Outfit 47: Gray and Bright Colors Dress

I'm really happy with how this outfit turned out! I've worn the dress only a couple times before, and remembered it being really short. So I hesitated to wear it again, until now! I love the colors, and I love how awesome it looks with black leggings! It was perfect for a cold day, and even though I had to throw on an extra sweatshirt to stay warm outside, it was totally worth it.

I will take just a minute to discuss leggings though. I'm not including a picture, since they're leggings (Ross - $6), but I would really just like to emphasize that leggings are not pants. No matter how skinny or in shape you are, the color or texture of the leggings, they are the equivalent of tights- you do not wear them on their own! Pants must be worn over them, or a dress long enough to cover what you don't want to share with the rest of the world. Now, there are plenty of girls who don't really care to hide anything- still, for the sake of people like me who do NOT want to see what you have under your tights- PLEASE PUT ON SOME PANTS!

Dress: Village Thrift - $10

Okay, so moving on. The dress was an incredible find last year at my favorite thrift store- Village Thrift! It was on the rack of clothes that haven't been worn- so it still had the original tags and everything! It only cost me $10, which is an awesome price for such a great piece. It is modern and trendy, and I love the colors in it- it goes with almost anything. Paired with a belt and sweater, it pulls it together quite nicely with the boots and leggings!

Bracelets: Hot Topic - $7

The bracelets were a lucky and unexpected find. One of my wonderful friends at home got a few things for Christmas from Hot Topic she wanted to take it back. So we went to the mall one afternoon to see if she could return it for store credit (she didn't have a receipt) and took a look around the store for anything that would be worth getting! After she had found a couple things she wanted, she told me I could pick out something if I found anything, to use up the rest of the store credit! I found this set of bracelets, and immediately fell in love. I love the colors and how sparkly they are! They look great with anything silver or black, and I'm really quite pleased with them. They were only $7, too!

The sweater ($12) was in Outfit 14, Outfit 33, and Outfit 38. The belt was in  Outfit 6,  Outfit 13, Outfit 26, and Outfit 37. The boots ($20) were in Outfit 46. The necklace ($3) was in Outfit 33 and the earrings were in Outfit 2. 

Total Cost: $58 

Outfit 46: Black and White Tunic and Black Flat Boots

This outfit was a lot of fun for me to wear- most of the items were all new! And if they weren't new, it was the first time in a long time I'd been able to wear them. I wore plenty of layers since I was out and about most of the day, but there wasn't anything in particular I wanted to include in the blog, so this outfit is on its own without the scarf, hat, or coat!

Shirt: Target - $3

This shirt was a clearance purchase over a year ago from Target. I think it was only $3? I fell in love with it immediately- the beading is beautiful and the pattern is so lively! I also love the whimsical material, and the length of the shirt. It ties in the back, which you can't see, but I like that extra touch about it too. However, one of the strings that ties broke off after I wore it once! No wonder it was on clearance... But when I was home over winter break, I looked through my closet to clean out a bit, and my mom was able to stitch this one up! So I'm excited to have it back and to be able to wear it!

Belt: Target - $0.50

As you can see, I accessorized the shirt just a little bit. The green tank top brightened it up, and the belt gives it some shape! I got this belt the same time I got the gold one in Outfit 44, for only $0.50 at Target in the dollar bin! I really like this one because it's sparkly- so it's different than the skinny belts I already have that are also black.

Boots: Wal-mart - $20

These shoes are the end of the story to the boots in Outfit 43! As I was searching everywhere for black flat suede boots and FINALLY gave up when I found gray ones, I was a little disappointed but figured I'd be just fine with what I had. Then I went to Wal-mart to get some random things when I first got back to school, and thought I would just take a stroll down their shoe aisle, just in case. Go figure. They had black flat suede boots IN MY SIZE and for only $20! Yep, it was a no-brainer. At first I put them back, but when I got to the line to check out and realized it was forever long, I took that as a sign that I needed to spend a little bit more time in the store and buy the boots. And I am glad I did!

