Outfit Of The Day (Sparkle, Sparkle)

I stuck my head out of our front door earlier and couldn't figure out why it smelled like Christmas on the front stoop.  Had the cold weather rolled in?  No, the sun was still out, it's still 90 degrees.  Did somebody accidentally drop a plate of cookies and glass of milk into the bushes?  No no, after a few minutes of searching I found no clear evidence of one Mr. Claus accidentally leaving his snacks in our shrubs.  Reindeer hoof marks on our lawn again?  Strangely enough, none of that either.

Ohhhh.  It smelled like Christmas because the UPS dude decided to play kickball with his UPS friends using my box as the ball, then took my box on all of the extreme roller coasters at Six Flags, and then smashed my box to smithereens and left it on top of my doormat!  My box full of Autumn, Leaves, and Cinnamon Stick Wallflowers from Bath & Body Works!

Yay!  Monday!  Yay!

(strangely, I'm not so upset; cinnamon-scents always makes me happy no matter what abused & trampled form they come in and anyone that knows me will tell you that I have always strongly believed that potpourri for stoops is the most overlooked sector of the Air Freshener industry...)

Top: Topshop (similar style here) (and here)

Tank Underneath: Aerie (similar style here) (and here)

Pants: The Limited Cassidy Plainweave Pants (buy them here) (similar style here)

Necklace: Forever 21 (similar style here) (and here)

Ring: Forever 21 (buy it here)

Bag: Chloe Marcie Crossbody (similar style here) (and here) (and here)

 Shoes: Go Jane Gold Flower Cheapies (similar style here)

Drugstore.com box haphazardly ditched on the sofa to add a bit of visual interest to the square of light gray paint on the wall: ummm.

Outfit Of The Day (Feel Good Friday)

A quick little post before the weekend officially starts, woohoo:

Blazer: Express Strong Shoulder Blazer (similar style here) (and here) (and here, on sale!) (and here, at F21)

Top: The Limited Shirred Neck Tee (buy it here + $10 off with code "fashcash")

Short: Urban Outfitters (similar style here) (and here)

Belt as Scarf: Old J Crew (similar style here, on sale)

Shoes: J Crew Perfect Patent Pumps in Dusty Rose (similar style here) (these would also be pretty) (as would these)

Bag: Chloe Paraty in Rosewood (similar style here) (and here + take 25% off with code "savebig")(and here)

And Kitty says, "Halp!!"

(Oh, ignore the look of sheer terror and fear on her face. She loves it when I Tiny-Toons-Elmyra her to death):

(& the one trick she knows, but gosh darnit she does it so well she doesn't need to know any others.)

Happy weekend!

Outfit Of The Day (I'm Sorry, Really. I AM.)

I think one of the more challenging things about blogging is coming up with fun yet appropriate yet descriptive yet not too descriptive yet attention-grabbing yet not obnoxious titles for posts.  The longer I blog, the harder it is, and the more I feel like compulsively putting something that makes absolutely no sense, like:

Balls!  Basketballs!

or

My Completely and Totally Rational and Not Insane Thoughts On Artificially-Flavored-Banana-Flavored Runts and The Current State Of Politics in Istanbul

or

You Know What's Awesome? Well, It Isn't Getting a Papercut On Your Lips From Accidentally Licking An Envelope The Wrong Way.  Soooo.  Guess Again.

or

An Abysmal Theory on Blah Blah Blah, Part IV

or

Hey Fucker Who Found My Blog By Searching For "Bob Barker Died" Twice Yesterday, Get Your Ass Back Here And Apologize For Making Me Almost Freak The Fuck Out

or

Sorry, Mom, I'll Try To Watch My Language From Now On

or

Oh, Right, Of Course I Didn't Freak The Fuck Out Over Someone Finding My Blog By Searching Google For "Bob Barker Died" Because Everybody Knows That Bob Barker Is Super Human.  Super Humans Fuckin' Can't Die.

 or

Sorry Again, Mom!  It Just Slipped Out!  I Swear! 

or

Ha Ha, Get It?  I Swear? HEY. YOU RAISED ME.

or

So Back To The Happy Topic of Death Here, You Know Who Else Can't Die?

or

Betty White.  And Santa Claus. And Apparently My Next Door Neighbor, Because He Drinks So Much Any Other Person Would Be Dead Now

or

 Color Me More Amusing Than Lady Gaga's Grocery List

or

Well, I think you get the picture. Except every single one of those breaks the unspoken 23423784723 Commandments of Blogging (see also: nobody is reading what I'm typing right here because everybody knows that blog readers stop reading after the first five words), so I'm going to trail off now, because nobody is readinandblahblahblahachooOUTFIT:

