Women are more pragmatic than men are.  We tend to analyze and over-analyze every situation, while men are more apt to just jump in with both feet.  Sometimes, you just have to say, “Yes,” to the opportunity that presents itself and take the leap.  Whether the risk will work out typically depends on the effort you put in afterwards, not the analysis you put in before.

1.) One of the most common “Ask Belle” questions that I receive is, “What does this dress code mean?”  From California casual to cocktail attire for a 1:00PM outdoor wedding, I have seen it all and so have the folks at Lucky Magazine.  Check out their guide for decoding six common invitation dress codes.

2.) Last week, I stopped a Senate staffer in the hall to ask who made her gorgeous shoes and now,  I.am.OBSESSED with them.  One click and you’ll see why.

3.) I lived in a 415 square foot studio for six years without issue, but this 165 square foot apartment in Italy makes me totally claustrophobic.

4.) The Internets, especially the Twitterverse, are going great guns in a debate about the pronunciation of “.gif.” The creator says it’s a soft sound, like “jif,” but a lot of people aren’t buying it.  Still no agreement on how to pronounce “meme,” either.

5.) This shirt and skirt combo from All Saints has me rethinking my diet of white dresses for summer. In fact, this looks like the perfect birthday party outfit for celebrating the third anniversary of my 29th birthday next week.

6.) Love Greek yogurt?  Would you be surprised to learn that the leftover whey from the production process can hurt the environment?  You won’t see that on the Fage label.

7.) With the start of the summer travel season, the overlords at TSA would like to remind you that your liquids and gels must be 3 fl. oz. or less.  Luckily, Sephora, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus have your full-size favorites in government-approved sizes.  My travel must haves?  Say Yes makeup-removing towelettes, Big Sexy Hair Hairspray, Psssst Dry Shampoo and Fresh Hesperides rollerball perfume.

8.) The film critics at Cannes are going wild for a film called, “All is Lost,” the story of a man trying to save his sinking sailboat in the middle of the Indian Ocean.  Oh, and did I mention that the movie is silent?  Seems a shame to waste all of that Robert Redford voice-over talent.

9.) Three words: Maple-Bacon Biscuit Bake.

10.) I’m looking for a shirtdress for business casual days.  I love this black and white DKNY dress.  I’ve also been thinking about a dress with a full skirt, this white one and this orange one both caught my eye.  But I still think this green silk one from The Outnet is my favorite.

1.) Buzzfeed has a list of the books you need to read in your 20s.  I couldn’t agree more with #58.

2.) I spotted this amazing Phillip Lim crossbody bag/clutch in Muleh the other day, and I cannot get it out of my head.  Some people get songs stuck in their heads, I have chic leather goods on repeat.

3.) Looking for a way to kill time on a lazy afternoon?  Check out The Hairpin’s feature on the scandals of classic Hollywood.  One peek into the skeleton-filled closets of a bygone era and you’ll be hooked.

4.) I wanted a jersey dress that was nice enough to wear to work on a Tuesday, so I picked up this Ann Taylor sheath.  It has sleeves, a waist-defining detail and costs under-$100…what more could a girl want?

5.) A few years ago, I wrote a post about how I refuse to donate hair or money to Locks of Love because they make recipients pay for the wigs they receive.  So this Forbes article detailing how the charity “misplaced” $6 million in donations and only turned 3% of the hair donations it received into wigs caught my eye.

Still want to donate your shorn hair?  Try Pantene Beautiful Lengths instead.  They have a higher success rate at turning donated hair into wigs, and best of all, the wigs are provided FREE of charge to people in need.

6.)  The only thing I like more than clothes and makeup is television.  I watch way too much, so the season ending episodes are always bittersweet for me.  Luckily, Michael Ausiello has enough spoilers and inside info to keep me sated until fall.

7.)  Have you seen the new collection from Kate Spade called Saturday?  It’s supposed to incorporate everything you love about Kate into younger, hipper clothing.  I’m not her target demographic, but I have found a few pieces to love.  The bright mint sandals are really fun, and this slouchy dress is perfect for Saturdays.

8.)  Eating healthy food is a challenge for me because all I want to eat are cheeseburgers, nachos and ice cream.  But if I keep finding delicious and healthful recipes like this Crunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad, I might be able to stick to it.

9.)  On reader recommendation I signed up for The Skimm, a daily e-mail that breaks down the top news stories of the day into digestible bites, and I love it.  You should seriously sign up.   I also love Jon Stewart’s take on the recent troubles at the IRS; I laughed until I cried.

