Since I have a 3-year-old nephew (Hi, Akira!) who is very handsome but not really into dresses, I don’t often get to look for adorable, girly clothes for wee ones. However, I recently had an opportunity to find an outfit for a particular little ginger girl, and found the most amazing outfits at J.Crew’s “crewcuts” section, which is just for kids. I love the way that they’ve paired ridiculously girly things with sort of rugged things (like those awesome snow boots! I want those!) for an unexpected and kid-friendly chic.

It’s officially Christmastime, and in celebration I’ve found this perfectly cranberry red strapless dress from Laundry. The color is divine and the flirty shape makes me think of twirling!

But as usual, love the dress and not so fond of the shoes (ankle straps=evil!). I like these better…

Something a little different today (which I figure is okay since it’s a holiday)…my friend Cathy asked me to help her find a pair of mary janes with these specifics: 1. not patent leather 2. cute enough to wear with jeans — essentially, everyday shoes. So instead of pairing a dress with a pair of shoes today, I’m posting the three cutest comfy mary janes that I could find…and pairing them with a dress. Twisty, aren’t I???

This one is called Nicole by a designer called Caryn ($89). I like that the leather looks really soft, and the heel is substantial, so it definitely earns points in the comfy walking sector.

 This next pair is super sweet, and softer in a black suede. I love the button detail.

(daniblack by Robbin, $125)

I like the Marmont by Naturalizer ($79),  for their sleek, elegant shape. Since they’re Naturalizers, you know they’ll be comfortable too. Bonus!

And for the grand reversal, here’s the little black dress to go with whichever mary janes Cathy chooses…

I’m not usually a huge fan of Victoria’s Secret dresses, but I really, really like this one. It’s elegant and not too clingy, and casual enough for everyday wear but also dressy enough for a dinner party.

I think it would look gorgeous with a little sparkle, and while I’m not usually wild about sequins, I think these ballet flats with teeny tiny ones are completely fabulous. I also think they’d look great with jeans — and you know, you can’t argue with multi-functional!

My friends and I went shopping yesterday in Downtown Boston, and let me tell you this: the Christmas season has begun. In the retail world, anyway. The shops were crazy and full of insane people who get angry if your shoulder is in their way but have no problem stopping smack dab in the middle of a walk way. Yikes! It’s also very very cold outside. So if you’re planning on going shopping, make sure you wear something thick and cozy, like this cable knit sweater dress.

But I wore boots that look almost exactly like those yesterday and my feet were killing me. If you’re going marathon shopping, be smart — stick with the flats.