two little bells

• jacket: J.Crew
• dress: J.Crew (thrifted)
• tank top: Ann Taylor Loft
• shoes: Target
• earrings: craft show

This outfit reminds a lot of this one. But I was happy to recreate it because it’s comfortable and it turns a sleeveless sundress into a decent work look. I’m afraid to say my appearance took a turn for the worst after these photos. It was cool today but insanely humid so I returned from my run dripping. And then I realized my ratty tshirt had a huge whole in the armpit region. I know you’re excited for me to debut my workout style on the blog. I kid. For now..

• dress: Ann Taylor Loft [thrifted]
• cardigan [thrifted] + belt: Target
• flats: Seychelles
• earrings: gift
• necklace: self-made

Today I learned [well, probably reaffirmed] that I would make a horrible telemarketer/salesperson… had to call a bunch of people about an open house we’re having at school. I only got hung up on once, so that’s good news! :D I have an irrational dislike of talking on the phone, though, so I guess it was a good exercise in getting outside my comfort zone.

• dress [worn as blouse]: Forever 21
• skirt: The Limited
• belt + flats: Target
• necklace: gift

Do y’all have certain pieces of clothing you only. wear. one. way. ever.? For me, that would be this dress. I used to wear it a lot to class last year, paired with a pair of blue tights and cowboy boots without fail, but since that’s probably not the most work-appropriate outfit ever, it’s been languishing in my closet till… today. I guess I’d probably get more use out of it if I cut about a foot and a half off the bottom and turned it into a blouse, but maybe surgery should be left as the last resort? :D

• dress & sweater: JCPenney Outlet
• shoes: Bloch via Garnet Hill
• belt: Anne Klein via Macys
• earrings: craft show

I got certified in cpr today for the first time since 8th grade. So if you weren’t impressed by many accomplishments before, I can now save your life and earn your undying gratitude. Although my wrist kinda hurts from practicing chest compressions. It poured down rain most of today so my floaty polka dot dress may have not been the best choice but I’m glad I wore it anyway. But now I will proceed to put on baggy pjs and veg out on the couch with Parks and Recreation.

• jacket: Banana Republic [thrifted]
• blouse [thrifted] + belt: Target
• jeans: Charlotte Russe
• boots: Corso Como
• necklace: ModCloth
• earrings: gift
• ring: VT class ring

If this jacket looks a little bit familiar to you, it’s because I wore the matching skirt the other day. I came across this suit in Goodwill a couple of weekends ago and sort of felt obligated to buy it because I thought it might make me feel a little more grown up [don’t all grownups have some sort of fancy suit?!] and it’s a lot less repulsive than a lot you see, in my opinion at least :D Maybe I’ll work up the nerve to actually wear them together at some point, but until then it’s like having two separate pieces of clothing that just so happen to be made out of the same fabric?

• shirt: JCPenney Outlet
• shoes: Born via Eddie Bauer
• necklace: gifted
• belt: thrifted
• watch: Michael Kors
• skirt: thrifted (via an nyc Buffalo Exchange)

Meet my new skirt. She’s from nyc and I like her silky bit at the bottom. I think this skirt will be fun to dress up but I decided to go more casual today with my denim shirt. I would like to provide some witty comments about my day but I’m too tired so I’ll just give you some non-outfit, random asides - I had scrambled eggs for dinner. I scraped my ankle on a bar stool in nyc and may be infected with a deadly disease. Episode 2 of HBO’s Girls was quite entertaining. I just spent 45 minutes browsing through iphone cases online while mourning the lack of iphone in my life. Last but not least, I wish tomorrow was Friday. 

• dress [worn as top]: Ann Taylor Loft [thrifted]
• skirt: Gap [was a dress, altered into a skirt]
• belt: H&M
• flats: Gap

I went to visit my lovely friend Michelle after work today to wander around the old tobacco warehouse district in the town where she lives for an epic foto shoot of some of the really awesome [but mostly sad/dilapidated/empty] old buildings, and she was nice enough to take my outfit fotos for me too… you’re the best, Michelle :D So much brick everywhere! Such potential for fantastic new apartments and restaurants and other fun things… when I’m in charge of the world, it’s happening.

