I Haz a Cold?

{Similar Blazer, Top, Similar Sweater, Jeans, Wedges}
I'm hopped up on cold medicine today and all I can get out are three random sentences. I stared at the screen for a solid 10 minutes trying to piece them together but to no avail. So here you go. Three very random sentences:
It's rainy and cold here today.
 I wore a similar outfit back in the spring and wanted to bring it back, winter-edition.
I've got mad love for tie blouses lately. -----------And I digress. Cold medicine is good.

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After Five

{Jeans, Similar Men's Shirt, Boots, Similar Blazer, Bag c/o Hobo}
Well. This is what I've worked all day looks like, not the usual fresh out of the shower posts I give you. Slightly greasy hair that starts forming odd bumps throughout. Makeup that over the last 8 hours has slowly disappeared into my pores which will magically reappear in 2-5 days as an angry zit. And wrinkles, oh the wrinkles, all over. Even in places that it doesn't make sense to have wrinkle (see jacket sleeve where absolutely no body part is able to bend). 
But do I still take outfit photos? Of course I do. It's part dedication, part habit, part OCD, part vanity, part crazy and a little bit of the Bieber Fever. That's what keeps me going. 

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Sweaters & Stripes

{Sweater, Similar Top, Jeans, Boots, Bag}
Yet another cozy outfit from the weekend. What is it about winter that makes me want to wrap up in big cozy sweaters lately? Oh. Yes, the cold weather.... good call. 
I'll be out finishing (AKA starting) my christmas shopping today. I'm sure no one else will be out shopping, right? I should be able to find front row parks and just cruise down the aisles with no crowds. Procrastination always prevails. 

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Neutral

{Similar Sweater, Fossil Skirt, Boots, Necklace 1, Necklace 2}
I woke up today at 5 am for no apparent reason but I did have this outfit in mind and I remembered to pay a bill on time. Thanks subconscious but 5 am is a nasty time to wake someone up and tell them about an outfit. 
I bought this sweater (yes, from myself, I'm that good of a salesman) this weekend and I've already worn it 3 times since. It's hard to go wrong with a neutral sweater. In other words, you won't mind if I wear this again this week will you? I didn't think so.
(Why yes, this is the skirt from the Fossil lookbook. Good catch there, hawk eyes.)

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Over The Weekend

{Similar Sweater, Similar Jeans, Purse, Similar Scarf}

I swapped (which actually felt like stealing) these J.Brand jeans at the Payless swap a few weeks ago. Who just gives up mint condition J.Brand jeans? This girl does. I was like a hawk on these jeans. Don't mess with me at a swap. I will tear you up.

I mixed this outfit + this outfit together and ended up with this outfit. Thank goodness for Pinterest. Can I get an amen? 

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Three Color Rule

{Blouse, Similar Sweater, Similar Coat, Similar Jeans}
When I was a little girl, I basically was given hand me downs every year. Which was fine by me because I'd see my sister wear something and I couldn't wait to get my little hands on it. As I was in Target yesterday I saw a mom hold up a graphic tee to her 2 year old and ask her if she'd wear that with her jeggings. The 2 year old obviously didn't care but I thought it was cute so I relayed this story to my mother in disbelief that a mom would consult her 24 month old on what she would wear. 
"Well I had to give you the 3-color rule when you wear that age.""What? You gave me rules? I didn't need rules." "You would put all of these crazy colors together and I'd say 'baby, pick your three favorite colors and just wear those.' And it would work every time."
So I used that rule today. I picked my favorite three colors and went with it. I don't know if this is on Nina Garcia's style rules, but it worked for me. Thanks, mom. 

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Wearing the Pants

{Similar Shirt, Similar Cardigan, Shoes}
Lately, I can't get enough of pants. Which is weird because if you look through my archives, you can see my slight obsession with skirts and dresses over the last two years. You see, after I hit the corporate world right after college, I didn't know a) how to dress my body and b) what to wear to the offic. One time someone told me I looked good in pants, so I stuck with it. So the sick cycle began: Corporate wear = pants from the Limited with generic top, then add cardigan. When I started styling blogging, wearing a skirt was pure freedom. I felt like a rebel every time I showed up in a cute skirt. And colored tights was the quiet equivalent of me re-enacting the 'Freedom' scene from Braveheart in the middle of the office. So it's a little surprising to me that my return to pants was so sudden, but I just can't enough. See you again in two years, skirts. (I kid. I don't like pants that much.)

