goldenpig

On my birthday, before we went to the Chanel store we dropped by Brooks Brothers to return the trench coat (tried it on in 18-19 in a size 4). Then we passed by Burberry and I decided to just go it and have a look. I tried on several coats--the two I liked best were the purple in 1-5 and the one with the leather buckle trim in 6-8 (shown with coat open and tied in the back). Also tried on a plain style in 9-11 and a fantasy UWP Matrix-style trench coat in 12-15 (it reminds me of Una/Rae and all those other tough UWPs, doesn't really fit as well with my style).That one is $5000, though, so not a real contender. Some inspiration photos in 15-17 (cool shimmery trench coat!).

What do you think of these different styles? Since I was planning on spending $5000 for the purse, I could afford to get a Burberry if I really wanted to. I think these were all size 6, except #6-8 was maybe a size 4. I am not feeling pressured to buy...I can wait till Christmas if needed, or just stick with my current Kate Spade and Anthro trench coats. It's interesting also that you can see a quality difference in the pics between the fit of the Burberry and the Brooks Brothers one in 18-19. Anyways, feel free to chime in on whether you like any of these or not on me and any other fit issues. Hope this helps others who are contemplating!

1-5. Long check Cotton trench coat.
6-8. Leather trim trench
9-11 Double cotton trench in Honey
12-15 UWP trench

Hi, I don't know what came over me but I succumbed to the Brook Brothers trench frenzy. I ordered one in size 6, both navy and beige, to try on. I figured since I wanted to someday own a Burberry trench, that I should try these, since they are similar in style. I received the navy one today (the beige should be coming soon). But I already own two trenches that are really much more my style, by Kate Spade. My black Melissa ruffled trench is one of my workhorses, and the beige Topliner fit and flare contrast trim trench doesn't get as much play as it should, but I think it's just because my wardrobe colors don't fit with beige as well. I think I'll try to wear it more often though!

I tried the navy BB one on so I could show you how it fits on a medium sized apple. The navy is really dark, it's very similar to black. It's a size 6, which I think is the right size for me. But I'm planning on returning it, unless someone wants me to send it to them instead. Likewise for the beige, I'll probably try it on for curiosity's sake but I doubt I'll keep it. Let me know if any of you want it. Sorry to break the BB winning streak! I should have paid more attention to my style--the BB is perfect for minimalist/tomboy styles, but I like my classics with a more ALGO/ladylike flourish! Oh well, lesson learned--hope someone can benefit from my mistake! It is a really nice high quality coat, just not my style.

1-4. Navy size 6 BB trench--tied, with the liner inside
5-6. Belted
7-10. Kate Spade black Melissa trench
http://goldenpig.lookfab.com/p.....e-symphony
11-13. Kate Spade beige Topliner trench (lining in my fave KS pattern)
http://goldenpig.lookfab.com/p.....floral-bag

14-15. ETA: Forgot to add my Anthro red corset trench! Another classic with a ladylike twist!

My 40th birthday is coming up and DH wants to know what I want. He's said he wants me to have something nice but we haven't discussed what to get or price yet. I have to admit it would be really nice to get something luxurious or special or iconic, given it's a big birthday and this time around we are both earning a real salary as opposed to resident wages, but I have no idea what I should get.

I have no fine jewelry other than my engagement ring and a small sapphire pendant that DH gave me as an engagement present (yes, he has gotten off scot-free so far, LOL!) so maybe I should look into getting a pearl necklace or Tiffany necklace or diamond earrings (though I have to admit I'm not crazy about stud earrings--in general, I prefer dangling). I have a lot of nice purses like Kate Spade and Dooney & Bourke, but no higher end designer purses, and have thought about getting something like a Louis Vuitton, or a Chanel flap bag. I only wear one watch, a silver Tissot (actually the battery just ran out so I'm not wearing anything at the moment till I can find the time to get the battery changed), so maybe I should upgrade my watch? Or maybe it's time to finally splurge on a Burberry trench? Elle's posts certainly have tempted me, as she looks so great in the honey trench. Though I might even go for a color, like the burgundy (you guys know how much I love burgundy!).

The problem is I don't know where the best bang for my buck is. I love purses and would kill for a 2.55, but it's something like $5000 and I don't know whether I would want to carry just one purse every day from now on to justify the cost (I don't even know which color I would get, would love a red or cream but probably should stick with black). I really like matching my handbag to my outfit. Same with jewelry, I like mixing it up and making the accessory selection part of my creative process (plus I tend to prefer bigger, "statementy" jewelry with some presence, but that's not possible to do with real jewels). So does that mean I should stick to less expensive items, since I'm so "fickle"? I do appreciate quality, but I'm plenty happy wearing jewelry from Forever 21 too.

What did you get for your milestone birthday? If you have any higher-end items or jewelry, what is your workhorse or most important piece or your best investment? Do you wear it pretty much every day or do you still mix it up a lot with your lower end items on other days? What's on your fashion bucket list--what do you wish you could get sometime in the future?

