Happy Halloween!

Kitty is the cutest/saddest/squishiest pumpkin ever.

Also, I know this picture is from last year but I always squeak when I see it.

Also, I am lazy.

Have a good one, guys!

Forever 21 Friends & Family (Free Shipping, hooray!)

Whoa.


(and thanks! to Crew Girl in Canada & Kati for the, ahem, elbow nudge- I had no idea this was going on!)

Forever21.com is offering free shipping on all orders now through November 3rd with code "F21FRIENDS". I've shopped at F21 long enough to know that they NEVER offer anything like this, so it's kind of a big deal. Especially if you're like me and hate the store with a passion; I'm talking about the actual brick & mortar shop, which is kind of like a bad rummage sale brimming with teenage hormones and loud (bad) music. I much prefer to shop online where I can bask in my own not-quite-a-teenager-not-quite-an-old-lady hormones and loud (bad) music. Thanks!

Here are a few things I am currently making grabby hands (grāb'ē hānds- noun: to grab at something with deep seated want and excitement; "Look mom, I'm making the grabby hands!") at and might have to order:

Bow Front Top
This top is a bit odd, sure; but I loves it. I think it's the color. And the bow. BOW!

Satin Bow Lace Top
Simple yet chic.

Rosette Off Shoulder Top
Cozy and cute!

Sleeveless Jeweled Top
I think this top would look fabulous under cardigans and paired with a lovely pair of cognac brown boots.

Sequin Ruffle Hem Dress
Nice and chic for under $25, and it bears a very serious resemblance to this amazing Nanette Lepore dress.

Strapless Animal Lace Dress
Love this- wish it wasn't sold out in my size!

Tie Front Sweater Dress
Love the unique color combo, and it's only $32!

Dania Chiffon Ruffle Dress
Actually, I already own this dress and it's pretty much awesome. It fits true to size- so if you're looking for a pretty, ruffly black dress to dress up with perhaps some stripey tights for winter, this dress is perfect!

Fancy Fleece Jacket
This reminds me exactly of my beloved Nanette Lepore Seaside jacket, which I paid $500 for. Ack. Super cute coat (and only $24.50!), but ack!

Rosalind Tweed Jacket
Slap on a black flower pin and you have a look similar to the Ann Taylor Bistro jacket for much, much less.

Ruffle Pleated Coat
Love this coat from the "Tutu Cute" Twist collection!

Wool Blend Overcoat
So chic yet so subtle, and only to be worn with a sleek, high chignon a la Betty Draper. Comes in black, too, in case you're scared of winter white. ;)

Satin Jacquard Skirt in Purple
This skirt would be so easy to dress up and down for fall and winter. Pair with a pretty t-shirt (like this one from J Crew), tights, a gorgeous necklace, and heels for casual glamor; or top with a frilly ruffly top (like this) (or this!) for a night out. Easy peasy and done.

Pearl Chain Hoops
I adore the neat shape of these!

Good luck & happy shopping, darlings!

Rachel Roy Tweed Blazer (Take One)

So Thursday was a big snow day, and Husband only spent half the day at work, and I'm sorry but I'm not going to make myself look fresh and fancy on a snow day. I think there's some sort of unspoken rule to that, too readers; I am pretty sure that on a snow day, it's illegal to:

-Wash your hair
-Comb your hair
-Wash your face
-Put make-up on your face
-Get dressed into clothing attire that isn't sweats/knit yoga pants and a hoodie
-Make a hot beverage that isn't hot chocolate. With extra marshmallows.
-Throw away your awesome GAP Body slippers you scored for $8 three years ago just 'cuz they have a teensy hole or five in the bottoms. Oh, and look worse than one of Petunia's chew toys. Oops.
-Feed yourself aforementioned hot chocolate and not accidentally droola bit some on yourself.
-Not force your poor spouse to watch bad reality TV like Judge Judy, the Tyra Banks show, Dr. Phil, and the local news.

Hey, I didn't make the rules here, readers. I just try very hard not to break them.

