OOTD: Remember When

Remember when I used to post outfit photos?

 

 

It seems like so long ago now. I feel like I'm struggling a bit just to keep my head above water. Have you ever had one of those stretches where you are pretty unhappy with something (or with nothing, I suppose) and you have a hard time making your way out of the negativity? Lately it seems as though all I want to do IRL is complain, to the point that I am even annoying myself. It's been difficult to reframe and focus on the positive.

 

At least this dress is pretty cute. It was a Black Friday purchase from Macy's. It's a comfortable ponte and the faux leather accents add a bit of toughness to it.

 

(The sleeves are also pleather!)

 

The military green color inspired me to break out my commander (commando?) stars with these fun peekaboo tights:

 

 

It's fun to have a secret accent in your outfit that only you (and a few thousand of your closest internet friends) know about.

 

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OOTD: It's the Remix to Ignition

Remember this weekend work outfit?

I found myself repeating it yesterday with slightly different and more weekday-friendly pieces:

Maxi skirt swapped for a new knee-length diddy in a similar color, which I got during a Labor Day sale on Rue La La or some similar site. Tee-like top (which is work-appropriate with the right bottom, IMHO) subbed for a longer-sleeved boatneck top from this weekend's jaunt to the LOFT outlet. Payless black patent flats subbed for J.Crew black patent wedges.

Same tote because, seriously, how great is this tote?

Who says you don't need multiple black polka dot tops and pink chiffony skirts?

OOTD: A New Top and a Large Bag

I'm really struggling creatively today. Could you tell from the title of this post?

 

In this Outfit:

Ann Taylor Lace Top (M) (here) 

J.Crew Factory White Skirt (6) (similar for $40, similar for $20)

Kate Spade Metropolitan Pearls earrings (almost identical at Target for $13)

Kate Spade All Sorts Necklace

Michael Kors Davenport Watch in Rose Gold (here)

Tory Burch Robinson Saffiano East-West Tote (here)

Manolo Blahnik Pumps (39.5) (gifted)

(affiliate links)

 

This bag looks slim and slender from this angle, but from the other side:

 

 

 

KERCHOW! Now THAT'S a bag.

 

What can I say? I'm a big-bag girl and I make no apologies.

 

 

OOTD: Waking Up

[Hey!  I'm selling some stuff on eBay.  Mostly clothes/handbags, including a few Anthro pieces.  The listings expire tomorrow, so no dilly-dallying.]

Whenever I put together an outfit that literally prompts someone to SIT UP from sleep and comment on how cute it is, I feel a special, albeit superficial, level of accomplishment.

This was one of those outfits:

Ann Taylor Shirt, Forever 21 skirt, Anthropologie Lavandula Heels, Coach Necklace, Kate Spade Lever-Back Earrings, Michael Kors Davenport Rose Gold Watch, Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Bag (MAB) in ?? (purple? eggplant?)

I love this combination! It feels summery even though it incorporates somewhat dark colors. The bag is another new handbag purchase (you will be seeing a LOT of new purses this month). I bought it on eBay for something like $100 and it's a beautiful rich shade of purple with totally touchable leather. I used to own a satchel that looked like this (in this shape/color) before law school. It was fake leather and I completely wore it into the ground. I'm excited to have it back in new/improved form!

PS: THANK YOU for your advice re: the purses! I haven't had a chance to respond to each comment, but I have decided to keep the Tory tote (which really grew on me tremendously over the course of the day I wore it). I'm tentatively keeping the MBMJ Bentley tote, and I'm selling the Hillier. (Anyone interested??)

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I NEED AN[OTHER] INTERVENTION

This necklace.

 

 

I bought it in both turquoise and coral at Eastern Market, a local flea/craft/farmers' market near my apartment. It's perfect, and it goes with everything.

 

EVERYTHING.

 

I have been wearing one of the two colors three to five days a week and it's becoming a problem. People are starting to notice. I'm concerned for my creativity because it's just so easy to throw this thing on and neglect the rest of the outfit because really, the necklace is enough.

 

For example:

Earrings and Necklace from Eastern Market, Kate Spade Gia Pouch, J.Crew Cece Flats, Gap Sheath Dress (garage sale-d)

 

Madewell Dress, J.Crew Cece Flats, Necklace from Eastern Market, Earrings from Modcloth, Michael Kors Davenport Watch in rose gold

 

 

Eileen Fischer (?) dress, Pour la Victoire Wedges, Kate Spade Head in the Sand Melinda, Kate Spade Earrings, Marc by Marc Jacobs Marci Watch, Eastern Market Necklace

 

Calvin Klein Dress, Eastern Market Necklace, Michael Kors bag, Kate Spade earrings

 

It's just so perfect for summer! And maybe fall/winter/spring! Hopefully I'll get bored with it soon, but at least for now I've definitely gotten my money's worth out of these things!

