A Floral Affair

The cleaning out of unblogged outfits continues! I wore this outfit numerous times in the waning summer days. It became the perfect go-to outfit for all those body-conscious days and then some - it was concealing, to be sure, but it was also feminine, flattering, and on-trend. It began an obsession for all things floral, in fact.

Ring - Pim + Larkin (via Piperlime) / Earrings - Ruche / Nails - Stylenomics by Essie (via Ulta)

This Kiyonna top, and I realize I'm sounding like a broken record here, is yet another Gwynnie Bee rental. (However, after wearing it so many times, I found I couldn't part with it and finally just bought it!) When I first received it, I was a bit concerned it skewed too matronly, but pairing it with skinny jeans was really the best way to offset that concern. I think you could wear it with trousers or a skirt and accessorize accordingly, but I loved how fresh skinnies made the print look. (For what it's worth, I also tried the emerald version, but I didn't like it nearly as much. The print really is part of its charm!) Plus, its billowy sleeves and longer length were, as I always say, the perfect complement for close-fitting bottoms.

Chantal Chiffon Blouse In Black Floral - Kiyonna (via Gwynnie Bee) /
Skinnies - Lane Bryant (old) / Sandals - Nine West

The great thing about the print is its numerous colors, too. I like the black background as a "winter" floral option, but you can really pull out any color you want to make it seasonally appropriate. Fuschia and kelly green were my pop-of-color du jour for warmer days, but I can absolutely see mustard yellow and darker green options to come.

Handbag - Gustto "Pavia"

You know, I've been in the market for new skinnies, but I can't get over how good this older LB pair still looks on me. When I first started wearing skinnies, I swore by Gap's Always Skinny Jean, but no matter how many times I give them a try these days, they don't seem to work as well on me. I blame their uncomfortably low rise (and the ensuing muffin top), so I've just decided to stick to these trusty LB skinnies until I absolutely wear them into the ground (and possibly even shed some weight). Do you guys have any favorite brands for skinnies to recommend?

Eye of the Tiger Lily

Having only two real "working" days these days, I find myself in much more need of casual outfits. When I'm not in the classroom, I'm either in my home office or coffee shop "office," both of which provide some real sartorial challenges. While I've actually grown to love my home office (especially with my precious La Perla de Oaxaca a la French Press), it doesn't really encourage me to get dressed for the day. (Yoga pants and old college sweatshirt does not a bloggiful [totes just made up that word] ensemble make.) And the coffee shop certainly doesn't require pencils skirts and heels! (Not that that has stopped me.) So what to wear, what to wear... Alls I can say is, thank goodness for denim in its many varieties!

Top - Lucky Brand via Gwynnie Bee / Skinnies - Lane Bryant (old)
Sandals - Christain Siriano for Payless (old)

I've honestly loved wearing my skinnies with some kind of voluminous top lately. It's not only a chic way to do casual, it's comfortable and, better yet, a great way to dress for the hotter fall days we've been having in the Midwest. (86° in October? C'mon now...) And once again, Gwynnie Bee comes to the rescue with yet another cute top to don for just such an "occasion." I know I wore this exact outfit at least 5 times before finally sending the top back!

Ring and necklace (old) - Ruche

I loved pulling out the pink in the top with a few choice accessories. The orange and pink made for an unexpectedly fabulous color combo! In fact, I think the accessories pretty much made the outfit.

The other thing about heading downtown to my fave coffee shop is the need to lug more than a few books with me. Sure, I have a backpack, but what fun is that? This is where my many oversized bags come into more "functional" play...not that such function has ever been a consideration for me before - the bigger the better, I say! Happily, and pretty much outta nowhere, the kind folks over at Gustto - after seeing my blog header with one of my favorite handbags ever (my fuchsia Gustto Pavia, worn OFTEN) - offered to send me a bag from their eye-popping, budget-friendly handbag line, Miss Gustto. Was I going to jump on a chance for a free handbag from a designer I know and love? HELLZ YES. The difficult thing was only which to choose! I settled on this goes-with-everything taupe number (The "Katie") both for its fabulous size and delicious hardware. The unexpected surprise was that it not only fit a number of books, but also my laptop! All while able to sit comfortably over my shoulder for all those now easy jaunts downtown. I was also really impressed with the quality of the bag itself. It's a vegan/budget bag-lover's DREAM - smooth faux leather, good construction and really fun details. I tend to think this brand nails the oversized trend, too. Pretty sure I'm officially in the market for a few more...

