27 November 2013

Is it Time for Turkey Yet?

birds + butterflies  birds + butterflies

OK, so I technically wore this outfit about two weeks ago when the temps were much more conducive to keeping my legs exposed, but it seems rather Thanksgiving-appropriate so I held off on posting this outfit until now (plus I also have a backlog of outfit pics - ladies who post outfits on the day-of, I don't know how you do it).

For those in the States, I'm wishing you lovely ladies a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend! I hope you spend lots of good time with your families and friends, eat what makes you happy, and stay toasty for those who are going to risk the early morning crowds on Friday.

birds + butterflies  birds + butterflies

I'm with my fam in NYC this weekend and have been busy gobbling up all my fave homemade goodies while playing tourist through Midtown.

I'm so thankful for a loving family (who happen to live in one of the greatest cities on earth so I have loads of excuses to visit), a patient BF who does not eye roll me to death when I want to go into yet another J.Crew store, the cutest pup ever, a job that allows me the luxury of travel (and ability to buy pretty things), and some fantastic stylish bloggie friends like yourselves. Have a great rest-of-the-week!

birds + butterflies

Jacket: J.Crew downtown field (worn here - sim w/leather, belted)
Sweater: J.Crew tippi (worn here - sim, cashmere)
Skirt: Nathalie Lete via Anthropologie hamatreya (sim, maxi, pricey darker)
Necklace: Pam Hiran via Anthropologie sparked agate (worn here - sim, sim, sim)
Bracelets: JCF chainlink, C.Wonder pave initial (sim), Betsey Johnson
Shoes: Michael Kors hamilton (worn here - sim, lower)
Bag: Brahmin sadie (worn here - sim, sim, deal)

25 November 2013

Anjolee Hoops and Mitzie Tunic

anjolee + tunic

Before I started blogging, I literally was the girl with no accessories. Jewelry did not exist in my vocabulary. So in the time I’ve had my blog, I’ve been playing a game of catch-up with necklaces, bracelets, you name it.

One area I am still a bit slow on is earrings. Since I tend to favor big statement-y necklaces, I feel like it would be overkill to add earrings to the mix so I don’t have much in the way of lobe jewels. But on days where I don’t want to feel weighted down, it is nice to still be able to add a bit of sparkle to the face. So when Anjolee contacted me about trying their diamond hoop earrings, I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to add to my fledgling earring collection.

anjolee + tunic  anjolee + tunic

Anjolee is a fine jewelry manufacturer that has been around for 35+ years that offers an endless array of customizable diamond pieces. Anjolee customers have the option of selecting their metals, chain lengths, diamond quality and size. They offer free expedited shipping and have a 30-day return policy (even for customized pieces). And no sales tax unless you ship to CA. Plus each piece comes in a lovely little gift box.

The diamond hoop earrings I got are the Essentials, and they are perfect. They’re not too big so I can wear them in pretty much every occasion and add some fun sparkle to any outfit. The ones I got are cubic zirconia for review purposes but the service, selection and quality of Anjolee’s diamond hoop earrings will having me definitely come back for more when I want to build up my fine jewelry collection.

anjolee + tunic

anjolee + tunic

Tunic: Meadow Row via Anthropologie mitzie channeled (sim, grey)
Shirt: LEC (worn here - sim, deal)
Leggings: Target
Earrings: c/o Anjolee essential diamond hoop
Bracelets: Groopdealz (sim smaller, pricey), Target (sim), Sage K and Co (sim, the original), Tag Heuer
Ring: BR (sim, pricey)
Boots: Vince Camuto bronco (worn here - sim, sim, wedge)
Bag: Brahmin anytime (worn here - sim, softer)
Outfit inspired by Psyche.

anjolee + tunic

22 November 2013

Camera Shy

camo whites

I was editing some of my blog outfit pics the other day and thought about the masses of outfit pics I've posted since I had started blogging a few years ago. It's been a lot of outfits. A lot of pics of myself. Out there. For all the world to see.

Which is a major change from my younger days where I made a point to avoid the camera as possible. The years between junior high and college? It was almost like I hadn't existed since there is so little photo evidence. When we had family pics, I was usually the last one to join the group. When friends whipped out cameras, I duck and dove out of the way.

I did this mostly because I had major self-confidence issues at the time, but now that I'm older, I can't help but to think of the lost moments that haven't been captured and that only reside in fading memory. So one good thing that has come out of my blogging? I take a lot of photos now. Of myself, of life. And if someone wants to take a photo of me? I may still be kind of awkward, but I won't duck.

camo whites  camo whites

Jacket: J.Crew (worn here - sim, deal, with the fur)
Shirt: LEC (worn here - sim, deal)
Jeans: J.Crew destroyed matchstick (worn here - pricey, sim, sim)
Belt: JCF wide calf hair (worn here - sim, sim)
Necklace: J.Crew fan fringe (worn here - sim darker, different colors, sim-ish)
Bracelet: J.Crew tortoise & turquoise (worn here - sim, sim, pricey)
Rings: F21 (sim, sim)
Shoes: Zara cap-toe court (worn here - sim, t-strap, pricey)
Bag: Fossil austin (worn here - same colorblock or wallet, sim, steal)

camo whites

camo whites

20 November 2013

Peter Pan

houndstooth + rhinestones

So I wore this outfit to work the other day and promptly got called Emma Pillsbury, pilgrim and a small town first-grade school teacher by some of my co-workers and friends. Somewhat strange references aside (sorry, pilgrims small town first-grade school teachers and Emma Pillsbury), my peeps are no strangers to my sometime over-accessorized ways, but their area of interest thing time was my collar.

