three

It's been so muggy out the last few days - the kind of weather where the temperatures aren't really high enough to warrant the AC but it's so uncomfortable you turn it on anyway. Blah blah blah, weather weather weather. Our labs are kept at near freezing, so it's always a bit annoying figuring out what to wear.

In other news, I have two days of work left. Chris is currently in Chicago so he can take the boards tomorrow morning. I wish this Target dress either had no sleeve or a full short sleeve because it looks adorable on Lydia. I'm getting Culvers for dinner and I'm already excited about the idea of a cheeseburger. I'll probably spend the night catching up on the Bachelorette.

my life, it's thrilling.

Tee: Everlane

Pants: Gap [save | splurge]

Cardigan: BR Factory 

Earrings: Tiffany & Co. [exact]

Watch: c/o Daniel Wellington [exact]

Shoes: Sam Edelman [exact]

Linking up with mix and match fashion!

hard & soft

I ordered this necklace and this bracelet over the Memorial Day weekend and they finally arrived last night. I've been thinking about ways that I can put quick and easy outfits together once school starts, and versatile accessories are the easiest way to top off any outfit. The necklace is a bit heavier than I thought it would be (I feel that a lot of the jewelry at Forever 21 is hollow and this one isn't), but I feel that I'll be grabbing for it a lot to top off quick outfits of pants, blouses, and cardigans/blazers. The color is obviously versatile, but the shape and size makes it special. The bracelet isn't anything to write home about, but I like that the shape of the bracelet plays off of the shape of the necklace.

Blouse: Everlane

Jeans: Joe's Jeans [same style on sale!]

Necklace: Forever 21 [exact]

Bracelet: Forever 21 [exact]

Shoes: Sam Edelman [exact]

Ring: Jewelmint [exact]

P.S. I'd really appreciate it if you could take 2 seconds to vote for me here! Thank you to all of you who have already pressed the little heart :)

Linking up with mix and match fashion!

color rut

 

Last week I wore chambray, then coral, then chambray, and then coral again. It was completely unintentional but it did make me think about how that happened. As I was going through my closet again the other day weeding out more items to sell/donate, I realized that my entire wardrobe is white, pink/red, blue, and black. I wonder if we all tend to gravitate towards certain colors more in our wardrobe, or do most people have a more balanced closet? I want to branch out, but are my purchases over the past years telling me that what I'm doing is working for me, or are they telling me I'm stuck in a color rut?

Blazer: Gap [exact now $49.99 + 25% off]

Tee: Everlane

Jeans: American Eagle [exact]

Shoes: Sam Edelman [exact]

Necklace:gift from my sister/H&M 

Rings: Jewelmint [exact]

Nails: Essie Lapiz of Luxury 

via instagram

one year of budgetting: a slap on the wrist / pat on the back

I purchased this anchor belt last summer, and I think it may have been the smartest purchasing decision I made those months. If I look back to what I actually did purchase a year ago (May/ June/ July), I'm not really wearing those items any more (except this belt of course). I was making a lot of impulse purchases, not thinking about what I wanted my style to be, and what I wanted in my closet. I wasn't thinking about how I could re-wear items, how they fit on my body, and if the trends were something I wanted to spend my money on.

I started working with a budget a year ago, and I've definitely learned a lot since then. I've sold or donated most of the items from a year ago actually, and it makes me angry that I wasn't better about shopping then. I'm no where near a perfect shopper now, and I still make shopping mistakes, but I do feel like my purchases are adding something to my closet other than just another item I won't own a year from now. Between my list of items I would like to add, and understanding my preferred style better, I feel the purchases I've made recently won't end up in someone else's closet by this time next year. For example, my new nude flats have already been worn three times this week. They were something I identified was missing in my closet, I took the time looking for a quality pair that is comfortable (which these are! they were comfortable from the second I put them on and have required absolutely no breaking in, which is a first for me), and now I feel I could wear them everyday.

I still have a lot to learn about being a smart shopper, especially with the transition my wardrobe is going to take in the coming months, but I'm proud of where I am now as compared to a year ago.

Blouse: J.Crew Factory [exact]

Skirt: thrifted

Belt: Madewell [exact on sale]

Tights: Target

Shoes: Sam Edelman [exact]
Necklace: Forever 21 [exact]

Earrings: Ralph Lauren [exact]

Watch: Target [save | dream]
Nails: Essie Fifth Avenue + Julep Oscar

downside of taking your own pictures: no one around to tell you your necklace is all wanky.

duplicates?

I bought this shirt over Thanksgiving break and I'm actually kind of disappointed that I didn't get a few more colors during that 50% the entire store sale. I'm not one to buy duplicates, but I just feel really comfortable in this shirt - it isn't too tight in the arms, it fits across my chest, and is long enough on me. 

How common is it to buy duplicates of something - do you own anything in multiple colors?  I guess it makes sense that if you find something that you love it would be beneficial to own several variations. 

Shirt: J.Crew Factory [exact]

Jeans: American Eagle [exact]

Necklace: Forever 21

Belt: Gap [same style]

Bracelet: Australian souvenir

Flats: Sam Edelman [exact]

...Friday Favorite Remix...

1 | 2 | 3

perfection pressure

 

I almost always take my pictures before work, except today when my battery died after one picture because my camera had somehow turned on in my purse and drained the battery. After work, my co-worker Emily came over so we could make the bouquets for her wedding (we made them like this!) so I again coerced her into taking my pictures. The problem with taking pictures at the end of a work day is that clothes don't really look as nice as they do 45 minutes after putting them on in the morning. I suppose the point of my blog is to show what a girl who works under a lab coat all day looks like, and so this is it, wrinkled pants and flat hair and all. 

I do feel a sense of pressure from myself, and just the blogging world as a whole, to be more put together. I wish I could be so effortlessly beautiful, just swipe on some red lipstick in the morning and go, but I feel lipstick draws attention to my small mouth and chubby cheeks. I wish I could wear heels to work and therefore on my blog because wearing flats all the time means stumpy legs are a constant issue when I take pictures of my outfits. I wish I didn't take 30 pictures just to find one that I feel okay with putting on here. There are a lot of things I wish were different, but I think the biggest thing I've learned from blogging my outfits is that it's okay that it's not perfect. Personally, I read blogs because I like to see what real women out there are actually wearing to work and in life. If I wanted to see fake perfection, I'll crack open a magazine. Seeing what woman wear on the job, or while raising a family is more inspiring than anything I've read in Glamour.

So I guess my piece of advice is to accept your so call "imperfections" because it may be what people like the most about you.

Blouse: H&M [similar]

Pants: The Limited [similar]

Necklace: Forever 21 [exact]

Watch: Kate Spade [exact]

Belt: Old Navy [similar]

Shoes: Sam Edelman via Nordstrom Rack [exact]