“I have my own heart”

Hello folks!  My week off was wonderful and refreshing, and I feel like I’ve got a lot of great new ideas for Smiles Go With Everything.  As you may have noticed, I spent part of my time last week re-vamping the look of the blog, and I am so incredibly happy with it!  It feels great to actually be able to apply what I learned in my web design class last year, and I have to say that I felt quite pleasantly nerdy spending two hours last week playing with CSS, HTML and Photoshop.

You may have also noticed that my blog’s tagline has changed to read “style and sustainability for the optimistic soul”.  As I mentioned last week, I want to shift my focus slightly.  Sustainability is an issue that is near and dear to my heart, and I am fascinated by the way that it intersects with personal style.  I want to spend more time digging into that issue, and in particular I want to talk even more than before about shopping second-hand, hand-made and local.  As always, I will be talking about these issues with an optimistic perspective.  It can be easy to get depressed when talking about how much humans have screwed up the environment, but I would rather focus on the positive side of what we can do to make things better, as opposed to dwelling on the negative side.

This is still a style blog, and I will continue to post Daily Outfits, Etsy Love posts and tell you about how I shop in my weekly Shopping Plan posts.  I’ll still talk about how I alter clothes to work for my figure.

For now though, there probably will be fewer outfit posts than before.  With my current schedule at my job (which I love!), it’s hard to get four outfit photos every week.  It was getting to the point where it was becoming a chore for me, as opposed to something I enjoyed doing.  For right now, I’m only going to post outfits twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays.  If I can get to a point where I can take more outfit photos every week without it feeling like an obligation, then I may increase the number of outfit posts.  At this time, it’s just about figuring out what kind of a schedule works best for me.

Outfit posts will definitely always be around, though.  I think that they are a vital part of this blog, and they fit in perfectly with my new focus on sustainability.  I put a great emphasis of shopping second-hand and hand-made in my personal life, and outfit posts are a a great way to demonstrate that it is completely possible to be stylish in a way that is not detrimental to the environment.

I’m very excited about all the great new things to come, and I hope that you are too!

Cardigan: J Crew (via eBay)
Blouse: Ann Taylor LOFT (thrifted)
Skirt: Semantiks
Shoes: Clarks Apple Sky
Necklace: Coryell Design
Earrings: Wear-thou
Watch: Target

Quote: It’s Hard to Be Five: Learning How to Work My Control Panel, Jamie Lee Curtis & Laura Cornell

“Zooming down the street”

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

“I love being fancy”

All that lovely cold weather made me forget what a challenge it is to dress professionally in warm weather.  Even my light cardigans like this one are starting to feel too warm, and it’s only April!  I feel like there are fewer ways to remix outfits when I have to put away my scarves, tights, and cozy cashmere.  Being a native Floridian, I really should be more adept at dealing with high temps, but they still stump me every year.

This outfit still came together nicely, even though I’m struggling with dressing for warm weather.  The light layers, the simple cotton, and the bare legs helped to keep me from getting over-heated.  I really love how all these colors work together – I think that the mix pale blue and red is one of my favorite color combinations.

Oh, and it’s hard to see in these pictures, but I altered this blouse to make it work better for me.  The v-neck was pretty deep, so I was always having to wear a camisole under this to keep me from being over-exposed at work.  Then it dawned on me that I could sew the deepest part together.  I moved the buttons around and added a little keyhole at the top.  I think it will work much better for me this way, since now I can wear it on its own.

How do you deal with hot weather style slumps?  How do you remix outfits sans winter accessories?

Blouse: Anthropologie
Cardigan: New York & Co (via Classy Consignment)
Skirt: Semantiks
Shoes: Tsubo Acrea (via eBay)
Watch: Target

Quote: Fancy Nancy, by Jane O’Connor

“Oh the jobs people work at!”

I wore this last week when meeting the district support team for media specialists.  I wanted to be polished and professional, since this was my first time meeting most of them.  I think the outfit came together quite nicely.  All the color allowed me to feel “me”, but the structure of the blazer and pencil skirt plus the smart heels kept me looking sharp.

Putting together outfits like this over the next few months will be very important.  I want to make sure that I am constantly making a good impression, because how I do over these next few months will determine whether or not I get to work at the same school in the fall.  Learning to dress in a way that is professional, while still incorporating my own personal style, is going to be an enjoyable challenge.

I love how it looks like I’m flying in that picture.  Fun pictures really are the best pictures ever.

What do you wear when you want to make a good first impression?

Blouse: Anthropologie
Blazer: Forever 21 (thrifted)
Skirt: Semantiks
Shoes: Clarks Apple Sky
Purse: Vintage (via Advintagous)
Necklace: Coryell Design
Watch: Target

Quote: Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?, by Dr Seuss

“No sense of what was proper”

Last week, I styled this skirt to look like Joan Holloway.  Today, I went with more of a Peggy Olson look.  I love how vibrant all the colors looked together.  I’m not so sure how I feel about having all black on the bottom half of my body, though.  I think this would have looked amazing with some white pumps.   I know a lot of style advice columns recommend matching shoes to tights to elongate your legs, but to me, it felt just a bit boring.

