unphotographable

 

mossimo cocoon cardigan

j crew factory lace panel tee

loft diamond print ankle pants

cl by laundry nima wedges

target red/silver hematite necklace

as much as i loved all of the aspects of this outfit (navy + maroon, gray lace top, coordinating necklace), the outfit just did not photograph well... and the judge has ruled against these pants!  i always feel great when i wear them, but they never look good in photographs, whether it's because i take my pictures at the end of a long work day and i'm emotionally and physically rumpled or just because they don't fit me all that well?  i don't know.  i certainly don't look like the model, but i still want to wear cute patterned pants and clothes i find online that appeal to me.  it's hard not to compare yourself to the models you see on a clothing apparel's website and say, "i wish i looked like that wearing that," isn't it??  well, i'm sure this could lead into a much bigger discussion about marketing and body types, but i think i'm definitely going to keep these pants around and continue wearing them with confidence even if i don't look like the model below:

do you have any articles of clothing that you get the feeling doesn't look that great on you but you're not willing to stop wearing? 

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

currently...

so i've never really done one of these posts before, but i love my pal anne over at in residence and just had to participate in her "currently..." theme post today!  plus, it's always nice when you have the skeleton of a post developed for you and you just have to fill in the blanks!

wearing // these favorite patterned pants of mine and a coordinating sweater and mary jane heels.


writing //  fictional stories.  have i ever mentioned that i love writing?  i've written stories for as long as i can remember, but in the past few years i feel as though i have actually thought of plotlines that actually turn into something and i love exploring and honing this hobby.  it makes me wonder why i never participate in nanowrimo, but maybe i will this year to really force me to develop one of the many ideas i have rough outlines for.

anticipating  // the zubaz night at the minnesota twins game in a week.  did you ever own a pair of zubaz pants?  i don't think i ever did, but i'm kind of beyond thrilled to receive this pair and don them at the game with a bunch of other crazy fans.

missing // the minnesota state fair.  fried pickles, cheese curds, corn dogs... even though it's kind of the same rodeo every year, i miss it already and wish i had another day to experience it all.

craving // reading "fangirl" by rainbow rowell... it just came up in my queue but wouldn't you know i am already in the middle of a book and have several others that are also ready for me to check out and read?  she pretty much can do no wrong and i am so eager to get lost in this book!

flowy peasant.

j crew factory peasant blouse   ·   loft diamond-print pants

chinese laundry nima wedges

i browse j crew or j crew factory online once in a while but i usually resist the temptation to put in an order unless there is a really good sale.  i haven't been able to resist the temptation lately though as i've put in an order the past two months!  the first order i placed was the week i moved in june and i had it shipped to my new address, but there was major confusion between j crew factory and the post office and the universe at large and the package never got to me.  i will say that j crew factory customer service is excellent and they helped locate the package when it was returned to them and had it reshipped to me.  unfortunately, it was shipped to the wrong address (gah!) but finally UPS came through and told me where it had been delivered, and i was able to retrieve it from that homeowner who just had the package stashed in her garage.  due to all this mess, j crew factory gave me a $25 gift card... and of course i put it to use right away in conjunction with another sale.  i ordered this top, the scarf i wore yesterday, and this blouse.  i'm glad i was able to obtain the previous package, too, but i hope to never have to go through that again!  have you ever had similar shipping issues?

anyway, i feel like i pretty much know my size in the brands i often wear, but this "peasant" blouse is a bit more loose and flowy.  it bothered me for a while because i like my tops to be fitted, but i think it looks okay now that i see a picture of myself wearing it.  if i really feel adventurous i can slim the sides a bit with my sewing machine, but i'm embracing the relaxed, peasant look today with these printed pants that i'm still really enjoying!

have a great weekend!

get the look:  exact blouse / exact pants / exact wedges

printed pants, part 2

loft diamond print pants   ·   gap cardigan {thrifted}

adrienne vittadini flats   ·    inpink necklace   ·   mossimo belt

i wore these pants last month and was eager to wear them again with a different color top.  i tried on two solid colored button-downs before deciding that i liked the look better incorporating some white that reflects the white in the pattern.  the colorful cardigan and a matching necklace seemed to "go together" too, but really i think navy + orange is a color combination that thinks works.  thanks for visiting!

get the look:  similar blouse / similar cardigan / exact pants / exact flats / similar necklace / exact belt

a beginning with pants.

loft diamond print cropped pants   ·   mossimo sweater {thrifted}
target necklace & belt {thrifted target stock}   ·   cl irresistible bol wedges

i've participated in theme weeks these past two weeks, so i decided to give myself free reign at my closet this week instead of jumping right into another one.  this also gives me the opportunity to wear one of the new clothing items i've purchased this month - these patterned pants.  even though i wear patterned skirts with confidence, i have never envisioned myself in patterned pants!  i automatically assumed they wouldn't work for me so i wrote them off without ever trying a pair on. 

my personal style has really been changing since i started a different job earlier this year.  my previous job was primarily a desk job--i could hide out in my little cubicle and not present myself to others if i didn't want to.  i don't mean that i was closed off or unfriendly, i just mean that there was little risk in wearing bold colors or patterned skirts if no one ever really saw what i was wearing as i sat behind my desk all day.

my current job is so different.  i squat beside my residents in their wheelchairs so we can be eye-to-eye, i kneel on the floor beside dining room tables to take breakfast orders, i perch on the edges of beds to visit, and i walk up and down long hallways multiple times a day.  gone are the days where i can comfortably wear most high heels, that is for sure!

it's interesting and important to me to track the progression of my style and reflect on how it's impacted by so many different factors... not only the ones i noted above, but also my personal preferences, my weight, the appearance i want to present toward others.  my new workplace is so casual and relaxed and my personal style is changing to reflect that - i've sold/donated almost all of my heels and i'm on the hunt for different styles of pants to incorporate into my wardrobe as that is what i feel more comfortable in nowadays based on what my job requires of me.

a couple weeks ago i took a leap and ordered two pairs of patterned pants from loft.  i paid more for them than i would have at my usual stores of old navy or target, but as soon as i slipped this pair on, they felt very much to be a reflection of present day heidi.  i'd pay that price again and again to have a garment i feel that great in (even though i wish they were a size smaller; i was unsure of the sizing as i've never shopped at loft before).  i will continue to wear skirts and dresses and heels (albeit less often), but i feel my new found love for pants - and dare i say patterned ones at that - will make my entire wardrobe more well-rounded.  that's something that's really important to me too.

do you notice your style changing over time in a similar way?  if you got this far, phew - thanks for reading!

get the look:  exact pants {i'm 5'5" and ordered the tall to have a longer inseam because i don't like pants that hit above my ankles.  the length of these loft pants is better, right?  i welcome your objective opinion!} / similar sweater / similar necklace / similar belt / exact wedges