More Relaxing

So, okay, I know I just wore this t-shirt the other day, but I have SERIOUSLY been freaking out lately, so it's only appropriate. Like... I went to visit a friend the other night & I'm pretty sure I totally wigged him out because I was so twitchy...

Anyway, today I had a meeting with one of my professors about the orchestra piece I've been working on for a class project, and then a piano lesson. I didn't sleep a whole lot last night, so I just kind of threw on the first few things I could find. You can tell by my hair that I've been a little disheveled all day. Also totally love my Barbie mug.

T-Shirt: Target

Skirt: H&M

Tights: Express

Mug: Thrifted in small-town PA

Mixing Patterns

I've been admiring the way some of my favorite bloggers mix patterns. As a novice, I wanted to start mixing slowly. I've been REALLY loving these tights lately... I think I posted them a few days ago, but since I picked this skirt up at Target, I've been wanting to pair the two together. To keep the ensemble less busy but still work on the pattern mixing, I added this white T with very subtle grey stripes.

I really love the way this turned out!

plus, secret pockets!! I love skirt pockets...

T-Shirt: Gap

Skirt: Target

Tights: HUE

Snow Flower

It's no secret that I love minidresses, and this is one of my favorites. I bought it this summer to wear to a party that required something comfortable, cool, and very washable. Forever 21 is one of the best places to find a dress like this, and it's also very winterizeable (my spell check is telling me that's not a word, but I don't really care!)

Today I woke up (well, I couldn't really sleep last night so got up might be a more appropriate term) and it was snowy & dreary. I got these tights at a HUE sale a few days ago - and found out that the HUE store up here in Cleveland is one of only two actual stores.  I feel lucky now because I loooooove their tights! Anyway, I've been hunting for a great pair of green tights & snatched these up before they sold out for St. Patrick's Day. They look a little more yellow in these pictures, but trust me - they're an extremely neon green. When I stopped for coffee this morning, a business man asked me if I needed batteries for them (haha)

I thought they'd go perfectly with this dress - they're close enough to the bright green that the go, but not so close that it's too matchy. With my boots & my big sweater (bought two sizes too big for optimal coziness) I'm feeling like a slightly glammed up version of 90's grunge...

Also, I think this umbrella is adorable. I'm super-fair skinned (you wouldn't know it from my pics because I'm always brightening the colors) and I'm always telling my mom I wish it was more acceptable to carry a parasol around in the summers. She found this at H&M and gave it to me for Valentine's Day. I might just have to bring back the parasol...

Dress: F21

Sweater: Silence & Noise (Urban Outfitters)

Tights: HUE

Boots: Steven, Steve Madden

Umbrella: H&M

Gloves: Ten Thousand Villages

i'll be your girl backstage at your show

After going to a really fantastic folk night on Sunday night, I woke up feeling rock-starish. All I had all day was 3 hour French class (that's what I get for deciding to try for fluency in a second language)

I pulled out my shiniest skirt & mixed a couple prints (including this leopard cardigan - after leaving it at a friend's for a few days, I've been wearing it with EVERYTHING!)

I look a little washed out though... I need to remember not to forget the blush!

Black T: F21

Cardigan: INC, Macy's

Skirt: Express

Tights: HUE

Boots: Vintage

Salsa Night

This weekend, I sat in on a friend's radio show and then went to Salsa & Meringue night at Oberlin & wore one of my favorite dresses. I bought this a few years at Target, but only in the past year or so I've been able to find ways to wear it that aren't too dressy. I thought the big ruffle at the neck & down the front would be perfect for salsa dancing!

I rolled the tops of my suede booties down because the mouth was so big that they flopped around when I walked. Rolling the tops reveals the silver lining & makes the booties fit a little more snugly. I wore my sheer silvery-purple tights over my deep purple ones to create an opaque effect with the same silvery shade as the boot linings!

You can't really tell (and I forgot to take a photo) but my earrings are tiny clusters of disco balls. Great for catching the light while dancing!

Purple Mountains Majesty

Adding a little spice to my standby grey cowl neck dress with some sheer purple tights - you can't tell very much in the photo, but they're kind of shimmer. I can't wait to get my new booties in the mail, these will be PERFECT with them!

Dress: H&M

Tights: H&M

Belt: Vintage from Grandma

Shades of Gray

It was cloudy & cold today, and I was inspired to dress in shades of gray. When I'd first bought these tights, I was afraid that they'd make my legs look bruised... Instead, I like them a lot!

I also really love the high-waisted zipper skirt. In the summer I pair it with a black tank top, but this is the first time I've worn it this winter. I like the look of long sleeves with a mini-skirt. I think it's sexy without being too slutty...

My friend Arielle came up to visit for the long weekend, and I really loved the bright sapphire color of her dress - her eyes are really blue, so the bright blue is a fantastic color on her!

On Me:

Turtleneck: Express

Skirt: H&M

Tights & Socks: HUE

Smurfette

I was feeling a little blue this morning, so I was inspired to pull on these tights under the rainbow patterned minidress I hardly ever wear. Comfy and fun... Then when I stepped outside, it was super sunny and my mood instantly rose!

