You Say It's Your Birthday

Oh, hello there! It's 50 degrees today (a white Christmas is likely impossible at this point), my beloved camera has found its way home to me (via an exact replacement), this is outfit #1 of my birthday celebrations, and I'm so happy to bring you (albeit cloudy) outdoor pictures! Full disclosure, however: between frantic cleaning and cooking (and eating and drinking), I never got around to taking pictures yesterday. But I had no intention of letting either outfit or the rest of the day's events go to blog-waste, so I couldn't resist getting all dolled up in yesterday's ensemble (even the hair!) and took the pictures today. Forgive me, k?

"Trina" tunic - LucieLu / Dark skinnies - Gap

Last night we had wonderful friends over to celebrate my thirty-something birthday (which is actually not until tomorrow) in pseudo Bridget Jones style - we made a few tasty dishes and had folks also bring a few of their own. I even made a signature cocktail - cranberry martinis that were seriously A.MA.ZING. Though I didn't go whole hog with a theme of any sort, cranberries did seem to weave their way through most of it - from my centerpiece, to my signature drink, to some delectable sugared cranberries that I continue to enjoy today.

Our menu: Glazed half of ham (c/o Bob's work) / Stuffed mushrooms / Goat cheese and honey crostini (all local!) /
Sugared cranberries / Cranberry martinis / Chocolate chip banana bread (my specialty)

The tunic is a new favorite find from LucieLu. Aptly named the "Trina Tunic," it definitely reminds me of many of Ms. Turk's designs that I always love but cannot afford. I'd been lusting after it for a while, finally purchased it, and then waited patiently for the right time to wear it. When we decided to host a party for my birthday, I thought this would be perfect for the event - casual, stylish, comfortable, me! I really like its effortless vibe with skinnies, super nude (and crazy comfy) pumps (thank heavens for stylish closed-toes when pedicures just aren't possible) and some fabulous statement accessories, including a brand new ring I just received as a birthday gift!

Necklace and earrings - Anthropologie / Ring - Ruche (gifted) / Nails - "Suzi Says Feng Shui" (O.P.I.)

Handbag - Tano

Nude pumps - Nine West "Hollyce" (via Zappos)

The party itself was pretty fantastic. Great company, tasty food, super addictive drinks, and even a mini dance party to one of my long-time holiday playlist staples, N'Sync's "Merry Christmas Happy Holiday." Oh yes, my friends. Oh, yes. To top that off, if that were possible, I got some lovely loot as well!

Clockwise from left: Falling Snowflakes Dangling Earrings - Ruche / Vogue: The Covers - the most awesomest coffee table book ever / Ostrich-embossed clutch - ASOS (previously revealed) / I'll aways drink Starbucks (Caramel Brulee and Peppermint White Mocha, you're mine!) /A very unique scarf/wrap in cozy winter white

A table wine with probably the best description out there...for my blog =)

Thanks to my dear friends who helped me celebrate, and especially my Bobby for putting up with - nay, overcoming - my crazed bitch mode as we were preparing. Stay tuned for the main event on Tuesday (my actual birthday): a romantic dinner for two at our favorite restaurant in town, with me strutting some seriously fabulous digs from Kiyonna! I'm oh-so-excited!

Obviously, I totally support celebrating one's birthday more than once. ; )

Let's Polka

There isn't an H&M near me, so I don't get to shop there very often. The few times I had been able to pop into a store, I never found much of anything than interested me - always a total bust. Well, recently one my of my employees started a lengthy stint of seemingly wearing nothing but H&M, and I coveted loved all of it. Seriously, every outfit she wore, I would ask, "Hey, where did you get that?" and "H&M!" would always be the answer. Solution: must get to H&M ASAP. Happily, there was one near Bob's parent's house when we visited over the holiday...

Black blazer - Lane Bryant / Polka dot top - H&M / Jeans - Lane Bryant /
Shoes - Nine West /Belt - Talbots

This polka dot top might have been the exact same polka dot top she had sported so amazingly one day. I might have found the lone one (in my size!) in the fitting room returns and it might have been on sale. And I might have bought it. Or definitely. Obvi.

I thought I'd venture out of my usual pencil skirt routine and wear it layered under a blazer with jeans. Peachy pops of color (wearing the same new and totally fabulous necklace I wore yesterday) gave it a little something extra. Not that it needed it - I mean, they're polka dots, for goodness sake! I like to think of them as stripes' spunky little sister.

