lulu love: 1 dress, 20 ways

all of my running buddies know that lululemon athletica is my brand of choice...i like to run in style. i don't look so hot (ok, ok, maybe i do temperature-wise) after my three-hour runs, but as least my plaid and pastel shorts still do after logging in 20+ miles.

because the brand is a little pricey for athletic apparel on my low budget - though 100% worth it as it's cute and holds up time after time - i never ventured much farther than the run: speed shorts or run: swiftly racerbacks. i might have to make an exception after this popped up in my fb newsfeed from the the lululemon athletica at The Gardens page today...
the renew dirt dress.


i love it.

the company's main website says you can wear it three different ways, which is great already, but my lovely lulu gardens girls found 20 different ways to wear it! 20! that means you could technically wear the same thing every day for almost a month! it comes in black and white, wish blue and citron, and coal and pig pink, which is by far my favorite (who would've guessed?).

which of the 20 styles is your favorite?

fab find: extra 50% off at loft

i'll admit, i haven't been the biggest fan of the ann taylor brand in the past. i'd pick up a printed cardigan here or there, but never came out with much more. lately i've noticed that both stores, ann taylor and loft, have seemed to step it up a notch though, especially in the accessories department.
since i don't go in loft that often, i almost missed a couple great finds this week. luckily for me, the palm beach post fashion piece in monday's business section mentioned the retailer's extra 50 percent discount on sale items, and included a photo of this gorgeous dress, which is now only $50...just the style i had been looking for to wear to my cousin's wedding in august.


unfortunately the gardens mall store didn't have my size when i visited last night, and now i waited too long to buy it online, but i might try to scoop it up at wellington tonight if you ladies don't get there first! act fast if you want it, because the girl at the store told me i was not the only one who asked about t"he dress from the newspaper." plus, a lot of the smaller sizes are moving quickly in all the styles, so better hurry if that's what you're looking for.
so i didn't get the dress, but what did i end up leaving with? two drastically marked down necklaces full of jewels, ribbon and femininity, and an embellished tuxedo tank for a total of only $37.

futbol meets fashion.

this time can i blame my lack of recent posts on the world cup?? always an excuse i guess!

but back to the world cup, in order to combine a few of my favorite things - clothes, soccer, and ok, soccer players too - here are a few hints to help you get both your fashion and futbol fix, all in time for the spain vs. germany game (vamos espana!) today and the finals on sunday:

even though the united states may not get it, soccer is the biggest sport in the world, and since with the game often comes some fantastically athletic bodies, world cup players make perfect male models. giorgio armani picked up on this a few years ago when it first chose david beckham to pose for its highly successful underwear and denim ads, and in may i noticed my "boyfriend" cristiano ronaldo in nothing but his armani briefs while i walking through the rome train station...and then turning around and walking back to see it again.


and we can't forget the vanity fair shoot with annie leibovitz featuring ronaldo and some of his opponents down to their underwear...

want to know what other high-end brands capitalized on the largest sporting event in the world? check out fashion dude rod hagwood's story from the sun-sentinel to learn how louis vuitton and ralph lauren got in on the action.

so you've seen enough futbol fashion (or lack thereof) and want something to wear to the games? take tips from some of last year's "monday morning quarterback" posts to re-vamp that shirt you bought overseas for 5 euro, or snag your country's colors locally for cheap.

want the real thing? do what i did and purchase a youth jersey for close to half the price of an adult size at the striker soccer supply store on okeechobee or northlake, and pair it with some skinny pants or tuck it in a cotton high-waisted skirt to make it a little more feminine. already have an official jersey? belt it and add some colored leggings to freshen it up.

on style patrol...

ok, ok, ok. i know, the prêt-à-porter palm beacher has been m.i.a. again, but this time it's for good reason! following a trip to italy and a change of location this month, i now have lots to talk about. stay tuned this week for the deliciously stylish details about milan, florence, the cinque terre and more, but until then, check out a fun project i've been working on with the office and one of our clients...the cityplace style patrol!

