Plaid, Check, Polka Dot, Stripe

Which is the pattern that you like?  This is a ditty played between cartoons on Disney mornings which my kids love, and my daughter utililzes whenever she helps me decide what to wear.  She helped with both of these outfits.  While polka dots usually win out with Stinkerbell, these two days, she picked plaid and stripes.  I had to agree with her :-)



Tunic - BDGB (thrifted);                Dress - Old Navy (thrifted);
Bangles (thrifted)                                  Cardi - Target;
Boots - Charlotte Russe - (thrifted)          Shoes - Madden (thrifted);
Necklace, Earrings and Ring - Steinmart    Necklaces - Express and Premiere
Belt - NY & Co                                                        



Inspiration

 Earrings and Necklace - Steinmart; Shirt - Ann Taylor (thrifted); Skirt - Old Navy (thrifted); Shoes - Madden (thrifted); Belt - NY & Co (thrifted); Bandles - Macy's; Necklace and Earrings - Steinmart

This is probably one of my favorite outfits in quite a long time.  I love these colors together.  And, oddly enough, I got my inspiration from these earrings. 

I've had these earrings for year but never really thought about them much or looked at them too closeley.  They are hematite chandelier with jewel tone accents (sorry, hard to see in the picture), and as I was putting away another pair of earrings the night before this picture was taken, I noticed that I really liked how the mauve and teal looked together.  Voila, outfit inspiration.

Sexy, Sassy Secretary

Shirt - Thrifted; Skirt - JC Penny; Vest - Thrifted; Shoes - Madden (Thrifted); Earrings - Steinmart; Bracelets - Premiere

This is what happens when Husby trys to play Austin Powers with the camera. Loved this retro shirt - Found it at St. Vincent DePaul for I think $2.00. It really is from the 60's, Polyester and all. The sleeves would most likely fit Sophie, however, so I just pretended that they are 3/4 length cause I loved the rest of the shirt so much. And I can't believe I never paired this vest with this skirt before. I felt like perfect Mad Men secretary. Minus the voluptuous boobies.

St. Patrick's Day in May??

Shirt and Skirt - Steinmart; Belt - JC Penny; Shoes - Madden (thrifted); Cardi - TJ Maxx; Necklaces - Premiere; Ring - Steinmart

Looking at this outfit makes me realize that I am super behind in my blogging (as I wore this outfit on St. Patty's Day) but that I also look really good in green. There was something so glamorous and Madmen-eske about this outfit. I also have this tank in blue...I think I'll be trying out a variation of it shortly.

Rating - Two Thumbs Up

Dirty Martini, Extra Olive

Cardi and Tank - Gap; Skirt - JC Penny; Shoes - Madden (thrifted); Belt - Thrifted; Bracelet - Steinmart; Earrings - Chico's; Necklace - Premiere

I found this tank and cardi on the clearance rack at the Gap when I took my bestie there for her birthday. I love the dark green background and the earth-toned floral print of the tank, and I've been wanting a sweater this color FOREVER, so it was like I struck gold.

The second gold was the olive green heels. I love all things olive, since my eyes are that color, but it's been surprisingly hard to find. Military green - Easy. Lime - all over the place. But a good olive has been elusive. These pumps were sitting, ever so elegantly, on a shelf in my fave thrift store for $10, almost like they were waiting for me. I won't say that they are super comfy, but they have made it through a few full days at the office without me resorting to my emergency flats, so they rate pretty high on the comfort scale.

This outfit was a winner all around. I felt feminine, fashionable, and in my autumn element.

Rating - Two Thumbs Up

Striking

Shirt - Liz Claiborne (thrifted); Scarf used as belt- thrifted; Skirt- JC Penny;

Necklace and Bangles - Steinmart; Shoes - Madden (thrifted)

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My boss sprung on me the desire for me to attend a community meeting as the face of my company and our client at about 3:00 at work. What I loved most about this outfit was that I felt no need to change between work and the meeting. I felt confident, classy, and just the right amount of sexy. I shone at the event, being one of the more outgoing 'working' the event and ended up making positive contact with many of the concerned members of the community. I guess the bartender in me will always make me approachable. I was told by a random stranger that I was striking. This is my new power suit. And with all of the clearance and thrifted items that it incorporates, I was clothed head to toe for under $30. YAY!!

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Rating - Two Thumbs Up.

Boudoir Chic

Skirt and belt - JC Penny; Lace Top - TJ Maxx; Shirt - Style & Co (Macy's);

Tights - Old Navy; Necklace and Ring - Steinmart; Earrings - Premiere; Shoes - Madden (thrifted)

When I got dressed this morning, I was a bit apprehensive that this outfit may be a bit to sexy for work. But, seeing as all of my naughty parts were sufficiently covered and I was in love with the outfit, I threw caution to the wind. And I'm so glad I did. I felt a bit more than the appropriate amount of sexy at work (which made me even more productive) and got tons of compliments on the outfit. Plus, this necklace, one of my favorite statement pieces, making an appearance always makes for a great day. AND, the proportions were just right, making me look long and lean(er).

