And the Oscar goes to........

I am a little under the weather so no outfit post for me today but I thought I would share with you the pieces of Target's upcoming re-release of Go International dresses that I want to snatch up this time around!










This is my first time participating in the FBFF Questions of the Week! I am very excited!

This week is the Blogger Awards!!

Here are the categories & my nominations!

1. Creative Juices: Work Your Closet Jamie is awesome at recreating a look she loves using the pieces of clothing she already has in her wardrobe. I typically covet designer outfits I see in magazines and think "I could never afford that awesome outfit. Poor me!". But seeing Jamie recreate a look, it gives me inspiration to do the same thing!

2. The Real Deal: Miss Vinyl Ahoy I love Suze's blog. She is very real. I like that she isn't afraid to speak what's on her mind and bring items of interest to the forefront (like the ModCloth/Forever 21 phenomenon.)

3. Spark Notes: Money Smart Fashion I really enjoy reading Grace's blog. She posts a lot of helpful financial and budgeting information, which I love. I am an accountant but I am not the best at creating a personal budget. She has helped me see it is possible to pay down debt quickly.

4. Newbie: In Kinsey's Closet I found Kinsey's blog through the fall 30 for 30 challenge and I have been following her posts ever since. I love this lady's style. She mixes colors so well and her outfits are chic and work appropriate.

5. Can You Hear Me Now: The Auspicious Life To me, Linda just seems like the typical All-American gal. She is very involved in the blogging community plus she helped develop Everybody, Everywear. Which, in my opinion is a genius idea.

6. If I Had A Hammer: A Pretty Penny Keira posts amazing DIY's. Her latest idea: she used a feather duster to give a completely new look to an old purse! Fabulous! I never in a billion years would have came up with that idea.

7. Tribe Leader: Kendie Everyday Kendie's blog is the first style blog I started reading. Her blog is the reason for my new obsession. There is no doubt about it, she really can rally the troops. Plus her outfits are amazing and she is ridiculously funny.

8. Practically Perfect: The Daybook This was another no-brainer. Sydney always looks amazingly flawless. I love everything that girl wears. I am sure if she wore a potato sac I would go buy a potato sac dress the next day. Do you blame me?

9. Paint By Numbers: Temptalia I don't follow many beauty bloggers but I could spend hours watching tutorials and reading reviews on this blog.

10. Renaissance Woman: Jen Loves Kev Jen is awesome. Not only does she have amazing clothes, she also posts yummy recipes and adorable updates of her daughter, Rowan.

I get sooo much awesome inspiration from all of these ladies I nominated. There are sooo many awesome bloggers out there and these are only a few!

Twice The Fun

shirt: Forever 21; pants: Loft; shoes: Anne Klein; necklace: Anna @ JcPenney's

I really feel in love with this gold necklace when I saw it. I thought this simple sweater was the perfect way to show it off. I wore this outfit on Saturday running errands with my Mom.

top: Loft; cords: Gap; boots: Old Navy; necklace: My Fair Ladee via etsy

I thought of this outfit yesterday and I was really excited to wear it! Two of my favorite colors, purple and mustard yellow! I am not one to shy away from the occasional bright, colorful outfit. The cords are super comfy. I love them. I wish I had purchased them in additional colors.

I do have a tank on underneath the sweater. Anytime I wear a lower rise pant (especially at work) I wear a tank to provide a little more backside coverage when I sit down.

I went to the gym tonight and my foot didn't bother me at all! Yay! Granted I stuck with low impact exercises but I was so glad to be back at the gym. I am not myself when I go without exercise for a week!

Foot Loose

top: Express (thrifted); jeans: Banana Republic Outlet; shoes: Aldo; scarf: TJ Maxx; belt: Charlotte Russe

I have really been digging the red and purple combos I have been seeing other bloggers wear this week. Since I didn't include the necessary items in my 30 to try out the look I decided to wear red and purple accessories together. The combo is just so pretty!

I am really itching to workout. Earlier this week I woke up with an excruciating pain in my left foot. Walking was painful and I could not bend my foot so basically I had to walk like I had a peg leg. The next day my foot was not any better so I went to the doctor. The doc took x-rays and thankfully I didn't have a fracture. The doc said I have tendinitis. So she gave me an anti-inflammatory and told me to ice my foot 4 times a day. Soft tissue can take up to 12 weeks to fully heal. I can start working out again once the pain go away as long as whatever I do doesn't aggravate my foot. I haven't worked out in almost a week and I am getting antsy. Hopefully tomorrow I can get back to the gym. I don't want to lose any of the progress I have made in the past month.

