Petite Fashion Challenge #9-"Heat Wave Appropriate"

I am very happy to be participating in my first Petite Fashion Challenge! This month's challenge is being hosted by by Elle of Fast Food & Fast Fashion. She challenged everyone to put together a look that is "heat wave appropriate," something I myself have been dealing with in the past few days here in LA (though it's not as bad here as it is on the East Coast right now, that's for sure).

So the challenge was thus: "...I challenge you all to create an outfit that accounts for the various environmental factors that plague us in the summer. I want to know how you dress when it's 90 degrees outside and 65 degrees inside."

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I couldn't decide if I wanted to do a work look or a casual look, so in the end I went for both.
First, the work look:

Dress: Urban Outfitters sz xp/tp (old, and on sale for $10!) / Sweater: H&M sz xs (old) / Shoes: DSW sz 7.5 (old similar here) / Necklace: bought in Italy / Bracelet: made by The Boyfriend!


Bracelet: made by the Boyfriend! This is basically all of the colors I wear, all of the time.

I wore this to my office yesterday, for a bit of a casual Friday look, but I was, unfortunately, still freezing. It was like the arctic tundra in there today. So, what I wish I wore was this:

Blazer: Banana Republic Sleek Suit Jacket sz 0 ($158, online here for $124, but I got it in-store for an amazing
$41, including tax! That story to come soon.)

This jacket is fully lined and oh-so-comfortable. And, importantly, warm! It's also my first-ever blazer, an item that has been on my to-buy list for years, and I'm so happy it finally made it into my closet (at an awesome price)!

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And the casual look:

Top: from a nearby boutique sz md ($4.00, similar here for $5.50) / Shorts: Gap sz 0 (old, similar here with 00p still available!) / Scarf: Target (old) / Purse: Coach vintage (from eBay) / Shoes: Target Elliana Wedge Sandals sz 7.5 (buy here for $24.99) / Bracelets: bought in England for about $2.

And, for when it's cold inside:

Cardigan: Forever 21 sz m

This cardigan actually rolls up and fits inside this purse perfectly, still leaving room for keys, wallet, and cell phone.

A light cotton scarf like this is my favorite accessory in the summer. It adds color to a simple outfit, keeps my neck out of the sun when I'm outside, and can keep me warm when I'm in an air-conditioned room that insists on mimicking northern Siberia.

Ummm...what?

Sunglasses: Target / Bracelets: bought in England for about $2.

The cat has the right idea. I'm off to go enjoy the sun!

Is it Fall Yet?

I think this outfit is clearly crying out for my desire for it to be September, already.

Dress: LOFT sz 0 (old, got on sale, similar, though pricier, here) / Sweater: boutique, sz sm ($20.00) / Shoes: White House Black Market sz 7.5 (old) / Belt: Bought in England

The weather two days ago was all grey and cloudy and cool in the morning (my favorite, seriously), so I decided to pretend it was fall while still keeping cool for the inevitable 20+ degree rise that would occur in the middle of the day.

The dress is actually made of cotton (though it really feels like an unfinished sort of silk) so despite the dark color, it's great for summer. And, perhaps even more importantly, it has pockets! The cardigan too, is quite thin, perfect for summer, even though the color makes
me think of fall.

This hereby marks the first time I've ever done the belt-outside-of-cardigan look. I think I can pull it off...? Sure, why not! I did have to take the belt off shortly after lunch, though, not gonna lie. Breathing became more important to me than fashion. I hate it when that happens.

Wearing the Pants

Well, I made it to work on Wednesday, and I didn't have to go naked. How did I solve my summer fashion dilemma, you ask?

Why, with a pair of pants whose one random drawback actually served me perfectly in this hot-hot-hot LA weather.

Top: Anthropologie sz xs (on sale for about $20.00) / Pants: Ann Taylor (the tag fell out, so I don't know what size they are, but they're a bit big so my guess is sz 0R or 2P) / Shoes: DSW Ann Marino Lottery Menswear Pump in dark grey sz 7.5 (gift, buy here)

These are Ann Taylor pants which I bought about 2 years ago. I didn't pay much attention when buying them, pleased as I was to find a pair of pants that actually didn't need any hemming (provided I wore them with heels of course). Later, I realized, "huh, they're unlined...that's annoying," and was a bit peeved at myself for not noticing that earlier. However, that very flaw has turned out to be a great way for me to survive the LA summers.

I seem to have a captive audience.

