Wednesday, January 26, 2010

Sweater: New York & Company

Shirt: New York & Company

Tank (unseen): Gap

Jeans: Old Navy

Necklaces: The Limited

Boots: Wal-mart

Egad! Someone needs to use some of her free time wisely and bust out the tanning lotion because my-oh-my, Mama's looking pale!

Or it could just be that the sun has finally made an appearance here in the dismal Mid-west and its reflection on the snow in the backyard makes for some blindingly pale pictures.

Yeah, I think I'll go with the second one.

I picked up these gray skinny jeans at Old Navy last week for $5.99. They are very low rise in the back, if you catch my draft er, I mean, drift, but I figured for six bucks I can just wear them with longer tops and be totally fine.

Now that I look at the picture, I kind of wish I'd added a big cuff bracelet. I thought piling on the necklaces was enough, but since the sleeves are shorter I feel like it needed something at the wrist too. What do you think?

Monday, January 25, 2010

Sweater: Old Navy

Tank: Gap

Denim: Express

Necklace: Forever 21

Boots: Wal-mart

Want to hear a dirty little secret? I wear these black fleece lined boots nearly every day during the winter. They are far and away my favorite pair of winter boots - and they came from Wal-mart!

There it is, boys and girls, I ain't too proud to admit - the item that gets the most wear in my closet is a $19.98 blue light special from Wal-mart.

When I bought them two winters ago, I thought I'd be lucky if they lasted the winter. I was tired of freezing my toes off while running errands in sneakers and I refused to dish out $150 for a pair of Uggs that would be ruined by snow and ice. Enter these boots and a little scotch guard once a month. They take a lickin' and keep on tickin'. Snow, ice, sleet - they don't care. They keep my toes toasty warm and look rather stylish while they're at it.

My only regret is that I didn't buy them in brown too!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Dress: New York & Company

Leggings: New York & Company

Necklace: The Limited

Boots: Charles by Charles David

First, let's start with the hair - it has been gray and nasty for literally days here. I have completely forgotten what the sun looks like. The constant drizzle and cold has made my hair a limp, nasty mess. Blah.

Second, after several days of not leaving the house, you'd think I'd be ecstatic to get dressed up for date night. In theory, this is correct. In my dreams, I had lofty plans for a sexy date night look. In practice, I spent too much time looking for a job playing around on the internet and left myself too little time to get dressed. This was the result. Try not to judge too harshly.

See Sara Shop

Anyone know where I can find a black and white striped long-sleeved shirt like the one Ellen wore on her show a few days ago? Even a turtleneck would be fine. Just has to be thin enough to layer under stuff.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Tank: Express

Sweater: The Limited

Jeans: Express

Boots: Old Navy

It has been cold, gray and rainy for days on end here (seriously, so many I have lost count!) but I had a list of errands a page long that couldn't be put off any longer, so I bundled up and forged ahead.

I wish I'd taken a close up of the stripes in my tank top. It's cream and gold, with shimmery little gold strands in the gold stripes. It's hard to tell in the picture, but it really looked cute paired with this cream knit sweater.

My knock-off cardi boots are some of the warmest I own but I'm always nervous to wear them when the weather is bad! That is actually true of most of my shoes, but I'm quickly getting over that this winter! One can't wear rubber rain boots every single day - no matter how cute they are!

I had a girlfriend ask me the other day how I keep my skinny jeans tucked into my boots all the time. She was complaining that her jeans always ride up and bunch around the knee, so she is reluctant to wear knee high boots with anything but tights. I gladly shucked my boots and showed her my little secret and thought I'd share it here with you guys, too - sweatbands!
You know, those little terry cloth things that old men use at the gym to keep from drowning in their own sweat? $2.00 a pair at Wal-mart and the perfect solution to keeping pants snugly tucked in to boots. I pull mine on over my pants, and then fold the denim up over them so that my pants don't bunch around the crook of my boot and irritate my ankles. TA-DA! Perfectly tucked boots every time!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

T-shirt: The Limited

Jersey: NFL Shop

Jeans: Express

I'm not normally one to wear my heart on my sleeve, but today I'm wearing it on both my sleeves...and my front...and my back!

The whole town is abuzz with support for the boys in blue as they take on the Ravens tonight in the playoffs. Even the atmosphere at Wal-mart was downright jovial - more like a giant blue pep rally than the usual race-to-the-death for the chip aisle.

Of course, I am showing some love for my favorite hoss - Peyton Manning, the record setting four-time NFL MVP. It's okay - Nate is well aware of my love for all things Peyton. He puts up with my school girl crush, kind of like I put up with his (rather questionable) love for a certain Black-Eyed Pea.

