Old-Fashioned Fun at the Pumpkin Patch

I got into the Halloween / fall spirit this weekend and found myself at a pumpkin patch. Who knew that NYC would even have access to a real live farm, complete with animals, a corn maze, pumpkin picking, caramel apples, and hay rides? I sure didn’t, but was very happily surprised to find all of that at Queens County Farm Museum.

The place was much bigger than I had anticipated. I was only expecting a large pumpkin patch and didn’t know so many other activities were offered. Tons of families turned out for the festivities with kids and obliging parents dressed up in their trick-or-treat garb (we saw a really cute banana girl!), and we went along for some old-fashioned fun. We did everything but pet the livestock (eh, I'm not the biggest fan of goats and such).

Vegetables grown on the farm! Gourds are cute.

I wanted them all

I thought the hayride was going to be cooler... but it was the same as being pulled around in a large wagon while surrounded by hay stacks

Sitting on the hay bundles was more uncomfortable than I thought

Warm honey cognac boots to match the fall palette

I love these BCBG Petler Boots - the color, the slim tapered foot. I bought them two seasons ago, so think the color is discontinued. These are a great dupe for the more expensive Loeffler Randall Matildas (which I love and want in Tobacco!)

The corn maze was cheekily dubbed the Amazing Maize Maze and was a lot of fun! Our mission was to find 9 mail boxes with puzzle pieces and find our way out of the maze. It seemed simple enough but we found ourselves going round and round, getting caught in dead ends and at mailboxes we’d already been to. If people needed help, there were giant tubes that served as phones to guides who were perched way high up amongst the corn stalks and could point you toward the right direction. Eventually, we made it out of the maze after 40 minutes... not too bad!

Each team had a flag that stuck out above the corn stalks... you can see them here and there

Then came the main event - pumpkin picking! I loved how orange the pumpkins were against the green grass and surroundings... it was just a happy, merry environment. I got a big one for the apartment and a small one for my room. Going to paint the small one like a cat and name it Hallo-Kitty HAHA.

Suede jacket (1st picture): Zara

Cardigan: Frenchi from Nordstrom

Jeans: Citizens Avedon Slick

Boots: BCBG Petler

Coastalpolitan on Twitter!

Just wanted to let everyone know that Janice and I decided to finally start up a twitter for Coastalpolitan. We hope this will allow for some more interaction with readers and give us a chance to do daily updates of what we're up to.

Follow us @Coastalpolitan! :)

Vino to Your Heart's Content at Swill Automatic

Last Friday, my friends and I dropped by the new Swill Automatic wine bar in the Downtown Arts District. I'd recently heard about the establishment via Daily Candy and was so excited at the idea of a "pour your own" wine bar. The concept is awesome. You purchase prepaid cards and may then taste wine at your leisure via the bar's automated wine machines (see photo below). Each wine bottle is displayed beneath the respective spout, with the price per taste (about $2 per tasting) digitally labeled above. With the press of a button, each selection dispenses about 2 oz of wine--a perfect amount that allows for multiple wine tastings compared to the traditional amount of wine glass tasting done at vineyards. Often finding myself looking completely clueless when called upon to order wine at company socials or business dinners, this place seemed like the perfect place to do some exploring!

I loved the bar's method of displaying its wines. Very classy and simple.

Unfortunately the actual wine dispensers weren't in operation yet, so we instead had two rounds of manual tastings of a variety of reds.

Cups galore for our tastings! The boxed wine was organic and quite tasty (check it out here). After trying 6 reds, we settled on a syrah wine, which had a slight hint of fruityness--perfect for wine newbies.

My friend, Meg, demonstrating the ease at which we could have had some wine.

Wore the famous lace top from Charlotte Russe. This is definitely one of my fave purchases of the year! :)
Buy the dress version here (Thanks, Aubrey!)

