Shopping!

Saturday March 23, 2013

     I went shopping on Friday.  I discovered a few things that I just didn't quite expect.  Some that I totally did.  I knew I wouldn't like peplum shaped tops.  I tried several on anyway, and they just don't fit me right.  I also tried on some loosey goosey sweaters that on anybody else I would love, but for me, it just wasn't cutting it.  

     Here's what I didn't expect: I bought a size 8. (!!!) For those of you not in the know, I haven't been a size 8 since probably high school.  Here's how it happened.  I received the New York & Company spring mailer several weeks ago and fell in instant gotta-have-it-its-not-just-lust-but-definitely-love love with this dress.  I mean its gorgeous!  The colors, the print, the length and the collar all had me.  So I walked in to the store and asked the girl working if they still had this dress.  Of course I had the mailer and showed her the picture, I did *not* want any of the other very lovely but not quite perfect dresses.  She found one.  There was only one in the whole store and it was an 8.  I told her I would try it on even though deep inside I gave up my dream of owning this dress.  You see, I'm a size 10.  Its taken me quite a while to be solidly a 10 and not a 10/12 or a 10/12/14.   I tried on the dress and I heard a choir of angels.  It fit!  Not only did it fit, it flattered!  So as I stood in the dressing room and almost cried, I vowed to stay a size 8/10 because I need to be able to fit into this dress anytime I want.  

I've told you this story not because I'm wearing the dress in this post, but rather to show you what size 12 jeans look like on me now.  I'm not one to get hung up on numbers on a scale and most of the time the number on a tag doesn't much matter to me.  Its the fit of the clothes that you're wearing that tell you how things are going.  By the looks of these jeans, its pretty damn obvious I've lost some inches.  And that makes me well and truly glad.  Getting fit is a hard road.  I'm smaller than I was before, but I'm not nearly active enough to be fit and healthy.  But I'm working on it.  And I've got a dress in my closet to remind me of the benefits of continuing.  

Sources:
Jeans: Old Navy
Top: NY&Co
Sweater: Old Navy
Sneakers: Puma
Belt: NY&Co

3 ways

Wednesday, March 18, 2013  
Some days, the weather makes it so I have to wear an outfit 2 or even 3 different ways.  Here is one of those days. I wore this outfit to Court, around the office and to hang out after lunch.

     The scarf has been particularly useful as it doubles as a blanket when I get cold in my office.  I recently "splurged" on it at World Market.  I now wish I had gotten its twin in lavender, gray and rose.  Maybe I'll "splurge" on them later this week.  (They're only $9.99 each!)

Sources:
Dress: Bravissimo
Heels: Nine West
Jacket: NY&Co
Scarf: World Market

Losing It

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

If you followed my blog before, you may have noticed that while I've worn this outfit before, it used to fit differently.  I've lost a bit of weight in the past year.  On one side, its fantastic.  I feel healthier and know I'm doing the right thing for my body.  On the other hand, it makes my clothes fit oddly.  This skirt, for example, used to fit in such a way that it was knee height, now its definitely below knee height.  For someone on the shorter side, that difference can mean the difference between a great outfit and an almost great outfit that just seems a smidge off.  

Nonetheless, there's a reason I keep going back to this combination.  I really love the look of this skirt, brown tights and my Tsubo booties.  Apparently everyone in the courthouse does too!  I got a bunch of compliments when I wore this last week.  

Sources:
Skirt and Blazer: NY&Co
Tights: Target
Booties: Tsubo
Top: Express

New Office

Friday, March 15, 2013

I know I mentioned it earlier, but I got a new job.  Ergo, I got a new office.   I've been taking my work outfit pics in my office, and let me just tell you, this gray-turquoise-y wallpaper is really soothing.  So is Doodle, the boxer whose rear you see in this pic.  She likes to hang out with me sometimes.

At the new job, the plan is that I won't be going in to the office on Fridays. That plan hasn't been executed so far because I've needed to go to court a the past few Fridays.  Its why I wore something kind of like a suit to work this past Friday.  I know its terribly cliche, but black dress pants always work in court.  Unfortunately, the thing I needed to go to court for fell through, so I dressed up for nothing.  Meh.  At least I felt cute.

Sources:
Pants and Blazer: New York & Co.
Blouse: Zara (via my mom)
Heels: Nine West (present from the Fiance) 

Nice Little Saturday

March 16, 2013

Seems kind of foolish of me to announce that I'm back to blogging and then don't blog for a whole week.  Oh well!  I guess this is what happens when I don't have a bunch of outfit pictures stashed away ready in case I have a day when I don't have time or chance to take a few pictures.  

Without realizing it, I wore this blouse yesterday when the whole rest of the world was also wearing green. Unfortunately, because I was rushed, I couldn't really tell that the green didn't come out in pictures until after I uploaded the pics this morning.  C'est la vie.  

I'm not sure where this shirt is from, my little sister gave it to me, but the pants are from Ann Taylor Loft.  Sometime last summer I went shopping on a mission to find some linen pants.  I found these from Loft and grabbed them up as they were on final clearance sale.  You can't tell in this pic, but the front panel has buttons that are reminiscent of a nautical theme.  Also, they're 100% lined which I was thrilled with when I got them.  

Mostly though, this outfit is about the wonderful feeling that Spring brings.  Linen pants + flip flops + sleeveless blouse = win!  I was both comfy and felt a stylish step above the go-to jeans and a shirt combo.  Do you ever feel like you want a more stylish version of your jean + top outfit?  What do you go with? 

Reason Number 1

You may be wondering why I'm back to blogging.  As mentioned here, the reasons are varied.  One reason, however, is that I enjoy being creative.  Part of that creativity is sharing it.  One way I'm creative is in my dress, so it felt only natural to once again share my outfit creativity here on the blog.  

In reality, this outfit isn't creative at all.  Its pretty basic in fact: shirt + pants + boots.  But that would mean that an outfit is only as good as its individual parts and their basic attributes.  What made me really enjoy this outfit had nothing to do with the basics and everything to do with the unusual. 

My first attempt at the outfit included regular jeans.  The shape of this shirt and loosey goosey fitting jeans just didn't work.  So instead I grabbed a pair of black skinny jeans, tucked them into my boots and this outfit was born.  The only addition I made to it throughout the day was to add a blazer when I had to run over to the courthouse for something and a scarf when we went out to eat for lunch.

I bought this top for my mom in 2005 when I was studying abroad.  I figured she would enjoy the flowiness and the cool pattern.  It sat in her closet until this past New Year's Eve with the tag still attached.  I took it out of her closet and brought it back with me to NC.  I hadn't given it a lot of thought recently, but considering that it was Friday and I wanted something work appropriate but a bit funky, I figured, why not?  The reasons I love it are the shape, the pattern and the sleeves.  Does anybody else ever feel the need to get a little funky at the end of the work week?

And so I'm back. . .

Hi.  I'm back.  Took a long time to get here, but it feels good.  So, how's the last year treated you?   Mine has been pretty good. Had several big cases, changed jobs, flirted with coming back to blogging a few times, Bella and Merlin had puppies, we sold 3 of 5 puppies and kept 2 ( yes, I'm crazy).  Some things haven't changed though, namely the Fiancé and I are still engaged. Meh. We'll get there at some point in time.

Anyway, so back to blogging.  I've decided to change the name of the blog.  I've been out of law school for almost 3 years and this blog is mostly about style, not fashion.  So instead of law school fashionista, this place is now Style Briefs.  So yea, hi.