Giveaway...

Liddiegal over at Chic on the Cheap is hosting a giveaway!

CSN Stores offer all kinds of products from housewares to clothing, and they are giving her $65 to give away to one of her readers!
Being a newly married gal who has seriously cut back her spending for the past 6+ months, I could definitely use this one if I win!

If you are interested in a chance to win, check out her post here.

What I've Been Up To...

Remember me?
I used to post here many-a-moon ago?
Apologies for my absence, but I've been busy, y'all.
Busy gettin married!



I'm eagerly awaiting the "real" pictures, but in the meantime a few family members and friends have shares some of the photos they snapped of our big day.
We were lucky enough to have a warm, GORGEOUS day and were able to have our ceremony outside. (In Maryland, nearing the end of October, you never know whether you are going to have snow or a heat wave, so we were truly blessed!)

I will spare you all of the details, but here is one of my favorite pictures I've seen so far, of my daddy and I walking down the steps/aisle to the ceremony site:



Now that the stress of wedding-planning is behind me, I'm hoping to get back into the groove here. I need to re-train myself how to take pictures, and I also need to find my camera cord... I know it's around here somewhere.
Anywho, know that I haven't fallen off the planet. I'm still here!

Giveaway...

Hillary is hosting a giveaway of a FABULOUS Marc Jacobs owl bangle.
I normally am not a gold metal wearer, but I *AM* a fan of all things owl (I am wearing my little shrinky-dink owl pin and my tiny little owl stud earrings today!). I am feeling a NEED for this adorable owl bangle in my jewelry wardrobe, so I am crossing my fingers, toes, eyes, end everything else that I snag this baby!

If you'd like a chance to win the bracelet, fill out Hillary's entry form here.

Good Luck to all of us!

Vote for My Friend...

My friend Gabrielle Howell is an amazing designer (of both fab outfits as well as graphic elements).
She is currently competing to design a costume/outfit that, if she wins, will be worn by Florence + the Machine!
Needless to say this is an amazing opportunity.

Please help her out and vote for her -- and feel free to pass the link along to all of your friends and fellow fashionistas!

http://www.talenthouse.com/creativeinvites/preview/a55debc25185bbc242dba8540e43b7e5/120

Happy Birthday Hillary...

Hi All! I promise, I'm still here. I'm still reading all of your blogs and commenting when I have something to say. I haven't been posting much, but I'm just 2 1/2 weeks away from my wedding, and frankly, outfit photos just aren't at the top of my priority list at the moment. I am definitely planning on picking up the camera post-honeymoon, though!

Now, onto bigger and more important news, today is Hillary's birthday!
Happy Birthday lady!

For her birthday, Hillary asked her readers to take photos of the insides of their purses and show them to her. She claims to be nosy, but really, I think we are all curious about what others carry around on a daily basis, and especially how different people keep their stuff organized!

I used to swap out my purses on a daily basis, so I like to keep things fairly streamlined inside my purse. These days, I have pretty much been carrying the same purse for weeks. (Maybe I will just have a seasonal purse, kinda like Kameel.) The side-affect of carrying the same purse for an extended period of time is that I have started to accumulate more items in said purse.

Hillary, these pictures are for you!
(apologies in advance for the blurry phone pics!)

This is my purse:




And here are all of the contents of my purse:




Nothing earth-shattering going on in there, but those are my essentials.
One thing I'd like to point out is the pile of perfume sticks -- those are from The Morbid The Merrier, an Etsy seller that Hillary reviewed several times. Based on her review I picked up some for myself, and I LOVE them!! So kudos to you, Hillary, for the awesome recommendation!

Requesting Halloween Ideas...

Hey gals!

I am putting feelers out for good ideas for halloween costumes.
I have always preferred to piece together my own costumes rather than buy one from a store, and I like the to be kinda witty and relevant.
As y'all know, I'm getting married soon (just 39 more days! eep!) and therefore, but budget is VERY tiny for this costume. However, as part of our honeymoon, we will be in Disney on halloween, so i really want to have a fun costume to wear!
Nothing too revealing, and kid-friendly, please (as I'm sure there will be more kids than adults in Disney on halloween).

And with that said, feel free to make as many suggestions as you can think of!
:)

Fasion Night Out, DC...

Hey DC Fashion bloggers!
Are any of you planning on attending DC's Fashion Night Out events tomorrow night?

