For shopping, that is.

My favorite gifts to give (& receive) are from Anthropologie

Happy Shopping, Girls!

Buongiorno bellas! Wow, I feel as though I’ve been away for so long! It’s been one hell of a weekend, and I hope yours has been spectacular as well.

Weekend anticipation began early Friday morning as I ellipticaled away the dark morning hours. You saw the evidence of that workout. Muhaha.

Once dressed and ready for work, I noshed on this gem of a bar:

Clif Peanut Butter Builder. Candy in the morning. Holla!

I ate half at home, half at the office. I really love the layers in this:

Like a peanut butter-topped, chocolate-coated Luna.

Work was work–busy and full of phone calls to strangers. At some point I ate an apple and dove into a little snack pack:

Pretzels, banana with almond butter and plain tempeh. Satisfying. For an hour.

I had a major energy crash and headache around 3pm. Managing to find the perfect solution, my head was back to normal and energy was kickin. Thank you, sugar-free Red Bull. You did give me wings.

However, all good buzzes come to an end. When I got home at 7pm, I wanted nothing but to watch T.V. and sleep. So that’s what I did. The only dinner picture I managed to take was of the salad:

Greens, tomato, cuke, tempeh, salsa and ginger-soy dressing.

What I didn’t picture were the carrots and 12 cups of almond butter that I snacked on later. Haven’t had a drop of almond butter since.

Saturday morning brought a thorough workout (including arm workouts that have me suffering still) and barrels of excitement. Why? Oh, only because I got to meet these amazing ladies for lunch:

Naturally, I'm the only goon with a pink umbrella.

Class of 2009: Lauryn, Moi, Missy, Kim, Megan, Brittany and Ashley. What a crew!

We dined at the quaint and cozy Curly’s, a very veg-friendly establishment. Having so many vegan options was completely overwhelming! I’m used to being able to choose a salad and order it sans chicken. Not here. As daunting as the menu was, as soon as mine eye stumbled upon the word “hush puppy,” I knew:

The barbecue 'fu platter.

The barbecue ‘fu was outrageous. It reminded me of my chicken-eating days. Alongside you see zucchini, brown rice, chili, hush puppies and–my absolute favorite part–maple soy butter. I ate one block of ‘fu, most of the veg, a few bites of chili and all of the hush puppies.

As if that wasn’t enough, a few of us decided to share this vegan masterpiece:

Peanut butter bomb. GASM.

You know that insane rule with desserts that goes something like, “Take only three bites because those are the best.” Well, I don’t abide by that. This cake was absolutely nuts. I think I had 20 bites. So there.

After lunch, Lauryn, Ashley, Brittany and I headed to Herald Square for a little shopping. I tried on the new Bombshell bra from Victoria’s Secret. Wondering whether it actually adds two cup sizes, I headed to the fitting room for a look-see. Whoah. Not natural at all. Also, with two thick inches of padding, no wonder it increases cup size. It was bullet-proof. I’m sticking with what I’ve got.

We browsed other stores for a bit and then decided to head back to Hoboken. I got to meet Ashley and Brittany’s dimey boyfriends at a bar. Turns out, dimey boyfriends also make great photographers:

They are gorge AND amazing.

I had a wonderful time with all the blogettes in the city (sung to the tune of “Hot Child in the City” in my head) and hope to meet up with the local gals soon!

There are no more foodie pics from Saturday, but an interesting incident did occur. I was at a bar and noticed a beautiful bartender looking at/creeping on me. For some peculiar reason, I was feeling bold and stared back. Twenty minutes later, a server dropped by the table at which I was sitting and delivered this note from the bartender:

Uhhh...

His number is at the bottom of the check. I have no idea what to do with this.

Sunday was an alarmingly perfect day in the city. I awoke at noon, showered and got ready, and then headed to Manhattan for the afternoon. The first essential stop was for food:

A Cosi lunch.

I picked the cheese off this salad (had no idea it was going to be on there):

Used a teeny bit of dressing atop the greens, pistachios, pear, grapes and cranberries.

