when your outfit uniform bores you...

Can I just say that an outfit has not made me this happy in such a long time?

I'm a huge advocate for having a work "uniform" - you know, where you know you can throw on a combination of clothes that you know always works for you, especially when you're in a rush? I most definitely have one, and I bet you that you could very accurate describe it. Basically, black dress pants + looser top + flats. That's pretty close to what I've worn constantly for the past four years.

And as much as I love my uniform because it always works, man does it get boring! Which is a huge reason I have hardly blogged outfits for the past year or so. I was really busy, I was wearing my go-tos, and I kind of felt uninspired by it when it came to blogging. Like how many times could I show you guys the same combination before you guys got super bored?

But then I fell in love with this skirt as I was walking by a J.Crew, and I'm excited about getting dressed again. I was initially unsure about keeping it because it's not exactly the most versatile item in my closet but you know, not every single item in your closet should be a part of your uniform. It's boring and tedious and uninspired. Sometimes you need a little black and white polka dot skirt to mix it up.

So thank you to all of you who encouraged me to keep this beauty. You guys were so right. 

Blouse: Banana Republic [similar at Everlane]

Skirt: J.Crew [exact]

Shoes: J.Crew Factory [exact]

Purse: Mulberry [save | similar | exact]

Watch: c/o Daniel Wellington [exact]

Earrings: similar

You know who else has some really great skirts currently? J.Crew Factory! They have so many cute options right now! Below are my favorites - can you guess which one is on its way to me? I'll give you a hint: it's striped, and will go perfectly with a white tee and a denim jacket!

one | two | three

four | five | six

two months

A lot has happened over the past two months...which is when I last took outfit pictures of dress clothes! I spent the last eight weeks with two different ObGyn programs, and am now so sad to see this time be over now. Since I figured out that I wanted to do ObGyn, I've been looking forward to these stretches of time where I got to just be around the field I'm so excited about. I love the patients, I love the happiness of a safe delivery, I love the procedures, I love being in the OR - there's no day that I've dreaded or not looked forward. From here on out (for the next 198 days!), I'll be on non-ObGyn rotations and while they are vital for my general medical knowledge, I'm bummed that I have to spend the rest of the year not in the OR, in delivery suites, or the gyn clinic. 

On the upside, I'll be living home for good now! No more dorm rooms or shared bedrooms. And then in two months, CR will be home too, and we'll be back to our happy little family, animals and all (who are currently on vacation at CR's parent's house as I'm either working 12 hours/day or traveling for interviews for the next two weeks). So that's our little life update :)

Blouse: Loft [very similar]

Pants: The Limited [exact]

Purse: Mulberry [similar | exact]

Shoes: Madewell [similar]

Watch: c/o Daniel Wellington [exact]

Loft is having a 40% off everything sale! Below are a few of my picks - the plaid shirt has adorable ruffle details, ponte pants that zip and come in three colors, and the most perfect lace dress (this one is my favorite!!)

one | two | three | four

five | six | seven | eight

ps. Sephora's VIB sale started today - here are my suggestions for what to pick up! 

black like my soul.

Wearing all black, like the true goth kid that I am.

Just kidding, I was never really goth (although I did have jet black hair for a short time in my early 20s. that was not a good look), and even though I'm wearing all black here, it somehow seems girly and fun. I think it helps that the blouse is lacy and textured, while my shoes and bag are the epitome of girly. I know I've mentioned it before, but these Sam Edelman flats are so incredibly comfortable - I'm definitely going to order them in a second color - I'm thinking nude? 

On a different note, I'm on night float this week which has been a great experience because there are less people around, so I got to do more! A few hours ago, I got to deliver two babies completely by myself (with a resident right behind me, obviously). Perks of being a fourth year, for sure :) 

Blouse: Old Navy [exact - I got it in tall]

Jeans: Paige [exact]

Shoes: Sam Edelman c/o Shopbop [exact]

Watch: Michael Kors [exact]

Purse: Kate Spade [save | splurge]

Old Navy currently has a 40% off everything sale, which is pretty great considering many of their items are already on sale! Below are some of my fall favorites, from perfectly ripped denim to cozy scarves. 

one | two | three | four

five | six | seven (comes in petites/talls!) | eight

the most comfortable flats...ever?

Okay, let's talk about my new favorite pair of shoes, Sam Edelman's scalloped flats. I've told you guys before how much I like the look of Chloe's flats, but they are a bit out of price range, so when I saw the same style for almost a fifth of the price, I was so excited! I went with the suede blush pair, which at first sounds really impractical, but I've worn these shoes at least five days of the last two weeks, and they go with SO much! Plus no lie, they are the most comfortable flats I have ever worn. The heel is cushioned, the leather is soft, and I easily wear these for 8+ hours in the clinic. I'm so impressed that I'm definitely going to try out other Sam Edelman shoes in the future - either their classic ballet flat or if I'm feeling particularly sassy, their pointy toe flats. Although, I really could see myself just getting these scalloped flats in the nude leather too - I just love them!

p.s. I know $100 is a lot to spend on shoes, so if you want to get the look for less, Target has a very similar style for $35. No promise that they're as comfortable as my Sam Edelman pair, but definitely worth checking out!

