Tuesday 7.27 and Wednesday 7.28

I stayed over at my parents' house on Tuesday night, so I only have my OOTD for Tuesday. Now I'm usually a very positive self-worth kinda person, however all I saw in this picture are things I would change! Like I would have tucked in my shirt, worn different pants, wear heels, etc. However then I remember. The theme of this outfit was comfort. Now I know Stacy and Clinton HATE that word, but I was still feeling a bit under the weather. All I want is comfort!

Today, I wore everyone's favorite--the ruffled multi-colored top! I still get comments when I wear it to work. A sure winner :)

Tonight, I've been doing exciting things, like figuring out how to take better self-portraits! As you know, I take my pics before I go to work. J is usually at the gym during this time. I did find our tripod and while my camera doesn't slide into it, it does balance on it. So we'll see!

Catching Up

I apologize I've been MIA! I had every intention of catching up over the weekend, however I felt a little under the weather. I actually stayed home today and am feeling better now.

Anyhoo, onto the OOTDs!

Thursday 7.22

If you look at my outfit from Monday, 7.12, that's what I wore on 7.22! This dress is so easy to throw on but I still feel put together. Hmm...I think I say that about all my dresses!

Friday 7.23

TYPICALLY, I would be rocking jeans for Jeans Friday!! However, I had a new pair of flats I really wanted to wear and my jeans were way too long for them. This skirt is a tad shorter than my normal work skirt, so I felt more comfortable pairing it with flats than heels. A little less trashy, n'est pas? :)



Cardi: Merona, Target
Striped Top: Ralph Lauren Sport, Marshalls
Skirt: Vineyard Vines
Shoes: Antonio Melani, Dillard's Clearance Center
Bracelet: Premier

I know I have already shared my deep love and affection for the Dillard's Clearance Center. I really need to stop going because I keep finding lovely things I just *have* to have! I bought these lovely flats for $23! They were originally $80. I love a good deal!

Here is a close up:



The leather is buttery. Also, love the gold buckle detail!

In other shopping news, I finally received my Lands End Canvas order. Overall I was fairly satisfied. J's tshirts and Heritage button down were just perfect on him. The Heritage Cardi was TTS and I loved the color I selected (Cherry). The coral tshirt was also soft and had a good fit.

The only two disappointments were:

(1) The sailboat shorts were too big yet the pocket puckered.
(2) The boatneck tee was made for a taller person. The neckline was so severe that it was like a off the shoulder shirt on me!

I plan to return them to LE, however do you think I should just sell on eBay?

Wednesday 7.21

We stayed up late to watch the Orioles in extra innings. This caused a rough morning and I couldn't bear the thought of putting an outfit together. So bring on the jeans! We fund raise A LOT at work and one of those is "Pay a Buck to wear Jeans". $1 is a small price to pay for my laziness!



Shirt: Ross
Jeans: ATL outlet
Shoes: Michele D, Dillards
Necklace: Premier
Earrings: Local Boutique

Tuesday 7.20

Classroom Chic is a blog a recently discovered. She has a really cute sense of style! She has been finding a lot of good deals at Ross, which inspired me to drop by yesterday. I tried on 4 or 5 dresses and decided on the one I'm wearing today!



Dress: London times, Ross
Shoes: Jessica Simpson, TJ Maxx
Necklace: Premier

Here is a pic with a cardi from ATL thrown on. It's chilly in my office!



I actually made i home before J today, so I got to take his picture!



Shirt: J Crew
Jeans: Banana Republic
Shoes: Clark's

Don't forget to check out my shoes here and let me know if you want them :)

Sugar Doll!

Thanks to Adrienne for this lovely honor :) I "met" Adrienne through a Monogram swap on Teddi's blog!

As part of this award, I need to list 10 things about myself (although I may throw in some stuff and J and I both!) and give this to 10 bloggers. Here goes!

(1) Everything I learned about dinner parties and general entertaining, I learned from my mom, my MIL, Ina Garten and Martha Stewart!

(2) I am fascinated by prep school, boarding school and all-girls schools--which is why I love the movie All I Wanna Do

(3) Both J and my college mascots are coastal animals. Mine is an Osprey; His is a Terrapin.

(4) I love salty/sweet snacks, like chocolate covered pretzels or popcorn.

(5) I love word games. My current favorite is "Words with Friends"!

(6) My first job was a sales clerk at a Hallmark store. J's first job was as a vet tech!