And devoured this half of a hummus and veggie sandwich on whole grain flatbread:

Yum.

I saved the chunk of bread for an afternoon snacklette.

For the next five hours, I perused the shops on Fifth Avenue. This quickly turned from fun to torturous. From Anthro to Free People to Diesel to Intermix, I wanted it all. Why I’m not a millionaire is beyond me.

Thankfully, I was able to buy a couple goodies at the only place I ever shop, Forever21. Even that spending gave me a mini heart-attack. This week’s mission: Don’t spend money. OK, that would be impossible, but I’m going to try to keep track this week.

Anyway, by the time I got home I was exhausted and not even that hungry. I had three distinct cravings and went for them:

Apple, orange and Greek yogurt. Succumbed to the craving and not apologizing for it.

If I’m going to buy dairy, however, I’m going to make sure it’s organic:

Oikos, you are so delicious.

I spent the night watching many episodes of Curb, later eating a piece of bread and eventually hitting the hay.

After such a glorious weekend, I’m not ready for this work week! I wish you all fabulous starts to the week.

Ciao for now,

Kailey

QUESTION: To call hot bartender or not to call? That is the question.

I have been wearing a lot of trousers and jeans lately to ward off the creeping chill, but when I saw this Anthropologie skirt I decided to get out some ribbed tights and brave the cold. I love the soft colour of the tights with the embroidered fabric. It is MID-LENGTH (on a person with normal legs, unlike this giraffe it is modelled on above). I am usually a miniskirt sort of lady.

I think it’s also A-line. They were unavoidable in the 90s, along with too-short t-shirts and lace-edged twinsets and there’s still something quite unfashionable aboutr a skirt like this, but I think longer skirts are going to be back.

S

.

Oh, I had all sorts of plans this weekend to experiment with my new Miu Miu boots, but instead I stayed in my pajamas all day Saturday till about 6 PM, and I only managed to begrudgingly pull myself out of total sloth because I remembered I had outside dinner plans.  My Anthropologie sale order with my new skirt and sweater came earlier in the day, and I couldn’t help wearing them immediately that night.  Not the most…matching of items, but they were new and shiny and demanding to be worn!  And then I remembered that I wanted to wear the  Miu Mius too, so I put on a pair of tights and tried them out.  Almost everyone who responded to my plea for outfit-pairing advice said I should wear a pair of dark opaque tights with the boots, but for their inaugural outing I was still instinctually drawn to these wool ribbed crochet tights — I really like the contrast in patterns and textures.  I do have a weakness for these particular tights in general though anyway because they are fabulous — I’ve already pulled them out half a dozen times since ordering them earlier last month, which is a lot for a tights-ho like me!

.

.

So after a full walking trial, I do have to say the boots are still surprisingly comfy.  It took a while to learn how to balance myself (pretty much true for any platform shoe), but after I adjusted my stride a bit (needed a whole different angle to accommodate those 5″ heels, yipes!), I had no problem walking a half dozen blocks back and forth for dinner and running some errands the next day.  I could maybe use a ball-of-foot cushion at some point if I had to do any real heavy-duty walking, but they seem fine for walking normal distances —  unlike some poorly made high-high heels, there  was no searing arch pain or blisters like there usually is for me. What I still have to get used to is being faaaar taller than I normally am!  I am already 5′9″, so I am no stranger to being tall-ish, but these really take it to another level.  Here I am, almost meeting the height of this (admittedly not-full-size) lamppost:

.

Anthropologie Elodie Lily Cardigan, Anthropologie Four-If-By-Sea Skirt, J.Crew Bubble Necklace in Soft Violet, Sock Dreams Kalana Wool Crochet Ribbed Tights, Miu Miu Studded Ankle Boots

The Four-If-By-Sea skirt from Anthro is really lovely.  The fabric is a little stiffer than I expected it to be, and it’s also very thin, but the skirt is nevertheless still really cute.  I like fact that the stripes are not just printed, but composed of actual grosgain ribbons.  At the full price it may have been a tad too expensive for my tastes, but the first cut sale brought the price down by 60% to $50, which I think is worth it.  Also the skirt has this beautiful lace-edged nude underslip that I am kind of in love with:

.