I am so late to this party, having only heard *today* that DC will be having events for FNO!
I'm hoping I will be able to make it -- and if I do, I will do my best to snap some fab photos to share with you all.

Check out the Fashion Night Out, Georgetown DC website for more information!

Cheap Chi...

I have spoken before about Target's Daily Deals emails. Basically, you sign up for the emails, and each day a message arrive to you in-box with a list of 5 deals that can cover anything ranging from fashion to baby accessories to home decor. The items are on an extreme discount, and shipping is free. The deal is only good for 24 hours, so you gotta jump on it -- use it or lose it.
(Note: you don't have to sign up for the email -- the Daily Deal is also available from Target's homepage.)

Well, today's Daily Deal is a fab one!
A CHI 1" Ceramic Flat Iron (only available with the skull mania design, but who cares?) for only $67.50 and free shipping -- regularly $134.99!

I don't own a CHI myself, but it doesn't take much research to know that these are the epitome of awesome when it comes to flat irons. I have been working very hard to not spend much money since my wedding is quickly approaching, but this is such a good deal that I am seriously tempted.

But whether I hop on it or not, if you've always wanted to own a CHI, now is the time!

Not Dead Yet...

I swears it, y'all, I'm not dead!
I have taken an unintentional break from blogging due to personal burnout: in the last year or so, my team at work has reduced from 4 people to, well, me.

Also, my wedding is in 2 months, and we have been super-busy planning for that.

Since I haven't been snapping photos of my daily outfits (though I promise you, I HAVE been getting dressed everyday -- no nudity, I swears!) I will leave you with this tiny little taste of my wedding style.
This gorgeous little number will be worn in my hair.

In the meantime, I promise that I am still reading your blogs and commenting from time to time too.
I'm still here. :)

Fashion FAIL...

I. Hate. This. Outfit.

Seriously, can you tell by the look on my face that I just wasn't feeling it?



Top: H&M
Skirt: Old Navy
Shoes: American Eagle for Payless
Earrings: Old Navy
Necklace: Claire's?

Closeup:


This outfit started out with good intentions. Really, it did.
The skirt. You all seems to love it. I hadn't worn it in a while, plus it was hot. Seemed like the perfect time to pull it out. But alas, I almost Marilyn-Monroe-a-la-Seven-Year-Itched the DC Metro area several times.
And the shirt. I wanted to pull out the orange in the skirt for this wearing. But the shirt...is so bright. and loose. and baggy. I was futzing with it all day.
And oh, little black shoes. I really need a new pair of black flats. Somehow, I manage to have gotten fat in the feet. Seriously people -- in the FEET. This day, my ankles were swollen for some reason, which makes my legs look *extra* stumpy, and really, I should have just worn heels. But no, I wore flats for comfort (I had been on my feet for several hours a few nights before at a reception for dear fiance's office and was not warned ahead of time that there would be no seating. DOH!) and my feet were still hurting.

So, this top has already been tossed onto the giveaway pile. The skirt is slowly crawling its way there, and I'm thinking these shoes are next.

Inspired by: Erin...

Last week, I inadvertently conjured Hillary in one of my outfits. This week, I have inadvertently channeled Erin.



Top: KMart
Skirt: thrifted
Shoes: thrifted
Earrings: made by me

Closeup:


Now, this outfit isn't nearly as Erin is my Hillary outfit was Hillary. But here are the main connections I saw:
(1) Flowy top with cute detailing
(2) Super-cute piece bought for a super-amazing steal
(3) Mostly pretty and feminine, with a touch of rocker-chic
(4) thrifted gems
(5) DIY

Erin often wears pretty pieces that seem to just float on her. I happened to snatch this top at Kmart (along with that dress I wore last week) for just $10 -- not only is it floaty and gorgeous, it seems to be cut like it was made just for me. Now, I haven't often seen Erin in pencil skirts, but she does wear thrifted items quite a bit, and that's where the skirt ties in. The shoes too -- even though her shoes are normally funkier than a pair of peep-toes, I love these the way she loves her signature pieces.
Now, the earrings are where I really felt like I was channeling Erin. Not only are they DIY, but the little skulls toughen up the outfit just a hair. They are long and dangly, so still quite feminine, and most people probably didn't even notice how tough they truly are. But feeling a little Erin, I loved throwing on something a little edgy and unexpected with this otherwise pretty outfit.

The Day Her Camera Died...

