matta spring 09

matta rabari cotton top, $164 at nonchalant mom.

here's a wrap top that i can actually see myself wearing.



and this dress would be great for summer museum outings. both are well under $200, which somehow seems like a bargain to my shopping-starved eyes. today i bought a one-piece for leon from baby gap. i love dressing him up, but honestly, i need/want clothing, too!

toast options

nowadays i'm only on the lookout for pieces that will work with leon's feeding needs. this chambray dress might work. the blouse probably wouldn't be as practical, but the pattern is lovely.

also looking for suggestions on wrap dresses and tops that aren't too diane von furstenberg...

makie for grown ups

i love makie for babies, but their simple collection for women is tempting me, too. so effortless and understated. it would be nice to have a few pieces to wear to offset the bright colors that i also crave. plus, the prices aren't too bad.

the shop at 109 Thompson Street, nyc, is definitely worth a visit if you're in the neighborhood.

toward a new functionality

(seen on frolic)

the print and colors are gorgeous on this new rachel comey trader dress at frances may (one of my new favorite shops), and the silhouette reminds me of how much i love vintage dresses, but what really has me hooked is the bodice.

lately i've been depressed because i realized just how difficult it will be to nurse leon in my dresses. it was challenging enough making my existing wardrobe work with pregnancy, but now i'm faced with the logistical problems of breastfeeding. i wear a bella band to keep my stomach warm/covered, but button down shirts and t-shirts are my new best friends. something like this dress would be both functional and adorable. plus, it's 100% cotton, which means it'll be easy to care for, unlike my vince cashmere cardigan which is now covered in spit-up. sigh...

shades of purple

unintentionally continuing my meditation on shades of purple.
marc by marc jacobs button down top (bought ages ago on clearance at saks)
martin clothing straight leg jeans
psling avant in sumile (i know it's riding my shoulder, but i can't figure out how to better wear it right now).

9 days since i left the house....but it's time to put on normal clothing again.

laws of general economy update...

sorry i haven't been up-to-date with the clothing blog, all things leon have been keeping me occupied.

anyway, there are a lot of shoes and other accessories posted right now, including this cute pair of jcrew suede ballet flats ($35), which i'd love to have if only they were the right size.

in the next few weeks i'll post a few more things including a pair of vanessa bruno white jeans that were too small to begin with and will never fit, and my paige maternity denim that i never grew into.

spring is afoot, which means shopping and cleaning out the closet. even though my financial situation hasn't changed lately (i.e., i didn't lose my job since i was never employed to begin with), i must admit that reading the nytimes has made me very nervous about spending money on nonessentials. hopefully Laws of General Economy can continue to be a space for us to 'shop' without feeling too guilty. plus, i really need to get rid of more clothing...

shopping break

it appears i'm on an extended shopping break. this past week has been very very tough. but that hasn't stopped me from continuing my search for flattering pleated pants. of course, i'll never know until i actually try them on.

i love all things isabel marant, and oh how i wish i could go to stuart and wright to try these on! the pleats are interesting, could either be gloriously perfect or disastrous depending on how they work with your body.



oh, and thanks to claire for reminding me about steven alan's collaboration with uniqlo. yet another reason to live in nyc, or at least somewhere with a uniqlo nearby. i want/need that gathered shirt.

pipsqueak chapeau spring 09--linen

i love my pip squeak chapeau dress and cannot wait for sveta to update her shop.



i'm also still waiting for someone to buy me these alpaca leggings. maybe i wouldn't feel so bad about wearing pajamas all day if i had them!

seasons in transition

nappy cover from lisa.

leon wants to know when he'll finally be able to sit on a blanket in the park in his nifty nappy cover. i want to know when i can wear my sandals again. spring hurry up!

pleated trousers?

i, erica of the short legs, have avoided pleated trousers, skinny or wide-leg, cropped or floor-skimming, for pretty much my entire life. perhaps i was scarred from my parochial school days when pleated navy shorts were able to make even a skinny 14 year old look like humpty-dumpty's cousin. but as i keep seeing pleated pants this spring, it makes me wonder.

here are some options that look good on paper.

any recommendations for a 5'4" girl?


