Reader Challenge

A friend and reader has a big trip to Las Vegas planned and she is in need of dresses for her weekend of events...including a black tie dinner and a Maroon 5 concert. 

She's considering using Rent the Runway, which is always a safe bet. I told her I would look at ASOS and suggest some dresses, since it seems to be my "go-to" for event dresses. 

I didn't find as many black tie dresses as I had hoped, but I did find a few dresses that she could wear at some point over her weekend! 

ASOS Cross Over Floral Pleated Maxi Dress $110.00

I LOVE the back of this dress!

Warehouse Criss Cross Dress $138.00

The lace on this dress is gorgeous! 

Warehouse Premium Lace Full Midi Dress $267.00

It also comes in black! 

And this dress is just sweet and fun and flirty! 

ASOS Midi Dress with Structured Frill Hem $73.00

What I Wore

Remember that dress I blogged about from ASOS (post here)?

Well, I ended up getting it in black, and I wore it this weekend to the Junior League of Portland Holiday Charity Gala (I am on the Board of directors). At first I was concerned that the dress was a little too va-va-va-voom for the Junior League, but with some reassurance from fellow board members, I decided to go for it. 

I didn't get too many full length shots, so here are a few photos I took in my mirror before heading out. I have to say, this dress fits me perfectly, and I felt great wearing it. Despite being so low cut, it didn't feel revealing. I did make sure to use a lot of double-sided sticky tape to keep everything in place. 

Our first stop of the night was the barre3 holiday party.

My +1 and I were definitely over dressed, but it's better to be over dressed than under-dressed, right? Doesn't he look handsome?

And finally, we ended the night at Waverley Country Club for the Junior League of Portland holiday Gala. My fellow Board members brought out their holiday best, and apparently black and red was the theme of the night. Doesn't everyone look lovely?

Another win for ASOS! Now I just need another occasion to wear this dress. 

Dying for a Dress

We have a black tie event coming up in December, and I am dying to buy this dress. Too bad I hesitated, and when I went back to pull the trigger, they were out of my size (in both the red and the black). 

Solace London Aretha Maxi Dress With Plunge Neck and Back

$246.35

Here's hoping someone sends back a size 4!

C & C on the Move: Paris Work and Play

We're all about Paris this week. While Regan is planning her trip next year, I'm just back from 6 days in the city of lights for work. Yes, I know, it's tough, but someone has to do it. I got a great rate at the darling Hotel Athenee on Travelocity. While the hotel is small and the rooms Paris-sized, the bed was comfortable, the shower spacious, and did I mention the Hermes bath products? Bonjour lover. It was also perfectly located just steps from the Opera, which is central to all of the must-sees, must-eats, and must-shops. 

I arrived early Saturday morning and after a quick shower to rid myself of all the plane cooties, I set to the streets to enjoy the Parisian Indian summer. 

Since we were just there last year (posts here), I had few select places I wanted to hit this trip - namely Merci. This cafe/restaurant/store is in the ever-so-trendy Marais and is what I love about retail. The shop is a true experience. And, they've got some killer healthy food in their basement garden cafe which was just the ticket for my jet lag. 

Before I turned in for the night (and after my dinner of Pierre Herme macarons - I think they're better than Laduree) I took another walk (I must have walked 10 miles on Saturday) to see the Eiffel Tour in all of its sunset glory. Isn't it photogenic. 

Sunday, Monday and Tuesday were filled with all day meetings and dinners. Thankfully I was fueled by some ridiculously delicious cuisine...and did I mention the dessert? The mille feuille bottom right was one of those desserts that tasted even better than it looked. And it was worth every delicious calorie. 

One of the highlights of the week was a tour of Galeries Lafayette by their chairman. This 100+ year-old retailer knows how to do it right, from the world's most luxurious brands to those that the rest of us can buy. And, a well-kept Paris secret, the view from their rooftop is rivaled only by that of the Eiffel Tower - and a visit is free - well, that's if you can walk through the store without buying anything. Bonne chance. 

Tuesday night gave me the opportunity to break out this cocktail dress I got from Nordstrom earlier this year. I'm so glad I bought it. A fun pair of earrings and a great shoe turn this basic black dress into an elegant, timeless classic - and for an incredible price (sorry for the selfies - the perils of traveling alone). 

Finally on Wednesday my colleague (who had never been to Paris) and I played hookie, and I got to show him all of the sites. We logged another 12+ mile walking day...

...which included a trek up the Eiffel Tour, my first ever in four trips to the city. I must say the view was worth the wait and the hike. There's a reason they say Paris is the most beautiful city in the world. 

A la prochaine Paris! 

Nerd Prom

This weekend we were fortunate enough to attend the White House Correspondents' Dinner, or as it is fondly known, the nerd prom. Of course the biggest dilemma was what to wear. D.C. is often called the ugly people's Hollywood...so when real Hollywood comes to town, it's only right to step up the game. I narrowed down my options to these three dresses.

Carolina Herrera - Saks 5th Avenue - Badgley Mischka

When it came down to it, the floral dress was the obvious choice. I loved the vibrant color palette - perfect for spring. And the fit was most flattering for my figure. 

 

I added a pair of magenta Zara heels, Slate & Willow earrings, and a bracelet and bracelet watch that were my grandmother's. 

After a quick blow out and makeup from Blue Mercury, I was ready to go. 

The night was amazing! I threw out all decorum and was completely shameless, asking for photos with TV personalities, actors, and athletes. 

Clockwise: Julianna Margulies, Matt Lauer,
CynthiaNixon, Katharine McPhee

Clockwise: Molly Parker & Mahershala Ali,
Dr. B & Tim Tebow, Lindsey Vonn, Savannah Guthrie

There were a few stars I missed seeing up close and personal (specifically Jessica Simpson and Lupita Nyong'o), but I definitely got my fill. Lindsey Vonn and Savannah Guthrie were my favorites of the night. As a former ski racer, it was fun to meet someone who has done so much for the sport. And Savannah is quite possibly the nicest and most gracious TV personality I've ever met.

The ballroom was packed to the gills. The president's speech was well-received and Joel McHale had some real zingers,  but my favorite part of the night was the video that Vice President Biden phoned in. 

And, of course, it's always nice to see Dr. B looking handsome in his tuxedo - we hadn't been dressed up together since our wedding. And just as quickly as la-la land descended on D.C., they have departed, sending us back to reality. Until next year....

What I Wore

Last week I spent 5 days in San Francisco with my +1. He had business meetings, and I tagged along to visit friends and enjoy some "me" time away from the Mini Fashionista (more on that later this week). We had a black tie dinner on Tuesday night, and nothing in my own closet seemed appropriate, so for the first time, I "rented the runway". 

I decided on this Hawaiian Hibiscus Gown by Nicole Miller. Admittedly, it was a little out of my comfort zone with the plunging neckline, but I thought it would be fun to be a little adventurous.

I could not have been happier with the dress, and my RTR experience. Here is the final look! I paired it with a gold clutch (that belonged to my grandmother) and gold Ferragamo Sandals. 

And, I found this fabulous cocktail ring at Loehmann's in SF to complete the look. P.S. If only it were real! 

My +1 was looking very sharp in his tuxedo! 

Stay tuned later this week for more about my trip! 

Don't forget to take advantage of our Angela Caputi discount through the end of the month!