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Got a style/sustainability question? Know of an Etsy seller I should check out? Want to tell me about your vintage Fluevog collection? Whatever it is, feel free to drop me a line: DianaLynnSmiles *at* gmail.com. (replace *at* with the @ sign)
Hi and welcome! I'm Diana, and this is my blog, Smiles Go With Everything. As the title suggests, I write about a little bit of everything, but the majority of my focus is on style and sustainability and how the two interconnect. In between are sprinklings of baking, gardening, crafting, and whatever I feel like sharing.-
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Tag Archives: LOFT
“We did nothing at all”
On my last few days of summer, I’m craving simplicity. Short, t-shirts and sandals are pretty much all I want to wear. I wore this outfit this past weekend, and today I go back to work. I guess I wanted to get as much mileage out of my summer casual clothes as possible, since this week it’s time to go back to professional wear. It’s been a great summer, but I’m looking forward to having structure to my days again, as well as a reason to get dressed up.
Tee: Outlooks (via Revolve)
Shorts: Ann Taylor LOFT (thrifted)
Sandals: Clarks Rime (6pm)
Purse: Morelle Charlotte
Bangle: Garage sale
Earrings: Wish by Felicity
Quote: The Cat in the Hat
“Tweetily-tweet”
I think it’s true what they say about haircuts, that they usually look better about two weeks after you get them. I was feeling a bit frustrated with my new hair cut when I first got it, but now it’s really starting to grow on me (no pun intended).
My jewelry was quasi bird-themed with this outfit. The cuff has engravings of birds on it, and the earrings are shaped somewhat like feathers. And I even found a blue jay feather on the ground while taking these pictures. I used to love collecting feathers like this when I was a kid, and I fancied myself quite the birdwatcher. I even made a “camouflage” cover out of an old green wool blanket, thinking that the birds wouldn’t notice me if I cut holes in it and watched them from underneath. Needless to say, that idea didn’t work very well, especially in the Florida heat.
Tank: Soma (thrifted)
Cardigan: J Crew (via eBay)
Shorts: Ann Taylor LOFT (thrifted)
Sandals: Clarks Rime
Earrings: wear+thou
Cuff: Vintage via Sherry’s Yesterdaze
Purse: Morelle Charlotte
Quote: Jazzmatazz!
“We never catch butterflies”
(my camera battery died in the middle of this shoot, so I only got two photos)
This outfit may look familiar. That’s because I wore a variation of it just a few weeks ago. There have been a lot of repeat outfits this summer, and I’m okay with that. If I had a larger space for storing clothing, I might have a greater variety of outfits. I have a small closet, and the heat limits what I can wear even more, so there are repeats, and that’s fine.
With blogging, I’ve become a lot more conscious of where items of clothing come from, and I’ve begun to happily notice that a majority of my wardrobe is second-hand and/or handmade. When I had my shopping ban (as opposed to shopping plan) I was only allowed to shop at non-second hand/handmade locations once a month. I got rid of that restriction with the shopping plan, but honestly I still haven’t bought much that was new and mass-produced. Most of the times when I go to the mall, I end up not finding anything that I really love, even when I’m more than ready and willing to spend money.
All of this fits in with my sustainability focus, because when you buy second-hand, you’re keeping clothes from going to the landfill, and reducing the amount of new clothing that needs to be produced. When you buy hand-made, you’re supporting small businesses and helping artists to earn a living. Being green can be a beautiful and stylish thing.
Shirt: St John’s Bay (thrifted)
Shorts: Ann Taylor LOFT (thrifted)
Sandals: Clarks Rime (via 6pm)
Scarf: Vera (vintage via garage sale)
Cuff: via Classy Consignment
Earrings: The Peach Tree
Purse: Morelle Charlotte
Quote: Fancy Nancy: Explorer Extraordinaire, by Jane O’Connor
“I like to try a lot of different things”
I mentioned last week that I was planning on trying a new cut for my hair and here it is. Honestly, I’m not sure what the verdict on it is yet for me. My boyfriend absolutely loves it, and sometimes I do too, but other times, I feel “meh” about it. I wanted a cut that would transition well for growing my hair out long again, and I wanted to experiment with short bangs. They can be a lot of fun, but they make me feel kind of like I have to wear eye makeup and showy earrings, otherwise I look a little boyish. They’re also making me really want to go back to contacts, because I don’t think they suit my glasses frames well. But anyhow, hair is hair. Once I get the hang of how to style it, I’m sure I’ll like it better. And I’m planning on growing it out anyway, so I planned for this to be temporary.
