Belting it Out

Okay. This belt. 

Clearly, this belt and I are having some issues. 

I don't know how to wear this belt. When I wear it like this, it kind of hangs under my belly and gives me a beer gut.

Not a fan of that look.

Okay, so let's move it up the waist and try it on one of my thinner sections of torso.

Eh.

I don't like this so much either- see how it's kind of causing the sweater to ride up there just under the buckle?

And I don't like how the necklace is almost hitting the buckle either.

Okay, I put the sweater back in its place, but I'm still not sold on this.

Wearing:

- teal Banana Republic shawl front sweater, Goodwill Outlet

- necklace, gift from sister-in-law

- teal dangly stone earrings

- annoying wide brown belt, Kohl's

- brown skirt, Goodwill Outlet

- brown tights

- brown boots

Necklace close-up.

Put the belt back to Position A and added a jacket and sunglasses. I look sooooo cooool. 

And I'm glaring at my belt again. GAH!

And this is the face I make when I FINALLY find the right position for the belt, but I have already spent way too long on this dumb photo shoot. 

Curse you, brown belt.

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Dressy at 17 Degrees

Still trying to get all these winter posts done, because spring is (hopefully) right around the corner!

On the day I wore this it was 17 degrees outside when I got my kids on the bus at 8 am. I had my Institute of Religion (scripture study) class that day, which I usually try to dress nicely for, and so I had the challenge of wearing something that was both dressy and would keep me warm. 

Wearing:

- Calvin Klein coat, TJ Maxx a few years ago (I love this coat. It is completely lined in soft faux fur and it is SO warm)

- black short sleeve cowl neck sweater, Goodwill Outlet

- black turtleneck (under the sweater), Victoria's Secret

- black & gray pinstripe skirt

- black leggings

- gray Fergie boots

- silver multi-strand necklace, Sammy Dress

- silver hoop earrings

- plaid newsboy cap, TJ Maxx (actually bought this the same day as the coat- I was extra warm)

- silver & red cuff bracelet

Whenever I see a photo of me in this hat with my head down, I feel like I'm channeling Michael Jackson.

Cute, comfy, and warm. My three favorite things to be.

Later that day when I got home, I changed out the skirt, leggings, and gray boots for a pair of jeans and my black suede boots.

All ready to go out again!

Am I the only one who places such a high priority on being warm in the winter? I HATE to be cold!!

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Eskimo Boots for a Snowy Day

This outfit was one of my snowy day ensembles from back in January. (I'm running out of winter here, so I  need to get all these old winter outfit posts done!) 

Please ignore the crazy hair. Thank you.

Wearing:

- tan cowl neck sweater (Goodwill Outlet)

- brown turtleneck (Victoria's Secret)

- pocket watch pendant necklace (Sammy Dress- I need to take a close-up of that one sometime- it opens up and everything, really pretty!)

- dark wash skinny jeans

- suede & faux fur boots (Goodwill Outlet- TWO BUCKS, BABY!)

- Magic Scarf (I thought it needed a little extra color)

I wore this (plus a coat) when I walked the kids down to a neighbor's house to play in the snow. You can see that the toe of one of the boots is a little bit darker- still wet from walking in the snow!

And then there was this.

You see what I have to deal with.

Ahem.

It was a cold, snowy day, but it was finished off with this gooorgeous sunset! 

What do you wear out in the snow?

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Hot Date

My "Valentines Vixen" look. Ya dig it?

(Ugh, sorry about the terrible quality of these photos- nighttime and I was in a hurry!)

This is what I wore to go out with my sweetheart for Valentines Day. We went to a Hibachi place where they cooked all the food in front of us. YUM!

And yes, I am actually wearing makeup. Eyeshadow and lipstick even. 

