Outfit Of The Day (And Dream Our Dreams Of Dazzling Blue)

Oh, I am currently wearing my yellow Manolo Blahniks a lot more than any little human should be allowed to wear yellow pumps.

They are crazy comfy and (in my head) match everything.  Even my pajamas!  And my non-pajamas too, so spectacularly handy they are:

Hm. Missing something here.  A normal pose?  Is there such a thing when you're taking weird pictures of yourself to post all over the internet BUT NO THEY ARE NOT THOSE KIND OF PICS, GRAMMA?

Oh there we go--some wrist candy.

Dress: Forever 21 (buy it here) (similar style here in hot pink) (and here in navy or red) (and here by Three Dots, on sale)

Belt: Urban Outfitters Cooperative Leather Wrap Belt (buy it here) (similar style here, 40% off)
Watch: Michael Michael Kors Runway Rosegold Large Watch (buy it here) (a fun rose gold option here for $105!)
Bracelet: American Eagle Outfitters (buy it here)
Ring: Old Banana Republic red ring (similar style here by Kate Spade) (and love this by House of Harlow!)
Bag: Fendi B Bag (similar style here) (and here at Topshop) (and a few to choose from on ebay!)
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik Uliepe Yellow Pumps (buy them here) (similar style here at Go Jane) (and here) (and here) (and here at Urban Outfitters)
Lipcolor: Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Misia (buy it here + get free shipping on all orders with code "MAYSHIP")



(currently playing in the hizzouse)

We all do it--wear certain things in our closet way more than other things; be it handbags, jewelry, shoes, belts, or even a pretty piece of clothing.  What's one thing in your closet that you're currently "over-wearing"? Share in the comments!

Outfit Of The Day (Happy Raptor Day!)

(ETA on 5-24-2011 @ 6:13 AM: Sorry about that, guys! Comments are fixed!)

I know I am a full two days late here, but I hope ya'll had a happy Raptor Day.   Did you do anything fun?  If you follow me on Twitter, you likely already know that I was planning to honor this mighty dinosaur on Saturday in the only way I knew how, which is by getting really drunk and stumbling around in my super high and impossible-to-walk-in-without-limping-around-like-Bob-Barker-trying-to-walk-in-old-school-roller-skates 6" Louboutins and all while flinging my arms AND roaring like a raptor...but I had to skip it this year. Too busy, bummer huh.

Also, I noticed that some people kept pronouncing "raptor" incorrectly on Saturday, they would pronounce it more like "rapt-shure", but I'm living in Colorado (but originally from South Dakota) so I know a thing or two about mispronouncing words.  I still can't figure out what a ky-yote is, Colorado, or why the numbers out here go  eleven, twelve, thirteen,  fourteener, fifteen.  No fifteeny?

And I definitely can't figure out my inner struggle and turmoil over the fact that if I ever met Katy Perry in person I honestly don't know if I'd scream my best banshee-scream and then accidentally head-butt her OR start breaking it down and dancing  (badly, as I always do when I have the rhythm flowing through me) to her music.   And I know this has nothing to do with Colorado or mispronouncing words or small-to-medium sized dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaurs with three-fingered hands that existed in the Cretaceous Period that everyone insisted on celebrating yesterday and yammering about on the news nonstop but whatever. it's still a big problem here, 'kay?  I honestly don't know what I'd do!  What would you do?  Head-butt (accidentally, I said!) and dance? Oooh, good answer.

Enough of that, on to the outfit.  In a little bit of seriousness, I would like to first thank all of you that commented on  my last post or took the time to send an email to me about it--I've read them all (and am slowly working on answering them, yikes!) and they made me laugh, cry, and even sniffle a bit.  It wasn't an easy topic to address and write about, especially since I am much more comfortable using sarcasm while I cheerfully lampoon myself here on a regular basis, but...thank you.  ♥

Here's what I wore on Friday on a date night for dinner downtown and Billy Elliot at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.  Denver released an official press statement last week that it was skipping summer this year and going straight to fall, hence the jeans and long-sleeve top. 

