return on in-vest-ment

It was gorgeous in Dallas today. My son spent the day with my aunt so I had some me-time, which is very rare. I planned to spend my kid-free day doing a little cleaning, catching a movie, maybe hitting the mall. So I wore this...





..and ended up doing absolutely nothing. Well, I slept. That's right, folks, I had a full day to do pretty much anything and I took a nap. (Basically I chose the 'all dressed up and nowhere to go' route.)





I found this vest at a local thrift store a while back and today was my first time wearing it. I wore it with a cream bubble skirt (also seen here) and cream stilettos.



I accessorized with a cream purse...



...a beaded necklace...



...a chunky ring and bracelet...



...gold pyramid bracelets...



...and a white and gold belt.



Here's close-up of the supporting cast:



Despite the fact that I didn't see the inside of a mall or a movie theater, at the end of the day, I was satisfied with my uneventful Saturday.

[SKIRT: Forever 21; VEST: Casa View Thrift; SHOES: Agaci Too; HANDBAG: BCBGirls; BELT: Stein Mart; NECKLACE: Goodwill; EARRINGS: Gold Beauty Supply; RING: Forever 21; FASHION BRACELET: Forever 21; GOLD PYRAMID BRACELETS: Gold Beauty Supply; AVIATORS: Payless]

what the frock?!

With all the talk about fall fashion, I can't help but think about the trends for the upcoming season (camel, anyone?). But as you know, I'm all about 90-degree heat (as long as I'm indoors) and this little floral frock reminded me why I love summer.

I found this at Goodwill. Initially it was sold as part of the Jean Paul Gaultier for Target collection. Goodwill was selling it for $13--retail price was $60--but I got it half off, so it ended up costing only $6.50!



The dress shows quite a bit of skin, but I think it can definitely be worn over a thin top for a more conservative look.



It also has tons of tulle--and a tendency to blow upward a la Marilyn Monroe's dress in The Seven Year Itch. It's such a feminine piece, and I made myself dizzy spinning around in it a la Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music. (Okay, okay. No more movie references).



I accessorized with black, white, and silver accessories, a black handbag, and black shoes.



Here's a close-up of the supporting cast:



[DRESS: Goodwill (by way of Target); SHOES: Charlotte Russe; HANDBAG: Express; NECKLACE: Baker's; CHAIN BRACELET: Walmart; WHITE AND SILVER BRACELETS: DIY (one says "Love Yourself" and the other has my son's name on it); RING: Gifted; EARRINGS: Gold Beauty Supply; AVIATORS: Forever 21; NAIL POLISH: Sally Hansen Mint Sprint; FRAGRANCE: Marc Jacobs Daisy (I was feeling really floral today!)

neutrals and neons

Since starting this blog, I've raved about my love of olive green, and the color has made a few appearances in the last month and a half or so (see Exhibit A or Exhibit B or Exhibit C). It's my favorite pseudo-neutral--it's a color that can be paired with pretty much any other color. A case in point is this highlighter-hued blouse I wore today:



I paired a billowy hot pink top with a olive green skirt. I like the combination of a muted neutral and an intense neon.



To balance out the bright blouse, I kept all of my accessories neutral, including this gold belt:



I also added a leopard-print ring that I made using one of my late grandmother's old earrings.



In addition to the belt and ring, I wore brown oxford pumps and carried a brown handbag.



Here's a close-up of the accessories...



[TOP: Newport News; SKIRT: Forever 21; SHOES: Charlotte Russe; BELT and EARRINGS: Gold Beauty Supply; RING: DIY (made from one of my late grandmother's old earrings); HANDBAG: Agaci Too; AVIATORS: Payless]

on your marc...

When I saw this Marc Jacobs skirt on actress Ashley Tisdale in the June 2010 issue of InStyle, I swooned over it but never thought it would make its way into my wardrobe due to its hefty price tag. Then I saw it DEEPLY DISCOUNTED online and bought it before it sold out.



I paired it with a one-shoulder top (which I truly regretted because once I put it on and left home for the day, I didn't think it was flattering--at all), but when colder weather hits, I plan to wear a long-sleeved top. In addition to the black and red stripes, the skirt also has metallic stripes, so I wore a pair of camel-colored ruffled-front pumps to bring out the bronze.



Here's a close-up. Kind of reminds you of Freddy Krueger's sweater, huh?



The accessories...



[TOP: Forever 21; SKIRT: Marc Jacobs; SHOES: Urban Original; HANDBAG: Express; RING: Forever 21; EARRINGS: Gold Beauty Supply; AVIATORS: Payless]

military brat

To my delight, the military trend is still going strong. The army green, the gold hardware, the camouflage--I can't get enough.



It took a while to decide what to wear with this military top, but I decided on demin skinnies. After seeing how blue they photographed, I sort of wish I would have chosen my black skinnies.



I carried my favorite brown bag and wore my leopard print pumps...



So tell me: Are you into the military trend?

[TOP: Forever 21; JEANS: Forever 21; HANDBAG: Agaci Too; SHOES: Baker's]

on pins and needles

One thing that I love about browsing other style blogs is seeing the creative do-it-yourself projects. Up until yesterday, I had yet to attempt any of the ingenious inventions I'd seen, but when I saw this on P.S.-I Made This... I knew I had to try it. I present to you my DIY safety pin shirt...



This project did not involve sewing, which usually discourages me from even trying, as I'm pretty inept with a needle and thread. Though simple, it was a bit time-consuming--I actually planned to add more safety pins, but my impatience won out and I decided to wear the top now and add more safety pins later. Here's a close-up of the plethora of pins...



