30 for 30: day 11 + day 12

Happy Thursday - we're slowly heading towards the weekend. It's sure been a doozy.

I've got big plans to check out the Lilly for Target Line with some girlfriends first thing on Sunday morning, so the weekend can't get here quickly enough.

day 11

striped sweatshirt: Old Navy

leopard print scarf: WalMart

dark skinnies: c/o Aéropostale

metallic sandals: Target

day 12

dress: Lilly Pulitzer

ombre scarf: gift

faux leather jacket: c/o Aéropostale

tassel flats: Target

linking up this dress for the Trend Spin Linkup

and over at High Latitude Style

and at The Red Closet Diary

30 for 30: day 1

I mentioned the other day that I was going to complete another 30 for 30 style challenge for the month of April. If you're new around here, I pick 30 items and have to style 30 outfits with only those items. It usually lasts about a month, give or take a few days (I mean, I AM posting my first outfit on the 5th day of April...).

So, sit back, relax, and watch me create 30 outfits (hopefully 30 different outfits) with 30 items that I picked from my closet.

You’ve seen this chambray dress and sandals several times before (here, here, and here). So, instead of boring you with the same old thing (and on the first day of my style challenge!), I spiced it up with some leopard.

I wore a leopard print button up UNDER the dress, and also added a leopard print belt. Yes, they're two (slightly) different leopard prints, but since leopard is a neutral (truth fact. look it up.), it works. Or, if it's too busy and you think it doesn't work, then let's call it creative print mixing.

Sometimes I worry that too much leopard is just too much, but this strikes just the right balance, by allowing the collar and sleeves to peek out from under my dress.

And this is my favorite part. The shirt has a tab and button thingey-deal to hold up a folded sleeve. And so does my dress. So, being the fancy sleeve folder that I am, I used the tab on my shirt, and the button on my dress to keep my sleeves up.

And I dig it.

So much. 

First time I've tried it, and I love how it turned out.

chambray dress: Kohl's

leopard print button up: WalMart

leopard print belt: thrifted

metallic sandals: Target

no fooling here

No April Fools' jokes or tricks here. I can never seem to get my act together in time to do something very creative or impactful. Maybe next year?

BUT

Check out my extreme print-mixing in this outfit. Stripes, leopard, and dots (the shoes).

It works for a few reasons:

1) the prints don't compete with each other

2) leopard is a neutral and goes with everything

3) the stripes are so teeny that from a distance, this shirt looks solid, again, keeping the prints from competing with each other

4) the print on the shoes is so far away from the prints up top, and also so small, that it looks cohesive

5) because I said it works ;)

Are you a print-mixer? I find that the more and more I do it, the more confident and comfortable I become with it. Sometimes it's even my default when picking out my outfits and accessories, and I have to remember to tone it down occasionally...

Aaaaand, I'm doing another 30 for 30 style challenge for the month of April, so look for those outfits and 30 items to start showing up in the next few days ;)

Here's to getting creative and having a capsule wardrobe for the next month!

shirt: GAP

pants: c/o Aéropostale

scarf: WalMart

flats: Target

most goodest

Yes, this outfit is a good one, and I did feel great wearing it.

But mostly I just want to show off my two pups.

There's the one who's great on a leash, and the other who just ambles whichever way he pleases.

The one who keeps up a good pace, and the other who drags along slowly behind.

The older, more distinguished one, and the young one who can't get enough attention.

They're just the best-est, most good-est, handsome, perfect, sweet pups ever. As I type this, they're both snoozing up a storm in front of the fireplace, cozy as can be.

Back to my outfit. This top, last seen here, is a favorite. Plus black pants (how did I ever live before I had black skinnies??). A scarf, leopard print flats, and this fabulous faux leather jacket from Aéropostale, plus sunglasses, make this a pretty great, yet simple, ensemble.

Oh oh, and sunshine.

