the nearest exit may be behind you

Something about this outfit screams flight attendant, but I kinda love it. This skirt is a bit neglected amongst it's solid, wool counterparts in my closet, but I think it's so fun to wear that I really should wear it more often. Here are a few ways I've worn it in the past - I'm thinking stripes next time! Got any suggestions for me on other ways to wear it?

In other news, only three days left of general surgery! Not that I'm counting... ;)

Shoes: Ferragamo c/o Shopbop [cute orange flat options]

Skirt: The Limited [similar]

Blouse: H&M [similar on sale]

Watch: c/o Daniel Wellington [exact]

Lipstick: Nars [exact in Roman Holiday]

My skirt is several years old, but here are four adorable available styles. I love this flowy skirt, plus it's under $20! I'm actually just added myself to the waitlist because I need it in my life.

one | two | three | four

real life

I wasn't really planning on taking pictures of this outfit because it was nothing at all special - same pants I always wear, probably the oldest shirt in my closet, and the same accessories I wear every. single. day. My hair was a bit limp, and we had to take pictures after work because CR leaves for work three hours before I do, and my tripod hadn't been shipped yet. 

And then I remembered that someone asked me on my survey in April about how I feel about those blogs that pretend are their real life, but clearly are not. Blogs where people say they are going to work, but don't actually have a job anymore (isn't it crazy how much money you can make off of blogging?), or blogs that openly admit they shoot a bunch of outfits in one day, but don't actually wear those clothes in real life. And to be honest, I have a love/hate relationship with those kinds of blogs. I love looking at the pretty clothes with the professional photography with the interesting backgrounds. They serve a purpose, and that purpose is to be beautiful things to look at. But I also hate them, because I feel blogs used to be about real life and somehow have turned into fake life. Even the big blogs that say they are for working women are no longer real - how many working women do you know who wear $1400 skirts, or a new whole c/o outfit every single day, or can wear off the shoulder dresses to work ? I don't know any.

So. These are my real clothes that I wore in real life to my real "job" (that I don't get paid for, but am expected to show up to every day). Not every day can be something pretty and new to show you guys - sometimes it's just going to be a simple outfit and hopefully that's okay too :)

Blouse: H&M [similar]

Pants: The Limited [exact - I really should get a second pair!]

Belt: Gap [similar]

Shoes: Banana Republic [exact on sale]

Tote: Madewell [save | exact]

Watch: Michael Kors [exact]

infinity scarves are so out

I read an article the other day discussing what trends are no longer "in". I generally don't think that I'm too trendy of a dresser - I never got into wedge sneakers, shredded tops, sheer maxi skirts, and so on. But apparently infinity scarves are no longer in, and to that I say ...infinity scarves were a trend?

Next you're going to tell me that ballet flats are no longer cool to wear either, and trench coats are so last year.

So I wore my favorite infinity scarf in protest, because the people who decide what is in/out are going to have to pry them from my cold dead hands before I stop wearing them.

On the topic of scarves though, I was looking at pinterest recently and found this pin of Blair. I had one of those "I NEED" moments about her scarf - it just looks like the perfect, soft, warm scarf that can be worn with just about anything. I was fairly disappointed when hers was no longer available, but it seems that Calypso came out with a similar style this year. I still haven't decided on what I would like to spend my saved up birthday money on, and while I was thinking possibly getting ankle boots, I almost think that in the long run, a scarf (while stupid crazy expensive) may be something I will still own in years from now, rather than a more trendy ankle boot that is also likely to wear out quicker. Thoughts? I always use my birthday money as an excuse to get something I wouldn't usually spend that much money on, but is a outrageously expensive scarf just too absurd?

Blouse: H&M 

Scarf: H&M [inexpensive similar]

Pants: The Limited [exact]

Watch: Michael Kors [exact]

Shoes: Madewell [exact]

Tote: Madewell [exact]

Glasses: Warby Parker [exact]

Belt: Gap

via instagram

P.S. don't forget to link up tomorrow for our Blogger Bloopers!

spring has sprung with boden

I first learned of Boden over a year ago through Lou - she always had the prettiest pieces that were fun but still work appropriate. I started receiving the catalog, and I always made sure to flip through the pages, even if I was busy with school. We keep a stack of magazines on our living room table, and my friends always grab the Boden catalog and say that every piece in it was made for me - and I always nod in agreement because how can one argue with stripes, polka dots, and tailored pieces? 

The answer is you can't.

