Crayola



 After wearing mainly black for several years, I find myself now drawn to color.  I love this brush print dress.  And the white blazer has become my summer staple- it goes with everything.

 

Linking with Not Dead Yet Style


Outfit:
Dress:  Chetta B from LastCall
Blazer:  Banana Republic Outlet
Shoes:  Target
Watch:  Tourneau

June 2014 Purchases

1) Blue Dress- flattering shape, seems good quality, goes with several items I already own (multiple blazers and cardigans). So far I have worn it once for a presentation I gave, with a black and white houndstooth blazer and without the skinny belt (sorry no photos).

2) Silk Paisley Blouse- because I love every part of that!

3) White Peasant Blouse- Nice basic summer blouse, also bought it for the family portrait that I have been wanting to get done but haven't gotten around to arranging.  We're all in white shirts and blue jeans, on a bridge by a waterfall.  Sounds nice, no? 

 

 

4) Striped Linen Trousers, aka I Am Weak.  Just when I was congratulating myself on not buying printed pants (they're so cute, but I would never wear them), I bought printed pants.  Sort of.  They're striped, which doesn't count as a print anymore, right?  They're a neutral?  I really went to Loft looking for linen trousers. I tried on every style in the store, but the only ones that grabbed me were these striped ones.  I kept thinking about how fabulous they will look with my navy asymmetric blouse.  And... nothing else. Drew a blank on what else in my wardrobe to wear with them.  So then I bought the two blouses above!  It all makes sense in my head if not my wallet.

 

 

Linking with Fran

Suited for Office Air Conditioning

Believe it or not, I am still wearing some of my cold weather clothes to the office because the air conditioning keeps it FREEZING!  I guess it makes my purchases more cost effective, since I'm wearing them year round.  Unfortunately my little Honda can't keep up, even with the air conditioning on full blast, so I melt on the drive home.  Last week I found myself wearing tights to work one day, and then taking them off in the car on the way home!

 

 

 

 

 

Outfit:
Tshirt: Loft
Vest: Target
Pants: Dalia Collection via Marshalls
Shoes: Payless
Watch: Tourneau

April 2014 Budget

I'm pretty happy with my April purchases.  First up, this pair of oxfords:

Super cute.  I actually saw a pair at TJ Maxx that were flat and so cute, total Janelle Monae vibe.  I liked them so much, I went back to the store a second time to try them on, knowing full well that they were a size too small!  Then started the online hunt, and this pair ended up on my doorstep (along with Elmo sandals and Planes sneakers, so I don't feel so bad).
My hesitation was whether I would really wear a pair in burgundy, but I didn't like the black color, and I managed to wear these three days last week!  So there.  Not the most comfortable pair of shoes I own, but not the most uncomfortable either.  And I think I will get a lot more wear out of them this fall.
In my effort to keep my life uncluttered (or at least my closet), I also have decided on a new rule for shoes.  I'm limiting my collection to what fits on my Target shoe rack (initially a sweater rack when I had one closet total in my apartment in NY).  Since the rack is already full, that means one pair has to go.  My red flats are on the chopping block.  My last outfit post was a farewell to them.  Although so cute, I don't wear them much, they're not the most comfortable, and they show their wear.  Adieu.




My other purchase this month was this gorgeous skirt.

I know.

Spending:  Shoes $17 + Skirt $36.37 = $53.37

I thought about using the same shoe rule for clothes, but yeah right, who am I kidding?  Instead I will leave you with this inspirational minimalist closet.  I saw it on Patti's blog, not sure where it is from originally (Google was so not helpful).

 Linking with Fran

Red, White and Blue

This is the tomato red blouse I mentioned earlier.  The sleeves are knit, so it's super comfortable, but I'm not crazy about the tabs on the sleeves.  Add my favorite warm neutral skirt, navy belt for contrast, and voila.  I tried to resist adding my red shoes and making it so matchy, but I lost that battle with myself! 

 Linking with Not Dead Yet Style

Outfit:
Blouse: Target
Skirt: Limited
Belt: Limited
Shoes: DSW

Watch: Tourneau

Third Time Around

This is the third time I have tried to post an outfit with this blouse.  For the first two tries I did not have a single decent photo.  This time I got one!  Come on, third time's a charm, right?
 

Outfit: 

Blazer: TJ Maxx/ Marshall's

Blouse: Kohl's

Pants: Limited

 

Pink Panther

As I stated in my February Budget post, I have had a thing for pink lately.  My mom made me wear frilly dresses as a child, so I rebelled by wearing only pants and dark colors for decades until now.  Maybe it's me trying to get over the long winter but now it seems most of my recent purchases have been pink.  I mentioned some ambivalence about this blazer in my March Budget post.  When I picked it up the polyester material was a turn off, but I liked the way it looked on me.  And free is much cheaper than the pink blazer that Banana Republic carried last winter, the one I loved but wouldn't fit with the rest of my closet.  I tried this out last week at work, and I kept getting compliments all day so here it is:

Sorry didn't notice the wonky right sleeve

So for now it's a keeper.  I'll just try to stay away from flames!

