wedding-guest dress shopping

I went to AllSaints today to look for a dress to wear to my niece's wedding in Seattle in May. Dress code is "cocktail." I was attracted to AllSaints 2-in-1 dresses, which pair a pretty dress with a coordinating cropped pullover. I have a blush pullover from AllSaints that I thought I might use to create that look, if I could find or make the right dress to go with it. And I like a lot of their dress styles in general. My goal was to find something that I could wear with blush pumps and matching bag that I already have.

I was pleasantly surprised with the number of options the store had in stock for me to try. I narrowed the choice to two, which I brought home to consider further.

Photos 1-8: I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep this one, called Jules Tanana, a black floral silk chiffon sleeveless near-maxi with some interesting asymmetric panel detail in solid black. I can layer my blush pullover over it, 2-in-1 style, and remove the pullover if I get warm. I can see being able to wear it year-round, with different shoes, boots, and jackets.

Photos 9-11: I also liked (and brought home) the Nora Waimea in snakeskin print, a body-con midi in mesh knit with diagonal ruching on the lower front. I wouldn't wear the pullover for the wedding with this one, but I brought home an ivory cardigan that the sales staff and I thought could work. I can also see this dress working with different jackets and boots for most of the year.

In some photos of the two dresses above, I'm wearing a necklace and earrings I bought from AllSaints, also: the Darcy beaded two-tone necklace and Eryka crystal huggie hoop earrings. (Finds aren't working for me on the AllSaints site.)

Photo 12: I liked the Hanna Sanibel, a mesh knit black floral mock-neck A-line midi, but not as well as the other two.

Photo 13: And the Tia Colca was gorgeous, but the colors were a little too warm for me, and the fit around the shoulders wasn't as comfortable. I think Angie has this dress in a different colorway.

I thought you might like to see the try-ons, and I'm open to your thoughts.

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Keep or return: striped wool coat

I ordered this coat online and it arrived today. I wasn't looking for a coat, but saw it in the sale online and thought I would give it a try. It would be fun to have a casual coat that is different from what I have already.

I like the style, the fabric, the fit. I was attracted to the idea of a patterned coat, and I like the stripe. The collar when worn up is too high for short-necked me, but I knew that would be the case, and I would wear it open most often, or not completely closed. 

What I'm wondering is whether the color is flattering on me. At first I thought it was a bit too warm-toned, but then it started to grow on me.

What say you all? Thoughts other than color-related are welcome, too.

P.S. My adorable husband says he thinks it looks big, so it might be a return after all. ;)

P.p.s. I added a natural light photo, taken next to a window.

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Found: chunky loafers

I was enamored with the Rag & Bone Shiloh loafers at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I brought them home, had second thoughts, ordered the second size (that I had already tried in the store and rejected), and decided the loafers just aren't comfortable enough for me. Still, I thought I might find a pair of non-black neutral loafers in a chunky style, since chunky loafers seem ubiquitous at the moment. Today at Nordstrom, I saw a pair that I had admired online, and I was able to try them on. They came home with me. I will try them around the house for several days, but I am pretty sure these are going to be the keepers. They are more expensive than I usually like to spend, but I think the comfort, style, and color will be worth it in the long run. I had a bunch of Nordie Notes that I could use to create my own little sale on them, too. This muted silver color is a fave for me; I have a pair of booties in this color, and I wear them a lot.
I got my usual size in these, 7.5. They are comfortable out of the box, with light socks. No pinching, squeezing, or slipping. The leather is thick but soft. The shoes are not light but not super heavy, either. Despite the high heel and thick platform, they feel stable.
Shown here with what I wore shopping: off-white wide-leg jeans (Madewell, Perfect Vintage Wide-Leg), bandana-print silk chiffon tank (made by me).

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Sneaker and jeans refresh

On my trip to return the sneakers I ordered from Madewell, I found a couple of things that followed me home. At Madewell, I tried on two pairs of jeans and a pair of shorts, and I bought the Perfect Vintage Wide-Legged Jean in tile white. (If anyone can create a Find, I'll add it.)

And I found a pair of sneakers at Nordstrom, the Cole Haan Topspin style in Roccia Pearly Snake. To my eye, the color has a little bit of mauve to it, so these fit the bill for sneakers with a blush pink element to them, for which I have been on the lookout. (I was interested in getting an update to my blush slip-on Mephisto sneakers that are getting kind of worn looking after several seasons.) Curiously I tried on this Cole Haan style in a different color a couple of years ago and the back edge bugged me. But they seem to work fine now. I'll wear them around the house for a while to be sure.

