Respect the Outfits: You Being You

Isn't it a great thing when we can put together an outfit that is stylish, chic and instantly puts us at ease? Something that not only looks good but conveys confidence at a glance? Welcome to this month's Respect the Outfits reader feature - all about YOU lovely ladies wearing what you love.

These are the outfits that these lovely fella readers have selected to represent who they are sartorially (right now at least) - because as you gals have already told me, it's our perogative to change our style!

Please read on and check out these beautiful ladies just being their chic, unique selves:

♥  Lauren from Small Talk, à la simple yet chic.

Anthro Apothecary skirt / Anthro Aviatrix Tee / Anthro cuff / Anthro Dearie Me wedges / Diana Warner earrings / Palabra Designs necklace

♥  Jessica from Monster Cakes: This picture perfectly captures me because I am a bit geek chic (hence The Great Gatsby shirt and glasses), but I'm also girly and not afraid to embrace both sides. Yey for nerds. : )

♥  Lisa from Sweet Laundry Loves, à la sophisticated and classy with a bit of a twist.

Striped Dress: Jacob / Tights: Hue / Shoes: Nine West / Bracelet: Ann Taylor / Sunglasses: Miu Miu

♥  Stephanie from Bar Chic: I think this is definitely me being me! I think of my style as being floaty and feminine, but also fairly relaxed, so I picked a girly dress and paired it with some casual flat sandals. I'm also being classically "me" here in the sense that the first thing I do when I put on a dress like this is give it a twirl!

Dress: Anthropologie Gull Wing Dress / Cardigan: Ann Taylor Loft / Necklace: Kate Spade Twirl Necklace /

Shoes: Seychelles Cream of the Crop Flats

♥  Gigi from Gigi's Gone Shopping, à la modern + classic w/bright pops or touches of sparkle.

Jacket: J Crew 2010 / Blouse: Anthro 2010 / Necklace: J Crew 2010 / Jeans: J Crew 2010 / Shoes: J Crew 2008

♥  EE from Eek!, à la polished but comfy.

top: Anthro / skirt: Old Navy / pumps: Jeffrey Campbell / sunnies: Dsquared / belt: Gap

♥  TG from La Petite Anthropologiest: This look is quintessentially because this whole look is repeated in my closet a lot. My look is always about SHAPE. Shapes are sensual. And I love to shape my body in bright colors and fitted clothes.The shoes with the buckle, the fitted pencil skirt soft white shirt: that's TG.

Top: Anthro Climbing Cowlneck / Earrings: Anthro / Skirt: Anthro san pedro skirt in / Belt: sash from the Anthro Tiny Windows Dress /

Necklace: Anthro / Shoes: GUESS

♥  modernmom from I Dream of Anthropologie: I LOVE pattern mixing, and wanted to copy the product image from the catalog for this skirt. It used a pink plaid top, but I am not a big fan of that much pink. I love taking a risk with fashion, and being just outside the norm.

Shirt: J Crew Perfect Plaid / Skirt: Anthropologie Penciled Abronia / Belt: DKNY / Thrifted Shoes: Guess, DSW /

Bracelet: Anthropologie Omnifarious / Earrings: Dillards pearl hoops

 ♥  Rachel from Promises Like Pie Crust:

Anthro Verdant Slip Dress / Club Monaco cardigan / Hilary Druxman necklace / Miss Sixty Tracy shoes

♥  Jamie from Thrifty Threads: One of the things that I love about personal style is that it can be multi-faceted without being contradictory. Many of the outfits that I post on my blog incorporate beaded cardigans, pencil skirts, bright colors, and plenty of florals. I almost sent one of those signature "Jamie" outfits, but decided to send you a very different outfit: one that is more city sleek than suburban sweet. And I felt just as much myself in this look as I do in my usual assortment of ruffles and lace! I think it's wonderful that personal style affords us the opportunity to explore different aspects of ourselves every day, without requiring that we compromise our identities or chose any one aspect of our personality over another.

J. Crew Wave Tank / LOFT blazer / Hudson Collin jeans / Franco Sarto wedges / Talbots belt / Banana Republic necklace / Kate Spade bag

♥  Tara from Mix and Match Fashion, à la colorful.
 

Blouse: LOFT / Cardigan: NY & Co / Skirt: J Crew / Shoes: Nine West

♥  Kelly from Fashion Fuel: I can't say I always adhere to one particular style, but I always feel my best when I'm wearing a skirt or dress. Plus, blue and green are two of my favorite colors, which makes this outfit one that truly defines me.
 

