number 7 of 7. or, I ran 13.1 miles

me & Dad before the race, from my Instagram

from the Mr:

"These were a gimme. I knew she would be running her half marathon, so I guess I just wanted to give her an easy item out of the 7 I chose."

My nice, white, clean Mizuno Wave Inspire 10s (TENS, not TEN ESS). This post is mostly about my most recent half marathon, so, if hearing how I BARELY survived and it took lots of beer and bacon to keep me going me does not appeal to you, and you choose to skip over this post, that won’t hurt my feelings. Too much.

I got these shoes back in August, because I was previously wearing Mizuno Wave Inspire 9s, in bright orange (proof here and here), and it was time for an upgrade. The rule of thumb (I’ve heard) is new shoes every 300-500 miles. But that’s not a hard and fast rule, and some people wear their shoes until they actually fall apart in some race, or lonely running route. My rule of thumb was based on mileage, but also that I had stepped in mud in my orange ones…you think I’m joking. And I am. Just a little bit. New running shoes were on my horizon, but after stepping in mud, the horizon got a leeeeetle closer. I liked running in my orange Mizunos, and the newer model is even lighter than the previous ones. However, I have lots of issues with blisters when I run, and I won’t bore you with the details, but decided that wide shoes would help alleviate those blisters in at least one  spot on both feet. So, I got online and ordered wide shoes. White was the ONLY color I knew I didn’t want. But, what do you know? Wides are only available in white. I shed a dramatic tear (or two) and bought the white running shoes – getting them dirty is a big fear of mine. Needless to say, trail running is NOT in my future - because of the shoes, and because I’m clumsy anyways, and the thought of roots and leaves and NATURE potentially tripping me in addition to me tripping over my own feet keeps me running on the road.

So, I have white running shoes and I wore them for my second half marathon (ready about my 1st half marathon here), the Equinox Half Marathon. I’ve completed both halfs (or is it halves?) with my Dad, and this time we matched our outfits like we did at our 10k (here). I trained A LOT more for this race than my first half, and I was excited to beat our previous time. However, that was not meant to be. The Mr. shared his nasty cold with me, and I spent the first 4 miles trying to breathe – funny enough, those first 4 miles were my fastest (what???). I was inhaling cough drops and using tons of tissues at every aid station. The bones in the tops of my foot started hurting at mile 2 – I think maybe my feet were swelling? The race was mostly downhill, and I hadn’t run TONS in the few weeks before my race – see husband sharing his cold with me. And then, at mile 8, my knees started to ache. Both of them. My right IT band tends to get tight when I run, so I foam roll. And often. But this was different – my knees were tight, and achey, and I knew if I truly stopped (for anything longer than a potty break) I wouldn’t finish the race. So the last few miles were rough. Really, the entire race didn’t go as well as I’d hoped, and I was even more prepared – physically, mentally, fuel-wise, and gear-wise.

And while we missed beating our previous time by just a few minutes, my Dad and I completed a gorgeous fall run down a canyon on a beautiful September Sunday morning. I’m not a competitive person (unless we are playing charades or Pictionary, then I’m ruthless), but missing my time by such a small margin has really lit a fire within me to beat my time from my first half – even if it’s just barely! I’m so slow that there’s PLENTY of room for improvement. The Mr. keeps reminding me that I RAN THIRTEEN miles without stopping, while I WAS SICK, with achey feet and knees. And he’s right – I AM proud of myself for that, but I’ll be even more proud of myself when I complete my next one. And blow my previous times out of the water.

tank: WalMart

shorts: Soark.com

visor: Margaritaville

shoes: Mizuno

number 6 of 7

from the Mr:

"I liked the style when I looked at these shoes in the closet and couldn’t remember if I had ever seen her wear them. I think she’s had them for a long time, so I thought it was time they saw the light of day again."

These heeled loafers. These have been around for a long time, as well – freshman or sophomore year of high school? I’m never brave enough to get rid of them, and clunky stacked heels are coming back, right? RIGHT?!