Handbag - Coach (gifted) / Ring - Ruche / Earrings - The Limited / Necklace - Anthropologie

The Last Minute

This was not the outfit I had planned to wear today. I was initially going to wear a new wrap dress I recently scored on eBay, lookin' a little fancier and what not. But when I learned that tonight's big performance was canceled due to the snow storm and all its effects, I thought I'd go much more casual. I had about 10 minutes to figure out what this dressy-casual ensem was going to be, and this was it.

Printed cardigan - LOFT / Lavender tank - LOFT / Refined denim skirt - Lane Bryant /
Tights (both) - Simply Vera (Kohl's) / Suede boots - Nine West (via Amazon.com)

Now that I see it all together in these pictures, I'm not at all in love with the proportions, but for something thrown together at the last minute, it's not all bad. I've also managed to wear all these items before on the blog (skirt; sweater; tank; boots), but not ever together. So, yay remix! The instigators were the boots and a casual denim skirt, and my current favorite color palette of cream, purple and blue pretty much fell into place after that. I'm even wearing two pairs of tights - navy layered over purple - in hopes for a purpley-blue mixed color effect, but instead I got just a more opaque navy. Meh. Had I more time, I think I would have tried the purple tights over the blue and would have been much happier with the color. Two pairs definitely kept my legs warmer, though!

Eh, you win some and lose some...

Necklace - LOFT / Double-wrap skinny belt - LOFT

I'm glad you all enjoyed yesterday's post with Bob! It was fun for both of us, so I'm sure we'll do it again!

Striking Gold

The more I look at these pictures, the more I love this outfit. There's something so happy about it!

Mustard printed cardigan - thrifted / Embellished top - Urban Outfitters / Flare leg denim - Lane Bryant /
Teal skinny belt - The Limited / Camel heels - RSVP (via Zappos)

It was another one I put together in the moment of late-night creativity. I didn't try it on last night, but I'm thrilled with how it all came together. I especially like the proportions of color, shape, detail, and pattern. And really, this equation never fails: favorite jeans + cardigan + embellished top = always easy and cute!

The sweater is one I found at a consignment shop the same time I found the mustard cardi for my "Ariana" outfit. I bought them both at the same time because I didn't know which one would work best with the intended outfit, especially since I liked the idea of the pattern on this one. And it was exactly the pattern in the sweater that inspired me to try a little pattern mixing today! I first tried it with a striped top, which could also be great, but not the particular top I had. The top I finally settled on is more embellishment than pattern, but I love the effect nevertheless. It's also sort of a remix, too, since I've never worn it with anything else but cuffed jeans in the summer. (Snoooooze.) It's a total tent of a shirt on its own, though - no shape whatsoever! But just add a colorful belt and long jewelry and it's a new outfit! I'm getting a hang of this...

I'm also wearing the new ring I mentioned yesterday! What can I say, I love a cocktail ring, and this one is no exception. The necklace was a fabulous birthday gift from a friend of mine - one who is super fashionable herself. This was actually its first wearing, and I can't think of a better debut!

Ring - Banana Republic (eBayed) / Turquoise medallion necklace - gifted

Fabulous blue nailpolish - Yoga-ta Get This Blue! (OPI)

I guess I should do my class readings now. You know, the ones that were assigned last week. I've been ABD for so long (and a working girl for so long) that I barely remember how to be a good student. Good thing I'm auditing!

Pop that Collar

I got dressed today! I took pictures! And...I'm posting!

Evening performances started right back up again today. As it was only one house, I kept the attire a bit lower key than I might have otherwise. And considerably more comfortable...

Shirt Dress - Lane Bryant / Skinny Belt - The Limited / Patterned Tights - Simply Vera (Kohl's) /
Suede Taupe Knee-High Boots  - Nine West (via Amazon)

Necklace - LOFT / Earrings - Lane Bryant

I bought this dress yesterday at Lane Bryant's killer clearance sale. After 60% discount and a coupon, I paid $11 for this bad boy. Believe it or not, I didn't yet own a shirt dress (or is it a trench dress?) of any kind, which many would argue is a closet staple. Well, I had been eying this dress for a while, but every time I tried it on, I always felt it looked a bit frumpy on me - especially the matronly neckline. But for $11 I thought, "Why the hell not? I can do something with it." And as I'm not feeling terribly great in my own skin (thanks to more than my share of holiday pounds), I definitely appreciated the roominess of the a-line shape.

