Posts tagged: black with white polka dots scarf
![04.25.2012 [wed]Backlogged outfit, added 02.08.2013.
Worn to: work, dinner @ Kindah’s w/Michael
Thoughts:Picked up this fun pendant a couple days ago from LOFT, and this is the color combo that made me want green jeans for this season. It all feels so very crisp! I know orange is the color of the season, but I am really feeling emerald.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mabecf7Oo71r584afo1_1280.jpg)
04.25.2012 [wed]
Backlogged outfit, added 02.08.2013.
Worn to: work, dinner @ Kindah’s w/Michael
Thoughts:
Picked up this fun pendant a couple days ago from LOFT, and this is the color combo that made me want green jeans for this season. It all feels so very crisp! I know orange is the color of the season, but I am really feeling emerald.
![04.12.2012 [thu]
Worn to: work
Blouse: Old Navy (via Plato’s Closet)Blazer: H&MPants: Max RaveHeels: Anne Klein (via DSW)Earrings: self madeRing, shades: Forever 21Watch: Timex (via Target)Purse: Linea Pelle for TargetScarf: Target
Thoughts:This is actually the second outfit I came up with for today; the first one was super casual, and since I’m going to a baseball game tomorrow I decided it’d be better suited for that. So today’s outfit instead turned into a light outfit with black accents, something I don’t sport often. I’m really pleased with how it turned out! It seems like a good way to stretch more use of my (few) black accessories, especially in spring/summer when I tend to stop wearing them. Definitely will be doing this again!
Have to say I also quite like the color palette here: white, black, olive, blue, red. This is a pretty classic “winter” palette, but is certainly wearable whether you’re warm or cool toned. Just be sure to pick the white, olive, and red that best suits your coloring.
Behind the outfit:I enjoy wearing my chambray button-up with these olive skinnies, probably because I love to pair blues and greens together. Today I grabbed the chambray then instead decided to try this gingham top, which gives a more graphic look as opposed to the chambray which is quite low contrast and muted. Even though it’s sunny, it’s still quite cool so I wanted to add a blazer to dress up the gingham. Initially I was going to wear my black blazer and cream booties to add to the graphic quality, but since I wore the cream booties in yesterday’s outfit which was also rather dark, I decided to flip it and wear my white blazer and black heels.
Gingham always feels playful to me, so I put my hair up to add to that. I think between the hair and shoes it was probably enough darkness to balance against the light clothing, but I was in a matchy mood so I also added the black earrings; almost went with my black watch but instead I decided to wear the dotty scarf to add a bigger block of black, which I like a lot better (more graphic). And for a little extra shot of bright color I went with a bold red lip, which actually felt a bit more unexpected for me because normally I’d do orange with an outfit like this.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6m536m5Vi1r584afo1_1280.jpg)
04.12.2012 [thu]
Worn to: work
Blouse: Old Navy (via Plato’s Closet)
Blazer: H&M
Pants: Max Rave
Heels: Anne Klein (via DSW)
Earrings: self made
Ring, shades: Forever 21
Watch: Timex (via Target)
Purse: Linea Pelle for Target
Scarf: Target
Thoughts:
This is actually the second outfit I came up with for today; the first one was super casual, and since I’m going to a baseball game tomorrow I decided it’d be better suited for that. So today’s outfit instead turned into a light outfit with black accents, something I don’t sport often. I’m really pleased with how it turned out! It seems like a good way to stretch more use of my (few) black accessories, especially in spring/summer when I tend to stop wearing them. Definitely will be doing this again!
Have to say I also quite like the color palette here: white, black, olive, blue, red. This is a pretty classic “winter” palette, but is certainly wearable whether you’re warm or cool toned. Just be sure to pick the white, olive, and red that best suits your coloring.
Behind the outfit:
I enjoy wearing my chambray button-up with these olive skinnies, probably because I love to pair blues and greens together. Today I grabbed the chambray then instead decided to try this gingham top, which gives a more graphic look as opposed to the chambray which is quite low contrast and muted. Even though it’s sunny, it’s still quite cool so I wanted to add a blazer to dress up the gingham. Initially I was going to wear my black blazer and cream booties to add to the graphic quality, but since I wore the cream booties in yesterday’s outfit which was also rather dark, I decided to flip it and wear my white blazer and black heels.
