Operation Look Like an Adult

Closing up shop

2010-03-23T18:25:00.003-04:00

I've thoroughly enjoyed having a fashion blog and being a member of the strong community surrounding daily fashion blogs, however I have decided to stop blogging. Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and comment- it added so much to the process for me! I feel like I have gained much from this experience and I look forward to continuing to see what everyone is wearing and what they're up to, but I'll simply be a spectator going forward.
Thanks!
Jess

Super scarf

2010-02-08T12:43:00.002-05:00

Scarf: Gift, handmade, Elsie Flannigan;
Jacket, cardigan: H&M; Jeans, polo: Old Navy;
Boots: Madden Girl

Like my scarf? It was a gift from my brother :) I love it! It's quite narrow but is insanely long- over two Jess' in length in fact! I should ahve fun trying to find new ways to wear it- I'm tryign to figure out some way to make it look braided or woven :D

Madison often confuses 'picture time' with 'play time'. At least it gets me smiling :)

Close up of earrings that are lost in my hair:

Matchy McMatchersons

2010-01-27T07:58:00.005-05:00

I'm picture challenged. I think I got it all figured out. These are from Tuesday.

Sweater: Loft; Shirt, Jeans: Gap;
Shoes: Target

Look! It's grey and a sweater that isn't purple! I really had to resist the urge to pair purple with this. Blue is a nice color too.

After I had gotten dressed, I realized that I managed to match my nails and my shoes. It happens. Polish is black matte and silver from Hot Topic. Buying them, I couldn't help but giggle immensely. I recommend the silver, but not the black.

Lastly, I was in NY visitng my family recently to celebrate my step father's retirement, and since my 30th birthday is coming up, my parents gave me my present. It's a lovely necklace, but more than that it's a fairly sentimental piece. The center stone is from a ring my grandmother (on m mom's side) had. For many years, my mom then had it, and she gave it to me. The ring was a lovely old setting but didn't fit and the band was no longer in great shape, and she always said she wanted to re-set it for me. So for my birthday they had it set in this lovely necklace! The best part? My mom took another ring also from her mom and had it set in a similar setting for herself. So now we're necklace buddies :)

blog issues

2010-01-26T21:33:00.002-05:00

hey guys- i'm having some picture upload related issues, so until i get things figured out i guess no posts.
sad :(

Deceptively Warm

2010-01-12T21:13:00.003-05:00

Dress: Context? via consignment;
Jacket: Banana Republic; boots: Volatile

After seeing Tina's Target dress, I have had the urge to wear this one, which from a distance looks similar (at least to me). I had been yearning for orange tights to pair it with, but own no such tights. Why it didn't occur to me until I was staring at my jacket/sweater section of my closet this morning that I could wear my *orange jacket* instead, is beyond me! I was not only pleased with the way this all looks together, but was also happy with all the warmth! I have an undershirt under the dress and of course tall socks under the boots, so I was nice and toasty all day long!

I had been eying these boots online for ages, but in the picture they appear much lighter so I never thought they would be practical enough for me to buy. I decided to just give them a try because they looked so fun, and I'm glad I did! I really love this darker color and some cushiony inserts make the tall heel fairly manageable.

Really old and really new

2010-01-11T12:36:00.004-05:00

Blazer: Eddie Bauer; Shirt; NY&Co;
Cami: Old Navy; Pants: J Crew;
Shoes: BCBG Girls

The pants are old. Really, really old. They were purchased during a big shopping trip with my mom shortly after I started my first post-college job, looking for big girl clothes. They've been shortened and subsequently let out a few years later. They're still in excellent condition, and are probably the warmest pants I own. Despite their all around awesomeness of pattern and a pretty forgiving cut, I don't think I've ever known how to wear them until right now. In the past, all I remember pairing them with is a fitted black turtleneck and black clunky shoes, which looked nowhere near as good as a purple velvet blazer does! But I didn't own a purple blazer until...

Saturday! Yes, this gorgeous blazer, which was originally $80, down to $50, was now finally down to $19.99! It is also offered in black (with a purple lining!) and is highly recommended. Detail shot is below- you can see just how pretty it is! You can also see my necklace, which was a gift and my green (!) cami. I usually try to stay away from pairing purple and bright green together, as they remind of Halloween. Not that I don't love Halloween, because actually it is my favorite time of year, but I don't like looking like a holiday- you will also see very little red and green together on me. But I thought little bit of extra color was a nice addition. While this outfit has much offer in terms of texture, I was wary of pins or scarves because of the toasty pants and my general fear of stabbing my clothing.

Proof that I was in fact wearing shoes- I think the pants give me gumby feet.

And yes, that is a framed picture of my dog hanging in our entryway. :)

Prima perhaps?

2010-01-08T12:38:00.004-05:00

Jacket; Liz Claiborne, pants: Gap;
Sweater; Loft; Flats: Nine West

A pretty simple outfit for today in terms of pieces, but I don't think it's boring. It's hard for hot pink suede to be boring :) I bought this jacket at my local consignment shop many moons ago, but it took just shy of forever for me to get a can of spray protectant for it, but it is finally sprayed and I feel comfortable exposing it to the dangers of my untidy life! At first I wished I could add a pin to this outfit, but I wouldn't dare stab wither the sweater or jacket with a pin, but the simplicity of it all has grown on me this morning. I finished it off with some fun black pearls.

This shot does a better job showing of the fantabulous pink color! i have to say though, something about this color combination makes me think of scrapbooking. Must have been the color scheme of a header I've seen on some blog or website! funny what memories clothing can dig up...

There is some excitement in my outfit today- I have super-disco-sparkly-nails! The base color is actually a dark green shimmer. I yearn for warm weather so that my hands can actually be exposed outside- my nail polish will look so much better in direct sunlight!

Bellet night

2010-01-07T18:00:00.004-05:00

A few weeks ago my husband and I bought last minute tickets to see the Cincinnati Ballet perform the Nutcracker- a favorite of mine. We were so excited to get 4th row tickets and even more excited when we got to the theater and our 4th row seats turned out to be 1st row seats! I'm no Ballet aficionado, but I certainly appreciated things on a whole new level being that close and highly recommend it!

I was also excited for a chance to wear my awesome purple party dress that I had purchased over the summer. Even though I had not been a fan of dresses until very recently, i had long ago found that I loved getting pretty cocktail dresses for special occasions- too bad the realization that getting a good fit and fun style would work for casual dresses took so darn long! Anyway, I usually would not buy a dress just because I like it, but when my husband and I were in the Calvin Klein outlet over the summer I tried this dress on for fun and when I showed it to him he declared I had to buy it!

Dress: Calvin Klein; Tights: Target;
Shoes: Franco Sarto; Clutch; Nine west

Here is a detail shot:

Awesome tights:

Dangly earrings:
I actually intended to wear my hair up, but the husband is a big fan of it down, so I decided to go with that this time. Next time I think I will try it up! That way you get the full effect of the neckline.

I usually wear a shorter, more casual winter jacket but broke out my old pea coat for the more formal occasion. I got this coat in college, and unfortunately it was during a time when I was several sizes larger, plus I got the coat to fit over a suit! Needless to say, it was a drafty walk downtown.

I did wear a very special pin on my jacket though. This pin was on my wedding dress! I still have intentions of donating the dress, but will be keeping the pin. It's just to pretty to part with!

Hooray for the ballet! We both enjoyed it very much and hope to go again sometime soon.

Super Professional Jess

2010-01-06T13:12:00.004-05:00

Sweater, shirt, necklace: NY & Co;
Pants: Gap; Shoes: Me Too

I almost put on my grey pants which are also from NY & Co, but felt that would be excessive :P Sweater & fancy necklace are from recent sales, and it's possible the necklace was an impulse buy when wandering over to thee cash registers. Clever store layout, NY&Co, clever.

This is the first a-symmetrical necklace I've actually purchased, though I've tried on many. Expect to see it with purple!

These photos were taken in the entryway of the house- the blue is the dining room, the tan is over most of the common areas of the house. I was able to wrap the gorillapod on the staircase railing!

Mobile photography

2010-01-06T13:06:00.004-05:00

One of my gifts this year was a Gorillapod (thanks husband!), so this week I have been trying to take photos in different places around the house looking for the ideal location. Yesterday I shot one quick pic in my master bathroom hoping to take advantage of all the decent natural light. Unfortunately the day ran away from me so I got no other shots. Days are sneaky like that.

Cardigan: NY &Co' Jeans: Lucky;
Boots: Madden Girl

This is the second time I've purchased a top in a lime-ish green with a weird flower applique near the shoulder- and the husband continues to think such a thing is a fashion abomination. Hush I say! I quite like these silly flowers :)

Funny story: I was stoked to nab several new plain camis at Old Navy during my post-x-mas shopping, and wore one this day. I made it until about dinner time until I realized my awesome new brown cami was in fact and awesome new black cami. Worn with my most certainly not-black-boots.

Back at it!

2010-01-06T12:55:00.005-05:00

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a good holiday season :) After an unplanned hiatus I am back to blogging, and hopefully will get back into a regular routine of posting at least a few times a week. I did manage to snap a few pics during my absence, so I plan to post those as well.

Let's start with today! I decided to go back to my new favorite combination: grey & purple. I picked up several things at all the glorious post-Christmas sales, including this cute tee from Gap.

Sweater: Old Navy; T & Jeans: Gap;
Shoes: Steve Madden; Necklace & Bracelet: gifts

It's a big flattened bow- you kind of lose the detail with the sweater, but I like how the loose ends looks draped out over the sweater.

I am mocking winter and wearing shoes without socks inside today. Take that winter!

I've been wearing my watch a lot lately, and enjoying it, so I went wild today and threw on a bracelet as well! It has not been bothering me at all I am pleased to report. It is my Noah's Ark of Many Giraffes bracelet, and here is a rather blurry photo of it:

Purple and grey just make me happy!
See you all again soon! (no really, I swear)

The twee-est of skirts

2009-12-08T12:44:00.004-05:00

Skirt & Tank: Gap; Sweater, leggings: Old Navy;
Shoes; Me Too

A while back I mentioned how in cleaning out my closet I had some skirts that I was thinking about getting rid of- this is one of them. It's a bit, uh, youthful seeming. It also had a few other problems related to length and weird seems causing it to stick out a bit at the sides, but those seem to have dissipated mostly as it now sits lower on my body. Plus, this skirt over leggings is a lot different than over bare legs- so much so that I am quite pleased I kept it and totally love it! Yes, it's still very twee and isn't exactly a winter outfit, but it's fun and got me wearing something new and different. The leggings? Um, they may or may not actually be gym leggings.

See how pretty it is though?

Apparently it is going to be a very long work week, but I've got some fun social plans coming up so I'm in a great mood!
Obligatory twirly shot:

construction, next 100 miles

2009-12-08T12:36:00.002-05:00

Sweater: Filene's Basement; Shirt: H&M;
Slacks: Gap; Shoes: Target;

I've had this sweater for a few years, and I'm not sure if it was always this short but it's just way too short. However, layering it over a button-down seems to be the perfect solution! I love the preppy look anyway, and this of course protects more of my skin from the terror of non-cotton sweaters. This one isn't so bad actually- it's Merino and is light enough in weight that I wasn't melting by the end of the day.

Monday was another class ring day! This one is from College. Unfortunately one of the side stones is missing- I think that's actually the reason I stopped wearing it.

The best part of my ring is that my major is listed on it! See how it says 'Math' in that delicate little script? Awesome! Oh, and don't you like my nail polish? so subtle and refined :D It's completely ludicrous and I absolutely love it!

I think it makes my sparkly zebra stripe shoes seem subtle!

Kitty pin day! Still using a safety pin. It's alarming how often safety pins make their way into my wardrobe....

false sense

2009-12-08T12:28:00.002-05:00

Jacket: Banana Republic; Shirt: NY&Co;
Jeans: Gap; Shoes: Madden Girl

Friday outfit. Extra fun for Girl's Night Out that evening! I had been planning on changing into flats after work because I knew these shoes would not bee the wisest choice for tromping through downtown Cincinnati, but the oh-so-nice repair man who came to fix my fireplace was so enamored with my shoes, it feel into false sense of security. I think his comments that he missed that women no longer wore heels (wait- what?) inspired me a little too much and I never did change into sensible flats.

