Mini Haul: DSW and TJMaxx

Taking a short detour from my Spring Fashion Week series, here's a little haul of some much needed items that I picked up while shopping yesterday.

So my old purse broke while I was at the Mother Mother concert. I had way too much stuff in it and I (stupidly) decided to grab it by the zipper for a few seconds...the zipper popped off and my purse fell on the floor right in front of the opening act. Awkward. Granted, that purse was more than a year old, so it had performed its duties faithfully and was bound to give out at some point. Anyway, I drove on down to DSW and picked up this purse by Urban Expressions. For those who don't know what DSW is, it advertises itself as a store that sells designer shoes (and purses) at warehouse prices. It's pretty much my go-to store for all things footwear. Oh, and please excuse my running shirt, I just got back from practice. 

I also grabbed these crocheted flats at DSW. The camera on my MacBook isn't as awesome as I wish it was, so the color is turning out a little less cream than the shoes are in real life. They're definitely reminiscent of the Alberta Ferretti Spring show from my last post. The brand is CL by Chinese Laundry. Check out the DSW website for more discounted shoes and accessories.  

This scented oil diffuser was just $5.00 at TJMaxx. I picked it up in the checkout line because it has a really cute bird design on the front and a flower pattern in the back that shows through as a background for the bird. Plus the packaging was really cute with the yellow bows; it struck me as very whimsical. The scent is French Vanilla, which I love. 

I also bought a few other things at TJMaxx, but they were clothes so I couldn't really figure out how to show them with the camera on my laptop. I picked up a pair of very dark wash jeans by Joe's Jeans, a colorful dress by Free People, and a really soft basic white tee by Ellen Tracy. Maybe I can figure out a way to take pictures of some Outfit of the Days wearing what I bought? We'll see. 

S/S '11 Picks: Alberta Ferretti

Continuing on with my series on Spring 2011 Fashion Week is my next pick: Alberta Ferretti. I love this collection because it's girly but not over the top, and boho but not dirty-looking. 

This was the first look in the collection that really caught my eye. I think it was the delicious deep green of the skirt that did it, with that understated leaf print. And the flowy-ness. The way the skirt moves as the model walks is so luxurious. This outfit is a good representation of the collection as a whole, which I think looks like an English garden mixed with a Ancient Greek goddess. 

This pic really shows off the fresh but fun makeup in Alberta Ferretti's spring collection. The cloud of green around the eyes paired with a pinky-pink cheek and natural lips totally screams spring. Other loves include the gray-purple color of the dress the super low-maintenance hair and the hat! I'm one of those people who always wants to wear hats but never does. There's something so mysterious about them though...I am definitely buying a wide-brimmed hat for hanging out by the pool this summer. 

Notice the flats sandals, not heels, that the model is wearing. Flat shoes were definitely all over the runways, including flat wooden platforms (or "flatforms"), a trend that I will personally not be rocking. Another great spring trend and the reason I love this outfit is the lace. This lace on this dress kind of looks like it was made out of someone's grandma's lace tablecloth, but in really good way. I saw a lace vest in a Macy's ad that I want to buy, since it will be an easy way to throw some lace into a lot of different outfits. 

S/S '11 Picks: ADAM

So...Fashion Week. Pretty much the epitome of every girl's dream. Alas, as I am neither an A-list celeb nor a model, that dream will remain a dream. Anyway, since all of those famous fashionistas, bloggers, and buyers just went to Fall Fashion Week, I decided to pick some of my favorite collections and looks and do a little series - almost as fun as being there, right? Except since it's still March and I'm getting into a spring-y mood I'm going back to the Spring/Summer Fashion Weeks. Maybe I'll get some inspiration for a shopping spree?

My first pick from S/S Fashion Week is kind of minimalist with an edge...or a pop...or something that makes it cool: ADAM.

I love the lace trend for spring, and the great thing about this flowy, innocent-looking lace top is what it's paired with; the little peek of shiny black leather on bottom and the sunglasses balance out softness of the  shirt. I'm also a sucker for neutrals.

I absolutely love something about the orangey-reddy-coraly color of these pants, which is weird for me... I normally don't gravitate towards bright pops of color. Something about these pants though, is bright yet subdued. I was also drawn the beautiful, glowy skin the model has in this picture, apparent even with the glasses. This look makes me crave sun and spring and flowers (but, you know, in a mature way)!

I am in love with Japan, so naturally I'm a fan of Tao Okamoto. But even though I would probably like anything she wears, I think this dress is really cute and wearable. The top part kind of follows the crop top trend that's coming back around, but without showing skin. The grainy look of the fabric, though, keeps the dress looking really organic and natural. Also, those red shoes are just amazing. 

Spring Beauty Trend: Neon!

All you fashionistas and makeup addicts out there in the blog-o-sphere (is that a word?) surely already know about the biggest beauty trend that has been popping up for spring and summer: neon eyes and lips! The look, worn with a matte finish, was all over the runways at the S/S 2011 fashion weeks. The key colors were red, fuchsia, and a great tangerine orange which is definitely the IT color this season.

I'm admittedly a little late to the game, but I'm excited to try this trend out during the warmer months. I don't usually go for a lot of color in my day-to-day wardrobe, but I think incorporating color through makeup is a great way to add a bit of fun to your look without going too extreme. TIP: If you're a little wary to rock the orange lip look, you could always paint your nails a neon color to pull off this trend in a wearable way. Right now I'm wearing the China Glaze color Shocking Pink.

Sweaty...But Cute?

Here's a tiny haul and some tips for looking cute (or as cute as possible) and comfortable while running! 

I had a fundraiser for my track team a few days ago at a store called Roadrunner Sports. We got a discount and if 50 people came the store was going to give my team $500, which we need to enter invitationals, buy uniforms, etc. I got a new pair of spikes, which was really exciting. Last year I used my cross country spikes for outdoor track, which worked pretty well, but these new ones are specifically meant for long distance track races. I learned that sprint spikes don't have a heel, mid distance spikes have a small heel, and long distance spikes have the most heel. Distance spikes also have less plastic on the bottom. This is really important because my shins and calves would really hurt if I tried to race a mile (or two) in sprint spikes, so I need shoes with a little more cushion and support. 

Nike Zoom Rival D V in White/Black-Voltage Cherry $60

I really like the pink stripes and laces and the green accents. Also if you look closely, they're a little shimmery. Cute!

I also bought a new pullover jacket-thing because I don't like the heavy sleeves on hoodies. I can wear them for warming up or if it's really cold, but since it's March now I need something a little lighter. So I found this jacket at the fundraiser, except I bought it in bright pink. They also have yellow and purple which were cute. 

Nike Element Half-Zip Running Top $55

When it comes to cute running clothes, though, the brand or the price or where you buy your clothes really isn't that important. Basically, you just need to have:

• clothes that are slim-fitting, but not tight.
• I've noticed that shirts or jackets that are too tight tend to ride up, which is so SO annoying. Running clothes should not fit like normal clothes. This probably seems pretty obvious, but a lot of times I see girls who have just started running wearing normal, tight T-shirts or hoodies. I guess it works for some people, but I find that I have to spend a lot of time yanking down my shirt if it's too tight. On the other hand, really baggy shirts or pants bounce around a lot and are almost worse than clothes that are too tight! They also weigh you down, which you clearly don't want when you're trying to move fast. 
• color!
• My normal clothes aren't super colorful but when I'm running, wearing bright colors just cheers me up. I normally go for vibrant blues or hot pinks. Bright socks or hair ribbons are an easy and cute way to add some color to your running wardrobe.