From San Francisco With Love

Double Vision

2012-01-10T18:50:00.000-08:00

I was running some errands this weekend and had to walk instead of drive. It's a good thing too, as I got to enjoy the neighborhood around my house and get some fresh air.

And what did I happen upon just around the corner from my house?

Squee! Someone has TWO Vespas in the exact same color, and had them parked so sweetly outside their house. I wondered if some twins would show up for a Doublemint Gum photo shoot. ;)

xoxo
Ms. Mer

Happy and New

2012-01-06T18:00:00.000-08:00

twinkling Christmas lights in downtown Copenhagen

A belated Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year, friends! This year we went to visit my husband's family in Denmark for the holidays. I caught a cold a couple of days before we left, which threw a wrench into my shopping and blogging plans. Ah, well. My health didn't get much worse due to travel, but it took me a lot longer than usual to feel better.

I will fill you all in with a mini-photo tour of our Christmas in Copenhagen, through the lense of Instagram. I downloaded the App a couple of weeks before the holidays and am completely obsessed.

a sweet little cottage in Dyrehavn

you all know I'm obsessed with antlers. this was inside Peter Liep's Hus

mossy tree in Dyrehavn

the in-law's cat being silly

we drank lots of "god rødvin" (good red wine)

the King's New Square in central Copenhagen

back in SF on New Year's Day for a champagne lunch at Cafe Des Amis

I hope everyone is having a lovely start to 2012. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Party Frock Resolution

2011-12-15T10:15:00.000-08:00

I took the day off today (glorious!) to visit my Dermatologist. So here I am blogging, too. Ironing can always wait until later. First, here is my holiday wreath.

It's a little bit Charlie-Brown in its crookedness this year but we still enjoy it. I bought a plain pine wreath from Trader Joe's and added the decorations myself. Next year I'll work on making it more symmetrical, and get my husband hang it up. ;) I just love the smell of cloved oranges with the pine needles.

Ok, on to the fun stuff: party dresses! I had to find a replacement for my gold one, so I went to the huge BCBG store on Union Square. First, I'll start with what I wanted to buy.

This was incredibly expensive. It was part of their "Runway" collection, which the cynic in me thought was just an excuse to charge three times as much as their other inventory. Just because it was real silk instead of synthetic material, it was Made in China like all the rest. That said, this photo really doesn't do it justice. The strips of silk hanging down from the waistline moved beautifully and it was quite a stunning cocktail dress. But reason prevailed, I decided to save my money.

So I ended up with this one. It had been marked down and was nearly the same price as my gold one so I could make an even exchange. The silhouette has a real classic/retro feel to me. I thought it was fun, classic, and I don't have anything in my closet like it. Once again, this photo doesn't really do the dress justice.

Here is a photo from the website to give a better idea of what it looks like. It has tiny tiers of chiffon layered one over the other, with four hombre-like gradations. You can view the product page here.

I wore it with these earrings.

I could definitely swap out this sash it came with and wear some other kind of belt, and in fact I would have if I'd had time. I think a black sash with grey rhinestones that ties in the back could be fantastic - or even a wider, brightly colored one to stand out against the grey. I also think that if I got tired of the mesh at the top, I could have it altered to turn it into a strapless dress.

What are you fashionistas up to? Do you have any more holiday parties to dress yourselves for before New Year's Eve?

Party Frock Paranoia

2011-12-06T07:30:00.000-08:00

I bought a dress last weekend from BCBG for my husband's holiday party. BCBG is my place to go for holiday dresses. They generally fit my frame well and I like many of their styles, which makes it an easy dress source for to rely on, as I always wait until the last minute. The party is this Saturday.

I am tired of black frocks, so this year the theme is Gold. This interesting number (and its semi-decent price point) won out over the rest of the inventory in their small store on Union Street.

I really like how the color is very festive, and a simple classic silhouette, and I've never owned a lacey anything really, so why not, right? But now that I have it at home the paranoia set in: does it look too much like lingerie? Is it too close to the color of my skin?

I'm going Black for my clutch and shoe accessories, mainly because that's what I already have in my closet. My Kate Spade clutch has gold-colored details so it's a nice match to the gold of the dress. My shoes are black patent, which matches the patent trim of the clutch. I will probably buy a black shawl for my shoulders. I plan to wear my hair in a low, curled ponytail.

I would appreciate your opinions - should I get a gold-colored bracelet/cuff or gold earrings? Or do you think it looks fine as-is? Or should I just exchange the dang thing for something else? Please help!

MUSTHAVE hits and misses

2011-12-01T15:28:00.001-08:00

I'll start with a bright bit, litterally: I got a pair of JCrew's cute Glitterati ballet flats in-store the day before Thanksgiving when they had their 25% off $150+ promo, so they were a good price. I read on someone's blog that JCrew has gotten much better in the comfort department with their flats, and they speak the truth! These are indeed very comfortable, and I wore them most of the day on Thanksgiving with my feet feeling happy and festive. These ones are fabric, so they're very flexible which seems to minimize rubbing/pinching. I look forward to working these twinkle-toes into outfits for the Holiday season, and adding more ballet flats to my collection from the Crew in the future.

My sweater quest was all misses, unfortunately. Welcome to the Cardi Party foul zone!

Kendor cardigan
OK. I knew this would be slouchy, but it ended up being much more boxy and oversized in the body than I expected. The gaping pockets and long-but-not-long-enough sleeves just added to the awkwardness of this poor thing. The only thing I liked about this is the color. Also, does anyone else get a kind of early 90's vibe from this? Just give me some shoulder pads and I'm there, people.

Colorblock Cardigan

This just wasn't what I expected at all. So sad! You had such potential, little cardi. And it was very itchy. :( Online, the brown looked like a warm chestnut color, but in real life it was darker and murky looking.

The material didn't seem like good quality. If I hadn't looked at the tag, I would have said it was 100% acrylic by the way it looked and felt to the touch.

The only thing I'm keeping are these Minnie pants in coal. They're a great nice staple to add to my black Minnies, that are getting a little worn out from so much use.

oh heyyy minnies, you look good with some sparkle!

In a way, I'm glad I can return these cardigans and get my money back, as we haven't even started holiday shopping yet. I'm a bit mentally worn out from all the JCrew promos and have only made a couple of purchases. Not that I wouldn't turn down another one if the discount was right. ;)

Until next time, JCrew cardi party. Do you have any favorite JCrew sweaters that are out now?

Looking forward to...

2011-11-28T07:58:00.000-08:00

This Amaryllis blooming, among many other things, now that the holidays are in full swing. I can't wait to see it in its full, glorious red bloom. I picked it up from Trader Joe's before we left to visit my family last week, and during our absence, it grew about eight inches, and even produced a little bonus bud which is a nice surprise.

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! I'll share my favorite Apple Pie recipe with you all shortly...

MUSTHAVE promo, sweater edition

2011-11-21T16:04:00.000-08:00

Oops, I totally bit on the MUSTHAVE promo. Nom nom nom! Hmm, tastes like wool... I haven't bought anything from the Crew since Labor Day, can you believe it? I know, I can't either. The Crewlade tastes so good!

I just got back from a trip to Asia, and have been laid-up on the couch recovering from a nasty case of food poisoning. I will spare you the details here. Combine that with jetlag, cold, rainy weather over the weekend in SF, an online promo, and I may have fallen under the influence of... the Sweater Madness:

Exhibit A: the Colorblock Cardigan:

I love the color combination on this - unusual, but very pretty and classic. I hope the white doesn't look weird against a fair complexion. I think it will pair nicely with dark-wash bluejeans (like those wonderful stretch toothpick jeans recommended by Gigi) and a dress shirt for a preppy-casual work feel. Also, I luvs me a shawl-collar. They're so cozy without feeling constricting.

