unexpected outcome.

j crew factory ruffle collar top

merona skirt, flats, and cardigan

i  was initially going to wear this outfit without the cardigan but it was negative nothing degrees out this am (the temp gauge in my car read -16) so i figured i should add another layer on my arms underneath my jacket for the commute into work.  i just grabbed any cardigan, but then i realized i quite liked the look of the purple shade with the hunter green skirt and the patterned blouse so i kept it on all day.  i used to wear cardigans all. the. time. and don't wear them too often anymore so i was glad how this outfit unexpectedly came together!

other surprisingly good things about today:
- finding a new radio station that played some great jams on my way to work including "shut up dance dance with me," of monsters and men (i used to listen to this album on repeat a few years ago at work - such great background music), and the killers "i've got soul" (another nostalgic song that reminds me of being deployed to florida with the red cross in 2006 to help tornado victims, it's all i listened to in my hotel room).

the best song the radio station played, however, was "budapest" by george ezra on my way home from work - i am such a fan of this guy and urge you all to check him out!  i seriously want everyone to love this guy as much as i do, check out his video:

have a great week!

get the look:  similar cardigan / exact blouse / similar skirt / similar flats / similar necklace

fleece dress.

old navy sleeveless fleece dress

gap button down

our world boutique necklace

merona madeline flats

it is rare that i buy dresses from old navy anymore because they always end up being too short on me, but something about this dress stood out to me so i figured i'd give the tall size a try... and i love it!  the fabric is so soft and forgiving and it ended up being the perfect length.  i'm glad to have a nice fitting dress like this in my closet that is bound to prove its versatility.  i kept it pretty standard today with the black button down underneath but i liked the magenta stones in the necklace that match the belt and the gold accents on my shoes, necklace, and belt hardware.  if you are at all interested in this dress (link below), it's currently on clearance for $14.97 and you can use the code "treat" for an extra 15% off, lucky gals!

get the look:  exact dress / similar button down / similar flats / similar necklace / similar belt

hey, tights.

j crew factory eyelet front blouse

merona doubleweave skirt {via thredup*}

merona madeline flats

target gold circle necklace

it's reached the time of year where i live where pretty much anything goes. the morning temp when i leave for work may be in the low 40s but it has been getting up to at least 60 by mid afternoon when i'm heading home.  my rule for wearing tights is usually if the high is 55-60 degrees of lower, so even though i would have felt comfortable in bare legs today i opted for tights. i'm so visible at my work (a nursing home) that i really have to think about what i wear based on the comments i feel like potentially receiving from my residents. and honestly, i don't always like the comments directed toward me or the way i'm dressed - yes, even in an outfit like this - by male residents that verges on uncomfortable flirtation.  i thought switching over to tights would solve that, but not always.  

i wonder if anyone else encounters this issue based on the individuals they work with or see on a daily basis... like maybe teachers or professionals in a school setting who are around hormonal teenage boys all the time?  i don't even know.  do you alter the way you would like to dress to prevent any time of comments at all about what you are wearing or do you have crafted statements you respond back with that stop the comments?

* join through my referral link and get $10 to spend; i get $10 when you make a purchase.  yay!

maroon plaid.

banana republic blouse {via thredup*}

old navy boyfriend khakis

merona flats & cardigan

i remember seeing valerie from the style files wear this blouse not too long ago and i was really attracted to the great colors, style, and print.  when i saw it on thredup recently, i just had to add it to my cart.  i think it will be a great top to layer with or wear on its own year round. i wish i was more comfortable with my upper arms and could wear it sans cardigan, especially since the temperature in the building where i work fluctuates so much from wing to wing, but i thought it looked okay with the color cardigan i layered with and i was pretty comfortable all day despite how warm it's getting where i live.

do you ever see clothes on other bloggers and immediately envision those same items in your closet?  it's rare that i see something on someone else i feel i HAVE to have, but i'm definitely glad i stumbled upon this blouse on thredup!

get the look: similar blouse / similar cardigan / exact khakis / similar flats

*if you place an order at thredup via my referral link we both get $10!

spring pantone challenge (dazzling blue)

gap sweater {via thredup*}
merona skirt & flats

welcome to day 3 of the pantone-inspired spring color challenge marissa & i are hosting! it has been so fun seeing everyone's colorful looks so far and i'm looking forward to seeing your dazzling blue looks today.  this color is pretty much cobalt blue, right?  i think any bright, saturated blue color would work but i opted to wear this new-to-me cobalt blue sweater i ordered from thredup recently.  i have been mentioning thredup a lot lately, but i just love browsing through their website... maybe because i haven't actually been thrifting at the goodwill recently so placing orders at thredup is like thrifting from the comforts of my own home!

anyway, how did you interpret pantone's shade of dazzling blue?  grab a button, then join the link-up at my co-host marissa's blog, the modern austen.  see you there!

get the look:  similar sweater / current merona skirts / exact flats / similar necklace

<div align="center">
<a href="http://literatelystylish.blogspot.com/" title="literate & stylish"><img src="http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a240/whatwedo/SpringPantone-InspiredColorChallengeButton3.png" alt="literate & stylish" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

*join thredup through my referral link and get $10 & i'll receive $10 once you place an order!

florals week (day 1)

gap kids button-down {thrifted}   ·   merona doubleweave skirt

our world boutique necklace   ·   merona madeline flats

this week i'm participating in andi, brynn, and kate's florals week.  i'm not sure that i realized quite how many items i have in my closet until i started pulling items i may want to wear.  i'm starting out the week wearing this statement necklace.  i really liked how the magenta in the flowers on the necklace matches with the magenta skirt.  this isn't a shirt i reach for often, but i liked how the cornflower blue acted as a good neutral against the bright skirt.  unfortunately, i think i need to retire this button-down.  sometimes it works to size up and shop in the kids department, but i have a couple shirts i've tried this with and i just don't think it works for me.  the front placard puckers, sleeves have to be rolled up, and the buttons are on the wrong side!  :)  the option i linked to below is very similar, but a $70 price tag for a shirt makes me nauseous.  i guess the search is on!

i'll be participating in this florals theme all week, but i wanted to go ahead and let you guys know that my friend marissa and i are hosting another pantone-inspired color challenge next week starting april 14th!  we enjoyed this challenge last fall and last spring so much that of course we had to keep it going.  i'll post a couple reminders throughout the week but wanted to go ahead and post the graphic so you can be thinking ahead if you want to join us!

get the look:  similar button-down / similar skirt / exact flats / exact necklace

dotted.

old navy oxford

merona skirt & flats

my friend brynn wore this exact shirt earlier this week so i used her as my inspiration to put together an outfit with this shirt myself.  the polka dots are navy but they're so small that i think they could easily pass as black, so i kept my bottom-half neutral with black tights and flats and added the magenta skirt for some color.  my only regret is that i didn't add some sort of necklace--it seems like it's missing something.  i don't know why i never have these realizations until the end of the day and i take pictures as opposed to the start of the day when i'm looking in the mirror!

old navy consistently ranks as one of my favorite stores because they always have great button-downs season after season, and they've also been my go-to store for jeans for a long, long time.  so how can you really say no to picking up such great staples?  clearly i can't; i think i put in an order at oldnavy.com a few times a year!  at least there are always really great sales.  what's the last item you picked up from old navy?

get the look:  exact button-down / current season's skirt / exact flats