Plaid, Studs, and Polka Dots for the Dramatic Part of My Day

Since Chris has been working til 5 three days a week, it is easy to predict when he his commute will bring him home to Bloomfield.  Lately I try to time a walk with Speck to coincide with greeting him at the bus stop (though often, he arrives early and waits for us on a bench). Speck LOVES this ritual and gets very excited when the time of day and lack of one pack member dawn on her. She starts galloping forward, goading me to move faster with her enthusiasm.

L.A. Made plaid dress from Anthropologie (Similar here, here, and here; Similar plus here and here)
Hue Tights
Guiseppe Zanotti captoe studded flats (similar here, here, and here)
Kate Spade Larabee Dot bag
Forever 21 Studded Belt (similar here and here; similar plus here)

 (Speck in the background, anticipating walk time)

Once we approach the corner and she spots him, her gallop turns into a RUN and her tail wags furiously. It is pretty adorable. And it results in both of us running toward Chris which probably looks pretty silly. It is a small moment in our day-to-day but I can't help but consider it to feel very romantic. The buildup and the increase of the pace make it difficult to not relish in its rather cinematic composition. Although I am not necessarily averse to public affection, it is rare to find an occasion that necessitates running toward my loved ones, and planting big hello kisses on them. Somehow in the process of this practice, I can't help myself.

I do worry that when Chris is in South America for his field research not long from now, every  time I walk Speck, she will believe we are off to retrieve Chris. He said she would occasionally search longingly for me when they'd walk while I was researching in DC last year.

Feeling Lucky, Punk!: Trendspotting Studded Accessories

Over the last year or so, the movers and shakers in fashion colluded to resurrect, yet again, aesthetic elements from the punk music subculture. The iconic signifier of choice this time around was the metal, raised stud juxtaposed with leather. While this trend has been around for decades, designers and mass retailers are adding key components that embody sophistication and luxury.

My favorite of the more contemporary punk inspired offerings was the Marc Jacobs winter resort collection from 2007 (I think), which featured the "Sweet Punk" bags. Each bag was named after an icon of 80s punk (Sid, Debbie, Siouxie, etc.).

These bags were pretty rare and had an obscene retail price point so I've never laid my hands on one. But I continue to covet them! This particular photo makes the leather look pretty bad. I've seen nicer, non stock photos on The Purse Forum.

Because I haven't won the lottery and still don't have a time machine, I have settled for other items that pay homage to the subculture of my youth.

I was fortunate to know someone who attended the recent Linea Pelle sample sale in LA. My friend, Sandy (aka Lilykind from Fashionism.org), went with the intent to help out all her far away pals in need of a sophisticated stud fix. And she didn't disappoint! Here is the haul purchased on our behalves:

I bought the black double buckle pyramid stud belt and a double wrap cuff in crimson.

They've already become staple accent accessories in my wardrobe! Thank you so much to Lilykind!

I immediately wanted this Burberry studded watch but knew that the obscene price point would make it an impossibility.

Thankfully, Betsey Johnson must have had the studded watch idea a few seasons ago because I found this style on deep discount at the Nordstrom Rack in Shady Grove, MD.

The yellow gold tone sets it apart from the masculine leather cuffs and studded accoutrement I wore as a teenager. I discovered she also made them in a pewter black and possibly silver. The price point was about 5% of the retail on the Burberry.