Take a Breath

Oh. my. goodness. I am so busy. I knew grad school was going to be tough, but dang, I am working a ton! I'm not complaining though; I'm doing what I love and I couldn't be happier with my classes and classmates. It just means I am a million years behind on following blogs, and posting might be a bit sparse around these parts for a week or two....at least until midterms are over....

 Top: Forever 21 / Tank: Goodwill / Shorts: Gap / Shoes: Crocs / Bag: Jason Wu for Target / Sunglasses: Target

   

Also, this is likely my last post in shorts for another 6 months. :) The leaves are staring to turn (I'll have to post some pictures of them next time around; its getting gorgeous over here), the wind is starting to crisp up, and that smell of Fall is in the air. Break out the scarves and boots!

And it seems like I'm really getting into this beige-top dark-bottoms thing lately...clearly I have to start digging through another part of my closet...

Can't come quickly enough

I absolutely cannot wait for fall. I am so tired of it being a million degrees and being stuck in shorts and tank tops. I'm boring myself to death with 100 degree appropriate clothing; I long for some layers. That's probably the #1 reason I've been short on outfit posts lately; I don't think anyone out there would be that impressed by my jean shorts and thrifted tank tops!

I know fall will be followed shortly by winter, and then I'll be longing for summer again and cursing my current thoughts, but as of now, I just want to wear some dark colors, comfy knits, and all of the scarves in the world. Plus, I've never had an East-coast autumn and I'm pretty excited for the crisp winds, dropping temperatures, and changing leaves. You with me?

Fall by petiteonapenny featuring a silver necklace

What are you most looking forward to in the fall?

Academic/Professional

Sweater: H&M / Dress, worn as a skirt: Target / Scarf: Forever21 / Booties: H&M / Bag: Olivia + Joy / Glasses: Coach

   

 On the verge of beginning graduate school (ohmygoodness, I leave in less than a month), I've been thinking a bit about what maintaining this blog as a graduate student might look like. I'm still pretty embarrassed about the blog around anyone I know not-through-the-internet, mostly because fashion and style are, often, considered frivolous and vain--two things I hope not to be. As the fantastic-and-sadly-discontinued blog academichic put it: "[Academics] are suppose to be concerned with much more important things and I guess I assume professors and even colleagues would consider this a silly waste of time."

I know that many (if not most) fellow style bloggers out there are professional ladies, and my guess is a few of them/you deal with this issue as well.

So my questions are, do you talk about your blog in your personal life?

How do you think it fits in with your role as a professional woman?

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. :)

O Denim, Where Art Thou?

Tee: Gap sz s / Cardigan: Forever 21 sz m / Jeans: PacSun Bullhead Black Denim sz 1 (on sale for $32.00, buy here for $49.50) / Boots: thrift store / Necklace: farmer's market
 

One of the drawbacks of taking your own photos is thinking they look awesome until you later realize that, no, 97% of them were out of focus. But three were kind of ok!

I bought these PacSun Bullhead Black jeans a while back on sale in an effort to satiate my desire for colored denim on the cheap. They get the job done, but unfortunately have some drawbacks. Since my review, I've realized that they have a kind of strange fit. They are incredibly tight all throughout the legs (I like wearing them with boots to hide how suuuuper tight they are around my calves, but then again I have dancer calves), but pretty loose around the waist, like stretchy jeans that you haven't washed in a while.

My attempt to find a better pair at Gap, in the form of the 1969 midweight legging jeans (I love the "Russian Red" color) also, unfortunately, was unsuccessful. Those jeans actually had the exact same fit issues: too tight in the legs, too loose in the waist. I think that's what I get when I'm trying on "legging jeans."

Alas, I am still on the hunt for the perfect pair of cheap colored denim. Any suggestions?

Merry Christmas Eve!

Thrifting Win and I'm (Almost) Recovered

Top: Forever 21 sz s ( ($17.99) / Jacket: Zara / Jeans: Paige lowrise bootcut sz 26 / Booties: Max Studio sz 7 (thrifted for $17.00!)



Look! I put on clothes! For the first time in three days, I wore something other than pajama pants, an old t-shirt, and my Northface jacket. I'm (kind of/sort of/almost) recovered, and celebrated by taking a shower and going out in the world for a grand total of 1 hour before I had to get back on the couch and cover myself in blankets and dogs. Baby steps.

Here's the part where I have to ask the boyfriend to stop reading, because I'm about to talk about shoes that I TOTALLY DIDN'T BUY STOP JUDGING ME.