Overall, it was a fun and laid back night out with the girls. Although we didn't get the experience of pouring our own wine as expected, it was nice to chat with the staff and I liked the idea of trying out wines without the fear of being judged for not being enough of wine connoisseurs to know what we were doing. We had eaten dinner beforehand, but the bar does have a menu of food offerings. We opted for a cheese platter to nibble on with our wine and would've definitely tried some dessert if we weren't already so full. The lighting was a little bright for a bar, but the place has a lot of potential to be a good option for those looking for some good wine and chill times. We already decided that we're heading back there once the place gets fully settled in. I would definitely recommend a visit here! If you're feeling extra fancy, you can grab dinner at Church & State down the block. At night, the area is more or less deserted, save for these two establishments, but I'm interested to see what it will grow into in a couple of years. Does Downtown LA really have the potential to be a go-to place? I guess it's quite possible if they keep opening up cool places like Swill Automatic around here!

Quick and Easy Natural Waves

All year, I've been growing my hair out in hopes of finally getting a spiffy digi perm a la those oh so trendy Japanese popstars. Exciting, I know! Most of my friends know that I've been teetering between lusting after long, luscious curls or a short, cropped A-line bob. I've pretty much stuck with the same haircut for the past 6 years now, and it was more than time for a change. I was even set on the bob by the springtime. However, after a rather disastrous experience at an Asian salon where the stylist proceeded to razor-blade off chunks of my already thin hair, I realized the only way to save my hair was to let it grow back out.

Fast forward to 6 months later and the thickness and length is finally perfectly ready for a digi perm transformation. After seeing bloggers flaunt their beautiful waves and hearing about the convenience of styling from my friend who's a strong believer in them, I was more than set to head on over to The Hair Epoch in West LA. Digital perms there run about $200 and are supposed to last 6 months. I dreamt of waking up and being able to twist my hair and be rewarded with perfect, natural waves every morning. However, as I did more research, the after-effects of dry, damaged hair just didn't seem worth it. I started doubting my decision and even realized that I might actually get bored with wavy hair after a while. The dream was over--this wasn't going to happen for me.

Thankfully, there's actually a much easier (and cheaper) alternative to getting the same kinds of waves produced by digi perms... HOT ROLLERS! I eagerly purchased a set of Conair hot rollers back in the summer of 2007, but never learned how to really use them. After a few failed attempts (mostly due to lack of the right prep routine), I gave up and tucked the set under my sink... Three years later, here they are:

The rollers heat up in 5 minutes and the red indicator on the center roller lights up when they are ready for use.

I have to admit that I'm still not much of a pro at rolling them the "correct" way (even countless hours of YouTube beauty guru videos has done little to help my clumsy hands). Nonetheless, that's okay because these are fairly easy to use. I first rub the Schwarzkopf Osis+ Styling Creme into my semi-dry hair, making sure that there is adequate coverage over my head. Next, I like to split my hair into two sections and begin rolling from the top of my head, moving towards the front. I then let them sit in while I do my makeup. This usually only requires a quick 10 minutes. You can leave the rollers in longer and blast with a hot blow dryer for stronger curls. When removing each roller, I hold the roller vertically, imitating how you would hold a curling iron, and lightly pull each one out of the curl (don't unroll the hair flat!). I then do a quick all-over spray of the Sunsilk Waves of Envy and use my hands to scrunch the hair afterwards for some extra texture. This stuff really, really works and smells fantastic! I can't believe it's been discontinued. I've tried the Garnier version and it was sticky and useless, so I'll have to think of another alternative for when I run out of my Sunsilk bottle (Sedu, perhaps?).