.

To top it off, I was going to wear my minty green Leifsdottir coat from last season, but I’ve become somewhat surgically attached to this Anthro Birling Ruffle coat and put it on instead, even though I was now blatantly defying any possibility of any part of my outfit matching.  It is just so cute and warm though, I keep reaching for it almost every day.  It’s still on sale on Anthro’s site if you are interested; if you are even remotely in need of new outerwear I would get it, it’s a great go-to winter coat.

.

.

Gah, my tights were all twisted in these shots — for some reason that always happens when I put on certain pairs of vertical striped tights, and I have to painstakingly retwist them into a proper orientation before I head out.  Does this happen to anyone else?  Google indicates I’m alone, but I really hope that I’m not just some freak of nature here!

So, anyway, in the end, it wasn’t the most coherent of outfits, but it was still somewhat girly and romantic and fun and kind of…me.  I’m proud that I managed to work my biker-chic-tough studded boots into an outfit that still represented my style.  Next time I’ll probably go with a simpler outfit that allows you to concentrate on the boots more, but this worked for now.  Anyway, hope you all had lovely weekends!

From O'Keeffee Necklace @Anthropologie

Bold, painterly flowers bloom in sunny hues decorating your favorite tee, dress or sweater.  Perfect Holiday gift that will take you into Spring- Summer.  www.anthropologie.com

More giant creature neck flare! Amazing necklace from anthropologie:

As I’m sure a lot of you have noticed lately, Anthropologie is absolutely killing it these past few weeks with their new items.  It’s crazy, for a short period of time, I thought my poor budget was going to be somehow safe — the new arrivals section seemed pretty ho-hum, and even if I was planning on splurging a little when some things I wanted earlier this fall when they went on sale (which I clearly did last week, oops), I’d still be in the clear.  But now all my wallet can do is weep in anticipation.  Get ready for a winter wishlist so long that it won’t fit in a single post.

Exhibit A: A crop of perfectly ruffled blouses:

.

.

The pattern on the Forever Garden Tee ($58) is so very pretty, and I love the fluttery sleeves and the contrasting black piping on the neckline.  I’m not totally sure how the fold of the fabric on the bust is going to look, and the square cut at the bottom could be a bit too revealing on me, so we’ll see.  (Roxy seemed to indicate that the bustline cut was indeed a little problematic in her IRL review).  Next is the Fold & Flutter V-Neck ($118), which is so freaking gorgeous; it has a typical Leifsdottir look with it’s ruffle front and the double button placket, but unfortunately also a typical Leifsdottir price.  Feh.  More than I would like to pay for such a simple (if, beautiful and well made) top.  Then we have the Vermillion Flurry Blouse ($128), which I think is actually the piece riding at the very top of my wishlist right now.  The color is lovely, the ruffles are so cute, and the piping on the sleeves is so perfectly retro; it’s like some vintage treasure of a piece I always hope to stumble upon but never do.

The Bias Ruffles Racerback ($88) is another in the series of cascading ruffle camisoles that have been circulating around lately for the past few months, but they are usually produced in the boring pale, neutral colors like beige, peach or black.  Well, this top comes in white and black too, but also this exciting punchy cobalt, actually tempting me for once.  Speaking of exciting punchy colors, there’s the  Modern Movement Top ($58), which has a whole rainbow of them.  It really reminds me of the Diane von Furstenberg New Wonder Woman print from last fall, but a bit more vibrant.  It’s the same cut as the Forever Garden Tee though, so I’ll really have to try it on to see if it will work before I can think of ordering it.  Lastly, I love the Field of Fancy Blouse ($98) for it’s pleasing juxtaposition of beautiful florals with the cute polka dot belt.

.

.

