Milan let loose!

The season has been upon us for a few weeks now and bloggers are abuzz with chatter. We eagerly pour over the photos and allow ourselves to lust over the perfection appearing in front of our eyes. We exchange favorites and mentally create do and don't lists to abide by for the season. And of course we hurry out to stock our wardrobes with all the essentials. No, I'm not talking about the delightful, crisp autumn breeze that so many of us have been craving. I am taking about something even better. Fashion week season. The past few weeks I have constantly found myself perusing style.com, to get the latest updates on the shows I hope to one day be attending, and gushing over the luxurious creations gracing the runway. I must say, this year has been a big hit in my book as so many of the collections have seemed more wearable off the runway as compared to the usual avant garde pieces that are so fun to admire, but not always every-day translatable. Tomas Maier couldn't have put it any better than when he said after his Bottega Veneta show Saturday "I don't like making clothes for red-carpet events. I like real life." Why thank you Tomas, because most of us spend our whole lives there and we enjoy it as well! With the crème de la crème of fashion weeks having kicked off tonight in Paris, I am all the more excited to see what designers will deliver for the fashion capital of the world. I feel like a kid on Christmas morning :)

Many of the Milan shows this week easily made their way to the top of my list thanks to the bright color palette that was a theme of the shows and the bold, clashing patterns designers dared to pair together. It was atypical for the city that tends to produce much more muted collections than the sassier Paris and definitely a refreshing treat. Like any girl, I enjoy a good dose of sophisticated neutrals, particularly in the a/w collections and I absolutely adore a classic black/white combo! But for s/s showings I really prefer to see bright cheery colors that match the feel of the seasons infused into the collections and Milan delivered on that desire this year.

I especially adored the Bottega Veneta collection. Though the collection was almost entirely composed of pieces in various shades of cream, with a few stunning colorful pieces thrown in towards the end, I was attracted to the playful ease theme woven through the collection. Maier said the cream background would give women a chance to really experiment with color in their accessories to "make the look their own" which is always a good thing in my opinion. Not to mention, the shoes were fabulous! I'll take a wedge sandal with woven espadrille soles anyday!

The mixed patterns in the Versus line were just too fun! I loved how Christopher Kane slowly incorporated florals into his plaid pieces as the show progressed and I was so happy to see the cutout minidresses from last February's show make a reappearance. The color-blocking was an added bonus. And the playground equipment which was the set for this show was the perfect touch for the "cool,preppy and sexy" vibe that the Versus line embodied.

And of course the Dolce and Gabbana finale was absolutely incredible. D&G said the line was meant to showcase a "hope chest" of items that a bride-to-be would take with her into her married life. The models donned couture lace suits and dresses for the day and then quickly piled on rhinestones for a show-stopping evening look. And the models ended the show displaying the "honeymoon underwear".

And to wrap it up for the night, I'll show you a few quick pics of what I was wearing today!

I have been dying to try out my new military jacket and the weather is finally making jackets permissible! I wasn't sure whether to button it up or leave it open, so I would love to hear from you ladies which way you prefer! Jacket: Anne Taylor Loft, Dress: White House Black Market, Shoes: Badgley Mischka , Earrings: gifted, Ring: grandmother's vintage collection. 

Trying it open. 

So ladies what did you think of Milan fashion week? Were you surprised by any collections? Disappointed? What shows are you most excited for in Paris? Do you prefer the military jacket closed, to show off the beautiful brass buttons or open? I adore hearing your wonderful opinions and I promise I will return the love! Don't forget to follow my blog if you like what you are reading! Ciao bella!

Bisous!

(All images from style.com and Jak and Jil)

Love, love, love

Salut loves! How was your weekend? Fabulous, I hope! I was lucky enough to spend Saturday with my fantastic college babies who make me feel so old! But, I love them to death and feel like a kid on christmas morning every time I get to see them!! I still have yet to spend a full weekend at home since August (crazy, I know) but every trip has been totally worth it. Next up: visiting the best little brother for family weekend and watching him do his thang on the baseball diamond. Can't wait! What did you beauties have on your agenda this weekend?

