Our Conversation, continued.

Marianne - I think today you deserve at least two Hermes bags.

Adrien - I think you deserve THREE. So there. And thank you.

M - OOOH! I can leave at least one wadded up in the floorboard of my car. I'm even more blasé than Giovanna.

A - I'm going to use one of mine as a produce tote for the farmer's market. Where I buy all my organic produce.

M - Silly girl, Italian Fashion Giantess' don't eat. Well, maybe you are allowed one organic radish.

A - It's just for show, silly. I like to do a whimsical fresh organic vegetable centerpiece on my Lucite dining room table. It gives the appearance of health and freshness without all that nasty eating.

M - WHIMSY!

A - BLASÉ! Not that I care about whimsy.

M - I'm too weak with hunger to care. Can I have an extra radish today?

A - I don't know, can you?

M - Sigh.

Adrien: Outfit of the Day - All Talk and No Trousers.

I don't wear pants that often which is funny because there was a time in my life when me wearing a skirt or dress was inconceivable. Then in college I became known as The Girl Who Doesn't Wear Jeans. It wasn't that I hated jeans, just that I couldn't find a pair I really liked (this was before dark denim and low rises) so instead I chose to wear matte tights and bike shorts with Doc Martens. I am not even kidding.

ANYWAY, so I don't wear pants much but I do like them, I swear! I wore some today, even. Check it out:



I'm wearing one of my favorite necklaces that my friend Kelly made:


It's a scent locket! You can put a few drops of essential oil on the cloth inside and stink up the joint if you want, but I just wear it like it is.

military jacket: Gap
top: Banana Republic
pants: Banana Republic Martin fit
shoes: Chie Mihara Serpan
bag: Rebecca Minkoff peacock MAM
skull heart necklace: Kelly Farrell

Marianne: An interruption...

I will not be posting an outfit today, because I look like this:

Haggard, in all black, possible drug problem. Okay, minus the dogs and plus a scarf that looks like a dirty bandage.

Goodbye forever.

Fashion Crush: A Conversation.

I opened up my blog reader and was confronted with this image from the Sartorialist:


I immediately emailed it to Marianne and the following conversation ensued:

Adrien - Jesus H I love this: http://www.thesartorialist.com/photos/3910GioBack_3087Web.jpg

Marianne - Gah, yes. That damn Giovanna gets me every time. I basically want to BE her.

Adrien - I just want to fall OVER. It's all so perfect. I mean...I just...people just... own bags like that and just USE THEM ALL HANGING OPEN. I would be clutching it to my breast all shifty eyed and hissing at anyone who got too close. Maybe I need to blog this, huh.

Marianne - I think you might, yes. She's just so BLASE.

Adrien - I know! Its all too much.

Marianne - And then I look down at my sad, frumpy self and waaaaaaah. I want to be an Italian Fashion Giantess.

Adrien - You'd be awesome at it.

Marianne - I think so. I think we would both be really good at wearing expensive clothes and being fabulous.

Adrien - I think we'd EXCEL at wearing expensive clothes and being fabulous.

Marianne - WHY IS THE WORLD SO UNFAIR?

Adrien - I WANT A COOKIE.

Marianne - ME TOO. Dang.

The end.

Adrien: It's Pouring and Boring.

When I woke up this morning it was pouring down rain and pitch black and I was all, "HELL NO." Then I had to get dressed under this dark cloud and put on coat and venture out:

Thus, the outfit is really not very exciting, just my usual pencil skirt/long sleeved top/cardigan combo. You'll have to take my word for it. But, like Marianne's outfit, it's really all about the shoes day. I couldn't go head-to-toe boring so I pulled out the big guns. My Frye Liv t-straps:

I missed buying these when they were originally available because, a) I bought the more-wearable Lisa t-straps instead and b) they were really damn expensive. And tall. Really, really tall. But! I created a "saved search" on eBay hoping that one day a pair in my size would surface. Eventually this happened and I sniped some poor newbie who didn't understand how a proxy bid worked. (insert evil laugh.) Now, they are mine, all mine!




Oooh.

They look blue-ish black but are actually dark purple. And surprisingly, they are really comfortable, thanks to the covered platform. Not an everyday shoe, but one of my favorites.


Shoes: Frye Liv t-strap
tights: Spanx patterned Tight-End
bag: Margot
trench: Banana Republic
umbrella: Crrrrrrap

Marianne: It's Monday and I'm sick.

Blargh. I am a snotty, raspy-voiced mess, people. It's dark and rainy and cold and let's get this over with.
I think the idea of this outfit is better than my execution of it. I wish the blazer was a bit longer, but I do like the colors and let's face it, I'm terribly comfortable. The real story here is my boots.

I bought these boots when I lived in New York, I saved my bartending tips for a month until I could afford them. At the time they were the most expensive thing in my closet and I think they are still the most I've ever spent on a shoe. But hey, 9 years later they are still perfect. Beat up soft leather, a nice low heel, and the perfect brown.

My husband calls them my Han Solo boots. I can live with that.