But I also promised pics of the Rachel Roy blazer that finally arrived Wednesday, and so we're going this Old-School-Chloe-In-The-Closet-Stylee all up in here readers. Plus, as I lamented earlier- while I love the blazer and think it's freaking fabulous, I am having a hard time thinking of how to wear it. This might be a problem.

Here's the blazer worn as is with an AWESOME CASE OF BED HEAD:

Which is, you know- fine. It's a great blazer- it fits great and is well made. It's also lined in a fun fabric, and the tweed has the prettiest slight metallic shimmer to it. But truthfully, I just don't feel like the blazer is very "me"- I feel it runs towards looking a bit too hard/masculine as is, even though (fortheloveofgod, Chloe!) it is in pink tweed. But we all know how much I like my bows and ruffles and other girly things, and so the blazer needs...something. But what?

So I decided to flip up the collar and wrap a skinny patent leather bow belt around it:

This is better. I like it this way- I think the belt makes it more "me" without being too over-the-top.

But! I'd love to get suggestions from you guys on how you think I should wear this- over a dress? Any sort of dress? Over a top? This top? How about a skirt? Necklaces? Earrings? Shoes? Other embellishments? ;)

Okay guys! Leave your suggestions for me! And I'll feature the blazer in proper "Outfit Of The Day" as soon as I know what to wear it with. ;)

Dastardly Villian (Of The Sea!)

Still need a Halloween costume? Want something quick and easy? Let me do the thinking for you. Here you go; you're welcome:

Plush Shark Hat by Obey My Brain (Etsy)

And I would totally get this hat, too, if we didn't live by a bunch of retired old people and actually had kids ring our doorbell. One year we did have a little boy ring our doorbell (apparently he had skipped Halloween 101 'CUZ OUR LIGHT WAS NOT ON, KID) and Husband felt bad so we had to dig around in our pantry for something to give him. I think we gave him some canned carrots. Or a half-eaten box of Cocoa Pebbles. I can't remember. Moral of the story is, always hand out canned veggies if you don't want kids ringing your doorbell on Halloween. Word spreads surprisingly fast. Wait. Moral of the story is, Etsy is pretty much all kinds of super awesome. You can find almost anything handmade on Etsy! Including a funny shark-eating-your-brains hat.

(And you should still hand out canned food if you don't want kids ringing your doorbell. It's pretty much genius, since it's all shit we never get around to eating anyway. Kill two birds with one stone.)

(And also, if you're lucky, you'll get some donated eggs and toilet paper back from the little kiddos later on in the evening. See? A win-win situation.)

(But only if you're lucky.)

Oh! And, readers, if blue isn't your favorite color of ferocious shark it also comes in pink. And yellow. And dog costume!

(And...I now totally think I need that little shark costume for Petunia, OMGOMGOMG. She'd be the cutest little fuzzy shark EVER!)

(I'm sick. I'm delusional.)

(NOT THAT TYPE OF SICK, oh ye-of-little-faith. Yeah, you. I see you there. I'm sick-sick. Ugh. Cough cough Lupus crap cough ow.)

(But I am kinda sick, because Petunia is absolutely terrified of the movie Jaws. Jaws scares the living daylights out of her. So it'd probably be horribly mean, then, to dress Petunia up in something she's deathly afraid of. It'd be like my mom forcing me to dress up for Halloween as a spider.)

(Or as Dan Rather.)

(Or as a butternut squash.)

(Or as...okay, that list is way too long. Nevermind.)

Oh! And! Look! Look! Look! The shark hat also comes in light green!

Okay, darlings! Whatcha all wearing for Halloween this year? Anything? Everything? Nothing? Spill it in the comments!

Dear Colorado:

(as of 3pm today)

Told ya.

Spy It, Buy It (Buckled Down)

I don't know about you guys, but I've lusted after these Giuseppe Zanotti for Balmain boots:

Balmain Multi-Buckle Boots - $1,605

ever since spying them on the runway. Ah, drooool. But unfortunately, the original Balmains will set anyone back at least $1500+ which is a lot to spend on a trendy boot, no matter how smoking hot they are.

