In love again

It turns out it's pretty easy for me to fall in love. Yup, all you have to do is show me some trompe l'oeil knitwear.

Like this trompe l'oeil sweater from ASOS.

jumper with knitted collar detail £35 from ASOS

I even find it pretty tricky to choose a colourway...although I'd probably go for the black, white and red because it's always one of my favourites. In fact when you combine that with trompe l'oeil knitwear I'm pretty far gone...like with this H&M dress.

Untitled #811 by shinyprettythings featuring red patent leather pumps

By the way I love that coat too and the bag :) And I pretty much just love knitwear. I'm rather taken with these simple tie neck sweaters from ASOS too. And I think Emma would love them.

jumper with pussy bow £35 from ASOS

Not Emma's Marc Jacobs polka dot jacket

It's not Emma's jacket but it is cute, it is polka-dotted and it is available. Also you'd have to add the red piping to a Marc Jacobs jacket to get the exact same look as Emma's so why not just do that to this one?

Navy and red polka dot coat $99.50 from Delia's

Love at first sight

You know how sometimes from that first moment you see an item of clothing (or maybe a pair of shoes even) its charm is just so apparent that straight away you can picture yourself on dreamy walks wearing said clothing (or shoes ;)) and how that clothing could live happily in your closet for the rest of your life?

Yep, that's the feeling I'm talking about. And to be fair it does happen to me quite a lot but I thought I'd just share this because I thought Emma would like it too...it's a Tory Burch sleeveless silk tie neck blouse in a hot air balloon print!!!

size 6 on ebay starting at $89

A|wear tops for Emma (and Rachel)

A little round-up of what I think are some great Emma tops from A|wear. And of course while I was looking for Emma I couldn't help but pick out a couple for Rachel too.

A|wear tops by shinyprettythings 

So there are a couple of very useful white blouses - one with puff sleeves and a simple collar and the other with three quarter length sleeves and a tie-neck. The blue and coral pussy bow blouses would give any outfit instant Emma appeal and it does also come in cream. The print tiered pussy bow blouse is I'm thinking a little bit precious particulars-like and the purple one...well with a tweed pencil skirt I think the effect could even be a bit Cloey-esque.

Of course the intarsia bow knit is for Rachel as is the pointelle cardi. But I think the coral textured crew jumper would work well for either.

More bows for Emma

I saw this bow print blouse today and of course it made me think of Emma :)

Bow print blouse £55 from Phase Eight

And the bow at the neck and ruffled sleeves just make it sweeter. I'm thinking Emma might wear it à la her precious particulars blouse with a print skirt.

Emma wears mixed prints by shinyprettythings featuring j crew shoes

An Anthropologie Review

I haven't been posting much recently and I don't really know why... other than that I gets lots of ideas, start them but don't finish them and move on to the next thing. But really there is no reason. I mean fashion doesn't take a vacation so why should I? Although if it did, I'm thinking it wouldn't be a beach holiday. More likely a city break in Milan or Paris.

But anyway I think it's about time I got back to blogging so here's a quick look at Anthro with Emma in mind. Hopefully this will serve a few purposes

1) when (fingers crossed) set pics start appearing in a few days I'll be able to pick out the Anthro items that much faster
2) it focuses my attention on Emma pieces which I can then go try on (though in all likelihood not buy since Anthro clothes just don't seem to suit me...it's just one of those strange things)
3) since nearly everyone in the cast (by which I mean Quinn, Rachel, Brittany and even Tina...and mainly Quinn) is wearing Anthro, it makes it even more important to lay claim to some pieces for Emma

Starting with tops, here are my top contenders for Emma to wear (assuming she hasn't undergone any extreme style transformations over the summer)

Anthro tops for Emma by shinyprettythings 

Top row (LtoR):
the lemon liftoff blouse surely has a good chance of being worn by Emma, I mean it's yellow and an owl print. I hope she wears it.
the dots within blouse is lovely but probably far too close to her precious particulars blouse to be added to her closet...though who knows
the delicate butterfly print chiffon wingfall blouse by Anna Sui is pretty and I like the colours but overall it doesn't feel right for Emma

Middle row (LtoR):
Staring at the Sky blouse - lovely shades of blue and a rather impressionistic tree print from Anna Sui, plus a ruffle, of course. Could well be a winner.
Wrap around blouse - ooh stripes and a bow! I like this a lot and I want it in my wardrobe even if Emma doesn't.
All Aflutter Blouse - sunny yellow? colour tipped ruffled sleeves? pleats? Tick, tick and tick. I think Emma would love this. The blue/green combo would work well too.

