Tag Archives: efy tal

“Everything in French sounds fancy”

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How do you make a 3/4 sleeve cotton and cashmere tee work in the heat of summer?  Pair it with shorts and sandals!  I was determined to wear this lightweight tee, despite the fact that it’s in the 90s everyday now.  I realized that if I balanced out the longer sleeve length with shorts, I could wear it and still not be overheated.  The head scarf was mostly there to add a nice pop of color.  It also brought out the color of this gorgeous nail polish, which I’ll be talking about more tomorrow.

For some reason, I always feel very French when I wear this striped tee.  I’m not really sure where the association of stripes and France began.  The head scarf added a nice Euro touch as well.

Do you see stripes as French, Nautical or both? Or something else?

Shirt: J Crew (via eBay)
Shorts: Ann Taylor LOFT
Sandals: Born (via eBay)
Purse: Morelle Charlotte
Scarf: Vintage
Cuff: via Classy Consignment
Earrings: Efy Tal

Quote: Fancy Nancy, by Jane O’Connor

Nail Polish: No Miss Manalapan Melon

“Past the chimney-tops soared the kite”

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My media center has frigid A/C, while outdoors we have 80 degrees temps and super high humidity.  I’m trying to find more creative way to have outfits that can easily transition between the two drastically different temperatures.  My favorite solution: lightweight scarves.  When I go indoors, I can wrap a scarf around my neck and instantly feel cozy and warm.  When I go outside, I ditch the scarf and cardigan, and I’m ready for the balmy Florida heat.

This week is the last week of school, and after that I won’t have work (or paychecks) until August.  It’s bittersweet for me, because while having free-time will be nice, I really love my job, and I’ll hate not being there for nine weeks.  I’m trying to find a part-time summer job to make ends meet, but so far, nothing has worked out.  I’m a little nervous about this, but I do have some savings that I can use if needed, and I will be attending a couple of paid work-related trainings.  It’s going to be a bit hard money wise, but I’m looking forward to having time to sew, knit, read, and work in my garden.  Who knows, maybe I’ll even get together a small Etsy shop over the summer? (Of course, I’ve said that many times before.  We’ll see if I actually do it)

For those of you who work (or have worked) at jobs where you have the summer off, what do you do?  Do you travel?  Work a temporary summer job?  Catch up on projects around the house?

Blouse: Anthropologie
Cardigan: Ann Taylor LOFT
Jeans: Express Stella (re-conned by me)
Shoes: Born Codders
Scarf: Kohls
Earrings: Efy Tal

Quote: Anatole over Paris., by Eve Titus

“Bouquet is fancy for a bunch of flowers”

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On Monday, I showed a remix of my red and blue Boden dress.  Today, I’m remixing my multi-color floral print Boden dress.  The bright green cardigan makes for a fantastic bit of color, and brings out the greens and blues in the print.  My linen purse keeps with the cool summer vibe, and my faithful Dansko Novalees make for comfortable and stylish footwear.

Now that I’ve been working as a media specialist for a few months, I’ve come to realize that some of my shoes are more (or less) comfortable than I thought.  Being on my feet for a good part of the day has shown me that several pairs of shoes need to have the toe boxes stretched, because after a few hours, my toes feel painfully cramped.  My Dansko wedges have been quite surprisingly comfortable.  Even though they are taller than most of my heels, the wedge is much more supportive, and even after wearing them for eight hours, my feet don’t really hurt that much.  These are going to be my summer staples once again.

Do you have a particular pair of shoes that surprised you in just how comfortable they are?

Dress: Boden (via eBay)
Cardigan: J Crew (via eBay)
Sandals: Dansko Novalee (via eBay)
Purse: Morelle Charlotte
Earrings: Efy Tal

Quote: Fancy Nancy: Poison Ivy Expert , Jane O’Connor

“Let’s celebrate spring with a party”

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Due to my crazy schedule right now, today’s post is short and sweet.  Yay for fun, spring colors and florals!

What’s your favorite Spring trend?

Blouse: Anthropologie
Cardigan: J. Crew (via eBay)
Jeans: Gap Curvy (altered by me)
Shoes: Born Codders
Purse: Morelle City Bag
Earrings: Efy Tal

Quote: Mañana, Iguana, by Ann Whitford Paul

“Expect the joy that rainbows bring”

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(Don’t forget to enter the knitted gloves and mittens giveaway!!)

Color plays a very important role in my personal style.  I always love to experiment with it and find new and interesting combinations.  But I’ve noticed that I usually won’t use more than two colors, and I rarely have three colors that are next to each other in the color wheel (Academchic would probably know what the proper term for that is).  For today’s outfit, I decided to push my boundaries a bit, and wear yellow, green and blue together.

I’m really quite happy with how they look together.  I think the fact the there’s only a little bit of green peeking out probably helps to make it look balanced and not over-whelming.  I though about wearing my red coat with this as well, but I decided that would make me feel a bit too much like a box of crayons.

