Zara Casual Summer 2010

As I continuously work at revamping my closet to represent more of a "mid-20's" girl instead of college student, the one store I've found to be worth saving up the pennies for is Zara. As I've mentioned countless times, their clothes are well-structured, sophisticated, but young. To keep in the know, I religiously check the Zara iPhone app, which features the brand's current collections (Women, Men, Casual) and even lists style numbers and prices. Although there doesn't seem to be too much praise in regards to the usefulness of the app, I've found that the ability to easily scroll through the in-store collection has been a helpful pre-shopping activity. It's much easier knowing that there are items that will make a trip to the store worthwhile. I spent this Sunday morning skimming through Zara's Casual lookbook, and wow, is it beautifully pulled together (and a bit more affordable than Zara Women)!

Photo Credit: Zara Casual Spring/Summer 2010 Lookbook

The layering of classic colors and pieces makes everything completely wearable and easily interchangeable. Small details, such as, contrast piping, light embroidery, and ruffles give the right touch of sophistication. This lookbook had me lusting over every single piece and a desire to buy up entire outfits! However, I was able to pick out three as my top favorite must, must-haves:

Aren't they pretty and oh so timeless?! And all for less than $40! (1) Paired with some cute sailor shorts, this light and airy bohemian top is such a pretty choice for hot, summer days. Transition it into nighttime-wear, or even the Fall, with a pair of jeggings (my faves here and here). (2) Love the pretty piping on the cardigan and the fact that it can easily be worn over a casual or work dress. It also looks dressy enough to wear out with skinnies, sexy pumps, and a ruffle tank. (3) A girl can never have too many white dresses, right?

Oh, how I wish I could live in a Zara store. What do you gals think? Are there any more must-have pieces?

ModCloth Online Store

Who knew that late night procrastinating via FBing could lead to an interesting find? I'm sure everyone's seen their share of odd Facebook sidebar ads, but apparently they did good with the targeting of ads for me tonight. Lured in by a cute advertisement for online store, ModCloth, I think I've found a new online shopping obsession. The website says the company was "Founded by high school sweethearts, Eric Koger and Susan Gregg Koger, and built on a foundation of love..." Okay, the sentence actually finishes with "love for vintage and retro clothing," but I liked the idea of it ending with love. The idea of Eric creating ModCloth.com for Susan to expand on her passion for fashion is pretty darn cute, right?

Anyway, I did a quick perusal of the inventory and, wow, there are so many great options! It's pretty late, so for now I can only share the items that quickly caught my eye (of course I went straight to the dresses):

Riesling Dress ($64.99): I tried on a dress exactly like this once and loved the shape and fit of it! Adding a belt or a long strand of grey pearls would be perfect.

In the Blue Light Dress ($79.99): I've been leaning towards trying dresses of shapes different from my staple cami top ones, and this one is gorgeous! Love the color and the fact that the shorter length balances out the more conservative top.

Guava Goddess Dress ($49.99): A simple and casual--I can slip this on any day--kind of dress. I can't resist the fun color, pockets, and comfy, light material.

The price points are moderately higher (think Anthropologie style and sale prices), but similar to prices offered by a local boutique in my neighborhood. I think shopping at boutiques like this always gives you the best inventory to choose from. Hopefully the quality makes for it being worth it to spend a little bit more for more unique pieces. For those of you who like the joy of finding vintage, one of a kind pieces, the store also offers a vintage section (although I was confused as to why all the inventory listed was already labeled as "Sold").

Has anyone tried ModCloth? I wonder what the quality and fit is like. The company's vast social network includes a fun Blogger of the Moment feature, which showcases fashion bloggers across the web so I will definitely need to read up on these. As a shopping perk, the store offers free returns and quick exchanges, so there's no real reason not to give this place a try. Can't wait to take some more time to pick out a few items to order!

Bubblegum Nails and Summer Dresses

Poor little me, I can't go to work on Fridays on the new project I'm staffed on... What does a girl do with a 3-day weekend? Roam around and do what girls love best, of course! With the sun shining down and a whole extra day to spare, my friend, Maria, and I treated ourselves to spa mani/pedis before heading out to Old Town Pasadena to see what we could find. I love shopping on weekdays when everyone else is at work... No lines and clean, well-stocked stores! With all the stores rolling out their summer must-haves, it was definitely a fun day to explore. Excuse the awkward, cut-off pictures, but hopefully I will get the hang of taking better fitting-room pictures in the future.

