Outfits Of The Yesterdays (Pants, Pants, Pants)

♫: I Spy - Mikhael Paskalev

I am never quite sure if I should classify myself as a petite blogger or not; while I am short and bring my defect up quite regularly here, I often skirt the issue by not really delving into different sizes and fits of the things that I wear. 

And, well--I often literally skirt the issue. By wearing skirts. I hate that a lot of petites feel they need to be pigeon-holed into a certain retailer or style of clothing because of their height, but at the same time I "get it"--dressing when you're short can be a unique challenge. Often times Most of the time, it ain't easy. 

While I enjoy wearing and using different brands (including many that are not petite-specific), I do often turn to skirts in my outfits because as a shorter person, I think that they are by far the easiest type of bottom to both style and wear. Unlike with pants, I don't have to worry about knee breaks, or inseams, or the fact that the ones that fit in the waist don't fit in the butt/thigh (and the ones that do fit in the butt/thigh never fit in the waist). The right skirt can cover up all that mess, easy--often with no trips to the tailor (or gym) required.

But skirts are not always feasible in Colorado, and so sometimes pants must be begrudgingly worn. I usually stick with crops, since their 26-28" inseams seem to work well with my stature. If they are slightly high-wasted, even better--I have a really long torso and short legs, and so anything that can trick the eye upward is a bonus.

If last year was the 'Year of the Blouse', this year is the 'Year of the Pant'. Printed pants seem to be the bottom du jour, and I have been fairly hesitant to try them due to my shorter stature. Prints can be overwhelming on a petite person, after all, so it's tricky--do them right and they can look all fashion-y and great! Do them wrong and you'll be the idiot-envy of alllllll the local 9-year-olds, wondering why the fuck you're wearing heels with your jammie-pants.

I really like these jacquard pants from ASOS for a few different reasons: they have a slightly fancy cut (a little high-waisted with pleats), they are a pretty good length for petites (I'm 5'2", so go from there), and they are made out of a jacquard fabric that is a bit dressy without being overly ostentatious.

Husband also says the print reminds him of basketballs. March Madness, shoot me:

 Jacket: Nordstrom, old (similar at F21) (similar at ASOS) (similar under $50)

Top: Madewell, old (similar by Splendid) (similar here, under $50)

Pants: ASOS (buy them here) (similar by Robert Rodriguez) (and another option at Anthropologie)
Belt: ASOS, old (similar at Topshop)
Ring: YSL Arty in Silver/Gold (buy it here)
Bracelet: Ann Taylor LOFT (buy it here)
Bag: Diane Von Furstenberg Tonda Clutch (buy it here) (similar here) (similar by Brahmin)
Pumps: Christian Louboutin Piou Piou Pumps (buy them here) (similar here, under $100)

And hey, let's throw some brightly-colored pants into the mix as well:

Jacket: J Crew Canary Tweed Jacket (similar here) (similar at The Limited) (similar at LOFT)
Blouse: GAP, old (similar here by Equipment) (similar under $100)
Jeans: Forever 21 (similar here)
Necklace: Auden Devon Necklace (similar here) (a fun option at Topshop)
Watch: Michael Kors (buy it here) (similar at Zappos for $150) (tip: you can sometimes find MK watches cheaper on Amazon!)
Bag: Marc Jacobs iPad Case in Coral (buy it here) (similar by Rebecca Minkoff in Coral) (similar by Kate Spade in Coral)
Shoes: J Crew Perfect Patent Pumps (similar here) (similar for under $100 by Nine West)

And some kinda-normal pants, too:

Blouse: GAP, old (similar here by Equipment) (similar under $100)
Pants: Ann Taylor LOFT (buy them here) (similar here) (similar at The Limited)
Necklace: Auden Devon Necklace (similar here) (a fun option at Topshop)
Watch: Michael Kors Oversized Rosegold Watch (similar here) (similar by Fossil)
Bracelet: Ann Taylor LOFT (buy it here)
Bag: Diane Von Furstenberg Harper Day Bag (similar here) (similar by Cynthia Rowley for under $150)
Shoes: L'Wren Scott Tropical Maryjanes (buy them here) (similar by Marc Jacobs) (similar by B Brian Atwood) (similar under $150)


Will you be rocking the printed/brightly-colored pants trend this spring? Have any personal tips on how to wear them? Share in the comments! ♥

Outfit Of The Day (I Get Up In The Morning To The Beat Of The Drum)

♫: Lose Your Soul - Dead Man's Bones

Just a quick outfit for today into which I inexplicably stare oddly fondly at a clock. Eat it Tyra Banks. Happy Friday, everyone!

