Paper Doll Project

Tank: Target
Cardigan: J Crew
Skirt: Gap
Shoes: Target
Earrings: Turkey
Belt: Banana Republic

Have y'all heard about the Paper Doll Project started by Suze of Miss Vinyl Ahoy? Basically, you sign up and you get paired up with another blogger who styles you for a day, and, of course, you style her. I've been in such a style rut lately, so I signed up and got paired with the lovely Nicole of Employed Panache.


She challenged me to wear some more color, and while this is not an outfit I would've come up with on my own, I really love it. This tank is one of my favorites, and I never quite know what to do with it, so it was nice to pull it out today.


It was just the right pop I needed for another wet, grey day up in the rainforest. Also, can we discuss how easy it was to get dressed this morning?


So easy. I could get used to this.

Friend Friday: Shoes

It's time for another Friend Friday, brought to you by Katy of Modly Chic. I've been a real slacker about participating, but I couldn't resist this particular subject.

This week, we're talking shoes. (Cue choirs of heavenly angels here.)

1. What is your go-to pair of shoes?
I'm pretty sure this will come as no surprise, but I'm going to say my Aldo booties.

If you don't believe me, just click right here and see all the ways I've worn them. And y'all? I paid $45 for them at the outlet. Original price was something ridiculous like $130 or something, and there was no way I was ever going to part with that much money for a pair of shoes, no matter how perfect. Mostly because I'm cheap; I wasn't poor then, just cheap - now I'm both.
Anyway, the color and the just slightly funky style make them a natural for just about any outfit.

2. What goes into your shoe buying decisions?
I'm going to say I have a three-step process for buying shoes:

1. Are they affordable?  As mentioned above, I'm cheap, and I've gotten decent quality leather boots for $60.  I won't pay more than $80 for leather boots, $45 for pumps, and $30 for sandals.  Even then, they better last me forEVER because I want value.  Case in point: I paid $60 for these Nine West cowboy boots like, seven or eight years ago.  I can't even remember how long I've had them and they're still around and kicking.
   

   From 2010-09-30

2. Are they comfortable?  Y'all: I'm a teacher.  I'm on my feet all. Day. Long.  That said, I'm also shorter than most of my students - at least that was the case when I taught in the States - so I like heels to give me a bit of authority - more presence, perhaps.  They force me to stand up straighter and walk with more purpose.  I'm not going to sacrifice authority for comfort or comfort for authority, so I'm going to make my shoes give me both.  Pass the comfortable heels, please.  
3. Can I wear them with everything else I've got in my closet?  I've got very few shoes that I don't wear with skirts because we all know I'd rather wear skirts than anything else.  Yes, there are shoes that I need for specific activities (hiking or working out) but for the most part, I want versatile shoes.  Versatility, of course, has nothing to do with color in my world.  Bright shoes are easy for me to work into my mostly neutral palette.  

3. The majority of the shoes in your closet are what color?
Actually, right now, they're brown - shades of brown.  The shoes I've got back in the States though, are in a rainbow of colors that I miss more than I can adequately express.  (Dear red, electric blue, and yellow pumps: I miss you so.   Also, leopard print peep toes, I wish I had at least one of you here with me.  We could cuddle.)

4. When it comes to designer shoes what are your favorite brands and why?
Real designers, I don't even play that game because it just makes me wish I had stuff I can't afford (and would feel way guilty about paying for anyway).  As far as brands that I love: Nine West, Steve Madden, and Aldo for heels.  They just work with my feet - comfortable, walkable, stylish, and affordable.

5. If price wasn’t an issue, you’d own which shoe?
I've got two options for this one.
First, these Brian Atwood pumps:

source

Second, these Fluevogs.  These shoes win an award for being the first pair of Fluevogs I actually thought were cute.  

source

Not so creative

All remixed except shoes
Dress: Banana Republic
Cami: Target
Shoes: Nine West
Bracelet: Vietnam
Earrings: Target

I apologize for the picture quality. I took these pictures myself with the old clunker of a camera we're using until the new one is repaired and it's not so conducive to self portraiture without a tripod. Yeah, I don't use a tripod when I take my own pictures. Crazy, I know.


I've worn this dress with this cami before on the blog. I was not feeling too creative this morning. Or rather, all my experiments didn't work as well as I wanted, so I went with an old favorite because I was getting frustrated and had an insanely busy day ahead. I volunteered this morning, started my part time job, and then had dinner with a couple from our church and talked Costa Rica and Haiti (they're on their way there soon). So anyway, I considered it a feat to get dressed today, even if I wasn't terribly creative.


I mixed it up a bit with these neon yellow snakeskin pumps, though. Yellow and fuchsia totally go, right? Anyway, about these pumps: these are the shoes I wore for our wedding in December. I'd gotten them from B. for my birthday six months before that, so they weren't new-new on our wedding day, but I was NOT interested in buying a pair of white shoes that I was never going to wear again. And I love yellow shoes and snakeskin and the fact that B. had picked them out for me. These are some great shoes.

White on white

All remixed except skirt
Blouse: Target
Skirt: Ann Taylor
Mules: Off Broadway
Hoops: gift

So today's outfit was inspired by these two looks. I really liked their (almost) all white outfits, and decided to do my own little twist on this summery look.


My first twist was getting rid of pants. I mean, I own a pair of white pants, but they don't fit terribly well, and they're destined for my give away pile. Besides, I don't really like pants; I'm definitely a skirt girl.


I don't really own a white skirt, either, but this one is close. The color is so light that it looks white in the right light and from the right distance.


It's also got these cute, sailor-type buttons on the front, and who can resist that? Even if it does draw attention to your belly... Anyway, I got this skirt at the Ann Taylor outlet at least three years ago, and this is only the third time I've worn it. Isn't that pathetic?


I was originally going to wear a white tee - a fancy tee to be exact - but as I was looking for it, I saw this blouse and thought that it might work better, especially with that sweet little pleated detail at the neckline - it felt vaguely nautical to me, and that seemed to work with the skirt.


I tried on some silver peep toes with this, but then went with these nude mules because they felt more office appropriate. I have a love/hate relationship with mules because they so often look like house shoes to me and that's not a look I'm going for - though I love the ease of slipping them on. When you have a pointy toe, though, it's easier to distance yourself from the fuzzy slipper look.

And now, another awkward hands pose:


P.S. I just discovered today that mules were associated with PROSTITUTES in the early 20th Century?! Whaaaaaa?!