DH and I met up with friends for lunch at Founding Farmer's (highly recommend!) over the weekend. Afterwards, I asked him to quickly snap some photos in succession when there was a break in foot traffic around us. Hair blowing in every which direction, me with my hands full of bags, trying to smile normally but failing miserably... these are the most non-embarrassing and about as "real" as it gets for my outfit photos.
[photo above]: My other alma mater that doesn't get much love. Still need to buy my first GW gear...

Photos thanks to DH!

Today's outfit is one of those that I think looked better in theory, aka in my head. The top half looks fine, but the shoes...! I should've chosen simple brown loafers to wear instead. Not sure what I was thinking there.

Have a great Tuesday, everyone!

A quick post this mid-week with an outfit that's a reflection of the current state of my mind. Between catching up with work on a shortened week (snow. again.) and containing my excitement for the college basketball tournament that starts tomorrow (don't know why I torture myself with reading/watching everything I can find because all the experts have my team going out early), getting dressed in the mornings is the last thing on my mind. So, just making it easier on myself by sticking to a tried-and-true formula of neutrals + trousers with the same shoes + coat with the same sweater.

As my birthday came and went this year, I'm finally getting around to accepting that I've entered a new decade of my life. I jokingly compared it to the stages of grief, but of course on a much smaller scale. As silly as it sounds, my closet has helped play a role. I've begun to look at certain items I own a different way. Whoa, I must be maturing if I think bright blue tights are juvenile now. Nevertheless, I gave it one last hurrah before adding it to the donation bin.

I was in no hurry to refill the bright blue accessory hole in my wardrobe. However, seeing Phiphi and Kelly in two of my favorite outfits of theirs ever, each complete with blue suede shoes, I knew I've found the blue item for my slowly maturing self.

Like Jean, we both eyed the J.Crew Everly pumps. While the shoes worked wonderfully for her, they unfortunately were much too uncomfortable on my wider feet. What I ended up keeping are these Sole Society Desirae almond toe pumps in twilight blue (sold here). I typically wear 6-6.5 in shoes and took these in a size 6. I'd compare the fit to Nine West and Zara shoes. It's probably best to size down if you have narrow feet.

The blue suede color is brighter in real life than on the website. The first photo below is a pretty accurate representation of the color. The shoes are comfortable right out of the box and didn't require a break-in period (no blisters). I can't attest to the comfort level when it comes to walking/standing for hours. But for work purposes when I'm mostly sitting behind a desk, these shoes look and feel great.

Both outfits today feature the navy circle skirt that has been in constant rotation as of late. After wearing the skirt with fitted tops early on, I've been experimenting more with looser blouses in fun prints. I'm loving all these various combinations.

Have a good Wednesday, everyone!

The shoes that I wear most often slip on and off my feet easily. I don't like to spend extra time dealing with laces and buckles. There's been enough instances where my boss stops by to drag me into a meeting and I'm sitting at my desk cross-legged in bare feet. By the time I finish putting on my shoes, the meeting has already started.

Despite my aversion to high-maintenance footwear, I absolutely adore Elle, Katherine, and Wendy's YSL suede Mary Jane pumps. The 5" heel is too high for me personally, but I love the suede material, taupe color, and Mary Jane style.

I picked up these LOFT Pamela Scalloped Mary Jane pumps in nude, size 6 (sold here) during one of their recent 30% off promos. The shoes have been out for awhile, so sizes are now limited:
- nude, black are still at full price for $89.50 now $53.70 with code ENJOY40
- royal blue is on sale for $39.99 $31.99 until 3/25 until 10am EST now $47.99 with code ENJOY40
It doesn't hurt to check periodically for popbacks because that's how I found my size and color.

The shoes remind me of the iconic Manolo Blahnik Mary Jane pumps, with the elongated pointy-toe and strap placement across the middle part of the foot. While the Manolo's have a classic look, I really like the trendy scalloped detailing along the edges of LOFT's. It makes a feminine shoe even girlier, if that's possible.

The shoes are TTS in length and on the narrow side in width (my feet are normal-to-wide). On me, the toe box feels a bit tight and the heel a bit loose. If the shoes were regular pumps, my feet would be slipping out as I walk, but the buckled straps prevent that from happening.

Are there 4" heels that are truly comfortable? I've yet to find any. Considering the heel height, these are fairly comfortable, more so than my Miu Miu pumps but not as comfortable as my Ann Taylor booties. The shoes didn't require a breaking-in period and so I spent the day blister-free. I do have to be more careful about denim transfer, especially at the top of the heel. Even though I cuffed my jeans, I noticed some blue dye rubbed off.

I kept it simple for today's outfit with easy layers, minimal accessories and a neutral color palette. An outfit like this is probably what I'm most comfortable in.

Hope y'all have a good day!

I bought a new camera lens recently and I've been having so much fun with it in recent outfit posts. It's my first prime lens, so there's a bit of a learning curve. I still find myself wanting to set the tripod down anywhere before zooming in to frame the shot. Instead, now I have to place the tripod farther away to capture a full body shot. It's a longer walk back and forth with a self-timer, but the prettier bokeh background is worth the effort. Any tips for newbies on using a prime lens would be much appreciated!

A comparison shot with my kit lens. Perhaps a bit unfair because the background and weather was completely different.

Pencil skirts are a bit of a challenge for me. I haven't found one that sits at the right height with a flattering length to suit my body type. For example, the black one that I'm wearing today is a tad too rectangular for my liking. At the time of purchase, I deluded myself into thinking a black pencil skirt is a "must have" and picked up the first one that fit decently. I've tried on various others over the years (ie: the popular J.Crew No. 2), but haven't come across any that felt perfect. Where is your favorite pencil skirt from?

After seeing this Modcloth top on Jean and Jess, I finally pulled the trigger... after inventory was restocked for the third time. I simply couldn't resist the pretty bows. Oh yeah, the blue grosgrain ribbons don't hurt either ;)

Have a great hump day! (And first week of August -- where has the time gone?!)