Exhibit B: The Kendor Cardigan:

Not really sure about this guy. It could be a big ol' oversized sloppy hot mess, or some cozy loveliness. It was still a bit pricey after the promo so it will have to be pretty great in order for me to keep it. I really like this color, and think it would be versatile with either neutral or more colorful tops underneath, and maybe some cute black minnies on the bottom. I've found that I wear my neutral-colored sweaters much more than my brighter colors, so am focusing on getting a few more of those into my wardrobe rotation right now.

Exhibit C: Hellooo, Cashmere:

OK, this is actually something I put on my Christmas gift list. :)

I also noticed that, even though it wasn't advertised, shipping was free. Is this a new thing on JCrew's website?

Has anyone bought or tried on any of these sweaters? What are your favorite JC sweaters right now?

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T18:40:00.001-07:00

I hope your Halloween is spooky and fun! If you see any pirates out there, be sure to give them candy...

Blue Steel goes Pirate.

We borrowed Pirate clothes from a friend of a friend, and I made the red sashes and rhinestone accessories - an eyepatch and a fanny pack style "booty-bag" for my phone and ID - myself. Halloween costumes are all about the goofy accessories!

We celebrated over the weekend, so by now I'm just ready to spend the evening indoors and watch a scary movie on DVD. Did you dress up today or do anything fun?

Yar!

2011-10-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

I been workin' hard on me Halloween costume these last couple o' weekends! Here be a preview of me favorite costume accessory:

Have you guessed? If Ms. Mer is going to be a pirate, she's going to be a glamorous pirate, dahlings! (And refer to herself in the third person, as glamorous pirates are known to do.)

What are you going to be for Halloween?

The Commute

2011-08-28T16:43:00.000-07:00

It takes me about twenty minutes to walk the one-mile distance to the shuttle stop that's closest to our house. I usually take the 8:32 shuttle, but lately have been hustling out the door at 7:20 to take the 7:43 since I've recently had to come in earlier than normal. The ride to Cupertino usually take one and a half hours, or one hour if I get on an Express shuttle and there aren't any traffic problems on Hwy 280. Total one-way commute: 1.5-2 hours. I'm at work for 8-10 hours, then it's the same routine on my way home.

Add it all up, and that's 3-4 hours out of my day spent commuting. Add in time during the evening needed to study for my weekly Danish class, make dinner and lunch for the next day (if we're lucky), and there aren't enough hours in the day: I literally have no time whatsoever to exercise/volunteer/blog after work during the week. I have had "write Blog Post" on my weekend to-do list for I don't even know how long now. Less time for evening chores during the week means it all piles up and takes up more time on the weekends, and exercising to make up for lost time leaves me pretty tired.

I could blog on my laptop while on the shuttle (got to love the shuttle WiFi), but don't want people next to/behind me seeing this, my fun little online space. It's far to easy to spy on other people's screens, so I stick to neutral topics like the NYT and email.

I began this new career adventure in the beginning of May, and you may notice this date more or less aligns with that of my last blog post. This job is a really amazing opportunity, but the amount of time the commute takes makes many after-work activities I used to enjoy no longer possible. My husband and I have discussed moving, but that has its own issues we still need to sort out.

So where does that leave this blog? I'm going to try to start posting on a semi-regular basis again, but it will be sporadic and definitely only weekend-based. I have had lots of post ideas (Summer trips! SF Madewell visits! JCrew's September rollout!) that I haven't had a chance to sit down and write about. I miss chatting and sharing about clothes and life with you, my blog buddies.

So please, hang in there! I hope to spend more time in this space in the coming months.

xoxo

Ms. Mer

A good denim is hard to come by

2011-04-27T20:04:00.000-07:00

Ah, my favorite wardrobe staple: the bluejean. Or "denim slacks," as I like to call them - though only when (jokingly) justifying wearing them in a business casual environment. I have welcomed a pair of J Crew's ankle stretch toothpick jeans into the fold of my closet during the Spring Sale. They were recommended by Gigi on her great blog, and I'm glad I took her advice! They are toothpick-ishly snug and a bit of a workout to get on, but are comfortable enough once I've done so. I really like how smart and classic they look with a pair of heels.

I had a really cute outfit built around these pants today, I just didn't have a chance to take a photo. :( I wore neutral patent-leather slingbacks, a sage-green JCrew vintage v-neck, and a navy/white striped cardi. These pants are great to wear right now - the weather is getting warmer and we can dare to bare our feet and ankles around San Francisco this week. Hooray!

If your closet is lacking in denim, go forth and give these a try!

I Love Antlers in the Springtime

2011-04-08T08:44:00.000-07:00

My dining table aspires to be in Elle Decor magazine some day. ;)

I am so glad Friday is here. Our taxes were finished early this week, so Saturday will be a perfect do-nothing-and-relax day, and we get to go ride horses on Sunday. Do you have anything fun planned?

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Excess lbs

2011-04-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

Do you ever find that you live life to the fullest a little too much? I've been super-social in the last couple of months, which in my circle of friends means drinking fancy cocktails and eating delicious (and often fried, oops) foods. My previous post is a perfect example. And now I am paying the price in too-tight pants.

I put on my old pair of flares the other day in preparation of my sequel to this post, and damn. They were too tight. I get on the scale and discover I'm a few lbs heavier than my usual weight. Where does it all go on my body at first? One word: booty.

Ugh. And I was doing so well on Jan 1. I'm trying to consider this more of a "detox" because I don't like the word, "diet." Detox sounds more fun, like something you get to do at a spa. Any little thing to make this not-so-fun lifestyle change sound more glamourous helps.

I really just want to be able to fit into my flares, Minnies and other snug pants comfortably again. I tried my Minnies on last week and could get them on (juuust barely), but there was a serious risk of splitting a seam if I were to do something out of the ordinary, like, oh... sit down for example.

So, here we go, I'm back in the saddle again. Goodbye carbohydrates, hello vegetables.

A typical breakfast (click here for that shake recipe. This one has two frozen strawberries to make it pretty in pink):

I refuse to give up my coffee in the mornings. Give me coffee or give me death!

A typical lunch:

Spinach and baby greens, tomatoes, leftover sauteed yellow squash, bell pepper, celery, feta cheese, a couple of olives, and a hardboiled egg. Quite delicious, but I usually feel pretty hungry two hours later. I guess that's the point.

I usually have a few raw cashews, celery, or a tangerine for a snack twice a day, and finish it off with a dinner of a lean protein and vegetables.

When I do go out with friends, I've started replacing drinks with soda water. I did this last week and discovered it really didn't make any difference as to how much fun i had. Plus it saved me money, a win-win.

I hope to share my flares with you all in a couple of weeks.

In the meantime, what do you do to stay healthy? I would love to hear your ideas in the comments.

Spring in Sonoma

2011-04-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

We were fortunate enough to get outside and enjoy the fantastic spring weather this weekend (and get a little tispy in the process!) with a day trip to Sonoma with a few friends. It was a nice change to get out of the city and see the CA countryside at its greenest time of year.

The leaves were bursting out on trees everywhere, while some fruit trees were in full bloom. Some of the grapevines had lovely baby-green buds breaking out, while others still appeared to be dormant. This is my favorite time of year in California - the green grass is so most beautiful right now, and it won't last through summer.

We went to a beautiful small winery called Copain, which looked out over the Russian River. My husband's friend has a membership, so we got to go to their private Spring Tasting which included a delicious lunch.

Here are my two girlfriends, inadvertently color-coordinating their nails and pants with one of Copain's Syrahs. It was my favorite out of all their wines that day, with a lovely, blackberry fruit, almost raisin-y taste. It tasted like the promise of summer.

