International Orange - San Francisco

Dressed to the Nines: Black Tie

Snaps! It's black tux and fabulous dress night! "G" and I were all decked out for a charity ball. Oh man --- it's been a little while since I've been this dressed up, but what fun!

I found this fantastic dress from Macy's last year. I just love the sweetheart neckline and the draping in the front of the dress. I think this shape is extremely flattering to many shapes, and feels so comfortable. I'm obsessed with this number. I found this great silver clutch thrift shopping around town and paired it with a pair of silver flats.

"G" is looking handsome in his tailored tuxedo. G did a good amount of research on his piece trying to figure out if he should purchase or rent a tux. He ultimately purchased this well fitting, beautiful suit.

When's the last time you dressed up? Thanks for reading!

Dress:  Xscape; | shop similar

Shoes: Silver Flax, Nine West | shop

Clutch:  Vintage | shop similar

Earrings:  Limited | shop similar

Ring:  Express | shop similar

Dashing "G"

Tux:  Jos. A. Bank, slim fit | similar

Shoes: Cole Haan | shop

Drink: Woodford

Linked up to Monday Bloom.

Black Tee & Suede Booties

New booties!

No matter what season or occasion, black is always in style. I love the timeless look of black on black. This outfit is inspired by my new boots from Steve Madden. I love these shoes!

Fashion Fundamental:  Black Tee. 

It's probably one of the most essential basics for any closet. Basics like this are perfect for keeping your look simple, clean and chic.

Thanks for reading!

Shirt: Gap T | shop similar

Skirt: Express Black | similiar

Boots: Steve Madden | shop

Watch: Runway Twist, Michael Kors | shop

Purse:  Crossbody, Kate Spade | shop

Linked up to the Pleated Poppy.

Weekend: Date Night

"G" Man

Oh Monday -- are you here again? I hope you all had a great weekend. G & I spent the time walking around in this beautiful weather. Weekends are the best. And, it's awesome when you don't have a schedule -- all you need is great company and great food. 

How was your weekend?

Top: Express | shop or similar without the pockets here

Skirt:  Express | similar

Shoes:  Ankle booties, J. Simpson | similar

Tights:  Polka dots | similar

Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs | shop

Necklace:  Forever 21 | similar

HBD, JET!

Fashion Fundamental: A chic little blazer; I never used to be a big blazer gal, but I am definitely one now.  They just add so much polish and style to your look.

Last weekend, I rocked this look to my nephew's second birthday.  I can't believe he's already TWO!  In some ways, time has absolutely flown by and he's grown so quickly -- suddenly he's a walking, talking machine...  on the other hand, it's like JET's always been a part of my life; hard to even remember how life was before he (and his sister) was born!

 I hope you're all doing well this week!


Brooch: Vintage | similar
Blazer: Nordstrom | similar
Top: Express | shop or similar without the pockets here
Jeans: Gap | shop
Shoes: JCrew | similar

Cozy Cardigan & JCrew Cece Suede Ballet Flats

Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend. I spent mine catching a great flick (Incredibly Loud & Extremely Close), attending a fun work event, and spending time with friends. I love the weekend...

Today's casual look is anchored by two of my new favorite pieces:

1.) JCrew Cece Suede Ballet Flat - These flats are so cute and comfortable. I don't wear flats all that often, but I love this pair so much that I also picked up the black studded version. A bit excessive?  Maybe.  :)

2.) Express Sweater Cardigan - I also found this great Express cardigan on sale for $30; it's cozy and perfect for any fun and stylish weekend. I picked this up recently, so it may still be available in stores.

Need a Monday pick-me-up? Check out the song that I have on repeat:  White Lie by Jhameel.

Linked up at the Monday Mingle.

Sweater:  Express

T-shirt:  American Apparel | shop

Jeans:  Bullhead Black The 55 Denim Legging in Jean Blue, PacSun | shop

Shoes:  Cece Suede Ballet Flats, JCrew | shop

Earrings:  Charlotte Russe

JCrew Double-cloth Lady Day Coat Review

January is in full swing with plenty of snow and blustery winds. It's the perfect time to pull out one of my favorite coats. 

JCrew comes out with a version of this classic lady day coat each winter in a variety of colors. You also have the option upgrade to the "3M Thinsulate" version of the coat. I highly recommend the more costly Thinsulate because I believe it really does keep you warmer than a coat without Thinsulate. This technology is neat because it does not add any bulk to the coat, but has a thin layer that protects you from the elements. I must confess I've not tried the non-Thinsulate version of this coat, but have confidence in the 3M innovation. Plus, who doesn't love technology?

3M technology aside, the coat is classic, chic and it's always fitting for any venture into the cold!

Coat:  Double-cloth Lady Day Coat with Thinsulate, JCrew | shop

Dress:  Rue 21

Boots: Erynne Boots in Black Suede, Nine West ($189 currently on sale for $94.50) | shop

Tights:  Gray, Spanx | shop

Ring:  Express

Earrings:  Express

Lipstick:  Round Case, Chaos | shop  

Happy Birthday to one of our top style icons:  Mrs. Obama! You can follow all of her great looks on one of our favorite blogs - Mrs.O.com. She, too, is a Crew fan!

Linked up with the Pleated Poppy & Transatlantic Blonde!

Holiday Look: LBD

You can never go wrong with the LBD, especially during the holiday season.  Of course, there's always room for a little bling or Christmas cheer in the form of sassy plaid shoes. I am a huge fan of these shoes, but I've got to say the shoe wearing window of opportunity is quite short. This season, I've worn them on just one other occasion, but always think I should rock them more! My one complaint, though, is that the heels are a little low, but they are fun and add a bright punch of holiday to the look. Next year I'll have to work on styling them into more outfits...

