I want to be Emma Pillsbury (minus the OCD)

I'm so glad my friend Phoebe convinced me to watch Glee.  After the songs, I love Emma Pillsbury's outfits second most.  She rocks bright colors and cardigans in the workplace with statement jewelry - obviously I would be drawn to her.

Today I decided that my must-purchase item for spring shall be a mustard yellow cardigan.  I'm going to pair it with dark jeans and pencil skirts and colorful jewelry to make outfits like the one below (I put it together on polyvore.com ) 

So far, I've found candidates at chadwicks.com and landsend.com and will be monitoring both sites until one goes on sale.  Until then, I'll make do with what I have and be a little braver with bright color. 

However, if you're looking for a cheap Emma outfit right now, I've put together the pieces below for under $60.  The sweater is $22.80, the skirt is $10, and the shoes are $28.  Wear with pearls.  :)

 

Shopping for other people: Babies

I think shopping for babies is fun because I tend to ignore registries full of equipment and buy things I think are adorable.  Lately, I'm into handmade items from Etsy.com and thought I'd share some of my favorite sellers so you, too, can give the gift that everyone fawns over.

Maddiebugbaby
Here I've purchased personalized onesies and bibs for those who make the baby's name public ahead of time.  The image below is actually of a onesie I had made for one of my client's twins.  The prices are very resonable and you can combine shipping on multiple items.  She also makes lots of cute big brother/sister tees.

BellaBluDesigns / Oliverbludesigns

This seller offers a lot of silhouette appliques in custom fabric.  She offers a big selection of dogs, which I ordered for a friend whose dog was her baby before she actually had one.  You can also get appliques on tote bags and canvas to hang on the wall.  I got a good deal on a set that included a onesie, bib and burp cloth in a fabric I selected, and the gift wrap is adorable. 

                                                   

funkymonkeythreads

This seller offers a wide range of screen printed tees and onesies.  I got a great deal on a set of Biggest Bro/Big Sis/Baby Bro tees (the retro mod series is my favorite!) and they too come in some very cute gift wrap.  They'll make for very cute hospital photos!

                           

LovelyKnits

I haven't ordered from this seller (yet) but the next time someone I know is having a girl I will be ordering one of these precious little beanies.  I think the prices are reasonable for something hand crocheted ($22) and they are so much cuter than those awful head bows people stick on their babies.

These make me want a baby... almost. ;-)

My second request: A guide to prints

A friend from high school (hi Randi!) asked me the following question about prints and I shall do my best to use the lessons I've learned from countless hours of What Not to Wear and magazine reading:

"I want to ask you how to get over my fear of printed fabrics. I dont' know what kind of prints work for my body type. Vertical stripes make my already long torso look too long and horizontal stripes are a no-no. I don't know if I should do big print or small print and I suck at matching them. Help me Cardigan Junkie!"

First of all, I think anyone can wear prints as an accent regardless of height or size.  A horizontal striped cardigan worn open over a solid tank doesn't have the same impact as a regular sweater and doesn't make you look wider.  The long length of the one below will work best on taller frame and someone with a long torso could definitely pull it off.  ($29.99 at Martin&Osa)

A tone on tone, allover print also works on anyone, it just depends on the fit.  I think prints become unflattering when the top or skirt fits too tight or is too big.   The orange top above could work on anyone (I'd layer a cardigan on top, of course)   It's currently $69.50 at M&O but will get marked down...  be patient.  :)

I also think that florals can be great as long as they aren't too Hawaiian or old lady.  The sweater below could work on anyone, regardless of size, when paired with dark jeans or worn over a sheath dress.  ($98 at Anthropologie... expensive, I know)  The key is not covering your entire body with flowers but using it as an accent.

And speaking of dresses, the two printed ones below from Ann Taylor Loft (both $89.50, not on sale yet)  are universaly flattering because the cuts are forgiving.  As long as they're not too tight, they won't make anyone look bigger. 

 As far as prints to avoid, I'm not a big fan of vertical stripes.  They can look nice on tall, thin frames if the stripe are narrow enough, but if you are blessed with boobs the stripes tend not to run straight up and down and thus draw attention to your curves.  Small floral prints also tend to look very Little House on the Prairie if they're not paired with the right pieces.  Cool indie girls can rock vintage inspired print dresses, but I lack that je ne sais quois and look like I'm channeling Laura Ingalls.  Be careful.

