Brrrrr

Dress: Forever21+

Cardigan: August Silk/Nordstrom Rack

Tights: Hue/Macy's

Shoes: Mia/Nordstrom Rack

Head band: Target

Necklace: DIY (there's another photo of it here)

Brooch: Flea Market

I'm afraid I don't have very much to say today. I'm feeling a bit under the weather. Boo! Mr. CP and I went on an Afternoon Tea date a couple days ago, and this is what I wore. The tights came off as black in the photographs above, but they were actually a very rich blue color. Silly Seattle lighting... or lack thereof. =P

Don't forget to enter my Orange Box Jewelry giveaway. The winner gets to pick any necklace from Orange Box's etsy shop! Head on over here for details regarding how to enter. =)

I Love Millie!

Dress: Emily Hallman/Millie Dress (here)

Sweater: August Silk/Nordstrom Rack

Tights: Hue/Macy's

Shoes: Naya/Nordstrom Rack (here)

Head band: Nordstrom

Bracelet: Gifted

Sweater clip: DIY

I hold these truths to be self-evident, that all cardigans are super duper awesome, that they are the perfect compliment to my favorite garment ever -- the dress -- and that the combination of the two is endowed with inalienable awesomeness. That to create the perfect outfit, beautiful dresses are created by exceptional designers... Okay, okay. I'm done. I could continue to take artistic license with the Declaration of Independence, but I think I've made the Founders roll over in their graves quite enough for one day.

I'm a little bit obsessed with this dress. I have been since I first saw it on the Emily Hallman website. This dress just happened to be the first thing that caught my eye, but I'm not exaggerating when I say that I could quite happily own every single item from the label.

The brains and beauty behind the label, Emily, is absolutely lovely. Because my measuring skills are roughly akin to those of a dimwitted monkey zygote, when the dress first arrived it was waaaay to big. Emily very sweetly offered to alter it for me, though, so I popped it back in the mail, and waited on baited breath for the day when I could clasp the dress in my eager little paws again. It arrived a little over a week after I sent it off, far quicker than I expected, and it fit like a dream. I may or may not have worn the dress around with my slippers that night. Maybe. Possibly.

This dress, friends, is my new favorite item of clothing. It fits like a glove, it spins (oh boy, does it spin!), and it's really, really comfortable. I wore it our for my breakfast brunch, and was shocked when the valet guy randomly complimented my dress. I feel compelled to offer up a warning regarding this dress, though: it will make you want to spin to the point of dizziness. It may also inspire you to sway from side to side when no one's watching just so you can watch the fabric swishing to and fro. In my case, people were definitely watching, and they definitely thought I was certifiably insane. They pulled their children away from me suspiciously. Meh. What are you gonna do?

At any rate, today is my birthday and I'm off to celebrate with a low-key movie marathon and exorbitant amounts of food. Emily was kind enough to answer some questions for all of us, so I'll leave you with her answers, and a cheeky wink: ;)

CP: When did you first know that you wanted to be a clothing designer?
I've known for most of my life that I have certain creative talents. It took a few years, however, to hone in on exactly what those talents were and how to best execute them. My love for clothing truly began when I was about 8 and I made a suit for my younger brother using only copy paper and staples. When I discovered that I could actually study fashion and build a career around it, I jumped at the opportunity. Since I graduated from college, not a day has gone by that I haven't sketched, researched, created patterns, or sewn something. 

CP: What's your design and/or fashion philosophy?

I simply love creating beautiful clothing, and I sincerely hope to encourage women to disregard our society's current obsession with thinness and unrealistic celebrity beauty and embrace a healthy body. I don't care what "size" a person is, it's irrelevant to me. We all need great clothes, and my goal is to provide clothing that anyone can wear. The fact is, I adore pretty clothes and I like to feel pretty in my own everyday life. I want all woman to feel that way when they gets dressed, and I am thrilled to be able to contribute to that.

CP: What is your design process?

