Wednesday, April 29, 2009

CHILLY START

chilly-start

After taking these pictures, I decided that the sun was a little deceiving and it wasn't quite warm enough for shorts. I ended up in a frantic craze, swapping the shorts for skinny jeans and throwing my safari jacket over it on my way out the door. It ended up being an equally as cute outfit, just a little warmer.

I bought this shirt on clearance at Old Navy ($10) last year. The shorts were bought on the same shopping trip but at JCP ($20, if that). I'm loving oranges, coppers, reds, and grays right now, so naturally, my snake skin flats were the perfect finishing touch. Easy as one, two, three (then, minus one, plus two).

Sad to say I am off yet again. Tomorrow morning I'm heading to a four-day training program to (hopefully) become a leader at a weight loss company. I've mentioned in the past that I recently lost some weight, so I will leave you with this ... me in September 2007:

before

Wish me luck and leave some good blogging for me to read when I get back!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

AH, SUMMER IN APRIL

orang-bw

I love it when it's hot! Unfortunately, today is it for a while :(

orange-color-1

So, taking full advantage of the unseasonably warm temps, I'm sporting (for the second time this week) my new bright orange maxi dress. I'm LOVIN' it! Ridiculously comfy and I scooped it up for $13 at Ross, along with these super-snazzy sandals for $12. It's layered over a cami from BMoss (clearance $3) and set off with the biggest bandanna known to man (seriously, this thing is at least 4' x 4'). Added some metallic touches with Old Navy hoops earring (clearance $3) and a studded bracelet (Hot Topic, clearance $2).

sandals

I'm in love with gladiator sandals, but am not crazy about them on me - too many horizontal lines chopping up my already short legs. These are the love child of gladiators and my favorite thong design - perfect! And at that price?!

On a different note entirely, I've been listening to The Velvet Underground as my first "assignment" in my music education experiment. I must admit that in the past, I would impersonate the VU by making horrible screeching noises, because all I heard was feedback and total dischord. For that reason alone, this album seemed like a good place to start. Not to mention, we saw Adventureland this weekend (awesome movie!) and they're obsessed with Lou Reed - it was a sign.

So far, I'm loving it. Pale Blue Eyes is clearly an amazing song and I quickly warmed up to What Goes On and Beginning to See the Light. It's much more mellow than I anticipated, though there are still some moments of calamity. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Monday, April 27, 2009

MONDAY: TAKE 2

monday-take-2

It kind of looks like I'm chest-bumping myself in these pictures. Hehe - Photoshop is awesome:)

Anyway, this is the second outfit I had on this morning. I was all dressed and ready to go, took pictures and everything and at the last minute decided that I wasn't feeling my first outfit and frantically threw on this skirt and the sandals with the white tank I already had on. It was 90F here today, so keeping cool was key. I LOVE the hot weather, though!

The tank is a few years old (Target, $6) paired with a skirt that I bought at Sears a couple of months ago for $9 and some change. I had to take a couple of inches off the hem to make it work. (BONUS: it has pockets for snacks!)

I'm totally in love with these sandals. I did a little post-vacation spring/summer shopping when we returned last week and these sandals were one of my new purchases. They're from Target and I loved them so much (and was so desperate for black sandals) that I paid the full price. A whopping $18! Totally worth it already. If you're keeping track, this is another outfit for less than $50!

Just for kicks, this is the outfit I wussed out on:

monday-take-1

I picked up the dress (a little voluminous, no?) at Ross last week for $10 and was thrilled to find this leather vest in thrift store in Asheville for $14. Paired with my snakeskin flats, I really liked it, but my hair was killing it for me. Incidentally, the first place I called when I got to work was the salon to schedule a hair cut for next week. I'm so tempted to chop it all off, but I think I'll refrain...for now.

And just for more kicks, Iggy Pop (my dog) went to work with me this morning and is LOVING the hot weather because he can stick his head out the window. Then, we love seeing how long he'll last once we get on the highway:

iggy-window

My dog is so f'n cute!

This is another super long post, so I'll save my thoughts on The Velvet Underground for tomorrow. Check out my sidebar to read about my new music experiment!