Wearing:

- sheer black chiffon batwing top w/rhinestone detail, Goodwill Outlet

- black elbow-length sleeve tee, Marshall's (underneath)

- silver multi-strand necklace, Sammy Dress

- dark wash skinny jeans

- gray Fergie boots

- silver rhinestone drop earrings

- silver bracelet

And this post's photo bomb is courtesy of not a toddler, but my brother, Erik, who is acting like a toddler. Thanks, bro.

(He thinks it's hilarious that I take pictures of myself in the various outfits I wear.) 

But let's just take a moment to really appreciate that lovely "Homeless Man" style he's sporting. 

Wearing:

- Old army green wool trench coat

- jeans

- mud boots

- 5 o'clock shadow

Yes, clearly fashion sense runs in the family.

But he did come over to babysit all the kids so my hubby and I could go out, so I can't complain too much. And he's very funny.

And a close-up of one of the gorgeous roses my sweetie brought me on Valentine's Day. Been nearly 12 years and he's still romantic. ;-)

What do you like to wear for a night out?

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A Special Day

Wearing:

- skirt, Shabby Apple (it has POCKETS! Luuurve skirts with pockets!!!)

- white button-up blouse, Victoria’s Secret

- black cardigan, Victoria’s Secret

- black tights

- black suede Candies pumps, Kohl's

- faux pearl necklace, Kohl’s (I think)

- Grandma's pearl bracelet

It was a BIG day around here because my oldest girl got BAPTIZED into the Church of Jesus Christ of  Latter-day Saints! Yippee!

I decided to go totally clean, classic, and sophisticated for the occasion, so I knew pearls would be involved. I also knew it was the perfect occasion to wear my pumps because they are 1-hour shoes. (You know how shoes have a time limit, right? Inversely proportional to how amazing they look- the more amazing the shoe, the shorter the time limit.) Well, these babies are gorgeous but I hardly ever get to wear them because they can’t make it through 3 hours of church or even a night out.

Here’s another shot of them that I took on the day I got them. Because they were just so beautiful. Are they not the most perfect black pumps ever? I mean, I got size 10 clodhoppers and they make those suckers look GOOD. 

Ack. I just love them.

A shot from the back so you can see the hair, but I noticed that with the flash on you can see how thin the sweater is! That's actually one of my favorite things about that cardigan though, and you can't see through it like that in normal lighting.

Just a rope braid into a bun. About 3 minutes. Nice. Polished. Chic. Please ignore the gray. 

*sigh*

But I loved THIS even more than my shoes. Congratulations my beautiful girl!

So, do any of your shoes have short time limits? 

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Spring in February

Something very exciting happened one Saturday evening. 

I checked the weather report and saw a "6" at the beginning of the high temperature for the next day. 

A SIX!

Clearly, it was a cause for celebration (even Paper Bag came back for the occasion).

This is me studying legs that are seeing the light of day for the first time in months. I shaved. It's a big deal, believe me. Just ask my husband.

I accidentally closed my eyes on this one but it almost works, so I kept it. It's, like, whimsical or something.

Okay, wearing:

- lace top by Mudd, bought just this month (with a birthday gift card) at Kohl's on clearance for $3.80. I am really really hoping to find a white or cream shirt to go underneath it that has the exact same shape- it has a gorgeous scoop neck AND back and elbow-length sleeves, and I would love to wear it in the summer. Until then I can layer it with other stuff to make it work.

- cream cardigan with lace trim at the bottom (also from Kohl's)

- pink/white/tan striped skirt bought several, several years ago- it's kind of chevron which is really in right now.

- tan (nude? cream?) satin slingbacks- also old- which I adore because they are the perfect shoe for when you want to wear something springy but it's just too early in the year for white shoes (I'm traditional that way)

- my grandmother's pearl bracelet, which I love because I have freakishly small wrists and so did she so it's the only bracelet I've ever owned (other than bangles and cuffs) that I've never had to shorten.

- a goooorgeous (if I do say so myself) bird necklace from Kohl's purchased the same day as the lace top- I almost didn't buy this but it was just so sweet and only $3.80 and it's one of those things that you just know people are going to think is so pretty because...well, because it is. It just made me happy.