Have you ever had a hair cut that you weren’t sure about at first, but ended up liking later on?
Top: Ann Taylor LOFT (thrifted)
Cardigan: Isabella Rodriguez (Anthro) (via eBay)
Capris: Express (altered by me)
Sandals: Dansko Neve (courtesy of Solestruck)
Purse: Liz Claiborne
Headband: Target
Earrings: The Peach Tree
Necklace: Kira Ferrer
Quote: The OK Book
Posted in Outfits
Tagged dansko, express, isabella rodriguez, kira ferrer, liz claiborne, LOFT, peach tree, target
10 Comments
“It was a lovely summer morning”
Yep, variations on this outfit are becoming my default summer uniform. Maybe it’s the heat, maybe it’s because I’m not working, but I just seem to have trouble being very creative with my outfits lately. When it’s hot and I’m craving easy going comfort, anything that squeezes, restrains or requires slips or Spanx just isn’t worth it. I’m longing for soft, flowing fabrics, simple silhouettes, fabrics that let me move and don’t require lots of adjusting. I only have so many items in my wardrobe that fit this bill right now, so I feel like I keep wearing the same things over and over. Maybe a little consignment shopping spree in is order (within budget of course).
Even though I’ve still got four more weeks of summer vacation (working in the school system is awesome) I’m starting to think about my work wardrobe again. I’m realizing that I really need to get a few key pieces before the school year starts, so that I don’t find my outfits constantly repeating themselves. Here’s what’s on my work wardrobe list right now: comfortable non-polyester trousers that fit well, knee-length jersey dresses (yes I have some already, but I always want more), and tops that are long enough so that my stomach doesn’t show when I’m shelving books. I guess I like my work clothes to be really functional.
Do you find yourself defaulting to certain items in your wardrobe during the summer?
Top: Anthropologie
Cardigan: Isabella Rodriguez (Anthro) (via eBay)
Shorts: Ann Taylor LOFT
Sandals: Dansko Neve (courtesy of Solestruck)
Earrings: Mackie Jewelry
Quote: I Love It When You Smile
“A solitary Schwinn, casual on its kickstand”
After being lazy for a good half of the summer, I finally hopped on my bicycle last week for a trip to the library and the post office. And I’m so glad I did! I didn’t realize how much I had missed riding until I felt the wind on my face, the sun on my back, and that supreme satisfaction that comes from getting around town by your own two wheels. Yes, it’s true that it’s hot and muggy. Yes, I started sweating like crazy when I got to the library. But a washcloth and some extra deodorant later, and I was no more sweaty than anyone else dealing with the Florida heat. Now I’m really, really wanting to try bike commuting. I’ll have to wake up even earlier than I already do, and I might not be able to do it every day, since I often have to go to meetings on the other side of the county, but I’d love it if I could even work up to bike commuting twice a week. Riding a bike is just so much more fun than driving a car, and it’s better for the earth too.
I think that riding a bike is better for me psychologically too. Whenever I drive, I tend to get really stressed out. I’m often really distracted too (not be cell phones or anything, I just have difficulty paying attention). I always feel disconnected from my surroundings. On a bicycle, I can breathe deeply. If I see something that’s interesting, I can stop and look at it. I can wave to neighbors and fellow cyclists and feel a sense of community. I’m also more vulnerable, which can be a bit scary at times, but I always carry pepper spray when I ride, just in case a mean dog (or human) tries to mess with me.
By the way, my bike is a vintage (Chicago) Schwinn Suburban from the 60s or 70s. I love it. It still doesn’t have a name yet – I don’t seem to be very good at naming things.
