Frankly, I Don't Give a Dress

There are a few things I rarely do:

1. Click on facebook ads

2. Buy something from a site with which I'm unfamiliar

3. Pay full price for something

Recently, I broke all of the above rules when I cam across modcloth.com via a Facebook ad. ModCloth sells vintage and vintage-inspired clothes, accessories and shoes as well as some home items. So far I've really only shopped their dress section, though the items I drool over the most are almost always sold out. Their products all have such cute and sassy product descriptions, like the How Green Was My Dress dress, No Occasion Needed dress, Reservations Required top, and so on. Recently, I decided to jump on a Frankly, I Don't Give a Dress, a gorgeous red cotton eyelet Marilyn Monroe-esque number, before it sold out. I also had the perfect occasion to wear it, and it was budget-approved through the hubs (their free shipping on returns helped close the deal). The sizing is a little strange; most items only go up to Large and they size them based on the flat measurements of the garment, not based on your body's measurements. Since I couldn't be bothered to dig out a dress of my own that fits properly and my tape measure (as the website suggests), I threw caution to the wind and ordered it.

We were flying to Indiana on Friday morning, and at first my tracking information said it would arrive Thursday. A day later, it changed to say it would not arrive until Friday. I was really disappointed, as I badly wanted to wear the dress to the wedding we were attending on Saturday. On Thursday, I arrived home from work to find a UPS notice on my door. The package had arrived! It was left at our apartment office, and I arrived home exactly 7 minutes before the office closed. I got the baby back in the car and raced up to the office and slipped in right as they turned their sign to “closed.”

I tried the dress on and it fit like a glove- a rather snug glove that doesn't have an inch to give- but it fit nonetheless. The downside was, despite being beautiful, it showed a LOT of cleavage. As in.... a LOT of cleavage. I debated long and hard; I consulted friends, tried it with different shoes (as if that would somehow mask the slit that went below my bra line), different accessories, a shrug, and so on. But all things considered, I decided not to wear it to the wedding. I ended up wearing a cute top and white pants to the wedding and I wore the sexy red dress to see SATC2 with my girls. There are some occasions one can get away with such a daring show of skin, and others that are simply not appropriate.

Happily, since I had another occasion to wear the dress, The Hubs let me keep the dress and I am absolutely in love with it. I had a great experience ordering the dress, and despite UPS lying to me about delivery date, the dress arrived promptly (I had ordered it on Sunday). This will certainly not be my last time ordering with ModCloth!

If the shoe fits...

Despite having a shoe wardrobe that pales in comparison to most women's, I absolutely LOVE shoes. I take a lot of risks when it comes to shoes; more so than I do with clothing. Currently, one of my favorites is a pair of zebra-print, red patent leather-trimmed peep toe pumps. I adore these shoes, and wear them as often as I can, though they are uncomfortable for long-term usage. (Shoes like this I call “desk shoes” as they are perfect for sitting at my desk or going to the occasional meeting down the hall, but not appropriate for a lot of cross-building trekking).

Last Christmas, I was outlet shopping with one of my good friends and we popped into Aldo to find her cousin a pair of not-too-expensive dress shoes. I almost immediately spotted a pair of platform pumps in cobalt blue, and they about melted like a piece of chocolate in my hot little hand. I gushed over them and grabbed them. As I slid them onto my foot, my friend asked “What would you wear those with?” to which I breathily responded, “Anything!”

You see, my friends, shoes do not have to match what you're wearing. They can complement or accentuate what you're wearing. What would I have worn with these delicious cobalt blue shoes?

-Little Black Dress

-Jeans and a graphic tee

-frilly skirt and neutral top

-floral print dress or top, with black or charcoal pants

-Anything yellow, brown, black or gray

-Monochromatic shades of blue

I regret not buying those shoes, and had I not just bought a $70 velvet blazer at Banana just minutes before, I definitely would have. To this day, I keep my eyes open for the perfect pair of cobalt blue shoes.

Shoes are the perfect accessory, because everyone has to wear them, and it's a great medium to showcase your personality.

Stacey & Clinton

I have a love-hate relationship with Stacey & Clinton (from TLC's "What Not to Wear"). I think they give some very wise advice, but sometimes they do things that irritate me. Because I like to finish on a positive note, I'll start with what I hate:

-They never let people keep a few grubbies. When they go through and purge the subject's closet, they never ever keep any t-shirts, workout attire or flip flops. I get that their motto is that you should look fabulous everywhere you go (i.e. you should always care what you look like; you never know who's watching!), but let's be honest: I don't need to wear a lace-trim cami, belted blazer, skinny jeans and a great wedge to run out for milk. Nor do I need to wear that attire when I'm playing blocks on the floor of my living room with my son. People need a few grubby clothes... let them have them!!

