Park Day

I wore this outfit to meet up with some friends at a local park with Luke. I altered the shirt about two years ago simply by taking in the sides, since it was just a little too wide. It makes a nice, breezy alternative to a simple tee, don't you think?

Keeping an eye on the little one...

I just bought the shoes (here) at Target, on the same trip as the nude pumps (here), and I am really enjoying them. Wedges are my favorite shoe for summer - not too fancy, but a little lift, while still maintaining comfort for a good bit of walking. 

Sunglasses: DVF

Shirt: Old Navy (old/altered)

Belt: Dockers (very old - from high school)

Shorts: Gap Outlet

Shoes: Target

Growing Up

Laura and I are both gifted with creative imaginations. We grew up pretending to be wolves, indians, early settlers, and anything else we could think of.  Because we grew up in FL, we were constantly barefoot with bowl cuts. What's the point in giving a little girl a cute haircut if she immediately runs into a ditch full of slime and sludge? That was Laura and I. Always looking for a ditch to jump in, a pile of dirt to roll in, or roots to dig up and pretend to cook. So without further adieu, here are a few pictures from our early childhood so you can see the leaps and bounds we have made in regards to fashion.

Paddling down the river (actually the pool at our grandparents house). Excellent haircuts once again :)

Laura wearing her classic black and white. It's true that she used to only wear 5 colors. What in the world am I wearing? At least it was comfortable.....

Laura and I are beyond the days of straight blunt bangs and bowl cut hair cuts. Although I must say I look back on these pictures and smile. I'm glad I wasn't a stylish little kid, it might have squelched my imagination. And who cares anyway? When you are a kid the ocean is never cold, energy is never lacking, and the imagination is constantly creating. If only we could harness a little more of the childlike imagination as grown ups....

Organized Chaos

I love order. I am constantly cleaning out closets and drawers in an attempt to get rid of things we don't use and to gain better access to the things we do use. I get such pleasure from getting rid of clutter. It certainly helps to make our 900 square foot condo feel just a little roomier. I don't think that I am OCD, though it may depend on who you ask. I am pretty sure that when my parents came to visit last, they purposefully jumbled my perfectly stacked forks and spoons, just to see if I would re-stack them. Or maybe it is just that they don't stack them at home. 

Lately, I have been cleaning out my jewelry, and only keeping the things that I might actually wear. I hardly have any precious stones or metals, mostly cheap stuff, so I don't expect it to last forever.

Here is my earring collection. I have come to love big earrings, especially now that I am constantly carrying a baby and they don't get in the way (or in his mouth) the way a necklace would. My mother-in-law gave me the wooden stand for Christmas last year, which works perfectly to keep them from getting all tangled up with each other. 

I love the sleek curves of this jewelry box, and use it to hold my stud-style earrings and some hoops. I bought it in high school, but can't remember where.

My latest organization project was to put all of my necklaces and bracelets into ziplock bags and then to sort them into antique boxes. It definitely helped to remind me of what I have, and to be motivated to start wearing more necklaces in particular.

I just love when things are in order. 

Colorful and Professional

Earrings: A Market in Peru

Shirt: Ann Taylor Factory Store (really old)

Vest: Gift from Laura

Skirt: Gift from Italy

Shoes: From my roommates grandma

Most people wear pretty safe outfits where I work. I try to mix it up with color. It is challenging to find a professional style while trying to bring personality and color into it. 

I've always had an extremely outgoing and vibrant personality so it is only fitting that my clothes should match. I've floated from excessively colorful to excessively drab. I'm working on finding a place in between. :)

Every time I wear these earrings people tell me that it looks like I'm wearing Mexican hats on my ears. I really like them because they make a bold statement and spruce up any outfit from professional to jeans. 

Here is a closeup of the skirt compliment of my friend Sharon who went to Italy when we were in high school.  Isn't it perfect for a Florida girl?

And last but not least, my roommate in college wore the same size shoe as me (5.5) and she gave me these shoes. They originally belonged to her grandma so I feel extra special when I'm wearing them. It always makes me think about my roommate who is living in far away Boston. I took this picture on my way home from work. I know pictures can be deceiving,  but trust me, I DO NOT have cankles.

Thanks for reading!

Color 101

Color...you would think I'd have learned from my mom. She is great at wearing color. All my life, my palette has mostly consisted of black, white, navy, and red (just ask Katie). Until recently, that is...

Lately, many of my favorite bloggers have done posts on color theory, which have started to really inform my pairing choices. Here are the best ones:

Alterations Needed

Extra Petite

Wendy's Lookbook

As my husband can attest, I do indeed wear more colors now than ever, but I still have a lot to learn, especially about pairing colors together. I am grateful to these great bloggers (and Mom!) for their time and effort in giving me Color 101. 

Enjoy!