Wooly Winter Wears

I have recently found some fantastic items at the Goodwill--I have been on the lookout for more items of quality fabrics and among my finds are: this black cardigan, wool and so warm!, a navy blue wool sweater, a wool beret, a leather and metal belt as well as a denim jacket (the seams are finished with pink binding and I'm a sucker for pretty insides of clothing). New episodes of Four Ways to Wear coming soon (I have been out of town on a snow camping expedition, which has been fantastic fun but very tiring!).


Sweater dress: Rhapsody via Ross
Skirt: H&M via Plato's Closet
Cardigan: Banana Republic via Goodwill
Tights: J. Crew via Ross
Shoes: Naturalizer via Goodwill

Winter Uniform

Skirt: Preview Collection via Goodwill
Sweater dress (layered underneath): Ross
Cardigan (base layer): Goodwill
Tights: Hue via The Rack
Boots: Steve Madden

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

All Quiet

It's been pretty quiet around here lately--I am working on a new project, which is taking a lot of my time. More news to come soon!


Sweater: Chico's
Scarf: Self-made
Tights (Hue) layered over leggings (Target)
Boots: Steve Madden
Sweaterdress: Ross
Longsleeve: Kiabi via France

Catch-Twenty Two

This is what I wore for Thanksgiving dinner (a backlogged outfit that I am finally posting). It's ok...but it's not great. I am still posting it, however, because it is a great example of why this is called DEVELOPING Style, and not Plummy: Life of Glamour and an Eternally Fantastic Wardrobe. I can't quite put my finger on what's wrong with the outfit though. I think it's a bit top heavy? With no patterns and no single focal point of interest? Is it the lack of accessories? Readers, please help!


I still love my shoes though!

Sweater Dress: Rhapsody via Ross
Long-Sleeve Shirt: Kiabi via France
Tights: Hue via Plato's Closet
Shoes: Naturalizer via Goodwill
Sweater: 22 via The Rack (oh, the irony! Wearing the brand 22 for outfit 22...hahaha...)

(I also can't help but think that these tights would fix everything...but that might just be a minor obsession talking...)

Par For Eighteen

More snow! No work again today, and I am housebound due to lack of snow chains for my car (I didn't expect I would need them so early in the year!). Today I chose an easy comfy warm outfit for a snowy day.

Do you get a lot of snow? What is your typical snow-outfit? Do you see your clothing choices changing dramatically with the weather, or are you fairly consistent with your style throughout the year?

Don't forget to vote in my poll! Let me know what you want to see as the next feature on my blog. :)







Legs: Underarmour, Target Tights, F21 Tights
Sweater Dress: Rhapsody via Ross
Base Shirt: Underarmour
Cardigan: Unknown via Goodwill donation pile
Belt: Unknown via Goodwill
Cashmere Scarf: Gift
Boots: Steve Madden
Snow: Awesome!

Nine Lives

I decided to drag myself out of bed and sweatpants into my equally-comfy-but-much-more-like-a-real-person-feeling sweater dress and tights. Ta-daaah!

Do you ever use clothing to change how you are feeling? Or does your clothing merely reflect what is already there? I notice that I tend to do both....
What kind of outfit do you throw on when you are under the weather? Is it sweatpants all the way, or do you have an alternative?


Sweater dress: Rhapsody via Ross
Cardigan: Goodwill find, altered by me
Tights: F21, gift
Long sleeved shirt: Kiabi from France
Scarf: Self-made
Boots: Steve Madden

Four Ways To Wear Episode 13: Orange Tweed Skirt

Now, don't worry--I haven't breached my 30 for 30 No(shopping)vember! However, in the spirit of working within my wardrobe, I decided to do a bit of sewing to turn a skirt I don't wear very much into one that fits my wardrobe better. This is not one of my thirty items, so you won't see this skirt again on my blog until December, but I decided to do a Four Ways To Wear episode amid my thirty remix challenge! (If I am not making much sense, it is because I am hopped up on strong pain killers--sorry!)

