Rate My Look: Elevating on the Cheap!

I'm no stranger to second-hand shops. Consignment shops are my favorite because the items tend to be carefully curated, or at least more so than your typical thrift shop. However, quality pieces can be found at thrift shops if you're willing to do a little digging. Lucky for me, I didn't even have to do the digging this time. My mom was at our local Salvation Army on Wednesday and she found an adorable (designer) outfit for me for just about five bucks!

Yuppers. You read that right. Wednesdays at the Salvation Army are half-price days. They use color-coded price tags and every Wednesday, certain color tags will be half price. So, as if $6 for a skirt wasn't cheap enough, my mom scored it for just $3! And the top was originally $4, so after knocking the price in half, my adorable new outfit was a whopping total of $5! But wait! It gets better!

The top is a brand-new Ann Taylor light-weight fitted sweater and the skirt is Michael by Michael Kors! The average price for a comparable sweater at Ann Taylor is about $60-$70 and similar skirts by Michael Kors retail for around $120. The point I'm trying to make is that you can elevate your wardrobe without dramatically lessening your bank account.

The skirt was about 2 inches too big all around, but fortunately I have skilled seamstresses at my disposal pretty much every day. But even if I didn't, taking in a skirt like this is a simple project that takes just a few minutes and any tailor could do it for a minimal price. Even investing $20 in the tailoring would have been worthwhile for such a great piece.

As for the rest of my outfit, I kept the accessories minimal to highlight the bold pattern of the skirt. You can't really tell in the photo, but the white pattern on the skirt is covered in clear sequins, so that the skirt actually sparkles a great deal without looking super bling-y.

Have you found other inexpensive ways to elevate your wardrobe? I'm always a fan of a bargain shopping trip, but shopping isn't the only way. Leave a comment with your ideas! And as always, thank you so much for reading my blog!

Rate My Look: Another Stupid Little Hat

As you know, I have a thing for stupid little hats. I just love them. When I was blitzing through a random Baltimore mall trying to find a sparkly "hair diddy" for Jen on her wedding day, I stumbled upon the cutest little hat, but this time, it was all black and therefore appropriate for wearing to work on Saturday! I snatched it up and I couldn't wait to wear it, so this past Saturday, it made its debut at MD:

How stinkin' cute is that? I love it! It definitely had its supporters throughout the day. As expected, Juhree hated it. Most of my other coworkers seemed to like it, or at least they said so. And as for the brides I worked with, none of them said anything, but that doesn't help me. They could have hated it and were just being polite, or maybe they weren't phased by it. My favorite moment was when I walked into the morning meeting. McKenzie took one look at me and dryly pronounced, "You look like you're in a show." 

She's kind of right, actually. My sparkly skirt and hat are quite theatrical. I like to think that if I'm dressed for a show, it's for a role that might also be played by Zooey Deschanel. 

And I know this post is primarily about my hat, but can we talk about my skirt for a second? It a mini-pencil skirt with stripes of black sequins over the wool. I found it at Ann Taylor when I was on my cashmere and red pants binge. I only paid $20 for it and I love it. It's already at the top of my list of favorite winter skirts in my closet. I love the length, the fit, the embellishment- I love everything about it! 

So there you have it- a show-worthy black outfit complete with a mini hat. And if you're wondering, even though I didn't have my stellar selling hair, I still sold a whole heck of a lot of accessories that day. Perhaps if I'm not wearing my stellar selling hair, the tiny hat compensates? What are your thoughts on the matter? Maybe it's not the hair or the hat at all. Maybe I'm just getting to be decent at sales... what a strange idea. 

Feel free to leave a comment and tell me what you think. If you love it, great. If you hate it, telling me that won't deter me, so it might not be worth the energy to comment. But sometimes haters gotta hate, so whatevs. 

Rate My Look: Red Pants!

On Wednesday, I did some damage on the post-holiday sales. Between Ann Taylor Loft and TJ Maxx, I managed to come home with quite a bit. A new pair of suede boots, a cashmere sweater, a wool sequin skirt, a new sparkly feather belt and my favorite new item: a stunning pair of red velveteen skinny pants!

Colorful pants have been everywhere for the last year, but mostly in more casual options like jeans and corduroys. Unfortunately, those are too casual for work. I did get a pair of awesome kelly green jeans and another pair of super cute purple-ish pink jeans and I got a lot of wear out of both of them this summer. When it came to work place attire, they were just too casual. So, after seeing these amazing pants, I knew I needed to get them for work. Originally around $90, I ended up paying just $22 for them!

