Day 8 :: black and white part quatre - the Emma Watson

Upon perusing this week's entries, I realized I've not entirely stuck to a stark black and white look. Oh, sure I've tried to obey the theme to the letter (re: my internal struggle on Day 2), but I've been using patterns and, although they did strictly follow the rule, they didn't really provide much of a visual black and white impact.

I needed to rectify this situation.

Stat.

Enter Emma Watson and the above Pinterest look I've been dying to dupe for a while now. Of course I am not as gamine and adorable and young as Ms. Watson, and of course I'd mis-remembered and monochromed the outer rather than the inner layer, but I'm pleased with my end result anyhow.

I love the subtle sparkle of this lace top. It allows me to minimize the accessorizing without looking incomplete or bare. At the last minute, I threw on this snakeskin bangle which totally gets in the way of typing.  How do people function with arm candy?

My Jessica Simpson heels are not the most comfortable (I had to don my commuter shoes just to get from the parking lot to my room) but they help the leanness of my silhouette, a definite must when wearing potentially enlarging white.

Never be afraid of white, people. The worst that can happen is you spill spaghetti sauce on your lap and you walk around for the rest of the day looking like a mob hit.

:: Just the facts, ma'am ::

Blazer - Apostrophe from Sears

Top - F21

Cropped jeans - Rewind from Kohl's

Pumps - Jessica Simpson

Arm bangle - gift from student

Day 7 :: black and white part trois - the patterned dress

It seems it's either feast or famine these days.

Yesterday's outfit was a challenge but today's is like shooting fish in a barrel.  All I had to do was type in "white dress black blazer" and a plethora of choices came up, ready for Collage-ing.

Me without glasses.  I think I like it. 

I toyed with the idea of wearing a cardigan but the fabric of the dress is really stiff and a soft cardi just didn't lay right over it. I also toyed with the idea of my Jessica Simpson stilettos because the length of this dress made me feel like I needed to elongate my leg, but opted for the boot because I knew I was going to do a lot of walking today. 

As far as accessories, I kept things simple because I find that the color contrast of black and white loses its power with too much stuff.  See yesterday's outfit for an example.  I'm not saying it was bad, just not my fave.  I think all the bling I wore, coupled with the striped top, diminished the oomph of the look. Plus, I felt fussy all day.  So today, I chose a statement necklace that complements rather than contrasts.  The headband was a freebie from a recent Modcloth purchase and is my only nod to going beyond simplicity.

As the week progresses and I continue to create outfits, I'm realizing that I like having to follow a particular theme.  It simplifies things and provides order and cohesion to my wardrobe.  Maybe it's the English major in me or perhaps it's my closet OCD coming out.  Whatever the case, I think I'm going to follow suit for the next few weeks and I already have a couple of ideas for themes.  I'm always open to suggestions, though, so if you have any ideas, I'd be happy to entertain them.  Perhaps challenge me with something to see if my closet can take it?

:: Just the facts, ma'am ::

Dress - I.N.C. via eBay

Blazer - New York and Co.

Boots - Cathy Jean

Necklace - Francesca's Collections

Headband - Modcloth

Day 6 :: black and white part deux - the striped blazer

Late last season, this blazer exploded on the blogosphere and you really couldn't escape it.  Every fashion blogger I followed styled it in every conceivable way - casual, work appropriate, girls' night out - and with every conceivable color combo.  Wendy even featured it in a daring pattern mixing ensemble which I tried to dupe and was promptly shut down by very well-meaning friends who said I looked like a crazy cat lady.

Of course, now that I want to do my own spin for Black and White week, I'm hard-pressed trying to find an appropriate photo for duping purposes.  Blargh.  I mean, come on, people!  Black and white!  Really?!  Nothing?!

I could've just thrown in the towel, copied the above photo and done the look sans black slacks, but I refused to surrender my B&W Week theme so easily.  After good ol' Google let me down, I had to resort to Polyvore for inspiration pics and this is the closest I came to what I had in mind.

Apologies for the fuzzy pic.  I guess I do need to take photos in natural light.  :(

Black slacks, white shirt, striped jacket.  A very easy, go-to uniform that spans, I think, all professions.  I've been accused in the past of coming to work too dressed up/trendy/office-esque but I say always err on the side of professional over casual.  I could've done this with dark wash jeans but I was feeling trouser-y today.

You can't really see my shoes under the slacks because I follow the Stacy/Clinton "pants must skim floor" rule, so here's a better shot.  They're my fave pumps - Madden Girl T-strap and comfy as sin and a much-needed break from yesterday's pump which killed my feetsies.  I love these shoes so much that I actually got them cobbled for more than I paid for when they were falling apart. 

I've also included close ups of my accessories - an attempt at bling beyond my usual watch and Vivienne Westwood armor ring.  I think the necklace and arm candy together is too much?  What say you?  If so, which should I keep and which should I edit out?

:: Just the facts, ma'am ::

Shirt - Tobi

Blazer - Daily Look

Trousers - New York and Co.

