Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Tuxedo Light

This ERIN by Erin Fetherston dress reminds me so much of a tuxedo, but with a feminine twist!

Dress: ERIN by Erin Fetherston Eliza Colorblock Dress

Pumps: Jimmy Choo Metallic Blue Pointy Toe Pumps (sold out)


The dress is also available in a beautiful poinsettia red from Neiman Marcus, or you can rent the slightly more demure version from Rent the Runway in pink/black.

Feminine is definitely a word you can use to describe most of the designs from Erin Fetherston. In this Forbes article from 2015, the designer describes her inspirations as a combination of "Taylor Swift, Fairy Tales and Polished Pixies." You can't get more feminine than that!

Monday, August 29, 2016

Blue and Gold

I attended my 20-year high school reunion this past weekend, and it was so much fun to catch up with old friends and reminisce about those days when I was young (and naive). Chattahoochee High School colors are blue and gold, so of course I had to look the part.


Dress: Herve Leger Square-Neck Metallic Tank Dress (sold out)

Shoes: Christian Louboutin Disqueen Caged Sandals (no longer available)

Purse: Diane Von Furstenberg Evil Eye Clutch

The reunion was held at Sugo, a restaurant in Johns Creek, close to where I attended high school. The venue was a little small considering all the people who showed up, but it was a great success, and now there's talk of having another reunion in five years.

Here are some photos that Chapin, my wonderful date for the night, took throughout the evening. He really was a great sport, considering he knew just a few people there. I sure do love my husband!

I think the Class of '96 still looks good after all these years!








Friday, August 26, 2016

Looking Back

Although there's a lot going on with this dress, "dainty" is the first word that comes to mind when describing it.


Dress: Taylor White Lace Fit and Flare Dress with Black Floral Detail

Sizing: The dress runs large; I'm (shockingly) wearing a size 2 above.

Tip: The back of the dress is open, so if you work in a really conservative office, it might not be appropriate. But, it's Friday, so I feel comfortable wearing the dress to Local Marketing, Inc. (LMi) today.

The dress is available online at the following retailers:


Pumps: Sophia Webster Mika Polka Dot Leather Pumps (no longer available)

I'm looking forward to the weekend, because tomorrow evening, I will be attending my 20 Year High School reunion. 20 years... I still can't believe I graduated that long ago.

I've been thinking a lot about my high school years over the past few weeks as the reunion date has neared. People from my class have been posting personal photos from 1992-1996, when I matriculated at Chattahoochee High School, and it's made me realize that -- regardless of our popularity level -- we all found our niche.

1996: Winning an award for The Speculator (Mrs. Umeck, Lindsay, and me)

Each person found a way to "survive" high school, and -- at least for me -- I know those experiences helped craft the person I am today. For example, my senior year I was co-Editor-in-Chief of my high school newspaper, The Speculator. My partner in crime, Lindsay, was much more outgoing than I was; she was the stronger leader, but I was a stronger writer with a lot of ideas on how I wanted to shape the paper and the stories I wanted to tell. The two of us worked so well together as a team... and I think I have a similar relationship today with my business partner at LMi.

Most of The Speculator Senior Staff (1996)

I'm excited to reconnect with different people from my high school days, because despite different outside interests, we all shared those same walls, those same crammed hallways, those same four difficult and rewarding years. Here are just a few things I remember:

  • The Oklahoma City bombing in 1995; I remember so vividly watching Coach Crooks, my AP U.S. History teacher, rolling a TV down the hallway so he could have the news on in his classroom. I didn't know then what happened, but I knew it couldn't be good.
  • The day the OJ Simpson verdict was returned; we just happened to be out of school that day, so I watched the verdict read live on TV. I remember shouting at the television set in our living room, flabbergasted and outraged that a killer was going free.
  • The morning I walked into school and was herded into the cafeteria; the school didn't have heat, and a little while later, we all went home, a surprise day off in the middle of the week.
  • The Blizzard of '93; I remember watching in horror as the snow piled up outside. My family and I were supposed to go to Texas to celebrate my grandparents' wedding anniversary, but got snowed in. School was out for several days the following week.
  • The year the first trailers showed up at school to support our burgeoning population. I remember having math class in one, which made me hate it even more. Math was not my strong suit!
  • The excitement over school events, like Prom and Homecoming. Senior year, I went to both those events with friends, and probably had more fun despite not having a date. Junior year, I did have a date! Gosh, my hair was so short.
Junior Year Prom: 1995 (What was I wearing? Ugh.)


