kelinda.KELINDA

the sometimes I just can't be bothered

2012-02-01T12:02:00.002-06:00

Some days, I just want to wear a t-shirt and jeans, except instead of a t-shirt, this is something that's slightly less casual than that. But only slightly. You know, like how a regular brownie is only slightly less unhealthy than a deep-fried one.

Also, I was supposed to go to the gym during my lunch break today, but I decided to put it off until tomorrow and my mind is totally guilt-tripping the hell out of me for it right now. SILENCE, MIND. I'm going to make up for it tomorrow and Friday. Geez.

top, j.crew

cords, j.crew

flats, steve madden

watch, fossil

ring, novica

Whenever I put my hair up, it always looks so matronly in photos, but so messy in real life. It's the strangest thing...

Also, since this outfit is so boring, here's a little something extra, courtesy of my Facebook:

the spot-spot-stud

2012-01-30T20:33:00.005-06:00

Hello, folks. I hope all of your weekends were swell, but not so swell that you miss it to the point of insanity, where the thought of going through an entire 5 days before reaching the next weekend makes you all twitchy and stabby. Whoa there, buddy. We can get through this. Put down the Bic pen.

I spent the weekend with friends, sushi, and coffee. Honestly, I don't know why I don't go out more often and explore this town I live in. I mean, I've only been in Houston for more than two decades. Is anyone else guilty of this? Living in a place and never really getting around to experiencing all it has to offer?

dress, cotton on
cardigan, j.crew
tights, xhilaration (target) + modcloth
booties, seychelles
belt, j.crew

So, if you currently live in / will visit Houston:

Have sushi at Hikari.

Get coffee at Antidote.

Do it. Do it for the city.

the mustard bouquet

2012-01-26T17:17:00.003-06:00

Let me tell you guys something. Come in closer. Closer. Is your nose touching the monitor? Good.

Wearing heels the day after you first start working out again is a bad idea, especially if your thighs feel like fire every time you try to sit down / stand up / take a step / do anything involving movement in the lower half of your body.

Spread the word. Knowledge is power.

dress, luluscardigan, j.crewtights, merona for targetbooties, seychellesbelt, f21watch, fossilbangle, kate spadeskull ring, ebayblack stone ring, novica

And sorry for the weird coloring in these photos. It was especially gloomy out yesterday, so I had to use my living room lights, which photographs weird. Hmm... Also, my nail polish looks strange because I hadn't yet put on enough coats of the gray or silver glitter, so my gray nails look moldy and my silver nail looks... well, like there's nothing on there. But it's fixed today! If only you guys could see...

the chinese new year outfit

2012-01-25T12:02:00.001-06:00

My apologies for just now getting around to posting this week! It has been nuts over here with Chinese New Year and work and blah, blah, blah... Actually, you know what? Real life is dull. Let me revise my excuse. I was MIA the earlier half of this week because I was too busy solving the world energy crisis and training a guinea pig choir to sing AC/DC's "Hell's Bells" to post.

There. Isn't that a much more entertaining story than "I couldn't post because I was too busy watching the first 3 seasons of Friends"?

But anyhoodle, I'm back now and with my outfit from Monday's Chinese New Year celebration! BEHOLD:

though it may look like it, I am not actually with child.
unless you count 2 years of holiday weight as "with child."

dress, j.crew
cardigan, j.crew
tights, urban outfitters
belt, f21
flats, urban outfitters
watch, fossil
bangle, kate spade
skull ring, ebay
black ring, novica

I also wanted to show off what I made for dinner that night! It was my first time making dumplings and they turned out swell. Woohoo!

That weird marbled-looking thing is a tea egg, which is just a regular hardboiled egg that's been steeped in black tea, soy sauce, and star anise. One of my favorites! If you're interested, here's the dumpling recipe. The tea egg recipe is my own and I won't bore you with it here.

the jester

2012-01-20T12:04:00.003-06:00

You know what happens when I'm running late, but try my damnedest to snap an OOTD photo anyway before sprinting out the door? Weird poses, out-of-focus photographs, and a date stamp. What the heck? How did that even get there?

I'm not technology compatible.

dress, anthropologie

tights, kate spade

flats, urban outfitters

belt, f21

watch, fossil

bangle, kate spade

black stone ring, novica

skull ring, ebay

I tend to wear the same jewelry every single day. At least when it comes to my hands. I know a lot of fashionable ladies who can coordinate their baubles to every outfit, but I think I'm more of a "stick with the comfortable" kind of gal when it comes to my rings and bracelets. Don't get me wrong -- I'll switch it up for special occasions and whatnot, but for everyday wear, I have my go-to trinkets. I'm thinking about adding in some more rings, too -- I'm thinking something with a turquoise stone and another skull ring (not the same style as the one I already have, obviously).

What about you? Do you switch it every day or stick with your usuals? Or not wear jewelry at all?

Also, man that dress is wrinkly. I really should've ironed it before wearing it out.

Oh well.

the starry night

2012-01-19T12:58:00.003-06:00

Some people love stripes. Some people love dots. Some people love plaid. I love all of those things, but I especially love a good star print. The only problem is that clothing companies/designers don't seem to love star prints as much as I do because I rarely ever see them. Luckily, this adorable little star-speckled frock from French Connection made it to production and then proceeded to go on sale at Macys. Star print dress, welcome to my closet.

star dress, french connectiontights, merona (target)pumps, seychellesskull ring, ebayband ring, f21watch, fossilgold bangle, kate spade

The nails are my take on Nailside's "nude clouds" design. I'm not very skilled with doing my own nails, obviously, but I liked how they turned out! Maybe I'll get better with more practice... Also, it's kind of weird that my red nail polish kind of stained my nails, so they look unusually pink in the clear part. Hmm...

the clark kent

2012-01-16T12:50:00.002-06:00

A coworker mentioned to me a long time ago that I should name my outfits, but I never did get around to ever doing that. Until now. Boyfriend mentioned that I looked like Clark Kent ("in a good way!") in this outfit, and well, I can't disagree. So, I give you The Clark Kent.

How does Superman avoid VCL (Visible Costume Line)? Is the cape seamless? Maybe detachable? And what does he do with his Daily Planet reporter suit after he's done changing in the telephone booth? So many questions.

shirt, gap

pencil skirt, banana republic

mary jane heels, cole haan

knit tie, j.crew

belt, j.crew

ring, f21

watch, fossil

bangle, kate spade

tights, xhilaration

coat, j.crew

news flash: jury duty is boring

2012-01-13T12:29:00.003-06:00

Did my jury duty session yesterday. I went in at 9 and left at 4 and did just about absolutely nothing the entire time. At the end of the day, I was told that my whopping $6 check would be in the mail. At least I had a good book to keep me company. There was also a guy who looked a lot like Eric Idle, and I kept waiting for him to start whistling "The Bright Side of Life," but no such luck. I hope Not Eric Idle knows that he thoroughly disappointed me.

BUT, the day before jury duty, I did get to meet Christopher Yost and Ryan Stegman, the author and artist of the new Scarlet Spider comic series. I'm not a comic book person by any means (it's Boyfriend who is), but it was cool to see and experience the comic culture. Now if only a Star Trek event would roll into town... now that's my kind of shindig.

They even let me take a Polaroid for my "Photo a Day" album!

And now, the OOTD:

top, anthropologie

jeans, j.crew

skull ring, ebay

black stone ring, novica

flats, j.crew

I also wanted to show off these amazing Kate Spade earrings I got at the outlet the week after Christmas. They were 50% off! Ohhh yes. Kate Spade does big, blingy earrings so well.

Happy weekending!

let's bring back the sweater vest

2012-01-12T22:27:00.002-06:00

I love a good sweater vest. Granted, I've now only owned two of them in my life, but I do enjoy those two. Er, well, I now only enjoy one of them because I accidentally shrunk the other in the dryer.

Damn.

Decided to break out some colorful jeans too for some extra pep, and I did rather enjoy how festive my legs looked. It's strange because I have 3 pairs of colored jeans -- red, purple, and turquoise. But I can never get myself to wear the turquoise ones out of the house. They just always read too much like pajama bottoms, but I'm not sure why. I mean, why are red and purple jeans okay, but turquoise ones pajama-y?

shirt, j.crew

sweater vest, gap

jeans, zara

belt, mom's

loafers, f21

ring, novica

For those who are interested, my nail polish is OPI ("The Thrill of Brazil") with a swipe of Essie ("Mezmerise").

Also, do any of you ever get annoyed whenever something you order online comes shipped in a box that's way too big for it? I mean, what a waste of space and resources! The biggest offender of this used to be J.Crew in my experience, but Barnes & Noble took the cake recently. Check it out:

so many pleats, but so little fun

2012-01-11T12:32:00.005-06:00

This outfit seemed cooler in my head than in execution. I think maybe with a bright skirt and a plain white button-up (instead of a striped one), it'd look better. As is, it's pretty "ho hum, that's a lot of drab colors... yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawnnnzzzzzzzznnnxxxxx...." Next time!

But at least my nails made it slightly more interesting, maybe? I loved Jessie's "Galaxy Nails," so I

just had to try it out for myself, especially since I have a not-so-secret fascination with all things space-related. Despite my general lack of motor skills, I think they turned out pretty good! (And please ignore how dry and crazy my fingers look. I'm working on it.)

Try not to fall asleep while looking at this outfit. Unless you're an insomniac and desperately need something to help you knock out after you've been awake for 3 days straight, in which case, let the outfit work its magic and give in. Give in to the sweet, blissful haze of slumber's embrace... zzzzzzzz--wha? Sorry, here we are:

shirt, gapjacket, diane von furstenbergskirt, anthropologietights, targetbooties, seychellesbelt, calvin kleinring, novica

Heading out to Houston's Alamo Drafthouse tonight for the release of Houston's own Scarlet Spider (see here for more details if you're so inclined). Even though I don't follow comics or anything (Boyfriend is the geek of that department, which is why we're going to this panel tonight), I'm still stoked that my city finally gets a superhero! I never understood why New York City got all the supers anyway, so I'm glad one of them finally made his way down here.

And then tomorrow I have jury duty. Wah-wahhhhh.

girls just wanna have fun (except when they don't)

2012-01-10T12:50:00.003-06:00

Another month-old outfit for this post, mainly because I want to show off this adorable Fossil dress I got and loved... until it betrayed me in my time of need.

*cue dramatic music*

I decided to wear this dress in NYC for my friend's engagement party (hi Kirti if you're reading! *waves*). And since I pack light, this was the only party-appropriate thing I had with me. In retrospect, that was probably tempting the fates too much. To make a long story short, I was halfway through zipping up the dress when the zipper's teeth pulled apart. It took half an hour of cussing and MacGuyver-ing to get it fixed, but now I probably have to replace the entire zipper to prevent that from happening again.

I should've known this dress was prone to problems, though, because while trying on this dress, I had noticed another one of these dresses hanging in the dressing room -- also with a broken zipper. Curses!

dress, fossilcardigan, j.crewbelt, f21tights, hueheels, nine west

Any dress-related horror stories you'd all like to share?

I thought you said he was a getaway driver.

2012-01-09T17:15:00.002-06:00

This is from last month, but it was never posted and I didn't wear anything of note today (worked from home thanks to some lady cramps), so I figured it'd do for today's post, don't you? After all, it features a wonderful little "leather" jacket I picked up from Express, which I wore throughout the colder days in December during my blog hiatus.

One thing about this jacket, though, and that I suspect may be true for all leather/pleather jackets -- it's noisy. At least, it's noisy when you consider that I work in a relatively quiet office environment. All I could think of while typing and hearing my jacket go squink with every jostle is this scene from Snatch:

But no matter, the jacket is much loved nonetheless...

white tee, j.crewplaid shirt, j.crew outletpleather jacket, expressblack denim, j.crewloafers, f21rings, etsy and from australia

they're taking the hobbits to Isengard

2012-01-04T22:00:00.006-06:00

I'm glad you all had the impeccable taste and judgement to appreciate the majesty of the illustrations I showcased in yesterday's post. They are works of beauty, aren't they? You can find them at the Louvre this fall. I heard they're throwing out a rando, unimportant painting called "the Mona Lisa" to make room.*

Couldn't get enough of the grandpa cardigan and ended up dressing like a little hobbit gentleman (but with flats! and a bowtie!) today because I realized that due to a lack of clean tights, I couldn't wear any dresses or skirts. January is still far too cold for bare legs. Unless you live in the Southern hemisphere, I guess. Lucky ducks. (Seriously, Rolling Stone Australia has Soundgarden on the cover. SOUNDGARDEN YOU GUYS. Anyone from Oz mind mailing me a copy? Don't make me beg. It's so unsightly.)

shirt, j.crew

cardigan, target
pants, j.crew
flats, j.crew
bow tie, j.crew outlet
ring, f21

Did I tie my own bow tie? You bet I did! And for those of you who are super into the wonders of nailpolish, here's a breakdown -- Orly ("Liquid Vinyl"), half-topped with Hard Candy ("beetle"), half-topped with Milani ("Jewel FX Gold"). Had a few coworkers and strangers comment that they "couldn't stop staring at [my] nails." I think it's all the shiny gold flecks. It appeals to the inner magpie in all of us.

*not at all true

granny prints and grampy sweaters

2012-01-03T12:58:00.003-06:00

It feels good to back. *hugs blog* Hopefully the new design shows up properly for all of you. If you spot anything that looks weird (besides my awkward photos), let me know!

So here's 10 things that have happened since I disappeared from blogging back in late November...

Went to NYC for a weekend for a friend's engagement party.

Saw Alan Rickman.

Came back to Houston, work work work.

Got sick.

Got better.

Boyfriend got sick.

Finally met my goal of losing 10 pounds.

Threw a Christmas party where I cooked from 10am to 7:30 pm.

Went to other Christmas/New Year parties where undoubtedly the host cooked from 10am to 7:30pm.

Gained 10 pounds back.

