Favorite Style Purchases of 2015.

I did a couple "favorite purchases" entries at the end of last year and, since I've basically only managed to brush the cookie crumbs off my sweatpants as a fashion move today, I thought maybe I'd do it YET AGAIN. Whee. Let's do this.

This is a super-recent purchase but this leopard flare LOFT dress, which I bought because it looked so cute on Marianne, has been so great!

LOFT Leopard Flare Dress

 I've worn it to work with boots and to a party with cute flats and I can see it working well into spring. It's just one of those easy, versatile dresses that you can accessorize the hell out of. It's still available in most sizes but it's marked final sale so please heed my advice that it runs at least a size large.

I know y'all are sick of hearing me talk about my Old Navy patched jeans but they get an honorable mention to my slightly-more-loved Banana Republic distressed jeans:

Mine are the lighter wash version of the distressed Skinny Ankle and I hope that they keep it up with the good denim because everything else at BR is weird right now.  Both pairs helped me to break out of my dark denim rut and it's been fun to have some good casual denim options. I also think it's funny that I used to be alllll about the fancy jeans and now I love my less-expensive pairs way more.

I felt like I should include a pair of shoes because I bought a lot of shoes this year and I was surprised to find that the pair I felt were my best purchase was a pair of sneakers. WHO AM I? I love my chelsea boots and my Lotta t-bar clogs and I wear them both a lot but my Nike Internationalists filled a category I'd been unsuccessful at filling for years: casual sneakers that are actually damn cute.

It is so nice to have a fun pair of shoes that I can also run around in all day. I love them and I'm hoping to find this purple colorway on sale in my size. I don't even know who I am anymore, you guys.

And now, my ultra most favorite fashion purchase this year has to be my Marc by Marc Jacobs Too Hot To Handle hobo in cement. I got a really great deal on it (RIP Piperlime) but it's worth every penny of it's retail cost and I rarely say that about anything:

The color is perfect, the size is perfect, it's comfortable to carry and it can take a beating. The cement color is hard to find but there are some great neutral options (on sale!) at Zappos right now. When my Hillier dies I'll probably replace it with a black Too Hot hobo. The newest version has a zip closure which has it's pros and cons, but the shape is the same. Such a winner, this one. 

That's it for the style side of things! Favorite beauty purchases will be up next. (At some point. I have some Outlander episodes that need watching.)

Adrien: Vacation Sloth.

Hello! So, I'm off work this week and have been wearing a lovely assortment of yoga pants and inside-out sweatshirts. (Lucky for you I'm declining to take pictures of this sartorial delight.) But! I did have actual plans out of the house the other day and managed to clothe myself appropriately. Proof:

This one is all in the details. I'm wearing my favorite jeans from Old Navy which are detailed enough that I can keep everything else super-simple. If Old Navy isn't your thing but you still want patched jeans, check out this pair by Free People.  My top is from Ann Taylor (I think? It's old) and it has it's own interesting detail:

Those side zippers come in handy when you eat too many cookies but also give the top a nice swing. This super-soft Velvet top has similar side zips and the deep side vents on this Everlane top give it that same good shape.

This Madewell necklace! It was a Christmas gift from Marianne and I love it. I think I've worn it every day since I got it. Madewell such good simple jewelry options. Like, how sweet are these little earrings? 

Hey, here I am clutching my Cambridge Satchel Co bag. It's been a good one for days when I don't need to carry a bunch of stuff. I get compliments every time I use it. I dig my oxblood twist lock but I also love this oyster color and Marianne's pushlock version looks great in oxblood! 

Finally, my shoes. Pointy leopard flats are super versatile because they work with color, they work with black, they work with brown. Just get a pair. Mine are Sidewalk Skimmers from Madewell which they aren't currently offering in leopard but J.Crew has a cute pair and I looove this Bettye Muller pair.  

Now, please excuse me while I consider which pair of sad yoga pants I'll be wearing for the rest of the day.

BUY THIS (Because We Probably Will) Anthropologie on Sale.

I'll get back to outfit pics tomorrow if I remember how to dress myself after too much time off but for now I thought it worth mentioning that Anthropologie is giving an extra 25% off sale stuff (online and in-store) with code TAGTIME. And, while the leather leggings are still unattainably expensive *sigh* this sale generally makes for some good prices on clothes and accessories:

I also think the house and home section is worth a look because how else will you know that you can't live without that owl pillow?

Cute Boy Friday: Justin Trudeau.

