Holiday Leopard

Believe it or not, this was the only holiday red I wore for my holiday work weekends. I figured I couldn't beat the off-the-shoulder red sweater from last year, so why try? Well, you may notice I kept the same basic elements - red, black and leopard - just mixed up a bit. You can never go wrong with a little leopard.

Black tee - Dorothy Perkins / Red pencil skirt - Lane Bryant / Belt - Lane Bryant

And no, you're not crazy for thinking I'm crazy for donning short sleeves and a skirt outside in December in the Midwest. It just so happens, however, that it was mid-60s that day, and short sleeves and an easy ponte skirt were kind of ideal.

Handbag - DKNY (via TJMaxx) / Shoes - Nine West

To be honest, though, I'm not crazy about the outfit. Its simplicity made it easy to wear, but it seemed much too simple for all the festive merriment surrounding me. (No competition with the girls in velvet and tulle today!) I blame laziness exhaustion confusion and lack of inspiration due to a 60° December day. And maybe a liiiiiittle resentment toward having to get dressed up at all on a Sunday when all I wanted to do was sleep in very late and watch football in comfies...

That's right. I stick it to The Man by wearing a red pencil skirt and leopard print.

Classic Mustard

Navy and mustard. Striped tee and pencil skirt. Boots and jacket. Classic combinations that always work.

Ring - Ruche / Necklace - Banana Republic (eBayed) / Earrings - Ruche

I've been through three yellow pencil skirts now, and this Lane Bryant one is by far the best. It's their classic ponte pencil skirt that I wish they would stock year round in all manner of seasonal colors. (Still looking for a pumpkin orange one!) This one came in yellow, red, teal and black and - wouldn't you know it - I bought it in all of the three colors. (I most certainly don't need another black one.) Length, color and fit is perfect on all three!

Striped top - Banana Republic / Denim jacket - Theory (eBayed) / Pencil skirt - Lane Bryant /
Boots - Ciao Bella (via DSW)

I think this was my first boot wearing for the season, too. It felt wonderful to finally break them about again - as if they were the true herald of autumn. (Aside from that whole leaves thing, anyway.) I had to polish 'em up, but they're still in pretty good shape. I was afraid I'd need to replace them after wearing them out during last fall's Boston trip, but I think I can get at least another year out of them!

I can't believe that Boston trip was almost a year ago already. We won't be able to make the trip again this year, which saddens me a bit, but I am looking forward to spending more time at home for the fall break. That's right, a week of vacation time, staring NEXT WEEK! Time to organize the chaos that is my jewelry collection, hang Christmas decor, make lots of crock pot recipes (the goal for most of the winter, as it happens), and - oh yeah - gorge ourselves on turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stuffing... Bring on the holidays!

Handbag - Steve Madden

Slice of Cantaloupe

Another iteration of my "casual" uniform of ponte pencil skirt and striped top. The top is new, and the same style of the black top in yesterday's post. I couldn't resist perky orange stripes, especially with a name like "cantaloupe." I mean, could you?

Striped top - Lauren by Ralph Lauren (Macy's) / Pencil skirt - Lane Bryant /
Belt - Talbots / Handbag - Tano / Sandals - Bandolino

Short and sweet, cuz I'm off to find me some cantaloupe now.

Ring - Ruche / Necklace - Banana Republic (eBayed) / Earrings - Ruche

Laced Layers

Look familiar? This outfit is, more or less, a reinvention of this one, made even better by an extra dash of green with the sandals. In fact, I had wanted to wear these green sandals with the first outfit, but I thought black peep toes made for a slightly dressier ensemble. I actually consider this outfit as the casual version of the first, but leave it to me to consider a ponte pencil skirt casual. Well, in my closet, it really is...

Okay, okay, there really isn't very much that's casual about this outfit, especially given the fact that a few people thought the outfit was a dress. Is it possible to even try to be casual with this necklace? Or with the sandals? Or with, you know, a skirt?

Top - LOFT / Pencil skirt - Lane Bryant / Sandals - Nine West (via Endless)

It was the backdrop of beige and blacks that dumped another idea for this fabulous necklace in my lap, though. I continue to experiment with textures and layers with this necklace, and the more there are, the more I seem to love the result.

Ring - Ruche / Necklace - Modcloth (gifted) / Earrings - Ruche

Handbag - DKNY (via TJMaxx)

Broken Record

Nope, nothing revolutionary here. Stripes, pencil skirt, statement necklace. Never fails.

Striped top - Gap / Pencil skirt - Lane Bryant / Wedges - LOFT

I had been itching to wear this particular statement necklace, however. I bought it the same time I bought its blue-hued sister, but have never really had the right outfit for it. Pink, green and gold all in one necklace make for a difficult pairing, methinks. I thought neutrals would best serve as its backdrop on its first wearing, and even better this particular outfit formula of mine.

Necklace - Anthropologie / Belt - Talbots / Ring - Ruche

Now that I've gotten its first wearing out of the way, perhaps future outfits will come easier?

Handbag - DKNY (via TJMaxx)

And maybe I'll remember to check all the zippers on my handbags next time, too...

Eureka!

I thought I would love this outfit much more than I do. Olive and blue seem to be a no-brainer, at least it was here, here, here... So this combination was one I had always envisioned for this top when I first got it last fall. But alas, something is not quite right. (Aside from my belt askew, anyway.)

