Denim & Dots
Fashion, Fun, & a little Food

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A Savvy Day

May 1, 2013

Friday afternoon my incredibly stylish friend and fellow blogger Mollie and I headed to Nordstrom to check out their newly revamped Savvy department. Mollie always knows how to look effortlessly cool so she was the perfect person to try on some new things with.

I used to eye Savvy as I passed it on my way to other departments, knowing it was way out of my price range. Not anymore! They have completely changed it up and now you will be hard pressed to find anything over $90. The clothes are very on trend, but with items that could work for many different styles and occasions. Some great blazers and skirts mixed in with some things I wouldn’t even know how to wear – but that’s what makes it fun!

I really enjoyed being pushed out of my style comfort zone by trying on some edgier and trendier pieces that will be great to combine with some of my more classic items.

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Here was my shopping outfit, Denim & Dots obviously : ) Found this cute little jacket at Nordstrom Rack a few weeks ago and couldn’t resist! (similar for just $20!)

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And Mollie’s super cool casual outfit

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Some of my favorite items included this gorgeous faux suede jacket that absolutely looks real. A bargain at $92.

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Also fell in love with this faux leather skirt, another one that looks like the real deal for just $72. I came home with the cognac one and will be wearing it out on Friday night.

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Mollie and I hit the dressing rooms to try on a few things. I fell in love with this edgy maxi dress that wasn’t something I would normally even try on but I’m glad I gave it a shot because it came home with me and is totally different from anything else I own.

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I also took home this crochet top that looks adorable tucked into the faux leather skirt, but I plan on wearing it with colored jeans and maybe with my red maxi skirt this summer as well.

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My favorite outfit of Mollie’s was these printed pants and black top – so cute!

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Don’t forget to check out their funky and affordable jewelry before you leave!

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Hope you enjoyed the tour, anyone else been enjoying the new Savvy? Be sure to pop over and check out Mollie’s blog on our Savvy visit too.

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Review: Prabal Gurung for Target

February 22, 2013

Hi, Denim and Dots readers! It’s Reina again filling in for Amy while she is busy working up an enviable tan on the beach in Mexico. She’s probably sipping a cocktail, too. Nope, I’m not jealous. Not one bit.

Instead of an outfit post, I thought I would review some items I purchased from the Prabal Gurung for Target line. (Note: For those of you who remember I gave up shopping for Lent, I bought these items BEFORE Lent). I always get excited about Target’s designer collaborations, and I think we can all agree there have been some great ones – Missoni, Jason Wu, Neiman Marcus. So when I saw the colorful prints and florals from Prabal Gurung’s collection, I knew I would be ordering some pieces for my wardrobe. Also, weren’t those TV ads great?

On the day the collection debuted, I ordered this short-sleeved dress, this pleated skirt, this sleeveless blouse and these red shoes. I ordered a lot of items knowing that I wouldn’ t necessarily keep them all, but I was worried some of the items might sell out.

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Before I get into the reasons I didn’t like this dress, I should note that the print on the center panel is lovely and even more vibrant than I expected. However, the quality of the dress itself is not great. It’s polyester, which is no surprise considering the price tag, but I think it looks kind of cheap.

The fit was also off for me. It was a little baggy on top and really tight around the mid-section. I would recommend sizing up if you want to try this dress. It was also too short on me. I thought I might be able to wear this to the office with a blazer over it, but it was too short for the workplace. It looks great on Kendi, but I think we can all agree that girl can wear anything. :) This is a return for me.

Prabal Gurung 2This skirt is the one item I’m keeping. The colors are really vibrant and gorgeous, and I love the lace detail at the bottom. The length on this skirt is good, too. This was sized small for me, too, though, so I would order a size up if you plan to purchase it. I am usually a 4 and I will be exchanging this for a 6.

Prabal Gurung 3This blouse really surprised me. It’s a lot edgier than anything I would typically wear, but I really liked the collar and the colorful print. The print is GORGEOUS in person. Really, I considered keeping it just because the print is that good. However, the fit was off for me on this one, too. It was really big. I ordered a size S, but I probably needed the XS. It was really big all over, but the arm holes in particular were quite large. This looked especially odd due to the sheer panels on the sleeves.