My poor, poor feet! I was standing all night and am waaaaaay out of practice! But hey, I at least looked good. I loved the bright shiny teal in contrast to the rich soft orange of the jacket. I'm a sucker for cute shoes I guess.

I wore my watch all day long- I think it's just the right wrist I need to leave naked for work.

I loved having my shirt collar flared out over my jacket- that style always make me think of the 70's and hipsters like Charlie's Angels.

My new haircut responds quite well to the big curling iron- go Noelle!

invisible jess

2009-12-08T12:21:00.003-05:00

So I've been falling a bit behind in blogging, though I have been managing to take some pictures! Here I actually didn't have time to take my usual shots, but realized if I was at least neat about it I could easily take a pic of my outfit on the bed!
I love this pin and think it looks great on a blazer. This pin, much like my purple sparkly flower pin, is pretty heavy so I feel pretty limited in how I can wear it. I'll have to keep weight in mind whenever I look to buy more pins!

Socks away!

2009-12-03T12:18:00.004-05:00

Sweater, skirt: Old Navy; Shirt: Express;
Socks: Target; Necklace: Laila Rowe;
Flats: Chinese Laundry; Boots: Kamik

I've seen a few people sporting super long wooly socks and they always look great, so when I saw a pair in Target a few weeks back I couldn't resist! I think the proportions are better with boots vs. flats, but the only boots I own which would work are my rain boots- so I guess I looked my best during my lunchtime walk with Madison!

I left this picture uncropped because I'm a sucker for my pup- I think it's hysterical when you see that little peek of her looking sullen. She got all excited when I grabbed the boots, because boots = outside time!

For some reason I got the urge to wear my high school class ring. Isn't it gloriously class-ringy? I have one from college too :P The sides show the two sports I played in HS: tennis and softball. I was terrible at both! They were a ton of fun though, and no one seemed to mind my lack of abilities. Softball away games were the best- what high schooler doesn't love a trip to McDonald's?

I acquired some new nail polish recently- this is from OPI's suede collection. I love it! It dries really fast and you don't use a top cost with it, and it is very easy to apply and generally user friendly. I would like to grab a few more of the shades from this collection- I wonder if I can find them in a store....

I thought the yellow beads would be a nice complement to my ridic green socks!

The power pout

2009-12-01T20:21:00.003-05:00

Sweater: the one non-cotton sweater I own that does not make me want to
rip my limbs off. Cashmere, from somewhere....

So here I am, dashing upstairs over the last few moments of lunchtime to take my blog pictures and what have do I see on the bed? Why nothing other than the power pout:

I unfortunately did not have time to take Maddy for a walk and cruelly refused to let her tackle the nice man who came to replace some old rusty valve thingy on our gas line, so she was forced do nothing other than pout the fiercest pout I have seen in ages. Poor thing! I tried to making it up to her by taking some pictures of us posing together- she's working on her Vogue look. What do you think?

frizzy beast no more

2009-11-30T21:56:00.002-05:00

Jacket: Gap; Shirt: F21;
Pants: NY&Co; Shoes: Me Too

Hello there! I hope those of you in the states had a fine Thanksgiving holiday, and everyone else had a good week :) work got a little crazy for me, and then we went to NY for the week to see my family, so that should put to rest any concerns that maybe I wasn't posting due to falling down some giant well somewhere.

While in NY with my family we celebrated an early Hanukkah, and I received the #1 thing on my list from my parents- a heart rate monitor watch! Yes, I am kind of a dork. But a well documented dork :P Here it is in all it's glory:

Expect to see it a bit more this week! Also expect looser shirts as it requires a chest strap and I want to avoid an unsightly bulges.

If my hair were not in the way, you could easily see how I paired my ultra fun sparkly purple flower pin with my purple pirate shirt.

But mostly you just see my hair- luckily it is in much better shape! I got a haircut while home and it is making a big difference!

A fun shirt calls for fun earrings.

Rehearsal dress

2009-11-18T12:39:00.004-05:00

I bought this dress about 2.5 years ago for my wedding rehearsal dinner and I haven't worn it since, so it's exciting to break it back out! I didn't really know how to wear it then, and was really tired and rushed so I just threw on my flip flops and threw my hair up in a bun and called it a day. I was so uber coiffed on my actual wedding day though I think it balanced out. I really think the belting adds a lot to this dress- it's probably not the best shape for me but the belt makes it work! I think it looks best without the sweater, but it's just too cold right now- look for it in the warmer weather solo!

This picture of me elicits one reaction: pale arms FTW!

Bouncy bouncy

2009-11-17T12:23:00.003-05:00

Cardigan: Old Navy; Shirt: Banana Republic;
Pants; NY&Co; Shoes: Nine West

I have several pair of shoes at this all important mid-height, but for some reason I haven't been wearing them. They were all perfect for when I was working in an office but now that I'm home I can wear my most impractical shoes! Mostly they are summer shoes, but these slings backs are more of a warm weather shoe being closed toe and velvet.

I cleaned these earrings this morning so they look nicer. Not that you can really tell because I couldn't get a good picture. Someone seemed convinced that it was the perfect time to jump around on the bed.

She may look like she's lounging, but really she's like a coiled spring ready to pounce!

She says taking pictures sucks- let's go for a walk!

Who am I to disagree with the princess? Time for a walk!

insert title here

2009-11-16T21:06:00.003-05:00

Jacket: Banana Republic; Polo: Old Navy;
Jeans & Scarf: Gap; Shoes; Rocket Dog

I really hate it when I forget to add titles to my post. Just had to say that :P

This was a comfy Fall outfit- perfect for taking a pup out for a lunch-time walk! I've had these jeans for a-g-e-s, but have not worn them in almost as long. They have no stretch to them so it's quite an adjustment from my normal jean wearing experience.

Somehow they still have managed to become totally frayed in the back- it gives them character!

This scarf is super duper soft and oh-so pretty! It is also not at all itchy.

For a change I decided to wear this big cocktail ring. It's the only such ring I own, and always make me want to get more. It does not agree with pants pockets all the time though :P

Something Different

2009-11-13T12:38:00.004-05:00

Jacket: Gap; Jeans: Old Navy;
Black shirt: Express (ooooooooold);
Shoes: Chinese Laundry; Necklace: Laila Rowe

I think this is a bit of a departure from my normal style. I was going for different and comfortable and I feel like I hit both- I certainly am comfy today! This shirt is old. OMG is it old. Express Blues old. But it seems to have held up pretty well so way to go Express! The picture above was highly doctored as the light turned out to be terrible- so apologies if it looks kind of off.

Here you can see the actual colors in my top and necklace better.

Lets all just pretend my right shoe looks exactly like my left shoe.

Have a great weekend everyone! We're going to take the Madinator out for a little hike today- should be fun all around.

2009-11-12T12:29:00.003-05:00

Cardigan: Old Navy; Sweater: Banana Republic;
Pants: NY & Co; Shoes: Me Too;
Scarf: I totally forgot- my mom bought it for me :)

Hmmmmm. The lighting was not so great today and the camera battery was threatening to run out at any moment so I kind of rushed- hopefully the picture above isn't terrible! I thought ti was high time for another scarf day. And a pin! Because I love this pin and it goes great with purple. And yellow. And clothes.

Here is my pretty purple pin! I actually did not pin it through the scarf but it's hugging the material. More like a semi-death grip actually. It slowly slides down over time but not enough to be worrisome. I just have to adjust it every once in awhile. Actually, that may be more due to the fact that it just pulls the whole side of the scarf down. Anywho- I'm trying to not keep my house like a sauna- some nonsense about heating bills being too high- so the scarf and cardigan combo are working out awesomely for me. I predict many more scarves in the coming cold months!

Another bracelet! this one is a long time favorite of mine. It has an extra set of giraffes though- why are giraffes so special? Also a gift from mom :)

Super awesome comfy shoes. Nuff said.

And here I am in all my frizzy glory! We got a food scale so it's been nothing but thrills and chills here! It actually is very handy and kind of entertaining :)

New location

2009-11-11T12:51:00.002-05:00

Cardigan: ATL; Pants; Old Navy;
Cami: BR; Shoes: Me Too

Since Mr. Sun is clearly anti-fashion blog picture taking, I'm going to try a new room in the house. I'm running out of places where I can balance my camera, so hopefully this one works! This cardigan is so soft and cozy making it perfect to wear as a shirt with just a cami underneath.

This cami has such pretty lace it's nice when I can show it off. The kitty pin still has no real back but the scotch taped safety pin seems to be working just fine :)

I think Madison approves of taking pictures in the guest room!

Hem dragger

2009-11-10T12:25:00.006-05:00

Cardigan, Shirt: Target; Pants; NY&Co

I've been wearing jeans a lot lately but it's good to be back in slacks. I always forget how wide leg these pants are- I love the relaxed chic feel a wide leg pant gives. Like i should bee dashing off to lunch somewhere fabulous in between shopping and meeting with my investment manager to discuss how much interest I'm earning... Do pants do that to you too?

I am trying out a bracelet on my left wrist today. I tend to favor chunky bracelets or ones with dangly bits on my right wrist- you know, the optimal combination for getting in my way at work. so today I'm giving a smaller bracelet a try on my non-mouse hand. So far it's working out great! Perhaps this is a simple way for me to incorporate more wrist accessories into my work day attire!

Normally i would wear more of a heel with these pants, but today I'm rocking flats. I'll have to go change my footwear now so I can take the beast out for a walk!

Totally Unrelated: this is my 100th post! Triple digits baby!

Repetition

2009-11-09T12:44:00.002-05:00

The past week or so I've been not as focused on fashion, but rest assured I have not been wandering the streets naked! I've just been taking advantage of repetition- or falling back on already tested out combinations. In some ways it's been not as fun- I've gotten used to to the daily task of trying to think of new ways to pair things or liven up something I've worn a dozen times. But it's also a nice relief- I feel pretty confident I can easily take a minute to zip into my closet and emerge looking like halfway decent.

So today is another one of those days. Nothing new or particularly special about what I'm wearing, but it sure beats looking like a hobo!

And yes, I'm totally wearing flip flops because It is actually that warm here! It's the last day of our little heat wave so back to more seasonally appropriate footwear tomorrow.

Trucker style

2009-11-09T12:43:00.004-05:00

Recently some friends of mine started a cross country journey- it was two burly truckers, a moving truck, and a yearning for wide open spaces. And 2 iPhones giving constant updates on Trip Tracker and Facebook :P Here is three of us are, me doing my best to balance out the trucker-ness. Do they not look authentic?

Here are the rough and tumble truckers trying to reason with the dog to pose properly. It's an important part of trucking to adequately document all aspects of the journey.

She kept trying to steal their (prop) cigarettes :) those SQL loving vegetarian truckers are so tough.

Morning IHOP run

2009-11-09T12:41:00.003-05:00

Often on Saturday or Sunday morning my husband and I will just get up, throw on whatever clothes are lying nearest and head out to IHOP for some breakfast and then to grocery shopping. This is me on one such morning! Since starting this blog I am pleased to report that these weekend pancake runs are rarely made in the same old ratty sweatshirt or yore.

Here also is a rare example of me in outerwear. This big pashmina kept my neck nice and toasty and brightened things up.

Here is my go-to purse. I rarely change my purse anymore and am usually using this bag. It's big and can take a beating, so I love it. I got it on sale at a Coach outlet a few years ago, so it certainly isn't current in the world of handbags, but I think it's a simple enough design to always look good. And who doesn't like burgundy suede?

hiding from the sun

2009-11-03T12:58:00.003-05:00

The sun is out to get me again today, so we'll just pretend these photos are artsy.

It's another wee shirt- going for easy and casual before I have to resort to the full body sweater to battle the winter chill. the Jess was not made for cold weather!

Warning: May Induce Twirling

2009-10-30T12:44:00.004-04:00

Dress: Be Bop; Sweater: H&M;
Tights: Anne Klein; Shoes: Me Too

I picked up this fun (and short!) dress at TJ Maxx this past weekend along with the tights (they came packaged with the super pink tights I wore earlier this week). This dress is so fun! It came from the JR. section (shocker), and while it is not the highest caliber of materials, I really do love it and see it getting a lot of use. I chose one with a tank top, but it also came with a crew neck short sleeve top, and came in several color options. The thinness makes it easy to layer with, which is ideal since it's kind of teeny for me.

