Chloe's Capacious Closet (Finally.)

Ugh. I am so sorry for the lack of updates for the past few days, but I've been a sick little monkey. Really sick. It's a bit rare when a Lupus flare kicks my butt so hard that I can't even pretend like I'm feeling okay and snap a few pictures for the heck of it, but yeah-

It hit me so hard darlings, I couldn't even pretend. I can't even go into details.

All you need to know is that me + Pepto Bismol x bunny slippers = BFFFF.

(And do you know how hard it is to hold a pose when you have to run to shove your head into the toilet every 2 seconds? It's pretty hard. Maybe even impossible. Trust me- I tried. I did try, readers! I get an A+ for Completely Misguided And Sad Effort here, I am sure of it.)

Anyway. I am finally feeling better today; almost like a brand new Chloe! But though I feel better, I still don't look it. That's the problem with pictures- they really don't lie. Or they don't lie unless they're strongly edited, and even a bit of heavy-handed Photoshop magic wasn't helping the process today. I did actually snap an OOTD for today, but I could have photoshopped Heidi Klum's head onto my body and it still wouldn't have helped. Oh lordie, it's that bad.

So needless to say- no OOTD for today. Perhaps I'll have one tomorrow, if I stop looking like I'm trying to channel Britney Spears a la 2007. But we can still turn some lemons into my favorite lemon cookies, right? Now is the perfect time to play catch-up with some random things I've been meaning to post, snapped Pre-Pukie-Flare-Fest 2010. An agglomeration of awesomeness! Yeah!

Here you go:

Top: Kohl's Elle Flutter Sleeve Top (click here)
Shorts: Topshop (click here) (similar here) (similar here)
Purse: Miu Miu Patina shopper in calce (similar here) (and here) (and here)
Earrings: Kohl's (similar here)
Belt: Forever 21 (similar here) (and here)
Wedges: Banana Republic (similar here)
Black Ruffle Jacket: White House Black Market (similar here) (and here)
Booties: Christian Dior Serpent Booties (click here)

Dress: Banana Republic (click here) (similar here)
Shoes: ALDO (click here) (similar here)

Top: Ann Taylor Charmeuse Stretch Top (click here)
Belt: J Crew (similar here - cute!) (and here)
Skirt: Ann Taylor Tropical Wool Pencil Skirt (click here) (similar here)
Shoes: ALDO (click here) (similar here)




Jacket: GAP Blazer (similar here) (and here)
Skirt: Foley & Corinna (similar here)
Shoes: Bebe (similar here) (and here)
Belt: Forever 21 (similar here)

& and I'll be back tomorrow with an Outfit Of The Day, promise. Just hang in there! ♥

See Chloe Shop (Goin' On Today, Over That Way)

It's the last day for free shipping on all orders from Anthropologie.com- click here for the deets.

Happening on my other little blog today:

1. We have new sales today from Endless.com, Tobi.com, Banana Republic, and Corey Lynn Calter. The one from CLC is especially good- 30% off her entire store, including sale! Check 'em out! (& click here for more information)


2. Also- it's the last day of the month, so we all know what that means. Nearly all of the codes and offers listed on See Chloe Shop will expire tonight, including Anthropologie's "free ship" on any purchase. Shop them while you still can. (& click here for more information)


3. And I'll have a new "Wednesday Wants" post up later! Stay tuned. (& click here for more information)




Happy shopping! ♥

See Chloe Shop (Happenin' Today, Over That Way)

Take 30% off all final sale plus get free shipping on all orders $150+ at Jcrew.com, click here for the details!

Happening on my other little blog today:

1. I've added all new sales for J Crew, Martin and Osa, Endless.com, Arden B, and a few more! (& click here for more information)


2. And I've also added new "my picks" for the retailers I didn't do Sunday night, like Charlotte Russe, Arden B, Endless.com, Lands' End, Newport News, Shop She Boutique, and a few more. Check 'em out! (& click here for more information)


3. And I apologize for not making it back this way to update yesterday- as some of you may have heard me ranting on Twitter, I was having a bit of a bad day in Chloe Land. It isn't all sunshine and roses, hm? I'll be back later today with an Outfit Of The Day post, and hopefully a few other things! ;)



Happy Tuesday! ♥

See Chloe Shop (Happenin' Today, Over That Way)

Take 30% off all regular-priced dresses or 25% or 20% off your regular-priced purchase at Ann Taylor - click here for details!

