Night Out: Playing Hostess

I found this post as a draft when I was going some "spring cleaning" before getting down to regular posting business. I'm not sure why I didn't post it before...
                                                                                                                                                                  

I love going out to socialize with friends and try new experiences/cuisines but, being (f)unemployed has naturally limited my ability to do that. Despite that I can still spend time with everyone by staying in instead of going out! It's not as fancy but, can be just as fun if not more... While I was keeping things on the casual side (ahem, leggings) I still wanted to be a little fancy. How do you think I did?

• Top: guipure lace top, Lela Rose for Nieman Marcus/Target
• Bottom: great shapes leggings, courtesy of No Nonsense
• Shoes & Accessories: black kitten heel pumps, Coach; modified beige pearl earrings, Charming Charlie.gift from Cousin V

November 12, 2012: Any Given Monday

We've been over this before... Mondays are suit days and while this was last two Mondays ago it wasn't any different. There was orientation and other business to be had and any this suit was a no brainer. I have been mixing and matching the things in my closet for three years now which leads to some creative and fashion forward interesting combinations but, sometimes a suit is best. I have been conflicted about defaulting back to suits as an everyday wardrobe choice but, as I establish myself in the office it feels more comfortable and easy. The challenge is keeping it fashion forward. How do you keep your suits interesting but, still work appropriate?

• Top: purple long sleeved t-shirt, VanHeusen (same shirt different color here, here, here, here, and here); brown tweed blazer with floral details, George via The Unique Thrift Shop 
• Bottom: brown tweed skirt with floral details, George via The Unique Thrift Shop
• Shoes & Accessories: brown/black snake embossed ballet flats, Xhiliration for Target; silver circle necklace, Charming Charlie/gift from Cousin V; silver bead earrings, Tiffany & Co.; Neverfull GM, Louis Vuitton/gift from BF

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

Don't forget to enter to win a $50 Shabby Apple gift card!

June 12, 2012: White on White, A Risky Endeavor

You may or may not have gathered from my awkward poses and goofy faces that I am occasionally a klutzy/awkward person. No? Stop lying... Anyway, I say occasionally because sometimes I have ninja like reflexes that make absolutely NO sense, it's very hit or miss.  I thought I would tempt fate by trying this white on white combination again.

If you follow me on Twitter and listen to my ramblings you might have noticed that it didn't go so well this time around. As luck would have it I got salad dressing all over my top in the middle of the day. Thankfully I was able to save the day with some CVS Instant Stain Remover. It worked like a charm! Unfortunately, I then got black pen on my linen jacket and the stain remover was not as effective. I ended up in the office bathroom scrubbing away like a wash woman and there is still the slightest hint of a black line. Feeling that these things always come in threes I was totally paranoid for the rest of the day and managed to avoid whatever was headed my way, for now... How do you do when wearing white on white? Do you avoid it or embrace it?

• Top: white short sleeve sweater, LOFT (same shirt different color here, here, here and here); white linen blazer, Bitten via Steve & Barry's
• Bottom: brown knit pants, New York & Company
• Shoes & Accessories: silver Stella wedge pumps, Seychelles via DSW; shell hoop earrings, Charming Charlie/gift from Cousin V; Neverfull GM, Louis Vuitton/gift from BF

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

April 17, 2012: I've Got (Pastel) Yellow

As I have said before pastels are something that always make me thing of spring, warmer weather, easter, etc. While I would still wear pastels even if they weren't trendy it's nice that they are. What I found the most difficult about this pairing was the fact that a pastel yellow eyelet lace skirt might not be the most office appropriate thing but, paired with a blazer I think it's passable... what do you think? 

• Top: white short sleeved sweater, LOFT (same shirt different color here, here, and here); khaki safari blazer, LOFT  (same jacket different color here, here, here, here, here, and here)   
• Bottom: yellow eyelet lace skirt, GAP
• Shoes & Accessories: nude patent leather pumps, Apt. 9 via Kohl's; shell hoop earrings, Charming Charlie/gift from Cousin V; silver watch, Fossil; Neverfull GM, Louis Vuitton/gift from BF   

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

April 12, 2012: Great Hair Day

I’ll be honest I had a rough time sleeping the night before last so yesterday morning as I rolled out of bed and grasped at piles of clothes to put together an outfit for work I was less motivated by style and more so by function. In the end I am thoroughly unimpressed with my selection for today but, it’s clothes and it served the purpose.

