The most gorgeous dress in the world?

Just about. Waaaaaay to expensive ($5280), but the colors are just stunning. Care to gawk with me?

Want.

This shirt from C.L.E. Clothing Co.

!!!

You should check out the C.L.E. They're pretty awesome. It's nice to see a company that celebrates the city. I love it here, and it always made my heart sink when friends would put Cleveland down, no matter what their reasons were.

So buy a shirt and wear your love of Cleveland on your sleeve!

Lust List: Indigo Mood

Things I want (sigh). Why can't I win like $500 on a lottery ticket? Just enough to have a fun little splurge.

In this edition of my covetousness, you will notice an insistence on a particular hue: cobalt. I am all about this shade lately. Maybe I'm feeling blue?

 Adorable Zodiac-inspired embroidery kit (in Scorpio and Gemini), from miniaturerhino

 Incredible 1930s gown from violetvillevintage

And, to go with it, this a-ma-zing ring from gypsycandy

Rani, The beautiful seafoam lace necklace by treeandkimball

Aimee, the beautiful deep blue beauty from treeandkimball

My love of Erica Weiner jewelry runs deep. This Sadie Hawkins ring is no exception.

And, finally, I think I deserve a BookBook Macbook cover to celebrate

my amazing graduate fellowship (and earning my M.M. this spring)!

The only question: vibrant red, or classic black?

That's right, I accepted an incredible offer from a school that seems just as excited about me as I am about them (the department head emailed me personally to tell me how pleased she was that I decided to attend). I will begin my journey towards a Ph.D this fall!!!

Floating on a Cloud...

So, I've been really weird about spending money lately, other than on groceries. I have been trying to avoid buying little things like coffee and lunch, because I know they can add up so quickly, and I always think to myself, "If I spend this now, I won't have money for wedding things." It's a good way to keep the credit card from getting swiped, you know?

But, I had a one-in-a-million moment today, and I think my not-spending-money thing was karma. The universe was trying to tell me to hold out, otherwise I might have missed out!. Let me explain.

I have two major purchasing regrets in life, both of them dresses, oddly enough (but I'm only going to talk about the first one). I discovered the dress my first year working for housing, before my senior year of college. It was a dress from Anthropologie that just kept calling to me. I would keep the page open at work and stare longingly at it. But, I was hesitant to spend the money even though I clearly was madly in love with this dress. Because, it was Anthropologie, after all. Their dresses run about $200, and I buy most of my clothes at thrift stores. It's hard to go from paying less than $10 for anything to spending $150 and up for a single thing!

So the item went on sale, yet I still told myself it wasn't a good idea. The dress came and went, but I still dreamt after it, longingly. I really knew I had been a dummy when, a year later, I was still sad about not buying it. I still had the pictures sitting in a folder and I would look at them and shake my head. Sometimes you just have to buy yourself nice things, you know? Especially if you really love it and keep coming back to it. Generally, I'm not a big spender. I like to keep things simple and eat well and focus on that. But I think there's value in buying something you'll really love and cherish.

So, I was taking a study break tonight (writing a paper for my grad class), and somehow I ended up on ebay, and I saw it! THE DRESS. The FRIGGIN' ANTHROPOLOGIE, missed-opportunity-dress! Not only that, it was a BUY IT NOW. How did I get so lucky? I didn't even have to worry about getting my heart broken by losing the auction to somebody else...

So, without further adieu, here's what I got:

The Anthropologie Antiquarian Dress

I fell in love with that lace, obvs.

This dress is so special to me, mostly because I tracked it down after almost three years. It was just one of those things I would idly search every now and then. I still can't really believe I found it!

I am probably going to wear this beauty for engagement photos, and the rehearsal dinner. Might as well give it the spotlight it deserves!!!

And now, back to my paper. I am so looking forward to checking my mailbox this week!

John Galliano goes Hollywood Glamour!

I saw this blog post on the beautiful, classic glamour of the Spring 2011 John Galliano show. I'm not one to follow couture, though I'm fascinated by it. (Fashionated?) 

I love the swanky, 40s look; the bright red lacquered lips, the picture collars, the voluminous skirts. But most of all? I love the sheer, colorful, elbow length gloves.

Good old birdcage veils.

Love the sheer champagne and taupe
with those blue gloves!

Something about this one reminds me
of Grace Kelly...the hair? The slim silhouette?

Favorite.
Love the gloves and the color combo!

Volume!

Stunning.

Party Time!

I love the contrast in these images by russetplait: the red hair, the deep red lips, the black against the snow. So gorgeous!

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I love this look for the holidays; just a pop of deep red with black and a touch of sparkle at the collarbone.

I also liked E's look on Academichic for a party with professors: deep charcoal gray with bright red tights.

I would so wear this! Only I'd probably add a simple necklace with red gems;
I don't like my neck to go bare unless I'm playing violin.

My take on neutrals+red? I'm currently wearing red nail polish from Urban Outfitters.

This exact one, in fact.

This is a first for me, because I've always avoided red nails. They're just so basic, not much more interesting to me than a french manicure (eeew). Nothing against girls who want the classic look,* I'd just rather have an opaque pop of color if I'm going to take the time to do my nails. I don't often do it, because I'm impatient and smudge the nails before they can get a chance to really set.

Generally I'm all about the OPI Sephora colors, but it's hard to justify $9.00 nail polish when I'm not a nail polish maven. When I was at UO buying this nail polish (and Christmas presents for people), the girl at the checkout said "This is such a blood red. Like something out of Twilight." One of the other cashiers chided her, "DON'T TELL THAT TO THE CUSTOMERS!" I had a chuckle.

Anyways, back to party looks. We had a nice little shindig at our place Sunday evening. Just eleven friends, mulled wine, and appetizers. It was an awesome evening. It was the first time we've had more than a couple people over at once, and it was a smashing success.

I labeled everything.

The puppy chow/muddy buddies were gone by the end of the night.

The table with Christmas decor.

Snowflake garlands and pretty lights.

Our coffeetable with the "party tree"
and flowers from John's concert on Thursday.

Setting out the pretty cups and the veggie tray.

And, of course, I have no photographic evidence of my outfit, but I got lots of compliments. I wore a soft-as-can-be black cardigan over a quirky floral print dress I bought at Salvation army, my red nails, my grandmother's golden lockets, a black fascinator in my hair, and dark skinny jeans. The important thing to me was keeping everybody in food and drink and conversation, and I'd say it went off without a hitch.

Hope your holidays are filled with many nights of family, friends and fun!


*Unless you get a french pedicure. Those creep me out for some reason. A lot.