A Little Lace

I'm making decisions, ya'll; making decisions and movin' onward and upward. The past few days have given me opportunities to reflect on the things I want most out of life, what I'm good at, what keeps me the most engaged and fulfilled. I won't go into too many particulars at this point, not least because nothing has really been put into action yet, so please forgive my (necessary) ambiguity. (Although, if you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you may have some idea.) It's all definitely in its early stages, but even the baby steps feel pretty darn good.

I'm getting oh-so-closer to being caught up with my outfits, too! I can't believe how long it's taken me to get back into the groove post-summer, but I thank you for sticking with me and encouraging me along with the way! It's so nice to know you're out there, ya know?

Lace shoulder tee - Lane Bryant / Ponte pencil skirt - Dorothy Perkins /
Handbag - Furla (via TJMaxx) / Shoes - Nine West

This outfit was ensemble #3 that owes its inspiration to product styling rather than stock photos. (See also #1 and #2.) I mean, I completely passed over this mostly uninspiring lace shoulder tee a few times both online and in store. On its own, it's kind of an unflattering snooze, even if it does reference current trends. But add a belt (rule of thumb, methinks) and some long necklaces ala the seasonal mailer, and you have yourself a surprisingly classy yet terribly comfortable outfit. Lane Bryant, whoever styled your August mailer knocked it outta the park. YA HEAR ME! More of this, please.

Belt - Lane Bryant / Necklace - Lane Bryant / Ring & Earrings - The Limited /
Nailpolish - Essie "Bobbing for Baubles" (via Ulta)

Seriously - tee shirt and ponte knit pencil skirt? It's a well-worn silhouette in these here parts, but never has it felt so much more like lounge wear than work wear.

Also.... BE SURE TO VOTE! MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! I'll be a nervous wreck for most of the day, without or without a major performance to supervise, but at least I'll have work to keep me somewhat distracted until the votes are all in!

Hound's Tooth

This combination of colors and print - oh-so-perfect for fall - was pulled right from this outfit from the Banana Republic Fall Campaign. I swear there were even more images on their website at one time, but since this color palette has already been replaced by their push for teal (wha?!), I can't find them anymore. Harrumph. But anyway, houndstooth and mustard. I knew I could totally replicate this mash of wonderful textures and I wouldn't have to buy a thing. (Spoiler alert: none of it is from BR!)

Pumps - Charles by Charles David (via DSW) / Handbag - Tano

Houndstooth pencil skirt - Lane Bryant / Cardigan - Cable & Gauge (consigned) /
Camisole - eloquii / Belt - Lane Bryant

The skirt, a somewhat recent acquisition from Lane Bryant (and apparently no longer available!), is a kind of oversized houndstooth, and I was admittedly reluctant to keep the skirt on account of it at first. The pattern is normally kind of loud, but to enlarge it - uffda! So thank goodness texture and pattern is all the rage for fall... I actually want to hunt down more seasonal ways to wear the skirt, because until I landed upon that BR campaign, nothing was really striking me. Share your suggestions, if you please!

The burgundy accents were my one personal contribution, of course. As obsessed as I've been about the color, I figured it would make a great accent for the ensemble. All my fall favorites in one place!

Ring - The Limited / Earrings - Lane Bryant / Nails - Essie "Wicked" (via Ulta)

Can't Help Myself

So I broke down and bought this purple pencil skirt. I held off for awhile, believing I really didn't need it. You can imagine my pride that I could actually say no to a pencil skirt... Well, then 50% off happened, and I caved.

Top - LOFT / Pencil skirt - eloquii / Heels - Max Studio (via DSW)

I caved especially when I was pinspired by the combination of navy and purple in this image. I had practically the same top and knew it would pair beautifully with the skirt. The colors may read a bit autumnal, but I love the simple elegance that these colors create together.

Handbag - DKNY (via TJMaxx)

I was intrigued by the black accents in the outfit image as well, so I wanted to incorporate it similarly into my recreation, even it was just the handbag. I wasn't convinced that black shoes would be great, but the more I look at the image, the more I wish I had taken a chance with a pair. Black and navy might be one of those pairings that seem odd or clash, but, like brown and black or brown and grey, there's something about the combination that feels classic to me.

But, I mean, leapord print shoes seem like a pretty fabulous choice, too, no?

Ring - Banana Republic / Earring - Ruche / Nails - Love & Acceptance (Essie)

Blue Collar

I truly believe what I said the other day about ankle pants being a casual chic girl's best friend. I didn't want to just wear jeans and I didn't want to commit to trousers (and none of them like me right now anyway). Ankle pants are the perfect in-between.

Blue sweater - Banana Republic / White button-up - Lane Bryant /
Black ankle pants - Lane Bryant / Wedges - LOFT

Actually, I could have worn black trousers now that I look at these pictures, and I would have loved it. This particular outfit is inspired by one of my favorite Anne Hathaway ensembles from Devil Wears Prada. I can't find a full size screen shot that shows her own long wide-legged bottoms, but a picture of the top half of the outfit might give you enough of an idea of the look I was going for.

I simply adore the buttoned collar under the bateau neckline, layered with chains. Menswear-meets-Audrey-Hepburn chic. I'd worn a version of this with a black sweater long ago, but I thought I'd pull this pretty baby blue sweater out of retirement to revisit it for spring, adding oranges and corals for pops of color. Of course, I have no Chanel in my closet, so a few long chains of lesser birth had to do.

Clutch - eloquii

Incidentally, this is about the only way I'll consent to wearing a white button-up.

Ring - H&M / Necklaces - The Limited (I think?) / Earrings - LOFT /
Nails - Tart Deco (Essie)

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)

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?

