Red and Tan

Last day of work before the holiday weekend! What lovely weather we're having.

Where:
work, dinner at Smokin' Woody's in Lincoln Square

What:
Dress: BCBG Max Azria (thrifted)
Silk & Cashmere Cardigan: Victoria's Secret
Sandals: Lifestride
Earrings: vintage from my mother
Wooden Bracelet: vintage from my mother

Thanks to my boyfriend for today's lovely photos.

Raspberry, Silver & Black

What would you call the style of these pants? They have a banded narrow bottom, like harem pants, but they don't have a baggy dropped crotch. They have a pocket on the side of the leg like cargo pants, but no pockets around the hips. Whatever they're called, they're silk and they're comfortable and I like them.

Where:
work, art gallery

What:
Suit Jacket w/silver pinstripes: Express
Silk Pants: Express
Raspberry Tank: Gap (thrifted)
White Cami: Target
Necklace-worn-as-Bracelet: vintage from my mother
Earrings: World Market
Bow Headband: H&M
Sequined Shoes: Xhilaration (thrifted)
Purse: H&M
Silver Nail Polish: Sally Hansen

Red, Blue & Black

It was in the 80's today! Summer has finally arrived.

Where:
work (including court)

What:
Suit Jacket & Skirt: Express
Silk Top: Express
Shoes: Newport News
Bracelet: gift from my boyfriend
Earrings: gifts from my grandmother and parents

Sand and Robin's Egg

Back to work. Court appearance this morning, hearing this afternoon.

Where:
work (including court)

What:
Suit Jacket & Pants: Banana Republic
Button-down: Gap
Shoes: from Payless
Polka-dot trouser socks: H&M
Faux Pearl Earrings: mine from the early 90's
Flower pin: vintage from my grandmother

Sunday in Pennsylvania

I was in Pennsylvania visiting my family over the weekend, and I got one outfit picture.

Where:
dinner at the Pine Grill, antique fair, hanging out at relatives' houses

What:
Cardigan: Old Navy (thrifted)
Tank: Old Navy
Jeans: Forever XXI (thrifted)
Boots: Nine West
Scarf: handmade by my mother
Necklace: gift from my parents
Beads: Macy's

Green and Grey

I was featured in my hometown newspaper today! Okay, featured is a bit of an exaggeration. :-) The Daily American had a several-page feature of the "Where Are They Now?" variety with short blurbs about veterans of their County Highlighs page, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. County Highlights is a weekly section of the Daily American featuring articles by local high school students. I wrote for County Highlights my junior and senior years of high school.

I sent in my information months ago, and didn't know when the feature was going to run. This morning, I received an email from one of the editors letting me know that the article was in today's paper. That inspired me to put on this green and grey outfit. I've had the suit since high school (my sophmore year, I think?). It is officially the first suit I've ever owned, and by far, the oldest one in my closet. These are also my school colors. Okay, so my high school colors are actually Green and White, not green and grey. But hey, it's called artistic license. :-) Go North Star Cougars! Go Green and White!

Where:
work

What:
Suit Jacket and Skirt: ??? (it's around 15 years old)
Grey Silk Blouse: Victoria's Secret
Grey Tights: ??
Shoes: Lifestride
Earrings: vintage
Necklace: vintage from my grandmother

I know, bad flash. I like the photo anyway.

Yellow and Pink

This outfit was inspired by Esme and the Lane Way, who wore an outfit with a similar color top and skirt with red shoes. Her version used soft colors for the clothes, while my outfit uses deeper brighter hues, and pink shoes instead of red.

Where:
work, alumni dinner in Greektown

What:
Sweater: New York & Co.
White Cami: Wet Seal
Skirt: H&M
Shoes: You by Crocs
Faux Pearls: Macy's
Earrings: gift from my parents
Bag: Liz Claiborne
Corduroy Trench: Express

Pink and Brown

An old pair of boot-cut/flared trousers that I narrowed a bit in the leg.

Where:
work, dinner in Andersonville

What:
Pink Buttondown: Victoria's Secret
Pink T-shirt: Gap
Brown Wrap: New York & Co. (thrifted)
Pants: ??, altered
Belt: B. Moss (came with a pair of pants)
Shoes: from Payless
Earrings: World Market
Scarf: Wet Seal (free!)
Corduroy Trench: Express (almost free)
Suede Backpack: Wilson's Leather

Gold and Brown

Saturday night out with my boyfriend.

Where:
dinner

What:
Dirty Martini T-shirt: from Filene's Basement
Skirt: from L.S. Ayers
Sweater: Target (thrifted)
Leggings: Newport News
Boots: from Payless
Small Gold Hoop Earrings: gift from my parents

Dress Your Best Week: Day 5

This week, I am participating in Academichic's Dress Your Best week. The focus is on dressing to accentuate your best parts, rather than focusing on hiding the parts you don't particularly like. For Day 5, my focus is on my legs. Again.

This week I've dressed to accentuate my legs, defined waist and curvy hips, thin figure, butt and collarbone. Legs were definitely the easiest to accentuate. When I thought about dressing my favorite parts, most of the outfits that popped into my head were featuring my legs. So I have 4 leg outfits, 2 collarbone outfits, and 1 each for the other parts.

When initially thinking about participating in this, my hands and feet also came to mind as favorite body parts. I was at a loss as to how to dress for my feet other than wearing sandals, and it was way too cold for sandals. I don't really dress to show off my hands, since they always show, but I do usually keep my nails longer and polished. The polish draws attention to my hands and the longer nails visually extend my already slender nicely-shaped fingers.

This week has been a lot of fun. I've enjoyed thinking about my favorite parts while deciding what to wear. I'm LOVING reading all the Dress Your Best posts on other blogs. I'm still working my way through the long list of participants at Academichic.

Where:
work, Second Friday at the Fine Arts Building

What:
Buttondown: Gap
Skirt: thrifted
Tights: Capezio
Work Heels: Newport News
After Work Shoes: Converse
Earrings: both pairs were mine from the early 1990's; they were probably my mom's in the 1980's
Bracelet: thrifted, gift from my boyfriend (yes, he thrifts for me and I thrift for him. too cute, huh?)

Thanks to my boyfriend for today's lovely photographs.

Dress Your Best Week: Day 4

This week, I am participating in Academichic's Dress Your Best week. The focus is on dressing to accentuate your best parts, rather than focusing on hiding the parts you don't particularly like. For Day 4, my focus is on my legs again.

My legs were the first body part I learned to appreciate asthetically. I began receiving compliments on them in high school. I quickly learned that other people thought my legs were attractive. While I knew others thought I had nice legs, it took me a while to actually see my legs as attractive. Once I discovered for myself that I had pretty legs, I would dress occasionally in short skirts to show them off.

Once I started dancing, I learned to appreciate my legs for their flexibility and strength, as well as for their asthetic appeal. Living in the city for the last several years, I've come to appreciate how great it is to be able to walk and use public transportation to get pretty much anywhere rather than having to drive. I again appreciate my legs for their ability to transport me around.

If you want to see others who are participating in Academichic's Dress Your Best week, the list of participants can be found here.

Where:
work

What:
Sweater: American Eagle Outfitters
Camisole: Wet Seal
Shorts: Express
Socks: H&M
Shoes: Ann Taylor LOFT (thrifted)
Black Hoop Earrings: Aldo
Black Cameo Necklace: thrifted