A Leg Up

It was so nice to have a full day off all to myself yesterday. I was happy to spend Sunday with my BF, of course, but sometimes a girl just needs some solitude, especially when it involves a mani/pedi and a little shopping. I also successfully avoided work email! The best part, though, was that I got to see the start of the fall foliage while driving about. Total and complete bliss. =)

I managed to stick to my guns and do more returns than shopping, at least. I just don't NEED anything right now, and I certainly don't have the money for it. I did, however, finally cave in to leggings. I recently purchased a cute grey shirt dress from Ruche, but I was horrified how short it was when I received it. I don't do short, and short = anything above my knees. I just think a longer silhouette looks better on me. But, before I would decide to send the dress back, I thought I'd give leggings another try. (Ironically, I bought a pair of leggings super cheap a few months ago, but returned them because I was sure I'd never wear them.)  Well, they were of course just what the dress needed, and I'm now (somewhat reluctantly) on board. I feel a little like I'm posing as a twenty-something college student, but in the interest of stepping out of my comfort zone (or totally into it, whichever way you want to look at it), I'm going to hang on to these. 

The leggings in question are from Lane Bryant, and much to my surprise, they also come in purple and teal in store! Weeeeee! I bought the purple and black (both of which I knew I'd wear with this dress) - one for fun, one for basics. They are terribly comfortable - nice wide waistband to prevent the dreaded muffin top (they provided a nice amount of all-over control, actually), soft material to prevent scratching, and they can also stretch to full ankle length, or kept loose somewhere at the calves without excessive bunching anywhere. I'm pretty pleased! (And I'm wearing them now with a tunic tee as I write this.) I also pretty much LOVE wearing flats all of sudden. Might have bought a few (or more) pairs at the Payless BOGO sale...

Grey shirt dress - Ruche / Black leggings - Lane Bryant / Fucshia camisole - NY&Co / Grey wide animal print buckle belt - Banana Republic / Necklace - local boutique / Black  mini wedges - Payless

The dress has its own tie-belt, but once again I swapped it out in favor of my own. This look just needed something a little more substantial at the waist, but I didn't want to add any more another color (especially one that might compete with an accessory I'll reveal in a moment), so I kept the belt in the same color family as the dress.

Please also forgive the wrinkly-ness of the dress - I took this picture at the end of the day (of sitting at my desk), and I really wasn't up to the task of ironing it again...  You'd think it was linen by the way this thing wrinkled!

Necklace - local boutique / Pink intertwined bangles - NY&Co /
Silver hammered metal ring - The Limited 

Oooh, mixing gold and silver together!! Bad girl alert! Whatevs... =7

I'm actually quite excited to wear this outfit with the purple leggings and some fabulous animal print sandals. Probably going to save that for weekend wear, though. Just a little too feisty for daytime work wear...maybe?

The OTHER main factor in this outfit was the fact that I desperately wanted to showcase my new handbag today!

Blue Handbag,"Carmen Zipper" - Furla

Incidentally, I didn't initially love the color combinations when I first put the outfit together, but now that I've had a chance to digest these pictures, I really do. The pink cami and accessories complement the vibrant blue of the bag, and the total package is a nice treatment of neutrals with striking pops of color.

GAH! I love this bag. I'm actually renting it - does anyone else out there do Avelle? I don't rent that often, and I haven't yet rented any super high-end bags (danger), but I've been pretty happy with the bags I've borrowed, often even purchasing them! I don't know if I can justify an eventual purchase with this one, even if it's everything I've been wanting in a blue handbag and more. DROOL.

The pictures I took with my outfit make the bag come out lighter than it is. It's actually a much richer blue - like a royal blue, so I thought I'd include the Avelle stock picture (which is more accurate) here...

You can expect a number of outfits to incorporate this bag over the next month! =)))))))

An Accessory to Style

Today was a glorious day! Beautiful weather - sunny, warm, mild breeze. (It's October, for crying out loud, but I'm not complaining!) We slept in, watched football on the couch, cleaned the apartment, started laundry...wonderful. Now that I think about it, we probably should have gotten off our butts and taken a walk, but we didn't...oh well.