I grabbed the J Brand Kiki flares  during one of Neiman Marcus' recent promotions and I'm so glad I did! This has been my first time branching out from the Lovestory fit with J Brand, but I think mama now has a new love. These have just the right flare-to-thigh-to-high-rise ratio (it is verrrry scientific) and enough stretch in them to make them extremely comfy.  The only drawback is the inseam, of course, so petites out there will definitely have to have them tailored.  

In fact, I chopped roughly 3-1/2 inches off of mine and I'm wearing them with 4-1/2 inch heels below, so that would make the original inseam on these puppies about oh, let's see...48464afafaoj7649.23 inches long?

Or in other words: the inseam is just about right, World Of Denim, for allllllllll of those ladies out there with 48464afafaoj7649.23 inch inseams.  I know so many of them, those lucky, lucky bitches.

And last but not least, while I certainly haven't given it much thought, I think that if I could name the outfit below I would give it the moniker, "The Open The Door Get On The Floor; This Old-And-Horribly-Out-Of-Touch-Rich-Divorcee-From-Miami-And-Or-Dallas-Circa-1979-That-Just-Quit-Smoking Wants To Do The Dinosaur".  I  think that the outfits we wear can send a clear  and powerful message  to others about who we truly are, after all, which is why I choose to wear outfits that convey almost nothing that I am actually about.


'CUZ I AM A WOMAN OF MYSTERY, HA HA.

And if anyone gets my song reference up above, then you win!  Nothing.  Except my  complete love and adoration forever (and ever and ever):

Top: Ann Taylor (similar style here) (and here) (love this in gray) (and puffy-sleeve love here)
Belt: J Crew (buy it here in "cinnamon spice")
Jeans: J Brand Kiki Flares (buy them here) (similar style here at GAP)
Ring: Forever 21 Royalty Ring in Gold (buy it here)
Necklace: Forever 21 (buy it here) (another option here for $14) (and a gorgeous peacock feather splurge here)
Bag: Lanvin Sweet Dora Crossbody (buy it here)  (similar style here by Olivia Harris for Gryson) (and here + take 10% off with code "") (and here here for under $40 + take 15% off with code "dlistedlove")
Shoes: Christian Dior Lolita booties (buy them in black here) (similar style here)

Outfit Of The Days (E ku'u kumu e, mai hopohopo, ua kapa 'ia ko'u inoa waena, 'o ia 'o Severe Turbulence)

Baby, "Severe Turbulence" is my middle name.

Whittling down vacation photos can be both fun and incredibly daunting, can't it?  It's an absolute blast to look through all of them and relive the vacation a bit, but  I snapped well over 1,000 pictures during our 8-night stay on the island of Kaua'i last week. And sure, that  only figures out to about 125 pictures per day, but it still seems absolutely prodigious once a girl has to hunker down and edit them all.

So I decided to start with the most important part since it's been awhile--what I wore! So you guys don't get confused and think I went on this vacation naked, uh duh.

Husband and I got married in Kaua'i five years ago and our vacation then was full of the usual twinkly, misguided dreams and warm weather with intermittent misty showers that would last mere seconds before the sun would be out shining again. This vacation was entirely different however, with the first four days a complete deluge of nonstop heavy, soaking rains and the first four nights spent with us lying in our hotel room at the Hyatt Regency, listening as the creepy and robotic National Weather Service Voice would repeat the Flash Flood warnings for all of the Hawaiian-named towns on Kaua'i, lulling us into a dreary, non-sparkly sleep.


Which was actually really funny to hear, that automated voice trying so hard to pronounce  the Hawaiian towns, but only the first time. Oh alright I laughed the second time too, but it really grew old by night three and four, I swear (but only Ka-pa-a-and-Kau-ma-ka-ni-kind-of, ha-ha-ha-ha). The weather did clear up a bit halfway through our trip thankfully, giving us just enough good weather to be slightly satisfied and hungry for more.

One of the big reasons why I love Kaua'i is because of the laid back nature of the island--it is the only place that Husband and I can go and feel like we are truly getting away from it all. There is no hustle, there is no bustle. It is the least populated of all of the main Hawaiian islands, and there are no high end boutiques or shops but only stores dedicated to trinkets, fun and chintzy souvenirs, or surf gear.

