Outfit Of The Yesterday (Denver Home & Garden Show)

 ♫: Sprawl II - Arcade Fire x Soulwax



The Great Remodel of 2011 was put on hiatus over the winter for a few different reasons, mainly being the snowy weather, travel, the holidays, and blah-bah-blah-busy crap. But now that the weather is warming up, we have been itching to get back into it.

Well. I've been itching to get back into it.  Husband just wants a functioning bathroom or two, he says. Whatever. It's hard being married to someone so high maintenance.

So! Our official remodel schedule for this year is still pretty big. We need to:

1. Finish two of our three bathrooms (one being our on-suite, which is getting a total gut and revamp)
2. Figure out what the heck to do with those ugly, unfinished stairs
3. Draw up some ideas for our broken main floor fireplace to make it both functional and pretty
4. And get some furniture and furnishings.
5. I mean any furniture and furnishings.
6. 'Cuz we have none.

(I should probably explain to my newer readers, hello by the way: most of the furniture to this point in our lives had been a cast of confused, well-used characters; disjointed and displaced enough to make any empty college sorority house, or frat house, or..or...Daniel Steel novel jealous. As we installed new flooring in our entire house last year, Husband and I donated & discarded most of the old stuff as we went figuring it would be easier to dispose of it sooner rather than later! Right? So smart! Yes!)  (Noooo.)

So right, furniture. Furnishings. Uhhh. I still have no idea what I want, guys. I am drawing a total blank.

But while it is very exciting sleeping on only a mattress + wheelie bed frame and digging my clothes and various valuables out of Rubbermaid Storage Containers sprinkled throughout our house, I keep losing shit because I don't know where it is. We have almost lost a few chihuahuas down the back of our bed as well, as it slowly shifts away from the wall now as there is no longer any carpet to keep it from rolling, but that is what those two fuzzy jerk-blobs get for hogging all the pillows on our glamorous pillows-turned-makeshift-headboard anyway.

(Pinterest DIY on this totally (not) coming soon.)

So to get our creativity cranking again we decided to hit the Denver Home & Garden show on Saturday to see what we could see. Which....truthfully wasn't much, as it seems we paid an $11-per-person entrance fee only to get screamed and yelled at by vendors shouting all sorts of irrational things as we walked along. Free! Win $1500! Not free! Windows! Floors! 5 Hour Energy!  Pens! Free! Slap Chop! Shticky's! Furnaces!  Free not free not free not free, but free, not free free free free not free not free not free but free but kinda free but not free free not free but free!

There appeared to be a lot of people there willingly enjoying the badgering however, as the place was pretty packed, and as I had never been to a home show before I will admit I found it...odd. 

Hadn't these people ever heard of the comment sections on websites like Youtube? ESPN? Jezebel? Any local news station? You can imbibe in all the irrational abuse that your little masochistic heart desires at those websites, for free, and you don't even have to leave the comfort of your furniture-less, kinda broken home. 

(And if you feel extra reckless and randy, you can even turn off your pop-up blocker and be the 1,000th-person-winner of a totally legit iPad, too!)

I guess my main point is this: who wants to do business with a company that feels that shouting at you (as you desperately pretend that you are a deaf-mute from Funafuti, Tuvalu, while your husband alwaaaays forgets to play along) to win something is the best way to procure your loyal patronage (and money) forever and ever?

'Cuz it isn't. I've worked customer service long enough to know all the dangerously dirty tricks: be nice, be informative, be honest, don't be pushy, and the most important, shocking thing of all: sell something I actually want to buy. It's a brilliant concept. Thanks.

So I digress. The Don-Draper-Asking-A-Very-Polite-Lady-Of-The-Night-To-Slap-Him-In-The-Face-on-Thanksgiving type of weird torture that that whole experience was (Sunday yay!) aside, we did actually find a few things of interest at the show.

Mainly a map that did nothing to tell us where the buried treasure was even though we looked really hard:

And some total (cute) weirdo in a yellow shirt warmin' his backside on the fire pit. Jackpot!