(7) J and I decorate our home with photographs and artwork from the places we've traveled to. My favorite is Chicago Love.

(8) I worked for the largest advertising company in Chicago. I watched Lifehouse, Trisha Yearwood, and The Donnas, among others, audition for commercials. We also had free beer and all the magazines we could carry. It was heaven.

(9) Much like some gals own clothes they have never worn, we own movies we've never watched. One day...!

(10) J likes covers while I prefer to sleep with one leg out!

I hereby nominate the following lovely bloggers:

LolaGeek
Be Thou A Knight
The Beloved Wife
Everyday Adventures of Me
What Andie Wears
Classroom Chic
Gingersnap to it
Excavating K's Closet
Taylor Wears Everything
Fab Finds Under 50

Monday 7.19 + Shoes for sale!

I haven't worn the lavender/grey combo in a while. However I was inspired by many of you last week! Thanks for the inspiration!



Cardi: Merona, Target
Blouse: Mossimo, Target
Skirt: Old Navy, thrifted from when I lived in Chicago
Shoes: Bandolino, TJ Maxx
Necklace: Forever XXI
Earrings: World Market

These shoes are super cute. However my left foot does not like these shoes! My pinky toe is smushed! So rather that hold onto these shoes, I thought I would see if anyone out there would be interested in purchasing these for $15.00. They are a 7.5. They were purchased from TJ Maxx last fall for $39.99. Grey snakeskin. Heel is around 2.5 inches. Again, love them! They have been worn probably 5 times, tops. Let me know in the comments if you are interested!

Close up pics below....

Friday 7.16

Stripes and Converse Sneakers. Two of my favorite things!!



Shirt: Ralph Lauren Sport, Marshalls
Cardi: ATL
Jeans ATL outlet
Sneakers: Converse
Headband: Tommy Hilfeger outlet

I love how cute this headband is. However I got a wicked headache because of it midway through the day. Oh well--the sacrifices we make for cuteness!

Lands' End Canvas and Dillard's Clearance

For my fellow preppy fashion friends, I hope you had a chance to check out the awesome sale at Lands' End Canvas! There were so many items at 50% off, both for men and women! I picked up some items for me and J. Can't wait! I bought:

For me
Crewneck tshirt - $6.99 - in Coral Blush
Striped shirt - $4.99
Heritage Cardigan - $20.99 - in Cherry
Shorts - $12.99 - In True Navy Sailboats
Elbow length shirt - $12.99

For J
Heritage Poplin Shirt - $16.99 - in True Cobalt Gingham
2 Heritage V neck shirts - $6.99 each - in Woodland Pine and Deep Sapphire

Such great deals to be had!

For my Southern readers, you have surely heard of Dillard's. Well we have a Dillard's clearance center, 10 minutes from my work. Can we say DANGEROUS?? This location is the size of a regular Dillard's department store. However EVERYTHING is 70%+ off! The items come from different regional stores. You never know what you are going to find. When I went today, I saw the following:

* Maggy London dresses *
* Lilly Pulitzer dresses, capris, pants and skirts *
* Suzy Chin dresses *
* Ralph Lauren, DKNY, Anne Klein and more! *

I ended up buying an adorable sweater dress that retailed for $69. It was mine for the low low cost of $15!! I purchased it for our vacation to Boston in November!

Wednesday 7.14 and Thursday 7.15

I really should have worn some red with this dress! It would have been a cute way to commemorate Bastille Day! Viva le France!

Here is Wednesday's outfit:



Dress: Merona, Target--A Fashion blogger favorite!
Shoes: Jessica Simpson, TJ Maxx
Necklace: American Eagle keys, Premier chain
Earrings: Premier

Here is a close-up of the accessories:



And for Today. Sorry the picture is fuzzy!!



Cardi: Bealls
Top: Ross Dress for Less
Capris: Ann Taylor
Shoes: Nine West, Ross Dress for Less
Earrings: Stein Mart

The next post will highlight some of the awesome deals I've bought this week!

Tuesday 7.13

I felt like I was on an episode of "Minute to Win It" when I was getting ready this morning. I totally slept in and barely had time to get myself together before flying out the door. Luckily, this dress is very easy to throw on and look like I put a bit of effort in it! I have to admit, J is more put together than me today!



Dress: Ann Taylor outlet
Cardi: ATL
Shoes: Bandolino, TJ Maxx
Necklace: Starfish, Premier
Earrings: Local Boutique
Bracelet: Forever XXI



Shirt and Pants: J Crew
Socks: Banana Republic
Shoes: Desert Boots, Clarks

Monday 7.12

After the hard rains last night, I decided I needed a little sunshine!



