Friday Night at The Mall

I mentioned in my last post that my company declared "summer hours" during which we can leave at 3 o'clock on Fridays. So far summer hours have been doing a number on my discretionary fund. Last week it was Dillard's, Victoria's Secret and Sephora, this week Macy's and Gap. I left The Mall with a shopping bag full of purchases about which I am quite jazzed--three dresses, a pair of shoes and a white shirt.

I spent some time in that Macy's dress department and it was not much fun. All the things I liked on the hangars looked dumb on, the dressing rooms were like 95 degrees, everything seemed to zip up the side which was hard to do, and each time I was trying things on there was an annoying women having a loud cell phone conversation in the room right next to me.

I gave up and headed to INC where I found this dress that I love love love. It was in the petite section which is always a plus, and it's a cotton shirt dress with a full 1950's-ish skirt. I got the brown and white pictured below in a petite size as well as a black and white floral print in a regular size, which also fits me nicely but is just a tad longer. I wish I could have shown a bigger picture, but the Macy's site is being weird (which you may find if you click on the link to this dress.) The picture below does not do this dress justice--it's so way better in person when you can see just how cute the print is.


I also got these Reaction by Kenneth Cole wedges only not in black as pictured here. They were also offered in pewter and I've got a weakness of a metallic shoe. They're a nice squishy comfy wedge and I really like the wood heel and the t-stap.

Finally I fell into the Gap and bought two white items--it's practically summer, you know--time to lighten up. I got a rather granola dress that's two layers of very light cotton with some embroidery. It's not normally something that I'd gravitate towards (it's a little Rachel Zoe), but it's really a good summer piece, it was flattering and comfortable, and it was on sale for $34. (I couldn't find it online.)

I'd already checked out when I noticed a display of white shirts. Remember the hip-designers -do-the-Gap white shirts? Let's just say they did not go like hotcakes at The Mall. Not quite right for the suburban Midwestern mall shopper, I suppose. They were all on sale for $16.99 (and are currently $44.99 online). I headed back to the counter and bought this one by Phillip Lim, which was my favorite of all of the white shirts they offered. It will do well for me in my chilly office through the summer months.