skirts in the wind

Tank Top (remixed): Ruche, Skirt: LOFT

I've learned that I have a special superpower. It's kind of like a unique sense, a subconscious propulsion, to wear pleated skirts on windy days. It's true. I wanna say this is a gift bestowed upon many unfortunate gals, which makes me feel a little better because it's not really a superpower. It's a curse. It causes a lot of problems and gives strangers an intimate one on one with my biznass. 

It'd be a lot more helpful if I had the innate ability to never forget anything before I leave the house, or to be able to produce strong, hot coffee straight from my mind and into my coffee cup.

Although really, the more I think about it, the more I realize that this skirt sitch may be, could be, a little bit my fault. It's vaguely possible that I bring the skirt disasters upon myself, because I wear dresses and skirts pretty much every day. So of course some of those days are going to be windy, right? In fact, my dad loves gadgets and recently installed a weather instrument device, so there's literally a bright screen right next to the sink that I apparently ignore every day even when it might say "20 mph winds WEAR PANTS".

I think we often find ourselves in these types of debacles. It's really easy to say, why does this keep happening to me even if the answer may be within ourselves instead of resting on the shoulders of the world. Sometimes the responsibility does rest with me. Sometimes my environment isn't to blame, and I find myself without excuse. There are times when I can no longer blame my family, my past, my upbringing, my society, the government....uh oh. This almost got political. Let's move on.

It's a good day to be held accountable, I think. To laugh at the faces of the shocked passersby as they catch sight of my knickers, and to know that my particular choices that morning led to such a humorous encounter. It does no good to shout at the wind, or to cry about how unfair the weather is. It's much more effective to dress appropriately for the day. To learn from the skirts in the wind.

holiday trends

I've already talked a little bit about the velvet trend, but there have been a few other things I've seen around that I'm either excited to try or still not quite sure about. Maybe a mixture of both!

To start out, what do you think about coated pants?

Anthropologie

J. Crew

Nordstrom

Ruche

Anthropologie

Anthropologie

Ruche

A lot of times, I absolutely love the look -- it has that leathery sheen, but has the fit of your favorite jeans.
I'm still unsure how they'll look in-person, but I went ahead and took the plunge and bought the last pair in that list above.
Ruche has Wednesday Style Steals, and this week's happened to include the coated pants. I couldn't resist.
I had been intrigued since I first saw them in their lookbook, and fell in love with this ensemble:

I think in general the trends seem to be leaning toward the edgier looks. A lot of leather and leather-ish ideas.
I honestly have zero authority on the subject, because I don't follow high fashion or the actual style trends happening around the world -- I just know what I see in my favorite stores, and the things that are totally new to my wardrobe (or are making a vicious comeback, like velvet.)

Speaking of leather, let's take a look at how bold it's getting.
What do you think about leather-centered outfits?

Via Ruche

Ladylike Leather

Leather obviously isn't new to the fashion world. Leather bags, wallets, shoes, jewelry, and of course jackets...those have long been staples in the female psyche.
But leather seems to be getting friskier by the minute. Striped dresses with gold leather pockets, laser-cut leather blouses, pleated leather skirts. This is serious stuff.

I'm most intrigued by the leather skirts, and subtle leather accents.
Some of my favorites:

Ruche

Ruche

Ruche

Would you wear such bold (yet ladylike) leather pieces?
I have yet to try them out, but I do love the look of a great burgundy leather skirt. (I also like this quilted mini skirt!).
I'll report back with my findings on the coated jeans as soon as they arrive!
In the meantime, what are some winter trends you're a bit curious about?

work the skirt

Dress: J. Crew

Day 22: Last Tuesday I did something crazy and wore a skirt under my dress, instead of over it. 

It was a bold move, but I was feeling risky, and felt the need to try it out.

I got the idea from another blogger friend (Stephanie of Anie Inspired) who made this post, featuring a Frocktober outfit that layered a classic black dress with a cat-print skirt underneath it. 

I've seen ruffled and laced slips used beneath dresses in the same way, and it can be a really great tool to lengthen shorter dresses! But for people like me who have yet to invest in a fancy slip, this is a great alternative.

