My birthday celebration consisted of browsing little boutiques that I never have a chance to see, as well as a visit to the giant mega-store that is Topshop, which is probably my favorite place to shop. (While I have many favorite fashion brands, nearly all of them are priced such that I can't shop there regularly, or, in some cases, at all.)
So, I thought I would share with you some of my spectacular finds!
The first item I would like to feature is what I like to refer to as my birthday present to myself. For a while I have been saving up money to buy myself a special treat. In the last few months before my birthday, I decided that I wanted to use it to buy myself something very special that I would use extensively and really love, something that I wouldn't normally buy. I decided later that I would search for the perfect handbag, one that was well-made and would go with practically everything, but something colorful and with enough details to make it interesting. I planned to find this special something in Paris, but unfortunately I didn't find one that was to my liking that was within my price range. (I did manage to find another sort of bag, however; more on this another day!)
However, soon after I got back, the perfect bag was found just in time for my birthday. My first use of this bag, fittingly, was when I went out shopping on my birthday.
The bag is from Marc by Marc Jacobs and is a beautiful, rich shade of blue. Blue is my favorite color, and luckily it happens to be color that goes very well with many things. I love that two different shades of blue are incorporated in the piece: the blue fish-skin textured leather of the body and the dark blue of the rope tassel keychain and a rope woven through the gold chain.
The shape and size of the bag are great: there is enough room for me to carry around everything I need, but the bag is not oversized. As someone who is petite, it is always important to carry a bag that isn't too big, because an accessory of such capacity will overwhelm a small frame.
Another plus is that the logo isn't obnoxious, which can be problematic with some handbags.
This photo shows off the beautiful keychain that comes with the bag. It can be removed if need be, but it's such a beautiful touch to the bag that I wouldn't think of it!
The side view also shows the sculptural touch of the triangular folds on the sides of the bag. This element adds structure to a bag that tends to take the shape of what it is holding at the time.
I love the lining of the bag. If you are familiar with the Marc by Marc Jacobs spring/summer 2011 line, you will probably recognize this print, which decorated numerous garments, including a dress used in one of the new ad campaigns for the brand.
I'm really happy with my purchase. I think that I'll have this handbag for a long time; it is so well made that it should age very well. Everything Marc Jacobs creates is so beautifully executed.
It is also one of his more unusual bags, not conforming to the usual design scheme that you see at Marc by Marc Jacobs nowadays. Plus, the bag isn't available online, which makes it even rarer!
Before I talk about my purchases, I wanted to post a picture of one of my birthday presents from my parents. I've been raving for a long time about how great wrap bracelets are, especially for someone like me, who has such an unusually small wrist that it is virtually impossible to find a bracelet that fits well.
So I was pleasantly surprised when I opened up a gift box to discover this beaded Chan Luu piece. Chan Luu is one of the most well-known jewelry brands for wrap bracelets, mostly because their designs are the reason why wrap bracelets are so popular now. I love this bracelet because it is one of the more unusual designs, featuring three different colors of beads instead of just one. The aqua shade looks wonderful combined with the brown waxed rope, and the brown and silvery-gray beads don't distract from the aqua beads, which are the main attraction here.
I suspect that I'll be wearing this bracelet very often!
Now, Topshop:
This tank top is deceptively simple. It looks pretty ordinary at first, but don't judge a book by its cover!
There are several reasons why I adore this shirt:
The length is perfect for my petite frame! It is so difficult to find tank tops that aren't too long on me, so when I find a tank top like this I feel so appreciative. This one hits me right at mid-hip, which is what I always look for in a tank top. It highlights my shape without being skin-tight: another problem that I have with tank tops.
The scalloped hem is so unusual. You can't even call it a hem, because the material simply ends with its decorative waves. That's right, no stitching or anything! Yet the piece doesn't look like a beginning sewer's experiment; it manages to still look clean and graceful, which is a difficult feat to accomplish when taking on such a challenge.
Lastly, I love the print. The combination of salmon pink and navy blue polka dots feels fresh, as for some reason it is a color duo that seems to be rarely used. The colors give the top a punchy but laid-back summertime vibe.
I love these shorts! Love. Love. Love.
I've been looking for some beautiful printed shorts, because my wardrobe only contains boring denim pairs. Of course, there's nothing wrong with denim, but it's always good to have an unexpected alternative. I knew I had to get these shorts as soon as I zipped them up: they fit like a glove, the print is beautiful and interesting and will still go with many of my summer tops, and they aren't silk.
You wouldn't believe how difficult it is to find nice, dressy shorts that aren't silk. They all seem to be silk or contain a percentage of silk. I hate the idea of silk shorts for a very simple reason: shorts are worn in warm weather, and in warm weather people sweat. No one wants to sweat in silk. Especially if said silk is covering your bottom all day.
There's also a cute surprise here. Look at those cute flap pockets!
Nope! Just kidding: the real pockets are hidden in the seams on the sides. The flaps are purely for decoration. How fun is that?
The reason I was attracted to this top was because of the material. It feels like a very soft, buttery suede, which is obviously an extremely unusual material for a garment. In fact, it's pretty much unheard of. When glancing at the tag, I discovered that the top is in fact a combination of polyester and elastane. But I'm sure you can imagine the texture of the top from my description. I've never seen anything like it.
I tried on this top with the shorts I pictured above, and they happen to go extremely well together. Now I know my go-to outfit for when the weather gets hot!
This is a close-up of the detail in the top. It's a very faintly outlined pattern, but that and the mesh-like hole detailing give the top more depth.
I really enjoyed my birthday and I'm looking forward to more celebrations this weekend! And, of course, I'm also looking forward to wearing my new acquisitions.
All photographs in this post were taken by me.
xoxo
0 comments:
Post a Comment