The Temptress

I don't usually go for the full-on sexy look.  My approach to sexy is usually a little more subtle, but there was something about this cobalt skater dress that I simply couldn't resist.

Dress:  Boohoo.com (Available here)

I had been ogling it at boohoo.com for several months before I finally bit the bullet and went for it.

Heels:  Simply Vera by Vera Wang

Bangle:  The Limited

The off-shoulder look, flirty skirt shape, and cleavage-baring silhouette was just sexy, sexy, sexy to me.

I decided to play up the va-va-va voom of this look by adding my highest heels with their amazing lace-up detail. 

Earrings:  trendylittlepieces - Etsy

As much as this look relies on more conventional elements of sex appeal, I also just think it's fun.  I paired the dress with my custom "Feminist" clutch from Smart Glamour.  I love how the color of the dress plays off of the pink lettering, but I also love the message made in the juxtaposition of a sexy dress and the statement clutch.

Clutch:  Smart Glamour Custom (Available here)

Women are taught through slut-shaming that wearing an outfit like this means "you're asking for it."  Feminism is in part about the freedom of both men and women to dress how they want to dress without fear of violence, covering as much or as little as one wants.  Yes, I love a short skirt and showing off my cleavage.  In no way am I asking to be harrassed, touched, or attacked when I do so. 

While I feel a bit like a temptress, this dress isn't about anybody besides myself (and sharing it with you all, of course). 

It makes me feel great.  I recently gained a little weight and have been feeling a little down on my body.  This dress made me feel sexy and happy, and I just love how the pictures turned out.  In fact, it made me so happy, I had to dance in the rain!! LOL

That said, I will NOT be keeping this dress.  I don't normally take pictures in pieces that I don't intend to keep, but I love this dress so much that I wanted to show it off while also taking the opportunity to talk about fit issues. 

The dress runs small in the chest, and while the 14 fit me well through the body of the dress, it was quite small in the chest (for reference, I'm a 36/38DDD).  I tried wearing a plunge bra with the dress, and you could still see the bra.  The bra helped the dress lay properly, while also helping to resist gravitational pull.  Worn without a bra, the dress gets pulled down in the front, pulling the waistline down, and affecting the fabulous shape of this dress.  With the bra, the waistline of the dress sat at just the right spot for the most flattering of fits.  It has built in padding for shaping, which might also offer some support for smaller chested women.

In the end, despite how much I love and want this dress, it will be going back.  The style just isn't quite working for me.  If you're built with a smaller chest, I highly recommend it, as I can't say enough how adorable I think it is!!

Would you wear a dress like this?  Have you ever tried an item that made you so happy, but you just couldn't resolve the fit issues?

To catch the previous posts in this dress week series, see here, here, and here.

Chambray & Skater

I hope you all had a great weekend.  It was too short for me, but aren't the weekends always?

Skirt:  The Limited

I have been looking for a chambray shirt for years.  Finding one that fit my chest without the dreaded gaping but that wasn't huge in the arms or shoulders has been an incredible challenge.

Top:  Torrid (Available here)

Booties:  Target (Available here)

Cuff:  New York & Company

I was really excited to find this one from Torrid.  It fit well in the body and through the chest.  As expected, the sleeves are too long and a little baggy.  I'm debating whether to have the sleeves hemmed.  When I can just roll up the sleeves, I'm hesitant to spend the extra money on alterations.

I added a red skater skirt and then dressed the look up a bit with a blingy necklace.

Necklace:  Eloquii

While I always think of this skirt as more of a work option, the chambray shirt gives it a more casual vibe that works well for off-duty.

Clutch:  The Limited

I did wear the skirt to work actually and snapped a quick pic of that look. 

Top:  Eloquii (Available here)
Blazer:  New York & Company
Satchel: The Limited

Do you have any challenges in finding button-down tops? What are they?

For the skirt in other looks, see here, here, and here.

Fall Color Week 2: Sangria

Today is an exciting day - this is my 500th post, AND I just found out that I am an official nominee for the St. Louis Fashion Blog Awards in three categories - Best Budget Blog, Best Shopping Content, and Blog of the Year!!!  Please cast your vote here. 

I hope you've been enjoying my series on fall colors.  If you missed my posts on blues and greens, you can check them out here and here, respectively.

