{Almost daily outfit of the day} The bee's knees 1.13.12

Gap sweater; Target long-sleeve tee; thrifted vintage wrap skirt; We Love Colors tights; Urban Outfitters ankle wedges

Bees are scary. Bees are almost as scary as a zombie apocalypse, or runs in your tights, or spending an entire day with a piece of lettuce stuck in your teeth without anyone telling you. Bees divebomb picnics and chase terriified children through parks and generally make summer outdoor activities miserable. I was stung by a bee when I was five. I had innocently plucked a flower from the garden in my backyard and suffered a sting on my palm. It hurt. It hurt like the white-hot flame of a thousand suns. Or at least I remember it that way. That bee sting left me forever wary of both insects and gardening, two things that seemed perfectly innocent prior to the assault. 


Worn together, yellow and black make my post traumatic stress disorder twitch. Nevertheless, this sweater is one of my favorites. 

Almost daily outfit of the day: M is for Missoni 1.2.12

Missoni for Target sweater; thrifted American eagle thermal tee; thrifted J Crew skirt; vintage Frye boots (eBay); We Love Colors tights

When Target announced their collaboration with Missoni back in the summer, I was flummoxed. While I hadn't been especially impressed with previous Target collaborations, Missoni interested me. Their luxurious knits and sumptuous patterns are quintessentially Italian. Their clothes seemed appropriate for a quick jaunt to the Almafi coast in a vintage Porsche convertible with a tall, dark, overwhelmingly sophisticated Italian man who speaks little English and has impeccable manners, the kind of man who opens doors for you and calls you cara mia and smells like the inside of a Ferragamo boutique.

This cardigan is the softest, best knit sweater in my closet. It fits like a dream. And while it came neither with a sophisticated Italian man nor trip to the Almafi coast, I love it all the same.

Product review: Polka dots from Happy Scarf!

Thrifted cardigan; thrifted Michael Stars long-sleeved tee; thrifted J Crew skirt; We Love Colors tights; Kate Spade boots (TJ Maxx)

Last week, Happy Scarf sent me two scarves to wear and review. I don't think I've ever incorporated a scarf into an outfit photo here on my blog, but trust me when I say I'm a big fan. When winter comes I seem to get a permanent chill in my bones, and winding a scarf around my neck is an easy, stylish way to keep warm.

I chose this fun polka-dot mimic cashmere scarf for my outfit photos and could not have been more pleased. It truly is as soft and cozy as cashmere, and when paired with a long-sleeved tee and cardigan kept me warm. For $12, this scarf is a great alternative to budget-breaking genuine cashmere versions. I also received a black and white skull scarf, which was much thinner and more lightweight than the polka dot, and better suited for warmer months.

Happy Scarf offers free shopping on purchases and returns every day of the year, and 20% off all new styles. I would definitely recommend their products. A new scarf would make a great holiday gift!

Disclaimer: I received two free scarves from Happy Scarf for this product review. I was not compensated for this review, and all opinions are my own.

Everybody, Everywear: Sequins and sparkle

Vintage thrifted dolman-sleeve sweater; vintage thrifted skirt; We Love Colors tights; Urban Outfitters boots; earrings from some little boutique in Dallas; Michael Kors rose gold watch

I was thrifting last week in a dusty little Goodwill when I discovered this sweater, tucked into a rack of snap-front western shirts and 80's mock turtlenecks. As soon as I dug it out, I knew we were meant to be together. You see, I have a strange affinity for sequined, sparkly, and glittery vintage tops. We're kind of a thing. When I wear one, I like to imagine I'm a young starlet on the set of some eighties soap like Dynasty. As such, I'd sail through each episode in sequined evening gowns and a cloud of Dior Poison. I'd craft elaborate schemes to destroy my enemies and survive kidnapping attempts with nary a lacquored hair out of place. Sure, I'd have no real reason to be costumed in rhinestones and sequins. But I would, because it's the eighties and that's what eighties starlets did.

This sweater is all eighties glitz and glam - chenille woven with gold thread. It's kind of perfect.

Almost daily outfit of the day: x' (shorts) + y2 (tights) = k e2 (ugh)

Old Navy sweater; thrifted Gap gingham shirt; Gap Outlet shorts; We Love Colors tights; thrifted vintage Cole Haan boots; thrifted vintage satchel

When I was younger, my arch nemesis was math. I hated math. I moaned and groaned through lessons at school. I procrastinated on my homework. I flunked tests in a tragically magnificent manner, earning single-digit scores that led to painful conferences between my parents and teachers. It became kind of a family joke, Elissa and her math problems. Eventually my parents found before and after-school tutors, and I spent long, long, long hours sitting through private instruction, watching the clock tick depressingly towards oblivion.

The worst thing about my math disability wasn't my failing grades. No, the worst thing was the hope and optimism I felt before each test, only to discover that I'd flunked. One particularly tragic exam from my junior year comes to mind. I was absolutely convinced I'd not only passed that midterm, but aced it. Finally I had conquered my math demon. My parents could stop shelling out money on tutors and spend it on something useful, like a pony. Schoolmates would line up at my door, begging me for the secret formula to my math genius. My cousins would stop making fun of me for my inability to calculate fourth-grade fractions. I had made it.

If memory serves me correctly, my grade on that exam hovered in the forties.

I feel that today's shorts and tights outfit strikes a similar chord. When I got dressed this morning, I was sure I'd nailed this look. I carefully studied images on Pinterest with women in shorts and tights, and took inspiration from their denim and boots. I waltzed out of my house with a confident strut. Now, I'm not so convinced. And if a quadratic equation exists that can solve the problem, I'm beyond hope.

Almost daily outfit: A Vogue idea 11.21.11

Gap sweater; thrifted J Crew silk skirt; Urban Outfitters ankle boots; We Love Colors tights; Vintage Martini clutch

Last week I was invited by Vogue Magazine and Bramin to attend a sneak preview of a new store opening in Dallas. First of all, I cannot believe I just typed out that sentence. Never in my life did I believe I'd be invited by Vogue Magazine to anything, much less a new store opening. Suddenly I was Carrie Bradshaw, strutting through the front door of the Conde Naste building in excited anticipation. Carrie understood the magnitude of that moment. Her arrival at Vogue signaled that she'd found her way to her metaphorical home, her Mecca - Vogue, where she belonged. And now, the same had happened to me. Well, sort of.


When I received the email inviting me to the event, I had a very minor heart attack. What did one wear, exactly, to an event hosted by Vogue? I couldn't exactly borrow Carrie's gorgeous asymmetrical Vivienne Westwood suit. But I could put a newly thrifted J Crew silk skirt to use. I had a great time at the event, but the highlight was when the Vogue accessories representative complimented me on my neon striped sweater and clutch. Carrie, eat your heart out.