Pre-Christmas Wish List

Is it too early to form my Christmas list? Probably. And it's very likely that everything here will either sell out or fall off my radar by December, but here's a list of things I wish someone would buy me nevertheless:

Despite my post about my search for a new school bag, I'm still using my beat-up old tote I got a year ago in Poland. But I want this Saddlery Buckle Bag, $58 from Urban Outfitters, to break me out of my purse rut. It's a good size, so I'd be able to fit all my folders and books inside, but it's not so big that I look like I'm running away from home. Also, as a former horseback rider, I'm a sucker for equestrian details. The rich brown color is also a big plus, especially since I think it'll nicely match my boots.

Also from Urban Outfitters is the Kimchi Blue Knit Lace Shoulder Dress, $58. I love how efficiently it sexes up the classic, girly baby doll shape by adding the sheer lace shoulders. However, I hate the back, because it's all, "Sorry ladies, no bras allowed!" I'm as big a fan as anyone of flashes of skin, but this is just unnecessary. Why couldn't they make the lace part end a little higher in the back so we would have the option to wear a strapless bra? Then everyone would win!






Fall is all about argyle for me, and usually it's J.Crew that allows me to gorge myself on those kicky triangles. But Victoria's Secret has these unbelievably cute argyle round-toe pumps, $59. These are perfectly sexy librarian, and the high wooden heel adds major attitude. I think I'd go with the black inside of the brown, because it's a little more subtle and thus more of a fun surprise when people take a closer look at your styling feet.







There's a moment in pretty much every Anthropologie when I flip the page and gasp out loud at the beauty of a dress. This month, it was the dress on the left in this photo. The Elding Slip Dress, $198, is a vintage dream. The details are so feminine and old-fashioned: sweetheart neckline, modest little straps, lace overlay, pleated empire waist. All of it perfectly compliments the particularly lovely color created by the gold filmy layer over the light blue twill. This dress wins "Most Likely to make it to my Christmas list," and maybe I'll be lucky and it'll go on sale by December.






On a totally different note, I need new running shoes stat and I'm partial to Asics. I used to be a Nike girl through and through, but those Asic-sponsored ads for the NYC marathon convinced me that if I'm going to be serious about running, I need Asics. What can I say, they're good ads! I love my current pair, but after a year and a half and countless miles, they've started giving me evil, painful blisters on the arches of my feet. I kind of like the GEL-Foundation 8, because the color scheme is, according to Asics, lightning/burgundy/rose! Yeah, you can tell that I'm not actually that serious about running since I still pick my shoes by their color. But I always say that the cuter the shoe, the more excited you are to put them on, and the more you wear them so the more you run.

It's getting colder by the day, but I'm very reluctant to post out my puffer jacket with the faux-fur hood, because once I do that it's full steam ahead into winter. I think I'd be more enthusiastic about the colder weather if I had this J.Crew Double-serge Tuesday trench, $199. I love cropped wool coats, because they keep you good and toasty but don't make you feel like you're bundled up at a Christmas caroling level. Also, the fantastic red color and classy waist belt make this so look so fun to wear with both casual and dressy outfits.

I really prefer not to patronize American Apparel, but I have to admit that this dress is cute. The Le Sac dress, $38, is another of their convertible dresses that can be worn any number of ways, from "pretty cute" to "dear god, that's both hideous and ridiculously slutty." The way of wearing the yellow version? Lovely! (Also, I think I'm predisposed to like it because the model looks like Rebecca from Greek.) The way of wearing the teal version, however? You're going to get people saying, "By the way, I can see your nipples," all night long. Plus, it makes the model look sort of dumpy. Who wants that?

Things I Want

Today I was telling Danielle how my laundry basket is overflowing so I should probably wash my clothes, but it's really hard to motivate myself to do so when I have about a week's worth of socks and underwear left, two weeks worth of pants, skirts and dresses, and 3 months worth of tops. She said, "Maybe you should stop shopping," and I was like, "No, that's not the answer. I just need to invest in a bigger laundry basket."

Here are some things I want, in order of "Least likely to actually buy" to "Most likely to actually buy."

Velvet Amaria Lace Dress, $242. Lace will always be sexy for the "I'm covered up, but you can see my skin!" contradiction it creates. And white lace is so sweet and virginal that it's extra sexy when you wear it as a minidress. Bonus points for being very similar to a classic Blair Waldorf outfit, too.

Whoa, I started writing this post, went out to dinner, then came back to find that this dress is now out of stock at Shopbop. You can buy it at Revolve Clothing, but the model in the photo is making the dress look kind of like a particularly dowdy doily, which is not good. But it's also available in black, there, so that's good.


I've been salivating over this Alice + Olivia One Shoulder Dress, $367, for weeks. I'm a sucker for the Grecian Goddess look in all shapes and forms, it's true. I'm a bit worried that it's too short-- you could practically wear it as a tunic. But the one time where being so short comes in handy is with dresses that border being inappropriately short, since they'll hit a little closer to the knee on my body than on any model's.

One of the Lucky Magazine blogs alerted me to this vintage store, Mama Store Vintage, on Ebay, which currently has this fantastic dress for sale. Again with the Grecian, I know. I love the huge waist band of beads-- I would feel like a prize-winning heavyweight boxer, with those giant championship belts or whatever. I also think the fabric and cut would make it super flattering and comfortable. The price is currently $20.50, but with 9 bids already and 4 days to go, I'm keeping my hopes low for actually getting this dress.

I originally saw this Steve Madden Luvvy mary jane pump on Piperlime, but when it sold out I thought I was out of luck. But Google Shopping, master of the internet, showed me otherwise! But it ended up being a sort of Pandora's box, because it turns out this shoe is available in a bunch of other colors, fabrics and prints, at all different prices. Too many options! I was in love with the pinstripe, but when I saw the black or red patent, brown, grey, black or wine suede, and black with white polka dots, I was overwhelmed by the cuteness and unable to make a choice. But I think this is one of those situations like when you're taking a multiple choice test and choose answer A, but then when you look over your answers you think, "Wait, maybe it's B..." and spend 10 minutes trying to decide before finally selecting B as your answer. And then, of course, when you get the test back the right answer is A and you're like, "Aw, man, I should have gone with my first instinct." We've all been there, right? But I found a pair in my size on Ebay, and no one's made a bid yet, and I'm not even going to link to it because I do not trust you weaselly little bitches. (Just kidding-- of the people I know for a fact will read this, I'm pretty sure none of you wear my shoe size.) Oh, and did you notice how the strap can convert from a mary-jane to a heel accent? I think that's genius.