Outfit Of The Yesterday (The Sun Is Shining Down For Lovers, But Not For Me It Shines For Others)

Here I am, here I am. I took a mini hiatus this past week due to nothing fun or fabulous, let me tell you. I thought on Sunday I was having a major allergy attack or on the brink of getting the flu (and spent the Easter brunch at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort feeling goofy and dizzy and not because of the free champagne OR the best omelet I think I've ever had in my life) but the extreeeeme tiredness and joint aches settled in shortly after, so. 

A flare!  Yay.

i have gotten used to this now, for the most part; at least it's much better than it was in the beginning when I was sick all the time.  I still feel dismayed (AND CHEATED) over my body deceiving me in such a stupid and uncontrollable way, but I've been under some intense life-related-stress over the past few weeks so it's not exactly a shocker that this happened.  Because if there's one thing I'm super good at, it's holding all my stress in in an incredibly unhealthy manner, excuse me while I unhinge my permanently clenched jaw.

Stress seems to induce Lupus flares for whatever reason, but while I feel like I am 29 going on 92 at the moment life no longer grinds to a halt over it as it used to do. There simply isn't enough time.  I now just lay low (when I can) and take copious amounts of the only proven cure for this that I know: ratty yoga pants + a 5-year old hoodie + my Puma flats + a sloppy bun on top of my head+ old reruns on HGTV. Ahhh, much better.

And life goes on . It could be worse, hm? I finally made an effort to get dolled up yesterday to go out and about, as did Petunia.  Here she is, wearing her finest and fanciest sombrero at 3 in the morning to watch the Royal Wedding just like the Brits do:

 (it was either that or her rudolph hat but she didn't want to upstage Posh Spice, understandably)

Aaaand here I am, ta da:

Top: Ann Taylor Puff Sleeve Top in Wild Aster (buy it here) (similar style here) (and here) (and a pretty purple top sans puff sleeves here)

Shorts: Monogram Foldover Shorts (buy them here + take 30% off with code "brking30") (similar style here at Forever 21)

Necklace: Forever 21 (buy it here) (and a more demure version here)

Bracelet: American Eagle Outfitters Leather Wrap Bracelet (buy it here)

Watch: Toy Watch Plasteramic Watch (buy it here, on sale!)

Bag: Lanvin Sweet Dora Crossbody (buy it here) (similar style here) (and here for under $100) (and here for $60!)

Shoes: Manolo Blahnik Uliepe Pumps (buy them here) (similar style here) (and here + take 10% off with "THEMUSICISSUE")

(currently playing in the hizzouse)

(grooveshark's widgets aren't working at the moment, but you can click here to listen to the song!)

Outfit Of The Day (Slightly Skewed)

Hooray, it's Friday! Not too much is new here. Husband and I have been working feverishly to gear up for a vacation to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and I seriously can't wait.  One thing that we rarely do is go on a trip together that doesn't involve friends or family members and/or staying with friends or family members...and while I always have a blast on those trips, it will be great to get away with just the two of us.  Aside from our annual 3-day trips to Steamboat Springs every October, we haven't had a relaxing vacation to ourselves in five years!  Yikes!

Five years!

(Which is exactly why I have resorted to giving my handbags and shoes nicknames like "Hawaii", "Bali," "Australia", "San Diego", "Dollyworld", and "Maine-Just-Because-I'm-Really-Curious")

So it's finally happening this year, a fun vacation with just the D-hubs and me. And while I will certainly miss the sexy ambiance of my slightly deaf dad yell-talking at my slightly deaf mom at 6 in the morning, or the sound of 5 dogs being herded down the echo-y hallway of wood floors in my twin sister's house in South Dakota (again at 6 in the morning)...um.

Mama Chloe needs some alone time with Husband.  And a beach and a strawberry daiquiri.  And a good book. And a point and shoot camera (still).  And some sunblock.  And a fabulously big sunhat.  And a cute little fedora.  And some cheap beach sandals. And more suitcases.  And a porcupine quill necklace from Lulu Frost. And someone to secretly, shamefully see Water For Elephants with me and then loudly protest it after because god, chick flicks are just awful and gross even if they are actually good and amazing, aren't they?  WHO GOES TO THOSE ha ha ha ha awkward laugh NOT ME except you know  maybe sometimes, shhhhush.

On to the outfit! I like my outfit today. I feel like I'm about to go on some sort of fancy safari through the wild jungle of Colorado.  I almost didn't keep the Pizzoccheri jacket when I bought it, as I was wearing my ever-so-fancy pair of sale-goggles at the time; something about the fit was a little off and crop-lengthed jackets can be difficult to wear, especially for a long-torsoed person like me.  But I forgot to return it and I'm rather glad I did, as I'm suddenly reaching for it a lot more. Its weight is perfect for cool spring days and the fabric is ridiculously soft, too!  Don't you love it when that happens?