Aren't the holidays just wonderful? I had a great time celebrating with friends and family, but I have to say that I'm relieved the festivities are over so that I can stop eating so much pie. Granted, I could simply not eat so much pie during the holidays too, but NO I CANNOT, YOU MUST BE JOKING IT'S PIE AND IT'S CHRISTMAS THEY BELONG TOGETHER.

Anywho, here's an outfit I wore while exploring Traders Village (aka the world's biggest garage sale) with Boyfriend this past weekend:

dress, f21
cardigan, target (merona)
tights, xhilaration
loafers, f21
belt, mom's
rings, novica + ebay
watch, fossil
bangle, kate spade

The cardigan is a recent purchase from the men's section of Target. It slowly became more and more loose throughout the day, but I think it's something a tumble in the dryer can fix.

please excuse the dust...

2012-01-02T15:13:00.003-06:00

[UPDATE] Yay, it's all up! Be back with a post tomorrow... [/UPDATE]

Things at kelinda.KELINDA may start to look a little weird. But don't worry, it's just me breaking my blog with terrible coding as I try to put up the new layout. Things always get worse before they get better, right?

See you all soon! And happy 2012!

coming back soon....

2011-12-14T22:33:00.002-06:00

Hey guys! I know I've been gone for FOREVER, which wasn't intentional, mind you. I just kept telling myself "Oh, I'll post tomorrow" or "I'll post next week," but obviously, that never happened. Life just kept getting in the way -- and by life, I mean me getting sick over and over again and on those rare weeks where my immune system isn't getting the tar beat out of it by the cold virus, I'd always be rushing to get to work (and therefore have no time to snap photos). BIG SIGH.

And sure enough, I can't come back now because guess what's happening AGAIN? Me: 0. Cold: 239854713933.

Got any cold remedies to recommend? I have crazy congestion, sneezing, leaky nose syndrome, and one hell of a sore throat. A coworker of mine recommended soaking an onion in honey and then eating the onion honey, and no lie, I'm so desperate that I've got a plastic container with an onion marinating in honey right now for tomorrow's consumption. HELP.

the camera is not my friend

2011-11-11T11:56:00.004-06:00

Yesterday my company decided to have a happy hour. At 4pm. In the office. With vodka.

Is there any part of that sentence that doesn't sound awesome? I didn't think so.

But what that means is that there's no way today's work day can compare. Oh well, at least it's Friday, so it's got that going for it.

I can't get a good picture of my braid. It seems no matter what position I put my head in, it looks wonky. I also think that I'm one of those people who doesn't photograph very well because no matter what, I look awkward in photos. You'd think that after 2+ years of running this blog that I'd pick up a pointer or two, but neeeeyope. Then again, maybe I just look awkward all the time off-camera too? Oh dear.

dress, rachel by rachel roy
cardigan, j.crew
tights, merona
flats, urban outfitters
belt, f21
ring, f21
bangle, kate spade
spoon pin, gift from Tara B.

P.S. NOVICA giveaway. Enter. Now. Not a lot of entries. You know what that means? MORE OF A CHANCE FOR YOU TO WIN, BABY.

a little piece of my heart

2011-11-10T12:50:00.004-06:00

I had completely forgotten about this crazy shirt I found at Marshalls, but I was happy to discover it again while rooting through my closet. You see, my closet is meticulously organized by clothing type -- on one rack, I have plaid button-down shirts all grouped together, next to which are my solid button-down shirts, followed by my sweaters, and finally, cardigans organized according to length. On another rack, I have my blouses organized according to sleeve length, followed by jackets and blazers, which are grouped separately. I won't even get into my dresses and skirts.

But just because I have it organized that way doesn't mean it always stays that way. After a few too many rushed days, my closet gets a little... well, futzed. Things end up where they're not supposed to be, like this top, which I found jammed in the sweater section. Hmmm...

blouse, cynthia steffe
vest, bp for nordstrom
cords, j.crew
flats, steve madden
black stone ring, novica
leaf ring, from australia
rope bracelet, american eagle
bangle, kate spade

I don't even know why I told you guys that ultimately pointless story. I need a filtering system when it comes to the things I share. I always find myself telling a story where halfway through I'm realize "NO THIS STORY IS BORING, WHY AM I TELLING IT" but then it's too late because I already started so I have to finish telling the boring story even though no one cares about it. I live a Nick Swardson joke.

Also, it's been 3 days since I've started exercising and watching what I eat again and I've already lost a pound! I realize that it's probably just the natural fluctuation of my weight and not actually weight loss, but hey. Little victories. Only 9 more to go.

Also, DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE GIVEAWAY!

everything's coming up roses

2011-11-08T12:16:00.003-06:00

I've been hard at work trying to come up with a new blog header design. I even spent 3 hours working on it yesterday... only to determine that I had to scrap it all because it just wasn't coming together like I wanted it to. GRRR. But there will be a new blog design! ........someday.

Also, I've come to the bitter realization that my weight loss progress is stalled because I keep waffling back-and-forth between being committed to exercising and "dieting" and not being committed. So whatever weight I lose one week, I gain back the next, and so on. BUT NO MORE. I'm going to lose 10 pounds. And you know why I'm going to lose 10 pounds? Because when I finally shed 10 pounds, I'm going to buy myself a new handbag as a prize. And you guys, I want that handbag. As an added bonus of dropping the weight, I'll also be able to fit into more of my clothes again so you guys can finally see something other than the same-old-same-old I've been wearing lately. Exciting!

dress, f21
cardigan, j.crew
tights, merona
flats, urban outfitters
belt, mom's
ring, novica
bracelet, american eagle
bangle, kate spade
big bangle, j.crew

And before I get any "you're too skinny to lose 10 pounds, you're not being healthy, you're a terrible person, yadda yadda yadda" comments or emails, let me make it clear that I am actually overweight for my height. So there. I'm not self-destructive or anything, I just want to be slim, trim, and healthy again. Fighting the good fight... against fat. And temptation. Isn't Thanksgiving 2 weeks away?

Gulp.

Don't forget to enter the NOVICA giveaway!

static cling

2011-11-07T12:15:00.003-06:00

Winter stopped by Houston last Friday for one wild night, then crept off before the sun came up the next day, with nary a "See you later" or "I'll call you." Rude.

But at least I got to wear my J.Crew Townhouse Trench. I finally got this in a P6 and it is perfect. Mmm...

But you know what's not so perfect? Static cling. BEHOLD:

AUGH!

dress, f21
cardigan, anthropologie
tights, merona
flats, urban outfitters
belt, mom's
coat, j.crew

After these snaps, I got rid of the cling problem with some dryer sheets. Tip: If you have some static problems but don't have a bottle of Static Guard handy, rub a new dryer sheet over the offending garment and PRESTO! No more static. Also, you'll end up smelling like clean clothes, which isn't all bad. (I may huff my clean laundry. I can't help it. It smells SO GOOD.)

Also, if you haven't already, enter the giveaway for a $50 NOVICA gift certificate!

NOVICA giveaway!

2011-11-04T23:51:00.004-05:00

Wahoo! As you can tell by that festive banner (obviously made by a person with some real artistic talent), it's giveaway time!

NOVICA is an awesome company associated with National Geographic that works with artists and artisans around the world to help them sell women's accessories, home decor, men's accessories, and even things like walking sticks. They contacted me a few weeks ago to try out something from their jewelry line. I picked this lovely ring, made by an artist from Bali:

It's .925 sterling silver, and the quality is pretty good for the price. I love the design, and I swear it's even more impressive in person. Even Boyfriend commented on how cool and "legit" it looked.

And that's not all! Just check out how it came packaged:

That's a cool ring box, artist story card (so you learn a little more about the person who made the ring!), postcard about the artist's country, and a note from NOVICA explaining why they do what they do. I'm super impressed, and hey, if it supports real artists, then I'm all for it!

But rather than just telling you guys to check it out, I can do you one better -- kelinda.KELINDA will give one lucky reader a $50 gift certificate to use on anything from NOVICA!

To enter, leave a comment on this post with:

1. Your name

2. Your email address

3. Go to NOVICA and tell me what you'd like to use your gift certificate on

The giveaway will close on Friday, November 18 at noon CST. Please only enter once. The winner will be drawn randomly and will have 72 hours to respond to a notification email.

GOOD LUCK YOU GUYS!

PS. If you're interested in becoming a NOVICA seller, click here for more details.

stern school teacher

2011-11-04T12:01:00.000-05:00

Thanks for all the sweet notes yesterday! Boyfriend is doing much better now, aside from the usual "post-illness fatigue." I'm sure he'll be back to 100% after this weekend.

And before I jump into the OOTD, welcome my new sponsor, NOVICA! We've put together an awesome giveaway for you lovely readers, the details of which will be revealed tonight. Ooooh, the anticipation!

Now the OOTD:

blouse, marc by marc jacobs
cardigan, j.crew [x]
skirt, f21 [x]
tights, merona
heels, steve madden
belt, f21
ring, f21
bangle, kate spade

It seems like winter's finally here, but I don't know if I believe that it'll actually stick around this time. Houston's weather is notorious for playing with my emotions, that rapscallion.

Anyhoodle, this whole outfit is kind of very "school marm," is it not? I didn't realize it until waaay later in the day. I should have smacked someone with a ruler to really sell the look, but maybe it's better I didn't. I kind of like my car un-keyed.

The skirt is a surprise F21 find. I just love a full skirt, though most of them are way too long for my 5'2" frame. This one is no exception, though I think I might have helped myself out by wearing heels. For those of you who are interested, I suggest sticking with your usual F21 skirt size. I'm wearing one size too big here (since that's all they had in the store), which fits fine, but is a little too voluminous for my taste. It's also pretty heavy, which is awesome for cooler weather.

Have a good weekend! And remember, giveaway details tonight!

it's a small world after all

2011-11-03T12:39:00.003-05:00

I am back. It's been a rough start to the week -- Boyfriend got incredibly sick with a stomach virus, so I've been force-feeding him Gatorade and Pedialyte for the past two days while also working from home and generally going a little nuts from lack of sleep. It's been bananas, you guys. So bananas that I didn't even get a chance to show you all my Halloween costume until NOVEMBER 3RD. WHAT.

boyfriend's shirt, gap
vest, bp
pants, f21
cap, target
suspenders, urban outfitters
shoes, f21

I was planning on getting dressed up as Jack Kelly from Newsies, but when I put that all together, it didn't really say "JACK KELLY" as much as it did "RANDOM COYBOY HAT OUTFIT." So I went as a generic newsie instead. I had a newspaper prop (not pictured) to make it more obvious, though.

The funny thing is, if I just added some argyle socks and swapped the dress vest for a sweater vest, I could have also passed as a golfer. Versatility!

Also, remember that Bell skirt I was trying to sell? Well, I sold it. And then the buyer and I found out that we live in the exact same apartment complex. CRAZY. Hi, Maureen! -waves-

It reminds me of the time when I studied abroad in Australia and found out that my roommate there was the big sister of my little sister's best friend. And that we lived in the same neighborhood back home, too. Yeah, I didn't even know she went to my university until then. Hi, Atoosa!

Life. It's nutty.

on a train bound for santa fe

2011-10-28T12:00:00.000-05:00

Sometimes in the morning, I just can't be bothered with putting together an outfit. I mean, pants and a top? And shoes?! Ye ask for too much.

That's when dresses come in handy. As Dea mentioned before, dresses are great because it's one piece of clothing that basically makes up your entire outfit. What to wear on top? Decision already made with a dress. And for the bottom? Don't worry, a dress has you covered. I mean, dresses are so convenient that I'm almost convinced they were born on late night home shopping channels.

Dresses. I love them.

dress, anthropologie
flats, urban outfitters
belt, f21
gold bangle, kate spade
leaf ring, from australia
skull ring, ebay

Now we all know Halloween is coming up. What are all of you dressing up as? And how many of you will go into work in costume on Monday? I KNOW I WILL. As a Newsie. Maybe as the fancy-footed Jack Kelly himself. It's going to be awesome.

parting words with the bell skirt

2011-10-27T12:08:00.003-05:00

I had one heckuva bad hair day yesterday. One that even a ponytail couldn't fix because my hair refuses to stay up without the aid of 348 bobby pins. Hmmph.

Also, I've come to the conclusion that the Belle (Bell?) skirt doesn't exactly fit me the way I'd like. If anyone is interested in giving it a good home, email me or leave a comment! I'll sell it for $18, which includes shipping. More details after this... [UPDATE: sold!]

shirt, j.crew
cardigan, j.crew
skirt, j.crew
tights, target
shoes, f21
belt, urban outfitters
ring, etsy
blue bangle, from china
gold bangle, kate spade

The skirt is exactly the one pictured above. It's a size 10 and is gently used. There are no defects that I can think of (no loose threads, stains, etc.). Again, let me know if you're interested! I'll list this on the JCA trade post as well. Gotta love The Mothership.

I like how unamused I look in the full-body picture, hahaha... It looks so much like I'm giving someone the "Oh really, now?" face.

j.crew review -- the double-cloth townhouse trench

2011-10-25T12:10:00.004-05:00

I ordered this a while ago because I just had to had to see it in person. But when it arrived, it was so hot outside that I couldn't even bring myself to put it on indoors because GOOD LORD I break out into a sweat just thinking about wearing it. So into the closet it went until the temperatures dipped down a bit last week...

...and then I could finally bring it out. Just to try it on. Because come on, guys, 70 degrees is cool enough to try this on, but not to actually wear it out. Ugh.

So I present to you, J.Crew's double-cloth townhouse trench!

Please excuse the weird outfit underneath it.

COLOR:
I got this in the "hthr majestic purple," which is more like a really royal blue in real life. In other words, awesome. But why it's called "majestic purple" instead of "majestic blue" is unknown to me.

FIT:
I'm size 6 in dresses, 2-4 in tops, and 8 in bottoms. At 5'2", I'm definitely petite. Anyhoodle, the point of all of this is to say that I'm wearing a size 4P in this coat, which is what I typically take in J.Crew coats. But it's tight. The buttons were pulling and the arm holes were cutting off my circulation, even when I went sleeveless under it. I'd wager that trying to fit a sweater under there would be impossible. So if you're thinking about ordering this coat in a petite size, I'd recommend sizing up from what you usually get if you have previous experience with J.Crew coats, or just using your dress size as a guide.

