tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68717382870435272782024-02-07T19:13:04.733-05:00Head to Toe with HeidiHeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.comBlogger293125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-18415582397082330442013-02-01T07:03:00.001-05:002013-02-01T07:03:02.013-05:00J Crew t shirt<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div style='position:relative;'><div style='width:500px;margin:0 auto'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/crew_shirt/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.svc=blogger&id=61496712' target='_blank'><img force='1' border='0' height='500' title='J Crew t shirt' src='http://embed.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/x/tid/61496712.jpg' alt='J Crew t shirt' width='500'/></a></div></div><br/><small><div style='text-align:center'><div><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/crew_shirt/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.svc=blogger&id=61496712' target='_blank'>J Crew t shirt</a> (see more <a href='http://www.polyvore.com/slim_fit_t_shirts/shop?query=slim+fit+t+shirts' target='_blank'>slim fit t shirts</a>)</div></div></small></div>HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-67076258720100427892011-04-02T15:26:00.014-04:002011-04-02T15:31:38.652-04:00J Crew Matchsticks - Lived In? You Better Believe It!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRD-Z__QPU8sdiY2EePxHUpscTf-o2gOLDuR8LDUnGmKS5-svfGF4YKQkgXy462GOSAwRehHk8_fQAX-v_aUJs5mO2TiuBbEVGzd_5UINo6rwFtkVO94wXSjA58o1Y9zlaotKNihEA1k/s1600/matchstick.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRD-Z__QPU8sdiY2EePxHUpscTf-o2gOLDuR8LDUnGmKS5-svfGF4YKQkgXy462GOSAwRehHk8_fQAX-v_aUJs5mO2TiuBbEVGzd_5UINo6rwFtkVO94wXSjA58o1Y9zlaotKNihEA1k/s200/matchstick.bmp" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> J Crew Matchstick Jeans in lived in wash (#28163, $108). $108? Really? These were a ton of these in the sale pile at my B&M. For $29.99. Add on the Mickey card's 20% off and I got them for $24. Thank you B&M. It seems like there is always a pile of jeans in the sale section at my B&M. I don't usually go for them because it seems like you need to try on at least a dozen to find the right pair. But they are always so well priced in the sale section, maybe I should make the effort more often. Not that I actually need any more, I think this pair pretty much rounds out my jeans wardrobe for a while. </div><br />
But price issues aside...let's talk about the "lived in wash." I love the online commentary on these jeans "hand sanded for that had-it-forever softness." So true. So so so true. They are so soft. So not only did they fit, but they were so comfy. <br />
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I took a 29...which is likely meaningless, because I always have issues with not buying my jeans small enough and having them loosen up too much later (I hear my sister's voice in my head right now). I just hate it when I put them on and they still are uncomfortable. Although I think I've been getting better after the weight loss this fall, trying on smaller sizes first. Of course, right now I'm wearing a pair of Crewlet matchsticks in size 31...so they're more like a boyfriend fit. But lately I've been skewing to usually a 6 in pants and taking a 28/6 in LOFT jeans, so I guess this is the equivalent of an 8? And it would make sense to go with a larger size in a slim fit to avoid muffin top. <br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQGc8-q7n_TkFe7bj_EU6FtyoP4WPknMe6Wejta15RwiAI_PEPdDo10Tfv7ezC6OKzYYSTEa2obWTmsX913dpiFcrmH65LQR6neNSX9JKvFZ5CcD7LgHHuoL58bYkBtFgRIIV6Oq2nU0/s1600/apr1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQGc8-q7n_TkFe7bj_EU6FtyoP4WPknMe6Wejta15RwiAI_PEPdDo10Tfv7ezC6OKzYYSTEa2obWTmsX913dpiFcrmH65LQR6neNSX9JKvFZ5CcD7LgHHuoL58bYkBtFgRIIV6Oq2nU0/s400/apr1.jpg" width="148" /></a>In any case, $24 jeans that fit and were really cute...of course I got them. Love the wash - great for spring and summer since it is softer. I wore them yesterday, April 1, and was glad I did get them. April Fools' Day...oh yes, Mother Nature had a fun time with us. Chilly, chilly, chilly. And way breezy. But I'll just be happy it wasn't rainy. </div><br />
So I paired the jeans with the tissue turtle in...shoot...dark charcoal, I believe. I love how it picked up the gray in the tweed Dauphine jacket. Oh, the poor Dauphine jacket, which I've hardly worn, bad me, since getting it late in spring last year on mega-sale. Really need to rectify that because it's such a great jacket! And then a pair of croc mocs to round out the outfit. <br />
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I felt comfy, casual, and chic all day. Gret for running around doing errands. Didn't even change into sweats later in the evening after dinner. *That's* how comfy the jeans are. <br />
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Bottom line...if you've got the time, definitely dig through that pile of denim in your B&M!HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-25369641107401158702011-03-31T07:48:00.000-04:002011-03-31T07:57:21.128-04:00J Crew Urbanite Shift<a href="http://www.jcrew.com/womens_feature/NewArrivals/dresses/PRDOVR~38605/99102270531/ENE~1+2+3+22+4294967294+20~~~0~15~all~mode+matchallany~~~~~urbanite%20shift/38605.jsp" target="_blank">J Crew Urbanite Shift Dress</a> (338605, $118 or $94.40 with Mickey card; spiced olive & muslin currently $95 online) <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKomagJxYjD9EKBcXtWEsquVmD2Nc3beSDu7G9st_FWGS9oZ6-9cwonIv8jjRXTN9CzDnuAWLNmJ8mghpnmSvWxRArsuhghlV7dEve9sopVmuETbm1V0ei5yp5VNN3FbVpFheghgDJZkE/s1600/urbanite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKomagJxYjD9EKBcXtWEsquVmD2Nc3beSDu7G9st_FWGS9oZ6-9cwonIv8jjRXTN9CzDnuAWLNmJ8mghpnmSvWxRArsuhghlV7dEve9sopVmuETbm1V0ei5yp5VNN3FbVpFheghgDJZkE/s400/urbanite.jpg" width="147" /></a>Since I had to pop in to my local B&M to do a couple returns on some ill-advised sale purchases, I sent a note to my PS to ask her to hold the dress for me. I've been lusting over it in the catalog. Love the retro orange color. I know I'm all about the neutrals, but that is definitely a me color. I'm very selectiveabout my colors, so I love it when J Crew does have some of my colors. And <a href="http://truecrewlove.blogspot.com/2011/03/complete-collection-jcrew-fall-2011-rtw.html" target="_blank">have you seen the Fall 2011 looks</a>? Gorgeous colors, and finally a "real" red for winter!! But back to the dress....</div><br />
First of all, this dress is running HUGE. I ended up with a 4. I asked Jill to grab a 6 but she nabbed the 4 saying she had several 10's go down to a 4 in it. And the retro orange wasn't even there in a 6, so I shrugged and said sure. Thanks to my sister and dear dinagideon, I'm really trying to try on the smaller sizes first. Hard to move the brain there. But I remembered how big the Shelby dress ran, so I figured it was worth a try. <br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Um, oh yeah, I took a 4. A 4!!!! I even tried on the 6 just to see (in the muslin) and it was like wearing a massive paper grocery bag. So size down in this...way down. Maybe that's what they mean when they say "easy fit" in the online description. Pre-weight loss, I think I still would have taken a 6.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Other than the sizing issue, it's just a good old straight shift. Lay it flat and you'll see the slight trapezoidal shape. Remember, I am more angular (i.e., shaped like a brick) than curvy. The dress hangs well from my broad shoulders. If you are curvier or more pear-shaped, I don't know how it will work. I'm happy I got to look in the mirror and go "oh yay, a dress that's not totally vacant on top". If you actually have curves and have tried this, please pipe up! I'd love to hear.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijIeyJGG7DmyxMF3ahvuaDFRokqn-2Bk6B5E74d4fr57kOuNSKfL9gso5uIv9PkO5cOJAucEhyTLcdBMBDSi8Az_2qlWfZLlZNdAcbDyFHgKb8He4KOAZZmdVFQ_BH2ey0vycJhzq_K3U/s1600/urbanite-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijIeyJGG7DmyxMF3ahvuaDFRokqn-2Bk6B5E74d4fr57kOuNSKfL9gso5uIv9PkO5cOJAucEhyTLcdBMBDSi8Az_2qlWfZLlZNdAcbDyFHgKb8He4KOAZZmdVFQ_BH2ey0vycJhzq_K3U/s320/urbanite-2.jpg" width="127" /></a>It does run on the short side, but the simple & straight silhouette offsets the length. And it's not like I ever wear heels unless decorum dictates it, anyway. The dress has an exposed back zip which is a nice feature as well as pockets. Oh, I love pockets. And it has my 2 favorite words "Machine Wash." Thank you!</div><br />
Let's talk color. I'm glad I tried on the retro orange. I admit I was sorely tempted by the muslin (oooh, pretty neutral), but I figure a tan dress is easier to find than one with this color. Did not see the spiced olive in store. The Retro Orange looks, to my untrained and upaid eye, like a pretty close dupe for Modern Red. I held up the dress to a modern red perfect fit tee I got earlier in the spring and yep, they were an exact match. So if you're trying to figure out exactly how orange it is, it's basically the same as the Dorrie skirt or the tees.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">How am I going to wear it? Let's see...With the navy atelier jacket and navy flats (possible Easter outfit), but I'd love some other flats...will have to play in the closet. With sandals and sunnies, duh. Maybe even with a long sleeve tee layered underneath. I definitely had some fun playing with this on Polyvore yesterday. Probably/possibly would work with tights underneath - I wonder if black tights would be too Halloween-y. Any cardigan will work over it since it's sleeveless (must be why I love sleeveless in the summer, I always need the cardi anyway inside with all the AC, so it's just easier). </div>HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-59214092852324149022011-03-30T05:29:00.000-04:002011-03-30T05:29:16.511-04:00Black Shoes for Spring #2 - Hunter BootsI know, I know...everyone knows about Hunter Boots...blah blah blah yadda yadda yadda whatevs. <br />
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Ok, this is for those of you who don't yet actually have a pair.<br />
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What is spring without rain boots? Yes, my first Black Shoes for Spring was rain shoes...but "April showers" anybody? Yes, they are called that for a reason. Spring is just wet. (thank you, says my garden) And some of you lucky ducks may be in perma-warm weather but here outside DC, we most certainly are not. I think there was a chance of snow in the rain last night...and maybe even tonight or Friday. And sometimes it's just too wet for shoes, you want serious coverage...you want RAIN BOOTS!<br />
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But if you can grab a pair of cute $29.99 boots from Target, why should you bother with spending the extra bucks on Hunters? I'm not going to denigrate fun rain boots...I have a cute pair of hot pink Eprit ones that never fail to garner compliments BUT....they aren't Hunters.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHSDSa9S_Kp-zjdMiOfCAVfZ9-fFcF2V0SG11iaui26tvT05hCPRFE-Vdbfa_ju7G89venjE0hzN8DNFRht0GACc_OgFTi9Yj5r-ixBzHoDy2OLzcp5Z8bM_BeOmfk0U3tH_uA7JQ8G0/s1600/mar24-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHSDSa9S_Kp-zjdMiOfCAVfZ9-fFcF2V0SG11iaui26tvT05hCPRFE-Vdbfa_ju7G89venjE0hzN8DNFRht0GACc_OgFTi9Yj5r-ixBzHoDy2OLzcp5Z8bM_BeOmfk0U3tH_uA7JQ8G0/s400/mar24-1.jpg" width="127" /></a>I got my pair in December for my birthday. My mom gave them to me and my sister (yes, us twinsies in our matching black Hunters) and then she & I gave each other our Welly socks. It was a Hunter birthday indeed. I got the black pair but they come in a rainbow of colors and quite a few other styles. But this was exactly what I wanted. If I had realized how much I would be wearing them ever since, I definitely would have put them at the top of my wish list sooner. I have been *livng* in them. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>What makes Hunters so special? No, not Kate Moss wearing them to Glastonbury way back when. Although that certainly upped the glamour of the brand.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">No...they are just the squishiest, comfiest boots I've ever put on. Really and truly. I admit, I love a good black boot for tromping around in...makes you feel like a bit of a bad-a$$. But these...wow...they are actually comfy. And you all know how rigid I am about mandating comfort in my daily life & wardrobe. As Coco Chanel said, "Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury." I think that may be my matra. And trust me, these are so comfy.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">How comfy are they? To give you an indication...I spent a full hour sitting criss-cross-applesause on the floor of a gym. Quite possibly more comfortable than some of my ballet flats would have been. They just mold and bend however your body, leg, ankle, foot goes. So you can get a lot done. And I find myself keeping them on all day, even walking around the house. Never that "wow, I can't wait to ditch these as soon as I walk into the house" feeling. I even wore them Friday on a field trip with M's class to Historic St Mary's city...which is basically 6 hours of walking. They are that good.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMfkQX6-61rGgv-wg0Noy-Vz4zSytUkDDrxKl9dA2oYFPlt1F69h2lUbOwyTrDq7AZpkEmHuX8KIs5yOo3J7P6rLuQxYszDXpaCLIHmYwWW5aZSUC0bIklpLLK4tfEMX3c4sdSaYekts/s1600/mar24-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMfkQX6-61rGgv-wg0Noy-Vz4zSytUkDDrxKl9dA2oYFPlt1F69h2lUbOwyTrDq7AZpkEmHuX8KIs5yOo3J7P6rLuQxYszDXpaCLIHmYwWW5aZSUC0bIklpLLK4tfEMX3c4sdSaYekts/s400/mar24-2.jpg" width="152" /></a>So how do you wear them? In short, with everything. Thus far, I can't claim to have worn them bare-legged but I'll do that when (if) it ever warms up. They go with anything..and everything. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">At right is just one example, when I wore them last Thursday. Minnie pants in Tall (I'm taking a 6 now, and they tuck perfectly into the boots and work great with the thick camp socks) and the Cashmere Cabin popover. In retrospect, the clunky bracelet was too much, esp with the jacket. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Then the navy Quilted Double Breasted Puffer, which I nabbed a few weeks ago on the sale racks, I kinda liked it for $158 but wasn't willing to pay the full price but I really loved it for $60. And it has a hood!! And see...the navy totally works with the black pants & boots. Yep, I think this jacket will see a lot of action this spring. HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-18551228574028785422011-03-29T18:32:00.001-04:002011-03-29T18:37:25.211-04:00Nail Files - More Spring Polish with OPI & butter LondonTwo more Spring polishes to share with you all...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjpMzlBwPTFwY2NpEm5FdP32NMtg_IwcrGj6vmVK-50vatwBzD5vyVpbGbg6_IqQhA3mts5kWQ5m5dyFVUqH-qoEbXQZ6HyfBaNGixWXsgx63Q3O20W1Av9WPU9hI79OXiSCEeLTRKdI/s1600/polish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjpMzlBwPTFwY2NpEm5FdP32NMtg_IwcrGj6vmVK-50vatwBzD5vyVpbGbg6_IqQhA3mts5kWQ5m5dyFVUqH-qoEbXQZ6HyfBaNGixWXsgx63Q3O20W1Av9WPU9hI79OXiSCEeLTRKdI/s400/polish.jpg" width="236" /></a></div>First up...as promised (here you go, RosaLovesDC)...OPI Don't Mess With OPI. Described as a "lean, mean, kick-grass forest green." Ok, how can you not love the name? Or the description? Although I don't know that I'd actually call it forest green. I'd just go with flat-out leaf green. A true green. A green green. Have you been seeing all the navy/white/green combos for spring? Guess what I'll be wearing with all my navy & white this spring? <br />
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And yes, this was my St Patrick's Day mani. I didn't even need any other green to set it off...it spoke volumes on its own...but I did add a green turquoise bracelet. I will admit it was a bit much at first but I adjusted quickly. This will be a fun spring & summer color on tips or toes.<br />
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I've only got one picture here, because I think it shows itself quite well. Just a good old straight up green.<br />