See? Birdie happiness right there. :-)

And then I let my 4-year-old take a photo. 

:-) 

If it were in the 60's on a Sunday in winter where you live, what would you wear?

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The Snow Queen (or, Happy Birthday AGAIN!)

Wearing:

- white cardigan from Kohl's (several years ago)

- white embroidered 3/4 sleeve henley, Goodwill Outlet

- jeans

- Fergie boots

- pearls & crystals necklace, a gift

- silver scarf, a gift

- bracelets from Sammy Dress

So, I finally had a chance to make up the birthday lunch with my daughter at school, and once again I was going for a slightly magical look.

I kept the jeans & boots (well, different jeans) but I changed up the top. 

In fact, I've never put these two pieces together before- this cardigan is one I usually wear in the summer. I had actually bought it in preparation for a trip to the Bahamas. But I thought it worked out nicely, and it gave me the excuse to wear...

...this! It's sparkly. And it's pretty. And it looks really cool with the button-up top because that top has silver threads running through it.

I felt very royal. Suitable company for my own little princess, who was delighted to see me when I came for lunch, especially because I brought Grandpa (my dad) with me as a surprise!

:-)

The Keeping It Real moment of the day: I just about died laughing when I saw this photo afterward because it seriously looks like I'm examining my belly button. 

My toddler would be so proud.

Do you ever feel like dressing like royalty?

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Short & Sweet

Wearing: 

- black turtleneck from Victoria’s Secret

- cute floral dress harvested from the Goodwill Outlet (maybe cost me 50 cents? SCORE!)

- black skirt worn underneath dress to give it a little extra length, also from Goodwill Outlet (DOUBLE SCORE!)

- black leggings from Kohl’s a couple years ago

- black boots 

- bracelets from Sammy Dress

- cool gold and pink rock pendant necklace from (I think) Ann Taylor- it was a gift from my sister

- pink beaded earrings

Okay, first let’s address the big issue here. The Brown Paper Bag. Did he get in a fight? I mean, he’s not looking so hot here. All of his little plastic baggies are about to spill out all over the place. He really needs to get himself together.

Next, the boots. Old, but the most comfortable shoe with a heel that I own. 

Finally, the skirt under the dress- I am a Mormon, so modesty is key- all skirts to the knee! (Hey, that rhymed!) I’ve decided that I like the layered look of wearing a fuller skirt under a shorter dress, so that’s what I did. 

In the spring I wear this dress with a short-sleeve black tee underneath, and maybe with a black cardigan. I keep the leggings and pair it with black ballet flats. Very chic.

Only two pics today.

Okay, okay, you got me. It’s really only one because I cropped the first one to get this one. I had just gotten home from church and I was hungry. I wanted lunch.

But hey, at least you get a great close-up of my bracelets and my long piano fingers which do not ever play the piano because I don’t know how.

What do you think about the skirts-under-dresses thing? Think you’ll try it?

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Wuuuuv, Twoooo WUUUV!

Happy Valentines Day, friends!

I teach the music to the children at church, so last Sunday I prepared a Valentines-themed lesson. I am much like Ms. Frizzle (if you don't know who she is, you must have had a very sad childhood) in that I often like to dress to match my lessons, so I went with PINK this week!

And of course because it was cold I had to do boots and tights.

Like the flower in my hair? ;-)

Wearing:

- pink cashmere/silk sweater, Victoria's Secret

- black scoop neck tee underneath

- floral skirt, Goodwill (this skirt is crazy comfortable- it has a smocked waistband and double layers of a lovely thin cotton- very froofy- I wear it all the time in the summer)

- black tights

- black boots

- pink earrings & necklace

- flower hair clip made by me

Happy Valentines Day!

What did you wear to celebrate twoooo wuuuuv?

Have you noticed that [Wearing My] Art on My Sleeve is not like other style blogs out there? Click here to find out how it was born and why it's so weird...