New Apartment, Old Clothes

Waah, I let my blog lay completely fallow for the last several months. Needless today, many things have happened. Let's start by looking at pics of my outfits against a backdrop of 'new apartment scenery:'

Here we are in the new bedroom:

Top: AE Outfitters | Pants: Forever 21 | Shoes: Urban Outfitters | Belt: from Maine

Top: UO bunny sweatshirt, green shirt from TJ Maxx | Skirt: J.Crew | Shoes: AE Outfitters (right), Calvin Klein (left)

Ok, let's go to the kitchen:

Shirt: made in Vietnam | Sweater: Target | Skirt: Ann Taylor |  Shoes: Bandolino

As you can see, our kitchen boasts improved cabinetry and a bag of rice. My Kitchenaid approves. This kitchen is at least 3 times roomier than our old one.

And lastly, we will hang out in the living room:

Shirt: H&M | Jeans: Lucky | Shoes: INC from Macy's

And with that succinct tour, I'm back!

Out with the Cold, In with the New

Actually, this will mostly be dedicated to the "out with the cold" part. As in, I am not ready to share anything new today. After such a long hiatus in posting, I'm going to have to ease myself back into things. Otherwise I might get blogger-shock and not post again for another 2 months.

First on the agenda, we have what I wore 2-- possibly 3-- months ago!

Top: American Eagle Outfitters | Cardigan: Express | Pants: J.Crew | Boots: Hunter | Necklace: thrifted
The necklace is a seashell and reminds me of Ursula from Little Mermaid.

Top: made in Vietnam | Dress: J.Crew | Boots: Macy's

Here I am showing off a new star bracelet which I actually haven't taken off since the time of this photo.
Otherwise I am wearing a random assortment of Talbots, Loft, and H&M.

This was a moment of sartorial eureka for me so I am including extra photos.

Top: Urban Outfitters dress worn as a top | Cardigan: Gap | Skirt: J.Crew | Necklace: Target | Belt: F12
The shoes I got for $5 from Famous Footwear, huzzah!

  

There, I made a return to posting! In the next few days I will try to summarize my adventures from the last 2 months in visual format. If I made a preview slideshow, it would include, but not be limited to: mousse, anime, the MICU, scallops, taxes, and most importantly: new apartment!

Monochrome: the Red Version

Hey, what goes well with red? More red!

And if you think that is too much red, add a belt! 

I got this belt for something ridiculous like $2 from Forever 21.

Sweater: Ann Taylor | Skirt: Target | Flats: Ulli (?!) viz Zappos | Wedges: Target

Disclaimer: I actually wore the flats to work even though I believe the wedges are infinitely superior.  It was extremely slushy and icy that day (even in the parking garage).  If I was going to take a tumble, I would rather fall from 5'4" than 5' 6.5". Who knows, the extra 2.5" may translate into a smushed nasal bridge.

This picture is silly for 2 reasons:
1. I look like a weirdo.
2. The dwarf Christmas tree lives on...well into late January!!

Target Melinda Wedges and Sparklies

OMG, my hair has been utter ridiculousness lately. Should I list the woes that befell it? 1) In the spring of last year, literally half of my hair fell out after my thyroid died. Luckily I started out with tons of hair to begin with so it did not look obvious. It was extremely awkward when I went for my wedding hair trial appointment and my hairstylist kept having to shake my hair off his mousse-y hands...OY. 2) Then the baby hairs started to come back. By Christmastime, the baby hairs were so dense they  looked like I was attempting to have bangs but doing a really lame job (see picture to right). At least I did a somewhat nice job curling it. 3) I was forced to cut bangs deliberately, which was absolutely NOT in the plan. 4) Now in the dead of wintertime, my hair is super staticky and gets tangled like crazy. I get arm cramps trying to brush it out all the time! But conditioner makes it all greasy. What should I do??

So now, I have bangs, unruly hair, and another necklace from Forever 21! Fun, fun, fun. Necklaces are great for distracting a viewer from one's slovenly coif. 

Top: from Vietnam | Sweatshirt: J.Crew | Pants: Forever 21 | Shoes: Target

Remember when I ranted and raved about these Target wedges in teal suede and proceeded to wear them with everything I own? Turns out, the red wedges embody the same magical ability to look good with everything!

Pros: comfy, flattering, go with everything. Cons: comes in too many colors. Must. Buy. All.

Chambray to Work, Chambray to Play

When I decided it was ok to wear chambray to work, I sealed the deal by topping it with a gaudy necklace.

I suppose I took a rather roundabout approach to dressing that day. Typically, chambray shirts are worn to tone down overly dressy bottoms.  Sparkly baubles, conversely, spruce up casual clothing.  So what did I want to achieve? Dressy or casual? We may never know. Oy, my brain hurts trying to understand why I dressed this way.

Well, you see, there's more to it. I started out wearing boring work trousers.  Happily, my day ended early, catapulting me into my beloved Pixie Pants. There was something odd about wearing skinny ponte black pants with black socks (as though I was wearing no pants!) that I felt the need to don my Hunter boots instead of those cute bow flats. Plus, it was slushy outside.

