Outfit Of The Day (Never So Big, Never So Tall; Never So Big When You Are Small)

And another study on petite proportions.

I've mentioned on here precisely 07q878q47q32984271891 times that I have a pretty weird body.  I make no bones (hardy-woo-ha!) about it, even if my self-deprication only serves as a thin-and-rather-obvious veil to shroud my insecurities. I have a long torso! I have the shortest legs ever!  My head is huge!  One day I saw in my trackbacks that someone was talking about me on a German forum dedicated to gloves! And I had no idea what they were talking about since it was in German! But I'm going to guess it was probably really weird because it was a german forum dedicated to gloves! Nothing normal ever comes out of somethin' like that, right? Right.

I wore the outfit below for a lovely night out furniture shopping (hence the flats) and stuffing my face at The Cherry Cricket + D Bar Desserts. Good times!

Once I took a look at the OOTD pictures after the fact, however, I then spent about 10 minutes trying to figure out how my camera somehow morphed me into an Oompa Loompa. My torso--so long!  My legs--so short!

When I (obnoxiously) asked my homies that were with me that night if I looked that distorted in person, they all replied no. No Chloe, they said, you did not look like you had a bad wrestling accident with a cheap carnival fun house mirror. Every single one of them said it; they all denied it. I have such good, honest-to-god-lying friends--the best type of friends to have.

But oh well. In spite of my obvious need to find some high-waisted denim skinnies ASAP, I still really like this outfit and will probably wear it again. The GAP jeggings are ridiculously comfy, and sometimes I just get tired of paying attention and following rules when dressing myself. Sometimes I just want to embrace my body and all of its goofball proportions, and not think so hard about it, and I suppose that the outfit below is a great example of doing just that.

Also, rusty-orangey-red has always been one of my favorite colors for fall. It's popping up everywhere this year, and so I am happily collecting everything I can find in this hue. This J Crew blouse is a great example, and it goes quite well with the shop-vac in the background (if I do say so myself):

Blouse: J Crew Silk Lucinda Blouse (buy it here!) (similar style here) (and a pretty style from Vince)

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

Jeans: GAP Gummy Jeggings (buy them here + take 30% off with code "GAPFALL") (similar style here at Old Navy) (and here for $30)

Necklace: Topshop (buy it here) and J Crew Biseau Necklace (buy it here)

Ring: ALDO (similar style here)

Flats: Miu Miu (similar style here by Vera Wang) (and here + take 20% off with code "SEPEVENT") (and here at DSW) (and here on sale for $40.70)

Bag: Chanel Classic Flap (similar style here) (and here on sale by Rebecca Minkoff) (and here for $50)

Next up we have a bit of the opposite. I have been slightly obsessed with the Pilcro Superscript flares over the past few months, even going as far as to try them on every single time I found an Anthropologie. I tried them on in Denver! I tried them on in Minneapolis! I tried them on in Denver again!  And again!  And again!

I finally gave into the temptation a few weeks ago after my 100th time of trying them on. I have been boo-hissing Anthropologie most of this year due to their suddenly strange inventory (I am not paying $500 for a blanket of a coat that runs XS-S-M-L, thanks) but....oh these flares. They are fun and ridiculously comfy, with a good amount of stretch to keep them snug but cozy, too. They are totally worth having to break my Anthropologie ban.

The only problem? My inseam hovers between 29 to 30 inches; in the pictures below I am teetering around in 4.5" heels and I still need to get them hemmed up a bit a lot. I snapped these pictures right before I sent them in to the tailors and until I get them back, I promise that I have feet. You'll just have to trust me here, guys:

Blouse: GAP (buy it here) (similar style here) (and a splurge by Parker here) (and here at Old Navy for $15)
Belt: J Crew (similar style here) (and here by Michael Kors) (and here for $15)
Pants: Anthropologie (buy them here) (similar style here for under $60) (similar here) (and here for $39.60!)
Shoes: Dior Lolita Booties (similar style here) (and here + take 20% off with code "SEPEVENT") (and here by Calvin Klein, on sale)
Necklace: Ann Taylor (similar style here) (and a stunning splurge from kate spade here) (or design your own here!)
Bag: Lanvin Sweet Dora (buy it here) (similar style here, on sale!) (and here for $45)

(Currently Listening)

Outfits Of Some Days (A Color Combustion)

The weather here in Colorado is beginning to cool off, with warm sunny days now quickly fading into crisp nights and the threat of fall (and then winter) lingering in the air. Ohhh god damnit, ew.

