Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Dress: The Limited

Shoes: Shii

Necklace: New York & Company

Bracelet: Express

It's a busy week at work for me - four hours of training daily Tuesday through Thursday. Ugh. Shoot me now.

I knew I wanted to be as comfortable as possible for this afternoon's session. This cotton dress was just the ticket. No need to worry about bits or pieces coming un-tucked or gaping or anything. Easy peasy. Too bad I can't wear it three days in a row!

Monday, August 30, 2010

Sweater: The Limited

Tank: Old Navy

Skirt: Banana Republic

Shoes: Steve Madden

Bracelet: New York & Company

Necklace: Amy Cornwell Designs

The color of this sweater is completely not something I would normally choose. While browsing at The Limited, I was immediately drawn to the button detailing on the shoulder line and found myself automatically reaching for the other color they had available - gray. Basic. Neutral. Mix and match. Boring.

Don't get me wrong, I love gray, but I have nasty habit of always buying sweaters in gray. Or black. Or white. Because I figure they go with everything. Which kind of makes for a boring wardrobe. So I stepped out of my neutral colored rut and forced myself to grab the sea foam instead. Now that I've got it home and paired it with (what else?) gray - I'm definitely digging it!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Top: New York & Company

Skirt: Loft

Belt: New York & Company

Necklaces: Forever 21

Shoes: ?

It's been a wee bit cooler here the last two days and you know what that means? It's almost football time!

I can't wait to sport the Volunteer Orange every weekend from now until December, so I decided to start the party a little bit early by pairing this white and brown giraffe print skirt with some orange. The bold combination is a bit out of my comfort zone, but I'm pleased with how it turned out!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Dress: The Limited

Shoes: Baker's Shoes

Necklace: Amy Cornwell Designs

It was finally just a teeny, tiny bit cooler today - in the eighties instead of well into the nineties - but I took full advantage of it and busted out my transition-to-fall shoes. I absolutely love these shoes: suede! hardware! straps! And they are actually comfortable, no lie.

Know what else is comfortable? This dress. 100% cotton - it's like wearing pajamas to work. Except with bling. Because, you know, who doesn't want bling on their pajamas work clothes?

Monday, August 23, 2010

Top: The Limited

Pants: The Limited

Shoes: Payless Shoes

Belt: Express

Necklace: Lia Sophia

I'd been on the hunt for the perfect pair of white slacks for most of the summer. I found these on super clearance at The Limited and had to sneak in at least one good wear before Labor Day. Truth is, I like them so much I might *gasp* wear them again after Labor Day. That old don't-wear-white-after-Labor-Day rule is so 2008. HA!

I also figured I'd get in on the jewel tone trend. Green is one of my favorite colors yet I'm pretty sure I don't have this shade anywhere else in my closet. I'm definitely digging it.

I thought the black belt and peep toes were a nice and unexpected contrast to the white pants. What do you think?

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Top: The Limited

Shorts: Express

Shoes: Nine West

Bracelets: Simply Irresistible

Earrings: The Limited

It's a rainy day here, so it's just going to be sitting around the house and catching up on housework for me today.

However, a few Saturdays ago during my bloggy hiatus it was sunny and beautiful and I took full advantage with a day of shopping and lunch with a girlfriend. I couldn't let a cute top like this go to waste by never posting it! I'm a sucker for black and white prints of almost any kind. Paired with some fun silk shorts and a little bit of arm candy and the memory of this fun outfit is almost enough to brighten today's dreary forecast!

Let them eat cake buy shoes

If God had wanted us to wear flats, He wouldn't have invented Manolo Blahnik.

- Alexandra Shulman

After my recent post on how many pairs of jeans the average girl owns, several people wondered how many pairs of shoes wear in the same gal's closet. I can't remember where I read it a few months ago (People Style? In Style?) but I think the average number was 27 pairs.

Once again, I am well above average. In fact, I have a rotating seasonal closet of shoes: the current season shoes stay in the master bedroom closet and the off-season shoes get moved to one of the guest room closets. At last count when we moved in three years ago, I had well over 75 pairs. While I purge regularly, the plethora of amazing choices in the last few seasons have probably pushed me into the triple digits recently.

What can I say? I just L.O.V.E. a pretty pair of shoes.

How many pairs do you own? Do you keep it in the single digits or could you give me a run for my money?

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Top: LOFT

Pants: The Limited

Bracelet: The Limited

Belt: New York & Company

Shoes: ?

We all know I'm all about the animal print and this giraffe print at LOFT was calling my name in a loud, insistent voice! I held out until it was on super clearance and I'm so glad they still had my size!

Once again, giving the belted look a try. I liked it a lot last time, but not too sure about this go round. I feel like my hips look wider in these brown slacks. But it was worth giving it a shot again and getting out of my comfort zone!

Monday, August 16, 2010

Dress: The Limited

Shoes: Payless Shoes

Bracelet: LOFT

Necklace: Amy Cornwell Designs

I had a big meeting at work today with some higher ups, so I kept things simple and understated - well, as understated as you can be while wearing a fire engine red dress, I guess. I thought the dress made enough of a statement in it's own right!