OH MY GOD, I am so dumb. Last week I mentioned that a reader requested Justin Theroux as a Cute Boy but she actually asked for Justin Trudeau (SO CLOSE YOU GUYS) who is obviously a fox and who I've been meaning to induct into Cute Boy Friday. So, that day is today. Please gaze upon Canada's new buck of a Prime Minister:

I was a little sad thinking there would be no shirtless pics available but OH MY GOD YOU GUYS:

It's a Christmas miracle! I mean, I adore President Obama but he wears dad jeans and stuff.  I like this quite a bit:

He cleans up so nice but you know he's got a cheeky, dirty side because yep:

O Canada indeed. And today is his birthday! Merry Christmas, ladies.

Quick and Dirty Review: GapFit Leggings

(I'm cross posting this on my fitness stuff blog, so apologies to those who read both!)

I used to be a Lululemon girl, not because I spent my days faffing about in yoga pants but because that stuff used to last FOREVER and the fit was great. Those days are long gone and now every time I am considering dropping a chunk of money on Wunder Unders I just read the bad reviews and crab scramble out of there. They still have interesting patterns and cute colors but I've been leaning towards Altheta and Lucy more and more. AND, you guys, Gapfit has been killing it lately. I bought these recently:

GapFit gFast Jacquard Legging

They are SO GOOD. These are cold weather tights that are brushed on the inside so they're warm and thick. they're so cute that even the guys at my CrossFit gym love them and say they'd wear them if they made them for dudes. Heh.

But they don't just look cool, they perform well. They don't slide down and are completely opaque. They definitely FIT (meaning, if you're between sizes, go up a size) and they are a bit long on me, so really good for the taller ladies. 

I also tried a few other pairs from GapFit.  This pair of Brushstroke leggings looks cool but I wasn't crazy about the skinny waistband (I like a thick wide waistband) and in a size small they definitely went a bit sheer on me. I think they'd have been better if I'd sized up. I did size up with the fun Twist Print legging and they're a bit too big. They're more of a runner's legging with a wide waistband and inner drawstring so I think I can make them work. I love the red racing stripe! 

So, sizing is a bit hit-or-miss but overall the quality of GapFit is really good and with the 40% off (code GREAT) and 2.0% cash back with eBates they're an amazing bargain. 

Gift Guide: You're So Pretty!

Did anyone listen to this episode of TAL? The opening story about how high school girls have a sort of code regarding commenting/liking each other's selfies just cracked me up. OMG YOU'RE SO PRETTY. I JUST WANT TO PUNCH MYSELF IN THE FACE. Which, brings me to how I feel about Christmas shopping in general. You are pretty and I do want to punch myself in the face.

However, I really enjoy discovering and buying fun beauty gifts because it sure beats going to three different department stores to try to find the super-specific socks your mother wants. For instance, have you seen the ridiculous TonyMoly stuff?

Panda's Dream Brightening Eye Base

And these:

Juicy Lip Gloss Bar

Eep! Eeee! So stupid and so adorable. And who wouldn't be charmed by a night cream packaged in a little pink pig?

Pure Farm Pig Collagen Sleeping Pack

No? You are a monster. I also love the Too Cool for School stuff because...dinosaurs:

Dinoplatz Lip Balm

And this is so freaking good:

Dinoplatz Dear Brachiosaurus Blotting Paper

That is just the damn cutest thing ever and I'd be delighted to pull it out of my fancy purse all, "What?" If you are not regressing and require fancier stuff I think this Bésame lipstick set has the prettiest vintage packaging:

Bésame Cosmetics Lipstick & Matchbook Set

So lady-like! If you have to buy a really nice gift for a lady who likes non-traditional things, I am going to strongly suggest this Jo Malone set:

Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Collection

I generally dislike most fancy perfume (too strong/sweet/musky/overpowering) but the Wood Sage & Sea Salt is unlike anything I've ever come across. It's a unisex fragrance that's gently woodsy and a little salty but very clean and subtle. I also really love Nutmeg & Ginger. You can't go wrong with Jo Malone. 

Finally, if you have that person you don't know what to buy, you can never go wrong with these two things. First, Kiehl's Coriander body cleanser is just the greatest. It smells amazing and they also have cute little gift sets with the hand soap version:

Kiehl's is a good gift

Second,  this shea butter hand cream from L'Occitane which is an old favorite of mine:

L'OCCITANE Shea Butter Hand Cream

Your mother in law will love it. They have a bunch of nice gift sets but you also can't go wrong with just the hand cream.  So, I think that will do it. Excuse me while I go curl up in a dark corner and drink bourbon straight from the bottle. Happy holidays. 

Adrien: Wasted Effort.