 Originally, I was going to wear a strand of pearls with this outfit, but that felt just a bit too prim and proper.  Tying the blue scarf in a bow threw an extra color into the mix, while still retaining the vintage flair of the outfit.

Unfortunately, this will probably be the only time I’ll wear this green sleeveless button-down.  I got it while thrifting last week, but it’s a bit too short and the arm holes are a bit tight.  I could fix the arm hole problem, but the length is a bigger concern.  Even though this is my highest-waisted skirt, the blouse kept popping out when I would sit down.  I don’t like garments that I have to constantly fuss with, so this will likely go to the swap pile.  I might hang onto for a bit longer in case I get some true high-waisted skirts.

Do you incorporate vintage stylings into your wardrobe?  How do you make them look modern?

Cardigan: J Crew (via Ebay)
Blouse: St Johns Bay (thrifted)
Scarf: Thrifted
Skirt: Semantiks
Tights: Hue
Shoes: Clarks Apple Sky
Earrings: Sara Westermark

Quote: The Red Balloon, by A. LaMorisse

“That’s how librarians are”

(Don’t forget my knitted gloves and mittens giveaway!  It ends at midnight EST tonight)

I substituted at a media center in a high school this week, and on my first day, I was mistaken for a student twice.  On my second day, I decided to make sure that my outfit made it clear that I was an adult, not a student.  There’s nothing quite like a good dose of librarian chic when you actually are a librarian.

I decided to go for a sort of Joan Holloway look with this outfit, wearing my favorite pencil skirt.  I paired it with my new Anthro blouse, and then echoed the colors of the blouse in everything else.  A little yellow in the handbag, red in the shoes and necklace, white with the cardigan.  To me it seems intuitive, but one of the best ways to create a put-together outfit is to wear a beautiful pattern blouse with a skirt or trousers, and then echo the colors of the blouse in your accessories.  This works equally well with patterned dresses.

Because I was substituting all week, I’m quite behind on my blog reading and commenting.  So if I didn’t visit your blog this week, please know that it’s nothing against you.  I’m still trying to learn how to balance all the various aspects of life and work. Because I haven’t had time to read blogs this week, there won’t be a Link Love post this afternoon.

How do you balance life and work?  How do you make time to read other blogs?

Blouse: Anthropologie
Salmon Tank:  The Limited (via Revolve)
Cardigan: Ann Taylor LOFT
Skirt: Semantiks
Shoes: Tsubo Acrea (via www.ebay.com)
Purse: Vintage (via AdVintagous)
Necklace: ??, via clothing swap
Cuff: ??, via Classy Consignments

Quote: The Boy who was Raised by Librarians, by Carla Morris

Daily Outfit: Trendy and Loving It

Normally, I tend to shy away from trends.  I usually prefer classic styles, and trends come and go so quickly, that it seems pointless to spend too much time worrying about them.  However, sometimes a certain trend will really resonate with me.  When that happens, I will wear, even after it’s gone out of fashion.  Today’s outfit embraces two current trends: belted cardigans and layered chain necklaces.

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I. loved. this. outfit. so. much.  I felt amazing all day.  The combination of wearing my new favorite belt, my beautiful new necklace, and my pencil skirt which always looks awesome, was the perfect storm.  Not to mention my beautiful new $2 Ann Taylor tank.

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All this has made me realize something.  I MUST buy more pencil skirts.  In good fabrics with quality tailoring.  I think I will be spending my Christmas money next month at J. Crew.

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Tank: Ann Taylor (garage sale)
Cardigan: Ann Taylor LOFT
Belt: Anthropologie
Skirt: Semantiks (Nordstroms)
Shoes: Clarks Apple Sky
Necklace: from a local boutique
Purse: Easy Spirit Outlet
Watch: Target

Daily Outfit: Mad Men

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I’m not sure how I managed to take so few photos of this outfit, because I absolutely loved it.  I felt kind like a secretary on Mad Men all day, although this outfit still pales in comparison with Joan Holloway.  I just recently got this skirt altered.  The fit just wasn’t right before. I got the waist taken in and the hips let out, and it looks much better now.

I love how the amethyst necklace made the cardigan look more plum than burgandy.  And you better believe that’s cashmere.  One day I hope to own lots of cashmere.

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Blouse: Ann Taylor LOFT (thrifted)
Cardigan: DKNY (via Revolve)
Skirt: Semantiks (Nordstrom)
Shoes: Clarks Apple Sky
Purse: Easy Spirit
Headband: Anthropologie
Necklace: Red Chair

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