Cozy 80's sweater and a shopping ban

It's been so cold here lately, so I've been wearing a lot of bulky, cozy sweaters. I love this gray sweater that my aunt gave me. She found it when she was cleaning out her apartment. I think it's from the 80's. It was more obviously 80's before I cut out the shoulder pads, but now I think it looks quite cute. One of my other aunts gave me this necklace. I get so much free stuff from my three aunts, it's ridiculous. Right now I especially appreciate their hand-me-downs, because I'm banned from buying clothes. Josh and I are trying to kill off the rest of our non-student loan debt, so for the next few months I have a clothing budget of $0. So far I've gone a month and a half without buying any clothes, and it's been rough. I don't think I've gone that long without buying clothes for years. I think my no shopping challenge will be good for both our budget, and my frame of mind when it comes to shopping. I don't need to be constantly buying things in order to have a good wardrobe.

Sweater: free from my aunt

Coat: Marks and Spencer

Jeans: Levi's

Boots: Jessica Simpson from Macy's

Hat: H&M

Necklace: free from my aunt

Bracelet: gift

Back from a break

After a two-week unintentional blog break, I'm back! My absence was due to many causes: absurdly cold weather that made me unable to put any effort into my outfits, a lack of interest in my blog (I've heard that's pretty typical for bloggers when the new year hits), and a wrist injury that forced me to stop doing anything involving repetitive movements (like typing and clicking on the computer).

I think I wore this exact outfit four or five times during the past two weeks, just switching out the sweater under the cardigan. I've been obsessed with jeans, sweaters and boots this winter. I love these boots, which I bought with some Christmas money. They have a slight heel (because I just can't get enough of my heels), but they're comfortable enough to walk all over the city in. Some people think suede shoes are impractical for someone who lives in rainy Oregon, but as long as it's not pouring outside, they'll hold up just fine.

Cardigan: Cynthia Rowley from TJ Maxx

Coat and scarf: Marks and Spencer

Jeans: Levi's

Boots: DV by Dolce Vita from Piperlime

Necklace: Forever 21

Belt: thrifted

In a rut

I'm in a jeans and boots rut this winter. It's been so cold lately, and that makes me want to wear simple, warm clothing - although I think the pretty pink shirt and vest kicked it up a notch from plain to interesting.

Shirt: American Eagle

Vest: free from my aunt

Jeans: Levi's

Boots: Jessica Simpson from Macy's

Necklace: Evidence Jewelry, won in a giveaway

The stuff that dreams are made of

My creativity was not needed to put together this outfit, because it came to me in a dream. Yes, I dreamed about wearing this outfit - and when I woke up it still seemed like a good idea, so I went with it :)

I really like this vest, but this is only my third time wearing it in over a year of owning it. It just doesn't go with much, so I'm always pleased when I find a way to wear it.

Sweater and vest: Anthropologie

Jeans: Levi's

Boots: Urban Outfitters

Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta from TJ Maxx

Necklace: Evidence Jewelry, won in a giveaway

Bracelet: gift from my mom

Jeans and boots

I've been feeling uninspired lately as far as outfits go. That's not a bad thing - it's not like creating interesting outfits is my job, or a crucial part of my existence. These jeans and boots have been worn a lot, and some of those jeans-and-boots outfits have been more interesting than others. Like this one - the women in my family went nuts when they saw this outfit a few weeks ago. I thought it was fairly simple, but they thought it was awesome, so I figured that meant it was worth posting on this blog.

Since I would feel weird only having one photo in this post (the top one is the only one that turned out), I thought I'd throw in these two below. The first one is my cousin Summer's awesome perfume collection, which I saw at a brunch on Sunday, and the second is my favorite of those perfume bottles, by Nicki Minaj...

Turtleneck: Kohl's

Crocheted vest: Forever 21

Jeans: Levi's

Boots: Jessica Simpson from Macy's

Hat: Albertus Swanepoel for Target

Necklace: Forever 21

Belt: thrifted

Bracelet: In Pink

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

Re-worn

This was the outfit I wore on Thanksgiving, but since we didn't get any photos of it then, I re-wore it yesterday to go bowling with my parents and youngest brother.

Tunic: American Apparel, thrifted from Crossroads Trading Co.

