catching up.

j crew factory ruffle collar blouse

merona cardigan {thrifted}

old navy boyfriend khakis & flats

{ similar cardigan / similar blouse / exact pants / similar flats / similar necklace }

i came back from tulsa with a sore throat that progressed into a cough, runny nose, and aches.  i blame the air con we had blasting in our hotel room 24/7, inhaling numerous varieties of smoke at an outdoor music and beer concert, and driving 20+ hours round trip without much of a mental break.  insert rock hands here!

i still don't have all of my mental faculties (clearly i don't have the stamina of someone ten years my junior) so i've been putting together simple outfits without much contemplation in front of my closet.  i still like how outfits like this come together though even if at first glance they appear overly simple.  i like the coordination of the blues in the necklace and cardigan and the gold flats that haven't been worn in ages are meant to pull out the gold hardware on my necklace - although i'm sure no one would recognize that but me!

i originally bought this blouse because i liked the short sleeves and ruffle neckline, but the hearts are growing on me!  i'm not one who is drawn toward graphic tees or kitschy prints, but i think the hearts on this top are mismatched enough that they don't look like traditional hearts at first glance - so i feel okay wearing it year round and not just around a holiday like valentine's day.  it's not available anymore, but here are a bunch of heart-printed blouses i found if you need to add a little sweetness to your closet:

inspired by...

j crew button down {thrifted}   ·  j crew factory basketweave skirt

adrienne vittadini flats   ·   target belt & necklace

old navy denim jacket

{ similar button-down / exact skirt / similar flats / similar belt / similar necklace / similar jacket }

every once in a while i'll revisit blogs whose names i remember that i may have stopped following for whatever reason, usually if i find i am not as inspired by or connected with that blogger's style anymore.  i recently revisited what i wore and really enjoyed scrolling though the first grew pages of her blog, especially when i spotted this outfit.  i must have stared at it for several minutes (creepy?).  i just love the floral skirt, the denim jacket, the simple tee underneath.  perfect!

i had that look in mind as i got dressed today as i knew i wanted to wear this floral skirt again, but i didn't really think it through as i should have worn a lighter weight tee underneath instead of the button-down whose sleeves i could have pushed up easier, but i wasn't certain i'd keep the jacket on all day as i get so overheated at my workplace.  i still like the look of the denim jacket worn as a layering piece with a skirt and definitely see myself trying another variation of this look sometime without the belt or necklace.

windchill wardrobes.

j crew factory eyelet front top

loft floral skirt {thrifted}

crown vintage tisha pumps

thanks to everyone who responded to my post last week about my blogging slump and uncertainty about lit & sty's blogging future.  what stood out to me is that i'm not alone in these feelings and it's something everyone experiences.  that was reassuring, as were so many people's comments that they want me to keep blogging.  really?!  i promise that i won't up and leave the blog and i have no plans to stop any time soon.

it was a whopping -10 this morning when i left for work but oddly enough i feel warmer in tights than pants when it's cold out.  maybe because the fabric of the tights is right against my legs compared to pants that are loose and allow wind to breeze through more easily.  does that make sense?  i thrifted this identical loft skirt a few months back that i knew would be too small, but it was still disappointing when i tried to try it on and promptly had to sell it on eBay.  needless to say, i was pretty excited to see another one show up at the goodwill in my size for just a few dollars.  the fabric is pretty stretchy and has an elastic waistband along with a zipper, which i think is pretty darn ingenious!  you get the look and feel of a straight pencil skirt but a nice elastic waistband!  it's one of the best fitting skirts i have right now, which sure is confidence boosting!

have a great week!

get the look: similar blouse / similar skirt / similar heels / similar necklace

throwback thursday & beauty box.

banana republic dress turned blouse {thrifted}

gap true straight piped pants

chinese laundry nima wedges

today i'm again joining alice at happiness at mid-life and her throwback thursday fashion link-up series.  this blouse was actually a shift dress that i chopped off and hemmed to blouse length. i've only ever worn it tucked into a skirt because i did a poor sewing job but the last time i wore it was over a year ago (oh, hello long hair... hope you return soon...) so i figured it was time to wear it again!

so, did anyone else hear about and order the target beauty box recently?  i know a lot of fashion bloggers subscribe to monthly services like birch box that sends samples of health & beauty products... but i'm more of a big box store budgeted girl and have never seen the value in those services.  the target beauty box was only $7, and i got another 5% off with my redcard and free shipping.  not bad for the 5 samples included, since 2 were full sized!  here is what came inside: 

