Holiday!

Hello friends! I disappeared for far longer than I intended... In addition to the end of classes backing into the Busy Season for Retail, I think I psyched myself out. For a snap I had convinced myself of all of these terrible self deprecating middle school sentiments. Which really makes it hard to want to be in photos, much less share them all over the web.

Good thing my amazing boyfriend didn't believe any of that nonsense. While I was content to stuff my face and laze on the sofa, he had bigger and better plans. When I unwrapped a remote controller for my camera, I knew that I needed to get this blog back on the road.

Outfit details:

Wooden Ships knit beret (similar style here or here, and available locally at Squash Blossom!)

J. Crew ruffled wool coat (similar or here)

J. Crew Jackie cardigan

American Apparel triblend tank

Scout Holiday A Fine Fete necklace from Anthropologie  (check out their Etsy for more options, yay!)

plenty by Tracy Reese Peppered and Striped skirt (now on sale--try Anthro stores!)
J. Crew slouch trouser socks
Seychelles Her Majesty wedges
Mulberry Alexa bag

I had the morning of the annual Anthro tag sale off from work, so I scurried to the mall to check it out. Since all my shopping for friends and family was totally wrapped up, I snapped up a few things for myself, including this skirt. No one can entice me with a sale like Anthropologie can.

Have a merry Christmas y'all! For a little bit of extra fun, don't forget to check out Tara's 12 Days of Christmas Blogger Bonanza, of which the finale is tomorrow. I squeezed in a few hours to contribute and I'm loving every photo that pops up each day!

Winter Craft ADD

Most of my friends will attest to my major crafting ADD. I feel like I always have a project in every category in progress, and still get sudden urges to create something new. And usually at the most inconvenient times... This time around? Right smack dab in the middle of finals week.


My favorite cold weather crafty activity is knitting. When I found myself at my local yarn shop with lots of chunky yarn in hand, I knew that it was the perfect opportunity to blow off all of that exam time stress and get some holiday gifts in the making. I find it's nice to keep my hands busy when my mind feels like mush.


So this year it looks like a run of chunky circle scarves and cowls are in order. Now that that's settled, back to hitting the books. See you on the other side of finals in a few days!

Sanrio Small Gift Mobile Pop Up Shop

I met Hello Kitty this weekend. She came into town for a visit! I put on my best grin and met her at Atlantic Station.

She brought all of her closest friends. And a smattering of souvenirs in this adorable truck. It was literally a pop-up shop full of small gifts. I felt like I was visiting the coolest food truck in the city, except instead of tacos I was picking up plush toys and nifty gifties.

I wanted ev-er-y-thing. There were all sorts of special goodies designed especially for this Small Gift tour. Tote bags, and plush, and stationery galore!

As  is frequently the case with holiday shopping, I got into the "some for you, one for me" state of mind and left with this headband bow for myself after picking up some stocking stuffers. Get yours from Sanrio.com here or from Chubby Bunny here. I wore mine all day with a big smile on my face.

It really was the best time ever!

Check out the Sanrio site to see if  one of the remaining stops are in a city near you.

Retail Holiday Season Survival Kit

Outfit details:

Tabitha Tyndall Coat (an amazing reincarnation of a Beth Bowley coat from 2008)
J. Crew (Factory) Ruffle Zip cardigan (available online on weekends only, or try a similar style here or here)

Anthro's Cartonnier Stable skirt (sold out online--try stores or this similar cut here or similar color story here)

Frye Dorado Slouch boots (very yummy lookalike here and a look for less here)

Lucky Penny Pure Bred tote (same vibe here and here)

This is year three of working retail during the holiday season for me. I really love the extra energy that pumps through the store starting the Friday after Thanksgiving. Being someone that loves to shop, I get really excited for other people to buy things, especially at discount. I get the same little rush as when I'm splurging on something myself. As a result I am most often the enabler friend that votes yes on friends' purchases. More likely, I vote for two. And yeah, I'll get one too.


This year I pulled together a new uniform for surviving the busy buzzy season--a very special piece + a warm and yummy knit + a pair of my expanding Frye boot collection. Today's special? An excellent upgrade to my vintage equestrian print skirt that I've been hoarding for weeks. I couldn't resist back in August (maybe it was even July?!), since the perfect slice of the print was centered on a skirt my size.

Getting Spotted

Outfit details:

J. Crew Bici tank (try stores, similar tank here)

Madewell get spotted scarf

J. Crew Jackie cardigan in dried parsley

Corey Lynn Calter Mossy Atoms skirt (similar pieces here and here)

J. Crew trouser slouch socks

Madewell westway clogs
Rebecca Minkoff MAM bag

Mallard green, chartreuse, honey brown, and cognac--definitely all hues in my color palette of choice for fall. Whenever I wear any of these shades, I feel like I am ready to stroll through falling leaves on a college campus on a crisp autumn day. Or in this case, crash some picnics behind the courthouse.

