A Casual Country Wedding

On Saturday I went as Mike's date to a wedding near Hamilton, New York. The invitation indicated that the ceremony and reception would take place at a farm and that there would be a pig roast and bonfire, so I figured I could take a pretty casual approach.

I wore a sundress, cardigan, and my peep toe wedges. The cardigan was essential to keep me warm in the chily mountain evening. I absolutely love this dress. I got it on sale at Old Navy a few weeks ago and I knew it was perfect for casual wedding. It looks red in this picture, but the gingham is actually more of an orange. I think this outfit could have benefited from a necklace, but I'm really bad at remembering to pack jewelry.

Outfit:
Dress: Old Navy
Cardigan: Target
Shoes: Payless

I have to say I was not prepared for exactly how casually some of the guests at this wedding would be dressed. We're talking Hawaiian shirts, jeans, and flip flops casual. The bride wore a gorgeous tea length champagne colored dress with a blue ribbon sash. The location, and the bride couldn't have been more beautiful!

The view from my chair in the reception tent. 

All of the food was local and delicious. The couple owns their own brewery, Good Nature Brewing, so the reception included their own brews. The chamomile honey witte was my favorite. They even baked some of their chicory mocha porter into the delicious cake. 

Talk about a beautiful backdrop for the ceremony!

I really had a wonderful time, and I definitely think stuffy, formal weddings are overrated:) Congratulations to Carrie and Matt. It was so nice to meet you both and to celebrate with you!

Upstate

This weekend I went with my guy, Mike, as a plus one to his friend's wedding. I'll write more about the wedding (and what I wore to it) tomorrow. The wedding was near Hamilton, NY. I had never been to upstate New York before, so I was really excited for the weekend. Upstate NY is gorgeous. I spent the latter part of the 5 hour drive to Hamilton oohing and ahhing at the small towns, farms, valleys and mountains out the window. It was so nice to get some wide open space! As much as I love the convenience of city living, I'm a country girl at heart.

We stayed at the White Eagle Conference Center in Hamilton. It was nothing fancy, but it was clean, quiet, and comfortable. White Eagle is situated on Lake Moraine and has a lot of outdoor space.

View from the porch where we ate our complimentary breakfast 

I'm bummed we didn't have more time to explore the area and enjoy the beautiful weather and scenery. We drove down on Saturday morning, relaxed a bit and checked out the town before heading to the wedding. Then Sunday morning we slept in a bit and got on the road after breakfast We planned poorly by not scheduling a long weekend. I definitely want to go back upstate in the near future, perhaps in the fall. I bet it's beautiful when the leaves start to change!

Except for the time we spent at the wedding, I wore these white shorts the whole weekend. I found them on sale for $10 at Old Navy and I absolutely love them. I wore them with a hot pink neon tshirt on the drive down, and with chambray on the way home. I love the crisp white with chambray, and yes I totally knotted my shirt 90s style. Now I really want some white dress slacks to wear to work!

Outfit:
Cami: H&M
Chambray Shirt: ? got it at Marshall's last year
White Shorts: Old Navy
Sandals: b.o.c. via Famous Footwear
Sunnies: Forever 21

Maxi Monday

Every week one of my favorite blogs, Two Birds, does an Inspiration Monday link-up. I have discovered lots of other blogs through the link up. I also just love seeing how Megan and Nora, the two sisters that run Two Birds, create outfits inspired by a celebrity photo. I haven't participated in a really long time because I always forget about it until I am already dressed and at work Monday morning. When they posted this awesome picture of Michelle Trachtenberg, aka Harriet the Spy, in a maxi dress and denim jacket I just HAD to participate.

I brought my striped maxi dress and denim jacket with me to upstate New York this weekend, but didn't find the opportunity to wear them. I think it all worked out for the best because I found an awesome maxi dress on clearance at Target over the weekend. So this morning I got up early so I could take pictures and edit them before leaving for work.

This is the perfect outfit for that Monday where you really don't want to go to work and can't believe the weekend is over already. Is anyone else having one of those days?

Outfit:
Dress: Target
Cami: ?
Jacket: JCrew, thrifted
Sandals: b.o.c. via Famous Footwear

Wild

Tuesday night I headed to a Spitfire event hosted by BostonGLOW. The event was focused on navigating the professional world, and I found it really helpful! I know that there are a lot of things I need to work on professionally to build up my confidence and make sure I'm not selling myself short. 

