Outfit 58: Teal Skirt and Ribbon Halo

This was a great day. I slept well the night before, got ready for the day and cleaned my apartment within about an hour and a half before my family showed up. I actually put this outfit together in less than 5 minutes - most of which I hadn't worn in quite some time, and certainly not all together! We went to lunch and then to the Newport News Fall Festival, which was a lot of fun. I should have worn different shoes, but I still enjoyed the whole experience.

Without the jacket, which is how I wore the outfit most of the day anyway. I thought I hadn't featured the jacket before, but it was actually in Outfit 53. I think I talked about these tank tops a while back, but I absolutely love them. That's Target for you! I think I have 5 or 6 in different colors... I wear them all. the. time. $9 for a basic, comfortable, and flattering top? It's a no-brainer.

Belt: $1.50 - Thrift Store

This belt is so awesome! I found this at a thrift store at least a year ago, and actually never knew how to wear it. But once I put together this outfit I knew it was missing something... and I knew just what to look for! It matched the color of my shirt and shoes perfectly - and was the missing piece for this outfit. The fact that it was only $1.50 doesn't hurt either :)

Skirt - $4 Village Thrift

The skirt was a thrift store find at Village Thrift this past spring. I've only worn it a couple times, but with the warm weather this weekend I wanted to wear something other jeans, since it was going to get cold (and ugh, it has!). I love this color, and it was so fun with the pattern in the front that I figured it was a good casual outfit for a day with the family.

Boots: Target - $9

These boots were a Target find, again. I should probably just wear a sign that says "If you like my outfits, go to Target." Or maybe just place QR codes all over my clothes so people can find them. Anyway, I'm pretty sure this was a pair that I picked up, glanced at, saw was on clearance, tried on, realized they were a perfect fit and under $10, and obviously bought immediately afterwards.

Ribbon Halo: $3 - Fall Festival

Oh, and the halo. Well, I'm truly a child at heart. And really a princess child at heart. Like Disney, fairy princess. So when we were wandering around the park at the festival, I was drawn to this stand with tons of these halos on them! My sister and I took one look at them, and she knew I had to get one immediately. Too embarrassed to purchase my own halo, I insisted that she get one as well and then gave her money so the lady at the booth wouldn't realize I was actually one of the girls getting the halo. Though I'm sure after I put it on she realized anyway. I love it - there's just something so fun, carefree, and whimsical about it.

Earrings: $5 - Claires

I could have sworn I featured these earrings before! I guess not though - I couldn't find them anywhere on the blog. Oh well. I love these though - they are teal, have jewels in them, and are mostly feathers! They were the perfect finishing touch for my outfit - very earthy, edgy, and fun which matched my outfit perfectly. And festivals are the perfect time to break out the feather earrings! I definitely saw a lot of handmade ones out there, so I at least knew I was on top of my style :)

Total Cost: $31.50

Outfit 57: Magic Shoes and Target Finds

 I bought most of the pieces to this outfit just yesterday, and I've learned that the sooner you wear something you just bought the more exciting it is. If you let something sit in your closet for too long I think some of the magic wears off! It's just starting to get a little bit cooler in the mornings, and this scarf is a favorite of mine and a perfect way to warm up this outfit. I got a lot of compliments at my small group tonight (not work, surprisingly) but the fact that it still looks decent after a full day of work is definitely a good thing! This is a truly "thrifty" outfit, each piece was a good find, so I'm pretty excited about this outfit as a whole.

Scarf - $5 The Finicky Fox

This scarf was a find in Richmond, at a consignment shop in Gayton Crossing called The Finicky Fox. It was hidden on one of their back racks, and was only $5! It's warm and well made, so I knew it was a good find right away. The fact that it's gold, teal AND glittery just made it that much more exciting to buy. I had some of the girls at work tell me they were going to steal it from me they liked it so much! I'd have to take it off first though, and I wore it all day today!