Jacket: Tibi (similar at WHBM) (similar by BCBG) (similar at F21)
Top: Karen Millen (buy it here) (similar here) (similar here)
Skirt: Amanda Uprichard (buy it here) (available in more colors here)
Ring: Yves Saint Laurent Arty in Silver/Gold (buy it here) (similar here)
Shoes: Valentino Rockstud Kitten Heels (similar here) (similar here for under $100)
Bag: Tory Burch 797 Clutch (buy it here, on sale!) (& a colorblocked version here) (similar by Coach) (similar for under $50)

Outfits Of The Yesterdays (The Blues)

♫: Don't Stop (Color On The Walls) - Foster The People

 

Not too much of an update for today, mostly because I have been so, so sick; and if you could somehow make this horrible webcam photo of a totally deranged person into an internets emoticon:

Tank: American Eagle Outfitters. Or GAP. Or Banana Republic.  Or whatever. 
Tissue: Kleenex, old (buy them here)  (similar for less here) (and if you're really desperate - a total knock off here, shhh!)

...it'd be me! Wait, that is me.

(Oh it huuuurts.)

So here are some outfits from a few past healthier days, when I decided to take a shower like a normal person and pick the kleenex and cinnamon bears (sick food!) out of my hair like a normal person, too.

And, while I think this goes mostly without saying, any weird faces in the pictures below are just me trying desperately to not sneeze and accidentally blow my brains out of my nose. I kind of feel like it just might happen, and we have enough Kardashians-Khloe-Not-Inkluded in this world (and pure nonsense happening here on this blog) as it is:

Jacket: Nordstrom's, old (similar here) (similar at Forever 21)

Top: Isabel Lu, old (similar here) (similar at Bluefly) (similar here) (similar by Diane Von Furstenberg) (and an option by Free People)

Belt: J Crew, old (similar at Ann Taylor)

Skirt: Amanda Uprichard Tulip Skirt (buy it here) (similar at Urban Outfitters) (and a pencil skirt style here in 'fusion blue')

Yellow bracelet: Kendra Scott, c/o (similar here) (similar here)

Watch: Michael Kors Oversized Rosegold Watch (buy it here) (similar by Fossil)

Bag: J Crew, old (similar here) (similar at Shopbop, on sale)

Shoes: Christian Louboutin Piou PIou Pumps (buy them here) (similar at Ann Taylor)

One of my favorite patterns to wear is leopard. Not only is it versatile (it goes with brown! it goes with black! and gray! and ivory!  and polka dots!) (okay! maybe not polka dots!), but it can lend a bit of fun to any outfit that needs it.

Despite its color-matching versatility it can be easy to cross the line from sweet to slop-tart when wearing leopard, so I like to stick with animal-print tops that have higher-cuts and animal-print skirts/dresses that have longer lengths. I also try to keep jewelry extreeemely minimal.  Animal prints already have enough  going on--they don't need lots of bangles or heavy necklaces to add to the crazy-crazy.

And if you like the look of leopard but still have reservations wearing it full bore, try wearing it in smaller doses.  There are a lot of great belts, shoes, bags, and bracelets out there right now!  Have fun with it.

