Ripples

It's been a crazy start to the week, as I had to travel to Milledgeville, Georgia, today for a sales meeting. Since I wanted a professional dress to wear for the meeting, I opted to go with this French Connection sheath dress in a black, white and gray print. The pattern seems tailor made to match my new Jimmy Choo sandals!

Dress: French Connection Record Ripple Lolo Dress

In addition to Amazon, the dress in this particular pattern is still available at Bloomingdale's and 6pm.

The 'Lolo' style has been a popular one for the French Connection UK brand (FCUK). It's now available in a myriad of colors, like Navy, Pink and Sky Blue. You can order it from retailers like Bloomingale's and Belk.

The Lolo dress was also seen on TV: on my soap opera obsession, Pretty Little Liars! Of course, it's the moms on the show who wore it (in black and plum). Yes, that certainly does make me feel old. Laura Leighton, also known as the infamous Sydney from Melrose Place, plays the mom of one of the main characters, Hanna Marin (Ashley Benson).

Shoes: Jimmy Choo Lottie Metallic Leopard Print Sandals

Dress Like a Celeb

I'm always excited when I see a dress or pair of shoes from my own closet appear on a celebrity. I was even more excited when I saw that Ashley Benson, who plays Hanna on Pretty Little Liars, wore a dress I own to promote the show last month on Good Morning, America.

Here's a clip:


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Dress: RVN Ribbed Turtleneck Slit Dress in Blue (no longer available)

Chapin is not a fan of turtlenecks, so I tend not to buy them, but I loved the body-con silhouette of this striped dress. I feel powerful, commanding and attractive whenever I wear it. The stripes are going up and down, which mean they slim the body and help elongate it. There's also a small yet sexy slit on the right side.

Shoes: L.A.M.B.

Since the dress is so long, and I'm so short, I opted for a pair of spiky black heels from the Gwen Stefani brand. I've had these shoes for years, so they are no longer available online.

Pretty Little Liars cast on GMA: 1/12/16. Photo courtesy of Hollywood Life.

Since today is February 15th, I will mention that yesterday was Valentine's Day! Chapin and I had a very quiet holiday. He cooked me a wonderful meal (snapper stuffed with crab, plus polenta with mushrooms), and we exchanged a few small gifts and cards. When you've been married 12 years, sometimes a relaxed day together is all you need to celebrate.

Delectable Dessert of a Dress

How could I resist a dress named after my favorite dessert: the cupcake? Kate Spade New York always delivers with ultra-feminine dresses, and this fit and flare silhouette is no exception. I love the bold blue color, too, to help make my light eyes pop a little more than usual. I know I already have a lot of blue in my closet, but it's my favorite color!

Dress: Kate Spade Cupcake Skirt Dress in Lapis Blue

The dress is still available at the following stores:

• Neiman Marcus
• Revolve Clothing
• 6pm

Similar style dress (cheaper): Adelyn Rae Cross Back Twill Fit and Flare Dress in Cobalt from Nordstrom.

You can also find an embellished version in black at KateSpade.com and Bloomingdales.

Shoes: Casadei Croc-Embossed Leather Slingback Pumps in Gold (no longer available)

Chapin and I have been carpooling this week, and that's probably one reason I look so exhausted. I work out in the mornings, and then take my time getting ready, even stopping to watch Good Morning America while drinking my coffee and eating breakfast. Now I have to rush through my morning routine to get out the door on time. Hopefully, we won't have to carpool for long!

Here's an update on what I've been reading and watching lately:

Reading: I'm almost halfway done with The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel my mother-in-law recommended. I'm enjoying the story so far!

Listening: I am listening to a really random playlist right now that includes Whitney Houston, The Railway Children, Vance Joy, Echosmith and others. When I run outside, I like to use Rock My Run, an app that lets you stream playlists according to your tastes. I'm a big fan of all the 80s mixes, especially this 80s Soundtrack mix.

Watching: I just finished watching the ten-part Netflix series Making a Murderer, about a wrongfully convicted Wisconsin man (DNA proved he was innocent) who gets out of prison after 18 years... only to later go on trial for the brutal murder of a young woman. Steven Avery and his nephew are both now serving time for her death.

When I originally heard about the series, I thought the title referred to the fact that prison turned an innocent man into a murderer, but it's actually about the justice system. From everything I've seen, I'm not convinced Steven Avery is actually guilty. There is certainly reasonable doubt in my mind, especially when it comes to the evidence presented at trial. It really does seem like he was framed.

Chapin and I have discussed the series at length, and Chapin believes Avery is the guilty party. If you've watched it, I'd love to discuss it with you. It's had me captivated this whole week.

I also wrapped up watching Pretty Little Liars about a month ago, and just watched the first new episode of Season 6 this week on Freeform. If anything positive can be said about the month of January, it's all the new TV available!

Pretty Little Dress

I am completely obsessed with Pretty Little Liars. I just started binge watching it on Netflix - I'm already on Season 3 - and I am having to really stop myself from looking up spoilers on the Internet. I am usually a total "spoiler slut," but I'm having too much fun trying to guess at what outrageous plot line the Pretty Little Liars writers will throw at the audience next. If you are looking for a soapy show to watch while you're doing other things (for me: treadmill), then I highly recommend this campy little show.

The actresses on Pretty Little Liars always look perfect: shiny hair, trendy accessories, fun and stylish clothes. They inspired me to try a different look with my hair: big curls. I would love to rock this look more often, but with the Atlanta humidity, the curls last about an hour, so I usually don't bother. At the start of the day, though, they are still intact.

Dress: Shoshanna "Mermaid" Aqua and Gold Fit and Flare Dress

Also available online at Shoshanna.com and Neiman Marcus.

Shoes: Casadei Gold Croc-Embossed Sling-Back Pumps (no longer available)

You can find Casadei pumps online at Saks, Shopbop and other retailers.

Kiss and Tell

Dress: Nanette Lepore Kissing Booth Lace Panel Dress

The dress is still available on some sites, but sizes are limited. For example, 6pm has the dress in black and ivory (the black lace really pops against the ivory, so I recommend this option), but only in a few sizes.

Celebrity Sighting!
Actress Ashley Benson wore the dress in a lighter pink color on a recent episode of Pretty Little Liars. If you ever wonder what your favorite characters are wearing on TV, check out WornonTV.net. I love this site!

Shoes: Kate Spade New York Licorice Pumps in Purple Patent

Try Amazon for a variety of colors on sale! I couldn't find the purple patent option online, but 6pm has the pumps in a beautiful amethyst suede, which is very similar.

Retailers like Piperlime carry the Kate Spade New York Licorice Pumps in many different colors and even some floral prints,  but since the style is so popular, many are still at full price. If you like Piperlime's options, sign up for the site's email for 40% off one item!

Lipstick: NARS Lipstick in Shrinagar ("metallic raspberry")