style – Page 65 – Blue Collar Red Lipstick

30
Jul
2016

Blue Fancy

Dress, Prada (thrifted); shoes, Marc Jacobs (thrifted); bag, Rebecca Minkoff

I don’t get to go to a lot of weddings anymore — I seem to average one a year in the last 3 or 4 — so it’s extra fun getting dressed for one. I have a lot of “fancy” dresses, and not many occasions to wear them, which makes for a somewhat challenging selection process. This time around, the winner was my blue Prada silk wrap dress. Since the dress code was fairly relaxed, I kept things pretty simple, with just a hint of sparkle.

The wedding itself was a beautiful family affair, and my husband and I felt privileged to witness it. The bride’s children (from a former marriage) were very much part of the wedding party, and watching the way they all came together and celebrated their new family was amazing. I’ve never really understood the point of vow renewals before, but this experience made me seriously consider it; obviously, my kids will never get to witness their parents’ wedding, but it might be nice to have a celebration not only of our marriage but of our family, at some point in the future when they’re older.

28
Jul
2016

Old School

categories: style

Shirt, H&M (gifted); skirt, Banana Republic; shoes, Stuart Weitzman; bag, MbMJ

This feels like such an old school combo — blue pin-stripe button down with pearls — but as soon as my mom asked me if I wanted this shirt, I knew I had to go there. I have no idea why my mom (who has been retired since 2012) would have a shirt like this in her closet, but I am happy to benefit from the mystery. It’s not a style I would have picked on my own, as I tend to find button downs generally more restricting than other types of blouses, but I quite like the fit of this one. The neckline in particular is nice: it shows just a hint of necklace. Full-on pearls feel a bit costumey to me, but I enjoyed this understated, preppy way of wearing them.

Of course, because of the hearing, I added a blazer — partially as a concession to the dress code, and partially (a large part) as a concession to the weird temperature dynamics in the hearing room. It made my evening commute extra boiling, but c’est la vie. As we move ever closer towards August (and then, gulp, September), I feel the urge to hang on to the warm weather with every ounce of determination I can muster … even if it means perspiring in a most un-preppy way on the train.

By the way, if you’ve got any burning questions (see what I did there?) and forgot to ask them yet, you have one more day to get them to me — via email or comment here — before Friday’s AMA post.

27
Jul
2016

The New Order

categories: Shoes, style

Dress, Club Monaco (thrifted); blazer, DKNY (thrifted); necklace, BR; shoes, J. Crew; bag, YSL

I know: this blog might as well be called “A Dress A Day, Everyday” because that’s what it seems to have turned into, but bear with me. I got some new pretties in the mail this week:

Yes, I went a little nuts with the J. Crew shoe sale a few weeks ago — but it was *such* a good sale, you guys. (50% off final sale, can I get a “whoop whoop”!) Each of these pairs came to about $80 including shipping which, while not cheap, is a great deal for the quality they offer. I love my old J. Crew pumps, and these look to be just as good (and comfy too). So, of course, I couldn’t wait to wear them.

the rest of the outfit ain't bad either — the rest of the outfit ain’t bad either

Speaking of fab new things, I love this dress so much. It’s lined and has pockets, and it’s sleek and cute and comfortable all at the same time. There’s an interesting contrast panel around the back, which I will have to show you next time because … blazer, duh. Still in a hearing. This particular blazer is pretty good too — there is a good percentage of elastane in it, so it has some stretch that makes it comfortable for long days of sitting and typing. I can’t emphasize how much of a difference that 2-4% elastane can make — and I say that as someone who used to hate blazers and eschew them in favour of cardigans. Check the fabric content, my friends!

Category: style