All in the family [outfit]

Vintage sweater - given to me in the 1990s by my mom / Joie shorts from Nordstrom - 2011 - $26 (using gift card) / Old Navy belt - cheap? / LOFT sandals - 2009 - $10 on sale / American Eagle chain necklace - 2011 - $4 on clearance

I was digging through the boxes under my bed the other day when I rediscovered this sweater. It was my mom's before me, and was given to her by my dad's mom. It is unclear whether my grandma owned it and wore it before she gave it to my mom or whether it was purchased by my grandmother as a gift for my mom. Either way, it's older than I am.

Bonus—it looks like a sleeved version of the sweater Debbie Reynolds wore in the "Good Morning" segment of Singing in the Rain (my favorite movie of all time).

[Image source: Rotten Tomatoes]

Jungle preppy [outfit]

Target Dress - 2011 - $12 on sale / J.Crew outlet belt - 2011 - $5 on sale / Nine West shoes from Marshalls or Ross - 2011 - $25 (using birthday money) / Banana Republic necklace - 2010 - $12 on sale

One of the biggest changes to my wardrobe now that I'm not in an office anymore is my hemline. For work, I was a staunch knee-length skirter. Any shorter seemed scandalous. Sure, I wore shorter skirts on weekends, but after dressing up all week I usually stuck to plain jeans. 

But now? Well, you've seen me lately. Those longer skirts have been gathering dust in my closet. I must be making up for lost time or something. This dress is one of my go-tos, and I've been switching up belts each time. Today was pink's turn. In my mind, green + pink = preppy. Love it.

Groovy [outfit]

Target sweater - 2011 - $20 / Target tank - 2011 - $8 / Old Navy jeans - 2009 - $12 on sale / LOFT sandals - 2008 - $10 on sale / DIY scarf / Kate Spade Doodle necklace - 2011 - gift

Friends, I have been on a roll lately. Just thought you'd like to know.

I've been on the hunt for a poncho sweater for a while, so when I turned around from the Target sale racks disappointed and walked straight into this gem, my brain nearly exploded. I rarely have gottahaveit moments, but I had a big one with this sweater, so much so that I bought it at full price (a rarity for me). I bought it a size too large because they didn't have my size in the store, but I like how loosey goosey it is this way. Definitely a new favorite.

Friends, I have also been on a majorly dramatic mood lately. Just thought you'd like to know.

A-Baseling we go [outfit]

Francesca's Collections dress - 2011 - $44 / Steve Madden boots from Macy's - 2009 - gift card + $3 / Belt - 2010 - swapped / Kate Spade Doodle necklace - 2011 - gift / Gold ring from Joanna Paige - 2011 - $16 (birthday money) / Nancy Rosetta silver circle ring - 2009 - gift

When in Miami, do as the Miami-ans do. Saturday night, K and I went to our very first Art Basel Miami Beach. I don't know much (ok, anything) about art, but I love looking at it. When we travel to new places, we gravitate toward museums and galleries rather than restaurants, attractions, and other activities. My favorite artist shown was Kate Gilmore, especially her video piece Buster. Check her out. Amazing. Art definitely inspires me, but to do what I'm not quite sure yet. I just love the energy and creativity of it all.

Art Basel is a place to see and be seen. It is one of the largest (if not the largest) modern art fair in the world. Rumor has it that it is now larger than the original Art Basel in Switzerland. Insane. We went Saturday night, and I had no idea what to wear. It took me a crapload of outfits before I settled on the one I finally wore, which was a variation on what I wore for our Christmas card photo this year (but only for about 30 minutes for pics). Check out the pile of discarded clothes that I had to put away at the end of the night:

Oops.

What inspires you? What types of attractions do you gravitate toward when you travel?

