Playing Favorites

I love new clothes. There's something really satisfying about ripping the tags off a garment and wearing it for the first time. Some items go on to become favorites, worn over and over until they literally fall apart. Other items get worn a few times and then get thrown into the "donate/ sell" pile. This dress is one of those items that I will wear until it can't be worn any more. 

I bought this dress at Target  back in February or March and I have worn it once every two weeks ever since. It works for every season, and I love challenging myself to style it in different ways. (Like here, here, and here). When I bought this floral and leopard print scarf (on super clearance for $5!!!) at Urban Outfitters, I knew I would eventually pair it with this dress. Pardon the pattern explosion, but I think they're a perfect match.

Outfit: Dress, Cardigan, Belt & Tights- Target; Boots- Matisse via DSW; Scarf- Urban Outfitters 

Do you play favorites with your clothing? 

Breaking all the Rules

I have always been a fan of makeovers. Clueless was one of my favorite movies growing up, and I loved TV shows like "What not to Wear". As much as I believe that how you look on the outside can affect your mood. I have become quite disenchanted with makeover shows. They always pose a stupid list of rules, especially for curvy women! No horizontal stripes, wear dark straight, but not skinny legged pants or an A-line skirt and heels to slim and elongate the leg, etc, etc, etc. 

I acknowledge that here are cuts, styles, colors and prints of clothing that are more "flattering" to my figure, but I think abiding by a list of rules when you get dressed in the morning is a ridiculous notion. If you aren't having fun with your wardrobe and taking some risks then what's the point? So here I am, wearing flat shoes, horizontal stripes and bold skinny leg pants. 

Look at me breaking all those rules. Where are Stacy and Clinton? 

Outfit: Corduroy skinnies-  F21+ last year; Sweater- Old Navy; Flats- Target

Allie over at Wardrobe Oxygen wrote a great post earlier this week on the subject of taking clothes a little too seriously. The post really resonated with me. In getting caught up in the rules, we jeopardize our personal style. We lose the things that make us unique! We should all take Allie's advice and lighten up a little! 

What  fashion faux pas did you commit this week? 

Autumn in the City

Saturday was a beautiful autumn day. The air was crisp, the sun was shining, and the foliage was beautiful. It was also one of those days that reminds me why I love city living, specifically Boston city living.

Outfit: Jeans and Shirt- Old Navy; Jacket- thrifted JCrew; Boots- MeToo via DSW; Scarf- Target; Bag- H&M. 

I met up with my friend Kelly and we walked around the Rose Kennedy Greenway and Fanueil Hall a bit. Then went to the Boston vs New York Food truck throw down.

Unfortunately the lines were super long, so we only got to try two of the food trucks. We stuck to the New York trucks since we can eat at the Boston trucks almost any time. First we had tacos from Big D's Grub Truck. They were delicious and well worth the long wait.

For dessert we had apple, cranberry and nutella empanadas from the Nuchas truck. Yum!

Earlier in the day, while waiting for my friend Kelly outside of the Park Street T station, I had the kind of experience that could only happen in Boston. I was watching an antiwar/ pro- Green Party demonstration, near by there was a guy dressed in revolutionary war era clothing leading a freedom trail tour, a guy with a thick South Boston accent peddling fried dough, and the air smelled like burnt leaves. Then all of a sudden a parade of anti-rape culture demonstrators walked by. I love this city!

Plaid and Stripes

Gotta admit I was not super stoked at this month's Everybody, Everywear theme of  "back to school". I don't really get that much into preppy styles. I'm not a student or a teacher, and it's been feeling more like June than September lately. We had our first crisp, cool day on Monday so I decided to wear the flannel shirt I thrifted back in March and have been dying to wear.

Plaid and stripes are totally back to school, right?

Outfit: flannel shirt- thrifted; tank- H&M; black skinnies- Old Navy; shoes- Marshall's

I wish I still had my Doc Martens to wear with this outfit. Then it would be totally 90s! I just need a Lisa Frank trapper keeper, a Giga-pet, some gel pens and a scrunchi and I'm all set to go back to 6th grade!

Striped Shoes!

I found these flats at Marshall's  on the same day I had to return an adorable pair of too narrow hot pink flats to Aldo. They definitely softened the blow. I look forward to wearing them with black tights in the fall, but summer can take her sweet time and stick around for a while. 