Then there is this sea of beautiful little everyday dresses.  I adore the lovely blue hues of Simply Lovely Sweaterdress ($138) and the Staysail Shirt Dress ($118).  While I haven’t seen the Simply Lovely Sweaterdress, I have seen the Staysail, and it is super cute in person, and very flattering (though it runs small because of the lack of stretch in the waist band).  The Skyfall Dress ($178) is another blue beauty that is completely adorable (love the white piping that gives it a seaside/nautical flare, and chiffon fabric is beautiful), if, completely seasonally-inappropriate.  Why Anthropologie, why release this in winter?  It is cute but I am not particularly inclined to drop 200 bones on a dress right now I’ll really only be able to wear next season at the earliest.

The Great Heights Shift ($148) has the most lovely skyline-print on it — I like how the city skyline at the top morphs into the sky against a contrasting set of buildings at the bottom.  The County Fair Dress is pretty darn cute, what with the sketchy cartoon print on the bottom depicting little air balloons and carousels and various fair booths.  However, again, another dress that is pretty seasonally inappropriate (and I don’t think you can justify it as Riviera-vacation wear like the swimsuits and other summery things on the site), and what is with the price!  I guess since it is by Anna Sui it is probably pretty well made, but still…it’s not a particularly  complicated dress, and there’s not exactly a lot of material either!  Hrm…. Rounding off my selection of dress favorites is the Asters Everywhere Dress ($178) by Moulinette Souers.   The colorful daisy print is just lovely, the green sash contrasts nicely, and there is a little cluster of raised flowers on one of the straps.

.

.

Okay, so after all those probably-thin-and-again-not-totally-appropriate-for-cold-weather items, time for things that might actually make me warm for winter!  My heart practically stopped when I laid eyes on the amazing Hydrangea Flurry Vest ($228).  A little snowstorm of petals covers the the shoulders and neck of this pretty pretty white cashmere sweater.  The price tag is a little high, but this is one of the few pieces in the Lawan by Koi Suwannagate collaboration with Anthropologie this season, so it’s only to be expected.  Oh, so pretty, I want you.   Slightly easier on the pocketbook (but still priced at potentially more than I’d be willing to pay for a cardigan at the moment) is the From-The-Green Cardi -($128).  I am such a sucker for a nice rich green cardigan, and this one features some beautifully embroidered yellow flowers on it to boot.  The one review online so far says that it runs very short, but I’m hoping that won’t be true on me; I need to add it to my ever-growing green collection  Also featuring some lovely floral embroidery is the Kerria Hoodie ($148).  Oh so pretty, but $150 on a hoodie, seriously?  It better be goooood when I see it person.

.

.

Rounding out the last of my clothing picks are these two lovely ruffled coats..  The Double Ruffle Coat ($168) has a gorgeous trench-like sillhouette — perfect for looking chic during rainstorms, even if it’s not particularly warm.  Warmth you can find in the wool Frills-and-Frost Coat ($298), though reputedly the material is a bit thin, so maybe it’ll just me warm enough for my California style winter  For further warmth, you can probably turn to the somewhat-similar J.Crew Wool Ruffle-Front Coat ($268).

Well, that’s it for Part I of my wishlist!  What picks did you like, and what are some other pieces do you like that I overlooked?  Anyway, some reviews, and Part II, featuring accessories, coming up soon.

Inspired by Anthropologie (my love is no secret here ), my work with Sidhe Designs, and my own eclectic tastes. Throw in a computer desk and a handful of the other things a bedroom needs and I would live here in a heartbeat.

A Faerie Bedroom by ana_isabela on Polyvore.com

If you’ve read this blog…well, ever…you’ll know that I’m a major fan of Anthropologie.  Although I wince at the non-sale prices and am sometimes amazed at the pretentious clientele, Anthropologie’s clothing has a quality of dreamy, vintage beauty that makes me happy that I have to get dressed every morning.  It never fails that I have a wishlist a mile long on their website.  I only allow myself to put on one or two full-price items (a girl can dream, right?), so the ones I choose have to be really special.

