Here and There in Cardigans

Dress - Rodarte for Target Vintage Belt - Borrowed from my mother  Cardigan - The Gap Shoes - Leifdottir via Anthro

This week has been flying by and I have been wearing my trusty cardigans through and through.  Both of these cardigans are from The Gap and are two of my absolute favorites.  The blue one is a lightweight wool and the oatmeal one is cashmere.  They keep me warm during the long hours I spend sitting at my desk at work in front of my computer.  Naturally they also allow me to show off the shape and pattern of whatever I choose to put under them - a big bonus for me!  

The Super classy dressing room picture was taken in the J. Crew dressing room where I actually ducked in to take this picture!

Cardigan and Shirt - The Gap Skirt - J. Crew (although not this store) Shoes - Sam Edelman via Jeremy's

Neglected

Another day at work, and surprisingly, another pair of pants.  I love my slouchy khakis but I don't wear them as much as I would like.  Truth be told I don't find them as easy to match to tops and still look as good for the office as I would like.  But today I paired them with my printed silk top and trusty oatmeal cardigan and called it a comfortable day.  Don't get me wrong, I like how this outfit looks as well, but it also felt like I was lounging around in sweats rather than working in a high-rise.  Score?

Pants and Cardigan - The Gap Shirt - Anthro Shoes - J. Crew

Work Skirts

Skirt: Anthropologie hand me down Shirt: The Gap Cardigan: J. Crew via Maribel Shoes: Seychelles via DSW

Over the past two days I broke out some of my favorite work skirts.  I love both of them because they are not boring basic office wear, but they are always office appropriate.  I actually got both of them in the summer of 2009 (which feels like a million years ago now) and still wear them.  Both days I felt pulled together but still funky in the office, my perpetual goal for my 9 to 5 look!

Shirt: J. Crew Skirt: BR Shoes: Leifsdottir via Anthro Necklace: Vintage borrowed from my marm Sunnies: Gifted Mosely Tribes

All Things Purple

Lately everything in my life seems to have turned purple.  It wasn't something that I consciously did, it just sort of happened, but it happened nonetheless.  I notice these phases in my closet every few years.  Sometimes its blue, other times green, and now it seems to be this grayish purple.

 Hand me down from a bestie!

 New purse, Kate Spade and brighter then expected but still some serious love.

Purple pencil skirt - who could resist?  Oh J. Crew I love you!

Talking

 Both today and yesterday I was talking to my cats while taking pictures of my days clothes.  Okay, I was doing the talking and they were rolling around on the ground.  All in a days work for us I suppose.

Tuesday: Skirt and Cardigan from J. Crew Shirt from Anthro Shoes from BR

Monday: Dress from Target Shoes, gifted Stuart Weitzman Cardigan, Eileen Fisher Borrowed vintage belt from my mother

Wet Weather

 I had on a dress this morning and then I looked out the window and saw it was raining.  Not kind of raining, but really raining.  I, of course, was not planning for this and since I am housesitting was not prepared at all.  So I grabbed the one shirt and pants combo I have with me and ventured out.  Of course by the time I left work, with the umbrella I keep at my desk in hand it was sunny!

 Shoes and Pants - j. crew  Shirt - Anthro  Belt - borrowed from my marm  Cardigan - J. Crew via Maribel

Days of This and That

 On Monday I had no inspiration for what to wear to work, so I threw on a few of my favorites and called it a day.  The funny thing is people noticed that I was a pretty toned down version of myself.  One person at work called my outfit elegant!  And I simply thought it was basic.  But I'll take elegant.

 Dress - Target Sweater - Eileen Fisher Shoes - Deena and Ozzy via Jeremys

 Monday and Tuesday were pretty cold, so on Tuesday I wised up and covered up my legs.  I threw on my mothers vintage necklace to spruce up my dark outfit.  It was another day of funny work outfit comments: one of my friends asked me why I didn't look like I had stepped out of an Anthropologie store!  I was both flattered and amused.

