Parade of Dresses

Day 27 Ladies and gentlemen, the 27th and final day of the...

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 02:00:09 -0500

Day 27

Ladies and gentlemen, the 27th and final day of the Parade of Dresses has arrived! I know, I know, it’s hard to remember what life was like before the blog, but somehow you’ll find a way to carry on.

Maybe you noticed the fashionista has a friend today - yes, that’s me. Had to make an appearance just once, in my very own Forever 21 dress.

Our fashion fatale’s last dress was a sweet deal from Urban Outfitters. There was another peachy pink version, but she chose this one because the color contrast makes it easier to see the detailing on the top.

And that’s it. Here’s hoping this was as fun for you as it was for us ;)

Day 26 This Urban Outfitters dress is the epitome of simple...

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 01:47:33 -0500

Day 26

This Urban Outfitters dress is the epitome of simple chic. A nice, bright color complimentary to the fashionista’s complexion, with a little bit of flare in the striped top.

She pairs it with some nifty black patterned tights, and a heavier jacket because it was cold today. This dress could also easily be a beach day outfit; flexibility is a great quality to look for in a dress. You want to get your money’s worth!

Today’s post is dedicated to our friend and coworker Adrian, who kindly took a moment to look at the blog when I showed him, even though he was busy working and, as far as I know, has no interest in fashion. Thanks for being nice, Adrian :)

Day 25 Due to uncharacteristically cold and rainy weather the...

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:17:22 -0500

Day 25

Due to uncharacteristically cold and rainy weather the last two days, the Parade had to take an unexpected hiatus. Now we’re back, but not for long, because the Parade of Dresses is nearly over! Try not to get too depressed, I’m sure you can come up with another reason to get out of bed in the morning.

Perhaps you’ve noticed by now, the fashionista has a bit of a penchant for lace. Not a problem though, because lace is an inherently elegant material. Unless it’s made with spandex and hot pink, chances are you’re going to look classy.

This Modcloth dress is no exception. The dark coloring and heavier fabric make it a good winter dress, and our dress maverick can play it off as fancy or just extra-nice casual.

Check back tomorrow, and Friday too - it’s not over until every dress has been worn!

Day 24 As Taylor Swift says, “no amount of vintage...

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 01:27:03 -0500

Day 24

As Taylor Swift says, “no amount of vintage dresses gives you dignity,” but in this case, the model already has the dignity and the vintage dress is just showing it off.

This vintage dress, found at an AmVets in the fashionista’s home town of Fresno, was an absolute STEAL at just three dollars! And look how perfectly it fits, with that awesome, also vintage, turquoise belt. Color pop accents are a great way to make a black dress casual chic.

You may be wondering where we found this nifty practically vintage truck, and the answer is simple - the parking lot by the Lit department on campus.

So although no amount of vintage dresses gives you dignity, when you already have the dignity, the vintage dress just makes you more fabulous ;)

Day 23 Another Urban Outfitters dress, this crazy patterned...

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 01:40:38 -0500

Day 23

Another Urban Outfitters dress, this crazy patterned confection works because it keep to the simple color palatte of black and white.

That’s all I’ve got. Good night.

Day 22 I think we can all agree that pink never goes out of...

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 02:22:49 -0500

Day 22

I think we can all agree that pink never goes out of style. It’s cute, it’s bright, it’s soft, it’s sexy, it’s feminine, it’s anything and everything.

Today the fashion maverick’s dress is from Old Navy! Shocking, I know. It was actually given to her by a friend who was cleaning out HER dress collection. But our fashionista paired it with cool patterned tights and a sweet belt (see if you can find the other dress it appears with) and gave it new life!

Also featured in today’s photoshoot, our handsome and charming coworker Abodi! Thanks for taking part in The Parade of Dresses!

Day 21 You thought we were done, didn’t you? How could...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 01:38:56 -0500

Day 21

You thought we were done, didn’t you? How could any college student afford a collection of dresses numbering more than twenty, you thought. Well, I’m here to tell you we’re not done, and while we might not make it to a day 30, we still have some real gems hanging in the closet, patiently waiting their turn.