PS -- Yes, my glasses are from BonLook! The style isn't available anymore but these are similar.

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Mad for Plaid

{Shirt, Similar Pants, Similar Boots, Clutch}
I think my mother likes me better on the internet than in person. Case in point: I saw her yesterday in this outfit. She asked "why have you not posted this yet? I miss your outfits." I was standing in front of her, and I would have blogger posed for her had she asked. But yet she wanted a post. So mom, this post is for you.
I've grown quite fond of plaid shirts lately. But sometimes I feel like a guy when I wear plaid. So what do I do? I put a tweed blazer over my plaid shirt, naturally. Nothing says feminine like a heavy tweed blazer. 

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Pleather Please

{Similar Blazer, Necklace, Shoes, Bracelet, Watch (c/o Fossil)}
Good news you guys, I found pleather pants. On sale. In my size. I'm almost certain I saw a light from heaven shine down on the sale rack in Gap that day, but I can't be sure. Now there are only a few downsides to pleather leggings. 1) It's hard to bend your knee, which in turn makes a lot of everyday activities difficult. Not impossible, but difficult. 2) Sweaty. I'll just leave it at that. 
The only other problem is that they draw a lot of attention to your lower half. My knees haven't received this much attention since those yellow tights that looked like my jaundiced skin. Good thing I really like the shape of my knees. 

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Lessons in Style

{Dress,Similar Blazer, Similar Boots, Bag} I've had this dress for a while but haven't quite known how to style it. Mainly because it's t-shirt material and while t-shirts look good on my top half, they don't always look good on my bottom half. Really when I stretch any type of thin material from my top to my bottom, I'm going to feel iffy about it, especially when I eat or sit. Two of my favorite things to do. The solution: layers. I've put so many layers I bet you didn't even realize that there was a dress under there. So what did we learn today? When in doubt, layer.  Class dismissed.  (Bonus points for any answer involving 'Spanx'.)

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Meow

{Shop: Similar Blouse, Similar Jeans, Ankle Boots, Bag}
Every Halloween I feel so lame. Ever since becoming an adult (who is still cutting baby teeth) I don't dress up and celebrate -- not because I don't believe in fun but mainly because I'm that lazy. What will we do tonight? Leave all of our lights off and eat candy corn, alone in the dark until I pass out from my sugar high. This is every Monday night, but usually we leave the lights on. 
Newsflash: I just saw a man in a coffee shop having a business meeting dressed as Tigger. I applaud his bravery and his dedication to the holiday. I on the other hand also dressed in costume today. Leopard print -- get it? I'm a cat.

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Preppy

{Shop: Skirt, Boots, Bag}
Well I knew this day would come -- I had to retire my old faithful Steve Madden boots. Resoled or not, they were getting nasty. Three years of wear, three years of memories. I'm tearing up over here. I was pretty certain that I would buy the same ones again but then I found this pair. And as sad as I was to give them away, my sadness immediately cleared when I slipped this pair on. If Kate Middleton could be a shoe, I think it would be these boots.  Is love to strong of a word to use for shoes? What about best friend or dream come true? 
I realize I have an unnatural love for my closet. Just let me be. 

(Secret message to my grandmother: Thank you for the birthday money, you kindly bought me new boots.)

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Foggy

{Shop: Lace Top, Cranberry Pants, Loafer Pump (c/o Nine West), Necklace}
On the day that I decided to straighten my new hair, it mists and fogs. But the good news is it made for some pretty/creepy photos. Pretty and creepy is my speciality after all, so I'm pretty pleased. Even if my hair frizzed up five minutes after this photo.
Usually I'm better at posting early on Monday mornings but this weekend was bananas. We shot a wedding in New Orleans on Saturday and then ended up back at the shop yesterday, needless to say outfit photos did not happen. I need to throw this out there: how do celebrities always look so put together while traveling? I look o.k. going onto a plane and then by the end of a 70-minute flight I look a hot mess.  I'm sweaty, my hair is disheveled, I have stains on my shirt, I've lost a shoe. Okay so maybe every morning is a foggy morning for me.

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