TBMD

I went with some friends for afternoon tea at the Ritz Carlton in Tysons recently. I may have been a tad overdressed (we decided on cocktail attire, just because), but I was oh-so-comfortable while helping myself to a variety of desserts, sushi (from their Cherry Blossoms set), and tea. I love white dresses, but the color is limited to pretty much non-wedding dressy events, of which I don't partake much in. So I'll take any excuse to wear (white) dresses that are just collecting dust in my closet.

We went to a wedding over the weekend at the historic Belvedere Hotel in Baltimore. The architecture style of the venue plus the formal dress code immediately made me think romantic, tulle, embellished dresses -- like BHLDN.

I've never really had a good excuse to wear tulle... until now. I was thinking a Thread & Needle blue/gray tulle maxi skirt with a J.Crew bow top. I loved the swishy-ness of the maxi skirt, but never truly found a top I loved -- one that was dressy enough and went with the skirt. I think subconsciously I knew I would be "settling" so I never completely stopped the search.

Lo and behold, the perfect dress appeared when I was casually browsing Bloomingdale's sale section one day. There was only one problem -- because the color I wanted (navy) was on sale, size selection was limited *cue crying emoji* Reviews were mixed regarding the fit, so I kept debating whether I should give the larger sizes a try (definitely runs small through the ribs). I ended up sleeping on it. When I woke the next morning and refreshed the page, smaller sizes magically appeared -- yay for overnight re-stocks!

I loved this dress even more in person when I tried it on. The color (navy is the new black), the heavy fabric which created the beautiful voluminous high-low skirt that swished as I walked. The only negative was the strapless top -- never been a fan only because I don't have much to hold it up. In all honesty though, a non-strapless top would've made the dress look busier, and I probably would've passed. The simple strapless top balanced out the full skirt.

When I showed DH the dress, he immediately said, "You look... loud." What? But I'm not wearing a bold color! I definitely don't want to stand out and upstage the bride. So he clarified with, "You take up a lot of space." I chalked this up to another example of how guys view things differently -- all my girlfriends gave their thumbs up approval. I know I look good, so he'll just have to deal with me invading his personal space, hahaha. I recounted this story multiple times throughout the night of the wedding because I got so many compliments (pockets were a huge hit!) from other girls.

It's funny how I was so sure of the vision of my initial outfit, only to end up wearing a dress that is a complete 180 -- structured, plain, heavy fabric. I accessorized with a statement necklace to add interest up top, but chose simple nude heels to keep the attention on the full skirt.

Photos thanks to DH!

Spring weddings may be the more universally accepted version of beautiful with blooming flowers everywhere, but I think fall weddings are equally gorgeous, especially when timed just as the leaves are changing colors. DH and I went to a wedding at the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens over the weekend. Um, how is it that I've never visited this place until now?! I'm ashamed to call myself a local :(

My pictures really do not do the "gardens" justice. I use the term loosely because Meadowlark is more like a mini-National Park with trails, wildlife, and just beautiful natural scenery all-around. I'm guessing we were a few weeks early because trees were still mostly green. I plan to go back soon to catch the leaves at peak foliage and will be wearing sneakers so I can freely roam about!

[photo below]: My idea of being one with nature. I literally could've sat out here all day. Darn the wedding reception for pulling me away from this view ;)

Photos thanks to DH!

I love the color white. I already own a white skirt, two pairs of white shorts, white skinny jeans, a white dress, and multiple white tees -- all of which I wear on a regular basis. I can now add another to my ever-growing white collection: a pair of wide leg trousers.

I saw the Chelsea28 pleated wide leg pants on Taylor and Julia awhile back. I was immediately smitten with the flowy look. It gave off such a sophisticated vibe a la Lauren Bacall. Being the casual dresser that I am, I didn't know if I could pull it. I also had doubts about my ability to keep the pants clean -- a long hem nearly touching the dirty ground?!

