Without a net

All right, I decided it was time to plunge into fashion without a net - no longer following the inspiration calendar. Of course, today July's was posted, so I might look at it, but otherwise, I'm just going to try my best on my own.

I wanted to wear these Chinese Laundry shoes, which I now regret as I forgot how much they blister. However, with the pants, and the wrap shirt and tank (which makes me look damn thin! Yeah!), I was rather happy.

Shoes: Winners
Pants: Smart Set
Tank: Ricki's? Smart Set?
Wrap shirt: Ricki's

I'm going on a picnic!

I decided since I had the house to myself on Sunday, I'd fill it with people! I threw a barbecue that probably had the highest level of participation ever! Yes!

I love this gingham shirt. I got it for $3 at Giant Tiger. I'm not entirely sure I'm keeping this skirt - I finally went through my closet to get rid of somethings. Some things got tagged with a "use it or lose it" string. This skirt was one of them. Thoughts? And what do people think of the two belts?

Shirt: Giant Tiger
Skirt: Smart Set
Belts: Mom's closet

Catch Up - Post 4

All right, I've been behind on the posting lately, I know. I've been taking pictures and meaning to post, but let's face it, that doesn't always happen. Sigh. Anyway, today was tan and yellow. This was a little more difficult and in the end, I don't think it really worked. I like the purple and yellow together, and the tan and brown together. I liked the idea of the yellow with the tan and brown, and the idea of the purple with the tan and brown, but in the end, I don't think it meshed.

Tan capris: Winners
Purple shirt: Smart Set
Brown Jacket: Rickis
Yellow shoes: Superstore

Catch Up - Post 3

You would think with my affinity for shoes, that having a day where the outfit should be "All About Shoes" would be easy for me.

However, it was difficult to select the right pair of shoes. I think I chose correctly with my green / teal and blue ones (hmm - which would probably go well with my paisley tank of the same tones!). Of course, my the end of the day my feet disagreed - alas, plastic shoes, you are my undoing.

Of course, it wasn't all about the shoes. I love this skirt, and the casualness of the paired tops. Probably not my fanciest work out fit, but other than feeling cold all day, I'm glad I made the right choice.

However, I may have got a little sunburnt on my lunch break


Shoes: Payless
Skirt: Ricki's
Shirts: Smart Set

Catch Up - Post 2

Today was "Keep it simple with a patterned dress", so naturally I grabbed for my favourite dress. I can't get over how much I love this dress. I wore it with a basic white hooded jacket because it's rather cold in the office, and some other departments on my floor have dress codes I try to follow.

Dress: Suzy Shier
Hoodie: Bootlegger

Catch Up - Post 1

Holy crap I look shocked / horrified.

The inspiration calendar named today "Monochromatic Blue". I don't like being monochromatic, so I opted for a blue dress, with a paisley tank top underneath which had blues... and teals... which are pseudo blues in my books, and greens, which are pseudo teals in my book.

I enjoy the shock / horror in my face in the picture. Sigh... I've been running out of time in the morning to take pictures, and since I go to the gym after work, it's pretty much a "click and go" type day.

Dress: Smart Set (altered)
Paisley Shirt: ?? Swapped from Deb.

Short Over Long

Does it count as short over long if you're simply pairing a white cardigan over a dress?

This pink dress, well, I've got mixed feelings about it. It's so bloody comfortable, and I love the idea of it, but the fabric and the style just don't go together. The cowl neck hangs stiffly, and the gathered waist drapes oddly. But I tend to wear it to places where I need to look nice, but be comfortable, like Scott's grad, the reason I got the dress.

Dress: Joe
Cardigan: Garage
Shoes: Shoe Warehouse
World's awesomest slip: La Vie En Rose

Two days in One!

Menswear:
Pink H&M Top - Value Village
Black pinstripe vest - Dynamite
White capris - Garage
Black and White Shoes - Payless












Purple and Green:
Purple wrap - Smart Set?
Green dress shirt - Ricki's
Floral skirt - Smart Set

Fifties?