I actually like the surf stores the best, though I make no claim to be any sort of  salty sea turtle, because nestled between the racks of bikinis, short-shorts, and brightly printed tees are incredibly soft, cool knits perfect for the hot days of summer.  The only shopping I did for myself on this  vacation was to stock up on Ola sugar scrubs, Island Soap & Candle Company Plumeria scented products (I love their oils & shower gels and they're all made locally in Kaua'i), and a few seriously, seriously soft knits from a brand I'd never heard before called Indah (but apparently Shopbop knows what's up, and you can check the brand out here!).

I didn't snap pictures of all of my outfits, as I decided to take a little break from the blog so I could enjoy spending time with the D-hubs, but I did catch a few snaps here and there. So let's get to it, hm?

A girl can never bring too many shoes yes? I'm not even going to say what Husband said when he saw these all lined-up because I couldn't really understand him, we're at that stage in our marriage where we both mumble a lot now, but I'm pretty sure it was something about how much he loved me aaaand all my shoes.  Especially the studded spikey ones:

Here's what I wore to go on a day-trip on a boat up the Nā Pali coast.  Because of the rain and cool early morning weather, I had to be crafty and layer up a bit!  I also promise that my watch does fit, it just wasn't latched when I quickly snapped these before running er, wobbling out the door:

T-shirt: American Eagle Outfitters (buy it here, on sale for $10)

Belt: Urban Outfitters (buy it here) (similar style here at F21 for $6.80)

Skirt: American Apparel (buy it here, now 50% off!)

Watch: MICHAEL Michael Kors 'Large Runway' Rose Gold Watch (buy it here) (similar style under $100 here)

Ring: Yves Saint Laurent Arty Ring in Green (buy it here) (similar style here) (and at Anthro for $58)

Sandals: Christian Louboutin Glittered Atalanta Flats (buy them here) (similar style here) (and love these for $29.50, too!)

Bag: Chanel Crackled Patent Camel Classic Flap (similar style here) (and here) (and Miu Miu-esque under $100 here)
Grumpy face: IT WAS 5:00 AM.

Here's what I wore while laying out by the pool, safe under a cabana since I'm not supposed to be in the sun.  I also damn near lived in this  Mint by Goorin Nubby Panama Hat from Urban Outfitters, wearing it during most of our vacation--it's the first hat I've ever owned that has been truly packable. It's amazing! I had the poor thing mashed up so badly in my suitcase both to and from Hawaii! And it popped out and right back into shape with nary a kink each time!  Good stuff:

I am also going to be a bit honest and discuss something that I rarely discuss on here: it's a little bit nerve-racking posting swimsuit pics. I have received a few rare comments here in the past regarding my size, as most fashion bloggers likely have since we put ourselves out there and ask for it (which is totally weird because I'm preeetty sure I haven't worn my "OMG How Do You Think I Look At This Weight Please Let Me Know By Anonymously Telling Me To Either Eat a Sandwich Or By Congratulating Me On My Magical Secret Pregnancy In The Comment Section On My Blog ASAP Because Apparently My Magical Secret Unborn Baby Really Likes Sandwiches LOL LOL LOL!!!" t-shirt in an Outfit Of The Day yet, but it's coming soon I promise!), so I will just say this: like most women, I've had my fair share of body issues.  Who hasn't? 

But having dealt with Lupus for the past four years has really helped me to finally be mostly at peace with my body in that regard. It's odd, but true.  Lupus is both a painful and uncontrollable condition, and auto-immune disorders are incredibly tough on one's body.  I can often fluctuate up and down in weight a good 10 to 20 lbs from the various medications I take and from all of the illnesses and side effects that come with it, which can be a lot for someone who is only 5'2".


It is bittersweet.  As a fairly major control freak who felt pressure in her late teens and early 20's to be a certain size and never fluctuate nary a pound, it has been difficult yet strangely liberating to give up the regimented control I used to once command over my body and actually be, well...nice and gentle to it, even though Lupus often times isn't so nice and gentle back. I had to call a truce; this disease has given me no other choice.  It's in control now, and I'm just along for the goofy motherfucker of a ride. 


