Tag Archives: chocolate cake jewels

“I turned on the light”

Posted on by
3

I made this tunic over a month ago, but I didn’t get around to incorporating it into an outfit until last week. It’s so hot and muggy right now, that long sleeves and leggings are usually too warm.  But my school has a new a/c system now, and it’s freezing, so I get to wear clothes that aren’t completely seasonally appropriate.

This re-con really turned out beautifully, but I wish that the empire waist was just about an inch lower.  It would be a lot more flattering.  Unfortunately, because of how it’s designed, it’s something I can’t really alter.  Eventually, I’d love to make something like this from scratch, so I could correct that.  That is, whenever I actually have some time for from-scratch sewing.

As I’ve said before, I absolutely love my job, but the summer made me forget just how little free time I have while working.  I didn’t do any blog reading all week last week, and my projects and to-do’s pilled up.  I know I’ll relearn to budget my time again, but right now it’s a bit stressful.  Once I get into a routine, I know it’ll be a lot better.

Tunic: Re-con made from Target tunics by me
Leggings: Target
Shoes: Easy Street
Cuff: Vintage via Sherry’s Yesterdaze
Necklace: Chocolate Cake Jewels

Quote: Don’t Bump the Glump!: And Other Fantasies, by Shel Silverstein

“Walk as proudly as you can and the world will look up to you”

Posted on by
8

Well, summer has been a lot of fun.  However, irregular sleep patterns (sleeping past 5am!), irregular eating habits and a little too much snacking has taken its toll on my body.  I’ve gained a little weight, which is leading to most of my jeans and slacks not fitting well (hence why I’ve been wearing the same pair of black shorts about 75% of the time lately).

These Gap Curvy jeans were too loose on me at the end of the school year, but right now, they fit perfectly.  I’m happy with my body, and I’m not freaking out and going on a crash diet or anything.  I’m working on making some small changes in my diet, and I’m pretty sure things will regulate themselves once I’m working again.  For now, I’m just happy that I didn’t get rid of these jeans.  I think that it makes sense to hold onto at least a few items of clothing that are either too large or to small on you, because weight generally fluctuates.

The important thing I’ve learned is to always be kind to yourself.  Beating yourself up about weight fluctuation and getting depressed only makes things worse.   A shift in weight doesn’t stop you from being a  beautiful person, but having a foul attitude about things will.

Blouse: Coda (via Revolve)
Jeans: Gap Curvy
Flats: Easy Street
Earrings: Garage Sale
Necklace: Chocolate Cake Jewels
Bangles: Vintage (via garage sales and Sherry’s Yesterdaze)

Quote: Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon, by Patty Lovell

“Wardrobe – a collection of clothes”

Posted on by
8

I absolutely love my Boden dresses.  So much so, that I generally wear at least one of them every week.  Sometimes, I find it difficult to figure out how to remix them. It’s basically summer now, so there’s only so much layering that I can do.  Since my workplace currently has frigid AC (this is prone to change on a daily basis, believe me) I can layer cardigans.  Thus, I’ve been trying some new remixes of my Boden dresses with different cardigans, shoes and accessories.  For this outfit, I stuck to brown and black accessories, allowing the beautiful print of the dress to continue to shine.

Normally, I tend to wear belts at the top of my rib cage, just under the bust.  Today, I decided to let the belt rest at my natural waist.  It was a nice switch, and I think it flattered the outfit well.  I also added an extra punch of color in my blue necklace, which helped bring out the blue in the print of the dress.

How do you remix printed dresses in the summer?  What do you do to keep an outfit fresh and interesting when it’s 80+ degrees outside?

Dress: Boden (via eBay)
Cardigan: Ann Taylor LOFT
Belt: Thrifted
Sandals: Dansko Novalee (via eBay)
Necklace: Chocolate Cake Jewels
Earrings: Garage Sale

Quote: Fancy Nancy’s Favorite Fancy Words: From Accessories to Zany, by Jane O’Connor

“Zooming down the street”

Posted on by
13

I talked about this blazer a good bit on Sunday, but let me say again that I absolutely love it!  And it was perfect for work last week, when my media center was hosting a teacher meeting.  I wanted to look very professional, and this blazer did that perfectly.  Yellow is definitely becoming one of my favorite colors to wear.