The design process is considerably longer than you might imagine--for me, it's about 5 months.  I approach each collection with ideas already in mind about specific looks I want to incorporate. I do an insane amount of research and source my fabrics, sketch, re-sketch, edit, draft new ideas, and tweak the overall collection prior to drafting the patterns or sewing the samples. I then spend weeks drafting every single pattern and test the design, fit and comfort before final design approval. Once the fabrics arrive, I sew my samples (yes, each and every sample is cut out and sewn by me). It's a long, long process and that doesn't include photography or website updates and edits. Oh, and I always have to think ahead to the next collection--there is never any break. It's a constant mental marathon! 

CP: What's your favorite thing about what you do?

Being creative! I also adore meeting the beautiful, wonderful women who have discovered the Emily Hallman brand and responded so positively to the aesthetic--not much is more motivating than that! 

CP: Where do you find your inspiration?

I am inspired by lots of things--fabrics, historical costume and vintage fashion, art, architecture, interior design . . . the list goes on! 

CP: How would you describe the quintessential "Hallman Woman?"

First and foremost, the Hallman woman is  . . . a woman. I design grown-up clothing for confident, chic women who enjoy ladylike clothes made with the finest materials. Here is what we love about the Hallman woman: her clothing is an accessory to her personality, not the definition of it. She dresses to feel good, and isn't impressed with passing fads or amateur design. She loves special details, exquisite tailoring and proper fit.  The Hallman woman is smart, charming, funny, and incredibly stylish. 

CP: How would you describe your collection's aesthetic?

Classic and supremely feminine. I incorporate silhouettes from the 1940s and 1950s, but update the look with modern fabric and modern design sensibilities. I love incorporating special details like trims, contrast stitching, fun linings, and hidden pockets. 

CP: What are some of your current favorite pieces?

The Mille dress is probably my favorite piece from the fall collection--I love the print, the silhouette, and the special topstitching at the neckline. It's so feminine and flattering, which I love. I also have a soft spot for the Georgia pencil skirt and Tillie trouser from the holiday collection. As much as I love dresses, I love the versatility of separates just as much (okay, maybe a tad more). ;) You can't go wrong with a bright red pant during the holidays, and a sequin pencil skirt is always a show-stopper.

Take Four: Saturated Hues from Coast to Coast

Dress: Hazel/Pink Ginger Boutique

Cardigan: August Silk/Nordstrom Rack

Cami (actually a cami bra): Le Mystere/Nordstrom (here)

Tights: Target

Shoes: Naya/Nordstrom Rack (here)

Earrings: Random boutique in Rome

Head band: Nordstrom

Oh, my. Oh, my, my, my. I don't even know how to explain all the colorful (?) things going on in the photos above. The first one starts out normal enough with me smiling cheerfully at the camera. I mean, that's what you're supposed to do, right? Smile at the camera as naturally as possible, presuming of course that you aren't going for candid shots? The second photo is essentially a pinched and clenched version of the first. I would imagine this is what my face looked like the first time I read Swift's "A Modest Proposal": equal parts amused, horrified, and shocked. And then there's the third photo. That face! That hair! This, my friends, is what I look like every morning when I wake up, minus the makeup, and plus drool. For the record, the photos on the camera were essentially this progression writ large. Instead of 3 photos chronicling whatever is going on up there, there were around 40.

In case the title of this post didn't tip you off, this is another Take Four post! Hooray! Huzzah! Woohoo! This week we focused on saturated hues. I have a cobalt blue dress that would have been suitable for this particular trend, but I ultimately settled this dress. As far as saturated hues goes, this dark green velvet number is a bit unusual. When I think of saturated hues, the first color that comes to my mind is cobalt blue. I wanted to wear something a bit more unexpected, though, and this dress fit the bill perfectly.

Be sure to check out Bekah, Gracey, and Karla's posts! Without fail, they always look absolutely adorable!

Bekah at Matters of Merrymaking
Gracey at Fashion for Giants
Karla at Frugal Big Girl

Boo!

Not the most flattering picture in the world, but "BOO!!!!!!!"