Unlined pants = great way to keep cool while looking all kinds of professional.
Shhhh.....no one has to know.

Plus, long pants give me the opportunity to wear (slightly) higher heels!

DSW Ann Marino Lottery Menswear Pump in dark grey sz 7.5 (buy here)

Colorblocking

I guess I've hopped on the colorblocking trend, but really, completely by accident. I bought this dress 3 or 4 years ago, I think, and it has served me soooo well. I wear it casually with flats, or dressed up with a cardigan and heels for work, and it makes me feel like I've put together a whole outfit by slipping on one dress. Plus, thanks to the wide elastic waistband, no belt needed!

Dress: Target sz sm (old, similar here and here) / Cardigan: H&M sz xs (old) / Shoes: DSW sz 7.5 (old)

I can't remember the price of this dress, but it's Target and I remember being really happy with it, so my guess is under $25.00. For 3 or 4 years of use, that's not too shabby.

Target has a pretty similar maxi version of this dress right now for $20.00, and a kind of casual, swingy, summer version for $18.00, if you're interested! The swingy one actually comes in a variety of color combos, perhaps the orange-on-orange for the more colorfully inclined among us? I'm partial to the berry/dark blue combo, myself.

Pug!

It's Summer, and I'm Confused

WHAT do people wear to work in the summer? Seriously, what?? My main work staples are almost all strictly fall/winter wear (heavy fabrics, dark colors) or, at the very least, not 95+ degree weather wear. As I looked at my closet for this week of work (my last full week at my business-casual-ish office), I realized I pretty much had two outfits that could withstand the heat and still look appropriate.

So, here's Monday's outfit, and tomorrow I'll post Tuesday's...I have no idea what the heck I'm doing the next day. Guess it's time to get creative.

Top: from a hometown boutique sz xs ($4.00) / Cardigan: Target sz xs ($19.99, buy here) / Skirt: LOFT black A-Line Eyelet Skirt sz 00 ($69.50, on sale for $32.99 + waist alterations) / Belt: Target (about $12.00) / Shoes: White House Black Market (old) / Bracelet: Gift, from India

This is the first outfit that made me feel like a real-life style blogger. I think its the magical yellow belt. I've been really into yellow lately, but the color almost universally looks awful on my skintone. Solution: skinny yellow belt that adds some color, but only has to be contrasted against the black/white background of the outfit, not my already yellow-undertoned skin.

One of the best parts about work? Being a few blocks away from my favorite bakery.
Macarons for the whole family!

Mmmmmmm....

A Weekend In Outfits: Up the Coast of CA

I went up to visit my boyfriend this weekend, driving a few hours up the coast to his small Central California town. Of course, this necessitated packing. I like to say that I'm a good packer (I don't stress, can do it quickly), but this time, something seems to have gone wrong.

I put everything together in LA, convinced that I had packed a bag full of bright outfits and interesting patterns to carry me through the weekend in style. I even bragged to my boyfriend a little about how awesome the contents of my suitcase were (he seemed...thrilled). So imagine my surprise when I opened said suitcase 190 miles later to find a smattering of solid colored v-neck tshirts, a grey sweater, a pair of blue jeans, two blue skirts, and a pair of blue shorts. What?? Oh sure, one of these v-necks was purple, and a skirt was teal, and as I drove I wore a shirt with a pattern but...come on Lauren! Its like some tricksy fashion-challenged witch packed my suitcase for me, cackling as she plotted my weekend of grey v-necks paired with grey sweaters. Ugh.

Anyway, I tried my best, given the items said witch provided me with.

First, we went to the California Mid-State Fair. And let me tell you, the California Mid-State Fair is...something else. For this city-slicker, the Mid-State Fair is a whole 'nother slice of California life. One could bask for hours in the glow of deep-fried anything, bacon-wrapped turkey legs, cotton candy, twinkies, and dippin' dots (ok, but really, dippin' dots are awesome), while entertaining themselves with ferris wheels, rodeos, 4-H competitions, and...what I think was a cattle herding contest? Oh goodness, if it's not already painfully obvious, I was apprehensive about sticking out like sore thumb. So this is my attempt to blend in at the California Mid-State Fair:

Top: F21 sz m (old) / Skirt: American Eagle sz 0 (really old) / Belt: Bought in England / Shoes: Rainbow (they're hemp! Dirty as hell but good for the environment...?) / Bag: Gift, from Guatemala

It worked surprisingly well. Everyone was wearing short-shorts, flip flops, and tank tops, so I satisfied myself with pretending like I belonged. I didn't eat any bacon-wrapped turkey, though. Maybe next time.