This is what I wore:

Blazer: Zara (similar here) (similar here) (similar at Forever 21)
Tank: American Eagle Outfitters (similar at Forever 21 in "olive")
Belt: The Limited (similar here) (similar here for $11)
Pants: GAP, old (similar by All Saints) (similar for under $30) 
Necklace: Forever 21, old (similar here) (love this, too)
Ring: Yves Saint Laurent Arty in Aqua (buy it here) (similar here for under $100) (another option under $100)
Watch: Michael Kors Oversized Rosegold Watch (buy it here) (similar by Fossil)
Shoes: J Crew Savina Studded Sandals (buy them here) (similar by Nine West) (similar under $100)
Bag: Marc Jacobs Cooper in Nude (buy it here) (similar by Fossil) (similar by Rebecca Minkoff) (similar at F21)

Outfits Of The Yesterdays (Tu Serais Mon Lascar Superstar)

♫: Battez-Vous - Brigitte

I have two outfits for today, albeit both are pretty similar. I was planning on wearing outfit #1 this past Saturday, but it was almost warm enough to wear a skirt. So! I wore a skirt, hence outfit #2.

 I just want it to be spring so, so darn bad...and an upcoming trip to Arizona definitely isn't helping with my warmer-weather-loving-lust. Counting down the days!

I digress. I have had a lot of you guys write to me recently asking for tips when it comes to wearing unusual color pairings and prints, and I decided to post both outfits as an example of how I do it.

I just follow one simple rule: I always try to pair at least two colors together, as It helps give the outfit a much needed solid point of reference. It helps to make the outfit look intentional versus looking like you forgot to pay the electric bill and dressed yourself in the dark. But hey--sometimes it's fun to make people wonder?

For example, in outfit one we have a burgundy belt with a burgundy bag (and coral stripes with coral pumps):

Jacket: J Crew, old (similar here) (similar here) (similar here)

Top: Forever 21 (buy it here) (a non-cropped, t-shirt option here) (similar at Old Navy for $14)

Pants: Madewell, old (similar by DVF) (similar at Topshop)

Belt: J Crew (similar here)

Pumps: Vince Camuto VC Signature Pure Pumps (buy them here + take 20% off w/ code "20GIFT") (similar at Topshop) (and love these by kate spade)

Handbag: DVF Harper Handbag, old (similar here by Cynthia Rowley) (similar by Rebecca Minkoff)

And in outfit two, we have a pinky-nude bag matched with pinky-nude flats. Oftentimes, however,  similar-hued accessories can be extremely difficult to find. If you don't feel like going on an Amazing-Race-style-expedition to find matching items, try matching your nail polish to something! Even though I didn't do it in the outfit below, I do it in my other outfits often-- it's an easy and cheap way to still make your outfit look intentional and au courant:

Jacket: J Crew, old (similar here) (similar here) (similar here)

Top: Forever 21 (buy it here) (and a non-cropped, t-shirt option here)

Belt: J Crew Patent Belt in neon azaelia (buy it here) (similar at GAP for $25)

Skirt: J Crew, old (similar here in lace) (similar here) (similar at Forever 21) 

Bag: Marc Jacobs Quilted Cooper Crossbody in Nude (buy it here) (similar here for under $100) (and at Topshop)

Flats: Valentino (buy them here) (similar here by Jeffrey Campbell) (similar here)

What unusual color combinations or prints have you guys been loving lately? Share in the comments! ♥

Outfit Of The Day (Yeah, We Up Up Up In The Clouds)

Did everyone have a good 4th? I sure did! Lots of goofing around, eating, relaxing, and listening to good music, mmhm.

I often get emails from readers requesting that I do a "Closet Must-Have" post. While I haven't yet had time to sit down and draw up such a post (but I do have  a crumpled, 13-month old post-it note full of ideas to write about collecting dust sitting next to me, of course!), one of the top things for me is matching accessories. I have posted about it before, but I really like having similar-hued items because it makes pulling together an outfit quick and easy. Think belts, shoes, necklaces, bracelets, rings, and bags. 