"Katie" Handbag - c/o Miss Gustto

And you know what, Miss Gustto is offering my readers a chance to win one of their bags! Stay tuned for details regarding the giveaway in the next few days!

Earrings - LOFT (old)

Hmmm...that fuchsia Pavia would have been a perfect choice for this outfit, too, eh?

Pencil Pusher

Hello, old (and new) friends!

Lately, blogging has become one of those things I don't seem to miss until I do it. And so, here I sit on a gorgeous September afternoon, blogging, drinking iced coffee, and realizing how much personal satisfaction I really do get from this process. I think, like so many things in my life lately, it's just all about routines. And with so many changes this year, a new routine has been challenging to find - and that includes blogging.

But when a joyful pink pencil skirt comes around, and it just so happens to be a fall trend (says the interwebs, and now me!), it makes me want to get my groove back. You already know my devotion for pencil skirts, but I'm convinced Kiyonna makes the very best. This one, the Curvy Pencil Skirt, is ponte knit like so many of my faves already in my closet, but Kiyonna always makes them a bit longer than the rest, and therefore just the right length for me - right past my knee caps. They always fit so well that I feel like I've lost 10 pounds just putting one on. Why I haven't purchased every single pencil skirt they've sold is beyond me, but perhaps that should be my goal. I mean, sure, I have, errrrr, about 5 black pencil skirts already, but I can guarantee one by Kiyonna would be my last.

Curvy Pencil Skirt in Pretty in Pink - c/o Kiyonna / Safari jacket - Lane Bryant (sold out!) /
Eyeglasses Sweater - Lane Bryant / Sandals - Nine West / Handbag - DKNY via TJ Maxx

As for the outfit, this particular combination was an accident, really. I was trying on new arrivals at Lane Bryant a few weeks ago, particularly this outfit, and I put these pieces together on a whim. The jacket was definitely coming home with me, but the quirky sweater (a la Zooey Deschanel methinks) was more or less filler while I ventured out of the fitting room to find a few other pieces. Well, when one of the sales associates exclaimed how cute my outfit was, I started rethinking my decision. Between having this fabulous pink pencil skirt gifted to me by Kiyonna at home, and the fact that the sweater for the original outfit I wanted was completely sold out in store and online anyway, this new outfit was meant to be.

I've been dying to wear this outfit for weeks now, actually, but it just hasn't been cool enough! It's a great transitional outfit, and an army green jacket is already a fall staple in my closet. A quick search on Pinterest for additional styling inspiration for my pink skirt (and where I learned pink/fuchsia was going to be trend for fall) yielded some pretty fantastic options, pink and camel or animal print among them. I love the way the combination gives it a new twist on fall basics, and I've already got pieces in my closet practically jumping out at me in anticipation. So many outfits, so little time!

Ring - Ruche / Earrings - Lane Bryant

So, happy fall, everyone! I've already got another post planned for next week, so you can be sure you'll be seeing more of me!

Acknowledgements

Dear readers,

It's been six months almost to the day since I last blogged. It has been an unplanned, even unacknowledged absence on my part. In fact, I found myself ignoring the blog entirely. Some of you have emailed, posted on the blog’s Facebook wall, tweeted - and nothing in reply. For that, I am sorry. I've thought many times about posting an update of some kind, something - anything to address my silence. To be honest, I just have not been up to the task.

