Thursday, April 7, 2011

Jacket: The Limited

Shirt: The Limited

Jeans: Express

Shoes: Steve Madden

Necklace: New York & Company

I gotta say, I'm kind of in love with this outfit today. May be my new favorite. I picked up this jacket on a trip to SC a few weeks ago and am finally getting around to wearing it before it warms up too much. It's hard to tell in the picture but the sleeves have the most adorable ruching on the arms.

I picked up this necklace over the weekend at New York & Company's 50% off sale. It's much louder than the stuff I usually wear but I'm totally digging it. Wish I had it in black and silver because I'd wear this thing out!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Cardigan: The Limited

Shirt: The Limited

Jeans: Express

Belt: Express

Shoes: Payless Shoes

Bracelets: Simply Irresistible

I love the print on this blouse - it's got all of my favorite colors and it just makes me smile every time I look down at it. I first pictured it with this big pink and orange necklace that I have, but after taking my first picture yesterday I realized the blousy effect of the top plus the cardigan was making me look wide, so I ran upstairs and swapped out the necklace for a belt to tie things in. So funny how things can look find in the mirror but then pictures tell a whole different story!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Sweater: The Limited

Tank: Gap

Denim: The Limited

Shoes: Steve Madden

Bracelet: Express

Necklaces: Amy Cornwell Designs

I had another office day with the boss today. It's still in the 40's here but I'm doing my best to ignore it and pretend that it's still Spring! This sweater is the perfect transition piece for these not-so-warm days. It's three quarter length sleeves are a nod to my need not to cover up but the super thick fabric keeps the parts of me that are covered warm! Who doesn't love a good compromise?

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Top: Express

Skirt: The Limited

Belt: Came with another dress

Shoes: Aldo Shoes

Bracelet: New York & Company

Necklace: Amy Cornwell Designs

I'm feeling very Carolina Herrera in this outfit today. All I need is a chignon, a strand of pearls and a little collar pop!

I used to have a very bad habit of confusing 'dressed up' with 'dressed only in black and white'. Thankfully I've learned to embrace color in my wardrobe, but there's still just something that draws me to black and white time and again.

Monday, October 17, 2010

Dress: The Limited

Belt: New York & Company

Shoes: Payless Shoes

Bracelets: Simply Irresistible

This is another dress that I pulled from the depths of my closet over the weekend. I love a simple shift dress for fall. It looks great on it's own but isn't too bulky under a cardigan to ward off the morning chill. Think I might keep this one out for the winter and see how it does with black tights and a blue or green cardigan too.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Dress: The Limited

Cardigan: Banana Republic

Shoes: Payless Shoes

Necklace: The Limited

Ring: Premier Designs

We had a big thunderstorm yesterday that brought some cooler weather. My first thought this morning after tearing myself from my warm cozy bed was cashmere. If I can't stay in bed on this chilly morning, I must make it worth the effort!

I love the graphic print of this dress. Earlier this year I wore it pretty plain with a giant black pendant. This time I belted it up with a cashmere cardi and piled on the necklaces.

I'm on the lookout for a black tissue turtleneck to layer under it next time. If you see one, give a girl a shout, would you? And if you find one in cashmere? I'll (heart) you forever.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Dress: Loft

Belt: New York & Company

Shoes: Aldo Shoes

Necklace: Amy Cornwell

Ring: Express

Does this ever happen to you? You go on vacation, intending to take pictures of all the cute outfits you so laboriously packed for your trip, and then you fail to actually take a single shot of anything from the neck down?

Yeah, that never happens to me either.

I wore this dress to a Broadway show when we were in New York City earlier this week and fell completely in love with the whole look. It might be a tiny bit short, but I decided it was close enough and deemed it appropriate for work as well. Who doesn't love a dress that can pull double duty for a night out or a day at the office?

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!

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!

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!

Monday, July 26, 2010

Dress: The Limited

Necklace: The Limited

Shoes: Payless Shoes

Bracelet: New York & Company

Monday was our 7th wedding anniversary. I knew that I had a long day at work and it was questionable whether I'd make it home in time to change before dinner, so I wanted something I could feel good in from work straight through dinner at Ruth's Chris.

I fell for this black and white graphic print the moment I saw it at The Limited. It's hard to see in the head to toe shot, but the bodice has beautiful gathers right around where the statement necklace falls. No belt or unnecessary accessories needed! Gotta love a simply shift dress for summer.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Dress: Paul Smith

Shoes: Steve Madden

Belt: New York & Company

Necklace: Amy Cornwell Design

Bracelets: New York & Company

I am in lurve with the graphic print and the navy/green combo on this dress. Add in the fact that it's 100% cotton and I am in heaven.