Everything I bought that day was a major bargain, but the pants (from Ann Taylor Loft) were far and away the best deal. Care to see how I styled them? Wait no longer:

What I really wanted was a black and white graphic sweater in a luxurious textile like cashmere. I shopped all afternoon for something that would work. I did find a great cashmere sweater, but it was more of an oatmeal color and although it's beautiful, it didn't work with the pants. So, in an effort to keep with the black and white idea, I just layered the jacket over a satin top. It works. I'm still going to hunt for the perfect top to wear with these pants, but for now, this look will do. It's far from shabby. 

I kept catching myself in the mirror at work and realizing, "Holy crap! These pants are RED." I love them and I am so happy I got them. They definitely bring a bit of fun to a dreary time of year. 

Have you hit the post-holiday sales? What have you hauled in? Leave a comment! 

ANOTHER Stylish Co-worker

Ashley started working at Madeleine's Daughter towards the end of summer/beginning of fall this year. We placed an ad for a new bridal consultant and she not only submitted her resume online, but she showed up at the store the morning after the ad was placed with her resume in hand, just wanting to hand deliver it to make sure we got it. When she walked in the door, I remember thinking, "I love that girl and her amazing curly hair." She was also wearing red ballet flats and cute navy dress (I think) and she had the biggest smile I've ever seen. I turned to Sadie after she left and said, "That's our new bridal consultant." Of course, Juhree actually did the hiring, and after interviewing Ashley, she decided she was definitely right for the job. Her warm, bubbly personality and cute sense of style are definite assets, but she's actually turned out to be great at the job, too. Sales isn't easy, and bridal sales is even harder at times, but she does it naturally. She's awesome. That's all I'm really trying to say.

The other day, she came in to work wearing the most fabulous pair of mustard yellow corduroy pants I've ever seen. She looked so adorable, that I decided that was the outfit that would get her on the blog. She didn't even really know about my blog, so I'm sure she was a little weirded out that I made her pose for a photo immediately after she walked in the door that day, but she'll get over it.

See what I mean about that smile? And the curly hair? Fun fact: Ashley (just like me) is a natural blonde! I've written a lot in the last few weeks about the mustard and pumpkin trend that has infiltrated New England this season. These pants are a prime example. I tried to buy them myself, but by the time I made it over to Ann Taylor Loft, they'd sold all the mustard ones in my size. They had some purple ones and turquoise, too, but I didn't want purple or turquoise pants. I wanted mustard. Anyway, sometimes it's just not meant to be. And since Ashley looks so good in these, I probably wouldn't want to compete anyway. 

Rate My Look- Yup, it's a tiny hat

I wore this outfit to work the other day and got lots of compliments as well as lots of insults:

Skirt: Zara

Blouse: Ann Taylor Loft

Jacket: Charlotte Russe (I stole it from McKenzie, though)

Hat: H&M

Shoes: Random store in Providence, RI that I forget the name of

Bag: Salmagundi (bridesmaid gift from Beth)

The majority of the outfit got the thumbs up from everyone (especially the shoes), but what caused such controversy and outcry was the tiny hat that I wore. Yes, I admit that it's not exactly in season, but we've had a few unseasonably warm days here (much like today), so I decided to wear it. I was with two coworkers when I bought this hat and they both tried incredibly hard to stop me from buying it. Phrases like, "Circus clown" and "monkey hat" and "you look stupid" were used to deter me. As you can see, none of them worked. Once at work, the opinions were split- some loved it, some hated it. There really wasn't an in-between. And I suspect some who claimed to love it were just saying that so as not to hurt my feelings. Regardless of what anyone thinks, I love it! And you can call me crazy or stupid or lame or anything else you like. I loved wearing this tiny hat all day! I'll probably wear it again once the weather warms up. 

So what do you think of my outfit and my tiny hat? Love it? Hate it? Leave a comment and tell me what you think!

Finally- the Wedding Outfit!

This past weekend was one of the most fun, exciting, beautiful weekends I have had in a long time. My BFF Beth got married! Other than one glitch involving cookies homemade by the groom's mother (more on that another time), everything went perfectly. From setting up the venue, to the rehearsal dinner to seeing friends and family to the actual wedding and of course all our outfits- everything was spectacular. What I loved so much about this wedding was that it was 100% what the bride and groom had envisioned. From start to finish, you could feel the personalities of the couple, their friends and their family members infused within the event. My personal favorite was the chuppa we helped to construct and erect. My contribution involved helping to drape the fabric canopy and although it was my first chuppa, I have to say it was pretty stellar.