Linking with Not Dead Yet Style

Outfit:
Blazer: Clothing Swap
Sweater: Gap
Skirt: Gap
Boots:  Etienne Aigner
Watch: Tourneau
Necklace: Gift, so sad you can't see it in the photos!

March Budget

Yes, I know. We're halfway through April.  What can I say, life happens.

I did pretty well in March.  I only bought one item- this gorgeous pair of flats:

I bought them from Amazon:  $29.99 +$10 shipping
(No commission, just the actual link, and I only see them in gold now).

My dear friend Karen also invited me to my first clothing swap.  It was so much fun!  I took a few clothes, but I had no intention of bringing any home.  I picked up five items, two of which have already made their way to the donate pile.  Since they were headed there anyway, I don't feel so bad. One was a printed drop waist blouse that just did not look good on me, and the other was a flounce scarf.  When I got home and tried it on, the word "jester" popped into my head, and there's no way I can wear it now.

I am keeping a brown corduroy blazer and navy polka blouse, which I wore together in a subsequent outfit. The fifth item, which I am on the fence about, is a polyester pink blazer.  It looks hideous by itself but the fit is actually pretty good, so we'll see.

Total spending for March:  Shoes $40

Artiste

In general the few dresses I buy are primarily black.  I like the color, it's flattering and it's versatile.  The exception is this tropical shift dress.  The colors just make me happy.  I bought it last summer and have only worn it in warmer temperatures, so I wanted to try a cold weather look.

I'm happy with how it turned out. The best part is a woman told me she couldn't take her eyes off my outfit, and she's an artist!  (Technically she didn't specify whether it was really good or really bad, so maybe I shouldn't jump to conclusions!  ;) )

It would have made sense to wear it with either this green or this coral trenchcoat, especially since it was raining, but that somehow seemed so predictable and boring.  And I have worn those coats recently, but I haven't worn this beautiful blue one all winter.  It goes with the boots, though maybe not the dress.

Funny story about this coat.  It's from a small shop in NYC.  My dear friend Bernadette ended up buying me this coat that I loved, and I ended up buying her a purple hat that she loved.  I considered keeping it for myself, but my better instincts won out in the end.  And she still has the purple hat despite multiple moves!

Coat: NYC
Tshirt: Loft
Sweater: H & M
Dress: Nine West via TJ Maxx
Tights: Vera Wang for Kohls
Boots:  Naturalizer Juletta
Watch: Tourneau

Linking with Visible Mondays
Linking with Vodka Infused Lemonade

Remix :gray dress worn three ways

This gray and black dress is one of my favorites.  The soft knit is so comfortable, and it has interesting details with the shapes and lines which are also flattering.  Unfortunately it's hard to see those details in my posts, though there is a better photo here.  The dress also goes well with my fleece lined tights, which I am still wearing.  Today I wore it with my moto vest, mustard jacket, and python booties:

 

Here are some other ways I've worn this dress:

For more ideas on different ways to wear the same item, check this post with my pink scalloped skirt.



Linking with Work Clothes I Suppose
Linking with Goodwillista

Jacket: Wilson's Leather
Vest: Target
Dress: NYC
Booties: Marshalls
Necklace: Loft
Watch:  Tourneau

Back in Black

Black is definitely my go to color.  In fact I have been surprised by how much brown I have been wearing recently, but the main reason for that is that my brown pants fit better :) . 

I was missing wearing my mustard jacket, so I put this together to wear with it. You can see other ways I have worn it here and here.

 
 I kept wanting to add something to this; I thought about a scarf but that wouldn't go very well with the cowl neck, or even a long necklace but it didn't look right.  A belt would break up the black line which I want. Cuff bracelet would look funny with the fitted sleeves.

This is my first time wearing the sweater skirt from my February budget post.  So the story behind it is that when the Catherine Malandrino for Kohls collection came out, I really liked her sweater skirt.  But the dropped waist silhouette of a long sweater over the skirt (how she styled it) does not flatter me at all.  So I didn't buy it, but I still wanted a sweater skirt.  Of course when I went to TJ Maxx and found a black one (so much more versatile) in a more flattering cut, I had to buy it.  The problem is I haven't come up with a lot of ways to wear it (vs my pink skirt, so many ways to wear it).  Give me time ... (really, please, I need extra hours in the day).



NEED...MORE...SLEEP!


Linking with Pleated Poppy, Because Shanna Said So , Vodka Infused Lemonade

 

 

Jacket: Wilson's Leather

Sweater: Gap

Skirt: TJ Maxx



Now & Later

For a long time I had only been wearing one item in one way every time.  No wonder I was bored with my clothes!  These days when I purchase an item of clothing, I try to envision different ways to wear it.  A recent purchase is this scalloped pink skirt.  I tried two different looks with it, one for now and one for when the weather warms up.

Sleek, basic look with black cowl neck sweater and boots.

And then the later.

You may remember this navy blouse from this post.

