Outfit Of The Day (J Crew Townhouse Trench)

First things first!  I received a lot of questions regarding the lace top my twin sister is wearing in the post below so I thought I'd answer it here so everyone sees it.  Her top is from Shop Ruche, and while it's currently sold out you can sign up for the wait list here. It's a fabulous top, isn't it?  Cheap-ish, too! :)

Now back to me. There are two things that I am loving so hard at the moment: crisp white coats and sneaky-snake prints.

When the J Crew Townhouse Trench first popped up online, it immediately became the "must have" item of the fall collection.  Not only does it come in seven pretty colors, but it also comes in petite and tall sizes, too.  Hooray!  No more looking like I'm a little kid playing some sort of drunken game of dress-up in some mom's too big clothes!

Unfortunately this trench has been 'juuuuust-okay' reviews online, and most with good reason.  While I absolutely love it, it is made of a fabric eerily similar to the Rachel Zoe peacoat below--meaning it isn't very warm. 

It is warmer than a usual cotton trench, of course, but this coat isn't meant for super-duper-hero warmth or for taking the pups out at 2am on a subzero, blizzardy winter night; oh no.  It's meant to be a bit of a show stopper, I think. This coat is (really) just like the prettiest sofas and chairs--they aren't for sitting in for hours while reading a good, flimsy, secret-guilty-pleasure-of-a-book, geez. They are for looking pretty so you keep your gosh darn Emily Griffin away from this coat, ya hear?

(I've been doing a lot of furniture shopping and test-trying lately, guys, please forgive.)

This coat is beautifully lined, nicely tailored, and the bold gold buttons draw eyes inward, making it insanely slimming and flattering.  It fits true to size (I'm wearing my normal petite J Crew size below) and in spite of its lack of insulation I think this might be the best coat I've ever bought.

A bold statement for a coat that offers little actual fall functionality?  Eh, what can I say--as J Crew likely knows after the scandalous rumors this week, sometimes true love is a little uncomfortable.  

Sometimes, true love is blind?

Coat: J Crew Townhouse Trench (buy it here) (similar style here by DKNY) (and here by WHBM + take $50 off with code "17652")(and here for under $100!)
Dress: H&M  (similar style at ASOS) (and here at ASOS) (and here at 6pm.com) (and here by Aryn K)
Belt: Miss Selfridge (similar style here) (and here at ASOS)

Hat: ASOS (buy it here) (similar style here) (and in another color here) (and here for $9.99)
Watch: Michael Kors Oversize Runway Watch in Rosegold (buy it here) (similar style here for $125)
Bag: MARC (!!) Jacobs Cooper in Nude (buy it here) (similar style by Marc Jacobs here) (similar style here for under $100)
Shoes: Christian Louboutin Neo Mars Pumps (buy them here) (similar style here) (and here) (and here at UO for $49 + take $20 off on orders of $100+ with code "BOO")

(Play on, playa)

Outfit Of The Days (t+j Designs)

For me, one of the very best things about fashion blogging is meeting other awesome fashion-bloggy people from all over the country that I otherwise would not have met. Some I've met in person, others only through e-mails and blog posts over the past three years (it has been that long--eek!)...but all are amazing.

Tiffany from I Am Style-ish is one of those people. Not only is she kind and stylish (of course!) but she is incredibly talented to boot. Along with her fashion/style blog she also runs an insane photography business with her husband, and so when she announced a few months back that she was following one of her dreams and launching a jewelry collection with her sister I was excited--WAY excited.


And now we have t + j Designs!

Tiffany was wonderful enough to send a few pieces my way from the newly launched collection and she has also offered a promotion for you guys, too (15% off on everything {except stylish steals} with code "CHLOE15"--through 10/31!).  It is extremely pretty-pretty-pretty stuff, and I'm reeeeally hoping that none of my family/friends are reading this 'cuz I've pretty much made up my mind (and have been saving my pennies) and ya'll are getting jewelry from her collection for Christmas. And Easter! And birthdays! And National Glazed Doughnut Day! And any day that you don't accidentally get a paper cut. You know--any day that is worth celebrating.

Just gorgeous:

{l to r: gunmetal luxe necklace, crystal encrusted earrings, purple teardrop earrings}

And now some outfits with the new sparklies, of course.  Ta da!

Cardigan: Martin & Osa (similar style here in "olive melange") (and here at Madewell) (and here at Target)
Tank: Wyatt Ruffle U-Neck Blouse (buy it here) (and in a short-sleeve tunic here)
Belt: J crew (similar style here)
Jeans: Old Navy Rockstar Denim (buy them here) (similar style here) (and a splurge by Rag & Bone here)
Shoes: Alexander Wang Isabeli Leopard Print Mules (a fierce pair of pumps by Tory Burch) (similar style here) (and here for under $100)
Bag: Chloe Paraty in Rosewood (similar style here) (and here) (love this by DVF, too!)

