Je vois la vie en rose et clothes

Romping Around

2009-02-07T23:09:00.000-08:00

It is my belief that few people can pull off a jumpsuit. It's tricky I think. I've seen a few fellow fashion bloggers do it well. Not for me though. (I can't believe that I am going to say this, but), a romper however, maybe.

Now I have worn a romper before; boy have I ever. It is from American Apparel years ago for a theme party. Honestly, I love it but it is certainly not something I would wear regularly or seriously for that matter.

Here I am wearing my romper, circa 2005.

Yes, those are roller skates. The party was a 70's roller skating party.

Yes, I won the costume contest.

Yes, I wear the romper whenever an occasion calls for a costume (because I love it!!)

I think I may have found a romper that I could wear seriously. In fact, I am kind of obsessed with it. My Free People catalog came today and there it was. Page 1.

If it was summer and not $98 dollars, I would have an ordered submitted an hour ago. I have about three months until summer hits Colorado and I would be able to wear such a garment. That should give me adequate time to find a cheaper and equally lovely and enticing romper that years from now I won't look at and wonder why I paid $98 for such an atrocity.

PS: Tried on the blazer yesterday and decided that it will soon be mine!!! Counting the days until pay day.

I'm going to need this as soon as possible!!

2009-02-06T18:30:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how much I love/need this Jacket. I'm not sure what else I can even say.

Generally Free People is beautiful but too embellished and bohemian for me. This however is perfect. It's jersey and has woven front pieces and collar. The sleeves and back are beautiful navy jersey. I don't like tops with a lot of structure, maybe because I am so tall and the shoulders never fit. This is comfy, with just the right amount of structure.

Beautiful, yes? I can't wait to put it with skinny, jeans, black pants, a swingy dress, and everything else in my closet. The jersey makes it so versatile SPATS, my spats will be put with this.

I am going to have to find a way to get this as soon as possible.

Speaking of lovely, beautiful jackets, here is another one that I love. Forever 21, not quite the cost of the Free People. In fact you, could get the Forever 21 and complete the outfit for about the same price as the Free people jacket.

I love the pleating detail on the front and back!

PS: I'd like a statement on my finger too please

2009-02-02T22:54:00.001-08:00

I forgot to mention this ring, also by J. Crew. I think it deserves it's own post anyway.

It's a beautiful little bird's nest. The nest is gold and the eggs come in coral or cream colors.

Sadly, it is now sold out. It is however all over Ebay. It was $65, then marked down to $50. I missed my chance, I'll have to take some on Ebay.

Statement Necklaces

2009-02-02T22:32:00.000-08:00

About a year ago I ripped a page from a J. Crew catalog because of a the shirt in the picture. I was looking at the picture a couple weeks ago and I fell deeply in love with the gigantic bib necklace in the picture. It was bobbley, huge, and colorful. I immediately cruised over to the J. Crew website to see if they had created similar necklaces for this season.

IN FACT THEY HAD!

Though I have scoured for statement (AKA Bib) necklaces elsewhere, I haven't found any worth mentioning aside from those by J. Crew (thought Anthropologie has a few). I like that the metals are simply what hold it together and aren't intended to contribute to the statement. The entire bib is just colored pieces.

Here are a few of their styles:

I think my favorite is this and I am counting the days and the dollars in my bank account until the day I can get it.

Perfect with a scoop neck or a crisp white oxford shirt. I am thinking the Bright Berry color, thoughts?

PS: Did you know that you can get %15 off at J. Crew when you present your student ID?!?! That brings the necklace down to $127.50!

Spats have arrived!

2009-01-23T19:26:00.000-08:00

My new spats have arrived and though I ordered the leather because they did not have the suede in my size, they accidentally sent me suede! YAY!

Will post pics soon...

What do Lindsay Lohan and I have in common?

2009-01-23T18:28:00.000-08:00

Besides a love of leggings? We both love Ronsons. Me? I'm not into Samantha. I do however love her sister Charlotte Ronson. That above is Lindsay and Samantha at her sister's Spring 09 show.

