Tee: Target Shorts: Old Navy Cardigan: Target, thrifted new Scarf: Gift Flats: Payless
Last week, we finally started to welcome new students to campus for my job in orientation. I was decked out in our school colors all day from Wednesday-Friday, and it feels good to be in "real people clothes." While I still will be sporting my school polos on and off all summer, I get to wear my regular clothes, too!
I start two of my summer classes today, too. It's going to be a warm day today, but I'm sure my classroom will be cold...hence the cardigan and scarf. I'm okay with that, since we've had really abnormally chilly days for most of the summer so far. As much as I hate shorts, I'm happy to be wearing them out of necessity :)
I was running out of time to take pictures before needing to leave for work, so I had Kevin come outside and snap a few shots. He said, "Now you need to do a silly shot! When I see you taking pictures, you always need to do a silly one!" and I came up with this pose. He also told me that I had to post it, because he would check :) Gotta love him.
Tee: Old Navy Blazer: Gap Pants: NY&C Flats: Payless Necklace: From Mom
I'm so excited to finally be wearing my coral blazer! It's comfortable, bright, and fits me perfectly. I usually don't shop at Gap (even though I love their stuff) because it's a little on the pricey end for me (yes, I'm super cheap and have a tight budget), but I got this one for a steal. I hope you all like it, because you'll be seeing it frequently!!
I was thinking over the weekend about how my style has changed since I started reading blogs. I've been reading blogs for three years or so, and I have grown so much in my personal style. I'm starting to define who I am more, and figure out what I like, what works for me, and what doesn't work for me. Three years ago, I never would have worn a blazer...and a colorful blazer would have been out of the question. This is my fourth blazer, and my second colored one! Even in the nearly six months I've been blogging, I'm not sure I would have been daring enough to wear this blazer.
However, the encouragement, feedback, support, and inspiration I've gotten from all of you have all helped me to try new things. Thank you for helping me expand my boundaries...while narrowing my style focus at the same time. Rather than trying out all the things, I'm trying different iterations of those things that are most "me." You still won't catch me dead in a high-low skirt or dress (despite my love affair with dresses and skirts), in peplum (looks terrible on me), or high heels (OUCH), but I've been branching out with different colors, patterns, and silhouettes and feeling more comfortable with my personal style.
Blouse: Cynthia Rowley via TJ Maxx Pants: NY&C Flats: Payless Necklace: From Mom
Ugh I need a haircut. This weekend...fingers crossed!
For the second day of the Blog Every Day in May challenge, the prompt is to write a "how to." I had many thoughts, such as how to survive an endoscopy (yes, that's me in the video...please don't judge too harshly...), how to take awkward outfit pictures, or how to talk like a Minnesotan (seriously, I'll vlog some time and you'll see how bad my accent is), but I decided on something else much more pressing...
I've always loved children and have wanted to be a mother some day. However, with both Kevin and I being in graduate school and working, this isn't the right time for us to start growing our family. I get a wicked case of baby fever pretty regularly, but I've learned ways to cope with it. I'm here to share my wisdom with you all today.
Me and my cousin about 2 years ago.
1. Borrow someone else's baby. I am lucky enough to have a few friends and family members who have babies and toddlers, and I love to spend time with them and their children. I get to play with them, snuggle with them, teach them things, but ultimately, I get to send them home with their parents at the end of the day. I've mentioned before that my mom does daycare, so I sometimes get to hang out with her and the baby she watches. [I think that doing daycare for my mom is a way to stave off grandbaby fever, too ;)]
Snuggling with my mom and dad's dog, Piper, about a year and a half ago
2. Get a dog. I've noticed that in the two years since we've had Pippin in our lives, I've contracted baby fever a little less. I know she's just a dog, but I've definitely poured some of my maternal instincts into her, and she's just as cute and snuggly as a baby. I have unconditional love for my dog, and I get to share it with Pippin all the time. Again, I'm not comparing a dog to a child, but the desire to care for and love another being has partially been fulfilled by my sweet pup.