Cardigan: Cynthia Rowley from TJ Maxx

Jeans: Levi's

Boots: Aldo

Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta from TJ Maxx

Necklace: Dress Barn

Belt: thrifted

Bracelet: In Pink

Rainy day

It was absurdly rainy yesterday. (Although yes, we did manage to get a brief dry spell for our photos.) On days like that, I pretty much always wear my rain boots and rain coat. Since a rain coat and boots isn't necessarily an inspiring combination, I tried to make it more interesting with a bright sweater, and a necklace that I've had since elementary school. (Yes, sometimes I'm a hoarder.) These Hunter rain boots are the most worn item in my closet. They may not be pretty to look at, but they're comfortable and they've kept my feet dry for two years so far.

Yesterday I had the final exam for my tax class, and I passed with 94%! Wooo! Now all I need to do is pass the state board exam in December, and I'll be a licensed tax preparer. Even if I don't get a job from this experience, it was worth it just for all the personal knowledge I've gained. My taxes are going to be a breeze after this.

I'm taking the rest of the week off from blogging to enjoy some quality family time, so I'll see you all next week! Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Purple sweater: Target

Red coat: Calvin Klein from Costco

Jeans: Levi's

Boots: Hunter from Nordstrom

Hat: H&M

Necklace: owned since 3rd grade!

Ring: In Pink

Perception

This was one of those outfits where I felt like I looked about a hundred times cooler than I actually do in these photos. I like my curvy hips, but this sweater made them look comically large. And to think - I would have been convinced this was an awesome outfit all day long if it weren't for these photos. Sometimes having this blog ruins my perception of my outfits :)

White sweater: thrifted

Jeans: Levi's

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

Leopard print hat: Albertus Swanepoel for Target

Pink scarf: Fred Meyer

Necklace: free from my aunt

Casual outfits

Every now and then when it's really cold or rainy outside, I just give up on my heels and skirts and tights, and turn to comfortable and super casual outfits. I rarely post those outfits on here, because I don't feel like they're very inspiring, but today I thought I'd do a round-up of casual outfits that I liked.

The first one is from earlier this year. It's a pretty typical dog-walking outfit for me (minus the jewelry, because who cares about jewelry when you're walking the dog at 7:30 in the morning in the rain?). The second outfit is from last weekend. I just got these hot pink running shoes, and pairing them with neon yellow and a bright pink jacket was probably overkill, but it made me happy. The third outfit is one I posted earlier this year (here), and while it was very casual, I really liked it and thought all the layers made it interesting.

Though these outfits look a lot different from the ones I normally show on the blog, they're actually what I'm usually wearing if I'm out running errands or walking to the library.

Up in the air

Last Saturday Josh and I rode the Portland Aerial Tram that runs from the south waterfront to OHSU, the teaching hospital up on the hill. It was rainy and foggy, so we didn't get to see any of the mountains, but it was still a cool experience. If you're in Portland, this would make for a fun afternoon, especially if you go on a clear day while the leaves are still changing colors.

I've already worn this outfit several times this fall, even though this was the first time it was photographed. It's perfect for cold and rainy days.

Striped cardigan: Cynthia Rowley from TJ Maxx

Jeans: Levi's

Boots: Jessica Simpson from Macy's

Earrings: free from my aunt

Belt: thrifted

This last photo is blurry, but I love it anyway because it still captures the beauty of Portland...

Repeat

The outfit in these photos is the twin of this outfit I wore earlier in the year. (Maybe the fraternal twin, since they're not exactly the same.) I like the current version much better - it looks nicer, and it was more comfortable. Josh said it was one of his favorites out of my recent outfits, and I loved it, too. Sometimes the things I wear just feel "meh," and other times I hit upon a combination that really makes me happy. I think a lot of people underestimate the power of a great outfit. When I wear something that I feel good in, it usually improves my mood and my confidence.

Beige sweater: Target

Gray vest: free from my aunt

Brown belt: thrifted

Jeans: Levi's

Brown boots: Jessica Simpson from Macy's

Hat: free from my dad

Earrings: free from my aunt

Necklace: purchased in Florence, Italy

Here are a couple pictures from a walk I took the other day...Portland is so gorgeous in the fall.