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Application, as usual with OPI, is flawless. A very easy mani to do. I will warn you that taking off the polish, I did make somewhat of a mess with the green running everywhere...not fun...so take care when removing this polish. Unless you're a fan of the nail fungus look. And if you are, hey, who am I to judge?<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUqZF9uo6tvB4PifMlS-iKEcx5sdipt8l505MAY66Ms-9koOblOlcLfPWb0Mv_tMBU32h8-MFChOYCSar2PWjmu-2qN7TLc6fLPBHWffNfwAEVqRNild7NvudQm3xM5XIu59EDuCZuzo/s1600/DSC_0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUqZF9uo6tvB4PifMlS-iKEcx5sdipt8l505MAY66Ms-9koOblOlcLfPWb0Mv_tMBU32h8-MFChOYCSar2PWjmu-2qN7TLc6fLPBHWffNfwAEVqRNild7NvudQm3xM5XIu59EDuCZuzo/s400/DSC_0004.jpg" width="232" /></a>And the 2nd polish..excuse me, lacquer, I have to share is butter London's No More Waity, Katie. (They call it "lacquer", I'm honestly not sure what the difference is, but I'm sure there's a reason there.) To celebrate the upcoming marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Oh, I'm such a sucker for a good lacquer name/story. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">NMWK is described as "soft, elegant greige shade with a splash of lilac glitter for the perfect marriage to combine fashion and fun." Lilac glitter, definitely. but the greige shade is really reads as much more purple on me than greige, IMO. Not that it matters, because it's just a fun sparkly color that's perfect for spring...that I'll be wearing on April 29...for the big event....and it's just so pretty. (Don't tell hubby, but I'm even considering letting E take a mental health day to watch the coverage - I was about her age when Di married Charles and I still remember getting up early to watch it all. Thank goodness for DVRs.) </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uddt_aoTka6sBXkGVv1uooX1ZoBgi3dpYgmaxqp3a2XDbI7uSQpTeDU7UovvI6Ob6KeBR0Zu_d4xrx3LbIfb7tJDaRsAzVFLKFYG4lUY1Nl7k-xf5KisAZdPvXTeccbs57ZPeFmeeKk/s1600/DSC_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uddt_aoTka6sBXkGVv1uooX1ZoBgi3dpYgmaxqp3a2XDbI7uSQpTeDU7UovvI6Ob6KeBR0Zu_d4xrx3LbIfb7tJDaRsAzVFLKFYG4lUY1Nl7k-xf5KisAZdPvXTeccbs57ZPeFmeeKk/s400/DSC_0001.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And you know what all that glitter means, right? Less chipping. (Woot!) The glitter always helps the polish adhere to the nail. I have 2 pictures here so you can see it in different light. In terms of application, I used 3 coats because 2 coats didn't show enough of the base. But it was surprisingly easy to work with for a glitter. And it has worn pretty well. But this sucker was holy-moley-such-a-pain to remove. Again...the glitter. But totally worth it. This is the 2nd time I've worn it since getting it, so yeah, I must think so.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I honestly haven't gotten any other lacquers from them in the past (although I do have Blowing Raspberries for answering a survey - a full size of it, so kudos to them for doing the free gift thing right!!)..because I really like to see my polish before I buy. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So here's the big huge butter London news:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Starting this Friday, April 1, butter London will be in *ALL* Ulta stores here in the US. I had a rep tell me about it back when I called to get something straightened out on my NMWK pre-order and then actually verified by asking on their Facebook page yesterday. So yay! I can't wait to check out all their gorgeous shades in person!! I'm sure you can expect to see a few here.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-26156019322370050912011-03-23T22:58:00.003-04:002011-03-26T21:17:12.690-04:00Black Shoes for Spring #1 - LL Bean Coastal Rain Skimmers<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-R-UZPYVyOheZk6lCZBqnARUlI-MIWdlrPvUXOGiTxqEh2KmIXwWURNPG52IRcvJuP_TXNZVkXrpI0JDLP6YmCLgj33pxRU5j9F-Gz3bKvqz_AcNTKYKuijxGpdcFmb4i_zfott7kxHc/s1600/bean+shoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-R-UZPYVyOheZk6lCZBqnARUlI-MIWdlrPvUXOGiTxqEh2KmIXwWURNPG52IRcvJuP_TXNZVkXrpI0JDLP6YmCLgj33pxRU5j9F-Gz3bKvqz_AcNTKYKuijxGpdcFmb4i_zfott7kxHc/s200/bean+shoes.jpg" width="200" /></a>Realized I have a couple posts I've been mulling that fit this category. Today's Black Shoes for Spring are my new <a href="http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/63396?from=SR&feat=sr" target="_blank">LL Bean Coastal Rain Skimmers</a>. (#TA261027, $69, but I only paid $59 - thanks for the $10 Bean reward certificate, Mom!!) </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Seriously, best set up ever - Mom has the Bean credit card. I get to order online with free shipping & monogramming and she gets the points. Win-win. I *do* pay her back, of course. In this case, she specifically gave me the reward because she knew I had been mulling over these shoes. <br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">*****Update on 3/26/10 - Bean just announced yesterday that they are now, like Zappos, offering Free Shipping. Period. Free Shipping...that's it. As they say now on their home page "No minimum order, no end date, just free." Could somebody please cue the applause? </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonxLVsZhvl1cn1O28dr5jaVE5TeJb2j11YC9k_Wf-Akat7Upwpjc0RyRRxTHO2gKDzfUrnYvzg0vxtBfUh0Jx12GDuZbjsNqYTfAepMdnA6BYabvVHc_x0fFun0tbPq5wwGuYpjKHo4s/s1600/mar23-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonxLVsZhvl1cn1O28dr5jaVE5TeJb2j11YC9k_Wf-Akat7Upwpjc0RyRRxTHO2gKDzfUrnYvzg0vxtBfUh0Jx12GDuZbjsNqYTfAepMdnA6BYabvVHc_x0fFun0tbPq5wwGuYpjKHo4s/s200/mar23-2.jpg" width="200" /></a>According to the Bean website, these shoes were featured in O magazine in September 2010. Ok, so apparently I missed them this fall, otherwise I would have been all over them. It's a perfect marriage of the duck shoe and the ballet flat. So it pretty much suits me to a T. You all know how I love my ballet flats. I know J Crew has the cute rubber ballet flats but they are just too narrow for me, and show a bit too much toe cleavage for a well-functioning "rain shoe".</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuY9HEKjxIUrkxnEKofkGhO5FRxpNVVIMu8kf5cSEegnIe_dpBXy51VI7ZIquiFXKRIBNmeyTMRD6pln-w7kuTvNEYUNC-eqs4KBA-O09Zr_SlE9Tk5QNf_viq1Ypnk5d_aBt9swfnTUQ/s1600/mar23-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuY9HEKjxIUrkxnEKofkGhO5FRxpNVVIMu8kf5cSEegnIe_dpBXy51VI7ZIquiFXKRIBNmeyTMRD6pln-w7kuTvNEYUNC-eqs4KBA-O09Zr_SlE9Tk5QNf_viq1Ypnk5d_aBt9swfnTUQ/s200/mar23-1.jpg" width="173" /></a>I got a 9 which...oh, I don't know, I hate shoe sizing. Let's just say I run between 9 and 9 1/2, so if you're worried, size down. Or get 2 sizes? I don't know...that's why I went ahead and tried them on in store. I do usually take a 9 in Bean shoes.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It's a really comfortable shoe. They are weatherproof, but leather so they breathe - no stinky feet, yay! And...well...here's their blurb: </div><blockquote>Ideal for wet trips to the office or around town, these casual weatherproof shoes combine comfort and style with protective coverage for inclement weather. Pliable patent-leather upper is seam-sealed to keep water out. Thickly padded insole and a flexible rubber outsole give you much more cushioning than traditional skimmers. Rubber outsole adds traction on wet surfaces. Imported. Best with lightweight socks.</blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><em>(right....like I wear socks unless I absolutely have to, i.e., with boots)</em></div><br />
I was tempted by the blue but I just got a pair of navy patent mocs, so these looked too similar in the navy and I ended up with the black...which I wore today...yucky rainy day. So they were perfect. (They also come in nautical red, bright yellow, and dark brown.)<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rQHgS-YYHqNBssPkfFu5aX-3HSHu1ov_zZG3GNlIPqkidyWNBEkO_RcNn4mmGzlV08kzLdRFxbVedicqAp2DdGtJbL3yUY49hXzsMrUOWRS4PyR1FwlqF7Nj6wQQ-PMnGoq2N3aJwMU/s1600/mar23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rQHgS-YYHqNBssPkfFu5aX-3HSHu1ov_zZG3GNlIPqkidyWNBEkO_RcNn4mmGzlV08kzLdRFxbVedicqAp2DdGtJbL3yUY49hXzsMrUOWRS4PyR1FwlqF7Nj6wQQ-PMnGoq2N3aJwMU/s320/mar23.jpg" width="105" /></a>I wore the skimmers with a JC black long sleeve tissue tee & cami, Loft denim mini, and black JC leggings. I see now why <a href="http://summerilla.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Summerilla </a>is always raving about her JC leggings. Per Summerilla, she wears hers weekly, washes with no holes or fadin. Love! Then accessorizing with above shoes, black scarf, ponytail & hoops, and topped off with my BR trench. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It was a full day - mani/pedi in the AM (courtesy of gift certificate from Xmas - yeah, didn't use it when I had the cast on my right hand), then chiro visit working out an issue with my left rotator cuff muscle, and then up to school to help in M's class and in E's Jump Rope for Heart session. (and back up to school to pick up some left-behind homework...sigh...) A good outfit for my day. Comfy for mani/pedi, yet still presentable for afternoon at school - and when I was helping M's teacher pull out pieces of "parchment" the kids made out of the tea they were soaking in, I was glad I had on dark colors. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Definitely a perfect spring shoe!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-44336027219315452902011-03-21T15:10:00.001-04:002011-03-21T15:22:33.677-04:00Weighty Issues...How I Lost It....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHr7RwPaWgnhkcxvwnSRYdWPN1fX44tSo3e53jXoiIVM5dn8Vf_RS132cbcECaDy6lxzDFcyN4nccpS3vTYQdKxhBhluZw-lwDmEY-cAVujMs1bR63VNRAdlRsvyP1FTA6c_EQ2K85lrg/s1600/DSC_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHr7RwPaWgnhkcxvwnSRYdWPN1fX44tSo3e53jXoiIVM5dn8Vf_RS132cbcECaDy6lxzDFcyN4nccpS3vTYQdKxhBhluZw-lwDmEY-cAVujMs1bR63VNRAdlRsvyP1FTA6c_EQ2K85lrg/s400/DSC_0001.jpg" width="130" /></a>I feel like this post needs to have about a billion disclaimers at the top. A number of you (as well as friends at home) have asked how I lost the weight. <br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So let me please be very very VERY clear - this is what worked for me. And only for me. I don't pretend to know everything about health, diet, nutrition, wellness. There are lots of people who are far more expert than I am.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">But this is what happened.... Back in August, there were some stressful things that happened and I had a night where it was so bad, that I literally didn't sleep. Lay awake all night with my mind a-whirring. After that, I had almost no appetite for several days. Which is SO not like me at all. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I do love my food. I think I have been blessed with a metabolism that is better than it should be, and I guess I've been spoiled by that. I've always loved my food. And have the unhealthy habit of eating fast - my mom had 2 brothers and my dad grew up in boarding schools. That's the only way to you can eat in either of those situations.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So after a couple days on not eating much, I snapped out of it. But when I did, I just wasn't as hungry anymore. Very hard to explain. Maybe my body reset itself? But all of a sudden, I stopped eating just because I could and instead ate when I was hungry. Maybe I needed to be able to stop and listen to what my body was telling me. We all get so used to eating whenever it’s easy, convenient, etc. Oh look, yummy food, I think I’ll have some. (again with the disclaimers, I don’t claim this is anyone else’s issue – it’s mine)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ktBU3Aeck-FCw6r6giQr6KT7oEilyopafAnMzasPSvLohWEudf-Nmdgtw9I9BCudUQoYJF4nYoDi18qGn5BlxjHBmnn4WG2VL0Hyfz5oLZ8J_WyraM454EH5QbHFkX78Z0da1vQs1pg/s1600/nov29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ktBU3Aeck-FCw6r6giQr6KT7oEilyopafAnMzasPSvLohWEudf-Nmdgtw9I9BCudUQoYJF4nYoDi18qGn5BlxjHBmnn4WG2VL0Hyfz5oLZ8J_WyraM454EH5QbHFkX78Z0da1vQs1pg/s400/nov29.jpg" width="166" /></a>So the bottom line is that I waited to be hungry. Food became a means to an end, not the end itself. I remember reading an article in one of the billions of magazines I get where the writer very closely observed the uber-thin editors, etc during Fashion Week. Her conclusion? Yes, they ate, they just ate less. It wasn't magic for them, it was conscious effort.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So there are lots of platitudes here I could spout, but it really all comes down to being in tune with my body and really listening to it. And when I did, the weight started just falling off. I lost about 15 lbs from August to October. I even resorted to some minor self-sabotage by eating random junk food when I was worried that I was losing it too quickly. We all know that losing weight too quickly is not good or healthy. </div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Does this work forever? No, absolutely not. In fact, a few pounds started to creep back while I had the whole cast/splint on thumb thing going on with my thumb…because I was eating when bored. So for Lent, to get back on track, I gave up sweets and snacking while the kids were at school or asleep. It’s actually a modification of my Lenten diet when the year after I had E – no eating when they were asleep. Since I had an almost-1-year-old and an almost-3-year-old, there were lots of naps and early bed times. Again, you don’t realize (or at least I didn’t) how much unconscious eating we all do. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Is it exercise? No. I do try to stay active, except when I'm being lazy (see note above on cast/splint). I do have this to help keep me active:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0OCJ__5xSTe8JZAOA9IEnXdoHt5-6eNVeeZ3CM_ne9gzeZJipAO9pC1ZGfheBtrQZVV2SCbMyy7n8-3sbAwZe6uje1iaAedKRpkxIwsMRdZ-qjZDIm-pebrJ1cmxYWCR4DjjetHA4pnA/s1600/lucy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0OCJ__5xSTe8JZAOA9IEnXdoHt5-6eNVeeZ3CM_ne9gzeZJipAO9pC1ZGfheBtrQZVV2SCbMyy7n8-3sbAwZe6uje1iaAedKRpkxIwsMRdZ-qjZDIm-pebrJ1cmxYWCR4DjjetHA4pnA/s320/lucy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>But I honestly don't do enough activity for that to shed lots of pounds. I'm not running 10 miles a day or swimming a billion laps. <br />
<br />
I will say, and I speak as one with the experience of having a parent who had a heart attack and needed heart surgery, exercise and activity is important. **It's essential.** Quite frankly, it's the reason my dad is still with us - if he hadn't been as active, I doubt he would have survived. Nothing like waiting in the cardiac cath lab for a supposed minor stent surgery after a minor heart attack that was only detectable from the blood chemical levels - and then finding out 4 major arteries are almost totally blocked and require a quadruple bypass. But exercise is not what's going to take the weight off me. And this is a weight conversation. Or at least it's my weight conversation.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I guess this all sounds very simplistic, but it really worked. For me, it’s about focusing on what my body is telling me. It’s ok to be a little hungry. Please don’t take this as an endorsement for eating disorders. But with our self-gratifying society, it’s so easy to do with food. (Speaking from personal experience.) </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And it’s still ok to enjoy your food. You should enjoy your food. I still enjoy my food. That’s for sure!! But I just don’t need to eat as much.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So I’m getting back on track and in tune. Not that I want to lose more weight – just be healthier and more conscious. And start to tone up more. Next step for me…yoga…so important as we age (flexibility!!!) but also should help with my neck/shoulder/stress issues. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Again...with my disclaimers...this is what worked for me. I don't presume to know what works for everyone. But if you want to shoot me a note, you can always use my blog email on my profile, which is <a href="mailto:heidigblog@verizon.net">heidigblog@verizon.net</a>. </div>HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-62759163764110239492011-03-20T21:55:00.001-04:002011-03-20T22:00:28.907-04:00J Crew Maritime DressSo lesson learned on Friday...when you're in Polyvore and click on Blogger, it will post the set right to your blog as a new post. Hmmm....this could take laziness to new levels for me. Click, click, click...<br />
<br />
And it's just taken me this long to get to the regular post. The usual weekend stuff....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinwuqGEbm_WNZW-acPbv0caK24tXOvO_8LOMTT_mRwh2ziIKHfflZad_4ED-5F_EY_hVXuLRsh1QWnlIU8ahf9r0gTJUGvNMKURXy6uruXexxddPxGGnfew1KgUh375LjLiJYKNFLI6c/s1600/mar18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinwuqGEbm_WNZW-acPbv0caK24tXOvO_8LOMTT_mRwh2ziIKHfflZad_4ED-5F_EY_hVXuLRsh1QWnlIU8ahf9r0gTJUGvNMKURXy6uruXexxddPxGGnfew1KgUh375LjLiJYKNFLI6c/s400/mar18.jpg" width="167" /></a></div><a href="http://www.jcrew.com/womens_category/dresses/day/PRDOVR~37228/99102242974/ENE~1+2+3+22+4294967294+20~~~0~15~all~mode+matchallany~~~~~maritime/37228.jsp">J Crew Maritime Dress (#37228, $78).</a> I had been curious about this dress ever since seeing it in the catalog and a few weeks ago my fave PS, Jill, emailed to tell me it was in, so she held it for me. I asked for an M, but she said she'd hold an S & M as it was running large. <br />
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Oh yes, it most definitely was running large. I know I've lost weight since last summer, but... Anyway, the M was huge on me. To my fave petite JCA girls, I hope the XXS works on you - but considering how much room there with the S on me, I don't know. Definitely worth a try-on IRL or getting measurements from CS before ordering.<br />
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Wide-shouldered gals, like myself, guess what? Plenty of room in the shoulders. Maybe because it's knit? But no pulling or tightness. Yay! The knit on this is nice & substantial - esp important when there are wide white stripes. And did you notice the cute zippers on each side at the bottom? What a fun detail!<br />
