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

Outfit 49: Gray Jacket and Coral Bag

Just a normal Saturday for me!

 I know, I know. My pictures belong on myspace, not on a blog. I guess I could try to figure out how to set my camera on a timer and not get a mirror picture, but honestly, this is easier. So, what do you think? Cute mirror? Haha, it's been difficult to get pictures of my outfits without roommates or residents to solicit help from. Living alone has its pros and cons, I suppose.

So, a typical Saturday for me consists of sleeping in, going to PetCo to make sure things run smoothly for my volunteers, and take pictures of the cats to put on our facebook page. I'm a volunteer coordinator for the Peninsula Humane Foundation (PHF) in my spare (ha!) time, and Saturdays are usually my day to go up there and make sure we're doing okay. Then I usually go shopping - so this is just a basic outfit I can wear around almost anywhere!

$15 - Ross

I am so in love with this coral bag. This is definitely the color of the season! I think it's great, and since I can only wear a limited amount of this color without looking washed out, having a bag this color is a great way to look like I'm keeping up with the trends :) I will also say that this bag is great because I don't have to hold onto it while I'm out! Even with a one shoulder bag like all of my other purses, I feel like I'm constantly having to hold on to them just to keep them on my shoulder. With this one- I have my hands free to select more clothes to try on! I mean, that is what it's for, right? Haha, but really I saw this at Ross one day, picked it up and never put it back down. It was only $15, and I take it everywhere. LOVE.

Gift ($3 - Shipwreck)

My mom got this necklace for me a long time ago- actually, before I even started the blog. I have no idea why it was never featured (I just sifted through all my old posts!) because I love it. It was only $3 and we found it at a little souvenir shop in the Outer Banks, called the Shipwreck. It's my favorite little shop down there- we've gone for years and years and this was a little treasure to take back with me.

Hand-me-down (Express)

 I know, it's a bit awkward to take a picture of my butt. I don't care for it either, but the best way to show off jeans is to show the pocket design on the back, as that's usually the way to tell what brand they are! Not sure if you can even tell in this picture, but I'm not zooming in, lol! These jeans are Express, and they are actually a hand-me-down from my roommate last fall. She couldn't use them anymore so she gave them to me - it was AWESOME to live with someone who wore the same size as me! Love her! I probably wear these jeans the most out of any of my other ones- they're comfy and can easily be dressed up or down depending on what I want to do. Or in between, as this outfit called for.

$16 - Ross

And now for the other part of this outfit the title is for! I just LOVE this jacket. I actually bought it back in October when I went shopping with one of my best friends in Richmond. I credit her with my ability to shop all day and spend ridiculous amounts of money, but also always getting the most bang for my buck. I think every time we go shopping we each say "That's cute... but not for $xxx." So at least we keep each other in check! It was really funny when I got this jacket though, because we were in Ross and she pulled it out laughing, and said "I don't even know how you'd wear this!!" and I said, "Hold onto it, and I'll show you how you wear it." Lo and behold, I bought it. For $16 and being representative of me, as she said, it was kind of a no-brainer. And I love it. I have it paired with a basic black cami here.

I don't remember what earrings I wore that day, but they were probably little studs. I wore my butterfly converses ($22), which were first featured in Outfit 6. Surprisingly, that's the only outfit they're in! I actually wear them quite a lot now, so I'm really shocked they weren't in any other posts. 

Total Cost: $56