One cannot help but twirl around like a fairy when wearing such a dress.

I like the tank top- and it's even almost warm enough out for it! It is much shorter than I am used to wearing, but it's tights or leggings keep things decent for a woman of my age (*snicker*).

Here you can see the pattern on the tights!

I'm really enjoying my darker hair color!

And why yes, I *am* wearing the world's sparkliest nail polish! It's actually a sparkly sheer blue that is loaded with glitter over a black creme. Click to enbiggen! (you can always click to enbiggen of course, but I left this pic bigger than usual).

Hmmmm. I think I know what we'll be doing this weekend in addition to handing out candy. Good thing we have two rakes! Now if we could only train the dog to handle one...

I hope no one notices...

2009-10-29T12:43:00.004-04:00

Shirt: Banana Republic; Cardigan: Old Navy;
Jeans: Gap; Shoes: Target

I totally spilled a ton of tea down the front of my shirt this morning. It's pretty light so it should come out in the wash. I'm actually a little surprised I don't do this more!

For kicks, here is a picture where my dog looks to be the size of a small horse:

My friend wished me a happy 'Lil' Friday' this morning and I found it quite amusing, so Happy Lil' Friday everyone!

Preptastic

2009-10-28T12:24:00.005-04:00

Sweater: Eddie Bauer; Shirt: NY & Co;
Pants; Gap; Shoes: Rocket Dog

Blast! I only took one picture because I though it came out fine. You get blurry preppy Jess today :) I like the look of a button down shirt under a sweater and decided to give it a try- it's pretty comfortable despite the weird layering you get with two different sized shirts. I just love the bright teal color of the sweater :)

Another contact day- still not used to them and am constantly convinced they are trying to leap off my eyeballs. Thankfully I have yet to have one go awol.

Grey stripe day 2

2009-10-27T12:55:00.005-04:00

Cardigan, shirt: H&M; Skirt: Gap;
Tights, belt: Anne Klein;
Shoes: Me Too

Again with the grey stripes! Also more grey and purple. Maybe I'll just go for a theme week :D The tights and belt we also purchased this weekend- and do you see how happy these awesome tights are making me???

*Such* a great color. They are also very comfortable- very soft. Also, they are not control top, which I shall try to never purchase again. Previously I was under the crazed assumption that's what I should be buying, but I never make a point of encasing my torso in spandex on other days, so why should tights be any different?

This belt and my shoes from yesterday are clearly sole mates what with their purpleness and teeny studs!

More comfy shoes!

Back to glasses, and more properly straightened hair :P I am taking the night off front the gym so the husband will actually get to see me all dolled up! I've owned the skirt for years but haven't worn it in awhile as it's kind of business-y, but for these tights I would wear just about anything :)

Grey stripe day 1

2009-10-27T12:54:00.002-04:00

Cardigan: Old Navy; Shirt & Pants: NY & Co;
Belt: Betsey Johnson via TJ Maxx;
Shoes: Me Too

I apologize for the horrible picture- the sun was determined to get some blog action for itself.

I picked this belt up (and the shoes! and other fun stuff!) this weekend at TJ Maxx and was very excited to give it a try, even with my husbands many jokes about it being so 80s-tastic. I rummaged around my closet trying a few different things and wound up with a grey striped shirt and grey striped pants. What can I say- I like grey and stripes!

The belt is all it's bigness!

If you don't own any shoes by Me Too you are denying your feet their due happiness in life. Seriously- so comfortable! And they're purple! And ruffly! With little teeny studs things! Eeek!

I am testing out some new contacts so you'll see them a few times this week. I am not quite used to how I look without my glasses though- is that really me??? I'm going to be shopping for some frames too- maybe some cheap ones so I can have a few different ones to mix things up. I really love glasses and don't think Ill be switching back over to contacts 100% but it's always nice to have options!

Pasiley is totally coming back

2009-10-22T12:11:00.004-04:00

Cardigan: H&M; blouse: NY&Co;
Jeans: Old Navy; Shoes: Nine West;
Pashmina: ? consignment shop

This week I officially reached 10% weight lost, so I celebrated with what else? Clothes! 2 scarves to be exact. Excuse me, 2 Pashminas! I got this teal one with some sort of paisley pattern and a very nice plain tea green one. While I don't usually think of myself as a mushy, sentimental gal, I do have a tendency to attach significance to clothing and accessories, so I will probably always think of this scarf (and the green one!) as 'that scarf I bought when I finally lost 10%'.

I left this picture big so you can sort of see the pattern.

These shoes are starting to get a little worn (I think there's dog drool on the right shoe- eww), but I love them still. I think they give an outfit a casual but funky feel, which I dig. Scarves like this do that too for me.

Holy carp its Thursday already! Where does the time go?

p.s. in case you were wondering, watching a large dog try to lick the inside of a (nearly) empty tuna can on tile is *hysterical*. Poor beast.

More Jess in dress action

2009-10-20T12:40:00.002-04:00

Cardigan: H&M; Dress: INC via consignment;
Heels; Franco Sarto; Necklace: F21

After the rousing success of my last day dress, I kept my eyes open for possible new contenders at my local consignment shop and scored this fun navy number that same day! I initially had visions of this dress with mustard yellow or maybe rust orange tights, but I don't any of those and was tired of waiting to wear it. I dug through my sad hosiery drawer and wound up with these- kind of a weird mushroom-y color. I know opaque tights are what is in right now, but when I had to dress on it just seemed like so much dark- darker tights were adding a lot of bulk on my lower legs which are not actually bulky at all thankyouverymuch. So these wound up being a perfect pairing, except it was all still kind of dark and just blah. Thin green cardigan to the rescue! When I first purchase the cardigan I worried I wouldn't get a lot of use because it is so thin, but that has turned out to be a major asset- it's an excellent layering piece and here it's weird short length is perfect! Plus it added some much need brightness. So while this is totally not how I envisioned wearing the dress (except for the shoes), I love the way it came out!

I've had these shoes for awhile and they are great- very comfortable and they have a cool distressed finish.

They've kept me on he dance floor at many a wedding.

I like the knot detailing on the bust of this dress, though it does make things quite, er, busty. but in a flattering way I think!

A perfect time for gold tone earring with blue green stones, don't you think?

Hooray for a warmer day today! I contemplated going bare-legged (better to show off my fun blue nail polish) but really, it's not that warm.

I'm starting to imitate myself.... poorly.

2009-10-19T12:52:00.005-04:00

Cardigan, Pants; Old Navy;
Shirt: Banana Republic; Shoes: BCBG Girls

This morning I was running late and hadn't really planned anything to wear. When I walked into my closet to find something I saw this shirt and thought it was about time I took it off the hanger again! Grey pants were sort of an easy guess, and I tried a few other toppers, but then just settled on this loose and comfy cardigan. I think the colors of the cardigan and pants look a bit better in person, but the shirt really looks best on its own. Its some sort of shiny clingy fabric... This combination of colors is one I keep turning to, or at least it feels that way.

I finally dyed my hair this weekend! Of course, I had no time to style it for real this morning, so you get a half hearted blow-out. I will plan better tomorrow morning :)

I wore a watch! Yay watch! This was a gift from my husband many years ago- his first gift to me actually! I love it, but I think a link comes out- it moves around on my wrist too much which is driving me nuts! I have fixed the date on the watch :)

Watch: Bullova

Glorious cotton

2009-10-16T12:37:00.002-04:00

Cardigan: Loft; Shirt; Target;
Cords: Gap; Shoes: Miss Me

Ahh cotton. Wonderful, glorious, delightfully warm and not itchy cotton. I am swathed in your awesomeness and am quite pleased about it.

See the happy face? And for the record, I'm well aware I'm in desperate need of a dye job. Its just fitting it in is a bit tricky.

I thought today was a gnome day. I shortened up the cording so he sits appropriately- what a great feature for a necklace to have!

The hardest thing about getting dressed this morning was deciding what shoes to wear. I kind of wanted to wear red shoes, and even though I'm inside all day and could have gotten away with wearing my red wedges, I decided against cheating. It's just not right when it's 43 degrees outside to wear summer shoes inside! I *definitely* need more shoes. Definitely.

Also decided to change up the earrings a bit. I often overlook these, but they're really cute and should get more action.

Relying on color

2009-10-15T12:26:00.004-04:00

Jacket: Banana Republic; t-shirt: Puma;
Jeans: Old Navy; belt: Ralph Lauren;
Shoes: Me Too

I am completely relying on the colors up top to make this outfit interesting. I tried some necklaces, but everything seemed to compete with the sparkly logo and just seemed like a little too much, so I decided the bright colors were good enough. This absurd shirt is one of the items in my closet that makes me wonder what crack I was smoking when I bought it. First off- it's a sparkly logo shirt. Huh? Second of all, it is elfin sized and I am not. This shirt is rather tiny- so tiny I don't see myself wearing it solo anytime soon. You know what the worst part is? I have another one! At least that one isn't sparkly, but it is a teeny tiny puma logo shirt. I mean, I like Puma, but I don't *love* Puma. I believe I was in the 'I need nicer shirts than my free college t-shirts, but I don't really want to buy real shirts' phase. But I am determined to wear more of the items in my closet and combine things in new ways, so we get sparkly miniature logo t-shirts.

See; sparkly and elfin.
But you have to admit, kind of cute and certainly a pretty color!

I did at least wear fun earrings!

Wooooooo! Thursday!!

seeking warmth

2009-10-14T12:41:00.003-04:00

Sweater: Banana Republic; Pants: J Crew;
Shoes: Audrey Brooke; Necklace: F21

It is definitely sweater season. Which means for me, it is itchy season. I have yet to find a sweater that doesn't make me want to rip my arms off at least a little. Cardigans, well those are fine. But for some reason all my sweaters drive me at least a little bonkers. Perhaps it's the looser arms on cardigans? The lighter weight nature of them?

Instead of trying to hide my belt, which always ends up looking lumpy and terrible, I'm instead purposefully hiking the sweater up a bit to make it more purposeful. It feels catalog-y to me.

It's a pretty simple and boring outfit, but I like simple and boring it turns out :) I tried piling on a few other necklaces to make it a little more interesting, but found that none of it looked right so I went with just the leaves (which I do love).

Tassels! I love the tassels.

New favorite color combo

2009-10-13T12:27:00.004-04:00

Cardigan, skirt: Old Navy;
T & Leggings: NY& Co;
Shoes: Steve Madden

Purple and gray is my new favorite color combination. Favoritest! and not just because it allows me to wear these ridiculously awesome shoes, though admittedly that does help. It's a great way for to wear the greatest color of all, purple, without it being too obnoxious. I often find that purple in clothing stands out too much to me in a bad way. Gray tempers it a bit and seems to be the perfect complement.

I nabbed this t-shirt at NY&Co the other day, as well as these nifty leggings. Everything is on sale at that store. For reals.

See the cute ruching at the bottom? $9 people!

I am digging my cute little outfit today. Sadly though, it isn't exactly seasonally appropriate.

I had to break out a scarf. An actual winter scarf.

Like how it matches the walls of my craft room?

Stronger adhesive needed

2009-10-12T12:14:00.004-04:00

Button down, pants, belt: NY&Co;
Cardigan: Target; Shoes: Aldo

I picked up this belt Friday afternoon- it's grey and was on sale :) I like it a lot, but the long end doesn't want to behave. I've got 2 glue dots on there- two! I may have to break out something stronger. I really like the idea of belts- they add a lot to an outfit, but I still have some figuring out to do to make them work for me. I feel like it's making my sweater bunch up in questionable ways.

This is the most accessorizing I think I've ever done- I like it!

I love these shoes. I'm pretty sure they love me back.