Esprit Tunic (worn as shirt) / Anthropologie Skirt & Belt / American Eagle Necklace / Jessica Simpson Shoes

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And here iz me in a very Me look and Lauren's skirt twin - bright colors, requisite stripes and a statement-y necklace:

  

Top: J. Crew perfect boatneck (worn here before - similar here)
Skirt: Anthropologie Parameter apothecary (worn here before)
Necklace: Old Navy ethnic statement (now on sale - worn here before)

Shoes: Seychelles she's got the moves (worn here before)

Milanese Wedge

     

Dress: Old Navy coloblock tiered (similar here, here, -ish here)
Top: J. Crew featherweight cardigan (worn here before - similar here, here)
Shoes: Toms kenya stripe (worn here before)
Necklace: Overstock overlay camelia flower (worn here before - similar here)

    

Top: Anthropologie city cousin (worn here before)
Shorts: Xhiliration via Target challis (worn here before - similar here, here)
Shoes: Toms coral canvas (similar floral here)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff trompe l'oeil mac (worn here before)

Ciao belle! I'm back home between trips for a few days so I definitely want to drop in for a bit to get blogged and play catch up. I'll be headed for France later this week, so I decided to join the 21st century this weekend and get one of these.  And so far all I've really done is play Angry Birds ad nauseum and buy my weight's worth in books. Who says high-technology is wasted on me?

In the interim, here are a few random pics from Milan - I believe I've consumed more than my fill of carbs, cheese, and red wine this past week!

What Say YOU

Thanks for all your feedback to my "what is Lisa style" post way back when. The awesome take-away I got from you all is to just like what I like and be who I be and not worry about looking or dressing a certain way. If I like it and if it goes, that should be all that matters.

So for reminding me to be happy with the way I am sartorially, let's point the ole virtual camera back at you lovelies!

For the next Respect the Outfits reader feature, let's celebrate YOU for exactly who YOU are. Send me an outfit pic with you rocking a look that is quintessentially you. Are you fun and flirty? Sweet and sassy? A floral rocker? Streamlined chic? Show us in an outfit that you think defines your personal style the best.

Please also provide the outfit deets and a link to your blog if you like. Send in your looks by June 14 - post will go up the next day! respecttheshoes(at)live.com.

And here's a previously unposted outfit of mine - me being very me:

And Pacey being very Pacey.

  

Top: J. Crew sequin boatneck (worn here before - factory version here, similar here)

Skirt: LE button-front chambray (worn here before - similar here)

Belt: J. Crew skinny (similar here)

Necklace: Old Navy ethnic statement (worn here before)

Shoes: Seychelles she's got the moves (worn here before)

Bonjour-Buongiorno

I've got some heavy duty work-related trips coming up this month, so I will be scarce in bloggydom next week and then again later this month. The work will be exhaustive, but the super-duper awesome thing is and if I keep saying that, then it will be true that I'm going to get to go to Milan and Paris!

Now I've never ever been to Italy before and have only briefly been to Paris - though Charles de Gaulle Airport, I know you well and we are not friends - so I would love recs from any of you gals who have been to either city. What's a must-see or must-do or-must-eat in Milan or Paris? I'll hopefully have a few free hours on both trips to wander, so any recs or tips especially for the gal who speaks zero Italian and incomprehensible French would be gladly appreciated!

And now here is me, oui, oui:

  

Top: Gap shrunken cable knit (similar here)

Skirt: J. Crew broadcloth pin-stripe (worn here before - similar here, here)

Shoes: Keds spright (worn here before - similar here, non-peep here)

Clutch: Rebecca Minkoff pouch (worn here before - from set of 3)

Necklace: Laila Rowe (similar here)

Cuff: Sweet Auburn Studio via Etsy (worn here before, similar here, simpler here)

♥   ♥   ♥    ♥

I've been tardy in keeping up with this, but I'm catching up again, so here are some of the cool giveaways this week:

♥  Ashley from Ashley Getting Dressed is giving away a $200 shopping spree to any department store that sells Karen Kane. Contest ends June 5.

♥  Runway Rundown is giving away Romy Gold clutch. Contest ends June 5.

♥  The Zhush is giving away a $100 gift certificate to ShopBop. Contest ends June 5.

♥  Rose from 1 More Shopping Bag is giving away a $25 gift certificate to J. Crew. Contest ends June 6.