Yesterday was the end of a 7-day work week - also a 13-hour day itself. It wasn't a bad day - just a long one, so I really feel like a earned a day of sweet lounging. I'm off tomorrow, too, and I am promising myself that I will NOT think about work, so no email - NONE! To help me do that, I'm going to 1) sleep in again and 2) go shopping! Well, I'm actually going to return a number of things, but it'll be nice to get out of the house and meander about the town in a totally leisurely way.

I prepared for the length of the day yesterday by building my outfit around low-heeled shoes and a comfortable knit dress. This is also a bit of remix, where I tried to autumnify (a word I think I borrowed from another blogger, though I can't remember who - but what a great word!) a great-fitting tank dress with an embellished neckline that I bought in the summer. It's a really versatile shade of navy blue, though, so I'm hoping to work it into an all-seasons dress.

Olive green canvas jacket - LOFT / Navy blue knit dress - LOFT /  Pink skinny belt - The Limited / Blue bowed kitten heels - Payless

The jacket, which I wore in an earlier casual ensemble, has its own tie and has very little structure. But in the interest of dressing the jacket up a bit, I removed the tie and experimented with other belts. My initial version of this outfit incorporated a teal belt and a turquoise gradated bead necklace. I thought this was fun, but the necklace broke mid-day, so I went home during a dinner break to change. The teal belt didn't work as well with other necklaces I was considering, so I basically cycled through a number of combinations. I love this version, however.The pink belt plays well with the olive green, and it picks up pinkish tones in the necklace. I also thought it was the dressiest version, which I still had to maintain for the evening performances.

I also tried orange and yellow belts, both of which I liked, too. The orange was very autumnal - and I'll definitely revisit that combination - I'm thinking boots and a chunky necklace! The yellow was equally wonderful, adding a punch of color that really brightens up the ensemble. I think such a combination will be great in the spring.

Pearly shell earrings and necklace - LOFT

I definitely feel this outfit does have a more causal feel than one I'd usually wear to work a performance, but I had to compromise a bit to dress for the WHOLE day (the first part of which involved a youth literature festival that took over the entire building...kids everywhere!) The accessories take credit for dressing the outfit up just enough, however.

Interestingly enough, this outfit has given me some ideas of how I can expand my casual style vocabulary, too... 

Accountability

In the interest of my previous post, I'd still like to post pictures from the past two days. Let's call it accountability. And, more than anything, I welcome suggestions from my readers!

Watercolor print top - Anthropologie / Blue open cardigan sweater - Willi Smith (TJ Maxx) / Dark skinnies - Gap / Black buckle wedges - LOFT

This was Thursday's outfit. Skinny jeans, wedges, fun printed top, cardigan sweater. Pretty basic, really (and the top is doing all the work). I actually felt super self-conscious in the skinny jeans all day, but the more I think about it, the sweater - which does nothing for my shape - was probably the downfall of the outfit. I wanted to adhere to the skinny jean maxim of keeping the top voluminous, but something doesn't seem right. Ironically, I bought this cardigan specifically to wear with this top; I rarely wear either item with anything else. Time for a remix! What recommendations might you have to spruce this up a bit? Make it not only more flattering, but a little more multi-dimensional?

I was bored and uncomfortable in this outfit yesterday; neither good things - especially for my self-esteem. I wanted to try a little harder today, so I opted for a denim pencil skirt with more casual combination that I've worn before.

Military green cropped jacket - Maurice's / Pink camouflage tee - Maurice's / Denim pencil skirt - Rafaella (via TJ Maxx) / Wite strappy sandals - Payless

I felt a little more fun in this outfit - a little more "me." Great fall colors, a little pattern, comfy cropped jacket, military vibe, pencil skirt. But if I'm being honest with myself (and that's the whole point), I don't think this combination is doing me any favors, either - something about the proportions seem off. What I like about the look is the layering, a certain youthfulness it has, and its wee bit of edginess (thanks to the jacket) combined with femininity (pink camoflage! pencil skirt!), but I need to bring that all into focus for my shape. Grr, if I'm being REALLY honest, I probably just need a better fitting (and slightly longer) denim pencil skirt. (That hunt has been going on for a while, though.) How I can bring a little more edge into an otherwise feminine look, while still being figure flattering?