A close up shot so you can see the colors and textures here. I do like the mix, I just think the proportions aren't quite right.

blazer: Theory (I replaced the metal buttons with yellow)

tunic: DKNY

scarf: bought on the street in Paris (doesn't this make me sound like an asshole?)

jeans: Gap Always Skinny

boots: Donna Karen

nose: runneth over

Adrien: A World of No.

Our friend Lisa brought it to our attention that Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte wears mom jeans.

I...don't even know what to say about this. But here's what Lisa said:

"It's such a disconnect. I feel like she and her sister belong in the Hufflepuff house in Harry Potter. They still live with their parents."

And as our friend Molly so succinctly put it:

"I don't know who that Rodarte person but any idiot who shops at Target knows that is not a good look for her."

Adrien: Killing Me Dead.

Seasonal changes always make me more obsessive than usual about stuff, pretty pretty stuff. Here's what's currently tweaking me and also some inspiration from Sartorialist and Garance Doré:


Oh, the Lanphear hair:

More great hair:


OH MY GOD THE MULBERRY BAG:


Meep!

And green. Yay for green:



And fun shoes with texture and studs:


And this:

Le sigh.

Marianne: It's Friday and I want things.

Ah, Friday. It holds all the promise of the weekend but you have to GET THROUGH IT without killing anyone. I need to distract myself with some pretty.

My hair is too long to wear jaunty hats like this, but I love this model's perfect pink lips and eyeliner.
Kate Spade hurts my feelings. I can't explain it, but I always feel like the prices are going to fall more along the lines of J.Crew, a bit expensive but not out of the question. But even on sale, I can't afford it. This entire outfit is divine and I want to try and recreate it. Well, minus the scarf. I might act crazy but I try not to look crazy.

I also loved this outfit to pieces on first glance. So springy and cheerful and fun! I already played with fixing my hair like this, even. But then I took a closer look at the coat, just to torture myself.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Betty Draper wear something just like this when she was pregnant on Mad Men? Seeing it all buttoned up took this out of the "fun and springy" category and put it in the "twee and infantilizing" column.

Lastly, the perfect little sweater dress I looked for all winter, an now that I've found it I don't want to buy it, even though it's cheap. Please feel free to throw something sticky at me come fall when I am once again bemoaning my lack of perfect little sweater dresses, okay?

Marianne: Black, White, and...wait a minute.

No, you aren't seeing a badly-lit repeat of yesterday. And yes, I'm a nerd and couldn't wait to wear my new stripy dress, so I kind of tried to make it more weather-appropriate with nude fishnets and a cardigan.

Looking at the pictures, the cardigan is a little boxy and I wish I had thrown on a skinny belt to define my waist better. Also, I fear the fishnets have given me Adrien's dread furry-in-pictures look. But let me tell you, Spanx's nude fishnets are worth every penny. They add just enough warmth on cool spring mornings, they go with almost everything, and they last for-freaking-ever. The two pairs I have are over 3 years old and only now does one of them have a hole in the heel.

Do you like how the lighting goes from bad to okay in every picture? To get the full effect you have to imagine me swiveling back and forth in our dressing room at work, frantically snapping pictures and praying that no one will walk in on me.

My cute new Banana Republic trench.

I should have taken my keys out of the pocket, because now it looks like it's pulling and doesn't fit. I, ah, have an issue with fashion bloggers wearing clothes that are too small on them.

Even the same shoes! I know. I'm so uncreative, it hurts. I wasn't going to bother posting but my partner-in-crime wanted to see my outfit, so here you go. Adrien, I am glad you're a bit more creative than I am today. Your dinner outfit gives our 7 viewers some eye candy.

dress: Old Navy

cardigan: Old Navy

fishnets: Spanx

trench: Banana Republic

shoes: Office UK

hair: sopping wet, but still an improvement on yesterday

Adrien: Dinner Out Outfit.

I actually went out last night! On a week night! My crafty peeps and I had dinner plans, so I scurried home from the gym and did the shower 'n change thing in 30 minutes flat. Here's the outfit I came up with:



Not too bad, I don't think. A girl can never have too many striped shirts, right? And that bag! It's one of my newer acquisitions, found secondhand on the Internet. I love it a lot but it's got a laser-cut leather overlay that's delicate. I try not to use it too much but it's hard to resist.

t-shirt: Old Navy ?
jacket: Banana Republic
trouser jeans: Paige Premium
shoes: Chie Mihara
bag: Andrea Brueckner
wrap watch: La Mer

Marianne: Black, White, and Red all over

Okay folks, I am nursing an ear infection, because I am 4 years old, and I look like hell from the neck up. I refuse to even look at the camera. Let's just post this little outfit, shall we?

Because I actually like this outfit. I feel pulled together and less pudgey than usual.

But can we just call this one "Tired"? Because...yeah.

Close up detail of my favorite shoes in the dirty changing room mirror, which are looking a little worse for wear. Sadness.

jacket: Dahlia

jeans: Hudson

necklace: "Tree of Life" from Diana Warner

top: I-can't-remember-the-brand from anthropologie

shoes: Office UK

hair: LET US NOT DISCUSS IT

So yes, I am obviously in the Old Navy changing room in these pictures. Which explains the lovely pallor from the overhead lights. But regardless, I had about 20 minutes and was inspired by Adrien to go try on some dresses.

