Jump Around, Jump Around, Jump Up Jump Up And Get Down

I just really like silk rompers. I like to call them playsuits. That way when I put them on and run errands all day it feels less like work.



I've started packing. Oh man. I forgot how overwhelming that was. I enjoy it, and I like using it as a time to get rid of excess, but it's tiring and I'm just hoping I have time to get it all packed by the big day!



Someone else is moving around the same time, maybe you heard? Can't tell a lie y'all, I'm excited.



Silk Playsuit - Madewell via Buffalo Exchange
Gold Leather Bag, vintage via Buffalo Exchange
Shoes, Nordstrom Rack
Headband/Turban thing, Urban Outftters

I'm Free, To Do What I Want, Any Old Time

Elissa gave me this tank a while back (during TxSCC!) and I said I would wear it with a tank top and pettipants. But after finding this amazing bandeau for 5 bucks at the Nordstrom Rack, I took it one step further...



A year ago I would never have had the body confidence to wear this, but I've lived and learned a lot in that year.



It reminds me a bit of an old fashioned bathing suit! It's bare without being over the top and it's really fun. I seem to dress for fun a lot these days.



It was a big hit at work. I can't think of higher praise to be honest, than when my co-workers like something. They are just as obsessed with sartorial choices as I am, and when they love something it always makes me grin from ear to ear!

Also, sometimes I wear a lot of rings. And by sometimes, I mean MOST times.





P.S. Good luck to sweet Kendi and all her friends embarking on the latest 30x30 re-mix! Can't wait to see what you guys do this go round!

Tank, Free People, gift from Elissa
Bandeau, Nordstrom Rack
Pettipants, Underworks via Amazon.com
Shoes, Nordstrom Rack

Cause Baby, When I Saw You, For The First Time I Knew

You guys? This happened:



That is a strapless silk harem panted romper. Yeah. That's what it is. It's over the top. It feels like walking around in lotion. And it is AWESOME.



I don't get the impression too many of my guy friends are impressed. But I don't care. IT"S SILK. AND HAREM PANTS. AND AWESOME. Did I mention that it's awesome?

It was originally sold at Anthropologie for around 80 bucks, but I got it at Buffalo Exchange for 21.50.



It not only feels good but it feels fun. I felt so happy in this romper. And I wore it straight from work out to a nice dinner with friends. (OK, I admit it, I had to change into flats after work, but the romper stayed!)



I can't wait to wear it again!

Silk romper Buffalo Exchange via Anthro
Shoes, Nordstrom Rack
Claw cuff, Moon Raven Designs

Kendi Wuz Here

I bought this tunic from Kendi, like, forever ago. And then I had no idea what to do with it. It is too long to pair with pants. It doesn't look right with black leggings and I don't have a green or pink pair. It is both low cut and short. I didn't do a great job of capturing it on film but it's also much shorter on the sides. But it was so pretty I held onto it in hopes something would come to me. And then it did.



I know you have heard me go on about pettipants before, but they came to the rescue again. I paired the tunic with a beige pair and just let the peek of lace be a part of the overall look. It worked beautifully.



AND...I totally made it through the work day in those clogs. So go me. And go clogs. High heels for the summer. Maybe even once a week. And I totally just realized this, but I got those clogs because I loved the ones Kendi wore all last summer. The pair Kendi had was from Target and when I tried them on they hurt my feet, but I looked for a pair that worked for me for a few months and finally found these at Nordstrom Rack last Fall, just in time to pack them away for the Winter. But it's finally warm enough to wear them! So double Kendi in my outfit today.







Jacket, Target
Tunic, Kendi
Clogs, Nordstrom Rack
Bag, Buffalo Exchange
Bangles on left arm, Buffalo Exchange
Bracelet on right arm, Buffalo Exchange
Earrings, Ebay

Day 18 (30 + 20)

+ =



If we do 30x30 this time next year, I'll remember to add some open toed shoes. I think this looks adorable with the Docs, but my feet long to be free. I am actively NOT painting my toenails in order to avoid sandals.



I am glad it is warm enough to show you the gorgeous flutter sleeves on this dress. This dress which was all $15.00. I got it at Nordstrom Rack, which means it originally sold at Nordstrom(or I assume so anyway, perhaps they have brands that go straight to NR?)and the truth is, while I am happy to have it, and I think it is very pretty, I would not have paid more for it. It's not any more well made than most of the dresses I get at Target. Which is not to imply the dresses I get at Target are not well made. I think a lot of times people assume that discount clothes are not made very well, and that is absolutely true some of the time, but no matter where you are buying, Target, Forever XXI, Saks or Barney's, it's up to you as the consumer to inspect that garment inside and out and determine whether or not the price and the quality are a match for you.