Carbon Copy

There are couple things going on here. 1) I simply had to have this beautifully designed top* and 2) I pretty much wanted to wear it exactly like this. I didn't do too bad, eh?

Normally, I'd shy away from that much of a close fit all over, but I thought the look was so luxe and so classic that I could not help myself. Besides, the cocoon elbow-length sleeves and perfectly placed ruching along the hips make it easy to feel comfortable in your own skin. Bottom line, though, confidence had to be an important accessory!

Cabaret Cowl Neck Top - Kiyonna / Dark skinnies - Gap / Handbag - Furla (via BBOS) /
Nude pumps - Nine West (via Zappos) 

I duplicated that image right down to the accessories. I loved the look of the necklace plunging down the center of the décolletage, so I was pretty stoked to find similar tassel jewelry at Ruche. (My jewelry go-to, for sure!) Nude heels? Check. (Every shoe wardrobe should include a pair!) My only additions were my fantastic snakeskin bag (which I'm just thinking of buying, by the way) and a big ring in a pop of turquoise. When it ain't broke, you know?

Necklace & earrings - Ruche / Ring - Ruche / Nailolish - "Frankly I Don't Give A-dam" (Sephora by O.P.I.)

The outfit did need to serve a dual purpose, though - work for (a loooong) day, drinks/farewell party for night. Thanks to all that confidence, I thought it was just a bit too sexy for daytime. =) Throw on a camel blazer (also good for covering up any wavering moments of insecurity) and I was good to go.

*The top was purchased with a gift card provided by Kiyonna.

Black and Blue

I recently purchased these black ankle skinnies from Lane Bryant for a song. (In fact, my size was the only one they had left! 'Twas meant to be!) I figured they were a good basic that I should probably have in my closet, no? Especially on clearance, no?? So when I saw this pin the other day, I thought, "Hey, I can do that!" What's funny, though, is the last thing I would have thought to wear with black skinnies would be a blue button-up. But I liked the simple, classic look of it, especially with black flats and the longer line of my tunic version of the shirt. (Excuse the massive amount of wrinkles, by the way.) It's also very similar to the last time I wore the top, so it was already a silhouette I liked - and oh-so-comfortable! Once again Pinterest inspires me in unthought-of ways.

Blue pintucked belted shirt - The Limited / White camisole - The Limited / Black wedges - Payless /
Handbag - Furla Piper Small Cartella Bandoliera (via BBOS)

And the bag! The bag! My rewards balance at BBOS was just sitting there, so I figured I'd snatch up this lovely little snakeskin Furla, especially after they had just tweeted about it. Expect to see her often over the next month!

Necklace - Urban Outfitters / Ring - Ruche / Earrings - Maurices

Monday Uniform

A basic truth: a cold and windy Monday calls for warm and cozy attire. (Any Monday; any cold and windy day, really. Halloween or no.) Layers encouraged. Easy, flattering denim suggested. Accessories that add just a little extra flair preferred.

Sweater - LOFT / Striped top - LOFT / Lightly Flared Jeans - Lane Bryant / Reversible gold belt - Lane Bryant
Handbag - Furla (renting from BBOS) / Boots - Laundry by Chinese Laundry (via Famous Footwear)

Inspired by this pin, layering a striped top underneath a sweater is such an easy way to get a little pattern into an outfit. And now that I own more than my share of striped shirts (I've recently acquired this, this, this and this one [BR, but not available online, it seems]), this might become my everyday Monday uniform.

Ring - Ruche / Earrings - Dress Barn (?)

Flat Land

I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I don't own a whole lot of flats. Regardless of the havoc they probably wreak on my joints and bones (thank goodness for my chiropractor), I'm a huge fan of heels and everything they do for my otherwise thick legs. But all this talk about leopard print flats this season, and spying them on more than one fellow blogger and co-worker, I figured I'd better jump on board. If there isn't a bigger DUH, I don't know what is...

Grey cardiwrap - Maurices / White long sleeve tee - LOFT / Dark flare jeans - Lane Bryant /
Leopard print flats - Target / Handbag - Furla (renting from BBOS)

As soon as these babies arrived at my door, I immediately began foraging for styling ideas online (blogs, Pinterest, etc.). My favorites were grey and coral or orange, cream and red, and cozy winter whites and brown. I've chosen the grey and coral for my inauguaral wearing (opting for a coral belt and earrings since I'll never be able to I don't own a Birkin), but I'm already plotting when and how I'll wear them next! Really though, they can be worn with pretty much anything to spruce up a casual look. Foolproof fabulous flats. Huzzah!

Belt - Talbots

Ring - Ruche / Necklace - The Limited / Earrings - LOFT

Cafe au Lait

I sure have been wearing a lot of this cream and grey (and animal print) business lately. What can I say? I'm a fan! But what really inspired this look was the complete outfit image from Banana Republic's (now almost completely sold out) The Mad Men® Collection. Cafe au lait leopard print, cigarette pant, bow-tie blouse. Yes. I tend to think that the look is more for the body of Betty than Joan, but I still love it. I don't have a black tie blouse, so I just wore a blank tank, but I think imma need one. And in lieu of the ever tricky ankle pant, I opted for my ever faithful pencil skirt. Might still try to get my hands on some grey ankle pants, though.

Leopard print cardigan - Banana Republic / Black tank - NY&Co. / Grey pencil skirt - NY&Co. /
Handbag - Furla (via Filene's Basement)

I guess I don't have much more to say than that! Cardigan and pencil skirt - a tried and true combination for this curvy girl; leopard print - a lovely "neutral" print that I'm not likely to get tired of soon; Mad Men - will season 5 ever get here??

Ring - Ruche / Necklace - Banana Republic (eBayed) / Heels - Nine West /
Nails - "Frankly, I Don't Give A-Dam" (Sephora by O.P.I.)