winter white

i love wearing white, so when labor day rolls around every year i immediately think of ways to incorporate white into my winter wardrobe.

one of my favorite ways to do so is a white dress paired with opaque black tights, boots and my boyfriend blazer. these are just a few examples of dresses i'd wear in that exact scenario. i just purchased the peeeerfect white dress with rosette detailing from forever 21 and unfortunately can't find it on their website. hate it when that happens.

below: lulus.com natural cocktail dress in cream, $34

below: prairie ny charlie stone-yoke dress, $232

below: lulus.com fanfare two tone dress, $39

below: lulus.com regal regina dress, $37

i also never miss out on a chance to wear a white top layered under cardigans and topped with a high-waisted belt. these are two tops in my own closet that are regulars in the rotation with dark jeans and a cardi.

below: forever 21 pintucked and crocheted top, $17.80

below: forever 21 sleeveless ruffle top, $17.80

p.s. if there's ever something on lulus.com that you like but they don't have your size, check back often. they get new sizes in daily.

prairie ny and kara janx on retail happy hour today

don't forget prairie ny and kara janx are on retail happy hour today starting at 1pm eastern. remember kara janx from project runway? she does some really cute dresses...and you all know how i feel about prairie ny ( ♥ ). i'm dying for the pixel print maxi dress in the picture above. fingers crossed!

i heart off-the-rack bridesmaid dresses (especially these)

photography by monique

i'm sure we've all been in our fair share of weddings...i've been lucky enough to be a bridesmaid in some super stylish weddings and my oldest and best friend katie's was no exception. the trend of buying off-the-rack bridesmaid dresses is one that i'm a big supporter of - not only because it offers the opportunity to be a little bit more unique, but also because the options are endless AND they're typically less expensive than official bridesmaid dresses (hello, $40 sundresses from target for my bridesmaids). and since katie shares my love for prairie ny, it was only natural that us bridesmaids wear it for her wedding. the wedding was in lake tahoe in june and the dresses could not have been more perfect for the setting. i mean, just look at those photos! (if you're wondering, no, katie didn't marry two men. the tall, handsome guy in the bowtie is her brother)

i'm not sure if this particular dress or print will be featured, but it's worth looking when prairie ny is on soon-to-be-launched retailhappyhour.com. the latest sample sale website to hit the market, retailhappyhour.com will launch 8/13 and prairie ny will be featured on 8/27. don't worry, i'll remind you in time to get your credit cards out.

p.s. how amazing and beautiful does katie look? her gown was custom made by jinza in san francisco.
p.p.s. thanks to the gorgeous wedding party for permission to put your photos on the interwebs!

my favorite leisure suit (normal people call them rompers or jumpers)

when they started flying off the racks earlier this year, i wasn’t so sure i’d be a leisure suit kinda girl. but after finding one by prairie new york in an awesome blue and yellow anchor print – same print, different colors than pictured – i was a changed woman. i consider it my casual weekend leisure suit and i can say with confidence that it is one of the things i’ve worn most often this summer. super comf, light stretch jersey silk, nice fit, lots of compliments.

and i’m super excited that prairie new york – one of my faves – is going to be on hautelook tomorrow (weds 7.8)! the sale starts at 11am eastern and includes a number of exclusive styles and colors with the prairie new york signature elements – lots of embellishments, rosettes and stones. rumor has it this may be our only chance to get these particular styles and colors, so needless to say i’ll be waiting at the computer at 10:59am with the mouse in one hand and my fingers crossed on the other. let me know if you need a hautelook invite and i’ll hook it up asap!

p.s. i cannot take credit. thanks, martha, for renaming rompers “leisure suits”.

p.p.s. for those of you interested in my quest for the perfect black or grey leisure suit for $40 or less, i have been scouring the universe. forever 21 – strike one. h&m – strike two. bloomies – strike three. zara – strike four. lulus – strike five. nolita boutiques – strike six. yadda yadda yadda. i have a new lead on one today so I’ll let you guys know if it pans out!

p.p.p.s. sorry for the late post today. dang you, verizon.

prairie ny knows how to have a sample sale

i've gotten a few questions about the dress i'm wearing in my "appearance" on the today show (see post below). it's by one of my favorites, prairie ny. called the rosette dress in mojito, i found it at praire ny's last sample sale for a mere $40 - $200 less than retail price!

i love prairie ny for so many reasons...everything is made in the U.S., their custom fabrics are so flattering for different shapes and sizes, the beading and beautiful hand detailing, and the designs are so different and chic. the best part is that they have killer sample sales! follow them on facebook so you know when their sample sales are coming up...i'll be sure to post when i hear about them, too.

p.s. this is a GREAT article about prairie ny - http://www.newyorkshoppingdiary.com/article/49