Through The Looking Glass

I really like this GAP dress. I got it for 40% off $40 at GAP. I love a good sale! I wanted to add a little more color to the outfit so I put on purple tights I bought at Target. Looking at these tights now, I am disappointed with the saturation of color. I guess for $5 I can't expect much. Yes, I broke the shopping ban. I needed black tights so I ordered a pair from We Love Colors and since it makes more sense to buy more than one item when you pay flat rate shipping I ordered the lilac tights as well. After I saw Suze wear them, I knew I had to have a pair. You forgive me, right?

Speaking of sales, all video rental stores on my side of town have either went out of business or are in the process of going out of business. I do love my Netflix but sometimes Netflix doesn't get a movie until 30 days after it is actually released and that's when I make a trip to the local video store. Because the last store near my house is going out of business I was able to buy Big Fish and Alice in Wonderland (Tim Burton's version) on blu-ray for cheap. I will keep checking back for deeper discounts on merchandise until they close. Blu-rays are soooo expensive when you buy them new. ($20 - $30 is expensive to me. Especially since DVD prices have gone down drastically in the past few years.) Oh, can you tell that I am a Tim Burton fan?

dress: Gap

cardigan: TJ Maxx

tights: Target

shoes: Aldo

necklace: NY&Co

earrings: don't remember

Snakes On A Skirt

top: Loft; skirt: NY & Co (thrifted); belt: Forever 21; bracelet: Charlotte Russe; shoes: Aldo; tights: crap via TJ Maxx

I experimented a little with using the flash when I took these pics. The pic on the left is no flash and the pic on the right is with flash. There are positives and negatives about both. If I had more professional editing tools, I am sure I could light the no flash pics in a way that I liked. Right now I just use PhotoScape. At the moment I don't have the funds to purchase Photoshop.

I really like this blouse. I bought it the weekend before the challenge started at The Loft. They had 30% all regular priced merchandise. I needed a nice, white blouse and this one is perfect!

My little dog, chewed a hole in my only pair of black tights. So I broke the rules and bought another pair. I couldn't go 20 without black tights so I went to TJ Maxx. I thought I would be able to find a quality pair there without spending a lot. Apparently, they get rid of their tights after Christmas because they only had one pair left in my size. This pair was on clearance for $4 so I bought them. Well before lunch, I had a large tear in the inside of my thigh. By the end of the day, the tear ran up from my knee to the top of my leg. Awful! So I am going to order a pair from We Love Colors. I am going to order a pair of the MicroFiber Solid Color Tights in black and a pair of the Solid Color Tights in black. I wear tights pretty much year round so I don't want the MicroFiber tights to be so thick I can't wear them to work in the summer. This will be my test of We Love Colors. I hope they are as great as everyone says!

Week 2 Round-Up

Here is a review of my outfits from week 2. Getting dressed was still very easy this week. I'd say after week 3 I will need to get creative. (One week = 5 days because I say so.) Although there are still a few things I haven't worn yet.

Which do you like best?

Wandering Eyes

Wow, my hair look gothic dark here. I'm not really sure why. My hair is not this dark. It is an optical allusion. Makes sense right?

I got a LOT of stares today. Were my blue/gold shorts too much for these conservative Southerns to handle? Maybe they were surprised I was wearing tights with my shorts. Who knows? The only thing I know is that I liked my outfit. :-) And I love these gold shoes even though they can be quite uncomfortable. I hope that eventually I will wear them in, right now they are a bit stiff.

top: Target
shorts: Anthropologie
shoes: Anne Klein
tights: Simply Vera @ Kohls
necklace: antique store in Charlotte

Venturing Out

This is my first attempt at outdoor outfit pics. Perhaps I chose the wrong time of day or perhaps I should have used the flash, either way the shadows are no fun. Plus the wind was wild and my hair looks crazy in about every photo I took. I was self conscious about taking these photos outside. Luckily, the park wasn't very crowded on Saturday. While the sun was shinning, it was still chilly out due to the strong wind. The geese weren't detered by the wind though.

