Dress Up

True confession: I showed up to a spring break trip in Puerto Rico with a suitcase full of pretty sundresses...none of which were suitable for a spring break club scene. I actually don't own anything that qualifies as a party dress, save an American Apparel number-turned-Jigglypuff costume. If you weren't aware, a Pokemon-themed outfit is less welcome at a club than a full-length muumuu.

My birthday is in a week and, in my frenzy to find something besides a drop-waist dress that I've worn for three previous birthdays (...I'm a girl of habit), I've come across the perfect style for Girls Who Only Rage on Rare Occasions—a party dress, not too short and not at all tight, that can nevertheless hold its own on a dance floor. Do you know what's sexier than an up-to-there hemline? An exposed back. Proof:

Is this not the most clever way to get a cheeky look without having to wriggle your dress down every five steps? (Seeing as we're on the topic of cheeky, anyway). An open-back dress is unexpected, and the sexy factor doesn't hit you over the head so much as whisper in your ear. It's gamine, not garish; think Audrey, not Marilyn (modern day translation: Marion Cotillard, not Kim Kardashian). I could go all day with this. The electric-blue hue of the Free People dress ($118; freepeople.com), bottom right, keeps the lace from looking too saccharine.

In this case, less is not more, but just enough.

Photo credits: Blair Edie/Atlantic-Pacific and La Lune

Got Gucci?

Last week, I was sprinting down Fifth Ave and came to a sliding stop right in front of the Gucci store. I usually don't pay attention to the ready-to-wear collections of in-my-dreams labels like that (a pair of wedges are as crazy as I'll get), but I have this newfound affection for mixing prints and not-so-newfound affection for color-blocking. So I stood outside and threw a temper tantrum to my wallet and we both agreed that I would like to be able to pay for my kids' college educations one day. I want three kids. That's going to be somewhere around $600K, not counting for inflation and whatnot, and a $3,000 silk t-shirt dress will not pay for their meal plans. Unfortunately. So this happened:

 Gucci silk dress, $1,990; gucci.com. Madewell silk dress, $168; madewell.com

 Gucci silk dress, $2,995; gucci.com. Diane Von Furstenberg dress, $375; dvf.com 

Gucci silk dress, $1,700; gucci.com. DKNY silk crepe de chine dress, $345; dkny.com

Which is your favorite look-a-like? Lucky for my savings account, I'm hankering for that little Madewell number...

Nudes & Neon

And my new favorite pairing is...

                        Try a tasteful pochette in classic Tiffany blue     +     Rachel Zoe dress

(if you're a little more demure)

                           Pair an eye-popping fuchsia clutch            +             Dolce Vita dress

(if you're afraid of just about nothing)

Now I just need a bright, neon bag. I'm thinking a

Claire Vivier foldover clutch in in a vivid royal blue is just the thing.

[photo cred to 1 and 2]

Give Me a Tee!

As I make my daily effort to dress more like a girl, I feel myself being more and more drawn to the comforting and supersoft arms of my favorite items in the closet: tees. I'm currently crushing on this by Madewell, which has barely-there stripes and a slouchy cut that makes my heart beat a little faster. Naturally I'm going to take a page from the chicest, tee-wearing girls I could find (both Ms. Portman, top, and The Lucky Lady Who Presumably Owns a Vespa, lower left) and pair my beloved staples with a skirt in a sheer, floaty fabric or with ruffly pleats. It adds the touch of femininity to my usual repertoire of simple, silky tees — plus, after living in dark skinny jeans all winter, who wouldn't jump at the chance to show a little leg?

P.S. A huge thank you to Baily Jones, who thought of me for her Stylish Blogger Award.

[photo cred to That Obscure Object via Musings in Femininity, The Sartorialist via Patterson Maker]

Do You Rue?

 Because I truly do! The Holiday Nov/Dec 2010 issue of Rue magazine is now available, and I can't get enough of the gift guides and the gorgeous editorials. These shots are my personal favorites. A few feathers, a little bit of lace, and a gutsy shot of cobalt make for what is — in my opinion — the perfect New Year's Eve ensemble. I feel like glittery sequins or beads always come to mind first where New Year's fashion is concerned, but feathers? Genius! Plus, I love the extra touches: blood-red nails, a sparkly cuff, strappy sandals, that incredible view. Do you have any plans for New Year's Eve yet? I feel like I'm going to dream big, but actually find myself with some close friends, sipping Baileys and coffee at a bar on the Hudson River and counting down...

