Throw your hands up it's Friday!

button-down: thrifted
cami: Old Navy
skirt: H&M
flats: secondhand (Target)
necklace: Etsy

Running a wee late this morning so it'll be a short one, but can we just take a moment to express our joy for Fridays? Because they're pretty awesome. They herald in the weekend! Tonight Matt and I are doing dinner-and-a-movie date night. I got two tickets, popcorn and drinks at a nearby theatre via Groupon last month, and I've been really good about not not eating out for lunch so far this month, so I decided a treat is acceptable. We're going to see Gravity! I'm so excited.

I have some other pretty sweet plans for the weekend too, and it's a long one for me because Monday is Columbus Day and government employees get the day off. Can I get a woop woop? Have fun working on Monday, everyone in the private sector :P

Wow. Gloating is not attractive. Sorry 'bout that.

Ok, don't want to end on that note. Let's talk about these shoes for a minute. My friend gave them to me because they pinched her feet. They kind of pinch mine too, but I've been wanting some cap-toe shoes fo-eva so I'm trying to stretch them out. It's going pretty well. And hello, free adorable shoes? Yes please.

Differences

shirt: thrifted
skirt, belt: H&M
flats: Target
necklace: VeryJane
Okay, so let's pretend that this outfit isn't basically the exact same thing as this outfit. I mean, the difference in shoes, accessories and hair make it a new outfit, right? Well, I'm going to say yes because I am dying of allergies or a cold (seriously, how do you tell the difference?) and this is the next batch of photos in my queue.

I really don't have much else to say this morning, y'all. Sorry bout that. But when you spend the night half-propped on pillows, mouth-breathing until your throat is raw...let's just say it's not really conducive to an articulate morning.

Packing sucks.

t-shirt: The Limited
skirt: Spotted Moth
flats: Target
necklace: Express
You guys. You guys. I hate packing. I really, REALLY freaking hate packing. It's just so tedious. This evening, Matt and I went to a little 10 for $10 wine tasting at The Refectory (the amazing French restaurant where we had our anniversary dinner this spring). Then he left for a meeting about this climbing co-op that he's thinking about getting involved in, and I threw a bunch of books and pictures in boxes. I didn't like it.

But on a semi-related note, packing when you're a teeny bit wine-drunk is a bit less odious than packing when you're not-at-all wine-drunk. I (and funnily enough, my sister) highly recommend it.

And I promise, these are the last of the blurry outfit photos. I'm sticking with autofocus for these shots from now on. There's just no sense in trying to figure out whether the shots are in focus on a screen that's only a few inches diagonal. Right? Right.

Happy weekend!

shirt, skirt: H&M
shoes: Target
necklace: The Limited
I don't know about you guys, but I am so. ready. for this weekend! We have lots of plans and I'm sure it will be both busy and awesome. It starts for me when I head home around 2 today to get our apartment semi-clean for a few showings...and then promptly panic because we get keys to our new place in less than a month and I have so much stuff to sell and donate before I start packing. Have I mentioned how much I hate packing? But I love unpacking. Nesting is one of my favorite things.

In other news, these shoes are making me super sad right now. I wear them pretty much constantly, and the wear on the toes is beginning to be pretty noticeable. I don't know if Target still sells them, and I'm afraid to check. I don't think I could handle that kind of heartbreak right now.

I don't want to end this post on a sad note. (*Sniff*) So what are you all up to this weekend? Are you going on any fun adventures? Being productive and getting shiz done? Or just relaxing and enjoying some down time?

Today's fail brought to you by...technology

So I was super excited to announce the winner of the Jada's Jewels giveaway today...but it seems that technology has failed us. We're having some issues with Rafflecopter and the two mandatory entry methods, and with the whole sign-up-for-the-website-using-a-special-URL thing. I emailed the people who somehow managed to enter without doing both mandatory entries, and am still trying to figure out how Rafflecopter let that happen. (Franziska and Christa, check your emails por favor.) And in the meantime, the Jada's Jewels folks and I are working to confirm the website signups. So hopefully, I'll have a winner posted before the end of the week. Fingers crossed.

And since I don't want to completely suck this week (after a Pin-spiration Monday fail and completely forgetting to do my Food Fridays post at the end of this week), here's an outfit, too. Woo?






t-shirt: Old Navy
skirt: H&M
flats: Target
necklace: Figleaf
It's been getting a lot colder here the past week or two, so this outfit might be my last bare-legs/warm-weather one for a while. Super sad about that. While I love fall fashion (layering and boots and sweaters!) and other fall things (cider and chai tea and Halloween!), I really, really hate the cold. A lot.

But fall also means a new season of all my shows...I have quite a lineup this year. How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family, New Girl, Glee, Grey's Anatomy, all my favorite animated sitcoms like Family Guy, South Park, etc., and finally maybe a few new shows. The Mindy Project, anyone?

