Vivacious

It's an exciting week for 2 reasons (well, maybe more, but 2 that I know of):

1. My birthday is on Thursday.  I'm kind of obnoxiously enthusiastic about birthdays (particularly my own), but I'll try to keep it to a minimum.  
2. Marissa and Heidi are hosting another Pantone-Inspired challenge this week.  I participated in the spring, and met some of my very favorite bloggers, so I'm excited to see who I find this time!  

So, today's color is vivacious, which is basically just a bright purplish pink, so I figure this skirt qualifies.  I want to know who gets paid to come up with these color names, and then I want that job!  

Also, this sweater and boots combo will be back tomorrow, because they are TURBULENCE-colored.  

Tee&Skirt: Gap

Sweater: Urban Outfitters

Boots: Wanted

Necklace: Phoenix gift shop

Closet Inventory - Dresses and Scarves

Remember how I was like "yeah, I'm going to do a closet inventory!" and then I neglected it for several weeks?  Yeah, me neither.  Anyway, I am going to try to get back on track with this.  So, dresses and scarves are the topics of today.

My dresses hang in the middle of my closet in the only "tall" space available.  By my counts, there are twenty-one.  Most of them are wearable year-round, and I feel like I have a pretty good mix of colors/styles/patterns, etc.  I'm not currently looking for anything specific to add to this section of my wardrobe, but I like dresses, so I'll probably buy more when I find pretty options for a good deal!  

My scarves hang on the left side of my dresses, but I pulled them out and straightened them up a bit to make sure they were all visible.  I have twelve.  This seems like a lot, but as I look at them, there are only a couple that I haven't worn recently.  The blue/green plaid one was an impulse buy at Old Navy last summer and I think I wore it once.  It might need to go.  I'm not really looking to buy more scarves at the moment.

I've been wondering when we will get tired of these long fashion scarves, because they are a fairly recent trend.  I mean, when I was in high school (we're talking 10 years ago), I thought it was cool to wear the little neck scarves, like they did back in the 50s.  I don't remember anyone else doing that (other than my sister, who I was probably copying in the first place).  Or are scarves already not cool again and I just haven't gotten the memo?

Fashion Blogger Poses

For some reason, I happened upon the GOMI forums the other day.  I have mixed feelings about the whole thing, but I do think there are some interesting opinions out there, and most of the comments I read were more constructive criticism than just bullying/hostility.  (Granted, if I found anything mean about myself, I'd probably have a different opinion).

One of the threads was about annoying things fashion bloggers do, and I found myself being guilty of several!  One big complaint was having 10 pictures of almost the exact same pose.  I had to laugh.  I usually only post 3-4 pictures, but they tend to be pretty similar poses.  Both hands on my hips, only one hand on my hip, looking off to the side, looking down.  If I have on a jacket, I'll put my hands in my pockets for a bit.  And in my last picture up there, I just have my thumb in my pocket.  No idea why.  It's SO FASHION!  (I should really watch ANTM to get ideas)

So GOMI convicted me that I should have more diversity in my poses, and maybe even some close-up shots.  I'll try, but no promises!  I hope the critique is aimed more towards full-time bloggers.  I mean, if I didn't have a job, I could spend more time practicing my model poses and taking 100 pictures to choose from instead of about 10.

Finally, I've had a few people ask about color/fabric of this skirt.  The sparkliness doesn't always show up in pictures, so here's a closeup shot.  There's a sparkly gold thread overlay on the more shimmery gold netting of the skirt.   *It should be noted that my feet are slightly paler than my legs, but this is exaggerated by the way the sunlight was falling in this picture.   

Top & Skirt: Gap
Shoes: Target

Praying Mantis Invasion

I feel weird about this outfit.  It seemed like a good idea when I put it on, and then when I got to work, I felt like a clown.  I think there's just too much going on here.  So, it was an awkward day, made all the more awkward by the following story.

In a rare turn of events, I took outfit pictures before I went to work.  It was a fiasco.  The sun was coming up over the house, so there was just a little corner by the screen door for taking pictures.  I set up and started snapping away, when I noticed...  PRAYING MANTIS INVASION!  That may be a bit dramatic, but there were TWO and they really looked like they were trying to break into our house.  Terrifying.  THEN a squirrel jumped off the roof onto the tree branch right over my head and a bunch of leaves fell.  And then I couldn't see what happened to the one praying mantis, so I felt very nervous.  Then I found him, and he was lower down on the screen, but still looked threatening.  They are just very creepy creatures! 

And on top of all that, our neighbors are getting new siding, and there were 2 worker guys walking in and out of their backyard who were probably wondering what the weird girl next door was doing.  Oh, nothing - just taking pictures of my outfit to post on the internet, and scheming how to get back into my house without riling up the praying mantises of doom.  

Tee & Cardigan: Gap
Necklace: won in giveaway
Jeans: Limited
Shoes: Payless

All the Birthdays!

October is birthday month!  John's birthday was last week, and mine is next week, so I usually try to make as many excuses for celebrating as possible.  We should really just take the whole month off work and go on an epic vacation or something.  Maybe next year...

Anyway, I wore this to work on John's birthday and then we went out to dinner.  I took advantage of the brick wall of the restaurant, because that's what fashion bloggers do.

This also marks the first time I've worn this blazer with the sleeves unrolled, but I didn't count on the neon lining still showing.  Oh well, it kind of goes with the skirt, right?

Blazer & Tee: Gap
Necklace: Bass Outlet
Skirt: Loft
Shoes: BCBGeneration

Stripe Week - Sweater and Link-up

Stripes Week is coming to a close, but I'll probably have stripes on the blog most of next week, because I kind of over-prepared.  I could probably keep this going through the rest of the month, but I'd get tired of that (maybe).

Anyway... you guys!  FALL!  I mean, BOOTS and LAYERS!  There are even recently fallen leaves on my shoe in the first picture.  Seriously, though - it got kind of cold over the weekend, and we had all the windows in our house open.  I think it was about 50 degrees inside when we woke up on Saturday.  Not awesome.  But I did bust out the boots on Sunday.  And then it was 80 again on Monday.  I'm hoping we won't see snow until December.  Come on, Nebraska!

Stripe Week - Blazer

This blazer.  It's ridiculous.  I knew it was ridiculous when I bought it, but it was only $7, and I'd had a rough week, so some emotional shopping was inevitable.  And I thought a coral striped blazer would be a pretty good addition to my closet.  And then it hung in my closet for a month, because I didn't really know what to wear with it. 

Pinterest was almost no help.  I guess a white and coral striped blazer just isn't that common.  But I wasn't going to give up.  Then I saw this pin, and decided to flip the colors around to suit my ridiculous blazer.  I really like how it turned out!

I've since thought up several other outfits for this blazer.  I just had to get over the initial block.  Now I'll probably try to wear it a lot before winter officially arrives.

Remember to link up with Kate and me tomorrow with your striped outfits!      

Today I'm linking up with Pinned It & Did It, What I Wore to Work, Look What I Got, and Tres-Chic.

Blazer: Jones New York
Tank: Gap
Skirt: Old Navy
Shoes: BCBGeneration