3. Watch videos of women giving birth. This, for me, is the quickest way to cure said baby fever. Nooooo thank you. Plus, Kevin and I are choosing to adopt our children (for many reasons), and watching birth videos just makes me more secure in our choice to adopt. I honestly do not want to experience that. Kudos to those who have gone through childbirth or who want to someday, but it really is just not for me. [I'm not attaching a video here...if you really want to see, that's what YouTube is for...]
4. Watch TV shows and movies about babies. Have you seen the movie Babies? Or watched any of those shows on TLC like A Baby Story? Sometimes I watch things with babies in them just to get my baby fix. Usually, it tides me over for a while, until I can actually interact with a real baby. Be cautious with this one, though...sometimes it actually worsens the fever... :)
5. Picture your life as it is today...but with a baby added to the mix. I do this allll the time. Right now, Kevin and I are super busy with school and work, as I mentioned above. We know that it would be incredibly stressful to add in a baby. Plus, we don't make very much money, and I know that children are expensive, so that's another factor. We like the freedom to come and go as we want right now, and we understand that when you are a parent, you need to plan more. We don't have to arrange for a babysitter (although, living on a college campus, there are plenty of built-in babysitters! Oh yeah, I don't think I mentioned that Kevin works as a residence area coordinator, so we live on a college campus.). I tend to be a realist, so when I start getting all baby feverish, I just have to remember the logistics and realities of our life situation right now and remember that this isn't the time or place for us to have a baby.
So, there you have it! My five methods to curing baby fever! Do any of you ever get baby fever? What do you do to help get rid of it?
I'm also linking up with Marissa for the Pantone Color Challenge. Today's color: Linen!
Tee: Target Pants: NY&C Scarf: Old Navy Flats: Payless
SHORT SLEEVES! I am so pumped it's in the 50's today - I had to celebrate with my new short sleeved tee. Two things about this shirt: 1. It is SUPER comfortable and silky. Go to Target today and get one in every color (I just bought four...because all my other short sleeved tees were all stretched out and gross). 2. It's really more of a vibrant coral color than orange, but it didn't photograph well. Just know that I don't look like Halloween today - I'm shooting for spring :)
A couple of weeks ago, Kimmie wore a super cutemotorcycle jacket and said it was the perfect jacket for the perfect date. It turns out that today is the perfect date.
I'm finally wearing my lace shirt that I had been looking for FOREVER. It's exactly what I wanted - a loose fit, pretty lace (but not too grandma-y), short sleeves, and long enough to be worn untucked and tucked. It has a really cute keyhole cutout in the back, too! I am super excited to wear this with skirts, too.
So I've written before aboutsmoothies and how much I love to make them for breakfast, but I kicked it out of the park today. I used pretty much the same ingredients as usual (ground oats, vanilla protein powder, bananas, vanilla yogurt, soy milk, frozen peaches, orange juice), but today's smoothie tasted exactly like an Orange Julius. So. Delicious.
Tee: Target Skirt: Old Navy Jacket: Levi's Belt: The Limited Flats: Payless
Today's outfit was another thrown together ensemble, as the outfit I had planned for today just didn't work for me. I need to do laundry, so I'm out of work-appropriate pants (you know you've been there before, too...) and since I am more than ready to be done with tights, it seemed like the perfect day for a maxi skirt! I came out of our bedroom this morning and Kevin said, "Oooh, I like the Bohemian vibe you've got going on today!" I'll take it.
I can already tell that this denim jacket is going to get tons of wear. I've worn it three times in the last week, and I have plenty of other outfits planned that include it! I hope you (and I) don't get sick of it :)
It's the second day of Fran and Whitney's Five Days Five Ways challenge! Today's challenge is to find multiple ways to wear a pair of pants. I'm choosing to remix these teal pants.
Honestly, I completely forgot that I had these pants. I bought them a while back at TJ Maxx after searching and searching for a pair of colored denim. I wore them once with a chambray shirt in October, and had it in my head that they didn't fit me and were not flattering. I was searching through my closet to decide what pants to wear for this challenge, and I found these again. I put them on, and they fit, so I decided they would be the perfect pants to use for today!
Tee: Target Sandals: Target Necklace: From Mom
This is exactly the kind of outfit I can't wait to wear! Spring better come soon, because I'm getting antsy to wear my tees and sandals! I thought this was a nice, casual outfit - perfect to wear on the weekends, or out for lunch with friends.