There was nothing groundbreaking about this outfit, other than the fact that it marks my first post wearing full pants in quite some time. The weather in the DC area has been super-sweltering this summer, and, as evidenced by this blog here, my summer uniform has consisted mainly of skirts and dresses.
Finally, we had a few days that took a break from the "kill me, it's so hot" sort of heat. It was more "my, it's quite warm outside, isn't it?" kind of hot instead.



Top: Old Navy
Pants: Marshall's?
Shoes: thrifted
Earrings: Target?

Closeup:


I attempted to get some other more detailed shots of the outfit, but my camera battery was literally breathing it's sad, pathetic last little breaths, just to get these shots. Quite literally -- I had to turn of the camera, wait, turn it back on, and grab a quit picture before the camera caught on to the fact that there was no juice left.
Yknow that scene from the second Hellboy movie where they reanimate the dead little tooth fairy to ask it a few more questions about the underground troll market? (Sure ya do, right?) Well, it was kinda like that to get these coupla shots.

So, instead of schmancy outfit shots, I shall distract you with pattern mixing (florals and stripes, oh me!) and these shoes, which you all seem to love so much.

N00B...

Yet another new dress today, that almost never got worn!
I bought this dress from Target a few weeks ago, and because my fiance thinks it oogy to wear things that haven't yet been washed, I immediately threw this baby into the wash so I could wear it STAT. Yeah, you'd think I would know to read laundering instructions first.



Dress: Target
Shoes: Urban Outfitters
Necklace: CATO
Earrings: Claire's

Closeup:


The day I originally planned on wearing this dress, I pulled it over my head, only to discover that this gorgeous beauty, which was already right at the limit of how short of a dress I would wear to work, had shrunk itself several inches. Tres Basic Instinct.
Of course, the label said to line dry. (What, you mean that's not a setting on my dryer?) As dear fiance and I were concocting a scheme to take said ruined dress back to Target, I decided to try one last effort: get the dress soaking wet, and hang dry, in hopes it would stretch itself back out to a decent length. That never works, right? So I thought, but it DID work, thus bringing you this purty little outfit.

*whew*

I got a new dress...

I got a new dress! I got a new dress!



Dress: Kmart
Shoes: Vera Wang for Kohls
Cami: Old Navy
Earrings: Claires
Necklace: made by me

Closeup:


Let's jump in the WAY BACK machine for a moment and look at the stuff I was wearing a year ago. OK, i didn't have this blog back then, but trust me, a year ago, dresses and skirts were NOT my go-to look mid summer. Not loving the weight I am carrying these days, last summer I would wear skirts and dresses only on the absolute hottest days, instead preferring to cover myself as much as possible and suffer the consequences (aka sweat and stinkiness).
Seriously, y'all -- what was I thinking?!

This year, I have pulled my head out of my arse and invested as much as I can in skirts and dresses. They are FAR more comfortable, and frankly, much more flattering on my figure! Plus, it's a whole outfit in just a piece or two -- couldn't be easier.

I scored this little number for just a song at Kmart last week. Kmart is one of those stores I wouldn't have thought to look in for clothes, since in my mind they aren't even on-par with other similar retail chains. But I have seen several other of you ladies sporting really awesome pieces you found at Kmart, so when dear fiance and I were there the other day, I decided to pop my head into the clothing section, and I'm glad I did! This little ditty was just a mere $15, and I also snagged a top for only $10. (I'm sure the top will be making an appearance soon.)

This dress does have a self-tie that I would like to remove, but I need to take a closer look before hacking away. I am not skilled at all at sewing -- or even un-sewing, since that's what removing pieces would be! I'm hoping to take a class somewhere (maybe AFTER the wedding) so I can know how to do basic stuff like hemming things and maybe even creating basic little pieces like the ones I have seen other bloggers wear. My mind is creative, so I would love to know how to do this stuff!

Casual Night Out...

This outfit was worn the same day as my Hillary outfit. After getting home from work, dear fiance and I decided to have a casual night out, so I decided to throw on a top I almost never wear, since it sorta screams 13-year-old teenybopper. Open tie-shoulders and a hole in the back combined with polka dots? Definitely pushing the boundaries, but at least the fiance thought I looked cute!
(Excuse the blurry photo -- I used dear fiance instead of my regular tripod.)



Top: Rue 21
Jeans: Levis
Shoes: Payless
Earrings: made by me

Closeup:


I attempted to do the cute jeans-pegging look that I have seen several other bloggers sport, but alas, on me, it just looks like I rolled up my jeans to go dig for some clams. Methinks I need pants that are actually fairly wide-fitted to get the look right, and frankly, at my size, I'm not about to invest in pants and larger than they need to be.