Length-wise, this hit mid-thigh.

MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION:
The double-cloth material is thick and incredibly warm. I could have definitely seen myself depending on this when I still lived in Boston and had to brave my fair share of dreary New England winters.

Also, shiny gold buttons! As for the inside, the entire coat is lined with a matching color (no fun lining here, folks). The belt cinches the coat in exactly at the waist, creating a lovely silhouette.

OVERALL:
I ordered this coat again during the recent 25% off promotion in a bigger size, so hopefully that will solve the fit problems because the coat is incredible and I'd love to have it... as long as it fit correctly. If you're looking for a fun, colorful winter coat to add to your collection, I'd recommend this one!

PS. Pam, "captain's log" will come sometime later this week! ;)

j.crew reviews -- a whole mess of skirts

2011-10-24T12:05:00.003-05:00

True to my word, I headed out to J.Crew this past weekend to scope out the new arrivals in my store. Unfortunately, my J.Crew never really has a huge selection of stuff, so my try-ons were limited (especially since my size is always out too, grrr...).

But, here we go!

Streetscape cape, on sale for $129.99. I saw this in the store and was curious as to how it'd look on me. The verdict: ridiculous. It feels very nice on, but I think a piece like this might work better on someone a bit taller. The length of the cape just kind of split my body in two halves, making my shortness even more evident. For those of you who are interested, I am a S-M/4-6 in tops and I'm wearing a M in the cape here.

***

Toothpick cord, $89.50. I'm wearing the color "bright persimmon," which is the exact same shade as those old Flintstones push-pops. I've always found these to run a bit small, so I recommend sizing up. I'm wearing one size up from my usual here, and it fit very comfortably. Also, note that these are not ankle length on me -- if you're 5'2" like me, these will fit like regular pants.

***

Liquid silk skirt, on sale for $118. As you can tell from Boyfriend's thumbs up in the first picture, he liked this one. I have to agree! I'm wearing the "bright dahlia" color, which is exactly like the hue shown on the website. It feels so lovely and light on, and the material flows away from the hips so that I don't think VPL (visible panty lines, anyone?) will be a problem. On my 5'2" frame, the skirt hit about 2 inches below my knees. Sizing down is possible with this skirt -- I'm wearing one size below my regular in this picture, and it fit just fine. The skirt wasn't available in my regular size to try on, so I don't know if it runs big or not. Judging from all the wrinkles that were on this already, I'd say one major downside is that it'll wrinkle easily.

***

Classic mini in felted wool, $98. Guys, mini skirts just don't work on me. But I tried this on for you anyways just in case some of you were interested. This is the "decadent red" color, which is more like a bright red-orange. I'm wearing my regular size 8 here, but while it fit in the waist, it was all kinds of way-too-tight on my bum and thighs. BUT, there is good news! This mini is a bit longer than the J.Crew minis I've tried on in the past, so while it's still a mini, it's also not too scandalous! The material is fairly heavy wool too, so I can imagine it being a great piece to wear tights under in cooler weather.

***

Flair skirt in double-serge wool, $108-128. I wanted to try this on in some other colors, but my store only had the "hthr acorn" color in my size, which is basically khaki. The material is lovely -- a thick, heavy wool with enough weight to hold its shape and pleats. I'd recommend sizing down, as I'm wearing my usual size here and it's kind of baggy. It was knee length on me. I also think this skirt, as a solid color, may work better on someone who isn't pear-shaped, as I found the A-line cut to be a little awkward on me. I found myself wishing it was flared out a bit more.

***

Flair skirt in plaid, on sale for $118 ($89.99 in my store). This is made out of the same material as the double-serge wool version of this. I'm wearing it in one size smaller than my usual size, and it fit perfectly. While I didn't like the A-line cut of the solid version of this skirt, I do really like it with a pattern, which I think somehow keeps it visually interesting enough for me not to notice the cut as much. Does that even make sense? Probably not, but the bottom line is: I like it.

***

Blythe shirtdress, on sale for $148. Before you look at the picture and rue the day you ordered the Blythe dress, know that I'm wearing 2 sizes up from my usual because that's all my store had and I really wanted to try this dress on. So no, this is not how your regular size will fit, not by a long shot. I also ordered the dress online in my actual size, so I'll do another review once that one comes in, but for now, here are my notes on Blythe: comfortable material, but reminds me a little bit of silk pajamas. I'm not sure how I feel about that yet. The belt is a little awkward since the material is so flimsy. The dress went down to mid-calf on me, but it could be because this dress is way too big. I'll do a proper review when the other one comes!

Let me know if you have any questions about anything I reviewed!

the colors, duke, the colors

2011-10-21T11:56:00.003-05:00

Happy Friday, folks! The weekend is finally upon us! One of Boyfriend's old buddies is getting married tomorrow, so I have to run out and get a last minute gift off after work. Coffee maker, anyone? (hey, it's not my old buddy!) This will be the first wedding I've attended since I was... 14? And back then, all those weddings were for family friends. It seems that this time around, the weddings I go to will be for my friends (or friend's friends... whatever).

Weird.

In fact, my college roomie is having her engagement party in NYC this December, so I'll be heading to the Big Apple to celebrate in just a few weeks.

Double weird. Also exciting, though!

You know what else is exciting? Rediscovering that I have this dress in my closet. I saw Rosa of Love at First Shop wear it so well earlier this month and have been looking for the right dip in temperature to follow suit ever since. Thanks for the low 70s, Houston!

dress, j.crew
cardigan, j.crew
tights, j.crew
flats, urban outfitters

I also love this outfit without the cardigan on. It looks so delightfully mod. Maybe it's the cut of the dress? But I need to find a suitable slip before I can go dress-on-its-own. It's a bit sheer, despite being incredibly bright, colorful, and made of wool.

Also, I'll be heading out to J.Crew this weekend to see if any new arrivals have trickled in, so let me know about your review requests!

guest post from Jess of StyleSays

2011-10-20T12:22:00.002-05:00

Hey you guys, I was running late yesterday and didn't get a chance to snap a photo of my outfit. It's probably for the best, though, since my outfit made me look like a giant ice cream. Don't ask.

Also, on a somewhat unrelated note, how great is J.Crew's 25% off promotion?! Hint: very great.

Now, I'm leaving you all with a guest post from Jess of StyleSays.com. She emailed me about her little company last week and I thought that maybe some of you would find it fascinating. Take it away, Jess!

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Do you have friends all over the place like me? After graduation last June I moved to San Francisco and my friends scattered to Miami, LA, and of course New York. At first it was easy to stay in touch but I began to miss our favorite past time. Weʼd spend entire Saturdays exploring dozens of shops to discover unique items. It wasnʼt even so much about the clothes as it was the adventure. To fill the void we started sending links of outrageous clothing, items we desperately wanted, and outfits for upcoming trips. It wasnʼt the same though. One day while video chatting with a friend I noticed that she was shopping for a bathing suit for an upcoming trip to Mexico.

We started sending options back and forth and soon we were comparing tons of suits while actually talking. Thatʼs when it started to feel like we were really shopping together again. Soon there after StyleSays was born. For about the the last two weeks Iʼve set up numerous shopping dates with friends. Weʼll go online and browse hundreds of items, while catching up on each otherʼs lives. And now I can get a trusted opinion on items Iʼm unsure about without having to wait for on an email. My style has always been about me. But Iʼve started to realize that itʼs also a part of my friends. Itʼs not what my style says about me, itʼs what our style says about us. Weʼre currently running two giveaways in which pairs of friends can win designer jewelry from a SF boutique and Shoedazzle subscriptions.

Itʼs really easy to enter. Just

1) visit our Facebook giveaway
2) Like our page
3) and choose the friend you want to win with.

Check out StyleSays 101 to learn about all the benefits of shopping with us.

StyleSays 101 from StyleSays on Vimeo.

color chameleon

2011-10-19T12:51:00.002-05:00

I love to get the same amazing cardigans and pencil skirts in different colors, and sometimes pants as well. I mean, if it looks and feels incredible and just so happens to come in a delectable array of hues, why not, you know? This is why looking through J.Crew's latest catalogs is so dangerous -- so many colors! Must. Resist. Buying. Them. All.

But rarely have I purchased the same dress in a different color before. Scratch that -- I've never purchased the same dress but in a different color before. Until now.

bow dress, f21
polka dot tights, merona
belt, mom's
pumps, salvatore ferragamo
necklace, f21
ring, f21
bangle, kate spade

You may recognize the dress as the solid red version of this little frock (awww, look at the adorable bare walls! *sniff* memories).

Have any of you ever bought multiple versions of the same dress?

And because I mentioned my cross-stitching projects before, here's another one I completed last week --

He's like a mini Optimus Prime, or "Mini Prime," as I refer to him. Boyfriend decided he'd rather have a "more manly" version of Optimus instead, so this little guy will just sit neglected on a shelf somewhere until I find out what to do with him. In the meantime, I'm working on Optimus 2.0 v. More Muscle.

Men.

jeremy spoke in cla-aaass todaaaay

2011-10-18T12:19:00.003-05:00

I love a good print. (I also love a bad one too, for that matter.) As evidence of such, here are two printed dresses I wore out and about -- one from before my vacation, the other from yesterday.

dress, rachel by rachel roy
tights, xhilaration
heels, steve madden
ring, j.crew

dress, f21
cardigan, lacoste
flats, steve madden
belt, mom's
ring, etsy

The Rachel Roy what's-all-this-then crazy print dress you may already be familiar with from this post, but the floral one is brand spankin' new from Forever 21. I found it in the clearance section of all places, so it came home with me for a scant $9. I guess not too many other people covet grandma's-couch-ish rose patterns as much as I do, which is fine by me. I plan to wear it with some dark tights and boots when the weather gets even cooler -- it'll be awesome, you guys. I'll look like I belong in Singles. And then when I perfect my crazy eyes, like I belong in a Pearl Jam video.

nerdy

2011-10-17T12:33:00.002-05:00

It's been a good 1.5 weeks since I've last posted, but I make no apologies. Why? Because I was on vacation all last week (though I didn't really go anywhere), where I also unplugged from blogging, Facebook-ing, and tweeting as well, and it was awesome. I mean, I hadn't planned on giving up all those things during my week off, but it turns out that when you're just sitting around at home watching the extended cut of Lord of the Rings all day, there's not much to tweet about.

But now I'm back to my ol' routine of work and blogging, but after nearly brushing my teeth with my face wash this morning, I can tell that readjusting to waking up at normal hours is not going to be without its challenges.

And finally, here's an outfit from a few weeks ago. I'll have more recent ones to come!

shirt, j.crew
vest, j.crew
jeans, j.crew
flats, urban outfitters
necklace, f21
ring, from australia

I also am super excited to share my latest cross-stitching project with you guys -- true to my word, I've been working on an Optimus Prime. And as an added bonus, since my design is completely original this time, I can sell it to those of you who are interested. Woohoo! I'll also have a completed mini-Prime to sell for all you Transformers fans, too. STAY TUNED!

update

2011-10-12T22:36:00.003-05:00

Hello, friends! I thought I'd have more time to post during my week off, but I've been surprisingly occupied. So, I thought I'd drop by and tell you all this -- I'll be back to "regular programming" next week!

fuzzy sweaters

2011-10-04T12:03:00.001-05:00

UPDATE: Blogger is making me insane with its weird spacing and whatnot. AUUUUGH.

Fall is here! The weather in the typically muggy Houston has gotten delightfully crisp, and it just fills my cardigan-and-tights-loving heart with warm and fuzzy thoughts. Mmmmm.... autumn at last. I even celebrated by snagging a pair of super soft Missoni for Target tights! You'll see those another day.

I guess my elation over fall's arrival translated into my clothing choices as well because I decked myself out in fall colors without even realizing it. Even my tights are a fall-ready dark hunter green, though they don't look it in these photos.

dress, f21

cardigan, j.crew
tights, hue
flats, urban outfitters
belt, mom's
skull ring, ebay
leaf ring, from australia

bangle, kate spade

And, as I promised you all an update on my cross-stitching project when I completed it, here it is!

I'm thinking about creating an Optimus Prime one for Boyfriend. I'll let you know how that pans out.

closing walls and ticking clocks

2011-09-29T12:24:00.000-05:00

Did I quote a Coldplay song in the post title? Yessir, I did.

I love this skirt, but it can be a challenge to wear because sometimes I feel like the short length + poofy factor + crazy clock motif can be a bit overwhelming if it's not paired with just the right thing. With those concerns in mind, I decided to go for a classic striped Oxford buttoned top, as well as some plain black tights and plain black pumps. Kind of like a sanity sandwich around something potentially nutty.

My metaphors need work.

top, gap

skirt, anthropologie

tights, xhilaration

heels, steve madden

belt, j.crew

Looking at these pictures, I don't even know why I was concerned over the skirt length. Sometimes I forget that I'm fun-sized and not normal-people-sized, so I can get away with wearing shorter hem lengths.

rockin' robin

2011-09-28T12:59:00.000-05:00

Sometimes all it takes is one photo to get me thinking about a new way to wear something I already own. Take, for instance, this promo poster for the new dramedy Beginners --

image via

Hello, red dress with periwinkle tights? I totally own a red dress. And periwinkle tights. And black flats, for that matter.

dress, j.crew

tights, gap

belt, j.crew

bangle, kate spade

flats, urban outfitters

skull ring, ebay

stone ring, etsy

If some of the images in this post aren't showing up correctly, let me know. I am having issues with Blogger. *shakes fist* Or Photobucket. Or both. I can't tell which, but one of them is royally screwing up right now.

Also, because I like to let my geek flag fly once in a while, check out my latest project:

Is that cross stitching with Star Trek characters? YOU BET IT IS. Also, because I believe in giving credit where credit is due, I used the amazing characters that etsy seller weelittlestitches creates as a template for my own little dudes. I would have bought a pattern from them, but they didn't have any Star Trek characters available, so I made my own. This is a Day 2 progress shot. Once I finish this around Thursday, I'll share the finished product with you all.

too secretary?

