i know what boys like...

 

...and apparently it's not in this outfit.

The whole dressing for your man/dressing for others thing has been played out a thousand times on the internet, but I never really thought about it until yesterday when Chris took one look at my outfit and asked me why I was dressed like such a hippie in my "camping shirt, JHORTS, and Jesus sandals". 

I didn't particularly think I looked like a hippie. I was excited to wear my new shIrt (which, btw, doesn't look this wrinkly in real life) and for a warm day walking around Madison, shorts and comfortable sandals only made sense. I suppose that I don't really dress for my man, or really anybody else. I'm the one who has to wear the clothes, which I think takes precedence over other people merely looking at them, but I don't want people to have a bad reaction to them either. We all know boys "don't get it" most of the time, and I'm not offended that Chris may not have liked my outfit that day because he usually does, but it does make me wonder....who are you dressing for?

Shirt: Vera Moda Germany [save | splurge]

Shorts: Gap Outlet

Sandals: Target [exact]

Watch: Target [even better similar]

Bracelet: c/o Apple of My Eye

also...Audrey was in town yesterday! 

on dressing for the blog

 

I've been blogging for a little over a year now. I've always wanted the blog to help me figure out my sense of style and how I want the pieces in my closet to come together, but I didn't want to change my style for the blog. Especially over the last year, I never put on outfits because I knew I was going to take pictures, but I took pictures because I (mostly) liked what I was wearing. Seeing my outfits every day has made me realize what I like, what I don't like, and what I think I want to look like. I don't buy trends just to be trendy, and I don't buy clothing just because it would be good for the blog. I buy something because I like it and because I believe it fits into my life and with the items in my closet. Some outfits make it on the here, some don't, and that's okay. Because I dress for my life and "for me", it makes it a lot easier to get dressed because there's no pressure.

Except yesterday. 

I was lucky to be asked by 2 Girls, 2 Cities to take part in their monthly challenge, which this month happens to be neon. Bri's Third Thursday Thread link up this month is also neon, and she even jokingly called me out and told me I had to take part in it. YOU GUYS. You know how I feel about neon, but it seems it's a trend that just won't quit and it seems to be coming from all angles. So yesterday I stood in front of my closet trying to figure out what to wear for both challenges and for a day in Chicago. I probably spent 45 minutes trying to figure out what to wear. I own very little "neon" - in quotes because I don't even really have anything true neon, just brighter than normal. I tried a brighter orange tee with my new black and white skirt. I tried my Old Navy striped top. I tried looking through my donate box of clothing to see if I couldn't dig something out to wear. It was so frustrating because I wasn't comfortable in anything I put on. I didn't want to look like a try-hard down in Chicago, I didn't want to be wear something I didn't like, and I didn't want to be super boring. Eventually I convinced myself that these shorts were relatively bright enough but then I didn't know what to wear with it. I didn't want to wear another tee because I didn't want it to appear on the blog like all I own is white or black t-shirts. I didn't want to wear my teal sandals because I just showed those on the blog in the previous post. I didn't know what kind of jewelry would look best in pictures.

on the blog. in pictures. on the internet. for other people.

And eventually I reminded myself that I dress for my life, and not for the blog. So I put on the outfit I felt the most comfortable in, drove down to Chicago, and had a great afternoon walking around Wicker Park getting a sun burn, thrift shopping, and enjoying an evening of guacamole making and tipsy gossiping. 

and it was wonderful and no one cared what I was wearing :)

Tee: Everlane

Shorts: J.Crew Factory [exact]

Shoes: Target [similar]

Watch: Target [similar]

Bracelet: c/o Apple of My Eye Jewelry [exact]

five

I found this vintage blazer at Goodwill a few weeks ago, and it luckily had the color tag of the weekend, so it only cost me $4. I hesitate to call things vintage because really, who knows, but I feel this one is definitely from a previous generation. The quality is great, the lining is beautiful, and the buttons are real leather. The label says Justin Ltd, but that doesn't mean anything to me or google. 

I wanted to wear it for one of my last days of work because once I'm done (four more days!), almost all of my cold weather/high AC clothing is being packed up to be shipped to me at the end of July. I was hoping that my nude wedges would have gotten here in time so that I could wear my new jeans but no such luck. I'm going to miss my colder weather clothes just because I like them a lot more than my almost non existant summer items. I did go to Old Navy the other day though specifically to find shorts similar to Whitney's, and got lucky when I found this pair and this pair. Both were on clearance, and less than $7 each in store. With some left over giftcard money, I only spent $5 in the store. 

You guys are going to get so sick of seeing them this summer.

Blazer: thrifted [similar-ish]

Tee: Tahara via TJ Maxx

Jeans: Joe's Jeans [same style]

Belt: Madewell [exact on sale]

Shoes: Nine West [save | splurge]

Bag: Coach via Etsy [current style]

Nails: Essie Spagetti Strap

Watch: Target [MK knock off version]

the light this morning was so pretty...

