Bald patches

I'm so tired of buying black tights and having them disappoint me. Both pairs of black tights I bought at American Apparel ripped (one pair ripped the first day I wore it!), and this pair from Target that I'm wearing in these photos appear to have bald patches. (And you thought the title of this post was referring to my hair, didn't you?) I just want a pair of solid black tights that have an even tone and don't rip the moment I put them on - is that too much to ask of life?

Other than the tights issue, I loved this outfit. I'm glad I found an excuse to wear my giant fuzzy black hat in a way that doesn't make me look totally insane. (Unless it does, in which case I guess I'm not very self-aware.)

Top: Old Navy

Jacket: MICHAEL Michael Kors from Nordstrom Rack

Skirt: Forever 21 brand, thrifted from Crossroads Trading Co.

Tights: Target

Flats: ShoeMint

Hat and scarf: Fred Meyer

Necklace and earrings: free from my aunts

A small dose of color

On Saturday I went on a cleaning spree in our bedroom, reorganizing things and getting rid of clothes I no longer wear. I arranged my tights in a vintage suitcase so I can see them all at once. I completely forgot about most of them. This winter I've been wearing mostly black and brown tights, so it was nice to rediscover these green tights. I've only worn them one other time (here), because I can only handle colored tights in small doses. I think the pop of green between the skirt and the boots was just right.

Sweater: Target

Skirt: Anthropologie

Jacket: MICHAEL Michael Kors from Nordstrom Rack
Tights: American Apparel
Boots: Urban Outfitters
Necklace: free from my aunt

Spiky

I know Jeffrey Campbell Litas are kind of a cliché in the blogging world (or at least they were a year ago), but I love them anyway and have wanted a pair for years. So I was very excited that Josh got me this spiky pair for Christmas! They're actually really comfortable to walk in, and the spikes are sharp. (Watch out, muggers. I may not be able to run away from you, but at least I can stab you with my shoes.)

My shoe collection is a bit ridiculous at this point. I'd say about half my closet is made up of shoes like these - awesome to look at, but kind of impractical to wear for some of the activities I engage in, like running errands or walking to the library. I don't care, though - my crazy shoes make me happy :)

Dress: Nordstrom Rack

Jacket: MICHAEL Michael Kors from Nordstrom Rack

Tights: American Apparel

Boots: Jeffrey Campbell from Solestruck

Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta from TJ Maxx

ScanFair

This is hardly an inspiring outfit, but man, it's been a long time since I last posted, so I thought I'd put it on here anyway. I wore this on Saturday to ScanFair, a festival put on by the Scandinavian Heritage Foundation in Portland every December. The women in my family have a tradition of attending every year, and buying each other Christmas presents there and eating delicious Scandinavian foods, like æbleskiver, and fruit soup and rice pudding.

I try not to pick on my appearance in blog photos too much, but today if I had a magic Photoshop wand that I could wave, I would fix the odd grimace/smile in the top photo (people were staring at me), my apparently missing eyebrows (they really don't show up well in photos), and the droopiness of the scarf (which is supposed to button neatly at the neck, but clearly didn't cooperate).

Striped blouse: Forever 21

Leather jacket: MICHAEL Michael Kors from Nordstrom Rack

Jeans: Levi's

Flats: ShoeMint

Necklace: Bauble Bar

Scarf: made by me

Time for a change

It was time for a change, so I dyed my hair brown! My hair has been every natural color except white and gray (and I'm sure those will happen eventually), but it was only brown for a few months back in college, so I thought I'd try it again. I loved my red hair, but it's the dye that fades the fastest and it was just getting too pricey to maintain. I did this on Saturday with two boxes of dye, because my hair is too long and thick for one box, and with Josh's help, because the last time I tried to dye my hair out of a box I missed huge patches.

I suppose it would be cheaper and easier to just go with my natural color, but once my hair turned from pale blond to dishwater blond in high school, I stopped being interested in keeping it natural.

Sweater: Target

Paisley skirt: thrifted from Rerun

Leather jacket: MICHAEL Michael Kors from Nordstrom Rack

Tights: American Apparel

Heels: DSW

Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta from TJ Maxx

Necklace: gift from my aunt

Bracelet: H&M

Vintage Pendleton

I was in the mood for a weird outfit on Thursday, and this is what happened. (I realize now that it kind of looks like I'm wearing PJ's. Next time I wear this skirt I'll try to class it up a bit with a turtleneck or something.) Five years ago my mom and I traveled to Denmark, and one of the places we visited was the little island of Ærø, which is where I bought this t-shirt. The skirt is vintage Pendleton, which I found for only $20 (I know) at an antique show a few weeks ago. It's so warm that I wore it without tights on a day with bitter cold winds, and felt toasty warm every time I went outside.

Red t-shirt: gift shop on Ærø, Denmark

Red plaid skirt: vintage Pendleton, from an antique show

Black leather jacket: MICHAEL Michael Kors from Nordstrom Rack

Beige boots: Jeffrey Campbell (Rumble boots) from Urban Outfitters

Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta from TJ Maxx

Bracelet: In Pink

Heat wave

I know I can't stop harping on about this, but it's been remarkably warm here lately. I wore this outfit on Sunday - bare legs and open-toe shoes in November. I think it nearly reached 70 degrees. I didn't even need the leather jacket (pictured below) during the day, and probably could have done without it at night. But I want an excuse to wear it as much as possible when it's dry. I know it will hold up to rain, but I still want to baby it for a while since it's fairly new.

Dress: Nordstrom Rack

Leather jacket: MICHAEL Michael Kors from Nordstrom Rack

Black and brown wedges: Asos

Earrings: church craft fair

Cool cool cool

This post was going to be my homage to the show Community (Abed title, Britta outfit), because the premiere of the 4th season was supposed to be this evening, but now it's been postponed. I'm as heartbroken as Abed was when Cougar Town was postponed. (And as heartbroken as I was when Cougar Town was postponed - I'm crazy about that show, too.)

I wore this to a one-year-old's birthday party. I think I sometimes have trouble dressing appropriately for the occasion.

Tank top: Target

Leather jacket: MICHAEL Michael Kors from Nordstrom Rack

Jeans: Levi's

Boots: Irregular Choice from Solestruck

Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta from TJ Maxx

Earrings: free from my aunt

Spider necklace: Bauble Bar

Party dress

I unintentionally took a vacation from my blog last week. Normally I have a low-key life full of lots of free time, but last week was nuts. First, I started taking a tax class at H&R Block so that I can become a certified tax preparer, and for the first time in seven years I had to spend my nights doing homework. Then on Wednesday I got to be an extra on the TV show Portlandia! (If you watch the show, keep an eye out for the scene with the communal table - I'm the girl in the beige lace dress with a red and sweaty face. It was freaking hot under all those lights.) Then on Friday we took off for a weekend at the beach with some friends. I actually really enjoyed last week, but it left me with hardly any down time.

This outfit was from a week ago - I wore it to a three-year-old's birthday party. She speaks French as well as English, and likes to snack on brie and crackers and edamame. So basically, she's more sophisticated than I am.

Dress: vintage, gift from my mom

Black faux leather jacket: Forever 21

Gold sandals: Asos

Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta from TJ Maxx
Earrings: purchased at a church craft fair

Bracelet: gift, from Italy