Twelve by Six

Hangin It Up

2013-04-08T08:57:00.000-05:00

I think it's pretty obvious by now that I haven't ~~had~~ made the time to stay involved with this blog lately. Sadly, I don't see that changing anytime soon, so I've decided to officially call it quits and stop pretending that I'll be able to make this a priority again. I've been meaning to write this post for awhile, but I felt I owed it (and any readers I still have out there) a better explanation than I had time to compose. Speaking of time, that's the primary reason for my decision. Sure, I could just take some crappy pictures in a few minutes every day and throw them up here with little to no original thoughts, but that's not the kind of blog I'd want to present as a reflection of my interest in fashion and this community. I still am very involved with clothing and my own style in real life, I just don't have the kind of time necessary to dedicate to a creating/continuing a decent blog between taking pictures, editing pictures, writing commentary, etc. My real job and my real life hobbies (including fashion!) are taking priority for me at the moment, and after thinking it through, I wouldn't change that, so I know this is the right decision. I still do read your blogs (honestly!) even if I don't have time to comment every day, and I hope to stay in touch with you all. I'm much more active on Instagram, so feel free to follow me there (and leave me your name too)!

It's been a fun ride, and thank you all for being interested in my little corner of the internet for the last year and a half! :)

-Laura

Red and Black and Tan All Over

2013-03-14T08:07:00.003-05:00

This color combination isn't new by any means, but I couldn't remember the last time I paired them together, and I also couldn't remember the last time I wore this blazer in an outfit post - both sad things that needed to be remedied right away.

I'm Wearing

J. Crew Factory blazer

Gap silky button down

J. Crew ivory belt

Michael Kors watch

HoH inspired necklace, online group deal (via Facebook I think?)

Black clovers necklace, NYC Soho street vendor

Gap pants

Jessica Simpson (via DSW) leopard pumps

I couldn't decide which necklace I wanted to wear with this outfit, so I tried them both on at the same time and ended up liking them together - love it when that happens, it makes the decision so much easier. I think that's the secret to accessory layering - just randomly try stuff on together until it looks good. Actually that might be my entire getting-dressed philosophy... but let's pretend like there's more to it than that, shall we???

Lots of Dots

2013-03-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

I wore this to work yesterday and got quite a few compliments, so I really wanted to share it and thought it would be a good road back into outfit posts.

I'm Wearing

Gap Eversoft cardigan

H&M polka dot dress (worn as a skirt)

H&M floral scarf

J. Crew Factory polka dot tights

Adrienne Vittadini oxford booties (via Marshall's)

I rarely wear cardigans fully buttoned up, but since I wanted to use this dress as a skirt, I just buttoned the whole thing, paired it with a scarf, and wore it as a shirt all day. Worked out pretty well!

Things are still crazy at work and in general, but thanks to Daylight Savings Time ending (starting? who can remember?), it's getting a little easier to take photos since it doesn't always feel like the middle of the night. How have things been going in your world(s)??? I actually update on Instagram more than blogger lately, so feel free to follow me there (@lauraallison12), and leave me a note with your username here so I can follow you too!

Shout Out

2013-03-11T08:59:00.002-05:00

Since I still don't have any cute pictures of my own (will I ever wear a cute outfit again??? Stay tuned to find out), I thought I'd give a little shout out today.

After having the supplies for this for ~~100 years~~ since October, I finally did this DIY hair tie tutorial that the amazingly resourceful Bri put together!

Here's my finished product - 30 elastic hair ties for under $5:

I'll leave you to Bri's tutorial for the instructions, with one note from my own experience - I didn't try out the sizing of mine at the beginning (uhh, dumb), so mine are a leeeeeetle bit tight (they just barely fit over my hair 3 times), but I'm alright with that since these things tend to stretch out the more you use them. In any case, YMMV, so test out the size before you go cutting all of your elastic strips.

Thanks for the awesome idea and how-to, Bri! :)

Heyyyyy

2013-03-08T08:09:00.003-06:00

Just checking in to say I'm still alive! It's been a really rough week, so I literally have been wearing black pants, cardigans, and ponytails every day and didn't have any motivation to take photos of my depressing outfits/mood. I hope to be back next week with a better attitude and better clothes. Hope you're all having a great start to your weekend!

February Budget & Buys

2013-02-28T08:30:00.000-06:00

I'm actually really happy with this month's report, I have to admit. Usually I kind of dread doing my monthly budget because I don't want to see it all together, but this year is going well for me in terms of smart buying and restraint. I feel really... accomplished this month, for lack of a better word. I feel like I spent smart, stayed in budget, and only purchased things I really loved and know will get a lot of use in my current lifestyle and wardrobe. Even better is that even though they're "practical" (hate that word), they're still exciting to me because they're all appropriate for spring, which is where my mind's at even if there is snow on the ground.

I wasn't really planning on shopping (still riding that high of the way under-budget January) and actually didn't shop at all for most of the month. I'm so over winter and being bundled up that even good sales haven't really been speaking to me - I'm just not in the mood to buy another sweater or pair of tights that I don't even want to wear and will be hidden under a massive North Face puffer anyway (side note that I think this is partially why I've been neglecting outfit photos...). Anyway, I was planning on spending some cash in Florida while I was there, but (a) nothing really grabbed me there either (even hit up like 5 thrift stores and came up with nothing!), and (b) I bring a really small weekend bag when I go on those trips, so I didn't have much room to take anything home with me anyway. So I thought I might get out of February with another low-budget month.

But then (of course), J. Crew and their dang 30% (and then 40%!!!) off sale items got to me last week. I tried to stay reasonable, but since I still had my entire budget available, I decided to go for a few of the higher quality items that I usually wouldn't spend the money on. Here's what I ended up with.

I didn't buy them to wear together all at once, but is it wrong that now I want to?