♥  JoAnn from Sidewalk Chic is giving away a watch of your choice from The Trendy Boutique. Contest ends June 8.

♥  Julie from Julie Rose Sews is giving away a $10 gift certificate to her Etsy shop. Contest ends June 8.

♥  Wild as a Mink is giving away the Lighthouse dress from Shabby Apple. Contest ends June 9.

♥  Carrie from this free bird is giving away a product of your choice worth up to $150 from Dr. Perricone. Contest ends June 9.

♥  Nina from all tumble down is giving away the Spanish Steps dress from Shabby Apple. Contest ends June 13.

♥  Lisa from Confessions of a Call Center Gal is giving away an Orient automatic watch. Contest ends June 14.

♥  Really Petite is giving away a $100 gift card to Amazon for signing up for Mr. Rebates. Contest ends June 30.

♥  Kristina J. is giving away a Converse All-Star dress that she has customized. Contest ends ?

♥  Maria from Infinite Whimsy is giving away the Spanish Steps dress from Shabby Apple. Contest ends ?

♥  Debby from Inspired Design is giving away a Coach wristlet of your choice. Contest ends ?

Peaches and Lace

    

Cardigan: Xihiliration by Target lace (worn here before - similar here)
Top: Gillian & O'Malley by Target (worn here before - similar here)
Skirt: NY&Co. abstract print (worn here before - similar here, pencil here, as dress here)
Belt: J. Crew metallic skinny (similar here)
Necklace: Laila Rowe (similar here, here)
Shoes: Sofft vivian (worn here before - similar here)

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Juicy sweet Georgia peaches are in season right now, which should have been a sign for me to leave well enough alone. Why mess with nature's tasty perfection? See the sweet little white peaches nestled innocently in the springform pan, unawares of the baking-disaster to follow?
 

I don't bake a whole lot because I'm really a salty-things gal and I don't have an awesome track record with it. I've done the occasional cheesecake or yellow cake or some partly-made Pillsbury something before, but I don't really like having to precisely measure, take out big equipment, excuses, excuses.

But since BF is a peach and dessert fiend, I thought I'd try my hand at this recipe - even though I didn't have all the necessary ingredients. Like real butter. Or a skillet. And too lazy to break out the mixer.

So I ended up with this:

 
Though the cake in the pic appears mildly salvageable, I assure, it was not. The whole thing was about an inch thick, which totally means it didn't rise. And it took 3x longer to cook than the recipe recommended, which still resulted in a goopy middle and now completely shapeless melted soured peaches.

Brave sweet BF still took for himself a piece though and insisted it was good. Though the rest of that thing is still sitting by its lonesome on the counter, waiting patiently for the merciful trash can countdown.

I could go all day with my past cooking fails (ever try to cook puff pastry in the microwave? or puree chickpeas in a blender? or make anything that involves chicken and peaches together? or use cayenne powder in place of chili powder?), but I'd love to hear from you.

Do any of you have any cooking-tastrophes you want to share?

Dots & Stripes Forever

Happy Memorial Day, ladies! Aside from the (hopefully) physical and mental recharge we are all partaking in these past few days, let's also spend a few moments and remember the real reason we celebrate this day - to commemorate all the US service members who have fallen while in military service.

I've had a great long weekend of eating, cooking, park-ing, lounging and generally being a lazy loaf - it's been awesome. So it should come as no surprise that with the great summer-y weather, I've spent my days in general absolute casual-ness:

 

Top: H&M stripe (worn here before - similar here, modern here)
Skirt: UO Cooperative monaco
Shoes: Keds spright wedge (worn here before - similar here, here)
Necklace: White Owl via Etsy (worn here before - similar here)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff trompe l'oeil mac

 

Top: J. Crew factory multi-stripe pullover
Shorts: Banana Republic (similar here)
Shoes: Mossimo by Target wakana (worn here before - similar here)

 

Hat: Christy's & Co. (big enough to fit my giant noggin! - similar here, here)
Top: J. Crew max & molly gallery (worn here before - similar here, here)
Shorts: Old Navy pleated (worn here before - similar here)
Shoes: DVF lush flip flops (worn here before)

 

Top: F21extended hem dot (worn here before - similar solid here, here)
Shorts: Old Navy chambray tie-belt
Shoes: Sofft woven thongs (similar luxe here, reg here)

What have you gals all been up to? Have any of your partaked in some awesome sales, or other grand (there are no small) adventures?