This bright floral print stunner is a Forever 21 creation. You can’t tell in the picture, but it’s a rather short one, though it does cover the fashionista’s derriere. But - she always wears opaque black tights and is very careful not to bend over in a way that might reveal too much.

Ladies, go ahead and take risks like short dresses, but always do your best to be as classy as possible. You deserve to be treated with respect!

Day 20 Today’s photoshoot features the one and only...

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 02:15:38 -0500

Day 20

Today’s photoshoot features the one and only Roving Closet! I gave the fashionista’s ride this nickname, because she tends to use it like a closet on wheels. Nonetheless, it’s an awesome car that continues to express its joy for life by dinging enthusiastically whenever it needs more gas.

On to the dress! This one is an Urban Outfitters UK specialty that our aficionado picked up during her European travels. Even better, it was only £10, because the side zipper was ripped. Snapping up the bargain, the fashionista used a handful of safety pins to fix the zipper and voila, a perfectly adorable tulle and lace dress!

Day 19 No, we did not randomly stumble upon a giant marble...

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 02:08:00 -0500

Day 19

No, we did not randomly stumble upon a giant marble statue of Milton’s Paradise Lost. It’s part of our school’s library, which was built to parallel the tree of knowledge, with a serpent path going down the side, and this book statue at the bottom. Read into that what you will.

ANYWAY, this dress is one of our collector’s most recent aquisitions. It’s got a great retro vibe with the 70s colors, proving anything old can be made new again with some strategic redesigning.

And come on, how awesome is the belt!?

Day 18 Aw, how cute, a boyfriend who enables his girlfriend’s...

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:46:00 -0500

Day 18

Aw, how cute, a boyfriend who enables his girlfriend’s addiction to dresses!

This is another Modcloth dress, and it’s one of the fashionista’s only black ones. What can we say, some people are just born to be bright colors.

Black is everything - casual, fancy, chic, classic, edgy, slimming, sexy. Personally, black is one of my favorite colors to wear because you can do so much with it. Today, our fashion maverick opted for a ruffled blue cardigan and one of her ever-present scarves, keeping warm while still showing off the dress.

Note: purchase of this dress from Modcloth does not include boyfriend.

Day 17 Today’s dress is a Modcloth acquisition. It’s cute,...

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 02:06:00 -0500

Day 17

Today’s dress is a Modcloth acquisition. It’s cute, simple, and casual, not to mention flexible. Put it with tights, a cardigan, and boots and it’s great for a rainy day like today. But wear it on a summery day with sandals and boom, instant sun dress.

We took these pics outside Geisel Library (the one named after Dr. Seuss), and it proved to be quite a good photoshoot location.

Day 16 This snazzy little number has a good story behind it. Not...

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 01:22:00 -0500

Day 16

This snazzy little number has a good story behind it. Not only is it (approximately) the fashionista’s very first Urban Outfitters dress, it’s also part of their special Urban Renewal line.

That means they take old, vintage dresses and rework them into something modern and usually one of a kind. Pretty cool, right?

My favorite part is easily the zig zag patterned hem, it’s totally unique!

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s special post-Valentine’s-Day-wearing of the dress the boyfriend got her!

Day 15 I’ll give you two hints as to where this dress is from....

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 01:15:00 -0500

Day 15

I’ll give you two hints as to where this dress is from. Ready? 1. U 2. O If you can’t figure that out, you clearly haven’t read this entire blog, so go do that. Now.

It’s kind of tough to tell, but the pink top has black polka dots, the belt is gray, and the skirt is black. Our fashion savvy friend says it’s okay to pair patterned tights with this dress because the skirt is just one color.

Remember readers, these are fashion tips for life.

Day 14 It’s just a Dr. Seuss kind of day! Our...