This all is to say that when I was given the opportunity to review a piece from Boden, I enthusiastically said yes. I was at the point where I was a bit tired [understatement] of the clothes I had been wearing all winter, so I was excited to pick something out that was pretty, colorful, and versatile. I was initially thinking of getting this dress because I had had my eye on it for months, or this skirt because the model looks so pretty in it, but ultimately decided to go with this skirt for several reasons. First, I find that skirts are a bit more versatile than dresses, which means I'll also get a lot more wear out of it. Second, I own very little green, and as it turns out, this skirt has green, yellow, and blue in it, making it that much easier to mix and match with clothes I already own. And third of all...it's really pretty. See:

While I was putting in my order for this skirt, I also used my own money to order this tee as one can never have enough striped tees. I'm happy to say that I LOVE it. Many shirts tend to be too short on me, but these ones are perfect in both torso length and sleeve length. Overall, I'm very impressed with the quality of clothing and customer service that Boden has provided, and they will definitely be receiving portions of my budget from now on. While the prices are a bit higher than I generally pay for items, I think it's more important that the money is going towards a few well made pieces that I truly love than to make my budget stretch as much as possible. Boden clearly has fun making their clothes, so I'm excited to add a bit more color and life into my sometimes too-neutral closet!

Skirt: c/o Boden [exact]

Necklace: Express

Shoes: J.Crew Factory

Purse: Kate Spade

Nails: Essie

linking up with Mix + Match Fashion

P.S. Have you seen who wore the Boden scarf better? It's a close race!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Boden through their partnership with POPSUGAR. While I was compensated by POPSUGAR to write a post about Boden, all opinions are my own.

fran versus fur: nova's floral scarf

 

I received this scarf a few weeks ago for a future collaboration with Boden, and I've been so excited to wear it. The dark background makes the floral pattern perfect for this winter/spring transition we're going through. I was so excited about it, in fact, that I let Nova, my friend Kira's horse, borrow it too ;) Just goes to show how versatile it is....

So who wore it better?

Skirt: J.Crew Factory [exact style on sale]

Blouse: H&M

Scarf: c/o Boden [exact]

Shoes: J.Crew Factory [exact]

Belt: thrifted

to the mall we will go

Shirt: H&M

Sweater: J.Crew Factory [exact]

Skirt: Anthro via eBay [similar]

Necklace: c/o Tryst Jewellery [exact]

Shoes: Banana Republic c/o Chippmunk [exact]

Belt: H&M

Life after anatomy has definitely been different, at least the last few days. My learning pathway means from here on out, I spend less time in lecture and more time learning on my own. This is awesome for several reasons. One, I can't learn from people talking at me, so lecture was mostly useless for me. Second of all, I get to wear whatever I want on the days I'm not in school! Yesterday was the first day really all week where I had to dress up to go to school. I initially was going to try to wear this outfit with my boots, but I don't think I can pull that look off.

After the studying was done for the day yesterday, my friends and I drove to the bigger mall a hundred miles away. We mostly just wanted to get out of town for a little bit, and really, I'll just take any excuse to go shopping. We stopped at Banana Republic first as they were (and still are!) having a 40% off store event. I tried on this sweater, and while I liked it, I wanted to see what else I could find in the mall before I bought it. The material is thin without being transparent, and because it is a wool/nylon/spandex mix, has a bit of stretch and "sucking in" to it. I'm wearing my usual size here. I've come to realize that v-neck sweaters are my favorite kind of sweaters, but I own very few of them. This emerald color would be a fun one to add so I will definitely keep an eye on it though in hopes that it eventually ends up in the sale section. I did find this cute dress in the sales section, and while it was really flattering on, I could really only think of about 2 ways to wear it, so I left it behind (it's cheaper in stores than online if you are interested - it's a really soft and stretchy, but still sturdy, dress).

On a mission to find the nearest pretzel stand, we discovered a Madewell store which I'm not sure was there when we were at this mall over Labor Day. Either way, I love Madewell but I stick to the sale section there. I found this sweater in a really pretty maroon, only one left, my size, on the sales rack. It's funny since just yesterday morning I was thinking about how versatile a sweater like that would be, and here it was waiting for me. With the 30% off sale prices, plus an additional 15% off for being a student, it came to just over $30. I've been carrying around a visa gift card for months now, so it technically didn't take anything out of my budget.

Our last stop was J.Crew. I originally just wanted to try on this peplum top and that scarf sweater that is sold out online. I found a whole stack of them, just waiting to be purchased by me. But then I tried it on:

I mean, it's fine. But it's not $100 LOVE. I'm glad I at least tried it on just so I could stop thinking about it. After a couple more thanks but no thanks items (namely this sweater and this dress - both horrible on me), I fell.in.love with this tee. I initially saw it on a mannequin and made four trips around the store before I found it hiding between some coats. Is it outrageously priced for a tee? Yep. But it is thick and beautifully embroidered and long enough on me, so I just bought it. At least with my student discount, and the rest of the gift card, it only cost me $10 out of pocket. I'm so excited about it. The picture doesn't really do it justice.