I absolutely love the Spitfire events. They're a great way to connect with other women, and to talk about issues that are important to me. Being involved with GLOW gives me the same sense of a strong community of women that I had through the various clubs and activities I was involved in in college. I'm taking on a little more of a leadership role in the organization this year. One of the potential Spitfires we're planning is going to be focused on balancing fashion, beauty, and being feminine with feminist/ egalitarian ideals. It would be great to get some Boston area bloggers involved, so I'll keep you posted!

I've worn this necklace about a dozen times since I bought it at the beginning of the month. The colors match a lot of my summer clothes and it is the perfect piece to spice up neutral outfits. I picked up this leopard print tank at goodwill a few weeks ago. It's super 80s, and about an inch away from being a crop top, but I love it! 

Outfit:

Tank: thrifted

Cardigan: Old Navy

Necklace: H&M

Pants: Target

Keep or Donate?

In preparation for moving into a teeny apartment with my boyfriend, I've been doing some closet downsizing. I already have about four garbage bags full of clothes set aside to donate or swap, but I still feel like I need to downsize further. I've been making it a point to wear pieces that normally don't get a lot of wear to see if I really want to keep them.

This shirt is one that I'm on the fence about. I got it on clearance at Rue21 for like $4 a few years ago. I love the rosette embellishments, but they make it impossible to layer the shirt under anything, and y'all know I love my layers!

I'm still on the fence. I love the color, neckline, and sleeve length, but how often am I going to wear a shirt that I can't layer?

This skirt on the other hand is definitely a keeper. I think it set in my closet untouched for over a year until I rediscovered it and paired it with my yellow lace top. I love bold black and white prints! So versatile!


Outfit:
Blouse: Rue21 circa 2009
Skirt: Marshall's circa 2008
Belt: H&M
Shoes: Payless

Stripes and Coral

After months of searching, I've finally found a maxi dress! I am in love, and I want to wear it every day! I wore it Friday for work and date night.

I originally tried on this Calvin Klein dress in light blue stripes a few weeks ago at Marshall's and I loved it, but the pastel blue and white made it feel a bit like a night gown. Color- wise I also wasn't sure how I would style it. I saw the same style in black and white and instantly fell in love with it. Unfortunately it wasn't available in my size, so I left empty handed. Fast forward a few weeks and I found it in black and white at a TJMaxx on the other side of town! Shopping victory!

I took these pictures with my trusty tripod behind my apartment building Friday morning. I really need to get my butt out of bed early enough to venture downstairs more often, because I'm really pleased with how these turned out. It's amazing what a little natural light can do! 

Outfit:
Maxi Dress: Calvin Klein via TJMaxx available here in navy
Cardigan: Target
Sandals: Payless

Weekend Recap: What a Drag!

I had a really fun and busy weekend. Saturday I met up with my friend Michael to go shopping for outfits for his birthday party. I broke two fashion "rules" for curvy girls by wearing horizontal stripes AND short shorts. Rules are meant to be broken, and I absolutely love this outfit.

Outfit:
Top: H&M
Cardigan: Old Navy
Shorts: Forever 21+
Sandals: Payless


We went to one of my favorite stores, the Garment District. It is a thrift, vintage, and costume store all in one, so it was a great choice for us to do our shopping.  Why did the party warrant a special shopping trip? His birthday party was drag themed!

In addition to serving as Michael's personal stylist and make up artist for the day, I got in on the fun myself. I had fun and kind of went all out even adding a little five 'clock shadow with my makeup.  Here's my lovely ensemble for the evening!

Outfit:
Vest, bowtie and shoes: thrifted via Garment District
Shirt: Borrowed
Pants: Old Navy (women's)
Belt: thrifted
Hat: Macy's (women's) last year

I think I make a very dapper gentleman, and I had a wonderful time. Have you ever dressed in drag?

100!

This is my 100th post! When I started this blog back in January I was looking for a hobby. I decided fashion blogging was the perfect hobby because I love clothes and I love reading fashion blogs. I also thought that it would challenge me to think outside the box a little when getting dressed in the morning.

I'm happy to report that blogging has brought me all of those things, and much more. One thing I never imagined I'd get from blogging is the sense of community. I love being a part of a group of talented women who challenge and support each other. Your comments, advice, and support make this all worth while.

I figure my 100th post is as good a time as any to take a look back at my favorite, and least favorite looks.
Here are my three favorites:

My first big color experiment. Cranberry and Mustard!

Simplicity at it's finest. 

Animal print, lace and sandals. 

And here are my least favorites:

 Love the colors, hated the skirt. 