Necklace: Gift

Finally, the necklace was a Christmas gift from my sister. She actually gave me 3 pieces of butterfly jewelry for Christmas- a ring, a necklace, and a belly-button ring! I love them all. But this one is really pretty because it's plain silver and I can wear it with almost anything. It's quite lovely!

The pants (hand-me-down) were in Outfit 42, and the earrings ($5) were in Outfit 4, Outfit 9, Outfit 32, Outfit 33, and Outfit 37. 

Total Cost: $28.50

Outfit 45: Pink Sweater

This outfit was really comfy and relaxing for a long day. For some reason it was quite a struggle to stay awake and motivated throughout the day- my morning coffee wore off earlier than I expected, and I was burnt out by like 6PM every night. So it was nice to wear something comfy that wasn't too involved to put together! The reason I'm showing the coat again is because of the hat and scarf- I'm trying to feature them in my blog. Also, you can see the blue of the coat in this picture much better than the last post!

Hat: Lands End: $12.95 (Gift)

The hat was a Christmas present- I needed a new one that actually kept me warm! It's from Lands End, and is so comfy I would have one in every color if I was shopping still (haha)! I know that they cost $12.95, which is a deal for such a great hat. And they have matching gloves you can get, of course! But I didn't need any of those.

Scarf: Hand-me-down

The scarf is handmade. This is another one my mom passed on to me. I'm not sure if she made it or if someone else did, but she doesn't wear those colors as much, and she asked me if I wanted it! I've really fallen in love with the hand-knitted items in my wardrobe, especially the scarves, so I took it! And it goes great with almost anything, but especially the pink sweater in the rest of the outfit!

Here's the rest of the outfit now! Ignore the sweatshirt in the last photo- I wore that simply because it was cold out and was another layer. I don't consider it part of the outfit!

Sweater: Hand-me-down

The sweater is another addition from my mom's closet! She had two that are like this- one pink and one blue. I have them both now! They are quite comfy and I like the style. The empire waist is always flattering, and I like wearing tank-tops underneath most of my sweaters, so this is a perfect combination. It's also a much more conservative cut, and I like that. I guess I'm really starting to grow up...

The necklace (gift) was in Outfit 14, Outfit 25, and Outfit 31. The jeans ($20) were in: Outfit 12, Outfit 18, Outfit 32, and Outfit 44. The boots ($10) were in Outfit 43. Finally, the coat (gift) was in Outfit 44. 

Total Cost: $30

Outfit 44: Gold Sweater and Accessories

This outfit was a lot of fun for me to put together. I had a few new pieces to play with, and I enjoyed playing up the gold! Plus, it was warm and comfy for an icy day. I'm starting off by talking about my warm outer layer- hat, scarf and coat! I have a few of each to say the least, so I'm hoping to feature those in my blog too!

Coat: JC Penney's - Gift

The coat was an early birthday present from my parents. I have 2 short coats and 1 long one, but they are all at least 3 years old. I really wanted a new coat to update my look while also having something that was long and easy to wear. My old long coat was a pain- it had like 10 buttons and a belt that took like 5 minutes to figure out. So this is a happy medium, and I might even get rid of all three of the old coats now! Talk about cleaning out! A good coat like this is more expensive, but it's totally worth it. We found it on sale, and it's something that will last me for quite a few years. I've received lots of compliments on it- I just love it! And, if you can't tell, it's actually blue... it's a royal blue, not black like the picture might indicate.

Hat: Gift

 My hat was a Christmas present a number of years ago, and I haven't worn it much since. But I really like knit hats like this, so I hope to wear it more. The colors are super fun, so it's a great way to liven up any winter attire!

Scarf: Hand-me-down

The scarf came from my mom's closet- and it was hand-knitted by either her or another family member. I love knit scarves like this- they are so warm and pretty and are made with love! This color looks really great with my coat, which makes it especially cute :)

So, now on to the rest of the outfit!

Sweater: Hand-me-down

The sweater is from my mom's closet, and I love it. It's heavier than I was expecting, and is really comfy. The top of the turtleneck is neat- it buttons down for some extra style! I love the gold thread in it- it looks awesome with the belt and necklace! Adding the lace underneath it was fun too- I think it adds a nice touch and a break in the outfit.