I kept the accessories low key since the dress is quite a statement in itself. However, I couldn't resist stacking two big fat bangles on my wrist. Sometimes a girl just needs to stand out!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Dress: Banana Republic

Cardigan: Express

Shoes: Payless Shoes

Bracelet: New York & Company

I picked up this dress at Banana Republic for a song (75% off - only $35!) over the winter, put it in my summer clothes closet and promptly forgot about it until this weekend when I was browsing at BR and thought, "Huh, wonder whatever happened to that dress I bought last time I was here?". And an outfit is born.

I'm not quite comfortable baring my arms at work yet, so I covered up with this fun ruffle-front cardigan. I kept everything else pretty minimal because the dress is detailed enough on it's own. It's hard to tell in the picture but it's got some fabulous seaming around the waist and pockets that make the skirt more bell-shaped than straight. I got several compliments on it today while I was (once again!) shopping - but this time at the humongous mall downtown, which is now only 1 block (ONE!) from my new office. This could be very, very dangerous!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Dress: The Limited

Ring: The Limited

Earrings: New York & Company

Tights: Hue

Shoes: Baker's Shoes

Last night we attended the wedding of one of Nate's coworkers. It was an evening outdoor garden wedding, black-tie optional. My first thoughts when I got the invitation were: Um? What does that mean?

I know what to wear to an evening wedding. To an outdoor garden wedding. Even to a black-tie wedding. But all three together? I was sort of panicky. Eventually I decided to play it safe and wear this dress that I bought a few months ago - a bolder color than a normal garden wedding, appropriate evening material but not quite black-tie because of the length. Panic attack averted.

Or not. I woke up yesterday to a temperature barely in the fifties and 30 MPH winds. SO not sleeveless, bare-legged outdoor wedding weather. So it was back to the drawing board. I was disappointed to miss out on wearing my red ruffled number until I remembered this fun one-shouldered cocktail dress. I thought it looked great paired with tights (for warmth!) and some fierce heels. Too bad it was so cold, I never even got to take my coat off! Even in the tents for the reception, it was just too chilly to go bare shouldered. All that worry over what to wear and no one ever saw more than the bottom two inches! Oh well. At least I felt pretty!

Friday, April 30, 2010

Sweater: The Limited

Tank: Express

Pants: Express (Stella Barely Boot Cut)

Shoes: Alfani (via Macy's)

Earrings: The Limited

Necklace: Gifted

I cannot believe it is the last day of April already. Seriously? The year is 1/3 of the way over already. Holy cow!

Too bad I'm still stuck wearing long sleeves and freezing my tail off at the office. Despite this being our third Spring here, I'm still shocked when it's thirty degrees over night in April. I need to get out our summer clothes soon but it seems kind of silly when I have to wear a jacket to work in the mornings!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Top: The Limited

Skirt: Express

Belt: New York & Company

Shoes: Payless Shoes

Necklace: The Limited

Ring: Forever 21

This outfit isn't at all like what I had planned to wear today. I originally envisioned this ruched-sleeve top with my red pencil skirt, a black patent belt and this fun new red necklace I got recently. But, I am happy to report, the skirt no longer sits quite as high on my waist because my calorie counting is working! Apparently 2 pounds makes a big difference for the red skirt. It's still fine for wearing, just with something over it, not tucked in and belted. Good thing cause I'd be sad to lose that skirt!

I'd never worn this skirt despite the fact that I've had it for about six months. I just never found the right top to wear with it. Black is too harsh and none of my white tops seemed to work before. I think the big sleeves of the top balance out the large pattern of the skirt nicely.

I wasn't as pleased with the proportion of the necklace to the rest of the outfit. It needs something bigger and chunkier (which I do not yet own!).

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Dress: New York & Company

Tights: Hue

Shoes: Steve Madden

Bracelet: Express

Necklaces: Amy Cornwell Designs

Oh, how I love this dress. Let me count the ways:

1. It's 95% cotton. Feels like wearing my pajamas to work.

2. It's season-less. Winter, spring, summer, fall - this dress sees it all.

3. The pattern. I don't know what it is about this pattern that just mesmerized me in the store. Five years later, I'm still not tired of it.

4. The cut. Unlike anything else I own, it's the most forgiving thing in my closet. How can you not love a dress that doesn't require a medieval torture device, otherwise known as Spanx?

5. It's easy. Not like that, you naughty readers! One big cuff and a cute pair of shoes and this baby is ready to roll. No effort required.

Surely I am not the only fashionista who can wax poetic about the items in her closet?