2011-09-22T12:05:00.000-05:00

I have a confession to make.

This OOTD is a lie.

I never wore it. Not in its entirety, at least.

I'm so ashamed.

I'm so sorry.

*sobs*

blouse, anthropologie

skirt, banana republic

belt, j.crew

pumps, levity

The truth is, I thought it looked too "secretary lady" after seeing the pictures, so I quickly swapped the pencil skirt and pumps for jeans and wedges. But what's weird is the fact that I know that while the photographed ensemble may have been too secretary lady for me today, that doesn't mean it won't seem pleasantly secretary lady for me some other day.

Curse my fickle mind!

Also, I absolutely love this blouse and its little neck bow. I can't figure out why I don't wear it more often...

PS. Happy birthday, Bilbo and Frodo Baggins!

2011-09-21T17:09:00.000-05:00

The homepage for Photobucket is advertising a movie called Spooky Buddies. Whoa. Wait. What? For those of you who are completely lost as to why I'm so shocked by this, let's take a mental trip waaaay back to the 90s, when movies about dogs and movies about sports were adored by all. Homeward Bound. Little Giants. Beethoven. The golden age of Hollywood, really.

Now, move your mind calendar forward to 1997, when Disney decided to combine the best of both worlds, which resulted in Air Bud, a movie about a basketball-playing Golden Retriever. Remember the hijinks? And the fact that the dog wore a jersey and everything? Awwwwww...

Which brings me back to Spooky Buddies. Did you guys know that Air Bud pulled a Land Before Time and has been cranking out sequels for the past 13 years? Yeah. I wasn't aware of this. Except now the Air Bud movies are about his pups, and as far as I can tell by the ad on Photobucket's homepage, they don't even play sports. I am disappointed. (Though I think one of the pups is dressed up like a football player, so I guess there's that).

But that's neither here nor there.

Let's talk clothes.

shirt, j.crew

skirt, j,crew

cardigan, j.crew

belt, j.crew

pumps, levity

ring, j.crew

bangle, kate spade

shirt, j.crew

vest, j.crew outlet

pants, j.crew

flats, urban outfitters

bangle, kate spade

ring, from australia

These two outfits are from earlier this week when the board of directors for my company was in town. I wanted to combat the whole "I look 18" thing I have going on with my face by dressing up a bit more professionally -- which basically just meant that I dressed as a normally do, except with the addition of pumps. But oh the pumps, the pumps... Wearing slingbacks again for the first time in a long time reminded me of why I haven't worn slingbacks in so long. Does anyone else suffer from slingback slippage, where the strap keeps falling down, turning your pumps into a really awkward, heeled flip-flop? Is there a magical solution to this that I don't know about?

Which is why on the second day, I wore flats instead. Problem solved!

pumpkin patch

2011-09-20T11:44:00.004-05:00

Netflix is splitting up into Netflix for streaming and Qwikster for DVD mailing. Color me confused, but why? Apparently, customers will have to check with two different websites (because Netflix and Qwikster will be treated as two different brands and therefore have two different websites) just to update what is essentially one list of movies that they want to watch. Right-o, Netflix. I guess in the age where the majority of companies are trying to make tools and services that do multiple things (ie. cell phones that double as cameras, clocks, portable gaming devices, toasters, land mine detectors, etc.), you're bucking the trend and becoming the service that does fewer things. Cutting edge! I think.

Annnnnnd [/end rant].

Annnnnnd [begin OOTD]:

cami, cotton on

cardigan, gap

skirt, j.crew

flats, steve madden

belt, j.crew

ring, coach

bangle, kate spade

If there's one thing I like, it's colors. I did remind myself of a pumpkin today, though. But you could say that that's perfect for fall.Yes. That's what I'll go with.

me no make words good

2011-09-16T12:26:00.000-05:00

I was emailed last night by a reader who requested my take on the whole Anthroholic Personal Shopper fiasco. I'm sure everyone knows of what I speak by now. However, I honestly don't have much to say on the whole thing. I still don't know what to think about the entire ordeal because I'm not 100% up to speed on what exactly happened, and I never knew Kim personally, nor have I ever used her shopping service.[UPDATE: Please real JewishGirl's entry about this ordeal here. She sums it all up very nicely and objectively.]

I'm also not too good with words right now, which is weird, seeing as how I write and edit for a living. (But seriously, everything I'm typing about this at the moment is like HERP DERP DERP HERP DERP ME NO MAKE WORDS GOOD.) (Just riveting.)

All I know is that I love this blogging community, and I hate to see everyone so hurt and confused. So rather than speak about something on which I don't think I have enough basis to discuss fairly and intellectually (HERP DERP, remember?), I'll just carry on and do what I do, hoping at least some of you will smile at the sheer idiocy of what I post.

Like when I rediscovered the fun of a computer scanner last night and decided to scan one of my plush dolphins:

Teeeheheheheheehe. I'm pretty sure I'm 7.

And an outfit from a few days ago that I never got around to posting...

dress, rachel rachel roy

cardigan, j.crew
shoes, steve madden
bangle, kate spade
ring, f21

I couldn't pass up the incredibly crazy print on this dress. I'm still not sure what it is -- stamps? Postcards? Who knows!

Teeeehehehehehehehehehe...

getting my mad men on. kind of.

2011-09-15T13:07:00.000-05:00

Blogger has a new set-up and it's freaking me out, you guys. I DON'T LIKE CHANGE.

hold me.

Anyhoodle, since work has been kicking my tail this week so that all I want to do when I get home is avoid the computer like the plague, posting has been nigh impossible. Luckily, I finished my lunch a little early today so I can finally hunker down and update this sucker.

Remember all the hoopla that was surrounding the Mad Men collection at Banana Republic? Well, a few weekends ago, I went on over to my BR and snagged this fun little pencil skirt from the collection with an extra 30% off. Not bad!

shirt, j.crew

cardigan, j.crew
skirt, banana republic
belt, j.crew
shoes, steve madden
bangle, kate spade

Excuse the stomach pooch there. I was feeling especially bloated the day this picture was taken. I promise I didn't just buy the skirt in a too-small size.

Also, excuse the box in the background. It was a remnant from the bar I told you all about in the last post. And the balloons, which are a remnant from Boyfriend's birthday bash. You know what, just excuse everything.

an incredibly delayed purple week finale

2011-09-12T12:09:00.001-05:00

I don't know if any of you have noticed, but I totally never got around to posting the last purple outfit for Purple Week. WELL, HERE IT IS!

dress, anthropologie

cardigan, f21

sandals, target

belt, mom's

bangle, kate spade

The dress is all sorts of purple, so it definitely qualifies for Purple Week.

And now, your outfits!

Sherry from Girl's Day Out makes me want to emulate this outfit really badly. The punchy orange and rich purple are so perfect together, and her entire outfit is from Target! Don't you just love it when you can get on-trend and expensive-looking clothing for a great price? Insert wistful sigh here.

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Rachel from promises like pie crust wore this sassy number! The shirt is so adorable, but the real star of this are those amazing heels! Gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme!

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And since I've been away for so long (let's just attribute it to health issues and move on -- I don't want to revisit those germy, germy memories), I've got a few more photos for you all to make up for it.

I bought the Draper Media Console from Urban Outfitters a few weeks ago and it arrived last week! It's supposed to be used as a nifty stand for your record player and records, but since I already have one of those and what I really need is a better place to store all of my cheap, cheap wine (keeping it classy here, folks), I turned it into a bar instead!

The top section on the left opens up as well, which makes it easier to access my various glasses. Obviously, I need some more, but that'll do for now.

And did you notice my awesome new bag? Of course you didn't. So here a closer look:

And here's where I need your help, Minkettes. I got this Rebecca Minkoff bag from Nordstrom last weekend, but I can't find this style online anywhere. I'd love to know what it's called, so if you have any idea, let me know!

See you all tomorrow with a regular update.

Purple Week, Day Four: Purple Thwarted

2011-08-25T21:36:00.003-05:00

The end of Purple Week is nigh, and today's outfit is regrettably sedate. I was planning to wear some awesome aqua-hued pants with it so that there would be like an aqua + yellow + purple trifecta happening, but it turns out that I'm still a smidge too pudgy to fit into my aqua pants at the moment. Hmmmph. So boring ol' "accommodate those love handles" jeans it is.

top, f21

cami, j.crew

jeans, gap

sandals, lauren by ralph lauren

Move along now, not much to see here. I'm getting sleepy just looking at these pictures of my outfit. YAWN. But tune in tomorrow for my Friday send-off to Purple Week!

And now, your much more exciting purple outfits!

Jenn of Complex Cardigans is wearing my favorite yellow + purple color combination here. The skinny little belt, shorts, and zebra flats add some personality and fun to this ensemble, and I can just imagine wearing something similar when I'm out and about! Also, I'm fairly certain I need a cardigan in this exact shade now.

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I've been following goldenmean's blog for quite some time, so I can personally vouch for the fact that she is always putting together really fun and girly outfits! I'm always in awe of how fun all of her outfits always look... She went all the way with her purple outfit, throwing in awesome purple wedges and purple hair. Love!

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Tomorrow's the last installment of Purple Week, so if you have an outfit you'd like featured, send it in to me before 5 p.m. Friday at amy.kelinda@gmail.com!

Purple Week, Day Three: Purple + Aqua

2011-08-24T20:16:00.002-05:00

We're halfway through Purple Week and today I'm sporting a different shade of purple. This hue leans more towards the red end of the purple spectrum rather than the blue end. I got the idea to pair it with my aqua top after doing laundry and seeing them neatly folded on top of one another. It just kind of clicked in my head, like, "Hey! That could work!"

Don't you just love off-the-cuff inspiration? Sometimes that's where the best ideas come from!

top, h&m

cardigan, j.crew

skirt, j.crew outlet

heels, j.crew collection

belt, j.crew

Yeesh, I'm all J.Crew-ed out today and I didn't even notice until now! I guess that just goes to show that J.Crew looks great when worn with more J.Crew. That's probably part of their ingenious plan to take over my closet.

And now, your takes on Purple Week!

Julie of Julie of All Trades is back with a sweet plummy dress! I love the kerchief tied around her neck, too -- very chic! It takes the dress from basic to just a wee bit funky, which is in no way a bad thing.

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Purple doesn't have to end with just your clothes, it can go all the way down to your toes! (That rhyme was unintentional, but I'll take it.) 'Tia from Fat and Fierce is rocking some seriously purple heels, paired with a pink button-down. Pink and purple just makes my inner little girl squeal!

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Proving that purple can come in all shades, here's Jen (Vintageglammz) and her mauve-y dress! This is just layered perfection -- I love the tights, boots, and that incredible trench. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous...

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Angela (Notes from the Dressing Room) is incredibly bold when it comes to her fashion choices, and I just love it. For instance, take her outfit here. That is a bright shirt, and a bright skirt, and a fun patterned cardigan, and she wears it so well!

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Want to join in the fun? Send me your pictures to amy.kelinda@gmail.com!

Purple Week, Day Two: purple + stripes

2011-08-23T21:52:00.002-05:00

I told ya'll that I'd try out the "stripes + purple" combination for myself this week, thanks to AppGal's inspiration from yesterday. And here it is! And with purple Barney-hued pants, no less. I find that the "normal" pattern of stripes helps to tone down the loud-ness of the colored denim.

top, j.crew

cami, cotton on

stretchy whiskered skinny jeans, f21

flats, j.crew

The photos may show otherwise thanks to some wonky color balance issues (this is the first time I've noticed the colors not matching up to real life so dramatically), but trust me, these are some purple pants. Check out the Forever 21 website product link up there to see a truer representation of what color it is.

My only complaint about these pants is that either these pants stretch out a lot during the day, or I dropped two sizes while whittling away at my desk. While I prefer to believe the latter is true, I'm pretty sure the true culprit is the former. So while these pants feel like they run small initially, they'll stretch out quiiiiite a bit during the day, which makes finding the right size understandably perplexing. I'd go with your regular size.

Now here are your lovely purple outfits:

Here's Noelle's (beautygirl24) awesome magenta ensemble -- how lovely is that flowy top? I love how it's balanced out with the skinny jeans and bold accessories. Really, can I have that clutch?

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Kristin (Lovely Apidae) has on an incredible retro-style purple blouse. It has bib detailing and teeny tiny polka dots? I'm sold! I love how feminine it is too, especially with those glasses and tattoo! The cool camera doesn't hurt, either.

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You all know I'm a sucker for prints, and Mariah's (Mind of Mister) funky printed skirt makes me want to find something paisley-patterned for my closet, stat. The classic purple sweater is the perfect counterbalance to the busy print -- wearing something solid is one of my favorite ways to tone down an otherwise too-crazy print.

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A cute, girly dress is always welcome, and Ashley's (Ashley Getting Dressed) is no exception. I love the wee little flower print, and I covet her side hair twist, too. Something for me to try to emulate? Hmmmm...

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Dea (the Dea Diaries) is back with another adorable purple outfit! The pretty floral skirt and white top just screams summer, don't you think? And I mean the good parts about summer, too, like going to the pool, lighting up the BBQ, and lots of lemonade. Yeah... that's the life...

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Another return purple-r, here's ADC (A Daily Checklist) with Round Two! That skirt is just darling, and hey, we're stripes + purple twins today! Great minds think alike!

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Want to join in on Purple Week? Send in your photos to amy.kelinda@gmail.com!

Purple Week, Day One: purple + neon yellow

2011-08-22T19:29:00.002-05:00

Huzzah, my purple outfit for Day One! And what better purple-y thing to start off with than my favorite purple blazer? (technically, it's my only purple blazer, but work with me here, people)

blazer, zara

top, j.crew collection

skinny jeans, j.crew

flats, urban outfitters

bangle, kate spade

ring, coach

Of course, I'm also starting Purple Week off with my favorite color combination of purple + yellow, though in this iteration, it's purple + a very neon yellow. Purple and yellow are almost at opposite ends of the color wheel, and I believe that it's this contrast that makes the combination work so well. It's unexpected, but yet it meshes. Kind of like watermelon and salt, or Jim Carrey and a film role where he doesn't make his butt talk. You know, that kind of unexpected pleasantness of contrasts.

