Thursday, March 12, 2020

Goodbye Gilstrap Lane

Based on the amount of packing we are going to be doing this weekend, today is most likely my very last outfit post on our current patio. We have lived in our little house on Gilstrap Lane since August 2013, and I will miss it so much -- especially my short commute -- but it's time for bigger and better things. I'm trying to be strong amidst all this stress and change, but it's so hard! If you have any advice about moving, leave a comment.


Outfit Details

Dress: Milly Micro Dot Fitted Dress

There is nothing truly unique about this Milly dress, but it's super flattering for a body con dress. I love the bold color and print, too; I can never resist polka dots!

Shoes: Prada Leather Cutout Ankle Booties (no longer available)


Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Boot Up

Today might very well be my last #OOTD post in my current home. I'm excited and sad all at once; change is definitely hard for me!


Outfit Details

Dress: Rebecca Taylor Watercolor Snake Hammered Silk Dress

The print is truly unique, and the dress design is both eye-catching and flattering, fitted at the waist with a small keyhole neckline. (I'm wearing a size 0 for reference. Rebecca Taylor is running very large lately.)

I love the colors as well. The rich hues of purple, brown and even blue are perfect for the fall and winter months.

You can still buy the dress on the Rebecca Taylor website or at Bloomingdale's or ShopBop.


Shoes: Jimmy Choo Minori Croc-Embossed Square Toe Booties

You can still find a few sizes (on sale) at Saks or you can browse the Jimmy Choo website (but will have to pay full price).

I'm not normally a boot person, but I thought these Jimmy Choo boots matched so well with the dress, and I like mixing it up every now and then. They also go great with jeans!

These booties are honestly an odd length, though; I literally have to unzip them so I can drive. They hit so high up it's a bit hard to move in them! Oh, what we ladies will do in the name of fashion!

Since the boots are made from "croc embossed leather" I can't help but think of another pair of crocodile boots: the boots Jack T. Colton (Michael Douglas) wore at the end of Romancing the Stone. That movie is still one of my favorites from the 1980s. I'll watch it anytime I come across it when I'm flipping channels. (Yes, we still have cable!)

Monday, March 9, 2020

Go With the Flow

This flowy dress from Ted Baker is a strong choice on a day when I don't want to try too hard. You can just pull it on and go! I hate losing an hour of sleep to the "spring ahead" time change. At least it means warmer weather is on the way!


Outfit Details

DressTed Baker Lilis Quartz Print Midi Dress


The dress was previously available at stores like Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom, but is now mainly sold out. You can still find it at a few random retailers now if you try, though!

Shoes: Sophia Webster Danae Crystal Strappy Sandals

Aren't these shoes fabulous? They look much better IRL than in these photos, so sparkly and beautiful. They are works of art for your feet!


And please excuse my toenails. I recently lost the toenail on my left big toe, a drawback of running long distances like the recent Hot Chocolate 15K, so I've decided to forgo toenail polish for a few months. Sometimes I wish we didn't have toenails at all; they can be such a nuisance to runners.

I'm loving that it's sunny today in Atlanta, but the rainy weather will be coming back tomorrow. Ugh. That's all I need during a week when I'm fighting exhaustion. At least I have a lot to do (work, packing) to keep me distracted. Ten days until we move into our new house! Woo-hoo!


Friday, March 6, 2020

Loving Rebecca Taylor

Today's dress is just so pretty -- the color, the velvet polka dots, the style -- so it made me so happy  when the dress recently went on sale. I am really in love with so much the Rebecca Taylor brand is producing right now.


Outfit Details


Find the dress at ShopBop (select sizes only) and the Rebecca Taylor website. I'm wearing a size 0 for reference. The dress also comes in black, but I prefer this muted maroon color.


Shoes: Jimmy Choo Baxen Chain Fabric Peep-Toe Wedge Pump

I had the hardest time deciding on a shoe to wear with this dress, but you can never go wrong with black. Some of my shoes are in storage right now, so I'm sort of limited in my choices these days. We are starting our packing in earnest tomorrow, but I hope to do a few more OOTD posts before we move. I will miss our patio where I have done these posts for the last few years.


I'm definitely happy today is Friday. Tonight, Chapin and I are doing our traditional Friday night: ordering in Indian food from our favorite Indian restaurant, Tabla, and watching Project Runway. We also have the last episode of Jack Ryan to watch (season 2) on Amazon Prime. It was an intense season with a lot of deaths, including one dog. :(

What are you watching these days? Leave a note in the comments.

Monday, March 2, 2020

Olive to Tell

I love a good fit and flare dress, as they are so flattering on every body type. A style with vertical lines, like this dress from Parker, is even better, as the stripes help elongate the frame and slim you down.


Outfit Details

Dress: Parker Flor Knit Dress in Moss

Aside from the style, I was drawn to this dress because of the color; I just love this shade of green. Whether you're calling it Moss or Olive or Army Green, this muted green shade is a great winter and fall color. I find it works well with my hair (brown), skin tone (olive) and eyes (blue). I even wore olive eye shadow today to match.

Shoes: SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker Nirvana Mary Jane Pumps in Fishnet


These pumps are available in black patent at Saks or in silver at Neiman Marcus. The fishnet style, which reminds me of one of my favorite pairs of pumps that I used to wear all the time in grad school, seems to be sold out.

Most people who know me understand that fitness is a big part of my life. I love to workout, running on the treadmill or outside, or taking spinning classes on the Peloton (#MicheleATL). I just crossed a milestone on Peloton -- my 500th ride -- and I'll be going to Homecoming in May to meet other people just as Peloton obsessed as I am.

I've also been doing more work on my arms, using heavier weights (8-12 pounds) and stepping up the reps. Now, seeing today's photos, I'm concerned my arms are a bit too beefy. I definitely need someone to give me an honest opinion - that's where you come in, oh dedicated blog readers! Any comments?

I'm glad I have friends who also love fitness -- like my friend, Katie, who just ran the Publix Atlanta 2020 Marathon on Sunday. She trained for months and I'm sure it was an amazing feeling to cross that finish line.

My friend and marathoner, Katie K.

Now I'm considering running a marathon as well. I'm just worried about the toll it might take on my body. But I'm still thinking about it...

Cheering Katie on with my dorky sign! That's Oakland Cemetery behind me.

We are going to be moving in a few weeks, so the scenery for my OOTD posts will soon be changing. I'm sad, excited and scared at so much change, but hopefully it will all be for the better. I'm turning 42 this year; it's a new phase of life!