Belt: Target - $0.50

So, I've been waiting to put this belt in my blog! I bought this from the dollar bin at Target- for 50 cents! Talk about a deal! So, I got one in each color- gold, silver, black and pink. They are longer than a size I would normally buy, so I asked my dad to put extra holes in them. After that, it's just a matter of  figuring out what to do with the tail of the belt to keep it together! This is something I saw in a magazine a while ago, and it's evidently the new thing to do. But I love it!

I don't usually include my headbands in my blog, but this is an exception. It's something I played around with more last year, but wanted to bring it back for this outfit! I just happened to have the gold ribbon, and I like the width of it so it's a perfect size for a headband. I just put my hair up in a ponytail, wrap the ribbon appropriately and tie it at the base of my neck before securing it with bobby pins and taking out the ponytail! It usually stays in all day without any problem, and is super comfy. Easy to do, and very inexpensive!

The earrings ($0.79, Outfit 8, Outfit 18), necklace ($5, Outfit 8, Outfit 16, and Outfit 38), jeans ($20, Outfit 12, Outfit 18, and Outfit 32) and boots (gift, Outfit 19, and Outfit 30) have been in previous outfits.

Total Cost: $26.29

Outfit 43: Purple Turtleneck and Gray Boots

This outfit ended up being absolutely perfect for the day. I wore this on the first day of my classes, and I spent from 11AM until 7:30PM in class. Yuck. BUT what I wasn't expecting was actually going out for my lab! We went to bird watch, and it was FREEZING COLD. I was so glad to have a turtleneck, flat boots, and a warm jacket as part of my outfit. I can't imagine how cold I would have been otherwise- I still wasn't able to feel my toes or my fingers by the time we were done!

Jacket: Hand-me-down

This black jacket was also from my mom's closet! She didn't want it anymore, and I don't say no to cute jackets. I love that it's long, and it's also very warm. It's a flattering style, and comfortable to wear over anything. It also looks good over almost anything, so I was especially glad to have it out in the field :)

Turtleneck: Target - $5

 I got the turtleneck over break as well- for some reason I decided that I needed at least one in my wardrobe. And I'm glad I did- it was really comfy! I was out shopping at Target with my parents, and my mom started pulling out the ones on sale for me to try- this was the only one left in my size and in a style that was flattering. It was only $5, so we had to get it! I'm glad to have it- my wardrobe was missing this!

Boots: Target - $10

The boots were also from Target- but they have quite a story behind them! I really wanted to replace my pair of black flat suede boots. I love the pair I got two years ago- but they are very worn out, and I wanted a pair that was a little bit more dressy but could really be worn with anything. Plus, I have too many heels in my shoe collection, so I'm starting to wear more flats. So, I started searching. My mom and my sister both got an awesome pair that I wanted as well from Payless, but when I looked they didn't have any more in my size. I looked online. I looked at all the stores my mom and I went shopping to, but couldn't find anything! So my last day of winter break, I went to Plato's Closet, TJ Maxx, DSW, Kohl's, and finally Target. I couldn't find a decent pair of black flat suede boots that were close to my style or price range anywhere! Instead, I found these boots! They were a lucky find too. They were an online return, so they aren't sold in the store. Someone had bought them online, and then returned them to the store- and the only pair like them were in my size! And they are SUPER comfortable. The best part? They were $10!!!

Necklace: Gift

This necklace was a Christmas present from one of my amazing residents. It was such a nice surprise, and a really sweet gift! I, obviously, love butterflies, and I have plenty of butterfly rings. But now I have an awesome butterfly necklace to wear with them! It's a different style than anything else that I have, and I love that it's brown and be- it's very hard for me to find anything with that color scheme to match my outfits!

The jeans ($12) and earrings (gift) have been in previous outfits: (Outfit 6, Outfit 11, Outfit 22, Outfit 24, Outfit 28, Outfit 31, Outfit 35, and Outfit 40) and (Outfit 5, Outfit 30, Outfit 31, and Outfit 34), respectively.

