Ugh-ly Sweater

Skirt: Thrifted Vintage / Top & Bracelet: F21 / Belt & Necklace: J Crew final sale / Shoes: Miz Mooz / Scarf: Macys

Last week, I lamented the fact that I have far more ugly sweater parties than sparkling soirées to attend this holiday season.  After not participating last year, I finally decided to acknowledge it as a trend, stop pouting, and find something suitable. Above was my base outfit, which I wore to work for our holiday breakfast. For the party that night, I replaced my necklace and belt with my new vintage "ugly" sweater:

 Skirt & Ugly Sweater: Thrifted Vintage / Shoes: Miz Mooz / Husband's Bow Tie & Vest: c/o our Printer / Hound's Sweater: Target

It's about as ugly as I can handle, and it has personal significance. When I was kindergartener, my favorite outfit was a red plaid skirt and matching sweater with a plaid Scottish Terrier on it. I wanted to wear it every single day with my tights and Mary Janes. I think my obsession stemmed from Lady and the Tramp, which I adored. The dog on my sweater was just like Lady's little Scotty friend, Jacques.

This is the only surviving photo of  my beloved outfit. My sister is covering the skirt and dog. But I know they're there.

Even back then I couldn't hide my love of dressing up, dogs, and all things French. Perhaps my love of plaid, too.

P.S. Christmas is almost here! Christmas!  Joyeaux Noël a tous*!

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*Joyeaux Noël a tous = Merry Christmas to all!

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Little Black Dress

LBD: Target ($10!) / Cardi & Belt: J Crew Factory clearance / Scarf: Bunco win  / Boots: Larsen via 6pm / Tights: Ross layered over Ross / Bracelets: F21, AE / Earrings: Handmade by a friend

I got this dress for $10 on sale at Target, I've been looking for a way to dress it down. I knew just what to do after I won this fabulous scarf, also on sale right now at Target, at Bunco last week { I know...my odds have to be like 80% by this point...I don't know why I've yet to pack up and move to Vegas. Is there a Vegas-equivalent for dice games? }

In other news...Last night, the Husband and I pulled out the memory foam topper for our pull-out couch bed, parked it right in front of our wood-burning stove, and camped out in there for the night. It was heavenly. When you live in the mountains, and it's cold enough to ice-skate on the lake you live by, and you don't heat the house because the cost of enough heating oil for your rather large 40s home with wall to ceiling drafty windows is insane, this makes perfect sense.

The Hound has found this arrangement particularly to her liking.

P.S. Linked up to Clothed Much's last Rule-Breaking Party! Click to see how others break the rules with their LBDs.

Sparkle, Sparkle

Skirt: Thrifted / CK Top: Ross clearance / Gloves: Target / Belt, Monet Earrings & Necklace: Gabes / Shoes: Miz Mooz / Bracelets: Vintage, F21, AE

As I sit here trying to think of something witty to type about the sparkling ensemble I wore for no special reason { EBEW got me in the mood }, Slurpee is hiccuping at my feet while begging for my long gone sweet potato, of which she ate half.  Nothing like a Hound with a penchant for beta carotene and a myoclonic twitch to bring you back to the real world, where need for such fanciful outfits is minimal at best. {Though I do keep hoping the Husband will remember one more party he forgot to tell me about..} 

Not that lack of need has every stopped me from parading around in sparkles and velvet before. I've been planning this outfit for quite awhile, actually. Since Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince premiered, in fact. Don't judge. Remember the scene where Harry stands up at a dinner party when Ginny enters late? Well, friends, even before I delighted at Harry's awkwardly gentleman gesture for his taken crush, I noticed Ginny's outfit. Her sparkly blue and black outfit, to be precise. 

Fast forward a few years and I've acquired a similar top and skirt. Fast forward to last week, when I saw the plethora of sparkly black and blue on the Louis Vuitton Fall 2011 RTW runway { photos 50-51, specifically }, and I knew the time had come. Yes, it was a combination of Harry Potter and Louis Vuitton that brought me here. 

Suddenly, a hiccuping Hound who has found her way into my lap makes perfect sense.  

P.S. Sorry for the flashy flash. Our camera is quite old and with the teensy screen, it's difficult to tell if the level is okay. 

Sparkling Soirée

Skirt & Top: J Crew final sale / Jacket: Gap final sale / Shoes: Ross / Belt & Express Purse: Gabes / Earrings: AE / Necklace: Grandmother's / Bracelets: F21, Gabes, J Crew Factory

I just love it when J. Crew has one of their "take an extra 40% off final sale items" sales. Christmas came early for me with this top and skirt. I got them a few weeks back, but right now they're having an extra 20% off final sale.

Thank heavens for Everybody, Everywear, which provided me at least one opportunity to get festive for the holidays. Festive, in my mind, clearly involves sparkle. Classy sparkle, that is. I've a grand total of 3 ugly sweater parties to attend this year.  I briefly considered protesting by throwing my own sparkling soirée { have you seen Ruche's holiday lookbook? It's to die for...} But then I remembered that I don't have time because I'm too busy attending ugly sweater parties.

I was invited to one last year and just didn't participate. I have a difficult time purchasing something I don't anticipate wearing again, even if it is inexpensive, and I didn't realize this was a trend.  So this year I searched high and low till I found a vintage dog sweater and plaid skirt, which I intend to wear to every ugly sweater party from now to the end of eternity.

I planned to have a photo for you here, but an Episode of the Missing Hound ensued this evening and all havoc broke loose. { Thank you, Mr. North Wind, for breaking down our door...} After scouring the hills behind the house, we found her deep beneath the neighbor's brush, happily sniffing out rabbits. Completely ruined my plans, she did, so now I'm grading rather than decorating for Christmas and dressing up the Husband in his ugly sweater. He was a big hit at our first party. But no worries. Our next party is Thursday.

Puissent vos vacances de Noël scintillent de la joie!*

 

P.S. Sorry for the ridiculously inordinate number of photos. Husband should become a photographer, should he not? He makes it difficult to choose.

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*Puissent vos vacances de Noël scintillent de la joie! = May your Christmas holidays sparkle with joy!

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Edelweiss on the Coast

 Dress: Edelweiss by Sarah Give-Away Win / Shoes: Asos / Earrings: 1928 / Bracelet & Necklace: J Crew / Purse: Nine West

Above, I present my real-live window shopping style board, brought to fruition courtesy of my Edelweiss by Sarah win. That's right- I said win. Though I'm pretty sure this was the climax of my streak, after winning a necklace and Bunco 7 times in the past year { yes, I won again last month... I'm not sure how this is happening nor why they still invite me. Probably because I woo them with  fancy foods.}

And below, mesdames et messieurs, you have my extravagant take.  Minus the $22,000 earrings from Barney's, of course. I'm not that lucky.

  Dress: Edelweiss by Sarah win / Shoes: Chinese Laundry / Necklace & Bracelet: J Crew / Earrings: Vintage / Clutch: Gabes (Michael Kors)

True to my word, and using my superior coupon-code / sale monitoring / free-shipping mongering skills, I purchased the shoes, earrings, and purse that I used for my window shopping board. { I didn't have to buy a dress now, after all...or so I rationalized.}

Then I found these darn coral shoes. Nothing close to the  Louboutins, that's for sure --ha! like I would know-- but I still couldn't resist. In the end, I went for extravagance at my class reunion.

Can I tell you how supremely elegant I feel every time I wear this dress? No, I cannot. Call it lethologica, but I think there are no words. Not even French ones.

P.S. Thank you Sarah for the absolutely BRILLIANT silk Luther! I still can't believe you picked my style board, but I'm oh so glad that you did!