Back to School Shopping

I should probably embarrassed to admit how much time I spent shopping for my 15-year college reunion. Instead, I'll just take you along for the ride!

The big challenge was what to wear for the "Big Dance" on Saturday night. I actually purchased this dress at Michael Kors because it was 50% off, but it seemed a little too cheesy to wear Duke blue...

Here's a look at everything unpacked at the hotel in Durham. The navy wrap dress was from Banana Republic last spring. I LOVE the Marc Jacobs striped top, which I paired with jeans, the grey leather jacket and nude heels on Friday night. Sadly, no photo of that, but the top will doubtless get a lot of airtime this summer. (In fact, it already made it out to Mexican drunch last Saturday.)

This navy lace Elie Tahari top was a Bloomingdale's splurge, and a gal actually stopped me as Caroline and I walked into the gardens on Sunday to ask where I'd gotten it! Can't wait to wear it again.

The night after I bought the blue dress at Michael Kors, I stumbled upon a fabulous sale at Ann Taylor, where I found a knock-off of this DVF dress that Kate Middleton wore to Zara Phillips' rehearsal dinner... I'd been obsessed with the original and tried to find it last year, but no luck. 

It doesn't look green in this pic, but trust me... Best of all, it was a DEAL! 

As you can see, I paired it with a punchy orange clutch (purchased last spring in D.C.) and new leopard heels. Woot!

Leigh Ann's friend Andrea said someone told him the goal of a reunion outfit should be "telegraphing how fabulously successful you are without looking snooty." HA! I was going more for "sexy but not tragically trying too hard." 

I'll let you be the judge of whether I hit the mark.