Have A Painterly Patterned Day

So as of Tuesday, we were still experiencing a renewed heat wave here in the DC area. Ok, whatevs, I can deal. I decided to go simple with this outfit. Like way simple,  at least by my standards folks. A dress, some wedge sandals, a headband, some post earrings and a necklace. To me it really doesn't ever get much simpler. Ok, you got me. I did have layer up with a camisole, since the neckline on this dress is just not going to work for me without something under there!

Dress - Marshall's; Camisole - JCPenney; Black Wedge Sandals - Payless

I snagged this dress at Marshall's and am so happy that I did. I don't have anything like it in my wardrobe, plus I *love* the colors in it, especially the bold red. This is a piece I can't wait to layer over leggings or with some colorful tights. But back to reality, as I said Tuesday was HOT! This dress is fantastic because it's a thin weave, hence it's breathable. One drawback, though, is that the fabric pulls taught across my legs while I'm seated, creating some not-so-lovely pleating towards the hem. Oh well, nothing an iron can't fix!

I'm noticing that most of the shoes that I have worn on this blog are from Payless. I knew that I had a lot of shoes from Payless, but I guess I never realized that they are the dominant source of shoes for me...lol! When it comes to shoes, all that matters to me is comfort, look & an affordable price. I think that Payless does have some really nice styles at an cheaper price point (plus their BOGO sales just make it that much easier to stock up [or go overboard!] on the cheap). Sometimes I will compromise a little on comfort, say for some 3 inch heels that work only if I'm sitting down most of the day...but overall I am pretty happy with my Payless shoe collection. One of these days though, I really would like to invest in a more expensive pair of shoes that will hopefully last a little longer and offer more comfort.

Have A Dressy Monday

I'm probably not unique in the fact that I have a hard time with Mondays sometimes.I've always disliked them, but lately especially (working Monday-Saturday might be helping with this sentiment) I can't stand when they roll around. So, in a tactic that falls along the lines of the "Kill Them with Kindness" strategy, I kill my mopey Monday feeling by dressing up a bit. Inside I'm feeling "BLAH!" but outside, I feel cute and put together. It sounds silly, but it really does help me get through Monday a lot easier when I'm dressed up and feeling good about how I look.

Vintage 70's Dress - Thrifted; Belt - Kohl's; Purple Wedges - Payless

This was another sweet thrift store find from my vacation. The store that I found it at was the best one too, it felt like I had literally walked into someones overstuffed closet. There was something in every inch and corner of this place to look at and oogle. The store is called Something Old, Something New. I definitely encourage anyone who ever finds themselves down in Nags Head, NC to check this place out. Like the name suggests, they have plenty of things new and old alike. But obviously I found myself drawn to their vintage stuff, more than anything. Being a thick, curvy girl, it can get to be a bit discouraging going into a vintage clothing shop. I fall in love with the look of so many pieces, but hardly ever find anything that fits. When I saw this dress, I loved that it was so simple and I thought the print was adorable. Plus, it was on the sale rack (for $10!?!?)! I was beyond elated when I tried it on and found that it fit. That was not the only thing I walked away with that day either. I wound up getting some vintage earrings, vintage scarves and a new pair of blue suede wedges. I was definitely a very happy girl that day.

As I've mentioned before, I love colorful patterns. The belt has just about every one of the colors in the dress, so I had to get it. With my accessories, I didn't want to go too crazy with all the different colors, because I wanted to the dress to stand out more than anything. So I chose purple wedges, a purple headband, blue flower stud earrings, a silver necklace and a silver & rhinestone cocktail ring. With the lightweight fabric of the dress, and the low key accessories, it was perfect for yet another hot and humid day. And to be honest, Monday didn't turn out to be that bad a day after all! :)

