Transitioning to Spring

I'm not going to lie, this relentless winter has had me down for a while. I've been whiny, tired, cold, and most annoyingly, wandering in a creative drought; feeling uninspired and unmotivated. Sadly for my blog, this has meant infrequent posts. I just haven't been feeling it, and I would rather not post than post below my own standards, ya know? Well, luckily, the past two or three weeks we've witnessed a glimmer of spring here as the temperatures have hoovered above freezing enough to begin a thaw in the metro Detroit area {insert happy dance here}. With the withering snow and ice piles, the first day of spring under our belts, and a renewed sense of optimism, I am excited to return to blogging refreshed and rejuvenated.

Today I'm sharing some of my most loved pieces while in hibernation, and the various ways I have styled them throughout this past season. They are all pieces that can be used as the weather reluctantly transitions back to warmer temps as well. I did a similar blog to this last winter when I was embarking on a closet remix challenge (here), so I wanted to do a follow-up this year to help out anyone else who is in a bit of a closet inspiration rut. While I am not currently swearing off shopping, I do try to maximize how I style my closet and have become much choosier in adding new pieces.

red bow bag (budget option here)

This red bow bag has been a staple in my closet for over a year now. When you think of spring fashion and style, you may not immediately think red, I don't either. I think mint, blush, lavender, and other pastel hues. However, nautically inspired clothing has been a pretty consistent warm weather trend and one of the ways I love to add a punch to my maritime inspired ensembles is with some pink or red accessories; cue this bag - the perfect contrasting pop to crisp white and navy outfits. Plus, it will add to a patriotic pallet around Memorial Day and the 4th. 

cargo vest (old, options here and here)

One of the most used and versatile pieces in my closet is my trusty cargo vest. Its olive green color is the perfect neutral that goes with many brights, other neutrals, and pastels, making it a great year-round staple. I am looking forward to styling it with floral and lace dresses, to add a little edge to my feminine spring attire.

 mint flats

As a self-professed shoeaholic, I often go through cycles of my favorite shoes "of the moment." Having over 100 pairs makes it hard to give each their deserved attention without them taking shifts for my affection. Currently on repeat are these mint flats from last year that Target so wonderfully brought back again for this spring. I love the pop of color these give an outfit and love pairing them with feminine scarves on an otherwise neutral ensemble.

light pink gingham shirt (old, nearly identical versions here and here)

This little number is definitely my MVP for springtime layering. The pretty pastel pairs perfectly with so many other colors and patterns, while providing an additional thin layer for warmth on those "between seasons" kinda days. Plus gingham is right on trend this season. I can't stop wearing it!

patterned pants (all old, love these or splurge on these)

Confession, I am a tiny bit obsessed with patterned denim. I have these two floral pairs and two polka dot pairs, and am always on the look out for versatile pants with a touch of something special. I love the subtle, or sometimes not so subtle, print mix they add to an outfit. One of my favorite ways to transition denim is by rolling the hem and slipping on a pair of flats. I am especially loving this pair of floral pixie pants, and am thinking of jumping on the drapey pants bandwagon with these. 

khaki mini skirt (striped one here) and leopard shoes (pumps, flats, love these)

I didn't realize until I started compiling photos that I almost exclusively pair this skirt with a leopard shoe. Crazy coincidence or the perfect pairing? I'll let you decide. Either way, I am obviously obsessed with this skirt, I have it in like 6 colors and between them, I wear one at least once a week (sometimes more!). They are comfy, have pockets (winner, winner) and are a good length for work or a casual lunch with friends. I like that this khaki one provides a simple neutral base and will be pairing it with pastels and fun prints as the weather warms. As for leopard shoes...I just keep adding to my collection each season - heels, booties, flats, sneakers, the list goes on and on. They go with almost everything in my closet and are a quintessential pattern for mixing. I have been eyeing this chic pair for spring. 

As you can see from the collages above, a lot of the featured pieces show up in outfits for other featured pieces, because I really do try to work and re-work my closet to get the most bang for my buck. Transitioning my winter pieces to spring also saves me money by not having to buy a new wardrobe every season, ain't nobody got time for that. 

What winter pieces are you keeping around for spring?

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!

