b&w

merona top & wedges

mossimo slacks & target necklace {both thrifted target stock}

for some reason, i have just never really been drawn to wearing black.  i think it's because it's a color people wear out of default, and i think there are much more interesting colors to wear so i gravitate toward those.  i definitely have several pairs of basic black slacks and a black blazer, but that's about where my black clothing ends. wearing this much black is definitely not me, but this cute 3/4 length blouse from the target clearance rack was too good to pass up since i need more 3/4 sleeved tops in my closet.  i liked trying it out today with the black slacks and colorful accessories and shoes, but i look forward to wearing it more in the future with any of my solid colored skirts!

thanks for visiting!

get the look:  exact blouse / similar slacks / similar wedges / similar necklace

may 14th {cool thoughts}

old navy crochet trim top   ·   talbots watercolor floral skirt

predictions karmen heels

the high today is supposed to be something ridiculous, 85-90?  we had such a long winter {it was less than three weeks ago that i was commenting on a large snowfall} but apparently mother nature is catapulting us right into summer.  or maybe i can just blame my mom who is visiting this week from georgia for bringing the southern heat with her!  either way, i knew i wanted to feel cool & fresh on this blasted hot day so i pulled out a bright white top {recent clearance find at old navy} and this pretty floral skirt i've waited eight months to wear.  in addition to thinking cool thoughts, i think it worked pretty well!

linking up with marionberry style and her trend of the month: yellow challenge! i know it's not much yellow, but as you remember, i don't have much yellow in my wardrobe.  i do like to incorporate it where i can, though, and as a part of a print is a great option.  thanks for visiting!

february 12th {ikat}

handmade {by me} skirt   ·   merona tiered top 

j crew riviera jacket   ·   mossimo odell flats

i know i've already posted once today, but i wanted to post today's actual outfit too.  i love wearing this jacket & this skirt or this skirt & this necklace together, see: exhibit A and exhibit B.  i just can't help it!  at least i changed it up a little this time with a different top and different tights color.  these are kind of taupey color, which is a nice departure from the usual black, dark brown, or occassional navy/maroon tights i usually wear.  speaking of, most merona tights are 50% off at target right now, these were only $4!

so, bear with me if this isn't a novel idea to anyone else out there aside from me, but i saw a blurb in good housekeeping magazine this month where someone explained how they stick their iphone in a glass to act as an amplifier/speaker.  i enjoy listening to the radio in my bedroom but unfortunately i can never find a signal to a decent station on my alarm clock and i'm often too lazy to open up itunes and pick a cd to listen to on my computer... so i loved this idea!  i downloaded my local NPR station's app on my iphone, selected my favorite channel, the current, and stuck it in a pint glass {my favorite atlanta beer, i wish they distributed this far north!}.  instant radio!  and it works surprisingly well!  this may just be a quick fix until i find a good ipod dock with an fm digital tuner to buy but i thought it was pretty creative.  has anyone tried this before?  i think it would work really well if you want to hear music in whatever room you're in but i've yet to test the range.  :)  thanks for visiting!

oh, this old thing?

this is an outfit i wore last week that i didn't get around to posting but fits in really well with the link up going on at blue paper lanterns, "oh, this old thing?" so i wanted to do a proper post!  kimmie challenged us to find the oldest item in our closet and give it a wear.  the tag on this old navy skirt informs me i have been hoarding it since "08/09" -- that's what, 3-4 years?  wow!  i purchased it when i worked at old navy (it must have been clearanced, and then i got my employee discount on top of that) but had never worn it before last week.  i'm not sure why, other than sometimes i get a little stumped when two neutral colors are paired together in one item (here: black & tan) because i don't know what to wear with it, but i'm glad i finally gave it a try.  i think i'll be keeping it around!

thursday

merona button-down & merona skirt {both thrifted}

dexter kylie wedges

this is becoming one of my new favorite professional looks - a printed pencil skirt, a solid button-down, and a statement necklace.  well, maybe i've only worn it one or two other times recently but i think it's a great combination of items that work well together.  it doesn't require much thought or effort but hopefully it doesn't come across that way.

it was so chilly this morning i had to keep my sleeves rolled down... and i think i would have been comfortable wearing tights and a coat.  i love these beautiful, cool days as the sign of what is to come.  now if it will only stay this cool for the great minnesota get together (ie: the minnesota state fair for the non-locals.  it's always unbearably hot!).  thanks for dropping by!

monday.

