Breaking the Silence

Remember when I used to blog??

Sadly, shortly after our great trip to the Northwest last month, I was taking daily outfit photos and dropped our camera for the second time.  The lens yet again got stuck and this time, it was irreparable.  Well, not totally irreparable, but expensive enough to make it not worth it.  We’re a bit in limbo at the moment as we want to purchase an SLR, but can’t quite justify the expense and yet don’t want to plop down the $200 for the ELPH again as well. 

I do have a borrowed one at the moment….so here are some old photos from the last *gulp* near month…

September 14, 2010

white pintuck tunic—H&M
glenplaid shorts--Banana Republic, retail days
gold flats--Target
filigree earrings--Express, remixed

September 16, 2010

chambray shirt—H&M
purple satin skirt--Limited, remixed
big brown belt--Banana, remixed
brown wedges--Payless, remixed

September 21, 2010

lace top—Forever 21, remixed
gray pants--Banana Republic, retail days
black peeptoe flats--Madden Girl via DSW, remixed

September 22, 2010

blue patterned dress—BCBG, thrifted
putty cardigan--J.Crew, remixed
gold flats--Target, remixed
gray sparkle headband--J.Crew, remixed
teardrop necklace--Limited, remixed

 

September 26, 2010

black & white dress—Anthropologie, remixed
gold flats--Target, remixed
yellow beads--Limited, remixed

September 27, 2010

gray molded & melded tee—Anthropologie, remixed
black capris--NY&Co, remixed
black wedges--Madden Girl via DSW, remixed
pink earrings--10,000 Villages, remixed

September 28, 2010

paisley top—Tucker for Target
gray ruffle vest--H&M, remixed
trouser jeans--Banana Republic, remixed

September 29, 2010

pink cardigan—Banana Republic, remixed
blue lace cami--Banana Republic, remixed
jeans--Joe's Provacateur via ebay, remixed
pearls--Forever 21, remixed
brown wedges--Payless, remixed

October 3, 2010

brocade pencil skirt—Tucker for Target
white ruffle tank--Gap, remixed
navy blazer--LOFT, remixed
beige pumps--Madden Girl via DSW, remixed

October 5, 2010

blue plaid shirt—Gap, remixed
gray skirt--H&M, remixed
brown plaid wellies--Banana Republic, remixed
red snowflake socks--J.Crew, remixed
beaded belt--Anthropologie, new!
mother-of-pearl earrings--Sarasota gift shop, remixed

As you can see, I’ve done a bit of shopping lately (shhh….) .  Several of the pieces I wore in these outfits were new, including the Tucker for Target top and skirt, the chambray shirt from H&M, and this gorgeous beaded belt from Anthro.  LOVE.

Back to Belting

September 12, 2010

teal cardigan—Limited, remixed
brown sequin tank--NY&Co, remixed
white braided belt--American Eagle, remixed
polka dot skirt--H&M, new!
black peep-toe flats--Madden Girl via DSW, remixed
pink earrings--free from a goodie bag

T- four days until the camera and I are reunited in the Great Northwest!

This outfit was so cute and these pictures are so bad—boo!  This skirt was a recent pick-up at H&M for less than $30 and it’s a nice, comfy elastic waist with a pretty flared shape.  LOVE.

September 13, 2010

striped shark-bite tank—Express, remixed
ruffled miniskirt--Express, remixed
long gray cardigan--NY&Co, remixed
locket--American Eagle, remixed
black wedges--Madden Girl via DSW

These shoes were also a recent purchase (I guess I got bored while the husband was away?) at DSW and I. Love. Them.  I had been lusting after a pair of Steven Madden buckled wedges that were just a bit pricier than I would have liked and so I never bit the bullet and bought them.  Then I found these and decided they fit the bill for a chunky, harder-edged black wedge that would transition from summer to fall perfectly.  My husband says they’re “hideous” but I can walk in them blister-free and like the departure from my usual footwear choice.

NK5K

   This morning I ran my first race since the half-marathon at the end of June: a 5K down by the beach!  It was a lot of fun and based at a high school so it was great to see all of the high school kids out supporting the race and volunteering.  As it was a family-friendly event, we brought Guthrie to enjoy the scene. :)

Jeans Weather

September 10, 2010

white ruffle tank—Gap (new!)
green cardigan--Express, remixed
jeans--Joe's Provacateur via ebay, remixed
gold sandals--Madden Girl via ebay, remixed

Yay for jeans weather!  I feel like I haven’t worn denim all summer since it’s been so hot here.  It felt amazing to pull on a pair of soft jeans, a cute top, cardigan and sandals—so simple and classic!

I got this top at the Gap last week when I finally went to use my Groupon there.  I love it!  I originally went in wanting this skirt, but as much as I loved it, it did not love my body.  No matter!  I love the simplicity of a crisp white top and the ruffles are so pretty! 