Gingham always feels playful to me, so I put my hair up to add to that. I think between the hair and shoes it was probably enough darkness to balance against the light clothing, but I was in a matchy mood so I also added the black earrings; almost went with my black watch but instead I decided to wear the dotty scarf to add a bigger block of black, which I like a lot better (more graphic). And for a little extra shot of bright color I went with a bold red lip, which actually felt a bit more unexpected for me because normally I’d do orange with an outfit like this.
![04.05.2012 [thu]
Worn to: work, Everett Raptors game (ran into Josh)
Blouse: Maurice’sCardigan: Old NavyJeans, heels, scarf: TargetHoop earrings: GNW (via Fred Meyer)Necklace, shades: Forever 21Watch: Timex (via Target)Trench: Banana Republic (via YLF swap)Purse: Kate Spade
Thoughts:Well, today my husband and I went to our local arena football team’s game (some photos here) where we ran into an old friend. I haven’t seen him in a couple years, pretty sure not since overhauling my wardrobe and style. He commented “You still dress like Aida”, and I wasn’t sure whether to take that as a compliment or be worried! My husband didn’t help when I commented on this to him by saying “Maybe it’s because you still dress weird”. *sigh* I feel like both of those comments took me several steps backwards, mentally. To be fair, I didn’t start from grubby stained tees and sweats or anything, so I am going to try and take it as what I’m wearing fits my personality properly (which is, of course, something that I want). And also that, apparently, my husband finds me weird.
On a different note, I tried a different tinted red lip balm today which I quite like! Last season I used Cover Girl Natural Luxe in “Muscat”, which is a bit more subtle, a true but still warm red, and has a touch of sparkle to it. This one here is Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in “Candy Apple”, which is much more pigmented, is a solid flat color, and I would call it a tomato red. I’m feeling this new shade a lot more than the one I wore last year, and I’m excited to have my bold red lip color for this season ready to go! Though to be honest, I tend to prefer orange in the summer.
Behind the outfit:I love how leopard print, gray or tan, looks when paired with red and when reviewing how I’ve worn this cardigan I’ve only done it once! So that was the idea behind today’s outfit, but when reviewing my tops… severe lack of red, even though it is one of my favorite colors. This blouse is older, and I just haven’t been reaching for it at all. I gave it a whirl today, but still not really feeling it and I can’t quite put my finger on it. Too cool? Too muted? Not digging the short sleeves? I think it’s a mix of all three, so I’m going to set it aside for now. Overall, I like the styling here but the shirt just felt too off. I have a strong feeling that a red silk blouse would get a ton of wear, and I should probably look into getting one.
Anyway! I started with the red button-up and the leopard cardigan, which felt a bit heavy and dark so I decided to go with light gray jeans and heels to lighten the look up. It still felt heavy (maybe heavy isn’t the right word here, but certainly a bit muddy) so I then added the pearl necklace and white watch, and put my hair up. Lastly I went with the bright red lip to echo the red blouse, even though the shades don’t match up (cool vs. warm).](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m56bz4yPwA1r584afo1_1280.jpg)
04.05.2012 [thu]
Worn to: work, Everett Raptors game (ran into Josh)
Blouse: Maurice’s
Cardigan: Old Navy
Jeans, heels, scarf: Target
Hoop earrings: GNW (via Fred Meyer)
Necklace, shades: Forever 21
Watch: Timex (via Target)
Trench: Banana Republic (via YLF swap)
Purse: Kate Spade
Thoughts:
Well, today my husband and I went to our local arena football team’s game (some photos here) where we ran into an old friend. I haven’t seen him in a couple years, pretty sure not since overhauling my wardrobe and style. He commented “You still dress like Aida”, and I wasn’t sure whether to take that as a compliment or be worried! My husband didn’t help when I commented on this to him by saying “Maybe it’s because you still dress weird”. *sigh* I feel like both of those comments took me several steps backwards, mentally. To be fair, I didn’t start from grubby stained tees and sweats or anything, so I am going to try and take it as what I’m wearing fits my personality properly (which is, of course, something that I want). And also that, apparently, my husband finds me weird.
