22 October 2007

For every two that get away...


Before I show you pictures of two of the three items I picked up last Friday - the third set, of my high-waisted gunmetal A-line skirt with deep center-pleat, unfortunately, was too blurry to share - let me first say that even though this new Zara in Penn Quarter has a more pleasing-to-the-eye layout and is a heck of a lot more convenient to scoot to (think 15 minute walk versus 40 minute walk) than the Georgetown location, after one visit with mixed results on both inventory and atmosphere, I'm firmly committed to a Georgetown first, Penn Quarter second shopping strategy.

I never thought I'd miss the flocks of oversized sunglass wearing, leggings-and-flats rocking, Longchamp totes toting campus girls that often stand between that last size-S swing jacket and me, but frankly, I'd rather be around them than a busload of high-schoolers who have time to burn after their tour of the International Spy Museum and before dinner at Fuddruckers.

There's just something about braces and hooded sweatshirts that I don't really want around my shopping experience, you know?

And on that nose-in-the-air note...


Treasure #1:
olive trench with A-line skirt and fold-up/down exaggerated collar ($99)
"I hadn't planned on a trench purchase, but this one...my goodness, how perfectly would it complement all the neutrals in my closet, not to mention that wishlist waspie I keep expecting my anonymous sugar daddy to send me in the mail?"
"That's right, saleslady, I'm taking pictures. Of myself. In the mirror. In front of everyone. It's called vanity. And hey, don't think I didn't see that eyebrow raise when I told you I needed the XS -- see, I did need it."

Treasure #2:
cowl-necked, tiered cap-sleeved holly red satin sheath ($149)
"True, satin is a bitch to keep wrinkle-free and I do already have a red party dress with an of-interest neckline, but I'm pretty sure the extra six inches on this one will afford me the ability to sit, walk without fear of a boyshort-peek and if I get nibbly, bend over to pick up a cheese-cube off the crudite tray. I'll save the other one for drinks with the engaged ex and this one for the work party. Perfect. Just like my LC pose."
"Now I ask you, would a Thai rent-boy be able to pull off red satin this fant-ass-tically? He would? Even better? You've seen it? Sh*t."
"Ze neckline! Ooooh ze neckline! Me love! Me must get!"

As a totally unrelated aside, can I please ask where the smack the new Rilo Kiley album was when I desperately needed it a year six months two Fridays ago? The surprisingly sweet upbeat-edness of the first and fourth tracks - "Silver Lining" and "Breaking Up" - is just the kind of go-ahead-and-be-sad-but-not-too-sad lyrical diversion I should have been using to dress my wounded heart instead of pummeling it with constant replays of "Back to Black," "Reason Why" and the song that closed last night's episode of Tell me you love me.

But enough about that -- please to enjoy Rilo Kiley's "Silver Lining":


(top photo courtesy of PQgirl)

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

The red dress looks fabu on you!

Anonymous said...

OMG, that trench fits you perfectly! Did it come in any other colors? I've been dying for a black one.

Anonymous said...

Ew, high schoolers. Love both buys. And the haircut.

Anonymous said...

lol..i saw that red dress in zara last weekend...and thought of you!!
xoxo

Catherine said...

What time did you go? I stopped in around 4.45ish last thrusday, and there were only a few people there.

Alexandra said...

The trench is fantastic and it fits you sooo well!

I also love the haircut. I'm growing my hair out right now and it's in that awkward, terrible-looking phase...so, you understand :)

Anonymous said...

Johanna that trench is you dear and you look stunning in that red dress. Both just fit you perfectly...

Anonymous said...

Looooooove the trench. I knew I would.

Also, Rilo Kiley is fantastic. When they come back, let's go see them. Their shows the other week were wonderful.

Anonymous said...

The red dress looks great. I'm so excited about the new Zara. Is the selection as rundown as the Georgetown Zara?

La Belette Rouge said...

The red dress is great on you. As is the haircut. Wish you had the picture of the skirt---it sounds beautiful.

Anonymous said...

red satin is difficult to pull off (and difficult to find for $149) but you definitely do here. lovely!

I wish Zara had online ordering, because I really need a new trench...

Anonymous said...

I don't have HBO, what was the song?? Bought the RK album the day it dropped. Love them! And your finds :-)

Johanna said...

A hint:

"Somehow everything I own smells of you...and for the tiniest moment it's all not true...do the things that you always wanted to...without me there to hold you back...don't think just do..."

Anonymous said...

ah-hah! such a sad, sad song...

Anonymous said...

"Ze neckline" is right! What a great dress!

gearin' up for this weekend???

Anonymous said...

I bought that same trench in the light khaki! What a steal, right? To answer dc girl's question (not to steal your role, Jo...), no, the trench did not come in black, only light khaki, dark khaki, chocolate brown and olive green. The olive went quickly - when I was there on Saturday morning, there was only one size L left.

