Thistle & Pearl

Phew what a long week! Between working late, catching up with old friends, and seeing Boyfriend's band, I have been crazy busy. I meant to throw this entry up earlier in the week since it's an older outfit but ah well. Like I alluded to in my last entry, it's so freeing to create outfits when I don't have to go into the office. This dress is so comfortable, it's like wearing pajamas. I adore the few UO dresses I have that are button-up rather than hidden side zipper. Invisible zippers are my nemesis! I'm always terrified of breaking them since they're all so precious and delicate. At least with buttons, I can easily repair a problem myself.

I bought this petticoat on a total whim. I thought it might come in handy one day, and now I can't imagine wearing this dress without it. I didn't care for the tunic bottom of the dress and the petticoat gives it a more traditional looking hem to the outfit.

I added a brown cardigan when going out in the evening, but forgot to include it in my outfit shots. It toned down the "pajama" look of the ensemble for dining out.

Thistle & Pearl;
Necklace: Accessorize y-shape floral necklace
Dress: Urban Outfitters eyelet dress by Thistle & Pearl
Bottom: Anthropologie Scant Summer Petticoat
Legwear: Looks from London antique blue rose tights (purchased from ModCloth)
Shoes: Steven Madden button mary-janes
Outwear: H&M slouchy dark brown cardigan (not pictured)

You've lost your lipgloss, honey...

Boyfriend snapped a few photos of me while we were getting ready to meet some friends on Saturday night. The lighting in my room and the candid snaps made these feel a bit fuzzy and nostalgic looking. I cleaned them up a bit in Photoshop to show off the true colour of the outfit, but maybe I should have left more of the sepia tone! :)

I love going out on Friday or Saturday night (or working from home) so I can pick from my less formal collection of clothing. My workplace is super laid back about the dress code, so I can wear all the fun Anthro pieces I want, but still, I'm not going to show up in party dresses. I fell in love with a lot of British high street fashion while I lived in England. That style is a bit more youthful and party orientated than what I wear for my working life.  I still indulge in a few "going out" pieces from my favourite UK retailers now and again.

Lipgloss;
Dress: Miss Selfridge pink rose print dress
Cardigan: Forever 21 pink pin dot and lace cardigan
Necklace: Forever21 rose book locket
Tights: Hue opaque black tights
Shoes: Madden Girl patent black heels
Bag: Accessorize blush pink chain clutch

Great Expectations

A new book, a new look. I think I might get a few more days out of this one though. Dickens is not exactly one for brevity...

Last winter, I decided to buy two pieces out of my comfort zone. I was feeling confident in my style and myself as a whole, so I wanted to try something that would normally intimidate me. I had admired the current trend of short shorts with tights and heels, but wondered if I, as a curvier girl, could pull it off. I decided to go for it anyway and you know, I loved it. The menswear style of these shorts makes them look classy and stylish despite their minute length. They were quickly were added to my favourite weekending outfits. I'm so excited it's fall again so I can bring them back into rotation.


I'm really fond of my other dramatic piece from last winter so look for that in an outfit post soon!


Great Expectations;
Hair: Urban Outfitters metal flower hairband
Cardigan: Anthropologie Blooming Lattice Cardigan in navy
Top: Forever21 lace blouse & F21 layering camisole
Necklace: Topshop floral cameo with charms
Trousers: Urban Outfitters menswear tweed shorts
Legwear: Hue brown tights (I have so many pairs of these...)
Shoes: Steve Madden brown, kitten heels (probably 5 years old!)

Oh goodness. Fellow Anthro Addicts, I did something I really shouldn't have last week. I tried on the Grasby Gardens dress and what a mistake that was! I thought it would most likely be a disaster on me, despite how pretty it looked, and I was dead wrong. Everything about the dress was perfection except of course the price! Even on sale I don't know that I can afford it. *Dramatic sigh*

Treasure Island

I forgot how quickly I burn through fiction books. The university experience really derailed much of my interest in them and so I've had my nose firmly buried in history, political theory, and academic journal entries for the last six years. I finally decided to pull up with my new clothbound classics collection and I finished my first selection in a few hours. I'm on to "Treasure Island" now, which unlike "Dorian," I have never read. I love it! Even knowing the classic plot and characters, it's still fun to read and makes me long for tropical waters and sandy beaches. Ah, if only summer weren't ending...