Woomp here it is, the leaning tower of Chlo-isa. Oh tripod:

 Jacket:  Anthropologie Pizzoccheri Jacket (similar style here) (and here at ASOS) (and here on sale!)

 Cami: Wyatt Sahara U-neck Ruffle Blouse (buy it here) (similar style here) (and here at Old Navy)

Jeans: GAP jeggings (similar style here, on sale!) (and here, on sale!)

Belt: Banana Republic (similar style here at ASOS)

Shoes: Ash Jezebel Wedges AKA "The Serengeti From An Air-conditioned Tour Bus" (buy them here, on sale!) (similarish style here for $50) (these also look great with jeans - but they run big + take 15% off with code "SAVEME15")

Bag: J Crew Galaxy Sequin Bag AKA "Canada For The Maple Donuts And THAT'S IT"  (similar style here) (and here)

Have a lovely weekend and happy Easter, everyone!

Outfit Of The Day (Sparkle, Sparkle + Sofa and Chair Reveal)

Ta da!  The Alister sofa and chair from Z Gallerie in....some color I can't remember (Husband says "blue mist"):

 

{snapped on a cloudy day, no flash} {and proof that the rose painting really isn't lopsided, HA}

{and with flash]

I am beyond in love with this set!  Husband and I pushed some furniture around yesterday and got it all arranged to our liking, and while this definitely isn't permanent (only 2 things in the pictures above will be in this sitting area when I'm done--the sofa and the chair!), it will do until we get ready to finish the rest.  

SO THIS IS TEMPORARY, GOT IT? No judging my awesome mixing of  brown + black woods + zebra + gold + silver together like a broke college student with a personality disorder.   While I know it will be heartbreaking when the final change happens (6.3 years from now at the rate we're going), I'll just change it to something even more awesome. Of course.   Maybe a cardboard cut out of Betty White holding a baby bunny and a Slurpee machine (with banana slurpees!) will be in there somewhere, too.   And Christmas lights!  Year round!  Patience.

Outfit time! I grabbed this layered sequin skirt from GAP a few weeks ago during one of their big sales and it's the perfect little springy-sequiny skirt.  For those of you that fear the sequins over the completely rational idea that they might turn you into some sort of human replication of a lopsided disco ball, fear not--this skirt has a mix of more matte sequins than shiny, meaning it has just the right amount of sparkle (no bad dance moves required).  It does run really big, as I've been finding most GAP skirts to run lately, and I am wearing this in 2 sizes smaller than my jean size there--just a head's up.

Top: ASOS (buy it here) (similar style here) (and here on sale!)

Belt: Yanked off an old Charlotte Russe skirt (similar style here at Old Navy) (and here on sale for $11) 

Skirt: GAP Sequiin layer Skirt (buy it here, on sale!) (and a gorgeous splurge here at banana republic)

Shoes: Camilla Skovgaard (buy them here) (similar style here, on sale!) (and here)
Bag: Old Rebecca Minkoff : (similar style here) (and here for under $50) (love this from Matt & Nat, too!)

(currently playing in the chloe hizzouse)

Outfit Of The Day (Not So Mellow Yellow)

Oh, I meant to post this much earlier on Tuesday, but a little something that looks like this:

{bad sunspot/magical ray-beam of awesomeness not included}

popped up today with its cute baby sister chair in tow, too.YAY!

Just to refresh everyone's memories on this, Husband and I custom ordered the Alister sofa and chair back in February from Z Gallerie and didn't expect it until mid-May, so its early arrival today was a complete surprise!  Look for more (read: better) pictures of it later this week. Two things down in this remodel, 2,343,243,280,429,WTF,234,320 things to go.

It's been mucky with a chance of sucky here in Colorado lately, and with the return of bright colors this spring I was more than happy to take this yellow Walter blouse back out to play to brighten my mood a bit.  You simply can't be sad and tired when you're wearing yellow, right?

I grabbed the belt I'm wearing below from Urban Outfitters earlier this month and I am in love. It probably comes as no big surprise, as most of you know what a bit of a belt slut I am (I'm surprised I even found a man to marry me  but I used to keep it all craftily hidden...under cardigans and blazers and such) but oh sigh.  It's super stretchy and fastens in the back with two snaps, leaving the front to fun and fuss-free.

