The Return of the Wardrobe

After nearly three weeks off from work, three weeks in which I wore jeans and boots because we had nearly 2 feet of snow and then rain, rain and more rain, I will be returning to work on Monday. Returning to work means I will also return to blogging my outfits, I promise! I will even get batteries in the camera!!

Plaid Shoes

• Blue jacket, The Difference
• Ivory top, GNW
• Purple cami, The Difference
• Navy pants, Lane Bryant
• Shoes, JC Penney
• Necklace, gift

I love shoes. I have lots of different styles, colors and heel heights. I'm trying to vary which ones I wear, so today I created an outfit around my purple and navy plaid flats. It was warm, flattering, and fun so I'm willing to overlook the fact that my navy pants are too short even for flats. Grrr.

Combining patterns

• Circle top, Cubism


• Aqua 3/4 sleeve tee, Port Authority


• Grey wrap, The Difference


• Black flowy pants, Lane Bryant
  
• Shoes, Franco Sarto


• Necklace and earrings, The Difference

Originally I was going to try something new. I had a pair of black pinstriped pants I planned to wear, making it my first official attempt at mixing patterns. Unfortunately, those pants are too short these days (am I growing or are my pants shrinking?) so I tossed them into the swap pile and will need to keep my eyes open for new ones. It's still a fun/cute outfit, but the pinstripe definitely upped the fun factor. Oh well!

PS - yes, these are the same pants I wore yesterday, and no, I didn't wash them! oh, the horror!!

Contrary to popular opinion...

I did actually wear cute clothes last week, I was just too busy to post about them. The first week of the trimester nearly did me in - explaining the rules and procedures of the classroom 8 times will do that to a person. Not to mention I think I was coming down with a cold, though I did manage to fight that off with Zicam, water and sleep.

Anyway, onto today:

• Sheer black top, Kohls
• Black lace cami, The Difference
• Green leafy top, Cubism
• Flowy black pants, Lane Bryant
• Green shoes, Paolo
• Green necklace, The Difference

I loved this outfit today. Flowy is always good, especially when a person is having a fat day, and I love any outfit that allows me to wear my green shoes. The best part about the green shoes? EVERYONE notices them and I get tons of comments on them all day long.

Still no batteries in the camera. I need to get on that.

Cuteness Abounds

• Circle top, Cubism
• Black 3/4sleeve tee, Port Authority
• Red wool skirt, J. Jill
• Black tights, Lane Bryant
• Grey shoes, Franco Sarto

I feel very cute today. Love those days!

Last minute adjustments

Picture to come. Batteries in the camera are dead. Darn.

• Ivory lace top, Target
• Red long sleeve top, Petite Pois
• Jeans, Eddie Bauer
• Shoes, Amalfi

I got up this morning and put on one of my favorite black tops instead of this ivory one, only to discover that the right sleeve of the black top had unravelled in the wash. I was so sad. Thankfully, the store took it back but they were not able to replace it since they've sold out. They did give me my money back, but now I no longer have my favorite top. I loved that top more than is natural. *sigh* RIP, cute black LB top!

Foundations

One of the really important parts of clothing, especially for women, is the foundation. Meaning (men, close your ears) bras. The way your ladies are being held up can make or break an outfit. It can also make you look heavier or thinner, depending on how well your foundations are or aren't working for you.

I'd been meaning to get new bras for a while but hated the idea of dropping all that money. I'm rather *ahem* blessed in that arena so I can't just walk into Kohl's and pick something up off the rack. Instead, it's a process for me that involves women I've never met before, loads of styles, a measuring tape, and lots of tugging and pulling.

One of the main reasons I tend to avoid bra shopping, and I'm sure other women feel the same, is that it seems so overwhelming. How do I know what to get? Which size/style/brand is going to be best for me?! All that putting on and taking off gets really really really old, not to mention when none of the 5,736 bras you took to the dressing room with you works, then you have to get dressed and head back out to start over.

Which is why I love Nordstrom. They have the best lingerie department ever. I will gladly drop a bit more coin for the wonderful experiences I have there. First, they go into the dressing room with you and measure you to see what size you need. Then, they get a couple of "sizing bras" - middle of the road garments that allow them to better know what type of bra you need. Because, you see, one brand or cut does not fit all. Each style is made slightly differently, and they are looking for specific cues that a bra fits you well. Once they've determined which brands/styles/cuts work best for you, they start bringing bras by the truckload.

It's fantastic. After about 30 minutes, I walked out with two new bras and a brand new outlook. I felt good again. So ladies, get out there and get yourself measured and fit for a brand new bra.