Finally wore 'em

I ordered these boots well over a month or two ago after receiving a gift card for DSW from a friend. So you would think I'd have worn them to death by now, right? Heck no. Why? I think it's because I've sunk back into that funk of mine as far as appearance goes, and only when I go to work. I mean, I wore the boots to Pete's dinner and party last night, and dressed up a bit, but come Monday I'll have a hard time convincing myself I should wear them to work. I got lots of compliments on them, but I'm not sure that will be enough for me to bring them back out again.

I wish I could work up the will to wear these lovelies, as well as all the other pretty stuff in my closet, but I've retreated into a pattern of comfort and minimal effort. I think it's partly because I'm more and more (and more) unhappy at work and don't feel like making the effort, but also because I've slid quite a bit in my fitness routine during the last few months. Essentially I have NO fitness routine since becoming sick back in December, when I was in the height of health, working out, and feeling better about myself.

It's been hard to get back into that grove, and I'm wondering what will give me that push back onto the treadmill, even if to just walk a little. Perhaps warmer weather, or just the itch to get back into a healthy routine. Whatever it may be, I know I'll be back at that point soon, because it's been on my mind a lot lately and my clothes have become rather ill fitting. If that's not a motivating factor, I don't know what is.

Turquoise suede lace-up boots

Why do I like stuff like this? I saw these on Etsy and thought they were the coolest boots ever. I have trouble wearing all the boots and shoes I already own, much less a crazy pair like this, yet here I am drooling over them. They are so very cool, aren't they?

I think I'll just admire them for now and have pleasant daydreams about them while I'm at work tomorrow.

Massage afterglow

I'm taking it easy tonight after having yet another stressful, "Is it going to be today?" type day. It was quite timely that I had a massage scheduled today (a theraputic deep tissue massage for my Hooveritis). Usually, after I have a session I'm somewhat sore and tired and run down (although looser), because although all the kinks are worked out, the lymph nodes are also massaged and flushed out. So that's where I'm at now, taking peeks (okay, long looks) at Fashionist archives and watching Shatner's Raw Nerve. I'm going to hit the hay early and will miss out on catching up on all my blogs, but I think I need to keep up on my sleep. Otherwise the stress of my daily existence at work will catch up with my health.

I'm chewing over ideas for a funky and colorful outfit tomorrow that may involve a few inexpensive finds of mine, including these booties. Hopefully I'll feel up to sporting it tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Groan!

'Twas a hard day today. I got only three or so hours of sleep last night due to anxiety, restlessness, and I'm guessing too much caffeine. When I got to work, the old panicky feelings started up, and I spent most of the day feeling run down, tired, headache-y, and digestively challenged. It's funny (or not so funny) how much something like a job can affect your mental, physical, and emotional states. I felt pretty darn good for the previous five days that I was off on vacation, so I know it's not just my body being its usual difficult self.

Well, tomorrow I'm hoping to shake that anxiety hangover off. I've already planned a cute (and very "me") outfit that is nicely put together, yet fairly comfy. Some rather awesome flat gray suede boots may be revealed, and I'm excited to show them to my fellow shoe aficionados at work. They look very similar to the ones Blake Lively is wearing in the photo, but I plan to fold my cuffs over (I think) and wear a much longer (denim) skirt. I figured I'd try to have a little fun with my look, when everything else around me is somewhat grim.

What do you do to put a smile on your face and a little happiness in your heart, especially in the wake of challenges like a difficult work environment, or poor health, or family strife, or lots of stress in general? Do you wear a pretty pair of shoes, or some cool jewelry, or do you simply spike your blood with a little Starbucks and put on your best smile? I think it's interesting what people use to help them during their time of need, because it's a way to inspire others to use the same methods. I would have to say shoes tend to lift my spirits, but I'm not always up for a pair of heels or the demands of a skirt/dress.

What about you?

"She should have been born as a boy!"

