Some Paisley + Why Target will be the Death of Me

dress {Target} - sandals {Aldo} - earrings {etsy}

I'm not even sure if paisley is still in style but I've always had a soft spot for this print. I have to say the shape of this dress is making stars align and unicorns appear for me. I have to thank Target for bringing this dress into my life but I also have a few bones to pick with them. They came to Canada and while I was a bit skeptical after visiting one in a mall, a free-standing location opened up and decided to be all awesome and stuff. I may have gone to Target more than three times in the last ten days, I may have purchased three dresses from there in the last week and I may have said no to a pair of sunnies only to go back the very next day to buy them. I may have.

Please Target, stop being so awesome and Canadian already (kidding, don't you dare).

j.

How to Mix Prints Like a Crazy Person

I love a good horizontal stripe. I am drawn to them like moths to a flame. I am willing to put up with the supposed ten extra pounds that horizontal stripes add, that's how much I love my stripes. This being said, I thought I'd do another "1 item, X ways" post, like I did here, here and here. I'm also no stranger to mixing prints and firmly believe the more prints in one outfit, the better. So, here we go!

blazer & wedges {Target} - blouse {sample sale} - skirt {Old Navy}

Perhaps the busiest of the three outfits, I think the key to these pieces working together was the consistent size and color of the patterns. The polka-dot shirt and the skirt are about the same size of print, if that makes sense. I'd call them medium prints. It's not a micro dot shirt paired with a jumbo striped skirt. The blazer is a larger print, but since the other two are similar, it works. All three pieces are in the same color family, which helps keep things cohesive. And who doesn't love a good color blocked wedge? I'd wear this outfit to the office, provided it was a somewhat creative atmosphere and I had a job (details..).

 

tank {Target} - skirt {Old Navy} - sandals {Aldo}

This outfit ended up being my favorite, I think because I was the most comfortable in it. I occasionally stray from stripes and find myself lusting after prints with a distinct ikat or tribal motif. So I figured it was time to introduce the two of them and let me tell you, they got along swimmingly. I would wear this outfit to have drinks with friends, provided I had friends (kidding...kind of).

blouse {sample sale} - skirt {Old Navy} - shoes {thrifted}

This outfit was the surprise stand out of the day. I mean, mixing stripes with polka-dots and even florals is no brain surgery, but these three prints came together surprisingly well, if I do say so myself. Again, I think the consistent color palette between the blouse and the shoes helped keep things from being "your great Aunt crazy". Also, if you think about it (and I do..) the heart print blouse is really just a slight variation of a polka-dot. Which brings me to the shoes, I wish ALL my shoes had polka-dots on them, I really do. I would wear this outfit to a family dinner, because they HAVE to love me.

Have you guys ever mixed patterns together for an unexpected success? Let me know, I'd love to try more!

j.

Nice Bones

black jacket {Jacob} - skeleton tee {Zara} - polka-dot jeans {Macy's} - 

black booties {Top Shop} - arrow earrings {H&M}

So, a few days ago I rambled about my love for patterned jeans. Well, I have another fashion love to tell you about. It's the graphic tee. The kookier the better is my general rule when it comes to picking out the perfect one. I also like tees that have a sort of vintage-y feel to them. So when I saw this particular one in Zara, and for more than half off no less!, I knew I had to make it mine. I think this trend is something that could make for a good thrift adventure too and we all know I feel real good about thrift adventures. That may just have to go on my to-do list. I like to include enjoyable, totally unnecessary tasks on my to-do lists. It makes me feel more accomplished that way.

j.

Patterns on Pants: A Confession

striped sweater & polka-dot pants {Gap} - brown boots {J. Crew sample sale} - 

triangle necklace {gift, from Urban Outfitters}

I have a confession to make. I have a full blown obsession with patterned pants. Wow, that feels so much better. It's true. I love them. I know that they've been a trend for a while now, but sometimes it takes me a while to get on board with a certain trend. I tried on many pants that had patterns before actually purchasing a pair because it took me a while to find the right ones. It's one of those things (much like my experience with colored denim) that need to be just right in order to avoid looking like grandma's sofa or miss stumpy legs. So, obviously a pair of dark blue polka-dot pants was the perfect pair to ease me into the world of below of the belt prints. 

I have since acquired two additional pairs of pants, both on the more conservative side of the patterned world. This weekend, I was shopping at H&M (as I do...) and got very excited about a few bolder patterns I saw, so naturally I took a handful of pants into the change room with me. Well, let's just say these pants' sizing standards wreaked havoc on my self confidence and knocked me swiftly off of my "I went to the gym three times this week" pedestal. Needless to say, no pants from H&M came home with me. Really H&M, two sizes larger than I usually wear and I'd need a small army to put them on each day?!? Thanks, but no thanks. Rant, over. (I still love you H&M, only because you have a lot of stripes and animal print.)

j.