Black Friday

In the afternoon, we went to check out the Sales and came back home with a pair of leggings for me and a sweater for him. It’s official,we can’t shop Sales! 

Giving Thanks

I am always grateful when friends take the burden of thanksgiving meal and invite me over. However my enthusiasm dims significantly when instead of traditional turkey dinner, they serve other foods. Sounds ungrateful, I know; but I do love roasted turkey and all its trimming!

  

p.s. I have so many things to be thankful for this year, which I have to sit down and do a separate long post on. Later for sure!

Orange you glad…

You are back in AZ?

The answer: not so much!  I was on a nice long vacation and coming back to real life was really hard.

Liberty print

Despite the 100 degree heat, I threw on my Liberty jacket from J.Crew, afraid that I never get a chance to wear it before next spring. I fell in love with this jacket as soon as it was out last winter. I waited a long time for it to go on sale and finally snatched it up in June. But the heat of AZ won’t allow wearing it.  Well, heat or not, I thought it should have its moment of glory. Plus, in my opinion, flimsy tank tops and shorts don’t make an outfit. Adding some polish is always better.

Orange and stripes

Another color to satisfy my fall cravings: orange. I thought adding orange accessories to black and white stripes is a fresher take than adding red. What do you think?

Caution: don’t wear a slim fitting dress to a buffet dinner where you plan to indulge!

Sage and powder pink

Looking for an autumnal color scheme that still could stand the 95 degree heat. Powder pink is going to be one of dominant colors this fall.

My sage skinny cargo pants are a great indication of my healthy weight. After a full year of wearing them with waist band extensions, today they buttoned easily. Success: I’ve gotten rid of my troublesome muffin top!

Patterned and white

I was hoping for the overcast to follow with rain and the mercury dropping. Needless to say, I hoped in vain! By mid afternoon we were back to mid 90s and the sun was shining.

I let the patterned pants take the center stage by wearing a simple white shirt and adding black accessories, taking the colors from the pattern. A white leather bracelet and my zodiac bangle completed the look.

Got complements on the bracelet and pants!

Shades of gray

With the rain coming down in buckets and temperature dropping to 70s, I was happy to wear my jeans, floral jeans at that. Ah, how much I’ve missed wearing jeans! Finished the look with a gray top and a jersey jacket.

Viva la weekend

Friday: pilling up reds to accentuate the red on this dress. Too much red maybe?!

Saturday: didn’t I say the only way to style these short is to wear them with blue or navy tops? Here is another variation.

Sunday: I saw a similar outfit the last time I went shopping with my friend back in OC, in Banana Republic on a mannequin. Well not the sandals but the combination of sunflower yellow and white broken by a cognac belt.  

Black and Ikat

Apparently my favorite print this spring/summer has been Ikat, as evident from all the Ikat pieces I’m wearing recently. But it all started with these printed pants.

Holy Grail of style: Tank tops

Tank tops are the most unappreciated clothing item in my opinion. They are the base, they are just there. Unless of course it’s the middle of summer, then they become visible. There are many variations on these tops, cami, racer back, spaghetti strap, sleeveless and simple shells. Some are definitely shapeware, holding in and smoothing. Their type and style is definitely a matter of personal choice and style. I have gone through my share of tank top variations, starting with simple undershirt style, to shells, then the spaghetti strap camies and ribbed, always going for slim fitting and body conscious. Recently however, I have become enamor of those cut a bit loose and more A-line. They drape better, hide the muffin top and look better untucked. Rayon and cotton are my material of choice, soft, silky and cool.

I have been snatching them up as I could find them mostly in black and white, although my new purchases and current favorites are fromGap. What’s your favorite style of tank tops?

Bordeaux and cream

For quick evening walk and dinner, I switched to fall colors. It’s time, isn’t it? The day after Labor Day? A nice burgundy color is everything Fall to me, no matter the temperature is still at 101.

Labor Day

Convinced the hubby to hit the sales in the mall and came back home with two T-shirts, just to have something to show for our efforts. Some days are not for shopping! Layering the thinnest tank top I owned under my flimsy linen jacket, adding a denim hair bow and trying to counter balance the white with navy and blue.

It’s officially time to switch to fall wardrobe, hence the jacket!

Gray peplum and Turquoise blue

A run for groceries in the morning gave me the opportunity to test drive this peplum top. Added hot pink lipstick and pendant as accent.

Yes, when I want to try a new outfit combination, I wear it either to grocery store or to a late night fast food run when not that many people are around.