Pumps - Madden Girl

Arm bling - F21/handmade

Necklace - eBay

Day 5 :: black and white part un - the striped skirt

This week, rather than my random dart-throwing at Pinterest boards, I decided to challenge myself with a theme.  And since my closet is primarily made up of the two ends of the spectrum, I present to you, my friends, Black & White Week.

 inspiration photo from Wendy's Lookbook

Today is Monday and it's predicted to be the coldest day of the week.  A dreadful So.Cal. weather change with 80-degree temps is looming in the horizon so my cashmere turtleneck ensemble needed to happen now.

I'm not as cute and tiny as Wendy and my skirt doesn't have the coveted pockets but I think my version comes pretty darned close to the original. I did add the neck bling but only because turtlenecks give me uniboob so I needed a visual break against that vast expanse.  It takes the place of the belt from the inspiration photo.
 

Here is the shoe I wore.  It's a relatively new purchase (read: two weeks ago) from Target and I'm particularly proud of it because I'd been on the hunt for a comfortable yet cute nude pumps since forever.  There's an actual saga attached to that hunt but that's a story for another day.  Suffice to say, this shoe will probably feature often in numerous outfits to come.

 

Oh, and just for kicks, here's a photo of my faboo faux fur coat from F21.  (How's that for alliteration?)  It was originally $60 but I bought it after season and marked down to an unheard of $11.  Yep, it does pay to wait, doesn't it?

:: Just the facts, ma'am ::

Turtleneck - Isaac Mizrahi for Target

Skirt - a-thread

Pumps - Merona at Target

Necklace - F21

Coat - F21

What's in my cart :: Forever 21

As we all know, I am a rabid online shopper.  I put myself to bed by the light of my laptop and several browser windows open side by side to compare similar items from various stores.

I know.  I'm in deep.

But my one tried and true, my one guilty pleasure, my one constant is Forever 21.  You just can't beat this retail behemoth.  They're always on trend and super affordable, but best of all, F21 has the most obscenely accessible window shopping environment ever.  I'm talking multiple views of every item, exact measurement and clothing care instructions info, intuitive search functions and the all-important "sort by: low price" option.

Can you tell I'm in love?  (And I don't even care when my 7-year-old daughter tells me I'm too old for this store;  I mean it's called "forever 21" for a reason, right?!)

Anyhoo, not a day goes by that I'm not on the F21 site, browsing their daily deals and new arrivals.  It doesn't hurt that I'm on their mailing list for said new arrival updates.  So, since I do not get all gussied up on the weekends because I'm either sleeping in/hiking/knitting/marathon watching Downton Abbey or Project Runway - none of which activities require me to do anything beyond sweats and a messy ponytail - I've decided to fill the weekend blog void with a segment called "What's in my cart" and who better to start with than F21?

So, without further ado...

I've been jonesing for a mint top since it hit the fashion blogosphere in time for spring season.  It's number one on my spring splurge list but I just can't seem to make up my mind.  I like the shape of the one on the left but I like the color of the one on the right.  Blargh.

Totally obsessed with floral.  Totally.  Obsessed.  But I've already purchased this Lauren Conrad number which made me go over my February budget so I guess I'm left to longingly look at these.  Or should I return the LC pants and get these two - it'd be the same price...

And finally, this jacket.  I didn't even realize I wanted/needed an oxblood moto jacket but then KS#1 bought this ASOS version and raved about it and then Sally sported the same one in a recent post so of course, being the fashion lemming that I am, I had to have one.  This is much more affordable but it's not exactly season appropriate and I'm wondering if it'll go on sale later down the road.  Fingers crossed that they'll still have my size then.

Day 4 :: of leopard and grey piping

One of my fashion mantras is this: The cuter the outfit, the less I want to be here.

It stands to reason - when work is getting me down and when the mere thought of going makes me want to curl into the fetal position and and sing Cyndi Lauper songs in my head, then my only saving grace is a cute outfit.  Knowing I have prepped a faboo ensemble the night before affords me the strength and intestinal fortitude to get out of bed and face the day.

Today should've been a no-brainer.  Had a tough week.  Did not want to go in.  At all.  Could've used a fierce outfit to give me a boost.  But because it's Friday, I opted for casual over killer so I perused my "Casual Friday" Pinterest board and did a happy jig because...

I had the exact blazer from the inspiration pic.

How often does that happen?

Not only that, but I also had identical items for all the other elements.  Bootcut jeans?  Check.  White button-down?  Check.  Leopard flats?  Check.  I even owned a similar necklace.  This was serendipity, my friends.  How could I resist?

If I were to do this outfit over, though, I'd try to wear a lower rise bootcut.  These are my mommy Levi's and the rise is so high that semi-tucking and belting just wasn't an option today.

:: Just the facts, ma'am ::

Shirt - L.L. Bean

Jacket - Mossimo for Target

Jeans - Levi's

Flats - Old Navy

Necklace - F21

Day 3 :: of pink and white and defying propriety

inspiration photos from myshowroomblog.com and Pinterest

I needed to look professional today for a bear of an IEP meeting, but I refused to completely abandon personal style in deference to propriety.  My quiet defiance translates, then, as a blast of color coupled with a deliberate use of winter white.

