Remember: Quotes on Beauty

Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.

—	Coco Chanel

Just Call Me Dana

 Hi Mom! Wish you could have been there!

I decided on the new dress, if you were following me on Twitter (you are, right?). And I gave my final thesis poetry reading, and I am DONE with graduate school!!!! AHhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!! Now I'm just awaiting graduation in a few weeks here (don't you worry your pretty little head, I already have some dresses in mind). Anyway, I wore this casual but classic wrap dress and dark red patent heels with gold accessories for my poetry reading.

These are the new dark red shoes from Ann Taylor (used) that I picked up ON my way to the poetry reading. Don't you love it when you're like, "I NEED this!" and you run into the store and find just the right thing?! It's meant to be. And they were even on sale. Love it!

I think I will really love this wrap dress. When I first tried it on, without a camisole, it's honestly a little bit sexy the way it hugs the body. The camisole makes it very work-appropriate, but I love that it can be work or date appropriate. Score. It's totally a knock-off of Diane von Furstenberg's famous wrap dresses (like this one), much beloved by those in the know.

The best accessory a girl could ask for? Fresh flowers from friends (they both got me purple and yellow flowers!), and a big smile full of relief and happiness. One of my fellow readers said, "If there is ground, my feet have no idea where it is right now," and that is exactly how I felt (you know, after I gave the reading...before I was sitting there, sweating, having to pee, feeling like I was going to throw up, nervously fiddling...). Life is good, and I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a girl who feels more blessed than I do right now!

The Runway Rundown:

Earrings: Gift (Lia Sophia)
Necklace: Self-made
Cami: Walmart
Dress: The Limited
Heels: Consigned (via Ann Taylor)
Flowers: From awesome people

P.S.> New Shoes

I've honestly been needing a few new pairs of high heels (I know, I know, every girl says that, but I mean it!), and this week I happened to pick up two really great pair(s?) out of the blue. Without further ado, let me introduce the new beauties!


(donning Vanna White outfit, fake smile, and gestures...)

First, we have a beaaaaaaaaaaauuuuutiful pair of black faux-leather peep-toe slingbacks with bow accent. Made by SimplyVera (of Vera Wang design) for Kohls. A mere $11.

Second, we have a looooooooooooooovely pair of Italian maroon patent-leather slingbacks, originally from Ann Taylor. From the consignment store, these babies rolled it at $26, and got their first wear this week. Outfit post coming soon!

The Runway Rundown:
Black shoes: SimplyVera by Kohls, $11
Red shoes: Ann Taylor, consigned, $26

P.S. > Right as Rain

It is raining today. And Twitter won't even let me Tweet about it! So I resorted to old-school, full-length, over 140 characters blogging. For goodness' sake.  I figure, if I'm going to write a whole blog post about the fact that it's raining, I'd better make it worth your while and add something with some...pizazz. Right? We need pizazz today, don't you think? Because it's really fun to say pizazz and it's an underused word that uses an underused letter of the alphabet....(I need some caffeine).

Something is "technically wrong." Don't you feel that way some days? Are you following me on Twitter? I hope so! Follow "fashionatalie"!

A song that I've been singing this week, "Who wants to be right as rain? It's harder when you're on top."



Oh, oh, oh!!! OH! Forget needing caffeine, I have something better! I have...The Sartorialist. My very own copy, in the flesh (errr....in the paper?) to inspire me all summer long! What an absolutely gorgeous book! It is, of course, the book form of the absolutely incredibly inspiring blog by the same name.  One of my (and everyone's, it was chosen as one of Time magazine's Top 100 Design Influences) favorite places on the internet for fashion inspiration. I absolutely love this book.

What does sartorial even mean, you ask? Well, according to dictionary.com:
–adjective

1.

of or pertaining to tailors or their trade: sartorial workmanship.

2.

of or pertaining to clothing or style or manner of dress: sartorial splendor. 

 

Have a day filled with pizazz and sartorial splendor!