10.) Given that my new apartment is much, much warmer in the summer than my old apartment, I need some warm weather pajamas.  I was originally thinking about this set from Eberjey, but I’m a stomach sleeper so buttons are not the best choice.  This Donna Karan shorts-set is the cutest.thing.ever, but my pjs shouldn’t cost as much as my work clothes (same goes for this Hanro set).  So I think I’ll go for this pretty crochet set in ivory.

11.)  Now that the weather is heating up, I’ve started carrying a perfume rollerball in my purse for touch ups.  Sephora has a great selection of travel size fragrances that won’t spill in your purse.  Citron de Vigne is a favorite, but I also like the mix of scents in this Vanilla Grapefruit rollerball.

Hollywood is buzzing about the upcoming film “The Butler,” starring Forest Whitaker, which tells the real-life story of Eugene Allen who served as White House butler for more than 40 years.  The trailer looks absolutely incredible.  And The Washington Post article that spawned the movie is one of the best things I’ve read all year.

Speaking of things that please me, I can’t believe that these totally cool sandals are a) Nine West and b) under-$100.  I must own them.  Must.

I’ve had a number of Ask Belle e-mails come through about maxi-skirts for petite ladies, and with pretty pieces like this skirt on sale, it’s no wonder so many women are rocking the maxi.  Luckily, Washingtonian has some advice on how petite women can wear them well.

The CBS station in New York has an interesting piece on happily married couples who choose to live apart.  To each her own, but I’m not sure I could pledge to love someone for all eternity but then send him back to his place.

I’ve decided to buy a Jo Malone cologne to wear this summer and I’m torn between Assam & Grapefruit and Nectarine Blossom and Honey.  Love those citrus scents.

The latest tragedies at clothing factories in Bangladesh (first a building collapse, and now a fire) have a lot of people talking about the ethics of “fast fashion” including a reader who sent me this article from NPR.  In the 1990s, when it was revealed that factories were using child labor to make clothing for the Kathie Lee Gifford line at Wal-Mart, the resulting outcry “virtually eliminated the use of child labor” at garment factories exporting to the U.S. Perhaps these tragedies can spur a similar change and lead to improvements in working conditions?

The Social Security Administration released the list of the Top Ten Most Popular Baby Names of 2012.  If you named your daughter Sophia, Isabella, Olivia or Emma, I would begin schooling them on the meaning of the phrase “e pluribus unum.”

After watching this rather long video on how to apply foundation flawlessly, I decided to buy a buffer brush to apply my foundation with, and I couldn’t be happier with the results.  I just mix my primer and my BB cream together, and that brush gives me a flawless, airbrushed finish.

And last but not least–My love for Taco Bell is well documented.  I’ve eaten at some of the finest restaurants in America, but I would skip any reservation for a Mexican Pizza and a Baja Chalupa.  So this article from Fast Company about the creation of the Dorito’s Locos Taco absolutely fascinated me.  The best line from the whole story:

“The companies ended up creating a proprietary seasoner in the process, not least because for workers on the manufacturing line, the plumes of Doritos seasoning would create an almost Nacho Cheese gas chamber.”

And before you knock the sheer genius/deliciousness that is the Doritos Locos Taco, consider that this one fast food product is responsible for creating 15,000 jobs.  Talk about an economic stimulus plan.  Yo Quiero, Taco Bell.

Sometimes, a woman will buy a dress or a piece of jewelry or nice lingerie and then, she’ll sock it away for “a special occasion.”  However, I like to think that clothing has a transformative effect on the every day.  If you buy something special, find somewhere to wear it or just wear it to inject something beautiful into an otherwise mediocre day.

Speaking of something beautiful, you must see these gorgeous photos of where the Namib Desert meets the Atlantic Ocean.  

Gold Cup is this weekend, and while I did not find time for my usual “what to wear to Gold Cup” post, you can check out  last year’s post, here, and see the outfit from last year, here.  You can also find the recipe for the vodka and water spray, which will help keep you body-odor free while you pop bottles on the lawn in the hot afternoon sun.

I fell into the chasm that is Net-a-Porter and I can’t get out.  I adore this Roland Mouret blouse (Just look at that drama in the back!),  and these Calvin Klein PJs look unfathomably comfortable.   Perhaps, chic pajamas are a must have?  Hmmm.

