Whimsical Wedding Shoes

How dreamy are these Charlotte Olympia shoes? They're simple, gold and have oysters for heels—everything I've ever wanted in a wedding shoe! ;) If my wedding wasn't already over-budget (does that happen to everyone who plans a wedding?) these would be at the tippy-top of my list.

p.s. my friend Kim's beautiful floral-print wedding dress
p.p.s. the best surprise kiss from a bride (and not for her groom!)

Wedding Dress Shopping

I've never really pictured myself wedding dress shopping. In fact, for the longest time, I thought I'd wear this white dress I had made in Cambodia. But when I decided I wanted to wear something a bit more formal, I thought it'd be fun to go and try some on. The morning of the appointment, my bridesmaids surprised me with a champagne and donut breakfast (so sweet)!

I tried on a bunch of dresses (11 in total) in very different styles. And while I didn't find the dress, it was a fun experience and helped me figure out what I did and didn't like. Here are six of the ones I tried on (and the names I've just now bestowed upon them).

Bra Shopping + Bra Reviews

My bras lately feel ill-fitting and, with no lace or color, a bit boring, too. So I was excited when my friend Olivia set up a bra-shopping excursion over the weekend. Neither of us had ever had a proper bra fitting before but had heard from Oprah and a million magazines that women often wear the wrong size. Still though, Olivia and I were both convinced we knew exactly how much we had to work with (read: the smallest amount possible).

The Nordstrom sales lady was super sweet. She ushered us into the fitting room, asking, "Do you want to be together or separate?" Wanting to go with the flow, we both said, "Oh, it doesn't matter...," but when she put us in the same room and asked us to take our shirts and bras off, we both looked at each other and started giggling. At one point, the sales lady left the room, leaving me with my bra hanging unclasped in front of me. I tried to play it cool, chatting with Olivia about this and that, while trying to hold my breasts in front of me all casual-like instead of the nervous-sweaty I really was. I would do so horribly at a nude beach, haha!

It turned out that Olivia and I were both wearing too-small bras which took us completely by surprise—and in turn took the sales lady another ten minutes to convince us. I've worn a 32A my entire life but learned I'm actually a 32B!

We finally got comfortable and settled into our nakedness after trying on about half a dozen bras. In fact, our friend Ali asked if she could come in, and we were like, "Hey, why not?!" (Exposure therapy really does work!)

I'd heard good things about the Natori Feathers bra (pictured above) for small-chested ladies, and it was my favorite of all the bras I tried on. It's functional (lightly padded, so comfortable and with smooth cups underneath shirts) but pretty, too. You can also find them at a discount in some colors on Amazon.

Honorable mention goes to the:

* Calvin Klein Seductive Comfort - Customized Lift bra: Comfortable push-up bra for cleavage with an extra oomph
* On Gossamer Bump It Up bra: Everyday bra with light padding and a pretty twist detail

Have you ever had a bra fitting? If so, were there any surprises? What are your favorite bras lately?  

Do or Don't: Midi Ring

For a long time, midi rings (worn above the first knuckle) felt too trendy, but lately their daintiness has won me over. I picked up a simple rose gold band and love that it adds just a little something extra. This one's sold out at Nordstrom, but here are a few other pretty options: set of 4 bands and V midi ring.

What do you think? Are you a fan?

Old Love

Have you seen Unfinished Song? It's a movie about a grumpy old man who loses the love of his life and ends up begrudgingly joining her choir group. One day, he visits her grave and tells her, "Potatoes. Two pints of milk. Teabags. Chicken. Sage and onions. Bottle of bleach. That's the shopping. That's what I'm doing today." How sweet that it's the little everyday moments he misses sharing with her most. Old love breaks my heart. (It's streaming on Netflix if you're in the mood for a slightly sappy tearjerker!)