Postmark Bike Lane Dress

Bike Lane Dress by Postmark

$158

www.anthropologie.com

Item: Bike Lane Dress by Postmark

Size: 0

Price: $158

Overall rating: 4/5

Review: Ok, I suck at taking my own pictures. I apologize for the poor quality and angle shots of these photos. If any of you fellow bloggers out there can please share with me how you take such great fitting room photos, do share! Anyway, this dress is pretty cute. I do like the print, but I'm kind of on the fence about it because I'm thinking it might be too cutesy. I like the criss-cross details on the bust and I know you can't really tell from the photo, but the top of the dress in the back folds down, which is another nice detail. I actually really struggled at first to put this dress on because for some reason I couldn't figure out how to button and zip myself up in this. I think this is a two-person job. So enlist your husband to help you into this dress! When I finally did have it on, it was falling off me a bit. I don't have much of a bust to hold it up, so I would probably have to use the removable straps, which I think kinda takes away from the overall look of the dress. I was already wearing the smallest size, so there was no way I was able to size down, unless I ordered this dress online in a 0 petite (no such luck now as it's sold out online). I like the lightweight cotton material, which makes this a great spring/summer dress. I would not buy this for full price because I'm still not sure about the print and the fit is off. Maybe after a 1st, or even 2nd cut, on sale.

Christian Louboutin Very Prive Open-Toe Platform Pump: The Look For Less

Very Prive Open-Toe Platform Pump

by Christian Louboutin

$845

www.neimanmarcus.com

Love the shoes you see above? Did you balk at the price tag though? Well, I have just the solution for you. I was shopping at Target recently when I came upon these Mossimo Papina Peep Toe Heels.

Papina Peep Toe Heel

by Mossimo

$29.99

www.target.com

Ok, so this shoe doesn't have red soles, but so what? They're so similar in design and look at that price. You really can't beat that.

Item: Papina Peep Toe Heel by Mossimo

Color: Black patent

Size: 7.5

Price: $29.99

Overall rating: 4/5

I tried these on for myself. I apologize for the absolute poor quality of these photos. I took them with my iPhone, which usually takes great pictures, but I dunno, maybe I was in a hurry or something. Anyway, I was surprised to find that these run small. I am usually a size 7, sometimes a 6.5, and I could not even squeeze my foot into a size 7. So I went up to a 7.5, which I've NEVER had to do, and they fit perfectly. They were relatively comfy, as far as high-heeled pumps go. These are a great date night shoe. So simple and sexy. They are faux patent leather, but hey, you get what you pay for, right? I still think they look amazing, and they are a great alternative to the Christian Louboutins. I vow that I will one day own a pair of Christian Louboutins, but for now, it's Target for me!

Postmark Great Outdoors Buttondown

Great Outdoors Buttondown by Postmark

$88

www.anthropologie.com

Item: Great Outdoors Buttondown

Color: Orange

Size: 0

Price: $88

Overall Rating: 4/5

Review: I really loved this shirt as soon as I saw it on the Anthropologie website. Bicycles are such a big trend this spring and it's such a fun, quirky print. However, on the website I thought the color looked more like a muted, peachy orange. But when I saw it in person, the bicycles were really a bright, almost neon orange color. I tried on a regular size 0 (the website offers petite sizes) and I was disappointed that it was quite big on me. The thing is, I like my shirts to be fitted, and I guess this shirt is meant to have a more relaxed, boyfriend cut to it. The sleeves were a bit long - not quite full length, but not three-quarters either. I'm thinking if I rolled up the sleeves and tucked in the shirt then maybe it would have more of that fitted look that I like. The top is still adorable and I like all the little details, such as the print on the cuff and the buttons. I think $88 is quite pricey for a cotton button-down so I will be waiting for a sale on this one. If I do purchase this, I will opt to order it in 0P from the website and hope that it has a better fit.

Marc Jacobs Odette Dot Embroidery Dress: The Look For Less

I was on gilt.com yesterday for their Marc by Marc Jacobs sale when I saw the Odette Dot Embroidery Dress. I first fell in love with this dress when I saw it on Zooey Deschanel.

www.luckymag.com

I was so excited to see it on gilt.com. I thought this would be my chance to own such an adorable dress. But I was a little late logging on because it was already sold out. Besides, it was still $379, which I'm sure is a great price for a Marc by Marc Jacobs dress, but still way too much for me to spend. It originally retails for $728. 

