friday!! OOTD

TGIF everyone! fridays are wear jeans to work for charity. i gleefully anticipate fridays for this reason. i work in a conservative environment so i still have a "uniform" of sorts for this. blazer, nice top, jewelry and proper jeans. you saw the last work jeans day outfit here.  another option for tweed is a bouclé material. they add a lot of texture to an outfit.

whoever passes my desk doesn't know that there is a jeans happy dance going on (kind of like what i think news anchors do - suits on top, juicy couture track pants underneath.) ::jeans happy dances::

i'm also wearing a delightful pink nailpolish from OPI's Pirates of the Caribbean collection - Sparrow Me the Drama (Oh, OPI.. you crack me up) which my girl K showed me on our girl trip in Chicago. You can still buy some here.

(outfit - blazer: talbots, similar here; top: diane von furstenberg bandot tiered chiffon top; jeans: seven for all mankind lexie petite bootcut on sale here, and here; shoes: Christian Louboutin New Decoltissimo; necklaces: rainey necklace spike the punch, chains bcbg)

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clea

when j crew's clea dress came out, i immediately thought "how mad men!" the lady-like trend is really in full swing, and i think it is here to stay. and i likey!!

review: this dress is a bit tighter than most of my crew dresses, but not prohibitively so. i took my regular crew size 0 in it. the reviews from other blogs said the sizing was a bit off - and the waist a tad high. i would agree with that consensus. however, i really like the cut, and it is a pretty thick wool material. the dress is lined - another bonus.

the picture below captures the true colour of the dress. 

the shoes i'm wearing are quite literally works of art and each pair is hand-painted with a fantastic and unique batik pattern.  it has been a year since they came into my life (along with a very special kindred spirit) and they still make me feel very special whenever i look at them or wear them. the batik print came in a number of styles, like the numero privé, pigalle, lady peep and the ron ron.  there may be more.. 

apologies for the wrinklies! off to steam that out! *ducks and hides* sizing-wise with the ron ron, i can go true to US size on these or half a size up. i prefer true to size, as my heel falls out ouf the shoe in the half size up option even though the length works well. 

(outfit - dress: jcrew; necklace: old; shoes: Christian Louboutin batik ron rons; bracelet: aldo accessories)

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petite fashion challenge #14: holiday emergency

i signed up for a blog challenge that runs regularly on the alternations needed forum. this month, the challenge is hosted by the lovely couture coco (go to her site to see the list of participants). i can't wait to see what the other ladies did! 

the challenge: 

Holiday Emergency - You have a pre-booked dinner date on the first day of your holiday. But the emergency is your luggage is delayed. So this month's challenge is to style your travel outfit into a special evening look using whatever you carry in your purse and anything else immediately at hand (ie. no running out to buy a new outfit!) It does not have to be a holiday, it could be any trip away from home.  

the issue: 

basically, my packing habits would allow me to cheat on this challenge.

when i travel, it is primarily for work. i'm almost always in a suit because i'm off to a meeting as soon as i land. so, it wouldn't be a big stretch to just suit up. when we travel as a family, it's like the "amazing race family style". we learned the hard way on our first major trip as a family that waiting around for luggage, security and such with 2 young kids was really a recipe for disaster and tantrums (oh, for the kids too.. HA!). so, as a result, we now never check luggage. when i went to paris for work last year, i checked my luggage and carried one bag with necessities (pyjamas, toiletries, a pair of heels, and an extra outfit for the next day's meetings) in case the bag got lost.

so i made up the scenario where i had to check all my luggage and carried only some things with me. the Neverfull is, as usual, stuffed to within an inch of its life with the usual suspects: a magazine, snacks, headphones, a pair of shoes (oddly, my Louboutins never get checked. i. am. OCD.) and my blackberry and such..

the challenge submission:

P's emergency coping plan consists of (a) getting into my heels; (b) ditching the cardigan that is supposed to keep me warm on the plane; (c) folding up the jeans; and, (d) leaving the tote at the hotel and carrying my wallet as a clutch. makeup would be a bit of red lipstick and my hair worn up in a messy bun.  

this was so much fun - i can't wait to see what next month's challenge is going to be!

(outfit - top: joe fresh, similar here, here, here and here; jeans: william rast kara skinny jeans; accessories: necklace - spike the punch or here; bag/wallet: louis vuitton sarah wallet and neverfull tote MM size; shoes - flats: pretty ballerinas; heels: Christian Louboutin ron rons)

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dots

okay.. so the weather took a turn for the colder. this was most unappreciated, mother nature. we were enjoying the sun, the warmth, the warmth (no lie, it was well around 30C/86F all last week). now, it's back to cold. brrrrrr. as long as it doesn't start to snow, i'm good.

you may recall these citizens of humanity thompson coloured skinny jeans, which i reviewed here.

(outfit - sweater: topshop; shirt: club monaco; jeans: j brand, which i wore here - that post has links too; shoes: steve madden; necklace: etsy; bracelet: mexx)

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date-iversary!