And they’re brown leather.

And almost perfectly (genuinely) distressed.

And they make me a wee bit taller.

I just never know what to wear them with…so I tried out bootcut jeans and gingham. Not a complete miss. But not a complete hit – I didn’t sink the Battleship…any ideas for next time?

shirt: Kohl's

jeans: thrifted (Old Navy)

belt: American Eagle

shoes: MIA

number 5 of 7

from the Mr:

"I chose this one as my tough pick. I know that she likes the skirt, but it seems that every time she tries it on, it’s accompanied by 20+ tops. She tests out each one to end up not wearing the skirt because she can’t decide what she likes with it. So I forced the decision a bit."

Aaah yes, the infamous sequin skirt. Let me provide you a little back-story for this sparkley garment:

I found it at Kohl’s about a year and a half ago. It’s by Lauren Conrad, it was on the clearance rack, I had coupons AND Kohl’s cash - I think I ended up paying less than $10 for this sequined skirt. I envisioned myself wearing it and receiving loads of compliments. 

Imagine my surprise when I wore it for the first time outside my house and outside the Kohl's dressing room – the waist is VERY…odd. As in, I’m not sure if it should sit on my hips or my waist. It doesn’t fit quite right on either location, and bunches a bit, making me look like I have a bit of a abdominal pooch, which is something I work very hard to avoid. I’ve tried belting it, tucking in a shirt, not tucking in a shirt, wearing a chambray (the fail-safe clothing item), denim jackets, t-shirts, chiffon blouses, the works.

So, due to the awkward fit of this fancy skirt, it sits in my closet until I get in the mood to get rid of clothes. The Mr. says to toss it every single time, but the best friend says “Keep it! It’s a sequined skirt!” so I do. And then spend many sleepless nights dreaming up ways to wear this rose-gold sequin wonder.

Enter Pinterest – a sequin skirt and a chunky cream sweater. Not just for a holiday gathering, but also for looking fabulous. So, THAT became my plan. Wait til winter, pair it with a cream chunky cable knit sweater, tights, and boots, or fancy shoes, and pat myself on the back for FINALLY figuring out a way to wear this enigmatic piece of clothing.

And then the Mr. went and picked it for me to wear as part of this style challenge (like I knew, deep down, that he would). So, I kept it simple and went with a half-tucked gray v-neck tee and nude sandals. Nothing fancy, not my best ensemble, but I think it looks ok.

Any other ideas?? I’m almost desperate. I want to keep it in my closet forever (rose-gold sequins. duh.), but have a hard time justifying something I just can’t figure out how to style and wear…why are these silly cirlces of sparkliness so hard to wear?!

Dad & I at a local brewery before our half-marathon

my Mr. and I at the same brewery as above, from my Instagram

shirt: Target

statement necklace: WalMart

skirt: Lauren Conrad via Kohl's

sandals: WalMart

number 4 of 7

from the Mr: 

"I have always liked this dress and wanted to see her wear it. We debate on whether or not it is long enough for work, so I thought it would be a challenge to figure out how to make it work, or maybe push some boundaries."

If you can’t tell, I’m in love/a bit obsessed with navy blue. And this shift dress just so happens to be navy blue. Fancy how that happens…It came from a friend who, instead of regretting giving it to me, tells me how great it looks on me every time I wear it around her. So, that’s nice :) I was a bit concerned that the dress would be too short for work, but then I remembered I have REALLY short legs (but my brother said I have long arms…?). And, in any case, tights season is almost here, so that should solve most of the “too short skirt” issues that reside in my closet…

dress: from a friend

cardigan: Plato's Closet via Hollister

scarf: Target

flats: Old Navy

number 2 of 7

from the Mr:
"I chose this shirt simply because I like it. I like the different collar style and I am a big fan of Annie wearing white. Annie is a big fan of blue so I figured it was a win-win."