Just trying to get ideas and guidance to narrow my focus. I don't know if I'm allowed to spend $500 or $5000 ;), but I'd like to decide on an item category or two regardless of the budget. I don't necessarily have to get anything right now or even in the next several months (depending how much the item is, I may have to save up for it), but I do want to have something in mind so the opportunity doesn't get "wasted" to splurge on myself, haha. And next year is our 15th anniversary, so I'll have another opportunity to get something nice, maybe an anniversary ring or necklace. (PS if anyone wants to take me virtual shopping, feel free to give suggestions!).

Sona helpfully posted about this company called The Shirt that makes button down shirts with extra buttons to prevent gapping at the bust. I ordered some to try, since my nursing bust has been at odds with my current button down shirts. Which of these do you think I should keep? I'm pretty sure I can make the first two (red snakeskin and black and white ink spots) work in my wardrobe easily. The gold lame was a bit of a stretch--I don't know why, but I wanted to try something new. But is it too tacky/disco to wear to work? It would be a challenge for sure to style, but it might be a lot of fun. Those three were all size M. The fourth shirt is a tunic style and the website said to size up on this one so I did order a L but I think the sleeves are too long and so is the shirt. It's also a very pale blue which I think is not my best color.

Thanks for your opinions!
1-5 Red snakeskin
6-10 Black and white paint splotches
11-16 Gold lame
17-20 Light blue tunic shirt

I went in for an eye exam because I'm having more trouble with reading up close. My prescription has changed (R eye has improved) and it's been 4 years since I got new glasses, so it's time for new ones. She said I could try progressives if I wanted to, but it was only going to be +0.75 additional so she said it probably wouldn't be worth it. Do any of you wear progressive lenses? I didn't order them but am wondering if I should have.

Here are the top picks of the pairs I tried on. I wish I could have asked you all before I ordered, but I was in a bit of a rush--the baby was hungry and we had to get back home to let the nanny off, so I went ahead and just picked my two favorites, one red and one brown (I like having color options to match my outfits). What do you think of these (1 & 2) vs. the runner-ups (3 & 4)? It will take two weeks, so if you really think I made a mistake I can try to cancel my order right away. Sorry for the bad pics with the funny facial expressions and lens glare. I feel like these glasses looked better in the mirror than they do in these pics. I also bought a pair of prescription sunglasses (5). I really liked them so I didn't pick a runner up.

Thanks for your advice!

The ones I picked/ordered:
1. Prada red plastic frame--it was between this and #3, but I (and the sales clerk) preferred the chunkier frame (she said it looked more modern). I also like the cat eye-ish shape.
2. Guess brown plastic frame--DH wasn't a fan of the red and green stripes at the side--he said it was a Gucci logo/symbol. It didn't bother me though and I liked the shape and tortoiseshell color.
The runner-ups:
3. Nine West reddish metallic--DH picked these and they were his favorite. I like them too and it was hard to decide between 1 & 3. This one has nose pads and a thinner frame than the others. I guess this one is a more classic look whereas 1 is a little more geeky/funky. Which one do you think looks better on me?
4. Ray-Ban violet plastic frames--the inside of these glasses are lavender, which is not my color, but the outside looks black or dark violet.

Also got a pair of sunglasses.
5. LaCoste sunglasses. I liked these a lot.
6. Bonus baby pic at the optometrist!

Speaking about Anne's leave no retail stone unturned thread about Coldwater Creek (http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ater-creek), I too feel like certain stores and clothes are designed for a more "mature" clientele. I never shop at Talbot's or Coldwater Creek because in my mind those are for old ladies. But I'm probably missing out on some good pieces because of my bias! Conversely, there can be a bunch of frumptastic Grandma sweaters at places I normally prefer to shop (like Anthro).

I pass by the hospital gift shop every day on my way to the cafeteria and they always have clothes out on a rack (who knows why they sell clothes at the gift shop). One time I actually bought a skirt there (http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....inted-midi). I've also bought jewelry from the hospital lobby when they have these $5 jewelry trunk sales periodically. So I definitely agree that we should leave no retail stone unturned.

However, I passed this display recently and thought, ugg, old lady fashion. Then I started to wonder, is it really intrinsically for old ladies? What makes me think that--is it the colorblocking? The boxiness? The tunic style? The pattern (even though I love patterns)? And if someone with fantastic arty style like Suz or Diana wore those tops, wouldn't I then think it was cool looking instead of frumpy?

Just wondering what makes clothes too "old" looking and whether it's the clothes themselves or the wearer that determines that--chicken vs. egg? And would you wear these tops?

ETA: Not that I have anything against getting older--I would love to look as stylish as Karen or other YLF members of that age when I get there! In fact, I'm usually trying to dress older than I look. But I just don't want to look frumpy!

I'm realizing that most of my handbags are very structured and ladylike which fits with my primary style. I've been drawn to UWP style more lately, but the only slouchy black bag I have is this Le Sak purse. The lining is torn inside and it's a little small and I'm thinking about asking for or getting another purse (probably black or dark grey) for Christmas. I'd like it to look a little more UWP/RATE...but not too RATE (it still has to go with my outfits!) I saw a studded bag at TJ Maxx, but the spikes were actually sharp and pointy...ouch! I'd like a UWP-ish bag with a touch of polish to still fit with my style...a gateway UWP bag, if you will.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

Thanks to Mo who posted about this Angie-recommended NAS skirt going to Rack prices!