On a more somber note, many prayers and thoughts for those who lost someone in the attacks nine years ago today.  My husband was actually in NYC at the time (I, on the other hand, was studying abroad in France that semester in college)  and I’m always newly grateful that he’s with us today despite the sad fact of his friends that lost their lives that day.  My prayer is actually for a continued striving towards peace and justice in the world that works to educate and prevent the rhetoric that leads to terrorism in the first place.   The world is slowly becoming a better place thanks to people like Greg Mortenson and others who work for peace, justice, and education in Central Asia and beyond!

Looks Like Fall

September 9, 2010

Popham Beach Top—Anthropologie, sale
brown tweed pencil skirt--Banana Republic, remixed
blue belt--Old Navy, remixed
gladiator platforms--Simply Vera, remixed

There’s good news and there’s less good news.

The good news is that the husband is home safe and sound after a wonderful wedding weekend and time with his parents and the other not-necessarily-55-and-over crowd in their Florida community.

The bad news is that SOMEONE left the camera in said community.

That means that you and I are stuck with Blackberry and IPhone photos for the next week until we venture to Seattle for his brother’s wedding and see his parents again.  How lucky am I that these are my problems?

On the other hand, I actually have some new fun stuff to wear so it’s too bad that the photos will be sub-par.  Like this top: I absolutely adore the detail and when I tried it on at Anthro a while back, I loved the orange color and pretty ruffles, but was not interested in paying full price for it.  Lo and behold, it quickly went on sale and I snatched it up, immediately thinking about wearing it with this belt and skirt.   I’m also excited to wear it with jeans now that the weather has cooled down.

I just felt great in this outfit all day and the colors are fall incarnate!

Holy Knees, Batman

September 8, 2010

green tube top—Hollister, old
pink cropped cardigan--Express, remixed
distressed boyfriend khakis--American Eagle, remixed
strappy brown wedges--Banana, remixed
"approaching dusk necklace"--Anthropologie, sale

Happy Hump Day, everybody!

After looking at these pictures this morning, I actually wore the cardigan unbuttoned all day, but was constantly tugging on the top to keep it up.  Not comfy.  And I suppose that holes in the knees are less than appropriate for work, but I was feeling the pegged-pants-with-loose-top-and-pretty-necklace look. 

I love this new necklace (also part of my gifts-to-self from the Anthro sale section last month)!  It’s actually long and has the clusters of beads hanging down either side, but I decided to double loop it to fill the space left by the strapless top.   So pretty and delicate and I think it will be versatile with the two different lengths!

I’ve got a hot date tonight with the a/c on full blast, a heating pad on my belly, and some nutella on whatever I can find in the pantry. :)  Have a great one!

Bye Bye Summer

September 7, 2010

white flower top—Francesca’s, remixed
pin-striped blazer--Limited, remixed
black walking shorts--Limited, remixed
green metallic headband--J.Crew, remixed
earrings--Target, remixed
red-striped wedges--TOMS, remixed

Well, summer may officially be over, but it’s still in the mid-eighties up here and I’m still wearing shorts and my TOMS! 

As much as I’m sure you enjoy viewing my bath towel on the closet door, I need to start paying attention to my backgrounds in indoor photos.  Sorry about that!

I need to confess something: don’t get too excited; it’s not very juicy.  My body has undergone some crazy changes since I turned 29 (or more slowly without my noticing) and many of the items in my closet suddenly don’t fit properly or at all.  I’d been getting incredibly frustrated planning to wear certain things only to find out that they didn’t fit the next morning when I put them on and I was sick of the frustration as well as about feeling unhappy about my body.  So, this weekend, I took control.  I mercilessly tore through my closet and pulled out anything that I either wasn’t wearing lately or that I knew didn’t fit right now and put them in two giant bins.  There’s no pressure to give them away or sell them right now, but my closet currently consists only of items I can and want to wear and I’m liberated from the pressure of too many choices (that aren’t so in actuality).

These shorts are an item that was super baggy for so long and that now fit well so I’ve been wearing them a lot the last week.  Plus, they might only have a couple of weeks left so I want to get all of the wear out of them I can!

Thanks for listening to my rant and nonsense chatter and visiting my Gospel of Style, as always!  :)

Mardi Gras Comes Early

September 5, 2010

Dress—Cache, birthday gift from the Momster
beige pumps--Madden Girl via DSW, remixed
bronze earrings--Target, remixed

So, as you can see I’m still camera-less.  Additionally, I thought I would present you with the chaos that has been the apartment in the husband’s absence.  Guess we know who does all the housework around here.

Isn’t this dress gorgeous??  My mommy picked it out and sent it to me for my birthday last month and I love it.  I think it fits my new-found curves perfectly and the pattern isn’t something I would have gone for on my own, but I LOVED it once I tried it on.  Go Mom!

