A quick post because I need to go pack for North Carolina (I’m a super light packer by the way, for 3 “work days” I will bring a laptop bag and a longchamp tote). I spent some time during my college years interning near Charlotte, and fell in love with the area. Can’t wait to go back for some BBQ and sweet tea – drool.
So after painstakingly choosing what to keep from my last Urban Outfitters haul, I popped into a store last week to make my returns…and ended up finding at least 10 more items to try on. Go figure…
So much stuff was on sale for $10 or $20, but I stayed strong and resisted buying anything “just because” it was cheap. This little blazer however caught my eye on a mannequin, where it looked super cute paired over a floral sundress w/ the sleeves scrunched up.
Seeing this photo I now realize I cuffed the sleeves way too much. Photos really are the best way to truly see and critique your own outfits. You guys will have to trust me that this jacket looks better over casual dresses…I felt very informal at work and won’t wear it like this again.
The jacket is completely unlined and the cotton material is reminiscent of railroad denim. The sleeves are a little too wide and hit me awkwardly right above the wrists. There were tons of this at my local U.O. (one color was full price at $59, mine was on sale for $30), and I also found it here at some random store called Alloy. So I guess Urban Outfitters’ lines are not exclusive to them!
This here is the knit BR sheath again that apparently many of you also own! I’ve been wearing it a lot this summer because it’s comfy, but I always catch panty lines from the back because the fabric is so clingy, grr.
That’s it for today! I feel like I’m getting to know a lot of you guys better through the comments and emails, which is so rewarding and is what keeps me going on here. Thank you guys for supporting the blog and being so awesome.
PS – Speaking of awesome, don’t forget to wish AlterationsNeeded a happy birthday!
I love the dark blue color of the womens dress. I like the colors they are making clothes out of now, it is so refreshing to see clothes that are not in the traditional black, white, or gray.
First off I would like to say not only is the blazer cute but the dress looks amazing! I love these types of dresses, they always seem to fit and look great on me!
Thank you guys for all the VPL tips. I bought a slip for this but the dress is just too snug. I also hate thongs…shudder!
Anonymous @ 10:25 and Lauren – oops! you're right, the Alloy one is a different version. Urban Outfitters had both that one and the one I got. Wider stripes is the current one at full price (is $59 at U.O.) and thinner strips was on sale for half off. I'm slow…it took me a while to figure out the difference but my boyfriend pointed it out.
Jan – great find! I actually tried those on (or a very, very, similar version) at Nordstroms! I was also able to fit into a sz 6, surprisingly enough. Thank you for sharing the link.
Jan & RL – soo glad you guys got the hole puncher! I've been wearing belts like crazy this week after going on that punching spree.
PAG — http://www.amazon.com/Franco-Sarto-Womens-Napoli-Platform/dp/B0037UZF1E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s;=shoes&qid;=1280444357&sr;=1-1
scored these for only $56. i'm between sizes and fit the ann taylor perfect pump in 5.5, but the 6 works in the franco sarto napoli. beautiful and comfy shoe too. fyi. 😀
–jan
hey girl, cute outfit ! i havent been here in a while and your whole blog has been revamped – new name and everything ! its been so long since ive been on the blogosphere. i hope you're doing well !
xx lue
I would love to see a post about how/what you pack for three days of travel. I am a terrible last minute overpacker and it would be great to see how others manage to be so streamlined.
P.S. The jacket on the Shopstyle link looks much different than yours…wider and bolder stripes.
I'm shocked at how tiny the blazer is! It looks similar to my BCBG one that I got at Nordstrom Rack which I love!!! 🙂 I don't think the price was too bad- as long as it fits!!
And the dress…love it!!!
what a great blazer! so cute…and that color purple is gorgeous on you! well, everything always is 🙂
gorgeous! looking at your posts always makes me wish I worked in a corporate setting..
and isn't it strange when guys do that? My boyfriend surprises me whenever he chooses something he loves off the rack.. it barely ever happens, which makes it so weird!
<3jimin
VPLs: I usually try seamless undies and thongs will do the trick! 🙂
How do you pack so light and manage to look to so great?! 🙂 I am loving the dress. I'm inspired to make sure I buy noteworthy pieces and not just sale items. Also, the LBC Lucia bra does peek out on scoopneck tanks. I now want to buy the Isis too. Lastly, my leather puncher just arrived. I can't wait to add belts to my wardrobe!
–Jan
Visible Panty Lines: There are lots of spank-like type of slips you could try. I found one that goes just beneath the bra and is a stretchy slip with attached panty. It's short enough for minis. Don't really need it for holding in "fat" so it feels comfortable. I hate VPL.
Are you in Finance or Law? Either one seems more befitting your outfits — which are TDF. You're right about the jacket being casual. I don't think you could dress down that BR dress. It's so chic!
I just love the dress! Looks perfect on you, the color, the style, the fit. To me, the jacket is adorable and versatile. The look you have at least falls into business casual categary to me. If you lower the cuff, it'll make it more formal.
I like this outfit a lot. I don't think its too casual at all. This blazer is different than what you normally wear, I like the change! The purple dress is super cute too, compliments your skin really well. The belt is a nice touch. Everything is perfect.
HEY, I live in NC! LOL, it just rained here so hopefully it will clear up in a few days. It's really humid (with or without rain) so that's just a forewarning…
The blazer is really adorable. It does have a really bold shoulder look which makes your waist more prominent.
