Layer it on

I'm so excited to be linking up with Freckles in April for the Winter Challenge.  Today's prompt is LAYERS.  It's winter, so I am pretty much layering every day.  I decided to try something new for today:

Button up shirt under a faux wrap dress!

I realize this isn't as crazy as I think it is.  I got this dress several years ago on clearance at Target for I think $6, and I rarely wear it, because it seems kind of boring.  I guess I just need to layer it with bright colors and then I like it.

I'm even trying the tights/socks/boots combo that is everywhere.  I almost always wear socks with my tights and boots, but today I pulled them up so they can peak out and say hello.  I think I like it.  I should probably get some chunkier knit socks or leg warmers.  I think that would be cuter.  

Go check out what other bloggers did here!

Tomorrow's theme is Monochrome.  I'm still not sure what I'm wearing! 

Dress:  Target
Button-up shirt:  Gap
Tank:  Gap
Cardigan:  Loft
Tights:  Steve Madden via DSW
Socks:  Target
Boots:  Wanted via Piperlime

Stripes + Scarf

Happy Saturday!  Believe it or not, this is not what I am wearing today.  This is from Monday, when I actually looked presentable.  So far today, I haven't been very stylish.  Saturdays tend to fill up with all the chores I successfully avoided throughout the week.  I should really hire a housekeeper and a personal chef.  Then I'd have more time for important stuff, like taking pictures of myself in cute outfits and post them on the internet.  

Dress:  Old Navy
Scarf:  Charming Charlie
Boots;  Bare Traps via DSW

Patriotic

 Red, Gray, and Blue is close enough, right?

This outfit is from Tuesday.  I don't have as many stories as I did on Wednesday.  Mostly, it was really cold, but I didn't want to wear jeans, so I grabbed my cozy fleece lined leggings. 

Isn't it cool how my network cord matches my shirt.  Totally didn't plan that.  I just took pictures at work, because I was going straight to Zumba class, and wanted to blog this outfit.  Zumba is fun.  You should try it.  If you think that is a Wizard of Oz poster behind me, you are right.  It's because I'm from Kansas.  Get it? 

Sweater, Shirt, Skirt:  Gap

Leggings:  don't remember

Boots:  Wanted via DSW

I'm blue da ba dee da ba da

Tonight, I went to see Blue Man Group with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law.  In honor of the occasion, I wore blue.  I'm so clever!

Most days, I sit here with nothing to say, but today was an eventful day, I guess.  

1. This is a dress I usually wear for weddings, or similar occasions, but I decided to rock it as a skirt today.  This is a trick I'm going to have to do more often.  
2. It's also the first time I've worn these sweater tights.  I got them for free, with a $10 off your purchase coupon at Younkers.  I'm sure they expect you to spend more than $10, but I just picked up some socks and tights and I think I paid about a dollar total.  Awesome.  They look like cable knit confetti cake, with little colorful spots all over. 
3.  I had a crazy static cling problem all day, too.  My dress just got shorter and shorter as I walked.  I felt like I was in an early 90s Bounce Commercial.  I'm going to put a dryer sheet in my purse to prevent future static attack. 
4. Blue Man Group was crazy.  I've never tried mind altering drugs, but I imagine the experience is similar to the crazy Blue Man shenanigans.  I had to close my eyes a few times to prevent a strobe light-induced migraine.  Overall, it was a pretty cool show, but just very strange! 
5. I accidentally went to Iowa tonight, too.  When I see a sign for the interstate, and it doesn't specify direction, I assume I will get to choose a direction at some point.  That is not always the case.  I ended up driving around Council Bluffs with no idea how to get back to Nebraska.  Don't worry, I finally made it home. 

Dress as a skirt:  Limited
Cardigan: Gap
Belt:  from another dress
Tights:  Steve Madden
Boots: Bare Traps via DSW

Wedding Wednesday - Blue dress

This is from May 2010, when one of my friends from elementary, middle, and high school got hitched.  It was so much fun to be there for her happy day, and catch up with all my other friends who I only get to see once a year, if I'm lucky. 

It is so much easier to get dressed in the summer.  Just throw on a dress and some strappy sandals an you are good to go.  Winter is probably more interesting, but I like the simplicity of warm weather.  I'm actually wearing this dress today, but it requires several other layers to make it winter-appropriate.  Just a few months of winter left, and then spring will be back! 

Dress:  Limited
Shoes: Unlisted

Default Dress

This dress is probably one of my most worn items.  I got it in 2007, for my one-month anniversary.  I was wary of eating year old cake (per the tradition), so we just celebrated at 1 month, and the cake was still delicious.  Then for our 1-year, I just ordered a decoy cake top.  See what I did there?  More cake!  Everyone wins.