Anywhoiee, this quick 3-step process literally takes less than 20 minutes and is so completely stress-free compared to the hecticness of trying to individually curl each section with a curling iron. I love the convenience! And the result? Not bad at all. :)

Wish I could've gotten an actual backside view of my full head of waves, but trust me when I say they looked good! Overall, I think this is a great alternative to the digi perm for those who feel less likely to want to be stuck with a style for a few months. The waves lasted me all day and my hair felt soft and natural. I like that this doesn't interfere too much with my morning routine and I can have a few days of decently nice hair at work. My weekly hairstyles consist of (1) messy, unbrushed bedhead waves, (2) side braids, or (3) bobby pinned bangs, so I'm sure this will be a nice addition to the repertoire. I am still on the lookout for a new hair cut, but for now, I'm enjoying the possibilities of longer hair. I will have to share some more of my recently learned techniques soon!

A New Manicure Convert

I've been doing something very unusual for me lately - painting my nails regularly and actually not biting them off the very next day. My entire life, I have been constantly chewing on my cuticles and nails; doesn't matter if I'm studying, reading stuff on the Internet, watching TV, if I have a free hand I'm probably eating it.

I'm not sure if it's out of nervousness or boredom, but the result was very short, stubby looking nails. Sure, my piano teacher was happy, but I knew it was a bad habit and was embarrassed about my nails while other girls showed off long, tapered fingers. For a time, I refused to get manicures because the technicians would cluck at me about my scraggly tips, how short they were, how much better longer ones were, blah.

I knew though that one of the best ways to stop nail-biting is to get a manicure every week. The thought is, you won't bite if your nails are smooth and pretty, and if you keep it up for 12 weeks, the habit will become a thing of the past. It's slightly painful to the wallet but there goes another incentive to not ruin your nails. So I sat down for my first manicure in years.

That was 4 weeks ago, and I have really been loving the look of smooth, well groomed nails! It's a small pleasure to look down at my hands while they're tapping away at the keyboard and admire how uniform, rounded, and NOT UGLY they look. I feel more like a grown woman with her act together haha. It really does look more professional in the office to have polished nails. The other day, I saw my coworker chewing sideways at his nails and it was pretty unattractive. I wonder if I used to also look like a cavewoman.

The verdict? I haven't bitten my nails in the longest period of my life, and my hands look much healthier. They're probably the longest they've ever been; the other day, I was so not used to the length that I started scratching my nails against my blanket and the boyfriend showed me a picture of a cat and its scratching post. Hey, I could relate. 

Roommate's collection of nail polishes. Obviously her preferred brand is OPI. Recently, I'm liking Essie's light color choices.

Tonight was a manicure night, the first time I put dark polish on. Previously, I was shaky with the nail application techniques and only trusted myself to do light / beigey / pinky colors, and there were still plenty of bubbles and streaking. For a challenge, I used OPI's 25 Colorful Years, a deep red with purpley tinges which you can't see well in the picture. In person the paint looks a lot more deep and saturated.

It came out well! The best application I've done yet and I was goofily excited and proud. Maybe it was the Sephora OPI Strenghter I just received, maybe it was the OPI polish formula, but there was no bubbling, no unevenness. Being my clumsy self though, I've already smudged one finger and slightly chipped the paint on my thumb a little. Live and learn.

 

 Any favorite techniques on giving self-manicures? Is the brand of nail polish the most important factor in a smooth application, or is it more the skill of whoever is applying?

Haul Blog: Sephora Friends and Family 2010

[EDIT 10/28 - All the orders finally came in!! Together now... I'm liking everything except the Shiseido concealer which was too pink for my skintone so that's going back. Oops, forgot OPI Strengthener in the picture!]

You know it’s fall / approaching holiday season when tons of F&F events roll around. Now, it’s one of Coastalpolitan's favorites - Sephora's Friends and Family! Time to stock up on old favorites and test out new products in hopes of discovering the next holy grail. From now through November 3, use discount code “FF2010” for 20% off everything! If you didn't already notice, Sephora has now added Bobbi Brown to its ever broadening lineup, which is great news! I would recommend checking out BB’s amazing correctors and concealers for under eye coverage.

