It's official: If I'm not at work or working on an assignment, I am in full-on hibernation mode. I had yesterday off for President's Day, but took today off as well thanks to either a stomach bug or something I ate yesterday. And with the frigid temps outside, all I want is to hide under 18 thousand layers of blankets and sleep until it's spring. Heck, I'd take temps in the 30s if I could get 'em; it's 17 right now (4 with the wind chill) and we're not supposed to see anything above freezing until the weekend...when we're supposed to get another dump of snow before the temps plummet down to highs in the 20s again. I don't know if this is winter's last dying gasps or if things are gonna stay this crappy until after Daylight Savings kicks back in, but I sure hope it's the first.
But enough about how much I hate the cold and the snow.
t-shirt: H&M
cardi: Forever 21
jeans and flats: Target
necklace: Jane.com
I'm fairly sure I've blogged an outfit like this before, but I have this lovely new, unshrunk mustard cardigan and I went to a trusty ol' standby for styling it. Honestly, I've been doing a lot of repeats lately; this weather just saps all the energy out of me and makes it hard to style an outfit creatively. But I said I was done complaining about the weather, right?
I guess it could be worse. Now I have an excuse to stay in and work on projects in the evenings and on weekends; I don't feel like such a recluse for spending my Friday nights with a hot glue gun when everyone else I know is doing the same with Netflix or what have you. And the central Ohio area has been spared a lot; we've received nothing compared to the feet of snow that's been dumped on New England this year. Still, I find myself daydreaming more and more about the Mexican beach where Matt and I will be spending our honeymoon. We're inside the three-month mark now, and I couldn't be more excited!
Ah, spring. It's on our doorsteps. I can feel it. Although the temperature rise is almost imperceptible -- it's a two-steps-forward-one-step-back shuffle between 60 degrees and snowing -- it is certainly present. And with that ever so slight rise in temperature, I can feel my blood begin to circulate through my veins again, waking me up from the dormancy of winter. I'm ready for patio happy hours and lazy Saturdays by the pool and rock climbing weekend trip adventures and sunsets at 9 pm and just generally feeling like the couch and Netflix are no longer my best friends.
And, although I really do love the sweater-skinnies-boots combo, it's getting kind of stale. I've worn variations of this outfit at least twice a week this winter, if not more, and I'm ready for skirts and dresses again. For sandals. For short sleeves and short shorts and tank tops!
sweater and skinnies: The Limited via Discount Fashion Warehouse
boots: gifted (Old Navy)
GAH! Spring, y u no here yet??
Seriously though. Highs for the next week and a half, in order: 53, 37, 42, 53, 58, 47, 38, 57, 60. Who am I kidding? I'm in Ohio. This is spring. Excuse me while I go cry until summer.
blouse: secondhand
cardigan: H&M
skinnies: The Limited via Discount Fashion Warehouse
boots, necklace: gifted
So this outfit is long-overdue to make an appearance on the blog. Just over a month overdue, in fact; it was what I was wearing the evening Matt proposed. I actually didn't even get a chance to shoot the outfit that evening; I had to wear it again later for pictures.
Anyway, maybe it's the initial flurry of planning: guest lists, budgets, comparing venues...all the type-A stuff that I kind of flourish on. But dang, is it a lot. And no matter how much I get done, I can't quite seem to get ahead of my to-do list. Looking at the calendar for the rest of this month? It's a little nightmarish. No wonder I've been kind of sparse around here.
Which is why I'm kind of glad to be leaving all things wedding- and work-related behind this weekend, when I go out to West Virginia to visit my friend Emily over the long weekend. I don't usually look forward to, you know, ditching Matt (read: someone will be here this weekend, potential burglars, so don't get any ideas). But I have to say, it'll be kind of nice to just have girl time :)
What are you looking forward to this weekend?
shirt, skirt, belt (came with skirt): JCPenney
heels, necklace: Target
So I had these photos all edited and ready to post last week. And then stuff happened. And kept happening. And, just as the weekend hit and I thought I'd finally have time to get my life back in order, MORE STUFF HAPPENED. Sorry to be vague, but some things just aren't blog-appropriate (or blog-worthy), I guess. Suffice to say: I'm still feeling a bit frazzled. But I'm cautiously optimistic about this week, and especially about this weekend, so I'm just going to shake off the dust of last week and try to start fresh.
Easier said than done, perhaps, but I know I can do it. Confidence! Empowerment! Blah blah blah etc!