Treasure Island;
Hair: Cheap, drugstore hairband
Top: Anthropologie Picture Frame Blouse in green
Necklace: Juicy Couture charm necklace
Belt: Anthropologie High Prairie Belt
Skirt: Anthropologie Penciled Abronia Skirt
Legwear: Hue tights in brown
Shoes: New Look kitten heel brogues (super old)
Bag: Pink tote (gift from my mum)

This outfit is a quick, go-to work look. When I first tried on both the skirt and top, I tried them on like this and fell in love. I waited for the blouse to go on sale, but this skirt had to come home with me as soon as possible. I love pencil skirts, but too often they only come in neutral colours. This one is so beautiful, and while better suited to spring, I feel any time of year is right for flowers.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

My regular photographers were M.I.A.
Forgive the strange photo style!

Labor day weekend always goes by too fast. It hardly feels like I had any extra time off at all. The weather however, was markedly different upon returning to my office in The City today. Summer was barely here for Northern California and already the dark clouds have rolled back in to cover any hopes of sun. This outfit was truly covered up with my Two-Paths Trench from Anthro, but I forgot to put it back on when taking photos in the slightly warmer climate of my South Bay backyard.

I finally broke down and bought all the Penguin Clothbound Classics (well, all the available titles) since they few I had were too pretty to sit lonely on my shelf. Similarly, the one I was reading today was too pretty to stay in my bag, so I couldn't resist posing with it in today's photos. This might continue on as I make my way through the collection. I've started by rereading "The Picture of Dorian Gray" as the dark clouds put me in the mood for a bit of Gothic writing.

Red Roses;
Cardigan: Gold H&M cardigan
Top: CAbi lace top
Necklace: European Robin by N2
Skirt: Anna Sui for Anthropologie Russelliana Skirt
Legwear: Brown opaque tights from Hue
Shoes: Anthropologie's Bouquet of Roses heels

Golden State

Golden State;
Dress: Anthropologie In A Twinkling dress
Blouse: Forever21 lace top with ruched, puff sleeves
Shoes: Seychelles Bette flats or Anthropologie's Wedding March flats
Hair: Drugstore hairband
Belt: Anthropologie High Prairie belt
Bag: Coach Madison / Sabrina in pink
Necklace: Urban Outfitters California charm necklace

After yesterday, this dress seems too good to be true. I tried it on back in May or June and loved how it flattering it was and of course the colour combination was ultra luxe. However I knew that itchy fabric forbade me from paying full price and even made sale consideration a bit dubious. When it finally sold out in my size two weeks ago, I regretted not having it and knew waiting for the second cut price wasn't an option. Once it got here, I found the zipper of less than desired quality but thought it was so pretty, I'd still make it work. Luckily for me, I read some amazing Anthro blogs! Kim's Anthroholic community told me it had a second cut yesterday, just in time for me to get a price adjustment. Hardly believing it, I hoped to get further confirmation from Roxy's Effortless Anthropologie crowd and encouragement from Anjali of Goldemeans. Once in my local Anthro, I jumped up with a "YES!" when my funny SA told me how much I was getting back. She told me "Now go shopping!" and I did just that.

Here's my loot from Anthropologie's Labor Day Sale;
Secret Garden blouse
Mirror, Mirror tank in black
Chopsticks Cardigan (made possible by the 2nd cut on it and my dress!)

This whole outfit is full of bargains. I bought nothing here at full price except my bag and the F21 top (the belt was purchased with my birthday discount order). The F21 top was <$20 though so it still counts. I have worn this thing so much. The subtle puff sleeves are adorable and it goes with everything. I wouldn't have worn a shirt with this dress if I wasn't going to work, because boy was it ever hot yesterday. Considering how unusually cool this summer has been for the Bay Area though, I welcomed a chance to ditch my tights and cardigans, especially up in The City.

Bonus dog photo!

Love, love, love

Love is all you need;
Skirt: Modcloth This Skirt is All You Need
Top: Anthropologie Rare Bloom tee in pink
Legwear: Hue opaque black tights
Shoes: Seychelles Kiss At Midnight mary-janes in black
Bag: Coach Madison / Sabrina in pink
Eyewear: Betsey Johnson floral sunglasses
Necklace: Silver birdcage (gift from a friend)

I never spend too much on sunglasses since I will break or lose them. Most of the time it is not through my own carelessness, just simple bad luck. I found this Betsey pair on Ruelala for a bargain so I decided to keep up the cheap eyewear tradition, but with a slight upgrade in quality. The detailing on them is adorable!

This skirt is one of my favourite purchases from ModCloth. I can't resist birds! Beatles inspired name aside though this skirt is actually a lot of trouble for me to style. I tried my best with this outfit, but I wasn't sure if I truly liked the silhouette with the shape of the Rare Bloom tee. I was more in love with the sweetness of the colour and flower than the shape. I need to keep trying to get something worthy of the LOVE embroidery. I really wanted to temper the sweetness with the black tights and shoes, but I'd really like to get some gray shoes to go with it instead!