New Anthropologie Purchase

Hi everyone, hope your week is going well. Only one more day and then it's on to 2011. I can hardly believe how quickly this year seemed to fly by! Wow!

I did a little post-holiday shopping with my gift card this evening, so I thought I'd drop in to show you the latest purchase from Anthropologie.

Yep, I did it, I brought home the Soft-Structured Dress that I blogged about a few days back. The colors and pattern are simply stunning, and although it was more than I would normally pay for a jersey dress, I couldn't resist with my free money.;)

Now, this isn't styled or anything. I won't even be wearing the dress until next week, at which point I'll be breaking out the tights, some cute shoes, and switching up the jewelry to complement the dress. However, I couldn't resist trying it on yet again once I brought it home, so I snapped a quick pic for you guys to see.

I tried on both the XS and the S, but ended up taking home the small because the fit was more flowy. I work in a pretty damn conservative office, so I can't be prancing around like Jessica Rabbit in super form-fitting clothes all day. The small still flatters my frame, but allows me to maintain a more modest appearance when dealing with all those corporate types in power suits all day long.



Have a terrific evening and a fun, safe New Year's Eve!

Forever 21 Purchase - Quick Pics

Hey, girls, just dropping in to say hello! Finally digging out of all this snow here in the Big Apple. I had to go back to work today, which I wasn't too thrilled about. It was nice having a couple of days off following the Christmas holiday, but alas, all good things must come to an end.

I wanted to wear something extra pretty today to perk up my mood, so I decided to break out one of my most recent clothing purchases. I first saw this skirt (which has since sold out online) on Kim over at Anthroholic, and it looked so cute on her that I HAD to have it for myself. Really, very, very pretty, and I could not get over the fact that this was a) under $20 and b) from Forever 21!!! I'm so used to their hoochie little skirts that barely cover one's behind. I swear, I haven't purchased a skirt from that store in quite some time, as the clothing definitely isn't work or age appropriate, in my opinion.

I paired this little beauty with an old blouse from Beyonce's House of Dereon line and a beautiful vintage necklace. I am drawing a blank as to where I got these adorable shoes, but I was really happy with my ensemble and it made me feel just a little bit better about having to trudge through snow and slush into the office once again.





Hope you're all having a great week and I'll be back soon to discuss more purchases!:)

Seasonal Confusion

Hello, ladies, I hope you've all been enjoying a wonderful holiday season so far! I'm just trying to dig out of the 20 inches of snow that just got dumped on NYC over the past 24 hours!:(((( Some of you may think it looks so pretty, but I really do not enjoy it AT ALL! I think I seriously need to consider relocating to a different part of the country. Give me warm, sunny beaches any day over having to schlep around in this nonsense!

I received some gift cards to my favorite store, Anthropologie, so I've spent a little time on their website today, just scoping out new possibilities for my closet.:) I have to tell you, it appears that their buyers have some serious seasonal confusion going on! Today, the website unveiled a few new offerings, but these items sure don't seem like winter wardrobe staples to me! Pretty pastel shades, gauzy silk fabrics, and whimsical floral patterns? Not to mention sleeveless or barely there sleeves. Hmmmm....I couldn't wear any of these items until June, even if I liked them! Take a look to see what I mean.

Powdered Pigment Dress from Plenty by Tracy Reese ($228)



Holy Open Back! Can't picture breaking this out to wear in the 2 feet of snow we currently have on the East Coast.



Martagon Sketch Halter Dress (Label not listed - $158)



Work-In-Progress Dress by Cantao ($168)



Magnified Corolla Dress by Coquille ($168)



Wow, so not a lot of options for me over at Anthro right now! That's a pretty rare statement. However, there is one dress that I absolutely ADORE and hope to bring home with me tomorrow. It's the Soft-Structured Dress by Weston Wear. This little beauty has looked incredible on several bloggers and I absolutely must own it! Featuring a rich navy shade and an eye-catching floral print, this dress is just so darn pretty and seems to flatter one's curves in all the right places.



Being that I sort of have that J.Lo/Kim Kardashian thing going on with my behind, I want to try on both the XS and the S to see just how clingy the material is. After all, it's a thin jersey fabric and I do want to be able to wear this to work. At $148, I know that it's pretty expensive for what it is, just a simple jersey dress, but it's getting such fantastic reviews, so I feel like I should probably go for it now, especially with my gift card. After all, it may sell out before it ever makes it to the sale rack!

Well, I'm off to shovel more snow. Have a fantastic afternoon and I'll be back soon to show you my post-Christmas purchases!

