{closing time for} my first 30 for 30 remix challenge

 

Favorites? Day 15 and 27. What can I say, I am just sucker for pretty girly looks in pastel colors!

Picasa was a little strange with the way it makes collages- so feel free to use the sidebar on the right and click on the "30 for 30" tag if you want to see larger pictures of the outfits!

Leave me a comment to let me know which days are you favorites! :)

Things I learned:

1) September in the midwest is absolutely insane! The weather seriously fluctuates from 80 to 40. No joke!

2) Dresses are incredibly versatile- as they can be used as shirts, skirts or dresses! (imagine that)

3) It is possible to look really fat in photos. Angles are everything.

4) Getting dressed would be impossibly difficult without belts and tights. They're the brick & mortar to polished and comfortable looks.

5) It's time for me to get a haircut- my hair looked so much better in the earlier stage of the 30 days!

Good luck to everyone who is starting a new 30 for 30 over at Kendi Everyday! I am so excited to see all the fabulous fall outfits!

{happy happy} last day of 30 for 30

Today is the last day of 30 for 30. I want to say that I am sad that it's over (mainly because that's just what we have to pretend to be when we say goodbye to things), but I'm just REALLY really excited to wear things from the rest of my closet!! The past 30 days were much easier than I anticipated, mainly as a result of my extensive collection of belts, scarves, necklaces and shoes. While I have always understood the importance of accessories, this experience re-enfored that for me, more than ever. I would definitely be interested in doing 30 for 30 again in the future, but not for a while- it just makes no sense when I have so many other clothes waiting to be worn. Voila, here comes the last day. Goodbye 30 for 30. 

And hello, shopping and new clothes! :)

h&m dress and belt, frye paige buckle riding boots

{inspired by} feeling knotty... (day 29)

People are drawn to choices. When they see words like the 7-way cardigan and the 100-way bra, they think they're getting an amazing bargain- it is as if they paid for one item, but got so many more! However, very rarely do we actually wear these items in all of the 7 ways or the 100 ways after we purchase them. These items, just like the rest of those "bargain" purchases, lay in our closet collecting dust. For me personally, I am not a big fan of the multi-way style that has been so prevalent lately. Although, I did borrow the Victoria's Secret's 7-way wrap idea for my wrap/cardigan today. Isn't the knot/twist kind of cool? I decided that the cardigan twist was a little lonely, and found it a knotty buddy of its own.

f21 lace wrap, f21 dress, sam edelman moccasin boots

{a fairytale} la boheme and le prep (day 28)

Ralph Lauren shirt/dress, Sam Edelman boots

{inspired by} girly girl (day 27)

ann taylor ruffle tee, f21 cardigan, arden b skirt, liz claiborne flats

Ruffles, pink, chiffon, & rosettes. I am truly a girly girl at heart.

Sorry I am so behind on posting- this outfit was actually from last Thursday! I've had the good luck of being on vacation in chicago the last few days- but I'll get back to more posts as soon as I survive my two midterms tomorrow.

{happy birthday to} a girl stylish inside & out! (day 26)

Today is my good friend Chelsey's birthday. We went out last night for delicious Cuban food & drinks to celebrate! She is truly one of my favorite people- not only because we both love good food & good clothes- but also because she is so genuinely kind. If you're reading this, Chels, I hope you have a wonderful time this year! Happy birthday!

wet seal jacket, j crew tee, cassette jeans, wet seal heels

Okay, you know how every single magazine has a "Day to Night" section, in which they use the exact same day-time outfit, but just add on heels, jewelry, make up, and call it the going out outfit? And you think to yourself, really, you guys sure put a lot of thought into that one. Well, that is exactly what I did today. I took a t-shirt and a pair of jeans, added heels, big earrings and make up, and called it good! I know I wore the leather jacket yesterday- but I don't know how I ever lived without it! It is an absolutely essential wardrobe item. In fact I plan on making it my go-to going out jacket!

This is the delicious arepas Chels and I shared. I've never had them before, but after reading this description: griddled cornmeal cakes with herbed goat cheese, avocado, molajete sauce, sauteed spinach & boniato- I was definitely sold! It was so yummy- we just might have to recreate that at home soon!

Me and the birthday girl! Excuse me for the one-eye look.... I have a bang-trim appointment tonight so no worries I will be able to see with two eyes soon!

{rockin the look of} an edgy lady (day 25)

h&m dress, wet seal jacket, vintage belt, liz claiborne flats

A prim & proper sweater dress, single strand of pearls, black lacy headband, & a wide polka-dot belt. The facade of a perfectly lady-like outfit falters a bit at the presence of rolled-up sleeves & a black leather jacket. What is surprising though, is how the lady-like appearance actually dominates the edginess of the leather jacket, almost lending it the polish and the professionalism of a black blazer.

While I liked the look of this on me in the mirror and the photos, for some reason it just didn't feel right. All day long, I wanted nothing but to change into a drapey tee, black yoga pants, worn-in moccassins, topped off with a colorful pashmina. I'd like the coin the term "sophisticated lounger" for this look. It's quite charming, really.