I don't have time right this minute to write a blog post about everything, but I wanted to show all of you my bridesmaid outfit for the wedding. Up until this point, all you've seen are the shoes, but I was so happy with my entire "look" and I really do plan to wear this dress again!

The picture's a little grainy- the lighting wasn't amazing in that room and I had to use the camera on my phone. Not ideal, but you can definitely get a sense of the overall look. The dress was purchased at Ann Taylor months ago. The coolest thing about it is the exposed zipper on the side. It just adds the slightest edge to an otherwise sweet, simple dress. In addition to the zipper, there is a raw edge to the fabric at the waistline that doesn't look unfinished, as you might expect. It's more of a cool detail that you have to almost know about in order to notice it. The shoes are epic. And excruciating, but whoever said beauty doesn't hurt was lying. The bracelet is my oh-so-fabulous Audrey Cluster Bracelet from Stella and Dot: 

Love it!

My fascinator brooch was purchased on Etsy from an amazing little shop called Takka Petit. The prices can't be beat and the quality is great. Between Beth, her sister Amy and I, we each had a fabulous "flower" of some sort as part of our looks. Beth's was part of her dress, Amy wore hers in her hair and mine was versatile- I mostly wore it on my dress, but at one point, I clipped it in my hair. I'm looking forward to wearing it again soon! 

Purple Feather Fascinator, Takka Petit (Etsy), $16.50

Just because I love them so much, let's have another look at my shoes: 

CJ by Charles Jourdain via Off Broadway Shoes

The only other accessory I had was a glittery champagne clutch that I actually purchased at work: 

Farah Clutch, Benjamin Walk via Madeleine's Daughter

What I loved about my outfit was that everything coordinated with the colors of the wedding. The shades of purple that I wore (dress, fascinator) were used in the flowers and the centerpiece designs. Every other accessory fell into the champagne family, which perfectly complimented the bride. And even though my bracelet, bag and shoes were all technically "neutrals," they were each very special pieces. In fact, there wasn't much about them that was neutral aside from the color. 

So there you have it: my bridesmaid look. Please feel free to leave a comment and tell me what you think. I'm sure at some point I'll see the photos from the actual wedding photographer, so you'll have that to look forward to as well. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, everyone! 

Things that bother me. Somewhat illogically...

Whenever I'm out shopping with someone and they are looking for something specific, it sometimes annoys me when they have an illogical reason for rejecting an item. And then I realized, I'm exactly the same. So I thought I'd share some of the things that will cause me to veto an item:

1.) A one-piece that looks like a 2-piece:

Tiered Combo Dress, Ann Taylor Loft, $89.50

It's not so much the difference in color that bothers me, it's more the different textiles in addition to different colors. When it looks like a skirt and a blouse, but it's actually a dress, I just hate it. It's completely illogical- there's no good reason for hating such a concept and yet I do. I can't explain it. 

2.) Front-only embellishments:

Lace Ruffle Front Top, Forever 21, $17.80

You may not think there's anything wrong with this top- it's got cute tiers of lace and jersey ruffles, and it probably looks great with a pair of jeans. My issue with it is that the ruffles are ONLY on the front:

I know that there are plenty of circumstances when the embellishment should only be in the front, but when it literally stops at the side seam, I find it irritating. Again, it's not entirely logical, I just hate how it looks. If I saw a top that had ruffles on the front, but not on the back, that would be reason enough for me to veto it. 

I feel kind of the same way about this type of sequin top: 

Sexy Cardi Sweater, Victoria's Secret, $69.50

See the way the sequins just abruptly stop at the side seam? Hate it. Now, here's where it gets really illogical- I probably would not want a cardigan like this where the sequins go all the way around, either! So crazy, but it's just the way I feel. 

What kind of things make you want to veto a piece of clothing? A friend of mine won't wear sling-back heels. They're not uncomfortable to her, but she just won't wear them- she wants a full or completely open heel, nothing in between. Another friend completely avoids long necklaces for no apparent reason. Leave a comment to tell me your wardrobe quirks. 

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

I've been extremely fortunate that for almost the entire summer, nearly every one of my days off was blessed with beautiful weather. Today, not so much. It's rainy and cold and I just want to stay curled up in bed all day long. Yesterday, one of my coworkers commented on the fact that she doesn't own a rain coat. And now it's pouring outside, so Kristin- this post is for you!

