autumn inspiration

In the month (ouch!) since I last posted...fall has appeared!

Mostly...we still got into the 70s this week in Wisconsin, but you can feel that hint of fall in the air. It smells like sweaters and apple cider, and I am welcoming it with open arms. True Fall Confession: I don't like pumpkin. No pumpkin lattes, muffins, candles, or pies for me! I am all about the apples once leaves start changing.

I had the best intentions of doing a fall shopping list post, but...then I accidentally went fall shopping before I had a chance to write it. So instead, here's a little bit of an autumn inspiration post!

Everyone loves a sweater in the fall (right?) I love sweaters layered with heavy classic fabrics like this skirt. My big obsession with sweaters for this fall, though? LEATHER.

That's right, got myself a sweater (a tunic-length sweater, which is my other favorite) in this gorgeous forest green color with a great leather detail on the collar. It's probably my mental connection between fall and great boots, but leather just goes great with knits.

I love everything about this look. The vibrant dress, patterned tights, cute boots, cuddly scarf. I'm really excited to recreate it with some of my new pieces - no pics yet, unfortunately, since I only got the chance to wear a sweater once before we creeped back up into the 70s, but yay! I'm always a fan of texture tights, and I'm excited to try layering them over my colored tights this year. Double warm! (Maybe?)

I also picked up a fall staple I've been craving for a long time that I'm super super pleased with:

Ohhh yeah, it's a bomber jacket! I saw it across the store and there was a swelling choir of angels. Brown (faux) leather, studs, zippers, great detailing in the stitching...I'm totally in love. I haven't had a good fall jacket besides my trench for a long time (which is great, but not so versatile for day wear). Gotta say, I feel totally bombin' in this jacket (hey-o!). The top is also new, featuring another of my favorite fall details:

Studs! There's also a stud gathering the sleeves at just 3/4-length, and they are so fabulous. A little bit of a hard edge on a very floaty feminine garment, such a big fan.

And that's my fall haul so far - I can't wait to get the chance to wear the rest of my new pieces (another sweater, a gorgeous blazer, and that dress!) and to pick up the last few things I'm still looking for. I haven't broken out the boots yet, but I have the perfect outfit in mind. As always, follow me on Instagram to see all the latest! (Plus cat pics.)

the two kinds of shopping

Life has been a little bit up and down as of late. I finished my long-term temping assignment more abruptly than I expected to, went directly to another two-day gig (the second of which was today), and am waiting to hear if another longer term gig will be coming through. All the while sending in all the applications and resumes I can (and getting...pretty much no response. It's hard out here for a pimp recent grad!). Basically, I was feeling a little down in the dumps and in some desperate need of some retail therapy.

For me, retail therapy is as much about the experience as the actual purchasing. Plus, there's the experience both before and after: the fun of shopping, hanging out with a friend, and then getting to integrate a new piece into your wardrobe, making new outfits, and (hopefully!) getting compliments! The first half of the experience is what separates the retail therapy sort of shopping trip from targeted shopping, when you know exactly what you're looking for.


DVD Bonus Fact: You can tell which pictures I took because they're slightly blurry. Just call me Shaky Hands McGee

My retail therapy trip was, surprise surprise, with the fabulous Kaitlin Disdainbrook. We actually talked about posting this to my blog and both laughed about how all of you probably think she's my only friend. I promise she's not! She's just the only friend I have who lives close enough visit with any regularity (and even then, she lives just over an hour away!). Plus, she's awesome, so you should be jealous that I get to hang out with her and blog about it.

This trip, the tone was set when we walked into Old Navy, and I discovered brightly colored peacoats (drool!) were marked down to a mere $35! Kaitlin and I are both big fans of colorful outerwear; I support bright winterwear 200%! The season is monochromatic enough as it is, why not stand out? We each slipped one, and it was clear as we admired each other's coloriffic flair that we both needed to buy one of these coats. And from that moment on, this shopping trip had a theme: twinsies!



Dang, look at those fierce kitsches. We're obviously utilizing our ANTM know-how and smizing as hard as we can

Yes, the two of us bought matching coats, almost-matching necklaces, and corresponding hats. If we wore all of these things out together, we would look like huge nerds: perfect! Unfortunately, with me up here in Milwaukee and her down by the stateline, we have far less opportunities to rock the twin look. Still, we each loved the individual pieces, and they all worked great together. We were shopping for fun, but we didn't stop thinking about what we needed. Neither of had a shorter coat or nice ear-covering hats, and Kaitlin only owned one necklace (a time turner! What a nerd). Our purchases will serve us well, but we also had a lot of fun window shopping and trying on lots and lots of hats that looked like animals.

