sarahmichelef

We've hit the time of year when dressing gets both more fun and a bit more complicated... layers are a necessity.  As a for instance, it was in the 50s when we left the house this morning and it is now 69.

So last night I put together an outfit that pushes my limits of mixing patterns a little bit - a green/brown/black/slateblue abstracty-floral dress with a pink cami underneath, topped off by a very professorial brown tweed blazer, complete with faux-suede elbow patches.

I do love this blazer; it's so versatile (I wear it with jeans or slacks, over dresses and skirts, etc.).

Yesterday I popped into AJ Wright because, well, I could (it's right net to the grocery store).  I picked up a couple of things on my "want" list - a baby blue trenchcoat with a neat geometric woven-in pattern and a pair of red patent t-strap flats.  I immediately knew what I was going to wear today - my blue floral shirtdress had been WAITING for me to get red shoes so I could wear my skinny red patent leather belt with it.  It looked super-cute, too, if a bit ... patriotic.

But then I noticed that I had an inkstain on the dress.  FASHION CRISIS!!!!  So I changed into a grey pencil skirt and a white bias-cut linen tunic top that I threw the red belt over.  Got a compliment on it from a student, too.  ;^)

I have been acquiring clothes that fit me and that better fit my personal style.  (On tap for today - this dress, which I did not pay twenty bucks for.)  As I do that, I'm putting together a list of "wish I could haves" and because I'm sure you ALL care about this SO MUCH, I will now share that list with you.

• A new, probably 3/4 length, trenchcoat in an interesting color or pattern.  I'm leaning towards red but could be swayed by a fun animal print.
  
• A wide belt, probably in black.
• The perfect bag.*
• A light-colored, silver or neutral evening bag.  I have a black and gold, but no silver/cool/neutral colors.
• Red patent-leather, peep-toe pumps.  I can't explain why, I just want them.
  

*Possibly a pipe dream; I want something big enough to hold my moleskine, wallet/keys, phone, toiletries, and maybe a small book, as well as a small cup of water for the kiddo and a small toy and snack for her.  My current bag does all this, but it's a shoulder bag with a very short strap and falls off my shoulder if I have to bend over and pick something up, for instance.  (But oh, I do love my avocado-green Tommy Hilfiger bag...)  My idol in stylish-mommy-dom Laura Bennett covered this in The Case of the Troublesome Tote but I REALLY want a bag that can be as hands-free as possible.

So I posted about the dress I bought for that wedding in June. Unfortunately there's not a picture on the Macy's site anymore, but here's a teeny tiny one.

Now, I have also posted time and again about my love for Sex and the City (sorry, cranky_dragon, you'll just have to accept this flaw in my character). I joke that I have Carrie Bradshaw taste on a Payless budget. I really like SJP's Bitten line at Steve & Barry's (like this dress). I'm growing my hair out to a bob again, and I admit that I got the idea watching reruns of a time when Carrie had a bob. (It looks good on me when my face is slimmer.)

So, keeping all of that and the dress I just purchased in mind, I present to you SJP's outfit from the S&tC movie premiere. Please ignore the GARDEN that appears to have sprouted out of her skull - it's the dress that's appealing to me. The Project RunGay Boys may not like it, but I do.

(Oh, and the dress should be arriving today around dinnertime, so I'll post pics of me in it at some point.)

This post brought to you by 16 oz of coffee and a four-figure plumbing repair bill. Oh, and the copy shop's color printer still being down. ARGH!