Perfect [outfit]

Paper Tee plaid shirt from Ross - 2009 - $7 / Express jeans - 2005 - $40 on sale / Target flip flops - 2009 - $7 on sale / Gold-tone ring from Joanna Paige - 2011 - $16 (birthday money) / NYC Color nail polish in Flat Iron Green - $2

Not me, of course (how boring would that be?). I'm talking about this outfit. I know it's super simple, but I feel like I could conquer the world in this outfit (maybe from behind the computer screen or phone). I woke up today super-motivated and then got sidetracked by the computer, like most days. Logged in some work, did laundry, and ran errands with coupons.

Ah, coupons. I'm not a couponer, not because I don't want to be, but because I am not gifted in this area of shopping. I find most grocery store coupons useless because our local store doesn't double coupons ever and the store brands I buy are usually cheaper than the name brand on sale (or best case scenario: store brands on sale). I did have a bunch of non-grocery shopping coupons, so I went to see what there was to see.

The coupons I hate the most are the "Get $x off of your $xx purchase," because they are designed to make you buy more than you may actually want to or need just to get the deal. Several of the coupons I had today were of that variety. But I think I made out pretty well by keeping my total to just above the threshold. Still got a few things I didn't need (darn you, Target), but I can always return them.

Are you a couponer? What kinds of retailer gimmicks do you dislike the most?

Casual Tuesday [outfit]

Gap blazer - 2006 - $40? / Ann Taylor outlet top - 2011 - $20 / Rockabilly jeans from Renew Denim - 2010 - $30? / Calvin Klein pumps from Off Broadway - 2007 - $70 on sale / Braided leather belt from Bows and Arrows - 2010 - $12 / Oblong hoop earrings, probably from Target or Kohl's - 2009 - cheap

Back in action after Thanksgiving! It was so nice to see friends and family, and totally gave me new motivation to get to work. We did our regular rounds: K's grandpa's house (Thanksgiving Day), my parents' house (home base), my girlfriends (twice!), and K's best friend (though we could have done without the food poisoning).

Since this was our first trip together since we moved out to Miami, I learned a few valuable lessons. First, FLL is not always cheaper than MIA, but MIA is always closer and should be chosen whenever possible. Second, red-eye flights, once my saving grace when I was young and energetic, are a really bad idea now. My body does not adjust as well as it used to. Our return trip started at 11pm PST and ended at 12:45pm EST the next day, and it still cost an arm and a leg. Um...anyone want to do Thanksgiving in Miami next year? I'm volunteering to host.

Back to the outfit.

We're finally getting into winter here Miami, which means it's in the 70s now. So I pulled out my trusty blazer. Although I usually wear it open, it was looking a little boxy so I buttoned it up. Not bad, still fits. I really liked the classic silhouette and how the color of the top and the sleeve lining really pop. I stayed with a brown belt on this even though I'm wearing a black blazer and shoes (and used a black bag, too).

My formula for mixing black and brown is either multiples of each, or multiples of one and a single pop of the other (yes, I totally made this up on my own). I'll rarely wear just one brown item and just one black item, but if there are three or more black/brown opportunities, I'll mix it up.

What "rules" have you made up for yourself (sartorially or otherwise)?

Newness [outfit]

A'gaci blazer - 2011 - $30 / Gap favorite T - 2011 - $7 on sale / Joie shorts from Nordstrom - 2011 - gift card / Franco Sarto heels from Piperlime - 2011 - $45 on sale / Kate Spade doodle necklace - 2011 - gift

It never fails that I get new ideas in one of two situations: in bed before I fall asleep (the only justifiable reason for me to keep my iPad on my nightstand) and on a lazy day reading through a stack of magazines. Saturday was my lazy day this weekend and I'm finally up to date on my magazines, which resulted in this super-new Sunday outfit.

What's so new about these pieces you've seen a million times already? Well, they were all purchased in 2011. That's pretty new. Heels with shorts a la Kileen? New to me. And a center part? Totally new.

One of the fun parts of fashion is that when you try new things, there is usually little to no commitment needed. All of these items are already staples in my closet, so throwing them together was easy. And switching up your part is a great no-scissors-needed update.

The hair-spiration? The never-aging Ms. Moore, of course. I saw this ad in a magazine and all my back and forth about my hair disappeared.

