New York Weather Report... Dark with a Chance of Ruffles

Emmy

It really hasn't been much of a summer here in New York, its been raining daily (torrential downpours) for the last month! Forecasts are not expecting any improvement until end of July --- I think we may have traded weather with London.

Still, it hasn't deterred me from my annual bathing suit purchases...

Delia's --- believe it or not!
On sale for $24.99 per piece.

Particularly obsessed with ruffles this summer (along with everyone else, I suppose), but I enjoyed the combination of black and berry together as seen in spr/summer 09 shows... so I thought I'd try that color combo with the swimsuit --- I never liked them to be too matchy.

Saturation

Hey Lola,

Remember that time in college we both came home raving about our new nail polish, only to discover we'd simultaneously bought the exact same tint: Haute Red?

I reminisce every time I don this onslaught of color. Right now I'm doing so full force, toes and fingers. It's saying, I'm entering the sun. Now bring on the bright shades more boldly offbeat than my classically hot self.

Yeah summer. Yeah saturation. 
xo

Emmy

dreaming a'boot

I tend to buy items in their off seasons. 

This picky shopper will walk around for seasons -- sometimes years! -- with an image of something curdling up in my mind. The actual purchase of such can be attributed either to surfacing immediate need or a spontaneous, perfectly attributed find. 

These boots are the latter. I'd say they're basically three-season boots here in SF -- not summer. But no matter, I love them absolutely and have been waiting for them. They're deep reddish burgundy, finely detailed with a feminine scalloped edge and upward pleats, low heel, and high and roomy leg. 

I thank Held Over on Haight Street for this gem. Initial reaction to the vintage/consignment store was there's nothing wearable here. I followed my own rule-of-thumb, however, and pieced through the plethora of genre sections to find I was only partially wrong. The place has a fantastic, overflowing selection, which doesn't exclude wearable, probably due to sheer amount. But it's very organized and I'll take it!

Superb condition. Made in Italy. $40. Actualization of "dream dark red boots."

purchases: conference calling and online shopping

It was 7pm and I was staying late at work, on a conference call meeting... bored out of my mind.

Then I remembered... J.Crew is currently having an extra 30% off sale off of their sale items! Love J.Crew, their stuff is classic, great quality, and versatile for in and out of work.

click. click. done.

Merino mariner jacket, $48.99
Silk georgette pleated tank, $41.65

"The color of truth is gray" - Andre Gide

Emmy!

Thought I'd share a recent outfit I put together for work that got a bathroom compliment as well (is the bathroom the only place where we have enough time during the day to notice what other women are wearing?)



I have been obsessed with the color gray since the beginning of winter... time for some new colors this spring.

Dress: $34.99, H&M
Cardigan: Gift, Ralph Lauren
Neclace: Thrift, $6.00

xx,
lola

***

Lola!

Adorable - I think my favorite part is the dress' bubble feature (maybe because I'm craving a bubbly black skirt!). Agreed on the gray, which has been done up and down for the past months. Saturated spring colors are seeping into my consciousness, and I like it.

This takes me right back to my previous post on nude, as the transition factor for the winter palette un-color is another of its many features. I think it's going to cross over seamlessly. It's so season-less! Continues to work perfectly as a backdrop for brighter and bolder. So... stay nude? Hehh. 

Emmy

Drawn to the nude

Lola,

Whenever I wear this dress, women are commenting on it all day. Last time I wore it to work sweater-less (it's ruffled at the sleeveless shoulder and a-line to knee) the attention included that of the CFO when I passed her in the bathroom -- she loved it -- and this woman wears nothing but black suits and structures her hair into what can only be described as origami. 

Considering this piece was $17 on consignment, no-name and plain, this shocked me. It got me thinking. There's something about the color nude. Especially in such a forth-coming portion as a dress. It's honest. It's brave. It's sexy in that its suggestive of skin without showing it. It can do a few great things:

1. lengthen (lengthen, lengthen, lengthen...)

2. exaggerate complexion in a complimentary way (disclaimer: beware the "wash-out!")

3. set you up for ultra high contrast

And a little whimsy and texture goes a long way.

Emmy