Close Out

What is going on with the lighting in this picture? I will have to talk with my photographer (AKA Hubby) about that.... Maybe he was letting his artistic spirit move him but, that only works when the goal of being able to see my ensemble is concurrently achieved. Perhaps flash next time? Perhaps I will check that everything came out ok on picture taking day before we head in from photos so I'm not stuck with a weird picture at the end of the week. While I could Photoshop and filter (the crap out of) this picture I prefer not to, I'm an all natural beauty kind of gal thankfully I was wearing something bright so you can see me in the darkness. If you are a blogger, do you filter your photos before you post them? If so, why?

Enough blog shop talk. Casual Friday (denim included) was alive and well with me this week. My manager was out of the office on vacation all week so, I was holding down the fort which went well enough but, was definitely exhausting. After all the craziness and running around a t-shirt and leggings jeans seemed like the perfect wardrobe solution to close out the week. It worked out especially since I ended up staying late and burning the "midnight" oil. What a way to spend a Friday, thank goodness for the weekend! Do you have any fun plans?

• Top: yellow t-shirt, Lilly Pulitzer via Clementine
• Bottom: denim cuffed capri pants, Rock & Republic via Ashby
• Shoes & Accessories: black Olive sandals, Dolce Vita; black pearl earrings, International Gem & Jewelry Show

I'm linking up with Fab Favorites, Favorite Fashion Friday, Passion 4 Fashion, and Casual Friday

Weekend Wonting

Is it Friday yet? I feel like it should be, don't you? Can't you just feel the long weekend calling? No? Ok, fine... let's talk about this shirt. You all (should) know how I feel about stripes. They contribute heavily to a fashion wasteland but, sometimes I'm into it so it's no big deal. This simple navy and white striped shirt is a big deal (to me) though. I spent months (seriously) searching in thrift/regular stores to find the most classic of striped shirts to no avail.

I finally caved and started searching online and wasn't having significantly different luck... After a few tries perusing Google Shopping I came across the website for Christopher & Banks and they had exactly what I wanted (finally) it so I ordered it based on the size chart and waiting with bated breathe for it to arrive. When the shirt came it was HUGE, I should have just ordered a few sizes to try on because that is the story of my life but, I digress... when I went back on the website almost all the sizes were sold out in almost all the colors and I (still) had no idea what size I am was so, I took a chance and ordered the smallest size based on my experience trying on the first shirt and it fits well... who knew?

• Top: navy and white striped shirt, Christopher & Banks
• Bottom: khaki green capris, Not Your Daughter's Jeans via Marshalls
• Shoes & Accessories: nude flats, Coach; pearl earrings, Macys; vintage pearl necklace, my grandmother's jewelry box 

Casual (Non-Denim) Friday

After my introspective "to jean or not to jean" question last Friday it was still on my mind as casual Friday rolled around again. As I planned my (last minute) outfit  I considered all the valid points from the article I tweeted that were made in support of skipping denim like:

• Is the traditional practice really in the best interest of the unstoppable, career-driven women of today. 
• The idea wasn't created with women’s fashions in mind...  What’s the female equivalent of skipping the tie and jacket?
• Female leaders, whether we like it or not, have long been relying on style to help gain respect, influence or power in ways in which men frankly have not had to
• While there is still a clear uniform for men, women instead have endless options, and each possible choice invites its own scrutiny from others

So, despite my true desires, I decided not to wear jeans on Fridays. While my actions were contrary to how I normally feel they were made much easier compounded by the fact that I was giving a formal performance evaluation to someone. In that moment, when your entire interaction is imbued with corporate structure and formality, it made sense. We'll see about next Friday... 

• Top: blue gray ruffle embellished cardigan, Merona 
• Bottom: black capri pants, Lands End
• Shoes & Accessories: leopard print flats, Seychelles; silver bead earrings, Tiffany & Co. 

August 3, 2011: Back to Brown

No, I'm not completely reverting back to the hallway but, it was raining and I like to stay dry... 