• shoes: Bloch via Garnet Hill
• cardigan: ?? It’s got to be at least 8 years old..
• pants: TJMaxx
• shirt: Ralph Lauren (thrifted)
• scarf: thrifted
• belt: Target (thrifted)
• earrings: craft show

I’m currently completing a certificate program through Duke University and I had class all day so I picked a kinda generic yet comfy yet professional outfit to wear. But head’s up because tomorrow’s outfit is going to be spectacular, so get pumped. And by spectacular I mean a new thrifted skirt. I did like my assortment of greens today. I was using a green ink pen and it exploded on my hand so I even had green there. When I pick a color scheme, I really commit. Although I did remove the lettuce from my turkey sandwich at lunch. Semi-commit, then.

• cardigan: J.Crew
• dress: Ann Taylor Loft
• belt + sunglasses: Urban Outfitters
• sandals: kelly & katie

The quest to get my camera and the sun to cooperate continues! At least the sunshine means I get to break out another ginormous pair of sunglasses… always a good day when that happens :D This pair is so well-loved [aka has been sat on and smashed in my purse, etc] that they will barely stay on my face now, but I like them too much to toss them… just have to remember that sudden movements are not allowed while wearing them haha.

• jacket: L.L.Bean
• shirt & pants: JCPenney Outlet
• shoes: Born via Eddie Bauer
• belt: thrifted
• pin: vintage, thrifted
• clutch: thrifted, handmade

Today, it was cold. It was wet. And I was exhausted. I blindly flailed around in my closet and subconsciously recreated a new version of this outfit. And just when I was bemoaning the absence of comfortable and well padded flats in my life, my mother buys me these Born shoes. I can actually feel an arch! It’s amazing. And it was perfect timing since the heel on my other brown flats is flapping off. 

• shirt: Gap [thrifted]
• dress: The Limited
• belt: thrifted
• heels: Kimchi Blue [via Urban Outfitters]
• necklace: self-made
• earrings: vintage

Every time I watch Mad Men on Sunday night, I feel compelled to emulate what they wear the next day [and/or just wish I could raid their costume department!]. Not sure how successful I was here, but I guess the hair helps if nothing else :D Did any of y’all see last night’s episode? I neeeeed Megan’s coral dress and that matching coral and ivory chevron striped coat… so perfect!

• trench coat, flats, & jeans: Target
• purse: vintage Coach (thrifted)
• scarf: Orvis (thrifted)
• earrings: gifted
• sunglasses: Fossil

I just got back from a trip to nyc to see some of my best friends from college. After two trips to nyc, I can safely say that it is not a city for the faint of heart. It is both exhilarating and exhausting! I felt like a got a true new york experience this trip since I was crashing with my friend Jamie in his apartment and getting the inside scoop on his favorite restaurants and places in the city. We had beautiful weather (well, except for one late night deluge ha), lots of good food and conversations, and it was so great seeing my friends. 

Below: Central Park and the NYC reservoir:

Jamie eating lunch in Washington Park:

Olivia, Caroline, & me in front of an antique taxi in Brooklyn:

• top + flats: Target
• jeans: Charlotte Russe
• necklace: self-made
• shades: fred flare
• purse: thrifted

I ran in another 5k this morning, so I initially wasn’t planning on leaving the house any more today… I got about a three hour long nap in this afternoon though, so I ended up heading out to run a few errands, aka here’s one of the rare occasions I look semi-presentable on the weekend :D I got this purse last weekend when my mom and I went on an epic thrifting spree [four Goodwills in one day? yeahhhh]… it’s pretty magical in that it fits like five times the amount of stuff that you’d think it could.

