It's not a purse....

but it is a ballet flat. And I need another pair of ballet plats like a need a hole in me head. But the lovely blue, the scalloped leather, and the BOW! I had to. These See by Chloe lovelies are on their way with freebie overnight delivery - hip hip for Friday!


P.S. - I pretty much have to have these flats too. Watermelon! A back bow! Oy, love them.





P.S.S. Don't forget to use ebates when you shop on endless.com - you're pretty much a moron if you don't take advantage of the 7.5% back. Yea Baby!

Perfect Patent

The newish Kate Spade patent handbags are out in a variety of juicy colors that have been tempting me for weeks now. I love the bright yellow, and punchy salmon, but decided to go with the more versatile Doe colored Harrison Street Wren.

It will be the perfect addition to add to my insanely growing bag collection. Hey, some people collect stamps, some people collect creepy figurines - aren't gorgeous sqooshy purses a zillion times better than either of those?

Up next, think I might need to add something in they beautiful sunshine colorway - I'm leaning towards this or this



And for Pete's sake, definitely don't forget to use ebates before purchasing anything on endless.com to get 7.5% cashback. It's like they are paying you to splurge! Kind of...?

Hello Sunshine!

Sorry for the mega-long absence. I would be surprised if anyone is even still checking my blog. Work, life, travel just got the best of me. Oh and I was hit with a major grody cold bug, so that's had me a little tied up for the past 2 weeks too.

Anyhoody, enough of my excuses: I'm back, and here to share a dress I had to have. Had to. Lilly P. is a pro at making lovely, feminine silhouettes, and I'm a major sucker for the bright sunshine-y yellow. Oh, and kinda a little OCD when it comes to stripes :)

I haven't seen it in real person, so I'm crossing my fingers it works for either a fun night out with the hubs and friends, or can even potentially be dressed down with a casual cardi. I don't have any summer weddings on my calendar this year (first year in a long time!), so I don't need a formal/fancy dress. So please please please, let this gorgeous bright and happy dress be versatile enough for me to justify keeping it.

I'm grinning like the old lady who yelled BINGO

Not sure what today's blog title has to do with the post, but I enjoy it. So there it is :) Now on to clothes and shopping and other uber-serious mega-critical topics I wrestle with day in, day out....



I personally wasn't a fan of the Anthropologie Tracy Reese Dreamy Wanderings dress - the cut and fit was too fluffy and flowy. Just didn't speak to me. I also knew I'd look like a giant cream puff in it, so perhaps that created a teeny bit of bias :)



However, I'm stuck perusing the interwebs this evening while the hubs bogarts the TV watching college hockey (bow-ring), and I saw the Dreamy Wanderings Dress as a top on the Tracy Reese site, and I have to say, I'm intrigued. Perhaps it's the embellishment (read sparkles!!) along the neckline, but I also think the flowy top would look lovely paired with some structured jeans and black patent flats or heels. And, it's on sale! I think it's a pass for me now, but I'm bookmarked in case it goes to a second cut - then I think I'd have to buckle and order.

Seeing Red...

Lately I've realized how much my closet skews towards certain colors (read: tons and tons of blue), and while blue will always remain my go-to fave (all shades, of course), I've been itching to expand my options and wardrobe. I've noticed a few of my fave and oh-so-fashionable friends and fellow bloggers wearing a lot of red.

Yes.

RED.

And I've got lots of pinky/purply/fuchsia's in my closet, but for whatever reason I've obviously gravitated AWAY from red over the past few years, because I have literally not a stitch of true red clothing in my closet.... save for a couple of U. of Wisco sweatshirts, which obviously I can't pair with a lovely new tea-cup printed Anthro dress I finally just got my grubby little hands on.

So I popped on over to the Crew to see what they had. And I almost clicked buy on a Cerise Jackie.

Almost, but didn't.

I love my other Jackie's: they are the reliable 'work-horses' of my giant cardi collection. But I was looking for something specific, and while the color looked vibrant and pretty, I wasn't sure it was truly red... I mean I love the romance ~slash~ quirkiness of the J Crew color names. But they also chap my ass because half of 'em I can't even pronounce much less define.

Plussss, beyond the world of crazy-Crew-colors, I'm also kind of annoyed these days with some recent JC quality issues. Yup. Material is kinda... cheapy, resulting in cardi's getting stretched out of shape in just one wear (holy drycleaner's bill, that's not going to work)! I've also had a couple of seams splitting, and no, NOT because I'm sausaging myself into a size that isn't mine. I know I'm not alone here - I've seen a lot of complaints across the bloggy-world... so I wont go any further on it.