This cool jacket caught my eye because of its great fit, textured fabric and cool pleated collar: 

Pleated Collar Metallic Cotton Trench, Ann Taylor Loft, $128

I'm absolutely drooling over Banana Republic's Mad Men Collection Leopard Print Trench. The color is subtle and not at all over-the-top, so you could feel comfortable wearing this jacket every day! 

Mad Men Collection Leopard Print Trench, Banana Republic, $198

If the pale leopard print is too neutral for you, you may want to try a bolder print. I like to wear bright colors and bold prints on rainy days- it helps combat the gloominess. This striped trench might just do the trick, especially if you had a nice bright red umbrella: 

ASOS Stripe Collarless Trench, ASOS, $137.21

Sometimes you just don't feel like wearing a trench. But what other options do you have? Well, this cape is a great start! The color is so rich and the silhouette is so retro-60's- it's perfect over a pair of skinny jeans or a fitted skirt with tall boots: 

Botany Professor Cape, Modcloth, $69.99

Another cool silhouette option is the slightly boxier swing coat style. This military-inspired version keeps the look crisp and clean while also featuring cool details like epaulets and big, silver buttons: 

Ahead of the Fleet Jacket, Modcloth, $154.99

Don't let a little rain get in the way of having a fabulous day out on the town. Just grab your Wellingtons and an umbrella and one of these fabulous raincoat options and head on out! Enjoy this rainy day, everyone! 

Rate My Look- Double Belts Inspired by Tiffany

Top: Ann Taylor LOFT

Jean shorts- KMart (Seriously!)

Shoes: Daffy's

Belts: H&M

Ring and Necklace: Stella and Dot

Full disclosure: I stole this double-belt idea from Tiffany of A Reason to be Fabulous. She did a black and white version yesterday. I liked the idea, so I stole it. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? That's what I've heard. 

Anyway, the look is more than just a belt layered on another belt- it's all about twisting and buckling the two together. I love it!

As great as the twisted double belt look is, it's not the reason for posting this outfit. A while ago, Beth asked for a post on how to wear a belt- when to wear one, how to wear one, how to choose between skinny or wide, etc. It's about time I actually give her the post she asked for! 

Over the decades, the purpose and function of belts has changed quite a bit. I don't know many women who wear a belt to hold their pants up anymore. These days, belts function more as an accessory to add a touch of style to an outfit. More importantly, though, they also function as a way of cinching in a garment and adding emphasis to the smallest part of your waist. I've preached over and over again about how to create an hourglass silhouette and how to create the illusion of a longer leg line. The best way to do both is to add emphasis at your waist- your natural waist. 

In the outfit pictured above, the top and shorts are in high contrast to each other. Whether the shirt is tucked in or left out, the proportion of the outfit on my body would be unflattering without the belts. Look at the length of the shirt versus the length of the shorts and also how the shirt stops at the widest part of my hips. Neither of those things is good when trying to create a long leg line and an hourglass silhouette. By placing the belts (or even just one belt) at my high natural waist, I've forced the eye to be drawn upward and I've created a center for the hourglass that is far more defined. 

Some other examples of outfits I've created over the last couple of years using the same concept: 

I admit, there are times that I know I want to wear a belt, but figuring out whether it should be skinny or wide is a matter of trying both and seeing what I prefer with that outfit. There isn't necessarily a magic formula for figuring it out. I always try to select a belt that keeps the proportion of the outfit intact. If I'm adding a belt to a dress, I often choose a wide belt, since it breaks up the dress, into two large sections. If I'm adding a belt to a top I often choose a skinny belt for the same reason- the top is broken up into smaller sections that are more in proportion with a skinny belt. But again, there are exceptions to every rule- like the red dress above. In any case, I try to select the most flattering option. In the case of the black and white outfit above, the belt is treated as an extension of the skirt which is why a wide choice worked better. However, in the bottom picture with the purple cardigan, I used the belt to raise the waistline of the outfit to my natural waist.Without a belt at all, the eye would be drawn to where the purple cardigan meets the grey skirt. Also, a large belt would have overwhelmed the short cardigan, but a skinny belt did the trick just fine. 

Admittedly, I could probably use a few more "in-between" belt widths to add variety to my options, but there is rarely a time when I can't find a belt or two that functions the way I want for any given outfit. If you have a decent variety of neutral belts in your closet- or even just one black wide belt and one black skinny belt- it's unlikely you won't have one that works whenever you want to wear one. 

Beth, I hope this post was helpful to you, but please leave a comment or email me with any other belt-related questions! 

