress is definitely the runner up, and again, not loving the shoes...

Uli!

I've been keeping tabs on NY Fashion Week and saw Christian Siriano's new collection. This immediately made me wonder about some of my other favorite PR contestants. I found Uli Herzner's website. Her dresses are still amazing and fun.

I won't pretend that these dresses are in my price range, but there are some that are only $270ish, and maybe some day I can treat myself to an Uli original. The prints used and fluidity of pieces really draw me in. In my opinion, they are visual expressions of my own personality.

Normally, I don't care for one shoulder numbers, but the dress featured here really calls to me. I think it has to do with the proportions along with the tight bottom and flowing top, aka my M.O.

Economic Crisis 101

This past weekend I went over to Newton for some light shopping with a few gal pals. While browsing through Anthropologie, I came across the lobster dress.

I love it. I think it is super cute. Personally, I don't care for the taste of lobster, but I have no problem wearing their image on my person. I wanted to show my co-worker the dress. She also grew up on the beach and loves all thing New England. When I went to search for it on google, one of the first images comes from the U.K.'s Anthropologie website. I did a double take, the dress is listed at £118.00! It is $138.00 here.

All I could think of was when I was in college and knew that the British pound was almost $3. I totally thought I stumbled upon the best plan ever, purchasing Anthropologie items and shipping to the UK for the fraction of the cost.

Then I googled the current conversion. £118.00 equals $173.89! When did that happen?? Apparently my knowledge of world economic changes comes from looking up dresses online. Eeep.

Lifetime Has Won Me Over

Project Runway has returned. And this time, it doesn't suck. At least not yet.

I finally got around to watching the first two episodes. Thanks DVR! The group looks pretty amazing. At this point, I am still feeling out the group and don't have ONE person that I am rooting for, there are a few that I currently have my eye on. (the last time I had a favorite right off the bat it was when Jeffrey was a contestant and, as we all know, he won)

I am just going to skip over talking about episode one for now (and probably ever) and go onto episode number two. The challenge was to make a burlap sack and into something the model could wear at an industry party. Project Runway is back bitches! This challenge was great. Below is my favorite dress that was presented.




















Honestly, was there any doubt in your mind that I wouldn't pick this dress? It is flouncy and fun. The dye job is phenominal. I love how it looks almost burnt, but perfectly almost burnt. The designer really had an amazing set of tricks in her bag to turn a heavy itchy looking sack, into something so light and youthful. On a side note, that model's face is a little scary in the image on the left, so I would suggest not staring at it for too long...

Tom and Lorenzo the writers of Project Rungay wrote up the following:

About the only criticism we can make is that the skirt is a bit too much of a tutu.

I should hope we can all agree there is NO such thing as too much tutu. This is a dress I would wear, so long as it wasn't itchy. :)

Not Pink, but still HOT

Gossip blogs are letting us know that Katy Perry is engaged to Russel Brand. Of course, her engagement announcement coincides with her cover for Glamour magazine. Glamour must be totally psyched. While I am mildly interested in knowing at this couple actually is for realsies, or as real as celebrity relationships go, I am way more interested in the this dress.

I know, I know, the dress is a little intense. But that is what I love about it. The shape of the dress calls out to me. The tightly fit top with some serious volume in the booty area are the characteristics I look for in party dresses. Had I seen the dress on a hanger in the store, I might have shied away from trying it on - maybe - ok, honestly, I would have tried it on in a heartbeat. However, had I seen it in the store, I know I wouldn't have thought to add the belt. The belt totally makes the dress's allure go up a step. Even with all of the elements that are already present, the blue leopard print with the crazy ruffle skirt, the added accessory actually makes the dress feel less crazy for me. I can't explain it, but I know I want it.

Short Skirt and Loooooooooog Jacket. (and high heels!)

When I become a celebrity and require a stylist, ok so maybe when I become a trophy wife, ok you're right, when I save enough money to purchase ridiculous expensive clothing rather than house, I know the look that I want. Sarah Jessica Parker was seen at her most recent premiere dressed in an amazing mini dress and long beautiful coat. The dress was hot pink, which just works wonderfully.


The coat really makes for a dramatic train. The contrast in hems for the dress and the coat only make SJP's legs look spectacular. I also must say I love the slits in the lower section of the coat to help with the movement of the piece.

SJP is known for being a small woman who loves her heels. These were a spectacular choice. They look like they are a little on the big side, which can often happen as from what I understand since these items are just on loan. Purple complements the pink dress and I love the platform. Personally, I think she was channeling me when she approved this look. :)

These photos were taken from projectrungay.blogspot.com

The print in the dress is something that can't be overlooked either. The swirls help to accent her curves in a positive way. Her stomach does look a little more apparent in profile, spanks would have probably fixed that. It is quite obvious that she has no excess body fat, it is probably just a bad angle.

Anyway, if you need to find me a birthday present (less than 20 days) feel free to pick up this outfit for me!

Is that you Summer? It's me

VS

Today is July 1st. I am wearing a sweatshirt. I have worn a bathing suit once. Been to the beach once. Subsequently, got sunburned once. And ridden on the boat in the Narragansett Bay, you guessed it, once.

WHERE IS THE SUMMER????

WHERE IS THE SUN????

I know that everyone else has been asking the same things, but I am really beginning to feel that the summer is just never going to come. I was trying to figure out of these biblical flood like rain storms have become the new Boston summer. Last year we had out of no where lightening storms. But at least it was generally warm out. Now it just cold, damp and gray.

