Weekend Casual:

I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!

If there is a formal petition going around advocating for routine four-day weekends, then please let me know so I can add my name to the list.

My local J. Crew Factory store opened up at midnight for Black Friday and the entire store was 50% off.  I hinted to the hubs that I would like to go and having a male bodyguard might be a good idea. I was joking on the male bodyguard piece because I thought to myself, "who the heck would go shopping at midnight?!?!"

Apparently everyone and their mother goes shopping at midnight on Black Friday.  The hubs and I got to the mall at 11:50pm and I think we were able to score one of the last parking spots at the very far corner of the mall lot.  Our next option was to park across the street at the Olive Garden.

I was able to snag 4 things at J. Crew, including another wool pencil skirt, but this one was only $25!  After waiting to checkout for over 30 minutes I was done with Black Friday shopping.  The hubs and I came home, put on our pjs and passed out!  We did venture out later in the day, during daylight hours, to pick up a few holiday decorations, and a sparkly new tool chest for the hubs.  Yes, you're officially an adult when your big Black Friday score is a tool chest.

Trench: Old Navy // Top: Gap // Jeans:// Gap // Bag: Kelly Moore // Boots: Cole Haan

Woohoo for fitting into skinny jeans the weekend after Thanksgiving.  I'm not going to lie, but I didn't even attempt to try on anything form fitting during my crazed midnight shopping at J. Crew.  My turkey belly didn't need that type of pressure.

This is pretty much my standard weekend uniform. Sweater + jeans + boots = DONE

Anyone score any amazing deals this weekend?  Eat too much turkey? I'm normally a turkey sandwich kind of gal for lunch, but I'm skipping all turkey products for at least a week!

Polka Dots & Stripes Forever

Sweater: Old Navy // Blouse: J.Crew // Jeans: Gap 1969 Real Straight // Shoes: Cole Haan // Sunnies: Cole Haan // Clutch: J.Crew Factory // Watch : Citizens // Bracelets: c/o Derng, Vintage 

Like 90% of the world I went out and bought that polka dot sweater from Old Navy when it came out in August.  Sadly enough, it's no longer available online and I haven't been to an Old Navy store since I bought it so I have no idea if it's still in stock.  I'm happy I got it in not one, but two colors.  Yes, my love for polka dots is that great that if I see a polka dot sweater on sale for 40% off that just means I can buy more than one. 

I don't even know if pairing polka dots and stripes together can be called "pattern mixing" because they go together like "lamb and tuna fish."  They're just meant to be paired together! 

Don't be fooled! We're not posing. There was a squirrel running along our fence and I picked Jewels up to give the squirrel a chance live another day. 

Pst: Have you liked my photos yet on Pinterest?  Voting ends Friday night at midnight.

It's finally fall weather!

It's finally fall weather!  That means longer walks with the pups, running in the dark, lots of layers, firing up the wood stove, watching the fall foliage, drinking apple cider, enjoy football tailgating, and everything pumpkin related.  

It also means taking Jewels for more car rides to get her outside since her royal highness gets cold when the temperature dips lower than 80 degrees.  She refuses to come off our back deck if it's too cold outside for her, but if we take her in the car and then bring her to a park she'll walk around for a few minutes.  Jax hates motor vehicles so he's much happier hanging out at home then going for a quick car ride around the neighborhood. 

Of course the hubs and I have to be on lookout for other dogs when we're out and about with Jewels. Don't be fooled by her 13.5lbs, she's the fiercest dog of all time. 

Jewels equates in her mind, "laying down in the grass and eating grass as a bad thing, but eating grass while standing up is a good thing."  She's a feisty dog. 

Yes, my dog ignores me 99.9% of the time.  The only time she pays me any mind is if I have food.  Every once in while I'll think she's trying to be affectionate with me, but really she's just trying to get under the warmth of my blanket.  The hubs is her person and I'm just a warm body that takes up space on the couch in her mind! 