Odette Dot Embroidery Dress by March by Marc Jacobs

On sale $379 (originally $728)

www.gilt.com

I like Zooey's version better because the shorter hem gives it a more fun, flirty look. Saddened by the prices of the Marc Jacobs items, I went on over to modcloth.com, which has some of the cutest clothing at reasonable prices. And lo and behold, I found an almost identical dress to the Marc Jacobs for only $79.99!

Dot-ful Gesture Dress by ModCloth

$79.99

www.modcloth.com

The only things I can really see missing from this dress are the pleated waistline detail and the tie sash seen on the Marc Jacobs dress. But oh well, it's still just as adorable and the shorter length is more flattering I think. It's polyester, whereas the Marc Jacbos dress is silk organza, so I'm sure that largely accounts for the huge price difference. I've never ordered anything from ModCloth before so I really can't say anything about the quality. But they're such a popular website that I can imagine the quality is just as great as their adorable clothes.

Here are some more pictures for side-by-side comparison (the Marc Jacobs is on the left, ModCloth is on the right):

Back of Dress

 

Print Detail

Sweet by Holly Cupcakes

Today is Mini-Mania Monday at Sweet by Holly, meaning all their mini cupcakes are $1 each (regularly $2 each). I think their cupcakes are absolutely delicious and I actually prefer them to CamiCakes, which used to be my local fave. My Mom says she doesn't like Sweet by Holly cupcakes because they have more of a muffin texture instead of a cake taste and texture. That's probably why I like them so much because I honestly don't even really like cake that much! I like how super-moist and yummy the mini cupcakes are. And they come in a ton of flavors, which is one of the main reasons I think they're better than CamiCakes. 

I made John take me to Sweet by Holly today to take advantage of Mini-Mania and indulge myself. I got a dozen!

1st row from top: white raspberry and chocolate strawberry X 2

2nd row: black out, red velvet, and chocolate strawberry

3rd row: strawberry,  red velvet, and banana

4th row: strawberry, red velvet, and cookies n' cream

My favorite flavor of anything is strawberry, which is a flavor that CamiCakes does not have. These were so delicious and I love the pink sprinkles on top.

This cupcake makes me smile because it looks like it has a face on it :) This was the banana cupcake, which is also one of my favorite flavors. It reminded me of banana nut bread - yum!

To the right is the white raspberry. The texture and taste of the frosting and sprinkles were soooo good. I didn't eat the jelly bean on top however because I just don't like them.

The chocolate strawberry, which is one of John's favorites.

Outfit Of The Day

What I'm Wearing:

Dress by BCBGeneration

Shoes by Charles David

Necklace by Banana Republic

Outfit Of The Day: St. Patty's Day Green

What I'm Wearing:

Dress by Max and Cleo

Shoes by Michael Kors

Bracelet by Banana Republic

Last night, John and I went to a silent auction fundraiser for his school. With it being St. Patrick's Day, I of course wanted to wear something green so I thought it was the perfect occasion to FINALLY break out this dress by Max and Cleo. You see, I've actually had this dress for YEARS. I mean, seriously, like 8 years. For some reason, I just never had an occasion to wear it to. Up until last night, the tags were still on it. I always thought this dress was so pretty and I'm happy I was finally able to wear it. And my Mom, who I know reads this blog regularly, will be happy as well because she's the one who actually bought me this dress and she always asks me when I will finally wear it. Well, here you go, Mom :)

John and I did bid on a few things last night (gift cards to Bistro Aix and a gift basket that included Redken hair products and an InStyler that I'd been wanting to try) but unfortunately we were outbid and did not win. It was still a fun evening though. I always enjoy mingling with John's coworkers and students, who are always so nice to me. The event was catered by Carrabbas and they served their delicious chicken marsala, which is my absolute favorite. Bruster's was also on hand to serve ice cream for dessert. We tried their white chocolate Oreo ice cream, which was good but a little too rich for me. Honestly, we were a bit disappointed that Kilwin's did not cater the event like they usually do. Oh well. There were also a ton of hors d'oeuvres and I loaded up on pinwheels and tortellini. 