silence and noise cropped trousers, $58, urban outfitters (via erica)


mayle rex pants, on sale for $279 at bird.


japanese style pants by le bouton.


pleated pants by duskin (stephanie of duskin swears they're great on short-legged girls, i'm intrigued)


pepita trousers by acne, $325 at la garconne.

a grey day, a maybe day

i thought maybe today i would leave the house, but it didn't happen. i'm glad i put on some normal clothes, though. i hope everyone has a lovely weekend, i hear it's supposed to be warmer.

color test print--black pearl press

the lovely elisabeth of black pearl press in the south end (just across the river from me), sent me a color test print and several of her notecards, which are even more gorgeous and tactile in person. such thoughtful gifts to help ready me to emerge from my shell. it's been rather difficult to keep up with my blog reader since leon's arrival. maybe now is a good time to stay in the touch the old fashioned way. i like the idea of slowing things down--blogs often move at a breakneck speed!

i also now have her calendar up on leon's wall. i'm one of those people who can't commit to a calendar until the new year is well underway. i'm often in denial that another year has passed, i suppose.

perfect outfit for elusive spring

broad shirt and linen japanese pants by le bouton studio. this outfit is going on my shopping list.

gifts for leon

the sweetest baby gifts arrived last week from jenny and elly. i cannot believe that those little moccasins and that gorgeous linen quilt are for leon. jenny was inspired by this dress. as for the book, how is it i never heard of cowboy small until now? i may be in a striped sailor shirt mood nowadays, but plaid buttondowns are definitely on my shopping list for spring. thanks to elly for tracking down a striped shirt at old navy for me! i'm hoping that other stores like jcrew will start carrying them soon. other than that, all is quiet here. not too much shopping yet, but lots of planning for spring and summer purchases has begun...

martin clothing on sale

military moleskin jacket, now $247


cashmere sweatshirt, now $175

first of all--thank you for the well-wishes! i feel so lucky to know such thoughtful and kind people. the first week is nearly over, and with leo snuggled in his p-sling, the only thing i can reiterate is how amazing it has been.

so, while researching strollers (still), i couldn't help but post about the martin clothing 50% off sale. i'm wearing my straight-leg jeans right now, with the help of a bella band, of course, and wishing i could wear this cashmere sweatshirt and moleskin jacket. they're both perfect for the gorgeous spring weather i've been admiring from my window.

birth story and other leo-related news to be posted on the other blog soon, hopefully when his jaundice clears up.

i have a feeling i'm going to spend a lot of time next week catching up on everyone's posts....

a good day

photo by gob
one of the belly's final sightings



leon jiyoon made his arrival at 9.40 pm, sunday 2.22.09, after a relatively fast labor. it was snowing at the time.

oh, and my mociun dress was delivered yesterday. all in all, it's been a good week...

mociun ikat dress...a sad ending

first lena and her virginia johnson camel scarf, now me...

you may remember, but the mociun ikat tie-front dress that beklina was graciously sending to me as an exchange for the small? well, it looks like it was stolen from my building because it's nowhere in sight. what is going on??? it makes me so sad to think that someone thought there was something worth stealing. i've no doubt the poor dress was trashed as soon as the package was opened.

this is the first time one of my packages has gone missing. i guess i was lucky, but it makes me reconsider my reliance on online shopping, especially since i spent $190 for nothing. from now on, i'm going to have to request insurance or a signature, even if i have to pay extra for shipping.

update: it arrived! (along with something else...)

future*perfect blog update

since google reader won't allow you to add a private blog, i've decided to make future*perfect public....i can't possibly have 'that' many stalkers--or can i?

we are in this together

i saw lorena siminovich (petit collage)'s "we are in this together" collage on doe's website a couple of years back, and it really resonated with me. well, i just found out that there's a print version available.

i think it'll be perfect for welcoming the baby (in the next week, we hope!)....

spring fever

you know it's bad when you look at a website 8 times a day just to ogle the stripes and florals. oh steven alan....!

i am in need of more bateau striped shirts. any recommendations for affordable ones?

here are examples of ones that are out of my price range right now:


makie, $85


a.p.c., $75