Bright and Feminine

It's been a cold, dreary winter here in Boston.  I have really bad spring fever already.  I can't wait to break out the warmer weather clothes.  I've really been loving the belt trend, but it can be hard to pull off for us apples of the world.  I found this obi style belt at Garnet Hill, and decided to pair it with a bright cardigan and soft, feminine skirt:

Sorry for the mess...my hubby shot this pic right as I was out the door for work.  I guess we didn't notice his shoes right there in the frame. 

This skirt is awesome.  It's one of the few full skirts I can pull off.  The material is a light, soft silk, so I think that's key.  It has a little volume, but not too much.  I can't do too much volume in the skirt area, because I carry ALL my weight in the torso.

Aren't these back seam polka dot tights from J. Crew the cutest?!?!  This outift was definitely a pick-me up as I've been doing phase 1 of Atkins all week.  Boy, is it tough.  I really love carbs.  My life is pretty sad without chocolate, bread, and pasta.  And I've been trying not to bake anything, which is a passion of mine.  On a good note, though: I'm only doing it for another day before I take a break, and I'm already down 3 lbs!!!  That's what's keeping me going.  It's really the only way I've ever been able to lose weight...so thank you, Dr. Atkins, but next time find a way to put chocolate in there, please.

Skirt: theory

Belt: Eileen Fisher

Cardigan: Express

Tights: J. Crew

Shoes: Cole Haan

xoxo,

Lynne

Express Leopard Drape-Neck Top

We've had a lovely weekend here in NYC, but apparently Monday is going to be a complete wash-out! At least it's going to hold off until Monday though, and not mess with the weekend!

I blogged about the Express drape-neck top back in January; intially, I had ordered a pink/purple flower version. I returned that in-store and got the "leopard" print--normally, I shy away from leopard print, but this is a more abstract take on that theme, and also toned tone by the black and white color. I like the soft, wispy quality of the material and the drape is flattering!

Express Leopard Drape-Neck Top:

Top: Express

Cardigan: Kenneth Cole
Belt: Banana Republic
Skirt: Arden B.

Navy Blue Zara Dress & Calvin Klein jacket

I literally live around the corner from a Zara and have only been in there like twice.  I really need to make better use of it.  I think the reason I don't go in more often is that they have three or four stupid stairs going up to one area--where most of the clothes are...then you have to go down another set of stairs to go in the dressing rooms.  And trust me, when you have a 32lb boy in a stroller you do not want to be lifting that thing up and down stairs--even for cheap fashion.  And if he's not in his stroller--forget it.  But Anh from 9-5 Chic--one of the first fashion blogs I ever followed--wears a lot of Zara and it's got me wanting more.  Anyway, here's a dress I got the last time I was there that I've gotten a lot of compliments on.

 

This dress was $35.  Seriously.  It's not perfect, but the things I don't like about it (slightly weird hemline) can be overcome with proper styling.  I wore it with a brown suede Calvin Klein jacket, and brown riding boots, and I think it's a really cute look.

Dress: Zara

Jacket: Calvin Klein

Boots: Cole Haan

Tights: Anthropologie

 

We are having a spring-like day here in Boston.  Time to get out and enjoy it. 

 

xoxo,

Lynne

Double Serge Pencil Skirt...this time in hot pink!

I hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day.  Personally, I didn't do too much, but I was lucky enough to get a box of my favorite chocolates from Teuscher.  I've also been saving a special outfit to wear to work to commemorate the day.

I am obviously obsessed with J. Crew's Double Serge Pencil Skirt.  The black that I wore in a previous post is by far the most versatile of this year's colors, and because it's sort of a "background" piece, I wear it more because I know people won't really notice its *frequent* repetition.  The same cannot be said about the bright pink color:

I thought about wearing it with black, but really loved the soft romance of white with brown shoes/belt.  I'm also wearing J. Crew's nude pindot tights.

I had a hard time with the white tops...mostly because the white tops I tried were either too long, too see-through, or too something and just didn't look right.  This, I discovered right as I was trying to get out the door and run to work.  Not sure I hit it 100% out of the ballbark, but at least in person this combo of white button-down and white cardi looked best.

Skirt, Cardigan, tights: J. Crew

Shoes, Belt: Cole Haan

Button-down shirt: Express

I have to say I am a bit concerned about the quality of this cardigan (J. Crew's bling button Dauphine cardigan).  It's pilling a bit already, and the material is so thin I think it's going to get holes in it very soon.  I do love the concept though.