Rate My Look- Still Showing Off My Shopping Booty

When I hit the outlets over the Fourth of July weekend, I knew I got some steals, but I had no idea how great those little gems would turn out to be. The four tops that I got from Ann Taylor Loft have turned out to be amazing every day blouses- perfect for work or just about anything else. In the picture above, you can see I've paired the white version of the blouse (I got it in three solid colors and one print) with my green and white circle skirt that I made last year. I finished the look off with my white ballet flats from Payless and some accessories from Stella and Dot. 

I realized as I was getting dressed that I had never featured my bee brooch on the blog. And it just happened to be the perfect addition to my outfit. The way it nestled right into the ruffles on my blouse was absolutely perfect:

When it comes to comfort, there isn't much that beats a circle skirt. They're pretty flattering, to boot. When I worked in costume design, they were my favorite choice when creating costumes for dancers because of the beautiful way they move. An even though I don't do many pirouettes or tour jetes at work, the movement of the skirt is still really fabulous. Don't you wish I did pirouettes and tour jetes at work, though? I know my coworkers would LOVE it. Choreo for everyone! 5-6-7-8!

Rate My Look- New BR Skirt

Remember my confession last weekend about the shopping spree I went on? Well, in addition to some Ann Taylor blouses, and a new Coach handbag, I also scored the fabulous skirt in this outfit:

It's a wrap skirt from Banana Republic that I scored for about $15! I wore it to work this week and I was comfortable for a full day of bridal-alterations-mania! I love the print, the length, the pockets- pretty much everything about it. And of course, the price can't be beat. I also got a lovely printed silk blouse at the same outlet, but haven't used it in an outfit yet. I'm sure I will soon, though.

As for this outfit, some of my co-workers commented on the lack of color. Of course, the bag is a nice pop of bright blue, but I didn't exactly carry it around all day at work. Without the bag, it's a very neutral outfit, but  I think it's good to shake things up and do something unexpected every now and then. The shoes pictured are pretty much my favorite work shoes for the summer. The neutral color makes them ideal for just about any outfit and the wedge adds just enough height that I'm not in flats. Have you figured out yet that flats are not my favorite? I've also got a favorite ring- my new seashell ring. It is certainly eye-catching and a great conversation piece. I think I've worn it nearly every day since I bought it. 

What's your favorite new summer piece that you simply can't stop wearing? Obviously, for me it's the seashell ring, but I want to hear what you're wearing this summer! Leave a comment and tell me all about it! 

Rate My Look- Shopping Spree Stuff

First I want to congratulate "Anonymous" for correctly guessing which handbag I bought over the weekend. I opted for the smaller of the two and I'm very happy. The price I paid? Well, let's start by talking about the original sticker price- $348. It was marked down to $269.99 and then with a 50% discount followed by a 30% discount the final price was (drum roll, please).... $94.50!!!

And here I am sporting not only my new handbag, but one of the 5 new tops I bought as well. This one happens to be from Ann Taylor LOFT (as is the skirt):

Skirt and Top: Ann Taylor LOFT

Bag: Coach

Shoes: Payless
Necklace: Stella and Dot

Ring: Some little shop on Nantucket... 

I loved this top so much when I saw it in the shop, I actually bought it not only in this fun summer-y print, but I also got it in three other solid colors- peach, white and brown. I've already worn the peach one and I'm certain I'm going to get a lot of wear out of all four of them. I realized the other day that while I have a lot of great skirts, I don't have that many great tops. When I decided to stop at the outlets on Sunday, I had that goal in mind- to find great tops. I'm happy to say I was so successful. In addition to these tops from Ann Taylor, I also scored a fabulous printed silk top from Banana Republic. Maybe I'll post a photo of that one soon! 

Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday, everyone! 

I'm Back

If you visited my blog over the holiday weekend, you may have noticed a distinct lack of posting. I decided to give myself a little bit of a vacation over the long weekend and didn't even think about blogging. Actually, that's not true, I thought about it a lot, but every time I did, I decided to think instead about what I was doing- which was spending time with family and friends. Everyone deserves a little vacation every now and then, right?

I had an excellent, relaxing weekend spent at a BBQ one day and at the beach the next. I even got a little bit of sun- just a little. I even had an accidental shopping spree. I swear it was a complete accident. Honest! My bank account isn't impressed, I'll tell you that much. On the drive up to northern New Hampshire to visit some friends, I stopped to get gas. I just so happened to be getting gas off an exit that also boasts the state's best outlet mall. It appeared from the crowds that there were some major sales going on, so I decided to just "pop in" to a couple of my favorite stores. An hour later and I had a shopping bag from Nine West, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor LOFT and Coach. Yup. I did some serious damage in a very short amount of time.