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

More blue and green

This was a casual outfit for my day off work yesterday. I spent most of it lounging around the apartment, reading Anne of Green Gables and watching Community. I wish I had worn a longer necklace to break up the monotony of the white shirt, instead of my blue and green glass bead necklace that was covered up by my hair.

Speaking of my hair, I've been loving it lately. The last time I had hair this long was in 2005 when I was going through my ugly feminist phase. I decided to stop wearing makeup, stop plucking my eyebrows, and gained 40 pounds. So in general, I did not look great, and eventually chopped off my hair because it wasn't doing me any favors. (And yes, I eventually started plucking my eyebrows again.) Now that I have a nice haircut, a color I love, and have made peace with the general mad enthusiasm of my hair, I really appreciate the way it looks. Yesterday I did nothing but wash it, rub in some coconut milk serum, and let it air dry, and this was what happened. I loved it.

White shirt: H&M

Mint green cardigan: Old Navy

Jeans: Levi's from Urban Outfitters

Blue and green wedges: Nine West from Nordstrom Rack

Blue hat: H&M

Blue and green necklace: purchased in Florence, Italy

Embroidered bracelet: thrifted from Village Merchants

Sneaky

My birthday was yesterday, and I wore this outfit over to my parents' house for dessert. Josh had told me a few days earlier that his birthday present for me wouldn't arrive for a few weeks, which amused me more than annoyed me because he's notoriously bad about doing things on time. But then we went to my birthday dessert, and I found out he was sneaky and only pretended there was a present on the way for me, when really he had conspired with my family to buy me a PIANO! It's by far the best birthday present I've ever received :) I won't get the chance to use it before we leave on our vacation (tomorrow), but I can't wait to get out my old piano books once we get home!

Floral shirt: Marshall's

Gray cardigan: Gap

Jeans: Levi's from Urban Outfitters

Brown sandals: Nordstrom Rack

Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta from TJ Maxx

Blue earrings: B. Lee Designs, gift from my aunt

Turquoise bracelet: Charlotte Russe

Gingham

I tend to overdress for nearly everything. When I hang out with friends, I wear a dress and heels. When I go to a potluck, I wear a dress and heels. Basically the only things I'm not overdressed for are occasions that actually call for a dress and heels. But Sunday was a drizzly day, and I just wanted to feel cozy, so I wore jeans to church. I felt underdressed, even though the majority of the people at my church wear jeans on Sundays, so next Sunday I will probably return to my fancy-schmancy-ness.

A few weeks ago I won several blog giveaways and chose some J. Crew gift cards as my prize. Since the cheapest piece of clothing at J. Crew is about $60, I've never purchased anything from them until now. I bought this gingham shirt (and some tank tops that were too big that I returned) that cost $75 of my hard-earned prize money. I love it, and I think I might get another color with the rest of my gift cards. The fabric is much more lightweight than I expected, which means I'll be able to wear it alone on warmer days, and on colder days it will layer well with sweaters. The sleeves and hem are the perfect length - usually those are the parts that are either too short or too long on button-up shirts. I ordered a size smaller than I should have based on the size chart on their website, but it ended up fitting perfectly. I'm not sure I could ever bring myself to spend $75 of my own non-giveaway money on a casual shirt, but hey, I'm cheap like that :)

Gingham shirt: J. Crew

Gray cardigan: Gap

Jeans: Levi's from Urban Outfitters

Beige wedge boots: Urban Outfitters

Owl necklace: Forever 21

Watch: free from my aunt

Summer fling

Spring has finally returned to Oregon after our brief fling with summertime; temperatures are cooling, the sky isn't clear blue anymore, and my plants have stopped withering on my windowsill. It felt nice to be able to wear jeans again, though if the hot weather returns I won't object.

On the plus side, cooler weather makes me feel less guilty about staying inside and watching TV - when it's hot out I feel like every moment not spent outside is wasted. But now, I can catch up on the season finales of all my favorite shows. (Like NCIS - I just watched the finale yesterday. So good. Normally I don't like cliffhangers, but this one was excellent.)

Floral peplum top: H&M

Pink cardigan: gift from a family member

Jeans: Levi's from Urban Outfitters

Blue and green wedges: Nine West from Nordstrom Rack

Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta from TJ Maxx

Green necklace: purchased in Hong Kong

Green bracelet: thrifted from Village Merchants