Blazer - CHKD Thrift Store - $5

 I could have sworn I featured this blazer before! It's a favorite piece in my wardrobe, not only for its thriftiness but also for its practicality. It's navy, and goes well with anything I have that's brown or gold - which is a lot. I found it at a CHKD thrift store in the summer of 2011, and it was only $5! It's New York and Company, so I knew the quality was good. And it's served me quite well- I wear it frequently and a blazer is such an easy way to dress up an outfit or make it look more professional. The other piece I'll talk about here is the tank top - which is a Target find. I LOVE these tank tops - they're perfect for work! They're only $9, and Target releases new colors each season. This is one I picked up yesterday, and it's one of my favorite colors to wear right now. So it made sense to wear it today :)

Skirt - Target - $12

I also found the skirt at Target, on clearance! I always have luck there. It was only $12, is navy (matches my awesome blazer) and has pockets! So it was a no brainer. I think I tried it on for a total of 5 seconds and knew I had to get it. It's actually quite comfortable, is fitted enough so it keeps it shape throughout the day, and is crisp and professional looking. I'm very pleased with it. And, did I mention pockets?!?!

Shoes - Chic Envy - Gift

So, these shoes weren't truly a part of my outfit today. I had them in the car, and originally planned to wear them with the outfit, but then thought better of it when I found an alternative brown flat to wear. The brown flats vs. high heels all day winner was the flats... comfort over beauty, today! I still want to feature them though, because they are "magic shoes." When I went to Chic Envy in Fairfax with my best friend about a month ago, she actually picked these out for me and said - they're your size, you MUST try them on! So, to appease her, I did. I thought they were cute, but too pricey ($45, though they are Steve Madden). So I put them back, until I tried on this perfect dress... that needed a pair of heels to be tried on with it! So I went back and picked these up. At that moment, they became the "magic shoes" - they made EVERYTHING I put on look so amazing! Since I wasn't too keen on spending that kind of money on a pair of shoes, Bess offered to get them for me as an early Christmas present. I have a hard time saying no to that... so, magic shoes!

The earrings were featured in Outfit 55, and the shoes I actually wore with this outfit were in Outfit 52. 

Total cost: $31

Outfit 56: Khaki Dress Pants and Purple Shirt

 This was a last minute outfit, but I really enjoyed how it came together! I've had most of these pieces for a while now, and it's starting to get cold again, so I can make new combinations to spice up my wardrobe. The pants are definitely different, so it took a few tries to find something that went with them. But I got a lot of compliments, so I think means it turned out alright :)

Black cardigan - $12

The first piece I'll talk about is the black sweater. It's been in a number of outfits before, but I stopped mentioning it because it was such a basic. But it still serves me well, and is easily paired with almost any top and a cute belt. Perfect for layering this outfit! The belt was in a couple posts ago, but it was truly a great find years ago and pulled this outfit together with a little bit more flare :)

Purple Shirt - Steinmart $20

This shirt was a purchase from Steinmart last winter. I went on a shopping trip with my mom for some professional clothes, and this was one of the things I ended up with. I just love it - it's a beautiful color, has a great shape to it, and is very flattering. And I can wear it with just about anything - black, brown, khaki! It was $20, and was worth every penny.

Pants - Thrift Store (Cache) $5

These pants were a thrift store find a couple years ago - and only for $5 or 6! They're Cache, so I knew instantly that if they fit me I needed to get them. The catch with them is that they have such a wide leg on them, and are so long, that I have to wear them with tall heels. So it can be difficult to construct an outfit around that. Thankfully, I have enough shoes to do just that! I did get a couple questions about them (most people loved them, my boyfriend seemed skeptical at first) but I just love them.

Earrings - $3 (in a set)

These earrings have gotten higher on my list of favorite earrings. I've definitely been drawn more and more to studs in the last year or so, and I really like these because they're small but still have some character to them. Plus they're purple, and matched my outfit nicely!

The final pieces of my outfit were my shoes - my wonderful, gorgeous, edgy shoes from Outfit 54! I loved this outfit, though my feet felt otherwise after was at work for a long day and didn't get home until after 10PM!

Total Cost: $40

Outfit 55: Another Black Dress

So today started off just a little crazy. Flash flood warnings trapped me in my apartment and it stormed on and off until around 3 this afternoon. I spent most of the day lounging around and then cleaning, so I wanted to look a little nicer after I showered and got ready for the day! Even if that is when the sun's going down :) This outfit is nice but still casual and very comfortable. Low maintenance too - all I needed to add were the shoes and earrings!

