Pumpkin Glaze

I just finished this season's (rather harrowing) run of Nutcracker. Glory Be! Aside from reveling in that fact and trying to calm my nerves from the seemingly never-ending stresses (cue a mighty potent raspberry pepper margarita or two), I've realized that I haven't yet posted a single outfit from those days. And so I present to you outfit one...of five!

Pencil skirt - Lane Bryant / Jacket - LOFT / "Pretty Cami" - SWAK / Heels - Nine West

Handbag - Coach (gifted) / Belt - Talbots

Since the run opened on the last day of November, I figured I could get away with a more autumnal rather than holiday-focused attire. Plus, I had just acquired the the SWAK "Pretty Cami" in the most perfect shade of pumpkin orange, and I simply had to find a way to wear it.

Necklace - Anthropologie / Rig - Ruche / Earrings - Banana Republic /
Nails - Essie "Fair Game"  (via Ulta)

Competing for its affections were both leopard and teal. My leopard pencil skirt only lost by virtue of its slight fit issues, so teal it was. I loves me some happy color combos, and this was colorful to be sure. But don't worry - holiday colors will get their due!

Double the Fun

It's only Tuesday? Really? Ugh. What's worse is that it's 10:30pm and Bob just went in to work. Yes, you read that right. So do I stay up until he gets home at 3am (cuz he'll wake me up anyway)? Yes, probably. And maybe I'll make myself a Totinos while I'm at it. There, now it feels like the weekend.

Except it's only Tuesday...

But hey, look! The green skirt again! I have to say, a black and white combo is my favorite pairing with this skirt. True, they're stripes and are therefore fabulous with everything, but I especially like their contrast with the vibrant color of the skirt.

Striped top - Dorothy Perkins / Pencil skirt - eloquii / Belt - Talbots /
Sandals - Bandolino / Handbag - Ruche

I also felt that one necklace was not enough. One big statement piece plus one long dangley piece equals necklace nirvana. Or something.

Necklaces - LOFT & Ann Taylor / Ring - Ruche / Earrings - The Limited

My Totinos is ready! One supreme party pizza is served. And LOTR, probably. See you on the other side of 3am.

And hey, then it'll be Wednesday.

Multiplicity

The green pencil skirt strikes again! And it probably will a few more times before I decide I can't really find a way to autumnify it. (Or can I?)

It's a summery look, to be sure. (Truthfully it was worn in a few weeks ago for the first day of classes - yes, I'm still behind.) I've basically just been dying to wear this necklace. It's a tricky combination of colors, so I haven't had all that much success incorporating it into outfits, tending to opt for neutrals with it as a result. (True story: I also have the necklace in blue tones.) The best solution was just to pull out the main colors in the necklace, coral and green, as limiting as that might be. (I must find another way to wear it!) I thought about going crazy uber-colorful with my coral cardigan instead of the ivory, but I preferred to tone it down a bit this time around. I do love the combinations of colors, though. Yay green! And coral! All of the spring and summer color trends in one outfit!

Cardigan - LOFT / Camisole - Old Navy / Pencil skirt - eloquii / Sandals - Nine West
Handbag - Ruche

Ring - The Limited / Necklace - Anthropologie / Earrings - Banana Republic

The pieces of the outfit fall into the wardrobe category of "I like it so much I'm going to buy multiples" by the way. After donning a printed version of the camisole, I promptly purchased the green and then this ivory one. It's like it was meant to be tucked into a pencil skirt and topped with a cardigan, or something...

P.S. I have the sandals in coral and black. And the skirt in blue. And the cardigan in, like, a zillion other colors...

Mileage

I hope you don't mind that I took a few days off there. Commencement weekend left me exhausted in mind, body and soul. I've taken off a few days from work too, so being unplugged from the world for a few days has been a nice reprieve.

But believe it or not, I managed to take pictures of two of my outfits from the weekend! Friday night was easy since I had the afternoon to do so; Saturday - out of the house by 6:15am and not back until 11pm - was impossible (I just re-wore this comfortably cute outfit anyway); and Sunday will be shared tomorrow!

Ponte dress - Dorothy Perkins / Instant Sleeves - LucieLu
Sandals - Nine West (via Endless) 

The outfits I wore needed to be comfortable, breathable, beltable (so I had something to clip my radio onto), and something I could just feel good in, ya know? I thought this ponte dress was a good candidate for all of that. I tried a few different accessories from the first wearing of the dress, and I added my LucieLu Instant Sleeves in Mocha to add a second color and a little more arm coverage.

