Snow Day Cardigan

What I'm wearing:
Forever 21 Snow Day Hooded Cardigan
Old Navy Tank
J.Crew (outlet) Knit Skirt in Ochre (similar here)
Black H&M Tights
anthropologie Cherry Picked Boots (similar here)

I am so over winter. I can't wait to wear dresses without tights, lightweight trenches, wedge sandals and so much more. But until spring comes, this cozy hooded cardigan from Forever 21 will keep me toasty, and it makes me smile to know that it only cost $9 on sale! (Cute bargains warm my heart.)

The navy and white sweater needed some pops of color, so I decided to go with an ochre skirt and cherry red boots, which definitely perk up the darker shade. This cardigan is also perfect for just lounging around the apartment, watching the Winter Olympics (figure skating is my fave!), paired with leggings and slippers.

Winter Lace

What I'm wearing:
Forever 21 Vintage Tribute Woven Top (similar here)
Old Navy Tank
anthropologie Fulmar Sweater Skirt
H&M Tights
Frye Dorado Slouch Boots (similar here)

I love that this lace top has a lovely romantic quality to it, the pale lace, the flowy sleeves, the floral design within the lace. I picked up this top from Forever 21 when I was still in Atlanta, but I had no idea what to pair it with. I do enjoy the juxtaposition of the lace with the sweater skirt, which is adorned with birds. 

I have a few items on their way to me, but besides that I am really trying to cut down on my shopping. It's always fun to have new stuff but I know without a doubt that I just have too many material possessions. I am pleased that today I paired a new top with a skirt from 2008 and boots from 2007. I have tried unsuccesfully before but am now avowing on the platform that is my blog that I will make a strong effort to try and stop buying items that I don't need, and only purchase items that will enhance what I already have in my closet. It sounds more real if I post it here than just telling it to myself in my head. =)

A Walk in the Park

What I'm wearing:
anthropologie Rosemary Dress
Uniqlo Herringbone Tights (similar here)
Steve Madde Intyce Boots in Cognac
Orange Martin + Osa Mercerized Wool Scarf (similar here)
Burberrry Wool Coat
New York & Co. Bow Tote (similar here)

Had another fun day with the sister yesterday, so sad that she had to go home! It was a great long weekend though, filled with good eats, museum going, and fun shopping. Yesterday we walked through Central Park, the weather was lovely and there was still lots of snow covering the ground. I braved the cold and decided to take my wool coat off to take an outfit photo. It was really cold!!! I remembered why I stopped snapping pics outside. I wish I wore a nicer pair of boots, but these beat up Steve Maddens are so comfortable, perfect for lots of walking around like we did yesterday. And I don't mind stepping into slushy puddles with them on!

OPI Barefoot in Barcelona

Fun jumping shot from the park!

Don't Stop Believin'

What I'm wearing:
Old Navy T-neck Dress
Generra Silk Drape Vest from anthropologie
H&M Tights
Colonial Madness by LD Tuttle Strapped Heel Boot (here in Grey, but cheaper in store than online)
Marc by Marc Jacobs Huge Hillier bag in Black

I don't know why I even attempt to take photos outside, it's so windy! I snapped these and just decided to give up and go indoors. I've been eyeing this vest for a while in my closet, but had a hard time figuring out how to wear it. I figured simple is best and went with this lightweight sweater dress from Old Navy.

Aren't these ankle boots just marvelous? Urban Outfitters was having a great shoe sale (my sister and I dropped in on the way to Shake Shack this past weekend) and she snagged these and another great pair of shoes on sale! (And I'm wearing them today....)

Does anyone watch Nip/Tuck? I used to keep up with it but stopped after Season 4. I'm on Season 5 now and zomg what is going on? I think it is just a little too ridiculous right now....

Wake Up in the Morning Feelin' Like P.Diddy

Ok, Kesha's "Tik Tok" has been running circles through my head all morning!  And I couldn't think of a better title for this post. =P

What I'm wearing:
Sweaterdress from Korea (?)
Vintage Kissing Mice belt
anthropologie Calligrapher's Tights
Frye Lisa T-Straps

This dress is another fab find from my sister's closet. It is super cozy and warm. Pairing it with the sweater tights was a no brainer, I'm sick of being cold! I thought the color of the dress could use some brightening up, especially with the black belt and shoes, and think these tights go with it nicely.

I caught the sunrise this morning and snapped this quick photo. The colors were so beautiful!

Some of you may have already spotted it on my sidebar, but I started a blog for the items that I am selling. I figured I'd offer to my blog readers first, then put them up on eBay. It's called SHOP Love at First Shop and you can click here to go check it out!

Love Me, Love Me, Say That You Love Me...