Today, I am featuring another Pantone 2014 color for fall - sangria!!

Skirt:  The Limited (Available here)

This gorgeous deep red looks great on a variety of skin tones, and it looks amazing with EVERY neutral.

Top:  The Limited (old)
Blazer:  Forever 21+ (old)

Bracelet:  The Limited (Available here)

I paired a pleated skater skirt with a leopard print top and my favorite black blazer.  Leopard print is always great for fall, and I love leopard print with any shade of red!

Earrings:  The Limited

Boots:  Target (Available here)

Do you like wearing red?  Are you a fan of leopard print with red?

For this top in other looks, see here and here.
For this blazer in other looks, see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Black for Spring: Cutouts and Lace-ups

Good morning!

With spring right around the corner and summer not too far away (I promise), today, I'm starting a series on tips for wearing black in the spring and summer. While I incorporate paler neutrals and more navy into my wardrobe in the spring and summer, I can never give up my trusty and reliable black.  It's a major staple in my wardrobe, so I see no reason to give it up simply because the mercury has started to climb.

Fabric choice, accessories, and other styling choices can take black from dreary winter to the vibrant and warm days and evenings of spring and summer.

Jacket:  Target

Dress:  eShakti (Available here)

The look I chose for the first post in this series shows that it is definitely possible to rock an all black look in the spring (in my opinion anyway). 

I paired a lightweight cotton dress with bare legs and strappy heels for a breezy effect.  The faux leather jacket manages to stay springy with the lightness of the dress and cutout details.  Spring evenings can still be quite chilly, so a lightweight faux leather jacket like this is a great choice for a spring outerwear piece.

Shoes:  Simply Vera by Vera Wang (Available here)

Coral and jade accessories add visual interest and add pops of spring color. 

Clutch:  The Limited

Earrings:  The Limited (Available here)

A few notes on the dress:  The Morgan dress is another of my recent purchases from eShakti.  I can't believe how perfectly this dress fit right out of the box.  As a curvy petite, I'm so used to clothes never fitting quite right (even after alterations) that when something fits this perfectly, it simply feels amazing.  I chose the custom fit options on eShakti's web site.  I also chose the "short" length as a custom option.

Bracelet:  Target (old)

Would you rock an all black look in the spring and summer?

For this jacket in other looks, see here, here, here, and here.

Transitioning to Spring

I'm still wearing dark suits and familiar favorites to get me through the winter, but, even though it is going to be less than 10 degrees Fahrenheit here tonight, I have faith that spring will EVENTUALLY get here. 

While it can't happen soon enough, I'm doing some planning - trying to come up with some new transitional outfits that will get me through unpredictable spring weather in the Midwest. 

Skirt and top:  Target

Jacket:  The Limited

I've added my heavy faux leather quilted jacket and ankle boots to a spring/summer outfit from last year for a mix that will keep me warm enough while still sartorially celebrating nature's re-birth with bare legs and pops of sunny yellow.

Necklace:  Shoxie.com (Available here)
Bracelets (left):  LOFT
Bracelets (right):  The Limited, LOFT

Clutch:  The Limited (Available here)

Boots:  Fergalicious by Fergie (Available here)

How do you transition your wardrobe from winter to spring?


For this skirt in other looks, see here, here, and here.
For this top in other outfits, see here and here.
For this jacket in other looks, see here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Fashion Favorites: 4 Prints, 13 Ways

Prints add fun and interest to neutrals and other solids.  Mixed prints can be tricky to pull off, but when done well, mixed prints make for a unique look.

Here's a look back at some of the ways I've worn my favorite printed pieces.


Printed Skirt:

A is for A-line

Hello Yellow

Skirt Week:  Lady In Waiting

Floral Blazer:

Stripes Week:  Print-Tastic

Flower Child

Leopard Sweatshirt:

Skirt Week:  Grrrrrrl Power

Fall 2013 Fashion Trends:  The Luxe Sweatshirt

Go Bold, Go Casual

Foulard Blazer:

Crying Foulard

Foulard Me Once

Foulard Me Once

Pajama Party

Foulard and Gold Details

Are you a fan of prints?  Do you prefer wearing prints with solids or other prints?