Sunshine, cute outfit, and my boys. 'Twas a good day.

shirt: GG Boutique

jacket: c/o Aéropostale

scarf: gift

pants: Target

flats: c/o Aéropostale, similar: Pointed Flat / DV8 By Dolce Vita Scrunchie Ballet Flat

sunglasses: Target

Aéro - plaid, leather, leopard & bows

I did some shopping recently at Aéropostale, and got some new goodies - a few that I've had on my list for quite some time. Keep reading to see what I found, and why I love it.

The first is this plaid button-up. You know me - I love me a good button-up shirt. And in a color scheme I don't already have. Online I can't find this blue/red plaid, but here is the shirt's twin, in blue:

Long Sleeve Double Cloth Plaid Woven Shirt.

Next is this cute black skirt from Aéro's Bethany Mota line. It's a full skirt, with a cute, yet understated bow at the waist. I wear it at my actual waist - right around my belly button, and it hits a few inches above my knees (look for an outfit post featuring this skirt soon!).

some similar skirts:

Solid Pucker Skirt / Chevron Jacquard Pleated Skirt

Solid Diamond Lace Skirt / Pleated Uniform Skirt

I also found leopard print flats - the ones I've been wearing since my days of working retail were looking pretty rough. We're talking holes in the soles and torn leopard... so, needless to say, I've been on the hunt for new leopard print flats. And I found some! AND, they're very light and incredibly comfortable on my tender, prone-to-blister feet.

similar: Pointed Flat / DV8 By Dolce Vita Scrunchie Ballet Flat 

And this jacket. This jacket is what faux leather jacket dreams are made of. I purchased a black faux leather jacket this summer from Target and got TONS of wear out of it this fall, so I added a brown one to my closet wish-list. This jacket was the first thing I saw when I walked into Aéropostale a few weeks back, and I knew immediately that'd found THE ONE (I opted for one size larger than I normally would, so that I could comfortably wear a sweater or long sleeves underneath it, to maximize all the ways I could wear it).

exact: Classic Faux Leather Jacket

Here's everything. I've gotten the most wear (so far) out of the jacket - it's been on repeat on the sunny days we've had the past few weeks. But don't you worry - we're back to snow and freezing temperatures, though...

sweater #14

Check out these layers, textures & prints today. Leopard under gray & lace, velvet pants, and shiny patent pointy-toed flats. All things I never would have paired together a few years ago, but now I just love it, and can't wait to put together more outfits like this.

And that makes 14.

leopard button up: WalMart

lace sweatshirt: rue21

velvet pants: J. Crew Factory

flats: Target

the sweater saga, part 3 + sweater #12

part 1 and part 2 of my Sweater Saga

I used to be of the "more is more!" mindset, but I find myself lately adopting the "less is more" / "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication mindset." At times, I feel overwhelmed with the amount of stuff I have/own, and subsequently have to maintain and upkeep. So, I'm trying to make a conscious effort to limit my "stuff." And that includes clothes.

I know my closet could always stand to lose a few items, and I'm becoming more and more comfortable with getting rid of things that don't flatter me, don't fit me well, or don't reflect me. I really enjoy "playing in my closet" - trying things on, pairing unlikely things together, further solidifying things I know I like to wear, and also getting rid of things. It's a more grown-up and real life version of dress up. 

All of that to say, I'm by no means a minimalist. But I can really appreciate many minimalist ideals - less is more, quality over quantity. I don't really need several of the same items, and I'm learning that less items = less maintenance. Which means more time to do fun things, like love on my pup, and read, and run, and ski, and sleep.

And those are things I'm into.

tunic: Hollister via a local consignment shop

chambray: Old Navy

sweater: Eddie Bauer

leggings: c/o Aéropostale

snow boots: SOREL

all the dark colors

When we were doing laundry the other week, the Mr. asked me "So, since it's cold out, do you only wear dark colors?" I started to protest, but then I looked at the large pile of darks compared to the smaller piles of whites and colors. So, I guess I wear "all the dark colors!" in the winter.

Whoops...

shirt: Old Navy

sweater: Maurice's

scarf: c/o Aéropostale

pants: c/o Aéropostale

shoes: Kohl's