The collar is really cool, though, and I think would look great buttoned all the way to the top under a blazer (as done here). This top is no longer available online and I could not locate an XS at a Target near me, so this will unfortunately go back.

Prabal Gurung 4Last, but not least, I ordered these Apple Red shoes. These were a huge disappointment because I really wanted to like them. I have been wanting to try this style of shoes for some time and these have a really sexy zipper up the back. These fit fine, but the quality was an issue for me. I could see the glue on the seams and the faux leather was already starting to flake off on the back near the zipper. That kind of shoddy craftsmanship just will not work for me. I understand they are from Target, but that is just not acceptable.

Hope you had better luck! I am disappointed most of these items did not work for me, but I’m sure my bank account won’t be. :) I’ll have to post a photo on my blog in my new skirt soon.

Posted by in Informational Blogs - Fashion, Uncategorized Tags: ,

2 comments

Weekend Away

February 19, 2013

Hi, guys. I’m Amy’s friend Reina and I’ll be guest blogging for her while she’s vacationing in Mexico. I’m so honored that she has asked me to fill in her for again and so jealous that she gets to spend a week in the sun. I live on the East Coast and let’s just say I could use a good tan.

This past weekend I had a day off for President’s Day, so I decided to make a long-overdue trip to visit my friend Amanda in Illinois in an area known as the Quad Cities. She is one of my best friends from college and while we have seen each other many times since we graduated, it had been way too long since I’d visited her in her hometown. We had a great low-key weekend doing many of the things we love to do – eating, drinking and watching our favorite TV shows and movies.

On Saturday night, we decided to grab drinks before dinner. Amanda took me to this great historic hotel called the Hotel Blackhawk.  It was such an elegant place and the cocktails were delicious (not to mention stiff!). After dinner we convinced her husband to take photos of us in front of the fireplace. I even managed to squeeze in an outfit photo.

Pants: Loft (on super sale in prints!) | Sweater: Loft (available in gray on final sale!) | Boots: Me Too (great price!) | Necklace (old, Kohl’s, similar)

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The Quad Cities area is pretty casual, and I was trying to pack light, so I brought clothes that I thought could transition from day to night. I bought this polka dot sweater at Loft earlier this year and I liked it so much that I also bought it in gray. I think the little pockets in front are so cute! When I find things I like, I often buy them in more than one color. You might also recognize these skinny oxblood pants from some of Amy’s posts. What can I say? Great fashion minds think alike.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that one thing I didn’t get to do this weekend was shop. Since I am Catholic, I decided to give up shopping for Lent.  I decided it was the one thing that would be truly be a sacrifice for me. So, I am just going to “shop my closet” until Easter. It’s not going to easy, but I am determined to do it and I think that it will help me to become a more thoughtful shopper in the future. If you want to see my outfits and read more about my experiences, be sure to check out my blog, ShopGirlDC.

Thanks for reading and I’m sure I’ll be back again before Amy returns!

Posted by in Informational Blogs - Fashion, Uncategorized, What I Wore Tags: , , ,

3 comments

Jenn’s 31st

February 16, 2013

Today would have been my best friend Jenn’s 31st birthday so just want to take a little time to remember her and the silly, smart, and lovable person she was. It is funny how time changes a loss. I can truly say that while I will always miss her more than words can say, I now think of Jenn with more happiness of the times we had together than the sadness of her being gone, and I think that is how she would want it. I certainly hope that anyone else who has lost a loved one finds the same kind of peace.

Happy Birthday Jenn! You are missed every single day, and remembered with lots of love and smiles.

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Pop of Blue

January 29, 2013

Hope you all had a great weekend! Friday night we headed out with friends to celebrate Michael’s birthday, better late than never. We went to a great jazz club here in Seattle to see our favorite singer, Stephanie Porter, and her band. A wonderful show as always.

