LBPD

in an earlier post (see it here), i talked about LWDs - little white dresses. during the summer, there was nothing better than throwing on a simple white dress and lots of accessories before heading out into the sticky midwest heat. but now that fall is upon us (hopefully sooner rather than later) and school is starting again, the good old classic LBD will be reappearing once again.

but aside from a handful of formal events that will take place this year, a real, all-out

LBD won't be hanging in my closet. liz and i updated the idea with an edgier shape, casual material, and a statement-making pattern (now its more like an lbpd: little black printed dress). we're thinking it will work equally well for weekend parties (worn alone or tucked into a black skirt) and dinner with friends ruched up a little and worn with leggings. here liz dresses it up with some heavy jewelry and flattering nude pumps:

{on liz: niche boutique dress [located in broadripple village, indianapolis--website here], j.crew necklace [similar one here], target pumps}

dreaming of denim

as i get more and more excited for fall weather and fashion, the words "transition piece" repeatedly pop up in my head. a true transition piece, something that works for both summer and fall weather, is actually harder to come by than you would think (especially when you remember how irritating autumn's unpredictable temperatures can be).

a denim shirt is one of these miracle pieces. it looks equally chic with white shorts, black skinny pants, or a sequined mini skirt; converse low-tops, embellished flats, or platform heels; piled-on jewelry, minimalist streamlining, or boyish flair. i personally love pairing my denim shirt (from j.crew's 2007 summer collection) with the most unexpected pieces, like a tight black pencil skirt, oversized jewels and funky sunglasses:

{on liz: j.crew denim shirt [similar version here], nordstrom bp skirt, david yurman silver-and-gold chain bracelet, j.crew rose-gold chain bracelet, j.crew gemstone bracelet [similar version here], burberry stainless steel bracelet watch, urban outfitters braided fabric bracelet [similar version here], h&m cheetah-print sunglasses}

get creative!

-emily

beauty buys

just saw jane aldridge's latest post on her crazy-cool blog sea of shoes. don't you love it? i'm obsessed with this blog, and especially enjoy when jane posts her wacky little drawings and insane, artistic juxtapositions of fashion. her makeup always looks stunning and intense, which of course led to fans like me asking what she uses. here's how she shared her flawless beauty regimen:

it inspired me to share my go-to beauty products with you too. i believe that when you embrace it, makeup can be the greatest thing in the world; being hopeful and enthusiastic about your beauty endeavors allows you to find exactly what colors, textures, and tools work for you (hellooo, gorgeous!) but this excitement can often lead to a few bumps in the road (mistakes you learn from, of course). after experiencing a few makeup failures (i.e. lip-gloss overload, matte gray eyeshadow, and messy black eyeliner) i think i've finally figured out what works best for my olive-toned-and-sometimes-dry skin, brown eyes, and round face.

{FROM TOP: Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner in Caviar Ink, Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Eliminating Spot Gel, Maybelline Lash Stiletto in Very Black, Cle De Peau Beaute Concealer in Beige, Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel, Tarte Cheek Stain in Natural Beauty, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Fawn, Laura Mercier Bronzing Gel, Fresh Satin Luster Face Palette}

what are your trusted beauty products?

-emily

bargain hunting {for lazy girls}

i always say there's nothing like a good bargain. as a seasoned bargain hunter, i love that rush of adrenaline i get when digging through the sale room at anthropologie or dismantling every rack at affordable stores like forever 21 - the weight of my barely-emptied wallet is quite comparable to nirvana!

a few months ago, in an inadvertent attempt to transform me into an even crazier bargain-hunting freak, one of my friends showed me the website www.hautelook.com. i now check it every day.

okay... several times a day.

you'll understand when you join. it's an online store that holds daily sales for big name designers, and by sale i really mean give-away. sometimes you can get stuff for up to 60% off! and the website sends out an e-mail reminder every day as if to say we know you haven't succumbed to your shopping addiction yet today...

i've placed several orders on things like patterned minkpink tanks, bright oversized shirts from wildfox, and mineral-washed tees from romeo & juliet coutoure. shipping takes a little bit longer than most websites (because haute look has to import the clothes to their warehouse), but it's totally worth the wait. this week's menu includes c&c california, paige premium denim jeans, and even penguin for men (so you can get something for your main squeeze while you're at it!) all you have to do is sign up with your e-mail and get shopping.

$$$ save on!

