Rate My Look- Tuesday's outfit and today's outfit, too!

Tuesday was rainy and gross and while I did take some pictures, they did not come out as I'd hoped. So... after work tonight, I put that outfit on again, grabbed my fabulous new tripod and snapped a few pictures. So here's take two of Tuesday's outfit:

I love the Jeep in the background of that first picture- oops! I'll be honest- I'm really enjoying my new tripod. It makes taking pictures such a piece of cake. I can't believe I waited this long to get one. Shameful, isn't it? Anyway, this outfit is my favorite pair of Old Navy jeans, a peach top so old I can't remember where or when I got it, much less what it cost, a new vest from Maurices, and some super fun accessories- my favorite turquoise cocktail ring from Festoon in downtown Lancaster, a bright red flower pin from Ann Taylor Loft and my floral print shoes I recently bought at Daffy's on my trip to New York:

The colors I chose to wear in this outfit were all pulled from the print on these shoes- the peach, the bright red and the turquoise. They aren't the most common combination of colors, but they work quite well together and make what could have been a very boring outfit into something a little more special. Jeans with a black vest isn't very exciting, even with a peach top underneath, but the floral shoes and bright accessories in fun contrasting colors add a whole new dimension. The next time you find yourself wondering how to accessorize an outfit, rather than choose something that "matches" or is in a similar color family, instead choose something that contrasts. The key to combining colors like this is to make sure there is some unifying factor. Pastels with pastels, brights with brights, primaries with primaries. That's not to say you can't have a pastel outfit with a bright or primary color accessory- that works, too, but the bright accessory then needs to be the only piece that is bright. Don't mix bright with pastel with primary with muted, etc. Color is a really fun way to add personality to your outfits. Experiment! You might be surprised with what you come up with!

Of course, before I put on Tuesday's outfit again, I snapped a few photos of the outfit I wore today, so you're getting a double-whammy in this post!

This is the green and white skirt I made a few weeks ago. Old Navy had a sale on lace-trim cami's not too long ago, so I got this one in green. The pink ribbon seemed like a nice contrast, plus who doesn't love pink and green together? The sequin cardi is just too much fun not to wear every once in a while- I got it at Rue 21 a while ago, but I forget what it cost. I finished the look with white strappy wedges from Target that I got last summer and once again my favorite cocktail ring in turquoise from Festoon in downtown Lancaster.

What do you think of my colorful outfits this week? Leave a comment if you like! Sometimes I think, "Renee, just wear something neutral!" But what fun is that, right? Anyway, I hope this weather will keep up- I really enjoy getting outside to snap photos when the sun is shining.

Easter Weekend

I hope you all had a fabulous Easter weekend. Mine was actually quite eventful and I have several outfits to show you. First up, my church attire for Easter Sunday morning. I've always admired the women who can wear a big ol' hat to church and look fabulous doing it. I have always wanted to wear one. I didn't actually wear the hat to church- but I did enjoy snapping some pictures with it before heading out to service.

Dress: Target, $12.98

Shoes: Kenneth Cole, $14.98

Hat: Nine West, $19.99

Sunglasses: Michael Kors, gift

Flower pin: Ann Taylor Loft, $3

Belt: I have NO idea!

After snapping these and many more unsuccessful photos with my camera perched on top of the neighborhood mailbox, I decided to stop being such a cheapskate and after church I bought myself a tripod. Later that afternoon, I put on my fun green floral dress and decided to head out around the neighborhood to practice taking pictures. It was supposed to be just for fun and to start to better understand my camera and lighting and whatnot. I did learn a lot, but not about what you might think. You see, as soon as I stepped outside my apartment with nothing but the clothes on my back and my tripod-mounted camera, I realized I'd just shut the LOCKED door behind me. Yup. Easter Sunday early evening and I was completely locked out. What a loser I am, right? After about an hour and a half, I was back in my apartment, safe and sound, but it was definitely an adventure. An adventure in stupidity, that is. Anyway, here are a couple of the "practice" shots I took, including one with me sitting on my front stoop, waiting...

Dress: ME!

Shoes: Sofft via Marshalls, $29.99

Ring: Festoon, $40

I forgot to take a good shot of my shoes- these are a perfect example of a nude shoe. They're wedges, so they're more comfortable than heels, but the nude aspect is really what's key. Don't worry, there will be many more opportunities this summer for me to photograph them. Anyway, I had fun playing with my camera, but hopefully the next time I try to practice playing photographer, I'll remember to bring my keys, or my phone, or a credit card or something useful to a person locked out of her home.

The next day (Monday) was the most beautiful day we've had in a while and I ended up going kayaking on the Susquehanna River with my friend Mindy. I will only be showing you one picture of my outfit from that adventure:

Sorry friends, no photos in my bathing suit will be on the internet anytime soon. The water was freezing, but the sun was hot, so it was a great afternoon out on the river. I got quite a bit of sun, but hopefully I'll get to build on it even more in the coming weeks and hopefully be able to get my skin from pasty-white to a nice healthy glowing tan.

