New Year = New Layout

What do y'all think? 

This new layout seems much more congruent...the other one had sepia and black and white, teal and maroon...It was kinda hard on the eyes...just wasn't feeling it anymore.

While I'm at it, I'll probably start posting different kinds of things...like, I've been dabbling in decorating my home, and so far I'm pleased with the results. 
I think I'd like to share them with you...  :) 
Would you mind, dear readers?  Let me know in the comments!

But before I got off on any more tangents, here are the outfit photos I promised (in the midst of yesterday's 2012 mash-up):

This outfit is making me laugh while I'm putting it against my new layout...such completely different facets of my personality are all mushed together!  But, hey, the ability to design and love both a grey-pink-sweetly-elegant blog layout and a gold-red-plaid-in-your-face-prepster ensemble makes a girl more interesting, don't you think?
Looking at these pictures, my constant inspiration--Audrey Hepburn--came to mind.  The sweater/men's shirt/high-waters/loafers combo was a thing she would do...but I have a bit more drama in my outfit! plaid and metallics...  That means it gives a nod to Audrey without being too copycat-ish.

Shoes and Sweater: Rock & Republic for Kohl's || Pants: Wal*Mart || Shirt: American Eagle Outfitters || Bag: thrifted || Headband: Bangles and Bags || Necklace: old

City Slicker (or SICKer...read below...)

Hey all!  Check out my sick new kicks!!! 

I started seeing these hidden-wedge sneakers a few months ago in street-stle photos and such.  My first reaction was "ew"...ohhh how times change!  :)  The more I saw them styled and worn by others, I started to love the funky-casual vibe they add to an outfit.  Here's my attempt at styling them. 

I tackled a lot of trends in this outfit: dorky crewneck sweatshirt, leather skirt, metallics, and, of course, the kicks.

Semi-funny story:

These pictures were taken after Piera took me out to the cutest little diner up in Madison (I went to visit her for the weekend).  However, I'm surprized I don't look like a complete wreck, because just before lunch, I went hypoglycemic!  I fainted for the first time in my life!  It was crazy!  I sat on Piera's bathroom floor (in this outfit nonetheless) nom-ing on chocolate and an entire loaf of French bread for 15 minutes afterward.  French bread and chocolate apparrently have magical properties of healing!  But everybody already knew that, right?

 

Sweatshirt: thrifted (orig. Gap) || Skirt: thrifted || Bag: thrifted || Sunnies: Marshall's (orig. American Eagle Outfitters) || Shoes: Charlotte Russe

Haute Faerie Dust

This outfit didn't translate into photos very well...That's always so depressing.

It's a simple outfit, but in person I promise it packs a lot of visual punch. I know it's pale in color, and very plain, but it's all about the movement!  This top is so light, so ethereal, it flows around the body like water.  I was walking, and the "wings" of the top were billowing out on either side of me, and it made me feel like one Haute Faerie.

It was nice to have my legs out again for this 65 degree weekend in November.

Playing tourist in my hometown with a cup of hot chocolate from our local Roastery.

Annnnnd the sidewalk is now my runway.  I should work on my "model walk" hahaha I'm so good at it when my hubby isn't snapping photos of me with my phone, and then I simply suck at it when he is...What's the sense in that???  Come on, self!  I used to act on stage in front of a live audience and not get as nervous; how come I get stage fright in front of a little camera?  Anybody else suffer from camera shyness?

 

Top: old || Tank (underneath): Gap || Shorts: Marshall's || Shoes: thrifted (Anne Klein) || Sunglasses: Marshall's (orig. from American Eagle Outfitters) || Coat: Forever 21 || Bag: thrifted (Louis Vuitton)

 

Keepin' it goin' with the "faerie dust" motif, here's a detail of my mani:
two layers of Sally Hansen "Red Carpet" with a layer of Milani "Silver" glitter polish in between. 
Got the idea from Pinterest.  Yaaaaay! Something off of Pinterest I actually got off my butt and did!  Although...I'm pretty sure I was sitting while painting my nails...buuuuuut you know what I mean.

 

THANKS for reading!

the Dogwalker

On what I suspect was one of the last sunny, warm-ish days we'll have this year, I decided to take my dog for a walk.  The outfit was nothing special until I passed my new straw hat sitting on top of a pile of boxes (still in the process of moving in), and impulsively decided to plop it on my head.  I got stopped along my way so many times for compliments, it just further proves what I thought all along:

Hats are Magic.

Do you agree, my lovely readers?

 

 

 

Like I said, it's a very simple outfit (hopefully a bit Audrey Hepburn in feeling--I love that she was always very demure and understated in her day-to-day dressing, as opposed to her films when she was draped in Givenchy couture).  There's a timeless, classic quality to the boatneck sweater, cropped pants, and flats.  I added a bit of myself, too: the straw hat for sweetness, and the distressed white denim and the cutout metallic flats for a bit of punch. 

Sweet, sassy, and classic: I want it all! 

And who'd've thunk just a basic sweater-and-jeans combo could say so much?

 

 

THANKS FOR READING!

Come back soon...

Hat: thrifted || Sunnies: Marshall's (orig. American Eagle Outfitters) || Sweater: Gap || Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters || Shoes: thrifted || Watch: thrifted (Rolex)

Penny is such a good girl.  <3