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