purple + blue

It's difficult to see in these pictures, but my shirt, sweater, and vest are different colors. The shirt and vest are navy blue, and the cardigan is dark purple. I think this is the first time I've paired these two dark colors together, and I like the dark, mysterious & wintery look that resulted.

There are obviously many ways to pair colors - complementary, analogous, and warm & cool colors. And then there's wearing colors that are the same saturation - dark blue and dark purple. mint and baby pink. mustard and burnt orange. You can pull off any color combination, as long as the colors are the same "depth." It makes a look more cohesive and intentional, instead of "I got dressed in the dark." Not to say that you CAN'T pair different color saturations (and you should!) but sometimes the best color combinations come from neighboring colors on the color wheel, but in the same tone.

Really, though - try it sometime: deep jewel tones, pastels, navy and purple, forest green and deep red (Christmas colors!), and let me know how it turns out.

shirt: thrifted (Target)

cardigan: Ann Taylor

vest: Old Navy

jeans: thrifted (Old Navy)

shoes: DSW

necklace: from my Grandmother

still classic

One of my best friends gave me this cardigan over the summer. I was so excited to have a classic argyle cardigan, but I wasn't sure what to wear with it. I was a little stumped, until I decided to think beyond solid black, white or gray. Somehow this striped button-up got put next to the argyle, and a slightly print-mixed outfit was born.

The shirt and the cardigan are both classic pieces on their own, and paired together, they're still classic, but a bit more modern, and slightly cheeky. And instead of defaulting to skinny jeans, I chose mint jeans to brighten this up a bit. And my new black boots were a no-brainer.

shirt: GAP

cardigan: from a friend (J. Crew)

mint jeans: Lauren Conrad via Kohl's

boots: c/o Aéropostale

tights & dresses

By now you might have noticed I'm wearing more tights and skirts/dresses than I have in the past. 

There's a few reasons for that:

1) in an effort to stave off the inevitable mid-winter "I hate everything in my closet because I only wear skinny jeans and sweaters," I'm trying to keep things interesting.

2) I'm taking advantage of the cold, but not yet frigid, temperatures we are bound to experience in January and February.

3) my new Frye boots are great, yet a wee bit snug in the calves, so I'm trying to get them to relax a bit before I pair them with pants.

4) I've started viewing tights as accessories. Sure, they're technically "clothes," and my legs would freeze without them, but wearing different tights with the same dress or skirt changes up my look, just like switching out shoes or jewelry.

So, here's to more tights&skirts&dresses this winter. Until it's WAY too cold outside...

dress: Nordstrom

tank: Kohl's

cardigan: Eddie Bauer

scarf: I made it!

tights: GG Boutique

booties: Old Navy

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

90 miles to cuba, part 4

This was my “travel back to Colorado” outfit. Not pictured: a Colorado State University crewneck sweatshirt I put on when I got chilly.

In case you're wondering, ingredients for the perfect travel outfit include, but are not limited to:

- comfortable pants (stretchy skinnies)

- a comfy (mint v-neck) tee

- the option of a scarf

- a sweatshirt or sweater

- cozy socks in your carry on

- and I put close-toed shoes in my backpack, as well (I knew it wouldn’t be 70 and sunny when we landed in Denver…).

That purple backpack up there is a real trooper. I’ve had it since I started 5^th grade – I was REALLY into purple during that time, hence the bright grape color. Oh, and my name embroidered on there, too. My name is really Anne (with an E! always an E!), but most people call me Annie. It’s ALMOST vintage. So I should hang onto it until the big purple backpack trend comes back around?

Happy Monday!

shirt: Old Navy

scarf: WalMart

jeans: c/o Aéropostale

sandals: Target

backpack: L.L. Bean

90 miles to cuba, part 3

I wore this the one evening when it was COLD COLD COLD in Key West. Normally, I’m more than prepared with jackets, and layers, and options. Not this time. So, I was a little chilly through dinner at the A & B Lobster House, then strolling around Duval Street. We stopped in at Sloppy Joe’s, Captain Tony’s, Kermit’s Key Lime Pie, and The Lazy Gecko before we headed back to our condo because my teeth were chattering so bad.

This dress is a versatile little number – I’ve worn it to a country concert, on vacation, and to a work awards ceremony (in the summer, before this dress shrunk a few inches in the west). I just change out the shoes and accessories, and switch up my hair for a different look.

dress: Kohl's

wedges: thrifted (ELLE)

bracelet: Target

90 miles to cuba, part 2

This was an outfit I wore one evening in Key West with my family. We biked to Duval Street to listen to a live band at a little wine and jazz bar. My sis-in-law and I ended our evening with champagne. And it made me think that I'd like to end every evening that way. Cheers.

shirt: J CREW Factory

bermuda shorts: Aéropostale

sandals: Target

purse: thrifted

bracelet: Target