OOTD – warmin’ up with Maggie’s Organics

I talked a little bit about Maggie’s Organics in my Holiday Gift Guide post a few weeks ago, but I wanted to show you what the scarf and knee highs they sent me look like on, so here’s a quick outfit of the day, taking advantage of the cold weather here before it gets crazy hot again!

I was sent their printed scarf in the maroon “peace print” and a pair of patterned knee-highs in the “maroon stars” print. The premise behind Maggie’s Organics is that they offer fair trade organic cotton apparel — I think it’s pretty widely known that fair trade organic food is important, but I definitely agree with the company that knowing where your clothes come from and having confidence that they were made in an ethical way is equally important.

In addition to being a socially responsible company, Maggie’s also offers really fashionable items, which I found super easy to integrate into my existing wardrobe.

Check out the close-up print on the scarf! I love that it says “peace” in all sort of languages. I wore this throughout the holiday seasons, to different family gatherings and celebrations, and I got a ton of compliments. It really feels like the perfect holiday scarf!

You can see in this picture how long the scarf is — 15” wide by 87” long. You can also see the adorable knee-highs, which I wore with jeans and my favorite tan moccasins (which I think I bought last year at Payless, if you’re wondering). Both the scarf and the socks are the same maroon color, so they really pulled the outfit together and felt festive.

I paired these with a simple black top, which you can’t see under my coat, a sweet zip-up peacoat from Old Navy. I think the combo of the muted basics (jeans, black top, gray coat) with my makeup (a bright brown-based red lip and light eyeshadow) and the festive scarf and socks from Maggie’s really suited the holiday celebration I was going to.

Fall fashion – another OOTD in olive green

It’s been warm here, much warmer than fall should be, as I complained in my last OOTD post. The past couple of days have been sort of rainy and miserable, so fashion hasn’t been about fun and has instead been about staying dry. But, I’ve got an outfit from a few days ago that I really liked and can’t wait to wear again when the sun comes back out.

Sorry for the awkward smile — I think I was smiling while telling my husband, “just take the picture already!”

I love love love this top! Got it at ROSS, and it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite articles of clothing. It’s an olive green sweater with a drapey cowl neck and short cap sleeves. This kind of military green shade is really trendy right now, and I’m so glad to have found a top that’s totally my style while still incorporating the trend. I’m not going to wear head-to-toe fatigues just because military clothing is in fashion!

My jeans are American Eagle boyfriend style jeans with on-purpose rips and snags. They’re loose and really comfy, and I’m wearing a pair of gladiator sandals from Forever21, too.

A not-so-flattering angle of my face! Just wanted to share a makeup look I’ve been loving — really soft and light on the eyes (a shimmery light all over lid color and a nice taupe in the crease) and a mauve/berry shade on the lips. So pretty for fall!

Definitely in need of a haircut! Hope you enjoyed this outfit of the day, and I can’t wait for the weather to get back on track so I can have fun dressing again and share more OOTDs with you!

Fall fashion! Office attire OOTD

Baby, it’s cold outside! Or, I wish it were. Here in Texas, it’s still warm, but I’m dressing like it’s fall in protest, hoping that the weather will get the picture and cool off already! Here’s a recent OOTD in my Fall Fashion series, this time featuring something a bit dressier, appropriate if you work in an office setting like me.

Super simple but definitely pulled together with a bit of flair! I’m wearing a Converse brand dark blue button-down top from Target. I love this top because it’s like a traditional button-down, but on the sides, there’s a bit of stretchy material that makes it super comfy.

See the stretch? Awesome! I’ve got a ton of these shirts in different shades. When you find something classic and basic like that that fits well, buy it in every color!

Here’s a better look at my skirt and shoes. The skirt is by Adrienne Vittadini, and I bought it on crazy clearance from ROSS or Marshall’s. And the shoes are also from Target…they’re wedges by Merona, and they don’t stay on my feet very well, but they’re cute and add a bit of height.

A great fall polish on my nails — OPILucerne-tainly Look Marvelous. It’s a great foil-y silver shimmer and holds up really well.

Here’s a better look at my face and a bit of my scarf, which was a great find at Forever 21 — it was in one of those bins by the register where they get you with the impulse purchases! But this actually will work really well in my wardrobe, since I don’t have really colorful, patterned scarfs except for this one.