• elnett hairspray - this is actually the perfect size because it takes me forever to use a can of hairspray!
• fekkai dry shampoo - this also seems like a nice size!
• laneige bb cushion - i honestly have never heard of bb cushions, but i guess it is similar to bb cream just in a pressed powder?  i'll find out!
• nyx eye pencil - this came in white, which seems like an odd color for eyeliner, but i really like the smooth texture and how easily it applies, so hopefully i'll find some way to wear it
• l'oreal colour riche lipgloss - this is a decent size gloss and a nice neutral mauve.  l'oreal is not a cheap cosmetic, so i was most impressed with this item.

anyway, i was pretty excited about this beauty box i thought i would share in case others are interested too... i mean, who doesn't like fun and inexpensive samples of new products to try, especially those you can run to target and pick up if you like?  i also got sucked into ordering the back to college care package for only $5.  can you tell i love samples of stuff?

thanks for visiting!

embellished.

old navy embellished sweater   ·   merona skirt

dexter kylie wedges   ·   target necklace

for my sake i hope it was just a one-time promotion, but two sunday's ago i got an email from old navy highlighting a handful of items online that were priced at $10.  after taking a quick scroll through the site my cart was full and an order was placed, which included this sweater.  gray seemed an odd color choice at first since i gravitate toward color and prints when i'm shopping... but i love it!  i don't own embellished anything, but the little faceted beads definitely make it interesting enough to get along with the brights & patterns in my closet.

the skirt was a pretty big hit at work too.  it always feels kind of good when others recognize the effort you took to put together an outfit and choose to comment on it (why else would all of us operate these blogs!), but maybe it also has to do with the attitude you exude when you're wearing something you feel great in.  i think others pick up on that and it may make them more inclined to offer a compliment.  who knows--either way, i loved how this outfit turned out and i'm glad i could add a great sweater to my closet for such a reasonable price!

get the look:  exact sweater / current style skirts / similar wedges / similar necklace / similar button-down

chick-fil-a!

oct 10th / who cares about what i'm wearing today, i'm more interested in telling you all what i am having for dinner tonight:  chick-fil-a!  as someone who grew up in the south (the state, in fact, where chick-fil-a originated), this is a huge (!) deal that the chicken franchise has finally made its way up north.  i just have no words for my excitement right now... in fact, i have a feeling i am not using enough exclamation marks - chick-fil-a!!!!

july 12th {jacquard}

merona jacquard cropped blazer {thrifted gtarget stock}  

merona melinda wedges   ·   merona tiered tee {short sleeved version}

 

this blazer is another recent thrifted target stock finds from the goodwill.  i think my eyes bugged out when i saw it was priced at only $1.99!  even though it's always exciting to find target stock at the goodwill, sometimes it it can be a major let down. i've deduced over the years that it can come in the form of clearance, online returns, and--unfortunately--slightly damaged items. even though i try to look over any item i buy from the goodwill pretty closely, i'm always kind of worried that in the middle of the day i'm going to discover a large rip in a seam or a tear i didn't notice because it was obscured by a print.  thankfully i didn't have on my target stock goggles when i tried this on in the fitting room and after a good look, it appeared to be in tact!

 

most clothing items, target stock or otherwise, are priced pretty standard at my goodwills but there is always fluctuation - its a major treat when you find such a great steal!  hopefully i can find many ways to wear this blazer!

 

thanks for visiting & have a great weekend!

april 9th {scroll skirt}

merona monica skirt   ·   merona blouse {thrifted target stock}

madden girl sursey pumps {thrifted}

i wore this outfit on tuesday and really liked how it came together.  this is a skirt i have only worn navy with in the past (the last time i wore it was over a year ago!), so it is about time that i realized it "goes" perfectly well with any other solid colored blouse.  i received a couple nice compliments throughout the day too, so it's something i'll remember!

if i have any astute readers out there, no, i am not wearing this dress as a top... i guess this stye was made in a blouse version too, and for 99 cents at the goodwill i couldn't say no despite how silly it seems to have a blouse and a dress in the exact same style and color!  i know i'll get a lot of wears out of both though and i mean, really, 99 cents?!  

thanks for visiting!