I rarely discuss matters like this on here mostly because...well, it never pops into my head.  I' have made my peace with it and it's simply no longer an issue for me.  But I also do enjoy  occasionally getting a bit more personal on here than just sharing some pictures with ya'll displaying my basic grasp on the concept of matching clothes, so I figured this was as good a time as any to discuss it. 



So there you have it, I'm a real human with real human issues and not an emotionless robot-lady-with-an-oddly-large-head-and-an-unhealthy-attachment-to-expensive-shoes-and-a-fuzzy-brown-dog-named-Petunia-that-most-reserve-for-a-stressful-career-or-Farmville-or-a-human-baby after all.  I TOLD YOU.

Onto the pictures. I am a true apple-shape and carry most of my weight in my midsection, so while I do occasionally don a bikini I always feel comfiest in the Extremely Buddha-Belly-Friendly tankini.  Especially while on vacation and eating all the good vacation food and drinking all the good vacation drinks, too.  It's not like I can go flop out in the sun and splash around in a pool or catch an amazing tan brah anyhow.  Swimwear for me now is no pomp, all circumstance, an occasional  melancholy hot tub after the sun safely sets at night, sad trombone.


But I did feel a little bit festive and fun while hiding in the shade when Husband stole my camera to snap this pic; he always makes me feel lovely, tankini and Buddha belly and trying to see the glass as half-full  and made-up conversations with a 5 lb chihuahua and all:

Tankini top: J Crew Ruched Betty Swing Top in Dark Cypress (buy it here)

Bottoms: Marc by Marc Jacobs Belleville Snap Bikini Brief (similar style here) (and here for under $20)

Book: Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin (only because I accidentally left my copy of Ice: A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption-from South Central to Hollywood by Ice-T at home, sheeeit!)

And this is what I wore when we decided to go out for dinner  and to visit the beach where we got married five years ago.  Yay, so happy!  ♥

(See now, if I were a fashion blogger with a photographer Husband you'd ONLY get a million of the same Outfit Of The Day snaps of me doing the Awkward Freaked Out On Guard With My Arms Over My Boogs Imma Beat You With My Louboutins pose. And it'd be awesome.)

Cardigan: Rodarte for Target (similar style here) (and here from F21)
Cami: Wyatt U-neck Ruffle Camisole (buy it here) (similar style here for under $50) (and here on sale)
Belt: J Crew Patent-Tab belt in Cinnamon Spice (buy it here)
Shorts: Old Navy Pleated Linen Shorts in Salamander (buy them here, on sale for $15!)
Watch: MICHAEL Michael Kors 'Large Runway' Rose Gold Watch (buy it here) (similar style under $100 here)
Heels: Christian Louboutin Knotted Greissimo Pumps in Camel (buy them here) (similar style here + take 25% off with code "MAYAFF25") (and here for $35)
Sandals: Christian Louboutin Glittered Atalanta Flats (buy them here) (similar style here) (and love these for $29.50, too!)

More pictures to come! :)  

An Update - I'll Be Back Soon!

Just a quick little update!  Husband and I just got back from our wonderful 5-year wedding anniversary vacation, and after a night of flying, not sleeping, and coming back to a verrrry cold house (what gives Colorado, you big meanie?) I am ready to sleep for weeks. Yikes.

Most of you probably already know where we traipsed and traversed (especially if you follow me on twitter) but until I get a chance for a bigger update, here is one little picture I snapped from the garden of the resort to hopefully tide you over:

{click for the full-sized pic}

I have missed everyone here so much and I promise that I will be back soon with a huge update and tons of pictures! But it's epic-raise-the-roof-serious-snoozy-nap-time now ya'll, xoxoxo.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms out there!  And happy mother's day to MY fabulous and wonderful and beautiful mom:

It's a funny thing.  I stumbled upon this book and contest awhile back (My Mom, My Style Icon).  Admittedly, I  used to get jealous when I would read stories from other bloggers about how they would raid their mom's closets for cool pieces to wear.  I used to get really jealous when I'd read or hear about glamorous shopping trips my friends would take with their moms.  "How fun would that be," I would think to myself, "to share my love of style with my mom."