Another first

2009-10-09T12:26:00.005-04:00

Jacket, pants; Gap; shirt: Eddie Bauer;
Pearls: gift (Overstock.com originally)

Yes people, I tucked in my shirt. Just for you. I can't even remember the last time I tucked one in- it was above hosiery on my list of 'horrible fashion practices I refuse to participate in'. But my shirt looked so silly hanging out so much under the jacket- it really does need to be tucked. So I did it. And it's not that bad. I'm not saying I'm a convert or anything, but it's at least off the super bad list.

So who's excited for the weekend???? I am! Tomorrow is an all day crop (scrapbooking from 9am - 9pm!) to raise money for Susan G Komen, and Sunday is more dry wall hanging fun. Good times. I may sleep through Monday.
You can't see it all that well, but I'm wearing a lovely black pearl necklace. This shirt likes to hide necklaces. Naughty shirt!

I tried...

2009-10-08T12:19:00.004-04:00

Cardigan: Old Navy; Shirt: NY & Co;
Jeans: Gap; Shoes: Steve Madden;
Necklaces: best guess is Icing by Claire's

I totally tried to do the belt thing again. But my belt is too big (it's a regular hold yer pants up belts). I tried scarves- but it just looked all sorts of funky. In the end though, I really like how this came out! I'm loving these fun purple shoes and am digging the purple and grey combo.

What's this? Oh you think just because you match you can get in my picture? Well, you do have a point....

Yeah, my dog totally coordinates with my outfit.

My necklaces are actually three separate ones- I connected them into one long one, they are easier to tangle up that way.

So fun! So purple!

A new new perfect fall jacket!

2009-10-07T12:28:00.003-04:00

Jacket: Banana Republic via consignment shop;
Jeans, tee: Old Navy; Button down: H&M;
Shoes: Aldo

So last night I swung by my local consignment shop and picked up this blazer- my new new perfect fall jacket! It shall keep my other new perfect fall jacket company :) This blazer is like a velvet corduroy and is awesome. It's a peachy orange color- closer to peach in bright light, much darker fall-y rust orange in dim light.

In trying to get mileage out of my wardrobe, I decided to try a shirt over a shirt kind of look- definitely something I've seen other more inventive bloggers do! It's a little awkward feeling at first, but I'm pleased with how it looks- I will have to try this again!

My new nude shoes really capped off this look!

A whole lot of new.

2009-10-06T12:32:00.006-04:00

Cardigan: Ann Taylor Loft; Dress: Laundry;
Boots: BCBG; Belt: Lauren by Ralph Lauren

So there is a whole lot in this outfit which is new to me, fashion wise. First off, you may have noticed skirts don't get a lot of action in my daily wear, and dresses appear for events only. It's not that I don't *like* skirts or dresses, it's just that I still harbor a lot of body image hangups associated with them. I think I may be changing my ways though! I'm really enjoying wearing this dress today and feel extra pretty in it, even with today being an atrocious hair day :)

Also, I have for a long time harbored a strong disdain for tights/hosiery in general (even knee highs). I must say though, having not worn stockings of any kind in a few years, I may even change my tune about those! These are not nearly as uncomfortable to wear as I remember! Granted, I've had some body changes since the last time I worn hosiery of any sort and I think that is a big part of it, but still, I think I may have to keep my eyes peeled for some cute dresses and tights for the Fall season!

I've always liked the belted look on other women, but never really knew how I myself could pull it off. Well all it took was a chilly morning apparently! I started the day wearing just the dress (it has 3/4 length sleeves and pretty poofed shoulders), but got cold pretty early on so I ran upstairs to grab something to throw over it. I realized this teal cardigan would add the perfect splash of color, and that I had a belt staring right at me that might work over it. Ta-dah! I'm all sorts of pleased with myself today!

I've owned these boots for a few years but the lack of skirts/ dresses, and up until recently skinny cut jeans, meant there was no way for me to show them off- how sad! So I was excited for cooler weather to come because I wanted to give them a try with this dress, which I think of as the super-autumn-fall dress. I mean come on, it's too perfect of a fall color scheme!

Taking a picture while wearing these was nigh impossible!

So in summary, dresses and hosiery are off my 'evil' list, I've realized I have to stock up some on cooler weather wardrobe items, and I have a lot of new types of items I want to shop for. My strong desire for tall boots seems reasonable!

Do you have the time?

2009-10-05T12:26:00.005-04:00

Sweater: Banana Republic; pants; Gap;
Shoes: Ann Taylor Loft;
Watch: Coach

Do you see something different? Something in the wrist region perhaps? Something related to the magic of time telling???? That's right! I'm wearing a watch! No good reason other than I own it and like it. I asked my parents for a dressy-ish leather watch one year for Hanukkah and they picked out this lovely little thing. Thanks Mom & Dan!

Because it's so small, it really hasn't gotten in my way at all today. I may start wearing it again more often. I used to not be able to function without a watch. Not because I was all that busy and important or anything, but I just always wanted to be able to know what time it was.

Also, shoes have been worn. I was a little unsure about stripes near plaid, but then decided I didn't care!

TGIF to the max people!

2009-10-02T12:17:00.007-04:00

Sweater: Eddie Bauer; Tank: Gap;
Jeans; Old Navy; Flats: Steve Madden

OMGI'MSOGLADIT'SFRIDAY!!!!! I'm looking forward to the weekend, can you tell? Yes, my hair is doing something funky here. It happens.

Now seems like a good time to discuss fit! Specifically, the fit of the clothes I am wearing! As you can see above, this sweater has kind of a relaxed, roomy cut to it. The plus side; comfort of course! And not getting rid of clothes you bought when you were a size bigger! The down side: That extra fabric tends to sit in some weird ways, giving you creases in unusual places. We're not talking tons of fabric, but even just a little bit can make a big diff on me. Apparently.

Here is how this sweater would look if it were more fitted:
Much better! I look less like I have some weird glandular disorder, and I also think it makes em look taller, which the fashion industry tells me I should be aiming for.

These are the jeans I wore the other day and said were under review. I am not taking them off review and officially stating my preference for them over many other pants! The flare is nowhere near as pronounced as it was in my head, and they are still really comfy. They're a bit long for flats, but luckily I'm not planning on leaving the house in them.

Here are essentially the same jeans, just one size larger (and with a higher rise, actually):
Again, small difference, but in person I can tell they are a different size. I feel like these both work though- and the larger size pair is slightly shorter so they work better with flats. They are however, getting to the annoying stage where if I don't wear a belt, I'm doing that constant hitch-up thing which is decidedly un-fashionable. The big difference that I see though is how each would look with a more fitted top. The baggier jeans now just look funky that way.

Moving on, I love my new flats! Aren't they fun??? This is the kind of pattern one might see in a zip-up hoodie in the teen section and be tempted to purchase (if you're me), but I think this is a more manageable amount of said pattern. Or maybe I'm just a pattern wuss!

Close up of my pretty necklace and my rockin' color combo:

Have a good weekend everyone! We're hanging some dry wall this weekend. You're jealous, I know.
p.s. Man I look tired.

like a nomad in my closet

2009-10-01T12:08:00.003-04:00

Cords: Gap; Sweater; Old Navy;
Shoes: Me Too

This was not really a planned outfit, or one that was even considered much- it just kind of happened. But I'm ok with that- I really like this sweater and ask myself why I don't wear it more *every* time I do wear it. I think in my mind it's uncomfortably tight and itchy when it reality it's kind of soft and cozy.

It also has some neat contrasting patterns on it. You can see in the pic below. the raised seams always make me think twice though- I always worry I have it inside out!

Shoes we the shiny black ones- I think I need more close toe high heels :)

Outfit + bonus pic!

2009-09-30T12:35:00.004-04:00

Jacket: Context; t-shirt: ON;
Jeans: ON; Shoes: Aldo

Brrrr! It's cold here people! A velvet jacket is just the thing to combat that :) I feel a little bit like I'm getting overly repetitive with what I wear, but at least I'm repeating something good! These are old jeans- I'm unsure how I feel about them, but I think I like them.

Pros: They are comfy and I feel like they show off my legs, which I love.
Cons: They have some weird lightening along the thighs- who needs that??? Also, they are, uh, tight. While that means they show off the pleasing shape of my legs, it doesn't necessarily create the most balanced silhouette.
They are under review.

While I was in DC, I of course went shopping. It's not that stores don't exist in Cincinnati/KY, it's just that my shopping buddy Rachel lives there! These lovely shoes were picked up at Also. They also came in some bright berry pink color (kind of like a brighter version of the color of my jacket) and both my friend and the sales associate tried to talk me into getting the pink version, but I really liked this neutral color- it's a unique color and will actually stand out in my shoe collection!

Are they not adorable???
I also bought some make-up while I was gone. I'm wearing eyeshadow, but it's pretty subtle. I also purchased a foundation primer which I think works really well, even if only in my yes. I like how it all turned out today!

And here is a bonus pic! My mom recently sent me a bunch of old pictures she had hanging around (she's a photographer, so she has *lots* of pictures hanging around. This picture was taken round about senior year of high school, so I'm 16 or 17 here. I love this picture for several reasons:

Hello, look at my hair! Those are some serious braids.
You probably can't tell, but I'm wearing an X-Files t-shirt- it remains to this day my most favorite television series ever. The bestest. I still want to marry Fox Mulder.
I coveted those sneakers for quite awhile, I thought they were soooo cool. The sneaks and pants are representative of me starting to achieve my fashion ideals finally. For a long time I wore clothes but really didn't come into my own fashion wise until I got older. So even though I would not make the same choices today, it gives me a good feeling to look back at that and see the positive side of it. Pants are green corduroy- also wicked cool in that not actually cool, but dude I listen to Nirvana so I'm cool for being different kind of way. Totally.

Back from the city!

2009-09-29T12:39:00.003-04:00

Jacket: Gap; Sweater; Banana Republic;
Jeans: Old Navy; Shoes; Nine West

Here I am! Back from my week in DC, a.k.a. the place where much sushi is eaten. Going out for sushi is always near the top of my agenda when I head back- there are some excellent Sushi restaurants close to the office and some co-workers and I would head out for some lunch time sushi every once in awhile. husband has yet to hop on board with the raw fish, so I have to get my fix in whenever opportunities present themselves. I enjoyed looking snazzy int he office, though I hurt my feet my first Sunday there while wandering the (national) mall in my beloved bronze flats. I knew my work day was sedentary,but was not prepared for ill affects of suddenly increasing the amount of *walking* I did. My poor footsies. :(

So I wasn't the greatest at getting daily pics taken, but I'll post what I have later on. For today I wanted warmth and um, clean clothes. I have to do laundry from my week away, and I'm not quite used to the cooler weather and my new-found desire to be snazzily dressed.

Up top I wore this cute dark purple short sleeve sweater with fun puffy sleeves that will not see the light of day today other than for picture taking purposes- the heat may stay on this afternoon! this is one of several items of clothing my friend Rachel and I both own. We're completely different body types and dress a bit differently, so even though we shop at similar stores and own several items in common, I feel like we still end up looking pretty different. She wore this sweater last week :)

I broke out my 'fancy' earrings today- no real reasons other than they are pretty. I'm not one to shy away from wearing good jewelry on a day to day basis, but these are just a rather formal design to me. But they're pretty and I felt they fit.

Not sure if I've owned up tot his or not, but these shoes look kind of funky on my feet, so I prefer to wear them with pants that cover everything but the toe box. I think they're too narrow, but they are certainly comfy so I can't say for sure. What up Nine West- why do your shoes look so funky on me?

Oh, my hair was down originally, but was just irritating me, so up it went! I did enjoy having styled hair at the office several days last week though.

Hey, they're comfy.

2009-09-18T12:47:00.006-04:00

Cardigan: H&M; T-shirt: Eddie Bauer;
Cords: Gap; Shoes: BCBG Girls

Yes, I just wore these pants. They're soooooo comfy! Again, hair is frizzy but pleasantly curly! I admit, I have not been thinking about fashion *too* much this week, just trying to look halfway decent. There are two reasons. One is that I've been working out a lot more and that's not only making me kind of sore and tired, but mostly it's just taking up a lot of my mental energy. It's good though, because look at my guns!

The other reason is that I'm headed back to DC for work next week! Needless to say I won't e posting, but I will bring my camera and force office mates to get action shots of me earning my paycheck! I haven't started packing really, but have been thinking a little bit about what to wear- I'm excited to head to the office with my improved fashion skills!

