The classy t-shirt?

When I think of t-shirts, two things come to mind.

A) T-shirts sold in tourist traps, with cheesy sayings and colorful depictions of local architecture
B) Scruffy-looking UA students schlepping to class in their sweats and flip flops (or ugg boots), hair disheveled and the UA or Juicy logo splashed across their rears.

I hate t-shirts with logos or name brands on them. I just don't wear them. Why should I pay to advertise for some company? It's stupid. They should be paying me if they want me wearing their logos so badly.

And it's not about the label, either. Who cares if you're wearing a DKNY shirt? If you have to show off that you're wearing designer, you're begging for attention. And if you ask me, it's the wrong kind of attention. It's like walking into a crowded room with a megaphone and saying, "Hey, I've got money!"

That doesn't mean I don't ever wear t-shirts, or that I only wear plain-colored ones.

I like to wear t-shirts in different plain colors, yes. But they're not all black or gray. I try to have a whole color palette in my closet, and different variations of every shade. Ann Taylor Loft is a great place to get good quality t-shirts in different colors and sleeve lengths. Some of them are also awesome for layering.



Anthropologie also offers good t's, some with nice designs that don't scream anything like, "This shirt was designed by Ralph Lauren for his Polo Line."




If you're slender and have a walletful of cash to spend, Banana Republic also sells really nice t-shirts in plain colors. They're so soft you won't care if there aren't any logos splashed across them.

Today's moral?

There is such a thing as a classy t-shirt.
And the logo is printed on the inside of it.

Shoes, shoes, shoes!

I haven't done anything with shoes in a while. So here are my "Fourth of July Week 15" (favorite finds).


Emilio Pucci galoshes, $879 on Zappos





Franco Sarto flats, $83 on Zappos







Giuseppe Zanotti Design pumps, $854 on Zappos





Givenchy pumps, $514 on Zappos










RSVP pumps, $65 on Zappos








Colin Stuart espadrilles, $36 at Victoria's Secret





Sigerson Morrison flats, $429 on Zappos








Ralph Lauren espadrilles, $149




Ralph Lauren flats, $229





BC Footwear wedges, $55 at Nordstrom







Tory Burch wedges, $295 at Nordstrom







Anthropologie wedges, $68





Anthropologie flats, $36




Ann Taylor Loft thongs, $29




Ann Taylor Loft thongs, $34

Pricey, but quality

On a vein similar to yesterday's post, I want to talk fashion and combine it with cost (hehe).

I've discovered a couple of lines that are really quite fantastic, as are the prices. But as I've said again and again since the dawn of time, if you buy a few pricey items, it beats buying a shit-ton of cheap, trendy ones you have to keep replacing.

Here are a few things to remember when you're shopping in the most fantastic realms of fashion--which you really should be doing (it just means you have to *gasp* save your money first!).

1. Don't buy obviously trendy clothing.
2. Classic pieces will last you forever.
3. Think functionality: will I wear this once, or can I adapt it over and over? Can I wear it for work and play?
4. Is it dry clean only? And if yes, do I want to go to the dry cleaners often?
5. Read up on the types of pieces that will flatter your figure, and get a second opinion in the store. At some stores, the person helping you will give an honest opinion if you just ask.
6. Purchase versatile pieces to be the building blocks of numerous outfits.
7. Think undergarments. If you love this dress that you can't wear a bra with and you NEED to wear a bra, chances are you'll never be able to pull it off.
8. And going with 7, if it doesn't fit now, don't buy it under the presumption you'll fit into it later.

And now, a few places to start trying these tips at.

Ralph Lauren
Anthropologie
Ann Taylor Loft
Searle
Mango
DKNY

If you can think of any other high-quality stores, let me know. I'm always open to new experiences.

Long time no clothes

I've noticed lately, especially with the influx of financial information I've been publishing so far, that this blog has really strayed from its original function. Way back in the day (like six months ago), this was a fashion blog. Can you believe it?

So, I thought I'd take a trip back in time and deal with a bit o' fashion. So here goes.

Something I've been thinking about a lot lately is dresses. Not because I'm shallow and I think about clothes all the time, but because it's graduation season, getting into wedding season.

I've been to six graduation events in the last week that I had to dress variously for, and although I'm not invited to any weddings, it's good to think about how I would clothe myself to attend one.









This Anthropologie style would work best on someone with a smaller frame, especially with a smaller bust. Wear with heels--even if you're tall, go with a short heel.


This Ann Taylor Loft dress is a bit longer than the others, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's elegant and grown-up. Would work well on most frames, even the bustier ones (as long as it fits well!) and can go with heels or flats.






This Ralph Lauren dress would work best with heels, and can go with a medium frame or a smaller one.













This Searle dress is a good night-time look and, in the right size, would fit most shapes well. Wear with heels--either a tall one (if you're short) or a short heel (if you're tall).

This Searle dress would definitely work best on a smaller physique, and in white, definitely on someone with darker coloring. Wear with shorter heels or flats.











Be careful with yellow, blondes. For everyone else, this Searle dress will be great on you unless you're really small on top. Wear with medium heels or flats.




And, last but not least, this Searle dress will go best with lighter complexion, smaller figures and flats or short heels. Darker complected people will also look OK in this dress. Bigger busts and overall figures will not look OK in it. And if you try pairing this with really high heels, you will look like a hooker.