J. Crew Blythe Blouse in Alabaster - $62.48

J. Crew Tippi Sweater in Heather Turquoise - $36.25

J. Crew Scout Chino in Neon Rose - $40.40

J. Crew Mona Pumps in Deep Peri - $64.59 (no longer available)

Grand total - $203.48

Since I only spent $35 in January, I'm okay with that extra $3.48 - technically I'm still under budget for the year by about $160, so I think I'm good. Quick and grateful shout out too - I actually bought these during the 30% off sale, but the awesome customer service gals price-adjusted for me when it went to 40% literally 2 days later, so that helped me keep all 4 things while staying in budget :) Also fun to note - I've only added 8 things to my wardrobe (including accessories) so far this year! Should make spring cleaning a little easier...

Okay, details. I've been lusting after the white Blythe for what feels like ages, and when it was randomly slightly on sale so it qualified for the extra discount, I was seriously giddy. The Tippi sweater is pretty much my favorite color, and after a quick look in my closet, I found that I didn't have a sweater or even a long-sleeved tee in that shade (honestly!), so at that price I was definitely in. The chinos are super cute and bright for spring, but they're not so neon that they're not work-appropriate. I do have a (Factory) pencil skirt in this shade though, so these are the only thing I'm considering returning.

And, saving the best for last, the shoes... oh, the shoes. I was really, really nervous about these because I did something ~~really~~ slightly irresponsible... I bought them final sale when I'd never seen them in person and have never tried the Mona pumps on before, so I wasn't even sure about my size - eek! And even though they were on major sale, that's still a lot for me to spend on one pair of shoes, but since I've been so burned by cheap shoes, I think I'm pretty much persuaded that it's worth it to spend the money on a decent pair. All in fitting with the quality over quality mentality, right? Plus, I figured I could resell them at least for what I paid if I really hated them or they didn't fit. I had toyed with buying them back in January too, but then they went out of stock. When they came back in stock for like 1 minute, only in my size, during this sale, I frantically added them to my cart and checked out, like immediately. Then I panicked for the next 2 days because I thought for sure my order would be cancelled due to no inventory, but alas, they were available, I got them, and... I LOVE THEM. The color is even better than I thought it would be, and luckily for me, they fit like a dream - honestly one of the most comfortable pumps I own! Fate & luck, I owe you one.

It feels awesome to only have bought 4 things rather than adding a bunch of cheap stuff that will fall apart or be obsolete sooner rather than later, and I'm happy to have spent the additional money on these pieces that I can see myself using for years. It feels like money well spent rather than soon-to-be-wasted. I'm also working on a new targeted wish list to help me continue shopping smart (probably one overall and one for each season, something like Fran's Holes in My Closet list), so I can continue to focus my spending and feel good about what I'm adding to my closet.

Also linking up with Fran's Budgeting Bloggers series - can't wait to see how you all did this month too!

Nifty Thrifty

2013-02-27T09:00:00.000-06:00

Aaaaand here's that post I had scheduled for last week, but somehow I messed up the auto scheduler and it never went up. I had a few meetings last week, so I needed to wear a black pants and blazer combo, but I really wanted to add something a little fun, so I threw in a bright blazer I found thrifting, polka dots, studded flats, and an Eiffel Tower pendant for good measure.

I'm Wearing

Thrifted blazer

Gap polka dot blouse

J. Crew sweater

Modcloth Eiffel Tower pendant

J. Crew bangle

Gap pants

Steve Madden studded flats

I've worn this blazer so many times since I found it thrifting that I think the CPW (cost-per-wear) is down to pennies. It was such a random find, and the size is something like a 4 petite, which I'm totally not either of those, but it ended up working really well. I've been meaning to change out the buttons for awhile though... any thoughts on what kind of button would look good on this? I think a matte gold would be nice, but I'm not really well-versed in where to find such buttons - any suggestions???

Subtle Dots

2013-02-25T09:33:00.001-06:00

Usually I associate polka dots either with the classic black (or navy) and white palette, or a bright and fun combination of colors, so I was pretty excited to get this sweater as a gift - it's a much more subdued and wintery palette, which made these dots really easy to wear at work on a cold casual Friday.

I swear this didn't look blurry on the camera! :(

I'm Wearing

Ralph Lauren cream toggle sweater

Tommy Hilfiger dot sweater

J. Crew jeans

Banana Republic socks

J. Crew Factory suede bow flats

It also has these cute buttons up the back - such a fun surprise! This outfit was really cozy and, with the double sweaters, super warm, which is probably the most important function of my wardrobe choices right now. Also linking up with Bri's Third Thursday Threads for polka dots!

How was your weekend friends?

Miami Bitch

2013-02-18T08:40:00.000-06:00

Hello! I hope you all had a great weekend! I myself was in Miami to visit J for the weekend, and our hotel had pretty shitty internet, so alas, no posts. I did take pics of my one fancy dinner outfit to share though - better late than never! They're a fabulous combination of bathroom mirror pics and grainy hallway/no light pics - you gotta do what you gotta do when traveling, right?

I'm Wearing

Tommy Hilfiger dress

Victoria's Secret blazer

Necklaces: The Limited; NYC street vendor

Gap bracelets

J. Crew glitter bag

Nine West snakeskin pumps

Incidentally, (1) we didn't end up going to dinner the night I wore this, because I waited over an hour and a half for a cab (in the hotel, outside of the hotel, on the street, on a boat, with a goat) and one never showed up despite the front desk calling 3-4 companies and just trying to hail a random one on the street (so lame Miami!), so we decided to rent Skyfall and order pizza instead; we went to dinner the next night, where I wore jeans and (my favorite) teal striped top, which is almost basically ruined now thanks to; (2) I hate this stupid purse! It looks cute, but the glitter is so rough that it actually snagged my polyester shirt (that's pretty much impossible to do!) and I have legit scratches where it rubbed on my arm all night. To Ebay she goes...

