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Ensemble du Jour – 2-7-12

Posted on by Shoe Daydreams

Yes, I wore this soft kitten-grey polka-dotted cardigan from Target.

And it went great with the red pencil skirt from Express

And with the grey Tibi Daisy flats…

China Glaze’s Recycle warm grey polish looked great too…

But really… it was all just a backdrop for the ring.

Isn’t this adorably stunning?

It’s the “Winter in Paris” snow globe ring from DIVINEsweetness on Etsy.  And I knew I had to have it the moment I saw it.  Worth every penny and the wait to get it.

It stands out and draws eyes while being subtle and delicate.  I’m just in love but I’m going to savor the wearing of this.  It’s too precious for every day….

More Metallics

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Still loving nail polish and manicures over here.  My pink glitter was chipping off last night so, having just bought a bunch more polishes from Ulta, I did a super quick polish change (hence slightly uneven french tip edges, I’m still learning) with Orly’s Mirror Mirror and Revlon’s Metallic 860.

This is a pretty light true grey with a cool very very subtle blue undertone that goes well with my pasty skin tone.  The Revlon is a great liquid silver.  I did a base coat, one thick coat of the grey and then the tips. I can’t wait to do more with this silver.  I love love love it.

I’ve also found two great tools that are keeping me less smudgy – O.P.I.’s Drying Drops and Seche Vite quick dry top coat.  This top coat really does dry fast and shiny. And the drying drops are magic.  I think this was about $20 but you only use a few drops per nail so it’s going to last forever.

And 100% pure acetone remover, where have you been all my life???  So much easier than the other stuff!

I’m so excited about some of the colors I got last night.  I’m trying to pace myself to once or twice a week.  As someone who has never had good nails, this is a whole new world of fun.  Squeeeeee!!!!!

Ensemble Du Jour: 2-23-11

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Even though the days are still cool, the bright skies feel like Spring.  It doesn’t feel right to wear dark tones.  It’s time for color!

I started with the shoes and worked from there.  I paired a tomato red Gap sweater, with a khaki pencil skirt and grey and white Nautica scarf.

I love this butterfly pin.  It was my grandmother’s and is very intricate with movable wings.  I thought wearing it as a pin would be a nice tie back to my shoe details.

I just got these gorgeous crochet tights from Sock Dreams.  They’re so beautiful.  I plan on wearing them with an airy white dress and oxfords this summer.

But, yep, it was all about the shoes!  I just received three (!!!) pairs of custom Hetty Rose shoes and these are the first to be unveiled.  I’m going to do some more romance shots but I couldn’t wait to share!

I’m smitten by so many of her fabrics. It’s hard to choose just one.  I love the butterflies, outlined in metallic ink with large embroidered butterflies in silver thread.

This design is the Amalie, which is my favorite shape.  A perfect round-toe pump paired with glorious fabrics.  How can you resist?

Ensemble du Jour – 6-22-10

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I had actually planned on wearing this top with the rose print skirt from yesterday but the colors didn’t really work. So I saved it and went for a more streamlined yet still soft look with a charcoal cropped cardigan and a khaki pencil skirt.

I really like these three colors together. They are all dreamy and pair together to in a nice feminine way.

The rosette on the shirt is such a neat element and becomes the focal point.

What I really wanted to wear, though, were these pale pink heeled sandals. They’re the same color as the top with organza butterflies on the heels. The grey cardigan picks up the grey stripe on the wings.

The heels are Colin Stuart from ages ago. The butterflies are still holding up, thank goodness!

I believe I got them from the Victoria’s Secret catalog 8+ years ago. They were not expensive, as far as I can remember. The top was from Anthropologie and the skirt and cardigan were from Target.

Ensemble du Jour – 6-11-10

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This dress may be the best thing I’ve bought recently. I have worn it plain, with cardigans and camisoles. It’s the perfect shape and color and is just really darn comfortable.

On Friday, I wore it to work with awhite cami underneath and my new “mouse” flats.

Yes, it’s just a cotton jersey dress but it has some cute elements like the great deep v-neck and pleats on the shoulders and little tabs pulling in the waistline.

The hem has an unexpected band with raw edges which match the waist tabs.

My jewelry was equally simple. A large oval moonstone ring set in beaten silver and this necklace I made from my posey ring and a small crown charm.

And, of course the flats…

Cute!

How do you stay comfortable and cute at the same time?