Dress - $8 - Target

This dress was another Target find! I truly do love the clearance racks at that store more than anywhere else. I've found such amazing things! It's difficult to tell from the picture, but it's got a matching fabric belt that ties in the front, the sleeves are loose but have the elastic things at the end to give the dress more definition, and the neckline has a small button in the middle. So it has some character, and makes it different from the other black dresses I own :)

Earrings - $3 - Village Thrift

These earrings were a random find at a thrift store, and the second I saw them I knew I had to have them. Gold earrings and jewelry in general have really started to take over my accessories, and these look like teardrop chandeliers (if that's such a thing) so I fell in love instantly. Plus, they were cheap! So they're a simple and elegant way to dress up the dress!

Sandels - $13 - Target

Again, Target to the rescue for shoes! I have the best luck in their shoe section. I found these at the beginning of the summer, and I wear them so often. They're very comfortable but so cute too! And they're in one of my favorite colors, which goes perfectly with black and gold! So definitely perfect for this outfit.

I must admit that the most I've done in this outfit so far is take a nap, but hopefully the night livens up and I can show it off :) 

Total Cost: $22

Outfit 54: Coral Skirt and Black Laced Pumps

Forgive my tired eyes... it's been a long week!

It's been a long time since I've loved an outfit so much I wanted to put it on the blog! It's sad when you lose passion for some of the smaller things in life. I've been so busy and distracted with life that I've stopped putting much energy into my outfits. I typically like what I wear these days (I think I have a better sense of what I like to wear and what looks good, thanks to this blog) but I just don't think about it much more. 

So, little by little, slowly but surely I'll finish up this blog! Anyway, I LOVE this outfit and it has such great stories behind it that I'm really looking forward to sharing it.

This is a better shot of the outfit with the heels, and I honestly can't decide which I love more - the skirt or the heels! I figured a good day to dress up is a day when you're out and about - and I had quite a few errands to run. The shirt has a black cami under it, and was a $3 thrift store find 2 summers ago. Thanks to my mom for that one! And the necklace was a gift, and in Outfit 11 and Outfit 42. 

Skirt - Chic Envy Consignment - $20

This skirt = perfection. Remember the blue gypsy skirt in Outfit 36? Well, this one is competing with that and I had no idea that was possible.
1. It's CORAL - which is probably my newest favorite color. My best friend, Bess and I went shopping this past weekend when I was in Fairfax visiting her, and she found this AMAZING consignment shop! And kept saying how much she associates the color coral with me - so after I found this skirt, and it fit (perfectly!!) I was sold. 
2. It has POCKETS!!! and HUGE pockets at that. Now I did try using them today and I thought they would rip, just because they go down to my knees. Weird. A skirt with deep pockets? That's definitely new. But so cool!
3. It TWIRLS! Almost like the blue gypsy skirt! It's long enough that it's got the length under it, and it has enough material to twirl! 

In other words, it's perfect. And the belt was a 50 cent find in the Target dollar bins at the front door... it might have been in another post but it's sparkly, and too long, so I had my dad put extra holes in it so I could wear it. It's awesome. I actually wore it yesterday too!





These SHOES! I love them so much. They are not only gorgeous and edgy, but they're actually comfortable! For heels, that is. It's a chunky heel so there's support, and the lace up front gives more support. At least, that's my justification!

Chic Envy - $42

So these shoes are also from Chic Envy, but they were definitely the most expensive part of the outfit! Totally worth it though. They were $42, which is an expensive pair of heels in my wardrobe, but I'm so incredibly happy to have them! And I wore them quite a bit in the store, and after I had them on for longer than 5 minutes I was sold. 

And there's another part of this outfit, which is my watch, but I think I'll save that for a later post. I think there are enough stories in this one! Anyway, I felt like a princess wearing this today and absolutely loved it!

