thursday {work to weekend}

i recently received a comment asking if i wear the handmade skirts that i wear during the week to work on the weekends as well.  the current answer to that is "no" but i hope in the future that will turn around.  my weekend wear is really nothing special.  during the fall/winter i am always in jeans--and not even what one might consider stylish or on trend jeans like skinnies or colored denim.  nope, my jeans of choice are dark-washed old navy boot cut jeans.  in the summer i tend to wear more casual skirts (like this one or this one from old navy) and some sort of more casual blouse (like this one) that sometimes get pulled into work rotation.  i don't do a lot on the weekends and don't really have a reason to be intentional about the way i dress but that doesn't mean that can't change! this reader's comment made me wonder if maybe i could start getting more wear out of my handmade skirts on the weekends, so i took that thought and turned it into a challenge for myself.  here's what i came up with:

this navy & white scroll fabric is one of my favorite skirts that i've made recently.  the picture on the left is how i wore it to work today where i went to a continuing education seminar with other professionals in my field, back to the office, and then to a care conference for one of my clients.  the picture on the right is how i wore this skirt on sunday when i went to get my hair cut and ran a couple errands.  i really liked both looks and i think they were both suited for my agenda each day. 

there are three main things i look at when comparing my weekend wear to work wear:

1. shoes: i always wear flats on the weekend and i usually always wear heels or wedges to work.  wearing cute flats on the weekend tones down the professional vibe that heels give an outfit and gives me a chance to wear shoes that aren't in my rotation that often.

2. jewelry: my standard is some sort of statement or long beaded necklace to accessorize during the week.  on the weekend, i still like to wear some sort of necklace so i'll reach for a simple silver chain with a charm.  it adds some visual interest to the neckline but in a more relaxing way.

3. tops: i like to layer blouses and cardigans to work but like less fuss on the weekend - i think this is the time to pull your your tees.  it instantly adds a more casual vibe to the look of your outfit!

do you have any skirts that you bought (or made!) intending to only wear them to work?  do you think my three steps would help transition them to weekend wear as well?  also, be sure to let me know if you'd like to see more posts like this in the future!

monday.

handmade (by me) skirt   old navy cardigan
mossimo wanda wedges   target belt & necklace

my weekend wasn't as relaxing as i usually expect my weekends to be.  sometime between saturday night & sunday morning my car was stolen.  i almost didn't flinch when i learned this.  i think i've done a good job at balancing emotion in times of crisis since i deal with it so often with my clients at my job.  homelessness, shut off utilities, hospitalizations, volatile family members... i know what i need to do (usually), questions i need to ask, and how to start to work on a plan to get through those situations with my clients.  it's still far from easy, but i think it helped me remain detached from the emotion involved in this situation that was about me.  i called the police, my insurance company, my dad.  my sister drove me around our area with hopes of finding my car abandoned in the mall parking lot or by a bus station.  i thought i could outsmart the criminal and anticipate where it might have been left, but it could be across the river for all i know or still conveniently being used for someone else's transportation.  for now, i have a rental car bill to boot and an ear attuned to my cell phone for some hopeful news that just isn't ringing.

life is so hard for not just some people... but for all of us.  i know how privileged i am with the resources & education that i have tacked on to my faith that gets me through everything, always.  but life is still hard and leads us to do things to get us through or to help us feel like we can get a little more even with the systems we have to work within/against.  sometimes i don't tell the cashier if one of the coupons i use is accidentally scanned twice and more is deduced from my total than should have been.  for someone else, it's stealing a car that is easy to unlock, is in good shape, and has a full tank of gas.  so who is the judge of our transgressions... not me.  so i'm letting this go.  and still getting dressed in outfits that i feel great in.  thanks as always for your support & visiting, it means so much to me... especially on a day like this when i need to feel connected to something that i really enjoy doing--this blog, rather than ruminating and wondering and feeling sad (and mad). 

keep holding on
all i got is holding on these roses
the thorns keep on digging but my soul believes, please {trs}