Bottom row (LtoR):
Loosened Shelby blouse - I still maintain Emma wouldn't like the name but she might forgive this top that one flaw for it's otherwise perfect and inspired combination of polka dots and a floral print, blue and yellow, plus a bow and a ruffled neckline and sleeves. That makes up for a lot. The bird print version is pretty too.
Ryuku Blouse: a simple shape and dramatic print but is that enough to earn a place in Emma's wardrobe?
Quilted Eclipse Blouse - the coral colour gets this top some points but the quilting surely takes it over into grandmother territory. For me at least it looks far too similar to a bed jacket just bought for my grandmother but then do you remember the crewelwork cardi? Unfortunately I think we all do.


I think there are only a few dress options for Emma

The Across the Lands dress bears some resemblance to Emma's take action dress but like her I favour polka dots over plaid.

Drafting Shift - very mod, I love the crisp shapes and Emma could probably wear her dried parsley Jackie with it but would she want another version of her Pom Flower Shift dress?

And similarly does she love her Take Action dress enough to get this yellow squiggly (maybe rope?) print version?

The pleats and buttons are very cute though.

If it weren't for the colour I think Emma would no doubt agree that this is the Quinntessential Shift. I just adore the extravagant bow. Bring it out in red or yellow, coral, aqua, jade...any colour really and I think we'd see it on Emma


Now for skirts. Which Anthro skirts would Emma need in her wardrobe?
( I use the term 'need' loosely. Very loosely.)

Anthro skirts for Emma by shinyprettythings featuring a knee length pencil skirt

Top row (LtoR):
Piped Sailor Skirt - I love the idea of this skirt, the bright orange colour, the taping, the buttons, the a-line shape but I don't think Emma would be happy with the loose thread problem mentioned in reviews :(
Nyanza skirt - blue and white and a pretty print. I like.
Majestic Medallions Skirt - pretty colours but in danger of being more tablecloth than skirt. I don't think this would fit Emma's usual look.

Middle row (LtoR):
Acropora pencil skirt - I do think Emma would like the colours of this Tracy Reese skirt but would she like the print?
Bosky Lace Skirt - great colour, lace that's pretty and demure, I think this could work
Pitter-Patter Skirt -  pleats and watercolour stripes, I think this has some Emma appeal

Bottom row (LtoR):
Square Study Skirt - it's like squares do polka dots and it's monochromatic. I think this would make a great Emma skirt
Shirr and Pleat Pencil Skirt - pretty pleats and a subtle print, I think Emma could make this work, you know with the right brooch and cardi combo
Liquid Acres Skirt - an interesting combinations of colours in a painterly print and Emma could wear it with her olive cardi from Showmance. I think this has very good Emma potential.

And one more skirt because it didn't fit

The Peppering Skirt has polka dots and rather flamboyant florals. I do think Emma would like it.

Finally, shoes...yeah I don't think I want to go there. Quinn can keep all the Anthro shoes for now. I'm pretty sure Emma would be okay about that.

Sales shopping with Emma

Obviously shopping in the sales is always fun because of the bargain potential but equally obviously it's not money well spent if you just buy it because it's cheap and never wear it.

I don't think Emma ever has that problem. She strikes me as a super-sensible shopper who never loses her head even in the midst of deep discounts and summer sale madness. So I thought I'd channel Emma and see what she might be picking up in the sales.

Of course J Crew is the place Emma shops for her basics so that seems like a good place to start.

For a mere $39.99 I'm sure Emma would be happy to pick up the conference skirt in linen in what I believe is a pretty shade of periwinkle.

I think the presentation linen jacket would be a lovely jacket for Emma with its folded contrast trim.

She may well have considered the metal and silk trimmed Monaco cardi too in the deep shale

Emma could certainly get a lot of wear from the heathered playa skirt. I really like the indigo stripe version.

I'm sure the ink-dot pencil skirt would be up for consideration too

And since you can't ever have too many pencil skirts how about this eyelet pencil skirt

If Emma likes the sorbetto pencil skirt anywhere as much as I do then she'd definitely be buying it in mango (maybe in provence pink too)

Of course Emma could always add to her Jackie collection. Perhaps she'd add the bright cinnamon

I still like to think Emma might wear the blakely dress in silk taffeta perhaps in the sailboat blue

And even though Emma wouldn't like the name I think she'd like the cotton taffeta shelby dress especially in this modern red and the bright dahlia too.

Next stop Kate Spade perhaps?