Total Cost: $65.50

Outfit 53: All That Glitters is Gold

So this is another Sunday morning outfit, from a week ago in Richmond. I came home for the weekend to run in the Be The One Run for Be The Match on Saturday morning, and stayed the weekend. Since it was going to get cold again, I wanted to wear a dressy pants outfit for church on Sunday morning. I got a number of compliments on my outfit - my favorite being that I've grown up to look and dress like my mom! To many people I know that that wouldn't be much of a compliment, but if you've met my mom it is. She's very fashionable and puts just as much (if not more) thought into her outfits, and we've traded clothes for years. So being told that I look like her is quite a compliment :) 

Pants - CHKD Thrift Store (J. Crew) for $5

And also hilarious considering she picked out the top and I borrowed her belt for the outfit... The pants are J. Crew, and I got them from a CHKD thrift store in Newport News. They've been hard to match things with, since they are brown with gold stitching throughout, but when I can find a good outfit for them they are fun to wear :) I only paid about $5 for them! Great deal!

Jacket - Village Thrift $4

This jacket was a spontaneous purchase from the Village Thrift store in Newport News. I got it the same time I got my butterfly skirt from Outfit 52. I love this style of jacket - the buttons, the color, and the fit of it make it a great addition to a lot of outfits. I end up wearing it pretty frequently, actually! It went will with this outfit even though I wore it with the brown pants - sometimes it's okay to be matchy matchy :)

Blouse - Steinmart $20

I bought this shirt with my mom back in January. I can't decide if it's a good or bad thing that every time I'm home we go shopping... but my wardrobe always looks better after trips home, so I guess I can't complain! I love this shirt because it's such a great style. It's dressy, professional, stylish, and still manages to be fun at the same time. The ruffles down the front and the tie at the neck were not things I would have picked out for myself traditionally, but it's one of my favorite things in my wardrobe. I got it for $20 at Steinmart!

Forever 21 - $3

So this is my mom's belt - I forgot to bring home a belt to wear with these slacks for church so I had to raid her closet. Well this is one of the skinny belts I helped pick out for her for Christmas a couple years ago, and it went great with my outfit! Forever 21 for $3 - not bad!

Target - $5

And these earrings are my favorite - I got them at Target a couple weeks ago. They were on clearance for $5, and I love that they look pearly and are accented with gold - they look great with a lot of my outfits. 

I also wore an off-white tank top underneath my blouse, which I got at Target for $9. I love these tops and I would recommend them to anyone - right now they're on sale for $7! My heels were in Outfit 38.

Total Cost: $46

Outfit 52: Easter Sunday and BUTTERFLIES!

It's been a few weeks since I've posted, but I have been taking pictures, at least! Right when I started back up with the blog, our dress code for work switched from professional to casual, so a lot of the outfits I was wearing were things I'd already featured. Or maybe that's just my justification for not keeping up with the blog like I would like to. Anyway, three weeks ago was Easter Sunday, and I of course wanted to dress up for it. It was chilly in the morning, so I wasn't sure how many layers I would need to wear, but I was actually quite comfortable in this outfit the entire day, so that was a nice surprise! Especially since I went to church for the 7:30AM service! 

Skirt - Village Thrift for $10

So I went for bright colors that conveniently also match my mirror! So everything looks very coordinated, but that was not intentional. I also spent extra time curling my hair in between church and Easter lunch, which is the first time I've done that in years. So I felt very dressed up! The skirt was an on a whim purchase at a nearby thrift store (Village Thrift in Newport News). I went in back in January to get a few things and stumbled upon this skirt. It's from Talbots, which my mom and aunt love, so I knew pretty quickly this was a keeper. Not to mention that it was on the boutique rack at the thrift store, meaning it's brand name and brand new, was only $10, and had butterflies all over it. So what better skirt to wear on Easter Sunday than a colorful butterfly one? 

T-shirt - Target for $4; Cami - Kohl's for $10

I layered a pink cami under a hot pink boyfriend T-shirt from Target (I have four in different colors). I don't wear them much anymore, but they are very useful when I need something casual and in a solid color! This one was about $5 and I got it a couple years ago. The pink cami was from Kohls and I've had it for a few years too - it was probably only about $10. I have at least four or five of them in different colors too... I'd definitely recommend them!

Cardigan - Ross for $7

I've featured this white cardigan in outifts in the past (Outfit 27, Outfit 26, Outfit 10, and Outfit 4) but since it's been a while I'll post it again. It's a great addition to a lot of my outfits, it's easy to throw on over something and keep it looking nice. I got it at Ross (one of my favorite stores) for only $7. 

