Getting Naked

Urban Decay Naked and Naked 2 eyeshadow palettes

HA! My blog post title makes me laugh every time I read it. I wonder if that's what Urban Decay had in mind when it created its fabulous and much-acclaimed eyeshadow palettes. "Hey, what are you going to the mall for?" "Oh, I just have to get Naked." HA. Yes, that made me laugh again. It might be the cold meds, so please forgive me if that's not actually funny.

On to NAKED! (*chuckle*) I just had to do a post on this fabulosity of Urban Decay's eyeshadow palettes. Now, I know that these palettes have been hyped for a while, and I am SO getting on the bandwagon late, but these amazing eyeshadows have really got me believing in the old adage of "better late than never." See, I LOVE eyeshadow and wear it daily...and over the years, I have collected so many eyeshadow pots from MAC, Sephora, Clinique, Benefit, Smashbox...the list goes on and on. Lately, I have been really drawn to eyeshadow palettes from E.L.F (so cheap!), Sephora, and ULTA because I travel a lot, and eyeshadow palettes are so portable. So I was hesitant to buy MORE eyeshadow...especially at 50 bucks a pop. BUT. I'M. SO. GLAD. I. DID. I honestly think I can throw my old eyeshadows away now (although, can I keep my 80s glam rock electric turquoise one?!).

This palette has GREAT pigments and great colors and it literally stays on ALL day with the same intensity. I am really picky about my makeup, and I particularly tend to steer clear of shimmer colors (remember, I have a boring corporate job). But the shimmers in these palettes are very subtle and very wearable, even in my stuffy, stifling office. You can wear one color or four...go light for day or dramatic for night...these palettes really are worth all the hype. Which is nice since, let's face it, hyped things rarely live up to their reputation. So anyway, I highly recommend these. The only thing I don't like is the brushes that come with it (they're the silky kind, and those don't apply shadow evenly for me), but the shadows make up for the less-than-perfect brushes, TRUST ME.

In light of my getting NAKED (*chuckle*), I'm thinking of posting a tutorial (my first!) on applying eyeshadow.  What do you guys think?

Mad, Mad World

Dress, Shoes - ModCloth, Wrap - Vintage, Jewelry - Vintage

Along with about a jillion other people, I was waiting all weekend on the edge of my seat for the Mad Men Season 5 premiere last night. The show is amazing. Aside from the great writing and amazing story lines, the show is just so cinematically beautiful with all of the gorgeous sets and vintage clothing. And for someone obsessed with Jon Hamm all things vintage like me, Mad Men is pretty much a must-see. I read somewhere that the show is one of the most influential television shows of all time in terms of the impact that it has had on the fashion world, and I believe it. It certainly inspires me. Many a time, I've found myself scribbling down a note about color combinations or looks or hairstyles that I see on the show that I want to try out.

I decided to get all dolled up in a Mad Men inspired outfit to watch the season premiere with some friends. I think everyone was expecting me to go for a "Joan" look since, let's face it, my body type is a lot more similar to hers than Betty Draper's (she will always be Betty Draper to me!). But I wanted to be a little daring since I wear Joan inspired outfits all the time. I also wanted to see if a curvy girl could pull off a Betty-type dress, and I have been DYING to debut this vintage wrap that I found on my vacation to San Luis Obispo a couple of months ago. I felt so glamorous and fancy in this look. Do you think this is how fabulous the women in the 1960s felt all the time? And if so, why are they smoking and drinking and cheating on their husbands so much?

Did you catch the Mad Men premiere? Also, for a laugh. Check out the newest thing since planking. Draping. We live in a weird world. Happy Monday!

The Short of It

Sweater - F21, Blouse - Marshall's, Jeans - justusa, Shoes - Target

So I'm sure that you've noticed that the lengths of tops seem to be getting shorter and shorter as spring approaches. And while I love the way that crop tops look, how they can be subtly sexy without being overtly so, I also think that they need to be worn the right way to be cute, especially if you're a curvy girl like me.

