WOW! that house is amazing!!! Its gorgeous and the backyard is O M G ! Congrats!

Okay, going with the shopping thread, I totally splurged this weekend after getting a coupon in the mail and bought this dress (which for some reason the model in the picture is holding out the pockets to make it look really goofy...)





from White House Black Market. I have too many formal dresses now. I'm hoping I can dress this one down a little bit. Also got a pair of jeans and this shirt:

Jessica - I like your new clothes.

pretty dress jessica! How would you dress it down?

I just received my new Eddie Bauer jeans. I'm quite blimp-like from the 4-day weekend's excess so will wait a couple of days to try them on. They are nothing special - just jeans for every day wear. I did get one pair in the "boyfriend" style, which is new for me. And one in a grey wash, which I've wanted for some time. I hope those ones fit!


Dagmar

Jessica, what material is your dress, it doesn't look formal too me. I think it looks casual, more of a sundress. I like it, though.

Bargoo, it is satin.

Dagmar, I'm not sure how to dress it down yet. Maybe just avoid dressing it up? Flats and not too much jewelry?

Jessica, if it is satin it surely falls in the formal category. Except for a couple of blouses the last satin dress I had was my wedding gown.

Jessica, the best way to dress it down would be to get a cropped (ends right at/above waist) cotton cardigan in either white or red (not black) to wear over it, and flat ballet slipper-like shoes.

How about a cropped jean jacket over it?

Love this shopping thread. I've been away for a while but am jumping in on this topic! I just bought two pairs of skinny jeans. Anyone have any tips on how to wear them? I'm thinking flats and blousy tops/sweaters? How about button down blouses? I'm not a high heels kinda person....

Pam

I thought I'd take a look at the VS stuff that evilwomaniamshe posted, having not seen their collections in a while. Sadly, all I can see is the blatant photoshopping FAIL. Cute shirts on totally insane looking women. Browse the knit tops and see if you can spot it: http://www.victoriassecret.com/ss/Sa...ame=vsdWrapper
This is a good example. Not trying to flame or disparage anyone, just thought it was of note.

Yeah, I know what you mean.

The chick in the gray knit top on this page, under "May We Suggest" -- personally, I don't want my arms to look like hers. Toward that aim, I've been lifting three times a week & have spent a lot of time watching & learning new routines from P90X.

If I had arms like hers, I'm not sure if, just before Hurricane Irene hit, I'd have been able to carry small pieces of furniture out of my apartment & to a place of safety upstairs.

Or that I'd have been able to heft bags of saturated and ruined books & papers out of my apartment & into a dumpster.

Or I'd been able to lift cardboard boxes filled with salvaged stuff into the back of a minivan, and lift them back out again once we got to my mother's house.

To live with arms like that chick's, I'd have to be living a totally different life, where other people did things for me, and all I did was work to stay thin and wear clothes.

It's a Delicate Flower's life.

But the top she is wearing is really nice, with that slippery almost sheer fabric, particularly if you have the abs to show under it. And I totally get why EvilWoman would buy it, or something like it, and I commend EvilWoman's taste as excellent.

But the photoshopper sees women as a Delicate Flower that can't lift for s&%$#t. Not a heavy tote, not a bag of groceries, not a baby. Not with arms like that.

Hey fromthebox, even though my links sorta disappeared, if you click on the link you posted, you will actually still see my filled shopping cart as to what I purchased! FYI, the shopping cart top is on top right, then click on the pictures they will become large, unlike the models who are CHS kinda gals (crack head skinny)!
Thanks for thinking I have good taste Saef, I didn't buy that particular shirt, but I have many similar to that which showoff my small waist & lil peeks of skin here & there work for me.... Also Saef, I just wanted to tell you how BEAUTIFUL you look in your new avatar!

Love the black coat and the gray tank...that tank can be worn with sooo many things and is absolutely precious.

Last week I had to find a dress for a funeral. I am currently totally in love with so many things at Cach'e. Anyone else like their stuff?

+1 to EvilWoman's excellent taste, even if I don't have the abs for that top. Yet.

+1000 to Saef's avatar you look wonderful, lady!