Nothing too crazy happening with my makeup or earrings, just my regular routine of Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup with eye makeup from my Urban Decay Naked Palette (reviewed here!), and on my ears, some silver balls from Forever 21.

I really liked this outfit because it was super simple, but it looked really pulled together and chic. Now, let’s all say a little prayer for some chilly weather so I can start wearing more scarves and winter coats!

Fall Fashion – OOTD #1

It’s beginning to feel a lot like….fall! I love the cool weather, where it’s no longer hot and humid, but it’s not so cold that being outdoors is unbearable. Autumn is my favorite season, by far. It’s got the best holidays, and definitely the best possibilities for fashion.

Here’s a recent Outfit of the Day so you can get some ideas for how to dress in the cooler weather.

I LOVE browns and earth tones in the fall. Right now, purples and burgundies are really trendy. You can see that my OOTD is featuring a deep, chocolate brown, but the same top would be adorable in a dark violet, maybe with black skinny jeans and boots.

The top is a tunic-style short-sleeved sweater from Forever 21 — a great deal at only $9.99! This is an awesome basic piece to have for fall, and even into winter weather (especially if you live in a state like Texas where the two seasons aren’t that different, weather-wise). You can keep it casual like I did and pair with skinny jeans (mine are another steal of a deal from Old Navy…they’re The Flirt style and in a dark indigo wash), or you can dress it up with patterned tights and make it a standalone piece.

I tucked the skinny jeans into boots. These are a recent purchase from ROSS, and I can’t find a brand on them, but they’re just slouchy suede ankle boots in the same color as the tunic. I’ve seen these types of boots in lots of stores already this season, and I bet you can find something similar online, too.

I kept my accessories simple and added this super cute headband from Target that incorporates brown tones and adds some gold in there as well, bringing me to…

My earrings, which were a cheap-y but cute purchase, I think from Target. They’re little gold flowers with a jeweled center.

For my face, I kept the makeup light and natural, using Revlon ColorStay foundation (in Buff) and the Urban Decay Naked palette for my eyes, using mostly Virgin all-over the lid and popping a bit of Half Baked in the crease and outer v.

I’m going to continue to feature fall fashion OOTDs in the coming weeks, as the weather gets cooler and I find some great deals on staples you need in your closet this season, as well as some trendy pieces here and there.

Birthday Outfit of the Day/Night

This is what 26 looks like (at least on me)! My birthday was last Saturday, 8/7, and my husband and I celebrated with friends by going out and spending the night at a hotel in the city. The bar we went to was casual but I wanted to dress up a bit since it was a special occasion.

I loved the combo of the pink top with ruffle-y flowers and the sparkly, sheer black wrap on top. Got the pink top at Forever21 and the black wrap at Charlotte Russe (both were regular price and not on sale, but at those stores, regular price is pretty darn cheap!).

Here’s a closer look at the detailing on the pink top. Adorable! This was great for my night out, but I think with the right accessories and pieces to pair it with, I can pull it off at work, too.

I also picked up these light wash denim leggings (jeggings?) at Charlotte Russe to go with the top and wrap. They were on the clearance rack for $12.99 (regular price was $18.99, I think), and the store was having an additional 50% off all clearance, so these babies were under $10! I think they made the entire look a bit more casual, which was good because I didn’t want to be overdressed for the place we were going. I did a smokier eye than normal and curled my hair, so I felt pretty good that night.

How do you celebrate your birthday, and do you dress up for it?

More fashion (including some work-appropriate outfits) coming soon, along with some face of the day (FOTD) pics!

Outfits of the week – working girl!

As I’ve said before, I work in an office environment Monday through Friday, so for at least four days a week (I can get away with jeans on Fridays), I have to come up with business attire that is appropriate but not dowdy or unflattering. It’s fun to try to mix things I’d wear on the weekend (a pretty top) with stuff I purchased in the “work wear” section of the department store (slacks or a skirt) to come up with office outfits that aren’t the same-old suits.

Here are some of the outfits I wore to work last week. I hope this will give you some ideas if you’re in the same situation as me — in your 20s, still wanting to dress with some fun style, but needing to adhere to an office dress code.

TUESDAY
I typically wear staple pieces that are neutral colors (black, grey, white) and add some flair with accessories or cute detailing. I took this approach on Tuesday when overall, my outfit was pretty basic, but I still felt stylish because the top fit really well, and I had small little pops of color.