Among other things, I'll be leaving my job at the end of this month. I'm both thrilled and terrified: I don’t exactly know what I’m doing next, but I'll be job hunting and grant-writing (finishing the dissertation is a real item on my agenda) for most of the summer. Without going into too much detail, the job situation has been one of the most paralyzing things about this year, and it’s probably the source of many of the reasons I stopped blogging for a while. I made the decision to leave in November, but I committed myself to finishing the season and finally gave my two-months' notice in April. Guarding that secret so closely for as long as did (in fact, I often wondered if I'd even be brave enough to go through with it) only added to an already stressful job environment. And the job environment was killing me pretty damn quickly. When anger is the most frequent emotion you feel during a work day, it's time for a change. The regular season ended in April and the graduation season only ended last Tuesday, and then I was out sick with a nasty cold for the rest the week. (No coincidence there, I'm sure.) Only this past weekend did I feel like I could actually move on. That I’m ready to move on…

Most importantly, I really feel like doing things again. Starting with blogging.

The blog has been a real conundrum during this whole ordeal. I've worn some killer outfits over the past 6 months and regretted not sharing them with you all. But I also have had a hard time formulating any coherent thought about, well, anything. More and more of my posts from the last year started to sound so manufactured and one-dimensional, and I couldn't find a way to break out of that, especially when I couldn't be open about what was going on in my life anyway. I wanted to share more, but I didn't even know where to begin, and I was terribly afraid of coming across as too negative or even whiny. Not insignificantly, I'd also gained a lot of weight this year (no doubt related to the job stress), and I could no longer bring myself to take pictures of myself every day. Proclaiming self-confidence as a curvy blogger wholovedherbodynomatterwhat would have been an outright lie. And wasn’t that what my proclamation was supposed to be? I didn't know how to reconcile any of it, and blogging itself became a source of stress. So I just…stopped.

I’m sure many of you read Kendi Everyday. Well, her poignant post from a few weeks ago (“Life Lately”) deeply moved me because it hit so close to home. And I’d been struggling with my blogging mission (as I'll call it) too. Why do we blog? How much do and should we share behind the camera lens? Am I being dishonest somehow if I present the perfectly styled portrait of an outfit and only that? What do my readers really want, anyway? Am I a model or a stylist or just a regular person putting herself out there, using her personal style as a vehicle? I'm comforted by the fact that I'm not the only (style) blogger questioning these things lately, and I'm extremely intrigued that so many of us are saying the same thing almost all at the same time. (Courage begets courage!) I'm even more comforted by the warm responses I read on such blog posts - the blogging community truly is a remarkable one. So I think the answers to these questions come down to the first rule of blogging, as I learned it: focus first on the content and your readership will follow; figure out what you want your blog to be and let it be that fully. And then have a little trust...

But the other thing is that honest writing, if that's what is important, is just plain hard, and it’s always risky. This post sure as hell didn't come easily - I've been mulling over it since Saturday! A part of me just wanted to jump right back in with the usual outfit pictures announcing "Hi! I'm back! Here's what I wore on a bunch of random weekend errands! I missed everyone!" But I knew that would not have been complete and therefore not honest, and I found myself really caring about that, regardless of who might be reading the post, or when. It was the choice to either buckle down and take a risk, or continue in the same unfulfilling vein that made me stop blogging in the first place. Write what I actually want to say, or keep hiding and doubting myself.

So the question remains: Why do I blog? I believe my answer is just to connect and to share. And to find a little release.

I don’t know what direction this blog will take (a new title is just one of the ideas I’m tossing around), and I don’t know how often or even how long I’ll continue to blog. I do know that I've been wanting to get back to the kind of freedom I felt when I first started the blog, allowing myself that sense of immediacy and accomplishment that writing about a day (in the life of an outfit?) and hitting "Publish" gives. Yes, there’s something really fulfilling about that.

So if you've made it to the end of this manifesto of sorts, I thank you for connecting with me, for letting me share with you, whoever you are. There's something to be said for having a space to think, write, and share without knowing exactly who (if anyone!) I might be reaching. Anonymity is mixed blessing. And if I have reached or helped you somewhere along the the course of this blog, I am so humbled that I have and so grateful that I can. Your support, encouragement and inspiration has definitely reached me.

