Merry Christmas Eve

[Sweater: thrifted; Black shirt: Old Navy; Jeans: Forever 21; Shoes: Cole Haan; Ring: Aloha Sunday]

I wore this outfit  a couple weeks ago for the first-ever Christmas party my husband and I hosted at our home (the shoes were one of my very thoughtful Black Friday purchases). So I thought I'd reprise it on the blog tonight to say Merry Christmas Eve! Oh, and to announce the winners of the Joyo giveaway: congratulations Lauren & Alexandra!!

All photos by Mikhail Glabets

The Perfect Winter Dress

Last month I was invited to a wedding last minute (perks of being the photographer's wife), and realized all my fun dresses were far more summer appropriate. I pulled a look together with a knit little black dress and some statement jewelry, but have since been daydreaming about owning a perfect go-to winter cocktail dress. Around the same time, I stumbled my way into Barney's (dream on, right?) when I had some time to kill before meeting with friends, and came across this perfect number by Rag & Bone.

I love the black and white combo, the flattering vertical color block pattern and the fun gold piping. All that in the ultra flattering shift shape? Can I please own you NOW?!. The $450 price tag, is well, shall we say unrealitsic, but I'm determined to own something similar in my price range. I took to the usual sources, and here is what I came up with.

This first row is actually a bit liberal in its interpretation: a similar shape in the center, but different colors, longer silhouettes, and other tweaks make this row more of a nod to the original dress.

1/2/3

One of the things I love the most about the Rag & Bone dress is the flattering vertically oriented pattern, so these dresses below struck me for the same reason. Some include the mirrored print look that has been cropping up in the last year, but I think the overall shape and layout is a nice nod to the original. And I love the shoulder detail on the far right dress. 

1/2/3

For this last set, I went as close to the original as I could. The gold buttons on the far left dress remind me of the piping on the original, and I love the curvier shape of the middle dress! I thought the beige was a nice twist in the third one. 

1/2/3

What do you think? Close enough? What's your ideal winter dressy dress? 

By the way Rag & Bone, you could make this easier on all of us and just send me the original? OK thanks.