I think it’s something about the high humidity, the constant rainy weather, and the stress of not having a definite job lined up yet for next month. Yesterday, I just really wanted to stay home, read in bed all day, and eat soup. But I had to go to work and I had to be presentable. I wanted to be really comfortable and because it was “chilly”, I wanted my legs to be covered. I kept trying on outfits and getting frustrated until I finally accepted that today was just going to be an off-day. You know, one of those days where you just don’t feel like doing anything, one of those days where you accept that your outfit may not be the most amazing thing ever. And accepting that it’s okay, that some days you just need “comfort style”.
Even though I wasn’t super happy with the outfit at the beginning of the day, it began to grow on me and now I actually like it. Admittedly, the colors of the blouse are a bit more fall than summer, and a floral and butterfly print isn’t normally my style. But it was comfortable, it was flattering, and I actually got to wear a scarf and a cardigan, which I haven’t gotten to do in months. I had forgotten just how comforting it is to have soft fabric right against your neck. It made the day a little bit easier to deal with.
Did I mention that it was drizzly most of the day? So why did I wear sandals and not my wellies? I don’t know – I think I was just too frazzled that morning to realize just how much it was going to rain. And while I adore my Plueys, I’d like to get a solid colored pair of wellies as well that can match a bit more in my wardrobe - maybe red or yellow.
My beloved lime leather bag is finally starting to show some signs of wear. The interior lining has torn a bit from the seams in a few places. It won’t be very difficult to fix, and I’ve used it a ton since I bought it a year ago, so I’m not too upset.
Also, sorry there was no Etsy Love post this week. I’ve been trying to figure out a new schedule for blog posts to get something that works well for me, and I think I have it now. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays will usually be outfit posts. Wednesdays will be Etsy Love, to help us get through the mid-week hump. Sunday will continue to be Shoe Lust, while Saturday will vary from week to week, sometimes philosophical waxing, sometimes budgeting, sometimes What I’m Lovin’ etc.
Blouse: L8ter (thrifted)
Jeans: Express Stella
Cardigan: Ann Taylor LOFT
Scarf: Kohls
Sandals: Born Savory
Purse: Easy Spirit
Earrings: June Designs
Bangles: Jill Popowich
I love the fact that more and more modern garments are starting to evoke a vintage feel. This dress is an example of that. The classic black and white polka dot print, the flattering and feminine cut (which you might recognize – I loved this dress so much, I decided to get two!). I love how it looks on me, I love how it makes me feel when I wear it. And by pairing it with some vintage and modern accessories, I get a look that is clean, fresh, and very me.
Some might feel that having my bangle be the same color as my shoes is a bit too matchy, matchy, but I love it. What makes a dress like this so perfect, is that you just add a few colorful accessories, and you’re good to go. And I love any outfit that lets my Fluevogs shine.
I’ve recently begun to really get into buying vintage on Etsy. You would think that as much as I blog about Etsy, I would have done this awhile ago, yet before this belt, I had only bought one vintage item on there (a brooch). Last week, when putting an outfit together, I realized that I really wanted a mod, white waist cinching belt. A few simple searches later and I found exactly what I wanted in the vintage area of Etsy. So get ready to start seeing some vintage Etsy love sets coming soon!
That bangle was another example of shopping serendipity. When I went to my dentist last week, I got there about half an hour early, so I decided to check out a nearby consignment shop. Most of the clothes didn’t really appeal to me, but this bangle jumped out at me the second I walked in. I’m known for intentionally buying accessories to match my Fluevogs, and for $2, it was more than worth it. (Note: for the sake of simplicity, I call items that I bought at consignment shops “thrifted” on here, mostly because I haven’t thought of a better term. ”Consigned” is something that you sell to a consignment shop, so what do you call something you buy there? Would “second-hand” be more clear?)
And let me say again, Fluevogs are totally worth the investment. They take an outfit from okay to fabulous in an instant. And they’re seriously comfortable to boot. They truly are “shoes to vie for”.
