Style: Summer flashback

t-shirt: secondhand
capris: Target
sneaks: Converse via Famous Footwear
necklace, bracelet: Etsy
watch: secondhand Coach

You guys, I've only done two style posts since the beginning of June. TWO! I have no real excuse for June or July, but I will say that it can be a bit difficult to do outfit photos when you have a puppy running around the backyard, so that's my excuse for August, September and October. Actually, these photos are, in fact, from June...I just never got around to posting them. But we've had a pretty warm November so far, so maybe we can just pretend I wore this semi-recently?

Actually, if we're being honest, I kind of lived in outfits like this over the summer. A casual tee, a nice pair of denim and some comfy Converses...what more could you want?

I haven't taken any great outfit photos since July, really, partially because I've gotten into a groove (NOT a rut!) in my wardrobe and as a result, I'm not wearing a whole lot of "new" outfits. And partially because of aforementioned puppy running around-ness. Not sure if I'll keep up with outfit photos, especially in the winter when taking them indoors with a backdrop is even harder than taking them outside, but who knows. This blog has been a little outfit-heavy in the past few years, mostly because those were the easiest posts for me to do. But I really want to bring the "mélange" back into Verbal Mélange, so expect more variety in content moving forward :)

Similarly, I'm going through a lot of other changes in my day-to-day lately, which is to blame for my lack of posting frequency. Not 100% ready to announce anything yet, but I stay tuned! (And no, Matt and I are not expecting a baby. Just gonna clear that one up right away, haha.)

How about you guys? Anything new and noteworthy going on, or are you all (like me) hunkering down and bracing for winter?

Emma lately

t-shirt: The Limited
cardigan: Express via Discount Fashion Warehouse
jeans: Target
flats: Forever 21
necklace: Kate Spade, gifted
bracelet: Etsy
watch: Coach, secondhand

UGH. Has it really been two whole weeks since my last post? Insane. (These photos are from June. Insaner.) I've been busy writing, and then recovering from, one of the most challenging, research-heavy stories in my freelance career. It was rewarding, but man, did it have me exhausted.

That story comes out in October; meanwhile, if you're local, you can see my most recently-published story in the August issue of Columbus Monthly. It's a feature on Dublin City Schools that is way, way less boring than it sounds ;)

Ok, ok — shameless self-promotion over.

What else is new? I have two, potentially three, photo shoots lined up for next month, and another I just finished, so that's pretty cool. I've started using the money I earn on shoots to save for some gear that might let me take my "side hustle," as Hayley calls it, semi-pro. First up on the list is a body upgrade, probably to this, since I won't be able to afford full-frame anytime soon; another fast prime lens, because my 35mm f/1.8 is nice, but doesn't give me the bookeh I want in full-body portraits; and a nice all-in-one zoom lens, probably this or this. If I keep getting steady work like this, I might be able to make all the upgrades before my next birthday!

Other new and exciting news: Matt and I are getting a puppy! I've been trolling Petfinder.com and the local shelter sites basically since we got back from the honeymoon, because that's what newlyweds do, right? Get a dog? Well, I finally found the most beautiful German shepherd/pit bull mix that has basically all of the qualities we want in a dog earlier this week. I contacted the shelter with very low expectations; puppies that cute don't tend to hang around long. But to our surprise (and delight!), the shelter called us the very next day. Things moved really quickly after that, and as long as everything goes well with her spay today, the little furball comes home with us on Sunday. The only downside to this, of course, being that we won't get to really play with her for the first week or so. Don't worry; there will be pictures!

I've also been getting more involved in my Big Brothers, Big Sisters match lately. For the past two years, I've met with my Little at her school, during her lunch period on Fridays. At the end of last school year, she asked if we could also become a community match, which is the more typical program you think of when you hear BBBS. We just started doing our out-of-school meetups last month, and it's been really cool getting to know her outside of her academic setting.

So yeah, that's where I've been! Just lazing around, doing not much of anything as usual, haha. So. Anyone out there ever had a puppy before? (I haven't.) Other than peeing and pooing everywhere and chewing on everything, what can I expect?

Goal-setting and staying busy

blouse and cami: secondhand
capris: Target
sandals: BCBG via TJ Maxx
necklace, bracelet: Etsy
Photo-taking is weird. I am at a complete loss as to why the first photo is so crisp, but the third one is so grainy. They were taken at the same time, with the same settings, same focal points, everything. What's up with that? Any speculation?

I'll be honest; I'm racking my brain for something interesting to say about this outfit, but I've got nothing except that it was stupid-comfortable and I probably need more patterned and/or lace-edged camis in my life. Especially now that layering weather is here!

Anyway.