First stop of the day was my favorite: Zara. I have already raved about their spring collection, but was still excited to see what new items they've added since I was last there in DC. When Maria stumbled upon something I've been desperately on the search for, my love for the new collection was solidified! Being a measly 5'1 means I never really thought I could pull off the maxi dress look. However, after seeing plenty of petite girls successfully sporting them, I've always wanted to try one on. The bust area of an XS fit perfectly and although I still need to have it hemmed a few inches to get rid of that stumpy look, this is the best fitting maxi I've found. The entire top of the back is ruched, so it fits snuggly and allows for some stretch for a more customized fit. I also tried on the TRF nautical dress and fell in love with the cut and stripes! I don't own very many things with sleeves, so this was a fun change! The gold buttons even have cute little anchors on them. The light cotton material is also thin enough that I wore it as a swim cover-up this past weekend.

I have always, always loved Urban Outfitters' casual, but chic looks. Since UO puts all its items on sale within a few weeks of releasing them, I usually only window-shop and wait to order everything online. The byCORPUS Polkadot Dress fit so nice, though... I couldn't resist! This was my favorite purchase of the day! Love that the silk material makes it so easy to dress up. Plus, did I mention that it has pockets?! The adjustable tie-straps also make it possible to adjust the neckline for a more or less conservative look (more cleavage for dates?). I heart versatility. I grabbed the Silence & Noise Cardigan to see how the dress would look for work, but I ended up really loving it and bought it as well. Yes, I have no self-restraint whatsoever, but look how cute it looks on the model paired with shorts! Next on my list to try is the Lucca Couture Strapless Floral Lace Dress, so hopefully I can find it (on sale) soon. UO practically releases a new set of dresses everyday, so I'm also going to keep checking for more potentials.

It can be a daunting task to dig through the racks at F21 (especially at the larger stores), but the Pasadena store is really well organized! Unlike the craziness of the SF Union Square monstrosity, the Old Town two-story location has neat little niches for each of its sub-lines. I got my cheap, summer dress fix with the two airy floral pieces above. I've been hunting for the one on the left for quite some time now, but it sold out online pretty quickly. I wasn't too sure if the ruffly hemming would be too much, but the over the knee length makes it work somehow. Love the fit and that I can wear it with my new cardi! The one on the right didn't fit as nicely above the waist, so I might have it taken in so that it won't look as bulky on top. The v-shaped ruffled neckline, bright print, and cheap price still made it a good buy though. I found that throwing a cardi over this gives it a quick shape fix, so no biggie! I can't find either of these dresses online, but for a similar look, check out the Garden Spaghetti Strap Dress. Also, in case you saw PetiteAsianGirl's post about her fabulous lace dress she found at H&M, F21 also has their own version of the dress, minus the bubble skirt.

All in all, I would say it was quite a successful shopping day. Thankfully it stays warm enough during the months of May-September to make for some good wear and tear time for all these dresses! I love that even though Old Town doesn't have too many stores, it's got just the right selection to choose from. In addition to UO, F21, and Zara, you can also find a Kate Spade, J.Crew, H&M, and Banana Republic on Colorado Avenue. The domestic nerd in me also loves browsing Crate and Barrel, Z.Gallerie, and Pottery Barn in between shopping for clothes. Please add a Club Monaco, Old Town, and I might never have to go shopping anywhere else.

Zara Spring Collection Goodies

I've always been a *huge* fan of Zara because of its sophisticated, yet girly style. The brand keeps things simple with a pretty neutral palette and classic pieces. The San Francisco Westfield location is one of my favorite Zara stores, but I'd have to say that the Washington, D.C. Metro Center Zara (1025 F St. NW) definitely gives SF a run for its money! After a day of roaming around the D.C. monuments, my friend, Kim, and I were surprised to find the store unassumingly nestled down the street from the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Since it was getting chilly, we figured we could pick up some jackets and scarves to get us through the rest of the night... Instead, we stumbled upon a WHOLE bunch more, thanks to Zara's spring collection.

Although I wasn't really looking to buy that much, I managed to find some super adorable pieces that I've always wanted--a ruffled skirt and simple, crisp white dress! The clutch and tee were just bonus, random goodies. I've been looking for a pretty skirt to wear in the spring with either a long cardigan or blazer, depending on the occasion. I *love* the pretty silk print and can't wait to wear it. The tee was a random item I picked up to try with the skirt, but it ended up fitting well enough for me to buy it. I've seen a few girls wearing these shoulder-ruffle tees, but would've never thought I could pull it off. It's definitely different from anything I own, despite being so simple. The clutch is made of real leather and is perfectly tiny for nights out. I didn't take a picture of the inside, but it's very well constructed with a zippered pouch for coins, pockets for credit cards and IDs. Plus, it fits my iPhone and camera!

My favorite piece has to be the dress, however. The cut is slim and hits about an inch above my knee so that it's flirty enough on its own for daytime lunch dates, or conservative enough for summertime family outings. What's fun is that the ruffled neckline can be worn in the front or in the back. I tried pairing the dress with my gold J.Crew high-waisted belt for a more fitted look. Love that I could even substitute the belt with a bright colored satin ribbon for an even girlier look (the endless color combos are what's so great about white dresses!). The large eyelet texture also gives it a breezy, playful feel. Love, love, love the low-back since it will be perfect to pair with a large side-braid when my hair grows out again. I can't wait to wear this!! 