Sincerely,
Jessica

P.S. I DO know that I don't intend to stop sharing my style, so how 'bout some outfit pictures, eh? =)

Dragonfly tee - Dorothy Perkins / Denim pencil skirt - Queen Grace (n/a)

Sandals - Christian Siriano for Payless

Ring - The Limited (old) / Earrings - LOFT (old)

Back Splash

The great jewelry re-organization has begun! The mess that has been my dresser for, oh months, is slowly disappearing. I thought it best to break the task up into parts, and so far that has proven much more manageable. Tomorrow: rehang my cork boards (where I hang my long necklaces) and pair up earrings. I may well have this complete before we head to WI! Of course, other things on my list still need attention: wrap windows, hang lights, start regular gym trips (just joined a new one tonight!), and clean! Good thing a ladies' night at the new tequila bar in town is happening tomorrow too.

Wrap dress - Simple Be / Half-cami - Coobie (via Her Room) / Shoes - SM (via DSW)

This wrap dress is the one I debated wearing for my guest lecturer stint. Even now I'm glad I didn't go with it, as fabulous as a wrap dress can be. Just too much for a first impression. The day I did wear it (only a few days later, as it was), I got oodles of compliments from folks who aren't known for compliments, so that's saying something! A notice-me print, to be sure.

The shoes were a tricky part of the outfit, though. These recently acquired burgundy suede beauties are KILLER. Literally. They are poorly balanced, or something, because I couldn't spend more than 15 minutes on my feet in them. Not good in my line of work. I so loved the depth of color they offered the outfit, but I just didn't have anything as special to switch them with. A black platform was all I had - serviceable (in both form and function), but definitely less interesting. Ya'll have any recommendations for the next wearing?

Handbag - DKNY (via TJ Maxx)

I will take a moment to sing the praised of these half camisoles I found. I've long lamented the bunching that regular camisoles create under perfectly nice wrap dresses, ruining the shape and effect. A commenter recommended I try out those cami secret "as seen on TV" things, but I didn't care for the limited color options, the straight neckline or the lace trim. There's a time and place for a lace camisole, but it shouldn't be the only option. After much online searching, I came across this half camisole from Coobie. You can get them at probably many intimate apparel shops, but I found these at Her Room. I ended up ordering one in every color! Unfortunately, their "one size" doesn't seem to go much larger than a large, and even with a good amount of stretch, these are at their limits covering my DD bust. But they get the job done, and I definitely appreciated the color options and the scoop neckline, so I'd say that's a win! Give 'em a try, and share other options you've found in the comments!

Ring - gifted / Necklace - Lane Bryant / Earrings - Ruche

P.S. Essie's Head Mistress over Essie's Recessionista makes the perfect oxblood nail color!

Alternative Holiday Style

Well that was some vacation! I had off since the Thursday before the holiday and I reveled in every minute of it. (Oddly enough, going back to work yesterday wasn't even all that difficult!) I didn't mean to take off from blogging, too, but it just sorta happened. You know, the way sleeping in until 1pm just sorta happens. Same idea. We did spend most of the holiday week in Chicago, though, celebrating by eating fabulous food and trying not to melt in the heat. I'll have these Chicago adventures in my next post, but I thought I'd start of my return by sharing an example of how I do Independence Day style: minimally.

Melrose Mesh Top - c/o Kiyonna / Ankle pants - Lane Bryant / Sandals - Bandolino

I'm really not one to go all red, white and blue - even on the one day of the year it's called for. I guess it just makes me feel ridiculous - kitchy, even - like the old lady tourist in the Walgreen's on Michigan Avenue asking the clerk for hats that had a big ol' American flag on them. (Seriously, please don't let me be her when I grow up.) So what I generally do is build an outfit around blue (the color I have the most of in my closet) and subtly throw in the other two colors with accessories. Besides, this vibrant cobalt blue top (Kiyonna's Melrose Mesh Top strikes again - I told you I needed to have this color) is all I needed to make a statement of patriotic pride anyway. I must confess that I was originally wearing a pair of white pedal pushers with the top, but after realizing how unflattering they looked on me, I quickly switched them out for these when-all-else-fails black ankle pants. Pretend they're the flag pole?

Ring - The Limited / Necklace - Urban Outfitters / Nails - Cute as a Button (Essie)

When I'm feeling particularly rebellious (or just at a loss for anything red), I'll swap out the red entirely for dark pinks, as I've done here. (Besides, these were only pre-holiday festivities I was attending.) I came upon this alternative last year, deciding that it was not only a good way to hint at the patriotic without being overtly so, but also an outfit I'd conceivably wear again!

