Urban Outfitters dresses

The reason I like brands like Free People (& similar brands) is because their style of clothing is so funky. I get bored so quickly with my clothes, that its nice to have pieces that are fun & funky in my wardrobe!

Urban Outfitters always offers a wide selection of cute dresses for everyone's taste, including some Free People items. I love checking them out online cuz usually their selection is larger online than in the store. But it's nice to also go into their store to try on the dresses to see what actually looks good on your body type, which, being a curvaceous female, is something I always have problems with.



The dress that caught my eye was the Kimchi & Blue Knit Mixed Print Dress. This cute dress is only $68 USD (around the typical price for dresses at Urban Outfitters), and comes in brown print (my favorite seen here), plum print, and navy print. This jersey knit dress comes to the knee with a bead-trimmed deep-v neck, that has buttons, it also has pretty fluttery sleeves. It's a rayon/lycra blend, making it hand wash, but that's not a big deal, since it seems to flow nicely.




Be sure to check out Urban Outfitters' dress selection they have dresses priced from $38 USD and above, and definitely something for every taste!

Trouser Jeans

I'm a jeans kinda girl. I would live in them if I could. They're comfy & they go with anything. I have about 6 pairs of them, granted nothing compared to some people. I read somewhere that some celebrities have like 20-30 pairs of jeans! Craziness!

Well, the latest things I've been into is the 'trouser jeans' look. I like them because they're a dressier jean! I also love the hemline to these jeans, it just gives them a classier look than your basic run-of-the-mill jean. I've found a couple of places that offer some really nice ones! Lets take a look.


Gap has their version of the trouser jeans, which they call The perfect trouser jeans. At $59.50 USD, I think this is a great deal. They're straight through the hip and thigh and have a wide-leg opening. It is a cotton/spandex blend, which I love in jeans because it makes them extra comfy. Unfortunately, Gap only has this one style & in this particular wash, but still it's a great price. And, extra incentive, it comes in both regular sizes, as well as tall & petite!







Now, Banana Republic has more to offer. They have 5 different styles. What I like most about them is the cuffed hemline! My favorite of them all is the Classic dark wash cuffed trouser jean. It sits below the waist, is a relaxed fit through the hips and thighs. It's a cotton/elasterall mix (officially called "elasterell-p", a type of stretchy material) This only comes in the indigo wash, but in case you like other washes, there are 4 other styles to chose from. At $98USD, its more than the one offered by Gap, but you also have more to choose from.


Do you have a favorite trouser jean? What brand is it offered by?

Gap Strapless Pleated Dress

I've said it before & I'll say it again, during the Spring & Summer I'm a fan of wearing skirts & dresses! I feel like, they're just so much easier! And perfect for the warm weather! And if you get a little chilly, you can always throw a cardigan over your dress.

So today I saw this really cute dress at Gap online. The Strapless pleated dress is a cotton/silk blend, lined, an empire waist, and hits at the knee. The fact that it's a cotton/silk blend makes it dry clean only, of course, & only comes in the charcoal color seen here, but no matter! it's quite the cute dress. I also really like the floral embroidered detail it has on the front. At $68 USD, I think this is a really good find!

Be sure to check out what other dresses Gap has to offer!

Summer shorts

I’m not really a fan of ‘shorts’ but in the age of ‘cropped pants’ I’ve become reformed. Mostly because the cropped pants are the short-shorts like before, but a longer more stylish short, coming down to the knees (like in the case of Bermuda shorts), or to the thighs or above the ankles (like in the case of Capri pants). Many stores are now offering a variety of these ‘shorts’ and ‘cropped pants’ styles so you have lots to choose from.

Banana Republic currently has a section for shorts & cropped pants. They offer a variety of cropped pants & shorts in different lengths for anyone’s tastes & styles! My favorite one is the one seen to the left, the Martin Cotton Bermuda Short for $49 USD. It comes in white, casual beige (seen here), navy & black. It’s a cotton & spandex blend giving it just the right amount of stretch, but not too much, and it’s machine washable. It sits below the waist, has front off-seem pockets, & cuffed legs. Another nice thing about Banana Republic is that it not only offers regular sizes, but tall & petite as well!


J.Crew also has their selection of shorts & cropped pants. My favorite (seen to the left) is the Stretch summerweight chino Bermuda. They come in 12 different colors, from white to black & everything in between, my favorite is the burnished moss seen here. These pants are currently $39.50 USD (from their original price of $49.50 USD). Also a cotton with a hit of stretch, this sits just above the waist, & is also machine washable.


So, there are many stores out there offering these cut ‘long’ shorts! Be sure to check out your favorite store & see what you can find!

Lucky Brand Jeans - Bamboo Cami Dress

I love the ability to do some online 'window shopping'! You can peruse stores websites & see what they have to offer. Sometimes you even come accross something that is offered online only, or some other type of great find!

What I found was at Lucky Brand Jeans! I have to say, not only do they have great jeans & tshirts, they always offer the cutest dresses!

The Bamboo Cami Dress (seen here) is super cute! I love the bamboo detailing on the long skirt. This long dress has a sweetheart neckline, empire waist, is a cotton/modal blend, and is machine washable. At $78 USD I think it's a great deal! But, it only comes in black.