 Shirt: J.Crew Factory | Turtleneck: NY&Co | Blazer: old | Pants: J.Crew | Necklace: Forever 21 | Earrings: Thrifted | Sunglases: via TJ Maxx | Boots: Hunter

Boots last seen here

Pixie pants last seen here, here

I am quite impressed with the necklaces Forever 21 has rolled out recently. In addition to this pink one, I found myself interested in its mint counterpart as well...I will proceed to stalk it over the next few weeks for signs of price reduction..

Lumberjack + No. 2 Pencil Skirt

This year, I resolve to accessorize better--more deliberately and creatively.  Starting small, I rummaged through the jewelry that I've forgotten about and looped this Forever 21 necklace into my lumberjack outfit.

Shirt: Old Navy | Skirt: J.Crew | Shoes: Target | Earrings: via Francesca's | Necklace: Forever 21

Oops, I forgot to wear a fun bracelet or rings.  I usually overlook hand jewelry because of years and years of playing the piano. Even now when I sit down at the piano, I take my wedding ring off because it keeps banging against the keys.  You know, when Herr Beethoven gets stormy, better pack up your bangles and rings, lest he unleash his musical fury upon ye.

I am very happy with my J.Crew skirt after letting out the hem.  You can still see the old hem because I can't seem to iron that out completely.  Oh well, serves as a reminder of the inch of length that I gained, muwahaha!  More outfits with the J.Crew No. 2 skirt in heather acorn here, here.

J.Crew French Hen Meets Oliver Twist

 I snagged the J.Crew French Hen sweater during a transient pop-back in size XXS. Cluck! or perhaps Clutch! It is so out of stock now that the link to the product no longer exists. This sweater has transgressed into ebay existence, which is kind of like an afterlife.

Sweater: J.Crew | Pants: H&M | Shoes: Target

I am wearing it with a T-shirt underneath so I am rather well-protected from the itch of the wool. The arms of this sweater are strangely tight, therefore I doubt that I could layer a long-sleeved shirt underneath.  But other than that I have no complaints.

The print of these H&M pants evoke Dickensian England to me. I should wear them with a sweater vest and a Sherlock Holmes sleuth cap.

Some details I like about these pants, including the back pockets (mockets), the subtle stitching.  I also like the ankle zippers, which can be seen in another photo.

I've had really good luck with pants from H&M.  These pants are a size 4 and fit with enough room in the hips to be comfortable all day. I usually opt for size 4 in H&M pants for this reason. Did I fail to mention that these pants were only $15? My H&M purchases usually ring in under $20...

I've been searching high and low over the last several months for a neutral colored top that is not white or black.  I found this turtleneck at H&M along with the pant friends.  I believe this color is best described as greige (beige + grey) and I hope to wear it with everything henceforth.

1. Shoes: Blink via Zappos
2. Shoes: Steve Madden

Blazer: Forever 21 | Shoes: Banana Republic
this outfit may involve just a few too many zippers

In summary, I now own Oliver Twist pants and a Hen sweater:

1. In the H&M dressing room.  I did not elect to buy this top even though it is also greige.
2. Greige from top to bottom!
3. Pink works well with greige.
4. So does baby blue. Blazer: Talbots
5. Cluck cluck.

In the future, I would like to devote a post to all of the clothes and accessories I own that feature animals. Stay tuned!

Outfits to Span a Season

Oy...I just emerged from beneath a rock and realized that October and November have elapsed and December lurks dangerously close.

But look how festive our apartment has become, adorned in twinkly lights!

It goes without saying that my protracted disappearance from this blog reflects my ever-presence in the hospital and/or other locales. Ok, mostly in the hospital.

One of these "other locales" I allude to is Atlanta.  I went to Atlanta for a national scientific meeting! During my 4 days there, I rotated the same key clothing pieces in various combinations, ever-changing from day to night.  Not a soul was aware of how light I packed (I detest checking in  luggage). Here are some examples:

J.Crew (No. 1) pencil skirt (ca. 2011), Etienne Aigner boots, and Forever 21 scarf display their versatility

I love that funnel neck sweater. The funnel seems to have slouched down in that particular picture but I still love it all the same :)

Back home, I proceeded to blast through the ensuing autumnal chill while maintaining my loyalty to color (as you will see in the ensuing line up). Unfortunately, I did not emerge unscathed--I suffered a horrible cold and actually had to take the day off as the inside of my face melted and was expelled via incessant sneezing and nose blowing.

It was during this nadir of November when I discovered Downton Abbey.

J.Crew (Collection!) Midnight Trench does not insulate that well but looks and fits great!
Talbots espadrilles add some height to make a long skirt work (found amongst my mom's Toss Pile.)
First time wearing the J.Crew Clea dress (spring 2012) to work, made sillier with addition of F21 glasses necklace.