In other news, this skirt is one of my favorite items in my closet, but it's also one of the least-worn items in my closet? Any ideas why? If you guessed, "Because it's white and Emma is a huge klutz and always spills things," DINGDINGDING you're a winner. Thankfully, I made it through yet another day without any stains. It's like a miracle, you guys.
Also, I totes didn't mean to create what is essentially an all-JCP outfit, but I wanted to pair this skirt with a lot of bold color and grabbed this shirt without really thinking about brand. In fact, it didn't even occur to me until I sat down to write this post. Anyone else ever accidentally become a real-life model for a certain brand or store?
cropped sweater: came with a dress from Burlington Coat Factory
cami, heels: Target
cropped slacks: The Limited
necklace: H&M
So I was going to write about this outfit and its colors and how bright they are, compared to what I usually wear. But I'm tired. I'm not sure where all of Monday's energy went, but it is gone. I'm tired, and not in a way that a nap can cure. I don't know where it came from, but a little bout of general blah-ness is settling into my bones and making me want to watch bad TV and eat junk food until I hate myself a little bit. Or a lot, I'm flexible on that.
But I'm not going to do that! I recently started taking dance clases, and they're honestly one of the best things that have ever happened to me. I actually discovered the studio through a freelance story I was researching, and I instantly did the worst thing a journalist can do and got emotionally involved. I've been going to classes once a week ever since. Tonight is hip-hop :)
So, that's the sad-story-happy-story I have for you today. I'm feeling depressed as hell for no reason, but I'm going to fix it by dancing for 90 minutes. Best. Solution. Ever.
blazer, button-up blouse: thrifted
cardi: The Limited
pants: really old, don't remember
flats, necklace: Target
Okay first, I'd like to address the elephant in the room/on this post: Holy crap these photos are freaking awful. I was in a rush, I was probably tired, and I'll be honest, this sweater mysteriously shrank and I was ready to get that straightjacket off. So, sorry for the terrible quality. Hopefully you can look past it and imagine this outfit in its IRL glory. Cause I liked it a lot, aside from the whole compressing-my-arms-and-torso-into-sausages thing.
So anyway, do y'all remember my Pin-spiration Monday posts that I was doing for a while late last year/early this year? No? That's okay, I pretty much forgot about them too. Until now... So anyway, I've seen a few bloggers do this look before, most recently Audrey over at Putting Me Together. Please note how much better it looks on her, probably because she doesn't decide to replicate this look at the last minute, realize the damn sweater doesn't fit but wear it anyway because she spent the last 10 minutes sitting in front of her closet pouting, unable to think of something blog-worthy to wear, and she has to put on some form of clothing RIGHT NOW or she'll miss the bus or worse, not get her coffee. Not like that's what happened to me or anything...
Also, this is the first time I've embedded a pin on the ol' blog since they updated the embed functions, and can I just say that I really hate it? Because I really hate it. I just want the image, not the description and the name of the board I pinned too... :/ Plus, now you have to embed the JavaScript on any page the embedded pin appears? Wtf?
t-shirt, hair flower: H&M
cardi: The Limited
jeans, flats: Target
necklace: gifted
Most years, I wind up getting cooking utensils and gadgets for Christmas. Last year it was a really nice food processor, and the year before it was Julia Child's cookbook. This year, I've gotten a bunch of Pampered Chef stuff from Matt and a fondue set that doubles as a deep-fryer (yes, you read that right...I was so excited) from the girls upstairs. Suffice to say, I like to goof off in the kitchen. There's just one problem.
I am a complete and total klutz, particularly when hot and/or sharp objects are involved. I have a massive, four-inch-long scar on my arm from a burn sustained a few years ago (funny story btw, remind me to tell it sometime). I have numerous scars on my hands from various cuts, and once I cut the tip of my finger almost completely off.
So this afternoon I was curing this new fondue set with hot oil, per the instructions. And now, typing up this post is quite difficult, thanks to the massive blister on my pinkie. Lovely.
It's Sunday night and I'm still kind of recovering from the holy terror of a thunderstorm that plowed through the midwest on Friday. Actually, we got off really lucky...we never lost power, no trees fell on our cars and the power lines didn't fall and ignite a fire that burned our garage to the ground. Our neighbors weren't so lucky; these things all happened within a block or two of us. For a storm that only lasted about thirty minutes, I saw more damage than I've ever seen before in my life. Crazy.
