by Ashe Mischief on September 1, 2010
It’s not uncommon for me to receive tweets and emails about New Orleans–what’s it like? When should I visit? Where should I go and what should I do? How can I do it on the cheap, do I go to Bourbon Street & more?
Over the years, my posts on Mardi Gras have also harbored a lot of response– from those who have visited and those who hope to come.
I’m hoping to put all my years of knowledge to use, and am coming out with an e-book on New Orleans. It’ll be chock full of information with a special Good Girls Guide to being Bad during Mardi Gras (that’ll also be sold separately!).
But you tell me–what do YOU want to know about New Orleans? Don’t let me leave any stone unturned!
by Ashe Mischief on August 31, 2010
I’ve been a bit on a purple kick lately. It’s such a great color to transition from Summer in to Fall, with vibrant shades on those hot days, muted tones to accent crisp whites, and dark shades to complement falling leaves.
B&Lu sent along the Alecia Dress to me– super soft rayon coupled with great details. The ruffles and gathers along the bust draw attention to & emphasize my favorite area, while the gathers at the empire waist help disguise trouble spots. I wish that the ruffles and waist were closer to the natural waist line rather than being an empire waist (here I explain my troubles with empire waists) and would hide my little beer belly, but this is such a comfortable dress, I’m not sure how much I care.
I’m really looking forward to this dress for Autumn… paired with leggings, patterned scarves, and cute boots….
(The “Oh shit, it started raining again” picture)
In other news, I think red hair is not for me. I’ve had it approximately a month now, and it’s not working out for me. I find that it makes my skin look sallow and sickly, it makes my make-up look harsh and ill matched… it makes me excited to go back brunette. I’ve given up on my dreams of Christina Hendricks hair.
by Ashe Mischief on August 30, 2010
The buzz in New Orleans lately has been the arrival of Anthropologie, the big sister store to Urban Outfitters & Free People who inspires Anthro-loving blogs and a cult-like following.
Can I blame these fanatical fans of the store though? Hardly. While I’d only ever been able to admire from afar and online at this point, I was excited as well to see one live. And it does not disappoint. It’s probably one of the most beautifully merchandised stores I’ve ever been in to.
Anthropologie opened up in Canal Place, an upscale shopping center on Canal Street, in the French Quarter. They took the space of the old Pottery Barn, and filled in the beautiful, airy, 2 floor space. This company knows how to give a girl a lovely Friday evening– the opening had a great live band, delish hors d’ouevres and wine floating around, and an overall charming shopping experience.
(My dream bedroom, perhaps)
Of the events I’ve attended since moving back to New Orleans, the Anthropologie opening by far had some of the best dressed women. It’s a shame I didn’t get pictures of them (I’m nervous about taking photos of people), because there were some fabulous frocks surrounding me.
(My adorbs wifey, Joanna, posing with a hysterical cat plate. We were obsessed with it.)
On the way out (we hung out for over an hour!), we ran in to Christy from Slow Southern Style, who was looking super cute and shiny that night! I picked up a small bottle of perfume, L’Aromarine Fleurs Blanches 
(which isn’t for sale on the Anthro site, but is on Amazon)– the Makeup Alley reviews say the floral notes in it are bergamot, lemon, lily, and honeysuckle. It’s inexpensive, really light & pretty to wear, and contains my two favorite floral scents.
See more photos from the New Orleans Anthropologie Opening on my Flickr.
by Ashe Mischief on August 26, 2010
My outfit of the day post a while ago I showed off the delightful bubble hem miniskirt & leggings Ureshii were kind enough to send to me. The last piece I wanted to show off is the equally charming Ureshii Penny Candy dress. While Emily argues otherwise, I’ll state that having this dress made made me a pain in the butt– these ladies were amazing and delightful through it all.
Step 1: Measurements & Fit
I sent along my measurements to Ureshii, who did a really great job custom sizing the dress for me (and I’m super proud of myself for not botching them up!).
One concern I had with the Penny Candy dress was where the bubbled hem began– with it poofing out at the natural waist, I felt it would hide what shape I have. Of course, I’m awful at distinguishing between areas on my torso, and led Emily to worry about construction. She was amazing at coming up with solutions though, and drawing out sketches of them. Emily added a couple inches to the panel of the waist, making it more defined and the skirt flaring out at a more flattering point.