Inspired by: Hillary...

When I put this outfit together, I wasn't intending to channel another blogger. I was simply standing in my closet, holding pieces next to each other until I felt like an outfit was born. When I held the vest beside this blouse, I knew they would be great together, and I knew balancing out the fitted upper-half with a poofy skirt would be a great look.



Blouse: Zara
Vest: H&M
Skirt: Gadzooks
Shoes: Vera Wang for Kohls
Ring: Laila Rowe
Earrings: Claires

Closeup:


So, as I said, when I pulled this combo together, I knew I had a winner, but there was something nagging at me that I just couldn't quite put my finger on until I actually put the outfit on the next morning. This outfit totally screamed Hillary to me. Poofy sleeves, check. Top nipped in at the waist, check. A skirt that just makes you want to twirl, check. Hillary is a master of this look.
I felt that to truly conjure Hillary, I should have added a long necklace, but none of the ones I have fell right with the vest. Instead, I threw on a slightly funky ring, of which she has several. (I used to wear mine a lot more often, but ever since becoming engaged last year and wearing a rather flashy engagement ring every day, I haven't felt quite right sporting a fun ring anymore. Hopefully when I'm more used to wearing the e-ring every day it will fade into the background and my beloved fun-ring collection can come out of hiding again...)

All the Colors Mix Together to Grey...

I bought this top to wear to see my friend's band (aka my wedding band!) play out in Ocean City, MD -- dear fiance and I had taken off the Friday before July 4th to have an extra long weekend. I realized I could also make this top work appropriate, if I mixed it with the right pieces. Remove the booty-jeans and instead wear capris. Slash the flashy earrings and go with something a little more subdued. I probably should have worn a cardi with it also, but I'm a rebel, and I like to push the limits that are imposed upon me.



Top: Forever 21
Capris: Target
Shoes: Aeropostale
Earrings: NY&Co?

Closeup:


I haven't worn these capris much this summer (I also have them in black) because I remember last year deciding that I need to do something with them to make them more flattering. I'm thinking that I need to take them in inch or two shorter, and possibly also have the hem brought in just a smidge, to taper just a bit. I do like how these pants fit, but the bottoms just aren't quite right. What do you gals think -- what alterations would make these perfect?

I'll Stop the World and Melt With You...

It has finally cooled off just a smidge in the last few days -- and last night I experienced my very first earthquake! Yes, that's right kiddos, Maryland had an earthquake last night -- a whopping 3.6 on the Richter scale. From what I've read, there were no injuries or any destruction reported. Which totally makes sense, since when it woke me up at 5am, I seriously thought there was just a large truck driving by the house or something...
It is strange to look back just over a week ago and see that it was SO HOT that I was literally melting while taking my photos. So much so that I had to do silly poses just to stay cool:



Dress: swapped
Scarf: gift
Shoes: Urban Outfitters
Cami (unseen): Old Navy
Earrings: Claires
Necklace: CATO

Closeup:


I started taking pictures outside the back of the house again, since there is some shade back there that makes it ever-so-slightly cooler than the front of the house. Of course, the downside is that, well, there is shade in my pictures too.

Better Late Than Never...

Yes, kiddos, I am still alive. And despite the lack of posts, I have even been taking photos on some days! What with the heat wave that has suffocated the east coast, there were definitely a few days that I skipped capturing images of myself, since I was 99% melted by the time I got home.
But for the rest of those days, where I actually managed to get some pictures, I have just had seriously bad time management as of late. Work has been pretty busy, and not-work has been... well, spent planning a wedding! (Seriously, I have always hated when my friends used "planning my wedding" as a reason to drop off the planet, but now I get it. This stuff really can take some time out of your schedule!)

Without further ado, I offer you an outfit!



Dress: swapped
Cardi: NY&Co
Shoes: Etienne Aigner via Rack Room Shoes
Earrings: Old Navy
Necklace: NY&Co?

Closeup:


I wore this outfit last week, on my first day back to work after a 4-day Independence Day weekend.
I have only worn this dress one other time on the blog (and that was the only other time I have worn it, ever). I got it from a clothing swap I went to last year, and never quite knew how to style it. I like this look much better than the other one, since I feel much less like a disco-loving stewardess.
The outfit is nothing amazing, but considering I had spent the previous 4 days wearing jeans, tshirts, golly -- even gouchos, this was a strong step back into the world of actually caring what I look like.
I found these simple little earrings at a freakishly amazing sale at Old Navy several weeks ago -- don't they look like they were made to go with this necklace?