Case in point: The Juxtapose Sweater Jacket.

Juxtapose Sweater Jacket in red, $98

Juxtapose Sweater Jacket in black, $98

With this piece, color and intricate details make all the difference.  In red, it appears sweet and fun, a bright pop of color that would perfectly pair with jeans and boots as easily as it would work with a plaid skirt or layered over a dress.  In black, the asymmetrical zipper and the fitted cut give the appearance of a motorcycle jacket, but the bad-assery of that tough-chic style is tamed by the cable knitting and the buttons.

The odds that I’ll actually buy the Juxtapose when it’s fully price are not good.  I can’t conscience spending almost a hundred dollars on a sweater.  Even if I were rich I imagine I’d think about it for a good long time before I made any decisions.  But since we’re talking wish-listing and not buying, this baby is going to the very top.

Which color would you choose- the poppy red or the bad-ass black?  And what would you wear with the one you chose?

from Anthropologie!

As many of you already know, I’ve rejoined Weight Watchers with the intent of losing… well, a substantial amount of weight.  Forced inactivity, grief, and depression all joined forces with the result of making me a much larger person than I normally would be. Now, I’ll probably never be a size 2 (people have seen pictures of me around a size 6 and informed me I looked like I “needed to eat a sandwich”); I mean, if I am, OK, but my guess from out here is that I’d look like a creepy bobblehead. So I’m aiming a bit higher; say, an 8 or a 10.

As much as I feel like I should be most motivated by the health benefits, I’m uh… really more motivated by the clothes. I’m sorry. It’s true. Perhaps (probably) I am a victim of the unrealistic expectations of society, but right now it’s hard to find clothes that I don’t find hideous that fit, let alone things I actually love. And the way I like to dress doesn’t look right at my current size.  Besides all that, though, I actually do need to lose for health reasons; I’m hoping it will help with our TTC efforts, my knee pain, and my stupid, still-wonky foot. I believe in health at any size for everyone, but not health at every size for myself.

So. Looking at shiny new clothes that will eventually fit is a great motivator for me. Won’t you look at some with me? First up is this really, really cute dress from Anthropologie. Many of you (Erin) will be shocked (SHOCKED) to learn that I look on this site first for my motivation du jour.

Burlapp Skyfall Dress at Anthropologie

If I could justify it, I’d buy one in a size 10 and keep it around for motivation, but somehow at $178 I don’t think that’s going to happen. But look! It’s blue, it’s silk, the neckline is super-cute, and I love the details.

Our next entry from the Ministry of Blue is this wrap cardigan. I should really have a look on Ravelry at some of the Anthropologie-inspired knitting groups to see if they’ve got something similar, although knitting that much fabric at that fine a gauge would probably result in me stabbing my eyes out. This just seems like one of those sweaters you could wear with almost anything, and I wouldn’t mind having two: One in turquoise, one in purple.

Canary Graceful Point Cardigan at Anthropologie

And I want cute pajamas, too. Namely, these, which are from Neiman Marcus. I would love — love — to have birds on my pajamas. I also have this weird kind of fantasy in my head where I have actual pajamas and wake up on Sundays to eat brunch and do the NY Times crossword at the table while gazing at the snow outside, or some shit like that. I mean, yeah, in real life I’m more likely to roll out of bed and throw on some yoga pants, and then stagger down the hall being a bitch to everyone who tries to make some joke about how I actually got out of bed! surprise! (Note to morning people: Sometime I am going to keep you up until 5am and make jokes about how you’re actually awake! Didn’t expect to see you, Little Miss Vampire! I will also expect you to be chipper about things like going to get a meal with me at 2am.)

Anyway, I want these. Although even if they were the right size, $100 seems a bit much.

Bird Pajamas at Neiman Marcus

I do plan to get some accessories, like jewelry and handbags and whatnot, as  I reach various goals on the way down. Actually, I already got the first one; a set of small cultured pearl earrings as a reward for losing 5 pounds, which goal I met on Monday.  Like them?