Happening on my other little blog today:

1. The big list of sales, promos, and deals is up- plus all new picks from me! Go see what I'm shoppin' and finding today. (& click here for more information)


2. I finally finished "Part Two" of my Easter gift picks up late last night, whew! It features some of my favorites off of Etsy - go check it out if you haven't yet! (& click here for more information)

Happy Monday! ♥

Oh, Yawn.

"If you hold a cat by the tail, you'll learn things you cannot learn any other way."

-Mark Twain

Some things I learned this weekend:

1. Never "pity watch" a Jeff Bridges movie, even if it is free Showtime weekend and it IS Jeff Bridges (with Ted Dansen) (AND STEVEN WEBER) *cough* The Amateurs *cough* 'cuz they don't have the "I want those 96 minutes of my life back please" function yet on most DVR's.

2. Earth Hour isn't the celebration of Crop Harvest Earth Vodka and drinking a bunch of it while eating Flat Earth Veggie Crisps and watching so bizarre-they're-funny-fight-scenes off of Gawker.

3. Earth Hour is about sitting in the dark...and twittering about how pretty candles are. I...think. And sans vodka and veggie crisps, maybe. I know- the details are still iffy, and I don't get the point of it either.

4. Oh yeah! Let's not forget what's important here- THE SO BIZARRE IT'S FUNNY FIGHT SCENE FROM GAWKER (There's bad language and some de-pantsing, and somebody literally gets their butt too-nicely-handed-back-to-him) (Mom, don't watch) (Dad, go right ahead): Cheeseburger Brawl

5. I...have absolutely no interest in home improvement.

6. I have absolutely no interest in home improvement even when Husband says, "Go ahead honey, have at it! Let's do this! Major remodel! Start finding stuff you like! Pick it out!"

7. I have absolutely no interest in home improvement unless Olivia Palermo has a slight hand in it, and even then I just sit and wonder how I can recreate her entire outfit for myself. Evil laugh evil laugh evil laugh bathroom faucets what?

[source: habituallychic.blogspot.com]

Happy Sunday evening, readers? Tomorrow is Monday.... :(

Outfit Of The Day (Lilac-y Showers, Of Course)

Outfit of the (yester)day time! Here we go:

I grabbed the J Crew Lilac Shower Shift Dress when J Crew was having their little dress sale awhile back; I had been eyeballing it for about a month, and the sale was enough for me to take the plunge.

It's a comfy dress, but most definitely a "shift" and it most definitely needs a belt in order to not look like I'm wearing a sack. I'm half tempted to forgo the "handwash/dry clean only" warnings on the inner label to see if I can shrink it a bit, 'cuz I am brave! I am bold! I've machine washed & dried plenty of "handwash/dryclean only" things from J Crew before with little to no ill repercussion!

(Except that one time it was a wool sweater! And boy was that bad!)

Since I had the dress paired under the military jacket, I didn't focus too much on matching a belt exactly to it. The belt kind of matches the jacket (they share the same gray tones) and brought a bit of spring to it all with the pink, which is exactly what I felt I needed. Once it warms up I'll put a bit more effort into finding the perfect belt for the dress- something gold toned and neutral, I'm thinkin'.

And readers? I think it will (hopefully!) be my last rendezvous with the boots,; the weather was cold and blustery yesterday, but all sunshine and warmth today. Woohoo!

Jacket: Alice + Olivia Military Jacket (similar here) (and here) (and here)
Dress: J Crew Lilac Shower Shift Dress (click here) (and similar here)
Tights: Charlotte Russe (similar here) (and here)
Boots: My Spring Shoes (similar here)
Belt: Old J Crew (similar here)
Bag: Andrea Brueckner City Tierney (click here) (and here) (and here)

See Chloe Shop (Goin' On Today, Over That Way)

Take 25% off your entire order at Bananarepublic.com - click here for the deets.