Bag: Gift, from Guatemala

This bag went everywhere with me this weekend. Its like Mary Poppin's bag, I swear. I could pull an umbrella and a coat rack out of there and I wouldn't be surprised that I still had room for my pet elephant.

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The next was a spent roving around the coast, from beach to town to beach, in search of the sun. We started out with a walk down the local beach, which is often covered in a thin haze of grey mist, so pants seemed to be in order.

The guy in the back totally stole my outfit idea.

Shirt: F21 sz m / Pants: Gap 1969 boot cut jeans sz 00 (I love these jeans. I had to get them hemmed, of course, but they fit soooo well. I got 'em on sale, too! similar here) / Belt: Bought in England / Necklace: Bought in Italy / Shoes: Macy's (old)

My nail polish matches my tshirt!
I'd love to say I did that on purpose, but really, I just own only 3 colors of nail polish.

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Then we went into the nearby bigger town and then a few minutes south to a beautiful sunny beach. And here is where my weekend outfits get exciting, y'all. (What? I went to the Midstate Fair. I can say y'all now. It's the rules.) Purple and teal!

Shirt: F21 sz m / Skirt: Modcloth / Belt: Bought in England (sensing a theme here with this belt? Ya, I wore it every day...) / Necklace: Bought in Italy

I usually wear this skirt with a grey shirt, and I've never worn it with a belt, but, inspired by reading so many style blogs as of late, I decided to go all peacock with this outfit and bring out the colors. I actually like it a lot. Go figure!

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And finally, my lazy Sunday outfit, which consists of the softest, most comfortable button down shirt ever and a pair of easy shorts. My ever-present belt and flats also make another appearance. Boyfriend made fun of me for wearing the same belt every weekend (which, yes, I am wearing here, even though you can't tell). I told him it was totally a style decision, proving how versatile the belt was. Totally.

Shirt: Urban Outfitters, sz s (old) / Shorts: Gap sz 0 (old) / Shoes: Macy's


Oh hey, Seagull.

Loft Free Shipping

Just wanted to write a quick post saying that LOFT is having a sale right now: 25% off all full-priced items and free ship on everything! (Oh, how I love free shipping!)

Guest Post: The Blogger and her Boyfriend, Date Night Edition

My boyfriend came to visit this past weekend, and I was shocked to find out that he was not only really into the idea of this blog, but that he wanted to contribute to a guest post! We cooked up this idea: I'd try on three different outfits for one occasion, and the two of us would rate them, saying which was our favorite, middle, and least favorite, and why. He was also going to rate them on a variety of factors determined by him.

I quickly realized that his true motivation may have been the ability to critique my outfits, carte blanche, with no girlfriendly repercussions. How many boyfriends--usually relegated to "honey, you look wonderful!"--wouldn't jump at that opportunity? I can't blame the guy, really. And hey, I was genuinely interested in what he thought when all the social conventions of always complimenting your significant other were set aside.

So, here are three outfits that I would wear to a summertime movie-date, ranging from casual to more dressy. Unfortunately, I think I kind of failed the assignment from the get-go, as I actually like each of these outfits. :-/ But, I shall rank them nonetheless! Onward! But first, a note from The Boyfriend:

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Hello, my name on the internets is R, and I am Lauren's boyfriend. I have been given a rare and possibly juicy opportunity - the chance to "critique" her style... or at least three potential outfits. Apparently, I will have free reign here without any negative repercussions. I'm thrilled. No, really!

I am from a small town on the coast of California. This has influenced a great deal of my social persona - from politics to style to recreation. The best way to sum this up before boring you, is that I am a big fan of "simple", "easy", "down to earth" and "not trying too hard." To put this in relevant terms, I generally suspicious of makeup, heels during the day, and any type of overly fanciful "fashionista-ing. I am attracted to women that are about comfort and freedom and less concerned about conventions. Personally, I wear t-shirts and jeans and sweaters with wonderfully long sleeves. However, my likes and dislikes aside, I will be grading Lauren on her own terms and so I have diversified my grading criteria. Each outfit will get three marks: a score for variety (in accordance with her stated goal of expanding her typical choices), a score for sexiness (hey, it is a date theme, after all), and a score for fashion (not like I know anything about style, but I might as well try).

