Maje for Me

Today I'm wearing my first dress from Maje, a French brand that describes its overall aesthetic as "feminine, understated, glamorous and bold." Is that me? Maybe. But -- regardless -- I fell in love with this dress and had to have it!

Outfit Details

Dress: Maje Fit and Flare Skater Dress

The dress has long sleeves, a hugely flared skirt and a compelling print. It makes me feel so good when I wear it! I don't go to special events where I need to dress up, so I dress up for work. It's become a part of who I am. I'm perpetually overdressed but always in style.

Shoes: Jimmy Choo Atlas Patent Leather Crisscross Sandals (no longer available)

Weekend Update!

I met the author Soniah Kamal on Saturday morning, and the rest of the weekend was very relaxing. Chapin and I continue to be obsessed with The Great British Bake-Off (#GBBO) and have started the new season of True Detective as well!

Here are a few photos from the author meet and greet. I look exhausted because I had to get up really early to get a workout in before going out to Johns Creek!

Silver Stalking

I stalked this dress at Dillard's for awhile before I bought it. First, it was not on sale, and then, my size sold out. Finally, they got my size back in stock just in time for another awesome Dillard's clearance sale. Hooray! 

I fell in love with this dress because it is just so beautiful. I love the array of orange and blue flowers, and the fluttery cap sleeves are so alluring. I matched my eye makeup to the dress for an extra hint of silver as well!

Dress: Eva Franco Floral Embroidered Puff Sleeve Dress

The dress is sold out now, but you can find other Eva Franco dresses at Amazon, Anthropologie, Bluefly Nordstrom Rack and, of course, Dillard's. Here is a similar style you can buy on the Eva Franco website as well.

Shoes: Jimmy Choo Atlas Patent Leather Crisscross Sandals (no longer available)

I'm coming off a very relaxing weekend, where I mostly ate, read and watched movies on Netflix. Sometimes you just need that kind of weekend.

My mom is out of town, so we had my dad over for lunch on Sunday. Here he is bonding with Norman, who came right over to him and plopped down in his lap. Our dogs love to be loved!

Cincinnati and a Fairytale Frock

Work has been so busy lately! Today passed by in a big blur, and I'm looking forward to the evening when I can relax a little bit. Chapin and I were in Cincinnati this past weekend meeting up with some of Chapin's "Internet" friends, so we haven't even watched the most recent episode of Project Runway! (More details on our trip below.)

After the long drive home yesterday (about seven hours), I wanted to feel pretty after feeling so grungy. So that's why I chose this beautiful lavender Nanette Lepore dress for this hectic Monday.

Outfit Details:

Dress: Nanette Lepore Fairytale Frock in Lavender/Lilac

The dress is so flattering, especially for women with curves, and you can still find it in select sizes at Amazon (in black), Neiman Marcus (in black), Saks and ShopBop.com.

I see why "fairytale" is included in the name; the frock boasts an empire waist, typical of the dress in many fairytales, and the ribbon ties below the bodice remind me of the ribbons used to play the Maypole Dance.

The color is also simply gorgeous, and I played it up with amethyst jewelry and purple eye makeup.

Shoes: Jimmy Choo Atlas Patent Leather Crisscross Sandals (no longer available)

With their ballerina like design and extra straps, I thought these Jimmy Choos were a good complement to the dress.

Weekend in Cincinnati

Chapin and I took Friday off and spent the weekend in Cincinnati to attend one of the world's largest Oktoberfest celebrations. The locals call it "Oktoberfest Zinzinnati"! Although I couldn't drink the beer, there was plenty of cider available, and I fit in just fine with my new hat!

We also attended a Cincinnati Reds game and ate some wonderful food, including breakfast (twice) at Maplewood Kitchen & Bar (the Pastel Omelette and Hashbrowns are amazing) and dinner at Orchids at Palm Court in our hotel. I also had so much fun drinking the "Patrick Swayze" and playing old video games at 16 Bit Bar & Arcade. We packed in a lot during our short time there.

Show Off...

Square neck dresses are super chic and sexy, and this new dress from BCBGMaxAzria is no exception. I am just so in love with it, and even though the material is heavy, the dress is still perfect for summer.

Dress: BCBGMaxAzria Wilma Knit Jacquard Sheath Dress

For reference, I'm wearing a size small. The dress, my current favorite, is still available! Buy it now (while you still can) at the following retailers:

• BCBG.com
• Bloomingdales.com
• Lord & Taylor

I am just loving BCBG this season!

Sandals: Jimmy Choo Atlas Patent Leather Crisscross Sandals

If you find the square neck a bit revealing, the brand also has a similar dress that's a tad more conservative.

Here's a quick update on what I'm reading/listening to/watching at the moment:

Listening to: Panama Wedding
I just discovered this band and I'm obsessed. Check them out if you like alternative music and/or you're fans of bands like Keane or Snow Patrol.

Reading: Two books at once!
I just finished The Book of Unknown Americans: A Novel, and I loved it. It's so well written, and the characters and overall story pulled me in from the start. My mother-in-law, Sheila, had me buy it since I share all my Kindle books with her, and I'm so glad she recommended it. It's not a novel I would normally pick up.

I'm also in the middle of the new Emily Giffin novel, First Comes Love. I am enjoying it so far!

Watching: Grace and Frankie
As you know, I just finished Stranger Things on Netflix, but I'm also watching Grace and Frankie, a Netflix comedy from one of the creators of Friends. I am almost done with season one, and I have just fallen in love with the show and its characters. The story centers on Grace and Frankie (Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin), two wives whose husbands leave them... for each other. In addition to seeing how Grace and Frankie wrestle with this new development so late in their lives, we also see how the husbands adjust to being out in the open about their love. And don't forget the kids from each marriage! I highly recommend the show. Netflix is just on a tear lately with good programming.

Feeling Colorful

I have an insanely busy week ahead of me, so I wanted to start the week off on a bright note... in this multi-colored Trina Turk confection.

Dress: Trina Turk Jeweled Peggy Dress

The vivid cacophony of colors is perfect for a bright sunny day in spring or summer. I feel good just looking at this dress, and the sandals I chose perfectly match the gray/silver hues.  Best of all, the bodice is covered in jeweled stones. It's just such a fun dress overall.

Sandals: Jimmy Choo Atlas Patent Leather Crisscross Sandals in Silver (sold out online)

Chapin and I had a fun evening last night, attending the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival Icon Awards at the Woodruff Arts Center in Midtown. Lawrence Kasdan, a screenwriter-director best known for Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi from the Star Wars series, and The Accidental Tourist, received the honor this year.  Here's a Q&A with Mr. Kasdan.

Afterward, we had a late dinner at Cooks & Soldiers near our home, and it was an amazing seafood extravaganza filled with:

• Grilled Mediterranean octopus ("Pulpo")
• Seared scallops
• A two-pound snapper with mojo verde and garlic chips that came to the table head and all
• Grilled asparagus with olive oil, fleur de sel and garlic chips

The whole meal was fantastic. I even tried a drink with bee pollen as a featured ingredient. It was... odd! It's called the Mayhem Elektrikoa if you ever want to try it.