Which then brings to me today's find - this gorgeous Ann Taylor RED V-neck Cardigan (yay! I prefer V's because they don't squish my many ruffly tops!). Double/Triple yay in that it's on special price (not sale, for some reason AT is marking it as a 'special price'... WTF?), and I scored an extra 20% of my purchase (10000000110 - thanks Chloe!) and 3% cashback with ebates - fist pump!



Happy day-before Friday :)

Wishlisting... A.K.A. emptying out the contents of my wallet

Some of these are some recent acquisitions and on their way to my little apartment here in Chicago... well,hello two gorgeous dresses that make me think spring! A few others are pretties I've seen and been dreaming about. I love both pairs of shoes, but can't find the flats in my size, and the heels, well I'm just trying to show some restraint :)

PS... Thanks to the lovely blogger Goldenmean's OOTD today, I went immediately and bought the Eiffel print dress from Modcloth. Oy, for being a e-retailer, and one with an amazing offering of gorgeous items updated daily, why can't shipping prices and times be a little better? They have so many pieces I adore and then buckle and buy, but never once have I seen a coupon code. Boo.

Happy Vday to you....

I hope to get back into more regular posting soon!

My Valentine's Day gift. From myself, to myself.

Best 22 bucks I've spent in a while.


Happy Friday all!

Wishlisting....

It's a snowday here in Chicago, and while I've been busy on calls (in my world, snowday means work from home, not no work/watch a toddlers and tiara's marathon), I've also had a few minutes to peruse JC's new arrivals. There are a few tops and cardi's (god, I love cardigans) that are going to have to be mine - thank goodness I have my Spring Rewards card burning a whole in my pocket.


JC, you had me a "smoldering brick" and "button-back"!

This week kicked my ass.

The (Chicago) weather was frightful, work was so NOT delightful. I deserved a treat.

I worked my tail off, and honestly, I was productive and responsible. So who got a treat? This girl!!

This Black Druzy ring made by Andara a little outside of my typical style, but I've realized (a little sadly) that I have kind of a schizophrenic style when it comes to clothes/accessories - I like classic, vintage, but also am drawn to trendy (ah militray-chic I love you!) and in rare cases even a little quirky. Druzy stones are so sprakly and I tried to keep this wearable by going with a black druzy!

PS - I just discovered Max and Chloe a few months ago, and while I've only bought this and one other necklace, I'm really digging it. And with ebates, I scored 2.5% cash-back. Like!

Glee Me!

I found and plucked this sweet vintage enamel Pin off Etsy last weekend and can't wait for it to arrive.

IMO it's perfect combo of classy-yet-quirky. And of course, Emma P. wore a similar Red Poinsettia Brooch on a recent episode (image courtesy of lovely blogger WWEPW).


I actually saw a red poinsettia brooch at a vintage store around the corner from my house, but was pleased when I stumbled across the white version since it'll fit into my wardrobe with a little more ease.


I can't wait to wear it over the upcoming holidays!

OMG. I die.

I saw the On the Job dress on Modcloth and had to have it. It so Mad Men and the color is so up my alley.


Swoon.


And I can't wait to wear it with my new Kate Spade Bow studs.
I'm on a bow-bender, that's for sure.

Love at First Site

I saw the adorable Fuchsia Rhododendron Flower Heels made by Miss L Fire (an Anthro brand I adore for her quirky but classy vintage designs!) on Modcloth, and just had to have them. Nevermind I'll be wearing nothing other than snowboots outside of the office in the near future (dear Chicago, your weather kills me!), but nevertheless, the image of me wearing these with black skinnies and a ruffly black top to NYE was enough to make me click purchase. The heel is short and thus super comfy, and the shoe fits TTS in my opinion. I'm quite pleased with these, and would love to get my greedy little hands on the black version, but appears I can only buy them from a boutique in the UK (uhm, yeeps on the shipping!!). So Modcloth, please release the black version? Stat. Grazie.

Anthro Doppleganger: Gary Pepper

Saw this and had to share.

Modcloth cracks me up with their item names. Meet the Gary Pepper Dress.


The Gary Peper is a dead ringer for the beautiful but sold out Anthropologie Discovered Lace Dress. The only differences I see are maybe a slightly more rosey-ish gray and the overall length. Both versions are delightfully neutral, however the Anthro version was 36" whereas the MC version is 2-4 inches shorter. For me, that's potentially a deal-breaker, but I'm very anti-higher hem-lines! If you missed out on the Anthro beauty, might be worth a look for the price, given it's under 50 bucks. Perhaps pair it with a cute slip to add an inch or two to the hemline?

The Original, which sold for $158.

I cheated, and I'm not ashamed!

I loved loved loved the absolutely adorable Dusky Begonia T-Strap pumps as soon as I spyed them on the Anthro site several months ago. I'd be panting over finding the perfect blue pump to add to my collection, and while I adored these t-straps, felt they were a little too funky given the color AND the rosette (I mean funky and awesome, but not sleek-yet-versatile blue pump I've been dreaming about).