In hindsight, I would have worn the sweater tucked in and the belt in the loop holes on the skirt. Oh well, every outfit can't be perfect. Actually, very few outfits are perfect.

sweater: American Eagle; skirt: Anthropologie; belt: American Eagle; boots: Old Navy; tights: Simply Vera @ Kohls; necklace: etsy

Valentine Gift Guide

I don't have a Valentine this year, so I am a bit sad. If I did have a Valentine, here are some items that I would like to give/receive.



Cute Vintage-looking Valentines






Cute Art (I love owls)





Cool T-Shirts

Statement Necklaces

Scarfs

Cufflinks

Beer Pints

Give Anxiety the Boot

I love these boots with skinny jeans or with dresses. I bought them early last year at Old Navy. These were such a good find. I love tall boots. I really want a pair of Intyce boots in cognac by Steve Madden. I get really nervous when I spend larger than normal amounts of money though. Eventually I will give in and buy them. Right now my anxiety is holding me back.

I am wearing another pashmina. This one is from H&M. I love H&M. Unfortunately, the closest store to me is in Atlanta. At the end of March, a friend and I are going to Atlanta for a showing of Kevin Smith's new movie Red State and while we are there we are going to go to H&M. I am very excited!!

sweater: New York & Co

jeans: American Eagle

belt: American Eagle

boots: Old Navy

scarf: H&M

bracelet: Charlotte Russe

earrings: etsy

Purple People Eater

My weight loss goals aren't progressing as planned. I have been eating very well and because of this I am confident the problem is with my exercise routine. So with the help of a friend, I have a new exercise plan. Less weights, more cardio. I'm crossing my fingers that this works.

I love these jeans. I got them at the Banana Republic Outfit. This is my new favorite pair of jeans. Also I love pashmina scarfs. So soft and silky. I am strange and don't like the feeling on certain fabrics on my skin and especially me face. For the longest time I wouldn't wear wool. I still have a dislike for fleece though. Yes, I am quite pecuilar.

I saw The King's Speech again. A friend of mine really wanted to see it and I really liked the movie, so I said I would see it again. The movie was still just as good the second time. I even cried again. I love Colin Firth. I am sure he is my future husband. The age difference doesn't matter to me.

sweater: Loft

jeans: Banana Republic Outlet

scarf: Urban Outfitters

bracelet: jewelry show

shoes: Aldo

Wheelin' and Dealin'

I wore my blazer yesterday, along with tons of other ladies for EBEW. Check out the website below for all the other bloggers that participated. I got this blazer for $7 at a consignment store. Yay! It is made of a stretchy sweatshirt-type material. I really love this blouse. I got it at Madewell for $15. It was originally $98. Score! When I bought it my friend Josh said, "$15 is still too much for that. You can see right through it." He is right. It is a sheer blouse but a tank underneath fixes that problem, silly boy.

Since Glee aired I hadn't missed an episode, until last night. I have a Tuesday night class and no DVR. Bummer. Guess I will be watching it online.

blouse: Eliot @ Madewell
blazer: Talbots (thrifted)
pants: Banana Republic (thrifted)
shoes: Anne Klein
necklance: etsy
bracelet: New York & Co

30 for 30 Challenge: Week 1

Yes, I wore my blazer today for EBEW but that post will come tomorrow. Tuesdays are my long day so I am beat and ready for bed. Here is a recap of my first 5 30 for 30 Challenge outfits. Enjoy! (I really like purple, huh?)

I'm Going To Stress Less

Today started off very stressful. I was overwelmed with school and work. Only three weeks into the semester and I was ready to call it quits all together. So I made a decision. I dropped one of my classes. Being a full time student and working full time was killing me. I was sleep deprived and due to the sleep deprevation I was an emotional wreck. Plus all of my school work wasn't getting done. So I kept getting further behind. Taking a little longer to get my degree and actually getting to learn in my classes is a much smarter thing to do. I hate that the money I spent on that class has went to waste but my sanity and health are much more important. It was a hard decision but I feel like it was the smart decision. Anyone else ever take on too much at once? Did you fight through it or give yourself some relief?