Does it bother you when bloggers post their outfits out of order or several days after the outfit has been worn? Do you like to know what people are wearing each day, as the day passes? Or do you just prefer to see the outfit and gather inspiration from it?

Science Fiction, Double Feature...

OK, so maybe it's just a single feature, and not so much of the science fiction. But still -- I am this month's featured blogger at Miss Vinyl Ahoy!
I was super surprised and very honored when Suze asked me. After all, I still consider myself quite new to this whole blogging thing, and I'm still trying to find my voice and my perspective on things.

Anywho, if you're interested in checking out the Q&A, check out the post here. My attempts at being funny and witty probably feel flat, but oh well. Check it out!

Me-OW...

Dressing myself has been rather tough in this hot and very humid mid-atlantic summer. It is already warm and muggy when I walk out the door at 6:30 am, and by the time I am coming home, I am absolutely melting.
In the middle, however, is my overly-air-conditioned office where I shiver the day away. I usually run a space-heater under my desk, but thanks to a recurring rash on my ankles, doctor's orders are to use it as sparingly as possible now.
As such, I'm forced to dress creatively, in layers that can be piled on in the office and removed for the commute home, without me fellow Metro riders becoming too concerned that they are traveling with *that* type of working girl.



Cardi: NY&Co
Skirt: thrifted
Shoes: Merona, thrifted
Cami: Macy's?
Earrings: Claire's
Nail Polish: both from American Apparel

Closeup:


Cardigans and camis/tanks/tees have been my go-to so far this summer. Dresses and Skirts all the way. Sure, I have tossed on a pair of jeans for the occasional after-work or weekend activity, but leaving my arms and legs free to feel the wind has been the best plan of action so far.
The challenge I have faced is this: while I can pile on the layers (meanwhile injecting my personality into my outfits) in the office, when I shed the layers outside, I often feel like I am also peeling off the details that make my outfit interesting; that make it ME. Remove the heavy necklace, strip off the cinching belt, get rid of that sweat-inducing cardi. Now I'm just left bare with a plain dress, or a top and skirt.

How do you create interesting outfits with minimal layers and pieces that still feel unique and personalied?

Deja Vu...

Yes, I know I promised new outfit photos, but they just haven't happened. It is now officially summer, and I am just melting by the time I get home from work -- too melty to take photos. I need to figure out a new routine, then everything will be hunky dory.

In the meantime, I thought I'd share a bit of deja vu with you.
Way back in April, I wore this outfit, one where I felt great and just knew I looked good:



So imagine my surprise when I'm browsing the clearance dresses over at Torrid and I see this:



Guess I'm just ahead of my time, y'all.

Excuses...

I have not taken any outfit photos for you this week. You see, I unexpectedly had an AMAZING start to the week by making last-minute plans to have dinner two nights in a row with lovely ladies who I haven't seen but maybe once in the last decade!
My friend Erin and I went to high school together, and I have literally only seen her once in 14 years -- and that was when I just ran into her while shopping. We only spoke for like 30 seconds before we had to be on our way, and we weren't able to exchange contact info before doing so. Thankfully, we got back in touch recently, and I had dinner with her Monday night.
I went to college with Joi, and I have also seen her only once since then. I didn't even know she was in town until she sent me a message Tuesday afternoon, so I quickly arranged plans for her to come over for dinner. (Thankfully, I actually had something thawed out in the fridge to cook!)

It was wonderful to be able to catch up with these two lovely ladies, and they are the reason that I feel not-at-all guilty about not snapping any photos for you.

What I will offer you in the meantime, until I get to taking pictures again is this website that was pointed out to me by a friend.
Jamie is an 18 year old student who has just graduated high school and has lived the last month of her life according to the rules, tips, and tricks out lined in Seventeen magazine. The goal of her project is to explore what she calls "a dying aspect of teenage culture." She wears what the magazine tells her to wear, performs the beauty rituals the magazine prescribes, and does the activities it recommends. Meanwhile, the blog serves as her outlet for her own thoughts, feelings, and ruminations on the outcomes and connotations of the assumptions and tones of the magazine.
I find her to be a very perceptive and intelligent girl, and her blog makes for sometimes funny and often thought-provoking reading.