This dress screams for accessories, however. I knew right away that I would wear some fun tights, and these patterned burgundy ones were just a perfect shade to wear with its deep, dark navy (definitely nearly black) color. (I also have some super fun raspberry colored leggings, but those will probably wait for warmer months.) The belt it came with also had to go (one of its other main frump-factors), so  I added one of my own for a pop of color. I can also see doing belts in a myriad of other colors - yellow, tan, orange, pink, etc. etc. To make it a little less matronly, I also unbuttoned the first button and popped the collar - like the cool kid I am. =) (It didn't really stay that way for long, though.) As for the boots, this was their first wearing. I got them for only $61! They are originally $179! (Amazon is kind of awesome when it comes to shoes sometimes.) I do love the color with the dress - I think it all makes for a great overall palette. But because of the shaft height, you don't really get to see my fun tights very well. They worked, though, especially for these Midwest winters. Besides, it didn't really matter THAT much. =)

In other news, I'm in the market for a new camera. Just waiting patiently to see if the price goes down. I'll probably be taking the plunge this weekend either way. Here's to new toys and better pictures!

Scarf It Down

What a busy day! I can't remember the last time I was so productive in such a short amount of time. Tomorrow (yep, Saturday) is my last day of work before a nice two-week holiday vacation, and since I've been out sick for most of the week, I had lots of catching up do! Top it all off with some lovely coffee klatch with Tania and then oodles of errands, and here I am! Tomorrow will be a verrrry early morning since I'll have to be at work by 7:30am, so we'll see if I get to bed here at a reasonable hour. (Doubtful, night owl that I am.)

Hey, look! A new pose! =7

And another (goofy) one! I had to experiment with angles today, since - sadly - this blazer is kind of boxy on me, and there was no helping it even with a belt. It's just a little too big in the shoulders and long in the arms. Strange, because the other one I have (same size and everything!) fits perfectly!

Blazer - LOFT / White tee - The Limited / Flare-leg jeans - Lane Bryant

This outfit is really all about the scarf, though. Yet another find from Affordable Scarves, I'm smitten with its color palette of grey and purpley-pink. And the print! Gotta love a chain print. (Well, at least I do.) You know, come to think of it, I purchased this scarf precisely to wear with this very blazer. I remember lamenting that I didn't really have a scarf to go with it yet, but really thought one would be the perfect accessory for it. (Duh, since I wear this combo often.) Blazer + scarf = wardrobe magic. And I'm getting better at tying them!

Handbag - Tano "Homemade Cake" in Bordeaux /
Taupe (ankle-length) boots - Laundry by Chinese Laundry (via Famous Footwear)

I kept everything else pretty muted, since I wanted the purple hues to be the star. Add some great jeans, a crisp white tee underneath, big brushed silver earrings, and taupe boots, and you've got yourself an easy, classic outfit. Done and done. Perfect for a busy Friday, methinks.

Chain print scarf - affordablescarves.com / Silver earrings - The Limited (?)

A Great Pair of Jeans

Remember that thing I said about a day of catch-up? Yeah, it's already 8pm and I'm just now starting to blog. Oy. Oh well! Boyfriend is working late tonight, so I've got Monday night football and my blog to keep my company. And a headache, but I hope that passes sooner than later.

So I'm taking you back to last Tuesday with this post! Is that cheating? Naw. It would be cheating (and lying) if I told you I wore this today! Especially since I'm just in yoga pants and a hoodie...

Brown elbow-length cardigan - Banana Republic / Teal scoop neck tee - LOFT / Flare-leg jeans - Lane Bryant / Taupe ankle boots - Laundry by Chinese Laundry

I actually really loved this outfit last week. It's a variation on one from over a month ago; yep, I sure do have this sweater in two colors. I think I said it in the first post, but that's how much I loved it. And given how popular it was, I seemingly wanted to be the envy of all x2.

I was up late that night, probably having watched The Holiday a few times, and just sitting in my living room with nothing but Christmas lights on. The night before, Monday, I also had off following the long Thanksgiving break, so I was clearly still vacationing in my head. I had also just finished getting the last of the Christmas decor up, too, so you better believe I wanted to savor every minute.