-Nick Arrojo (hairstylist). Thank goodness they have gotten rid of him and traded him for someone with a much more updated style and repertoire. Granted, I know Nick was part of the show and not necessarily "Stacey & Clinton" but I have to get this off my chest. He always seemed to do the same things to everyone's hair (chopped it all off) and made them look at least 10 years older. I also now share the same grudge as my favorite curly-haired friend: every person he "made over" with curly hair, he would blow it out and straighten it, rather than teaching them how to manage and style their hair curly. Sure, curly hair looks cute straightened, but it also looks good curly. I firmly believe we should all "own what you've got." If you have curly hair... own it!

-Copy/Paste. If you ever watch a marathon, you'll see this clear as day: they style everyone the exact same way. No two people are the same, nor should two people be styled the same way. Everyone has their own unique tastes and personalities, which can easily be incorporated into a made over wardrobe. There's no "one size fits all" in the fashion world, and cookie cuttering everyone into the same box is almost as bad as letting them go out in their ill-fitting, out dated, worn & torn wardrobe.

With my irritations out of the way, here are some great S&Cisms:

-You can mix patterns, as long as one is more subtle than the other.

-Black + Brown are ok together, because they are both neutral. Any neutrals go together.

-Use a tailor to get the "right" fit for you.

-Always start with a well-fitting bra and appropriate undergarments.

Finally, my personal fave:

"It doesn't match, it GOES."

What's a maxi dress?

I've gotten this question a couple times, and it surprises me because I thought maxi dresses were popular enough that everyone knew what they were. Perhaps it's the bubble I live in working in the fashion industry, because I feel inundated with maxis almost to the point that I'm over them.

However, I still think they are cute, functional and I'd buy another if I could find the right one.

The problem I have with maxis is that most of them are either strapless or have spaghetti straps, neither of which is feasible when you're top heavy like me.

Tips for wearing (especially if you want to wear one to the office):

1. Wear a shirt underneath. This is tricky because you have to pick the "right" shirt. You can't put any ole t-shirt underneath. The shirt should be a neutral or complement the colors in the dress. It should also fit close to the body, so the sleeves aren't baggy. A tank top is a fine option as well (following the same rules as above), though I find these look better with the spaghetti strap style as opposed to strapless.

2. Wear a jacket on top. Denim or twill and fitting close to the body. Make sure the "occasion" of the jacket matches that of the dress. If it's a really casual dress, you can wear a denim or linen jacket. If it's a bit more dressy of a style, opt for a jacket with suiting fabrication or something a bit richer, like velvet.

Seasonality:

Cotton maxis are best for spring and summer. Heavier fabrics are appropriate for fall. Basically, you can wear these year round!

Shoes:

Almost anything goes, but I think the best options are sandals (not the kind you wear to the beach!), wedges, flats or even heels. I bought a maxi that is really more of a fall style. It's a synthetic satin-y feel material in black/gray animal print. I managed to find one with cap sleeves so I don't have to worry about the spaghetti strap/strapless situation. I am in love with this maxi as I think it flatters me well. Since it's more of a fall material and color, it doesn't look right with the wedge sandals I would otherwise wear with them, so I instead wear a cute pair of close-toed wedges. Just make sure whatever shoe you choose is not too heavy or clunky.

Never think that a category or specific style is out of the realm of possibility for you. (i.e. "I'm too old to wear that" "I'm too short to wear that" "Maybe if I lost 5 more pounds...") You can make anything work for you as long as you make the "right" selections. Don't be afraid to try something on because you just never know!

What is this blog?

I decided to be yet another person with a fashion blog. I've debated this for quite a while, as more than just about anything, I hate being cliche. Having a fashion blog is the most cliche thing I can think of. It's almost as bad as thinking Brad Pitt is the hottest guy on the planet. However, I decided I'm justified; after all, this is what I do. Fashion is my degree, training, job and hobby.

So what's this blog all about? Why is this different? I'm not one of those smug fashionistas who will throw out designers whose names you've never heard (at least not without a little background info first). I won't recommend you wear that Alexander McQueen concoction straight off the runway to your desk job. I guess I'm what you'd call an everyday fashionista. Practical, applicable, attainable. Something even the fashion-impaired can process easily. After all, I'm just a Mom In Love with Fashion.

I'm open to topic suggestions, so if you have fashion questions (how can I pull off patterned tights? Are maxi dresses really in style?) or topics you want more info about, comment and let me know!