I’m going to be candidly honest. Over the past year or so, I have accumulated a little extra insulation. Over 20 pounds worth…Partly due to my own bad habits and partly due to some thyroid issues I’ve been working with doctors on over the past couple of years.

It has been difficult for me to adjust to this new body. I continue to shove my new body into old clothes which is just no good for my already sinking confidence. I keep saying to myself the weight will come off soon enough, like it always does. But it seems to like its new home…

Until I can get my lifestyle worked out and bring a lot more healthy habits into my life, I’ve chosen to look for staple clothing pieces in a larger size so I don’t feel like a loaf of bread overflowing its pan in everything I own!

I was forced into purchasing my first new staple piece, jeans, because 1) the one pair I was down to physically hurt to wear, and 2) I bent down to pick up a box and a hole ripped in the knee. (Insert monkey covering eyes emoji here.) It was truly only a matter of time before something burst open…I’m happy it was at my knee since I was at work.

On the evening of the jeans explosion, Joel went along with me to Plato’s Closet to look for a new pair. It is jeans day at work until after the new year, so I had to find something. Plato’s always comes through for me and this visit was no exception. I tried on four different pairs in larger sizes than I have purchased in the past and found my favorite jeans EVER.
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These. Jeans. Old Navy Rock Star Mid-Rise Jeans.

To make things even better – they were only 8 DOLLARS! Are you kidding me with this? They are stretchy but have a traditional jeans structure/feel – a step above jeggings. They go up a little higher on my tummy/lower back, which I am all about right now. I really like the dark wash. And the best part? They don’t hurt me when I button them up!

With a bandana (that I found in our garage when we moved in) and a pair of ankle boots (from Old Navy that I have had for years) my outfit was complete. I felt like a completely different person.

We must be gentle with ourselves in times when our body image may not be at its peak. There is a level of acceptance that needs to take place at every stage, which is different for everyone.

Even though I may not feel comfortable with my body right now (a lot of the discomfort also comes from accepting the fact that I’m not honoring my body the way I should), I am grateful to it for keeping me alive. Getting me around. Sheltering my mind and soul (and internal organs!). It deserves to be appreciated at the very least. And if I have to go up a jeans size (or two), that’s OK. I am honoring my body as it is in this season, and clothing it in a way that is now comfortable – both physically and emotionally.

In my new work role, the setting is much more casual than I am used to. More jeans days, which I was not quite prepared for with just one pair of jeans in my closet! 

​I'm not really a blue jeans person. Black jeans, leggings, skirts, shorts - that's more my style. In looking around for some denim inspiration, I ran across this outfit from Madewell:

Here's a cost rundown on what's pictured:

• ​Cardigan - $110
• Denim Top - $72
• Jeans - $168

​For a grand total of $350!

​I never thought I would be into the denim on denim look. Others around me have pulled it off, I just thought I may look a little hokey. But there was something about this outfit that appealed to me, so I gave it a try.

I visited Plato's Closet in Waterloo with high hopes that I'd find everything I needed - and I did! I hadn't visited this location before. It is a little off the beaten path so I never think to go there, but am glad I stopped by.

​Here are the brand and cost details on what I found:

• ​Cardigan - Love By Design - $8
• ​Denim Top - Carbon - $8
• ​Jeans - Express - $15
• ​Shoes (although not pictured, they looked like something Madewell would make, and they were super cute) - Dolce Vita - ​$15

​For a more reasonable grand total of $46!

I must say, I am completely sold on the denim on denim situation. I think as long as your denims are different shades, you're good to go. Makes it much less "Canadian Tuxedo"-ish!

I especially liked the cut of the jeans. I'm short and these hit me right at the ankle instead of pooling at my ankles like most jeans. The style was "Ankle Legging, Stella, Low Rise" for my fellow short girls out there!

The added cardigan makes this outfit super cozy, and the shoes will look great with pants, skirts, or shorts. 

​I wore this outfit the day after I got it, and then the next day (I made sure I was seeing different sets of people! Don't lie - you've done this, too!), ​and you better believe I'll be wearing it for my next jeans day at work.

​Happy thrifting!

​For background about my Outfit Imitation series, click here!

Lord, please give me the strength to stay away from Orange Possum this season.

Ladies, I have to tell you, I am a thrifter/discount crazed lunatic through and through, but sometimes I am very tempted to take all of my money, drive to a store, and buy all of the things at full price.

I want pretty much everything that is currently available at Orange Possum in Hampton right now. They've been tempting me on Instagram one post at a time...but I will stay strong...

Here are some of the items I need NOW!

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!

I don't only wear business attire! Although I do normally like to be "dressed up" in some form, I keep it casual on occasion, especially on the weekends. 

If you were to stop by my house on a weekend, you'd definitely find me in some form of stretch jean or legging, t-shirt or tank (normally band oriented), a baseball cap or bandanna, and always, my white Chucks. 

I've included photos of two outfits from this past weekend below. Joel and I did a lot of adventuring around Iowa and Wisconsin, so I wore outfits that were acceptable for several different scenarios.

The first outfit includes my aforementioned Chucks with a pair of wool shorts from Old Navy and Ramones t-shirt from Kohl's. 

The second outfit is Old Navy head-to-toe! The flats are snakeskin, the jeans are my favorite pair (I cannot wear them without at least one person asking if I need money to buy proper pants), and the grey t-shirt is made of a super comfy material that helped hide my belly after eating waaaay too much delicious food...

If you can't already tell from my title - I LOVE blanket scarves. They are warm, cozy, and so versatile. Today, I paired my infinity blanket scarf with a comfy grey v-neck t-shirt, camel wool blazer, my favorite pair of jeans, and dark camel ankle boots. This outfit was just right for the unseasonably warm weather we've been experiencing in Iowa. It still feels like Fall, which is fine by me because it allows me to wear my stylish blazers, scarves, and boots just a little bit longer! In no time, I'll be putting on anything and everything to keep me dry and warm.