How was your week/end? I know I've been a little MIA lately - it's been tough with the traveling I've been doing and being busy at work, but I did want to let you know that I already have 1 more post scheduled this week (like, literally done!), so this won't be the last you're seeing of me, muahahaha! :)

Swan Song or Relic Revival?

2013-02-12T09:26:00.000-06:00

Inspired by Kimmie's Oh This Old Thing? linkup, I pulled out the absolute oldest thing(s) in my closet for today. I have two, and I want your opinion on whether I should keep them or let them go. First, here's the outfit I pulled together.

It's a grayed out lilac and muted butter yellow color situation, in case it's hard to see

I'm Wearing

J. Crew navy cardigan

Abercrombie & Fitch button down...

Necklace - gift (keep forgetting to find out where it's from)

Abercrombie & Fitch leather belt...

J. Crew jeans

J. Crew Factory suede flats

So yeah... I think you can probably guess which 2 items are the old ones. I think I shopped at A&F about twice in my life back in 2002, and I'm pretty sure I bought both of these items on the same shopping trip which makes them... roughly 12 years old. ~~Sadly~~ Weirdly, they're not even the oldest things in my closet - I actually still have the Gap dress I wore at my high school graduation (gulp... 2001), but I couldn't really wear that here because it's a little dressier and a much more summer-appropriate fabric (read: I'd be freezing my ass off all day). I also have a bunch of those old school t-shirts (oldest one dating back to kindergarten - for real!), but those are more nostalgic than real clothing.

These two items are definitely still something I would buy now though - gingham button downs and brown leather belts are kind of always in my style repertoire. They've actually stood the test of time quality-wise, strangely enough - the leather belt is worn but still in really great shape, and the button down has been washed hundreds of times but still isn't overly faded or worn through. Sighhh... remember the days when even stuff from A&F was well-made with good fabrics and construction? This shirt used to be the only button-down I owned, and in college it was definitely a favorite of both mine and my roommates' - for some reason, it really looked good on everyone. The only problem I have with it is that it's about a size and a half too big now. I had to wear a cardigan over it because it bloused out in the back so much after I tucked it in (boo hoo, I know, there are worse problems to have). I think I could probably get it taken in though... or maybe if I was feeling ambitious I could do it myself?

What do you guys think, should I keep these around or let them go? And don't forget to stop over at Blue Paper Lanterns to show off your ancient duds too!

Ohai

2013-02-07T09:18:00.000-06:00

So... hey there. I'll skip the "it's been so busy, blah blah blah" and just get into a dang outfit picture. I have been taking them occasionally at home, just not following through on the whole "posting them" part, which is silly, because that's kind of the point of taking them, no?

Anyway, I wore this at work last week and received many compliments throughout the day. Score 1 (or possibly much higher) for the combination of animal prints and bold colors.

I'm Wearing

Talbots cheetah blouse (old)

"J. Crew" bubble necklace (via Ebay)

The Limited cobalt pencil skirt

Jessica Simpson red suede pumps (via Marshalls)

I really liked this outfit, especially since it was so randomly nice out that day (like 50s!) that I was able to wear a pencil skirt with no tights. I know, crazy. I was also happy to rock the bubble necklace again - it's been awhile since I pulled that one out! So tell me what's been going on in your life this week - are you in a mid-winter slump like I am? Or are you still enjoying cozy sweaters and layering up? If you are, please motivate me! All I can think about since my weekend in Florida is flip flops, tank tops, and sunglasses.

Work From Home

2013-01-30T08:17:00.001-06:00

I was working from home on Monday, which usually involves wearing the same ratty pajamas or workout clothes that I slept in, but I decided to actually make an effort and get dressed this week. The goal was to still be comfy but at least look presentable enough to leave the house.

I'm Wearing

Tommy Hilfiger striped cardigan
J. Crew Factory olive tee (the one I bought this month)
The Limited leopard infinity scarf (old)
J. Crew jeans
Michael Kors rose gold watch
Bracelets: gifts from Mama and Sister
Toms

It was a success - I was still comfy and loungey enough for the work from home part of the day, and I didn't have to do much of anything different when I went out later in the evening. Do you ever work from home? If you do, do you make an effort to get dressed up when you're at home?

Linkin up with Pleated Poppy for WIWW and Because Shanna Said So.

January Budget & Buys

2013-01-28T07:30:00.001-06:00

After Christmas and the accompanying spend-fest, I resolved (ha, do you see what I did there) to take it easy in January. Here's what I got.

J.Crew bangle - $10

J. Crew wool cafe capri in iced lilac - $10

J. Crew Factory crewneck tee in olive - $8

Anthro teal tights (not available online, but worn here) - $7

Total: $35

Starting this month, I'm trying for a monthly budget of $200, so I came in way under budget... $165 under budget, in fact, since I only spent $35. Yup, that's it! Even better, every one of these purchases was in-store this month, so I didn't shop online at all. It's a lot easier to avoid spending an extra few dollars when you're not trying to get the $150 or $175 minimum to get free shipping! Being really busy also helps, since it leaves you much less time for browsing and finding things to love.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't get one or two of these mainly due to the insane prices (those lilac pants... but for $10, come on). The bangle was something I'd actually added to my cart a few times before but never pulled the trigger on because it was like $30, so I was happy to get it at that sale price. The capris, like I said... definitely a deal-biased purchase. I don't super love the wool cafe capris because (1) they're originally $128 (are you serious, J. Crew?), and (2) the lining is kind of jacked, IMO - I had to size up so the lining would fit/wouldn't bunch, and they're still a touch clingy. But for $10, they'll be really fun to wear a few times this spring, and I'm sure they'll hold up well compared to their price. The Factory tee was a random find that filled a hole in my closet - I actually don't have an army/olive t-shirt, and I can foresee so many uses for this (especially for $8!). I'm already wearing it today (outfit photos to follow tomorrow, God willing), and it is super soft. The Anthro tights were definitely not something I had on my wish list, but I saw them in-store while I was returning something and the color just spoke to me. $7 was the right price for a fun little pop to add to my wardrobe.