I couldn't stop thinking about the pants, so what the heck, I had to see it in person myself. Not surprisingly, I loved it. The pants are fitted through the waist, then straight down the legs, which makes it so comfortable to wear. I'm used to wearing skinny jeans, so it's always an adjustment to wear items that aren't restrictive at all. For reference, I'm wearing sz 00.

The pants were very long on my 5'4" frame (~35" inseam on the pants, iirc?) Nordstrom offers free alterations on select services for full-priced items, which happens to include hemming pants. I had bought the pants online, so I just walked in to any of the women's departments at my local store. A sales associate will call someone from the alterations department to come up while you change. He/she'll then just pin the pants to the correct length (make sure you bring the exact shoes you'll be wearing). I was handed a slip with a pickup date a week later. It's seriously so convenient and hassle-free.

I definitely saw wrinkles appearing throughout the day, mainly around the thigh area. Sigh. Unavoidable I guess, so I've come to terms with that. My worries about keeping the pants clean? Perhaps I was overreacting because they were just as clean at the end of the day as they were at the start.

P.S. - Thank you Jean for introducing me to the H&M top and Suddenlee for tracking down my size for me!

I seem to switch between two dresses when it comes to wedding guest wear: a By Malene Birger embellished dress or a Lanvin x H&M black ruffled dress. The Malene B. dress has an open back and feels more summer-y to me (though the sparkly embellishments would fit well for NYE.) So I crossed that dress off my potentials list when I saw the mid-November date for my friend L's wedding. That left the Lanvin x H&M black ruffled dress. Black is always a safe choice and I figured the thicker material could help keep me somewhat warm (random justification on my part because any warmth is probably negated by the one-shoulder design?)

Before I fully committed to the Lanvin x H&M dress, I couldn't help but give in to the idea of shopping for a new dress to wear for a special occasion. I gave the Ann Taylor feathered hem dress a shot (runs large, tried on 00P), but sided with the majority and went with the Lanvin x H&M dress as the final pick.

The wedding was held at DAR Memorial Continental Hall, the smaller and older sister of the more famous Constitution Hall. Parts of the building were undergoing renovations when we were there (see random ladder in last pic), but that didn't detract from the beautiful architecture and elegant detailing found throughout. Case in point: the Pennsylvania foyer for the couple's first dance [photo below].
I loved L's entire look for her wedding day. The hair, the makeup, the dress (!) She looked gorgeous. The dress very much reminded me of old Hollywood glamour, which also complemented the venue perfectly. After I uploaded a couple photos to social media, one of my male coworkers (who doesn't strike me as someone who cares about fashion at all) made it a point to tell me that my "friend who got married looked so pretty. Some girls pick dresses that aren't flattering, but hers was perfect for her." What a nice thing to say :) Congrats L+S!

Outfit photos thanks to DH!

I bought my Everlane swing trench jacket back in April of this year. I only wore it a handful of times before putting it away until fall. In the middle of the summer, I received an email from the Everlane team saying that while the trench I bought is water-resistant, it isn't as water-resistant as they'd like. They've fixed the problem and is sending me a new one free of charge. Wait, what?! This kind of customer service is unheard of! I was completely.blown.away. I already valued Everlane's business approach, but standing behind their products like this? I'm a customer for life.

So now I have two almost-identical swing trenches in my possession. From what I can see, the only difference between the two is the color. The current trench is one very slight shade darker than the previous version. Everything else remained the same -- black buttons, material used (fairly wrinkle prone), lined in the sleeves only, nice craftsmanship.

For reference (not included in my April post), size XS measures approximately: 14" shoulder-to shoulder, 24" sleeve length, 27.5" collar-to-hem along the back.

Along with the sage green color, the 2.0 release of the swing trench also comes in navy and tan.

I dressed up today's black outfit with gold accessories. The chunky chain necklace had been sitting at home unworn, so hey, why not pair it with a simple black dress? Oh that's right, Elle had already worn this necklace + dress combination last winter! I'd like to thank my subconscious for remembering in time so I can give Elle proper credit.