CHKD Thrift Store - $7

I got these shoes last summer while thrifting. I was in desperate need for brown flats, and while these have a bit of a heel they have served me well! Surprisingly I just found another pair of brown flats at the same thrift store (CHKD in Hampton) the other night, so I think I know where I'm going from now on for brown flats!

Cross necklace - gift from parents

I've had this necklace for years - I honestly don't remember when I got it. My mom says I got it when I was confirmed in the Methodist Church when I was 12. She brought it down for me when I was baptized at Liberty Baptist Church on August 7th this past summer. So it definitely has a lot of sentimental value to me. Plus it serves as a constant reminder to me as to where I am in my life and why, and keeps me focused on what's truly important. And on Easter Sunday, it is all about the cross! Without it there would be no point in living. http://youtu.be/5beoRa_HR8o

Happy Easter... three weeks late!

Total outfit cost: $38

Outfit 51: Gold Bracelet

Today's been a long day... I took multiple naps yesterday and it totally threw off my schedule. I took a nap from 8-10pm last night, and then stayed up til 2am... got up at 7:30 and then spent the day at work. I was fine until my lack of sleep caught up with me later in the day... and I'm going to bed soon now, instead of going to the gym... whoops. So this outfit is what happens after work, when I still have places to be and things to do but I don't want to still be dressed up. I wore the pants I wore yesterday in Outfit 50 to work, but I put on jeans tonight. Much more comfortable.

$5 - Target

The cardigan you see in the top picture was featured in Outfit 16 - going WAY back now, hang on :) This green shirt I'm wearing with a green cami underneath it, which was in Outfit 42. I like this shirt mostly because of the color- I've always loved green and this darker green is easy to wear with anything- jeans, brown, khaki, black... and it pairs nicely with almost any cardigan. It's subtle. And comfy. Oh, and I got it on sale at Target last summer :)

Boots - Gift

Oh, my love of boots. These were a Christmas present this past year, and I am so thrilled to have them. You can't really tell from the picture, but they are brown leather boots. And they go with everything. They are a little on the pricey end - these were about $85 on clearance - but definitely worth it. They're what's "in" right now, and I can definitely tell why. My favorite. Oh, and the jeans are skinny jeans from American Eagle - in Outfit 4.

$3 - in a set

My earrings came in a set with about 8 other pairs of small studs- and I got them for about $3 at Claires last summer. I really like them because I think they're very simple and understated. I've grown to really like small earrings, especially small studs like this because of that. Yay little gold studs (I'm getting tired...) My ring and watch are featured in Outfit 50.

Gift

This bracelet is the inspiration for my post today. Back in October, I found out that my great aunt was very sick with cancer, and only had a little bit of time left. I was devastated- we'd never been close, but she was family, and I'd been telling myself for a long time that I wanted to get back down to Florida to visit her before I ran out of time. The rest of my family made it down there to see her back in June, but I was busy working and couldn't go with them. My mom texted me the news on a Friday afternoon in October, and I remember very clearly how little work I accomplished when I was there the rest of the day. My mom said that she probably didn't have enough time for me to make it down there, and that she wouldn't want me to rush down there anyway. As her health stabilized for a few days, I decided that I'd write her a letter. So I did. And I sent it down to her, in the hopes that it would get there in time and that she would either read it or someone would read it to her. She passed away that Saturday night, and I could only pray that my letter had reached her in time.

In late January, my mom called me to tell me I'd gotten a package in the mail from my cousin, my great-aunt's niece (I think, I'm really quite awful with family relationships and what not, but you get the picture). She said it was addressed to me and she asked if she could open it! I said of course, and she read me the letter that was in it- which thanked me for my letter, shared how it had helped her and had helped my great-aunt (someone did read it to her!), and how she didn't want to miss the opportunity to tell us she loved us. How awesome is that. I would also like to add that we've had a lot of problems communicating and staying in touch with this part of our family, and now we're working on repairing things! 

