TBMD

I wanted to wear a dark colored coat with black faux leather pants, but my closet options were limited to a navy peacoat. Navy and black, two colors I love wearing but could be mistaken for the other in certain lighting conditions. To remove all doubt that I didn't get dressed in the dark, I kept the rest of the outfit in the same color scheme by swapping out the original burgundy sweater over a gray top for a black sweater with a printed navy blouse.

Subtly festive is the theme for today's outfit. I chose a basic black palette as the backdrop with a touch of sparkle and bright lip color. Can I take a moment to gush over these tweed and glitter pumps? I had to wipe the drool off my chin when I saw them online before quickly snatching them up during one of J.Crew's promo periods around Black Friday. Yes, they were still expensive at 30% off retail, which gave me a slight pause, but my lust-filled mind paid no heed. I'd place these shoes under my "museum pieces" category because they're more pretty to look at rather than practical. I'm a believer in that material things are still just things at the end of the day, so they will be used and loved. I know I'll have trouble styling the shoes with different outfits, but they were just too pretty to return. So, I'll probably end up wearing them with the same ol' boring black outfit every time.

For sizing reference, I typically take the larger of my two shoe sizes (6-6.5) because I find J.Crew shoes to run narrow (the one exception for my wider feet was the Everly suede pumps, which I probably need a sz 7 in). I went with the 6.5 in these Etta pumps and they fit much more comfortably in the toebox than the Everlys. I'd say they're TTS for narrow-to-normal feet, or go up half a size for wider feet. They've stretched a bit now so I'll have to put in heel pads soon.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a very happy holidays!

Sale alert: Through 11/19, use code MERRY and take 35% off at Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Gap + 30% off at Piperlime.

Some recent buys and fast favorites include:
- Old Navy military-style jacket - $25.96 with code (I sized up to a S for a looser fit / outfit below)
- Gap cowlneck sweater - $38.97 with code (TTS - I'm wearing XS in both gray and black / outfits: here, here, here)
- Gap printed poplin PJ set - $38.97 with code (TTS - I'm wearing XS / outfit: here)
- Gap broken-in straight khakis - $32.47 with code (TTS I'm wearing sz 00 / outfits: here, here, here)

My love affair with white bottoms continue with a wool skirt for winter (because I have a feeling I may have to retire my white jeans until spring since the fabric is on the thin side). Unfortunately the skirt wrinkles like crazy! It's especially noticeable after a day in the office, so I cheat by taking outfit photos in the morning with the sun behind me. Also, pretending to be moving around instead of standing still for photos make the wrinkles look more "natural."

I decided earlier this year that I was going to upgrade my long wool coat with the tiered hem to one that is more befitting my slowly maturing self. Truly frigid winters are a rarity in DC (knock on wood), so I don't really have a need for more than one long coat in my wardrobe. I did feel a pang of nostalgia when I sold my camel coat, but I'm glad it's found a better home.

I had a few general requirements for the new coat in mind: a neutral color, wool (or mixture of), and classic in style. I window shopped at the stores I typically frequent but didn't see any that made my heart pitter-patter. That is, until Bloomingdale's Friends & Family event a few weeks ago (now back until 11/17 with code FRIENDS!) It's funny how when there's a promotional sale, I scrutinize every available item much more closely. That's when I saw the Burberry Brit Daylesmoore Coat in trench, size 2 (sold at Nordstrom - camel, black, grey / Saks / NM / Luisa Via Roma - camel, red). Love. At. First. Sight. It actually looks very similar to Anh's gray trench from last year that I loved and hadn't forgotten. The only noticeable difference is the addition of side zipped pockets with tabs on this season's version (see photo below).

If today's photos look a bit different, it's because I forgot to lower the ISO setting on my camera back down. I usually don't have to tweak the settings on my camera much as I pretty much use it to take photos outdoors. Over the weekend, I couldn't resist taking the camera out when my cousin visited with her newborn baby. He's the first baby I've ever held. The tiny hands and feet! Not to mention adorable facial expressions. Oh my ovaries. But I digress. So, do ignore the graininess of the photos please.

As the title suggests, today's outfit color scheme consists of blues and black. It's also a shout-out to my favorite boy band. No matter the age, I'll always be a teenybopper at heart.

Hope you have a good Sunday!

Sale alert: Take 40% off everything at LOFT through 10/5 with code SHOP40.

- Pleated tie neck shell - $29.70 (TTS - I'm wearing sz XXS / outfit below; also here, here, here)
- Pamela scalloped Mary Jane pumps - $53.70 (TTS - I'm wearing sz 6 - review / outfits: here, here, here)
- Vaughn t-strap sandals - $14.93 in snakeskin (TTS - I'm wearing sz 6 / outfits: below; also: here, here)

I'm considering placing an order for the following: jewel embellished sweatshirt ($32.70 - similar to J.Crew's), colorblocked collar blouse ($29.70), halter neck maxi dress ($58.80).

Now that my hair is shorter, I can't just tie it back in a ponytail when I'm on 3rd/4th day hair. I've been using dry shampoo in-between washes (great time saver for lazy people). Still, nothing beats good ol' regular shampoo with water to rinse out the greasiness. Then there's the option of hats (which for some reason I didn't think to wear more often). I used to treat hats as more of an accessory than for practical purposes. No more! They're great for hiding day(s) old hair.