I also fell in love with this super cute dress while I was there, but they were out of XS. This is more of a fun dress and although I've been trying to dress more sophisticated, being in business casual for the majority of the week makes me appreciate pieces like this even more. Can't you see this being a great choice for a day in the park or at the beach? So many dresses, so many possibilities! I am loving all the blues and whites that the brand's decided to use for their collection and am excited to see more of what they have to offer. Another Zara trip is definitely in order in the coming weeks...

More Delia's...

Playing Dress-Up for the Holidays

The temperature in LA has dipped low enough to keep me snuggled up indoors for the majority of the day. Despite the chilly weather, I'm excited for the coming holiday season! I love seeing all the stores decked out in Christmas decor and it reminds me that it's a good time to start thinking about picking up some fun holiday dresses.

BCBGMAXAZRIA One Shoulder Satin Dress ($248) BCBG dresses were always a staple at my college banquets and this one is absolutely perfect. It's clean-cut enough to wear to office holiday parties, but still offers a sassy kick with the gorgeous zipper-lined shoulder bow and pockets (still loving pockets oh so much!). One shoulder anything reminds me of this horrific red one shoulder shirt I wore back in high school and  as such, I haven't been able to bring myself to go back to that style ever again. However, this dress just might be enough to quell that memory. Being that 20-something in the office means we have to walk that thin line between classy and youthful--this dress manages to promise both!

Arden B. Taffeta Ruffle Front Dress ($78) The strapless mini is my fallback for all my evening wear dilemmas. The silhouette has never failed me in presenting a fitted, slim, and mature look... even when I feel like over-indulging at those holiday gatherings. The added touch of the pleated ruffles (for that GORGEOUS neckline) and banded high-waist also sets this dress apart from the other strapless dresses I already own. This is my favorite must-have for the season based on look and price. Can't wait to see how it looks on!

Despite how much I love my dresses, it's a shame that us girls can't wear them (usually) to more than one main event. That leaves me thinking twice before spending too much on a dress I'll never see again. Luckily, I found some more affordable options for the social butterflies out there who need a few options for the season.

Forever21 High Sheen Dress ($22.80) It's easy to think of red as being the go-to color during this time of year, but this deep violet dress would be a great contrast on anyone's skin! The sweetheart neck and layered skirt are fun and flirty. Pair this up with some gold strappy heels and a long strand of pearls for a dressed up and sophisticated look. My only concern about this dress would be that sometimes F21 tends to make their frocks awkwardly too short, so hopefully it's not the case with this one! I suppose we must give up something for not paying $322 for the Foley + Corinna version.

Forever21 Sparkling Tiered Dress ($24.80) This is another take on the tiered skirt, but the high waistband and sequined layers are perfect! This dress mimics another dress I have from the summer and I'm loving that this would be a comfortable choice for dancing the night away. Since it's black, I wouldn't have to worry about the sequins looking tacky as long as I don't over-accessorize. The key would be to balance out the dress with some colorful heels and a simple long necklace.

Happy dancing, ladies!

Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale

It's here! Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale, which only happens once a year, and is different from all other sales because the prices drop BEFORE the season starts. Which means there are actually all sizes and colors available! But you gotta act fast, because the sale ends August 3.

The Anniversary sale features the newest fall styles at lowered prices, so you can nab that coat/jeans/sweater/dress/boots you would've bought ANYWAY right now! Usually, I like to buy for the season, and am terrible at taking advantage of stocking up on pieces for the opposite season. Yes it's what you're should do, but who can think about puffy jackets when I want to do is run out to Central Park and soak up the kisses the Sun generously gives out?

Maybe I'm growing up, but I'm learning an adult skill called planning ahead. It's smart to start collecting for the fall/winter while the getting is good. I picture myself as a squirrel boarding up acorns for the winter haha. Here are my top picks for the Anniversary Sale:

Adriana Papell dress in Deep Blue.

Beautiful and work appropriate dress. I love the neckline - mandarin collars are so flattering and the V isn't too deep.

A girl needs to have some florals in her closet.  The dark background and chiffon material makes it less casual, and underneath a leather jacket would edge it up even more.

Michael Michael Kors double breasted jacket

Thinking ahead to winter, need more jackes and I like the color, but am wondering if this is too similar to my Theory jacket? That one is dark blue, also double breasted, with three rows of buttons..

Omg if there were a perfect little leather jacket, this would be it!! The collar is perfect, and I think the collar is the most important part of a leather jacket.  The color is unique, it's cutely cropped, it has epaulets, and slashy zippers! $300 is a little steep though... hmmm.