**Order sweet tea while you can, it is my understanding you live up north. I tried sweet tea up north before and LOL it was not sweet tea at all!
very cute blazer 🙂 i could totally see it looking adorable with a floral dress. the alloy one seems to have thicker stripes though, or is it just me? yours seems to have thinner stripes, which in my opinion is much nicer on petites. i'm a petite as well (4'11") and thick stripes are way too overpowering on me.
i've been reading your blog for about 2 months now and it's such a great resource for petites! i just recently discovered the world of petite sizing and i'm amazed at how differently everything fits, since i've always just stuck with finding things that just fit generally small.
i'm in canada, and i find that there isn't a lot of store/brand options here for petites, at least ones that don't look overly matronly so i stick with a lot of banana republic's petite line. i would love it if we had ann taylor and loft here.
anyway, just wanted to comment that i enjoy your blog and to keep it up!
gorgeous dress! i love BR for work clothes and dresses like these are my favorite
roxy
http://roxybeautyblog.blogspot.com/
Oh I really LOVE that dress! I wish I would've spotted that one when I was in the states. It fits your perfectly!
I like that blazer, but I think there's something "off" about it too. Maybe it is the cuffing of the sleeves, but I think the body of it is nice.
Have fun on your trip!
I like the jacket….Like R.L. said it has a nautical vibe to it and nautical is a trend that comes back every summer.
We have our first Urban Outfitters opening in Ottawa (Canada)in October. I have no idea what they sell or what their age demographic is but I'll have to check it out.
For clingy skirts and dresses I usually resort to wearing a thong. I can't say that the comfort level is great but they do the trick. 🙂
Yay, you'll be in my state! I'm a bit further north in Chapel Hill. I agree with Aubrey, I can see this blazer looking really good with a nautical-themed outfit. By the way, I like how you paired the sheath dress with one of your altered belts. I just bought the leather hole puncher a few days ago and love it!
I do like the blazer on you. It fits you well. I love the color combination. I just got a tiny blazer in the mail. Review is coming up 🙂
This is so pretty! You should take pictures with a floral sundress as well – it'd be so fun and summery. I really like that blue dress you have on. Perfect fit for a lady : )
I love the blue on you! =)
Btw, I just gave you an award on my blog. You can check it out here:
http://themakeupdrawer.blogspot.com/2010/07/i-heart-your-blog-award.html
Have a lovely day!
I adore Charlotte. It is a new urban town. A lot of commercial development is happening there and w/in the near future. The people are nice, @ least the ones I met. I love Nicholas Sparks novels (movies are so-so) and after reading his description of NC, I'm very fond of it in real life as well! Have fun!!!
The jacket, is it collar-less? I like blue conductor stripes. I can also see it w/a nautical ensemble.
I love the "seersucker" blazer. the stripes are nautical and cute. aww and that's sweet of your bf to get it for you because HE liked it so much haha, def can't complain about that! I like the purple BR dress though, perfect for work but nice and summer-y too. have a safe trip to NC! and hopefully you'll be able to have some fun while you're at it 🙂
I just love your BR dress! Solid purples are so gorgeous 🙂 It does look very comfy. You always take pictures in nice backgrounds! 🙂 So much vegetation!
Awesome blazer! When it comes to clingy dresses, I think a slip helps sometimes, but it depends on how close the dress skims the body. =)
I "griped" at you on twitter already but seriously, I think this outfit's quite cute. I'm always in the boring button down shirts and trousers because it's too cold at work for me to wear anything as lovely as what you call "boring". 🙂
I love those jackets! Not my style at all, but they look great on you 🙂 And that dress is TDF! Love it… wish I could fit into BR stuff, it's sooo hit or miss (except tank tops!)
Also, yay to the BF buying you clothes. Too friggin cute, I can't wait to be in an awesome relationship like that 🙂
Hehe.. that always happens to me when I'm trying to return something at a store… I end up buying things to offset my returns! 😛
Very cute blazer! I wasn't able to see the stripes from the first picture. I love stripes lately.
and I wish you could teach me how to pack… I know I'm definitely going to overpack for my Vegas and Japan trips 🙁
That purple dress looks really good on you!! Those blazers are adorable, but I can see how it may make an outfit look somewhat less formal. If you don't mind me asking, what do you do? : )
That reminds me of a blazer I used to have (but gave away because it was ill-fitting). It does look really cropped but something feels a little off… can't quite put my finger on it but it may be the upper sleeves which look a little wide in some shots? The dress is really cute though… wish I had jumped on that bandwagon! 😛
I also love getting comments and interacting with people online… it's also the reason why I keep blogging! I feel like I've found a real community of great people and it's like making a ton of new friends with similar interests… which is hard to do in real life!
LOL..thanks for the birthday shout out!
I love it when the bf's indulge us in tiny clothes! What good boys! =)
Geez…your UO is awesome! I never find anything good on sale at mine. Your jacket looks bit like the Theory seersucker one my bf just got me for my birthday…let the east coast/west coast twin-ness carry on!
Very cute blazer! You know, I've been seeing a TON of 00P blazers at LOFT recently! The one I'm thinking of is navy blue pinstripe with one hook clasp in the middle. I bought one in 2P and debated getting a 00P and seeing who would want it! It's on sale for some crazy low price, like $30 or so.
Cute dress! I think Janice and her director both have it in blue =) And you like NC? My boyfriend goes to Duke so I visit him sometimes… He hates the area though.. not enough Asian food and nothing to do =X What is fun there?