Ruff Stuff

Sweater: H&M / Vest: LOFT / Jeans: Gap Always Skinny 1969 / Boots: DSW / Bracelet: vintage, inherited from my Nana / Necklace: bought in Italy

Happy (belated) offical first day of Fall!! I, for one, am very happy that it's here. It seems as if New England got the message and is obliging us with blustery winds, a morning chill, the the first hints of changing leaves.

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My boyfriend calls this vest (and my other, very similar one) my "ruff." This is a reference to that part of my dogs that forms a collar-like mane around their faces....

Exhibit A:

 (That's Won Ton, the king of the ruff)

 Exhibit B:

(Won Ton and Mu Shu, whose ruff is only slightly less pronounced!)

Yeah, they're cute and all, but I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the comparison. :)

Hope you're all having a great Monday!

Wondering What

 Top, skirt, and boots: Urban Outfitters / Bag: Alice + Olivia / Tights: H&M

Ah, look. A perfectly in-focus palm tree trunk.... Grr. Out of focus photos (that I thought were in-focus until I uploaded them) are the worst! Especially when I'm pretty happy about my outfit.

Speaking of the outfit: I've had this grey skirt for years and bought it because I was sure it would quickly become a wardrobe staple. An easy color, a simple shape, something that would pair with many shirts without too much effort. However, I always find myself stumped when I reach for it...something about how tight it is makes me unsure how loose the top should be, and a little self-conscious to wear it without tights underneath.

Anyone have a suggestion as to what to pair with this grey jersey skirt?

Uniform

 

Top: Gap / Cashmere sweater: bought in Scotland / Jacket: Urban Outfitters / Jeans: JBrand (second hand, $11.00) / Boots: Ralph Lauren / Bag: Alice + Olivia

 

When I lived in Cambridge for my semester abroad, I pretty much had a uniform. Jeans, these leather boots (the only pair of water-proof shoes I own. That's going to have to change, soon...), a sweater, the only coat I brought, and a colored scarf.

I wore a variation of that uniform almost every single day throughout the English winter. Until it got to be June and I broke out the sun dresses along with the rest of the British, celebrating the 65 degree spring. :)

Given this post and the last (yes, these outfits are 50% exactly the same). I seem to be back to my old habits. Got to work on that...

Drizzly Days

 

Top: Gap / Vest: LOFT (gift) / Jacket: Forever 21 / Jeans: JBrand (second hand, $11) / Boots: Ralph Lauren / Necklace: bought at a farmer's market ($15)

Forgive the cruddy indoor shots; these were taken over the weekend when it was raining. And please further forgive my lack of posting recently! I've been pretty sick this past week, and collapsing into a stuffy-nosed heap almost immediately upon getting home each day.

I do, however, have some great news. I found out last week that I got into my top-choice graduate school program! Getting in to grad school at all was awesome, but getting into my #1 choice is even more amazing. :) I can not wait for the fall...

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Red Jacket & Striped Tee

 Top: Gap ($24.95, buy here) / Jacket: Forever 21 (old) / Jeans: Gap 1969 skinnies sz 0 / Boots: Urban Outfitters / Necklace: homemade

I found these photos on my camera (that had been left at the Boyfriend's house for a few weeks...) from way back at Christmastime. Christmas with my Unitarian side of the family is awesome. For the past few years we've gathered in a restaurant my cousin manages in Santa Barbara, cooked up a lovely feast for dinner, watched the Lakers game on TV, and played tons of board games together. This year my 8 year-old cousin got a Kinect, and I had more fun playing kid's videogames than I ever thought possible.

Oh, and I wore these clothes. :)

Motorcycle Jacket & Black Boots

 Top: Gap / Cardigan: Forever 21 / Jacket: Urban Outfitters / Skirt: UO / Shoes: UO / Necklace: Gift / Bracelets: bought in England

 Today, I was forced to momentarily overcome my fear of people watching me take photos of myself in an effort to not lose the fading light. (But only momentarily. It's still awkward.)

A few more things that fell victim to my light-losing-induced hastiness: my absurdly messy hair, the paint that is still on my hands from a day of painting the walls of a middle school for MLK day, the fact that there is a metric ton of pug hair on my black jacket.

Happy Monday!

Gracias, Hermana

 

Dress: H&M (borrowed from my sister) / Cardigan: Forever 21 / Boots: Urban Outfitters / Necklace: from Costa Rica / Sunglasses: Target

 

Thank goodness for sisters. Not only does mine let me borrow her clothes on the regular, but she also offered to take photos for me so y'all didn't have to see my backyard...again. :)

 I thought I'd show you a bit of the wreckage left over from a crazy windstorm that swept through LA a few days ago. Winds were clocked blowing up to 97 miles per hour (!) in parts of LA, and trees and tree branches were down all over the place. This pile of debris was strewn about my street, until some kind soul (or city employee?) piled it up on the side of the road.

I think one of the best ways to stay in budget while constantly craving new clothes is to live with a roommate who has good style and is almost exactly your size. Thank you, mi hermana, for keeping my closet interesting...by providing me with your closet!

Loosing the Light

 
 Top: Forever 21 sz s ($17.99) / Cropped Blazer: H&M ($34.99) / Jeans: Pac Sun / Boots: Urban Outfitters (old) / Necklace: bought at a farmer's market

Sorry for the wonky light/color quality of these pictures.... I ran outside to shoot them just as the light was beginning to really fade. You know...at 5:00. How in the world to bloggers have full-time jobs and still manage to take well-lit outfit photos in the winter? I'm at a complete loss...

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!