polka dot initiation.

 

 j crew factory draped novelty top in polka dot {thrifted}

j crew factory pencil skirt in double-serge wool

chaps blazer {thrifted}  ·   cl laundry irresistible bol wedges

if it looks like i have a lot of j crew in my wardrobe it's honesty probably 90% thrifted. i'm always pleasantly surprised when i find j crew at the goodwill just because it's a high value brand whose normal asking price is way out of my budget but whose designs i really love, especially j crew factory these days.  i had some time to kill last week so i dropped off some donations at the goodwill and of course i had to browse around afterwards.  i put the 25% coupon they gave me when i donated to use right away on this blouse, making it $5.24. not too bad!  

anyway, if you've been a long-time reader of mine you may notice that i never wear polka dots.  it is probably blogger blasphemy of me to say this, but it's just not a pattern i gravitate toward.  however, for this price i was willing to let the goodwill initiate me into polka dots.  plus, the blouse fits all of the requirements of those i want to add to my closet these days - short sleeves and a looser drape.  i'm pretty satisfied with the purchase, and i'm even happier with myself that it's the only thing i walked out of the goodwill with!

thanks for visiting!

get the look:  similar short-sleeve or long-sleeve blouse / similar skirt / similar blazer / exact wedges / similar belt

dress week: day 3

handmade (by me) dress

cl by laundry wedges   ·   target belt

it has been really fun co-hosting a dresses theme week with andi of just another smith this week!  i hope you guys have enjoyed joining us as well or have been inspired to pull on a dress this week.  sometimes dresses stump me because it seems like they should be trickier than they really area - right?  i mean, it's just one piece of fabric that you should essentially just pull on and go.  i tend to ignore that and layer like a crazy woman, but i decided to keep it simple today and just wear this dress as it is.  can you believe that i made this dress (with my mom's help of course)?!  it wasn't the easiest to make and i'll probably never be able to coerce my mom to help me make another one from the same pattern, but that just makes me love and appreciate this dress all the more.  i think it's kind of perfect for me and i was so glad i had a reason to wear it this week!

get the look:  similar dress / exact wedges / similar belt

cue the link up!

An InLinkz Link-up

a snowy morning.

old navy flannel shirt   ·   j crew factory wool skirt

mossimo wanda wedges   ·   target belt & necklace

if you can believe it or not, i've never owned a flannel shirt before... i'm really stretching my memory here and i don't even remember owning one when i was in high school in the 90s.  this one from old navy definitely came in handy today though as it was another cold day, but more impressive than the cold was the 5" of snow that dropped during the first part of the morning. the weather is crazy all across the country and it seems like it's all we can talk about, but i feel so fortunate that we are equipped to deal with winter weather up here in minnesota and by the time i left work this afternoon, every road i needed to travel on was completely plowed.  

i grew up in atlanta, one of the southern cities impacted greatly by the icy and snowy weather earlier this week, and though nothing quite like that ever occurred when i lived there (i remember getting a dusting of snow maybe every few winters), i have a different perspective living in a state now where winter weather happens a couple times a week!  i have so much compassion for the citizens down there (and in neighboring states) who were trapped on highways & for parents whose kids had to stay overnight at school because buses couldn't get them home.  i sincerely hope for everyone's safety and recovery from that incident!  how are you managing with winter this year where you live?

get the look:  exact shirt / this season's skirt / similar wedges / similar necklace / similar belt

a new look

 

j crew shell {thrifted} · gap cardigan {thrifted / similar} 

merona linen skirt {thrifted target stock} · mossimo wedges {similar} 

sept 24th / i'm taking my own advice from friday and trying to wear some different outfits than what has become my standard of button-down + skirt combo. i really love this blouse every time i wear it (even if i always pair it with this cardigan​... who cares! it works!) and even though it isn't an exact match, i like how the yellow + green in the blouse complements the yellow-green hue of the skirt. like many skirts at target, this is one i eyed when i first saw it pop up in stores. so of course i was pretty happy to snatch it up from the GW for a few bucks. 

thanks for dropping by!