Saturday, April 25, 2009

JEANS AND A T-SHIRT GIRL

back-to-work

So many times I have adamantly denied being a jeans and t-shirt girl, but after starting this blog, I'm realizing more and more that it is the fall-back uniform for me. So, maybe I need to clarify: jeans and t-shirts rock my world, but only when given some edge.

This outfit was actually from Thursday, the first day back to work after our vacation. It's a Led Zepplin tee (Target, $13), skinnies (JCP, $20), bronze snakeskin ballet flats (JCP, $8) and that same ole' jacket from Goodwill ($2). The result: a jeans and t-shirt combo with an edgy, rocker-girl feel without being high maintenance in the least. Now that I can get on board with!

By the way, it's freakin' GORGEOUS outside, there are THOUSANDS of people tailgating in town right now and I'm stuck inside working, working, working. No fair :(

On the bright side, I had my last physical therapy appointment on Thursday and my back is sooooo much better. I've even managed to squeeze out a few (very brief) runs admidst my walking. Yay! I must say, I've learned a very important lesson about taking care of my back. I'm permanently sitting on an exercise ball at work (since sitting all day long was the biggest culprit) and in case you haven't noticed, I've scaled waaaaay back on the heels. That was a hard pill to swallow, but I'd much rather be pain-free. And it just makes me even MORE creative when it comes to outfits, since I can't rely on super-killer shoes to carry the look.
Sad, but good in the end :)

Enjoy the sunshine, ya'll!

Friday, April 24, 2009

RUFFLED UP

ruffled-up

Hooray for Friday and 2-day work weeks! Whee! Oh, and sunshine, too!

Town's getting VERY busy right now - a gorgeous Friday before the big scrimmage in a college football town - and I'm off to lunch soon. Feeling pretty cute today. I picked up this silk ruffled number in a little new and used clothing shop in Athens, GA for $10. I seem to be having a love affair with gray these days. Since it's warm, but not that warm, I added the cropped tuxedo blazer. I've bought this coat twice - once, for $30 (half off it's original price) and then I took it back, deciding that I wasn't that crazy about it for that price and wanted something else instead. Then, a couple months later, back to Sears I went and there it was on the clearance rack for $12.50. Score!

Finished the look with my new snake skin ballet flats (Madden Girl, $23 at the enormous shoe warehouse in Asheville) and this kitschy over-sized locket from Charlotte Russe for 99¢. Yet another outfit for less than $50 head to toe!

I'm off to soak up some sunshine. Have a great day, everyone!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

VACATION TOP 10

Since I'm so big on list-making, here's a Top 10 List of the Best of Vacation:

10. GPS - Seriously, if you've never used one, it will change your life. You can be a COMPLETE moron and still get from point A to point B like you know what you're doing. It also coined a new phrase with us. If you miss a turn even when the Garmin is saying "Turn here, turn here," instead of calling you an idiot, it says "Recalculating, recalculating..." So now, instead of saying "Way to go, dumbass!" we just say "Recalculating, recalculating..." We're big dorks, but I swear it's much funnier when you've been in the car for 12 hours!

9. Grits. Mmmmmmmmmm...

8. Record Store Day - Saturday was Record Store Day which means lots of exclusives at your local record store. Since we're big on music and record stores, this was a must! We had a yummy organic breakfast at Green Sage in downtown Asheville, then hit up the local Harvest Records. Lots of fun had by all.

harvest-records


waiting

And this is what you do while patiently waiting for your husband to make his final selection and wait in the checkout line. The store was truly a GREAT record shop - just a tad hot.

7. AWESOME local cuisine. Asheville is LOADED with nothing but locally owned restaurants and shops. We did not see a single corporate store or chain restaurant downtown. I think this is fantastic and I wish every small city and town was like this (Athens, GA was very similar). Our favorite was Mayfel's. Also, I had Waffle House for the first time. Delicious and gross at the same time :)

6. The Discount Shoe Store - Leave it to me to sniff out the ENORMOUS discount shoe warehouse. It was like a little piece of heaven. SO. MANY. SHOES. Believe it or not, I only walked out with one pair - Madden Girl snake skin ballet flats for $23. I needed only practical shoes or I would've walked away with a lot more. It was absolutely drool-inducing!