Which...no. NO NO NO. This dress is a darling print and I love the pleated detail on the bust, but god is it ever unflattering. NO.

Ah, that's more like it. Yes, I am copying Adrien, and hell yes, I bought this. I also bought it in the teal colorway, which I'm not entirely sold on. This dress is nearly too short in the waist and length but I felt pretty and I am clinging to that feeling.

This however, did not make me feel pretty in the least.

Adrien: Met Halfway Oufit of the Day

It was 45 degrees when I left this morning, but the high is supposed to be in the 70s. In-between weather always confuses me when it comes to getting dressed. I'm sick of wearing tights, but it doesn't *quite* feel like bare leg weather yet. So, I split the difference today and wore my chocolate brown boots with no tights:


The dress is one of my favorites - easy to winterize with a tissue tee underneath (and tights, of course) but also looks cute in the middle of summer with sandals.

dress: Banana Republic
cardigan: Lauren Ralph Lauren
boots: Frye
necklace: Keen Designs
bag: Marc Jacobs eggplant tote

Adrien: SnrrzzZZZzzz... Sorry, what?

Yeah, my outfit is not so great today because on Tuesdays I take a lunchtime class at the gym and have about 30 seconds of changing time. I have to keep it simple! Also, it's kind of gray and cold out so I looked longingly at my new spring dresses and then pushed past them for my boring black trouser-cut pants. Dream big, Adrien. But, the top part is sort of cute and features my new leopard print cardigan:

Yes, that's my bathroom. Please don't judge me.

I'm also wearing my very favorite shoes in the whole world, my trusty Frye Lisa t-straps. I think at least three of my friends have them, Marianne included, and as you probably read this morning, she also has the coveted boot version. If I'd known Frye was only going to make these for one season I would've bought another pair because they are PERFECT. Well, they were perfect. Now they're a little sad looking:

Here's what they looked like new:

I've had my pair re-heeled four times and completely resoled once but there's really nothing I can do about the metallic finish wearing off so I just keep wearing them and probably will until they completely fall apart. Meanwhile I'll be trolling eBay in case another pair in my size surfaces. These shoes are one of the few things I happily paid full price for and they've certainly earned their keep.

t-shirt: Target
cardigan: Old Navy
pants: Banana Republic Martin fit
shoes: Frye Lisa t-strap
bathroom: mid-century unrenovated

Marianne: Farewell to Boots

Spring is officially here, but today is grey and chilly. I'm taking advantage of the crap weather to wear my favorite boots one more time. These Frye Lisa boots are my beloved:

Here is a blurry, dark picture of the rest of my outfit. I am sure by now you are expecting nothing short of Sartorialist-quality images from me.

cardigan: Old Navy
tunic: Forever 21
belt: Forever 21
jeans: Gap Always Skinny
boots: Frye
lighting: X Files

Adrien: Have Coupon, Must Use.

Whenever it's BR/GAP/ON Friends & Family coupon time I feel like I've been handed a ticking time bomb. MUST USE MUST USE MUST USE NOW GO GO GO! It's very stressful, this shopping thing. So much pressure! Banana Republic probably gets most of my money, but I've found the new spring collection to be either completely yawn-worthy or completely cut for a body type that is not my own. The trench coat (which I already have) is the lone exception.

As for the Gap, I've pretty much given up. If it's cute, it fits weird and the rest is just not cute. And their pants don't fit me. And I can get cheaper t-shirts at Target. Wah wah wah. That leaves Old Navy which mostly I don't bother with, but every now and then I totally score and find great cheap items that I completely love.

I was busy all day Saturday but on Sunday, late afternoon, I finally managed to use my 30% coupon with mere hours to spare. Here's what I tried on.

This dress, which was pretty darn cute, but maybe a smidgen too small and too short. I really wanted it in black but they didn't have it:

This dress, which was too big (they didn't have any in my size):

This cardigan which I liked:


But I really wanted it in the pale grey print. There weren't any in my size when I initially looked, but on my way to the register I checked again and found a single size small! Woo. I bought it.

I also tried on a couple of other cardigans, because I'm a junkie. The origami:


Very nice, but I didn't need it.

I liked this dress which came in a couple of colors:


The blue was more navy, not as intense as it looks in the photo. Cute, but the striped version stole my heart right out of my chest:


So vintage! So ridiculous! I bought it because I couldn't imagine not having it in my life.

Finally, on a whim I tried on the denim pencil skirt because I don't have one and every single one I've tried on has looked bad on me (except for one by Rock & Republic that was too expensive to even consider). I was shocked by how much I loved this:


SOLD. YAY.

I think they must have had further mark-downs going on in the store because I got all three pieces for under $45. Hooray!

Stop it.

Your shoes are ridiculous.

They ruin your outfit and are wildly unflattering. Just...stop.