All I am saying is that I deserve a bit better. I would really REALLY REALLY like to wear some of my summer dresses. Please mother nature. Give a sista a break.

Say it isn't soooooooooooooo!!!!!!

Maxi dresses are in this spring. What is a maxi dress? A maxi is the opposite of the mini. Skirts to the floor. Now I love a good hippie skirt as much as the next gal but come on! Summer is for short skirts.

This one is kind of cute. I saw one in a store similar, and by similar I mean it was to the floor and in pastels. Actually looking at this dress reminds me of Jeffrey's winning line from Project Runway. I love that dress it was soo amazing and I mean it's short :)

Now, don't get me wrong, I love the concept of the dress. The movement looks wonderful. I can see myself wandering down a beach or putter around the house in it. But going on errands? Going to a BBQ? I feel that all that fabric would just be hot and heavy. Additionally, I am just unsure that they will be long enough for me. Long dresses are usually gorgeous on a hanger but then hit me mid-calf and look awkward. I don't want my dress hanging in the air like that. It's not like have cankles or anything, but I hate it when the skirt looks like it was hemmed wrong.

Maybe I am simply a mini-dress kind of girl. Over the last few years I have gotten more and more comfortable with short skirts...I still can't bring myself to wear shorts but whatever. I am just not quite ready for the fashion world to move the hemlines down that low. In fact, I just ordered a few more from urban outfitters online yesterday. I have never ordered clothing online before, I hope things work out.

I got this one...in blue. I hope it fits. The reviews from other costumers said that it was short but they felt amazing in it. I'm kind of excited :)

I'll keep you posted.

In need of a Sugar Daddy

After posting the picture of the Betsey Johnson red dress I thought I would look to see if it was listed online. I wanted to know how much I couldn't afford her work. Well I found her site. She definitely has a style, or look. But I feel like she and I could be great friends. I don't know what has come over me these past few years, but I have come to love the tutu. I crave a dress with a big skirt and she could fulfill that desire. Look at her stuff! I'm sure you can picture me skipping through Boston in this stuff...I certainly can!

So if anyone knows an eligible millionaire, send him my way. I could use the wardrobe pick-me-up :)

Strawberries and Martinis

Strawberries and champagne. Please. I prefer a little more intensity.

We went out to Thayer St for Valentine's Day (we being me, a friend from high school and her roommate) and had drinks at Andrea's - a great Greek restaurant. I can't actually speak for the food beyond the Greek French Fries that I ate, by myself. They were very tasty. The drinks were superb! I got a Berry Martini which was garnished with a whole strawberry. At first, the drink didn't seem so potent, but by the time I got to the bottom of the glass my head was a little fuzzy to say the least. The roommate had a mojito and when she returned from using the restroom let us know that we would definitely feel the drinks when we had to stand up.

She was right. teehee

But the evening was super fun. To be completely honest, while we were gabbing I forgot that I was supposed to be depressed being single. The restaurant was filled with people, but not just couples, big groups of people. It was a great place to hang out for the evening. I'm glad I came home for the weekend.


Random aside: The Heart Truth Red Dress Collection had a a number of amazing dresses. My favorite (and by favorite, I mean the one that I would most want to own and would honestly find an excuse to wear out) would be Betsey Johnson's dress. It is a classier version of the pink dress that I tried on Charles St. A small part of me would love to stop by the Betsey Johnson store on Newbury just to see if I could wear a version....

Um Tori, what possessed you to pose like that?

Don't you just HATE pants?

Senior year of college I may have attended a pant-less party or two or four... Over the past few years I have evolved from a girl who just wore pants (no shorts for me, I look ridic in them) or capris to a girl who owns more summer dresses than my closet can really hold. Granted if you saw my closet you would know that isn't a major feat -- but it is still a staggering collection nonetheless. The big draw to dresses for me is the fact that I am pretty lazy when it comes to getting dressed. Personally, I would prefer a nudist approach to life, but the general population around here would frown on that, and I would never be able to sit on public transportation... So the one garment outfit it is!

Wednesday was a beautiful 50-something degree day. Today, was another warm day, not as sunny but still warm. I thought to myself let's take the plunge and I wore my first dress of the season! It is a lovely silence & loud cotton jersey number. The length is surprisingly long (for me), but the top, well, it is kind of all over the place. Fortunately, my bras are all very pretty so I don't mind that the dress occasionally shows it off. Yes, I did wear leggings as I'm not that delusional about the temperature.

I saw that the temp is going to return to the 30s for the next week or so...I am very glad I made the choice to put on the dress. Dresses really just make me happy :)

mid year review.... of my fashion decisions?

Surprise mid-year review today. Awesome. Fortunately no major complaints. Except the length of my dress. No lie. My general professionalism was being discussed and mid-thought my supervisor exclaimed "and that dress is way WAY WAY to short" (really the way's got louder) I countered with the fact that I had already worn this dress on numerous occasions. But it has been banned. I am convinced the length of the dress appeared shorter due to the 3.5 inch heels and pinstripe tights. But what do I know... Hopefully I can find a replacement winter dress/skirt because I have a serious lack of appropriate winter work clothes.


DISCLAIMER: that is in now way me --->
(but i'm sure you realized that. this model has no butt)

ps. i promise work won't be discussed in the future...unless its funny