EBEW: Black and White!

Well, if this month's EBEW challenge wasn't right up my style alley, I don't know what is. When I looked in my closet to plan today's outfit, I counted no less than EIGHT!!! black and white dresses staring back at me.

That is a lot of black and white, friends, and when you consider the fact that this doesn't even come close to taking into account the various blouses, sweaters, and skirts I own that also belong in the black and white family...

...well, let's just say that this is why I can't be trusted to shop these days.

Guess it's a good thing I'm taking the year off, then, huh?

 Dress: White House Black Market

Boots: DSW

Bracelets: Mango Tree/Lands End Canvas

Necklace: Banana Republic (outlet)

Busy Days

October hasn't even started, yet, and I'm already exhausted by it. Part of it is work-related and out of my control. But the other part of it is completely my fault because October means fall, and fall means a nonstop schedule of weekend activities and the start of the holiday season.

(Why yes, I do consider Brigid's birthday the official start of the holiday season...I like to decorate and throw parties and any excuse is a good excuse in my book...).

So, anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that when you start to notice the bags under my eyes, or the fact that I haven't had time for a haircut since the beginning of August, or if I seem to forget I've been wearing the same shirt for a week, a gentle reminder would be much appreciated, ok?

Thanks.

And now...it's Inspiration Monday over at Two Birds!

The inspiration (which made me think nothing but thoughts of I have GOT to get my hands on a sparkly jacket!):

And the outfit (which is seriously lacking in sparkle, obviously...):

Tank: WHBM

Jacket: Kenneth Cole (outlet)

Jeans: MICHAEL Michael Kors

Shoes: Nine West

All Clear

Just a quick post today, to share my Two Birds Inspiration Monday inspired outfit, before Brigid and I head outside to run around the yard in celebration of her clean bill of health from the cardiologist.

(Well, as clean of a bill as you can get when the diagnosis is that there's still a hole, but it isn't causing any problems, which is about all we were looking for today...)

So, the inspiration:

And the outfit:

Happy Monday!

Blouse: White House Black Market

Cardigan: Express

Shorts: Ann Taylor (outlet)

Shoes: Kenneth Cole (outlet) 

Repeat...maybe?

There's a really, really good chance that I've worn this exact same outfit, this exact same way, at some other point in my blog history, but I was too busy watching The Bachelorette (and wanting to throw things at my t.v. because bachelorette Ashley needs a swift kick in the rear and a serious shot of self confidence...) to check my archives. So if you've seen this before? Let's just forget that ever happened.

Thanks!

And I hope your Monday night was much more productive than mine was...

 

Dress: White House Black Market

Shoes: Jessica Simpson (from DSW)

Bracelet: Banana Republic Outlet

Earrings: don't remember

Maroon is the new black...

I've been wanting to change things up on the tights front for a while, since black is getting beyond boring. And even though spring is in the air, Atlanta still has one or two 50-60 degree days up her sleeve, so leg covering is a must.

And I don't really do dress pants. So tights it is!

Unfortunately, I'm not really sure how to pull off brightly colored tights. I mean, what is appropriate for an office environment? And what is appropriate for a 31 year-old mother?

After much debate, I ended up with maroon, olive green, and rust colored tights. I'm still on the fence about whether I can pull of the rust and green tights, because they might be a little bright for me, but the maroon ones? A little bit of color, but understated enough to still be office appropriate. They were perfect.

I. Am. In. Love!!

Dress: WHBM

Sweater: Banana Republic

Tights: We Love Colors

Boots: DSW

May Flowers...in March!

The one good thing about instituting two shopping bans in back-to-back months? Getting the chance to blow your monthly budget in one fantastic weekend.

In addition to the dress I wore yesterday, I added another dress, a tunic, three pairs of tights, a couple of tops, and several pieces of jewelry (all on sale, of course!)

Included in my little shopping spree? This little day brightener...

I will MAKE spring show up early this year, I swear. 48 degrees and raining?

Not in my mind.

