“One day, I’ll grow up to be really excellent at something”

(Note: Fair warning, this post gets a bit personal.  I usually don’t go into personal details on this blog, but every once and awhile, a girl needs a chance to get something off her chest.  This is not meant to be a pity party.)

I have a confession to make: I’ve been feeling a bit down lately.  I know that it’s a combination of factors: One) I’m actually getting tired of cold weather.  I feel like I’ve exhausted my winter wardrobe, and I’m ready to be able to go outside wearing only one or two layers and sandals.  Two) It’s been six months since I finished my Master’s Degree, and yet I still don’t have a permanent, full-time job in my field.

Number Three is the biggest factor in why I haven’t been feeling myself lately.  I went back to school so that I could work in a field that I love, and yet I have only had three interviews in the past six months.  I thought that once a librarian position opened up with the system I worked in before, I would be alright, but when I applied for an opening a few weeks ago, I didn’t even get called in for an interview.  Money has been really tight while I’ve been substituting and working at a grant-funded temp job, and both of those will be ending after May.  I’ve got to start paying off my loans as well.  All this stress is constantly getting at me, even when I don’t consciously realize it.  I’ve been eating poorly out of stress, I’ve gained a few pounds, and I’ve bitten down my nails pretty badly.

I really started realizing how much this stress is taking its toll on me when I was going through the pictures of this outfit.  I wore this on my birthday, and I loved how the outfit came together.  And yet, hardly any of my smiles seemed genuine.  And that really bothered me, because my philosophy on life is to always stay optimistic, and that plays a big part in this blog.  But now I’m realizing that, sometimes you just don’t feel like smiling.  And that’s okay.  I know that I will get through this.  I know that things will get better.  I’m just ready for them to be better right now.

What do you do when stress rears its ugly head in your life?

Dress: Boden (via Ebay)
Cardigan: Sweet Mary Jane, handknit by me
Tights: Hue
Boots: Dansko Risa (via Ebay)
Purse: Vintage (thrifted)
Earrings: Wear-thou

Quote: The OK Book, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld

“Wildflowers grow all by themselves”

Some people like to dress in head-to-toe black for the entirety of winter.  To me, that just feels too depressing.  I like lots of fun and happy colors in my outfits.  The only time I  ever wear head-to-toe black is at funerals.

I wore this outfit to my nephew’s’ 2nd birthday party.  I wanted to be comfortable and warm, since there would be lots of standing outside and kneeling down to play with toddlers.  The length of the dress and the leggings helped to preserve some modesty, while the boots, sweater, and scarf kept me nice and cozy.  I think I’m going to be wearing this scarf I just got at Anthropologie quite a bit.

I always get my nephews and niece books for their birthdays, because I feel that books have greater long-term worth to the children than toys, and most of them have plenty of toys anyhow.  I got my nephew Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, and it was so cute, because when his mom gave him the gift to open and told him who it was from, he got confused and tried to give it to me.  I eventually had to open it for him and show him the book to explain to him that “No, this is actually for you”.  Too adorable.

Do you like to dress colorfully in the cold months, or do you prefer neutral ensembles?

Dress: Boden (via Ebay)
Sweater: Ralph Lauren (garage sale, re-conned)
Leggings: Target
Boots: Fluevog Heather (via Ebay)
Scarf: Anthropologie
Purse: Timbuk2

Quote: Fancy Nancy: Explorer Extraordinaire!, by Jane O’Connor

“I’d make a few changes”

I just got this denim jacket last weekend at Revolve Clothing Exchange.  I’ve been trying to find the perfect denim jacket for awhile now, and I had some store credit, so I figured I’d go for it.  I don’t really think that it’s “the one”, but it fits well (as opposed to my old one, that was way too tight in the shoulders), so I’ll try it out for awhile before deciding if I want to invest in one that I like more.  I will definitely need to modify it by adding some pockets though.  It just feels weird to me to wear a jacket without pockets.

I bought this Boden skirt during my shopping ban last fall.  It’s actually the same design as one I already had, but instead of being one size too small, this one is one size to large.  It’s much easier to alter garments that are a bit too big for you, so I took in the waist and hemmed it about five inches (post coming on that soon!).  I might still take in the waist a bit more, because I’m not completely happy with where it sits right now.

I decided to wear my Fluevog boots with this outfit, because a) it was too cold to wear pumps and b) I like how it matches one of the colors in the skirt.  I’m still not quite sure what I think of flat boots and skirts though.