Big ups to my awesome brother who found this plaid pair for me at our local DSW. They were on mega sale for $17! :) He has a great sense of style (runs in the family, right? :D), and an uncanny ability to scour great deals. For the holiday, he bought us a $160 $30 PS3 Guitar Hero Band Bundle. He's awesome - Big Brothers FTW!

I hope you are still enjoying great times with friends and family, and getting pumped for the new year.  

Dress:  Gap (may be in stores)

Earrings:  Express

Shoes:  Rocket Dog (also styled here)

Mod Mrs. Claus: Loft Mod Shift Dress

I recently discovered this mod inspired dress from the Loft. It has an interesting shape and is easy to pair with several items. I thought this orange frock needed some depth so I added a chunky beltl according to Ailyn, this is pretty reminiscent of Mrs. Claus - so here's my ode to her! I also showcased it without the belt so you can see the cut of the dress unhindered by any accessory. Now I'm all set for my friend's holiday party! 

Dress: Mod Shift Dress ($79.50 $39), Loft | shop

Tights: Reversible Tights, SPANX via Ann Taylor ($34 ) | shop - These are a legit pair of tights that I picked up during Ann Taylor's 40% off + 30% off sale for a a decent price of $14.28.  They are reversible (allegedly one side is black & the other brown, but both sides look the same to me. lol).  They are a little short, so I'd size up if you're interested.

Belt: Express (so old)
Headband:  Claire's

Necklace: Borrowed from Wilma

Shoes: Minas Ankle Bootie, Jessica Simpson | shop

Black & Red Wednesday

Happy Wednesday Bloggers! November is in full swing and I'm feeling the black and red. And surprise, surprise - more animal print! Sounds like somebody is fully converted.

Have a great day readers!

Cardigan:  Loft
Top:  Express
Skirt:  The Limited | shop
Belt:  Forever 21
Shoes:  Target versie pump | shop
Earrings:  Charlotte Russe
Necklace:  For Love 21 (Forever 21's jewelry store)
Ring:  Thrift Shop

Ann Taylor Cheetah Print Cardi

I'm working on upping my animal print game after being inspired by the BDIB animal print challenge. Ann Taylor offer some beautifully made animal prints. I'm a big fan, and highly recommend checking out their prints. 

Additionally, these booties are the best! They are perfect for fall and I just keep wanting to wear them. Check out how I styled them with another dress.

Happy Tuesday and thank you for reading!

Cardigan:  Ann Taylor | shop

Dress:   Gap

Belt:  Thrifted

Shoes:  Jessica Simpson | shop 

Earrings:  Lia Sophia

Bracelets:  Gold - Thrifted

Bracelets:  Pink & Pearl | Faceted Gem Stretch Bracelet, Express ($19.90); (Click here for the full accessory review.)

Stripes & Gripes

Stripes
I sometimes have trouble with stripes because they can be tricky, but this horizontal one is fun and timeless. This dress is really interesting and comfortable. Shout out to my friend, Jenn, for letting me borrow her dress, and rocking it on a Tuesday!

Gripes
How is it only Tuesday? I'm going to start planning my weekend right now since our Indian summers are slowly escaping. Let's make these days count, team!

Dress:  Bailey (B) 44 Boutique Pussyfoot Cat Dress | shop
Bracelet:  Express
Earrings:  Express
Shoes:  Nine West
Glasses:  Hot Topic


WILL

Oh snap - Will is back and looking sassy!

T-shirt:  Target
Vest:  Heritage
Jeans:  Target
Shoes:  Buckle
Necklace:  Rue 21
Bracelet:  Chicago Green Fest, hippies
Bags: Barnes & Noble
Sunglasses:  mall kiosk - win

Ann Taylor Lady Bag Review

Today I'm taking a color cue from a blog that I really enjoy reading, the Economy of Style.  You can't go wrong with red, black and white.  I love how Ms. Economy of Style rocks color, mixes patterns, and always finds fabulous deals.  :)

I am really attracted to the style and fabulous color of this bag from Ann Taylor.  I was so excited when I first spotted it on Ann Taylor's website since I've been on the lookout for a bright red leather bag.

The Lady Bag bag is extremely narrow, but it is rather deep; take those dimensions combined with a boxy shape, and you can't fit too much in there.  Fortunately, I carry just the essentials: lip balm, JCrew's magic wallet, candy to assuage my sweet tooth, & cell phone. I do wish the longer strap was detachable, but despite that minor issue, I love the style and color of this ladylike bag so much that when I shop at Ann Taylor, I even try on the black version!

Who knows?  The lovely black ladybag might end up in my closet next!

Earrings: Large Metal Stud Earrings in Shiny Silver, Express | shop

Top: Loft (may still be in stores)

Necklace: F21 (old)

Skirt: Express (old)

Shoes: Versie Pumps, Mossimo | shop

Bag: Lady Bag in Red Maple, Ann Taylor | shop

(Slim) Shady

Shades make this outfit infinitely cooler, right?  Speaking of shades & shady.  I do love Slim Shady. And I also love this combo of navy and cobalt + pop of bright pink.  I love a little bling when it adds just the right amount of glam to a look.  I love when the weather cools enough for a classic blazer.

Happy Wednesday! :)

Dress: F21

Blazer: Gap

Belt: J.Crew

Earrings: Banana Republic

Shoes: Enzo Angiolini 

Shades: Random Gas Station

Bracelet: Express