J Crew is actually one of the best places to find these piece at, I've found, as they often produce belts and shoes in similar colors for every season. They are also great at bringing back old colors, and so I was super duper happy to find that the new Plume necklace matched my 3-year old dusty rose Perfect Patent pumps quite nicely. I am not sure if it's the identical twin in me, or if it's the Libra in me, or if it's just the little bit of boring-and-lazy in me...but I always like to have a little bit of matchy-matchy-balance in outfits.

And it seems like every time that I go to snap these pics it's around the exact same time for the super prompt and punctual 10-Minute Colorado Afternoon Thunderstorm to kick off ...hence the flash/no flash weirdness happening here.  YOU GET THE IDEA:

 

 Top: ASOS Henley (similar style here) (and here) (and here for under $50!)

Belt: Urban Outfitters (similar style here) (and here) (and here for under $10)

Necklace: J Crew Pluma Pendant Necklace (similar style here) (and here for under $15) (and here)

Brown Bracelet Cuff: Forever 21 (similar style here)

Black Bracelet (not shown on arm w/ cuff): Gorjana Graham Bracelet (buy it here + take 20% off with code "toutie")

Skirt: J Crew (similar style here in harvest gold + on sale for $35!) (and here)

Pumps: J Crew Perfect Patent Pumps in Dusty Rose (similar style here at J Crew) (and here, on sale!) (and here + take 30% off with code "EXTRA30") (and here at Nine West)

Purse: Chloe Metallic Marcie in Gunmetal (similar style here) (and here)

(currently playing in the hizzouse)

Outfit Of The Days (E ku'u kumu e, mai hopohopo, ua kapa 'ia ko'u inoa waena, 'o ia 'o Severe Turbulence)

Baby, "Severe Turbulence" is my middle name.

Whittling down vacation photos can be both fun and incredibly daunting, can't it?  It's an absolute blast to look through all of them and relive the vacation a bit, but  I snapped well over 1,000 pictures during our 8-night stay on the island of Kaua'i last week. And sure, that  only figures out to about 125 pictures per day, but it still seems absolutely prodigious once a girl has to hunker down and edit them all.

So I decided to start with the most important part since it's been awhile--what I wore! So you guys don't get confused and think I went on this vacation naked, uh duh.

Husband and I got married in Kaua'i five years ago and our vacation then was full of the usual twinkly, misguided dreams and warm weather with intermittent misty showers that would last mere seconds before the sun would be out shining again. This vacation was entirely different however, with the first four days a complete deluge of nonstop heavy, soaking rains and the first four nights spent with us lying in our hotel room at the Hyatt Regency, listening as the creepy and robotic National Weather Service Voice would repeat the Flash Flood warnings for all of the Hawaiian-named towns on Kaua'i, lulling us into a dreary, non-sparkly sleep.


Which was actually really funny to hear, that automated voice trying so hard to pronounce  the Hawaiian towns, but only the first time. Oh alright I laughed the second time too, but it really grew old by night three and four, I swear (but only Ka-pa-a-and-Kau-ma-ka-ni-kind-of, ha-ha-ha-ha). The weather did clear up a bit halfway through our trip thankfully, giving us just enough good weather to be slightly satisfied and hungry for more.

One of the big reasons why I love Kaua'i is because of the laid back nature of the island--it is the only place that Husband and I can go and feel like we are truly getting away from it all. There is no hustle, there is no bustle. It is the least populated of all of the main Hawaiian islands, and there are no high end boutiques or shops but only stores dedicated to trinkets, fun and chintzy souvenirs, or surf gear.

I actually like the surf stores the best, though I make no claim to be any sort of  salty sea turtle, because nestled between the racks of bikinis, short-shorts, and brightly printed tees are incredibly soft, cool knits perfect for the hot days of summer.  The only shopping I did for myself on this  vacation was to stock up on Ola sugar scrubs, Island Soap & Candle Company Plumeria scented products (I love their oils & shower gels and they're all made locally in Kaua'i), and a few seriously, seriously soft knits from a brand I'd never heard before called Indah (but apparently Shopbop knows what's up, and you can check the brand out here!).