The top on P.S.-I Made This... was actually a tank, but as you know from this post, I tend to wear long sleeved tops with my shorts (yes, even in the heat of July). I paired my top with black shorts, gold shoes and a black handbag.



So tell me: What do you think of my DIY attempt? Should I add a few more safety pins or leave it alone?

[TOP: Old Navy; SAFETY PINS: Walmart; SHORTS: New York & Company; SHOES: Shu Deal; HANDBAG: Express; RING: Gifted; EARRINGS: Borrowed]

casual friday

And by casual, I mean lazy. I slept in and had several errands to run (so I wanted to be comfortable), and did not want to put any effort into getting dressed.



This outfit is simple and the baggy shirt definitely helped me keep cool.



I'm all for pairing neutrals with a pop of color, so I am loving these cobalt blue pumps with my olive green pants.



[PANTS: JCPenney; TOP: Forever 21; SHOES: Urban Original; HANDBAG: Agaci Too; AVIATORS: Forever 21]

right lace, right time

As a native Texan, I'm used to temperatures so high that it dehydrates your tear ducts. And I love it. It's almost the end of July and needless to say, it it hot! It's a good thing that lace isn't just reserved for undergarments and lingerie because this short-sleeved mint green lace top is the closest I could come to keeping cool and surviving the heat without pulling an Erykah Badu.



This navy skirt is one of my favorites, but it wasn't until I left home for the day that I realized that it was a tad bit too big (I'd lost weight earlier in the year and obviously haven't gained it back yet).



I accessorized by adding a gold necklace and a mint green necklace...



...a ring, gold bangles, and a spherical bracelet...



...and more gold bracelets and a triangular bracelet.



Many fashion bloggers have confessed that despite the heat, they're itching for fall to get here and have already began purchasing items their cold-weather wardrobe. Have you?

[TOP: Charlotte Russe; CAMI: Factory-2-U; SKIRT: Forever 21; SHOES: Shu Deal; HANDBAG: Agaci Too; MINT NECKLACE: Charlotte Russe; GOLD NECKLACE: Forever 21; BANGLES: Agaci Too; GOLD PYRAMID BRACELETS: Gold Beauty Supply; TEAL TRIANGLE BRACELET: Gifted; SPHERE BRACELET: Gifted; RING: Gifted]

elsewhere on the web: the looks for less

You've seen me Goodwill hunting, brandishing my bargain buys, and finding ways to recycle the clothes in my closet, so you know I like to save money when it comes to my wardrobe. It was my tendency to be tightfisted that led me to The Looks for Less, a blog written by fellow fashionista Jennifer, who features celebrity looks for less, a peek into her closet, and reader looks for less.

You can check out my Reader Looks for Less feature here, and if you're looking for inexpensive inspiration, bookmark The Looks for Less.

Thanks, Jennifer, for showcasing my style on your blog!

looking like a vermilion bucks

I like words. I'm a word geek. That's part of the reason I majored in journalism. So when I saw that another word for the reddish-orange color of this dress is vermilion, I could hardly contain my excitement--mainly because I was having a hard time coming up with a title for today's post prior to discovering the word 'vermilion.'



This bright little number is another penny-pinching purchase that I picked up at the local Goodwill. It was a bit long so I had it altered.



I added some leopard-print pumps (which were the last pair the store had in my size), and accessorized with gold necklaces, a gold belt, and a chunky ring.



[DRESS: Goodwill; SHOES: Baker's; HANDBAG: Express; NECKLACES: Baker's and Forever 21; RING: Baker's]

closet cleaning

For some reason, I thought it would be a good idea to clean and organize my closet tonight. But now that I'm in the midst of it--clothes and shoes and accessories everywhere--I'm thinking that maybe it wasn't the best idea. Perhaps I should have waited until the weekend...

stein mart stuff

As you know from this post, I received a $50 Stein Mart gift card for participating in their recent casting call in Dallas. What you may not know is that I'm impatient. So I couldn't wait to pay a visit to the nearest Stein Mart to spend my gift card. Because I'm in dire need of accessories, I picked up this feathery belt...



...and this white and gold belt...



...and this black and white skirt...



Two of the three items were on sale and I used a 20% percent off coupon so my total was only about $40, meaning I still have $10 left on my gift card. Woo hoo!

lights...camera...action!

Remember this post? I said I would explain in the near future, and I am a woman of my word. So Stein Mart had a casting call in Dallas for their fall/holiday advertising campaign. I submitted my information via e-mail in late June and received a call a week later inviting me to come in for the videotaping session, which was yesterday. They were looking for die-hard, hardcore Stein Mart shoppers to be featured in their nationwide commercials.



I wore this outfit (minus the bracelets). There were about five or six other women whose audition time was the same as mine, and we talked to each other while we waited for our turn in front of the camera. The audition involved standing in front of an American Idol-style judging panel being videotaped while answering questions asked by the director.



I knew going into the audition that my chances of being selected were slim, and the director confirmed that when he explained that only a handful of women are selected out of thousands of hopefuls. We didn't leave empty-handed, though. Everyone who auditioned received a $50.00 Stein Mart gift card.



I'm a jewelry junkie, and I saw some gorgeous accessories as I was leaving, so I plan on heading to the nearby Stein Mart soon to add to my collection. It was a fun experience, even for someone like me who is painfully shy and was a ball of nerves throughout the entire audition. I'll be sure to let you know what I pick up on my trip to Stein Mart...