Dress, Nordstrom
Boots, Doc Martens

Day 2 (27 + 2 + 14 + 22)

[I'm excited and honored to be featured on the We Love Colors Style Blog today! Check me out if you get a chance!]

Day 2! This dress is reversible, and we only took one picture of the dress. So I'm not cheating. Cheaters never win! (OK, sometimes they do, actually, because life is not fair. But hopefully they feel really guilty about it.)

+ + + =



We ran (and by ran I mean we creeped slowly down the sidewalk because none of that is snow. All of that is hard, slick ice. It just started to snow as we took these though! Double danger!) outside to shoot these and I realized I was wearing my old glasses. Plus they were fogging up a lot. So I'm glassesless in these shots. I am not comfortable without my glasses! I've been wearing them most of my life since I was six months old and I just think they look good on me. I have a face for glasses. Plus Nathan was making me smile real smiles, so you get to see the full on chipmunk face! Also, I am amused by the snow that looks like giant dandruff. I am not accustomed to it being so cold outside that snow sticks to a person and does not melt.



I just have a really round face. I think it might have something to do with why people think I'm younger than my years, though, so I'll keep it. I was in Target the other day looking at shoes (I didn't buy any! Go me!) and this nice lady started chatting with me about what I thought she should get her 20 something daughter (we decided on the Gold Dolce Vita for Target platforms from the Spring collection) and then said "you are about her age? What are you 25?" Um, yes. In my dreams. When I told her I would be 35 this month she seemed genuinely shocked, which naturally made my day!



So far I'm not feeling any pressure at all. I feel free not having to look at my whole closet. And both of the outfits I've worn so far are things I would not have put together. I had no idea I had so much to learn from this, and it's only day 2!

Sweater Dress, Free People
Layering Cardigan, AA
Reversible Dress, Target
Tights, C/O We Love Colors
Boots, Sperry, via giveaway from Between Laundry Days
Bag, Fossil
Black leather gloves and scarf, both Target
Belt, vintage

Day 1 (30+29+20)

+ + =



I was unbelievably excited to get started today. I’ve been thinking about it for weeks and staring at the rack of clothes for a week. Plus the clothes I pulled just happen to be some of my favorites.



I went with this dress today because it’s pretty thin and we have some super cold weather coming this week, as do most of the rest of the United States. Plus it’s new. And I thought it would be fun to start the 30x30 in something brand spanking new.



I don’t seem to have any dress guards. So I may have stuck panty liners in the underarms of the blazer to keep it from getting stinky since I need it to stay fresh for me. I’m not saying I DID, I’m just saying I MIGHT HAVE (I totally did.)



This blazer used to be Nathan’s but he loaned it to me a while back because he wanted to see me in it and I’m pretty sure it’s mine now. You can’t see it in any picture I ever take of it, but it actually has little blue and burgundy/pink/red (depending on the light) stripes. Which made it perfect for my 30x30 mix.



Day one down and feeling confident!
Blazer, thrifted by Nathan
Dress, Nordstrom Rack
Tights, We Love Colors
Boots, Doc Martens

I Get This Feeling I'm In Motion

This is from Tuesday. Thank you so much for all your kind words. I got dressed and Nathan drove me to work today and I plan to try and hang for at least half a day. Not sure I'll make it much longer than that without my meds (can't take them and drive myself home and my car is still here from Wednesday!) but I'm giving it my best shot!

This is probably the most amazing outfit I will ever wear. It was perfect in every way.


To be honest, I was not originally pleased with the pictures, but then Alannah and Suze gave me just the boost I needed to see how well they actually came out.



Sunday I had an AMAZING day with my friend Taryn, who I had not seen in at least a year. We went to see “Country Strong”, shopping and then to dinner at Cheesecake Factory. While we were at Nordstrom Rack, Taryn found this amazing cape. I have been trying on capes ALL WINTER and none of them have looked right on me until this one. Just LOOK at those ridiculous shoulders, they are amazing.



It’s more of a Fall/Spring weight cape, but we were blessed with an unseasonably warm day on Tuesday so I sprang at the chance to wear it just once this season (oh, you know I’m trying to find ways to make it work before Spring, I will.)



The other thing I really loved are these Aldo cammo boots with the floral dress. I actually considered these earlier this year at full price, but just couldn’t justify it. But they went on sale for less that $40 and I didn’t even hesitate. I knew JUST how I wanted to wear them, too. They were just begging to be worn with floral dresses and I am happy to oblige.