My mom  has lived in South Dakota her entire life.  My childhood wasn't spent playing dress-up in her closet full of fabulous vintage pieces, or clumping around in her too-big-for-me high heels, or borrowing pieces of jewelry from her to layer into my outfits as a teenager. I used to joke that I didn't quite know where I came from with my love of fashion, because...which parent did I get it from?  My dad is known for accidentally wearing my mom's jeans (on more than one occasion, uff da?).  My mom was a tomboy growing up and has mostly remained as such.  I used to think that I really missed out on something there, as we always tend to want what we don't have and I'm definitely not a tomboy, and it wasn't until I saw the contest for the book that it all really clicked for me.

My mom is my style icon.  She is the hardest working person I know.  She is the most trustworthy person I know.  We didn't have a whole bunch of money as I was growing up, but when she found $100 one time she immediately turned it in to the counter of the place she found it--it never crossed her mind to do what most would probably do, which would be to quietly fold it up and tuck it securely into an empty pocket.

She is worldly in spite of having never having lived outside of the Midwest. Saturday mornings were always spent with the windows open as she'd clean, blaring Bob Marley, Paul Simon, and the Talking Heads on her radio.  Even though it's been well over a decade, I can still hear my mom singing along with "The Boy In The Bubble" as the scent of Pledge and Windex would float throughout the air. 

She is kind to everyone no matter who they are or where they come from.  Being a mother to two feisty twin daughters couldn't have been easy, but she is ever the diplomat, never meddling in whatever tiffs my sister and I might have. 

And most importantly, she has always wholeheartedly supported me and my sister and  whatever goofy little adventures we have wanted to have. My sister had piercings in nearly every part of her body while we were in high school and my mom loved her no less.  I wanted to flee to Colorado at the age of 21 with no job and hardly any money....and she loved me no less.  And without the support of her and my dad, and them allowing me to make my own mistakes and to lead my own life, I wouldn't be where I am today. 

My mom is my style icon through and through, and it has nothing to do with clothing or shoes or make-up. 

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

I love you, mom!  Happy Mother's Day to you, and to all the other mothers out there too.<3

Outfit Of The Day (The Eyeleted Corset Top)

First things first---I would like to give a huge thank you to everyone that gave advice regarding the bamboo floors on my last post!  We spent a little bit more time researching last night and decided to order the floors tonight.  I AM SO EXCITED! It's back-ordered and won't be in for another month, and then it needs another month to acclimate to the house...so it sounds like July will be the month of big changes. I just only hope that I can match my safety hard hat to my shoes in my OOTD photos.

Moving right along--just a quick post for today! Anthropologie and I have been in cahoots over the past few months; it seems like I  either run really hot or really, really, really cold when it comes to that store.   You know how it is--you either like the odd bird vase that would look like it was throwing up flowers if flowers were placed in it....or you don't.  I'm pretty sure it's dictated by lunar cycles and/or how many commercials and magazine advertisements Maggie Gyllenhaal is currently  in.

But when I spied this little Floreat corset in the May catalog it was grabby hands all over the place. It has everything I like in a printed piece (lt's fun!  it has lots of easy-to-match colors to what I already have in my closet!) and can also be easily dressed up or down.  Two big thumbs up!

So here it is with a skirt, shown on an extremely pale model that looks like she's about 2 seconds away from wobbling and tipping over.  Just for a quick example, timberrrr:

And here's how I actually wore it.  This corset fits a bit small (I sized up one size, and if you have any sort of chest I cheerfully recommend doing the same) and also comes with removable straps in case you don't feel like yanking your top up all through out a fancy Friday night dinner.  

I'd also like to say that these Manolo's are probably the most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever owned--I could walk for miles.  You're going to be seeing a lot of them:

Top: Floreat Eyeleted Corset Top (buy it here) (similar style here) (and here for $44)
Cardigan: J Crew (similar style here + take 30% off with code "GAPMOM") (and here)
Jeans: GAP Jeggings (similar style here) (and here on sale)
Bag: Chanel Classic Flap in Camel (similar style here) (and here) (and here) (and here for under $100)
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik Uliepe Heels (buy them here) (similar style here) (and here) (and here, on sale!)



Have a happy weekend, everyone!

