Make New Friends and Keep the Old. . .

Dear Readers,

Me with "old" friends Maura and Corinne

I'm not sure how many of you were involved in Brownies or Girl Scouts. . . but if you were you may recognize the title of this post from a song often sung in those clubs. I was only a Brownie for a few short years, but the song rings as true and as clear in my memory as it did during my years in Troop 1148.

Another set of memories that still ring true and clear to me today are my memories of being a student at my alma mater. In a way, I recently was able to relive those memories in front of the freshman girls residence hall with two friends from college (Maura and Corinne) AND a new friend (Lorna) after drinking coffee and eating cinnamon rolls at the campus coffee shop with another new friend (Amanda)!

"Make new friends and keep the old"- check!

Here are a few photos that celebrate the old and the new

Me with Lorna, one of my "new" friends

I think I was losing my balance in this one. . . 

There we go!

Hair in face! 

(My) Retail Details:

Pearl Trio Bobby Pin: Anthropologie

Beneath the Surface Shell: Moulinette Soeurs from ANthropologie

Pink Cardigan: Anthropologie

Olive Green Stevie Cords: AG from Anthropologie

Hot Pink Metallic Shoes: Jessica Simpson from Bergner's

Green Jeweled Belt: Talbots (via my Mom)

What to Wear?: Help me Choose!

Hello Readers! Happy First Day of Fall!

I need your help! Tomorrow, I am attending the wedding of my dear friend (and former roommate and track teammate), Kerry. During recent moves over the past two months I've realized that I have WAY too many dresses, and decided not to buy a new dress for this occasion.

So. . . my dilemma is more of a surplus of options rather than a shortage. Will you help me pick a dress? The wedding begins at 2:00, so it's a late afternoon into evening affair. I want to be dressy but not too dressy. Do you know what I mean?

Here are the contenders, let me know what you think!:

The Mompos Dress- a bit summery. . . but such a blast to wear!

I love wearing this dress, but I fear that it is too casual and summery. But, maybe I could dress it up with tights, heels, and a different belt?

The Whirligig Dress in Dark Pink/Fuschia

The Whirligig Dress in Dark Orange

Oh the Whirligig Dress. . . this dress is so versatile and oh-so-comfortable! I think of it more as a teaching dress, but I think I could add some pizazz with the right accessories. But which color? The pink is so easy to wear with my coloring, but the orange looks so rich! Oh decisions!

My dark green silk straplesss dress from Banana Republic

I've had this dress in my wardrobe for quite some time (since 2008, I believe), but I can count the times I've worn this dress on one hand with digits to spare. This may sound silly, but I feel like Heidi Klum every time I wear this dress. Is this dress in or out?

Leave me a comment here or on facebook and let me know what to choose! Also, I will gladly welcome any styling suggestions!

Hoping for a chilly, rainy day. . .

Yes readers, you read the title of this post correctly- I am, indeed, hoping for a chilly, rainy day!

Now, before anyone jumps to conclusions (ie; this girl is crazy!), I should explain the reasons why I look forward to weather conditions such as the conditions described above.

1) In moderation, I enjoy rainy days- especially rainy days in the fall. I love how autumn leaves look in the rain; whether they are still hanging onto trees, falling to the ground, or resting in puddles. I love it!

2) I finally found THE perfect raincoat, a tan trench coat from Banana Republic. In 2008 I purchased my first trench coat (of a dark green hue) at the beginning of my semester abroad in Madrid and I fell in love with trench coats. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough room in my suitcases to bring the trench coat back with me to the US. Since then, I've searched high and low for a replacement.

Armed with a 30% off coupon, I found this item on bananarepublic.com a month ago. I actually tried on the trench coat at a Banana Republic store, but the sleeves were too short (this happens to me all the time). I went online that night, found the trench coat in tall sizes (thank you Banana!), and made my purchase.

Since its arrival, the trench coat has been sitting restlessly in my closet, waiting for a rainy day. Or- I should say- I have been waiting restlessly for a rainy day (or even a chilly, blustery day) to wear the trench coat. I am still waiting for such an occasion, so until then, posting a picture of the coat on this blog will have to suffice. Here is a picture of the front and back of the coat from the Banana Republic website. Enjoy!

(P.S. in addition to tall sizes, this coat also comes in petite and regular sizes)

Falling into Neutrals

Why Hello Readers!

Fall is here! Well, it's been here for a while officially- but the signs of fall are finally making their appearance in St. Louis. The leaves are changing, Starbucks has Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and the air is starting to adopt that wonderful crispness that I enjoy most about fall. (It's not the most popular thing to talk about, when talking about fall- but I love it!)

