Drugs are sometimes good.

sweater, skinnies: H&M
booties: Walmart
necklace: InPink
Apparently I spoke too soon last Wednesday when I said I was getting "over the hump" of this cold. Because as I found out at the doctor's this weekend, it's not a cold. It's bronchitis. Whee!

I'm no stranger to bronchitis; I got it a lot in college when I lived in the dorms. And given the timing of this onset, I'm suspecting I may have picked it up on the plane coming back from my visit to Emily's. Oh, well. The important thing is that the doctor gave me lots of awesome drugs and now I can take a breath and even laugh without going into a coughing fit. Yay, drugs!

Kids, don't do drugs.

Unless your doctor tells you to.

Anyway, I took yesterday off to let the meds do their magic, and I'm heading back to work again this morning. I did nothing but sleep, drag my butt to said doctor's visit (and to a haircut appointment that I'd already rescheduled twice) and watch a ton of Girls this weekend. (Which, by the way, WHY am I just now starting this show??) So I'm kind of glad to be getting out of the house. Even if it's for work ;)

Longer weekend, please!

I feel like I'm saying that pretty much every Monday morning. I never seem to get everything done on my to-do list for any given weekend. We were busy these past two days, to be sure. Matt and I helped friends move, went to an overnight football-watching/camping/fishing trip at our friend's dad's house, set up a new wireless router and sold my old iPhone on Craigslist. I also dyed my hair and got it cut. But I wanted to work on some house projects and clean and figure out why our printer isn't working, and I didn't get to any of that. Le sigh.

So anyway, these photos. For some reason, I had a really hard time getting them to focus properly. It was the first time I ever had a problem like that, and I was getting really frustrated. I managed to clean up some of the least-out-of-focus ones using the methods I described in this post, but they're still a tad blurry:




shirt: really, really old Alloy from high school (hahaha yeah you read that right)
blazer: thrifted
skinnies: Forever 21
booties: Walmart
necklace: InPink (giveaway win)
But they got really good after I convinced Matt to step outside and be my "mark" for focusing the camera:




Since then, I've figured out that I can use my spare tripod as a mark. And ever since, my photos have been coming out crystal clear! (With the slight exception of tomorrow's outfit, because that trick hadn't quite dawned on me when I took those. Oops!)

That's a wrap!

t-shirt: Old Navy
capris: Target
belt: came with the capris
sandals: Walmart
necklace: gifted
Well, these are the last of my outfit photos shot at the new house. I used the alley between our garage and our neighbor's as a backdrop. I've used it before, but only rarely. We were really close to a heavily trafficked road and I had this dumb (but given the events of the summer, totally understandable) fear of my camera being snatched while I was shooting.

All in all, these shots didn't even turn out 100% as great as I had hoped. The t-shirt isn't plain white; it's speckled with tiny, bright neon splotches. (You can see a close-up of it here.) I avoided the neon trend for a long, loooong time, but I've finally jumped on the bandwagon, albeit in a tiny way. I'm way more comfortable with small accents like flat shoes or a skinny belt than I am with big, flashy pieces.

So tomorrow I have to go in to work an hour early, meaning I'll be out my front door before 7 a.m. I'll try to have a post ready, and I want to post a little before-and-after of how the new house is coming along this weekend...but life, as usual, may have other plans. Gotta love deadlines and taking on more projects than really is wise, right? Story of my life.

The new leaf

After Saturday's post about promising to not let negativity get the best of me, I actually had a really wonderful weekend. We grilled out and watched the OSU Final Four game with a bunch of friends (even though it was a heart-breaking loss, I'm proud of our boys! Go Bucks!) and went downtown to the outdoor climbing wall to get in a few good routes. It was lovely.

It was actually pretty easy to be positive and in a good mood this weekend. But like all good things, the weekend had to end and here we are at Monday. Matt just left for a five-day business trip in Texas; the longest one he's been on since he started this job. In fact, this week will be the longest we've been apart since I was a junior in college and had to spend winter break at my parents' house. And while it's definitely easier to be happy when he's around, I'm not going to let this (and the whole stressful job situation I mentioned on Saturday) get the best of me. Positivity!






blazer, tights: Target
blouse: The Limited
skirt, pumps: thrifted
watch: Walmart
necklace: gifted from Matt
I wore this for my job interview back in January. I was going to save it and post when I had an official start date, but I got tired of waiting. Plus, pretty soon all my photos will be outdoor shots, so I'm trying to get rid of the inside ones now.

This actually isn't the first interview I've had in the past six months. I wore this outfit way back in October to an interview for a job that I didn't end up getting. That's okay though. I know I'll like this new opportunity, when I finally get started with it, more than I ever would have enjoyed the job that I didn't get.