5. The Western North Carolina Nature Center - We were going to go to the Biltmore until we found out that tickets are $50 each! So, we opted out of the tour of the old house and went to the local nature center instead. Admission fee: $7 each. Money well spent - It was a gorgeous day outside and we got to see lots of cuddly creatures:

WNC-collage

kyla-deer

Including this guy:

wolf-john

Such enthusiasm! I only had to ask 3 times for him to do this. Still cracks me up!

And this guy had us entertained forever. He was a riot! (I wanted to use a longer clip, but it was too big to upload - grrr!)



4. Gorgeous weather (only one day of rain, but even that was pretty) and beautiful scenery. Asheville is in the Blue Ridge Mountains and the views are breathtaking. This is what we saw every morning from the hotel room:

hotel-view

3. My New Bracelet - On the rainy day, we took a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway and stopped at the Folk Arts Center. It's a gift shop and exhibit center of all local artisans. Some old, some new, all amazing. We came across some jewelry by Stuart Nye. He started crafting jewelry in 1933 during the depression and his family continues crafting his designs today. Every piece is hand-made right in Asheville. Since the calla lily was our wedding flower and our fifth anniversary is this summer, I walked away with this beautiful piece:



This perfect momento of our trip will be a treasured piece for years to come.

2. Spending Time with Someone You Love - How many people can you spend 24 hours in a car with? Not many, I assume. My husband and I had a blast, though! We drove a total of 1600 miles in 5 days and really enjoyed each other's company. It was filled with dumb jokes, shared discoveries in a new place, lots of singing along to favorite CD's and just plain old down time and hanging out.

Unfortunately, time with the husband was trumped by...

1. The Best Concert EVER! - After three days in Asheville, we headed to Athens, GA for a Wilco concert. They were actually playing in Asheville the following night, but the show in Athens was general admission (as opposed to assigned seats) and was standing room only. This usually leads to a better concert experience. And boy, did it pay off! We arrived in Athens around 1 in the afternoon, got settled in our hotel, walked around the beautiful town, changed, went out to eat and hopped in line for the 8pm concert at about 6pm. Like star-struck teenagers, we waited patiently for the doors to open and once they did, we were off. Through security, down the steps, into the Grand Hall to realize that fate had saved us a space right in front of center stage. We were the people hanging over the fence in the front of the crowd! A mere 5 feet from the stage! It was UNBELIEVABLE! Wilco played for 2.5 hours and it felt like 15 minutes! The music, the band, the sea of excited fans behind us... it was unforgettable! I've never seen a concert so up close and personal before and now I can't imagine seeing one any other way! Of course, I opted not to take my camera to the show, but I'll always have the memories.

I know this is a super long post and it took a super long time to put together, so I hope someone out there enjoys it. I know I will :) See you tomorrow!

HOMECOMING

After 5 glorious days of no phone calls, emails, or work, I have returned. Some of you may have noticed me lurking around the blogosphere yesterday, leaving a few comments here and there. Technically, we got back Tuesday night, but stayed off the grid yesterday to catch up on some not so fun stuff like laundry, grocery shopping and post-vacation finances. Fun, fun, fun...

We left Friday (2 hours late, of course) and headed to Asheville, NC where we spent 3 days just bumming about, exploring the city and surroundings and eating great food. Monday morning, we headed about 3 hours south to Athens, GA for the day where we saw Wilco.

I'm teeming with excitement to tell you all about our getaway and the MOST AMAZING concert ever! But, right now, I must catch up on work. Bleh...

Stay tuned!

Thursday, April 16, 2009

I PREFER THE TERM "FAIR MAIDEN"

Behold, the blinding whiteness ...

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wrap-2

I was aghast when I realized just how white my legs really are! They NEVER tan either. It's paste white or beet red. Oh, well!