I topped it all off with a cheap and slightly ridiculous pair of 70's inspired shades from F21 and meow cha-cha-chow:

Blouse: Walter (similar style here) (and here) (and here) (and a cotton tee style here)
Belt: Urban Outfitters (buy it here + take 10% off with code "THEMUSICISSUE")
Skirt: J Crew Dorrie Skirt (buy it here) (similar style here) (and a midi version here)
Shoes: ALDO Goodsite (similar style here) (and here) (and a comfortable wedge version here)
Bag: Chloe Paraty in Rosewood (similar style here) (and here by Rebecca Minkoff) (and here for under $100!)





(currently playing in the house)

PS - What are some things that you like to do to brighten your mood on stormy days? Any tips?  Share in the comments! ♥

Outfit Of The Day (Reh-bell Bottoms)

Bell bottoms.  Re-bel bottoms? Reh-bell bottoms.  Ha! I'm not even going to tell you guys how long it took me to come up with that one. 

(it took a very long time.)

I am back on to the super flare bandwagon for today. I grabbed these bell bottoms from GAP a few months ago, very early into the spring season. They reminded me just enough of these Derek Lam wide-legged bell bottoms from the Spring 2011 runway:

 {via style.com}

to satisfy whatever twitchy-itch I was having, and so I figured--why not?

These suckers aren't fooling around. The 7 For All Mankind Extreme Bellbottoms at least have the decency to be a not-so-noticeable dark wash, but the GAP jeans are not only eye-catchingly light in hue, but they are also whiskered, high-waisted, flared, and oh-so very 70's chic.  Gulp.

Wide-legged jeans can be tricky for those of us that are petite and I always find it best to stick with a longer inseam (I am wearing an unhemmed regular inseam here of around 33"-34") and high, high, HIGH heels to help elongate the leg.

Go too short with the inseam and they will only make your legs look like odd, stumpy short tree trunks; like two little Danny DeVitos clad in ill-fitting denim overalls and telling really bad jokes as you walk.

And nobody wants that, no sir:

Top: The Limited (similar style here) (and here + take 20% off with rep code "20OFFDISC") (and here) (and a fabulous pair by 7 For All Mankind)

Belt: J Crew (similar style here) (and here)

Belt as bow-tie sash: J Crew (similar style here)

Jeans: GAP (similar style here) (and here) (and here) (and here on sale!)

Shoes: Dior Lolita Booties (similar style here) (and here) (and here)
Bag: Fendi B Bag (similar style here) (and here) (love this, too)

Lip color: YSL Rouge Volupte Perle in Coral Sun (buy it at Sephora)

Currently Loving (April 2011)

It's that time of month again! Here are 15 things that I'm coveting this month; links+ more info for all of the items are below.  Enjoy!

 

1. Utopia Lamp (Jonathan Adler) - only Mr. Adler can mix a bit of fun with sophistication, and I can imagine two of these each sitting on an end of a cool sideboard.

2. Feather Trimmed Necklace (Forever 21) - my love of feathers continues!

3. Sunrays Stitch Dress (Madewell) - in a sweet, delicate pink, excellent for pairing with rusty browns and camels.

4.Valentino Studded Calf Hair Kitten Heels (Net-a-porter) - ya'll know how much I love my Valentino studded kitten heels (they're fun to wear and easy to walk in!), and ya'll also know how much I love a bit of leopard.  Swoon!

5. Pink Cut Out Ring (Topshop)

6. Traditional Home (Lonny Magazines) - my twin sister recently introduced me to this online-only publication and I'm in absolute love with almost everything inside.  Case in point--check out this cool styling twist for a few Louis XVI chairs!

7. Sequin Layer Skirt (GAP) - sequins aren't just for the fall and winter!

8. Miss Softee Bikini (Juicy Couture) - I was on the hunt for THE perfect swimsuit when I found this, and...it's perfect! And it's already packed and ready to go in my suitcase for beachy adventures this summer.

9. Extreme Cat Eye Sunglasses (Urban Outfitters) 

10. Nanette Lepore Rain Or Shine Floral Maxi Dress (Neiman Marcus) - this dress is even prettier in person and swishes as you walk.

11.Sparkle and Feathers Necklace (Forever 21) - and another fun feather necklace!  Pair it with a simple tank and  maxi skirt for am easy, boho-chic vibe.

12. Boxer II (Reed Krakoff) -  designed by the executive creative director at Coach, I've been obsessed with these bags!  I've yet to make a big handbag splurge this year, but when I do this one is at the tippy-top of my list.

13. Palisades Belt (Anthropologie) - patterned belts can often be hard to come by, but they make a great addition to any wardrobe. This one is begging to be paired around little black dresses and stripey cardigans!