I'm so dumb. I'd completely forgotten that my boss had said we could dress casually in the office this week and here I am wearing a dress all fancy. I like this dress, don't get me wrong, but it's not my favorite jeans. Still:

Not bad! I'm wearing a Banana Republic Gemma wrap dress (which was one of their staples until everything went a little weird over there) with my Loeffler Randall Matilde boots. This is one of those dresses that I'd imagine would work on nearly anyone. Vince Camuto has one that looks pretty classic and I love the print on this one.  Sizing is hit or miss but you can find the occasional well-discounted solid DVF wrap dress at Nordstrom Rack. And, if you want to live out your 70s fantasies, this one at Urban Outfitters is pretty amazing. 

I'm wearing some old necklace I bought years ago at Charming Charlie but this one at Max & Chloe would be a fun update. I also like this more delicate version for $12! Can't beat that. And oooh, this one with the stones! I'm carrying my favorite cement MBMJ Too Hot To Handle Hobo which is such a great bag. The updated version has a top zipper and comes in a beautiful muted blue. (And is on sale. Just saying.)

In an effort to break my sad-cardigan habit, I unearthed this cute cropped BR jacket I haven't worn in a while. It's got a cool 60s funnel neckline that I love so I don't know why I don't wear it more often. 

I like that it's a bit more interesting than your average cardigan, right?  A little cropped jacket can be really versatile. This J.Crew version in tweed would look great with jeans, right? And, if money is no object by all means go this route. Heh. 

Weekend Window Shopping: Short Frye Boots!

6pm.com has some great prices on short Frye boots right now. The sizing is limited but it's definitely worth a look, and my picks are under $200 because I'm a reasonable person. Plus, use code DECKHALLS for an extra 10% off. 6pm codes are rare, so get on this!

Cute Boy Friday: Justin Theroux.

Heyyyy, a reader suggested maybe Justin Theroux and I was all, OMG WHY HASN'T THAT HAPPENED. Is anyone in charge around here? He's kind of an odd bird but he's from my general neck of the woods and my God, this is his face:

NOT TOO BAD. Plus, I generally really like his personal style...

Though... he seems to be wearing Jennifer Aniston's t-shirt here:

But who cares because arms and oh my sweet baby Jesus:

What? What was I saying? I've completely lost my train of thought.

Yep.

BUY THIS (So We Don't Have To): Crazy Madewell Deals.

You guuuuys. All the sales are killing me. KILLING ME. I don't have a budget for stuff for me until the holidays are over so please please someone take advantage of these great deals. Treat 'yo self. Madewell is offering 25% off everything with code YOUGOTTHIS plus get 2.0% cash back with eBates! Here's what I would get:

THESE BOOTS:

Nico Boot

After the code they are under $100! I love the grey suede version too. Also coming in under $100 is this amazing bag:

Glasgow Bag

Isn't it PRETTY? It comes in two colors and gets really good reviews. A solid purchase. Finally, they have a ton of jewelry on sale (plus the additional 25% off) and I think this necklace is just lovely:

Willowfringe Statement Necklace

Oh! And these cute little hinged earrings are practically free. Get to it kids. Make me jealous.

Ye Olde Banana: Things Just Got Weird.

A: This is for YOU.

M: False. Those are actually for no one.

A: But, they combine the modesty of a skirt with the mobility of pants. Don't you want to be modest and mobile, Marianne?

M: If by modest you mean unrecognizable as a female and if by mobile you mean tangled in great swathes of khaki then YES.

A: Which brings us to the other page!

M: I feel like whoever wrote the copy for those pants is maybe hard up.

A: Words words words SENSUAL TREAT. LIBERATES THE HIPS. Whut.

M: SIDE AND REAR.

A: SOUL-COMFORTING REASSURANCE. I am...maybe using pockets wrong?

M: It's a lot of pressure to put on a gee dee pair of khakis, is what I'm saying.

A: They recreate the happy state of nature, Marianne.

M: They are KHAKI PANTS. WITH PLEATS.

A: You know what totally saves it? The suggestion that you should wear two of the kente scarves knotted together as a top.

M: Things just got a little bit sexy.

A: Side-teat is all the rage with the kids today.

M: I'm sorry did you just say TEAT.

M: ADRIEN DONATELLA ARNOLD.

A: YOUR SIDE-TEAT IS FABULOUS!

M: You've been wearing your khakis too much.

A: My hips have been liberated!

M: #TMI

Adrien: Oh Yay Sleeves.

Do you know how hard it is to find a cute dress with long sleeves? Very hard. That's part of why I've held onto this BCBG print dress for so long:

The other reason is that I love the crazy pattern mixing. BCBG still makes gorgeous print day dresses but they've become harder to find. This one is a bargain if you're a tiny thing and this crazy print might not be for everyone but I love it. They're washable and last foreverrr. For other long-sleeve options with budget in mind, Old Navy has this cute dress and this one so there's hope. 