Pics below:
1) What I wore shopping. White Levis Icon jeans, navy and aqua print peplum-back blouse (made by me), gray waffle-weave cotton jacket (made by me), gray leopard print sneakers (Mephisto Yael), and metallic pewter crossbody bag (Kurt Geiger).
2) showing the new jeans and sneakers
3-5) new jeans and sneakers with a boxy asymmetric metallic top (made by me) to show more of the top of the jeans.
6) new sneakers with a mauve sporty A-line dress (Zella) that I bought at the end of the season last year and look forward to wearing this summer.

Any comments and suggestions are welcome!

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Looking for eyeglasses

A favorite pastime on YLF--eyeglass shopping! Or maybe I speak for myself. Anyway, my current ones are a couple of years old, and I love them and will continue to wear them. But I'm also in the mood for something new. I went shopping ahead of an eye exam next week, and these are the contenders.

1-2: current frames, blush rounded rectangle
3-4: option 1, neutral tortoise round
5-6: option 2, gray hexagon
7-8: option 3, pink round/cat
9-10: option 4, teal fade rounded rectangle
11-12: option 5, rectangular teal tortoise
13-14: option 6, art deco blue fade
15-16: option 7, rosy hexagon

I welcome your thoughts!

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A timely query for silvery lavender

April's quest for silvery lavender tops was timely for me. I had the color on my mind as one to keep an eye out for. Specifically I wanted it to go with a jacket I made a few years ago, which I have trouble wearing, even though it should go with a lot of my clothes.

I went to Aritzia to see if I could try any of the tops Inge found for April. I came home with this one. It's very oversized. This is a size down from my usual, and it is still big. But I like the look and feel of it. I think it brings a little attitude to the jacket. I also tried it with my new blazer bought at NAS (which has a thin line of purple running through the checks), and with a knit vest that I also like to pair with an oversized blouse.

One thing I'm bummed about: I paid full price, and when I looked it up online to make the Find, I see it's on sale. If I had paid the sale price, though, I wouldn't be able to return it. So if I decide to keep it, I'll see if I can get a price adjustment (or return it to the store and order it online).

photos:
1) The shirt on its own. I buttoned the cuffs two ways. The sleeves are a little long, but when I button the cuffs on the second button, they sit fine, and I don't feel the sleeves look or feel too-too long. I buttoned the other cuff after turning it back, creating a faux cufflink effect, a trick I like to use sometimes.

2) With the jacket that could use a companion.

3) With my new blazer (1.State).

4) With a slate gray and off-white marled knit vest (OSKA).

5) What I wore shopping. Boyfriend jeans (Citizens of Humanity, Emerson); dusty teal t-shirt (Madewell); hemp knit off-white jacket (OSKA); off-white loafers (Open Edit); sage cross-body camera bag (Madewell).

I'm thinking I'll probably keep it, but am open to your thoughts.

P.S. They have the same shirt in cotton and in linen. I got the cotton one; didn't see the linen in store, but I'd prefer the cotton anyway, for year-round wear.

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couldn't resist the boilersuit

You Look Fab strikes again! I couldn't resist trying a boilersuit after all the cute looks posted here. I scoured the possibilities online and decided to try the style by Madewell that Angie got in pink. The green was just the right color for me, though I wasn't sure I wanted to be that green from head to toe! When I tried it on in the store, I was surprised to find that I loved it. (As many have pointed out, fitting a one-piece garment is about as hard as it gets; and I tried to keep my expectations low.)

My other choice is one that I have tried on before at OSKA, but, even at its current sale price, it is quite a bit more expensive than the Madewell one. (And bonus: Madewell was having a sale, too.) The OSKA boilersuit is a softer fabric and a slouchier style, and you can see it here. I liked it a lot, and to be honest, I liked the fit on me better than on the model. I am shorter, so it didn't pull at all in the seat as it seems to do on the model.

I haven't cut the tags on the Madewell boilersuit yet. I'm leaning to keep it, but also still wondering whether I should get the OSKA one instead.

I am a little concerned about how much I will wear this piece,
given that I have a pair of overalls that I ended up wearing hardly at
all. But I do feel less hokey in the boilersuit. I feel it is a little
more sophisticated, somehow. Though my DH suggested, in his typical
"helpful" way, that perhaps I should embroider my name above one of the front pockets.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Keep? or get the denim one from OSKA? (The OSKA one is non-returnable, so I can't bring it home and try it on, then take it back; you'll just have to imagine it on me.)

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Found? Spring raincoat

I posted here about whether to look for a replacement for my torn blush trench coat. Taking in the wise comments you all offered, I thought about what I really need and want. I decided I could forego a new coat and get along just fine. But I also am in the mood for something new, if the right one came along. And the right one would be a pretty shade of blush again--I still really like that color and want to continue wearing it this spring and summer. Or another color that strikes my fancy--I'm not opposed to something different, if I'm really drawn to it. And I would like something that is sporty, rather than classic--so not another trench.

I think the Sosken Honor rain jacket may be the winner. It was love at first try-on when it arrived. I love the color, the updated, oversized fit, the fabric (which is like a tech fabric, but really nice quality).

