Lace and Tulle Hem

I knew I wasn't going anywhere in particular today and mostly staying at home, so chose a cozy outfit as my house is always cold. My inspiration came from the following Anthropologie catalog photo:

What inspired me here is the idea of layering lace hem top under a babydoll style sweater. I immediately remembered my pink sweater. Bought this one during pregnancy as the cut is perfect and later used it to hide the baby fat. Now I hardly ever wear it cause I feel it almost makes me look pregnant but this idea inspired me to wear it again.

I actually looked for this base top with the sole purpose of using just the hem portion under other tops. So I looked for a top of some sort with a veyr pretty hem. It had to be long too so it would show under longer tops. Found it at Charlotte Russe one day. The photos did not capture it but it has a eyelet lace and a tulle hem. So pretty. And the perfect off white/linen color.

The problem was I had to adjust it a lot and everytime I ran from the tripod to my posing place it would move so that is why the photos do not capture it correctly.

I also decided to use a long big flowery necklace on top like in the photo. This peach flowery necklace was perfect except it was short. So added a simple thin chain on both ends to lengthen it for today. I think the peach totally compliments the nude heels which all kind of go with the burgandy and pink combo.

Pink babydoll sweater - Victoria's Secret Catalog

Lace hem linen tank top - Charlotte Russe

Burgandy skinny cords - Forever 21

Nude heels - Steve Madden

Necklace - Charlotte Russe

Today's Activities: I wore this outfit in the morning but minus the necklace and the heels since I decided to take the kids to a mini hike to get fresh air. Except it turned out to be colder than I was anticipating and really windy so we walked just a few minutes than turned around. At least I introduced the word 'hike' into my son's vocublary. We will go again on a bit warmer day. Since that was cut short took them out to lunch before coming back home. While they napped I wrapped gifts (mostly theirs) like crazy. I have set-up a 'gift wrapping' station on my formal dining room which I will have to totally clean-up for our party tomorrow night so I was rushing to get as much done as possible while everything was out. While gift wrapping I realized why not bring my newfond sense of style to my packages? I mean why do I see the need to totally match my ribbon color to my wrapping paper? I don't do that with my clothes. Therefore, I paired a black and white checkered ribbon with classic xmas colored paper and it looked great. I went on to add hot pink and black ribbon to other packages. They look unique. I am nuts about using fabric ribbons on gifts instead of bows or paper ribbons. They hold their shape better and look much better I think. So, I collect cheap ribbons through the year from dollar and craft stores as well as any ribbons that come with packages given to me. Have quite a collection of oddly sized ribbons in a box as a result.

After this gift wrapping frenzy when the kids woke up we did quick snack and went to the indoor play area. They had a lot of fun running around and a lot of dancing in the 'disco' room. Got home to cook dinner and after they went to bed my husband and I watched a netflix movie ('Lovely Bones') which was pretty gripping cause I got no blogging done until now. Must go to bed. It is so late.

Oh, here is my son as I was taking these shots in the afternoon showing how his hair is getting wet in the misty rain. Wanted me to photograph this... 

Taste'n'tini's

I do love my coat but am not super crazy about the outfit. Originally the outfit was supposed to be this tulle skirt with a white slightly silver embelished tee, silver strappy sandals on bare legs and this white coat. But tongiht's events forced me to dress for the cold (so no bare legs) and cold which meant just the tee under would not be sufficient enough...

I bought and used this coat a lot when I used to travel to NYC for work. One year when my brother was still in college, West Point Academy we went to visit him, see the school and watch an Army vs. Navy game. It was uniform day at the school and all the cadets were wearing cameo uniforms. So here I was in my bright white coat in a sea of cadets. The photo almost looked you like I was superimposed in the image. It was so cool. I wish I can dig up that photo somehow.

I first wore this with cream lace tights and cream sweater but it looked too boring. Added these bright red tights and then switched to this black and white sweater. It looks interesting but I am still not 100% positive. I was out of time though so couldn't dwell on it.