I gotta tell you, I wasn't even really that tempted this month. I was still really grateful and excited over the things I was lucky to get for Christmas, so I just didn't even have much interest in looking for new things; even when I did, nothing piqued my interest. I am actually hoping to do a little bit of thrifting soon because I've been in the mood to find something unique, but that's the only real desire I've had to buy anything.

How did you do this month? Were you taking advantage of lots of post-holiday sales, or did the holiday shopping satiate you for the month? Also linking up with Fran for Budgeting Bloggers!

2012 Favorites

2013-01-24T09:15:00.000-06:00

Serendipitous timing right here - the lovely Fran tagged me in her post of favorite things of 2012, and I coincidentally had no outfit photos to post today, so that kind of worked out perfectly, no? Just so I don't bore you with only my words, please first enjoy this photo - hopefully it will inspire us all to remember that warmer times are ahead.

Onto the real business.

Favorite Makeup: this is a tough one since I used to be kind of a makeup junkie... Not that I ever wore tons of crazy stuff, but I was really into trying out new brands and products, whereas now I'm really more into having one really great product for something and/or using the things I have until I actually finish them. I don't think this is a 2012-specific discovery, but I really love Tarte's Amazonian Clay blush line. I have a few colors, but I think Blissful is probably my year-round favorite because it's pinky enough to work on my lighter skin tone in the winter, but peachy enough to stand out against a slight (fake) tan in the summer, and it always looks glowy and fresh. I'm a serious fiend for Nars blushes too; it's so hard to pick one favorite color, but Douceur and Mata Hari are two faves - Douceur is a more beige shade, but it's perfectly subtle and still gorgeous for when you're playing up your eyes, and Mata Hari is more of a flushed berry color that's not overly dark on lighter skin tones. Clearly I'm kind of a blush hound... A few other things I use almost daily are Lancome eyeliner in black coffee (doesn't smudge, perfect natural color, and this eyeliner is like 1.5x longer than any other eyeliner), Cover Girl LashBlast Volume mascara (I've used this for years and it's perfect - I occasionally sub in a Lancome mascara if I have one, but I always have a tube of this. Always.), Nars Sheer Glow foundation (sheer and gorgeous), and this Clarins concealer/illuminator (which I use as an undereye concealer - so nice because it's not heavy and isn't cakey but actually does something to hide my horrible circles). Hmm... now I kind of want to do a full post on my favorite makeup and beauty products...

Favorite Book: I was seriously so excited to read this year because it was the first full year that I didn't have any school to contend with. I read a ton and loved it. A few favorites are definitely The Hunger Games (the whole trilogy! I seriously got so into it... it's my claim to fame at work), and I also really liked Gone Girl. I also finally read the behemoth I borrowed from my sister 4 years ago (aka before law school), The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb and it was really, really good too.

Favorite Song/Album: Definitely Florence + the Machine. I know Ceremonials was a 2011 release, but I didn't get really, really into it until last year. I saw them at Lollapalooza and they were amazing, and I've continued to be obsessed with everything she/they do. I also got really into Alabama Shakes toward the end of the year, and I'm super excited to see what they come out with next.

Favorite Movie: I really liked The Hunger Games (obviously), Cabin in the Woods (I know, random, but it was kind of genius), The Dark Knight Rises, Argo, and Les Mis. So... basically everything? Except Twilight, I kind of thought that was awful. Sorry fans, I really wanted to like it, but... I just didn't.

One thing you're grateful for: Aside from family/friends/etc., honestly I am really grateful to have my time back. Law school was a huge, huge drain on me, not just intellectually and financially, but emotionally too. I literally felt like I never had a minute to myself, and by the end of 3 years, it was driving me crazy. And then I had to take the Bar, which was one of the worst experiences of my life. Once I was past all of that, I was finally able to take back some of my own life to do things I wanted to do, and it was amazing because it had really been a long time. I started this blog, hung out with a lot of new and old friends, saw movies, read books, slept, took baths, went running, went on a few trips, took a photography class, and just started a class at Second City. It's been really nice to remember that I have interests and hobbies and passions in life, and that I finally have some time to enjoy/pursue them. It's a luxury that I'm definitely taking advantage of while I can!

Greatest Challenge: Probably sticking to our budget to pay down our debt. Between both of our jobs,we probably could have purchased a house by now, but we decided to aggressively pay our debt down and live as cheaply as possible (clothing purchases notwithstanding...). It was 100% the right decision, but feeling like we're behind for our age group is tough, not to mention not fully being able to enjoy the fact that we're both working full-time, grown up jobs for the first time ever. We're still renting an apartment, we share a car, spend at least a few Saturdays every month wrestling with the budget spreadsheets, bring our lunches to work every day, and skip a fair amount of social events with friends that don't have the same financial concerns so that we can put that money towards paying down our debt. Last year it was really hard because the goal date was still so far away and it seemed like we were never getting any closer. But we stuck to it, and it's already been easier this year because the finish is in sight and we're 100% on track to finish before our wedding anniversary in May, which was our huge goal - I know it will all be worth it as soon as we get there, but the path was definitely a tough one.