Lately I've been trying to be a little more thoughtful about the difference in what I like to wear and  what I can actually transition into a professional role. It's a slow moving, constantly evolving process, but the sudden influx of what I formerly considered staid colors is actually very easy to incorporate into my existing wardrobe.


So for me, the solution to, "I have nothing to wear!" was the addition of more classic pieces in solid colors. If anyone has their own suggestions, we'd all love to hear it!

Friends in High Places: Grownup Whimsy

My very favorite thing about blogging has been meeting so many wonderful and stylish people along the way. My blog girls are always who I turn to for inspiration, style advice, and a good kick in the pants when I'm having major blogger's block. So when Tara contacted me about her latest project, I was really excited to be a part of it. Her Friends in High Places feature is her way of showing how I feel about her--who best to showcase and complement your style than your friends? Each week she is collaborating with her favorite bloggers to bring you some truly inspired outfits following a theme.

This week Tara and I are exploring the grownup side of whimsy. She and I both chose items from our closet that at first glance might seem childish, and incorporated the piece into a sophisticated age-appropriate outfit. Since I am definitely partial to animal prints, prints of animals, and anything Ms. Frizzle might wear, the theme was the perfect assignment.

I present you with Tara's Point of View featuring Anthro's Montgolfier skirt:

I love how Tara took this brightly colored, fun, and flirty skirt and mixed it with classic pieces and solid colors to make it office-ready. Definitely a getting-dressed strategy to keep in mind!

Check out her full post to get the full details on her outfit on Little Girl Big Closet .

And my take, featuring the Two Wheeler shirtdress from Anthropologie:

Outfit details:

Anthro Two Wheeler shirtdress (worn as top) (its acorn print counterpart here, similar dress here, and top here)

Thrifted cream wool skirt (similar here and here)

Charlotte Tarantola "Field Game cardigan" (verrrry similar here and same color story here)

Frye Sunnie strap boots (similar styles here and here)
Marc by Marc Jacobs Dr. Q Groovee bag

I chose this dress because the print exemplifies whimsy. And while it was so easy peasy to throw on alone in the summer on its own, I've been stumped on how to make it more wearable for fall and especially for school.

And then it dawned on me when I spotted this skirt I recently thrifted. Of course, I could always layer over the dress! As a blouse, it's much more academic chic than summer picnic chic. Everything else in this ensemble quickly fell into place afterward.

This mini-project was such a blast! I'm a huge supporter of dressing to a theme, and sharing one with a friend makes it extra fun. I can't wait to see the other wonderful joint outfits that result from her new feature, and can't wait to see some of you participate as well!

Fall Forward

Outfit details:
H&M bird print dress (similar pieces: here and here)
J. Crew Jackie cardigan
Spanx Tight End tights (THE best tights ever. No runs or snags, and super opaque!)
Fluevog Radio oxfords (similar pairs: here and here)
Anthro Pure Bred Tote (similar here and here)

Today's outfit comes straight from a fantastical French adventure. One night of Halloween weekend, I donned a Zorro costume and ended up masquerading as Amelie Poulain.  Inspired, I thought romantic shapes, clunky shoes, and splashes of red and green would be a perfect tribute to one of my forgotten favorite characters. Her style was always a balance of quirky and romantic, and when I hit on that mix just so, all kinds of magic seems possible.

At first I crinkled my nose at Amelie's chunky shoes. But she works all day on her feet (like me!) and walks a whole lot (like me!) to get where she is going, and now I completely understand. Fortunately oxfords and clogs happen to be en vogue--clunky shoe wearers rejoice! I'm pushing for them to be considered un-frumpy forever.

Southwest Bohemian

More often than not, I take my own outfit photos. Tripod and self timer, a bit of trial and error. On the rare days that Markus and I are both around during daylight hours, he's kind enough to snap some  of my shots for me.

On this day, as usual, we were already pressed for time (it seems I'm always headed somewhere during peak photo hours) when I pulled out my camera. It didn't help that I was immediately distracted by something I spotted in the backyard.

Somebody was hiding out in our poorly tended garden box. This handsome fella claimed the biggest litterbox he could find. This probably also explains why our indoor kitties are so keen on sitting in the windowsill overlooking this side of the house. I guess I'd want to spy on the neighbors too, if they were always in my yard.