Good. Now that he's gone. I bought shoes. These Max Studio brown leather booties, to be exact. I saw them in a thrift store for $17 and figured the price couldn't be beat. Turns out, I was right; similar brown leather booties are retailing on Max Studio's website for $269. Dang. Thrifting win!

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!

Warm and Cozy

 Dress: from a local boutique / Vest: LOFT Petite faux fur collar sweater vest sz ??? ($79.99 $48.00 buy here) / Coat: Forever 21 (old) / Tights: H&M / Booties: DSW
 
 Finally, I am out of my backyard! I wish I lived in the small central coast town--and more specifically in the garden/bookstore--where I took these photos. Then you could see less of my backyard and more of this pretty staircase and green landscape.

I just got this faux fur collar vest as an early Hannukah present from my mom (review to follow shortly! And the vest is currently on super sale at $79.99 $48.00). I went shopping with mi madre a few weeks ago and convinced her to buy a gorgeous grey knit vest with a detachable collar to replace a slightly decaying old purple one from REI she'd had for years. Major improvement on her part, and major jealously on mine. Lucky for me, my mom is awesome, and returned the favor with this cute vest from LOFT. I've never owned faux fur before, being generally squicked out by the idea of even the suggestion of wearing an animal's fur, but this looks fake enough to make the cut, I think....

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!

Just Another Lazy Sunday

  

 Sweater: Forever 21 sz s ($17.99) / Shorts: Gap sz 0 / Boots: Urban Outfitters sz 7 /  Belt: Forever 21 sx xs ($3.00) Necklace: homemade / Ring: Inherited from my Nana

 

 I did a bit of shopping this past weekend with a good friend/coworker of mine and got some great things from H&M and Forever 21 (two great haunts for those of us on a budget). My total of 4 pieces (this sweater from Forever 21, a blazer and sweater from H&M, and a deeeeeeeeeeply discounted belt from Madewell) came to $89.65, just under the budget of $90.00 I'd set for myself for this particular shopping binge. No shopping for a bit now, thankyouverymuch!

 

 I'm really happy with this sweater for a number of reasons. What attracted me to it initially was that it plays into the lace trend that is very big for this season, without being overtly trendy or something I wouldn't wear again next fall/winter. It's really more a of a loose knit than lace, but it reminded me of the trend anyway.... As a girl on a budget, finding a way to appear up-to-date without constantly breaking the bank is something I like to look out for. It's also a good staple, a decent mid-weight for our crazy hot-and-cold Los Angeles winters, and is in a neutral cream color that I have hardly any of in my closet. Points all around.

 

 

Happy Monday!

WorkWorkWorkWork

 

Sweater: Gap / Top: Forever 21 / Skirt: Forever 21 / Necklace: Bought in Italy / Shoes: Macy's

 
You guys, these pictures lie. I am not this chipper right now. I worked 12 hours today, 10 of them spent teaching 5th graders (per usual) sooooo....zzzzzzzz. How about some happy-looking photos to cheer us all up?

  Ok, can't even type more right now. Sooo sleeeppyyyyy.
There, this is more what I look like right now:
 
Hope you all are having a good week! 

Party Dress

 
Dress: Ross sz xs ($12.50) / Sweater: Ross sz z ($10.00) / Belt: Forever 21 sz xs ($3.00) / Shoes: H&M booties sz 7 ($24.99)

 
I've had this dress in my closet for about a month now, but hadn't yet had the opportunity to wear it. Not only was it cheap (yay, Ross!), but I really like the pattern, colors, and flowy material. Can't wait to break out the tights and wear this look all through the winter....
 
 Hope you're all having a great weekend! 

Out Tonight

Top: Forever 21 sz s / Skirt: H&M Wool-Blend Mini, $24.95 / Cardigan: Forever 21 sz m / Shoes: H&M black booties sz 7

 As promised, here is the first way I wore this new H&M skirt I bought over the weekend. I wore a variation on this outfit to my sister's birthday dinner the other night, and then out for drinks afterwards. These new H&M heels held up very well on the walk to and from the bar, and I wore them all night without my feet hurting at all!

I love the cutout detail in this top; its' one of my favorite pieces to wear out at night. It's much more cream-colored than it looks in these pictures. Strange how it looks almost stark white here...
 I really wanted to wear tights with this, but the combination of black tights and orange-red skirt made me feel far too Halloween-y. Grey tights seemed odd with the black booties, but is that just me? What do you think are some other pairing possibilities for this lovely new skirt?