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fab find friday

She’s back. My intrepid hill staffer of a friend who cannot be named, but who has some words to share on how she’s approaching fall weather on a public servant’s budget.

Somewhere along the pathway to adulthood, fall becomes the season to fall in love with.

Between the search for the perfect cup of coffee, walking to work to enjoy the nip in the air, apple picking, and devouring the September Issue – I put together a few of my favorite fall fab finds.

Fall is the season when I crawl back in to my comfort zone of black and neutrals. I take fewer risks. I look for cozy and comfortable but not sloppy and ill-fitting. Chelsea would never let me get away with that.

Fashion Trend, ikat. I wasn’t a fan of this print in bold colors that littered every store this summer but I like this black and cream version as a more subtle way to incorporate this trend in my wardrobe. And for less than $20, if it doesn’t work I’m ok with that.

A pair of black skinny jeans are a must have and a great substitute when you need something a little sturdier than leggings. Old Navy’s Rockstar Super Skinny jeans are perfect (don’t be intimidated by the name).

Cozy sweaters are synonymous with the season – bold stripes from Zara can be dressed up or dressed down, swap out heels for flats or add a bold necklace and easily go from day to night. This folksy cardigan from urbanog is exactly what I would throw over jeans and a white tee to wear to Sunday brunch or pumpkin picking. I’m a sucker for a hood (not a hoodie).

Keeping basic black interesting takes some effort. This skirt from Jennifer Lopez for Kohls is the right way to go because not only does she know how to cut clothes to flatter a woman’s body, she gets creative with details like faux leather and zippers. I also mix up the black with deep jewel toned jewelry. Both pieces here are from forever21.com. I just bought them both for $16.

And I leave you with the wedge. Chic. Classic. Comfortable.

Now only if the fall weather would return.

my first vintage find

Photo by chelseachroniclIt happened totally by accident. It almost felt like cheating because there was really no more patience required beyond what it took for me to get a parking spot right out in front of the building.

Yes, it was that easy.

I had been planning on popping into Secondi (before heading to a #dayjob coffee meeting in Dupont Circle) only to drop off an armful of items that had long gone unworn in my closet. As I waited for the sales associate to ensure she had all the information she needed from me, my eyes caught a glimpse of this jacket. It’s not quite red. It’s not quite pink. It’s slightly cropped and rather fitted. It’s genuine leather. I instantly fell in love.

I looked at the price tag and expected to see something outrageous. Instead I was greeted by the doable $55.00. I inspected the lining for rips (none) and the leather for wear and tear (nothing that doesn’t just make it look awesomer). Then I tried it on and knew it would be mine.

It turned out I had a small credit of $25 on my account remaining from the spring closet purge, which means I really picked up this little number for a mere $30. I’m already dreaming up outfits and looking forward to the next time I can visit one of DC’s vintage stores.

A monster might have been unleashed.

WTF, J. Crew?

$795.00 for a cashmere camel blazer. $895 for a sequin top that looks vaguely like the one I got on sale last November for $49. $595 for a toggle coat. (As beautiful as it looked on gp, I know toggle-coat devotees can do better.) $350 for a lace dress seems mild by comparison but DVF makes the Zarita every season and it’s both more flattering looking (based on my on-line assessment) and is slightly less expensive. $695 for a yellow sequin skirt seems especially steep and this python getup can make any woman look like a pregnant snake for a mere $475. (I thought it was a dress at first give the way it is styled with a matchy matchy blouse.) And rounding out my favorite J. Crew question marks is the $325 golden paisley pant, which looks suspiciously like pajamas. Hey, I know the floral pant is trending right now, but if you want to venture into this territory (note: I do not) I recommend starting at something in the two-digit price range that you won’t regret after the first wear.

I love J. Crew. But this is ridiculous. These examples just confound me (and they aren’t the only ones). I appreciate the idea of J. Crew Collection. Banana did it with Monogram. But at the end of the day, you are still J. Crew. And I really hope no one is paying full price for these items because I fear that (1) they are getting ripped off and (2) it will just encourage the Crew to offer more of the same.

I rely on J. Crew for staples such as pencil skirts, tee-shirts, and the only pants I wear that aren’t jeans. (Yes, I mean you, Minnie.) I’m a recent convert to their cashmere. I’ve contemplated getting my winter coat there. But at the prices they demand for their Collection, you expect to bring home an investment piece, produced by a brand known for its longevity and quality. You don’t want a $700 yellow sequin skirt that you get limited wear out of. Or maybe you do, but if I see you in public, I’m going to call you yellow sequin skirt babe and I’m going to hope you got it way on sale.

I’ve been peplumed

Did I say I would never wear peplum?

Yes, it sounds like something I would say. Or write. I could not imagine that this style would do anything but make my childbearing hips look larger than they are. But then I was seduced by the trend, so I have been keeping my eyes open for a version that isn’t too ruffly.