Total Cost: $27 

Outfit 42: Black Corduroy Pants

This outfit was the first one in a long time that I actually put effort into. I wore it over winter break, right after my mom had cleaned out her wardrobe. It's amazing the things she passed down to me- I think the next few outfits have at least one thing from her old wardrobe in it! Anyway, it was a little chilly out, but since I was just hanging around the house, it was comfy to wear inside. 

Pants: Hand-me-down $0

The black corduroy pants were from my mom's wardrobe! She's at least one size smaller than me, and was getting rid of things that are too big on her now. They are a little bit tight on me, but really are comfortable. I love the look and feel of corduroy- it just adds something to an outfit. I can't quite put my finger on it though. Anyway, the only downfall to these pants is that I didn't really have any shoes to wear with them, since they are unique. But the boots work, and since then I've added another pair of boots (featured later) that work very very well with these pants.

Shirt: $3 at Kohl's

The tank top was a new buy- $3 at Kohl's! I thrive on those after holiday clearance sales. And tank tops are always a "must have" in my opinion- I wear them all the time- on their own, layered, or just underneath other tops to provide warmth. I also love lace- I just think it's so fun and feminine, and when its in moderation it can really glam up an outfit. Having the tank top in green was just the last selling point for me! (Not that it was ever a question in my books).

Cardigan: $3 at a thrift store

This cardigan was also $3, but I bought it at a thrift store back in October! I've had it for months, but haven't found the right outfit for it. It's a difficult color for me to pull off, but I love the buttons on it. It's also a great fall and winter color, and with the gold in my necklace and the green of the shirt, it pulled it together nicely. Hopefully I can find other things to wear it with- or it'll be out of my wardrobe quickly!

The earrings ($15), necklace (gift) and shoes ($5) have been in previous outfits: (Outfit 11, Outfit 19 and Outfit 27), (Outfit 11), (Outfit 31, Outfit 32 , Outfit 34 and Outfit 40) respectively. This was a comfy outfit, even though I'm steering away from heels these days. Everything else was basic and looked nice together! I'm pleased with this outfit and will definitely wear it again (though not for the blog!)

Total Cost: $26

Long time no post...

Okay, so I definitely dropped off the face of the web for the past two months. I don't think I've even logged into my blog since my last post... things got so crazy! Once the semester really picked up, I had a ton of huge papers due, tests to study for, events to plan, and I've probably blocked out anything else that was going on at the time. Basically, it was too much for me to keep up with. And my camera broke, and my computer ran out of memory to even upload the pictures so... I took everything as a sign that I needed a break!

Rhett, one of the two orange tabbies in my family and the subject of my photo shoot one afternoon.

So, I got a new camera for Christmas (it's amazing, I love it), cleaned out my computer (who knew, it runs so much faster now...) and started wearing cute clothes again! Though, I did come to a conclusion over winter break: I own too much stuff. Not just clothes- I have too much stuff in general. It's actually disgusting! For example, I cleaned out my desk the other day and found that I had 3 3-hole punch thingys. I don't know where they came from or why I kept them, but I'm getting rid of the extra two! So, one of my new years resolutions is to wear it or donate it (that applies to clothes only, obviously). And, I'm not shopping anymore. For myself. For clothes. Granted there will be some things that I might need, but I'm not going to buy something just because it's on sale, in my color, adorable, or I could find an outfit to wear it with. I shopped enough over break that I had to buy more hangers when I came back to school! And my dress collection is close to 50 now- if not beyond that.

The other cat, Scarlett, posing for the camera so I could get some good photos of her too!

This will definitely be difficult for me. Through some sort of self-discovery, I've realized that having amazing outfits and cute clothes wasn't so much about looking good or feeling great about myself- it was to hide whatever else I've been trying to avoid confronting in my life. While there are definitely worse things to hide behind, none of it has been healthy. So my goal with this blog now is to realize what I wear, be more comfortable with that, and get rid of the rest. And I still want to have fun with it- so enjoy! There's so much I haven't worn yet, so I'll definitely have a lot more outfits to show!