{mastering the art of} girl on the go (day 24)

Sometimes you've just got to brush, wash, get dressed and go. Today is one of those days- I got up at 5:30am. Dark-washed flares, black v-neck & converses are quite handy when you have 30 seconds to look presentable. Though it took me an additional 90 seconds to accessorize,  this Anthropologie necklace was definitely worth the time.

Just because you literally spent 5 minutes on your appearance doesn't mean you have to look like you just stumbled out. My advice on faking the "it's Monday and I'm somehow still pulled together and you are totally jealous" look is simple: Step one, choose clothes that are flattering and fit well- nothing too tight or baggy. Step two, accessorize. Step three, spritz on your favorite perfume and get out of here!

30 for 30 Week 4: Recap

Click on the picture to enlarge!

So crazy- one more week and I'm going to be done with my first 30 for 30! Note that I said "first", meaning there for sure will be more.

I think it's so funny that I started Monday with jeans, a sweater, scarf & shoes and finished off the week with skirt, t-shirt, bare legs & flip flops on Sunday! My favorite this week was Day 22. I felt so smart casual and cool in my dress and button downs in contrast to the leggings & oversized tees worn by everyone else on game day morning. However, I do have to admit that I changed into my very own oversized tee & jeans later that afternoon for the actual game. 

This is my favorite of Jennifer's this week. I love getting extra outfits of dresses by wearing them as shirts or skirts- which is what she did here with her floral dress!

{confused by} crop tops & cutoffs (day 23)

J Crew tee, land's end canvas skirt, f21 belt

Are you going to the pool? Is your name Miranda Kerr? Am I in 90 degree weather in LA? The answer is no, no and no! So can someone please explain to me why today I saw not just one, but a slew, of girls wearing crop tops that show off the pooch on their bellies & cut offs that don't cover their buttcheeks? I get that it was 80 degrees outside. And I am definitely not bashing daisy dukes & crop tops- in fact I think they're hot & exude Califoria cool when worn correctly. Key word: correctly.

A little modesty goes a long way. It is completely okay to skip the mini-skirt & the curve hugging bandage dress for a knee-length full skirt. The longer hemlines on the runways this fall created such a refreshing change from the neon minis that forced us into gyms last year. I especially adore the way Andy from Style Scrapbook works her flowy floor-skimming skirts into her daily outfits. Sometimes, less is really more.

{completely wiped out by} football saturday (day 22)

land's end canvas shirt, ali ro belt, h&m dress, rocket dog flats

While I loved the maize & blue, tailgating, and the beautiful sunny weather today, I did not love waking up at 7:30am, being on my feet for 5 hours straights, & practically falling asleep standing up during the game. What I especially did not love about today was losing. If you're a boy/sports fan, please skip the rest of this paragraph because I might offend you. Anyway, I still don't get the huge deal about rivalries! I hate how mean people are during sports games & how much trash talk goes down. Seriously, chill out- no matter how much trash you say- it does not affect who wins, I promise!

This photo was taken in Jennifer's livingroom because we were both too lazy to go outside- & she was still in PJs. ;-) So excuse me for the awkward lighting.

{contradicting} summer weather & fall hair (day 21)

J Crew shirt, Banana Republic chinos, J Crew belt, 9 west flats

It might be difficult to tell from these pictures, but I got my hair re-highlighted today! It looks much more reddish in real life- which suits fall wonderfully. I was joking with my stylist as she finished blow drying my hair, saying that I am compelled to go read some books and put on my glasses now that my hair is so much darker. In fact, without even doing any of that, I feel smarter already. Hopefully that will translate to my exams in the upcoming week...

The funny part is that as I got my hair ready for fall, the weather decided to hit 75 degrees. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely not complaining! But still, Michigan weather you totally have ADD!

Happy Friday!

PS, today's outfit number 21. Dear number 21, you're so cool & exclusive, I want you bad. Really bad.

{running out} of ideas (day 20)

Gap tee, f21 skirt, liz claiborne flats

I know there're still 10 days left! But I had a mini-crisis this morning trying to decide what to wear, as I thought that my outfits have become too formulaic as of late. But what's wrong with pretty feminine if it works and just feels and looks right on me? So I thought screw it and reached for my tights and skirt. Although I do love this dolman tee that Angie so smartly recommended. Oversized, drapey, & a scoopneck- so incredibly flattering for a plain old tee!

{being realistic} yoga pants & v-necks (day 19)

Dear Victoria's Secret,

Let's talk about your yoga pants for a second here, shall we? I wear them nearly everywhere & have styled them into everything from prep to gym-goer to girl-next-door. (Okay, wouldn't this be such a fun challenge? A yoga pants challenge! As in, yoga pants for 30 days styled 30 different ways?!? No seriously, this could be genius) Can I be the rep for them, please? I've been quite the loyal customer over the years- from my 1st pair as a naive freshman in college to my 10th pair bought a few months ago. In between, I've cheated on you with only one pair of inferior yoga pants from Old Navy but I've also shared your charms with TONS of girls who ended up buying them. Not exaggerating! Although I do have to give a shout out to my friend Margaret here for showing me the wrongs of my clueless yoga-pant-less ways in high school.