Today at lunch I was leaving the local Wendy's with Jen, and as we walked toward my car I accidentally splooshed into a huge puddle, sending water spraying all over the place (but luckily not on Jen). I yelled a "Sorry!" over my shoulder to her and turned around, only to see an older lady laughing and smiling at my wet boots.

"Look at her!" she laughed, obviously amused and delighted by my puddle splashing. "Look at her splashing around in that water! She should have been born as a boy!" And she laughed, tickled that a grown woman wearing furry boots with pom poms would be splashing around in puddles with not a second thought.

I was confused at first, but I was secretly pleased that the lady thought I was so carefree and whimsical. Actually, I would have splashed around in the puddles on purpose, except that Jen was behind me and I didn't want to soak her. But later on I stepped in a few nice, big puddles, just for good measure (before the rain turned to snow).

And why would I have to be a boy? My very girly but durable boots were certainly made for exploring the biggest and splashiest puddles out there, that's for sure!

My trusty new Sportos

I just simply adore these waterproof boots by Sporto. I was in need of some sturdy, warm boots—yes, I actually NEEDED boots, not just WANTED them—and found these wonderfully cute yet functional boots that suited my needs. And the perfect test drive? Our annual Christmas tree trip yesterday, which involved lots of hiking, snow, and freezing temps. These beauties performed flawlessly. Not only did my feet stay toasty and dry—a first for me, ever, with winter boots—but they repelled dirt and moisture like no one's business, and looked super cute to boot (ha ha). My feet felt great all day, and even after a long hike through a snowy forest, I had no aching arches or tired toes to speak of.

Needless to say, I was thoroughly impressed and kept repeatedly saying to no one in particular, "I can't believe it! I have never had boots that have kept my feet so warm and dry in my life, ever! I love these boots!" People kept giving me weird looks, but that's okay. When I really like something and it exceeds my expectations, I like to share with the world.

I have the pretty black pair you see above, but they also come in a rich brown and a gorgeous winter white. I'd suggest ordering a size larger because your toes will rub the tips otherwise. I normally wear an 8-8.5, but I got a 9 and they're perfect. Plus this way you can layer socks if need be. You can try them on at DSW, but they don't seem to carry them online in their store. However, I've given you an online site (Planet Shoes) with the cheapest prices and free shipping, too, so check 'em out. Enjoy!

(P.S. Zappos carries these shoes as well, albeit at a higher price, but they also offer a pretty taupe color.)

Pretty pencil skirt and slick black boots for an icy Thursday

Ann Taylor Loft wool pencil skirt with velvet trim (from thrift store), Nine West "Exotic" boots bought on clearance at DSW


Closeup of the skirt and velvet trim/bow detail (slip's showing!) and boots, plus the sweater knit tights that I never wear but really should, because they're so pretty (bought them from Target a few years ago)

(Boy, I should really invest some time in some new and different camera angles and outfit shots.)

Gap plaid wool mini skirt and black boots for a slushy day

Gap plaid wool mini


Me in my mini and boots (and the lovely kitchen floor, under construction)


Oooh, look—pockets!

Today I wore my cozy but light Gap plaid mini skirt that I got on clearance several weeks ago for $15. At the time I bought it, it sat waaaay too high up on my hips (due to my more voluptuous frame back then) and I had to put it aside for a while. I whittled my waistline on my treadmill for the last month or so, and it seems to fit low enough on my hips now to be appropriate for wearing in public. Give me another month or two and it'll be another few inches lower. I paired the skirt with the black version of my beloved Chilis boots, which was perfect for today's inclement weather.

And look—my skirt has pockets! How cool is that?

(Late) outfit round up

Just thought I'd share my look this week. Sometimes I can't wait to talk fashion and show people what I'm into, and other times I'd rather just schlepp to work in a potato sack (they look comfy but itchy). Since I was sick last week and didn't do too much fun outfit stuff, I thought I'd be more fun and colorful this week. So here goes...