What are you looking forward to in 2013: Man, everything! I feel like this year is going to be so great for so many reasons, including: (1) like I said above, we'll be credit card debt-free by May, which is going to be amazing; (2) we'll be able to actually save for a house and hopefully buy something the following year, so this will be our last year of renting a shitty apartment; (3) the new season of Arrested Development will be coming out in May, which makes me so excited that I can't even put it into words; (4) I'll be able to continue appreciating and enjoying DINK status and spend my free time however I want for the time being, which brings me to; (5) Travel! We already have plans to visit Germany (and possibly Ireland) later this fall (hopefully during Oktoberfest), we're going to the Dominican Republic for a friend's wedding in April, and hopefully we'll be able to do a few more shorter trips in there as well.

I'm all hyped up for 2013 now, how about you? What are you excited for this year, and what did you love/hate about last year?

Same Palette, Different Day

2013-01-23T09:35:00.001-06:00

I'm dead tired and super busy at work, so let's make it a mostly wordless Wednesday, shall we?

I'm Wearing

Ralph Lauren toggle sweater

Zara burgundy sweater

Madewell arrowstack necklace

Michael Kors watch

Bracelets: J. Crew Factory & Francesca's

J. Crew jeans

Target leopard loafers

Clearly I'm a fan of this palette for fall/winter as I've been wearing it at least once a week since the weather turned awful. Speaking of awful, these shoes... suck. They're really cute, but they might as well be made out of razor wire for how much they slice up my feet every time I wear them. I've worn them plenty of times so they should be broken in by now, but they're definitely not. I even wore them with socks and put some inserts in the backs, which didn't help. Sigh, Target shoes... you are adorable, but I think we're meant to live separate lives.

Fitness Friday

2013-01-18T10:27:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday!!! I know I've been saying this every week, but I'm really glad this week is finally over - it was crazy long (still not used to the full work week I guess...), and I'm lucky enough to get Monday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, so I have a 3 day weekend ahead. Definitely looking to catch up on sleep, movies, workouts, and other standard weekend fare. But onto the point here - it's Fitness Friday! How have things been going for you? Did you make any New Years or general resolutions that you're working on?

As for me, I've actually been doing really well! I didn't make any "resolutions," per se, but I started a fitness challenge with my family to help keep myself on track (3 months of tracking workouts, weight lost, and inches - prizes for the top 3 winners!), and J and I started doing Insanity so we had a built-in workout schedule. So far things have been pretty great. Not losing #s as fast as I'd like, but that's always the case, isn't it? Here's a little glimpse into what I've been up to these last few weeks.

Food

Left: standard salad, standard breakfast (egg white, cheese, english muffin, and cinnamon/splenda english muffin), standard lunch (carrots and celery with spinach dip, apple, turkey sandwich, greek yogurt)

Right: turkey meatloaf and roasted broccoli; black bean enchiladas

J and I have been bringing our lunches to work every day and making dinners at home every night. Dinner is usually my hardest part of the day because I'm hungry, tired, and not in the mood to cook when I get home and its dinnertime, but I've been trying to think of it as a hobby rather than a chore - that way I feel like the time spent is worthwhile rather than wasted. I've also been bringing my iPad into the kitchen and just throwing on a few episodes of Arrested Development while I cook and make lunches for the next day; it's much less painful that way!

Top: many baths with epsom salt soaks have been taken; had to succumb to the treadmill a few times

Bottom: visual motivation at work: stickers for every workout; my lunch bag

Workouts

Running ninja! Thank God for neck/face warmers!

It has been hella cold here, but I'm sucking it up for the greater good.

Workouts have been going pretty well too - I'm on a streak of working out 6 days a week for the last 2 weeks, and while I've been pretty tired a few days here and there while my body adjusts, I'm feeling pretty good overall. Here's what I did this week:

Monday: Insanity (cardio power circuit), 3 mile run
Tuesday: Insanity (pure cardio circuit, so hard), 3 mile run
Wednesday: Insanity (plyometric cardio circuit, Hot yoga (75 minute vinyasa)
Thursday: Insanity (recovery day, easy strength/stretching), 3 mile run
Friday (doing tonight): Insanity (cardio power circuit)
Saturday: Insanity (pure cardio circuit), 3 mile run
Sunday: Rest!

It seems like a lot, but the runs I've been doing are pretty short/moderate for me, and the Insanity circuits are only 45 minutes total including warm up/cool down/stretching, so they're more like 25-30 minutes of actual circuit training, which means I'm averaging about an hour a day of actual working out. I've lost 2 pounds, which doesn't feel like that much, but I definitely feel a lot stronger and I'm hoping that the next time I measure inches, I'll see some more positive results there. Slow and steady I guess... I'm definitely struggling with being impatient to see results faster though - how do you guys deal with that? I'm trying to just keep my nose to the grindstone, but it's getting tough when I feel like I'm working really hard and not seeing much yet.

How are things going with you? Still motivated, or struggling? Is the cold keeping you indoors, or are you lucky enough to live in a mild climate? And what's on your agenda this weekend? Hope you're having a great Friday so far!

Blazerrific

2013-01-17T08:39:00.003-06:00

What's up y'all? Man, I can't believe it's (a) Thursday already; (b) halfway through January already; (c) 2013 in general. Time is flying! Which is kind of good because that means it'll be summer in no time. Anyway, here's what I wore yesterday. I only took 5 pictures and they all turned out fine, which is a miracle, so I'm sharing all 5 even though they're kind of redundant. So please, enjoy me, several times.

I'm Wearing

J. Crew Factory blazer

JC Penny Butterfly cami

Gold sparkle belt from The Limited I think? It's old...