Who knew, right?

Want to join in on the purple goodness? Send your outfit in to amy.kelinda@gmail.com!

welcome to purple week!

2011-08-22T11:26:00.004-05:00

Welcome to Purple Week here at kelinda.KELINDA! I'll be wearing something featuring my favorite grapey hue every day of the week, and I'll also be featuring all of the lovely purple-y outfits you all have sent in to me. After all, the more purple love during Purple Week, the merrier!

To kick things off this afternoon until I update again this evening with my own purple OOTD, here's Boyfriend, rocking a manly purple shirt from this past weekend:

And just so you guys don't miss me too much from now until 7 p.m., here I am giving you all The Crazy Face to tide you over:

Now, here are your Purple Week ensembles!

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If you've ever read Tara K's Mix and Match Fashion (which you should!), you'd find out pretty quick that this stylish lady knows a thing or two about awesome color and pattern pairings. Here, she's sporting a perfect summer outfit, and in one of my favorite color combos, too -- purple + yellow!

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This outfit from Lisa of respect the shoes showcases the reasons why I love her style: the unexpectedness of the orange, gray, yellow, burgundy, green, and purple colorblocking, the sassiness of the outfit, and the incredible way she always pulls it off with such aplomb. Teach me!

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You better believe that I'm going to take a page from AppGal's (Musings on the Mountain) outfit here and do my own "stripes + purple" pairing this week! This look is so fun and flirty, and the swishy skirt just makes me smile.

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Dea here of the Dea Diaries is always cute as a button. I mean, look at the fun ruffles, and the romantic yellow-tipped skirt! I want it all... and throw in that gorgeous bag while you're at it, too, please.

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This is why I love reader submissions -- I just discovered a new blogger to follow! Aili from Jane Squared sent this in and I just love how lady-like this is. The soft purple and green is such a wonderful pairing, and something I never thought of doing before. Ah, you gotta love inspiration...

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Go show ADC some love over at A Daily Checklist -- she has such a feminine eye to outfits that I just adore. I mean, look at that yellow pencil skirt. Just look at it. Is it not the perfect thing to wear with the almost-lavender cardigan? I want it. It needs to be in my closet.

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I don't know what I like more about this picture -- the big, rolling clouds in the blue sky, or that festive purple-printed skirt on gorgeous Julie (Julie of All Trades)! I know I always appreciate a fun print when I see one, and also, I am digging the crossbody bag. Heck yes.

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Want to send me your own (or another) purple outfit for Purple Week? Email it to me at amy.kelinda@gmail.com

souvenir dress, welcome to my closet

2011-08-19T12:15:00.002-05:00

Remember this dress?

Well, guess what I'm wearing today?

THAT'S RIGHT, I'M WEARING THAT DRESS.

souvenir dress, j.crew
cardigan, j.crew
belt, mom's
sandals, target

I'm not wearing it exactly how I had originally planned, but you see, the navy blue cardigan is a little too dark for my taste, so it may get returned. As such, I really shouldn't be wearing it, right?

For those of you who are interested in this frock, I'm wearing it in a size 6. I've gotten puffier these past few months so I'm really supposed to be a size 8 in dresses, but the size 6 fits pretty well (just a smidgen too tight at the hips, but what else is new) so I'd say it may run a little large. On my 5'2" frame, the hem falls right above my knees. I imagine it'd look shorter on taller ladies.

The silk feels wonderful, and it's lined so there are no peek-a-boo moments to fear. My only issue with it is that the sleeves restrict arm movement. Apparently, J.Crew didn't think that the women who wore this dress need to raise their arms above shoulder level, which makes getting dressed and doing my hair a little awkward. Something to note, if you cherish being able to move normally in your clothes. I spend 8 hours of most of my days sitting in front of a computer and not raising my arms above shoulder level, so it wasn't too much of a sacrifice for me. Professional tennis players and circus acrobats may disagree, though.

Have a good weekend, and don't forget to send in your outfits for Purple Week next week!

avocado ice pops meet nautical stripes

2011-08-18T12:21:00.003-05:00

This week has been absolutely crazeballs, you guys! But finally, I have an outfit for you... from last week. Like I mentioned previously, Purple Week has been moved to next week, so send in those purple outfits to amy.kelinda@gmail.com to be featured! I'll be talking submissions throughout next week, too.

Work has been hectic, and I've been trying to train myself to wake up earlier to work out in the mornings before trekking off to the ol' job. I found that a lot of the time, I skip exercising after work because I'm just so freaking tired after spending 8 hours behind a desk. So, working out when I'm still fresh and new (and too groggy to make a compelling case as to why I shouldn't be on the elliptical at this hour) should help me stick to my "get healthy!" regime. Wish me luck!

And now, a pretty straight-forward and basic OOTD:

top, j.crew
cami, cotton on
jeans, gap
sandals, lauren by ralph lauren
bangle, kate spade
evil eye rope bracelet, kiosk
skull ring, ebay
gold ring, f21

You can't tell by the way I'm dressed, but it has been in the triple digits over here, temperature-wise, for the past few weeks. Whenever I'm not freezing in the office, I'm broiling outside. It's ridiculous. But for those of you who are also suffering from "it's way too damn hot"-itis, here's a cool remedy:

Avocado ice pops. I know it sounds weird, but I swear that they are delicious and absolutely refreshing. The recipe is simple, too.

2 avocados, pureed
1/2 cup sugar dissolved and boiled in 1 cup water, then cooled to room temp
1 tablespoon lime juice

Mix it all together in a blender or food processor, scoop into popsicle molds, and freeze. A perfect "see ya later, summer!" treat.

purple week postponed!

2011-08-16T22:09:00.002-05:00

UPDATE: For those of you who are asking, the answer is YES, you can still send in your purple outfits all through this week, and even throughout next week during Purple Week! I can't wait to see what you all come up with! ^_____^

As you can tell, Purple Week didn't exactly launch. This is because some top honchos from my company are visiting this week, so rather than worry about looking extra professional and incorporating purple into my wardrobe, I figured it'd be better just to wait until next week to do Purple Week.

Those of you who sent in photos, you'll still be featured! New OOTD tomorrow!

flutter sleeves and cocoon cardigans

2011-08-11T17:14:00.000-05:00

This outfit is from a few days ago, and to be honest, I threw it on as an after-thought as I was running out the door. Well, not actually in the middle of running out the door because that would be indecent, but you get my meaning.

I don't know if you all realize this, but when it comes to getting ready in the morning, I have terrible time management skills. If there was a "get out of bed and dress yourself in a reasonable amount of time" portion in Legends of the Hidden Temple, my team would lose. The Blue Barracudas would have such low morale, it'd break Kirk Fogg's heart.

dress, anthropologie
cardigan, anthropologie
sandals, mia
necklace, gift
ring, f21
bangle, kate spade

Note: Remember to check out the Shabby Apple dress giveaway I'm hosting!

little black dress, meet long black dress

2011-08-10T12:02:00.002-05:00

I'm not entirely sold on the whole "sheer skirt on top of glorified granny panties" trend that some starlets seem to be rocking these days (a la Rosie MeganFoxReplacement-o-tron-ington), but I admit that there's something to the idea of making a long black skirt a little less "heavy" with some transparency. Imagine my delight when I found this fun little number in F21!

knit maxi dress, f21

jacket, diane von furstenberg
ring, f21
bangle, kate spade
belt, mom's
necklace, gift

It employs the "sheer" trick, but instead of peekaboo hot pants underneath, there's something akin to a little black dress instead.

I can dig that.

Especially since I know I can never get away with strutting around in peekaboo hot pants. Undoubtedly, it would cause some innocent onlookers quite the mental shock from which they will invariably never fully recover, and I just can't live with that on my conscience.

Also, for those of you who are avid backdrop watchers or simply are great with details, you may have noticed a little something happening on my wall back there -- new prints!

I'm super excited to start adding even more prints in the coming weeks, so expect to see this collection grow and grow. If you have any questions about any of these prints, please feel free to ask. I love supporting independent artists!

Finally, for those of you who haven't yet heard, there's a Shabby Apple dress giveaway going on here! Check out this post to enter!

shabby apple dress giveaway!

2011-08-09T12:22:00.003-05:00

For those of you unfamiliar with Shabby Apple, they have a bunch of amazing women's dresses at ShabbyApple.com. You can find some great, modest (but still adorable!) vintage-style dresses, white dresses, and polka-dotted dresses there. And the best news? As one of my sponsors, Shabby Apple has offered to give away a lovely 'Azure Coast' dress to a lovely kelinda.KELINDA reader! How lucky are you guys?!

This contest will be open until midnight CST next Tuesday, 8/16. To enter, all you have to do is comment on this post with your name and email address! I'll use a random number generator to pick a winner, who I'll email for additional information. Winners will have 48 hours to respond before I pick someone else.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL! All kelinda.KELINDA readers can take 10% off their next Shabby Apple order with the coupon code kelinda10off. You can also visit their Facebook page for more discounts and news!

GOOD LUCK!

feather weather

2011-08-08T17:31:00.000-05:00

My J.Crew order should be arriving this week! Eeeeeeeeeek! I can't wait to try that pretty little dress on and to finally have the perfect navy blue cardigan in my wardrobe rotation. Now to just get my hands on the perfect heathered gray cardigan...

I am a cardigan fiend. Short ones, long ones, woolen ones, ones as light as air, bright ones, muted ones -- I love them all.

cardigan, j.crew
dress, target
sandals, mia
belt, urban outfitters
necklace, gift
ring, coach
bangle, kate spade

This cardigan isn't exactly the best choice for this dress (flutter sleeves smashed under cardigan = bulky upper arms), but I was running late and half-awake. A most sartorially dangerous situation.

HOWEVER, I will let you all in on another potentially sartorially dangerous premise -- next week will be PURPLE WEEK! I'll be wearing something purple every day to celebrate my new favorite clothing hue and to show off just how versatile the color really is.

Want to join in the fun? (You know you do!) Email me at amy.kelinda@gmail.com with your purple outfit this week and next to be featured alongside my grape-flavored OOTDs!

placed an order at j.crew...

2011-08-05T13:06:00.002-05:00

For those of you who follow my mostly inane tweets, you know that I did a little shopping last night. And I am excited to get my hands on these lovely things...

souvenir dress, j.crew
jenna's cardigan, j.crew

I know none of these are really new arrivals, but don't worry, I do plan on ordering some of the newer stuff to try out too! And I will document them for you all here so that other short, pear-shaped ladies can benefit from my reviews. Huzzah!

I've been in love with the Souvenir dress for months, and seeing as how I had the wonderful gift card that Angela gave me, my rewards card, and the 20% off that J.Crew extended to card holders, I finally went for it. Eeeeek, so excited!

I also grabbed the Jenna cardigan in navy because a) I need a cropped navy cardigan and b) the cardigan may be boring and plain Jane, but I swear to you that it's the most versatile one I have in my closet (I have a black version from last year). The fabric is relatively light and cool for wool, it's incredibly soft, and it hits at just the right spot to go fabulously with dresses and skirts. I recommend it as a wardrobe staple!

Here's the outfit I already planned for my new purchases, so think of this as the trailer for an upcoming OOTD:

And just like a non-JJ Abrams-helmed trailer, I just showed you every single thing that's going to be in that outfit.

Seriously, though, does anyone else notice that? I feel like every trailer these days basically shows you the entire movie in a neat 3-minute package.

a hair story

2011-08-02T12:42:00.002-05:00

Hello readers! I'm so sorry for the crazy posting schedule here. Things at work have been wackadoodle lately, and since I do my posts during my lunch breaks and I've hardly been taking a real lunch break lately, I'm afraid ke.KE has fallen into neglect.

BUT, I'm here with another OOTD!

dress, anthropologie men's belt, american eagle vara pumps, salvatore ferragamo goldfish ring, f21

I also tried my hand at pin-curling my hair last weekend, which resulted in semi-awesome ringlets. I have a feeling that my hair is just too long to really take advantage of pin curls, but it did look cool thrown up into a bun, pinned here and there, and wrapped with a bandana.

This goes without saying (but I'll say it anyways), but my hair l-o-n-g. It's the first time I've had locks this lengthy since my freshman year of high school. You see, I chopped all of my hair off into a bob my sophomore year in school and it's been short ever since until two years ago, when I finally let it grow out.

The hair I want? THIS:

I know Amy Adams' ringlets in Enchanted are most likely extensions, but I've always coveted long, curly locks like that. (I also always wanted ginger red hair, but that's less likely to happen than the curls) Once I get my hair long enough to hold those curls, I'll finally have princess hair! And it'll be awesome, you guys.

Then, I'll most likely cut it all off again because the maintenance for hair that long must be brutal.

purple and pecan

2011-07-27T12:05:00.003-05:00

Continuing the purple love today with my trusty plum blazer. I never realized just how fun a colored blazer could be until I picked this one up from Zara a few weeks ago. As mentioned in yesterday's post, J.Crew has some new fun hued blazers in their fall line, and I am just starry-eyed about adding some more colors to my blazer collection. The Hacking Blazers and velvet Schoolboy Blazers are calling my name! But can I afford both in every single color at full price? All signs point to "Sure, if you don't mind living off a box of Cheerios for six months." So, J.Crew, help me and other JCAs out here and roll out a 20% off new arrivals promotion soon, please. Pretty, pretty please?

blazer, zara
cami, j.crew
cords, j.crew
glitter flats, steve madden
gold bangle, kate spade
ring, j.crew

I ought to just do a "Purple Week" one of these days. Maybe next month? You guys could join me! I'll fill you in on the details once I have them sorted out...

