TBMD

Usually by this time of the year, I would have already jumped the gun and busted out my fall jackets. Multiple times. Sweating just a tad in the early stages of fall while sipping a pumpkin spice latte is like a rite of passage. Nope, not this year. I waited until I absolutely had to without jeopardizing my health. True to form though, once I'm in, I'm in. There's no such thing as going overboard with all the fall accessories -- scarf, suede (love this bag, btw! drapes so well), and of course bare legs while I'm bundled up like an eskimo on the top half. Welcome to fall and happy layering, everyone!

Never in my life have I worn a pair of jeans that fit perfectly off the rack without any (faux or real) alterations whatsoever. Until today! Boyfriend jeans don't count because they're meant to be baggy. In the past, I always got the length hemmed or simply folded any excess fabric over/under to shorten the hem. Most of the time, the fit is fine around the waist and hips. The minute I tried on these J.Crew jeans, I finally understood why women rush out to stock up once they've found their holy grail of jeans. Nothing makes you feel more confident than a pair of perfectly-fitting jeans. This was also the first time I tried high-waisted jeans, and... I'm smacking myself for dismissing them in favor of low-waisted jeans for years. But, better late than never, right?

When you're having a great hair day (trust me, this is a rarity for me, and my standards are so very low), it's okay if the outfit isn't 100% on point. The tweed blazer is just a bit too long with the dress (see last photo), and perhaps a bit heavy for summer. It was actually on back-order for awhile, but instead of waiting patiently to wear it during appropriate weather, I just had to take it out for instant gratification. When I tried it at home, the tweed blazer fits and looks amazing buttoned with girlfriend jeans. Outfit to come this fall!

As promised, I finally decided to style this leopard skirt with something other than a black sweater (!) I felt a polo top was the conservative yin to the wild leopard yang of the bottom half. Personally I preferred the outfit with the trench coat as I felt it completed the outfit. As opposed to merely complementing, which unfortunately was how the outfit looked for most of the day as I spent it indoors.

I'd estimate most outfits of mine to look better in real life than captured in photos. Today's is one of the rare exceptions. Doesn't the tweed dress look blue-ish? Up close and in real life, the tweed is definitely more multi-hued, aptly described as black rainbow multi on the website (I have nobody else to blame except for myself for my lack of reading comprehension). What really drew me to the dress were the gold buttons with the front faux pockets -- so cute! The v-neck is a bit low on me, hence the addition of the layered shirt. But I really liked how the overall fit is on the looser side for the a-line silhouette. If this blue-black-rainbow color isn't your cup of tea, the dress also comes in ivory.

Off the top of my head, there's nothing more spring-like than a wicker basket. The sight of one immediately conjures up picnics under a gigantic tree, or a lazy afternoon frolicking through the flower fields (making mental notes and adding both to my bucket list!) Though not very practical (perhaps only a bit more so than an evening clutch), I do love their whimsical nature. The easiest way to style wicker baskets is to pair them with feminine pieces (lace, frills, floral prints), light colors (white, pastels), and/or with warm temperature fabrics and textures (silk, linen, light cotton). I cannot wait to wear mine all throughout the spring and summer months. Yay or nay -- are you a fan of wicker baskets?

Rounding out the month of April on a high note! 4 posts in the last week, with the majority featuring one of my favorite jackets ever. I don't know how much longer this in-between spring and summer weather is going to last, so just trying to prolong jacket season as long as I can.

When I was putting together today's outfit, I was aiming for classic and understated (in my simpleton mind, that's how I equate neutrals and office appropriate-wear). By the end of the day, I was blown away at how much the caramel-colored wide tortoise belt stole the show. Ladies at work stopped to inquire, and I was only too happy to share it's a recent purchase and still available. Another generalization example: no comments = fly under the radar = understated. How wrong was I?! Time to change this mindset of mine.

I felt like a walking advertisement for Where's Waldo?, though of the female, colorful, and preppy variety. I've tried (and owned) a few shirtdresses over the years. My biggest problem with most is how they ride up when I raise my arms. To a lesser extent, they tend to somehow emphasize problem areas (too tight) or need belting (too loose). But this Waldo shirtdress is love at first sight! The fabric is thick and heavy enough that the hem doesn't ride up easily. I didn't feel fat nor felt like I'm wearing a sack. This dress is a throwback of J.Crew's from 1984 that they brought back. Unfortunately, I picked up the dress in the dead of winter, so very limited sizes are avail now. However, the shirt version is still available in many sizes in navy ivory.

Can a graphic tee ever be work appropriate? Why yes, let me point you to the example that is today's outfit. A pencil skirt will always work in office environments. For the top half, I went with a grandma cable cardigan sweater to offset the youthful casualness of the graphic tee. I also think it helps to keep the general color scheme neutral.

A big boss actually commented that he loves my shirt because he loves Mickey. I was all ready to say Hey back because that's typically the extent of our interactions, so was caught completely off-guard with my jaw hanging open scrambling to form a response. When I recounted the story to a coworker later, she asked, You wore a Mickey shirt?! We had just grabbed lunch together an hour prior! So given my tiny sample size (one being positive, the other didn't even notice), I'd give graphic tees at work my stamp of approval.

I'm so, so behind on blogging it's not even funny. Thank you all who are still hanging around here willing to put up with my sporadic, weekly-at-best posts.

A recurring theme every spring seems to be me subconsciously reaching for feminine pieces from my closet. (I blame it on the blooms, because flowers = pretty). Some years, it's lace. This year, it's pleats. Pretty in pleats was what ran through my mind as I put together today's outfit.

When it comes to wearing statement pieces, I typically alternate between two options: 1) with head-to-toe neutrals, 2) go matchy-matchy on the colors. For today's outfit, I went with the latter to center around these eye-catching preppy silk tie print loafers. I didn't think they were that much of a departure from my norm (or maybe I'm known as the "shoe girl" at work?), but caught multiple co-workers staring and fielded a couple conversational starter-type comments. I'm thinking there is only one way to tell -- an experiment by pitting the loafers against a bold-colored outfit. One has to win out, right?

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!