Blazer: The Limited (buy it here + use code "229" for $20 off!) (this would also be a cute option)

Top: J Crew Coralie Cami in Wild Mushroom (buy it here)

Belt: Banana Republic (buy it here) (similar style for $10 less here)

Skirt: J Crew Mica Mini (similar style here) (and here)

Necklace: Forever 21 (similar style here) (and here)

Shoes: Banana Republic (similar style here)

Bag: Fendi B Bag (similar style here) (and here)

Rose Pin: Linen Me (buy it here - not sure if purple is still available)

PS- I have to give a very overdue shout out to Temi over at Tiger Tem's Fashion Bites; not only did she post a fun little interview with me (and sent me a gift- a gorgeous heart leather keychain + mouse pad from her very own accessories line!) but she her blog rocks!  Go check her out.  ♥

Oh Hello, Fall

And good-bye summer, I hardly knew ye:

 The Annual Swapping Of The Summer Wreath To The Fall Wreath- I have to admit, there was ome heart-wrenching sobbing, a wail of "Why me", and some blowing my snot on Petunia, my-chihuahua-hankie a few tears.

Helloooo, Petunia

Well, I'm glad to know that humans aren't the only ones that can take really dumb pictures, dorks.

 

Neighbor cat, peeeeek.

Kitty sitting on her butt to contemplate it all.

Oh so pretty; fin, finito, the end.

Loving (For Fall 2010)

I thought this would be a fun little thing to do- a wishlist of sorts, as to what I'm eyeballin' for the next few months. You can click on any of the images for more product information, or read below for more details:

1. Camel Crazy: Camel is the color of Fall 2010 and it's popping up everywhere- in coats, skirts, sweaters, and even dresses & bags. The Smythe Cadet Coat (pictured above) is definitely a splurge, and if you want the look for less stick with a blazer (like this one from Topshop, $170), an easy pair of a pants (like the Classic Wool-Blend Flared Pants,Talbots $110), or in a sweater (like the Cotton & Cashmere Cozy Open Cardigan, victoriassecret.com $49). Need tips on how to wear it? Check out Michael Kors' F/W 2010 runway- casual camel galore!

2. Faux Fur: Faux Fur is back again this year, so rejoice if you bought into the trend last year. If you didn't, and/or are looking for something new, the Bop Basics Faux Fur Stole (shopbop.com, $70) is perfect for keeping you warm on those wind-whipped chilly days, and can be easily worn with both coats and simple sweaters.

3. Wedge Boots: There's a fine line between fashion and comfort when it comes to winter days, and fashion and safety when it comes to the super icy ones. The Vince Camuto Alicia boots (bloomingdales.com, $198) are a perfect combo of all three- they're comfy, easy to walk in (take that, icy patches!), and stylish to boot. Ha ha, get it? To boot? Ohhhh I'm lame.

4. Old & Bold: If you're feeling a lil' bit tired of the over-embellished, over-accessorized looks of the past few years (think layers of necklaces, bracelets, and bling), the Hive & Honey Pink Ring ($22, piperlime.com) is the perfect piece to make a statement without going overboard.

5. The Best Dress: This is the year of the bold, statement-making party dress. But...isn't every year? Wearing a fun dress to a holiday party give us the excuse to dress up and break the monotony of winter, and whether you pick sparkly (like the Nanette Lepore Scandal Sequin Dress, Neiman Marcus $598), printed (like the Tibi Mixed Print Dress, couturecandy.com $363), lacy (like the Tracy Reese Twisted Lace Bandage Dress, edressme.com $275; or the Frock! Judy Dress, tracyreese.com $199), or ferocious (like the Galleria Sammie Dress, katespade.com $475), you're sure to shine.