On a different note, I tried a different tinted red lip balm today which I quite like! Last season I used Cover Girl Natural Luxe in “Muscat”, which is a bit more subtle, a true but still warm red, and has a touch of sparkle to it. This one here is Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in “Candy Apple”, which is much more pigmented, is a solid flat color, and I would call it a tomato red. I’m feeling this new shade a lot more than the one I wore last year, and I’m excited to have my bold red lip color for this season ready to go! Though to be honest, I tend to prefer orange in the summer.
Behind the outfit:
I love how leopard print, gray or tan, looks when paired with red and when reviewing how I’ve worn this cardigan I’ve only done it once! So that was the idea behind today’s outfit, but when reviewing my tops… severe lack of red, even though it is one of my favorite colors. This blouse is older, and I just haven’t been reaching for it at all. I gave it a whirl today, but still not really feeling it and I can’t quite put my finger on it. Too cool? Too muted? Not digging the short sleeves? I think it’s a mix of all three, so I’m going to set it aside for now. Overall, I like the styling here but the shirt just felt too off. I have a strong feeling that a red silk blouse would get a ton of wear, and I should probably look into getting one.
Anyway! I started with the red button-up and the leopard cardigan, which felt a bit heavy and dark so I decided to go with light gray jeans and heels to lighten the look up. It still felt heavy (maybe heavy isn’t the right word here, but certainly a bit muddy) so I then added the pearl necklace and white watch, and put my hair up. Lastly I went with the bright red lip to echo the red blouse, even though the shades don’t match up (cool vs. warm).
![02.09.2012 [thu]Neutrals week: white/gray/black
Worn to: Old Navy, work
Blouse, coat: Calvin KleinBlazer: vintage (thrifted)Winter shorts: Hinge (via Nordstrom)Tights: LOFTLegwarmers, watch, purse: giftsBoots, necklace: Forever 21Hoop earrings: GNW (via Fred Meyer)Scarf: Target
Thoughts:Neutrals challenge day four! Earlier this week one of the ladies over on YLF posted a gorgeous dress from Old Navy that I just had to run out and try. So today I did, and it was so good I bought it right away! (Also a cute bird-print shirt that I’m on the fence about.) I’m planning to debut it for Valentine’s, and it should be great going into spring because of the elbow sleeves. My only qualm is that it’s a knit dress; if it was woven it would be perfect.
I also tried out some slouchy legwarmers for the first time today! I really like how they look with these slouchy boots, but I think this particular pair is too chunky for my non-slouchy boots.
Behind the outfit:What week of neutrals would be complete without a bold, graphic, black and white outfit? For me, certainly it’s a requirement. These are my CORE core neutrals; nearly all of my outfits have some black or white.
Since the coloring is graphic, I wanted a simple outfit. I started with the blouse and blazer. When planning the week’s outfits, this was the first I thought of, and originally I had my black skinny jeans in this outfit; but after moving those to Tuesday’s outfit, I immediately thought of my wool shorts to replace them in this one. Which changed the vibe instantly!
Once the shorts were in I had to restructure the outfit. I decided to add a little slouch, so I went with these slouchy mid-calf boots next; the black helps ground the outfit, but is still low contrast with the rest of the bottom half. After that I chose these charcoal ribbed tights; these are also low contrast, but not no-contrast because they’re lighter than both the shorts and the boots. Together, the shorts, tights, legwarmers (coming up), and boots are a great textural mix as well.