So that was our little half day trip out of town! This weekend I'm having a little girls weekend with my friend Caitlin as all of our other girlfriends are with their boyfriends or at home. MANICURES, PEDICURES, BRUNCH, HAPPY HOUR. I can hardly wait :)

P.S. I'm closing the Ask Me Anything survey at noon on Sunday. I've received some pretty awesome questions so far, but please feel free to ask anything you've been wondering about.

over-thinking it

 

Navy. A color that should be so easy to wear, but I always have a problem with.  Back when I got to wear jeans every day (THE GOOD OLD DAYS), wearing blue was easy because what doesn't go with jeans? My schoolboy blazer (which is currently on sale for less than $120, down from $200) was worn at least once a week. Now that I have to wear dress pants/skirts/dresses, I'm always a bit confused about what to wear with the few navy tops I have. Navy doesn't go with black, but can I wear it with other blues? What about red? Do I always have to wear my cognac shoes/belts since my black ones would clash?

Is this the dumbest blog post you've ever read or what? Just wear your clothes Fran! I know, I know. I tend to over-think getting dressed. I want to improve my style while sticking true to what I like while re-wearing all the pieces I have, but in different ways. Oh, and then take pictures of it, and put it on the internet. Writing this blog has definitely helped me do those things - figure out what my style actually is and work on building a wardrobe that is composed of pieces I love but can re-wear, and if I go back to even a year ago I can see the improvement (OMG. I just went to look what I wore exactly a year ago, and it's this same shirt. Promise I did not plan that). At the same time, it makes me hyper-aware of things that are just so dumb: 

"My buttons are gold, but the metal on my belt is silver!"

"The watch band is dark brown, but my shoes are cognac!"

"WHY DOES THIS SKIRT WRINKLE SO EASILY"

Looking for a friend here. Anyone else over-think it?

Blazer: J.Crew [exact on sale with code EXTRA40]

Skirt: Anthro via eBay [similar]

Blouse: H&M

Scarf: H&M [similar]

Belt: H&M Mens

Watch: c/o Daniel Wellington [exact]

Shoes: BR c/o Chippmunk [exact]

Nails: Essie Marshmallow + OPI Kissed at Midnight

linking up with wiww.

white blouse, many ways

 

Blouse: H&M

Pants: The Limited [exact]

Belt: The Limited

Earrings: Tiffanys [exact]

Shoes: J.Crew Factory [exact]

Watch: Fossil

Today I'm linking up with Audrey's One Piece, Many Ways post. Make sure you visit all of the other blogs to see how they re-wear their items - ya know, the way normal people do ;)

previously worn here

from play to work: banana republic striped ponte skirt

 

When I was offered to be an Expert Shopper for Chippmunk, I knew I wanted to get something versatile for my closet - I rarely buy anything that only has one function. The skirt I choose from Banana Republic (40% off the then sale price!) can definitely be more casual - perfect for a summer outing with friends, a trip to the zoo, or a barbecue - but I thought it would be great for school too. A more professional shirt, less/smaller accessories, pantyhose*, and a color coordinated bag make it appropriate for work/school, but still fun. Plus, the skirt is so comfortable - the most comfortable I own! A perfect skirt for a long day of anatomy lectures and my first cadaver lab.

*I recently purchased these from Target and really like them. The waist goes all the way up to your bra so there isn't anything cutting into your side, and it helps keep everything in check. I highly suggest checking them out in case you have to wear pantyhose too!

Shirt: H&M

Skirt: BR c/o Chippmunk [exact]

Watch: Kate Spade [exact]

Shoes: BR c/o Chippmunk [exact]

Belt: H&M

Bag: Target

fall forward

Happy Friday! Today you can find me in two different locations - here you can learn a little bit more about me, blogging, what I looked like as a high schooler, and my closet and here you can learn about the three things I'm hoping to add to my closet this spring.


Other than that, not much to report. Three people told me that I look like fall today - even though these are flowers and not trees! Oh well,  like I've bitched about, it's still winter here so it's only appropriate-ish.

Sweater: Thrifted  [save | extreme splurge]
Blouse: H&M  [save | splurge]
Jeans: American Eagle  [exact]
Necklace: H&M
Belt: Thrifted
Purse: Madewell  [exact]
Watch: c/o Daniel Wellington  [exact]
Shoes: Crown Vintage [save | splurge]

via Instagram

wash | wear

I read somewhere once that only poor people wear the clothes they just bought right away. So rich people must either have a lot of clothes, or a lot of restraint because when I buy something new, I want to wear it right away, like my new shirt I just bought. I don't even wash most things (besides underwear and tank tops) before I wear them

...that's kind of gross actually.

So spill. Do you wash everything you buy right away, or do you wear it first? Do you have a closet full of clothes with the tags attached? Am I the only one who wants to wear a new purchase the next day?

Shirt: J. Crew  {$20 in stores!}

Blouse: H&M

Necklace: Forever 21  {exact}

Jeans: Gap  {exact}

Boots: Nicole  {exact | splurge}

Watch: Fossil  {similar}

Bracelet: Tiffany & Co.  {save | exact}

P.S. Next weekend I get to spend 36 hours with one of my favorite ladies Sam. We're meeting in Chicago for day-drinking, tipsy shopping, and deep dish eating. If you are in the Chicago area and want to meet up for dinner with us, LET US KNOW! Let's hang out. We're fun, I promise.










Linking up with Plane Pretty!