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 - Jen - 01/26/11

Don't I look French, today! Except that a French woman would probably be a size 00, and I am a size... oh, what's that over there?

I had to ask my husband how these hats are worn. I am THAT clueless. This, my friends, is precisely why I blog on Two Closets. Hopefully I don't look too ridiculous, because that will be a total disservice to the superb craftsmanship of my darling Kate. This deep purple is my color, and she knew that when she was thinking of my cold head and hands. (Kate, I still can't believe you made these for stinkin' ole me! In awe of your talent! Love! Sorry for being so creepy when I called you! Should I move this conversation to email! Okay!)

I would be remiss if I didn't brag on these gorgeous earrings. You know how Kate is always wearing awesome jewelry that her cutie momma makes? Now I can wear awesome jewelry by her cutie momma, too! Thanks so much!

My outfit one year ago.

Tunic: H&M

Tights: Aritzia

Boots: Target

Scarf: Chinatown, San Francisco

Hat/Gloves: Gift (Thanks, Kate!)

Earrings: Gift (Thanks, Kate and Kathy!)

Daily Outfit - Jen - 01/13/11

Can you tell that I am obsessed with this H&M blouse? I practically wear it every other day. I just love it so much. I'm bummed that today was so busy that I missed all the pretty light, because this is why my pictures are... ehhhh, the way that they are.

Please be sure to visit Sandy to wish her a happy 1st blogiversary! And do not forget to check out all of the wonderful giveaways - there's something to everyone's fancy! Giveaway entries will be closed on Sunday, January 16, 2011 at 11:59PM CST. Don't be a stinker. Go get some goodies ASAP.

Blouse: H&M

Vest: H&M

Skirt: Target

Tights: lalalalallalaaaaa

Boots: Aldo

Flower hairpin: Etsy seller Sandyalamode (20% off with coupon code SALM1YEAR)

Daily Outfit - Jen - 01/10/11

Diggity dang. I went to bed last night with visions of how glorious I would look today, but then I put on my outfit this morning and it was horrendous. No, I mean, it was truly disgusting. I didn't want to be discouraged so I improvised, and this is the lackluster result.

Thankfully today was insanely cold, and I was bundled up in a scarf and peacoat all day.

Sweater: Ann Taylor Loft

Tunic: H&M

Tights: Aritzia

Boots: Target

Daily Outfit - Jen - 01/08/11

So, the other day I mentioned that I wore an outfit that my husband was crazy about without my even trying. In fact, I was going for comfort (i.e. wear a dress so that I can eat like crap and not feel uncomfortable in the belly area). I tried to wear a variation of that and failed. Sometimes you can't beat the original.

My mom was raving about this outfit, also. Just going on and on about what a "fashionist" I am. I was caught off-guard considering that the praise was coming from a woman who has very assertively declared that I have "no fashion style" for the greater part of my life. I guess I did plum good. Get it?! Like the color. I am on a roll.

Sweater: Old Navy

Dress: Old Navy

Snitch Necklace: Gift (Thanks, Jess!)

Tablet Necklace: Gift (Thanks, Misti!)

Tights: Aritzia

Boots: Target

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 - 12/13/10

Jeff drove me to work today, because I was running late and had to proctor exams and...awww hell, it's snowy.

Guess what that means?

NO BOOTS.

(But Fluevogs. Which are so comfy they might as well be boots.)



I'm not really fuzzy and angry. Just tired and worn out from trying to navigate the Trader Joe's/Target/PetsMart parking lot in the middle of December.

I'm lucky I came out of it alive, wouldn't you say?

Oh! So...outfit-y talk!

One thing I loved about this outfit is just how many components are personalized, and/or thoughtfully made. Aside from the Target cardi and GAP/Old Navy components, everything else is either handmade, and/or consciously and mindfully constructed. I love buying from small sellers or companies, and getting free pretties from my mum. It makes the outfits that much more special, eh? :-)

Skirt: Etsy
Tee: GAP outlet
Cardi: Target
Tights: Old Navy
Shoes: Fluevog
Scarf: Scarf-Shop
Earrings: Mum

Daily Outfit - Kate - 12/7/10

It was 17* out when I hopped on my bike yesterday morning.