Have A Ladylike Day

Can I admit something to you? I totally cheated for this photo...but first let me explain! This is what I wore Friday (no outfit post for Thursday - I was just too tired for photos that day) but the BF and I went out for dinner as soon as I got home from work and by the time I would have been able to take photos, I was just not feeling it anymore. So I instead took these photos on Saturday. Sure, I could have never said a word and you would have been none the wiser. But I am all for openness and honesty so why would I lie to you, my dear reader! :)

Tee shirt - Old Navy; Skirt - Thrifted; Booties - Seychelles; Belt - Thrifted

I absolutely adore wearing this outfit. I felt so ladylike in it. It all started with the skirt, which was a thrift store find. The minute I saw the pattern, I fell in love. It's definitely a newer piece, but it just seemed so vintage to me. Honestly, it reminds me of scarves that both of my grandmother's would have worn. Then I paired it with a pretty basic navy tee shirt. The only detailing there, which doesn't come across on the photos as well, are the little sleeves. There are three tiered, ruffly sleeves that have little eyelets on two of them. I couldn't help but belt it. I need to feel that my waist was defined, plus I think it goes with the whole vintage feel of the outfit. I'm actually reading a book on the history of fashion now, since that's obviously something I'd like to bone up on. So I'm going to take a stab at it....I think this outfit reminds of something from the late 40's or 50's. What do you think?

Oh yes and the booties! Oh, the booties! I was on a mission towards the end of the summer to find a pair of booties. Easy, you might say, since there are so many styles out now. But seriously, I looked all over stores and didn't find what I was looking for. I wanted a bootie with a chunky heel, not a stiletto one. I wanted leather, not suede. I wanted detailing, but not all this trendy stud detailing. I wanted something more timeless. And then I was looking online at some different Seychelles styles and found the "Dorothy" ones. I loved them, but not the price. Then it was like perfect timing, because just days later I found that they were on sale on UrbanOutfitters.com! Success was mine. Now if only the photos showed the booties off better...damn lighting...the booties definitely got a little overexposed. Oh well, I might just have to do a separate post of them one day, just to showcase them in all of their glory. ;)

Have A Stylish Day - A Night with the DC Fashionistas

As I mentioned previously, on September 15th I went to a Meetup event hosted by the DC Fashionistas. The special guest of the evening was Daisy Lewellyn, a style expert whom you might have seen on such shows as “Good Morning America” or “The Rachael Ray Show.” She was there for her book tour and to discuss upcoming fall trends.  At first I was a little unsure if I should go or not. It sounds silly, I know. The event was in DC on a weeknight. I hardly ever venture into the District on my own (I always get lost driving in DC, no matter if I think I know where I’m going or not!), so I was a little intimidated. But I knew that I really had no excuse for missing it. When would I get a chance like this again? So I sucked it up and ventured out into the city. 

Boy, am I glad I did! It turned out to be such a fun and informative evening. The event was held at PR at Partners Salon & Spa Metro Center location. The setting was perfect for a night filled with fashion talk. It has a very modern, streamlined look and I was amazed how spacious it was, to be able to accommodate all of the group members who showed up. When I arrived, they were serving hor dourves and champagne & everyone was mingling. I grabbed a seat and chatted with a few people before the presentation began.

The first part of the night was a fashion show that showcased a lot of the popular trends for this season. The fashion show was sponsored by Current Boutique, a local consignment boutique, who furnished all of the clothing and accessories. 

The fabulous Daisy Lewellyn

The trends highlighted by Daisy were: jewel tones, ruffles, wearing black opaque tights with black shoes to elongate the leg, strong shoulders, a bold cocktail ring, nude shoes, the PLD (the LBD’s younger sister, the pretty little dress) and the color navy.

Jewel Tones, Ruffles, PLD & Black Tights with Black Shoes

Strong Shoulders, Cocktail Ring, Nude Shoes, PLD

Ruffles, PLD & the Color Navy

Looking around the room though there was one trend that I haven’t seen much mention of, but it seemed to be everywhere that night – dresses with pockets! I just love how utilitarian they are, while still being cute and stylish, if placed on the right spot. If they’re in the wrong spot, then you get puckering and added bulk to the silhouette. Plus, I think pockets are just fun. Who doesn’t love being able to stick their hands in a pocket, while wearing a dress?

