The Good Girl Gone Blog: Boston

Sexy Back, Pretty Bow

Jun 20, 2011

Last weekend, Flock hosted an AMAZING sidewalk sale that I just couldn't pass up. Though I'd been following them for a while on Twitter, Eric and I only recently stumbled into the store when looking at an apartment nearby. (FYI, no we are not moving in together, but more on my new apartment soon!)

As soon as we walked into the boutique, I was hooked. The salesgirls were all extremely friendly, and the clothing unique and fun. I love the girly meets bohemian vibe of the boutique. Plus, they have plenty of small sizes, which is a must when you're my size!

So back to my dress. I decided a few days before that I wanted to treat myself to something special. I wanted to find a piece of clothing I loved without looking at the price tag. I'm the kind of girl that immediately looks for the price before even trying something on. If it's out of my price range, what's the point in dissapointing myself?

Are you like me, always looking at the price before buying, and sometimes only choosing things because they're on sale?

Though it was hard for me to step out of my comfort zone, I'm glad I did it, because this dress is amazing. Plus, it happened to be on sale, although it was still out of my typical price range. (If you're interested, the brand is called Sunner.)

How beautiful is the back? You may not be able to tell, but it's completely open between the bow and the scrunched up skirt. It's the perfect blend of girly in the front and a wee bit sexy in the back. It totally made me think of Rebecca from The Clothes Horse and I want to wear it to the beach or on a picnic.

I'm still trying to figure out the best way to conceal a bra beneath it. Though the dress straps are thick enough, the opening in the back lays right where a bra band would fall. Any suggestions besides going au natural? Oh, and those stick on bra things scare me. I was thinking of sewing some loops into the inside of the dress that I could feed the back band through, but I'm not sure if that will work.

Outfit details: Dress- Flock; Necklace- Loft; Shoes- swapped.

Photo Diary: Brunch at 94 Mass Ave

Apr 26, 2011

A few weeks ago, my friend Sean tweeted about a brunch event he'd won on Twitter from 94 Mass Ave, a new hot spot in Back Bay. Because I love brunch...and Sean, I knew I wanted to be there. Sean and I first met at a tweetup hosted by Style Boston and became fast friends. He dresses extremely well, likes good food and is super friendly. Plus, he has a really funny tumblr that features some pretty epic fashion faux pas shots from around the city. What's not to like?

How cute is Sean? I love that he and Eric shop at many of the same stores. It was one of the first things we talked about when we met!

Brunch was super fun. I got to hang out with Shanna and met a new Boston blogger friend, Jess. Drinks were endless and the miniature brunch offerings were adorable.

A special thanks to 94 Mass Ave and Sean for hosting the event. Eric and I will definitely be back soon!

Rogue Knitters!

Apr 5, 2011

One of my favorite stretches of the South End/Back Bay is on West Newton St. right before you hit the Pru. You see, this part of West Newton not only contains beautiful brick row houses, it also boasts a large park, popular with runners and joggers. Though I've never actually walked through the park, it's the entrance that most intrigues me. Even in the dead of winter when it was cold, dreary and miserable, I was drawn to the park because of the rogue knitting pieces that mark its entrance.

Back in the winter, before these flowery pieces had the chance to spring, the rings were covered in christmasy white, green and red.

Every time Eric and I walked by, we hoped that they'd be changed for spring, but even after Christmas passed, they remained the same, a sign that spring was never coming. Finally, a few weeks ago, Eric stumbled across some photos online depicting some new knit-work and we knew we had to check it out...with the camera.

I have to say, I was EXTREMELY impressed by the creativity of these pieces. I'm assuming they were done by the South End Knitters, but the pieces were unmarked. According to Boston.com, "yarn bombing" is actually illegal, and considered defacement of property and littering. If caught, the knitters could see the same fate as Shepard Fairey, another famous Boston "grafitti" artist. I hope for their sake, and for the sake of other Boston art lovers, that this doesn't happen.

