Career Day

Guys- I have a confession to make. It's Career Day at my friend's school where she is a science teacher. I've been asked to come and speak to the kids about my "career." I have to admit- I'm nervous. I've got a whole speech written, but these are 8th graders we're talking about! I might find my career story to be a riveting tale of roller coaster-esque ups, downs, twists and turns, but will the kiddos care? Will I be entertaining enough for them to behave for the ENTIRE 30 minute session? I have no visual aids. (Aside from the adorable outfit I plan to put together in the morning.) I should have put together a power point presentation or something. Also, I'm woefully out of touch with this generation. What do they like? When I talk about Oprah Winfrey, will they know who that is? These are the Beiber-fever kids, right? I don't know a single Justin Beiber song. I did see that episode of CSI he was on, but that doesn't really have anything to do with my career.

Well, wish me luck. I am certain I'll need it. In my head, I'm like one of those inspirational TED motivational speakers. In reality, not so much. I'll be back to post a picture of an outfit or two a little later on in the week. I would post the outfit I'm wearing today, but I haven't put it together yet. So much for inspirational.

Shoesday Tuesday: Spring Shoe Trends

You know what trend seems to be sticking around? The cut-out shoe. No joke- I hope you invested in some fun cut-out shoes a few seasons ago because you'll be getting more mileage out of them for a few more months to come! If not, here are a few you can pick up that will be perfect for spring and summer:

Kate Spade Vail, Piperlime, $275

BCBGeneration Esters, Piperlime, $118

Indigo by Clarks, Piperlime, $100

Boutique 9 Caurah, Piperlime, $198

Franco Sarto Vial, Piperlime, $89

Corso Como Filter, Piperlime, $109

Luxury Rebel Essie, Piperlime, $120

Plenty by Tracy Reese Barbara, Piperlime, $129

Whether you like flats, heels or wedges, pumps, sandals or oxfords, there's a springtime cut-out shoe out there for you. The question is: will you be sporting this trend this season? Or are you ready for something new? Tweet your answer with the hashtag #ShoesdayTuesday like always! 

Accessories Anonymous: Market Bag by Moop

Who's in love with this Market Bag by Moop?

I AM!

Accessories Anonymous: Brooch & Necklace Combinations

I'm sure you recall my post from last week about the jewelry party I attended. While I may have left with only two small purchases, I did get a lot more out of the event where jewelry is concerned. Everyone at the party received a copy of the Stella & Dot catalog, which we were able to take home with us. I noticed they had styled their long beaded necklaces together with their brooches to create more interesting looks. Sometimes it was necklaces layered over each other and held together with a brooch. Other times it was a single strand beaded necklace looped over itself and held together with a brooch. When I saw these combinations, I realized the amazing potential I had already waiting for me at home. I took a few minutes to pair some of my necklaces with some of my brooches. In about five minutes time, I had more nearly half a dozen combinations already. Check it out:

Two faceted bead necklaces- one purple, one black- doubled over with a purple flower rhinestone brooch- I wore this exact combination just a few days ago. You may remember it from this outfit: 

But I digress... here are the other combinations I created: 

One long pearl necklace triple looped with blue rhinestone brooch

Same pearl necklace as above with a different brooch on the opposite side

Single pearl necklace doubled over and a pearl & chain necklace with a large glass flower brooch

Two black beaded necklaces- one faceted and doubled over, the other with flat beads and worn single strand, paired with a harlequin brooch

See what I mean? These combinations took mere moments to create, and required zero skill. What I'm trying to say is that anyone can do it! Take a look at your jewelry collection and see what interesting combinations you can come up with! 

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! 

Accessories Anonymous: I Need (Handbag) Therapy

A couple of days ago, I got an email from Coach letting me know there would be an upcoming exclusive "by invitation only" online sale with handbags up to 70% off. I didn't really care all that much, especially since I already own a couple of gorgeous Coach bags, and while I love them, I don't really love how much I see Coach bags everywhere I look. Maybe it's got something to do with working in a high-end bridal boutique, but I honestly think I see at least a dozen Coach handbags a day. No joke. Also, "by invitation only" seemed like something cooked up by the marketing department and the truth is that the invitation went out to every email address in the Coach database. And so, because I feel like they seem to have saturated the market, they seem less special. Regardless, when I got the email this morning that the 24-hour sale had begun, I decided to take a look at what was available. That's when I fell in love with this little darling:

