Mad Men

Two Words:  Mad Men. It is such a compelling show and the entire series will be on Netflix in late July 2011! And the clothes are amazing on the show. Give it a chance if you are skeptical. 

I bought this dress a few years ago and appreciate the simplicity and its nod to the classic housewives style. I injected a bit of red to pump up the outfit. 


Dress:  H&M, $40
Belt:  Thrifted, $2
Shoes:  Nine West
Necklace:  Claire's  
Ring:  Gift from my best friend - Sheena*


*Sheena literally proposed to me when she gave me the claddagh ring. It was epic. This is truly one of my favorite pieces of jewelry!

LBD

My sweet dresses and skirts in bright colors don't always lend themselves to a night out on the town.  So when I put in an order at Victoria's Secret, I picked out a few black dresses.  This particular dress can definitely go day (with the flouncy skirt) to night (edgy zipper).  This isn't a classic LBD, for sure, but I still think it's pretty fun.

Dress: Victoria's Secret

Shoes: Enzo Angiolini

Headband: Borrowed from my momma's closet

Yellow Begonias

A dear friend, Lindsay, gave me these yellow begonias. Check out her hilarious blog! 

They are living on my porch and have inspired my outfit today. Adding some white shoes and a simple necklace make this simply so fresh and so clean.

See what else can be done with this necklace and heels in Something Borrowed.

Skirt:  Gap

Tank:  Gap

Cardigan:  J. Crew

Shoes:  Guess

Belt:  J. Crew

Necklace:  Forever 21

Bracelet:  Gordman's

The Search for a Crossbody Bag

The strap on my H&M crossbody bag ($14.95) snapped off, and without the strap's functionality, I've been all over the place.  The entire contents of my purse has been dumped on the ground no less than three times... So I have two options: a) Fix the Strap or b) Buy a New Purse. :)

I think Option A is definitely feasible, but I also think that this crossbody bag--my purse of choice for everyday use--is something that I always carry with me, so I should invest in a high quality piece, right?  Plus a nice crossbody bag is on my Wishlist!  haha.  Maybe that's not concrete justification, but I've been lurking on Nordstrom's website to check out the crossbody offerings. Here's what I've come up with:

All photos by Nordstrom

1. Classic Q Karlie Bag by Marc by Marc Jacobs ($248) - There are larger versions of this bag available. 

2. Essex Scout by Kate Spade ($395) - There is a smaller version of this bag that I believe is called Essex Small Scout ($295).  I am looking for a crossbody bag that can be worn year-round, but I love this bag in Caribbean.  I think the brown is okay, and I don't really care for it in black (pictured)--the white stitching on black leather doesn't really do it for me.
3. Mini MAC Crossbody Clutch by Rebecca Minkoff (195)

4. Classics Clutch by Rebecca Minkoff ($295)

5. Lady Pouchette  by Marc by Marc Jacobs ($398)

6. Leather Flap Crossbody Bag by Franchi ($88)

Which do you like best?  I'll try to check some of these out in real life, and I'll be sure to keep you updated.  Happy Monday!

Highlighter Yellow

Purple and gold were my old high school colors.. props to the Jane circa 2000 in braces. She was and still is a nerd. I will probably break out into a high school chant at any moment in the day. 

This cardigan is a bit extreme with its highlighter yellow color, but I'm a fan.  

Cardigan:  Old Navy
Tank Top:  Target
Skirt:  Express
Shoes:  Guess
Necklace:  Thrifted
Earrings:  Target

Something Borrowed

The hot pink dress is the only component of this ensemble that I actually own; the rest of the look was put together with pieces from Aili's closet.

Dress: Gap, Summer 2009

Shirt: Old Navy

Necklace: Borrowed

Pin: Forever 21 Earring

Shoes: Guess

Orange & Blue

Layering is also great for the summer. I work in an air conditioned office and temperature can be a major issue. Wearing versatile pieces allow you to be comfortable in the cooler office spaces and you can remove a layer when you are out for a quick lunch in the heat.
    
Sweater:  Banana Republic
Shirt:  J. Crew
Skirt:  J. Crew
Shoes:  Nine West
Necklace:  Old Navy

Summer Florals

Photos courtesy of Carly

I'm a fan of Victoria's Secret clothing.  VS clothing is cute, fits me well, and always wins me compliments!  It's not always the greatest quality and is often overpriced, but you can score great deals with coupon codes or during their semi-annual sales.  Despite the drawbacks, I find myself regularly checking out their clothing selection (swim suits, too).

On an unrelated note, happy belated Father's Day to all you fathers out there.  And a special shout out to our father and our brother--a new dad celebrating his first Father's Day.  :)

Dress: The Corset Dress in Purple Multicolor, Victoria's Secret ($30, originally $58)
Cardigan: Jenna Cardigan, J.Crew
Shoes: Taiwan
Headband: Banana Republic
Earrings: Forever 21
Belt: J.Crew
Purse: H&M

An Apple a Day

Wearing bright colors can be really fun and adds a bit of punch to a long work week. This ketchup and mustard combo reminds me of the first day of school. I also added this little apple necklace that I love, and it brings some whimsy to the outfit. Sweater:  Ralph Lauren PoloTank:  GapSkirt:  ExpressBelt:  Forever21Shoes:  Nine WestNecklace:  Forever21

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Jane² is powered up to Jane³ today.  Why, you ask?  It's our mom's birthday!