I actually think that crop tops can be flattering on a curvy girl, since they shorten your torso and elongate your legs. But ladies, let's stick to wearing them with highwaisted skirts or pants, rather than low slung jeans or shorts. I'm sure that some girls can pull off that look, but my tummy is definitely too shy for that. Another option is the one that I've rocked here, which is kind of fun and preppy and edgy all at the same time. I layered a longer, silky blouse under this cropped sweater so that I could still get away with wearing my hip-level jeans. I kind of like how the result gave me a structured but relaxed look and kept my "wobbly bits" all nicely hidden away. Because you don't want to see my wobbly bits. Heck, I don't want to see my wobbly bits. Wobbly bits stink. Wait, what were we talking about again?

Happy Friday, loves! We're supposed to have a rain-soaked weekend here, and I'm actually looking forward to stocking up on groceries and snacks, staying in all weekend and watching the ten episodes of Mad Men I need to catch up on before the season premiere on Sunday night! For the premiere, I'm planning a special Mad Men outfit that I can't wait to share with you on Monday. Anyone else as excited as I am to see some Dapper Don?

Colorblock Walk

Coat - Lulu's, Tank - Marshall's, Jeans - Mavi, Shoes - Payless, Bag - Target (old)

Sorry if the brightness of this outfit is attacking your eyes, but I just couldn't resist injecting some fun colors into my day to counter the gloomy weather that has descended upon Northern California with a vengeance. Spring, where arrrrrre you? I'm so jealous of the fashion bloggers around the country who seem to be enjoying sunny skies, bare legs, and lighter fabrics. Winter got a late start here in my part of the world, so I'm still breaking out the coats and closed-toed shoes even though I'm dying to be flouncing around in dresses and skirts and sandals. That's right. Come spring, I flounce. Get ready.

I love the idea of pairing three bright complementary colors together, especially when the sky is gray. I know the jacket looks a bit red in the pictures, but it's really more of a bright orange. You probably remember here that orange and aqua or "aquorange" is one of my favorite color combinations. I wanted to add a pop of one more bright color (just in case I hadn't burned your retinas enough already), so I grabbed my bright yellow tote. The colors of my outfit really did brighten up my gloomy day...AND it made me really easy to find in a crowded room. Score.

Hanging Tough

Jacket - F21, Tee - Target, Jeans - justusa, Boots - Urban Outfitters, Necklace - ?

Is anyone else thrilled that it is finally Friday? For some reason, the week after a daylight savings time change is brutal for me because my body has so much trouble adjusting to waking up earlier. Add to that the fact that I've been slammed with work projects this week that have kept me toiling through 11-hour workdays AND the fact that there's been torrential rain every single day this past week, and I am SO ready for a couple days off! Yesterday, I actually slipped in my heels in the rain and fell hard on my face in the street. The first thought that popped into my head? "OH MY GOSH, is my vintage Burberry trenchcoat OKAY?!" Yep, those are my priorities, people. Fashion first, bodily injury second. Just in case you're wondering...the trenchcoat is fine and so am I. We're tough, me and my clothes.

Happy Friday, loves!

Mom-Inspired

Jacket - Vintage, Tee - Target, Jeans - justusa, Flats - Payless

Ever since I saw an old picture of my mom from the 1970s wearing a gorgeous cream colored, cropped boucle jacket with dark piping, I have been on the hunt for a similar one with no luck. But a few weeks ago, I wandered into my favorite vintage shop and spied this long oatmeal-colored coat with black piping and fell in love. And even though it's not boucle or cropped like my mom's, this coat has become one of my favorite vintage finds already...and the fact that it was inspired by my mom makes it all the more special.

I decided to dress the coat down and keep it from looking too stuffy by pairing it with a pair of cuffed jeans and flats, and I loved how doing so instantly modernized a classy piece and kept me comfortable all at the same time. I can see myself wearing this coat with a black pencil skirt or some flare-leg black slacks for a more dressy look, or with a pair of cropped skinnies and some platform pumps for a more casual one.

