Daily Outfits - Kate - various days

It's been so long I don't even remember what days I wore these. But here they are.


(scarf + tights = <3)


(I'm really going to have to repeat that one someday when I haven't spent the whole day crying. It was too good to just let go like that...)


(You know spring is just around the corner when my long cotton skirt appears! This outfit is pretty much a repeat, too.)

Daily Outfit - Kate - 2/23/11

Of all the days I'd like to have more than ONE CRAPPY-ASS BLURRY WAIST-UP PHOTO of my outfit, this was it.



That's my new cardigan and scarf from LLBean, and they're awesomeness incarnate, but you can't tell because it was too late and I was too tired to be bothered with decent photos.

Lesson learned. And also I think I'll repeat this exact outfit again tomorrow and take proper pictures then. Because it's goodness.

Cardi: LLBean
Turtleneck: Target
Scarf: LLBean
Skirt: LLBean
Boots: 704b via DSW
Tights: TJMaxx
Earrings: Mum

Daily Outfit - Kate - 2/21/11

I was told that I look very "Mad Men" today. I can only presume that means Peggy, rather than Joan. Alas.



Still, I'll take what I can get. Especially when it involves Fluevogs.



Skirt: Etsy
Tee: Target
Cardi: Target
Scarf: Marshall's
Tights: Target
Heels: Fluevog
Earrings: Mom!

Daily Outfit - Kate - 2/17/11

There was a thread on my knitting forum recently about how LLBean stuff is all dowdy and old ladyish. So that was my cue to prove them wrong.



I love this dress. I've only worn it a few times so far, but do you ever get a piece and just know that you're going to adore it for years and years and years? Yeah, that's me and this dress. I'm in it for the long haul.

Dress: LLBean
Boots: LLBean
Tights: Target
Scarf: Old Navy
Earrings: Mum

Daily Outfit - Kate - 2/16/11

HOLY CRAP!!!! IS THAT...DAYLIGHT?!?!?!



IT IS! IT IS!

(It's also the dry, stalk-y dredges of last year's garden. Sorry. I'm a lazy-ass and a failure as a human being, clearly.)

I love this skirt - this photo really doesn't do it justice, but I just have to say - I'm almost ashamed that I let it languish, unworn, in my closet for so long. I'm sorry, skirt. Forgive me?

(PS>I love how you can see my little green Mazda, Ahura, hanging out down on the street. High, Ahura! Sorry I only drive you once every 3 weeks or so!)

Turtleneck: Target
Skirt: thrifted
Shawl: meeee!
Tights: Old Navy
Shoes: Indigo by Clarks, via DSW
Earrings: Mom

Daily Outfit - Kate - 2/15/11

Guess what? I've actually come up with a GOOD excuse to not do laundry.

I call it - "outfit creativity"!



This shirt almost never gets worn, unless all my other clothes are either dirty and/or damp and hanging on drying racks. And then I pull this from my closet, and think about its lovely little print and how I never wear it and how I really should. And then I wear it.

This happens a few times a year. Which I guess is enough reason for me to keep the shirt around, eh? :-)

Shirt: thrifted, originally GAP
Tank: Old Navy
Skirt: GAP
Boots: LLBean
Tights: Target
Belt: thrifted
Cowl: handknitted by me!
Earrings; necklace: Mumsie

Daily Outfit - Kate - 2/8/11

Sometimes these "I must be practical. Must wear clothes in which I can walk four miles to work and back" outfits get rather dull.



What is interesting to me, though, is that a year ago I would've been sooooo proud of this exact outfit - for combining textures and colors and working from a well-rounded color palette and resisting the urge to over- or under-accessorize.

But a "WIN!" from a year ago is a "meh" for today.

Meh.

Skirt: GAP
Tank: Target
Cardi: Target
Boots: LLBean
Scarf: Plowsharing Crafts
Earrings: Mum

Daily Outfit - Kate - 2/3/11

This outfit would be almost entirely unworthy of merit, as I yet again walked to work and had to dress accordingly:



UNTIL you see what I have hidden under that scarf!



TA-DAH!!! (This was all of 2 minutes old at this point)

Jen dearest sent me a SNITCH! My very own snitch!!!



It's pretty much the coolest thing I've ever seen. EVER.

But wait! There's more!



Matching earrings!

I am just absolutely floored. Wow'd. Amazed. Surprised.