Today I'm headed back to work after this fabulous long weekend. It's going to be another unseasonably warm  day here in PA, so I hope I've dressed appropriately. It was raining and thundering earlier this morning, but now the sun is shining and I hope it stays that way for the rest of the day. I decided to look a little "French" today. By the way, these photos were all taken using my new tripod. I think I did pretty well!

Dress: Old Navy, $8.79

Hat: Target, $1.50 (No joke!)

Flower pin: Ann Taylor Loft, $3

Earrings: Aldo, I think

Shoes: Deb Shops, I forget how much

Ring: Gift

I got caught adjusting my hat in this one! Gotta be more careful with that self-timer!

I think the black and white stripes along with the red flower and the cute hat all make this outfit very Parisian. Or at least that's my intent.

Well, I think that's enough photos for today. It's Shoesday Tuesday, so I'll try to post again this evening. I got my April shoe selections from Shoe Dazzle, so I want to share them with you. Check back soon!

Just call me Annie Leibovitz

Jeans: Old Navy

Top: SYMS

Earrings: Ten Thousand Villages

Ring: Festoon

Shoes: Deb Shops

So last week there was an absolutely STUNNING day where I probably could have worn a skirt or dress, but I somehow ended up in jeans. I enjoyed this outfit a great deal, though. I love the combination of the bright mustard yellow pumps with the turquoise ring and the fuchsia earrings. The polka dots helped keep it cheerful, too. Anyway, I convinced my friend Ken to snap some more fun photos for me, but he also turned things around and I got to snap a few of him!

I'd like to take credit for my work, but I'll be honest. I probably took over 50 shots and these were the "good" ones. So maybe photography won't be in my future, but I sure had a lot of fun pretending I was good at it.

Rate My Look- Thanksgiving & Black Friday

Yesterday when I said I wouldn't do a Rate My Look post because it would involve stretchy pants, I was totally lying. As much as stretchy pants are great for big meals, a comfy dress is even better:

Dress: Max Studio, bought at Marshalls, $19.99

Tights: Target, $6

Sweater: Bandolino, thrifted, $6

Earrings: Aldo, free

Ring: Festoon, $42

Shoes: Fabulous Footwear, $22

I think you guys have all seen these various pieces as part of different outfits before. The earrings may be the exception- they are the ones I got for free at Aldo a couple of weeks ago. I love how the turquoise of the earrings and the cocktail ring play against the deep, dark red dress. I actually took this picture AFTER I got home from Thanksgiving dinner, which, by the way, was spectacular. I didn't overeat, but I almost wish I had because the food was so amazing. Oh, well. There's always next year.

And now for the Black Friday outfit- it's the exact same dress in black! This is my "LBD" that is so comfortable that I treat it more like a sweatsuit than an LBD.

Dress: Max Studio, bought at Marshalls, $29.99

Tights: Target, I forget how much

Shoes: Burlington Coat Factory, $19.99

Brooch: Made by ME!

Hat: I have NO idea- it's so old!

Here's a close-up of the brooch that I know you are all SO impressed with- haha!

I thought it was fitting to wear all black on Black Friday. I'm going to avoid shopping centers like the plague today. I've done the Black Friday thing before and it's really not that spectacular, if you ask me. I've done the midnight shopping, the 5:00 AM shopping- it's all really exhausting and I'd much rather spend my time elsewhere to be honest. My family has really scaled back on the Christmas purchases, choosing instead to focus on spending time together rather than shopping for each other. I prefer it that way- it takes all the pressure off and allows us to actually enjoy the holiday. And my mom tends to go crazy with all her cooking, which is always nice, too.

Over the holiday, I got some feedback and fashion questions that I'll try to answer over the next few days. In the meantime, feel free to stop by Monday's Giveaway post to enter the drawing. Leave up to 3 comments to be considered for the handmade shrug I made. Click here to be taken to that post.

Rate My Look- mixing plaids

Dress: Burlington Coat Factory, $13

Shoes: Bakers, gift

Ring: Festoon, $42

Cardigan: Marshalls, gift

Earings: Ann Taylor Loft, $7

Sorry the photo is so blurry today- I didn't have a lot of time to get a shot, so I was sort of stuck with this one. Anyway, I'm wearing a plaid strapless sundress that I've "winterized" with a fabulous cardigan. What makes this outfit fun for me is the mixing of plaids- in the dress and on the shoes. People say not to mix prints, but I don't buy that rule. Mix away, friends! I wish the sleeves on the cardigan were more visible because they are so fun- they sort of balloon out at the elbow and then gather back in at the hem. I love the sweater for this reason, but also because of the way it creates a v-neck AND a sort of inverted-v from the waist down. It's incredibly flattering and makes my waist seem oh-so-tiny.

In other news... I hope all of you have not forgotten to post a comment on Monday's Giveaway post. It's the only way to be entered into the drawing for the $20 gift certificate from Eshakti. I'm SO excited to get my pants & top from them- hopefully it will arrive this week and I'll be able to do a complete review for you. But, even if you aren't interested in their clothes (and I can't understand why you wouldn't be!), they have lots of fun accessories, too.