Shirt: Old Navy Wedges: Payless Necklace: F21
I would wear this outfit out on a date. I'm not thrilled with the way this shirt photographs - in real life, it's a great dark gray color. I also don't like this necklace with the outfit. I think it might look better with a shorter necklace, or more of a pendant-type necklace. I love the way these pants look with my new wedges, though!
Sweater: Old Navy Boots: Target Necklace: Birthday gift from parents
I would wear this outfit to work, or on the weekends. I've struggled a little bit about what to wear with this sweater (it's a black cable knit sweater, why is it so hard to wear?!), but I think they look great with these pants! I also think I could have worn this outfit with a scarf (maybe leopard print?) and it would look great, too.
Shirt: Old Navy Cardigan: Thrifted Eddie Bauer Flats: Thrifted new Target stock
Here is another springy outfit - very colorful! I'm not usually one to wear lots of colors like this, but I thought I would push myself a little bit. I've worn this shirt and cardigan together before, but usually only with regular denim. These jeans are colorful but not too wild, so I think they go nicely together. I also rolled up the pant legs a little bit for a more casual vibe.
Tank: Old Navy Blazer: Old Navy Flats: Payless Necklace: Birthday gift from parents
This is an outfit I would wear to work. I really love teal and black together, and while I could have worn a solid colored tank or blouse, the stripes add a little visual interest. I could also swap the blazer for a cardigan for a similar (perhaps slightly more casual) look.
There you have it! My five ways to wear teal skinnies :) What look do you like best?
Woohoo! It's the first day of Fran and Whitney's Five Days, Five Ways linkup! I'm so excited to be doing this. Since I have only been blogging for two months, I don't have much of an archives yet. I wanted to challenge myself to create new outfits with the items I have. Don't worry - I'll actually wear all of these in real life :)
The first day of the challenge is to create five different outfits based off of one top. I chose this black and white striped shirt I bought at TJ Maxx this fall. I really love this shirt - it is soft, I love the wide black band on the sleeves, and the shoulders are interesting.
Skirt: Old Navy Wedges: Payless Necklace: Eclectic Wendy
First of all, excuse my pale legs - they haven't seen the sun in months :) I would wear an outfit like this to work or on a weekend. I really like the combination of black, white, and red (those were our wedding colors!), and these wedges add a little fun element to the outfit. I wish I had a really great black statement necklace - I would have loved to add something like that to this outfit. Or maybe a belt? It is a little plain, but definitely something I would wear.
Teal jeans: TJ Maxx Shoes: Target
Be prepared to see these pants more often (tomorrow). I'm not sure how much I love this outfit. Perhaps if I had a cardigan or blazer over it, or a scarf, or a fun necklace, I'd like it more. It's quite plain, but it's certainly wearable.
Jeans: NY&C Shoes: TOMS
In real life, this is likely what you'd see me wearing on a weekend. Something easy and comfortable, but appropriate for wearing in public. It might also look cute with a fun necklace or even colorful shoes.
Jeans: NY&C Flats: Payless Scarf: Old Navy
I love this outfit! It's simple, like most of my other outfits, but interesting with the little bit of pattern mixing. I'm not usually one to do pattern mixing (I feel like most of the time it looks like people just got dressed in the dark), but this works for me. It's not too busy, and the prints are both very neutral. I would wear this to work, school, on the weekends, etc.
Blazer: Target Jeans: NY&C Flats: Payless
This outfit has a very basic foundation, but I love the addition of my teal blazer. Teal and black look so sharp together. I would definitely wear this outfit to work. I could also add a necklace or fun scarf to give a little more variety to the outfit.
I had a great time putting these outfits together. Which one would you wear?
Blazer: Thrifted Calvin Klein Sweater: Old Navy Pants: NY&C Flats: Payless
Something you should know about me: I love babies and kids. My mom did daycare in our house when I grew up, so I have been caring for youngsters since I was really little. When I went to college, my mom stopped daycare, but started daycare with a new little guy in the fall. I finally got to meet him today, and it was awesome to get some baby snuggles! There is nothing quite as wonderful as playing with a wickedly adorable 8-month-old baby, am I right?
