The first thing I put on is the last thing I think about...

fair warning... if you don't want to hear me talk about underwear and such, skip this post...


...

;)

I've been thinking a lot about intimates lately. It's not like my brain is sex-addled or anything! Get yo' head outta the gutter! I'm not thinking Fredrick's of Hollywood or anything - er not that I'd judge if that's your thing... but I digress...

I mean, as I lost weight over the past year or so, it was obvious when I had to replace my clothes. I went through sooooooooooooo many pairs of jeans, a bijillion sweaters, tops, jackets etc. In fact, it was my weight loss that prompted my huge reliance on thrifted clothing, because it became too expensive to get a whole new wardrobe at full retail prices every time I went down a size (which was about every few months).

But, the last thing I thought about were my intimates. I don't know why. I just didn't. Recently, my friend convinced me it was time to get the correct size underwear. Oh man, let me tell you about underwear that fits! WOW. It's like a whole new world. No wedgies, no weird fabric bunching under clothes...

Then I started to realize that with all the weight loss, not only did I lose booty, but I lost cup size - well, cup size plus chest size.

In fact, I'm back at my very measly high school chest size: 34A. Back in high school, I used to be anxious about being relatively flat-chested. I once had a high school boyfriend tell me I could use a little MiracleGro for my chest (THAT relationship didn't last long). I had people tell me I was so flat that I looked like a boy. I tried every push up bra Victoria Secret wanted to sell me.

But now that I'm older, honestly, I see things a little differently. I don't have any bouncing problems or pain when running. I can forgo a bra if need be with summer clothing. I don't have to worry about my chest giving me back pain. I dunno, I guess I LIKE having a small chest! So I didn't really mind when I realized it was time to go down a size. I was happy to see a recent NY Times article, letting me know that I'm not alone in my embracement of what little mother nature gave me :)

So anyway, that was my little self-revelation, and musing at how far I've come since high school in terms of accepting and loving my own body.

But now, I'm on the hunt for new bras. In general, I'm a gal who loves her work horse bras - the nude racerback ones are particularly comfy and resist bra strap exposure troubles. But, I'd also like a few nice ones that make a gal feel extra pretty! I've noticed a lot by Elle Mcpherson at Nordy Rack that have gorgeous lace. And I've been scoping out a few around the nets:

of course starting with a few at Anthropologie:




Then some others that caught my eye:



But do y'all have any favorite intimate brands? What do you look for in your bras? Do you go for the workhorse bra or the pretty bra?

Feeling much better! OOTD

Omg, what a difference two days of straight sleeping makes! I woke up feeling MUCH better today. Good thing too, because today is filled with a bunch of random stuff (dentist, vet appt) scheduled before our trip to CA this weekend for our dear friends' wedding!

As Cindi mentioned in the comments, it was beautiful and 70 degrees outside when I was sick. Now of course when I'm better.... it's raining again :) with a high of 63! Well, if it's going to be a soggy water ride outside, then I might as well dress for the occasion! (plus, I love any chance to get all nautical up in heeeyaaah!) omg I'm such a dork sorry!



I'm still working out how to best set my camera for indoor lighting with this mega-flash, so bear with me here :)



Having recently reviewed the Eze Sur Mer top - stripey ruched sleeve shirts were mighty salient when I was getting dressed. This H&M long sleeved version did the trick here, and set the nautical tone for today's outfit.



The shirt paired well with these oh-so-comfy grey JCrew cords! These pants are so soft and just great for those grey wet days we have around here!





OOTD Specs
Striped ruched H&M long sleeve tee by Divided sz 6 ($13)
Grey J Crew Corduroy pants sz 4S (thrifted $6)
Multi-strand red beaded necklace (thrifted $7)
Silver braided belt (thrifted 99 cents)
Franco Sarto boots ($15 at Ross)

Cardigan Reviews!

Dimpled Cardigan by Small Sparrow in Navy
Size S
Impressions: No. Just no. The personal shopper pulled this for me, and I was worried about it the moment I looked at it. This cardigan was not flattering on me. Dimpled indeed! The dimples just led the fabric to bunch and add too much bulk to my torso. It also made me look like my torso was one big SQUARE. Part of the problem is that the attached belt (and it is sewn on at the sides so you can't just wear the cardi without the ties) is located too high in my opinion. The ruffles at the bottom of the cardi start at my natural waist - making my waist disappear. Thus the cardi turned me into a blue square sponge-bob shape. I didn't think this cardigan looked good open on me either.





