Speaking of Gray...

Boots: Steve Madden
Tights: Hue via Plato's Closet
Skirt: Brass Plum via Goodwill
Sweater: Ross
Long sleeve: Kiabi via France

Finally busting out my fancy J Crew tights I scored from Ross! These tights are very cute, but surprisingly difficult to wear...although that could just be because of my laziness (I blame the dreary weather!).



So many layers in this outfit!
Shirt: Gray longsleeve via Goodwill
Dress: Rhapsody Sweaterdress via Ross
Skirt: Brass Plum via Goodwill
Tights: J. Crew via Ross
Shoes: Naturalizer via Goodwill
Blazer: AE via Plato's Closet

Four Ways To Wear Episode 14: Teal Shirt

The Candidate: A silk teal shirt

The Goal: A versatile, comfortable piece that will function in a work setting as well as at play.

The Results:

Shirt: Matty M via Plato's Closet
Skirt: Brass Plum via Goodwill
Tights: F21, gift
Boots: Giusti via Goodwill
Necklace: from a street vendor in Rome
Long sleeve shirt: Energie, gift


Shirt: Matty M via Plato's Closet
Long sleeve shirt: Energie, gift
Tights: Hue via The Rack
Skirt: Self-made
Belt: Goodwill
Shoes: Naturalizer via Goodwill


Shirt: Matty M via Plato's Closet
Pants: AE via Plato's Closet
Shoes: Naturalizer via Goodwill


Shirt: Matty M via Plato's Closet
Belt: Target
Dress: unknown via Goodwill
Shoes: Curfew via Goodwill

The Verdict: I love it! The color and shape work nicely into the rest of my wardrobe, the sleeves add a bit of luxe, and the silk material is divine. I was worried about laundering it--it says Dry Clean Only, which is do-able but not ideal--but after doing some research I think I will be able to handwash it in lukewarm water with baby shampoo and it will be fine. My only concern is how it will wear and if it would be able to travel. However, I scored it for $15 at Plato's Closet and paid for it with a gift card I have been holding for ages, so it was (basically) free! For that, I won't feel too bad using it as a 'test run' everyday wear silk shirt.

This is also replacing two similar shirts that I had previously but in cotton. For some reason, I was under the impression that I wore them frequently, but looking back through my blog I can only find one entry when I wore one of them! You can barely see it, but I wore it when I was showing off the suede Coach bag I won from 365 Fashion Rehab's no-shop challenge. I had two of these shirts--teal, loose-fitting, cotton. I guess they were the type of shirt that I would pull out, think about wearing, and ultimately put them back. I certainly hope that is not the case with this lovely silk shirt!

Do you guys have any tips for silk clothing? Have you handwashed any silk items, and did it turn out well (or not so well)?

Have you ever had any items of clothing that you thought you wore all the time, but it turns out you didn't? (am I the only person this has happened to? See, this is why I like having a blog--it helps support my failing memory!)



Check out my other Four Ways to Wear Episodes!
Episode Thirteen: Orange Tweed Skirt
Episode Twelve: Black Silk Shirt
Episode Eleven: Nude Sweater
Episode Ten: Cognac-Colored Boots
Episode Nine: Watercolor Silk Shirt
Episode Eight: Orchid Silk Dress
Episode Seven: Brown Full Skirt
Episode Six: Black Oxford Flats
Episode Five: Black Poncho and Cream Sweater
Episode Four: Safari Skirt
Episode Three: Red Sweater
Episode Two: Purple Embroidered Shirt
Episode One: Brown Pencil Skirt

Seventeen Sickles to a Galleon

Yes, I did see HP7 this weekend and it was AWESOME! I am a huge HP geek. ^^

...Onto the outfit of the day! I woke up and it was snowing. It is supposed to be very very cold today, so I decided that it wouldn't at all be cheating to swap out my pinstripe short-sleeve button down for my Underarmour longsleeve shirt. The forecast is cold and snowy for the week, a surprise for Big City which usually sees little snow, so I'm not going to feel bad at all about my swap. After I got completely dressed, had eaten breakfast, and was ready to go, I got the call that school was canceled for the day. However, I was already dressed so I took my outfit photos and am now snuggled up in a blanket, wearing leggings and my sweater.