My most pressing question (beyond which wineries we will visit, and who is going to be the designated driver [not me this time! yippee]) is, what to wear? It is wine country after all, and in my opinion any shoe with a skinny heel isn't appropriate or practical. You never know if you will end up having to navigate a soil or gravel walkway. I usually wear jeans when it's cool, and a casual dress when we go in the summer. The weather on Saturday was breezy and cool in the morning, but promised a warm afternoon, so I dressed in layers.

Here I am, being caught on camera in the middle of a giggle-fest, as usual. Especially after I've had a few glasses... heehee!

I built my outfit on my cowboy boots and J.Crew Utility Jacket, and filled in the rest from there. Citizens straight-leg jeans and a white v-neck, with a J.Crew cardigan (don't recall the name - one of their buttonless cardis from Spring 2010) in the "orchid shadow" color, and a fun beaded necklace from Jigsaw. The handbag is a beautiful LV bag my husband got me for Christmas. I like how the leather details match the leather of my boots, plus... one can always get away with bringing a little bit of luxury into wine country.

What do you wear when you go winetasting? Do you have any favorite wineries in Sonoma county?

Ready to Launch

2011-03-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

Sorry for being away for a while again. I am doing some volunteer work for the Red Cross Bay Area Chapter, and am on the committee for the spring Gala, which is a huge annual fundraiser for them.

We have a "Launch Party" one month before the Gala, which was last night. We had a very kind donor offer a large donation to the Red Cross to help with disaster relief in Japan. If you are interesting in making a donation, go here.

I think the most fun part of volunteering last night was getting to wear vintage Red Cross uniform jackets over our cocktail dresses. It made me feel "official" in a fun way, and was a great conversation starter with guests.

My friend K and I taking a lil' break with some soda water

My blazer was from 1949. It had a darling label on the inside that read: "Harvard Uniforms, Baltimore." It was made for someone with much shorter arms than myself, so I just pushed up the sleeves and went to work serving champagne to our guests! I must admit that I was sorry to have give it back at the end of the night. It's hard to see from the poor-quality photo, but it had plenty of vintage charm: red velvet chevrons on the sleeve, and ribboned epaulettes with big buttons on the shoulders. My friend's was actually a kind of double-breasted dress, which she pinned back and wore open.

For Bay Area Residents, more info on the Gala can be found here. Maybe I will see you there!

What was old is new again, Part 1

2011-03-04T10:13:00.000-08:00

I have an "oldie but goodie" wool pencil skirt from Banana Republic in a classic greenish-brown Hound's Tooth pattern. I probably bought it in 2006, and hardly ever wear it anymore, even though it's a very classic piece. I have been doing some closet/drawer clean-out over the last few weeks and came across it, and thought it was high time for a Pencil Skirt Revival (can I get an amen!)

The problem I had with this skirt was the wide waistband. This skirt requires some kind of statement belt, and I just didn't really have anything substantial enough to string through the loops, so in the closet it sat, sad and forlorn amongst my more popular skirts. It was in dire need of an accessory soul mate.

I popped in at J Crew yesterday and bought one of their leather (in store only) belts on promo. Bingo! I think it does the trick. I also couldn't help picking up the mesh scarf necklace, also on sale in stores. I saw this on Gigi's blog a while back and really liked how it looked on her.

I really love this necklace, and am tempted to get the gunmetal-colored one to pair with black accessories. I think that combo could make for a really fun rock-and-roll look. The only drawback is that the rhinestones can snag your scarf, so be careful.

Are you reviving any items from the depths of your closet this spring?

Up next, Part 2: flare denim is back!

Snow Blindness

2011-02-22T13:29:00.000-08:00

It took about ten hours' drive on Friday, but we finally made it! Hello, winter wonderland.

North Star @ Tahoe, photo by Yours Truly.

I'm the ski recovery zone over here today. We went to lake Tahoe for the three-day weekend and had a blast, but now I'm struggling just to stay awake. Three days straight of skiing will do that to ya.

Hope everyone had a lovely President's Day weekend!

Happy [belated] Valentine's Day

2011-02-17T08:02:00.000-08:00

A very belated Happy Valentine's Day to everyone here in blog-land! I always seem to be behind the curve 'round here.

I kept things pretty simple with my husband on Monday, and gave him shortbread cookies I had made over the weekend from one of Ina Garten's cookbooks, and a card.

To make them more appealing, I stacked them in paper muffin cups,

then wrapped them in plastic-wrap so they would stay fresh, and wrapped them in pretty paper, tied with a bow.

I also distributed these to a couple of my single girlfriends, along with some fun greeting cards.

I love giving Valentine's Day gifts to friends. It reminds me of grammar school when everyone would share cards and candy in class. :)

I hope everyone had a nice day on Monday!

xoxo

Oh, Mexico

2011-01-28T07:48:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post before the weekend -- we are heading off on a little Mexico(!) getaway and I'm busy packing for it. I'm mostly just packing things that I wore on our honeymoon last fall and doing laundry. Pretty easy-peasy.

I had a pair of Aldo espadrilles I bought last summer that I took to Vegas and intended to take on our honeymoon, but... let's just say that, after a tipsy poolside red-slushy-punch-spill fiasco, "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," and sometimes just ends up in your hotel trash can. Jute fiber doesn't take red food dye very well. :(

Needless to say, I needed a new pair of espadrilles. Once again, I would love my readers' opinions... this time on shoes. Zappos has some great last-summer strappy shoes on sale right now, and I jumped all over these Kate Spade espadrilles this week. I think they will be great for "resort-wear," paired with casual dresses and white pants, a nice shoe to wear to dinners out.

Honestly though, I can't help thinking this is something Camille Grammar would wear in her Malibu Barbie mansion. (Maybe I've just been watching Real Housewives of Beverly Hills a little too much?...) But seriously, do you get the Malibu Barbie vibe? I think they'll probably be fine, but I always hesitate when there are gold accents on these kinds of things.

What do you think? Does anyone own these shoes?

Wedding Wall

2011-01-21T14:20:00.000-08:00

It's been about six months since I got married, and we're definitely ready to get a few wedding pictures framed and up on our walls.

At first I wasn't really happy with the photos (mostly due to self-criticism), but it's been a while since I've even looked at them. Now, I love so many of them it's going to be hard to choose which ones are best for hanging up. Good thing my husband will be able to help me.

A great day, a great man, a great dress and a great rental car!

My goal for this weekend is to pick out a few photo "candidates," and order a few simple frames online. I really like these aluminum ones from Room and Board, as well as how they've been arranged here:

I will share the final results in a different post. And just to keep this somewhat fashion related, here's a close up of my husband's dapper furnishings on our wedding day. You wouldn't believe how long it look me to find just the right pocket square.

I love a man who isn't afraid of pink accessories...

Any readers out there who have a wall-space dedicated to their wedding day (or significant-other relationship)? Please share in the comments. I'd love to hear how you decorate with your own photos. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Boots for chocolate

2011-01-12T17:02:00.000-08:00

I have a real-life friend with whom I bond over fashion. We have very different personal styles, but still appreciate each other's taste in fashion. If I had to give us style names, I would be the Blonde Prep and she'd be the Brunette Rocker.

During one of our fashion gab sessions, I told her how I'd like to own a pair of cowboy boots some day. It turns out she has a pair that she never wears ("they're a blonde color, they'd look so much better on you anyway!"), and she gave them to me. In exchange, I promised to pick up a box of chocolates for her from her favorite chocolate shop. I'd agree to pay for boots with chocolate any day of the week!

Welcome to my home, sweet little boots!

Ok, so my first shot at wearing them wasn't exactly a triumph of style, but hey. It was a Friday!

I thought I'd give my "Blonde Prep" J.Crew dress shirt and pink belt a little cowboy-spunk for the Friday bar. They're a little more fun and comfortable than heels, perfect for Friday-wear.

