Thursday, June 13, 2013

two

stripes and chambray layered 
A list of alternative titles:

+ you look just like ke$ha : my co-worker looked at the sequins on my shirt and said I was all sparkly and looked just like Kesha. I suppose, if Kesha dressed like a cross between an old man and a disco ball....so maybe that is an accurate description after all.

+ total copycat: AJ wore her chambray with her sparkly shirt so I wanted to too. That's what friends are for right, showing us how to wear our own clothes?

+ pro-layerer: months ago I wrote about how I really struggled with layering, how I knew what I wanted to look like, but wasn't sure how to make that happen (side note: don't let me dye my hair dark ever again). With a lot of experimenting, and a few helpful tips, I feel like I'm finally able to dress myself the way I wanted to. It's not that wearing one shirt over another is something that's difficult, it's just that I never felt comfortable, that there was weird bunching, or that I felt like there was just too much going on on my torso. I don't know what has really changed over the last 6 months, but I finally feel comfortable with the clothes in my closet and how I wear them. I don't spend all day tugging and pulling and wishing I was wearing something different - it just somehow clicked, ya know?
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Chambray: J.Crew Factory [exact]
Shirt: Loft 
Pants: Urban Outfitters [exact]
Watch: Fossil [similar]
Purse: Coach [current style]
Shoes: Tory Burch [exact]
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I am so obnoxious.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

6 months of 2012: a review


Well, all the cool kids are doing it, so I felt obligated to do it too. Don't worry, I won't show you every.single.outfit of the year because if you cared that much, you know where the archives are ;) I only started blogging this year, and spent a good 2 months of that time as a "hiding in the bathroom faceless blogger" (my first real world post is here! such a baby) so it's really only a "best of the last 6 months" kind of roundup. Either way, here's a list of the best, worst, and wtf was I thinking of the year:

Favorite Outfit of the Year: This outfit is my favorite for several reasons. It has my new favorite purse in it, I really like this (new to me) color combination, and it has the perfect feminine/masculine vibe going on that I've realized is what I tend to gravitate towards. Plus the photography gods were on my side that day so overall, favorite.

Biggest WTF of the Year: This pattern-on-pattern monstrosity. In theory, not too bad since pattern mixing is all about staying in the same color family. Unfortunately, this is just too much, too bright, too overwhelming. You live, you learn. I'll stick to little pattern mixing instead.

Biggest Regret Purchase: Although these pants were only $20, I've only worn them one time. I don't really love drawing that much attention to my legs so bright green pants weren't the smartest purchase for me. I think this was one of those "everyone has colored jeans, I NEED THEM TOO" purchases. I've definitely learned my lesson.

Favorite Manicure of the Year: Although extremely simple in design and execution, I love this manicure and hold myself back from recreating it every week.

Biggest Learning Experience: I'm a huge fan of and participant on GOMI. There are some really smart and sassy ladies on there, and I love going to place that allows me to feel sane when looking at some of the more out there blogs. I've met some of my favorite bloggers on there as well. That being said, being on an anonymous site doesn't always mean you're anonymous. I've learned that as unoffensive as you try to be on the internet in general, you aren't going to please everyone but for every 1 person who dislikes you, there are in general 10 that do like you. My face and thighs aren't those of a supermodel, but I think I can add a little bit of value to "fashion" blogging as a whole in a normal girl kind of way.

Most Pageviews of the Year: This post about a little trick Bri taught me has 3 times as many views as the next highest viewed post. I hope all of the repins on pinterest have helped a lot of other women with the art of layering ;)

Favorite Thrifted Item: I'm pretty new to thrifting. My mother, literally the most stylish woman I know, is a huge thrift store person, so it's almost embarrassing to admit that reading blogs motivated me to finally go to a thrift store. I haven't purchased that much, but this mustard cardigan is my favorite. I'm unsure what the original brand is, or how old it is, but I love the color and fit, so I don't even care.

Favorite DIY of the Year: My tube bracelets are my favorite thing I've made this year, with my flannel scarf coming in as a close second. I made them in gold and silver, and reach for them almost every single day. Plus the materials cost less than $10 and are super easy to make - cheap and easy: sounds good to me!

Most Worn/Favorite Purchase: My favorite purchase of the year is also my most worn (makes sense, huh?). My J. Crew Schoolboy blazer, which was a birthday present to myself, is the most expensive piece of clothing I own, but I know the cost per wear will eventually be less than a lot of my cheaper pieces of clothing.