Thankfully, though, the trend is catching on- so if you're lusting hard after them like me, check out these Buy Its:

Buckley - Bakers Shoes - $149

Lulus Taupe Buckles Galore - $49.50

Spy It; Buy It (Do The Wave)

Draped-front/cascading ruffle jackets have been sitting perfectly posh and pretty this season; they are quietly demure, yet oh-so-sophisticated with their simple ruffles and pleats cascading down the opening of a fabulous winter coat.

First, the Spy Its:

Loeffler Randall Draped Leather Jacket

Diane Von Furstenberg Ruffled Leather Jacket

And now, the Buy Its:

Harmony Lane Double Breasted Ruffle Jacket

Ann Taylor Brushed Wool Shawl Jacket

We The Free Tuxedo Jacket

Free People Cinch Front Sweater

Navy Ruffle Hamptons Jacket - Fred Flare
This jacket is under $100, and use code "stay cute" for free shipping!

Simply Vera Wang for Kohls Ruffle Wool Jacket
On sale for only $59? Sold!

Dear Colorado.

OKAY O-M-G NOW YOU'RE JUST MOCKING ME, AREN'T YOU.

And we're supposed to get double this before the storm ends late tomorrow. Double what you see right here, readers, and that's our total snowfall. Great. Just great. Kiss my ass, snow. You're totally making me your bitch. And you're also totally making me type in angry capital letters, YOU COLD AND FROSTY WHOOR.

Big sigh, readers. And oh gosh, how I hate the snow. I know I lament about it all too often, but I really have no use for this stuff. I don't do anything in the snow. I don't ski, I don't snowboard, I don't snowshoe or build snow forts or shove little kids over into it.

The only thing I actually do involving the snow is spin in circles in it, in my little car. And on occasion, I will accidentally fall (face first) into it too.

And while I would like to think that I am pretty ridiculously awesome at doing both these things, the spinning and the face planting- neither of these activities have been made "official" sports of the Winter Olympics quite yet (although I have been working quite hard at adding some fancy embellishments to my landings as I slip and fall; you know- a fancy spin or twirl or three as I am going down) (going down hard) and SO.

SNOW, UNTIL I CAN COMPETE COMPETITIVELY IN THESE TWO WINTER SPORTS, I REALLY WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU. YOU CAN JUST GO AWAY NOW, PLEASE.

THANK YOU.

(And I will continue to patiently wait, Olympic Committee.)

At least I have a few days off from work so I can cuddle up at home with Husband and the pups and a big bowl of cheesy lasagna soup (recipe right here, my dears). Yum and love. Cheesy lasagna soup makes everything feel better. It's kind of like a pink Hello Kitty Band Aid for the heart belly. Sorry readers, I really did mean belly. And isn't it so strange how I get those two internal organs mixed up allthetime?

Pics of the Rachel Roy tweed blazer will be up tomorrow- it's kind of sort of disgusting how awesome it is. Or at least, how awesome I think it is. Except...I maybe don't know what to wear it with, so that might be a problem. I will get your opinions on it tomorrow. More then!

Outfit Of The Day (Cheap Chic Chick)

The pictures below aren't of the best quality, readers, and for that I apologize. I'm almost embarrassed of them- but this is what happens when I try to shoot as the sun is setting to the west, and Husband comes home from work and distracts me in the middle of everything, and I decide to hold onto a squirmy 5-lb chihuahua instead of my handbag 'cuz my handbag isn't nearly as fuzzy or cute or squeaky.

But I wanted to post these because I am essentially wearing a very cheap, very lovely sweater from Forever 21 over a slip to make it into a dress! Crafty, aren't I!

You should see me with dried macaroni, glue, and some spray paint; it's outta control.