Today was supposed to be 50s day, and I had planned this outfit out long ago. However, today when I put it on, I just wasn't feeling it. Oh well, the skirt made my want to spin in circles - something that I failed to get the opportunity to go.

The dress was an impulse purchase last year, and turned out to be a bad one. The dress in its natural state makes me look pregnant: not good. As such, wearing something like this cardigan, a belt, or any other full-skirt restricting piece is necessary.

And yes, I'm doing the twist

First weekend of summer!

This was the first weekend that it was actually nice enough to be outside, doing stuff. As a result, posting was not a priority - can you blame me? I had a total of 6 outfits all weekend, but you don't need to see such beauties as "Washing the Car" and "Going to the Gym".

Friday, I went to a bachelorette party, where we did a riddle scavenger hunt, and so did a lot of running from the van to various locations. I was rather happy to be in my new top from Joe and jeans (also Joe). However, I'm not crazy about how the top looks. I like the idea, but... I don't know, something's just off.
Shirt: Joe
Jeans: Joe

Saturday, it was Adam's turn for a 21st birthday and he and his girlfriend's house warming party - isn't a mortgage a great 21st birthday present? We spent part of the evening outside, so I wished I had a jacket. I also have mixed feelings about this top, given the fact that I bought it 7 years ago, wore it like crazy at the time, then relegated it to the costume box for my scare crow costume. I wore it with jeans, but didn't take a picture that night. Rather, I had to put it back on over today's outfit to grab a picture.
Shirt: Smart Set circa 2002
Tank: Dynamite circa 2003
Jeans: Joe, circa 2009

Sunday, I mostly sat around the house doing laundry, then hanging out on our deck. I've decided to not purposely tan this year - my family is prone to pigment disorders and I'm starting to follow in their genetic footprints - so I've been loving our covered deck. However, I also went knitting. Now, this dress is my favourite dress in the world. I bought it when my sister graduated from high school, and a decade later, I still feelt fabulous everytime I put it on. Of course it doesn't quite fit the same - I checked today, and I've taken it in about 4 inches total (2 on each side), but the tailoring, albeit a crappy job of it as I never took the time to remove the excess fabric, figuring I'd gain all the weight back, makes it fit perfectly every time. I'm seriously not wanting to take this off before bed, but I am hoping to wear it before the next laundry day, so I should.
Dress: Suzy Sheir (Probably one of the only things I bought from that store in my life) circa 2000

Purple and Yellow

The last time I wore purple and yellow, I got quite of few odd stares in the office.

Today, I went with a bit more distance between the two colours.

Jeans: Bluenote
Shirt: Whatever the cheap teeny bopper store beside Smart Set is
Cardigan: Garage (yes, this whole outfit is seeming teeny bopper in source)
Shoes: Superstore

Flower Power

I just didn't feel like wearing my floral skirt this morning so I went with a more subtle "Flower Power" theme. I was also in a rush, so the pics, well, suck. Sorry.

Pants: Smart Set
Shirt: I'm guessing Smart Set (it's in my gym bag)
Jacket: Ricki's
Shoes: Nike's

Bright in Winter Clothes?

Today I was supposed to wear a bright shirt with a pencil skirt. There seemed to be an endless stream of issues with this one.

First of all - in my opinion, the provided picture was not of a true pencil skirt. It seemed to flare. However, I had a very similar skirt in black that would work just as well.

Second of all - it's been unseasonably cold here so wearing skirts at all is questionable, without tights at least. I have six main colours of tights: black, grey, navy, brown red and purple.

I have very few bright colourful (button up) shirts: green, green stripe, orange and red.

Given the skirt was black, my only really coordinated option was to go with the reds, a favourite outfit of mine on nicer days in winter.

I tried to brighten it up with a white hoodie, but it just looked disjointed all day.

In any event, the only benefit of this weather is the fact I've been getting a lot of wear out of my trench coat.