Today I wore my lovely blue BCBG heels:
I love these shoes- pretty comfy for their height!

So I'm out! But don't worry, I'll miss all of you, and maybe I'll even get a chance to catch up on all the blogs I've been neglecting this past week!

*ETA: Also, if anyone has any suggestions on what I should or should not wear, feel free to post them! I'm indecisive and live for feedback! Dress code during work is business casual- no jeans, and I will be leaving what are apparently the current world's comfiest pants at home. I will gladly rock open toed shoes though- I can't suppress my love for them for very long!

Hello curls! I missed you!

2009-09-18T12:44:00.004-04:00

Cardigan: Target; Shirt: NY&Co;
Pants: Gap; Shoes: Rocket Dog

Outfit from Thursday 9/17. I've been quite pleased with how my hair has been looking lately- the curl has defintely come back. It's still kind of frizzy (see below), but I think a Jess without frizz is asking too much of the Universe.

zip zop zip zop

2009-09-16T12:43:00.003-04:00

Cardigan: H&M; T-shirt: Old Navy;
Cords: Gap; Blazer: Gap;
Shoes: Nine West; Earrings: ?

I really like this blue t-shirt, but feel that with denim it's just blue overload. My favorite blazer kept me cozy during the frostiest time of day- morning.

But let's all be honest here. I've spent a lot of the day looking like this:
Something about a billion and eleven squats and lunges on Monday night. Those always get me!

Pointy shoes to wear when not stretching:

A simple classic from Nine West.

More fun earrings! These need to be cleaned though- the stones are deep red, but it's hard to tell with all the dust.

If it's good enough for J Crew...

2009-09-14T12:34:00.004-04:00

Shirt: Eddie Bauer; Pants: Old Navy;
Shoes: Bandolino

I think I may have found the solution tot hose days when I don't have time or interest in styling my hair for real, but want it to look like I did. Adding the little poof to Kasmira's lazy girl's updo really made it a look I love on me, and it was pretty darn easy. I expect to employ this style a lot in the coming weeks as I work to get my hair used to less washing.

If I look like I'm wearing too much eyeliner, it's because I kind of am. I purchased my first liquid eyeliner recently so I anticipate it taking oh, at least a few dozen attempts to get it totally right. Lucky for me I happen to like the trashy-too-much-black-eyeliner look, just neater than what I have today.

Back view:

Shoes for Fall, a touch early. These are suede so I feel like they are best left to the cooler months, but I've been wanting to wear them so September is close enough!

Sadly these are a bit big on me- I'll have to try adding a little bit of something to the inside heel part to stop them from slipping when I walk. These were purchase before I had the dawning realization that when it comes to high heels, I really do need to go down half a size. This realization has made for much happier shoe fittings.

What's that you ask? Are my nails a bit bright? Why yes, they are. What started out as the world's ugliest nail polish has been (in my opinion) saved and transformed to the most obnoxiously cute preppy nail art. Ta-dah!

Shoes are for suckers

2009-09-11T12:37:00.004-04:00

Jacket, pants: Gap; Shirt; NY&Co;
Necklace: Macy's; Earrings: ?

I fully intended to wear shoes this morning- I even picked out a pair and they are sitting on desk. They're quite nice shoes, but I was running late and ran to get to work before I put them on, and they just never made it on my feet. Seemed silly to put them on at this point!

Another fun older pair of earrings. I strained my hair with a flat iron this morning, but stick straight hair just looks off on me- I think it's all the layers. So back in a ponytail it went! Worked out well with my earring choice.

I bought this necklace at Macy's a few years ago when I got on a 'I need more interesting jewelry' kick. It doesn't get much wear- I think it's too, uh, translucent or something. I'm not sure it adds much to the outfit. Maybe I should have worn shoes- I picked out green ones. :)

Victory!

2009-09-10T12:35:00.006-04:00

Top: Nine West; Cardigan: Old Navy;
Pants; Gap; Shoes: Nickle;
Pearls: gift

Victory!!! As in victory rolls! I wound up watching some YouTube tutorials on this 40's hair style, and felt pretty inspired to give it a go myself this morning. Overall I am very happy with how it came out. It was fairly easy and quick, and I will only get better with time! The hardest part is dealing with the bobby pin placement- one showed up when I took the picture below, but I seriously cannot see it int he mirror! I think I moved it- kind of hard when one is going by feel alone.
Some more angles...
Obviously I still need to work on my hair straightening/curling, but the basic style rocks and gives some much needed oomph to my appearance. A pencil skirt and these heels would have really been great for this hairstyle and top, but I don't own a pencil skirt and these pants call for flats, so too bad. :P

I chose these gold and pearl earrings- I feel they fit style wise quite well!

Boring Wednesday

2009-09-10T12:29:00.004-04:00

Top: Banana Republic; Pants: Old Navy;
Shoes: Steve Madden Girl;
Ring: ?

This outfit is pretty representative of how I often would dress for work, except I would have worn black shoes. Kind of boring even with the bright teal shoes. I was however, uber comfy.

I did at least wear a different ring! I got this one from my mom- she had it for years, and heck, now I've had it for years! It's getting way too big on me though so I will probably not wear it all that much even though I do like it.

Madison has rated these shoes A+ for chompability.

Colors!

2009-09-08T12:16:00.005-04:00

Jacket, Jeans: Gap; Blouse: BR;
Shoes; Nickle; Jewelry: ?

Friday outfit.
Colors!!! Two of them at once! This counts, right? I don't often actually succeed in having two distinct colors going on at once (I'm heavy on the neutrals), so I was quite pleased with myself when I pulled this together. I will take any victory, no matter how small!

As it's getting colder at night but can still be quite warm mid-day, layering like this is pretty key. I went out after work to happy hour at an outside bar and was happy to have both options.

These are by far my prettiest earrings. My hair gets all sorts of tangled up in them, but how you can resist fairies?

Close up to try and show the colors in my shirt and jacket.

Slanty pics

2009-09-03T12:23:00.003-04:00

Cardigan: Target; Top: Kohl's;
Pants; Gap; Shoes: Sears;
Necklace; Target; Earrings: ?

When I take my pics, I stand my camera up on it's side in an empty tape dispenser, and I don't always remember to make sure it's aimed strait. So that's why you sometimes end up with slanty pictures. Now my secret is out: I'm too lame to have a tripod. Further confession: these pants always make me think of grandpas (it's the window pane pattern), despite my own grandpa never actually wearing pants like this.

My hair, it is irritating me. I'm trying to retrain it to not expect so many washings. You see, I go to the gym after work so it gets washed at night. When I take a shower the next morning, really there's no need to wash it again, but my hair does not seem to understand this and is rebelling against me- it apparently *wants* 11 washings a week. Well hair, I say no to you and your self destructive wants! It's not good for you! That's why you're so damn frizzy to begin with! So settle down and accept plain water. Ok, maybe some extra conditioner too. Oh why can't you work with me here?!?!?!?!

Simple gold hoops today. I think I got these in Israel when I was 9, but I could just be making it up. Pretty sure though.

$9 sandals from Sears! Thankfully, Madison did not find these to be a threat and my toes did not get bitten this morning.

Meow!

2009-09-02T12:31:00.004-04:00

Blouse: Gap; Cami: Banana Republic;
Cords; J Crew; Shoes: SM New York;
Jewelry: ?

I didn't really set out to be crazy cat lady today, but it just sort of happened. I've been wanting to wear this pin for awhile but since there is no pin back on it, it's been taunting me from my dresser, reminding me that I need to get my rear to the craft store to fix it. Instead though, I just taped a safety pin to the back. Good enough for now, but I still plan to fix it!

I've also been wanting to wear these earrings, and they fit so well into my color scheme today. It wasn't until later in the morning that I realized I had perhaps overdone it. One piece of cat jewelry is cut and kitschy, two or more is getting a little kooky :)

And of course these shoes really showcase the leopard print toes nicely!

Miscellaneous necklace that is sadly devoid of kitties or paw prints.

p.s. those frizzies coming out of the base of my hair? yeah, bane of my existence!

2009-09-01T12:44:00.005-04:00

Jacket: H&M; Top: Old Navy;
Pants: Old Navy; Pin: ?

It's cold here! So I've got a light sweater *and* a jacket on. If it's cold, why am I not wearing shoes you ask? Well, I did start the day with these bad boys on my feet:

Nice right? Well they're a bit snug, so I decided to ditch them this morning. I don't know what to do with them. Return them you say? Well, thanks to miss Madison, that is no longer an option. You see, sometimes new shoes are a threat to the safety of the home, and they must be chomped on even when they are on a person's foot. So 10 minutes into my ownership of these fine Steve Madden Girl shoes, they acquired some love scratches and one teeny little tooth mark, rendering them unable to be returned. Thanks Maddy!
On the bright side though, it is allowing me to admire my handiwork from yesterday's lunchtime:

Animal print: it goes with everything! This would look better with a different base color- this weekend I'll pick up something that's a more golden brown than this- I used a color I already had and of course remembered differently!

This past weekend I purchase hot rollers and dutifully set my hair this morning. When I took them out my hair had lots of bouncy waves and was full of 80s Glamour Model life. Now though, I just look a little less frizzy than usual, and a little fluffier. Clearly I have more practicing to do!

Saturday 8/29

2009-09-01T12:41:00.003-04:00

Ran out Saturday morning for breakfast and of course wound up running a few hours of errands afterward! I'm glad I decided to wear something nice and take an extra few minutes on a Saturday morning.

I think I got these earrings from Ann Taylor Loft. They're fun and swingy!

Not clothing, but I did my nails! My left hand came out pretty well. Thee right not so much :)

Friday 8/28

2009-09-01T12:31:00.004-04:00

Shirt, cardi: Target; Pants: J Crew;
Shoes: Miss Me; Necklace, earrings: ?

There is a lot of brown, but then some exciting blue shoes!
They've got kind of a distressed-ish look to them, so I guess I don't have to worry about babying them too much, right???

I tried to incorporate some colored jewelry as well- the beads on the necklace are *not* brown, though lets be honest, they aren't exactly 'colorful'.

These kitty earrings are oooooold and have been worn many, many times. I love kitties! I used to be kind of a cat nut, so I have a lot of cat tchochkes and have own much cat themed jewelry and clothing over time. these earrings have always been much loved.

Purple pirates

2009-08-27T12:11:00.002-04:00

Shirt: F21; Jeans: Gap;
Shoes: Unlisted; Earrings: F21

Here is the shirt I purchased at Forever 21- it's it gloriously purple?!?! I really like the cut- It's pretty flattering and hides the bump from my belt pretty well. Below is a detail shot of the ruffles on the front- it's kind of like a sexy pirate shirt! th efabric is a lot nicer in person than it looks in the photo. For $10.50 it's actually quite a nice shirt.

With so much going on with the shirt, I decided not to wear a necklace. I grabbed the earrings I also picked up this weekend- perfect!

I opted to wear my super awesome red pattern shoes, previously gushed about here.

I styled my hair with a big barrel curling iron- but it's proving too time consuming to do on a regular basis. I'm thinking hot rollers would work better, but I've never used them and feel like I would just screw it up somehow. Anyone have any sage advice? Tips for a novice? Product recommendations?

My most perilous shoes

2009-08-26T12:34:00.006-04:00

Cardigan: H&M; Shirt: NY&Co;
Shorts: Gap; Shoes: Chinese Laundry;
Necklace: Laila Rowe

These are without a doubt my most perilous shoes. They are fabulous and a bit absurd, but good gravy do I love them! I have only seriously fallen in them once, but I tend to break them out only for occasions where I don't need to be too mobile. Humorously enough, when I grabbed them this morning I thought 'Pssh- that heel isn't as high as I remember!', which is true, because in my mind they are roughly 6 inch stilettos- only 2 1/4" off! It's not the height so much as the absolute lack of support they offer. Sadly, these are not the most perilous shoes I've ever purchased, but the others have since been handed off to Goodwill.

Back to my current shoes. Aren't they cute?!?!?!
Yeah yeah, you shouldn't buy shoes you can't walk in. Whatever- I have a desk job!
And I am clearly sinking into my carpet. That makes them pretty comfy actually. :P

New topic. I like the way my hair looks a smidge stripey with my chunky highlights!
I think my makeup came out much better today- even if no one can tell a difference I am much happier with the results!