A Wee Bit Fuzzy

September 2, 2010

blue shift dress—BR Outlet, remixed
orange scarf--Target, remixed
beaded wedges--Target, remixed
earrings--American Eagle, remixed

My husband needed the camera while visiting family this weekend, so I resorted to Blackberry-mirror photos and the result is less than stellar.  I’m not sure if the awful quality on these if the Blackberry itself, the reflection, the lighting…all of the above??  Bleh.

Bear with my for the next few days as I try to improvise!

If at First You Don’t Succeed…

September 1, 2010

Salty Seas Dress—Anthropologie via Ebay
black patent wedges--Banana, remixed
black hoop earrings--WHBM, remixed

Guys, this DRESS!! 

I lusted and pined over this dress when it first came out and I saw it on a Boston trip to Anthro sometime last spring.  Living in New England, how could I possibly not have a LOBSTER dress?!?!  Seriously.  It wasn’t an option to not buy it.

But I didn’t.  The $130-some odd price tag gave me pause and I just couldn’t do it.  So I waited.  And it went on sale!  Hallelujah!  Alas, I hesitated yet again and my size quickly vanished.

But then, dear friends, just a couple of weeks ago I thought about this dress again (I know) and went hunting on ebay.  Low and behold, I found it—in my size—for less than the sale price and new with tags.  Happily, we’ve been inseparable ever since. :)

Heat Wave

August 31, 2010

blue crochet tank—Anthropologie, sale
white bermuda shorts--American Eagle, remixed
red striped wedges--TOMS, remixed
earrings--Frog & Toad, remixed

This pretty tank was one of my birthday gifts to myself, from the sale section of Anthropologie.  I meant to take a detail pic so you could see there are tiny clusters of beads on the flower print.  I love it and think it will work under jackets and things for the fall as well!

I also forgot to put up a picture from Sunday so you could see that I did, in fact, wear a skirt-suit.  Oh yes.

Pretty hilarious, if you ask me.

Tale of the Long-Lost Skirt

August 30, 2010

white ruffle racerback tank—Old Navy, remixed
red patterned skirt--Banana Republic, retail days
blue belt--Old Navy, remixed
silver t-straps--J.Crew, remixed
triple-strand headband--Anthro, remixed

Hey everybody!*

How was your weekend?  Lovely, I hope.  I headed back into the lion’s mouth of campus ministry with the arrival of the new first-year students and their parents over the weekend.  It was a lot of fun meeting everyone and seeing returning students again—this is certainly one of the most exciting and energizing times of the whole year.

This skirt has been in my dry-cleaning pile since….oh, last summer.  It’s too bad because I love it and forgot how pretty it is and how it moves!

Heat wave up here in New England—90 degrees and up every day this week until we get the hurricane effect this weekend.  Eep.   Naturally, we’re going on retreat with our student leaders this weekend, so we’ll see how that goes. 

I have to tell you, I loved this outfit today!  It just worked for whatever reason and even fit the temperature and humidity and the fact that I had to haul several boxes of extra newsletters up to my office.  Hooray for function and fashion that made me feel great all day!

*said in my best Dr. Nick voice, cf. The Simpsons

Sequins and Utility

August 25, 2010

silver sequin henley—J.Crew, 2008?
black tank--Banana, old & remixed
denim leggings--Gap, remixed
wellies--Banana, old & remixed
green sailcloth trench--LOFT, remixed

Yesterday was Day 3 of rain and cooler temps but it was nice to pull on jeans and boots for the first time in….forever, practically!  I’ve had this top in my closet for a while, but it’s sort of a weird fit in that it’s so loose it always looks sloppy, but with the fall trend of sequins for the day, I pulled it on out again.  I think in theory it probably goes with pretty much anything, so I’ll have to try and work it into rotation.  I think this is the trend I am the most excited about for fall: I’m not super into cargo pants or the menswear look, but I love lace and sequins and all things girly, so I’m just excited for a chance to wear them during the day.  I do like the utilitarian trench juxtaposed with the sequins, though!

Semi-Professional

August 24, 2010

black & green sweater—LOFT, remixed
silver pants--Limited, remixed
patent mary janes--J.Crew, remixed

It was raining again today and so we’re still stuck with indoor photos.  For whatever reason, I wasn’t happy with any of the ones I took this afternoon, so here’s the best of the worst.  :)

With the rain, I wasn’t up for my rubber flats again or my wellies, so I went with patent pumps, which are basically waterproof anyway.  I put on pants that aren’t capris or shorts for the first time in….months?!  It was so strange, but I felt very professional all day with my pants and collar & cuffs.  Plus, these shoes are comfortable enough for walking from my car, taking the dog out, and running errands.  All that and a pop of pink patent peep-toe (say that three times fast!)?  Yes, please.