Anyhow, onto the outfit part of this post. A few weeks later, I still have Project Runway on the brain, because lately all I want to wear is fringe, southwestern colors, velvet, and feathers. If you haven't guessed already, all of these elements come from contestant Gretchen Jones' personal style and design aesthetic.

Outfit details:

Target feather chain necklace (similar here and here)
J. Crew cardigan (similar here and here)
Anthro Ambling Twists tank (similar here and here)
J. Crew Panne velvet bell skirt (similar styles: here and here)
Steve Madden Shakeit fringe boots (similar here and here)
Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Mini bag 

The inspiration for this outfit comes straight from Gretchen's A/W Mothlove collection, a few of the pieces she even wore on episodes of this past season. Yummy terracotta and blush colors and luxe textures with a bohemian vibe. I added a bit of a preppy schoolgirl twist to make it feel more me.

I finally realized that fall colors suit me best, and I plan to wear the heck out of my rusty colored wardrobe selection. I'm glad it's finally autumn here! Heck, I'm glad to be back. October was endlessly packed with projects and plans, and November, though just as busy, is a welcome transition.


I'm just tickled that it's sweater worthy outside! Layers, boots, and leather jackets are finally coming out of storage. Are you as pumped as I am?

Tea for Two and Two for Tea

Outfit details:

J. Crew Factory 4 strand pearl necklace (full price real pearl option here--I'm pretty sure mine are fake as it only cost me $35.)

Anthropologie Sugar and Cream dress (similar vibe here and here.)

Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Clutch

Aldo tricolor maryjanes (similar here and here)

Flag of Joy (courtesy of bride and groom!)

I don't know how over a week slipped by without me posting! I guess midterms and the overwhelming desire to sleep forever to recuperate took over, and blogging fell by the wayside. Luckily, I've still been getting dressed each day. Here's some proof if you don't believe me.

This is what I wore to a wonderful wedding in Indianapolis earlier this month. I'm glad I was able to pull this together for the occasion--my original 40's vintage inspired look had to be ruled out. Instead of the chilly 50-60 degree temperatures that I expected from my last trip to Indiana last fall, it was a warm and sunny 85 degrees. I was happy not to have to wear stockings or figure out how to pack a coat and boots for the climate difference between airports, but I can't say I wasn't disappointed to miss out on "real fall" weather.

 

For those of you wondering, the little flag in my hand is a "Flag of Joy" from the wedding ceremony. The bride and groom encouraged us to wave these from the audience to express our joy during the celebration. What could be happier than seeing a sea of happy faces and brightly colored flags cheering you on?

The ceremony and reception were held in the beautifully renovated Fountain Square Theater in downtown Indy. All of the original charm of the original building was intact--the lights, glitz, and glamour was a perfect backdrop to the festivities. And who doesn't love to see their name in lights?

 

I loved every detail of the ceremony, and am happy I got to share in this special moment.

Tick Tock on the Clock

 

Outfit details:

Old Navy sailor striped tee (similar styles here and here)

Monocle necklace (similar here, and on Etsy here. The Marc Jacobs accessories stores also carry a really great monocle necklace!)

Anthro Lost Time skirt (similar feel here and here)

J. Crew trouser slouch socks (sometimes 25% off in stores if you buy 3 or more pairs!)

Nine West Fairfax maryjanes (similar here and here)

Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Mini

After patiently waiting for months, the weather finally turned around and I got to pull out my clocks skirt. This poor little lady has been patiently waiting since June to be properly pressed and styled. Not only has the weather been unforgiving, the style of the skirt itself has been difficult to tackle.

Many of the skirts I find trouble matching things with seem to work best with white or cream tops, and this one is no exception. Since I am very partial to color, this outfit composed of neutrals was actually a bit of a stretch for me. But it can't be so bad that "adventurous" for me means wearing normal and office appropriate color palettes. I'm glad--it took me this long to accept that scaling back on the color scale does not mean compromising my taste.

I feel so grown up finally making this realization! I'm more than ready to fall into a more coherent sense of wardrobe, and feel like I'm suddenly on the right track.

Whiskey Woman

 

Outfit details:

Vintage liquor print dress (similar vibe here, here, or here)

Anthro Looping Lanes belt

Seychelles Her Majesty pumps

As soon as I decide I can do separates again, of course all I want to wear are my one-off dresses. This one feels extra special because of the unique print--if you look closely, you can see the bottles of whiskey and spirits. I found it buried amongst many other goodies in the Frock of Ages booth at Kudzu Antique Market a few weeks back.


I've been trying to channel my fast fashion habit into thrift and vintage shopping, and so far the results have been excellent. Now both my business wear and weekend wear sections of my closet are filling out, much more thoughtfully; and I plan to send the "I have nothing to wear" days back where they came from.