I've been thinking lately about goal-setting and keeping busy. As I said in my last post, winter's imminent arrival means I have to make a plan for things that will help stave off my SAD/winter depression. I've been brainstorming some home-improvement projects that, aside from helping me complete a 26-in-26 item, will also help keep me busy. And a busy Emma is much less likely to be a depressed Emma. Lethargy, man. It's my mortal enemy.

I'm also meeting with a trainer today, for the first time ever. I probably won't have the budget wiggle room to do regular personal training sessions, but a friend of a friend has her own personal training business, so I figured it would be worth my time/money to sit down for a little coaching session. We're going to talk about my goals and how I can best achieve them. I don't think my goals are all that difficult (increase flexibility, increase upper body strength without getting bulky linebacker shoulders, get a slimmer waist/flatter stomach)...my issue is that every time I come up with a new workout regimen, I inevitably stop doing it after just a week or two. It's really frustrating, and I'm not sure how to change that habit. How do you guys change habits/convince yourselves to stick with a workout plan?

Can I get a TGIF?

dress: The Limited via Discount Fashion Warehouse
cardigan: Express via DFWh
shoes: secondhand (Nine West, maybe?)
necklace: Express
bracelet: Etsy
For real though, this week has been one headache after another. Sometimes figurative, sometimes (like this morning) literal--though that's my own fault. I practically collapsed onto the couch when I got home last night and dove face-first into my drink of choice lately: The Kentucky Mule. Good bourbon + ginger beer + a splash of lime = pure amazingness in a glass. The perfect thing to take the edge off a day in which you lose five hours of work for no explainable reason. Computers are dumb.

Anyway, I'm super excited for this weekend. My cousin is getting married, and that side of the family always throws wild shindigs, so it should be quite a let-loose-and-forget-about-how-annoying-work-can-be kind of evening. True story: When my aunt (same side of the fam) got married several years ago, one of the groomsmen tore his shoe in half. Yeah, it's that kind of party. We're an entertaining crowd :)

What about you guys? Any entertaining plans for the weekend? Or will you be catching up on your R&R (and maybe some Netflix) at home?

Craziness and sorryness

sweater: New York & Company
Oxford and slacks: thrifted
shoes: Target
necklace and bracelet: Etsy
I apologize for the lack of quality posts this week. My friend Hayley is getting married this weekend, and I've spent most of the week fulfilling various bridesmaidly duties and just generally preparing myself for a weekend in Pittsburg. And just kind of catching up on life in general, since this weekend was kind of a major bust in terms of productivity (but not in terms of fun...there was lots of that).

And I guess while I'm at it, apologies might be owed for these photos as well...they were my first indoor shots of the season, from a few weeks ago when we got that wild flurry of snow. Ugh. It's warmed up since, so I have a few more outdoor shots to share, but I know those days are numbered. Guess I'll have to improve my indoor shooting skills as well. They were never all that good to begin with, but I'm hoping that now, thanks to the help of my DSLR and the wonders that are RAW Photoshop editing, I might be able to improve upon them. What I really need is a quality light and some reflectors, but let's be honest. Ain't nobody got time for that.

What are you all getting into this weekend? Fellow U.S.-dwellers, any fun plans for the long Veterans Day weekend?

Third time's a charm

studded collar blouse: Express via Discount Fashion Warehouse
skinnies: The Limited via DFW
flats: Target
bracelet: Etsy
So I originally wore this outfit back in mid-September. The photos were all blurry, so I reshot early this month. And none of those turned out either. So finally, on my third attempt and probably the last that would have been possible without freezing my buns off. Because in Ohio, October means a reasonable chance of snow, or at least freezing rain -_-

Also, please don't make fun of my butt in these pictures. I swear, it looks better than the Miley Cyrus-ness it looks like in some of these. Blame my phone; it was in my back pocket.

And can I just say how excited I am to finally be on the red-pants bandwagon? I know I'm wayyyy late to the game. In retrospect, I can't believe it's taken me this long. I. Love. These. Pants. Also, I love studs. Obviously. Sporting studs/spikes on my collar, wrist and heels with this outfit. See?

Keep it going

t-shirt: Old Navy
button-down: New York & Company
slacks: thrifted
flats: Target
necklace: Stella & Dot giveaway win
bracelet: H&M
Let's talk about this outfit for a sec. I don't know why, but I kind of love it. It's so simple and classic, but with fun accents that keep it from being boring. I won the necklace in a giveaway hosted by Jess over at Here & Now. I never win giveaways, so it was pretty exciting! I love how she styled it with a bold shirt, but for my first time I wanted to keep it fairly simple and let the necklace speak for itself.

When I was putting this outfit together, my mind flashed to Fran's post about how to wear a button-down under another shirt without all the bunching and weirdness. At the time, my sleepy brain thought, "Nah, you're good girl. No need to take off that tee, find a cami, put it on, then put the tee back on. Let's goooo!" But looking at these photos, I'm thinking I should have done it. Note to self: Morning brain is kinda cray.