Crazy For Coats

Hi, ladies, hope your weekend is off to a great start! I just can't wrap my brain around the fact that Christmas is only seven short days away. I've barely done any of my present shopping, and I'm not normally one to procrastinate like this. As soon as I'm done with this post, I'd better pry myself away from this chair and head out into the holiday madness.:)

So, as far as fashion goes, I've been pretty uninspired by what the stores have been offering lately in terms of fall/winter outfits. Even my beloved, tried-and-true Anthropologie has failed to dazzle me with their usual array of beautiful dresses and amazing skirts. I find myself looking ahead to spring/summer fashion, even though it's only 20-something degrees outside as I type this. Wishful thinking, I suppose, but what happened this season? Do you girls find the stuff that's out there to be boring right now? Maybe it's just me, but I seem to remember buying TONS of stuff around this time of year, and right now, I'm struggling to select much of anything.

One thing that hasn't changed, though, is my love and obsession with winter outerwear. Being that I have another 3 months of extremely cold weather to endure, I find it much easier to deal with if I'm decked out in a gorgeous coat. Since I spend so much time walking around the city streets, even to and from the subway, it's essential that I have a great collection of coats in my arsenal.

I've received some Christmas money and plan to head down to the new Mackage store in Soho to bring home a new beauty. Because I don't earn incredible amounts of money each month, these coats are a real splurge for me, and it's not like I can bring them home in multiples. So, once again, I'm reaching out for some reader opinions, because I plan to get one of these 3 items:

Mackage Leigh Coat in Camel - Love the color and collar, but will it keep me warm this winter?




Mackage Jamie Coat - Gorgeous dove gray color and amazing tailoring/structure. I love the idea of a corset belt to cinch the waistline even more.



Mackage Esther Coat - Fabulous design and I adore this Marine Blue shade.



I can't say anything bad about any of these coats. I only wish I could bring home all three!!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and hit me up with some opinions!:)

Cute New Anthropologie Dress

Hi girls, just dropping in on this freezing cold Tuesday evening to say hi and share this adorable new fashion find with everyone!

I just adore this sunny yellow and cream frock from Anthropologie! It doesn't have a place in my life at the moment, seeing as it's about 20 degrees here in NYC, but it's fun to think ahead to sunnier, warmer days, isn't it?

Sun Shades Dress by Moulinette Soeurs



Aside from this item, I've been really disappointed with the dresses from Anthropologie this fall. I haven't seen anything in the longest time that really calls out to me. I'm hoping that this slump ends quickly, because I could use another Anthro fix right about now.;)

Have a great evening and stay warm!

Pretty in Purple

Hey everyone, hope you're all enjoying a wonderful weekend! I apologize for the lack of posts lately, but I've been feeling soooooooooooooo unmotivated this past week! I feel like I'm in a slump. Must be all of this freezing cold, dreary winter weather that seemingly has no end in sight. Sigh.

Well, to perk up my mood, I attempted to escape the doldrums by doing a little window shopping online. I've been on the prowl for a purple dress, and think I just may have found the right one to bring home. You see, readers, I simply adore bright, bold colors. I may live in NYC, land of the black, gray and neutral fabrics, but there's nothing like color to instantly perk up my mood.

Purple has always been one of my favorite colors. I adore all of the lovely shades, from deep, dark plums to rich raspberry hues, to vibrant jewel tone shades of royal purple, and everything in between.



Image courtesy of Girl Whimsy

I came across this dress by Adrianna Papell on Nordstrom's website, and am seriously considering pulling the trigger. I think it will work well with my light hair and complexion, and the vibrant shade will hopefully make my blue eyes pop. I also love the ruffled sleeves and belt that cinches in the waistline.



What do you think, do you ladies like it???

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Mackage Opening in the Big Apple!!!

Just wanted to let all of my coat-lovin' New York City ladies know that Mackage will be opening its first U.S. store down in Soho!!!! Many of you may be familiar with the super chic and edgy designs from this Canadian-based retailer. Well, now Big Apple residents will have access to some amazing winter fashion with just a quick ride on the subway.







*Images courtesy of Hey, Lady Grey

Located at 123 Mercer Street, this 2,000 square foot retail space will also feature an exclusive line of shearlings. Doors will be open on 12/3/2010. That's right, girls, TOMORROW! As a coat fanatic, I can't even tell you how amazing this news is!

Read more about it here.

If you girls own or love Mackage coats, you know this is big news! Anyone heading downtown tomorrow to check things out?

