from 2013.

j crew factory lace top

calvin klein skirt {thrifted}

dexter wedges   ·   target necklace

{ similar blouse / similar skirt / similar wedges / similar necklace / exact belt }

last night i was trying to figure out to wear to work today before i went to sleep and decided to scroll through my archives of what i wore to work in 2013 as i remember almost always liking what i wore to the job i had that year, specifically mid- to late 2013.  i mostly sat at a desk talking to my clients on the phone or doing computer work and i think this allowed me to have much more flexibility with the outfits i wore (more heels) and gave me a lot of confidence to try different outfit combinations.

times have changed with my work environment, which i've discussed a lot in the past year.  my current workplace is the most casual of casual and i am the only female office staff person at my nursing home who ever wears skirts or heels.  i remember liking this outfit from 2013 a lot and decided i would replicate it today - i swapped in a different necklace and wore more sensible shoes, but stuck to the the navy skirt, maroon tights, and pink lace top formula. the overall effect left me feeling put together and confident and also helped me get out of my black/gray tights rut. 

do you often take inspiration from yourself when planning outfits?

embellished.

old navy embellished sweater   ·   merona skirt

dexter kylie wedges   ·   target necklace

for my sake i hope it was just a one-time promotion, but two sunday's ago i got an email from old navy highlighting a handful of items online that were priced at $10.  after taking a quick scroll through the site my cart was full and an order was placed, which included this sweater.  gray seemed an odd color choice at first since i gravitate toward color and prints when i'm shopping... but i love it!  i don't own embellished anything, but the little faceted beads definitely make it interesting enough to get along with the brights & patterns in my closet.

the skirt was a pretty big hit at work too.  it always feels kind of good when others recognize the effort you took to put together an outfit and choose to comment on it (why else would all of us operate these blogs!), but maybe it also has to do with the attitude you exude when you're wearing something you feel great in.  i think others pick up on that and it may make them more inclined to offer a compliment.  who knows--either way, i loved how this outfit turned out and i'm glad i could add a great sweater to my closet for such a reasonable price!

get the look:  exact sweater / current style skirts / similar wedges / similar necklace / similar button-down

neglected florals.

 

 merona blouse {thrifted} · j crew skirt {ebayed / similar} 

dexter kylie wedges {similar} 

oct 1st / this is one of the first blouses i ever thrifted and i remember being so excited when i found it at the goodwill because it was target stock and only $1.99. isn't it sad how the allure of new clothing items can pass so quickly? something prompted me to buy this blouse -- let's be honest, it was probably the cheap price tag -- but then i abandoned it for more cheap clothes i probably found the following week at the goodwill. as a result, i haven't even worn it once every year since i've owned it but i've hung on to it because i feel guilty re-donating something i thrifted and have only worn a couple times. does this scenario resonate with anyone else? sadly, there are many other pieces in my closet that fall into this same category. i think i need kate to challenge me to wear some neglected clothes again. 

anyway, this is a pretty simple outfit - top, bottom, shoes, that's it, but i liked how it all came together and that it didn't appear fussy with a lot of accessories. and after i wore this blouse all day i realized that i really actually kind of like it... neglected no more, let's hope!

made to fit.

 

 e​lle blouse {thrifted} · chaps blazer {thrifted} 

j crew factory skirt · dexter kylie wedges 

sept 3rd / i found this pretty blouse at the goodwill last week; despite being many sizes too large i again just slimmed the sides to fit me as i've done with a couple other blouses (here, here). this easy alteration seems to work pretty well, although i think a standard smaller size wouldn't have had such a scooped neckline. either way, i felt it worked pretty well and i liked pulling out the greens and navys with the skirt and blazer. i'm getting a lot of wear out of this 3/4 sleeve navy linen blazer and it was the perfect layer to hide the scoopiness of the neckline in the front and back. i guess i have some more alterations to do!  thanks for visiting -- enjoy your week!

august 13th {jewel}

banana republic dress turned blouse {thrifted}   ·   merona doubleweave skirt
chaps blazer {thrifted}   ·   dexter kylie wedges

this is a pretty simple outfit:  blouse + skirt, but i really liked the unexpected combination of the green + magenta.  i have only worn this blouse once last summer, so it felt good to let it shine at least once this summer.  our air conditioning has been off and the windows have been open for the longest time, so it almost doesn't even feel like summer right now.  but unlike the person who resides in the cube in front of me at work who has her space heater by her feet turned on all day long, i still can manage wearing short sleeves or 3/4 sleeves - this outfit just felt like it needed to be blazer-ified (the blazer and wedges are navy).