When I finally decided that it was time to put together the next day's outfit - which I really did want to be blog-worthy - I was quietly piecing it all together on the floor of my closet while boyfriend slept soundly nearby. Believe it or not, I've never worn this particular combination before! If I wear a long-sleeve tee under this sweater, I usually do so in a cream or ivory. Can I call it a remix? Whatever the case, I'm glad I did. The necklace is one of those pieces I've had for awhile, too, but one I rarely (if ever) wear, so I'm glad it all came together as nicely as it did on the floor that night.

Bead necklace - Banana Republic / Ring - Banana Republic /
Handbag - Steve Madden (via Endless.com)

And can I just tell you how much I love these jeans? I wore them for the first time prior to my Thanksgiving hiatus - in fact, on the day I was travelling, no less. They are the new Flare from Lane Brant, and I couldn't be more pleased with how they've revamped (again) their denim line. I used to LOVE their denim - we're talking 5 or so years ago - but then they changed everything with their Right Fit line, which I just did not like. It seems a lot of women were of the same mind, because they've changed things up yet again. Whatever they've done this time around, it's working. This is a modern, great-fitting pair of jeans in a great wash and a perfect length. (I always get a Tall so I can wear heels/boots with my jeans. I'm 5'8" ish.) I normally don't like all that fading on the thigh, but these are just really flattering, without looking too young. I guess you can only get the Flare in the Right Fit Red, but I hardly even care what that means. When I ordered them, I couldn't believe how great they fit, and how fantastic they made my legs and butt look. I felt so damn, well, sonsy! I mean, that's what jeans are about, you know??

So here's to a great pair of jeans, and a good post-vacation back-to-work/back-to-blog outfit!

Blazer of Glory

I love a good jacket. I have far too many in my closet to count. And I tend to buy multiple colors of the same style if I like it enough. (Hell, I do that with any piece of clothing.) So, yes, you've seen a similar jacket/outfit before. 

Corduroy blazer in "Deep Clay" - LOFT / Aubergine and cream  scoop neck tees - LOFT / Dark skinnies - Gap / Boots! - Ciao Bella (via DSW)

What I really wanted was a similarly cool scarf to fill out the neckline, but I didn't have one in the right color palette. I definitely needed additional accessories, though. I tried a few different belts, but I thought that was just too much, like I was trying too hard. So I settled on this fun multi-layered necklace in neutral colored stones. I love a statement necklace. I even wish this one was bigger. Like scarf-sized...

I do like the monochromatic effect of similarly colored layers here, offset with a few cream colors. A nice minimalistic pattern would also work well, like stripes or such. Incidentally, I did try that combination, but the top I have is a boat neck and I needed a more open neckline. So I layered two scoop neck tees instead.

Bordeaux "Homemade Cake" - Tano

Necklace - LOFT / Earrings - Maurices

I thought I'd indulge myself (and you) and include this picture - my make-up and skin is surprisingly, er, perfect! I knew there was something positive about flash photography...

Hey, guess what? Tomorrow's Friday!! On the docket:  schedule schedule schedule...a meeting...more schedule...and then freedom! Starting with getting my hair cut and highlighted... Hmm, maybe a mani/pedi is also in store...

A Happy Friday to all and to all a Happy Friday!

The Alternative

It's funny how different I photograph when my hair is up. My face looked puffier in my full-on smiling pictures this morning, so I tried a closed-mouth smirk today. When I make this face with my hair down, I just look mean. Strange...

Today was one of those days where I just wanted to go to work in sweats, but I opted for jeans and a cardigan instead. I think it's funny that such an outfit has become the alternative to "slumming it." But, really, that's the point!

When I think about my style, which is certainly one of the things this blog has forced me to do, I've really come to understand how I'm drawn to classic silhouettes, minimal patterns, and a simple color palette. I also rely on "special pieces" - like this embellished cardigan - that can impart the bulk of an outfit's interest. Part of that is not exactly knowing how or in which way to branch out more, but the main part is the fact that, above all, I dress for my body. I dress to emphasize the narrowest, best parts of my shape. I know that I'm not always as successful as I could be, and maybe I take fewer risks as a result, but my goal is always that hourglass. It's been a hard road to acceptance (and I haven't yet arrived), but I don't have the luxury of wearing whatever I want, as many as layers as I want, as many patterns or shapes - I just don't have the body for it. Most of the time, that sucks. I gotta be honest about that. As a girl who loves clothes and loves to wear clothes, my size 14-on-top-16-on-bottom-body, with most of my weight in my midsection, limits things. And maybe that's the sole source of all my body issues - not getting to wear what's featured in the magazines and in the stores, or in my favorite blogs... But, I still dress the body I have, and I'd like to think I've really honed that over the years, even as my body and tastes change. And even if my outfit might be considered "boring" at least I know - or at least am beginning to accept - that my curves never are...