I had NO idea what I was going to wear this morning and spent way too much time staring vacantly into my closet. I wanted to wear something a little springy to celebrate the sunshine. It's mornings like these that remind me why every women needs a wrap dress in her wardrobe. I found this one at a Gap outlet a few months back for about $15 (if that!). I'm never sure exactly how to accessorize it since it has the ruffly collar and cuffs, but I think I hit a nice note with this. I feel pretty pulled together for the lack of time and pre-planning that went into it.

The earrings are from a local shop ($8), shoes are from Ross a couple years ago ($6 or $7), the bag is Simply Vera for Kohl's ($27) and a vintage scarf from Marnie's (my grandmother) collection - just to add a bit more color.

Today is the last day before vacation day - YAY! But, it's such a chaotic day. Packing and leaving things in order is always stressful enough without the added deadlines at work and home. Too many projects, not enough time. Although, there is something freeing about walking out of the office and letting it all go.

We're set to depart at 7am tomorrow morning on a 5-day road-trip down south to explore a new city. I'm looking forward to the nice weather, beautiful scenery, lots of peace and relaxation with that guy I live with, and a sure to be rockin' Wilco concert! Needless to say, you won't be seeing me around for a few days, but I'll be sure to take lots of pictures to post upon my return. Have a great weekend everyone! I can't wait to catch up with your blogs when I get back!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

SIMPLE SOLUTION

bare-essentials

Another cold and rainy day called for some flood pants and a cozy flannel. What could be more perfect? What started out as a solely functional outfit ended up looking a little like a 1950's denim ad. I dig it. Channeling my inner Rosie (the Riveter, that is).

From top to bottom: boys flannel (Target, $5), white tank (Target, $6), SJP jeans ($10) and gold Keds ($26). Another outfit for less than $50!

Sorry for the super late post. It's been a day! I got up extra early this morning so I could slip into Kohl's before work to get my mom a pair of boots, because I'm awesome like that. Then, work (bleh), then Target, Michael's, dinner, work while watching Lost, went to see a friend's band for a bit (they're awesome) and now, it's just me and my blogs. Aah, relaxation. Now, I'm off to bed with no idea what I'm going to wear tomorrow. And such gorgeous weather coming! Eek!

Night, all!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

NOTHING FANCY AND 7 THINGS

nothing-fancy

So, I have to admit that my only motivations for this outfit were a) I made the mistake of wearing too long pants in the rain a couple of weeks ago and paid for it with soaked hemlines. Wasn't doing that again - and b) I'm saving all of my favorite pieces to pack for vacation, so that I don't have to do laundry. Laziness, really.

The blazer is from the sale rack at JCP ($30). I've actually gotten more wear out of it in the last 4 months than I did in the first 8 months of owning it. Funny how that happens. The floaty, ruffly top (Loft, sale, $20) makes a great underpinning and everything gets streamlined with my knit pants (NY&Co, sale $30) and riding boots (Kohl's, clearance $16 - P.S. if you're local and you really like these boots, I noticed 2 pairs in a size 8 at our Kohl's - still $16). Not much for accessories today - just big silver hoops and the sunglasses, which are clearly for my own amusement, seeing how the sun never came out today.

I've spent the evening at the gym, running errands and now doing a little more work. But since I need to procrastinate just a weeeee bit more...

Here's 7 thing about me (as requested by Clare at Between Laundry Days)

1. I tend to procrastinate :)

2. I'm constantly making lists. To do lists, wish lists, grocery lists, shit lists - you name it, I've got a list for it. My brain can only process so much on its own. Lists help me feel more in control.

3. I'm a control freak. But I try to be nice about it.

4. I currently have 3 jobs. This is why I'm almost always working and keep lists of everything. How else would I function? My day job is at a local sign shop, doing everything from graphic design (my primary job) to managing apartment leases for a new apartment building owned by my bosses. It's not my dream job by any means, but it's pretty low key, pays the bills and I get to take my dog to work with me. My second most time-consuming job is a little home business, designing hand-made wedding invitations. I usually have about 10-12 clients a year and turn into an invitation-making machine from April-July. It's a great creative outlet and supports my shopping habit. Lastly, I work one night a week at Weight Watchers. I recently lost a bit of weight myself and figured the only way I would actually keep it off for good is if I worked there. So, that's that.

