Country Chic

Sometimes life is amazing. You tweet "I really need a weekend away" and all of a sudden a friend texts you "wanna go to the Catskills tomorrow?" and you have your weekend away. Life is magical that way.

Off we went for a lovely weekend of sleeping, cooking, drinking, game playing, dancing and general merriment. It was wonderful.

When planning my outfits for the weekend away I wanted to get into the country mood, look decent and be incredibly comfortable and I think I did a good job of it. Honestly I think in the right context throwing a furry vest on anything can make it a bit fabulous in the country.

Outfit sourcing:

Top - Evans

Leggings - Danskin via Ebay

Vest - Target

Boots - Duo

Sunglasses - Swiped from the coffee table, not entirely sure who they belong to. I think they're Ray-Bans.

My photographer for the day is a photo stylist for fancy shoots, can you tell? Also the view from the deck we took photos on is this. Can you imagine how gorgeous this must be in full spring bloom? Apparently spring comes even later to the Catskills than it does to Brooklyn.

Flowers and Freezing Cold Offices

This has been one of the worst summers in NYC. It has been H-O-T hot. Sticky, humid, 90+ degree, constant heat waves. It has been, in a word, disgusting.

The unrelenting heat outside, combined with the crazy air conditioning in my office and the 110 degree heat in the subway station while I'm waiting for the train makes dressing a complicated affair. I'm shvitzing up until I get to the office at which point I begin to freeze at which point I pull on the same, old Alaska hoodie I've kept at my desk for the past year which is in desperate need of a good washing.

But I digress, back to the outfit at hand. This was a good combination because my legs were covered. As you know I've been wearing a lot of short, summer dresses and since my office is perpetually 55 degrees I'm freezing once I've made it to the office. After I've thrown on my dirty hoodie to warm up my top half I take the other ugly layer I keep at my office - an old Delia's cable cardigan - and use it as a blanket on my bare legs. With this outfit I was able to be be sweater/blanket free (although not hoodie free).

Writing this post makes it abundantly clear that I really need to get it together and bring some nicer layers to keep at my desk.

My leggings are from Danskin and the top is from New Look, a British store that I don't shop at too frequently but that I do have a few great pieces from. I love this top because I can very comfortably wear it without a bra on the weekend and...

it has pockets! And I think I've already blogged plenty on my love of pockets.

The rest of my outfit consists of yellow sandals from Old Navy.

And these cute earrings that Karen got me one year for my birthday.

All Black Again

I know you're all wondering "what is going on?" But this is an all black bloomie outfit. You see me in this outfit, it's not like the last all black outfit I posted where I looked like a totally different person.

I was headed to Greenpoint for the Spring Bustcrafacular and I figured if I was going to hang with hipsters, I might as well play the part. Plus, since as you all know I'm conflicted about the appropriateness of lace leggings in the office, I look for as many weekend opportunities to wear them as I can.

I have to say the Spring Craftacular (which I was reminded of by JG - thanks darling!) was a bit of a bust. There were only 40 or so vendors and save for 2 or 3 of them, I'd seen all of them a million times before. I only ended up buying one thing if you can believe it - a moustache necklace. I promise to show it to all of you soon.

Tunic is Dorothy Perkins

Leggings are Lane Bryant

Bag is Botkier

Headband is from a Brooklyn street fair

I love the back of this tunic, it's what makes it special and takes it up a notch from just a plain black top.

Bejewelled sandals are from New Look

And finally in something that has nothing to do with fatshion at all, I need to show you a picture of what I ate in Greenpoint.

What's that you ask? Why it's a red velvet doughnut, ice cream sandwich. Are you dying yet?

Photo credit goes to my beloved Mirka who was also the searcher out of this amazing doughnut shop that not only had incredible doughnuts, but was also straight out of the 50's in the most amazing way possible. They had a rotary phone people, a rotary phone!

Can you Wear Lace Leggings to Work?

I got these lace leggings recently at Lane Bryant when I was having my random night at a suburban mall. I was shocked that they carried lace leggings, it's pretty fashion forward for LB. I hemmed and hawed a bit about whether or not they were a practical purchase and then realized that half my wardrobe isn't practical and that's what makes it fun so I bit the bullet and added them to my pile.

Once I bought them though I couldn't figure out how to wear them. Monday through Friday I kept trying them on but something about lace leggings at the office (even mine) just seemed a bit wrong. My general feeling is if I think something is office inappropriate it probably really is. What's your feeling on the matter? Do you think I could wear this outfit to the office? How long does a dress have to be in order to rock it with lace leggings at work or is the simple answer it's never quite right?