I knew I wanted to showcase pink and white.  I knew I wanted to be brave unorthodox and do white on bottom.  So this was a case of backwards planning: I actually had an idea for an outfit and I just needed to find photos to back up my idea.  The two I found utilized florals and stripes and, although it may seem counterproductive, the patterns actually helped ground the outfit and toned down the sharp color contrast.

This gave me the opportunity to finally use a top I'd purchased from Forever 21 at the beginning of the season but had previously been at a loss on how to implement.  (By the way, "season" to me begins in September and ends in June - traditional academic year.)  I think the pink on the design plays nicely with the pink of the blazer, don't you think?

I also like how the belt goes - if not matches - the top as well.  It's a deep navy, not purple, and was another closet orphan until today.  (My de-orphaning the belt is thanks in part to my new belt rack which allows me to organize my accessories and see what I own.  Yay me with the accessories!)

I'm also loving my new pants, which I got yesterday in the mail from Kohl's and which prompted my brain fart in the first place.  (I know, I know.  I'm not supposed to shop anymore, but this purchase was made before my vow so I think I'm excused.)

:: Just the facts, ma'am ::

Shirt - F21

Blazer - eBay

Jeans - Lauren Conrad for Kohl's

Pumps - Ross

Scarf - Old Navy

Belt - TJMaxx

Day 2 :: of stripes and surplus

inspiration photo from gochicorgohome.com via Pinterest

I really love the look of a good surplus jacket - it feels tough yet approachable all at the same time.  Maybe it's the shape more than the color?  Regardless, I find that I have a lot of pins with surplus jackets playing a starring role.  I chose this one because I wanted warm toes. (You'll see what I mean in paragraph 4.)

The top was easy to dupe because I went stripe happy last summer.  The only difficulty was deciding whether I wanted to dupe the look or the drape.  I chose drape because I have poochy belly right now, so not my sweater (which had the exact same stripe width as the inspiration photo) but my H&M shirt instead.

The scarf was more complicated.  In the inspiration photo, not only is the scarf a different color, it's also a different shape.  Thanks, Del, for opening my eyes to this.  I'd texted Kid Sis #1 to ask how the gal had styled the scarf and she told me it was a square folded into a triangle and tied in back.  Well, sucks to be me coz I don't own square scarves - only oblong and rectangular ones.  So not only did I struggle with color and pattern, I also had to wrestle with shape.  I think my version works overall.

And now the toes.  Oh, the toes!  You'd think this would be a no-brainer in So. Cal. but we've hit a cold spell and I wanted leg warmth as well as toe warmth.  Plus, I found that - gasp! - in the plethora of shoe boxes I own, not a one of them contained a cognac lace-up half bootie!  

But did I go online and shop, my friends?  NO!  (Insert encouraging cheer here.)  I went with what I had on hand and ended up not only with warmth and comfort but with a new way to style this closet orphan.

What do you think?  Thumbs up or down?

P.S.  KS#1 (also known as Del) was helping me out with this blog last night and she suggested I do more with my hair than a simple pony.  I thought it was all about the clothes and my hair really is super long and sometimes gets in the way of the overall look, but in this instance, I think she's right.  I do look friendlier with my hair down, eh?  So yes or no with the hair?  Or do you think it really all depends on the outfit?  As Heidi Klum likes to say - it's also about the styling.  Right?

:: Just the facts, ma'am ::

Shirt - H&M

Jacket - F21

Jeans - F21

Boots - Ross

Scarf - Old Navy

Day 1 :: of cardigans and glen plaid pants

inspiration photo from Polyvore c/o Pinterest

I had the pants and the shirt almost exactly but the olive green cardi stumped me.  I toyed with using a print or a pop of color cardi to substitute but eventually settled for a monochromatic look with my crested cardi from F21.  To break things up, I accessorized with my new fave scarf, purchased from eBay.

A close up of the pant (Mossimo from Target several seasons ago) so you all can see the glen plaid glory:

There were shoes in the inspiration photo as well but it was too cold for pumps so I chose to ignore footwear as statement and opted for warmth and comfort instead.  This is the shoe I wore (it's so old that I can't even link it; the brand is Unlisted):

My BFF asked why I didn't tuck in the shirt and button up the cardi; she reminded me that I'd once mentioned not doing either made for a sloppy look.  I told her I just wasn't feeling it - maybe I should've gone pop of color or print cardi after all - so I must have subconsciously been after the sloppy casual vibe.  But just for kicks and since it was the end of the day anyhow, I consented to tweaking the look.

Which do you prefer?  Tucked or untucked?  Did you like the monochromatic or should I have gone with a different cardi?

:: Just the facts, ma'am ::

Cardigan - F21

Shirt - F21

Pants - Mossimo at Target

Infinity scarf - eBay

Booties - Unlisted