Did you notice my hair is down? I really am trying to listen to suggestions (yours, my husbands, my co-workers...) and learn to wear it down. Having seen both a side and middle part now, which do you prefer? I think the middle is easier to wear and stays off my face better but perhaps the side is more flattering and I could train it to lay that way?

Cape, BCBG via Nordstrom Rack
Dress, Tucker for Target
Tights (ugh worst tights ever. I don’t know.)
Boots, Aldo
Gloves, Target

Take A Flying Saucer Trip To The Stars In My Eyes

This little wooden staircase is going to spend the next 6 months trying to convince me that there IS a time of day when the sun shines in just the right way to take good pictures there.



And I’ll believe it, because I want to believe it. Because it is SUCH a great place and the branches will slowly fill in and wouldn’t that be super cool to watch from season to season?



It’s such a romantic little spot. It’s also a LIAR and will never, ever deliver the shots it promised. And I’ll stop going to it, but I’ll remember the good times, when I believed.



Even though the truth is the pics are just OK and the lighting is never going to be right.

And then I have to go and take quick pictures over by a FENCE. An ugly fence. I have one of those at HOME, Little Wooden Staircase, I didn’t need to come all this way for THIS.



It was about 27 degrees in my house this AM, and I was scampering about in my skivvies trying to find ANYTHING to put on my body to stop being so cold. And that’s how this outfit came about. I think it only about 60% works. I like the tank with the pants but when you add the cardigan it gets a bit frumpy. But it was warm and I have to say that was pretty much all that mattered.



Also, after taking these, my hands burned like FIRE they were so cold. Then they looked like little lobster claws for like 2 hours. How do you DO it Canadians/Mid-Westerners? So miserable.

The End

Sweater coat, Free People via Nordstrom Rack
Layering Cardigan, AA
Tank, Urban Outfitters
Layering tank, Target
Pants, Target
Clogs, Target
Hideous hiking socks, Dick’s Sporting Goods

You’ve Gotten Into My Bloodstream

This is another Christmas gift. I choose this one at Nordstrom Rack. There was a lot of debate and back and forth. It wasn't cheap. So I needed to make sure it would be worth the investment. I had originally tried on another one (same sweater, same size, just not THIS sweater) and something seemed oddly unflattering about it. I still really loved it. I wore it around the store for a while. Eventually I decided I did like it, but something told me I might want to try on another. So I did. And this one was much better. There was something funky about the pockets on the other one. I’m not saying this one is the most flattering thing ever, I don’t think it is really. But I love it in spite of that. I love the colors and the shape and all the little details. I love that when I lose a button I can replace it with pretty much whatever I want. And I love the remixing possibilities.



I also love that I can pair it with that lace skirt. I find the black one almost impossible NOT to wear but the green one has been harder for me to style. I don’t think it comes across in the photos, but the sweater actually has little bits of sage green running through it (and pink, and lilac , and purple, and mauve, and grey and light blue and gold and more!).



Oh! And these photos are about a week old, so I forgot you hadn’t seen them yet, but check out those Doc Martin wedges. Nathan thrifted them for about 10 bucks. He saw them and made a mental note. Then he came home and asked what size I wore in Docs. A few days later he went back and as luck would have it, these were still there. They are in like new condition and the previous owner used an additional insole, so the original insole has not even shaped to another foot, meaning I can break these in as mine all mine. I love how they have sort of a “creeper” feel to them. And they are SO COMFY. It’s almost unreasonable.

I’m having a really hard time finding photo editing software I don’t hate. I normally use Microsoft Office Picture Manager, which I love. I don’t need much. I need to crop, I need to adjust the brightness levels and contrast and really that’s about it. I don’t correct flaws or edit backgrounds. My images are pretty darn close to their raw format. And I like them that way. I tried Photoshop over the weekend (free trial version) and I hate it. I also hate GIMP. Mostly I just want Microsoft Office Picture Manager back, but I don’t have Office on my new laptop and I cannot figure out for the life of me if Picture Manager is included in the home and/or student packs. The listings talk a lot about how you can edit right in Word, but I don’t need or want to do that really. I want to edit each picture QUICKLY and move on. If you have the home or student version of Office 2010, did it come with Picture Manger? Do they just not consider it important enough to list on the package detail or is it not in there? As much as I want to go back to it, I can’t see spending upwards of 300 bucks to get the full on version of Office with tons of stuff I’ll never use. I’m also open to trying something similar if anyone has a recommendation, but nothing web-based. Our internet connection at home just doesn’t support that kind of thing when we are both online.


Sweater Coat, Free People, Christmas gift from Nathan
Layering Cardigan, American Apparel, Christmas gift from Nathan
Tank, Urban Outfitters
Skirt and tights, Target
Boots, Doc Martins, thrifted by Nathan