My Big Fat Indian Wedding...Bradshaw Style

As I mentioned in my earlier post, I had the fortune of attending an Indian wedding, held at the Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier. For those of you non-Chicagoans, the venue was a very large room at the end of a pretty touristy pier. The entire event was beautiful and vibrant, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. One thing that really stood out to me during the wedding was the colour scheme. Perhaps I haven't been to enough Indian weddings (which is entirely likely, as this was my second), but the fact that the wedding centered on three colours which seem like they would clash entirely really astounded me. The three colours were a bright fuschia pink, bright yellow, and red. Though the wedding was mainly the pink and yellow shades, it managed to not be tacky and instead look very cheery and playful, like a true celebration. Everything, down to the rose petals sprinkled onto the tables for people to stand around by and sip cocktails, was in these three colours.

So, while I was shopping around the Saks dress section ("Dresses" is always my first click whenever I'm shopping anywhere, even if I know I really should be getting more practical things) I came upon this beauty, by Laundry by Design for $133.90.


Ordinarily, I would have completely bypassed this frock, deeming it "too loud" and "totally unwearable." But after having been a guest at the wedding held the previous Saturday, this dress seems like total genius to me. On the one hand, the bright colours ensure that you won't look like anyone else around you, and on the other hand, everything still manages to coordinate. This, to me, is an example of how fashion isn't just ditzy girls staring at magazines of beautiful people in beautiful clothes. Me considering this dress is me taking experiences from my life and injecting them into my own personal expression through clothes. Take that, fashion cynics!

After looking at this lovely dress, I was given a sudden burst of bright and colourful energy. I say "sudden" because now that I'm typing up the description for this outfit, it has sunk into my head that I would never wear such a thing, but this blog isn't just for wearability...it's also for having fun. I decided to build an outfit based on this dress, inspired by the colour scheme of that wedding. I haven't overstepped my boundaries though, and I chose not to include the red shade in this outfit because I really don't like the idea of a pink dress and red shoes. Anyway, here's the finished product:


All items are available at Nordstrom: dress - $189.90, shoes - $169.90, coat - $75.90. I'm still unhappy with the shoes, but I wasn't able to find anything better. This outfit was partially inspired by Carrie Bradshaw, just because she's a figure who would have the attitude to pull this sort of thing off. What I tried to do with this outfit was to let the colours speak, rather than anything details or texture-wise. The dress on its own is like a fresh and modern Audrey Hepburn, and the coat is a great, classic way to add some punch to your wardrobe. The coat was actually a pretty good find; it's a Michael Kors trench, which should last you a while, and it's only $75.90.

I warned you guys about the Nordstrom-themed posts for a while...

Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot...Pair of Flats

So I was browsing the J. Crew online sale (which, by the way, is incredibly messed up web-wise) and I found this pair of flats that epitomizes all that is cute and lovely and pretty.

Okay, so they aren't Christian Dior or Valentino. But I mean, come on. Bright colour? Perfect for the weather. Polka dots? Love. J. Crew sale? Love even more. Ballet flats? Is that...even a question? LOVE! If I'm buying an expensive pair of flats I either want it to be a super-basic pair of, say, patent black flats, or, a statement pair of flats that still manages to be wearable. Though yellow might not seem like an optimal colour, it's surprisingly wearable in terms of shoes. Anyway, this lovely pair of ballet flats and my determination in conquering the J. Crew sale section inspired me to do a post about the wonders of yellow.

A coat is always a great way to add a pop of colour, and this yellow and white striped number is no exception. It has three-quarter sleeves, which makes it more spring-and-fall appropriate, and there's no fuss as to the shape of the jacket. It's on sale for $119.99.

If you don't want to go all the way with your yellow and white stripes, you could give this cardigan a try. This could go with some other coloured pieces if you wanted to stand out, or it could be paired with a simple pair of denims for a casual day. I love the rosette detail, because it keeps this cardigan girly without detracting from the striped print. It's on sale for $79.99 at J. Crew.

If you guys also loved the pair of yellow flats I posted about at the beginning but your wallet's in need of some recuperation because of all the sales, try these lower-priced yellow flats to adorn your feet. The first pair is from Urban Outfitters for $38.00. It's not on sale, so it's really huge that I'm actually blogging about it, but I adore the scalloped detail and the shade of yellow. Plus, these flats are very light, so they're perfect for walking around on a breezy, sunny, summer day. The second pair is on sale at Charlotte Russe for $9.50. I would rather own a pair of the two flats I posted about before, but again, if your wallet can't really take that much pressure right now (I know mine wouldn't be so welcome), then this is a great way to put some yellow into your wardrobe. The ruffle detail is a nice alternative to the traditional bow, and it adds a nice girly touch to these flats.


By now you guys must be thinking...okay, so this girl keeps going on about yellow flats, but what on earth do you wear them with! The answer? Everything. Well, almost. I find that my neutral-filled wardrobe is pretty welcome to coloured flats. But yellow really does go with a lot of things. I might wear a new pair of yellow flats with this striped J. Crew jacket (on sale for $99.99) and some dark wash jeans, for a European-inspired look.

If I wanted to be more summery about it, I would pair yellow flats with a nice blue dress. Any shade of blue works, whether it's almost-black navy or bright cobalt. These three dresses (the first one is $49.99 and the last two are $59.99) would be great with any of the yellow flats I posted about earlier.

J. Crew Sale Outfit For Tea

Here's a pretty little blue and yellow outfit inspired by the J. Crew sales...yes, J. Crew sales might seem like full price to some people but their pieces are always high quality and very classic.

If I were meeting up with my grandma for tea or something of that prim and proper nature, I would start off with a nice, pastel-coloured cardigan. Something about a light and lovely cardigan just screams "tea with grandma" to me. Plus, it never hurts to add another cardigan to your collection -- they're simple, chic, and classic and there's always room to have fun with brooches and extra details. This yellow one from the J. Crew sale has a cute but not overpowering bow on the neckline and is $37.50, because of the extra sale discount (EDIT: This is no longer on sale).


I would pair that lovely cardigan with this indigo split-neck dress. Though it looks a little daring, I've seen it in real life and it isn't that low-cut. Then again, it all depends on your body structure. This dress is $59.99, but with the 25% off discount it's $45.00.


And finally, to top it all off...a cute pair of flats. This pair is $37.50, again because of the discount. You could have a lot of fun with the flats to pair with this outfit, but since it is grandma I'd opt for something colour-coordinating.


If you wanted to be a little less matchy-matchy, some fun bangles or cute earrings would definitely work with this outfit. Try not to go for a necklace though, as they can sometimes look strange with split necklines.

And...while we're on the topic of J. Crew sales, words cannot describe how in love I am with this linen double-breasted light grey jacket, on sale for $60.00:


and these unbelievably darling green polka dot flats, also on sale for $60.00.