Oldies but goodies on their way to me:

• Clarisonic Replacement Brush Heads in Delicate
• Shiseido Eye Moisture Recharge
• Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Peach
• NARS Ginger Concealer

New babies [EDITED 10/22 - just made my third order, yikes]

• Fresh Sake Eau de Parfum
• Sephora Professional Platinum Natural Dome Smudge Brush #13 - for deepening creases in smoky eyes
• Shiseido The Makeup Concealer Stick - in my unceasing search for the perfect concealer
• Fresh Umbrian Clay Treatment Bar - I have the mask version but Michelle has raved about the dry bar, plus it's $10 less!
• OPI Nail Strengthener - I'm a late bloomer in the manicures department, and have been eyeing products to keep my nails stronger and better groomed
• Shiseido Benefiance Concentrated Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream - gift for Mom
• Stella Eau de Parfum - I had a rollerball of this, and adore this scent for fall/winter
• Klorane Dry Shampoo

Friends and Family is the perfect opportunity to stock up on items you know you’ll need over the year (replacements like brush heads, foundation, concealer), gifts for loved ones (fragrance samplers, value and gift sets are great), and more expensive purchases that become less intimidating with a 20% discount code (skincare and fragrances usually fall into this category for me).

In preparation for F&F, I started with a ton more items in my basket but since I have a few big purchases planned, I decided to be good and edit, telling myself that what I currently have and drugstore alternatives will do for now. These were:

• Backup pair of Tweezermans
• L’occitane Lavender Hand Cream
• Fresh Rose Tinted Lip Balm
• YSL Touche Eclat
• Sephora Foundation brush

And don't forget to use eBates or your favorite cash back site! Don't know what I'm talking about? Click here. Before buying anything online, I check eBates to see if there's a % cash back, and it's awesomeee.

Digital Download - Late Summer Buys

I was clicking through old pictures in my camera, and saw some outfits and purchases from this summer that I haven't uploaded yet, so here's a random smattering.

I've raved before about my (still) favorite pair of jeans - the Citizen of Humanity Avedon Slick Skinnies. A year later, they're still my most often reached for pants, I love the thickness, stretchyness, and its ability to be perfect for every occasion. When I first found them at Aritzia, there were two colors that stood out, the black pair (I was in need of black skinnies) and a gorgeous dark blue called "Ever". Pricing geniuses at Citizen made the black pair $160 and the dark blue $206, which I deemed too steep. So I bought the black but never forgot Ever. This story has a good ending though! I was browsing Piperlime and saw that they carried Citizen jeans, and the Avedons... in the Ever color.... AND ON SALE! In my size! I was so excited and promptly checked out.

Tank top: Club Monaco

Vest: Gap

Jeans: Citizens Avedon Slick Skinnies

Shoes: Aldo Arnoldoas (I think that's the name?) 

Well, the pants are actually one size larger than I wanted, but they were my normal size. Since jeggings tend to stretch out, I bought one size smaller for the black ones, but 24 is the smallest Piperlime carries. They have a teensy bit more material but I try to smooth it out and have it bunch up at the ankles. After the sale and another discount code, the jeans came out to ~$90!

The vest above is also from earlier this summer, purchased from Gap during one of the many sales. I haven't worn this out yet because I like it better over sleeveless tops and now the weather has gotten too cold =\

This shirt I was really excited about finding during a clearance sale at Atrium NY. I have a soft spot for Atrium since it was where I bought my first pair of high end denim after my junior year internship, so I drop by sometimes to look at their extensive jean collection. Since I rarely buy jeans anymore (Nordstrom Rack has way better finds for cheaper), I haven't bought anything from Atrium in years, until I saw this gorgeous, sheer Hanii Y top hanging there. I instantly loved the draping, looks wispy smoke yet also rose-like. It was a size 4, but the sheer chiffon and shape meant that I could wear it as a loose top with tighter jeans or tucked into a skirt. So long as it was balanced, I could make it work. Plus it was over 70% off! Maybe this is an example of people having "sale goggles", but I still really like this top. It's also fitting that this is my first piece of contemporary designer clothing, and I bought it at the same place I first ventured into nicer denim.