So the T-straps have sat in my cart for months.

Then yesterday, I decided to take a peek at Modcloth.com after reading a post from one of my fave fashion bloggers and seeing an adorable coat she'd mentioned from them. Well, the Haworth coat, erm which is really a cape (I know, I have a problem!), is fabulous, just wish there were a few more reviews to better understand the weight of the coat... erm, cape. That being said, let's face it, the price is great, love the gray neurtal color-way and it looks so darned snuggly... so I need to at least order it and try it. But before I did, I took a quick peruse of the show section... never really looked at the mMdcloth shoes before as I assumed they were dupes, too, not the real brand name shoes that you find (and buy) at other stores. And alas, look at what I came across! Meet the Dusky Begonia's in Light Gorgeous Gold, AKA the Chicka Chicka Noir Bloom Heel. The same Miss L Fire shoe, in a Gold colorway with a delicious red and black florette.


Ah! There were only 3 left in my size, shipping was free, AND they were even less than the original blue version offered by Anthro. So I bit. Or I bought. Or both. Now, I just hope MC ships these puppies out fast and that I'm able to rock them with my black skinnies and a new black lace top I picked up with intentions to wear to our team holiday party.

Eeek. Love when the stars-align like this!

PS - the Blue version are also on the site for about $30 less than Anthro.... in case you're interested.

Eye Candy: Boots Galore!

Gilt Groupe is having an exciting Faryl Robin shoe sale today. I have been holding these booties in my cart all morning, not sure it's the right time to buy yet another pair of shoes, what with Xmas coming up, but they are so adorable. And minty!



I recently picked up some cute military-chic boots off ebay to wear with skirts/skinny jeans... I heart ebay and how I can find fab deals on Anthro/JC items I may have missed out on.




What do you think? Would they be too much with my new Anthro D'Armee Dress? I'd soften the outfit up with some sparkly jewelry.

Do you use ebay to subsidize your closets?

You are the light in a dark room and I'm the moth who can't resist it

Some new Anthropologie roll-outs came online last night, and I fell immediately in love with a skirt I had to buy right then and there. The Soft Sakura Skirt is definitely priced higher than I'd like, but I have a feeling this skirt will go the way of the Fulmar sweater skirt of last year, and wouldn't make it to my greedy greedy little hands, much less sale if I held off and waited. Who knows, I could be wrong, but I love the print and sweater skirts are amazingly comfortable and easy to pull off.

And that coral pink lining? Drool.



So I bit the bullet and ordered it. Full-price, no reviews. Eek, and i can't wait for it to arrive!

I *might* have also threw in the D'armee Dress and this gorgeous green glass bead necklace I think will look smashing with it! Hey, I had my reasons: it got me free shipping, I was sold when I saw the awesome OOTDx5 stylings post from the fabulous blogger Wardrobe Review, AND the splurge quenched my need for something military-esque.

I'm a Caped Crusader

UPDATE: Cape update - it arrived and I *love* it. I'm typically I size 10 in tops, went with the M/L and it's plenty roomy so if you're smaller, consider sizing down to the S/M. I love the detailing on the shoulders, and the material seems study and soft :) Thumbs up from me!

I'm on a crusade to end crappy meetings. Crappy meetings which wouldn't have happened if you'd been given all the info available prior to said meeting taking place.

LOFT (or ATL as I still fondly call it) is a fab place when a girl is in need of some plain and simple retail therapy. The clothes are cute, decently made, on-trend, but wont break the bank. so when you have a tough day and need a little pick-me-up but your nails are already done and you've already maxxed yourself on vanilla lattes, stroll on over (or log on) to Loft.

I picked up this lovely cape to add to my ever-expanding coat collection (hey, I live in Chicago, it's only fair I get to splurge on cute coats!). At 20% off and free shipping, I think the cost/wear totally excuses this mid-day shopping indiscretion.

I heart you...

Now this gives a whole new meaning to green thumb.

Make going green a little more chic with the Growing Ring designed by Haffsteinn Juliusson. Each ring is part jewelry, part plant, and a touch of couture. Here's the catch for folks like me: Like any plant, the ring will need to be watered and nurtured to be at its best.


I love this idea - so creative! Unfortunately, I still recall my failed herb-garden, and wont be indulging in and plant-baubles. Don't you smile at that Hubs.

I heart you...

This is so "me" and its not because my name is Emily. But rather because I love me some slumber, and I'm a total weenie about waking up.

The "Emily" is an alarm clock, built to be wall mounted. The clock's old school red LED display reads sideways, so that you can easily read the time with your head still resting on the pillow while trying to catch those last few blinks.

Genius!