two little bells

• skirt: Eddie Bauer 
• top: Target
• shoes: Liz Claiborne via Marshalls
• necklace: vintage silverware, craft show
• cameo earrings: thrifted

This is the summer version of an earlier outfit. I almost wore my pink heels, but then I remembered I had a meeting across campus today and wimped out immediately. I thought about wearing them for these pictures, but that would be lying, right? I’m on my first hiring committee at work and we had to interview people today. Talk about stressful! I hate seeing people all nervous and anxious. But it was nice to be on the other side of the table in an interview situation for once…for now anyway.

• dress: Ann Taylor Loft
• shoes: JCPenney Outlet
• belt & collar necklace: thrifted
• watch: Fossil

So Caitlin and I apparently both bought old school detached collars around the same time a while back. I’m a sucker for all things old fashioned, vintage-y, or handmade so this naturally made the cut when I was out thrift shopping. I’ve been struggling to figure out what to wear it with, but Ruche solved that problem for me. Also, to see how I’ve worn this dress before (sans collar) click here and here.

• blouse: The Limited [was my sister’s]
• skirt: Target [thrifted and taken in]
• heels: Kimchi Blue [via Urban Outfitters]

Hellooo from the beach! This is what I wore last Friday to work… not brave enough to pose in my swimsuit on the interwebs ha. I forgot I had to take pictures for the Upper Division graduation up in the catwalk in the auditorium, so flats would have probably been the wiser choice… made it up and down the ladder without dying or breaking anything, though, and impressed some bystanders in the meantime, bonus! :D

• shoes: Born via Eddie Bauer
• skirt: vintage, thrifted (& hemmed significantly)
• shirt: Target
• belt: Banana Republic (thrifted)
• watch: Michael Kors
• ring: Biltmore gift shop

This is still one of my favorite skirts. It made me happy just to put it on this morning (and it doesn’t hurt that the elastic waistband makes it pretty comfortable). Also, my bun looks kinda super massive today, but I don’t have a sock in there, promise. In other news, my own personal war against ticks continues. I bathed the dogs last night and got six off of one of them alone. Not cool, tickies. Not cool. 

• shirt & shoes: JCPenney Outlet
• skirt: L.L.Bean Signature (thrifted, Mega Thrift)
• belt: Target (thrifted)
• watch: Michael Kors
• necklace: gifted

Nothing is worse than working on a holiday when pretty much everyone else is most definitely not working. In fact, most everybody at work ended up still taking the day off even though we weren’t officially closed, so I took this opportunity to protest my work day by wearing denim. And drove home after work through neighborhoods thick with the smell of cookouts. Oh well, in just a few weeks I’ll be at the beach (!) for a much needed break.

• top: Gap [thrifted]
• shorts: Ann Taylor Loft
• sandals: Marshalls
• watch: Target

Here’s another lazy weekend outfit from a couple of weeks ago, although I actually wore these shorts yesterday, just with a yellow tank top instead of long sleeves. Another reason I like fun prints is because they sort of make it look like you put more into your outfit than you actually did. Or maybe that’s just me trying to rationalize? :D I got these shorts a couple of years ago and I’m always excited every spring when it gets to be warm enough to actually wear them… such pretty colors!

• shoes: Bloch via Garnet Hill
• pants: The Limited via TJMaxx
• shirt: JCPenney Outlet
• pin: vintage, my mother’s
• ring: thrifted, vintage earring converted using Cait’s tutorial

Today, my grandfather had knee replacement surgery. That makes 3/4 of my grandparents who have artificial knees. I’m not really good with math, but…I’m pretty sure the genetic odds are not in favor of longevity for my own knees. I was really tempted to wear yet another skirt or dress today but my pants have languished enough. Plus I’m practically surviving off of my space heater at work these days, so a little actual layering didn’t hurt.

• top: TJMaxx
• jeans: Charlotte Russe
• sandals: Kelly & Katie
• necklace: My Name Necklace
• bracelet: gift

I think I’ve probably said this before [the hardest part of this blog, aside from coming up with titles, is trying to not repeat myself in the write-up haha], but I’m a huge sucker for details, so this blouse gets an A in my book. I really like how the collar frames the necklace! I kinda feel compelled to make an architecture parallel here… haha… should have gone with my original thesis idea comparing fashion and architecture, I guess. Buuuuut I’ve got a diploma either way so I don’t imagine I’ll be losing any sleep over that sailed ship :D

• dress: New York & Company (thrifted)
• belt: thrifted
• shoes: Bloch via Garnet Hill

This is more casual than I usually wear to work, but it’s pretty chill right now because a lot of people are on vacation in between spring and summer semesters and I didn’t have any meetings so I went for it. (Although I have dressed this up before.) So remember how I told you it was storming really bad last night? It continued all night and flooded the finished part of our basement reallyyy bad. So we were up really late sucking up water and saturating pretty much every towel in the household. At least I found my vintage suitcases in time before the water got them!!

• dress: H&M [thrifted]
• scarf: TJMaxx
• heels: Mix No. 6 [via DSW]
• earrings: gift

Today was a good day for some fake side bangs and to break out this new pair of shoes :D I think I should probably wear them to graduation since our school colors are blue and yellow… if I only have to walk to my seat, then maybe I won’t fall on my face? I don’t know if I’d be brave enough to wear them if I was actually graduating and had to walk across the stage etc… that could get treacherous.

