cecila strikes again.

merona button down & belt thrifted

merona cecilia skirt

payless american eagle justify heels

my humility is making it hard for me to state this, but this outfit was a hit today. yay!  it must have been a combination of the skirt and heels.  one of the girls in the beauty shop at my nursing home commented on my shoes at one point this morning, and when we passed one another again in the hall later she asked where they were from.  when i said payless she was so surprised, stating that they look like they could have come from anthropologie!  i definitely took that as a compliment.  what i liked most about that interaction is that it affirmed my belief that one can get great looks for less.  and i have yet another look with this skirt to add to this post!

get the look: similar button-down / similar belt / similar heels

throwback thursday.

old navy chambray {thrifted}

handmade {by me} skirt

american eagle 'justify' heels

this week the receptionist at the nursing home where i work said she never sees me wear the same thing twice. if i scroll through my archives from 2012, 2013, or 2014 {ugh, way behind on updating that one} it may seem that way but i definitely re-wear certain items a lot.  i haven't worn this skirt in over a year though so i thought it made sense for a sunny 70* day and to join the throwback fashion thursday link up at happiness at mid-life.  this is the first skirt i ever made and i still seem to get quite a few compliments on it, so hopefully it'll continue to have a place in my closet for some time to come. you can check out other ways i've worn it here.

get the look: similar chambray / similar skirt / similar heels / similar belt / similar necklace

dressed up.

 

ruff hewn blazer {thrifted}   ·   calvin klein skirt {thrifted}

old navy scarf   ·   dexter kylie wedges

i'm really excited to share with you guys that i have been offered a job!  it was one i interviewed for last monday and i got the call last friday that they wanted to hire me.  it all happened so quickly; a part of me was expecting my unemployment to last much longer, but i'm excited about this position (i'll be a social worker in a nursing home).  my orientation isn't until next week, so i have the rest of the week to enjoy a few more days off, have lunch with one of my old coworkers, pull the skirts and tights back out, and hopefully get my hair cut (will that ever happen?!  i need a push!).

this army green blazer i thrifted recently reminded me of the military-style jackets and cargo vests many bloggers own and remix with ease, and i thought it could work for me as a casual blazer to wear on weekends.  this is an example of one way i may wear it to work, but let's be honest... i'm going to enjoy my self-imposed dress code of sweatpants & t-shirts for the rest of the week. :)

get the look:  similar blazer / similar skirt / similar scarf / similar belt / similar wedges

if you haven't already, please be sure to enter my blue nile necklace giveaway!

linking up with tres chic thursday & what i wore to work!

may 23rd {revived}

old navy camp shirt   ·   handmade (by me) skirt

dexter kylie wedges

i made this skirt last august, but despite my desire back then to wear it again soon with a different color scheme, it took nearly nine months for it to be worn again due to a silly sewing issue.  i used fusible hem tape when i made it but applied it wrong and the hem came out after one wash, and it took until this week for me to repair it.  i guess that is a clear indication of how much sewing i did over the winter--sad.  but now that this skirt has been revived, i feel like i have a brand new skirt in my collection and yes, if the hem doesn't fail me again i do hope to wear it with a different colored top--and belt too, for that matter!

thanks for visiting!  don't forget the link-up whitney and i are hosting next week.  show us your favorite target wares!

april 23rd {eyelet}

mossimo sweater & ann taylor skirt {both thrifted}

dexter kylie wedges

here is what i wore today!  i woke up to about 18 inches of fresh snow this morning {okay, kidding, it was only 5.2"} but despite this silly winter we continue to experience, i tend not to allow that to affect my dress.  skirts and wedges it is!  this morning i went to an amazing presentation on new therapies for alzheimer's disease and i was really glad that the winter wonderland this morning didn't affect the conference--i learned some really fascinating new research!  do you have the opportunity to attend conferences/seminars/education events in your field?

thanks for the response so far to the PANTONE-inspired color challenge that my friend marissa and i are hosting starting next monday, april 29th! i look forward to being inspired by some of your spring colors, seeing as how i may be stuck in tight for who knows how long!  read more about it here & let me know if you have any questions!