Also, Husband said I looked super hot. It's nice to get his input sometimes:

Top: Forever 21 (click here)
Slip: Kohl's (similar here) (but how pretty might this one be?)
Shoes: J Crew Augusta Peep Toes in Apricot (similar here)
Bag: Botkier Cleo Satchel - (not shown but matches perfectly, mmhm.)

Also, Forever 21's "TuTu Cute" Twist collection is now up online! Eek! The skirts are darling, and check out this ruffled coat! I've decided to pass on the collection for now, though, because I stumbled upon a new fashion rule Monday night. If you're old enough where you're no longer ID'd (even as you ask the waitress in a very hopeful and helpful voice as you're ordering your Mimosa Martini, "Don't you, um, want to check my ID? Please?" while the waitress then looks at you like you have a third eyeball growing out of your forehead) (and apparently she's not used to people being so desperate polite) (and maybe she's also hard of hearing, because it's so so so strange she didn't hear me the first three times I asked her to check it) you're TOO OLD TO WEAR CERTAIN THINGS.

If you're old enough to look like you can order a stiff drink, my friends, you're too old for short, poofy skirts. Sorry F21. This is a firm rule in my book now, and so I will sit my pencil-skirt-clad-almost-about-to-start-sagging-down-to-my-knees-appropriately-dressed-butt down as I have a good cry.

So I snagged this cute little leopard print skirt instead, with big hopes of trying something like this:

It's either going to be really really awesome, readers, or really really bad. I WILL LET YOU KNOW. ♥

Wednesday Wants (Oh Kick Me, 'Cuz I'm Still Bowed Over)

There is nothing sexier than a pretty peep-toe with a sweet, floppy bow folded gracefully over the top. Nothing. You hear that, Don Draper? You could be holding a bundle of kittens and offering to vacuum the whole house (while holding said kittens and wearing your business suit and your fedora and that 5 o'clock shadow and declaring enthusiastically "Oh gosh, I love shopping at Target, let's take the kittens and go after I'm done vacuuming! And cleaning the toilets!") and you still wouldn't even come close to being as sexy as these shoes.

After featuring bow clutches last week, I had to do a post on shoes that match. Right? Right. I know that we are dangerously close to entering winter weather season, readers, but these shoes are surprisingly versatile as long as there isn't snow on the ground. I like them paired with tights, knee-highs, or even (oh J Crew!) ankle socks.

Well, maybe not the ankle socks. Jury is still out on that one. I will let you know when it gets back in.

Purrrr:

More Ann Taylor...

Ann Taylor Peep Toe Bow Pump
Look at that color! I know I've already featured these shoes on my little bloggy, but seriously. Divine.

More J.Crew..

J Crew Molly Satin Platform Peeptoes
These ones are on sale. Hm!

More Paris Hilton...

Paris Hilton Destiny Pumps
I know, right? Bish might be a crazy whoor, but bish also designs a surprisingly pretty shoe at an even prettier price.

More Vivienne Westwood...

Vivienne Westwood Lady Dragon Peeptoe Bow Pumps
These totally remind me of the pumps Zooey Deschanel is rocking in the Cotton ad (thanks, Tobi! Now I'm obsessed with them!)

More Steve Madden...

Steve Madden Royaltii Bow Pumps

More Tahari...

Tahari Rachel Fabric Bow Flat @ DSW
Cheap has never looked so adorable, not even as she sat smoking a cigarette while her gay hairstylist teetered in his high heels as styled her bad wig and shot a WHOOSH of hairspray towards the open flame.

More Prada...

Prada Bow Ballet Flat
The cuteness makes me wheeze, and the price turns me into a full-blown asthmatic. But ugh! These look as comfy as a great pair of slippers. Love!

More Kate Spade...

Kate Spade Glamour Pump
I have dreams about these shoes. DREAMS!

More Coach...

Coach Skyla Flat
I have dreams about these shoes, too. I could wear the Kate Spades on my feet and these on my hands. Problem solved.

And I'm now having bad flashbacks to my childhood. Nevermind. Problem not solved.

More Christian Louboutin...

Christian Louboutin Satin Bow D'Orsay Pumps
And. Drool.