5. I screen my phonecalls 99% of the time. It's not to be rude or ignore people. It's because I HATE talking on my phone in public. I can't focus on what anybody is saying or what I'm doing and I end up talking really quietly so that nobody else can hear me. I wish more people felt the same way. Remember the good ole' days when if you weren't home, you couldn't answer your phone? That's kind of my mantra on this.

6. I always plan the "best last bite" when I eat my food, which means leaving just a smidge of everything, so that I get the best combination of flavors in that "best last bite."

7. I consider myself a pretty lucky person. I had a great childhood, have great relationships with my family and friends, an awesome relationship with my husband, and the best dog in the world. Who could ask for more?

If you read all of this, congratulations - you deserve a cookie. Now, I'm going to go do some work. Seriously...

Monday, April 13, 2009

PROCRASTINATION

procrastination

If this doesn't look like procrastination, then I don't know what does. Can you tell I'm putting off the inevitable? More work.

Three more days until VACATION! Yay!!! Unfortunately, I think my brain left this morning. Hope you enjoy my lovely artwork here. I went a little nuts in Photoshop. The fruits of my procrastination, if you will.

Love, love, love these white pants. This is the 2nd pair of white linen pants I've owned. The first pair were worn until they eventually blew out in the crotchular area. Nice, huh? These replacements were found at JCP last spring and nabbed for only $18. They're fully lined, too. I will never understand why anyone would make a pair of white pants sans lining, but they do. A nicely lined pair that is still drapey is hard to come by. And for that price?!

I learned a good lesson the day that I bought these, and I think it holds true for most stores. I fell in love with these pants, but they didn't have my size in the store and they were marked down temporarily for a doorbuster sale, so I hated to let them slip away. Luckily, I'm not afraid to ask anyone for help (while shopping, anyway) and asked a sales associate if they could find them in another store. Well, she did me one better. Because they had the style in the store, but not in my size, I was able to purchase the pants then and there for the sale price and a pair in my size were shipped free of charge to my front door from JCP.com. It truly pays to ask! Gap used to do the same thing, but I'm not sure if they do anymore.

The top is another JCP find ($18) and one I wear quite frequently. It's the softest lightweight sweater, perfect for the spring transition. I love the dressed-up sweartshirt look. And of course, I'm wearing the gold Keds (endless.com, $26). I kind of look like I should be on a yacht. I'd certainly prefer to be on a yacht.

Well, time to face the music. Three. More. Days.

Friday, April 10, 2009

A LITTLE DIY

First, I'd like to thank everyone for your feedback yesterday. I appreciate all of your kind comments and encouragement. You're awesome!

Second, I'm so happy it's Friday.

And third, here's what I did last night:

diy-necklace

Found a little inspiration from fellow fashion bloggers and believe it or not, I had all of these items in my craft pile. Who wouldn't have extra fringe and chains in their craft pile? This little project only took about 15 minutes and cost less than $5. Can't beat that!

It's super rainy and icky today, so try to stay dry. Have a great weekend everyone!

Thursday, April 9, 2009

CINCH SACK

So, there's a pretty big possibility that today's outfit doesn't work. I like it, but I'm a little insecure about it. These pants require a little history: Right now, they are about 4 sizes too big for me. Until a little less than year ago, this was my regular size. When I decided to whip my butt into shape, I had to get a whole new wardrobe, which, for the most part, was tons of fun. Except for those few pieces that were absolute favorites that I can't find replacements for, no matter how hard I try. These pants are one such piece. They were among my absolute favorite pants of all time and so I haven't been able to part with them. Instead, I threw them in the "to be tailored" pile where they have sat ever since. I can sew for days, but I have NO patience for tailoring.