DH and I went up to NYC a couple weeks ago to attend his cousin's wedding. Rather than taking our time to enjoy the city for a weekend, we crammed our stay into the shortest amount of time permitted. It was a whirlwind of eating, wedding festivities, and more eating. I stayed awake by guzzling bubble tea whenever I got the chance. Our stay was fun, but exhausting... and I probably wouldn't do it again (no longer as young as I used to be).

I was at my most efficient when it came to packing for this trip. Pats self on back. I managed to fit all the essentials into a regular-sized bag, which allowed me to walk around the city hands-free and with a lighter load on my shoulders. I was only able to do this because I decided to save packing space by wearing my dress for the entire duration of the trip. I figured I'd just switched up the accessories between playing tourist and attending a wedding. All those PFC challenges that called for making do with clothes off your back sure came in handy.

I didn't have good photos from the trip, so I re-shot my daytime outfit [below] when we came home. For the actual wedding, I went for simplicity with just the dress, knot cuff, gold strappy sandals, and a gold/stone clutch.

Today's outfit is inspired by the Duchess of Cambridge wearing a Matthew Williamson gray dress with turquoise stones on the neckline. The color combination is fantastic, one that I haven't attempted until now, but will be doing so more in the future!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

I'm fairly competent at layering traditional pieces (ie: tee/top/cardigan/blazer) but am a bit clueless at thinking outside the box. I remember seeing Wendy layer a fur vest over a jacket but didn't think my bulky jackets would fit under a vest. A few minutes spent rummaging in my closet and voila! I found the winning combination: a fitted military jacket with leather sleeves that fits right over my fur vest. Turns out, Wendy has already worn this exact combination. That's subconscious inspiration for ya.

Just another casual outfit with many of the same pieces that've been in constant rotation. Hope you had a good weekend!

In my best Chandler Bing impression, "Could I BE any more of a cliché?" Black, leather, cargos, camo. They're pretty much all the badass items I own, lol.

Have a good weekend, everyone!

To Black Friday or to sleep in? I've stayed home the last few years, and this year was no different. I couldn't resist the sales though and did place one order for a two-tone military jacket from American Eagle (40% off sitewide + free shipping). I sized up because my usual size (XS) sold out much too quickly. I'm hoping the jacket runs small or I'll be able to exchange it in stores later down the road. Fingers crossed. Update: jacket is now sold out.

Today's outfit may look familiar (heck, all my recent outfits are essentially copycats of one another). I rewore all the same base layers but switched up the accessorizing to better suit the cooler weather. A little update on the boots: they're still holding their shape nicely (sigh of relief that the leather's retained its stiffness). The only discomfort is the side of the boots rubbing against my ankle bones. Wearing thicker socks help somewhat.

Have fun shopping, everyone!

I'm often late to the game when it comes to fashion choices. The most recent example? Jeggings. I've tried on many over the years (the latest being Old Navy rockstars) but haven't come across one that felt right, until now.

Having had luck with LOFT jeans in the past, I figured I'd give their jeggings a try. I went with my usual size, 24R, and really liked how I pulled them over my ankles with ease without having to hop up and down. The next issue I usually have is the comfort level. Most jeggings make me feel like a stuffed sausage, but this pair was so comfortable, both sitting and standing.

I washed the jeans once before wearing them for the first time, but there was still some denim transfer. I should've known better than to wear it with a light colored trench (!) Sigh. At least it happened on the inside lining.

The LOFT denim jeggings are currently on sale for $41.70 (40% off from $69.50) with code FRIENDS until tonight 11/12.

On this summer-like day, I pulled out my linen pants for perhaps the last time this year. I copied AnnaLynne McCord's knotted blue shirt with white pants look, all the while daydreaming of a tropical vacation.

...and now snapping back to reality. Hope you had a great Wednesday!

Today's look is a departure from the norm. I own a pair of leggings, bought during my feeling-like-trying-new-things phase. It hasn't seen the outside of my closet much, so I figured it's time to remedy that before it gets too cold.

I think the root of my issues with leggings is that I never feel "covered up" enough. Is my bottom hanging out? Is the material too thin? But oh, are they comfortable. Paired with a long tee and the addition of a boyfriend blazer for that extra longer layer, I left the house without the usual leggings worries.

Happy Monday, everyone!

I was watching an old rerun of What I Like About You a few months back. Typically what stands out with these type of shows is the fashion at the time. Or gigantic cell phones. During this one particular episode, I kept noticing Amanda Bynes wearing a ballet wrapped-style sweater with a cute skirt. And so that's where I drew inspiration from for today's outfit. Whoever said fashion is cyclical is so right.

I don't know how many more opportunities I'll have to wear linen pants, so I'm making the most of it while I still can. Have a great long (for some) weekend, everyone!

I've been watching Olympics coverage non-stop over the past week. And boy, do I have the bags under my eyes to show for it. So for today's outfit, here's a nod to Team USA. Red, white, and blue? Check. Stripes? Check. All I'm missing are some stars. Let's just pretend I've got that covered with the polka dotted necklace... from afar :)

I lied about this dress in my fitting room post. A few strategic pulls here and some folds there, and I'm able to secure the maxi to fall about an inch off the ground. No need to shell out money for alterations after all. Yay! That made my day.

This is the first long dress I own where I have to watch my steps. Apparently the narrower bottom doesn't accommodate my unbeknownst-to-me large strides. Now I know why I arrive at appointments early.

Have a great Thursday, everyone!