How Do I Wear Thee, Let Me Count the Ways

Amidst the legions of gray cardigans in my closet is this cheerful mustard yellow cardigan that I got for my birthday a couple years ago. It's found its way into lots of outfits (on and off the blog) and has added a needed shock of color to my mostly gray, blue, brown, and white color palette. Here are some of the ways I've worn it:







Looking through these, I wonder if I might be more inventive with color pairings (there is so much blue here!) and put it with reds or oranges or even dark greens more often and not just fall back on it as a way to add color to a plain-Jane pairing. Sartorial resolution for the new year?

Christmas Photography Part II

Works Cited
shirt, sweater: j crew
skirt: gap
belt: thrifted
tights: hue
socks: target
boots: steve madden

My mother, who is skilled at many things and has post-graduate degrees from Columbia and UC Berkeley, does not necessarily excel at photography. Among her funnier qualities as a photographer are the strange faces she makes at you as she concentrates on snapping your picture and an uncanny ability to cut off your feet in photos. Because she is a mother, she also thinks you look "sooooooo cute!" no matter how slouchy, grumpy, or rumpled you actually appear. Hence, my dubious face in every single picture she took. (Thank you, Mom; I love you).



This outfit and I were also lucky enough to meet up with two friends with whom I went to college, the Carr sisters, Elisabeth and Maggie (if only you had a blog, Maggie, I could hyperlink your name, too :). As you can see, they are both super-stylish but they are also great friends, interesting people, and funny to boot.

Christmas Photography Part I

Works Cited
top: h&m (gift from sister)
pants: gap
necklace and bracelet: borrowed from family
wedges: target

Without my trusty photographer, I've had to cajole my family to take my pictures for the last few days. They each have their own quirks when it comes to photography. My sister took these, among about 50 others as she alternately squatted and leapt around the room, all the while crying out like an America's Next Top Model photographer, "Beautiful! Beautiful! The camera loves you! It loves you!!" Needless to say, half of the photos were blurry or sideways, or my expression was half-dubious, half-giggling. Tomorrow: my mother behind the camera.

Sequins By Day

Works Cited
sequin tank: j crew
cords: loft
cardigan: target
boots: steve madden
belt: thrifted

Today, my NYE sequins looked up at my out of my suitcase and said, "Why do you only wear me at night? We'd like to see the sun, too." So I humored them and wore them with cords and a worn-in belt to make them more casual. It didn't really work, considering how many comments and looks I got today while the sequined shirt and I went to Target, the grocery store, and the coffee shop. I guess other people's sequins don't speak to them as persuasively as mine do. That, or others are a little ashamed of their sequins--they can only bring them out when it's dark?

Sponsorships for the New Year!

Are you looking to advertise your small business, etsy shop, or other artsy-stylish venture? My ad rates are accessible for small businesses and I have tons of great readers who (like my sister) like to find new independent places to shop online. Email me for rates and details.

Christopher at Christmas

Works Cited
dress: anthro (gift from christopher)
tights: we love colors
boots: steve madden
cardigan: j crew
bracelet: gift from christopher

When Christopher and I started dating, I had no idea that he is the best gift giver ever. Seriously, ever. The first summer we were dating, he built me a vintage three-speed bicycle from scratch just because; for birthday last year, he bought me local handmade hammered gold and silver earrings (my favorite; I'm wearing them in approximately half the photos on this blog); and for my birthday this year, he surprised me with a kindle so I could carry lots of books with me while I travel. Before I left for home, he gave me my Christmas present--this dress, which I have been admiring since I saw it in an Anthropologie over my birthday and told him how lovely I thought it was. I know this sounds mawkish, but I feel like I hit the jackpot with the most thoughtful boyfriend around. His pitch-perfect gifting skills are matched only by his day-to-day sweetness, affection and sense of humor, which are (seriously) the best gifts of all.

Beggars and Thieves

Works Cited
flannel: land's end (mom's)
sweater: gap (sister's)
pants: gap
wedges: target
belt: j crew
bracelet: mom's

Yesterday, I escaped the bitter winds of the midwest and flew to California for the holidays. I'm excited to be where it's warmer (albeit rainier) and to have the chance to scavenge in my mom's and sister's closets to help stretch my extremely small traveling wardrobe. Because I'm heading to Washington for a week after this, I don't want to be weighed down with tons of stuff, so I carefully packed a single carry-on with 12 pieces for 17 days of travel. It's like the 30 for 30, only 12 for 17. And without many posts to document it :)
I'll be popping in and out through the holidays, but my main priority for the next two weeks is cuddling with my sister, playing competitive games of Scrabble with my family, and visiting my best friends in Seattle. You understand, right?

