When we moved to Denver, I went into hermit crab mode. I pulled into my shell, not sure of my surroundings. I certainly wasn't doing much shopping as the new climate totally had me thrown for a loop, & I was completely at a loss of what I needed in my closet.
Since I started back blogging (hey girl hey), I have a little more disposable income, & I *think* I'm starting to get a hang of this Denver thing, so I have been branching out to shopping again. Below are somethings I've recently gotten that are MUST-HAVES in my book, some things that are great if you are looking for something extra (LIKE status), & while HATE is a strong word, I'm also including a couple of misses that totally missed the mark for me.
What have you purchased & LOVED recently? I'm on the hunt for a new pair of white jeans so send any of those rec's my way ASAP! kthanks.
{Love} pieces that need to be in your closet ASAP
1. As a former Nashville gal, & having been a young girl in the 90s, Reese Witherspoon is my spirit animal & I just can't get enough of what she is doing with her clothing line Draper James! The Draper James store in the adorable 12th South neighborhood is a MUST VISIT if you find yourself in Nashville, but now the pieces are available at Nordstrom too! I just picked up this ruffle top & it hits all the right notes for Summer - light weight, airy, & fun - but this is a spendy piece that I hope is in my closet for years & years! (Fit Tip: I ordered a size 4 for a not too tight, not too loose, just right fit)
2. It's been a good bit since I spent more than $20 on a pair of jeans (thanks Old Navy), but I have been on the hunt for the perfectly not-too-stretchy, but a little stretchy, not-too-ripped, but a little ripped, not-too-blue, but blue jeans... and my hunt is over, & I spent less than expected. This pair from Nordstrom comes in right under $60 & I think they are super flattering! (Fit Tip: I ordered my normal size - 27 - and they fit PERFECT! I LIVED in these bad boys over Memorial Day weekend)
3. Last year my Summer wardrobe consisted of two colorful, printed dresses from Cuddy Studios (as seen here & here). This Summer I have added this Cuddy Studios ruffle dress to my wardrobe & I just think it is the perfect piece for Summer weddings, backyard shindigs, & beach getaways! Coming to the blog soon! (Fit Tip: Runs a little big, I ordered a size small & probably should have gone down to a size XS)
4. After almost a year of living in our new city, I STILL can't find the box that has my sunglasses in it! While I love my Ray-Ban aviators (the only pair that I had in the car with me when we moved), I have really been needing a new pair so bad (Denver is apparently one of the sunniest major cities in all of America... great time to misplace the sunglasses, huh!?). I love the look of mirrored lenses, but wasn't sure how they would look on me, so I went for a budget pair first. This pair of mirror-lens sunglasses from ASOS hit the mark & fit the budget (under $15)!
5. You might have seen it on Instagram (here), but I've been living in this J.Crew Factory gingham dress. One of my favorite features is that it can be worn with a neck strap, or strapless - keep your options open ladies! (Fit Tip: The XS is perfect for me)
{J.Crew Factory is killing the gingham game, shop my favorites below}
Bianca: There's a difference between like and love. Because, I like my Skechers, but I love my Prada backpack. Chastity: But I love my Skechers.
Bianca: That's because you don't have a Prada backpack.
6. I am not big on "body con" pieces, so this white lace midi dress certainly has me conflicted - I love it, but am not sure I can pull off the fitted silhouette... coming to the blog soon, so you can be the judge! While the fitted style is the con for me, it has lots of pros: great price, flattering cut, versatile foundation piece for Summer.
7. There is A LOT to love about this ruffle Midi-dress - I got it in the baby blue color & think it makes me look so tan (which I am not, so it is basically magic). The thing that put it on the "like" instead of "love" list is the fit of the halter. I always thought that I had a "normal" proportioned torso/neck, but for some reason this halter goes all the way to my neck & feels a little tight... is that how it's supposed to feel? This is my first halter piece of this style, but that just can't be right... #bigneck
8. I had high hopes for this J.Crew Factory white midi skirt, but I didn't realize that it has an elastic waist & it runs a little big. It has so much going for it, but since the smaller size is now sold out, back it goes for me.
9. & 10. The next two pieces would most definitely land themselves on the love list, if they were just a little more practical. These fall into the statement piece category, but they are so fun, budget friendly & I just couldn't resist.
{Chicwish is kinda crushing it with statement tops lately, shop my favorites now}
{Hate} A strong word, but these pieces just did NOT work for me
11. I literally never successfully got this asymmetric maxi dress on my body - it was sad, hilarious, & embarrassing. I almost wish someone else would order it & make a tutorial for how to put it on - please share it with me when you do! I love the print & the idea of the open back, & I sincerely wish that I could accurately explain to you how difficult it was to put on!!
12. This open back black maxi dress sounded so perfect for me, but the fit was just off. It is definitely made for petite gals (would have been worn with flats on my 5'3" frame), but also ones that have a bigger bust that me. The open back is just perfect, but the lack of pockets & fit issues made it a definite return.
13. I love my body & rock what I got, but this one-shoulder romper made me look like I had a preggo-belly, something I will be happy to have one day, but today is not that day. I could not figure out a way to make this item flattering & I desperately wanted to, as I love the colors of the stripes.