Things I Never Wear: Part 2

Shirt: Forever 21

Skirt: Forever 21

Belt: Wet Seal

Flats: Nordstrom

I got in a rut with this shirt by only pairing it with jeans and wearing it when I was feeling lazy. When you get in the routine of wearing something only when you're not feeling your best it's hard to think of wearing it when you want to look cute. But pairing it with this skirt made it feel a little fancier. I think I'm going to keep this one for a while longer.

I don't really know why I haven't worn this skirt much. I think the way it fits my waist is slightly awkward and I've felt like I can't pair it with much. But really with the belt the waist problem is fixed and I think it looks cute paired with this top. I think this skirt just needs a little more love. I''m keeping it.

And when it comes to the shoes the joy continues. I had stopped wearing these shoes because they were starting to rub at my heels and were giving me blisters. But this time they didn't seem to rub at all! I wasn't wearing them for very long though, so maybe they just didn't have enough time to cause me pain. I'm cautiously optimistic about these shoes. I'm going to keep them for now, but if I get anymore blisters from these shoes I'll have to give them up. They're just not worth the pain.

That's all for today. Happy Saturday!

(Don't know what's going on? Check out Part One!)

Things I Never Wear: Part 1

After coming home for the summer, I found all the clothes that I didn't want to take to college but couldn't get rid of. Since most of these pieces stayed at home the whole time I was in school that means I haven't worn them in at least a year.

I've always had a problem with holding onto things for way too long, including clothes. I decided that this summer I need to make up my mind on whether or not to keep these extra pieces. So I'm going to give all of them one last shot. If I like them I'll keep them and re-incorporate them in my wardrobe. If there's a reason I never wore them in the first place, I'll donate them.

So, this is my first look with the Things I Never Wear:

Dress: JC Penney

Shirt: my mom's closet

Shoes: Payless (gift)

Necklace and earrings: gifts

I got this dress several years ago to wear as a dance costume. Since then I guess it just seemed weird to wear a costume as everyday clothing. It's cute and fits me well; my only problem with it is that at even the slightest breeze I had some serious Marilyn Monroe moments. I think I'll keep it for now and see what else I can pair it with (and hope for a windless day).

The shirt was first my mom's, but she gave it to me when I was little for me to play dress up with. Somehow (who am I kidding, I already said I have hoarding tendencies) it stayed with me all these years until it actually fit me. I actually really liked it with this outfit. It was lightweight and comfy. I think I can pair it with other things, so I'm going to keep it.

I absolutely love these shoes. So much that when my friend bought them and only wore them once, I asked if she would give them to me because I figured I would wear them more. And for a while I did, but they're a half size too small, so when I wear them too long they make my feet hurt a lot. Despite how cute these shoes are, I think I'm going to have to let them go so someone with smaller feet can enjoy them.

Date Night

Striped top: Goodwill

Lace tank: Marshall's

Leopard skirt: Plato's Closet

Blue shoes: Goodwill

I love this outfit for a date night with my boyfriend. The tight leopard skirt and lace tank top could make this outfit a little too revealing for my taste, so I paired it with a looser top to balance out the look. 

I like the outfit with the pop of color in the shoes, but my boyfriend would prefer it with something more neutral or even my gold flats. Then again, he is the first to admit he doesn't know much about fashion. 

What do you think about the shoes?

P.S. Despite the title, our date nights are nothing like the Steve Carrell/Tiny Fey movie. Sorry to disappoint.

Inspiration Monday + Mint Trend

Each week Megan and Nora from Two Birds post an inspiration picture. This week it was this picture of Michelle Trachtenberg in a maxi dress and jean jacket.

So this is my take on the look:

Blue tank top: Kohls

Mint skirt: my mom's closet

Jean jacket: Forever 21

Gold flats: Claire's

necklace and earrings: gifts

I wish I had a maxi dress to wear for this inspiration. I've been looking for one for over six months, but since I'm only 5' 3" it really has to fit perfectly and nothing I've tried on has worked. Ideally I'd like to find a high-low dress, but again no luck lately. So all I have is this maxi dress I got from my mom's closet.

I've noticed that mint has been a really popular trend lately, especially mint jeans. I love this mint skirt, and it's totally on trend right now.

P.S. Fun fact: today, I wore this skirt that I got from my mom's closet, and she wore a shirt that she got from mine. It was a coincidence but it happens a lot because my mom and I are about the same size and often share clothes. 

Mixing Neutrals

Shirt: Walmart

Black Jeans: Old Navy

Coral flats: TJ Maxx

Red earrings: someplace in New York (not sure)

I love this outfit; it is so comfortable! So many people think that wearing navy and black together is taboo. I love neutrals together. I think this combination of navy and black is super cute and is more interesting than black on black or navy on navy. Also, one of my biggest pet peeves is when two black items aren't the exact same shade of black. I think it looks so weird. But maybe that's just me...