I didn't snap pictures of all of my outfits, as I decided to take a little break from the blog so I could enjoy spending time with the D-hubs, but I did catch a few snaps here and there. So let's get to it, hm?

A girl can never bring too many shoes yes? I'm not even going to say what Husband said when he saw these all lined-up because I couldn't really understand him, we're at that stage in our marriage where we both mumble a lot now, but I'm pretty sure it was something about how much he loved me aaaand all my shoes.  Especially the studded spikey ones:

Here's what I wore to go on a day-trip on a boat up the Nā Pali coast.  Because of the rain and cool early morning weather, I had to be crafty and layer up a bit!  I also promise that my watch does fit, it just wasn't latched when I quickly snapped these before running er, wobbling out the door:

T-shirt: American Eagle Outfitters (buy it here, on sale for $10)

Belt: Urban Outfitters (buy it here) (similar style here at F21 for $6.80)

Skirt: American Apparel (buy it here, now 50% off!)

Watch: MICHAEL Michael Kors 'Large Runway' Rose Gold Watch (buy it here) (similar style under $100 here)

Ring: Yves Saint Laurent Arty Ring in Green (buy it here) (similar style here) (and at Anthro for $58)

Sandals: Christian Louboutin Glittered Atalanta Flats (buy them here) (similar style here) (and love these for $29.50, too!)

Bag: Chanel Crackled Patent Camel Classic Flap (similar style here) (and here) (and Miu Miu-esque under $100 here)
Grumpy face: IT WAS 5:00 AM.

Here's what I wore while laying out by the pool, safe under a cabana since I'm not supposed to be in the sun.  I also damn near lived in this  Mint by Goorin Nubby Panama Hat from Urban Outfitters, wearing it during most of our vacation--it's the first hat I've ever owned that has been truly packable. It's amazing! I had the poor thing mashed up so badly in my suitcase both to and from Hawaii! And it popped out and right back into shape with nary a kink each time!  Good stuff:

I am also going to be a bit honest and discuss something that I rarely discuss on here: it's a little bit nerve-racking posting swimsuit pics. I have received a few rare comments here in the past regarding my size, as most fashion bloggers likely have since we put ourselves out there and ask for it (which is totally weird because I'm preeetty sure I haven't worn my "OMG How Do You Think I Look At This Weight Please Let Me Know By Anonymously Telling Me To Either Eat a Sandwich Or By Congratulating Me On My Magical Secret Pregnancy In The Comment Section On My Blog ASAP Because Apparently My Magical Secret Unborn Baby Really Likes Sandwiches LOL LOL LOL!!!" t-shirt in an Outfit Of The Day yet, but it's coming soon I promise!), so I will just say this: like most women, I've had my fair share of body issues.  Who hasn't? 

But having dealt with Lupus for the past four years has really helped me to finally be mostly at peace with my body in that regard. It's odd, but true.  Lupus is both a painful and uncontrollable condition, and auto-immune disorders are incredibly tough on one's body.  I can often fluctuate up and down in weight a good 10 to 20 lbs from the various medications I take and from all of the illnesses and side effects that come with it, which can be a lot for someone who is only 5'2".


It is bittersweet.  As a fairly major control freak who felt pressure in her late teens and early 20's to be a certain size and never fluctuate nary a pound, it has been difficult yet strangely liberating to give up the regimented control I used to once command over my body and actually be, well...nice and gentle to it, even though Lupus often times isn't so nice and gentle back. I had to call a truce; this disease has given me no other choice.  It's in control now, and I'm just along for the goofy motherfucker of a ride. 


I rarely discuss matters like this on here mostly because...well, it never pops into my head.  I' have made my peace with it and it's simply no longer an issue for me.  But I also do enjoy  occasionally getting a bit more personal on here than just sharing some pictures with ya'll displaying my basic grasp on the concept of matching clothes, so I figured this was as good a time as any to discuss it. 



So there you have it, I'm a real human with real human issues and not an emotionless robot-lady-with-an-oddly-large-head-and-an-unhealthy-attachment-to-expensive-shoes-and-a-fuzzy-brown-dog-named-Petunia-that-most-reserve-for-a-stressful-career-or-Farmville-or-a-human-baby after all.  I TOLD YOU.