I waited to try the Zella Cinch Me parka, which arrived today. I tried it despite the color, which didn't thrill me in the online photos. I thought it might look chic in person. But it's too silver for me, and the fabric is more like a typical rubberized slicker. It's a great value, just not quite what I wanted.

In case it's of any use to others, I was disappointed by fit of the Kristen Blake Tech hooded trench coat that I ordered; the color was lovely, and the coat is beautifully made. But while the coat fit across the shoulders, it was too narrow at the hip for me. I didn't take photos.

So I thought I'd share photos of the Sosken and Zella coats, just fyi. And in case you want to try to talk me off the ledge with the Sosken, which is a big investment for a lightweight coat. I do tend to hang on to these things for a long time, so I think I can justify it. Plus, I wanted to show you my most recent (and final, for this season!!) addition to my sneaker capsule, and a new bag I made.

Photos 1-3: Blush rain coat (Sosken Honor rain jacket), new blush-silver slip-on sneakers (Mephisto Korie); pastel Pendleton stripe bag with blush snake print pleather (made by me).

Photos 4-6: Silver rain coat (Zella Cinch Me parka), same shoes and bag as above.

Thanks for looking, and I welcome your thoughts!

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WIW to shop for shoes I don't need

Yes, I ended up buying shoes. They are a low-heeled pump with an ankle strap. I'm thinking of them as my version of the ever-popular Sam Edelman Okalas that Angie and so many YLFabbers have.

I rarely wear pumps, but I like to have them on hand for times when I want to dress up and really need a dressy shoe. I'm excited to have a pair that is light-colored (my other go-to pumps are black), and a low enough heel that I might actually wear them for non-dressy occasions. (We shall see about that; I always think that about pumps, and then I don't wear them.) I like that the heel is closed. The ankle strap hits me in a place that works for me (above my ankle bone), and it's actually long enough to go around my ankles. Ooh, and look! You can move the buckle to the side or the front (photos 3 and 1)! I love that feature!

I don't know how AGL does it, but they manage to make a rather dainty-looking shoe that flattters my high-volume feet. That's why I have collected a few pairs of their ballet flats--AGLs are the only version of that style that I really liked both the look and feel of on me.

The shopping outfit, with the new pumps, and with the shoes I wore shopping:
1-3: dark skinny jeans (Mother, the Looker, "coffee tea or me" wash); light green tee and long cardigan (Halogen); light blue prism-print scarf (Nordstrom); nude ankle strap pumps (AGL, Claire).
4-5: the outfit with taupe oxfords (Paul Green, Dale); navy trench (London Fog); gray backpack (Rebecca Minkoff).

Thanks for looking! I welcome your comments and suggestions.

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WIW & WIB: new coat and tee

I haven't posted outfits for a while, mostly because of a new schedule, but also I'm not that motivated. I feel I'm kind of on auto-pilot dressing, and my culled wardrobe makes it easy. Today, I decided to post because I'd like some feedback on this coat that hitched a ride home with me from Banana Republic.

Some background on the coat. I have been on the lookout for a warm winter coat. I've been wanting one that would cover my knees and be suitable for winter visits to the Midwest. I have considered down/puffer styles, and have tried on a few, but I really prefer good old-fashioned wool for my style.

After looking around online and in stores for a while, I haven't found anything that I'm crazy about within my budget, or perhaps even out of my budget, for that matter. The length is hard to find, and something not black or gray--well, that's just about impossible. I realize what I need to do is make the burgundy-toned coat I've been intending to make for 2 or 3 years now. It's a daunting project, and I keep putting it off. Yesterday I started the pattern work on it, and it's possible I could finish it in a few weeks.

Meanwhile, the coat I bought today isn't what I've been looking for--it isn't as long as I want, and it doesn't seem like it will be particularly warm. (Though there is room to layer a thick sweater underneath--a bonus.) So it doesn't preclude my long-put-off sewing project. I thought it was pretty cute, in the classic-with-a-twist way that always appeals to me. And it was ridiculously inexpensive (marked down further than what's shown on the website, plus an extra 40% off). So I could wear it a couple of seasons and not feel guilty about passing it on after that, right? What do you all think?

Yay: fun style to play with for a season or two
Nay: misguided impulse purchase

Photos 1-3: the coat (Banana Republic, Flocked-Hem Long Peacoat).

Photos 4-5: The outfit (worn for a day off and shopping): Straight-legged jeans (Kut from the Kloth, Stevie); mixed-media landscape print tee in brown and cream (made by me); taupe shredded-knit cashmere blend shrug (made by me); black and brown belt with studs (Suzi Roher); espresso moto boots (Miu Miu). This is the first outing for the tee, one of my recent creations.

Thanks for looking! I appreciate your feedback.

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