Might I mention that I am completely in love with my new scarf?  It’s so warm, and the elastic ruching makes it so easy to casually wrap it around my neck.  It makes me feel like a French woman who just effortlessly throws a scarf around her neck and instantly looks chic.  Anthro still has it (in four colors)!

What are your favorite color combinations to wear?  Do you tend to stick to the same ones, or do you love to try out new mixes?


Dress: Ella Moss (via My Mosh Posh)
Cardigan: J Crew (via Ebay)
Long sleeve tee: American Eagle (thrifted)
Tights: Hue
Boots: Dankso Risa (via Ebay)
Scarf: Anthropologie
Ring: from my grandmother
Earrings: Efy Tal

Quote: The Happiness Tree: Celebrating the Gifts of Trees We Treasure, Andrea Alban Gosline

“I’d make a few changes”

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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.

"Snuggles right down underneath the bedclothes”

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This outfit came together quite nicely.  I was still feeling a bit run-down from my cold, so this outfit became all about warmth and comfort.  I wanted soft, comfortable fabrics all around.  Physically, all I felt like wearing were pajamas pants and a cozy hoodie, but that won’t exactly fly at work.  Combining leggings with a jersey dress, flat boots, a nice soft long-sleeve tee, and a cozy scarf wrapped around the neck made for the perfect formula of feeling comfortable while still presentable.

I really love how my hair is looking lately.  At the end of December, I went to a Bring Your Own Blow Dryer class at the salon I go to, Tribeca (which is pretty much the most awesome salon in Tampa, both in terms of their sense of ethics and in the fantastic style they have).  At the class, everyone got to sit down one-on-one with a stylist and learn how to style their hair at home.  I never really understood the concept of styling my hair with a round brush and blow dryer before, but now I’m addicted.  I feel like I can finally achieve the look that I want my hair to have.  Tribeca has these events once a month, so if you’re in Tampa, you should check it out.  The event is free, you get to sample delicious teas and attendees get a discount on any  products they buy while they’re there.

Oh, and I continue to adore these boots.  My nephew told me that he liked them too because they’re his favorite color.  Blogger tested, toddler approved.

Dress (as skirt): Express
Long Sleeve Tee: Apt 9 (Kohls)
Leggings: Target
Boots: Fluevog Heather (Ebay)
Scarf: Target
Necklace: Chocolate Cake Jewels
Belt: Thrifted
Earrings: Efy Tal

Quote: How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon? By Jane Yolen and Mark Teague

“It was a good and beautiful place to live”

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Once the weather finally started to warm up last week, I decided it would be fun to ride my bike down my local neighborhood park by the Hillsborough River to take pictures.  It’s such a lovely location; I really should ride down here more often.

Riding a bicycle in a wrap skirt is… interesting.  I was fine for the most part, except whenever a strong wind blew.  Luckily, I could hold the handlebars with one hand and hold my skirt down with the other, since I was on local streets.

I like this outfit overall, but I’ve noticed that this wrap skirt is not the most flattering shape on me.  It makes my hips look a lot wider than they actually are.  I think next time, I might try to balance it out a bit, maybe with a bolero or a cropped cardigan?  Or maybe I should just un-tuck the blouse?

Any suggestions on how I could style this skirt to make it more flattering?  Or should I give it to Goodwill?

Blouse: Ann Taylor LOFT (thrifted)
Cardigan: Ann Taylor LOFT
Skirt: The Limited (thrifted)
Tights: Target
Boots: Dansko Nena (Ebay)
Purse: Morelle Oyster
Pearls: Coryell Design
Earrings: Efy Tal
Watch: Target

Quote: Yudonsi: A Tale from the Canyons, by Robert J. Blake

“Down, down, to the frozen ground”

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This outfit repeats a lot of the elements of yesterday’s outfit.  When it gets as cold as it was last week, and your winter wardrobe is limited, sometimes repeats just happen.  But I like how adding an aqua blouse into the color mix changes the whole look.

Weather this cold requires strategic layering, and in this outfit I experimented a little by layering my cashmere cardigan over a slim fitting hoodie.  I wasn’t sure if it would work, but I think the result came out quite well.  It kept me warm, and it was a nice mix of casual and dressy.

On my list of things I want to buy before next winter is definitely a pair of colorful leather gloves, lined in silk or cashmere.  These black faux leather gloves do the job of keeping my digits warm, but they’re so boring.


See that shimmery stuff by my feet?  That’s ice!  This weather has been so bizarre.  I’ve felt like I’m living in a wintery twilight zone.

Coat: Colebrook (garage sale)
Blouse: Anthropologie
Grey Hoodie: Express (via Classy Consignment)
Jeans: Express
Boots: Dansko Nena (Ebay)
Scarf: Spun and knit by me
Hat: Knit by me
Purse: Morelle Oyster
Earrings: Efy Tal
Gloves: ?

Quote: White Snow, Bright Snowby Alvin Tresselt

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

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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

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