Onto the pictures. I am a true apple-shape and carry most of my weight in my midsection, so while I do occasionally don a bikini I always feel comfiest in the Extremely Buddha-Belly-Friendly tankini.  Especially while on vacation and eating all the good vacation food and drinking all the good vacation drinks, too.  It's not like I can go flop out in the sun and splash around in a pool or catch an amazing tan brah anyhow.  Swimwear for me now is no pomp, all circumstance, an occasional  melancholy hot tub after the sun safely sets at night, sad trombone.


But I did feel a little bit festive and fun while hiding in the shade when Husband stole my camera to snap this pic; he always makes me feel lovely, tankini and Buddha belly and trying to see the glass as half-full  and made-up conversations with a 5 lb chihuahua and all:

Tankini top: J Crew Ruched Betty Swing Top in Dark Cypress (buy it here)

Bottoms: Marc by Marc Jacobs Belleville Snap Bikini Brief (similar style here) (and here for under $20)

Book: Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin (only because I accidentally left my copy of Ice: A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption-from South Central to Hollywood by Ice-T at home, sheeeit!)

And this is what I wore when we decided to go out for dinner  and to visit the beach where we got married five years ago.  Yay, so happy!  ♥

(See now, if I were a fashion blogger with a photographer Husband you'd ONLY get a million of the same Outfit Of The Day snaps of me doing the Awkward Freaked Out On Guard With My Arms Over My Boogs Imma Beat You With My Louboutins pose. And it'd be awesome.)

Cardigan: Rodarte for Target (similar style here) (and here from F21)
Cami: Wyatt U-neck Ruffle Camisole (buy it here) (similar style here for under $50) (and here on sale)
Belt: J Crew Patent-Tab belt in Cinnamon Spice (buy it here)
Shorts: Old Navy Pleated Linen Shorts in Salamander (buy them here, on sale for $15!)
Watch: MICHAEL Michael Kors 'Large Runway' Rose Gold Watch (buy it here) (similar style under $100 here)
Heels: Christian Louboutin Knotted Greissimo Pumps in Camel (buy them here) (similar style here + take 25% off with code "MAYAFF25") (and here for $35)
Sandals: Christian Louboutin Glittered Atalanta Flats (buy them here) (similar style here) (and love these for $29.50, too!)

More pictures to come! :)  

Outfit Of The Day (Remodeling Updates & Such)

Oh let's see, where are we here?  I have spent the past several months immersing myself in nearly every single show on HGTV, the DYI Network, early Saturday morning TLC, and the Disney Channel (The Suite Life of Zach and Cody, duh--suite) to gather ideas to stuff into my rusty, can't-quite-lock-shut-tight-anymore binder of a brain for ideas on what Husband and I would like to do to this house, and if I have learned a few things so far it's:

1. Home remodels never go as planned.
2. Home remodels always cost more than planned. Much, much, much more.
3. Home remodels always take much longer than planned. Much, much, much, much longer.
4. If you think you're able to afford a 5 bedroom, 4 bath house smack on the beach of Turks & Caicos for just $2 and your cute American charm you can go right ahead and think again, nimrod.
5. The "show info" button is for novices--watch a show for a few minutes and as soon as a hired contractor gets on their cell phone you can tell exactly how old the show is and what year it was taped.
6. I am never moving to Toronto because I'm pretty sure it costs $1 million dollars down and the naming rights to your firstborn. 
7. I am never hemming my own pants with fabric glue again because having your hand stuck to the hem of your pants will (probably) never be in style. 
8. I said probably. 
9. And I've watched nearly every single darn episode of The Vanilla Ice Project and he still hasn't let out one "Now stop. Collaborate and listen." to his crew. WHAT A WASTE OF TIME.

So whew--I've been extremely busy.

The flooring debacle continues. If you live in a home that already has wood floors, please give yourself a hi-five because going from carpeting to wood floors isn't easy nor is it cheap. But after driving back and forth this weekend (while making a pit stop at a Roche Bobois in Littleton to gawk at furniture we will never be able to afford) we finally have a good grasp on what we want and hopefully  the flooring should be installed in the next...few...um...months.