This morning, I was in the mood for a pair of baggy pants that I could just belt on with a tee and be comfortable all day. Turns out that the pants I had in mind have already made their way to Goodwill. I hate it when that happens. SO, I remembered that these were still in "that" pile and fished them out. I cinched, cinched, cinched my little heart out and this is what I ended up with:

cinch-sak

I was hoping it would come out similar to something like this:

camilla-staerk-spring2009-02
Camilla Staerk Spring 09

or this:

rag and bone paperbag pant

Rag and Bone Paperbag Pant

...but I'm not sure if that's what others see. I think I would definitely try this look again, but with a few changes. 1.) I think a floral bustier top would look awesome with these pants. More fitted, more feminine. 2.) A nicer, maybe even thinner, belt. Something metallic, perhaps? and 3.) Different shoes. My back is flaring up a bit today, so it had to be sneakers, but a pair of wide-strapped sandal would look cool.

I would love to hear your opinions. Just be nice - I'm feeling a little vulnerable :)

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

REMIX, REMIX, REMIX

wed-4-8

If you had the pleasure of seeing me over the weekend, I was probably wearing something similar to this. Well, I'm wearin' it again!

Some of my FAVORITE outfits are the most casual clothes I own. Not that getting dressed up isn't fun - I just like feeling like I could end up anywhere in the course of the day and feel neither over-dressed or like a complete slob. Somewhere between "office appropriate" and "jeans and sneakers" is definitely where my style thrives. Whenever I feel like I've accomplished a sleek on-the-go look, I immediately feel more confident and relaxed. So, here's that look today: knit NY&Co. pants ($30ish), AA gray v-neck tee ($22), safari jacket - I told you I'll be wearing this A LOT (thrifted, $2), H&M scarf bought last April ($10), and Kohl's riding boots (clearance, $16). The individual pieces are pretty casual, but the mix of neutral colors combined with a decorative scarf and sleek boots just makes it feel pulled together.

My husband and I are going on a MUCH needed vacation soon and this will be the perfect outfit for traipsing around a new city. Hmmm...maybe I'll wear it to see Wilco (sooooo excited!)...

Also, on the note of vacation - this blog makes for a great packing tool. I just scan back over my outfits from the last couple of weeks and throw them in the suitcase. Voila! Much easier than my previous "see it, grab it, stuff it" technique that often left me with no reasonable outfits.

UPDATE 2.5 HOURS LATER:
What a night! So, I was interupted earlier by a bit of an impromptu client meeting. Totally fine. Then, I had to go pick up my husband at work and take the dog for a ride. Fun, right? Until I locked myself and the dog out of the house sans car keys and sans coat. Grrr...

Luckily, Petco is within walking distance from our house and provided a safe haven for Iggy (the dog) and I until my husband found a ride home and came to get us. Well...it turns out Wednesdays at 7 is Small Dog Play Group at Petco. Yay! Out bratty little antisocial dog got to go to play group. And he really liked it! I'm one of "those people" about my dog, but I'm okay with that. Anyway, a near disaster evening turned into a pretty fun night! You know where I'll be next Wednesday!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

THIS IS NOT SPRING

fall-back-plan

Big fat suck on the weather front today. Cold. Wind. Blustery snow. Cold. Grrrr... (I do a lot of cyber-grrrring, huh?) Since I'm trying desperately to cut back on tights and didn't want to wear pants that would drag in the possible rain (which never came), I went for the eternal fall back plan: T-shirt. Jeans. Boots. Done.

My extra soft Jimi Hendrix tee ($10) from Charlotte Russe was a comfy choice over my super stretchy skinnies from JCP ($20ish), finished off with my fringy boots (Kohl's, $26). I added some edge with a studded bracelet (Hot Topic, $2). And with some messed-up wavy hair on top, I'm feeling a little rocker today.

The rest of the week is looking much better. Is it possible that winter is behind us?

*These picture have some funky lighting - the sun was wee bit bright for my camera.*

Monday, April 6, 2009

CAN'T LIVE WITH THEM, CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT THEM

stupid-tights

No, not men. Tights. Freakin' tights. I've been trying to kick the habit for a couple of weeks now, but I just can't seem to get by without them. Ugh... I had every intention of not wearing tights with this outfit. It looked way edgier in an 80's kind of way. But, apparently, I'm a rational-thinking person all of a sudden and decided that the cool, rainy weather warranted some leg coverage. Double ugh...