[source]

Doesn't hurt that my usual hair icon, LC, also rocks the center part from time to time. More about my LC obsession here.

I don't think the heels plus shorts look is for me, although I would never have known if I hadn't tried. The center part, though, is here to stay. At least for this week.

Who are your hair inspirations?

Flower power [outfit]

Target dress - 2011 - $6.50 on clearance / Franco Sarto boots - 2010 - gift / random rings on a chain

I have no idea how one would describe my style, but if there's one thing that it characteristically is not is floral (I know floral is not a style, but you catch my drift). I've accumulated a few (very few) floral pieces of clothing throughout the years, but I don't wear them often. I'm just not all that attracted to florals, and even the ones I do like and own, I find difficult to actually wear.

The exception: I've been longing—obsessing, even—over finding the perfect floral minidress to rock with boots (and a jacket when it gets cooler). There's just something so laidback and boho/rocker about that combo. But I'm a picky one and I've spent years trying to find the perfect dress.

This one isn't traditionally floral, and it isn't completely perfect, but for $6, I figured I'd try it out. The sheer top layer keeps the black wearable in Miami, although the built-in slip leaves much to be desired (one should not have to choose between covering bra or underwear). Good thing I have a black slip that I can pin up and slip under for added protection.

The verdict? I like it. The print, the length, the flow. These boots give it a polished hippie vibe, but I think I'll try them with more rugged boots next time for a little grunge.

Is there a style/print/type of clothing that just isn't you but you had to try it anyway?

Slick [outfit]

Ann Taylor Loft top - 2005 - ? / Merona trouser jeans from Target - 2011 - $18 on sale / Franco Sarto heels from Piperlime - 2011 - $45 on sale

Reminiscing on last week's story reminded me of this tie-neck top (the other remaining part of my interview outfit). Yup, still love it.

In my procrastination of doing anything to my hair, my bangs have grown out to the point where they can be completely tied back into my ponytail. Usually, I only wear my hair this way for working out, but I decided to try it for a normal day of errands and volunteering. I got a few compliments on it, but I'm not fully convinced yet—I've always had bangs of some sort (and I still sort of have sweepy bangs when my hair is down), and I'm not sure I'm ready to go bang-less.

Do you switch from bangs to no bangs? What do you take into consideration?

If you have to ask... [outfit]

A'gaci blazer - 2011 - $30 / Limited maxi dress - 2007 - $20 on sale / Mossimo tank - 2010 - $7 on sale / Steve Madden boots from Macy's - 2009 - gift card + $3 / NY & Co necklace - 2010 - gift

I was going to name this post "Does this match?" And then I realized that if I have to ask, the answer is probably not, but I'll wear it anyway. It was slightly gloomy last week, so I wanted to be more covered up. Plus, boots always make me feel better.

And, of course, after I confessed my recent apathy for shopping last week, I went on a slight bender over the weekend (if by bender you mean dropping $25 at Target for two t-shirts and a 75% off dress). Just when I started getting all cocky about my recent money-saving ways.

What's your take when you question what you're wearing? Do you ask for a second opinion, change, or keep on keepin' on?

Business as usual [outfit]

White blouse from Macy's - 2007 - gift card / Gap sweater - 2005 - $20? / Limited skirt - 2009 - $20 on sale / Enzo Angiolini pumps from Piperlime - 2010 - $35 / Necklace c/o Jada's Jewels - 2011

This is the most professional outfit I've worn in weeks. I'm not quite sure what it was (probably the fact that it was a Monday after a vacation), but I was just feeling it. I wanted the dressed up feeling. I wanted to wear heels. I didn't go far in this outfit, but it felt good while I was in it.

Now onto this sweater. I don't wear it often, but I've had it a long time and will probably never get rid of it. I remember the details of my purchasing the piece pretty clearly.

Let me set the scene.