Base Shirt: Underarmour long sleeve (modified by me so it's a scoop neck and not a turtle neck) via Goodwill
Middle Shirt: Gray Gap long sleeve via Plato's Closet
Outer Sweater Jacket: 22 via The Rack
Scarf: Unknown via Goodwill
Skirt: Brass Plum via Goodwill
Base Leggings: Underarmour
Outer Leggings: Hue via Plato's Closet

Fourteen in a Fortnight

After wearing jeans yesterday, I felt compelled to wear a 'high-energy' pretty outfit today. I broke out these boots for the first time in this challenge and took another item off my 'I put it in my 30 items but still haven't worn it' list. I love these boots, and theoretically they are versatile (brown knee-high boots that fit), but when you put them into practice they take a bit more doing. Of course, they passed my Four Ways to Wear test (see: Episode 10), so they can't be all that bad. :)

Tip of the Day: Since it's been freezing over here, I have been layering like crazy. To keep all of my layers from moving around, I tuck them all into my tights and they stay put! Here, I have a long-sleeve base layer shirt, a pink silk shirt, and my cardigan all tucked into my tights (with my underarmour underneath it all!). I didn't have to worry about anything sliding around on me all day!







Base gray long-sleeve shirt: Gap via Plato's Closet
Pink shirt: Banana Republic via BR Outlet
Cardigan: Unknown via Goodwill donation pile
Skirt: Brass Plum via Goodwill
Base layer on legs: Underarmour
Top layer on legs: tights by Hue via Plato's Closet
Boots: Giusti via Goodwill

Eleventh Hour

After my revelation yesterday that I had yet to wear 25% of my 30 items, I decided to build today's outfit around this lovely Orchid silk Martin & Osa dress. Usually when I build an outfit I choose one item to build it around, whether it be a pretty dress, a comfy pair of shoes or a piece of sparkly jewelry. I tend to quickly fall into style ruts--you will notice that I have worn my neutral cardigan approximately EVERY SINGLE DAY since I bought it, and ever since I have started pairing black and brown together that has been my failsafe color combination (with pops of red, of course).

I try to challenge myself to put together new combinations to avoid falling into a repetition merely out of a lack of awareness. The point that I am wrestling with is how to avoid falling into mundane repetition while still safegaurding my own sense of style. I am playing around with branching out my basic 'uniforms,' while keeping a sense of 'me' in all of my outfits. To this end, I am trying to only incorporate what I truly love into my wardrobe, but it's hard--I love so many different things! I think that keeping a general color scheme will also help me here.

Do you consciously put together your wardrobe to convey a certain feeling?
Do you have more than one basic 'uniform'? What (if anything) links them together?
Do you find yourself repeating many outfits you have already done? Do you try to avoid this, or do you actively embrace this repetition?









Dress (worn as shirt): Martin & Osa via Goodwill
Long sleeved shirt (base layer): gray, Gap via Plato's Closet
Skirt: Brass Plum via Goodwill
Tights: Target
Shoes: Naturalizer
Sweater: Self-made
Scarf: Unknown via Goodwill
Coat: Jenifer via France

Five by Five!

Eliza Dushku fans? No? *crickets* AHEM. With this outfit, I really wanted to wear my leopard print flats, but I hurt my feet when I ran too far last weekend and those flats rub my feet the wrong way (literally!). I think that the boots are too heavy-feeling for this outfit, but oh well, life goes on. :)


Boots: Steve Madden
Tights: Hue via Plato's Closet
Let's just always assume I'm wearing underarmour, yes?
Skirt: Brass Plum via Goodwill
Shirt: J. Crew via Goodwill
Sweater: Self-made via Goodwill find
Necklace: Spotted Moth, giveaway prize

Repeat To Remember

I woke up, wanted to wear my new boots, and promptly put together the same outfit from one of my four ways to wear. Nothing groundbreaking here, but I enjoyed it all the same!

Also--my posture is abysmal in this photo! I promise, I'm usually not quite this bad. Do you ever notice something looks different than you thought when you look at photos of yourself?


Boots: Guisti via Goodwill
Tights: Hue via Plato's Closet
Skirt: Brass Plum via Goodwill
Shirt: Toomi via Goodwill Outlet
Sweater: Unknown via Goodwill donation pile
Scarf: Self-made

Four Ways To Wear Episode 10: Cognac-Colored Boots

The Candidate: Brown Giusti leather and suede knee-high boots that I found at the Goodwill for $20. Of course, they were a size 5 1/2 (I'm a 7 1/2) but that didn't stop me!

