Fall Wishlist 2012

The days are getting just a bit shorter and just a little colder which is a sure sign Fall is on its way. I personally love Fall fashion out of all other seasons thanks to layering. In my opinion, it allows just the right amount, unlike Winter where I never seem to have enough layers. I am especially excited for this Fall, as it seems to revolve around some of my favorite things: the color burgundy, bows, and polka dots.

Today, I thought I would share with you all the items I have my eye on investing in this season.

 J. Crew Blythe blouse in polka dot

 Zara polka dot printed blouse

 Polka dots are going strong this Fall, and the one way I am dying to incorporate the trend is through the blouses I wear. I plan on wearing it with everything: dressed down with jeans, with a pencil skirt to work, and with a bright pencil skirt for casual Friday's.

Another polka dot beauty that I couldn't wait to pick up, that is on it's way to my doorstep at this very moment is the J. Crew Tippi sweater in burgundy with large navy polka dots. I am most excited about this as it not only incorporates polka dots, which I love, it's also in burgundy. My heart just melted. It's fall perfection.

Another way I am incorporating another burgundy piece into my fall wardrobe is this beauty of a dress I picked up at H&M recently. It runs small in the waist so I recommend sizing up one size.

 H&M dress

Lastly, I love bows as an accent accessory. I can't stop thinking about this belt:

J. Crew leather bow skinny belt

It comes in black and a gorgeous deep cobalt-ish blue and I want to wear it with everything. It seems to be out of stock of the blue color online but I have seen it stocked in stores recently.


Happy Monday! What's on your fall wishlist?

Fitting Room: H&M

I popped into H&M the other day on the way to work to work on my search for cozy sweaters a bit more. They seemed to have got some new things in so if you haven't gone in a while I would check it out, there were some very cute things. I forced my self to think of nothing but sweaters as I have a bank account to keep in check (sigh), so no pictures of variety but I did want to share what I did find.

Not exactly a sweater but it has sleeves, long one's at that. It's something my wardrobe is lacking. I have short sleeves galore. It has a simple basic fit, and I always like a cowl neck. I picked this up for $13 (I think).

This sweater is in that popular cut with the wing effect sort of thing going on. I believe extra petite referred to them as 'batman sleeves'. Either way I'm a fan but every other option I tried until this one just looked ridiculous and huge. You may find black boring, but I like the idea of a black sweater to pair with more colourful accessories. The fabric on this one felt nice too. I picked it up for $20.

This sweater was a huge disappointment. The colour was this great shade of orange and I was happy with the fit. However, I wouldn't dare wear it without some sort of blouse underneath because oh my is it itchy. I didn't just want this sweater to layer over other tops though so I just passed on it. Too bad....

Do I have to say anything? I found it highly amusing that they were pushing this on the display table directly in front of the entrance. They really must want people to buy it. Mind you, this is an XS. Yes, an XS. It sort of resembles a snuggy to me. No thank you. The sleeves went three inches past my finger tips (and I have long arms, and usually have to size up in sleeved tops over it) and, as you can see, hit at the knee's.

It also had elbow pads which is a neat little detail. What's not so great is the top of the elbow pad started where the lower portion should be on my elbow. In case you weren't able to guess, this was a pass (ha).


Thank you for reading and have a great day!

Morning Inspirations: Fall Colour Blocking

Happy Monday everyone! I hope everyone is well rested and ready for a new week. Personally, I always find that Monday comes along way too quickly. As you may have guessed, two colours I am loving right now are cobalt blue and, the very popular fall colour, rust orange. This week I thought I would create an outfit using a little colour blocking with the two.

Polyvore here.

One thing I am absolutely loving this Fall is the pleated skirt. Sadly, I have yet to find my perfect one (though I am highly considering trying out the Oasis one featured in this outfit) but I do find them to be a lovely addition to the wardrobe. I kept the accessories simple on this one in an attempt to accentuate the colour blocking going on. The wonderful thing about this outfit is you can wear it to work (not in all cases, obviously) or for a day of running errands. For errands or brunch, I would just switch the nude pump for a black or nude flat.

Thank you for reading and have a great day!

The Big Debate: Ann Taylor Ribbed 3/4 Sleeve Pullover

My quest for a cozy sweater similar to that featured in my midweek treats post from Wednesday led me to this sweater from Ann Taylor. Online it looks very comfy and still very chic on the models. It's just a simple sweater but I like how the buttons on the sleeves give it just a spark of interest.

Luckily, I was able to snag in during Ann Taylor's 40% off sale. I actually originally got so bummed because when I went to order it online, only a size large was left in the colour I wanted! A visit to my local store led me to discover it in a XSP, not my usual XXSP (which is usually preferable) but due to the cropped length of the sweater I was looking to size up any how.


I really like the sweater. When wearing it, I feel like I have a blanket on but it doesn't look like one when my skinny jeans are paired with it. Now though, I need your help. Is this a return or a keeper?

Keep in mind the following:

1. The sleeves are bulky which means it's not cardigan or blazer friendly. (I'm very sad about the blazer part because every outfit in my head of this sweater included one).

2. I'm always skeptical about how a sweater like this would work when Winter weather comes along. What are some problem solving options?

Also, I apologise for the slightly blurry photo's and the mess in the background. The only room in the house with a mirror acts as a storage room.

Thank you for reading and have a great weekend!

Midweek Treats: Wedge Booties Please

I cannot wait to wear these babies... with EVERYTHING.