Alas, when it comes to finally getting a pair of Sperry Top Siders this summer, I think I'm going to have to buy those myself.

If you own cowboy boots, how do you like to style them?

New Year, New Leaf

2011-01-06T16:45:00.000-08:00

A belated Happy Holiday...

And warm wishes for a Happy 2011 to my fellow bloggers!

I have been completely out of blog-land for the last few months. I started a new job in October that kept me from having extra time in my day for blogging, including browsing through other people's fabulous blogs. I've missed you guys!

The new job also had a more casual dress code. I'd describe it as more Anthropologie/SF Hipster than Preppy JCrew. Le sigh... I will fight it as long as I can, but now I see ruffly flannel camp shirts at Anthro and consider purchasing, when before I would stroll by without a second glance. This has led me to view my wardrobe in a different light. Where do my beloved blazers and pencil skirts fit in now?

I have found a way to dress down pencil skirts, I just can't give those up. Clearly it's still a work in progress. It's good to be back!

Thank You

2010-10-12T18:23:00.001-07:00

... Thanks for being patient with me. I'm still trying to power through my wedding thank-you notes (instead of blogging), and should be done by the end of this week.

I thought it would be a good idea to write a rough draft of every note out in pencil on binder paper first, so that I don't make any mistakes on the final ones. I thought this was a good tactic until my husband and mother independently informed me that I must be insane for doing so. It's definitely taking me twice as long, but at least they will be perfect! :)

J.Crew: good deals this weekend

2010-10-09T10:28:00.000-07:00

I stopped at J.Crew yesterday afternoon just to "browse," (what I always tell myself, hehe) and to see if I could use the fabulous 25% off card I got in the mail. I received it, along with the October catalogue in the giant pile of mail we got when we got back from our honeymoon. Since it expires this coming Monday, I had to see if there was anything worthwhile while there was still time left.

Well, they have some fabulous promotions going on in-store. The JCA blog has more info on the promo. They are offering 30% off all sweaters, and let me tell you they had a ton of sweaters to choose from, $20 off some (or all?) Minnie pants, and some great jewelry promotions too. It was madness, I tell you! There were lots of messed-up piles to sort through (Yes, it was that kind of sale), but I didn't mind digging through the piles to find my size.

I bought a few basics that will take me into fall, but the purchase I am most excited about is their Washed and Aged Utility Jacket (I don't see this online - perhaps in stores only?) I scored on mega-sale for approximately $45, down from $148. I balked at their blackish-brown version of this last year -- I felt like it was just too "butch" looking on me (but admired it on other JCAs), and didn't want to have to go to the effort of styling it to make it more feminine. This one, however, is an army green, which I think looks better against my fair complexion, and will be easier for me to pair with jeans than the black color. I'm looking forward to layering some soft ruffly pieces and faux-pearl jewelry under it for a fun masculine/feminine contrast - but I also think it looks fine with a tee-shirt and jeans.

You can see the beautiful Marled Shawl Cardigan I bought hanging in the background on the right. I sized up and bought a small, since A.) that was the smallest size they had left, and B.) it still fit me well and wasn't too tight in the arms, as size XS sometimes is on me. It will be easier to wear long-sleeved shirts under it, and at $69.99 plus 25% off, it was another deal I couldn't pass up.

Have you gotten any amazing deals at the Crew this weekend?

We're back, regretfully

2010-10-06T19:19:00.000-07:00

I say regretfully, because who does want to come home from their honeymoon? Especially when you can enjoy views like the one above every day, and it seems like each one is more beautiful than the last.

Where do I begin? We have actually been back for a week and a half, but I've been so overwhelmed with real-life things I have been neglecting this poor little blog. Being on honeymoon for three weeks is plenty o' fun, but readjusting upon our return has been harder than I thought. I know, poor me, right?

Well, after a three week carbohydrate-and-alcohol fest with little-to-no exercise... mah pants are kinda tight, I'm not gonna lie. And my skin freaked out (and broke out) in rashes after we returned. I like to think it's going through pineapple and rum withdrawals. Welcome home, body. No more humidity and no more carbs for you anymore, get used to it!

I've posted a mini-photo log below (in no particular order), and will share a couple of fun stories over the next few days. Being trapped in a lava tube cave due to rising water levels, and learning how to dive from Frenchmen who don't speak English very well is rather terrifying, but it makes for great story telling! I'm looking forward to getting back into a normal routine, which will include more blogging from now on.

It was lovely waking up to sunrises like this almost every morning...

After seeing all the incredible tropical plants, I wish I could grow a tropical garden here at home. Le sigh.

Good morning, little pink cloud.

A green sea turtle! At our Bora Bora hotel's turtle sanctuary.

And my favorite of all time, a Puffer fish. Their pectoral fins move independently of each other, which I find delightfully expressive. Being light grey with cute little white polka dots doesn't hurt, either.

Sunset over Bora Bora. I could never decide which was more beautiful, sunrise or sunset. Fortunately, I could choose both. :)

All Packed!

2010-09-03T18:45:00.000-07:00

We're almost ready to go on our honeymoon! I was a good girl this time and actually put together a first-aid kit to take with us, and was on top of the toiletry situation. Yay! My toiletry kit is usually the last thing I pack when preparing for a trip, and on many occasions I have realized I've run out of travel-sized face wash and don't have enough in my everyday bottle to refill it... at 10pm the night before I leave.

Behold! My preparedness:

That first-aid kit in the foreground has the most high-tech container evah! Yes, I use Ziploc bags... so uninspiring, I know. I reuse them until they get a hole in them. :-/

My travel outfit (all JCrew!), all ready to go for tomorrow. I wanted to wear a comfortable dress that would travel well and feel good on once we arrive in the tropical weather. This is one of the cotton-y dresses that recently went on supersale. The scarf is from this spring, I believe, and the cardi from last winter.

I love having a scarf to wrap around my neck on the chilly plane. I'll wear black leggings and flats with this to keep warm, and plan on whipping off the leggings as soon as we're in the airport at Pape'ete. There's nothing better than dressing in layers when traveling.

One can never bring enough coverups... I have about four, besides all my tees and tanks. We'll be spending a lot of time by the pool or at the beach!

I didn't really plan a color scheme, but ended up focusing on whites, creams/tans, blues and blacks. It will keep things simple, which I'm happy about.

I'll be back at the end of September... I hope everyone has a fabulous month. See you all on the flip side!

Is it just me...

2010-08-26T08:39:00.000-07:00

Or does this model have a fairly serious case of Crazy Eyes?

I am totally in love with their wool-cashmere version of the Icon Trench and that beautiful dressage belt, however...

"Elegant Resort Wear"

2010-08-23T18:22:00.000-07:00

I had to laugh at the description above; this is the dress-code specification for our honeymoon resort's on-site restaurant. I take it that flip flops and board shorts are frowned upon, at least at dinner. I wasn't even planning to bring heels of any kind, until I read this. I'm all that sad about bringing a pair of heels, mind you.

We don't plan on eating there beyond trying it out once since hotel restaurants are usually overpriced. I'm looking forward to trying out street vendors and local restaurants much, much more.

After looking in our travel book, I came across some other restaurant/night club descriptions that make me think I should take just a couple of dresses that can be "dressed up" for going out in the evenings. I came across this passage in my Lonely Planet guide:

Dress codes are enforced [in nightclubs] and men in shorts or flip-flops will be turned away; women can get away with wearing as little as they like.

Meh, heh heh! Good thing hubs is packing his Sperry's.

I bought JCrew's Shirred Dress dress during their extra 30% off sale about week and a half ago. There are still a couple sizes left in the black color online for anyone interested. I plan on bringing only this and a cotton strapless dress from JCrew (see this post, minus the cardi) for dress-up occasions.