Easy-peasy:

Blouse: Forever 21, old (similar here) (similar here) (similar for under $50)
Skirt: ASOS, old (similar here) (similar here)

Belt: J Crew, old (similar at Ann Taylor)

Ring: Forever 21 (buy it here) (similar here)

Bag: Lanvin Sweet Dora Crossbody, old (similar here) (similar by Madewell) (and here in 'camel' by Fossil)

Shoes: J Crew Mona Pumps in Pale Peacock, no longer available (similar here) (and at ASOS) (and at Piperlime)

Outfit Of The Days (Fancier Follies)

Oh, nothing new for this week. I wish I had some exciting updates, but I don't--aside from the fact that I was knocked silly for the past few days, feeling as if someone used my entire lower-body as a punching bag. Crippling, crappy-ling pain, woohoo. 

And I know ya'll are likely wondering--whatcha doing, Chloe? Have you been training for a marathon?  Moonlighting as a roller derby roller girl? Getting in shape to partake in next year's Lumberjack Days? Still trying to teach Petunia how to do the Dougie and the Stanky Leg? (Come on girl! It's useless! Give it up! Everyone knows that chihuahuas lack natural rhythm!)

Oh no; no no. It's just arthritis, and there ain't no party like a watch-Chloe-get-out-of-bed-in-the-morning-and-walk-like-a-drunk-penguin-for-2-hours-straight party. Heyyyy. Ho.

Here are some outfits from the days where my body wasn't giving me the middle finger, thank you.

1

Vest: Ann Taylor (similar here) (similar here) (similar here for under $30)

Fur: H&M (similar here + take 25% off with code "MACYSFF") (similar here) (similar here, on sale)

Blouse: Forever 21 (buy it here + take 10% off on orders of $100+ with code "TENOFF") (similar here)

Pants: The LImited (similar here) (similar here)

Collar Necklace: F21 (similar here for $21) (similar here)

Fringe Bangles: F21 (buy them here)

Gold Braided Bracelet: t+j designs (buy it here)

Watch: Michael Michael Kors Runway Rosegold Watch (buy it here + take 25% off with code "MACYSFF") (similar here for under $150)

Bag: Chloe Paraty in Rosewood (similar here) (similar here by DKNY) (and here, too)

2

I have  been pretty excited over the re-emergence of drop-waist dresses for Spring 2012--it might even be one of my favorite upcoming trends. Isn't it interesting how closely the fashion industry mimics the entertainment industry, though?  We all know that the recent abundance of pleated skirts, mid-length dresses, kitten heels,  and bow blouses were fueled by one Don + Betty Draper; no doubt the flapper dress trend is being pushed by The Great Gatsby (and Mr. Luhrman totally trying his darn hardest to ruin it). This country is foolishly-obsessed with that book, I think (and...I'm probably the most foolishly-obsessed fool of all).

Drop-waist dresses are surprisingly flattering; their looser shapes wear well on almost all body types. And in spite of visually elongating the torso, the illusion doesn't necessarily make the wearer look short and stumpy. It's kind of fascinating how that works, actually.  Magical!

Cardigan: J Crew Perfect Mix-Tape Cardigan in Bronzed Twig (similar here) (similar here in olive)

Dress: Darling Embroidered Drop Waist Dress (buy it here) (similar here) (similar here)

Necklace: Ann Taylor (buy it here) (similar here + take 30% off)

Wrap Bracelet: Old F21 (similar here)

Black + Gold Bracelet: F21 (similar here)

Ring: Banana Republic (similar here) (love this for $24, too)

Earrings: Kendra Scott Darby Earrings in Tigers Eye (buy them here!)

Clutch: The Limited (similar by Sandra Roberts) (similar at ASOS, $35) (similar at Express, 30% off) (similar by ALDO, $40)

Shoes: J Crew Mona Pumps in Wild Berry (buy them here) (similar here) (similar here for $60)

 3

And last but certainly not least--I had never really experimented with lip color prior to this year, but I am now having fun with it. I have never been a fan of my mouth (I find it to be oddly shaped and wide), so I have always believed that slapping a bold color on top would only draw more attention to its weirdness. Maybe it does, but it is also kind of fascinating how different a bright red lip (+ a startled chihuahua) made this outfit look:

Blazer: Old Anthropologie (similar at Forever 21) (and this cardigan would work well, too!)

