Cafe at the Crest Sweater from Modcloth

sweater: $72.00, Modcloth (similar here); boots: $139.95, DSW; ring: $50, Amrita Singh; earrings: $58, zappos

Guys, my mailman delivered a package today . . . on Sunday. WTF? Anyway, today I had to wake up early to drive Scot to the airport. I got back home at around 7:45, but instead of going back to sleep, I decided I was going to watch all the episodes of Grimm in my queue and play Warcraft instead. Then, I made a 1hr45min trip out to Chelmsford, to visit Gene's Chinese Flatbread Cafe. I am pretty sure there is crystal meth in their food because it's the only way to explain how good it is.

But anyway, if I wasn't such a scrub and didn't just sit around in sweatpants all day, this is the outfit I would have worn. I actually ordered this Modcloth sweater and returned it the first time, because I wasn't sure I could hack the poncho shape. However, I really, really wanted a creamy cable knit sweater that didn't have the cable knit pattern running on the arms (because that makes me look bulky). After combing the internet (thanks polyvore!), it seemed like this really was the best option. I had to size down with this sweater, otherwise I looked like I was being swallowed.

I would pair the sweater with my Gap skinny jeans, my dark brown riding boots and simple pearl earrings and a flower ring (the one above is from Amrita Singh and is cute, but I have one from Forever 21 that was only $3.50).

Go pack.

Rebecca to Basics Dress from Modcloth

Dress from Modcloth, Shoes from Madewell, Bag from Jason Wu for Target (similar here), Denim Jacket from Madewell (similar here), earrings from Modcloth.

This beautiful purple maxi dress was one of the only things I decided to keep from a recent Modcloth haul. As someone who is relatively short and stubby, I've always been afraid of floor-length dresses and haven't owned a single one (with the exception of prom dresses). This is surprising, considering the fact that as a little girl, I would drape a blanket around myself and prtend to be a princess. However, I decided to jump on the maxi dress bandwagon before it completely passed me by and purchased this dress, which at $49.99 (and free shipping!), was a relatively cheap gamble.

It is gorgeous. The material is a soft jersey that flows and skims over the body, hiding any unseemly lumps. The neck drape is elegant and simple, without being too revealing. The waist cinching  has a zig-zag embroidery with a lavender thread, which emphasizes a slender waist without resulting in the illusion of over-lush hips. My only quibbles about the dress are that the arm holes are ginormous (revealing bra and generous side-boob) and that it is a bit long. However, neither of these problems are unsolvable--a bit of dark purple thread will make this dress perfect. I am also concerned about the jersey fabric pilling, but that is a bridge we can cross when we come to it.

Because of the jersey fabric and the maxi length, this dress is best left for week-end outfits. I would pair it with a denim jacket and some gladiator sandals for a more relaxed look, and maybe a white cropped jacket/cardigan and some platforms for a  slightly more festive feel. As a side note, I own both the Jason Wu for Target satchel and the Modcloth bird earrings and they are both wonderful. The Madewell sandals I own are slightly different, but I am sure that any flat strappy sandal would work here.