And finally, for all of you who love Pixar and film scores as much as I do, here's a little treat:

Now don't tell me that your eyes didn't get just a wee bit watery hearing the Finding Nemo, Ratatouille (my favorite Pixar film!) and Up themes at the end. *snifffffffff*

obsessing over some new j.crew arrivals...

2011-07-26T13:18:00.003-05:00

I think I'm coming down with a serious case of the "I LOVE PURPLE"s. I'm finding that super punchy grape hues go with more colors than I had previously imagined -- you've already seen me pair it with yellow, so how about some purple + red action? It wasn't something I thought would work together, but somehow it does. For me, anyway. I mean, maybe for you, it looks like an ocular assault, waging war against your family values and moral standards. I don't know your life.

tiered cami, target
cardigan, f21
black jeans, j.crew
wedge sandals, lauren by ralph lauren
bangle, kate spade

Moving on, has anyone else been squee-ing over J.Crew's new arrivals? Because all those bright colors make me seriously happy. As much as I enjoyed last year's neutral beige-o-rama trend, there is nothing I enjoy more than mixing bright colors together so that I resemble a rainbow popsicle as much as possible. Thank you, J.Crew, for finally giving us some happy colors again! Here are some of the new arrivals I'm obsessing over --

I'll take one of each in every color, please! (if only)

What do you guys have your eye on?

polka calico

2011-07-25T13:45:00.002-05:00

When I saw Kendi in this outfit, I knew I wanted to try my hand at the whole "polka-dotted top over a dress" thing too. I mean, how adorable is her ensemble?! Now, I don't have the lovely pieces she has in her outfit, but I do have a little cropped top from F21 and a calico number from Anthropologie, so here's my version of "polka printing" --

top, f21
'collected calico' dress, anthropologie
wedge flats, cole haan
brown belt, urban outfitters
ring, f21
bangle, kate spade

I retrospect, I think a sleeveless top may have worked better so I don't look so upside-down triangle on top. Next time!

I'll leave you all with a Monday bite -- browned butter rice krispie treats with sea salt! The recipe is from Smitten Kitchen, and it's a winner every single time I make it. Enjoy!

I'll take 6 of each, please

2011-07-21T12:46:00.002-05:00

I know I wear this jacket entirely too much, but can I help that it just seems to go with everything? And to think that when I bought it, I suffered from buyer's remorse right afterwards. Little did I know just how much of a staple it would become. If I were a cartoon character, this would undoubtedly be something I'd always wear, and possibly have duplicates of when I open my cartoon wardrobe. Kind of like how in Daria's closet, there are 6 pairs of her favorite black combat boots. Variety!

dress, f21
jacket, diane von fursternberg
belt, j.crew
flats, target
beaded bracelet, mall cart
bangle, kate spade
ring, f21

I recently got a new lipstick per Natalie's suggestion from this post -- Chanel's Coco Rouge. I'm wearing it in the Bel-Ami shade and it is the perfect everyday lipstick! I love that it only ever-so-slightly punches up my natural lip color and adds some sheen. You see, I have fairly large lips, so I'm always wary of putting too much on them for fear of having them overwhelm my face. But check it out:

I highly recommend.

Now tell me readers, if you were a cartoon character, what would be part of your uniform?

mucho maxi

2011-07-20T12:03:00.003-05:00

I snapped some photos of my outfit yesterday, but I looked decidedly cracked out of my mind in all of them (well, more than usual, anyway) so I decided to not post them. Instead, here's an outfit from a few days ago...

shirt, gap
cami, cotton on
skirt, zara
belt, mom's
ring, f21
bangle, kate spade

I'm living in maxi skirts this summer. They're just so easy to wear! Not to mention that they are the most logical choice for me when it comes to enduring the typical triple-digit temperatures of Houston. I mean, whenever I hear that the high is going to be 110 degrees, my first instinct on wardrobe options is "NAKED," so it's excellent that I have an alternative to that.

A while back, I did a guest DIY post for one of my absolute favorite bloggers (Infinite Whimsy), and there was a good response to my crafting skillz (with a 'z' which is how you know it's for real). Unfortunately, I don't craft all day, every day, so I can't do craft-type DIY posts regularly. But, I do create different and new dishes/desserts on a regular basis, so I will include some recipe successes whenever I come across them and count them as pseudo-DIYs. Sound good?

Today, I present to you one of my new favorites light lunches/dinners -- asparagus with a fried egg and pecorino cheese:

I got the recipe from Steamy Kitchen, and you can find it here. The only changes I made is that I used pecorino cheese instead of parmesan because it's what I had on hand. The result was still outrageously delicious for something that's only 3 ingredients, if you don't include the salt and pepper.

borrowed too much from the boys

2011-07-19T12:28:00.003-05:00

Who gets a cold in the middle of summer? THIS GIRL! Do I get a prize? A box of Kleenex, mayhaps? A bottle of Nyquil with a bendy straw in it? Because that's what I need right now.

Moving on...

shirt, j.crew
jacket, gap kids
jeans, j.crew outlet
sandals, aldo
men's belt, ae
bracelet, kate spade
ring, f21

This was thrown together at the last possible second. I have a bad habit of sleeping through my alarm, which I pay dearly for whenever I'm trying to get dressed because I can think is "jeans! sandals! shirt! jacket! DONE!" without thinking that maybe these jeans with those sandals make me look shorter than I already am, or that maybe a men's-style shirt paired with a boy's-style jacket might need a touch more femininity to balance it all out.

Lesson learned: Wake up on time and get dressed thoughtfully.

dun dun dun DUNNNN

2011-07-15T11:28:00.005-05:00

GUYS. Some days when it feels like all the joints in my hands ache, and today is one of those days. BLAAAARGH. It's no bueno for someone who types all day long for a living, and I'm pretty certain it's affecting my ability to string together coherent thoughts. Some of my articles are beginning to sound like this:

"U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo recently announced that they are now offering college students the chance to take out a fixed-rate private student loan, which is great for those lucky students who do not suffer from INCREDIBLY IRRITATING hand pain ARGH SO ANNOYING WHY WHY WHYYYYY SAHFDAIUFYCNBACA21U3RFN8WCENA#$#"

That last bit is me thrashing my hands around on the keyboard like I'm playing an especially passionate rendition of Beethoven's 5th. Stirring.

I keep popping my fingers in an effort to alleviate the pain (even though it never works, but I don't learn, do I?) and I know that if Chloe (of The Conspiracy) were here in the office with me, she'd start a mutiny and call for my immediate banishment. Sorry, Chloe.

But stupid hands aside, here's an outfit.

crochet bib cami, h&m
jacket, diane von furstenberg
long and lean jeans, gap
wedge sandals, lauren by ralph lauren
men's belt, american eagle
ring, f21
gold bangle, kate spade

Now before I leave you lovely readers for the weekend, here's some more of Beethoven's 5th for you:

CLVJWQEGnP4YHGQNVIRNSWGOINW SJRG94W TU93Q9RFINCOWN#tyt@$#qe

Thank you, and yes, I am classically trained in Keyboard Rage.

Sometimes I seriously can't believe that you actually read the nonsense I post here. I LOVE YOU GUYS.

the return of the pencil skirt

2011-07-14T11:51:00.002-05:00

Is it weird that every time I hear the phrase "the return of the..." I automatically think "King" or "Jedi"?

But that's neither here nor there.

What is here, guys, is a pencil skirt -- which has not been on my bottom half (or any other half of me, come to think of it) since early April. I had forgotten how much I missed my pencil skirts, and it was a joyous reunion, especially since it heralded in the fact that I am now getting back to my old, healthier size.

So in celebration, I ate an entire cake.

Just kidding.

OR AM I?

Yeah, I am.

cami, gap
jenna's cardigan, j.crew
pencil skirt, j.crew outlet
peeptoe leopard flats, steve madden
studded skinny belt, j.crew
ring, f21
gold bangle, kate spade

This picture totally happened. Lisa, are you looking to do another outtakes post soon? Haha!

Also, have you noticed my new wall decor? I finally decided to get some art prints I bought ages ago framed and now we're going to be slowly adding to this collection. I already have a gorgeous illustration from Rachel I need to print and frame as well. It'll be exciting to watch the collection grow!

coming clean

2011-07-07T11:59:00.003-05:00

I'm sorry for the unpredictability of my posts lately. I'd pitch you one excuse after another (running late! too busy! shark attack! zombie apocalypse!) but I know in my heart of hearts that the real reason why I haven't been as compelled to post lately is because -- ugh, how do I make this sound as non-melodramatic as possible? -- I just don't feel good about myself, gosh darn it.

I've long struggled with self-esteem problems, just like any other member of the female sex. Even though I've lost 10 pounds, my self-esteem is still in the pits. It's incredibly frustrating to not be able to fit into my favorite clothes, and incredibly frustrating to feel so limited by my own wardrobe because I'm convinced everything makes me "look fat." Whether or not this is actually true is irrelevant because I've found that as long as you feel unattractive, you'll look unattractive. It's weird that way.

I'm working on slowly pumping some positive energy back into my life, especially since I'm getting so sick and tired of my own moping. I can't even tell you how many times I've gotten mad at myself for being such a baby about bad hair days and "still-can't-fit-into-that-pencil-skirt" days. But I hope you guys will hang with me until I get that spring in my step again, whenever that day may come, lovely readers.

For now, here's a rather lackluster OOTD, where I buried myself under the loosest top I could find:

cami, j.crew
top, f21
cords, j.crew
sandals, aldo
bangle, kate spade
ring, f21
necklace, aerie

So as to not leave you all on a totally downer note, here's a lovely little dress I snagged last week from Ruche!

Isn't it darling? It's the 'Rays of Color' dress by Knitted Dove. I can't wait for it to get here! There's nothing quite like the promise of a pretty new frock to bring some joy, even if for just a few moments...

those jeans again

2011-07-01T11:46:00.002-05:00

I know posting has been sporadic this week, and I apologize. After a sty in the eye one day, and then a phone alarm failing to ring on another, this week has not started off with my most ideal of mornings. But hurrah! It's the weekend now, and a long weekend at that, especially since I'll be taking a holiday the day after July 4th as well. Can I get a WOOT WOOT? (no?) (carry on, then.) (party pooper.)

Some of you observant ladies have pointed out that I appear slightly slimmer these days, and you'd be right. I'm 10 whole pounds slimmer in fact, thanks to a change of eating habits for the better and semi-regular workout routines. That means I only have 20 more pounds to go before reaching my healthy weight range, so I'm pretty jazzed. So close!

But that also means I'm still stuck in denim limbo land, where out of the 7 pairs of jeans I own, I now am too slim to fit into 1 of them, but still too tubby to fit into my other 5 pairs from pre-love handle days of yore. So I'm stuck with only one pair of denim that fits correctly -- THESE.

striped shirt, gap

cami, cotton on
long and lean jeans, gap
belt, american eagle
wedges, lauren by ralph lauren
skull ring, ebay
leaf ring, australia
bangle, kate spade

My cami is from Cotton On, a store I was obsessed with when I was studying abroad in Australia during my college years. And guess what? They're opening one in the Galleria in Houston! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK! Just another reason for me to frequent that mall even more often than I already do. From what I remember, Cotton On is basically H&M Lite, which I don't mind at all, seeing as how my hometown has yet to get H&M Full Fat. Hmmph.

Have a good weekend!

four eyes

2011-06-29T12:10:00.003-05:00

The sty on my left eyelid has shrunk down to near invisibility, but it's still a little tender, so I think I'll be going contact lens-less until I know everything's completely okay with my peepers. I mean, someone told me that wearing your contact lenses while you have a sty could lead to an eye infection, which in turn could lead to "scarring of the retina." I know that's like saying that an infected paper cut on your thumb could lead to the amputation of your forearm, but still -- "scarring of the retina"? No thanks.

silk cami, j.crew
purple blazer, zara
skirt, f21
sandals, aldo
necklace, aerie
ring, f21
bangle, kate spade
polish, 'sun kissed' by sally hansen

Who doesn't like a good side braid? My hair is layered, though, so I needed to tame it with no less than 38947 pins and clips, but still -- effortless! Kind of.

Also, this picture made me realize I need some color on my lips on a day-to-day basis. Any suggestions for a natural lip color? I don't do glossies, for what it's worth.

you're the right stuff and I want it that way

2011-06-27T12:48:00.002-05:00

Guuuuuuuys. I woke up this morning with a sty on my upper eyelid. Grrrrrr. Luckily, it's not that bad I read that these things normally clear up within a week, so I'm crossing my fingers! But that also means you'll be seeing me in glasses for a solid week until it goes away.

With that being said, there's no OOTD today because I woke up and wasted precious picture-taking time by freaking out about the sty to Boyfriend.

"I look like Quasimodo!"

"No you don't."

He's a patient one.

So instead, here are some pictures from last Saturday's BoyBandPalooza, aka the New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys tour. Longtime readers of this blog know that I'm a diehard Backstreet Boys fan from my old wall decor of choice (I still have that poster -- it's just rolled up in my closet now until I can find a new home in my apartment for it), so how excited was I when this tour rolled into town? HINT: VERY EXCITED.

Donnie Wahlberg is amused. The meeting of the boy bands on stage.

My guys! SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

The big finale, complete with confetti cannon action.

I miss those guys already.

felt like a scene on the cutting room floor

2011-06-24T12:06:00.003-05:00

Thanks for the DSLR suggestions yesterday! I'm going to keep a running list of cameras to check out, so I am super psyched to have someplace to start my hunt. And thanks to the anonymous commenter who gave a great comprehensive overview of what I should look into when searching for a new camera! This is why I haven't disabled the anonymous commenting feature yet, despite having to weed out some spam comments once in a while, and the occasional offensive/racist/generally-WTF one. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. *shakes fist*

Moving on, I haven't mastered the art of wearing all black without looking like a stagehand. Different shoes? A skirt? Different materials? I don't know.