Weekend shirt on a Tuesday!

2009-08-25T16:17:00.004-04:00

Cardigan: H&M; Silky tank: Nine West;
Pants: NY&Co; Wedges: Chinese Laundry;
Earrings: ?; Necklace: Gift, beaded by mom

I picked this silky tank up a long time ago at Lord and Taylor. Oh L&T, how I miss you! Anyway, I love it but it certainly isn't a work shirt! It is a tank with wide straps, but the cut is kind of funky and wide up top, so I never wear it without a cardigan. But the low-cut front is what takes it out of the work rotation- it's showy for sure! Since I'm just headed to WW and the gym after work, I decided to give it a go mid-week because it makes me feel pretty. Though honestly, I should have saved it for Thursday since that's when both DH and I are free after work!

I wore some makeup today! Never mind that my hair is a fright- I put in extra effort! I used to have a makeup routine down pat- I was always pleased with how it came out. But the sheer foundation I used to use has since been discontinued and I've had to get a lot of new products. I'm not sure I've found the right combination yet, but I think a recent mineral veil product purchase has promise. I also tried using an angled brush and navy eye shadow as liner today, but I ended up looking like I had light blue eyeshadow on instead- not so much the look I was going for! You can see the necklace better here. My mom made it for me at a bead shop while we were on vacation.

Another pair of older earrings- love these little bears! I don't recall liking these as much in the past, so I'm glad I hung on to them. I'm not 100% sure they go with the necklace, but since you can't see them anyway I don't care- they make me happy!

I have always liked the detail on the front of this shirt.

Brown wedges. I realized when putting them on they are very similar in color and sheen to the shirt, but I really wanted to wear them so I decided matching was good today. :)

Monday outfit

2009-08-25T16:09:00.004-04:00

Cardigan: Target; Shirt: Eddie Bauer;
Jeans: Old Navy; Shoes: Me Too;
Necklace: Forever 21; Earrings: ?

While battling the mall this weekend (I went for replacement flip flops but will have to wait until February!), I stopped into Forever 21. It's possible I've been in one before, and even tried something on, but this was my first time seriously shopping there. It was an interesting experience. I found myself carrying an armload of purple hued shirts to test out, and learned their very strict return policy. Only one top fit the bill, but I love it and all it's $10.50 glory. I found some of their jewelry to also be quite fun, and nabbed this stellar necklace and a pair of earrings. The earrings aren't the highest caliber, but they are fun and will get their share of use. the necklace and shirt however, are both really great. The necklace especially! It actually seems like it won't fall apart on me! The shirt I will have to be gentle with, but it's not an everyday item anyway. Hopefully I'll wear it later this week!

See all it's leafy goodness?

This is another pair of earrings found wandering the jewelry box. they have gotten much, much use over the years, though nothing in a few years. I enjoy deciding whether to make them face each other or look away in anger. Today they faced each other :)

Saturday outfit

2009-08-25T15:54:00.005-04:00

Jacket, tank, shorts: Gap; Shoes: Sears

Eeek! I'm falling way behind! I threw this on to go brave the mall and hit up Ikea. I'm not sure when the change occurred, but these days I do not find the mall to be a very pleasant experience. It's too crowded, and I've grown too accustomed to the leisurely browsing that online shopping allows. While I don't see myself converting to an online shopper for clothing, for items like shoes and accessories, online is the way to go!

Also, blame my husband for the terrible picture. And I guess also me for not making him take another one :P

These shoes cost me $6.99 at Sears! They were a little uncomfortable at first, but proved most useful while away at the beach. Granted, part of their high usage is due to the fact that my dog destroyed my flip flops, but nonetheless I enjoy them quite a bit and am glad they are a part of my shoe wardrobe!

I decided to do something a little different with my hair. I liked this a lot- it felt styled without the effort of drying it, and I got the benefit of having it down and wavy without having to actually deal with it being in my face! I will certainly be doing this again.

When I decided to start this blog, I had come to a point where I was tired of looking like a schlep. When I worked in an office I was capable of throwing together some nice things. while I didn't always exercise that ability, I knew it was there so I didn't as much mind looking terrible on the weekends. As a result, I never really mastered 'nice casual', but I knew it was time, specially with my new work situation. So whenever I realize that I've been able to meet that goal, I'm thrilled. Saturday was a prime example. While there is nothing particularly thrilling about what I wore that day, the fact is I looked about a million times better than I would have on the same type of day a few months prior. In addition to the outfit above, DH and I went out later int he evening when it was much cooler. I was able to quickly grab a cardigan, jacket, jeans and shoes to provide me with a stylish outfit that was more temperature appropriate, and it took almost no effort. That is major progress in my eyes!

2009-08-21T12:37:00.004-04:00

T: Old Navy; Cardigan: Old Navy;
Jeans: Gap Outlet; Shoes: Zigi NY;
Jewelry: gifts

these are new skinny jeans I picked up at the Gap outlet while on vacation in DE last week- I love them. They are very comfortable and flattering, though they need a bit of a hemming. I was hoping wearing this cardigan open would sort of balance things out, but I'm not 100% sure I think it does. I was in a rush this morning, so it had to do.

Inspired by yesterdays fun pin, I decided to dig through my earrings and wear something a little different! These were a gift a long time ago (no idea from where, may have actually been given to my mom). They started out life as having an additional piece so there were actually twice as long! My mom shortened them up and gave me these. I used to wear much larger earrings when I was younger, and had quite the colorful collection. I'm not sure how many I have left- it's possible there is an old jewelry box running around my basement holding all manner of wild oversize earrings from the 80s and 90s, but only fairly reasonable ones are up in with my regular jewelry. I don't usually wear dangly earrings because I feel like they get lost in my hair- both visually and physically!

Finished things off with my sweet 16 necklace!

Fishes

2009-08-20T12:17:00.006-04:00

Jacket: Gap; Shirt: NY & Co;
Cami: Banana Republic; Jeans: Old Navy;
Shoes: Nine West; Pin: unknown

Ahhh Thursday- how nice of you to arrive and plop me on the downward slope to the weekend! The picture on the right has far better coloring, but I cut off the tips of my head and feet! So you get two not all that different poses today. All I did was slightly shift the angle between taking these two photos- or perhaps the sun decided to come out?

I always love the way pins look on all the fashionable ladies whose blogs I frequent, but I never really had any pins to give it much of an effort. Or so I thought! I have had this fishy pin for pretty much ever, so I decided it was high time he made his way onto actual clothing. I'm not sure if you can see the cami all that well, but it has lovely lace along the top. I have this cami in a light sea glass-y blue as well, and both are beautiful, but oddly cut. There is also a nice lace trim all along the bottom, but you never see it because they are so short! Apparently Banana Republic thinks we should all be out gallivanting in our under layers only.
This is one of the many items I have been toting around with me over the years that I've never really done anything with, other than pack and unpack. so it's thrilling to be able to actually *use* it. So no, this isn't some ironically hip thrift store find, but just something kitschy I've owned since I was a wee lass.

Practical clothing

2009-08-19T10:37:00.006-04:00

Jacket: Liz Claiborne via consignment shop;
Grey slacks: Old Navy; Shirt: H&M;
Shoes: Me Too; Necklace: gift

Yesterday I swung by my local consignment shop and apparently it was awesome jacket day because there were several that I wished I could take home. The only one that fit well enough to come with me though was this hot pink suede number. I think it will be the perfect piece for Fall. So rugged and practical, no? It's probably a million degrees outside but since it isn't sunny, my brain says 'brrr!', so I am pleased to have this to wear today.

See how gloriously pink it is?

This necklace was a gift from a friend several years ago. I like it very much, but don't wear it much because I have no idea what it says. I certainly hope my jewelry isn't saying anything rude!

Today's pictures were taken in yet another room- I think they came out pretty well. It seems to be the brightest room in the house!

Back to the grind

2009-08-17T12:53:00.004-04:00

cardigan, polo: old navy; jeans: eddie bauer;
flats: rocket dog

Well I'm back from 10 days away from home, so it's back to the daily grind of thinking big thoughts early in the day, and having to make clothing decisions beyond 'which swimsuit do I want to wear'?

Did I forget to mention once again that I would be gone from ye old computer for an extended period of time? Eeek! I really do need to get better about that. Well no more travel for at least a month!

As one can imagine, I'm feeling more than just a wee bit behind today, so no deep thoughts. But apparently lots of rambling! I've got a full google reader to contend with and a forest of weeds taunting me (those gardens require a lot of work), so it's busy times for Jess ahead! In addition to some replacement flip flops (puppy ate the last pair), maybe I should go buy a machete this weekend. Hmmmmm.

My Summer 'do

2009-08-03T12:09:00.006-04:00

shirt & jeans: Old Navy; cardigan: H&M;

slipper: Minnetonka; necklace: ???

Why yes, I *am* wearing my slippers! I'm not feeling tip-top (I actually 'went home early' on Friday because I felt so craptacular), so slippers were appropriately cozy. Despite my feeling less than stellar all weekend, I actually got a lot done including a trip to the hair salon for my annual bleach blitz.

Yup, this is my traditional summer hairdo. Every year, usually the 2nd week of August, we ship off for a week at the beach with my husband's family. It always inspires me to go a little shorter and a lot blonder than the rest of the year. I've gone with highlights this light before, but never so chunky. I like it!

Look at those big swaths of blond! They're almost white- and surely they will only get lighter after a week in the sun.

It feels super short, but really isn't all that short- see?

Lastly, let's all take a moment to appreciate what is probably my strangest necklace. I'm not sure where I got this little guy- outdoor music festival is my guess. When I was getting ready today, the usual silver pendant necklace just wasn't going to cut it- clearly today was a gnome day. Best part? There are slip knots on the cording so you can adjust the length! I usually just leave it long, but you could easily sport a gnome choker if you wanted.

Spectacles

2009-07-30T13:08:00.003-04:00

In honor of Sal and Angie's posts about eyeglasses, I thought I would share some pics of mine! I started wearing glasses for distance reading my first semester of college, and by the second semester I need to wear them full time. I've done the contact thing, but pretty much never wear them anymore. Contacts dry my eyes out so they are uncomfortable, and to be honest, I find them to be a real pain. Glasses, on the other hand, are so nice and easy and I think they make lee look quite nice!

A few years ago, when I was buying m y frist pair of frames on my own as an adult, I decided that I was going to make ncie frames a priorety and I woudl be willing to spend a lot on them- if you're going to wear them everyday, it's certainly a sound investment! I chose these blue plastic frames from Gucci, and have always been pelased with my choice. I've had them for several years and they are on their second set of lenses. I will be getting a new set sometime this year, but I'm tempted to get replacement lenses for these again and hold on to them.

They are a dark navy blue, but the inside plastic is translucent. the effect is subtle but nice. When I bought them I was concearned they would be too small on my face, but I think they are jsut big enought o not look off balance. My big hair helps too :P

On to the pics!

Oh, I also have prescription sunglasses- big black plastic frames with dark lenses. Very fabulous.

Attack of the neutrals

2009-07-30T12:53:00.008-04:00

Button down: NY & Co; Pants: Old Navy;

Shoes: Nine West; Pearls: gift

The neutrals are attacking!!! Yes, I do realized I'm wearing all sorts of Neutral, but I love the color combo. I'm headed out after work to meet up with an old friend from college I just reconnected with via FaceBook- I haven't seen him in at least 8 years, so it should be interesting! For a frame of reference, this is me on my 21st birthday.

So I look a mite bit different.

Since It's chilly here, or rather I am always cold, I'm actually sporting this Target cardigan, but think I will leave it home. I don't think it so much goes, do you?

I'm wearing my brown croc shoes, which I still need to get fixed. But I must wear them! They work so well and are comfy! I promise you shoes, i will get you fixed soon!

I think pearls cap this outfit off nicely.

Time for a haircut! Or more importantly, time to get my highlights re-done.

Happy Thursday everyone! Just one more day until a relaxing weekend of painting my craft room :P

Wherfor art thou symmetry?