Then today when getting dressed, I liked the slouchiness that was going on so I thought I’d give the legwarmers a try. I’ve tried them with a few other outfits and couldn’t make them work, but those were all with tall boots. They work MUCH better with these shorter boots! With the legwarmers added, I felt like I needed a little more sass-and-bling, so I added the necklace (which I actually had planned for tomorrow’s outfit). The final outfit has just the perfect mix of structure and slouch for me, I really feel like this outfit exemplifies my style goals!](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m08fyn2aQq1r584afo1_1280.jpg)
02.09.2012 [thu]
Neutrals week: white/gray/black
Worn to: Old Navy, work
Blouse, coat: Calvin Klein
Blazer: vintage (thrifted)
Winter shorts: Hinge (via Nordstrom)
Tights: LOFT
Legwarmers, watch, purse: gifts
Boots, necklace: Forever 21
Hoop earrings: GNW (via Fred Meyer)
Scarf: Target
Thoughts:
Neutrals challenge day four! Earlier this week one of the ladies over on YLF posted a gorgeous dress from Old Navy that I just had to run out and try. So today I did, and it was so good I bought it right away! (Also a cute bird-print shirt that I’m on the fence about.) I’m planning to debut it for Valentine’s, and it should be great going into spring because of the elbow sleeves. My only qualm is that it’s a knit dress; if it was woven it would be perfect.
I also tried out some slouchy legwarmers for the first time today! I really like how they look with these slouchy boots, but I think this particular pair is too chunky for my non-slouchy boots.
Behind the outfit:
What week of neutrals would be complete without a bold, graphic, black and white outfit? For me, certainly it’s a requirement. These are my CORE core neutrals; nearly all of my outfits have some black or white.
Since the coloring is graphic, I wanted a simple outfit. I started with the blouse and blazer. When planning the week’s outfits, this was the first I thought of, and originally I had my black skinny jeans in this outfit; but after moving those to Tuesday’s outfit, I immediately thought of my wool shorts to replace them in this one. Which changed the vibe instantly!
Once the shorts were in I had to restructure the outfit. I decided to add a little slouch, so I went with these slouchy mid-calf boots next; the black helps ground the outfit, but is still low contrast with the rest of the bottom half. After that I chose these charcoal ribbed tights; these are also low contrast, but not no-contrast because they’re lighter than both the shorts and the boots. Together, the shorts, tights, legwarmers (coming up), and boots are a great textural mix as well.
Then today when getting dressed, I liked the slouchiness that was going on so I thought I’d give the legwarmers a try. I’ve tried them with a few other outfits and couldn’t make them work, but those were all with tall boots. They work MUCH better with these shorter boots! With the legwarmers added, I felt like I needed a little more sass-and-bling, so I added the necklace (which I actually had planned for tomorrow’s outfit). The final outfit has just the perfect mix of structure and slouch for me, I really feel like this outfit exemplifies my style goals!
![02.05.2012 [sun]
Worn to: breakfast at The Cabbage Patch, Super Bowl at home
Sweater: Convington (via Sears)Tank: Zenana OutfittersBlazer: H&MJeans: Empyre (via Zumiez)Heels, scarf: TargetPearl earrings: anniversary giftNecklace: Free Press (via Nordstrom Rack)Watch: Timex (via Target)Purse: gift
Thoughts:Happy Super Bowl Sunday, everyone! Even though my husband and I just hung out at home to watch, I decided to dress up a bit yet still be casual and weekendy. Which worked well since we went out for breakfast before the game.
Check out our awesome Super Bowl Spread for just the two of us:
(David made those sliders, and they were So. Flippin. Yummy.)
Behind the outfit:I am an equal fan of both the Giants and the Pats (hey, neither are my team), and since they both wear red/white/blue I figured I could root for either and wear those colors. Today’s outfit started with the sweater and tank combo; both are casual and somewhat sporty fabrications. I wanted the overall outfit vibe to feel relaxed so I added the baggy flared jeans, and used the heels and blazer to add a dressy touch; the blazer and heels were only worn out at breakfast, and came off for sport watching. I LOVE the combination of these fabrications! Tons of textural interest, since every item has a different and interesting finish.
That covered the white and blue, but no red. So I chose to wear this rose necklace (not quite red, I know, but hey it’s the spirit that counts?). I also added my white watch because I liked the brightness of the outfit. It wasn’t quite warm enough to go sans coat but I didn’t feel like wearing one ^^ though I did add a scarf; since it’s for outerwear only, I decided to pick up on the darker side (shoes, blazer) and chose a dark scarf. Plus the dottiness adds some whimsy! And of course, my red purse to complete the color scheme.