I have a really hard time styling wide leg pants. Boxy, blech. 

I think this outfit would have benefited from a skinnier red belt. 

Thanks for reading! Here's to the next 100 posts:)

Neon Pattern Mixing

I was really excited that this month's theme for Everybody, Everywear is Neon. I just bought this cardigan at Target last week and I was planning to wear it with a navy dress, but the EBEW challenge made me change my mind and layer it with my trusty yellow lace blouse.

I have a thing for cardigans, and when I find a style that I like on sale I buy multiple colors. I also purchased this cardigan in solid coral and white. 

Outfit:

Cardigan: Target (I got it on sale for $15!)

Blouse: H&M Conscious Collection

Skirt: thrifted

Sandals: Payless

Belt: Target

Necklace: gift

Weekend Recap: Busy

Thanks so much for all the kind words in response to Friday's post. I debated for a while as to whether or not I should say anything about my great aunt's passing. In fact, one of the biggest challenges I have faced as a blogger is finding balance. How do I write about my clothes and my style, but still include my personality and my life experiences? Is it okay to share unhappy or stressful experiences with my readers? I know that I most enjoy reading blogs that include personal stories and anecdotes, so I think it's okay to get a little personal sometimes.

This was a busy weekend for me, but in a good way. I had planning meetings for BostonGLOW on Saturday. Then I went to Boston Pride, got dinner with my beau and some friends, and then had a few porch beers. Sunday I went for a walk in the Arnold Arboretum with my beau and some friends and then went to the SoWa market. I didn't manage to get any pictures of the adorable sundress I was wearing Saturday, but here are some pictures from the arboretum on Sunday.

 It was really warm on Sunday, and I knew I was going to be doing a lot of walking in the sunshine so I opted for a really basic, comfortable summer outfit. No frills here, just some jean shorts and a tank top. 

Gorgeous purple flowers in the vine garden.

Mike and I at the top of Peter's Hill with the Boston skyline in the background. This is one of my favorite places in Boston. The best part is how the view changes with the seasons. 

What did you do this weekend?

A Little Bit of Sunshine

This week has been a tough one for me. Work was stressful, I didn't get a lot of sleep, and the kitty has not been adjusting well to all the changes in the apartment. Then to make matters worse, my auntie Carolyn passed away this morning. She was my grammy's sister and I spent a lot of time at her house when I was a little girl.  She was a hard working single mom, an amazing cook, talented gardener, and one of the funniest people I have ever met. I haven't seen her in a few years, since she retired to Florida, but she'd call me each year on my birthday. Thankfully, my grammy was able to travel to Florida to spend some time with her sister this week.

I know it's silly, but it's amazing how clothes can drastically change my mood. Thursday morning the sun started to peak out, and the forecast only called for scattered showers so I grabbed this bright sundress and my mood was instantly elevated.

This dress is going to be one of my favorites this summer. It hits me right at the knee and it has short sleeves, so I can wear it to work on really hot days without having to layer anything over it! Since Thursday was nice and cool I decided to go a little neon and layer it with my bright yellow cardi. I stuck with nude flats because there was more than enough color in the dress.

Outfit:
Dress: Old Navy
Cardigan: Old Navy two years ago
Flats: Payless
Earrings: H&M

Sorry for starting this post off on a sad note. Carolyn's passing was expected, she's been sick for a while and now she's at peace. I am thankful to have had her in my life and I'm so ready for the weekend.

Pink Crayons

My high school wardrobe was built around two colors- pink and black. I think it started with a pink Rancid band tshirt I got in the 8th grade (I was so "punk rock"). But what really my obsession with the colors was a friendship I made in 10th grade. My new bff, Brooke, and I called ourselves the pink crayons (long story behind that one) and naturally, we wore a lot of pink and black. We passed notes back and forth to each other in a hot pink notebook. 

My obsession with pink continued throughout most of high school until Brooke and I had a falling out in the latter part of our senior year. To my Jr. year homecoming I wore a black and white hounds-tooth dress with a pink crinoline underneath and a big pink flower on it. In one of my senior pictures I wore pink and black Chuck Taylors and a pink and black polka dot ribbon belt. My mom has photographic evidence of these things. Let's call this outfit a grown up throwback to my high school self. 

I don't have a lot of pink in my wardrobe these days, so when I saw this lovely beaded cardigan at a clothing swab, I just had to have it! What better to pair a vintage feeling cardigan with than a vintage feeling polka dot dress and some classic black pumps?