Isn't she pretty? I've been thinking of adding a nice, black leather handbag to my arsenal and this one is just gorgeous! Also, it's enormous. (Exact dimensions according to the website? 14 3/4 inches long X 11 1/4 inches tall X 5 1/2 inches wide. Huge.) Another thing I like about it? It doesn't scream "COACH!" It just has the little label up at the top, but it's not as if it's made with that logo-covered fabric that they tend to use. I like it because it's a beautiful leather handbag. Not faux leather "vegan" junk that's all over the place these days. Real leather. I love real leather. 

So, do I splurge on it? At $153 (plus shipping), it's still a decent chunk of change. But the original retail price?  $498. That's right- almost five hundred smackers for that bag- so I'm getting quite a deal on it. Honestly, I can talk myself into this bag just as easily as I can talk myself out of it- the question is: which do I want to do? 

Pros: 

1.) Real leather

2.) It's enormous!

3.) It's not covered in an obnoxious "look at my designer bag!" print

4.) SUCH a bargain!

Cons: 

1.) It's still about $165 after shipping costs. Not exactly chump change (well maybe for some, but not for me). 

2.) That's the only con I can come up with. 

Arrghh!!! What to do? I'm torn up about it! So torn, in fact, that I spent another hour perusing all sorts of other sites trying to find something comparable for the price. Guess what- it doesn't exist. Beautiful bags cost a lot of money. Cheap bags and cheap-looking bags can still cost $150 or more, just click around the internet for a little while and you'll see. What I'm trying to say is that even though $165 is a lot of money, it's unlikely I'll find anything even remotely equivalent for the price. Sometimes sales are legitimate and I think I may have just convinced myself to go buy this bag! What do you think? Am I about to give my checking account a major hit today? Leave a comment! 

Boyfriend Jeans: They don't even work on Katie Holmes

You know what I've never really agreed with? The idea of women wearing actual menswear. I'm not talking about womens clothing that is menswear-inspired. I'm talking about actual menswear. With rare exceptions, I think that women need to wear clothing designed only for women. Men have bodies that are very different from womens, so the idea of wearing clothing designed for a different body type just seems so backward to me. In every clothing choice we make, we should be choosing to flatter our bodies. If an article of clothing does not flatter your body, you probably shouldn't wear it.

"Boyfriend" jeans are a prime example of this pet peeve of mine. My friend Melanie asked me to check out a specific brand of boyfriend jeans because she was thinking of buying them (against my advice, I might add). Here's the thing: Mel is adorable with a great body- a body of a woman, not a boy. I know the appeal of boyfriend jeans in their relaxed fit, but in my opinion, "relaxed" is often just another word for "sloppy." If you want a looser fit through the leg, try wide-leg trouser jeans instead. I honestly have yet to see a pair of "boyfriend" jeans that are as flattering as jeans designed for a woman's shape.

Take Katie Holmes, for example: I believe she is mostly to blame for this horrible trend lasting as long as it has. And yet I defy you to tell me she actually looks good in these jeans:

Even when she's wearing a more fitted, feminine top, they still don't work: 

From the waist up she looks great! And then the jeans. Oh, the jeans! Maybe you guys can explain it to me- tell me why, oh why you would want to look this way? Do you disagree with me that it's a sloppy, disheveled look? Please let me know why this trend persists! (In the comments section, please!) 

And as for Melanie, I'm sorry to be so public about this, but you can't buy those jeans! You're too cute for them! Put the credit card away! Walk OUT of the store or step AWAY from the computer- whether you're hoping to purchase them in person or online, I have to say, I think it's a mistake! 

What is really perplexing to me is the fact that fitted jeans- boot cut, skinny, high- waist, wide leg, etc.- are all equally comfortable! Jeans are comfortable! They don't have to be baggy all around to be comfortable! You can be comfortable AND stylish AND have your clothes flatter your body- I promise! I'm curled up on the couch as I type this wearing a pair of fitted, boot-cut jeans. I'm just as comfortable as I would be in sweat pants. So ladies, please, do me a favor and let's work together get this horrible trend behind us. Thank you. I'll step off my soapbox now.