I often get asked to list what I think are closet "must-haves".  While I generally try to avoid this, since most of my "must-haves" will be completely inane for the majority of the world (I don't work in an office, I don't have kids, I talk to my chihuahuas as if they are little humans, and I'm totally cool with falling on my ass while wearing heels in the middle of Red Robin) (umtruestory), there are two key items that I think would work for any wardrobe especially this fall and winter: bright pumps and leopard print.

The fashion world declared leopard print a "classic" last year, and while I'm still a little hesitant to make such a bold statement myself, man do I love leopard. It's so versatile (it matches black!  it matches brown!) and adds a bit of feistiness to any outfit.  If I'm feeling saucy, I rock a leopard print dress or leopard print cardigan. And if I'm feeling mild, a skinny leopard print belt, pair of shoes, or spotty handbag can still give any outfit some texture without being too cheap-polyester-clad-lady-of-the-night-ish.  We prefer silk-clad-lady-of-the-night-ish in this house, thanks.

Bright pumps, in my opinion, are another must. We went through a bit of a lazy period over the past few years in footwear, with everyone embracing nude pumps due to their magical "leg-lengthening" powers, and don't get me wrong--as someone with freakishly short legs, I definitely enjoy a good nude heel. 

But enough is enough! Bright pumps are really fun to wear and look great paired with anything from neutrals (think camels, blushes, and even black) to equally-bright outfits. 

And now leopard + bright pumps, two different ways:

Blouse: Urban Outfitters (similar style here for under $100) (and here at Madewell) (and here by DVF, on sale!)
Skirt: Forever 21 (buy it here) (similar style here for $17) (similar style here + take 25% off with code "SAVE25", pin "1231")
Pumps: J Crew Valentina Pumps (buy them here) (similar style here, on sale + under $100!) (similar style here for under $100) (and here for $50)
Bag: ASOS Slot Through Porfolio Clutch (buy it here!) (similar style here) (and by the lovely Rebecca Minkoff here)
Bracelet: Gorjana (buy it here)
Lipstick: Chanel Rouge Coco in Peregrina - Limited Edition (buy it here)

Sweater: Forever 21 (buy it here) (similar style in a cardigan here) (and here in a dress at LOFT!)
Shorts: Urban Outfitters (similar style here) (and here for under $100) (and here for $60)
Pumps: J Crew Valentina Pumps (buy them here) (similar style here, on sale + under $100!) (similar style here for under $100) (and here for $50)

Bag: ASOS Slot Through Porfolio Clutch (buy it here!) (similar style here) (and by the lovely Rebecca Minkoff here)

(Currently Loving) September 2011

Just a few things that I am currently loving this crisp, almost-fall day in Colorado:

 {currently loving: valentino lace booties, caught on sale earlier this summer and waiting to be worn}

{currently loving: new fall butter london colors: wallis, which is a fabulous gold olive; and blagger, which is a bright cobalt blue}

 {currently loving: nanette lepore "cafe sheath" dress (similar style here!) + j crew perfect mix tape cardigan in bronzed twig + j crew necklace - snapped at a wedding in Golden, Colorado}

{currently loving: teaching my aunt how to 'photo-bomb', which she immediately put into action} {and my dad pilfering my twin sister's peacock feather headband to wear while dancing}

{currently loving: my dad entertaining himself, always}

{see?}

{currently (not) loving: breaking in new shoes by gettin' doooown on the dance floor.  I highly don't recommend, ouch!}