I look forward to tomorrow night and toasting those high school memories (and more) with old friends, because -- despite all the difficulties -- I'm proud of my high school self. I studied hard, but still had fun, and I found friends that are still among my best friends today.

High school wasn't easy, but it sure is fun to look back on those days and smile.

Monday, August 22, 2016

Blithe

I recently discovered a new designer, Blithe, at Belk. The brand reminds me quite a bit of one of my favorite all-time designers, Shoshanna. The creations are feminine, fun and chic, though I would say most are better suited for weekends (brunch, baby showers, lunch, etc.) than the office.

The dresses from the most recent Blithe collection are now on sale in Belk stores and online, and I recently picked up two for around $30 each. Today, I'm wearing one of my new purchases!


Dress: Blithe 'Sunny' Yellow and Blue Floral Fit and Flare Dress

For some reason, this dress was cheaper in the store than on the Belk website.

Shoes: Jimmy Choo Metallic Blue Pointy  Toe Pumps (sold out)

Friday, August 19, 2016

Flowers and Stripes

It's a casual day in the office today, and super humid outside, so I wanted to wear something comfortable. The answer: this short-sleeve t-shirt dress from French Connection. There's only so much I can do with my hair on a moist day like today -- we had some bad rainstorms last night that cooled us off (slightly) but did not do anything to tamper the humidity -- so I wanted to take the attention away from my head!


Dress: French Connection Floral Striped Short-Sleeve Sheath Dress

The dress is available at Neiman Marcus Last Call and 6pm.com.

Sandals: Stuart Weitzman Strutting Platform Sandals (no longer available)

I'm looking forward to a low-key weekend of reading, relaxing, eating and maybe shopping, too. After running around Chicago last weekend, it will be nice to take it easy. Enjoy your weekend!

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

What You Love

I feel like I have worn so many BCBGMaxAzria dresses lately, but this season, I'm just so in love with the brand. Here I am in another BCBGMaxAzria lace design.


Dress: BCBGMaxAzria Jasmyne Striped Lace Dress

The dress is still available for purchase online and in stores:


The sandals, a gift from my parents on our recent shopping trip to Belk, are still available to purchase as well. (I got these on clearance.) Hurry, though, because most retailers have only a few sizes left. Find them here:
These are my first sandals from the Coach brand, and they are not only cute and chic, but comfortable, too. The heel is fairly low for me, which might help!

Here is a similar style available at Macys.com.

Monday, August 15, 2016

Always a Fashionista

My 20-year high school reunion is coming up in a few weeks, and I've been having fun posting and viewing pictures on the group's Facebook page. I even had my mom track down my old yearbooks so I could look through them. I'm not the only one feeling nostaligic; so many people have posted old photos from our high school years. Seeing the old fashion trends has been a highlight for me. I can't believe how long I wore my shorts in high school!

One of my classmates pointed out that I've "always been a fashionista." She was referring to a photo of me in a dress with a Peter Pan collar:



I wore this dress, which I believe was from Ann Taylor, quite a bit my last year of high school. I loved it. I have always been attracted to cute, feminine clothing.

Now, here I am 20 years later in a dress with a Peter Pan collar! Some trends never go out of style.


Dress: Alice + Olivia Mariette Peter Pan Collar Combo Dress (sold out; I bought mine on RueLaLa.com)

The top is silk, and the skirt is jersey, so the dress overall is really comfortable. In addition to the Peter Pan collar, I adore the little cap sleeves on this dress. And yes, I'm definitely wearing my Spanx here. I highly recommend the Spanx Shape My Day Girl Shorts if you want to smooth out your hips, butt and thighs in a tight fitting dress or skirt.

Shoes: Kate Spade New York Jill Rosette Wedges

The wedges are adorable, too, and I think the black and white stripes and pop of red really compliment the black and white dress just right. You can still buy them (and on sale) at the following retailers:

If I look a little tired today, it's because I had a whirlwind weekend with my family in Chicago. My sister, Laura, and I surprised our sister, Gail, with a surprise visit for her 35th birthday. (My parents made the trip, too.) Gail has lived in the Windy City the last few years, and she really misses Atlanta and her family. I filmed the moment she opened the door (she was expecting a maintenance man to clean out her vents), and it's truly priceless.

Thursday, August 11, 2016

My Kind of Dress

There are just some dresses that, when I see them, I know I have to buy. I saw this Taylor dress and immediately felt it was made just for me -- or, at least, someone with my sense of style. I just had to wait for it to go on sale...