The top is from GUESS but I got it discounted at ROSS (or Marshalls, can’t remember). My camera makes it look sort of grey, but it’s black, and the fit is very flattering — it buttons all the way up, but unlike other button-downs, it has a cinched waist and a scooped neck. The neckline is  bit low cut for work, though, so I added a black cami with lace trim on the top and bottom from Charlotte Russe.

Here’s where I added some color. As you can see, my slacks are grey, so I wore these adorable satin pink ballet flats by RocketDog. The rest of the color and detailing for my outfit came from jewelry:

Pretty pink and sterling silver dragonfly earrings from Kohls.

This is a ring and necklace set that my in-laws gave me before my wedding last year. It features my husband’s birthstone, sapphire. I love really delicate jewelry like this. (On my nails – Lucky Lucky Lavendar by OPI)

WEDNESDAY
I love wearing skirts to work! This gives me the flexibility to do a really safe, conservative look on the bottom (in this case, a black skirt with black pantyhose and flats) with something more fun on top.

I LOVE this top! It’s polka-dot but somewhat sheer (so I added a black cami from Target underneath) and super flowy. There’s also a tie on the neckline, and the waist has some ruching, which is very figure flattering. I wish I could remember where I bought this top, but I got it so long ago. Probably ROSS, though.

It’s tough getting full-body photos when you’re the one taking the picture, so I couldn’t get any good shots of my skirt. It’s just a basic black, soft skirt from Adrienne Vittadini, and I paired with with these flats from Madden Girl (skirt and shoes from Marshalls). I love these shoes because they’re black flats and go with just about anything, but the double bow and pointy toe keep them from being boring.

I kept it simple with my earrings, a pink stone dangly pair that I got at Prima Dora in Austin, made by a local artist (didn’t keep the tag so I can’t remember the name, ugh!). For my handbag and sunglasses, which I don’t carry or wear in the office, so you’ll only see them when I’m coming to and from work, I wore these fun choices from Target. Believe it or not, the bag was under $5! Got it on major clearance a week or so ago, so check out your local Target to see if there are any left. And I always break or lose sunglasses, so I’m forever buying inexpensive options, like these $14.99 ones from Target.

THURSDAY
Dresses are also good work basics. I like to either wear a really bright, patterned dress (like the one here) with a basic, conservative wrap over, or a neutral dress with a cute sweater or top.

This dress is another ROSS find, and it’s just a flowy, colorful lightweight dress. But, the straps leave my shoulders exposed, and I’m not super comfortable with that for work, so I added this little sweater shrug from Old Navy.

Shoes and accessories are ones you’ve already seen — the MaddenGirl flats from above and the pink rosary bead bracelet from a previous OOTD.

So, that’s a good overview of what I usually wear to work — neutral separates with pops of color and pretty details in my accessories, and fun patterns paired with conservative basics. If I worked in a really formal office, I might not be able to get away with stuff this casual, but I’m glad I don’t have to wear suits every day!

What do you wear to work? Tell me in the comments below!

7/16/2010 – Outfit of the Day!

Happy Friday! For those of us who work a 40-hour week Monday through Friday, there’s nothing like the start of a weekend.

So, to celebrate the awesomeness that is Friday, here’s my first ever Outfit of the Day. I love these types of blog posts and YouTube videos, so I hope my fashion interests you.

This is actually my Outfit of the Evening…during the day, I wore exactly this, but I had on a shirt with the name of my employer, which I didn’t want to post, and didn’t want to wear when I went out after work, so only the top is different from the day look! We’re probably just going to go out to dinner, so I’m keeping it casual!

My shirt was an awesome find from our trip to Austin, TX, last week. We ate breakfast one day at Magnolia Cafe (which you MUST do if you go to Austin; everyone eats here!), and stopped by Prima Dora, a shop next door to Magnolia that had shirts for the restaurant for sale! I found this super cute, thin tee that’s black and has adorable pink flamingos on it! I thought it was apt since the meal I got at Magnolia was called The Flamingo.

The jeans are a gray wash from Banana Republic Outlet (we went to the massive outlet mall in San Marcos, TX, on our vacation last week…it was a sensory overload!), and the shoes are the brand nicole, purchased at ROSS a month or so ago.