Anyway, this is my go-to dress on days when I need to look like I am trying, but don't actually feel like trying.  I was going to use this for my EBEW Black and White, but then decided I should wear something more interesting for that.  The picture doesn't really capture the pattern very well, but it is kind of a floral/animal print combo. 


Dress:  BCBG
Cami:  Gap
Cardigan:  Gap
Shoes:  Seychelles via DSW

The Green Coat Fiasco

In early November, I saw this green coat at Old Navy, and almost bought it.  Then I thought it was a great idea to give people for Christmas, and I told John about it.  That weekend, Old Navy had 75% off all their outerwear.  He went to get the coat for me, but all they had left was XL.  He went ahead and bought it, thinking it would be easy to exchange for the correct size before Christmas.  A few attempts at exchanging later, it was Christmas Eve and he still had the wrong size for me.  He went ahead and gave it to me, and I was determined to find the correct size. 

After calling around to all the Old Navy stores in the area, I was getting discouraged.  My sister told me to just keep it for a maternity coat.  I was thinking I could just eat a lot of Christmas cookies until it fit.  Last weekend, I went into Old Navy for one last try.  I had to be a little bit demanding of the teenager who swore she couldn't do a National check.  Finally, a manager came over and within about 3 minutes, I was on the phone with an Old Navy in Illinois, giving them my address to ship my coat to me.  I just had to pay $5 extra for shipping.  My coat arrived on Friday afternoon, and I love it!  I'm so excited I finally found the correct size! 

Coat: Old Navy

Sweater, Camisole, Jeans, Shoes:  Gap

Socks:  Betsey Johnson

Orange Crush

I'm wearing an orange cardigan today, and it makes me think of Orange Crush.

/

I'll be honest.  I love Orange Crush.  Other orange sodas don't even compare!  I remember loving it as a kid, and then it wasn't really around for awhile.  Then in high school, Walmart started carrying the 6-pack of glass bottles.  I would go to Walmart specifically to stock up on Crush.  Then I left for college, and stores in Nebraska did not have Crush.  This was a big problem.  So, whenever I went home, I would pack my car with as much Orange Crush as possible, and hoard it in my dorm room.  I was worried about running out, so I rarely drank it.  Then at the end of the semester, I was giving it away to anyone who stopped by.  I'm not saying it was logical.

Now, most grocery stores around here sell crush in 2-liters and cans, but it just doesn't taste as good as the glass bottled kind.  I'm not as crazy as I used to be about it, but my family usually has some glass bottles of Orange Crush on hand when I come to visit.

Isn't it normal to have a vintage looking sign of your favorite soda on display in your office?  No.  Oh, well, this is awkward now. 



Cardigan:  NY&Co
T-shirt:  Gap
Tank:  Gap
Jeans:  Loft
Shoes: Gap

EBEW: Black & White

One of my favorite things about blogging is the link ups and challenges that come around.  Everybody Everywhere is just one of these, and I love it!  This month's theme is Black and White.  The announcement post was titled "It's Black, It's White", and I have had the Michael Jackson song stuck in my head ever since.  I was in 1st grade when that music video premiered, and it was the biggest deal ever.  I don't know why all the 7-year-olds cared, but anyone who was anyone watched that premier and was talking about it on the playground the next day.  We even had a Michael Jackson Impersonation contest with moon-walking and all.  That was my last year in public school, although switching was unrelated to the MJ contest.  

Yesterday, I dug through my closet and laid all of my black and white options out on the bed.  This dress caught my eye, because I love the print and haven't worn it yet.  It was $14 at Ann Taylor (on the same day I bought this dress).  It is a halter, and very body-con, so I either need to tone up or invest in some more effective Spanx before I can wear it alone.  Maybe this summer!  Anyway, it works as a pretty cute skirt for now.   


Sweater:  Gap
Jacket: Relativity
Skirt (really a dress):  Ann Taylor
Belt:  Old Navy
Tights:  Target
Boots:  Target

Marian the Librarian

This outfit is from last Wednesday.  The dress code at my office is pretty casual, but I usually try to dress up a few times a week.  On this particular day, we were interviewing some applicants, so I wanted to be a little more "business" and a little less "casual".  I kind of felt like a stylish librarian, which reminded me of Marian the Librarian. 

 I got this sweater at Macy's a few years ago.  A girl can never have too much argyle.  The skirt was a birthday present from my in-laws, the first year John and I were married.  At that point, I had almost no brown items in my wardrobe, and was trying to branch out.

These shoes are a relatively new addition to my wardrobe.  I had been wanting some nude heels for awhile, but hadn't found any that I liked enough.  I found these at Marshall's in early October, but wasn't sure I should spend the money.  My birthday was coming up, so I didn't need to buy myself presents.  I was good and didn't get them, but I kept thinking about them.  I finally caved in a couple weeks later and went to get them.  I'm amazed they were still there, and had my size.  I guess it was meant to be!  