The (unfinished) hem needs to be trimmed as it's too long on me, even with heels. In this case, I'm glad the hem is unfinished - I don't feel bad at all about giving it a little haircut myself that way. I like how the straps are removable, and this can be worn without a bra -- a definite plus in the hot & humid tropics.

All gussied up in the hopes that this meets dress code requirements. I could really use a rattan clutch accessory but unfortunately I don't own one. My favorite Kate Spade shoes more than make up for it, I hope.

I'm probably over thinking the whole honeymoon wardrobe thing. By the start of week two I might go native, wear nothing but a grass skirt, and refuse to leave.

It could happen.

A question for JCrew Aficionadas

2010-08-20T08:34:00.000-07:00

SOS to my JCA's. Does anyone own this bag?

Seaside Tote

Item no. 24909

This is my latest Tahiti beach bag option/obsession, that's actually reasonably priced. Does anyone know if it's lined, or if it has any kind of closure at the top?

I have some reviews of summer final sale items on deck (a couple of which I'm going to return anyway.) It's quite the mixed bag... reviews coming soon!

Friday Nights at the De Young

2010-08-18T08:16:00.000-07:00

This is a must-see! When we arrived at the gallery we found out that the reason these paintings could even be shown outside the Musee d'Orsay is that it's currently under construction. This really is a rare opportunity to see these paintings outside of France.

On to what makes it so fun...

From the resonably-priced carafes of Pino Noir:

To the $15 3-course Price Fixe menu (beef shortribs with polenta and summer veggies on the right. Hello, lover.):

To the rock band in the main atrium:

To the fabulous artwork:

Edouard Manet, The Fifer, 1866

Edgar Degas, The Dancing Lesson, 1873-1876

It makes for a really fun start to your weekend. I felt a small sense of accomplishment for getting some great cultural exposure before our Saturday had even started.

My only suggestion is to stay away from the wine beforehand if you've had a long day. I felt sleepy, and couldn't stop yawning in the galleries , which I blame the Pinot for (and maybe the fatty short rib? Quite possibly a lethal combination), since the artwork was certainly not boring! My gallery tour went a little like this: Ooh, the vibrant colors in that Manet really pop against the grey background (yawn). Wow, this Monet is stunning! (yawn yawn) I can't believe I'm seeing this Degas in person! (yawn yawn yawn yawwwn)

The exhibition runs until September 6th. I highly recommend you go if you are in the bay area. Go to the De Young's website for more information.

A night at the museum

2010-08-13T08:27:00.000-07:00

Every so often my husband's work has sponsored social events, and I'm particularly excited about tonight's: an evening viewing of Impressionist masterpieces from the Musee d'Orsay at the De Young Museum here in San Francisco. Yes, please! French Impressionism has always been one of my favorite periods in art history... I fell in love with Monet's work in particular when I took an outdoor landscape painting class in high school.

The Magpie by Claude Monet (1868)

Rue Montorgueil, Paris. Festival of June 30, 1878 by Claude Monet (1878)

And of course, what I'll be wearing:

There's something about museums that always makes me want to build my outfits around the color black. Something about it feels so sophisticated and, well, artistic! Also, the weather here has been very misty and foggy and cool, so yes those are black stockings in the bottom corner of the photo. I bought this cardigan from JCrew on super-sale a couple of weeks ago and have been looking forward to wearing it. I love the silvery sequins against the grey of the cardi - I feel like they add a bit of fun, but not too flashy.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

style v. practicality: a honeymoon handbag

2010-08-10T07:02:00.000-07:00

As I've said before, Mr.Mer and I are waiting to honeymoon until September. Besides general planning, I'm excited about searching for leftover summer sale items that we can buy for our honeymoon, which leads me to my latest consumer conundrum: could I snag me a Kate Spade bag, or should I save my money for other items?

I cruised Kate Spade's sale section, and found two bags that could work for using at the beach or pool... I desperately need some kind of bag to stash my trashy mags, sunglasses, sunscreen, and coverup in. Both of these are pretty overpriced, but I might justify buying one if I could use it on weekends or casual outings after we return.

Exhibit A: Fiesta Park Judy

Pros: could definitely be used as a weekend bag in SF -- look how the vibrant colors contrast so nicely against the model's jeans, which I find myself wearing often.

Cons: unlined. I'm afraid tahitian sand could get stuck in the straw and never be dislodged. Which might not be the worst thing in the world, but still something to consider.

Exhibit B: Beachcomber Sophie

Pros: I love both colors and think the pattern is beautiful. Slub linen and it's lined in a pretty contrasting color, yum.

Cons: more expensive, don't think I would use it so much once we get back (but maybe the brown one more), since it's more distinctly "tropical" looking.

So, here are my style questions to you lovely aficionadas out there: which would you choose for a vacay in tahiti and why? Does anyone own either of these, and if so how do you use them?

Damage Control

2010-08-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

I spent much of my evenings last week unpacking and organizing wedding gifts - most of which have been kitchen items. Mr.Mer and I went crazy with our Williams-Sonoma wedding registry, and pretty much all we asked for were kitchen things. We both love to cook together, and while we had some nice things we were still eating off of mismatched china with our IKEA cutlery, and cooking with frying pans with loose handles. We were ready to move up in the world!

I got most items cleaned and put away over the course of last week, but we made the mistake of taking a couple small items back for exchange last Saturday... and buying tenfold more. Bloomingdale's had a 20% off sale that we fell for, and we fell hard: returned four linen napkins, and exchanged for tea cups with saucers, ramekins, salad bowls, more baking trays, and a serving platter. Same story for Williams-Sonoma.

So how am I going to get the rest of this:

And our new purchases:

Into this cupboard? Which is already full of items, albeit poorly organized.

Not to mention new members of our stainless steel family...

Fancy cheese knives and a beautiful salad serving set that seem too precious to be carelessly thrown in with the rest of our scratched, pedestrian stainless steel cutlery. These got their own special drawer in our hutch until further notice. Basically, I'm avoiding making an executive decision until we run out of room again. I did line a yucky drawer with clean white contact paper in the process, however - a small victory.

The only solution to this organizational madness, my friends... is IKEA.

At least the least expensive solution. ;) The open-topped baskets are what I'm looking for. I think creating compartments for the smaller loose items will help keep things ship-shape. I'll be sure to post the results once I have conquered this cupboard.

What say you, readers? How do you prefer to organize your kitchen?

We did it!

2010-08-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

my cousin's hipster-y hipstamatic camera photo will have to do for now... I'm kind of in love with the retro quality...

Hello, again! I'm finally back in blogtown after an extended trip to wedding land.

Our honeymoon isn't until September, so I'm around... reorganizing our house and focusing on thank-you note writing, and getting back into blogging of course!

I am back and ready to post more Outfits of the Day, general JCrew fashion gossip, and a few wedding anecdotes as well (only the G-rated ones... maybe.) I also plan to post several of the stationery and decoration projects I did too, so please check back often! :)

Las Vegas? What will I WEAR?

2010-06-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

So... Vegas. My fiance's friend is celebrating his 30th birthday Vegas-style, and we fly out tonight. I am looking forward to this, but also a little apprehensive. I can't get images of platinum blondes with fake tans/bubbies in slutty little dresses dancing with their douche-y male counterparts in partially unbuttoned dress shirts with gelled hair out of my mind. What is this skinny white girl going to wear in order to fit into all hot messery? Am I going to look/feel awkward the whole time? At least I can count on a mojito or two to loosen up and stop caring...

I didn't want to buy anything, if at all possible, since all our extra money is going towards our Big Fat Danish/American Wedding. It also goes without saying that clothing items appropriate for Vegas have almost no relevance to my daily life.

