Silk Crepe Ruffle Coat (3.1 Phillip Lim, $1,950)
The first time that I saw this coat, I thought it was incredible. The second time, I wondered how it would fit. And the third time, I began to wonder if it would swallow me like a furry Halloween costume.
What do you ladies think?
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B:
I know you said that you generally wear dresses/skirts every day. I want to girlify my wardrobe, and am looking for lots and lots of everyday dresses. I'm not really the type to do strapless or spaghetti strap minis every day, and it seems that those are the only types of casual dresses that I can find nowadays. I don't want to wear these to work, I want to wear them every time I leave the house, whether it be to mosey around a museum or go grocery shopping.
Where should I be looking to find sweet, everyday dresses that don't make me look either like a whore or a Puritan? Is there an in-between?
M
Of course there's something in between! Here are three dresses that are pretty, chic and work-appropriate.
Morado Weave Dress (Nordstrom, $228)
In a heavier fabric, this purple dress is perfect for Fall. I love the detachable belt and the ruffle detail to five it a little something extra. I would wear this dress with a light purple cardigan (belted), eggplant tights and knee high boots.
ECI Two Piece Dress (Nordstrom, $98)
This dress is a knock-off of a Rebecca Taylor dress, but it's a really pretty knock-off, so who cares?
The cap sleeve means that you can wear it in the Summer and Spring, and the darker color gives you license to wear it in the colder months as well. You could add a tank underneath if you want more coverage, or a statement necklace if you wanted to make your camouflage a bit more chic.
Tahari Lace Dress (Nordstrom, $92)
Like the dress above, this frock is a knock-off of Belle favorite Ports 1961. Lovely, isn't it? My only complaint about this dress is the cheap belt, but that could be replaced easily enough.
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Hill Staffer
Parachute Anorak (Kenneth Cole, $129)
Unpaid Intern
When the greige nail polish trend caught the world by storm, I was initially intrigued, but on my skin tone the color looked more corpse-like than cool. I searched high and low for a greige that worked on me, but I came up dry. Then a friend sent me a bottle of Butter London's "All Hail McQueen," and I feel in love.
The polish is a tribute to designer Alexander McQueen, and I think the sophisticated but playful shade is the perfect homage.
The color of the polish is a rich, warm hue that is the perfect combination of grey and beige. The polish also possesses a light shimmer that gives it an ethereal quality. And unlike so many greige polishes it won't add a sallow tinge to those of us in the middle skin tones.
Butter polishes are free of harsh chemicals and wear like iron. And if you want to get a lengthy wear out of your manicure, make sure to use their pinky-toned base coat. It will allow you to use less polish, lessening the chance of chips and scratches.
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First thought on The Hill's 50 Most Beautiful: “Oh my Lord, the choices are actually attractive. No one makes me gasp in horror.” I know that this shouldn’t be a surprise, but given past performance, it was like finding out that there’s a Santa Claus.
Unlike last year, I will not be writing an in-depth recap of each candidate, because as much fun as that was, I’d like not to be jumped on my way out of the building.
So grab a copy of The Hill and let’s get this party started (for those of you playing the home version, click here).
Alexis Latifi—Great hair, nice smile, good makeup application, and a fabulous statement necklace that she made herself. Homemade jewelry and organic cooking? She’s like a Stepford staffer.
Also, that sound you hear is the soft murmur of thousands of female Hill staffers Googling “raw food diet.” Because if eating unprocessed foods helps you look like that, Restaurant Associates will probably be bombarded with requests for more raw food options in the cafeterias.
And Alexis, if you’re reading this, I’ll be happy to post your jewelry making tutorial any time. Or just pay you to make me something, either way…
Laura Donahoe—Laura has the kind of adorable cuteness that I’ve come to expect from the women of the Mid-Atlantic region. The kind of look that Miss M once described as “Everywhere pretty, but D.C. hot.” But while she’s certainly attractive enough to be included, I’m bored to tears with the sheath dress and pearls.
Apparently Van Scoyoc isn’t looking for associates who break the Jackie Kennedy mold.
Sen. Gillibrand—Yeah, right. If you think I’m going to say one thing about a sitting U.S. Senator, you are sorely mistaken. Long time readers will recall the “Groom Incident,” and understand why this line of inquiry is completely off limits. Next!
Doug Thornell—Between the dogs in the photo, the “single and dating” description, and the fact that the reporter calls him “coiffed,” “chiseled,” and “heartthrob” in the first six lines; I thought I’d accidentally wandered onto a Match.com advertisement.
Also, to be "coiffed," don’t you actually have to have more than ¼ inch of hair? Perhaps the reporter was referring to the dog?
Ben Dunham—Holy Hair Gel, Batman! Perhaps Dep should start a PAC?
Nichelle Williams—My limp, humidity afflicted locks are totally jealous of her perfect hairdo, but the outfit is sending me into a tailspin. Seersucker, cable knit and pearls? Nichelle's outfit makes Laura Donahoe look like a rebellious fashion risk taker.
Asa Lopatin—I’ve never been a fan of facial hair on men, unless of course, you have the perfect Brad Pitt stubble. Or perhaps, I’m just a fan of Brad Pitt. Either way, I wouldn’t want my distaste for the bearded face to color my judgment, so feel free to add your thoughts in the comments.
Anu Vakkalanka—How can I pick on a fellow blogger? I can’t. Except to say that if you’re going to talk about your “Michelle Obama-esque biceps,” you should be prepared to show them off.
Out of the Top Ten and things get interesting…
Sarah Spear—Four words: Full Length Evening Gown. (Bang head here.) Without the accompanying interview to explain her selection, Spear’s photo looks like she took a wrong turn on the way to meet Prince Charming at The Ball.
