Beijing.is.sweltering.

Thank you all for the super kind comments in my post from yesterday.

I was all set today to go out there with a positive attitude and explore Beijing, but it is so incredibly hot... I couldn't do it. When you step foot outside you can literally feel your skin burning! Its like an oven. I haven't left my house all day and it pains me, because today the sky is blue blue blue, and there is not a cloud (err, a pollution cloud?) in the sky. I'm sad such a beautiful smog-free day had to be so hot.

What information did weather.com have for me? Just how how IS it in Beijing today....


Definitely not my imagination. It is too hot for anything other than sitting in my house watching episode after episode of United States of Tara, obsessively checking Sephora's website to see if a new palette I want is in stock yet, and talking myself out of going to the gym yet again. Oh, and looking at these super cute pictures from an article in today's paper about the insanely high temperatures all across China lately!


A Panda in Wuhan desperately trying to stay cool by laying on a huge block of ice. Poor guy!


so yes. Its hot. very hot. And the final two episodes are calling me...

Steph

Crazy for Stripes!

I love stripes. I always have. In the past, I couldn't resist the allure of stripes, so I bought plenty of striped items - dresses, cardigans, tanks... but then I tended to shy away from wearing them. I was nervous about wearing horizontal stripes - you know the bad rep they sometimes have! Last summer, I decided that because I am so consistently drawn to stripes, I would embrace them - and its been a love affair ever since.

I love to wear stripes in spring and summer - they remind me of hot summer days, laying on the beach, spending the day on the boat...

Here are my current picks for the best of stripes!


1. Anthropologie Transverse Bikini, $68 top, $68 bottom, available here.

2. Anthropologie Sea Stripes Bikini, $128 top, $128 bottom (cute, albeit insanely overpriced), available here.

3. Anthropologie Between the Line Bikini, $78 top, $78 bottom, (my pick), available here.

These Anthro bikinis are adorable, but expensive, and something I'd definitely wait for a sale on!


1. Anthropologie Hello, Good Day Dress, $118, available here.

2. Ella Moss Jackie Strapless Dress, (yes I already featured this dress!), $153, available also in Navy, available here.

3. Ron Herman Eight Sixty Stripe Tank Dress, $68, available here.


1. One Clothing Striped Tank Dress, $24.99, available at Macy's here.

2. Aqua Striped Zip-front Tank Dress, $68, available at Bloomingdales (very cute, go to the site and zoom in to see it closer) here.

3. Ella Moss Kit Kat Maxi dress, $177, available here.


1. Anthropologie Sea's Epitome Shirt, $58, available here.

2. Oonagh by Nanette Lepore, Hank Stripe Tunic, $98, available at Revolve Clothing here.

3. Three Dots Stripe Racerback Tank, $80, available at Bloomingdales here.

4. C&C California's French Stripe Racerback Tank, $62, available at Bloomingdales here.


1. Urban Outfitters BDG Long Sleeve Striped Cardigan in Navy, $32, available here.

2. Urban Outfitters BDG Long Sleeve Stripe Cardigan in Red, $32, available here.

3. Urban Outffiters Lucca Couture Striped Cardigan, $9.99, available here.

Warning: stripes sometimes look extremely wonky on computer screens. You need to click on the links and zoom in to see what they really look like! And, these obviously are NOT meant to be worn all together. ;)

I hope all these stripes don't make you dizzy! Do you love stripes, too?

Steph

A Couple New Dresses

So I'm always on the hunt for casual cotton dresses for spring and summer. I like them to be super plain t-shirt dresses. You'd think they'd be everywhere, but surprisingly they aren't, and most of the ones that are easy to find are really expensive for what they are.

Luckily, I found two dresses that fit my criteria and were only about $40 a piece after a discount code I found. Um, people, thats $20 for top and $20 for bottom... thats how I look at dresses to make me feel better about prices, especially when they are a lot more expensive than these two were... hehe. Anyway! Basically, I think they were a great deal and are exactly what I was looking for!

This dress is actually brown, you can't really tell in this pic because the lighting is bad, and I used my Mac camera that is built into my computer. Anyway its cotton, very lightweight, and has two super cute pockets on the bottom.

Here it is on the model - you can see the color and the pockets much better. This dress may or may not need a slip - the jury is still out. I'll have to examine it more thoroughly in different lighting.


You can find this dress at Alternative Apparel for only $48.