I find this project fascinating.
If you are interested too, check her out at The Seventeen Magazine Project.

Summer Blackout Challenge Roundup...

I only participated Monday through Friday, since I'm too much of a slacker to take weekend photos. Here is the collection of what I wore during Sal's Summer Blackout Challenge:

Monday:


Tuesday:


Wednesday:


Thursday:


Friday:

Which outfit of the week was your favorite?
	Monday
	Tuesday
	Wednesday
	Thursday
	Friday
pollcode.com free polls

Giveaway...

Tina over at T Minus, T Plus is hosting a giveaway!
She is offering up a beautiful orange tote, courtesy of CSN stores.
If you're interested, check out the details over on her blog!

Black-Out Challenge, Day Five...

Though the challenge technically lasted for a full week, I rarely take weekend photos, so Friday was the end of the challenge for me. For the record, I wore no black on Saturday, but I did finally wear black on Sunday: I wasn't feeling well, and the brown comfy-pants that I had been vegging out in really needed to be washed, so I ended up wearing their black counterparts. So really, I was *thisclose* to going completely blackless for the full week.



Dress: Anne Taylor Loft
Earrings: Claire's
Necklace: bought from a friend
Thin Bangle: thrifted
Thick Bangle: Claire's
Shoes (not pictured): given to me by a friend

Closeup:


Despite the photographic evidence showing otherwise, there were shoes in this outfit. However, it was a GORGEOUS day outside, and I just didn't feel like wearing them come picture time. Plus, this is much closer to how I wore the outfit all day -- the shoes were kicked off under my desk 99% of the day. Anywho, they were nude wedges. Nothing exciting, but I'm not sure that they've made it onto the blog before (or at least not recently) so maybe I should have snapped them. Oh well -- can you forgive me??cl

Giveaway

Fashion for the Economically Challenged is celebrating her 1-year blogoversary!
To celebrate, she is hosting a giveaway for a $25 gift card. If you win, you get to select one of the following stores:
TJMaxx
Target
JCPenney
Jcrew
Ann Taylor Loft
Macys
Lane Bryant

Head on over to her blog for your chance to win!

Black-Out Challenge, Day Four...

For some reason, wearing this outfit, all day I had the song "Red Red Wine" stuck in my head...



Top: Anne Taylor Loft, thrifted
Skirt: Old Navy
Shoes: American Eagle via Payless
Necklace: Claire's?
Earrings: Claire's
Cami: very old
Bracelets: thrifted

Closeup:


With all of the other outfits I have worn so far this week, I seem to have unconsciously created a theme of pairing contrasting colors. It wasn't intentional, but I guess when I try to avoid neutrals, I end up looking like a rainbow threw up on me.
When I put this outfit together, I didn't intentionally dress monochromatically; I just didn't have anything that seemed to want to contrast correctly with this top. (Side note, is it possible to correctly or incorrectly contrast?) All-in-all, I really liked this outfit. I received several compliments, it was figure-friendly, and I was comfortable all day long.

The other night, dear fiance and I had a fun talk about wedding stuff. And by fun, I mean NOT fun. Basically, we realized that we seriously need to stop spending money on non-wedding stuff so we can actually afford the wedding stuff we want!
Inspired by all of the other bloggers out there who I have seen do so, I decided to start writing down some new rules for my spending for at least the next few months. However, instead of naming these practices a "Shopping Ban," as so many of my predecessors have done, I have decided to call my experiment a shopping "diet."
You see, whenever I try to BAN myself from something, my willpower holds for a while, but then it eventually gives out and I gorge. I am hoping that in calling this thing a diet, I will understand that I am still allowed some indulgences, but it's all about portion control. Y'know, just like an actual diet.

Here are the rules I have come up with so far:

(1) No fashion-related purchases that aren't related to the wedding.

(2) Exceptions to rule #1:
(a) Goodwill/thrift/consignment
(b) Items already on my WANT list
(c) I am allotted $50 per month to spend on pretty much anything. However, this money does NOT roll over to the next month if it is not used.
(d) I am allowed one "emergency" purchase over $50 between now and the wedding.

(3) Any non-fashion-related expenses (other than regular bills/expenses) must be discussed and agreed up by dear fiance and myself.

I think I will be able to follow these rules quite easily, and honestly, I think I will be able to not spend my $50 in free money each month.
Do you have any thoughts or suggestions on these rules?

