Yep, same pants again today. Since yesterday was a snow day, we didn’t leave the house meaning I can wear these pants again. Okay, let’s be real, even if I did leave and people saw me, I’d still rewear them. At least it cuts down on laundry.

I find that I’m drawn to neutrals so I wanted to give this outfit a pop of color.  I purchased this clutch from Etsy as a wedding gift to myself and then purchased five more (in varying colors and patterns) as bridesmaids’ gifts for my wedding party. They don’t hold much, and I wish there was small pocket on the inside, but I love it just the same. I picked this one out specifically because I thought it would give my outfits a bright pop of color, and I was right.

I also think fuchsia or hot pink would look really good with these rock gray pants; maybe that will be my next purchase. I almost didn’t get these pants because I wasn’t sure I would be able to wear them with much, but I’ve come up with so many outfits in my mind with them that I’ve had to write them all down so I could create them without leaving any out!

And here’s a fun one:

I get very excited when it snows. I have visions of building snow people, sledding, and starting snowball fights with the neighborhood kids. The reality is that I walk around for a while until my toes get cold, and then I go inside and have mug of hot cocoa and watch TV. Last night I had plans of taking pretty snow pictures with my new camera; needless to say none of these things actually happened today!

I used the colors in my rain boots as inspiration for this outfit. When it’s cold out, I automatically think of this thick cable knit sweater because it’s really warm. I also purchased this knit infinity scarf recently and figured pairing the two would keep me toasty, and I was right. Plus, the colors are in the boots!

I needed a completer piece that would tie it all together but keep it comfy and casual. The majority of my blazers are too formal so I went with my denim jacket. I was a little worried that I wouldn’t be warm enough with just a sweater and jacket, but surprisingly, it was! I tested it by taking Mia for a walk, and trust me, she takes her sweet time. Then we took some photos and played around in the back yard. Only my toes got cold! Rain boots aren’t insulated and my socks weren’t thick enough, but they kept my feet dry and that’s good enough for me!

The weather briefly warmed up a bit and I could wear this cute skirt and thin tights without freezing my tooshie off.  Nick picked out the skirt because he has awesome taste and I know he would want me to let you know that. My favorite thing about it is the bow in the front. When I tuck my shirt into skirts, it sometimes feels too plain, like a belt is needed as a completer piece.  But this bow adds that little something extra and makes the skirt even more cute.

I wore this to have coffee and talk wedding shop with my best friend who is getting married this summer, which is so exciting! Then I wore it to dinner for Nick’s mom’s birthday. I’ve been trying to find more pieces that can be dressed up or down and this skirt is perfect for that.

I love the way the wedge ankle boots look with this outfit, but I decided to change into heels for dinner. The heels are more dressy than the boots, which is what I wanted in a dinner look. I would also wear the heels in the office for a more professional look.

Y’all, it was cold out when we took these photos! I had been at the public library for several hours doing some homework (fewer distractions there) and Nick met me to take photos. When we left, my car thermometer read in the 20s. I’m sure some of you are laughing at me because you’re dealing with negative temperatures, but this is cold for North Carolina. And Nick is such a trooper because he forgot his gloves!

Normally, I really like cold weather but, I gotta tell ya, I’m ready for Spring. That’s why I’m wearing Spring-ish colors in the pink shirt and floral scarf. The shirt is actually more fuchsia than pink (or even purple as it looks in the photos) and it has really cute dot details.

I’ve mentioned it before and I’ll mention it again: I think sweaters are the perfect match for this white puffy vest! What do you think?

I had to put my coat back on before my arms froze off!

Oh yeah, you knew it was coming… Shakira’s new single in Spanish! You’re welcome.

I mentioned in last week’s Serenade that I absolutely adore Shakira. I’ve followed her ever since I first heard ‘Whenever, Wherever’ in 20o1 and even though I love her English music, I love her Spanish  songs even more. Which makes sense because it’s her native language where she can express herself best. One of the things I’ve always loved about her music is the way she uses metaphors to describe everything! Listen to more Shakira. You won’t regret it.

This Week’s Top 5:

1. Days Off.  We didn’t have class on Monday in observance of MLK, but I had a lot of school work to do so I didn’t really get the day off. However, on Thursday, I didn’t do any school work and instead slept in, drank coffee, and did a little shopping – which is good for new outfits but bad for my 30 for 30 Challenge. Oops. It was nice, though, but I had to make up for it by staying up late Friday night to finish a project before the deadline. It was definitely worth it.

2. Brownies. Probably my favorite dessert of all time, we made a fresh batch this week and they really hit the spot. Nick is going to learn how to make them from scratch and then I’ll make him bake homemade brownies all the time.

3. The Perfect Hair Bun. I love when it only takes me one try to put my hair up into the perfect bun. And by perfect, I mean there aren’t too many hairs falling loose so I only have to use, maybe, 2 bobby pins instead of 12.  There are days when I stand in front of the mirror and redo my hair so many times that my arms begin to hurt. It’s silly really, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do!

4. Reading Journal Articles that You Actually Find Interesting. In graduate school you read a lot. A LOT. Mostly book chapters, but also journal articles that are chosen by the professor to really drive home a topic you’re learning. Those articles aren’t always the most fun reading you do but you also get to do some research on your own and read articles that you find really interesting and you think maybe you’re one step closer to choosing a topic for your thesis. This week I read an article that discussed the fact that our society does not generally support promoting body satisfaction and body acceptance among overweight and obese individuals, yet body dissatisfaction does not motivate overweight and obese youth to adopt healthier behaviors or gain less weight. But enhancing body satisfaction among overweight and obese girls could actually promote healthier weight-related behaviors and essentially lessen weight gain. It seems to be the best of both worlds. See, interesting!

5. Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup. It’s a perfect lunch for a chilly day. Especially when it’s made with Vermont white cheddar, fontina, chive & onion cream cheese, and then you add bacon. Yum! I think that’s all I need to say about that 🙂

Photo of the Week:

It’s been very cold this week, even the furbabies need some extra warmth when they go out for their walks. Maybe we’re overdoing it a little, but Chico is wearing his sweater AND coat! Mia has more fur than Chico so she’s only wearing a coat. We do what we have to in order to keep our babies safe and warm.