Happening on my other little blog today:

1. The list of sales and promos is up, including a new sale today from Ann Taylor Loft- 30% off spring dresses, hurrah, and thankfully they have lots of pretty ones to choose from! (& click here for more information)


2. A bunch of sales are ending tonight, including sales from Anne Klein, Banana Republic, Bliss, Bloomingdales, Express, The Limited, Old Navy, Saks, and Three Dots. I almost typed "a buttload" instead of "a bunch" but I then realized I'm not 21 anymore. Can I still say buttload? Yes? It's a buttload. (& click here for more information)


3. Easter is hoppin' up quick, and I'm doing a special feature today with some of my favorite picks for my favorite holiday! Part I is already up (pretty spring dresses, tops, and shoes)- look for Part II (gifts!) a bit later today! (& click here for more information)



Happy Sunday, darlings! ♥

I'm Totally Pretty 99.99% Sure That Rachel Bilson Reads My Blog.

I mean, it's preeetty obvious after these pictures of her surfaced on Just Jared last night:

Of her at some little Ann Taylor Fall 2010 collection fête that I, quite strangely, did not get to attend. I am sure that Ann Taylor sent me an invite and it just got lost in the mail. It's okay this time Ann Taylor, but next time it happens? I might not be so okay.

Let's see what Just Jared has to say about Rachel's look:

Rachel, 28, wore a fun Ann Taylor sweater and jewelry (she wore a belt as a necklace!). She finished off her look with Top Shop shorts and Christian Louboutin pumps.

Oh ho ho ho! Really! She wore a belt as a necklace! How smart of her, to wear a jeweled belt as a necklace! It seems like someone else had that idea a few months ago. Who was it, who was it, who was it...

(here)

Oh yeah, that's right- me.

Soon we'll be reading that Rachel Bilson also has a penchant for Chloe bags:

(People.com)

And that Rachel Bilson also thinks her red smokin' hot BFF piece of arm candy at all fashion events should be Christina Hendricks:

"Yeah Joanie, I dunno. I read this blog sometimes when I am really really reeeeally bored. It's like this weird girl, and she pretends like her chihuahua can really talk to her, and it's kind of sad, but once every sixteen months or so she'll have a good idea- like wearing a belt as a necklace!"

And that Rachel also owns a pet chihuahua named Petunia (that she also pretends can really talk to her):

(Zimbio.com)

Oh sa-nap.

I'm just being funny, you guys. Of course! I love Ms. Bilson, and I actually like the way she wore the belt around her neck much better, but I was afraid I was going to lose mine if I didn't wrap it around my neck at least once. Bravo, Rachel, well played.

And let's be a bit honest here readers, I still need to save face after this little fashion gaff that happened nearly two years go:

(yes readers, Grumpy Blonde Chloe is wearing the exact same DVF dress as Lynne Spears)

Yeah, so, that's not embarrassing at all.

So! If you love Rachel Bilson (& her style!) as much as I do, here's a great website with everything our little pocket-sized fashionista likes to wear. It's something fun to peruse if you're sitting bored with nothing to do today, hm?


Happy Saturday! ♥

See Chloe Shop (Goin' On Today, Over That Way)

Take 20% off (and an additional 10% off of that!) at Bloomingdales.com - click here for the details.

Happening on my other little blog today:

1. New sales and promos from Bliss, Rachel Rachel Roy, and Revolve Clothing....plus plenty of good 'old' sales from the likes of Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Bloomingdales, Heels.com, Juicy Couture, Kate Spade, Old Navy, Saks Fifth Avenue- and lots more. (& click here to check them all out!)


2. I also added a few "Spy It, Buy Its" yesterday, so check those out if you haven't seen them! (& click here for more information)


3. And I'll be back here later with an Outfit of the Day & some other shenanigans- stay tuned!




Happy Saturday! It's the weekend, woohoo! ♥

See Chloe Shop (Goin' On Today, Over That Way)

Take 25% off your entire full-priced purchase at Ann Taylor LOFT - see details below!