{currently loving: really bad flash photography} {and looking oddly happy that my twin sister somehow worked stabbing me with a plastic fork into her dancey-jiggy-dance-one-toosie}

{currently loving: Husband's first trip to IKEA} {and holding 2 new mirrors for the house!}

{currently loving: he's only smiling because we're almost at the end}

{currently loving: the pups finding finding new, snoozy-sun-spots on the new floor}

{currently loving: more new nail polishes for fall, from L to R: Essie Power Clutch, Sally Hansen Cocoa-A-Go-Go, Essie Mink Muffs, and Chanel Quartz} {I might have a bit of a nail polish problem}

{currently loving: lace dress - alexa chung for madewell} {launches tomorrow!}

{currently loving: beautiful jewels paired with bold & sleek dresses at rachel roy}

{currently loving: leopard portfolio clutch from ASOS for under $50!} {and take 20% off through tonight with code "SHOPLFW"}

What are you currently loving this month? Share in the comments! <3

Outfit Of The Day (Espoused By A Blouse!)

Why, hello there! How was your weekend? Mine was nice, thanks. Having family in town means doing lots and lots (and lots) of running around, so I'll be back here in a bit with a more lengthy update!

On to the outfit--one of my favorite recent trends has been the silk-blouse-phenom. They are incredibly easy to dress up (and dress down) and look elegant while still being very comfortable to wear. I love the trench flaps on this grayish-greenish-brownish one by Ann Taylor; it gives the blouse a bit more of a structured shape. If you like it for yourself, however, consider sizing up as it does run really small through the chest--I actually sized up two whole sizes and I probably could have gone up two more, as I can see that the buttons are still pulling a teensy bit in these pictures.  This also has a lot to do with me eating a lot of REALLY, REALLY GOOD cupcakes at the 230328743290 weddings I've attended in the past 2 weeks not wearing the right bra here, either. This blouse is definitely for the non-cupcake loving flat chested.

(Fashion bloggers: they have jiggly-puff-cupcake-boob problems just like you do.)

But all in all I do really love the blouse; especially paired with a bright skirt, smart blazer, and fun necklace, even if I do have to wear it buttoned down until I de-puff from all of the recent, tasty celebrations:

Top: c/o Ann Taylor Silk Trench Shirt (buy it here) (similar style here) (and here)
Skirt: Zara (buy it here) (& a pencil skirt style here) (and here + take )
Belt: J Crew (similar style here) (and here for $21)
Jacket: J Crew Library Blazer (buy it here) (similar style here) (and here at ASOS) (and here on sale for $49.95!)
Bag: Lanvin Happy Mini Pop Python Bag (buy it here) (similar style here) (and here by Tory Burch) (and here, on sale for $35!)
Shoes: Alexander Wang (similar style here by Giuseppe Zanotti) (and here by Nine West) (and a pretty pump version here)
Necklace: Topshop Chain and Tube Necklace (buy it here)
Sunglasses: Prada Baroque Round Sunglasses (buy them here)

(Currently listening...)

Outfit Of The Day (Jewelry Tom-Foolery)

I'm on a roll, you guys!  Watch out.

The month of September has been full of fashion-action, including the launch of Missoni For Target (And A Million People That Now Hate Target) and the launch of Zara's US online website. I had a major strike out with Missoni yesterday (save for a dress, a hat, and a weird, angry twitchy feeling that still leaves me wanting to find a Missoni scarf so I can strangle an Ebay-er) (but, you know--they bought all the scarves, those smart cookies!)...but thankfully my experience with Zara has been better.

Much, much better!

I grabbed the plain, structured-shoulder top that I am wearing in my outfit below right when the Zara website launched last week and it definitely doesn't disappoint. The knit is nice and thick (I get so tired of see-through white tops), the shoulders add a bit of fun, and all it needs is a necklace to give it a bit of oomph. My order from Zara arrived promptly and prettily packaged too, with standard shipping being free and expedited/overnight shipping costing only $10.

So back to the top!  And a necklace to add oomph! I bought this little jewel collar from ASOS a few weeks ago with the idea of pairing it with such a top and I think it works quite well.Ta daaa!