14. Charlene K Irregular Ring (Pink Mascara)

15. Marc Jacobs Black Orchid Leather Shoulder Bag (Saks Fifth Avenue) - sleek colorblocking on this bag with plummy browns and cognacs makes this super eye catching.  And fabulous.  AND I NEED IT.

What's on your "lust list" for this month?  Share in the comments!

Outfit Of The Day (A Short Scalloped & Leathered Story)

If you've been a long-time reader of my blog you probably know how much I love shorts. Especially short shorts--and before you get all weirded out and huffy and COVER YOUR LEGS  DAMNIT WOMAN about it, let me do some 'splaining.

As a vertically-challenged person with a freakishly long torso and even freakishly shorter legs,  shorts can be incredibly leg-lengthening and flattering.  They can!  You just need to know how to do them the right way.

Here are a few of my tips:

1. Shorts do not have to be dowdy, denim, or insta-Camp-Anawanna.  Stick with shorts in soft, drapey fabrics like silk, chiffon, and linen.  Pair them with ruffly or lace blouses to dress them up, or with a basic cotton T and a statement necklace for a casual-cool vibe. Jeweled flats and pretty heels can also help take them from frumpy to insta-fabulous in no time.

2. Not a fan of your lower half?  Much like jeans, not every pair of shorts is going to look great on every shape or body size. There are lots of options out there and sometimes it takes trying a few different pairs to figure out what works best for you! From frilly to ruffly to peplum-hemmed to sequined to draped to pleated to all of the above (and all at the same time), there are tons of fun shorts out there to try. I personally love shorts with ruffles or  pleats around the pockets, as they give rulery-shapes like me the much-needed illusion of hips and curves. 

3. Don't like wearing shorter inseams?  No problem!  There are lots of shorts out there with longer inseams. Just make sure to stick with a higher rise, especially if you're petite or have short legs. Low-rise shorts do nothing to help lengthen legs or shorten torsos (and put people like me into immediate oompah-loompah territory).  Higher rises draw the eyes up and are almost always the most flattering.

4.Self tanner, self tanner, self tanner.  Lots of it. 

5. And last but not least, an old styley rule--keep things classy and show off one body part at a time. If you are going to go super short with the shorts, try to keep your arms and chest (mostly) covered. This rule is (obviously) null and void if you live on a beach, anywhere where it's over 90 degrees, and/or in South Dakota.

I also happen to really like my legs, so this is a no-brainer for me. In our society it is much more common to hear about things that we don't like about ourselves (and oh, my list is long), but I am going to go ahead and say it--I really like my legs.  I like them, woo-ha!

So!  Here are two pairs of shorts I've recently gotten my hands on that I will be wearing lots this summer; the first being a pair of leather shorts.  Leather shorts started to pop on to the scene last summer, but now they're everywhere for this spring. Leather shorts are really fun to wear (they give any outfit a bit of edge) but remember to keep them slightly big/over-sized because if there's one thing we've learned from watching MTV's highly educational TV series about the oddly tan indigenous tribes in New Jersey, tight leather shortie shorts are never flattering. 

I decided to keep my outfit here simple with jewelry and instead play up a coral lip and nude "mannequin nails" (added after I snapped these pics, but this will give you the idea).  The shorts I'm wearing are from Urban Outfitters, are super duper supple and soft, and I'm wearing a size up from my normal size.

Also showing off the new Miu Miu's, meep:

 Top: Ann Taylor (buy it here) (similar style here)

Shorts: Urban Outfitters (buy them here + take 10% off with "THEMUSICISSUE") (similar style here)

Bag: J Crew Galaxy Bag (similar style here) (and here)

Shoes: Miu Miu (buy them here) (similar style here) (and here for under $100!) (and here on sale) (and here + take 25% off with code "MIN125")

 Nails (not shown): OPI Samoan Sand (buy it here)

Lip color: Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte in Tender Peach (buy it here)

On to the second look, which includes a pair of scalloped shorts.  Scalloped shorts were also a trend last year that has lasted right into this year, so if you already have a pair hooray for you! If you don't, definitely check out these cotton scalloped shorts from Urban Outfitters.  The rise is perfectly high and the pleats give this short a little bit of shape, too!  I'm wearing them in my normal size here (x-small) but be warned - when I first got my hands on these, I freaked and thought there was no way they'd fit around my waist, let alone my upper arm.  The waist is extremely tiny, but thankfully extremely (extremely!) stretchy. These are supposed to fit comfortably tighter around your waist.

My only problem is that my brain literally shuts down over the color navy (I have a  grand total of 3 navy-hued pieces in my closet for a reason, apparently) so...this is as good as it gets for now. It is not my most exciting outfit, but you get the idea here, hm?