Like this morning, when I woke up and for some inexplicable reason, was overcome by energy and the intense desire to clean everything in my house. Well, I guess only the energy was inexplicable. The cleaning bug probably was because the house is a *tad* overdue. So I tidied my closet and wiped down the kitchen counters and stove instead of writing a post this morning. Cause I can write a post on my lunch break, but I sure can't clean my kitchen, amiright?

I'm just hoping I can keep that energy/desire to clean this evening. It's my off night at the gym and I don't have any immediate deadlines to work toward, so instead of vegging out on the couch for an Adventure Time marathon, I want to try to catch up on house stuff. Including a couple projects for Phase 2 of house decorating :) It might be a coffee-in-the-afternoon type of day...I also find that music is a great motivator for me. So I'm trying to think up a good "getting shiz done" playlist for this evening. Any suggestions?

Werk it

Disclaimer: Most of my outfits are fairly modest/tame, but you are about to see what is undoubtedly the most risqué outfit I've ever posted, and possibly ever worn. It was for a bachelorette party that consisted of nothing but bar-hopping in Columbus' Arena District, where I was actually dressed more modestly than many girls out that night. That said, I felt pretty damn fabulous. Here goes:








dress: Express via Discount Fashion Warehouse
shoes: Lane Bryant via Discount Fashion Warehouse
necklace: Express
bracelet: Etsy
Ok, so it's not THAT bad. But I've never even considered wearing something with mesh-covered cutouts over my waist, back and chest area. I actually felt really awkward and nervous until I got a couple of drinks in me...then all the women in the bathroom kept complimenting me on it and I felt much better, haha. The only downside is that I now need to find another excuse to wear it out. It's not exactly a dinner-date kind of getup...unless I want Matt to look like he hired an escort for dinner ;)

Still. Every time I buy something, it's with the intent to remix it and wear it a billion times. It's kind of nice to splurge on a completely frivolous item! I initially thought the heels would be frivolous too, but they're so comfy and so awesome that I think I'll be wearing them fairly often. The challenge? Styling them for work. Muah ha ha...

Oh, and heads up: I only posted this today because frankly, it seems weird posting such an intense outfit during the week. Like, oh hey, happy Tuesday, here's waaaaaaay more skin than you're used to seeing. Let this serve as inspiration for your weekend, maybe? PARTY ON DUDES.

An ode to coffee and bucking the trends

shirt: The Limited via Discount Fashion Warehouse
slacks: Express via DFW
shoes: Target
necklace: VeryJane
bracelet: Etsy
So I'm sure you all know the old adage about not wearing white after Labor Day. Well, I snagged these pants at the Discount Fashion Warehouse during a Labor Day shopping extravaganza with my friend, and just couldn't pack them away for a whole winter without wearing them. So I wore them the day after Labor Day. Yeah, I'm kind of a fashion badass. They're still hanging in my closet...I may decide to wear them one last time. They're lined so they're actually quite warm for summery-style clothes.

I'd also like to take a moment to thank the universe for coffee. Matt and I recently got a larger coffee maker (our last one only held four cups) and to celebrate we made more than usual. So this morning, I get two cups: One as I sit here at home typing this and one for the road. Can I get a hallelujah amen? A hell yes would suffice, too. I need it this morning. I went to my first modern dance class all summer (my favorite instructor was in Maine on a fellowship) and it — she — really kicked my ass. Pretty much literally. My thighs and back are so sore, but at least I slept like a rock...maybe even a little too hard. Hence the grogginess this a.m.

I can't think of a title this morning...

shirt: The Limited
skirt: Old Navy
heels: Target
necklace, bracelet: Etsy
Forgive my lack of enthusiasm this morning; I'm still kind of exhausted after yesterday's sick day. I slept till 11, napped all afternoon and was passing out on the couch by 9 pm...and yet I still struggled — physically struggled — to get out of bed this morning. Can we all just sign a petition to switch to a 10-5 workday? This 8-5 thing isn't working for me right now...

Eh, I guess I can't complain. I'll be fine once I get a cup of coffee or two in me. Now if only there were a way to get it into my system 20 minutes before my alarm goes off, so I'd wake up energized. One can dream, right?

In other news of note, I finally replaced the nude Franco Sarto shoes that got stolen with my other stuff back in June! I mean, I guess you probably realized that with my August clothes budget post, if you had any inclination to care, but I'm just excited to have a nude pair of heels again. And these have a lower heel height, so they're a bit more comfortable/easier to walk in than my last pair. Great success!