Since the shirt is a size 4, I had to get it tailored to make the armholes smaller. Below I tucked it into a skirt to make it look more slim. The skirt is Club Monaco, also found on sale (I rarely buy anything at CM at full price anymore... their flagship store in Flatiron has amazing deals!). I have been really good this summer about waiting to buy stuff when there's a coupon/discount!

There are others but it's probably more interesting to see them incorporated into outfits so will hold off. Hope everyone has a great Thursday - so close until Friday!

Korean Scrubbed Squeaky Clean

Mitts used during the scrub

In serious need of some pampering this weekend, I hauled my dispirited butt to the nearest Korean spa, conveniently located in the heart of K-town. When life gets you down, one of the best ways to renew is to physically beat out and remove the grime of old layers and begin with a fresh slate, literally. My roommates came along also and we made a girls day of it. After checking out several options, we chose the two-hour $130 package at Yi Pak Spa which includes a body scrub, dry and wet saunas, massage, facial and a hair shampoo/rinse. Pretty good deal!

The spa looked more like an apartment with small rooms serving as the different saunas and a large room accomodating four tall beds kinda like the ones you lie on at the doctor’s office. Not a fancy ambiance like Bliss, but I was there for the services, not the environment.

We change into robes and here's where it gets interesting. The main room doesn't have any dividers or curtains, soooo after you undress, all the services are done while you’re in the buff. Yes, at first you try really hard to maintain eye contact at all times but it gets less awkward over time, especially since it’s women only (there’s a separate couples room where men can go but it’s apart from the main room). After the first two times, you get over the shyness and feel more comfortable (our bodies are all the same!).

The Korean scrub was what really enticed me to the spa. It’s not for everyone, but as someone who loves deep tissue massages so hard it feels like the masseuse is punishing you (like tui-na), the vigorous scrubbing and subsequent clumping of gray skin falling off is supremely satisfying. Extreme Exfoliation, it should really be called. The middle-aged women wear semi-rough gloves and forcefully rub you in every direction until dead skin cells roll into grayish clusters. I envision my pores, wide open from the earlier sauna sessions, being scrubbed squeaky clean of all the dirt and sweat that seeps in from just breathing in New York City.

After the scrub, we were ushered to the dry sauna and then finished off with a massage, facial and hair rinse. The main event is definitely the body scrub but the additional services were so relaxing, and felt well-deserved after enduring the scrub! Two hours later, the result was a rejuvenated mind and buttery smooth skin. I simply glowed, and felt like a brand new woman.

What one of the sauna "igloos" at Spa Castle look like!

I think most Korean spas are no frills without fancy candles or incense, but I appreciated the experience for the ultra clean feeling I got from the scrub and how relaxed I was after the massage, sauna and facial. I plan to go back after the winter, to shed off the skin and prepare a new layer for summer tanning. Consider it body maintenance – not unlike the housecleaning we get once a quarter. I clean my room regularly but it’s good to have a professional deep-clean the apartment once in awhile to get into all the corners. Similarly, I’ll exfoliate and do bikram on the regular but need a professional to deep-clean my twice a year.

Another option in NYC is Spa Castle, which is further out in Queens but a super fun way to spend a day hanging out. The place is practically an all-day amusement park, and has a huge variety of activities - nude hot springs/baths, body scrubs, massages, a pool, and hot and cold sauna "igloos" with different themes. It is really fun, albeit can get pricey since the services are buffet-style and on weekends can be crowded with families and kids. $45 admission will get you access to most everything but the massages/facials/scrubs are additional. It's a great way to spend a day with girlfriends, get to know each other, and feel peaceful and pampered.

Cole Haan + Nike Air = Uncomfortable?