Have a wonderful evening!

New Dress Love

Sigh, I just had to share my latest lust-worthy fashion find. Once again, this beauty is from ModCloth.com. I've had pretty good luck in ordering from this store, so I'm REALLY tempted to pull the trigger on this vintage-inspired lace beauty. Wouldn't it be gorgeous for the holidays?

Well-Mannered Minx Dress







At $189, it's a bit pricey and I'm not sure how much daily use this could get. What do you think,
do you love it? Should I fork over the dough for this?

Look Familiar?

ModCloth's Gary Pepper Dress

Hello girls, Happy Wednesday! Only 2 more days and then another weekend is upon us.:) It's pouring cats and dogs here in New York City today, so I'm really looking for this week to be over soon.;)

I was doing a little web browsing this morning and I discovered a very familiar looking dress over on ModCloth's website. I know that they tend to be "inspired" by a lot of the fabulous fashion from Anthropologie, but this is almost a twin of the Discovered Lace Dress that so many bloggers have fallen in love with.

If the original hadn't fit me so poorly, I'd actually consider giving ModCloth's cheaper version a shot, but it was just not the kind of dress that I love. For those of you who do like the look of this, you may want to consider ModCloth's version to save a few pennies (although the Anthro version is now on sale).

New Anthropologie Love

Hello girls, hope you're all doing well. Is everyone looking forward to Turkey Day tomorrow? The boyfriend and I are heading over to his cousin's home for a spectacular dinner. I expect to come back 10 pounds heavier!:)

Well, I see that Anthropologie has added a bunch of new items to their website. Not really feeling the new dress additions, but one piece that really caught my eye, and I MUST own, is this gorgeous sweater coat by Sleeping on Snow.

Handpainted Poppies Sweatercoat





It may not be for everyone, especially with its hefty $298 price tag, but to me, it's to die for. The embroidery, the colors, the fit...LOVE!!! I will find a way to make this mine. It's just one of those super unique pieces that I can see myself turning to year after year.

What to do you think, do you like it? What else do you ladies fancy from Anthro's latest collection?

What's Your Limit???

Good morning, ladies, I hope everyone is enjoying a lovely weekend. As I sat here sipping my coffee and perusing the newspaper, I came across an article about the introduction of nine inch heels to the masses, and ouch! It leaves me wondering, who in the heck is going to be able to walk in these??????





Dubbed the "Sky Heel," this shoe is available in vibrant shades of gold and red and costs just under $100. Experts claim that consumer demand drove manufacturers to develop this towering stiletto, in an attempt to mimic the look of celebrities who dare to don 5, 6, or even 7 inch heels.

I love me some high heels, don't get me wrong. In fact, my closet is filled to the brim with 3 and 4 inch heels, but a girl DOES have her limits, you know. Does anyone think these are completely ridiculous? I mean, who could WEAR these (other than Lady Gaga)????

Aside from aesthetics, I also worry about the injuries that these could potentially cause. Twisted ankles, torn tendons, broken wrists from the attempts to break a fall...Yikes!

However, we all have different comfort levels. Some of us feel unsteady in 2 inch heels, while I see girls strutting down the streets of Manhattan, rocking 6 inch spiked heels like runway models.






I'd say that a 4 inch heel would be the tippy tops for me. How about you? Could you rock a 6+ inch heel, or are sneakers more your style?

*Images courtesy of the UK Daily Mail.

LOVE. THESE. ITEMS.

Just dropping in to share a few of the new cuties that I'm LOVING on Anthropologie's site these days...I don't see any one piece that I *MUST* have in my life, but I do adore the look of these lovely, feminine frocks.







Each piece offers something completely different, but I love bright colors, bold prints, and beautiful floral patterns.

What items are YOU loving these days?

eShakti Fall Savings

Hi girls! Happy Friday! I hope all of you are off to a great start to the weekend! Just dropping in for a brief moment to pass along a little fashion discount to everyone. If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you may remember that I reviewed an online store called eShakti, which features beautiful, affordable, standard size and custom-made clothing for ladies on a budget.




Well, eShakti was kind enough to pass along a 15% off discount code that I can share with all of my interested readers! Head on over to their website now to take advantage of the savings! This discount code is good through November 30, 2010.

Promo Code: Ch44DA

Have a great evening and happy shopping!:)

Veterans Day and a Trip to Anthropologie

Hello out there to all of my lovely, lovely readers! I hope your day went well.

