Mistake

For those of you who caught my last post on your Google readers before I deleted it - please know that the post was meant for my personal blog. I deleted the post as soon as it was posted when I realized it was sent to the wrong blog, but I can't control it from coming up on your readers. I try to keep my personal life separate from this blog, and am embarrassed that such personal news was shared with you all.

Thank you for reading this blog and bearing with me when I make blogging mistakes like this. I plan to be more careful in the future.

9 month starts today!

I know I never post. I'm stilling using the "I'm pregnant and tired" excuse. But being this is the start of my last and final (hopefully) month of pregnancy I figured I should do a post. I'm VERY excited that I'm finally on the home stretch.
Here is a silly pic to show off my new O.P.I "Lost without my GPS" nail color. My daughter is also sporting the same shade.
Cardigan ~ Papaya $15
Tank ~ Target Maternity $12
Skinny Jeans ~ Gap Maternity borrowed
Black booties ~ Kohls gifted
Earrings ~ Premier Jewelry $19
Ring ~ I have no idea, Target maybe?
Nail color ~ O.P.I for Sephora $9

Turquoise and black

I finally have a jacket for this dress! yay! When I first saw this dress I thought it would be a perfect winter dress to wear with boots and leggings. Unfortunately, I didn't think about the fact it was sleeveless and would therefore need some sort of a jacket in cold weather. This knit moto jacket is just what this dress needed.

Dress - Express - $14.99
Jacket - F21 - gifted
Leggings - Wal-Mart - $5
Boots - JCPenney - $9.99
Necklace - Target - gifted
White gold hoop earrings - Wal-Mart - $20

Sunday

I know this second pic is blurry - but my son cracked me up by posing that way and I had to post it!

Top - Banana Republic - $3

Denim skirt - Gap - $16

Boots - Jessica Simpson - gifted

Tights - Target - $1

Red leather gloves - gifted

Scarf - gifted

Earrings - gifted

Shopping Saturday

Another shopping day. This time to get my son some new clothes. They grow so fast!

Blouse - Ann Taylor - gifted
Jacket - H&M - $20
Jeans - J.Brand - gifted
Boots - Jessica Simpson - gifted
Bag - Coach - gifted
Pearls - Savvy Mode -giveaway win

Deep purple and poppy

Notice my little front braid? Of course, I don't know how to get rid of all the frizz surrounding it, but I tried!

Sweater - Gap - gifted

Skirt - J.Crew - $19

Tights - Target - $6

Flats - Ann Taylor Loft - $3.88

Earrings - gifted

Multicolor scarf - Maurices - $8

Chiffon orange scarf - thrifted - $.01

Birthday Party

Went to a family Birthday party tonight, and thought it was a good excuse to look festive!
Trying out my new NARS blush - it's more of a peachy pink color that looks more natural than the usual bronzer I wear. I like it!

Hat - gifted

Olive corduroy jacket - H&M - $20

Skirt - J.Crew - hand-me-down

Boots - Jessica Simpson - gifted

Cream tunic - Gap - gifted

Cream tights - Wal-Mart (little girls' section) - $1

Gold earrings - gifted

Rose pin - Express - gifted

Belt - Gap - $24.50

Shabby Apple Dress Giveaway!

Grosgrain is giving away this beautiful Shabby Apple dress in the winner's choice size! Find out how to enter the giveaway here!

Introducing Central Park at Shabby Apple - plus FREE SHIPPING!

Enter Elaine's Swimsuit Giveaway at Clothed Much!

Check this out!

Sunday Outfit

I love my new Ann Taylor blouse! It was normally $98, but my husband and I found it while shopping for my Birthday presents on clearance for only $7.88!

Blouse - Ann Taylor - Birthday present from hubby

Necklace - Savvy Mode - won from a giveaway

Tights - Wal-Mart - $5

Heels - BCBGirls via Macy's - $21

Skirt - Ann Taylor Loft - hand-me-down

Belt - Banana Republic - $4

Pearl earrings - Macy's - gifted

Flowers in my hair

Another way to wear a flower pin...in your hair!

Shorts in the Winter

I wanted to try the shorts over tights look that I've seen so many fashion bloggers doing this winter. Here is my experimental look (that I decided looked a lot better without the belt...and would have looked better if I had longer shorts).
My son isn't feeling well today, so he stayed in his PJs, and decided to pose for the pic looking woeful. The goof.
I don't think I'll wear an outfit like this again - I don't have the legs for it. But it was fun trying something different today and worth documenting on the blog.
Navy pin-stripe jacket - thrifted - $3.50
Tunic - Gap - gifted
Shorts - Dillards - $7
Tights - Target - $1
Boots - Jessica Simpson - gifted
Belt - Gap - $24.50
Cuff bracelet - Claire's - $1
Hat - I forget where

Finally dug myself out of the snow!

Been in the midst of a snowstorm for the past couple of days, and finally getting out now that the weather has cleared up some.

Shirt - Banana Republic - $11

Moto knit jacket - Forever 21 - gifted

Jeans - H&M - $20

Yellow flats - Gianni Bini from Dillards - gifted

Chain necklace - Target - gifted

Scarf - vintage (thrifted) - $.25

Monday

The Birthday weekend was filled of fun things and new treasures, but I couldn't help but be discouraged that I couldn't stick to a healthy diet, and instead of losing the 3 pounds I've gained since Christmas...I've gained two more. Today called for some baggy clothes to hide the extra poundage.
Tonight is MOPS, so I'm looking forward to getting out with the girls and especially glad I get to wear my new sweater that my hubby bought me at Ann Taylor this weekend for my Birthday!
Now that I'm 28, the goal is to look younger, not older, right? So I've stopped wearing dark eyeshadow. Lately I only wear highlighter under my eyebrows, across the top of my lids, and at the corners of the insides of my eyes. It gives me a bright and cheery look I think. Not as glamorous, but as my Mom says, more modern and young. I've also ordered a blush that looks more natural. I'm so used to wearing a bronzer as blush, that I hope I'll be able to adjust to the new look when I start trying it (I ordered Nars blush in Orgasm).