I saw this picture of Olivia Palermo on Pinterest and fell in love with her outfit…

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Unfortunately I don’t have a jacket just like this, let’s be honest, it probably costs thousands of dollars, but I do have a winter white tunic sweater I found on sale! So I paired that with my faux leather front leggings, and my royal blue shoes, and while maybe not quite as fabulous, we work with what we’ve got : ) I particularly like the deep V back of this sweater, the detail adds a little something extra.

Pants- Ann Taylor (similar), Sweater – Caslon (similar), Shoes – Asos (similar), Clutch – Ann Taylor, Necklace – Premier Designs

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Happy Tuesday!

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Gwen

January 9, 2013

Happy Hump Day! This seems like such a long week after all the short holiday weeks…

I was determined to get going and out of the house early to go work from Starbucks today, sometimes when you work from home you have to force yourself to get dressed and out the door.

I had pinned this great picture of Gwen Stefani awhile back…

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So of course once I found this sweatshirt-sweater on sale I knew I would be recreating it.

Instead of doing a skirt over leggings, I just wore my black skinnies, but everything else I kept pretty much the same. I went with my berry bag for a pop of color, and you can’t recreate a Gwen Stefani look without a red lip!

Jeans – J Brand via ebay (similar), Sweater – Current Affair (similar), Boots – Corso Como, Scarf – Amazon, Earrings – Target, Bag – Coach

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I also wanted to share this amazing recipe I made on Monday in the slow cooker – Balsamic Beef Roast from the Civilized Caveman. I was looking for something different than a traditional pot roast, and this was absolutely amazing!

Only changes I made were instead of searing it, I simply put it on top of a bed of baby carrots and sliced onions after seasoning (I rarely sear meat before it goes on the Crockpot) and then I added a few splashes of white wine to tomato sauce and balsamic mixture before pouring over.

I served with some fresh boiled green beans tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Yum!

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Striped Up!

January 8, 2013

Tonight Michael and I are headed to see Book of Mormon and I am so excited, it is supposed to be a hilarious musical. I’m also participating in Marionberry Style’s Trend of the Month link up tomorrow, where everyone will be showing off how they wear stripes. So it gave me the inspiration to put together a theater appropriate outfit that incorporated this fun pattern.

I decided to do one of my longer black skirts with my black and white striped long sleeved tee, and then glam it up with a sparkly necklace and my tall black boots. A little pattern mixing with my polka dot purse seemed like a good idea too. I feel a little bit “glam Ralph Lauren” I think : )

Be sure to visit Marion’s site tomorrow to check out how all the talented bloggers wear their stripes!

Skirt – INC, Shirt – H&M (similar), Boots – Corso Como (a great classic boot and on sale too!), Tights – Commando, Necklace – Premier Designs

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Fan Girl Forever

November 15, 2012

Hey, guys! It’s Reina again guest blogging for Amy. I hope she’s having a fabulous time in Ecuador. I know I’m having fun with her blog while she’s gone.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a fan girl. What do I mean by “fan girl”? I mean, I have been obsessed with celebrities. Specifically, I have been obsessed with male celebrities. It all started when I was mere ‘tween and I plastered my walls with pin-ups of Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Then, as a teenager I was completely smitten with JC Chasez from ‘N Sync. You’d think I would have grown out of these silly crushes at the ripe old age of 30, but this is not the case. As a grown woman, I still can’t stop. My latest obsession? Actor/musician/activist Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

When I heard JGL was doing a live show in D.C., I almost didn’t care why. I was going to get to see him IN PERSON. It turns out his tour is to promote his collaborative arts production company/website called HitRECord. I won’t bore you with the details, but the point is not only is he adorable, but he has an appreciation for storytelling/digital media. Fast forward to Tuesday night, and not only did I get to hear all about it, but I got to see the man himself. He was gorgeous, and genuinely seems passionate about this project. Plus, just as I hoped, he sang!

