We Dress How We Feel

What I love the most about fashion is that a single article of clothing or an accessory has the power to be transformative. A new pair of shoes can give you the confidence to kick some butt, the right shade of eyeshadow can capture someone's glance, a statement ring packs the power of a knock out punch, and that little black dress has just been patiently waiting to make an appearance and grab his attention.

Clothing triggers an emotional response. That is a fact. Most times we dress how we feel or we dress how we want to feel. Going to an interview for your dream job? You'll probably want to wear an outfit that will make you feel like you are exuding confidence and skill. You know you'll plan your 10 year high school reunion outfit weeks in advance because you want to look youthful and successful. I think that this is what men don't get about women - we dress how we feel. "Honey! Tomorrow I am going to feel new! So, I had to get these pumps to just be prepared."

Many of the fashion bloggers in the industry are participating in Kendi Everyday's 30 for 30 Remix Challenge - and boy is this a challenge! 30 articles of clothing - 30 outfits - 30 days - no outfit repeats and no shopping. The very point of this all is to teach yourself that you don't always need something new to feel great. 

I wasn't totally sure what I was getting myself into when I started fashion blogging. I have a passion for fashion & for making my clients look and feel their best. At first, I intended my blog to be focused totally on giving fashion tips & the inside scoop on what to wear and what not to wear. As I scoured the expansive world of fashion blogging, I realized that the best way to give tips on what to wear was to actually show what I was wearing. So, I started featuring myself! The 30 for 30 Remix Challenge has totally aided me in my mission. I think the best thing about this challenge is that it forces me to appreciate my current wardrobe for what it is. Remixing 30 items stretches my creativity in putting together stellar outfits everyday instead of "giving in" and running to the store for that perfect top. I've found, through this challenge, that the perfect top is already in my closet! It's all a matter of inserting that feeling that you want to exude into what you already have. 

This past week I have felt tired. And I've realized a difference in my appearance. I am dressing tired because I feel tired. I can tell that I am consciously and subconsciously doing this. I put on less mascara in the morning because I'm tired. I have put the 30 for 30 to rest - not because it's too much of a challenge to put the outfits together - but because at the end of the day, I'm too tired to take a photo, too tired to crop & edit a photo, and too tired to write up a post...etc, etc. I've been searching for the most comfortable pants & tops to wear. I've been stuck in black for a few days and if I could wear the same outfit every day, I would. It's time to take a break.

How do you feel this time of year?

Fashionably Yours,

The Secret Place - 20 of 30

Outfit Details:

Top: NY&CO

Skirt: H&M

Tights: Marshalls

Mary Jane's: Aerosoles

Belt: F21

Each year, my family gets a real tree. We had a period of darkness during the '90's where we succumbed to the prefabricated, manipulated fake tree. I'm glad those days are behind us.

There's been this silly little tradition since real trees have been reinstated to our family: The kids don't know where my mom and dad get the tree. It always took them 2 hours to get it and we started dreaming up places in our head. They started calling it "The Secret Place."

We were in awe the first year because they brought home an 8 foot tree! We have cathedral ceilings in our home and it was majestic & stately. We were in such delight & interest - but they wouldn't tell us where they got this tall tree.

Another year passed - and the trees seemed to get a little smaller and smaller each year. They would just say, "The Secret Place didn't have any tall trees. I guess it's a short year."

Until this year.

Since I live in Chicago and wouldn't be back until too close to Christmas, we broke the tradition and went with my parents to The Secret Place during my Thanksgiving Break. My sister and I were so hyped up to finally see this place! I imagined it was in Pennsylvania somewhere...we'd be cutting down our own tree... 

Boy, was I wrong. Turns out The Secret Place was HOME DEPOT!

I asked my parents why it took them so long to get the tree and come home and they admitted that it was because they would wander around the store for awhile and drive home very, very slowly.

I was shocked. 

Shocked.

Yes, yes, I would compare it to finding out about Santa Claus. That much of a blow.

This year, we got a 9 foot tree and it is beautiful. I am longing to be back home. So soon.