It might be hard to make out in the photos, but Daisy's dress has some pockets with subtle black piping.

Jacqui's dress had pockets too. And check out her super cute booties!

The next part of the evening was talking specifically about the hair trends of the season. Jacqui Davis, one of the top stylists at that location, styled the hair on all 3 models. She walked us through how she achieved each look and gave us some interesting pointers too. 

Hair Trend #1 – Ponytails – Obviously, the ponytail is nothing new. What does change from season to season though, is the style of the ponytail. This season it’s sleek on the sides with a little pouf on top and a slight curl to the tail. Before she walked us through, Jacqui shared a little tip with us. Instead of using just a hair tie to secure a ponytail, she adds 2 bobby pins to it. Slip one bobby pin onto the hair tie, and then at the opposite side of the tie, slip the other bobby pin on. Now, to pull off this look she said to start with hairspray all over, then begin to tease the hair around the front of the crown. Pull the hair taught on the sides and on the backside. Poke one of the bobby pins down the middle of the ponytail, and then begin wrapping the tie around. Mix the poufed hair in, and continue wrapping the tie. Finally, pin the last bobby in, and wrap a tendril of hair around the exposed hair tie to camouflage it. Once the hair is secured, simply curl the ends of the ponytail.

The curl at the end of the tail adds some visual interest instead of having the hair just fall straight down.

This is a great visual aid in helping to understand how to put together this look.

Hair Trend #2 – Big Retro Hair – Think Jean Harlow. Jacqui said the trick to accomplish this look is using different curling iron barrel sizes throughout the hair. On the bottom use a smaller barrel, as you move up the hair use a mid-sized barrel and then a larger sized barrel around the crown. Then do a little teasing with hair spray to really get that big hair effect. She recommended using a hairspray that is specifically labeled “flexible hold.” Another great tip she offered, is if the hair is too fine and won’t keep the tease, spray a little dry shampoo in the hair to give it some teeth or grit.

This looked pretty complicated to do at home, but once Jacqui broke it down, it seemed quite attainable.

 Hair Trend #3 – Mad Men Style Hair – It’s no big surprise, since the styles from Mad Men are all over fashion this season. Jacqui described this as being the more sensible style of poufed hair as opposed to something like Snookie’s sky high pouf. This look is achieved by curling the hair all over into long ringlets. Jacqui’s tip for this style is when curling the hair keep the curls pinned up until they have completely cooled. This really allows the curls to set and they will last longer throughout the day. Then you just do a little teasing on the top to complete the pouf and you’re done!

You can notice the pouf, but it's not so large or obvious that it becomes tacky.

Look at those beautiful, cascading ringlets!

It was really a great chance to get out there and meet some other like-minded people. I definitely encourage you to check out Meetup.com and see if there are any fashion meetups in your area, or any other kinds of meetups that interest you. I think the site is a great resource that not everybody is aware of. If I hadn’t have joined DC Fashionista meetup group, I never would have had such an awesome opportunity. Thanks ladies (especially Abigail for organizing it all) for a wonderful evening, and I look forward to seeing you again! :)

Have A Farewell to Summer & A Hot Hot First Day of Fall

So Tuesday was officially the last day of summer. I've been totally cised for the changing of the seasons. I have definitely grown bored of my summer wardrobe and longing for more variety. Since the weather started to cool off a bit last weekend, I have been thoroughly enjoying getting to wear some pieces that have long been on my waiting list.