Hopefully the boys can overcome the Colt Play-Off Curse and give us a big old 'W' tonight. They better, because they certainly should be *ahem* well rested.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Yoga top and pant: New York & Company

Tank: Old Navy

Slippers: Dearfoams

In the interest of keeping things real around here, this is what I've been looking like the last couple of days. Well, not this exact same outfit, of course, because that would be gross. I do have some standards, unemployed or not. But this is my general uniform when I am at home: tank top, yoga pants, some sort of long sleeved top and slippers. In fact, I have a whole collection of yoga outfits and tank tops, amassed during my days as a work-from-home gal, when my biggest fashion challenge was whether to wear the striped tank or the polka dotted one.

But never fear, gentle readers, while I have been mostly holed up in the house this week, attempting to look be productive, this phase won't last long. Eventually every surface will be cleaned, every closet decluttered, every project tackled, every movie watched and I will be climbing the walls to get dressed up and go out. Until then, I've got some fun posts planned to keep ya'll entertained. So stick around, ya hear?

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

T-shirt: Gap

Sweater: New York & Company

Jeans: Express

Boots: Gifted

Necklace: The Limited

I spent the better part of Tuesday cleaning the house and making it at least appear that I had been mildly productive by the time Nate came home from work. The sun was finally shining and the snow beginning to melt today, so I decided to take a little field trip to run some errands and get my car cleaned. White car + two weeks of snow + salty streets = One Hot Mess.

We finally saw a day that reached higher than freezing (woohoo! 40 degrees!) and I took full advantage by running around without a winter coat. Two years ago, this would have seemed unlikely, if not down right impossible. As a tried and true Southerner, anything less than 50 degrees requires a coat and possibly, a hat and mittens. No more! The slightest hint of weak sunshine-y rays and I am all about leaving the coat at home. The better to show off my cute outfit, right?

This post would not be complete without a shout out to my mom, who got me these boots for Christmas after seeing me mention them just days before we went home for the holidays. Thanks to Endless.com and their free next day shipping, they were waiting for me under the tree on Christmas Day. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Dress: New York & Company

Tights: ?

Shoes: Steve Madden

Bracelet: New York & Company

Necklaces: Amy Cornwell

Coat: Ann Taylor Loft

Well, boys and girls, big juicy news here today. A certain fashionable someone got sacked from her oh-so-crummy job this morning. I was forewarned yesterday by a colleague who was in-the-know, so I was completely prepared for it when they finally got around to it this AM. And what's more appropriate to wear to one's sacking than a sack dress? Get it? I crack myself up.



Never fear, my faithful readers, while it certainly sucks the big one to lose the paycheck, I'm not too broken up about losing the job. Anyone who follows me on Twitter knows I wasn't a big fan of that place, so it's all good in my hood today.

Today's coat is brought to you by the letter A, T and L. Another bit of military inspiration for you today, this time in navy. So now that I've managed to cover Air Force and Navy, perhaps I should be on the hunt for a Marine Corp coat? Perhaps a rain jacket? Just kidding.

I wore my latest pieces from Amy Cornwell Designs today. I've been wearing out the washer necklace I got from her a few weeks ago and really wanted a trio of the tiny stamped mini necklaces. When she put them on sale last week (sorry, it was one day only!), I knew it was my moment! They say Faith, Hope and Love and they came in the cutest teeny-tiny box. Totally in love with them!

Friday, January 8, 2010

Sweater: The Limited

T-shirt: Old Navy

Jeans: Express

Bracelets: New York & Company

Boots: Enzo Angiolini

Coat: New York & Company

I originally planned to wear something else today, but the wet weather outside nixed it when I couldn't find appropriate footwear for tromping through the snow. Suede boots? Tres inappropriate for six inches of snow!

So I pulled out an old trusty standby. I've owned this sweater for ages. I always feel cute in this outfit, so when I don't know what else to wear, I turn to this like Linus to his blue blankie. Ah, security!



And since the weather outside is frigid as of late, I thought I'd start featuring a few of my (many) winter coats. Prior to moving North a few years ago, I owned two heavy winter coats which I could often avoid even wearing until mid-January. Now? I dare say it's closer to a dozen, although I'm kind of afraid to actually count them.

I try to limit my purchases to one new coat per year, but clearly that has not worked. I find such amazing clearance finds at the end of each season, it's hard to resist adding just one more - red coat! cream coat! olive coat! navy coat! Makes my head spin with the possibilities.