All in all since I spent most of Valentine's Day at work--and most certainly did not do anything romantic--at least this pink skirt got me in a good mood, and hopefully didn't go unnoticed by my coworkers.

xoxo,

Lynne

Blast From the Past

I was rooting through my closet trying to find something that something I've never worn to work before...my current job I mean.  I started in Nov., so it hasn't been that long, but out came this red wrap dress.  This dress is my tie around the finger about how great it is to buy classic pieces.  I got this back in 2007, and used to wear it all the time at my previous job.  I even wore it all throughout my pregnancy and to a holiday party.  I can sex it up if I wear it without a cami for a night out, or throw one on for work.  Plus it's oh so comfortable.  (I swear, not all my clothes are comfortable, lol).

 

 

Express Wrap Dress

Garnet Hill Cami

J. Crew Black Tights

Cole Haan pumps

 

 I can't believe I forgot about this.  My focus lately has been on new things...but sometimes it does pay to shop your closet.

 

I couldn't resist taking this pic of the other little fashionisto in my household:

 

He definitely takes after his mommy!

xoxo,

Lynne

Banana Republic Pit Stop

I popped into Banana Republic for a quick peek around this weekend! I found a few hits and a few misses. I really like how they are creating some more feminine-looking work wear pieces and I am looking forward to getting back there when I have a little more time to peruse the shelves.

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

Silk Tie-Waist Blouse
I'm a little on the fence about this one. It looked so beautiful on the hanger and I instantly fell in love, but in truth, it's not very flattering. I think a splash of bright color would be great for my wardrobe right about now--it would be a nice counterpoint to the dreary winter days. But, the tie isn't quite in the right place, so it doesn't really help define the waist and the ruffles on the shoulder add bulk. Overall though, I am still kind of considering it though...the love at first sight was so powerful that I am having trouble moving on!



Silk Raw Ribbons Tank
This tank is a pass for me--mostly because of the drawstring bottom, which makes the rest of the top billow out in an unflattering way. Also, the ribbons look kind of funny on...but on the hanger they looked great!



Silk Asymmetrical Ruffle Tank
I think this is a great top--I like the drape, the silk feels fantastic and the ruffles are cute but not over the top. This one's a keeper.



Tie-Waist Sweater Blazer
I really like the idea of this "sweater blazer," but it just seems a little bulky and perhaps a tad too casual-looking for the office...

Whimsical Saturday at Anthropologie

Yesterday, I had a great day shopping at Anthropologie. They were playing "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" when I entered, and it put me in a whimsical mood; I picked up a lot of pieces that I wouldn't normally go for, but I think the dash of whimsy paid off.

Here are some dressing room iPhone pics (sorry for the blurriness!).

Delicate Corps Blouse in Gold and Runny Yoke Skirt:
This is slim-cut, so I think if I purchase it, I will go for a size up (notice the gaping), but overall I like the quirky color and I think the silkiness adds femininity to the button-down look. It's a little sheer, but I have a nude tank top at home that I can wear under it (and obviously no black bra!). I really like the Runny Yoke Skirt--It's difficult to see in the photo, but there is some asymmetrical detailing below the waist that adds a little flair to an otherwise basic skirt. And it's a great length--long enough for work, but short enough to inject a youthful feel.

Graceful Drape Top:
This top is very cool! Love it!


Chiffon Swing Shirt:
This top didn't receive great reviews on anthropolgie.com because it is a lot shorter than one would expect a shirt to be these days! However, with the Runny Yoke Skirt (which has a medium to high rise), I really liked it. I like the pink (which is more of a dusty rose) color.Network Dress:
Bright tomato red is a rather bold color for a knit dress, but the detailing along the bust is so lovely with this dress, that a little extra attention might not hurt! But, I definitely couldn't wear this to the office.

River Bends Tunic and Daughters of the Liberation Slim Straight Denim:
These ankle-length pants are really cool with the darting near the front pockets. I am definitely going to get the River Bends tunic, but not sure which color...on anthropolgie.com they also have beige, pink and moss...I am leaning toward the moss because I don't have a lot of green in my wardrobe and I like the muted shade of the moss.
So, I think I will go back to anthro next weekend and pick up a few of these! As for the rest of this weekend, I am going to see The King's Speech later on today; hope it is good as everyone is saying! I have always loved Colin Firth and it's great that he is getting the recognition that his talents deserve with this role.