Saturday, July 7, 2012

Ivory and Sequins and Red Wine - OH MY!

Thursday night, my husband and I attended his retirement party.  He is actually quite young, only 49, but works in a profession that is for the young and so it is time to start his next career!

The event was a casual one - a barbecue in someone's backyard.  It was also slighly rainy and cool.  So a sundress was not on the list of possibilities.

Of course you know I was already wearing my Lauren Hutton trousers, so I thought: "Hmmmm, I hate to change, what to do to tweak this a little more glamorous?"  This was pure laziness on my part, but it was also a holdover of feeling very Lauren-y, so the challenge was "how would Lauren change this from day to evening?" 

I visited my closet and found a couple of items that I felt would pass the Lauren test, one of which I had not yet worn and the other I do not wear much.

The first is the Joe Fresh ivory sequin cami.  Ema, of the amazing blog My Closet, My Baby and I wore the long sleeve version here

I paired it with a textured moto cardigan I bought from Anthropologie last summer.  I like this cardigan, but have only worn it once or twice.  I just struggle to match it with things.



I think it is because I am quite pale.  I can do ivory, but I cannot do white very well, unless there is a scarf or piece of jewellry involved.  But you know what?  With the sequin cami - it is quite nice!



Above is a close-up of the detail on the cardigan.  I think the problem was when I bought it, it was during the j crew cobblestone colour craze.  I loved the cobblestone colour, but it did not love me and it was not particularly pretty to see on me.  In fact, when I wore cobblestone (or when I wear beige, griege, khaki or camel) close to my face I become the poster girl for Les Miserables, playing the part of the doomed Fantine....

However, the ivory sequin top just seemed to lift this whole outfit up!  I was quite pleased with the effect.  I wore it with my giraffe bangle, which I really love:

Enameled giraffe bangle
I felt that with the bangle and the sequins, I was kind of "Lauren-Hutton-on-glam-safari" - I was only missing my major domo and doomed lover.

And last, but not least, "the shoe shot"! 



The melon luccas from last year, which I still really love very much!  I also own the beige version (which I got when it went on extreme final sale last year) but I felt that would be too monochromatic.  Of course we know that Lauren would have switched into the ivory sneakers or sequined loafers, but I was not sure that the barbecue folks were ready for that!

As I expected, I was very much over-dressed compared to the others in attendence.  However, it was a retirement function and so I bought the requisite wine(s), hostess bouquet, etc.  I am a firm believer in putting one's best fut forward.  BUT....It was a little tragic, as someone spilled red wine on my trousers....  So I got my just rewards for being so fussy!  I was particularly charming and sparkling with my dry cleaner yesterday in a pathetic attempt to somehow charm the stain out with goodwill.  We shall see if that works at all...

Oh, and i broke my final sale rule this am when this skirt popped back in my size at a very low price after my gift card:

No. 2 pencil skirt in Caribbean tweed
Like the golden burgundy pencil skirt, this is going to be a september/october/march/april clothing item.  I really am going to try to do the Dani System, though it may take me the whole summer to achieve!

Have a wonderful Saturday and remember: hold the glass of red wine at a distance, but by all means, hold it!

7 comments:

  1. I love how you added a little oomph to the outfit with red sandals. I got the giraffe bangle too- have an older version of the necklace so it will be a perfect compliment- as long as I do not wear giraffe top, shorts, necklace and a bangle at the same time, lol.

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    1. Ah you laugh, Slastena, but my inner self would just pile that giraffe on!

      Oh to be a minimalist!

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  2. You are so funny. I bet you have charmed the stain away!
    Why oh why didn't I buy that giraffe bangle. I love it.
    I think you will love the green tweed skirt. I have washed it successfully in my machine! On hand-wash, then hang to dry, iron inside out.
    I am trying to stick to my own shopping system and it is difficult. Three things a season, and I began with my base wardrobe on June 10th of this year (my birthday, the breaking point of 2 years of decade-themed wardrobe building for me). My three things for summer: a dress, a jacket and a pair of shoes. Today I NEARLY bought the navy hacking jacket on popback for fall but cancelled my order, I must remember that the current year offerings are not even out yet!
    What are you planning to add in for fall?

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  3. I have bought 1 of the items already (can I count a wool Judith and Charles black suit that I got on sale as one item or as a basic replacement - please say it is the latter!) a basler blazer in the most gorgeous peacock print - well i don't have it yet, as I bought at a sample sale.

    I don't know what I need -I think new black boots for the office and maybe a blouse or pencil skirt? I am hoping to visit Jcrew and Kate spade in Boston and will hope they have some autumn items out. But 3-does that include amazing sales? :-). You might pay off my mortgage yet, Dani!

    Oh wait- Paris......

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    1. It's my mortgage that is driving me to be sensible and try to stick to 3 things and not spend all of my money on new outfits! I want to pay that thing off!
      Your suit is a basic replacement for sure, and I would count a suit as one item anyway, this method is keeping me from shopping the sales I have to say, so if it accomplishes that much it's a good thing.
      The thing is it only works if you've got your wardrobe already sorted with your "uniform" and party basics etc, that took me 2 years to do!
      I do hope autumn is in store when you go to Boston, that would be perfect. I'll be in Atlanta early August and it should be in store then as well.

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    2. Well I really am going to get it ALL out and see what I have and what I want to be when I am 50! :-) I am going to reread Frock Philsophy first however, to make sure i am on track!

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  4. A girl after my own heart; you know how I feel about sequins! My formula for whenever I am uncertain about how dressed up to be is to wear pants and a sparkly top.

    I once got marinara sauce all over a cream brocade jacket. I thought it was a goner but after my dry cleaner worked magic on it, was just fine. I think your white trousers will have the same experience.

    All those colors I call dirt make my coloring reminiscent of a grocery sack. And Les Miserable was the most depressing musical I've ever experienced. I'm certain it was wonderful theater but I could not wait until the final curtain dropped.

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