Outfit Idea: Mixing Textures

Sunny, 60 degree weather is wonderful and very refreshing.  I absolutely love spending time outside whether it is at the playground, driving with the windows down (reliving high school days when I could drive aimlessly for hours listening to my mixes - on cassette tapes!) or attempting to garden.  The only thing holding me back from completely enjoying these days is my inability to strike a balance between overdressing (i.e. wearing my puffy coat) and underdressing (i.e. wearing flipflops and a dress).

Yes, I could wear skinny jeans, ballet flats, a sweater and a light jacket of sorts.  Within a week, though, I tend to develop a blasé attitude towards my "go to" ensemble.  You know the feeling you get at about the 7th month of pregnancy... when you are so tired of wearing the same thing everyday!  My golden rule is that I must mix things up at least a 2-3 times per week in order to keep my sanity. 

I had the perfect opportunity to experiment over the weekend.  I was headed out to run errands for Easter (at the last minute, of course!) by myself.  No girls, just me, my iPod and a beautiful day.  Naturally I felt like getting dressed up more than I usually do.  I headed straight for my skirts and couldn't find a thing to wear.  Some things were to summery, others to wintery, or I didn't have the right shoes to pull off the outfit that I wanted to wear... ugh!

Then it dawned on me like a flash of lightning... mixing textures would be the perfect solution.  I grabbed a crocheted lace skirt from Club Monaco - a birthday present from my hubby!

Beckett Lace Skirt

I topped the skirt with a white ribbed tank and my angora blend sweatshirt style sweater (Club Monaco).

My really old and comfy riding boots were my footwear of choice for a day of running around.

I love my trusty Coach satchel... you can wear it cross-body.  A perfect hands-free bag.

And, voilà!  I was ready to hit the stores.  Comfy, cute and a little different...

                                                                                                                          - Allison

*Photo courtesy of clubmonaco.com.

Trend Alert: Orange Crush

A funny thing happened this week as I was doing some exploratory work for a friend... I happened upon a fabulous shoe trend quite by accident.  I was searching for the perfect pair orange heels (not as difficult as I thought) and came to find out that there are some gorgeous orange shoes out there!  While orange alone is fun, the color combination of choice seems to be a nude(ish) shoe with a touch of orange.  This hint of orange is just enough to keep the shoe interesting, but not enough to scare away anyone who isn't a bold color enthusiast.

There are so many fun things about this color combo that I love... first, nude with a pop of orange is a breath of fresh air. Two, a pair of these would be a great replacement for your standby leopard print or  snake print shoes.  And, three, for you neutral lovers, a pair of these shoes are a great way to shake things up this spring.  Another great point, you can find this color combo in a going to the playground, going out, or going to work shoe... you take your pick.  Therefore, there is a pair for everyone.

I found a bunch of shoes that I liked, but here are a few of my favorites...

The Simona Sandal from Reiss.  Wouldn't these be lovely with a flowing skirt on a sunny summer afternoon...

Not much to say about the Stella McCartney Snake-Print sandals... a flat version of my most favorite sandal... ever!  I'll take a pair to wear with everything.

These Twelfth St by Cynthia Vincent are perfect for a casual chic look day or night.

Reed Krakoff will never steer you wrong.  The Two-Tone Leather Sandals are edgy, but the soft orange keeps the shoe very wearable... to work or a party.

The icing on the cake, the Stella McCartney Snake-Print Sandal.  Nude, a pop of neon orange and snake print... there are no words.

The hardest part, which will be the best fit for your wardrobe?!

                                                                                                            - Allison

*Photos courtesy of netaporter.com, saksfifthavenue.com and lordandtaylor.com.

Outfit Idea: Comfy Clothes

As I opened my eyes this morning and started to wake up, I instantly filled with dread.  I came to the realization that my body ached with every move I made, I had a dull, throbbing pain in my head, it was very painful to swallow and trying to get myself out of bed was the very last thing that I wanted to do.  I just wanted to cry... being sick with kids is no fun.

There used to be a time when I wished for the flu to strike.  Those days in high school when I hadn't studied or had a paper due then next day (and I hadn't started it yet).  Once I started working in the "real world", I happily accepted the occasional cold or flu that kept me home.  It meant that I could lie in bed all day catching up on my soaps and have a little "me" time. You knew work wasn't going anywhere and when you were feeling like yourself again, you would simply catch up.  Now that I have children, I never want to get sick again.

The only thing that comes with being sick with kids is a very long day of dragging yourself around while you try to take anything you can to dull the pain.  Nothing stops with kids.  There are no "sick" days, and the worst part is you get sick much more often with kids.  They seem to bring home something constantly!

Obviously, clothing is not the first thing you care about when feeling lousy.  But, you still have to pick yourself up, take the kids to school, ballet, art class... whatever it may be you are going to have to appear in public.  Rather than wearing your pajamas or sweats, I have got the perfect solution for you.  The maxi dress.

A maxi dress in a soft, comfortable jersey is a girl's best friend on a sick day.  It has the comfort of a nightgown, gaucho pants (do you remember those?!) or even your favorite yoga pants.  There is one exception, though... you look much more polished in a dress vs running around in yoga pants and a sweatshirt.

My dress of choice today was a T by Alexander Wang dress that I bought last spring.  I love this dress to death!  It doesn't drag on the floor, so it is easy to move around in and I can wear it with flat shoes.  The styling of the dress is simple... a basic tank dress that has a bit of an uneven hem.  It is a perfect blank slate for dressing up or down.  I am feeling a little more chilly than usual today, so I layered a white tank and a fitted crewneck cableknit sweater over it and slipped on my favorite cowboy booties.  Perfect!

I am so excited about my "under the weather" ensemble that I may need to add more pieces to closet that can be used for these types of days.  Some things I came across...

This Ella Moss dress is perfect!  I love the stripes and the versatility of the style and pattern. I must own this dress!

When I am not up to par, I usually don't feel very colorful.  On an "under the weather day" I would probably add a black, cozy cocoon cardi.  However, a bright color would look super cute as well.  Since black doesn't show up as well, here are images of both the black and white Wilfred Diderot Sweater from Aritzia.  This is a must have for those "icky" days or just to throw on at the beach. 

As far as shoes go,  I need something flat and comfortable.  A biker boot would be perfect with this look on chillier days and a cute sandal would be great as the temp rises..  Who can go wrong with the Frye Phillip Harness Bootie... love!

This might have to be my new "go to" sick day look... time to go shopping!

                                                                                                                                - Allison

*Photos courtesy of shopbop.com and aritzia.com.