Black-Out Challenge, Day Three...

I once asked for help finding other colors that I could pair with this skirt. I love this skirt -- it is soft and comfy, has pockets, and an elastic waistline which is very forgiving. However, I often find myself limiting myself to purple, violet, and white when finding tops to pair with it. Last time I wore it, I paired it with a black top, but LyddieGal had suggested that I try pairing it with rust or teal.



Top: thrifted
Skirt: NY&Co
Shoes: xhilaration, thrifted
Belt: NY&Co
Earrings: Claire's
Necklace: Laila Rowe

Closeup:


I'm not sure the drapey top was quite right to pair with the flowy skirt, but I think belting it helped rein it in a bit. I was glad I added the shoes so that the top didn't seem to come completely out of left field.

What do you all think of this pairing?
Do you think it works?

Giveaway...

Fashion Therapist is hosting a Talbot's gift card giveaway!
Up for grabs is a $250 gift card to use at Talbot's.
As she points out, Talbot's isn't a store at the top of every fashionable woman's "must shop" list, but over the past few seasons, they really seem to have revamped their image and their styles. I haven't yet swung into a Talbot's for myself, but the more I see, the more I think I need to!

If you'd like to enter her giveaway, check out the post here!

Black-Out Challenge, Day Two...

I warned you that there would be some summer white in my upcoming outfits, and I wasn't foolin!



Cardi: TJ Maxx
Top: H&M
Skirt: Gadzook's
Shoes: RSVP
Earrings: NY&Co
Necklace: CATO

Closeup:


When I bought this cardi, I assumed it would be the bold pop of color against otherwise neutral outfits. I never dreamed that I would be able to pair it with other bold colors and that it would work so well. I have paired it with purple a few times before (both on and off the blog) and it continues to be a combination I love.

A teeny-tiny bit of brown managed to work its way into my necklace and earrings today, but as promised, this outfit is still 100% free of any black pieces.

This flowy white skirt was exactly what the day needed. It was warm, but not hot. Breezy, but not windy -- and the wind was neither warm nor cool. I commented to dear fiance that it was the absolute perfect temperature. You could wear a bikini by the pool, or just as easy sport jeans and a long-sleeved shirt and be just as comfortable. Those days are few and far between, so I'm glad I was celebrating such a gorgeous day with a fun and fancyfree outfit!

Black-Out Challenge, Day One...

I almost ended up with a belt that had black in today because the buckle is blue and I think of it as my blue belt. Glad I caught that detail in time, since I'm planning on going totally and completely black-less!



Dress: NY&Co
Belt: NY&Co
Shoes: Fioni, thifted
Necklace: Laila Rowe
Earrings: very old

Closeup:


I have further challenged myself to try to avoid neutrals as much as possible during this challenge, with one exception: white. I don't really think of white as a neutral, though it is. In spring and summer (whose door we are knocking on!) white just lifts an outfit to a different level of cheeriness.
While this outfit has no white in it, you will be seeing some tomorrow!

Totally unrelated, I had a few days of outfit photos and even a product review all lined up for you, but now those pictures are nowhere to be found. Not on the camera, not in the Flickr, not on the home or work computers.
How Bizarre.
Anywho, if you're interested in my review of The Morbid The Merrier, just sneak over to Hillary's review, since hers has images. I pretty much second everything she said about the perfume solids. I ordered Dessert Absynthe, Natali, and Black Leather, and seriously, I can't stop sniffing my own wrists when I wear these scents.

Summer Black-Out Challenge...

Sal over at Already Pretty has challenged herself to go 2 solid months without wearing black. No black at all. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero. NONE.
She has invited everyone to play along with her for the week of June 7 through June 14. You can choose whether or not to allow black in your shoes and accessories, but the main rules are simple: no black in your outfit! (Black is allowed within patterns, but not as the predominant color.)

I have never been a person to idolize black as the perfect neutral. Sure, I own plenty of it and love it as most gals do, but I have always been content to wear gray, brown, tan, or any other neutral just as much as black. In fact, I actually prefer brown and gray as neutrals, since they are softer on me and I think they offer a little more depth and variety than black does.

I tend to wear a lot more color in the warmer summer months than I do in the winter. So in theory, I don't think this challenge will be too tough for me. I just need to be more conscious of my use of black than I normally am. I think, if this first week isn't a problem for me, I might stretch out my part of the challenge.
Of course, maybe the week will end up being WAY harder than I expect.
I love a challenge!