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As you can tell from the previous post, the PV set, I wore this on Friday. A gorgeous early spring day. Nice & warm, sunny, just perfect. I paired it with black leggings and my black TOMS. The TOMS themselves merit a post of their own which I promise I'll get to. I'll just say this - love love love. Then a pair of gold hoops and a ponytail to show off the hoops and the nicely wide neckline, and I was good to go.<br />
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I thought the dress worked really well with the leggings. If you're nervous about the length, they are a perfect solution. And they kept my legs warm - it was nice outside, but not that nice, and you all know I always run cold. Without the leggings, yes, it's a short dress. No, I won't be belting it like in the online pic because (1) I don't wear belts, and (2) that would likely make it too short. When it's warmer, I'll be wearing it with anything flat shoe-wise - sandals, Converse, TOMS, espadrilles, navy flats, yellow flats. <br />
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Definitely a fun dress for spring!!HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-52851385209190897642011-03-18T15:41:00.001-04:002011-03-18T15:41:17.111-04:003/18/11<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div><div style='position:relative;width:400px;height:400px;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/18_11/set?.mid=embed&id=29459413'><img force='1' border='0' height='400' title='3/18/11' src='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFkZydmFxNWRSNEJHRzQ1Y3dMbE5kd1EAAAACaWQKAWUAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg' alt='3/18/11' width='400'/></a></div><br/><small><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/18_11/set?.mid=embed&id=29459413'>3/18/11</a> by <a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?.mid=embed&id=659686'>HeidiGblog</a> featuring a <a href='http://www.polyvore.com/leather_tote/shop?query=leather+tote'>leather tote</a></small></div><div style='padding-top:16px;font-size:0.75em'><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.mid=embed-imagelist&id=28624394' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://cf1.polyvoreimg.com/thing.28624394.s.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.mid=embed-imagelist&id=28624394' rel='nofollow'>J crew dress</a><br/>$78 - jcrew.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.mid=embed-imagelist&id=8877714' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://cf1.polyvoreimg.com/thing.8877714.s.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.mid=embed-imagelist&id=8877714' rel='nofollow'>Dorothy Perkins black pantyhose</a><br/>5 GBP - dorothyperkins.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.mid=embed-imagelist&id=15951054' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://cf1.polyvoreimg.com/thing.15951054.s.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.mid=embed-imagelist&id=15951054' rel='nofollow'>TOMS canvas shoes</a><br/>$44 - toms.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.mid=embed-imagelist&id=27723009' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://cf1.polyvoreimg.com/thing.27723009.s.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.mid=embed-imagelist&id=27723009' rel='nofollow'>Anastasia leather tote</a><br/>$110 - elliottlucca.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.mid=embed-imagelist&id=5406898' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://cf1.polyvoreimg.com/thing.5406898.s.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.mid=embed-imagelist&id=5406898' rel='nofollow'>Forzieri yellow gold hoop earring</a><br/>$449 - forzieri.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.mid=embed-imagelist&id=9943922' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://cf1.polyvoreimg.com/thing.9943922.s.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.mid=embed-imagelist&id=9943922' rel='nofollow'>Leather wrap bracelet</a><br/>$48 - shopbop.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p></div></div>HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-73705473282725708382011-03-07T16:54:00.000-05:002011-03-07T16:59:29.830-05:00Nail Files - Perfect Monday Polish - "I Vant to Be A-Lone Star"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQBUJ_V8TUfa0KFvGiSof11Czs9zbuBMwwr1rJ_vmcnoZ7Zui8Jdtofdl1a6uONe4x7V-G4ZqskEc3PGVlNI5ljCmMgrOhdlw7mI8mVvQt9yADnxZJ-aixzGCzO2fRd3Hp7X-qHN-4S8/s1600/vant-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQBUJ_V8TUfa0KFvGiSof11Czs9zbuBMwwr1rJ_vmcnoZ7Zui8Jdtofdl1a6uONe4x7V-G4ZqskEc3PGVlNI5ljCmMgrOhdlw7mI8mVvQt9yADnxZJ-aixzGCzO2fRd3Hp7X-qHN-4S8/s320/vant-1.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>Oh dreary Monday...well, it's sunny here but so windy and chilly and just...ewww...soggy after a soaking rain yesterday; my backyard is the consistency of a sopping wet sponge. Time to curl up with a cup of hot tea...and maybe a good book or magazine. If I hadn't been too lazy to do my nails last night, this is the polish I would/should be wearing today.<br />
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I Vant to Be A-Lone Star by OPI, part of the Spring/Summer Texas Collection. I admit, I wasn't expecting much when I went to the store to see the collection as I definitely tend to skew to OPI's Fall/Winter collections far more than any other. But I actually came home with 2 of the polishes! No pics yet of the green ("Don't Mess with OPI". ummmm, don't worry, I won't) but with St Patty's day coming up, you can bet I will.<br />
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As usual...love the name...the pairing of the classic Great Garbo quote from Grand Hotel and Texas...yes, they *do* go together. Ah, who cares, I am totally digging this color. Per OPI, it's a "starry silver-blue." It will be my go-to color this spring when I need a break from the depth of Chanel Black Pearl.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLUhHET0Epe35abcs8kmq0iGKhPP_Axp71t9Jr96hyoFXbZKBxZgSTVqOoR7BGwzQ1Bpa3nlSqkQ_8Wp8NpfGhK8LvdZNgIjDpVxv0NYShf_P6osjB9xRPfKlL5nb5AXgmECxzedC2mY/s1600/vant-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLUhHET0Epe35abcs8kmq0iGKhPP_Axp71t9Jr96hyoFXbZKBxZgSTVqOoR7BGwzQ1Bpa3nlSqkQ_8Wp8NpfGhK8LvdZNgIjDpVxv0NYShf_P6osjB9xRPfKlL5nb5AXgmECxzedC2mY/s320/vant-2.jpg" width="245" /></a></div>With all lighter colors, I hold my breath before opening the bottle. You never know if you're going to get thick chalkiness or smooth pigment. Totally smooth on this one. I love the color. It's definitely light blue, but it's a softer light blue, because of the silver aspect. <br />
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I could see this on a bride's toes as she walks down the aisle - how pretty would that be? (Mind on many things bridal, since my BF Patty set the place/date/time and we got bridesmaid dresses and E's flower girl dress and everything. More on that in future post.) <br />
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I've posted pics in 2 different lights...really just 2 different angles next to the windows by the kitchen...to give you a full idea of the color. So pretty. I already told my blue-eyed blonde sister to go out and get it. I don't even think I suggested it, I pretty much told her she better get it. But it will be gorgeous on her.<br />
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So if you need your nail polish to send a message...or you just want a little mood pick-me-up...I highly recommend this one.HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-26705329306371688072011-03-04T17:15:00.004-05:002011-03-04T17:17:53.406-05:00Miracles at the Drugstore...or Target...or wherever...Miracles? Yes...they are to me. A sample here of three of my latest, life-changing products, two of which are cast-tested to make life easier when you only have 1 completely functioning hand.<br />
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#1 and definitely tops on my list: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Olay-Professional-Advanced-Cleansing-System/dp/B0043OYFKU/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1299273436&sr=1-1">Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System</a>. (usually $29.99 in drugstores) <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC-qm-js973TH7y_DfMr501WjITcrq93x90w4LVY9NFDh6hyphenhyphenDI8tlkRWNukWBGWimP1qoy20x1505BbuCOXwEW7wFNeJA8bpbQhianxwQomBohfV1ZBbBSx-zrbtUn9UVi1ypUoHIJOvc/s1600/olay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC-qm-js973TH7y_DfMr501WjITcrq93x90w4LVY9NFDh6hyphenhyphenDI8tlkRWNukWBGWimP1qoy20x1505BbuCOXwEW7wFNeJA8bpbQhianxwQomBohfV1ZBbBSx-zrbtUn9UVi1ypUoHIJOvc/s200/olay.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I was seeing ads for this all over this winter, and while still casted, picked one up figuring that it would help since I really only had the use of 1 hand for exfoliating and this might make showers easier. I have friends with the amazing Clarisonic system, but I never wanted to spend $200 on it...even though I know, yes, they *swear* by it. </div><br />
Admittedly, I haven't tried the Clarisonic but now....I *swear* by this one. Wow. The brush is nice and soft so it's not harsh on my skin. But it definitely clears away any flaky skin and really gets the cleanser working. I have used this with both the cleanser it comes with and another one - and they are both great. It feels like a facial massage. The only problem is I can't decide whether to keep it in the shower or to keep it by the sink because I'd love to use it twice a day - it feels that good on my face.<br />
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If I'd known how amazing it was, I would have scoured the DC metro area for one - or ordered from Amazon sooner. No wonder all the stores were sold out. I got mine at an off-the-beaten-path CVS, but it seems like the stores are better able to keep it in stock now. But if you don't need immediate gratification, the link above takes you to the Amazon sight - where you can get the Free Shipping option - have I ever mentioned that I really <strong>HATE</strong> paying for shipping? But I've also seen it at Target now, too.<br />
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I said I loved it. But....how well does it work? Well, let's see....when I went to see Black Swan with friends about a month ago, the ticket guy ID'ed me...yes, at an R movie...because "you can't see it if you're under 17". That's what he told me when I started laughing because I didn't think he could possibly be serious. I figured it was "be nice to moms" night or something. Oh no, he wanted to see the ID. And then a couple weeks ago, out with other couples for dinner, the waitress said she probably should ID us, but even I looked like I was probably an 84 or 85 birth year. Ummmm, no, 1971. So that's my testimonial right there. <br />
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#2: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Garnier-Anti-Dark-Circle-Eye-Roller/dp/B003RF82RI/ref=sr_1_2?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1299274318&sr=1-2">Garnier Anti-Dark-Circle Eye Roller</a> ($11.39 at Amazon...I got mine at Target)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1aRtgPXne0DIHDPF-Cd46pqCifSaz_jyTmk78COdNBnxhYp7ortKucuCnmXjOvSeSdWGen5sfZH6V5U_x6iXJfx7p8A1gk9AEEVf9dXsh57l1BX77EvJ9i3mlHwhWLTHt1UQP0-Z1_8/s1600/garnier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1aRtgPXne0DIHDPF-Cd46pqCifSaz_jyTmk78COdNBnxhYp7ortKucuCnmXjOvSeSdWGen5sfZH6V5U_x6iXJfx7p8A1gk9AEEVf9dXsh57l1BX77EvJ9i3mlHwhWLTHt1UQP0-Z1_8/s200/garnier.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>So here's the deal with this one. I love it. I really do. The color is supposed to be one-size-fits-all, and I don't know about anyone else, but it's perfection on me. It is a totally awesome everyday product for me. And here's why - it's concealer and eye cream in one. Ta da!!! Yep, saves me a step. And I do love it when I can save a step in the morning...at least most (all) mornings...<br />
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I often have trouble with eye cream in that a lot of them are way too strong for my undereye tissue - ow, the stinging, the burning...you know what I'm talking about. My faves are: Arbonne RE9 Advanced Corrective Eye Cream, Kinerase Under Eye Rescue, and Olay Regenerist Eye Serum. And the last combo eye cream/concealer product that I tried (Clinique's) was a bitter disappointment - too cakey, not moisturizing enough - blegh.<br />
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I thought I'd give this one a try while I was in the cast because I was all about saving time and keeping things easy. And this one was a winner. I will be honest - when the directions say to roll on the product and then blend in any excess - hahahahaha - um, yeah, I have yet to use it and not have to blend. So, I roll on, pat in (don't rub!!), and I'm good to go. It feels nice & cool, no stinging to be had. And I bet it's going to be even more amazing in the summer. <br />
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Yes, I still use my regular eye cream with my Bobbi Brown Corrector sometimes. But I'm going to sub in this product on a regular basis - and in the summer? It's likely all I'll use. And um, fyi, better than YSL Touch Eclat. Oh yes, I said it. And I mean it. <br />
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#3 and most recent purchase (yesterday at Target): <a href="http://www.drugstore.com/john-frieda-full-repair-touch-up-flyaway-tamer/qxp329714">John Frieda Full Repair Touch-Up Flyaway Tamer </a>($9.99) <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2hlghF0bQ6jSgaI7CsBtHIY4Lo1BZdXURCHlhdtwo9EWiGRynz6vkw6NIkNYaczPfBza2b38kU0MRHOf5PuwaruokdyVy5SWLyPe3Z84pvf94i8uL1_i6PJblhdpKBxiwd1_fuslJwo/s1600/frieda-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2hlghF0bQ6jSgaI7CsBtHIY4Lo1BZdXURCHlhdtwo9EWiGRynz6vkw6NIkNYaczPfBza2b38kU0MRHOf5PuwaruokdyVy5SWLyPe3Z84pvf94i8uL1_i6PJblhdpKBxiwd1_fuslJwo/s200/frieda-2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Wow! Love love love!! I just got this yesteday - had seen it in magazines and thought "well, heck, why didn't I think of that" and "OMG, where has this been all my life?"<br />
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I can only speak to my very fine hair (we don't need to revisit the appalling haircut I got last spring when some idiot thought it would be a good idea to texturize my hair all while saying "wow, your hair really is fine"). Yes, it's fine, it's not thin - just fine. So I get those little wisps of hair at my scalp where the hair broke that stick up and always prevent me from using any type of volumizing products on my hair. UNTIL NOW.<br />
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As you can see from the product pic, it's basically like a mascara wand for your hair. And the product inside is like some wacky-good combo of smoothing/fixative/oil/hairspray whatever. I don't really care what it is, it works. Totally kept down the icky pieces and didn't make my prone-to-be-oily-and-needs-to-be-washed-every-day scalp greasy. So mega bonus for the not-greasy scalp.<br />
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The only caveat I have here is that I've only used this for a day. But I really think it's that good. I may even need to get one to tuck in my (voluminous) purse. <br />
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So those are my 3 absolute bestest products I've found lately. Enjoy! And happy shopping!<br />
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Do you have any recent discoveries you want to share? Speak up!!HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-60339178268498579002011-03-04T05:51:00.001-05:002011-03-04T05:51:00.124-05:00The Power of an Accessory - Loft Faux Fur Neck WarmerAlrighty....first post back is up and I'm ready to go. Taking a step back from spring because brrrrrrr, it was chilly today. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1AD8TaoauyRVg8I6_lUg7kLE8yRIDeBIFrtHI0cIrT8RLkEwKx4Gi1MAqUJxpqs-gkYKX86nVLKsKzqCPnuADO3Knn1XtIkYz4P8JmYHVB9m_m_TbY5y7K8k5B-D_m5jErCpPbNu2HzA/s1600/faux+fur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1AD8TaoauyRVg8I6_lUg7kLE8yRIDeBIFrtHI0cIrT8RLkEwKx4Gi1MAqUJxpqs-gkYKX86nVLKsKzqCPnuADO3Knn1XtIkYz4P8JmYHVB9m_m_TbY5y7K8k5B-D_m5jErCpPbNu2HzA/s1600/faux+fur.jpg" /></a></div>One of my favorite pieces I picked up for this winter was Loft's Faux Fur Neck Warmer. I'd been seeing lots faux fur neck things...but this one really spoke to me - from an aesthetic perspective and a price point perspective. Love it when you get the balance! The Faux Fur was originally $39, but I'm pretty sure I paid closer to $25-30, because I got it when they were doing 30 or 40% off. And let's be real - I don't often purchase full-price at Loft because they run so many specials. <br />
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I think the reason I really love this piece is because it works so well with so many of my simple pieces. As I've been away from blogging, I feel like I have continued to refine my style and for me, simple is best and classic rules. Not boring (I hope) but it just works for me.<br />
