EBEW and another guest photo shoot

This photo shoot with my friend Chasity was taken at the park down at the end of our street. I know, I know. The scenery is gorgeous and it's a sin that I don't take photos here more often. But it was awkward enough being in a park full of people, letting my friend take snap pics like a crazy person (or maybe I was the crazy person). It would be even weirder for me to be taking pics of myself with a tripod in a park full of people. Still haven't quite worked up that nerve.

Anyway, there were so many great shots that I couldn't stick to my usual three or four shots. So here's a bunch, and if you want some more (including the outtakes and other tomfoolery like the second-to-last shot here), you can find them on my Facebook page. Because nothing says "modest" like an entire album of pictures of yourself, right?














sweater: thrifted
cami: Old Navy
jeans, boots: Target
necklace: Tiffany & Co

Rediscovering old clothes

I've had these slacks in the back of my closet for, I don't know, years. I wore fairly often two summers ago, but kind of forgot about them for most of 2011. They're a weird kind of so-dark-navy-that-they're-almost-black, and it's hard to see in the photos but they have very thin, light blue pinstripes. "They don't go with anything I own," I thought. "They're too hard to match."

False. I just wasn't trying hard enough.






sweater: Aeropostale
polo: Target
slacks: New York & Company
necklace: Tiffany & Co (gifted)
shoes: Franco Sarto via Marshall's
If I think really hard about it, I can kind of remember buying these guys in a frantic shopping spree for "professional" clothes upon getting my first part-time office job. As it turns out, I didn't need to bother, because the office was so incredibly casual.

But the fit is so perfect at the waist and hips, and THEY'RE LONG ENOUGH. (For the record, this is one of only three or four pants I've ever worn in my life that fits both of those criteria. I'm dreaming of the day when I can buy some INDI jeans with my own custom measurements.) Anyway. What I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry pants, for neglecting you. I promise to recognize your true worth from now on.

P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway! Tomorrow's your last chance!

Happy worst-holiday-ever-invented!

I'm not gonna lie, I've never been a big fan of Valentine's Day. I always managed to get fewer cards in my box in elementary school, and I'm not even gonna start on the horrors of dating-age Valentine's Days. (Though I will say that in college alone, I drunkenly ran into my ex at a bar and made a fool of myself one year, then almost had to go to the hospital the next while making dinner for Matt. Suffice to say the holiday has not treated me well.)

This year, Matt is currently en route to Louisiana for work. We did celebrate last weekend, and I came home last night to a beautiful bouquet of flowers waiting for me, so I suppose things could be worse :)



Still. I definitely have a love-hate relationship with the holiday, and I think I somehow channeled that into my outfit today. There's a good balance of cynical black and romantic pink and red, haha.






button-up and sweater: New York & Company
skirt: The Limited
tights: Target
pumps: thrifted
necklace: Tiffany & Co (gift from my aunt)
I have to say, I've never been a big fan of the pink and red combo that's so trendy right now. Not sure why, but it's always kind of bugged me. But when I woke up this morning, I decided to face the EBEW challenge head on, stretching myself ever so slightly out of my comfort zone. And you know what? I don't hate it.

Linked to:

Discount codes and odd neighbors

Big celebratory dance time, guys. This is my 200th post! I had wanted to do a giveaway or something like that, but I didn't want to hold the Limited giveaway I just did, and I don't really have anything new lined up. I do have some discount codes from a few of my affiliates, though!

The first is for eShakti, which I did a review of here. Use promo code EMMA0811 now through December 31 to get $20 off your order (excluding the overstock items).

The second is for INDi custom jeans. I'm new to their affiliate program, so I haven't done any reviews or anything, but you can use the code NEWINDI to get $20 off any pair of jeans (even the custom-sized ones, where you input your measurements for the perfect pair!) and get free shipping on your order. That code is good through Nov. 20, so use it soon!








sweater, button-down & slacks: New York & Company
shoes: Target
necklace: Tiffany, gifted
watch: Walmart
ring: gifted
How many people wear a Tiffany necklace with Walmart watch? Just me? Yeah, I'm super classy.

So the whole time I was taking these photos in my backyard, one of my crazy neighbors was watching. Like most fashion bloggers, I'm petrified of being caught shooting. That's why I usually stick to the backyard instead of going to the park or somewhere more scenic. But no. This neighbor came out right as I was getting started to ask what I was doing. "Oh, just taking photos of myself, by myself, in the yard. NDB." Yeah. To say it was awkward is an understatement.

Too bad we don't have a privacy fence. Oh wait. We do. Apparently, since the 7-foot fence is too tall to see over, he thought it would be fine to stand on his porch so he could see me/talk to me. Yeah. Kinda defeats the purpose there, buddy.

What do you do when you get caught shooting for your blog? I think next time, I'll just run away. Much cooler.

Groovy, man

This is my lame attempt at the 70s thing. I'm not normally one to follow trends—I prefer to just wear what I like—but I was bored the other week and thought I'd give it a shot. Plus, it was probably the last chance I'd get to wear these wedges (temps went from 90s to 60s overnight!) and they really complement the 70s feel, so I think this was a good outfit overall.








polo: Target
jeans: random sale at OU
shoes: Old Navy
necklace: Tiffany & Co
When I say I got these jeans at a "random sale at OU," it's only because I have no idea what to call the sale. It wasn't a sample sale, per se, and it wasn't exactly a consignment or thrift situation either. What happened was, one of the on campus groups (rugby team maybe?) somehow acquired all these name brand clothes. Victoria's Secret, American Eagle, Aeropostale, a bunch of random jeans brands, etc. And then they sold them to students for way less than the retail price. It's sounds shady, but I'm guessing they were overstock items or they were somehow not quite up to standards for retail sale.

Either way, it results in a great place to find some nice basics. Like wide-leg flares. Three years before they really came back into style. I like to think I was just ahead of the trend when I bought them, but like I said, I usually just buy/wear what I like. Whether it's in style or not.

Little green monsters

No, I don't mean envy or anything like that. I mean these shoes that I almost painted black. So glad you all convinced me not to! I have way too many neutrals in my wardrobe and not nearly enough fun pieces like these guys. I went really brave last week and wore them with another really bright color, and I think it turned out pretty well!

Shirt: Old Navy
Jeans: Guess via Macy's
Shoes: Walmart
Necklace: Tiffany & Co.

Oh, lord. Only I would wear $3 Walmart sandals with a Tiffany necklace. Ha. I'm what you call an "oddball," I suppose.

Take two?

Well, still no sign of my lost posts coming back, so I'm going to try to re-create them. I happened to have the copy from my outfit post saved, but I'll have to re-write the food post. Blerg. In other news, here's the outfit post from last Thursday.

Button down: Banana Republic
Cami: Old Navy
Capri/short things: New York and Company
Shoes: Mossimo via Target
Necklace: Tiffany
Bracelet: American Eagle?

This necklace is one of the nicest pieces of jewelry I own. My aunt gave it to me as a college graduation present. The second I saw the Tiffany blue box, I cried. No joke. It was pretty exciting. I can't remember where I got this bracelet, on the other hand. Just like most of the rest of my jewelry.

In other news, Jill mentioned yesterday how great it is to have a bit of wind when doing blog shoots, and I have to agree. When I took these photos, there was just enough of a breeze to make things interesting...but not so much that my hair or shirt got out of hand. Lovely :)