Top - Thrifted; Tank Top - Target; Leggings - Torrid; Teal Floral Flats - Payless

Enter this shirt. I bought it while on vacation this summer in the Outer Banks, NC. They have a good amount of thrift stores down there, and while I didn't make it out to all of them, I did get to peruse around a few and scored some sweet stuff! When I saw the colors and the pattern on this shirt, I got pretty excited. When I realized it fit, I felt like I had won some secret prize. Of course it doesn't fit 100%, as it is a little big on top, but with the built-in tie back, it makes the fit workable. And for the thrifted price, I wasn't going to stress about that.

Pairing the top with these cropped black leggings seemed like a natural choice. The top is so loose & flowy that I wanted to balance it out with a more defined shape on my lower half. Plus, leggings are just plain comfy and so is this top. I loved it, I felt like I was in pajamas all day, yet I also felt very put together.

I've been trying to be more experimental lately with my necklaces, especially after watching Sal's (as in Sal from Already Pretty) video tutorial on creating a DIY Statement Necklace. I have always been a little afraid of wearing too many necklaces. You may not know yet, but over time you'll probably see, I can get a little accessory happy. This is another thing I have been mindful of lately, but I am realizing that there is still room for fun. So in the spirit of Sal's video, I created my own statement necklace with two pieces. The shorter necklace has a black & white peacock pendant on it, with some chunky black, white & gray beads along the chain. The longer necklace already has some layering going on, with chains & beaded strands in various lengths, so it lends itself to the look pretty easily. I kept the rest of my accessories toned down and to a minimum so the look didn't seem overwhelming. I'm happy with how it looks in the photos! I am going to challenge myself to keep trying new combinations with my accessories.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tuesday was the last day of Summer and it was super chilly in the morning though it warmed up a bit by the afternoon. Wednesday was the first day of Fall and it was a sticky, hot day. Woah, not what I expected! Maybe Mother Nature just can't make up her mind? Or maybe I jinxed myself when I got super excited for cooler temps? Either way, hot it was and so for the heat I must dress.

Blouse - H & M; Jean Skirt - Old Navy; Black Sandals - Target; Belt - ?? Can't remember

Can you guys tell I'm at least trying to switch it up here? Instead of a tee shirt I chose to pair my jean skirt with a light weight blouse that handles the heat well. I got it at H & M recently, and when I saw the print I loved it. I really adore prints that have lots of color, since the possibilities are endless when it comes to possible color combinations when pairing other clothing and accessories with a print. Here I decided to go with pink as my accent color with some filigree earrings and a pink flowered ring. The navy pearl necklace echoes the pops of darker blue in the pattern.

 

The one thing about this top is that it is a bit billowy, so I had to belt it to get some shape back. I honestly can't remember where I got this belt from. I'm thinking it may have come as a decorative belt on some jeans. Anyway, I liked playing off the denim skirt with the belt. It was a drawing class day so I had to keep it simple with some flats, but I really like the Grecian style of these, especially the braiding detail that runs down one side.

Have A Ruffles and Lace Day

Yay! The cooler weather stayed with us through the weekend and on Monday I thrilled to be able to wear layers. As much as the Summer can be easy to dress for by throwing on a simple dress or, ahem, a skirt and tee combo, I get tired of not being able to switch it up due to the heat.

Lace Camisole - Target; Ruffled Cardigan - Macy's; Sweater Skirt - Target; Satin Peep Toes - Target

I've been looking forward to wearing my sweater skirts again. I have this one in purple as well as one in gray. I love the texture of sweaters, but I have a hard time wearing them since they make me feel hot. So wearing a sweater in the form of a skirt is a cooler alternative!

You might not be able to tell from the photos, but the camisole not only has lace trim, it also has a lace pattern printed on it. I love the play on textures with the lace against the sweater. And how could a lacey outfit not be complete without some ruffles as well? The ruffled cardigan is so soft against my skin; it's very comfortable to wear.  I definitely love the feminine look of everything all together. It takes me back to my girly, prissy roots.