I may be a bit of a Potter fan, y'know...



That's the picture they're going to use for my inclusion in the Cool People Club. Doesn't get cooler than a goofy grin and an armful of wizard stories does it?

Don't answer that.

Cardi: Old Navy
Tee: Old Navy
Jeans: Levi's
Snow boots: LLBean
Pashmina: Amazon
Snitch necklaced and earrings: JENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!

Daily Outfit - Kate - 1/26/11

I was told yesterday by a very uninformed person that this outfit was "over the top" because I was wearing a "corset".



The perils of being surrounded by nerds, I guess. (The perils of being surrounded by one hyperactive large blonde dog musn't be discounted, either)

But despite all that, I love this waistcoat.

I also wanted to talk about that buttondown for a minute. I have had it for several years - I think I bought it during my first "must obtain a work wardrobe" shopping trips back in 2008. It doesn't do a lot for me, but it also doesn't...not do a lot for me. I rarely wear it and yes it's taking up a hanger and 1/8" of valuable closet space, but I'm not about to get rid of it. This seems to be one of those basic items that when ya need it, ya need it. Right?

I really liked this outfit. This one may appear again :-)

EVERYTHING (waistcoat, jeanskirt, buttondown): Old Navy
Boots: LLBean
Ring: Booth at Maple Leaf festival
Necklace: MOM!

Daily Outfit - Kate - 1/25/11

I need to invent a new word. A word which adequately conveys the idea of "comfy and nice but completely expected and thoroughly uninspired."



Any ideas? Because I'm feelin' it.

Skirt: Etsy
Tee: Target
Cardi: Target
Boots: Fluevog!
Scarf: TJMaxx
Earrings: Mum

Daily Outfit - Kate - 1/24/11

GUESS WHAT?!?!

I just finished this sweater!



GUESS WHAT ELSE?

That's a crappy picture! So here's a better one - of an almost-identical outfit - from Sunday!



I <3 my new sweater. I <3 that I made it.

This outfit was the perfect cozy winter getup. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to get daylight pics, because my awesome Scarfshop scarf matched the teal in my sweater *perfectly*. And I know I don't usually go for matchy-matchy, but I think there are worse things in life than matching your scarf to your sweater, right? The corduroy skirt and quintessential LLBean boots just make everything wonderful.

dark purple + teal + grey + cream = my new favorite. *Really* wish I had better pics so it could be your new favorite too.

Cardigan: ME!!!!!
Turtleneck: Target
Scarf: Scarfshop
Skirt: GAP
Boots: LLBean
Tights: Target
Earrings: MUM!

Daily Outfit - Kate - 1/12/11

This photo is dark for a reason:



And that's because this outfit is THE MOST BORING ONE KNOWN TO MAN.

That's what tends to happen when one is so busy knitting that one is running late for work, and then one must throw on whatever clothes one can find.

(You see? I used "one" there as if I weren't the person doing it.)

Cardi: Filene's Basement? maybe?
Tee: GAP
Skirt: Old Navy
Boots: FLUEVOG!
Necklace: Christmas gift from Jeff :-)
Earrings: Mumsie

Daily Outfit - Kate - 1/11/11

I'm so happy with today's outfit!



It's one which evolved sort of naturally - piece-by-piece, rather than occurring to me all at once. I've had that skirt in my closet - unworn - since two summers ago, when I thrifted it from a shop in the Loop. I thought it was just a bit too long at the time, and never got around to hemming it. Well, it's still maybe half an inch too long, but now I'm OK with that :-) (read: lazy). Everything else was just an attempt to create a color palette full of pretty neutrals, showcase my handknitted shawl, and enjoy the cardigan that I picked up (OK I actually bought two - one in this lavender grey, and one in a darker sage grey) at Marshall's in KC a couple weeks ago. I'm feeling skinny and pretty today, and I think the outfit is entirely to thank. This one makes me really happy :-)

Know what else makes me happy?



GIANT DANDRUFF!! Umm...I mean...SNOW!

Close-up of the pleat/buckle detail on the skirt:



Yay happy outfit!



Cardi: Marshall's
Tank: Old Navy
Skirt: thrifted
Shawl: handknitted by meee! (Pattern is "Invisibility Shawl")
Boots: Born
Tights: Target
Earrings: MOM!
Bracelets: don't recall

Daily Outfit - Kate - 1/10/11

I had an extra bounce in my step yesterday, because not only was I wearing my new LLBean dress...