Dress: Target

Cardigan: August Silk (Nordstrom Rack)

Tights: Hue (Macy's)

Boots: Fitzwell (6pm.com)

Head band: Free gift with purchase (Modcloth)

Earrings: Betsey Johnson

Sweater Clip: DIY

Because I didn't have a proper costume this Halloween, I took a page out of Bessie's book over at Bravoe Runway and decided to let Mr. CP style me today. It was my non-Halloweeny Halloween costume. It's a testament to how well he knows my style -- or how predictable I am, I haven't decided which -- that he chose an outfit that looks exactly like something I would have put together for myself. I hand't yet worn my Modcloth head band, a delightful extra that Modcloth included with the purchase of my By Night dress, so I was glad that he included it in the outfit.

I wanted to get this post up before we begin the final stage of our Halloween tradition. Every year we order (and eat) copious amounts of pizza, imbibe enough bottles of our favorite pumpkin ale to supply a small army, and gorge ourselves on delicious Halloween cupcakes from a local cupcake shop, all while watching movies that scare us (read: me) half to death. Tonight's line-up: Paranormal Activity 1 and 2, The Strangers, and (because I'm a wuss) Hocus Pocus.

I'm an adequate loser, so I guess I'm pleased to announce the winner of this year's (rigged) pumpkin carving contest: feel free to courteously applaud for Mr. CP. He emerged victorious with his artfully rendered carving of one of those dudes from that one video game (more specifically, a Big Daddy from Bioshock). I'm convinced he bribed or blackmailed one of the judges, probably himself, since I didn't receive any threatening letters or elaborate gifts. ::sigh:: Congratulations... I guess. Humph. Just kidding everyone, just kidding! Mr. CP's pumpkin turned out far better than mine, and it took him much longer to carve, as well. He deserved the victory. At some point we're going to need to assemble a creepy trophy to present to the winner every year. For now, he'll have to settle for a victory high five!

Happy Halloween, everyone! I hope you have a wonderful and spooky night!

Walk, Don't Waddle!

Top: Gap

Cardigan: August Silk (Nordstrom Rack)

Skirt: Thrifted

Tights: Gift from Mr. CP! (Modcloth)

Shoes: Old Navy

Sweater Clip: CatRabbit

Earrings: Marc Jacobs (Nordstrom Rack)

Head Band: H&M

I tend to fixate on things. It's just how I'm built. I get all worked up about something, and dwell on it. And dwell on it. And, for good measure, dwell on it some more. My current fixation centers on the relative lack of colorful and/or patterned tights available for plus sized women. At least three times a day in our house, I can be heard complaining at length about it. I usually conclude my daily rants with, "What the [insert expletive of your choice here]?!" (In my more PG moments -- which are admittedly few and far between -- I tend to favor, "What the crap?!") Poor Mr. CP is the one who has to listen to my rants. And let me tell you, it's the exact. same. rant. day in. and day out. Nothing really changes except the expletive I use. Poor, long-suffering Mr. CP. 

Because he's just that spectacularly sweet -- and also, I suspect, in an effort to get me to stop complaining -- Mr. CP put his mad Google Fu skills to good use and hunted me down two pairs of colorful, patterned tights! That's right, colorful and patterned. I got what I wanted -- two beautiful pairs of tights -- and Mr. CP got what he wanted -- silence. Okay, well, not complete silence, because I'm still me, but he no longer has to listen to my seemingly endless diatribes on tights. Hooray for Mr. CP!

I tend to be reeeeeally picky about tights. I want tights that are durable, that fit (dur!), and most importantly, that don't result in what I've dubbed Penguin Crotch. Penguin Crotch is best described as the result of a pair of ill-fitting and/or poorly made tights such that the crotch sits somewhere around the knees and causes the wearer to waddle in a rather unsightly way. I am pleased to announce that these Modcloth tights fulfill all three of the above requirements: they seem durable, they fit, and I do not waddle to-and-fro like a Pacific Northwestern penguin. Yippee!

p.s. I apologize for the wrinkly skirt. I had been sitting for a while. =)

For Love of a Dress

 Happy boogie! 

 It's a bit fuzzy, but the image on the brooch is a dapper frog with a bouquet!

