Fashion

Transcript of me talking to a stranger in a Nordstrom Rack fitting room a few weeks ago:

Me: “Oh, my god. Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod. OH. MY. GAWD!”

Stranger in the stall next to me: *knocks politely on wall* “Miss? Are you doing OK?”

Me: “Yeah, I’m OK. I’m so sorry. I forget sometimes that I’m, ya know, out in public.”

Stranger in the stall next to me: “Erh… Alright.”

This exchanged happened as I was trying on the DKNY Fusion Perfect Bra, a lightly padded underwire t-shirt bra.

This exchange also happened shortly before I bought all of the available Fusion Perfect Bras in my size in the store (there were two!), and a few hours prior to me buying three more online at nordstromrack.com.

Seriously, SO GOOD.

My new favorite affordable everyday bra

The Fusion Perfect Bra is regularly $42, but it’s on sale now for $18.97 at “DA RACK,” as I like to call it, and while a few of the colors are sold out, there are still a good number of sizes and shades available. If you can snag your size in a color you like, all I have to say is…do your boobies a favor, and get them into this ultimate over-the-shoulder boulder holder.

Props to the marketing peeps who came up with the phrase, “perfect fusion,” because this bra is indeed a perfect blend of functionality, fit and feel.

It’s bra nirvana!

The material, a mix of nylon and elastane (a.k.a. Spandex), is softer than a baby’s cheek, a bunny tail AND your favorite cozy couch blanket, and it’s worked into two silky smooth cups and a velvety band that hug your torso with a gentle touch that’s so comfy I sometimes forget I’m wearing a bra.

It’s definitely NOT one of those itchy, ill-fitting bras that poke you and that you immediately ditch the second you get in your car (wait, am I the only person who’s done this?). I could keep this bra on all day (and possibly all night) if I needed or wanted to.

Oh, how do I love this bra?

Let me count the ways!

• So flexible: The smooth material allows the bra to sit perfectly under both flowing tops and fitted tees, and it somehow miraculously seems to never get too hot against my skin.
• No slip: The straps are slightly thicker than your typical bra straps (but they’re still slim enough to seem dainty), and they prevent the bra from sliding down my shoulders!
• Off the hook: The clasp in the back with the hook and eye is easy to fasten.
• Big ups to the cups: I like that the cups high up enough that there’s no boob spillage over the top of my bra, and no weird gaps. I also like that the padding is light enough to hide les nips, but yet it isn’t so stiff that I feel like I’m walking around town with pot holders strapped to the front of my chest.
• Delightful details: The sweet bow in the front and the little teardrop peek of skin underneath it lend a feminine, dainty touch. Oh, and I also dig the subtle DKNY branding on the side. There’s a small logo at the base of the band, and it’s barely visible.

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Don’t knock ’em ’till you try ’em, man! These flat platform sandals — otherwise known as “flatforms” — combine the comfort of a flat shoe with the height of a platform, so you get the extra lift without the achy arches and lower back pain from high heels.

Side note: I can’t believe I just wrote that because it was only a few years ago when I was living in high heels practically 24/7, but now I wear flats all teh time, and my bod feels better.

At first, I poo-pooed flatforms. I thought they looked like a Frankenstein-ian monster mashup of an espadrille and a wedge, but I kept seeing them on blogs and Instagram and thought, “Hey! Those are actually really cute.”

They’re the kind of shoe you almost have to see on someone else’s feet to appreciate them as fashionable footwear…instead of as a questionable science experiment.

And once you slip them on? Ahhhhh! All is right with the world…

I was this close to giving this pair of Bjorn flatforms (at the top) a happy home today. I slipped them on and proceeded to walk around the store for 10 minutes because I forgot I was wearing them! But that’s a good sign, right? When you forget to actually pay for a pair of shoes on your feet because they’re that comfortable? That’s usually a good sign…

In the end, though, I decided to wait because I’m picky about my straps, and this pair had one too many around the ankles. If I’m still pining for them on Friday, I might go back. We’ll see.

I also liked the look of the lighter brown MIA flatforms below, but the straps were a little too loose.

Cute though!

So many flatforms…

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The sun came out yesterday for the first day in a loooong time, and I was able to walk outside without a sweater, a sweatshirt, a coat and a raincoat. ‘TWAS GLORIOUS. I could actually put my arms down without feeling like Randy from A Christmas Story in his snowsuit.

Every person I ran into yesterday said something along the lines of, “The sun is out! Let us bow down and worship it!”

Yeah, I’m exaggerating, but we Californians are nuts. 😂

It wasn’t quite warm enough to wear sandals outside yet (unless you’re one of those dudes who wears Tevas in a snowstorm), but the Coywolf and I still stopped to smell the flowers and the new spring shoes as DSW.

I love tennies with cute animal prints, and there were plenty of puppy patterns for all the #crazydogladies.

Are dressy flip-flops a thing? Because they should be. These Kate Spade slippers fit the bill. I like them, but I can’t spend $70 an a pair of fancy flip-flops, ya know?

To clarify: I really want to…but I can’t. If they go on sale, though? That’s another story! 😀

I haven’t worn a proper high heel in three years, but I liked this navy and tan Clarks of England sandal and this Dr. Scholl’s sandal. The heels don’t seem obnoxiously high…

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