My peter pan collar.

houndstooth + rhinestones  houndstooth + rhinestones

I am a layering fanatic, so shirt collars peeking out are key to completing the perfect layered look in my book. The rounded peter pan collar is just a softer version of that and I think it's got that whole "proper and buttoned up" vibe that I find kind of cool.

But I know some people consider peter pan collars the not-so-good-type-of old school and may have bad connotations of the look from way-back Catholic school days. Or on their Aunt Myrtle who is about eight days older than baseball. And sure, if cartoon queen of the twee Hello Kitty had a neck, she'd probably kill it in a peter pan collar.

What do you think about these curvy little collars? Should they be limited to the classroom along with plaid pinafores or can a modern day lady wear them with pride without looking too twee?

houndstooth + rhinestones

houndstooth + rhinestones

Top: Loft jeweled collar (sim pricey, sleeveless)
Skirt: J.Crew pixilated houndstooth (worn here - sim exaggerated, as dress)
Bracelets: Sage K and Co (sim), Yunikelley (sim), Tag Heuer
Shoes: Pour La Victoire mai (worn here - same in suede, sim, lower)
Bag: Coach poppy flight bag in metallic mirror (worn here - same smaller, sim larger, sim)

Linking up with Lindsey at The Pleated Poppy and Tara at Mix and Match Fashion.

18 November 2013

Unproductive Plaid

ruffle plaid  ruffle plaid

Honestly the last thing I want to do right now is think about the holidays because I've done all of nothing for Christmas yet and retailers just have a way of making you feel like you're late already. Mainly because I have to figure out how to acquire a PlayStation 4 which is about zero percent possibility right now. So instead of doing anything actually productive over the weekend, I instead did these things -

Watched Pacific Rim over the weekend and temporarily satiated my inner robot-loving fan girl (I was a huge Voltron fan when I was itty bitty). Now I also have official crushes on Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba and Striker Eureka.

Murdered some mollusks when I made mussels in white wine. It was my first time cooking shellfish so I was a bit nervous. Those suckers were alive! I kept apologizing to them when I was dumping them into the hot broth - I don't think I'm woman enough to try cooking my own lobsters.

ruffle plaid  ruffle plaid

Tried repeatedly to master the outfit selfie with my camera phone. Still Fail.

Realized I cannot get out of Target without spending at least $100 (granted the one I go to sells groceries, so that's my excuse). Where else can I grab apples, bread, toilet cleaner and seriously contemplate buying a giant ceramic stag head?

Took afternoon naps on the couch because for some reason doing nothing over the weekend necessitates two days of going to sleep at two a.m. and getting up at eight a.m. Now that may be more than enough sleep for some of you ladies, but I need my zzzzs. I am totally one of those people who would rather sleep than party - now someone please go get my walker, because I'm apparently late to bingo at the seniors center.

Wonder if I'm the only person alive that hasn't purchased that striped Starbucks mug yet.

So, did you ladies manage to do anything unproductive this weekend?

ruffle plaid

ruffle plaid

Blazer: Zara checked (worn here - sim, deal)
Shirt: J.Crew (sim in ivory, in blue, plain collar)
Jeans: Banana Republic Factory (worn here - sim, deal)
Belt: J.Crew
Necklace: Ann Taylor pearl & pave cluster (worn here - sim, sim, steal)
Bracelet: Ann Taylor pearl & pave cluster (worn here - sim, sim, steal)
Shoes: Frye jane (worn here - sim, steal)
Bag: Fossil austin (worn here - same colorblock or wallet, sim, steal)

16 November 2013

And Yet More Bits

Happy weekend, ladies! I hope you all are up to some serious rest and relaxings today, so I'll keep things short. Here's a medley of my style-related latelys, some of which can also be found on my Instagram.

nov1  nov2
♥ Some fresh new baubles for me: J.Crew necklace (check stores, sim, sim).
♥ More additions to my winter wardrobe: J.Crew cardigan and sweater (other critters).

nov3
♥ Still working out the kinks with the curling iron: Anthropologie sweater, F21 necklace (sim) & rings (worn before - sim).

nov4
Bling for my ears.

nov5  nov6
My rain (i.e., wear everywhere) boots.
♥ Ruffles and a popped collar: J.Crew blouse (sim ivory), Zara blazer (worn before - sim).