Necklace: c/o t + j Designs Gunmetal Luxe Necklace (buy it here + take 15% off with code "CHLOE15")

Blouse: GAP (buy it here) (similar style here at ASOS) (and here in "rose dust")
Skirt: J Crew Dorrie Skirt (similar style here at J Crew) (similar style under $100) (and here at ASOS in "cafe creme")
Shoes: Christian Louboutin Greissimo Knotted Pump in Camel (a pretty pair of camel pumps here) (similar style here by Steve Madden) (and here for $49.95)
Bracelet: GAP (buy it here)
Watch: Michael Kors Runway Large Rosegold Watch (buy it here) (similar style here for $135)
Bag: Lanvin Metallic Python Happy Mini Pop Bag (buy it here) (similar style here by Michael Kors) (and here for under $100)
Earrings: c/o t +j Designs Purple Teardrop Earrings (buy them here + take 15% off with code "CHLOE15")

Cardigan: GAP (similar style here) (similar style here + take 30% off with code "GAPSALE") (and similar style here at Target)
Top: Miss Selfridge (similar style here) (and here at Banana Republic) (and here at Free People)
Pants: Madewell (similar style here) (and here at ASOS) (and here for $40)
Bracelet: Ann Taylor (similar style here)
Booties: Prada Harness Booties (similar style here, on sale!) (and here) (and here for $109)
Clutch: Kooba Josie Clutch (similar style here) (and here for under $75)
Earrings: c/o t + j Designs Crystal Encrusted Earrings (buy them here + take 15% off with code "CHLOE15")

Outfits Of Some Days (A Color Combustion)

The weather here in Colorado is beginning to cool off, with warm sunny days now quickly fading into crisp nights and the threat of fall (and then winter) lingering in the air. Ohhh god damnit, ew.

I often get asked to list what I think are closet "must-haves".  While I generally try to avoid this, since most of my "must-haves" will be completely inane for the majority of the world (I don't work in an office, I don't have kids, I talk to my chihuahuas as if they are little humans, and I'm totally cool with falling on my ass while wearing heels in the middle of Red Robin) (umtruestory), there are two key items that I think would work for any wardrobe especially this fall and winter: bright pumps and leopard print.

The fashion world declared leopard print a "classic" last year, and while I'm still a little hesitant to make such a bold statement myself, man do I love leopard. It's so versatile (it matches black!  it matches brown!) and adds a bit of feistiness to any outfit.  If I'm feeling saucy, I rock a leopard print dress or leopard print cardigan. And if I'm feeling mild, a skinny leopard print belt, pair of shoes, or spotty handbag can still give any outfit some texture without being too cheap-polyester-clad-lady-of-the-night-ish.  We prefer silk-clad-lady-of-the-night-ish in this house, thanks.

Bright pumps, in my opinion, are another must. We went through a bit of a lazy period over the past few years in footwear, with everyone embracing nude pumps due to their magical "leg-lengthening" powers, and don't get me wrong--as someone with freakishly short legs, I definitely enjoy a good nude heel. 

But enough is enough! Bright pumps are really fun to wear and look great paired with anything from neutrals (think camels, blushes, and even black) to equally-bright outfits. 

And now leopard + bright pumps, two different ways:

Blouse: Urban Outfitters (similar style here for under $100) (and here at Madewell) (and here by DVF, on sale!)
Skirt: Forever 21 (buy it here) (similar style here for $17) (similar style here + take 25% off with code "SAVE25", pin "1231")
Pumps: J Crew Valentina Pumps (buy them here) (similar style here, on sale + under $100!) (similar style here for under $100) (and here for $50)
Bag: ASOS Slot Through Porfolio Clutch (buy it here!) (similar style here) (and by the lovely Rebecca Minkoff here)
Bracelet: Gorjana (buy it here)
Lipstick: Chanel Rouge Coco in Peregrina - Limited Edition (buy it here)

Sweater: Forever 21 (buy it here) (similar style in a cardigan here) (and here in a dress at LOFT!)
Shorts: Urban Outfitters (similar style here) (and here for under $100) (and here for $60)
Pumps: J Crew Valentina Pumps (buy them here) (similar style here, on sale + under $100!) (similar style here for under $100) (and here for $50)

Bag: ASOS Slot Through Porfolio Clutch (buy it here!) (similar style here) (and by the lovely Rebecca Minkoff here)

Outfit Of The Day (Bi-Stretch Wool Minnies + A Diverse Density Tank)

I swear that I don't mean to keep wandering off this blog as much as I have been doing lately, but if there is any good time to get a little lazy with blogging it's probably in the summertime.  It's nice outside! There's so much to do!  There are things are going on!  You know--things that don't involve me standing next to an stinging cold, foggy window telling the (prettily! falling!) snow to oh-shut-the-fuck-up in a high, squeaky voice.

Pictures are worth a thousands words, so here are some snaps I've taken recently of a few things I've been enjoying this summer:

The "Ellsworth" - Denver Biscuit Company.
It was good. Spicy!

The crowd @ Fleet Foxes - Thursday July 21st, Fillmore Auditorium
It was also good, but maybe not quite as spicy.