My hair is getting overdue for a cut.  I’m thinking of shaking things up a bit and trying something I’ve never done before: getting a variation on a pixie cut.  Not super short, but definitely shorter than anything I’ve ever tried before.  I figure that summer is a good time to experiment with a new hair length, since it gets so hot, and if I don’t like it, I can just grow it back out.  While I love my bob, I’ve had it for six months now, and I’m starting to get a bit bored with it.  I think something short, layered and piece-y could be a lot of fun.

What do you think?  Should I go for the pixie cut?

(And by the way, do you like the new header?  I made it with my mad photoshop skills :) )


Blouse: Ann Taylor LOFT (thrifted)
Jacket: J Crew (via eBay)
Skirt: Semantiks
Shoes: Clarks Apple Sky
Necklace: Chocolate Cake Jewels
Watch: Target

Quote: In My New Yellow Shirt
, by Eileen Spinelli

“Floating in the blue”

Posted on by
5

Way back in June 2009, I wore an outfit very similar to this one.  Back then, I wore shorts and sandals for summer comfort, but last week, I switched those out for long trousers and my trusty Dansko Sallys.  It worked perfectly.

I love this little drapey cardigan/bolero so much.  I had no idea when I bought it last year just how much of a staple it would become.  I wear it at least once or twice a week.  With dresses, with sleeveless blouses; this little cardi is insanely versatile.

I recently popped into Ann Taylor LOFT again, hoping to score some awesome warm weather work duds, but came out empty handed.  The colors and designs are gorgeous there this season, but for some reason, nothing was fitting right, no matter what I tried on.  I certainly haven’t given up on them though, because a good portion of my wardrobe comes from that store, directly or indirectly (thrifted).

What item went on to become an unexpected workhorse in your wardrobe?

Tank: Old Navy
Cardigan: Ann Taylor LOFT
Trousers: Worthington
Shoes: Dansko Sally (courtesy of Dansko)
Necklace: Chocolate Cake Jewels
Watch: Target

Quote: The Complete Tales of Winnie-The-Pooh, by A.A. Milne

“Blue was a quiet color”

Posted on by
9

I have a confession to make: I love dresses.  I’m beginning to feel like I could have a wardrobe of almost nothing but dresses, and I would be happy.  When I discovered this gorgeous Tulle dress at a local boutique last week, I was immediately drawn to the gorgeous color and subtle print.  It fits wonderfully.  Since it’s a bit on the short side, I wore it as a tunic with leggings to work.  I felt so comfortable all day, but I still felt nicely put together.

There’s quite a few little parks in my area that I love to visit.  This one has a sidewalk that leads down to the river, and is basically a place for people to walk their dogs.  But it has this nice little concrete thing (jetty?) that sticks out into the water, and makes for a great photo spot.  This time of year gives me mixed feelings about being outside.  The weather is gorgeous, the citrus trees are blooming and filling the air with beautiful scents.  But along with that, the oak trees are also blooming, so I’m having to load up on allergy meds everyday in order to function.  It’s still lovely though, and I’m trying to enjoy it while it lasts, because the sweltering temps of summer are just around the corner.

What’s the one type of item in your wardrobe that you can’t live without?  Are you a diehard cardigan lover?  Do you have an insane collection of skirts?  Do you keep acquiring new dresses like me?

Dress: Tulle (via Penelope T Boutique)
Leggings: Target
Cardigan: Ann Taylor LOFT
Shoes: Born Sokal (via eBay)
Purse: via Advintagous
Necklace: Chocolate Cake Jewels

Quote: One, by Kathryn Otoshi

“I would make you a birthday cake out of bananas”

Posted on by
27

Today is my 26th birthday!  Yay!  I’m actually substituting today, so this is not what I am wearing.  My outfit posts are always a few days behind, so this is what I wore for an amazingly relaxing Sunday.  We seemed to have a warm front then, because the weather was perfect.  It was nice to feel a hint of spring coming.  I opened up all the windows in the house, got the laundry done and cleaned the kitchen.  I actually find cleaning relaxing, because it’s such a relief to be able to get it done without feeling rushed.  I got some spinning done as well and took an afternoon nap while listening to the birds outside.  Absolutely. awesome. day.

