Nautical Week - Rope Stripes

This dress is a more subtle nod to the nautical theme.  I like how the stripes look like rope, instead of just being solid.  Ropes are related to sailing, right?  I also like that this dress is long enough for me to wear.  My other pink and white striped dress (which I love) is starting to seem too short (maybe because it is so a-line?).  Anyway, I think I might have to chop it into a skirt.  Add it to the pile of sewing projects I'm hoping to tackle someday!

Here's a close up, since you can't really tell that the stripes are rope-print.  You can also get a nice close up of the wrinkles!  So fancy!

It's also time for Third Thursday Threads with Bri!  Again, I'm glad she picked a theme that I can add to my nautical week.  Sandals go with rope-striped dresses!  Hooray!  These are my most frequently worn sandals, because they are comfortable and cute.  The only problem is that I've worn them so much and they are starting to wear out a bit.  So I'll be on the lookout for a replacement pair! 

Dress: Gap
Jacket: J.Crew Factory
Sandals: Carlos Santana

Valentine's Week - More Red & Pink

 

I think this outfit might be ridiculous, but I just love it anyway.  I have totally been neglecting this skirt since the cold weather arrived.  Yes, it's a summery fabric and color, but some fleece-lined tights and boots help transition it into the winter months.  I don't do the whole "closet transition" thing like some of you.  Other than shorts and heavier sweaters, I think most of my wardrobe is pretty translatable to all seasons.  Which is good, because there isn't a lot of warning when the seasons will be changing.  And yes, sometimes we experience all 4 seasons within a couple of days!  It's very confusing.

Top, Cardigan, Belt: Old Navy

Necklace: InPink

Skirt: Loft

Boots: Steve Madden

Popular Pinterest Inspiration

I think every single blogger has worn some version of this outfit.  I actually wore this for what should have been day 16 of TOPIO (passing on the belt from day 15), but then I realized I had already passed along everything else in this outfit, so I changed my plan.

After wearing this, I bought a more "camel" colored cardigan, and some new cognac boots, so I'll probably be wearing a different version of this outfit before too long.

Linking up with Heather today for Pinned it& Did it!

Scarf: H&M
Dress: Ann Taylor
Cardigan: Limited
Belt: Old Navy
Boots: Steve Madden

Winter is Here

Are you ready for more weather talk?  Because Nebraska got seriously cold last week.  When I wake up in the morning, I usually check the weather so I know how to dress accordingly.  When it says ZERO, I just want to give up and crawl back into bed.

On Saturday, I went on a returning spree at the outlet mall.  I didn't even buy anything new to replace the returns.  The parking lot was crazy, the lines were long, and I really wonder why anyone thinks it is a good idea to have an outdoor mall in Nebraska!  Put a roof on it!  Or better yet, one of those retractable roofs that they have on football stadiums.  That'd be pretty cool! 


Necklace: InPink
Sweater: Gap
Dress, Belt,Tights: Old Navy
Boots: Steve Madden

All Mixed Up

 

I'm not sure what's going on, but I've been completely confused all week about what day it is.  I think it is partly because I had extra plans after work on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.  Then Thursday and today, my department is doing off-site training, so I'm working, but it's not at the office, and it's completely different than my normal day (like, I have to wake up at a normal person time, instead of sleeping in late!)  I was thinking it would be better next week, but apparently Thanksgiving is happening.  Where did November go exactly?  I have no idea.

The Take One, Pass it On challenge is almost over - just one more week!  Then I can get back to participating in link ups on the appropriate days.  I missed Pinned It & Did It yesterday, so I'm making up for it with today's outfit.  Tamara from Ordinary Fashionista is one of my favorites, and I love this outfit of hers from way back in May.  Stripes + Dots + a dash of pink?  Sign me up!  (Plus, she's kind of an amazing seamstress.)

Happy Friday!

Skirt, Cardigan, Belt: Old Navy
Tee: Gap
Necklace: InPink
Shoes: Target

Stripe Week - Dress

Let's be honest - I had a bit of a "BUY ALL THE STRIPED DRESSES" phase earlier this year.  In my defense, I think it was more an issue of supply increasing than me being completely ridiculous.  There were just more options in stores at good prices this spring.  Not that I'm NOT completely ridiculous, but whatever.  Let's move on.