And finally, here is a little sneak peek of some DIY fashions I've been working on. Can you figure out what they are?

 (Why won't this picture center for me? Weird.)

Intrigued? Especially by the first one, right? Well you'll have to wait a few more days to find out about them, but I think you're going to enjoy these future posts! Have a great day, everyone!

The oh-so versatile LBD

I mentioned a few posts ago that I didn't have an LBD for the longest time. Now I have three, but one is decidedly "dressy" and one is so casual, it's practically a sweatsuit. The third is perfect- it's comfortable and versatile. I can dress it up or down, layer it with a cami, sweater and tights or wear it alone, and of course the possibilities are endless where accessories are concerned. So today I present to you, the LBD Five Ways. All I did was change out the accessories for different looks to demonstrate a fraction of the versatility of this (and most) LBD's. I tried to use accessories most of us would have in our closets and also to keep it pretty simple so that you can see how different an outfit can be with only a slight change.

A little about the LBD itself: I got it at Festoon, an adorable boutique in downtown Lancaster. Originally $129, I got it at a steal for 40% off. It's a faux-wrap, meaning it appears to be a wrap dress, but it's actually completely sewn together and slips on rather than wraps. It's better on windy days than a wrap dress- no risk of flashing anyone with a big gust of wind! Wrap and faux-wrap dresses are flattering on literally any body type. They accentuate the smallest part of a woman's body- the waist. Also, the v-neck helps to draw the eye upward to the face.

Option 1: Super casual, perfect for running errands or hanging around the house. I love the mix of brighter jewel tones because they pop so nicely off the black. It's not super clear in the picture, but the shoes are a deep emerald green.  

Scarf: Old Navy, $10

Shoes: Fabulous Footwear, $22

Option #2: Over-the-top accessories- lots of layered necklaces plus a "bracelet" and bright mustard-yellow patent shoes. I would wear this out to dinner with friends for sure, or maybe to a dinner party. I like the combination of accessories because I feel they are very "me."

A closer look at the accessories:

Shoes: Deb Shops, not sure of price, but I'm thinking around $10

Bracelet: (Actually a necklace repurposed) H&M, gift from Beth

Gold link necklace: Target, $5.48

Black beaded necklace: Aldo, $9.98

Beaded pendant necklace: Vintage

Option #3: "Latin flair" LBD with a bright red rosette at the waist. I kept the gold chain link necklace on as well. This is a fun option because of the pop of color, It draws the eye to the smallest part of my body- my waist- so it actually helps the shape of the dress to flatter me even more. I kept the shoes a basic black to keep the eye from having to jump around. If the shoes were a bright color, too, the accessories could cancel each other out by forcing the eye to two different places.

Rosette: Ann Taylor Loft, $3

Shoes: Kenneth Cole, $14.97

Option #4: This time the bright red is at my feet- a classic pairing- the LBD and the red shoes. You can see how despite being the same color as the rosette, they would not have worked together. This is my "vintage" LBD version- the shoes have a very retro feel to them, and the earrings are actual vintage clip-ons. You may remember them from this post.

Shoes: Target, $22.98

Earrings: Vintage

Option #5: Last, but certainly not least is the Va-va-voom LBD. An LBD is often great by itself, but you know I can't just wear plain black pumps with the LBD all by itself- I need shoes with a little "oomf," hence the leopard print. 

Shoes: Target, $5.48 (I'm SO not kidding!)

They're hard to see above, so here are the shoes alone:

No explanation necessary, right? They sort of speak for themselves. The figure-hugging dress, the neckline, the shoes- all of them together say "Va-va-voom!" Right? I think so.

Leave a comment to tell me about your LBD. And don't forget to leave a comment on yesterday's Giveaway post in order to be entered for the $20 Eshakti Gift Certificate drawing at the end of the week!

Rate My Look

This photo, my friends, is clear evidence that I practice what I preach, specifically breaking the fashion rules and even more specifically, the idea of mixing prints. It's hard to tell in the photo, but the scarf around my waist is all sorts of prints- diagonal stripes, checks, etc. And the dress is a sort of geometric polka-dot. And I think you'll all agree that it totally works! From the colors in the scarf, you can see I pulled out a turquoise to accent with my lovely cocktail ring and of course the mustard yellow shoes. Since I happen to remember, I'll break down the cost of the outfit for you:

Dress: H&M, purchased at a second-hand shop for $15

Scarf: No label, purchased at a vintage shop for $3

Earrings: Ann Taylor Loft, purchased for $7

Shoes: Pulse, purchased at a Deb Shop for $10

Ring: I'm sorry I don't know the name of the designer, purchased at Festoon in downtown Lancaster for $40

The ring cost more than the rest of the outfit combined, but it's still all less than $100 for the whole look. Not too shabby.

I think for these "Rate My Look" posts, I really need to start taking the picture at the start of the day, rather than at the end of the day like this one. I'm just a little more shiny than I'd like to be! But more importantly, what do YOU think? Love it? Hate it? Indifferent?