first up was the sex and the city 2 happy hour party filled with martinis, so you know we saw lots of ladies dressed to the nines and decked out in their manolos and jimmy choos. the style patrol spotted the hottest looks - including camouflage waterprints, feathered earrings, ruffles and girls bringing the maxi back - and then tells you where to find similar fashions at cityplace.

enjoy, feel free to comment with your favorite look, and look out for the style patrol next time you're at cityplace...

view it and more on cityplace's youtube channel: http://bit.ly/dbNqN1

the curious case of so many buttons

i leave for italy in just a few days and i'm moving into a new place just a few days after i come back...busy month! in preparation, i am trying to pack up as much as i can this weekend. going through my stuff further proves my extreme shopping habit.

indication #1 that i have a shopping problem: i found 58 "extra" buttons in my drawer, and those are just the ones i happened to keep from the past year!!

i think it's time to head to a consignment shop and possibly hold a yard sale...and maybe a re-visit to my 12 steps in heels program soon...

what to where: italia edizione!

ciao bella!

i leave for italy in just one week from thursday, and since i haven't decided what to pack yet, much less where i am staying or what i am doing when i get over there, it was a nice surprise to find this waiting for me on my desk from my boss yesterday...

even though i can't afford most (ok, fine...any) of these items suggested by travel + leisure, i was happy to notice the suggested blazer in the piece because it looks just like one i purchased for only $34 - marked down from $88 - from gap on friday.

i also plan on bringing the khaki military-style jacket i bought at gap the same day, along with a checkered scarf, my favorite skinny pants, slouchy gray boots, purple converse, a few pairs of tights and several dresses and tops in black black black for mix-and-matching purposes, but please comment with any other suggestions on what i should pack for my 10-day trip to milan, lake como, the cinque terre, florence, sienna & rome!

clothes for bros: wedding wear

i received this question on twitter today from @myPBC (follow me @pretaporterpb) and thought i would take to the blog to answer:

"question: wedding invitation says dressy/casual ? what is that? blazer with shorts no tie? thx"

short answer...i'm usually against shorts, unless it's a beach wedding, then we can potentially re-consider! and though i love love love caddy shack, i must also steer him away from going to rodney dangerfield's character for fashion advice. great idea for a themed party, but definitely do not wear this to a wedding!

long answer..."dressy/casual" and any attire ultimately depends on the location, time of year, time of day, and the couple getting married. if the couple has a wedding web site - on theknot.com, for instance - you may want to check it out to get a feel for their theme.

it's hard for men to go wrong with j.crew...

all that being said, i think for a dressy-casual wedding it's safe to go with a pair of khakis, a collared button-down shirt and tie. a good idea is to bring a blazer with you (navy is a good, casual color that goes well with khaki), which you can opt to wear or leave in the car once you get there if it looks like it's not necessary. if it's a beach wedding like many in palm beach county, go with sandals, but if it's anywhere else, go with a pair of casual dress shoes....and guys, remember, match your shoes and belt...no black with brown!

want more ideas? check out the knot's wedding dress code cheat sheet.

12 steps in heels: step 3

think jessica mcclintock, bright orange fading into watermelon pink, rhinestones, black and white color blocks, red hair dye, big silk flowers, and pink polka dots mixed with tons of tule. ya...those would be the memories of the ghost of wellington prom's past...mine to be exact. needless to say, i liked flashy fashion, even back then.

so even though it made me feel old, i couldn't have been more excited or proud when my lovely younger cousin told me she was going prom dress shopping a few weeks ago. we searched all around the mall at wellington green and she probably tried on 50 dresses, but in the end, she went with one of the first dresses she tried on. and i had so much fun shopping with her the whole time.

all this brings me to my next step to kicking my shopping addiction...

step 3 ~ if you need to get your shopping fix, head with a friend to help her or him shop for what they need...and only what they need.

in case you're wondering, here are the two she was deciding between...which one do you think she went with?

i'll post pics of the lovely prom princess and the dress she chose soon. and if you're lucky, you might even get to see some pics of my past prom days...