Can you tell I didn't have my morning coffee yet when I took these pictures? And, of course, I was running late (hence the shoddy photography), which I attribute to the bang-trimming I deemed crucial this morning. And, after a marathon home improvement project this weekend, I'm in need of another weekend.

So, today's outfit is pretty simple, but with a pretty pulled-together result. It consists of the black Sears dress (clearance $8.99), JCP blazer (clearance $29.99), a vintage Picasso scarf (vintage from my Nanny) and slouchy boots from Target ($27). The goods news is that my back is feeling soooooo much better and I'm taking the heels for a test spin today. Next up: a return to running, maybe? Here's hoping! Happy Monday, everyone!


Friday, April 3, 2009

BROKEN DOWN TUXEDO

elephant-1
elephant-2
elephant-necklace

It took at least a half hour for me to drag my butt out of bed this morning. Then, I had to remind myself that my owl print PJ pants would not be appropriate for work. I just wasn't feeling the outfit I had laid out to wear today. So, it was back to the drawing board. I just wanted comfy today, that's all. This shirt (The LOFT, sale $20) fit the bill. It's billowy and light, though a tad sheer. So, I threw my sleeveless jacket (Sears, sale $25) over it, along with a pair of flares (TJMaxx, $13) and gold Keds (endless.com, $26). Nothing to write home about, but it definitely has an edgier appeal, as though someone ripped the sleeves off a tuxedo.

My little elephant necklace is just a plastic charm from Michael's ($3) worn on a piece of black ribbon. I have a soft spot in my heart for elephants. My husband has given me stuffed elephants for numerous occasions throughout the years, including a giant hand puppet that held my engagement ring when he proposed. So sweet.

Anywho -- have a great weekend, everyone!

Thursday, April 2, 2009

SECONDS AND THIRDS

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Thurs-2

Thurs-3

Okay .. so, this is the third time I've worn this sweater this week, the second time blogging about it, and I totally wore this entire outfit for a few hours Saturday afternoon. But, I don't care - I love it so much. The sweater is going to be a spring staple. It's just enough to keep the chill out without being overly bulky and wintery.

Today, I paired it with a drapey off-the-shoulder tee from Target ($15) and my dark blue JCP skinnies ($20ish). And I finished the look with the most amazing, make-my-heart-skip-a-beat, fringed platform sandals. I must admit, I feel a little guilty about the splurge, but I LOVE them. In my search for comfy spring/summer shoes, I remembered owning 2 pairs of MIA wedges in college and I wore them both until they literally fell apart. They were really easy to walk in because of such a gradual wedge. These babies offer 4" of height with only a 2.25" rise. And they're buttery soft suede, so they're molding to my feet. Even though I splurged a little, I still scoured the internet for the best price. Endless.com had them for $10 less than most sites and had free overnight shipping and free returns. You'll be seeing a lot of these in the coming months.

Looks like tomorrow will be a little less spring sunshine and a little more April showers. Thank goodness it will also be Friday.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

UM...AT LEAST IT'S NOT SNOW?

Wed 1

wed 2

wed 3

Well, I'm super glad that March is over. It is after all the WORST month EVER, but April is so rainy :( At least I have a cute outfit to ward of the rainy day blues :)

I pulled out the "prison dress" (super clearance at JCP, $23ish) and mixed it up yet again with my most recent thrift store find. I can already tell that this $2 safari jacket is going to get a lot of play this spring. It's so versatile and comfortable. I opted for knee high boots (Kohl's, $16) since I am boycotting tights until November but still need a little leg coverage. I can deal with chilly knees for now. All the color comes from the accessories: a red scarf brought back from Germany when I was younger and yellow love beads that were my grandmother's. The real deal, I imagine. I love the beads mixed over the scarf - something new I'm trying.

I admit I look a little disheveled and insane from the neck up. Not only was I running wicked late this morning, I had to wash my hair today, which guarantees a bad hair day. And all this rain certainly isn't helping (the insanity or the hair). But tomorrow's almost Friday!

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