I wore this sweater today as my neglected item. I love the color of it and the price was right ($7!), but the neckline is quite wide and it is a little too "scoopy" in the back. I haven't gotten lots of wear out of it because of the awkward neckline, but decided to throw on my blazer to make it look and feel less uncomfortable. This outfit is super simple, but sometimes you just need something simple once in a while.
Tank: Old Navy Cardigan: Target Pants: NY&C Scarf: Gift Flats: Payless
I've had the last two days off of work, so I've taken my pictures right around 10:00 am, and I am LOVING the lighting! So much better than when I take my pictures at 7:00 am, like I normally do. I'm hoping that as the days get longer, I'll get this great lighting earlier in the day :)
Today and tomorrow, I'm helping interview candidates for next year's class of the graduate program I'm in. I am super excited to meet all the prospective candidates, and I'll get to spend lots of time with some of my grad school friends who are also helping out.
I am totally in love with these black skinny jeans from New York & Company. They are, without a doubt, my favorite article of clothing. I can't believe I went this long without owning a pair! I have to remind myself that I can't wear them every day. When I go shopping, every top I find, I ask myself, "Can I wear this with my black pants?" Plus, they're incredibly comfortable and they hold their shape well, so I can get multiple wears in before washing them. On top of that, they fit me perfectly, which is usually such a struggle. I'm thicker in the waist but have thin legs (comparatively) and not very wide hips. Usually, pants that fit in the hips and legs are way too tight in the waist, and pants that fit in the waist are baggy and frumpy in the hips and legs. These pants, however, are PERFECT. They also have a little bit of a higher rise, which I really like as well. They don't make me look like a snowman, which is much appreciated.
What's the piece of clothing that you can't stop wearing?
Sweater dress: Old Navy Belt: Walmart Tights: Target Shoes: Target
My grandma passed away almost three years ago. She was so sweet and loving and quintessential "Grandma." Twice a year, for Easter and for the beginning of the school year, she would take my brother and me out shopping for a new outfit. Whenever I would try on an Easter dress with polka dots, she would say, "Oh, you're wearing my polka dots!!" They were her absolute favorite (along with the color yellow). To this day, whenever I wear polka dots, I think of her and "her polka dots."
I'm linking up with Bri's Third Thursday Threads today. Check out all the other fabulous bloggers showing off their polka dots!
Top: Old Navy Cardigan: Target Skirt: Old Navy Tights: Target Flats: Payless Necklace: Gift from sister-in-law Belt: Came with a skirt from JCPenney
I am usually such a go-getter, but my energy is wearing thin right now. I'm incredibly busy with school and work, but I'm still trying to carve out time to be with Kevin, keep in touch with friends and family, and volunteer at the animal shelter (OH! And blog!). When life gets overwhelming, I like to just have a little time to sit, think, and debrief, and yet I'm not finding many minutes in the day to do so. I'm a big list maker, so I spent some time this morning making a long list of all the things I need to do for each section of life. It is a lot, but I like to see everything I have to do...plus, the satisfaction I feel after crossing things off my list is the best.
I took a better picture of my tights! I wore these tights in this post, but didn't get a good shot of the leopard pattern. I like how they add interest to an otherwise plain outfit. Also, apparently, I don't wear these tights with anything other than black and green. I'm going to have to branch out next time!
This skirt really is more of a springand summer skirt, as it is unlined and fairly thin.I've been drawn to black lately (but am trying hard not to limit myself to monochrome black ensembles), and I thought this skirt would be the perfect way to inject a little interest and sunshine into my otherwise plain, black outfit. I've never worn this skirt with black before - only gray and white in the past - and it's amazing how different the skirt looks with a darker, more wintery palette. How do you winterize a summer skirt?
Ruffled tee: Old Navy Blazer: Target Jeans: JCPenney Flats: Payless
Today was my first day of school for the spring semester! I wanted to plan an outfit that was professional enough for work, but comfortable for 3 hours of sitting in class. I wish I had worn long sleeves, though, because our classroom was super cold! Next Tuesday, you'll be seeing a warmer outfit from me.