Giveaway: $30 Kakalina Rose Vintage

I'm excited to bring you another great holiday giveaway, from Kakalina Rose Vintage. Katherine is offering one lucky reader a $30 to spend in her shop, which is full of one-of-a-kind vintage pieces. I'd go for any of the three above: the camel coat with extra-big buttons, a cheery red bow-neck blouse, or another great wool pencil skirt for my collection (I have a few quite like this one and I lurve them).

All you've got to do is leave a comment with your email address (or an easy way to reach you). I'll pick a winner next Monday, Dec. 27. This giveaway is open to U.S. and international readers (yay!).

For an extra entry, leave a separate comment letting me know what you have your eye on from the shop.

The winners of last week's giveaways are:
Shopbop--#55, Melissa
Le Mode--#109, Catherine

UPDATE: the winner is "Blythe and Charlotte"

Friday Happiness

Works Cited
tee: h&m
skirt: gap
belt: thrifted
tights: hue
boots: steve madden
sweater: j crew
necklace: c/o little o by wolfbrother

It's cold and clear and bright today; it's my former-roommate (and current beloved friend)'s birthday party tonight; I'm having coffee with the effusively charming Jessica this afternoon; and I'm excited to start some new books. Altogether the makings of a terrific day. I'm so glad it's Friday, and today called for no-fuss clothes plus a really pretty necklace to top things off:



It might just be the stripes but I feel a little French today. Hope you have a wonderful weekend xoxo

Hemming and Hawing

Works Cited
shirt: c/o little ocean annie vintage
skirt, belt: thrifted
tights, sweater: j crew
boots: indigo (clarks)

I found this belt and skirt on my prodigal visit to the Goodwill yesterday. I love the look of wool pencil skirts, but they are pretty expensive if you buy them new at retail stores. Luckily, I've had incredible luck finding vintage wool pencil skirts in great condition for about $3 apiece at the thrift store. This skirt was half off ($1.50) and I spent about 20 minutes last night hemming it from dowdy-below-the-knee-length to a more flattering length. In short: it was another pretty awesome find.
P.S. If you like vintage and you're looking for something sparkly for New Year's Eve, Annie has a few covetable sequined pieces in her shop right now (Annie, you're the best!). xo

Good Will Thrifting

Works Cited
skirt: thrifted (I hemmed it)
shirt: thrifted
sweater: j crew outlet
belt, tights: mommed
boots: steve madden

I spent a decadent morning reading on the couch wearing fleece pants (very cool, I'll tell you) and didn't end up getting dressed until after lunch, when Christopher and I decided finally to take a long-delayed trip to Goodwill to drop off some things and dig around for winter duds. I've been feeling guilty that I shrank Christopher's vintage wool Pendleton shirt, but then I found EIGHT other ones, all in his size, today. So now he has five of them, his brother has two, and I'm sending a third to Claire. I figured our incredible haul was due in part to my karmic dressing--most of my outfit is from the Goodwill to begin with, and it must have brought us luck today. (Seriously, 8 vintage wool shirts? Almost too good to be true!)

Giveaway: $25 Gift Card to Le Mode Accessories

Christmas is coming early this year, because I have another terrific giveaway for you this week: the chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Le Mode Accessories. Le Mode just released its winter lookbook, which is filled with intricate jewelry and perfectly-detailed bags. I have a special soft spot for Le Mode because of the seriously sweet conversations I've had with its owner, a gal who runs the entire store single-handedly and told me that when she graduated and couldn't find a job she wanted, she decided to hire herself and start her own business (I love her chutzpah!).

To enter the giveaway:
Check out the lookbook and leave a comment below with your email address.

For extra entries, leave a separate comment:
1. Telling me what other piece from Le Mode's lookbook you'd love to have in your closet.
2. Follow Le Mode on twitter.
3. Or on Facebook.
4. Sign up for Le Mode's newsletter (find it on the homepage).

Open to U.S. and Canadian residents; I'll pick a winner at random next Monday. Good luck! xo

Chain Letter Dress

Works Cited
dress: c/o modcloth
turtleneck, boots: j crew
tights: gap
coat: jeremy's

Remember when you were a kid and you used to get chain letters in the mail, which told you that you'd have good luck forever if only you'd photocopy and send that piece of paper to 20 more friends? Well, this dress is a little like those letters, except more stylish and less like spam. It's been styled by a few girls before me, each of whom have sent it on to another blogger. I've been hoarding this dress for about a month because I got it from the extremely charming Annie while I was doing the 30 for 30. It's kind of a summery dress, so I winterized it with dark colors and warm layers: a turtleneck, sweater tights, and boots. Luckily, I think a lot of summer dresses can be reinvented for winter like this. Next the dress is going to the good-lookin' Sydney from The Daybook.