My husband rarely has specific comments about what I wear.  When he does have something to say, it usually surprises me.  He likes this dress, because the stripes get kind of "zig-zaggy" on the skirt part.  Okay. I like it because it's pink and striped and very comfortable and has pockets.  I don't like how wrinkly it gets, but I've already mentioned that!

We're at the midpoint of Stripes Week!  Are you ready to link up with A Journey in Style and me on Friday??

Today, I'm linking up with  What I Wore and What I Wore to Work.

Dress: Gap
Blazer: H&M
Belt: Old Navy
Shoes: Seychelles

Peer Pressure

Happy Monday!  The weekend went by too fast, but that's pretty standard.  It was a pretty low key weekend for me.  I spent most of Saturday reading, and then most of Sunday doing household tasks that I've been neglecting.

After seeing a million Instagrams about the Philip Lim for Target line, I decided to check it out during my grocery trip.  Apparently Omahans aren't as interested in these designer collaborations, because it didn't look picked over at all this afternoon.  Honestly, I wasn't all that impressed.  The half-embellished collars just look awkward to me, the leopard print is too orange, and the things I do like are too expensive.  There are a couple tops I will keep an eye out for, and maybe pick up if they appear in the clearance section.

The little blogging devil on my shoulder was telling me to buy one of the purses, because everyone else was doing it, but my practical side won out this time.  Let's be honest here, I've never spent $50 on a purse!

Did you check out the line?  Did you buy anything?

Dress: Target
Cardigan & Belt: Old Navy
Shoes: Target

Ironing

 

 

I love this dress, but I hate to iron.  This is a predicament.  It was in my ironing pile for a few weeks.  Then I finally ironed it, and I wore it the next day.  Now it's in the ironing pile again.  I really need to hire a maid to take care of these things for me. Or I need to stop buying things that wrinkle.  

I'm linking up with The Pleated Poppy and Fashion & Beauty Finds.

Dress: Gap
Belt: Old Navy
Purse: Urban Outfitters
Necklace: InPink
Sandals: Carlos Santana

Leopard Skirt Remix

 

It's Friday!  It's been a busy week, with something going on almost every evening.  Mostly just catching up with friends that I've been neglecting while I had family in town and then was gone on vacation.  It's all good, I just don't really know when I am supposed to go to the grocery store.  Maybe next week sometime.

This outfit was inspired by a guest post I did for Work Clothes, I Suppose last week.  As I was putting together my remix collage for this skirt, I realized I had never worn it with pink, and isn't that the most obvious pairing ever?  I actually started the day with my shirt tucked in, and then got tired of fighting with it.  I'm just not meant to tuck my shirt in most of the time.

Anyway, here are 8 other ways I have worn this skirt.  

Go check out the other remixers at AJ Wears Clothes!

Cardigan: Marisa Kristina
Top: Gap
Belt: Old Navy
Skirt: J.Crew
Shoes: Born

Literary Junkies and a Maxi Dress

 

It's time for the Literary Junkies link up again. I'm so bad at answering these questions each month!  

What are you currently reading? Tell us about it.
Some of My Best Friends are Black by Tanner Colby - this was a recommendation from one of my friends.  The subtitle is "The Strange Story of Integration in America."  He is basically looking at four areas of American life (work, school, church, neighborhoods) and how we are still pretty separated based on race.  I'm only a few chapters in, but so far it is very interesting. 

Who is your favorite book character and why?
I hate picking favorites!  I tend to like books where the characters aren't super likeable, so this is tricky.  Thinking about the past year or so, my favorites are probably Hazel and Gus from The Fault in Our Stars.  I just liked them and how they interacted with each other.

What would the title of your memoir be?
Probably "Just Another Smith" or something equally un-clever.  Although after reading a few really boring memoirs in the past few years, I've actually thought maybe people would like reading about my life.  I mean, if people liked Eat, Pray, Love, they would pretty much like anything, right?! 
 
What book or series do you remember reading as an elementary/middle school age?
As a kid, I READ ALL THE BOOKS!  I was very into the Boxcar Children series, and then I started reading the Babysitters Club and a lot of the different series by Christian authors.  One of my favorites from the church library was the Sadie Rose Adventures.  I remember walking out of the library on a regular basis with a stack of books so high I couldn't see over them.  

Go check out the other book nerds here!

About my outfit...  
Usually when Marion announces the Trend of the Month, I have to plan an outfit for it.  This time, I was actually wearing my only maxi dress on the day she posted the theme.  I mean, I can pretty much read minds.  Her link-up goes live tomorrow, so you still have time to join in on the fun! 