So, what to wear to the nightclubs? The birthday boy's plan is to go to Tryst, XS, and PURE (um, eye roll at those names), so I need three club-appropriate outfits. I have two little black dresses that I have worn to holiday parties that I think could work, and a white ruffly cocktail dress:

I'll bring various and sundry party tops I've collected over the years, in case I want to be a little more casual. Some of these could also work for daywear. I will mix/match these tops with either my black Minnies or white capris:

At least I'm set in the pool gear department:

The sun hat is from J.Crew, sunglasses are my trusty old Dolce&Gabannas, a BCBG silk tunic I am cleverly using as a coverup (currently on sale for 50% off at Macy's), and a sexeh bandeau bikini that was a B-day pressie from my fiance by Vix. I love the cobra centerpiece. Meow!

Beauty essentials:

Sephora Smoky Eyes kit, sunscreen (of course!) in two forms, and a light fake tanner just in case.

Recap: I got away with purchasing no extras for this trip besides the pool tunic. I consider that to be a success! I will definitely wear this tunic again (with pants) to work, and during our honeymoon.... in Tahiti. :D

Has anyone been to Vegas recently and have wardrobe tips? Did you have any 'unexpected' wardrobe requirements or emergencies?

Outfit of the Day (1.5 Weeks ago): bridal shower

2010-06-15T07:35:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate to have a fabulous bridal shower thrown in my honor a couple of weekends ago. It was delightful to see my best friends (many of whom met each other for the first time) come together and create a really fun event for me. I really felt the love... and feel lucky to have such amazing friends!

Anyway, on to the clothes... I got this J.Crew dress on sale for $49.99 about three weeks ago, down from around $130 or so. This is an in-store only dress, and there may still be a few out there for this great price. I wore it with a merino cardi from fall 08 and my Kate Spades I got on sale last summer.

Pinks, oranges, and yellows: cheerful colors for a happy day!

What has he gots in his pocketses? Yes, I love the pockets. I kept a tissue in there just in case I got all verklempt. ;) This dress also has boning and is lined in cotton, which are nice touches.

And how I plan to wear it in Vegas(!), a little more dressed-down with J.Crew sandals from last summer for during the day:

We leave for Sin City tomorrow night. Ack! I'm in a bit of a wardrobe panic about it, which I'll elaborate on more tonight or tomorrow morning. :)

Does anyone else have this dress? How do you style it?

MsMer Eats Crow

2010-06-01T17:31:00.000-07:00

So...

After all that talk about not buying a designer dress, I bought one. It was a sample, and roughly 50% off full price. And, um... for someone who was ideologically opposed to crinoline, trains, and silk-covered buttons, I have to say the buttons are one of my favorite parts of this dress.

Please don't judge me. Thank you.

Giddily yours,

Ms Mer

Rebecca Minkhoff sample sale

2010-05-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

That's right, folks... if any of you are in SF this weekend, check it out! I'll be there, assuming I can convince my man to come along with me. ;) I'm hoping to grab myself a nice big bag for everyday use.

There will also be a sample sale in LA. Click here for more info. Enjoy!

No dress yet; focusing on shoes

2010-05-18T15:17:00.000-07:00

I have another confession to make: I am getting married at the end of July and still have no wedding gown. Eeeek! Let's just say that I have issues... and can't admit that I'm being a little too picky. I could go one with story after story after story, along with lots of (most likely flawed) psychological self-evaluation, but believe me -- I don't think y'all want to read that.

I just wish my search was like my fiance's for a suit. We walk into a men's bridal formalwear store, and he pulls down a natty Hugo Boss 3-piece suit and we're done, just like that. I wish my search had been that quick and easy!

Looking forward, I'm awaiting the arrival of these two promising potentials, and hope one of them will work out! JCrew's Robin and Clarice gowns (just try saying that without thinking, "Hellooo, Clarice." Told you.)

Until then, who else but Kate Spade to inspire me in the foot department? I'm even allowing less money for my dress budget so that I can splurge a little on the shoes. I should note that I plan on wearing a fun color, as opposed to white or ivory. Why not have fun with it, right? I also like the idea of being able to wear them again after the wedding.

Muse, $298. 2.5 inch heel

A fairly classic shape, with a more contemporary bow. I love this fun pink color, which kind of matches my color-scheme (close enough!), and the heel isn't too high. My fiance is three inches taller than me, so in these I would be safe.

Luna, $295. 3.75 inch heel

Just add gold for a little more glamour. ;) I love how the strap wraps around the foot, with another cute bow detail. These could look too casual in person, but I'll wait and see. Would it be bad if these made me a half-inch taller than my fiance?

Carly, $298. 3.5 inch heel

I think these could look fabulous paired with the Clarice gown. I love their quasi-retro look. Bring on the gold and bows! (I seem to have a thing for bows, can you tell?)

Any thoughts, suggestions, or stories of your own? I'd love to hear any advice my blogtown fashionistas have to share!

Do-it-yourself Derby Hat

2010-05-11T08:37:00.000-07:00

Better late than never! Just want to quickly share my DIY derby hat I made two weeks ago.

This was fairly easy. I had some silky pink ribbon and tulle (random wedding supplies), and cut then into circles, folded them over twice, and sewed them together to make a flowery shape. I sewed them on, rather than glueing them, since I wanted to be able to take the decorations off later. Viola:

Just to be clear, this was just a Derby party at a friend's house in SF, no real visit to Kentucky for us! I have to admit I was glad we were watching it on TV though, due to the rain at the actual event. It was nice hanging out in sunny SF, and watching everyone in their rain slickers on tv. ;) I was glad to see none of the horses fell in the mud... that track looked a little treacherous.

A Derby hat isn't complete without a tulle veil.

The bandage on my finger is another story for another time. It involved a kitchen knife and a trip to the ER! :-/ But that didn't stop me from getting my craft on.

Feeling the silliness... my entire outfit:

Hat: JCrew

Dress: BCBG, summer '08

Sweater: JCrew Merino

Shoes: Kate Spade

Is it bad that I can throw together a ridiculous outfit like this without much effort?

I'm seriously considering keeping the decorations on this hat, minus the tulle veil. It's kind of fun! :)

Get out the mint and bourbon...

2010-04-30T12:59:00.000-07:00

Because it's time for a Kentucky Derby party! Would anyone like a mint julep? I'll take two...

I bought a sun hat from JCrew yesterday, which I plan on gussying up with pink ribbons tonight. I'm hoping it will do. I would love to make something like in the previous post, but that's far beyond my skill level...

What to wear? I plan on wearing a white fluffy cocktail dress, my orange Kate Spades, and that hat. Done and done! "Mr." Mer will be rocking a pink button-up with pressed khakis and his Sperry topsiders. Oh and apparently there will be a horse race too, or something. Right? ;)

If anyone else has Kentucky Derby plans, please share in the comments. Is anyone going to the actual event? And what will you be wearing, dahlings?

Have a great weekend!

Carolina, you're killing me

2010-04-26T12:35:00.000-07:00

Um... a wedding dress made of toile?

I'll take that fabulous hat as well, please. I die!

Ok so I was originally just looking at this for a veil idea:

And then I got lost in all that toile. Le sigh.

For more incredible Carolina Herrera bridal dresses from her latest runway show, click here. But don't say I didn't warn you...

44+10+5+1+1=61.

2010-04-23T17:41:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when anal-retentive people like me can't find "the perfect stamp" for their wedding invitations:

It's math time, kids!

Why would I use 452,019,816* stamps on each envelope, you might ask? Well... I insisted on making things difficult for myself, and had to include 5,632* pieces in my invitation suite. All on heavy card stock. These lovely love stamps weren't enough postage, but I still wanted to include them. I mean, they're cute, right? Love. The king and queen of hearts. Aw!

