Ooh, my favorite!

The weather in Seattle has been nice and mild after our little heat wave, and it all seems like such a big deal because it’s usually cold, grey, and very wet. So after we all pulled our summer clothes from the back of our closets we had to do some mixing to meet the demands of warm days with the occasional spring shower. I, myself, have been enjoying my cut-offs and a nice cozy sweater. I am particularly fond of this because my legs got a nice sunkissed base, but my bod itself (specifically my core) is just not ready for full-on warm weather attire: anything tight, short, and of minimal fabric is off limits. (You saw the recipe I posted yesterday, right?)

I don’t go as short as these (it’s not that warm, and my legs aren’t that toned) but I still love the idea of the different proportions. It’s effortless and casual — perfect for running errands and easily styled for lunching!

More inspiration here.

I always look forward to the Met Gala because it’s the ultimate opportunity to dress-up, but at an event where risks are expected and should be taken. Last night, however, the Chaos to Couture Punk theme of the evening left me wanting for so much more. The irony of the ideals behind the original punk movement being merged with a glossy (and let’s be honest, superficial) event aside, I was interested to see what would emerge on the red carpet and was looking forward to some major departures from ones typical styling.

I feel like so many celebrities missed the mark though. Punk does not mean slutty (Miranda Kerr) or goth (Anne Hathaway). I wanted iconic like the Versace safety pin dress and I wanted more daring styling. It was so dull that there are only two people worth talking about: Sarah Jessica Parker and co-chair Rooney Mara.

On the costume end SJP was all about the theme with a crazy and gorgeous headpiece by Philip Treacy. This is precisely what I wanted to see last night! She embraced the theme and seemed to be having so much fun doing it. The carpet should have been crawling with such style. (I only wish Beyonce had stepped it up to this caliber, I had such high hopes.)

And then there was Rooney Mara who was the epitome of “chaos to couture” in her subtly punk  Givenchy dress: zippers, bold shoulders deep V’s front and back in beautiful white in frilly lace! Then there was the perfectly bold styling: currant lips, strong brows, and slicked back hair. I had so much fun gushing about this look with my friend Christine on Path last night. Each angle made us fall more and more in love.

So that’s it. Just these two. The rest was blah at best. What do you think?

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

My work uniform is pretty predictable: skinny jeans and a shirt I wouldn’t cry over if, perhaps, a massive drip of yellow curry happens to eek it’s way down the front. (Usually on one of my boobs. Of course.) And then there’s the super-hot Dansko’s I traipse around in. So really the only way I can feel even the slightest bit girlie (without drawing attention to my boobs) is to throw on a piece or two of jewelry. Mom and I often share, so I have a nice little collection of necklaces and bracelets, a couple of earrings but they’re not my favorite accessory, and few rings that I would desperately like to add to. I started thinking of how much I love a good ring, and how so many of the bolder, more creative choices have been catching my eye.

Yes, I am completely aware that most of these are not practical for work; like, how would it feel to have two of your fingers bound together? Weird, right. I’m assuming that I wouldn’t much care because it looks pretty freakin’ cool…and still so delicate. But still, I like the idea of making a statement with my digits and I am especially keen on #2 which is a knuckle band (click to see how it looks on!) and #6 as a tall stacked look with texture. Since lately I haven’t had as many opportunities for sexy lunches or nights on the town I think I’ll save the glitzy ones for another time and go for one of these two, if I can find my size.

Some beautiful florals, crisp whites, and summer shift dresses at Zara this month. As much as I love the explosion of beautiful floral outfits, and the idea of mixing prints, it’s definitely a trend that I’d rather not splurge on. These Zara pieces hit the trend and won’t take a toll on your pocketbook. For more spring floral inspo check out my pinboard here.

Ever since I found my 1920′s print coat last summer I have been fascinated by all coats of graphic print and bold color. And I am still kicking myself for not getting the Emerson Fry linen leopard coat from last fall. Ugh! I would have rocked the hell out of that thing.

I love the diversity and versatility in styling — just so effortless and sexy. Whether with leather, wool, print, bold solids, oversized, or tailored pieces there are so many fun ways to play; it is whatever you want to make it. I should also admit that it was because of my coat that I finally felt comfortable enough to start mixing graphic prints. Somehow it can be quite intimidating with other pieces, but with the same amount of “real estate” to work with in a knee-length coat and dress there’s less material to worry about than if you were to try mixing a graphic pant.

Some warn of the danger in going too housecoat-esque (thanks to Andrew for this unpleasant mental image) but there are some tricks in not looking like a pissed-off Betty Draper.

If you are going the vintage route: collars, sleeve length, and this shiny material for instance can look precisely like what it is: dated. So look for timeless qualities where the cut and style of these elements won’t give you away. And natural fabrics will always look better than synthetics.

[images via Pinterest]

The dash to Friday fun is officially here, and there’s so much in progress that I’ve nothing worthy of sharing…unless you’re interested in seeing a patch of drywall curing, a cluttered table setting, boxes waiting to be broken down, or a million to-do lists waiting to be collated into one.

So instead here’s some prettiness to preview from Emerson Fry’s Spring line that just launched this morning. As always, I love the effortless look of casual-sophisticate. The blush blouse and the blazer with the sneakers (look 4 below) are two of my faves, but there are many, many more. The geometric pants and the new shoe line look like fun too.