Regis, my Halloween Redeemer

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a total Scrooge when it comes to Halloween (mixing holidays, I know). I just can't get excited about it. I loved it when I was a kid, but as an adult...not so much. I don't have anything against Halloween, I just don't get motivated to put any effort into it, like I do with my extensive Thanksgiving and Christmas decor. However...I have to hand it to my favorite morning show for getting me back on the Halloween train this year (at least getting a foot on the train, let's not get ahead of ourselves).

This morning on Live! with Regis and Kelly, the dynamic hosting duo spent the entire show in MANY different costumes with skits to accompany them all. And I actually laughed! Thanks to Regis and Kelly, I'm actually contemplating dressing up with the hubs when we take our nieces and nephews trick-or-treating this weekend. Thanks guys!! Below are my favorite costume combos from this morning's show....have a giggle

Regis and Kelly as The Situation and Snooki

Kelly as Rachel Zoe

Regis and Kelly as Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga

Regis and Kelly as Jay and Gloria from Modern Family

Kelly and Regis as Katy Perry and Elmo

But my favorite moment, by far, was the portrayal of nearly every member of the Kardashian clan.

Gelman as Scott...hysterical!

Totally brilliant. If you didn't have a chance to catch the episode today, you can watch the whole thing here!

Happy Halloween, everyone!

{all photos courtesy of Live! with Regis & Kelly}

Caped Crusader {part one}

So one of the major trends that we're seeing everywhere for fall and winter is the cape. And I LOVE this trend! There are so many different personas that can be taken on in a cape. There are lady-like capes, preppy tweed capes, east-coaster toggle button capes....I want them all. One of the best features of the cape is that you can layer like crazy underneath, but you won't feel any of the limited arm motion that you get when you try and shove a cable-knit sweatered arm down the sleeve of a classic pea coat! Take a look at these gorgeous pieces...some pricy, some not!

{Kylie Minougue in tweed cape, image from People}

{See by Chloe Tweed Cape, $960, from net-a-porter}

{Everything-in-Place Cape, $200, via Anthropologie}

{Emilio Pucci Cashmere and Wool Blend Cape, $3000, net-a-porter}

{Love the lining on this one! Cape Sartori, $240, from Mango}

{Bound Seam Duffle Cape, $160, Topshop}

{3.1 Phillip Lim Quilt Yoke Cape, $795, Neiman Marcus}

{Contrast Piped Hooded Cape, $160, Topshop}

{See by Chloe Quilted Cape, $1150, shopbop}

{Wool Buckle Cape with Fleece Collar, $160, Topshop}

Now this blog is a two-parter as I have yet to find my perfect cape. Part of the reason is because it's been unseasonably hot and humid in DC, and I haven't been able to get in the mind-set of outerwear shopping. But November is near.....as is pay day....and I think this weekend will be dedicated to finding just the right cape. {That's after I go trick-or-treating with my nieces and nephews, of course!}

A cape can be a wonderful alternative to your everyday coat or jacket, but let's not forget that the cape is a slippery slope. The longer the cut and thinner the fabric, the closer to the Dracula look that you get. For that reason, look for a cape in a thick wool, cut somewhere between the waist and just above the knee. While Halloween is just around the corner, you don't want people to think you're wearing a costume while you stroll down the street!

Over and Out

So sorry I've left you all hanging for an entire week! I was in New York City for work and barely had time to shower, let alone blog. But now I'm back, so let's get right down to it :-)

Not only do I covet autumnal weather for the layering possibilities, but also because its the time of year that I can dust off my boot collection and pound the pavement in style. I love wearing boots. I love how they make you feel tall and strong, and you can pull on a pair and instantly complete an outfit. While the over-the-knee boot really came onto the scene last year, this year has proven to be the dawn of the flat OTK. Perfect for girls like me that are on their feet for 8-10 hours a day! Now my problem is deciding whether I want to sport an equestrian style or rock a biker pair....tough choice!

{I'm dying inside over these boots......oh, the pain of being broke! Dior Over-the-Knee Biker Boot, $1290, Neiman Marcus} 

{Tapeet Donna Over the Knee Boot, $595, from Shopbop}

{Frye Shirley Over the Knee Riding boot, about $450, from Shopbop}

{Jeffrey Campbell Wishlist Flat Engineer Boots, $310, from Shopbop}

{Kelsi Dagger embossed leather boots, $290, found on InStyle}

{Now I know it has a heel, but I couldn't resist the buckles behind the knee! Sam Edelman Suede boots, $225, found on Instyle}

{Steve Madden Sabra boot, $200 on sale!}

It took me a while to come to grips with reality and admit to myself that I just can't afford the to-die-for Dior pair at the top of the page. But my despair turned to delight as soon as I laid eyes on these babies! Motorcycle hardwear, Equestrian color, kick-yourself-for-passing-them-up price tag. Perfection!

{Diba B-Combat Over the Knee Boot, $65, from DSW}

Leather Pleasure

While I'm trying to bring out my inner-edginess, sometimes I have to reign it in a bit and recognize that I'm still a little bit sweet and preppy. I knew that I wanted to embrace the leather trend this fall, but after a humiliating experience trying on a pair of zip-ankle leather leggins (don't ask), I realized that I'm just not that girl. So I asked myself, 'how does one sweeten the rockstar leather pants?' Answer: chop 'em short and wear a leather skirt! And lucky me, there's no shortage of leather skirts (both pricy and afordable) out there right now. Whether you want to sport classic black, or any color of the rainbow, the possibilites are endless. Take a look....