Pick a Bunch Cardi by Tabitha
Size S
Impressions: The fit on this cardigan was fine - nice and fitted through the torso and arms. However, the color on this cardigan was horrible on me! This color green/yellow is very muddy, and it really did not flatter my skin tone! The sewn on flowers on the cardi felt a little half-as*ed to me. It was like someone wanted to add an embellishment to the cardi but then wasn't sure what to do - was afraid of doing too much and so just plopped a few grey flowers down as a mini corsage. The grey flowers kind of just blend into the cardi pattern, so they don't really add much. Not sure if it's indicative of quality control, but along with the flowers falling off, the Tabitha tag was sewn upside down inside the cardi :(


And now, the wrapping of a Lori...




Best of the Bunch Cardigan
Size S (no XS left!!)
Impressions: As soon as I walked into the store I picked this off the rack. I've been so dang curious about this cardigan, because it's so different! Walking through the store, I had other customers telling me how great it would look on me which was a little funny since I wasn't even sure if I was on board with it yet. Once it was on, I noticed the sleeves were WAY too big. They were a bit long, and the sleeves also were not fitted along my arms. The fit around the torso on the other hand was great, so I don't know if going down to an XS would have been the way to go for me in this anyway. The sweater pockets and flare at bottom emphasized my hips, but not overly so. I was sad the pockets were so measely that I would basically look ridiculous sticking my hands into them. I took pics at different stages of buttoning to show the different looks I could go with. But in general, I thought this cardi was a bit too messy of a look for me. I appreciate it's style, I just think I would have a hard time making it work in my wardrobe (especially at full retail price!). I've thought the best way to wear this cardigan, looking at other bloggers and the catalog, is buttoned all the way up. But what's very apparent on me, is that that look really only works if you have a lovely long neck. Otherwise, it looks like the sweater is trying to eat your neck!






Spanish Steps Cardigan by Bordeaux
Size XS
Impressions: I really loved this piece. so. much. Honestly, this was the dark horse of the bunch. I wouldn't have thought I'd like like it from the hanger. It looked pretty simple. But, the personal shopper knocked it out of the park picking this one out. This cardigan is so architectural, so sleek! The front folds won't move around because the folds are actually sewn that way. The cardi drapes beautifully straight down the body when open (emphasizing the sculpted folds). But it also looked great belted. The fabric was a soft, but heavy weight - very comfortable! Highly recommended!

Fall 2010 Pieces Review #1 Tees!

Tees! Tees can totally anchor a look. A good interesting tee can add just that extra touch of detail - ruffles, color, stripes, texture. At least, that's what I've learned from shopping at Anthro. They have some of the best tees EVAH!

So when I saw the Loosely Looped Tee in the catalog, I swooned! This was one of the pieces I specifically went to go try on at the store!





Loosely Looped Tee by Deletta
Size XS
Impressions: I love the grey pictured on the model, but I have been looking for more purple tops so I grabbed the purple. I took my normal size in Deletta tops (which tend to run big). The XS fit well! And truly, I was not disappointed by the style of the loops of the top. I was slightly worried about tucking in the top when I saw that the draped ruffle of fabric went pretty far down the tee. But even with part of the ruffle tucked in, I thought the top looked great. The sleeve length was nice, and the loops of ruffles didn't overwhelm my head/neck (something I had worried about).

As with many Deletta tees, the cotton spandex fabric was super soft, comfortable, and stretchy! As such the ruffle of fabric wasn't noticeably bulky or uncomfortable when tucked in. The major disappointment with this top? It was too transluscent! You can't tell in the photos on me, but as soon as I put the top on, I could see my bra! That's amazing given that I was wearing a neutral colored bra! I took a pic of my hand under the fabric to give you an idea of the translucency.



Since my nude bra showed, I'd either have to wear a tank under it (which would probably show visible lines) or ignore the fact that you can kind of see my bra. :( With that problem, I wouldn't consider this top until sale. It comes in grey, purple, and black. I also tried on the black, hoping that maybe the darker color would be less revealing. Unfortunately it was still transluscent.