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Outfit #1:

Top: Target smocked tank top sz xs (old) / Jacket: Zara brown faux leather motorcycle jacket sz s / Shorts: Urban Outfitters jean shorts sz 00 (old) / Shoes: Gap brown t-strap sandals (old, similar here) / Necklace: Various charms put together.

The Blogger:

This is definitely the most casual of these three outfits, but to me it is just extremely comfortable, summer-y, and easy to wear. The top is airy and keeps me cool when its hot outside, and the sandals and shorts are staples for me over the summer. Whenever I go to the movies, I have to bring a jacket because I get freezing inside. The brown faux leather jacket was a bit of a splurge, but I'd been looking for one forever and was so happy to have found it. This is one of my favorite necklaces; its the perfect length, it dresses up basic t-shirts just a little bit, and it cost next to nothing! I've had the heart on the chain since I was about 8...it came with an American Girl doll outfit I bought! The eye is a gift from a friend who traveled to Greece, and I got the green and gold pendant in Chinatown for about $1.

Rank: 3rd out of 3. Maybe it's a bit too casual?

The Boyfriend:
Variety: Casual-smasual. You get good marks here for adding a little color to the presentation with the purple flower-pattered shirt. HOWEVER, if this is the most colorful you can get in the summer, I'm afraid I have to downgrade the score somewhat drastically to make a point. Dark-ish tank top with blue-jean colored bottom? You get a 5, but it was almost a 4+.

Sexiness: Lauren is worried about the "creepy factor" of this category, so I will be restrained. On the other hand, there are some fairly obvious truths that are far more truth-y than creep-y, and one of those is that a pair of legs is always appreciated. Tank top and jacket are very cute. Solid 7.

Fashion: The sandals help take the outfit from casual top and shorts to something a bit more stylish. I like the necklaces as well. Overall, does give off a strong summer vibe, which is what you were going for. 7.

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Outfit #2:

Dress: Modcloth empire-waist sailor dress (with pockets!) sz s / Cardigan: Forever 21 heather grey sweater sz m (old, similar here for $11.50) / Shoes: Gap brown t-strap sandals (old, similar here) / Earrings: Turquoise-colored plastic, about $3.00

The Blogger:

I absolutely love this dress in the summer. It has stripes (the pattern I feel the most comfortable with), its blue and white (two of my go-to colors) and, most importantly, it has pockets! The grey slouchy sweater it also a staple in my wardrobe. I like that I can ball it up and stuff it in a purse to pull out in a chilly movie theater, and it hardly wrinkles at all. To add a teeny bit of color to this outfit, I chose a pair of turquoise earrings that I got at a boutique for around $3.00.

Rank: 1st out of 3. My favorite of the bunch. The perfect mix of summer, cuteness, and comfort.

The Boyfriend:

Variety: Well, its not a tank top and it doesn't include blue-ish jeans of any sort, so you can start with a 6. Plus points for the blue, but minus points for it being a darkish gray blue, so overall that is a wash. I don't see you in dresses often, so an extra 1 point for encouragement. You get a 7.

Sexiness: Pretty obviously a cute outfit. The cut works well with your figure (another truth-y statement). The neck is conservative and rather plain, but I am a big fan of cute over trying-too-hard-with-plunging/extravagant neckline. 8.

Fashion: This is well beyond my ability to grade fashion wise. I will stick with the "sexy" score because sometimes fashion is less important as a concept than the overall effect of the presentation. Generally I am not a fan of the whole "high-waistband" style, but it works well on this dress. Oh, and I love sweaters. Even though it is gray. Speaking of which, I'm taking back a point I gave you in the variety category and downgrading you to a 6. For fashion, you get an 8.

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Outfit #3:

Top: Forever 21 cream lace cut-out shirt sz s.p (old) / Jacket: Urban Outfitters motorcycle jacket (old) / Skirt: Urban Outfitters grey tube mini sz s (old, similar though more expensive here)/ Shoes: Target Pearce pumps $29.99 / Earrings: Found! Free stuff is the best.

The Blogger:
This is definitely the fanciest of these three outfits, with my new favorite Target Pearce pumps to glam the whole thing up. I don't often wear heels when I'm not going to work, but I like the idea of wearing them to a movie, because you don't have to be on your feet the whole time! The grey skirt and cream shirt combo was inspired by this look on Wendy of Wendy's Lookbook, and though her shoes are way more awesome than mine, I think I imitated it pretty well, and on a budget, to boot!

