#2

Hearts: Check!

Found these great tights at H&M. The manikin was wearing them in red and white, but they were sold out at both Seattle locations. The black and white are pretty cute, too.



In these photos:
Tights, skirt and tank top from H&M
Stockings from Forever21
Etienne Aigner boots
Cardigan from GAP

COVET.

Tortoise Shell Earrings by catiebeatty featuring tortoise shell jewelry

I covet pretty much anything made of tortoiseshell (both real and fake). I have to stop myself from buying those gorgeous French barrettes, because, let's be honest, I have no hair.

For this week's COVET. I found these beautiful vintage Chanel earrings. I'm not even sure what the price is... oh wait I just found it. Yup, £430! I was going to say that they are out of my reach simply because they are old and probably hard to come by, but that price adds another layer of unattainable!

Aren't they wonderful, though? They're bold, but not impractical. They're beautiful and timeless. These are classic Chanel. I found them on Atelier-Mayer.com ; a purveyor of wonderful vintage fashion based in London. The earrings were made in the 1970's, probably shortly after the trade of real tortoiseshell was banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). This means they are made of Perspex, an acrylic also known by the name "Lucite". If they were actual tortoiseshell, the price would probably be much higher.


Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

#1

Wide-leg trousers: Check!

I've been eyeing these trousers at H&M for a while now. I'm still not totally convinced they are the most flattering fit for my figure, but I love the color and the texture. And the waist is so high! Plus, they were on clearance for $5. I have a weak spot for $5 pants. That's practically free!



Stay tuned for more items off my Wish List, as well as my very first contest!! I
will be giving away Wish List-inspired goodies :D

In these photos:
Trousers from H&M
Floral scarf from H&M
Zippered sweater from GAP

Sping Wish List

Spring 2011 by catiebeatty featuring a silk shawl

I've come up with a list of all the things I want in my spring wardrobe. I compiled them in picture format, but will also list them in word format, which can be more specific.

First off, actual items:

1. Wide Leg Trousers (check)

2. A shirt dress (saw a beautiful one in black, but didn't get a chance to ask the girl where she bought it)

3. Tote bags

4. Tortoise shell accessories (I want these ALWAYS)

5. Cocoon coat

6. A classic watch

7. Heels of all sorts!

The following are also on my Wish List, but can come in the form of accessories, shoes, clothing, anything really:

1. Forest Green
2. Hearts
3. Chambray
4. Rusty pinks and corals
5. Contrasting patterns & colors

In the following weeks, I will be posting more Covet. articles (promise!) with items from my Wish List and, when money is available, collecting affordable versions to build my Spring wardrobe. At the end I will wear everything at once and be sooo fashionable that no one will even be able to fathom how fashionable I am!

Ooh la la

I always hate showing a lot of leg, so this tights-and-knee-highs trend is right up my alley. It's not exactly subtle; it really draws attention to the legs; but I feel more covered up.

Plus, by some miracle, my legs have gotten slimmer!! I haven't lost weight, but for some reason I can wear more boots and these sheer tights suddenly look OK on me. I'm so happy because I LOVE BOOTS.

The shoes are from Forever21. They are basicly knock-offs of Miu Miu shoes from last Spring. They are massively uncomfortable and nearly impossible to walk in, but oh! are they lovely! I wore them on New Year's Eve but only because the festivities were at my own house. My friends made fun of me all night because I had to shuffle very carefully to get anywhere.


The bracelet is one my newest creations. The "stone" is called Goldstone, and I just found out it is actually a man-made mineral, comprised of silica, copper oxide, and other metal oxides. And there is your fact of the day! Anyway, I added the ribbon and the chain is gold-fill.

In these photos:
Vintage wool sweater
H&M scarf
Islay slip from Blackbird Ballard
H&M skirt
Forever21 socks and shoes

COVET.

Wide Leg by catiebeatty featuring wide-leg

Today's Covet. features one of the items off my Wish List for Spring: Wide-leg trousers.

Spring is about renewal and what better time to revisit an old classic. As much as I love and still wear all my skinny pants, sometimes I'm in the mood for some sophisticated slouch. Enter wide-leg trousers. They change up your silhouette and, if paired with the right heel, can make your legs look a mile long. The main requirement is that they fit well, of course. No gaping waists, and definitely try to avoid pants that fit too tightly on your thighs. These trousers should be the perfect balance of structured tailoring and "flowy" fabric. The loose fit of these pants also means they work well for summer too, as long as you buy them in cotton or linen. I really love the color and texture of these Joseph trousers, and hopefully I can find a similar pair that won't cost me $379. Another pair I can only ever dream of owning are the Balenciaga trousers Joanna Hillman wears in the picture below.


This picture of Ms. Hillman (who is a Senior Fashion Market Editor) is from her Wardrobe Diaries on HarpersBazaar.com . It illustrates exactly what I'm talking about. The pants look chic and in no way frumpy. With the help of on-trend accessories, she keeps the pants from looking outdated.

What's on your list for Spring?

...

I'm out of practice when it comes to taking pictures of clothes, plus all I can think about wearing are those boots I posted about the other week. They are pretty much all I wear right now. My feet have never been so warm and happy. One sad note though, turns out the plastic used for the soles was very brittle, so they cracked by day 2. I am planning to have them repaired, if possible, but I'm not too worried, since the boots aren't leaking or anything.

For now, enjoy the picture of the tiny pie I made :) I got brave and made pate brisee. It was much easier than I thought it was going to be!

Practicality

The Holidays are over, so now it's time to get down to business and trudge through this season we call Winter. Blah.

I'm doing practical, grown-up things, like paying bills, not eating candy (New Year's Resolution), and buying sturdy leather boots. Ok, so buying sturdy leather boots is actually quite enjoyable. I just found these Etienne Aigner boots today. They are brand new and were only $40! I was heading to one of the thrift stores I visit ever so often, and thought "Maybe they will have lots of boots today." When my intuition kicks in, it really kicks in. They must have decided to put all the good boots out just as I thought that. There were several gorgeous pairs, but this pair one because they fit the best. Another pair I wanted badly were a brogue style made of super-soft burgundy leather. I could only get my foot in about 4 inches. I'm not going to complain though, because I ended up with a really good pair of boots!

Hope you all had a good New Year :)