Handbag - Banana Republic / Belt - Lane Bryant

I'm doing a lot with brown and greens, though, aren't I? And, like, all different tones of them. I think it mostly works, but I confess all I really care about is that I got to wear this necklace again. And the shoes... Yes, believe it or not, I really was able to run around for about 4 hours in the them! How's that for shoe mileage?

Ring - Ruche / Necklace - Anthropologie / Earrings - Banana Republic

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)

Tight End

I'm kind of glad I was never able to get rid of this top. It's been hanging in my closet since January, an international purchase (via Dorothy Perkins) whose return or exchange would have been more trouble than it was worth. I wasn't convinced it was a good item for me (and my large bust), and the few ways I had in mind to wear it didn't look as good as I would have liked. But I really did love it and had hoped I'd shed a few pounds and could eventually wear it - or at least find a way to get away with wearing it.

Top - Dorothy Perkins / Black pencil skirt - Simply Be / Peep-toes - Payless 

Well, I sure haven't shed those pounds, but I really loved how it tucked into this simple, form-fitting black pencil skirt. And even better, I really loved it with this fantastic necklace. (If you're keeping track, this is outfit #3 for the necklace! I'm on a roll!) So tight sleeves and chest be damned! Statement necklace and pencil skirt saves the day!

Clutch - eloquii

(Or so I'd like to think. =P)

Necklace - Modcloth (gifted) / Ring - Ruche / Earrings - Lane Bryant /
Nails - Re-fresh Mint (China Glaze)

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...

Shoe Power

Another new pair of shoes; another day's outfit that must surrender to their will.

Coral wardrobe pieces have all I've been able to think about lately. I might have found a coral pencil skirt (either some tailoring or a return is necessary), but I was overjoyed at finding these sandals. They're just the perfect shade of pinky orange I've been looking for! Though I've worn them with long denim that almost hides them here, I can't wait to break them out for, oh, practically every outfit I plan to wear this spring and summer.

Sandals - Nine West "Bigspender" (via Endless) / Nails - "Tart Deco" (Essie)

The sweater is a relatively new clearance find at LOFT, too. I've had some difficulty finding the right outfit for it, though. Ironically, I thought I would wear it with everything when I had tried it on in the fitting room. Isn't that how it is? Fitting room mirrors seem to be enchanted, luring a shopper into believing absolutely anything about a potential new clothing item. I figured I could wear it with pencil skirts, skinnies, jeans...but with each of these (I've now tried two options) the proportions were off, and additional layering or accessorizing with the top is rather difficult. I definitely love the colors, but I'm not sure this particular use of stripes is my friend - maybe just a distant relative.

Hence the shoes. One almost plus one OMGILOVEYOU equals not too shabby right? Let's just say yes. Besides, I found another outfit for this necklace!

Sweater - LOFT / Jeans - Lane Bryant / Ring - Ruche /
Necklace - Modcloth (gifted) / Clutch - eloquii

The Affair of the Necklace

I finally found an outfit for this necklace! I've been holding on to it ever since December, when I got it from my mom as a birthday gift. It's ironic, because I'd been lusting after it forever, claiming that if I ever did get my hands on it I'd wear with everything. Well, it's not been that easy! I've tried to wear it a few times but I never could find an outfit that worked - the size and shape of it is quite overwhelming even for a girl who loves statement necklaces! The combination of colors and proportion in this outfit finally seemed to hit the mark.

I've decided blazers don't photograph well for me, though. Okay, the real reason is that none of my mine fit properly, but the thought of getting them tailored intimidates me. This one is particularly bulky, and I don't really wear it much as a result, but it's such a pretty dusty purple that I can't get rid of it. (Or, you know, get it tailored.) I particularly loved the idea of it paired with the darker purple top underneath. And the layers of the two with the minty green beaded goodness of the necklace was perfection.

Corduroy blazer - LOFT / Top - The Limited / Flare denim - Lane Bryant /
Clutch - eloquii / Boots - CL by Laundry

Necklace - Modcloth / Earrings - The Limited (?) / Ring - Banana Republic

Musical

I attended a remarkable concert last night: the St Olaf Choir's 100th Anniversary Tour. It was a concert that made me miss the act of making music, especially singing in a choir. Yep, little known fact, I was a singer in college (a pianist, too), and some of my most cherished memories involve choirs and the music we created. The sound of the voice, of the harmonies and dissonances possible, the tone colors, the texts - these have always moved me more than anything else. And I just miss it. The choir's performance was inspiring: impassioned yet restrained, spiritual, genuine and nearly flawless. And it's got me thinking that I need to find ways to make music again...

