Party in Pink

WHBM skirt 00p (similar in burgundy in petites, similar in red/black), J.Crew tee xxs, 

long rope pearls + Ann Taylor crystal necklace, M.Gemi heels sz 35.5 (similar)

Happy 2016! Wishing each of you a joyful, fulfilling, and�of course�stylish new year! Fashion-wise, one of my resolutions is to take better & proper care of my clothing, shoes, and bags. I've been researching and experimenting with products for the past few months, and am eager to continue and eventually share my learnings!

This was one of my last outfits in California before returning to the cold reality of winter in Boston. The skirt was on clearance at White House Black Market, which continues to impress me with the quality on certain items. My friend who does quite a bit of sewing scrutinized this piece, and was surprised by the use of horsehair braid along the hem (for fullness), in addition to the heavier material, full lining, plus side pockets at this price point. I paired it simply with one of my go-to turtlenecks, which have gotten more wears this season than I can count.

Dress the Population Zoe dress xs (neckline closed up 1"), Steve Madden heels 5.5

We rung in the new year helping good friends host a party, with the same group at the same place for 3 years in a row now! I figured why not live it up a little and ended up going with the makeup look & dress from this post. The original neckline was quite low so I put on the dress, threaded a needle, and stitched together the V until Nick's bulging eyes receded back a bit. Here's some pics I dug out from NYE of 2014, 2015, and now 2016...must remember to continue this photo op in the years to come!

After wearing this dress for a solid 8+ hours, I can confirm it has continuously good hold at the tummy area...I was gorging on snacks all night but the very stretchy, thicker material kept my food baby in check. It's still fully avail. in my "antique gold" color and just got restocked in the blush pink/gold "opalescent," which was my first choice but had been sold out for ages (would be gorge for a bachelorette or girls night)! For fellow shorties, the neckline will hit lower than on the model, but is very easy to safety pin or hand-stitch up.

While on Nordies' site, I noticed their big half-yearly sale is currently going on until Jan 3rd. You can shop the sale here and filter by size & price after selecting a category. Here's a few picks I came across, still available in small or petite sizes:
- Ellen Tracy belted down coat w/ faux fur trim, very reminiscent of my J.Crew one but comes in a pretty olive in addition to black. Nearly 50% off and starts in size Petite P.
- Skinny cargo-style pants - under $30, starting in size 00. 27" inseam may fit like regular ankle jeans on petite ladies.
- Lucy Paris lace dress in navy, now 40% off. Runs small and narrow (see my review)
- Infinity scarves in 2 cute plaids for 50% off - now under $12
- TOMS classic slip-ons in a tweedy gray, starting in sz 5 for 30% off. I find their slip-ons to be very comfy for running errands with no breaking-in needed.

I saw a pretty necklace recently with layered pearls and crystals, and figured it was easy enough to recreate. I found a thin rope pearl necklace and wrapped it around three times so that it sat shorter than my Ann Taylor crystal piece. Speaking of AT, my white twill trench is now online in a versatile navy blue! See my original review here and it styled again here - the quality is really lovely, and I imagine the darker color is much lower maintenance for those scared of white. I kept seeing the navy as a tease in the stock photo, but it never appeared to be available for sale until now (and is 40% off).

PS - the 3 Nordstrom gift card winners have been drawn & announced! Congrats!

Wishing for a White Christmas

WHBM soft drape wide-leg pants (3 colors) 00p + sweater xxsp c/o 

Smashbox "Cognac" lip, Prada Saffiano Cuir tote, Kate Spade heels (old)

As much as I hate the slush and salt (and shoveling!) that is the aftermath of snow, the first snowfall each season is always magical to me. I'm secretly hoping for some before Christmas, meanwhile this soft winter white pairing has me in similar spirits for now. I don't wear trousers too frequently, but am in love with the fluid drape and flattering cut of these from White House Black Market (the same style also comes in classic black or navy). Petite sizing of the cream is nearly sold out but still available in lower-maintenance darker colors. I often hear petite ladies should avoid wide-leg pants, however have to disagree. Two easy tips to help pull them off despite having shorter legs are: 1) look for styles with a higher waistline, and 2) get your pants hemmed if needed to hit just above the ground with heels on.

I've also worn these recently with a tartan shirt + navy blazer as shown below - I tucked the shirt in and chose a more cropped length blazer in order to keep the leg line long.

WHBM pants, H&M blazer, J.Crew shirt, Ann Taylor tote, Kate Spade heels

Several of you asked on this photo how to keep white pants clean...I wish there was a secret, but you just have to be more careful and wash quickly when spills/stains happen. I typically get mine hemmed about an inch off the ground (these in petites have a 29.5" inseam so didn't need any shortening!) so they don't drag on the dirty ground, and I usually only wear long trousers when I know I'll be taking a car or Uber rather than commute by foot. I also find it helps to hand-wash the hems of my pants in the sink between full launderings.