In(sta)vested

So in yesterday's post I wrote about my favorite things and I realized I haven't posted any outfit pictures featuring my beloved herringbone vest, which is seriously crazy because I wear it ALL.THE.TIME. Today is the day I correct this grave travesty! For today's post, I wanted to do a quick compilation of photos from my iPhone and instagram showing how I have style this amazing piece so far and tomorrow I will have a full outfit post featuring the vest.

As you can probably tell from these photos, I am a huge fan of layering and mixing patterns, which is why this vest is so perfect for my personal style! You can also see that I definitely re-wear my clothing and accessories, I just can't afford to buy new outfits every week, so I try to be creative and resourceful with what I have and the selective new pieces I add. Getting the most out of my wardrobe is important to me and I hope I have inspired you to combine some pieces you may have otherwise thought not to. For more details on the items in these pictures, please check them out on instagram!

What's your favorite way to style a vest this fall?
Do you pattern mix?

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!

Casual Friday: Birds, Stripes, and Tassels

Its finally Friday! I cannot express how excited I get when Friday rolls around. I get to come straight home after work, no class, and just relax. Sigh. Usually we do date night, since neither myself or my bf has the energy to cook come Friday night, but when we are in school, we are both too tired to even go out or do anything other than order pizza and catch up on the DVR for the week. Lazy? Maybe. Awesome? Definitely. So I look forward to a night in, taking a break from learning, working, and doing homework, just doing nothing for a few hours.

Before my evening of uninterrupted, mindless bliss commences, I need to work. At least its casual Friday, which means jeans, comfy shoes, and no rush to finish all my work before leaving early for school. Today, I am sharing a typical casual Friday outfit with you. It features my staple skinny jeans, some layers to stay warm as fall settles in, and this amazing iced tassel necklace from Mint Sugar Boutique.

Sweater - Old Navy / Shirt - Target / Jeans - Old Navy / Shoes - Target

Purse - Target / Necklace - Mint Sugar Boutique (option)  

Pave Link Bracelet - Hawthorne Collection (option) / Spike Bracelet - Urban Peach Boutique 

I first saw this necklace on Emily and Bethany, and knew it I HAD to get one. Unfortunately I was not the only girl to feel this way and they sold out quickly. So, when the boutique offered a pre-order for their next shipment I jumped on it, not wanting to be left without one for fall. The shipment was finally received and they sent out the new orders this week. As soon as I received the package I ripped it opened and threw it on. Did it look silly with my navy shorts and tee? Probably, but I didn't care, I was in love. And as they say, people do crazy things when they are in love! Today I am styling it down, but I can easily see this necklace with a dress, cardi, tights, and boots soon too. Anyways, this is an amazing piece and I cannot wait to wear it all season long!

Confession: I am definitely that girl who finds something she loves to wear and then proceeds to buy all of its brothers and sisters. Take the Old Navy crew sweatshirt I wore yesterday. I got the grey embellished one as well as the one I am wearing today. In the interest of full disclosure, this one today was the original and the rest were the sequels, but only because my store didn't have the sparkly ones (hence being put on my wishlist) in store when I purchased this raisin stripe one. So, I guess you can take this as my official endorsement that this sweater is amazing and you should get some too!

Lastly, I want to give a shout out to Target, for creating the most perfect and affordable cognac colored satchel (with detachable crossboday strap) for the fall. If you follow me on Instagram then you know this bag has pretty much been center stage in my photos since I got it a few weeks ago. I cannot express how perfect this bag is or stress how highly I recommend it. From color, to size, to shape, and finally price, this is a must have for fall! I also have Target to thank for this adorable bird shirt and these incredibly comfortable moccasins. What would I do without Target? They have truly done it again!

What are your most recent Target must-haves?

How would you style this tassel necklace?

Happy Friday and have a lovely weekend!!

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!

Grad Student Uniform

Grad school is officially in full swing, which means two things: fall is just around the corner, and my caffeine intake and amount of sleep are about to have an inverse relationship. My week is spent running from work to school to the gym to home and repeat. The nights are late and every minute is packed. On the plus side, the days fly by; on the down side, they are a sleep deprived, stressed-out blur. However, on the weekends...well, the weekends are a little piece of heaven. The pace slows. The sun shines. The birds chip. Or at least that is how it all happens in my mind as I daydream for them during the week. Weekends are full too, don't get me wrong, between running errands, doing homework, and cleaning the apartment, I am definitely busy. It's just, well, the sense of urgency is gone, which is perfect because it doesn't matter that I am exhausted and going in slow motion. All of this being said, I have a confession to make. On the weekends, every weekend, I wear my grad student uniform.