Handbag - Gustto

Or, I just have an unnatural fear of wearing the colors of our nation's flag together...

Professional Pajamas

Oh, hai, maxi dress! Nice to see you again! Why don't you plan to just stay all summer?

Splatter print maxi dress - Lane Bryant / Instant Sleeves (Taupe) - LucieLu /
Sandals - Unisa (via Endless)

Yep, it's official. The maxi dress has become my clothing item of choice this summer. Maxi dress is to summer as pencil skirt is to rest of year. I've recently acquired five new ones, including this one, and I will probably wear them all within a week of each other. And then over and over again at least until August. They are like pajamas that you can wear out in public! "Professional pajamas" a friend called them. What's better than that? (Besides actual pajamas, of course. And getting to stay in bed all day...)

Belt - Talbots / Clutch - eloquii

When I decided that I would need to bulk up my maxi collection, Lane Bryant was probably one of my first stops. I eyed up a few online (especially this one and this one), but none of them really demanded to be mine. Plus, I wanted to wait until I was able to get into a store (the nearest one to me is about an hour away) and see them in person. Though this dress was one I didn't really care for online, I really loved it in store and - better yet - on me. The colorful brushstroke print was just what my maxi dress collection needed. Oh, and 30% off you say? And I had Real Women Dollars? Done and done. (I paid less than $25 for this baby.)

In keeping with the ways-to-layer-a-maxi-without-a-denim-jacket goal, my "instant sleeves" from LucieLu rank up there with about the easiest option possible. They even dress up the maxi a bit, not that work's summer casual mode would care. This dress is also a great candidate for a cardigan, too, and with so many colors in the dress itself, I can pretty much take my pick! (I might go for yellow next time!) But not today... Since I stayed neutral with the instant sleeves and my jewelry, I went with a bright pink belt to highlight the pink in the dress. And cuz, well, it was pink!

Necklace - LOFT / Earrings - Lane Bryant / Ring - Banana Republic

Seriously, though - be prepared for more maxi posts over the next few weeks...

Cotton Candy

Once again, the power of pretty flexes its muscles. (Bats its eyelashes?) This time, it's a sweet coral cardigan over one of my favorite (striped!) maxi dresses (previously worn here and here), turning a relatively simple dress into a feminine delight. I felt so good in this outfit!

Often, I'm not sure how to style a maxi dress beyond the ol' denim jacket. The longer line of the maxi creates tons of proportion issues for this curvy girl, and no matter how high or low I search for great maxis, this continues to be the main reason I don't always love them on me. Maxi dresses are typically sleeveless, strappy or even completely strapless, and this really is the best way to balance out all the material at the bottom half of the body - have less material at the top. But if you're at all like me, baring all that flesh at my top half is not something I'm quick to do. Again, the denim jacket is certainly the easiest remedy, especially if you wear a shrunken or cropped style that doesn't completely cut your body in half. But what if you want to be a little more creative or feminine? Or what if, heaven help us, it's just too hot out to warrant that thick material?? Cue a thin, summer-weight cardigan.

Cardigan - LOFT / Striped maxi dress - Maurirces / Belt - The Limited /
Sandals - Bandolino (via Endless) / Handbag - Furla (via Filene's Basement)

And then it becomes a pretty familiar silhouette for me. Belted cardigan over a skirt? Well-worn territory. I considered wearing the sweater unbuttoned and unbelted, but I wanted to (re)define my waist in order to defy those maxi dress proportions. And of course, not any belt would do - how 'bout a subtle animal print to create a little pattern mixing with the stripes? Just a smidgen of pattern mixing - my favorite kind. What's great about this particular dress, too, is the embellishment at the neckline. So when worn this way, it becomes a great focal point for the outfit in itself.

All this is to say is that I felt like I hit out of the park with this look - styling a maxi in a way that didn't use a jacket as my usual crutch. I felt super feminine, comfortable and even a little chic. Good job, pink.

Ring - The Limited / Earrings - Lane Bryant

Find out if you're the winner of the $50 Kiyonna gift card! The winner has until 10am CST Saturday to claim their prize. Otherwise, I'll be choosing a new winner!