Since I wasn't so clear on where I could and could not wear lace leggings I wore them on a Sunday morning after birthday brunch with Josh, my dearest and oldest friend in the world. When I say we've been friends forever, I mean we've known each other since we were in-utero. It's kinda amazing. So happy birthday Josh and thanks for taking my photo!

Leggings - Lane Bryant

Dress - Anthropologie

Sneakers - Dorothy Perkins

Necklaces - Primark

Jacket Seen Below - Torrid

I Love Dorothy Perkins

In case I haven't already told y'all, I love Dorothy Perkins. It's a British high street retailer with great, affordable, stylish pieces that carries clothing up to a UK 22 which is the equivalent of a US 18. A godsend for fatshionable inbetweenies, I am a big fan of their clothes. One of the things I love about their pieces is that there are always surprises like puffed sleeves or a bow in the back that aren't always visible upon first glance.

Since I haven't been to London since last June and won't be back till November 2010 - a tragedy of epic proportions - I've been relegated to ordering online from my beloved Dotty P. Shipping is an affordable 1o pounds and you can usually find a code for some amount off if you spend a minute or two searching online. Sometimes an order is a huge success and sometimes it is a huge failure and by the time you've paid for return shipping you've lost half your money. I'm getting better at learning what my sizes are with them - 20UK up top, 22UK on the bottom - and thankfully ordering more successfully.

I recently received a big order so in the coming weeks you'll see a bunch of new pieces from my most recent, generally successful order.


Save for the necklace, this entire outfit is from British stores. I am an unabashed anglophile in every way.

My tunic is from Dorothy Perkins and while fairly simple from the front, the back has an adorable bow.

I've paired my outfit with some Beth Ditto for Evans leggings (amazing!) and my polka dot shoes from Office. I'm wearing a Betsy Johnson necklace that you can see much more clearly in this post and the headband is from Dorothy Perkins as well. As you all know I love hair accessories, but cute as it may be, this headband seems to be too small for my head. Sadness.


Photo credit is a blur. Sorry JLR.

Grecian Goddess

Wow that title makes me sound really self centered, doesn't it? I'm referencing my outfit inspiration, not saying I'm a Grecian goddess, although I did think I looked awfully cute.

With the pop-ups of warm weather we've been having I've been going a bit mad with spring shopping and today I bring you one of my new purchases. I got it from ebay seller Red Dot Boutique and I couldn't recommend them any higher. Their products are well priced, good quality and the service is outstanding. My only issue is that so many of their dresses are hand-wash only and I hate hand washing. I have more than a dozen dresses (possibly even 20 or so) sitting on the floor of my closet just waiting for me to get up the energy to hand-wash them. They have been waiting a very long time.

I love wearing white in the warmer months and this top/tunic/dress (what would you call it?) is one of my new favorites. It is easy and comfortable to wear and the embellishment on the sleeves kicks it up a notch.


I've paired my top/tunic/dress with a pair of American Apparel leggings (great color, crap quality), my evil stepmother "mirror, mirror on the wall" necklace from Forever 21 and sandals from Primark that I had to bin later that evening as they literally fell apart on me. I was grateful that they stayed in one piece long enough for me to make it home. They were awfully cute and I'm sad I had to get rid of them, but they were 6 pounds and sometimes you get what you pay for.

Also don't judge my toes, I haven't gotten a new pedi since February. The unexpected sandal weather took me by surprise.



Photo credit and banh mi sandwich belongs my lovely friend and colleague Amy. Although it looked so good that I went and got one myself 5 minutes later. Sandwich that is, not photo credit.


Finally I just wanted to share this photo I took on Saturday - little kids selling limeade on the sidewalk. I have a strict policy to never pass by a kids lemonade or (in this case limeade) stand without purchasing a glass. Not to mention fifty cents in Brooklyn ain't half bad.

Sometimes it's the Little Things That Make the Big Difference

Like changing the part in your hair. Seriously. All I did was give myself a middle part and tie my hair back a bit and folks just could not stop commenting to me about it all day long. I even got stopped on my way to the subway by someone who wanted to give me his number. Which I kindly declined, but kudos to him for trying. Wish as I may, I could never be that forward. I really do wish, but I just can't do it.


I happen to like the whole outfit and I'm enjoying this incarnation of the dress way more than the last time I wore it. The dress is from Anthropologie, a store that I love and is shockingly good for inbetweenies, but it is also ridiculously expensive. So I'm going to take this as an opportunity to brag that I got it for $10, down from $78. Are you impressed? I am. Also, this dress (which is basically an elongated sweatshirt) is not worth anything close to $78.


