Do you Fancy? Terracotta Dreams

Equipment silk blouse $190

Stella McCartney straw hat $225

Kyler by Joy O hoop earrings $68

Proenza Schouler PS1 Bag $1,995

Topshop suede shorts $140

Rebecca Minkoff chain & leather bracelet $95

Coliac Martina Grasselli cuff $285

Alexander Wang Dakota booties $650

I've been mentioning shoes a lot lately; I can't help it, my feet need new vessels.

Naturally then, this week's Friday Fancy started with the shoes. I saw these booties a little while back over at Shevah's Style Diary and they immediately ingrained themselves in my mind. Everything about them makes me giddy but the color is especially inspiring. The shades of terracotta mixed with grounding neutrals make me want to head on a getaway to the dessert.

Palm Springs, anyone? I wish. Instead, I plan on spending the weekend scouting possible locations for my next move and heading out to explore some new neighborhoods with maybe a bit of thrifting peppered in. I think the outfit would translate well for that too, no?

Remember to stop by Long Distance Loving and check out more Friday Fancies. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Step into Spring

{marc by marc jacobs $265} {blowfish garren $50} {jeffrey campbell foxy espadrille $129}

{modern vintage wedge $250} {dknyc margaret $140} {miu miu wedge $365}

{fioni kiki cutout $27} {seychelles best of $90} {boutique 9 uziri $112}

{rebecca minkoff brooke $250} {seychelles semi precious $85} {deena & ozzy lace up $39}

This spring, I'm definitely in need of upgrading my shoe wardrobe. As I've browsed the web for affordable options, I couldn't help but fall for all wedge and platform options that are out there. From a flat with a mini-wedge to a 6 inch espadrille platform, I'm dying to add these 70's inspired sandals to my footwear rotation.

Any suggestions on where you guys find cute, comfy, and affordable footwear? Let me know & happy Wednesday!

Inspired by: (Gleek Alert) Rachel Berry

{uo blouse, h&m skirt, elliott lucca handbag, sunnies via flock shop la,

pearl necklace worn as bracelet, coach bangle watch, miu miu shoes }

Those of you who know me personally probably already know that I'm rather a huge Gleek. I grew up as a choir and theatre gal myself, so how could I not completely eat this show up? Catchy songs, an incredibly talented cast, and a well-written, witty script keeps me tuning in every Tuesday. A few weeks ago, I was thrilled to spot Rachel Berry sporting a skirt I myself had stored in my closet and I knew I had to give my Glee diva idol a shout out with this outfit.

I thought it would be fun to mix prints with this look and the print of lips on the blouse makes it a little more cheeky. Add in some classic accessories, like a patent bag and mary-jane peep-toes and all I'm missing is the lung capacity. Luckily, we have Lea Michelle for that.

I leave you with one of my favorite Rachel Berry quotes from the Comeback episode. Get excited Gleeks, regionals tonight and then a four week hiatus. :(

Weekend Wanderings: Lazy Leisure

{the view from the house}

I spent this past weekend on a rather relaxing retreat with a couple of furry friends. Nothing notable occurred and, to be honest, I spent most of it nestled comfortably on the couch watching a plethora of cooking shows, including top chef all stars and bobby flay's throwdown. Lucky for me, the home which I was house-sitting houses some very avid cooking enthusiasts as well as a huge bookshelf stocked with many cookbooks and so I got to play around in the kitchen as I pleased. All in all, it was a much needed relaxing break from reality. Here are a few photos I managed to capture despite my leisureliness.

{nugget #1: trapper}

{nugget #2: lucy}

{plenty of inspiration}

{i love a great spanish-style mosaic}

how was everyone else's weekend?

