Friday's Fancies: Cape Crushing

I honestly haven't been able to get over this image since I stumbled on it on Pinterest months ago.

{via Claudia Fessler}

It truly is the epitome of winter chic in my mind; gorgeous winter white wool, polished patent pumps, luggage leather gloves, a classic satchel and of course, a deep red lip.

I am a long-time cape lover, but I have yet to invest in one. It's one of those "tipping of the scale" problems - every time I look, my favorites are (of course) extremely pricey, and all of the budget options I find are just not quite what I'm looking for. I just can't justify splurging on such an on-trend item, but at the same time, spending around $60 on something this is "just okay" is a complete waste.

And so, after three seasons of lusting, I am still cape-less.

Then, on a recent online cape hunt (which I'm apt to do from time to time), I started coming across a slew of $50-$100 capes that I consistently loved - all of them coming from a single retailer: SheInside. I had never heard of it, and the site seemed a little weird to me, so I decided to do some research.

Though I'm glad I looked into it, I have to admit that I was a little heartbroken. I found horror story after horror story about endless issues with sizing, quality and returns. Even for my dream cape, I'm not ready to risk $45 in shipping costs to return it to China (and potentially won't even get my money back). It is pretty gorgeous though, no?

Sigh, the hunt continues.

Cape | Dress | Eyeliner | Necklace | Tights | Satchel | Gloves | Chanel "La Sompteuse" (seriously the best deep red for brunettes) | Pumps | Tote (I couldn't pick just one!)

{more inspired goodness over at {longdistanceloving}!)

Do you rock a cape? Any good sources? I'm desperate!

Tuesday Tuneday: Fancay Schmancay

It's official: I've got the AC bug.

The boy and I are headed off on Friday for a much needed long weekend in Ocean City, NJ at a good friend’s summer home. I am beyond excited to soak up the sun, cruise the boardwalk, maybe invest in a few bro tanks (my YEAH BUDDY one from last year has fallen off trend…tear).

We will also be making the very short journey to Atlantic City for dinner at Amada in the Revel hotel. I am not a big gambler and have never been to AC. I guess unsurprisingly, I have also never been to Vegas. 

pretty swankster, no?

As a perpetual, somewhat intentional over-dresser who loves nothing more than throwing on heels and lipstick for a weekend dinner out (which is sadly borderline “too much” in Boston), I am beyond excited for the rare opportunity to go all out (and dare I say, a little slutty?) for our Sunday night dinner. 

There’s nothing better than a perfect dinner ambiance, and for me, that almost always means music. Here’s what I’d want to hear whilst sipping a swankay drank (my first dirty martini, perhaps?) in a trendy lounge in good ‘ol AC, trying to hold on to my last shred of summer…

Zara Fall 2012

For years, I have been buying the bulk (at least 80%) of my seasonal wardrobe at J.Crew because normally, I am utterly obsessed with their clothes, but also because truth be told – I’m kind of lazy. I love to shop, but only when it goes my way. Trying on 2-3 sizes to find the right fit because I don’t know the store, its cuts, and how sizes run is pretty much entirely a no-go for me. Put me in a J.Crew and I can drop $200 without trying anything on – and it will all fit. Call it what you want, but I’m gonna call it efficiency.

And then there was Zara. I guess the fashion tycoon has always been somewhat on my radar since I studied abroad in Italy and it was the only store (+ H&M) that I could afford to shop at in any of the countries I visited, but upon returning to the US, it was much less accessible to me and I (gasp) forgot about it. Thankfully, the blogging world brought Zara back into my worldview – and in this current time when I’m desperate for versatile summer-to-autumn pieces – Zara’s hitting the spot.

I know it's a lot of studs, but...

Regal Grounds

One of my all-time (if not absolute) favorite places in the world is the Crane Estate on Castle Hill in Ipswich, Mass. I fell completely head over heels in love with it the first time I visited, approximately 9 years ago (holy SHIT, I am OLD).

It is realty the perfect mix of gorgeous gardens, ocean views, woodsy hiking trails and of course, timeless manor class. I can easily spend hours there exploring the grounds, taking photos, picnicking and soaking up the sunshine.

Incidentally, one of my all-time favorite weddings was held here – but that’s just a fun sidenote.  I mean, how perfect is the veggie green & clean white palette for the classic mansion and rolling grass hill backdrop? Don’t even get me started on her dress. 

But anyways, the boy and I have been trying to visit this haven for almost two years now, and something always gets in the way (one time, it was closed for a wedding – serves me right!), but we were able to sneak in a visit this summer before the wedding season craze set in.

I was so excited to finally be able to share this place that is so special to me with him. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect, and while we were in a little bit of a time crunch (really, when are we not?) it was so relaxing and peaceful to be able to take a break away from the buzz of the city. 

My outfit was admittedly very inspired by Atlantic-Pacific, but it has become one of my go-tos, especially for dinner and drinks out on hot summer nights in Boston. There’s something about the flowy silk that feels effortless and cool, no matter how hot it gets (and I need the coverage in the AC-blasting restaurants we tend of frequent).

Blouse: Zara (sold out, but on sale here) | Pants: J.Crew | Sunnies: Karen Walker | Sandals: Jack Rogers | Bag: Rebecca Minkoff

Weekend Wardrobe: Nautical Neons at World's End

The boy and I have decided to really take the reins on our weekend lifestyle and cool it with the overindulgence. Whether it was drinking, eating, spending - or all of the above - it was getting to be too much in so many ways.

This past weekend we spent our time enjoying the Northeastern heat wave as much as possible: al fresco dining (home cooked, of course), a few casual drinks, and lots of walking. We did, however, overindulge on sleep on Saturday morning in an attempt to recover from a few crazy back-to-back weekends, and I had started to feel like the day was a total waste by the time we finally made it to World's End in Hingham circa 4:30 PM - our one big plan for the weekend and we couldn't even make it during daytime hours.

Me and my negative Nancy attitude were SO wrong. World's End is honestly one of the most beautiful, peaceful and relaxing places I have ever been, and the late afternoon sun coming through the trees was the perfect backdrop to a calming 4.5 mile walk along the trails bordering the ocean.

 The parties going on on these boats were straight out of a movie, and so enviable.

Looking out at Boston in: Old J.Crew striped tee | J.Crew Chino Shorts in neon orange (snagged these for $20 on Friday!) | Longchamp Large Le Pliage Tote in Slate | Karen Walker Sunnies | Michael Kors Runway Watch

Just loving the view.

Squinty boy in the gorgeous sunny weather.

The view of Boston from across the water - love my city. 

If you live in the area, I highly, highly recommend making the trek for a day.

What's your favorite place to go when you just need to relax and be inspired?

Pastel & Polkas

My boyfriend told me I looked like a mix of Easter and "New Girl Jess" (Zooey Deschanel)

To which I said....

I (definitely) don't hate it!

Head-to-(almost) toe: J.Crew (standard) Skirt: Factory, in stores) | Tank (old) | Cardigan (old) | Flats: UO (old) | Baubles: David Yurman, Jennifer Zeuner, etc (old)