Dress & Belt: Old Navy
Cardigan: Gap
Sandals: Carlos Santana    

  

Timeless Polka Dots

Are you ready for an epic remix post?  Because if my memory is correct, I've had this skirt for about 15 years.  I really wish I could find a picture of teenage Andi in it, but for some reason, I didn't take pictures of all my outfits back then.  I remember mostly wearing it with my favorite hot pink tank top and a gray cardigan (and probably some awkward platform flip-flops by Steve Madden).

I bought this at Express in (I think) 1997 or 1998.  That was back when they always had an additional 50% off clearance merchandise.  Pretty sure this skirt set me back $15.  People talk about cost/wear, but I'm talking about cost/year and we are at $1.  Seriously, probably one of my best shopping decisions ever.

Here are 12 other ways I've worn this skirt over the last year-ish:

1,2,3,4

5,6,7,8

9,10,11,12

Shirt: J.Crew factory
Belt: Old Navy
Skirt: Express
Shoes: Born
Purse: thrifted

Criminal in a Yellow Cardigan

Day 3 of the link up with Marissa and Heidi for the Pantone Spring Color Challenge means Lemon Zest!  Of course, I had to bust out my yellow-dyed cardigan.  I really like how it pulls out the yellow in the dress.  

I wore this on Monday.  Also on Monday, I had a little run-in with the law.  Here you think I am this nice girl who obeys rules, but I am basically an outlaw.  Apparently, I've been driving around with an expired vehicle registration for over a year.  Oops!

The truth is that I think the DMV messed something up, because they have no record of my vehicle in our current county.  I specifically remember going to the DMV when we moved to update everything, so they must have lost it somehow.  This is the same trip where they were supposed to register me to vote.  Needless to say, I have lost all faith in the DMV (as if I ever had any).   Somehow, John's car is registered just fine, and he was in the voter database, too.  I must have offended the worker somehow.

Anyway, I have to venture downtown sometime soon to appear in court and pay my fine.  Believe it or not, the "court fees" are twice as much as the actual fine.  Ridiculous!  I guess I shouldn't break the law, because the consequences are very frustrating. 

After work, I was feeling particularly brave, and went to the park to take pictures.  Other than the weird guy staring at me from the picnic tables, it was a pretty good spot!

Dress: Kohl's
Cardigan: Target (dyed by me)
Necklace: Bass outlet
Shoes: Carlos Santana via DSW (get ready to see these a lot this summer)

Third Thursday Winterization

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This month's Third Thursday Threads theme is Winterizing a Summer Item!  

I'm a big fan of making summer items work all through the year.  One of the easiest ways to do this is take a summery dress and add a sweater, tights, and boots.  Boom!  When I bought this dress, I had vacation and summer in mind, but then I noticed that it would match perfectly with my fuchsia tights and orange cardigan.  I sort of expected to get some looks from my co-workers, since this is a pretty loud outfit, but I didn't notice anyone staring awkwardly.  One person did tell me I was very bright.  I just said thanks!

How do you wear summery items when it's cold outside?  Any brilliant tips to share? 


Dress: Kohl's
Cardigan: J.Crew factory
Tights & Belt: Old Navy
Boots: Target

Tough

Take One, Pass It On Item: boyfriend shirt from last Friday's post

I recently learned that someone in my office described me as "tough."  When I told various other people (husband, sister, friends), they all laughed heartily.  I'm about as NOT tough as is humanly possible.  There are several definitions (according to Merriam-Webster):    

1. characterized by severity or uncompromising determination <tough laws> <tough discipline>
2. capable of enduring strain, hardship, or severe labor <tough soldiers>
3. very hard to influence : stubborn <a tough negotiator>
4. difficult to accomplish, resolve, endure, or deal with <a tough question> <tough luck>
5. stubbornly fought <a tough contest>
6. unruly, rowdyish <a tough gang>
7. marked by absence of softness or sentimentality <a tough critic>

The only one that I could maybe believe about myself is #4.  I'm sometimes "difficult to deal with", but that is because I am so sensitive, so I'm not sure we can really apply it in this case.   

I just thought it was funny - the perceptions others have of us are sometimes very far from reality!  And I figured I should let you all know the truth, just in case you haven't figured it out: I'm not really tough at all. 

Shirt and Cardigan: Gap
Belt: Old Navy
Skirt: Kenneth Cole Sweater (refashioned)
Boots: Target