The next dress I bought is a perfect for summer! I love it and might invest in a couple more colors, actually. Its just so easy, simple, perfect for really hot days, great for traveling, etc. Its very lightweight, but its not as thin as the previous dress. IMO it doesn't need a slip or anything. It has a cute pocket, too, you can sort of see it on the right.

Am I the palest person you have ever seen or what? I used to be so tan, too! I tan really easily, hopefully I'll get some color soon. Living in Monterey.. its always chilly so my legs never really get to see the sun! For the record, I don't think I am quite as pale as this picture is making me out to be. I think the lighting has a lot to do with it... lol. I swear... hah.

Here it is on the model:

This dress is also available from Alternative Apparel for just $40.Save 15% at Alternative Apparel until April 30th with the code: CEW311.

Anyway these dresses are straight out of the box from the FedEx man. When I wear them out, I'll have a tan...hah... and I'll accessorize properly! Since they are soo plain, accessories will do a lot for them! Some sunnies, a great bag, and bangles... all set! Casual summer chic. I'm thinking some bangles with the brown dress for sure... I love wood and gold together lately.

Available at Nordstrom, $58.

From Aldo, $18.

From Free People, $24.

I'm thinking casual summer dresses, a la fashion icon Rachel Bilson:

Well, I have to cut this short! Some friends are having a going away party for us and I'm 10 minutes late already!

BTW, check out this awesome girl's blog - she is having a give away for some of her gorgeous rope bracelets! I love them & can definitely see myself wearing them with everything this summer!


Steph

WANTS! My Top 10 Wants for Spring & Summer

These are my top 10 wants (not necessarily gets!) for Spring & Summer.


1. By Cousin Claudine, Wood Crystal Bracelets, $145. Available at Intermix Online.

I love these wood & crystal bracelets! They are so gorgeous and entirely capture the perfect spring & summer look. At $145, these are a little steep for me for fashion jewelry, so I'll be scouring Etsy and other sites for cheaper alternatives. Let me know if you come across anything similar!

2. By J. Crew, denim shorts, $72. Available here.

I think shorts are perfect for summer (when not wearing dresses!) and I am loving all the denim styles that have been seen so far this spring. I can take these off my wish list, though, as I just turned it into reality when I scored on HauteLook this morning and purchased this super cute pair of Joe's shorts.


3. By J. Crew, Vintage Zebra-stripe Skirt, $68. Available here.

What is there to say about this adorable skirt from J. Crew? I love it. Its apparently been very popular and is sold out in all sizes except 2 and 10. Hopefully they will get more in! I'm not quite ready to pull the trigger on this one, because of all the money I've been spending stocking up for the move. Though, I do have a J. Crew reward card to that needs to be spent soon! Maybe this pretty little skirt will be mine, after all.

4. By Banana Republic, Lyra Castaway Necklace, $69.50. Available here.

I don't think I need to explain why this necklace is so fabulous. I love multi-layered necklaces and this one is just what I've been looking for.

5. By Anthropologie, Chantico Tank, $88. Available here.

Man, do I love this tank. Its gorgeous. It reminds me of something a Grecian Goddess would wear! I absolutely love the draping on this top. It also comes in white & baby pink. Its on backorder right now until April 6, hopefully I can snag this tank before I leave for China. Probably while I am visiting my mom in CT - she has several Anthros to choose from right by her house!

6. By J. Crew, Reese zip-back Gladiator Sandals, $118. Available here.

I absolutely love these strappy gold gladiator sandals. I love that they give the gladiator look but are still dainty and feminine. The zip-back is also a detail I love not only for how cute it looks, but also for the convenience of putting on the sandal! I may have already fulfilled this wish, though, in another strappy gold sandal I will blog about later this week.


7. By Dolce Vita, Hayden Criss-Cross Wedge Sandal, $174. Available at Shopbop.

These wedges rock. The leather looks so smooth and buttery, the criss-crossing is perfect, the straps are not too chunky not too thin. For me this shoe comes close to perfection for a spring and summer wedge.

8. By Ella Moss, Jackie Strapless Dress, $153. Also comes in Navy. Available at Ella Moss Online.

Ok so I love dresses. And I love stripes. Sometimes I get scared of horizontal stripes, even though I love them - and that is why this dress rocks. I still get the stripes I love but because the stripes go in different directions and aren't straight up horizontal, I don't have to worry about the stripes making me look wide or big or just unflattering to my figure. And I love how they styled this - simple, long gold necklace and strappy gold sandals. A++! BTW, right now if you go to Ella Moss online, you can receive $20 by inviting your friends.

