Reviews...H&M

So I popped over to H&M today, and was really impressed with some of the items they have out right now! I wanted to buy so many more than I actually ended up purchasing, but isn't that always the case?

Originally, I headed in to check out this tie-collar cardigan that I had seen (and loved!) on Really Petite's blog. Coincidentally, I was also on the hunt for the wool mini-skirt she's wearing too - I need more skirts that aren't black and camel, and the grey option is so cute! But unfortunately, I didn't find either of these items. I knew I should've jumped on that skirt when I saw it a week or so ago...oh well. Luckily, I did manage to find a few items that I loved - and some real bargains, too.

In particular, I wanted to highlight this wool-blend skirt - the photo is from my Blackberry (I really need to start carrying around my digital camera when I go shopping) so the colors are a little off. In person, it's a beautiful rust and grey wool blend. The reason I'm so excited about this skirt in particular is because it fits so small. Seriously, it's like I had it tailored for my pocket-sized frame!

Petite Fashion Challenge 11

First of all, I want to apologize ahead of time for the horrendous quality of these photos! My camera was definitely not cooperating - I promise this'll be the last grainy set you'll see for a while. But moving on: I am so excited to be participating in my first Petite Fashion Challenge, hosted this time around by Ski Petite. The challenge was as follows:

Vacation Vogue
When going on a vacation, it's hard to bring clothes for every possible scenario. There's only so much room in your suitcase. But beyond that, choosing outfits to wear each day while sightseeing can be daunting when the climate is different than you are used to or you're going to multiple types of destinations.  You also are usually taking tons of photos and don't want to be in the same outfit in every photo.

Now, I wouldn't say I'm an expert in smart travel attire. However studying abroad (and jetsetting every other weekend) has definitely allowed me to accrue a ton of experience in the how-tos of packing practically. When traveling on budget airlines like RyanAir or EasyJet, you're only allowed ten kilograms worth of carry-on baggage - certainly not a lot by any means!

So what's the trick to packing well? Layers, of course! Lots and lots of layers. I was a huge fan of tights and scarves when travelling, since both are fairly light and can be bunched into a tiny suitcase with ease. So that was my primary inspiration for this post - translating daytime tourist wear into a nighttime dress outfit.

Dress, Forever 21 Size S; Coat, H&M Size 2; Boots, Stuart Weitzman Kids Size 5 (Similar here); Belt and scarf, old.

Lusting after...Versace for H&M

I've always found it difficult to find high-end designer items that fit - leaving aside the fact that said designer items usually tend to be far beyond my price point anyway, I'm additionally deterred from buying anything due to the extensive alterations I'll inevitably have to do ($250 for a button-down is steep enough - I don't need to tack onto that price tag with sleeve-shortening and side-slimming!). 

But that's exactly why the new Versace for H&M collaboration has got me oh so excited. It's Versace! It's (somewhat) affordable! And, here's the kicker, if it's sized even remotely according to H&M's standard, it might actually be petite-friendly. 

After browsing through Vogue's gallery, I've come up with several items that I'm definitely going to have to nab. First is this beautiful black silk dress that's going to retail for $79.99. Amazing! I love the slit-sleeve detailing...and you can never go wrong with adding another LBD to your wardrobe, right?

Teal and orange.

I've had this outfit floating around in my head for ages - inspired by the color trends for autumn (teal! orange! so much love!). But life has just been very busy lately, since I was caught up in a flurry of birthday celebrations, long hours at work and, most happily, moving preparations. Everything is finally slowing down again, though, as I'm now settled into my new apartment and have a lot more free time.

But enough about my life - boring, yawn, I know! 

Reviews...Ann Taylor and LOFT.

Since my birthday is fast approaching (Monday, to be exact!), I've been the happy recipient of more than a few gift coupons in the mail - one of which is for $15 off any in-store item at Ann Taylor/LOFT. So what's a girl to do except spend said coupon as soon as she can? I'm lucky enough to work within walking distance of both AT and Loft - oh, the perks of working in Midtown. 

On my last visit to both, I found a couple of items which I really liked. Since I'm on the hunt for the perfect work-appropriate skirt (the ones I currently own are either too loose, too tight, too short - in other words, I'm just too picky), I thought this might be the perfect opportunity to try a few on.

I apologize for the grainy, blurry, and all around horrendous quality of these photos - Blackberries definitely do not take editorial-quality pictures!

Neutral hues and red shoes.

Just because summer's come to an end doesn't mean one of my favorite summer trends has -- colorblocking is definitely still on point, and that makes me oh so happy. This past weekend, sunshine-filled as it was, seemed like a perfect day to don an outfit that recalled summer, but with an added layer or two to protect against that autumn bite!