We've picked out a pretty pinky-brown-gray tile for both the kitchen and bathrooms and a very pretty warm-brown-cherry-hued bamboo for the rest of the house, see pictures here and here. And before you go all, "GAAASP CHLOE NOT BAMBOO!" for some reason the stuff we've picked out has a Janka hardness rating of 2789, which is much harder than typical bamboo (which usually has a Janka hardness rating around 1300). Why this is, I am not exactly sure (see me gluing my own hand to my pants), but I'm going to beat the holy monkey bananas out of the sample we brought home with my pumps  tomorrow as a test.  You know--just to make sure.

But of course, after doing some quick internet research I've discovered that not only does the stomach ache I've had all day mean I have cancer, but that there are several more caveats that come with bamboo. As always, I appreciate any advice, comments, suggestions, concerns, or fluffy pats on the head of pity from you guys. If you have an experience with bamboo flooring, please share! <3

Next comes the ordering of the floor (which takes a few weeks), the acclimating of the flooring to the house (which takes 4+ weeks if we do actually decide to go with bamboo), and then the actual installation (which takes...a hot glue gun and some strong sangrias um, I have no idea), but with the warmer months ahead I am more than ready to get this party started.  Let's do it homies; it's time to hustle white-girl-with-a-redecorating-mission-on-her-brain hard.

Speaking of warmer weather, we've had the muckiest spring ever here in Colorado. It's been cold, dreary, windy, I'm going to Hawaii and never coming back, meh.  

Coloradans have to be extremely nimble at layering due to how many times the weather can change in a single day, and this waterfall blazer I grabbed from ASOS a year or two ago has been one of my favorite pieces so far this season. It has a fun jauntiness to it that I like, and it's perfect for cinching shut with a belt lest I want the wind to catch it and blow me away like a little Chloe kite:

Blazer: ASOS (similar style here) (and here) (and here, on sale!) (and you can do it with a cardigan like this, too)
Top: American Eagle Outfitters (buy it here + take 15% off with code "49204021")
Jeans: GAP Jeggings (similar style here) (and here on sale)
Belt: J Crew (similar style here in "cinnamon spice") (and here for $12)
Necklace: Forever 21 (buy it here) (and a smaller version here)
Shoes: ALDO Goodsite Heels (similar style here) (and here) (and a comfortable wedge version here) (and a splurge here)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff : (similar style here) (and here for under $50) (love this from Matt & Nat, too!)

(Outfit Of The Day) Oh The Reality

Husband and I had a great night out on Friday to eat at the insanely tasty Limelight Supper Club and to see one Lewis Black at the Ellie Caulkins, opened by the delightful John Bowman and served with a saucy side of alcohol + your favorite blood pressure medication du jour. It was my official Valentine's Day gift to the D-hubs, but you know...it was really a gift for me too.  Shh. Don't tell.

I love going to comedy shows.  I do!  You can never go wrong spending a night at a comedy club or seeing a comedian.  Never. You laugh!  You laugh so hard you cry!  You laugh so hard your face goes numb! And then you laugh some more!

I mean, unless you were born without a mouth and/or lacking the muscles needed in order to physically form a smile and/or Donald Duck (I just Wikipedia'd it and ducks can't really smile, Disney) (AND MOST MICE CAN'T WEAR RED SHORTS EITHER DUE TO THE LACK OF OPPOSABLE THUMBS) and/or um Anne Coulter...a comedy show will always be a good time. It's guaranteed, and I love it.  

And it's important. Husband and I have been trying hard this year to put effort into doing things together.  Both of us were fairly i-n-d-e-p-e-n-d-e-n-t-do-you-know-what-that-mean-mayne before our marriage; I had lived alone for several years, as did he, and by doing so we came into our relationship together being fairly capable and comfortable doing shit our own way and getting it done.

I think it is important to do this before settling down, of course. To learn how to truly do things on your own, even if it's chasing and killing a swarm of angry killer flies that you accidentally let into your 650 sq-ft apartment at 11pm one Tuesday night by using your strongest of strong hold hairsprays, an Old Navy flip flop, and a high-pitched scream of complete fear er, ferociousness just a real like a true playa fly-swatter pimp.

