Red Friday

Happy Thanksgiving AND Happy Hanukkah, everyone! I hope you all are happily recovering from your feasts and/or getting the deals of your lives out in the mad Black Friday world! We're actually celebrating our family thanksgiving this weekend, and I'm ever-so-looking-forward to all the (real) cranberry sauce I can eat.

Prep will begin a little later this evening, but I've just returned from braving some Black Friday craziness myself. (And by "braving" I mean one store and by "craziness" I mean TJ Maxx. Black Friday's not really my thing, folks.) What does one wear to navigate the, er, masses? Flat boots, of course, and a little frenchie Breton stripes with a perfect red pencil. And a warm, warm scarf. Cuz it's cold out there, my friends.

Striped top - Banana Republic / Curvy Pencil Skirt in Romancing Red - c/o Kiyonna /
Handbag - Steve Madden via TJ Maxx / Boots - Ciao Bella via DSW

It occurred to me recently that I still, after all these years, did not have my perfect red pencil skirt, yet. I have one in nearly every other color, but not red. What was the world coming to?? My love of Kiyonna's perfect pink pencil (the Curvy Pencil Skirt) that I received a few months ago made me realize that their red version just may finally fulfill my every red pencil skirt desire. And it does, my friends. It does.

At the risk of being repetitive, I'll once again hail its length, stretch, and shape. A pencil skirt trifecta! Most importantly, its hue is the perfect shade of cherry red, and there isn't a better complement to navy stripes and tall boots. C'est magnifique!

Scarf - Gap / Ring - Ruche / Earrings - The Limited /
Nails - Essie "Midnight Cami" (via Ulta) with Essie "Matte About You" Top Coat

But let us not forget the scarf, my friends. A scarf that, without it, I sure as hell would not have braved the temperatures for outdoor pictures.

Double Duty

Oh, hello there! Once again, an extended vacation gets the best of me. Also, weekend 1 of 2 of Nutcracker madness. As far as events go, this one is so aptly named - we never get through unscathed... But here I am! The first half of the season is winding down, and so am I. In spite of 70 degree weather today...in December...I have Christmas decor up and have already watched my favorite holiday movies a few times. Now if temps could just drop back to the 30s and, you know, it would snow. (I'm not hopeful.)

When I rotated my closets for fall, I decided I would keep a couple of my favorite maxi dresses on hand and challenge myself to style them for cooler weather. Since one of my favorite layering options for a maxi was a belted cardigan, I knew where to start. Add a scarf and flat boots, and done! It's so easy, so cute, and so shamelessly comfortable, that I plan to find a few permutations of it with the many cardigans/belts/scarves I own...

Maxi dress - Old Navy / Jackie Cardigan - J. Crew / Boots - Coconuts (gifted)

Scarf - Banana Republic / Belt - The Limited / Earrings - Ruche / Nails - Essie Smokin' Hot

I love the rich blues and purples of this rendition the most, though. (It even inspired my current blog template!) It feels autumnal all on its own.

Handbag - Steve Madden / Ring - H&M

Print Cue

I'm desperately trying to clear out my backlog of all the obviously pre-fall pictures. The green grass and lush trees are sad reminders of a season that no longer is. Well, actually, I really don't mind that autumn is in full force and that the holiday season is well on its way. I just gotta get caught up, is all!

I'd like to think that the color palette of this outfit is inspired by a pimento olive somewhat autumnal, anyway. After falling head-over-heels with this SWAK top (first worn here), I knew I'd need to find layering options for it to be worn in cooler weather. A new infinity scarf in a cheerful print helped pave the way.

Cropped jacket - Maurices / Mia top - SWAK / Jeans - Lane Bryant /
Handbag - Tano / Sandals - Nine West

Ring - Ruche / Scarf - Anthropologie / Earrings - Ruche

That's right, all color cues were taken right from the scarf itself. As it was a new item in my closet, I desperately wanted to wear it, like, immediately, so I set about building an outfit around it. The SWAK top was basically meant to be worn with it, and my oft-worn cropped olive jacket was an equally destined topper. When in doubt, follow the print!

March Madness

Well, I had a joyous, productive vacation and, as always, it is hard to go back to work and all other manner of one's normal routine. In fact, I might have also taken off yesterday in an effort to recoup before I had to dive back in. I would have loved another week, of course, but I'm quite happy to report an extra day did quite nicely. I spent most of last week completing apartment cleaning/organizing projects, with windows wide open and music blaring, dressing in cute (and blogged!) outfits to run errands about town. I spent the weekend in WI with family, enjoying a little shopping and much-needed pedicures with mom and sister. All in all, delightful, relaxing, and totally rejuvenating.

