sick and tired of being sick and tired

Lovely readers, I apologize for the lack of posts recently. As I've confessed, I'm not January's biggest fan. I wondered how the January/February blues would effect my blogging . I hoped I would be particularly inspired to write fun, creative content to escape the dreary weather. But alas, I've unfortunately just been bored, tired and down.

I spent the majority of the month fighting off exhaustion and sickness. Now, it seems to have caught up with me and all I want to do is lie in bed. My lameness isn't confined to Doux Rousse. My uniform lately has been skinny pants, flats and button-ups. I can count on one hand the times I wore one of my signature dress and blazer get-ups. I've also rocked sweats and slippers out in public way more than I'd like to admit. At least I'm making good on one of my new year's resolutions and reading more. Here's hoping that February surprises me and is more awesome than usual! And no matter what, I promise to step up my game next month!

spring 2012 couture

Some of the pieces shown in the recent couture shows were literally picked from my fantasies. When I looked at all the collections that I liked, it seemed like designers were showing their different interpretations of ethereal and other-worldly fantasies: heavenly modern monarchs, fairy princesses, intergalactic time travelers (there were even space helmets Jan Taminiau!) and woodland nymphs.

It was like a bouquet of floaty spring flowers with pastels, peaches, greens, yellows. The flower theme was complete with floral prints, applique and accents. Alexis Mabille even had huge flower fascinators. The designs were dripping with femininity, perfectly combining structure and flow. The a-line silhouettes were so ladylike. The soft and light fabrics looked like little puffs of clouds. There were conservative crew, bateau and v-necks. Curves weren't hugged, they were skimmed with perfect draping, or displayed through sheer fabric.

Elie Saab actually took my breath away. Christian Dior and Valentino also had perfect collections. I just can't get over how sweet, girly and beautiful some of the looks were. It wasn't about being edgy, sexy or daring. It was about being pretty. Everything looked effortless. The sherbet colors, dreamy material, bows, belted waists, flower accents, tulle and silk were like cotton candy, fashion heaven.

 Images via Style.com and Tumblr

not that kind of bar(re)

I'm not a fitness guru. I go through stages where I don't think about working out for weeks. Okay... I think about it. But that doesn't really do anything. I'm interested in being healthy, not dedicated to it. There were a few months last year where I was doing Bikram yoga three times a week and consuming mostly organic juices I made myself. Yeah, that was weird

I'm currently trying to make exercise a regular part of my life. Instead of telling myself I need to go to the gym every day, and feeling defeated if I miss a day, and giving up all together, my goal is to run a faster mile. I can work on it at my own pace, and it's a small accomplishment that takes some effort. The work it takes to get there involves sprints, long distance running, weights and cross-training

To supplement the running. I'm also trying to add some diversity to my routine without throwing myself into a new lifestyle, à la the Bikram yoga incident of '11. I want to try out boxing, get back into swimming, and I've signed up for a few classes at a local barre studio

Barre is apparently similar to ballet and focuses on small muscle groups. When I first heard about it, I had images of Center Stage, Save the Last Dance and the ballets I went to when I was little. Ballerinas are always so small and delicate but somehow ripped at the same time. Barre utilizes short, repetitive movements, weight-bearing exercises and stretching. Hopefully, throwing in a couple of these classes with my regular routine will add diversity to my workouts and help get me strong, long and lean. I mean, if I get one millionth of the muscle tone and flexibility of these ballerinas, I may get hooked.

ski bunny

Skiing is one of the few things that keeps me from hating the winter all together. Unfortunately, it's been a while since I've hit the slopes. My boyfriend and I have been talking about going skiing for a few years. Unfortunately, it's not as easy as it sounds to find a pair of size 16 ski boots. Yeah, size 16. It's an unusual affliction, having freakishly large feet. I'm on the opposite side of the spectrum with teeny, tiny 5 1/2's, but worse comes to worse, I can rock kid's footwear all day.

Luckily, the ski gods pulled through and after months of online searching and calling, we found a place that has boots up to size 17 (!!) to rent, and I am so excited to get on the mountain. Of course, I have to have the perfect outfits for my snowy excursion!

Sure, the trip is all about the skiing, but I may be as excited about the lounging and drinking and eating. I'll be wrapped up all weekend in cashmere, fur-lined boots, down and quilting. I'd do anything for this Michael Kors cashmere sweater which brings some color to winter dressing, and top it with a warm animal print scarf.

Before I get to the actual skiing outfit, let me just say, I can't believe I ever gave my parents a hard time about making me wear a helmet when I went skiing with them. At the time, I think I actually shed some tears over the injustice of such horrible headgear and hid in shame when the beautiful skiers, with their ear warmers and flurry-covered braids waltzed past me in the lodge. Now, I'm trying to dig through our garage to find my old helmet! I can't believe I gave my parents a hard time for protecting my little noggin while I was zipping down a tree-lined mountain! Anyways.... I pretty much would ski naked if I could have this Chanel skis. They're absolutely fabulous. A Stella McCartney for Adidas jacket and sporty Prada sunglasses and I'm pretty sure my chic-ness would cancel out any unfortunate headwear.

Michael Kors Ribbed Cashmere Sweater
Rag and Bone Belfast Coat
Michael Kors Belted Shearling Vest
Rag and Bone Skinny Leg Jeans
Boutique 9 Destin Wedge
ASOS Quilted Molly Bag
Mulberry Braid-Trimmed Leather Gloves
Alice by Temperley Sand Animal Print Scarf

Vince Ski Pants
J. Crew Cambridge Cableknit Turtleneck Sweater
Parajumpers The Bear Black Down Vest
Adidad by Stella McCartney Quilted Ski Jacket
Prada Linea Rossa Sunglasses
Kate Spade Bow Ski Hat
Isotoner Gloves
Lange Exclusive 80 FR Ski Boots
Chanel Sport Signature Skis

twinkle toes

A few months ago I sustained a high heel injury. Yep... After wearing pumps and wedges so often, my feet and ankles were so tight and out of whack, I got tendinitis when I tried to wear flat shoes. Ever since then, I've incorporated more flats into my wardrobe.

It's become sort of an addiction. I've amassed quite the collection of ballet flats, loafers, smoking shoes, slip-ons and sneakers. Apparently I'm not alone in my new found love affair with more practical footwear. Taylor, of the fabulous Sterling Style, recently started a fun new Tumblr, Chic in Flats.

For me, the key to rocking flats regularly is to keep the shoes fun and the rest of the ensemble young and fresh. I'm pretty sure I would never wear a pair with a pencil skirt or floor-length slacks. I'm particularly drawn to printed or textured pairs, like calf hair or glitter, and I love using them as a juxtaposition to the other patterns or vibe of the rest of my outfit.

The latest pair of heelless shoes I'm lusting over are the J. Crew Darby Glitter Loafers. Available in silver and gold, they're the perfect way to make flats look stylish and avoid looking stale and boring. They're currently more than 50% off and available in almost every size. I'm usually partial to gold, but I may mix it up and add a cool metallic to my shoe collection.