nov7
♥  Pink! J.Crew blazer (sim, deal), scarf (worn before - sim), JCF necklace, c/o Choies top (sim).

nov8
Bows and a ruffly hem from Anthropologie.

nov9  nov10
♥ Cool weather layers: JCF vest (sim, deal), F21 shirt, H&M tee, Hawthorne necklace (worn before - sim).
♥ Outfit for a weekend: F21 jacket (worn before - sim) and tee, Furla bag (sim), Anne Klein loafers.

nov11
♥ Glimpse of my new hair: LEC shirt (sim), ON cardigan, c/o Your Bijoux Box necklace (worn before).

nov12
♥ Layering is in, right? F21 rings (here and here) and dress (worn before).

nov13  nov14
♥ Sparkles and cable knit: F21 blouse and sweater (worn before - sim).
♥ Old school - well-worn and my most comfy boots from Minnetonka (sim, high-heeled).

11 November 2013

Currently ... November

lace stripes

Currently loving ...

Instagram. I guess I'm not a fan of change because I always seem to be a few years behind on anything tech-related. But now that I've joined (I finally have a page! Pretty please come say hi), I am a bit ... addicted. Nothing like nosy peeks into people's everyday! As an Insta-newb, you ladies have any tips, gripes, words of wisdom on Instagram / hashtag etiquette?

Heat. We just started needing to turn on the heat in the ole homestead recently and it is awful nice. Warmer toesies!

Dracula, the TV series. Vampires? Edwardian England? Jonathan Rhys Meyers (albeit I could do sans center part)? Ass-kicking female vampire hunter? The more the merrier.

lace stripes  lace stripes

Running. I've had a treadmill (because just going outside to run means that I don't) for a while now but have really been kind of lackluster. I get on the treadmill a few times a week to break a sweat and get my 30 minutes of exercise in. However I was inspired recently by the lovely Rosa who finished the New York City Marathon earlier this month and have been logging more time to try to build speed and stamina. This past weekend I logged 3.107 miles (or 5 kilometers!) for the first time. Granted it was a combination of running-walking-running-walking but I pushed myself and didn't just phone it in. You ladies who run have any words of advice for a couch jockey who wants to wear compression capris with a purpose?

These rain boots. So I've said before that I didn't want to spend a lot of money on footwear I rarely have a chance to wear, but whilst on the hunt for some comfy cas flat boots, I got rain boots instead ... because they are comfy as heck, are virtually silent when I walk around (no clackety heels), and I figure they could pass for real boots? What do you think? Good enough or keep looking?

So what are you currently loving?

lace stripes

Sweater: Zara (worn here - sim, short-sleeve, tee)
Jeans: Old Navy flirt skinny (sim, sim)
Necklace: Asos (same w/dif chain, sim, in green)
Bracelets: Yunikelley (sim), Sage K and Co (sim, steal)
Shoes: Sole Society desirae (worn here - sim, sim, higher)
Bag: Furla martha (worn heresim, luxe, larger)

lace stripes

lace stripes

08 November 2013

Grown-Ass Dressing

peplum  peplum

So, I'm currently loving this dress. I think it fits me well, plus it's got a nice little peplum that hides my food belly and creates a bit of shape to my normal straight up-and-down-ness. But honestly, this dress also makes me feel a bit uncomfortable because it fits me well and creates a bit of a shape.

Hi, I'm Lisa, a grown-ass adult who does grown-ass adult things, but I feel awkward about being seen as a grown-ass adult - still following me here?

When it comes to picking out something to wear, I usually consider myself a fairly modern but modest dresser. I don't want to look like some way-too-old-for-that twee, but I don't feel right donning a strapless dress and stilettos to go out either. Nothing wrong with wearing a strapless anything, but I've never been one to think I could rock something like that.


peplum  peplum

I was raised in a pretty conservative household and most of my friends growing up were a pretty straight-laced bunch. I wouldn't say I was a nerd - because I sure wasn't smart enough for that - but my crowd was definitely most comfortable in jeans and baggy sweatshirts (the non-embellished kind, sorry J.Crew).

I didn't really get "dressed up" until well after college and had to start looking like a normal functioning adult person (and thank you, blog, for immortalizing most of my looks, for better or worse, from the last few years). And while I've gotten to really like this fashion thing and the adventure of styling myself and trying new looks, I still tend to sway towards the conservative end of things.

So I guess this post has just been a long awkward explanation on why I strive to look like a lady but I still struggle with looking like a woman. You can call me Girl Friday, but I'm a long ways from a Jessica Rabbit!

peplum

 peplum

Jacket: F21 knit moto (worn here - sim, sim, cas)
Dress: Loft striped merino peplum (same as sweater, pricey, deal)
Necklace: DefinitelyDifferent (worn here - sim, sim, deal)
Bracelets: J.Crew factory (sim, sim)
Belt: Asos plate detail (worn here - sim deal, w/bow, pricey)
Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction swim n fool (worn here - sim, pricey, deal)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff (worn here - sim steal, foldover, as tote)