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But that simplicity gives me a fantastic background for specific outstanding pieces - like a great necklace, massive cashmere scarf, fun shoes...or totally luscious faux fur neck warmer. <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOdxgJzxoYNXZF9m4vlMoLw9W4bylRlR8hQod4xpvhvZfTG2mljsDcOrnQD2-kfg37QM4Pb8M0Mk0smkpGsiWx0lXqyXU04zcu8bQi5o5cMct1QQGQhUNTpRicYtId8_wG0vpjEWTYw8/s1600/DSC_0017+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOdxgJzxoYNXZF9m4vlMoLw9W4bylRlR8hQod4xpvhvZfTG2mljsDcOrnQD2-kfg37QM4Pb8M0Mk0smkpGsiWx0lXqyXU04zcu8bQi5o5cMct1QQGQhUNTpRicYtId8_wG0vpjEWTYw8/s320/DSC_0017+-+Copy.jpg" width="214" /></a>First outing - our annual Christmas party. Each year, we have a family Christmas party for...well, it seems like the neighborhood. Huge party. Adults & kids. Lots of fun. I get to dress up however I want because...well, it's my party. That's what's great about being the hostess. And then hubby wears jeans to balance it out so everyone's good. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>I first wore the fur with the J Crew wool shift dress that the lovely dinagideon passed on to me because the waist just hit her so weirdly. It's been a perfect dress for me. It fit before I lost the weight and it fits now. And the fur was just the perfect touch to update it for this year. Did it even matter what shoes I was wearing? No, not really. Only caveat is that this is definitely a hair-up accessory, IMO.<br />
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We're going to a Brewer's Ball in a couple weeks, and I'll likely be wearing the same outfit because guess what....the fur is cozy. Shocker, I know. And for someone like me who is always cold, that's a definite bonus, especially with sleeveless!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyE6Pi0dRnYHItyYaZGEAEQbeL9pIUTAxSQTRGdgiPZmaJqRl9wb-pr9r4rVlFPFlFdu5APPG49Xk8MRzqm1LHpO49m2NV7fLv5igsAw4Rnh7oxVmOgoC-hGK6A2hcpF8Ll5n-Zb5gjjk/s1600/DSC_0009.NEF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyE6Pi0dRnYHItyYaZGEAEQbeL9pIUTAxSQTRGdgiPZmaJqRl9wb-pr9r4rVlFPFlFdu5APPG49Xk8MRzqm1LHpO49m2NV7fLv5igsAw4Rnh7oxVmOgoC-hGK6A2hcpF8Ll5n-Zb5gjjk/s320/DSC_0009.NEF.jpg" width="103" /></a></div>Its next outing was for a Gift Exchange Brunch, where I paired it with my ubiquitous JC cream cashmere long sleeve tee, the Loft gold brocade skirt I picked up for a song this fall, tights, and boots. Perfect for the brunch. And nice and warm. I love the texture of the fur with the shine of the skirt.<br />
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And as my friend Kim pointed out, the fur actually works as a nice diet tool. You don't want to overeat or load up your cracker, chip, or whatever when you might be worried about (ewwwww) food falling onto the fur. Had not thought of it that way, but yes, she had a point.<br />
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The only downside of this piece is that I didn't wear it as much as I had thought I would in daily use. But that may well have been related to the whole popped ligament/cast thing. With all that going on, I think I overly clung to my massive BR cashmere scarf as a security blanket and just didn't "feel it" with the fur neck warmer. It's only the beginning of March, so I'm sure we'll have some weather for it before spring arrives for good.<br />
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Christmas Party Outfit:<br />
<div><div style="height: 400px; position: relative; width: 400px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/christmas_party-12_18_10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=26185285"><img alt="Christmas Party-12/18/10" border="0" force="1" height="400" src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFmhLTVY0UlVONEJHd3JUQm1KdzRDSVEAAAACaWQKAWUAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg" title="Christmas Party-12/18/10" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/christmas_party-12_18_10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=26185285">Christmas Party-12/18/10</a> by <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=659686">HeidiGblog</a> on <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/">Polyvore.com</a></small></div><br />
<div style="font-size: 0.75em;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=25139202" rel="nofollow">Ann Taylor LOFT faux fur vest</a>, $39<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=3145741" rel="nofollow">J Crew high heels</a>, $70<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=23108664" rel="nofollow">Ippolita drop earring</a>, $695<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=7903210" rel="nofollow">SEPHORA by OPI 212-Sephora Nail Colour 212-Sephora</a>, $9<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=9334511" rel="nofollow">J Crew shift dress</a><br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=22418097" rel="nofollow">ROUGE COCO - Rossetti - CHANEL Maquillage</a><br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=461344" rel="nofollow">Flirty Pigtails & Ponytails</a></div><br />
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Gift Exchange Brunch Outfit:<br />
<div><div style="height: 400px; position: relative; width: 400px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/12_21_10_brunch_gift/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=26976893"><img alt="12/21/10 - Brunch & Gift Exchange" border="0" force="1" height="400" src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFk1EclhBTTBkNEJHOERaMmJQNjVyRFEAAAACaWQKAWUAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg" title="12/21/10 - Brunch & Gift Exchange" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/12_21_10_brunch_gift/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=26976893">12/21/10 - Brunch & Gift Exchange</a> by <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=659686">HeidiGblog</a> on <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/">Polyvore.com</a></small></div><br />
<div style="font-size: 0.75em;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=5418732" rel="nofollow">J Crew cashmere crewneck sweater</a>, $145<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=25139202" rel="nofollow">Ann Taylor LOFT faux fur vest</a>, $39<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=22017372" rel="nofollow">Ann Taylor LOFT pleated skirt</a>, $69<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=11522429" rel="nofollow">Old Navy grey tight</a>, $9.50<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=10546894" rel="nofollow">Bertie low heels</a>, 68 GBP<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=7514483" rel="nofollow">J crew jewelry</a>, $75<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=7772375" rel="nofollow">1928 Jewelry stretch bracelet</a>, $18</div>HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-16585255890418641492011-03-03T18:42:00.000-05:002011-03-03T18:46:47.602-05:00Navy for Spring, including J Crew Shelby Dress<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So when my parents were here for a visit Tues-Wed of this week, my mother informed me she was tired to seeing the same darn picture of my fingernails on my blog. Ok...'nuff said...I've been wanting to get back to blogging. Black Pearl by Chanel is lovely, but you can only stare at it for so long....even for me....</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And now that I am cast- & splint-free, I really have no excuse. I got discharged by my occupational therapist on Thursday and the hand surgeon on Friday last week, no surgery needed. Immobilization by cast & splint did the trick. And apparently, I have weirdly hyper-flexible thumbs, so even though I don't have all the movement back in my right thumb, I can still bend it more than the vast majority of the population. And I'm working on strength. Every bottle or jar I open is a victory. Uber-bendy thumbs...who would have thought? </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So... a slew of pre-spring purchases to share. And boy have I been on a navy streak....just like I am every spring. (note same navy flats and, as appropriate, Gap jeans. and...the cast...this was a quick try-on session)</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9mR6OWhmahx3bFpSOeqApn9YxbsuUP8MJM1Ym5p_HDDb42w-BgTsFVxhojQGKUUTyVcJPFDd4MMemmxsZPbyi495VbM_275Mh3iWW9DKNDL1u38owYKqNGZhuC-khqd4uJ1QTOewnXWg/s1600/selby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9mR6OWhmahx3bFpSOeqApn9YxbsuUP8MJM1Ym5p_HDDb42w-BgTsFVxhojQGKUUTyVcJPFDd4MMemmxsZPbyi495VbM_275Mh3iWW9DKNDL1u38owYKqNGZhuC-khqd4uJ1QTOewnXWg/s320/selby.jpg" width="114" /></a>Let's start with J Crew. <a href="http://www.jcrew.com/womens_category/dresses/day/PRDOVR~35083/35083.jsp">The Shelby Dress (#35083, $128)</a>. Wow, still full price, and I bought it a month and a half ago. Huh, how about that. What can I say? Love love love. It's navy, so that always wins in my book. I love the eyelet. I tried on the white, because I've been looking for a LWD for summer, but navy was so much better on me. Yes, the dress is short, but you know me - I'll be wearing it with flats or flat sandals to ground it. And interestingly enough, the white read as shorter on me than the navy. Optical illusion? Who knows - but it was the navy I fell for and brought home. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I took a 6 in the dress. And even though I've been sizing down across the board due to the weight loss, I really think this dress runs large. It doesn't get you in the ribcage like so many JC dresses do.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Love the cut of the dress. There's a lot of fabric up top, but because it's shirred, I didn't feel like it looked "vacant" up there. At the same time, if you are busty or actually have curves, I think the dress could totally accommodate that, too.I'll wear it tons. Nicely out to dinner or to church. Or just running around town. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Next from J Crew, the <a href="http://www.jcrew.com/womens_category/shirtstops/casualshirts/PRDOVR~34997/99102203096/ENE~1+2+3+22+4294967294+20~90~~20+25~15~~~~~~~/34997.jsp">Stripe Tux Tunic, (#34997</a>, orig $79.50, now marked down to $19.99 on the website, all sizes available). I certainly didn't pay full price for this one. I believe it was marked down, and then I got 30% off. So the price was not too far off the current price. Glad I didn't pay full price. It's really cute but it has its limitations, for sure. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3YPzu9DzU_Vsd7gmXRN7qpf3dMtVgKshyxNTf6xdujetH74kQ286YK3SrMd8DaV0p4pwEm8q2hKstMrIIUqWYhBU7FpUfV4wUJGn7DyEf-3TotjsdGTXA9tFHPb40N41HfgEV25dZqaM/s1600/tux-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3YPzu9DzU_Vsd7gmXRN7qpf3dMtVgKshyxNTf6xdujetH74kQ286YK3SrMd8DaV0p4pwEm8q2hKstMrIIUqWYhBU7FpUfV4wUJGn7DyEf-3TotjsdGTXA9tFHPb40N41HfgEV25dZqaM/s320/tux-1.jpg" width="118" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNaVEz2En2To3uDC-fcpNhoODPQGvau8ESMOwEVEZFGcg22tpL7oeYfGFbZqaA1wfZXT2Fs6KnIjGpWrltyEGuHDPA5Yo-QZT4xjvAKPCWltZw-Mo6TAFTv1qCEOB-tefpqa10rQD2TYc/s1600/tux-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNaVEz2En2To3uDC-fcpNhoODPQGvau8ESMOwEVEZFGcg22tpL7oeYfGFbZqaA1wfZXT2Fs6KnIjGpWrltyEGuHDPA5Yo-QZT4xjvAKPCWltZw-Mo6TAFTv1qCEOB-tefpqa10rQD2TYc/s320/tux-2.jpg" width="93" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I took an M in the top, but if you aren't as large in the shoulders as I am, you could definitely go down a size. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">IMO, the *only* way to wear this is with very slim bottoms. In my quick try-on pics, I've got a pair of Gap legging jeans (which merit their own post soon, because I've been living in them). But truthfully, I actually liked them better with the black Minnies when I tried them on in store. The color of the stripes is "washed navy" - very pretty, but it almost works better with the black slim pants. And likely white jeans, since I wear them with everything in the spring. But again - slim is the operative word here. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I wore pretty much this outfit to the Valentine's parties at school. Loved it. It will be a fun top for spring. But again, not worth full price. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Moving on to Ann Taylor and more stripes. Because the only thing better than navy in spring is navy stripes. No idea what this dress was called. But when I saw it and then tried it on...again, it was love. I usually wear sundresses in the summer, but there are lots of times that you just want a sleeve. This dress perfectly fits the bill. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLZ6Mv7mvl18g5r07A_tvDqS5JsdGmjVrGrsAaY5pATI02Eufk4qnEz40_vyWbFW6m9Lt7GkxObNJQ5OIneNmpQnlwrcTw6uBnvzQryQzN3IGsrm1oxIUfxg0n7UMciCZboQeYmdutfk/s1600/at-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLZ6Mv7mvl18g5r07A_tvDqS5JsdGmjVrGrsAaY5pATI02Eufk4qnEz40_vyWbFW6m9Lt7GkxObNJQ5OIneNmpQnlwrcTw6uBnvzQryQzN3IGsrm1oxIUfxg0n7UMciCZboQeYmdutfk/s320/at-1.jpg" width="115" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjYyInQ59C-Ul03pQCYuF6cogrRH6e69X83farlzdAVIK_uvDAyo2yRGdcUaJYi2nxD_L8nipbiQc1wwHLPh1ShcAyZPh7NEDtz8gwGpYOmxUKd1flLt51U0gy2d40CfPnXntkGhRI9U/s1600/at-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjYyInQ59C-Ul03pQCYuF6cogrRH6e69X83farlzdAVIK_uvDAyo2yRGdcUaJYi2nxD_L8nipbiQc1wwHLPh1ShcAyZPh7NEDtz8gwGpYOmxUKd1flLt51U0gy2d40CfPnXntkGhRI9U/s320/at-2.jpg" width="124" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I love the wide scoopneck - and have even tested it to verify that yes, you can lean over and the top stays put. Often with necklines like this, to get the dress large enough in the shoulders, the scoopneck is so loose that I would end up flashing everyone any time I bent down to put something on the dinner table! So bravo, Ann Taylor...or should I say...brava!</div><br />
In case you happen to run into one of these in the sale section, I took an M. It's fitted but not tight. And way comfy (is there any other way for my wardrobe? no...not really)<br />
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I think my mom actually liked this one better than the J Crew one.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I'll wear it with any kind of shoe in my closet really - sandals, TOMS, flats, whatever. With hoops and a ponytail, I'm done for summer.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Finally, a quick run-through at the Loft. Wow, the <a href="http://www.anntaylorloft.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=30458&N=1200005+2000005&categoryId=204&pCategoryId=3359&Ne=1500001&Ns=CATEGORY_SEQ_204&Nty=1&loc=TN&gridSize=sm&showAll=true&defaultColor=Fresh Navy&defaultSizeType=Regular">Splitneck Lounge Tunic</a> is mega-on sale, with extra % off even!! It was orig $34, pretty sure I had a % off when I bought it, though...but that was back during the cast days. Now it's $29.99 with 40% off. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtrtXPE8glh4TfU6bwnXhQ2lLrZJJBQ6jzbpY_U37yqJ_DJvzRge4zi_ZNvUYF1BCE3tNg2JNrxK4HSL6xGhc5nRIft0W3iLttqYq6gMWCSCpayjYamYveqeheMhTTuvIzwvI7LjWGsY/s1600/tunic-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtrtXPE8glh4TfU6bwnXhQ2lLrZJJBQ6jzbpY_U37yqJ_DJvzRge4zi_ZNvUYF1BCE3tNg2JNrxK4HSL6xGhc5nRIft0W3iLttqYq6gMWCSCpayjYamYveqeheMhTTuvIzwvI7LjWGsY/s320/tunic-1.jpg" width="115" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjaLZG41j0XBpKrdkFr_5YDT2PAHYxGg5BlLUSRDwT0u94EVsiwamNVkrE4fdIbLwH3E5UJBeep8RhveYssTiTazhON-hYSHBy8dlGno4ifGu4mnXwyx8ndiyviHUeqfyNuhIYG7q6Eo/s1600/tunic-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjaLZG41j0XBpKrdkFr_5YDT2PAHYxGg5BlLUSRDwT0u94EVsiwamNVkrE4fdIbLwH3E5UJBeep8RhveYssTiTazhON-hYSHBy8dlGno4ifGu4mnXwyx8ndiyviHUeqfyNuhIYG7q6Eo/s320/tunic-2.jpg" width="145" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I took an M - the S was too tight in the shoulders. This top is very thin, which you may not be able to tell so much in the picture. And when they say splitneck...they mean it. No way can I go without a cami underneath. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I picture wearing this with every pair of slim pants under the sun that I own - white jeans, khakis, cafe capris, and (duh) regular jeans. It would also be way cute with Bermudas. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The top has a button on the outside of the sleeve and a tab inside so that you can roll up and secure the sleeves. If you wear it with sleeves down, the tab may bug you a bit, but shoot, paying that little for a cute spring top, who cares?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So you can tell by the 2nd pic that I was realizing the riculosity of posing with a big blue cast on. Is riduclosity a word? It should be...perfectly describes my state of being while I was dealing with this thumb mess. </div>HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-36599435291366824142011-01-10T19:42:00.000-05:002011-01-10T19:42:28.744-05:00Nail Files - Chanel Spring 2011 - Black PearlHolidays are over...and back to blogging.... Yes, took a little longer than I anticipated but more on that in a minute...<br />
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I finally got to the mall on Friday to do the round of Christmas returns and exchanges. Yes, it took me *that* long. More on that in a minute....<br />