Early September 2005. I recently moved to New York City begin grad school at NYU. One of the activities on our orientation week schedule is a job/internship fair. I only have three semesters to soak in all the journalism I can before I'm likely headed back to California, so I print out a stack of resumes and hit up some tables. I drop off a couple of resumes.

A few days later (I think it was the first week of classes) I have a free afternoon, so I decide to take a stroll over to Broadway in Soho to check out the shops. It's just a few blocks from my school-issued shared studio, and right before I get there, next to a wrought iron gate, I get a phone call. It's Time Inc. As in publisher of Real Simple, People magazine, In Style. I dropped off my resume and chatted with their internship coordinator a bit at the job fair, and it was at the top of my dream list.

After silently squealing in joy for a few seconds, I listen closely as the woman invites me in for an interview. I can't remember if she mentions what magazine or not, but no matter. I'm already in shopping mode, so I switch my mission to finding the perfect interview outfit. I walk into the Gap and head straight for the sale racks, since I'm fresh out of college and surviving on student loans and minimal savings. No luck. But then cable knit catches my eye. There are stacks of it in various colors on some shelves. And a small sign that says, "hey, these are on sale, too!" Not in those exact words. And that is how this sweater came to be mine.

I wore this sweater over this tie-neck top (purchased the same day) with black Forever 21 pants and red Payless flats. I remember feeling like I belonged in a country club. It must have gone well, since I got the internship (not with one of the big name mags, but with a smaller, custom publication). It was an awesome three semesters.

What clothing items do you still own and wear that hold the greatest memories?

Fall uniform [outfit]

Bobeau sweater from Nordstrom Rack - 2011 - $8 on clearance (purchased with birthday money) / Ella Moss tank from Anthropologie - 2010 - Christmas gift / J & Co jeans from Renew Denim - 2010 - $40 / Franco Sarto boots from Macy's - 2010 - birthday gift / London Fog bag from Amazon - 2011 - birthday gift + $5 shipping

After a week of not taking outfit photos, it's a little odd to start again. That's why you get this crappy cell phone pic instead of the usual crappy indoor pic. This is basically my fall uniform.

Flat knee-high boots
(I might need another pair to spread out the wear on these)

+

Skinny or straight jeans
(blue or gray)

+

Drapey cardigan

(gray or tan)

+

Top-handle bag with longer strap

(black or brown)

Optional: scarf, fun jewelry

Seeing that I have at most two of each of the core items to the look, I'm going to have to switch it up here soon. Like, maybe switch to a straight cardi instead of a draped one.

The day I wore this (Sunday) I mulled over my upcoming Christmas List (due at Thanksgiving) as well as my October spending. I've been rather uninterested in shopping and acquiring new things lately, so the Christmas List has been tough. As for spending, I'm still going through my birthday money (in September and October combined I only spent $106 of my $150 birthday check...I bought a dress, a pair of shoes, a top, a sweater, and a ring so far). I'm thinking I'll use the rest of it to get a haircut. I need some shaping. Or should I save that for my Christmas List?

What's your fall uniform?

Never before seen footage [outfits]

Hey folks! I'm back from my trip! I spent a week with my sister-in-law and her family helping out around the house after they had their new baby earlier this month. Some highlights:

• Getting to spend time with my 3.5 year old nephew that he'll remember. Since before he was born, we've always lived at least 500 miles away, and it kills me that we don't get to see him grow up as closely as we'd like. Now that he's at an age where he notices and remembers things, it's even more important that K and I are in his life (we're his only aunt and uncle).
• Changing my first diaper. I'm pretty impressed that I went 28 years without changing one. Luckily the baby was kind to me (didn't have to do any #2s). He's a keeper, for sure.
• Bonding with my sister-in-law. Growing up with just a brother, I always wished for a sister (in addition, not instead of my bro). My best friends come pretty close, but it is definitely cool to have a sister in my sis-in-law. We've always gotten along, but because of the distance we haven't had the chance to spend quality time just the two of us until now.