Dress: Taylor Patterned Fit and Flare Dress in Periwinkle

The dress is still available at a few retailers:


I bought this dress on a recent shopping trip with my parents to Belk. Yes, I went shopping with both of my parents -- a very rare occasion, indeed.

Shoes: SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker (no longer available)

Celebrity Sighting!
The dress was recently seen on Daytime Divas. Check out WornonTV.net for other great outfits from this show and many others.


Monday, August 8, 2016

Fashion Origami

Happy Monday! Chapin and I had a relatively quiet weekend, spending time at home with our boys and watching the first few days of the Olympics. I especially enjoy watching the swimming and gymnastics events. I feel so proud to be an American when I watch the Olympics, and I'm so excited for all the amazing athletes competing in Rio. There is even a swimmer from my old high school, Chattahoochee High School in Alpharetta, Georgia, competing in the Games. Go Cougars!

Speaking of high school, I will be attending my 20-year high school reunion later this month, and our Facebook page has been filled with memories; people are posting old photos, mainly from 8th-12th grades, that show just how much we (and fashion) have changed over the years. I can't wait to see my former classmates and find out what they're up to these days.


Today's Outfit Details:

Dress: RVN Origami Color Block Circular Jacquard Flare Dress
I'm wearing a size small for reference.

Although the material is a little heavy, the dress is actually perfect for this busy Monday; it's not quite as hot as usual in Atlanta due to the overcast skies. It's been a terribly hot summer, and although I will miss the long days and 9 p.m. sunsets, I'm looking forward to Fall.

Pumps: Kate Spade New York

Thursday, August 4, 2016

A Little Extra Sleep, A Lot of Good

I'm in a great mood today, maybe because I had a little extra sleep (and cuddle time with the hubby) this morning. Instead of my usual workout, which can last anywhere from 60-90 minutes, I did a short Jillian Michaels video and ran with Norman outside. It was a quick workout, but I think I needed the extra sleep more than the extra time in the gym. As people tend to say: Listen to your body!


If you need to squeeze a workout into 30 minutes, I highly recommend two videos from Jillian Michaels: Ripped in 30 or 30-Day Shred. As Jillian likes to say, there are no excuses; you can find 30 minutes to exercise. Working out is not only good for the body, but it's good for the mind.

After George passed away, I was a wreck. I didn't want to do anything -- even exercise. But when I finally got myself up and at the gym again, I found that I did feel better after a workout. The endorphins put you in a better state of mind, and you will feel your confidence increase as you see your body become toned and lean. I know I don't have children and that many people have crazy, hectic, busy lives, but I think exercise is greatly underrated as an essential part of daily life.

This dress was a good choice for today, mainly because Chapin was working from home this morning. There are two buttons in the back of this dress that I can't quite reach on my own!

Dress: BCBGMaxAzria Ericka Grommet Fit and Flare Dress

The dress is still available at just two online stores:


I bought the dress during the recent Amazon Prime Day, which I tend to call "Christmas in July." So many retailers took advantage of people's "summertime shopping spirit" with sales of their own. It's amazing the influence that Amazon has on online shopping behavior.

The dress actually reminds me of an outfit I wore back in 6th grade, from a store called 5-7-9. I am not sure this franchise still exists - I believe it was bought or taken over by another brand called Rainbow - but I have fond memories of going there on special occasions to pick out "cool" outfits for school and social events. The outfit I'm thinking of was a black jacket and skirt combo, and there were large gold grommets on the jacket. I'm sure my family remembers it!

Sandals: Jimmy Choo Bronx Black and Gold Buckle Sandals

These sandals are no longer available, but here is a similar style.

Monday, August 1, 2016

Sail to Sable

This year, I was introduced to a new brand, Sail to Sable, through one of my favorite shopping sites, RueLaLa.com. The brand features a mix of dresses, rompers, tops and more for women and girls, with a style that reminds me of Shoshanna and Lilly Pulitzer rolled into one. The description for the brand reads: "Inspired by all things summer down the East Coast."


This dress seems more suitable for Spring or Fall, but I just fell in love with it the second I saw it. I love the scallop detail on the neckline and hem.

Dress: Sail to Sable Basket Fit and Flare Navy Dress

The dress also comes in white/coral.

Pumps: Stuart Weitzman Capsize Metallic Cap Toe Pumps (sold out)