Dots, Ruffles & Denim

This is the first time I've posted a picture of me wearing pants on this blog! I'm more of a skirts & dresses kind of girl. When I was little that's literally all that I would wear. In high school and early college I went through a phase of wearing jeans (and strangely, overalls) a lot. Now I'm back to wearing mostly skirts and dresses again. Occasionally I'll throw on some capris or jeans to run errands like today.

Day 6 of the "Black-Out" Challenge:
Shirt: Target
Tank: Ann Taylor Loft
Capris: Bealls
Belt: Anthropologie
Sandals: Lands End

Going Green for "Black-Out" Day 5

Today I wore another one of my favorite colors, green! I usually wear this with a black cardigan but since I'm doing the "Black-Out" challenge, I swapped it for a white one and a dark brown belt instead of black. I love the collar of this dress and the ruffle that goes down the V on the top. I do have to belt this dress though because it looks a little shapeless without one. Unfortunately I didn't realize that until AFTER seeing the pictures from when I wore this for the first time last year to a friend's wedding. Yikes! Let's just say it wasn't very flattering. Anyway, this is a nice light-weight dress for another hot summer day. I'm always cooler in dresses and skirts (and I don't really like to wear shorts anyway). I'd love to see some fun summer looks from others, so leave me a link to your favorite summer outfit from your blog or summer clothes you are eyeing at your favorite retailer.

Dress: Ann Taylor Loft
Cardigan: Target
Belt: Anthropologie Cylindrical Braid Belt
Sandals: Lands End

I've been waiting a Thousand Days for a skirt like this...

I missed out on last year's Thousand Days skirt from Anthropologie and ever since then I've been trying to find a navy skirt that I like. There was the recent Alena skirt, but I didn't like the material of it. This morning I spotted the Mona Skirt on Anthropologie's website and I think this might be what I've been looking for! Obviously it's not cut exactly the same as the Thousand Days skirt, but it looks pretty cute. The fact that it's not as full might actually work better on me. It's hard to see the details on the website though so I'm looking forward to this one hitting stores soon. At first I thought it was the Homestead Denim skirt, which is cute but not what I'm looking for. Hopefully the fabric of the Mona skirt is not denim-like. This might be a good navy skirt option for anyone who is looking to fill that hole in their wardrobe. What do you think?

It could have been worse...

Or at least that's what I'm telling myself. Without any warning signs, my car battery just suddenly died today. Ugh. I left this morning for what was supposed to be just a few quick errands before a day spent working at the library. That plan was squashed when I got in the car after grocery shopping and it wouldn't start. And I had ice cream in the trunk. And it was 95 degrees outside. Luckily I had SuperDad to come to my rescue and help me jump start the car and get it to an auto shop to buy a new battery. Actually we had to try three stores before we found the one I needed. Because of course I have a car with a unique battery. Just another Saab quirk, I guess (Don't worry Saaby, I still love you). Anyway, we got the car home and my husband is going to install the new battery tomorrow. Magically my groceries seem to have survived the heat and that manicotti that I was planning on making for dinner should go as planned. I don't know about the ice cream though. I stuck it in the freezer because it was pretty melt-y but we'll see. And hey, at least it didn't rain during this whole ordeal, right?!

So, as you might imagine I didn't get much research or writing done today. I did get home in time for a (long, boring) online/phone training meeting for the upcoming session of an online course that I'm teaching this summer. At least I accomplished something today.

Below is my OOTD for the after-the-car-ordeal part of my day. Fortunately I had just thrown on some old capris and a polo for my errands because as I mentioned before, it was HOT today and standing in the middle of a shadeless parking lot didn't help. I felt better after a quick shower and change of clothes. It lifted my spirits to put on my favorite color, which as you can see is purple! I tucked the end of the belt in on the picture on the left and think it looks better that way.

"Black-Out" Challenge Day 4

Dress: Coldwater Creek
Cardigan: Bealls
Belt: Chinese Laundry
Shoes: really old & can't remember where I got them!

Giveaway

Check out the giveaway that Fashion Therapist is doing on her blog for a Talbots gift card!

I just discovered her great blog. And she's a fellow Glee fan! Yay! :-)

"Black-Out" Day 3

I promise this sweater isn't black! It just looks dark in the picture. For Day 3 of Already Pretty's "Black-Out" challenge, I'm wearing my favorite navy blue cardigan with an old dress I don't wear nearly often enough. I'm really having fun with this challenge! I get lazy sometimes and just reach for a black skirt or cardigan but I really do love wearing color. This has been just the thing I needed to get me thinking about the more colorful options in my wardrobe. Is anyone else doing any clothing challenges on their blogs this summer? I'd love to do another one after this one is over.

Cardigan: Target
Dress: Ann Taylor Loft
Belt: Anthropologie (Looping Lanes)
Sandals: Target

"Black-Out" Day 2

I decided to pull out this red shirt & my favorite red shoes for Day 2 of Already Pretty's "Black-Out" challenge. I would usually wear this with a black skirt so I had to search for a different option and found my denim skirt buried in the bottom drawer of my dresser. I think I'd wear this skirt more if I got it hemmed. I need to put that on my "to do" list. I added a brown belt and white tank, and all together it made an easy, comfortable outfit for a day of errands and working from home.
P.S. Take a look at the book review I wrote earlier today about Lev Grossman's The Magicians. I'd love to hear from anyone else who has read the book or is planning to.

Skirt: Old Navy
Shirt: Ann Taylor Loft
Tank: Belk
Belt: Anthropologie (brown Snakebite)
Shoes: Kohls