This is the ONLY green shirt John has. I wasn't going to let him walk out the door on St. Patrick's Day without wearing green! 

Postmark Ping-Pong Tank

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I thought today would be a great day to finally break out my Ping-Pong Tank by Postmark that I actually bought a couple months ago with my Anthro birthday discount.

Item: Ping-Pong Tank by Postmark

Size: 0

Price: $68

Overal rating: 4/5

I really love the quirky print of this top. If you look closely enough, they are tiny ping-pong paddles. I like them because my husband likes to play ping-pong so of course it reminds me of him. It's a comfy cotton tank that you can easily slip on without having to undo the buttons or wear a cami underneath. There is a tiny snap closure between the top two buttons that's supposed to help prevent gaping. A lot of people have complained about the placement of this button because it should be placed a bit lower, but with my small bust I don't have an issue with this whatsoever. There's also some nice pleating on the front, which is a great detail, but I am dreading having to iron them after I give this a wash.

I like that you can just wear a regular bra with this top as it does not show in the front or the back. There's elastic on the back to allow a bit of stretch. And the button details on the straps are a nice touch.

The top is pretty short. I paired it with my Slouchy Riley Boyfriend Jeans by Lucky Brand, which are somewhat low rise and if I was standing a certain way, you could see a bit of skin on my lower back. A higher waisted pant can fix this problem though if the top is too short for you.  It does flair out a bit from the body, but I don't think that's a big deal. It actually makes it a more comfy top that helps hide any problem areas you may have. I really love this top and I was glad I was able to purchase this with my birthday discount and gift card. Otherwise, I honestly would not have purchased this as I think $68 is quite expensive for a cotton top. But it does have that fun, quirky print that I've come to expect from Anthropologie clothing. If this makes it to the sale rack, I would definitely recommend giving this top a try. 

Sprinkles Cupcake ATM

John and I LOVE Sprinkles cupcakes. We would seriously eat them everyday if we lived near a Sprinkles bakery. But alas, we do not (and they don't deliver. Boo! I mean, if Graeter's can ship ice cream anywhere in the US, then certainly cupcakes could easily be shipped as well, right? Right?!) 

Anyway, I was watching E! News the other night and they featured a segment on Sprinkles' new 24-hour ATM, which dispenses their delicious cupcakes anytime you want. I wish I could somehow install this in my home. Seriously, this is probably one of the greatest inventions ever. If John and I lived near one,  I could see us stopping by randomly at 2 am (and then probably again at 3 am). So if you're lucky enough to live near one, take advantage of this!

www.collabcubed.com

Here's how it works:

Marc Jacobs Polka Dot Bag

www.sewfetch.com

I was at Dillards the other day when I saw this Marc by Marc Jacobs polka dot bag. I was immediately drawn to the retro black and white polka dots and cross-body style of the purse. But the hefty $198 price tag meant this bag was staying behind at Dillards. Another con - it's 100% PVC, made in China. I mean, for a $200 bag, you'd expect better quality, but let's face it - a large portion of what you're paying is for the name. You can certainly buy PVC polka dots purses at Forever 21 or Target for maybe a tenth of the price of this Marc Jacobs purse. Oh well, I still think it's cute. Maybe one day if it goes on sale... 

Penguin Nail Art

www.weheartit.com

Ok, I really really really want my nails to look like this.

Here are some other nail art designs that are just as cute.

littlebearcakes.blogspot.com

earwormandplumpudding.blogspot.com

Outfit Of The Day

What I'm Wearing:

Split Ladder Tee by Ett Twa

Tank by the Gap

Devote Jeans by Citizens of Humanity

Ballet flats by Coach

Necklace and bracelet by Banana Republic

Marc Jacobs Mouse Ballet Flats

I finally purchased a pair of those absolutely adorable mouse ballet flats by Marc by Marc Jacobs.