Dress: A to Z via Alhambra Outlet (not available online)

Cardigan: August Silk

Tights: Hue

Boots: Enzo Angiolini via Nordstrom Rack

Head Band: Nordstrom

Sweater Clip: DIY

Brooch: DIY

I don't embarrass easily. Once upon a time, as an awkward 12 year old, I walked into an iron post and knocked myself out. In front of my crush. And half the school. So, after that, nothing seemed terribly embarrassing. The fact that I lived through such a humiliating moment (that still leaves me blushing nearly 15 years later) means that, in general, I have no shame. That's why, when I recently noticed a woman wandering around Target in an exceptionally cute outfit, I had no problem at all stalking her through the store. I followed her from aisle to aisle -- maintaining an adequate spy-ish distance, of course -- eyeing her dress. Every time she would stop, I  would stop, grab the nearest item, and pretend to eagerly inspect whatever was in my hand. Among the items I inexplicably grabbed: men's deodorant, paper towels (which I actually needed to pick up anyway), and weirdest of all, Depends. I was a little confused when I looked down and realized what I had picked up. I tried to set it back down with as much imperious dignity as possible, but frankly, there's just no way to look imperious or dignified when you're clutching an industrial sized box of adult diapers in your hands. God only knows what I would have grabbed next. I decided that it was probably in my best interest to just ask her where she got the dress -- after all, nearly everyone loves being complimented. She ended up being really sweet, and we chatted at length about our outfits as we wandered from aisle to aisle together. I never got her name, but I always love meeting random nice people. At any rate, as soon as I was done at Target, I drove to the store where she got the dress, and was thrilled to find that it was on sale! It was normally $110, marked down to $49, and then marked down again to $27. I did my happy boogie right smack dab in the middle of the store (as pictured in photo #2 above). Because it was such a good price, I grabbed the dress in a beautiful green color as well. I'm regretting that I didn't pick it up in the mustard-ish/beige-y (eloquent, no?) color, too. 

I haven't done a DIY post for the brooch I'm wearing in this outfit, but I'm thinking I very well may. I couldn't find any tutorials for this type of brooch online, and it took me far longer than it should have to figure out how to put it together. Would you like to see a DIY for this?

The Story of a Bracelet

Mr. CP "accidentally" shot this photo. He asked me a question, I used air quotes, and without lifting the camera to his face he snapped this shot without my knowledge. Sneaky. And also a little impressive.

My skirt is a-twirlin'!

Vine-Print Top: Coldwater Creek

Cardigan: August Silk (via Nordstrom Rack)

Skirt: Thrifted

Tights: Hue (via Nordstrom Rack)

Shoes: Chinese Laundry

Brooch: DIY

Bracelet: Trollbeads Charm Bracelet

Earrings: Tiny shop in Rome

Rings: Blue stone - Something Silver; Ruby ring: tiny shop in Venice

Head Band: Target

The summer after Mr. CP and I started dating, he and his family went on a 3+ month trip around the world. He and I didn't get to talk much that summer. Mr. CP sent me emails as often as he could, though his access to the internet was severely limited, particularly in Asia and Africa. I think we spoke about three times on the phone, as well. He knew that I had always loved charm bracelets, though I never wore the traditional, dangly sort simply because the charms frequently fell off and got lost. So, before he left he gave me a Trollbeads charm bracelet that included a single bead -- a beautifully cast forget-me-not charm. To cheer myself up while he was traveling, I pledged to buy myself a single bead for every month he was away. By the time he got back, I had added four additional charms to the bracelet. For a long time, whenever we had a big celebration -- anniversary, birthday, holiday, assorted other milestones -- Mr. CP gifted me with a new charm. Though we've since started a new tradition, Mr. CP and I have come a long way, a fact that I'm reminded of each and every time I look at my now-full bracelet.

If any of you would like to see better close-up shots of the bracelet, I'd be more than happy to oblige. Just let me know in the comments! =)

Cherries and Lace

There was a squirrel right outside the window eating an acorn. Awwww!