I do like how these silver ballet flats look against the red tights...

Tulle Skirt - Forever 21

Black and white sweater - Bebe

Coat - Bebe

Red Tights - From Turkey

Ballet Flats - Kate Spade

Ring - Swatch

Clutch - Guess

Watch - Bulova

 Today's Activites: Classic day of swim school in the morning and music class in the afternoon. Except after the morning swim school the kids and I ran around like maniacs to get things done. We dropped off the stroller at a bike shop for a flat tire repair, went to the post office to mail some more int'l cards, had lunch at the bagel shop, went grocery shopping and finally picked back up the stroller before returning home for naps. A lot of stops for a normal person, but when you have to unload and load two kids in out of car seats it gets to be very very very tiring. After music class left the kids with my husband and went to meet up with my girlfriends. We did the 'Taste'n'Tinis' event in the Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego. It was around 20 restaurants participating plus 20 plus retail shops that were serving martini type drinks. They give you these super cute mini martini glasses when you check in and every place you go you get it filled with a different type of martini. It is tasting portions of course. Lots of flavored vodka drinks. We walked close to a 20 block radius and waited in long lines a lot. It was fun though. Normally it is $20 per person. But my friend had 2 free tickets and so we bought 1 discounted ticket at $15, therefore cost us $5 per person for free food and drinks. It only went until 9 PM though so we were rushing from one place to the next to hit as many places as possible. Ended the night with a nice portion of frozen yogurt before a very long back to our cars. See photos below...
P.S. That is why I had to wear flats...

Lisa (my best friend), Kim (my other best friend's sister) and myself tonight... We are usually a group of 5 but 2 didn't make it tonight.

The cute mini martini glasses: 

Had to stuff a napkin to get the writing: 

Our map and punch cards: 

Even crossed a freeway (163) on our walk! 



Fedora and a maxi skirt and a visit from Santa

I really like this outfit. Although I didn't get many comments (may be the hat was too much) I really liked it myself. My inspiration came from this:

The key is the blouse has to be no collar type I think. And this Tucker for Target blouse was perfect. I think the flower design add a nice touch.

I rarely shop from Banana Republic. I know there are millions who love the store but for me it is a bit too conservative and 'classic'. I do however go in usually due to people I am with wanting to and I have occasionally found things on the sales rack. This skirt is one of them. I have worn it quite a lot for work when maxi skirts were in. It has been sitting in my guest closet for a few years now waiting to be in style once again. 

I first tried my flat leather black boots but just did not go under this skirt. Looked too stumpy. So out came my high heeled boots. I wish they were just an inch shorter so they would be a bit easier on my feet but I managed. Things we wouldn't do for style!

My mom bought this hat in France and wore it during her trip but never again after she came back. Last winter when I told her I was looking for one she gave it to me. This is the 2nd time I am wearing it. The first time I only wore it for my photos and chickened out to wear it during the day. I guess almost a year of blogging my fears are gone cause I wore it all day today!

In a rush to catch my husband to take my photos (it saves so much time than setting up the tripod) I had not put on my ring yet. So here is the ring holding my newly ordered coffee mug:

Here is a close up of the blouse, belt and the boots. Notice I wore burgandy tights underneath. The skirt has to big slits on both sides which make it easy to move in and my tights did show.

   

Blouse - Tucker for Target

Skirt - Banana Republic (very very old)

Boots - J Crew (again very old)

Belt - Forever 21

Hat - Mom's from France

Ring - black onyx from Turkey

Today's Activities: We had holiday potluck and a visit from Santa at our preschool today. They will be closed in the next two weeks so it was a nice last day. The 'santa' was very tall and when he came in he knealt by my daughter she freaked out. So of course she wouldn't sit on his lap but did say 'hi Santa' from the safety of my arms. So cute. In the afternoon we just stayed in so I can at least start and make some headway on my giftwrapping.

