lucilleduquette:

i mentioned last week that i had a 2nd purchase from the uniqlo +j line (other than the skirt in the post here), and that i needed some opinions on it. so here we have it- what i deem the “sister wife dress”- doesn’t it seem like something nicki would wear on ‘big love’? i was feeling a little iffy about it, since it is somewhat loose, and hits at mid-calf. i decided to try styling the dress a few different ways to see how versatile it would be, and here are the results!

this first look is the most obvious to me- simple summer shirtdress with strappy sandals and my favorite necklace to give the waist a little extra definition.

i wanted to see if i could make the dress wearable in the current in-between season, so i added some darker layers to tone down all the white. i think this look is the most ‘me’. (ps i will post a better photo of these shoes soon- just got them in the mail over the weekend on The Best Shoe Day Ever!).

as i went to put the dress back in the closet, i spotted my fur tank top, and thought it would be another option for layering. so, out it came. on the way to put it on, i saw my beaded vest hanging on my dressform, and threw that on too. i think the layering gives the dress a whole different feel, and it pretty much convinced me that it was a dress worth keeping.

what do you think? versatile dress, or too sister-wife-y? (and if so, which sister wife? i’m pretty okay with being Barb..) and one last question- how do you typically decide whether to keep a new purchase?

outfit 1: uniqlo  +j dress, brook and lyn body necklace, steve madden nataliaa sandals, chloe sunglasses, balenciaga pistachio city

outfit 2: uniqlo +j dress, uniqlo vest, rachel leigh necklace, won hundred wedges, proenza schouler ps1 bag

outfit 3: uniqlo +j dress, vintage fur tank top, gryphon beaded vest, christian louboutin miss tack boots, coach kristin sunglasses (c/o coach), zac posen bag

i will try to keep this post quick today (which is hard for me!) as noel and i are scrambling at work right now. i know i said that last week i’d be showing you some other ways that i’ve been wearing my brook & lyn surrounded body necklace- so today i have photos of just one of the ways i’ve been wearing it, and will show one more on friday.

as you can see, this little beauty makes an excellent belt. though my pattern-phobic self was a little unsure about this outfit, i felt the necklace tied together the polka dots and the paisley, and made a nice focal point.

i’ve been feeling bored with my wardrobe lately, so have been digging in the back of the closet, pulling out things i don’t usually favor, and trying to see them in a new way. this blouse and skirt were two such items, and i love them so much more together than apart.

the blouse is from jcrew, and the skirt is diane von furstenberg- two brands which i like, but typically find too preppy for my taste. but when i mixed the patterns, i thought it gave off a sort of dries van noten vibe.

with the addition of some large vintage earrings (from my mom!), and a handful of jewels, i felt safely non-prepster.

to really go all-out with my patterned outfit, i wore these anthropologie sandals. i got them a year or two ago, and don’t wear them often- they have a stacked wood heel, which i am not a fan of. but i’ve been realizing they’re insanely comfortable, so they’ve been getting more wear. and i like the way their pink tone compliments my OPI shrek nail polish.

well, this was… kinda short?? i don’t know why i always write so much- i find it much easier to get a point across by writing than by talking. are the rest of you bloggers the same way? anyway, back to work for me!

brook and lyn surrounded body necklace, jcrew blouse, diane von furstenberg sample skirt, anthropologie sandals, banana republic bracelet, vintage faux-turquoise bracelet, ysl arty ovale ring, vintage rings, vintage earrings, miu miu bag

i don’t know if you can tell, but in this photo i have a very smarmy, self-satisfied look on my face. it’s because i’m VERY happy with what i’m wearing. and the reason i’m so happy with what i’m wearing is…. drumroll please….

my very own BROOK & LYN ‘SURROUNDED’ BODY NECKLACE. (!!!!!) have you ever seen a more unique and beautiful necklace than this?! i dare you to try. you will fail. allow me, please, to count the ways i love this necklace. i love the way the stones catch the light. i love that the agate contains my favorite shades of blue and green. i love the intricate crochet that surrounds the stones, and the nautical-esque rope that surrounds the crochet, and the way the necklace surrounds every single thing i’ve worn since i got it- there’s not an outfit i’ve worn that isn’t improved by adding this necklace. 

it’s funny, i see this necklace as such a statement; and, as expected, people ask me about it all day long when i wear it out. but most people seemed to think it was a built-in part of whatever i was wearing- from this maxi dress, to tee shirts, to a silk blouse. so even though it’s a large, stand-out piece, it seems to blend in seamlessly with a variety of styles. prompting a lot of strangers to ask “so, how do you WASH that dress/shirt?”

for this particular outfit (which, i confess, i wore 2 times this past weekend), i wanted to bring out the new age-y-ness of the agate stones by throwing on some tie dye, fringe, and a makeshift turban. what else is new. on friday i plan to show some other ways i styled the necklace (i’m playing with different ways to tie and drape it). this look just happened to be my favorite.

i was really happy about the way the necklace covered up some of the cleavage this dress can show. but after taking photos, i could see that i was showing some major side boob. eeew! that’s probably more offensive than cleavage, huh? i’m hoping mimi can do something about this in her next design.

this agate ring is another new piece of jewelry- i just found it in a consignment store, and knew it was meant to be mine because of the color, it’s coordination with my other rings and my necklace, and the fact that it fits my fat fingers.

anyway, head over to brook & lyn to check out her ‘surrounded’ line! she recently added bracelets to the collection, plus some new body necklaces like the one i have. i’m  beginning to think i need this in multiple colors- one for every season. or at least one different color so it’s less obvious that i’m repeating my jewelry every. single. day.

brook&lyn surrounded body necklace, central park west dress, jcrew scarf (worn as turban), vintage earrings, secondhand prada sandals, miu miu bag, vintage bracelet and rings