Top: Zara (buy it here) (similar style here for $5.50) (and here) (and here for $34.99!)

Pants: Urban Outfitters (buy them here + take 10% off with code "WTVR") (similar style here + take 20% off with code "HAPPYLFW") (and here at J Crew)

Necklace: ASOS (buy it here + take 20% off with code "HAPPYLFW") (also comes in sequins) (and in leather, too)

Shoes: J Crew Valentina Pumps in Vibrant Coral (buy them here) (similar style here under $100) (and here by Steve Madden!)

Bag: Valentino Aphrodite Leopard Bag (similar style here) (and here) (and here by Rebecca Minkoff) (and here for around $100!)

Have you bought anything from Zara's US website yet?  Share in the comments! <3

Outfit Of The Day (Kendra Scott Daphiney Earrings)

As I mentioned in my last post, I am finally getting a chance to reacquaint myself with my home. But unfortunately, while the big project is nearly finished (the new floors are almost all in!), there is still quite a long, hefty list of little things that need to be done too.  

So oh, it is far from being over.

While it has been extremely fun (and entertaining) to see our house being transformed, we still have shit everywhere. And I mean everywhere. It is everywhere it is not supposed to be, which means it's also a little chaotic--kitchen appliances are in one of the guest bedrooms, office stuff is in the kitchen, the pool table is piled in all of our clothes, and puppies are constantly wiggling around and getting their tails into the wet trim paint.  Aye chihuahua.

To make things even more fun, we have guests arriving tomorrow to stay with us! I just hope they know that they will be greeted with a big, dirty hug from me, but only so I can sneakily pass off a broom to them as I'm doing it. Maybe we'll even have a little party and play some games this weekend, including hide-and-go-seek--but only so we can figure out where the heckity-heck everything is.  First person to find my sanity (and my favorite bra, and my watch, and most of my jewelry, and the three mini Twix bars I picked up to eat this afternoon, but didn't, and now I don't know where they are but the last time this happened they were in the plants) wins! The win this nice gift from Jonathan Adler.  GET TO WORK.

On to the outfit. Thankfully, I have acquired a lil' bit of new jewelry during this remodel (since my usual stash is MIA) and today I am wearing the beautiful Daphiney Earrings sent from the very lovely people over at Kendra Scott. I often forget about earrings, as I am much more of a bracelet/ring/necklace fiend, but I think these earrings are a perfectly-pretty change of pace.

It is also hard to see from these pictures, but my earrings, bag, and nails all match!  It's the simple things that make me happy, shhhh:

 Top: Urban Outfitters (similar style here) (and here at J Crew) (and here + take 40% off)

Skirt: ASOS Double Layer skirt in "arabian spice" (buy it here, on sale!) (similar style here) (& here at Topshop)  (& a pretty pleated version here + take 20% off with code "HAPPYLFW")

Belt: J Crew (buy it here) (similar style at ASOS for $11!)

Shoes: Christian Louboutin Atalanta Sandals (similar style here by Nine West) (and here at Topshop)

Handbag: Chloe Paraty in Rosewood (similar style here) (and here) (and love this for under $100)

Ring: Forever 21 (buy it here - $5!)

Nail Polish: Essie Mamba (buy it here)

Earrings: Kendra Scott-Daphiney Earrings in Amythest (buy them here)

(Currently enjoying)

(Outfit Of The Day) A Beautiful September Wedding

So! I am still here, I promise.  

Life has been nothing short of crazy over the past two months, hence the lack of regular posting.  I am finally back at home, however, and most importantly back home without the looming threat of spending more time standing in the long lines of security at the airport (and then wondering, if the wobbly underground train that speeds back and forth between the three concourses derailed and ran into a wall and I survived, would I forever get free frozen yogurt from the World's Last TCBY That Is Randomly Located In DIA? Is that the rule?), or more driving on a long roadtrip (listening to Dr. Laura Schlessinger on Stars XM along the way for some bizarre form of masochistic torture to stay awake), or more living out of a suitcase and bathing my clothes and/or a random chihuahua in The Magical Downy Wrinkle Release on a daily basis.  You know--all the usual stuff that happens when traveling.