Happening on my other little blog today:

1. I've added a bunch of new sales today from retailers like Ann Taylor, DSW, Express, Couture Candy, Endless.com, JC Penney, Juicy Couture, Three Dots, and Victoria's Secret...plus more are still rolling in. Whewww. (& click here for more information)


2. I've also updated with all new picks! So check them out if you want to see what I'm personally shoppin' from the sales. (& click here for more information)


3. And the sale from Tobi.com is ending tonight. It's a pretty darn good promo, considering Tobi hasn't been putting much out lately in the way of that sort of thing, so use it while you can! (& click here for more information)



It's Friday! YAY!

Chloe's Capacious Closet (Petunia, My Sidekick Psychic)

So I wasn't even going to post these, mostly because I was simply screwing around after the original and I'm making more spazzy faces in every single shot. Boy oh boy oh boy.

But then something funny caught my eye when I looked a bit closer:

Spazzy face #1

Spazzy face #2

Spazzy fa- well huh. Look who's here.

Wait a second...

IS SHE MOCKING ME?!?!?


Of course, when I boldly confronted her, she just played dumb. She's pretty good at that.


Oh IT'S ON.

So I already tweetererered about this, but right now I've got nothing else so I'll just post about it here, too. Hey now- I just watched a week's worth of Chelsea Lately episodes where she basically repeated every god damn thing she said during her show here in Denver, and you know what? It was still funny! Ha!

(Chloe Lately! Yeah. Uhhh. Not quite.)

So I was watching the Real Housewives of NYC earlier today, finally getting the chance to catch up on last week's episode, when I decided to rest my eyes a bit. I could hear Jill go in her usual abrasive and bossy tone, "Wah wah wah. Here, Countess, let's go meet my new sidekick. My sister set me up with a new sidekick, and I really want you to meet her. My new sidekick."

I thought to myself, "Of course! Everyone needs a sidekick!"

So I opened my eyes to see who her new sidekick was, since we all know Jill's been totally desperate for one since Bethenny told her to fuck off, and I just saw some random crazy lady on the screen. That wasn't, you know, the Countess.

And below this crazy person's face was the title "PSYCHIC".

AND THEN. And then I realized in horror, readers, what it is that I do not like about this group of women. It isn't that they're mean, or neurotic, or vindictive, or perhaps sometimes wear a bit too much make-up for regular daytime charades.

I realized that I could never fit in.

I could never fit in, readers. They'd throw a big ol' psychic party, and I would just show up with my own personal psychic sidekick, Petunia.

(Outfit details, if you want 'em)
Top: J Crew Kerris Ruffle Deep V-neck tee (click here - on sale!)
Skirt: Forever 21 (click here)
Belt: One I got from Revolve Clothing Two Years Ago (uh, similar here) (and oh, how I wish)
Earrings: Target cheapies (similar here) (and here) (and again, oh how I wish)
Flats: Go Jane Cheapies (similar here) (and here) (and here-ish)

See Chloe Shop (Goin' On Today, Over That Way)

Shop the sale at Banana Republic and save up to 40% off, or take 25% off any regular-priced order! See details below!

Happening on my other little blog today:

1. New sales today from Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Beautyticket.com, Heels.com, Folica.com, The Limited, and White House Black Market (& click here for more information)

2. The sales from Beautyticket.com and Folica.com are good today only, so whatcha waiting for? Go shop! (& click here for more information)


3. The Online Sample Sale world is blowin' up today, with sales from Vosges Chocolates (Gilt.com), Max Mara (Ideeli.com), and Free People (Ruelala.com).


4. Plus I'll have a Thrifty Thursday post, and that Wednesday Wants post I promised yesterday. We had no power in the Chloe Conspiracy household yesterday- so I'll be catching up today! (& click here for more information)


5. And we have new spring arrivals at Jcrew.com! See some of my picks, coming up a bit later today. (& click here for more information)







Happy Thursday, darlings! ♥

Outfit Of The Day (Tiers of Happiness)

I actually wore this yesterday, before the snow rolled in last night. It was beautiful out, believe it or not, and all of the snow from our last storm this past Saturday had melted- poof poof, gone.

