Outfit Post - Vacation

I've been looking at these pictures for a good five minutes, trying to come up with something witty to say.  Unfortunately, I believe my wit has decided to start spring break early, without even a note to tell me it left.  How rude.  Oh well, I hope it has fun, and maybe went somewhere where it can work on it's tan.  That sucker is starting to pale in comparison.

Outfit Details:
Sweater: Gap Outlet, $8
Shirt: thrifted, $3
Belt: Plato's Closet resale, $4
Jeans: Wal-Mart, $12
Boots: gifted
Earrings: Icing by Claire's, $3 (old)

Outfit Post - Little Pops

I'm trying to keep it simple for work, but I couldn't resist some grey and yellow combination action.  I wish I had more witty and intelligent things to say about this outfit, but there just isn't anything.  I just like yellow and grey together.  Yep.

Outfit Details:
Shirt: Eddie Bauer Outlet, $10
Sweater: Charlotte Russe, $8 (old)
Jeans: Plato's Closet resale, $4
Shoes: Chucks, $45
Bracelet: gifted
Earrings: Icing by Claire's, $4 (old)
Scarf: Wal-Mart, $5

Outfit Post - The Blues

Some days, it is impossible to get dressed.  Usually, it's because I've put entirely too much thought into what I'm going to wear, and I'm then stymied when the outfit I'd planned on wearing just doesn't work.  I'm then thrown into panic mode, where I'm forced to rely upon a tried and true outfit equation to get out the door on time.  Want to know the secret equation?  (It's really not that cool, but okay... if you insist.) Printed shirt + cardigan + belt + jeans + boots = succeeding in getting fully dressed before I leave my home.  Conclusion: I have entirely too much free time on my hands.

Outfit Details:
Shirt: Wal-Mart, $5 (old)
Sweater: Target, $8 (old)
Belt: Plato's Closet resale, $4
Jeans: Wal-Mart, $12
Boots: thrifted, $4
Earrings: Icing by Claire's, $4 (old)

Outfit Post - Personal Stylist

Have I ever mentioned how much fun it is to dress a little girl each day?  Especially when I'm working with one as cute as this:

Seriously!  How cute is this kid!  (I may have a biased opinion on this...)  The great thing is, I can put her in pretty much whatever I want, and she'll wear it, even leggings as pants.  Generally she ends up pantsless at the end of the day anyways, so it all evens out.

She's not even the least bit concerned with VDL either (visible diaper line, of course!)

Bonus points if you can name what show she's watching!

 And now, some indoor shots.  I hate doing pictures indoors, but according to the Weather Channel the temperature was 19 degrees, but it feels like 4.  I love you guys, but maybe not enough to brave the frozen elements just for pictures...

Outfit Details:
On Lexi - 
Shirt: consignment sale, GapKids, $6
Leggings: Wal-Mart, $4
Boots: consignment sale, GapKids, $10
On Myself - 
Dress: Plato's Closet resale, $6
Sweater: Aeropostale, $6 (clearance, old)
Tights: Target, $5
Boots: N Style, $15
Belt: Forever 21, $2
Earrings: Icing by Claire's, $3 (old)
Legwarmers: Acumen Brands, $1


Oh, and because I'm picture happy, I just wanted to know: why is it so hard to get a decent close-up of the belt you happen to be wearing?

Outfit Post - Mixing Patterns

 Can I be honest?  Mixing patterns scares the pants off of me. (It's a good thing I'm wearing tights!  ba dum chhhh!)  There's just too many options, and too many ways to look like I got dressed in the dark.  My solution to this phobia?  I literally got dressed in the dark.  I may have gone through my closet the night before and picked out all the various elements, but on this particular morning, the lights stayed off.  I then left the house before I had a chance to change my mind.

Outfit Details:
Dress: gifted
Sweater: Sears, $3 (clearance)
Tank: Target, $10
Belt: Plato's Closet resale, $2
Tights: Wal-Mart, $5
Boots: N Style, $15
Earrings: Payless, $3 (old)
Ring: Charlotte Russe, $4 (old)

Outfit Post 11/21/11

I wish I had super witty or insightful things to say about this outfit.  However, I am more than a little sleep deprived at the moment.  I really have this little one to thank for that:

On second thought, I really can't look at that face and actually blame her for anything.  Yes, my little one may insist on waking up at 3am every morning, but that's just an excuse for me to drink more caffeinated beverages.  Now, if you'll excuse me, my coffee pot is calling.

Outfit Details:
Sweater: Sears, clearance, $3
Dress: Target, via Plato's Closet resale, $6
Tights: don't recall
Belt: Forever 21, $2
Shoes: Payless Shoesource, $6 (old)
Earrings: $1 Jewelry Galore
Necklace: DIY, $3 for materials

Nada, zilch, nothing.

I don't really have any thoughts mulling around in my head today that need to be shared. There's actually not much of anything going on up there right now.  So, instead, I'll leave you with two facts.