Time to pull out the cold-weather gear.




No more bare legs for me for a while, that's for sure. Good thing I <3 tights :-)

But all the same, I was sweating in my windbreaker by the time I got to campus. Hills tend to do that to ya.

Cardi: Target
Tee: GAP
Skirt: thrifted, originally F21
Tights: Target
Boots: Born
Earrings: Mom
Scarf: somewhere in Chicago

Daily Outfit - Kate - 12/1/10

This is, to me, the quintessential fall outfit:



I LOVE how versatile that new wrap skirt - I have about a billion other outfits planned for it, too! :-) I also never get tired of this deep purple cowl-neck. I think I've worn it 30 times, if I've worn it once. Together? WIN.

Top: Target
Belt: Ummm...Target
Skirt: Etsy
Tights: Filene's Basement
Boots: Born
Necklace and earrings: mumsie

Daily Outfit - Jen - 11/03/10

I LOVED this outfit in person, but taking one's own photos is freaking challenging. And now I hate this outfit.

Well, no, I don't hate it. But man, I don't love it anymore.

Sweater: Old Navy

Skirt: Target

Tights: Eh?

Boots: Aldo

Daily Outfit - Jen - 11/02/10

I have to apologize for the poor pictures. I got my wish for cooler weather (I was in a sweater earlier!), but it also decided to rain today which was awesome. Not. It was not awesome.

I voted today! No one saw my cute outfit, though. That's what happens when no one in your district votes. Plus side is that I didn't wait in line. See? There's good and bad in every situation!

Tunic: H&M

Belt: J. Crew Outlet

Tights: Aritzia

Boots: Aldo

Daily Outfit - Kate - 10/6/10

Guess this is my interpretation of "sexy schoolmarm."

...what's that you say? The phrase is "sexy schoolGIRL"?

Whatevs. Potato potahto.



Love the look of these patent leather brogues. Don't love how they make my feet feel. Don't care.



Tee: Target, circa 2008
Skirt: Forever 21, super old
Tights: ???
Shoes: Nine West via DSW, 2010
Necklace: MUM!
Earrings: MUM! again!

Daily Outfit - Kate - 10/5/10

I had high hopes for this outfit.

I was going for "sweet but edgy", "fall transitional", and "obscenely comfortable".



Alas, it was not meant to be. What I ended up with was "confused", "too warm" and "itchy and tights-ickiness."

FAIL.

Sweater: Old Navy
Turtleneck tee: thrifted
Scarf: thrifted
Skirt: thrifted, originally Delia*s
Tights: Target?
Boots: 704b, via DSW
Bracelet: thrifted, via Mom
Earrings: Mom

Daily Outfit - Kate - 9/28/10

This is one outfit where I just know my mom is going to say "Vic! Come look at our adorable daughter!" and drag my dad in from the living room where he's sleeping with a schnauzer on his lap.

Yes, this is how it shall play out. I can tell. DSP (Daughter Sensory Perception.).

Thanks, Mom.



Do you ever have those days where you FEEL like you look supercute, and you even notice that you're carrying yourself as one who's supercute, but then you actually look at your pics and think "WTF really I thought that?".

This is one of those days. I don't know why - nothing special about the outfit - but I guess I just happened to be in exactly the right mindset.

Good thing I was actually wearing clothes and not, like, a giant slice of pizza costume or something.

Closeup of the scarf pattern:


I just picked this up at Plowsharing Crafts with my 15% birthday discount, so it was only like $12 - and real silk. I love the pattern! It's, like, maximum busy-ness. And totally bubushka :-D

Sweater: Target
Skirt: thrifted, originally Forever21
Tee: Old Navy
Shoe: Naturalizer
Tights: American Eagle
Scarf: Plowsharing Crafts
Earrings: superold from parents (top pair); some jewelry shop on the loop (bottom pair)

Daily Outfit - 6/15/10

Now, I don't want to name any names, but someone in the following pictures needs to pull her tunic down before having her picture taken.