/edit: I took the plunge and bought the leather jacket, buuuut it was disappointing. The picture doesn't show just how flashy shiny the buttons are, and also that the zipper is actually asymmetrical and goes diagonally across the chest. Those features, along with the epaulette shoulders and slashy zippers on the front make this jacket entirely too much to handle. A leather jacket is already calling out for attention, so I prefer more toned-down details. Back to the warehouse this one goes.

I miss California and all the Nordstrom stores. There are none in NYC, how tragic!

Kensie: Party Pretty

I took the day off from work to run some errands and see the dentist today! It's amazing what one extra day in a weekend means--I am definitely looking forward to only working 4 days a week in May.

One fun thing I got to catch up with on my day off was the stacks of magazines which have piled up over the past months (yikes!). I must confess that after spending 70% of my week in business casual clothes, I haven't really added much to my "normal" wardrobe lately. While checking out the March issue of Elle, I came across a gorgeous advertisement for Kensie.



The Spring '09 collection focuses on fun and flirty dresses, all priced under $200 (most are $158). I've never seen any of the pieces in person, but the line is carried at a multitude of boutiques, Macy's, and Nordstrom. As the weather gets more and more beautiful each day, any of these dresses would be cute for spring outings or warm summer parties. Most of the designs utilize a soft bone color and their high-waists and full skirts offer some figure-enhancing shapes (something I desperately need at the moment). I love that the brand is very focused on a light and romantic essence which is carried out via its ads, website, and mantra. As I become more and more bored with seeing the same dresses on people, this is a refreshing choice for the months to come!

Who says we can't still have some fun now that we're working? In the words of the brand, "We love to play."

Tights R' Us

The past few years have seen a boom trend in tights - opaque black, bold colored, patterned, textured, etc.  You name it, somebody's wearing it.  Personally, I love it - what a great way to keep wearing your pretty dresses and skirts in the cold winter! Even in balmy California, where tights were an accessory rather than a necessity, I liked opting for tights to complete a look. Whether paired with a shorter hemline and boots, or a knee skimming line with heels, tights help with the transition of an outfit while being cold weather appropriate.

 

The beauty of tights is the variety that it comes in - take advantage of the choices to complement the rest of your outfit. With a lighter spring or summer color and fabric (like chiffon), pairing a matte black leg can tone it down and make it go out-worthy.  If your ensemble is all black and you want to stir things up, try a colored tight for a change.  At work, paired with a conservative pin stripe or black skirt, I like a textured pair, something with a cable pattern, or a striped pattern. It lends a more interesting aesthetic than a smooth black leg. If it's really cold, I like thick knit tights as opposed to the thinner nylon versions - sometimes I'll wear these under my jeans for warmth!

Due to the neutral palette of my closet, I mainly own darker hues, and haven't been brave enough to try a brighter choice.  If I were to be more adventurous however, a cranberry/burgundy or a deep purple plum would be my top picks.  Since I'm less likely to wear colored tights often, I'd get mine from a cheaper store, like H&M;, or Target.

A note: I am strictly a fan of tights only for going out, not leggings, not footless versions. Some people may be able to rock that look, but I'm quite conscious of my disproportionately large calves, and wearing a clingy pair of leggings that hit right in the middle would make people laugh. At me.

My favorite pair of basic black tights are Capezio Transitions ($14.50). What gives these a special kick is the ability to transform from footed tights into a legging version if I don't want my tights to show (i.e. if I'm wearing open toed strappy shoes).  It looks like a large hole in the bottom of my foot, but it doesn't stretch out. Capezio is a dancer brand, so these techy tights are even more legit, since dancers require durable tights that last for a long time.  I also like the waist band because it stays put and doens't have to be pulled up, as is the case with other brands.

For the Cadillac of tights, Wolford is reputed to have the best, most opaque black tights.  Nina Garcia of Project Runway fame mentioned it in her book. Of course at $50/pair, these things better come with free drinks or something. If on sale, these are justifiable, but otherwise, my Capezios and DKNY pairs will suit me just fine.

Simple Work Dresses

I love LA-LOVE Target. It’s just a fact. The retailer always has so much to offer so it didn’t surprise me when I found this adorable Mossimo shift dress to add to my work wardrobe. This is perfect in terms of modesty and fit!! Unfortunately, it quickly sold out and my order was cancelled. I’ve been sulking about it ever since as the dress is nowhere else to be found…

Luckily, I’ve found a perfect substitute on ae.com! I actually like this dress a whole lot more as it has a bit more of a mature and refined look. I can also wear this out to dinner or a party. The darker navy color will serve as a much better go-to dress for work days. I would’ve never thought I could find something for work at AE, but I am so happy I found this!

I’ve never been a big fan of slacks, so hopefully I can find some more cute and simple dresses for those days where I just don’t think I’ll be able to fit into my pants. As an intern, I was warned far too often about the expected weight gain as a first-year associate.