I Know It’s Been Awhile, But I’m Glad You Came

Tags

black heeled boots, black leggings, black long sleeve, Britney Spears, grey crocheted tunic top, zebra floral scarf

WHAT IS UP PEOPLE?!!

Soooo… I know I said I’d be finishing up my project recap over the weekend and then a post never actually materialized. So, first and foremost, I want to apologize for not following through. But the thing is that, the more I procrastinated it, the more I realized I just wasn’t up to it. As much as I feel like a 365-day adventure requires contemplation and to be given its due, I also haven’t quite made it to the headspace where I can do that. There’s a lot to it, really. Trying to quantify and congeal the hows and the whys, to tell you just what the experience meant to me seemed like a daunting task. So for the time being, I’m opting to skip that part. Sorry dudes.

And anyway, to sit down and bang out an essay about the significance of it all might imply a kind of finality. When in fact, the ride just ain’t over yet. I hope that’s okay with you guys, too. The truth is, I’ve enjoyed my break from outfitting and blogging (and primping. Oy with the primping.) but I’ve also missed the hell out of it. There has been some project postpartum, goin’ on. So I started small. By applying makeup a couple of times. Late last week I began again in earnest, to accessorize. Yesterday, I even went so far as to straighten my hair again. And then today well…

It is mother-effing outfit time!!!!!!!!!! (!!!!!!!!) Can’t you just see those rays of light in the last picture? If there were a patron saint of outfit blogging (Alas, I am pretty up on my patron saints but I believe there is not. Sad day.) she would be shining down upon us! And we are back in bidness.

Now don’t get too terribly excited. As I’ve previously specified, I simply can’t sustain another year of doing this daily. But the plan is to keep the outfits coming a few per week, so as to keep this space active. Also, to keep me accountable to not just wearing hoodies and dirty gym clothes every day for the duration of my life. I have at least one new feature in the works and a THEME WEEK scheduled for next week. Why? Well because we can. And also to help introduce you guys to my new blogging venture. I am slating my own launch date for February 1st, so mark your calendars and join me for the rest of the month as I gear up. Or don’t. But if you do, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. I’m sorry if I’m being an awful tease, but I promise you won’t have to wait much longer. Exciting stuff is headed your way.

As for the outfit, this is a new favorite of mine. A very wise fellow fashion blogger advised me that I should just “repeat the shit out stuff” to my heart’s content. So that’s kind of exactly what I’ve been doing. I wore this outfit earlier this month. And then the day after that. Took a week or so off and now I’m wearing it again. I’m not gonna lie. I’m probably going to wear it tomorrow too. Not because I particularly love it. Although I do think it’s cute. But more because of the novelty of being able to repeat outfits once more! One of my goals at present it to institute an unofficial shopping ban on purchasing new clothes. Not because I can’t afford it, but because I simply need to enjoy the stuff I have! I spent so much of last year acquiring so many awesome items but I’ve scarcely gotten to enjoy most of them. I have things I love but that I’ve only worn a handful of times, if that.

Today’s outfit is a bit of an exception. Most of this is new but purchased from my store using gift certificates. This is the story of ever-thankless retail work. At Christmas, the time of year when we most bust our butts, most retail chains do not reward you with anything in the way of a holiday bonus. However, they do offer up a  number of contests and sales goals designed to make you work EVEN HARDER and if you pull it off you get gift cards, which you can then use to purchase yet more crap from the store. I recently was awarded with a plethora of said certificates so I have been rather spendy with them. This is outfit is the result of that and I still have more to burn. Hooray shopping! I mean… at least this way things won’t get too boring.

Title courtesy of Britney Spears - “Break The Ice”

If You Really Wanna Battle, Saddle Up and Get Your Rhythm

Tags

bee necklace, blue lace sleeve tunic top, Britney Spears, green floral scarf, skinny white belt, white boy tank, white knot

Blah. Okay. I had a really good day but I’m beat and I have a lingering headache that’s been with me since about 1:00 this afternoon.

First, thanks very much to all of you who reassured me that I still have readers and that I’m not the only blog lacking in comments lately. Sometimes, I really am amazed at how very not far I have come from seventh grade. My like, vocabulary, like really hasn’t changed like very much. I have yet to give up my Hello Kitty pens. I still harbor a penchant for the color pink. I know way too many Miley Cyrus songs (although I blame work CDs for that). And I still suffer from severe insecurity about what everyone else thinks of me.

Oh. And I still really hate other seventh grade girls. Sometimes when they come in my store all persnickety and gum-snappy, wearing Justin Beiber t-shirts and what not, I tense up. It takes everything I have not to stand in a corner with my arms crossed and shoot them snotty looks. I don’t of course. I learned a long time ago to never let them smell your fear. And anyway, a lot of those little bitches are taller than me.