Rank: 2 out of 3. I really like this outfit, but it might be a bit too fancy for a summer afternoon date. I'd definitely wear it on summer nights, though.

The Boyfriend:
Variety: Tisk, tisk, TISK. Not that I am complaining, mind you, but this does happen to be a white and... surprise... gray based outfit. On the bright side, you are helping me re-learn how to spell gray, which I keep wanting to spell "grey" for some reason. So I guess thanks for that. [Both spellings are correct! Fun fact.] Bonus points for the interesting top. And an extra bonus point for my spelling lesson. 4.

Sexiness: You may be losing points of variety, but you are coming up with some very nice outfits. Everything works well here, from the pattern on the top to the fitted gray skirt to the heels. The colors work great with your complexion and I enjoy the earrings. I was going to give you a 9, but I noticed your pug in the picture and the comparison between smooshed pug-face and lovely Lauren outfit persuaded me to bump it up to a 10. Awesome job.

Fashion: From my limited understanding of style and all that, this seems to be quite the definition of fashionable. Very put together look and very classy. I often snort my nose at the tucked-in shirt look for women (nice way of saying I really don't like it), which generally looks silly to my eyes, but this doesn't detract from the overall presentation. The jacket is a good touch and matches the heels. Wait... the jacket is black you say? I'm taking away your spelling lesson bonus points in the variety category and moving you to a 3. The outfit as a whole gets an 8.5. I was convinced by the cool shirt.

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So there you have it! A Blogger and her Boyfriend critiqued date outfits, learned some hard truths about her preference for certain repeated colors and his unhappiness regarding tucked-in shirts, and their relationship survived!

I actually had so much fun with this post, I really want to do it again. Maybe the "Blogger and her Boyfriend" series will have to be an ongoing theme....what say you, Boyfriend?

Wish List: Amrita Singh Jewelry

I recently discovered Amrita Singh jewelry (though I may be the last one on the internet to do so!) through following one of my favorite fashion bloggers, ExtraPetite. The timing conveniently matched up with the realization that I really wanted a statement necklace. I've always shied away from statement necklaces in the past because I thought I was too small to really make them work, trending towards simple pendants or charms on a thin chain instead. However, these petite ladies have totally proved me wrong. I was pleased to see how Amrita Singh pieces don't seem to overwhelm the small frames of tiny-petite women at all, which is quite a feat indeed.

Anyway, goodness, her stuff is GORGEOUS. However, it is, as of now, a bit out of my budget. There are a variety of items on clearance, some up to 80% off, but none of them seemed like the exact right thing that I'm looking for.

Two clearance items that really caught my eye were the Shelter Island Ring:

Shelter Island Ring in Evergreen, $50 $20

And the Newlight Ring:

Newlight Ring in Dark Coral/Green Turqouise, $100 $40

The Shelter Island Ring is only $20, but gah...I don't need a ring. Statement necklace, Lauren, stay on track!

I love the strange yet beautiful geometry of the Sag Harbor Necklace, and the rich tones of all of the stones (the latter part is true for most of the AS pieces I was drawn to). Being someone who is generally afraid of color and pattern, the thought of having a piece like this in my wardrobe, which could go with practically any solid and immediately make an outfit so much more interesting, is quite nice.

Sag Harbor Necklace, $250

One necklace that has been seen on many petite fashion bloggers recently is the Reversible Resin Bib Necklace. I'd love the Amethyst/Evergreen, two of my favorite and most-worn colors!

Reversible Resin Bib Necklace. $300.00 $150.00

I love the botanical motif of the Maylen Necklace, and how it seems almost delicate despite its actual size.

Maylen Necklace in turquoise, $150.00

And, finally, this lovely Wisteria Crystals Necklace, which I especially like in (you guessed it) turquoise. Jeez, even why I try to go out of my comfort zone (woohoo! color!) I seem to keep getting pulled back in (oh...blue.) Whatever, turquoise is gorgeous, I think there's no such thing as too much of it! (You should see my jewelry stand...in fact, I'll post it soon. Its about 40% turquoise.)

Wisteria Crystals Necklace $250

These necklaces, though beautiful, are not exactly at my desired price-point and, as such, must remain on my "to dream about" or, better yet my "to be inspired by and attempt to copy at a lower price point" list! I think I'll keep an eye out for similar pieces with rich colors and bold presence, at less-pricey stores. Besides the ol' standby of F21, anyone have any suggestions?