Pre-blog the color combination in this outfit would have been a no brainer. Light brown plaid pants with a darker brown top = automatic; but, since taking of this personal style challenge I have constantly been challenging myself step out of my comfort zone and try new things like pairing these light brown bottoms with yellow or blue (crazy, I know). What was so wrong with just pairing it with brown? I think this phenomenon is a trap that we really should try to avoid... Yes, yellow and blue do look great with these pants (hence the shoes and bag) but, that doesn't mean that the most basic combinations don't work as well!  Do you, as a blogger, shun pairings you used to make because they are too "safe"?

• Top: brown short sleeve scoop neck sweater, GAP (same sweater different color here and here) with a tank top underneath for the modesty
• Bottom: brown plaid capris, New York & Company
• Shoes & Accessories: turquoise peep toe flats, Xhiliration via Target; gold filagree earrings, AVON gift from Mom; yellow should bag

Items from this outfit are previously seen and remixed here, here, here, here, here, and here:

July 14, 2011: A Neutral Party

Apparently these pants lead themselves to be paired with neutral items of clothing. I will have to shake that up moving forward... next time hot pink sweater (or something similar)! There is no reason to play it safe every time I wear them, right? Maybe it's this new office which has led me to be a little more conservative maybe...

Do you have clothing items like this? You know, the ones the draw you to other staples like they were made to be put together... How do you break out of that mold?

• Top: white ruffle button down blouse, LOFT; brown and black zebra print cardigan, New York & Company
• Bottom: black capri pants, New York & Company
• Shoes & Accessories: silver Stella wedge pumps, Seychelles via DSW; my abuela's vintage silver hoop earring; purple shoulder bag, Coach

Items from this outfit are previously seen here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here:

July 6, 2011: Perfect Combinations

This outfit fit the bill on so many levels! I woke up feeling a bit under the weather but, headed to work despite that. The comfort and ease of capris combined with the loose drapey fit of the top was completely ideal. Also, I am loving this new purple cardigan with yellow!

After work some people wanted to go out and grab a drink for a co-worker's birthday at a local pub. I was happy to oblige and this outfit worked perfectly. Not that I think that anyone there was caring what I wore...

Even after I said goodbye to the birthday girl I still had a few errands to run but, these new sandals carried me through without any issues except for when someone let a door close on my pinkie toe... that hurt alot! You'll be seeing alot more sandals while I heal, I can't confine by poor tootsie to a real shoe right now.

What are your go to comfy outfits? Do they fit it with the dress code at work?

• Top: yellow ruffle collar shirt, LOFT; purple cardigan, Merona via Target
• Bottom: white pinstripe capris, New York & Company
• Shoes & Accessories: silver Genero Sandal, SE Boutique via DSW, my abuela's vintage silver hoop earring; blue Foley + Corrina City Clutch via Plaza Too

Items from this outfit are previously seen and remixed here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here:

June 15, 2011: Total Humpday

I might not have felt my regular case of "The Mondays" this past Monday but, today I am painfully aware that it is only Wednesday. I am also without interesting words, darn you Wednesday...

• Top: blue crochet neck blouse (same shirt different color here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here)
• Bottom: brown plaid capris, New York & Company
• Shoes & Accessories: silver cutout flats, Merona via Target; silver and gold teardrop earrings, V'ta Jewelry; brown suede purse with silver leaf embellishments, GAP

Items from this outfit are previously seen and remixed here, here, here, and here:

June 9, 2011: Remain Neutral

Guys, it is going to be 100°!! Well, not quite yet but, it will be by the afternoon. With all this heat I struggled to put an outfit together that was office appropriate but, wouldn't melt me. Ironically, I have been trying wear blazers all week and make that work for the summer but, it's just too hot!

In that arduous search I discovered another summer staple of professional wear that I am missing, traditional cardigans! I have three, honestly (this one, this one, and this one.) I also realized that the cardigan is the best alternative to the blazer during the warmer month when they are out of the question unless you want to fade from heat stroke trying to make it to your air conditioned office building. I know, I know 2 + 2 = 4... Do you have any other blazer alternatives that you utilize during the summer?

