DIY capris, the white version

I've had these white pants forever - I got them in St. Petersberg and they always made me feel impossibly European and glamorous. Sadly, the hems were tattered and gray. So last week, out came the scissors, needle, and thread, and ta-dah! White capris!

I think they might need to be a hair shorter. What do you all think?

Shirt: Forever XXI

Pants: boutique in St. Pete, shortened by me

Sandals: Nine West outlet
Earrings: gifted

Audrey?

Last Thursday I was feeling a bit fifties. Capris and flats always remind me of Audrey Hepburn movies.


I wanted the silhouette of a skinny belt, but I'm still not brave enough to mix brown and black, so I ended up with my black belt lower on my hips. Time to go hunting for a skinny black belt!

Capris: GAP, shortened by me
Top: TJMaxx
Belt: TJMaxx
Flats: Payless

self-imposed challenge

This week I'm going to try to pull myself out of this rut by wearing old pieces of clothing that haven't yet been seen on the blog. I think this jersey top fits the bill.

It's one of my favorites - I love the neckline and the curvey silhouette.

Even better, it's sleeveless AND teaching-appropriate! This humidity is making me nuts. I am sweating all over the place. It is gross. 'Nuff said.

Had help with my pictures again today. Thanks, little dude.


Top: Sears, ancient

Tank top: Costco

Pants: GAP, hemmed by me

Shoes: Bandolino via TJMaxx

Necklace: hand-me-down

cropped

I like my cropped pants a lot better with heels. I felt tall and posh!

This outfit features pretty much all the things I like about myself - blue for my eyes, a boat neck for my clavicle, skinny pants for my legs, and strappy shoes for my feet. This outfit, I think I can say, was inspired by Dress Your Best! :)

Shirt: thrifted, Banana Republic
Pants: GAP, shortened by me
Shoes: Bandolino via TJMaxx
Earrings: gift
Ring: Alaska state fair

short pants!

Spring done sprung up here, folks - it hit 75 over the weekend and I got my first (minor) sunburn. Woo-hoo! I hauled my box of summer clothes down from the attic on Friday and rediscovered...my cropped pants.

Ok, so I am never quite sure about these pants. They were a pair of GAP dress pants that shrank in the wash to that dorky length that barely brushes the tops of your feet. So I got brave and hemmed them myself, an act of creativity of which I was extraordinarily proud. However, sometimes cropped dress pants read a little less fabulous and a little more, well, soccer mom. Today I tried to sass them up with a sparkley top, bright red shoes, and big hoop earrings, but I still worried. What do you all think?

Cardigan: hand-me-down from C
Top: Target
Pants: GAP, cropped by me
Shoes: BR, gift from mom
Earings: thrifted

spring showers

Since I'd never been to a baby shower before, I was stumped trying to figure out what to wear to my friend's shower this weekend. I was guessing baby showers are the kind of thing you dress up for, like church. There's probably an equal number of old ladies in attendance. But then I didn't want to be too formal. This is what I came up with.

New springtime cardigan and some nice slacks and pretty flats. Unlikely to offend, I figured. I layered two white tank tops for modesty. And the belt made it feel more like me.

Turns out I hit the nail on the head - slacks and nice tops were definitely the dress code. I was glad to remember how much I like these sailor pants. The buttons are awesome.

I liked this combo so much I wore it to school today, with a gray belt this time to pick up the color of the shoes.

Cardigan: gift from mom

White tanks: lace one, thrifted, plain one ancient

Sailor pants: j.crew outlet

Belt: thrifted
Flats: Rocket Dogs, gift from mom

Earrings: street vendor in Cape Cod

Ring: tourist shop in Russia

footless wonder

Ahhhhh these pants are eating my foot!

No, not really.

I'm sure you all are very relieved.

I'm starting to get to that point of winter where I'm a weensy bit bored with the colors of my winter clothes. I was tidying up my bureau the other day and this pretty teal top caught my eye. I tried to winterize it with some good solid basics and a matching scarf.

I have to say that I am still not sold on these pants. They are just so...wide. What do you all think? Keep or donate?

Sweater: kersh essentials via Costco

Teal top: street vendor in Thailand

Pants: BR outlet

Shoes: Aldo outlet

Belt: Target
Scarf: TJMaxx
Ring and earrings: Alaska state fair

another cardigan...but with sparkles!

Today's outfit? Another replay of my old favorite: cardigan over a shirt. So simple, yet so perfect.

These pictures were taken in a rush, because I was going to be late for work. At least I thought I was. Once I got to the bridal shop I was informed that I had written my hours down wrong...I'm not working until 6 tonight. So, the photos were rushed for no real reason, but I'm glad I had some good daylight to shoot them in.

And I'm just going to say right here, right now: I have a pants problem. I do not know what it is, but I cannot find a pair of pants I like. These pants, which I like in theory because they are gray, and lightweight, and I like the detailing on the front, do not fit properly. NO PANTS (except jeans) FIT PROPERLY. I need tailor-made pants. The end.


Never you mind the fuzz on this black sweater...I can't help it! It's black, and sweatery! It just happens.

Black cami: Wal-Mart
Teal tank: Express
Black sparkly cardi: Old Navy
Gray pants: Gap (hemmed by me!)
Flats: Target

Also, I'm having a good hair day. Maybe you can't tell in the picture, but it's true. :)

pants?

These are the black pants I thought were too big, rescued from my consignment pile. It turns out they're not actually the wrong size, just a really wide-legged cut.

They're such nice fabric and so exactly what I want in every other respect that I am going to hang on to them for now and see if I can make the wide-leg-ness work (I think it's going to require fitted tops). Which means no more pants-shopping! Wooo!

Plus I like how they look with these shoes.

Pants: Banana Republic outlet
Sweater: H & M
Belt: TJMaxx
Shoes: Aldo outlet
Earrings: Aldo outlet

office tempin', day 1

Over the break I've been lucky enough to get my old office job back for a few weeks to save up some cash for next semester. The work can be dull, but the people in this office are absolutely wonderful, which more than makes up for it.

Here's my Responsible Young Office Worker outfit:

My one pair of nice pants, a soft sweater, a button-down for crispness, and a belt to add polish. Please pretend that I am wearing my black mary jane heels, which I wore all day at the office.

I'm looking forward to seeing how many different office-appropriate combos I can get out of my one suitcase!

Sweater: Banana Republic outlet

Button-down: TJMaxx

Pants: Sears

Belt: TJMaxx

Earrings: GNW via Fred Meyer's

Watch: Target

why yes, I do own pants

I don't like dress pants generally. I dislike shopping for them and I dislike wearing them. They make me feel old and dumpy. Yet I frequently think they look fabulous on other people, such as the roommate of awesome, who wears them constantly to teach in. So, knowing that I had a couple colleagues coming to observe my class today, I thought I'd give these gray pinstripes another chance.

I like the colors of this outfit, and I felt reasonably comfortable and quite professional, but the pants just don't do much for me.

I discovered this morning that my one pair of black dress pants are now...too big. How the red ones got too small and the black ones got too big during the same three month period, I will never know. Time for more dreaded pants shopping, I guess (sigh).

Vest: TJMaxx

Shirt: American Eagle

Belt: TJMaxx

Pants: Sears

Shoes: Fred Meyer's

Earrings: ancient