Now, on to the reason you are reading this blog – the fashion. I knew I really wanted to wear my new peter pan collar necklace, so I planned the rest of my outfit around that. Like my celebrity crushes, I often get obsessed with certain items of clothing or accessories until I find the perfect one. That was the case with this necklace. I searched high and low (ok, I really just used ShopStyle), and I finally found this great hematite piece at Nordstrom.

Top (Loft – same, in other colors); Pants (Loft); Shoes (Payless); Stockings, (old - similar); Necklace (Nordstrom – hematite no longer online, in black); Watch (Michael Kors).

I picked up these corduroy skinnies at Loft during their recent 40% off sale, and they are super comfortable! They look more like velvet to me in person, so they are a bit dressier than they appear. The pants come in a variety of fabulous colors (I think Amy has worn the oxblood color in a recent post), and they don’t lose their shape too much after the first wear like a lot of skinny pants.

Since I went with a skinny bottom, I wanted to wear something looser on top to balance the look. I also picked up this top during the Loft sale, but I can’t find this exact color online (it’s more of an eggplant color than it appears above). This is a petite. Sometimes I find with boxier styles that petites fit me a little better. I can’t always wear petite sizing since I’m 5’6″, but floaty tops with short sleeves are the exception. (Sorry if I look a little wrinkled in this photo – I took it when I got home!) I kept the rest of my jewelry simple since the necklace was such a statement piece. I knew I’d be walking from the train to the theater, so for shoes I went with comfy wedges.

It was such a fun night and I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to see one of my favorite actors in person! I think I might be more obsessed than ever. You know what? I’m OK with it. As my good friend Cheryl says, “I plan on growing up never.”

Posted by in Informational Blogs - Fashion, Uncategorized, What I Wore Tags: ,

6 comments

Statement

August 28, 2012

Hey Everyone! Hope you had a great weekend!

I had a fabulous one in Vegas – I’m a little under the weather now, but it was worth it : )

Here we all are at the table we got at Hyde at the Bellagio – awesome newer club there

We also had a fabulous time at Wet Republic, a big pool party at the MGM Grand. After seeing something similar that my MIL got my SIL for her bachelorette party, I found someone on Etsy to make me an adorable little tulle bustle to pin on the bachelorette’s swimsuit. So cute! If you are looking for something fun and different for a bachelorette, I love this. I did a custom order from WookieDesign, she was very helpful in making me something that would work for only $25 including shipping.

For today’s post, I’m participating in the lovely Marionberry Style’s Trend of the Month Challenge: Statement Necklaces. Link up is tomorrow, so be sure to go check everyone out there.

I love a good statement necklace, and am especially enjoying my new ebay bubble necklace. I found my inspiration on Pinterest, here is link to lovely blogger wearing my inspiration outfit.

I went matchy matchy with my bright blue jeans, and bright blue necklace, and added my white lace shell and gold accessories.

Jeans – Sanctuary via Ross, Top – H&M, Necklace – Ebay, Shoes – Nine West

I’m headed to Detroit for work tomorrow morning and won’t be back until Thursday night, so I’ll be back posting on Friday. Have a great week!

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Stripes & Red

August 22, 2012

Well my last post only covered my Friday night, so here is the rest of the weekend!

Saturday night we headed out to Marymoor Park for the Norah Jones concert under the stars. It was a beautiful night!

I wore a great Old Navy blouse with jeans that comes in a number of fabulous colors. It is a great basic that will be easily layered into Fall. Here I am with my friend, Lorena, gorgeous sky that night!

Sunday night we went out to dinner with our friend’s, Brandon and Amanda, to celebrate Brandon’s birthday. It was a little cooler so I decided to wear pants. I pulled out my red pair that I haven’t yet worn for summer weather and chose to keep the outfit graphic by pairing with black and white stripes and black and white accessories.

Pants – Express (similar), Tank – Target (similar), Shoes – Franco Sarto (similar), Clutch – Express, Necklae – c/o Bon Lemon

I’m headed to Vegas tomorrow for a bachelorette party, so this will be my last post this week. Hope you all have a fabulous rest of the week and a wonderful weekend! I will be spending mine trying not to melt : )

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