All About Oxblood

Dress: Petit Bateau {almost identical here} // Jacket: Rachel Zoe {try this, this or this}
// Necklace: Baublebar // Hat: Urban Outfitters {similar here and here}

Boots: Frye {old but try these or these} // Bag: J. Crew

10 Chainz

Sweater: Trina Turk {try this or this} // Skirt: Forever21 // Jacket: John Carlisle Essentials {super old}
// Necklace: Baublebar // Bracelet: J. Crew // Nail Polish: Essie "St. Lucia Lilac"

Sunglasses: Karen Walker 'Super Duper' 

Boots: J. Crew {SO old but I love the color and texture mix}

Clean and Simple

I woke up this morning and decided that whatever I wore, I wanted to belt it. Well actually, I woke up, wished I had 2 more hours to sleep and someone who would bring me coffee in bed...but after that I had belts on the brain.
I'm not sure if this was meant to be a lady cummerbund or an homage to the obi but it always makes me feel a tad fancier whenever I wear it-- and we all know feeling fancy is one of my favorite things! However, some days even I don't feel like going completely over the top, so I call this my version of 'minimalst(ish).

Sweater: Isli {similar} // Dress: Ecoskin // Belt: Vintage {try this or this}

Jacket: J. Crew // Faux Fur Collar: Asos

Earrings: J. Crew {sold out but try these} Ring: Consignment // Bracelet: Banana Republic

Nail Polish: Essie 'Lollipop'

{guess who finally got a haircut?!}

{so obsessed with these earrings...}

Boots: BCBG

Jewel Tones

When you have a necklace this stunning, nothing else is really needed...even for someone who enjoys throwing in the usual extra something here and there. I must confess every time I wear it I catch myself just watching it sparkle, and I swear in one of these photos it looks like its glowing!

Dress: Theory {similar here but adore this} // Top: J. Crew {almost identical here}// Coat: H&M {try this }

Necklace: Lulu Frost // Bracelet: J. Crew

{Glamour Shot!}

Nail Polish: Essie 'Russian Roulette'

Boots: Frye // Bag: J. Crew 'Tillary Tote' {great placeholder till the Celine fairy visits me}

Plaid Party

How do you a) dress for work b) dress for a work holiday party c) not freeze to death all in one outfit? Ta-da! I wanted to be festive, but  not over the top (well, for me at least) and still be able to survive the metro track without turning into an icicle. Over the knee boots and faux fur are the key to winter survival. Granted I was still cold, but not so much that I spent the WHOLE day complaining. I call that a win.

Other than the boots, I'm not wearing anything even remotely new. I know I know, shocking right? I'm pretending its because I am so resourceful and don't waste things I buy...but its probably just BECAUSE of all the things I buy that I can still manage to mix things up. This dress has worked for a blind date, a girls night, and now work and a work party. Pure magic. I'll take one in every color please...

Dress: Amanda Uprichard {old, but loving this Zara one now} 

// Tuxedo Jacket: French Connection {similar here and here} // Faux Fur Collar: Asos {similar}

Necklace: Forever21

Nail Polish: Essie 'Twin Sweater Set' // Rings: Consignment, Charlotte Russe // Bracelet: J. Crew {similar}

Coat: J. Crew// Boots: Stuart Weitzman 5050

Seventies Safari

I don't know if its the corduroy jacket, safari skirt, over the knee boots or my unruly hair, but I am feeling a definite 1970s Parisian graduate student vibe. Ok, the Parisian part is probably just the stripes and wishful thinking, but I'm still going with it. I stopped questioning the way my mind works (at least when it comes to outfits) a looooong time ago, it just makes things much easier.

Sweater: Alice & Olivia // Stripe top: Zara {similar} // Skirt: Milly {try this}

Ring: H&M // Fishnets: Wolford // Bracelet: J. Crew

Nail Polish: Essie 'Thigh High' // Jacket: Theory {try this} // Necklaces: Max & Chloe

Bag: Phillip Lim // Boots: Vince Camuto 

Its a Plaid, Plaid, World

I've been eyeing this scarf for ages and yet couldn't pull the trigger with the weather being in the 60s and 70s! This of course meant the color I wanted was sold out (now back in stock and purchased.) However this blue green version is an absolute dream and I literally didn't take it off once today, till I changed into pj's right after I got home of course.