Coats: Old Navy
Necklaces: Francesca's Closet (I realize I didn't actually get a pic of these -- soon!)
Hats: JC Penny's

Now, the second kind of shopping is a carefully planned hunting trip. My quarry: boots. My sister got a pair of great boots last year, and this year, Kaitlin joined her in vexing me with their fabulous footwear. No longer! I would have boots of my own!

Because I knew what I was looking for would be a larger purchase and (hopefully) a big part of my wardrobe, I needed set criteria for these boots. Otherwise, I might be easily swayed by a bargain or even a pair of gorgeous boots that just weren't for me.

My boot criteria were:

• Neutral color. Brown was preferable, but gray and black would also be considered.


• Mid-calf to knee-high


• Moderate heel (I wanted to be able to wear these out and about without worry)


• Easy to get on/off


• Wide enough to tuck my jeans into


• Buckle detailing


• No fur (faux or otherwise)


• Awesome

Not an unreasonably long list by any means, but it was specific enough that I was able to stay on track, resisting adorable ankle boots and amazingly sassy numbers with sky-high stilettos. Surprisingly, the fur was always a difficult point for me; it often looks very cool when the boot is on the shelf, but I've always felt really silly wearing it, so I knew it the end it wasn't for me. I kept my eyes out whenever I shopped, and because of my list, I was usually able to take a quick walk through the aisles and leave. Either I liked it, but it just didn't match up to the requirements, or it didn't immediately catch my eye...thereby violating the awesomeness criteria.

My sister came home for a brief midterm respite from the wilds of academia this past week, and while she was here, what could be on the agenda but shoe shopping! We hit up DSW; it was my first time in the store, but it will not be the last! I had a great time prowling the boot selection (and forbade myself from even looking at the heels and flats...I was on a mission!). I tried on several pairs, but there was one I just couldn't stop thinking about:



This is Hali from Kelly & Katie (DSW's store line), and can I just say: L-O-V-E! I've worn them the past two days (to work on Monday, where I was super pleased to be complimented on my outfit by my supervisor, and out for burgers on Tuesday) and they felt equally appropriate in both settings! The heel looks a little high, but it's very stable and they're a dream to walk in. The fit is great; I wear a size 10 (I know, wowza!) and they fit me very accurately. The calf opening is quite generous--it doesn't squeeze on my calf at all (though they do stay up), and I think someone with wider calves shouldn't have too much trouble with them. I didn't get a picture, but as you can see on the website, they also come with little removable knit insert that looks like a pair of ribbed socks coming out of the top. Very cute!

And there you have it: a grand week in which I experienced both types of shopping. They were both pretty amazing, in different ways; I really enjoyed spending time with Kaitlin, giggling over hats that looked like chipmunks and roosters. My retail therapy shop was an experience, and one that definitely lifted my spirits. On the other hand, getting those boots felt like a real triumph. I've been looking for them for a long time, and I finally snagged them! I want to wear them all the tiiiime.

Do you notice that you have multiple shopping modes? Which do you prefer? Do you want to tell me how great my boots are? Because that's understandable, they're totally boss.

summer shopping list: accessories

Last time I talked about shoes and promised to take a look at some accessories. I actually lived up to my own plans (for once) and purchased some new jewelry...although that hasn't kept me from drooling over more summery pieces in the days that followed!

I always feel a bit at a loss for accessories when I'm putting an outfit together. They can really make a look, but I tend to put my money into the actual clothes. Why buy a necklace when I could get a skirt? Well, because it'll make multiple outfits even awesomer, that's why! Summer time is a good time for me to buy accessories, because I spend a lot of it in the same tanktops and shorts. The thing that's great about summer jewelery, to me, is that the whole span, from glam to kitsch, can really work. I gravitate towards light colors, cute little miniatures, and plenty of silver. While I was out on the town, I got myself a few new shinies:



Sorry for the webcam pics! My camera is out of batteries and these were already on my computer...

The lovely leaf headband is from Kohl's. It's already made a debut at the wedding I went to on a whim this weekend, and I got quite a few compliments! I love it because it's the first headband I've found (let alone a metal one) that I can actually wear without pain; if you recall, I have a big head, and most headbands squeeze tightly enough that I end up with a headache after half an hour of wear. I picked up the necklace and ring at a consignment store that, sadly, mostly stocked junior's sizes, so there were no clothes for me. But jewelry is much more forgiving! I also wore the wing necklace to the wedding; I've been in the market for one forever, but was always shy to buy one that wasn't "perfect." Lo and behold, I found one that was pretty much perfect and only $3! The cameo ring I gravitated toward immediately. Statement rings are totally in right now, and, much more relevantly, I am kind of obsessed with them. I love cameos, and the fancy silver gives it a little bit of a sassy boost.

But enough about the things I already own! What is a style blog if not a place to lust over things you do not yet have? I took a browse of "summer" on Etsy and pinned a few of my favorites.