 

mossimo blouse {thrifted target stock}   handmade (by me) skirt

target belt & necklace   merona mari pumps

No. 2 pencil skirt in Caribbean tweed

the skirt i'm wearing today reminds me of the gorgeous j crew #2 pencil skirt in caribbean tweed.  i think it's a pretty good duplication and a fun, bright print with some texture to it to start out the work week.  i also like how the necklace brings out both the blue in my blouse and the green in my skirt and it's all anchored by the brown accessories.  although i don't match my purse to my shoes or belt, i do love it when my shoes and belt match!

much like the temperature woes i experienced last summer in my old office {the 3-4 people i shared an office with never wanted to turn the window a/c unit on}, i am now in an office in the basement of a new building that apparently the a/c doesn't want to reach.  the bathroom and break room on the same level are ice-box cold but the hallway and offices have no cool air circulating, so it's a humid, muggy feeling.  hopefully it doesn't get much worse as the summer progresses as i'm not sure how differently i could dress compared to today to maximize my comfort!  are you experiencing any similar weather woes in your office environment?  have a great evening!

tuesday.

old navy v-neck sweater   handmade (by me) skirt

dexter kylie wedges   target necklace {thrifted target stock}

here's what i wore today.  i felt much more comfortable in this outfit than i did in what i wore yesterday.  this is still one of my favorite skirts i've made and i'm looking forward to wearing it more this summer (wait, is it summer yet?) and pairing it with some other non-neutrals.  these wedges are great too, if you're looking for a pair of nude wedges they're on sale for $19.99 right now at payless!  have a great evening!

friday (snazzy)

 shirt: gap  skirt: merona {thrifted new}

necklace: target {thrifted new}    belt: kohl's    flats: old navy bauble flats

this gap denim-ish shirt is from 2003. i love how the gap brands have tags inside the clothing that notes the season and year it was released; it does so much to quell my curiosity, especially when i find a gap brand at the goodwill. does anyone else ever look at those? this is one of the first items i ever bought at gap, the first probably being that over-sized gray hooded sweatshirt from the men's department with "GAP" sprawled across the chest. i don't know about you guys, but those sweatshirts were it around the time i was in high school (?) and i thought i had to have one. if i still had it, i'd check the tag and tell you the exact era. anyway, it's nice when a piece of clothing sticks around for eight years and is still pretty classic, like this shirt.

so is this outfit too snazzy for a friday? i don't often think about "dressing down" at the end of the week but maybe i should. i've started to wear flats more frequently on fridays, but that attempt was probably negated by my big, chunky necklace. ah, well. i'm entering into the weekend with style.

wednesday.

cardigan: old navy
slacks: mossimo {thrifted}
heels: lela rose for payless
necklace: target {thrifted new... have i mentioned how awesome my goodwill is?}

sometimes i am hard on myself when i wear an outfit like this... sure, it's a perfectly acceptable business-casual outfit, but it didn't scream, "WOW!" to me right away.  but then i looked a little closer and realized that i'm not dressed in drab black (yes, i'll be honest, it's a bias i have... i think too many professional women wear too much black!) and instead in a colorful cardigan, i'm wearing a nice pair of dress pants, and there's a unique and fun twist to my outfit in the statement necklace.  and it still might not scream, "wow," but to me, this is the perfect outfit for my line of work and to wear in front of the people i interact with (older adults).