(Don't judge me by the vast amount of TV I watch. Usually I'm multitasking while watching. I work on blog stuff, or watch while eating dinner, or I hang out with the girls upstairs and we make a girls night of it. I promise, I'm not a total couch potato!)

A short one

shirt: The Limited
skirt, belt: Modcloth
flats: Target
A short post, that is, as I don't have much to say today and I only had two photos I liked from this shoot. Usually, I take five to nine photos of each outfit. Any more and I start to get bored. (Yes, I have the attention span of a five-year-old.) So sometimes, in those few I'm-not-bored-yet shots, I have like seven good photos to choose from. Sometimes, I can't even find three that I like.

Anyway, tomorrow I'm having lunch with a marketing rep from an online jewelry store startup that's based here in Columbus. The concept is a little like Groupon or Google deals, only substitute all the discounted food/haircuts/whatever with jewelry. CUTE jewelry. I'm really excited to be collaborating with this company...and I mean really excited, not oh-I-got-free-stuff-I'm-gonna-pretend-to-be-enthusiastic excited. I can't wait to introduce you guys to the site, and with any luck, do a little jewelry giveaway!

Huh. Look at that. Guess I did have something to talk about today :)

Excitement

shirt: thrifted
skirt: H&M
shoes: Buckle
necklace: don't remember
bangle: secondhand

Last night, I was starting a sentence about go-to outfit styling and was fully prepared to write a semi-dull post for this morning, but then I turned my head to glance out the window. And saw an unconscious man lying in the street. Of course, Matt and I both rushed outside to see if we could help at all. Someone had already called 911, and the cop who arrive first told us that he's a "local."

Turns out, the cop actually knew the guy, who apparently has a habit of getting drunk and passing out in public. I don't know for sure, but I think that was this situation this time as well. At any rate, he's regained consciousness and is being loaded into the ambulance now, so I guess he's probably going to be fine.

Writing something banal about this outfit seems a little ridiculous now, so I guess I'll just sign off. Happy Monday(?)

Uninspired

Blech. I hate those mornings where I wake up and just feel like I have nothing to wear...even though my closet is practically bursting at the seams, thanks to a few recent thrift outings. Maybe it's because the weather is so gloomy and gray, and it's getting me down because we had such beautiful weather earlier in the week. Who knows.

Anyway. I feel like this outfit is kind of channeling the 50s (again), but only just a bit. Something about this skirt just tends to feel retro to me, I suppose.






chambray shirt: thrifted
skirt, pearls: H&M
shoes: Buckle
Also, this is technically my first true chambray shirt! I have a few others (in white and green) that are definitely too casual to be called Oxfords, but aren't true chambray because of their general style and material. So I'm kind of excited to start styling this shirt differently. (Now all I really need is a gingham button-up and I'll be a real style-blogger conformist, haha.)

Pioneer lady

I don't know why, but this outfit kind of made me feel like a pioneer woman. Maybe it's the midi-skirt-and-boots combo. Maybe it's the brown and gray palette. Who knows. I'm not even sure if I like this outfit all that much, but I figured I'd post it and get some feedback.








shirt: old, possibly thrifted?
skirt, belt: Spotted Moth
boots: Target
necklace: The Limited
bracelet: Forever 21
Meh. I'm not crazy about this one, I guess. I think the only reason I decided not to delete these photos is because my hair looked pretty nice, haha. Oh well. They can't all be winners, right?

Oh, and one more thing. Notice that giant new Shabby Apple ad in the right sidebar there? Yeah, they're having a sweet 20% off sale ALL MONTH. Just enter the code NEWYEAR at checkout to get 20% off your whole purchase (minus the Side Saddle line). Just make sure you click over to their site using one of the buttons on the right of that page. Cause then I get paid, haha. Kthanks :)

Weekend recap and channeling the 50s

Wow, what a weekend. Matt and I both took a much-needed mini-vacation from just about everything. It was kind of wonderful. Friday and Saturday we did nothing but sleep in, lay around the house in comfy clothes, watch Netflix and eat leftovers. (And on a whim, had a casual date night at Red Lobster to satisfy a sudden and inexplicable craving for crab legs. Mmm.) Sunday we did a bit of work/errands, but it was also mostly chill. I love weekends like that :)

The only down side to the weekend? Well, I suppose there were two. The Buckeyes lost to Michigan, which was kind of heartbreaking since it hadn't happened in years. And I blew through my "spending allowance" (part of my Financial Diet) by Sunday. That really sucks. Other than that, an amazing and wonderful weekend.

But this, like all good things, must come to an end. So it's back to the grind for Matt and I (and the rest of the country, I suppose, so there's no use complaining). So. On to today's outfit! And I have just one question...Why have I never worn my midi skirts with heels before? It's truly a mystery. Because I love this look.






lace shirt: Forever 21
cami: Old Navy
skirt: H&M
shoes: thrifted
necklace: really old...possibly a gift?
I really love the 50s vibe that this skirt/heels combo provides...but I also like how the lace top is just edgy enough to keep this outfit modern. Especially from the back...quite a bit of my back is visible, since the cami comes down so low and the lace is...well, lace. And see-through.