If you're interested in joining up with Sal's challenge, peep the deets here. I can't wait to see everyone's creativity!

Yes, I'm Alive...

I was on vacation last week.
I hope you can all forgive me for my absence and complete lack of notice.
I also hope you can forgive me for the beautiful weather we had at the beach (we were in OBX) and the tan I brought home with me (and for not using sunscreen, which I most certainly know better than to do).

I wore no fashionable outfits and took no photos.
A vacation in all senses of the word.

I will be back to posting this week!

Beautiful Blogger Award...

Many Thanks to the beautiful Kayleigh of Fashionably Later for giving me this award. Kayleigh is truly an honest-to-god trooper. She has been through so much in the last year-plus, and she is handling it all with dignity and grace -- even if SHE doesn't think she is.

Here are ten (hopefully new) factoids about myself:

(1) I know the lyrics to almost any song (especially from the 80s and 90s) on the radio. Until you ask me what those lyrics are -- then my mind goes blank. I can only recall them while singing along.

(2) I am afraid of the dark. And any creatures with more appendages than me: spiders, octopi, squid, etc.

(3) Despite being an English major and *knowing* good grammar and spelling, most of my emails and facebook/blog posts (except on this blog) are riddled with bad punctuation and no capitalization. It's not that I don't know any better, I just don't care.

(4) In light of the above, I am FOREVER seeing signs with misspellings and incorrect punctuation in places of business. And it seriously irks me to no end. I mean, seriously people, can't you take the few extra moments to have someone look it over? It gives me a poor impression of your business when I see that!

(5) I grew up traveling a lot. I have been to England, Ireland, Mexico, Canada, Italy, and many of the states in the US.

(6) I have the sense of humor of a pervy 13 year old boy. If there is any way to twist a statement to make it dirty, my mind will do it. I think this stems from growing up with an older brother who would do so with anything I said, so I just started running my thoughts through a filter before I spoke. Now my filter works on overdrive.

(7) My favorite ice cream is lime sherbet. Sadly, I rarely see it in the ice cream shops. Rainbow, check. Orange, check. Raspberry, check. Why not lime? *le sigh*

(8) I wish I could look as put-together as many of the bloggers I read. They make it look so effortless and natural. Meanwhile, I struggle to piece together interesting outfits, and I feel like I usually look too piecemeal and like I tried too hard.

(9) I desperately want to lose some weight, but I hate working out, and I have little willpower to control my eating. I know these are excuses, but I have yet to figure out how to get over my biggest hurdle: myself.

(10) I am a people-watcher. So is my dear fiance. Whenever we go to the mall, if we are sitting in the food court, we can hold an entire conversation without ever looking at each other. For me, I think it stems from the fact that I was *thisclose* to being a Psych major in college -- I am intrigued by why people behave the way the do. For him, I think it comes from his Anthropology/Sociology background.

I'm not sure how many people I am supposed to tag for this, so I will just name a few:
Sal of Already Pretty
Jenny of Closet 365
Allie of My Wardrobe Today
Taylor of Taylor Wears Everything
Andie of What Andie Wears
Sher of Fashion After Forty
A-C of Law School Fashionista

Dress Your Best: Butt...

Day 5 outfit for the Dress Your Best Challenge:



Tshirt: Pixies concert Tee
Jeans: Calvin Klein
Shoes: Etienne Aigner
Cuff: The Icing by Claire's
Earrings: Black Coral from Curacao

Closeup:


Remember when all of my jeans died and I scored not one, but three pairs of awesome jeans? These Calvin Klein's were one of the pairs I brought home from my haul. These are definitely not sitting or eating jeans, but these are most definitely booty jeans!
I have always loved having a larger-than-average booty. A little junk in the trunk, if you will. Growing up as a dancer, I could totally shake it. Being on the hip hop team I was a part of this past year, my badonkadonk helped me show everyone that I've still got it! My fiance loves to climb the stairs behind me, just for the view -- and rarely does he do so without copping a feel. ;)

While I did wear a rear-end flattering outfit to work (something involving a pencil skirt -- I don't recall what exactly, since I was too exhausted to snap photos) I thought it would be more appropriate to celebrate my arse in these jeans, in a more casual ensemble. What does it say about me that I had no qualms about showing off the girls at work, but calling attention to my rear assets made me a bit nervous? Hrm...
Either way, thanks be to the bootay!