I definitely can see this being worn for work with a cute cardigan or you can dress it up to wear out in the evening, or just for a casual day out. I believe that it's quite a versatile dress!

Be sure to see what other dresses that Lucky Brand Jeans has to offer! You never know what jems you may find!

Free People Sun Goddess Dress

I was checking out the deals that Free People currently has & came across the Sun Goddess Dress that is seen here.

This is a really cute dress, and it comes in red (seen here), black, and purple! The price was originally $118 USD. But is currently on sale for $89.95 USD.

This crinkled gauze dress has beaded appliqué and a printed bottom. It has an empire waist and adjustable ribbon straps, and is fully lined. It's 100% cotton & is hand wash only, which is better than being dry clean only!


While I don't think I could get away with wearing this for work, I think it's a little too casual. Its definitely great for weekend wear! Or maybe if I were to put a cute little cardigan over it, I just may be able to wear it for work.

Be sure to check out Free People to see what else you can find!

Fashion Stocks News

Tiffany (TIF) shares went up: "Investors recently bid up shares 2.3% after Tiffany unveiled rosy first-quarter earnings"

J. Crew (JCG) got downgraded: "Wachovia and Citigroup both cut their ratings on J. Crew stock"

Polo Ralph Lauren (RL) scores with strong quarterly results: "The company boosted its net income by 41%... income was about $1 per share"

Gap's same store sales drop 14% in May: "Gap Inc. reported an 8 percent drop in sales for May and a 14 percent drop in same store sales"

Coach (COH) builds its brand in China: "The leather goods maker has opened a new Hong Kong flagship"

Focus on fundamentals

When it comes to choosing the pieces for your wardrobe, you should always stick to some classic, timeless pieces such as cardigans, black dresses, tailored slacks, etc. The same concept applies when it comes to choosing stocks for your portfolio. Choose companies that have a dedicated founder or management team, a loyal consumer base, quality products, innovative ideas and an attractive bottom line in their balance sheet. You should ask yourself the following questions:

- What do I know about this company?
- Who is the founder, CEO, management team?
- What kinds of products do they sell? Do I like these products? Do others like the products?
- Are they coming up with new products? Is there any buzz about it?
- Are they producing a profit? Are their sales up, down? What's their total revenue for the past 5 years?
- How much will it cost to buy some shares? What's their 52-week range for this particular stock? Am I buying it at a discount rate?

Don't be afraid to buy stocks during tough times. This is probably the best time to buy them. When you focus on the fundamentals, the stock market takes care of the rest. Take a look at the following examples published by the Motley Fool:

Company - Share Price May 28, 2001 - Share Price May 28, 2008 - Return

Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) - $12.48 - $187.01 - 1,398%

Coach (NYSE: COH) - $3.93 - $35.63 - 807%


The key is to invest in quality companies and good products. Do you have any companies in mind?

Cute Gap summer tops

As the temperature starts rising, I find it harder to figure out what to wear in the mornings. When I leave for work in the mornings it's a bit chilly, but when I am on my way home in the afternoons/evenings it's gotten quite warm! Not that I'm complaining, I'm actually really enjoying the (finally) warm temperature!

I came across this really cute top from Gap today. The Sleeveless squareneck top is actually one of their sale items, depending on the color. The white color seen here is $29.99, the black is $34.99, & the honeysuckle is $49.50 which is the regular price. The fact that it's sleeveless is great for the warm weather but if I'm chilly in the mornings I can throw a cardigan on it in the mornings. The details for the shirt are also great, it has eyelet-embroidered insets, apron front with pintucks, and pleat detail at bottom. Also, it's a combination of linen & cotton which makes it nice & breathable.


But, I'm trying toget more into colorful tops as I realized this week that my wardrobe seems pretty drab to me. I need more fun summer colors in my life!


So, while I continued searching on Gap's website & found the Crochet tank! It's offered in the military blue seen here & off white, but being that blue is my favorite color, i love that color! But, I dont know if I could get away with wearing it to work, though since it's a tank top. But I still think it's cute just for wearing out. The description says that it has a crochet inset and trim at square neckline with wide-set straps & shirring, and that it is finely ribbed at bottom. At $39.50 with the crocheting detail, it doesn't seem too bad.



Be sure to check out Gap for what other fun summer-wear you can find!

Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale good finds!

Of course I had to post about the great deals I've found at Nordstrom's half yearly sale!


The Single Dress Border Print Silk Dress seen here is currently $77.90, from an original price of $260! I've had my eye on this dress since I saw it a few months ago, it's beautiful! I ♥ it! So I may have to 'splurge' on it. But at that price, who can blame me?!

The description says that this dress is made of silk (& therefore dry clean only), it has adjustable spaghetti straps, a handkerchief hem (which i also love!), it's fully lined, and zips up in the back. And it's made by Single Dress who have a few items in stock at Nordstrom.









The Halogen® Canvas Peacoat we see to the right is also a very cute & good find! At $81.90 from an original price of $138, this cute jacket is perfect for Spring/Summer when you want to wear a jacket, but not a huge thing.

The description given to this coat says that it has button pockets & flaps, double back vents, and is approximately 22" in length from the shoulder. It's made from a cotton/spandex blend, and is, of course, dry clean only.





I still can't get over how much cute stuff Nordstrom always has to offer, which makes it my favorite store. But, definitely check out the sale soon, things are selling out quickly!