Charlotte's designs are awesome and affordable! She has two lines, Charlotte Ronson and Play by C Ronson, which is sort of what Marc by Marc Jacobs is to Marc Jacobs.

Here are my favorites from her lines carried at Urban Oufitters.

I love this Tulip skirt! I love the volume on the sides and the color of the silk. I hope you can see the subtle pattern on this beautiful bronze color.

I would have loved to found this dress before the wedding I went to on New Year's Eve. It is gorgeous. I love navy especially paired with black accessories. I like to read reviews of things I find for fitting guides and quality (reviews of clothes can be posted on sites like American Apparel, Zappos, Urban). I was checking them out for this dress and I found a posting of a perfect styling for this dress (which PS: is now marked down to $89.99 with a full size run... get it while you can.

Anyway, here is the styling.

I love, love, love mixing navy and black!! The statement necklace tops it off. Don't get me started on the statement necklace. That's another post all together.

Check out Ronson's lines at Urban Outfitters and Shop Bop -my other favorite pieces? The faux-fur vest on Shop Bop and the Check coat on Urban.

My Flat Spat!

2009-01-16T23:27:00.000-08:00

I just got my shipping confirmation for my new Dolce Vita flat spats! I can't wait to have them in my hands!

I fell in love with spats when Jordy Bee of one of my favorite blogs, Clutch 22 (check it out you will love her!) introduced them . I have been wishing and wishing for a cute flat spat since I saw them. I even considered doing an ambitious DIY project like Jordy Bee (she had quite the journey with spats -from falling in love to a DIY knock off Martin Margiela).

Then I found these beauties from Dolce Vita

I bought them at their first markdown. Of course, two days later, they got a another markdown, 30% off of what I paid :( . So far I am too excited to call and tantrum.

If you still don't understand what I mean by spat, check out Clutch 22 -here, she'll give you the run down (the post was a few months ago so if the link doesn't work just search spat in her search box).

If you give a girl a watch...

2009-01-14T21:58:00.001-08:00

While I have always stuck with silver jewelry, I recently fell in love with a watch with gold accents and well if you give a mouse a cookie, he'll probably ask for milk -etc, etc. I now need a gold jewelry wardrobe. I built one, but I am not happy with it. The weights are all a little different and well, it just doesn't work for me. Here is what I am talking about. This is my silver jewelry wardrobe -simple, classic, a little boring(?) all the same weight.

Yes it is simple, some might say boring. I never really change my necklace and I have to have a watch. I will occasionally wear a fun cocktail ring but generally I think a lot of trend jewelry is a bad idea. It ends up looking cheap. I like heavier things because they also don't seem cheap.

Here are the new watch and the necklace.

Thought's on rings and earring? Like I said I usually like chunky -but not in gold. Obviously I am looking for something light weight. I'm not a nouveau riche rapper.

Anyone?

Please knock it off!!

2008-12-22T01:10:00.000-08:00

So the new James bond movie was basically the end of the last one. It was good, but one of the best (and worst) part was Olga Kurylenko, Bond girl Camille's wardrobe. I say worst because I have lost hours of my life and quality time with my boyfriend, scouring for knockoffs, and asking everyone if they could sew me the taffeta skirt. I think Ziya from alterations is strongly considering the idea. He says his uncle could do it.

Well here it is. The bronze silk twill pleated mini skirt by Jasper Conran -only 595 euro. I am sure someone could knock it off in taffeta.

Here is the runway. I am still searching for a screen shot of her wearing it.I thought I could count on Asos to do it but they don't quite have it. I think it kind of has a tulip skirt vibe but with an A-line.

Here is a screen shot. Sorry, you can't really see the picture but you can get the mood of the outfit.

You can't see the skirt in this picture but you can see that she is doing a casual look. Very very chic casual. I want it. You could dress it up or down... ooh geez I love it. I really do. It's probably for the best. I am going through a self-imposed shopping embargo. So far I've cheated once and found a loophole once. I can't get away with this skirt. My conscience and bank account would notice.

