Blog and Learn

This outfit is brought to you by more leopard and teal! I had forgotten about his top in my small arsenal of teal choices, so I thought I'd take it out for a spin.

Top - The Limited / Skirt - Banana Republic (thrifted) / Belt - Old Navy /
Heels - Christian Siriano for Payless / Clutch - eloquii

I liked it the last time I had belted it, but this iteration doesn't quite do it for me. There's something about the top's proportions that just don't lend itself well to belting with contrasts, at least on this short-waisted bod of mine. In fact, I removed the belt - the lone leopard print - near the end of the night. In hindsight, I would have done without the belt (or the with the same tone-on-tone belt as last time) and worn my perfect leopard print heels instead. Oh well, that's why I blog, I guess: Take pictures and learn!

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

A Bit Spotty

I've jumped on that leopard print bandwagon like no one's business. And I have no shame. Especially since this top was yet another thrifted gem from my local consignment shop.

Leopard print top - thrifted / Brown pencil skirt - NY&Co. / Tank - Anthropologie

My favorite part of the top, aside from the fact that it was thrifted, is its twist front detail. It doesn't photograph very well without some carefully planned posing, so I tried belting it to help define the ol' waist. Belt it with a subdued sparkly gold belt I did, and I even did yet another photo shoot, but the boyfriend vetoed the belt in favor of the twist. He's right, of course.

Handbag - Steve Madden

I'm not really sure why, but I felt that I looked older, even matronly, in the top. It's just not a very youthful design, regardless of the animal print. Maybe it's the collar - I dunno. Cue bright pink pumps and big coral ring. I rather love the combination.

Ring - Ruche / Necklace - The Limited / Earrings - Anthropologie / Shoes - Nine West

Visions and Revisions

I don't really thrift much - I just don't have the patience for it. But once in a while I give it a shot and I happen upon a few gems. This brown houndstooth skirt, a Banana Republic skirt from back in the day when they made longer hemlines (Fall '06, to be exact), found its way to me from my local consignment shop. Seeing as all my favorite pencil skirts are from that time and place but no longer fit, I was pretty ecstatic to be able to thrift one in my current size.

Cardigan - Banana Republic / Tank - Anthropologie / Houndstooth pencil skirt - Banana Republic (thrifted)

This outfit did go through a few revisions today, though. At first I had on a purple/green/brown/grey printed top in a funky butterfly cut, but after seeing the first round of pictures, I realized how horribly unflattering it was on me. I loved the concept of the top, and the pattern mixing that resulted, but just not on me. I felt as grateful as Cher in Clueless for taking photographs of outfits. So I ran inside, quickly thumbed through my closet for a colorful top (wanting to stick with my fabulous new-to-me skirt on bottom) and settled on this (also new) cardigan. Its bright berry color was just what my fall-loving heart was after.

Handbag - Furla (via Filene's Basement)

I felt super vampy in this outfit, but that's what an animal print skinny belt, cardigan, pencil skirt and round-toe pumps will do to a curvy girl, eh? Move over, Joan.

Ring - Ruche / Necklace & Earrings - Banana Republic / Belt - The Limited /
 Brown buckle pumps - Christian Siriano for Payless

P.S. For all you literary lovers out there, my title for today's post comes out of probably my favorite poem of all time, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot.

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!

Copy Cat

This outfit is brought to you by Ariana's sensational pairing of mustard and purple!

Mustard cardigan - LOFT (thrifted) /Lavender twist-neck shell - LOFT / Leopard-print ponte knit skirt - Lane Bryant

I would have NEVER thought to put those colors together, but I just loved everything about it in her pictures. I became obsessed with the combination, really, and I started combing my closet to find comparable pieces. Sadly, I only really had the skirt! I wasted no time clicking through a number of online stores looking for that perfect mustard cardigan. I thought of Tania's J. Crew cardi that she styles so fabulously, and since it was on super duper sale (I could get it for $60) I was thisclose to getting it. But the more I thought about it, the more I really didn't want to spend that much money on what is essentially an impulse buy. (Proud moment for me!) Cue consignment shop trip, where I found a LOFT cardigan (the best basic cardis, in my opinion) still with tags on it, forheavenssake, for a mere $11 bucks (and $9 of that was paid for the balance I had from stuff I had consigned). This was happening! The only item in the ensemble that I purchased new was this super flattering twisted neck shell, and even that I got at 40% off! (Yay justification!)

Handbag - Tano "Homemade Cake"in Bordeaux

I loved all of Ariana's studs and fabulous chunky jewelry, but the minute I eyed this necklace on my wall-of-chains, and one I hadn't even worn yet (also purchased for a steal), I knew it would be the perfect accessory to tie everything together. Length, colors, size - perfect!

Necklace - LOFT

I copied Ariana right down to the monochromatic printed skirt and patterned tights!

Grey herringbone tights - Banana Republic / Grey suede pumps - Apt. 9 (Kohl's)

So thanks, Ariana, for this stroke of genius of an outfit! I just loved putting this together, and more importantly, wearing it. =))