Top: Old Anthropologie/Weston Wear (similar here in "red topaz") (and at Old Navy)

Skirt: J Crew Felted Wool Mini (buy it here) (similar at WHBM + take 10% off with code "9525")

Belt: J Crew (buy it here)

Clutch: ASOS (buy it here) (and a gorgeous option with a strap)

Shoes: Old Lela Rose for Payless (similar at WHBM) (and by Sam Edelman)

Lipstick: Rouge Dior Lipcolor in Blazing Red (buy it at Sephora)

(Currently listening)

Outfit Of The Friday Night (Call It What You Want)

Oh why hello there, blog. How do you do?

Every once in awhile it's good (even important, I suppose) to take a step back from the fashion-blog-world to focus on some other things. Nice things, like friends.  Family.  Mile High Orange Crushes.  Eating a whole container of strawberries in one sitting.  The sizzling hot, clear blue skies of summer that gently fade into delightfully  pretty sunsets every night; lingering lazily across the horizon until the sun is swallowed up by the jagged, bumpy mountain peaks to the west.

And walks. And talks.  And laughing.  And crying.  And laughing, crying, laughing.

And snoozy naps caused by a somnolent afternoon sun:

Our two newest family members, Gazelle Bundchen and Richard Dere:

{martha-stewarting the shit out of my martha-stewarting here}

And riding with my top down, and my jewelry on, hey! I'm just gettin' my hood on:

(or as I thought the lyrics were until  I googled it .02 seconds ago: riding with my top down, and my Journey on, hey! I'm just getting my hood...off) (because it's hard getting a car hood off sometimes, DAD, HELLLLP.)

'Cuz I'm just, I'm just doing my thing:

{you know, all out of focus per usual}

We went to a little show a few Friday nights ago called 'Rock of Ages', which is the first time I have ever been thoroughly confused during a play.  I'm always up for a challenge when it comes to these things, I think--boys dancing around that want to do ballet?  No problem! Actors shrieking about depression and their dead son that they still think is alive? Okay! Teens documenting the highly-competitive and cutthroat world of cheer-leading? BRING IT ON (ha ha ha oh, um, next year). Shakespearean lingo delivered in a (bad) (fake) British accent? Hie thee hence, motherfuckers!

But Rock of Ages had me baffled. Baaaaffled. It was like they were speaking an entire different language, these singers and dancers oddly acting out a barrage of hair-metal songs from the 80's on stage, a language that I was a little too young to remember the first time around and a little too embarrassed to embrace the second.  It was just so cheesy to me back when I was in high school in the mid-to-late 90's, this heavy metal glam-rock music, and besides--I had better things to listen to back then, more sophisticated things like grown men dressed in latex suits with painted on mustaches.

"I can't fight this feeling anymore," I thought to myself as I sat amongst the crowd at the Buell Theater, thoroughly lost to the plot as everyone else was shrieking and clapping and having a great time, "Every rose has its thorn, I suppose, but gahh! Seriously. This is like bad medicine."

And so we decided that we weren't going to take it, oh no, and we quietly left during the intermission to go stumble around and people-watch on the 16th Street Mall instead.

Ah, just like paradise.  And nothing but a good time.  (Thank you! Thank you! I'll be here all night!)

Here's what  I wore:

 

Blazer: H&M (similar style here for $29.99) (and here) (and here) (and a cool leather version on sale at ASOS)

Dress: Plenty by Tracy Reese (buy it here) similar style here) (and here)

Belt: J Crew (buy it here) (similar style here + take $25 off of $75 with code "SUMMERMADNESS")

Watch: Michael Michael Kors Rosegold Large Runway Men's Watch (buy it here + take 10% off with code "TULIP") (similar style here for $115)

Bracelet: Gorjana Graham Studded Wrap Bracelet (buy it here) (similar style here at GAP)

Ring: Kenneth Jay Lane (buy it here)

Shoes: Manolo Blahnik Uliepe Pumps (buy them here) (similar style here) (and here for $49.95) (and a cute yellow sandal here for $39.95)

Bag: Chloe Paraty in Rosewood (similar style here) (and here) (and here) (and here for under $100)

 (Currently Playing in the Hizzouse)