Notice anything special about today’s outfit. Yeah, me neither. BUT today’s outfit is special in number. You are looking at:

OUTFIT #200!

Why, it seems like only yesterday that we were celebrating my centennial getup. I wanted to do something special for today, and even had a cute sundress in mind. Then I remembered that I was working on my big Back-To-School floorset today. Lots of movement, climbing on ladders, pushing around rolling racks, banging around with hardware. Consider it a rare moment in my life, when practicality trumped fashion. But anyway, I’ll find a way to make up for it.

I have not formed a concrete decision on theme week, next week. I would love to do something reader-generated. Of course that requires your participation. Anybody down for a reader request week? If that sounds boring, I’ll come up with something else. Although, I’ll warn you that the couple of people I told about my July idea, gave me a look that said, meh. If a handful of people want to shoot me ideas, requests, inspiration, it might be much more interesting. Feedback s’il vous plait?

Blue Lace Top – Work
Scarf – Thrifted
Belt – Stolen off a shirt
Shoes – Work
Capris – Wet Seal

Title courtesy of Britney Spears – “Me Against The Music”

That’s Just Who You Are, Baby

Tags

black and white striped skirt, black pumps, black sweatheart neckline sweater, blue leggings, Britney Spears, Ultimo Bird Necklace

My creative process: usually involves running around the house like a crazy person in various states of undress. Chugging from a bottle of Diet Mountain Dew (nine more days until coffee), listening to bad pop on high volume, scribbling things on Post-It notes and yelling at the cats.

This morning I got an earlier start than usual, and as a result, tried to be just a bit quieter for the sake of my neighbors. Ah, apartment life. For as nice as our place is, the walls (and ceilings and floors) are still terribly thin. In the mornings I can often hear our next door neighbor hacking up something nasty-sounding through the bathroom medicine cabinet. Which is a fair trade, I suppose, for whomever is privy to my morning renditions of Beyonce’s “Halo,” in the shower. Still, our new building is nice in that I no longer have to listen to a 200 pound dog romping around upstairs at all hours of the day. For the most part, I try to reciprocate the favor by keeping the volumes low.

The lack of madness in my morning routine the nmanifested, I believe, in today’s outfit. I thrifted this skirt recently and I kind of feel like it belongs in a music video. It’s bold, but I rather like it. Today I styled it a bit high in the waist, and finally made use of these stupid electric blue leggings that I bought against my better judgement. I’m a huge fan of brightly colored tights on other girls, but haven’t yet mastered the art of them myself.

Also contributing to the crazy effect of it all, is what I call the Ultimo Bird Necklace. We have already discussed my love of birdlike accessories. So you can imagine the sense of awe I have in the presence of this necklace. Reverence, even. I have a handful of other bird necklaces, but this is like… like fifty bird necklaces in one. It’s practically a metal scarf made out of birds! Amazing! I love it more than words could ever express.

Anyway, the idea behind my early morning was that I could get my post done before work and then play proper hostess to my friends coming over tonight. We’re celebrating a couple of birthdays including mine. It’s not my actual birthday yet, but since it is my party, I’m okay with looking like a crazy bird lady in a maniacal striped skirt. My friends love me for what’s inside. Right guys? Right? Guys….?

Skirt – Thrifted
Sweater – Isaac Mizrahi for Target
Belt – Stolen off a shirt
Leggings – Vanity
Shoes – 5.7.9
Bird Necklace – F21

Title courtesy of Britney Spears – “Womanizer”

I’m a Put on a Show Kinda Girl

Tags

black boots, black leggings, Britney Spears, circus jacket, glitter stripe tank, gold chain necklaces, grey basic long sleeve

I guess it’s just a jacket week. Still loving yesterday’s jacket, I decided to test drive another recent jacket-find. This one is pretty ridiculous, but I love ridiculous things. They’re what makes my little world go around and around.

When I bought it, I wasn’t sure where it would be most fitting to wear, but I wore it to work regardless. Retail management, three-ring circus. Same diff. I didn’t even realize how circus-y it is until I was doing paperwork and noticed the cuffs. Awesome.

Full disclosure: the jacket is from Britney Spears‘ line for Candie’s at Kohl’s. Also Britney inspired? My roots. But don’t worry. I have a cut and color scheduled bright and early Wednesday.

This was an almost $50 jacket, originally. I got it for $4 because of a 50% off sale at Christmas and combined $10 off coupons. Ridiculous bargain! Plus, while walking to the bank this morning, I got catcalled by two sketch dudes at a bustop. So you see, it’s already paid for itself in compliments.

Jacket – Kohl’s
Basic long sleeve – Work
Striped glitter tank – Work
Leggings – Work
Boots – Target
Necklace – Inherited
Sunglasses – Work

Title courtesy of Britney Spears – “Circus”