I love how this outfit turned out! It’s a bit sportier than what I usually wear without the blazer and heels, but I do seem to be gravitating towards that on the weekends lately.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m08cao33LA1r584afo1_1280.jpg)
02.05.2012 [sun]
Worn to: breakfast at The Cabbage Patch, Super Bowl at home
Sweater: Convington (via Sears)
Tank: Zenana Outfitters
Blazer: H&M
Jeans: Empyre (via Zumiez)
Heels, scarf: Target
Pearl earrings: anniversary gift
Necklace: Free Press (via Nordstrom Rack)
Watch: Timex (via Target)
Purse: gift
Thoughts:
Happy Super Bowl Sunday, everyone! Even though my husband and I just hung out at home to watch, I decided to dress up a bit yet still be casual and weekendy. Which worked well since we went out for breakfast before the game.
Check out our awesome Super Bowl Spread for just the two of us:
(David made those sliders, and they were So. Flippin. Yummy.)
Behind the outfit:
I am an equal fan of both the Giants and the Pats (hey, neither are my team), and since they both wear red/white/blue I figured I could root for either and wear those colors. Today’s outfit started with the sweater and tank combo; both are casual and somewhat sporty fabrications. I wanted the overall outfit vibe to feel relaxed so I added the baggy flared jeans, and used the heels and blazer to add a dressy touch; the blazer and heels were only worn out at breakfast, and came off for sport watching. I LOVE the combination of these fabrications! Tons of textural interest, since every item has a different and interesting finish.
That covered the white and blue, but no red. So I chose to wear this rose necklace (not quite red, I know, but hey it’s the spirit that counts?). I also added my white watch because I liked the brightness of the outfit. It wasn’t quite warm enough to go sans coat but I didn’t feel like wearing one ^^ though I did add a scarf; since it’s for outerwear only, I decided to pick up on the darker side (shoes, blazer) and chose a dark scarf. Plus the dottiness adds some whimsy! And of course, my red purse to complete the color scheme.
I love how this outfit turned out! It’s a bit sportier than what I usually wear without the blazer and heels, but I do seem to be gravitating towards that on the weekends lately.
![02.03.2012 [fri]
Worn to: work, date night dinner @ Lombardi’s, grocery store
Sweater dress: H&MJeans: Empyre (via Zumiez)Booties: Forever 21Hoop earrings, bangles: GNW (via Fred Meyer)Watch: Anne Klein (gift)Scarf: TargetTrench: Banana Republic (via YLF swap)Purse: gift
Thoughts:Today’s outfit was inspired by a recent outfit of Jessica’s from WhatIWore. I love the bold, graphic quality of her outfit but mostly I was inspired by the silhouette! A dress over flared jeans isn’t everyone’s cuppa tea, but I really love the boho flavor it has. Even a form-fitting dress like this one gives enough of the boho vibe, though a flared or empire dress would be much stronger. Last time I wore this dress, I wore it over skinny jeans (OK also the color is way off in these photos, it’s much better represented in the one I just linked!). I love how it looks with flared jeans, too! What do you all think, is this a silhouette you enjoy?
Behind the outfit:When looking at Jessica’s outfit it was clear that I don’t have the exact pieces (except for the scarf, apparently!) necessary to copy her look, but I certainly have similar enough pieces. The outfit can be broken down as: striped dress/tunic + dotty scarf + flared jeans + heels. I specifically included the patterns in the formula because I think the pattern mix is integral to the outfit, and is also very on-trend; having at least one color repeated in both the stripe and dot pattern will help tie them together, but it’s not a requirement.