Can I say that I love these mustard cords. I bought them over a year ago at the Gap. They are definitely one of my favorite pairs of pants. Mustard yellow is my fave!

top: Express (thrifted)

scarf: Belk

cords: Gap

boots: Old Navy

ring: Charlotte Russe

Heads Will Roll

I don't watch football. Steelers, Packers all the same to me. I was excited to see the new episode of Glee that came on after the Superbowl. So far it hasn't disappointed. Brittany is the best dumb blonde ever. The only think missing is Kurt. I know he is still on the show but New Directions is missing a little somethin' without him. Very glad to have a little Glee back in my life.

Yesterday, I sepnt with day with my oldest nephew Gage. He turned 3 on January 31st. We went to a museum, ate ice cream, played outside, ate at a Mexican restaurant for dinner, and bought toys at Wal-Mart. Keeping up with a 3 year old is a lot of work but it was also a lot of fun.

shirt: Forever 21

tank: (not included in my 30 items): Target

jeans: American Eagle

necklace: Claire's

ring: etsy

bracelet: made by me in high school

shoes: Aldo

Dirty Bird

This is my "neutral" look. I added a little color with my earrings though. I really love getting fun earring from Forever 21. Not only are they really inexpensive but they also provide a little jazz to a seemingly colorless outfit.







I love this poncho. I was eyeing it at American Eagle for months. It was originally $49.50 (I think) and for the longest time it was still $30 (on sale). Sometimes I have trouble paying for things full price at the ole' Dirty Bird. (Dirty Bird is my loving name for American Eagle.) I worked at American Eagle for 6 years and it still stinks not getting the awesome discount. So a few weeks ago, I found it on sale for $17 and I snapped it right up. I love it. I could wear this poncho everyday.

shirt: Gap

poncho: American Eagle

jeans: Simply Vera @ Kohls

boots: Old Navy

earrings: Forever 21

ring: etsy

The Break Out Bandit

I think my skirt was a little shorter than I what I originally thought. Oh well, no one said anything to me at work. Maybe I got away with it because the majority of my legs were covered by either boot or by skirt. I found this cardigan when I was going through some containers I forgot I had. Yes, I forgot about some clothes I owned. I bought it when I was smaller so it is a little more open than it should be but I thought it looked okay. As of now I don't really have another gray cardigan so I wanted to include it in the challenge. If I don't love it after the challenge is over, I will take it to Plato's Closet to sell.

A woman who works out in the plant at the manufacturing company I work for asked me to do her taxes for her today! So, I officially have my first client. I always do my own taxes but I think everyone else in my family forgets that I am a legitimate accountant.

My dog, Cody, decided he wanted in on the daily outfit photo. I left the bottom lock of his kennel unlatched this morning by accident. I keep him up because he has separation anxiety and in the past he has been known to chew things up while I am gone. He managed to squeeze out but thankfully he did not destroy anything. My cousin takes him out in the afternoons for me on Tuesdays and Wednesday because I have school until 10pm so she made sure the kennel was securely shut when she left today. Guess I should be more careful.

cardigan: TJ Maxx

tank: Old Navy

skirt: Gap

tights: not sure

boots: Old Navy

Here I Go!

Surprisingly, I found time to post my first outfit tonight. I figured I wouldn't have time to post until Thursday. And I realize I should have my 30 items up by now but that post will have to wait. I read on twitter today that over 800 bloggers were participating. Wowzers. Last challenge I think there were around 300 (am I remembering correctly?) and I think I visited each blogger's page at least once. Not so sure that will happen this time considering my schedule. Although, any blogger that reaches out to me I will be sure to pay them a visit. At this point I don't have many readers so I feel that it is important to visit the blogs of those who do take the time to let me know what they think.

On another note, I am thinking about splurging on a Kuerig (sp?) coffee maker. Any reviews? Please tell me they are as amazing as they seem. I am going to need plenty of coffee this semester for those late nights and currently I do not have a coffee maker. So the $100 will be an investment in my future as a CPA, right?

I want to make a facebook page for my blog but I am not sure how to do that. Guess I will figure it out this weekend. I feel weird posting links to my blog on my personal facebook page. Silly, huh?

cardigan: American Eagle
tank: American Eagle
jeans: Banana Republic outlet
shoes: Anne Klein (thrifted)
necklace: Forever 21 (I think)
belt: Forever 21