It can also add an extra layer of warmth, which I'm definitely going to need! Today I decided that it has finally hit the morning temperatures that require a coat and gloves before leaving the house.

Day 23: Wednesday was a comfy day for sure. I reached for the closest cozy sweater I could find, and happily it was this bright pink one!

Dress (remixed): Ruche, Sweater: LOFT, Booties: Urbanog

I was still working through my cold, and knew all of my makeup would most likely be gone by lunchtime. I wanted something easy and comfortable, but still interesting! The result was this multi-layered outfit that was bright and oh-so-comfy.
This floral dress has seen a lot of wear in my closet.. I love the colors, it's comfortable, and it's easy to put together with other things in my closet. A floral dress is definitely something every girl's closet should have. In my humble, floral-loving opinion.
I wear this one with jeans often, because it's on the shorter side. It looks really cute with my pineapple colored pants, too!

day of rest: outfit 8

I love Sundays.

Sleeping in, going to church, having a relaxed large lunch and skipping dinner in favor of relaxation and last minute weekend chores. 

We love our church - we're involved in the nursery and I absolutely love when we have the chance once a month to spend our morning with adorable munchkins. Our church is full of young families and it's so amazing to watch them grow. 

We almost always go out to eat on Sundays for lunch, and then the rest of the day is spent in leisure. 

Outfit 8 of my 15 day challenge was perfect for Sunday morning and transitioned well into our lunch with friends, although I honestly changed into my pajamas for the rest of the afternoon. This blog should be an honest blog.

Top: LOFT, Shoes: Zulily

More honest talk: real women iron their clothes.
I'm coming to this conclusion and I have to say, I don't like it.
While I cannot deny that this past week of posts has really hit home that I never iron my clothes and would look much better if I did, it's such a commitment! I think all clothes should be wrinkle free.
I hate grabbing something from my closet that I want to wear, and seeing it all wrinkled. Confession? I just put it back and reach for something slightly less wrinkled. I'm that lazy.
But at the age of 24, I think it's time to stop pretending like I can look like a hobo on a daily basis.
I need to iron my clothes, for the love of Pete.

invest in a vest: outfit 3

Introducing outfit 3 from my 15to15 challenge!

So far I haven't needed to re-wear any items, other than the shoes. I've started with all the separate outfits, and in a few days I'll start creatively re-wearing items from the first few days!

Yesterday was a very misty day. It lightly sprinkled throughout the morning and afternoon, never culminating into a full "rain" but definitely attempting it. 

Through having to park far away from work in the morning and having to walk back to my car that afternoon, by the time I got home and took a few outfit photos my hair was definitely a little worse for wear. 

Exhibit A:

Other than a rather fabulous fur vest, I don't think I've ever worn a casual vest in my teen or adult life. 

I've seen a couple vest outfits that I've really liked, from Melina at The Caffeinated Closet (outfit 1 and 2, I love!) She does the denim vest trend very well. 

Then there's the slightly dressier version, over at M Loves M. 

As you can see, I finally made the plunge and purchased a great white denim-y vest. 

I'm still completely unsure about wearing it sleeveless, even though this is the first time I've worn it and I just went for it. I tend to like vests a lot more when they're layered over a 3-quarter/long sleeve top or dress. 

I think my only real reason is that I tend to avoid sleeveless altogether. (Is it a female condition to think our arms are fat and unseemly?)

Top/Skirt: LOFT, Vest: Kohl's (shop!), Necklace: Francesca's, Shoes: Zulily

Today I have been jotting down my To Do list, which expires Sunday night. I must get everything done by then. I even included dinner dates and mediocre daily activities at work so that I can feel really accomplished when I cross off multiple things every day. Sometimes you need to give yourself a boost of confidence - make the success of your day a sure thing.
"Get dressed? Check! Go to work? Check! Drink coffee? Check! I am on a roll!"

It's Wednesday and I get to leave work a little bit early, so the weekend is looming and I'm ready to conquer my To Do list. How about you?