TBMD

I'm nothing if not predictable. The obvious is the blazer and girlfriend jeans combo that is on the verge of uniform territory. But wait! I almost always like to mix in something "new" (Bottega Veneta lookalike clutch) with the "old". Lastly, I wouldn't be me if I didn't look slightly disheveled. Today's perfectly imperfect touch is the messily wrapped scarf sorta tucked into the blazer. It was a bit chilly in the morning, so for once practicality won out.

Fall has since come and gone, but I'm determined to share the few outfits that I did snap during the last few weeks before diving into seasonable winter looks. Up first is a menswear-inspired outfit composed of pretty much every tomboy-ish item from my closet. Long (and aptly named) boyfriend blazer? Check. Loafers in a men's silk tie print? Definitely. A suede bag in colors and a plaid pattern that, in my opinion, tied the whole outfit together.

What's my excuse for the latest mini-blogging hiatus? I've been completely immersed in the Nats' post-season run the last few weeks. Staying up late to catch games in their entirety plus all the post-game shenanigans has me walking around like a zombie at work and guzzling coffee like it's my only source of nutrient. You know what though? It's all been so worth it. 2019 has the makings of the greatest sporting year of my life, first with my beloved Hoos winning their first ever NCAA basketball championship... and now, the Nats 2 games away from their first ever World Series? Pinch me, I must be dreaming. #FINISHTHEFIGHT

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?

As summer is winding down around us, I'm trying to not get ahead of myself. Just living in the moment, enjoying wearing summer pieces a few last times, sipping iced cold drinks, and even not complaining about the humidity (ha!) Fall will be upon us soon enough and there will be plenty of time to wear layers then.

A quick preface before diving into today's post: there will be lots of fangirling ahead. Don't say I didn't warn you.

I have a handful of favorite brands that I constantly browse for new releases and styling ideas. I'd say I'm an equal opportunist shopper. Sure I go through phases where I'll buy from one more than the others, but never for a prolonged period of time. This year was a game changer for me. Ever since the Fall/Winter 2019 shows back in February earlier this year, Tory Burch has been it for me. I completely fell for the Lee Radziwill soft deconstructed bag on the runway (see how it slouches so beautifully?) and have been chomping at the bits for its release. Now that different colorways are slowly trickling out, I'm having a hard time picking just one. I am leaning more towards a suede version because the slouchy look should be easier to achieve than a leather version. Then there is the dilemma of plaid pattern or solid colors? Decisions, decisions.

The last couple months saw me make multiple purchases from their Spring/Summer collection -- shoes (like the ones in today's outfit), watches (yes, plural), and peasant top. I feel like I've been wearing at least one Tory Burch item every single day for the past few weeks, without stoppage any time soon.

The Lee Radziwill bag may be at the top of my wishlist, but there are several others that I'm holding out for to go on sale in the near future: yellow bucket bag, colorblock ponte dress, wool scarf, another pair of Penelope shoes. Oh who am I kidding. Just take all my money now, Tory Burch.

Hello again! I took a mini hiatus to spend time with family, but am now back on the wagon with blogging. Hopefully I can keep it up without too many work distractions ;)

Today's outfit is from... oh gosh, perhaps early August?! I'd describe it as a little business mixed with a whole lotta casual. I see women all.the.time pulling off chic looks with white sneakers (and not just for commuting purposes either). I think choosing the right type of sneakers is essential -- too clunky and they just end up looking like clown shoes; too worn and they ruin the whole look. The pair I'm wearing skews more towards the clunky side. I have fairly small feet for my height and they do not look dainty in these shoes at all (especially standing still). The crisp white leather is perfection though. And the touch of blue stripes at the heel? Love.

Casual but slightly dressed up outfits are my forte. I'm a tomboy at heart, and as I've matured over the years, I've found that adding adult touches (aka heels) is an easy way to straddle that middle ground between am-I-supposed-to-take-you-seriously and lighten-up-will-you extremes. It does help that I've found my new favorite pair of heels! A little glam but yet neutral (loving cognac so much lately) while being super comfortable.

The last outfit was quintessentially "me" in my element. In contrast, today's is the complete antithesis. Everything from head to toe was an experiment that... I'm not sure I'll be repeating. I wanted to try my hand at the trendy "fancy" jogger pants (the crepe-y fabric with elastic at the ankles). Most of the ones I've seen look best in dark colors (ie: olive, black), so I thought it was a genius idea to take ankle pants that I already own then fold up the hem for a bunched-up look. Did it work? Not if you look closely, but from far away, it may pass muster. While I think the resulting look is fun, I kinda felt like I was trying too hard.

I've previously mentioned styling struggles when it comes to this top. It took trial and error to find pants that worked with the tad-too-short-top without proportions looking off. To nobody's surprise except mine, I encountered the same issue when trying on skirts. I really wanted to wear a pencil skirt, but anything knee-length just made the outfit look dowdy. The balance looked much better when I went with a shorter skirt -- and dare I say, more youthful? As for the matchy-matchy scallop hems, that can be overlooked because priority for choosing a navy skirt for the color scheme won out.

Continuing the sleeveless trend that I've been sporting this summer (exhibits: A, B), today's outfit is probably more late-summer appropriate as we transition into fall. I happen to snag this sleeveless tunic on super sale recently, and of course, had to wear it immediately, lest I forget all about it. The last time I bought an out-of-season item, I only recently unearthed it from the back of my closet. Sigh. So, here's an outfit that will take me from summer to fall. Then when the weather cools considerably, the tunic can still be worn layered over a crisp white button-up shirt.

I feel like my style has been all over the place this year. There's been a decent number of experiments (some good, others ehh), bold color choices, some arm-baring, just to name a few. For today's look, I'm doing a 180 and going back to my roots. Is there anything more classically summer than crisp whites with stripes? I think not. (I resisted the urge to carry the trendy wicker basket, but couldn't help but accessorize with the quirky lime coin purse).

I still remember the first time I wore this embroidered top. I paired it with white, wide-leg cropped pants and thought I looked so chic because everything was flowy! Upon further inspection, it was just too everything... too white, I looked too rectangular, top was too short, pants were too cropped. The only "too" statement I can make about today's outfit is that it's too casual -- but hey, there's a time and place for that (and it's not always a bad thing). The girlfriend jeans are just loose enough to counterbalance the shorter-than-I-prefer top.