If you want to see the before, I wore it here. I enjoyed the color and the tweedy material, but the length was a bit too long, the lining was coming undone, and it felt a bit boxy to me. So I snipped, pinned, and sewed, and here it is! (If you were wondering, this skirt was the result of the inspiration from Orchid Grey--I love the silhouette of her skirt in that picture!)

The Candidate: An altered orange tweed skirt.

The Goal: A cute, professional skirt that will add a fun color twist to some of my basic outfits.

The Results:


Skirt: Vintage via Goodwill, altered by me
Sweater: Unknown via Goodwill donation pile
Shirt: Loft via Plato's Closet
Tights: Hue via Plato's Closet
Boots: Steve Madden
Belt: Unknown via Goodwill


Skirt: Vintage via Goodwill, altered by me
Sweater: 22 via The Rack
Long sleeved shirt: Kiabi via France
Tights: Hue
Shoes: Naturalizer via Goodwill


Skirt: Vintage via Goodwill, altered by me
Sweater: Goodwill find, altered by me
Shirt: Kiabi via France
Necklace: Vintage via Goodwill Outlet
Tights: Hue
Shoes: Merona, gift


Skirt: Vintage via Goodwill, altered by me
Long sleeved shirt: Kiabi via France
Cowl-necked sweaterdress (worn as shirt): Rhapsody via Ross
Tights: F21, gift
Boots: Giusti via Goodwill

The Verdict: I like this silhouette and shape much better than before. I'm still not enamored with the color--is it too much of a blue-hued orange? I think that might be it. However, hopefully I will get more wear out of it this way than I did before (when I wore it once in the past six months!).

Do you alter your clothing at all, or even do any of your own alterations? What do you think about the alterations that I did--successful or meh? Finally, do you agree with me about the color being not quite right, or am I too drugged up on pain meds to accurately judge the skirt? ;)

Two Much Rain

Well, the weather drastically turned overnight, from Sunshine McSunnyson to Rainy Gloomy Coldberg. So, I took the liberty of swapping out my Champion Tennis Shoes for my (relatively) new black Capelli rainboots (via Goodwill, as usual) in my 30 items of clothing. Kendi said coats didn't count because she didn't want to penalize us for weather differences, and I briefly thought that might apply to rainboots as well, but let's face it--if it's raining all November, then I will be living in these rainboots all November, and that should count as one of my pairs of shoes.

When building this outfit today, I thought to myself 'self, today let's aim for warm and comfy.' Inclement weather always provokes me into wearing massive amounts of layers and forgoing my jeans, which I find to be not as comfy as wearing leggings and a dress made out of sweater material.

Believe it or not, but I am wearing three layers on bottom AND three layers on top here. Secret weapon, ka-ching!


Boots: Capelli via Goodwill (purchased the night before my 30 for 30, thank you very much!)
Leggings (base layer): Underarmour
Tights (middle layer): F21, gift
Tights (outer layer): Lacey tights from F21
Longsleeve shirt (base layer): Kiabi via France
Sweater dress (middle layer): Rhapsody via Ross
Sweater-coat (outer layer): 22 via The Rack

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!

Money, Honey

I worked a special event for my retail job this past weekend (huzzah for working 12 days in a row this Friday!) and I pulled out one of my dresses that is slightly too short for my school job. Add in a red sweater-jacket and my wardrobe workhorse boots, and this is what you get!


Sweater dress: Ross
Red sweater jacket: 22 via The Rack
Tights: F21, gift
Shoes: Steve Madden

Neutrally Inclined

I wanted something a bit more toned down to wear after my unsatisfactory first day look, so I chose items that felt all me. This included three of my wardrobe workhorses (my neutral pencil skirt, my gray cardigan and a scarf) plus a new pair of shoes! I am in love with these shoes--black, leather, vintage, Naturalizer, kind of geeky, super comfy and totally awesome--plus, only $4 at the Goodwill. Can't beat that!