Although I shouldn't complain about my diva dog too much because it is nice that I can take her for walk in a dress and heels.  That is not an option with Jax!  It's hilarious how different those two dogs are even though we've raised them together since they were pups.

What is everyone else looking forward to doing this fall? 

Red, White, and Blue!

I decided to get a jump on the patriotic color scheme and wear red, white, and blue on Monday to work and for a quick happy hour.  Red shoes - Check! Blue dress - Check! Pale white skin - CHECK!

Pomegranate martinis. Don't mind if I do!

Mmmmm, sushi. 

Day wouldn't be completely without a pretty light!

Sunnies - Cole Haan
Dress - DVF (scored for a fraction of the retail price at Newbury & Smith)
Shoes - Cole Haan
 

Taking posing direction from District Sparkle and secretly thinking, "she put the camera strap around her neck right?" Just kidding :)




The same little sushi place where Meaghan and I had our first meal together.  We checked out our old table and thought, "remember when the guys said we couldn't be friends because our combined craziness would take over?" It's a rare quality when you can communicate to someone in only broken Friends references at frequency pitches that only small animals can hear.

What's old is new again

Inexplicably, I've wanted a pair of black leather pants my whole life. There is no rationalization for it or any semblance of rhyme or reason. Whenever Anh, from 9 to 5 Chic, wears her leather Balenciaga leggings I feel the need to drop some serious dough on a pair of leather pants. I either need to start selling things on the black market (like what I have no idea) or pick up a side job to pay for all the things I want to put in my closet.

However, reality usually sits in. I think to myself, "where the heck are you going to that you'll wear leather pants? Do you realize you hate your thighs and leather pants will highlight those bad boys?"

Darn.

Of course, I then recall the episode of Friends where Ross gets stuck in his leather pants. Hehe! I just get giddy and realize there's no way in heck I'll ever own leather pants.

Last week I joined some friends at a Stella and Dot trunk show hosted by my dear friend Miss M over at District Sparkle. The show was held at Second Affair Consignments store in Dupont Circle (a future post on that it coming). While oogling all things sparkly and shiny two black skirts caught my eye. The one was a very simple velvet ballet type skirt on sale for $2.50 even though it still had the tags on it. The other was tagless, but was a leather skirt that looked about my size.

So I snatched that bad boy up and made my over to the dressing room. Sure enough, it fit. Even better... it was only $25. I walked out of that store with both skirts. Honestly, who doesn't need two more black skirts in their closet?

Um, yes please!

Yesterday I had to drive to work and decided since I wouldn't be spending much time outside it was the perfect day to rock my new leather skirt.

Blouse - Express. Seriously, I've had it since high school or college, so it's super old.

Skirt - Vintage

Shoes - Cole Haan. Scored for $50 at Rue La La.

The greatest thing about this skirt, beside of course that it's leather? The sucker fits me perfectly. It tapers at my waist and has enough room for my big ol' soccer butt.

The only foreseen problem with such a cool skirt is that I can't wear it all the time. That's the tough part of statement pieces. They lose their unique value if they're worn over and over again.

Anyone own leather pants? Leather skirt? Leather dress? Or do you stick to leather handbags and purses?

Who says red heads can't wear red?

There are numerous fashion rules in this world. I'm not the biggest fashion risk taker in the world so it's safe to say that I generally stay within the confines of the "rules." One rule in particular is that I've followed semi-religiously over the years is the rule that states red heads don't look good in red. If you looked in my closet, you'd probably think I followed that rule because there isn't a lot of red in my closet. What is red in my closet is a Caps shirt, running shirts, and a few old school pride shirts from my black and red high school days.

However, when I saw these Cole Haan Air Violet pumps on sale at Nordstrom's for $95 I had to have them. They were deemed a necessary purchase and part of my Shoe Upgrade project. I have the Target Pearce shoes and while they are indeed comfy, they don't even hold a candle to the real deal.