Truth is, I had a much-needed weekend off yesterday and today. It's my last completely free weekend for most of the summer, so lying around watching TV and reading Game of Thrones was exactly what I wanted to do. So here's a preview-ish photo that I happened to have edited and ready to go. A version of this outfit will appear as a guest post later in the week. (Update: It'll be on July 13...check that day's post for the link!) Trust me, it's exciting. I finally went back on my word and tried the whole colorblocking thang.
shirt: thrifted
cami: Old Navy
skirt: The Limited
shoes: Franco Sarto via Marshall's
I belatedly linked this up to Everybody, Everywear. Woot woot!
I'm not sure if I mentioned this, but Matt travels a lot for work. Most weeks (and by that I mean nearly every week), he's off to some random part of the country for two to four days. For the past nine or ten months, I've pretty much lived alone during the week, though he's almost always around on the weekends.
Until now.
Matt quit his job, effective next week, and he just got back from his last-ever trip with this company last night. I've gotta admit, it's pretty exciting to know that he'll be home every night. Woot woot :)
cardi: The Limited
t-shirt: Old Navy
skirt: New York & Company
heels, necklace: thrifted
bangle: secondhand
I was really excited to be able to style this cardigan for spring. Like many offices, mine is absolutely freezing. So wearing a light sweater when it's above 80 degrees out isn't actually all that crazy.
This bangle was one of many sent to me by Loren. Wanna know something weird? They only fit my left arm. My right wrist is just a smidge too big for them to squeeze on. Actually, my right foot is nearly half a size larger than my left, now that I think about it. Guess I'm just not symmetrical.
By the way. Today is your LAST DAY to enter my eShakti giveaway, which closes at midnight! So click on over and get yourself entered. On the other hand, you have until tomorrow to link up to Bloggers Take the Town, but why wait? Go ahead and link up now ;)
Foof. That's the sound I made when I flopped down onto the couch after work today. Adjusting to new schedules has always been a tad difficult for me, and this week and last have been no exception. I switched to writing my blog posts at night and scheduling for the morning, and wouldn't you know, I forgot to write a post for yesterday morning. I almost didn't get this post written, thanks to everything else that's going on right now, but I managed to remember as I was making dinner.
And then, when I stepped away from dinner for half a second to chat with Chasity (one of the upstairs neighbors), Spazzcat the dufus started eating at my hot dog. This is a pathetic dinner as it is, Spazzy! You could at least let me eat the whole damn thing.Le sigh.
The fact is, there is a LOT going on right now. I don't really want to go into the details, because it will only make me more stressed, but suffice to say that things are caraaaaaazy.
So. Outfit photos.
shirt: JC Penney
pants: thrifted
belt and heels: Target
hair pins: H&M
ring and necklace: gifted
This shirt was part of a fairly restrained shopping spree I went on the day I found out my start date for this new job. I say "fairly" restrained because I did wind up spending more than I wanted to, but I only bought basics and items that I could remix easily. But man, have you been to JC Penney lately? Their spring lines are AWESOME. I walked into the dressing room with more than a dozen items and had to ruthlessly pare down to just three. When I have a clothes budget again (starting next month!! but more on that for Fiscal Fridays this week), I am gonna have to hit that place up again.
A year ago today, I took the leap with my first blog post on Verbal Mélange. But really, the blog started long before April 2011. I spent months stalking studying others' blogs. Figuring out what I liked. Trying to gain a focus. Designing a logo, which I promptly scrapped for the current design. And ever since, I've been continually evolving this project. So yes, I'm celebrating my one-year bloggiversary today. But VM is far from becoming a static project, with a single set anniversary. Here's to the next year to come :)
cardi: The Limited
shirt: really, really old...from Alloy maybe?