I need something to spice this outfit up, like a bold lip color. Or a fancy turquoise belt.  Or a blingin' ring.  Or a baby tiger cub named Mooses McGee to carry carefully in my purse:

Blouse: ASOS (buy it here on sale!) (similar style here)

Shorts: Urban Outfitters Pins and Needles high Rise Scallop Shorts (buy them here + take 10% off with code "THEMUSICISSUE") (similar style here) (and here)

Belt: J Crew (similar style here for $12)

Bracelet: Forever 21 (similar style here)

Shoes: Christian Louboutin Maria Ballet Kitten Heels (similar style here) (and here for $130) (and here, on sale for $50)

Bag: Fendi B Bag (similar style here) (and here)(love this, too)

How do you like to wear shorts?  Do you have any tried & true tips or tricks on wearing them? Share in the comments!

Outfit Of The Day (The Rest Of Vegas)

But first...A LIMERICK. Kinda. Ahem:

There once was a happy puppy named Pa-toony,
Who would always shake her butt so hard because she was a bit loony,
She loved to eat all of the food,
because it would put her in a really good mood!
And of course without it, she would be pretty darn puny.

Every night Petunia would get a special snack
As would her sister Kitty, for going outside and then coming back,
Petunia's sensitive tummy meant she'd get something grossly plain and homegrown,
While her sister Kitty would get a very fancy bone,
You know--the doggy-equivalent of a saucy pizza or a delicious Big Mac.

So one day Petunia's mommy ran out of her special nightly treats,
There was nothing left for the little happy Peets!
Without her special treat the puppy would be so sad,
And then oh lordy--she would behave REALLY bad,
So her mom had to think quick and find something for the little P. Diddly to eat!

Her mom said, "Aha! I know exactly what I shall do!"
"I will give Petunia these old minty tartar control snacks that Kitty hated- wahoo!
Pa-toony will eat any food she can,
even if it isn't really a good plan..."
And sure enough--the pup acted like it was the best thing that she ever did chew.

So this is one small way that puppies are a bit better than human runts,
They will take darn near anything and eat it with a happy, happy grunt,
Peets took the new (old) snack and ate it in a gleeful haste,
you know--a snack that was the doggy-equivalent of icky toothpaste,
and her mommy clapped with glee- she totally got away with her clever stunt!

Sooo. That is all that is new here, um...

Here is the rest of what I wore while in Vegas, now almost two weeks since I've been there (oopsie daisy). First, I wholeheartedly apologize for the weird lighting in these photos. They were shot on a gloomy day at home, since I don't typically travel with my camera, and since our living room is gray and all windows...well, it makes for some pretty funky lighting.  And second IT WAS  COLD IN VEGAS.

And I mean really cold, not just that weird-filtered-casino-air cold, so please excuse my old lady layering.  It happens.

Here is what i wore on an 8am flight (on only 3 hours of sleep) that landed us in Vegas a good 6 hours before our hotel rooms were ready on a Thursday morning. I had to be comfy and cozy but still not look like a complete homeless slob, yay:

Blazer: recent H&M purchase (similar style here for $29.99) (and here)

Top: Ann Taylor (similar style here) (and here)

Jeans: GAP (similar style here)

Ring: Banana Republic Sugar Ring (buy it here)

Bracelet: Ann Taylor Tassel Bracelet (similar style here)

Shoes: Miu Miu Jeweled Flats (similar style here) (and here for under $100)

Bag: Chloe Metallic Marcie in Gunmetal (similar style here) (and here)

And here is what I wore later that night while shaking my tail feather at The Palms:

Top: J Crew Perfect Fit Boatneck Tee (similar style here - mine is sans buttons) (and here for $9.99)

Skirt: Haute Hippie Goose Feather Skirt (buy it here) (similar style here) (and here)

Shoes: Christian Louboutin Greissimo Leather Knot Pumps (buy them here) (similar style here) (and here)

Bracelets: Forever 21 (similar style here)

 -

And here is what I wore on the last day in Vegas, compleeetely over it (as you always feel by day 3 in Vegas) and ready to be home. 

(Never mind that in these pics, I you know--am home.  Pretend!):

Cardigan: J Crew Mixed Tape Cardigan (similar style here in "olive grove") (and here)

Lace top: Karen Millen (buy it here) (similar style here for under $100) (and here for over $100)

Jeans: GAP (similar style here)

Shoes: Valentino Studded Kitten Heels (similar style here) (and here for $140!)

What do you like to wear while in Vegas? Do you go a bit crazy, or stay in your normal realm (like me)?  Share in the comments!