With the interview, she comes off as a girl who just desperately wanted the world to know that she owns an Oscar de la Renta evening gown. "Go big or go home," how about just go home and change clothes.
She does, however, have well toned shoulders. See? I can be nice. Ish.
Amit Bagga—Is he wearing eyeliner? Cause I think he’s wearing eyeliner. Why is he wearing eyeliner?
Kaitlyn Gibson—Her fabulous angled bob makes me want to chop off my locks. I also appreciate that she made an effort to try something bold with her long, colorful scarf. Certainly better than choosing a strand of pearls.
Ryan Fitzpatrick—I’ve never met this guy, so I hate to judgehim by his appearance...wait, what am I talking about? Isn't that why he posed in the first place? To be judged (hopefully, favorably) by his appearance? So here it goes...
Fitzpatrick's unbuttoned vest, come hither stare, and McDreamy pompadour all make me want to gag. Sure, it’s supposed be sexy, but it just comes off pompous and abrasive. Half the men on the Hill will want to kick his ass, the other half will just laugh heartily. And as for the women, most will be giving his Abercrombie model pose the big eyeroll.
Christine Sequenzia—Should start offering a makeup application tutorial to Hill Interns because that blush is perfectly applied. Bravo.
Rep. Duncan D. Hunter—This is me not saying anything about his shirt and tie combination.
Now, some general thoughts…
While the ladies of the 50MB were a HUGE improvement over previous years, the guys were just okay. Sure, I could make the obvious comment about the lack of really attractive men in D.C., but that would be too easy.
The photography this year was also a big improvement. As you recall, one of my biggest complaints last year was that the shutterbugs had folded the candidates into so many awkward positions that they all looked uncomfortable and disjointed. Remember the more woman who wound up with a rear muffin top because they posed her seated, leaning forward, on top of a marble block? Yeah, good times.
Lastly, the 50MB is by no means a scientific poll. Every year, I hear complaints about how there are better looking people on the Hill than in the pages of the paper, and that may very well be true. But since no one is forced to participate, and many staffers who care about their careers decline, you’ll never be able to get a complete list.
Add to that, the fact that “beauty” is entirely subjective, and one man’s number one choice is another man’s “really, they chose her?” Thus, there's no such thing as a perfect list. But by all accounts, this list was certainly better than last year's list.
So what did you think of the 50 Most Beautiful? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
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Giles & Brother African Ring Necklace (Shopbop, $285)
Hill Staffer
Iron Pyrite Necklace (Max&Chloe, $113)
Unpaid Intern
and that is why bulls**T, like this tee shirt from Urban Outfitters, gets me so steamed.
Are you serious? "Eat Less?" That's great. Way to embrace social responsibility. And while I would be happy to rip Urban apart with my bare hands, I don't think the amount of cursing and swearing would be good for my image. So I'll just let actress Sophia Bush do it for me...
To promote starvation? To promote anorexia, which leads to heart disease, bone density loss, and a slew of other health problems, not least of all psychological issues that NEVER go away? Shame on you. I will no longer be shopping at your stores. And I will encourage the tens of thousands of female supporters I have to do the same. I have fought to boycott BP. I never imagined I would also be boycotting affordable fashion.
I shop at the Urban in Chinatown a lot for gifts and tees, but I think I'm done. It's too bad too, because I love the "Listen Jackass" notepads.
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Friends, Countrymen…Fashionistas…lend me your ears…
What? Too much?
Shakespearian delusions of grandeur aside, the Great CHS Intern search has finally come to an end. I was deeply touched by the outpouring of support for this project both during the application phase and then, in the comments during intern week. It was great to see everyone turn out to help select the new contributor because while you’re stuck with me, I wanted you to have at least some say in who I bring into the fold.
While all of the Intern Week prospects were fantastic in their own right, I have decided to hire only two: Alison and CJ.
I enjoyed the different ideas and perspectives that each candidate brought to the table. I made my final decision based on three factors. Age: I wanted someone old enough to attend events, and with a more developed sense of style. The post: I wanted to see a good writing voice and a strong perspective. Fit: Did the Candidate fit the CHS brand?
CJ’s post was probably the most similar to the content that you already see on CHS, and the commenters loved her, so I decided that she would be a good fit. Alison had a slightly trendier perspective than I do, but an enjoyable writing style that complimented the tone of the blog. I really look forward to reading their posts in the weeks to come, and I hope you do as well.
Lastly, you should know that the most difficult decision made during this process was whether to include Jamie. Blending in a perspective on men’s fashion is something that I’ve tried in the past with mixed results. But given that my last polling numbers suggested that the blog was more than 95-percent female, I’m not sure that a male voice would be a valuable addition. Also, I’ve always considered the men’s style blog District Cut to be like CHS’s slightly more fashionable brother, and I didn’t want to create competing content.
To all those who entered the Great CHS Intern Search and to everyone who commented, thank you. It was really great to hear everyone’s perspective and I can’t wait to get some fresh (non-Belle) written content.
Also, if you applied and weren't chosen, a little birdie told me that Makeda at Glamazon Diaries is also looking for an intern. If you want to speak with her, visit her site or DM her on Twitter.
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This is the Handful Bra by Lucy ($48). According to Miss M it's like "having implants without the back pain." According to the website the bra is "designed to flatter— not flatten— lifts and separates the girls."
All around, it sounds like a very good thing for those of us who God felt were blessed enough without breasts.
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Thakoon Draped Cami Dress (Zoe, $354)
Hill Staffer
Petals on a Pond Dress (ModCloth, $85)
Unpaid Intern
Elle Floral Smocked Dress (Kohl's, $29)
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