[Photo cred to Erin Hiemstra for Rue No.2 via Coco+Kelley]

Toasty Tunics

I never know what to wear for Thanksgiving — jeans just don't seem dressy enough and are far too restrictive, while a silk dress will inevitably be crumpled when I curl up on the floor to nap in between the turkey course and dessert. Plus, heels are superfluous because they'll be kicked off at the door, relatives having ruled in favor of the spanking clean hardwood floors. These tunic dresses by Toast, then, must have been designed for this exact occasion. There's no need to unbutton your pants if you're not wearing any, and the addition of cozy leggings and thick, patterned slipper-socks make this a complete and perfectly appropriate outfit. The best part? Wearing something as deliciously soft as this renders the blanket for the post-turkey nap unnecessary. Because you're wearing one.

Back It Up

3.1 Philip Lim Juicy Couture Alice + Olivia

I love dresses that showcase the back. In my opinion, the small of the back is one of the most subtly sexy spots of the female body. It's alluring and (for the most part) never strays into skank territory. How to pull this off? Don't let the hem rise too high nor allow the back to dip too low. The end result of this look should be demure and enticing; if you show too much skin, it's the fashion equivalent of telling everyone that Dumbledore dies in the sixth Harry Potter book before they read it. If you go for straps, try to keep it simple (explanation to follow shortly). In the case of the Philip Lim dress, the basic cross-strap and higher backline allow for the shorter length of the dress (but not for those boots, which horrible stumpify what are probably mile-long legs). The Juicy Couture is a sweet choice because it doesn't bare very much skin -- as opposed to a halter design, the shoulders are covered and the back rises safely above her waistline. The Alice + Olivia dress is probably my favorite; the sheer paneling is so unexpected yet it brilliantly updates the little black dress. It's one of the most clever ways to straddle sexy and classy. (All three pieces are available from Shopbop).

Heaven & Earth Asos

Feeling a little shy? These dresses lend a bit of intrigue without committing to it. They are equally seductive with the addition of charming details; the Heaven & Earth dress offers the ever-sexy lace, which serves the ironic purpose of covering up, while the the piece by Asos features discreet draping and soft material. Nevertheless, the sneak peek doesn't decrease the captivating capacity of showing a little back. The cut-outs still amp up the typical dress and add a dose of skin that a dress without them might not have. (Lace cut-out dress by Heaven & Earth, available at Asos, and blue jersey dress by Asos, also featured at Asos).

Alice + Olivia Zimmerman

I actually liked this Alice + Olivia dress at first glance. Then, when I was thinking of a good description of it, all I could come up with was "S&M! S&M!". I think it's the thick black straps that, although they're not pleather, remind me of pleather, which reminds me of anything I've ever watched on Sex & the City concerning S&M. Hence, S&M. Combined with the up-to-whoa hemline, even the most innocent shade of white can't save it.

The Zimmerman dress proves my earlier point about the necessity of simple straps. It's as though she sat on a brocade Louis XV chair, wandered (with it) into a paper shredder, and got tangled in the remains. Exaggeration aside, I still don't understand how I could figure out which hole to put my arm through. Although, could you imagine the sort of Spiderman-esque tan lines you'd acquire with that?

MadeSOwell

Lovely things about my internship:

a) I shared an elevator with Anna Wintour this morning.

b) She scares me.

c) I'm so happy I ditched dentistry in favor of magazine editing.

Madewell has recently debuted an online store that offers a fresh twist on J. Crew style at prettier prices. In particular, ruffles boosted simple vests and dresses, giving them a more stylish and upscale edge. They also update J. Crew staples and put a youthful spin on classics. My two favorite picks?

Both available at Madewell online, these pieces keep ruffles from looking too girlish by letting them act as details instead of the main event. Both beg to be belted - the first with a skinny belt and the second with a thick, masculine belt to up the androgyny factor. Even better, they're affordable for the subtle touches that they lend to any outfit ($62 and $88, respectively). Thus begins my torrid love affair with Madewell.

FOUND

Ah, the most perfect dress for work from Anthropologie. It looks truly awful on a hanger but so so good on a human being. I love how it's simple, chic, and yet a little bit weird. The hemline is a cheeky twist on ombré with the black to grey to white, and the hemline itself is at a perfect length. All that's left to do is try to make some magic happen with my bank account...