I fell in love with this turquoise scarf print top in spring. This is another top I used to wear with white jeans back in OC, but here I am going with a skirt in the same color. 

Planning and hosting a dinner party with less than 24 hrs prep time is hard work!

Orange clash and going all white

When your significant other remembers an urgent appointment 30 minutes before hand, you usually don’t get a chance to pick the best outfit. If it’s not working you just have to go with it.  There is an enormous color clash happening in this outfit since the shorts are more red than orange in real life.

Taking advantage of last days before Memorial Day to get at least one wearing out of my new white shirtdress and paying a couple of visits to friends. 

Red accents

The problem with a patterned dress is that you are limited to its color scheme or neutrals when accessorizing. In the case of this dress, aside from blue and navy, the only other color I could work with was red. Et voila!

Black and beige

This Lela Rose for Target top has become iconic! I bought it in winter and mixed it in tan or black outfits. But never thought it would go with my baggy print pants as well. I guess the mixing of black and tan (or beige) is a no-brainer although a bit boring.

Emeralds and Ikat sands

Sunday is the day of rest, isn’t it? Mine was so full of to-do lists and meet ups that the only thing I didn’t get to was resting!

Morning to afternoon was spent running errands and trekking from one side of the city to the other to get things done, having lunch and an appointment with a few people. My emerald dress gave the illusion of being pulled together. It was comfortable enough for all the running I had to do and nice enough for meeting new people. I wasn’t much creative with accessories. I just piled up every emerald green I had, from bag to necklace to a bow for my ponytail!

Got home and started cleaning up the house and organizing and getting ready for an impromptu dinner party. Maxi skirt and a nice top is my favorite “Hostess” outfit. Food stains are usually unavoidable if you are cooking and serving, so good thing I went with the Ikat print. I also got lucky and my skirt survived the evening unscratched!

Linen and chambray

…and an ode to black maxi.

For visiting Phoenix Botanical Garden, I needed something cool which could protect me from the sun. Also comfortable to walk in for a couple of hours. Afterward we planned to explore a new shopping mall, so the outfit should have looked pulled together and not sloppy. A very tall order. It was achieved by matching my new chambray shirt with linen shorts, comfortable sandals and a hat!

Some clothes look very versatile and easy to mix and match in theory but not in real life. I still haven’t figured out what else I can wear with this shorts aside from blue or navy tops.

A fuss-free outfit for dinner was necessary after walking around all day. Something comfortable that deviously looked formal. Do you wonder why I adore this black maxi dress? Pretty effortless to style up!

What I liked this week:

-Printed pants. I’ve put my fears aside and acquired a few form fitting ones this spring but for fall I’m thinking of subtle plaid ones. Yes or no, what do you think?

-White bags. These pretties have been in vogue from spring this year but I couldn't decide if it is just a trend or has lasting powers. Since they’ll be still around for fall, I’m thinking a bit more about them. The important question; satchel or top handle.

-Colorful cushions. Thinking about furnishing my family room and adding some fun to the overall muted color scheme.

Copycatting

The inspiration for today’s outfit came from August issue of “In Style”. I substituted railroad striped shorts for the skirt* and went with tan shoes.

*weird! I don’t own a vertical striped skirt in my vast collection of clothes. Why don’t I?!!

Orange and hot pink

I used to wear this top with white jeans this spring back in CA.For me, it symbolized being carefree despite the fact that I was anything but carefree this spring. Here in AZ though, the thought of wearing jeans feels monumental. You know me, I am not one for monumental efforts. So… I wore the top with orange polka dot shorts, tucked in the front of the top and called it a night!

Easy breezy

An outfit for a quick errand run and fast food dinner while the high 110⁰ weather turned into a sandstorm and air pressure dropped. I have simplified my life to a bare minimum!

Chambray and silk

A mixing of high and low textiles which added the feel of self-indulgence of silk chiffon to the solace of light chambray. Took the texture mixing farther by adding the smoothness of leather shoes to the bristling texture of my vintage python bag. It felt perfect for  a Sunday evening.

Viva la weekend

It was over 110 degrees and my plans were for a leisurely lunch, strolling in an AC-ed mall and window shopping my heart out. I needed something cool, comfy and relaxed. White shirtdress to the rescue and what better than navy stripes and polka dots for accents?

An informal dinner party required the right balance of relaxed and dressed up. I thought this striped tee-dress hit the right note. Added the more formal patent leather shoes and clutch to make it evening appropriate.