A recent study is saying caffeinated coffee may help fight depression amongst women. I knew there was a really good reason for having vanilla lattes daily. ;)

48hour Flash Sale from British retailer ASOS. They've put a bunch of Fall pieces for up to 50% off. The sale ends tomorrow night PST. Thank you London.

The Everyday Handbag

Every woman needs that everyday bag to go to in the morning. You know what I'm talking about: the kind that will fit anything and everything you could possibly imagine, from your makeup bag and wallet, to the book your reading to make the commute a little less boring.

The bag I currently have holding that coveted spot is a Fossil satchel in a camel brown leather that I acquired during the Christmas holiday's back in 2007. My little baby has held up but is begging for retirement. I figured, as long I was spending loads of useless hours drooling over pretty handbags, why not share some good options for those that may be in the same boat as well?

View the Polyvore details here.

No need for confusion, I did just feature a white handbag just as we're about to get hit with Fall full force. Reasons why I love a white bag, and why it's cool to do for fall? It's bright and a great complimentary piece. Imagine you in your black trousers and heels wearing a rust orange silk blouse and that bag is on your arm. You just took a bit of Summer with you into a new season in a very appropriate way.

The Longchamp is a tried and true by just about everyone kind of bag, and there's a reason for that. It's functional. For those who are still in school, or the working women who has to lug a laptop or books around as a part of their job, everything fits nicely inside and you still have room for the daily necessities.

The Michael Kors bag is just beautiful. I tend to feel like satchel handbags are everywhere the last season or so and I happen to think he does them beautifully, and his prices cause no sweating compared to the popular Mulberry bag.

The last bag  is another classic silhouette turning up everywhere. I don't know about you but I think there's something powerful and sexy about a women carrying a handbag that resembles a briefcase. Who doesn't want to look like they mean business?

Thank you for reading and have a good day!

Fall Trends: Burgundy

I have to say that the Fall trend I am most excited about is the increased appearance of the colour burgundy. The colour red is just so vibrant, and I personally feel that burgundy is the most universally flattering colour in that colour family.

Here are some burgundy items I'll be keeping my eye on this season:

Zara Sheath Skirt in Wine (here)

I found this skirt while browsing one of their District stores a few weeks ago with a girlfriend. It was love at first sight and I hope to bring her home before it becomes impossible to find. It comes in letter sizing, and I tried on the XS. Let's just say, it fits AMAZING. Another great thing to note about the skirt is that it had lining! This got me very excited. Every pencil skirt I've owned has lacked that feature and well it just adds to the complication factor in terms of undergarments and tucking things in. The idea of a lined skirt excites me because now I won't have to worry about whether my shirt is bunching or if people can see the outline of my undergarments. I plan on making another trip to Zara soon, and will be sure to get some fitting room pictures.

Tahari 'James' in Ruby (here)

Burgundy may be big this Fall but it's definitely a colour that has staying power for years to come. With that in mind, why not invest in a burgundy pump? I think the above shoe is great. It has got a do-able heal height, the colour looks great in patent, and it has my favourite name in the world. This is definitely going on my wish list. For more burgundy shoe options, you can check out this post from one of my favourite blogs CapitolHillStyle.

I also couldn't resist taking these little babies home with me from Aldo (buy here) last month. They come in four colours: Bordeaux, Navy, Black patent, and Black Synthetic. They're pictured below in Bordeaux, which also happens to be the colour I purchased them in.



I've worn them a few times and they are super comfy. One thing to note however is the sole fabric was loose and I had to super glue it down to the shoe. Clearly not of the highest quality in terms of craftsmanship but I've had no problems since that so they were well worth it anyway.

I hope you enjoyed reading!

Are you love this Fall's burgundy trend? What items do you have your eye on?

Fall Trends: Back to Prep School

The releasing of Fall collections and September magazine issues is undoubtedly one of the highlights to my Summer. As someone who was born and raised in New York, I love having seasons. I won't lie though, by mid-June I am more then ready for the toned down weather of late August-early September. In terms of dressing, I always have the most fun in the Fall. It's that unique season where with the right pairing you could wear Summer clothes right up to October.

After scouring the pages of September's InStyle, I have a healthy list of things I am craving for my favourite shopping season. One trend that was very apparent is a very Prep School look. This is a look I do not like to indulge too heavily in as I look very young for my age, and this style is not exactly a help. Luckily, there are several aspects of the trend that, when styled correctly, won't make me look like a 12 year old.

Here are a few things from this trend I'm looking to invest in:

A horisontal striped sweater over a collared button-down.

They're from H&M and Banana Republic, respectively.
I love the idea of this, which isn't new but so many comfortable looking sweaters are popping up I am determined to give it a chic and sexy spin. I have quite a few outfit pairings in mind for this combo, I think we're going to have to do a whole separate post on that :)

Since the purchase of a great blazer in May, I have gone blazer crazy. As any petite will know, it's a task finding one's that you like and also fit. I have had my eye on this little baby for weeks after spotting it at Zara:

It's a navy blazer with red stitch detailing, and in person it appears to have a cropped length. I have yet to try it on because of the price tag. Let's hope it delivers when I finally take the plunge. You can find it on their website here. I love blazer's because they're a great transitional piece. You can throw it on during the Summer on a chilly night, or use it as a jacket as Fall weather becomes more apparent. It's also appropriate for every work environment. Overall, a great investment.


What are some of your Fall must haves?