Ouch-uh. Today I wore my new Cole Haan by Maria Sharapova Air Bacara Flat and they. really. hurt. Digging into my heels during the whole walk to work, the flats practically gave me blisters if I hadn't started walking on tiptoe to avoid the chafing. The flat are super cute out of the box - patent leather, rounded almond toe, suede trim, and an adorable laced back. Lots of potential there, but it didn't pass the walking test! I wore tights today and they were still painful. I'll get heel liners this week to see if the additional layer prevents the rubbing and give them another shot.

As a tennis fan, I've always been curious about the Sharapova line for Cole Haan, especially with the Nike Air technology. I like the bubbles and quality of my Air running shoes, and thought these would be equally cushy. NOPE.

The fit in front is great - no toe cleavage, yes! My AT pumps give me so much toe cleavage that I'm extra sensitive to it now haha. The lacing in the back is a cute, sporty surprise; I just don't love that it's suede since it doesn't do well in NYC snow. I sprayed them with protectant so hopefully they'll hold up during the winter.

I really hope these either loosen up and become more comfy over time or the heel liners will stop the digging because they're a cute option for black flats. If you'd like to try these for yourself, I recommend going up half a size since the sides will squinch you. Mine are size 6.5; I'm normally between a 6 - 6.5 so I could've gone up to 7 but think that would've been too loose.

Seven For All Mankind NYC Sample Sale

Sample sale time! On Thursday, I swung by the 7 For All Mankind sale in Flatiron, more excited to check out their tops/shirts than jeans. My denim count is at around 15 pairs now which is probably sufficient for a weekend jean wearer. I went to the sale last year and discovered that the brand had expanded into designing a full clothing line - with some cute stuff!

 

Rows upon rows of jeans. Women's on left side, men's on the right. Shirts / tops / jackets are then on the outermost rows. I went on Thursday which was the preview day and there were 15 or so people there... awesome! Elbow room to browse and shop.

Merchandise was split into 1st and 2nd quality, which was about $25 difference. The 2nd quality jeans were piled in boxes along the wall and I think they were irregular cut, maybe missing buttons or some small marks, but I didn't see anything wrong when I tried on a pair of Gwenevere jeggings. Definitely worth rummaging through the boxes for something good in your size.

On the first two days, 1st quality jeans were $80, 2nd quality jeans were $65, tops were $45, and everything went down $10 each day after. It's a choice between better selection or better prices, but being on the petite side, I usually can't gamble and risk my size selling out by the last day. I picked up two tops, one I'm wearing tonight and the other I need to get tailored.

This shirt is cool - the brassy gold hooks go down the middle of the front and back so you decide how conservative or risque you want to be! The hooks are decorative and the bf thought they gave off an eastern flair. I love the versatility of the shirt - can unhook to the point of wearing as a one-shoulder top, or v-neck...I even tried it as a cardigan haha.

I want to get back into a regular routine of posting... this was supposed to be up on Friday but then I got distracted. Definitely would've been more useful if it were earlier haha. I miss sharing with everyone, but I read everyone's posts and enjoy seeing what others are up to, even if I haven't been feeling up to writing myself. Hope everyone is enjoying their October and staying warm!

So It Rained Today...

It's just so like LA to be blazing hot less than 24 hours ago and then dreary and gloomy all day today! As an attempt to not be late on Mondays, I put in a bit of effort into picking out what I'm going to wear the night before (the ONLY night I push aside my laziness to do so). And of course, my chosen tulip skirt and tank top outfit was just not going to work for today (didn't feel like busting out the tights just yet).  Instead, I rummaged through my closet looking for all the fall wear that I'd somehow pushed far, far to the back.

