Sunday Best: Revisited

Last year at this time I wrote of my search for the perfect magenta peep toe wedges. It's one year later. I still have no magenta peep toe wedges. Coming to terms with the fact that I may never find any, I decided to revisit this outfit and see if I could add some interest in another way. I knew I still wanted to incorporate another color and this time I wanted to add another pattern as well. I wasn't sure if the leopard wedges would work, but I sort of love it. I may like this look even better than I would pink peeps!

Striped Merino Wool Blazer - Ann Taylor Loft (seen here)

Cotton Green Dress - Boutique in Chicago (seen here)

Skinny Belt - H&M

Cut to the Chase Necklace - Kate Spade (seen here)

Erin Dot Tights - Banana Republic

Kylie Wedge Pumps - Payless

Sunday Best

It's early spring and that means layers are all around us. Most of March was crazy warm, but last week seasonal temperatures finally hit the area. If I wanted to stay warm on my walk to work, but not get too hot later in the day, I had to layer up. Topping a dress and boots with a cardigan and wool blazer make for the perfect outfit for a cool spring day.

Bib Dress - Banana Republic

Cardigan - Banana Republic

Check Wool Blazer - J.Crew

Belt - H&M

Socks - Target

Boots - Ann Taylor Loft

Love: H&M Conscious Glamour Collection

It's been a while since I have been inspired enough by an H&M Conscious Collection release to write a post about it. That all changed with one look at their new Conscious Glamour Collection. The runway-inspired frocks feature sustainable fabrics such as hemp, organic cotton, and recycled polyester. Bold colors and interesting cuts makes for one of H&M's best releases to date. The collection is set to hit about 100 stores worldwide on April 12. I so can't wait!

My Wishlist

Click here to view the entire collection

Sunday Best

I love the unexpected. When it comes to my style, I usually aim to achieve an unexpected look with color. This week I went for a mix of ultra feminine and tough. I stumbled upon this necklace at a random store while on a weekend getaway. With a price tag of $2.99 it was a major steal. I knew I would be able to pair it with some edgier pieces like a motorcycle jacket, but I wanted to try to mix it up with a more girlie outfit. A flowy dress, colorful cardigan and bow wedge booties did the trick. With the weather being so beautiful, I also had to break out my favorite coat from last season.

Merino Cardigan - Banana Republic
Dress - H&M
Collar Necklace - Random Store
Tights - Forever 21
Blowfish Blyth Booties - Piperlime (available here)

Studio Mona Coat - Kate Spade (seen here)

Blowfish Blyth Bootie - Piperlime (available here)

From the Fitting Room: Marni for H&M Madness

I arrived at the Marni launch this morning a couple minutes before 8 am and was given a blue wristband, which means I was in group 3 and would be able to start shopping at 8:45. There were about 70 people in line ahead of me and I heard that some people had even camped out overnight! No matter how much I love fashion, I can't imagine there is anything I would want badly enough to stand in line overnight for. H&M has the whole shopping for collaborations thing down to a science. They gave each group 15 minutes to shop and each person was allowed to buy 2 of each piece. They have also amended their return policy to 10 days for Marni items in hopes of preventing resale on ebay.

On to the clothing. I pretty much got to try on everything I wanted, with the exception of the long polka dot coat I was coveting. All in all, I would say the quality of the pieces was pretty high, my only complaint is that many items ran very large, especially the dresses and tops. For the price point, I also would have liked the coats, jackets and skirts to have been lined.

Blue Polka Dot Pencil Skirt, Size 2 (fits like a 00) $59.95: I love the color, print and style of this skirt. It fit true to size for H&M as well. Verdict: Purchased, but will probably take the hem up (for reference, I am 5'3" and it hit right in the middle of my knees). I tried this on with the women's tee in an XS and it was too boxy for my taste.

Ruffle Zip Cardigan, Size 2 (fits like an XXS) $69.95: I really liked the fit and style of this cardigan. It was supersoft too and seemed to be pretty sturdy, but at the end I decided it was too long and not worth the price. Verdict: Passed.

Polka Dot Top, Size 2 (fits very large) $69.95: I don't even know what to say about this top. Not only did it fit huge, I just can't imagine how it could be flattering even if it did fit. The boxy fit and weird drop waist made it a definite no-go for me. Verdict: Passed.

Polka Dot Dress, Size 2 (another generous cut) $79.95: I loved this dress on the hanger and in all the promos I had seen, but in person it was a big old mess. Not only was I swimming in it, but it was also slightly see through (hard to see in the picture). For this price, I expect a higher quality garment. Verdict: Passed.

Polka Dot Graphic Pencil Skirt, Size 4 (fits like a regular 0) $59.95: The smallest size they had left was a 4. I really loved the print and silky feel of this skirt, but I didn't think it was worth altering. Verdict: Passed.

Blue Polka Dot Jacket, Size 2 (fits like a 00p) $99.95: Besides the long black polka dot coat, this was the one piece I was really dying for. It didn't disappoint. The cut, style, color and print are gorgeous in real life. And I was totally psyched that the length was perfect for my short torso! And surprisingly I really love the skirt and jacket together. As I mentioned earlier, I will probably take the skirt hem up though. Verdict: Purchased.

They also gave out these super cute bags and nice cotton garment bags with purchase. Success!

UPDATE: I forgot to mention the Black Polka Dot Pants I tried on in a size 2 (seen here in slide 2). These looked so horrible that I couldn't even bring myself to take a picture. They were baggy in all the wrong places (crotch, waist and thighs) and looked nothing like they did in the promos. The fabric also felt a bit stiff. Major disappointment.

Sunday Best

My love of winter shorts continues. This time I paired a brown herringbone version with Spring's hottest hue: cool, icy mint green. A yellow tee, bright purple tights and knee-high boots round out the ensemble.

Dream Tie-Neck Cardigan - J.Crew

Yellow Tee - H&M

Matelot Herringbone Shorts - Forever 21

Purple Tights - Target

Boots - Ann Taylor Loft

Amrita Singh Cocktail Ring - HauteLook

Parker Leather Wrap - Gorjana

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Sunday Best

I'm not usually one to wear one color from head to toe, but sometimes that can draw just the right amount of attention to a specific part of your outfit. I coveted this skirt back in November and after seeing it in person, and opting for the green and navy version, I knew featuring it in an all navy ensemble would be the way to go. I think it really brings out the bold, funky pattern and accentuates the shape of the skirt.

Pins and Needles Bow Tie Sweater - Urban Outfitters

Tile-Quilted Mini - Anthropologie (seen here)

Erin Dot Tights - Banana Republic

Navy Peep Toe Wedges - Payless