Warm Winter Weekend Wear

Not to talk endlessly about the weather, but seriously what is up with this October weather in January?  The weekend was gorgeous and I spent a lot of time outside. It seems like it has been unnaturally warm across the country, not just here on the east coast!  I hope this is not a sign that when winter kicks it in will stay for an extra long time.  I am definitely ready to break out some of my spring threads come March.  Then, yesterday it snowed all afternoon and today it is supposed to be 50 degrees again. GAH!  Is it fall or winter?!?

Since it felt like fall, I decided to dress like fall.  For Christmas, I received the Slouched Stripe Pullover from Anthropologie. I love this cute short sleeved shirt!  It is still available and on sale, so check it out here.  I paired it with a brown corduroy jacket that I've had for a few years from Ann Taylor loft.  Too, I wore my new fork, knife, and spoon necklace. This is another gift I received from Santa. It is from Sora Designs on Etsy.  This necklace is actually quite long, but I wrapped it around before hooking it to make it shorter.

Shirt: Slouched Stripe Pullover, Anthropologie 2011
Jacket: Ann Taylor Loft circa 2008
Jeans: Banana Republic Petite 2009
Boots: Nine West
Necklace: Sora Designs, 2011

The frying pan spun around-backwards but you get the idea!

What have you been wearing during this mini heat wave?

A Cautionary Tale

On Saturday, some friends and I went to the Kennedy Center to see Knuffle Bunny, a Cautionary Musical.  If you have small children or work with small children, you are probably familiar with Knuffle Bunny (pronounced KA-nuff-ul).  It is a story about a 16 month old who leaves her favorite stuffed rabbit at the laundry mat.  It is written by my favorite children's author, Mo Williems.  He has written many popular tales such as Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Piggie and Elephant young readers series, as well as the Knuffle Bunny series.  Recently, the book became a musical and since we love Mo, we decided to check it out while it was in town.

It was interesting to see a musical geared towards young children.  As predicted, it was very over-acted but a lot of fun!  The people watching was most interesting.  It was fascinating to watch the behavior of the kids who came with parents versus those who came with Grandma and Grandpa.  (Let's just say the older generation definitely had the upper hand).  It made me wish my niece was old enough to go!  Maybe in a few years.

Dress: Alary Shirtdress, Anthropologie 2011
Cardigan: Jackie Cardi, J. Crew Outlet Summer 2011
Shoes: Oxfords, Banana Republic 2011
Belt: Looping Lanes, Anthropologie 2010
Stockings: Navy, J. Crew

Wishlisted

This year I am going to try to significantly cut back my spending.   Especially when it comes to purchasing clothing!  I have so many clothes- some that I never wear.  In fact, I have a few fall things that I purchased in August which still have the tags on them because they've never been worn.  Right when I made the choice to have willpower and limited my monthly clothing budget, Anthro (and a few other stores I love!) came out with a million new dresses I adore!  Lately, there haven't been too many things on my lust list, but this month, there are a ton!  I'm going to have to pace myself and prioritize. Here are a few things I am admiring...

Ruched Martins Dress~ $168

I'm a sucker for a sweetheart neckline

Bike Lane Dress~ $158

Never bought the 2 wheeler dress from a few years ago, but think this might be a must have for spring!

Sweet Enticement Dress~ $118

So this is the back of the dress. I LOVE the lace detail!

Brushed Terra Dress ~$148

This dress has been receiving rave reviews.  It looks comfortable and classic.

Fluttering Flora Dress ~$148

I think I could wear this guy year round

Embroidered Paperwhites Skirt ~$178

Dot V-Neck Dress ~$140

From Banana Republic... so cute for spring!

What do you love for 2012?

Love's Like Sand Making Pearls

A few weeks ago, the cable to plug my ipod shuffle into the auxiliary of my car, broke.  Now, this is an easy fix; a new cable only costs about $15 at Target. Unfortunately, I never remember to buy one when I am there.  My car has a 6 cd changer so one day I loaded it up with 6 unlabeled cds that I burned in college. You know, from when Napster was free and legal back in the day. I decided this would be the temporary fix until I can listen to my ipod again, and it has provided great amusement on my long commute to and from work.

