SMU/Refinery29 competition Outtakes, round 2

I love these shoes, they make me feel like I'm wearing ruby slippers!!
They are worthy of a red carpet!

I sort of wish that I had gone out into the store for a few of the shots-it might have provided a cuter composition than the dressing rooms. But I think the dressing room backdrop still works pretty well and adds that experiminetal effect to the photographs, which I like - styling is always an experiment!



My legs look surprisingly fantastic in a lot of these shots and I believe it is due in part to the succubus nature of the Spanxx tights I am wearing. They really give a good shape!!

So what do you all think of my looks? Do you think I made the right choice in submitting the last one? I wish I could have added a jacket or scarf to one or more of the looks, or added more jewelry or a head/hair piece, but we used up every second we had just getting these looks put together in a half an hour. This was a super fun contest though-one of those times when I feel lucky to be a blogger :)

Remember to like my album on fb SMU fanpage to help get my outfit entry into the Finals. We have until tomorrow (Mon, Dec 12) to rack up the likes, so spread the word! Thanks again for your support!

South Moon Under/Refiner29DC styling competition outtakes

These are my 3 photo submissions to the South Moon Under/Refinery29 "Let's Holiday" styling contest (create a festive holiday party look with in-store SMU merchandise) for DC/VA/MD area style bloggers:

What do you all think?? If you like my look, please help me out and "like" my album on the South Moon Under facebook fan page...here is the link:

Vanessa South Moon Under Album

Or if that link isn't working for some reason, here is the link to the SMU fan page:

South Moon Under fan page

Go to their photos and my album is the one titled "Vanessa" Thanks so much for your support! The top 5 looks with the most "likes" will advance to the Finals where SMU stylists and Refinery29 editors will judge to choose the winners.


And now for the outtakes:


So my sis and I went into the Clarendon location at about 5:30pm last Sunday, which was almost closing time - they close at 6:00pm :\

So we literally only had a half an hour to do this. It was tight. This was the 1st outfit I tried on...sort of an experiment. This type of dress is hard to pull off. The shoes are really cool. I like the blueberry/raspberry combination of the dress/tights. Not the best one though.


Here is the 2nd look I tried on:

What do you all think of this one? It was a toss up between this one and the last one as the look to submit. I really love this dress and think it fit & flattered me really well.

LOVE the jeweled collar & the fact that it has hidden pockets. Looking at the picture above, my right hand is chillin' in the pocket of the dress. It's almost a little bit retro with the cut-Mad Men influence - Love it!!

This color works really well with the raspberry colored tights too. Looks like berries and cream! A bedazzled berries and cream

OK, there are more outtakes coming, we got a lot despite our time limitations. Don't forget to like my album on the SMU fan page, I could win!! Thank you, loves!

All items from South Moon Under in-store Holiday, 2011

Black & White is a Beautiful Marriage

Dress, necklace & ring set from GoJane.com; tights/hose from American Apparel, shoes 2nd-hand from Current, ring from DEKKA - used to occupy space on U St but moved to Miami :(

So these are some pics from the engagement party I helped to plan for my friend who just got engaged. We rented a gorgeous ballroom space available to residents at a friend's apartment building in the U Street area. Decorating ended up being a little overbudget but we did the best we could. I think it turned out pretty well though!?

This ring makes me miss DEKKA! :(

Flower Arrangements from Flowers on 14th

Wish I could have gotten more of these lovely flower arrangements

Balloons on the floor of a ballroom are fun!

Bride & Groom: Laura & Seth



Bride and I

What is it about black and white?? Such a great combo

5 Reasons I Love Fall

Vintage skirt, boots & necklace; Anthropologie tights; Forever 21 shirt & ring; H&M jacket, scarf & shoulder bag

5. Boots + Legwear

Boots are just about the best thing invented in my opinion and I have been steadily amassing quite a collection of them over the years. They come in so many shapes and sizes, it takes so much willpower not to buy a new pair every time I walk into a store. These vintage lace-ups are an old favorite. They are utilitarian enough to take them out in the woods hiking and cute enough to rock for a leisurely urban stroll/strut. And I have so many pairs of tights these days I am beginning to sort them by color groups. These ones obviously go into the Miscellanneous stack. Aren't they wild!? They make such an impact and are so artistic - they're my perfect Autumn statement legwear. I have been collecting more and more pairs of crazy socks, too. And is it just me, or are legwarmers becoming acceptable again?? Just sayin'

4. Outdoor Outings in crisp weather

Last Saturday one of my roommates invited me to go to the National Arboretum for a picnic + general outdoor/nature funtime with him, his bf & a few other friends. My answer was a resounding yes and the outing was quite fun! The weather was just about as perfect as Fall weather gets & the Arboretum is a great place to go to enjoy some of those beautiful natural things we are a little deprived of in the city (woods, lakes, fields, interesting plants and such...) All of these photos were taken at the Arboretum.

Crouching tiger, hidden dragon.

HA I included this because I like the way the jacket looks - it's so comfy/cozy and the cinching at the waist gives a great shape!

3. Layering + Color Play

One of the best and most crucial things about the Fall wardrobe is of course, layering. We go from the ease of 2 pieces of clothing (sundress + sandals) in the summer to the more loaded composition of a Fall ensemble, but it's so fun to be able to play with so many different pieces again, you can barely complain. There's an endless slew of combinations you can create out of even just a small amount of Fall accessories. With this outfit I'm doing my go-to: skirt + tights + chunky boots + jacket + scarf + random jewelry combo. But on a slightly warmer day I could have just thrown on the scarf, no jacket or put socks on with no tights, or a different color tights would work (navy green or blue).

There are so many colors going on in this outfit, which I find playful. Greys and greens and browns and bergundys are all great Fall colors and I think I am wearing them all in this outfit. I love the pea greeen color of the scarf, it's surprisingly neutral and I wear it with countless different things - it immediately adds a pop to the outfit.

2. Thanksgiving anticipation

As do most red-blooded Americans, I love Thanksgiving and it is drawing ever-so-near. My mom usually cooks an amazing spread and seems to outdo herself every year. I usually bake a dessert to contribute - last year I did pumpkin bread pudding which turned out amazing...this year I'm attempting a Peanut Butter pie which seems very rich and fluffy in addition to chocolatey & oreo-crunchy at the bottom...mmmmm


1. Foliage!

Aah the brilliant colors of Fall...

They can make you swoon, conflict, wander, violate, unite, sway & persevere all within the space of a breath.