TBMD

There's definitely a correlation between age and skirt length -- the older one gets, the longer the hemline. If I hadn't come to this realization myself, I may have fought harder to hang onto my youth. As it is, life's too short, and changes are to be embraced. That is one lesson I've learned this year and will continue to carry with me onto the next. Hope everyone have a safe and happy new year! See you in 2019!

The first time I wore this pink outfit [left pic below], something felt "off". After perusing through the photos, I had one of those aha! moments. The accessories I had chosen completely gave off a different vibe than the one I was going for -- (hard)working* and fashion-conscious girl in a sea of stodgy government workers.

That saying, "accessories make an outfit" completely applies in this case. The purse I had chosen works well for business casual environments given its tote style, but is a bit fancy for the rest of the outfit. On the other extreme, the ankle boots are a tad too casual for the rest of the outfit. I think the three mis-matching shades of neutrals in the bottom half of the outfit didn't help either.

For the second go-around [right pic above + pics below], I deliberately chose accessories that were not at either extreme. The purse can pass for casual (worn with the long strap) or dressy (when hand-held). The biggest adjustment though are these pointy, rich suede ankle boots! Love. I think they completely elevated the outfit. (Side note: Boots are TTS and required no breaking in). The matching brown shades also ended up working well together.

The one accessory that I didn't change between outfits was the fun colorblocked stole. Every outfit needs a statement piece, and this was mine.

Unlike the last outfit (definitely an out-of-the-box experiment), today's look is totally all me -- or rather how I see myself. I'm comfortable, in casual attire, and have mastered the art of mixing high-end with low. When an outfit resonates with you, it's meant to be worn multiple times throughout a season. For me, that means turning regular weekdays into casual Fridays. <Runs and hides from upper management>

I wore this same sweater + skirt combo earlier this spring. Fast forward to now... you name the winter accessory and I'm wearing it. Scarf? Coat? Gloves? Tights? Check, check, check, and check! Did I feel a little bit ridiculous? A tiny bit -- it certainly was a chore getting ready. But I also felt glamorous -- because a fur stole and ladylike purse will do that to ya.

My office's holiday potluck party was today and there was a host of activities -- from ugly Christmas sweaters to cubicle decorations to spreading positivity through Post-it notes. My excuse for being the Grinch? I don't own any ugly sweaters... anymore? But I added my own twist with a fun (and stylish) winter accessory, a fur stole with a ribbon tie. I remember falling in love with this piece last year and still love it just as much to this day. J.Crew, please bring it back!

Two fleece outfits in the span of one week? You can now add fleece to my list of obsessions for this year along with the color green. Unlike the first look, today's is appropriate for weekends and casual Fridays at the office. I wore the blanket scarf mainly for added visual interest, but without still looks just as put-together.

'Tis the season for cold weather accessories! I'm so late to the game, but where have collarless coats been my whole life?! They are great to wear heavy scarves with. Nothing is in the way and scarves can be wrapped completely snug around the neck. And here I thought I was done with my coat collection...

This has been my go-to weekend outfit for the last 8 consecutive weeks (no lie, DH can attest to this). It's perfect for all the times we go out to eat at restaurants where the grease just embeds into your pores. I'm looking at you, Vietnamese pho (edit: phodor!), Chinese beef stew, Korean soondubu -- all of which I love too much to give up, so instead fashion is sacrificed in the process. I used to wear a holey sweatshirt (literally multiple holes at almost every seam) and baggy jeans, so this sportier outfit is a slight upgrade. It's so easy to just toss every item into the wash and not have to think about dry cleaning.

Long time no post! Been busy with life, work, and more life that I just needed a break from blogging. Hopefully with the holiday season upon us, work will slow down some and I can share more winter outfits. For now, I'm still going through a backlog of photos, so bear with me as it's still fall on the blog.

The last time I wore this pink sweater + white ankle pants combo, I dressed it up for an office appropriate look. Today's version falls on the other end of the spectrum. This look is completely casual, and most importantly, comfortable -- perfect for casual Fridays or running errands.

I think my obsession with Meghan Markle is pretty apparent now. I've loved her since her early Suits days; and now that she's in the spotlight practically every day, my interest has grown exponentially as well. I give her 100% credit for bringing the boatneck-style neckline to my attention. I wouldn't have given it another glance otherwise. It's such a feminine look, especially paired with the peplum hem of this top.

As the weather cools, I become lazier at "completing" outfits with jewelry. Partly because they'd be hidden underneath layers; and other times it's due to the abundance of cold weather accessories for warmth. What today's look lacks in bling, I made up for it with colorful accessories -- berry suede bow pumps and smooshy cognac leather purse. Can I just say that I've carried this purse the entire past week and the leather still smells amazing. While minding my own business at work, I would randomly get whiffs of the leather from about 3 feet away.

How quickly the leaves change! Just compare today's look (photos taken this morning) vs. the posts from last week. In the span of one week, leaves are now a solid reddish-orange -- simply gorgeous. I need to stop rushing into work in the mornings and remember to stop, breathe in the crisp autumn air, and enjoy the colors while they last.

On a random note, see that car in the background? I assumed it was empty because I couldn't make out silhouettes when I glanced over. So I went about my business and started setting up for photos. Then out of nowhere, I heard the engine start and literally jumped a foot in the air because the noise surprised me so bad. Part of me wished I was already in the midst of photo taking -- the outtakes would've been hilarious.

Happy Sunday! I haven't been posting too many casual outfits lately, so here is one with all old favorites (some of which has been re-stocked for this season!)