Here are the kids getting their book gifts from Santa which my son pointed out this is NOT the aladding toy set he specifically asked for. :)

Openning their books:

Class photo. My son is in the middle area and my daughter is on the teacher's lap:

Velvet and rhinestones

Wore this to a family and friends holiday dinner hosted by my mom and step dad. A bit dressy perhaps but I wanted to wear this outfit. I was inspired by the photo below:

When I saw this photo I immediately remembered my (very) old light blue velvet tank top. Than I feared I might have given it away (I usually do) but was happy to find out I had kept it. So, than paired it with a big rhinestone necklace (unlike the real thing she wears) and a cream/white fur coat. For to the bottom thought my nude/blush colored brocade skirt and nude heels would do the trick as they won't take away from the focal point of the tank and the bling.

This skirt is part of a bustier-skirt suit my mom bought years ago to wear at a wedding. There have been different times in our life time we were skinny enough to wear it as it is very tight and a small size. Other times it sits and waits either her closet or mine for us to be slim again. I am lucky to be able to fit in it although it is not without effort. The good thing is the skirt is very high rise so I can wear the very crop tank top.

The coat is another vintage fur left over from my mom's thrift store business. Wish it was a bit whiter but I think it looks fine.

Bought this necklace at Forever 21 for the purpose of this outfit. Among everything else it might look cheap but I think on its own it looks very pretty. The photos are just bad quality so you can't tell. The ring is CZ and I love it. My mom bought it as a b-day present this past summer.

Realized other than the first photo I cut off my shoes from every other one but here they are in close-up. Had to try over 5 pairs of nude heels that looked almost identical at Steve Madden to find the one that actually blended with my skin tone and feet.

Here is a close up of my rhinestone barette.

The kids insisted we pose together. My son's forced smile is cute...

Brocade skirt - Anne Klein

Velvet Tank - French Connection (thrifted a long long time ago)

Nude Heels - Steve Madden

Necklace - Forever 21

Ring - from Turkey

Earings (which you can't see) - Ross Simmons

Today's Activities: Ditched the outdoor preschool class today as my son was not feeling great. Instead went grocery shopping than stopped at our local park for 30 minutes or so than came home for a soup lunch. My son fell a sleep on the couch listenning to xmas music. Put my daughter down as she was fussy even though it was way before nap time. Then moved my son to our bed and napped together. Had them play in the house while I cleaned up and got ready. Mailed some more xmas cards (the international ones) than went to my parents house for a holiday dinner party. They went all out with the dishes and it was yummy.

Here they are infront of the Turkey:

Mustard Cords

Very few photos today. I was running late and really did not have any more poses in me. Today is the debut of my mustard cords. I got these and the burgandy pair I have worn a few times at the same time from F21 for $14 each. The fit, the quality and the color just all too amazing for the price.

I had this combo in my list with a green LS top under this sheer halter. But it was too warm today and I wanted a light top under my layers so wore the halter on its own and topped it with a cardi instead. The halter top is super old purchse from Turkey. I am happy to be wearing it again and the mustard colored flowers totally match the pants.

Mustard Cords - Forever 21

Sheer halter top - From Turkey

Cardigan - Guess?

Flats - Enzo

Today's Activities: Preschool in the morning. Finished unpacking and laundry and more xmas projects during nap and in the afternoon. Accomplished some of this by taking the kids to the indoor play area. Ah, last night the final bulb in my closet burned out so I had absolutely no light. I was horrified. The bulb I bought was the wrong kind. So, today even though it was already nap time and the kids had not had lunch I had to go to Home Depot after preschool which was right across the street. Had to ask for help to find the exact bulb. Why would the previous owners install a fixture that requires such a unique bulb is beyond me. As soon as I put the kids down had to bring up the ladder and installed the bulbs and voila light again. Fashion blogger without a light in her closet is not a good thing!