Happy birthday, Mom!  Thank you for teaching us the fundamentals of bargain shopping, style, and class.  We love you!

<3 Jane²

Jazz Dress

While shopping with my friend, Sarah, this past weekend I got schooled. Sarah immediately gravitated toward this dress. I was a bit skeptical and felt as though it didn't really seem to fit my style. Red buzzer, who was wrong?  This girl. 


This dress rocks and would be great for a night on the town or going out for cocktails with some girlfriends. This print reminds me of jazz music and swanky times. How about a little D. Brubeck - Take 5?


This goes to show that you shouldn't always critique on the hanger, but be open to trying things on. Well played, Sarah, lesson learned. 


Dress:  Bebop, Bergner's ($27)
Shoes:  Nine West
Belt:  J.Crew

Postmaster General

Jane 1 says I look like a postmaster.  lol.

Cardigan: Gap Kids - Girls

Shirt: The Solid Oxford Shirt in Oxford Blue, Gap Kids - Boys

Skirt: Express (Aili owns this, too!)

Headband: Borrowed from my momma's closet

Necklace: ShiDa Night Market, Taiwan

Belt: Taiwan

Shoes: Taiwan

Accessories FTW

It's all about the accessories. I kept it easy for Ailyn's graduation because it was hotter than Hades this day! We are so proud of her! Congratulations little sister!

Belt: J.Crew - Also worn here.

Necklace: Forever 21

Purse: Target

Sunglasses: H&M

Tank Top: JCrew outlet as seen here

Skirt: Gap

Flip Flops: Havaianas

Commencement!

Graduation -- woohoo!  My college career was built on...

5 friendships with incredibly smart and beautiful women
4 Spring Breaks traveling through Washington DC in 2008; Costa Rica in 2009; Hong Kong & Macau in 2010; and most recently, Mexico in March of 2011!
3 Flunk Days filled with revelry and general tomfoolery, and I definitely took advantage of  the SuperBounce and inflatable Laser Tag that appears yearly.  Flunk Day is Knox College's much beloved Spring Carnival
2 majors--Integrated International Studies and Modern Languages.
All of those friendships, experiences, and studies have earned me 1 extremely expensive diploma.

Cap: Borrowed from mi madre

Tassel: Jostens ($5)

Gown: Borrowed -- from the padre

Earrings: Banana Republic Outlet ($9)

P.S. Under this gorgeous fashion statement of a black gown, I'm rocking J.Crew's Delaney Eyelet Dress in alabaster (originally $128, but on sale + extra 30% off for about $50) with an old favorite--a pair of bright pink Enzo Angiolini peeptoes.  You can catch a glance of them here.

Coralista

I picked up this coral dress for $15, originally $125, at Banana Republic!  This dress is a bit long for me (and I haven't gotten around to getting it hemmed), but I couldn't pass up such a great deal.  Over the years, it has come in handy--for both Aili & me--on numerous occasions.  I rocked this outfit to a dinner honoring the Class of 2011 held by my college's president.  

Nearly everything in this outfit is at least a few years old, and I haven't worn some of these items in quite some time.  This pair of Aldo heels was purchased for my brother and sister-in-law's wedding in 2007.  Just goes to show that you can forget about some really great pieces that are hiding your closet.  

Meet Kate! She is one of my best friends from college and has taken several of the photos featured on this blog.  Kate and I are graduating on Saturday, so this post will probably be one of her last appearances on Jane Squared.  : /

Dress: Banana Republic circa Spring 2009

Shoes: Aldo, Spring 2007

Earrings: Banana Republic Outlet (on sale for $9.00)

Jewel Tones - Two Ways

It is a chilly spring day, but that doesn't stop me from busting out one of my favorite skirts. It is also a day of indecisiveness. I have chosen to pair two variations with said skirt (Gap).

Meet a rockin' pair of heels. Sadly, it wasn't until I was in my first years of college that I discovered the magical place known as "Nordstrom Rack." Hence, a favorite pair of purple, striped BCBG shoes (circa 2006). Purple stripes and I have been in mutually exclusive relationship ever since.*

Foundation

Skirt:  Gap ($39.99, originally $49.50)

Shoes:  BCBG, Nordstrom Rack circa 2006 ($50)

Jewelry: Banana Republic Outlet

Ring: Birthday Gift from my best friend, Sheena

Outfit 1

Will it be cold in the office today? Yes. Scarves are a great tool to use year round, and is a great transitory piece when the seasons are unpredictable. The belt is styled over the scarf. I find that this helps to polish the look.

Green Tank Top:  Limited

Black Cardigan:  Express

Black Belt:  Thrifted

White Scarf:  Macy's

Outfit 2

Aili, you need to simplify and it might not be as cold as you imagine.

Top:   Gap
Sweater:  J.Crew

*How does one maintain shoes for years? Easy, a great shoe repair shop. I've taken these heels in quite a few times. The small black piece that covers the heel of the shoe can be worn out rather quickly and a terrible horse galloping sound begins to emit from your feet. This can be alleviated by a quick stop at the shoe repair shop. This will run you approximately $15-$20 - well worth the money and time.