april 3rd {shabby}

old navy oxford   ·   shabby apple andes skirt {giveaway win}

old navy linen blazer {thrifted}   ·   merona mari heels

i've never owned anything from shabby apple before, so i was pretty excited to win a recent giveaway from apples & pencil skirts.  i picked up the andes skirt that i've been eying for a while and thought i would do a mini-review of it in case anyone else is interested in knowing more about shabby apple's skirts.  the skirt is high waisted and has a little extra length to it, but it would simple to raise the hemline.  the fabric is pretty thin and there is no lining, which was a little disappointing.  i'm not sure why such expensive skirts made out of what seems like inexpensive fabric aren't lined (like my eshakti dress).  regardless, i do still like the print and having another fun pencil skirt in my collection!  

what has your experience been with shabby apple?

march 20th {lacy}

xhilaration peter pan collar lace top   ·   merona doubleweave skirt

old navy linen blazer {thrifted}   ·   merona mariela heels {thrifted}

i've been hanging onto this cute lace top for a couple weeks now and today was the perfect day to stop neglecting it and wear it for marionberry's trend of the month challenge: lace!  i know i've basically hidden the entire blouse under the blazer and scarf, but it is a cute top despite being a little too short - it is a junior's brand, after all.  i imagine it will work okay for me though as i'll still be able to tuck it into skirts.  i've wanted to add a lace top to my wardrobe for a while and i think i will definitely get a lot of wear out of this one!  i think navy & magenta always look great together too, so this turned out to be one of my favorite recent outfits (except the snagged tights).  thanks for dropping by!

march 1st {!}

merona cardigan & cherokee button-down {both thrifted target stock}
talbots painterly floral skirt   ·   dexter kylie wedges

happy casual friday, right?  casual friday was instituted at the building where my office is (a senior living community) a few months ago and even though sometimes i'll wear my trouser jeans, most of the time i continue to dress as i would throughout the week.  there is a bit of a disconnect when i look at myself in an outfit like this and other women dressed in distressed jeans, tall boots, flannel shirts, casual tees.  should i start dressing down more on fridays?  at least i brought in my denim shirt, right?  happy weekend!

january 21st {sub-zero}

merona ponte dress {thrifted target stock}   ·   j crew blouse {thrifted}

haberdashery blazer {thrifted}   ·   old navy sliver wedge boots

bauble bar ivory polka strand necklace

so, what does one wear when the temperature is -9 when you leave for work and the high for the day doesn't get above 0?  lots & lots of layers, i guess!  i have on a long-sleeved shirt underneath the button-down/dress/blazer combo, two pairs of tights, and wool knee highs under my boots.  i keep hearing the phrase "fleece lined tights" from different ladies around the blog o sphere and on a day like today i kind of wondered why this minnesota lady doesn't have any in her closet...?  does anyone have any recommendations or stores i can chek out that carry fleece lined tights?  i survived, though, with no frostbite to speak of so i will make today off as "successful" for that reason.  see ya, january 21st!

thanks so much for visiting.  don't forget to enter my giveaway for a cute pair of bauble bar earrings!

january 3rd / hey, liz

liz claiborne dress {thrifted}   ·   old navy sliver wedge boots

i picked up this dress at a goodwill in georgia over the christmas holidays.  i'd combed through the entire store and felt a little discouraged that i couldn't find one thing to try on, but then i spotted this printed dress.  the size threw me off for a minute so i simply glanced at it and kept going, but then i actually kept going back to this dress.  i tried it on over my clothes, assuming that it wouldn't fit.  i didn't really think that it did so i put it back.  finally, after my mom had finished her browsing, i went back for it again and when i got her approval i decided it would be worth it to try shrinking in the dryer or cinching with a belt.  turns out none of those options were necessary as this dress fits me perfectly...  if anything, it's a little short.  the only alternation i need to make is to attach some hem tape to the bottom part of the placard after the last button (right now it's held together with a safety pin).  as is pretty typical with me, i immediately accessorized with my cognac belt and boots... i'm nothing if not predictable!

let's chat!  when is the last time you tried something on that was the completely wrong size number but ended up fitting great?  isn't that the best surprise?