Thanks for reading!

On Casual Style (or the Lack Thereof)

I didn't post yesterday. I'm barely mustering up enough motivation to post today. I know no one is breathing down my neck to post daily - I'm keeping this blog for me after all - but I think that's the most important reason to post, anyway.

What is comes down to is the fact that I haven't loved my ensembles these past couple of days, let alone have I wanted to broadcast them. But making myself write this post (and looking critically at my outfit pictures) has made me realize where I need the most room for improvement in my personal style: my casual wardrobe. I do dressy really well. Sexy secretary? You bet. Elegant cocktail dress? Bring it. Stylish work/event-wear? Easy. Friday night out at high-end bar? I can do that, too. But give me a regular old day that I want to look put-together but still dressed-down? Muddy waters. These are the days when my closet throws up on my floor and I come out of my room depressed and frustrated with my body. I just don't seem to have a middle-ground in my style vocabulary. I can't seem to dress casually AND stylishly.

I guess that's why I've always preferred to overdress for jobs/events/outings in my adult life - I just don't know how to do anything else! Last week's "Dressed-up Denim" challenge started opening my eyes up to that fact, and these past few days have solidified it. The whole wide world of casual dressing is a big black hole in my personal style.

Maybe it's my body type; maybe it's my preference for femininity and elegance; maybe it's my handicap when it comes to layering; maybe (and probably) it's some strange restriction I've seemed to impose on matching colors (something I've just recently realized). I MUST BRANCH OUT! Thanks to this blog, I know I'm trying - and I'm proud of a number of outfits featured here where I felt like I did it successfully - but I want to do better. In the end, it is the one area of my style that I truly want to change. It's important that I do it, however, in a way that doesn't involve spending (more) money at the mall. When I say I want to shop in my closet, that's exactly what I want (need) to shop in my closet for.

It's becoming painfully obvious that this is something I cannot do the morning before I go to work. I think it's time to spend a weekend in my closet, and really looking through my favorite blogs for inspiration that still speaks to my personal style and existing wardrobe. I know this is what all the successful bloggers say to do. I just need to find some time, the frame of mind, a good drink, and maybe even a good friend, to do it with.

Do any of you experience similar woes, or have similar desires to change something about your personal style? Do you even have or want a "personal style"? Where do you go or what do you do for inspiration?

On Neutral Ground

So that boring pants and sweater combo I had warned you about turned into something quite different! It's amazing what accessories can do for an outfit...

Brown open cardigan - Maurice's / Ivory camisole - Banana Republic / Grey wide-leg pants - NY&Co / Tan open-toe shoes - Banana Republic / Wide lizard-print belt - Banana Republic

I still kept the grey-brown combination I had planned, however. I adore these two neutrals together, and I advocate the combination whenever I can! But, I really did want to put little more effort into my outfit (and the 80-degree weather definitely called for shorter sleeves and thinner materials). I'm very happy with the result, especially that subtle touch of pretty light-turquoise color in the accessories I chose.

God and turquoise stone necklace - LOFT

Earrings - Maurice's / Turquoise enamel bracelet - Ten Thousand Villages / Ring - Banana Republic

I felt good today; I felt like I looked good today - even my unwashed hair! =S (I was slightly uncomfortable with my cleavage, however. I should probably reign that in.) We had two successive full houses of children's performances this morning, which always makes the day go by in a blink of an eye. Don't really get much actual work done on days like these though. But what work? What is it that I do, again? My predecessor in this job called herself a glorified house manager, and it's probably an accurate description. It's the behind-the-scenes work, however - the little bits and pieces here and there that make front-of-house-things go, that help a performance night fall into place, that try to predict or prevent any problems that may arise at any moment - I guess that's what I do, too. And maybe a lot of online shopping...?