Outfit Of The Day (Remodeling Updates & Such)

Oh let's see, where are we here?  I have spent the past several months immersing myself in nearly every single show on HGTV, the DYI Network, early Saturday morning TLC, and the Disney Channel (The Suite Life of Zach and Cody, duh--suite) to gather ideas to stuff into my rusty, can't-quite-lock-shut-tight-anymore binder of a brain for ideas on what Husband and I would like to do to this house, and if I have learned a few things so far it's:

1. Home remodels never go as planned.
2. Home remodels always cost more than planned. Much, much, much more.
3. Home remodels always take much longer than planned. Much, much, much, much longer.
4. If you think you're able to afford a 5 bedroom, 4 bath house smack on the beach of Turks & Caicos for just $2 and your cute American charm you can go right ahead and think again, nimrod.
5. The "show info" button is for novices--watch a show for a few minutes and as soon as a hired contractor gets on their cell phone you can tell exactly how old the show is and what year it was taped.
6. I am never moving to Toronto because I'm pretty sure it costs $1 million dollars down and the naming rights to your firstborn. 
7. I am never hemming my own pants with fabric glue again because having your hand stuck to the hem of your pants will (probably) never be in style. 
8. I said probably. 
9. And I've watched nearly every single darn episode of The Vanilla Ice Project and he still hasn't let out one "Now stop. Collaborate and listen." to his crew. WHAT A WASTE OF TIME.

So whew--I've been extremely busy.

The flooring debacle continues. If you live in a home that already has wood floors, please give yourself a hi-five because going from carpeting to wood floors isn't easy nor is it cheap. But after driving back and forth this weekend (while making a pit stop at a Roche Bobois in Littleton to gawk at furniture we will never be able to afford) we finally have a good grasp on what we want and hopefully  the flooring should be installed in the next...few...um...months.

We've picked out a pretty pinky-brown-gray tile for both the kitchen and bathrooms and a very pretty warm-brown-cherry-hued bamboo for the rest of the house, see pictures here and here. And before you go all, "GAAASP CHLOE NOT BAMBOO!" for some reason the stuff we've picked out has a Janka hardness rating of 2789, which is much harder than typical bamboo (which usually has a Janka hardness rating around 1300). Why this is, I am not exactly sure (see me gluing my own hand to my pants), but I'm going to beat the holy monkey bananas out of the sample we brought home with my pumps  tomorrow as a test.  You know--just to make sure.

But of course, after doing some quick internet research I've discovered that not only does the stomach ache I've had all day mean I have cancer, but that there are several more caveats that come with bamboo. As always, I appreciate any advice, comments, suggestions, concerns, or fluffy pats on the head of pity from you guys. If you have an experience with bamboo flooring, please share! <3

Next comes the ordering of the floor (which takes a few weeks), the acclimating of the flooring to the house (which takes 4+ weeks if we do actually decide to go with bamboo), and then the actual installation (which takes...a hot glue gun and some strong sangrias um, I have no idea), but with the warmer months ahead I am more than ready to get this party started.  Let's do it homies; it's time to hustle white-girl-with-a-redecorating-mission-on-her-brain hard.

Speaking of warmer weather, we've had the muckiest spring ever here in Colorado. It's been cold, dreary, windy, I'm going to Hawaii and never coming back, meh.  

Coloradans have to be extremely nimble at layering due to how many times the weather can change in a single day, and this waterfall blazer I grabbed from ASOS a year or two ago has been one of my favorite pieces so far this season. It has a fun jauntiness to it that I like, and it's perfect for cinching shut with a belt lest I want the wind to catch it and blow me away like a little Chloe kite:

Blazer: ASOS (similar style here) (and here) (and here, on sale!) (and you can do it with a cardigan like this, too)
Top: American Eagle Outfitters (buy it here + take 15% off with code "49204021")
Jeans: GAP Jeggings (similar style here) (and here on sale)
Belt: J Crew (similar style here in "cinnamon spice") (and here for $12)
Necklace: Forever 21 (buy it here) (and a smaller version here)
Shoes: ALDO Goodsite Heels (similar style here) (and here) (and a comfortable wedge version here) (and a splurge here)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff : (similar style here) (and here for under $50) (love this from Matt & Nat, too!)