Gap black pants

C. Wonder white studded bracelet

"J. Crew" sparkle bracelet via Ebay

Gold tubes bracelet DIY'd and gifted by Fran

Remember when I got this blazer for my birthday 100 years ago? It occurred to me this week that I hadn't worn it on the blog yet, so I was really excited that blazers are today's Third Thursday Threads item over on Bri's blog! Seriously, what could be easier and more fun than blazers? Although that's what I thought about stripes and I ended up tweaking out about putting that outfit together, so who knows what could've happened here. Anyway, go link up if you have a recent blazer post! I can't wait to see the submissions, blazers are one of my favorite closet items because there are so many styles and colors and infinite ways to wear them.

Holiday Redux

2013-01-16T08:37:00.002-06:00

I was feeling a little nostalgic for the holidays already this week since we took our tree down and it's pretty bare-feeling in our apartment right now, so I pulled out the next best thing to ease the transition - plaid and cozy sweaters!

I'm Wearing

Tommy Hilfiger sweater

J. Crew plaid button-down

Banana Republic link necklace (length extended with a bracelet)

Michael Kors watch

J. Crew cafe trouser pants

Zara studded loafers

Are you guys still in holiday mode, or are you on to bigger and better things? I'm already excited for spring, especially since we had a little reprieve of 50 degree weather last week, but since it's dropped into the 20s this week, I figured I should get some more wear out of my wintery goods while the getting's good!

Also linking up with Pleated Poppy today for WIWW!

Casual Friday

2013-01-11T09:48:00.002-06:00

Phew, I'm glad it's Friday, how about you? This week has been so long even though it was just a normal week... so spoiled by the holidays. I was excited to throw on jeans today after having an unusual amount of trouble getting dressed in the mornings this week, and I was even more excited to borrow this awesome outfit idea from Fran. I swear I did not go out and buy anything to recreate it, I just happened to have a few really similar things that I thought looked great when she paired them together. In the interest of not being a total SWF stalker, I changed up the accessories while just using the basics as building blocks of the outfit.

I'm Wearing

J. Crew Factory sweater (exact and on sale for $20!)

J. Crew jeans

Kate Spade polka dot scarf (gift from ~~Mama~~ Santa)

J. Crew Factory ship's wheel necklace (super old)

J. Crew ivory bangle

Michael Kors watch

Gold tube bracelet (DIY'd gift from Fran)

Banana Republic toggle coat

Chinese Laundry boots (super old)

Kate Spade Little Minka bag

The J. Crew Factory sweater I'm wearing is their version of the regular J. Crew "Tippi" sweater, and I have to say I think the quality of the Factory version is really pretty good especially for the price. Sometimes the Factory stuff can be kind of meh, but for $20 you really can't go wrong - that's cheaper than Target! Anyway, thanks to Fran for the inspiration! I promise my next outfit will be a creation of my own (relatively speaking, of course).

What's on your agenda this weekend? I plan to sleep a lot and possibly see a few movies - finally saw Argo, but there are so many more I need to get to: The Hobbit, Les Mis, Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty, Django Unchained... It's going to be tough to choose! Also probably going to catch the Golden Globes this weekend - I'm not usually a huge awards show person because they can be long/boring in my opinion, but I do love to see the clothes and the winners, so I'll probably throw it on in the background and get some stuff done around the house. It's also strangely, unseasonably warm here right now, so I'm hoping to get a few runs in - Fitness Friday is on the schedule for next week, get ready to tell me what you've been up to!

Yipes Stripes

2013-01-09T09:22:00.000-06:00

You guys, I have been having the worst morning. It took me forever to pick an outfit and get dressed, even though I normally love stripes. I finally figured out that I think my problem is that I don't usually wear stripes to work, so I didn't have anything in mind when I was getting dressed. I love stripes, but usually I like to pair them with jeans or some kind of casual pants, so I felt kind of creatively stunted today since I didn't want to go with black pants and I still needed to be warm. I was also running so late all morning, got in a fight with J about it, and the line was too long at Starbucks to get my morning coffee. So sad. Long story short, I'm not even sure how I feel about my outfit today... but here it is anyway after approximately 17 changes.

Also hate my posing and that some of these came out blurry. Wtf Wednesday?

I'm Wearing

J. Crew Factory striped tee

J. Crew mixed tape cardigan

The Limited pencil skirt

Fossil watch

The Limited gray drop earrings

Anthropologie teal tights

Talbots gray suede pumps

How's your day going? I know it's only Wednesday, but this has felt like the longest week ever already, I can't wait for Friday!

Also linking up with Marionberry's trend of the month challenge!

December Budgets, Buys, and Christmas Goodies

2013-01-08T10:22:00.000-06:00

I've kind of been avoiding doing this one because I really shouldn't have purchased anything in December since it was Christmas and all... but I definitely did. I actually thought the pre-Christmas sales were much, much better than the post-Christmas sales this year, so all the damage I did was before Christmas day. That helps my cause, right? I hope... Anyway, here's what I got.

Zara red long-sleeve tee with suede elbow patches (no longer online, probably still in store though!) - $25

Madewell Arrowstack necklace - $20 (way cheaper in store)

Madewell skinny skinny jeans - free to me (actually $35, but used credit)

Madewell V-neck tees (got 3 colors: aqua, coral, and blue): free to me (actually $5 each, used credit)

Madewell strawberry pink chambray button-down (not pictured/available) - $15

Banana Republic wool toggle coat - $110 (seen on yours truly here)

Gap destroyed skinny jeans - $35 (stemming directly from my obsession over Fran's amazing pair)

J. Crew painter tee in coral stripe - $32

J. Crew mint blazer - $70

J. Crew Downtown Field Jacket - gift (but was $105 with in-store promo)

J. Crew Tippi purple and navy polka dot sweater - $35

J. Crew green gingham button-down - $22 (no longer available online)

J. Crew matchstick jeans in casablanca blue - $35

J. Crew dark wash bootcut jeans - $35

So grand total is $436. Definitely a little more than I wanted, but the wool toggle coat is a huge chunk of that, and that's been on my wish list all season (and marked down from $225!). I also seem to have gone on a jeans binge this month, which I think is because I'd really been hating my recent pairs that are so old and not aging well. I'm not exactly going on a no-buy in January, but I'm trying to cut down and spend much less.