I'll be posting outfit photos so you can see the great pieces I got, but just to be clear, I walked away having spent almost exactly $200 and I had quite the haul on my hands- a total of 8 new items. No joke. The hardest decision was when I was in the Coach outlet. The entire store was 30% off. I saw an amazing bag on a table that was labeled "50% off." I asked a sales person about that and she informed me that the 50% discount was IN ADDITION to the 30% discount. Honestly, at that price, how could I NOT get the bag? Trouble was, I couldn't select a size. Here are the two- side-by-side:

They may appear similar in size in the photo, but I assure you, the bag on the left is significantly larger than the bag on the right. I fell in love with the shape and the color and the fact that both bags have an unusually high number of pockets. You know I love bags with pockets, right? For the organizing, of course.

So, while you wait with bated breath to find out how I managed to score 5 tops, a skirt, a pair of heels and a Coach bag all for just $200, why not leave a comment guessing one of the following three things:
1.) Leave a comment guessing which bag I purchased.
2.) Leave a comment guessing what I paid for the bag. Seriously, you'll be in awe when I tell you!
3.) Leave a comment telling me about your latest and greatest bargain shopping spree.

Rate My Look- Not exactly creative...

Remember my outfit from yesterday? Today isn't all that different!

Jacket: Ann Taylor

Dress: H&M via thrift shop

Shoes: DSW

Scarf: D Squared 

Ring: Stella and Dot

Honestly, you'd think I could get a little more creative! Even the print of the dress is similar to the one I wore yesterday! I suppose I can't be creative every day. 

Rate My Look- Where is Spring?!?!?

At this point, we're more than half-way through the month of May and it has yet to feel like spring around here for more than 48 hours. It definitely makes getting dressed in the morning a little more difficult. I've been getting some use out of my spring jackets, particularly my trusty short denim jacket.

Dress: BCBGMaxAzria via Marshalls

Jacket: Ann Taylor 

Shoes: Payless

Ring and Necklace: Stella and Dot

I've struggled with finding sandals for this summer. I'm not a fan of gladiator sandals- they just don't work that well with my wardrobe. Unfortunately, that's really all there is out there right now! I spent an afternoon shopping for shoes last week and I managed to purchase four new pair of shoes for the summer including the sandals pictured above. Since it was BOGO, I also got a pair of cute, white ballet flats. Here's a better view of the sandals and a picture of the ballet flats for you: 

Popstar Embellished Gladiator Sandals, Payless, $19.99

Feebe Bow Flat, Payless, $22.99

The other two pair of shoes I bought were from Marshalls- a pair of flip flops and a pair of basic black sandals in a smiliar style as the ones from Payless above. Outfits will come with those shoes soon. As for the dress, this is one that is at least a year old, but it is SO comfortable- I really love wearing it. The jewelry is of course Stella and Dot. On this particular day, I wore the Sofia Pearl Bib Necklace and the Camilla Ring.

I can't tell you how much I love these two jewelry pieces. They were two items that I knew I would like, but that I didn't necessarily expect to become every-day pieces. But that's exactly what they are! I wear the Camilla Ring ALL THE TIME! It's very comfortable and it really seems to go with just about everything. The Sofia Pearl Bib Necklace is such a classy, elegant statement and it really elevates every outfit to a completely different level. I've even worn it with a simple t-shirt and jeans and a great pair of heels. I love it! 

Rate My Look- Winning Combination

I realized after browsing through my recent photos that I basically wore the exact same outfit three times this past week. In every outfit, I'd paired one of my pencil skirts with a long-sleeve turtleneck or cowl neck top. The accessories varied (more on that later), but the silhouette and pieces combined to create that silhouette were all very similar.

It all started on Sunday:

Skirt: Ann Taylor

Cowl Neck Top: Fair Indigo

Sweater & Boots: Marshalls

Earrings: H & M
Brooch: Vintage

The next day- Monday- was a LOT colder, so I took out the cashmere: 

Sweater: Christmas gift

Skirt: Marshalls

Necklace: Forever 21

Shoes: DSW

Forgive the wrinkles in my skirt- I snapped this photo AFTER driving 45 minutes to work, so my skirt wasn't looking its best like it did in this post. Finally, I put together this look on Tuesday: 

Sweater: TJ Maxx

Skirt: Daffy's

Shoes: DSW

Necklace: DIY

Tuesday's version of this look is definitely my favorite. The skirt is super cute and I love the combination of the olive fabric and the purple jewelry. Something about those two colors just makes me smile. And if you like my necklace in Tuesday's outfit and want to know more about it, check back tomorrow- I'll tell you all about it! 