What I'm wearing:
Urban Outfitters Silence & Noise ribbed open cardigan
J.Crew Victoria Ruffle Tissue Cami in Spicy Olive
Forever 21 Elastic Braided Belt in Purple
anthropologie Crimson Bubbles Skirt
Givenchy Nude Fishnet tights
Steve Madden black suede Mary Jane wedges

This skirt is *divine*!!!!!! I love the shape, the pockets, the bright color, and the metallic dots! This is such a unique piece and I don't normally gravitate towards red but this skirt totally sucked me in. I tried to dress it down a bit, this would have been great during the holidays (it would be cute for Valentine's Day as well!) but I really wanted to make it work for everyday wear. My first instinct was to pair this with my navy blazer, but I decided to go with the less expected spicy olive and grey combination. Then to the mix I added my purple woven belt. I threw it on on a whim but was pleasantly surprised by the combination.

Better look at the belt and the skirt!

After putting this combination together, my next conundrum was this: What tights to wear? I thought a dark color would take away from these colors, so I went for the best neutral tights I have, my nude colored fishnets. Of course these fishnets do nothing to help me against the cold, but they are better than nothing! I love these because they go with everything, including this haphazardly put together outfit. Paired the tights with a pair of shoes I found in the garage. I'm guessing they were left behind by my sister, and they were definitely gathering dust. I saved them from their dusty demise and I'm so happy they did! They are amazingly comfortable, and I love the low wedge.

Anyone else obsessed with Justin Beiber? Can't stop listening to him on my iPod....

Plaid Petals

What I'm wearing:
Forever 21 black lace tank
J.Crew Forever cardigan in Burgundy
anthropologie Plenty by Tracy Reese Plaid Petals skirt
black tights
grey Nine West shoes

I've wanted a lace top for ages but didn't want to spend a lot of money on it. I found this simple lace tank at Forever 21 for under $14! For a trendy piece I thought that was an acceptable price. I am pretty happy with the way this color combination turned out. I was actually wearing this cardigan when I tried on this skirt at anthropologie, and filed it away in my brain as a future outfit idea. I *love* plaid! I love it in all forms and colors. The only thing I lament is that usually men's plaid options are so much lovelier than women's. I think tartan is so interesting and wish I could go visit Scotland one day! (This may also have to do with my obsession for the Outlander series.)

The one thing I wish I could change about this outfit is my tights, they photographed way more sheer than in real life. I am on the lookout for some super thick tights though, anyone have any favorites they like? I like Hue for basic tights but am always looking for more.

These grey shoes I picked up at Marshalls! I love the heels on these, they are black patent! They are super comfortable, I wore them with tights today (a faux pas for many) but I'm sure I will wear these in warmer months as well.

Vintage Rose

What I'm wearing:
J.Crew Merino Rose Corsage Cardigan in Vintage Rose
LOFT Paisley Jersey knit tank dress
black tights
anthropologie Tawny Acres boots
Botkier Trigger Clyde Satchel

Pink is not a color I reach for often, but once in awhile it can totally brighten up my day. Love this "vintage rose" color from J.Crew, I know it has a bit of a grandma feel to it but I find it feminine and flirty. This jersey knit dress was my steal from LOFT ($3!!), I packed it for my stay at my parents' house because I knew I could layer any one of a bazillion possible cardigans over it. I think the vintage pink does a nice job of brightening up the darker print. This outfit is a teensy bit too saccharine for me, but it made me happy which is important, right?

Pulled this old Botkier Clyde satchel out of hiding. I love the hunter green color, and the distressed leather that just seems to get better with time. Bought this ages ago with my sister at Neiman Marcus Last Call for a steal. We just couldn't walk away from it!

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend! Today we went out for brunch, I had the most delicious pumpkin pancakes. (I love anything pumpkin flavored.) My sister got french toast, another favorite of mine, so of course I had to steal a couple of bites. Yum!

I Can't Believe It's a Snow Day

Maybe it's because I grew up in New Jersey, where inches of snow didn't necessarily guarantee a school closing, maybe just a delayed opening if we were lucky. And I just came from Maryland, where a couple of weeks ago we were hit by one of the biggest blizzards in recent history. So I was not really expecting a school closing. Anyways, let's just say that all Atlanta schools shut down at the mere suggestion that it might snow. (Pansies.) Therefore we are off to the mall today!

What I'm wearing:

J.Crew Tartine Cardigan in Navy

Madewell Plaid top

J.Crew Cotton Nico skirt

black tights

anthropologie Sweater-Cuffed Booties

Rebecca Minkoff Matinee bag in Glazed Almond

J.Crew hat (only $7!)