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And I had seen the pics online, but as I rounded the corner at Nordstrom and passed by the Chanel counter I came to a dead stop. Spring nail polish. Black Pearl. I know you've been waiting for me... I'm not going through my ridiculous visit-it-each-week saga that I had with their Paradoxal. So I bought it. And the spring Jersey Rose Rouge Coco lipstick. I needed the pick-me-up. More on that in a minute... (are you getting this?)<br />
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Quick note on Jersey Rose - ok, maybe I was a little inspired by my newfound lust for Jersey Mike's subs (#2 & #5, where have you been all my life? I'll take it Miek's way, no onions, with a glaze of mayo on the bread, mmmmmm). It's a beautiful lip color for Spring - but really for any day - a very pretty light but warm pink. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0K9aKpTSoMl-K8UDRtzqhDXDuj4R6rD5MKoawhYztjDbFxSFOrQ2FnhHFcdW-d0TX4P6ENHt0As2C0mIJVcScugse-Yu4rtYqLjoQ95bBtvM0Va8YuWc8inxI7ewVnRVbQVqbggZtDI/s1600/chanel+lip.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0K9aKpTSoMl-K8UDRtzqhDXDuj4R6rD5MKoawhYztjDbFxSFOrQ2FnhHFcdW-d0TX4P6ENHt0As2C0mIJVcScugse-Yu4rtYqLjoQ95bBtvM0Va8YuWc8inxI7ewVnRVbQVqbggZtDI/s320/chanel+lip.bmp" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">But onto the nail polish because that's I'm loving that even more....</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">How to describe it? Black Pearl is a dark gray/green/black/teal metallic. It's gorgeous. I've said before that I'm not a fan of blue-ish greens and they don't work on me. This one is dark enough that the slight teal tone doesn't faze me one bit. But it is also very clearly *not* black, unlike some of my many dark polishes. It is the exact color of my car, actually. Maybe that's why I bonded with it so heavily. I think this is a perfect color for now inwinter...but it will be great in spring to offset all the soft floaty colors & fabrics. It will also just rock with navy, my personal fave for spring. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlwd9lMQkyMNmuDrRY_yVMyqS0xKfy_N8XeG3dgml2FMLKiHXx0UNH2zzb-IgJhguPgyOe80mTPIuhfS_f7jmDz1I0hHhqXVHuhCNWZNkGQl-N71k21_sSMpJIB8ooZ2zS4jILNi7L2U/s1600/chan-bp-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlwd9lMQkyMNmuDrRY_yVMyqS0xKfy_N8XeG3dgml2FMLKiHXx0UNH2zzb-IgJhguPgyOe80mTPIuhfS_f7jmDz1I0hHhqXVHuhCNWZNkGQl-N71k21_sSMpJIB8ooZ2zS4jILNi7L2U/s400/chan-bp-1.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>And I must fish for compliments...isn't that a great manicure? That's even without the morning shower cuticle scrub, which just isn't happening right now (more on that in less than a minute). I'm going to pat myself on the back for this one.<br />
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And why?<br />
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Well...back to all that "more on that in a minute" stuff...I think it's a darned impressive mani, when my right hand looks like this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQXYsz9Cwc-SbjEsbM3-xr5Czc0Ynn38kOjcJFvAmkc1dTzWhIGweKyJmv8jPGZxCKG2QH7hmfnvtWLSGS5qWLDOfG22nExW2IQslwNoAFQWD7fg7Pi-vDdxYaxX8-glE-yO-o4yINrU/s1600/chan-bp-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQXYsz9Cwc-SbjEsbM3-xr5Czc0Ynn38kOjcJFvAmkc1dTzWhIGweKyJmv8jPGZxCKG2QH7hmfnvtWLSGS5qWLDOfG22nExW2IQslwNoAFQWD7fg7Pi-vDdxYaxX8-glE-yO-o4yINrU/s400/chan-bp-2.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
That's right, friends...this is what we call a "short arm" cast. This is what you get when you are 39 but think you're still 25 and can move heavy furniture down steps with your husband. So when the huge & heavy entertainment center starts sliding down the stps at you and you actually don't want it to pin you to the wall, thumbs are secondary to the issue at hand. ("at hand," ha!) Don't judge me for the bad puns, right now I need all the entertainment I can get.<br />
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So...this is an evulsion fracture, where the ligament popped off the base of the thumb and took a nice little chunk of bone with it. So, in a cast for 4 weeks and then a splint for 2 and then there's only a 5-10% chance I'll need surgery. DC/MD-ers- if you need a hand surgeon, I've got a great one!<br />
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And yes, I did say "right hand" earlier- it's my right thumb and I'm right-handed. I should also mention that this happened 3 days before Christmas and I hadn't done any wrapping yet. <br />
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So life is interesting...and frustrating...and entertaining...and a pain in the butt...but always funny. I really should YouTube the process of getting ready in the morning. It's a hoot. I will say the dry cast cover for the shower now ranks is my favorite invention ever. <br />
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So yeah, I needed the pick me up of a pretty lippie, I'm not really able to do the morning-after-main cuticle scrub to clean up my sloppy work, it just took me a while to get to the mall (shoot, I'm still trying to figure out which sweaters fit over the cast), and I've been getting used to typing without use of my right thumb. <br />
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But most of all - <u>I did my own nails</u>...holding the nail polish brush between my index & middle fingers (base + top coat, too, of course). Then again...that's how I've been doing my mascara, eyebrow pencil, and eyeliner every day. And how I use the long sharp knives to cut. And so on and so forth.<br />
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Not that I'm complaining too much. It could be so much worse. So we'll leave it at 'entertaining" for now.<br />
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Happy 2011 to all!HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-38851312424575262482010-11-08T22:04:00.001-05:002010-11-08T22:11:45.757-05:00Field Trip ChicQ: How do you know it's been too long since you blogged? <br />
A: Blogger asks you sign back in when you get into your Blogger Dashboard. hahahaha.<br />
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I was doing so well and then work got INSANE because I had deadlines to meet before heading off to Disney for a week - we just got back yesterday. (And I even had started this post a week before we left and never finished it) <br />
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A couple Fridays ago, I went on a field trip with M's class to the Montgomery County Agricultural History Farm. This is a field trip that could have been very ugly depending on the weather. But the heavens smiled on us and we had a gorgeous, sunny, crisp fall day. <br />
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What do you wear on a field trip? Remember, you don't *have* to go into full slumpadinka mode. But like the Boy Scouts, you do need to be prepated.<br />
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First of all, read the instructions. (We're women, we're usually good at that.) When the info sheet comes home and the first item says "dress for mud", you know to toss the ballet flats or flip flops in the back of the closet. Then again...we were visitng a farm...not really sandal stuff, you know? <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQ9hQlAnLOQ2M_8NsYI8bL1vlutL3pzX_BkDqUk2aQZ6ba8sIahMD3Zhx2BX8tHMOkJPNA8BWaZ2oMwsSa7K_rGpgyw2PncGKus44P3_03N4qvgYchX09B4KmUzaDEnzSQRIl0ca6Fko/s1600/oct22-target+jeans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQ9hQlAnLOQ2M_8NsYI8bL1vlutL3pzX_BkDqUk2aQZ6ba8sIahMD3Zhx2BX8tHMOkJPNA8BWaZ2oMwsSa7K_rGpgyw2PncGKus44P3_03N4qvgYchX09B4KmUzaDEnzSQRIl0ca6Fko/s400/oct22-target+jeans.jpg" width="142" /></a></div>So I started from the bottom up...with the good old LL Bean duck boots. I couldn't even tell you how long I've had these...and they still work. And then I had to giggle when a bunch of the parents were sitting around and I looked over to see another mom in duck boots. <br />
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Jeans are the natural option. Hey, if you want to feel good about your size, head on over to Target. I just got these - Merona, fit #2, in straight - and I took a size 4. How's that for the ego? Now admittedly, I have shed some pounds over the past couple of months, but not that much. Hey, we've all made that ooh-it's-a-smaller-size-and-it-fits purchase. At least with jeans, you know you'll wear them - it's not a purple floral muumuu that will sit in the closet with its size 00 tag dangling dejectedly waiting to be worn. <br />
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And given the recent weight loss, I have no idea where I'll end up, so I don't really want to spend much on replacement bottoms right now, so $24.99 jeans from Target worked out well. It's nice to be able to wear pants that aren't falling down while you walk. <br />
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Ok, the jeans and boots were kinda obvious. What to put on top? Layers...always layers. So, last JC cambridge cable turtle with a tee & cami layered underneath. Then a puffer vest and cozy cashmere scarf. To stay warm, zip up the vest and bundle up in the scarf. To cool off, unzip vest, loosen scarf or stow in bag. It was a perfect outfit for that day.<br />
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The field trip itself was a lot of fun. And made me love M's teacher even more. Like when she, my friend Kim and I got in trouble with one of the volunteers for chatting at the back of one of the stations. We were talking about our kids as students, and not gossiping, I swear. Teacher was not really happy with the cranky lady. <br />
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And then during another demonstration, a student turned her camera off and it made a very small noise. The volunteer at the farm doing the demo pretty much freaked out - "what was that? who made that noise?" After the students around the poor little girl with camera said "oh it's ----, she just turned off her camera," yet another crankly lady LOUDLY intoned "BOYS AND GIRLS COULD WE PLEASE TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES SO WE CAN PAY ATTENTION?". Yes, she was that nuts. These kids aren't allowed to have cell phones, duh. So I really fell in love with M's teacher when she turned to me and whispered "Ok, I'll give you my cell phone number and then you can call me right now." Love that!HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-44938528044866314822010-10-07T18:12:00.001-04:002010-10-07T18:19:25.591-04:00Nail Files - Fall 2010 - Rescue Beauty LoungeFinal post (I think) on fave Fall polishes. How many of you have tried Rescue Beauty Lounge? I am a huge fan of Ji Baek - I love her book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rescue-Your-Nails-Ji-Baek/dp/0761143777/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1286460862&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Rescue Your Nails</a>, it's a great how-to for home manis & pedis with other fun info included.<br />
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I don't have many RLB polishes - in fact, before this fall, I only had one. But when I saw the Fall 2010 release, I had to jump. Note - get on the email list if you like these, I was able to pre-order since I had gotten the email and had them in hand even before they were released to the public. Not because I'm special or anything...just because I signed up for the email list. And I will add that they don't inundate you with 5 emails a day - it's not even once a week, so you're not setting yourself up for spam-ville...unlike some other retailers...<br />
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Let's get to the polishes, shall we? The RBL Fall collection was inspired by the Housewives of Tudor Englad. I got 2 - Anne & Jane. And they retail for $18 each. The Real Housewives of the Tudor Dynasty....how fun is that?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3hnQnxub-Gvl3BO0VBRp8RgN24ThKh7UtnvVAZNTtR0fJTZb70-hqP5BUjNlHCPQz1jdQKkoeo6HEtQsZ5iWTd9uGQkafLjCjNXwevcnvByGlbokeBihN-3iQdo3DX0Vcdg97WHFNLE/s1600/nail-polishes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3hnQnxub-Gvl3BO0VBRp8RgN24ThKh7UtnvVAZNTtR0fJTZb70-hqP5BUjNlHCPQz1jdQKkoeo6HEtQsZ5iWTd9uGQkafLjCjNXwevcnvByGlbokeBihN-3iQdo3DX0Vcdg97WHFNLE/s320/nail-polishes2.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">image above from Rescue Beauty Lounge</span></em></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxjTDejC3vJHK4xSvwFCbKc7IbTRpNdngj8t316IGDqKunRwmVwISTbJB6Hgcdpmo1QlbRIqce95a4jsKVcuXpUjAiwm8zuXtX7HYFdg2kWe1y6LvfvAhppb37xE1-1V4C9-95xegjdo/s1600/DSC_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxjTDejC3vJHK4xSvwFCbKc7IbTRpNdngj8t316IGDqKunRwmVwISTbJB6Hgcdpmo1QlbRIqce95a4jsKVcuXpUjAiwm8zuXtX7HYFdg2kWe1y6LvfvAhppb37xE1-1V4C9-95xegjdo/s320/DSC_0001.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>First up: <a href="http://www.rescuebeauty.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=rb&Product_Code=Anne" target="_blank">Anne</a>. Per the website: Rumored to be a sorceress, Henry's second wife lends her short-lived name to this bewitching olive green with a pink-gold metallic iridescence. I'll admit - they had me at "olive green". But the little teeny hot pink sparkles in this are just gorgeous - and very subtle - it's not overly flashy. Hard to get a great picture - it's even better in person. Just a gorgeous, rich, saturated fall color. If you've ever imagined a polish inspired by a rich brocade gown, this is it. Yum. <br />
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This will be one of my mainstays this fall, without question. Application was flawless - very easy. If you click on the link to go to RBL's website, they have links to some of the main polish bloggers' pictures, including my all time fave polish blog, All Lacquered Up.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsmKsAS9XtwIE4WwMHayc3HgHmi2WlzZcm1mSjPZRV2OQ_5Q-bj4ZkqEOKl3vYpYTsZ4K599g_h5D8vxihCOUV9hJDSeVf-6taiUJ_RiYv7hWTIdiP1lh9wZyyipHl-jfYzHep3GYhVQ/s1600/rbl-jane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsmKsAS9XtwIE4WwMHayc3HgHmi2WlzZcm1mSjPZRV2OQ_5Q-bj4ZkqEOKl3vYpYTsZ4K599g_h5D8vxihCOUV9hJDSeVf-6taiUJ_RiYv7hWTIdiP1lh9wZyyipHl-jfYzHep3GYhVQ/s320/rbl-jane.jpg" width="189" /></a>And then we have <a href="http://www.rescuebeauty.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=rb&Product_Code=Jane" target="_blank">Jane</a>. Or, as RBL says on their website: Ji’s latest favorite polish is named for Henry's favorite wife, a pale gray pearl with sheer washes of pink and gold. I was pleasantly surprised at the application - it's nice and smooth. Pale colors can often be streaky because of the way they are formulated. I like the color. A really nice neutral for year-round. The pink and gold are *very* subtle - they just add a little richness to the color. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And as you can see below, this is right in line with those gray-beige-taupe-smoky colors I like. <em>Jane, come meet your new friends....</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4H5NWezg40YNsQQWjzn3fjMEimaP4VFLye04UnzU3UoPaubDbIeH1QZOSWJRBpx_cSAeogArUjrjOLvoF3_T9VqhlvO2hlBP2yoUY0AeLJsv6xQ2S9bDHP9D1wTtrIYfi7drxRC-PF8g/s1600/rbl-jane&friends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4H5NWezg40YNsQQWjzn3fjMEimaP4VFLye04UnzU3UoPaubDbIeH1QZOSWJRBpx_cSAeogArUjrjOLvoF3_T9VqhlvO2hlBP2yoUY0AeLJsv6xQ2S9bDHP9D1wTtrIYfi7drxRC-PF8g/s320/rbl-jane&friends.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Bottom line - Anne is a must-have for me and I'm thrilled with it. Jane is a great neutral - so if you don't have something like it, go for it. <br />
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And I think that's it on polish purchases for me for the fall. My triumvirate for fall polish will be Essie Over the Top, Chanel Paradoxal, and RBL Anne. Now it's time to clean out the nail polish bin...HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-19773118092503587872010-10-05T21:16:00.001-04:002010-10-05T21:22:38.279-04:00Essential Piece: The Cashmere "Sweatshirt"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUmD_ScZkyudfgkUQiZDiBKy_iy9gY1MjMhIZxpkDknokuRwG3Mgzu0RK_-YeriH7QLyC0C2x8SbvnDLNvtJd5BnoWXQ-9zpUg9NKH46H0EbsE_WvZ-qmo1r6XF9d1ceRvg2jQLjwifM/s1600/oct5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUmD_ScZkyudfgkUQiZDiBKy_iy9gY1MjMhIZxpkDknokuRwG3Mgzu0RK_-YeriH7QLyC0C2x8SbvnDLNvtJd5BnoWXQ-9zpUg9NKH46H0EbsE_WvZ-qmo1r6XF9d1ceRvg2jQLjwifM/s400/oct5.jpg" width="142" /></a></div>Still cashmere weather today. And oh, I was loving my cozy bed last night. Today was one of those days where I just wanted to be in a blanket all day. But on days like that, I often find that just making the effort to get dressed in "real" clothes helps lift my energy level. It's too easy to just sag down in the chair with the sweats on, you know? So a perfect day for my cashmere "sweatshirt".<br />
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Before you start yelling, yes, I realize this isn't really a sweatshirt...thus my use of quotation marks above. What I really mean is a nice cozy and oversized cashmere sweater to wear on these kinds of days. You *want* to be in a sweatshirt, but you feel like you want to do just a bit more. I think I do stand up a bit straighter than if I were in sweats. Obviously, this isn't something you want to spend a ton of cash on since hey, it's functioning as a sweatshirt. If you've lost a lot of weight, great, you're probably set. If you want to find one, I suggest looking at the sales and buy up a size. It's amazing how well this one works for me. <br />