Sweater:  Style& Co (from Macy's)
Buttondown:  Gap
Skirt:  Loft
Tights:  Target
Shoes:  BCBGeneration

Hermès, Is that you??

This afternoon, I went to Goodwill with one of my work friends.  After striking out in the clothing section, I wandered over to the purses.  I was about to give up and call it a day, when I noticed this purse staring right at me:

I had to pull out my phone and google tips for spotting a knockoff Birkin.  I'm pretty sure this isn't a real one, but I couldn't pass it up. I mean, what are the odds of an authentic Hermès bag ending up at Goodwill for $8? 

I'll probably let myself pretend it is real.  Perhaps a wealthy older couple retired to travel the world, and donated all of their fancy things to Goodwill.  The Goodwill staff knew to put the Coach espadrilles in the glass case for $50, but hadn't ever heard of Hermès so they just slapped the $8 tag on it and called it a day.  Right?  That sounds believable, right??  Yeah, I'm going to go ahead and pretend it's a real one. 

   

Top:  I-N-C International Concepts
Cami:  Mossimo
Cardigan:  Calvin Klein Performance
Jeans:  Loft
Shoes: Loft

New Year's Day

Here's my outfit from the first day of 2012.  After sleeping not very many hours, we went to church and then over to my in-laws' house for Christmas with them.  We had some lunch, opened some presents, played some cards (I won!), and then had a girls' movie night while the guys watched football.  It was a good start to the year!  

I'll be honest, I thought this outfit would be much cuter than it ended up being.  In my head, it wasn't so cheerleadery.  I got this skirt over Christmas vacation, and I may have been under the influence of three seven year old girls.  One of whom has a very similar purple skirt and really wanted us to match.  I've never really bought into peer pressure, but my nieces and nephews can convince me to do all sorts of crazy things. 

I've been pinning some purple skirt inspiration this week, so I'll try again with this skirt.


Sweater:  American Eagle
Black Tank Top:  Gap
Skirt:  Gap
Boots:  Wanted via Piperlime

Think Pink

It seems like ever year, we have a really nice day or two in the middle of winter.  It even smells like springtime outside, but then we are slammed with snow and freezing temps for 2-3 more months.  It was 68 degrees today, sunny and wonderful.  I even had my window open at work to get some fresh air.  Some people complain about the spring tease, but I love it.  I wish every day of winter was like this!  Maybe I should move to Arizona from November to March...

This outfit was from the Monday before Christmas, I think.  These are the new trouser jeans I found at Loft for $20!  I was going to say I love them, but that's probably overstating it.  I mean, I like them, but it's probably not love.  I'll reserve clothing love for dresses and shoes.      

Cardigan:  Marisa Christina from Marshall's
Top:  Gap (It's on sale in stores for $5 right now!)
Trouser Jeans:  Loft
Shoes:  Gap

Wedding Wednesday - Just last week

On Friday, one of my friends from college got married.  Two of my best friends and I decided to make it a Girls' Night.  I'm sure our dates were happy to stay home.         

I'm getting a lot of use out of this $7 dress.  I think I've worn it 4 times so far.  That's less than $2 for each time.  I won't do that math on my other dresses, it's probably pretty bad.   

Dress:  Ann Taylor

Pearls:  from China

Bracelets:  gift from a friend
Belt:  from another dress

Tights:  Target

Shoes: Seychelles from DSW (not that you can see them)

Hunting Season

I've always had a thing for fashiony camo.  Waaaaay back in the day(like probably middle school), there was a camo mini-skirt at 5-7-9 that I really wanted, but I think my mom vetoed it as too short or something.  She was probably right.   Does that store even exist anymore??  (Ok, I just did some google searching, and it does still exist.  The skirts are still too short).

I got this jacket over the summer with a Groupon to Old Navy.  I kind of liked it, and then when I tried it on and the sleeves were long enough, I just had to get it.  Perhaps I should have higher standards, but when you have monkey arms, sometimes you just have to work with what fits.  I sent my husband a picture text, asking if this would be an appropriate outfit for hunting.  Pretty sure he thought I was joking, but then I came home with it.  Now he asks me why it is ok for me to wear this camo jacket in public, but he can't wear his Mossy Oak gear except for hunting.  The rules of fashion aren't always easy to articulate. 

The shadow is my friend Anne.  The house belongs to my friend Brooke.  They are both awesome.

Jacket:  Old Navy
Sweater:  Gap
Tank:  Gap
Jeans:  Old Navy
Shoes:  BCBGeneration

Well, hello 2012!

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