To avoid freezing to death I threw on my Gap knit tuxedo jacket. It's seen better days but it's one of those items I love in theory and would love to upgrade to a version that actually fits me properly. There's just something so sleek and cool about a slim well-fitting tuxedo jacket. This one is basically perfect except for the price. Wah. This one at Topshop has potential and hey bargain shoppers, H&M has you covered. 

This picture is kind of a mess but I love the contrast of the lapel and the print. I'm wearing my House of Harlow mini sunburst pendant necklace which always gets compliments. The newer HH Sun Coin necklace is super tempting! They make cool stuff. 

I'm wearing dark grey Spanx tights (THE BEST) and my old Chie Mihara Serpan heels which are still so good.  Chie Mihara has gone off the rails a bit but maaaaan do I love this python pair. I might have to keep my eye on those. For shoes with a similar flavor I'd look at Miz Mooz. The Judy pump has the same vintage feel and damn do I love this fancy red pair. Yay for cute shoes and crazy print dresses! 

A Slightly Better Gift Guide: Books Are Awesome.

I did this last year and it confirmed that some of y'all are definitely my book-nerd people, so I thought  I'd make some new recommendations. I am one of those people that love getting books for Christmas because nothing makes me feel more content than a stack of new, as yet unread, books. YESSS. 

For the lover of beautiful-yet-devastating:

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson. 

What if you had the chance to live your life again and again, until you finally got it right? This is a WWII story told in a post-modern multiverse timeline. This sounds complicated, but at the heart of this book is a compelling story and wonderful characters that feel like real people. Atkinson's follow up, A God In Ruins is also ridiculously good. 

For the dreamy little girl in your life:

Mandy by Julie Edward (aka Julie Andrews!) 

This is better than The Secret Garden. Yeah, I said that. It was a favorite of mine as a kid because it has everything: orphans, a hidden cottage, secret passages, and a brooding handsome dad character. I mean, Julie Andrews wrote this! 

For the closet supernatural/sci-fi fan, I have two suggestions:

The Rook by Daniel O'Malley

This was O'Malley's debut novel and it's a little X-Files and a little Buffy and a lot of fun. Great for dudes but I also really loved it and I wish he would quit his day job and get to writing book #2. (Edited to add: Oops, book #2 comes out next summer. Well done, O'Malley.)

Time and Again by Jack Finney. 

This one is a classic time travel story (historical fiction complete with photos/illustrations) and, delightfully, has never been made into a movie even though Robert Redford really, really wanted to. It's a favorite of mine that I re-read it every 4-5 years. It's completely satisfying. 

For Fashion-Forward Folks: 

D.V. by Diana Vreeland. 

You cannot go wrong with Vreeland. She was just so crazyballs and I adore her. Diana Vreeland Memos: The Vogue Years also looks like a good time and, if you haven't see this documentary I highly recommend it. 

Adrien: Wine Cardigan.

So, last month sometime Nina and I made a trip to the outlet mall and I made a slightly rash purchase at Last Call - a beautiful midnight purpley-blue Eileen Fisher wine cardigan that was marked down so far below retail that I couldn't resist. I got it home and there it sat in my closet - beautiful and slightly too big. I love it in theory, but worry that it's somewhat overwhelming on me:

But hey, I think I'm pulling this off? I can't find the exact cardigan I bought but this one is the same color and nearly identical shape. (It might be the same one.) This one by Joie is also a near match and this Merona cardigan would be a good bargain choice. 

I think the key is to pair this type of cascade cardigan with super-skinny jeans or pants. I'm wearing it with my Old Navy Rockstar Patchwork jeans. I can't recommend them enough and I'm very happy that they're (mostly) preventing me from wanting this leather patched pair of Elizabth and James jeans. Ugh.

My blouse is a great BR utility blouse from last year but they have just... gone off the rails this season. I'd check out this LOFT utility blouse instead. It's inexpensive and comes in a bunch of great colors. I also love this crazy print version! I'm also wearing my Banana Republic scarab pendant which I'm sure y'all are tired of seeing. Check out this pendant by Sam Edelman instead. Is cool. 

Here is an entirely unnecessary picture of the MBMJ bag that I've been carrying all week. As per usual, I recommend this DVF satchel as an updated version, since mine is ancient. I'm mean.

With my abject apology to those of you who are actual decent photographers, I blew this pic waaaay out so you can see the details in the cardigan: 

Eileen Fisher has a reputation for quality and it's definitely there. This is a lightweight wool knit and drapes beautifully. I also love that the color is not quite navy or purple or black, but works in place of all three. It's just probably a size too big, but most wine cardigans are, right? 

Right?