well, I like it

I have been looking forward to Anna Sui/Target since I heard about it. When the rumor went around that the line was canceled due to Target not wanting to endorse Gossip Girl, I panicked. Luckily the line came out on September 13 as promised. I loved almost everything when I went to Target and spent about an hour in the dressing room...

This "metallic feathers" dress is so cool. My only dilemma- where on earth would I wear it? The body is a tweed, the cut is revealing, and the neck-embellishments are fancy.

I love the back.

I was hoping I could throw on a blazer to make it work-appropriate, but, uh, no.


The only other disappointment came in the cream-lace "Blair" dress that I loved so much in the pictures. It looks really cute from the front, and the details are great.

Unfortch, it was a potato sack from the side. A belt would ruin the look. I wish it would have been just a bit more tailored, and I would have been really tempted to drop $70 on it...


I was really impressed with the details in most of this collection. Maybe the detailing had something to do with the wayyyy higher-than-average-Target-price points. I ended up leaving with 2 dresses; one "Blair" and one "Jenny". I could have bought a lot more. I will style them later this week!

new favorite couple?

maybe? they are just both so beautiful.

leighton shines again

Leighton in Christopher Kane, proving that she is the most fashionably-interesting girl to be photographed these days. Of course the dress would not look good on everyone (or even MOST people), but it looks great on her and is sure to turn heads. The shoes may be a little heavy for the dress but she is so confident that I barely notice.

...and this shoe/pant combo look is now at the top of my fall wishlist.

Also, check out Leighton's new song Body Control- I couldn't turn it off for my whole run today.

new betsey

Slowly, the looks from Betsey Johnson's fall line are becoming available. I am still holding out for the sequin & jersey tuxedo jacket (from this post), but maybe someone will buy me the little bichon frise t-shirt to get me started :)


Only $98 haha. I don't even want to know how much the jacket of my dreams will cost!

Only GaGa

Finally someone wore Jean-Charles de Castelbajac's Kermit stole in public....



yessss.

retail SHAME

Here is a story about one time when I was one of those customers that the associates groan about for an hour after you leave. I felt so bad! So, I have a long history with Express. I worked there for 2 years, have the Express card, always liked the store.

One day I saw a sale going on, and it had been a really long time since I bought any clothes. I was in desperate need of new jeans, and their BOGO 50% off was a perfect excuse. Even though I was pretty broke, I went armed with a coupon and my Express card, knowing I could pay off my purchases within 2 months. So I spent a good hour finding the right jeans, and decided to add a couple clearance shirts too. The associates were along with me the whole time, spending lots of time helping me with sizes and colors.

It was finally time to check out, my total was a healthy $100...and whoops- my Express card isn't swiping. I was not surprised, since I had not used the card in 2 years and it was super old. No problem, the cashier said, I will just call it in. Ohh man...at this point I was already holding up the line and I know that a cashier's tolerance decreases by about 90% as soon as they have to "call something in".

Well a 10-minute phone call later, and it turns out my account is NOT active, they have to reactivate it, but that means you cannot use your card today...it will take 7-10 days. AHHHH. I had no other way to pay for it...so I had to abandon! The dreaded "cancel transaction"!! The sales girl who helped me was giving me dagger-eyes!! I apologized 100 times and said how embarrassed I was, promised I'd be back as soon as my account activated and that I'd remember her name so she'd get credit for the sale.

Oh wait...this story actually happened today. And there's no way I'll be back- my embarrassment will definitely keep me away from shopping for a LONG time. This is probably the universe's way of telling me to not even THINK about buying clothes.

shoes of the day

It is no secret around here that I am broke as a joke. The little money I do have is not my own, and will have to be repaid with interest. So I don't go online-window-shopping like I used to- it is too depressing. But I am just dying to get my hands on some summery sandals. I am craving huge platforms that go with everything. When I wear heels to school, I feel a little overdressed for some reason, but sky high platforms are easier to walk in and a little more casual. Shopbop has a wonderful selection right now.


Marc by Marc, $111

Ash, $87


Twelfth St Cynthia Vincent, $106. Ahhh I want these so bad.

Unfortch these are all still out of my reach, even though on sale. But seriously if you have some cash burning a hole in your pocket, send it directly to me go over to Shopbop, they are having grrreat sales right now.

a hint of summer

Last weekend was a mini-vacation stuck between my 2 summer sessions. Cabin on the Snake River, Yellowstone, and fireworks for the 4th. The West is so weird, our Yellowstone day was 55 and f-f-freezing, and the next day way sunny and 90, perfect for floating on the river. I am hoping this doesn't turn out to be my only trip away from Utah this summer but it was so good to get away.

things that I shouldn't like that I like

Cheryl Cole celebrating her birthday in Alexander McQueen.