6. Fur-niture: Animal prints are everywhere at the moment, and I've had more than a few fellow bloggers/blog readers comment that, well....it just isn't their thing. Animal prints have had a bit bad rap in the past-- haven't we all seen leopard/cheetah print done badly, badly, badly? but the new generation of prints are anything but tasteless.  Leopard print is not only fun, but it's also typically the perfect little blend of browns and black- which means that accessorizing with it is almost always pretty darn easy.  The best way to work it, if you don't feel like a confident kitten quite yet, is to actually keep it in your accessories- belts, bags, and shoes. Stick with a warm, deep print to help keep it subdued; like in the Kelcey Calf-Hair Ballet Flats  (jcrew.com, $248), the Tory Burch Haircalf Belt (toryburch.com, $225), and the Mossimo Black Vanette Pumps (target.com, $24.99)

7. Gilded Nails- Metallics, brocades, and other shiny fabrics are showing up everywhere; the best way to wear them (for cheap) is...drum roll please...on your nails! I've been obsessed with Butter London (beauty.com, $14) lately, and their fabulous colors like All Hail McQueen (a grayish-taupe with a slight shimmer), Yummy Mummy (straight taupe, no shimmer), West End Wonderland (lots of gold), and Rosie Lee (pink glitter, woohoo!).

8. Watch The Rose- I've never been a fan of watches, but the Michael Kors Stainless Steel "Jet Set Sport Crystal" watch (saks.com, $250) is too pretty, too pretty.  

9.The Prettiest Blouse - Diane Von Furstenberg knows how to nail it, and the DVF Jonquille Chiffon Blouse is perfect for layering over camel trousers or under black blazers.  Also pretty- the Nanette Lepore Scheming Gold Blouse (neimanmarcus.com, $282) and the Vero Moda Pintuck Ruffle Blouse ($40, asos.com).

10. A Va-Va Voom Satchel - Ladylike handbags are swinging back in, and Tory Burch's combination of animal print + satchel on her Holland Satchel (toryburch.com, $525) takes the prim & proper trend on a bit of a spin.

11. Nanette Lepore Spring/Summer RTW 2011 - Loved it, loved it.  Also check out the new http://www.nanettelepore.com, which relaunched a few weeks ago as an e-commerce site with tons of hard-to-find pieces.  Dangerous!

12. Bow Gloves - The Leather Bow Gloves from White House Black Market (whitehouseblackmarket.com, $68) are actually making me excited for snow.  What?

13. Gettin' Naked (If You Can Find it)- The much sought after Urban Decay Naked Palette (sephora.com, $48) is nearly impossible to find at the moment (due to its popularity, it's completely sold out!).  And no wonder- it gets 4.8 out of 5 lippies on makeupalley.com and is stuffed full of pretty bronzes, pinks, beiges, taupes, and neutrals.  While I'm pretty sure it goes without saying, the day that I finally get my hands on it will officially be declared a National Holiday on The Chloe Conspiracy, celebrated by taking the day off from work and snuggling with it in bed.

And of course - What are you loving for Fall 2010? Share in the comments!

Outfit Of The Weekend (Wearin' My Ranty Pants)

First things first- Blogger & I have been having a little bit of a tiff, a little bit of a misunderstanding this past whole week, so if you're wondering what in the Sam Hill is goin' on and why posts aren't popping up in your blog reader until 12 hours after I've published them,THAT'S WHY.  It's not me, it's Blogger, so KNOCK IT OFF, BLOGGER. I think I've fixed it now, so hopefully we'll be back to normal this week. And if isn't back to normal, Blogger and I will simply have to break-up, oh we must, because like that one book says you can only call it a break-up if you're broken, or 'cuz its broken, or because Blogger is broken, or because someone lost their job and is broke-n, or because Dr. Phil says so.

Blogger is broken, and I'm pretty sure Dr. Phil would say so, too.

Anyway, moving on. It's hard to believe that in merely a few short weeks, I typically don my boots for the first time (it's always when we're in Steamboat Springs around my birthday, The Annual Donning Of The Boots- the middle of October). It was 90 degrees here today!  90!  Degrees!  Holy toasty, readers.  I've been dying to wear some of the new (and old, stashed away!) fall goods, but it will just have to wait-  I'll have a few long months of winter coming up where I can do that all I want, after all, as Husband keeps reminding. He's also been following me around with a tape recorder and hitting the record button every time I say, "I have to still wear shorts?!" and "Ugh, sooo sick of sandals!" too, which for some strange reason makes me think he's up to something.  Hmmm.

I actually wore the outfit below when my parents were in town a few weeks ago and we went downtown for dinner & the comedy club.  In a bold example of "J Crew Wins again", the silk tiered ruffle cami is beeeeautiful in person. Beautiful! But the silk tiered ruffle cami also had the hoops sewn into the top (to hold the grosgrain belt in place) rip off within 2 seconds of me wearing it (and, all be darned- trying to tie the ribbon/belt!), which is exactly something that happened to a $15 top I bought at Forever 21 a few weeks ago.  Cool, huh?  Except, oh wait- the J Crew silk tiered top cost $98, not $15.