A McDonald's mix up during a quick lunch
I accidentally got someone else's very quirky order for a cheeseless cheeseburger (and it really didn't have any cheese on it, ew!)

 Strike a pose.
Doing some...shopping something with friends at a vintage clothing store off of Broadway. Um. I may or may not have been wearing a coonskin hat as I snapped this picture?

 Baby birds, day 1.
A surprise in my cheap Target wreath I found a few weeks ago. TAKE THAT MOTHERFUCKER MARTHA STEWART, TAKE THAT!

Baby birds, day 2. 
Oh! Oh damn. I think one is alive.  And...wants me to feed it?

Baby birds, day 3.
Fuzzy baby bird time!

Baby birds, day 5
If a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, how much...is a lot of a bird poop worth? Because there was a lot.  It almost took away from the fuzzy baby birdie cuteness.

 Baby birds, day 7
So this is Mo, Mo Hawk. His siblings Faux, Kitty, and Ad were all still snoozing when I snapped this.  One might even say Mo is a bit of an early bird, and also a charmer--he wanted me to go catch the worm for him. Watch out ladies, watch out.

Baby birds, day 7
Aw.

Aw again.

HEY. FAKER.

Here I'm talking to Petunia while she's pretending to snooze, and once she realized there wasn't cheese + crackers involved she gave me her extremely fuzzy, fluffy cold shoulder.

Hellooo, my pretty.

 Surprise sparkly, fun bracelets in the mail from a great bloggy friend, Rosa!

An afternoon storm rolling in.

In fashion news, retailers have already begun to jam their racks full of fall goodies and ohhhh, I am so excited!  While I will always be a warmer weather girl myself, we were just getting started last fall with the REAL GOODS (capes!  camel hues!  midi lengths! silk blouses! leopard prints!  lady-like satchels! faux fur! 70's chic!) and it looks like this fall is going to pick up right where it left off with even more capes, camel hues, midi lengths, silk blouses, leopard prints, lady-like satchels, faux furs, and...70's chic. This summer has just been kind of a blip-of-blah in between the goodness; like the mandatory tart green, pine-sol tasting skittles we accidentally grab while trying to dig out the reds, purples, oranges, and yellows. It is okay for something different, I suppose, but you most certainly do not want an entire bag of it. Unless you're totally weird.

J Crew's newest arrivals also have me excited for the first time in a few years (is it really that good, or have I just now, like most tired 30-year olds, lowered my standards?), and the Minnie pants in "warm redwood" were my first purchase from the collection. They get five stars from me--they are comfy, light enough to wear right now in spite of being wool, and a  great hue if you want to rock some red pants but want something a bit more muted and easier to wear. Bravo, J Crew, bravo. I think they run pretty true to size, but if you want a tighter fit like how the model is wearing them consider sizing down.  Like, um, five sizes.

The Diverse Density tank by PIlcro from Anthropologie was my next pick. Colorblocking is one of those little trends that I dreaded at first (too simple! so androgynous! how can I over-accessorize  the living daylights out of it?),but like most trends, I have slowly warmed up to it as time has gone on (zombiezombiezombie). This tank is exactly what I was looking for, with a sweet bow for a bit of a feminine twist. Hooray?

Not quite. It is absolutely huge in person; here it is on me in an XS:

 (this is my universal symbol for "it's huge"; it's also the pose I immediately strike whenever Husband says, "fancy a date night at smashburger?" and/or how I look when trying to ungracefully get my shoes off the tippy-top shelves.)

I was hesitant to belt this top because hey, it is supposed to be clean looking and color blocked and blah-blah-blah-leave-it-alone-for-once-Chloe-GEEZ...but I finally gave in, slapped a black skinny belt around the waist, and never took it back off.  It gives the top just the right shape without ruining the look too much, I think. It really is a pretty top, made out of a soft swingy jersey, and one of the first times I have ever been at Anthropologie and thought something was priced oddly "cheap". I kept looking for the 1 that they forgot to put in front of the $48, but no worries--the Persian Floral Blouse has an extra that this top could kindly borrow.


Quick! Before Anthropologie figures it out!

Top: Diverse Density Tank by Pilcro (buy it here) (similar style here) (and here) (and here) (and here) (and here at ASOS, too!)
Belt: J Crew (similar style here)
Pants: J Crew Minnie in Bi-Stretch Wool in Warm Redwood (buy them here) (similar style here for $20) (and here at ASOS) (and another option at ASOS in a flare leg)
Shoes: J Crew Mona Pumps (buy them here) (similar style here under $100) (and here under $100) (and here)
Watch: Michael Michael Kors Large Runway Watch (buy it here) (similar style here for $115) (or a cuff for under $50)
Bracelet: Forever 21 (buy it here) (similar style here)
Bag: J Crew Galaxy Sequin Crossbody (similar style here) (and here on sale for $36) (and here by Rebecca Minkoff!)

(Currently playing in the hizzouse)