Shoes: Naturalizer via Goodwill
Tights: Hue via Plato's
Shirt: Haha, actually my black sweater dress from Ross. I love this for layering, since the bottom part of the dress helps keep me warm without adding too much of a layer!
Cardigan: Unknown brand, free
Scarf: Goodwill

Four Ways To Wear Episode 5: Black Poncho and Cream Sweater

This episode is a Full Night Event (remember those, back when the CW was the WB?). A twofer, if you don't mind.

Part I: The Case of the Black Lace Poncho

The Candidate: A black lace poncho

The Goal: A new type of layering piece, something fun and unexpected

The Results:


Poncho: Bisoux Bisoux via Goodwill
Shirt: Gap via Goodwill
Jeans: Martin & Osa via Goodwill
Shoes: Unknown from France


Poncho: Bisoux Bisoux via Goodwill
Dress: Ross
Tights: Hue via Plato's

I'm stopping at two. This poncho does not fit in with my wardrobe (Is it the lace? Is it the fact that it looks cold weather, but is not warm? Is it the unusual shape?) and it was a stretch for me to make these outfits, much less two more.

The Verdict: Thumbs down. Return it!

Part II: The Case of the Wool Cream Sweater

The Candidate: A wool cream sweater, Banana Republic.

The Goal: A light-colored neutral warm sweater.

The Results:


Sweater: Banana Republic via Goodwill
Dress: Ross
Tights: Hue via Plato's
Shoes: Naturalizer


Sweater: Banana Republic via Goodwill
Skirt: Preview Collection via Goodwill
Shirt (you can see the tip of one sleeve, haha): The Loft via Plato's
Tights: Hue via Plato's
Boots: Steve Madden

Aaaand I stopped again at two. This time, it was definitely the result of several extremely unflattering photos--usually I get quite a few not-very-pretty ones, but rarely to this degree! It was the sweater! Added in that it felt a bit too big, loose cut notwithstanding, and the cropped sleeves denied me the warmth I was seeking in a wool sweater...it got cut.

The Verdict: No-go. But a return means more money in my pocket!

Four Ways To Wear Episode 3: Red Sweater

The Candidate: Red Sweater by the brand 22 (via the Rack)

The Goal: A comfy layering piece that I can wear both indoors and out

The Results:


Sweater: 22 via The Rack
Shirt: Language Los Angeles via Plato's Closet
Pants: The Merlot via Plato's Closet
Shoes: Merona, gift




Sweater: 22 via The Rack
Scarf: I made it out of a ridiculous poncho-type thing I found in the trash
Skirt: Preview Collection via Goodwill
Tights: F21, gift
Shoes: Steve Madden


The same as before, just with the jacket done up differently and with a different scarf (this time via a garage sale).


Sweater: 22 via the Rack
Sweater Dress: from Ross
Tights: F21, gift
Shoes: Steve Madden

The Verdict: Another win! I love this sweater, especially the cozy sleeves!

Double Take

As promised, the last look for my brown skirt! Actually, two looks, although they are extremely similar (what can I say, I have a look I like!).



Skirt: Preview Collection via Goodwill
Leggings: Target
Shirt: PSYCH! It's a sweater dress. Yup. I almost like it better as a top, haha. It's Rhapsody via Ross.
Shoes: Naturalizer







The same, only with an actual shirt for the top--Tricot Jolie via Plato's.

Simple, but I enjoy it. You can't really see the coral-colored necklace I am wearing in the picture, but it really does pop in real life.

My awesome shoes sold out at Zappos. My heart is crying...I will *definitely* be on the hunt for something similar after the No-Buy is over. 10 more days!

Shirt: AE sweater via Goodwill Outlet
Dress: Ross
Tights: F21
Shoes: Steve Madden
Necklace: Goodwill


Goal Count Up:
Exercise: Yesterday walked a TON. Today=Finals day.
Vitamins: Yummy yummy.

Red is Fabulous

Dress: From Ross
Tights: We Love Colors
Boots: Steve Madden. Love.