january 8th {eyelet}

merona blouse {thrifted target stock}   ·   loft skirt {thrifted}

madden girl sursey pumps {thrifted}

whenever i wear navy, i seem to always want to pair it with maroon, orange, or cognac.  i forced myself to pick a different color from my closet to pair with this cute navy eyelet skirt and really liked the way the different blues played off each other.  this skirt and these shoes wrap up all of the items i thrifted at the goodwill in georgia over christmas holidays.  unlike the goodwills in minnesota, i really have to dig there and accept that each clothing item is a set price and it's unlikely that i will find something with the right colored tag that would offer an additional discount.  i think that leads me to be more excited about my finds {i am still on a little bit of a high from that j crew blouse} than i am here, where i find so much stuff i tend to be just so-so about but for really cheap prices.  hopefully i can start to carry that selective mentality to my thrifting here in minnesota.

i know i talk about thrifting a lot, so if it's not something you're into you'll have to forgive me - it's my main form of shopping and it's become a passion the past few years but i obviously still have a lot to learn!

let's chat!  what is a color combination you always wear?  can you think of a different color to swap in and try instead next time?

january 2nd {kids wear}

gap kids button-down {thrifted}   ·   forever 21 belt {similar}

merona doubleweave skirt & missoni heels {both thrifted target stock}

there is definitely an advantage to shopping in the kids department--that is, if you're willing to sacrifice appropriate sleeve length and buttons on the wrong side of the placard.  for $1.49, i figured i would take the risk to add a pretty nice business-casual button-down to my closet.  thanks, gap kids!

let's chat!  do you ever shop in the kids department?  do you find that boys or girls items tend to fit better?  my denim shirt is girls sizing but the sleeves are normal length! do little boys have shorter arms than little girls? :)

lastly, with the start of a new year i'm re-energized with my lil blog and i'm going to try to start adding more detail shots like the one above, posing more questions to spark dialogue in the comments, and linking to similar items i'm wearing if i can find them online!  thanks, as always, for visiting!

tuesday {neutrals}

this is what i wore to work on tuesday, but it was not what i wanted to wear.  at all.  i had on a different skirt that i realized was dark brown, not black, about five minutes before i wanted to head out the door.  i suppose i could have changed into brown tights, but at that point i figured it easier to slip on a new skirt that wrangle out of tights and into a new pair.  instead i tried on about three different skirts before settling on this one as it matched well enough with the gray sweater.  ordinarily i wouldn't have posted this outfit since i felt so uninspired and boring, but it's a good reminder to myself that hey, it's okay.  and now, looking back on it a day later, i actually kind of like it!

it also felt a little redeeming when one of my coworkers said, "i like your bracelet!" and i was able to reply, "it's actually a belt!"  learned that trick from dotty - thanks, lady.  i'm not sure if my coworker though it was "cool" or not but at least it gave me reason to think my outfit wasn't totally dullsville boring.

have a great week!

wednesday (tiered)

old navy button-down   ·   merona cardigan {thrifted}
eshakti tiered genus skirt   ·   merona milena wedges {thrifted target stock}

i have the worst luck when it comes to ordering items at eshakti, but for some reason that doesn't stop me when they request that i review an item or i win a giveaway.  i purchased this skirt during a promotion and despite thinking that i've finally figured out my size, it is still too small.  i swear, i have ordered a range of three sizes from eshakti in both skirts and dresses and they have all differed so much that i don't know what size i am in their brand!  well, thank goodness for layers of cardigans and blazers to hide a side zipper that isn't zipped all the way.  at least the length is perfect!  as for the wrinkles... i'm not sure that there's anything that i can do about that by the end of a workday.  thanks for visiting!