I've been everywhere, man, I have been everywhere.  My most recent trip was to Minneapolis to take part in a good friend's wedding and while It was a quick trip up there, it was jammed full of good fun.  So let's take a look at it, yes?

The bride herself is extremely artsy and crafty (and has cute freckles too, darn her!) and therefore wanted a DIY wedding.

So we folded lots and lots (and lots!) of pom-poms:

And we fulfilled our bridesmaid-y duties by bravely volunteering our husbands to test-try the Wilton's icing colors for juuust the right shade of pink:

{i'm hiding!}

Oh yeah. That's pink.

(and it didn't come off until several days later, cha cha cha)

After the Freaky Icing Color Debacle of 2011, we had to make a quick trip to the wedding decor aisle in WalMart, too:

{I'll just go ahead and say it--the wedding decor aisle in WalMart is kind of weird.}

I am wearing my moving-heavy-picnic-tables-early-on-a-Saturday-morning-while-Husband-watches-me outfit:

{it didn't even budge}

Pretty, pretty pom-poms:

Pretty, pretty bouquets arranged by the bride's mom!

My twin seester and me:

Outside shot of the Riehl farmstead:

The pretty, pretty bride & groom:

In love with her peacock hair clip, no?

Being silly:

{my mom used to tell stories about how, when we were itty-bitty-toddlers, she'd turn my sister and I loose in a gigaaaantic park and it'd never fail, we'd take off running and then run smack straight into each other.} {I sometimes feel like this explains a lot.}

More being silly:

Getting ready to head down the aisle:

{I was preparing to Souljaboy-Suparman-Dat-Oh down the aisle}

Husband!

After the wedding!

{the girls}

Cupcakes & cheesecake made by the bride--sooooo good!

Up to no-good with the pom poms:

{ripples mcgee}

Husband pretending to be me:

{hardy-har}

The wedding party:

Down by the Mississippi River, the end:

{and if our house ever catches on fire, I'm totally making sure to grab these and shove them into my Chanel flap as I flee.}

So!  That is that.  Now on to an outfit--our house is still in shambles, which means it is super exciting trying to find things to wear! And I'm talking about anything, really. I have no idea where anything is right now, and while I am not entirely sure if I liked my Dior Lolita booties with the outfit below...it was between those and a pair of  fuzzy bunny slippers.  It's all I can find.

(And the bunny slippers probably lost only because they were covered in sawdust and were a clashing shade of pink, soooo.)

I wore this outfit on Wednesday night while meeting up with one of Husband's old college roommates at The Atomic Cowboy for drinks, pizza, trivia, and fun. Simple, bold gold collars and chokers have been popping up all over the place, and I really love how they look with a silky blouse.  It adds a little bit of somethin' without detracting away from the prettiness of the blouse, I think, and are a welcome change from the beaded, blingy-and-heavy statement necklaces of seasons past.

And can I also say how much I love this blouse? I seriously, seriously love this blouse. It is gorgeous in person, feels great on, is machine washable (although I have not washed mine yet, so I cannot attest to the durability there) AND it's on sale right now at GAP. I'm wearing an XS and I think it fits well (it's supposed to be a teensy bit loose), so keep that in mind in case you want to grab it for yourself, too:

Blouse: GAP (buy it here, on sale) (similar style here by DVF) (and here) (and here for $13.50)

Skirt: Old J Crew (similar style here) (and here at ASOS) (and here for $19.80)

Necklace: Forever 21 (similar style here) (and here for $10) (and here for $15) (and here at Ann Taylor)

Bracelet: Forever21 (buy it here)

Shoes: Dior Lolita Booties (similar style here at Bluefly) (and here, on sale) (and here)

Bag: Lanvin Metallic Python Bag (buy it here) (similar style here at Macy's) (and here at GAP) (love this, too!)

(Currently bumping to...)