White cardigan with grey floral applique - The Limited / Grey tank - LOFT / Flare leg jeans - Lane Bryant /
Grey faux-suede pumps - Kohl's

I have to say goodbye to my lovely Furla tomorrow, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to fit in another outfit with her before I need to send her back, so this might be it. It's been a beautiful blue-hued month with her at my side!  I just can't afford to purchase her right now, but maybe someday. Or maybe Santa will take a hint...

Chained Down (Rewind: Wednesday)

Well would you look at that. I completely forgot about Wednesday! I didn't even remember Wednesday until I looked at my list of posts and saw a draft of pictures. What does that tell you about the state of my mind...? So I'll just throw it out there, though I hardly remember anything about the day itself...

The goal was, again, to wear my beautiful blue Furla, which I ironically forgot to take pictures with... (DOH.) I pulled out this fun cardigan of mine, the chain print of which I pretty much love. It's hard to wear though - I've only worn it with a blue pencil skirt since I bought it. No skirts on this long day of the hump, though. The jeans are working hard here...

Chain cardigan - Banana Republic / Off-white cami - LOFT / Boot leg jeans - Lane Bryant / Caramel ruched pumps - Nine west (via Endless) / Necklace - LOFT / Bracelet - Banana Republic

I got home so late this day that I didn't even get to take pictures outside. The BF and I experimented with a few settings on the camera, and our pictures didn't turn out half bad (lots of lamp light, no flash). I still prefer outdoors, of course, but I might have to go light-bulb shopping soon...the days are getting increasingly shorter!

Whew! NOW I'm caught up!

Dressed-Up Denim, Part 2

I first want to apologize for the crap-ton of pictures in this post (and that it's so long). I experimented with taking pictures outside today and I canNOT believe I haven't tried this before. What am I going to do when winter rolls around?! Illinois winters are terrible, especially come January! And how do you experienced out-of-doors photo-takers handle any self-consciousness caused by passers-by wondering what the hell you're doing? Cuz I'm pretty sure my neighbors are gonna start to wonder... Anyway, for comparison's sake, I'm posting both sets of pics - those taken outside and those taken inside. I apologize for the lack of variety in my poses, too. I'm not at supermodel level yet...

Man, the color is just so much truer outdoors, and there is just more definition in general... without even trying too hard... (I know this might be a big DUH to some of you, but it just caught me by surprise!)

Exposed seam boyfriend cardigan - Banana Republic / Striped scoop-neck tee - The Limited / Dark skinny jeans - Gap /
Purple adjustable belt - The Limited /Multi colored/layered necklace - The Limited

Can I just say, though, that I LOVE this outfit? (This is probably the real reason why I posted so many damn pictures.) I put this wardrobe remix together last night (it's becoming painfully obvious to me that I MUST plan my outfit at LEAST the night before - otherwise too much time and stress is wasted if I wait until the morning). And yet AGAIN it's a remix involving my skinny jeans. I've really come out of the closet, so to speak (and puns intended), with these skinny jeans. They have totally opened up my wardrobe horizons, and I cannot believe it took my so long to get on board. Well, no, yes I can - curvy girls wearing skinny jeans was a non-acceptable thing at first. But, so many of us have come out of the woodwork, proving once and for all we CAN rock them. This observation actually reminds me of a recent post by Sal at Already Pretty about this very phenomenon: the more women wear previously non-accepted styles (whether based on body type, trends, etc.), the more accepted they will become. Isn't that a marketing technique, really?

If I'm not wearing them tucked into boots, I definitely prefer my skinnies cuffed, and preferably with a heel of some sort (to prevent the stumpage that Tania at What Would a Nerd Wearpondered yesterday); these wedges are perfect. (Good thing I have 3 pairs!) When I was considering my self-imposed challenge to dress up denim for the next 2 days, I was actually fraught with a conundrum. The initial version of this outfit included flats, the light tan color and faux-croc texture of which I loved with the overall outfit, giving off a polished, yet casual vibe. However, I didn't feel it was "dressed up" enough for the sake of this post. I piled on pretty much ALL of my gold-toned necklaces in an attempt to dress it up a bit more, but that just looked ridiculous. So I pared down to one and tried a pair of wedges, thinking a heel would provide the dressier look I was aiming for. I went back and forth, not sure which overall look I liked best, but in the interest of this post - and in the end because I do think it made a more memorable outfit - I stuck with the wedges.