june 10th {subtle mixes}

talbots button-down {thrifted}   ·   handmade (by me) skirt

mossimo wanda wedges

i think this outfit was inspired by m at apples & pencil skirts.  she always knows the perfect striped or gingham shirt to pair with a floral skirt.  i like this skirt a lot but feel like i have exhausted the tops to pair with it until i scanned the blue section of my closet (there is a faint blue outline on the white cherry blossom you may be able to see in the detail shot) and spotted this button-down in the perfect shade.  i really liked how the subtle pattern mixing seemed to work.  thanks for visiting!

april 24th {keep trying}

goodness, i have been a terrible blogger these past few days.  getting dressed has been a major challenge.  see evidence above.  yikes.  i'm talking swapping out multiple pieces in an original outfit before finally, finally just settling on something that works.  those types of mornings really frustrate me.  maybe i need to put more planning into what i wear each day...

speaking of which, i'll be doing just that next week with my friend marissa and we invite you to join us with our PANTONE-inspired color challenge.  we chose five hot spring colors and will be dressing in those colors next week.  read more about it here!

march 19th {neglected Q&As}

old navy camp shirt   ·   j crew factory skirt

mossimo wanda wedges   ·   inpink necklace

yes, i not only neglect clothes but i also neglect blogger memes.  both bri & kate tagged me for the little 5 things Q&A going around, so i wanted to try my hardest to participate.  i looked in my drafts and saw i had about two of these started from various awards i've been given in the past (sorry!).  i enjoy getting to know bloggers but sometimes in the moment it's hard to think of five random facts to share about myself!  it seriously took me about a week to finish this post, but here goes:

01 / pet peeves:  one of my biggest pet peeves is hearing coworker's dings, chimes, message alerts, and ring tones on their work cell phones when we are in meetings.  i know everyone is busy and might be awaiting a pertinent phone call from a patient or colleague, but it gives the impression that they're not fully present at the meeting if they are attending to their phone every few minutes.  i mean, if your cell phone is sitting on the table in front of you, you can still see if a call/message comes in when it's on silent!  right?  i think this is a big problem in the technology era we live in... poor cell phone etiquette. 

02 / volunteering:  i volunteer with my aunt at a local organization that sews baby clothes and puts them all together in a diaper bag and delivers them to local hospitals and organizations for underprivileged new moms.  my responsibility is cutting out little sleepers and then i help to put all of the bags together once a month.  it's nice taking time out of my life to do something for someone else's and to share in something meaningful with my aunt!

03 / guilty pleasure: i have a major guilty pleasure of reading romance fiction stories on fictionpress.com.  that's probably why i haven't posted any book reviews in a while, i'm too busy reading amateur cheesiness!  actually, that is not fair--i have read some great stories on there.  and i'm willing to recommend, don't be bashful!

04 / talentless: growing up, i never participated in any sort of organized sports or dance classes, two extracurricular activities i feel were the norm for kids to start getting involved in even as early as elementary school.  i never played a musical instrument growing up either (i was in chorus in middle school & high school).  i'm come to face the fact that i don't have much talent!

05 / traveling:  the u.s. city i have visited more times than any other outside of cities in the state i live in (minnesota) and grew up in (georgia) is... wait for it... tulsa, oklahoma.  random, i know?   i know i can't just leave it there so i'll explain why--my favorite band is from there and, well, i'm still a teenybopper fangirl at heart and i think it's a rule that i have to pilgrimage back there every year or two for events they host.  it's true, i'm making visit in may.  what city have you visited the most?

okay, enough disclosures for one day!  thanks for visiting.  :)

january 24th {q&a}

jh collectibles blazer {thrifted}   ·   mossimo scarf
handmade (by me) skirt   ·   dexter kylie wedges

this outfit turned out differently than what i originally put on this morning.  i had every intention of copying miss molly by wearing a blue sweater and camel-colored blazer with the same striped skirt, but something about my attempt just didn't click... maybe it was my tights color and shoes.  so i tried a couple different skirts, landing on this one, added a belt, and at the last minute this lightweight scarf that features all of the same colors as the solids in my outfit.  in the end, i really like how this outfit turned out.