Ensemble du Jour – 4-14-10

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It’s been so nice out lately with all of the gorgeous flowers, but today I woke up and it was a bit chilly. I wasn’t ready to wrap back up, especially since I just did the Seasonal Swap of the closets, so I went with a delicate spring top and added a warm snuggly soft jacket on top.

The top was a rosette gathered chiffon and jersey piece from Anthropologie that I paired with a simple stretch pencil skirt from Target and black glitter flats also from Target.

Because it was chilly I added my soft yet structured jacket also from Anthropologie.

I was so excited that my new Tarina Tarantino necklaces arrived last night that I had to wear one right away. I shall probably be wearing these far too often.

Did you notice my new toy? I have been dying for a decorative dress form for ages. Most of the ones you see are more for function but I just wanted a pretty piece I could use to plan outfits. I’ve looked all over but surprisingly this one came from Pottery Barn Teens (PBTeen)!

They’ve done these in the past but the current two are the linen one that I got and a really cute black and white polka dot.

I was tempted by the polka dot but not knowing how I will be redecorating rooms in the future I felt the linen was a better choice and a more neutral backdrop.

I just love it and it was pretty affordable. It’s also much easier for me to take pictures of my outfits on it than trying to get myself into a good pose, so plan on seeing it a lot in the future too!

Asheville Weekend Outfit at French Broad Chocolate Lounge

Posted on by Shoe Daydreams

We had amazingly gorgeous weather here this past weekend. We’ve been testing the dogs out at new boarding places so, since we didn’t need to rush back to pick them up, we decided to take a drive over to Asheville. The skies were blue, it was cool but not cold and the leaves were perfectly red and gold everywhere.

We really adore Asheville. And we have to always eat at least one meal at Laughing Seed Cafe. If you haven’t been, please make a point of going there.

Instead of wearing the typical jeans and a sweater, I grabbed my new stripey dress from Anthropologie and, even though it is a great Summer dress, when it’s paired with grey tights and a cozy over-sized cardigan, it’s perfect for Fall.

I always end up with few goodies to bring home. This time it was a new tee from Circles & Squares, they have the cutest prints and the softest shirts, a moleskine from Malaprop’s bookstore and some chocolates from French Broad Chocolate Lounge.

Sheer silliness….

I kept the jewelry simple – a vintage Trifari owl necklace.

The bow on this actually ties in the back but since I was wearing a sweater, I tied it in the front so it would show. I did have a pair of black gloves I bought on my honeymoon and so I used my vintage mock croc bag.

For a workday I would wear this with heels but to traipse around the hilly streets Tibi flats are more in order.

We’ve been wanting to check out the French Broad Chocolate Lounge for a while. Named after a local river, this place is cute and filled with amazing chocolates, drinks and pastries.

We got two liquid truffle hot chocolates. And this is real hot chocolate in the French style, not hot cocoa like you normally get in America.

We of course had to bring some of their truffles home, especially because they make vegan ones with a coconut milk ganache. They are decadent and I’m inspired to do some ganache experimentation of my own now.

I also bought some new chocolate bars I’ve never tried before. I’m always on the lookout for a new brand to obsess over.

Another wonderful day in one of our favorite cities.

Greener Pastures

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It hasn’t been that long since Isaac Mizrahi left us bereft at Target and moved on to new adventures at Liz Claiborne.

I for one was skeptical. I mean, wasn’t Liz Claiborne the brand that was known for the bad taupe purses in the 80s. Right?

In spite of that Mizrahi has moved right in and brought his frothy pink and retro girly designs to life. The elements I loved at Target are now being made with nicer materials to go with the slightly higher price point.

I’m pretty cheap about clothes but I did buy a few of his new pieces via the online store.

First up was this silk shirtdress in a watercolor floral pattern.

I love the colors and pattern so much, I got the silk and knit cardigan as well.

But what I really liked were all of the great skirts on the site. This plaid pleated skirt came in pink and the grey. I’m going to wear this a lot over the summer with a grey tee and silver heels, but can pair it with darker grey or black tights in the winter too.

But why not get the pleated skirt in pink too, since I love pink? Well, I saw this and knew there was no competition. I had to have this gingham dirndle skirt. This skirt is amazing in person. The top layer is a watercolor gingham plain on whisper thin silk. Under that is a layer of tulle and then a stiffer liner that gives the skirt a frothy full shape. I twisted and swished and twirled around in it all day. It has such a 50s-ish feel, I just want to slip on a knit top or cardigan and dance.

I’m so excited that, even though he’s gone from Target, Isaac is still out there making clothes that I can buy. I may not be able to get them as often but I hope they continue to be as fun as these.