There's a lot going on in today's outfit -- patterns, sequins, embellishments, so I tried pulling them all together by choosing colors adjacent to one another from the color wheel. The resulting outfit is bolder than what I normally wear (no wallflowering for me on this particular day), but I really like it.

Today's "skirt" is actually a sleeveless shift dress layered under a top. I'm thrilled with how the ensemble turned out because now I can remove a leather skirt from the fringes of my wishlist and focus on finding a pair of leather shorts (hoping this one works out!)

Over the weekend, DH and I went to a friend's wedding at the charming and historic Hollin Hall. The ceremony was held at the outdoor garden -- an intimate setting with the afternoon sun as the perfect backdrop.

Sale alert: At J.Crew, take an extra 40% off final sale items + free shipping on every order with code STYLE40. Today only.

Also, at Ann Taylor, take an extra 60% off sale items. No code needed, ends tonight.

Lastly, at Gap, take 30% off regular-priced + extra 35% off sale items with code GAPSHOP. Today only.

I keep about ten pairs of shoes within easy reach for everyday wear. The rest are stored in shoeboxes on the top shelf in my closet. One of which are these hot pink heels. Since they require me to stand on a chair to reach the top shelf, my lazy self doesn't wear them as often as I'd like. I had taken them down earlier to wear to an event, so I figured I'd wear them as much as possible before they're never to be seen again for months.

Have a good Wednesday, everyone!

Over the weekend, DH and I went to a wedding held at the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown DC. The venue was absolutely gorgeous, with a traditional neoclassical exterior and contemporary interior complete with high ceilings and glass everywhere. I wish I had taken more photos, but was too preoccupied with making sure we didn't get lost (one of the few times a smartphone sure would've been handy!) The building is open to the public though, so we'll have the chance to visit again. Just a heads up that IDs are checked and people/cars are screened by metal detectors upon entrance.

[photo above]: On the Pavilion room balcony overlooking the Woodrow Wilson plaza

Following in Elle's footsteps, I too gave the combination of lace with jeggings a try. Speaking of which, jeggings and I seem to have a love-hate relationship. I love how comfortable they are when worn, but yikes, all the creasing and wrinkles make my legs look like a sausage stuffed in casing. Note to self: remember to wear jeggings only during the non-bloated days of the month.

Today's outfit may look girly at first glance with the big bow and all, but I finished it with studded shoes for a little bit of edginess.

Have a good weekend, everyone!

I keep a Pinterest board of items that I'd love to add to my closet, but the chances of me doing so are slim to none (late to the game being the #1 reason). Among the ones on my board is this unique embellished tweed shift dress. It was love at first sight the second I saw it on Wendy.

The dress was sold out everywhere I looked, so imagine my elation when limited stock appeared on The Outnet a few months later. I literally squealed out loud, quickly put a hand over my mouth, then looked around to see if any of my co-workers heard. A vain attempt, no less. I knew a trip to the tailor was necessary because the smallest size available didn't look like it would fit based on measurements. I was hoping that the neckline and length will fit ok off the rack and I can just ask for the dress to be slimmed.

Turtlenecks and I have come a long way, from being the bane of existence as a kid (slight exaggeration) to becoming a staple piece in my adult wardrobe. I wore my black turtleneck frequently last winter, which was justification enough to branch out into bright colors this season.

Incorporating a cherry red turtleneck into my outfits was a fairly easy task, as I own a lot of navy items (denim jeans count too). I also like to start layering with turtlenecks as the base, before adding on other patterns and colors. As the weather warms, I can also see fitted turtlenecks as a great transition piece, thin enough as the only layer on top paired with a full skirt on the bottom.

Today's outfit features a silk shift dress winterized with a turtleneck, tights, and suede booties (a photo sans jacket can be found here). The dress has navy stripes, so I debated whether to go with black or navy colored tights. I ended up picking black tights because it blends in with the black suede booties for a leg-lengthening look. I suppose in poor lighting conditions (like when this photo was taken) either color would've worked.

Have a good weekend, everyone!