Blazer - LOFT / Striped top - Banana Republic / Scarf - Banana Republic / Skinnies - Gap

I'm kind of enjoying the vacillation between mid-summer and early spring, though. (March madness, indeed.) I get to break out cute tops, skirts and sandals one day (and all of last week, really), getting to layer with blazers and scarves the next. Never a dull (sartorial) moment. Wearing scarves with my hair down reminds me that it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay past time to get a hair cut, though.

The scarf, a recent acquisition, was the star of this particular show. I love its color palette of blue, pink and a splash of orange; it just might be a herald of my ideal spring/summer wardrobe. For some reason, I've been all about stripes with printed scarves lately (easy pattern-mixing, methinks), so that plus blazer, skinnies and nude heels came together for yet another (and last for a while) leisurely girl-around-town outfit.

The colors of the scarf, and of the luminous spring foliage behind me, brought much-needed color to the day, as well. Cloudy and chilly, it was a day that reminded us all that, yes, it's still March after all.

Ring - Ruche / Scarf - Banana Republic / Earrings - Lane Bryant

Pretty sure I've found a favorite new photo location, however...

Shoes - Nine West "Hollyce" (via Zappos) / Handbag - Tano

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"

Snoody

My green dandelion snood (a.k.a. infinity scarf) makes another appearance. Granted, the outfit is comprised of the same color palette as the scarf's first wearing (er, last week), but that's what I love most about it.

Blazer - LOFT / Striped top - Dorothy Perkins / Skinny black pants - Lane Bryant /
Heels - Nine West "Hollyce"

I do think it's an all-around better ensemble, though. The pattern mixing with the striped top is something I had always envisioned to do with the scarf, and there's there's something delightfully Audrey Hepburn-y about the skinny black pant. The blazer was actually a last-minute addition. I was fully intending to walk out of the house with just top, scarf, pants and pumps, but a final mirror check urged me to add another layer and color. My trusty camel corduroy blazer topped off the outfit (literally) perfectly.

Dandelion print snood - Dorothy Perkins / Ring & earrings - The Limited

It's also my last outfit featuring this fantastic snakeskin Furla handbag. I really wanted to just buy the thing, but given that we just bought a new HDTV to properly watch the Superbowl (finally! a big kid TV! and a much better piece of furniture, really...) and are in the market for new bedroom furniture, methinks it's not a good idea. My one consolation is that I just bought these beautiful snakeskin heels, which make a nice substitute at a much lower price point. Imma wear them this weekend, in fact.

Handbag - Furla (via BBOS)

You might have also noticed my new haircut! Well, it's my usual haircut (though a bit shorter than I would have liked), but the highlights - which feature a lot more red than usual - are pretty much amazing.

Dots and Stripes Forever

There's a lot going on here, I know. Stripes, dots and animal print! Black and brown! I had two conflicting thoughts about this outfit: Obey Chanel's maxim to take off the last thing you put on (which would have been the belt), or challenge myself to step outside my comfort zone and just work it. I'm not totally convinced that it's not too much, but I'm proud of myself for sticking with it. I gotta say, though, I do quite like the mix of browns and blacks.

Striped top - Dorothy Perkins / Black ponte pencil skirt - Lane Bryant /
Scarf - Dorothy Perkins / Belt - Old Navy / Boots - Coconuts via DSW (gifted)

It all comes down to the fact that I really, really wanted to wear this scarf. Another Dorothy Perkins snood (just a Britishism for infinity scarf, methinks), the butterscotch brown and black dots make it somewhat hard to wear - I almost wish the dots were navy. But that's why I embraced the combination of colors in the scarf and mixed all those prints in the same color family. I like how the browns are on are the lighter side - more caramel than chocolate - which makes for a better contrast with black.

Handbag - Tano "Minilisa"

Mmm, now I want caramels...

Ring - The Limited / Earrings - LOFT

I always love how turquoise looks with brown, so it was an obvious choice for a little extra color against all these dark neutrals. Shoot, I kinda wish I had a turquoise belt now! It's always something, isn't it...

Dandy Lion

So what if I wore this same color palette nearly all last week? I guess I've been on a taupe-black-green bender. And I still might threaten to wear more leopard and teal this week, too. In fact, I think you can count on it...

