Hello, Framboise!: June 2012

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Casual Friday: Coral Stripes

It was a quiet Friday at work yesterday, which meant I got to wear this light and summery dress instead of my usual (more lawyerly) attire. Wearing breezy, casual clothes on a Friday was the perfect segue into this laid-back summer weekend.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Snapshots: Turkey Edition

Hotel in a Cave, Cappadocia | Dress: H&M (similar style from ASOS)
Sunglasses: Karen Walker

The Blue Mosque, Istanbul

Awaiting the Orient Express, Istanbul

Bikini: Penti (similar here)

Sunset over the Aegean Sea, Kusadasi

Shopping for spices in Cappadocia | Dress: Aeropostale (old)
Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Bracelets: J.Crew, Tiffany

Iznik Tiles, Topkapi Palace, Istanbul

Turquoise and gold earrings

Kusadasi

Ruins at Ephesus | Romper: H&M (similar style here, love this one too)
Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Bag: Longchamp

It's not Sunday, but I just wanted to share with you some snapshots from my recent trip to Turkey via my Instagram feed. It was such a beautiful, interesting place steeped in thousands of years of human history, and I loved learning more about this fascinating part of the world. My family and I did a whirlwind tour through Istanbul, Izmir, Kusadasi, and the Cappadocia region, mixing sightseeing, shopping, and eating lots of delicious Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food.

An extra element of adventure was thrown into the mix when our bags decided to follow an itinerary completely separate from ours. Thank goodness I packed a change of clothes in my carry-on! After a little shopping in Istanbul, we picked up some necessities and traveled light for the remainder of the trip. Although it was frustrating not to have the outfits I carefully selected and packed, I did learn that packing light has a lot of advantages. After being forced to travel only with the necessities, I feel prepared to do it again (on purpose this time!).

Have a wonderful week, readers!

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Shades of Red

Praise the fashion gods who decided cropped pants would be in this season, saving me the cost and trouble of hemming every pair of pants I buy. These twill H&M pants are a come in a variety of colors, run small, and are a steal at $12.95 a pair--my kind of pants. If you're taller than me (and chances are that you likely are), these should hit just below your calf muscle. If you're my size, they're perfect ankle-length pants.

Readers, have any of you tried these on or picked them up?

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Banana Republic x Trina Turk: "Crazy Botanical" (Part Two)

As promised, here's a quick and simple restyle of the Banana Republic x Trina Turk dress I wore in yesterday's post. This look is actually the "before" picture--my fun platform heels and coral purse are hiding in my trusty Longchamp tote, waiting for the workday to end!

While this isn't an outfit I would wear to court or in a more formal business setting, it was perfect for a summer day in the office. This Zara pique blazer (a great petite-friendly find) kept me from getting too chilly in my air-conditioned office, and my nude wedges offset the bright colors in the rest of my ensemble.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Banana Republic x Trina Turk: "Crazy Botanical" (Part One)

As a longtime fan of Trina Turk's famously fabulous prints, I was excited to have the opportunity to style a piece from the the Banana Republic Trina Turk Collection for Summer 2012. Per Trina, this capsule collection was "inspired by Palm Springs, pop prints and mid-century design" and created exclusively in collaboration with Banana Republic. The best part? All of the pieces come in petite sizing.

This collection hit stores on June 7, 2012--while I was in Turkey--so I unfortunately didn't get to see the launch in person. I was thrilled, however, to have this piece, the Crazy Botanical Twist-Strap Dress, waiting for me when I returned home. This dress runs a little small, so a size up (0P) from my normal Banana Republic Petites size was a touch roomy, but ultimately very comfortable since the 100% silk doesn't stretch at all.

In these photos, I've styled the dress for a summer evening out, adding my favorite turquoise cardigan for possibly cooler nighttime weather. Tune in tomorrow to see me style this dress for work! Want to see more ways to style the versatile Crazy Botanical Print? Check it out on fellow petites Jean, Wendy, and Khatu.

Readers, did you pick up any pieces from the Banana Republic x Trina Turk collaboration?

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Sunday Snapshots

Skirt: H&M (similar from F21) | Top: H&M (similar here) | Belt: H&M
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Perfect Day | Jewelry: Tiffany, Nordstrom BP

Chevron Dinnerware: Z Gallerie

Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Bracelet: J.Crew (similar here)
Kindle Cover: M-Edge | Towel: Polo

Bracelet: F21 in gold or silver

Dress: H&M (old, similar here)| Sweater: Crewcuts (similar here and here)
Bracelets: Swarovski, Tiffany, F21 | Earrings: F21 | Nails: CND "Tropix"

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I am on my way to Turkey at the moment. After a couple travel snafus at the beginning of our trip (hence the time for blogging at the airport), I'm crossing my fingers that, as you're reading this post, I'll be sightseeing in Istanbul. After learning my lesson when my DSLR died in Paris, I've brought all the necessary chargers, batteries, and memory cards to properly document this trip.

In the meantime, here are a few shots from my Instagram feed over the last few weeks (see previous Insta-posts here). Enjoy!