Next Paycheck: Summer Wedding and Cocktails

A friend of mine is attending a "totally swank cocktail/engagement party" in June and needed something to wear, as well as something to wear to a wedding in August. Obviously I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to put together some suggested outfits, that totally make me lust with my entire paycheck for them. Sigh. Mel, I don't know your style very well, but maybe this will give you some ideas!

Let's start with the wedding outfit, because it's my favorite. It's fresh, young, and grounded with some cognac leather (my favorite). Brightened with some turquoise, it doesn't look too cotton-candy-ish. Plus, how fabulous is that ring? I want to wear this lovely little outfit to church, for a photo shoot, to have lunch outside at a cute cafe...everywhere! Also love the very dance-able heel height, and these shoes would be good for an indoor or outdoor wedding.

summer wedding by fashionatalie featuring Forever21 jewelry

Items in this set:
PACELLA - women's mid-low sandals for sale at ALDO Shoes., $70
Forever21.com - New Arrivals - 1076433929, $4.80
Jeweled Dome Bobby Pins, $3.80
Woven Fishtail Stretch Belt, $9.50
Ice Cream Parlor Dress-Mod Retro Indie Clothing & Vintage Clothes, $50
Earrings Charlotte Russe, $4.00

Total Damage to Paycheck: $142.10

Now, the engagement/cocktail party (I love that it's 'totally swank') is a bit tougher. I was looking for something more sophisticated and not so young, but that still had personality. I went with this lovely green frock, very dressy but not over-the-top, perfect for stopping by to drink a cocktail and toast the happy couple then skip on your merry way in nude peep-toe heels. As you can see, I used the same hair clips for both outfits (hello, bargain!). Little bow ring, sparkly cluth...change up the texture. The necklace is matte but makes a statement, and fills in the somewhat high-neckline here, but the color behind it will really make it pop.

swanky summer cocktails by fashionatalie featuring Forever21

Items in this set:
Grecian Green Dress, $90
Forever21.com - Shoes - Dressy - 2075413797, $23
Jagged Sequin Wallet, $8.50
Forever21.com - New Arrivals - 1000003506, $4.80
Jeweled Dome Bobby Pins, $3.80
Necklace by ModCloth, $23.99

Total Damage to Paycheck:  $154.09 (but if you buy the hairclips just once, you save $4.80, bringing each of these outfits in under $150.00!!!)

So I definitely lied when I said the top outfit was my favorite, I simply can't decide. It's like deciding which one of my children is better!!! (Ok, I don't have children. But that's how difficult this is for me!) I just really like them both! What do you think? Would you wear these outfits?

Just Call Me Mia

excited much?

I love this outfit so much. I want to skip downtown in this outfit, and then get an ice cream cone and walk over the bridge and laugh because life is good, you know? Life is good. Red sandals and a white tee and jeans, and a graphic coat, what more could a girl ask for? Oh, to have turned in her thesis? It was a good day, folks, a good day (and totally bittersweet, but I promised myself I wouldn't cry.....).

 Turn in two official copies in a box...

Who would have thought that a long white shirt could be so wonderful? I've worn it as a dress, tunic, jacket... and have yet to spill something on it, which is a huge accomplishment for me. When I was turning in my thesis, there was a minor panic because somehow I got ink all over my fingers, and was trying not to get it on my shirt and/or my thesis. Yikes!

 That's it right there, folks, the real thing

Patent red leather is so much fun, right? I just saw a red patent leather bag in a local shop that said, "Faux Patent Leather....Great for the Weather!" :-) It makes me think of shiny bright red fingernails, one of life's small pleasures. However, I was super sad that I accidentally 'scraped' off some of the color of my shoes on the concrete. Going to try to fix with nail polish...will report back!

Turns out my photos from this day look a lot like Kendi's the other day but totally accidentally!

I haven't shared a song in a long time...here's one for you, today (excuse the s-word, please):

The Runway Rundown:

Earrings: F21
Camisole: Walmart
Blouse: Urban Behavior
Belt: from a F21 dress
Jeans: Karl Lagerfeld, via TJMaxx
Shoes: Capelli, via Florida
Jacket: F21
Backpack: Jansport :-P

Just Call Me Carly

Oh, this dress is so much fun. I picked it up at the thrift store and ladies were swooning over it in my hands. Unfortunately, it was a little bit (little bit? lot bit.) cold the day I was desperate to wear it's ruffly pink-ness. But jersey dress plus tights = next best thing to staying warm and cozy in bed.