And look, she's giving him flowers. That's precious.

The only $0.17 stamp available that would cover the difference is this:

Um, hi. Bighorn sheep? Oy. You're cute and everything, but not really appropriate for wedding invitations. You also don't fit into the color scheme. Sorry. Come back later. Maybe we can use you for the bachelor party invitations!

*figures have been exaggerated for dramatic effect.

No clothes, just wedding Registries

2010-04-05T08:50:00.000-07:00

Peeps, I just discovered the most fun thing of all about planning a wedding: the REGISTRY. My fiance and I spent 4 1/2 hours downtown last Saturday, scanning our hearts away. Williams-Sonoma kicked us out at around 8:30pm after they had closed, I'm not kidding. It was quite the exciting Saturday-night date, I'll tell ya.

If my fiance and I can agree on one thing, it's kitchen supplies. Woohoo!

Oh, and is it a bad thing that these are the two registry items that I'm most excited about? (Besides actually having a complete dinner set. But that's like, so practical and boring)

Pillivuyt Cow Creamer

Yes! Almost kitchy but not quite, because it's plain white and French.

Tres provincial chic, no?

And the cutest pig-shaped Cutting /Cheese board EVER!

I die from the cuteness.

I'm turning into such a domestic. Please send help.

Also, my fiance wanted to add some darling kitchen towels with a pretty lemon illustration, "because they're pretty." Why yes, yes we can. This just proves what a metro-fabulous catch he is. ;)

Does anyone have a favorite registry item they asked for, or plan to ask for? Please share your stories!

April Fool's

2010-04-01T08:29:00.000-07:00

Just dropping a quick note... Google totally fooled me this morning. Hee hee! I guess I am easily entertained.

I also love their Virgle Mars Colony plan. I think I'm packing my bags and going. Anyone else up for Mars travel with Richard Branson and Sergei Brin?

I hope everyone has a happy April Fool's, and isn't tricked too badly. :)

Spring Equinox

2010-03-22T08:45:00.000-07:00

Spring is here! After Saturday, March 20, the days will be longer than the nights. This was reason enough for us to have a little pagan celebration.

The weather was so nice here, we decided it was high time to have the first barbecue of the year. I let my fiance be the Keeper of the Flame. He will pretty much do anything I ask, as long as he can have a glass of wine in his hand. I'm happy to oblige!

Someone's working hard (or hardly working) over there. Are the coals hot enough yet?

We barbecued a whole little organic chicken. Yum. I stuffed it with lemon and garlic, and put fresh oregano and thyme under the skin for some some delicious, pagan-y goodness. (No photo available... 'cause we ate it that fast. Actually, yours truly had her fair share of wine before dinner too and just forgot!)

The weather was also really nice on Sunday afternoon, and at around 5pm I had an unexplainable hankering for guacamole... and champagne. Tee hee!

Chips, homemade guacamole and $7 Prosecco from Trader Joe's. Klassy: we duz it!

Did anyone get to do anything fun this weekend?

Mad Men Reruns!

2010-03-19T08:45:00.000-07:00

Photos for Vanity Fair by Annie Leibovitz

Mad Men, Season 3 Encore starts this Sunday on AMC. Get pumped! I have yet to see any of season 3, so you can guess what I'll be doing while I sit in front of the TV stuffing invitation envelopes. Thazright, freeze-framing the fabulous ladies' tailored outfits. No, wait. I will be freeze-framing scenes in which Don Draper is shirtless. No, wait! (my fiance is going to be my envelope helper, so I can't do that.) I will be freeze-framing the brilliant boardroom advertising pitch boards, of course (that one's for you, LizPoms.) Of course, of course.

And please, no spoilers! I've managed to live through season three relatively spoiler-free. The only thing I heard was someone's feet getting hacked off by a lawn mower, but that sounds mostly like a comic-relief kinda thing (kidding. maybe?)

Betty's dress looks a lot like JCrew's super 120s Andre dress in heather flannel.

On sale for $150... I'm just sayin'.

Enjoy the various and sundry eye candy, and have a great weekend everyone!

JCrew Review: Tweed Dauphine Jacket

2010-03-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

I popped over to JCrew on Monday evening to use up my rewards card before it expired at the end of that day, and to check out their new arrivals.

I've never tried any of their tweed jackets, although I have admired them from afar. I spied the Tweed Dauphine Jacket and had to give it a try. It's way out of my price range at $350, but I thought I'd try it anyway to satisfy my curiosity.

No comment on the paint-splattered overalls.

This is a size 0, my regular JC size. It fastened in the front with a hook clasp that was kind of difficult to fasten/unfasten. This jacket had a little bit of gathering at the elbows and in the back, which made it "poof" out a bit. It's a little hard to see in the photos. This might be so that it allows more freedom of movement, but I think I would have preferred a more straight line.

Looking at these photos makes me think I could have sized up. It looks a little too snug in the shoulders.

Very nice fabric, loved the feel of it and the interwoven colors. The buttons looked nice, and not cheap-looking to me. I think I'm a sucker for these frayed edges as well.

I was hoping it would channel Coco Chanel more, but I probably had unrealistically high expectations. Especially since I was hoping to channel Audrey Tautou as Chanel. A girl can dream, right? Le sigh...

Overall I liked the jacket, but just felt that it wasn't for me. I can't help thinking I shouldn't sport this kind of look until I'm over 35. I have nothing against the fabulous over-30 ladies out there, but this jacket in particular that feels too "mature" for me right now.

I would love to have a tweed jacket some day, as I think it would be a great wardrobe staple. My (not-so-focused) search of a nice tweed jacket continues. Some day I will find my tweed soul mate!

Anyone own a JC (or other) tweed jacket? How do you usually style it?

Wearing Today, and my winter pick-me-up

2010-03-12T16:13:00.000-08:00

I was going to post today about my "successful" experiment with leggings and a shorter sweater, but, um... I think it was a pretty epic Fashion Fail. Isn't it funny how you think you look good in the mirror, but photos show the cold-hard facts? At least all I did was go to the grocery store in the rain today -- which does justifies the Uggs. ;) I almost didn't post this, but it's kind of funny -- and I like to keep it real around here occasionally.

Behold, the awful truth of my experiment:

Oh hai, thighs! And a preggy-belly to boot (ha.) *Shudder.*

Lesson learned, cover dem thighs when you wear leggings. I'm not pregnant, for the record, but holy crap it looks like I am well into my first trimester. Eek. I promise to never wear this combination again, unless I want to dress up as a character from Flashdance for Halloween.

A late winter pick-me-up

I'm probably not the only one feeling very white and pale by now, it being late winter and all. I especially notice that when my face is really white, like now, then combined with being stressed out or not getting enough sleep, it's really bad. On to my favorite winter pick-me-up: Bronzer!

Bronzer in "Riviera" and Blush Brush No. 49, both from Sephora

Thazright, I like to do it Mediterranean-style.

Thank you , Bronzer, for giving me a mid-winter tan on my cheekbones. I put some blush on my cheeks, and use the same brush to dust some bronzer along my cheekbones and the sides of my face. Ta-da! An instant mini-tan to combat the late-winter blues.

Sorry I am posting such frightening photos today... Is anyone still reading? ;)

Monstercheek, eep! But you can see, the bronzer is pretty subtle but still makes a difference by adding more depth of color than a blusher alone could.

What's your favorite method of combating winter paleness of the face?

My Oscar one-liner

2010-03-10T18:00:00.000-08:00

First off, a visual explanation of why I've been MIA:

Yes, that's our dining table parked in front of the living room couch... the better to see the television, my dear!

It's invitation-addressing madness over here. Old-school calligraphy style! Not to mention printing all the invitations and other materials on my little home printer... and trimming everything out myself. I must be crazy!