tuesday {reframed}

j crew swiss dot fontana dress {thrifted}   ·   gap cardigan {thrifted}

old navy sliver wedge boots   ·   inpink necklace

seeing as how we got over a foot of snow saturday through sunday, i worked from home yesterday (good call), but i figured i better go into work today.  my only requirement when getting dressed was wearing flat boots to trudge through my apartment complex's parking lot that isn't plowed very well yet.  i've been wanting to pair an orange cardigan with this navy swiss-dot fontana dress for a while; i only wish it draped better--it's pretty thin.

speaking of the weather (i am from minnesota, that is what we do), i had a moment of peace regarding the impending winter and snowfall on sunday... i always get anxious when i think about having to drive on slippery, snow packed roads but i think this winter is going to be different.  i'm letting go of the fear and am thinking of it more like a challenge i can develop a really good skill out of.  and seeing as how i don't really possess any other skills, driving on snowy roads is going to become one, darn it.  i give myself an A for today's ridiculous drive.  all kidding aside, it helps when you start to re-frame the things that worry or scare you to something more positive and powerful.  and a lot of self-talk and praying helps, too. 

now, i don't condone using smart phones while driving for any reason whatsoever, but how cool did this picture come out as i was stopped in traffic (i promise) along my route home this afternoon?  stay safe out there!

friday (gangnam)

 lands end canvas button-down {thrifted}   ·   xhilaration blazer {thrifted}

merona doubleweave skirt   ·   old navy sliver wedge boots

 

i feel the most put together when i match, so it makes sense that i am wearing at least two pieces of each color in this outfit that match.  before i added the blazer, the black on the shirt (this is my first gingham shirt, sound the trumpets!)  felt too bold against the brown tones and didn't have anything to anchor it to the rest of the outfit.  i think a black belt would have worked, but then my brown boots would have been the outlier.  keeping the brown belt and adding the black blazer tied it all together, as blazers usually do, and created a duo of black items to join the already paired turquoise skirt & earrings (sorry you can't see 'em) and brown belt & boots.  this is how my mind works -- is it totally crazy?  i'm going with it!  have a good weekend and thanks for your comments this week!

 

tuesday (seventy)

old navy cardigan   ·   talbots painterly floral skirt

lela rose for payless wells pumps {more lela rose}

 

minnesota was granted a near 70 degree day today stuck in-between our usual highs in the 50s, so i had to pull out this skirt to wear at least one more time before next spring.  come to think of it, maybe it didn't matter that i tried to mimic my outfit to the environment outside as i work in a windowless basement office and didn't even know what was happening outside at all today!  i am a little touchy about this some days. ;)  well, at least i didn't have to turn on my heated seats this morning!  hopefully many of you still have some sunny, warm days left yet this fall - it's too bad i couldn't get outside to enjoy ours today!  thanks for dropping by!

friday (the best)

if there were ever a day to look your best... even if you are just sitting at your desk all day with limited contact with other humans... it should be a friday!  

this look comes across as being really professional, but i think the chunky necklace, fun heels, and casual ponytail keep it relaxed enough for a friday.  can you tell i'm pretty much in love with this outfit?

linkin' up with this lady today who is featuring none
other than mustard for her color challenge this month:

wednesday (pop)

 gap button-down   ·   handmade (by me) skirt

old navy necklace   ·   merona mari pumps {thrifted target stock}

pop / i've worn this skirt a couple times in cooler weather and thought i would pull it out before that cool weather is upon us once again!  i think the next time i wear it i should take a more colorful route and pair it with a pink cardigan since i've only worn it with darker/neutral colors so far.  i went with a basic black button-down shirt today to showcase the pop of color in the necklace from old navy that was a part of the order i made on labor day.  i'm pretty happy with the other items that i ordered, too, but boy is my closet getting pretty packed.  i find that i keep having to take tops off hangers and store them folded on shelves to make room for other items.  there are tops or skirts i glance at that i have only worn once or not at all.  i'm starting to feel a little guilty about that.  i'm glad that i've already gotten several wears out of this skirt though!  {please ignore the hint of my slip showing as i had my hands in the pockets and pulled the sides out & up.}

as for some of the other handmade skirts i've made... at least they have another purpose when they're not being worn.  i pulled out this under-the-bed storage container i have them all laying flat in to look through them and my cat decided it looked like a good bed for her!  :)

tuesday {predictable}

united colors of benneton button-down {thrifted}   ·    handmade (by me) skirt
merona mari pumps {thrifted target stock}  ·   forever 21 necklace

predictable / i have a one track mind when putting together outfits sometimes.  i tried to force myself not to wear my cognac leather belt and heels of the same shade (a la this outfit) and wear a different colored belt and different shoes but it was not happening today.  i'm not sure whether or not to apologize for wearing the same silhouette over & over or to feel comfortable with the fact that i've found a formula that appeals to me aesthetically.  do you ever have to force yourself to be creative {i definitely have it in me!} so you don't feel so predictable? 

