Inspired by my ipod...

I wore this outfit a few weeks ago when it was still chilly. This cardi really is a go-to piece for me. I love pairing it with all sorta of different colors. This particular color combo was actually inspired by my ipod -- the case on my ipod is teal, and the earbuds are orange. I recently started listening to my ipod again during my commute, so the color combo has been in my brain...



Top: H&M
Cardi: TJ Maxx
Pants: NY&Co
Shoes: Aeropostale
Earrings: CATO

Closeup:


I have been doing quite a bit of shopping lately. I think since I had put myself on a shopping diet to prepare for the wedding, I'm now rebelling against saving. Granted, old habits die hard -- I still can't help but look for deals and the best price on things -- but I have been picking up items left and right lately. I have half a closet of things y'all haven't even seen!

Unrelated:
Do you Pinterest?
If so, find me here: http://pinterest.com/evanadine/

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'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.

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!

Blurple...

Years ago, my best friend bought herself a new car. All of the lights on the dashboard were this blueish purple that we had never seen before.
We dubbed this color "blurple."

Behold my blurple dress:



Dress: NY&Co
Cardi: Marshall's
Belt: NY&Co
Shoes: Payless
Earrings: CATO
Necklace: Laila Rowe

Closeup:


(images are fuzzy again today. apologies!)

This outfit is, in essence, the total negative of my Pop of Blue outfit from last week. In that outfit, I wore all neutrals with a pop or two of some color.
This outfit, instead, makes me look like I was attacked by a rabid bag of Skittles, but yknow what? I love this outfit! I did add in some neutrals with the belt and shoes, but really that was the safety rope that kept this outfit tethered to the side of good fashion -- another color and I may have been eligible for clown college.

Do you prefer neutral outfits with a pop of color or colorful outfits grounded by neutral?

No Bullseyes...

Neither of these looks is a fashion bullseye. One is a bit off-target, and one missed the whole target entirely.
But in the interest of full disclosure, I share them with you.

Tuesday, I wore this:


Cardi: NY&Co
Top: Old Navy
Pants: thrifted
Shoes: American Eagle
Scarf: vintage, thrifted
Earrings: (faux diamond studs, unseen) Claire's

While the scarf adds a much-needed pop of color, the outfit felt much like the weather -- drab and dreary. Nothing exciting. Forgettable.
At least I was able to repeat the dot theme in the scarf, the neckline of the top, and the sequins of the shoes?


Wednesday was a bit better:


Top: Faith21
Pants: Marshall's?
Shoes: Payless
Belt: KMart
Necklace: Cato
Earrings: (unseen) Target?
Headband: Claire's or the Icing

The color had returned both to the world, and to my outfit. I wanted to build an outfit around the rarely-worn headband, which I think is just-too-cute.
These pants are definitely up on my wardrobe's chopping block. The fabric just screams 1970's polyester suit to me every time I see them in photos. I have held onto them because I need me some chocolate brown pants, and these keep surviving until I find a better pair.
I *LOVE* the pattern on this top. L-O-V-E. But I think I need some help with how to style it. It is sheer, so it requires a cami underneath, which I have no problem with. Because it is large and blousy, I always feel the need to belt it, so I don't like enormous, but sometimes I feel like the belted look ends up making me look... expecting. As in, several gentlemen on the Metro offered me their seats.

Mission (for myself, and for you, if you choose to accept it!): How to create a shape in this top, without that shape saying "with child."

On the bright side, I picked up this belt at KMart for a mere $2! I have been trying to find a belt this color for about forever, and this one fits both my waist AND my hips, so this is a major score!

Wild Thing, You Make My Heart Sing...

Most people like to rope in wild animals, but apparently I like wild animals to rope me in:



Green Button: Merona, thrifted
Pants: NY&Co
Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction
Belt: Cato
Black Cami (unseen): Kohl's
Earrings: black coral from Curacao, gift from brother for 21st Bday
Necklace: NY&Co?
Bangles: probably Claire's

Unfortunately, I couldn't get photos outside due to the rain, and seemed to be unable to get a decent full-length shot. As a consolation prize, I share with you the corner behind out front door. Dear fiance loves his comics, and the entire first floor (which really is only a tiny computer room -aka- man cave) is decorated with comic posters and DJ paraphernalia. I think for Christmas or his birthday I am going to buy tons and tons of frames, so at least they can be properly mounted and hung, instead of using thumbtacks dorm-room style. If our house is gonna be decorated with posters of Deadpool and the X-Men, at least I can class the joint up a bit!

This outfit felt better than it looks in the photos, and honestly, I think it looked better in person. And seeing this necklace in the photo reminds me that I want to shorten it. I love the necklace, but I'd like it better if it hung closer to my neck. As I've said before, I normally don't wear my tops tucked in, but I wanted to show off this awesome belt. I love it!
I got a compliment from a coworker while wearing this outfit that I looked very professional. Whoda thunk it that a zebra-print belt would elicit such a comment?!

A Spring in my Step...

Huzzah! Finally, an outdoor photo!



Yellow Top: H&M
Cardi: TJ Maxx
Brown Pants: unknown
Shoes: Mudd
Earrings: Cato

After having participated in the Wardrobe Capsule Challenge last week, you'd think I would have all sorts of ideas for new outfits I would want to wear, but when I stood in the closet, I was completely clueless. Uninspired. I had no idea. So of course, I turned to Kimberley's Inspiration Calendar. This called for "Neutrals with a Citrus Pop." I think I have more pop than neutral, but with the official start of Spring nosing its way ever-so-near, I don't care!

Not only was it finally WARM enough to attempt an outdoor photo, but after having cleaned out the garage this past weekend with dear fiance, I think I actually have somewhere to take outdoor photos again! See, when we moved, we lost the joy of having a deck, and I really had trouble finding a place where I could snap a few pictures. Of course, I need enough light, but I also like a halfway decent background and a tiny bit of privacy. This location isn't perfect, but it will do for now -- at least you can't see light switches and power sockets in the background!

This weekend we have our first pre-wedding counseling session, and next week is our food tasting. We already have a venue (with a caterer), and I have a dress. We are *thisclose* to having both a photographer and the band I reallyreallyreally want to have -- just need to sign contracts, but they are pretty much good-to-go. I was worried about not doing much wedding-wise for January and February, but March seems to be falling right into place. *Yay!*