Monday's look:

Plaid wool mini from Goodwill (sorry about my booty shot), brown belt from Target, cream turtleneck from Kohl's, green tights from Target, new brown Chilis boots from Marshall's, gold earrings from Target

Tuesday's look:

Black sweater dress from Target, black shrug from Old Navy, blue tights from Kohl's, Steve Madden black patent leather mary janes from Piperlime, blue and white glass necklace from Shoozles (Etsy), white earrings from Target

Today's look:

Gray argyle sweater from JCPenney, Levi's 515s from JCPenney, argyle flats from American Eagle for Payless, white earrings from Target

I'mot sure that you can see the entire ensembles in these pix, but there you have it. As you can see, I have been busy and unable to offer quality posts this week. I'm going to be cooking up a storm tonight but I plan to blog, blog away while the stuff cooks.

What have you been wearing lately? I'd love to see pix, or hear all about it. I'm always inspired by what other people do, too. Especially people like Georgia, who is one of the most stylish people I know. She "owns" her outfits, as she advised me to do, and I really admire that in her. I am a wimp and will concede to people's comments and insults, and I tend to throw creativity and color out the window sometimes in favor of blending in. But not Georgia! She is truly a unique and interesting person.

Anyhow, hope you're having a great day, and are going to spend some quality time with friends and family tomorrow eating some good food!

Excellent shopping karma!

(MIA "Midnight" Stretch 3-way boots in black velvet and mushroom)

I don't know what was in the air this weekend, but I scored some major deals. I saved hundreds of dollars and found one-of-a-kind items in just the right sizes. Since I'm not rolling in cash like everyone else, every penny saved is a bonus to me (and Pete, of course). But I'm still pinching myself over the bargains I got!

It started out at Goodwill, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to shop for skirts. I found about 10 skirts, some in my much-sought-out color of brown, and all dirt cheap (about $3.50-$7 each). And the brands I found were incredible: Banana Republic, The Gap, Old Navy, Ann Taylor Loft, Michael Kors. The sizes were all over the board again, but if it fit, I took it. I also found two jumpers, one from Talbots (not my type of store, but the jumper is cute) and one from Isaac Mizrahi (not sure if it was a Target item). I was pleased as punch, and the lady ringing me up was super nice. I'm so glad I got a frequent-shopper card. I only wish the shoe selection was better, but that's what DSW is for, which is where I went next.



(Banana Republic chocolate brown suede skirt, similar to the one I got at Goodwill—but mine's prettier {I think} without that pocket detailing)

At DSW, I immediately strolled through the clearance aisles as I always do, and I was instantly lucky. I found two pairs (yes, TWO!) of MIA scrunch boots, one in black velvet and one in mushroom velvet. I had seen these online at Endless.com, and had wondered how they'd fit and look on a girl like me. They are a bit pricey though, and I couldn't justify ordering them. Well, let me tell you I was ecstatic to find them at DSW at almost half off, and they fit wonderfully! They are adjustable and make my legs look long and lean, which is no small feat on my rather thick gams. I also found a pair of half-off Nine West boots (called "Exotic") that have liquid black material that hug my legs. And yes, they all go to my knee (or beyond in the MIA boots' case) and fit me just fine. I admit the MIA boots have elastic that grip my legs a bit too much, but since I'm still running and working out, I hope to ease that tension in the months to come. I was able to use a $5 off coupon AND a 15% off coupon, so I got all three for almost nothing!



(Nine West "Exotic" boot—but mine is a shiny material, not fabric and shiny like shown here)

My next stop was Marshall's. I often go there for good deals on blouses, sweaters, and the like, but rarely shoes. I find that the shoe department is all crazy messy every time I go there, and I can never find my size in anything I like, which isn't much. But the shopping gods were still smiling down upon me, and I found some fabulous Chilis knee-high flat boots in a gorgeous "rum" leather at a heavily discounted price. I could not believe my luck, and snatched the pair of size 8s as if they'd disappear as soon as I tried to buy them. I didn't see too much else, although all the clearance shoes were an additional 25% off, so I kept that department in the back of my mind.