2009-07-28T12:22:00.004-04:00

Blouse: Ann Taylor Loft; Cardigan: Target;
Pants: NY & Co; Shoes: Audrey Brooke;
Necklace: Tiffany & Co; Pin: Baltimore Gem & Jewelry Expo

This shirt is taunting me. Taunting me with it's bizarre neckline. It is ruched near one side of the neckline, and once held a big weird flower there, making it's off-kilterness acceptable. It help that flower until this morning. You see, when you have a giant three dimensional flower on your shirt, so far off tot he side as to be practically in your armpit, it is nigh impossible to wear anything over top. That fact made this shirt a barely worn piece, despite it's charming banding at the low waist which made me like it so much in the first place. so this morning, tired of seeing this shirt in my closet and feeling I can't wear it because it's just too cool to be sleeveless inside anywhere, I decided to rectify the situation and mr. seam ripper and I had a little conversation with the flower.

Sot o sum it ll up, I now have a shirt which I can wear more frequently, but because I cut the flower off it's weirdly asymmetric neckline now has no excuse and it just looks like I can't dress myself. I still like it though :)

Here is mister flower:
Vast improvement I say! Yes the flower actually looks that smooshed.

Here is a close up of my pretty pin! I bought this during a random visit tot he Baltimore Gem and Jewelry Expo a few years ago and constantly kick myself for not buying some of the other pins that were there. This little beauty has been prettying up my winter coat for several years now, but I thought it was high time I wear it more.

Comfy shoes!

One of many

2009-07-27T12:12:00.003-04:00

Black shirt; J Crew; Cardigan: Old Navy;

Jeans: Old Navy; Flats: Target;
Necklace & mesh ring: Tiffany & Co.

Over the years I have accumulated quite a little collection of black sleeveless shirts. I own 6 or 7 of them- they are the most dominant clothing type in my wardrobe. So I find it quite surprising that this is the first time one is being featured on my blog. I think it's because I've been trying to break free from the rut I was in when dressing for the office on a daily basis- I can't begin to tell you how many times I showed in black top, grey slacks, and black shoes, with silver jewelry. It's a simple look, and one I do still like, but not the most exciting thing out there. It feels good to be back in one of my favorites though!

Here's a close up of the shirt/sweater color, plus my awesome necklace. It was my mom's, but she grew to dislike such short necklace lengths and gave it to me instead of letting it languish in her jewelry box- thanks mom!

I did try lightening up my photos, but then I ended up with this.

Luckily close-up shots always come out with better colors. Here again are my fabulously absurd sparkly zebra print shoes from Target

This ring (yes, I am ringless in the outfit shots- I forgot I had taken them off to dray after a hand washing), is a favorite of mien that sadly gets no wear. It's too big, and it can't be re-sized. I decided to give it a wear today for kicks, but the truth is it is more annoying than any ring should be. It feels like I'm wearing a heavy metal bracelet on my finger.

*Sniff*. I guess I will really have to break down and find it a new home. Or I could forget how annoying it is and wear it again in 6 months :P

Back in the saddle

2009-07-24T12:45:00.004-04:00

Cardigan: Target; Sparkly sweater shell: Gap

Back in the saddle. On the wagon. On the straight and narrow. The time for shirts with hoods is gone. There, I like that one best!

Ahem. So I decided it was high time to look like an adult again. Truth be told, I'm *more* comfortable in what I'm wearing today than in previous days. Something about being swaddled in knit softness....

I like this shell (previously seen here) when it's tamed with something else. It's a lot of color and sparkle, and also apparently dangerous to my health as my dog tried to eat some of the sequins while I was wearing it!

See how happy I am that it's Friday??? The biggest stage is tomorrow- essentially it's a grudge match between 4 riders for third place. Can't wait! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

What is this 'Summer' you speak of?

2009-07-23T12:13:00.003-04:00

What's that you say? It's summer? Hoods are unnecessary? Well this is what Madison has to say about that.
Seriously, it's cold this morning! I'm in 'fend off cold' mode (cold as in achoo! not brrr. Well I guess both actually), so comfort is essential.

Cozy chenille hoody is from Eddie Bauer and is highly recommended.

Hi, I'm 14

2009-07-22T14:46:00.002-04:00

Sweatshirt: Puma; Jeans: ON;
Sneaks: New Balance

Today I look like I'm 14 years old. It's because of the sneakers- I swear I'm not backsliding! Actually, this is by far the nicest sweatshirt I own- It's not 2 sized too big, there are no safety pins involved in it's construction, and all lettering is in pristine condition. It's just that if you're going to be wearing gym shoes all day (must 'break them in'), it seems silly to me to get otherwise gussied up. All in all it's worked out well though- we're in the monsoon season here, I feel yucky, and tonight's stage is a big one so I'll be spending all of my free time this evening planted on the couch waiting for someone to make their move (I'm talking to *you* Evans!).

Some days just call for a sweatshirt. Who am I to disobey? Even though it does cause me to resemble a big red rectangle...

Behold the beauty of my new gym sneakers! I'm willing to look a little rectangular for some purple and grey comfort.

speed post

2009-07-21T09:40:00.003-04:00

Cardigan: H&M; Blouse: Target;
Slacks: J Crew; Shoes: Chinese Laundry

This morning I woke up asking myself if it was Friday- the crushing realization that is was Tuesday was a rough way to start the day. Thankfully though, things are going well in spite of the 'extra' 3 days ahead of me.

Today I went with my brown wedges- I didn't particularly want to mix any color with the green- I'm boring like that. You can also see how water gloriously beads up on our freshly stained deck!

How we do it in Kentucky

2009-07-20T20:36:00.003-04:00

You'll have to forgive me for not posting an outfit- my clothing today was selected around the idea of breaking in my new gym sneakers, which unfortunately turned out to be too small, so I ran around in socks all day. But that is neither here nor there. To appease the fashion appetites out there, I offer up an alternative. It's fashiony, and I was involved, so I don't feel too bad posting it on my blog. And if nothing else, I know Tina will appreciate it.

I present to you, the king (queen) of the mountains!

We're hoping she can hold on until Paris.

Sweet sassafrass it's Friday!!

2009-07-17T12:27:00.002-04:00

I tried lightening this picture because I realize it's pretty dark. I'm not actually clad in black, but rather a purple cardigan and brown graphic T, all of which have been worn before. I've been getting a lot of mileage out of my cardigans and graphic Ts- they turned out to be the perfect replacement for my free t-shirts and grungy sweatshirt. Not sure what we'll be doing this weekend- we're headed out to see the new HP movie and of course will be watching hours of Tour. I'm kicking the weekend off with an easy and comfortable outfit.

Thank the shoes

2009-07-16T12:32:00.004-04:00

Cardigan: H&M; Tank: Old Navy;
Shorts: Gap; Shoes: Unlisted

Yes, thank the shoes! You see, these shoes really pushed me towards dressing up more. I purchased them during the time when I was wearing he same crappy jeans, sweatshirt, and assortment of college t-shirt day in and day out. But I had to have these shoes- they were the most glorious things I had seen in awhile. I was hesitant at firs though- when would I wear them? I didn't work in an office anymore, so would they ever be used? Then it really started to dawn on me- I like, no love, high heels. Therefore I was going to have to adjust how I viewed fashion. There's absolutely no reason why I can't wear these shoes when I'm sitting at home on my computer. So what if there's no one but my dog to see them? I love them and they make me happy. See how happy I am in the picture on the right? Happy because of great shoes! There's all that other junk about self esteem and taking care of oneself and blah blah blah, but on a day to day basis, sometimes it's as simple as having killer shoes to brighten your mood. So the clothes followed the shoes.

See how bright and pretty they are?
The pattern is different on each shoe, making them unique from one another.
The best part is the back- see how saucy they are!

They still need some serious breaking in, but I'm committed to showing them the love they deserve. Show your shoes some love today!

This scarf makes me want lemon bundt cake

2009-07-14T12:24:00.004-04:00

Scarf: Eileen Fisher; Pants: Old Navy;
Button down; NY & Co; Shoes: Me Too

My mom picked this scarf up for me at the Eileen Fisher outlet- she has it in a few other colors :) I've had it for awhile and had been wanting to wear it, but was never really sure what to do with it- it's a giant Pashmina and very, very yellow! I think this worked out well- the yellow really stands out on it's own and nothing really is competing with it (except maybe my hair- it is a force to be reckoned with some days).

These shoes are both shiny and comfortable, and thus perfect.

Here I am back in my office, which was just too dark for many pictures today!

Welcome to my office!

2009-07-13T13:57:00.003-04:00

Shirt: Kohl's; Sweater: target;
Jeans: Old Navy; Flips flops: J Crew;
Necklace: Hecht's

In an attempt to get less fuzzy pictures, I've moved the photo shoot to my office! It's not the brightest room by any means, but it allows me to be closer to the camera *and* provides a plain backdrop. Why I have not done this before you ask? For the simple reason that it currently looks like a typhoon has been through there. To be honest, that is how it often looks as there are several boxes of books and such that need homes. So I shoved the boxes out of the way today and now have extra incentive to get those items to a more reasonable home!

Anywho, I think today's picture is better than the more recent ones, though hopefully not so clear you can see just how wrinkled my shirt is :D

Accents of Redwood

2009-07-10T12:44:00.004-04:00

Shirt: Eddie Bauer; Jeans ON;
Shoes: Rocket Dog

Pretty simple outfit today. Amazingly enough, no sign of last night's activity left either! No, nothing wild or illicit, but my husband and I did take on the task of staining our deck. Our very large deck. After work. We finished in the dark. But, today it looks great! We did managed to miss a small spot or two at the very end, but all in all I would say it was quite successful. I also managed to get a fair amount of stain on my skin, but thanks to two showers since then and a pumice stone, I am stain free!

Sheryl hair

2009-07-09T12:05:00.005-04:00

Jacket: Old Navy; Top: Target;
Jeans: Old Navy; Shoes: SM New York;
Necklace: Target

I've really loved it the days I've styled my hair so I did it again today! I did it a little differently than the last time and wound up with some little bits sticking up in the back, but I like the way the pouf looks better today (it's pulled to the side, not strait back- huge difference :P ). I love the way this particular style of hair looks and it makes me think of Sheryl's always awesome 50's hair. Expect to be more along this vein. Styling hair is one of those girlie abilities I felt I never really learned, so it's thrilling to me now to actually be able to 'do' my hair.

These earrings came from my grandmother's stash I believe. I don't wear them all that much, but think they're very pretty.

I tried taking today's picture with several different ISO settings on my camera and this one was the best, though I think it's still blurry. Do I just not have a good enough camera you think? Is it an issue of lighting? My outside pictures always come out nice, just the not up close interior ones stink! My camera is an Olympus Stylus 710 and boasts 7.1 megapixels. Despite my mother's amazing photography talents, I know nothing of cameras and have about zero photographic skills. Help me internets- you're my only hope!

Why I'm glad I work form home some days

2009-07-08T12:28:00.005-04:00

So my feet and ankles are covered with bug bites and shoes are just not cutting it this week- flip flops for the win! This wouldn't really work in the office, so being home is pretty convenient right now! Ir also happens to be laundry day,a sit has been for several days, so I felt pretty low on options. I wasn't actually out of clothing or anything, but all my favorites are in the hamper it seemed, until I remembered how much I enjoyed this cardigan with a tank underneath! I wound up pairing the same tank with it again, because I think it's the best match of the colors I own.

To spice things up a bit though, I decided to do my hair! Again, I spent way too much time on it this morning, but it looks pretty and has really improved my mood! I blew it out and hit it with the big furling iron. I also sprayed it with some hairspray. I also sprayed my eye, but apparently I purchased the right kind this weekend- the kind you can spry in your eye and feel fine 20 seconds later. Way to go Pantene!

Sorry for the Madison in the picture- she was kind of determined to be in my shot this morning, and a gal can spend only so much time snapping pictures! I have no excuse for the fuzziness.

