Under Construction...

Ladies, pardon the dust while I pretty up the blog layout. If you see the backgrounds, fonts or title changing over and over, please bear with me while I finalize the vision. Soon I'll have a small intro the new look, to include OOTD IRLs.

Thanks bunches for the patience.

Gotta Rave About the Apple

Helloooo, Vanderbilt dress. Are you truly as fabulous as you seem from your great pic? Will I also have as much carefree fun as this chick appears to be having if I too weareth you? Vanderbilt Dress, Silk, $118 at shabbyapple.com

Reading through Chloe's blog (like we all do), I saw this great dress and topic. It's about a clothing company called ShabbyApple that has a sort-of Anthropologie-esque vibe um, without the name brands and without the name-brand prices. Norman religions aside, if you just take it for face value and check out the fashion-y parts, then what you'll find are chic dresses (& only dresses). Some are a little too Man Men for my taste (Hello, Madison Avenue dress, I speaketh of you, darling), but some are pretty cute, pretty reasonably priced, and just plain... pretty!

There's a section called Fit to Flatter where you walk through three questions to determine your body type and then ShabbyApple comes up with some suggestions for dresses that flatter your shape. I found it to be pretty accurate and always love a little help or two when staring at the computer thinking, Would I really look good in that??

This is pretty much me. Apple body. Thinner legs, check. Thinner arms, check. "Fullness" through stomach? For sure, most assuredly, check.

What I found really interesting was their blog here. The article on how to shop online, for instance, I found really helpful. I live in Japan and am limited pretty much to ONLY shopping online and it's difficult to judge color, contrast etc. It's a helpful blog for people like me who aren't so savvy at knowing just what looks good with the goods I got.

Anyway, check it out! The dresses are pretty reasonable. They are pretty cute. & the guides to what looks best are fabulous. It made my day.

The Bateau Dress... Today's Great Buy!

[Hello, my pretty! I will be seeing you in about a week!]

I LOVE this dress. I couldn't tell you how much. I have it in grey and I wear it often. It is a great go-to. Found it as a pop-back in a Small just now in Final Sale and got it for $29.99! I am a happy girl tonight!

IRLs Coming Shortly...

Thanks to all of you, I've been convinced to take a few IRL photos of my outfits, and I am going to comply... As soon as I get a full length mirror that I can take the photos with. The mirror I get dressed with now basically goes to my knees, and I want something I can show off mah shoes with. BTW, Hubby is laughing at the prospect of me taking photos of my clothes for strangers.

But ladies, he just doesn't understand! First, you aren't strangers! You are friends in the blogsophere who get my J.Crew addiction and share it. & for that, I think of you all as friends who know what I am going through - waiting on fall collections, disgust over pilling cashmere, variations in sizes, crazy-weird designs that you wonder what Jenna was smoking when she thought it up --- & how 90% of it is the most gorgeous, most fabulous, most wonderful designs you ever did see. Oh, how I am such a J.Crew lover.

Well. Don't lose faith in me. I am joining, as soon as I can get the mirror!

To IRL OOTDs, or to not. That is the [Great] Question.

[Do you IRL?]

I have been asked a few times if I take IRL pics of my outfits. The answer is not yet... & the reason is because it's pretty scary for me to put myself out there. & the second reason is because I don't consider myself fashionable. IRL I am a girl who dresses pretty plainly. Yes, I luuuuurve the Crewlade. Oh how I love the Crewlade {despite self-denials to the contrary}. I think I have an eye for fashion, and the truth is that I'm obsessed. But I don't dress all fashion-y everyday, and I'm not sure that if I started, would I be able to keep up. There is obvious apprehension over the OOTD IRL's.

The Case Against Ruffles

Ruffles have become a nuisance to me. Ruffles on tops. Ruffles on jackets [& I'm talking about you, Falling Petals, now $129.99 on sale]. Ruffles!!! I admit I was a ruffle connoisseur earlier this year. Couldn't get enough. I fell inlove with the J.Crew Elizabeth halter, proclaimed it the best top everrrr and then proceeded to buy not 1, not 2, but 3 of them (In black, ivory, and the navy shown here). I loved the ruffly collar. I bought the J.Crew Madison dress, again for the girlishness it brought. & speaking of girlishness! How about my J.Crew Serengeti dress - the grande dame of ruffly perfection. I have no problems with you, dear reader, loving ruffles. I just know my closet will be taking a break from frills.

[The Elizabeth Halter: Heading to eBay in the very near future for a very good price.]

[The Madison Dress: It's ruffles have seen their heyday. Back to the closet with you!]

[I could never be mad at you, Serengeti. You are lightning in a bottle, even with your ruffles.]

I'm done. I've had my fill and I'm walking away from the table, declaring ruffles a hot mess - YES, I SAID IT - and moving on to simpler pieces without them. Have you walked into Forever 21 lately? It is all ruffles, all the time. It is a literal sea of ruffles (& short 80's inspired floral party dresses). & for reasons that only fashion gods know - that right there is evidence that ruffles have jumped the shark.

But I can't give up the ruffle completely. Like mah loverly Serengeti - I'll never get rid of that dress. That dress had me at hello. I'll always have a little room in my closet for a ruffle or two. A little bit 'o flounce is a cute thing. But a menagerie of ruffles (which seems to be the case these days) is simply not acceptable. I draw the line, sir. I draw the line.

Recent eBay Escapades

[Diane Von Furstenberg Green & White Georgette dress, photo credits to seller: vintagefashionjewels]

[Super cute and ready for summer]

I guess I'm off on a Diane Von Furstenberg tangent. I seem to gravitate towards her pieces now the way I pined for J.Crew in the past. Still sticking to my mantra of having to love something before I buy it, so I'm hoping to see some great usage come out of these pieces.