easter outfit

a bitingly cold easter sunday, but it was my first opportunity to wear my nomia tunic dress out. the forsythia are finally blooming, and i'm starting to plan my spring/summer wardrobe. stripes and maybe a few brightly patterned sundresses....

more dresses, and a shoe question

it looks like a lot of us are in love with these dresses (frolic and unruly things).

frances may has the prettiest dresses. not only is their shop in portland a treat to visit, but their blog and webshop are equally charming. i wish i were back West so I could go to all of my favorite shops this spring. i love these new church and state dresses (also available at le train bleu).






leanne suggested esska as a possible shoe option for us flat-footed, prone to blisters girls who avoid heels and other pretty shoes. has anyone tried them on?

leon's announcements

the ever talented stephanie made these announcements for leon. she hand strung those tiny garlands, printed facsimiles of his footprints with a gocco, made envelope liners, and hand pasted every single line of text. i am in awe.

mociun tie-front dresses

ignore the socks, it's cold inside my apartment...

speaking of dresses, here's my not-so-new mociun tie-front ikat dress from beklina. it's a little too big on top, so i'm going to have to get it altered when i have the chance. as you can see, it's quite short on me (5'4"), so i'll have to wear leggings with it. matthew doesn't really care for the print ("too 80s"), but i think it's lovely. on a postive note, this is a perfect dress for breastfeeding, so i'm sure i'll be wearing it often this summer.

perfection

sunja link raglan sleeve dress
rachel comey bergen heel


sunja link dress
rachel comey heel
fox in mociun bag
lina rennell top

sunja link dress
rachel comey heel
fox in mociun bag
lina rennell top
nanushka sweater coat


this is pretty much how i would like to dress every day of the week. yet again, totokaelo shows me the way. the sunja link dress is very tempting, as are those rachel comey bergen heels (but you know my track record with her shoes...).

le bouton linen dress on etsy

this is the last time lisa will list her linen dress on etsy. there are 10 available, made to measure, in the color of your choice. it's $180 right now, but the price will go up when she adds it to the le bouton catalog. now's the time to order if you've been on the lookout for one.

i just ordered a bunch of things for leon, so now of course i'm feeling guilty and can't decide whether to order this dress or something from makie or matta instead.

laws of general economy--spring cleaning

i'm slowly going through my closet, looking for ways to streamline it (and justify new purchases). there are a few new things posted including three of my steven alan tops, a pair of radcliffe jeans, and an adorable marni bag.

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.