Ok, so graduate students don't actually wear a uniform, obviously. This is just a term I came up with this weekend as I dressed on Saturday and changed after church on Sunday. Because my mind is doing a million other things and jam packed with tons of useless incredibly important energy engineering stuff, it really, really, really, doesn't want to think about clothes. It becomes a traitor. Goes on strike. Wants nothing to do with how I look. So, I basically wear some version of the exact same outfit every weekend, and to be honest, I don't even care! I am convinced that I am not the only one who does this either, but I could be wrong, you tell me =)

First, the staple piece of the grad student uniform is a pair of leggings, which by the way, I am certain were invented by a graduate student in the same mental state as I frequently find myself. They are like cute sweatpants, the same amount of comfort, without the bulk or judgmental looks in public (just make sure to wear a thick pair that is not see-through, to avoid a different kind of judgement look). Additionally, unlike yoga pants they allow for a cute shoe to be seen, thus giving the illusion that you are more put together and actually do care about looking cute, without any real effort at all. Which brings me to footwear. Really, anything goes, so I tend to choose whatever is the most comfortable considering the weather; riding boots, booties, sandals, flats, moccasins, they all work with leggings in my opinion. 

For the top half of the grad student uniform, I usually layer. On the weekends I do lots of errands and then set up homework camp at a local Starbucks for hours, so flexibility in comfort is always important. These are casual layers and typically include: long tank top, jersey tee or flannel button-up, and a cardigan. I cannot over-emphasize how much I consider cardigans to be wardrobe staples! I own a ton and wear one just about every day. They can instantly make you look put-together, keep you warm, add another dimension to your look, and come in tons of colors, cuts, patterns, etc. there is definitely a cardi for you out there! Finish with a statement necklace, standard arm stack, and top-knot or side braid and you are good to go! Cute, cozy, and little brain power required. 

I have included some sample "uniforms" below:

tee / tank / cardi / leggings / booties / necklace / coral bracelet / amber bracelet / blue bracelet / purse

I love the option of wearing a colored legging, its an unexpected way to add color to an outfit. For this outfit I did some pattern mixing with the tank and tee which I would typically leave untucked. Since there is a lot going on with the colored leggings and patterned top, I chose to keep the cardigan, booties, and accessories neutral, picking up on on the color pallet slightly with the jewelry to tie it all together. I am all about gender equality, so I am not above shopping the men's department for over-sized sweaters. The sweater pictured above is from the men's section at J. Crew Factory and I am not ashamed to admit that I would scoop it up in a heart beat if I was adding to my cardi collection. It looks super cozy and would add a touch of masculinity to an otherwise girlie outfit, a juxtaposition I happen to adore. Lastly, who doesn't like a bold bag to finish off a look? Loving this cobalt option for the fall...and the mint one..and the mustard one! 

tee / cardigan / leggings / bag / necklace (out online check in stores) / shoes / black bracelet / crystal bracelet

How darling are these plaid leggings?!? I am a sucker for tartan and I am definitely lusting over these. I am a little worried they are thin, if any one has them I would love to know if they are sufficiently thick. Traditionally, I have not been the biggest fan of leather- faux or real, however, seeing it in surprising details on all sorts of clothing this fall has given me a new appreciation for it. Whether as pipping, pockets, or striping, leather is adding a touch of luxe to everyday items. Between these patent bow flats and the faux leather color blocked cardi, this otherwise casual outfit is given an edgy upgrade. Lastly, add a neutral statement necklace and black and white swoon worthy satchel to carry all my school stuff, and I am good to go!

cardi / tank / flannel shirt /sunnies / leggings / necklace / purse / flats

For this look, I recreated the outfit pictured above that I wore to class one night last week. Tuesday and Thursday nights I spend five and a half hours in class, so comfort is a must. It was cool enough to break out the fab flannel from Old Navy, which I highly recommend picking up (20% off online with promo code ONTREAT). Additionally, I added some leopard flats for a little pattern mixing while also remaining in the neutral family. In my post I am carrying the new cognac satchel from Target, not available online, but check in stores. If I wasn't a grad student though, I would love to be able to afford this classic Robinson Double Zip Tote as well as these amazing sunnies by Tory Burch. Maybe next fall!  

Do you have a weekend uniform?

What is your go to outfit when you don't want to think about getting dressed?

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!