Blouse: Anthropologie [exact]

Blazer: Loft 

Pants: The Limited [exact]

Shoes: Sam Edelman c/o Shopbop [exact]

Necklace: made by Katrina

Purse: Mulberry [save | exact]

Watch: c/o Daniel Wellington [exact]

^ I was in a small park near my house, which was completely empty when I got there at 7:30 to take these pictures. I set up my tripod, was about to take the first picture, when this guy pulled up right next to my car, and just watched what I was doing. I hate taking pictures in front of people, but I really loved this outfit (and my hair was cooperating!), so I just continued awkwardly smiling at my tripod. Half the pictures turned out like this though, with me side eyeing him the whole time!

wrapped

This is one of my favorite outfits I've worn in recent months - it's so simple, but I love every part of it, from the most comfortable flats I own (which are also the most inexpensive pair I own...) to my new wrap sweater to the uber-flattering blouse underneath. The cardigan is from Banana Republic, and while I've shied away from cardigans the past few years (I always find them to sit wrong on me for one reason or another), I think I may have to reconsider my stance. This one is definitely a unique take as it's not as versatile, but I just think it's so pretty. I really am considering getting the red version if it goes on even more sale - wouldn't it look great in the cooler months? Yep, I've basically convinced myself I need it now.

Sweater: Banana Republic [exact]

Blouse: Anthropologie [exact]

Pants: The Limited [exact]

Bag: Mulberry [similar | exact]

Watch: c/o Daniel Wellington [exact]

Shoes: Target [very similar on sale I may like even more]

Banana Republic currently has a "Now and Later" sale, for pieces you can wear now and later in the cooler weather. Below are my favorites - it's not secret that I already have the polka dot dress in my basket!

one | two | three | four

five | six | seven | eight

my secret wardrobe staple: fancy t-shirts

Somedays I'm all about playing around in my closet. Trying shirts under dresses, layering as many things as possible, figuring out what tops go best with what pencil skirts....and other days, I just want to throw on a tee shirt and go. 

The tee I'm wearing here is from Gap, and sadly no longer available, but it has quickly become one of my most worn items in my closet. It's comfortable, it goes with a ton of the items in my closet, it can be worn to multiple occasions (I've worn it to work, on a date, and to my high school reunion), and it's CR's favorite color, so that's a plus too ;) I have several go-to "fancy" tees like this for the summer time, and they are the only reason I get through these months! They're kind of my secret wardrobe staple. 

Tee: Gap

Pants: The Limited [exact]

Shoes: Tory Burch [exact]

Bag: Mulberry [save | exact]

Watch: c/o Larsson & Jennings [exact]

Below are a few more "your favorite tee, but for work" options I found. I kind of LOVE that scalloped tee from Topshop - how cute would it look under a blazer later in the fall?!

one | two [has an adjustable neckline!] | three

four | five | six

going sleeveless

One of my biggest insecurities is my arms. You may have noticed that "has sleeves" is almost always a clothing requirement for me, and that's because I just like my upper body to be a bit more covered up. My arms are a bit thicker than I wish they were, and they are one of the last places I lose weight, which is why it's just easier for me to have a closet full of clothes that cover them up a bit. I'm just thankful that clothing companies seem to be moving away from cap sleeves (...but moving towards dropped shoulders...so it's really a tradeoff!).

But you guys, it was so hot last week (and this week...) that I just didn't care. And you know what, the world didn't end! I know, this was also shocking to me ;) But seriously, I think summer tends to bring out more of our insecurities just because clothing is more revealing (at least it does for me because I seem to go into a clothing crisis every summer). I know for years I didn't really wear shorts either, but you know, it's just too damn uncomfortable to wear pants when it's 90 degrees out. Life is too short to worry about every single piece of clothing every single day. I'm hoping that in the next few months, I can branch out and try things I previously refused to try. Maybe I'll finally get a pair of booties (I have been eyeing up this BP pair...) or who knows, maybe you'll see something off the shoulder... 

... although that is more unlikely ;)

Anything you've not been wearing for various insecurities, but are ready to say ef this, I'm wearing it anyway?

Blouse: J.Crew 

Skirt: Loft [exact]

Shoes: Tory Burch [save | exact]

Bag: Mulberry [save | exact]

Watch: c/o Daniel Wellington [exact]

And in this new "acceptance", here are a few of the cutest sleeveless tops currently out there. My favorite is obviously the pintuck shell from Loft - LOVE!

one | two | three | four

five | six | seven | eight

feeling sorry for the boys...

You know who I feel bad for in the warm summer months? Men who have to wear dress clothes. While I do think they have it easier in general when it comes to dressing professionally (hi, where are entire women's suit sections in the stores? oh yeah...), I imagine it kind of sucks that they have to wear long dress pants, full sleeved shirts, and a tie when it's 90 degrees out.

Which is the nice thing about being a woman! We can get away with wearing a sleeveless shirt dress and simple accessories, and be good to go (at least those of us with a business casual dress code). Mine is from J.Crew Factory and I'm so excited about it. I'm wearing a size large, and it fits my bust and hips well. You can see that there's a bit of extra fabric in the waist, which I plan on having my tailor take in (as well as remove that belt loop that sits too low on my waist...oops!) - it should be an easy fix for her, and will make all the difference in having the dress fit me the way I want it to! I should also note that some of the reviews say it runs a bit sheer - I personally didn't think it was see through, but I wore a slip just in case for work. The dress is currently under $30, if you are interested!

Dress: J.Crew Factory [exact on sale]

Shoes: Tory Burch [exact]

Belt: H&M 

Watch: c/o Larsson & Jennings [exact]

Below are a few more under $50 picks from J.Crew Factory. My favorite? That grey skirt - wear it now with a striped tee and metallic sandals, and then pair it with tights, boots, and a vest in the fall. LOVE. 

one | two | three | four

five | six | seven | eight