So after determining the outfit formula, I knew I wanted to wear this striped dress with these flared jeans. From there, I debated about whether to wear this black dotty scarf or my brown dotty scarf; I decided I liked the graphic contrast of the black/white more than the softness of the brown/cream (both scarves tie in one of the stripe colors, but again this isn’t a requirement). Since the scarf is so bold, I wanted matching toned booties and in this case I could wear either black or cognac; black would ground the outfit darkly, and the cognac that I chose grounds it lightly. I also added a stack of jingly bangles to play up the boho vibe, and wore my mixed gold/silver watch since this outfit is warm-toned.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m08bmzSdYN1r584afo1_1280.jpg)
02.03.2012 [fri]
Worn to: work, date night dinner @ Lombardi’s, grocery store
Sweater dress: H&M
Jeans: Empyre (via Zumiez)
Booties: Forever 21
Hoop earrings, bangles: GNW (via Fred Meyer)
Watch: Anne Klein (gift)
Scarf: Target
Trench: Banana Republic (via YLF swap)
Purse: gift
Thoughts:
Today’s outfit was inspired by a recent outfit of Jessica’s from WhatIWore. I love the bold, graphic quality of her outfit but mostly I was inspired by the silhouette! A dress over flared jeans isn’t everyone’s cuppa tea, but I really love the boho flavor it has. Even a form-fitting dress like this one gives enough of the boho vibe, though a flared or empire dress would be much stronger. Last time I wore this dress, I wore it over skinny jeans (OK also the color is way off in these photos, it’s much better represented in the one I just linked!). I love how it looks with flared jeans, too! What do you all think, is this a silhouette you enjoy?
Behind the outfit:
When looking at Jessica’s outfit it was clear that I don’t have the exact pieces (except for the scarf, apparently!) necessary to copy her look, but I certainly have similar enough pieces. The outfit can be broken down as: striped dress/tunic + dotty scarf + flared jeans + heels. I specifically included the patterns in the formula because I think the pattern mix is integral to the outfit, and is also very on-trend; having at least one color repeated in both the stripe and dot pattern will help tie them together, but it’s not a requirement.
So after determining the outfit formula, I knew I wanted to wear this striped dress with these flared jeans. From there, I debated about whether to wear this black dotty scarf or my brown dotty scarf; I decided I liked the graphic contrast of the black/white more than the softness of the brown/cream (both scarves tie in one of the stripe colors, but again this isn’t a requirement). Since the scarf is so bold, I wanted matching toned booties and in this case I could wear either black or cognac; black would ground the outfit darkly, and the cognac that I chose grounds it lightly. I also added a stack of jingly bangles to play up the boho vibe, and wore my mixed gold/silver watch since this outfit is warm-toned.
![01.05.2012 [thu]
Worn to: work, dinner @ Ivar’s (Mukilteo), Joe’s to chill while he & Davy hottubbed
Sweater: GAPBlazer: vintage (thrifted)Belt: ??Jeans: Empyre (via Zumiez)Heels: Jessica Simpson “Brenda” (gift)Hoop earrings: GNW (via Fred Meyer)Necklace: Forever 21Watch: Timex (via Target)Coat: Worthington (via JCPenney)Scarf: TargetPurse: Nine West (thrifted)
Thoughts:I LOVE this little outfit! It reminds me of the second outfit from my “Best of 2011” for April/May, which has a level of sassiness I’d love to capture in more outfits. I think it’s the combo of the blazer and red heels. And the fact that this blazer is much longer than any of my others. It always makes me feel great!
I haven’t been changing up my outerwear scarf knotting styles enough, so today I thought I’d try a different one. It’s similar to the one I wore last week, though that time I wrapped it around my neck twice before tying the ends.
Behind the outfit:This outfit was inspired by the outfit mentioned above. I moved the denim from shirt to jeans, and black from jeans to sweater; the blazer, belt, and heels are the same. It started with the sweater and jeans; after yesterday’s slim outfit I felt like wearing something a little more voluminous today, plus it stopped raining so I jumped at the chance to wear my baggy flares. Then the April outfit popped into my head and the rest of the outfit easily came together: tuck the top, add the belt, pop on the red heels, and top it all off with the black blazer! I know many people aren’t in favor of wearing pendants or necklaces when tucking tops with exposed belts, but I think it can work especially if the belt is low and the necklace short (like they are here). It also helps that my torso is fairly long.
When I wore the April version last year I was extremely self conscious about the tucked top in that particular outfit. Not because I was uncomfortable with tucking but because I thought the whole look had a 1970s car salesman vibe to it; I ended up untucking the top and tucking the scarf (bottom right in the photo). Today, I would happily wear the outfit the way I initially photographed it. I’m certainly much more comfortable with the clear 70s influences in my style!](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzcxqkMET71r584afo1_1280.jpg)
01.05.2012 [thu]
Worn to: work, dinner @ Ivar’s (Mukilteo), Joe’s to chill while he & Davy hottubbed
Sweater: GAP
Blazer: vintage (thrifted)
Belt: ??
