Awesome Deal on 3/4 Sleeve Cardis at Nordys!

Nordstrom has a smokin' deal right now on Halogen 3/4 sleeve cardis.  70% off!  They were originally $39 and now they are $9.97!!  I snagged two this morning.  :)  There are still quite a few colors and sizes left.  With this brand and style I need to go up a size from my normal top size.  It's a pretty snug cardi.

70% Off Halogen 3/4 Sleeve Cardigans at Nordstrom.com

Saturday Night: Favorite LBD w/ Red Trench

Saturday night we went out to a nice dinner with a colleague and his wife.  The restaurant was a really nice one in Newport Beach so I thought this place would give me an opportunity to wear my favorite Little Black Dress. I have two LBDs:  one can be dressed up or down, and one definitely is dressy.  This is the dressy one.  I absolutely love this dress and wish I had more opportunities to wear it.  This is only the third time I've worn it and I've had it for a year.  I find the shutter pleating creates a slimming effect and the crisscrossed bodice draws attention upward which is where I need it most!

Saturday Night LBD w/ Red Trench Outfit

I should stop turning by body this way since it shows my bad right foot that is infested with ugly-ass vericose veins.  But this photo shows the handbag better than the one above.

*Tadashi Shoji Shutter Pleat Jersey Dress black - nordstrom.com 

Kenneth Cole REACTION trench Cardinal Red - Ebay

Cole Haan 'Carma Air' OT pumps black patent - Nordstrom

Sorrelli 'Rare Jewels' black/red/hematite stones necklace - Nordstrom Rack

**Prada gold metallic handbag - second hand designer clothing store in Laguna Beach but I forgot the name of it.

* The Tadashi dress was 60% off!!  I watched this one like a HAWK.  Watching this really paid off.  This was a deal of all deals.  ETA:  Shoot, after seeing these photos you can't see the beautiful shutter pleating of this dress.  I'll have to share the stock photo so you can see.  I must wear this dress again and get better lighting so you can see the shutter pleating on me and what it does for my figure!  Stock photo:

** The Prada bag I got from my husband's friend's second-hand designer clothing store.  It was in such nice condition.  The girl told me the retail price was about $800, but I got it for $75.  Nice! It was a holiday gift from my husband last year.

Crisp White Button-Down: Let's Try Again

The flash is probably too bright in this photo but I am so much happier the way this white button-down looks untucked with a wider belt AT my waist and with a saturated colored scarf than it looks tucked in with the skinnier belt below my waist and with a neutral scarf.

No More Tucking In Shirts Outfit

Lauren Ralph Lauren white button-down shirt- macys.com

KUT From The Kloth espresso brown boot-cut cords - nordstrom.com

BP. Nordstrom plaid scarf fuchsia/light pink/black

Cole Haan 'Air Carma' OT pumps w/ Nike Air copper croc - Cole Haan Outlet

Finally - A Feel Good Outfit!

Since the crisp white shirt and cords outfit didn't go so well, this week getting dressed has put me in a some find of a funk.  Not one single photo has turned out post-worthy until today.  Still, there is too much sun in the photo, but at least I really like what I'm wearing today.  I never knew I could love yellow so much. 

Feeling Good Outfit (location:  outside husband's office)

Clinton Kelly says the hem on jeans should be as long as possible but not so long they are dragging on the floor - he says the hem should be 1/4"-1/2" from the floor.  I think I achieve that here.  I am obsessed with having my pants the correct length.  I can't stand it when I see people walk around with bootcut or wide leg pants 3 or 4" from the floor.  That drives me completely batty.

My husband picked out this gold chunky fashion necklace all by himself and surprised me with it for my 40th birthday.  At that time I never wore big chunky jewelry but I wanted to.  I just didn't know how.  I was afraid.  I am no longer afraid.

Caslon Elbow-Sleeve Cardigan yellow - nordstrom.com

Caslon cami chocolate brown - nordstrom.com

KUT From The Kloth wide leg trouser jeans Delight wash - Nordstrom Rack

Another Line skinny patent belt chocolate brown - nordstrom.com

*Juicy Couture 'Imagine' peep-toe pumps Old Gold Metallic Lizard - nordstrom.com

Nordstrom brand crinkled leather handbag khaki 

Liz Palacios 'Zodiac' pendant necklace gold with light green and light amber stones - Nordstrom  

*I never should have said I ONLY wear Cole Haan heels because that is not true.  If the toe is not too pointy and does not squish my toes too tight and the overall quality is good and they are comfy I will wear them. 