Dress: Forever 21+ (not available online)

Cardigan: August Silk (via Nordstrom Rack)

Tights: Hue (via Macy's)

Shoes: Thrifted

Headband: Target

Necklace: Forever 21

Brooches: All thrifted

By and large, Mr. CP and I are fortunate to have the landlord we have. True, he's impossible to get hold of on the phone. And true, whenever he stops by he likes to talk... and talk... and talk some more. And also true, he's not nearly as handy as he thinks he is. On the flip side, though, he isn't overbearing, he's always polite, and he gets the really important things taken care of quickly and efficiently. So it wasn't at all unusual that when a pipe burst in our bathroom recently, he had a plumber out the next morning at 8 AM, and we had running water again by 9 AM. Our landlord felt so guilty for the inconvenience it caused us, however, that he stopped by a few days later and presented us with a very generous gift card to a local fancy pants restaurant. Mr. CP and I decided to go for lunch rather than dinner, because a) we figured we would be able to enjoy the view more, and b) we just kind of felt like going out for lunch. It was a stunning restaurant -- complete with an indoor waterfall, a bridge, and a running stream -- with a spectacular view of Puget Sound, and an adjacent boat/yacht marina. The food was delicious, too, particularly the trio of miniature creme brulees I ordered for dessert.

After lunch, Mr. CP joined me on a quick trip to Goodwill where I recently saw a pin that I loved, but inexplicably didn't buy. Let me just say that we felt ridiculously over-dressed. Ridiculously. It was hilarious. People kept looking at us like we were complete nut-jobs for getting all gussied up for an expedition to Goodwill. I caught myself smothering giggles a few times at the looks we were getting. Oh, and sadly the brooch was long gone. Farewell, sweet brooch. Farewell.

Speaking of brooches, I couldn't decide which one I wanted to wear today, so I pinned on my top three choices. I was initially torn between the bug brooch pictured above, and a bull brooch that I got as a tongue-in-cheek reminder to myself to grab the bull by the horns. True story. I'm hokey that way. I actually really enjoyed wearing multiple brooches today, so I think I'm going to do this sort of "brooch collage," as Mr. CP dubbed it, more often.

A Whimsical Dress

Allow me to paint for you a picture of the conversation Mr. CP and I had while he was very kindly taking these photographs.

 

Mr CP: You always pose the same way. Do something different! Be creative!

 Me: Um, excuse me? How dare you accuse me of being uncreative! I neeeever pose the same way! (I may have been avoiding eye contact when I said this)

Mr. CP: (blank stare)

 Me: Fine. I'll, erm, just walk... this... way.

Me: And I'll look up at the trees.

Me: Are you happy now? Are you?! ARE YOU?!

Mr. CP: (blank stare)

Dress: Fire Los Angeles (via Nordstrom Rack)

Cardigan: August Silk (via Nordstrom Rack)

Tights: Hue (via Macy's)

Boots: Fitzwell (via 6pm.com)

Head band: Target

Brooch: Fossil

Bracelet: Vintage

Earrings: Betsey Johnson

I found this dress recently and pounced on it. It has dainty little trees all over it! If there's one thing I love, it's whimsical prints!

Which brings me to a rather hilarious story. Around the same time I stumbled upon this dress, I found another equally adorable one. It had tiny little black and white castles, horse-drawn carriages, and princes all over it. Too cute! Now, I'm not a size large. I'm just not, which I knew when I grabbed the cute little fairy tale dress. I was so desperately enamored with it, though, that I swore I would fit into the damn thing come hell or high water. Interestingly, the problem wasn't getting into the dress. It went on with surprising ease. The problem was moving around and breathing once I had the damn dress on. With a crestfallen expression on my face (no, really, it was like someone had told me Santa Clause wasn't real all over again), I prepared to take the dress off. Only, it turned out that the dress was so tight that my arms were effectively pinned at my sides. I couldn't lift them. I should probably mention that I don't handle stress well. There are some people who operate rationally and calmly in stressful situations. Mr. CP, for example, is fantastic to have around when unfortunate things happen. My response to stress is far less productive: I either cry, or, as in this particular situation, laugh hysterically. Typically, dissolving into a fit of giggles isn't a problem. Typically, though, I can breathe in whatever I happen to be wearing. FYI, laughter only works well if you can breathe. So there I stood laughing like a crazy person. I couldn't quite manage, however, to get enough air... which caused me to start hyperventilating, which in turn only made me laugh that much harder. It was the proto-typical Giggle Loop. I finally managed to calm down enough to shimmy (yes, shimmy) over to my purse, maneuver my phone out of my bag, dial Mr. CP's number (he was there with me), kneel down, press my ear to the phone, and gasp something largely incoherent into the speaker. So, poor Mr. CP had to come back to the dressing room to help me hoist the dress over my head. ::sigh:: So much for maintaining any sense of mystery. I learned a valuable lesson, though. Love isn't roses, or breakfast in bed. It's rescuing your stupidly determined significant other who's apparently lacking in the common sense department from a too-small item of clothing.