I can't wait to see the next installment of rogue knitting! Do you see this type of art in your city?

Infinity Scarf and Bay Village Exploration

Mar 28, 2011

Saturday was for exploring. Though it was still ridiculously cold outside, Eric and I decided we wanted to go for a walk . With no real agenda other than going to the hardware store, Eric and I made our way from the South End (pictured) to a neighborhood called Bay Village. I pass it everyday on the way to work, but had yet to actually walk through it.

For the past few months, I've fantasized about living in Bay Village due to its prime location and its interesting history. Bay Village, built on a landfill in the 1800s, was originally home to the artisans who built Beacon Hill. As a result, the architecture is similar, but on a smaller scale. Bay Village was later home to many a speak easy, and even housed some of the major players in film. Since then, laws have been passed that forbid alterations of the outward appearance of buildings without a permission from the Historic District Commission. Interesting stuff, no?

I have to say, after building up the neighborhood in my head, I was a little disappointed. In addition to seeing a dead mouse stuck in a grate above a set of stairs, the buildings were so close together and seemed poorly maintained. Perhaps we'll have to visit the area again once it warms up a bit- most places look better when you're not freezing your butt off!

On our way out of the neighborhood, we stumbled across Jacques, which looks to be a drag bar/cabaret. We had no idea it even existed, and it seemed out of place in a small, tucked away neighborhood. Oh, they have karaoke.

This photo was taken at the edge of Bay Village, and something about the way my hair is blowing in the wind reminded me a lot of Kendi.

Outfit Details: Skirt and Sweater Loehmann's (Romeo and Juliette Couture and unknown); Shoes- Madden Girl; Scarf- gift from Eric's mom; Tank- Primark; Tights- mom hand-me-downs.

PS- excuse the green bra that kept peeking its way out. Fun fact, I rarely wear the appropriate color undergarments. Oops.

Justin Bieber and I are proud to announce...

Dec 7, 2010

...that we're in love! Just kidding. Eric took this picture the other day at iParty, where we were picking up supplies for our upcoming holiday party. I'm getting really excited- we've purchased a lot of great stuff, including lights, candles, a big punch bowl and drink supplies. We're making champagne punch and jello shots in addition to having lots of beer and yummy finger food.

Did I mention that Eric will be projecting "snow" off of his ipad and onto the wall? Talk about authentic holiday cheer. We also bought a neon green tablecloth to put on the wall for green-screen photos. I'm not sure what types of backgrounds I want to make, but I'm thinking at least one of them should feature Justin Bieber.

If you're in Boston this Friday and want to come, let me know- it's going to be a blast!

How blogging broke me out of my shell

Nov 3, 2010

I've always said that one of the best parts of blogging is the friendships you make, both online and offline. Take Amy, for instance.

I met Amy almost a year ago when she hosted the Boston Fashion Blogger Mixer. I remember being slightly terrified to interact with so many fashionable ladies, but I attended the event regardless. I spent FOREVER just trying to get dressed. Oh how things change! Now I'm constantly tweeting with Boston blogger friends, making future plans to actually hang out with them and randomly hiding from the rain in the Haberdash at SOWA!

Like I said in a recent job interview, blogging has really broken me out of my shell and made me more comfortable interacting with people I'd otherwise be scared to approach both online and in person.

I think it's pretty fabulous.

Also, I might be starting to not hate small dogs. How can you resist when they're so stylish?

Penny is so sweet. She was so cold, Amy had to buy her a sweater and she was still shivering! Can you tell she's dressed as a bee?

Editor's note: I'm still never getting a little dog. Ever.

Free shoes!

Oct 21, 2010

via shop.yosisamra.com

Just received a pair of these babies in the mail. I won them in a contest on Holidash, and who am I to turn down free shoes? Yup, that's right- I'm going through a winning streak right now. Cross your fingers that it continues through the rest of the week, and that these flats can survive the streets of Boston better than my Revas.