In honor of Veterans Day, please take a moment to remember all of the amazing, inspiring Veterans who sacrificed so much to keep our country safe and protect our freedom. I am so grateful for all that they have done and continue to do!

Now, being that I work for a bank, I had the day off in observance of the holiday, so I spent a few lovely hours at Anthropologie. I decided to try out their *free* personal shopping service, so I phoned ahead and made an appointment with Audra at the gorgeous Chelsea Market Anthropologie location.

Ladies, even though I am a very experienced shopper who adores creating my own unique looks and outfit combinations, I cannot say enough good things about this service. I was looking to save some time today, so it was really great to arrive at the store and head straight down to the dressing room, which was already filled to the brim with each item I was dying to try on. The stylist also included an array of accessories and some additional outfit ideas, as well. She was super sweet and accommodating, and was on hand for over an hour to help me decide which pieces worked best on me.

If you live in the NYC area, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the personal shopping service at the Chelsea Market location. It's a fabulous option if you're pressed for time, at a loss as to what to buy (AS IF!!!), or just too damn impatient to fight the masses and run all over the store like a crazy person in search of those highly coveted items. (Wait, maybe that's just me...;) )

Getting back to the clothes, I was able to try on a TON of stuff today. There were some amazing finds and a few disappointments, a few of which were captured on film for everyone to see.;)

Let's begin with the Andrick Coat from Plenty by Tracy Reese. Now, I blogged about this beauty not too long ago, and it was love at first sight. I actually squealed when I saw it on the hanger today. (Pathetic, I know.) It is even more beautiful in person than I imagined! I wasn't sure which size I should get, so I started with a 0 and figured I'd work my way up from there, if need be. Well, that 0 was pretty darn perfect, especially since this would be more of a special occasion coat for me, rather than my daily winter gear under which I'd want the option of layering heavy, chunky knits for added warmth.

This coat has a very structured, tailored fit and amazing attention to details. I'm all about the flowers and embroidery, and this coat was not lacking in either. The color of the coat is more merlot than true red, but it's absolutely gorgeous. The only negative aspect for me is the faux fur collar, which I found to be a bit tight around my neck. I rolled it down and it felt less constricting, so I don't think it's a deal breaker.

Overall, this is just a totally glam and fabulous coat. I would definitely rock this at all of my holiday parties, if only it were just a bit cheaper.

I also tried on the Laced With Grace (Size 2) and Easy-As-Pie dresses (Size 2), both of which were smashing hits. Unfortunately, my camera batteries decided to fail me at that exact moment, so I don't have photo proof for you guys...yet! Let's just say that one of these beauties came home with me today, and the other will be joining it in my closet come pay day!

I was pretty ticked off that I lost out on another photo op, so I bought some more batteries and headed over to the 5th Avenue Anthro to scope out the scene. I was also looking to try on the Florist's Arrangement Dress by Moth, which sadly, the Chelsea Market location didn't have in stock yet. I saw it dangling before my eyes the moment I walked in the store and promptly snatched it up to try on. I was taking the stairs two at a time to get to the fitting rooms, LOL.

Girls, I needn't have bothered. What a colossal disappointment this dress turned out to be! To be fair, I'll point out the positive...the material is soft and cozy, and the garment has a wonderful, ultra-feminine vintage vibe to it. However, once I put it over my head, I knew it would be a total disaster. It was absolutely HUGE on me and I pulled the XS. Once I had it on, I realized that the skirt had some super bizarre pleating issues going on, as well. I mean, hello, this dress successfully added about 20 pounds onto my hips. Who needs that???? It's not like I can size down in this, either. I kind of felt like I was wearing my middle school home ec project, LOL.

The color was off for me, too. I was hoping for a soft, creamy ivory shade, but this dress is more of a light gray than anything else. Definitely not ivory or cream. The flowers at the neckline looked a little homemade, as well.

Definitely couldn't wait to put this one back on the rack, but for those of you who are curious, I'll post my humiliation for all to see.;) Petite ladies, back away from this dress, as you will find yourselves swimming in it!



Holy cow, this dress is like a tent!




Wanna know which dress came home with me today??? This one!!!!! Can't wait to model it for you guys in the next few days! I plan to pair it with a black braided belt, black opaque tights, and some patent heels or booties.



This is what I wore for my shopping excursion today. I broke out the baby blue Curlytop Cardigan for the first time since I bought it, believe it or not.



Excuse the messy basement area.


Well, girls, tomorrow is Friday and another weekend will be upon us once again. I, for one, cannot wait! Have a great evening and let me know what you think, what you bought, etc. I love hearing from my readers!

