What is this?

OK, J Crew has a fabulouse promo going on right now with 25% off (everything) and free shipping with $150 (lower than their usual $175). Anyway, I was clicking around their site, trying to decide if I wanted anything and this, I hesitate to call it a top, caught my eye. More like seared my retinas. J Crew calls this the "Porcupine Popover". The description says it is a merino top with a "chiffon overlay embroidered with fabulous all over jewled fringe." It looks painful, and like it would catch on everything. The best part is that this, we will call it interesting, top can be your for the sale price of $395! Total fail. Would you buy this? Am I missing some amazing trend because all I can say is ick.

Ode to the Cord Blazer

I love a cord blazer in the fall. Some how they are the perfect transition item. The texture gives a nod to the season and yet not to warm for the changing temps. This is especially true here in Northern CA where it was about 55 this morning but will be in the low 70's by afternoon. The true appeal of this kind of jacket is it's ability to go so many places. Yesterday I went as a chaperone on a filed trip to the NASA Ames facility with my son's 5th grade class. I wore jeans, driving mocs and a purple fine wale cord blazer from Nordstrom's Halogen line. Today I am back at the office and wearing the same blazer with a navy blouse, gray trousers and a statement necklace. I also have an older J Crew brow cord jacket that I wear a ton with jeans in the fall and winter. They elevate the look without overdoing it. What do you think? Are you crazy for cord?

The Button Front Skirt

These slightly flared button front skirts are everywhere this fall. This one is, of course, from J Crew but Banana Republic has an almost exact same skirt and I even spotted one at Brooks Brothers. I confess that I love the longer length but just can't make myself buy this skirt, although I have tried on all versions more than once. Why is that? I have tried switching tops, shoes, boots you name it. I confess that they look to much like the dowdy button front full skirts I remember growing up in the 70's. Maybe it was traumatic but when I put one on, I just see dowdy. I also suspect that it's not quite the professional look I am going for. I saw a girl on the street as I walked to the train station the other night and she wearing the heather acorn colored skirt from J Crew with the leopard print Tippis sweater tucked in and some great boots. Really she looked amazing enough that I was tempted to run directly to J Crew and hand over my credit card in a daze but then I looked again and realized that she was at least 10 (if not 20) years older than I was. Hey, at 41 I'm not all that old but this girl looked like she'd get carded at Target. Once again, I suspect that this skirt style proves the rule that if you are old enough to have worn or remembered the style the first time, you are likely to old to wear it when it comes back! What do you think?

Tying the reversible bow tie

I love bow ties on men. Sadly neither Hubby nor my oldest son are reallyinto them. My youngest son, however, rocks them. I think I've posted before with the great diagram below about how to actually tie one (not easy). I found it on www.socialprimer.com. I love that site and also their blog. If you have boys you are trying to bring up preppy it's a great resource. Especially if you don't live in the South or North East. Anyway, today they had a post on their blog about how to ties these great reversible bow ties. Essentially to acheive the two sided look above, in step 6 you twist the tail (the part in your left hand) around as you tie so that the reverse half shows. Social Primer makes these great reversible ties for Brooks Brothers and are avialable for purchase if you follow the linl above!

Weekend Wear Revelation

A while back I posted about the hole in my wardrobe that was casual weekend wear. Cozy cords and sweaters, cute outfits to run errands and the like. Kind of like this darling picture from Loft. They were just missing from my closet. Pencil skirt, button downs, dress slacks and heels? Check. Workout pants, sweatshirts, baseball caps and sneakers? Check. The middle was a gaping hole. Which of course I set about filling. Now I do have a small stash or cords. more casual button downs and sweaters. But you know what? I have hardly worn them. Last night, after a busy yet fairly routine weekend, I had a revelation about why. Let me give you the weekend run down. Saturday morning started early, I dropped AGB off for baseball, while I ran (and I mean actaully ran) over to the bank to meet the little league treasurer (I am the president) to change our accounts. Then after running back to pick up AGB we went back to the house. There, while hubby and OPB were out at the grocery store and picking up his new cub scout uniform I cleaned the house. Then Hubby took AGB to soccer and CMB and I rode our bike to the local high school where she had a tennis clinic and I played on another court with a friend. We rode home, showered before dinner and then watched a movie. Sunday I coached AGB's fall ball baseball game in the morning and hubby took CMB to lacrosse. I did get a lunch time shower and put on a nicer pair of shorts and cute top but most of the day (and all of Saturday) was spent in black yoga pants, a tee and baseball cap with sneakers. Suddenly it all made sense. Kind of like when your kids are small and spit up on you all the time, right now mine are all school aged and still young enough that I am involved in all their sporting activities. Although how I ended up little league president is a mystery. That hole was in my closet for a reason. I don't need many of those things because I don't have that kind of life right now. What do you think? Does that make sense? Do you have any closet holes that are actually serving a purpose?

Seasonal Cocktails

Who doesn't love a good cocktail on a special night out or even after a long day at work. The fabulous Belle over at Capital Hill Style posted this wonderful pumpkin martini. I'm not usually one for flavored drinks but it sounds wonderful! So on a Friday aftenoon, raise your glass and have a wonderful weekend!

Pumpkin Martini

1/2 oz. cream liquor

2 oz vanilla vodka

1/2 oz pumpkin liquor

1 tsp whipped cream and cinnamon sticks for garnish

Pour the cream liquor and vodka into a shaker, fill with ice and shake.

Add pumpkin liquor and shake again. Pour into chilled glass and garnish.

You can rim the glasses with a cinnamon and sugar mix or brown sugar if desired.

Enjoy!

Quality or Quanity?

To me that has always been the essential debate regarding my closet. Some part of me years for more (who doesn't be honest) and would rather buy six ribbed turtlenecks at Old Navy than one perfect cashmere one from say Neiman Marcus. Let me start out by saying that I am in no way intending to disparage or praise any retailer mentioned. I'm just using them as examples. As I have grown older though I have come to appreciate the quality. I am trying to edit my closet so that I have only things I love and want to wear as opposed to tons of things that are only ok. For me this means I need to stop trolling ebay. Now again, don't get me wrong, ebay is a great source for fashion finds but I have more than once fallen prey to the inexpensive copy and been disappointed. This leads to me not only wasting money but looking aweful. I'm going to undertake a massive clean out this weekend. If it isn't perfect, it goes. Stay tuned for the results!