I really liked this skirt, but even the NAS prices seemed too high for me and I didn't think it was practical to buy a pencil skirt while pregnant. But at Rack prices, I thought it was worth potentially breaking SYC for. I haven't bought any clothes for the last month or two because I am not sure I want to spend a bunch of money on maternity clothes that I'll never wear again once I'm done with this pregnancy. And buying regular clothes is quite tricky because I don't know what's going to fit me in the future. So that's my dilemma. I nabbed this skirt because it's so unique, I know I won't be able to find something similar once I'm back to my normal pre-preg weight (assuming I do manage to lose it all, which took me about a year both times). But I'm not sure if I buy it now, whether it will be too big for me once I return to pre-preg size.

This is a size 8. My normal size is size 6. I also bought a size 6--not shown because it is too tight for me now. I would just have to keep it and hope I'll fit into it later. If I keep the 8, I could probably wear it for the next few weeks, then I'll still have to put it away. I could probably start wearing it earlier postpartum, but the risk is if I go back down to my regular size, the size 8 could end up being too loose on me. On the other hand, the reviews said the skirt runs small, so the 8 could actually be the right size for me. It's so hard for me to judge/predict future sizing--which is why I've avoiding shopping lately!

I really do like the unique print. But I see what others of you who tried this on mean about the skirt having a tendency to twist--I don't know if it's the way I'm standing, but the lines do seem to get a bit crooked. Not sure if that is a dealbreaker.

Oh, the yellow blouse was the matching Rachel Roy blouse, but I'm unsure about keeping it--seems kind of meh to me. K/R?

I haven't thought about how to style this skirt yet, but also tried it on with a black turtleneck. I think it looks better with the shirt untucked and covering the belly--what do you think? And yes, I know the pencil skirt looks kind of crazy over the huge bump, but I don't know how else to judge the fit.

Should I keep the size 8, the size 6, or return both? Thanks for any input!

My sister is getting married and wants me and my other sister and sister in law to wear cobalt dresses. We are not officially bridesmaids, but will be walking down the aisle before our kids (the cousins are all flower girls and ringbearer). She is getting married in Sedona AZ--the wedding is at 5 pm (outdoors) and the reception is to follow at the hotel/resort. We will be taking family pics before the ceremony.

I posted these dresses before when I was shopping for options in this thread (if you want to see what they look like without a huge belly):
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....he-first-7

These three were the top contenders, so I kept these three and figured I'd decide later. But later is now--the wedding is next week, so I thought I'd open it up to voting again since my figure is quite different now! :) Which of these three dresses do you think looks best on me for the wedding? They are not maternity dresses, so hopefully they don't look too funny with my big preggo tummy!

I'll probably bring all three and compare to what the others are wearing before making a final decision, but I wanted to get some feedback on which one you guys think is the winner. If it's a tossup, I could change from one dress to another between the wedding and reception, but it would be easier to just wear one dress the whole time. I'll probably end up returning the loser to Nordstrom.

1-5. Adrianna Papell--aka mermaid dress. I think this one probably looks the most sophisticated of the three. I think it was my second favorite before (I felt like it looked a bit plain compared to the sequin dress), but now I kind of like how it is figure hugging and highlights the bump. The only slight problem is I have to keep an eye on the "scales", which have a tendency to want to flip up around the top of my big belly (it's pretty easy to smooth them down though). DH said he liked this one the best, and the JS Boutique the next best.

6-10. JS Boutique. This one got the most votes in the previous thread and was my favorite before. I think it's the dressiest and probably the best for an evening wedding, with the sequins. I like the twirly skirt--it's a fun dress to wear. I like the front view but I'm a little unhappy with the side view--I think I look a lot bigger in this dress because the skirt hangs straight down instead of hugging the underside of my belly. The empire waist kind of makes it seem more like a maternity dress. Also, I'm not sure about the high neckline on me--I tend to prefer V necks. And I'm wondering if it looks too young, like a prom dress.

11-14. Seamline for Cynthia Steffe--I like the neckline and the dress is very similar to the J Crew Origami dress that I have in orange. This one was the least expensive of the three. I'm keeping this one regardless--I actually have worn this to work several times already, even while pregnant. However, it's more of a daytime dress (so maybe not fancy enough for a wedding) and my growing belly is causing some puckering at the sides of the skirt.

Well, what do you think? Do you like any of these or should I scramble to find something else like a true maternity dress? Thanks for your help!

What do you guys think of this dress on me? I keep trying to find a wrap dress (other than my old BR one, which is great) and previously tried a couple of DVF wrap dresses and a Tahari wrap dress, but so far have struck out and returned them all. This one is the one that Rita and Shannon have. It's a size 4 (size 6 was too loose in the bust). It has a snap at the side to help keep the wrap closed. I would probably wear a black cami underneath for work. Have I finally found one that will work for me or should I keep looking?