Dress: White House Black Market

Shoes: Nine West

Necklace: Old Navy

Bracelets: James Avery/Alex and Ani

Who loves sparkly things?

I most definitely do!

I've had this skirt for several years now, and I've always considered it more of a warm weather skirt than a cold weather skirt, for reasons beyond my current understanding.  I think it may have had something to do with the color, or the material, or the silver threading...I honestly have absolutely no idea. 

Because now?  It seems like a fantastic winter weather skirt to me!

(Although, I do think I'll try it with a darker colored top the next time it comes up in the rotation...)

Outfit 9 of 30

T-Shirt: Gap

 Cardigan: New York & Co

Skirt: Club Monaco

Scarf: White House Black Market

Ring: Charlotte Russe

Shoes: Nine West

30x30: And so it begins...

Start slow, build momentum...that's my motto!

Well, it's my motto for today, in any case, as I started the remix challenge with a less than spectacular mix of sweater and skirt, but I tend to take the easy way out early on, and save the 'challenge' part for later in the game.

So, my only challenge today? Wearing large, hoop-like earrings (as opposed to longer, dangly earrings, as is my general habit), and not getting my fingers caught in them every time I pushed my hair off of my face.  I did not succeed.  At all.

Outfit 1 of 30

Sweater: Banana Republic Outlet

Skirt: The Limited

Shoes: Nine West

Scarf: WHBM

Earrings: Gift from my sister, from Pier One, of all places!

Wardrobe Malfunction

I hadn't worn this dress in awhile, so I thought I'd pull it out for today's outfit.

 

Then, when I got to work, I remembered why it had been so long since I'd worn this dress.  You see that v-neck in the front?  Yeah, there's one in the back, too.  And it shows juuuust a bit too much skin for my liking, at least in the office, anyway.  So, I really haven't worn this dress since I got my hair cut a couple of months ago.  And I probably won't wear it again until my hair grows out enough to cover the back.  Ah well...live and learn, I guess.

 Dress: White House Black Market

Shoes: Nine West

Bracelets: H&M

Earrings: Charlotte Russe

Wake me in the spring?

I've been in a rut this week, and I have no idea why. The days seem to be twice as long as normal, and I'm either not going to bed early enough (most likely, since I used to go to bed at 10pm, and it's been inching closer and closer to 11pm lately...and I am a delicate flower who needs her beauty rest to function), or I'm just not sleeping soundly enough (also a distinct possibility because I unfortunately sleep with dogs that wake me up several times a night, trying to get more comfortable and steal my pillows) to feel refreshed in the morning.

When the alarm goes off at 5am? There is a lot of snoozing. Which leads to a perpetually late lifestyle and a slightly unhappy husband, since he doesn't have to get up until around 7, but I make him try to sleep through 45 minutes of my alarm two hours before his own alarm rings.

I think I'm just going to blame it on the weather because it's been too cold, too cloudy, and as of yesterday, too rainy to spend any significant amount of time outside, and being cooped up always makes me feel like this.

So anyway...what do you do to break yourself out of a rut? You wear red shoes, of course!

Or, you just wear them because, rut or no rut, you know a boring outfit when you see one, so you find something to spice it up at least a little bit.

*Ahem*

Sweater: Gap

Pants: Express

Scarf: White House Black Market

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

Let's give this daily outfit thing a try, shall we?

At some point, I will learn how to use the self-timer on my camera, and I will take absolutely adorable pictures like Kimmie over at Blue Paper Lanterns.  But, until then, I will be taking pictures of myself, in a mirror, with my iPhone.  And only when I feel like it.  Because I am lazy.

T-shirt: J Crew

Sweater: New York & Co.

Scarf: White House Black Market

Skirt: The Limited

Tights: J Crew

Shoes: Nine West

I thought, hey, there's a line of sparkles running down the middle of these tights!  That will be a nice way to change up a pair of plain black tights.  Do you know how hard it is to keep your tights from twisting up, so that the line of sparkle doesn't turn into a loop?  I most definitely didn't.  But I do now...