This sweater is called the convertible cowl, as you can either fold it down to wear it off both shoulders, asymmetrically just off one shoulder, or, for more conservative occasions you can keep the material up and draped in a cowl neckline:

Sizing-wise, I'm wearing both pieces here in my usual xxs/00p with no alterations. The pants are really nice quality for under $100, with a full lining with functional pockets. The slightly stretchy material feels fluid and comfy against the skin, and is even machine washable. Also, the 2-ring removable fabric belt is helpful for cinching the waist a little tighter if necessary. Here's a few other pieces that caught my eye at WHBM:

- cropped blazer (in petite & regular) - 75% off with great reviews (reviews are all under the "regular" sizing product page)! Shorter length jackets are good for creating a layered look over longer tops, or to pair with higher-waisted bottoms like I did with my navy blazer up above.

- longline blazer (2 colors; in petite & regular) - a feminine, tailored jacket still left in all petite sizes. Longer blazers are beautiful paired over slim ankle pants.

Thank you WHBM for partnering on this post! 

Instagram lately: outfit ideas & favorite eats

ASOS scarf (see all pattern options), Rag & Bone jeans sz 24, J.Crew tee (25% off)

I lived in these oversized scarves last fall/winter so am glad to see many options this year. This big check pattern has most of my favorite neutral colors -taupe, ivory, light and dark grey- in one. I also have this tartan plaid one posted previously on Instagram. If you feel at a loss due to the size, definitely check out my video on how to style blanket scarves (I also kept these at work and just draped over my shoulders when cold). This J.Crew heathered tee is a great basic - mine is years old in XS regular, which is long on me in the torso and sleeves, but I just noticed they now make it in petite sizing!

J.Crew vest (25% off), Vince Camuto booties, Articles of Society "Sarah" jeans

BR shirt (old, similar gingham - extra 35% off + free ship), Ann Taylor tote

This is the year I finally cave to New England favorites like the down vest and weather boots, and I'm not sure what took so long! I was very happy with this vest, and as some of you may have seen on Snapchat (@extrapetite) - envious Nick stole it right away to try on and consequently got stuck. This vest and grey tee above are still on sale through tonight w/code TIMETOSHOP in a multitude of colors. If you're looking for max versatility, navy should be a safe bet. I got xxs petite and it comes in one size smaller for smaller-framed ladies.

I'm trying on the VC Franell booties in both photos above and found them to fit and feel very similar to their Hillsy booties which I already have. Both feel very cushy and comfortable on the foot, but I can't speak to walking longer distances as I haven't worn mine outside yet. If you're in between sizes, I'd suggest going up.

Ann Taylor top, Banana Republic pants, Zara heels, Baublebar necklace c/o (25% off)

As previously mentioned, this AT top was a little too long for me in the sleeves. I wanted to share a very simple DIY alteration I performed on it that only requires a needle and thread. For tops in a drapey material where the shoulders feel a little too wide and/or the sleeves are a bit too long, I love this shirring the shoulders tip. By shirring together the width of the shoulders, the sleeve length gets raised as well.

I picked out this dress (c/o) for a campaign with WHBM and thought it was super flattering. It is a fully-lined knit material with invisible back zip, faux leather trim on the sleeves, and a fun chevron "V" back. For ladies who want some variety outside of the usual work brands AT/LOFT/BR, WHBM comes out with a few pieces each season that really catch my eye. Unfortunately they don't have sales often and petite sizing is online only, however I did see that full-priced petite items online get everyday free shipping & returns.
And it's not an Instagram roundup without some food snaps...one of the things we'll definitely miss come Fall is the abundance of fresh corn. We've been making an easy version of elotes, or Mexican-style corn, in the oven instead of grill. Simply bake unhusked corn at 350 for about 30 min or until done, then shuck and brush/spread with light mayo (to get toppings to stick). Top liberally with paprika or chili powder, grated cheese, chopped herbs, and lime juice. So good!

We love making day trips up north, but fellow Bostonians may agree that Route 1 is one of the more bleak drives, especially when hungry. Amidst the shell of restaurants that have seen their heyday we found Pho Paris - it's not a contender for my favorite in Boston (Pho Viets) but is enough to make future drives a little brighter!

Last but not least, I found my husband mouth agape staring at these treats inside a local Asian grocery (Super 88), and was like a child on the verge of a tantrum unless we brought them home. We were first introduced to Mikawaya by way of the frozen mochi ice cream at Trader Joe's, then became further addicted via their store in little Tokyo, LA. I still prefer their mochi, but for fellow lovers of green tea or red bean ice cream - these didn't disappoint!

All photos from Instagram (@extrapetite) - find me on there for daily updates!