Honestly though, I was so close to skipping the photo and pretending this day didn't exist. A pair of Victoria's Secret yoga pants and a pink v-neck is not the most stylish combination around. However, if you want  to 1) be comfortable for a full day of classes,  2) get hit on/honked at by random boys, and/or 3) spend the entire afternoon in the kitchen... then this is the perfect outfit for you.

{adventures in twin dressing} leopard flats & black tights (day 18)

Bows give these flats a more sweet and preppy vibe

Love perfect fall days when my coat consists of a large scarf

ann taylor shirt, f21 cardigan, f21 skirt, tahari flats

Jennifer and I both wore black tights and leopard print flats today! Haha, great minds think alike. Even in fashion! I got this pair of leopard print flats LAST fall before the animal print frenzy started, which proves how original and not trend-following I am. Not sure where I read/heard about this, but whoever said "leopard print is now a neutral" is proabably on the right track. Currently I'm craving a leopard print scarf... it would be the perfect cold-weather solution to all my black & white ensembles.

{inevitably experiencing} a case of the mondays (day 17)

f21 cardigan, casette jeans, converse sneakers, tibetan scarf

So glad that Monday's over. (almost) It has been an extremely long day, but at least there was Gossip Girl to look forward to at the end of it. (for those of you that did watch, OMFG, right?) In regards to today's outfit, let me just say that it is incredibly hard to dress with glasses! I don't know how all these girls do it, but "geek chic" and "sexy librarian" somehow just becomes geeky librarian on me. Anyway, I decided that this would be my "dressed to blend in" outfit. You see, I'm wearing glasses and no make up. I'm wearing jeans (yes I know! Jeans! I never wear jeans!) and converses and a plain white tee. I feel so college. The one thing that I really love about this outfit is the scarf though. I got it when I traveled to Tibet a few years ago-- clothing is totally the perfect souvenir.

30 for 30 Week 3: recap

Click on this picture if you want to enlarge it.

Sorry for the sloppy editing job on this one! Otherwise I consider this week a definite success- this is my favorite week of outfits so far. Perhaps it's because the weather is finally cooperating and acting like fall, which is what I originally planned my 30 pieces around.

My favorite outfit this week is actually day 14. It's not necessarily the prettiest or the most creative this week, but I really like it because the boyfriend chinos are definitely out of my comfort zone. And it's a great feeling to wear something that differs your usual style, but still feel comfortable in it!

My favorite of Jennifer's is 

She wore this outfit on Monday- the layering and the colors are such fun ways to brighten up the most dreaded day of the week. Good job!

{happy belated} football saturday (day 16)

J crew shirt, f21 dress, thrifted belt, rocket dog flats

Happy belated football Saturday... from the ladies room! Yes you might recognize those familiar tiles from your own little private moments. Well, a girl's gotta do what she's gotta do to get her outfit photos.
  
I love the gingham on gingham for this outfit. Since I spent the entire day writing articles, I thought this outfit was perfect for a school-spirited journalist. 

On another note, our team is 5-0! Although I might have more fun exploring my maize & blue outfit options on game days than I do watching the game. Just kidding!

{wishing i lived in} 30s french riviera (day 15)

h&m tunic, arden b skirt, vintage belt, liz claiborne flats, f21 necklace

There is something so quintessentially French about boatnecks and sailor stripes. While I love the versatility of this h&m piece as a dress and a shirt, I still wish I included my St. James shirt as part of my 30 items. Lucky magazine did a spread on the 30s French Riviera a year ago; since then,  I haven't been able to get the image of French sophistication & lounging on the coastline of the Mediterranean out of my head. In fact, I really wish I had the time to see this movie-- it would serve as the perfect study break on this busy weekend.

{inspired by} the boyfriend (day 14)

j crew tee, target cardigan, vintage belt, banana republic chinos, 9 west flats

If 50's is all about the hour-glass figure; 60's mod; 70's hippie; 80's neon colors; 90s grunge; then I proclaim our decade as the era of the boyfriend. Really, why are we so obsessed with everything boyfriend- from the button downs to the sweaters to the cardigans to the jeans... are we really that insecure that we need to wear our boyfriends on our sleeves? Possible reflections of underlying social turmoils aside, I have to confess- I love the boyfriend. In fact I sometimes peruse the men's sales racks for x-small & smalls that I can incorporate in my own wardrobe. While androgynous is huge on the runways, I can't help but add a touch of femininety to my boy clothes- whether with belts or sequins or soft cardigans. 

Remember when Katie Holmes started the boyfriend jeans back in 07? It's pretty wild when you think about its widespread popularity since then. I definitely had a hard time getting used to this sillouette as I'm usually drawn towards clean lines & waist-cinching belts. While boyfriend jeans are still trendy, I love this pair of boyfriend chinos that I scored a while ago. Incredibly soft, surprisingly easy to wear, and always a classic.