One song has the refrain "love's like sand making pearls, and I've got all the time in the world."  That line alone kills me every day.  First of all, it is ridiculously cheesy. Secondly, sand doesn't make pearls.  Pearls grow in shellfish, no matter how much time you wait for sand.

I realized I've only worn Weston Wear's Dulcie dress ONCE.  That seems criminal, so I wore it again on Tuesday, right before it went on sale for $100.  Did anyone snag this guy on sale?  It is definitely a favorite of mine, I think I probably won't wear if often because it has such a distinct look, and I don't want people to think I wear the same thing everyday.  I do enjoy its feminine look, though, and am sure I will wear it for years to come!

Dress: Dulcie, Anthropologie
Shoes: Rennsselaer T-Straps, Anthropologie
Necklace: Anthropologie
Cardigan: Ann Taylor Loft

Downeast Dress Debut

As soon as I saw the Downeast dress online, I knew it would be mine. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford it's steep price tag.  As luck would have it, this dress didn't sell too well because it isn't lined and it is made from wool.  While I agree a dress that is a couple hundred dollars should definitely be lined, that didn't bother me too much because for some reason, I don't feel itchy when I wear wool!  So, I stalked this guy for awhile and luckily he went on sale and I saved a whopping $123!  Yippee!  I've worn this dress twice already- once when I went out with a friend for happy hour and again over winter break when I went to lunch with the family. I've received many compliments on it and find it quite comfortable.  I love the cut out in the back, too!

Dress: Downeast, Anthropologie, 2011
Boots: Inkwood, Anthropologie, 2011

My Sense of Style, Your Steady Smile, The Way You Held My Hand

You may have noticed in yesterday's post that my hair is much shorter. That's right, on Thursday I had a much needed hair cut!  My hair has been growing wild and out of control which is part of the reason why I keep throwing it back in a pony tail. Now that it is short, I'll be able to wear it down more often.  These pictures (today and tomorrow) were taken the week before Christmas, so I still have long messy hair.

I love pairing the field skirt with another bright color.  I feel like the bold colors stand out nicely in the dreary winter. I've owned this red shirt since I was a sophomore in college... that's a long time for one shirt, people.  I've never found another one I like as much as this one so I've never replaced it even though it is fading.

Shirt: The Limited
Cardigan: J. Crew Outlet, 2011
Skirt: Field Skirt, Anthropologie, 2010
Boots: Nine West
Necklace: Notice

Ringing In 2012!

Happy New Year!  I had a fabulous New Years Weekend and am ready to hit the ground running back at work tomorrow. Here's my weekend in review...

Friday I went to lunch with a friend from college and we talked wedding the whole time because she is getting married Sept. 15- YIPPEE!  Then, I went to see The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo with my brother-in-law. (Very good film and for the most part stayed true to the story, if you've read the book.)  After that, my sister made dinner, and I had an early night.

On New Years Eve, my whole family (minus my sister, Molly, who already returned to Wisconsin) went to my sister Jen's for brunch.  My grandparents were there, too!  My darling niece wore the cute outfit I gave her for Christmas.

After brunch, I had a relaxing afternoon before heading out with some of my favorite Pittsburgh pals.  We went to a local bar to ring in the new year.  After a few too many cocktails, food, and a bit of dancing, we were ready to call it a night!   Here are a few snapshots from the evening.

Before heading out!
Dress: White House Black Market (2009)
Shoes: Nine West (2009)
Headband: Lou Lou Boutiques (2011)
Necklace/Earrings: White House Black Market (2009)

This is what I look like while dancing.  Not pretty, I know.

I had a lazy New Years day.  After sleeping in late, a few of us went to breakfast, looking STELLAR after our night out.  Then, I went back to my parents' house for dinner before driving back to Virginia.

I haven't set any "official" resolutions for this year but I've had some things in mind. This year, I am hoping to reduce my debt, stay organized, and get back into shape (I let that slide BIG TIME in 2011!).  I think those are all manageable and I am ready to begin!  Have you set any goals for 2012?  Did you read darling Sydney's goals over at the Daybook?  If not, check it out!