What better show to watch while doing tedious, mindless work? The OSCARS, dahlings! And first, the red carpet show on E!, which is not to be missed. Ryan Seacrest is my favorite red-carpet reporter. :)

Was I the only one who noticed that structure seemed to be a major theme this year, more so than usual? Rock-hard bodices seemed to be the rule rather than the exception. I felt like a lot of dresses were wearing the women, instead of the other way around. (e.g. Carrie Mulligan, Penelope Cruz, J Lo, Elizabeth Banks...)

My favorite ensembles of the night were Sandra Bullock (gorgeous! loved the bright red lipstick contrasted with her beautiful silver dress), Helen Mirren (always classy) and Meryl Streep. Poor Meryl. I root for her every year, since this was her 16th nomination. I also thought her diamond earrings looked very pretty (sparkles!) next to her white jacket once she was inside.

On to my one-liner... I want to check if anyone else noticed this... Amanda Seyfried and J.Lo both wore dresses by Armani, and they even appeared to be made of the bubble-wrap material. Did anyone else feel an urge to pop the bubbles? I thought maybe it was just me, until I saw this article on MyStyle. Apparently Lady Gaga rocked a similar look by Armani for the Grammys.

I couldn't help but think of this...

An evolution of fashion? Of course, Lady Gaga takes it all the way to Outer Space. (Which is one of the reasons I love her.)

What do you think of Armani going all 2001, a Space Odyssey? And what was your favorite Oscar ensemble?

Love, love, love

2010-02-11T18:10:00.000-08:00

Whelp, it's already the weekend for me by now. We are piling into the car earrrly tomorrow morning to go skiing in Tahoe until Monday. Yippee! We got passes to ski at Northstar the whole time.

Hell, no, I'm not afraid to take screen captures and post them. Northstar says it will be a good day, so here's to hoping it will be... ;)

Since I won't be here to wish you all a Happy Love Day, I'll share this photo of the flowers on our dining room table. (the table is clear of clutter, for once. victory!) I am sad to be leaving them for four days, and hope they'll still be fresh when we get back. The hyacinths smell divine. $5.99 for that whole shibang at Trader Joe's, people. Take advantage if you can!

Snifffff!

Oh, and here's some documentation of my hypocrisy... I did, in fact, make a little love-day card for my Mister. No big deal, nothing materialistic, just a sweet note inside, telling him how much I love him. Yeah, yeah... I guess when it comes right down to it, I'm a sentimental softie.

It's also a tiny bit preemptive. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't. Like, what if he surprises me with something, and I don't have anything to give him in return? How embarrassing would that be. Is it bad to even have that thought process? It is with Deep Thoughts like these with which I leave you today.

Have a great weekend, everyone. I hope you all have a nice Love Day, no matter how you celebrate it, if at all. Tell someone you care about that you love them, even if it's a friend. :)

xoxo!

Ms.Mer

M + O Promo

2010-02-10T12:05:00.000-08:00

I love (love!) Martin + Osa's promotions... there is hardly ever a need to pay full-price for anything at that store. Go shop for yourself or for your sweetie, people.

Pink? Yes, please! Happy Valentine's Day, to me. ;)

Love is in the air...

2010-02-05T07:53:00.000-08:00

And you can especially feel it if you visit Emersonmade!

This image made my week... so sweet!

I admit I've always been kind of "anti-" Valentine's Day, mostly because I don't like how it creates unrealistic material expectations (every kiss begins with Kay? um, no.) (And I know this blog is 95% materialistic, so... I guess this makes me a hypocrite, too.) (And this parenthesis is just for good measure. It's Friday and I'm feelin' punchy ok?) If I start the day expecting an amazing surprise, I'm always disappointed.

My fiance and I usually make a point of not celebrating The Day, at least not by exchanging gifts. A romantic dinner at home is nice and just fine, thanks. Especially if he cooks! :)

That said, of course I wouldn't mind being presented with one of these on Love Day...

Or one of these!

Bam! Bossy in the best possible way.

I think that's enough over-the-top girly goodness for now. Click here if you need more, or want to send a not-so-subtle hint to someone. ;)

Have a great weekend!

Swan Butt.

2010-01-28T13:23:00.000-08:00

How adorable are you, my leetle swan?

I think this is an awfully adorable swan derriere. You could take it shopping, some place casual, or out dancing on friday night. (insert a "shake your tail feathers" pun here. maybe? no?)

Oh -- and a couple new wedding gown arrivals, squee!

I'm looking at you, tiered Tara gown...

The Seraphina gown is interesting, but I'm not sure how that bubble hem/drape would fly in person:

It's also made of linen. Yeesh. I think the wrinkle-risk is way to high. But I still think it's pretty.

Is anyone drawn to anything in particular in the new batch?

Hot Under the Collar

2010-01-26T19:32:00.000-08:00

Peeps, my pregnant girlfriend just made my day. She is sewing her little Betty Crocker booty off, and we were talking about making an apron for me together since she already knows how (I'm a sewing newbie.) And guess what kind of fabric she has? The most ridiculous, awesome fabric ever:

Get out your hoses, boys!

(sorry.)

Tee hee! I'm so looking forward to getting an apron made out of this... and I'm so getting red ruffles around the edges! I'll be back when I've managed to stop laughing...

Dress Dreaming

2010-01-25T11:57:00.001-08:00

After seeing the prices of made-to-order wedding dresses (hello, sticker shock), J.Crew's dress selection is becoming more and more appealing to me... anything under $1K means the price is right!

Taryn Gown, approx. $400

Sabine Gown, approx. $700

Do readers have any experiences with J.Crew's wedding dresses that they'd like to share?

Fun with Stationery & Calligraphy

2010-01-18T21:45:00.000-08:00

Here's a glimpse into my mad little wedding planning world, as of late. Right now I'm still in crazy stationery mode.

Pretty paper samples get me all excited about stationery...

I'm lovin' those big fat columns. Go to Neenah Paper's website for more eye candy. You can order paper samples for free, all you have to pay for is the shipping.

Return-addressing envelope backs in the dark of night at the kitchen table... there's something so satisfying about a stack of crisp envelopes. To me, at least. Maybe I need to stop doing this at night...

I did manage to {sort of} master some calligraphic technique -- I won't bore you with the practice pages of loops and swirls, just on straight to the finished product. It's instant gratification around here for my peeps! However, if you're interested in seeing the instruction pages I printed out for practicing, click here to go to a calligraphy website with instructions and videos on different techniques for each letter of the alphabet.

Here's a fun little made-up Save-the-Date addressed to our favorite fashionista... just a little joke between me and the rest of you JCA's. There's the Save the Date card peeking out at the bottom there -- I'm not giving anything away until after the wedding. ;)

Oh, I do hope she can make it! Hee hee hee

Cozy Cable Knits

2010-01-15T16:45:00.000-08:00

I've had lots of cozy thoughts on my mind this week, mostly due to the weather... and have noticed cable knits being used in some unconventional ways. Here's some fun cable knit eye candy for your Friday/weekend...

If you didn't think a vase could look cozy, think again. Alyssa Ettinger has some amazing "knitware" ceramic designs... her web page is here. I love these...

I've been eyeing Room and Board's cable knit pillows and throws since I saw them in the latest catalogue. Mmmm, designer pillows. So snuggly and tactile! ...but expensive. Product page here.

The holidays are over, but this could very well be the sweetest giftwrap set evah... notice the cable knit wrapped around the box in the top left photo. Not to mention the book-page paper and pom-pom decorations. Swoon! See here for more, plus a sweet little giftwrapping tutorial.

Aaaand back to conventional uses for cable knit, I drank some Crewlade...

Mmm, tastes like sweet papaya.

All's I gotta say is "Extra20," baby.

Have a great weekend!