And here is a close-up of my layered necklaces.
Cardigan - Ann Taylor - gifted (but my hubby snagged it for $19 when it was normally $98!)
Tunic - Gap - gifted
Big pearls - thrifted - $1
Chain necklace - Target - gifted
Smaller pearls - gifted
Jeans - H&M - $20
Boots - Jessica Simpson - gifted
Bag - Coach - gifted

Classic

Shirt - ON (thrifted) - $2
Skirt - Target - $5
Tights - Target - $1
Boots - Jessica Simpson - gifted
Belt - Gap
Earrings - gifted

Shopping Day

Hat - Banana Republic - $7
Boots - Jessica Simpson - gifted
Jeans - JBrand - gifted
Jacket - Banana Republic - gifted
T-shirt - F21 - $3.50

I'm 28 Today

Today's my Birthday! The hubby filled my day with surprises, and has more surprises to come through the weekend.

One of the surprises was a fancy dinner at a restaurant downtown before going to the Toledo Symphony at the art gallery!

I had planned to wear my green dress after working on it over the afternoon, but reluctantly traded it in for something more flattering...and am now glad I did.

Dress - Express - $9

Jacket - Target - $6

Gold earrings - vintage - hand-me-down from Grandma

Pumps - BCBG via Macys - $21

Clutch - vintage (antique store) - $7
Tights - Wal-Mart - $5

Disappointment

Do you all remember when I won this beautiful dress? I was so excited and couldn't wait to wear it!

Unfortunately, when it arrived, it had a couple of stains on the side of the dress, and gapped under the arm quite a bit. It was also a size or two too big, as the shoulders slid off while I walked and the waist was in no way fitted, like a dress of this style should be.

I thought this was an easy fix. My Mother-in-law is an exceptional seamstress and I knew she could help me alter the dress.

We raised the straps to help with the side gaping and to help tighten up the straps. Also the fuller part of the dress for the bustline hit me at the wrong part of my chest, since my chest is so short, so raising the straps put the full part of the dress right across my bustline where it should. Then we took in the seam under the arms a bit to further close the gap. I tried the dress on, and there was still a slight showing of my undergarments under the arm, but I thought I could make it work.

I got home and ironed the dress with low heat, only to find my low heat wasn't low enough. I scalded the fabric with the iron on the hem, forcing me to have to hem 3.5 inches off the dress. Thankfully, I'm short enough, the hem change wouldn't be a problem for me.

Before I cut the material, I decided to tack the hem first to see how it would come out.

After having tried the dress on, with and without a belt, I'm feeling there is just no hope for the dress. It flattens my chest, and then is way too large in the waist. To make matters worse, there is STILL a gap under the arms.

My conclusion is that this style of dress just doesn't work for my body type. Argh.



I might re-hem it properly, but I just feel like the dress doesn't lay right at all, and am frustrated that after spending 3 hours on it, it still doesn't fit right. My measurements are normal (36, 26, 36), but I'm so short and yet so busty for my frame (I'm wearing a 32DDD right now), that I just don't think it will work. I needed to raise the straps and then lower the waist, add more room in the bust, yet more coverage under the arms, take in the waist, and then lower the bateau neckline so I wouldn't choke.

Oh well. I tried. I still love the dress. Just not on me.

Thursday

Talking to my Dad on the phone, but it was my only chance to get a pic - so there you have it. :-)

Sweater - BCBG - $5
Skirts - Gap - $4
Boots - Jessica Simpson - gifted
Shirt - hand-me-down
Tights - Target - $5
Belt - Gap - $24.50
Earrings - gifted

Jeans and T-shirt look, with some fun :)

Jeans- Ralph Lauren- $21

T-shirt- F21-$4.99

Scarf- Macy's- $16.99

Moccasins- gift

I will probably change into some brown boots, or other shoes when I go out today, but for now, I'm sticking with my moccasins :D

And for today...

Today I have a Board Meeting, but because it is so cold outside, I'm keeping it casual.

I have had such a hard time being creative with my outfits this winter. When it is 11 degrees outside, all I can think of to wear is tights under jeans, tucked into boots, with scarves, sweaters, a jacket under a heavy winter coat, and a hat. It's just too cold for skirts and dresses, or any kind of shoes other than boots!

Corduroy jeans - AE - $20
Jean jacket - Hydraulic - gifted
Purple sweater - Gap - gifted
Hoop earrings - Premier Jewelry - $21
Boots - Jessica Simpson - gifted
Necklace - Kohl's - gifted

Second day of the business conference

I learned my lesson after the first day of the conference, and layered up even more! I'm wearing three pairs of tights!

Sweater dress - NY&Co - gifted
Jacket - borrowed from my little sister
Skirt - Old Navy - $5
Boots - Jessica Simpson - gifted
Tights - borrowed from my Mom
Pin - NY&Co - gifted

I'm Back!

I was away for the weekend for a business conference. I had to dress professional, but the building the conference was held in was ridiculously cold! I could not get warm.

This is what I wore the first day:

Skirt - Target - $5
Shirt - Banana Republic - $11
Jacket - Banana Republic - gifted
CZ studs - gifted
Scarf - gifted
Pumps - borrowed from my Mom
Bag - Coach - gifted