The $83 price difference between Forever 21 and J Crew for the exact same quality is what makes me  angsty in this sort of situation. I don't care how you feel about J Crew and how J Crew "looks" at the moment via Jenna Lyons' vision (I'm mostly an old lover scorned, as most of you know, but I do like some of the new stuff)- the quality issue crosses all lines and is going to eventually impact the bottom line.  Perhaps it already has.  I just hope J Crew pays enough attention/cares enough to change, yes? The newer stuff has grown on me, after all; I like the sequin handbag!  And the leopard Kelcey flats!  And the spicy olive top!  And even the red pants, which I would totally buy if I could just figure out how to wear them without looking all "Hi, I Am Wearing The Red Pants" and/or like Mickey Mouse.

Just make it so they don't fall apart within 10 seconds of me putting them on, okay J Crew? Sometimes I know that I can make some pretty outrageous demands, but please.

But of course, I'm still going to keep the slightly defective top- it is pretty, and unique, and I always need something fun to wear under my 23,487,287 jackets and cardigans.   Ripped belt loops aren't the most awful thing, after all- it allows for me to belt the top a bit higher, which I need for my height anyway.   

So. Way to stand by yer values, girl.  I'm fist pumping over here so hard I'm surprised you can't feel it through your computer monitor:

 

Top: J Crew Silk Ruffled Cami (buy it here, if you dare) (similar style here) (and here)

Belt: J Crew (buy it here) (similar style here)

(Ranty) Pants: Old Navy (buy them here)

Shoes: Christian Louboutin Mater Claude Black Pumps (similar style here) (and here)

Necklace: Ann Taylor (similar style here)

Crossbody Bag: Marc Jacobs Kristina Crossbody in "Violet" (similar style here) (and here) (and here, on sale)

Cardigan: Rodarte for Target (similar style here - thanks to Kim for the find!)

On Joy & Sorrow.

{live simply ♥}

Then a woman said, "Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow."

And he answered:

"Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow,"
and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."

But I say unto you, they are inseparable.

Together they come, and when one sits, alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.

Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.

Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.

When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall."

Kahlil Gibran - The Prophet (1923)

Outfit Of The Day (Oh Pumpkin Pie)

Thanks for everyone that voted for my sister yesterday in the CB2/The Selby contest- they'll announce the top 50 in the next few days, and then those lucky ducks get to have their houses judged by...well, real judges, I suppose, for the chance to win the grand prize. 

At least we'll assume they're real judges, and not just a random panel of people, because with a random panel of people you could always end up with someone like me or my gramma or, or, or...even Paul Reubens, although Pee Wee does seem to be making a bit of a comeback and I'm pretty sure that half of what was in that Playhouse of his can now be found in IKEAs all around the world (unfortunately not including Chairy, who seems to have had a bit of a rough go of it post-Playhouse years, but hopefully will make a big comeback and be on VH1 Behind The Music in no time like every good, neglected child star!) and so if that's the case, if Pee Wee Herman is on the panel, then my twin sister would totally win!  Just looking on the bright side, fingers crossed.

On to the outfit.  I could not get the color-correcting correct on these photos to save my soul- but rest assured, the top I am wearing under the cardigan is not the same color as a cardigan.  In person it's  like a spectacular marriage of a medium dusty rose topped with a rich, burnt amber-orange; in the photos I look like a human pumpkin, Jack'o'Chloe.

Which reminds me- Brach's Mellowcreme Pumpkin time soon, yesss!

Cardigan:  Ann Taylor LOFT Woven Bow Cardigan in Amber (one left here!) (similar color cardigan here in "rust") (and here in Cinnamon/Amber)

Top: J Crew Coralie Cami in Wild Mushroom (buy it here, on sale)

Belt: J Crew (buy it here) (similar style here)

Sash: Old J Crew (similar style here) (Etsy has lots of options, too!)

Skirt: J Crew Mica Mini (similar style here) (and here)

Shoes: Christian Louboutin Gres' 70 Jute Pumps (buy them here) (similar style here) (and here)

Bag: Chloe Paraty in Rosewood (similar style here) (and here) (similar color here)

Outfit Of The Day (Felt Me Up, Meow.)