This shirt was easy to style. It reminds me of a pretty Greek village, right on the coast, with white buildings, blue roofs & doors – Santorini-esque. And while that’s somewhere I’d love to be, I don’t live on the coast, or in Europe, or in a white house with a blue roof, so I wore my blue & white button up with mint jeans for a “refreshing” look, just in time to say goodbye to summer and welcome fall (why didn’t my brain create this outfit when it was HOT this summer??).

shirt: Aéropostale

mint jeans: Lauren Conrad via Kohl's

belt: American Eagle

sandals: WalMart

number 1 of 7

From the Mr:

"I chose this pair of jeans because I, personally, am not a fan of skinny jeans that are tight all the way down to the ankle. So, since I had the option to make her wear whatever I wanted, I picked a style that i like to see her in."

I love these jeans. They’re from American Eagle, my senior year of high school. They’re a light-wash flare.

And I just.

Can’t.

Get.

Rid.

Of.

Them. 

They survive every closet purge. I love them. I really do. But, sometimes they feel a bit dated to me. Especially since I have several pairs of jeans that are a more “contemporary fit” than these old favorites (*cough* skinny jeans *cough*). But, I love these, and I’m keeping them.

However, I also wore navy blue and did some print-mixing to update my look a bit, bring it into this decade, if you will. 

And also, I tend to forget how short I am until I wear pants like this, and step on the hems all day. Skinny jeans don’t hang over the back of my shoes and dangle dangerously, but these sure do.

shirt: Old Navy

cardigan: Banana Republic Outlet

scarf: Target

jeans: American Eagle

belt: American Eagle

shoes: Target

7 items

In an effort to switch things up around here, the Mr. and I had the idea for him to help me with a “style challenge,” of sorts. He chose 7 items, and I had to figure out how to wear them, all in 7 days. There was to be no repeating, and I could not double up items in 1 day.

So, 7 different items to style, in 7 days. Sounds easy, right? Shouldn’t be TOO difficult. I mean, it wasn’t IMPOSSIBLE, but it wasn’t as easy as just throwing on what I want to wear every day. However, I did it! And he even gave me 1 easy item – my running shoes, since this week happened to include my most recent half marathon.

Here are the 7 items he chose, and a little blurb of information from him (below). The next several posts will show how I styled these items, and his rationale behind choosing each of them for me: the jeans he’s always liked (they’re from high school), the brown shoes & blue plaid belt, I hardly wear, and the running shoes, so I could run my race.

button up shirt: Aéropostale
dress: from a friend
sequined skirt: Lauren Conrad via Kohl's
jeans: American Eagle
belt: American Eagle

running shoes: Mizuno via Zappos (Mizuno Wave Inspire 10)
loafers: MIA

From the Mr: 
"I got to pick 7 items out of Annie’s closet and she had to create an outfit with each of them for the next 7 days. I debated playing a mean joke and picking out swim suits and winter jackets, but I guess the nice side of me won and I picked the above 7 items for her to work with. I tried to give her a bit of a challenge, and threw in a couple of easy ones as well. I think she pulled off each outfit like the beautiful, stylish, and confident woman I know her to be."

I’m really into the idea of challenging myself when it comes to my wardrobe and this blog, especially lately. It’s so easy for me to fall into the trap of wailing “I have nothing to wear!” But being forced to flex my creativity within certain confines/”rules” really makes me look at what I already have in a whole new way. For example: having 7 items I could wear in any order, but having to style them, all in a week’s time span, made me evaluate more of the items still hanging in my closet.

All of that being said, I’m completing another 30 for 30 Challenge for the month of October – I’m currently completing it, but am backlogged with other outfits to share, so look for those later this month. The “rules” are about the same – maybe 1 or 2 tweaks to what I’ve done in the past.

If you know of any other fashion/style challenges I should try, please share! I’m really interested in hearing if anyone else (besides style/fashion bloggers) does this, or if you have any great ideas to share with me – I really like having to stretch my mind and closet, as well as get creative in how I make my closet really “work for me."