Dress: Ronni Nicole, Bealls
Shoes: Jessica Simpson, TJ Maxx
Necklace: Premier

Today was especially excited as we booked tickets for our trip to Boston! I'm so excited! Looking forward to seeing how Andie's trip went--I could sure use the tips!

Splurge vs. Steal

I adore Rachel Leigh jewelry! I was gifted this lovely bracelet in Kelly Green by one of my closest friends. I plan to save up and purchase another bracelet, as I love the dainty yet vibrant nature of her pieces. However, while on a Forever XXI accessory run, I spotted the following:



Forever XXI: $4.80 (!!!!!)

Doesn't it look similar to this one?



Rachel Leigh: $72, As seen here

I still plan to buy a Rachel Leigh bracelet soon, but this will definitely be a nice piece to hold me over!

Sunday 7.11

We had brunch with good friends today. Brunch was the perfect opportunity to debut my new skirt, purchased yesterday! This skirt was a total accident. I parked at Belk's to cut through on my way to Ann Taylor Loft. As I was walking through, I saw a big Lilly Pulitzer sign. I was AMAZED to see at least 15 racks of Lilly--dresses, skirts, tops etc etc. Even better, half these racks had either a 60% off or 40% off sign!!! Aside from my Ruelala Lilly purse purchase and my polo shirt from TJ Maxx, Lilly is just out of my price range. However, on sale? It is much more attainable! The skirt is regularly priced at $118.00, as seen here. It was 60% off at Belk, so after tax, it was just at $50. Score! Good thing as the ATL sale was a disappointment. I also stopped by GAP, which has been disappointing me for several years now.



Cardi: ATL
Shirt: Mossimo Black, Target
Skirt: Lilly Pulitzer
Sandals: Merona, Target

J was looking especially cute today! I love when he wears Navy Blue. That combines with the seersucker shorts, Sperrys and 5 oclock shadow? Swoon!



Polo: J Crew
Shorts: Izod, Belk
Shoes: Sperry Top Siders

Off to enjoy the rest of my Sunday!!

Friday 7.9

Almost a year later, I'm still excited to wear jeans on Friday! My last job was very conservative so jeans were never, EVER allowed!



Cardi: Talbots outlet
Top: Willi Smith, TJ Maxx
Jeans: ATL
Shoes: Naturalizer

After work, I headed out of town to visit my bff from high school. I switched my shoes to starfish Tommy Hilfegar flip flops. We had a great time!!!

On another note, I really would like to thank all fashion bloggers out there. I would have NEVER worn these high heeled sandals with jeans before until I was inspired by all of you! Thanks for challenging me to rethink my wardrobe and take risks!

Thursday 7.8

I love the leaf pattern on this dress! Like many of my blogging friends, I'm a fan of dresses and especially of jersey dresses! They help make the hot summer a bit more bearable!



Dress: Dress Barn
Cardi: ATL
Shoes: Bandolino
Necklace: Premier

I originally planned on wearing the below outfit, but it begged for a slip or pettipant as I was rockin' some major VPL in this dress!



Dress: Don't remember brand but from Ross

I'm very excited as tomorrow night I'll be visiting one of my best friends! J will be a bachelor for the night!

Wednesday 7.7

I think I'm more excited that J is wearing his new shorts than I am about my own outfit :) I wore my new wedges today. I got a lot of compliments on them from co-workers. However they kept rubbing my big toe on both feet the wrong way! I hope this will go away once I break them in!



Shirt: Antillia Femme, via Marshall's
Capris: Jones NY, via Ross
Shoes: Madison, via Belk
Necklace: Liz Clairborne



Shirt: J Crew
Shorts: Izod, on super super sale at Belk's for $10!!!
Belt: Clark's
Shoes: Sperrys

Tuesday 7.6

I couldn't wait to wear the new blue and yellow dress plus my new Bandolino shoes! The ornamentation on the neckline is a lot so wearing a necklace with this would have been overkill, in my opinion! I kept it simple with some stud earrings.



Dress: Ruby Rd, via Dillard's --on super sale!!!
Shoes: Bandolino, via TJ Maxx
Earrings: My disco balls from a local boutique

I tried to take a picture while at work, since the home pic covered the neckline. I wear a cardigan at work most days since it stays very chilly in our office!