Outfit:

Shirt: Old Navy
Pants: Target
Flats: Marshall's
Bracelet: So Good!
Earrings: Gift  

I still love these pants (also seen here and here and here). I've thought about ordering them in additional colors to the extent that I've added them to my cart on Target.com. If they weren't crops I would have ordered a black pair and a green pair a long time ago, but since it's too chilly for crops about 5 months out of the year here, I just can't justify it. The search for similar straight leg, but full length pants continues. If you have any suggestions let me know!

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

Ignoring the Numbers

I've been searching for an animal print pencil skirt for a long time. I was delighted when I saw this zebra print one on the rack at TJMaxx for just $15!

Around the time that I started this blog, I also set out on a mission to improve my health. I started eating better, and joined a gym. For me it isn't about loosing weight, but that has been one of the many positive side effects of getting healthy. I try really hard not to get caught up in the numbers, so I don't know exactly how much I've lost, but I am starting to notice a difference in the way clothes fit and the way I feel.

Despite my efforts to ignore the numbers, I'm reminded of them every time I go shopping. I almost passed this skirt up because of the number on the tag. It looked like it might fit, but I thought "no, that size will never fit me!" Regardless of what size you are, never pass up an item because of the number on the tag. If it looks like it might fit, try it on! Do not let the numbers define you.

Outfit:
Skirt: TJ Maxx
Tank: H&M Conscious Collection
Cardigan: Old Navy
Sandals: Payless
Necklace: very, very old

Nautical Adventures

Sorry for the lack of posts! My staycation didn't go quite as I'd planned, but I still had a great birthday and a nice, long relaxing weekend. I had this post ready to go yesterday, but it turns out I had put the wrong date for this month's Everybody, Everywear in my calendar.

Friday I slept in a bit and then headed to my local Goodwill store. Since I'm usually working weekday mornings, I wanted to relish the rare opportunity to catch the new merchandise when the store opened. I chose to wear something nautical for EBEW, since I wouldn't be able to the rest of the weekend, or Monday.

In my opinion, nothing says nautical quite like navy and white stripes. I paired my trusty striped cardigan with my red polka dot sundress. I was really excited to pull this sun dress out of storage, so I wore it even though it was a little cloudy and chilly outside. I was also really excited to tie my recently thrifted sailboat scarf to my bag. 

Outfit:

Dress: H&M

Cardigan: Urban Outfitters clearance (men's)

Shoes: Aldo (thrifted)

Scarf: thrifted

bag: H&M 

                                                          

Walking on Sunshine

I am kind of a Southern girl at heart. My step dad was in the military, so I moved around every 3-4 years growing up. Texas and Maryland are the states I lived in the most. I love sunshine and warm weather. Sometimes I feel like a completely different person in the spring and summer. I'm more active, I feel more optimistic, and I'm just generally happier. 80 degree weather? I'm happy as a clam :)

This tank is from H&M's conscious collection. It didn't photograph well, but it is the most beautiful pastel yellow! It's made from organic cotton and recycled polyester. (I love it so much that I also bought it in off white and had to talk myself out of purchasing the coral.)

Outfit: 
Tank: H&M
Skirt: TJ Maxx about 4 years ago
Belt: Forever 21
Shoes: Spring Step via DSW
Necklace: ?

Stripes and Plaid

Last week I saw this post where fellow Boston blogger, Hannah, from Chill Air and Perfume did some pattern mixing with stripes and plaid. I really liked her outfit and I've been meaning to wear this skirt, so I thought I'd give it a shot myself. 

I wore this skirt a lot last winter, but I haven't worn it at all this year. Since I dress up all week for work I have been more likely to grab jeans on the weekend.

Outfit:
Shirt: H&M
Skirt: thrifted
Belt: Forever 21
Leggings: Target
Cardigan: Old Navy
Boots: DSW

A Wintry Mix

Yesterday I felt inspired to try a little pattern mixing. I grabbed my comfy pinstripe trousers and a polka dot top with a blue cardigan for a pop of color. Truthfully, I was mostly inspired by the fact that I then could use "Wintry Mix" as the title for my post. Unfortunately, the pinstripe in my pants didn't translate that well in photos, but you get the idea?

Obviously I couldn't wear the metallic ballet flats out in the slushy snow and rain, so I threw them in my bag and pulled on my rubber boots to brave the wintry mix outside.

Outfit:
Shirt: Old Navy last year
Cardigan: Old Navy (I own it in 4 colors and might get a few more next time it is on sale)
Pants: Old Navy- thrifted from the Garment District.
Ballet flats: Old Navy clearance for $5.50!

I didn't realize until I typed this entry that my entire outfit was from Old Navy. Do you ever wear the same brand head to toe?