I didn't take any outfit pics while I was gone (let's just say I was appropriately dressed for my week's activities...lots of jeans, tees, and flats), but there are quite a few photos taken earlier in October that I never posted, so here you go—never before seen outfits.

10.02.11
Gap tank, swapped dress as skirt, vintage belt, Emilie M bag, Rampage wedges, Nine West glasses (Yes, they're real. I've been wearing contacts since I was 12.)

10.03.11
Target top, Rockabilly jeans, Calvin Klein pumps, Jada's Jewels cuff

10.08.11
Gap Outlet tee, Black Orchid jeans, Franco Sarto boots, Old Navy belt, vintage scarf

10.10.11
BR Factory cardigan, Gap tank, J & Company jeans, Target flats

10.17.11 

Max Studio wrap dress, vintage belt, Nine West Outlet boots, Premier Designs faux pearls

You can totally see the transition from summer to fall in these outfits. I've broken out my fall uniform (which you'll see tomorrow), even though it's still about 80 degrees here. It's only been a few months, but I've definitely acclimated to Miami, and I'm a little worried about how cold Southern California will be over the holidays. First world problems, I know.

Take two [outfit]

W118 by Walter Baker dress from Off 5th - 2011 - $30 on clearance / Gap blazer - 2005 - $40? / Enzo Angiolini pumps from Piperlime - 2010 - $35 on sale

Just popping in with this outfit since I wore it last week. (More guest posters to come.)

Now this is more of what I had in mind when I bought this dress. It's a little on the short side, but I could see this outfit working great at a casual networking hour or on a date. I've always extolled the leg-elongating magic powers of a knee-length pencil skirt, but this shorter length is pretty flattering, too. Dilemmas, dilemmas.

What is the most flattering skirt length on you? How do you figure?

Double dobby [outfit]

Dobby camp shirt from Target - 2009 - $13? / Pleated skirt from Goodwill - 2011 - $6 / Franco Sarto boots - 2010 - gift from mom / Leaf necklace - 2010 - $22 / Braided belt from Bows & Arrows - 2010 - $7

Since my post on Monday reminded me that I own this great shirt, I thought I'd bust it out this week since I haven't touched it in a while. For some reason, my mind went immediately to this skirt, which I originally thought was more pinkish, but with brown accessories looks a lot more beige. I'm still not sure what color it is exactly, but I'm just rolling with it.

So add this to the list of ways to wear a button-down.

[No, this outfit itself does not contain a double dose of dobby dots, but this is the second dobby dot post of the week...so many dots!]

I'm taking a quick break to do some life, so starting tomorrow I'll have some guest bloggers up in here. Hope you enjoy them!

Ladies who lunch [outfit]

BR Factory t-shirt - 2011 - $5 on clearance / LOFT skirt - 2010 - $70 / Target flats - 2010 - $18 on sale / Forever 21 leaf necklace - 2010 - $5 / Rings on a chain

Sometimes you just feel like you need the day off. And sometimes, you can. This was last Thursday for me. I had just wrapped up a project Wednesday morning, had a productive meeting Wednesday afternoon that had me headed in a great direction on another project, and it had *finally* stopped raining in Miami. So I put on a cute skirt, walked myself over to the little neighborhood village, found an adorable new boutique (still have some birthday money left over), had a 3.5 hour lunch with a new friend, and grabbed a box of mini cupcakes from my new favorite cupcake place (dangerously walking distance from my apartment).

One of the best things about not being in an office anymore is being able to use my shorter skirts. I definitely made good use of my knee-length ones in the office, but during the two days a week that I had to myself, I rarely ever felt like tossing on a skirt. If you have a super-long memory, you'll recognize this skirt as the one off of the suit that was my first cheater purchase on the Great American Apparel Diet. I wore it to work twice (1, 2) before I had to deal with the reality that this is just too short to be appropriate for a business casual office. But it was so cute and had pockets, and is finally getting worn. Still not thrilled about the wrinkle-prone fabric, though.

What do you do with items that are no longer (or that you realize later on) just aren't office appropriate?