february 25th {doubleweave}

merona button-down {thrifted}   ·   dexter kylie wedges {in black}
merona doubleweave skirt {thrifted target stock}

it is no secret that i love merona's doubleweave skirts.  i have one in black, magenta, khaki, turquoise, floral, zebra (thanks whitney), and a couple others that haven't been featured in a post before.  when i was at target yesterday i noticed a new round of skirts on the racks and my love just doubled.  the reason i am so impressed with these skirts is because each season there a good variety of colors and prints, they are fully lined (!), the perfect knee length, are made out of quality, durable fabric that washes well and does not wrinkle that badly, and cost on average only $22!  plus, if you're patient and wait they always go on sale and, of course, clearance (and from there to the goodwill, that's where i got this one for $4.99!).

here are the skirts that caught my eye at target yesterday.  the pink lace skirt is so pretty!  the black floral one is now 30% off in stores, we'll see how long i can hold out before i buy it.  and even though i'm not a big fan of polka dots, i think that offering is a great replica of the popular j crew factory polka dot skirt for about 1/3 of the cost.  i also love the mirrored blue & white print!

are you a fan of merona's skirts?

wednesday (blue)

j crew cardigan {thrifted}   ·   merona adelle skirt {thrifted}

target belt & necklace {non-thrifted!}

the only thing i have to say about this outfit is that i am glad my navy tights don't appear as blueberry-blue in this ill-lit photo as they did in real life, if you know what i'm saying.  yikes.  the heels are navy too, but you'll have to forgive my terrible white balance & iso knowledge that makes them appear black.  don't you hate when you realize something is totally off about your outfit but not until the end of the day?  good thing today was another one of those days where i barricaded myself in my dark office!

friday {adventurous}

adventurous / if there is ever a day to be a tad more adventurous with your outfit, let it be on a friday!  for me, the atmosphere is a little more relaxed and i steer clear from home visits or meetings where clients/colleagues may look at me and think, "are you sure you're a professional working lady?!"  okay, that's a big extreme but i would never wear this to a home visit with a client.  i have also never worn tall boots {these ones are available here!} with bare legs before so this was definitely a new look for me (and only manageable as the mercury didn't inch past 70 and i was chained to my desk inside all day), but hey... like i said on tuesday, it's good to tweak at least one routine aspect of your outfit once in a while to keep feeling creative about putting outfits together - you may come away with a look that you really do like!

have a great weekend!

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}

wednesday.

merona crossover tee {coupons available here}  old navy cardigan {thrifted}

merona slacks {thrifted target stock}   target necklace   dexter kylie wedges

today was one of those days where i hadn't really thought about what i was going to wear before bed and i had a moment of dread as i stood before my closet trying to dream up an outfit.  i snagged this printed tee at target for $4 on monday {you can still get it at this price as well as it is on sale for $7 this week and there is a $3 off merona clothing item available via the link above} and just threw it on with coordinating slacks and a cardigan.  good enough for a wednesday!  my closet is lacking in short sleeved tops that i know will be much needed in another month or so when summer really hits, so i'm glad i picked this one up for such a crazy reasonable price.  i think the colors & print is really fun - i can't wait to wear it with my favorite banana republic navy skirt!

monday (monica)

merona monica skirt   merona marigold cardigan {thrifted target stock}

converse blouse {thrifted target stock}   merona mattie cap-toe flats {thrifted target stock}

i feel pretty sad for this skirt, this is only the second time i have worn it, the first being september 29, 2010.  i almost can't believe that.  i only want to wear it with navy even though i know it would look perfectly fine with almost any other color.  how do we get out of a rut of always wearing the same item the same way over & over again?  even if it was pretty uninspired, i definitely felt put together today.  have a great week!

monday (the shooties)

mossimo ultra soft cardigan {thrifted target stock}   j crew frances blouse

handmade (by me) skirt   mossimo varana booties   target necklace
 

some of the older adults i work with or who i run into in the senior building where i work have a lot of comments about my outfits & my shoes... mostly my shoes.  i love it.  today i encountered a group of three women waiting for an elevator who, as i passed, said, "we're all talking about your shoes."  each one proceeded to comment about the heel height, ask how i walk in them, and how i don't lose my balance.  i'm never quite sure what to say when i receive comments like those!  these are really the easiest shoes to walk in since they surround my whole foot and aren't prone to slip off like a traditional high heel, but how to explain that?  maybe i need a couple statements i can pull out in situations like this, like "well, i've had a lot of practice" or "i'm sure i won't be wearing shoes like this for many more years!"  but i'm young enough to do it now, right, so why not?  i love working with older adults and the comments they have for me that literally keep me on my toes!  and these have honestly become my favorite shoes, so hopefully those ladies will get used to seeing me wearing them!  :)

tuesday (brougt to you by fay)

