Groundhog Day!

Happy Groundhog Day!  By the time you are reading this you'll know if Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and whether or not we are in store for 6 more weeks of weather. I am writing this the eve before, so I am unsure what the result will be.  I would actually be happy for 6 more weeks of winter.  I don't feel like winter has arrived yet!  I've only worn my thick winter coat 4 times this winter.  And, this week has been in the 60s and 70s- it definitely feels more like April than February. If the mild weather continues, my heart will begin to think summer is approaching; a little winter might help put my body back in perspective! Also, I need to get some more wear out of my winter threads before bringing out the spring wardrobe.  Are you leaning towards more weeks of winter or spring?

Earlier this week I wore Banana Republic's lace dress from their summer Mad Men collection. I wore a wool cardigan over it, but it was so warm I ended up taking the cardi off at work and staying in the short sleeved dress all day.

Dress: Banana Republic, 2011
Shoes: Jenna snakeskin pumps, Banana Republic 2011
Cardigan: Express circa 2005

Purplicious

Last week I wore this to work and a colleague told me I looked like an airline stewardess.  Well, maybe a little bit (do they wear purple?  I'm uncertain).  I certainly don't look like the women on the TV show, Pan Am. This dress is definitely PURPLE and to winterize it, I wore a plain white button down underneath.  The scarf was a birthday gift, years ago, from my friend, Hyun June.

Dress, shoes, and scarf: Banana Republic
Button down: Express

Usually winter months seem slow and drawn out, but for some reason, January is flying by!  This past weekend was the first time I feel like I've had a chance to catch my breath and catch up on life- laundry, cleaning, etc.  I had 2 friends over on Saturday for dinner and games; it was fun to chill, relax, and stay in for the chilly night. This weekend, I also had quite a bit of work to catch up on as well, to be prepared for the work week ahead.
How did you spend your weekend? 

Deal of the Year

Awhile ago, I added Anthropologie's Banded Lace skirt to my wishlist.  I thought it was pretty, elegant, and neutral enough to wear frequently.  As it is a pencil skirt (not a good match for my body) I wasn't sure of the fit.  The skirt is sold online only, so I didn't have the option to head over to Anthro to try it on.  Also, the price tag was a little steep- $148 for a skirt is a bit over my budget. 

I waited for sale though, and it happened to go on sale during the simultaneous 50% off sale.  I scored this guy for a mere $39 dollars.  Yes, you read that correctly. I save $109 dollars on this skirt.  That is an amazing deal no matter how you slice it.  When it arrived, it fit well.  It is probably a LITTLE too tight in the thigh, but you can't tell by looking at it. While 2011 is long gone, I am fairly certain this is the best deal I received on any article of clothing all year.  This confirms my fashion belief that good things come to those who wait.

Shirt: Banana Republic circa 2007
Skirt: Banded Lace, Anthropologie 2011
Stockings: Banana Republic Outlet
Shoes:  Ann Taylor Loft
Necklace: Express

What's the best deal you've every come across?

Thankful For...

It's Thanksgiving morning, and what are you thankful for?  I am thankful for too many things to count!  I will list a few here in between the OOTD.

I am thankful for my beautiful family who always makes me laugh, is prepared to smile at any moment for my ever-ready camera, and makes life more enjoyable just by existing. I am truly blessed to belong to such a wonderful- and growing!- clan.

I am thankful for my fabulous friends. You might think your friends are amazing, but that's only because you haven't met mine.  My friends support all of my endeavors and hair-brained ideas, listen to me even when I am irrational, and offer sound advice to get me through life's crazier moments. Without ALL of you (and there's a LOT of you!) life wouldn't be worth living.

I am thankful for my hardworking colleagues.  You keep me grounded when I am overwhelmed with your humor and patience.  Your dedication to our work day in and day out is inspiring and motivates me to work harder each day to change the lives of those we work for.

I am thankful to God for giving me this opportunity of life.  Thank you for carrying me through the difficult times and allowing me the opportunity to wake up each morning to strive to be a better person than I was yesterday.