Well, that stubborn summer I was pouting over last week seems to have exited over night. Today could have been perfect considering it was in the low 70's, but the torrential downpour made it hard to fully enjoy the cool, crisp autumnal weather. However, it made it fully acceptable to break out the leggings and boots! I do not believe in the leggings as pants trend, but I am a huge fan of leggings with dresses/tunics paired with boots. Love, love, love! They are more comfortable and less mom-ish than panty hose, in my opinion, but they have a similar effect of making an outfit a little more appropriate for the work place. The combination of today's outfit and the delicious nonfat chai latte that was my afternoon pick me up finally made me feel like like my favorite season, fall, is finally here!

When I first got this dress I wasn't so sure about it, because I have never been much of an orange fan. But the fun pattern  had won my heart so I gave into a new color and I have never regretted it. Like I said, I am all about branching out this fall, whether it be with a new color palette or trying new trends that I have previously stayed away from. Dress: Kohl's, Tank: White House Black Market, Leggings: H&M Paris, Boots: Kohl's, Purse: Vintage Louis Vuitton (more on that later), Jewelry: Borrowed from mom and cousin, Headband: Charlotte Russe

Always been a sucker for Blair Waldorf-esque headbands :)

Notice something new... :)

I never thought I would have gotten so much wear out of these boots, but they treated me very well last season, and I look forward to another wonderful fall with my original boots!

Lucky for me, my sweet cousin who moved in last January has great style and lets me borrow her jewelry. Thanks cuz :) Finally got the nails polished as well. Still obsessed with purple, but went for a glittery shade this time.

In order to combat the blues that could accompany this gray, rainy day I have been occupying myself with thoughts of things I am loving right now, which I am happy to say is a long list. I won't bore you with all of it, but thought I would share some of my favorite things right now, and yes, the sound of music lyrics are definitely running through my head.

Rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens... Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes. Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes. Silver white winters that melt into springs. These are a few of my favorite things...

 

 1. Ok, how could my new vintage Louis not be on my LOVE list?? I am completely in love with this baby and how the vintage colors go with sooo many outfits! Thanks to the fabulous Gina of Gina Marie Vintage I am the proud owner of my first vintage piece! If you are in the market for anything vintage, from dresses to coats to accessories, Gina's boutique is a must-see. She lists the condition of her items with total honesty, ships purchases very quickly and emails you personally to ensure you are pleased with your vintage accoutrement. Though this is my first purchase from Gina, I would definitely recommend her and would do business again with her!

2. You have probably figured out by now that I adore Audrey Hepburn, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to come home and find this darling poster propped on my bed tonight! My sweet cousin came across this gem while she was at Michaels today and kindly bought it as a surprise for me :) Could she be any  more wonderful? Audrey Hepburn, surprise gifts and the best little cousin a girl could ask for are obviously on the love list!!

3. When I got home from my travels this weekend I was pleasantly surprised to see these two large pumpkins sitting on our porch. Only my fantastic mother could have known how badly I was ready for fall. Funny enough, I had picked up the baby pumpkin on the way home, so we now have a cute little pumpkin family to announce the arrival of fall to any of our neighbors who may be doubtful. Can't wait to decorate these guys with my cousin soon!!

4. As a self-diagnosed shoe-a-holic, shoes are a given in my list of loves and these pink Betsey Johnson cuties, on sale at Rue La La are testing every ounce of my willpower. But, I am determined to be good, thus I am sharing this deal with you ladies but not scooping them up myself.

5. Ok, is it just me or has Gossip Girl really stepped it up with the fashion this season?? Every episode is filled with beautiful ensembles for me to drool over!! I showed you two of my favorite outfits from tonight's show last week, but Blair's sparkly attire for Fashion's Night Out was divine as well! I adored Serena's flowy and sexy dress as well! Bravo Eric Daman, bravo.

6. Last, but not least, is you my darling blogging beauties!! So far my journey with this blog has been an absolute blast and hearing from you is such a joy! I look forward to reading your delightful posts every day, and learning more about you is great fun. Please let me continue to hear from you because it makes my day!! And don't forget to become a follower of my blog! I promise I will return the favor :) Sleep well dearies!!

Bisous!