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:10:00 -0500

Day 14

It’s just a Dr. Seuss kind of day! Our school’s library is dedicated to the legendary Dr. Seuss, aka Theodor Seuss Geisel. I wonder what he would think about the fact that students here generally associate his name with studying?

Nonetheless, we also get this sweet Cat in the Hat statue, and today our dress lover figured it would be a great backdrop for our photos, and it was!

This is another Forever 21 dress (are you sensing a theme? Forever 21 shopping leads to Urban Outfitters shopping leads to Modcloth shopping…), and a super cool one at that. The peacock feather pattern is sweet and fun, while the strapless design adds just a touch of sexy.

Oh the places you’ll go [in dresses]!

Day 13 Tea time! That’s another thing dresses are good for - tea...

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:45:00 -0500

Day 13

Tea time!

That’s another thing dresses are good for - tea parties. This cute Forever 21 dress would be perfect for a tea party, or any casual event. It doesn’t expose too much, and would be even more modest if you paired it with some simple black tights, which our fashionista does all the time!

And of course, a surefire way to jazz up any outfit is to carry around a cup of tea. You could even color coordinate.

Day 12 Yea, yes we are still doing this. The fun just never...

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:32:00 -0500

Day 12

Yea, yes we are still doing this. The fun just never ends.

This is another Forever 21 ensemble. I like the bows on the front because they add a nice feminine touch, without being too overwhelming.

Simple, classic, old-school F21 - before they discovered sequins and neon spandex.

Which, by the way, is never an acceptable combination.

Day 11 For those of you familiar with pop culture, you should...

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:23:00 -0500

Day 11

For those of you familiar with pop culture, you should recognize the brunette on the right as the “adorkable” star of the show New Girl, Zooey Deschanel. With a keen eye for dresses, our fashionista noticed that one of her own dresses is quite similar to the one Deschanel wears in the opening credits of her show.

We’re not sure if they are the exact same dress, but if not, they’re damn similar. Our version is from Zara’s, and I think the belt and polka dot tights snazz it up quite nicely.

Not everyone has a reputation as “adorkable” to fall back on, so thank god for accessories.

Seriously though, New Girl is hilarious. Watch it.

Day 10 Sorry for the hiatus - the fashion maverick had to forgo...

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:45:00 -0500

Day 10

Sorry for the hiatus - the fashion maverick had to forgo the dresses in favor of comfy pants for the weekend while she recuperated from a cold. But now we’re back, and better than ever!

This is a Forever 21 dress, since the fashionista’s high school days, so practically vintage! It’s a super cute pattern, and although it’s got a strappy top, the cardigan and (Italian H&M) scarf keep her warm in cooler weather.

Day 9 Happy Thursday-almost-Friday! To celebrate, we have...

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:36:00 -0500

Day 9

Happy Thursday-almost-Friday! To celebrate, we have another Urban Outfitters dress! It is a pretty snazzy one though, no lie.

The brightly colored vertical stripes are a nice change from the horizontal ones that seem to be in style right now. I don’t understand that - I thought horizontal stripes were guaranteed to make you look wider?

Also modeling in this collage are the delicious burritos our fashionista is known to eat one (or three) times a week. Hey, she’s a busy bee, there isn’t always time for proper meals.

Day 8 Oh hey look, we’re at work again. Now you’re starting to...

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:29:00 -0500

Day 8

Oh hey look, we’re at work again. Now you’re starting to get an idea of how exciting our lives are.

This is another Urban Outfitters dress, paired with a Forever 21 belt. The dress looks simple from afar, but up close you can see the nifty zig-zag pattern. Subtle details can be just as pretty as overt ones, and they’re usually classier.

Let’s get real for a minute here - we all know the real star of this photoshoot is the yellow golf cart used by Peet’s and Short Stop to shuttle product to and from storage. We fondly refer to it as “The Cart,” and if you’re lucky enough to drive this baby up a hill, watch out for deviously speedy bunnies and joggers, as they will undoubtedly leave you eating their dust.