I have a tendency to wear neutrals- especially navy, grey, and white (a throwback to my days at Abercrombie), and I've tried to expand my palette of colors- but there are days where I go back to my comfort zone of colors that match almost everything and nearly anything. Monday was one of those days.

Silver, brown, khaki, charcoal, and tan- with a bit of blue to liven up the outfit. When I pick out items of clothing for an outfit I try to tell a story. (I even wrote a paper about narrative and fashion for a conference). The story of today's outfit is "an autumn amble at the beach." I see it- do you all see it? I imagine that this beach (upon which I would amble) would be a beach with rocks, dark sand, logs, and seashells. This is midterm week at SLU, so I've tried to put together outfits with soothing colors that tell relaxing stories (like this one).

So readers, what stories do you like to tell through your outfits?

PS- Here are the "retail details" of this outfit:

Silver bead necklace: American Eagle Outfitters (summer 2010)

Light blue pleated shirt: Banana Republic (at least 2 years ago)

Brown woven belt: Anthropologie (summer 2010)

Tan draped skirt: Anthropologie (summer 2010)

Charcoal tights: Macy's

Golden-tan almond-toed high heels: Calvin Klein, purchased on sale at Nieman Marcus

I bought It. . .

Hello Everyone,

Have you ever dreamt of the perfect jacket? Perhaps more than dreamt- have you ever imagined the cut, color, and details of a jacket that would suit you oh-so-perfectly? When you go to the mall, or browse the Internet, that jacket (or other item of clothing) is nowhere to be found, and you end up settling for something close to the masterpiece you once imagined.

Well, last Saturday, when I entered Anthropologie, I saw the jacket of my dreams - and after trying it on, I bought it. A cool, neutral, early tone of soft wool, lined in a fun print, and surrounded by ruffles and buttons and elegantly bursting with chic confidence. Let me introduce you to my once-imagined dream jacket, the Cream Confection Jacket from Anthropologie:

As the weather cools down in St. Louis, I will hopefully post pictures of me, wearing this gem of a jacket.

Well, I've found my dream jacket- what dream item of clothing is at the top of your shopping list this Fall?

The End of Summer and the Beginning of Fall (Semester)

While the summer season persists (with high temperatures and humidity), summer ended for me and many this week. Yes, summer is over and the school year is here. I've looked forward to the first week of school almost every year of my academic career, but this year I looked forward to this week for a new reason because this year I am teaching! This summer, I was able to work as a swim instructor (the best summer job!)- but this is my first time as an instructor at the college level. I am (only) a TA, but I get to teach 2 sections of Public Speaking this year. So far, I've had two sessions, and each of those sessions have gone really well! I'm sure that I'll talk about this more in the future, but I mention this change/opportunity as an explanation in some changes that you will see in my blog. In addition to the casual outfits I usually post, I will also post outfits that are more professional and work-appropriate. So. . . something new to look forward to!!!

In other news, I recently moved into a new apartment! This is another change that you may notice in my future posts. I feel much safer in my new apartment, and it is so much quieter- I love it!

More about this outfit that you see above and below. . . I believe that I took this picture when I first began packing. I should explain that the inner tubes (from Target) are used because I was deflating them, and I realized that they went well with my shirt; and the goggles (in the photo below, by Speedo) were in the same closet as the inner tubes. Because staying hydrated is an important summer priority, I also threw in a bottle of sparking raspberry-lime water from Trader Joe's. Everything else is fairly normal, but I thought explanations of the unusual items were needed- just in case any of you were concerned that I "lost my marbles" so to speak. Anyways, the first photo reflects my new favorite outfit. As August cools down, my jeans are marking more and more appearances with lightweight summer shirts that have been staple items of this summer. I could wear this outfit to dinner with friends, shopping, or even at a family get-together. Here's the run-down of this outfit:

Fake pearl earrings- Target

Rhinestone bib necklace- American Eagle Outfitters (currently on clearance for 7 dollars)

Pale blue, pleated, knit top- C. Keer (from Anthropologie)

White lace tank top- Aerie (Summer 2009)

Dark rinse skinny jeans- Abercrombie & Fitch ("Erin" fit)

Purple and blue flip flops- Ipanema (very, very comfortable!)

For those of you starting new semesters, preparing to start new semesters, and for anyone getting ready for the upcoming change in season- I wish you all fresh beginnings and renewed enthusiasm! And, as always, remember to stay hydrated!