Dress: Express
Belt: Old Baltimore Vintage
Shoes: John Fluevog Fiorenzas
Purse: Morelle Oyster
Bangle: Thrifted
Necklace: Kira Ferrer
Earrings: June Designs
In the hot summer temps, I’ve been avoiding my bicycle for fear of sweating profusely and grossing out everyone in the grocery store. But after yesterday, I can’t use that excuse anymore. Yes, it’s really hot. Yes, I will sweat while cycling, but really, I sweat when I drive too, so there’s not much difference. As long as I’m not riding my bike during the hottest hours of the day, it’s so much more relaxing than driving a car.
When cycling, I tend to keep my outfits loose and comfortable. And while I used to only ride in closed toed shoes, I’ve now embraced wearing sandals to ride. They’re very comfortable, and they let your feet breathe. I think it’s important to keep at least some sense of style while on a bike. I see far too many women wearing baggy sweats (or worse, spandex!), unflattering baggy t-shirts, and gym shoes while riding. Unless you’re trying to go extreme distances, there’s really no need for spandex. Really, you can be stylish and comfortable at the same time – these words are not oxymorons.
When cycling, I usually prefer to have a bag with an adjustable strap, so I can wear it close to my body if my basket is full. This is definitely not a hard and fast rule for me, but some practicality does win out when running errands.
While I would love to have a completely car-free lifestyle, the combination of sprawl and a crappy public transportation system in Tampa make that extremely difficult to do. Still, I like to go car-free as often as I possibly can, and grocery store trips are a good start. (BTW, that sticker is from Bike Commuters. Go check them out and say hi to Jack for me)
Cami: Gap
Cardigan: Ann Taylor LOFT
Jeans: Express Stella
Sandals: Born Savory
Purse: Dickies
Earrings: June Designs
Necklace: June Designs
Bangles: Jill Popowich
Kim’s Inspiration Calendar called for a classic white blouse yesterday. I don’t own any solid white button downs, mostly because I rarely wore them when I did, so I chose to wear a white striped button down, since I think it evokes the same classic feel. I decided to keep the outfit in the simple and classic vein, limiting the color palette to black and white with touches of red and grey. In my opinion, you can almost never go wrong with that color palette.
I had been avoiding this blouse, mostly because I was afraid it would make me look like a cafeteria lady. I think that the classy accessories (pearls, scarf, red shoes) I wore helped to keep from looking like I belong in a lunch line.
I love the simple yet put together feel of this outfit. I think it also evokes a French sensibility, which is something I love to bring into outfits. Simple, comfortable flats, a scarf tied around the purse, black capris, and pearls all have a decidely French feel to them, and I love it.
I think that simple and classic accessories make up a large part of my style. While I love the occasional statement piece or accessory with a twist, in general I find myself drawn to the designs that never go out of style: sterling silver bangles, hoop earrings, a strand of white pearls.
Blouse: Express
Capris: Erik Stewart (thrifted)
Shoes: Born Codders
Purse: Morelle City Bag
Scarf: Vintage
Pearls: Coryell Design
Earrings: Gift from cousin
Bangles: Jill Popowich
Normally when putting together an outfit, I prefer to have a least one dominant color, one accent color and a neutral. On Friday, I decided to change things up a bit and build an outfit that only utilized two colors: turquoise and black. It actually let the outfit come together incredibly quickly, which is unusual for me. I like how limiting yourself to something simple can lead to such pleasant results.
Since I didn’t have to work, and it was still miserably hot, I decided to go for a comfy casual look. I just got this jersey skirt on sale for only $20 the other day at Urban Outfitters. I love that it satisfies my desire to have comfortable and casual skirts to wear on the weekend. I added some black leggings later while indoors to combat frigid air conditioning.
While I said I was limited myself to two colors, I guess I cheated a little bit by throwing in a natural linen tote. I kind of like how it reverse my usual formula, having a neutral become the accent color.
That uber comfy v-neck tee was a great deal that I got at Express recently. If they only had more colors that I liked, I would buy a ton of them. The fabric is amazingly soft, and it was only $10 on sale!