Outfit:

Cardigan: swapped

Dress: H&M

Pumps: Crown Vintage via DSW

What did you wear in high school?

Weekly Wishlist: Flat Sandals

I have not been doing a good job of taking outfit photos this week. I promise I'm getting dressed, but I've also been over-sleeping. My excuse? I got sucked into the Hunger Games books and read all three in just three days. I know, I know, I'm late to get on that bandwagon, but I didn't want to buy the books and they were reserved at the library for infinity. I finally borrowed them and stayed up until wee hours of the morning reading with my kitty in bed.

Anyways no outfit photos means you get a Weekly Wishlist instead. I love flat strappy sandals. They are possibly my favorite style of shoe. I usually buy inexpensive sandals at Target or Payless and then they never last more than a summer or two because I wear them basically every day. I've been thinking about investing in a few higher quality pairs of sandals in hopes that they will survive more than two summers. Here are my favorites:

image via bornshoes.com

Born Aberlin Sandals in Cream Patent: $112 via Born Shoes

I can't imagine spending over $100 for a pair of simple sandals, but Born makes a super comfortable high quality shoe, and the nude color would go with everything. They're also available in brown, black, pink, and aqua. I bet I could find them cheaper if I did some hunting.

image via stevemadden.com

Daffy leather sandal in Turquoise Leather: $41.98 via Steve Madden

I love, love, love the beautiful color of these turquoise leather sandals. They would be great to add a pop of color to my summer outfits. The price tag isn't bad either.

image via dsw.com

Naturalizer Temma Comfort Sandal: $49.95 at DSW

These neutral cuties look super squishy, and that's important. There's nothing worse than walking around all day in hard sandals and going home with blisters on the balls of your feet. My Payless camel colored brown sandals are on their last leg, so these would be a good replacement. They're also available in wide width!

image via stevemadden.com

Srikka Leopard/Multi Sandals: $69.95 from Steve Madden

How cute are these? I love the pastels and leopard print. I can see them adding a little spice to a black sundress. 

Which sandals are your favorite? 

Reluctant Pants

After checking the weather I reluctantly put on pants Monday morning. Rainy, chilly, windy, yuck! Bad weather means I can't wear sundresses and skirts, and that makes me sad. I spent the whole day counting down the hours until I could go home and snuggle under the covers with my kitty. 

Speaking of my cat.This was one of those mornings where he really wanted to photo bomb me.

I think it's because I had black pants on. I swear he has a radar for dark colored pants.

Outfit:
Blouse: Old Navy
Pants: Target
Flats: Payless
Necklace: thrifted
Earrings: Old Navy

Bootleg and Bold

Since my beau and I are moving into an apartment with really limited closet space, I've been trying scale down my closet. I have about 4 garbage bags full of clothes to be swapped or donated, and a few more pieces in my closet that I'm on the fence about. I've purged a lot of jeans that I just don't wear any more. I'm on the fence about this pair of jeans. I haven't worn them in about a year so I decided to take them out for a spin on a casual  Friday to see if I want to keep them or not. 

I've decided the jeans are staying for now. I loved pairing them with my new statement necklace from H&M. I've been trying to add more personality to my collection of accessories, but I don't like to spend a lot of money on my jewelry. Places like H&M are great when you want something on trend, but don't want to spend a lot. This necklace was only $8, and look at those colors!

Outfit:

Cardigan: H&M men's

Blouse: H&M Conscious Collection

Jeans: Levis 545 bootcut (I think I got them at Macy's?)

Necklace: H&M

Flats: Payless

Do you wear bootcut jeans? Any tips for styling them?

Strike a Pose

I am so happy it is Friday. I thought this week would never end. Does anyone else feel like the short weeks are the longest ones?  I feel like I've been so busy lately that I haven't had time to veg out, so I am making it a point to veg out this weekend. I'm also making it a point to do laundry, because I'm nearing the bottom of my very deep barrel of clothing, hence this very lackluster look.

I was looking back at my outfit posts for the last month or two and I've noticed that I'm posed the same way in most of my outfit photos. I assure you it's not for lack of trying different positions! I am just really bad/ awkward at posing.

I took a break from the dresses and skirts to wear some pants. In my head this outfit looked a little more nautical and a little less frumpy. I think I need to invest in some higher quality straight leg pants for work since I'm no longer interested in wearing my collection of semi-expensive wide leg trousers.

Outfit:
Shirt: Old Navy
Pants: Target
Flats: Old Navy
Earrings: Gift
Belt: thrifted

What are your plans for the weekend?