Eze Sur Mer Top by Pilco shown in Blue Motif
Size S
Impressions: The personal shopper picked out this top for me. It's another one of those ubiquitous stripey tops that has ruching-like details in the arms. I have seen all sorts of variations of this top - well everywhere! That said, I still like the look of these tops, and the Eze Sur Mer has a few minor detail differences. Instead of the normal ruching on the sides of the arms, this top has pleats on the shoulders (lol, it sounds so underwhelming when I write it, ha!). It also has some button details at the end of the pleats which add to the nautical jaunty feel of the top.

I would say this fit true to size. I took a small comfortably, but given the stretch in the material I assume you could size up or down in this if you wanted. The cotton fabric was soft and comfortable.

Despite the fact that tops like these are available everywhere, I still loved this - especially in this colorway. It seems like such a versatile top! This color is great for fall although I wouldn't have gravitated naturally to it myself. The pairings the personal shopper chose (with the Marston Sweater Skirt and Easy Keeper Skirt) looked fantastic. Highly recommended!

Whine + Betsey Johnson excitement!

Sorry for the lack of OOTD yesterday and today. I came home Monday evening only to feel progressively sicker! I caught my husband's cold! I thought I'd stay home yesterday and do some writing and reading from bed, but after my phone meeting yesterday morning I felt so sick I just crawled in bed and slept most of the day. I even missed seeing my best friend back from her summer in Brazil! And, I missed a yelp elite event at Teatro Zinzanni (with food from Tom Douglas). I was so looking forward to that. I had this whole theatrical outfit planned out around my leisured zebra skirt from Anthro and this mask I made from wood veneers. :( c'est la vie I suppose.

On another note, I got a message from the Yelp community manager last night that I get to meet Betsey Johnson! Last week I got an email that read:

"World famous fashion designer, Betsey Johnson is making her first appearance in Seattle at her store for the first time in 23 years and we're invited!

Be a part of this super exclusive event. Pre-funk with mini manicures, nosh on light bites and sip mimosas! Betsey will be arriving at noon and will be greeting all VIP guests as well as taking some questions from her fans."

And last night I got an email saying I made the VIP list! Sweet!

I'm so excited! The event isn't for a few weeks, but I'm already wondering what the heck does a girl wear when meeting a world famous fashion designer?

Sale reviews #2

Here are the last two reviews of sale pieces from my marathon dressing room extravaganza from last week.


Pizzoccheri Jacket by Bluebird
Size 2
Impressions: You know I think it looks better here than it felt on me in the dressing room. I had difficulties getting it to lay right on me when I moved. There was only one snap closure toward middle bottom of the coat, so when I moved, the fabric would sort of pucker or tug around that area - or perhaps the jacket is really only meant to be worn open. That said, when it was closed, it did fit nicely around my waist which can be tough to find. I actually wished the bottom hemline of the jacket would hit about an inch or two lower. This was fine over a dress, but with pants it would appear a bit too cropped for my liking. Pass!


Tea for Two Sweater by Sleeping on Snow
Size S
Impressions: oh my goodness. This sweater seemed like it could be a good idea when it was hanging on the rack, but as soon as I put it on - Frumptastic. I couldn't take this off fast enough. It fit ok around the torso, but the arms had too much fabric there so it was bunchy and wrinkled. It was so unflattering to lift up my arms and see my forearms as massive floppy extensions. The round little buttons were also tough for me to button up. Pass!


I tried on a couple of other sale items (shirts and pants) that I couldn't find on the website, but I think it'll be more fun to move onto the more current pieces in the next set of reviews. :) ttyl fashionistas!

OOTD x 2! On the little things...

Do you ever put on an outfit and think... something is just off? But, you have no clue what it is? That's how I felt this morning:



Something about this just didn't work for me. I couldn't put my finger on whether it was the belt, the shoes, etc.

Luckily, my friend Oliver was chatting me up online about a jacket he wanted to purchase on Gilt. His verdict after seeing the above outfit?

Oliver: "I like it. If I had a criticism it just looks kind of wrinkled, but I don't know if that's just the material or whatever"

I think he hit the nail on the head! I felt frumpy because the dress wasn't ironed! Honestly, unless the wrinkles are pretty in your face, I rarely think about ironing. It just does not enter my thoughts as being a component of the outfit. But it's these little details - the crispness of the material - that can make all the difference between looking like a million bucks or like you just crawled out of bed.