First, the most important thing- the design contest my twin sister is in ends TONIGHT! Please, please, please vote for her if you haven't already!  She only needs to make it into the top 50 to be judged by a panel of judges, and she is SO close to being there!  She also said that she isn't beyond bribery, and anyone that votes can say so in the comments below (but you know- no CHEATING!) and will be entered in a random drawing to win one Frenchie named Ingeborg, slightly used:

(She's just kidding about winning Inge!) (I...think.)

It's easy to vote, you can do it with your Facebook account in literally two or three clicks, and it'd mean a lot to her, my family, and me.  Click here to do do so, and thank you thank you thank you (from the bottom of our little smooshy hearts).

Okay! On to the outfit.  One of my favorite things ever from J Crew (okay, maybe tied with the Mica Mini) has to be the Double-Serged Wool Pencil Skirt in Bronzed Ochre from J Crew.  In fact, search for "bronzed ochre j crew" in Google and what's the first hit?  Oh yeah- me.  My blog.  I win!

So when I noticed this felted mini in a very, very, very similar color (bronzed twig, now- no ochres) I couldn't help but to immediately be drawn to it.  A kind-of-mini-version of my favorite thing ever?  Sold!

The colors are a bit different- the ochre leans more towards yellow; the bronzed twig more towards green/brown, depending what it's paired with.  Duh, I suppose.  You can't really notice the color difference until you hold the two next to each other, though, and happily the felted mini has the same soft, I-want-to-wear-this-all-the-time-it's-so-comfy feel that the double-serge pencil skirt also has.  

Unfortunately, however, we're now dealing with the new J Crew, which abuses the Rules of Vanity Sizing so bad it makes me feel perverted and like bathing in a tub full of Ben & Jerry's S'mores Ice Cream- so size down in this one. If you're taller and want extra length, I'd head to the store to check it out  (you don't want to lose too much length in it, since it is a mini!) but if you're my height/inseam  (5'2", 29.5") you can do at least a full size down and be okay. 

Sweater: Ann Taylor (this in "rose dust" would work) (and this would also be fun)

Vest: Express (similar style here) (and here)

Belt: J Crew (similar style here - ships for free) (and here - love the bow)

Sash As Scarf: J Crew Glimmer Sash  (buy it here)

Skirt: J Crew Felted Wool Mini in Bronzed Twig (buy it here)

Shoes: J Crew Lulu Pumps (similar style here) (and here, under $50) (and here)

Bag: Miu Miu Shopping Pattina in Calce (buy it here) (similar here) (and here)

Downey Wrinkle Releaser AKA The Most Amazing Stuff EVER For That Awful Crease In the Middle: Heh (applied after these pics, d'oh)

Do you have an all time favorite from J Crew and if so- what is it? And did you vote for my sister so you could have the chance to win a Scandinavian French Bulldog with flatulence problems? Share in the comments! ;)

Outfit Of The Day (Staying Neutral)

Anthropologie marked down my coveted Lady's Choice cardigan last night, so I decided that it was probably time I wear it, hm?  The weather is still pretty darn toasty here but I'm always in air conditioning, it seems; this cardigan serves my staying-toasty-warm needs well.

I also hope that ya'll like new props in my photo, because let's face it- they will there for awhile. I personally think that both the drop cloth and the whitish-gray splotch behind me go rather well with the other 100 stripes of various gray paints to the right of them (not pictured), and it adds just the right amount of ambiance for when I have my dinner parties.  Any good hostess knows, after all, that it's important to provide visual interest for your guests to look at as they munch on their Tyson dinosaur chicken nuggets and sip on some Tang.  *shrugs*

(I do make great frozen chicken nuggets though, thanks.) (and I don't take myself very seriously, and neither should you.)

Cardigan: Lady's Day Cardigan by Tokyo Map (buy it here - on sale!)

Skirt: J Crew Mica Mini (similar style here) (and here) (and here)

Belt: J Crew Glimmer Sash (buy it here) (similar style here) (and love this, too)

Necklace: Forever 21 (similar style here) (and here)

Shoes: Alexander Wang Eliza Wedges (similar style here) (these would also work, and be great for fall!)

Bag (not shown): Chloe Marcie Crossbody (see it here) (similar look-for-less style here)

NYFW Spring 2011 (Woo-ed).