My roommate and I followed suit and got our lovely tree from Home Depot, too. Turns out they do have a pretty great selection... :)

Fashionably Yours,

On My Own Again - 19 of 30

Outfit Details:

Top: Target

Skirt: Target

Sweater: Macy*s

Tights: Cynthia Rowley

Mary Jane's: Aerosoles

Ok, I'm almost really embarrassed to put these pictures up. I was on my own for outfit pictures this night and I tried my hardest - I really did. Since the temperature is falling quickly, I just couldn't muster up enough gumption to go outside to my usual brick wall.

I had to settle for some inside shots in terrible yellow lighting.

I really love this skirt. I've worn it before HERE and I like that style much better. I like this top a lot, too, but I don't know if I like the way it falls around my tummy and hips with this skirt. Oh, well! Live & Learn. 

I manipulated the length in the 3rd shot to get a feel for what I like better. I think that both lengths work for my frame. 

Ok, yeah. I am really embarrassed of these pictures.

Fashionably Yours,

Practicing Photography

 I am by no means a professional - so please, hold back the superfluous flattery. I am merely attempting to get better use out of my $500.00 camera that until this day has been stuck in "auto."

My sister and her bf were my test subjects and these are the photos that came out the best. They are naturally playful together and I didn't even need to tell them to do anything in particular. Things just came out this way. I had a great coach, Central NJ photographer Danny Virasawmi. 

Danny did a photo shoot for me here, here, and here.

Now off to experiment with fstop...aperature...ISO...

Yup. I don't even know what those mean.

Fashionably Yours,

Conan Loves Jeggings!

I've always been on Team Coco, but this just takes my love & devotion to a whole new level! Here, Conan confesses his love of jeggings to Tim Gunn. Also, can I get on Team Gunn?

Friend Friday - Shutting down my blog?

Hello and welcome to another installment of Friend Friday! This has been such a great way for all of us bloggers to communicate on current issues in the blogosphere. Katy Rose, moderator of ModlyChic, sends us pertinent questions to what's going on in the fashion world each week. We all link up and answer them on Friday! If you are a blogger and are interested in joining, you can check it out here. 


I feel a little bit like Katy Rose read my mind this week for inspiration for a Friend Friday topic. THE STRESS OF BLOGGING! Check out what I have to say below and if and when I'll be shutting down my blog.


1. How many hours do you spend a week blogging? Has that number changed since you've become a blogger yourself?
Before I became a blogger myself, I hardly searched the blogosphere. It was maybe 2 hours a week. I knew what blogs were and were first introduced to them through ModlyChic and The Busy Budgeting Mama. So now that I have become a blogger myself, that number has exploded! Starting one's own blog is like opening Pandora's Box. Now I'm spending anywhere between 5 - 10 hours a week blogging.


2. There is always more you can do, write, read, comment on, etc...how do you limit your time spent on these tasks?
Well, actually, I don't think I do enough. I feel like I need to spend more time doing these things - getting my name out in the community, discovering more blogs, getting inspired...but I just don't have time. So, I guess that I am limited just by nature of having a limited amount of time.


3. Have you experienced blogger burn out yet? How have you dealt with that?
Well, I'm pretty exhausted right now. I can't imagine that it can get any worse. Oh gosh. Does it get worse? I imagine burnout is much like your first year of teacher burnout. I survived that somehow and am still picking up the pieces from that year. I usually have a tendency to push myself way too hard, get stressed out, and then kiel over. I am feeling like that with blogging at this point. It seems to be more of a task than a creative outlet and hobby. I want my blog to be successful and I feel like that takes a lot of time and effort that I just don't have with a 12 hour day job.


4. This time of year is always a lot busier. Will your blogging change as a result?
I think that my blogging may change a little within the next week or so as finals roll around and the last week of school commences. However, during the 2 week Christmas Break, I have a lot of plans to meet up with photographer friends for photo shoots and will have a lot of time to actually put into the blog. I'm really looking forward to it. 


5. Could you foresee a moment in which you are not blogging anymore? How will you identify if and when it is time to walk away?
I don't know. I think that I will walk away if the stress level stays the same & if the pressure to perform is still high and I'm not seeing any results in terms of growth. Let's be honest here, bloggers want to reach a lot of people. I want to reach a lot of people - however, if that doesn't happen and I am still stressed out about making sure I post this outfit and answer this FBFF, etc...then it's not worth it. I'm sticking to it now because I believe (and hope) my blog will grow. I guess we'll see.

