P-P-P-P-Plaid

I’m so in love with plaid right now. Never have I loved it as much as I do now with the exception of my freshman year in high school when grunge rock was the new black and lumberjack, over-sized, flannel plaid was the outward expression of said new black.  What I love about plaid now is the delicate take on what started as pattern that was indicative of function, utility and axe-carrying-outdoor gigantic men named Bill who hold logs on their shoulders. Not anymore.

Green and black checks thwart the notion that checks are for picnic table cloths. Fun because it's a babydoll shape but pretty because of the high-seam and cargo-style fold-up sleeves.

Here is a pretty purple cinch-waisted tunic that's flattering with skinny pants or even sleek bootcut black trousers. Create a contrasting look by layering on tons of fake pearls (I'm talking 5 or 6 extra long strands) and slip on simple ballet flats or even low-top Chuck Ts.

Take a forever-stylish shirt dress and add some plaid. Black tights and heeled mary janes. Sport the dress over cropped leggings and ankle boots. Or save for the first spring day and wear bare-legged!

Top it off with a plaid coat. People shy away from patterns in outwear but I say, patterns are our friends. The only thing that shows is part of your legs which are typically of solid color or fabric. If you wear wild tights, just don't wear this coat. Otherwise, the soft purple and warm golden colors make this an easily versatile piece to own.

I have a current obsession with all things Scottish and this fits the bill. A classic pencil skirt with a fold town flap at the waist adds interest, covers the tummy, hits the high-mark on the high-waist trend, and I just love it. Is that enough?

How Lovely (People)

Lovely People, that is. A label I just landed on from my best online resource, Racked.

Check out these gems on super-duper sale. Not a long post, but a worthy post for you today. Click. Love. Buy.

I can picture these under jeans, with leggings, miniskirts or any skirt. And if you're daring, you can wear them with tights in the fall and winter.

Pretty colors against neutral tan. Open peep-toe with leather strappings to securely hold your foot in place. Tapered heel, double buckle. Add all this up and you get a delicious shoe.

Rain, Rain, I’m Ready For You

Or, just let me dress properly for you, dear rain.

I was catching up on the last three days of Women’s Wear Daily and listening to the not-so-gentle pitter patter of rain drops on my window A/C unit. I thought to myself, what am I going to wear when I leave the apartment today. I have eggplant colored Hunter rain boots. So my feet and legs are safe. But I hate every single umbrella I own. It’s a collection of pathetic $5 black umbrellas that never open right bought in emergency from the street vendor combined with branded silver and red umbrellas from various magazines and websites that I’ve worked for and my friends have worked for.  There was one earnest umbrella purchase, a clear plastic dome number that makes me feel like a 6-year old girl. It’s cute, but c’mon. And so, I went in search of the umbrella that would allow me to schlep in the rain, elegantly.

Here’s what I came up with.

Umbrellas.net. A site dedicated to lovely, fashionable umbrellas to carry any woman through  modest  downpours, tempered drizzles, and torrential pseudo-tsunamis. My faves…

Classic black/white/red combination printed on clear plastic gives an airy feel over your head when you hold this up to shield from the rain. The slight dome shape is more protective than the shallower quality of cheaper versions. The hook handle makes for easy "holding" and hanging upon arrival home. Finally, the pattern of birds and flowers provide prettiness. It's something all women need on a lousy-weather day. $54

This beautiful white brocade number is divine and heavenly on its own. But what really makes this stand out is the exquisite handle. It's a combination of wood and metal, topped off by a fine metal/mesh globe that feels sturdy and secured in the palm of a perfectly manicured hand. A bit pricy at $175 but it is an accessory and you can't frown upon a well-made accessory. Just because it's raining doesn't give us an excuse to commute any less beautifully.

Another angle, to see the handle.

For the travel bug in you, this number collapses and expands with the touch of a button on the handle. And the neon colour pallete literally gives you "sunshine on a cloudy day."

Funkin’ Prep

I’m in love with Ralph Lauren Rugby. For those of you unfamiliar, it is just as it sounds: a line of clothing inspired by the sporting look of Rugby uniforms combined with an undercurrent of the UK but bubbled neatly in all-American classic style.  Then, it’s reimagined to fit an urban-cool, funk-a-licious prepster of any metropolitan city (or a really daring suburbinite). The colors are right, the stylings are fresh, innovative and captivating, and the quality, well, it’s Ralph Lauren after all.

Here is what I mean…

Plaid of the prepster, distressed and rolled-up jeans, proper heels, girly ruffles, and a newsboy cap. Could more styles end up in one outfit so harmoniously? Probably not.

Fair Isle sweater dress with a wide neck that shows off a more intersting, but subdued pattern. The tie adds a droplet of masculine style that peeks out and the leggings provide a special layer of femininity, lest we forget, we're girls.

Hello Highland-ess! This kilt makes you want to draw your dirk but the leggings and heels remind you that you're dealing with a woman. The shirred shoulders soften an otherwise classic pattern of plaid, and the hat "tops it off" with a funky personality.

Let’s Talk Tank

Tops, that is.

My new favorite tank top is so much my favorite, that I now have 10 of them. I ordered these magnificent blends de poly et cotton as new workout wear. I loved them so much, I bought more to wear as regular wear. I like to wear bright colors at the gym–I get so tired of the typical black and black and black. My typical strategy is cheap, colorful tanks. I buy cheap so I can buy often. You see, I need to stimulate my mind at the gym, and frequently, a change of gear (shoes, sneaks, or bottoms) does the trick. I feel refreshed and it makes me want to go! Hey, you do what you need to do to get your rear in gear, right?

These Old Navy tanks are my new “it” gear to don at the 19th/Broadway Equinox, my current gym locale de amor.

Check the tanks.

Buy the tanks.

Wear the tanks.

Love the tanks.

Below is the pink version, but there is a rainbow of color upon color to choose from. And, best of all, they’re now $5 on OldNavy.com