Black cardigan - LOFT / Taupe pencil skirt - NY&Co. / Cami - Anthropologie /
Bag - Coach (gifted) / Heels - Nine West

Color palette aside, I'm not in love with the outfit. A bit of boredom, a bit of poor fit. Well, you can't win 'em all. I do love the scarf, though. Truth be told, the entire outfit was built around it, inspired by my last wishlist set of unexpectedly complementary taupes, greens and blacks. I have a few more ideas up my sleeve ('round my neck?), but I think this post has successfully convinced me that it's time to loose 15 pounds for a new taupe pencil skirt.

Dandelion print snood - Dorothy Perkins / Ring - Ruche / Earrings - The Limited

Told You So

Whoops, I kind of disappeared there for a minute! I got so much accomplished over the long weekend (new closet hangers! finally-hung-up bedroom curtains! newly-hooked-up Wii on which to stream Netflix and become addicted to Downton Abbey!) that it has - once again - been difficult to resume regular life. But alas, it resumes whether you're ready or not.

Burgundy tee - LOFT / Olive ponte pencil skirt - Lane Bryant / Boots - Coconuts via DSW (gifted) /
Handbag - Coach (gifted)

Makes for a great day to fall back on old reliable outfit formulas, no? See, I told you you'd see it sooner than later. =)

I might have cheated (and heard from lots of you who do the same) and tied a regular scarf in the back to turn it into my ever-preferred infinity scarf. It's genius, really.

Chain-print scarf - Affordable Scarves / Ring - Ruche / Earrings - Anthropologie

Formulaic

I've stumbled onto another outfit formula. Well, it's really the same formula as this one, but the use of solid tees rather than striped ones has doubled the remix potential. And I have lots...

Blue tee - LOFT / Grey ponte skirt - Lane Bryant / Tights - Lane Bryant /
Boots - Coconuts via DSW (gifted)

It also makes me revisit my small but growing scarf collection. As you've probably noticed, I prefer infinity scarves, and I want more. And more. They're a fool-proof accessory - such a great way to get a little print or pop of color into an outfit, and you don't have to worry about how to tie the darn things.

Scarf - Affordablescarves.com  / Ring & earrings - Ruche /
Nails - Frankly I Don't Give A-dam (Sephora O.P.I.)

I'm just warning you, but you will likely see yet another variation of this outfit sooner rather than later.

Handbag - Urban Outfitters

All That Lingers

Santa was pretty darn good to me this year. Among other things, an iPhone, gorgeous boots, a fabulous necklace and a cute little reminder of an inside joke between Bobby and me. But now my shopaholic ways continue in earnest...

Things that I just couldn't help pulling the plug on:

Work Of Art Curvy Plus Top
shopruche.com

Evella Multi-Strand Necklace
shopruche.com

Geneve Brass Earrings
shopruche.com

Drinks & Dots sleep set
lanebryant.com

Marcel Dress
lucielu.com

Sativa Dress
lucielu.com

Think. Write. Create. Daily Planner
shopruche.com

Tartan Boucle Blazer
anthropologie.com

A cute, casual faux wrap dress is marvelous thing, and in two irresistible prints? Mine! And who can resist pajamas, really. That particular yoke-style top looks good on busty gals like me when going bra-less for bedtime. Jewelry from Ruche? Some of my favorite things to stalk. I got a number of rings that were on my wishlist for my birthday and Christmas, but those two pieces just spoke to me. (I'm really just trying to replicate this outfit, piece by piece.) I always like seeing what "curvy plus sized" pieces they add, too; this dotty tunic strikes me as having lots of potential. (Skinnies? black leggings?) I couldn't resist that cute little planner/journal/scrapbook, either. It had been out of stock for a long time, so I snagged it as quickly as possible. I shall use it for blogging, methinks. And that plaid blazer from Anthro? Scored with 50% off sale for a mere $35!! My first wearing will most certainly look something like this.

Now, things that I'm obsessively stalking contemplating (to the point of madness):

Spot drape side dress
dorothyperkins.com

Antique Magnolias Blouse
anthropologie.com

Taupe graduated spot top
dorothyperkins.com

Green dandelion print snood
dorothyperkins.com

Paprika heart print snood
dorothyperkins.com

Animal sateen pencil skirt
dorothyperkins.com

Ginger/black polka dot snood
dorothyperkins.com

Samanta Women's Alleyne Pump
amazon.com

I really don't think any of this needs explanation... Dots? Animal print pencil skirt? Infinity scarves? Red pumps? Heaven, help me. You are welcome to either enable me or talk me out of it. My bank account (and the boyfriend) would probably thank you for the latter.