Tee: Express
Skirt: Urban Outfitters
Sandals: Clarks Rime
Tote: Morelle Charlotte
Necklace: Target
Bangle: Thrifted
Earrings: June Designs
Scarf (as headband): Thrifted
Born Vina in Aubergine Suede $72.10 (on sale)
I mentioned these shoes as some that I was considering purchasing back in April. I’m still lusting after them now. Zappos unfortunately has not had them in my size (8) this entire time, and everywhere else I seem to find them doesn’t carry this color.
I love the beautiful shade of purple, I love the sweet bow detail on the mary-jane strap, I love the soft texture of the suede. I really want a nice ballet flat that also has support, and if these are anything like my other Born shoes, I know that my feet will be comfortable.
I’m checking Ebay daily, hoping to snag them like my Novalees. Maybe the gods of Ebay will smile on me again.
Using Random.org, I selected a random number between 1 and 69, which was the total number of entries, including people posting the contest on their blogs. The winning number is 55, which means that Denise won! Denise, I’ll be sending you an e-mail soon. Congrats!
A few weeks ago I posted an outfit where I wore a pair of Express jeans that I altered into skinny jeans. I was asked for a tutorial, so here goes. Note that I think a moderate amount of sewing experience is good for trying this. If you’re a bit unsure of your skills, try it on a pair of jeans that you don’t care about, or get a cheap pair from the thrift store to experiment with. And if your sewing skills are nada, you can always get your pants tapered by a tailor. Also, it’s important that the jeans fit you everywhere else. If they’re fit poorly in your rear, turning them into skinnies won’t change that. All this being said, here’s the tutorial.
- Measure at the knee, mid-calf and ankle of both your actual leg and the pair of pants you want to alter. Note the distance between each of these three points.
- Rip out side seams. Determine the difference between the measurements of the actual jeans with the measurements you would like them to have, making sure to leave enough ease for the largest part of your calf (at least 2 -3 inches ease). Mark the new measurements on the jeans and cut/serge.
- Following the example of the original seams, sew up all seams. Try them on. You may have to fix the area around the knee by re-doing the seam there – for some reason I always have trouble with this area
And there you go – flares become skinnies! Happy sewing!
And remember, you have until midnight tonight (July 4th) to enter the Chickdowntown giveaway! That’s midnight Eastern Standard Time, if you’re interested.
Style Symmetry is giving away this beautiful BB Dakota dress from Chickdowntown. Go check it out!
First, I have to say welcome to everyone that’s here today because of Etsy. Yesterday, Etsy tweeted my post: Etsy Love: Long Necklaces. Suddenly my daily views statistics, which normally hover between 200 and 300, shot up to 1,265! The power of Twitter is absolutely amazing. I may be convinced to join soon. So welcome to all the Twitter-ers!
On to yesterday’s outfit. There’s something about wearing a waistcoat that always makes me feel somewhat boyish. I guess it comes from the fact that it originated in menswear. I love the professional polish it can add to an outfit, even if it’s just a button-down, pegged jeans and some sandals.
Right about now, I’m trying to figure out how I’ve survived twenty four Florida summers. If it’s not insanely hot (last week), it’s insane humid (this week). And sometimes, it’s both. Maybe it’s global warming, or maybe it’s just my perception, but it seems like this summer is a lot hotter than previous ones. And yet here I am, layering. As I’ve said before, sweating in the summer is inevitable, but I choose to sweat in style.
I bought this button-down from Express a month or so ago, but hadn’t worn it yet because the sleeves are very snug. Almost painfully snug. After I took these photos, I removed the band and buckle detail from the cuffs with my seam ripper, and they loosened up enough. Not perfect, but at least not cutting off my circulation.
This necklace has shown up in posts before. As I mentioned there, the Etsy seller I bought it from, Imogen, unfortunately closed her shop. If anyone knows of a new shop she’s opened, please let me know. I’d love to get some more of her pendants!
Blouse: Express
Waistcoat: Ann Taylor LOFT
Jeans: Express Stella
Shoes: Clarks Rime
Purse: Morelle City Bag
Scarf: Thrifted
Necklace: Imogen (Etsy)
Earrings: Sara Westermark
Bangle: Thrifted