 

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OOTD: Getting Back into the Swing

In this Outfit:

Top by Pleione from Nordstrom Rack (M)

Anthropologie Sunblaze Skirt (by Yoana Baraschi -- she called it the "Tattoo Skirt" and I've seen it floating around in both black and white) (6)

Necklace from Target

Coach Pave Ball Earrings

Kate Spade Bangle Watch (here in white)

Michael Kors Large Charm Tassel Ring Tote

 

Coming back to work after being on trial involves somewhat of an adjustment process.  Trial requires every ounce of effort you can muster and improves your productivity by 5-fold because there are simply not enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to get done by sunup, so you cut out the blog-reading, your morning coffee-sipping becomes more like gulping, and you work.  It is a sprint.

Regular workdays, on the other hand, generally allow for a bit more flexibility.  I don't need to be in my chair by 8am.  There may be some time between assignments where I can turn off my billing clock and click on some random news articles I found through Facebook friends.  It's nice in the sense that the trial pace is not sustainable for longer than a few months, but some part of me misses that feeling of working at top capacity and doing a pretty decent job at the same time.

To help ease the transition, I have tried to focus on the aspects of my normal life that I love but let slip by the wayside when I'm working 70+ hours a week.  I've been visiting the farmer's market, getting back into a regulary exercise routine, and spending time with friends.  And trying to blog at least once a week :-)

Manolo Blahnik Pumps (gifted) (39.5)

One thing I have lost though, and maybe for good:  My regular morning jaunt through my Feedly reader list.  I used to spend an hour a day catching up on blogs, checking in with other bloggers who I have either become friends with IRL or with whom I feel that wonderful e-connection you can develop with a blogger you like.  Part of it is that the length of my unread entries list is now perhaps in the 10k+ range, and the other part is that I feel more --- what would be the word? --- unadulterated? --- without the massive influx of outside influence on a daily basis.  A lot of the blogs I read --- and probably all of the blogs of people I have actually developed some kind of e-relationship with over time --- do not have this effect on me, but I do notice that having skipped the blog-reading for a month or so now I have shopped less often for clothes, felt less crappy about what I eat, and exercised more (because I WANT to and because it makes me feel good, not because I feel guilty if I don't).

Perhaps this is just a sign that I need to follow fewer blogs, or that instead of reading ALL TEH BLOGZ everyday I should just check in with a couple people at a time as the mood strikes me.  I don't know.  Do any of you feel like this with your blog subscriptions sometimes?  Or do you just poke your head into websites periodically?

OOTD Catch-Up

Hi everyone! I got a major haircut last week, but before I show it to you I wanted to catch you up on a couple of outfits I wore in Vegas with my old hair. I'm trying a new format for today's outfits; let me know what you think. (I suspect that individual photos with product links are more helpful, but those are also more time-consuming and I am not always able to hunt down names and links.)

 

Random work outfit (work days are casual on the trial site):

 

(Also, I feel like the above photo is a perfect illustration of why I needed a haircut. When I "style" my hair for a month by pulling it into a messy ponytail I know it's time...)

 

Work Dinner:

 

Pool Outfit, plus some miscellaneous shopping bits:

L-R, top to bottom:

Pool outfit (free people dress, bathing suit, sunglasses from bonnaroo, Kate Spade tote)

New earrings from Anthro

Damn it Kate Spade, stop making such obnoxiously cute but impractical clutches that I will eventually be forced to buy on sale.

Debating which purse to buy at the Michael Kors outlet. I went with black, but I regret not buying the brown color, too! Buying the same purse in two colors is a mistake, right? Tell me it's a mistake.

 

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Quickie OOTD: Purple Blazer, Take Two

Another Tuesday, another hectic week, another week falling behind in catching up on my blog-reading...

Eeesh, I'm sorry if I haven't been around your blog lately...I'm about to give up working my way through these past entries!

Here's a quickie recent outfit I enjoyed...

In this Outfit:

Madewell Dress 

Thrifted Blazer

J.Crew Factory Wedges

Marc by Marc Jacobs Marci Watch (on sale for $169 here (affiliate link))

Ann Taylor Loft Necklace 

Kate Spade Desert Stone Bangle

Kate Spade Lever-Back Earrings

I bought this blazer while thrifting, and it called to mind a certain other purple-ish thrifted blazer that did not fare so well on its maiden voyage...

Remember that one?  Let's not and say we did.

Yes, much better.

OOTD: The Politics of Jeans Day

It's jeans day in our office today.