Spearmint hues with Anthro San Pedro skirt and Free People squishy sweater.
I went to the mall wearing these J.Crew Hutton Trench Trousers and everyone liked them.
Sometimes when it's cold, I don't take my hair out of  my sweater.

A Pink and Brown Milieu!
In the end, I actually chickened out on the F21 pink pants and wore black skinny pants instead.
Mixing maxi check and feather paisley was hard, but all the brown elements tied it all together  (I hope).

J.Crew Pixie Pants are becoming more and more ridiculous and NEVER go on sale! I keep entertaining the thought of obtaining them in charcoal but having 1 indestructible pair is quite is enough for now...
Thanksgiving food shopping made possible by adding and sweater and trusty J.Crew Carlin Coat (ca. fall 2009).

 Bought this lovely pink top in Madrid many moons ago. It was a EU size 8, therefore it fits??
Anthro Just Right Skirt looks good with everything in all seasons!
New thick cotton J.Crew top boasts awesome back zipper. 

 I've strangely lost the desire to label all of my outfits. So I decided to make random comments about them instead. I just recovered from several events, including interviewing for fellowship, submitting my rank list, quaking in wait for Match Day, and cooking a full Thanksgiving Dinner (post to come). But look, even in the aftermath of having people for Thanksgiving, the apartment stayed clean and nice:

Note my psychedelic drawing in the wall and our wedding album...among all the other crazies :)

Next up: Thanksgiving cooking adventure and who knows what else!

Fashion in My Pants, Ain't Afraid to Show It

I've been on something of a pink binge...allow me to demonstrate.

Tops: both J Crew Factory, Pants: Forever 21, Yellow Shoes: Target, Black shoes: Urban Outfitters

And here too.

Blazer: Forever21, T-shirt: H&M, Jeans: Lucky, Shoes: Sperry Top Sider, Bag: Aldo

I got the pink pants and pink blazer from Forever 21. I am quite impressed with some of the stuff they've got going on this fall.  I struggled until I finally settled on the pink color, but theoretically could get the blue, too.  I wish I could wear a blazer everyday! But that would mean under my white coat. And bulgy.

Zippered Peplum Blazer, Forever 21

The pants are actually too big on me and I embarked upon an elaborate hand-tailoring adventure wherein I took apart some seams, re-sewed the darts in the back, and somehow managed to decrease the waist circumference by an inch or so.

Here are some more shots. This is as close as I will get to wearing the pants with the blazer.

Top: Urban Outfitters/Benetton (I couldn't decide), Jeans: Seven, Boots: Etienne Aigner

Top: Urban Outfitters, Pants: Old Navy, Shoes: Target

I've been wearing these Target wedges ALL THE TIME. Should I get a back up pair? Or another color? They come in dark red patent and grey suede (and at least 6 other colors). I even wear them with purple pants...no discretion at all!!

1) Top: Vietnam, Sweater: cashmere gift from Aunt, Pants: J.Crew, Shoes: Target
2) Top: Gabe's $1, Sweater: Target, Pants: H&M, Shoes: Target

Oldies from 2010 and 2011

I found some old outfits (mostly from wintertime, it seems) that I had initially overlooked!
Hey, I think I kind of like them!  

As noted per post title, these are like from waaay back when I wasn't a powerful (but benevolent) medicine super-senior resident like I am now.

1. Anne Klein coat, grandma cardigan, H&M jeans, Nine West boots, J Crew belt
2. J Crew shirt, thrifted sweater skirt, Paris Hilton boots, Aldo bag, Target necklace
3. H&M shirt (which is now studded), Zara skirt, J Crew belt, trusty ol' leopard flats, Target + H&M necklaces

1. Dress made in Vietnam, shoes from Vietnam, thrifted shell belt
2. Jacket from Gabe's "beau bois" is the brand, LOFT jeans, UO shoes. Scarf is gift from my hubbie.
3. Sweater gift from mom, skirt made in VN, Gap belt, DKNY tights, Paris Hilton boots, D&B bag
Pager is from the dark underbelly of society.

Sweater is a mom hand-me-down, H&M jeans, J Crew belt and coat, shoes from VN 

A "day to night" transition where I shed a sweater skirt in exchange for a sweater!
1. At work: H&M top, skirt is gift from mom from Paris, Paris Hilton boots, Target pearl necklace
2. After work:  sweater from VN, I was wearing leggings all along! (it was cold)

1. ?sweater, Anthropologie "Just So" skirt, J Crew belt, earrings from Charlotte Russe
2. J Crew turtle neck, Old Navy skinny cargos, shoes from VN
3. LOFT cardigan, Charlotte Russe tank top, Old Navy skirt, Steve Madden wedges

1. American Eagle tee, Seven jeans, shoes from VN, J Crew belt
2. grandma sweater, Old Navy tank, James Jeans, ?shoes, F21 purse
3. J Crew shirt, LOFT pants, ?shoes (they are from the same boutique as the shoes from #2)

Conclusions drawn:
- I really like skinny belts, especially that J Crew belt
- heels make the outfit, but I still wear flats the majority of the time