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Rating - Two Emphatic Thumbs Up

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This outfit also got me thinking about my newly developed clothing worth theory (which is helping me curb my spending). Before I buy something, I always try it on and then try to put a monetary value on how much I like it. I liked this shirt $10 worth. THEN I look at the price tag. This shirt was $11. But its originality, both for my closet and in general, gave it an extra worth buck and I bought it. But how do I come up with this worth?

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Easy. I divide the amount I paid for the item by the amount of times I expect myself to wear it. If I can think of enough outfits off the bat to bring it's worth down to $2-$3 per wearing, I'll go ahead and purchase. Then, once it is in my closet, I try to wear it enough to bring that value down to $1. If I wear this $11.00 shirt 11 times, then I've suceeded in my challenge and adequatley valued it's worth at purchase. Currently, it's at $5.50. I've more than succeeded for the skirt, earrings, belt, necklace and shoes :-)

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I know, it borders on the ridiculous, but I am an engineer after all. Math is a part of nearly every thought I have.

Great Barrier Reef

Cardi, Dress and Tank - Old Navy; Tights - JC Penny; Belt - NY & Co;

Shoes - Madden (thrifted); Bracelet and Necklace - Premeire

When I bought these shoes, I thought that they were red. But upon closer inspection at home, they are a faded red-y, pink-y, orange-y kind of mix, which almost match perfectly to this coral sweater fom Old Navy. I loved this outfit, especially the uber feminine ruffles of the dress, and got tons of compliments. A closeup of the dress. I am still looking for the perfect red pump to replace the ones that my post baby feet won't fit into.

I actually fell in love with the dress last summer, but it was priced at nearly $40, way too much for me to spend on a sun dress. Imagine my amazement and surprise when I was looking for tights at ON and came across this on a clearance rack, in my size for $3.49. Sorry, Husby, but I had to splurge on myself. Maybe good things do come to those who wait :-)

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Husby, however, did not like this outfit nearly as much as I did. He said it was 'OK'. When I asked what was wrong, he said he didn't like the colors. That's okay with me. If he had said, 'You look really fat in it' or 'That belt doesn't give you a nice curve', or 'The shoes make your ankles look think', then I'd have probably changed. My color choices....as long as I'm happy with them, that's all that matters to me.
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Rating - One Thumb Up, One Thumb Sideways

Stylish Librarian

Shirt - Thrifted; Vest - August Silk (Macy's - FREE); Skirt - Chico's (FREE from MOM);

Shoes - Madden (Thrifted); Belt - NY & Co; Necklace - Target

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Husby wasn't fond of this outfit. He said, the skirt and vest matched, but the shirt just looked weird. The shirt was my favorite part. Husby and I don't always agree.

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The OHW in this outfit is the shirt. I got it quite a while ago, and wore it with a brown cardi, but wasn't really sure what else I could pair it with, since it's a bit snug around the belly. I'm really happy with how this turned out. And the sweater tank being worn as a vest has given me ideas of other things I can do with this one. This is the first time wearing the Chico's skirt. It's kind of an odd sweater material, but the color is a great oatmeal neutral. I'm going to try to wear this as much as I can before the weather gets so warm that it starts to bother my thighs.

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I've also been trying to experiment more with my hair. I started growing my hair out in the first place because I was tired of looking the same every day. But now that I have long hair, I fix it the same way nearly every day. A lady in the bathroom at work told me I looked like a stylish librarian. I can handle that.

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Rating - One Thumb Up, One Thumb Sideways

Glittery Diva

Sequined T - Macys (FREE); Pants - Style & Co (via Macy's - FREE); Cardi - Style & Co;

Bracelet and Necklace - Premeire; Ring - Steinmart; Shoes - Steve Madden (thrifted)

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I felt like this outfit looked much better in the mirror than it did in the photos. But that's part of what the photos are for. If I could go back and rework, I'd button the sweater and put the belt over the top to give me a bit more shape. I'd hem the pants or cuff them to make them ankle length, cause here they just look too short. And finally, I'd add some brighter shoes or accessories to brighten it up. A little too bland and dark. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. The only OHW in this outfit is the bracelet, and I consider that cheating. I was just too excited to wear my new FREE items that I had to put them together.
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Rating - One Thumb Up (Husby - really liked the sparkly shirt), One Thumb Down (me)

Ruffles have Ridges

Shirt - Steinmart; Skirt and Belt - JC Penny;

Shoes - Madden (thrifed); Pin - Amazon

Oh, how I love my ruffly sweaters. This is one of those items that I forgot I owned. It was like Christmas when I opened my winter storage tote and found this baby. The pin was an antique 20's style piece that I added to a christmas present for Husby to get the free super saver shipping at Amazon. For a dollar less, I got a pin and a movie than the cost of the movie and its shipping. I love these hidden deals!

Can I Quote You on That?