But I was ALSO wearing new handknitted knee socks!



Here's a blurry, yellow, non-yesterday picture of 'em:


I LOVED this outfit! So happy and perfect and LLBean-y and handknit-y and Mom's-jewelry-y. What's not to love?

Dress: LLBean
Boots: LLBean
Socks: handknit by meee! (Pattern is "Lakeside")
Earrings: mum!
Necklace: mum!

Daily Outfit - Kate - 1/6/11

I have no idea what I was wearing on Thursday. I mean, I have a picture (clearly)...



But I have nothing clever about how I came up with the outfit, or that I liked it, or that I hated it, or anything. It is a perfect exercise in utter neutrality of emotion.

Exciting, huh?



A good shawl pin is an invaluable accessory, I'm learning. Which makes me want moar! moar! moar!

Top: Target
Skirt: Talbot's, via TJMaxx
Tights: F21
Shoes: Macy's or something, long ago
Shawl: Meeee!!!!
Shawl pin of awesomeness: booth at St. Louis RenFest, last spring
Earrings: Mum

Daily Outfit - Kate - 1/3/11

Man, is the first day back to work ROUGH. Especially when you've been off for 10 1/2 days. Especially when you've been in your pyjamas and husband's oversized hoodie for 10 1/2 days. Especially when it's like 15* out.



Rather than wearing cozycomfy work clothes and trying desperately to pretend I was back at home, I decided to head the opposite direction - heeled boots and more structured pieces to help me get back in the swing of things.

AND, in keeping up with my new year's resolution, I stayed dressed until 8:00 last night!

I iz a champion. Yes.

Boots: Born
Tights: umm...?
Skirt: thrifted
Cardi: GAP, 2009
Tank: Target
Scarf: somewhere in Chicago (ooh that really narrows it down!)
Earrings: Mom

Daily Outfits - Kate - this whole freaking break

Sooo...I've been off work since midday on 12/23, and don't have to go back until Monday.

When I have to go somewhere, it looks pretty much like this:


Only, y'know, maybe a jeanskirt instead of the tweed, or a different shawl, or grey cardigan instead of brown...

But most of the time, I'm like this:


Also, I feel it's worth noting that THAT DOG IS NOT DEAD. SHE'S JUST RESTING.

No, really. Lazy dog. Lazy, lazy dog.

<3, and happy new year!

Kate

Daily Outfit - Kate - 12/23/10

In honor of the last day of work 'till 2011, today I am an elf:



And a very convincing one at that, I'd wager.

So...to make this post at least marginally outfit-y - I love this color combo! Assorted blues + whites + greys + blacks. It feels very natural and comfortable. Which makes me wonder how much of an impact color has on an outfit, in general? Do you feel energized in red and orange, calm in yellow and green, or contented in blue? Maybe that would be a good way to give myself a pick-me-up in those long dark days of January.

Oh! And also! Since we had a half-day at work today and I had the whole afternoon to kill, I decided to go and get my nose re-pierced:



It's got a tiny purple stone, and I <3 it a million.

I had my nose pierced a few years ago, but then on our wedding day in May 2007 I took it out, and that night when I tried to put it back in it had already closed up. I thought the beginning of a long break would be a good time to get it re-done, so my work people don't have to see the crusty bloody bit. It's so subtle, though, that once it heals I wonder how long it will take people to notice? :-)

Cardi: Old Navy
Tee: Old Navy
Skirt: GAP
Tights: Target
Boots: Born
Shawl-as-scarf: MEEE!!
Earrings: Mom

Daily Outfit - Kate - 12/21/10

I got a compliment on my scarf tie at work today.



It was pretty awesome.

And now if you'll excuse me, I need to go eat peanut butter fudge and watch The Wizard of Oz.

It's tough being me.

Turtleneck: Target
Skirt: F21
Pashmina: Amazon seller
Boots: 704b, via DSW
Earrings: booth at Kirksville farmer's market
Ring: booth at Maple Leaf festival

Daily Outfit - Kate - 12/18/10

Occasion: yarn crawl with a work friend (a new knitter!):



Is this like the un-macho-est way to wear plaid flannel? I hope so.

Shirt: Mossimo, Target, 2010
Tee: thrifted, originally Target
Skirt: Old Navy
Tights: Target
Boots: LLBean
Necklace: Mom!
Earrings: ancient history