BUT I'm very happy to report that, for the next two evenings, I will not be at work. Yes! Normal days! Normal nights! I'm looking forward to enjoying the fall night air, must-see-TV (speaking of which - I need to watch Glee!), and an actual dinner at the table with my BF. Maybe even a fire in the fireplace, too.

Nevermind that I'll have a 14 hour day on Saturday, though. =P  Well, at least I have a fun outfit planned...

Happy Birthday (again), dear brother. We miss and love you. 

Happy Birthday, Paul!

Today is my brother Paul's 27th birthday. He is currently serving in Afghanistan. Please keep him (and all armed services men and women) in your thoughts and prayers. I love you, Paul!

Mauvelous

I think I'm getting a little burnt out at work, and my body is starting to revolt. I didn't go in until the mid-afternoon because I wasn't feeling great, also knowing that I had a late night of performances ahead of me. The extra sleep helped, but there must be something else going on. Ever since the season began last month, I feel like the job is taking more effort than usual and I can't seem to keep up. I'm waiting for the moment where everything (body, mind, job, relationships, finances, schedule, weight, etc., etc.) magically clicks back into place. Magic is real, right? =7

Today, therefore, was going to be a pants day. I might even go so far as to declare the rest of the week pants week. Skirts just felt too high maintenance for me today, so maybe I'm copping out? (Meh.) I had originally planed to don a simple pant and sweater combo, but I moved that outfit to tomorrow since it's going to be a early day and I'll want to be able to rely on easy pieces. Ironically enough, today's outfit has proved possibly even more high maintenance than a skirt might have been. Thank you, fussy top and large bosoms.

Grosgrain trim cardigan - LOFT / Spotted tiered shell - LOFT / brown wide-leg pants - NY&Co / Mauve double-wrap belt - LOFT / Nude "Booboo" heels - Nine West (via Endless.com) / Silver necklace - LOFT

I'd also been dying to wear this outfit (which I featured in my "recent acquisitions" post). I love its mixture of patterns and textures and colors - spots, ruffles, grosgrain; grey, brown, pink. It's definitely a thinking-outside-of-the-box combination for me, but I've come to love the depth and visual interest mixed patterns lend an outfit, and it's something I want to try to do more of. I paired it with a favorite bag of mine in a rich wine color, adding even more depth of color.

Tano "Homemade Cake" in Bordeaux

But, it was a fussy little sucker. The double-wrap belt was actually not much of a problem - it was pretty secure and sat at the right place for the most of the day. It was the top that played the foil. As a trick, since I wasn't going to button the sweater, I secured the cardigan with clothing tape so it would sit on my chest properly - that is, without falling off to the side and making them look huge(r). (This is definitely a problem for the large-chested when wearing cardigans this way. I used this trick the last time I belted an open cardigan, too.) The cardigan stayed put, actually, but the slinky, tiered shell - now taped to the cardigan - kept shifting around and making me look all lop-sided. The shirt's layers also got stuck between the belt and/or the cardigan, causing them to stick out here and there. Thankfully, there's a full-length mirror outside my office, so I was able to adjust whenever needed (which seemed to be rather often). Next time I wear the outfit, though (and I do think I'll wear it again), I'll be sure to secure the top as well.

Multi-layered

Another wrap, with a totally different feel...

Orange print wrap dress - Yellowfield 8 (via local boutique) / Military green cropped jacket - Maurice's / Seafoam lace tank - Banana Republic / Beige long-sleeve cropped tee - LOFT /
Boots - Guess (via DSW)

This outfit went through a few iterations today, even after I got to work. On its own, it's a great little wrap (even with all the fussing they come with) in a playful pattern that works well in the summer or fall, with boots or with sandals.

Sporting bangs in the wrap dress as-is (with cami) on a beach in Santa Monica, CA two summers ago

For today's wearing, I had first just planned to wear it on its own, layered with a long-sleeved tee underneath (the time for short sleeves is over), a long necklace, and boots. This seemed normal for me, and I loved how slim my waist looked (!), but all in all it was kind of uninspired. Then I remembered this cropped jacket I had in military green, which picked up the olive tones in the dress. That was fun! For added dimension, I tried this lacy seafoam-colored tank underneath, picking up the blues in the dress, too. Lace and military! And it's a trend this season! Double fun!