Seriously, please don't hate me for how often I wear this blazer. I'm sorry! Random aside: we have this teddy-bear at work made from a thick-wale corduroy, and his name is....wait for it...Cordy Roy. I totally love it. The jacket is hiding the beautiful smocked top of this dress, but I'll save a picture of that for some day when I can show it off and not need to hide it under layers of corduroy and puffy vest. It's May, for goodness' sake. A jersey long-sleeve dress should be the perfect thing on it's own. Sigh!

Please excuse the horrible-ness of these pictures. I've been in such a rush lately I haven't even taken out my tripod, and the weather has been terrible (not to mention I'm really tired and getting out the door ten minutes early is tough!).

The Runway Rundown:
Sunnies: Vintage, thrifted
Dress: Thrifted
Tights: Target
Jacket: Tommy Hilfiger
Scarf: Wal-mart
Vest: Target
Flats: Gap

Just Call Me Juliana

You know, honestly, I put this skirt in the 'Goodwill' pile every so often. But recently, I'm loving it! It's funny, because I almost named this outfit Clara, too, but I used that name the last time I wore this skirt. This seafoam green is one of my absolute favorite colors. I happen to also have a lot of fuschia in my closet, so it works beautifully. However, it has been such a windy spring I promise every time I wear a skirt it's a bad idea!!

As you can also see, this corduroy jacket is one of my most-worn items of clothing ever. It is form-fitting, flattering (at least I think so, lol!), and goes with just about anything. I cannot tell you how many ill-fitting blazers/jackets I have/had in my closet. And I hardly ever reach for anything else. Do you have a favorite blazer that just works for you? It's like a favorite old sweatshirt, only...slightly more grown-up.

This vintage necklace never fails to get me compliments. Technically, it's my mom's, but she has my robin's-egg-blue vintage necklace right now, so I'd say we're even (ok, so I've had this one about three times as long as she's had mine, so maybe not quite even, but close). And these Gap flats? I had a pair of houndstooth flats from Old Navy that I literally wore into the ground (there were holes all the way through, they were absolutely trashed) and these are going that way as well. I just throw them on all the time!

So my thesis is currently in the hands of my readers being signed (BOTH copies! BLACK ink only! One of my readers just about gave me a heart attack by only signing one copy when he had it...but all is well). Just waiting for my last reader and the Department Chair to sign them!

The Runway Rundown:

Sunnies: Vintage, thrifted
Necklace: Vintage, via mom
Blouse: American Eagle
Tank under: Old Navy
Skirt: American Eagle
Jacket: Tommy Hilfiger
Flats: Gap

Just Call Me Diane

This outfit has a real masculine feel to it. I'm pretty sure I say that anytime I wear these paper-bag-pants. You know, as much as I love the idea of these pants, I'm not so sure I love them in real life. For some reason I always feel like an old lady and/or a man when I wear them. Which gives you real confidence in my style and outfit, right? I think the problem may be that they make me look like I have no hips?

The shirt doesn't look like much in the pictures, but it is an absolutely beautiful Etro print, grays, blues, and golds, but subtle. Too bad it's tucked in so you can't see the "Etro" logo in the design...so clever. I also like the longer short sleeve on this beautiful shirt, which I thrifted a long time ago. I love finding high-end designer stuff in thrift stores, don't you?

I think it's funny that etro is like 'retro' but without the 'r'...it's been a long day

My boss said three times how nice I looked today, so I suppose it can't be that horrible. Got to make a good impression with the new boss! So having this new job means doing my hair/makeup/contacts/actual outfits more often. Got to pay those bills somehow...it's a tough life, I tell ya.

P.S. I may look mad in some of these pictures, but this is actually my 'why are you watching me take pictues, sir? look....which may, actually, in fact be the same as my 'mad' look...but I'm not sure...
 