In addition to her letter, my cousin sent me this bracelet, which belonged to my great aunt. She said "I know Bernie would like for you to keep it, and maybe even wear it, sometimes." It's gorgeous. And  I love it. I feel like she's with me when I wear it, and I smile thinking of her. What a blessing. 

I'll leave you with my song, "Second Chance," that I wrote as a reflection. Oh, and today's total cost is on the high side, because of quality pieces: $140

Outfit 50: Brown Dress Pants and More Boots!

This is actually the outfit I wore to church today, so I'm catching up to real time with my outfits and posts! Yay! Now let's see if I can accomplish this for tomorrow... So I've been going to church at Liberty Baptist Church since August, and I've really enjoyed it. It's so different from Welborne, but in a refreshing good way that makes me appreciate both Welborne and Liberty. I'm not sure how they feel about my involvement in both churches, but since I travel home frequently but live in Hampton, I guess it's best for me to be involved in both rather than just one or the other? At the end of the day, to me church is church and I'm just glad I have the freedom to go at all.

I actually got up at 6:30 this morning for our Bible Study class at 8. Don't worry, I'm equally as shocked I got up that early for something other than work. I think my body was so shocked it just didn't know how to stop me this morning. Though I will be napping after this. But, I figure my relationship with God is a lot more important than my job, and if I can get up early for work every day I better be able to get to church whenever I'm called to be there. So this outfit came together quite early this morning, and I must say I'm rather pleased with it. It took a while for me to figure out what to wear- I just couldn't pick out the right top. I'm currently sharing my bed with a pile of clothes and hangers, it's that bad. But anyway.

$15 - Ross

This picture is for the cardigan- I needed something else to throw over my outfit this morning and this was perfect. I got it at Ross about a year ago, and it's just one of those essential things I don't try to plan my outfits around but am so glad when I have it!

$10 - Ross/Marshall's

And this is the outfit without the cardigan. I like it because the pants are fitted and actually sit higher on my hips, so I was looking for a shirt that was either form fitting or loose that I could tug in. Of course, I tried on 10 trying to make this work. I think this looks nice and professional, so I'm pleased with the way it turned out! I can't remember where I got the shirt from, but I'm guessing it was about $10, and probably from Ross or Marshalls. That's my best guess!

$12 - Kohl's

I actually got these pants yesterday on my normal Saturday shopping excursion. This time I went to Kohl's, though, since it had been a while since I'd been there and I figured I might find some things! Very very rarely do I find decent pants on clearance, especially onces I can wear for work that are flattering, stylish, and I can wear either flats or heels with them! So this is definitely a win for me. Oh, and they were only $12 and included the belt! Talk about a deal!

$12 - Target

Alright, now for my boots! I love boots. I have about 8 pairs. That's after I cleaned out my closet. And half of them are brown. You can never have too many! So these I got a few weeks ago in Richmond. I was shopping with a good friend of mine at Target, and I found these boots without any tags on them or a box at all. I knew they were in the clearance section, and I went ahead and tried them on. They fit perfectly! So I told myself if they were $10 or less I would get them. So when I got to the register and she scanned them, they came up to $12 - and I decided that was close enough! So brown suede boots from Target for $12. I'm pretty happy with them!

$25 - Kohl's

I wear this watch literally every day. I was only $25 from Kohl's, and my mom got it for me when we were out shopping before I began working at NASA. I knew I'd need something other than my phone to keep the time, and I like how much this one is like a bracelet. I can't imagine not having it, I've gotten so used to it now!

Gift

These earrings were part of a set that my sister got, but she didn't want them. So she gave them to me! They're pretty big, as you can tell, especially for studs. But they have a pink hue to them, so they went great with my blouse today. I love the classy look of pearls, so these are an instant go to when I need something to go with just about anything.

Gift

This ring probably needs it's own post. And maybe on a different blog that would work. But for this post, I'll suffice to say that this ring was a gift from my parents when I turned 13. It says "I love you" on it, and they got it for me as a "true love waits" ring. Without getting into my testimony, I'll just say that it means a lot more to me now than it did when I first got it 10 years ago. I wear it every day, and I think it's gotten prettier each day!

Now I'm all caught up for the moment- time to pick out tomorrow's outfit!

Total Cost: $74