Fancy Jess

2009-07-02T09:43:00.004-04:00

Cardigan: Old Navy; Blouse: Target;
Jeans: Lucky Brand; Shoes: BCBG Girls

I'm not sure what came over me this morning, but I went all out. I not only dressed up, but I did my hair and makeup! It took forever to get ready, but I *love* my hair today! I sadly don't think any of the pictures do it justice, but here's a shot of the back. It involved blowing it out strait, putting int he ponytail and pouf, then curling the pony. I don't know how long it will last as I don't have hairspray, but I'm hoping the curl makes it through the night as I will actually be seeing my husband right after work!
As I was getting ready, I wasn't so sure if I would be able to wear these jeans- I always feel like I have only one or two pairs of shoes that are tall enough to wear them with. I decided to go into my closet and actually count what shoes I have with enough heel height- 13 pair. Yes, a baker's dozen. I apparently need to be spending more quality time with my shoes!

These are a favorite pair- not only do I think they are to die for cute, but they are actually pretty darn comfy for heels!

2009-06-30T12:23:00.002-04:00

Jacket: Gap; Blouse: J Crew;
Cami: Old Navy; Jeans: Old Navy;
Flats: Me Too

Yeah, these are the same shoes I wore at the wedding. They were also my airport shoes on my way home this past Sunday- they're so versatile! Usually I wear an oatmeal colored cami under this shirt to not draw attention to it's sheer-ness, but today I opted for a dark brown and some open buttons- kind of fun!

I'm back!

2009-06-30T12:13:00.005-04:00

I should probably start with: I went away! I spent the past few days in CA for a friend's wedding- and had a blast! The weather was absolutely gorgeous- none of the nasty humidity plaguing Kentucky (and my former home DC- why can't I get away from that stuff?). It was also delightfully bug free- our house must have been built on a bug metropolis. Bug bites are my least favorite fashion accessory. I kept it pretty casual during non wedding events- pritned tees, shorts & light cardigans. Here is a perfect example of me enjoying some delicious cheap mexican food on the beach wearing such a combo.

I was a bridesmaid at said wedding, and the bride had one instruction: wear a navy blue dress. I was really looking forward to wearing my cute navy blue dress and it did not disappoint me! I got many compliments on it all day.

(Me after the wedding- the hair held up pretty well!)

Since the wedding was outside at a home, I opted for flats. Not the most exciting footwear choice, but I also didn't fall, which I take as a major accomplishment given the cobblestone paths I had to walk on. Due to it being June in CA, hair up was the only option. I once again turned to Kasmira's lazy girl updo, and it was nice and secure. I haven't done it enough to master the cute poof like Kasmira, but one day I'll get there!

A day of favorites

2009-06-22T12:23:00.003-04:00

Blazer: Gap; Shirt: NY & Co;
Jeans: Old Navy; Shoes: Me Too;
Necklace: Icing (?)

Last week generally sucked, so I'm starting this week off with some favorite pieces! This is my favorite-est blazer ever (normally the pocket behaves). It was banished to the 'to be dry-cleaned' pile for a long time, but it has since been cleaned and welcomed back into the rotation. This is a simple outfit but it makes me feel great- I love the bright red beads and everything is very, very comfortable.

Graduated beads- fun!

Why I should iron more often

2009-06-19T11:54:00.001-04:00

Jeans: Eddie Bauer; Cardigan: Old Navy;
Polo: Old Navy; Shoes: Rocketdog

I'm not the best at getting my ironing done in a timely manner, and things sometimes sit for awhile. These jeans had been tucked away to be ironed for so long I actually forgot I owned them! So it was a pleasant surprise recently when I finally got to the pile and discovered them again. I wish they were a darker wash, but love them for the fit. I think it's much more flattering than some of my other pants, and they currently do not require me to wear a belt for them to stay put!

Take that office dress code!

2009-06-18T10:25:00.010-04:00

Cardigan: Target; Shirt: Gap;
Pants: Express; Flips Flops: J Crew;
Necklace: gift, cleaned!; Bracelets: Target

One of the obvious perks of working from home is the ability to wear whatever I feel like. When I was in an office, I sometimes skirted the rules of office appropriate attire, but only to the side of too casual, never too revealing (my commuter shoes often hung around after the commute was complete). This outfit is a prime example of something I could never have worn to the office, the shirt in particular. Technically capris are also a no-no, although since our manager likes dressy capris, that gets partially overlooked. These pants however, are just asking for it. Flip flops- the commuter shoes of choice for DC summer, are of course a no-no as well.

Remember when Gap was selling these shirts? Everyone under the sun bought like 5 of them. I also had a white one, but it is long gone. 80s turquoise is all that remains. I think the front is a bit revealing when there is not a pile of hair or a cardigan in the way, though nothing extreme. This bigger issue with dress code adherence is the back.

Sure when my hair is down and laying all the way back perfectly, it is an appropriate cover, but hair is not a reliable modesty layer, and I don't want to be chained to a cardigan in summer when sleeves are already involved. Personally, I feel more exposed showing off skin on my back versus my chest- I guess because showing some skin on the chest is just more common (at least in my wardrobe).

Then there is the other matter. Technically, tattoos are not to be seen according to the office dress code. Lots of people feel free to show their tattoos at work anyway (dress code enforcement is not high at my office), but I think the combination of more revealing than normal clothing + tattoos that normally would not be on display is just a bit much to overlook in the conservative corporate culture I work in. Or did. Because quite frankly I could be nekkid these days and no one would know! Regardless, I personally find this top pushes my comfort zone on the basis of quantity of skin shown regardless of what else might be put on display and preferred to keep this a weekend shirt.

Tattoos are interesting- really they tell you absolutely nothing about the person. They don't make you tougher or deeper, they don't mean you ran with a bad crowd when you were younger. Yet people are always surprised when they see what I have. My wedding dress was strapless, so the ink along the top of my back was on full display, and when my manager saw the pictures I got the usual 'I had no idea you had so many!', said with a shocked gasp. Was she surprised they did not interfere with my ability to calculate stats? That somehow the ink should have seeped into my brain blocking my ability to understand detailed business concepts? The implication was clear: societal norms dictate that a person in my position was not supposed to have more than one, maybe two, and they should be small. I have 3 large flowers and 6 butterflies on the top of my back, in addition to two other tattoos elsewhere. I was always a 'good kid' and am now your basic yuppy. I have a degree in math not art, and I like to scrapbook. The sad fact is that so many people in society think these things cannot go together, when in fact they often do. None of us are one dimensional, yet society as a unit seems to think everyone should be.

I'm generally a modest dresser, but on the rare occasion my tattoos do see the light of day, I think it's good for people to see them, especially people who already know me in another context. It's important for people to understand that while my tattoos may be special to *me*, they essentially mean nothing to the outside world. They do not alter a persons' behavior or relay any meaningful information about personality, intelligence, or probability that the person was just up to no good in their youth.

Well, that turned out much longer than anticipated. For another diatribe, ask me about hair color! I've had lots! Shockingly, I still managed to get a college degree and not be a crackhead despite my penchant for Manic Panic.

I leave you with something less serious: look at my pretty bracelets! I got them at Target and am quite pleased. They are a basic jewelry item I've wanted for awhile but I never saw ones for sale I really liked.

brown, brown, brown... pink!

2009-06-16T11:06:00.009-04:00

Top, Cardigan, Necklace: Target;
Pants: Gap; Shoes: Chinese Laundry;
Bangles: Old Navy; Earrings: Girl Scouts of America

So from the ankles up, this is outfit is pretty good- a little bland on the color front, but nice and pretty put together (I think). The top has shades of green, but it all sort of falls into the brownish-neutral camp. But the shoes, oh the shoes! They add such excitement! Pizazz! They're so pink! And pointy! Pointy and Pink!! Whenever I used to wear these to the office, that's the general reaction I got.

I picked up the top, cardi and necklace all at Target the other day and I love all of them! I tried very hard to make sure I only purchased things with natural fibers- although the cardigan is 6% nylon, 2% spandex. Whatever- it's so soft! I was stoked to find a long, multi strand gold tone necklace with some personality, even if it came from a mass retailer.

I threw on the bracelets because I thought I needed at least a little color above my ankles. Somehow these rang up for $0.98- I wasn't going to argue with that!

I don't own many small gold tone earrings, so these get a fair amount of use. They make me smile :)

It took me about half about hour to produce what most women with straight hair would probably consider a very basic hairstyle. I like it a lot, hopefully I can get this down to a more respectable time frame- getting the clipped in part to look right took a surprising amount of time.

Now on to the really important question- which bag??? The gray one in my right hand is the one I usually use, because I love it, but the green one is a touch more fun. Is the green too matchy? Is the gray too bland? Do tell! Also featured is the bane of all light colored pants, to my far left.

Gray bag: Kenneth Cole
Green bag: Gap

Phinny would have liked my shoes

2009-06-15T10:35:00.006-04:00

Scarf: World Market; Jeans: Old Navy;
Shirt: Express; Shoes: Target;
Earrings: ???

I got some crappy news yesterday. Devastatingly crappy. Our family dog Phineas said goodbye. He lived a long and happy life and he is truly missed.

One of Phinny's better qualities was his personality- he was a silly dog and never lost that puppy mentality. Because of that, I feel he would have liked my shoes. They're ridiculous and he was ridiculous. I got them at Target yesterday before I got the news.

I picked these earring up, somewhere. No idea. A few years ago I decided I needed to try wearing big earrings more often. I like these a lot and they are about as big as I can handle. They get totally tangled in my hair so they work best when it is up.

It is entirely possible I have had that black shirt since high school.

These shoes kind of cheer me up. Seriously- glittery animal print. Who needs that???

*Note: Phinny lived with my parents, and is not the black dog Madison I've shown here before. Madison is doing quite well and has been an excellent source of consolation. Dogs really can sense emotion.

Long jeans

2009-06-15T10:22:00.004-04:00

I wore this on Saturday for dinner out. My hair is still wet here- it looks terrible wet!

Blouse: Nine West; Jacket: H&M;
Jeans: Lucky; Shoes: Tribeca;
Necklace: via Macy's;
Bag: Aldo

This is easily one of my most favorite shirts. It's a fun feminine shape and have my favorite color combo- blue and green! Seeing it with the cami here I am embarrassed to admit I used to wear it without anything underneath- even to the office! I think I'll stick with an underpinning from now on. Both the top and jeans came via Lord and Taylor. The office I used to work in was across the street from a L&T and I really do miss being able to shop there. I used to always get coupons in the mail and they had excellent selection. I knew if I needed a dress or bathing suit, I need go nowhere else- L&T had my back. Alas, there does not appear to be a L&T anywhere near me now. Next time I'm in DC, I will pay L&T a visit.

I bought this multi-strand necklace without this shirt in mind, but have since found it to be the perfect necklace to wear with the top- It fills the negative space well without competing with the colorful print.

What can I say, I *love* these shoes. I've been itching to wear them since I purchased them a few days ago, but haven't really had occasion to wear such a high heel. To be honest, they are not particularly comfortable. Not only is the heel quite high, but the criss-cross straps put some unpleasant pressure on the top of my foot. They are also a real pia to get into (taking them off is pretty easy though). Regardless, I still love them and hope after a few more wears they will be broken in enough such that the straps aren't putting my feet into a death grip and I can get them on without too much trouble.

Get thee to a cobbler

2009-06-12T12:53:00.006-04:00

Jacket: Old Navy; Blouse: H&M;

Slacks: NY&Co, consignment shop;
Shoes: Nine West;
Necklace: Gift via Overstock.com

Sorry for the darkness- it's been cloudy and overcast in between the rain for the past few days. I love this little red swingy jacket I got from Old Navy, but felt weird about wearing it inside- it has such a coat-ish feel to it, as opposed to some of the other blazers I own. I saw Kasmira wearing a similar coat-ish feeling little jacket the other day, and she was content to wear hers all day in her office, so I decided I needed to get over my neuroses and wear the darn jacket!

I *love* these shoes! I've had them for a few years now and have gotten my money's worth and then some out of them. The mid height heel makes them good for all day wear including actually walking for more than a brief trip to the copier.

Alas, I have not been checking them properly though and have let the heels wear down far too much. I'm hoping a good cobbler will be ab;e to repair them so they look good and stop making a horrible clicking noise when I wear them on tile!

This black pearl necklace was a gift from my in-laws. It's quite nice but doesn't get a lot of wear- I think I need to change that!