Summer's Bloom

I've decided that wearing pink makes me happy. My mood and self-esteem is significantly higher when I'm wearing it - the glow on my face in these (and other) outfit pictures attests to this. Oddly enough, I've never really been drawn to pink before. Conclusion? Wear more pink. Buy more pink.

Wrap dress - Gap / Camisole - Anthropologie / Shoes - Nine West

This wrap dress is the same style as the dotted one I wore a few weeks ago. I was so happy with the fit that I was thrilled to find they made the dress is this infectiously cheery pink version as well. "Summer Azalea" is the name of the color - beyond perfect. Even just the sound of the name evokes a state of summery bliss.

Azaleas (image via)

I thought I could wear the dress without a camisole, and for evenings out, I perhaps still could. But for daytime, I totes still need one. (I attempted to go the first half of the day without. Uffda.) This is a bummer since the camisole creates unflattering bunching underneath the otherwise clean lines of the dress. A print might conceal this; a light-colored solid cannot. I keep hearing ladies tell me about those mock camisoles (aka "cami secret" or winkee) that attach to your bra; I might have to break down and try them myself!

In other news, I'm recommitting myself to Weight Watchers. For real, this (umpteenth) time. I've gained a lot of weight this year, and possibly even more the last few weeks. Thanks to thoughtful dressing (which I'd do no matter what my size) and careful posing, perhaps this hasn't always been noticeable in my pictures. But it's gotten to a point that it's become difficult to revel in the kind of silhouettes I so love to wear. The crazy thing is that I've been a WW member this whole time, neither going to meetings nor even really visiting the website, but I haven't brought myself to cancel (again) because I really didn't want to admit defeat - even though I've clearly been defeated. We eat well overall - local, fresh produce and grass-feed meats, and a near avoidance of any processed foods, but we just eat too much. And exercise? Non-existent. However much I want to practice the curvy-girl mantra of embracing the size I am, I can't deny that, especially as I approach my mid-thirties, I know my heath is at risk. I'm simply not as healthy (or happy) as I need to be...

Handbag - Coach (gifted)

So, I'm hoping this public declaration of my intentions (and reasons) will help me forge ahead. I've already tracked both today AND yesterday, and despite the scary total number of points I've accumulated in only two days, I know that I'm regaining control. So here we go!

Ring - Ruche / Necklace - LOFT / Earrings - Ruche

Stay tuned for the winner of the $50 Kiyonna gift card tomorrow!

Summer White

I got a lot of "You look so summery!" with this outfit at work. Seeing as it was a 90° day, i.e. summer weather fo sho, I figured it was time to break out the white pencil skirt, bright colors, and some barer arms than usual.

Color Fusion Curvy Plus Top - Ruche / Pencil skirt - Macy's (Charter Club)

The top is another random find from Ruche, with a waist tie similar to the last equally fantastic top I found there. This tie sits a little higher on the waist, however, so it didn't play as nicely with the skirt. Rather than keeping it in its own loops, I removed the tie completely and used it as a little "belt" on the skirt itself. I like the extra shot of bright blue it gives the skirt as it helps keep proportions in check. I have plans to wear the top untucked with white pedal pushers - which I think will be my go-to "short" length this summer - for casual wear.

Handbag - Gustto / Shoes - Payless

I just don't love my shoes, which are decidedly un-summery. I mean, (faux-)suede and closed toe? Yikes. I was at a loss for the right sandal or peep toe in my closet, believe it or not, so these came out as the best option. Naturally, this spurred an immediate hunt for a great blue sandal. Whaddya think: dressy fabulousness or casual fun?

Ring - Ruche / Earrings - LOFT

But friends, I am now on vacation! I have all of next week off, and today is an extra bonus. It's so delightful to wake up to nothing to do and nowhere to go! After a rather hellish end-of-season, I'm so glad to be on the other side of it all with a quiet, relaxing summer. The best part of this summer has got to be that I'm not moving (Glory Be!), and we live a mere 4 blocks from all our favorite downtown bars with outdoor seating. Bring on the summer cocktails, my dears! Starting last night, of course...