chicfaced

all Target, all the time over here folks. I didn’t do this on purpose, I promise, but I am wearing a Zac Posen for Target dress, Cynthia Vincent for Target wedges and a Target necklace.

Even better than Zac Posen at a Target price is Zac Posen at a Goodwill price. I found this sucker at a Goodwill in Richmond — not sure if it’s the same around the country but the Targets in VA give their leftovers to the nearby Goodwills. I really try not to keep any of the vintage I find while thrifting but coming across something like this? Don’t mind if I do.

The cut, color and material of the dress is much more luxurious than anything you’d usually find at Targ (the neckline is sehr Zac), the necklace has much more weight and interesting detail than the usual Merona necklace and the wedges? Well, we all know about the wedges (since I think 80% of us own a pair of the CV wedges).

I know we’re all wishing for Fall, but as I sit here eating some homemade gazpacho (thanks, Wade!) with the door to my shop open and margaritas on tap for tonight….I gotta say I’m gonna relish the summa time we’ve got left. On that note, please excuse me while I get back to my search for the perfect over-the-knee boot. (I’m leaning toward the Topshop Britany.)

I got this dress in NYC last summer; it’s one of my favorite vintage dresses but I don’t wear it that often. Two reasons for this 1) I have a weird association with strapless things (shirts and dresses) equaling dressing up. Even though this particular dress is 100% cotton and totally casual 2) I treat my favorite pieces like sacred artifacts that can only be worn very rarely for fear of….not sure – what, exactly? light damage? what am I, an art gallery? Does anyone else do this? It doesn’t make any damn sense.

My absence from chicfaced is shameful — can I plead inspiration deprivation?

This past Saturday was Anna’s bridal shower, which I hosted (with the help of Laura and LT) in my backyard.

My very talented husband designed the invites. If it’s not clear from the invite, it was an Alice in Wonderland/Mad Hatter Tea Party theme. It was such a fun party to plan and even more fun to see come together and have Anna enjoy. It was (for the most part) a surprise — Anna caught a glimpse of the invite on a friend’s fridge but didn’t know any other details, like the decor or the fact that her soon-to-be-husband was going to be dressing up like the Mad Hatter to escort her to the shower.

I got a phone call from Anna’s fiance approximately 20 minutes before the shower started.
“Megan. You know I was the Mad Hatter in my high school production of Alice in Wonderland, right?”
“No…”
“You know I still have the hat, right?”
“No..”
“I’ll be right over.”

She makes a gorgeous Alice, too, don’t you think?

The table decorations were all Goodwill finds and fabric, table clothes, plates and knick knacks from our collective homes.

lotsa pretty friends to celebrate — it looks cloudy out, I know, but trust it did NOT rain!

We played the wedding dress toilet paper game. You team up into teams of 2 with one roll of toilet paper and 5 minutes to create a look for the bride to judge and declare a winner. Watching the process was hilarious and hearing the descriptions was even better. Naturally, I liked Laura’s creation the best. It ended up being very Givenchy but as those things go, her couture vision lost out to a more ready-to-wear, Very Wang creation.

I wore my very favorite party dress — I bought it for a friend’s wedding a couple years ago and wear it every chance I get (my shower, weddings, etc.). It’s just so pretty and girly and has a built in crinoline and I’m a sucker for any dress w/a little pouf and a layered skirt. I was barefoot for the shower but I slipped into some super high black platforms for going out that night.

It was such a fun day — awesome weather, good friends, sparkly wine and pretty dresses — can’t get much better in my book. Congratulations, Anna, and I can’t wait to keep on celebrating (up next? NYC!)

xoox

L-O-V-E this.

She's back! [and what's this about a baby? She can't have a baby - where would it even go!??!] Brad, like a fine wine, gets better with age. His flair for the dramatic endears me to him more and more; "if this show doesn't go well ..... it's fashion suicide." YES! Fashion suicide! Does I mean...did...anyone else love 13 Going on 30 as much as I do? Did? Brad obviously also loves it because fashion suicide is from when Lucy (Jenna's frenemy) presents her own magazine redesign and ends the whole presentation with this stunner. "Cause of death? Chicness. Fashion suicide."

ANYWAY, getting back to the subject at hand, WWD talked with Rachel about the Taylor getting fired/quitting and made it seem like she was fired because she stole clothes. The first answer Rachel gives seems a little out of sync with the lead-in ... sounds a little contrived.

I'm happy she's back, nonetheless.