If you don't hear from me for a few days, it's because I have a busy week ahead. I'll be off somewhere holding hands with my boy, catching up with friends, navigating the commuter rail, hoarding doughnuts from Flour and sampling too many varieties of wine at Wine Riot.

Work it, girls!

Oct 7, 2010

Remember how I told you I walked in a runway show with a bunch of other fashion bloggers? Here are some of my favorite shots, taken by Eric of course. Unfortunately, he couldn't catch me in a great photo- maybe I walked too fast or did too much twirling...I was a little nervous!

What's really awesome is that many of the pieces worn in the show were found at the swap. Sure, it was hard to find an entire outfit, but some of us managed to do it! I'd call that a great success.

How cute is Lei Ann in her little pink cape-let? We found out that she's just a tad shorter than me, but in those heels, I've definitely got competition! Whoever said runway models need to be 5'9" clearly had not me Lei Ann- she totally worked the runway!

Kinsey Michaels- fashion blogger, girl about town, absolute sweetheart. It was so great getting to see her again. I'm pretty sure I let out a high pitched shriek when I first saw her. Plus, she can pull off a romper, something I've been too chicken to try.

I love this girl's skirt. Seriously. I really, really want to find a red vintage leather skirt. I'll have to scour @eBayFashion!
And speaking of red skirts....this one is fantastic paired with a leopard top and cute heels. Red and leopard are a great combination, right BBR girls?

Miss Neira always looks gorgeous and this cropped fur coat only made her look more glamorous than usual!
And finally, here's a photo of me (stolen from The Swapaholics flickr pool...too much twirling for Eric, remember). The outfit should look familiar, but I had a last minute shoe change. Figures. I'm kind of a shoe collector.

Which look is your favorite?

Swap til you drop!

Oct 5, 2010

It's always great finding a community of talented, fun and sweet people that you feel you can be a part of. Although I was pretty intimidated at first by the Boston Fashion Blogger scene, I've come to think of many of these ladies as my friends.

Amy and Melissa aka "The Swapaholics" (pictured above) threw an AMAZING fashion week soiree complete with wine, clothing and even a runway show. They've been so encouraging and lovely, urging me to attend the event and even walk the runway, I just couldn't say no!

Eric and I ended up missing the special Blogger pre-swap event, but when we arrived, we went straight to the good stuff. I knew I'd be too small to fit into most of the clothing, so I headed right to the good stuff: shoes!

Because we were late, I didn't have time to drop off my swap pieces pre-event, so I just dumped them on one of the tables. It was so funny seeing other people grab my stuff!

The event was definitely a mix of highly fashionable ladies looking for designer pieces and more, let's say...bargain hunters, who filled up multiple bags with everything they could grab.

I found a gorgeous black and white strapless dress that I eventually wore down the runway. I wanted to change into the dress ASAP but couldn't find a private place to do it. So, I employed the techniques that most girls learn at summer camp: changing in front of people without letting them see the goods. Eric didn't think I could do it and he was only partially right.

At one point he said: "you need to go find a girl to help, I don't know what to do!"

The very sweet Najeema ended up guarding the door to a janitor's closet while I changed and then zipping up the dress. I guess the broken zipper was just too much for Eric.

I think the dress needs to be hemmed and the zipper definitely needs to be fixed, but other than that, it was an amazing find. (Also note the adorable Michael Kors heels!)
It was really fun to show off the pieces I found with friends. I was definitely a little jealous of Lindsay's Marc Jacob's jacket!
In addition to three pairs of shoes (the gold ones were actually Lindsay's!), I also took home the black and white cocktail dress, a sheer pink and white swirled top and a pale blue Loft cardigan!

Have you ever been to a clothing swap before? Would you ever attend one?

Swapaholics Fashion Week Sip and Swap!

Sep 30, 2010

I'll be there, will you? More info here.