Here are the ways the girls before me have worn it:
Little Ocean Annie, Rosemud, Dear Beatrice, Lulu Letty, A Thought Is The Blossom (also the genius behind the chain letter dress idea).

Remix Roundup 1-30

Here's a quick roundup of the 30 outfits I made out of only 30 pieces.











I like a lot of the outfits I came up with, but my favorites were 10, 14, and 27. I was also glad that the challenge encouraged me to try out new accessories, like lipstick and glasses, which I might not have been brave (or desperate for change!) enough for previously.
Thank you so much for reading and for your encouragement--it pulled me through! xo

Grand Finale

Works Cited
skirt, top, sweater: j crew
tights: gap
belt: old navy
shoes: dansko
necklace: ruche

This was an outfit I had planned to wear when I picked my 30 pieces, but somehow I didn't end up wearing it until the last day. Orange-on-orange felt like a perspicacious note on which to end this remix considering how many golden hues I managed to incorporate into 30 outfits. The 30 for 30 was fun and helped me mentally pare down my closet; however, I'll confess that I'm super excited to bring the rest of my wardrobe out of hiding.

A Lunar Cycle (Approximately)

Works Cited
skirt: anthro
sweater: j crew (gift)
belt: mommed
scarf, tights, shoes: target

I may or may not look like I burst out of a Crayola box today but at least I'm through my remix rut. Nothing like some bright red tights to put a little pep in your step at the end of the 30 for 30. Now that December is well underway, I've been wishing I had some warmer shirts in my pile of 30, so I buttoned my cardigan to the top and am wearing it as a shirt today. Warmth? Check. Primary color? Almost check.

Giveaway: $100 Shopbop Gift Card!

I'm excited to bring you an awesome holiday giveaway, from Shopbop, an online distributor of clothes, shoes, and bags. It has great designer sales and lots of goodies, like cozy sweater dresses to keep you warm this winter. Shopbop is offering one lucky reader a $100 gift card, to spend as she chooses. (I'd go for this amazing lace-back black dress, this high-waisted skirt, or a pretty print dress.)

All you have to do is start window-shopping at Shopbop and leave a comment below (please leave your email if I can't find you through a blog). I'll pick a winner at random next Sunday, Dec 19.

28 Days Later

Works Cited
dress: loft
gray tee: gap
socks: target
sweater, tights: j crew
boots: steve madden

No, I haven't turned into a flesh-eating zombie, but I am turning into a remixing zombie. This morning was the first time I had the remix blues--nothing in my closet looked appealing and I couldn't figure out what to wear. It's also mercilessly cold, which makes some of the outfits I had planned a bit less enticing to put on. However, I think the best way around these wardrobe ruts is just to go through them. So I picked out my favorite sweater, favorite dress, favorite boots, Christopher's favorite polka-dotted tights, and (of course) some huge socks. It's not the most inventive look I've ever put together, but it gets the job done.

A Perfect Cube

Works Cited
skirt: target
belt: uo
tee, boots: j crew
tights: gap
glasses: local vintage store (thank you, sarah!)

I'm really excited about these dorky glasses that I got at a local vintage place, thanks to a birthday gift certificate I've been hoarding for approximately 6 weeks. But it turns out my family members aren't so excited. When I sent them pictures of the glasses, my mom replied, "Oh, those are nice. But you aren't actually going to wear them in public, are you?" And my sister, paragon of wisdom, told me, "I think you are too conventional for nerd glasses. Which is to say, you are too much of a nerd to wear nerd glasses." So family members, I am going to wear these glasses, as part of my mission to reclaim nerdiness from the realm of hipsters who do not deserve it as much as nerds do.

Letters in the Alphabet

Works Cited
skirt, belt: j crew
sweater: hand-me-down
scarf: gap
tights, socks: target
boots: steve madden

Today is the last day of classes, which is both exciting and a time for melancholy, since I had such terrific students this semester and I'll be sad to see them go. It's also freeeeezing here today and for the first time, I'll have to break out my scary bank-robber balaclava for my bike ride to school, along with my Mt. Everest-climbing down mittens. I know some people think it's nuts to ride a bike to school when it's 10 degrees, but I relish the chance to be outside, in the sunshine and moving around, even if it's brief. If I didn't ride my bike in the winter, I would get terrible cabin fever always being inside! Plus, I get warm quickly on my ride, and I feel like champion of the world when I get there :)

P.S. If you want to read more about winter cycling, Let's Go Ride a Bike is the most incredible resource run by two styling girls who bike all winter; they even published a guide to winter bicycling today. Read it here.