slacks: thrifted
belt, flats: Target
necklace: FigleafEIGHT THINGS I’VE LEARNED THROUGH BLOGGING1. I can actually dress myself. That is, I’m completely capable of coming up with unique outfits most days (hey, we all do repeats…don’t pretend you’re not guilty). That was honestly one of my biggest worries about starting this blog; that I would run out of inspiration or steam after a few months.2. How to thrift. A year ago, I would have never, EVER, gone into a thrift store with $7 and been able to leave with the makings of a few different outfits. Now? I think at least a third of my closet is thrifted. Helloooooo, money saved!3. How to step out of my fashion comfort zone. Before I started blogging, I think I laughed at the colored pants trend. *blush* And honestly, I’m kind of ashamed to admit that. BECAUSE I LOVE MY COLORED PANTS. But really, it all goes back to the “don’t knock it until you try it” idea. And for the most part, I have fully adopted that as a mantra.4. How to do the above, but still stay true to my personal style. (Because, as eclectic as it is, I do consider myself to have a “personal” sort of style.) There are some trends I simply won’t try. Not because I think they’re stupid (tons of people can pull off color blocking or peplum skirts with absolute grace and flare), but because they’re just not me. There’s a difference between trying new things and pretending to be someone else.5. How to better manage my finances. I guess you could say blogging about my Financial Diet gave me a certain amount of accountability, even if I didn’t stay entirely true to the cause 100% of the time. Just knowing that other people were aware of what I was trying to do (and in some cases, doing it with me) helped me gain the financial structure that I was never able to obtain before.6. Photography. I’m by no means an expert, and I still use a point-and-shoot, but look at those first indoor photos from April/May 2011, then look at the ones from this February/March. Dear God, those photos were so awful.7. Sometimes, the best style bloggers aren’t the “famous” ones. When I started, I only knew the “popular” bloggers like Kendi, Jill, Sydney, Jessica, etc. etc. And while they are all lovely women, I’m sure, and I still read (most of) those blogs every day, I’ve discovered that in some cases, I like the lesser-known bloggers even more than the big-name ones. Which leads me to…8. The blogging community is so incredible. For real. You guys bring a smile to my face on pretty much a daily basis. And the friendships I’ve established with a few of you is so incredible, and so real, it’s almost unbelievable. And even when I'm just sitting here talking about myself, like I have been with these lists this week, I've been learning about you guys through responses in the comments.And you know something? I think that's my favorite thing.P.S. Happy Easter, to those who celebrate it! I'm spending the day with my family, gorging myself silly on my younger siblings' Easter candy. Hey, those kids can't eat it all. I'm helping them...umm...prevent cavities. Yeah ;)
I was driving home from a friend's house last night and I got to thinking about just how dang cheery I was feeling. And how completely miserable I felt last week. And I realized that I never properly thanked everyone who commented on my gloomy posts with words of encouragement. So I would like to officially and heartfelt-ly say thank you. It's kind of silly how kind words from near-strangers (or in some cases, folks who I've never actually met but still consider friends) can mean so much...but I want you all to know that they really do.Okay, serious moment over. I took these photos last month, when we were in the midst of a record-breaking heat wave. Now we're back to normal early-spring temperatures, and I'm shivering while taking outfit photos in the morning. But for these photos? It was gorgeous.
shirt, skirt, belt: thrifted
collared undershirt, necklace: New York & Company
shoes: TargetI really need to properly iron this skirt before I wear it again. Anyway. The bloggiversary week continues with more fun facts!EIGHT CONFESSIONS1. I am addicted to Mountain Dew. No lie, my Dew habits are borderline disgusting. I drink it every day. (Sometimes twice a day. Wow, that was kind of hard to admit.)2. I’m a really picky eater. I like to tell people that I am a “super-taster” (yes, they do exist) and that’s why I can’t handle spicy foods. Like, not even a little spicy. Pepperoni sometimes makes my mouth burn. I also can’t stand most vegetables, which is why the side dishes for all of my food posts consist of potatoes, asparagus, corn or a simple salad (and usually, I don’t even enjoy most salads unless they’re drenched in dressing).3. I still have a bit of a spending problem. I never really wanted to own up to it here, but it’s a rare week that I make it all the way through without going overbudget on my Financial Diet. Some weeks I do stay within my allotted amount, but others I go a teensy bit over. Every once in a great while, I go quite a bit over. I am WAY better than I used to be, yes, but it does still happen. I can’t help it, because…4. I’m insanely impulsive. And yes, it’s gotten me into trouble on many occasions. The older I get, the easier it is to keep myself in check, but sometimes I just say “screw the consequences” and do whatever-it-is anyway.5. I curse like a sailor. So really, I don’t say “screw the consequences” as mentioned above, I say…well, you get the picture. Again, I keep it in check on the blog for the sake of professionalism (this thing is on the internet for everyone, including future potential employers, to see), but if you ever meet me in person, prepare your ears for a slew of very un-ladylike language. Unless of course you are my employer or something like that. I know when to keep my tongue in check.6. I sometimes let depression/anxiety get the best of me. Though this isn’t really so much of a confession, because I wrote about it last week. Oh well. I almost wrote “I’m secretly lazy,” except I’m absolutely not and I hate to be idle. But I’ve suffered from depression/anxiety for nearly 10 years now, and even though I’m no longer on meds (yay!), I still sometimes succumb to it because it’s just plain easier to give in than to make the effort to fight. 7. I daydream constantly. Sometimes it’s goofy things, sometimes it’s sad things, sometimes it’s completely mundane. I play out random little scenarios in my head all the time. I’ve been known to talk to myself on occasion. Sometimes I answer myself.8. I never thought this blog would make it to the one-year mark. Monotony has never suited me, and I initially assumed that after 12 months, I’d find blogging my daily outfits monotonous. Not so. In fact, it’s become quite the opposite; I fear I’m actually addicted to blogging. I can just see it now, I’ll be doing it as an old lady, when no one is interested in reading my ramblings anymore, just for the sake of getting my thoughts “out there.” I’m guessing I won’t be the only one, at least.