• Top: brown tank top, New York & Company with another tank top underneath for the modesty; gray ruffle trim cardigan, LOFT/birthday gift from BF's parents
• Bottom: black capri pants, New York & Company
• Shoes & Accessories: black Dolce Vita sandals, via Nordstrom; pearl earrings, pearl earrings, Macy's/birthday gift from Mom; gray and black purse, Pietro Alessandro 

Items from this outfit are previously seen and remixed here, here, and here:

October 21, 2010: Memory Lapse

Today I am operating on very little sleep and am delirious! I must be because I seem to have forgotten that it is pretty darn cold outside and am wearing an outfit that could/would probably work for spring or early summer. Note to self, check the weather before getting dressed. I should be fine once I get to my office, hopefully... On another note, I don't mean to look a gift horse in the mouth (where did that saying come from? O, here's something on that) but, since when is tomorrow Friday?

• Top: yellow short sleeved sweater, GAP
• Bottom:  brown plaid capris, New York and Company
• Shoes & Accessories: silver cut out flats, Merona for Target (similar and on sale here, I should have picked them up while they still had them in my size as a replacement. These are falling apart...) FYI if you pick up the the October 2010 edition of Real Simple there is a 20% off Merona coupon in there, or you could just rip it out at the grocery checkout... either way!; silver bead earrings, Tiffany & Co.; brown leather tote bag, Bulga   

Items from this outfit are previously seen here and here:

Powered by GoodWidgets.com

August 19, 2010: Before The Sun Rises

I told one of my friends that I would give them a ride to the airport this morning since it would take them significantly longer to get there on public transportation at this time. Due to the earlier than normal hour of today's departure from home I am all about being super comfortable but, still work appropriate since I will probably head straight into the office once I drop her off. Is it the most flattering look in the world? Perhaps not although, the rhinestone epaulets are pretty awesome but, I digress... Either way, the aforementioned flattery wasn't really the driving force behind today's outfit. Ideally, I strive for comfortable and stylish looks but, occasionally there are days like today where practicality trumps the norm. Does every outfit you wear need to be complimentary to your body or are there days when you sacrifice that for comfort?

• Top: gray jewel drapey top, LOFT birthday gift from Mom
• Bottom: white pinstripe capris, New York and Company
• Shoes & Accessories: silver gladiator sandals, Isaac Mizrahi for Target (similar and on sale here); silver bead earrings, Tiffany & Co.; black spy bag, Fendi

Items from this outfit are previously seen here:

July 9, 2010: Going Through The Motions

I got so many compliments yesterday on my sandals! Which was great but, as an added bonus I noticed that they are already stretching a bit. I passed along the info to everyone who asked me where I got them. In one case the person in questions literally ran back to her office so she could order them in her size... Sure Payless, I'll take some free sandals as commission for all my promoting! How about these?

I'm excited about it being Friday today but, at the same time not as much as I could be if I didn't have a million important things to do this weekend. So getting ready this morning was all about going through the motions... Denim on the bottom? Check. Flip Flops (even though they are not allowed)? Check. T-Shirt? Check. Shirt I would normally wear to work? Check. Counting down the minutes till 5PM? Check!

• Top: red floral print blouse, Old Navy with a tank top underneath for fun
• Bottoms: dark denim capris, Macy's
• Shoes & Accessories: purple flip flops, Bitten via Steve & Barrys (just as comfortable as Havianas but, a small fraction of the cost... come back Steve! How about you Barry?); Tiffany & Co. silver bead earrings; blue Foley + Corrina City Clutch gifted via Plaza Too (not pictured because you've seen them before and I'm being a bit lazy)

Items from this outfit are previously seen here, here, and here:

Powered by GoodWidgets.com

June 16, 2010: Back To Work

First of all what do you think about 260 Days, No Repeats make over? Blogger has made it really easy to customize the layout and manipulate the template in almost every aspect. It's been a long time coming and I couldn't be happier! I hope you like it...

