feeling feminine.

old navy sleeveless fleece dress

j crew cardigan {thrifted}

croft & barrow necklace

merona belt   ·   cl by laundry nima wedges

{ similar dress / similar cardigan / similar necklace / exact belt / exact wedges }

i felt so feminine and classy in this outfit all day, i think it had to do with the lighter gray and lighter purple/pink that seemed to really complement one another and of course the pearls!  this dress got me through the winter with its thicker fleece knit but i'm glad i can find ways to wear it during other times of the year as well.  

this dress also happened to be a great backdrop to feature two new cd's i purchased last week on instagram - i can't remember the last time i bought an actual cd in the store, not to mention two in one day!  and the day after this, i bought another cd (nate reuss's new solo cd)!  i've been so eager for new music and so far have been pretty impressed with these albums!  what is the last cd you bought (either in a store or downloaded online)?

conference attire.

loft diamond print cropped pants

loft scalloped ruffle sweater

cl by chinese laundry bol wedges

i wore this outfit to attend an annual aging conference recently.  i could have gotten away with wearing a nice pair of jeans, but i still like to dress as i would throughout the week if i am attending a conference or seminar, even if i am just sitting listening to speakers all day.  at first i thought the conference would be a good day to test run wearing the j crew factory skimmer pants i mentioned in my september budget post, but i tried them on ahead of time and just wasn't sure at all that i could "pull them off."  so, i'm not sure what i will do with them -- list them on ebay or send them to thredup?  i'm a little disappointed with that purchase, but hopefully i'll be able to make back the $25 i spent on them one way or another.

the aging conference that i went to was fantastic!  i love attending presentations, conferences, etc in my field of aging.  the speakers were so thought-provoking, i ran into an old grad school classmate, and i really came out on top with freebies from vendors - 3 water bottles, 20 something pens, and a dozen post-it note pads...  i definitely DON'T need any more pens at home or at work, but it's so hard to snag free stuff when you are visiting vendors.  do you have the opportunity to attend any sort of conferences related to the field you work in?

get the look:  similar button-down / similar sweater / similar pants / exact wedges / similar necklace

lustre lace.

 

j crew lustre lace mockneck tee {thrifted}   ·   j crew skirt {ebayed}

dexter harriet t-strap heels   ·   croft & barrow necklace

i have long admired this picture of cee wearing a navy lace blouse with a bright red turtleneck underneath and i was reminded of it as i was googling around trying to determine the product name of the j crew blouse i am wearing that i thrifted yesterday just to realize it is the same top.  i had to take inspiration from her and pair it with a turtleneck underneath, too!  i love how pretty and feminine this outfit is with the added faux pearl necklace.

thrifting can be a dangerous hobby.  you're bound to add items to your cart that you would pass on in a store just because of their inexpensive price tag.  i have a hard time putting something back at the goodwill, even if i'm only moderately interested in it.  i struggled with a pink blazer that would have been a mere $2.50 that i finally placed back on a rack just because i'm not certain if the direction my wardrobe is going includes a pepto-bismol pink blazer.  this blouse, on the other hand, was half off of $6.99, which ordinarily would have been a no brainer, but i paused for the slightest of seconds before running to the cash register with it because, ahh, i already have a very similar blouse.  in the end, the $3.50 price tag for a blouse that originally cost $138 won out --  i mean, i couldn't just leave it there, could i?!  as i said, thrifting is a dangerous hobby.  would you have snatched it up as well knowing you have almost an identical blouse already or left it on the rack?

get the look:  similar blouse / similar skirt / similar heels / similar necklace

april 4th {cheery}

merona cardigan & cherokee button-down {both thrifted target stock}

old navy slacks & scarf   ·   merona emma cap-toe flats

today's outfit was inspired by jordan at opal & violet.  i loved the look she created with skinny pants, a mint cardigan, and a beautiful coordinating lightweight scarf.  my scarf options are limited, so i pulled this one out again and matched the dark purple/magenta and coral colors in the scarf to my cardigan and flats.

i'm really pleased with these flats, by the way!  they are true to size and quite comfortable, and the leather is really soft.  they also don't appear as "scrunched" as they do in the photo, i could easily slip them on and off without having to pull them up and over my heel.  they did start to rub against the back of my ankles after an 8+ hour day, but that's no big deal.  i'm really glad that i ended up getting two pairs during target's recent bogo 50% off shoe deal.  i am also so happy to be wearing shoes without socks/tights!

tuesday (vote!)

happy election day!  i meant to post yesterday as i found it amusing that i was wearing a pretty patriotic outfit that was unplanned and would have made more sense to wear today, but i experienced an optical migraine (self-diagnosed) as i was stuck in monstrous traffic on my way home and barely made it home before collapsing in bed in my dark room - needless to say, i definitely wasn't up to blogging last night.  i've experienced these just a couple times in the past and i know they are brought on by stress and bright lights/flashing lights/staring too intently at computer screens, but it's still disconcerting. 

tomorrow is my birthday (!) and i'm just hoping i don't slip on any patches of ice or experience much stress... i'm sure taking a half-day won't hurt.  i am attending a presentation next week on stress management for social services providers and i have a feeling it couldn't come at a better time.  if anyone else out there has a really stressful job, have you found any unique or helpful ways to mitigate the stress?

wednesday {calm}

gap button-down {thrifted}   ·   old navy perfect cardigan

isaac mizrahi for target skirt {thrifted}   ·   dexter kylie wedges

calm / please excuse my frizzy hair {late afternoon downpour} and the weird skeleton-looking imprint of my hand in my pocket, is that creepy or what?  are my hands that bony?  this is real life in my world and it doesn't always seem that stylish - this is usually what i look like by the end of the day, a little frazzled.  usually i blame it on the weather though and not my work, although that is stressful too.  no matter what i may look like on the outside i always try to project calmness and patience from the inside.  i have a handful of clients on my caseload right now who are really trying my skills and a big focus in recent months has been in not allowing myself to perseverate on a problem someone might be dealing with and end up getting just as worked up about it as they are.  it's hard when i become so invested in the success and health of my clients that i tend to want to fix every problem because i have the power, connections, resources.  but if i come across as level-headed and neutral it helps to deescalate intense emotions and my clients can more easily see the steps to take to advocate for themselves or reach a goal.  i bet teachers might agree with this too and not just those like me in social services.

one of the best compliments i've received lately was from my former boss who said that i have a "calming & reassuring presence" and that she's looking to use that strength of mine during a very large gathering our building is hosting tomorrow by helping her manage a large number of volunteers.   i think it's a good reminder that our clothing choices are only a fraction of what others perceive about us--a great pair of heels or skirt may give me extra confidence in the way i present myself to people, but it's great that those closest to me in my work environment have picked up on other strengths i have too, not just my ability to put together a cute outfit {okay, that's debatable some days!}.  thanks for dropping by and listening to my late-night ramblings, i appreciate your visits so much!