casual fancy

What is the best way to remain comfortable in a pencil skirt? Wear a cotton t-shirt. And flats. ESSENTIAL. Don’t forget to wear a statement necklace to elevate your t-shirt to the level of your pencil skirt.

I find that lately, instead of wearing a really nice piece (or nice pieces), I find myself trying to dress up more casual pieces. For example: a t-shirt and a pencil skirt, instead of a button-up or blouse with the skirt. I do that when it comes to church, seeing my mama, work, or any occasion, really. What is it?? Why do I insist on dressing up casual pieces instead of just wearing nice and dressy pieces? Anybody know? Bueller?

striped shirt: GAP

black pencil skirt: Target

statement necklace: WalMart

leopard flats: c/o Aéropostale

bully leopard

You guys. This might be one of my favorite outfits ever (EVER). Why have I never paired a favorite tee with a leopard print pencil skirt before??

This outfit struck the right balance of dressy and casual, fun and serious (like that line from Talladega Nights "I like to think of Jesus in a tuxedo t-shirt. It says I'm serious, but I like to party."), comfortable and not-so-comfortable. I'm already devising other graphic tees and pencil skirts to pair up together. Sadly, I think my sandals are goners until next summer. *sigh*

bulldog tee: J CREW Factory

leopard print pencil skirt: thrifted (Target)

beaded sandals: Kohl's

print mixing on Mother's Day

Today we got some stripes, plaid, and strawberry print on the shoes. So, oh, what's that? Some print mixing.

Times three, you say? It's true. Three times the (subtle) print mixing, all in different shades of red and blue, plus some basic skinny jeans.

It's a pretty all-American look, in every sense of the word, methinks.

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there - hope you get pampered and appreciated for all you do :)

striped shirt: GAP

button-up shirt: c/o Aéropostale

skinny jeans: c/o Aéropostale

flats: Keds

throwback

These pants are quite the throwback. Junior, maybe senior, year of high school. And whenever it's closet clean out time, I just can't part with them (you can't see it in these pictures, but they have a small pinstripe).

I was about to toss them (they're kind of a funky fit, and really wide-legged, and what do I wear with them?), but my friend Amanda gave me some new ideas for them. And so, life was breathed back into these old pants. I chose a baseball tee, plaid tennis shoes, my trusty cognac faux leather jacket, and of course, my aviator-style sunglasses with monogrammed croakies. We'll call this

"casual, menswear-inspired, almost-but-not-quite-vintage wide-legged pants."

How's that sound? ;)

And please wish me luck - currently I'm running 13.1 miles (I use running very loosely) down a canyon, into Old Town, where I hope to have a beer waiting for me at the finish...

shirt: J. Crew Factory

pants: GAP

faux leather jacket: c/o Aéropostale

plaid tennis shoes (or, as my sis-in-law calls them, "tenny pumps"): Coach via DSW

sunglasses: Smith Eyewear via The Eyes Have It

croakies: Etsy

linking up with Saltwater and Stilettos

mild costume change

I wore this recently on a Friday. Nothing too fancy - just a button up and a chambray skirt.

And after work, I did a quick costume change to meet up with a friend for one of these.

Bright pink shorts in place of the skirt. A bit more appropriate for a casual Friday afternoon beer with an old friend. Thinking I need to do that again - and soon!

shirt: J. CREW (thrifted)

skirt: thrifted

shorts: Old Navy

sandals: DSW

Mr. Picks Mondays: Blue Under Gray

When you wear a dress, tights and a blazer, what do you add so that you don't appear TOO dressed up for your pretty casual office?

A big chunky scarf that serves two purposes: 

1) to keep you warm; and 

2) dress down your tights, dress, and blazer combination.

Oh, and to pair with the cute outfit your husband picked out :)

dress & belt: Target sort of similar below

blazer: Aéropostale sort of similar below

boots: Rack Room Shoes sort of similar below

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