-emily

bootie-licious

on days like these when the temperature averages in the mid-90s and all hope of a good hair day is completely lost, i become positively giddy at the idea of fall being just around the corner. the latest urban outfitters catalogue is partially to blame for my excitement, and i've been scanning their website like an addict trying to decide what essentials are needed for my cold-weather look.

i came across several little booties and decided i have to get a pair. or two. it's a very, very weird thing for me to say. you see, i've never been a booties fan - i always thought they looked weird on my feet and have always preferred tall leather boots. and i also have a soft spot for uggs (sorry i'm not sorry) - nothing is better when you're trudging through a snow drift and are dangerously close to slipping on your bum, desperately thinking i'm just trying to be a good student and go to class...

this year i feel different about booties though. maybe i've changed, maybe the silhouettes have improved. but i'm excitedly thinking about these tiny, adorable little shoes with tights and shorts, or skinny jeans rolled at the ankle, maybe with patterned socks, or with little wool skirts and baggy sweaters, and possibly wearing my oversize ray-ban eyeglasses just because they would be so perfect....

there really are endless possibilities!

{From left: Deena & Ozzy Suede Scalloped Lace-Up Boot, Ecote Studded Leather Moto Boot, Deena & Ozzy Foldover Boot,Ecote Studded Triple Strap Boot, Ecote Engineer Boot, BDG Two-Tone Lace up Boot}

lolla land

haven't posted in so long!

we've been in chicago for the lollapalooza music festival, so clearly we were nowhere near a computer. actually, our entire weekend mostly consisted of lots and lots of people crowded in a (actually very large) space, accompanied by tons and tons of music. and literally not much else. it feels kind of nice to be back in the civilized world where you don't spend 12 hours in grant park dancing until your legs hurt, eating $8 hot dogs, and forgetting the rest of the universe is still existing, but the insanity is always worth it for me.

we saw dozens of shows, and even missed a few after catching the wrong train or waking up a littttle too late from sheer exhaustion - but it was all part of the adventure. some of our favorites included phoenix, the strokes, matt & kim, grizzly bear, dragonette, the walkmen, ana sia, the big pink, chromeo, and the xx.

here's a video of phoenix's opening track, "lisztomania." it felt surreal to see this band live; i've been a huge fan for several years and was so happy to hear them play older classics like "long distance call," "rally" and "if i ever feel better." however, the best part had to be when they went all-out in their encore performance of "1901" - absolutely the highlight of the weekend.

matt & kim were amazing live - somehow i wasn't expecting it. silly me, right? they had so much energy you couldn't help but fall in love with both of them, incessant cursing and ridiculous stories and all! in between their own songs, they added in shortened covers of classics, like "just a friend" by biz markie and this "better off alone" cover. it was insanely fun, as every single person recognized the classics and broke out in a huge, slaphappy dance party:

to end the post, here's a picture of me and liz at the dragonette show! it was the beginning of the day, so we were still miraculously non-sweaty and only partially exhausted.

>> it was nearly impossible to look your best in the scorching heat, and we definitely saw some interesting outfits (namely girls wearing bandeaus with nothing layered on top + tiny denim shorts, guys in speedos, and even one girl who just wore her bra and hot pink panties that said "yes please" on the back - too far.) me and liz stuck to cool, breezy pieces like lightweight dresses, loose cutoff shorts, and floaty tops. i'm wearing my favorite ray-ban cats 5000 shades with a patterned crop top from a local boutique, and liz is wearing this great top we got at the nordstrom bp section for $28. it's super-sheer and looks so on-trend with a lacy black bra or bandeau underneath, or paired with distressed denim and heavy jewelry. i'm pretty sure liz got those aviators at bp too - we've been shopping there a lot lately, so happy with their incredible clothes and shockingly low prices.

prepare for lolla '11!

-emily

welcome to the jungle

i credit j.crew as being insanely fashion-forward, relatively affordable, effortlessly chic, and incredibly wearable. i love this fall's collection to death, despite the sticker shock i felt when looking at one particularly fabulous skirt online (see here - feel my pain?)

yet my loyalties remain true. when photos of safari jackets bathed every. single. magazine in army green, i thought to myself "aha! j.crew wins once again." because what was my most coveted piece from their fall 2009 collection last year?! none other than a green safari jacket.

to my dismay, i didn't buy the jacket as it didn't fit me right at all - way too boxy for my flat-chested frame (sigh). but now they have multiple styles to choose from, all of which are around $100. for something i can see myself wearing every single day, rain or shine, it's totally worth it.

love.