Not much to say today, folks. I'm feeling kinda blah/anxious this week (thanks, hormones) and am having a hard time keeping positive. Still, I'm getting by all right, by reminding myself that freaking out when there's nothing I can do about a situation doesn't help anything and that my current low self-esteem is pretty much unfounded. I've gotten quite good at talking myself out of these funks. You know what helps? Looking at bright, cheery photos from last week when I was in a super good mood.
shirt: thrifted
cami: Marshall's
jeans: Guess via Macy's
flats: Target
necklace, brown bracelet: don't remember
beaded bracelet: gifted from my momYou know what else will probably help my funk? Watching New Girl with the girls upstairs and a glass (or two) of wine tonight. It's all about appreciating the little things and making sure that the big things don't overwhelm you.Hope I didn't bum anyone out with this post today. With any luck, we'll be back to our regular randomness and goofiness soon.Oh, and one more thing before I forget. Thanks to those who linked up to Bloggers Take the Town yesterday! If you missed it, don't fret. We'll be back again on Monday, April 30. Mark your calendars!
Ah, Monday. Thanks for being here to greet me with drizzly, dreary weather after such a beautiful weekend. No really. That made getting out of bed this morning sooo much easier!Actually, I guess I really can't complain. I had such a lovely weekend, not even this rainy morning can really get me down. Friday night comedy shows, Saturday laziness, and a gorgeous Sunday spent sleeping in and playing outside makes for a fabulous weekend. And we capped it all off with a fun cookout Sunday evening with the girls upstairs and a few other friends.
cardi & skinnies: The Limited
shirt & belt: thrifted
boots: TargetThe forecast for this week is calling for plenty of warm days, mostly in the 70s, and even a few sunny days thrown in for good measure. So I'm kind of sad to say that this may be one of the last time my Target boots (in any of the three colors I have, haha) appear on the blog. I think that's the only downside of spring...boots with skinnies kind of have to go on hiatus.Boots with shorts, on the other hand, may still be an option.What about you? Any styles you're sad to leave behind as winter begins to draw to a close?
So my life is finally starting to resemble something close to normal again. That's good. This weekend seemed a lot longer than last, even though they were both three-day affairs. Maybe because I wasn't travelling across half the state and was actually able to get some things done. Go figure.This includes re-shooting the holiday outfits that I never took pictures of, out of forgetfulness or sheer exhaustion. You'll know the reshoots because I'm not wearing makeup and my hair is wavy in all its air-dried glory ;)
shirt: old, don't remember; vest: New York & Company; skinnies: Forever 21; belt, boots: Target
#1, worn to a Christmas party thrown by my friend Allory and her boyfriend a few days before the holiday.
credits: see here
#2, worn to dinner with Matt's parents, his sister and her fiancé on Christmas Eve eve. Yes, I pretty much repeated this outfit from early December...only I swapped the necklace for a belt under the cardi. What can I say? I love this outfit.
sweater tunic: old, don't remember; skinnies, bracelet: Forever 21; flats: Target
#3, worn at Christmas Eve with my immediate family, and that evening with Matt's dad's side of the family.
shirt: thrifted; skinnies: Forever 21; boots: Old Navy, Christmas gift from my mom; necklace: The Limited; bracelet: Forever 21
Reshoot of #4, worn Christmas day with Matt's mom's side of the family and that evening with my mom's side of the family. Doesn't my mom have great taste? Loving these boots she got me :)
shirt: Old Navy; skirt: The Limited; necklace: Forever 21; tights: Target; booties: Burlington Coat Factory
Reshoot of #5, worn the Tuesday after Christmas at my dad's family's party, where we talked about my blog for a while and I felt awkward because I always forget that people I know in real life sometimes read this thing. Which is kinda funny. (Hi Luke. Lol.)So there it is! I have a ton of 2011 outfits left to post, including my stepping-outside-my-fashion-comfort-zone New Year's Eve dress. Kind of excited to show you guys that one. But for now, I'm running a bit late for work. Of course. Ta ta!