I'm headed back to work today which I'm sure is going to be a whirlwind of emails, voicemails, and people stopping by to visit but, that's ok. Unfortunately, I still feel like I need a legit vacation. But, thank goodness it's going to be a short week!

• Top: orange dolman sleeve top, Xhiliration via Target
• Bottom: white pinstripe capris, New York and Company
• Shoes & Accessories: silver gladiator sandals, Isaac Mizrahi for Target (similar here); coin pearl necklace, V'ta; coin pearl earrings, borrowed from mom then altered; blue Foley + Corrina City Clutch via Plaza Too

June 7, 2010

Mondays are lame for the most part but on a positive note, today is the first day of Summer Black-Out 2010. This week I'll be challenged, yet again, to creatively utilize my wardrobe to meet this brand new goal! Today I am using beige, gray, and even denim as neutrals! I would definitely be rocking a skirt if I didn't have to sit in front of a slew of job applicants and administer a group interview but, I do therefore I'm playing it safe with pants. I learned that lesson the hard way when I was a newbie; there is no Sharon Stone via Basic Instinct here, people! But,I digress...

• Top: bright green sweater, New York and Company with a tank top underneath for the modesty
• Bottom: beige tweed capris, Ann Taylor
• Shoes & Accessories: denim slingbacks, Christian Louboutin via A Second Chance ReSale; moonstone and peridot (my birthstone) necklace, gifted; Tiffany & Co's silver bead earrings, gifted; purple Coach bag

May 21, 2010

This is the last day of floral week and the sun has finally been coaxed completely out of hiding! I am not sure how I'm going to pick out my outfits for work next week without some sort of theme. If I did a new theme week what would you like to see? I can make a cool banner and everyone can join in on the fun!

• Top: ivory t-shirt with beaded rosette detail, Merona for Target
• Bottom: dark denim capris, Macy's
• Shoes & Accessories: bronze sandals with genuine stone embellishments, bo'em via DSW; tiger's eye earrings, local jewelry store; gray Balenciaga Le-Dix/motorcycle bag

May 7, 2010

Yesterday I got SO many compliments on my dress! I love when something so simple and classic can be such cause for conversation!

Today I am not feeling the standard Friday theme. Maybe it's because I had a break mid-week, or because I have alot of work to do, or perhaps it's some other unknown reason... I just can't put my finger on it! Don't get me wrong I love the weekends but, I have a feeling that this one will come and go pretty quickly without that satisfying sense of rest.

• Top: lilac vintage Lacoste polo, via mom/thrifted
• Bottom: dark denim capris, random brand that fit via Macy's
• Shoes & Accessories: black Rocket Dog sneakers; handmade silkscreened scarf from Lyon, France via Little Brother during his study abroad tied as a headscarf for a vintage feel; swarovski crystal earrings, Pennyweights; silver L.A.M.B bag via Loehmann's

April 28, 2010

Do you like the new picture background? I moved to another spot in my hallway, super exciting!!! It's still a work in progress... One day I will take fantastic pictures but, practice makes perfect and today is not that day.

The sun is peeking it's head out and even though it's still cold I'm feeling excited about not being head to toe covered up. Time for capris! Sadly, I think part of the reason that my outfit doesn't look ah-mazing in this mediocre picture is because the items of clothes are a little big on me, especially the shirt. I thought I weeded all those items out of my closet... I guess not. This shirt might need to go in the donation bag when I get home.

I am trying to find similar and affordable versions of what I am wearing because not many items from my wardrobe are currently in stores now since the whole point of this is to not buy (a ton) of new clothes. Is that something that interests you? Leave me a comment and let me know.

• Top: aqua wrap shirt, New York and Company with white tank top under (for the modesty)
• Bottom: brown plaid capris, New York and Company (similar-ish here)
• Shoes & Accesories: bronze ballet flats, Me Too via DSW (similar here); chunky multi stone necklace, picked up at a local jewelry store (similar here); yellow alley bag (similar *vegan option* here)