outfit – Page 14

Outfit | In Bruges

August 25, 2014 by jessica Leave a Comment

When I purchased this linen dress back in May, I knew I was going to wear it frequently on our trip to Belgium. It was a fun piece to wear while we explored the Medieval city of Bruges. It was also a surprisingly practical item for the hot, humid weather the country was experiencing. I’ll share more photos from Bruges and the rest of our trip later this week. (I’ve been having a hard time whittling down the album!)

TAKING [BIRKEN]STOCK

August 18, 2014 by jessica 1 Comment

I figured my sartorial standards took a nosedive the moment I started considering Birkenstocks as an alternative to what used to be my most comfortable sandals. After walking for miles throughout Brussels, my feet were tired, sore and swollen. We passed a surprising number of orthopedic stores on our daily outings and Birkenstocks shone in the windows like footwear’s version of an oasis.

My desire to own a pair was quickly quieted by a fear that I’d come off as a Woodstock refugee, but everywhere I looked, the most stylish women were wearing Birkenstocks. It wasn’t the double-strapped Arizona, mind you. It was its chic, feminine alternative: the Madrid.

Think of these as the upscale (ha!) version of the Adidas shower slide. (Which, by the way, J.Crew is now carrying. A sure sign the trend has gone far enough.) It’s a single-strap slide that looks surprisingly good with dresses, draped shorts, cropped pants and cuffed boyfriend jeans. Really, the more feminine or sophisticated an outfit is, the better the Madrid looks.

I continued obsessing over them while we were in Belgium, admiring the women’s footwear choice with the voracity of a fetishist. It wasn’t until I woke up early and perused Birkenstock outfits on Pinterest that I knew I was going down a dangerous path. I mean, really, can anyone can deny how chic the sandals look here and here? No.

Maybe I’m yearning for our days back in Brussels or maybe I’m embracing the normcore trend more heartily than I’d ever care to admit. Either way, I caved. I ordered a pair of black Madrids with the tonal buckle, in the name of fashun, of course.

And you know what? I freaking love them. Let’s just hope I’m not one step away from a road paved in marled camp socks and patchouli.

Styling Tips:

A fresh pedicure and well-moisturized heels are a must.
It looks best with tailored clothes. I had envisioned wearing them with breezy dresses, but it looked frumpy on my body type. Maybe it’s better on skinny gals? In any case, I like how they look with slim ankle-length pants, shorts and rompers—all in classic silhouettes and basic colors.

Fit Tips:

Go a little smaller than you think you should. Even though I wear a size 7, I still went with a size 37. According to their size chart, that’s technically the correct size for those who wear a 6 or 6.5.
I get the impression that narrow is suited for widths A and B and regular is for C and D. The black Madrids were only available in a 37 narrow on Zappos and I’m glad I took the risk because they fit my regular width foot perfectly. I would have hated a wider pair.

SALE AWAY

August 13, 2014 by jessica Leave a Comment

One of the biggest perks to living in Madison is visiting Bop, Shopbop’s original—and only—brick and mortar store, during Maxwell Street Days. The sales include online returns that have been worn, are in need of repair or items the retailer decided not to stock. This year, I bought a pair of turquoise Ferragamo Varina flats for $200 (see them here). The bottoms were scuffed and there’s a small smudge on the bow, but everything else is in great condition. (And if we’re being honest, the small imperfections make me less nervous to wear them.) I also found this dress for $20, which I suspect is because of the tiniest, almost imperceptible black pen spot on one of the white stripes. It was an easy piece to wear on one of the warmest days in Brussels.

I do prefer the dress with a pair of black heels (not happening on cobblestones) or pointed flats, but my feet were so swollen on this trip that I could only wear these sandals. Every. Single. Day. (It’s really a shame the other shoes I brought didn’t make an appearance. It was a lot of wasted suitcase space that could have been used to bring back more Delftware…)

NEUTRAL ZONE

August 11, 2014 by jessica Leave a Comment

After countless hours of travel, a 90-minute nap and one quick shower, I slipped this on for our first evening exploring Belgium. I was absolutely exhausted and elastic-waist shorts with a slouchy sweater is about as close to pajamas as you can get.

Ladies have been waxing poetic about these shorts since they were released and I promise that they’re as good as everyone says they are. Plus, you can go down a size. (Keep in mind that they’re pretty delicate. Wash them on the gentle cycle in a lingerie bag and line dry.)

TRAPEZE ARTIST

July 7, 2014 by jessica Leave a Comment

If there’s one thing Dave and I will never agree on, it’s trapeze dresses. He hates the lack of a defined waistline, but I can’t resist the breezy style on the most humid summer days. I snagged this one from Kohl’s last week for a song. (I had a handful of Kohl’s cash, reward coupons and discounts to bring the price down to $14.) As you’ll see in the stock image, it has an attached waist tie that’s sewn into the back seam. I think it looks ridiculous and cheapens the dress, so I tied it in a bow at the back—a temporary solution until I visit the tailor. A leather belt like this one looks much better.

In other news, check out this beautiful ring from Vrai & Oro. I’ll formally introduce you to the brand tomorrow, but think of them as Everlane-meets-jewelry. The retailer has an incredible offering of simple fine jewelry without the absurd markup of a traditional store. The ring I’m wearing is an exclusive piece only available here. I’ve been wearing it on my ring finger and as a midi ring on my middle finger.