Jeans: Empyre (via Zumiez)
Heels: Jessica Simpson “Brenda” (gift)
Hoop earrings: GNW (via Fred Meyer)
Necklace: Forever 21
Watch: Timex (via Target)
Coat: Worthington (via JCPenney)
Scarf: Target
Purse: Nine West (thrifted)
Thoughts:
I LOVE this little outfit! It reminds me of the second outfit from my “Best of 2011” for April/May, which has a level of sassiness I’d love to capture in more outfits. I think it’s the combo of the blazer and red heels. And the fact that this blazer is much longer than any of my others. It always makes me feel great!
I haven’t been changing up my outerwear scarf knotting styles enough, so today I thought I’d try a different one. It’s similar to the one I wore last week, though that time I wrapped it around my neck twice before tying the ends.
Behind the outfit:
This outfit was inspired by the outfit mentioned above. I moved the denim from shirt to jeans, and black from jeans to sweater; the blazer, belt, and heels are the same. It started with the sweater and jeans; after yesterday’s slim outfit I felt like wearing something a little more voluminous today, plus it stopped raining so I jumped at the chance to wear my baggy flares. Then the April outfit popped into my head and the rest of the outfit easily came together: tuck the top, add the belt, pop on the red heels, and top it all off with the black blazer! I know many people aren’t in favor of wearing pendants or necklaces when tucking tops with exposed belts, but I think it can work especially if the belt is low and the necklace short (like they are here). It also helps that my torso is fairly long.
When I wore the April version last year I was extremely self conscious about the tucked top in that particular outfit. Not because I was uncomfortable with tucking but because I thought the whole look had a 1970s car salesman vibe to it; I ended up untucking the top and tucking the scarf (bottom right in the photo). Today, I would happily wear the outfit the way I initially photographed it. I’m certainly much more comfortable with the clear 70s influences in my style!
![11.25.2011 [fri]
Worn to: Fred Meyer (last minute groceries), Friend Thanksgiving!
[[MORE]] Tee: Zenana OutfittersVest: Ann Taylor (outlet)Jeans, scarf: TargetBoots: Cole Haan “Air Whitley” (via Nordstrom)Hoop earrings: GNW (via Fred Meyer)Watch: Timex (via Target)Coat: Worthington (via JCPenney)Purse: gift
Thoughts: Third Annual Friend Thanksgiving was a resounding success! We ended up with 15 people (!!) this year, and had a great night. It got a bit hectic as dinner approached as usual, and I must say having the new kitchen furniture was a huge help both in terms of counter space and having all of our tools available to cook with!
For the foodies, our final menu consisted of: home smoked turkey, ham, mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy, spiced cranberries, steamed green beans with garlic, corn on the cob, brussel sprouts with bacon, spinach salad, baked yams with marshmallows, orange jello with shredded carrot, stuffing, and sweet honey rolls. And a special pasta dish for our two vegetarian guests. Later for dessert there was home made fudge, ice cream, pie AND deep-fried pie. Everyone was in a rush to dig into the food, so I couldn’t snap a photo of the spread but here’s everything and (almost) everyone in action! (There we so many people that the tables extended way past the dining room and halfway into the front room!)
Behind the outfit:For today’s outfit I needed something that I could pop inside/outside in, be comfortable both cooking and hostessing, and I wanted to be on the casual side. Initially when I thought of this sweater I was concerned that it would be too warm for the cooking part, but decided to try it with a short sleeved tee which worked quite nicely. I paired these boots (to add another black element since the rest of the outfit was light) for the last minute groceries run, and had planned to change into my black flats once I got back home but they were comfortable enough so I just left them on all day. And of course, hair up for cooking and to keep cool!](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ly0uul1fvb1r584afo1_1280.jpg)
![11.18.2011 [fri]
Worn to: work, date night dinner at Ivars (Mukilteo)
[[MORE]] Sweater: Covington (via Sears)Blazer: H&MScarf: TargetSkirt, boots, ring: Forever 21Tights: LOFTHoop earrings: GNW (via Fred Meyer)Watch: Timex (via Target)Coat: Calvin Klein via Wilson’s LeatherPurse: gift
Thoughts: My 1950s inspired outfit during the YLF Dress the Decade Challenge last month got me thinking about ways to incorporate a pencil skirt into outfits that are more my style than some of the more typical pencil skirt outfits. One way that really appeals to me is a brightly/unexpectedly colored one; I tried a great knit turquoise pencil skirt at Nordstrom while in LA but they only had one a size too small. I definitely like the idea, so I’ll be keeping my eye out for a woven one in a fun bright color.