 Shirt - J. Crew Pants - The Gap Belt - Borrowed Shoes - Charlotte Ronson via Jeremys  Necklace - Vintage, borrowed from my mother

 Finally on Wednesday I feel like I finally had the energy to think about what I was wearing.  I haven't worn my ikat top in a while so I broke it out and paired it with two of my favorite pieces: my oatmeal cardigan and my BR pencil skirt.  I was sore from working out on Tuesday so I opted for my gold flats to complete the outfit.

Top - Anthro Skirt - BR Cardigan - The Gap Shoes - BR hand me downs

Stripey Wednesday

 It was another nuts day in the office, so I wore my stripy sweater which I live in outside the office.

Sweater - The Gap Skirt - Anthro Shoes - Seychelles via Nordstrom

Brights and Bells

 Although it looks like spring in the Bay Area, it is still quite chilly.  I decided to filch my mother's bright pink cardigan (its the same cardigan as my oatmeal one, only she doesn't sleep in hers) for a pop of color over a dark dress.  Because its still cold, I am also still tights-bound, so I rocked my mustard colored tights because they I love how they look with my brown wedges!

Dress and Borrowed Cardigan - The Gap  Belt - Borrowed Tights - J. Crew  Shoes - Leifdottir via Anthro

 Hooray for casual Friday.  Short story: When I was in Junior High I was obsessed with bell bottoms.  My mother took me all over looking for them.  And then they came into style in a big way and it was nice and easy but way less exciting since I was no longer unique in my wearing of them.  These days I have a few friends who rave about Paige Denim, so when I saw this pair at Maribel I decided to give them a shot since they were only $45.  Sadly they were super long and it took me a WHILE to get them hemmed.  But finally they are hemmed and my days of loving my bell bottoms are back!

These are the bow shoe clips that I was given last year for my birthday.

Jeans - Paige via Maribel  Shoes - BR  Shoe Clips - Gifted from friends  Sweater - Nordstrom Long Sleeved - The Gap  Scarf - Flea Market in Morrocco

Work Days

Although I usually favor skirts and dresses at the office, sometimes I do love a good pair of work pants.  This slouchy work pants are some of my favorites.  I love their length and shape, although I do have trouble finding tops that are the right volume for them.  Because the pants are rather voluminous, I always try to balance out the tops.  On Tuesday to avoid being too boring with my black, white, and blue outfit, I broke out one of my favorite scarves.  I love this zebra scarf.  It was a gift several years ago and it has been worn many a time since.

sweater and pants - The Gap  Shirt - BR Shoes - J. Crew Scarf - Gifted

 I had a different dress in mind today for this sweater and tights, but when I put it on, it was too dark.  Then I looked over and saw my black and white dress and knew it would look great with the combo.  I love the way the wine colored tights look with the oatmeal colored cardigan (remember last week how I said I wear it a lot, I really do!), and the black and white dress.  I like how the tights and dress really accented the silk dress, hopefully without any of it being too over the top.

Dress - BR via Maribel Cardigan - The Gap Tights - Hue via Anthro  Shoes - Manolo Blahnik via Maribel

Blue Suede Shoes

 I wanted these booties from Boden since I saw them last fall even though in general I am anti-booties.  Something about the colors and the shape of these made me want want want them (Boden also styled them with striped socks which I loved).  I finally caved and bought them about two weeks ago and last Friday they arrived.  They were still a splurge at $113, but when they still had them in my size I decided to go for it.

 I tried to wear them with a pretty toned down outfit because they are out there in terms of work footwear, but I still wanted to be me.  So I paired them with green tights, a black pencil skirt, and my dark purple sweater.  So there was a lot of color going on, but it was all pretty muted.