But if you any of you follow me on twitter, you probably saw pictures of how Colorado decided to give me the middle finger this morning again. And in a really deep way. And I do mean deep- about two feet deep, and blowing all over the place. Ugh.

I digress. Here's a little bit of a rundown on my outfit; it's nothing complicated, or fancy, but I'm pretty pleased that the entire ensemble cost about $66 to put together (not including a purse). I like to challenge myself every once in awhile, I suppose.

The skirt is one of goofy little things that seems a bit odd, but blends surprisingly well with several things in my closet. It's also really comfy and easy to wear- the material is all polyester, yes, so please don't put me near an open flame but the skirt is also extremely light and soft to the touch. It has little chains trimming the tiers (inside an iridescent piece of mesh), and they make really faint, nearly inaudible jingling sounds when you walk. Fun!

The sweater was a cheap grab from the Simply Vera Vera Wang collection at Kohl's. I got it on clearance for $9! It's thick, soft, and perfect for those not-quite-spring, not-quite-winter days. It also has three buttons running vertically up at the cuff of each sleeve, which dresses it up a bit and doesn't make it just another boring basic. I really feel like Ms. Wang's collection at Kohl's often gets overlooked, which surprises me; I've bought several things from the line that have been well made and wear well. I've been loving several of her items for spring, big bold pattern and all (like this top).

The earrings are from Forever 21, and the flats are Go Jane. Yes my dears, I'm in flats. My arthritis has unfortunately been flaring up in my legs, rendering me high-heel-less (and, um, sleepless) for at least a little while. It happens, and it sucks, but the more I just give in and deal with it, the quicker it'll hopefully go away.

And while I may be high-heel-less, I'm certainly not (dorky) pose-less. The models at Neiman Marcus only wish they could pose as good as I'm givin' it in picture #3. Eat it, KICKY MILLY MODEL and LIMBO-ING BADGLEY MISCHKA MODEL AND GIRL WITH A WIND MACHINE STUCK INSIDE HER DRESS and, um. Uhhh. Wow. I've got nothing.

Anyway! The outfit:

Sweater: Simply Vera Wang (similar here) (and here)
Skirt: Forever 21 (click here)
Flats: Go Jane (similar here) (and here) (and here)
Earrings: Forever 21 (similar here) (and here) (and here-ish)
Purse (not pictured): Hayden Harnett for Target black bag (similar here) (and here) (and here) (and here!)
Trench coat (not pictured): Juicy Couture Ruffle Trench (similar here) (and here- swoon)





(I weed out more pictures of myself making this exact face in my OOTD pictures than you will ever know. I kind of fear that I just walk around making this face all the time.)

(Neiman Marcus - call me!!!)

See Chloe Shop (Goin' On Today, Over That Way)

Take 25% off select dresses at Edressme.com - see below for details!

Happening on my other little blog today:

1. New sales and deals from Old Navy, Kohl's, ALDO, JC Penney, and Lulus.com - plus brand new picks for all of the new sales! (& click here for more information)


2. And sales from Ann Taylor, J Crew, Ssense.com, and Edressme.com are all ending today. Shop 'em now! (& click here for more information)


3. The "Deal Of The Day" today is Ann Taylor, since it's the very last day for their "Buy 2 items get 25% off, Buy 3 items and get 40% off" promo. It's a great promotion, especially if you need some fun spring things for your wardrobe- I shopped it myself last night. And I'm kicking myself for not getting the Cotton Sateen Ruffle Top (in seahorse), argh! (& click here for more information)


4. And look for a Wednesday Wants post later today. (& click here for more information)

Happy Wednesday!

Double-Cheese Mac & Cheese (Chloe's Cookin'!)

Yup, I'm cooking again. Look out!

