40 again

Tonight I attended the 40th Birthday party of a friend. This is the second 40th birthday party I've attended in one week.

When:
Saturday, July 31, 2010

Where:
friend's surprise 40th birthday party

What:
Wrap, Cami and Shorts: all newly thrifted
Sandals: Cynthia Vincent for Target
Bag: H&M
Snake Earrings: from a boutique in Lincoln Park
Bracelet: mix of gift from Sabrina and vintage from my mother

Go Sox

My boyfriend and I went to a Chicago White Sox game with a friend. We sat on the lower level closest to the field. We walked around to the concourse area where the tv cameras are positioned to meet up with a few people. Great view from there! My boyfriend and I took these pictures about 7 feet to the right of the tv camera.

My boyfriend had planned to change to more casual clothes for the game, but he forgot his jeans, so he just put on his Chuck Taylors and his John Deer hat with his regular work clothes. Isn't he adorable?

When:
Friday, July 30, 2010

Where:
White Sox game at Cellular Field

What (on me):
White Sox shirt: Adidas, genuine Major League Baseball (newly thrifted, $3 or $3.50)
Silver Hoop Earrings: Aldo
Bag: ?? (thrifted)
Denim Cutoffs (not visible): Gap (thrifted)
Sandals (not visible): Etienne Aigner

My boyfriend (sorry for the poor lighting):

All Thrifted!

Everything I'm wearing is thrifted! The clothes, the shoes, the jewelry, the bag! Everything!

Ok, so technically not everything. The earrings are mine from the early 1990's, purchased new back then, but I never thrift earrings and I almost always wear them, so the only way I'll every have an all-thrifted outfit is to not wear earrings, or not count them. So I'm not counting them. Besides, they're teeny-tiny. Barely visible. Enough excuses?

This is the first time, though, that everything else in my outfit has been thrifted. All the clothes, my (non-earring) jewelry, my shoes and my bag. Usually, I get close, but then I have one or two things that I bought new - usually a piece of jewelry, but sometimes the shoes or the bag or the cardigan. So today is a first. Yay!

When:
Friday, July 30, 2010

Where:
work

What:
Top: Old Navy (newly thrifted)
Skirt: Ann Taylor LOFT (newly thrifted)
Sandals: Franco Sarto (thrifted)
Cameo Necklace: ?? (thrifted)
Bag: ?? (thrifted)
Faux Pearl Earrings: mine from the 1990's

Blue and Pink and Stripes

Notice how I've worn my hair up every day, save one, for the last three weeks? And it didn't look very good the one day I wore it down? That's a sign that I'm waaaaay overdue for a hair cut. I had really long hair most of my life. I started experimenting with shorter cuts in my later 20's. I think short hair is more flattering on me, but I haven't adjusted to the extra maintenance required by shorter hair.

I'll have to get my hair cut soon. Clare's short hair looks great, and she gets it cut somewhere that serves beer, so I'm thinking I totally need to book an appointment there. Now, I just need to search her archives to find the name of the place...

Speaking of Clare and hair, she's giving away a Misikko Hana Elite flat iron. Why don't you pop on over to her blog, read her review, and leave a comment on this post? You'll be entered to win a Misikko Hana Elite flat iron of your very own.

When:
Thursday, July 29, 2010

Where:
work, grocery shopping

What:
Linen Skirt: Banana Republic (thrifted)
Shirt: Gap
Tie: Andhurst (thrifted)
Sandals: Franco Sarto (thrifted)
Silver Cuff Bracelet: from MoJo Jewelry
Earrings: World Market
Bag: ?? (thrifted)

Shades of Green and Blue and New

My first photos inside my (soon-to-be) new home! I think I mentioned that my boyfriend recently bought 2-flat in the suburbs. He moved into one of the units in June, a lovely 3-bedroom that I helped him organize and decorate. I will be joining him at the end of the summer when my lease expires.

I'm so excited about living with my boyfriend, but I'm a little nervous about moving to the suburbs. With the money I'll be able to save though by not paying rent on my (teeny tiny adorable bright charming vintage I'm-so-in-love-with-it) studio apartment in Lakeview, we'll be buying a place back in the city in no time flat. Any advice on how to take a more positive outlook towards my exile to the suburbs? Probably should start by not thinking of it as an exile... :-)

I'm (mostly) kidding. The suburbs are not my cup of tea, but they do have their benefits. I will enjoy the extra space, the back AND front yard (yes, TWO outside areas), easy parking, and quiet dark nights. I already bought myself a pair of red adirondack chairs to celebrate having somewhere to sit outside and enjoy my morning coffee or evening glass of wine. I'll be sharing a home with my boyfriend, which will be great (and which is the entire point), plus the apartment itself is gorgeous and spacious.