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For you JCAs, you probably recognize a <a href="http://www.jcrew.com/womens_category/sweaters/jcrewcashmere/PRDOVR~28763/99102065856/ENE~1+2+3+22+4294967294+20~~~0~15~all~mode+matchallany~~~~~cahmere%20tee/28763.jsp">J Crew Cashmere Crewneck Tee when you see one (#28763, $145 - but we know these go on sale online ALL the time</a>). This is a size L, so it's a size up from the JC cashmere turtle I wore and posted on yesterday. It's also from Fall 2008, so it's a year earlier, so who knows what that means size-wise. I love this color - was it heather blade? Such a gorgeous green, wish we'd see more of it. I think I got this on sale plus discount = happy with what I paid. <br />
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The key is to keep everything else trim, but comfy. I added a pair of black Minnies (8T) because the slim bottom is important, a white crewneck perfect fit tee, some darling old Isaac Mizrahi for Target mocs (yes, they are that old and I will cry when they bite the dust), and a black ribbon pearl necklace - also from Target. So I guess this is my J Crew/Target outfit? Funny...the 2 stores I shop most often...huh...how about that...<br />
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So as the season wears on, keep an eye out for a cashmere "sweatshirt"...you'll love it.<br />
<br />
Polyvore from today:<br />
<br />
<div><div style="height: 400px; position: relative; width: 400px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=23818012"><img alt="10/5/10" border="0" force="1" height="400" src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFnNCbDJqX0xRM3hHTHU0WXpVaHBqS2cAAAACaWQKAWUAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg" title="10/5/10" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=23818012">10/5/10</a> by <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=659686">HeidiGblog</a> featuring <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/stretch_twill_pants/shop?query=stretch+twill+pants">stretch twill pants</a></small></div>HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-89084073455956832622010-10-04T23:16:00.001-04:002010-10-04T23:27:44.224-04:00C is for Cashmere....(and cashmere is for me....)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDDfJRkbXduCt_7TOaHIw8evAnSr9WStJB98K7NqO-Wcd7WMKRfncKPE7zBLFXGGuU5q6-uWmwSDJSrdLFhKiXHAXhL2s6SBGa9N-AbNL9X02UvlLrK2DYM8JSNxQv1UzqTZS0DC-sDB8/s1600/oct4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDDfJRkbXduCt_7TOaHIw8evAnSr9WStJB98K7NqO-Wcd7WMKRfncKPE7zBLFXGGuU5q6-uWmwSDJSrdLFhKiXHAXhL2s6SBGa9N-AbNL9X02UvlLrK2DYM8JSNxQv1UzqTZS0DC-sDB8/s400/oct4.jpg" width="122" /></a></div>Yes, I have kids but I remember Cookie Monster's song from when I was little. Well...as a grown-up...today it was "c is for cashmere". Fall has officially arrived - with cold and rain. Down to the 40's tonight. Yeeps. We actually turned the heat on tonight and I gave our bed its usual fall makeover, swapping out the percale sheets and thermal blanket for flannel sheets, fuzzy blanket and a down quilt on top. Yum...can't wait to go to bed tonight.<br />
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It was definitely a day where I was thankful that I do work from home, as I was hanging out in a big cozy sweatshirt. And then tonight, I had a PTA chair dinner to attend, so cashmere was the only way to go. Out came last winter's dark slate cashmere turtleneck (yes, I was that chilly, size M btw) plus black Minnies (8T) and black Born Lovely flats, and a stack full of bracelets - crystal shapes, gold link, crystal supernova. It gave a little sparkle to the outfit. (Any sparkle will do. It's a great base outfit for pretty much any kind of accessorizing.) <br />
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Then some gold hoops and a ponytail and I was good to go. Anyone else read the Percy Jackson series? Yes, I am a 38-year-old woman and I like to read some juvenile fiction. I say it's just because of the kids... Anyway, in the 3rd or 4th book, where the author starts talking about the "Party Ponies"? Always makes me think of this hairdo. It's my party pony (in other words, my hair's been down all day and I need to do something different with it).<br />
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To recap the evening - lots of fun catching up with friends. And I stayed cozy the whole time. Success! I may have to pick up another one this season. I'm digging that heather cobblestone and heather saddle color. Sigh, I know, more neutrals. Maybe I need to swing over to the warm honey. We'll see. But it's late and I'm itching to crawl into my cozy bed. Good night!<br />
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Polyvore from this evening:<br />
<div><div style="height: 400px; position: relative; width: 400px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=23796035"><img alt="10/4/10" border="0" force="1" height="400" src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFk1Nb1lyQy1RM3hHQXRhUVFYbDI3QWcAAAACaWQKAWUAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg" title="10/4/10" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=23796035">10/4/10</a> by <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=659686">HeidiGblog</a> featuring <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/crystal_bracelets/shop?query=crystal+bracelets">crystal bracelets</a></small></div>HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-77229219282545968552010-10-01T09:44:00.002-04:002010-10-01T09:49:43.447-04:00Nail Files - Fall 2010 - Chanel Paradoxal...it's about time...Wow...just wow...that's all I have to say about this color. It's funny, I had been visiting Chanel Paradoxal at Nordstrom for about 2 months. Every time I went by the Chanel counter, I'd stop at look at Paradoxal. You see, I just wasn't sure I needed it, especially when I had Dior's Lemon Balm from last fall. But a few weeks ago, after realizing that I was doing this *every* time I walked through Nordstrom (in my defense, the Chanel nail polish does face right out to the mail aisle to get to the rest of the mall), I finally sprang for it. And couldn't wait to get home and put in on my nails. I love it. I do. I love love love love it. The next day, I called one of my fellow nail junkies to coo about Paradoxal...yes, it's that bad. And she agreed about the gorgeousness because she borrowed it when we got pedis together a few days later.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJjg3kbxc5kQ5RC3bkJbfvGlVsS3_ASuyXUAw2G6bMnqv8NBFTEWXDGcGbMV6wJbo5-y7oVXeS9FLyuV5MbGflYvs2HlMA1rKW6RxcnJexXLiZp9faliZU6_pDg-KC0uf8jozItwGh8A/s1600/chanel-par.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJjg3kbxc5kQ5RC3bkJbfvGlVsS3_ASuyXUAw2G6bMnqv8NBFTEWXDGcGbMV6wJbo5-y7oVXeS9FLyuV5MbGflYvs2HlMA1rKW6RxcnJexXLiZp9faliZU6_pDg-KC0uf8jozItwGh8A/s400/chanel-par.jpg" width="325" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Of late, I had stopped buying Chanel polish, because I wasn't loving anything enough to pay the price for it. I thought Pariculiere was a fab color, but OPI's YDKJ was enough taupe for me. And I wasn't feeling any of the summer colors. And I finally realized that much as I like Blue Satin, OPI's Light My Sapphire is a better navy for me - less bright, more gray. And I heard reports of chipping issues with Jade... And... And... And... For me to spend that much on a polish it has to be pretty spectacular.<br />
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This one is. To start, Chanel polishes usually show on the nail a bit different than in the bottle - most often, it's that there is less sparkle on the nail than in the bottle. With Paradoxal, if I had known what it would look like on my nails, I would have gotten it sooner. In the bottle there is a very bright purple iridescent quality to it. But on the nail, the color morphs a bit darker, with subtle sheen in the sunlight. <br />
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How would I describe the color? Hmmmmm. It's just a gorgeous bit of smoky violet-taupe mysterious goodness. Application is fantastic. Even without my fave OPI wide brush, it applies like a dream. Not too thick, but not too thin. 2 coats really is all you need. It's funny as I post this, because I just put it on my fingers again last night. <br />
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Closest comparisons with my polish collection, with notes because, as I said, Paradoxal definitely presents as much deeper on the nail than in the bottle.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplY7LJV-uGt8KxXLRkJuhRu_F_CILB3A2ze7E0LlfwxML6M2t3ekM2UWFjYEZ6xWYSZRBkBALReah6h_nx1vOUzSyNDrCIl4djlIi3OG1E9XlspOFuY8M3im2KWV7cXZISSbBcdcbZP4/s1600/chanel-par2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplY7LJV-uGt8KxXLRkJuhRu_F_CILB3A2ze7E0LlfwxML6M2t3ekM2UWFjYEZ6xWYSZRBkBALReah6h_nx1vOUzSyNDrCIl4djlIi3OG1E9XlspOFuY8M3im2KWV7cXZISSbBcdcbZP4/s400/chanel-par2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Sephora OPI Metro Chic: Paradoxal is definitely deeper/darker.<br />
OPI You Don't Know Jacques: Paradoxal is more purple, less brown/gray.<br />
Dior Lemon Balm: Paradoxal doesn't have as much shimmer - and it's deeper.<br />
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Bottom line - HIGHLY recommend this one, if you've been feeling the urge. It's still available online at Chanel.com, and my local Nordstrom had several bottles left in the case - so your local store may have it as well.HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-63753398756294615312010-09-30T15:18:00.000-04:002010-09-30T15:18:44.717-04:00J Crew Caprese TunicYes, totally late to the party on this one, sure. <a href="http://www.jcrew.com/womens_category/shirtstops/casualshirts/PRDOVR~26796/99102014672/ENE~1+2+3+22+4294967294+20~~~0~15~all~mode+matchallany~~~~~caprese/26796.jsp" target="_blank">J Crew Caprese Tunic (#26796, orig $35, curr $14.99).</a> Would have been nice if I'd been blogging on this one over the summer, eh?<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">There is some background to this purchase...or at least what I was looking for here. I used to have, several years ago, a fantastic pale pink linen long-sleeve pop over tunic top from H&M. It wasn't super long, just enough to cover the bum, and long enough so that shape of it was a flattering vertical rectangle instead of the super-unflattering-on-me horizontal rectangle. I loved this top, lived in it during the spring and summer. I loved the popver idea, that it didn't have the button placket running up the front. Alas, after a few seasons, it was showing wear because hey, it was from H&M, and you don't go purchasing a piece you expect to last for 10 years there. But I've been searching for a replacement for it ever since. When J Crew had their chambray popovers, I was one of the first in line to grab one and try it on. Sadly, it was just too boxy - too wide and not long enough. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6k0m2KTzGiVdJfSolhlZD7hU0amxPgAFML7iYmcyE9KNPxN1gFsYYBGoRbVE3IM-wsg6EfRGAYJmWHVThWBkJiOKZuR6PL8POsHOFFxzNKa4t5y_kAHJtniK9etxLTlf1natVPHcOaKo/s1600/jul21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6k0m2KTzGiVdJfSolhlZD7hU0amxPgAFML7iYmcyE9KNPxN1gFsYYBGoRbVE3IM-wsg6EfRGAYJmWHVThWBkJiOKZuR6PL8POsHOFFxzNKa4t5y_kAHJtniK9etxLTlf1natVPHcOaKo/s400/jul21.jpg" width="152" /></a>And then I started seeing pics of the Caprese Tunic. First thing I noticed was the length - so I thought, hey, I wonder if I could make that work. The second thing I noticed was the self-belt, so I thought, hey, I can chuck that really fast (since my plan was to wear it as a loose but straight tunic, not something belted and puffy). Of course, this was over the summer, it's not so easy to get to the B&M to try on, and so it took me a few weeks before I got there to try it. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The first thing I did was grab a S, since it looked a bit wide and I had no intention of wearing it belted. And then I realized that the S was huge on me....so next I opted for an XS. Yes, folks, an XS.... Ok sure, it's sleeveless and I don't have to worry about the shoulders, but still...5'10" and size 8 in pants here...the XS was exactly perfect for how I wanted to wear it. (No wonder there are only M's & L's left online.) Bottom line - this sucker runs HUGE. </div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So thanks, Jenna & company, I'm sure this isn't how you thought of it, but it worked out exactly how I wanted it to.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCmMXY7AmhK-fJsrC8O9mglvSu5EHNGlvgegba9I4hIvmzIfkfMHcn0OofNRz3khHraz52HeYDBin4k3SXQ2rAhv1a1PLQsgHyu9kCMJbb6qsMnVRVuxT0oBJ4qRfB33IhbyBZ6LLs5Y/s1600/Sept+22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCmMXY7AmhK-fJsrC8O9mglvSu5EHNGlvgegba9I4hIvmzIfkfMHcn0OofNRz3khHraz52HeYDBin4k3SXQ2rAhv1a1PLQsgHyu9kCMJbb6qsMnVRVuxT0oBJ4qRfB33IhbyBZ6LLs5Y/s400/Sept+22.jpg" width="136" /></a>Now that I have semi-replaced my lovely pink linen popover...the next question is how to wear it. Well, since it was summer when I got it "with white jeans" was the easy obvious answer. See first pic above - with my Kut from the Kloth white slim jeans from Nordstroms - one of my best buys over the summer - indispensable. </div><br />
That is one of those outfits (chambray top + white jeans) that works with pretty much any set of accessories you want to throw at it - metallic, bright, pastel, neutral, you name it. That day (I think the kiddies & I met Dina & her kiddies to lunch & shop a bit), I chose heeled sandals and a chunky bracelet.<br />
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Next outfit (middle pic), I went with black Minnies (Tall, size 8), and a gray cami. For chillier weather, I could have easily added a cardi. I'm pretty sure it was hot that day, so in the chambray top and black ankle pants, I felt cool and seasonally appropriate. I was headed into school for a meeting and wanted to look nice, but be comfy (then again, that's my usual dressing mantra, right?)<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3AoxaaIzrWs6qhFBVDGM137qlHRSUYnd33cD8vrRdRa0em5ixvRJfYHVYibgmLN722gDViJNF29Q75FEfMXaC2ciKaWAAL4Dfl13ncqQ6JpCwYyzojtpRKquoy0QUrhjEIOmply9-6g/s1600/sep+30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3AoxaaIzrWs6qhFBVDGM137qlHRSUYnd33cD8vrRdRa0em5ixvRJfYHVYibgmLN722gDViJNF29Q75FEfMXaC2ciKaWAAL4Dfl13ncqQ6JpCwYyzojtpRKquoy0QUrhjEIOmply9-6g/s400/sep+30.jpg" width="140" /></a>And then let's get to today's outfit, shall we? It's pretty yucky outside. We've got the remanants of TS Nicole blowing through. We've already gotten 3 inches of rain or so, with more to come. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">But am I complaining? No, and here's why:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 - it's not too chilly, so the rain doesn't feel to cold (don't you hate those days that are 38 degrees and rainy? ugh!!!)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 - With all the rain coming down, the stinkbugs aren't flying. Are you getting hit with those, too???? They were divebombing us at soccer games this past weekend.</div>3 - I don't have to commute 99% of the time, so I'll just shut up now.<br />
4 - I have cute pink rain boots for the grocery store runs.<br />
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Back to today's outfit. I guess the rain gave me the blues, though, because um yeah, that's pretty much all I'm wearing. Darker slim Chico's jeans, a navy cami, and a navy Jackie on top. I think I actually might like this a bit better if the jeans were a touch darker, but still I liked how it worked...even though I have since abandoned the flats for a pair of cozy socks. <br />
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And I think it shows the flexibility of this top - perfect for some of these fall days where it starts out chilly and then gets warm. I doubt I'll still have it out in December, but I think it will be in regular rotation for the next couple of months, and then tucked away until spring.<br />
Now my question is - if you have the Caprese, how are you wearing it? I'd love to hear....<br />
Polyvore from today:<br />
<div><div style="height: 400px; position: relative; width: 400px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/30_10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=23655088"><img alt="9/30/10" border="0" force="1" height="400" src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFlRFNXlMN2JNM3hHYVZyT3NjbU5ILXcAAAACaWQKAWUAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg" title="9/30/10" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/30_10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=23655088">9/30/10</a> by <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=659686">HeidiGblog</a> featuring <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/yellow_gold_earrings/shop?query=yellow+gold+earrings">yellow gold earrings</a></small></div>HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-2609240991037091002010-09-29T22:21:00.007-04:002010-09-29T22:30:02.998-04:00Putting on the Parisian with J CrewOk, I'm not taking credit for the theme here...I'm going with Parisian because as I was leaving the bus stop this morning, walking Lucy, one of my friends was driving by and hollered out her window "You look so French today!" Well, I'll take that as a big huge compliment...and wear this outfit again.<br />
