a gifted slip. a dance of joy.

It's not a huge secret that I've been eying the slips at A Slip Shop for awhile. Which is a totally true statement if you just replace the words "eying" and "awhile" with "ogling & drooling over" and "forever." Seriously, have you checked them out? You'll die. They are So. Awesome.

That being said, you can imagine my sheer and utter delight when my friend Kaity contacted me about doing a product review of a slip. I thought one of two things was happening: (a) I had died and gone to a heaven where everyone wore adorable slips and ate chocolate chip pumpkin bread (that last part has nothing to do with the slips...it's just an integral part of my version of heaven...), OR (b) she had ESP (in which case I have a list of a few minds I'd like her to read...). Either scenario was fine with me, as long as I got to try out one of her slips!

Kaity was awesome to work with. You wouldn't believe the customized options available for these puppies. Seriously. I gave her the measurements she needed, asked her opinion on a few things (sooo hard to choose, but she had great advice), talked about style/color/length/fulness options (I went with the black pleated organza in a slight a-line), and viola. Got the package in the mail yesterday. Lightning fast. And lightning awesome.

shoes: head over heels. slip: a slip shop. skirt: thrifted. v-neck tee: gap. cardigan: j.crew. belt: kohl's (came with other skirt). necklace: don't recall. hairthing: f21.

[Editor's note: As for the rest of today's somewhat funky ensemble, feel free to take it or leave it. Me? I think it's great. I woke up feeling extremely lighthearted, so these clothes just kind of flung themselves onto my body in a free-spirited frenzy of...ah...free spirits. But the slip, my friends, don't mess with the slip. That is perfection.]

Not to beat a dead horse, but I can't even tell you how much I love this slip. And I'm not saying that because Kaity's my friend and I know she'll be reading this. (Hi Kaity!) It. Is. Fabulous! Such a feminine detail, it adds so much to a skirt-look. Annnnd I have some skirts that are borderline too shorty-short, so a chic skirt-lengthener is perfect. I have a zillion other ensemble ideas that I can't wait to bust out with this little number.

One thing I'd recommend for anyone who orders one is to go longer than you might think. On mine, Kaity recommended I go an inch longer than I thought I'd need, thank goodness, because if it were any shorter than what it is, my legs would hit the organza (as opposed to the slippery slip part) while walking, and the slip would probably ride up. 

So, in summary: I adore this slip. I can't wait to buy some of the other ones Kaity & I talked about, too. Wearing it makes me want to do the charleston as a dance of joy. 'Cept I don't really know how to do the charleston. But even that fairly significant detail didn't stop me from attempting it anyway and posting pics for your viewing entertainment. I am just that joyful.

Go check out A Slip Shop, you guys. I'm not kidding. You'll want everything. PLUS, if you got one, it would make my dance moves make sense. So.

Happy Wednesday.

Want this look? slip   pencil skirt   cardigan   black patterned tights

More J.Crew...

Sometimes, you've gotta just smile at yourself in the mirror and move on...

Today's jumping-off point was a cotton floral button-up shirt and a different floral patterned pencil skirt. Then I decided I didn't like the shirt with the skirt, so I changed shirts. Twice. Then I decided that maybe the offending party was the skirt, so out it went.

Ever had one of those days? Yeah. Me too. Like, today.

For some odd reason, I really really wanted to wear a floral today. And, if I'm honest with you (always), I wanted to pair it with a little Christmas sparkle. After all, my daughters were dressed in their velvety-satin holiday finery, and I wanted to join the fun. I finally settled on this shirt, which, I think, is a lovely shimmery number without being in-your-face.

[Editor's note: NOT that in-your-faceness is always bad. Like one time a kid was being a super big bully to my small toddler (I mean, come ON) at the park, and after a couple failed attempts at my rationally trying to stop said bullying acts, I reverted to a kid-appropriate version of in-your-face. Crisis averted.]

Where was I? Oh yes, the shirt. I also like the collar, how it's kind of wide but also feminine. And the diamond (or crystal...or zircon...but probably, let's be real honest here folks, plastic) buttons. I tried to go with simple elegance by pairing it with a black pencil skirt (with ivory embroidered flowers, because, as I mentioned before, I was feeling all floralish today). Add a soft black cardigan, a braided belt that matched the sheen of the shirt, and a simple silver necklace. Oh, and my very super favorite flower accessory in my hair. (Also worn here and here. Heh.)

Then I quickly undid every hint of sophistication by busting out a girl's white bead bracelet and plum tights. But it was a balance risk I was willing to take. Black leather boots [Editor's note: Have I told you about my calf complex yet? No? Okay, well, another time. I'm sure it'll surface in due course. But, a complex I most certainly have.], annnnnd...time to go.

I wasn't terribly happy with the end result. Maybe because I'm going through a feeling-frumpy phase [Editor's note: Which SURELY can't be a result of my consuming 100s of pounds of Christmas goodies over the past week...]. But after a few minutes of considering and reconsidering what I'm wearing, I reach a point where I need to move on and do the stuff of life. Like eating breakfast, tying shoes, and kissing owies.

Sooo...what you see is what everyone at church got. And the Christmas music was so splendid today that, really, who even cares.

Happy Sunday.