thanks for visiting, i hope your week is off to a great start!

may 13th {colorful in floral}

old navy surplus roll-up shirt    ·   merona iconic floral scarf

calvin klein skirt {thrifted}   ·   dexter kylie wedges

i am slowly working on adding colorful, printed scarves to my collection.  on monday mornings such as this, it is the perfect accessory to build an outfit around that requires minimal thought but looks as thought it was created with much more effort.  i stuck with a basic navy skirt and navy wedges to tone down the floral print and other colors i incorporated, but if i were feeling bold i would have worn my magenta wedges.  one of these days i'll work them into an outfit, one of these days!  until then, i'll keep looking to jess for inspiration {that girl knows how to rock the magenta wedges}.

thanks for visiting!

march 12th {neglected blazer}

 jones ny blazer {thrifted}   ·   merona ponte skirt {thrifted target stock}
dexter kylie wedges   ·   old navy scarf

i'm back today featuring a true neglected item for "no longer neglected" - this striped blazer.  here's a run down:

last worn: sept 28, 2012

date purchased: i cannot find this item on my clothing purchases spreadsheet i keep so i guess i missed it!  i thrifted it sometime late summer/early fall 2012.

reason for purchase: i had seen a couple cute outfits others had worn with a navy & white striped blazer.  when i saw it at the goodwill, it just seemed like something worth buying for that reason.  the price must have been right.

why neglected:  i know bloggers are required to love stripes, but i just don't think i do.  maybe one of these days i'll find the perfect striped tee, but i'm never drawn to wearing this striped blazer.  there isn't a proper button, either, just a little hook & eye closure, so it doesn't lay open nicely and always has to be closed. 

verdict: i'll keep it around!  do you agree?  i would like to pair it with one of my orange dresses next.  one of my coworkers also gave me a great compliment today stating that i always dress so "fun."  i don't think i can get rid of this blazer after a sweet comment like that.  it might sound corny, but i think it is awesome if someone looks at me and smiles because they think i dress fun!

speaking of fun, here is what i looked like today after i tried on a gap kids boy's shirt (you know i love 'em) in the dressing room at goodwill and it fit.  it only takes $1.49 to make me this happy - i mean, look at how sweet this plaid is!

it's good not to take ourselves too seriously, right?  thanks for visiting!

february 25th {doubleweave}

merona button-down {thrifted}   ·   dexter kylie wedges {in black}
merona doubleweave skirt {thrifted target stock}

it is no secret that i love merona's doubleweave skirts.  i have one in black, magenta, khaki, turquoise, floral, zebra (thanks whitney), and a couple others that haven't been featured in a post before.  when i was at target yesterday i noticed a new round of skirts on the racks and my love just doubled.  the reason i am so impressed with these skirts is because each season there a good variety of colors and prints, they are fully lined (!), the perfect knee length, are made out of quality, durable fabric that washes well and does not wrinkle that badly, and cost on average only $22!  plus, if you're patient and wait they always go on sale and, of course, clearance (and from there to the goodwill, that's where i got this one for $4.99!).

here are the skirts that caught my eye at target yesterday.  the pink lace skirt is so pretty!  the black floral one is now 30% off in stores, we'll see how long i can hold out before i buy it.  and even though i'm not a big fan of polka dots, i think that offering is a great replica of the popular j crew factory polka dot skirt for about 1/3 of the cost.  i also love the mirrored blue & white print!

are you a fan of merona's skirts?

january 29th {slippery}

old navy oxford {almost identical}   ·   j crew cardigan {thrifted}

calvin klein skirt {thrifted}    ·   dexter kylie wedges   ·   inpink necklace

my messy hair aside (sorry!), i really liked this outfit.  it's hard to tell but the skirt, tights, and shoes are all navy.  i like it even more knowing i suffered another massive slip on the ice walking to one of my client's apartment but neither my tights nor my shoes suffered any damage!  the shoes even bounced back after i tromped through snow out of her apartment instead of facing the dangerous, icy sidewalk again.  if that is not a winter-related success, i don't know what is.  oh, well, and also that it doesn't seem to appear as though i have broken or sprained anything.  take that, old man winter!

i hope i am not the only one out there who suffers massively embarrassing and treacherous incidents in the winter!

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!