In this Outfit:

Style & Co. Blazer; Anthropologie Blazing Top; Sold Denim Jeans; Seychelles Code Pumps; Thrifted Necklace; Kate Spade Bangle; Thrifted Earrings

This may come as a surprise to those of you who have been with me for a while and have borne witness for my love of pushing the boundaries of business casual, but I actually HATE jeans days.  I feel flat-out inappropriate wearing jeans to the office, and at our firm so few of the partners participate that it almost feels like a trap.  Sure, we are allowed to wear jeans (and we donate money to a charity in exchange for the pleasure), but aren't we still being judged for dressing down?

A blazer will cure all ills.

The last time our firm had a jeans day (many months ago), I skipped it and wore business casual.  That didn't solve the problem, though, since I felt just about as weird being one of the few associates not wearing jeans as I would have felt running into a business casual partner while sporting my denim.  This time, I felt I had to participate since today's jeans day is raising funds for a road race I am helping to organize.

Also, these thrifted earrings are super fancy-looking.

A friend of mine at a different firm offered an intriguing comment on an associate's duty to participate in a jeans day:

Hardly any of the partners do it in my group either, but if all associates do it they can't judge you, which is my point.  So do your part for your fellow associates.  Some of them may be like me and it is the only day all month they don't hate.

I'd never thought about jeans day as a class solidarity type of thing, but her argument makes a lot of sense, and ultimately persuaded me to wear jeans today.  Along with most of the other associates.  And frankly, it does feel a bit like everyone who is wearing jeans is sharing a wink and a smile today.

It still feels a bit weird, but I'll admit that I am super freaking comfortable.

What do you guys think of jeans days at the office, if you have them?

(Also, I'm wearing my new Kate Spade bag for the first time today!  I LOVE it, although I will fully admit that it is kind of ridiculous and I don't know how much I will wear it.  Which, wonderfully, was the reason I passed on it the first time so I feel somewhat justified in my initial decision (thus wiping out two years of agony) and at the same time I am happy with my acquisition (which was sweetened by said agony that clearly I still hang onto on some level).  Also, it holds a LOT of stuff.)

A Few Weekend OOTDs

Hello, e-buddies!  How has your week been treating you?  The last few weeks have been a hit parade of exciting events in both work and life, and the next few weeks look to be even more exciting!  Bonnaroo is just a week away, and then there are some big work-related events in the coffer for the end of the month.  Eeeeeee -- I can't wait!

In the meantime, I've got a few weekend outfits to show you.

Memorial Day weekend, an old friend from Miami came into town and we spent a day sightseeing:

In this Outfit:

Gap Shirt

Ann Taylor Loft Textured Maxi Skirt (here) (FYI, I'm 5'5.5 and this skirt is juuuuust the right length.  Any shorter than me and you may be stepping on the hem) (here* in petite small, pink color only, for $33) (also, there seems to be a decimal point missing in the affiliate link info for this product...there's a chance that if you buy it, I will make $577.  If that happens, I will have a huge giveaway on the blog.  HUGE.)

Anthropologie Beaded Denim Jacket (here*, sold out)

Kate Spade Necklace

J.Crew Hat (similar*, or with a feather* for $30)

Kate Spade Metropolitan Pearls Drop Earrings (purchased in the recent suprise sale!)

Kate Spade Gatsby Dot Short Mini Scatter Necklace (also purchased in the sample sale)

Kate Spade Baxter Street Priscilla Bag

Payless Chelsea Flats (here*) (TTS)

I recently rediscovered this straw hat, which I bought last year, sitting in my closet with the price tag still on it.  The dangerous thing about sale shopping is I often end up buying things out of season and run the risk of forgetting I own something by the time the proper season rolls around again.  I had actually been oogling straw hats at Eastern Market lately!  Good thing I found mine before I shelled out any more money.

This past weekend, I was in Florida visiting family, so I donned my beachiest non-beach outfit:

In this Outfit:

Forever 21 denim top (also worn here)

Free People Dress (old)

J.Crew Factory flats (old)

Marc by Marc Jacobs Marci Watch

J. Crew Hat (similar*, or with a feather* for $30)

Kate Spade Gatsby Dot Short Mini Scatter Necklace

Kate Spade Studs

Love me some Kate Spade jewelry:

I've been getting a LOT of wear out of this cute little necklace.  It's so delicate-looking and adds a nice bit of glitz to my outfits.

Speaking of glitz, I think it's time for me to admit to being wrong on something.  (No, not this jacket, which I am still convinced will be AWESOME in the fall.)  In my post about the Kate Spade sale the other week, I pointed out this purse, which I described as "kind of hideous but hugely marked down":

I truly could not imagine this bag working for any actual person at the time I wrote the above.  But then I went home for the week and unbeknownst to me, my mom had purchased the purse and WAS ROCKING IT.