I would love to recieve this in the mail from Anthropologie, a punched out cupcake complete with a candle necklace. It certainly won’t be trashed.

Via NOTCOT.

We all have our own personal style. That’s a fact.  However, no matter what your style is, there is one staple that every college girl (and boy for that matter) should have in their closet – a cardigan.

While the cardigan can be associated with our favorite childhood neighbor, Mr. Rogers, the cardigan is no longer just for old men.  A cardigan is easily the most versatile piece of clothing you can own.  Chicer than a hoody, the cardigan goes with everything, be it with jeans or over a dress.  This year is the perfect time to purchase a cardigan (or 20), as stores have pulled out all the stops.  Name a trend this year, and you can find a cardigan that incorporates it. Of course, there’s also basic cardigans in every color imaginable if that’s more your thing.

So whether you’re looking for sequins, plaid or ruffles, there’s a cardigan out there for you. If only there were room in my closet for all 16 of these…

Yesterday was the Anthro sale that decimated my budget.  But I couldn’t help it, so many things I was aching for appeared all on sale *at once,* it was crazy.   So not the staggered markdowns my budget had accounted for!  Normally I would be slightly embarrassed to share *just how little willpower I have*, but so many people asked me what I got yesterday, so okay, I’ll dish  Here is what I couldn’t resist ordering:

.

.

1. Cotillion Slip – $59.95 (from $118), 2. Four-If-By-Sea Skirt - $49.95 (from $128),  3. Rare Bloom Tee – $58.00, 4. Flocked Chiffon Blouse – $79.95 (from $148), 5. Flight-of-Swans Dress – $149.95 (from $298), 6. Translucent Initial Necklace – $19.95 (from $38),  7. Rinzu Robe – $78.00, 8. Labyrinth Headband – $19.95 (from $32), 9. Elodie Lily Cardigan – $69.95 (from $128)

Okay so the Rinzu Robe and the Rare Bloom Tee weren’t on sale, but they were sold out online, and I got EXTREMELY annoyed and antsy and ordered them direct from the San Francisco store.  I guess it’s not normal to be so antsy about a mere robe, but it actually makes a very cute, relatively cheap, dress (I never formally reviewed it because I am too lazy, but you can see it on me here).  I don’t think either of the accessories (the Initial Necklace, which only appeared on the site 2 weeks ago, and the Labyrinth Headband, which has been on sale for a bit — although now its page no longer resolves, so who knows) showed too much danger of selling out, but they were little indulgences that came along for the ride  I saw the Initial Necklace in store and it is really quite cute, but I guess it’s not selling well online.   Funny though how many of the other things are now long gone in my size — guess everyone was in an Anthro sale frenzy yesterday too!  These low inventory levels completely wipe out thoughts of a budget in everyone perhaps, because you just know it’s going to sell out.  What about you guys?  What did you indulge in, if anything?

When the weather gets cold, and you just don’t want to go outside on snowy days… grab this Can You Imagine puzzle from artist Trey Speegle $148, stir up some Hot Cocoa, and sit around the fire with the fam.

Click here to purchase from Anthropologie

photo from Anthropologie

I was just admiring anthropologies amazing design handiwork and then I came upon a blog post by Well Worn on how to make snow globes.  Such a cool idea.

My favorite was the secret key necklace.

photo: Anthropologie.

Also, if you click on their front page right now they have a really fun “Mad-Lib” like questionaire that you fill in and it finds gifts for you that go with the words you put in.  Their staff never ceases to amaze me with all the things they come up to keep their web site interactive and fresh.

Loving their latest showcase…beautiful photography, elegant styling, and simple little snow jars.

Because my body temperature seems to average about 10 degrees cooler than a normal person’s, scarves are a staple in my wardrobe most of the year. If you are starting to feel the chills of December too, take a look at some of this neckwear, found in shops all over the city.