Wear and wear again | Dobby camp shirt

One of my favorite things to wear for work or for casual days is a crisp button down (or button-up...they're the same thing, right?). But to be honest with you, they can get boring unless they have some cool detail or texture. And this top has both. Score.

Purchased in 2009 off of Target's clearance rack (I think it was $12 or $13), this black dobby camp shirt is a workhorse in my closet, both at work and at home. The three-quarter length sleeves are perfect for nearly every season, and the dots are just such a fun touch. And as with any other collared shirt, a sweater on top creates the perfect preppy look. I've worn it with everything from trousers and jeans to pencil and A-line skirts.

October 2010

September 2010

December 2010

November 2010

November 2010

January 2011

Looking back through these photos, my tendency to wear the death out of an item for a season and forget about it is extremely apparent. Speaking of which, it's almost November...time to bust out the dobby dots again.

Some fun camp shirts from around the web:

Button Front Tops at Kohl's

What's your favorite variation on the classic button-down/up?

Weatherproof [outfit]

Eclair top from Nordstrom Rack - 2011 - $13 / Banana Republic suiting pencil skirt - 2010 - $60? on sale / Nine West Outlet boots - 2009 - $50 on sale / Natural pearl necklace - 2007 - gift

For the first time since I've been in Florida, we've had nasty weather. Like, really nasty. Horizontal rain, tornado warning, flood watch nasty. As much as I'd love to hunker down at home (and as free as I actually am to do so), sometimes I know it's better to just suck it up and get on out there. I'm fortunate that my building's garage is attached, so I don't actually have to go out into the rain to get to my car (a major step up from my last apartment), but my destination did not have a parking garage, so I pulled out my non-rain rain boots.

I'm all for rain boots. I love mine. They're from Target and were a Christmas gift from my in-laws a few years back. They get worn basically whenever it's wet out, even if the rain has stopped. Back when I used to take the bus to work (the first 2.5 years of my last job), I'd wear the rain boots for my commute and bring shoes to change into. But for a quick volunteering stop, something that would be awkward to change shoes at? Not so good.

My happy medium—these faux-leather tall boots. They protect my calves when I'm wearing a skirt, keep me from feeling any wet hemlines from I'm wearing trousers, and can even handle skinny jeans tucked in. The heel is thicker than my usual stiletto pump, and the rubber soles are a major plus for wet weather. They're not made for rain, of course, so I wouldn't walk through an ankle-high puddle the way I would in my normal rain boots, but it is nice to know that I'm not putting my leather goods at risk. They weren't cheap, but they've already gotten two seasons of wear and look nearly new.

How do you weatherproof your work outfit without dressing it down?

*bonus points if you've noticed that the boxes in this pic (taken Tuesday) were finally gone yesterday (pic taken Wednesday). I also wore this outfit to do some more unpacking. Slowly, but surely. I hope to be unpacked by the time we move again.

Colors for a cause [outfit]

Banana Republic sweater - 2008 - ?? but on sale / Target t-shirt - 2011 - $7 on sale / Target jeans - 2011 - $18 on sale / Calvin Klein pumps from Off Broadway - 2007 - $70 on sale / Scarf - 2010 - swapped

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

I'm wearing purple because relationships should not be abused for power. Because everybody deserves respect. Because you don't have to just sit there and take it, but you do have to take the first step and be committed to changing your life.

Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behaviors — physical, sexual, psychological, and economic coercion — used by one intimate partner against another (adult or adolescent) to gain, maintain, or regain power and control in the relationship. Batterers use of a range of tactics to frighten, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, often injure, and sometimes kill a current or former intimate partner.

1 in 3 families are affected by domestic violence.  If you look at the ladies you're lunching with, chances are one of their families has been affected by it. Some people that I love dearly have been affected by it. It crosses all racial, economic, educational, and geographic boundaries.

If you are in danger, please call 911, your local hotline, or (in the U.S.) the National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-7233 or TTY (800) 787-3224.

 Spread the word. Purple and pink go well together, don't you think?