Long orange beaded necklace (doubled) - local boutique

I went back and forth with the under-layers, though. The jacket was a definite, but should I wear the long-sleeve tee AND the tank? Just the tank? Just the long sleeve tee? Which necklace to wear in either case? Oh the decisions!  The BF recommended I wear the long-sleeve tee since it was definitely weather-appropriate, and he liked the lacy tank with it, as well. So, I went with both, and we snapped these shots before we left for work.

After seeing the pictures, though (I brought the camera to work with me), I began to think this outfit was kind of weird. It's definitely NOT my usual style, especially since I would just normally wear the dress as-is. But this was kind of the point. (The BF said it was "funky." I asked, "Funky good or funky bad?" He shrugged. He's not one for "funk" in either form, but he seemed to support the attempt.) Later at work I decided to de-layer the tee, rationalized by the fact that there would be 500+ people in the lobby for the evening's casual wine-tasting event, and it would get pretty warm pretty quick. I also thought it might lessen the suspected weirdness of the outfit...

(I can't believe I managed to snap a few more pictures! I kind of love the brick background - maybe I should try to take more outfit pictures at work? Now, THAT'S weird.*)

Looking at this last picture makes me wish I would have worn either a more obvious/colorful tight or none at all - my legs just look pasty here! I do think the overall look is the most successful, however. The long-sleeved tee seemed to add unnecessary bulk to my upper half, and lord-knows I don't need additional bulk there! It all just looks more...purposeful? I'm still not quite sure about the ensemble, but I worked it nevertheless.

You know, if it wasn't for this blog, and the fact that I'm consciously trying to take a few more fashion risks, I wouldn't have considered any of this, and I would have walked out of the house (mostly) content in the wrap layered with the tee. I find this all...interesting...

*Every time I wrote/thought/said "weird" in post, I thought of this comic. Thank you, Oatmeal, for making me as conscious of my grammar as I am of my outfits.

Pencil Me In

Working on a Sunday night wasn't so bad. T'was a big performance, but I like it better that way. Front-of-house-wise, things are getting a little better, going a little smoother. We're not totally there yet, but we're getting there. I've been reminded that, even if I'm going bonkers on the inside, I need to keep completely composed on the outside. All is calm; all is perfect. Probably a good rule to live by in any kind of customer service setting: never let them see you sweat. It's also good for the staff to see, I think. If you're calm, they can remain calm and just concentrate on doing their jobs better.

I knew today needed to be another skirt or dress day, even though I had a moment of just wanting to wear pants and a sweater. I had originally planned to wear yet another outfit involving purple (#1-3), but in an attempt to branch out a bit (and because I feared it looked too springy), I kept trying. I then proceeded to cycle through a few options that, believe it or not, still involved purple somewhere...  I really do gravitate toward the color, it seems. Instead, though, I pulled out a great dusty blue cardigan with a little bow detail - one I hadn't worn in a while. I now own 4 different cardigans with this kind of detail near the neckline. It's becoming clear to me that I'm always drawn to textural/architectural details, and often in lieu of patterns or even color...

Blue cardigan with bow detail - LOFT / Navy camisole - LOFT / Beige pencil skirt - NY&Co /
Ostrich-embossed belt - Banana Republic

Bow-detail close-up / Necklace (single strand doubled) - Banana Republic

And of course, the pencil skirt. I can't tell you how thrilled I am to have pencil skirts back in my wardrobe rotation. There's nothing I love better than a belted cardigan and pencil skirt. My BF told me I could be his secretary any day... =7 He then inquired if I'm purposely going after the Mad Men look. Yes, and no.  I've dressed like this for years; it really is in many ways a signature of my style. But, I thank Christina Hendricks for all she does for retro-inclined curvy girls everywhere.