Source: etsy.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Little birds, cliche as they are, are always adorable. There's something so light about this necklace.

Source: etsy.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Another big crazy ring! You know me. The only thing I love more than big crazy rings are those gorgeous rose cabochons. Speaking of...

Source: etsy.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

This one is a bit pricier than the others, but look at it. It's incredibly gorgeous, and the colors say summer like nothing else.

Source: etsy.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Bookworm necklace! Lockets are so darling, and what could be better than a book-shaped locket? A book-shaped locket with a teeny-tiny pair of glasses on it!

Source: etsy.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Okay, this is really the Etsy store that captured my heart from this search. The Snocone earrings were my favorite summer pick, but it's a shop full of tiny little fake food jewelry! If you hadn't guessed, tiny things make me coo. Literally. You don't want to know the sounds I made over the tiny little desserts at the wedding.

How do you show your summer style with your accessories? (And what do you think of using the Pinterest embeds? It's a little easier for me because they do all the coding!)

summer shopping list: shoes

My absolute favorite part of summer is driving around when it's warm and sunny out, listening to music. Usually I hate car trips, but when you have the windows down and the right song (preferably something frothy and substanceless and great to sing along to) comes on? There's nothing like it, and nothing else says summer more clearly to me.

Of course, summer is also the time for wardrobe metamorphosis, as we all emerge from the woolly cocoons of sweaters and peacoats and become beautiful, colorful butterflies again. Shed your layers! Forget every bland piece of clothing you had to wear to keep your arms from falling off (or is that just me?)! Summer fashion is sort of a strange thing to me. Things seem to simultaneously chic up and scrub up. There are tons of cute summer clothes, but a lot of them are ultra casual. I don't really have a grand point here, just an observation!

So, after that tangent, shoes!

yeah, I always wanted to make a circle of shoes like this!

Summer shoes are kind of the greatest shoes. I like a pair of cheery flats that I can just slip on as I leave the house, and slip off whenever I choose...if I find a sprinkler to run through or something unexpectedly, who knows! All sorts of crazy stuff happens in the summer! I don't usually want to bother with heels on the average summer day, but I'm not really much of a flipflop/sandal person. A really cute sandal might catch my attention, but for the most part, I'm interested in flats with some kind of cute decoration. Nothing too heavy or sparkly. Summer for me is all about the flowers and bows and polka dots and even some sassy nautical stripes. I know that "nautical" is the hot trend for pretty much every summer ever, but I never get sick of it.

Right now, I just have a pair of gray sneaker-style polka dot flats that I wear...pretty much every day. Which puts cute flats right up at the tip-top of my summer shopping list! Next time: accessories!

Happy Memorial Day weekend! We're firing up the grill tonight and Monday night for a good ol' USA grillathon. What are you folks up to over the long weekend?

shopping list: facepaint for big girls

After waxing rhapsodic about coats I'll never buy and shoes that I should have bought, I thought it would be good to talk about some things I am going to buy. From those posts, I might appear to be like the lovely Maria (pre-VonTrapp) in the Sound of Music, making myself drapery dirndls and frolicking through the Austrian countryside with nary a care for the state of my nun-short hair, the picture of cheerful deprivation. While I do love a dirndl and a good frolic, I also like to buy myself presents (and also get them...my birthday is coming up! So maybe someone will give me these!)


Naked Palette | $44, new from Urban Decay

I love Urban Decay. When I got an e-mail announcing that the Fall 2010 line was up I made an actual sound somewhere between "ooh" and "unh." My passion for it is about 40% love for the products and 70% love for the packaging/styling (I am 110% in love with this brand). I am the perfect product of consumer culture: I love branding and packaging. Slap a cute name and pretty label on something and I've got to have it. BUT, not only does Urban Decay have cool packaging, but it has great products. I'm a big fan of strong (read: red) lips with neutral eyes, so I use a lot of neutral eyeshadow; obviously, this palette was made for me. It has three of my favorite shades and nine new ones! And it's so tiny! So cute!


120 Pro Palette | $28.95, available at multiple retailers. (This one is from Sedona Lace Cosmetics)

I can't even count how many times I've peered into my Book of Shadows Vol II (I told you I love Urban Decay) and lamented, "Why do I not have red eyeshadow? Only one ridiculously bright green? How can I be expected to work under these conditions?" Enter the pro palette. I first saw the 88 version of this palette on another reselling site and my heart skipped a beat. So many colors! So inexpensive! I will admit that, though I don't regret paying for the quality (and packaging), I shy away from too much experimentation with my nice makeup. It's expensive enough that I don't feel right playing around with it. But these palettes are not only inexpensive enough that I could play around to my heart's content, they come with such a variety of colors that it really is face paint for big girls.

Are there any products that you're planning to get soon? Comment and let me know!