Do you Fancy? Spring Sophisticate

Vintage Umbrella $125 via Barneys New York

Matthew Williamson Dress $775 via Net-a-Porter

Oscar de la Renta Necklace $318 via Bergdorf Goodman

Oscar de la Renta Earrings $290 via Net-a-Porter

Shiseido Lipstick in Cerise $25 via Sephora

House of Harlow Stackable Rings $138 via The Trend Boutique

Mulberry Alexa bag via Net-a-Porter (N/A)

Yellow Patent Belt $32 via Topshop

Oasis Bangle Watch $54 via Asos

Manolo Blahnik Campy $645 via Barneys New York

Diane von Furstenberg Laptop Case $165 via my-wardrobe

Burberry Trench $1,095 via Net-a-Porter

Today we had a beautiful day reminiscent of summer so I feel like it's safe territory to start dreaming up spring outfits for today's friday fancy. I've always liked navy as a neutral and was immediately drawn to this dress for it not only had a navy base but also an awesome geometric pattern. The navy Manolo mary janes, with their classic cut and patent leather, seemed like the perfect spring base to a sophisticated look. Why do I feel like these shoes would go with everything in my closet?

I've taken a bit of personal time this week that's kept me from bringing you more blog posts, but I'm going to work harder to have more outfit shots to share.

Some more exciting doggy sitting this weekend for me, this time in Calabasas. I'm going to use the weekend as a bit of a retreat to focus and between a hike and some lounging, perhaps I'll find the time to organize myself with my taxes. Shall be nice. Hope everyone else has a lovely weekend. And hey, if you wanna peep in on my weekend and doggy adventures, follow me on twitter @ms_syllybee.

P.S. Don't forget to head over the long distance loving for more friday fancies.

What Women Wear & What Women Strive For

{thrifted silk tee, old navy cardigan, urban outfitters scarf (from years ago), h&m shorts,

hue tights, bp boots, f21 sunnies, coach bangle watch, vintage coach bag}

Hey, don't you love technology? It tells you all this stuff that you probably wouldn't know, like how yesterday I learned it was international women's day via Facebook. Well, first of all, I think everyday is international women's day so I don't really see the point, but sometimes to stop and think about how far women have come is important so I started researching. When the very first international women's day was held 100 years ago, "More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination." So here's a giant thank you and cheers to the many women who have and continue to fight and work toward conscious empowerment of women.

Subconsciously, this seemed to inspire the photos for yesterday's outfit as we stumbled upon these faux-rustic statues outside a restaurant near work. I have a fascination for ancient Roman and Greek artwork, mostly because of the real physical depictions of the women in them. They are not rail thin and idealized, they have realistic body types. Perhaps as media is changing and we drift into a more democratic sense of communication where everyone can be seen and heard via the internet, even in outlets such as blogs, we can begin to sway the media to portray women in a less idealistic manner and lean, rather, towards helping women accept the realistic sense of who they are beyond physical appearances. I know that personally, having to see myself and scrutinize my own photos that I post for you guys is not always a piece of cake and with my perfectionist persona can actually be a bit of a struggle. But there's something to be said about overcoming insecurities and putting yourself out there, for your own sake and that of the overall community.

This morning, I heard yet another fabulous and powerful woman speak about business at a special work function and it was truly inspirational. To hear a woman talk about her career journey from successes to failures so eloquently really put me in a positive mindset and gave me some positive affirmation about being able to achieve my own career and personal goals. I hope you all get to interact and listen to successful women on a regular basis, whether they be your own mother or the CEO of a large and established business, they all have amazing things to teach us. If you're craving for some more inspiration after reading this post, I highly suggest taking a listen to the commencement speech J.K. Rowling gave at Harvard for some wise words on what women are capable of achieving. Enjoy, go forth, and spread the girl power.

J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement from Harvard Magazine on Vimeo.

M.I.A. Switches up her 'Do

Spotted: M.I.A. rocking a platinum hair do and kelly green dress and looking flawless at the Versace show in Milan with Donatella.

Can I say I'm obsessed?! I absolutely love this look on her. She looks absolutely fantastic and though I've always loved her, she has officially been promoted to girl crush status in my book.

Way to be fierce, sexy lady.

Happy weekend!