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And here's the thing...in part, I was thinking of all my fellow JCA's as I got dressed this morning. I know a lot of uber-JCA's got the shaft regarding the Mickey card. I did get my 25% white card...and I am completely flummoxed as to how I got it when so many deserving others didn't. As I said on Rats On Parade's blog, I hardly even shopped this summer - because the kiddies are home, so not so much mommy-out time. Who knows...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXTLaufd_yP5pcHAb3XoWtRjwwTiKcZWIr8IcFqQ1usIhRAsRSnvFo5_I4yYi9zvxkeh3ifElFLHcUyaDDF5F-p2WOwqoZJjkgM1gFfcQ5VWZBEjsVeCwTacnALyzg3c7WzGjM_Ba3TU/s1600/sep29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXTLaufd_yP5pcHAb3XoWtRjwwTiKcZWIr8IcFqQ1usIhRAsRSnvFo5_I4yYi9zvxkeh3ifElFLHcUyaDDF5F-p2WOwqoZJjkgM1gFfcQ5VWZBEjsVeCwTacnALyzg3c7WzGjM_Ba3TU/s400/sep29.jpg" width="152" /></a></div>So today's outfit was a few J Crew classics. Ok, both purchased in the past year, but they've already become classics to me, and will continue to be so. The vintage bateau top in dark pewter (#24484, $39.50) - <a href="http://www.jcrew.com/womens_feature/NewArrivals/teesandknits/PRDOVR~24484/99101955382/ENE~1+2+3+22+4294967294+20~~~0~15~all~mode+matchallany~~~~~bateau/24484.jsp" target="_blank">still for sale on the website and in store</a>. (This is an M, btw.) My store had it in a gorgeous bright orange, but not in my size. They also had a dark olive green, which I purchased, but then returned because it is just so similar to the dark pewter.. I am still considering ordering the orange one.. I still just adore this top. I'm curious to see how much I end up wearing this when it really turns to sweater weather. But even if I'm not wearing it as much mid-winter, I'll be wearing it plenty now. Of course, the most recent Jenna's picks suggests using a striped sailor tee as your base layer, just like a cami. Hmmm, I think I'll stick with some of my tanks. But striped tees almost always send me mentally to Paris...or the French Riviera...<br />
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If you can see the tank peeking out, it's from the Loft - their Essential Tank. I only see it on sale on the website, but if I recall correctly, the store was quite well stocked. These have been one of my major finds from this summer. They are usually $14 each, or 2/$20. But I majorly stocked up when they were on sale for $6 (um, yeah, I got 8...but I think I'm pretty set for a looooong time now). They are similar to the JC favorite tank, but the straps are a wee bit wider (good for hiding bra straps). And the Loft tanks come in a wide array of colors - even for neutral-happy me. Yes, I got white, navy, and black, but I got a yellow, orchid, several tan/taupe colors...lots of options.<br />
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The pants are, of course, the <a href="http://www.jcrew.com/womens_special_sizes/tall/pants/PRDOVR~24646/99101961950/ENE~1+2+3+22+4294967294+20~~~0~15~all~mode+matchallany~~~~~tall%20minnie/24646.jsp" target="_blank">JC Minnies in Tall 8 (#24646, reg $79.50, curr on sale online for $69.50).</a> I think I need to wash and dry these because they are way loose in the midsection now. Then again, I've lost a some weight recently, so maybe that's it. In any case, they still worked, and a quick spin in the dryer will put them back where I need them to be. As a reminder, the Tall Minnies have an inseam of 29" and I'm 5'10", so mentally adjust based on how long you want your pants to be.<br />
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To finish off...crystal? starburst? pendant necklace (can't remember the name), gold hoops, braided rope rose gold bracelet, and my comfy Naturalizer croc loafers. Anything exciting today? No...just work. But I felt cute & comfy, so that's a good way to be. So if you are on a JC shopping ban because Mickey snubbed you, enjoy those classics in your wardrobe - they still work!!<br />
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Polyvore from today:<br />
<div><div style="height: 400px; position: relative; width: 400px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/29_10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=23641882"><img alt="9/29/10" border="0" force="1" height="400" src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFjFFQTczQy1NM3hHT3A0SUtzOFUyN0EAAAACaWQKAWUAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg" title="9/29/10" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/29_10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=23641882">9/29/10</a> by <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=659686">HeidiGblog</a> featuring <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/rose_gold_bracelets/shop?query=rose+gold+bracelets">rose gold bracelets</a></small></div>HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-78306450076258018272010-09-28T22:24:00.000-04:002010-09-28T22:33:22.323-04:00Nail Files - Fall 2010 Polishes - OPIAhhh, I do love polish. I have 3 of the OPI Switzerland collection to share with you. Mixed reviews here. I'll be honest - this one didn't thrill me like the 2 previous fall collections - France & Spain. I don't love the teal-y blues, they just aren't my thing. Didn't go gaga over the reds/browns...or at least not yet. But I did find a few to enjoy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr8E9H1OzuhNf-R6f86JD09TFaOBL9qxt0zbwLDUGRVFug2AUYCo0wl0Osavfdd0zszEQAzKLsT8J7yGO6GS6VCMvfJIgZJgom985knEzQuSL3fTxp2PVYILjBMS8YdFhnksfgcZS0dG0/s1600/opi-;ucerne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr8E9H1OzuhNf-R6f86JD09TFaOBL9qxt0zbwLDUGRVFug2AUYCo0wl0Osavfdd0zszEQAzKLsT8J7yGO6GS6VCMvfJIgZJgom985knEzQuSL3fTxp2PVYILjBMS8YdFhnksfgcZS0dG0/s320/opi-;ucerne.jpg" width="236" /></a></div>First: Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous. Have to get this out of the way - every time I think about the name, I picture Billy Crystal as Fernando on SNL with his "You look mahvelous" spiel. Ok, I'm done (now it will be stuck in your head, not mine). Back to the color - a sparkly dark pewter. Honestly, I wasn't feeling this one so much when I put it on, but that was earlier in August when it was so devilishly hot that it was hard to even comprehend fall...let alone fall polish. Looking at the picture now, it's really growing on me. I'll have to pull that one out again soon. It would be a fun party polish - and the darker pewter means it works with silver and gold, so it's way versatile. And do I even need to say it? Application was fantastic. And remember, as with all sparkly polishes, those little bits of glitter mean that it stays on better.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOIJcUR4D_3-p0I1Cn21Uj4PCptXOvmtcn6jj1IIlBvtn1mX_aszyvhHI2XapV9xaUsRUpk5EIyGXGRzL-FNqjr77j7JJlpOf_xWEtdjExrAvjtpe1BCrS9hpXmh0U0Cq2I_3v9yrUm4c/s1600/opi+cuckoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOIJcUR4D_3-p0I1Cn21Uj4PCptXOvmtcn6jj1IIlBvtn1mX_aszyvhHI2XapV9xaUsRUpk5EIyGXGRzL-FNqjr77j7JJlpOf_xWEtdjExrAvjtpe1BCrS9hpXmh0U0Cq2I_3v9yrUm4c/s320/opi+cuckoo.jpg" width="196" /></a></div>Second: Cuckoo for this Color. I've probably said it before, but at the risk of repeating, I'm just not a blue-green person. I am really way more of a yellow-green person. I don't get teals and turquoises when I shop for clothes - they just aren't great colors on me unless I have an uber-unhealthy tan. And I'm just not drawn to them in general. I go for the olives and such. Not sure why I even got this one except that it was pretty and I was just in that state of mind. Again, application is fantastic. If you skew to the blue greens, go for it. This was ok on me. But it was GORGEOUS on E's toes, so I have a feeling she'll be the one sporting it this season. I do also think it would be a great spring/summer pedi - very mermaid-ish, as well as cuckoo-ish. <br />
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2 of my fellow DC JCA's come to mind immediately when I see this color - dinagideon & Summerilla - you both need this polish - Summerilla because she loves fun polish and it will look great on her; dinagideon because she doesn't do a lot of nail polish but this would be beyond amazing on her, too, and she is such a teal chick!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZbZ4MqrYUluMq35d713dshWBtPlSwPrdaqpljTQqG9e-38bplLGNHSFNhxVI2E7oJ88wGwdV7SPvKLPfQeNcjZ9v_579lZArK8WLsllHwMDibBxOpIGydp8M2pyFEfMCuDPt3fUgPMk/s1600/DSC_0068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZbZ4MqrYUluMq35d713dshWBtPlSwPrdaqpljTQqG9e-38bplLGNHSFNhxVI2E7oJ88wGwdV7SPvKLPfQeNcjZ9v_579lZArK8WLsllHwMDibBxOpIGydp8M2pyFEfMCuDPt3fUgPMk/s320/DSC_0068.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>And finally: Glitzerland. Ok, points along on the name, huh? I'm still on the fence about this color. I had it on last week when I wore my "you're so stylish it makes me sick" outfit and when I went to lunch, both friends commented on the polish and loved it - one of whom is a die-hard creme fan. I think my issue was that by now, I am SO READY for the dark polishes, that I wasn't in the mood for a lighter one. But as far as golds go, this one will work on a lot of people because it's not too yellow-gold, it's more tan-gold. Way more versatile and skintone friendly for more people. A great party or holiday polish. I'll probably take this one up again when I get bored with darks in a few months (usually hits me in January - I don't crave sunlight, I crave pale polish. Weird, I know). Again, great application. Can't argue with that - it's why OPI is my default polish. <br />
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So that's my summary of my 3 faves from the OPI Switzerland Collection. Some nice options for over the season. I think Cuckoo will be a hit, but for my daughter, not for me. <br />
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What are my fave fall polishes so far? Stay tuned...I'll try to churn those out this week. HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-23450611704445638102010-09-27T22:19:00.001-04:002010-09-27T22:27:29.777-04:00Summer Dress Round Up with Their Funny Stories<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So it's Fall. And our first couple of days were pretty darn warm. So it was a good chance to look back at a few summer dresses and get in 1 or 2 more wearings. I'm still working on the transition-summer-dress-into-fall thing. Then again...I just love Fall clothes, so I'm usually ready to dive headfirst into Fall, and just say sayonara to the summer togs.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7-JUVXbESnc6_RwtJoMcqB6ppDkbhs0-F85hKYWjwcIoHE4nzB_5qWLI-KJrdyOXKj5orH_ApPCqpJ7e2_NSHTuc0rIZ1l5f5l3ZdbknZQGPHyw1fMC36kEbPoq3RuTs-iEL4yUEbk0/s1600/DSC_0026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7-JUVXbESnc6_RwtJoMcqB6ppDkbhs0-F85hKYWjwcIoHE4nzB_5qWLI-KJrdyOXKj5orH_ApPCqpJ7e2_NSHTuc0rIZ1l5f5l3ZdbknZQGPHyw1fMC36kEbPoq3RuTs-iEL4yUEbk0/s320/DSC_0026.jpg" width="111" /></a>First up, since it's actually still available, is the <a href="http://www.jcrew.com/womens_category/dresses/day/PRDOVR~29816/29816.jsp" target="_blank">J Crew Ruffled Jersey Dress (#29816, curr on sale for $59.99)</a>. I did get a PS discount on this from FP, and I'm ok with that because I've already worn it twice in the three weeks since purchasing. I took an M. Plenty of room. Love the fit on this. It works great with a black bra - the straps blend right in. It's not as low cut as the shirred v-neck dress from the spring was (this one doesn't show off a tan line, like the other one did). I love the length - it works with the dress. One note is that there is no hem - it's a raw edge. But I haven't had any problems with that so far. The weight of the knit is great - not too heavy, not too light. And by the way - yes, my dress is black - they had lots in black in the store. I only see the heather carbon or shadow online but trust me, it's black. <a href="http://musingsonmtn.blogspot.com/2010/08/jcrew-fitting-room-reviews-dresses.html">AppGal tried it on here</a>. (if soemone else did and I left you out, please holler.)</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9EvFtbrL2GwRVG-YPzhJ-mLN4XDYAeQz4PZ7h2PqAbh6xuNW3-oja-OWA4lIWKE9fnT1-nGgaEgOvkfkgm7jVjpGxBJE8N_M9Wu8KUhjI_9sUuxiyYCM3QV38wtZRTBwkV272C0clek/s1600/DSC_0022-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9EvFtbrL2GwRVG-YPzhJ-mLN4XDYAeQz4PZ7h2PqAbh6xuNW3-oja-OWA4lIWKE9fnT1-nGgaEgOvkfkgm7jVjpGxBJE8N_M9Wu8KUhjI_9sUuxiyYCM3QV38wtZRTBwkV272C0clek/s320/DSC_0022-1.jpg" width="109" /></a>In the second pic, I'm wearing it with the Old Navy Cinched Front-Zip Jacket that appears to no longer be on their website. I have to <a href="http://gigisgoneshopping.blogspot.com/2010/08/old-navy-30-off-today-only.html" target="_blank">thank Gigi for guiding me to this as a great alternative to the JC downtown field jacket - she had a great pic when ON was doing their 30%</a>, so I went ahead and ordered. What I LOVE about the jacket is that I was able to get it in a Large Tall. Large so that I have enough shoulder room...and can put heavier sweaters underneath (thank you, ON for the online reviews - always helpful), and Tall so that it's long enough in the sleeves. Note in the name "cinched" - it comes in at the waist, so it avoids the all-too-common utter lack of shape that many field-type jackets have. I will be wearing this jacket tons in the fall.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Funny story for this dress: I was wearing this outfit again Friday night when hubby said to me as we were heading out the door to dinner "You're so stylish it makes me sick...but I don't mean that in a bad way." Ah men...gotta love them. What do you do? I smiled serenely and sailed out the door. Clearly it wasn't a rehearsed comment. I've got to give him credit for noticing...and realizing it was stylish? Then again, I also had a friend holler out her window to me at how nice I looked picking up dog poop. I guess it was a winner all the way around. And yes, I do clean up after my pooch when I walk her - if you have one, I hope you do the same.</div><br />
Polyvore:<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="height: 400px; position: relative; width: 400px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/24_10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=23482058"><img alt="9/24/10" border="0" force="1" height="400" src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFmppNTVyRHpJM3hHTll6TmpGNlZxaXcAAAACaWQKAWUAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg" title="9/24/10" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/24_10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=23482058">9/24/10</a> by <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=659686">HeidiGblog</a> featuring <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/ray-ban_sunglasses/shop?brand=Ray-Ban&category_id=57">ray ban sunglasses</a></small></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqp-Zgj8kU-84Z_buPudC6chPpb8rQ95FPTYDQanbeQgTB55HVf0X_-gaUj2otlcThQVXJIYE2yOsxbdPGp0Mk7fI0nLlFcU90B49hPR77mXnBMiDPpNZyZHDf2RQuQ2a4sE2o9C20-3Q/s1600/aug15-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqp-Zgj8kU-84Z_buPudC6chPpb8rQ95FPTYDQanbeQgTB55HVf0X_-gaUj2otlcThQVXJIYE2yOsxbdPGp0Mk7fI0nLlFcU90B49hPR77mXnBMiDPpNZyZHDf2RQuQ2a4sE2o9C20-3Q/s320/aug15-1.jpg" width="113" /></a></div>Next up...the AT Loft Medallion Shift. I loved this dress when I first saw it. It's interesting because it's a yellow/tan print dress, like the famed LoL sateen sheath in the Dunclare print (<a href="http://mysuperfluities.blogspot.com/2010/03/few-more-liberty-of-london-irls.html" target="_blank"">which Dina has on here</a>) - which I tried and immediately returned because the colors were just horrid with my skin tone. As soon as I saw this at Loft I grabbed it...fortunately, I was shopping during a 40% off sale. <br />
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I got an 8, and it had plenty of room. It's definitely not fitted - very flowy and breezy, but it shows of a lot of arm and leg to counter-balance the lack of shape. I love the linen fabric. Not see through, not stiff. The only downside, if I could come up with one would be that it really requires a strapless bra. But for this dress, it's worth it. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz20mMxwDttH9JdVgZcf2f6YqgX79raszxgFPMpb7pFaBpBx7t3eBgTy1ZqbAsQ5OVmAw0Qj17C_IgUFxNl0FwTIipb30q-EIfoXjD3XtNgRw8SbaJl9YI5o4TY316UV1vOISWtWNSJuU/s1600/aug15-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz20mMxwDttH9JdVgZcf2f6YqgX79raszxgFPMpb7pFaBpBx7t3eBgTy1ZqbAsQ5OVmAw0Qj17C_IgUFxNl0FwTIipb30q-EIfoXjD3XtNgRw8SbaJl9YI5o4TY316UV1vOISWtWNSJuU/s320/aug15-2.jpg" width="103" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And again, as I do with shorter skirts/dresses, flat sandals -these are from Target a few summers ago. I wore them a ton this summer, and again, will be so sad when I have to replace them. But they are insanely comfy and work with most of my summer wardrobe. I found its perfect partner in last summer's JC linen vneck short sleeve cardigan. They were made for each other.</div><br />