But back to the clothes- sometimes you have to step back and take a look at the pieces in your closet with a fresh perspective. Think about different combinations of clothing and accessories- you'll feel like you have a whole new wardrobe! 

Leave a comment and tell me what you think about my outfit creations! 

Rate My Look- More Monochromatic

Dressing in an entirely monochromatic outfit isn't always easy and sometimes it can actually get a little boring. I am the kind of person who enjoys wearing color, so monochromatic can be difficult for me- I always want to throw a bit of brightness into just about every outfit.

Last week, a "snowstorm" hit our area and as a result, I gave myself an extra 45 minutes to get to work that day. Of course, Murphy's Law dictates that since I gave myself the extra time, it would not be needed. I decided to spend a few minutes taking pictures of my outfit, since I really had nothing better to do. It occurred to me that it was actually a pretty good outfit to put on the blog for a couple of reasons:

Sweater: TJ Maxx

Skirt: Ann Taylor Loft (only $4!)

Boots: Payless

1.) It uses one of my favorite combinations of colors- yellow and grey. Usually, I prefer a more lemon yellow than this mustard-y one, but it still works. 

2.) It demonstrates the monochromatic concept from the waist down, which is sometimes just as effective as an all-over monochromatic look. In this case, the cinched waist of the skirt creates a nice focal point on my silhouette, and then the grey tights and boots help to draw the eye in a vertical direction, creating a lengthening effect. In truth, we know my legs don't actually start way up at the waistline of my skirt, but that's why it's called an illusion. 

3.) It looks great against the snow-y white backdrop. 

Ok, that third reason isn't really fashion-related, but it's still a great reason to include the outfit on the blog. I was a little disappointed in the lighting when I shot this picture. Can you tell what a gloomy day it was? It snowed almost the entire day. I don't mind snow, but I don't like an overcast sky, at least not for long stretches of time. It's been days since I saw the sun. At least my outfit has a bit of sunshine to it. 

Rate My Look- Opposites Attract

You know how I'm often saying you should pair edgy with soft, dark with light, shiny with matte, menswear with feminine? Well, I wore an outfit to work the other day that was relatively new and one of my coworkers said, "I love how you matched military-inspired with sparkly and fun. Smart girl- she's on to me:

Top: Ann Taylor Loft, $19.99 (on sale)

Skirt: The Garment District, $9 (second hand)

Boots: Marshalls, $34 (on sale)

Ring: Salmagundi, $40

The whole outfit is one big bargain, if you ask me. Well, maybe not the ring, but everything else, for sure. The top I found while out shopping with Beth- we popped into an Ann Taylor Loft in downtown Boston so she could find a dress to wear to a friend's wedding (which she did). While she was in the fitting room, I found the sequin top on the 50% off sale rack and just HAD to try it on. Earlier that day, I'd been at The Garment District in Cambridge trying to spend my $40 gift card from Groupon. Do you guys know about Groupon? More on it later for those of you who don't. Anyway, the skirt was in their second-hand/vintage section, but I loved the way the pockets were sewn on and the fuller silhouette. I have been mildly obsessed with slimmer skirt silhouettes lately, but I still love me a nice gathered skirt. The boots I found while out shopping with Beth's mom a day or two before. She's a shopping pro, too. The boots are suede, from Born, which is not a cheap shoe maker, so to score these real suede boots for only $34 felt like a real accomplishment. 

It's funny how pieces in your wardrobe find their way to each other. The boots were so well made and classic, I knew they would be a good investment. The skirt was too cute to pass up at that price and then when I saw the top, I realized that I was on the verge of a really fun outfit. Shopping your closet can be much the same, actually. Pull out pieces you don't always wear and you might surprise yourself with the outfit ideas that come to mind. And if to pieces seem so completely opposite that they can't possibly go together, try it anyway. There's a reason they say opposites attract. 

Shoesday Tuesday- Shop Out of Season

One of the keys to bargain hunting is being willing to shop out of season. It can be really hard to try on a wool skirt in July or a pair of short shorts in October, but if you're willing to do it, you can find some really amazing bargains. Just last month, I happened upon a grey wool skirt at the Ann Taylor Loft in town and scored it for only (drumroll, please)... $4.77!!! For about the same price as a venti latte, I got myself a perfect fall/winter staple item for my wardrobe. It's going to be perfect with just about every pair of tights I own, and I'm really going to enjoy pairing it with other neutrals as well as some jewel tones. I've been dreaming of all the ways I'm going to use it, but you'll have to wait until the weather gets a little cooler before I start putting outfits together with it. Don't worry- in the meantime, I'll keep you satisfied with appropriate summer outfits!