there has been a fun Q&A going around and i was glad when my friend whitney tagged me!  i love answering questions and having the opportunity to connect with someone out there on something that might not ordinarily come up in one of my blog posts.  so here goes, reflecting back on 2012:

favorite makeup: i am not someone who tries a lot of different make up or swears by certain brands... i buy whatever mascara is on sale and i have a coupon for and get adventurous when i run out of eye shadow {i've stuck with cover girl for a really long time} and get to choose a new shade of tan/brown/cream.  i was happy, though, to finally try eos lip balms last year - they are so fun and i love the scents/flavors!

favorite book: i have really enjoyed all of the books i have posted reviews of on my blog, but i think my favorites were the night circus and  the pajama girls of lambert square.  i hope to continue to add more reviews in 2013!

favorite song/album: wow, i could talk about music all day!  two of my favorite bands came out with new albums in 2012, fun. and the rocket summer.  in fact, i saw fun. in concert last night!  the five-disc cd changer in my car is probably bored with me because the only cds that have been in it since i got the car last summer are fun., the format (the lead singer of fun.'s former band), and the rocket summer.  i am pretty loyal to the bands i love and i rarely tire of their albums!  the cds i enjoyed listening to most at work last year (and still this year) are of monsters & men's "my head is an animal" and beach house's "bloom" - both cds work well as background music and i could play them on repeat and never get sick of the tracklist.

{sorry, i don't have any good pictures for the rest of these!}

favorite movie: i honestly don't think that i saw one movie in the theater in 2012.  i am really picky when it comes to movies and there were literally none that must have warranted my attention in 2012.  i need a good romantic comedy to be released in 2013!

one thing you're grateful for: the potential that is developing for my parents to move to the same state as me.  i really hate thinking about all of the time i am missing spending time with my parents because we are currently separated by over 1,000 miles.  i'm praying the sale of their house goes through and the logistics all fall into place to move halfway across the country in a few months.

greatest challenge: my greatest challenge of 2012 was my job and feeling confident in my role and the responsibilities i have.  my work is hard but i continue to grow a lot as i figure out how to be the best type of social worker for my clients.  it's a constant challenge not to take on too much and not to feel too much... people's lives are messy and i'm in the middle of it every day, all day.

what are you looking forward to in 2013:  this is kind of trite, i think, but i really want to improve my health in 2013.  i am someone who really does not exercise or spend much time thinking about the benefits of exercise.  i may wander into the work out room in my apartment complex a few times a year... but i'm coming to the realization that my relative "youth" (i think i look a lot younger than i really am, which makes me feel as though i still have some "youth" left in me) isn't immunity against poor health and i need to be more proactive about taking care of myself.  and just to keep it real and drive home my point (to myself, mostly) - the last time i wore this blazer nearly a year ago to this date i could button it, but now... not so much.  i'm looking forward to working on this more this year!


finally... be sure to enter my giveaway for a cute pair of bauble bar earrings! 
and i'm linking up with mix & match fashion today.  thanks for reading!

tuesday (simple)

ann taylor blouse {ebay}   ·   mossimo cocoon cardigan {thrifted target stock}

semantiks skirt {thrifted}   ·   mossimo wanda wedges

simple / sometimes i come to a standstill of how to talk about the clothes that i wear or the reasons why i pair certain pieces together and how it makes me feel... yada, yada, yada.  sometimes it's just as simple as, "i felt great in this outfit" and "i love how this came together!" and it doesn't need a really long explanation.  so, that is what i am giving you today: a simple outfit & a simple post.  i hope your week is off to a great start!

tuesday {tweaked}

webster at target white tunic {thrifted target stock}  ·   handmade (by me) skirt
 mossimo wanda wedges   ·   target belt {thrifted target stock}

tweaked / i was at my favorite GW bright & early yesterday as all colored tags {except red = target stock} were 50% off for labor day.  i love these sale days!  i came away with four tops and a blazer, including this blouse for $1.99.  it has such a pretty embossed jacquard pattern & crisp white always leaves me feeling so polished. belting this tunic-length top with a wide brown belt gave the outfit a different look compared to my typical tucked in blouses and cardigans... it's nice how a minor tweak in your typical uniform can keep you excited about putting together outfits and getting dressed each morning.  i think i need to try this more often!

