The "I crave new shoes" switch got turned off inside me awhile ago. I used to veer to that section first, buy way too many, would get pairs that were too big or small if I liked them enough, etc. There were several instances where a shoe would be a few sizes to small for me, usually in my sister's size, and I forced her to buy them so I could live vicariously through her. Yeah. I loved shoes that much. Nowadays, I try to stick to the basics and wear the basics until they literally give out on me. I came to this point with the brown and black pairs of tall boots I bought over five years ago. The brown pair lost their heels. The black pair became so saturated with salt (Iowa life) I couldn't keep them clean anymore. I heard that Payless was going out of business across the country, including the one in our local mall. I thought this would be a great opportunity to find a deeply discounted pair of one or both of the tall boots I had to dispose of (RIP). If you've ever shopped for tall boots, you know they're not cheap. I was right! The current promotion they are running in store only right now is 20% of all shoes, 40% all tall boots. Score! I was able to snatch up these pairs: I wore the black pair to an event my organization had a booth at for 10 hours and they were very comfortable! I even walked on a good amount of ice in them and didn't fall. So I think that speaks volumes about the stability of the boot due to the heel's height and thickness! While at Payless, I of course checked out what else they had and ended up leaving with two pairs of shoes I had my eye on for a few months. A pair of slip on tennis shoes in a yummy burgundy shade: And this pair of booties that I'm not going to lie, I dreamt about. I had visions of me in these boots. I had to have them. They will help me fulfill all of my punk rock girl band fantasies (minus me actually being in a punk rock girl band part...). I'll wear these for the first time tonight for a girls' night and I can't wait to pair them with a pair of tight skinnies and a fitted biker jacket. This is the look I'm going for on girls' night: Also loving this option for work: And that's that. Check back in another 5+ years for the post where I share the new shoes I had to purchase because all of these pooped out on me!
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Joel labeled the outfit I'm sharing today as my "riding outfit." I see it! Thus the title. But unfortunately, no horses were ridden in this outfit. We were asked to dress "business casual" for our volunteer duties at the Grout Museum over the weekend, so this is what I came up with. An outfit that is young, comfortable, and as Joel pointed out, very "equestrian." The houndstooth blazer I have on is my tried and true. It is from H&M and has been one of my go-tos for probably a good eight years now. The reason I like it so much is so much is definitely the print and the cut. The print transitions really well from casual to professional. The cut adds shape to whatever outfit I'm wearing. I also machine washed it as needed and it has held up really well over time. I don't have the money to dry clean everything, so it's been nice to be able to wash it on my own. I paired the blazer with a navy blue, semi-sheer button up with a collar from Old Navy. The pants are black jeggings from Old Navy. The brown boots are ones you've seen before in previous posts (and are on their last leg...so, so sad) from JCPenney. I'm a big fan of wearing black and brown together. A lot of people don't like it, but I look at it this way - wild cats have brown and black stripes/spots - it is a natural color combination! Here's a close-up of the blazer print and collared shirt: And here's me and my dog, Madison. She wanted in on the fun!
What a November so far! Can't beat this beautiful Iowa weather. It feels so strange to not be bundled up a little more each day as winter approaches.
In this abnormal warm streak, dressing for the day has been a bit of a challenge. It's cold when I step out the door at home in the morning, but warm when I leave the building after work. I've partially transitioned into my winter wardrobe with boots and tights, but have kept it light otherwise. I have several different variations of the collared button-up top I am wearing below. They are from the I Heart Ronson line at JCPenney. These shirts are great because they are long, perfect over leggings, and light, so they can be tucked into a skirt or layered without adding bulk. They offer a lot of look possibilities. They are also a tad bit sheer, which I like because there's good air flow and it adds a bit of sexiness to an outfit whether you are wearing this top casually or professionally, especially when you have it buttoned all the way up. I paired this particular version of the I Heart Ronson top with a vintage olive green skirt (with pockets!) that I found at Goodwill. My boots are from JCPenney. This outfit was comfortable and held up well during a day full of meetings and video shoots! Lisa, my cousin, got married this past weekend. She is a sweet young girl with a beautiful new little family. Her wedding and reception were just how I like it - simple and focused on love. She requested a "device-free" ceremony, which I thought was a wonderful idea and a surprising choice for someone of her age. They kept the whole thing small and intimate, yet lively. The weather and the company couldn't have been better. I am also very sore from so much dancing! It was a great day. I was assigned to the guest book and planned to run around helping with anything else that needed to be done during the event, so I tried to keep my look cute yet comfortable. I also didn't know what the weather was going to be like, so I made sure to layer. I chose an all black ensemble, which as much as I like black, I don't do that often. I opted for tights and boots along with a long-sleeved sweater dress layered under a blazer with patent leather sleeves, both items from H&M. I used a gift card I had to the Covenant Medical Center Gift Shop to pick-up some accessories. (If you're in that area, they have some really cute stuff!) I chose a black scarf with red, pink, and olive green crosses, and a cute little purse that is the perfect size for me. I hate carrying purses. This was my compromise. It held my phone, ID, and lip glosses nicely. I also liked the neutral colors and classic design, it can go with a lot of different outfits for a long time to come. Joel and my sister performed the first dance song at the reception, so my handsome man was all dressed up! And I mentioned the dancing...Here I am with my "boyfriend" from the reception. Cutest little boy that loved to dance with me as much as I loved dancing with him! I believe I'm teaching him the "Cha-Cha Slide" in this photo. Things got a little blurry after a bit. The libations were going down a little too well! But hey, we were there to celebrate! I do not condone illegal activity. But I also do not condone the cost of movie concessions! That's why I resort to smuggling in my own goods when I know I'll be craving a sweet treat.
Shhh...don't tell...but I committed my latest offense this past weekend! In the cute little getup I'm wearing below, I had just enough room in my jeans pockets and give in my t-shirt to carefully conceal my candy. In the Fall and Winter, I wear my motorcycle boots 80% of the time. I got these boots from LBL on Main Street in Cedar Falls, one of my favorite stores. They have a lot of well-made, edgy options. My jeans and t-shirt are from Old Navy. And my flannel (funny story) is actually from the little boys' section at Target! I've found some gems in this section throughout my lifetime (I started shopping there sometime around Junior High). They have some cute options (that fit my style, not all) and the price is always right! Now that I look at this photo again, I kind of look like a little punk that would smuggle in sweets...I bet they knew I was guilty all along! If my headline wasn't enough...FALL IS HERE! My absolute favorite season. You can call me "basic" all you want - I don't care!
Joel and I had the opportunity to indulge in an anniversary getaway to celebrate seven married years together (10.5 years together total). We did our normal wandering across Northeast Iowa and I was dressed for the occasion. I bought the olive green, anorak jacket I am wearing below this summer for $5 from Sears! I have been waiting patiently to wear it and since our trip I have worn it every single day! I paired the jacket with a cream t-shirt with stud details from JCPenney, skinny jeans from Old Navy, and tall boots that I've had for years from JCPenney. As an accessory, I wore a quartz crystal necklace that I found in a vintage store in Des Moines. I would post other outfits from the weekend, but all were covered by my jacket, so they probably wouldn't offer up too much inspiration! We took a day trip to Des Moines to do some shopping and experience our first sensory deprivation tank float. My brown boots are my go-to footwear for days when I want to look pulled together and feel comfortable when I know I'll be walking a lot. I picked up the quartz necklace while in Des Moines at Hill Vintage & Knits. It became the perfect addition to my outfit!
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