I went to visit Maggie in DC and we had a Monday brunch at Tryst and mid-day Monday margaritas as Rosa Mexicano. Not a bad way to spend a Monday, gotta say. The above photo is the evidence of my quickly downed iced white chocolate mocha. I’m def an iced americano girl most of the time now but Tryst does something magical to their mochas that I can’t resist. Not too sweet but super smooth. mmmm.

I did realize that I’m not the only one closed on Mondays/Tuesdays. We set out to do some shopping for BV but happened upon one CLOSED sign after another. Thus, the mid-day margaritas

Also, and I totally don’t mean to be a creeper, but as we made our way through Macy’s, H&M and Zara, I kept looking at things on the rack saying to myself, oh this is the dress Carey just got. These must be the shoes Naomi wore in those photos earlier this month. I think this is the blazer Emily wore awhile ago. It’s a singular kind of familiarity that’s kinda surreal and makes me laugh. I’ve never spoken to any of these ladies, yet I know what they wore and what day they wore it on. Strange.

And, just cause, some snapshots of an outfit I wore to the shop last week

urban outfitters vest and skirt, f21 lace tank, anthro necklace

I snagged these at a Goodwill a couple weeks back. After a good Fabreezing/alcohol swabbing and airing out, they haven’t really left my feet.

Now that I think about it, this outfit combines most of my favorite things in my closet right now.

welp, the apocalypse is upon us.  Know how I know? Cause I’m suddenly…weirdly…into cars.

For a number of reasons (some practical, some purely for fun), I decided I needed to sell my 05 Saturn Vue and buy a vintage car.  And buy I did.

Meet Omar.

Omar is a 1970 Mercedes SEL.  Laura inadvertently named Omar after mistaking the name of the guy who sold me the car with the actual car.  After some deliberation and thought, I figured I should pay tribute to the real Omar and name the car Omar.

I feel a little crazy now, but I can’t wait to accessorize this bad boy!

It’s no secret to those who know me that I’m a sucker for “trashy” TV.  I worship at the bedazzled alter of Rachel Zoe, Gossip Girl is my favorite show in the universe, I still get weepy when I think of the Felicity series finale, I still wonder why Bravo cancelled Blow Out and I can quote Dawson’s Creek the way most people can quote the Simpsons or Arrested Development (neither show I could get into, by the way).

So, when I saw the preview for Bravo’s latest reality show, 9 by Design, where they follow design duo Bob and Cortney Novogratz as they renovate//decorate their way through Manhattan, all the while  7 kids in tow, I shrugged to myself and queued it up on the DVR.

It took 4 minutes of the first episode before I was obsessed. I’ve spent many a night scrolling through their content heavy website and search nymag for gossip bits about the pair.  They’re funny, incredibly talented, intelligent, gorgeous, stylish, make having 7 kids look glamorous and fun (for real!) – and still yet are oddly relatable.

The Novogratz family, minus the newest member, Major

I want to be friends

Their design journey began in the 90s when they bought a risky property in the up-and-coming Manhattan neighborhood of Chelsea, fixed it up, and sold it to musician Susanne Vega.  That began a string of house flips that eventually led them to form an actual business and start SixxDesign.  Their mix of modern and vintage furniture, established and young artists’ work, bold colors, bright patterns and forward thinking use of space really makes them stand out as designers – and they don’t even have formal design training!

Their latest house in the West Village, with views of the Hudson River, is featured heavily on their TV show and is pretty much my dream home.

I grabbed the house images off NYSD (linked below) – they’ve got more in-depth info about each photo/room – go take a look!

They’ve got a design book out now too and I plan on grabbing a copy at Borders ASAP.

Bob and Cortney have wedged themselves in my heart right next to Rachel Zoe and Jeff Lewis, and in this girl’s heart, that’s a pretty cushy place to be.

images: Cookie Mag, Bravo TV.com (via Have U Heard), Just Say Maux, New York Social Diary

here’s a quick outfit post from yesterday – I took home one of the shop’s peasant skirts Wednesday night to wear yesterday – it’s one of my favorites and I’m not sure why it hasn’t been snagged up yet!

target tank, vintage skirt, CV for Target wedges, f21 bandeau and earrings

I am in love with these yellow wedges.  They are the most comfortable heels/wedges I own, too.  I wouldn’t say I’m hating on regular heels right now, but if it doesn’t have some sort of a wedge or platform, I’m not interested!

Also, cause I love them so – a photo of some of the watercolor greeting cards L created for my shop.

Awesome, right? Love them.

xoxo,

M