14 years ago today, i went out on my first date with a guy who i ended up marrying. 10 years of marriage 2 kids and 2 dogs later, we are still going through the adventures of life together. in fact, mr. phi encouraged me to keep this blog. happy date-iversary hubby!

he's also the unsung hero - the photographer behind this blog - so a special shout out to the man! woot woot. i told my BFF that he was looking at lighting and flashes for his camera and she replied "get the man his light sources for P's blog!" lol.

this pair is Christian Louboutin's City sandals in the luggage leather colourway (there is a black and a lighter leather combo.. both gorgeous too) - another classic. in terms of sizing, i went up half a size from my US size.

(outfit - top: zara; belt: hermès; denim: j brand petite heartbreaker - similar here, cheaper here and here; shoes: louboutin city platform heels - similar here; sunnies: ray ban; jewelry: randomness..)

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keeping it simple

accessories make the world go round, but sometimes, layers are just meant to be shed. today, it's just a girl in a top, a skirt, and some shoes.

espadrilles are so much fun! although they're a bit heavy because of the thicker wedge, they're still pretty comfy! i am also breaking out the pastels for spring - nail polish is #210 - chanel le vernis in lilac sky. super girly.

only one more day to friday!! 

(outfit - top: burberry; skirt: zara (old) similar style here from dvf; shoes: christian dior, similar diors here, similar style here, or here - these are cute too!)

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gardenshade floral

the best "cheat" clothing for me is a good dress. most days in our lovely household, it is bedlam - to be charitable... so i don't have a lot of time to put outfits together. heck, i'm lucky to leave the house with my hair brushed! thus, a work dress is a staple in my wardrobe. a few accessories, a pair of shoes and out we go, ready for drop-off at school and head to work. one of my favourites is the origami dress, which i wore here.  i am wearing j crew's lillian dress in gardenshade floral. the dress is here but you can also get the skirt here and both are on sale!

ahh, caught in mommy duties, writing a note to the teacher for kid 1.0 and a project that's due.  what a glam action shot: doing a "dear teacher" entry. LOL.

i lurrrrve this dress - the lines are just so amazing, and it is absolutely easy to wear. every detail is perfect - the capped sleeves, and the fact this dress has pockets. it is taking a lot for me not to rip those seams out (i actually like how the sewn down pockets look) i went true to j crew size in it - this is the 0 and required no hemming. it's a wool/silk blend and fully lined. it also holds up well all day at a desk! bonus all around.

(outfit - dress: j crew; necklace: club monaco; shoes: christian louboutin fuxia suede décolleté - similar here; bracelet: hermès kelly dog in iris/phw)

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mullet.. and mint

the sun is shining today, and it's just so darned gorgeous. i don't care if there is melting snow muddy muckiness because it's spring! it's spring! :kermit flail: whee!

^^ am a dork. i am totally the biggest nerd around. no lie!

so some sizing tips for my fellow petites and in-between petites: the asos petite line works for us. and they're so reasonably priced! cheep cheep! i got the asos petite mint green skinny jean # 4 and went true to size with these. there is a bit of stretch in these bad boys too so that's really great. i folded them up for these pictures, but they are a perfect ankle length.

today's spring inspired outfit is joined by a pair of valentinos, and one of my favourites.. maybe because they're kinda like me - contrarian. neutral and conservative in the front, and a biiig bow party in the back.. (hence the attractive nickname of mullet shoe - i.am.a.mess.)

(outfit - blazer: banana republic - similar here, and here; top: ann taylor factory - similar here; pants: asos - similar here, and here; clutch: coach; bracelets: F21 and liz claiborne; shoes: valentino - the nude patent Louboutin Pigalle would my other alternative - ha!)

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inspiration

the prêt-à-porter or ready-to-wear collections for spring summer 2012 have been making the magazine and internet rounds. while the neons, and florals are pretty, the lady like pastels have really caught my eye, namely Louis Vuitton and Valentino. *girl sighs*

From Louis Vuitton and the great mind of Marc Jacobs:

valentino does romance like no other. these dresses are so stunning - feminine and structured at the same time. perfection.

lady-like pointy toed shoes seem to be de rigueur and some lovely samplings are also available for spring.

 Louis Vuitton merry-go-round pumps.

 Christian Louboutin - (left: bis un bout; right: metal nodo - like a pigalle 120 last)

Christian Louboutin - Pensée, 20th anniversary edition shoe. Fuxia crepe - also looks like a pigalle 120 last)

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chiffon

an overcast day merits a happy print, no? dvf is known for fun prints and wraps (like the julian, jeanne and new jeanne, for example) however, i'm a big big fan of her dresses generally. this one is a silk shirtdress with a silk tie - gives the dress a flouncy flirty line. cheers me right up!

(outfit - dress: diane von furstenberg abiba shirtdress in crown's blue print; bracelet: hermès kelly double tour in bleu électrique; purse: dior; shoesL christian louboutin minibout)

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