(Images from ruelala.com and cwtv.com)

Stubborn Summer

Happy Friday fabulous friends!! Friday is easily my favorite day of the week. As much as I adore my job, I thoroughly enjoy my relaxing day off. Saturday is my family/friend day, but Fridays are my day. I get to sleep in, relax, run errands and just enjoy my time alone. I didn't accomplish all of my to-do list today (car still messy and nails still unpolished), but I did finally get my hair cut, caught up on my fashion mag reading and watched quite a few Sex and the City episodes. It was a lovely, albeit unusually hot, Friday.

Well fall may have technically been ushered in this week, but in Virginia summer is stubbornly staying put. We had 90+ degree weather today! It was ridiculous. I love summer, particularly the sunny colors, sundresses and strappy sandals that are a summer staple, but I am ready for my fall wardrobe! Boots, cozy knits and black and white patterns are calling my name! I guess the best way to describe my outfit today is a mixture of summer and fall appropriate. What can I say, I just couldn't make up my mind!

Blouse: White House Black Market, Bracelet: borrowed from mom, Ring: Charlotte Russe, Shorts: Charlotte Russe, Socks: Century 21, Shoes: MPS

I warned you I was totally obsessed with wedges right now!

 I might, maybe have gotten these in black and brown because I loved them so much! They are ridiculously comfortable, too.

My adorable cousin all ready for her high school football game! Love this chica.

 Ok ladies, I need your help now! I want to wear this outfit to a party that the boy I am crazy about will be attending, but I want your opinion. Is it too much or just enough? Do you think it will help me win the boy?? Help a girl out, lovely ladies, and leave your opinion! Have a wonderful weekend, look fabulous and share all the juicy details with us!

Bisous!

Shoevention Time

Bonjour babes! J'espère que vous êtes bien. Ok sorry I was feeling international today after reading about various European fashion weeks and reminiscing on all my lovely study abroad memories. Ohhh college how I miss you! Isn't it funny how we are in such a rush to grow up as youngsters, and then when we get there we want nothing more than to go back to to those idyllic days? Although, big girl clothes are so much more fun, right ladies!  On that note, I have come to a serious realization. After stopping by my beloved Bloomies Outlet yesterday on my way home, I have made the gut-wrenchingly hard decision that I must stage a shoe-vention for myself. Yes, ladies, the time has come to admit that I have gone from harmless shoe lover to full-fledged shoe-a-holic! And what prompted this revelation you ask? Well, when the darling cashier who was so kindly ringing up my latest addition (gorgeous black open-toed lace-up booties, which will be featured on tonight's outfit picture!) said, "Oh hey! Back so soon after the Badgley Mischka shoes?" I had to mentally snap myself out of the shoe fairytale I had eagerly been a character in for the past month. Could there have been a bigger reality slap?? I mean let's face it, if cashiers are recognizing me by my shoe purchases, I am probably purchasing too often!! So in order to satisfy my unavoidable craving I will instead focus on blogging about the beauties I am salivating over, rather than adding them to my already stuffed shoe rack. Since I know I will not be able to quit cold turkey, I will allow myself to make a well-considered purchase every so often (length of time undetermined as of yet) in order to stave off total sprees. Hopefully this attack strategy will be successful! 

I have had these steve madden lace-up wedge booties bookmarked on my computer for weeks now! I like how they have a bit of an oxford look, a trend I have never been brave enough to try, but still remain very feminine. I'm also totally obsessed with wedges right now.

Ok who wouldn't want these incredibly fun Jeffrey Campbell cheetah wedges?? I think an animal print accessory is a must for every fashionista this fall because it is such an easy way to add a bit of edge to your style.

Refinery 29 had a great post on Tuesday about all the fabulous shoe collaborations that graced the fashion week runways, and this extremely affordable Aldo for Julian Louie collab is one of my favorites. It has a bit of a Jeffrey Campbell vibe to it and the ikat-patterns are an added bonus! I think the first one in the second row is my favorite. The last one in the second row is classically beautiful as well. No release date on this line yet.