And another way is to make the outfit a bit slouchier and add some rocker elements, like I did here. I’m really happy with how today’s outfit came out, I think this type of pencil skirt look feels much more my style than a 50s inspired outfit (though a rockabilly 50s outfit feels “me” like).
Behind the outfit:For today, I decided to go against the 50s vibe with an untucked sweater and slouchy buckled boots. This outfit actually started with the sweater; it’s a bit too short for most of my pants, so I thought I’d try it with this skirt and was pleasantly surprised by how much I like the slouchy sweater with the slim skirt (a silhouette I’ve only worn a handful of times). From there I had the choice to either dress it up with tights+heels or dress it down with tights+flats; I was liking the casual-cool from the sweater so I went with flat shoes and took it a step further with these slouchy boots (and new sweater tights!).
I tried several things for the accessories: first a pendant, then a statement necklace, then a colorful scarf. Ultimately I decided to play up the graphic contrast and selected this dotty scarf. To keep the monochromatic thing going and to give a bit of structure to the now overall slouchy feel, I added the gray blazer (and of course pushed the sleeves up, letting the sweater sleeves peek out for more graphic contrast). Lastly, after everything was together, I felt like adding just the smallest hint of color with the faux turquoise cocktail ring.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx0ikqs3wR1r584afo1_1280.jpg)
![11.15.2011 [tue]Formula for soft 70s fur: soft blouse + fur vest + flared jeans + boots/heels
Worn to: work
[[MORE]] Blouse: LC Lauren Conrad (via Kohls)Vest: Ann TaylorJeans: Empyre (via Zumiez)Heeled booties: Forever 21Hoop earrings: GNW (via Fred Meyer)Watch: Fossil (gift)Trench: Banana Republic (via YLF swap)Scarf: TargetPurse: thrifted
Thoughts: You guys, I love this outfit! I had tried this vest and top together last Tuesday and decided it was too casual for the type group, but I still wanted to wear it in an outfit. So glad I did! Definitely one of my favorites recently, and clearly shows me how much I want more soft blouses in my wardrobe; I love the dose of glam this flowy blouse coupled with the faux fur gives (though the vest is decidedly casual due to the chunky knit).
Behind the outfit:This 70s inspired outfit follows a formula I’ve been dying to wear since last fall: soft blouse + fur vest + flared jeans + boots/heels. I’ve never worn it before because I’ve only just in the last month (finally) bought my furry vests; and as I have just this year started wearing soft blouses, I only have a couple of them. I pulled this blouse from my summer wardrobe, so it wasn’t quite warm enough for the season but really I just wanted to give it a try. Definitely reinspired to improve my blouse wardrobe.
I also like how the romantic blouse looks paired with the sportier vest; fun juxtaposition. Plus I rarely wear blush tones, though I am drawn to peachy shades. This outfit is certainly softer and girlier than what I usually wear, and I think the flared jeans add to that; for some reason I’m picturing that skinnies would look tougher. I left the jewelry minimal to play up the softness (no necklace makes it especially soft, because of the exposed skin).
Lastly, I haven’t really talked about it on the blog much but I change my lip color daily to match my outfits (I’ll do a post about it soon!). Since today’s outfit is soft and pink, I went with a matching soft pink gloss which really completes the whole look.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwfbf2XlJ31r584afo1_1280.jpg)
11.15.2011 [tue]
Formula for soft 70s fur: soft blouse + fur vest + flared jeans + boots/heels
Worn to: work