 

 Since the colors are strong, navy and pink, I kept the heels nude.

I added the blazer to keep it work appropriate.

Happy Monday!

Linking with Outfit Posts
Linking with Not Dead Yet Style
Linking with Still Being Molly

Black Sweater: Gap
Skirt: Loft
Boots: Etienne Aigner Celina
Watch: Tourneau
Ring: New York and Company

Blazer: Banana Republic Outlet
Blouse: Target
Skirt: Loft
Shoes: Target
Watch:Tourneau
Ring: New York and Company

On Money and Minimalism

I really like that certain bloggers post their budgets as well as the items they bought over the past month.  In part because I'm just nosy, in part because I like seeing people's thought processes, and in part because I just like looking at clothes. 
I haven't done that type of post myself because, well, I don't have an exact budget.  While there's no number in my mind that I have to stay under, I do try to be very conscious of my purchases.  I remember just five years ago, talking about how someday I wanted a bedroom sized closet with a spinning clothes rack, a la Clueless (or for those younger readers, Lisa Vanderpump's on RHOBH).  Now I want the opposite, a wardrobe that is as small as possible but as functional as possible.  I'm not sure when that transition took place, but in general I find I just want less stuff.  Of course it coincides with my deciding to start an outfit blog- hmm, not the best timing.

I did pretty well in January, the only item I bought was a pair of tights.  I thought about doing a budget post, but it would have just been boring.  In February though I bought a few more things:

Liverpool Jeans Company, Ross, $7.99

Like many women I have trouble finding bottoms that fit my curvy bottom, and my size fluctuates a little with time of month and year.  I just wanted a pair of pants to wear around the house that would fit no matter what.  These stretchy ones are definitely more stylish than my current go-to, Rodney's Mickey Mouse pajamas (and my son gets concerned that Mickey is going to fall off of them).

Blouse, Target, $9.98

I already own this blouse in pink and wear it every weekend. It does wrinkle easily which is annoying.  I like the saturated tomato color, but wasn't sure I needed a second one.  I debated buying this for a while (translation- while walking around Target shopping).  The convincing argument was that I have been trying to be conscious of what colors look better on me, and this is one of them.  Even if I just wear it on weekends it will pay for itself.

Blouse, Loft (bought with credit from a scarf I returned)

 I'm having a pink moment.  See skirt below.

Skirt, Loft, $36

I seem to be into pink lately.  The scalloped edges are a nice detail.

Max Studio Sweater Skirt, TJ Maxx, $24.99

This one is going to get its own post.  I know it's not a smart purchase, but somehow I really wanted it.

Total:  $8 + 10 + 0 + 36 + 25 = 79
Overall the total is reasonable, but I do think some of these items are emotional buys and not completely necessary.  It's been a stressful month.  I may need that revolving clothes rack yet!

Linking up with Fran's Budgeting Bloggers

Dolman- Something New

Although the title of this post is Something New, the items in this outfit are anything but.  You have seen the pants and boots before, but probably not this sweater.  I love the style, but it is not a typical silhouette on me because I have trouble "making it work."

This sweater is actually a hand me down.  Someone at work brought in a box of clothes she no longer wanted (for someone else), and mentioned it to me in passing.  My silent reaction was: my style is nothing like yours, what could I possibly want from your discards?  But I went and looked, and found this great sweater.  Lesson learned about keeping an open mind.  I guess that's why it works- I didn't pick it, and I couldn't mess it up!

Linking with Fizz and Frosting
Linking with Still Being Molly
Linking with Tres-Chic Fashion Thursday



Sweater: Hand me down
Tshirt: Target
Pants: Dalia Collection via Marshalls/TJ Maxx
Boots: Report
Watch: Tourneau
Necklace: Limited

Bold (er)

The last time I wore this skirt, I went with a warm neutral look.  This time I decided to try something bolder, with a bright blue sweater, leopard belt, and black boots.

This sweater is beautiful, I need to wear it more often! 

 

Looking at this photo is giving me flashbacks to high school when I used to wear black shoes with white socks, ugh!  The shoes were menswear inspired (I still like that style).  But  those embarrasing memores are why I haven't been able to get on board with wearing brogues or oxfords this time around.   Maybe the right pair (and some new socks!) will change my mind.

Linking up with Vodka Infused Lemonade
Linking up with  Pleated Poppy

Sweater:  H & M
Tshirt: Prob Target
Belt:  Nordstrom's
Skirt: Limited
Tights:  Kohls
Boots: Etienne Aigner
Watch: Tourneau

Pattern Mixing at Work

This was a Friday outfit.  Technically this is pattern mixing, though it doesn't feel like it because the pattern on the pants is very subtle.  Since all the items had threads of brown it felt pretty safe.  The blouse is a bit much for work on its own, so I tend to cover it up, either with a vest like here or a jacket as below.

Linking up with Still Being Molly

Jacket:  Kohl's
Blouse:  Loft
Pants:  Dahlia Collection via Marshalls/TJ Maxx
Sunglasses:  Kohl's