I originally had on a black top, but swapped it out for this red one after realizing I looked less French chic and more I volunteer at the community theater. And there's nothing wrong with looking like you volunteer at the community theater... unless you don't actually volunteer at the community theater.

striped cami, j.crew
cardigan, modcloth
black jeans, j.crew
flats, urban outfitters
ring, f21
gold bangle, kate spade

A cami, jeans, and a cardigan combination is not exactly adventurous in terms of dressing myself, but it was all I could muster that morning. It's been a long, busy week, and it looks like I have a short, busy weekend ahead of me. But the good news? I'm seeing these guys in concert tomorrow.

I am totally K(ing)TBSPA.

a little rockabilly (just a little)

2011-06-23T12:10:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I made a salad that was so delicious that I absolutely have to share it with you guys:

It's a ribboned zucchini and basil salad and I highly recommend.

I apologize in advance for the completely crazeballs coloring and focus for this post's pictures. Yesterday morning was all kinds of gloomy, so my camera essentially gave up and said, "Everything's just going to have to be slightly blurry and yellow!"

Quitter.

Also, I'm considering investing in a nice beginner's DSLR, so if you have any suggestions, tell me in the comments! Maybe owning a (much) (MUCH) nicer camera will encourage me to venture to new locations for these OOTD shots...

picture frame blouse, anthropologie
cardigan, lacoste
skirt, madewell
jolie flats, j.crew
gold ring, f21
gold bangle, kate spade

In retrospect, some fun peep-toe heels could have made this ensemble much more kicky. Next time.

On a completely unrelated note, these are craziest pants I've ever seen. You've really outdone yourself this time, Forever 21...

grape blazer ahoy

2011-06-22T12:24:00.003-05:00

I was browsing through Zara last weekend when I spotted this purple blazer. Thinking it'd be good for a laugh, I put it on and thought about how amazingly crazy it would look with matching purple pants. A real Grimace-of-McDonalds-fame-joins-Miami-Vice ensemble, if you follow me.

But instead of laughing, I looked at my reflection and went, "Hmmmm... this could work." Strange how sometimes things that seem hilariously ill-advised on the hanger can actually surprise you when you put it on. Now I wonder how I ever doubted the allure of this sweet grape-hued jacket.

blazer with lapel, zara
long and lean jeans, gap
yellow print cami, fossil
wedge sandals, lauren by ralph lauren
gold ring, f21
silver ring, from australia
gold bangle, kate spade

Have any of you guys ever saw what you thought was a tragedy on a hanger only to discover that it's anything but once you put it on?

Also, I would like to point out how amazing it is that this outfit features no J.Crew at all, especially since 75% of my staple wardrobe consists of J.Crew pieces. Branching out!

it's a sweater cape poncho thing

2011-06-21T12:09:00.002-05:00

I didn't end up seeing The Green Lantern last weekend because Boyfriend admitted that it looked pretty terrible. We'll Netflix it one day, which is my preferred method of watching potentially terrible movies. At least then I won't feel like the movie studios tricked me into spending $20 on cinematic garbage.

I'm still mad about the time I paid to see Transformers 2. The first one was fun enough, but the second one was completely inane. I mean, Optimus Prime is all "Sam, the Decepticons are coming and they're going to bomb/enslave/Transformerize all of humanity!" and Shia LaPoof's response is, "But wehhhhh, I want to go to college!"

Seriously? Priorities, people.

And now, onto something completely different:

sweater, anthropologie
vintage cotton v-neck tee, j.crew (now an extra 30% off!)
skinny black jeans, j.crew
sandals, mossimo
ring, from australia

I don't remember what this sweater cape poncho thing was called, but I got it from Anthropologie's sale section about 3 weeks ago. It's so weird and strangely 80s with its colored geometric print, and I just love it! Not to mention that it's insanely soft and comfortable.

One of my coworkers put it best when she said, "I love your sweater... wrap... wait, what is that?"

pants optional

2011-06-17T13:40:00.001-05:00

I don't know if you've noticed you guys, but I am way into long skirts and dresses this summer. One of my coworkers pointed out how I'm always swishing around the office in one floor-skimming number or another. To which I responded, "I guess sometimes I just can't be bothered to wear pants."

I mean, at 7 in the morning, can anyone really expect me to be coordinated enough to put each of my legs in the correct corresponding pant leg? Sometimes I can't even trust myself to not brush my teeth with face wash.

I got this fun printed number from Forever 21 last weekend. I'm a scant 5'2" and it reaches just a little beyond my toes, so make of that what you will. I'm wearing a size Small, though I'm usually a Small or Medium in F21's frocks, so sizing down is definitely recommended!

tribal multi-way maxi dress, f21

jacket, diane von furstenburg

sandals, mix no6

gold bangle, kate spade

lace necklace, gift

ring, f21

The weekend is finally here, which means that Boyfriend will undoubtedly attempt to persuade me that forking over $15 to watch Ryan Reynolds act like a poor man's Tony Stark who is wired out on youth and caffeine and the NEED for SPEED (am I getting my movies confused?) in The Green Lantern is a good idea.

the cocoon of recovery

2011-06-16T12:16:00.003-05:00

It was 100 degrees outside and I decided to wear a long skirt with a long-sleeved cardigan. Lest you think I'm insane, keep in mind that my office is kept at a tingly 70 degrees. So really, I was dressed accordingly.

I'm sure many of my fellow office-really-doesn't-match-the-actual-weather workers can identify with this bizarre scenario. How do you guys deal with the drastic differences in temperature?

cami, cotton on

cardigan, j.crew

skirt, modcloth

belt, j.crew

ring, j.crew

bangle, kate spade

scarf, h&m

sandals, mix no6

Still keeping my chest covered up with a scarf while the scars from my allergy flare-up heals. It is going to be so great when the last pink blotch peaces out, you guys. In the meantime as compensation for my lackluster and weirdly layered outfits during my Cocoon of Recovery period, here's some more shots of my various shelf contents --

I love board games, but during the move, I realized that a lot of my favorite ones had gone missing. Now all I have left are these guys. Let's see, it's time to stock up on: Monopoly, Sorry!, Scattergories...

You saw my tiny record collection on Monday, now check out my slightly-more-sizable CD collection! The butter dish holds various USB thumb drives, and Spidey up there belongs to Boyfriend.

Do you guys display any of your collections around your place? CDs? Magazines? Movies?

guest posting on Infinite Whimsy

2011-06-15T10:58:00.002-05:00

Here's a little something to snag your interest...

Now pop on over to Infinite Whimsy to check out my guest post on DIY doily runners and spray-paint decor!

scritch-scratch

2011-06-14T11:47:00.002-05:00

So. *coughs* Where have I been since? Well, I was out the week before last on a business trip in Seattle (beautiful city!). Then last week, I intended to post, I really did. Honestly!

But then, THIS HAPPENED.

I went to the pool the weekend before last and got some color on my skin (I put on sunscreen, folks!). But my midsection, thanks to my very adorable one-piece swimsuit from J.Crew, was left pale as ever due to lack of exposure. I decided to try Neutrogena's Build-a-Tan lotion on my stomach, chest, and back to even things out sans UV rays. It was working great the first day -- perfect coloring and no streaks! -- so I put it on again the next day. And then a huge, itchy rash bloomed across my entire torso. AUUUUGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH.

Now, to clarify, I'm pretty sure I was just allergic to something in the lotion, so I don't think this is a normal reaction. It was just my own sensitive skin's inane, overblown reaction to what it perceived to be an irritant.

So that's why there are no pictures and no OOTDs. Because I spent the rest of last week and weekend holed up in my apartment, wearing comically oversized T-shirts and baggy pajama bottoms, rubbing Gold Bond all over my blotchy, pixelated-looking body and shoving ice packs under my shirt in an attempt to put out that raging rash inferno.

Lovely story, isn't it?

Well, I'm on the mend now thanks to some prescription medication, but things still aren't looking (or feeling) pretty. I'll most likely be wearing some very humdrum outfits for the next few weeks, consisting of comfortable tees and blah-blah-blah jeans, as I heal up. *snores*

To wit:

men in uniform tee, f21

denim, j.crew outlet

snakeskin sandals, aldo

scarf, gap (in store only?)

polish, 'green 11' urban outfitters

Hello, Spider-Man! Fancy seeing you here. A nice summer scarf hides the scarring on my neck (yeah, it was really bad).

But to make up for this less than exhilarating OOTD, here are some random vignettes in my entertainment center --

Check out my tiny record collection, with a wooden stegosaurus puzzle!

And my ever-expanding book collection. I know this is paltry compared to some of the incredible bookshelves I've seen from other bookworms *cough*ROSEMARY*cough*, but I'm going to need to take over another shelf soon.

Finally, I got something that really cheered me up after a busy work day of adult responsibilities and itching --

Super sweet Angela from Notes From the Dressing Room sent me an adorable card and a $50 gift card to J.Crew as a thank you for creating her blog header! Angela, seriously, you told me you were just sending me a thank you card, you rascal! ;)

I love it, and she even included a picture of the lovely striped dress I covet from J.Crew! So thank YOU, Angela! You're a doll, and it seriously made my day! Not just the gift card (though that is admittedly nice, I'm not one to lie, haha!), but just knowing the amount of thought you put into the card made me misty-eyed... I am such a softie!

big big world

2011-05-27T11:53:00.003-05:00

I got this dress from H&M during my trip to Boston last month, but it only now warmed up enough for me to consider donning something so summery. I love the little ruffle trim, and the tassel tie belt. You see, I love ruffles and tassels, so it all just works for me!

P.S. Did you know that H&M now has some of their stuff online for sale? I had no idea until Kim told me! Where have I been?!

dress, h&m

infinity cardigan, j.crew

village sandals, mia

stone bracelet, lucky brand

gold bangle, kate spade

skull ring, ebay

I'll be gone for all of next week on a business trip to Seattle (my very first one!), so there won't be a new post until I get back in June. I'll most likely still be on Twitter, though, so keep up with me there if you're not already!

And now, today's installment for the 30 Day Song Challenge --

Day 6: A Song That Reminds You of Somewhere

Back in 1999, my family and a few family friends went to Hong Kong together. This song was everywhere. It seemed like every shop had it playing, and every radio station interrupted their Chinese tunes with this little number on a regular basis. Now whenever I hear it, I get zapped back to bustling streets slicked with afternoon rain, the smell of deep-fried street food, the sound of shopkeepers haggling with customers, and an electric feeling that I'm convinced is found on that island and nowhere else.

Do any of you have a song that reminds you of a place?

Have a great weekend + Memorial Day!

neutral city

2011-05-26T11:49:00.002-05:00

After all that orange from the past 2 outfits, I felt compelled to reach for colors that with less POW! I ended up dressed entirely in neutrals, though I didn't mean for that to happen. During morning when I am especially foggy-brained, I just get dressed entirely on auto-pilot and don't even notice what I'd put on until I get to the office (and it shows, guys, it shows). I am not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination.

The quirky map print on the cardigan kept things from looking too bland, though. At least, that's what I'd like to think.

bow neck shirt, ann taylor loft

cartography cardigan, anthropologie

skinny zipper cords, j.crew

glitter flats, steve madden

studded belt, j.crew

Guys. I miss my jeans. And my pencil skirts (though I don't miss that terrible head suit I had going on, yeesh) (not that my current hair is any better) (I need a haircut). It's been a while since I've ballooned out so much that I can't comfortably wiggle into them anymore. But, the good news is that realizing that I miss my past wardrobe staples has re-ignited my drive to shed some pounds. I need those things back in rotation!

After all, I'm sure you're all sick of seeing me wear the same 3 pairs of pants. I know I'm sick of it. Strangely, I used to have a pair of jeans that I could fit into, but in the past 2 weeks, I've lost enough weight to make them way too big, rendering me denim-less for the time being -- stuck in limbo between fitting into my "fat jeans" and fitting back into my "pre-fat jeans."

Now, the next installment of the 30 Day Song Challenge --

Day 5: A Song That Reminds You of Someone

Ah, middle school. In actuality, every Goo Goo Dolls song reminds me of one of my best friends in middle school -- she was a huge fan. We saw a show together, and we still go on nostalgia trips about the good ol' GGD every time we meet up. Her fandom got me into them too. The Goo Goo Dolls' "Slide" was the very first song I learned how to play on the guitar, and my Fender Stratocaster is named after the front man (Rzezzy for John Rzeznik). My acoustic guitar is named after a Backstreet Boy, but that's a story for another time.

Are there any songs that remind you of someone?

orange punch, part 2

2011-05-25T12:02:00.005-05:00

If I just had 2 more orange skirts, I'd be able to make this an all orange week. Alas, I only have this one and yesterday's, though I'd wager that's 2 more orange skirts than most people own.

silk feather blouse, fossil

infinity cardigan, j.crew

long crepe skirt, zara

woven belt, mom's

gold bangle, kate spade

monocle necklace, gift

ring, f21

This outfit isn't anything entirely new. I've worn different versions of this quite a few times now, but I still enjoy it! I love a good maxi skirt, and this one has to be my favorite by far. It's so wonderfully swishy!

And, ahem, note to the Zara inside the Galleria -- please stock your store with some of the wonderful goodies I've been spying on the website. Like this, this, and this. Please and thank you.

And now, for today's 30 Day Song Challenge pick --

Day 4: A Song That Makes You Sad

This is easily one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite musicians, but boy does it give me the sads. But what do you expect from a song called "When I'm Down"?

From Chris Cornell's strongest solo venture to date, right after Soundgarden called it quits in 1999, the song features a more jazz-y sound than his usual crunchy grunge. It's also one of the damned most vocally challenging songs I've ever heard, which isn't surprising coming from a man who has a four-to-five octave range. A piano only has 7 octaves. Now, I don't mean he does sustained diva belting, but rather that the notes and tempo are tricky! And this is coming from someone who trained with a vocal coach for a while (but don't get your hopes up. I'm on a Pierce-Brosnan-in-Mama-Mia level of terrible now).

I saw him perform it live last month. It sounds just as sparse and gorgeous in person as it does on the record.

