Editing

I spent most of the day editing photos. I finished the boudoir photos from Friday and The Everyday Elevated pics from Sunday. I’ve included one favorite image from each, at the end of this post.


Jacket, BCBG Max Azria (consignment). Shirt, Passport. Dress, Jams World (thrifted). Boots, Dan Post. Sunglasses, Coco Sunglasses. Earrings, street fair. Scarf, Walgreen’s. Bag, Rebecca Minkoff.


The editing was very minimal: just straightening, correcting levels, and brushing away the odd blemish. Every minute I spend “fixing” an image just reminds me to take better (and fewer) photos in the first place! (I did apply a filter to the boudoir photo, below, but gave all the images to the model with no filters.)

Local

After getting home at 3 a.m. this morning, I was up for a low-key Saturday. We kept it local. Beefy and I had lunch at Skool and shopped the OliaModa pop-up shop. Then we walked around the corner for cake and cheesecake at Rick’s Dessert Diner. Finally, we finished the day off at the club: a hot tub soak for me and treadmill time for Beefy.


Jacket, H&M (thrifted). Scarf, OliaModa. Shirt, Passport. Skirt, Mural (consignment). Leggings, We Love Colors. Boots, Vince Camuto.



Photos by me, the tripod, and a remote.

Unsuitable

The last time I wore a suit, a bought-as-a-set suit, I was mistaken for a member of the hotel staff. It was my first sales conference and, although we dressed business casual at the office, I thought it would make a good impression to wear a suit to the event. Instead, I was asked to fetch more dressing for the buffet line, directions to the restrooms, and to please turn down the air conditioning in the ballroom. I haven’t worn one since.

Tonight, I was advised to wear a suit to deliver a speech and I responded with the un-suit. The skirt is black, but the jacket is navy, with black leather trim. My blouse is silk, but leopard print. It’s got a tough girl vibe with the chunky necklace and boots. But I still give you directions to the restroom, if you ask nicely.


Jacket, James Jeans. Blouse, FY2 (thrifted). Skirt, Mossimo. Boots, Lauren Ralph Lauren. Necklace, Banana Republic (gift).


Here’s how the un-suit compares to that infamous suit:

Screen Time

I didn’t go shopping on Black Friday, but I didn’t #optoutside either. Instead, I spent way too much time looking at screens: computer screens, phone screens, movie screens. But I did it in pattern mixing style.


Kimono, Carole Little (thrifted). Dress, Express. Belt, Lucky (consignment). Tights, Jockey. Boots, Sofft (consignment). Sunglasses, Earthbound Trading Co. Earrings, Francesca’s Closet. Purse, Rebecca Minkoff.


My battery died before I got to take a detail shot of the belt pattern, so I snagged one with my phone.


I didn’t manage to snap a photo of my Thanksgiving outfit. The day was a blur (and included a mid-day ballet class)! The only pictures I took all day were of the dogs playing outside before all the cooking (and dancing) started.

Nice Outfit

I felt really good about this outfit because an old man in the produce section of Raley’s said, “Nice outfit!” Granted, I was reaching overhead for a plastic bag at the time and my skirt was probably riding up a bit . . . but I’ll take the compliment.


Hat, Nine West. Vest, AC-3998 (cut from a thrifted jacket). Plaid shirt, Passport. Star Wars tee, Disney. Skirt, Mossimo. Tights, We Love Colors. Boots, Vince Camuto. Earrings, consignment. Bag, Rebecca Minkoff (are you sick of seeing it yet?).

Back in Hats

What do you get when you let your undercut grow out for six months? A hair disaster! I’m in hats until my haircut appointment.


Hat, Free Press. Shirt, Salt Valley (consignment). Shorts, Forever 21. Leggings, Danskin. Boots, Vince Camuto. Necklace, vintage. Bag, Rebecca Minkoff. Belt, thrifted.


I’m slowly getting back into the groove. I’m resuming old habits and picking up new ones, like accompanying Beefy on his evening walk with the dogs. I got him to pick up a new habit, too: petty larceny. Is it really stealing when the tree hangs over the fence onto public property? These pomegranates would just have rotted on the ground if we hadn’t picked them, first.

Cater

I would not make a good caterer or delivery driver. But I was both, today, procuring and delivering treats for classes at three different salons. (Honestly, Noah’s took care of one, so I only served the remaining two.)


Dress, Jovovich Hawk for Target. Shirt (under dress), Banana Republic (thrifted). Belt, thrift. Leggings, We Love Colors. Boots, Steve Madden. Sunglasses, Coco Sunglasses. Earrings, Charming Charlie. Scarf, Urban Outfitters. Bag, Nordstrom Rack.


My salons appreciate the snacks and the education!

Work hard:


Play hard:

Keep It Legal

A surprising number of items in my wardrobe have one primary function: cover my butt so I can “legally” wear leggings as pants. I wear my leggings under short shorts, tunics, miniskirts, and, my favorite, this overall “dress.” It’s so convenient to go from lounge wear to street wear by just layering it over leggings and a top.


Vest, J Crew. Overall dress, Hydraulic (thrifted). Sweater, Charlotte Russe. Leggings, Xhilaration. Boots, Style & Co (thrifted). Sunglasses, Meow Meow. Earrings, Claire’s.


Conversely, I guess the leggings keep all my crotch scrapers “legal.” Without leggings, I’d always be flashing my goods since I rarely “sit like a lady” or do anything else “like a lady.” My ladylike days were over when we became dog people.

A Purse for Every Skirt

While waiting for my soy Ginger Elizabeth Mocha, a young man, very sincerely, asked me if I had a purse to match every skirt. I, just as sincerely, considered my handbag collection and my skirt collection and conceded that there were a few matches, including today’s pairing.


Blazer, James Jeans. Tank, Old Navy. Skirt, Talbots. Tights, We Love Colors. Boots, Lauren Ralph Lauren. Bag, Imoshion.


Here is (most of) my purse collection:


I suppose I’ve been a bit matchy with my bags a time or two: