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!

Featherweight

Shocking - I'm behind again! Tis the season, right? (I hope?) As always, I'll blame work - though, ironically work is the reason I dress half as well as I do. I'm not behind on pictures, though! Boyfriend has been working with me to diligently take pictures every day, which means I do have lots to blog about. So, I thought I'd post this real-time entry tonight, then tomorrow - since I'm off (and after working all weekend you better believe I'm taking off), I plan to play some bloggerific catch-up.

I love this outfit. I love how I feel in it. If you've been following this outfit diary of mine at all, you know my penchant for pencil skirts. I'll take any opportunity I can get to turn myself into a 40s bombshell. =) 

Top - Anthropologie / Blue pinstripe pencil skirt - Simply Be / Faux suede pumps - Payless

The top is actually the first item I've ever purchased from Anthropologie. A sale item, I found it in a size too small, but it was insta-clothing-love. This top has everything I look for in an article of clothing (hm, have I said that before?) - architectural but feminine detail, good color palette, interesting but simple print. Special. As my first Anthropologie purchase, too, it made me fall deeply in love with the store, and I've been mildly obsessed ever since.

This was in March, by the way - and today was actually my first wearing of the top. Why wait so long for its debut, you ask? Well, I really wanted to wear it with a pinstripe blue pencil skirt - and they are actually pretty hard to find! Thank you, Simply Be, for having one not only in my size and desired color, but having one that hits below my knees! Seriously, why is a pencil skirt of that length so hard to find!?!?  I honestly believe it's not only the most flattering length for my body, but that it tends to look fabulous on most women. When properly fitted, there's just something about the silhouette that highlights every inch of a woman's curves in the most wonderful way.

The occasion? A HUGE day of nonstop holiday festivities at work. Indeed, I'd been dying for the right time to debut this outfit, and I felt this was, but now that I have (and that I'm rockin' it so), I feel badly that I didn't wait to debut it for New Years. New Years also also happens to be our anniversary... Who knows, I may still wear it then, but the blog might not get to take part in the festivities. =) And, of course, the thrill of getting to wear it for the first time will have also worn off. (Er, hence my clothing addiction, eh...?)

Handbag - Tano "Minilisa" in Blue Marine

But, oh, this outfit also marks the homestretch for the holiday season in the performing arts. What a busy, busy weekend, but it was festive and exciting and joyful, and it's only downhill (on a sled) from here.

"Blog" is for Backlog

Dear friends! I'm so sorry for disappearing into the blogiverse for so long. Thanksgiving vacation was a welcomed and glorious time, and I spent so much time unplugged (well, except for online gift shopping) that I've found it hard to get back into the blogger groove! But, I'm back, more or less - a few (or more) pounds heavier but a whole lot more relaxed. And guess what? I'm just 5 heavy performance days and 2 crazy commencements (in one day) away from an even more wonderful trifecta of celebrations at the end of the month (birthday, Christmas, New Years/6 year anniversary). But, I've a lot of catching up to do in the meantime!

Today was an early day, but one that went super fast thanks to back-to-back children's performances. And you know what finished off this relatively easy-going day? I got to meet the super sweet, lovely and stylish Tania from What Would a Nerd Wear. This blogiverse is a small one, friends! It was great not to only meet a fellow grad student (if I in some way still consider myself one), a fellow blogger (even if she is off-the-charts more established), and a fellow clothing-lover (period), it was wonderful just to befriend yet another amazing lady. I do hope we become fast friends!

Sadly, I was an idiot and didn't even think to bring my camera to capture the visit (see how out of the blogging habit I am?), but she did (looking terribly cute in one of her 30-for-30 outfits), so maybe I'll try to finagle the picture from her. In the meantime, the usual outfit pictures shall follow!

An early morning means the hair goes up. I fell back on this comfy and generally forgiving sweater dress that I haven't yet worn this season, paired with taupe boots and big, long jewelry. I'd been looking for ages for a good sweater dress - that is, one that isn't super short and horribly bulky - so this was a great find from Kohl's last winter. Scoop neck, three-quarter length sleeves, and hits just below the knee. Score!! I still want one in a cozy winter white or beige, but navy blue will do too  - especially if it's any indication that it's my most worn color label...

Blue sweater dress - Kohl's / Taupe boots - Impo (via DSW)  /
Necklaces (yes, 2!) - Lane Bryant and The Limited (I think) 

And the Christmas decor is up! I LOVE the holidays - the colors, the music, parties with family and friends, the warmth inside in contrast to the cold outside... I find myself staying up much later than normal these days, just to sit in my living room with nothing but the Christmas lights on. And to watch The Holiday, which I might watch every day until the new year.

Tan pleated handbag - Steve Madden (via Endless.com)

Earrings - New York & Co. (I think)

Well, thanks for sticking with me, friends! Get ready for a holiday-packed weekend of outfits and Nutcracker galore. And maybe even some catch up from the last few days...

Going Rogue

What a day. Why does traveling have to be so difficult? Between making sure everything is packed and loaded in the car to, oh, spilling a full water bottle on the kitchen floor just as I was trying to walk out the door, I somehow manage to make every trip a traumatic experience. My BF and I seem to always almost break up in the process, too. (Don't worry - after 5+ years, we've learned to work though it.) Interestingly enough, as a Sagittarius, I'm supposed to love travel; I do not. Too much stress! In an ironic twist, I do happen to like driving, though...in some magical way, the nice long drive and a good playlist is often, and was, able to calm me down. The latte and almond croissant probably helped too...

This was, more or less, my traveling outfit. Normally, I would just wear yoga pants and a hoodie for a 5 hour drive, but I wanted to look slightly better since I was planning to hit an Anthropologie when I got into town. Well, I bypassed the Anthro trip thanks to crazy weather and impending rush hour traffic, but I do like how this casual number turned out.

Black jacket - Maurices / White scoop tissue tee - LOFT /
Flare leg jeans - Lane Bryant / Black and grey infinity scarf - eBay /
Black ankle boots - Sudini (via Endless.com)

I started plotting this outfit last week, wanting to do black and white layers with these (new) jeans (which I got during the $24.99 denim sale at Lane Bryant!) and accessorized with a striped scarf - a play on basics, I guess. I'm all about infinity/eternity/loop/circle scarves right now - I seem to want to buy every one I find (and they're surprisingly hard to find!). But, I didn't yet have a striped scarf in my closet, so I hunted this one down on eBay.

Blue Marine "Minilisa" - Tano

I would also like to mention that it was 70 degrees as I ran up and down the stairs with luggage and bags in layers and a scarf today. Not ideal. (Or at all normal for mid-November.) To be fair, I was dressing for WI weather, where it was 20 degrees cooler and these layers were perfectly appropriate. C'est la vie. Or really, such is weather in the Midwest...

I'll just leave you with this. On my way out of town, I stopped at our local co-op to pick up some fresh organic produce for the family Thanksgiving feast. (We're big advocates of organic and local.) One of the items on the menu was Brussels sprouts; they looked fantastic and I was in a hurry, so I quickly bagged a pound of them. Well, it seems one went rogue in the process:

I found the little guy in my scarf when I finally arrived at my mom's house, 5 hours later.....

I love God's sense of humor... =)

New Do!

I love the smell of freshly processed hair. Is that weird? Well, I do. Heaven. My cut and highlight was needed, as was the nap I think I had in the shampoo chair. The cut is more or less my "usual" - an angled asymmetrical bob with super short layers in the back. I keep thinking I'd love to have long hair again, but as is the case with most of us who've gone short, the growing out period is much too tedious to stick with. 

My color changes with the seasons. I tend to go darker in the cooler months and lighter in the warmer months. The highlights here are wonderfully subtle; my stylist went with a few reds and darker low lights. There are even a few very dark patches underneath the top layers, which isn't immediately noticeable, but gives a nice effect when it peeks through. This color is actually pretty damn close to my natural color, too, something I've wanted for some time now. 

I've been going to my stylist, Jake, for years now. He's fantastic, so I pretty much let him do whatever he wants to my hair, and in return we talk about the wildest stuff. He also cuts my BF's hair, so we end about talking about him too. Today, we talked about my blog...cuz he reads it. I find that hilarious. And terribly flattering!

I'm continually surprised when my friends talk to me about this little side project of mine. Of course, when I'm posting links to new posts daily on Facebook, that's bound to happen! I do greatly appreciate all of you, my readers - old friends, new friends, future friends, whether you comment or not. Thanks for reading. =))

I will say just one thing about the outfit. My jeans are - dare I say it - jeggings. Yes, folks, it can be done! A curvy girl can not only rock skinny jeans, but jeggings too! I'm actually really pleased with these LB jeggings, even though the elastic waist band makes me think of my grandmother's jean collection... Aside from that minor detail, they are wonderfully flattering, without making my legs look like sausages. Thanks to the lycra, too, all the loose bits and bobbles are sucked in, and even my butt looked pretty damn amazing. The color is a nice true dark denim, and the contrast stitching makes them look just like jeans. The length is good too - I'm 5'8" (ish) and these (in average) hit me just at my ankle, so they didn't bunch up at all in my boots. In terms of sizing, I'm generally a size 14 in LB jeans, sometimes bigger depending on the style. I had no problems with that size in these, and there's still plenty of give for those icky days. Now I just need to figure out what else to wear with them...

Slanted plaid blouse - Odille (Anthropologie) - Cream cami - LOFT /  Jeggings - Lane Bryant / Boots - Ciao Bella (via DSW) / Grape "Boogie Bucket" - Tano

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!

Do All the Work

Well, hello, Wednesday! In just two short days, I'll be on vacation! We've got an easy-going week at work, so I'm more or less on cruise control until then. The BF is going to New York for a few days to visit friends and to take his mind of the stresses of work, and I'll be traveling to WI to visit family for an extended holiday week; the BF will be joining us mid-week. I'll still have a nice long weekend to myself at home, so I fully plan to put up Christmas decorations! I hadn't decorated last year, which was the first time I hadn't decorated since I started decorating my own place. Last year was my first holiday season in this job, and I quickly realized how super busy it gets after Thanksgiving break (think 17 million performances of Nutcracker...and carol concerts...and jazz concerts...), so I hadn't ever gotten around to it. I didn't want to repeat that this year, however, so I promised myself I'd decorate at the start of the break rather than the end. Ah, the holidays....

Cardigan -Tabitha (Anthropologie) / Cami - Banana Republic / Denim pencil skirt - TJ Maxx /
Navy tights - Simply Vera (Kohl's) / Boots - Ciao Bella (via DSW) /. Orange skinny belt - The Limited

Other plans include cleaning (as always when BF is gone) - I HATE leaving our place messy when we'll be gone for a few days - and seeing Harry Potter, of course! Whoohooo! I will NOT be partaking of all the crazy when it opens, though. I'll be waiting a few days until things die down a little bit. But then again, maybe it'll take a few months for it to die down - this movie has been a LONG time coming! Another thing I'll not be partaking of is Black Friday. I love to shop, and I love a deal, but I hate crowds and lines and crazy people. Nope, Cyber Monday is the shopping day for me...!

Congo Green "Boogie Bucket" - Tano

Oh, what about the outfit? Nothing too much - wanted to be cute and put together but still casual, so I knew my boots would have to be involved. I just invested in about 10 pairs of tights, too, so I wanted to be sure to break 'em out. I only wish I could have found gold or mustard tights; that would have been fabulous with this sweater! (The Simply Vera line of tights at Kohl's is fantastic, by the way!) The sweater was another exciting Anthropologie sale find. I love a great print, especially when it also has some great embellishment! I continue to be on the hunt for a better fitting denim pencil skirt, though...

Necklace - Banana Republic / Earrings - Maurices

What are YOUR plans this holiday week/end?

Found Foliates

Sorry for my absence, everyone. I was sick yesterday so I stayed home in my usual comfies, complete with laundry and Harry Potter. No easing back into things today, however, since I was going to have a long day with events this evening. But I wanted to still look my best, even if I wasn't feeling it. Fake it 'till you make it, right?

Purple jacket - LOFT / Found Foliates Tank - Anthroplogie / Beige pencil skirt - NY&Co / Faux suede navy pumps - Payless

You've seen a few of these pieces before. The jacket was earlier paired with this orange strapless dress and the top was the finishing touch on this outfit I was building over the course a few months. I came up this particular combination when I was trying to figure out which skirt to wear with the top for that outfit, and I loved it so much that I wanted to wear it as soon as the opportunity presented itself. I love how the purple brings out the purples in the top, with the neutral light colored skirt balancing out the colors. My great pumps are a navy faux suede, which helps to pick up the blues in the top as well. A great print can take an outfit in a million different directions...

Necklace and earrings - Ten Thousand Villages

Handbag - Steve Madden (via Endless.com)

I wanted to be comfortable today, so I first tried pants in the same color as the skirt. I didn't like the proportions, however, so I talked myself into the skirt - Spanx and nylons and all. Comfort schmomfort.

Revisions

The last time I wore some of the pieces in this outfit, I wasn't terribly happy with the result. The idea behind it all was to pair browns and blacks together, unified by a sequin animal print tee. Among the problems with the first version was the choice of a skirt on the bottom, causing my proportions to be off, and not enough use of brown. So, as I contemplated what to wear tonight for work, I thought I'd revise the outfit and give it another try. I think I can say it was a success!

Black blazer - Lane Bryant / Animal print sequin tee - Ann Taylor / Brown wide-leg pants - NY&Co. / Black ankle boots - Sudini (via Endless.com)

To make the brown a more purposeful color, I swapped out the skirt for a good-fitting pair of brown pants, which also helped balance my proportions. I kept the tee untucked also for this reason, though doing so required the use of a longer jacket or sweater. For added structure, I oped for this three-quarter sleeve blazer. 

Handbag - Gustto (via BBOS)

I chose black boots instead of brown to help keep the balance of colors in check, and I added larger neutral-colored jewelry. No outfit of mine is complete with a pop of color, though, so I called upon my oversized fuchsia Gustto for the job.

Necklace - LOFT / Earrings - Maurices (?)

For a night I wasn't originally planning on working, I'm pretty pleased with how this came together! And given how crazy it was tonight, I'm just glad I decided to go into work in the first place. Now let my weekend begin!

Oh, What a Beautiful Morning...Oh, What a Beautiful Day...

I had a day today, folks. Not a bad day; just a day... So many things going on in one night that it'll make you're head spin. It made mine spin, anyway. All good things, though, all good things. Except my feet hurt. Beauty is pain, right?

So I put up my feet and flipped on the TV....wouldn't you know it, Oklahoma! is on! I get giddy and sentimental whenever this lovely old musical comes on TV. I played Laurie in high school. First starring stage role, first kiss (yep, on stage - pretty pathetic), and a lot of other good things were on their way... It was a rosy time of life, really. This movie has a wonderful way of bringing that all back. More than anything, I guess, it just really takes me back to my younger days, when the world was as big as it was small... (Isn't that what the musical is about, anyway?)

And now I'm an adult...more or less.

Blue animal print wrap dress - BCBG (via TJ Maxx) / Blue cami - LOFT / Gold embellished peep-toes - BCBG (via eBay) / Handbag  - Gustto (via BBOS)

Necklace and earrings - Banana Republic

The nostalgia is strong tonight, folks. What is it about the midnight hour that brings that out?