Does sewing count as shopping? DIY is more work than shopping and I guess it guess involve shopping for fabric.

I just hope that I don't go crazy when the embargo is lifted.

Inspiration from the Songbird, Edith Piaf

2008-12-21T23:31:00.000-08:00

Until recently most Americans (sans francophiles like myself) wouldn't have recognized the name Edith Paif, that is until "La Vie en Rose" was released in US theaters. The movie was hit, the SERIOUSLY BEAUTIFUL Marion Cotillard even won the Oscar. Though some now recognize her music, most won't understand the beautiful French lyrics that inspired this blog's philosophy.

"Je vois la vie en rose & clothes": Personally, I would like to see the good in the world and Edith's La Vie en Rose is about how love makes you see the world "en rose" -through rose colored glasses. There are so many things that keep me seeing life "en rose." Aside from my wonderful family, friends, boyfriend, and soy milk, I love clothing.

This brings me to my next Piaf inspiration

My favorite Edith Piaf song helps me keep my shopping in check. I would probably see my world change from pink to deep dark debt red if I shopped as much as I wanted to. Something tells me this "vie en rouge" isn't quite as fun as pink. Anyway, "La goualante de pauvre Jean" (The ballad of poor John) is a reminder of what's important. My about me on this page is the part where Edith basically says to me "écoute-moi Betsey!" Here is what she has to say and my ROUGH translation

La goualante du pauvre Jean 

Esgourdes rien qu`un instant
La goualante du pauvre Jean
Que les femmes n`aimaient pas
Mais n`oubliez pas
Dans la vie y a qu`une morale
Qu`on soit riche ou sans un sou
Sans amour on n`est rien du tout

(Listen for an instant,
to the ballad of poor John,
who women didn't like.
But don't forget,
in life there is a moral,
that whether one is rich or penniless,
without love, one is nothing at all)

HERE IS THE BIG ONE FOR ME (I don't want to end up like poor John!):

Il vivait au jour le jour
Dans la soie et le velours
Il pionçait dans de beaux draps
Mais n`oubliez pas
Dans la vie on est peau de balle
Quand notre cœur est au clou
Sans amour on n`est rien du tout

(He lived from day to day,
in silk and velvet.
He wore fine clothes,
but don't forget,
in life one is nothing (Literally skin of a
all which is apparently french
slang for nothing. I don't want to know)
when our heart is in pain. (translated actually to our heart is in hock)
Without love, one is nothing at all.)

Il bectait chez les barons
Il guinchait dans les salons
Et lichait tous les tafias
Mais n`oubliez pas
Rien ne vaut une belle fille
Qui partage votre ragoût
Sans amour on n`est rien du tout

(He hung out with big shots,
He hung out around the saloons
and drank all the booze,
but don't forget,
nothing is worth a beautiful girl
who shares your stew.
Without love, one is nothing at all)

Pour gagner des picaillons
Il fut un méchant larron
On le saluait bien bas
Mais n`oubliez pas
Un jour on fait la pirouette
Et derrière les verrous
Sans amour on n`est rien du tout

(To get more money,
he became a mean thief.
People bowed low to him,
but don't forget,
one day he was arrested
and behind bars.
Without love, one is nothing at all)

Esgourdes bien jeunes gens
Profitez de vos vingt ans
On ne les a qu`une fois
Et n`oubliez pas
Plutôt qu`une cordelette
Mieux vaut une femme à son cou
Sans amour on n`est rien du tout

(Listen well young people,
take advantage of your twenties.
They only happen once
and don't forget,
rather than a cord,
a woman is worth more around your neck.
Without love, one is nothing at all)

Et voilà mes braves gens
La goualante du pauvre Jean
Qui vous dit en vous quittant
Aimez-vous....

(et here it is my brace people,
the ballad of poor John
who tells you as he leaves you,
LOVE!)

SO. Let's find a happy medium shall we. That's my blog. Happiness
and clothes and lots of francophilia.