here's a peak at the other items i brought home with me from the GW:

friday {dressy}

dressy / if there were ever a day to wear a dress you made yourself (!) it should be on a friday!  happy weekend - i hope to get caught up with your blogs this weekend {is there a limit of how many posts google reader will hold?  i hope not!} and get back into my normal routine next week.  

here's a picture of what the dress itself looks like and how i would wear it without a blazer/cardigan.  can you believe i made this?!  okay, i had my mom's help, of course.  it's simplicity 2444 if anyone is interested!

wednesday!

jason wu for target blouse {thrifted target stock}  ·  handmade (by me) skirt

mossimo wanda wedges  ·  target {thrifted target stock}

 

i know a lot of you guys compliment the simple skirts i make all the time (thank you!) but if you only knew what goes through my mind when i am looking at fabric.  not much!  if it's a print and color i like, i'll usually throw it in the cart and forget to even look at the fabric content or laundering instructions.  that was the case for this fabric, which i'm pretty sure is home decor fabric... it has held up nicely through several wears & washings though and i love that i could find another shade of blue to pull out of the print by wearing this jason wu blouse.  it was hard, but i also decided to accessorize with a color other than yellow!

 

my week has been a doosey so far, how about yours?  i have so much going on with so many of my clients, but it makes me feel as though i'm a needed support in their lives.  sometimes it's hard to measure my effectiveness though.  my coworker is hosting a happy hour tomorrow afternoon and it couldn't come at a better time.  hopefully it will be relaxing.  have a great evening!

wednesday.

 

merona cardigan {thrifted target stock}   cabi blouse {thrifted}

handmade (by me) skirt   mossimo wanda wedges   target belt

thanks for the kindness you all showed me after my announcement on monday that my car had been stolen.  i'm not really sure what to do at this point (call impound lots?), but your support means so much.  i whipped up this skirt and the one i wore monday on sunday since i was carless and not in the mood to do too much anyway... i really like the way it photographed and looked with this pumpkin orange color.  i just wish it were a little smaller... i hadn't made a skirt in a while so i forgot what measurements i usually use!  thanks for visiting!

friday (indeed.)

mossimo sweater {thrifted}   jones ny blazer {thrifted} 

handmade (by me) skirt   mossimo wanda wedges

HAPPY FRIDAY.  HAPPY FRIDAY (!) indeed.

wednesday (refashioned)

xhilaration juniors dress (turned skirt by me) {thrifted target stock}
merona cardigan {thrifted target stock}  merona meaghan flats

does it count as a refashion if you just turn an inappropriate juniors dress into a cute skirt by chopping off the top and putting in a waistband?  this was my little project this weekend.  i immediately saw potential in the fabric of this dress and it was a pretty easy sewing job to take in the sides a bit and create an elastic waistband.  voila! a new skirt for $4.99.  i debated about it the entire hour i was at the goodwill on sunday, but i'm glad i ended up getting it as i really love the watercolor effect and the muted tones, and i think it turned into a pretty cute skirt.  here's the original dress:

friday (juliet, juliet)

merona essential cardigan {thrifted target stock}   handmade (by me) skirt

old navy blouse   target belt {thrifted target stock} mossimo wanda wedges

 

my coworker and i met our boss for lunch today, but she was running late so we browsed around a consignment store next door while we waited for her.  i saw quite a bit of donated target stock {the brand name like "merona" is always marked through with a sharpie} from the goodwill and found it really interesting that someone out there is buying donated target stock from the goodwill and trying to get something for it at a consignment shop!  or that's what i assume anyway, since many of the merona pieces i saw i see at goodwill all the time.

