the thing about updos

Yesterday never made it up. I was having issues. Here's my superficial problem...I love fancy, quirky updos. Messy, sleek, complicated, simple, whatever. I love them. I love playing around with my hair, trying to master them. I consider this a result of being raised by my mom, who could give a crap about hairstyles and had me doing my own pigtails as soon as I could grip the brush.I'm pretty good with hair. The kicker is that updos look awful on me! I do not have the face shape or hairline or head size for updos. Boo life's cruel sense of humor! After almost 30 years I pretty much know what looks good on me and what doesn't (okay I am still learning) and hair up = look stupid. I know this, yet I never give up trying to find styles that look good on me. I came across this awesome twisted braid look on Sidewalk Ready and was obsessed! After numerous attempts I finally was able to coax my locks into a semblance of her awesomeness. However, while it looked amazing, it did not look amazing on me (sad face).

Anywho, I took photos and selected the one where the angle was more flattering. All of the ones where my head looks abnormally large for my body, were sent to the recycle bin, never to see the light of your computer screen. Your welcome.

dress: vintage from New Bohemia
cardigan/belt: Target
tights: Kohl's
boots: Seychelle's

farewell purple tights

No Thursday "Inspired By:" post. Too much of a crazy, whirlwind week. Today was not my day. Even purple tights couldn't lift my foul mood. Then I, of course, got a giant hole in these tights like an hour into the morning. I don't know why I don't wear this dress more often. I like it. It's great for layering and the color makes it perfect for pairing with stand out tights. Today I wore it with this pretty butterfly print top I got for $5 at Nordstrom Rack and tights my sis gave me for Christmas.

dress: resale
top: Nordstrom Rack clearance
tights: Old Navy gift
wedges: Forever 21
necklace: JC Penny gift

maxed out

I hit snooze way too many times this morning. I would have been okay had I not gone all Betty Crocker in the kitchen. All of a sudden it was 5 minutes past the absolute latest I can feel comfortable leaving the house! So i threw on this maxi dress (I love you Target), belted it with big brown boots, a bajillion necklaces and ran out the door. It was seriously one of those mornings :) I had the "I need to wash my hair" bun and was putting on eyeliner at the stop lights.

I made it to work on time (YEeeeeees!) and plan on wearing this dress every day. It is my new favorite!

dress: Target
cardigan: JCrew clearance
belt: target
boots: steve madden clearance
necklaces: target and gifts
scarf: GAP gift

periwinkle pleats gone wrong

I love it, I hate it. This dress is from my favorite shop in Austin, that I've mentioned before. I love the color of it and the pattern. It also has tulip sleeves, which I think are just adorable. How often do you come across a periwinkle dress? So pretty! But the neckline and the pleating in the front are just wrong. I am trying to figure out what can be done to it. In the meantime I wore it anyway. I went all matchy with my mustard cardigan with periwinkle lace. The brown boots and brown tights were kind of for lack of a better option. I think I was trying to frump it up and crossed the line. :) it happens.

dress: vintage
cardigan: Sway clearance
belt: H&M
tights: old navy gift
boots: steve madden clearance
earrings: Target

yellow? satin? pleats? yes please!

Oh Monday, you little sneak, how did you get here so fast? Seriously, this weekend flew by. Rather than slinking into the week groggy, messy and bitter. I sashayed in pleats a-swingin, platforms a-clompin, Starbucks in hand. This skirt is another purchase from a month ago that has yet to see the light of day. It was on clearance and I have kept it in the back of my mind, not quite sure how I wanted to wear it. Platforms were a must and considering how much I've been wearing bright primary colors, a blue cardigan and blue polka dot blouse called out to me.

skirt; GAP clearance
cardigan: GAP
blouse: Old Navy
tights: Kohl's
platforms: Jeffery Campbell via Nordstrom Rack
necklaces: gifts
Ring: Ring's Eclectic

red red red red red red and The Judds

Saturday was one of those really great weekend days. I had the laziest morning imaginable. Judge away, but I spent the better part of the day laying in bed watching the made for TV movie about The Judd's on youtube. During part 14 of 15 of this delightfully awful miniseries, I topped the morning off with a nap. It was fantastic. Normally this "waste of the day" would drive me nuts but for once I just went with it. Yay me!

Around 2 I finally got dressed. These red cords have been dying to make it out of my closet and it is long overdue. Considering I have been obsessed with finding a pair of red pants for months and that I bought these a month ago...it's about damn time I busted them out. I really like the brown shirt and the stand-out polka dots paired with these very noticeable red cords. I went neutral with the shoes and cuffed the pants. The bun and glasses were out of sheer laziness.

cords: GAP clearance
tank: Old Navy clearance
blouse: Target
heels: Target

Inspired by: The Daybook

Sydney on The Datebook does pants so well. I am not so much a pants person but she for sure inspires me to try to look as effortless yet chic in jeans as she does :) That being said, I drew inspiration for today's post from this look. How gorgeous is that? Bold, vibrant colors, a hot skirt and killer heels. I love it all!

Cardigan: GAP clearance
blouse: GAP gift
skirt: Banana Republic resale
tights: GAP
heels: Target