I have a major addiction to anything that glitters, thus I find these shoes divine!! I almost bought them in NYC when Steve Madden was having a 30% off store-wide sale, but I decided to be "practical" because I thought they might get messed up easily. I have been kicking myself in the butt, with non-glittery shoes I might add, ever since.

This outfit has always kind of reminded me of the pink dress Carrie wore towards the beginning of the Sex and the City movie. Dress: Calvin Klein, Belt: Paris, Shoes: BCBG, jewelry: borrowed from cousin

The shoes that started the shoe-vention :)

 

Ok ladies, what have you been craving lately? Have you ever had a shopping reality-slap moment? Have you staged an intervention for yourself? Am I totally crazy?? Don't answer that one :) 

Also, If you like what you are reading here, I would love for you to become a follower!

Bisous!

(All images from bloomingdales.com and shopstyle.com)

Freedom of Dress!

Hi dolls! I hope everyone is having a good start to the week, and you aren't being hit too hard with the Tuesday blahs. Luckily, I am still experiencing that new-job-bliss, so every day is basically a sun shining, birds chirping kind of day. They are always better, though, when I have time to write to yall!

I was a little rushed this morning so there aren't a lot of accessories in today's outfit. I will be more interesting tomorrow, I promise! Dress: Kohl's; Headband and ring: Charlotte Russe, Earrings: gift, Shoes: Chinese Laundry

Since starting work at USA Today I have learned many, many things about journalism. But, the most valuable lessons I have learned have been about life. In just three months I have seen myself maturing into a more responsible and informed human being, and that makes every day here absolutely worth it. I have gained confidence in my voice and opinions and learned that I have thoughts worth sharing. I also learned that others not agreeing with my opinions doesn't diminish their worth. I may not be able to take these lessons to the bank, but they are far more valuable to me than any pay-check I will receive (although without the paycheck there would be far less shopping in my life...) But, as I mentioned most of my daily lessons learned are things that apply to the field of journalism and one of the essentials of the field that has been drilled into my head is to always, always be current. No one wants to read a story about something that happened days ago because it isn't relevant anymore in our twitter-paced society. Well, ladies, forgive me because I am breaking that rule today! I have been meaning to write to you about a certain subject for days now and never get to it, but I don't want to let it slip away because it is something I am so curious to hear your opinions on.

I am sure by now you have all heard about the hullabaloo surrounding the female reporter, Ines Sainz, and her choice of work attire during her interview with the Jets. Initially my reaction was to focus on the immature behavior of these grown men, who seem to have forgotten that they are no longer boys, and their clear disrespect of a woman who was trying to do her job. But the public seemed determine to shift blame to Ms. Sainz and criticize her wardrobe choices, rather than scolding the men who made her outfit a national debate in the first place. Yes, I agreed that her outfit wasn't the best choice for a working environment, particularly one in which she would working with half-naked men. But that wasn't the point here! First off, the only people who have the authority to deem her outfit inappropriate for the workplace are her bosses, and since I highly doubt that this particular outfit was an entirely new look for Ms. Sainz, her employers appear to be fine with her fashion choices. So why are we, the general public and people who have no business telling her what she can and cannot wear to work, focusing so heavily on her wardrobe selection and ignoring the inappropriate actions of the Jets? Doesn't Ms. Sainz have the freedom to dress how she chooses so long as it is acceptable to her company? Furthermore, when did the way a woman dresses become justification for harassing behavior? That seems a little to similar to the "well she was asking for it with the way she dressed" argument that many men use to justify rape. Everyone deserves the right to not be subjected to harassment in the workplace and the men who violated Ms. Sainz's right deserve to be punished. And please, leave the fashion criticisms to the experts please!

Not what I would chose to wear, but not really that awful!

From the front

On a lighter note, who else agrees that the Gossip Girl Paris fashion was to die for??? I held off on singing my praises last week since I had a hunch that this week would be a continuation of divine frocks to gush over. I am more of a Blair dresser myself, but I always love Serina's boho-chic/rocker-chick edge/classic upper east side chic look as well. Neither girl was a disappointment on the first two episodes of the new season, and judging from the sneak peek of next week's show, they will continue to shine.

I loooove everything about this outfit! Eric Daman please come to my house and pick out my clothes every morning!!