Anonymous said...

I had the same funny moment as suicide_blond. Saw this dress in there on Wednesday, thought it was totally "you" and then here you are raving about it! And I want to reiterate how unfortunate it is that ivory blouse didn't fit. You would have looked really pretty in the S.

Anonymous said...

Aww, I'd been meaning to go to Zara because I thought they had affordable clothes, but I guess I heard wrong. :(

Anonymous said...

Are you people serious when you say her haircut looks GOOD??? I would die if I or one of my girlfriends did that to my/her hair. It's downright awful. Start growing it out ASAP!!!

love the red dress - nice that you found one to fit you, unlike that brown one form the other day that made you look about four lanes wide.

Anonymous said...

Were there more Zara purchases/photos? If the shopgirl came and asked if you were ok, there must have been...right?! Share, share!

Johanna said...

thanks to all who love my new babies -- isn't that red dress totally divine? Sigh...I wish I could wear it *now*, you know?

Catherine-

I was there from about 5:30 to just after 7 when Monte beeped me and demanded to know when the 'eff I was coming home.

Anonymous 2:58-

I don't know what you define as "affordable," but $99 for trench and $149 for a really cute party dress seem reasonable to me! And look at the other items I posted about on Saturday -- $39 for the blouse and $99 for the sheath! Steals compared to most of the clothes I lust after at Bop, Pink Mascara, Otte, etc.

holiday-

the trick with the Georgetown Zara, I've found, is to go at a time when traffic is low, like a Tuesday afternoon or Sat/Sun morning. For a Friday evening, the PQ Zara was remarkably well maintained with staff members dutifully replenshing the floor.

london girl-

If by eating my first full slice of Cosi bread in months, yes, I am "gearin' up" for the weekend :-)

Anonymous 3:32-

I took about 40 pictures total, only about 15, though, were of the three items I purchased. The remaining pics were of items I liked but not enough to buy. I'm really bummed the ones of my great skirt didn't come out (the blurriness was a result of my hand shaking - I was *that* excited!), but believe me, there will be more dressing room field trips in the near future, what with all the holiday shopping (for others) I'll have to do ;-)

best,
J

Anonymous said...

If "tellin' it like it is" thinks that brown dress made Johanna look four lanes wide, I'd hate to see how he/she views the rest of the world. Sheesh.

Love the red dress! I'm still on the hunt for a new party/holiday dress.

Anonymous said...

Is there any way that you can track down that ruffled blouse (from your other post) at another Zara? It seems to have been made for you.

Anonymous said...

Oh crap, stupid failed attempt to post long comment. I wanted to see what else you tried on Johanna because you seem to have a real knack for separating the wheat from the chaff on a shopping trip, and I think we're about the same size (except you have several inches of height on me - sigh), so seeing your shopping trip pics is a little bit like having a personal shopper - a rather good-looking personal shopper no less. I tend to get pretty frustrated and impatient, pretty quickly when going through the wares in a store. So, I'm specially requesting any pics you might have left of recommended items that you decided against but I might consider looking out for myself.

On another note, Anonymous 2:58 has my sympathy. While Zara isn't completely beyond-my-reach expensive, its also not H&M. Zara is better quality, of course, but that isn't going to alter how far my bank balance can stretch!

Anonymous said...

You have great style, a cutting, bitchy wit, a strong aversion to hipsters AND you like Rilo Kiley? How are you not my girlfriend? How are you not *someone's* girlfriend?

Anonymous said...

Get in line, buddy.

Anonymous said...

Smile, darling! You are a beautiful girl who just scored some beautiful clothes. Why don't you ever SMILE in your photos?

Johanna said...

Anonymous 6:45-

A smile for you in the next set - I promise. But just one. Can't be getting a reputation for that kind of behavior, you know?

best,
J

christine said...

that trench is so perfect! and I was late in loving the new Rilo Kiley album too...finally got it 3 weeks ago, and it's been on repeat ever since!

Anonymous said...

"anonymous sugar daddy"?

I'd like an explanation.

Anonymous said...

nyc admirer, it was only a matter of time, wasn't it? we know her size, we know her style, and we know where she works (it doesn't take a genius to enter her first name, China analyst and DC into google). I'm surprised she doesn't have *several* anonymous sugar daddies sending her size 7.5 Louboutins by now!

Anonymous said...

maybe she has nasty teeth and that's why she doesn't smile ;-)

Anonymous said...

That bottom picture of you is so beautiful.

Anonymous said...

OMG cuz!!! We bought the same trench! I bought it about a month or so ago at the Zara here in Florence, lol - thats too weird, and in the same olive green!