The Goal: A pair of versatile brown boots

The Results:


I went out to dinner last night with family and this is what I wore!
Boots: Giusti via Goodwill
Tights: Hue via Plato's Closet
Sweater dress: Ross


These boots are so high, I feel like they need to be toned down for work--this was my attempt.
Boots: Giusti via Goodwill
Tights: Hue via Plato's Closet
Skirt: Brass Plum via Goodwill
Shirt: Toomi via Goodwill Outlet
Scarf: Self-made


Boots: Giusti via Goodwill
Pants: Martin & Osa via Goodwill
Jacket: AE via Plato's Closet


These pants are almost too wide for the boots! I need some ultra skinnies to wear with these boots properly...dare I say it? JEGGINGS?
Boots: Giusti via Goodwill
Pants: Martin & Osa via Goodwill
Scarf: From a market in the Ukraine
Long-sleeved shirt: Gap via Plato's Closet
Sweater: One Clothing via Ross

The Verdict: I was sold from the moment I tried these suckers on and they ACTUALLY FIT MY CALVES. The ONLY pair that has ever done that! Plus, I Googled Giusti and found that apparently they make high quality shoes and their boots retail for between 300-600$. Done and done. The only thing that I don't like about them is that the suede attracts dirt like a magnet! I have tried brushing them and waterproofing them, and we'll see how long they look nice for...However, for how they are right now, I am pleased. Cute with skirts and pants (albeit only super skinny ones), good for work and relaxing, and they are in my color palette! Score!

Four Ways To Wear Episode 8: Orchid Silk Dress

Occasionally, the Goodwill by my house will get in clothing from stores that have recently gone out of business. In the case of yesterday, a shipment of clothing from Martin & Osa. Yes, you read that correctly. I bought two things, one of with was this 100% silk dress, machine washable (huge selling point!), with a drawstring waist, with the tags attached, originally ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS and I got it for FOUR DOLLARS. I was seriously bouncing off the ceiling. Fan-fucking-tastic. I love it!!! I actually saw it in the store before it went out of business, and I liked it, but it was waaaay too expensive for me, even on store closing clearance. And now it's miiiiine, all mine! *cackle*

The Candidate: My super mega-awesome Martin & Osa silk dress

The Goal: A breezy summer dress, but also something I can layer to make it appropriate for more than one season. Also, somehow to make it work-appropriate.

The Results:


Dress: Martin & Osa, via Goodwill!!!!
Necklace: Spotted Moth, giveaway prize
Shoes: Unknown, France


Dress: Martin & Osa via Goodwill
Scarf: Goodwill (also a find on the same trip, but I won't do a Four Ways Episode for it--come on, you've seen how often I wear scarves! Do you doubt I will wear it frequently?)
Tights: F21, gift
Shoes: Unknown, France


This reminds me of what I would wear as a painter...an awesome painter! I also see this as a go-to weekend lounging outfit.
Dress: Martin & Osa via Goodwill
Shirt: Gap via Plato's Closet
Leggings: Target
Boots: Steve Madden


I think this is one of my favorite looks, honestly. Simple, clean, professional and creative. Awesomeness.
Dress (worn as shirt!): Martin & Osa via Goodwill
Skirt: Nordstrom Brand via Goodwill
Necklace: Spotted Moth, free with giveaway
Shoes: Unknown, France

Verdict: Do you have to ask? Yes, yes yes!

Ke$ha Said It Best: Blah!

This was another outfit that was less than successful. I think my brain is being fried by my new job...also, I usually get dressed while I'm half asleep and the world is still dark out. That could have something to do with it.



Boring, right? I think it would have been better with some punchy jewelry, a fun scarf (is it a surprise anymore?), maybe some bright tights. As it is, it's functional but not especially pretty, and definitely not memorable.

Skirt: Brass Plum via Goodwill (I think it's vintage BP)
Shirt: Deux via someone's Goodwill donation pile (freeeee!)
Cardigan: The Limited via Goodwill
Tights: Hue via Plato's Closet (they are cranberry for a bit of color, not that you can tell in my crappy 'it's almost dark, hurry and get an outfit photo in!' picture)
Boots: Steve Madden

Opposites Attract?

This is an example of how the exact same outfit can work for the summer (on the left, with bare legs and flats) and for the winter (on the right, with my new kickass tights and heels). This skirt is pushing shortness for school, so I would never wear it with bare legs and heels in a school setting. However, with the darkness of the tights, the fun heels add a nice pop! Outerwear is the only other thing to change between these two outfits. This shirt is a new one I got in my recent shopping trip--it is Ann Taylor Loft from Plato's Closet, and while on first glance it appeared to be an old lady shirt, on second I was liking it, and after trying it on with my wardrobe I *love* it! The background is creme (neutral!), and the dominant colors in the pattern are cranberry and teal (my primary and secondary colors in my wardrobe). It goes with so many things in my closet.
Shirt: Ann Taylor Loft via Plato's Closet
Skirt: Nordstrom via St. Vincent Thrift
Gray Shoes: Unknown brand, from La Halle de Chaussures in France
Tan Shoes: Covington via Goodwill
Tights: Hue via Plato's Closet (new)