This is the first year in about five that we will not be heading out on a boat for the second week in January.  I made a fuss last year that our only vacation is the same year after year after year and was appeased with the promise of every other year.  I don't want to sound like a total tart, but there is a lot of this world I have not seen that does not easily translate to six days on a boat in January.  Also, I'm allergic to the sun and hate salt water.

But a few months back MAS was bemoaning the fact that we were not going to have boat time this year.  It was, in fact, ruining his life.  So, being the good wife that I am, I agreed.  I mean we did take a road trip over the summer and that should technically count as a vacation not on a boat.  We sent an email to our boat friends, everyone was excited, and then MAS realized he was scheduled to be in the UK for the about half of the time we were meant to be on the boat.  Alas, our tropical vacation has be cancelled for 2013.  BUMMER.

In all honesty, I'm kind of excited.  I'm tagging along on his work trip and we're taking a few extra days to tour Wales.  It'll be great.  But it means I have ZERO reason to purchase this most amazing suit.  Especially since the day we agreed to start planning our 2013 sailing trip I purchased a suit I still have not worn.  Yes, my weakness for swimwear is ridiculous.  But seriously, someone should buy this suit. 

Want.

THANK YOU CELIA.  Thank you for introducing me to Joinery.  Thank you for showing me that I need these boots and this pullover.  Thank you for finding the best toilet brush around AND the best colander (we've been needing one).

delayed/instant gratification.

so, some time in early july, or was it late june?  this package arrived at our door.  it arrived at our door after mas had been super secretive with his emails and computer (something to do with my birthday present, he told me that much)... i mean he went as far as changing his password secretive ... for two or three months.  and then it arrived while he was out of town.  it arrived one month before my birthday.  it arrive and it was from MOCIUN.

i did not open it.  it was very hard to not open it.  i waited.  he was home a few days later.  he ripped the package open, left the room, returned and handed me a small black and white box.  it felt weird.  it was not my birthday.  it was not even almost my birthday.  he had already made me wait SO LONG.  why not a little longer?  mostly because i think he was too excited to see my reaction, but also i'm sure he was a bit afraid that now that it was in the house there was really no chance that i wouldn't end up opening in my own super secretive manner.

so i opened it and fell in love.  it's beautiful and made just for me.  by my most favorite person and my most favorite designer.  damn, that's a birthday well done.

{image via mociun, mostly because we tried to snap photos, but they all suck, and this necklace deserves a non-sucky photo.}

bathing suits.

for someone who hates the sun, the warm weather and sitting on the beach ... or by the pool ... or anywhere exposed and hot really ... i've a major obsession with swim wear (exhibit a).  so the fact that these might have jumped to the top spot of my must have list is both confusing and completely predictable.

{lauren moffatt swim 2013 via refinery 29}

flats, black ones.

i'm a big believer in having a nice pair of black flats when september rolls around.  i live in them.  for, like, the entire fall and winter.

{cap toe flat, Messeca New York}

August in AVL

sometimes i use mas' insane work schedule as an excuse to take a break and head to the mountains.  when we lived in eastern north carolina i was spending what seemed like half of my time in asheville.  but then we moved to dc and i settled in.  found local clients.  found local friends.  and now i'm making it back, what seems like, quarterly.

i'll fill you in on the details little by little over the next few days but the BEST PART EVER was the weather.  my friends, i lounged around in jeans and flannels and light sweaters OVER BUTTONDOWN SHIRTS.  i went for runs and did not want to kill myself.  i had coffee, of the non-iced variety, in the afternoon.

oh dc, you've cooled, but you're not quite where i want you.  winter can honestly not come soon enough ... though i would be willing to settle for fall.

adidas originals x opening ceremony.

i'm a sucker for collaborations.  and i really, really, really like this one.  adidas originals x opening ceremony will be available early july.  just in time for me to be tired of my current bathing suits.

for fall.

loeffler randall, you continue to kill me with your shoes.

lily wedge booties in a 7.5 please.

WRENxVIVIER

oh my god, could it get any better?

GIMMMMMMMMIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEE.

{wren x vivier, but please don't buy them all, i need time to figure out where i'm getting the dollars for my very own}

nailed it no. 6

i gotta say the nail art, while fun, isn't totally and completely my style.  i like to do it every once in a while, but honestly i can't remember the last time i had a solid color on all ten fingers, and that gets to me, in a weird you shouldn't be thinking about your nails so often kind of way.  from now on i'm going to start sprinkling in a few of my most favorite every day colors.  it too will be fun, i promise, there are some really good colors out there these days.

let's start with sand tropez by essie.  i used to be an absolute nut for essie's jazz, like went through an entire bottle in a summer, but after that summer it became hard to find and sand tropez popped up in places like target.  so i just kind of switched.  next week i'll add a bit of color to the mix, but for now, i'm completely content with a nude nail (and a flannel shirt, because summer is coming and it won't be long before it gets put back in the closet, even though it is a summer weight flannel).