I have to admit, while I love how each of these pieces looks on their own, now that I see the pictures, I’m not crazy about how they all looked together.  I’m not sure exactly what it is that turns me off.  Maybe if the jacket had been a bit more cropped.  Or if I had tucked in my blouse.  Or if I had worn heels instead of flats.

What do you think?  How would you style this outfit differently to make it work?  Or do you think it’s fine as is?

Tee: American Eagle (thrifted)
Jacket: Gap (via Revolve Clothing Exchange)
Skirt: Boden (via Ebay)
Tights: Hue
Boots: Fluevog Heather
Scarf: Target
Purse: Vintage (via Advintagous )
Earrings: Efy Tal

Quote: If I Ran the Zoo, by Dr Seuss

ETA: The boots I was wearing in today’s post were Fluevog Heathers.  This is unfortunately a discontinued style.  I found mine by searching on Ebay for “fluevog boots”.   I saved the search, so that Ebay would e-mail me new items that fell into those search terms every day, and after watching for months, I finally managed to snag a pair in my size.  Fluevog has a pretty good range of sizes, but since these are discontinued, it’s really a matter of watching and waiting.  If you click on this link you can see all the boots they currently sell.

“Mature is fancy for acting grown up”

Last week, Style Symmetry was having a challenge to create an outfit inspired by one of the images from the Wardrobe Remix group on Flickr.  This particular day, I was looking for some inspiration for a new way to dress up jeans for work.  I came across this outfit by Elsa, and decided to break out my (only) button-down and mix it up.  It wasn’t cold enough to layer a long-sleeved sweater, so I went for a sweater vest instead.  I tried adding a belt like she did, but it was not flatttering at all on me.  I then added the pearls (under the collar) to imitate the lovely statement necklace she wore.

I like how professional this outfit is, and I think that looks like this could work really well once I finally get a full-time job as a librarian (it’s been six months since I finished my degree; someone hire me!).  However, the outfit didn’t really feel very “me”.  It felt to simple, basic and ordinary.  The bright colors and pattern of the vest helped, but it still didn’t feel quite right.  I think I might like it better with my denim pencil skirt.

The other thing that this outfit made me realize is that I’ve become spoiled from wearing so much jersey knit fabric.  The moment I put on something stiff and structured, my body recoils and begs to crawl into a comfy jersey dress and leggings.  And fabrics like this button-down wrinkle so horribly.  I refuse to wear polyester, so buying no-wrinkle sythetics is not an option for me.  I think that maybe I just need to search harder for a button-down that feels more me, and that perhaps is a bit more comfortable than this one.  Anthropologie has some gorgeous ones right now, and I’m hoping to get one (or two) with my birthday discount in the new few weeks.

Do you have a love-hate relationship with button-downs?  How do you dress the up to fit in with your style?

Blouse: Ann Taylor LOFT
Vest: Boden (via Ebay)
Jeans: Express
Boots: Dansko Nena
Pearls: garage sale

Quote: Fancy Nancy: Explorer Extraordinaire!, by Jane O’Connor

What I'm lovin': Boden Spring 2010 line

It’s no secret that I love Boden.  I’ve featured several of their previous lines before (Spring 09 and Summer 09), and I’ve been lucky enough to score a Boden dress, a Boden skirt and a Boden vest through thrifting and on Ebay.

While Boden’s prices may seem a bit high, the quality is fantastic, and the items are well worth the price and will last a long time.

I’m considering spending a good chunk of my birthday money this month on some new items from Boden’s spring line, and these are some of my top picks:

Drapey Jersey Dress: $128

I do admit: I own a lot of jersey dresses.  But they are one of my favorite things to wear, so I feel it’s okay to have multiples.  I love the blue color of this dress, the detailing at the bust, and the fact that it has sleeves.  This could easily be dressed up for a night out or dressed down for weekend errands.  This wrap jersey dress is stunning too.

Portofino Blazer:  $98

This is such a smart, chic and modern blazer.  I’ve often felt like blazers don’t really fit in with my style, but I think that this one would work just fine.

Cashmere Cropped Cardigan:  $128

I’ve been looking for a cropped cardigan to wear with dresses, and this gorgeous cashmere number would be perfect.  The hardest part will be choosing a color – they have a great selection!  This cotton cropped cardigan is darling too.