The hair tutorials on The Small Things Blog are the best.  So I was really excited to see her thoughts on Wen hair care products.  Like every woman with cable, I’ve seen the infomercial a dozen or more times, and always wondered if the no shampoo styling system really works.  You can read Kate’s review, here.

I hope to be this fierce and fabulous when I’m 63-years-old.

BB Creams were originally developed, in part, so that Asian women could lighten their skin.  Even now, most companies only sell creams in a handful of fair-skin shades.  In this Jezebel post, we get a black woman’s perspective on how infuriating it is when the entire beauty industry is raving about a product and you’re left out because no one has gotten around to making your shade.  It is pretty sad when my Caucasian, olive-y skin is the darkest one on a product’s shade chart.

Miss M and I do not have the same taste in clothes, but we are both obsessed with this season’s bags from Rachel Zoe.  This beige satchel is anything but boring, and the signature tote is also fabulous.

I’ve been spent the first part of 2013 getting my financial house in order.  One question that has always perplexed me is how much money I should be putting away each month for my retirement?  I contribute the maximum employer-match, but is it enough?  So I used this calculator to figure out how much I need to retire, and then used this handy Excel calculation (yes, that Excel) to figure how much to put away.

Years ago, a friend introduced to me to the glories of chilaquiles.  Now, Pinterest has brought me chilaquiles with a fried egg on top.  Genius.

When I was young, we spent a lot of time in Seattle. I was convinced it was the coolest place on Earth, and I was going to move there when I grew up.  Then, I figured out that a woman who needs good hair days like others need oxygen cannot live in a place where it rains 200 days per year.  But it doesn’t keep me from loving the city, so this Space Needle coffee mug and this Space Needle tote, both from Nordstrom, really caught my eye.

Last week, I needed some cleaning supplies in order to finish the deep clean on my apartment.  So I throw on a North Face jacket over my leggings, tunic and flat sneakers and walked one block to the CVS.  In 150 yards, I ran into–in this order–the hot guy who works in my neighborhood, a former boss, a former co-worker and a girl who reads the blog and recognized me.  Such is the magnetism of an ugly day…it just draws people to you.  Coco would be so disappointed.

I do most of my spa treatments at home to save money.  Removing the calluses from my heels is the toughest part of a good home pedicure, so I’m hoping this cream from Gehwol really does chase calluses away for good.

Also, you can’t imagine what a rockstar I felt like when I strolled through Nordstrom this weekend and spotted Pssssst! for sale at the beauty counter.  Right there, between the $28 dry shampoo and the $37 dry shampoo was the beloved $9 miracle that I have been touting for years.  It’s the small things.

The Shoparound Blog has a profile on the fashion blogger behind D.C.’s Metropolitan Thread.  The profile and the blog are quite good.

I’m in the market for a new, every day ring.  This Gorjana cat-eye, gold ring is just interesting enough.  I also like this tortoise band and the chain links of this Kelly Wearstler stack ring. But I may take the dainty ring-route and choose this copper dot ring, it appeals to my mining town roots.

Baby Steps in Heels has the cutest post about DvF’s line for Baby Gap.  After reading it, I decided to buy some dresses for the cutest little unofficial-niece ever.  Don’t worry, I asked Daddy’s permission first.  Never spoil someone else’s children without permission.

This Catherine Deane dress is airy, light perfection.  I just like to look at it, which is good since I can’t afford it.

Corporette has a great post on retirement planning.  Since I have absolutely no idea what the hell she is saying, I made an appointment with a retirement planner.  Clearly, if I want to retire before I’m an octogenarian, I should probably grab the reins a bit tighter.

Saks is having a 25-percent-off Friends and Family sale, as is Tory Burch, as is Alice + Olivia.  So if you’re looking to invest in a nice piece for spring or summer, now might be the time.

Mizhattan has a post detailing the fashion choices of stylish jet setters.  I obsessed with  addicted to the Calypso St. Barth’s scarf she featured.  A burlap-colored scarf with gold polka dots?  This jones is powerful.

Sofia Coppola’s “The Bling Ring” comes out soon, and while the Sofia-mystique has always alluded me, I am truly excited for this film.  If you’re not familiar with The Bling Ring, hit up the TruTV page, before you watch the trailer for the film.  Unsurprisingly, one of the people convicted of the Hollywood heists is unhappy with her portrayal (odd how she talks about the crimes committed by “these teens,” as if she wasn’t one of them).