The Runway Rundown:

Sunnies: F21
Bow earrings: Gift from grandma, vintage
Blouse: Etro, thrifted
Pants + Ribbon: Express
Heels: Target

Just Call Me Christy

Oh this shirt is so much fun! It feels just like a perfect early-May day (did I say perfect? I meant crazy-hot-and-humid). I tell you, the only thing that has gotten me through the past few days of heat and humidity in MAY in NEW ENGLAND (?!?!) is Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia. I also needed the Cherry Garcia because I baked brownies tonight (made my apartment very hot). But the brownies, you see, are for tomorrow night...it's a crime. Such a crime.

Anyway, I digress. Wait, while I'm digressing, may I digress further? Thanks. I hate tucked-in shirts. They just look...weird. At least on me. Maybe it's because of the Cherry Garcia's effect on my tummy, but it just isn't my favorite look. How do you feel about tucked-in blouses? Perhaps I don't like it because I don't have to dress that way very often.

with flats and hair up after work

This outfit is one that I wore to my new job. Yes, that's right, I'll be dressing slightly more "work-worthy" for some of these posts! But it sure is going to be tough to give up my jeans-all-week luxury (though I can wear jeans at my new job if I dress them up enough).

The Runway Rundown:

Sunnies: F21
Necklace: Vintage
Blouse: Walmart 
Belt: Lucky
Jacket: Tommy Hilfiger
Brown Cords: Adriano Goldschmied
Heels: Dress Barn
Flats: Gap

Spotlight: The Young Victoria

Yes, I know, Jessica at What I Wore has already covered the costuming of The Young Victoria better than I ever could (she had an interview with the costume designer!!!!!), but I just watched this movie for the first time and was so inspired by the scenes, the manner of speaking, the clothing...

Emily Blunt plays Victoria, and is a far-cry from her days in The Devil Wears Prada. Apparently she "begged" to play Victoria, and I believe she does a very good job. How sumptuous are these gowns?! So beautiful.

The Victorian era holds such an appeal to me....beautiful, ornate clothing and accessories, dashing men in waistcoats, and yes, corsets (but don't let that throw you off, the woman who plays Victoria's mother says in the extras on the DVD that she actually like the corset and the way it 'held' her). It seems so regal, so lovely, so enchanting...especially when we are talking royalty.

I've always thought royals were interesting, though I'm not a tabloid-girl by any means (though my eyes, of course, do drift to pictures of Price William....)

And stories of Swedish Princess Madeleine:

But I'm digressing....

The Young Victoria is a visually stunning treat and a rare look behind the scenes into the world of a young woman who carried the weight of a nation and the love of one man.  She kept many diaries and I'm definitely going to do some more research into her as a person, and her reign (the longest reigning British monarch to date).

Just Call Me Daisy

Yesterday, May Day, was such a wonderfully fun day, and it deserved a wonderfully fun dress. I love this bright yellow eyelet sundress. The weather has been a little bit fussy here in New England...snow one day, 90 degrees the next, and indeed, almost the same extremes in the course of one afternoon! You know what they say in New England, "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute." But Saturday happened to be just perfect!

I spent the day at the Farmer's market, watching the kids dance around the May Pole, went a poetry reading, got a creamie with rainbow sprinkles...I had no idea they called 'soft-serve' creamies in New England, but I guess I've lived here long enough I've picked it up!

Anyway, it was so funny, at the farmer's market I saw this girl wearing a dress I had tried on (it didn't fit) at the thrift store, the cutest little sundress. But it looked so adorable on her, I was glad it hadn't fit me, and complimented her on it. She responded, "Thanks, I like yours too!" :-)

 

I was determined to have a great day because come Monday, the craziness of May starts, and swings right into the craziness of June. So I needed a perfect weekend day, and this one fit the bill. God blesses us so much!

Unfortunately I kind of trashed my shoes by spending ALL day walking across rocks, gravel, and dirt in them. But oh well, summer sandals are rather disposable in my opinion, so no biggie. Who can worry about shoes when there's fun to be had?!

The Runway Rundown:

Sunnies: F21
Dress: Thrifted
Tights: Target
Sandals: Forever 21
Necklace: Charlotte Russe