Shoes - Boden  Tights - Anthro Skirt - BR Sweater - Gap (The only one missing from my outfit today is J. Crew to make this a classic HB combo)

Tunic

Today for casual Friday I broke out a silk tunic that I haven't worn in a while.  I love the detailing at the neck and the fact that it has pockets.  Its also a really nice quality silk so it falls really well.  Usually I have trouble pairing it with other tops.  I rarely wear it when it is warm enough to be on its own, so I am always looking for other things to wear with it.  Today I discovered that I really like it with my light brown long sleeved hand me down!  Who knew?

Under shirt and pants - The Gap  Tunic - Anthro  Shoes - BR  (yes these are my staple clothing places)

Lived In

 Today I tried to formalize my polka dot tank top by pairing it with a pencil skirt and cardigan.  Honestly, I live in my oatmeal colored cardigan.  Its cashmere and super soft, but its also a really nice neutral color.  Sometimes I even sleep in this sweater.  So even though I started this outfit by trying to figure out what to wear with the tank, it was an easy choice.  I really liked how my outfit balanced out between the traditional work pieces and the more casual tank.

tank and sweater - The Gap  Skirt - Banana Republic Shoes - Country Road  Headband - Anthro

Lost and Found

 Every year my mother tries to give every member of the family something soft for Christmas.  I have no idea why, but its her thing.  This sweater was my soft thing in 2007.  Its a pretty nice cashmere sweater from Anne Taylor and so I had it tucked away with some of my nicer clothes.  Only then I couldn't find it for a while.  I recently rediscovered it, which is perfect because it got cold in the Bay Area and this lace print was just what the doctor ordered.  I paired this cosy lace knit sweater with my navy blue button down pencil skirt, my dark purple tights and favorite winter shoes, my Leifdottir wedges.

 I love the lace pattern on this sweater.  Its pretty subtle but beautiful on the close up.  I also really like this nice light blue color.

Sweater - gifted Anne Taylor  Skirt, Tights and Shoes - Anthro  (Odille, Hue, and Leifdottir)

Belated yet Bright

This is what I wore to work last Thursday, which now seems like it was ages ago.  Hopefully things will slow down again soon and my posts will stope being so sporadic.  I found this vibrantly colored dress at Maribel right after I got back from Israel.  I like that it can be dressed up or down depending on the situation.  Last Thursday I tried to play down its vibrance with dark tights, flats, and my trusty oatmeal colored cardigan.  I think it was probably still a little bright for the office, but I am not one to shy away from color so I went for it!

Dress - Tulle via Maribel Cardigan - The Gap  Tights - BR  Shoes - Anthro

Prepared

 I am finally back to my normal schedule (having been out of the office for a project for the last three days), but now I have to contend with a massive rain storm.  I went for comfort today with my J. Crew cashmere sweatshirt paired with a basic black pencil skirt and black tights.  Since the sweatshirt is pretty boxy, I tried to keep the bottoms pretty tight to balance me out and not make me look boxy as well.  The footwear is where it got complicated.  I wore my green floral wellies to brave the elements outside, but I brought with me my three tone Boden t-straps to wear in the protected office environment.  Both my boots and my heels got complimented today - Hooray!

Skirt - Banana Republic Tights - Anne Kline  Boots - Lucky Penny via Anthro years ago

Note: I did not pay anywhere near retail for my sweater, I found it at Maribel for $48!

Things I Love

 Today I wore a version of an outfit that I have worn before.  I love all of the pieces of this outfit: the dress, the scarf, the shoes and my opaque colored tights.  Honestly, I would wear this dress everyday if I could.

Dress - J. Crew via Maribel ( I paid $35)  Tights - Hue via Anthropologie  Shoes - Leifsdottir via Anthropologie ( I paid $80 for them)  Scarf - Bought on the street in Prague

 So instead of telling you about an outfit that you've seen before, I decided to show off a coat I got at Anthro a few weeks ago.

 Really, I bought this coat because it was a smoking deal!  It was originally marked as $350 and I bought it for $50!  I asked the woman at the store about it while I was checking out and she said its likely because the coat ran really big.  Although its pretty voluminous, it seems fitting for the vintage look its going for.