So, this is what I wore to get my hair cut. My hair doesn’t look that much different because it’s still kind of long – I only wanted a trim – but it looks pretty good and it feels light and amazing. While I was there, I was complimented by my hair dresser and her assistant on my outfit (especially the shoes), so I knew it was a good one. I paired this top and jeans together here already, and while that outfit made me feel kind of boho, this flowy vest and these booties make me feel edgy and cool.

 Tank: Target | Vest: Ross | Denim: Old Navy | Shoes: Fioni via Payless | Sunglasses: Target

 Linking up with:

Start the Week Stylish

The Pleated Poppy

Tucker Up

Cappuccino and Fashion

What I like most about this top is that it’s knotted in the middle, hiding my “problem area” (my tummy).  I try really hard to practice self love and appreciate my body for what it is and all of the amazing things it can do, but I am only human; I fall victim to society’s often unrealistic standards of beauty from time to time. It doesn’t help that I’ve gained some weight over the past year or so when I was in grad school, so most of my pants are a little snug. A knotted top like this one lets me to take my mind off of my body while I work on my fitness. I also really like that there are both horizontal and vertical stripes in one shirt. That makes it so much more fun!

I see this outfit as being a good base because there are a lot of ways to wear it for every occassion. I can wear it with heels and a cute clutch for a night out; I can switch out the pants for shorts and a hat and wear it to the farmers’ market or a daytime festival; I can wear it with black trousers and a blazer for a more polished look; it’s basically perfect!

I’ve already worn this outfit several times, most recently on a friend date to dinner/drinks and a movie. Two of my friends and I have a tradition where we get together at least once a year to watch a horror movie, a tradition that started with the Paranormal Activity movies. We went to see Poltergeist and, to be honest, we werent impressed.

Here’s the fun blooper: I don’t know what I’m doing but it looks like a move from my BodyFlow class during the Tai Chi portion, where we hold our energy ball in front of us.

Top: Gap | Jeans: Banana Republic | Shoes: Old Navy | Vest: Ross | Sunnies: Target

Linking up with Fizz & Frosting | Still Being Molly | More Pieces of Me | Trend Spin Linkup | Not Fancy, Just Life

Brrrr, you guys. Brr. It’s been ridiculously cold here this past week. We got snow and ice, and schools closed, and North Carolina was just out of order. Which is fine with me because ice is no joke. I grew up in the mountains so I’m used to driving in the snow but I don’t mess around with ice because NO ONE can drive on ice, I don’t care what they say! So, with the miserable chill, I needed to keep all of my skin as covered as possible to avoid frostbite. I really like the look of wearing tights with socks and ankle boots so I decided to try that look with my skinny jeans; I think it turned out really well. I went with gray socks to match the gray/blue in the scarf. I still had to throw on my red coat and gloves but I stayed fairly warm.

I’m still loving the boots; I wear them almost every day!

And here’s the blooper: Seriously, I’m tired of the cold and the wind!

Sweater & Vest: Old Navy | Jeans: kensie via Stitch Fix | Scarves & Socks: Target | Booties: BP Trolley via Nordstom | Necklace: gift from my MIL

Linking up with More Pieces of Me | InDUFFinitely Me

When I saw this pin, I jumped to recreate it because I had everything in the photo: the vest, polka dot top, black skinnies, and leopard flats. The only thing missing is the statement necklace, but I’ll work on that. I really like how this outfit turned out in real life; the subtle pattern mixing is great and I’ve really been digging black and white lately. The weather in NC has been very mild thus far, so I wore this outfit to run errands, go to the grocery store, and again to work and school. I have a feeling it’s going to get a lot of wear as long as the weather continues to cooperate.

And here’s the blooper: That hair, that face, that wind?

Top: Old Navy | Vest & Jeans: Banana Republic | Leopard Flats: Christian Siriano via Payless | Necklace: Wal-Mart | Sunnies: Target

Linking up with InDUFFinitely Me | Work Clothes, I Suppose

I do not consider myself a trendy person, and sometimes too much trend at once will overwhelm and scare me. These pants are coated so they look shiny even though they’re denim. They’re gaining popularity these days and I like that they provide a nice alternative to leather pants/leggings because I’m just not there yet. That said, I wanted to keep it toned down a bit so I went for a simple monochrome look with the striped top and dark gray vest. Oh, and I added the hat because it just felt right.

I haven’t actually worn this outfit out yet but, just like yesterday’s outfit, it’s in the lineup. I’ll probably wear it to work and class one day this week since the weather is cooling off a bit.

Here you can see the shiny coated denim better.

I wanted to get more pictures in the sun because you can really see the shine of the coated denim but then this happens (which you’ll probably recognize from my Bloopers post):

Top & Pants: Banana Republic
Vest: Ross
Shoes: Anne Klein via DSW
Hat: Banana Republic