Funny story on this dress: A few weeks after I had purchased it, my mom and I were at Loft (30% off or something, probably) and I had pulled a few dresses into the dressing room to try on. While I was doing that, my mom came back with this dress in hand and said: Did you see this one? It just looks like you." And I said: you're absolutely right, and that's why it's already hanging in my closet. So clearly my mom knows my taste...one of the many reasons I love shopping with her.<br />
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Polyvore of Loft Medallion Shift Dress:<br />
<div><div style="height: 400px; position: relative; width: 400px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/15_10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=22098833"><img alt="8/15/10" border="0" force="1" height="400" src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFm9tT3dVSDJwM3hHSkRnVUVjTXVwOGcAAAACaWQKAWUAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg" title="8/15/10" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/15_10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=22098833">8/15/10</a> by <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=659686">HeidiGblog</a> featuring <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/flats_shoes/shop?query=flats+shoes">flats shoes</a></small></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0uVIZn_gUWYEOoD4zpL1Z_nAJgJgaQkK-wh0eR9TZ9vngsSQ1xUDbLkSp5cqzcb0CzbPpaCM2dKIQukJUQRjgRJw7xdJaMNDifj4ldUAlKUHjCuXMtbDv52USK12RQipz1GtfJi1ATI/s1600/loft+dressy+dress-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0uVIZn_gUWYEOoD4zpL1Z_nAJgJgaQkK-wh0eR9TZ9vngsSQ1xUDbLkSp5cqzcb0CzbPpaCM2dKIQukJUQRjgRJw7xdJaMNDifj4ldUAlKUHjCuXMtbDv52USK12RQipz1GtfJi1ATI/s320/loft+dressy+dress-3.jpg" width="126" /></a></div>And the final dress I have to share, which was in HEAVY rotation this summer is the Loft Empire Tank Dress with Twist Detail. Can't remember the specs on this, I know I got it as a % off, just not sure whether that was 30, 40, or whatever. In any case, in terms of cost per wear, it may well be one of the cheapest items in my closet right now.<br />
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What's not to love on this one... Great shade of gray. Beautiful draping. Lovely empire waist. I took an M in the dress, and it fit perfectly. The fabric is mostly synthetic, if I recall, but it still breathes. This was a hot, steamy day staple in my wardrobe this summer. Wore it tons.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWya1rEKEry5KGv_Lrxug4H-Ntn5vaBK-yeDf5ioSBXWw3bkimpsjzkOcwKWbGQOhn1mHVAp_uBhzikHmLSfMo3KvUxu9_XdKHDwrAaoV4SEp_qNYEJtD2j4RhFZVZBQgHtpAZOSURNZM/s1600/loft+dress-dressy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWya1rEKEry5KGv_Lrxug4H-Ntn5vaBK-yeDf5ioSBXWw3bkimpsjzkOcwKWbGQOhn1mHVAp_uBhzikHmLSfMo3KvUxu9_XdKHDwrAaoV4SEp_qNYEJtD2j4RhFZVZBQgHtpAZOSURNZM/s320/loft+dress-dressy.jpg" width="162" /></a></div>Funny story on this dress: When I tried it on, I was asking the SA about the feasability of wearing my usual summer sports bra/cami underneath so that I didn't have to wear a real bra with it. She, of course, was going on and on about how I could dress it up with heels, necklaces, etc. 9 a bit like at left here) and I was just like: um, I have plenty of that stuff, I really just want a cute knit dress I can throw on with a sports bra on a hot day and head out the door. And that's exactly what I did with it...over and over and over again.<br />
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Polyvore of Empire Tank Dress:<br />
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<div><div style="height: 400px; position: relative; width: 400px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/15_10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=20790652"><img alt="7/15/10" border="0" force="1" height="400" src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFnVBNlNqRF9RM3hHdTZTVUpEa1RrSGcAAAACaWQKAWUAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg" title="7/15/10" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/15_10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=20790652">7/15/10</a> by <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=659686">HeidiGblog</a> featuring <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/ray-ban_sunglasses/shop?brand=Ray-Ban&category_id=57">ray ban shades</a></small></div><br />
I may have a post or two more on summer left, but I'll be switching to fall really soon, I swear.HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-20259752498230350182010-09-04T19:27:00.000-04:002010-09-04T19:36:13.707-04:00J Crew Franny Dress (Retail Only?)Happy Labor Day Weekend! We are headed off to a Mexican Fiesta Pool Party tonight - grown-ups only. I want to be wearing a cute little dress...but it's about 70 degrees right now and headed down to a low of 51 tonight, so I don't think a cute little dress is in the cards...unless I go with a coat and tights...but it's Labor Day weekend - way too soon to pull out the tights in MD. Instead I'll be wearing a pair of white jeans, like probably 50% of the ladies there. I imagine that about 35% will have on regular jeans, and the other 15% will split out between black pants and the fools crazy enough to go with bare legs. Did I mention it's always very breezy at our pool, so it's going to feel a lot chillier? <br />
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But I'll have my Jaspe sequined slouchy sweatshirt to keep me warm...and sparkly...and given all the gardening I've been doing today, a sweatshirt seems about right I've posted on that before and I'm not sure if I'll get pics before I go, so I thought I'd share what I wish I were wearing. And I'll brace myself for the tomatoes, because a lot of you saw it on <a href="http://musingsonmtn.blogspot.com/2010/08/jcrew-fitting-room-reviews-dresses.html" target="_blank">AppGal of Musings on the Mountain</a> and I think pretty much everyone agreed with her big thumbs down. Then again, I've always said it would be really boring if we all wore the exact same JCrew, right?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQ2txugJ2j4RPDJwfz5BPXEgroRDcWGao9YtfUd2XeZrTW-OkQUpuAEFuT0xoa4kmfLy5C1Q1yQk6lIdhytA1FyoWQPN2bHjoi0darW2RNVlObfWZGCeshfC2woJ4ZUgIDj-mX53v428/s1600/dress2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQ2txugJ2j4RPDJwfz5BPXEgroRDcWGao9YtfUd2XeZrTW-OkQUpuAEFuT0xoa4kmfLy5C1Q1yQk6lIdhytA1FyoWQPN2bHjoi0darW2RNVlObfWZGCeshfC2woJ4ZUgIDj-mX53v428/s400/dress2.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>J Crew Franny Vintage Mixy Dress (#31033, $128, currently marked down in stores but not sure of the price).<br />
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Let's get this out of the way...it's short. It's shorter than anything I own. But I fell in love with the dress...in spite of the length. Now I'm certainly not going to wear it to volunteer at school. For me, it's a great party dress. I wore it a week after I got it to a wine tasting and fundraiser for Grassroots Soccer. (fantastic organization, by the way, a co-workers daughter is doing a fellowship in South Africa this year) <br />
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Even though it's short, the way the hem falls, I actually don't feel like it's about to blow up in the wind - it's cut straight at the bottom - not billowy. I actually felt very secure in it, hem-wise...and you know me, I'm usually the first complaining (whining) about JC's hemlines.<br />
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I love love love the fact that the dress is cotton. I like the mix of textures - the black eyelet is just fun for me. The waistline hits me at a good spot. It's cool and comfy, and works great with just a regular black bra (so it's easy).<br />
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Interestingly enough, I got this dress when I was out shopping with one of my dearest bloggie friends, dinagideon - who is a couple inches shorter than me and is long-shinned as well (while I am short-shinned, with more of my leg length in my femur). Dina tried on the dress, but it actually looked shorter on her, which was weird. And we both agreed it was weird because usually everything looks and is shorter on me. We think it had something to do with the weird bodice fit on her. For me and my wide shoulders, it sat in the right spot. But it was nice to ha<br />
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But I go back to <a href="http://ema-shoppingmycloset.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Ema's sidebar notes on her blog, My Closet, My Baby, and I</a>: "If something that you are trying makes you feel like you are Kate Hudson (replace Kate Hudson with your favorite style icon), BUY IT." I felt a bit Gwyneth in the dress.<br />
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Given all that's going on with the dress, I kept the rest of the outfit pretty simple - ponytail, stud earrings, and flat sandals. Yes...FLAT sandals...because it is a short skirt and flat shoes always ground the short length a bit. <br />
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Funny story: When I was trying the dress on at my not-usual B&M, the SA suggested it would look great with heels. And I just looked at her and said "with a hem this short? seriously??? Um, yeah, I don't think so." But I may try it out in chillier weather with tights and a long cardi...we'll see...not sure if I'm that adventurous yet.<br />
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And if you need a tomato to toss, check out the gorgeousness below...fresh out of the garden this morning:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4R3HvZ8rehuH19iGem2ts-LGnP7Re_utZLGeN7iydWPytwXJsDhNH6J6W6E3QO9P9lNgsjc3zcWro2WuXGnYObTr-Kd7-tWb-lCzJzzaFREdIzNVdEiL0qWlfnImks98UiZu6_Pb4epk/s1600/tomatoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4R3HvZ8rehuH19iGem2ts-LGnP7Re_utZLGeN7iydWPytwXJsDhNH6J6W6E3QO9P9lNgsjc3zcWro2WuXGnYObTr-Kd7-tWb-lCzJzzaFREdIzNVdEiL0qWlfnImks98UiZu6_Pb4epk/s320/tomatoes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6871738287043527278.post-73642672379822284642010-09-03T17:01:00.003-04:002010-09-03T17:04:48.430-04:00Back to School in the Crew...with some Loft Love<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Today's post is dedicated to <a href="http://tweedandtoile.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">My4Boys - have you seen her new blog, Tweed and Toile</a>? And it's not just the cute pic of her 2 pooches on the sidebar that makes me like it...although admittedly for me, cute puppy pics always make it more fun. She's always had such great Polyvore sets, and now we get to see them in person. Check it out!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xGnb4gIaTdZRMwZZa1fk68oRMEaHoYgiMlvskJlkx4fmSTcDHEbyFkbBs9rQX6mZgEzliNbmhP8AdgdJBesowkzkWYYk3Czur_OmO2bmiBqJLKR5_JqmlnXULkMq8WzPVz5nkJPG1Ag/s1600/DSC_0023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xGnb4gIaTdZRMwZZa1fk68oRMEaHoYgiMlvskJlkx4fmSTcDHEbyFkbBs9rQX6mZgEzliNbmhP8AdgdJBesowkzkWYYk3Czur_OmO2bmiBqJLKR5_JqmlnXULkMq8WzPVz5nkJPG1Ag/s200/DSC_0023.jpg" width="172" /></a>Anyway...a month ago or so, she had a <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/untitled/set?id=20570172" target="_blank">way cute Polyvore set </a>with one of my all time fave tees, the J Crew navy/white striped tissue tee from last fall with cuffed jeans and a pair of adorable red sandals - from Loft (the Bridget thong sandal). I might not have stopped to look that closely at the shoes at Loft, but the next time I went in, I moseyed over to the big huge tower o'sale shoes, tried them on, and realized that they actually were as cute as I thought they should be (note the large amount of projection here - it disappoints me when something doesn't live up to all the outfits I've created in my head). And not only were they cute, they were on sale and 50% off, so they were mine for $17.49. I was impressed with the padded footbed for comfort, and the fact that it meant my other sandal requirement - that I could slide the strap over the back of my heel without having to unbuckle it. Lazy, I know, but it works for me.</div><br />
I'm viewing these as the perfect summer alternative to my patent peep toe flats - it's a great pop of color for all the neutral - white/tan/gray/navy/black - that I wear. It works with all of them.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CgvvLI1O7e640B1aioZNaBEtMsXgexXEOtytWUuLLyeAiPL0sUXKWnnmZepoiZFvbA8apCNdkJeTk0OrxUPc7LLYMJ9METE-MTaLmsNGjAf-xEh1b915TKqylNmeJs9x8p3LNg97GDI/s1600/aug16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CgvvLI1O7e640B1aioZNaBEtMsXgexXEOtytWUuLLyeAiPL0sUXKWnnmZepoiZFvbA8apCNdkJeTk0OrxUPc7LLYMJ9METE-MTaLmsNGjAf-xEh1b915TKqylNmeJs9x8p3LNg97GDI/s400/aug16.jpg" width="130" /></a>And so to the outfit...I wore it, ironically, much earlier in August - about 2 weeks before the kiddies went back to school, but the JC Nicky skirt always has such a schoolgirl vibe for me (maybe because of the navy color?), so it really reminded me of back to school. So whenever I wear it, I'm usually trying to downplau the schoolgirl feel and skew it more to the resort vacation vibe..which is why I probably never wear it with sweaters. But colorful sandals really help with that. </div><br />
The Bridget thong sandals were the perfect finishing touch to the navy skirt and white (open crewneck painter) tee ensemble. And a chunky pewter locket for some visual weight. I liked the nautical feel of this outfit. Admittedly, I could sub in most any of my colorful sandals and they would work with this outfit. I particularly look forward to utilizing the Bridgets for the 4th of July, when I'm usually wearing navy with or without some white, because I just don't do red clothing in the summer - doesn't work on me with my coloring. Speaking of the 4th, I could replicate this outfit...if only it weren't so hot every year...oh well, food for thought.<br />
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Does anyone else have the Nicky skirt from Spring 09? I wouldn't mind finding it in in the hot pink or orange color they had. Size 8...let me know. Maybe I should really be posting on the JCA exchange. (see note above on laziness)<br />
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Polyvore from 8/16/10:<br />
<div><div style="height: 400px; position: relative; width: 400px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/16_10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=22098694"><img alt="8/16/10" border="0" height="400" src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFjBvNWUyWHlwM3hHX08yZThBaXRlelEAAAACaWQKAWUAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg" title="8/16/10" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/16_10/set?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=22098694">8/16/10</a> by <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed&id=659686">HeidiGblog</a> featuring <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/ray-ban_sunglasses/shop?brand=Ray-Ban&category_id=57">ray ban shades</a></small></div><br />
<div style="font-size: 0.75em;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=9399270" rel="nofollow">Women's knits & tees - textured knits - Open crewneck painter tee -...</a>, $30<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=4418594" rel="nofollow">Women skirts Cotton taffeta Nicky skirt</a>, $78<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=20242522" rel="nofollow">Bridget Thong Sandal</a>, $44<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=4483064" rel="nofollow">Heloise metallic shoulder bag</a>, $860<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=6921467" rel="nofollow">Sterling Silver Earrings, Cheap Silver Earrings, Silver CZ Earrings at...</a>, $102<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=4055603" rel="nofollow">Grandpas Pocket Watch Necklace</a>, $28<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=21473479" rel="nofollow">Amazon.com: Essie Nail Color Over the Top ES-624: Beauty</a>, $5.14<br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=4909092" rel="nofollow">Ray Ban sunglasses sidestreet 4068</a><br />
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=659686&.mid=embed-textlist&id=10844227" rel="nofollow">COLOURlovers :: Color / EFF2DB / Steam</a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqe4StzK0Mu2LZXvu0VfBPSXzOPwnV-rSZkNZs_ER6BmobKUKzZJvCaWWPi2NWhZIxlV73uSmDuHrZQWw4IKY7XYOdmXES1vkuD6QFGOkuZFEZyEZ_4nrHfHBmd9clyBQ9PWszPQ9h3Y/s1600/silly+puppy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqe4StzK0Mu2LZXvu0VfBPSXzOPwnV-rSZkNZs_ER6BmobKUKzZJvCaWWPi2NWhZIxlV73uSmDuHrZQWw4IKY7XYOdmXES1vkuD6QFGOkuZFEZyEZ_4nrHfHBmd9clyBQ9PWszPQ9h3Y/s320/silly+puppy.jpg" /></a>And since I mentioned cute puppy pics above as well as back to school...this is Lucy's back to school picture...since the only way E would consent to get a BTS pic with her brother was if Lucy was in the pic as well. (yes...the kiddies needed to go back to school this week and get out of the house...)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Hope you are enjoying your back to school season!!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>HeidiGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17335791412412897005noreply@blogger.com2