i whipped up this skirt over the weekend, it came together so fast and i'm really looking forward to wearing it again sometime soon with a different color scheme.  thanks for visiting!

monday.

express oxford {thrifted}   isaac mizrahi for target skirt {thrifted}

merona mari pumps {thrifted target stock}

as i put this outfit on this morning i realized that i certainly don't shy away from wearing very similar versins of the same outfit.  i figure it's unlikely that people who i encounter on a daily basis have that much awareness of what i wear to know that i wore this same skirt and a very similar belt two weeks ago.  i'm not sure if any of my readers would pick up on that either, especially if you follow as many blogs as i do!  it kind of makes me go, "huh..." when i read that bloggers don't like to post similar or repeat outfits.  i'm not sure why we would ever need to put that pressure on ourselves.  for me, this blog is a representation of the outfits that i feel great in and a realistic portrayal of my professional wardrobe, so it's natural that staple pieces like this navy skirt are going to get worn 1-2 times a month.  you'll probably see it again in a few weeks!

 

do you leave outfits unblogged if you feel you are wearing an item too soon after having just worn it?  did anyone remember that i wore this same skirt and a tan colored belt last week, and if so - do you care?  :)  now i'm kind of curious!

thursday.

merona cardigan {thrifted target stock}   gap button-down {thrifted}
banana republic skirt {thrifted}   merona mozelle peep toe flats {thrifted}

i wasn't really crazy about this outfit because, well, i wear this button-up and cardigan together all the time (yep), but i really liked the way it looked as a whole.  when i walked into my office this morning, my coworker complimented these shoes i thrifted last week and said, "you must have like, 32 pairs of shoes!"  after i accepted this awkward compliment (?) by stating that these shoes were only $5 at savers, i had to meekly add, "i think i have way more than 32 pairs of shoes."  is it okay to have a lot of something if you paid very little for each item that you have?  that is the question that is always in the back of my mind with all of the thrifting i do and clothes (and shoes, yes - 17 pairs so far this year) that i bring into my closet.  do i keep spending however much money on varying shades of the same cardigan, or do i save that money and put it towards a unique piece, like a great j crew pencil skirt?   don't worry - i don't expect anyone out there to answer these questions for me, it's just interesting how my mind starts thinking about these things after a relatively innocent compliment from a coworker.

tuesday.

isaac mizrahi for target scallop blouse {thrifted}   nicole by nicole miller blazer {thrifted}

handmade (by me) skirt     mossimo vassie pumps {thrifted}

merona leather belt {thrifted target stock}   forever21 short beaded necklace

even though i really like prints and outfits with color explosions (hello!), i'm also enjoying putting together more subdued color combinations and just letting one part of the outfit pop.  today it was these printed shoes, so i kept my jewelry pretty simple with the neutral tops.  i think tan & pink go really well together and i really liked the overall effect.  thanks for dropping by!

tuesday (springy)

 

old navy sheer chiffon blouse   merona cardigan {thrifted target stock}

handmade (by me) skirt   old navy sliver wedge boots

merona leather belt {thrifted target stock}  charming charlie necklace {gift}

i'm glad this outfit held up for me throughout a really long day.  i think the bright colors helped!  thankfully i was able to take a break during the middle of it, and i popped in a goodwill that i used to frequent weekly (and often times more than once a week!) a couple years ago.  i spent most of my time in the blazer section, as that's not an area i ever really browse.  i'm glad i did though, because i came away with a cute fitted navy blazer for $1.49 (the colored tag of the week is always $1.49 on tuesdays!).  i also saw a cute magenta & teal hounds tooth pendleton blazer, and though i wouldn't know anything about that brand if i didn't follow other blogs, i get the sense that it's a high end brand?  someone out there can educate me.  too bad it was the wrong color tag or i might have tried it on!  have a good evening!