I mostly love how the colors work together - the bluey-purple (periwinkle?) and the ivory and stripes. It's a playful combination that even my BF complimented (and he rarely compliments my outfits). It's funny, because I was just telling my sister the other day that purple is one of those colors I always like, but never think looks good on me. How ironic that nearly every post in the past week has had some shade of purple in it... I do think that it's this particular shade of purple that works best for me. True purples don't really work - they tend to wash me out. The strong blue undertones in this shade picks up all those undertones in my fair, rosy skin. The combination also made me think of Bombshell Beauty's recent outfits incorporating stripes as her under-layers. I don't own a lot of stripes, actually, but I'm thrilled with the result.

Here's my one whimsical supermodel shot - sorta...

Finally (whew!), the accessories. You'll notice I utilized a skinny belt to help define my waist (something I've been doing forever, but now it's so on trend it's almost laughable) - I kept it in the purple color family so it still blended with the overall look. You already know about the necklace, but the earrings and ring I also kept in the gold family, mimicking the ivory of the shirt, but with a antique-y feel to them.

Earrings - Maurice's / Ring - Banana Republic

So what does everyone think - inside or outside photo shoots from now on (or at least until sub-zero temperatures hit)?

Dressed-Up Denim, Part 1

I've been thinking about how causal my workplace is during the day. We're talkin' a jeans and t-shirt kind of place (for the most part). Truth be told, a casual vibe emanates from the top, and it's felt in more than the way we dress. I don't mean to suggest that I have a problem with any of it - in fact, I love it; it's one of the things that makes the place so unique and vibrant - but I do get dressed lately (i.e. with my blog in mind) knowing that I'm probably going to stand out. But who are we kidding, here - I love that too. =D

This week, there are fewer performances; nothing, in fact, until Sunday night. (That's not entirely true - there's a big non-performance event on Friday, but that affects EVERYONE for once.) As a result, my week looks a little more like everyone else's, and my wardrobe choices are tamed down quite a bit, too - I'm simply not going to wear a dress or pencil skirt on the days there aren't performances. Some of you might reply with a "Why not?" and that does give me pause, but I guess I've noticed that I save my "best" outfits for performance nights. I mean, not every day can be a pencil skirt day (I just don't have THAT many!), especially in this casual work environment of mine. However, it does give me license to expand my dressy-casual wardrobe vocabulary, especially when I would usually just use the opportunity of a non-performance day to dress in flip flops, crops and a tee. No, even though that was short-lived, I don't want to continue that habit. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I have far too many clothes to wear that sort of uniform ever day! More importantly, a girl doesn't have to wear a pencil skirt to look her best every day, even if the girl does rock them... =)

All this brings me to today's outfit - dressed-up jeans.

 (Why do my cutest poses always come out so blurry?)

Beige suiting jacket - NY&Co / Eggplant sequin bib tee - LOFT / Boot-cut jeans - Lane Bryant /
Camel peep-toes - Banana Republic

While it would have been easy to go into work in jeans, tennies and a sweatshirt (especially after the weekend I had), I pulled together this number instead.  It's a pretty classic ensemble - suiting jacket worn as separates, jeans, and embellished tee. I feel pretty pulled together, yet totally comfortable at the same time. I do have to admit, though, that this seems a little too conservative for my usual style, even with the sequined bibbing on the front of the shirt. It's definitely the jacket that makes me feel more buttoned up than usual (and I preferred to keep it buttoned to define my waist), and since the top is plainly the focal piece, I was just somewhat at a loss (and with little time this morning) to experiment with other layering option that allowed it to be so. (Any suggestions?)  But, I went with it anyway - and I was even complimented on the look in line at a cafe!

It was chilly out this morning, which is another reason I required more substantial layering options. Yes, fall has definitely arrived! I even almost wore boots! But no, I'm not QUITE ready for socks yet...  I went with these comfy peep toes instead, even if I was reminded that it's time for a pedicure...

Because of the tee's embellishment as the neckline, I went without a necklace, but I took the opportunity to wear more playful earrings. I kept my ring toned down, too.

Earrings  - LOFT / Gold and enamel ring - Banana Republic

I think the rest of this week (until Friday, anyway) is officially dressed-up denim week for me. Stay tuned for what I pull together tomorrow!