Friday, August 13, 2010

Top: The Limited

Pants: The Limited

Bracelet: New York & Company

Shoes: Payless Shoes

Whew-ee! I am so over this heat and humidity around here. I never thought I'd say it, but I'm darn near over wearing dresses too. I love a great dress, but in my efforts not to die of heat stroke, I feel like that's all I've been wearing lately!

Friday morning I'd been too lazy to shave my legs had enough and decided to wear pants - heat be damned.

Yeah, I regretted that decision about a block into my walk to the office. But whatever. This is one of my all time favorite tops and I wanted to rock it at least once before the summer is over.

See Sara Shop: Football Edition

Know what time it is? Football time!

Well, not quite yet, but pretty darn close. It's pre-season time, which is close enough for me to get excited!

And close enough for me to start shopping for this season's football gear. I've already got a decent collection of Volunteer orange, but there's always room for more - especially when it's this cute!

Behold, Victoria's Secret's new line of college and NFL football gear!



They've got super cute hoodies, tees and sweats for 50+ college teams and about a dozen NFL teams. Sadly, no Indianapolis Colts gear (what's up with that, Victoria's Secret?) but they do have my Vols and when Nate found out they had Steelers gear? It was over. It pained me to say it, but that's probably the only time in my life that I will tell him I really don't want to own one of everything! HA!

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Shirt: New York & Company

Skirt: LOFT

Shoes: Aldo

Necklace: LOFT

I'm not usually much of a pink girl, but I fell immediately for this purple and pink polka-dot skirt at LOFT. I rarely buy an entire outfit but I knew this skirt would be hard to match, so I bought the cardigan that they had it paired with on the mannequin. I couldn't wait to wear it, though, so I went on a little closet hunt to see what I could come up with. The answer? Not much. This skirt is definitely NOT a mix and match piece - it's the oddest shades of pink and purple. I was a little unsure of the top when I left the house this morning but just decided to go with it. Glad I did, because I got three compliments on the whole ensemble! Just goes to show that I should be more confident in my mix-and-match abilities!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Dress: White House Black Market

Shoes: Steve Madden

Bracelet: LOFT

Ever have one of those days when you feel like a million bucks? I hope you do because every girl should have one every now and then.

I heart a really great LBD - probably explains why I own at least 10. This one is for sure my new favorite, though. I felt long, lean and powerful in this little number today. And anything that can make me feel tall is a keeper in my book.

I briefly toyed with a big necklace and then some tough studded kicks, but ultimately decided to keep it classic this time. I have a feeling I'll have plenty of opportunities to mix and match this one up in the future!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Dress: LOFT

Tank: Old Navy

Shoes: Charlotte Russe

Necklace: New York & Company

Bracelet: New York & Company

Holy short skirt, Batman! I didn't realize how short this dress was until I got home and saw these pictures. I got dressed in the dark this morning because Nate was sleeping in; otherwise I probably wouldn't have worn this to work. Eek!

That said, this dress was a fabulous deal! An $80 dress for get this - $3! It was final sale for $4.99 at LOFT plus an additional Friends & Family discount on top of that. I half expected to get it to the register and find out I was getting Punked!

Friday, August 6, 2010

Top: LOFT

Skirt: LOFT

Shoes: Steve Madden

Necklace: New York & Company

Bracelet: New York & Company

I feel super girlie in this outfit today. Gauzy ruffle sleeves and the bell shaped skirt make me feel like a ballerina (which I used to be, many moons ago!). I feel like twirling my way through the day today.

Since I don't wear a ton of navy, I wasn't sure how much use I'd get out of this skirt. So I was pleasantly surprised to find at least four tops to pair with it as I was getting dressed today. I'm actually kind of excited to wear it again very soon!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Top: New York & Company

Skirt: LOFT

Shoes: Steve Madden

Bracelet: New York & Company

Necklace: The Limited

Notice how my list up there says 'Necklace'? And how I'm actually not wearing one in the picture?

Yeah, about that. When I left the house this morning I was wearing my favorite necklace (the same one I wore here last Monday). I don't usually get all crazy over jewelry, but the minute I saw that big chunky black beauty, it was love at first sight. It's my #1 go to piece in my closet, clothes included. It just seems to go with everything.

So I'm rocking it today, in a meeting with my entire department - 40 people in a conference room, including the company's CPO (my boss's boss's boss). When suddenly, there is the sound of two dozen ginormous black beads hitting the table, hitting the chair and finally hitting floor. My beautiful necklace busted in half, leaving black pieces all over the floor and some strange white powder all over my black shirt. Can you say mortified? All I eyes turned in my direction, as I frantically grabbed for what was left of my necklace and began scrounging up beads off the floor (no small feat in a pencil skirt and four inch heels). Ugh. Guess everyone knows the new girl's name now, huh?

Denim Jungle

The August 2010 issue of People StyleWatch says that the average woman owns 7 pairs of denim. That was news to me - apparently I am way above average in the Denim Ownership class.

I love denim. Skinny denim. Whiskered denim. Trouser cut denim. Dark denim. Colored denim. Flap pocket denim. With heels denim. Casual denim. Evening denim.

I love it all.

Which is why I can't possibly imagine narrowing my fabulous denim closet down to just seven pairs. Que horror! I couldn't do it. Because sometimes a girl just needs options.

How many pairs of jeans do you have in your closet? Could you narrow it down to just seven?

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