Tank: Soma (thrifted)
Sleeveless shirt: St John’s Bay (thirfted)
Shorts: Ann Taylor LOFT
Shoes: Keen Barcelona (via eBay)
Cuff: via Classy Consignment
Earrings: Gift from cousin
Purse: Timbuk2
Quote: On The Wings of Heroes
“The rain on the window woke me up”
We had a very rainy few days last week here in Tampa. As in raining on and off all day, for three days. It was dreary and grey and dull. So to counteract the weather, I decided to wear some of my brightest colors in a nice, summery combination.
I generally prefer vibrant and saturated colors over dull ones, but in the summer, I like colors like this even more so. Something about the hot weather, the sun (when we have it), the humidity. I just can’t stand wearing dark or dull colors when it’s hot out. Plus, bright colors always seem to be a good mood booster, and with the dreary weather we were having, I needed all the boosting I could get.
Do you ever wear certain colors or items to improve your mood?
Tank: Target (via Revolve)
Cardigan: J Crew (via eBay)
Shorts: Ann Taylor LOFT (thrifted)
Sandals: Clarks Rime
Necklace: Kira Ferrer
Purse: Morelle Charlotte
Bangles: Jill Popowich
Quote: Daughter’s Day Blues
Posted in Outfits
Tagged clarks, j crew, jill popowich, kira ferrer, LOFT, morelle, target
6 Comments
“Everything in French sounds fancy”
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
Nail Polish: No Miss Manalapan Melon
“Oatmeal and apples for breakfast”
I’ve pretty much decided that variations of this outfit are my uniform for this summer. It’s so hot in Florida right now, that anything other than shorts or dresses is just uncomfortable. Normally, I tend to lean more towards dresses, but for some reason, all I want to wear this summer is shorts. Maybe it’s from seeing how Anna Paquin makes short shorts look amazing as Sookie Stackhouse. Or maybe it’s the fact that yoga has really been making my legs feel stronger. Either way, this summer is all about shorts for me.
I recently tweaked my blog layout a bit to allow for larger images. Since photos are a very important part of my blog, I thought it made sense to change things up so that they would be more prominent. Do you like the new sizes? I’m going to be working on a major blog redesign soon, and this is one of the things I’m considering as I plan it.
What’s your summer uniform?
Cardigan: J Crew (via eBay)
Tank: Old Navy
Shorts: Ann Taylor LOFT (altered by me)
Sandals: Columbia
Purse: Morelle Charlotte
Necklace: Love Spell Jewels
Earrings: Garage sale
Quote: Do Like Kyla by Angela Johnson
“I’d like otters to be friendly”
Ah, the perils of Florida summer dressing. Outside, it is blisteringly hot and humid. Inside, air conditioners are running at full capacity, making it freezing As I’ve said before, with weather like this, layers are key. I was attending some work trainings last week, and I had no idea how cold the building they were in might be, so I came prepared. I had on a sleeveless blouse, and wore a cardigan and a light silk scarf for some extra warmth. As it turned out, the A/C wasn’t working very well, so I ditched the layers inside. But I’m telling you, if I hadn’t, the A/C probably would have been freezing. I always prefer to be prepared for anything.
There’s nothing I love more than a soft, drapey outfit. Lately, I’m finding myself more and more drawn to comfy, flowing outfits. Maybe it’s just the vibe they give off, or maybe it’s because I’ve been practicing yoga more, and I’m really loving clothes that allow for a full range of motion. Either way, I’m lovin’ this outfit.
Random note: Isn’t it awesome how my scarf and shoes match? I was so excited when I realized this 
Do you prefer drapey garments, and or structured styles more your thing?
Blouse: Anthropologie
Cardigan: Ann Taylor LOFT
Jeans: Express
Shoes: Keen Sienna Mary Janes (via eBay)
Scarf: Ann Taylor
Purse: Axcess by Liz Claiborne (thrifted)
Earrings: Wish by Felicity
Quote: Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners
Posted in Outfits
Tagged ann taylor, anthropologie, express, keen, liz claiborne, LOFT, wish by felicity
7 Comments