This is one of my Seoul H&M finds. When I tried it on in the dressing room, I loved it and put it in my "buy" pile. When I got home and put it on for work one morning, I realized that it was pretty ding dang dong short. You can't really tell in these photos, because my husband is a giant. Anyway! So, I finally decided to pair it with tights to make it work-appropriate, and voila.

Tunic/dress: H&M

Tights: the dark depths of a dresser drawer

Flats: Steve Madden

Necklace: Gift

Earrings: Gift (Swarovski)

Daily Outfit - Kate - 5/17/10

It's a double whammy today:
1)Outfit photos with my cheapo P&S.
2)Outfit photos sans Jeff.

::sob::

But I just told myself - "Lots of people do this ALL THE TIME, self. And they survive. And so can you."

So I did.



BUT YOU CAN'T MAKE ME CROP. YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T.



I miss Jeff.

ALTHOUGH yay for this extended early spring-like weather - I may be wearing these LLBean boots into June! :-D

Dress: Old Navy, 2009?
Tights: Target
Boots: LLBean
Necklace and earrings: mi madre

Daily Outfit - Kate - 4/28/10

I got home superlate last night and could barely bring myself to pause for the camera before crawling into my PJ's. So:



I don't know if it's the sort of western-y vibe of this dress, or what, but I always consider it sort of a "workhorse" item. Doesn't require a lot of thought while I'm wearing it, and there's almost no effort involved. I love pairing the pink + brown plaid with my orange flats and orange copper jewelry, though! :-)



Wow those pics are yellow. Can we just pretend I live in Springfield? :-D

Dress: Old Navy
Tights: Hellmart
Flats: Dillards, circa 2006ish?
Necklace: Mumsie
Ring: booth at Maple Leaf, 2009 (wow I'm getting a lot of wear out of this piece lately!)
Earrings: Twisted Silver

Daily Outfit - Jen - 4/8/10

The best part about these photos is the fact that I asked Jarod, "Am I in shadow?"

To which he replied, "No."

Cardigan: Tulle

Tee: Old Navy (clearance!)

Necklace: Thrifted

Skirt: Old Navy (clearance!)

Tights: Target (clearance!)

Flat: Tory Burch via Nordstrom

Daily Outfit - Kate - 3/29/10

I've no idea *what* I was thinking when I bought this dress-shirt thing.


(I've also no idea why I was making another gooney face there. Such are the mysteries of the world.)

I mean, it's (the dress-shirt) is scandalously short as a dress, but definitely too long to be a shirt or tunic. I'm not a huge fan of the scoopneck, there's no waist shaping, and did I mention it's SHORT? But I liked the color, and it was $3. So it came home with me many months ago, and has been hanging neglected in my closet ever since.

UNTIL! Today. When I wore it. With a modesty skirt underneath (hey will you help me turn 'modesty skirt' into a "thing"? Please?) and my new UO belt and one of my favorite cotton scarves, it's not *horrible.* Right?



Dress: Old Navy, summer 2009
Skirt: thrifted, originally The Limited
Tights: Old Navy, 2008ish maybe?
Shoes: Softspots "Bronte", summer 2009
Belt: Urban Outfitters, winter 2009/2010
Earrings: MUMSIE WUMSIE
Scarf: Target, summer 2009

Daily Outfit - Kate - 3/23/10

So um...how obvious is it that I'm still loving this 90's inspiration thing?


Lose the jacket, you weirdo!



This was actually my first time ever doing the whole "footless tights with flats" thing. I think I liked it. How 'bout you?



You see, I - in my unrelenting fashion-forwardness - have always worn footless tights with boots. So I could wear handknitted socks with said tights and boots.

I told ya I was cool.

And also? I <3 my new necklace. Bet it won't surprise you to learn that Mom made it :-)

(even if I forget to make it lay straight before taking pictures)

And I bet you'll be even less surprised to learn there are awesome matching earrings, too:


Happiness!

Dress: Old Navy fall 2009, purchased on super clearance
Jacket: GAP
Tights: Target
Flats: Michelle D (Dillards), 2008ish
Earrings, necklace: mi madre
Ring: booth at Maple Leaf, 2009