Crisp White Shirt, Mid-Rise Cords with Skinny Belt, Scarf - Does this all really work for my body type?

Well, when I looked at myself in this outfit in the mirror today I absolutely loved it.  However, I look at the photo and I don't like it at all.  I have this button-down crisp white shirt that I pretty much only wear with SU's gray skirt I hunted down because I just don't know how else to wear these types of shirts.  I really wanted to wear this shirt today with something different, so I tried tucking it in my mid-rise espresso brown boot-cut cords.   It looked hideous without a belt, so I wore my only belt that I guess sort of worked - my chocolate brown skinny patent belt.  Belting these pants places the emphasis a little below my waist, so I'm pretty sure this look does not look flattering at all.  I think the scarf probably needed to be more of a saturated color to stand out against the white.  The way it hangs down so long and flat makes my bust look totally and completely non-existent.  Also, am I supposed to put the scarf UNDER my collar?  I didn't even try since it seemed the scarf would have been too thick for that.

Am I being too hard on myself?  Maybe the photos are just too bright.  I don't know, I got so many stares today when I picked up my son from school from other moms in sweatpants and frumpy clothes galore.  I even got a double stare and a smile from the principal.  I'm sure the moms in sweatpants were scratching their heads as to why I was wearing a crisp white shirt, a scarf, and coppery metallic pumps as they wear sweatpants every single day to pick up their kids at school.  I am the only one who gets dressed I swear I stick out like a sore thumb amongst the sweatpants crowd.  Oh well, I will still wear metallic copper pumps to pick up my son from school.  Why should these fabulous pumps sit in my closet and have to wait for a babysitter?  Damn right I'm going to wear them whenever I feel like it.

Lauren Ralph Lauren white button-down shirt- macys.com

KUT From The Kloth espresso brown boot-cut cords - nordstrom.com

Ann Taylor neutrals abstract scarf - purchased with mom in Scottsdale

Cole Haan 'Air Carma' OT pumps w/ Nike Air copper croc - Cole Haan Outlet

Nine West 'Dixon' croc handbag pepper - Macy's

a little bit longer gold hoops earrings - Nordstrom

A Few Things Remixed

All of these pieces I've posted before but I've never worn them all together like this.  I'm tired of wearing this peach embellished tee with my brown bootcut cords so today I'm pairing this tee with my denim skirt, black long open-front cardi, cognac boots and chocolate brown tights.  I really hope the brown tights are working here.  My guess is that black tights would place a tiny patch of black amongst the denim and brown, so I decided the brown tights would contribute to creating a longer line.  I hope I am right.  Wouldn't it be great if I could call Clinton Kelly and ask him these things?!!  I need a personal stylist who will be honest with me at all times.  I'm pretty much wearing the heck out of my denim skirt as it's the only pencil skirt I own.  What I really need is a black pencil skirt.  I have so many tops I could pair with that and it will change the look so much.  I'm so bored of my jeans.

Caslon 3/4 sleeve embellished tee peach - Nordstrom

Bobeau open-front cardigan black - Nordstrom

Halogen denim skirt - Nordstrom

Cole Haan 'Justine' 2.25" heel boots Woodbury - colehaan.com

small dangle gold hoops Clinton Kelly would despise - Macy's

wood cuff bracelet purchased on special trip to Scottsdale with mom - Macy's

Sparkle Tank - Take 2 for New Year's Eve

A few days before Christmas I wore the silver sparkle tank to a holiday party but I paired it with black dress pants and black pumps.  For a New Year's Eve party I wore the sparkle tank again with the same open-front cardigan but paired with a denim skirt, black tights, and black boots.  The red jeweled necklace is from the same line as the earrings I wore with this tank before.

I turned a little so you can see the plain back of the tank.

New Year's Eve Outfit

MICHAEL Michael Kors silver/black/charcoal sparkle tank - ruelala.com

Bobeau open-front cardigan black - Nordstrom

Halogen denim skirt - Nordstrom

Cole Haan 'Markesa' boots black - colehaan.com

Cole Haan opaque tights black - colehaan.com (these are the BEST tights I've ever worn.  I will never buy another brand of tights again.  I'll just have to wait to buy them on Cyber Monday with 40% off!!)

Sorrelli 'Rare Jewels' necklace red/black/hematite - Nordstrom Rack

Kenneth Cole NY 'High Polish' clutch black patent - Nordstrom