I'd been wanting these flats for such a long time now. I've been searching for them on eBay for months (I can't seem to find it on any website in my size). Every time they'd pop up on eBay however, they'd either be the wrong size or the wrong material (they come in rubber or leather, and I wanted the leather version) or the price was simply too high (they often go for about $150, which I guess is ok compared to the retail price tag of about $250). Anyway, I ended up winning these with a final bid of $90. I know, still a bit pricey but they were the first pair on eBay I could find that was 1) my size (sorta...more on that later), 2) leather, 3) new condition, and 4) under $100. I was so excited when I finally got these in the mail. They are even more adorable in person! 

Even the bottoms are fun and cute (although I'm sure these will wear off after a while).

Ok, so now about the size. I'm a true size 37 (size 7) and these were listed as a size 38. But I'd read several other reviews that these mouse flats tend to run small, so I took a risk. When I first put them on, they felt like they fit. But when I walked around my living room, they were slipping off my feet a little. I almost wanted to return them, until I read that the seller does not accept returns. So here was my fix - I simply put those heel pads on the back and wore them with my No Nonsense Ultra Low Liner (which, by the way, are the absolute best socks to wear with ballet flats. They are comfy and they really don't show). Problem solved! I was able to walk around the Town Center comfortably without them slipping off my feet. So overall, I'd say these run pretty true to size - no need to size up or else you'll have to utilize these quick fixes as well. But I'm glad I was able to keep these shoes.

This is what I get to look at every time I look down at my feet :)

Outfit Of The Day

What I'm Wearing:

Slung Sash Tee by Bailey 44

Jeans by Joe's

Ballet flats by Marc by Marc Jacobs

Bracelet by Banana Republic

John and I had a fun date night with our friends DA and Adrienne at Mitchell's Fish Market. I wanted to dress casually, but at the same time I wanted to look a bit dressy. This top accomplishes just that - it's a simple cotton tee, but the cutout details keep it interesting.

Scalloped Edges

I love any and all clothing with scalloped edges. Maybe it's because the simple pattern adds just the right amount of cuteness and whimsy. Here are some of my favorites.

Silk Crepe Colour Block Sleeveless Top by Orla Kiely

$290.00

www.orlakiely.com

Ok, I think this top is beyond adorable. The navy/cream color combo keeps it classic while the collar makes it super cute and casual.

Scalloped Short by J. Crew

$118

www.jcrew.com

I love the bright red color of these shorts!

Francoise Top by Kate Spade

$378

www.katespade.com

This top is just so gosh-darn cute!

Shaelynn Top by Kate Spade

$278

www.katespade.com

I mean, really everything at Kate Spade is adorable.

Vera Wang Ballet Flats

I was shopping at Kohl's the other day, which is not a store I usually shop at. But I happen to be in the area and I needed to kill some time so I decided to wander in. I do like the Lauren Conrad for Kohl's line, but my local Kohl's doesn't ever seem to carry the full collection, and what is left isn't in my size (maybe I don't get there soon enough?) Anyway, I walked over to the shoe section and was immediately drawn to these Simply Vera Vera Wang Ballet Flats.

What initially attracted me was the Chanel-like two-tone color - cream with a black cap toe, just the type of shoe I was looking for. But upon closer inspection, I saw that they also had funky little spikes on the black portion - I wanted them immediately! 

Chanel meets Sam Edelman?

These ballet flats are super comfortable and I love the design and color. BUT they are shaped a bit funny, which I really didn't notice at first until my Mom pointed out that the front flips up so much that they reminded her of "elf shoes."

From my point of view wearing them, I didn't notice it and I didn't feel it either. But when I looked in the mirror from a side view, I thought they were sticking up a bit, but I'm just hoping that over time, they'll somehow flatten out (although I doubt this because they feel pretty stiff, but oh well. I still think they're cute). They are not made of leather - just man-made materials, with the black portion a satin-like material. I usually like leather shoes only simply for the better quality, but oh well. I tried on a size 7 and I'd say they fit pretty true-to-size. Anyway, I took them home with me, and at a good price, too. They were originally $64.99, on sale for $51.99. Plus, I had $10 store credit and a 15% off coupon, making my grand total around $37.