Top - Anthropologie / Tank - Anthropologie / Skirt - Lane Bryant /
Belt - The Limited / Sandals - Nine West

I partially blame the total blousiness of the top. Even when tucking it into a never-fail wide waistband, the top does not do much for my shape - its complete lack of structure coupled with its mandarin collar is doing everything it can to work against my chest and waist. All of this is odd, though, since separately these features to not typically cause problems for me, especially when accessorized correctly. (This recent outfit comes to mind!) Perhaps I would have done better to untuck the top and belt it, like I did the first time I wore it?

Handbag - Gustto

Or maybe it's the neckline of the tank I wore underneath? After looking at those pictures of the first wearing of the top, I note the tank had a v-neck rather than scoopneck shape. Hmmm, I bet that's it! Eureka!

Ring - Ruche / Earrings - Lane Bryant

I've said it before and I'll say it again - blog and learn, people. Blog and learn....

No Brainer

If this outfit looks familiar to you, it's cuz it does... I've said it before, and I''ll say it again - throwing on a striped top with a casual pencil skirt is just about the easiest thing I could possibly wear.

The blue stripes are the newest addition to my striped top collection. (It probably seems like I add a new one every week, doesn't it?) I went with more color for this outfit variation, though, not least because of the blue itself. And I figured I had to get yellow in there again. Good thing it turned out to be the perfect pop of color I was after.

But there's something about all that stripage that screams for an accessory to break it up. Scarves were always the easy answer in the cooler months, but they're not my accessory of choice in the spring/summer (whatever season we're currently in). I needed something in its place that could occupy an equal amount of space - or at least interest. Statement necklaces to the rescue! And you know a love a good statement necklace...

Striped top - ASOS / Ponte pencil skirt - Lane Bryant / Belt - The Limited /
Sandals - Bandolino / Handbag - Tano "Minilisa"

This one is on the small side, of course, but it was just the right color palette for the outfit - shades of blue and a contrasting color that I could complement with a belt. Seriously, easiest outfit ever.

Ring - Ruche / Necklace - Anthropologie / Earrings - The Limited /
Nails - Cartwheels on the Catwalk (Sephora by OPI)

Old Reliable

Thank goodness for those ol' reliable outfit combinations. Not really having to think about whether or not an outfit will work is a blessing to this anti-morning, planning-handicapped girl. Especially when her closet and bedroom is such a disaster zone that outfit planning is impossible anyway.

Striped top - Dorothy Perkins / Ponte skirt - Lane Bryant / Boots - Coconuts (gifted)

Bottom line, any outfit that involves stripes is good by me. (And ponte. And boots. And a big cozy scarf.)

Scarf - Gap / Belt - Talbots / Ring - Ruche / Earrings - Ruche

Handbag - Tano "Minilisa"

Candy Land

The moment I had purchased this skirt from Dorothy Perkins, I knew my first wearing would be just like this. Yet another successful Pinterest inspiration! Yet another happy stripes purchase!

When I first saw her pictures, I thought the belt was red - a pairing I've come to love and was eager to replicate. But when I looked closer at the pictures when it came time to put together the outfit for myself, I realized the belt was pink! An even better, brighter, more colorful pairing. The cheeriness is infectious.

Ring - Ruche / Belt - Talbots / Necklace - Urban Outfitters / Earrings - Banana Republic

But seriously, taking outfit inspiration from Pinterest is kind of like stealing candy from a baby. And this outfit kind of looks like candy.

Cardigan - LOFT / White tank - Anthropologie / Striped skirt - Dorothy Perkins /
Handbag - Gustto / Platforms - Nine West "Hopefloat" (via 6pm.com)

Olive Juice

Happy Valentine's Day, dear readers!

I actually had trouble with this EBEW challenge. I do have red and pink pieces in my wardrobe, but nothing that really works together (or with my usual style), so I knew I was going to have to fall back on accessories. Moreover, I was worried that I'd be putting pieces together purely for the sake of participating, without much hope that the outfit would be anything I'd wear again. I'm pleased to say, however, that I might wear this combination without or without a Valentine's Day Challenge!

Pink belt - The Limited / Ring - Banana Republic / Pink earrings - LOFT

A pale pink belt and a red sweater; definitely a minimalist version of the challenge, but it's "me." (I'll save ground-breaking for other participants.) I did quite like how olive looked against all my red and pink pieces when I was trying on outfits, so I wanted to be sure to make it a part of the outfit, whatever I chose. My one contribution, I guess. =)

Red sweater - Lane Bryant / Olive ponte pencil skirt - Lane Bryant /
Boots - Coconuts via DSW (gifted) / Handbag - Coach (gifted)

And now, sweethearts for all!

A Bright Future

I blame Sal from Already Pretty and one of her Insomniac Sale Picks posts for making me think I needed a bright-colored blazer. And then I blame this pin for showing me an excellent way to wear it. And then I blame Gap for offering 40% of any full-priced item. Clearly, I did not act of my own accord in this situation.

Bright ponte blazer - Gap / Striped top - Gap /  Black pants - NY&Co. /
Belt - The Limited / Handbag -  Furla (via Filene's Basement)

I wasn't sure if I was going to keep it - hot pink is not in my usual wardrobe vocabulary. And as trendy as neon colors seem to be for spring, I'm not usually one to follow trends just for the sake of following a trend, either. But then I got a ton of compliments on the blazer, and it fits very well and is pretty darn comfortable. (Ponte, duh.) So, crap, now I might have to keep it.

Necklace - Banana Republic (eBayed) / Earrings - The Limited / Ring - H&M

So tell me how else I can wear it, k?