Green Croc-embossed "Flatiron" Leather Bag / Banana Republic

But, oh, the bag. I love this bag. This bag hurled me headlong into a love affair with handbags. This bag did me in; this bag was my gateway drug to my handbag addiction. I will say that this addiction never got TOO out of control, and it was also a very specific addition - one that never involved bags with "signatures" all over them (just not my style), but I'm also happy to report that this addiction has, more or less, ended. But, oh, this bag! Such a gorgeous green crocodile exterior, snappy contrasting blue trim, substantial structure and appealing shape... HANDBAG-LOVE. The bag, truth be told, was an afterthought to the outfit itself, but once I pulled it out, I squealed with glee at the pairing-made-in-heaven, and I made my BF take one last picture before we got into the car. This picture is, in fact, my favorite. Perhaps ever.

Accessories? Of course!

Navy heels - Gabriella Rocha (via Zappos.com)

Shades of blue enamel bracelet - Banana Republic / Gold angel/flower earrings (depending on how you look at it) -
Banana Republic / Ring - Banana Republic

If you haven't noticed, most of my favorite jewelry is from BR. I love what they do with jewelry, especially statement necklaces and cocktail rings. I don't particularly love their clothes these days, but I never pass up a chance to peer through their glass cases of fantastic baubles.

In summary: a good day and a good outfit. A good weekend, in fact, even if I did have to work. Gonna be a looooong week, though...

It's a Wrap!

Ah, the wrap dress. What an ingenious invention! Thank you, Diane von Furstenberg....

This outfit is apparently almost entirely brought to you by Banana Republic. (I had just realized this when I was writing the outfit descriptions.)  This is kind of a faux-wrap, since the skirt is fully enclosed, but the bodice is still adjustable at the waist, which is where you want it adjustable anyway.  So, no fears of the skirt blowing open to reveal my ladyparts! Hurray for hassle-free! Well, except for the neckline. Thanks to the girls, I fussed with covering my cleavage most of the day.  I had used clothing tape at first, but that wasn't holding very well.  And I didn't want to wear a camisole because it would add extra bulk underneath and ruin the line of the dress. In the end I pinned it, which solved most of the problems. I don't love pinning clothes, however - I hate to make unnecessary holes, and you can just tell that it's pinned by the weird pulling that results.  But, it was the best option in this case.

Grey 3/4 sleeve faux-wrap dress - Banana Republic

I'm still playing with difference between inside/outside pictures, and hopefully trying to improve the ones I take indoors...

It's a great dress though - fantastic material, lays beautifully, great length, great details in the neck (a somewhat mandarin collar) and the shoulders (a slightly gathered sleeve).  It's one of the BR staples, and they've added it in purple for the fall.  I highly recommend it if you're looking for an all-occasions dress!

I kept my accessories and the overall ensemble rather minimalistic since Friday's event was a very conservative one - not the time to be making fashion statements. I wrestled with adding a pop of color somewhere, whether in accessories/shoes/camisole, but I decided to keep things subtle, choosing gold/ivory accessories to add a twist to the grey, rather than silver - which might have been a propensity.  I LOVE browns/tans with greys.  I was inspired by the combination from an old What Not to Wear episode, and I've loved it ever since.  I really do feel its a sophisticated pairing of neutrals.

Nude heels - Nine West (via Endless.com)

Gold polygon necklace - Banana Republic /
Smokey quartz earrings and bracelet - Banana Republic

What it probably actually came down to was the fact that I really wanted to wear this bracelet. It's one of my favorites, but I don't get to wear it that often because I always have trouble pairing a necklace with it.  Once I put it on, I knew I must wear it with this dress, so it won out.  I even thought I might go without a necklace, since the neckline could speak for itself, but I did want something to fill the space in the end. The necklace is actually a single strand that I doubled up. I thought it played well with the bracelet/earrings without overwhelming them.

Yes, this was Friday. Today is Sunday.  I am, once again, behind.  I'm about to get ready for work in a minute - yep, Sunday night - so I'll have another post for you later (or tomorrow, at this rate!)

Thanks for reading! =)