Mornings

t-shirt: DIYed
shorts: thrifted
fedora: H&M
sandals, bracelets: Target
necklace: Etsy
Mornings are so hit-or-miss for me. Yesterday I hopped out of bed the first time my alarm went off, jumped in the shower, did a little yoga, got ready, made coffee, wrote a blog post, packed a lunch and practically skipped out the door.

This morning, not so much.

No, this morning I hit the snooze. I have a bit of a lingering migraine, so I skipped yoga. (Really bad headache + downward dog = more pain.) I slogged through getting ready and practically took a nap on the floor of my closet as I was picking out clothes. I'm seriously considering buying a lunch today so I can take a 10-minute nap before I leave. I went to bed at about the same time Sunday night as last night...so what's up with being so sleepy today?

Anyway, I wore this outfit to a party last month. Like I said in my July clothes budget post, I was inspired to get a fedora. This is the first outfit I styled it with. The t-shirt is the one my team and I made for the Color Run last month. Yes, our team name was the Ninja Chameleons. We're awesome like that.

Ok, I think I'll nap for just a second now. Ugh. Is that coffee ready yet?

Oh hey, I'm still wearing clothes too!

button-down: New York & Company
colored shirt: The Limited
slacks: thrifted (Express)
shoes, bracelets: Target
So yeah, outfit posts have been rare around here lately. I've been repeating a lot to make things easier on myself. And a lot of my outfits that aren't repeats have been pretty simple: slacks or a plain skirt, a nice blouse and minimal jewelry. It's just easier, considering how all my stuff has been in various states of packed/unpacked all month. This is actually from pretty early in the month, before I packed up all my accessories.

So I have a handful of photos from the old house's backyard left to post, and I'm trying to get those ready to post so I can move on to shooting at and posting photos from the new house! And that will kind of fill up some time while Matt and I get the final boxes put away. I'm hoping to hang some art this weekend, but we have a wedding to go to on Saturday so I really have no idea how much I'll be able to accomplish on Sunday ;)

And hey, I just want to take a second to say thanks to you all for sticking around while all this shiz is going down. I know I've been really quiet around here, and I promise it's so justified. Most nights I'm up an hour or two past my regular bedtime, and I've been getting up 30 or 45 minutes earlier too. And unless I'm eating or taking 50 minutes to unwind before bed with an episode of Dexter, I'm go-go-go that whole time. (Yes, Matt and I are just now getting into Dexter. Cable and internet only just got installed at the house today, so we started watching the series from the beginning. He loves it; I'm still on the fence.)

Girls' night

I wore this last week for a mini girls' night with my friend Allory. We caught up over margaritas at this great place in the Short North. I'd been looking for an oversized men's shirt for a while, and finally found this shirt at a thrift store a month or so ago for a dollar. Score!

Another score? My success at re-dyeing these pants. That's right, I bit the bullet! I used a box of black RIT dye and our washing machine to color these pants one of the upstairs neighbors' shirts. I was super nervous; I love these pants, and didn't want to ruin Kate's shirt, and we don't exactly own our washing machine (hooray for rentals), so there was a lot at stake here. But it turned out beautifully! The clothes look great, and a few "test" cycles of the washer using some crappy old towels got the machine clean enough to not stain our other clothes. Win.








shirt: thrifted
pants: The Limited
shoes and hair clip: Target
necklace: H&M
bracelet: Forever 21

Oh, and speaking of going out for girls' night (circling wayyyyy back here), guess what's coming up. It's Bloggers Take the Town! That's right...don't forget to come back here or to Take Me for a Twirl on Monday to link up your going-out outfits!

Missing school

Today, I miss school. College, maybe even high school, but more so college. Because in college, if I woke up not feeling well, I just didn't go to class. Usually. But it was nice to know that if I didn't feel 100%, I usually could just go back to sleep until I did.

Not so, anymore. So when I woke up this morning feeling like crap for no reason, I still had to drag my butt out of bed, still had to get dressed (albeit I'm styled far below my standards today and probably won't blog the outfit I'm wearing) and still had to prepare for a day of work, freelancing and blogging. Being a grown-up is fun, isn't it?

Shirt: thriftedSkirt: Spotted MothNecklace/bracelets: don't rememberShoes: Payless

Speaking of Spotted Moth, they're having a sale today! It's their first anniversary, so if you enter "HAPPYFIRST" at checkout to get 30% off. I might have to go spend some grocery money today...heh.

Also, I have no idea what's going on with my hair in the middle picture. My hair kind of has a mind of its own...and it's not friendly.

What do you guys think of the three-photo format instead of four? I think I like it better...the posts take up a little less space, and let's face it...why do with four what you can do with three? (Ever the journalist, I am. Less is more.)

[Update: Just realized the Spotted Moth sale goes till Friday. Which might be nice for you, but it's great for me...Friday = payday = not spending grocery money on clothes!]