I'm thinking I might make that outfit my "first day at a new job" one, actually. It's one of my favorite professional styles that have appeared on this blog. Positivity! This week could be the week! And if it's not, well, that's okay too. Some things are worth waiting for.

Adjustments

I'm running a little behind this morning as I try to adjust to my new, living-with-purpose routine. It involved waking up half an hour earlier (okay, so I only made it 15 minutes today) so I can do some work on the blog or my freelance stuff (this morning it was freelance) and eat breakfast. I haven't eaten breakfast consistently since I was in high school. Early high school. So anyway, that means just one photo today. Which works out, because this was the only good photo of this particular outfit.

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sweater: New York & Company
polo, flats: Target
jeans: Guess via Macy's
necklace: The Limited
watch: Walmart
bracelet: Forever 21
This is actually the outfit I wore for Thanksgiving. It's a pretty casual event with my family and Matt's, so jeans and nice tops are usually good bets. This is also what happens when I don't take the time to straighten my hair properly after I wash it. I have that awful not-quite-curly-but-definitely-not-straight hair. I keep thinking that if I grow it out, it will get heavier and therefore lie flatter. Hasn't been the case so far. I'll probably get frustrated and get it all chopped off to a pixie cut someday, which will be simultaneously horrifying and amazing, I'm sure.

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.

The Perfect (Anti-Blogging) Storm

It seems like lately the universe is conspiring to make blogging particularly difficult for me to accomplish. For one, it's been quite rainy these past few days/weeks, meaning indoor photos or no photos at all. For the record: I hate taking indoor photos. The lighting is just never good enough.

Take, for example, this outfit. I wasn't going to blog it, but I liked the look so much that I decided to just bite the bullet and shoot inside (no word yet on how winter will affect me...either I'll have frostbite or I'll just get used to crappy inside shots).

Then there's the general craziness that is my life. Our company was just bought out by another media outlet in town (if you follow me on Twitter you probably already know this), which means big changes for my coworkers and me in the coming weeks/months. I'm considering taking another freelance job so I can quit waitressing. It's not as lucrative as the hiring manager swore it would be ($30 on a Friday night? No thank you) and it's really adding more stress to my life than it's worth.

On top of all this? I'm coming down with something. I've had a sore throat since Monday and I have been ex. haust. ed. Honestly, just dragging my butt out of bed in the morning is a miracle, let alone getting dressed. Suffice to say that few of my outfits have been blog-worthy lately. Slacks and a T? That's my not-feeling-so-awesome attire.






shirt: don't remember
button-down: New York & Company
slacks: thrifted?
pumps: definitely thrifted
watch: Walmart
I did manage to pull out this gem of an outfit, however. I really like it, even though the purple shirt is a bit too tight to layer over a bulky button-down. Still, it looks nice, and that's the important part, right?

I promise, I'll start dressing better again, despite it all, and I'll try to start cooking some more so there are delicious recipes for me to share. And tonight, I'm going to try to hit up Joann Fabrics with my grandma, so there may be a how-to-make-your-own-curtains tutorial coming up at some point. Oh, and stay tuned for a product/shop review. I have a gorg dress hanging in my closet that I can't wait to share!

Mannish

I love the women-wearing-men's-clothes trend. When I saw Elaine's recent post on wearing your guy's clothes, and the recent VMA/Emmy attire of Lady Gaga and Jane Lynch, I knew I had to give it a try!

Unfortunately, I am woefully shy about going out on a fashion limb, at least when it comes to what I wear to work. Wearing Matt's shirt seemed just a bit too casual, particularly because it was so big on me, so I went with all-me pieces that gave a little more masculine/feminine mix. So really, I suppose this outfit isn't "mannish" at all...I just like the way the word sounds as a post title.






button up: New York & Company
tank: Walmart or Target?
belt: thrifted
skinnies: The Limited
shoes: Payless

See that headband? It was actually once a ribbon that came with a pair of flats. It looped through the back of the shoe and tied around my ankle. The shoes fell apart (of course) but the ribbons were still nice, so I washed them and kept them around. Glad I did, they're the perfect length for a double-wrapped headband :)

Do you watch Glee? Did you see the season premiere last night? I won't go into a Gleek rehash, but I have to say I was a little let down. I watched it with the girls who live upstairs, and one of them put it really well: It seemed like a mid-season episode, not the blowout season starters we've come to expect. We watched New Girl with Zooey Deschanel (love her!) after that. It was good. I can't wait to see the show/characters evolve.

Now that the fall season is underway, what shows (haha, I just accidentally typed "shoes"--ever the style blogger) are on your must-watch list?