I love the mix of sophistication and casual Juliet exudes by pairing her boyfriend blazer with the FNO t-shirt. Plus I love seeing things I own on TV :)

I literally gasped when I saw this gorgeous red dress on Blair and was immediately obsessed. I wish it was a full length photo, but you GG fans know what it looked like :)

Serina always has the most perfectly cut jackets ever. This was one of my favorite looks on her.

We all know Blair stands out in any room she enters, but with this gem of a dress she is sure to light up even the darkest of corners. And that man candy she is wearing doesn't hurt either!

My favorites!!!

Oh Blair, ever the romantic hopeful! She is truly a modern day cinderella, complete with a missing shoe.

Ok ladies, I really want to hear from you today! What did you think of the Ines Sainz scandal? Do you think she deserved what she got? Do you think she was treated unfairly? Would you wear her outfit? Are you tired of hearing about her?? How are you feeling about this season of Gossip Girl? And lastly, are there any remaining One Tree Hill fans out there who are excited for tonight??

Bisous!

(All images courtesy of CWTV)

Hello Lovah!!

Hello lovelies! I hope that wherever you are, you had as beautiful a weekend as we had and that you took advantage of the perfect almost autumn weather! As I mentioned earlier, I went to visit my little brother, who also happens to be my best friend, this weekend with some friends and we had a fantastic time! I wish I could have stayed longer, but alas I have to be a grown up and can't live the college life anymore! My parents actually came down on Saturday as well to see him pitch (he is a division 1 baseball pitcher) so we had a nice little family day yesterday. The day was picture perfect for a baseball game and we all enjoyed watching him pitch the best game we have seen him throw in a long time. It was so nice for all of us to be together, too, since that doesn't happen very often anymore. Doesn't hurt that his team is very good looking as well :). Perfect weather, baseball AND cute boys= my heaven! It was a little too hot to wear the outfit I had planned, but I made due with capris, a tank and flats that I hadn't really thought I would need. For once my obsessive over-packing paid off! We capped off the lovely day with a healthy dosage of chick-flick by indulging in Letters to Juliet-- a movie I have been dying to see, especially since Sophie is a fact-checker aspiring to be a writer. Now if only I could have a romantic Italian adventure and fall in love with a gorgeous English boy! Hey, a girl has to dream, right?

Today my mom and I continued the weekend of driving and left bright and early this morning to head up to see our favorite pregnant lady for her baby shower! My cousin and his wife are expecting their first baby this fall and we are all SO excited. My cuz is 10 years older than me, so my brother and I always looked up to him as kids. He was "the coolest" in our minds and we loved every minute of the summers he spent with us. I can't believe he is about to become a father and we were thrilled to celebrate the beautiful mommy-to-be today. She happens to be one of my biggest style inspirations and took me on one of my most memorable shopping trips in Georgetown. She always manages to look classic and modern all at once. Even though she is almost 8 months pregnant she looked adorable today and definitely didn't skimp on fashion for comfort-- she wore heels for goodness sake!

Getting emotional as she realizes she is about to have something tiny enough to fit in that little onesie!

So what do you get for the fashionista mommy?

A coach diaper bag of course! :) This was our long standing joke since her answer to "when are you going to have kids??" was always "when I can afford a coach diaper bag!"

I am convinced that there is nothing more precious in the world than a sleeping child.

The ladies of our family with our favorite momma-to-be!! Dear baby, please come soon!! 

Now you are probably wondering what in the world the title of this post has to do with baseball games and baby showers. Well, maybe if I had written about what I originally intended to write about it would make sense :). So anyways, to get back to that...