Wearing: F21 white tee (similar here), F21 sweater vest (similar here), J.Crew Stretch Twill Minnie Pant, H&M scarf (other scarf I love), Ann Taylor Leonie Flats

Okay, so it's not exactly a complete fall weather outfit... but it's definitely a SoCal version. Although it was sprinkling outside here and there, it still wasn't cold enough for a full sweater and boots kind of day. Instead, I opted to wear my beloved Minnie's. I wear a regular size 0 as I purchased the pants in the store without knowing that they came in petite lengths. I guess it worked out because they fall right above my ankles and this length works fine with flats or heels (PAG's mentioned that the petite pants were kind of an awkward length, so I will be checking out her review to see the comparison!). I've had the sweater vest for years already and have actually never even worn it! I can't seem to pull off the vest + button up combo that looks so cute on plenty of girls, so I would always put on the vest and then chicken out of wearing it each time. Love this more casual way of wearing it much better as it's definitely more my style. I finished off this kind of dark outfit with my new Ann Taylor flats (love the muted gold suede) and my pretty new H&M polka dot scarf! I found it while roaming around the mall this weekend and like that it's a good alternative to the pashmina scarves that I always get caught in snags and such. I heart H&M and their super duper cheap and cute scarves!

My weakness for polka dots wins again! Love the sheer and super soft quality of this scarf and will be wearing it a ton!

On a side note--and this might be TMI--I'm not sure if you guys can see, but I have a mad rash across my chin. :( Leave it to me to use expired sunblock... AGAIN. During the hot, hot days of last week, I grabbed my practically unused Clinique Sheer Tint, not thinking twice about when I even bought it. I didn't make it past 10AM before the itching and burning started up (it still itches like crazy as I type this entry!). Now I'm left with a nasty patch of painful rashes that's comparable to actually getting a sunburn! How sadly ironic. Anywhoiee, just wanted to share this story so no one else does something as foolish as this. Let's just say I went through all my products and finally tossed out a bunch of other, probably not so good ones. 

Boo hoo, cold weather and a dry and itchy face. When it rains, it pours! LOL. Besides having to deal with LA drivers who freak out at the sight of rain, I actually think the rain is kind of refreshing. It makes me miss those days of trudging through the rain to class back in the good old days at Berkeley. Hope everyone is bundling up and keeping warm. 

Ann Taylor Shoes, Shoes, Shoes

Sheesh, Ann Taylor, who would've imagined I'd ever spend so much money at your store? Thanks to all the fellow bloggers, I think I've become an official convert! I was able to finally order the coveted perfect pumps during the recent 40% off sale and couldn't be happier!

Perfect Patent Pump in Walrus, Perfect Elle Pump in Black, and Leonie Suede Flat in size 5 1/2.

Aren't they pretty? These have the perfect round-toe and heel height for work and play.

My first rave about these shoes are that they are *SO* comfortable! The footbed leather is sooo soft and smooth. I wore the pumps to work and was able to comfortably walk a few blocks for lunch without any slip-ups or pain. Ah-mazing. I ordered the flats after PAG blogged about the crazy 50% off sale and although the bling is a little more than I like on my shoes, I think they'll be fun for holiday parties and paired with a simple and otherwise unaccessorized weekend outfit (leggings + t-shirt!). Still on the lookout for some black flats though!

Wearing Tropical Wool Skirt, Perfect Patent Pumps in Walrus, and shirt from Banana Republic.

Hmm, I'm just not sure about the skirt. I love the color and texture, but it slipped and twisted every second of the day and I just don't think it looks that good on me. The 2P did end up being a little too loose so I had to pull the skirt down to my hips which might have added to this problem. I tried taking it to the store to exchange to avoid having to pay for return shipping but they weren't in stock. :( I might end up having to return it! What to do?! I also wanted to add that I ended up returning the Silk Polka Dot shirt because I didn't like the feel of the material and the fit was really weird. The sleeves were a lot shorter than the elbow-length on the model and the neckline felt really awkward on me. It didn't look bad, but didn't look as elegant as I hoped it would for the price. I might have to take a shot at AT clothes another time, but for now, the shoes are totally worth the hype!