Now, indulge me -- what song makes you sad and why?

orange punch

2011-05-24T11:58:00.002-05:00

I had ordered this skirt a month ago, but my size was backordered so it only got to me last week. I was so happy when it arrived that I didn't even bother ironing it after tearing it out of the box.

striped top, f21

jackie cardigan, j.crew

dorrie skirt, j.crew

glitter flats, steve madden

monocle necklace, gift

gold bangle, kate spade

ring, f21

Now I want this in every single color! Put it on sale, J.Crew.

Thanks to the ever-adorable littlemissfanciepants for picking me, along with 6 other awesome bloggers, for the "Stylish Blogger Award." It's really just a fun excuse to learn more about each other, and I don't mind that one teeny bit, lovely readers.

For example, I learned that fanciepants (can I call you that?) holds regular car concerts during her commutes. And wouldn't you know, I do the same thing! In fact, I thought a lot of people held car concerts, but looking around at other drivers while I'm stuck in traffic, I'm always surprised by the fact that I seem to be the only one wailing to "Bohemian Rhapsody." Huh.

Anyhoodle...

I am to list 7 random things about myself. So here goes:

1. I believe myself to be insufferiably boring and infuriatingly average. That's why I would never want to visit a parallel universe and see the Parallel Universe AmyK, because she would undoubtedly be much, much cooler than I am and I just can't handle that.

2. Whenever I bump into things, I apologize. I must have already said "sorry" to the coffee table no less than 327 times now since I moved into the apartment last year.

my table is australian, evidently

3. I talk to my goldfish all the time. I also talk for him pretty often. For some reason, he sounds like a really paranoid Yogi Bear.

4. I cry whenever I see anything related to whales and dolphins being hurt by human activity. I was watching a documentary about dolphins once and there was a 15-second segment about how they used to get caught in tuna nets. By the time that 15 seconds was over, I was bawling. CANNOT. HANDLE. IT. (and yes, I also cried during Flipper) (multiple times) (come to think of it, maybe that's why whenever I mention watching Flipper, Boyfriend nervously eyes the tissue box)

5. In addition to being a complete cry-baby for aquatic mammals, I'm also a huge pansy when it comes to scary things. I watched The House on Haunted Hill on TV once and couldn't sleep for 4 weeks because I was convinced that my closet was going to eat me.

6. I went through a period in my life where I watched Jurassic Park every single day. I love you, Dr. Alan Grant.

also, nice hat.

7. When I was little, I used to pronounce "pastel" as "paste-ull." Because nobody bothered to tell me I was WRONG for the longest time.

And here are 7 bloggers I'm passing this along to:

Noelle of Beautygirl24

Pamela of ginger girl

Lisa of respect the shoes

Rosemary of Ro Ro Ro Your Blog

Angela of Notes from the Dressing Room

Anne of My Own Little Spot

Eleanor of Shopping the Closet

Whew! Enjoy, ladies, and I can't wait to learn some "fun facts" about all of you!

And now, Day 3 of the 30 Day Song Challenge --

Day 3: A Song That Makes You Happy

It's impossible to not smile when you hear this song, especially when you see him perform it with a big ol' grin on his face. How about you guys? What song makes you happy?

filler post! song challenge, day two

2011-05-23T12:43:00.004-05:00

Well, looks like someone *cough*who,me?*cough* forgot to upload some pictures onto Photobucket before coming in to work, so we're going to have to update with a non-OOTD post today.

I might as well just give you all the Day Two theme of the 30 Day Song Challenge --

Day Two: Your Least Favorite Song

Guys. I love the Beatles. But this song gives me the creeps, therefore making it my least favorite song. That's right. I'm not hating on this song because of poor writing, poor performance, and so on and whatever, but because it induces night terrors.

How about you guys? What's your least favorite song, and why?

a little bit of monica in my life?

2011-05-20T12:39:00.004-05:00

First and foremost, I need to do some shameless self-promotion again – follow me on Twitter and "like" me on Facebook! You can even scope out my reviews on Yelp if you're in the Houston area. I'll give you all a virtual high five if you do, which is just as good as a real high five. And virtual cookies! Though those are regrettably nowhere near as good as real cookies.

For lack of a better segue, here's the OOTD:

striped tank top, j.crew

chambray sightseer skirt, madewell

jacket, diane von furstenberg

charcoal fishnet tights, j.crew

vara pumps, salvatore ferragamo

gold bangle, kate spade

nest ring, etsy

belt, urban outfitters

spoon pin, gift

I put the adorable spoon pin that Tara B. got me on my favorite green jacket. Now I'm thinking that if I can get my hands on a tiny fork pin and a tiny knife pin, I can create a whole flatware set on that pocket flap and in no way does that sound like a bad idea.

Moving down, I don't know if the fishnet tights were overkill in this outfit, but once I put them on, it was time to fight traffic. So on my legs they stayed, for better or worse. I'm sure that if I had an extra 10 minutes, I would have spent it taking them off, putting them back on, taking them off again, putting them back on again…

Now, because I've run out of things to talk about but would like to leave you all with something more to kick off the weekend, here's my first entry for the 30-Day Song Challenge, which I first read about here on Mind Sticker. Enjoy! And join me in the comments with your song pick for today's theme!

Day 1: Your Favorite Song

Ah, okay. I don't know what my favorite song is, so I just picked a song from my favorite band that I happen to like a lot. Because on some days my favorite song is this, or something moodier, or angrier, or sadder, or happier, or dance-ier, or "Mambo Number 5."

drapey, slouchy, glittery

2011-05-19T12:06:00.003-05:00

[UPDATE]

Oh yeah! I forgot to mention that I'm officially on Twitter now! Follow me by clicking on the Twitter icon in the left side menu. Woohoo! I'm still new to this whole thing, so excuse me if I ever commit a Twitter faux pas....

[/UPDATE]

Guys! Where have I been? What has been happening? Why was I gone for so long?

Collective deep breath. I will tell you what I've been up to – or rather, I'll show you what I've been up to.

I was sick on Monday, which doesn't exactly put me in the blogging mood. Luckily, it wasn't anything an entire day of sleeping, Harry Potter-reading, and tea-drinking couldn't fix.

On Tuesday, I was in the Toyota Center, screaming out the words to "Wanted Dead or Alive" in the vain hope that maybe Jon Bon Jovi would hear my glorious tone-deaf voice soaring over the chorus of other tone-deaf voices, and that he'd then point at me and say, "You there! In the nosebleed section, with the voice that could give a manatee a headache! You should be in my band!" (That didn't happen, though, much to my chagrin.)

Then Wednesday crept up and I just plain old forgot to update.

But now I'm back, frizzy hair and all!

dress, modcloth

cardigan, j.crew

tights, xhilaration

vara pumps, salvatore ferragamo

half-slip, anthropologie

polish, clear base + milani's "disco lights" + sally hansen's "strobe light"

belt, mom's

I put my hair up after looking at these photos because I was creeping dangerously into "bobblehead" territory with that poofy, unruly mane. Sigh. My haircut this weekend could not come soon enough…

Check out the nails, too! I followed the tutorial from Jelly's Nails again, which is where I also got the inspiration for my floral nails. I've not met a glimmering, glittering polish I didn't love, except for when it comes to getting that stuff off. Ugh. Sometimes I feel like I need a hammer and chisel to get the most stubborn remnants off. If there's an easy way to remove glitter polish from your nails, do share those tips in the comments!

it's a sweater!

2011-05-13T17:27:00.003-05:00

Well, now that the great "disappearing post" mystery has been resolved -- it was a Blogger glitch -- I can move on and post something new for you guys.

This outfit isn't anything particularly new or exciting (as was the case with a lot of my outfits this week, my apologies), but there is one interesting development: my hair is up! I haven't put my hair up in a while because it requires a lot of effort to wrangle it into a bun, but it seems that today it was feeling more cooperative than usual. Whew!

white cami, cotton on

sweater, f21

jeans, j.crew

cece flats, j.crew

headband, f21

heart ring, coach

gold bangle, kate spade

earrings, assorted

polish: 'mesmerize' and 'chubby cheeks' by essie + white nail art pen by sally hansen

For the record, my nails turned out looking a lot more patriotic than I intended. At least now I have an idea for what to do come July 4th!

I got the sweetest present from Tara B. of Little Girl Big Closet yesterday -- a teeny, tiny, most adorablest little spoon pin you've ever seen!

Look!

Here it is with my little wombat. And since that still doesn't give you a sense of scale because no one except for me actually knows how big that little wombat is, here it is next to a regular spoon:

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!! Adorable!!! I don't know what it is about little things that make them so cute, but I just squeaked with glee when I opened the box. Thank you, Tara, for getting me a little present for no reason whatsoever!

(speaking of presents, I still need to mail you something Eleanor, I am so ashamed at just how far my procrastination has gone)

^_________^

That's my happy face right there. Have a great weekend, everyone!

the mysterious disappearing blog post

2011-05-13T12:06:00.001-05:00

Have any of you ever had issues with Blogger randomly deleting your published posts? I had published one yesterday, only to find that it has disappeared today!

Color me confused!

Anyhoodle, new post later today!

my hair needs major CPR

2011-05-12T12:15:00.000-05:00

Dear Multigrain Cheerios,

You are delicious and I thought we were friends. But then you cut up the inside of my mouth so now I can't chew correctly. What gives?

Sincerely,

AmyK

It seems every few weeks, the Cheerios I eat for lunch every day decide to attack the soft, squishy parts of my mouth, robbing me of my mandible efficiency. Either they're out to get me, or I need to be retaught how to properly masticate my food because I clearly am not doing it right.

perfect fit v-neck tee, j.crew

blazer, j.crew outlet

long and lean jeans, gap

sandals, lauren by ralph lauren

monocle necklace, gift

skull ring, ebay

pave heart ring, coach

gold bangle, kate spade

nail polish, 'mesmerize' by essie + nail art pen by sally hansen

I was clearly in a business casual kind of mood when I picked out this outfit. Sometimes all I want to wear is a simple tee, but a good blazer will easily dress that right up. It's nothing terribly original, but it'll do for mornings when I can't be bothered to think too hard about what goes with what.

Also, I am in desperate need of a hair cut. The ends of my hair are dryyyyy and splittttt and it is bumming me out! It's like within a single week, it went from being super shiny and full of life to completely lackluster. Isn't it crazy what damaged ends can do to your entire head of hair?

a shirt of mithril -- somewhat

2011-05-10T11:47:00.002-05:00

Anyone who knows me -- or has seen my book shelf -- knows that I'm a huge Lord of the Rings geek. While I don't speak Quenya or Khuzdul, I definitely know more about Middle Earth lore than your average "I've got better things to do than care about hobbits" person.

When I stumbled upon this shimmery, frosty gray shirt at J.Crew with its jangling sequins that sounded almost like chain mail, I immediately thought mithril. Now, this fun top may not be harder than dragon's scales, and after getting it on sale (with an additional percentage off), it's definitely not worth more than the whole of the Shire, but guys, let's not get hung up on details.

matte sequin cami, j.crew

toothpick zipper jeans, j.crew [x-ish]

jacket, diane von furstenberg

cece leather and canvas ballet flats, j.crew

monocle necklace, gift

Don't worry, Kim, I got this shirt a few weekends before we all committed to our shopping ban! Speaking of the shopping ban, I'm so proud of everyone who's participating. I'm staying strong despite feeling particularly clicky after seeing some new Gilt and Rue La La sales, but I'm resisting. Whew! The only thing that I freely admit to shopping for during this ban is a new swim suit, but I don't feel it violates the rules too much since it's something I need and not something I'm buying to pad my closet.

I'm glad to be on this shopping ban, despite the temptations. I need to learn to save more and spend less with each paycheck! Especially since I'm saving up for an especially big vacation next year to The Land Down Under...

friday link time

2011-05-06T12:10:00.002-05:00

So sometimes I wake up an eensy bit too late (15 minutes, which is like 257234810 minutes in the AmyK time spectrum) and end up not being able to snap a picture pre-work. And then sometimes I come straight home and strip before I'm able to snap a picture post-work (8 feet through the front door and I am already putting on my loungin' pants). And sometimes both of those things happen on the same day, leaving me with no OOTD to post.

But, fear not, for the Internetz provides!

Check out my awesome floral nails!

To learn how to do it yourself, go to this post from Jelly's Nails for the design tutorial. I swear they're supposed to look more like flowers (and less like pink amoebas with green feet), but I am what some would call "tragically uncoordinated."

Ribboned asparagus salad, anyone?

I made this a few nights ago for dinner and it is YUM. Thinly shaved raw asparagus, lemon, olive oil, salt + pepper, toasted pine nuts, and shaved Parmesan. What better way to celebrate the return of spring/summer vegetables? Make it over the weekend. You won't regret it. Scope out the recipe over here from smitten kitchen!

Have a good one!

vara's day out

2011-05-05T11:57:00.003-05:00

I was looking over pictures of the lovely (and questionable) gowns from Monday's Met Gala -- because sometimes I like to admire the outfits and pretend that someday I can get one of them fancy gowns for my own. I'd teeter around the apartment in 8-inch platforms like a pro, with my long be-feathered-and-bedazzled gown swishing about while I call upon Boyfriend dahhhhhling to do my bidding. But that's neither here nor there.

The point is that while mulling over the fancy frocks on display at the Met Gala, I found myself sincerely surprised by how passionate some people are about their hatred of certain celebrities. I mean, I don't know why I was so surprised, but there you have it. I was surprised anew.

Reading some of these comments, you'd think that the celebrity in question personally went over to the commenter's house, smashed all of their windows, shredded their sheets, shaved their dog, carved '[CELEBRITY] WUZ HERE' into the side of their car, and then snuck them a laxative hidden inside a delicious boysenberry pie. What I'm trying to say is, a surprising amount of people don't really understand what is and isn't worth getting all raged up about.

And all of that has absolutely nothing to do with my OOTD:

chambray shirt, gap

jenna's cardigan, j.crew

skirt, anthropologie

tights, xhilaration

vara pumps, salvatore ferragamo

woven belt, mom's

skull ring, ebay

bangle, kate spade

This was the first day wearing my new Vara pumps out and about, and I couldn't be more pleased!