Hello, my name is Laura and I am a shoe addict! (Now is the part when all you other shoe addicts say "Hi Laura!" Oh come on, I know you are out there!) As a recent college graduate I did one of the things college grads dread doing... yes you guessed it, I moved back home to live with mom. Yes, it is only temporary and I am hoping to have my own place to decorate very, very soon (with two fantastic roommates I might add!), but for now I am the college grad bum sponging off my mom. Is it a bummer at times, absolutely. But does it allow me to indulge in my shoe addiction for a bit longer (while still saving for my own adorable digs, of course), ABSOLUTELY!! Am I thoroughly enjoying this advantage?? I think you know that answer :). Lately whenever I am not on deadline for freelancing, I have found myself wondering over to the new Bloomingdale's Outlet after work, drooling in the shoe department and thinking in my head "hello lovah!" I used to be a very good window shopper, but now all those pent-up, unfulfilled longings seem to be coming back to bite me in the butt! I think I have been watching too much Sex and the City since I seem to be justifying my many purchases by saying, well it isn't like these are $400 Manolo Blahniks! I had been itching for a chance to wear my latest babies, and I decided that the baby shower of one of the most stylish ladies I know was the perfect debut!

As much as I love the layered outfits of fall, I had to take advantage of one of the last hot, sunny weekends of the season and get another wearing out of one of my favorite dresses. Glad I did, too, since almost every woman there was in a dress.

Thank you to mom for taking pics even when you just wanted to go to bed. You're the best!

The accessories.

My current loves :)

I am kind of a sucker for bows!! 

Dress: Kohls
Bag: Handbag Heaven
Ring/Bracelet: Charlotte Russe
Earrings: gift
Headband: H&M
Shoes: Badgley Mischka

Ok, now that you have seen my obsession from every angle, I want to hear all about YOUR weekends! I hope they were absolutely wonderful and that all of you beautiful ladies got to wear something this weekend that made you feel fabulous! What is the item in your wardrobe currently that you just love? Tell me about it!

Until tomorrow babes,
Bisous!

First outfit post!

Happy Friday lovelies!! I hope you all have fantastic weekend plans that you are thrilled about. Pour moi? I will be making a short trip to see the best brother in the world and to celebrate a good friend's birthday! Even though it has only been a month I have missed Matt dearly and I can't wait to see him again. Then to finish off the weekend mom and I will be driving up to Pennsylvania to see my favorite preggo cousin and celebrate the soon to be newest member of our family. I haven't seen her the entire time she has been pregnant and I can't wait to see her glow and maybe even take some maternity photos of the beautiful couple. Eeee I love babies (if you couldn't tell) and I have been so stinking excited for this baby to come! Only a few more weeks now though. And you better believe that it will be the most stylish little baby around if I have anything to say about it, although we don't know if it is a boy or girl so I have to wait to start buying the itsy bitsy adorable tinny clothes.

Well I have been awfully nervous to do an outfit posting, but your sweet comments on my NYC photos have made me decide to just go for it. I will get better at these photos I promise, and any advice you have on how I can improve will be much appreciated. I'm going to keep it short though since I still need to pack. Enjoy your weekend ladies and I will talk to you Monday.

Just got this denim dress the other day and I was so excited to wear it with these boots. I don't usually dress this casually for work (even though it is a very casual office), but since I was going to the baseball game straight from work, I wanted to be comfy but still cute.

Everyone at work joked that it was nice to see my actual height, since it was the first time they had ever seen me not wearing heels!

It was still a little too warm to be wearing socks, but I picked up those knee highs at Century 21 in NYC and have been wanting to wear them ever since! 

These boots are soooo comfy

Ok, I admit it. I may be a little obsessed with this bag. And with the website where I found it, handbag heaven. They have a huge selection and their prices are amazing! If you are in need of a cute, cheap bag, check it out!

I told you I am obsessed! I love the distressed leather and the detail of the buttons.

I have become quite a regular in the ring department at Charlotte Russe.

Ok sorry, I know this is a terrible photo but I just couldn't get a good shot of the earrings. Like I said, I will get better :)

Alright, well hopefully this will just be the first of many outfit posts! I think this blog will be such a great way to watch my style evolve over time. I have already been very influenced (in good ways!) by all of you beautiful bloggers and I can't wait to see where else this journey will take me.

BIG thank you to my darling cousin for taking pictures!

Dress: Charlotte Russe
Boots: Steve Madden
Ring: Charlotte Russe
Bracelets: Amrita Singh (from Gilt)
Earrings: borrowed from fantastic mom
Bag: Handbag Heaven
Socks: Century 21

Bisous!