This is a new addition this year. Military inspired so, of course, I had to buy it in olive green! This has quickly turned into a favorite because of the high collar and hood. The color reminds me of my childhood as a military brat, watching my dad (Hi, Dad!) put on his BDU's each day. If the military was into fashion, this is totally what the girls would wear.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Sweater: The Limited

Pants: New York & Company

Shoes: ?

Necklace: The Limited

Ring: New York & Company

Sorry for the less-than-stellar outfit pic today. As you can see, the dogs were going buh-nanas trying to get upstairs to see Nate - who was sleeping in before his dentist appointment this morning. I was snapping on the run so I could hurry up and get out of there!

I really wanted to wear jeans and boots today because the forecast called for four to six inches of snow. However, my boss is a big stickler for the rules, so I opted to dress up just to be safe. Imagine my irritation when he showed up to work today in what else? Jeans.

Oh, well. At least I looked cute in my snow inappropriate outfit. These brown and orange plaid pants were one of my first Big Orange purchases after we moved to Knoxville (over six years ago!) and I still love pulling them out every winter. Very few pieces keep my attention for that long, so that makes these pretty special.

Wednesday, January 6, 2009

Sweater: Gifted

Pants: The Limited

Necklace: New York & Company

Shoes: Payless Shoes

I got this floral sweater from my in-laws for Christmas. It is absolutely the softest cotton - I could buy one in every color and wear nothing else for the rest of the winter and be perfectly happy. It's that comfortable. And in my current favorite color, too! Does my mother-in-law know me or what?

I really wanted to tuck it into a high waisted black pencil skirt, but it hits at the worst possible spot on my hips for that. With pants it looks fine, but I just couldn't stand the line around my hips under the skirt. Maybe if I find a great control slip I can tuck the sweater into that and minimize the line a little more next time. Just don't tell anyone I tuck my shirt into my underwear! It'll be our little secret...

See Sara Shop

While I was on vacation down South, I was thrilled to have innumerable enthusiastic shopping companions - my dad, my mom, my sister and my mother-in-law all managed to shop with me at one point or another. We were, of course, hitting up the after-Christmas sales! Banana! Limited! Express! Baker's! New York and Company! Ann Taylor! All my favorites were having mad post-holiday clearance sales. And this girl cleaned up! Here's a sneak peek at what you'll see me wear soon:

I saw this top on GingerSnap a few weeks ago and immediately clicked over to the Banana Republic site, only to find they were out of my size. So imagine my delight when I ran across it while shopping with my MIL in Charlotte - my size, on sale plus an additional 30% off.


The good deals kept rolling at New York and Company.I originally saw this dress while shopping with my mom on Christmas Eve. She loved it on me but I wasn't willing to cough up $30 for it. Lucky I waited, because I found it a few days after Christmas for just $7.99. Can't wait to wear it with some leggings and flat boots. Super cute and uber comfy.



I already own this sweater in black and camel, but we all know my obsession with all things electric blue. And at $9.99, I couldn't resist adding a third one to my collection. Now if only the snow would dry up so I can wear it with these!



In case I haven't mentioned it before, I heart the ATL - Ann Taylor Loft, that is! Their sale prices tend to be a-MAH-zing! Case in point, this cowl neck sheath dress - mine for $20!



As is this pin-tuck, ruffle collared chiffon dress in blue! Come on Spring, so I can wear this baby!


All in all, a very successful post-Christmas shopping season for me! What did amazing finds did you score?

Tuesday, January 5, 2009

Turtleneck: Old Navy

Dress: The Limited

Tights: Merona for Target

Bracelet: New York and Company

Booties: Payless Shoes

I decided to try something new for me today. We all know I love to layer - but basically only if it's a vest or a cardigan over something. So I decided to take a page out of the lovely Kimberly's layering book and try layering under my dress today instead.

I'm totally digging this striped turtleneck from Old Navy. I wore it a few weeks ago with a sweater and was eager to find another way to wear it again. As I was flipping through my dresses this morning, I spotted the gray rimmed buttons on this dress and knew it was a match made in heaven.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Top: New York & Company

Sweater: The Limited

Pants: Express

Belt: New York & Company

Bangles: Gifted

Shoes: ?

Miss me?

I can't believe it's been nearly two weeks since my last post! Our vacation time in the South flew by entirely too fast and before I knew it - I had to go back to work. Boo.

What makes it even worse? It's fuh-reaking fuh-reezing here! I so did not want to even get out of bed today, let alone go to work! But get up I did and this is what I put on. There wasn't much more thought put into it than that!