Ruffles are really on trend right now, and I love how the leg of the jean hits my foot so that the little ruffles on the shoes just poke out a bit. So girly and pretty!

I got the headband at Target — they have a TON of really cute ones in stock right now, very sweet and stylish. This is second-day hair, so when I got ready this morning, it wasn’t giving me much volume, so I just stuck the headband on it, and bam — looks like I put a ton of effort to style, and I didn’t!

As for jewelry, I went simple on the earrings, since I’ve got the jeweled headband up top, too. These are probably my favorite earrings of all-time. They’re from Forever21, and they came in one of those sets of 3 pairs of earrings for $3ish. Just cute little white flowers, and I get a ton of compliments on them.

I also threw on this rosary bracelet that I got from a local vendor at a craft show a few months ago. (I lost her business card, though, so I can’t find her name. I don’t think she had a website or anything.) I think pink and gray work really well together.

And a quick face of the day, list-style!

Products used:

• Laura Gellar Spackle Tinted Under Makeup Primer (fantastic primer, gives you a nice base of color under foundation)
• Lancome Effacernes Waterproof Concealer (I dot this under my eyes and blend in before foundation)
• Milani Cosmetics Secret Cover Concealer Cream (I use this to cover up any redness, blemishes, discoloration, etc.)
• Physicians Formula Healthy Wear  SPF 50 Tinted Moisturizer in Fair to Light (Yes, the $0.74 score from my Target haul yesterday! Tested it out today, and I liked it. Very silky to apply, blended well, but I was left with a super dewy, almost oily finish — and I have dry skin! So, just set it with a powder, and it was fine.)
• MAC Just a Pinch Gel Blush – limited edition (Got this at the CCO in San Marcos outlet mall. I use it over foundation but under my finishing powder, then follow up after powder with a light wash of powder blush.)
• e.l.f. High Definition Powder (love this to set my foundation and cream products! It really softens the face and is not at all cake-y.)
• Almay bronzer in Sunkissed (I apply this with a light hand to my cheekbones, forehead and under my chin, just so I’m not so pasty white!)
• NARS blush in Orgasm (This truly is the perfect color, pinky-peach and makes you look so alive!)
• Laura Gellar Baked Body Frosting in Sugar Glow (this is the prettiest highlight! Goes above my cheekbones, on my browbone and in my cupid’s bow.)
• e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadow Primer (a total dupe for Urban Decay Primer Potion!)
• MAC Painterly Paint Pot (after the primer, this gives my lids a really even base to start applying shadow)
• MAC Phloof! (I use this eyeshadow all over the lid and in the inner corners, to open up my eyes and add some shine)
• Lancome Color Design Eyeshadow in Moccachino (I use my crease brush to softly blend this into the crease, adding some definition without making my lids too dark. Plus, it’s a matte, so it helps to balance out the shimmer of Phloof!)
• Smashbox Etch eyeshadow (Is this no longer sold in the Smashbox line? I got mine in a set through HauteLook so I’m not sure. Anyway, I tap a bit of this into my outer corners and blend to the middle of the lids.)
• Christian Siriano for Victoria’s Secret eyeshadow in Royalty (This was limited edition, and I bought at the VS outlet in San Marcos. It’s a gorgeous chocolate brown shade, and I use it to deepen the outer V.)
• Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in Pure White (I line my waterline with this to open up my eyes and make me look wide awake!)
• Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliner in Bold Brown (I line my upper and lower lash lines with this for definition.)
• Urban Decay Skyscraper Multi-Benefit Mascara (After curling my lashes, I apply this to my upper lashes. I have a mini-tube of this, and I love the control I have with the brush!)
• Upper Canada Naturally Lip Butter in Sweet Vanilla Fig (Holy gosh, I got this at a Buc-ees convenience store on the road during our vacation last week, and I LOVE it! Most conditioning lip butter ever, and I have super dry lips!)
• MAC Viva Glam Gaga lipstick (such a Barbie pink!)
• Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Lilac Pastelle (softens up the Gaga and gives me a baby pink pout)

Gosh, that looks like a lot in a bulleted list, doesn’t it? But remember, I’m doing a full face of makeup, and I’m not blessed enough to have such good skin that I can leave stuff out.

So that’s what I’m wearing tonight. Hope you like it! What did you wear today?