I hope this was helpful!  Send me any other requests and I'll be happy to take a stab at finding you some screenshots.  Also, please follow me if you're a reader.  I want to know how many people actually see these posts ;)

Deal of the day: Shop it to me

If you watched my interview (you have, right?) you know that I'm a big fan of Shop It To Me, an online newsletter that compiles sale items from brands you like in the sizes you specify.  I watch my inbox on Monday and Thursday mornings in case something especially great goes is on sale in limited quantity.  (FYI - I did not buy 4 of the same BR clutch to keep for myself.  The news cut off the sentence where I said I gave them as gifts throughout the year.)

Today's email had several tempting deals that I thought I'd pass on to the rest of you since I'm on a self-imposed shopping hiatus after the Macbook purchase.  I've made y'all a work outfit.

Note: These could sell out by the time I click publish.

$39 Denim Pencil Skirt from J. Crew

$89 Leather Riding boots from Nine West

$12.99 Luxe Crewneck from Gap

Happy shopping!

The best purses you probably haven't heard of

I would classify myself as a little bit of a purse snob.  I don't spend much more than $100 on mine and don't have a big collection, but I would not carry a PVC handbag or a (gasp!) knockoff if I can help it.  On the other hand, I'm far too practical to spend hundreds on one bag. 

You've probably noticed that the selection of quality bags under $120 is small.  When I became obsessed with the idea of finding a small-ish gray hobo bag, I shopped for about 2 weeks before I discovered Elliott Lucca at Nordstrom Rack (when I told myself I was only going to buy new underwear that day). 

I daresay I found the almost perfect purse.  The Valencia demi hobo bag is not too small, but big enough.  The strap is just long enough, and the leather is super soft.  Of course, you can't get gray anymore so the only picture I could find is in black.

I ended up loving that purse so much I asked for the Maxfield Demi for Christmas in dark brown.  That color is also no longer available, so that photo is black too.

 

You can get the bags at Nordstrom (and Nordstrom Rack!) and elliottlucca.com and I highly recommend you check them out (unless of course you like paying $298 for a bag.)

Shopping challenge - Spring shoes

This spring I want to add a pair of fun yet neutral shoes to my work rotation.  I saw the pair below ('Lurisa' by Dana Davis) on gilt.com but am not willing to pay $138 (especially when they're final sale).  So the hunt begins...

A quick search for similar pairs on endless.com and ninewest.com came up with pumps below but they just don't measure up.  However, the first pair by Seychelles is growing on me. What do you think?  You don't often see yellow on a shoe, but I'd like them more with a peep toe. 

Has anyone seen anything similar lately?

Update:  I found these on zappos.com.   I like them better but still not as much as the expensive ones (of course)

Cardigan Heaven: Martin & Osa

My favorite store is not one that most people have heard of (thanks to crappy marketing prior to this year).  If you read magazines you may have noticed ads for Martin & Osa, the more grown up version of American Eagle Outfitters.  If you happen to live near NorthPark or The Domain in Austin (or any of the other stores in the US) you really should stop in and check it out.

For me, it's the perfect blend of classic pieces with a hint of trendy.  And, there are currently 24 cardigans for sale on the website, so I always find something I want.  (Beware of the pants, though.  They're skinny.)  If you're into trends you'll still find pieces to wear (apparently we're all supposed to dress for a sailing trip this spring) but mostly you'll find staple pieces.

I feel very lucky to have wandered into the store one day last year because finding stores that cater my odd pre-middle age demographic is hard.  Old Navy often feels too high school and you have to get lucky to find the few quality pieces before they're snapped up.  Gap tends to get tunnel vision when it comes to trends (does anyone else remember Lumberjack Christmas 2009?) and now I only go there for jeans (see below).  Banana Republic is wonderful, but sometimes pricy, and waiting for a sale usually means I miss out on what I want.  One day I'll be rich enough to shop at J. Crew, but until then I recreate similar looks at Ann Taylor Loft and The Limited.

Luckily, M&O strikes the right balance between affordable and quality.  You rarely see anything with a three-digit price (my rule is that only boots and coats are worth more than $89), the jewelry is unique and affordable, and it's not uncommon to stumble upon a remarkable sale on the website that is gone the next day.  I got $280 Corso Como boots for $134.  Yes, really.    You can also find cashmere for under $100.

This may sound like I'm being paid, but I want more people to know about the brand because I don't want them to go out of business and leave me sweater-less. 

Check it out:  http://www.martinandosa.com/

Pretty things under $45, all from the Women's sale page:

You're welcome.  :)