Take From Me My Lace

It's been a cruel, cruel summer so far. And the heat is forcing me to be extra creative so I don't perspire through all layers of my garments before arriving to a specific destination. Enter: this month's Everybody, Everywear theme.

Lace! Well, minus the sticky sweaty polyester blends, lace is instant built-in ventilation. Combined with a crop top silhouette, it's almost enough to keep cool out of doors. You get just enough of a breeze on the small of your back to dissuade that pool of lady glistening to form. 

Hot hot heat: crop tops and high waists are my best friends right now.

I chose to keep it more modest (or maybe this makes it more risque? I can't tell anymore) by wearing an underlayer that's supposed to show. Another case of taking matters into my own hands: you don't get that "oopsy there's my lady things" moment if you're declaring, "these underthings are part of my outfit, thanks."

Outfit details:

• H&M lace crop top (similar styles: one, two, three)
• Free People lace trim bandeau in neon yellow
• Free People Cascade Convertible maxi skirt
• Lucky Brand Abeo platform sandals
• TOMS Classic 101 sunglasses
• Necklace and white bracelet: gifts from South Africa
• Blue/black bracelet: purchased at flea market in Paris, but identical ones available from Madewell

Stay tuned for snapshots from my last few days in France! Oh yes, there are more adventures. You didn't think that was it, did you?

Fall Favorites: Skinny Cargo pants

Confession: I have been mulling over and quietly collecting skinny cargo pants throughout the summer. (All of a sudden I am up to three pairs in different colors!) But when the trend first reared its head back in the Spring, I recoiled a bit. Bringing cargo pants back felt like a trip down memory lane--one that I wasn't particularly interested in visiting.

So the hype didn't really grab me the first time around. What did was a well-dressed regular girl at the mall. I stopped and stared. I had to ask her--"What pants are you wearing?!" And then I realized twhat they were: the oh-so-trendy skinny cargo pant. Somehow the slim leg and fitted shape of this new utilitarian chic interpretation read sexy instead of butch. Converted, I went out and bought myself a pair that same week...and now I just can't get enough.

After poring over my stack of September issues, I think that the skinny cargo is here to stay through fall. Justine does an awesome overview here on Fetching Fashions, and the pair she chose looks awesome on her! I keep finding more options to choose from, and I couldn't resist sharing my obsession with the rest of you.

My picks, broken down into three different price segments, from top dollar to the look for less.

The Holy Grail

J Brand Houlihan skinny cargo, $230.

Somehow they haven't made their way onto the blog, but my Houlihans have been my favorite purchase this summer. Now these babies are totally worth the hype. The stretch twill is almost magic how it smooths and slims your lower half, and the strategically engineered seams make your legs look extra long. My favorite colors are vintage olive (as seen on all your fave starlets) and vintage black (because grey is always in).

For those of you who are loyal to a different denim brand, fear not. J Brand works for me and my body shape, but your favorite denim house makes a great alternative too! AG, Joe's, 7FAMK, Current/Elliott, and Hudson all have gorgeous options.

Mid-priced Options 

If you're looking for a similar fit, but don't want to drop $150+ on a pair of skinny cargos, these are great options.

From left to right:

1. Level 99 World Over Cargos, $98. Available at Anthropologie. I own this style and while the fit is similar to the Houlihan, the material is much softer. It looks like a hard twill, but it actually feels like you're wearing flannel pajama pants. Super comfortable, but be careful with sizing. They run big--I suggest sizing 1-2 sizes down.
2. Cargo Skinny Pant, $59.90. Available at Express. Before the designer denim boom, Express was my only stop for my denim needs. Needless to say, the designers know how to cut a pair of pants. This style comes in very enticing colors, and they have a really tempting "Buy 1 get 1 50% off" promo happening right now.
3. Flight Skinny Cargo Pant, $79.50. Available from Lucky Brand. I tried on this Lucky pair when we received them at the store I work for, and they are A+ awesome. If I hadn't purchased my J Brands that same week, I would have added these to the collection.
 

The Look for Less

While I usually get antsy when a trend trickles down to mass retailers, I can't help but embrace these fashion forward options for so much less!

1. Brynn Skinny Cargo pant, $49.50. Available at dELiA's. A great option for the more petite ladies out there! These are juniors sized and come in a cropped 29 inch inseam. The back view looks amazing for a fraction of the price of the J Brands.
2. Silence & Noise Skinny Cargo pant, $58. Available from Urban Outfitters. I love this eggplant tinged grey pair! At this price, you can throw those rad platform oxfords in your cart too.
3. Route 66 Skinny Leg Cargo pants, on promo for $16.24. Available at Kmart. Have you guys seen the magazine ads for these?! The insert in all of my current magazines is absolutely droolworthy. I think I will trek out to the 'burbs to test this pair out, and maybe try to grab that fab military coat in the same campaign.

I convinced my girlfriends of the greatness of the skinny cargo by parading around in my Houlihans a few times. Maybe my next post will convince you too...

Summer Breeze, Makes me Feel Fine

Outfit details: 
Target multi-chain bracelet (similar here and here)
Anthro Ice Memory Dress (by Ranna Gill from 2007)
Alexander Wang Rocco Baby duffle
Lucky Brand Abeo platform heels
The Look for Less: (bracelet), (dress), (bag), (shoes). 

I'm still learning the lay of the land at my new cabin house. So far there are ample locations for fashion shoots with plenty of character and light. I even have several different and new fences to pose in front of! The inside of the house is a different story, especially while most of my things are in boxes. For now, I'll do my best to spare you from the disaster zone inside as things find their way into their proper places.

You've probably heard enough of my whining about the summer weather here, but I chose this dress since it was perfectly suited for it. I think it actually debuted in the winter as a cool weather dress from Anthropologie, which plays into the season with the sparkly shimmer woven into the fabric. But the lightweight cotten/linen blend and the airy construction leads me to believe it's better suited for the dog days of summer.

And since it probably didn't escape most of you--I picked up an addition to my handbag collection! The Alexander Wang sale on Gilt Groupe last week was the final push I needed to grab this baby. It has been on my wishlist for several months, and I planned special trips to Barneys Co-Op to visit their Rocco displays during that time. I usually swap my bags out a few times a week, but I've been carrying this one nonstop since it arrived on Friday. Total love at first sight, so I can't promise you'll see any of my other bags again.

Bonne Fête Nationale!

Outfit details:
J. Crew straw fedora (similar here and here)
Jovovich Hawk x Target dress (similarish here and here)
Madewell cabana sparkle bracelet and plaid bracelet
Lucky Brand Abeo platforms (on sale here)
The Look for Less: (hat), (dress), (shoes). 

  
Hooray! Bonne fête nationale française! Despite the fact that it's been three years since I have visited the land of amour, couture, and fromage, I celebrated Bastille Day along with my favorite francophile friends. In true form, we had an indoor picnic with my favorite kinds of wine, cheese, and bread. It had been a good three or four years since we took any formal French courses, so we didn't attempt to sing La Marseillaise and watched Marie Antoinette instead.

This was my daytime look as I buzzed around work and waited till I could fully celebrate! I was feeling the 70's vibe the dress and platforms evoked. And, gulp, so was the mailman apparently. He joked unironically, "I have a big package for you," and winked at me. I blinked in disbelief several times until he returned with a box for my boss. 

So just a quick note for those of you drooling over the shoes. They were totally worth the pennies I saved up for them--they are super comfortable and I powered through an 8-hour day on my feet, but they sure do turn heads.