 

 haberdashery by fay's closet blazer {thrifted}   isaac mizrahi for target button-down {thrifted}

old navy sweater   merona doubleweave skirt {thrifted target stock}

how great are navy & green together?  and how great are old blazers that you find at the goodwill for $1.49 with funny names like "haberdashery - by fay's closet"?  these things rank pretty high on my list of awesome things and boy, i sure waited a long time in line to buy just this blazer for $1.49, so that should tell you just how serious i am about this!  well, my funny named blazer and i have to go grocery shopping now, hopefully if i can get that out of the way fairly quickly i can justify a stop at the GW on my way home to see if there are any more $1.49 blazers that need to come home with me.  have a good evening!

wednesday (the printed pumps)

 

merona dora dress {thrifted target stock}   mossimo ultra soft cardigan

lela rose for payless madison printed pumps   target necklace

 

although this outfit looks remarkably similar to this one that i wore two weeks ago (oops), let's just ignore that and focus on these SHOES for a minute.  who knew they would be such a hit?  who knew people paid so much attention to other people's footwear?  i walked past one person's office and she literally called my name after i had passed by to say, "i love your shoes!"  one of my older adult clients even liked them!  i have to say that i kind of love them too.  have you gotten any new shoes lately that have received quite a reaction from others?

thursday (all 12 degrees of it)

old navy cardigan   merona turtleneck {thrifted target stock}

mossimo skirt {thrifted}   american eagle myles riding boots

i just had to take pictures today wearing my favorite winter hat from turtle fur.  plus, i'm sure my hair looks real attractive underneath {not really}.  when you live in a snowy, cold climate you have to have fun outerwear & accessories, and i love this hat because it covers my ears!  it hasn't gotten any wear yet this winter with our crazy heat wave so i'm glad i could break it out today.  do you have any fun winter accessories that make bearing frigid temperatures a little easier?

wednesday (misses)

gap sweater   handmade (by me) skirt

target necklace   banana republic tiona heels {thrifted}

i know i gushed about these shoes this morning {check out that post here if you missed it}, but i think they will unfortunately be resigned as my no-home-visits-sitting-at-my-desk-all-day-shoes.  yeah, ouch.  the walk to my building is a bit longer than it used to be since we moved offices a couple weeks ago, not to mention i had a meeting off site, so that equaled lots of walking... in the rain... and lots of walking & going up and down stairs this afternoon in my building.  thank goodness i have a pretty private office and could kick these babies off (gently) when i got back to my desk.

oh!  and i made this skirt a couple weeks ago, but its debut was pushed back since last week was pants week... but i am not sure how i feel about it.  this is my favorite shade of green, but i think i made it a little too short for my comfort.  if anyone might be interested in a hand-me-down hand-made skirt, you might be seeing a giveaway for it sometime soon.  i'm not too bummed, though, as i can always make more skirts.  see exhibit A below of the mounds of fabric i scored yesterday at the goodwill for a whopping $7.50.  each piece was $1.49!

{navy with print / brown plaid / light blue / coral pink / cream}

monday (challenged: olive print skirt)

merona olive print skirt {temporarily swapped}   converse blouse {thrifted new}
old navy cardigan   target belt & necklace   simply vera tights   unlisted heels {thrifted}

this week my friend whitney from between the lines and i will be participating in a challenge to style some of each other's clothes that we get stuck wearing the same way over & over.  this is one of her skirts that i have been an admirer of each time i see her wear it.  my subliminal messages must have gotten through to her because she sent it my way for our challenge.  of course, once i got it, i wasn't sure how i would style it.  i didn't want to recreate an exact replica of one of whitney's outfits, but i didn't want to play it too safe either.  

i love how whitney paired this skirt with colors like lavender, sea foam green, and pinkish red.  i was still stuck, though.  whenever i am not sure what color to wear with an item, i always reference academichic's color tutorials.  all i needed was to see was the photo on the bottom of this tutorial highlighting analogous color combinations and i knew i could pull that off with this skirt.  so, i am adding navy & teal to the mix here.  i'm starting to think any color would look great with this skirt!  what do you all think?

{see how whitney wore it here, here, and here}