Amber Rose with F.I.E.R.C.E. hair. Also loving the pink lipstick.

michael jackson

Some of my favorite MJ songs...Beat It and Billie Jean. I thought the Billie Jean video was the coolest thing ever made- the light up squares! His music is timeless, I'll be listening to it forever.

almost summer

The end is in sight...I turn in a paper tomorrow, and I have only a few days left until my summer school finals are over. Just in time, the weather finally turned warm. It was ridiculously cold here (50's and rainy) up until a couple days ago...madness! My mood has been crappy, and just to add to it I haven't worked out in a week and that just always makes me feel gross.

Ready for biking...baseball games...lots of sun...fireworks...can't wait for summer to start

as if you needed another reason...

I have been sitting in a courtroom a lot lately as part of my internship. I see a lot of prisoners come in for their hearings. Some of the local jails issue Crocs for their inmates...enough said.

the pros and cons of dogs

cons:

sometimes you have to walk in the rain & cold

it is harder to plan vacations

pros:

everything else.

business casual

Summer school is rough. It's like regular, hard school plus throw in an internship to eat more of your time. My wardrobe needs to be more versatile too. I have to sit in class and be comfortable, walk to the bus and the train, walk around downtown, and look appropriate in court. I am really having to mix things up since I can't buy anything new for my summer closet rolling rack. One of my "hits" so far:
vintage silk shirt, DI. tulip skirt, Kenzie. gold flats, Target.

I found these brontosaurus earrings in a box of my old stuff when I was visiting home.

And, do I even have to tell you what my mood is like considering it's JUNE and today it was 50 degrees and rainy? Didn't think so.

case of the mondays?

Today = me sulking. Grades came out for last semester and I did awful, there are tons of problems with my summer financial aid so I have no $$ for bills, and summer school is really hard.

To cheer myself, here is Leighton Meester looking hot at last night's MTV awards. She is really setting herself up to be a fashion idol of mine!


That is one sexy dress.
Dress- Emilio De La Morena, Shoes- Brian Atwood
photos:here.

I also came across this gem while reading Perez, which helps me feel a little better about myself. It makes me think, hey, at least I am self-aware.

Spencer's 1st Rap Video.

I love how his entourage consists of Heidi, and a snake.

MET gala

I am at day 14/16 of studying for final exams. So, I am burned out to say the least (even though I'm incredibly excited to be DONE DONE DONE with 1L!!!). I have been resting my brain by browsing pictures of the Met Costume Institute Gala. I really hate the concept of best/worst lists, they are so arbitrary and stupid. I always find myself loving looks that end up on the "worst" lists. Like today.

I love this lace jumpsuit, designed by her. Where could I ever wear something like this? Bummer.

So vibrant, love the sleeves & detail on the leggings. Just don't look at the heels of those shoes...these gothic-heeled Louis Vuitton popped up on a few girls...like Madonna' atrocious thigh-highs. I can't look at a flared-heel shoe without thinking goth girl.

Then there were my 2 on the "best" lists: my favorite Kates, both wearing Stella.







So beautiful.
Back to the brain-melting studying ughghhhh. *Just telling myself if I do well, I might be able to afford a sweet lace jumpsuit someday*

My birthday was pretty fun, just because it was the same day as Barrister's Ball, fondly referred to as "Law School Prom". I would rate it WAY more fun than my senior prom where I basically was dumped by my date as soon as we walked in, but less fun than my Junior Prom, where I had the sweetest dress in school and went with people I loved.
Anyway, "prom" was fun because I was, well, very much loosened up...enough to just dance the whole time! And there was hummus there, so that was cool.

My dress worked out well, and I found some cute 4.5" beige/coppery Steve Madden heels @ Ross for 9.99. They were comfortable until I realized that dancing my heart out in brand new shoes had left gashes (not blisters) on the side of both feet. They are just now healing!

My mom gave me a Visa gift card for my birthday, and I am just trying to decide if I should get new running shoes or highlights/hair cut. I need both desperately, but one is going to have to wait until my summer loans come through! I have been proud of my running lately, it's been so hard with the weather not able to decide if it's winter or spring. I hate it. Jillian has been keeping me sane on ExerciseTV on demand, at least. To try and keep my motivation up, I have been reading some running blogs..Skinny Runner and The Chic Runner are inspirational and have some other great links. I was planning on doing the SLC 1/2 marathon next week, but just can't swing the $65 entry fee.

Anyway, I can't believe I am less than a month away from completing my whole first year of law school. It is so exciting. The year has truly been a blur and I struggle with feeling stupid every day, but I have a good feeling that I'm in the right place, doing what I should be doing.

Hope everyone has a happy Easter/Passover. I was super lucky to get hooked up with the Easter brunch at my favorite hotel in the city. I was thinking of wearing a white dress but with the weather still in the 40s/50s, it just doesn't feel right. We'll see!

best day

although today saw a huge snowstorm, which made me wanna cry, the day quickly turned good.

my bus was re-routed due to a closed street, so instead of going to the very back of campus where it usually goes, went right in front of my school. I pulled the chord on a whim because my bus line doesn't stop there...but he stopped!! It was amazing. It saved me a 15 minute walk in the blizzard!