Mary Poppins

This is what Mr. CP affectionately refers to as my "Quoi?" Face.

Cardigan: August Silk (via Nordstrom Rack)

Camisole: Maurice's

Skirt: Vince Camuto (via Nordstrom)

Hat: Ross

Tights: Hue (via Macy's)

Boots: Fitzwell (via 6pm.com)

Rings: Flea Market, Street Fair, Something Silver, and a random shop in Venice

Brooch: Thrifted

Necklaces: Forever 21

Mama CP leaves tomorrow, so we capped off a fun-filled week with, you guessed it, shopping. Mama CP, as I've mentioned, lives in a very, very tiny Midwestern town, so whenever she makes her way to the bustling metropolis of Seattle, she likes to visit her favorite shops throughout the city. So it was that I found myself happily browsing in the shoe section at Nordstrom Rack today (again) when I heard a small child exclaim, "Look mom! It's Mary Poppins!" I wasn't even aware he was talking about me until I glanced over and saw him pointing in my general direction. I did that thing you do when you notice someone looking and/or pointing at you: I glanced surreptitiously over each shoulder to make sure there wasn't anyone else around about whom he could be talking. To be honest, I was flattered. Mary Poppins was, is, and always will be absolutely adorable. As soon as I got home, I made the unfortunate decision to tell Mr. CP about the little boy, and he's been humming "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" (shoot me now for having to type that) every time I walk into the room.

The final picture above was a bit of an experiment. Mr. CP wanted to see if he could get a shot of the dandelion seeds. He couldn't. Not really. The last photograph above is the best of about 50 shots. Turns out it's much more difficult to get a shot of dandelion seeds gently drifting through the air than one might initially think. By the end of all the shots, I was winded from huffing and puffing at so many of the damn things.

On a side note, for whatever reason, this skirt always appears blue in photos. In actuality, it's black. 

Autumn Has Arrived!

Dress: Target

Cardigan: August Silk (via Nordstrom Rack)

Tights: Hue (via Macy's)

Boots: Fitzwell (via 6pm.com)

Bracelet: Fossil (via Ross)

Sweater Clip: DIY

Brooch: Nordstrom Rack

Head band: H&M

I think I mentioned this in a previous post, but I'm heading to Charlotte, North Carolina at the beginning of next month for a wedding that will feature, among other things, the colors black and red, and coffins. The politics of dressing for weddings always stresses me out. What's too casual? How fancy is too fancy? Will I end up looking out of place? I'm quite high strung that way. I had initially planned on wearing something suitably autumnal, but when I heard about the theme of the wedding, I figured that mustard colored anything was probably out. So I settled on a different outfit to wear. That's about the time I received further word that, in addition to avoiding the colors black and red altogether, guests are expected to wear elegant evening attire. Not only had I decided upon something that was predominantly black with accents of red (what are the odds?), it was also in no way suitable for an occasion that calls for "elegant evening attire." In fact, I have absolutely nothing suitable in my closet. So, using my limited totally awesome and completely impressive Google-fu skills, I figured out what elegant evening attire is, and dutifully started researching potential clothing items. To be honest, even after my research, "elegant evening attire" still seems like a fairly broad category. There are any number of different interpretations as to what that may mean. I'm going with evening gown, knee-length or longer, with fancier accessories. Which reminds me: they've also requested that guests wear "spooky accessories." I still have no idea how I'm going to pair spooky accessories with the fancy-pants dresses I have my eye on, so I suspect I'll be getting creative over the next few weeks in an attempt to create spooky, but still classy and situation-appropriate accessories. 

A note about the outfit: the cardigan is actually a lovely cinnamon color. The last two pictures show the color off better than the others. For whatever reason, the cardigan appears vaguely pink in the first few photos.