9. By Kris Nations, Deco Leaf Earrings, $55. Available at Kris Nations.

I've been wanting these earrings since last year. I love the earthy vibe they give off and the earrings are perfect for about 75% of my summer looks! I think its time to make them mine. 'Nuff said.

And finally -

10. By Velvet, Elle Short Sleeve Dress, $152. Available at Velvet Online.

I own several dresses by Velvet and these things are made to last. They are made from beautiful, high quality materials. They tend to drape beautifully. And they are basic, but at the same time, anything but. I love the pockets and zipper detail on this dress. At Velvet Online right now, first-time buyers receive 15% off for signing up.

Velvet also has an adorable romper if you are looking for one!

I'm always looking for basic cotton dresses for summer, under $100. If you've seen any you love, be sure to share! I'm always on the look out for similar but better priced items, too. Like, these dresses I love... I'll probably wait for a good coupon code or snag them on sale! I bought a gorgeous Velvet dress on sale 50% off last year at Anthro.

What is on your spring & summer wish list?

Steph

Recent Anthropologie purchases & reviews!

I've lived in Monterey, CA for the last 2.5 years. While its beautiful here, I am definitely ready to leave! I'd say the year around temperature averages around 55 degrees. While its not freezing, its definitely a little bit hard to deal with that cool weather year around - plus I never get to wear the type of clothes I love to wear - summer clothes! I grew up on the tropical, sandy beaches of South Florida so its been an adjustment to live somewhere with no summer and no real usable beach. Let's just say I am looking forward to getting out of here and moving somewhere that has a summer!

Anyway, in preparation for warmer weather I needed to re-vamp my warm weather wardrobe since it is seriously lacking, to say the least. I headed to one of my favorite stores, Anthropologie, to check out their always awesome selection of beautiful, unique tops/tees.

Here are just a few of my favorites:

This is the Swathed Gingham Blouse. This top immediately caught my eye when I saw it in Anthro's catalog. Originally I was going for the black, but it was a lucky shopping day when my husband was with me and he was all about the green. Seeing as how I am trying to brand out from my ever-classic black habit, I tried on the green and just loved it! I think its a perfect spring and summer blouse, and love the kelly green with my blonde hair. When I wear it, I will make sure to tie it a little better so the bow doesn't hang too long.



Next up is the Buds and Bunches Tee. I also bought this in the orange color shown on Anthro's website. I think the orange color is a lot nicer in person. I love this tank because the straps are thick enough to not show a bra. The straps are also braided which is a really pretty detail, and the blossoms are too pretty to pass up! I love how it fits and can see myself wearing this throughout spring & summer!



Next up is the Hourglass Surplice Tee. I love this tee! Its super flattering & so comfortable! The material is so soft, and I love this turquoise color. This is a really easy to wear top that would look good on anyone. Its also very reasonably priced as far as Anthropologie goes!



And last for today is the Foliage Fancy Tee. I absolutely love this tee. Again, the material is really really soft and the shirt is very simple, but the lace detail is a really pretty feature that absolutely makes the shirt. The lace is placed in the perfect spot so as to not reveal any "sensitive areas"... its also very lightweight and thin material (though still feels solid and good quality). I bought it in the grey.


I have some other items I recently bought from Anthro, Banana and J. Crew, but I'll save those for another post.

In the meantime - I recently purchased a pair of glossy black Hunter welly rainboots, but decided to cancel the order at the last minute. I sat there thinking about my purchase, which I was very excited about, but then I pictured myself opening the box with my husband next to me - and me pulling out a pair of rainboots. I could just HEAR him ".... really? Steph? Really? rainboots?" It was enough to convince me to cancel the order!

These are the boots:


But, I'm still thinking about them. I know they can be used in rain as well as in snow when worn with the fleece inserts. Do you guys own Hunter wellys? Do you like them? Should I buy them? Do you get a lot of use out of yours? As a Floridian I've never lived somewhere where it snows - well, except for one brief winter in the D.C. area, but during that time I had a pair of uggs. I was thinking of buying the wellys instead of the uggs - thoughts?

Thanks for reading!