We now return to your regularly scheduled randomness

I can't even believe September is half over, you guys. Where did this month go? It's been so hectic around here that I can barely think straight, but I think things are finally settling down again and I can start getting back into a pattern for my life in general. Which is good.

I have four more outfits from the old house after this post (I know, I stockpile photos like it's the end of the world), so I'm hoping to double post a bit this week to get those all knocked out. Which means I'll start having to actually plan outfits again, instead of wearing repeats and not photographing them like I have been for the past two weeks. Oops.






dress: Target
blazer and necklace: New York & Company
shoes: Payless
watch: Walmart
Do you like the little photo collage ganged shot thing? It's a technique I saw Sorren do before, and I really like being able to show some of the smaller details of an outfit, so I kind of copied riffed on the idea. Thanks for the inspiration, Sorren!

We went to my friend Stephanie's wedding this weekend (I only have one outfit shot, but I'll probably post it later this evening). It was a blast! I ran into an old acquaintance from my freshman year at OU (talk about a small world!) and basically just danced all night with a great group of people. I love weddings.

And I would feel like a complete jerk if I didn't acknowledge yesterday's anniversary. It's hard to believe it's been 10 years since the attack...I wrote a little blurb for work about my memories of the day. I was 13. My aunt lived and worked in Manhattan. Thankfully, she was unharmed that day, but the terror my family felt as we waited to hear from her was beyond belief. It's amazing how drastically your life can change in the span of just a few minutes or hours. I still get chills every time I think about that day.

Sorry...I didn't really want to end this post on a sad note. Warning: abrupt change of subject ahead. Check back later today for a post with wedding photos!

BDIB: Arm Party

I just love this phrase. Arm party. I think it's hysterical. What I find even more amusing, however, is that this trend is something I used to do back in high school. I even used the DIY friendship bracelet idea to create my arm party, which is what a lot of people are doing now, too. I was going to whip up a few friendship bracelets and wrap some old bangles with string for today's Bloggers Do It Better challenge, but I didn't have the time to run to the store to get embroidery thread, let alone actually make a few of those bad boys. I guess, for now, they'll remain a nostalgic memory for me.

tunic: Artifacts Gallery in Athens, Ohio
tank: Walmart
shorts: New York & Company
shoes: Payless
bracelets: don't remember where I got ANY of them, haha

The only think I don't really like about the arm party? My arm is constantly jingling at my desk as I type at work all day. Boo.

Well, Matt and I board our train to New York City tonight! We're leaving Kitty (who still doesn't have an official name) with a few friends, and our neighbor is keeping an eye on the apartment (so don't try breaking in, creepy people who might read this, haha). I have a few awesome guest posts lined up between now and Monday, so make sure you stop by to check those out!

Also, I dyed my hair last night. I was well overdue for a touchup! But I still have about a week's worth of outfits from pre-hairdye, so expect a few changes in apparent hair color over the next few days ;)

Until next week...stay well, readers!

Jump for joy!

Okay, that might be a bit dramatic. But I had a really, really great day yesterday, and I wanted this post to reflect that. So I decided to do a "jump for joy" shoot. On my first attempt, I got a perfect jump shot, but my face looked goofy:

So I tried again. Several more times. And wouldn't you know, I just could not get the timing right!

So I gave up on that and went back to regular outfit shots.

items: 11,15,24,26
necklace: The Limited
watch: Walmart
bracelets: various, years ago

I swear, our deck is not dangerously tilted. Slightly not-level-anymore, yes. But my photo taking is kind of janky at the moment...my bendy-tripod broke, so I've resorted to propping my non-bendy tabletop tripod up on a chair, which means I'm shooting up at an angle, and it makes things look all out of whack. I'm getting a better tripod, I promise.

Now, as for my awesome day yesterday. I got some really awesome news, which I unfortunately cannot share for another week. But trust me. It's pretty sweet. Then I set the ball in motion for what may *possibly* be my first giveaway. Stay tuned on that one!

In the afternoon, Matt and I signed a lease on a house! I'm thrilled about this. Our apartment is nice, but we found out they're raising rent if we stay, and the place is definitely not worth it. So this house has a fenced-in yard (you better believe I'm going to start begging for a puppy!), a dishwasher, a washer-dryer in the basement, and a lovely mid-size closet that I'm going to commandeer and make into an awesome mid-size closet. Pretty excited. We move in September :) Expect some awesome decorating posts!

Finally, I went to a Tweetup event for Cbusr, this online community of young professionals in Columbus. I had so much fun! I got to chat with the guy who made the site, as well as a social media mogul who is basically the most awesome girl ever. And I met a few new friends as well, which is always great.