And I'm not going to do a list of the awesome gifts from Santa this year (though I did mention one in yesterday's post...), but I did want to mention that I was a very, very lucky girl this year and got my #1 wish list item...

FRYE PAIGE BOOTS - can't believe it and I'm totally in love with them! I haven't worn them yet because I'm so paranoid of scratching them before I get some leather protector on them. Frye owners, what did you do to pre-treat yours before you wore them outside???

Happy Birthday to Me: Year in Review

2013-01-04T11:46:00.000-06:00

Today is officially the one year mark of when I posted my very first baby blog post! I think it's come quite a long way since the days of headless torso shots, although I still pull out the old iPhone mirror photo from time to time... To commemorate both the actual new year and my blog's new year, I decided to pull together a little list of my 12 favorite posts from the last year. I also made a list of a few things I've learned along the way, and I have outfit photos for today, so let's get to it!

12 Favorite Posts

1. New Orleans

I actually really, really love taking and sharing travel photos (even more than taking pictures of myself and my outfits, if you can believe it), so this post about my quick trip to New Orleans last year is one of my favorites. I loved it there and I love looking back through this small sampling of the 100s of shots I snapped over 1 day (really!). I may start sharing a post or two a month of just photography!

2. This outfit

I just really like the individual pieces here, the effort I put in with the extra details (earrings, belt), and how it all came together without looking too "styled." I was just going to say that I can't wait until spring so I can wear this dress again, but I actually think I might just pull it out soon and pair it with some tights or leggings. I miss dresses!

3. Nautical + Arrested Development + Mary Poppins + Puns = Possibly My Best Post Ever

Not my best posing, but it was still new to me (still is, actually). I just loved the outfit and all of the nautical details, I actually put some effort into my hair, and anything with Gob Bluth in it has to be on my list of favorites. :)

4. Minty Madness

Mint was a huge trend this year, yes, but any shade of bluish-green or greenish-blue is my favorite color and always will be, so I was definitely on board. I loved the different colors in this outfit, the actual outdoor pictures, and the shoes. Oh those shoes. I need to wear them again as soon as possible.

5. My Anniversary Purse

I was so, so thrilled with this Kate Spade bag my husband got me in my favorite color (see above) for our wedding anniversary last year and couldn't wait to show it off! I paired it with a bunch of other aqua/teal accessories and one of my favorite striped camis, and I still love this outfit. I'll probably wear it again 100 times this summer.

6. Coral + Mint

Ahh, I loved this outfit too. So light and refreshing, and I was so excited about those shoes.

7. Tweed and Tees

I hate feeling overly stuffy, and pairing this tweedy Chanel-inspired pencil skirt with a simple v-neck tee was the perfect dressed-up, dressed-down combo for me. The dusty shades were a win in my book too - colorful but not garish.

8. Stripes and Skirts

I don't usually rock sunglasses in my outfit pics, but it was so sunny that day that every picture I tried without them resulted in massive stinkeye. Anyway, I loved every piece in this outfit, so it was kind of inevitable that I loved the result too. Great combination of neutrals and brights, and the mix of classic stripes with trendy loafer pumps worked for me too.

9. Neutrals

I actually super love neutrals, but I don't often feature all neutral outfits on the blog because I'm worried they'll ~~seem~~ be boring. This outfit reminds me that neutrals can be even more fab than colors, so I just need to make sure to pair classic and interesting pieces when everything in an outfit is neutral.

10. Classics

Jeans are definitely a staple for me, both on casual Friday and on the weekend, so my ongoing goal is to make sure I don't get too standard/boring with them. I loved this combination of jeans, a polka-dot blouse, blazer, and gold flats. Each piece in this was a classic and I loved how they all came together so well.

11. Fall Staples

Burgundy, chambray, cozy sweaters, and boots are all the best things about fall. I was so comfy and cozy in this outfit all day too - ahh, I'm warm just thinking about it.

12. Recent Success

After a really busy end of the year and several colds, I was definitely slacking off in blogging, mostly because I was slacking off with getting dressed. I finally started feeling better and putting in more effort, and I loved the result here. Neutrals with a twist of fun polka dots has turned out to be one of my favorite combinations (see below for more).

I have to say, looking through all of my old posts definitely made me miss summer and the days of open-toed shoes. It also re-motivated me to keep trying harder to be fun and creative with outfits, which I really needed a dose of after the craziness of the last few months. The ones I picked as favorites were definitely ones I put effort into and used pieces I loved, whereas ones I didn't like were either boring, didn't fit well/flatter, or just kind of felt lackluster. With that said, instead of posting the ones I hated (who wants to look at those again? not me!), I put together a little list of a few things I learned this year.

Lessons Learned

1. Almost all of my favorite outfits are summery and light. That could be due to the fact that it's the dead of winter right now and I'm hopelessly wishing for warm weather, but I think I do just really prefer warm temps and light, breezy clothes. I'm learning that it's more of an effort for me to be stylish in the cold, so that's something I need to keep in mind and work at.

2. Almost all of my favorite outfits involve aqua/teal/mint/variations of blue-green. I suppose the lesson here could go either way: use this color in every outfit (not likely), or learn to love other colors equally (not likely). So I guess there's not as much of a lesson here as an observation that I tend to lean toward liking outfits with this color more. So I'm biased, who knew?