Cardigan: Merona, via Target

Looking forward to wearing my new wedges tomorrow!

Monday 7.5

I hope you all had a great holiday! On Saturday, I hit up the 4th of July sales with my expert bargain shopping Mom. Nothing my mom loves more than a bargain--so you can guess I inherited that trait! We went to 3 department stores: Belk's, Dillard's and JC Penney's. My mom typically shops for clothes and linens not just for her and my dad, but for a lot of our family still in the Philippines. She scored some great deals! She also gifted me a few items below:



On sale at Belk's for $15. Regular price $60! They were 50% off then Belk's had an additional 50% off on al their sale items! Thanks for Andie for the tip on the awesome sale at Belk's! My mom also bought J a pair of seersucker light blue shorts. I'm sure he will be debuting them on here soon :). They were regularly $50, on sale for $10!!!



This dress was on sale at Dillard's for $20.99. It was already marked down to $29.00 then We got an additional 30% off! Thanks to Kari for the tip on the Dillard's sale!!

Yesterday, we spent the 4th with friends for a BBQ/Lawn Game Olympics. It was so much fun! We did not fare so well, but it was fun! We played Cornhole, Washer Pitching (also known as "holey"), and Fricket. There was also Ladder Ball (or Ladder Golf) but I didn't try that one!

Today has been very low-key, by design. We're just watching TV and playing "Words with Friends" against each other. I'm reading "Love Walked In" by Maria de los Santos right now, on and off throughout the day. I did make it out to run a quick errand, so I actually have an Outfit of the Day!



Polo: Lilly Pullitzer, via TJ Maxx
Skirt: ATL
Sandals: Payless
Purse: Lilly Pullitzer, via Rue lala

My errand involved me going to Micheal's to purchase a frame. I can't help but stop by the dollar section. They have some great finds! I got these two journals for $1 a piece. I like to keep a journal in my purse to jot down lists, notes etc.



I'm going to enjoy the rest of my 3-day weekend! I hope you all are doing the same :)

Friday 7.2 (Day + evening) PLUS my "remixed" earrings

Before I post my outfit(s) of the day, I wanted to share the outcome of my earring modification. A few days ago, I wore the gold dangly Stella & Dot inspired earrings. They were just too long for my short neck! Anyway, I decided to modify them a bit to work with my neck a little more. Let me know what you think!



On to the outfits!

Friday- Daytime


Polo: Vineyard Vines, via 6pm.com
Jeans: ATL
Shoes: Sperrys
Earrings: "Pearl" studs, Kohls

I was definitely very relaxed at work today! I think I like my nighttime outfit a bit more...



Cardi: ATL
Shirt: Willi Smith, via TJ Maxx
Jeans: ATL
Sandals: Nine West
Earrings: Dangly blue earrings, Stein Mart (see last week's earring post for a close up pic)

I love my blingy sandals! I bought them back in February on super sale on Nine West's website! Here is a close up.



Hope you all have a happy Holiday weekend!

Thursday 7.1 (OOTD and Shopping Haul!)

Well, I fell off the shoe wagon. Or did I get BACK on the shoe wagon. Nonetheless, I bought a pair of shoes today.

But before debuting my new shoes and more, here is my outfit of the day!



Cardi: Merona, via Target
Shirt: Spense, via Marshalls
Pants: NY & Co
Shoes: Naturalizer
Earrings: My disco ball earrings from a local boutique

Now onto the shopping! I recently placed my first order on 6pm.com. I purchased this lovely pink Vineyard Vines polo for $23.



I had been striking out at TJ Maxx lately. I would wander around, try a few things on and leave empty handed. Well, I certainly made up for it over the past 2 days!

Yesterday, I bought this Lilly Pullitzer Polo, on clearance for $22



Today, I went back to TJ Maxx to see if I could find polos for MRM. I struck out on finding her polos, however I did score the following deals.

Willi Smith, on clearance for $16

This piece will integrate easily into my wardrobe. It will be pretty versatile and match up with a variety of skirts and pants.

And now, the shoes! I have been scouring the internet for a pair of open toed, black heels. I own a pair of Anne Klein peep toe wedges, which are super cute. However they are a half size too big. Not sure what I was thinking when I bought then--my feet must have been super swollen! I plan to give these to my sister. These lovely heels will be a heavily used part of my wardrobe!

Bandolino, TJ Maxx for $29.99!





Hmm, I wonder if Taylor owns these already :) She does share my love for Bandolino shoes!!