Since I was already going in the feminine direction, plus the play on textures, I thought my satin peep toes would go perfectly with the ensemble.  I also liked the idea of keeping the look purple monotone with the black, white & gray as neutral accents.

Have A Stylish Day - Outfit Mashup

In order to try and catch up so that I can post timelier daily outfits, I've mashed up the three remaining outfits from last week into one post. So let's get started shall we?

Embellished Tee-Shirt - Ross; Skirt - JCPenney; Sandals - Payless

Wednesday: Once again we are continuing on the theme of pretty hot days, so wow, big surprise - I opted for a tee shirt and skirt combo! I'm telling you guys, on the humid, swampy days that we get around here, this the best way for me to get through the day while staying comfortable. I especially love this skirt. It was an impulse buy while standing in line to return another piece of clothing. The fabric is super stretchy but it still stays so breathable on icky hot days. The tee shirt I found at Ross. I keep finding myself drawn to that color in clothing. I liked that it wasn't a completely plain tee, due to the pleating detail around the bib. I like using this combination of colors together often, but I felt I needed a little more color up top to balance out the bottom. I decided to go a bolder with my necklace choice than usual, and actually wore three necklaces together. I was happy with the results and liked how I was able to hit off all of the colors in the skirt.

Shirt - Old Navy; Skirt - Old Navy; Brown Oxford Flats - Isaac Mizrahi for Target; Belt - H & M

Thursday: So do I kind of get away with this one since the top is more like a sleeveless tee with ruffle detailing, rather than just a straight up tee? Because it was another hot one that day. On the days that I have Drawing Class, not only do I have to worry about what shoes I'm wearing. I also have to think about breathability since I have to trek from the parking garage to class with my purse plus my huge portfolio case.  This shirt definitely allows for breathability. Sometimes I feel a bit modest when wearing it and wear a camisole underneath, because the arm holes are tad larger than I desire. But on Thursday, I threw caution to the wind and opted for dry underarms. The skirt was a clearance rack score, and it has already paid for itself several times over in use and wear. I found myself going to this skirt more than any others over the summer due to its versatility. Plus it's so lightweight and comfy. I love the pairing of it with a red top. I felt like with the top though, it was so much pattern that it might be swallowing up my shape, so I threw the skinny leather braided belt on top to emphasize my waist. And to echo the leather belt, I wore a pair of brown leather oxford flats.

Dress - Target; Belt - Macy's; Shoes - Yellow Box from DSW

Friday: Now here's an outfit to finally break up the skirt and tee ones. Granted it's just as easy in the hot weather. Funny thing though, I dressed with the heat in mind since the forecast was calling for yet another scorcher. I guess it turns out though that Mother Nature had something else in mind, because Friday was the day we finally started getting some drier, cooler temps. I'm not complaining though. I live for 70 degree weather. This dress has an elastic band that runs around the waist, but as in other cases, the band is a bit higher than I want it. Plus it's a thin waist band so it doesn't add much structure. I've been pretty belt obsessed lately, so I wanted to define my waist with this awesome reversible belt I have. It's silly though, because I've had this belt since the Spring and I only just realized that it's reversible. It's white on one side and silver on the other. All this time I had been thinking, "It would be so nice if I could reverse this to use the silver side every so often!" I had even examined it before to see if it was possible. I guess sometimes you just have to come at some things with a fresh mind and new perspective to see things in a new light.

Oh yeah, another thing about this dress is that like many V-neck cut dresses, it comes down a bit too much over the chest. Since I was dressing with the humidity in mind, I didn't feel like wearing a camisole beneath like I usually do. I opted to use a cute silver bow shaped brooch as a closure device and it seemed to work pretty well throughout the day.

Have A Fashionista Day

This outfit is from Tuesday. That evening I was planning to attend an event held by a local meetup group that I'm a member of - The DC Fashionistas. It definitely called for a fun, trendy outfit since the event was about upcoming fall trends. The trends I went for were ruffles, the color purple and pearls, or in this case, faux pearls. I also had to throw my own twists into it, so I wore a purple & black feather flower clipped in my hair and one of my favorite pieces, a large white & gold flower cocktail ring.