Fashionably Yours,

Come Fly With Me - Airport Attire

Photo Credits: Danny Virasawmi

Outfit Details:

Boyfriend Blazer: Old Navy

Dress: Some department store

Boots: Wanted

Belt: ShopRouche

Scarf: The Limited

Who ever said that airport attire had to be your high school gym shoes, Baby Phat velour sweat pants, and your home team sweatshirt? Give me a break.

You never know who you are going to run into at the airport or be predetermined to sit next to on the plane. Especially if you are single. You'll need all the help you can get. Be sure to make the best impression of yourself wherever you go.

For me, this dress is so comfy & versatile. Maybe for you a dark wash jean, cardigan, & cute flat will do the trick. 

I'm always cold & this drapey scarf and boyfriend blazer are just what I needed to keep me warm. 

My flat boots supply me with style and comfortablity. Comfortability? Is that a word? No? Well, I just made it up and I think you know exactly what it means.

Don't look like a bum at the airport and force me to take a fashion offender photo of you and feature you here. 

Here's how this dress has been worn in this 30 for 30 challenge before.

Fashionably Yours,

17 of 30 & Guest Photographer

Photo Credits: Danny Virasawmi

Outfit Details:

Boyfriend Blazer: Old Navy

Top: H&M

Leggings: Old Navy

Mary Janes: Aerosoles

Necklace: Thrifted

Watch: Anne Klein

Ring: F21 or H&M

A few things:

• I want to be famous. I really do. I'm working on it. I have to believe it will happen, I just have to.

• This boyfriend blazer is so versatile that I am predicting it will one day physically save my life. It can do all things.

• If I could wear these black leggings every day, I most definitely would.

• Did I mention that I just want to be famous?

Thanks again to Danny Virasawmi! This is definitely my favorite photo shoot that we did.

Fashionably Yours,

What Every Woman Never Wants to Hear

Outfit Details:

Shirt: NY&CO

Pants: NY&CO

Shoes: Aerosoles

Watch: Anne Klein

Earrings: F21

Mondays are always rough. Mondays after a holiday break are barely bearable. So with the very essence of the weekday against me, I was hoping that my awesome outfit & flawless makeup (flawless as of 12 hours ago) would give me a boost.

I guess I was wrong.

When someone is overly exhausted (me) and already knows it (myself), the last thing that you want to hear is that you look overly exhausted!

So, when I strutted myself into the front office this morning, whipped off my Jackie O's, and tousled my hair, I never expected to hear:

"Ohhh...um, wow. You don't look so good. Are you tired?"

YES. Why, yes I am. Now can I get some time off to emotionally recover from that comment?

Happy Monday. How many days until Christmas break?

Fashionably Yours,

Outfit 15 of 30 & A Guest Photographer

Outfit Details:

Vest: F21

Vertical Top: F21

Leggings: Old Navy

Boots: Endless.com

Belt: F21

Watch: Anne Klein (birthday present!)

Ring: H&M

Photographer Credits: Danny Virasawmi 

It's official. 1/2 way! And I'm beginning to recycle elements of the 30 for 30. You've seen this top worn in a totally different way HERE.

This vest was previously paired with a black dress HERE.

And these boots, that belt, and those leggings would be worn every single day if I had anything to say about it. But alas, I do not. Life (& my job) dictates a different outfit for every day. 

A former student of my father, friend of the family, and freelance photographer, Danny Virasawmi, came to visit. We chatted about photography, did some test shots, and he took a bunch of outfit pics for me! I think they're great!

I think I fake looking warm pretty well. It was well into the 30's and I was covered in goosebumps! But anything to get the perfect shot.

Danny is a professional freelance photographer located in central New Jersey. 

Stay tuned for 2 more posts from his photo shoot with me & his contact info!

Fashionably Yours,

What I Get To Come Home To

This is my mom's little pup, Lani. I know it's a little early for the Christmas dress, but we had to make sure it fit! From the looks of it, she's not too sure about it. In addition to my loving family, I get to come home to this little cuddle bumpkin. She is currently nestled up in my lap and perfectly content. Her usual spot is on top of the back of the couch looking out into the world. It's like she's always waiting for me to come home.

Fashionably Yours,