Phew. Longest post I've done since starting this blog. Sorry for jabbering your ears off...I'm just excited!

A Close Call

I seriously cannot believe how much rain we're getting this year. It's supposed to be thunderstorms all week, and it rained or was otherwise dreary all weekend. Luckily, the mornings have been relatively clear so I'm able to get my outfit photos done. Thank goodness for small conveniences, I suppose.

I take that back. It's definitely thundering outside right now. And my camera battery is charging as I write, so I still have to take these photos. Aahhh!

items: 12, 18, 20

tank: Walmart

necklace: Figleaf

bracelets: various

I had to crop out my face in that closeup because I had this making a weird/worried look that was definitely not flattering. I don't like getting rained on! But I got the shots, at least. Not a moment too soon, either...the clouds are definitely rolling in quickly. I'm sure it'll start raining by the time I hit "post." The things I do for you, readers. Good thing I like you all so much ;) haha


On second thought, I'm really not a fan of these...they don't show off the outfit as much as I'd like. Maybe I'll get super lucky and it'll clear up this afternoon, and I can re-shoot them. Fingers crossed.

And sure enough...here's the rain.

An update!

Yesterday, I mentioned that I was considering dropping a couple items from my 30 and replacing them with others. Well, I wound up doing just that. After all, who needs eight pairs of shoes for a remix challenge?? That's overkill.

So I dropped two pairs of shoes and added in a pair of long pants that I can wear to work (and cuff up when it gets hot again, hehe) and a coverup. I wore both items today, because the magazine is doing a luncheon thing at a hotel downtown, and I wanted to look professional rather than trendy. So here it is:

items: 24, 13, 23, 27
watch: Walmart

That would be my "oops" face. As in "oops, should have thought about how many shoes I included in my 30" :)

In other news, it's not even 10 and I know today is going to be long and stressful. It's a great feeling.

Update: Just realized this works for the Bloggers Do It Better assignment of neon and neutrals. Go me! Really though, I'm excited to finally jump on that bandwagon.

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.

Oversleeping

I'm running late today so there's not much time for chit-chat. But I do think it's funny to be posting a photo of me in a blazer in early June...suffice to say that when I wore this last week (or the week before?) I had to ditch the blazer for most of the day. But I just love the jeans-heels-and-blazer combo, don't you?

Blazer: Mossimo via TargetShirt: The LimitedJeans: Silver via Macy'sShoes: Franco Sarto via Marshall'sNecklace: FigleafWatch: Walmart

And before you ask: No, I don't know what kind of crazy dance move that is in the second photo :)

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Happy June everyone! I like June because it's the start of summer aaaaand it's my birth month :) Just two weeks from Friday!

I'd like to take a moment to announce a little change in direction for this blog. Originally I had intended to make this blog a mashup of everything...a little style, a little food, a little home décor, etc. But I've come to realize something. I try to dress well every day (excluding, perhaps, some weekends). But I don't necessarily cook every day, nor do I do something for my home. Sometimes I'm just too lazy to cook; last week I didn't make a damn thing. I lived off Kraft mac & cheese and leftovers. And we don't really have the money to be redecorating a lot, plus we're thinking of moving from an apartment to a house (!!!) so that's a bit pointless for the moment.

So. Announcing the re-branding of Verbal Mélange as primarily a style blog! I'll probably keep the name for simplicity, and from time to time I'll probably post a few non-style things. But for the most part, it's style :) Re-organize your RSS feed accordingly, haha.

And now for today's photos! Last week I asked you all about a certain pair of green shoes...

Dress: H&M
Shoes: Walmart last year
Bracelet: actually a very old necklace from Claire's
Necklace: don't remember

...and you convinced me not to recolor them! I'm still struggling with how to style them, mostly in terms of what kind of top to wear if I pair them with jeans. But I'll figure it out! You all have inspired me to push my boundaries a bit :)

Only two photos today. Mostly because this is a long post, but also because not many other turned out. I hate having to take indoor shots...

Everybody, Everywear: Florals

Normally, I'm not a fan of florals, so when I saw this month's Everybody, Everywear challenge was the very same, I was a bit disappointed. I didn't think I even owned any floral patterns. Then I remembered I bought this dress for Easter. I restyled it for work, and voila! A floral-wearer is born.

Blazer: New York and Company, secondhandDress: Karin Stevens via Burlington Coat FactoryShoes: Mossimo via TargetWatch: Walmart
Necklace: New York and Company

I think I did pretty well styling this one. I actually got compliments! The real secret, though, is that this blazer isn't really a blazer. I think it's just a really heavy button-down shirt. The button holes kind of reveal that. But you know, I don't care. I think I'll keep wearing it as a blazer.