High Top Wedge Sneakers

I was inspired by Carol over at In Pursuit Of Pretty Things to write a post about high top wedge sneakers. I admit, I never was a fan of high top sneakers, much less high top wedge sneakers. But now they're kinda growing on me, especially after seeing this picture of Anne Hathaway.

www.inpursuitofprettythings.com

And now Jessica Alba.

www.lipstickalley.com

And a slew of other celebrities.

www.instyle.com

Many of these celebrities are probably wearing a pair by Isabel Marant, which will set you back about $650. Fortunately, there are a TON of affordable knockoffs on the market now. And probably one of the best deals can be found at your local Target (where else?)

Xhilaration Kahsha High Top Wedge Sneaker

$34.99

www.target.com

Item: Xhilaration Kahsha High Top Wedge Sneaker

Color: Black

Price: $34.99

Size: 7

Overall Rating: 4/5

I am, as my Mom likes to call me, a fashion victim. When it comes to trends, I pretty much jump on the fashion bandwagon right away. I mean, that's the whole point right? Fashion trends are meant to be enjoyed. Sure, there are some that I shy away from in the beginning, but eventually I'm convinced that it's something that I have to have. Case in point, these wedge sneakers. When I first saw them, I thought, "No way." But as I began seeing more people wear them and styling them with such cute outfits, I started to warm up to them. I showed a pair to my husband while we were out shopping one day and he said, "Those are hideous. You are not ghetto." Apparently, my husband will not be warming up to these shoes anytime soon.

What's great about these shoes is that they have a hidden wedge, so you get the height of heels but the comfort and laid-back style of sneakers. I was skeptical at first about how comfortable they'd be, but I was pleasantly surprised at how easy they were to wear. I tried on my usual size 7 and I'd say they fit true to size. They're easy to wear with skinnies, but I'd say these look best when you're trying to go for a tougher, menswear-inspired look (dark denim and trench coat ala Hathaway and Alba above). If you want a more girly look, try the multicolored ones seen below.

I really do like this color also, but if I do ever purchase these shoes, I'll definitely pick up the black ones as I see more styling options with those.

What do you think? High top wedge sneakers a fashion do or don't?

Outfit Of The Day: Owl City

What I'm Wearing:

Neiman Marcus + Target Lela Rose Guipure Lace Top

Cardigan by Free People

AG Leggings in Delight

Melissa Logo Boots by Frye

Owl Necklace from HSN

My Mom recently visited the HSN store in Orlando and picked up this adorable owl necklace for me. I'd been wanting an owl pendant for a while so I was pleasantly surprised and happy when she got this for me. Most owl necklaces I find are either too big or too...cutesy (if that makes sense). This one is the perfect size and has just the right amount of quirk without becoming too tween. This necklace is no longer available on the HSN website, but here are a few others that are just as adorable.

Carved Owl Necklace by Odette New York

$132

www.anthropologie.com

Sterling Silver Black and White Diamond Owl Pendant

$275

www.kohls.com

Mister Owl Pendant Necklace

$6.99

www.amazon.com

Orla Kiely Tins

Merry Christmas to me!

This year, my husband and mother-in-law teamed up to get me some Orla Kiely tins for Christmas. 

When I tore open the Christmas wrapping and saw the familiar stem print, I got super-excited.

Here's a detailed photo of what's inside.

Orla Kiely Linear Stem Canister Tins - Set of 3

$46

I'd say the canisters are true to what they look like on the label and the website's stock photos.

Measurements for the largest canister: 10 5/8" high, 5" diameter

Orla Kiely Round Nesting Cake Tins - Set of 5

$68

Measurements for the largest tin: 5 9/16" high, 10" diameter

 Each tin was even wrapped in its own Orla Kiely tissue paper (which I was very tempted to keep,  but then realized that would be hoarding).

I'm super happy with my tin collection. The prints and colors are, as usual, completely adorable and put a smile on my face every time I see them. Now, all I have to do is decide what to put in them. For now though, they will be sitting pretty in my kitchen.

Maeve Striated Lace Dress

Maeve Striated Lace Dress

On sale $159.95 (originally $228)

www.anthropologie.com

Item: Striated Lace Dress

Color: Blue motif

Price: On sale $159.95 (originally $228)

Size: 4

Overall Rating: 4/5

My usual size 2 wasn't available so I'm wearing a size 4 in the photos above. The size 4 was too loose all around, so I would say this dress runs true to size. I love the muted colors and the lace details. There's a side zip making this dress very easy to put on. The scoop neck is very modest - not too low, which I really like. I hate it when necklines are too low and I end up having to wear a cami underneath. The only thing I don't like about this dress is the price. Definitely gonna wait for this one to go on sale some more!

Orla Kiely AW12 Collection Sale - Up To 50% Off

Make sure to check out www.orlakiely.com for their Autumn/Winter 2012 collection sale - many items now up to 50% off. Here are a few things I'm eyeing:

Hidden Hedgehog Print Silk Crepe Neck Tie Blouse

On sale $165 (originally $330)

Tumbling Hedgehog Print Jersey Shirt

On sale $90 (originally $180)

Fox Fairisle Boyfriend Cardigan

On sale $165.50 (originally $335)

Cute as a Fox Wool Crepe Tea Dress

On sale $247.50 (originally $495)

Punched Wallflower Leather Ivy Bag

On sale $373.75 (originally $535)

Giant Stem Print Scarf

On sale $112.50 (originally $225)

Outfit Of The Day: Lace Mixed Media Dress

What I'm Wearing:

Laced Mixed Media Dress by LC Lauren Conrad

Faux fur stole by Abercrombie

Tights by Merona

Shoes by BCBG

When I missed out on last year's Dulcie Dress, I was disappointed. I tried to wait for a sale, but by the time it was marked down, it was sold out in my size. 

Weston Wear Dulcie Dress

www.anthropologie.com

But as fate would have it, one of my favorite bloggers, Liz, wrote a post about this very similar LC Lauren Conrad dress. 

LC Lauren Conrad Lace Mixed Media Dress

www.kohls.com

The details are so similar, so I was thrilled to pick this up at the reasonable price of $40 (sure beats paying $168 for the original).

Plenty by Tracy Reese Chrysanthemum Tea Dress

Plenty by Tracy Reese Chrysanthemum Tea Dress

On sale $99.95 (originally $198)

www.anthropologie.com

On the left, I'm wearing a size 2, on the right a size 4.

Item: Chrysanthemum Tea Dress

Color: Brown motif

Price: On sale $99.95 (originally $198)

Size: 2 (left) and 4 (right)

Overall Rating: 5/5

When I first saw this dress, I loved everything about it. Beautiful print - check! Retro style - check! Fitted bodice - check! I initially tried on the size 2, which is my typical dress size. I was able to zip up the dress, but man oh man, I could hardly breath in it! The bodice was pushing into my ribcage and the armholes were so tight. I initially thought this was a result of the 10 more pounds of baby weight I have yet to lose, but after reading the other reviews online I decided to try the next size up. Ah, much better! The size 4 fit perfectly. None of the other dresses I own are a size 4 - all of them are either size 0 or 2, so I would say this dress definitely runs small. Size up at least one size for sure. What I love most about this dress is the retro fitted-bodice-and-flared-skirt silhouette. If I could dress like a 1950s housewife everyday I would. But alas, that's a very impractical style for where I work. Looking back at these photos, I feel that it actually doesn't look so bad with the ballet flats, which leads me to believe that this dress can be quite versatile when deciding what shoes to wear with it. Ultimately, though, I think I will wear it with a nice pair of high-heeled maryjanes. This dress is by far one of my favorites!