Pets, I just don't have the perk in me today. For reasons too tedious and personal to bore you with, I'm enjoying a self-indulgent sulk today, the likes of which America may not have seen since the Angela Chase era.*
*Is there a statute of limitations on pop culture references?
Before I grow too desperate and embark upon my zillionth "The Catcher in the Rye" re-read**, allow me to divert you and me with a variety of summer dress finds, utilizing the TSA color-coded emergency system in order of inverse retail necessity/ financial irresponsibility. Because nothing cheers a girl up like the bastardization of our great nation's national security ratings.
**I prefer to invite great literary figures of sulkitude to my pity parties, don't you?
LEVEL RED ALERT / Tory Burch
"Please distract me with a cookie while you ply my AmEx from my steely grasp before I buy . . . " (Credit all images: Tory Burch)
"Leonid Dress" ($455): Look how the Moroccan detail draws your eye up to the face, and the waistband detail hits just perfectly to drape over (my) hips. The perfect linen dress for summer parties here in deathHellhotjawsofdeathheat central Texas.
It's really the back that's selling me, though . . .
"Odile Dress" ($450 originally, $270 sale): For the times you need an understated, but not boring shift:
Tough to see with the white dress, but can you make out those straps that nip in the waist? TB is so good at emphasizing a woman's figure, versus the shapeless shift to which some designers - yes, Lilly, I'm looking at you - are occasionally susceptible.
LEVEL ORANGE ALERT: Ann Taylor Loft and Topshop
"Proceed with caution, taking care to avoid rogue mom jeans or Sienna Miller wannabes . . ."
(Credit: Ann Taylor Loft)
Ann Taylor Loft "Splitneck Ruffle Sleeveless Dress" ($69): Not since my days of being a MILDLY AMBITIOUS LAW STUDENT who was going to SAVE THE CONSTITUTION via CAPS LOCK OVERUSE have I darkened the doorstep of an Ann Taylor or her lil sis, the Loft. Nonetheless, I have to admit that their current crop of brunch or tailgate***-level dresses is impressive.
***Note to my fellow Californians: Yes, some people wear dresses to tailgate down here. Email me if you need me to explain "tailgating".
My reasons for inherently disliking TopShop are legion, but chief amongst them:
1) I never met a bandwagon I liked except for "Mad Men". And a certain hormonal teenaged vampire series. Oh, like you didn't.
2) I do not worship at the fashion altar of the big Boho herself, Kate Moss.
But I can't quite help having a crush on this retro little number:
(Credit: TopShop)
TopShop "50's Bandeau Dress" ($100): Again with the detail at the bust & waistline. Note that I haven't actually been in a TopShop, so I can't vouch for them quality wise - readers?
YELLOW ALERT: Forever 21
"Buy whatever you like - buy 3! - but your fingernails may start to
bleed upon entering the store." (Credit all images: Forever 21)
Yes, yes - THAT F21.
The one that makes me want to saw my heart out with the nearest
Jonas Brothers CD.
With the same 98% horror factor and quality caveat as above,
feast your eyes on these two:
"Love21 Tribal Chiffon Dress" ($22.80): Positively Tibi-like, no?
"Serene Linen Sundress" ($24.80): simple, classic, summer staple.
29 comments:
Good looking out for the big girls, but I don't think I could manage to cross the F21 threshold. That store makes my eyes itch. But I loves the yellow dress so I may have to order it online.
I am loving your post!!! :) And I know what you mean about nails bleeding upon entering forever 21 - I had a similar issue last week. I swear the sales lady almost asked me to leave bc I looked too old to be there. And I am totally checking out Loft - I haven't been there in forever and it looks like they are stepping up their game!
Fab and witty post! I lurve that Tory dress...
GAH! How I love My So-Called Life! I have the entire season on DVD (to replace the multiple VHS's that I recorded when it was announced that MSCL would be canceled and MTV played every episode like 8x) - its in my Top Five!
Tory Burch is going to be the death of our savings account one day...honestly.
And dresses while tailgating? Not done the East Coast/Midwest either. Quite possibly one of the oddest things about living in the South. I do not understand the necessity of wearing dresses in school colors to basketball games. Does one not wear a jersey skirt and a t-shirt expressing their school pride?
basketball games = football games
The combination of wine and Provera is making me delusional.
Oh my goodness.... reading the words Angela Chase at 7:45 a.m. was the best thing to happen to me all week. Love love love My So-Called Life.