This outfit contains two new items.  That J. Crew breton striped blouse is a deliciously soft cashmere/cotton blend that I scored recently on Ebay.  For $15.  Love.  You saw the Dansko Sela sandals on Saturday.  I really didn’t expect to get to wear them so soon, but it was wonderful to finally let my feet be free of socks for a bit.

After I get off work today, I plan to check out a new thrift store near where I’m subbing.  Thrifting on my birthday is starting to become a sort of tradition for me.  I love taking time to explore the racks and search for treasures, but I often don’t have the time.  On my birthday, I make the time.  After that, I’m going out for sushi with a friend.  My boyfriend is working the night shift tonight, so we’ll be celebrating my birthday together this weekend.

What makes a perfectly relaxing day for you?  Do you have any special birthday traditions?

Blouse: J Crew (via Ebay)
Jeans: Express
Sandals: Dansko Sela (via Ebay)
Purse: Vintage (via Advintagous)
Necklace: Chocolate Cake Jewels
Cuff: ?? (via Classy Consignments)

Quote: I Love You Stinky Face, by Lisa McCourt

“Oh yes ! – some accessories”

Posted on by
10

Hmm… didn’t I wear this cardigan with a similar dress and grey tights in yesterday’s outfit?  Why yes I did.  And you know what?  I’m just fine with that.  I have a very small closet.  I have a limited wardrobe, because I only keep clothes that I love, and I don’t have tons of money to buy tons of new clothes.  So sometimes I may wear some elements on an outfit two days in a row.  And that’s perfectly okay.  The main thing to me is to make sure that each outfit is unique, and my favorite way to do that is with accessories.

Yesterday, I punched things up with a new color scheme of yellow, green and blue.  Today, I dropped the green.  I switched out my black Dansko boots for my blue Fluevog ones.  I added some grey accents with the long sleeve tee layered underneath.  I added a different necklace, and my new black belt.  So while the outfits are similar, they are not the same.

Do you sometimes repeat elements of an outfit two days in a row?  What do you do to keep them fresh and unique?

Dress: Express
Cardigan: J Crew (via Ebay)
Layering Tee: Kohls
Belt: Anthropologie
Tights: Hue
Boots: Fluevog Heather (via Ebay)
Necklace: Chocolate Cake Jewels

Quote: Fancy Nancy, by Jane O’Connor

“If you want to have fun without worry”

Posted on by
18

For several weeks, I thought I had lost this cardigan.  I searched all over the house, checked the lost and found box at work, but I couldn’t seem to find it anywhere.  Then one day, I remembered that I had recently moved my handknits to a different drawer while reorganizing my studio.  What a relief!  Nothing feels much worse than thinking you lost a cardigan that took you a few months to knit.

Finding my cardigan gave me the perfect excuse to wear my new belt that I got at Anthropologie last weekend.  I think I’m one of those types who likes to wear new things right away.  I’m really, really happy with this belt.  It filled a definite gap in my wardrobe, and I can tell it’s going to get plenty of use.

I’m really beginning to love wearing scarves tied up like this.  They keep my neck nice and cozy, and they still allow me to add an additional pop of color with a long necklace.  In this outfit, I echoed the color of the necklace by wearing a turquoise bracelet.  I really love mixing yellow and pale blue/turquoise.

Do you like to wear new things right away? Or do you prefer to save new items for a special occasion?

Long sleeve tee: Issac Mizrahi for Target
Cardigan: Minimalist, handknit by me
Jeans: Express
Boots: Dansko Nena (via Ebay)
Belt: Anthropologie
Necklace: Chocolate Cake Jewels
Scarf: Bought in Chinatown, NYC
Purse: Morelle Charlotte
Bracelet: ??, gift

Quote: Don’t Take Your Snake for a Stroll, by Karin Ireland

Related Posts with Thumbnails