-Caitlin

For some reason, this fall has seen the revival of my knitting habit, which has been dormant for over a year. My new addiction is cables – turns out they’re not that difficult to do, and they look really impressive!
After getting the hang of it with a simple scarf with two rows of cables, I needed another project to keep me going – and then I saw this adorable hat while I was in Anthropologie -

cold-blooming hat by anthropologie

How great are those cables?? It looks so comfy. And I thought to myself, Hey I bet I could make something very similar to that with my new cabling skills.

small hat!

My first attempt didn’t work out so well…I made it much too short; it was almost yamaka sized. Very disappointing!
I hate to rip out knitting that I’ve done (all that work wasted!), but in the end what was I going to do with a hat this size?

I started over, this time with a wider rim, and made it taller, incorporating a second color. This one turned out much better. Practice makes perfect, right? And as I intended this to be a Christmas gift for someone, I’m glad it’s actually a wearable hat now!

completed cable hat

Yay! One Christmas gift down, many many to go.

Well, not quite sugarplums but things like these do dance in my head around this time.  They are great gifts to give or to receive.  These are not extravagant,  hard to find items, in fact, all but a couple are in Green Hills.  They are just some things I’ve been kicking around in my head, for me or my lucky friends and family.

This first one I do not have and obviously need.  It is cute, hip, fun, and who doesn’t want a red plaid shirt?   Especially with pearlized snaps.  Of course, I may have to fight my daughter for it!  There is an American Eagle in Cool Springs mall and you might hurry, I don’t know how long they will last.

Western plaid cotton shrunken shirt/ AE / $39.50

Everyone that doesn’t have a top in this kinda nautical stripe look is simply behind the times.  It’s so classic with straight leg jean or rumpled khakis.   You could also put it with a pencil skirt and tights for a fantastic modern look.  So easy and reasonably priced.  I have one similar or this would go on my list.

Stripe turtleneck/ Gap/ $34.50

Now with these next two I couldn’t pick just one because ideally, one of each is best.  Plus, they are such different looks.  I am always on the lookout for cuffs and would take either of these in a sec.  Love, love, love ‘em.

Metal chain and stone cuff/ Arden B/ $28.00

hammered metal and agate cuff/ Arden B/ $28.00

I’m sure many of you like me find it necessary to periodically wander into Anthropologie and lo and behold you find something that is going to be so cute with such and such.  Well, I thought both of these fell into that category.  The sweater is the unique without being too quirky and I love the “facets” (it’s what the info said) on the necklace.  The tie part is jersey, I might switch it for some really pretty sheer grey ribbon.  Just a thought.  Anyway, the colors are fabulous!  Don’t you agree?

Cotton sweater/ Anthropologie/ $88.00

Stones on jersey/ Anthropologie/ $48.00

And, if you want a big plus, I found all these online.  You can shop in your jammies!  But truthfully, does your computer get you into the Christmas spirit like Green Hills mall?  I don’t think so.  Thanks for reading….

We 656 ladies really loved our outfits today.  Erin was a Beatnik, Kelli was super-70’s, and I was rocking the menswear.  My camera batteries died before someone could take full length photos of me (I took my own with in situ tripods), so the absence of my amazing wingtips must regrettably be tolerated.  PS: Why am I never smiling?

Erin: black turtleneck (Unique Thrift Store), black skirt (United Colors of Beneton), tights (American Apparel), loafers (Payless), black beret (Australia).

Kelli: cream wool overcoat (Unique Thrift Store), white sweater (Gap), plaid pants (Anthropologie for $10, borrowed from Emily), brown boots (Piperlime), plaid scarf (Unique Thrift Store, borrowed from Emily).

Emily: gold and white stripe button up (NY&Co., borrowed from Kelli), striped pants (thrifted in Charleston, SC), brown vest (Cato for $3), awesome brown wingtips (not seen, vintage, Etsy), men's undershirt (Target). PS: The manner in which I'm pulling on my pockets gives the appearance of a man belly. It's awesome!

Hat: random store in Brevard, NC