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.

a neon moment + [giveaway]

 

I'm wearing neon.

Okay, so when neon first came around in this decade, this is how I felt about it:

But now I'm more like this:

Ok, only a slight exaggeration. I can see the appeal though, especially when it comes as a $6 tee. I doubt that I'll buy anything else neon because one item is enough, but I intend to wear the heck out of this shirt this summer. 

I guess I should never say never. What's next, wedge sneakers?! 

Tee: Old Navy [exact on clearance]

Jeans: American Eagle [exact]

Shoes: Aldo [save | splurge]

Watch: Target

Bracelet: gift from Caroline :)

And for today's moment that doesn't include awesome Saved by the Bell gifs, the pups and I went over to fellow Madison blogger Dani's for a puppy play date with her adorable dog Walter. We had a a great time hanging out on their beautiful porch, eating, drinking, and chatting about both life and blogging. Dani blogs at Life's a Journal and also has an Etsy shop where she sells these so smart notepads. She was so sweet and gave me one to try out. I think I'm going to save the majority of them for when school starts but seriously, how smart of an idea is this? It organizes your whole life for you, down to how many glasses of water to drink. If you are interested in trying one out, you can get 10% off your order with the code FranFan (awesome right?) or you can try to win one with the rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

fixations

 

You guys. Remember how in my April Budget post I said that I had ordered this Gap blazer online because I wanted it in a "tall", and because they were having a 30% already reduced items promotion? Well, it came yesterday and I'M IN LOVE I'M IN LOVE and I don't care who knows it! It is so cute. It's that bright and fun blazer I wanted when I ordered this floral blazer, but it's going to be so much more versatile and actually wearable. I feel so content with this purchase, a feeling I didn't have when I ordered that Zara blazer. I'm really excited to wear it!

Okay, so now about today's actual topic: things that make me uncomfortable. I don't know how much this qualifies, but I'm a person who fixates on repetitive motions or sounds, which annoys me and therefore makes me uncomfortable. Does that make sense? For example: pen clickers. or people who twirl their hair. or foot tappers. or whistlers. or even worse, hummers. I get so distracted by those motions or out of place noises that I just fixate on them and how much I hate it, and I just want to crawl out of my skin. In college there was a girl in my physiology class who always happened to sit in front of me no matter where I sat, and she was a hair twirler. I always had to hold up a notebook to shield my eyes. I would sometimes even "accidentally" kick her chair to see if it would startle her out of the twirling. It never worked.

There you have it, people of the internet. I am a crazy person.

Shirt: Forever 21* [similar]

Cardigan: NY&Co.

Jeans: American Eagle [exact]

Glasses: c/o Firmoo

Necklace: Forever 21 [exact - I'd love the silver too!]

Watch: Target

Shoes: Tory Burch [save | exact]

*This shirt used to have sleeves, but it's also from Forever 21...which means the quality isn't always the most reliable. It lasted a good 6 months but then the sleeves just started to tear on the cuffs. I cut off the sleeves and it's now a great layering shirt :)

via Instagram.

Also, this outfit is a direct copy of this pin. I knew it would be the perfect inspiration for the Pantone Color Challenge!

lines & edges

 

I've been slightly obsessed with finding a geometric top after seeing this pin (Kendi's original here). The print is not something I really gravitate towards usually but for some reason I couldn't let it go. I always kept an eye out for something similar whenever I was shopping so I was really excited when I finally found this shirt at the Banana Republic Factory store this weekend. I know it will get a lot of wear now and once school starts because it is so so soft and can be worn a whole number of different ways.

And speaking of shirts that would get a lot of wear....have you been looking for the perfect striped long sleeved tee? Banana Republic currently has theirs on sale for $21.99, and with their 30% promotion that ends today, it's down to $15.40. Thank you to Professionally Petite for introducing it on her March Budget post!

Blouse: Banana Republic Factory [save | extreme splurge]

Cardigan: Thrifted [similar]

Jeans: American Eagle [exact]

Necklace: gift from my sister [similar]

Shoes: Tory Burch [exact]

Watch: Target

P.S. I promise my hair doesn't stand up on its own like that. That wind is brisk!

no springing, just jumping

What, you expected that I wasn't going to wear my new shirt right away? We all know better.

While it was only 6 degrees on the first official day of spring, I felt it would only be appropriate to wear my new floral scarf that Audrey tracked down for me (what a gem that girl is), and my favorite belt. I got this Madewell belt last summer on clearance (worn here), but it looks like they brought it back again this year - smart move, Madewell. 

Don't forget! Monday starts the 5 Days, 5 Ways link up - first up is tops! I can't wait to see all the ways you've worn a shirt / jacket / vest / something that covers the top part of your body.

Looking for a way to make a collage? I use iPiccy for every collage I make - it's super easy to use.