I like this J. Crew peplum jacket because the boucle texture toughens it up. I could just as easily wear it over a denim shirt (as J. Crew styled it) as I could with my silk blue blouse with gray elephants on it (a little too politically charged to wear at this point in an election cycle). Today I chose to pair it with a sleeveless underpinning because it’s early fall and the temperatures could climb to the mid-70s today.

It’s versatile. It’s flattering. I’ve received numerous compliments on it today. And I’m happy I didn’t completely close my mind off to the idea.

Sometimes, you have to push your own envelope.

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men’s wear wednesday: cufflinks

photo credit: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=59139601There is little that raises the swoon factor more than a well-dressed man wearing cufflinks. Maybe it’s the extra difficulty in rolling up sleeves fastened by a piece of jewelry (especially since you guys don’t carry around a purse to put your accessories in if you need to take them off) but I don’t see a lot of French cuffs in the summer. But now it’s close to officially being fall and hopefully your reluctance to wear the ultimate in men’s shirts is about to change. Gentlemen, if you don’t own a shirt with French cuffs, go buy yourself one. Now. And don’t reserve this look for the office. A guy wearing dark wash denim (i.e. no dad jeans) with a blazer and a French cuffed shirt presents just as nicely as a man wearing such a shirt with a well-tailored suit.

(On a related note, if you need some guidance on how to mix and match patterned ties and shirts, hop on over to my friend Rosana’s blog for her recent shopping advice on this very topic.)

When it comes to buying cufflinks, my advice is to not be too literal with your choices. You don’t need to wear your heart, I mean, college team on your sleeve unless maybe you are head of the Booster Club. (But even then, you only get a pass on game day.) The same goes for your favorite football team, baseball team or political party. We all know which teams you support. Your cufflinks should otherwise be reflective of your personality and can complement your tie-shirt ensemble. If you tend more toward the daring, your can choose a bold or hip cufflink. If you are more conservative, there are plenty of very standard yet elegant options. Do you have a particular hobby you are passionate about? They probably make a cufflink that connects. Some of my favorites are pictured here, but I recognize this is about you not me.

It’s not about me at all.

must have monday: boot edition #1

photo credit: http://www.polyvore.com/boots_more/set?id=59029937#stream_box
so many boots, so little time

I love boots. I have brown riding boots, brown wedge boots, camel tall boots with a heel, brown tall boots with this interesting stitching up the back, black ridding boots, black cowboy boots, black tall boots with a heel, a fancy pair of rain boots (Aquatalia red patent leather) and a not fancy pair of rain boots (muddy, well-worn Hunters). I even have a pair of over-the-knee boots, though they are currently in the consignment pile. But what I don’t have are any short boots. I do not own a bootie. Nor I do I own an ankle boot of any heel height.

I feel it is time to remedy this situation.

Here’s the issue: when you are short (like I am) you’ve been conscious your entire life that you shouldn’t wear anything that makes you look shorter (hence my love of heels). After a few of what I now regard as feeble attempts to try a short boot, I gave up. After striking out, I assumed all such boots would cut me off and be unflattering.

But I admire this look on other women who are even shorter than I am (yes, I mean you, Wardrobe Oxygen, DC Style Factory and @travelinjames) thus, I have come to the conclusion that I might be wrong. It’s possible, perhaps, that I jumped to conclusions after trying the wrong pairs. I mean, there’s a classic short boot that shares my name, so how wrong could it be on me?

The bottom line is that I’m ready to try again. What I’m looking for is something that doesn’t go too far up my calves. I don’t want a substantial heel for this pair (sorry, guy readers, baby steps). It has to work with my bootcut jeans as well as with my skinny jeans (tucked in) and (gasp) maybe a dress. I know some of you are having a hard time with that visual, but one of my 43 by 43 goals was to challenge myself when it comes to my style. Pairing short boots with a skirt or dress would do just that.

Have you seen a boot that you think fits my needs? Please share. And if you want to go shopping with me, even better.

what are you waiting for?

If your closet needs an infusion of fall fashion, head on over to the Periwinkle pop up shop today from 11:00-8:00, tomorrow and Saturday from 10:00-8:00 and Sunday from 11:00-4:00. Owner Elizabeth Mason (a woman I want to know better given the transition she made from politico to style maven) and her team will have on hand goodies from her three boutiques and we wouldn’t want her to have to drag any of these items back to Virginia or National Harbor, would we? For these four days, Periwinkle will house a fourth boutique at Tabula Rasa, located at 731 8th Street, SE. Going to Barracks Row for lunch or happy hour? Or maybe a workout at Biker Barre? You have no excuse to not at least pop your head in and support this tiny moment in time when women’s retail comes to Capitol Hill. Maybe we can show enough support to talk Elizabeth into a fourth permanent Periwinkle outpost.