Am excited to go check out anthropologie, J.Crew, Forever 21, etc. Maybe stop by get some Zaxby's, some frozen yogurt. A snow day isn't so bad!

Here is my sister frolicking in the frozen tundra with Louis!

Can I add that I was planning on wearing my Tawny Acres boots today with my outfit, but Teresa put hers on first. So I conceded and am wearing my Sweater-Cuffed booties again.

Lookie What We Have Here...

This evening has proven to be one of the most relaxing ones I've had in ages....

This is Louis, my family's shitzu, and I catching up on old episodes of Heroes on my laptop. He is such a great snuggler.

Between episodes of Heroes I did some hypothetical online window shopping, you know, when you load up your cart with everything you'd want and see how much it comes out to. You don't even want to know how much my anthropologie shopping cart came up to, it was kind of ridiculous.

Here are a few items that made my shortlist of items that I am currently coveting:

Boundless Blazer

Love the "British Khaki" color, and think it would be a great spring topper. Can you tell that I've become obsessed with blazers lately?

Soaring Pistachio Platforms

Oh man, where do I start? It's the gorgeous pistachio color, cute cut out shape, and the bow (it's always the bow!!) that get me. These *will* be mine! I am picturing pairing them with so many spring/summer outfits. I feel like this is a color that will go with just about anything.

Dotty Downpour Tights

I think these are precious. I love the bows and polka dots, and think that the navy color tones it down a bit and keeps them from going too over the top. Too late in the season to buy more tights? I guess can never have too many, and I feel like it will be tights-wearing weather for at least the next few months.

Aniseed Skirt

I am always such a sucker for a black and white print. I love that they can go with any shade as a pop of color. I adore this skirt but this is an item I definitely would have to try on to see if it was flattering or not.

Of course there are many more that caught my eye but these are my favorites!

Also just wanted to share one of my favorite non-fashion related blogs! My friend Eddie's Culinary Studio never fails to get my stomach grumbling. It also inspires me to cook a bit more, and I know I can't use a small kitchen as my excuse (Eddie cooks out of his tiny NYC studio apartment's kitchen). Maybe I need to start a segment on my blog called Love at First Bite?

Another Alternative to Real Pants

What I'm wearing:
Navy J.Crew Suiting Blazer
Madewell Chambray Workshirt
Marc Jacobs sweatpants
Anthropologie Sweater-Cuffed Booties

Apparently I love any alternatives to real pants. I just don't like them! I know this look isn't for everyone, and I am perfectly aware that sweatpants are not real pants (but hey, I wear leggings as pants a lot), but I find this to be a comfortable and casual look. I would never wear this to work, or any kind of setting like that. I told myself I'd be more adventurous in 2010 and this is one of the ways, to wear something that I would never even have considered last year. I think the fitted blazer keeps it from looking too sloppy. Looking back I would have picked a more slim fitting pair of sweatpants, but I was working with what I had.

And yes, am still obsessed with these ankle boots!

I've decided that this outfit says, "Hi I'm a frat boy who forgot to put his pants on. Whoops." =) Not sure if I will wear this again, but at least I can say I tried!

Great Escape

What I'm wearing:
J.Crew Wool Schoolboy Blazer
aerie Striped Boatneck Tee
anthropologie Great Escape Skirt
Target cable-knit thigh high socks
anthropologie Sweater-Cuffed Booties

I felt a little silly taking these photos. I feel like I am taking a photo for the senior yearbook, right next to the mantel! Oh well the lighting was perfect here, I really love how there is so much sunlight at my parents' house.

The bright skirt is an attempt at denial at the cold weather outside. The name is appropriate, I think of it as a Great Escape! It is so bright and cheery and it makes me smile. The cable knit thigh highs kept me pretty warm but they kept falling down. FAIL. Guess I should stick to tights from now on.

Scored these ankle boots on sale at anthropologie! I love them, they are so comfortable and I feel like they will go with a ton of what I wear, and comfort is key.

After seeing these photos I feel like something is missing from my outfit. I feel like a big anchor pendant would have been a nice finishing touch. Unfortunately my things are scattered everywhere! I really need to be better organized when packing.

Right now I am just relaxing in the quiet house, enjoying a cup of coffee, and watching "You've Got Mail" on television. Not my favorite Meg Ryan movie, but it's nice to have in the background.

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a great start to 2010! I always feel that New Year's Eve is always a bit overrated, but I had such a fantastic time this year in NYC, which I spent with friends! Unfortunately I was exhausted from moving that I was unable to stay up super late, but I had a great time regardless ringing in the new year in style.