Blue Tights: Hue

Mini Dress: T-Bags (Anthropologie)

Shoes: BCBG Paris

First Day of School

It was my first day back to classes, and the weather was horrendous. I needed something cozy to brave the snow, so I threw on this sweater dress (with a VERY generous cowl) and a pair of thick woolly tights I picked up in Chicago. For a quick pop of color to pull me out of my winter blues, I dug out this bright red Birkin knockoff - it's gorgeous and big enough to carry around a few notebooks... (although, I feel bad calling it a knockoff - I bought it when I was living in Florence, and it's handmade from real leather...)

Dress: H&M

Tights: unknown - picked up in Chicago

Boots: Steve Madden

Bag: Vera Pelle, purchased in Florence

Comic Book Leggings

I picked up these leggings a year or so ago, but never got much use out of them until recently - they're a little sheer to wear during the day with a dress this short, so sometimes I'll wear them over a colored pair (usually yellow so you can still see the comic...). I decided, though, that they'd be perfect for a Saturday night out...

I was super excited to have a reason to wear my new shoes - they'd felt comfortable walking around the store, but I was nervous for a whole evening... I was thrilled to NOT get any blisters or anything. I think I have a new favorite pair of shoes...

With such crazy tights, I wanted to keep the rest of my outfit simple, so I paired them with this plain black mini dress (although, it does have some really great slightly puffy sleeves - you can't really tell from the pictures) and a strand of pearls...

Tights: Hanky Panky

Dress: H&M

Shoes: BCBG

Necklace: Forever 21

Fall? Summer? Who Knows...

So today LOOKED like fall, but it definitely FELT like summer. It was cold when I left this morning, but I knew it was going to heat up, so I threw on some sheer tights under this dress. The thing I like most about this dress is that it's so swingy and has the great detail on the chest/neckline

A nice sequined cranberry cardigan and my standby yellow cotton scarf helped keep away the morning chill...

sequin detail on cardigan, edging detail on dress...

Dress: BCBG

Cardigan: American Eagle

Tights: Urban Outfitters

Shoes: H&M

Scarf: Street stand, Florence, Italy

Necklace: DIY (from purse chains)

Around Ludlow

I had a couple friends visiting from Cleveland, so we stopped down to Ludlow/Clifton and CCM's library. I LOVE this sweater that I'm wearing, and just recently decided to wear it OVER dresses as opposed to with pants or skirts (it's slightly cropped, so it always rides up with the pants & skirts)

You can sort of see that it has crystal buttons down the back - probably my favorite part of the sweater!

Dancing Girl fountain - I wanted to get in and dance with her, but her pedestal wasn't big enough for me to stand on it as well!

This leather jacket is one of my favorite/most expensive articles of clothing. I bought it while I was living in Florence two summers ago, and spent a TON of euros on it. Totally worth the money, though.

Does anyone else have amazing investment pieces that ALMOST didn't seem worth it at the time?

Sweater: Anthropologie

Dress (underneath): American Apparel

Tights: H&M

Jacket: Moda Italia (handmade in Florence)

Scarf: handmade by my little brother

Purse: thrifted, Coach

Shoes: Urban Outfitters

A Little Advice on Tall Boots

I absolutely LOVE over the knee boots. I got my pair four or five years ago on sale before they were popular. People were always giving me really strange looks when I'd wear them out, but now I'm getting TONS of compliments. The only problem with my boots is that since I got them on sale, my actual size wasn't available - I had to go a size up, which isn't too bad but it makes them a little difficult to walk in sometimes. I'm considering talking to my cobbler and seeing if there's any way the soles can be taken down a half size or so (not sure if that's even possible!)

I also think it's VERY difficult to wear over-the knee boots without looking like a hooker (hopefully I've pulled that off). My best advice is to keep the skirt short, but everything else long and NOT revealing. That's why I chose to pair them with this sweater dress - despite the short skirt, on one would ever accuse this dress of being too sexy on it's own! Finally, ALWAYS wear tights or something - don't show too much leg above the boots...

Sweater Dress: H&M

Boots: Steve Madden

Tights: Betsey Johnson

Belt: DIY out of gifted scarves

Key to America

Apparently I was feeling patriotic today. I also was feeling a little sniffly, so I wanted something a little comfier than usual. This sweatshirt dress is really soft inside, plus it has pockets. I love dresses and skirts with pockets! I've really been wanting to wear these red tights. I had planned on wearing them with my red pumps (from an earlier post), but peep-toes and rain don't really mix... especially while walking all the way across campus!

I made this necklace out of a detachable purse chain (the purse looks much better as a clutch) and the key to the wardrobe in my bedroom. Gold + silver is always a winning combination!

These are some of my favorite shoes - they're a few years old, and they've gotten broken in perfectly. The only downside is that since they're copper, I can't polish them (unless someone knows where I can find some metallic shoe polish!)

Also, I just read about this blog: Photoshop Disasters. Now, if it's done well, I generally don't care that almost every magazine photo is photoshopped. However, I LOVE it when it's done badly - mainly because it's hilarious. Check this place out!

Sweatshirt Dress: Express

Tights: H&M

Necklace: Homemade

Shoes: Coach