What do y'all think? Was it the wrinkles or something else? Do y'all iron your clothes? I have a steamer that can take out some wrinkles, but it would never get the fabric as crisp as an iron would.

With no time to iron before my meetings, I made a quick switch to jeans (ah the old standby). I'll try to return to the old outfit another time (after ironing) as I like it's old timey army gal vibe.



OOTD specs
AByer nude lace top sz S (had since high school)
Lisa Skinny Jeans by Fire Jeans sz 5 (thrifted $7)
Xhilaration raspberry pumps (thrifted NWT $7)

ootd, and oops on last post

Sorry about the odd last post on spaceship shaped candlesticks. That was my husband who has started blogging his thrifty mid century finds at http://themodsuite.com He accidentally posted here instead. :)

I wasn't planning on posting my OOTD today, but since Evan posted to my blog, I thought I might do an impromptu OOTD post. It's like claiming my territory. I musta learned it from Buddie, my dog. :)

And, guess what?!! After the pouring rain yesterday, I woke up to

SUN!



So I popped outside to soak it up and do some work! I even needed my sunglasses!



Today I was testing a dress from my closet to see if it needs to be donated. I'm making an effort to do this more and more since I dropped about five sizes over the last year and a half.

Last year this was my go-to easy summer dress. Now it is pretty large on me, especially given it's free-flowy cut. But, belted it's alright. Size wise, it probably doesn't deserve a spot in my closet. As thrifty as I am, I've learned that keeping clothes that don't fit well does me no favors. I only end up looking chunkier and slobbier than I actually am. I suspect as soon as I can emotionally let go of it (do y'all have emotional attachments to your clothes?), I will donate it to Goodwill or post it to my sale blog.



I really love the lace back panel. Still very on trend for this season.



and of course a sweater for later if the day gets cold!



OOTD specs
Purple SopranoSopranoSoprano dress Sz M ($15)
Anthropologie Three Beacons Belt Sz S ($34)
Seychelles brown pumps (thrifted $6)
Anthropologie Blooming Lattice Cardigan by Field and Flower (ebay $40)

ootd, "What rain?"

So I don't know if you're like this, but when I buy something to wear (jewelry, shoes, blouses, skirts, etc), I wanna wear it right away. It can be semi-problematic if I have bought several items none of which go together well :) But it's also problematic if you are someone who waits for the end of season sale. Are you going to buy those awesome leather sandals in January when it's raining and you can't wear them for 6 months? (okay, I admit I've done this when I find a good deal, lol, but still! You know what I'm talking about!)

Yes, so that was my dilemma this morning you see. Thanks to Jennifer at Myriad of Muses I was able to get the Burlingame, CA store to ship me Tracy Reese's Speckled Ink dress when it FINALLY went on sale! And it arrived yesterday!! Wheee! And...

it's raining.

and grey.

But, I still wanted to wear it of course. But, could I style this decidedly summer dress appropriately for fall and not freeze? I had hope! Goldenmeans styled it with a cardigan when she wore it!

So I say, "What rain? I don't see any rain or grey skies."



In addition to adding a cardi, I layered a slip under the dress and wore tall boots to keep me warm.



I also used Cat's (of Anthrosdottir) method of looping skinny belts!





OOTD Specs
Anthro's Speckled Ink Dress from Plenty by Tracy Reese sz XS (sale $80)
Anthro's Navy Garland Slip by Eloise sz S (sale $30)
One Step Up brown cropped and hooded cardigan (thrifted $5)
Brown Franco Sarto knee-high boots ($25)
White grommeted skinny belt (thrifted 99 cents)


So I ask you readers, do you wear things the day after you bought them? And, can you buy something knowing you won't be able to wear it for a while? Or in the words of Tim Gunn, do you just "make it work"? :)

Dressing Room Marathon! Sale dresses review

After my meetings on Tuesday, I swung by my local Anthro to try on a few items that have caught my eye in the catalog and on peoples' blogs. The new personal shopper arrived about the same time as I did. And she remembered me!!! By NAME! CRAZY!

She is so super sweet. If you are ever at the University Village location, her name is Tracy and seriously, she's a personal shopper machine! She pulled out item after item after item for me to try on, showed me different outfit ideas, advised me on sizing, asked the type of items I was looking for and went on a mission to find me 10000000000000000 things to try on!

ok. so it was probably more like 25 things. But since I hadn't had lunch yet I hit low blood sugar levels. And it ended up feeling like I had waaaay too many things to try on. I mean, I think I was in the dressing room for over an hour. Wait, that's not even a joke. I just looked at the time stamps on my dressing room photos.

