Inside the Fitting Room: Neiman Marcus Cusp

I've spent the last couple of evenings trying to decide what to wear the the Texas Style Council mixers. As evidenced by the past, I spend so much time planning the events, that I don't spend a lot of time thinking about what I'm going to wear. I do not want that to be the case ever again! Since I'll be hosting the Neiman Marcus leg on Saturday, I will be donning something from the Cusp department at Neiman Marcus. Here's what I tried on:
 (Top Row | L-R) Alice + Olivia rora dress with The Man Repeller x PJK motorcycle jacket (the peplum zips off!) // Tibi neoprene dress (made out of wetsuit material!) // Equipment blouse + Man Repeller x PJK pants // DVF capreena dress // The Man Repeller x PJK tropical print dress // Rory Becca tank with Alice + Olivia wide legged pants. (Bottom Row | L-R) Amanda Uprichard dress // DVF Leonie dress // DVF fit and flare dress with Robbi & Nikki blazer // Amanda Uprichard pink dress // Rebecca Taylor orange dress // Parker red dress // The Man Repeller x PJK utility jacket with Alice + Olivia rora dress (from first photos).
I ultimately decided to wear the white Alice + Olivia dress and The Man Repeller x PJK jacket. I figured since this is a blogging / Neiman Marcus event I'd be amiss to not wear something from The Man Repeller's collaboration with Patterson J. Kincaid:
  The dress is so sweet. It's essentially a short wedding gown in that it's covered in heavy, scalloped lace. I could see me wearing this to my backyard BBQ vow renewal (one day...). For the TxSC Mixer, though, I decided to toughen up the look with the jacket (without the sleeves... they're removable) and my own Shoemint leopard Jollys. However, I could easily see changing out a few of the accessories to embrace the dress in its full femininity:
  jacket // black bag // booties (similar) // necklace // watch // dress // belt // lace bag // sandals
How would you wear such a frilly dress? Would you "man repel" it up or go full out in girly glory?

Come out to see me at Neiman Marcus this Saturday from 3pm - 5pm and/ or come hang out with me as I check out the new Cusp department tomorrow night from 5:30 - 7:30. Info here.

What not to wear: the pregnancy edition

Hi! Sorry for my absence. I've missed you! I thought I was just tired and recovering from Austin Fashion Week last week, but it turns out my thyroid levels dipped a little low (I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis). No worries, though! I went to the doctor this morning and got a little adjustment in my medicines, and I should be back to 100% tomorrow!

After my doctor's appointment, I went to Walmart to get my oil changed. I had an hour to kill, so I thought I'd show you some things that I've found do not work for a pregnant body. Laugh and enjoy!

Don't tell me to just move up a size.
A- Rompers don't come in "maternity", and
B- This is a size large.


Classy, Adams. Real classy. Makes you wonder, "Is that how she got pregnant in the first place?"


I know that maternity pants (and pants in general) are hard to keep up and around a gestating womb, but nothing makes a pregnant body suddenly look like an old man's beer gut body like suspenders.


Non-maternity button up shirts may seem harmless at first...

but then one of your co-workers loses an eye due to a projectile button off your shirt.


You thought the combo of maternity pants and suspenders was bad? Obviously you have never seen the combo of maternity pants with a body suit. Um, just because you can squeeze into it doesn't mean you should wear it. Yikes!

Just for your peace of mind, please know that I do not usually sport outfits such as those above. No, sirree. Lately I've been in the tried and true combo of empire waist cotton dresses and sandals. Boring, yes, but at least I don't look like a nut case (or a cased sausage!):

date: 26 August 2010
occasion: running errands
dress: Liz Lange Maternity (Target)
sandals: Target, like five years ago

Is there anything else that pregnant women shouldn't attempt to wear?

In the dressing room: Anna Sui for Target

Back in July, I blogged about the Anna Sui/ Gossip Girl inspired line coming to Target. After months of waiting, today I finally got to my local store to check out what was left.

Please excuse my phone photos. I didn't bust out the DSLR for fear that Target security would ban me from the store forever. Ugly shirts aside, there were only six pieces in my size left.
1. Polyester, metallic top: $39.99
I liked it but I'm unwilling to pay more than $25.00 for it. I can only hope that this will end up on the clearance rack or at my local Buffalo Exchange.
2. Houndstooth Jacquard dress: $69.99
The fit was immaculate and it seemed very well constructed, however, the cotton-like lace trim didn't seem to go that well with the sheen of the dress. I liked it, but I wasn't crazy about it, so I passed.
3. Herringbone dress: $59.99
The cut was boxy, and although the outside was said to be 100% cotton, it was so heavy and itchy that it felt like 100% wool.
4. Gray Feather dress: $69.99
If this dress were on Project Runway, Heidi Klum would kick that designer to the curb! The "feathers" on this dress were actually flimsy pieces of thin plastic... the kind that confetti is made out of! The bottom of the dress was like a tent that several scouts could have camped in overnight.
5. Empire floral dress: $44.99
This was the most reasonably priced dress of the bunch, and though I wasn't ga ga over the print pattern, I loved the fit. I almost bought it until I realized that I vaguely felt like a hot scarecrow in all those fall colors.
6. Black lace halter dress: $69.99
I absolutely could not get past the collar on this dress. Seriously. I felt like a Playboy Bunny or some kind of slutty waitress.

Le sigh. For those prices, Anna Sui, color me unimpressed.