So this one scarf started a shopping chain reaction...not only did it make me want more scarves, but more plaid, more coziness and more oversized anything!

Sweater Dress: J. Crew {similar here and here} // Scarf: Zara 

Earrings: Fenton Fallon for J. Crew {old} // Lipstick: Model Co 'Party Proof'

Nail Polish: Opi 'Got the Blues for Red'{manicure thanks to my amazing sister!} // Ring: Charlotte Russe 

Coat: J. Crew {similar} // Bag: 3.1 Phillip Lim // Boots: Ash {try these}

{LOVE these boots-- so comfy and they convert to taller shafts too!}

A Mini Midi Moment

Ok, so this is not my first (nor will it be my last) ode to the midi, but I truly am hooked on them and I'll take any excuse I can to use alliteration. While this is not as voluminous as the midi's I've been sporting lately in everything from neoprene to leather, it still counts.

Sweater: Forever21 {try this} // Skirt: Anthropologie {similar} // Earrings: Betsey Johnson

Ring: H&M // Bracelet: J. Crew // Nail Polish: Essie 'Devil's Advocate'

{I love this nail polish color because its such a deep plum that its almost black, but not quite.}

Boots: Frye {similar style here}

{My love affair with Frye boots knows no bounds and I am totally ok with that!}

What Dreams are Made Of

Lately, all I can think about are investment pieces. No, I have not won the lottery or inherited millions {le sigh.} However, I think that as I get older I finally do realize that yes, all those throwaway pieces do in fact add up to at least 2 nice bags a year (if not more.) Granted, this is not new advice at all, but I may actually FOLLOW it now.

There are a few items that I just keep coming back to over and over again. A 'bucket list of fashion' if you will. Now some of them just require a brief shopping hiatus, while others mean spending lockdown for months. I'm thinking of creating a separate savings account just for those big ticket items, so that I can really see my progress. Or something.

Either way...here are a few on my list. What items do you daydream about?

Rag & Bone ankle booties / Stuart Weitzman over the knee leather boots / 3 1 Phillip Lim handbag / DANNIJO chain fringe necklace / Hermès bracelet

Over the Top

I loved the over the knee boot look ever since it came out, but have found it almost impossible to pull off without looking like I stepped out of "Pretty Woman."

Finally, after months of sitting in my closet, these babies have seen the light of day. It was much easier to amp up a daytime look than to tone down a nighttime one...and no risk of being mistaken for a certain someone with a heart of gold.

Sweater: J. Crew Tippi // Skirt: Diane Von Furstenberg {similar here and here} // Boots: Aldo {the Stuart Weitzman 50/50 are obviously amazing...}

Necklaces: J. Crew Fenton/Fallon // CC Skye {This necklace captures the same look but in one piece}

Nail Polish: Essie "Butler Please" // Ring: Ambiance in San Francisco

This is legitimately the first time I've worn blue nail polish and I have no idea what I was afraid of. I want to wear this color head to toe!

Where's Hillary?

I've realized that while my references always make sense to me (obviously), they may appear totally random or just plain nonsensical  to others. So, just in case you were not allowed to read books as a child or lived under a rock, this is referring to the outfit of Waldo in the "Where's Waldo" books. Ok, now that we got that out of the way, here is the lowdown on today's look.

Cashmere Tee: J. Crew // Long Sleeved Top: Isli // Skirt: H&M {old but try this or this} 

Watch: Michael Kors // Belt: Ralph Lauren {similar here and here}

Earrings: Low Luv x Erin Wasson 

In-Vested

My quest for the perfect army vest has made me feel like Goldilocks-- this one is too short, this one's too long, this one has a weird collar etc. I wandered into Nordstrom's Rack last weekend to browse and low and behold, EXACTLY what I had been searching for was right in front of me. Done and done!

Vest: Willow & Clay {I really like this one} // Dress: Gap {old but try this Asos one} // Tee: Isli 

Necklace: 1928 {or try this Marc Jacobs for under $30} // Cuff: Prua {try this or this one}

{close up of pen and my Stam}