When:
Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Where:
work, rehearsal and publicity photos for Private Lives

What:
Dress: ?? (thrifted)
Sweater: from Pink Frog
Sandals: Franco Sarto (newly thrifted)
Bag: ?? (thrifted)
Earrings: World Market
Hair Ribbon: ?? (I may have pulled it off of a cheese-and-wine gift basket)

Silver & White

I didn't work today, so I spent some time at my boyfriend's house helping him clean up from his sister's 40th birthday bash yesterday. I showered right before I was ready to head into the city for dinner (an event with my alumni group), and then realized I didn't have a lot of clothes to choose from at his house, mainly because I had just put practically everything into the laundry. My clothes were still wet because his dryer broke and we've been hang-drying everything. I generally prefer to hang-dry most of my clothes anyway, but with the broken dryer I didn't have the option to dry something quickly and wear it to dinner. So I borrowed one of his shirts. I like it on me!

When:
Monday, July 26, 2010

Where:
alumni dinner

What:
White men's button-down: Paul Frederick (borrowed)
White men's tank: Tommy Hilfiger
Silver Skirt: ?? (thrifted)
Sandals: Etienne Aigner
Bag: ?? (newly thrifted)

Anniversary

One year ago yesterday:

It's been one year (and one day) since I posted my first daily outfit picture on clothes, inter alia! Looking back at what I was wearing this time last year, I suddenly remembered that 2009 was a fairly cold summer. Right now, we're in the midst of a crazy heat wave. Much more typical of Chicago summers.

When:
Thursday, July 23, 2009

Thursday

It was just one of those days. I love this top, but it just wouldn't lay right today. The tie kept twisting funny, the neck kept getting off kilter, inexplicable wrinkles appeared out of nowhere, and the lining was doing some funny stuff. I should have known it was a bad omen when I spilled coffee down the front of my shirt in my first meeting today. At least the coffee spots rinsed right out and the silk dried in less than 20 minutes.

I wore the same suit and top a few weeks ago with different shoes, hair and accessories.

When:
Thursday, July 22, 2010

Where:
work, fundraising event

What:
Suit Jacket & Skirt: Express
Tie-neck Top: Express
Shoes: Cynthia Vincent for Target
Flower Pin: vintage from my grandmother
Palm Tree Earrings: from Israel (gift)
Bag: Frankie & Johnnie (thrifted)

Polka Dots

When:
Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Where:
work

What:
Dress: Limited (thrifted)
Blouse: Victoria's Secret
Belt: New York & Co.
Shoes: Newport News
Bag: Frankie & Johnnie (thrifted)
Cross Necklace: from the Notre Dame bookstore
Silver Hoop Earrings: Aldo

Navy and Dark Red

I went thrifting yesterday and found a bunch of nice work clothes, including this dress. I also found another $7 suit, some winter pants and a few blouses.

This must be my power dress, because I was elected president of a fundraising board tonight. To be fair, no one else volunteered for the role so it wasn't much of a contest. Our goal is to raise sufficient funds to help a local theater company to produce Rent. I'm so excited about the show!! The fundraising itself is exciting. We'll be holding a karaoke fundraiser this fall. I'll post details once we confirm the date. Come, if you're in the area. Should be a blast!

When:
Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Where:
work, board meeting

What:
Dress: Delia*s (thrifted, $6) (new to me!)
Earrings: hand-me-down from someone in my family, vintage
Sandals: Lifestride (clearance, $5)
Bag (not pictured): Liz Claiborne (thrifted)
Sweater: Ann Taylor LOFT

Summer Business Casual

These pants are a bit warmer than I had expected them to be. Good for cooler days, but perhaps I'll avoid wearing them when the temps crawl into the 80's.

My new ring! I got it last month and I've worn it several times, but this is its first blog appearance. I love it with the pale blue-green nail polish I've been wearing the past few weeks, and I still love it with my short dark red nails.

My feather earrings were purchased from a street vendor in Mexico City. I'm re-reading the Twilight Saga (just finished Eclipse last night) and I was thinking about Bella's bracelet with the wolf and heart charms while getting dressed this morning. That might have influenced my choice to wear feathers.

My first time through the Twilight series, I was neither Team Edward nor Team Jacob. Both guys had their appeal and both guys had seriously troubling qualities, particularly Edward. I probably would prefer to date someone a bit more like Jacob, but I always thought Bella should end up with Edward because of how strongly she felt about him. This time though, I'm a little less neutral, and I'm starting to become a Team Jacob sympathizer.

When:
Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Where:
work

What:
White Buttondown: Banana Republic (thrifted, $2)
Vest: vintage from my mother
Pants: Ann Taylor (thrifted, $2-3)
Sandals: Lifestride (clearance, $5)
Feather Earrings: purchased from a street vendor in Mexico City
Ring: Forever XXI
Bag: Liz Claiborne (thrifted)

90's floral

I made this dress when I was in high school. It was my first time sewing princess seams. They were not easy. I love the criss-crossed straps in the back and the way the dress flares out when I turn.

When:
Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Where:
work

What:
Dress: made by me in the 1990's
Sweater: Ann Taylor LOFT
Sandals: Lifestride
Earrings: vintage

Lacey

When:
Friday, July 9, 2010

Where:
work, Freddie's

What:
Dress: from Filene's Basement (new!)
Nude Tunic Tank: Forever XXI (new)
Sandals: Lifestride
Earrings: vintage
Cameo: vintage from my mother