Clothing:
Skirt: Ricki's
Shirt: Smart Set
Jacket: Ricki's
Tights: Walmart
Maryjanes: Rockport (Shoe Warehouse)

White House Chic

Maybe it's because I'm afraid that classic conservative will make me look stodgy, but I've never been able to fully get behind any Michelle Obama theme days. Today was black and pearls. I went with black, but forgot the "pearls' (I don't' own any).

Today was my black silk shirt (Ricki's), Glen Plaid Pants (Smart Set) and Chinese Laundry Belt (again - winners). And of course, I wore my black boots with them.

Drinks

I didn't do Friday's Inspiration For June, becuase it called for khakis, and Fridays are always jeans days. As such, I didn't take a picture. However, in its place, you get my outfit for Saturday: Drinks with Matt. I took a picture at the end of the night, so nothing is sitting as it should. However, I have:

Jeans - J2 by Joe (Superstore)
Shirt - H&M (Value Village)
Belt - Chinese Laundry (Winners)
White shirt - Bootlegger
Ballet Flats - Giant Tiger
Lip stain & Goofy expression- House Wine at Parthenon Pizza

Safari... I mean double stripe day

Today was double stripe day. It's been cooler than usual lately, so I wasn't convinced I should wear my striped walking shorts as I had planned, but wasn't ready to go back to the pinstripe pants that got me through winter (I only have 3 pair...).

In any event, I woke up at it was 11 degrees, halfway to our high of 22. Perfect, I thought, and threw on the outfit I had planned last night (I'm fabulous at ignoring whatever I've planned for myself earlier in the week).

However, the pink stripe shirt (H&M from Value Village) and the walking shorts (Winners) just didn't jive. I had a sneaking suspicion I owned something that would work fabulously, but I couldn't think of what. Eventually the jacket popped back into my head (Ricki's). I added my new gladiator sandals (Shoe Warehouse), and I had an outfit.

And I kind of loved this outfit - I don't like jumping onto too many theme trends per season, and I kind of love the sailor one, and so this safari look was just tame enough to be palatable (not that I dislike the safari look, but I definitely accidentally rocked that two years ago).

But today's challenge was probably one of the hardest - I have such a phobia of pattern that it was difficult trying to find 2 pieces of clothing that would match that both had stripes!

Focus on the accessories

I discovered today I can't spell jewellery / jewellry / jewelry / jewellry. Apparently the third one is correct, but in any event, that's why the title refers to accessories.

In any event, the outfit today was supposed to be about the jewelry. I went with a jean skirt I picked up at Value Village the other week, and a basic black sweater from Smart Set.

I am not sold on the bracelet for this outfit, but I like the necklace.

I wore some kitten heel flip flops from Payless.

Turquoise and Coral

Today was a little harder, given the weather took a turn to the cold, and I didn't want to wear my coral-ish pink dress I had bought for Scott's grad. Instead, I went a little more wintery, and subtle with the theme.

I paired brown pants (Dynamite) with my brown cardigan (Smart Set) that has a coral stripe in the argyle on the sleeve. I love/hate wearing this cardigan with my argyle shoes(Gallaz from Cab Clothing) (also brown and coral) given the matchy-matchy factor. However, by adding the turquoise shirt (Garage), I think I achieved enough contrast for my liking.

Nautical Theme

All right, my anger has subsided. I'd mentioned a while ago, that someone was doing theme days for clothing inspiration in May. She extended it until June, so I'm going to see how many days I can manage. Day 1 we were supposed to "pretend it's still the weekend and go nautical".

With my washing machine broken, my fall back outfit was continuously in a pre-rinse cycle, making it a bit more difficult today (and many days to come, I'm sure), so it took a bit of planning, but I"m happy.

I wore my white capris, donated by my sister, but originally from Garage, a red cami from fill in any store here, and my Joe boyfriend cardigan.

I wore it with my new gladiator sandals during the work day, but switched it up for my yellow ballet flats in the evening, as they're easier to put on in the dark when leaving Scott's.

And yes, I've had it on good authority that I salute all wrong.