summer dresses.

every year around this time i begin to mourn the loss of my jeans.  which is funny because i don't consider myself one of those people that loves their jeans, turns out, i do.  also it turns out that i really love them.  i want to always wear them.  always.  but at the same time i am not a fan of over heating and dc in the summer equals overheating when wearing jeans.  it is stupid hot here.  stupid hot.

which leads me to the summer dress search.  i've a few in my closet that have lasted me for forever but mostly i find that my tastes change on a yearly basis when it comes to dresses.  this is frustrating because i find myself wanting to spend a cool five thousand dollars on light and airy swathes of cloth when my budget is approximately thirty seven.

this year i want tunics and relatively shapeless.  also, apparently, navy.  done am i with those elastic cinched waists* and belts**.  though if eastern market this weekend was any indication of what is to come i'm in the minority because everyone was wearing a big ol' giant belt with their skimpy little summer dress.  oh dc, why, WHY?

MADEWELL  /  VINCE  /  ZARA  /  ALEXANDER WANG

* i am fully aware that the madewell dress has an elastic cinched waist, i'm giving myself one, old habits die hard
** i've never really liked the super wide belts with dresses even when they were super popular ... three years ago

so much food i need a special dress.

this week i'm going to next.  it's my first time.  i kind of want to celebrate with a new dress.  a new dress that will allow me to eat and drink everything placed in front of me, and there will be a lot, i will need room.  also, there will be cocktails, because it's the week before election day, and my mom is running.

{dress}

i've been dying for a pair of every day studs.

these are pretty much perfect.

{mociun black diamond cut out triangle earrings via of a kind.}

basics.

i would like to be better about purchasing lovely, delicate and versatile pieces.  not that my plaid button downs and jeans aren't wonderful, but i just think they might be a touch casual for my everyday life.  i'd really like to be able to nail the casual look that borders the line of sophisticated (which is asking a lot, i know).  basically i need to give a shit more often ... or at least look like i do.

shirt // shorts // tank // shirt

all from the french line oysho, of course, the french always do it well.

thoughts?

it's navy and it's awesome.

{rag & bone fedora via need supply co.}

tutu.

the english national ballet has invited a few designers to take on the tutu.  and in case you didn't know this about me ... I LOVE A GOOD TUTU.  and pointe shoes, but that is a different story altogether. 

{1. wright & teague  2.  kinder aggugini  3.  roksanda illincic  4.  giles deacon}

stripes and flowers.

i've spent too much time today talking about finances to have any brain power left. which is maybe why i spent the last hour checking out the resort collections and falling in love with theyskens' theory and stella mccartney, particularly the stripes and floral above.

the pss.

i.e the perfect summer sweater. & i'm a big fan.  

i USED to have a most favorite knit linen hoodie from the gap that i found my freshman year of college, but three years ago, i left it on a beach somewhere in belize while in a rush to get to the dinghy before the rain came.  i have mourned the loss of that sweater ever since, and have tried valiantly to replace it.  five sweaters later, i think i have finally found the winner.  loosely knit, so super airy, and i'm also digging the slight crop and dropped shoulder seems.  it really is perfection.

{vince sweater that i snagged while in dc last week, that can be purchased here}

me, in dc.

1. i've been thinking about chopping my hair for about 2 years now.
2. if i wear enough mascara my eyes might look like that
3. i could go blonde ...
4. i need to buy new city clothes, once i live in a city again, right?
5. i need a change*.

*maybe i should wait until AFTER the move before i make such rash decisions, i mean it might be enough of a change for me, i might want to keep my long hair after that.

{images by olivia graham}

eight dollars worth of bathing suit.

 

were you aware that i have thing for bathing suits?  it's more of a sickness really.  i just can't stop myself.  they are very nearly my favorite thing to buy, after shoes, i think ...

anyway, over the weekend mas and i took a last minute trip to asheville, and judging by the number of bathing suit pieces i nabbed and the poundage of button downs he scored i'd say it was worth it.  you see, we happened upon one of those warehouse sales j.crew does every now and then.  they sell madewell denim for $10 and all non sweater shirts for $10.  they also sell bathing suit pieces for two dollars per. 

everything is shoved into boxes or rolling around on the floor, they let you in by the herd, and crazies from the neighboring states come in droves wearing tank tops and leggings for better trying on scenarios - so it isn't exactly the most fun way to shop.  but every once in a while you'll find a nice little dress from barney's, you know, the one j.crew copied, and about 15 boxes of swim separates. 15 boxes of swim separates that are almost all my size.  it gets ridiculous really quickly and i have to put shit back because i am appalled with my want for consumption.  but then i leave with two bathing suits and a need for the beach.  good thing dc is close to the water, no?