Cardigan: The Limited
Top: Express
Pants: Ann Taylor Loft
Boots: Nine West

What are you thankful for?

edit at 8:45pm: I sent one of my best friends, Chad, a text today that said a few things, but also that I was thankful for his sunshine.  He wrote back and said he was thankful he has me to shine on... prime example, my friends are amazing and always keep me smiling.

Purple People Eater

I enjoy a deep purple in the fall.  While this purple is a bit brighter than some, it still works for the changing season. The scarf was a birthday present from a friend a few years ago.  I don't wear it often enough, but I love it as an accessory!

Over the weekend, many friends and 2 sisters came to visit to celebrate my birthday (more on that in a later post).  I am still recovering from the party weekend, cleaning the house, and trying to get back in the swing of things at work, so this post is a bit short but I wanted to post an OOTD.

Dress and scarf: Banana Republic circa 2008
Shirt: Express, circa 2007
Shoes: Ann Taylor Loft, Winter 2010

As you can see, it is yet another day of wild hair as well! (This will probably last until spring).  Do you have much purple in your wardrobe?

You May Be Right, I May Be Crazy, But It Just May Be a Lunatic You're Looking For

Get ready for a million pictures in this post.  I recently purchased a gorgeous headband from Rosy Posy Designs that I want to share with you.  Too, Friday my friends and I went out to celebrate our darling Courtney's birthday.  She was looking beautiful in a purple sweaterdress. (Friday was the first truly chilly day we've had this season).  We went out for cocktails and dinner at Chima.  If you're not familiar with Chima, it is definitely an experience!  It is a Brazilian steakhouse where Gauchos roam the dining room continually offering rotisserie meats.  We ate and ate and ate.  It is definitely a place to go if you 1) like red meat 2) like to eat and 3) are able to eat A LOT.

Here are all the girls at dinner (yes, we are all sharing one HUGE chair in the second photo):

In the morning, I had a presentation for work and then met some friends for happy hour before dinner.  I decided to wear Anthropologie's Lost Time Skirt from last summer to get me through the entire day.  This is another great sale purchase for me; the material is thick and I can wear it in every season. Last year I debuted the skirt in mid-October at my niece's baptism.  I figured a clock-themed skirt was the most appropriate item for a fairy godmother to wear.
I added a pop of color to the outfit by wearing red shoes and the red flower in my headband.  Here's the outfit of the day:

Skirt: Lost Time Skirt, Anthropologie, 2010
Blouse: Express circa 2006
Cardigan: Banana Republic Petite Spring 2011
Shoes: Nine West, Fall 2011
Headband: Rosy Posy Designs
Tights and Necklace unknown origin

I debuted these new shoes from the Nine West outlet.  They are super comfortable.  Yes, I wore tights with open toed shoes.  A major fashion faux pas, but I needed to be warm... plus, here's a secret, I didn't want to take time to shave my legs in the morning.

When looking for some new and interesting hair pieces, I stumbled across the cutest shop on Etsy, called Rosy Posy Designs.  If you are looking for some floral accessories, you should definitely check it out here! When the box arrived, the headband came in the cutest packaging, including a hand-written note from the designer.  Check it out below:

Shoe Fettish

Typically around this time of year, I start to "collect" pieces for my fall wardrobe.  Once fall arrives, I slowly debut them to feel like I have many "brand new" items to last me through the season!  I rarely debut more than one new item each week, to keep from over spending and purchasing more new clothes.  I bought the Jenna Round Toe Pumps from Banana Republic a few weeks ago.  I was saving them for the fall, but decided, why the wait? (Yes, you caught me, I sang the Ingram Hill song, Why the Wait quite literally) I might as well wear them now to take them for a little field test, if you will.

A friend of mine was in town for the weekend and we met up for dinner.  I decided to keep the snakeskin print of the shoes the main attraction of the outfit, so I wore all back with just a pop of red on the belt.

Here's an up-close-and-personal view of the shoe, fresh from the box

Shirt: Banana Republic, circa 2009
Skirt: The Limited, circa 2005
Necklace: Express, circa 2004
Belt: Gap, NO IDEA.  The tag says 2001, but I've definitely only had it for a few years.  Perhaps a sister gave it to me?
Shoes: Banana Republic, Summer 2011

This is what my face looks like when I am surprised that I can balance on one foot.

What do you think of all the animal prints coming back into fashion this fall?