Shakespeare: In Love

"Fear the Bard" shirt: California Shakespeare Theater gift shop

Shorts: JC Penny

Shoes: Payless

So, I just got this shirt at the play yesterday. I absolutely love it! It's a play on the San Francisco Giants' saying "fear the beard", and the Giants are my favorite baseball team. Plus, I love Shakespeare and I've been wanting something neon. This shirt is just everything I've wanted lately.

I was just running errands and hanging out with the boyfriend lately, so I kept my outfit simple. Hope you all had a great weekend!

Sparkle

Green t-shirt: Wet Seal

Jeans: Target

Cardigan: Old Navy

Shoes: Walmart

Necklace and earrings: boutique in Minnesota

Today, I went to see The Tempest at the California Shakespeare Theater. It is my favorite place to see Shakespeare plays. They always put on great shows and the location is great. It's an outdoor amphitheater; it's very chill and very cool.

The only downside to the location is that you're completely exposed to the elements. Even though I went to see a show during the day, it can still be chilly and windy. I knew I wanted to wear something comfortable so I chose my favorite pair of jeans and my new t-shirt, which is made of really soft material. But since I get cold really easily I knew I needed to add at least one layer.  Whenever I need an extra layer, I always think of this beauty first; it's my go-to cardigan. The sparkly material is so cute, works as a neutral, and spices up any outfit.

Do you have a go-to piece in your closet?

Tribal Prints

Tribal Top: Forever 21

Lace shorts: TJ Maxx

Tribal shoes: DIY (originally Walmart)

I made these shoes a couple months ago. I bought a $2 pair of shoes at Walmart and used fabric markers to draw the design. I think they turned out great; I love them, and every time I wear them I get tons of compliments.

Also, the shorts are lace, but it's hard to tell on the picture. I decided to mix this black and white tribal shirt with the colorful tribal shoes. How do you feel about mixing similar prints?

An Old Favorite

Floral tank: Marshall's

Jeans: Old Navy

Navy Cardigan: Nordstrom

Red TOMS: Nordstrom

This is one of my favorite outfits. It is so comfy and easy to throw on when I don't want to spend much time thinking about my outfit. I think it will be time to put it on hold for a while and find more creative ways to wear the pieces in my closet.

Peer Pressure

Dress: Forever 21

Gold flats: Claire's

Turquoise earrings: (I don't remember where I got these; I actually forgot I had them)

I just bought this dress last week. I loved the way it fit my body, but I was unsure about the print. Just as I was thinking it wasn't worth it and was about to leave it in the store, a stranger came up to me and told me how nice the dress looked on me. Usually I don't pay attention to dressing room compliments because they are either coming from someone who works at the store and is just trying to sell it or they are just like it in general and want it for themselves. But this was a genuine compliment about how it looked great on me. 

That means I have to buy it, right? Right. Peer pressure wins again.

Either way, I bought the dress and after getting it home, I love it more than I did in the store. I can't wait to wear it again and see what else I can pair it with.

First Thrift Experience

Recently, I began thrift shopping after reading several blogs that showcase amazing pieces they found at places like Goodwill. In all honesty, I thought Goodwill was full of things that were old, broken, or completely out of style. But after some inspiration from some great blogs (especially Thrift and Shout) I decided to check out my local Goodwill. While some of the clothes fit my previous idea of Goodwill, most of them were in good condition and they had some really cute stuff. Here's what I ended up with from a full day of shopping.

(From left to right, top to bottom)

Leopard print skirt: Plato's closet

Striped shirt: Goodwill

Black lace shorts: TJ Maxx

Blue flats: Goodwill

Black cross body bag: Ross

Coral flats: TJ Maxx

I got all of these pieces that I love for only about $70. I can't wait to do more thrift shopping!

Beach Day

Sweater: Forever 21

Mint Maxi Skirt: my mom's closet

Cream Lace Tank: Plato's Closet

Blue Bikini Top: Walmart

Swim Shorts: Walmart

Flip Flops: Walmart

Last week my friend and I went to the beach. Beaches in northern California can be unpredictable; last time we went in was cold and windy even though it was mid-August. So my philosophy is to wear layers because you really never know how warm it will be or how windy it will be.

P.S. No, that is not my kayak. Just happened to be there.

New Beginnings

Button down Shirt: Target

Shorts: Target

Cardigan: Loft (gift from my mom)

Belt: my mom's closet

Shoes: Walmart

I've been thinking about starting a style blog for a while, and today I just decided to go for it.

This is what I wore to my first day of summer school yesterday. I went with a classy casual, slightly preppy look. It's kind of hard to tell but the shirt has pink lines in it that I think worked really well with this pink cardigan.