All in all, this coat is threatening to edge out this dress as my favorite vintage find so far. It's a neck-and-neck heated competition, and I'm pretty sure the earrings are coming off and the elbows are being thrown. What, your clothes don't battle with each other for priority in the closet? Guess my clothes are just more gangster than yours.

Daylight

Top, Shoes - H&M, Pants - Urban Outfitters, Bracelets - Vintage, Banana Republic

Can someone explain to me how we can put a man on the moon, invent phones that allow us to do pretty much everything we want in the palm of our hand, and develop technology that allows us to fly tons of steel and metal through the air and across the ocean, but we can not figure out a way to gain one extra hour of sunlight at night without pretty much just waking ourselves up one hour earlier in the morning?

The week after daylight savings is always a rough one for me. I'm wide awake at night and so sleepy in the morning. It probably doesn't help that I have never been a morning person. Or a day person. My optimum productivity and brain functionality begins at about 5 p.m. and runs until about 1 a.m. Which is really not a great thing when you work in a corporate office that requires you to be going on full speed by 8 a.m. Hmm. What kind of job can I get where I'm not expected to be awake until 5 p.m. DJ? Bartender? Exotic dancer? Thank God my mother doesn't read this blog. She would have fainted by now.

This past weekend was a doozy. My sister came up to visit and we pretty much partied like we were much younger than we are right now. I'm sure she's recuperating just as much as I am this week, but it was SO WORTH IT because it was the most fun I've had in a really long time. Sister love!

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and nap work. My brain should be functioning properly in about...7.5 hours.

Polka Dot Armory

Top, Skirt - Banana Republic, Tights - Target, Belt - Ann Taylor, Shoes - ModCloth, Cardigan - ?, Bracelet - Vintage

So, can you guess my absolute favorite part of this outfit? Yep...it's the po-po-po-po-polka dot tights! I absolutely adore polka dots, as you can see here, here and here. I haven't posted a work outfit in a while, and before you guys start thinking that I ran away from my corporate job and its stifling fashion requirements (I wish!), I wanted to let you guys know that I am still fighting the good fight one day at a time. Today, my weapon of choice was polka dot tights. Aren't they fun? Aren't they so un-boring? They put a smile on my face all day at work (which is not easy to do) and several of the secretaries complimented me on my bold choice. Yes, at my work, a few polka dots in your stockings is tantamount to a bold choice. Sigh.

What did you guys do this week to spruce up your work wear?

Highs and Lows

Shirt - some mall store in LA, Belt - F21, Skirt - local boutique, Booties - F21

I searched high and low for this skirt...HA. Get it? Sorry, it's late and I'm all out of funny. But seriously, I have been wanting an assymetrical hemline skirt, or a "high-low hem" skirt for the longest time but could never find the one. So many of the ones I tried on were too short in the front, too pleated, too long in the back, or too flowy. For a curvy girl searching for a high-low skirt, I'd recommend finding one that isn't too short in the front and I would also avoid pleats or skirts with too much, well, skirt. Pleats and skirts with too much material made me look ginormous for some reason in this silhouette, so take it from me, simple, sleek and less flowy is the way to go.

I was thrilled when I stumbled onto this skirt in a new local boutique that I had never noticed before. There was a 20-minute wait at my favorite Mexican restaurant, and I took a walk down the street to kill time. There I found it (last one in the shop and in my size!), tucked into a small vintage and new clothing boutique just waiting for me. It was like destiny wanted me to have that skirt, and who am I to fight with the mighty gods of shopping? Clearly, I had to buy it. I was powerless to resist. Yep, I take my ridiculous rationalizations for shopping pretty seriously, folks. I can literally convince myself to buy anything. Except maybe vegetables or a "sensible" pair of shoes.

Happy weekend!