I've had them safely tucked away in my closet for a few weeks and I've been saving them as a personal treat after running my latest race. It might be weird, but I like to give myself a little treat after running a race and shoes are usually the best way to go. One thing I absolutely adore about running is how strong my legs are and I don't have a problem clicking away in high heels for hours on end. Now, I don't break out the new shoes immediately post race, rather I like to give myself a few days to let any lingering soreness subside.

Dress - Target.

Cardigan - Jackie from J.Crew

Belt - Target

Necklace - Ann Taylor

Shoes - Cole Haan "Air Violet" from Nordstrom

Adorable Boston Terrier - Private breeder in Delaware

The hubs was having some difficulty with the white balance and by difficulty I mean he said, "you look blue in these pictures." I'd also like to point out that I'm not in focus in the picture either, but I'm fully prepared to only fight one battle at a time.
Gotta love my chubby boy.
Sure fire way to make any outfit look better - pose with adorable dogs of course!

How about you: what are the fashion rules you like to break?

I will not wear suits...

three days in a row. It's a quasi work related rule I try to self-impose as much as humanly possible. I feel far too masculine in suits and even as a self-proclaimed tomboy, I love to throw on a dress or skirt and wear a pair of high heels from time to time. So after a quick trip up to NJ* for two days and in full suit mode, I decided to go the opposite way the next day when I was back at my office.


Shirt - Banana Republic
Skirt - J. Crew
Tights - Target
Boots - Cole Haan (the most expensive shoes I currently love and by far my favorite pair of 4 inch heels)

Ugh, note to self - take a picture in the morning and not 12 hours later and having running through a rainstorm.

Now, that might just look like any run of the mill black skirt, but it is most certainly not.

It's the softest, lace, tulip skirt and one of my favorite skirts. I've always thought it was too mini to wear to work, but throw on black tights and it worked. I'd love to get a chunky colorful necklace and a pair of black booties to wear it with.





* Family members - I was in NJ as part of a team and was in-state for less than 48 hours. There really wasn't time for a family get together. Maybe next time.

It's a cinch!

One of my "goals" this year is to take more risks with my personal style. I'm a big black/grey/beige person when it comes to my office wardrobe. Sure, I have a few polka dot pieces that I like to mix in from time to time, but overall I'm pretty bland.

With this amazing bland outfit I did three things I don't usually do. And yes, my legs are that pale in person!


Cardigan - Banana Republic
Dress - Target (I've had this since college and wore it to both my undergraduate and college graduation ceremonies!)
Belt- Target
Shoes - Nine West

1. I wore a non-black, non-J.Crew cardigan! Yeah, you think I'm kidding, but I own the J.Crew Jackie cardigan in four colors: black (obviously), white, grey, and mint green. I'm twitching because I haven't purchased one yet this spring and I feel like I'm so far behind. And that's just the Jackie cardigan. I don't want to count the additional number of other black or J.Crew cardigans I own.

2. I belted my cardigan. I'm struggling to find skinny belts that work and the hubs keeps taking his darn braided belt back from me. The nerve of that guy! I'm not sold on the whole "high belt" look yet because I feel it just amplifies my already short waist and makes my top look even more stumpy.

3. I started my "new" job in October 2009 and this is the first time I've worn open toed shoes to work. They aren't explicitly outlawed in the company dress code, but I'm quasi-old school and I just don't like open toed shoes at work. However, it's been ridiculously hot this past week and peep toe shoes sounded amazing.


I'm also going to try to post more outfits here on a routine basis for a variety of reasons:
- there's enough daylight when I get home to take a picture. Taking a picture at 6:30am is just not going to happen.
- allow me to see just how much black I actually do wear.
- give me something to post on a routine basis
- get feedback on my outfits. The hubs is king of Mr. "you look great in that!" I'd like to believe he's telling the truth, but I know on some days he's totally full of it.