The leggings are from Target via a Friday Fats post and they're kind of stretched out but as usual I don't have the heart to throw them (or any of my other clothing for that matter) out. The boots I got at the Camden Market in London and the belt and necklace are both from Primark. I always thought the belt was a butterfly but now I think it may not be. What say you?



Photo credit goes to my work-wife Nicole.

Fancy a cup of tea?

Today I went to the Taj Mahal, had a fist-fight break out over who was going to get our cab fare and got stared and laughed at by what seemed like half the Indians at the Taj - seriously for awhile I thought I had my underwear on outside my pants the stares were so ridiculous. But, that's not what today's post is about. Today's post is about tea, or rather what I wore while drinking tea, coffee and eating the best scones of my life.

I was feeling lazy when I woke up and had to run to go meet my friend for a meeting at our local coffee shop. I wanted something fun, cozy and casual. My Mom had just gotten back from a trip to Israel and had brought me this scarf. In an unusual turn of events my Mom brought me back a present from Israel that I absolutely loved and I promptly planned my outfit around it.

Aren't the colors and shades of blue, purple and pink just gorgeous.

I'm wearing a top that I got from Ross that I keep forgetting I have. The jeggings are from Forever 21 and the purple cardigan is from H&M. The purple boots I purchased years ago in London at the Camden Market right near where I lived. The scarf is a present from my Mom via Israel and the earrings I got from a street vendor in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Here's a shot of us hard at work and with our tasty treats. This photo makes me really happy for some reason.

Follow up from yesterday

Yesterday when I posted about the shiny, purple leggings, reader (and dear friend) Jamie said that if I stuck to all black the leggings could be cute, but that knowing me I'd likely wear them with "an orange shirt, a kelly green skirt, a yellow scarf and red shoes." In which case she said they'd be too much.

So I promised that today I would wear my crazy purple, green and black spandex leggings with all black to see what I thought. Let me tell you, it was difficult. When I was getting dressed I really wanted to put on a purple cardigan, but I restrained myself and stuck to the promise of all black...well all black in different textures and then my very non-black leggings. I think it came out well, even if I did have to try on a few different black dresses before I decided on the one that I felt most comfortable wearing without any additional color.


Dress is a large from Banana Republic and is a hand-me-down from Jamie
Jacket that I have recently rediscovered and am in love with all over again is from Dorothy Perkins and is a 18 UK
Leggings are from Torrid and I think are a 1
Boots are from Evans


I may have cheated every so slightly with my accessories. The hair clip I got at the bust craftacular in December and the earrings are from Accessorize. Two-toned hair is a casualty of trying to get back to my natural hair color after years of coloring.

Photo credit goes to my co-worker Selene that I ran into on my way into work this morning.

Someone talk me out of buying this

I love color - particularly purple - and I love making a statement and I love leggings. But apparently even sometimes I have limits...right?

Every time these "violet spandex leggings" go on sale I consider buying them. But I never have. Because somewhere in my mind even I must have a limit. I mean they're ridiculous right? I think the fact that they are perpetually on sale might be hint #1. Even I, the woman who owns these leggings thinks they're a bit too much.

And yet every time they go on sale I consider taking the plunge, why is that? I've written about fashion remorse, but I fear if I buy these I'll have actual buyers remorse. Talk me out of them readers, talk me out of them.

Also what do you think of this? I've always had an unnaturally soft spot in my heart (and wardrobe) for cherries.

Fashion Remorse

You're likely looking at this outfit and asking yourself what was that girl thinking? It's a bit much, I know. The "dress" is a vintage 80's tennis outfit that I picked up at a thrift store in Savannah with the original tags still on it. I stood in the store for the longest time unable to decide whether I should take the plunge and go for it. I decided since it was $3.97 it was worth the price of a cup of not very good coffee to not be plagued by fashion remorse.

Wait, don't you mean buyer's remorse bloomie? No, I mean fashion remorse. When you're in a store and you can't decide whether to take the plunge and make the purchase so you pass. And then you have remorse for what you didn't buy. It can be just as serious as buyers remorse or worse because sometimes I'm getting dressed and stop to think "if only I had those open-toe, gladiator Topshop booties this outfit would look perfect." But you don't, so the outfit is only at 85% instead of 100%.