Step 2: Colorway
Originally I had wanted to go with my signature colors–black, white, and hot pink, making for a super versatile dress. The Ureshii ladies pointed out that they was worried it’d create too much contrast in the dress, and drew up sketches for me– including ones with various shades of grey instead of black. This led to me going back and forth for hours (maybe a couple of days), obsessing over what colors to get the dress made in.
When I came up with the Punch/Purple/Black combo, I received a quick emailed me saying we had landed the combo. I completely agreed, and looking at it in the sketch just seemed RIGHT.
(this is how I dance in the privacy of my home and the privacy of the internet, clearly)
Final Project? Delightful
I was a bit worried the dress would be a bit too twee on me– cute clothes bring out the cute in me, but in an odd way. I was delightfully surprised that wasn’t the case with the Penny Candy dress. I loved how it was sweet, but really sexy.
The waistband and bust are really fitted because of the double layer of fabric– you may want to ask for an extra inch to be put in if snugness bothers you. I will say that after a bit of wear, the fabric “warms up” and becomes much more comfortable to wear.
This dress is just SO fabulous– you can see how I wore it out for my birthday night dancing. I wanted to be pretty, vibrant, and playful that night! I also wore it to the opening of a play though, with solid black tights and heels for a slightly different and more mature variation.
I can say with confidence that Ureshii doesn’t fail to deliver. I’m waiting for a Ureshii Marilyn Dress to make its way to me (they have REALLY amazing sample sale prices, so check them out!), and I’m currently saving up the pennies I find on the street for the Ureshii Mischief Dress
by Ashe Mischief on August 24, 2010
Starting this month I’m getting the great opportunity to work with one of my favorite plus-size retailers– B&Lu, and they were awesome enough to send me a few of their new designs to try out.
When the Carmen skirt showed up the website, I was excited (not as excited as I’d have been if it had been a Carrie Bradshaw-esque tulle skirt, but none-the-less excited). It comes in two staple colors–black and ivory and is so perfect for layering–I’m fantasizing about the ways I can wear it with costumes! In hindsight, I’d have gotten a size up so I had more ease and flexibility to wear it waist or hips, though I can really do that now without problems. (Oh hai flash & polka dot panties! D: )
Outfits’ Details:
B&Lu Carmen Skirt
B&Lu Ruffle Top (last season)
Spun Diane Wrap Dress
Target Pure Energy top (2 sizes too big, but it was on sale & I can alter it…)
I was a bit skeptical about the Delia dress– I don’t wear a lot of prints on my clothes, and when I do, they tend to be stripes or polka dots (so much so that my friends and the Beau tease me about it!). The dress pleasantly surprised me; the pattern is really pretty and vibrant, the colors really cool and refreshing. The cut is really flattering on, and I love the way the fabric fits over my body. It curves over my bust and belly in a way that reminds me of slips, and that sexy way they outline a woman’s body (and always makes me feel like the heroine in a Tennessee Williams’ play).
I tried being a bit more adventurous in the 3rd pairing–both in mixing prints (with the dress and leggings) and the layering… I felt a little bit Audi-esque wearing the Carmen skirt underneath the dress, both to break up the patterns, to add some poof, and to soften it up (same with the heels). The cardigan is how I’d likely pair it for work, likely working a play that night….
I had two qualms with the dress– if you’re long in the torso, than the empire waist band can cut you across the bust (and I’m not super busty!). I found myself adjusting the back up to make sure it hit me across my underbust. I love the vibrant print and think it’s great for summer, but being a poly/spandex blend means that in New Orleans heat it’s not very breathable. If you’re a Southerner or live in a humid climate, it’s really best left for Spring and Autumn. Though the dress does transition in to Fall/Winter really well….
Outfit details:
B&Lu Delia Dress
B&Lu Carmen Skirt
Target Tights
John Fluevog Yunnan Heels (several seasons old)
Tarina Tarantino Heart Necklace via Ideeli
Kohl’s cardigan
If you haven’t popped over in awhile, B&Lu has their summer clothes up to 80% off – including the Calista tank I’ve been coveting for months!
Jim Nix/Nomadic Pursuits