Yesterday we turned in our hugely important 20-page paper. Today feels so good by comparison.

I stopped in this little boutique that is on my walk home because they had the cutest dress in the window. I thought it might be perfect for the Barrister's Ball (and my b-day) this Saturday and wanted to check it out. It was a one of a kind, it fit me, and it is now mine! A little pricey at $70 but I just got Papa's birthday check in the mail :)
This boutique sells a lot of re-worked vintage pieces. The one I bought came from taxiCDC. I just checked their website and they have some similar pieces, I'll take pics of mine later. There were quite a few of taxi's pieces in the store and they were all amazing. Although made with vintage pieces, the fabrics are in great condition and they are cut extremely well.

When I got to my porch, TWO packages were waiting! Birthday package from mom, plus my new Etsy boots! I found a great pair at Gina Michele Vintage for only $15.


Now I am going to make quesadillas and watch Lost....great day indeed.

answer to the previous post: neither.

So, I ventured out in search of the boots. I went to a new F21 since the one nearest to me sucks. It just opened and oh man, it was insane bananas. They took an out of business department store and turned it into a F21. 2 floors. 5+ dressing rooms. 2 escalators. only one small section of men's; the rest was packed with women's. It was ridiculously overwhelming. I think that it was my first & last trip...gave me a headache and they didn't even have the boots. They had a similar-silhouette boot minus the studs, and oh man did I come to the realization that my legs canNOT pull off that height of boot. The top hits right where my calf muscle sticks out and completely stumps my leg. As mesmerizing as studs are, I just can't handle these.
Instead, I'm trying to find a more affordable boot for the quality on Etsy. Here are my top picks so far:

here.


here.


here.


here.

My new ultimate goal: to build a boot collection as awesome as Betty's.

brown or black?

Buying that jacket at Target seems to have set off a spending binge. I am filling up internet wishlists with reckless abandon. I have become completely obsessed with these boots and don't know if I can resist. I am very torn between the brown & the black...I have 2 pairs of black boots...over-the-knee and ankle boots...so these would fit in the middle. On the other hand, I have no brown boots (or shoes, really) and even though I own a ton of black, I actually like the look of brown boots with black clothes. Hmm. What to do.

Since SPRING BREAK (!) just started I might try and head to my local F21 and try to scope these in person before I make a commitment.

boots, $36.80 at F21.

i/s/o...

these pants.


spotted on Frank Lampard's new girlfriend Saskia. So, they are probably pricey and only available somewhere in Europe. I will check Asos and Topshop, but if you have any info on where these pants may be, let me know!

MCQ

Last Wednesday I planned my day around McQ's release at Target. Pathetic? Maybe. It's kinda my own little tradition...I go to Target on the first day when a new GO! International collection releases. It turned into a ritual when I moved here since Targets aren't that near my house anymore. I love going, it helps me not feel so homesick because Target is always the same and always a fun time.

Anyway, I thought twice about going last week since it was a Wednesday instead of the usual Sunday release and I have so much homework during the week. But, the denim studded jacket was calling my name and I wanted to see it in person.



I'm so glad I did! Even though I'm in Utah and that means that GO! International designers are unknown to probably 99% of the population that shops at my local Target and the racks are almost always full, this line was already picked over. I guess people (like me!) came far and wide to check out McQ.

The jacket was the only interesting item I scoped in the lookbook that was in the store, but it's great. There was only one M and one XL hanging there so I swiped the M and it fits great, much better than in the picture. I was so excited and also a little scared that I was about to spend $60 on one item (more than I have spent on one item in MONTHS). I checked out eBay and it looks like people are already putting the jacket up for $80-$120, but with no bids yet I don't know how well it would makie a profit. Buuuut, I think I'll just hang onto mine. It's so cute with dresses (and plain t shirts too), really well-made, and a great cut.

Now if only it will stop snowing so I can break out this Springtime outerwear....*sigh* how I miss Florida!

unexpected

Penelope looks amazing in Azzedine Alaia at the Independent Spirit Awards last night. I love the unexpected monochromatic brown at an awards ceremony- a unique choice.



from here.

Hey, J.Love--

YOU ARE NOT AUDREY.




that is all.


"explanation" here.

love bj

I don't have time to keep up with all the runway shows during this fashion week, but I do check in with Fashionista. Today they have some great shots from the Betsey Johnson presentation. I just adore Betsey. I love her energy and in-your-face girliness. She makes hot pink leopard look wearable AND fun. Going in to a Betsey store is always a thrill. Here are some of my favorites from the post.


Part punk, part femme, all ready for a good time


Big, red roses + leather cuff + lace = win. I would like to see the dress minus the corset, though



Sequins are always a winner, and I am very partial to the shorts + tights combo. Makes me want to mix all kinds of colors together.



Must find a sequin-lapel jersey tux jacket!!! Definitely my favorite piece from the pics.