(It is also important to learn that just because you are alone doesn't mean you're lonely; and just because you are lonely doesn't mean you're alone.  But it does mean you better know how to get a stubborn lid off of a jar of salsa without accidentally smashing it on the floor or else you'll get hungry real quick.)

Unfortunately this sort of sovereign state of behavior can also, hang on here while I get the crayons out so I can color ya'll shocked, be at times a little bit detrimental to a strong relationship.  It can also make it incredibly easy to fall into that old rut of eat + work work work +  + work work work some more + watch dumb reality TV shows together + laugh + sleep without actively taking time to do something special and fabulous together.

(And if it is so easy for us to fall into this trap, I can't even imagine how those of you with children-of-the-non-fur-non-eating-cat-poop-that-they-find-in-the-bushes-outside variety do it in your marriages--yikes!)

So I am happy for this. It has been tons of fun doing new things together with Husband and making a conscientious effort to do it!

I also know that I have strayed lately from sharing a lot of personal thoughts and notes here, and with good reason. As a fashion blogger, I take my Official Fashion Blogger Duty to make it magically appear to ya'll that...

• I waltz into my closet every day and know within 2 seconds exactly what I'm going to wear. Don't you?

• I can not only snap pictures of the perfect fruit tart and quiche of any kind, but I can bake it too!

• Who me, work out? Exercise? Diet?  Ha ha!  Ha ha ha!

• I never get hang nails or canker sores or those weird eyelid spasms.  My fly also stays perfectly zipped up at all times because I mean...who walks around with their fly undone all day? ll tell you who--people who aren't fashion bloggers.  That's who, ew.

• I have never never had a bad hair day, because even my bad hair days are good hair days.

• Whenever you see me in person, even if it's pouring rain and earthquake-ing and tornado-ing all around us, I will always look like I'm softly glowing from the inside and standing in a perfect golden beam of light from a setting sun.

• And (most importantly) I never accidentally fart when I'm laughing. NEVER, YOU HEAR?

...very seriously. It's a strict code of conduct, as I am sure you all understand, and violation of any of the above terms means immediate termination from the Fashion Blogging World and my Miu Miu flats go *poof* and immediately turn into Crocs.

With fashion blogging it is often too easy to just throw up some pictures,  ramble about something completely inane, and then call it a day. It is just so gosh darn hard to write openly and to be candid sometimes about the more difficult subject matters, as I am sure you all know, because to do so often opens up a small, uncomfortable crack of vulnerability.

It might be a teeny-tiny crack, but it's a crack nonetheless.  And I am a real person, and I am a real person that also likes to wear high heels, and if I accidentally get my heels stuck in that crack I'm going to motherfuckin' go down because I am also...a really big klutz.


(But a klutz that always has a perfect manicure and never forgets to zip up her fly.  GOT IT?)

So! Enough of that. Here's one of my favorite outfits from our trip to Vegas last week; I wore this out to dinner (with shopping on the strip and exploring the city after!) on a rather cold and windy Friday night. 

I am currently having a big blouse moment, as you have probably noticed, and I think we all have certain outfits that we probably create and wear often.   A few months ago it was a pretty cami (preferably with a ruffle) + cardigan or blazer + skinny jeans + cute shoes.  I am happy to say that  I've now taken a huge leap and moved on to a  blouse (preferably with a ruffle) + skirts + belts + cute shoes.

I am so multifaceted and versatile, aren't I:

 Trench Coat: Juicy Couture  Outlet Ruffle Trench from last year (similar style here) (and here) (and here with a pretty ruffle on the front!) (and here for $50)

Blouse: Topshop (similar style here) (and here, on sale!)

Skirt: Forever 21 (similar style here + take 30% off with code "FRIENDSFB") (and here)

Belt: Forever 21 (similar style here) (and here)

Shoes: Christian Louboutin Marcia Leopard Ballet Kitten Heels (similar style here) (and here) (and here at Piperlime)