I had fashion remorse several times in the past for things that I didn't try on and/or buy because I assumed they wouldn't fit me or look good on me because of my size. Nine years after the fact I still remember this dream cardigan I spotted in a store in Dublin that I handed off to a friend without even trying on because I just assumed it wouldn't fit me. She bought it and guess what I found out? It did fit and every time I saw her wear it I suffered from fashion remorse. Now I live by the wise words of Beth Ditto who years ago, before she was as famous as she is now, said something along the lines of "go in a store, try on the biggest size they have and if you bust the seams, fuck 'em for not making it in your size. " Rock on Beth. I love you.

So no more fashion remorse I say, especially because of my size.

Outfit details

Tennis dress of 80's awesomeness is thrifted. Detail below


Leggings are Danskin
Sandals are Primark
Cardi is Anthropologie via Jamie
Belt is New Look
Earrings are Topshop
Hair piece was purchased at Atlantic Antic and was another almost case of fashion remorse. This hair fascinator was $25 which was way more than I thought it was worth but I just loved it and with all the colors in it I thought it would be incredibly versatile. I walked away from it and then walked back to purchase it I wanted it that much.


Photo credit goes to Ateqah who took this for me outside of our office building.

Madonna, circa 1984

No, it's not Halloween, just another day in the office. This outfit was inspired by the leggings I mentioned in yesterdays post that I wore home after my tights were shot. They're a bit insane I know, but I'd been eyeing them on Torrid's website for some time and when they finally went on sale I decided to grab 'em for $8.99.

These leggings are the sort of item that you have to base an outfit around. If you're wearing purple, green and black animal print anything, everything else must revolve around that. So it did. I wasn't sure what look I was going for but it all came together when I opened my draw of hair accessories and saw my hairband with a big, side bow. Aha! I was going to be Madonna, circa 1984. Once I'd decided on my inspiration, I decided to embrace it with full force. I was prepared for merciless mocking by my friends at dinner that night, but they were surprisingly not too bad. My co-workers absolutely adored my ensemble.

Outfit details

Leggings are from Torrid in a 1x
Tunic is a large from Tart via Loehmann's and is technically pajamas but I've never worn it as such, its always been worn either as a dress or a tunic.
Over that I have a wraparound shrug that is a hand-me-down from Mirka via Old Navy in a size large.
Jacket is a 2x from Forever 21's new plus line Faith 21 and even though Mirka teased me mercilessly when I bought it, I absolutely adore it.
Belt is from Accessorize
Shoes are from Office
Headband is from H&M
Necklace is from Primark

Sorry I don't have better photos to share with you. Today's photo credit goes to Josh who took it in the lobby of our friends building after dinner and he was all "what the hell am I doing?" so there are no detail shots of anything.

Day 30, Take me out to the ballgame

So finally I'm posting the last of the 30 dresses. And you probably expected me to go out with some really great bang and instead you're looking at today outfit and thinking "what in the world was she thinking?" I know it's one of my most liberal interpretations of a dress and it's not stylish, but there's a story to it, I promise.

This past January Todd Drew, a beloved member of our ACLU family passed away fairly suddenly. Todd was one of the best people I've had the honor of knowing and working with. He lived his beliefs in every one of his actions, from how he treated the women who worked in the coffee shop to never owning a photo id because he believed that it infringed on his rights.

Todd was also the most passionate baseball fan I've ever known and he had his own blog Yankees for Justice. His tagline was "I believe in baseball and an equally free, open, just society for everyone" and it was the truth. He wrote all about the regular baseball things, but he also wrote about what the vendors at the stadium got paid and the impact of a new stadium on the neighborhood. He was the best type of person there was.

On the day he passed away we gathered in our office to remember him and our ED announced that we were going to go to a baseball game in his honor. And so we did and so I give you todays outfit. An oversized top in Yankees pinstripes that I had originally intended to wear in a much cuter way, but it was too cold for that.

The top I picked up for $8 at Re/Dress and is a 1x from some brand I haven't heard of and it's layered over a hand me down white t-shirt from JLR. The leggings are Danskin in an xl, belt is from Peacocks (I think), fake Uggs are from Target, the long necklace is from Primark, the short silver spoon one is from Urban Outfitters, baseball hat is from Danielle the ACLU swag fairy.

Now we apparently didn't follow all of Todd's rules at a baseball game (I didn't keep score nor did I refrain from eating or drinking) but I did sit during the singing of God Bless America (or whatever patriotic song they sing during the 7th inning stretch) and stand for Take Me Out to the Ballgame which was fun.

Read Todd's last blog about baseball and cancer here. We all miss you.