• shoes: Liz Claiborne via Marshalls
• skirt & shirt: JCPenney Outlet
• belt: thrifted
• necklace: gifted (found on ebay)

I’m going to go ahead and officially dedicate this post to the blades of grass who so strategically tried to hide the fact that my toenail polish is a hot mess. To do: paint toenails ASAP. The good news is that I accidentally mirrored the wavy edge to my shirt today in the design on my belt. But we’ll say it was intentional to make up for the lack of nail polish effort. It’s storming and hailing like woah here right now so I’m going to upload before the power goes out!

• top: TJMaxx
• skirt: J.Crew [thrifted]
• sandals: Kelly & Katie
• watch: Target
• earrings: got them in Spain when I studied abroad

I’m loving this new coral colored blouse I got this weekend! I like this color so much that I’m currently in the process of repainting my soon-to-be office/sewing room this color…. epic DIY project! But that is another post for another day :D Today was the calm before the storm at school… tomorrow begins the marathon of closing ceremonies and graduations through Saturday morning, and then comes a music festival and the beach! Bring it on, vacationnnnnn.

• dress: Max Studio via TJMaxx
• shoes: Liz Claiborne via Marshalls
• scarf: TJMaxx
• earrings: craft show
• watch: Brighton 

Wearing this scarf was a wise choice because I ended up wrapped up in it most of the day since my office is so cold. I’ve been super busy at work the last few weeks, and no real end in sight, but it’s been pretty exhilarating to be bustling around and feeling extra productive. Also, the countdown is officially on for Rooster Walk this weekend! I work very closely (literally he sits beside me) with the guy who organizes it so I’ve been hearing all about it for months now. I’m excited to finally attend!

• top + sandals: Marshalls
• shorts: Old Navy
• watch: Target
• necklace: My Name Necklace

Today was Field Day at school for the lower schoolers, so I figured I should probably wear something that’d be comfy for taking lots of pictures of all the games out in the sunshine. It was so pretty outside, I wish I’d been able to be out there all day! Got to take advantage of the convertible today, although by the time I left school it looked like it was threatening to rain… just gave me another excuse to speed home :D

• dress: Ann Taylor Loft
• shoes: Nine West (thrifted)
• jewelry: vintage, my grandmother’s

I had to attend a Distinguished Alumni dinner Friday night for work so I pulled out this old dress from junior year of high school. And then I wore it again to church this morning. Did everybody have a good weekend? I was pretty lazy, but I did finally finish carting all my winter clothes downstairs and switching to my summer wardrobe. And it’s  a good thing because it’s supposed to be in the 80s all week.  Oh and official credit goes to dad, for stepping in to take these photos for me!

• dress + watch: Target
• belt: Zara
• scarf: market stall in Granada, Spain
• shoes: thrifted
• earrings: vintage

Couldn’t resist wearing my new shoes I found at Goodwill yesterday… I’m guessing they must have been a pair someone bought and wore once or twice for whatever reason, because they don’t look worn at all! Another great thrifting success :D Today was pretty fun because I had several completely different things to do at work, including being a panelist for senior project presentations [free lunch! oh yeahhh], and then I got to hang out with Meg and SBK before grabbing dinner, and my baby sista is home for the summer from RI [with her cat in tow - that could be interesting introducing him to our 4 others….] Good end to the week!

• dress: JCPenney Outlet
• shoes: Target
• jacket: J.Crew Outlet
• watch: Fossil

Remember how I told you my mother loves denim? Well, last night I was struggling to pick out an outfit and she suggested that I wear my denim dress that I haven’t worn in a while. I should have known that’s what she would suggest ha. (To see how I’ve worn this dress in cooler weather, click here.) We’re in the process of hiring a new president at work and I got to have lunch with one of the candidates today at the last minute, so I was glad I threw my jacket over this. Oh and I’m happy to report that today was a much better day than yesterday!

• blouse: Target [thrifted]
• skirt: Banana Republic [thrifted]
• heels: Nine West [via TJMaxx]
• watch: Target
• earrings: gift
• ring: my grandma’s high school class ring

This outfit is basically this outfit flipped upside down. I had to go to a marketing seminar today so I thought I’d try to look a little more professional than usual. Good thing that got me out of the office for a while, because I somehow got suckered into actually buying a dress and a pair of shoes online today [absolutely against my will… you know. ha]… I usually manage to look but not actually buy, buuuut not today. Sales are horrible/wonderful things…. And then to top it all off, I went to Goodwill after work and found a couple of things too. In the words of the wise Tom Haverford, some days you just gotta treat yo self :D

• dress & shoes: Land’s End
• belt: thrifted
• watch: Michael Kors

You wouldn’t know it from looking at these pictures that I stayed up late to iron this dress last night! Oh well. And because I don’t believe in acting like my life is perfect for the sake of the internet, I’ll be real with you guys - today was a case of sbk and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. A million little reasons led up to me being weepy by the time I got home (in fact you can see a teardrop on the close up of my dress where I started melting down again during these shots). But tomorrow is a new day.

• dress [worn as top]: Wyeth [thrifted]
• skirt: Banana Republic [thrifted]
• belt: Urban Outfitters
• flats: J.Crew
• necklace: self-made
• earrings: vintage

I loooooove twirly skirts. It’s seriously all I can do to keep myself from flouncing down the halls when I’m wearing them. It’s the little things, right? :D Also, I don’t know why [maybe this is just me being my odd little self], but any time I buy multiple pieces of clothing at the same time [the dress/skirt in this case], I sort of feel obligated to wear them together if they have any hope of coordinating… I don’t know if I buy them with that intention in mind, or if I realize later that they could go together, but it’s not an uncommon occurrence.