So that's it! I hope 2013 brings me the foresight to make smarter purchases to fill the holes in my closet, to still expirement with my clothes, and to continue to have fun with this little hobby.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

layers, updated

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Continuing with trying to master layering, I've been looking for another vest to add to my collection (that currently only has my cargo vest in it). I have a thicker North Vest puffer vest, but that's for outside wear and not for ya know, normal day-to-day wearing. I've tried on several at Forever 21, Old Navy and H&M, but all were still too puffy and had itty bitty pockets. I bit the bullet and finally ordered the J. Crew version during the last 30% off sale after admiring it online. I really like this vest. It's thin enough that I can still wear it under my lab coat, the pockets are large, and I like the double zipper.











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...and of course I'm doing the tank-inbetween trick :)
























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Vest: J. Crew  {exact in pink on sale}
Sweater: Gap  {save / similar}
Blouse: J. Crew Factory  {save / exact}
Jeans: American Eagle  (exact on sale}
Necklace: Forever 21  {similar}
Shoes: Target  {save / splurge}
Watch: Target




















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linking up with wiww

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

double the layers, half the frump

how to layer a button up under a sweater

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I was having a problem with getting my life figured out layering shirts. I couldn't get the button down/sweater look  to work without my entire torso turning into one big blob. Bri suggested I try layering a tank top in between the two layers to help smooth out the button up. Duh. This is why I blog - so I can complain and you guys can teach me how to dress myself. I wear these tanks exclusively, and they do just the trick for this little trick ;) I've also heard great things about these, so it may be worth checking out!

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Sweater: J. Crew Factory  {exact}
Button-up: J. Crew  {similar}
Jeans: American Eagle  {exact}
Watch: Fossil  {similar}
Shoes: Tory Burch  {exact}
Nails: seen here

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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Belted Vest

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Thank you so much for all of your words of advice and tricks on yesterday's post about struggling with layering. You guys had some great ideas, including lots of belting. I've wanted to belt this vest since I saw Audrey's post so that's what I did this morning. I really like the way this came together, even if I kind of look like I'm ready for a picnic.

I really like the idea of wearing more vests because like Elissa said, they add a layer without adding bulk to arms, which is something I try to avoid, so I'm going to be on the look out for more vests. Bri had a great tip of wearing a tighter tank over a button down, but under the sweater, which helps give you more shape. I can't wait to try that out! You ladies are so smart.











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Vest: Old Navy
Shirt: Gap  {similar}
Belt: H&M  {similar}
Jeans: Gap  {very similar}
Boots: Frye  {exact}
Watch: Fossil  {very similar}
Nails: OPI My Throne for a Cranberry Scone




















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In other news, I went to Goodwill today for a little sweater shopping. I found a few finds, and then experienced the biggest thrifting disappointment - I found a grey J. Crew schoolboy blazer in pretty much perfect condition....for $7.99....in a size 4. I am not a size four. Dang it. I'm pretty disappointed :(











Linking up with Marionberry's Trend of the Month,  wiww and Everybody, Everywear.

Have you linked up with October's Budgeting Bloggers yet?

Monday, October 29, 2012

On Layering

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Fall means for most of us cooler regions means dropping temperatures, and dropping temperatures means more clothes. We're all about the layering. I look to other women out there and  see the way they layer and I say to myself "Self, you have those pieces in your closet - do that!". So then I pin all of these pictures and tell myself I'm going to recreate them.

And then every morning when I'm trying to figure out what to wear, I think today's the day I'm going to be one of those people that effortlessly layer...and it never turns out right. I know my expectations of what I want it to look like are too high - my body is not like Lilly's, so why would the clothes look like that on me? The layers end up bulky and instead of defining anything, my boobs just become a blob with my waist, making me look heavier and flabbier than I am. So then I go back to boring shirts and scarves because that's what I kind of know how to do.

And then I'm upset all over again for falling into the trap I started this blog to avoid. My outfits become repetitious and bore me, so I'm sure they are boring you. How does one break out of this trap? How do I prevent looking like the Pillsbury Doughboy when trying to layer? Help me internet.

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Shirt: H&M
Scarf: Present from my sister

Belt: Madewell  {similar}
Jeans: Urban Outfitters
Shoes: Tory Burch  {exact}
Watch: Target  {only in stores}
Bracelet: DIY