• shirt + scarf: Target
• skirt: The Limited
• flats: J.Crew
• earrings: vintage
• ring: H&M

In addition to my full-time job, I do some freelance work for a developer [hooray for using my fancy college degree!] and I’ve noticed that I more or less subconsciously tend to dress more professionally when I have meetings there to go over drawings and whatnot… aka I don’t usually wear skirts [back to the ‘pants vs skirts - which is more professional?!’ debate] so this outfit is a bit of an exercise in breaking out of that habit. I’m not sure if this is a holdover from architecture school re the freelancing or high school re my full-time, or if it’s because one boss is female and one is male? Maybe a combination? Or maybe I analyze too much. That’s probably it.

This morning, we participated in Jessica Quirk’s Stripes Challenge on What I Wore! If you haven’t seen it yet, go check it out! And if you’re new to two little bells, welcome! We’re glad you’re here. Feel free to browse around or like us on Facebook to stay in touch.

outfit 1 // outfit 2

outfit 1 // outfit 2

• skirt: harve b. via JCPenney Outlet
• top: backwards cardigan via JCPenney Outlet
• shoes: Gianna Binni 
• belt: Target (thrifted)
• necklace: gifted 

Technically, I didn’t wear this today. I’m in nyc visiting with college friends and don’t currently have regular computer access. But I didn’t want to leave you guys hanging so here’s some shots of an outfit I wore a while back and never got around to posting. And that’s why you’re seeing my new striped skirt twice in one week. This was also my second attempt at pulling off the backwards cardigan. Hopefully I will have city photos for you soon! 

• cardigan: Merona [thrifted]
• blouse: Marshalls
• skirt: Banana Republic [thrifted]
• heels: Nine West [via Marshalls]
• belt: Target
• necklace: vintage [my mom’s from around when she was in college]
• earrings: gift

Observations today: the peach + apple orchard behind the shed I took pictures in front of is actually a pretty sweet place to take pictures now that the trees have leaves again [just gotta figure out the lighting situation…]. So are fields dotted with buttercups, although much less conducive to traipsing around in heels, what with the rain we just got [guess I just aerated the ground a bit?]… if it was warmer I’d just nix the shoes altogether. I looove me some shoes but I’d rather go barefoot hands down any day. I also like how the pattern on the sweater kinda mirrors the embroidery on the skirt. A lot of stuff I don’t notice till I’m actually going through the pictures… interesting.

• dress: thrifted
• belt: thrifted
• necklace: gifted
• shoes: Bloch via Garnet Hill

It was raining (and cold) today so forgive the less than perfect pictures. This dress and belt are two of my latest thrifting finds. I have a dozen black dresses but this one is just so simple it called to me. It’s like a blank slate that I can create a million looks with. During this picture taking session, mom inadvertently leaned back against the doorbell causing the dogs to bark madly and me to laugh hysterically. It reminded me a lot of this throwback. Priceless. 

ps: I’m off to nyc tomorrow for a mini college reunion! I shall see you sometime soon!

• shirt: Gap [thrifted]
• pants: Charlotte Russe
• boots: Frye [via ebay]

I was perusing Pinterest this evening and ended up on a ‘40 Books You Won’t Be Able To Put Down’ list, with ‘Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl’ being one that was on there… which amused me so I stole it for my post title :D Although I’d like to think I fall more under the ‘somewhat acceptable excuse for a farm girl’ category… I ought to get something out of living on a farm surrounded by cows for basically my entire life, right?!

• skirt: thrifted (& hemmed)
• shirt & shoes: JCPenney Outlet
• tank top: Ann Taylor Loft
• belt: Banana Republic (thrifted)
• watch: Fossil
• pearls: my grandmother (given my grandfather on their wedding day!)

I didn’t get to meet a celebrity like Cait did today but I did kinda feel like a celebrity since brown polka dots always reminds me of Pretty Woman. The story behind this skirt: I recently bought it used despite the fact that it was crazy long and got mom to hem it. The whole time I was in the store I kept thinking, I know I’ve seen a skirt like this on one of my favorite blogs. Then I got home and realized it was Caitlin. Favorite blog, indeed. I like this outfit so much I’ve already worn it twice - on Easter Sunday (when I actually took these pictures with my little brother) and again today to work.