monday (magenta & green)

merona sheath dress ·  old navy turtleneck
fioni tate booties {ebayed}

i love browsing target.com because you never know when there will be an additional sale offered on clothing & accessory items.  most of the time the clothes on target.com aren't discounted to the extent that they are in stores, but sometimes you can come across online-only items or have a second chance at nabbing something if it has already come & gone through your local store.  i came across this dress one day when i was browsing and was immediately attracted to the style and print.  it sat in my virtual shopping cart for a while and i kept watching the price bounce around.  finally, i purchased it when target.com was offering a promotion last week and i found another coupon code online for an additional $5 off (thanks to totallytarget.com).  not too bad!  the length could be an inch or two longer, but i'm willing to work with it for the great style and and print.  i also picked up these two things in the same order:

peggy recommended this top a while ago and now i see what she means - it is really cute and versatile and i can't wait to wear it!  and the heels... well, they were on sale and i just couldn't say "no."  they are a little darker in real life but i like that a little better...  in fact, they would have gone great with this dress!  do you do much shopping at target.com?

thursday (easy)

merona doubleweave skirt   ·    lands end canvas gingham shirt {thrifted}

mossimo scoop neck sweater & merona mattie cap-toe flats {both thrifted target stock}

this is one of those outfits that just came together really easily and without a lot of thought and i loved it.  isn't it awesome when that happens?  it definitely adds a little pep to your step... even if you're just working away like a busy bee in your quiet office all day (i definitely don't mind days like those!).  have a nice evening!

friday (florals)

merona bow blouse & merona mittie flats {both thrifted target stock}

xhilaration blazer {thrifted}   ·   merona doubleweave skirt

i put this blouse on my virtual wishlist when i saw this post at the blog what would emma pillsbury wear? that combined my favorite target skirt and various blouses & cardigans. it's one thing to look at each of these pieces individually (as i did many a time on my weekly target trips) but it's defintely helpful & inspiring to see them paired together and styled by someone else.  unfortunately, this blouse had already been phased out of my target's clearance racks and knowing that it had been clearanced in stores didn't leave me inclined to buy it at full price online.  yesterday i randomly popped into a goodwill i don't frequent much these days and there this blouse was, waiting for me!

as much as i love wearing tights in the fall/winter, i still struggle when the outfit i want to wear doesn't look good with tights.  i felt like black tights were the only option but that i then had to bring in more black, hence the blazer.  in the end, however, i feel this outfit is very "me" and i am so happy to have added this blouse to my wardrobe!

thursday (hey!)

old navy turtleneck    ·   merona essential cardigan

mossimo trs skirt {thrifted target stock}   ·   banana republic tiona heels {thrifted}

i promise you all i have been getting dressed recently, i just haven't had a lot to say.  i had two posts from this week started and still saved as drafts because i didn't feel as though there were anything to hit "publish" to.  please forgive my absence!  some weeks i don't have much energy to analyze what i'm wearing; my job is so mind-consuming that i don't have much brain power left at the end of the day!  i'm also the type of person who prefers to be on the outskirts of crowds observing and watching rather than participating in the middle of it, so i sometimes feel a little odd that i'm the star of the show around here and that there may be at least a few people out there who look forward to seeing what i am wearing and what i post. 

so here i am with a little hello to all of you out there and to show you what i'm wearing--can you believe this--a turtleneck?!  don't ask.  "fall" has skipped merrily past the upper midwest and i am now scraping frost off my windshield in the dark most mornings and refusing to turn on the heat out of protest.  yesterday i changed into a long sleeve tee over a regular t-shirt, a sweatshirt, a puffy vest, a scarf, a knitted hat, sweatpants, and sweater boots.  come to think of it, i think that would have been a more interesting picture to show you than what i wore today.  :) 

i've got you beat, anne! :)

tuesday.

j crew sweater {thrifted}   mossimo neck tie blouse {thrifted target stock}

merona doubleweave skirt {thrifted target stock}   jessica simpson oscar heels {thrifted}

 

i hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!  mine was packed with an insane amount of eating, lots of fro yo, birthday celebrations, baseball, and goodwilling, of course.  i picked up this neck tie blouse at the GW yesterday and although i would have preferred a different color {i like the printed version below!}, i'm happy to add this style blouse to my wardrobe!  for the first day back to the office after a long weekend, i added a punch of color to get me through an early morning meeting, a care conference, and a visit with a client {that didn't actually happen, grr!}.  i kept the rest of my outfit pretty neutral and basic to off-set the bright green sweater.  it's not the most exciting outfit, but i think it worked!