I'm afraid though that this top may be on its last legs. The last time I pulled it out of the washer, I noticed some elastic threads poking out. Ah, well. I guess that's to be expected with an $8 top, right?

On an unrelated note, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who commented with suggestions and encouragement on my last outfit post. I definitely got some inspiration from your comments, so I think I'll give those boots another try before I sell/donate them! You guys are truly awesome. Thanks, everyone, for reading :)

Two outfits, one day

Well, I didn't actually wear two outfits today. But I'm really trying to push through these photos from my old apartment, because let's face it...the same old balcony shots have gotten pretty dull. My new backyard (squee!) isn't exactly pretty, but there's at least some room to move around. And apparently, there's a park at the end of our street. I'll have to check it out and see what opportunities (i.e. how empty it is in the mornings) there are there.






shirt: The Limited
skirt: H&M
necklace: old, semi DIYed
bracelet: Forever 21
shoes: Target

So this necklace used to have long dangly things coming from that little drop bead in the center. And one by one, the dangly things fell off. I mean, the thing is years old, and it's pretty cheap, so it's not exactly a surprise. So I just grabbed some pliers, removed the rest of the danglies, and voila! It's like a new necklace. Sort of.

Also, while I'm still on the fence with the whole maxi craze that swept through the blogosphere this summer, I have to say I am totally loving midi skirts. Maybe it's because I really like my calves (weird, right?) or maybe it's because I just like skirts that are loose and twirly. Either way, this has definitely become one of my favorite skirts since buying it in NYC.

Oh, well.

That's what I said yesterday when I decided not to wear any of my 30 items to the Fourth of July party Matt and I went to. I mean, there was a food cart, and a bounce house, and a slip and slide...none of that really matches up with any of the 30 items I picked out, haha. So, it's a holiday. I took a little break.

But now I'm behind about two outfits in the challenge. Maybe I'll catch up...or maybe I'll just end it a few days late ;)

items: 10, 14, 22, 29
necklace: don't remember
earrings: The Limited

Please ignore that silly face in the last photo. That's my "I'm trying to smile but secretly I'm terrified I'm going to fall" face. Oh, the things we do for blogging.

I really love wearing this shirt tied around my midsection. I've done it a few times in the challenge so far, but I think I should probably try to mix it up a little if I wear it again before the challenge is over. Or not. Hey, it's my challenge :)

30 x 30: day 1

Well, here we are! I'll admit I'm a little intimidated by this challenge...remixing has always been a basis of my outfit selection, but this is like extreme remixing. But I think I've got some good pieces (check out the 30 x 30 tab at the top for the full list) so we'll see how it goes!

items: 6, 22, 28
necklace: Figleaf

I've decided to stick with two photos in light of the fact that I'll be posting daily, including weekends. Plus, getting these up before work is a lot easier when I have fewer photos to sort through :)

Also, my bendy-flexi-tripod broke. I'm pretty annoyed, because now I have to drag a chair and my non-flexi-mini tripod out to my deck for photos. Lame. Amazon, here I come!

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!]

Exhausted!

Okay guys, I just want to apologize right now for (relatively) infrequent/irregular posting. My goal is to post at least twice a day, but I feel like this week is going to be a long one, based on the fact that April has been a neverending line of tasks, trips, deadlines and missed deadlines. This weekend in particular has left me feeling completely exhausted. That being said, I’m popping in quickly today for a brief post. Hopefully, the week will be calmer than I’m anticipating and I can get back on track!
Not quite sure what I was thinking when it comes to poses for this day (sometime last week). Oh, well.

Shirt: thrifted
Skirt/belt combo: Spotted Moth
Faux pearl necklace: New York and Co. or Forever 21?
Faux pearl bracelet: Unclaimed lost & found item at the bar where I used to work
Brown necklace and bracelet: Don’t remember
Earrings (both pairs): Claire's
Shoes: Payless

This was my first-ever purchase from Spotted Moth, and I love it! It’s a kind of faux-suede material that requires hand-washing, however, so I may not wear it as often as I like. I’m pretty lazy about laundry. But this skirt came with a sweet, detachable brown belt (which I’ve desperately needed) AND it has pockets. Score!

I’m not quite sure if I’ll jump on the maxi skirt/dress bandwagon because I’m really tall and ankle-length hemlines tend to make me feel matronly. But I can definitely say that I’m loving the midi-length look. My Easter dress was also a midi; I’m sure I’ll remix it sometime soon (I’m thinking with a blazer), so keep an eye out!

Apologies for the vagueness of my jewelry sources for today. I’ve come to realize that most of my jewelry is years old and I’ve forgotten where I bought it. Plus, clothes and shoes have labels that help me remember where I bought it…jewelry doesn’t.