So now I am all moved into New York! My sister and I drove up from Atlanta to New Jersey, spent the night at a hotel near the NJ Turnpike, and then headed into the city bright and early to move in. Unfortunately that didn't go as smoothly as planned. Of course it decided to snow, and stick, and make traveling a big pain in the you know what. What was supposed to be a one hour drive ended up taking over 3.5+ hours, since we crawled along the Turnpike, and also were stuck outside the Lincoln Tunnel in a standstill for over an hour and a half. And after a furniture moving fiasco (which was taken care of relatively easily) we are now basically settled into our new apartment!

Right now I am back in Maryland for a night, to finish packing up the last bits of my stuff and then drive back down to Atlanta, where I will be for the next few weeks. I can't wait until all of this traveling is done with and I can go back to having a regular schedule. Lack of internet and sheer exhaustion has kept me from blogging, but now I'm back! =)

Right now it is FREEZING cold and windy in Maryland. I tried to take a photo outside but was practically blown away, and I just was not going to risk catching a cold to take an outfit photo. Luckily one of my Christmas presents was a portable tripod, so I was able to find a good spot indoors with decent lighting to take this.

What I'm wearing:
anthropologie Soft-As-Feathers Sweater Dress
black H&M turtleneck
green American Apparel leggings
black Cole Haan boots
American Eagle necklace

This cozy dress is "borrowed" from my sister, but our closets are technically combined into one. =) I just happened to throw this into my bag before I left NYC. I *love* the zipper detail on the back, which is why I included a highly unflattering photo of my backside, haha. It is really cold out so I decided to layer it with a turtleneck (nice and thin) and warm leggings.

I wish I had taken photos of some of my outfits from the last few days. On NYE I sported a black H&M tunic that had gold sequins all over it, and last night to dinner I wore my anthropologie Flight of Swans dress, although I had bare legs and suffered greatly for it.

I am really not sure what my New Year's Resolutions are going to be this year. I want to think carefully on it and make a true attempt at following it this year. We shall see!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas...

Happy Christmas Eve everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying spending time their families, relaxing, and eating tons of yummy food. I have been busy doing some last minute gift shopping and trying to organize Christmas Day. I do have a couple of holiday outfits to share though. (I apologize in advance for the poor indoor nighttime photo quality.)

This is what I wore to dinner and drinks on Wednesday night! Also met up with a girlfriend and her family, super fun! We weren't up to anything special but I decided to wear a fancy dress that had been sitting in my closet for a bit. 

What I'm wearing:

anthropologie Golden Lights dress

J.Crew Keaton Tuxedo Cardigan

black Hue tights

black Taryn Rose pumps

Obviously it was freezing out so I layered a tuxedo cardigan over the dress (and a trench over it all). Love this cardigan, it's a great alternative to a blazer.

This is what I wore to a Christmas Eve party that we try to go to every year. Very fun gathering with lots of yummy food, caroling, and catching up with everyone.

 

What I'm wearing:

Martin and Osa Essential Cashmere cardigan in Reindeer Red

Ann Taylor LOFT sequin tank

Martin and Osa Mini Pleat skirt

Martin and Osa Gunmetal Bubbles necklace

Gucci ankle boots

Bare legs, crazy I know. I just really didn't feel like wearing tights tonight. I just had to run from the car to the house very, very quickly without slipping on the ice. I did feel very festive in my red cardigan and sequin tank. The best part of this outfit is that I got the skirt for free! (Contest at work, I LOVE free stuff, who doesn't?)

Also I just realized that I am nearing 200 posts! (I'm at 185 right now.) I can't believe I have kept up this blog for so long. It has really been a great place for me to express myself, and the wonderful feedback I've been getting is so rewarding. So I'd love to thank my wonderful readers, and I wish everyone a happy holiday! =)

Polka Dotted

What I'm wearing:
Marc Jacobs Polka Dot Denim jacket
anthropologie top (from last fall)
J.Crew Toothpick Ankle Cord in Warm Maple
green suede Balenciaga Bow heels
necklace from Nashville boutique, Pangaea

Closer look:

I have a love/hate relationship with polka dots. Sometimes I LOVE them, other times they make me say 'meh'. But this MbMJ jacket makes me feel whimsical with it's polka dot denim and it's military inspired design. Scored this at NM Last Call years ago and it spent a good deal of time in the closet before I finally wore it, usually with very basic items. Now that I'm in the more adventurous mood clothing-wise, I decided to pair it with a few different colors! Kind of random, but I think it works. (Oh and the Warm Maple color of these cords are $19.99!!)

I adore these, especially because they have a bow (big shocker there) and because I love the shape of the heel, the green color, the scalloped back, I could go on and on.... the only con is that the left one pinches my pinky toe a bit. But beauty is pain right?

I can't believe it's a week until Christmas Eve! Crazy! 2009 has gone by soooo fast.