My point is this: if on that hot July day, I'd only allowed myself to be focused on lightweight cottons, linens and chiffons and bright summery colors and prints, I would have missed out on an absolutely amazing bargain- quite possibly the best bargain of the year! Yes, shopping out of season requires a little more patience and fortitude, but you can do it! Ok, I admit, "fortitude" might be a bit dramatic, but I'm trying to impress upon you the amazing benefit of buying sweaters and mittens in the height of summer and scouring the shelves for sandals and tank tops during a blizzard.

I recommend buying staple items off season- wool and cashmere items like sweaters, overcoats and skirts in neutrals like grey, black and beige are perfect off-season items for the warm months. Chiffon sundresses, silk scarves and bright open shoes like sandals, slingbacks and peep-toes are ideal bargain finds in the winter. Of course, if you live in a climate that doesn't have four seasons, the off-season shopping will be a bit harder for you. But don't despair- I promise the bargains will still be had. Avoid buying anything too trendy if you're shopping off-season because the chances of it being in style in nine months or a year down the road aren't always so good. Stick to basics and wardrobe staples and you won't go wrong.

Since it's Shoesday Tuesday, I'm going to focus on some bargain off-season shoe finds for you today. For starters, look for sales in addition to the discount prices. For example, while shopping over this past weekend, I went to Nine West. They had an amazing pair of summer heels marked down from $59.99 to $39.99 PLUS they were offering an extra incentive- buy one, get one half off. So, for a little less than $60, I could have two amazing new pairs of shoes. I managed to exercise restraint, but it was pretty hard considering what amazing shoes these were. I can't find them online, and I didn't take a picture in the store, so you'll have to trust me when I say these were not only fierce strappy sandals perfect for just about ANY summer outfit, but they were incredibly comfortable- seriously, they were the kind of shoe I can stand/walk in ALL DAY without major pain. Just talking about them now is making me regret not getting a bright, colorful pair and a neutral. Honestly, what was I thinking! The only thing that will rectify this situation is if you all manage to find amazing off-season bargains to make up for my loss!

To start, check out these metallic sandals from Nine West for sale online for $34.99, plus an additional 20% off at checkout!

Stunning, right? Also available in white/buff and black, all of which would make excellent staples for next summer's wardrobe. They also still have plenty of sizes and widths available (narrow, medium and wide), but they probably won't last too long. Depending on where you live, a style like this might even get you through Halloween or Thanksgiving.

Another great spring/summer shoe is the hurachi. Payless' open-weave ballet flat style is perfect for warm weather:

At $13.99, it's hard to pass them up. But with their current BOGO sale, you could get these hurachis, PLUS these fun faux-snake skin strappy heels for less than $20 TOTAL! (Only $17.49, in fact!)

These snake skin heels are a mere $9.00 right now, and as if that isn't good enough, after the BOGO deal, they actually end up being only $4.50- even less than my fabulous new Ann Taylor Loft skirt! Take advantage of any additional discount you can find. Look at the Sunday paper to find out when the sales start. Don't throw away your coupons, either- you'll regret it in the end. It's always so satisfying when you can get an additional 10% or more off your already discounted shoe choice! DSW is great about sending out coupons, and they have a lot of great shoes that are heavily discounted right now. With an additional 10%-25% from your coupon, these shoes are less than a lunch out with your girlfriends:

Who doesn't love a Madden Girl embellished faux snake skin wedge? At this price ($14.94 marked down from $60)? Crazy people, that's who! And what about these lovely flat gladiator sandals?

Combined with the wedges, these girly gladiators aren't even enough to get you the free shipping option on DSW.com because you have to spend $35 to qualify! ($14.94+ $19.94= $34.88 BEFORE your coupon discount!) Oh well, I suppose you'll also have to get these lovely (and bright) wedges so you can take advantage of free shipping:

Also available in hot pink and black, these CL by Laundry wedges are an ideal summer staple. Get 'em in all three colors if you like! I promise you'll wear them!

Once you've filled your closet with summer shoes, mark your calendar for six months from now and then don't forget to remind me to write a blog post about winter shoe bargains!

Happy Shoesday Tuesday, everyone!