So unless you're dead, or live under a rock, or are my mom (hi mom, happy birthday!)...you've probably heard that something big is happening in NYC right now by the name of "Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week", aka "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year", aka "The Time Of Year Where Chloe Feels Super Frustrated Because She's Been Trying To Figure Out How To Wear, Bathe, Sleep, and Eat Wool and Tweed And You Want Her To Look At WHAT NOW, Shut Up!"

Still with me?  Good!

It's Mercedez-Benz Fashion Week for Spring/Summer 2011 right now in NYC.  For those of you that don't know, fashion runs on a timetable of at least 6 months out, which means while we're all dreaming of leather boots and warm cowl-neck sweaters, fashion is dreaming about spring.  And when we're dreaming about pretty floral-print dresses and white pants, fashion is dreaming about the dark and deadly and awful cold of winter. 

It makes for a very confusing time, honestly, and I feel quite sorry for anyone that has to work in the industry because I'm pretty sure that just like how I always spend the first 6-months of every year accidentally writing last year's year as a date on everything, I'm also pretty sure that they instead accidentally put next year's year as a date.

And do you know what that's like when you've filled out 200 pieces of paper at your job with the incorrect date and you have to go back and fix it all and your hand is still cramped from the first (wrongly done, you dunce) go around except you wonder- will anyone actually notice that I've put the wrong date, 'cuz they're putting the wrong date, too?

Right. I feel sorry for them, those fashiony people, and I'm sure they feel sorry for them, too, having to shop and sit and stare at pretty clothes and write the incorrect dates for a job all day.   I keep waiting for Dirtiest Jobs to do an episode on the fashion industry, as it should be coming up any day now, but so far no dice. 

I digress- it's Fashion Week, and in the few moments I haven't spent stewing over the fact that I'm stuck in Colorado and not there (thanks for all the invites received, by the way, to various shows and events- hopefully next year!), I've been oogling at pictures off of Twitter, pictures on other blogs, and pictures on style.com.  

Let's share, shall we?  Here's what I'm digging so far and bookmarking for future inspiration:

Derek Lam
Casual, cool.

Z Spoke by Zac Posen
The debut of Mr. Posen's lower-priced line.  I've been lusting over the line's current offerings at Saks, and was happy to see it on the runway for Spring. Quirky!

Jason Wu
Hands down my favorite thus far.  I somehow managed to forget that Jason Wu started his career by designing doll clothes for a living; never mind that I suddenly found myself whistling  "Barbie Girl" while looking at this collection.  The bows!  The flower pins!  The bad one-hit wonder by a danish dance-pop group! Perfection.



Cynthia Steffe
Punchy, pretty colors.

And of course, there are still lots more shows to check out this week (including my absolute fave Nanette Lepore- Wednesday, woohoo!).

What are you guys digging so far?  Share in the comments!

Outfit Of The Day (Strut, Strut)

And so my love-hate relationship with J Crew continues.  I was beyond excited when I saw J Crew added some new, pretty sashes to their fall line up, and of course- they are really, really, really pretty.  The sequins make it so they can't stay looped nice and tight into a bow, though, so my old velvet J Crew belt of yore doesn't have to be worried about being replaced for a younger model anytime soon.  But they will make awesome scarves, and are on sale (+30% off through tonight!).

Now, if only I could say such nice things about the Silk Ruffle cami- review on that coming up later (sigh):

Cardigan: Ann Taylor LOFT (buy it here + 20% off with $75 purchase with code " LDMSEP10C") (and if you're not digging the bows, this would work too)

Tank: Torn by Ronny Kobo (similar here) (and here)

Belt: J Crew Glimmer Sash (buy it here + 30% off with code "MUSTHAVE")

Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters (similar style here) (and here, on sale!)

Shoes: Bottega Veneta (similar style here) (and here)

Bag: Chloe Marcie Crossbody (similar style here) (and here + 10% off with code "CLASSACT")

I also grabbed the Traversa cardigan in both black and gray. Two colors!   I'm committed!  

Lord knows we've been ruffled out for awhile now (horizontal ruffles!  vertical ruffles!  swirly ruffles!  fluffy ruffles!  sad, wilted ruffles!  ruffles that resemble tufts of the cheapest toilet paper imaginable hot-glue-gunned on to a really expensive shirt!) but this cardigan is different.  It is!   Stop looking at me that way!

I think it's because the ruffles continue around back, and it gives someone like me (with the ravishing figure of a 12 year old boy) a hint of a waist.  Thank you, thank you, and I'll take what I can get:

It fits true to size, and you can check it out here (with more colors here!).

Have a good weekend, everyone!