(My Chilis boots in rum leather look similar to these boots, but are a warmer brown and have laces up the front—I can't find a pic of them anywhere online.)

Then I wandered over to the coat section, since I've been searching for a nice, warm winter coat since last winter. In particular, I wanted to find a black wool-blend coat that had a bit of a funky or retro vibe to it. I have also always wanted a houndstooth coat, but never found quite the right cut, or style, or weight of coat to please me (I'm picky about stuff like that). I hadn't had much luck at all the stores I had been to before, and wasn't expecting things to be any different this time. But lo and behold I wandered down an aisle and found a Calvin Klein houndstooth coat peeking out from among the grays, reds, and blacks of the other coats. I pulled it out and was instantly smitten by the slightly vintage look, complete with a large collar, slightly A-line shape, and big buttons. And as I pulled it on over my sweater, I knew it was instant love. It fit me perfectly (despite being a size 4, whatever that means) and was nice and toasty to boot. I browsed the other aisles but didn't find anything that came even close to this coat's vibe. And so off I went with my boots and coat, heading to Target to do some grocery shopping. While there I did find a pair of gold dangly earrings for $1.48, which was my steal there.



(A similar coat to my Calvin Klein houndstooth coat—mine has a bigger collar and a larger pattern)

Later on, after I was back home modeling my Chilis boots in the Shoe Library and contemplating running around the house in them, I decided to go back for a black pair because I loved the rum pair so much. When I was back at Marshall's and selecting my black pair, I noticed some gorgeous gray suede Steve Madden boots. I was skeptical because of my difficulty finding tall boots that fit. But as I pulled on a pair of size 8s, I was quite pleased to see that they easily fit over my rather healthy calves. And the most amazing thing was they were an additional 25% off the already super-low clearance price. My head was spinning with all the savings and deals I was getting, and I decided to call it a day after that. Even though I found so much at such dirt cheap prices, I figured I'd give my wallet a rest until the next pay period.



(Black boot similar to the Chilis boot from Marshall's; Steven by Steve Madden "Insayne" boot, which I have in gray suede, not black leather—much prettier in gray suede!)

Anyhow, the shopping gods rarely smile on me for more than a mere moment, so to have such a good run of luck was most awesome, and I'm very pleased with my purchases (and savings!). Hope you had such good luck if you were out and about doing some (dirt cheap) fashion shopping for yourself!

Booties and boots and pumps, oh my!

First of all, a very warm and heartfelt thanks to all of you who have left your get well wishes for me. I'm very touched, and I must say I have missed visiting and conversing with you all. I am feeling slightly better, and I have some down time, so I thought I'd write a post. I'm trying to get back to my regular schedule of daily blogging (including reading other people's blogs), but I'm still not quite 100% (or even 70%), but I'm better. I do really miss working out and being active, but I must take it easy to get over this stupid cold. But anyway, thanks again, I really appreciate it.

Anyhow, I had really wanted to share my spoils with you from this weekend, but couldn't due to illness. So I'll start with the footwear. Yes, shoes! Are you surprised? Then you don't know me very well, ha ha.

Back to the shoes...First, my niece Isabelle and I headed to Target on Friday night to get some groceries and such. When we were almost done with the food shopping, she asked me if I was not going to walk through the shoe aisle. I laughed and said, "Seriously, Iz, do you think I would not look at all the beautiful shoes while I'm here? Ha!" Once in the shoe department, we had fun trying on various shoes and doing little shoe parades for each other in the aisles. Then I rounded the corner and saw these funky Sigerson Morrison for Target booties on the clearance rack, the last pair in my size, and just begging for me to try them on.