On the other hand I will tell you something I do love about my look today, you guessed right: my hair. It is straight, relatively not frizzy, and shiny like whoa with very few split ends popping up. How did I achieve this follicular fluke? An extreme amount of deep conditioning! I spent the past two days conditioning my hair with my fav product, Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment then I did a leave in deep conditioner in the shower; I was not messing around! I am so thrilled with the results but, I don’t think this can be a regular thing. Tell me about your last great hair day.

• Top: ivory tank top, LOFT (same shirt different color here) with another tank top underneath for the modesty; green khaki blazer, GAP
• Bottom: brown knit pants, New York & Company
• Shoes & Accessories: silver hardware embellished flats, Preview via Nordstrom Rack; shell hoop earrings, Charming Charlie/gift from Cousin V; Neverfull GM, Louis Vuitton/gift from BF   

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

Blogger's Night Out

On Friday while everyone was getting into the swing of things for Fashion Week I was right there with them (in my mind) at Blogger's Night Out. There was also an event downtown sponsored by Lulu's.com which I didn't know about. Who felt like a lame blogger? That would be me but, I digress...

Blogger's Night Out was hoppin' either way; If you follow me on Twitter you might have noticed my live tweets from the events so you have an idea of all the action. This is me and my GF in the picture hot spot.

Plastics Make it Possible definitely had the most impressive display with a plethora of outfits composed entirely of items made from plastic! Love them... I think my favorite part of the night came when I was talking with one of the lovely ladies from Plastics Make it Possible to enter a giveaway for one of the snazzy outfits and she recognized my blog plus, said she was a follower! So surreal/awesome.

It was very crowded but, these pictures don't do it justice! It was a challenge to squeeze from one end of the bar to the other. I have to say there was alot more room last year which I appreciated while I was trying to make it around to see the different vendors or to the bar to get a yummy (free) drink.

The Style Lounge in the back, organized by Marshalls and TJ Maxx, provided a nice respite from the crowds up front at the bar. It was like finding a secret treasure trove...

This is just a small sampling of all the great items on display. Unfortunately, you couldn't buy or take anything home which was a little disappointing if you found something that you fell in love with like some ladies. There was one person I overheard saying that it was meant to be and the item that she found matched her outfit perfectly but, to no avail.

While their displays were a total tease Marshalls TJ Maxx definitely had the best game. Basically, they presented you with an item and you had to guess their retail prices based on the original MSRP. I won two things and my GF won an awesome purse. Lucky us! It got so popular that you couldn't guess again if you had already won and they eventually ran out of items.

After all the giveaway winners had been announced and the night wound down it was time to get gift bags and head out! It was a mad house because the gift bag pick up was at the coat check which was a little frustrating because I left my coat in the car to avoid that crowd in the first place... The moment when the night really ended was one some lady (accidentally) punched me in the ear trying to get her coat on. Thankfully I had a fun ride home with GF and some new friends and there was some fun swag to be had.

Did you go to Blogger's Night Out, the Lulus.com party, or some other even cooler thing that I didn't know about? How was it?

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a Shopbop giftcard!!

December 30, 2011: No Man's Land

I ran out of vacation days at the end of my Christmas break so I had to go into the office last Friday. I would have stayed home with BF given the chance (just like any other day) but, alas it was not meant to be (also just like every other day)! There were only a handful of people in the office and pretty much everyone who was there (besides me) was wearing jeans even though it was clearly not jeans day, awkward again...

• Top: gray v-neck shirt, Old Navy with a tank top underneath for the modesty
• Bottom: black true straight pants, GAP/gift from BF
• Shoes & Accessories: black ballet flats, Xhiliration via Target; shell hoop earrings, Charming Charlie/gift from Cousin V; Neverfull GM, Louis Vuitton/gift from BF

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