Chambray: J.Crew Factory  [exact]
Jeans: Urban Outfitters  [exact]
Scarf: Target
Belt: Madewell   [exact]
Shoes: Nine West  [save | splurge]
Watch: Target [LOVE this similar white style]
Bracelet: Forever 21
Nails: Essie Fifth Avenue







P.S. Kimmie said she was going to ban me from the internet if I didn't post this picture. I was trying to spring forward. It is truly embarrassing and awful but also hilarious. Hilariously awful.

P.P.S. One day left to enter the above the knuckle ring giveaway!

mind changer

I don't really plan my outfits in advance (I really should though, as I keep telling myself) so the great thing about blog challenges is that it gives me a direction when getting dressed. Marion's monthly trend this month is lace, so I knew I wanted to wear my Forever 21 lace tee...as it's one of the only lace items I own (so that makes the decision for me!). Bri's link up for Third Thursday Threads was winterizing a warmer weather item, so what's better than...a tee! 

So to winterize it I decided to wear a button down underneath it like I have in the past. I wore my leopard button up, that I generally shy away from, in hopes that I could find a new way to wear it. Although I liked the outfit just fine when I left my house, I quickly grew to hating it when I started to take pictures. It felt unnatural - the colors didn't go together, the leopard always scares me, and I dont know - I just didn't like it!

So I hopped into my car, took the shirt off, and felt much better. 

Tee: Forever 21  [exact]
Blazer: thrifted
Jeans: American Eagle [exact]
Necklace: Ann Taylor Outlet  [save | splurge]
Watch: Target
Shoes: Tory Burch  [exact]

via Instagram

also linking up with wiww.






Have you entered the above the knuckle ring giveaway yet?

chance of flurries

oh hey! surprise! it's still snowing here in Wisconsin. I know that if you read any fashion blogs at all you would think that spring has sprung, that the birds are chirping, and that flowers everywhere are blooming.

not here.


don't worry, we're used to having flash blizzards in May so a few flurries in March is fine...

...except when you try to take pictures of yourself outside.

Blazer: H&M  [similar]
Tee: Forever 21  [exact]
Jeans: Joe's Jeans  [same style]
Scarf: H&M
Shoes: Crown Vintage [save | splurge]
Purse: Madewell  [exact]
Watch: Target [check in stores]
Glasses: c/o Firmoo*


*I received this pair of glasses from Firmoo last week and I've really enjoyed having a second pair to rotate with my other glasses. I really like the color and style of frames available - I had a pretty hard time deciding which frames to get so I choose to get something similar to what I already works on my face. The glasses are great - my only hesitation with ordering glasses online is that no one fits them specifically to your head like they would at the optometrists. If you are interested in trying out a pair, Firmoo offers first time customers a free pair - you can find out more here.

Also. The nice thing about documenting what I wear every day (ok, most days) is that I can go back and see how I've worn items in the past. I went to go see how I've worn this blazer and I realized that the second to last time I wore it was the day after I found out I was rejected from my #1 school choice. Today when I wore it I turned in my notice for my last day of work for when I leave to go to my #2 choice. Kind of interesting, no? No? Fine.











Linking up with Style Elixir and wiww. 

adding piping to a blazer

If you follow me on instagram, you are already sick of seeing this blazer but I appreciate you all sticking around ;) I bought this blazer last week at Goodwill, and while I really like the color and fit, it was a tad...boring. I was itching  to do some sort of project, so I decided to add ribbon piping to this blazer.

by hand.

(because how else would one do this? please don't answer that question or else I'm afraid I'll go throw myself against a wall)

I was first debating doing leopard or a gold patterned ribbon, but some fellow bloggers brought me back to my senses. Leopard would have been fun, but cream is a lot more versatile.

It only took me one SNL episode (with the Biebs...shudder), the Grammys (red carpet and show), and one episode of the RHOBH to finish it. With Christopher on another away rotation, only quality television is watched at our house. So it did take me a while, but I'm thrilled with the outcome. 

I used a 7/8 inch ribbon purchased at JoAnn's Fabric Store for about $2.50 (if you have one near you make sure you download their app - they always have 40% off coupons, sometimes 50% off!). I ironed it (with my hair straightener...) in half. I used a binder clip to keep the ribbon in place, and then just stitched down the line. I also replaced the button with a gold button, also purchased at JoAnns. Overall, this blazer + revamp cost me about $11. Not to shabby, especially with this similar blazer costing 8 times as much.

Blazer: Thrifted, altered  {similar}

Shirt: Forever 21  {exact}

Jeans: American Eagle  {exact}

Belt: Aeropostale?

Necklace: Forever 21  {similar}

Bag: Madewell  {exact}

Watch: Target

Shoes: Rocket Dog via DSW  {exact}

...a total cop out for TOPIO, but I was just too excited to wear this blazer to wait.

linking up with thrifters anonymous!