And I'm loving your choices today.
Kudos for the My So-Called Life reference! I loved that show (and still do :)
I went to F21 recently (and pretended like I was young enough to be there ;) - and I got a cute skirt for $10. I've gotten lots of compliments on it!
I knew I liked you for a reason. "I never met a bandwagon I liked." Ditto, my friend. My husband calls it my spiteful side, but if everyone adores it, I run the other way. Exception: (ahem) Edward Cullen. (Which reminds me, did you see the New Moon trailer yet? 100 times?)
I really like that first TB dress. Very chic. But I have to disagree with you on the tribal chiffon F21 "dress" - that is not a dress in my world; that is a tunic. That would possibly look lovely over skinny jeans or white pants. Or, I'm just old.
:-) Have a great day!
Your posts never cease to make me laugh! I love all your picks, but I must agree, I never got "into" the Boho look (or Cracky, I mean Kate, Moss). I did jump on the Mad Men bandwagon! I wish there were a store where they sold Mad Men clothes....maybe in heaven?
Wow, I may have to darken the door of a F21. I've been on a dress kick this year and this may need to be added.
Maybe KM could be sacrificed on the altar of the Olsen twins - would take care of 3 (or 2, depending on how you view MK&A) boho queens.
Oh my, Miss Pretty! It is so wonderful to have someone to wallow in sulkitude with, as that's precisely where yours truly finds herself this day. Waaaahhh!
However, we must inquire as to how one finds a Pretty Funny gene all their very own, allowing the lightning- quick wit and writing fabulosity...?! In particular, we especially liked "I never met a bandwagon I liked." Along with the not quite understanding the Kate Moss phenomenon.
Thank you for such a divine post, it now allows us to go forth and greet the day. So to speak.
Smiles at you,
tp
Love the Tory Burch number...I might have to buy myself a birthday treat!
Fabulous choices and I will take that Topshop number immediatly! Hot hot hot!
Okay so you would just die in the TB store... I was in heaven and I wasn't even coherent...
amen on the entire AT(L) feelings (generally speaking) and the Topshop/KM feelings. I don't know about you, but I'd rather have fewer pieces but have them be of the utmost quality and oooohh, look well-kempt than have a ton of stuff and rock the boho look, which is hard to pull off unless you have $$$$$, one just looks like a hippie!
kHm
Pretty Pretty!! Love your dress choices...especially the TB. I'm impressed with the little yellow number from F21 too!
I can't wear anything from F21--and can't afford the others (well, maybe Ann Taylor), but I do sneak in there occasionally to score some will-break-in-five-wears-but-is-still-really-cute jewelry on the cheap.
So excited to come across your blog! Love the dresses, and as a southerner and sorority girl I can say that Ann Taylor Loft has certainly outdone themselves recently. Now if only my school colors were Teal and Carmine Pink...
I never understood why girls wore heels and dresses to tailgate down here. That's a Southren thing, not Texas. I went up to Dallas once w/ an old boyfriend who lived in Highland Park for the OU/ TX game and everyone was wearing designer jeans and skirts...
Of course, I wore cowboy boots and shirts from Express. Fanciest stuff I had.
confession: I own that Ann Taylor loft teal ruffle dress! I got it on sale for $39! I actually really like it!
that dress does look tibi! good find :)
How wonderful selection of those summer dresses!! Last one is pretty gorgeous!!
beautiful dress! I especially love the Tory one :-)
This happens all the time in Georgia too! Shocker, I know. I love your blog... it's kept me entertained over the last few weeks at work. I finally started a new blog so I could follow! Stop in some time. Thanks for the daily dose of Pretty!
I absolutely love the first one...ask me if I care it doesnt come in plus sizes! ::eatingicecream:: I will settle for cute shoes...
I don't think one can have too many pop culture references at all. I mean the Gilmore Girls got away with it every stinking episode!!
I kind of need that Tory Burch dress at the top. However, my bank card refuses to bring it to me. Fail.
And yes... we always wear dresses to tailgate in the South. It actually throws me off to see pictures of girls wearing jeans and t-shirts to a game. I can't even understand it!
Laughing at the "dresses to tailgate" comment. I went to a non-football school so I had this J. Crew idea of tailgating. I got dressed up cute to tailgate at LSU with my husband and I was overdressed. I guess LA doesn't do cute for tailgating.
Forever 21 is embarrassing yet fabulous. Perfect for maternity clothes too because they have big sizes thank you.
Post a Comment