Jacket - Old Navy (thrifted); Shirt - Steinmart; Skirt - JC Penny;

Shoes - Madden (thrifted); Bracelet and Necklace - Premiere;

Belt - Steinmart

Husby said that I looked like a reporter...so I gave him a reporter :-)

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Husby thought this outfit was okay. I thought it was faboo. I felt great in this outfit all day, and got quite a few compliments. The shoes, however, only made it to lunch, since the bathroom is on the other side of the building and they hurt.
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Rating - One thumb sideways, One thumb up

Plum Love

Cardi - Max Edition (Steinmart); Shirt - Steinmart; Skirt - JC Penny;

Belt - TJ Maxx; Shoes - Madden (TJ Maxx);

Necklace and Bangle - Premiere; Earrings - Chicos

Ah the shoes are once again the story. These are, by far, my prettiest shoes. I love the ruffle. I love the plummy color. And I kinda love the fact that they can't decide whether they are a pump or a bootie or a peep toe. They are all in one. And surprisingly comfy, to boot.
Now, the cardi. Every other time that I have worn this shirt, I have paired it with purples and plums, since that is what you see from afar. Today I decided to be a bit different and pull out the forest green that is hidden in the paisley print. You have to look pretty close, but it's there.

I'm pretty happy with how this outfit turned out. I was freezing, though, since I was a bit under the weather on the inside and the weather had taken a bitter twist on the outside. Lucky for me, the green tights I ordered from We Love Colors arrived at lunch, so I put them on. They tied things together even more. YAY!!

Penny for Your Thoughts

Cardi - Kohl's; Shirt, Skirt and Belt - JC Penny; Shoes - Madden (thrifted); Earrings - Steinmart; Necklace - Premiere

I'm in love with JC Penny. At least the bottom half of me is. Being a nearly plus sized woman, I struggle. And like with men, you can't find EVERYTHING in one store (although I came pretty close with Husby). For tops, my favorite shopping is Macy's Style & C0. line. It's almost like their clothes are specifically made for a woman with real curves and a smallish busom. For skirts, it's definitely JC Penny. The Worthington line is ideal for an apple shaped woman with long legs who is looking for the illusion of slim ensconced in class. Sometimes I miss the days when I was skinny and could shop in any store and find things that worked, but I love my style now more than I ever did then, so I think I love my compartmentalized shopping, too.
And I wanted to get a close up of these shoes. I've been looking for a while for a comfy, but stylish brown pump, and was so excited when I found these babies at Plato's Closet for $8. They have a slight platform and a snakeskin print with a sheen to them that makes them really unique. AND they are SUPER COMFY!!

Do It Yourself

Shirt - Style & Co (Macy's); Pants and Belt - TJ Maxx;

Shoes - Steve Madden (thrifted)

Necklace, Earrings and Bracelets - ME; Ring - Premiere

Lots of details I wanted to show off today. I made this Necklace, earrings and bracelet combo last Saturday evening while Husby made me watch Milla Jovovich movies. I found the large balls, which are actually antiqued gold, copper, silver and black colored wire wrapped around and around to look like balls of yarn, at Michael's one day and, although I wasn't sure what I'd do with them, I had to take them home.

I love the color tones and the uniqueness of the pieces. And, I was complemented on how awesome my jewelry was by total strangers. That makes you feel good.

These shoes are everywhere now. I bought them about 6 months ago at Plato's Closet cause I thought they were super cool, and now they are showing up in magazines and all over TV. Glad I had the foresight to not let these babies pass me by. Also glad that there's someone in the area that has size 9.5-10 feet, great taste in shoes, and likes to recycle at Plato's Closet!

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I felt awesome this day. the outfit's shape really made me look long and lean and I felt like a million bucks. My hair, however, looks like a giant fuzzball. Note to self - keep the au naturale hair for more casually attired days.

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Second note to self...these shoes have very high heels. Do not wear again on a day that you have to stop and get groceries on the way home. You will hate your feet.

Eggplant Parmesan

Shirt - Cha Cha Venti (Steinmart); Pants - Style & Co (Macy's); Shoes - Madden Girl (thrifted);

Necklace - Premiere; Earrings - Chico's

I can't even begin to tell you how sexy, yet classy I felt today. It's amazing what the hint of one shoulder can do. I love this blouse becuase it's made of a light gauzy material with a huge cowl neck and under-tank which allow it to be worn three ways: traditional cowl hanging in the front, one shoulder sleek and sexy, and off of both shoulders. Since I was heading to work, I opted to bear the shoulder sans tatoo. Engineers, especially older ones, tend to scoff at body art. I loved the shirt so much that I bought it in eggplant and olive, so look for more neck possiblities in the future. Also, the skirt is kinda bloused here to hide the lines of the waistband of these pants, but could be left much longer with leggings and some knee high boots. Ooh, I'm getting excited! But that may have to wait a bit since the previously forecasted week of low 70's has been amended to a week of high 80's. Tank weather will be here a little longer.

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I putzed around more than usual between shower and dressing since my 10 month old woke up and I wanted to snuggle a bit. When I went in to brush my hair, I realized that my unbrushed coiff was mostly dry and wavy all over. I may have to do this non-brushing thing more often, cause it took two minutes to get ready and I got sooooo many compliments on my hair today.