1st photo was taken at 12:49pm
Last photo was taken at 2:05pm

That's right. It was a DRESSING ROOM MARATHON *dramatic music ensues... dunDunDUN*

I tried on both Fall items and sale items. I'm going to spread these reviews out across multiple posts :) For y'all, I'm gonna start with the sale items since those items will lose relevance soon. :)

First up: DRESSES!


Magnifying Glass Dress by Maeve
Size 4
Impressions: The 4 was way too large. I suspect a 0 would be perfect on me in this dress. The skirt has room for the hips! In fact, for me, the skirt flared over my hips and really upped its vintage vibe. Plus, it has pockets! Hooray! I adore the vintage-y print and fabulous grey and white color-scheme. How awesome would this look with a bright red or green skinny belt? Pair it with some cute pumps, ankle socks and a cardigan and you're set!


Obscured Flora Dress by Deletta
Size XS
Impressions: The XS was just slightly too roomy in places (for me, the bust and waist) for me to be super happy. The fabric is a comfy t-shirt like material. The personal shopper said that it's machine washable and dryable and so it could shrink a little (a positive since this runs big). The print looks very Marimekko to me. So I think despite the comfy casual feel of the fabric, with the bold pattern and elegant colors, this dress could go totally upscale. The neckline was a bit low cut. So I think a necklace would be good with this dress. I would pair it with a nice black belt and some chunky black jewelry. There are pockets again in this one too. :D


Lafayette Strapless Dress by Leifsdottir
Size 0
Impressions: I tried this one on at Nordstrom Rack. The 0 was a bit too small on me. A 2 would probably be better everywhere. I actually think it looks somewhat cute. But I don't tend to like strapless dresses on me in the long run (no boobs). Given how tight it was, I think the top wouldn't slip down too much. I think someone could work this with a cute white tee on underneath to wear more casually. I think the polka dots are pretty frickin' adorable now, but I worry that in a year I might be over them. For a dress that still costs more than $100, I'd look for a style with more staying power.

That's it for today! Happy Friday everyone!

ootd, greys for a grey day!

now edited because in my hurry this morning, I left this blog post in grammatical shambles. sorry peeps!



Quick OOTD today since I have way too much research stuff to write up right now! I was able to snap these pics before running out the door to my chiropractor this morning.

Today's outfit (and photography) was constrained by two factors 1) rain (it's baaaaaaaaaack, aw Seattle!), and 2) my chiropractor appointment. I know you're thinking why would a chiropractor appointment constrain my clothes, LOL? Well, I knew I wanted to wear tights and boots today, but I really wanted to wear a skirt. But when you're flopping around on the chiropractor's bench/chair, a skirt can be uncomfortably revealing. So a skirt was out, but shorts were in!



I stuck to a common color palette(ish) with the tights, shorts, shoes. All these items could visually break up my already short little legs into smaller and chunkier looking pieces. I also wanted a simple soft top to wear to the chiropractor so that she could easily access my spine.



I also needed an outer layer just in case I got cold. This short-sleeved blazer did the trick. One day I decided this blazer needed a little glam, so I threw on a couple of vintage pins on it! BAM! And the pins are now a permanent accessory to this blazer, lol.

The blue belt coordinates in with the blue in one of the pins (and with the scarf I grabbed as I ran out the door for greater warmth insurance). I think the blue adds a bit of color to an otherwise very colorless outfit!



OOTD Specs:

unknown brand (no tags) super soft cream-colored polo shirt unknown size (thrifted $3)
grey/brown H&M shorts ($20) sz 6
grey ribbed tights ($6)
Nine West boots (had these for ages, I think I picked them up at Ross or something for like $20)
Anthropologie grey short-sleeved blazer by Elevenses sz 4 (thrifted $6)
blue skinny belt (thrifted 99 cents)
Vintage pins (one came as a set with some wedding jewelry I bought for around $100, the other pin came off of a sweater I had)


As I was getting dressed this morning, Evan suggested I braid my hair to be like Lara Croft



I didn't braid my hair Croft-style, but here's my kick-butt picture for y'all! Have a great day everyone!