3. Learning what works best on my body is an ongoing project, but even just glancing through my 12 favorite posts makes it clear that my favorite items are ones that are flattering. Outfits I really, really didn't like after looking back were ones that just didn't fit well or I know I didn't feel comfortable in. Lesson learned. A cursory glance tells me that pencil skirts, cropped/ankle pants, and heels, heels, heels are definitely favorites of mine. I know I've said this before, but I need to rededicate to wearing heels - I tend to get lazy in the winter because I'm already lugging so much stuff with me to the office (coat, scarf, etc.), but that's no excuse. New resolution: wearing heels more often!

4. Wearing items that work well on me is definitely a good lesson, but that doesn't have to mean sticking with the same boring pattern over and over. Getting out of my comfort zone is still something I want to work on. I think we all tend to fall into comfortable patterns, especially when we're busy or tired, and I typically fall into a routine of black pants, flats, a cami, and a cardigan. Sometimes that's a fine fallback, but I definitely relied on it too much for my liking this year, especially considering how much I do really like skirts and dresses.

5. Remembering to stay true to myself and my style is something I think I'm much better at than when I first started this blog a year ago. Getting involved in the blogging community is great for many reasons, one of them being the unlimited inspiration you find in others' style on a daily basis. The danger in that, though, is letting others' influence take over a bit too much. Taking risks with new styles is always fun, but there are definitely a few things I didn't feel like myself in, usually because they were either too stuffy or too "blogger" style. I don't know if I have an actual term for what I think my style is just yet, but I think I'm getting closer, if only by knowing what I don't want my style to be.

6. Finally, I realized that I had to take several week-long (or longer) breaks from blogging throughout the year, often unintentionally. I have to admit that I just don't think I can keep up a schedule of posting daily, especially going into this year. I got a promotion at work, which means my free time there to keep up with more administrative parts of blogging will be much more limited, and the timing of taking outfit photos can get kind of demanding especially in the winter. Don't worry, I'm not saying I'm quitting the blog (although I don't know that I'll be doing this forever either... but I'd let you guys know beforehand when I decide to stop), but I probably won't be posting M-F anymore, it will be more like 2-3 times a week. I hope you'll still stick around to chat because I love interacting with you guys! And if/when the time comes that I stop blogging altogether, I still plan to stay in touch with some of you through your blogs, Instagram, and other social media! :)

And on that note, let's get back to the real goods - today's outfit!

Today

Yeah, I still wear Uggs to commute in the winter. They're warm!!!

Showin' you mah toggles!

I'm Wearing

J. Crew tippi dot sweater (got for $35 on Christmas Eve, whatwhat!)

J. Crew jeans (also got for $35 on Christmas Eve!)

J. Crew striped socks

J. Crew Factory suede flats (they're more peach IRL than orange like they seem here)

Fossil watch

Banana Republic toggle coat (got for $100, marked down from $225, on Xmas Eve!)

Zara scarf

Uggs

Seriously you guys, Christmas Eve was one of the most productive, discounted shopping trips of my life. So many J. Crew things, all were 30% off (can't wait to show you the rest in my budget post next week!), this amazing Banana Republic coat that I lusted over all season marked down to $100... I had been wanting a toggle coat since last winter, so I couldn't pass it up! Ahh, it was glorious. And so awful because the next day was Christmas, so I felt terrible buying myself all of those things... But still glorious.

Shocking Pink

2013-01-03T08:16:00.001-06:00

I really, really, really wanted a pink blazer last spring when they were all the rage, but I never found one I liked and that wasn't crazy expensive, so I made do without (I know, tough life). I finally got one last month thanks to a Nordstrom clearance rack and I really love it, but now I can't remember all of the great ways I saw to wear it since it was so long ago - I need your help! Today I paired it with white, gray, and a statement necklace that's giving it kind of a polished 80s vibe (I hope...), but I need some other ideas!

I'm Wearing

Vince Camuto blazer (no longer available online, similar)

J. Crew tissue turtleneck

NY&Co statement necklace (old)

Gap pants

Talbots black suede pumps

What do you think, how would you wear a pink blazer?

Emerald City

2013-01-02T08:55:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year!!! Sorry for my prolonged absence once again - the holidays were crazy busy (as I'm sure they were for everyone), and burning the candle at both ends resulted in yet another cold, so I was kind of down for the count over the weekend and new year. Thankfully I'm feeling much better and started the New Year off without a hangover (hooray!), so this year is starting off on a great note for me.

As I'm sure you've heard, Pantone's Color of the Year for 2013 is Emerald, and I am thrilled about that - green is such a fantastic color on everyone, so I'm really excited to see it everywhere this year! So excited that I doubled up on it for my first back-to-work outfit of 2013! Actually tripled up counting my bag (yay Christmas presents, thanks Mom!!!) which I forgot to put on for an outfit pic, but I'll throw in a lonely iPhone pic for good measure.

I'm Wearing

J.Crew cardigan

J. Crew gingham button-down

Initial pendant necklace (gift)

Gap pants

Steve Madden studded flats

Kate Spade bag (gift)

How was your holiday/new year/life for the past few weeks???

Foxy Lady

2012-12-21T09:49:00.000-06:00

Hooray, it's finally Friday and I'm almost on a super long break from work! Are you already on break, or do you have to work this weekend? Anyway, I'm feeling a little giddy, so I decided to go with a playful outfit for today's casual Friday.

I'm Wearing

Old Navy fox sweater (sadly sold out)
Target/Mossimo burgundy skinny jeans
Banana Republic leather wrap bracelet
Michael Kors rose gold watch
Diba/DSW Over-the Knee boots (obviously not over-the-knee, but still love em)
Tulle/Nordstrom anorak

What are your weekend plans? Are you getting started celebrating the holidays early, or maybe still getting some last-minute shopping done? We're going to be celebrating Christmas starting tonight because my out-of-state family will be in this afternoon, so I'm really excited. I hope you have a wonderful time, whatever you're up to!