Knitted Scoop Neck:  $58

I need more blouses with sleeves, and this one could work with both casual and work ensembles.  I love the nautical stripes, and the twisted neckline detail keeps it from being too plain.  I love the Textured Breton tee too.

Printed Swishy Skirt:  $78

This is such a beautiful color and print.  It would be fantastic to wear to both the beach and the office.

Textured Ruffle Tee: $34

I need more fun casual tees that have sleeves.  This would fit the bill perfectly, and it would be fine for work with a nice cardigan and trousers too.  Ditto on the Gathered Front Top.

Straight-leg Capris: $78

Straight-leg capris are a fantastic item for spring and summer, and this definitely have an Audrey Hepburn vibe to them.  I like the straight-leg jeans too.

“There was a perfect outfit for every minute of the day”

When ridiculously cold weather hits Florida, I go for lots and lots of layers.  Flexibility is key.  My house stays chilly at 64 degrees, outside it’s in the 40’s, and in my office the heater is keeping it in the 70s.  Having to be in so many temperatures throughout the day, I need an outfit that can transition so that I can stay comfortable.  This first photo is my outdoor version -a coat can do a surprising amount to keep you warm.  At times I wore a grey beret too, but I didn’t get a picture of it.

At home, I ditched the coat, but left on my cozy cashmere-blend hand-knit sweater.  A little bit of wool really can work wonders.

In my office, all I needed was the dress and scarf to be comfortable.  The tights and boots continue to keep my legs toasty, and I’ve also got a cami layered underneath the dress for extra warmth. ” But wait, when did you get this dress?” you may ask.  Way back during weeks 16 and 17 of my shopping ban, I mentioned that I scored a beautiful Boden dress for a mere $25 on Ebay.  This same style normally retails at $110.  I didn’t like the drop waist effect, so I got it professionally altered (which also raised the hem), and now it’s definitely one of my favorite dresses.  I might still need to get a little work done on the bodice, as it fits a bit loose.  But with a camisole layered underneath, I didn’t really notice the looseness.

It’s hard to capture the color exactly, but it’s somewhere between watermelon pink and red.  I like it a lot, and I’m finding that it’s very versatile.

Coat: Target
Cardigan: Minimalist (handknit by me)
Dress: Boden (Ebay)
Tights: Hue
Boots: Dansko Risa (Ebay)
Scarf: Target
Purse: Morelle Oyster
Earrings: Efy Tal

Quote: Sylvia Jean, Drama Queen by Lisa Campbell Ernst

"At least try to act cool"

This beautiful Boden sweater vest was one of the last items I purchased during my recent shopping ban.  And I adore it.  More and more I am falling in love with Boden and their beautiful, colorful clothes.  But they’re so expensive that they’re often out of my price range.  However, I’ve found that buying them second-hand on Ebay can work, if you’re willing to be flexible.  Once I’m in a better place financially, I plan on buying a lot from this company.

This vest had perfect timing too, because only a few days after I got it in the mail, Florida began experiencing a cold spat (meaning temps in the 40s, which is really cold for us).  Nothing like a cozy wool vest to keep you warm when the temps drop.

I wore this for a trip to visit family on the weekend.  I wanted to be warm and casual, but not frumpy.  Flats are a must for chasing after toddlers.

And here you can see the detail on my Fetching mitts.  I knitted these a long time ago and they continue to be excellent at keeping my hands warm on chilly days.  I actually don’t own a pair of leather gloves, mostly because I rarely need them.  Still, I’d like to change that, when I can find a pretty pair that’s affordable.

Oh, I’ve realized now that canvas does not keep your feet warm.  I ended up changing into leather boots later that day to keep my toes from freezing.

Coat: Target
Long Sleeve: Gap (garage sale)
Vest: Boden (Ebay)
Jeans: Express
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylors
Scarf: Kohls
Bag: Timbuk2
Mitts: Fetching (handknit by me)
Ring: from my mom

Quote: The Homework Machine, by Dan Gutman

"All I want is to play"

This outfit made me feel fun and playful all day.  That full Boden skirt is oh-so-fun to twirl in, and wearing the tunic layered underneath the skirt helped me to keep warm while not having a thousand crazy mismatched layers on (which was my original outfit).  Unfortunately, after spending a day in this outfit, I’ve come to accept the fact that this skirt really is a size or two small.  I thrifted it for only a couple of dollars, so I’m not crushed.  It has a small tear, so I can’t really re-sell it on Ebay.  I’m going to see if I can alter it to fit me a bit better.  Otherwise, there is one on Ebay right now at the right size, if I’m willing to spend about $50.  I’ll try altering it first, and then we’ll see.