{Blake Lively in Matthew Williamson, image via InStyle}

{Alexa Chung in an adorable pocketed version, photo from InStyle}

A straight-forward, classic cut

{Zadig & Voltaire Mini Jem Deluxe leather skirt, $600, from Net-A-Porter}

Love the side zippers on this version!

{Alice by Temperley Mini Alanis leather skirt, $425, from Net-A-Porter}

Feeling a little frisky? Try a full-on-fringed version

{Isabel Marant Katell fringed leather mini skirt, $1735, from Net-A-Porter}

Try a beautiful coffee color for a more collegiate look

{Leather Atlee skirt, $325, from J Crew}

Ah Topshop....the trusty stand-by for the girls who want fashion-forward pieces on a minimal budget. Check out these two Topshop leather finds...

{Tall Leather A-line skirt, $125, Topshop}

Don't want to have to figure out what to pair your leather skirt with? No worries! Topshop takes the guess work out of leather dressing!

{Leather 2-in-1 dress, $145, from Topshop}

Now while I love all of these on-line finds, this was the piece that I scored for an unreal price! Plus, it's one of the most convincing faux-leather pieces that I've ever seen. Not only am I saving money, but saving a cow in the process! That's my good deed for the day.

I'll be wearing this in New York (for a work trip) this weekend with grey knit tights, grey lace up booties, and a striped long-sleeve tee......preppy AND edgy, just like me!

{(Minus the) Leather Skirt, $50, Express}

Will you be finding a way to work leather into your personal style this fall? Let me know!

Two Years, Too Fast

So sorry, but no fashion talk today. Instead, I want to wish my amazing husband a happy two year anniversary. On October 11th, 2008, Thompers and I had a beautiful wedding surrounded by all of our friends and family. And to celebrate this mini-milestone, he took me on a whirlwind trip to New York City to see Wicked (which I've been dying to see for like, ever!).  

This trip made me realize something about our marriage. Just like our 36 hours in New York, the past two years of my life have flown by so fast. I often find myself thinking about how to accomplish the next thing on my list (like owning a home), or planning for something that will happen down the road (like having a baby). I'm so anxious to get to the next step, that I don't stop and focus on what's happening around me.....renting an apartment with your hubby and a cat isn't such a bad place to be in. And while there were a million and a half things to do in New York City (that we could have exhausted ourselves trying to accomplish), it was nice to just slow down, take a stroll, and hang out with each other.  So with that little epiphany, I hope to slow down, take a stroll, and hang out with my husband for many, many, many years to come.

Here's a few pics from our quick stay...

{The open road doesn't feel so free with a GPS squawking in your ear!}

{The bain of Thompy's existence.....tolls, tolls, and more ($8) tolls}

{Showing off his conservative DC style during a walk through Chelsea}

{My new favorite place...and the organic ice cream cart parked there was a nice little bonus!}

{In a city that makes you feel so tiny, it's nice to be up high for a while....my view from the High Line}

{Empire view from our room at Fashion 26 Such a sweet hotel, and great location!}

{The birthday boy with his birthday treat at DBGB in the Bowery (did I mention his birthday is one day before our anniversary....he's got no excuse to forget!)}

{Enjoying a Cherry Coke Zero out of my Wicked souvenir cup...at home, sigh}

For all the others out there who celebrate an anniversary today, or any day for that matter, I hope you'll take the time to slow down and stroll with your sweetie....there's plenty of life ahead for the two of you!

http://www.thehighline.org/

Stretch it Out

Now, as a lady with a larger bottom half, leggings terrify me. I used to be insanely jealous of my friend, Leigh Ann's, ability to wear leggings nearly everyday (she's got skinny legs) and when people started talking about denim leggings, I thought I would go crazy! 

But jeggings have come a long way in the past few years. There are now a million pairs out there that have the zipper, button, and pockets of regular jeans, but the super-stretchiness and tight fit of leggings. What a great combo! 

{Miley Cyrus in Jet Jeggings, and Jeffrey Campbell clogs (ps-I have these clogs!) via People}

{Katy Perry strolling the streets in a Camo pair, image courtesy of People}

Here are a few swoon-worthy wallet-emptiers...

{7 for All Mankind The Skinny midrise legging style jeans, $150, from net-a-porter}

{Citizens of Humanity Avedon Slick midrise legging jeans, $165, from net-a-porter}

This is a great, more affordable pair

{Blank Denim Five Pocket Leggings, about $80, from Piperlime}

These jeggings, my friends, were the find of all finds. They've got the buttons, zipper, and pockets just like regular jeans....but they are so comfortable I feel like I could sleep in them. Seriously. I found them on sale for $19 in the store, and they came in two different denim washes as well as grey and black. What's even better, they are offered in short, regular, and long lengths and run all the way up to a size 20. 

Where did I find these miracle pants? Old Navy!

{Old Navy Rockstar Super-Skinny Denim Leggings}

These jeggings were so great, I've bought two pairs. They are perfect for wearing with boots, as they are so fitted to the leg that they won't bunch up at the top. I plan on wearing mine all weekend while I'm in New York City with the hubs, celebrating our 2 year anniversary...

Check back on Monday for some super-stylish New York City pictures!

Have a great weekend!