One: my kid is AWESOME!  Case in point:

Two: I am a (fashion) hypocrite.  I have been a member of the "leggings are not pants" camp for as long as I can remember.  I still hold to that credo, despite the photos showing otherwise.  I also didn't like skinny jeans when they first became popular (*gasp!*).  I now practically live in my skinnies.  Needless to say, I'm not a big fan of change, in almost every area of life, but especially when it comes to dressing myself.  I promise I'll work in that.

Outfit Details:

Top: DIY, tutorial here

Tank: Target Maternity, $10

Leggings: Wal-Mart, $7

Belt: Candie's, Plato's Closet resale, $4

Bracelet: gifted, from Columbia

Genuine Love

My best friend and I used to go out. A lot. Almost every night posed a new adventure, with new things to experience and new people to meet. We made it a point not to take anything too seriously, and viewed almost everyone as a potential friend. We would generally find a new circle of people to start hanging out with, maybe a new boyfriend for one or both of us, and settle in with a new group of friends. The only problem was, with new friends came new drama. We would invariably get fed up with someone or some event, drop all contact with these people, and decide that we were going to start saving up our money and move to Colorado. Then, we'd go out, end up making new friends, and start the cycle over. To be honest, some of these people are still in our lives, but for the most part, we didn't foster many lasting friendships, except with each other. Throughout all of it, the recurring complaint she and I used to have was "why we can't find any genuine people" to keep in our lives. The drama, backbiting, and two-faced nature of relative strangers wore us out, and we just wanted people in our lives who were "real."

Since that stage in our life, we have both had some changes in our lives. We've both had babies, and have started new endeavors. The biggest part of my new life has been my relationship with God, and re-learning what it means to be part of a church. I can honestly say, I have found a body of people who can be described as "genuine." God has been making it a point lately to show me His love in His people, and I keep being surprised. Whether it's a group of women shedding tears for me as I experience a loss, or a random text message to help cheer me up, I have never opened myself up to receive this much love. It's beyond amazing.

Outfit Details: 
Dress: Plato's Closet resale, $10
Tank: Gap Outlet, $6 
Sweater: Wal-Mart, $7 (old) 
Shoes: Payless, $7 (old) 
Necklace: Icing by Claire's (old)

Living

*howdy!*

“I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD.” (Ps. 40:1-3)

These verses were a portion of my reading today. You know when you read something and you know God is working? I mean, your head may have the basic knowledge that God is everywhere and in charge of everything, but then there are just those times. The times where you're struggling and God turns the pages of his word to the exact reference you needed to hear, and you have to make a quick survey of your living room to find the kleenex.

I've been struggling lately, but I don't have anything specific that I'm struggling with, which is more than a little annoying. It would be worth getting upset over financial problems, marital problems, or anything else in that vein, but when you're just simply in a bad mood and you don't know why, there's really no point in complaining. At least that's how I've been looking at it up until yesterday. Yesterday brought the breaking point, where I realized I was really struggling and I was tired of faking it. I was tired of answering "Fine! Good! Great!" when people asked how I was. I was seeing the effects of this broken world in which we reside in my day to day living, and taking it out on my family. I was a wreck, acting needy and broken, and I refused to acknowledge that fact.

I asked for prayers of encouragement in my Facebook status, explaining that the 'old nature' was getting in my way, becoming a harsh reality. I received the following comment: "Are you digging up that corpse and thinking that's who you still are? That old you is dead and buried. God already looks at you and sees Jesus." At my first reading this, I thought it seemed a little harsh. I didn't want to hear that, just a reassurance that people were praying for me and I could 'buck up, kiddo!' I didn't take the time to think about what that means until later that night. God doesn't see me, my shortcomings, my failures, my worldly triumphs. He sees the One who lived perfectly, who gave up glory to become nothing, who covers me with his love and mercy and eradicates the sin I was living in. God looks at me and sees perfection.

Someone once described the existence of sin in a redeemed person's life this way: it's like you wake up in a metal cage, where you can see the grass and sky through the bars. You see the hardness of the metal, the impenetrable force keeping you from freedom. You get so fixated on the hopelessness of this sin that you forget to turn around and see that the door is open. You have been freed already, ready to walk out and live.

After being brought to the point of brokenness, God showed me that I cannot get through this without him. Now I'm ready to walk out and live.







Photos by Sinsear Photography


Outfit Details:
Dress: Converse brand from Plato's Closet resale, $6
Shoes: Charlotte Russe, $10
Earrings: Icing by Claire's, $5
On lips: NYC Lipstain in Rock On Ruby, $4

Photos

This past Saturday, my niece and I headed to some local parks to take pictures. She is amazing. My sister even told us after, "If you can see eyeballs on a woman in our family, you're an amazing photographer." If you get a chance, you should check out her Facebook page, it's worth the trip, plus there are even more pictures!


Outfit Details:
Dress: Kohl's, $19
Belt: Candie's from Plato's Closet resale, $4
Shoes: Charlotte Russe, $10
Jewelry: Borrowed from Premier Designs jeweler