So I did, and it was instant love. And they were marked down quite a bit, so I figured I'd take them home with me, introduce them to the others, you know...make them part of my collection.

Then I had a salon appointment at Ulta in Naperville on Saturday (for a long overdue haircut), which was conveniently located next to DSW. So of course I had to stop by. Isabelle was again in tow, and she marveled at all the beautiful shoes on display as we roamed the aisles. I was on a mission, and I could focus on nothing else.

I was on the prowl for the perfect high shaft boot, which, alas, I did not find. Not that there wen't tons of kickin' boots to choose from. Oh, no no no. The problem was I couldn't fit my chunky calves into the shafts of 99% of the boots. This doesn't just seem to be my problem, however. I've heard from numerous women—even small, petite, skinny women—how they have difficulty fitting into most boots, and they tend to be on the snug side (if they're able to zip them up at all). This was my problem, and it was very discouraging. And while I'm trying to shake off those 20 pounds, which will help (I've already lost a few), I will never be one of those women whose boots are gaping and slouching all the time.

So I had run the gamut of boots and nothing was fitting right. I had just about called it a day when I remembered to check out the clearance shoes, which I normally do first. I scanned the shelves and wasn't finding too much. Then I reached the end of the last aisle and looked down, and lo and behold, there was a pair of CL by Laundry black boots!



I couldn't believe it. The papers were still stuffed inside them, so I wasn't quite sure why they were on clearance. I looked them over and they seemed okay, but I figured they wouldn't fit. But I couldn't resist trying. So I tugged them on, pulled up the zipper, and...they fit. They fit! Yes, they were rather snug, but again, I'm getting in shape and losing weight, so that should get better in the next several weeks and months (still in time to wear during winter/early spring). Isabelle happily approved of my selection, and I practically hugged them to me like a baby, in case someone tried to snatch my treasure away from me.

That was such a find, I was glowing for the rest of the afternoon. I also snagged this wallet.



Which was a welcome relief, since mine has been falling apart for the last year or so now. The only problem is it wants to pop open all the time (too many cards, not enough cash). But I figure I can stick some slim magnets inside the metal bars so that there is extra holding power when the wallet closes. That'll be my project this weekend.

Then Izzy and I were off to the mall to search for that ever-elusive black A-line skirt. We went from store to store but didn't have much luck finding anything. So after an hour or so of fruitless searching, I spied a Payless store right outside the JCPenney store entrance, and we bee lined right for the size 8 aisle. And of course the first thing my eyes landed on were these lovely orange wool Lela Rose for Payless D'Orsay pumps, complete with bows.



I have seen them every time I go to Payless, but never bought them, thinking they don't match with too much and that I can't justify buying them. But has that ever stopped me? Of course not. And they actually do go with quite a few colors: brown, tan, cream, white, even black (although that starts to look very Halloween-ish to me). And they were finally on sale, so I couldn't pass them up.

After that purchase, we decided to call it a day. Aunt Chris had spent enough money on herself, and we were tired. So we headed home to look at fashion blogs and eat ice cream (well, Izzy did, anyhow). After a soothing cup of chamomile tea, we called it a night.

Next up: My spoils from a jaunt at Goodwill!

Black-booted and skirted in camouflage for Thursday

I FINALLY dragged out my good ol' black boots for Thursday's outfit, and I was glad. They've always been a staple in my wardrobe, and I've worn them a million times, just not recently. I wish they went all the way up to my knee (these hit at my upper calf), but otherwise I love them. They were a nice compliment to my camouflage-like skirt and amber-toned jewelry. I've been peppy enough for the last few days to dress up slightly (and egads! wear a skirt), so I take every advantage of days like that.

Step lovely in these boots from Nordstrom

I've seen some pretty cool boots lately from Nordstrom. Their selection features funky heels, rich leathers, and beautiful styling. And with the weather turning chilly in the last few days, there's now a good excuse to head to the store and pick up a pair—or two.