This outfit also gave me an opportunity to debut my new Dansko Sallys, which the lovely people at Dansko graciously gave to me for free.  These shoes have so many amazing re-mixing possibilities.  They’re very comfy, and I can tell that they’re going to work equally well with dresses/skirts and pants.

I think your clothes should make you feel happy.  If they don’t, then you should find some that do.  It’s not about price so much as it is about what makes you feel good when you wear it.

Blouse: Target (Thrifted)
Skirt: Boden (Thrifted)
Tights: Target
Shoes: Dansko Sally
Scarf: Bought in Chinatown
Belt: Anthropologie
Earrings: Efy Tal
Headband: Target
Bangle: Vintage

Quote: It’s Hard to Be Five, Jamie Lee Curtis & Laura Cornell

Shopping Ban: Weeks 16 and 17

Well folks, it was bound to happen eventually.  With only a few weeks left of my six month shopping ban, I finally cheated.  Not just a little cheated, but $175 cheated.  Now what would I buy for $175?  These stunning beauties.

Way back when I was first craving the goldenrod Fluevog Malibrans, these caught my eye.  But back then, they were way out of my budget, at over $300 (if I remember correctly).  I had hoped to buy them on a trip to Chicago, but then ended up not going.  They went on sale in the spring, yet I still couldn’t afford them.  And then Fluevog discontinued them.  And my heart sank.  I wanted these gorgeous blue boots so badly.  While recently debating if I should keep my orange Fluevog Fiorenzas (which I am), I tried to decide what my ultimate shoe purchase would be to replace them.  These boots were the first thing I thought of.

And then last week, they showed up on my Ebay saved search e-mail for size 8 Fluevogs.  They wanted $200, I offered $150, we settled for $175.  I bought them only a couple hours after they were listed.  And I don’t regret it one bit.  Even though they made me so broke that my last three meals have been ham and cheese sandwiches.  They were worth it.  Do I feel guilty?  Not at all.

Since it’s so close to the end of my ban (which will be January 1), I’m not counting this against the money left, since it would take up all the ban and free money left.  These are my Christmas present to myself.  Yes they were cheating, but one of my philosophies of style is: If you absolutely fall in love with something, and you can afford it, buy it right then and there, because you never know if you’ll find it again.

Now, to actual ban money.  Since it’s been two weeks since my last ban post, I had the $4 left over, plus $30 from those two weeks.  There’s also $7.50 left over in free money, plus the $50 of free money for December.  Why am I not counting my shoes against this month’s free money?  Because I really need some tights, and I’m not buying those second-hand.  So that’s $34 in ban money and $57.50 in free money.

And I didn’t really buy much, since I was broke from the shoes.  I bought a 3/4 Boden dress on Ebay at a mere $25 (they retail for over $100).  It’s gorgeous, but I need to get it altered, so I’ll take pics after that.  That leaves me with $9 free money and $57.50 free money.

**(And technically, I still haven’t bought the third pair of shoes I was allowed during the ban, a pair of brown dress pumps.  And I’m getting a pair soon for free, so we’ll just let these boots replace the pumps ban-wise.  Not that I’m trying to justify.  I have no regrets.)

What I'm lovin': Boden Autumn 09 Collection

I’ve been a big fan of Boden for awhile, as you can probably tell from my previous reviews of their spring and summer lines.  I only own one item from them right now, which I actually thrifted, but now that I’m done with grad school and will (hopefully) have a full time job soon, I think I’m almost ready to make my first real order from them.  And perfect timing too, because I am completely in love with their fall line.  Many of the items have a very mod-sixties feel, which is something I’ve been wanting to add to my wardrobe lately.  I realize that fall in Florida doesn’t last very long, and that the temperatures will rarely dip below 60 degrees, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have some awesome fall clothes for those days when it actually feels like we have seasons here.  And many of the non-wool items can transcend seasons as well.

Suede Buckle Bag in Dark Pink

Soho Blazer  $168

Sixties Knitted Dress in Navy  $108

Favorite V-Neck Cardigan  $68

Smart Leather Boots in Green  $278

Denim Mini  $58