LEIFSDOTTIR COAT APB

Hello ladies, how have you been? My goodness, it's CRAZY that over a week has gone by since my last post! I truly apologize, but life has been very, very busy and the days seem to slip away from me on occasion. Well, I'm back and ready to blog, so here we go.

While browsing my favorite blogs last night, I was "reminded" of yet another Anthro item that I could kick myself for not purchasing a couple of years ago. This amazing coat is by Leifsdottir and every time I see it on a blogger, it takes my breath away. The soft blue color is drop dead gorgeous and the coat has such a sweet, vintage vibe with the golden latch closures and the textured, honeycomb fabric.

Leifsdottir Floe & Current Coat




Please, ladies, if any of you have this in size 2 and would like to sell it, can you PLEASE email me immediately? I've seen it on Ebay occasionally, but I always lose out for one reason or another.

On another note, tomorrow is Veterans Day and being that I work for a large financial institution, I get the day off. What's a girl to do with this unexpected free time? Well, I plan to head on down to my nearest Anthropologie store and try out their free personal shopping service! I've been doing really great with my budget this month, but there are at least 4 or 5 items that are seriously tempting me in a big way, so I figured I'd have the stylist pull these items (and a few extras) and help me decide which piece(s) are truly worth the money. While I normally shop alone, it's always great to have that extra eye in the dressing room, right? So, I'll let you ladies know how it all goes. I'm hoping to come home with a pretty new item to model for all of my lovely readers!:)

Have a wonderful afternoon and check back soon to see what I bought!

New! Sweet Little Anthropologie Sweater Dress

Hey ladies, hope your week is starting out great. Just did a little browsing over on Anthropologie's website and saw another item that I am in love with!

Look at the delicious, creamy, cozy, GORGEOUS Florist's Arrangement Sweaterdress by Moth! It looks so soft and comfy, doesn't it? It has some cute details, too, with a darling little flower near the shoulder and an amazing look from the back! You know I can't wait to try this one on!

Anyone else loving this one, too?

Enjoy the rest of your day!

Lovely New Anthropologie Items

Good evening, ladies, hope all is well! I was pretty excited to log onto Anthropologie's website today and see so many new pretties.:) Gorgeous dresses, cozy sweaters, beautiful coats...I just LOVE fall clothing! Thought I'd share some of my favorites from the latest collection.

Love this beautiful, ethereal dress. What an unusual shade of green! Can't wait to try this on.



This dark gray dress features to-die-for beautiful embroidery. Yes, there are some fit issues (as evidenced in many blog reviews), but I plan to snap this one up on sale and run, run, run to my wonderful tailor to make this piece perfect. I know I would seriously regret passing this one up.



So excited to see this sweater coat in such a vivid, gorgeous shade of red.



Simply adore the lovely pink shade and huge flowers on this beauty. Wendi Reed comes through with another wonderful sweater for fall.



Last, but certainly not least, we have the Plenty by Tracy Reese jacket that I featured in an earlier blog post. This is such an amazingly pretty coat! The details are outstanding, from the gorgeous embroidery to the faux fur collar and cute black buttons. It's pretty expensive, so I'm a bit hesitant to snap this one up, but it's so gosh darn pretty! Not sure how versatile it would be for daily use, though, so I'm going to have to think about it for awhile longer.



Anthropologie's November catalog truly offers something for just about everyone. The garments feature bold pops of color, floral appliques, intricate embroidery, and flat-out gorgeous style.

What are your favorite new items?

TUESDAY FASHION FIND

Hey all! Just checking in to share another fabulous fashion find with all of my favorite readers.:)

Seriously, girls, HOW ADORABLE is this coat from ModCloth??? I am completely in love with this sweet little thing. It reminds me a lot of Anthropologie's Pearl Overcoat by Elevenses that I missed out on last year.

Gumdrop Detective Coat @ ModCloth.com




Everything about this coat is pure perfection. I adore the lace details adorning the waistline, and the lining is super cute, as well.





The only thing stopping me from bringing this beauty home is the hefty price tag. Since this is such a lightweight coat, I just can't justify spending close to $200 on a piece that can't be worn for another 6+ months. For those of you who reside in a warmer climate, this could be a perfect addition to your wardrobe.

For comparison, here is the Elevenses Pearl Overcoat that I so desperately need and want in my life. Why, oh why did I pass this up last year?


What do you think, ladies, are you loving the ModCloth coat as much as I am?