 

Mossimo® Womens Sleeveless Top w/Neck Tie - Pink/Purple Print

friday (mustard + a cat)

merona artist cardigan {thrifted target stock}   handmade (by me) skirt

lela rose for payless charson side-bow pumps

i wish i could say i wore these shoes with this outfit all day, but this photo is all lies.  i know, the deception!  i schlepped them to work to change into once i got into the office but they felt a little bit off as i walked around my office in them... they are 1/2 size too big and so i need some heel pads or something.  aren't they lovely, though?  and i noticed that i have quite a few skirts with some mustard yellow in them that these shoes will go wonderfully with.  i'm glad i caught them at a good deal online when i did, especially since they are now sold out {although still available in navy online!}.  i can't wait to see what lela rose's next line of shoes at payless are like!

a couple of my favorite ladies have posed with their cats this week and i have to say, i think outfit photos are 100% better when furry friends are featured.  i love seeing pictures of people's cats!  my cat, who i inherited from my nana, has appeared a couple times on my blog before, but i wrangled her into these shots with me.  she wasn't too into it, probably because she hadn't had dinner yet.  eating comes before snuggling.  say "hi" to ann!  have a good weekend!

thursday (mixed x 2)

 

merona argyle cardigan {thrifted target stock}   gap button-up {thrifted}

handmade (by me) skirt   merona marylynn mary janes

i think i did okay for my second time ever pattern mixing {first seen here}.  purple and gray are so great together, and the print on this button-up isn't really too distracting so it didn't seem like pattern mixing--i think that is key!  i think it worked really well!  i'm not sure about the look of the longer cardigan not tucked or belted, but i did like it against my purple skirt.  i have been so exhausted this week, so any outfits that come together relatively simply is definitely a positive in my book.  here's looking forward to friday!

monday (4/23)

merona tie-neck blouse {thrifted target stock}  gap v-neck sweater

handmade (by me) skirt {fabric here}   merona milena wedges {thrifted target stock}

if i take a quick glance in my closet, i see lots of pinks, purples, maroon, and blue cardigans.  maybe that's why i'm always drawn to those colors at the fabric store, too.  i always bypass the blacks, grays, and tans and hover around the purples & blues.  i love the floral print and the richness of the colors.  very, very me.  click the link above if you'd like to see a swatch of the fabric from joann.com; i'm not sure how many people who pop by here are sewers or are interested in the fabric i use, but i'll try to link to the fabric that i use if i can find it online!  have a nice evening!

thursday.

merona dora dress {thrifted target stock}   mossimo cocoon cardigan {thrifted}

lela rose for payless madison heels

i thought about prefacing this post by apologizing for wearing this outfit before, but you know what... i'm not sure that anyone reading this would have known that i have!  i'm a pretty perceptive person but week after week, i can't remember what my coworker who i share an office with wears and i highly doubt that people who look at pictures of me on the internet really remember what i wear either.  isn't that weird, when all of us are so into personal style & following others' whose personal style influences our own?  or maybe i'm totally off.  either way, welcome to my life where i really love pairing this denim-like dress with  maroon and these heels, which were a smashing hit everywhere i went today.  i really think we all need fabulous heels in our closets and i find a lot of great pairs at payless!  i'm thinking about ordering these two pairs since there's a BOGO going on  right now and i found another coupon code online... i'd prefer the navy pair that also come in yellow, but my size isn't available.  decisions, decisions... feel free to weigh in!