Dress - Target; Striped Cardigan - Marshall's; Belt - Thrifted; Shoes - Payless

I love wearing this outfit so much. It's comfortable and yet I feel so chic in it. I bought the dress at Target and really like it, though the fit is a bit frustrating sometimes. The waist band doesn't come as far down as it should, in order to fall at the right place on my body. So I just threw a black belt on over the band to define my waist at its smallest width. It was another hot day out there, so it was nice to have the bare legs and I could take the top layer off when I got too hot from running around (which happened a few times that day!).

I needed to wear flats since it was Tuesday and I have drawing class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I don't like to sit while drawing at an easel, so I have to wear flats on the days I have class. I love that these gold flats are have a pointy tipped toe and some subtle pleating detail. I actually trekked all over to find these shoes since I had seen them at a Payless location that isn't the closest to me and didn't buy them. It was my mistake, because all the next day I was daydreaming about them, so I knew I had to have them. The problem was that I thought I might get lucky and find them at a Payless closer to me. Long story short, I had to go to three different locations before ending back up at the one I had originally seen them at. Oh well, at least I finally snagged them! :)

The evening with the Fashionistas was a lot of fun. I will be writing a full post all about that night, so I will give you lots more on that later, including plenty of photos.

Have A First Impressions Day - Part 2

So I decided to break my first post down into two parts. Mostly for your sake, so that you wouldn’t feel overwhelmed by its length. I know I talk a lot. But I’m really going to be mindful of that here.  Another reason I broke it down is because this week has felt like one of the busiest weeks I’ve had in a long time. But anyway…

Have A First Impressions Day - Part 1

First impressions can be intimidating. We can sometimes feel that we only have that one shot to get it right.

As kids, we were often told to not judge a book by its cover. But, that saying contradicts what seems like a natural occurrence that goes on in the human brain, when it encounters something new for the first time. The brain wants to be able to categorize everything, whether that something truly fits into a specific category or not. I believe it’s an innate need that we have within us. A need to be able to break down every bit of information that comes our way, and make it fit into pretty little boxes with bows on top. Wait, what? Your boxes don’t have bows on top? Well hmmph.

Ok but seriously, we all know that you’re not supposed to judge someone, before you even have a chance to know them. But we are all guilty of doing it to others, just as others do it to us. I think it depends on what degree of presumptions and especially assumptions you are making of that complete stranger. No matter what kind of sub-conscious, snap-decision my brain will make of someone new, I like to keep an open mind and recognize that I cannot possibly know everything about them from appearance alone.

Given that we are conscious of other people’s judgments of us, we can often times put a larger emphasis than probably necessary, on making first impressions “count.” I know I’ve done it. Now I’m not talking about a first day of work or a job interview, where obviously a lot is weighed on your first impression. I’m talking about how I’ve stressed myself out over planning my appearance for many just about every first day of school I’ve ever had. I have over analyzed what clothing to wear, what shoes to wear, what accessories to wear, how to style my hair & if and how I should wear my makeup. It’s as if I’m trying to squeeze the very essence of who I am into one overall look, so that everyone who sees me for the first time will get me. Yeah right, as if that’s even possible! Most of the time, I don’t even get myself.

Since I have been planning out this blog, I’ve also been trying to plan out what to wear as my “debut” outfit. Silly, no? I mean, I hardly ever know what I'm going to wear until I put it on. Most mornings, I usually just stand in front of my closet and listen for a certain piece of clothing to call my name. So ultimately, I decided that the creation of my first outfit on this blog should be just as organic. Besides, first impressions obviously count for something, but if someone is truly worth my time, I feel that they will be willing to stick around long enough to get to know me a little bit more.