Lucille lace skirt - c/o Kiyonna / Fur collar cardigan - Eloquii / Camisole - Eloquii /
Platforms - Nine West  "Hopefloat" (via 6pm.com)

And so, a remarkable night calls for a remarkable outfit, does it not? (Or is it that a remarkable outfit calls for a remarkable night?) Absolutely. I received the luxurious Lucille Lace Skirt from Kiyonna just in time for this concert, and it was just what I wanted to wear for the occasion. It fits like a dream - comfortably fitted and hitting ever-so-perfectly below my knees. The seaming in the front draws nice lines along the body, and the champagne underlay is so classic and elegant. I felt like a million bucks; I felt like I owned the place (though in my position I guess in a sense I already do), commanding attention, respect, and even desire from all who crossed my path. Okay, okay...I might be getting carried away, but isn't that we should feel everyday? It never fails to amaze me what power clothing can have...

I did have some trouble fining the perfect top, however. Black lace over nude lining makes for rather limited outfit choices. The right silhouette, restrained details, and good structure were also important to me. I needed to find something that stood up to the skirt but didn't detract from it, something that highlighted my curves while highlighting the skirt itself.

I decided I needed to stick with a black top, using color where I could in other accessories. A buttoned cardigan seemed too plain, but I didn't have much else in my wardrobe (believe it or not). A portrait collar could be glorious, but I didn't have anything in the right color or material. (Velvet? No.) But thanks to Eloquii's 46% Superbowl day sale, I thought I'd try this fur collar wrap cardigan of theirs. It was final sale, but it was cheap and getting great reviews. I thought that its v-neck and wrap shape (which Kiyonna's ever-amazing Evania also recommended) would offer the perfect silhouette. The fur collar was a great detail on its own, but it also seemed a perfect complement to lace. (I'll have to thank the trends for this one.) It wasn't until I received it in the mail and tried it on did I realize that it really was the perfect top for the skirt. I could stop looking!

Ring - Banana Republic / Necklace - Anthropologie / Earrings - The Limited

I waited to choose accessories until I put everything on, rummaging through all my jewelry for the right color component. My inclination was turquoise, mainly because it was the same direction I went with the gold and black palette for NYE. But this was also why I wanted to do something different. Gold, definitely, but I need a little extra color somewhere. After a few misfires, I came to this striking peach stone necklace. It was just the right amount of color I was after, allowing me to leave my earrings and ring to simple golds. The only obvious choice in all of this were nude platforms, come to think of it...

A harmonious outfit, I dare say. Music to my ears. =)

Post-performance in the Lower Foyer of the Great Hall

New Territory

I bring you my first Eloquii purchase!

I kind of ignored their initial launch last fall. Though I loved their concept, I didn't care for anything they offered at the time, thinking it a rather boring and meager plus-sized selection of items from its older sister, The Limited. But after continued buzz over the past few months, I decided to give them another look. I was very pleased to see a much larger selection of items this time around, especially fabulous dresses and - wait for it - pencil skirts!

Cardigan - LOFT / Lace top - LOFT / Pencil skirt - Eloquii / Heels - Nine West

I am always, endlessly, often fruitlessly searching for well-made, great-fitting, just-below-knee-length pencil skirts. Basic colors are my bare minimum, but fun, bright ones - especially the perfect red - have become a personal holy grail. Now, I know Talbots technically fits that entire bill and then some, but I cannot justify shelling out $100+ per skirt, especially when I tend to buy in multiples when I find things that really work. So when I happened upon the selection of pencil skirts at Eloquii, I was thrilled! Teal! Purple! Basic browns, blacks and blues! And $60 with 40% off (at the time)!! Free shipping both ways (no risk to find the perfect fit)! YES TO ALL! Well, at least to teal and brown. For now, anyway.

Handbag - Furla Carmen Shopper Grande Handbag (via BBOS)

And it's a great skirt. The fit is generous, the length is ideal, and the color is saturated. It's lined and it even has a wide waistband that makes tucking in shirts perfection. I went with my usual size on bottom, 16, and while it fits a little bigger than a 16 at Lane Bryant or Talbots, I find that my post-holiday body prefers it that way. The only blip is a little extra room at the top hip, but it's not too noticeable and it fits well everywhere else. As you can see from the pictures, the skirt lays beautifully, and it is wonderfully comfortable.

What I'm most exited about is how this skirt has opened up all kinds of new outfit opportunities, breathing new life into one-hit-wonder tops. Ah, the combinations are endless!! I've always been a basic-colored-bottom kind of girl (if you haven't noticed), so this is really new territory for me. And I love it!

Ring, earrings and necklace - Banana Republic