 

i also saw these j crew juliet heels priced at $23 (originally $198!).  i mulled them over while my coworker and i waited for our boss to arrive, all through lunch, and then went back and tried them on again after lunch.  i was thisclose to buying them but the yellow was REALLY bright and they looked silly with my brown tights (and would probably look silly with any color tights except maybe navy?).  i've never tried on or purchased j crew shoes before but man oh man, these were so comfortable and in great condition.  any other color and they would have come home with me... but bright yellow?  bummer.  i'm glad i decided they just didn't have a place in my closet despite how beautiful they were.  maybe one day i will wear j crew shoes on my feet, just not today.  have a great weekend!

tuesday (my thing)

old navy v-neck sweater   banana republic skirt {thrifted}

merona belt {thrifted target stock}   mossimo wanda wedges

my two coworkers and i were visiting after a meeting today we had with another colleague who always accessories with very distinctive earrings.  it got us to questioning what our "thing" is in terms of fashion or appearance.  one of my coworkers said that i always wear cute handmade skirts and that i have cute shoes.  what a compliment!  is it true?  i'm not sure, some of the skirts i make are misses and i always wear the same shoes over & over (although i did pick up this pair and another pair at target the other day on mega clearance!) but i thought it was nice that they noticed things that they think are very "me."  do you think you have a distinctive or identifiable aspect to your appearance, or do you wish that you did?  i wish i could think of better ways to style my hair each day or that i could keep up with polishing my nails... good things to remember when i have some down time and want to devote a little extra time to "me!"

ps:  the inspiration for my outfit today is kelley at threads & buttons.  i only wish my scarf was longer and i could have tied it like hers, isn't that magenta & khaki such a great color combination?  i've already copied one look from her, hopefully she doesn't start charging!

wednesday (wrapped)

merona wrap dress {thrifted}   mossimo ultrasoft cardigan

target belt {thrifted target stock}   american eagle myles riding boots

this is what i wore to work on saturday.  i had to put in some hours and get a few things done since i am on vacation this week.  late last week, i was going through a spreadsheet where i track the clothing & accessories i purchase and realized that i hadn't work this dress yet - i picked it up at the goodwill in april!  i was drawn to the print and wrap style, and even though it felt a little too short i thought i could deal with it.  well, not unless i'm wearing tights and tall boots, apparently, so i had to wait until winter.  plus, i'll admit it... it got lost in that dark side of my closet where all my dresses hang.  the length isn't that bad now that i'm looking at it (and boy, i thought that cardigan matched better!), but i might still turn it into a skirt.

do you track your purchases & spending throughout the year?  it's been an enlightening process for me, i hope to share some of my learnings later this week if i can find a way to consolidate them.  have a good one!

{don't forget to enter my giveaway!}

monday (colorful)

merona cardigan {thrifted new}  

xhilaration dress as skirt {thrifted & refashioned}
american eagle myles riding boots   target belt {thrifted new}

it was so fun to be in a different state this past week enjoying the thanksgiving holidays with my family, as i had the chance to check out some different goodwills!  the goodwills in georgia are really different from the ones i am used to here in minnesota.  each style of clothing is set at a standard price {ex: all dresses are $5.95} and given a colored tag and the colored tag sale lasts all week.  it was also interesting to see the different types of clothes that the goodwills in georgia had.  i could have really scooped up on vintage skirts in every color of the rainbow... but i only got a couple items, including this xl xhilaration dress that i chopped up and turned into this skirt.  i think i have a cardigan that would match every color in this skirt's pattern, which really excites me!  the pattern is so fun & colorful, which is just what i needed on my first day back to the office after being gone a week. 

i hope you all had a great holiday and that the week is starting off well for you!  thanks for dropping by!

tuesday (table-clothing)

thrifted tablecloth turned skirt  old navy cardigan

target belt {thrifted new}   mossimo kachiri boots

i've mentioned a couple times how i bought this yellow tablecloth at the goodwill for $1.99 and it was big enough to cut two skirts out of with some leftover fabric for pockets for future skirts.  so, two skirts for $1 each?  yes, please.  i've found myself gradually wanting to add more yellow into my wardrobe, with the first skirt i made and an embossed yellow belt and now with this skirt.  i used to worry about wearing certain colors, not knowing if they "went well" with my skin tone or hair color, but now i just wear what i love... and right now, i definitely love yellow!

here is a picture of the tablecloth before i got cutting:

 thanks for reading!