I decided tonight to try another recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Ultimate Casseroles; this time the awesome looking "Double-Cheese Mac & Cheese" on the front cover. Because let's use a little bit of reasoning here, if we must- if it's on the front cover and has a name like "Double-Cheese Mac & Cheese", it has to be good, right?

Gosh, I'd hope so.

The recipe did turn out awesome, if I do say so myself. But again, just like the Tacos in Pasta Shells recipe, I felt like it needed something else. A little something extra. It wasn't lacking anything in the seasoning or cheesy-ness department, but it turned out quite rich, and it needed something to kind of balance it all out.

Hot dogs? No, no, no. Broccoli? Well, maybe. I do love a good broccoli. Oooh, broccoli!

"Chicken. It needs some boneless, grilled chicken. And maybe some diced tomatoes." Husband said.

A ha! Chicken! Exactly! I knew there was a reason I kept him around, aside from the fact that he's cute, fun to tickle, and can get all the casserole dishes down for me from the highest of cabinet shelves. Go team, go go.

So! Without further ado, here's the recipe. I do give it an A+, but next time we're throwing in some chicken. And hey, maybe some broccoli too. My tummy is already rumbling just thinking about it.

---

DOUBLE-CHEESE MAC & CHEESE
PREP: 25 minutes BAKE: 25 minutes OVEN: 350°F


You'll need:

• 12 ounces dried penne, ziti, or rigatoni pasta
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (I cheated and used garlic powder, pfft.)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded Port du Salut or Monterey Jack Cheese (8 ounces) (I had no idea what the first cheese was, and don't care much for the second cheese, so I used Sharp!)
• 1 cup shredded American Cheese (4 ounces) (I used Mild Cheddar)
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh organo or 1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
• 1/2 cup soft light rye or whole wheat bread crumbs
• Snipped fresh oregano (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain.

2. While the pasta is boilin', in a large saucepan cook and stir garlic in hot butter over medium heat for about 30 seconds. Stir in flour; gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir (I used a whisk for this) until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat. Gradually add the 8 ounces of cheese (again, I used Sharp) and the 4 ounces of cheese (and again, I used Mild Cheddar), stirring until melted. Remove the mixture from heat, stir in the cooked pasta and the fresh or dried oregano.

3. Transfer the mixture to an ungreased 2-qt. casserole dish. Top with breadcrumbs and bake, uncovered, for about 25 minutes (or until it's all nice and bubbly and hot). Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, top with more oregano. Makes 6 servings.



© Better Homes and Gardens Ultimate Casseroles

---

And, of course, pictures:

Okay! From left to right we have butter, oregano, bread crumbs, CHEESE(!), milk, and the back-up in case this all fails miserably.

So much for following directions; I somehow missed the "stir garlic in hot butter" part. Whoops.

Cooking the ziti, cooking the ziti.

Turns out that hot butter part is kind of important. You can't stir in flour to a lookwarm pat of butter and garlic powder no matter how hard you try.

And man, did I try.

Once I got the butter/garlic/flour situation under control, it was time for a dangerous action shot! I'm holding a 10 pound camera in one wobbly hand, and trying to dump in milk with the other.

Ahem. See? I'd be Casserole-dish-less without him. XO!

Now I'm waiting for the milk and butter and flour to get thick and bubbly.

Still waiting. Back-up plan is looking preeetty good.

Still waiting. Am I the only person that could stare at plain, cooked pasta all day?

FINALLY! Fear of scorching be damned, after 10 minutes of waiting I moved it all to the bigger burner. Told ya I was dangerous.

CHEESE TIME!

I kindly requested Husband to Betty Crocker that biatch while I snapped some pictures. Ohhh so gooood.

Oops. Except I didn't realize my flash was bouncing off his face. Hahaha, sorry hon!

Go, Husband, go go!

Oregano added; it's all mixed up and ready to go into the oven!

Breadcrumbs added; timer set for 25 minutes!

Time to run the dogs outside before the storm blows in!

The snow is already blowing sideways. That's never a good sign.

Oh ho ho, done!

And time to dig in. Bliss!