In Mom's Outfit:

Ralph Lauren tank and shorts, Mel by Melissa Flats, Kate Spade purse, miscellaneous jewelry.

Right?  RIGHT?  It's TOTALLY WORKING.  So, I take it back, and apologies if I prevented you from buying what is actually a super-cute, fun bag.  Looking at this photo, I'm actually kind of regretting the decision not to buy.

YOU WIN AGAIN, KATE SPADE.

(Although I do think Florida can be a bit of a twilight zone when it comes to clothes and accessories.  You can wear things down there that work AMAZINGLY well that just don't seem to fly anywhere else.  Sources tell me that even buyers for big department stores like Nordstrom buy completely different types of merchandise for South Florida stores because the trends are so outrageous down there.  Another good example is this Kissing Cockatoos Bangle, which looked sort of absurd online but which my sister wore in Florida and it looked freaking perfect.)

Ahhh, warm-weather style, how I love you!

* Affiliate links

There's an Exception to Every Seemingly Unbreakable Life Rule

Seemingly Unbreakable Life Rule: One should not model one's life after Lindsay Lohan.

Exception:

This is a pretty solid outfit, Lindsay. Admittedly, you wore it to court in an attempt to avoid jail time for some dumbass crime, but I will grant you that you looked toiit.

Since I am forever struggling with how to wear white skirts, I modeled my outfit after yours.

In this Outfit

J.Crew Factory Lace Tank Top (M) (old)

Forever 21 Lace Skirt (L) (old)

Urban Outfitters Boyfriend Blazer (L) (old)

J.Crew Factory Wedges (9) (TTS)

Necklace from Eastern Market in DC

Earrings from Recent Kate Spade sale

Marc by Marc Jacobs Marci Watch

I felt proud of myself all day for this one! Didn't even have to face a judge. (Although in my line of work, that would probably have been a positive career move. Assuming I was facing him to make an argument on behalf of a client and not to deal with personal charges.)

Kate Spade Bag

How cute are these earrings?? I bought them during the Kate Spade surprise sale the other week. (Sorry for the lack of names/links in this post. I'll come back and edit when I have more time.)

This outfit also marked the first time I wore this skirt and this top!

I think the skirt will become a summer favorite. Unfortunately, THE SHIRT COMPLETELY SHRUNK IN THE DRYER DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT WAS MARKED TUMBLE DRY GRRRRRRRRR. I hate it when you find a new outfit you love and then one of the components is rudely and suddenly pulled away from you. :-\

Anyway, what are your rules for wearing white skirts? I like this idea of going for the obvious black/white contrast!

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OOTD: It's Brights Time!

Summer brights! Welcome to my life.

In this Outfit:

Ann Taylor Loft Colorblocked Crepe Dress (8 - a smidge big. For reference if you've generally tracked me in sizing, I've gone up a size) (here) (affiliate link) (link updated since I originally posted the wrong one)

Jessica Simpson Minna Wedges (9.5 - these run a half size small) (I get SO many compliments on these shoes and I'm always embarassed to tell people they are by Jessica Simpson) (PS: don't get them in black patent)

Necklace: Ann Taylor Loft (from December)

Kate Spade Lever-back earrings in citron

Marc by Marc Jacobs Marci Watch

Sorry about the iPad photo....I know it looks ridiculous. I didn't bring my phone to the locker room on Monday morning.

I bought this dress online from LOFT last week, before I decided to impose a no-more-clothes-purchases-until-normal-weight-is-achieved policy upon myself. (I'm about TEN pounds up from where I like to be; some of that is crossfit muscle so my new happy weight may change but I GUARANTEE YOU that a good bit of that is not muscle.) BUT I am glad this dress snuck its way into the mix. It's lightweight, comfy, and reminds me that summer is practically here.

Anthropologie Dashed Knit Blazer (L)

Michael Kors Gansevoort Tote (my jeans stained the leather a bit blue within its first week of life, but the stains came out with some leather cleaner I found on Amazon) (here) (affiliate link)

...Except for the fact that it was like FIFTY DEGREES in DC earlier this week!! What gives, weather?? I like my spring without a sprinkle of winter, tyvm.

I love this necklace and wanted to show you a close-up. I am not just making an excuse for posting a photo of my chest. Consciously.

(Quick post today because I'm traveling and overwhelmed with work, but LOOK AT ME STILL POSTING when I'm traveling and overwhelmed with work! PROGRESS, you guys!)

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