Everyday comfort

 I got my wireless camera remote in the mail yesterday, and - aaargh, I hate it! Okay, so it works just fine, but 1) I can't get the dang camera to focus on me when using it, and 2) I look really grumpy in all the photos I took with it. (That may have been because it's even more awkward to take pictures of yourself using a tripod than it is to have someone else take pictures of you.) But once I get those problems sorted out, you're going to start seeing all sorts of crazy awesome backgrounds in my photos! Josh was kind enough to snap these photos on the roof of his work in the afternoon, but starting now I'll probably be taking most of my outfit photos myself. Admittedly, I'm kind of excited about this, as it means I'll be able to travel to fun locations around the city for different backgrounds.

This was one of those outfits I wish I could wear every day! It's incredibly comfortable (hooray for skirts with stretchy waistbands that look like belts!), and has so many fun details, from the pattern of the skirt, to the ruffles on the blouse (also worn here), to the big dangly earrings. Plus it's bright, which is always a win in my book!

Blouse: gift from aunt, from Macy's

Skirt: thrifted from Crossroads Trading Co.

Shoes: Urban Outfitters

Earrings: free from aunt

Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta from TJ Maxx

Bracelet: B. Lee Designs

A pop of blue

Saturday was drizzly and cold - a huge shock when a week ago it was 95 degrees! This was my first time ever wearing tights with shorts, and I loved the combo! These shorts are really short and very fitted, so I don't feel totally comfortable wearing them with bare legs, but I felt great wearing them with tights. Isn't it funny what a difference a little bit of fabric on your legs makes?! In the morning I wore this outfit without the blue shirt underneath the sweater, but in the afternoon Josh and I went on a date to our favorite tea shop, and I wanted something a little quirkier to fit with the vibe of the shop, so I added the pop of blue with a sheer top underneath the sweater.

The tea shop we went to is actually the one where we got engaged! So it's extra-special to us. We love to go there and drink a pot of amazing chai tea, people-watch out the window, and reminisce about the wonderfully unexpected proposal Josh sprung upon me all those years ago :)

Sweater: Target

Blue top: free from aunt

Shorts: thrifted from Goodwill (they're Boy Scout shorts!)

Tights: Fred Meyer

Boots: Urban Outfitters

Bag: Urban Outfitters

Necklace: flea market in California

I've been framed

Doesn't this top look like it's covered in picture frames? Believe me, if I had had an empty frame lying around the house, I would have used it as a prop in these photos! Anyway, I super duper love this top, which I got for free from one of my aunts. I get a lot of clothes from my aunts. You may have noticed this - in almost every outfit post there's at least one "free from aunt" notation among my clothing sources. I have three aunts who love clothes and have a lot of them, and every once in a while one of them will go through a box of old clothes (often from the 90's!) and give me whatever they don't want. I feel like this makes up for not having a sister to share clothes with growing up.

I definitely felt like this outfit was something I would wear if I worked in an office. I even had a matching navy blazer that I wore with it, but I took it off for these photos so you could see the top better.

Top, necklace and ring: free from various aunts

Skirt and bag: thrifted from The William Temple House

Shoes: Lulu's

Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta from TJ Maxx

Belt: Gap

Bracelet: Fred Meyer

Subdued?

I had the worst time deciding what to wear yesterday. After many many many many many iterations, I settled on this one. I've worn this skirt quite a few times on this blog (here, here, here, here and here), and almost every time I've worn it with a really bright top. It just lends itself so well to color blocking. This time, though, I tried to subdue it slightly with a darker, patterned top. I felt like this was a pretty calm outfit considering it contained a hot pink skirt, but when Josh saw me he said, "Wow, you're bright." So maybe "calm" is a relative term in this case.

Top: thrifted from The William Temple House

Skirt: Zara

Shoes: Target

Necklace: gift shop at Legacy Emanuel Hospital

Bracelets: H&M and my aunt

The dying of the light

You may have noticed that lately almost all of my outfit photos have been on the roof. This is because it's literally the only location left in our part of town that still has sunlight shining on it when Josh gets home from work. We live at the foot of a huge hill, which means that the sunlight disappears on our side about an hour earlier than it actually sets. So when Josh gets home at around 6:30, we rush upstairs and snap as many pictures as we can before the light disappears. These photos were taken maybe fifteen minutes before the sun "set" behind the hill, which means that we probably only have another week or so of being able to take photos in this location. When I realized this, I ordered a wireless remote for my camera so I can start taking pictures on my own. I would love to know - what do you fashion bloggers do about lighting when the days start getting shorter? Do you take your outfit photos in the morning? On your lunch break? Or do you just take a whole bunch of outfit photos on the weekend when you have free time during the day?

As for my outfit - well, it just felt like a jeans and t-shirt kind of day. I did try to make some effort with my necklace, though :)

Top: H&M

Jeans: Gap

Shoes: Lulu's

Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta from TJ Maxx

Necklace: purchased in Florence, Italy

Bag: thrifted from The William Temple House

South by Southwest

I got this skirt and these wedge boots at Urban Outfitters yesterday for a grand total of $24. I had been eyeing this skirt when it was on sale for $30, but decided it was too much to pay. Then I saw it marked down to $20, but decided to wait a little longer to see if it got marked down any lower. (Yes, I like to flirt with danger.) Yesterday I went into the store, and they had one left in my size for $10, so I bought it on the spot. What attracted me to this skirt was the wonderful southwestern style print it has. I feel like I'd be right at home wearing this in the desert in New Mexico with a pair of cowboy boots. Not that you'd ever find me in the desert in New Mexico, because there are snakes there, and wherever there are snakes, there I am not.

Top: Old Navy

Skirt, shoes and bag: Urban Outfitters

Hat: vintage

Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta from TJ Maxx

Necklace: free from my mom

Bracelets: H&M and Cost Plus World Market

Belt: Gap

Mismatched greens

This tank top is a tough one to style, so I rarely wear it. It's made of something thick and heavy like wool, so I don't usually want to wear it when it's hot outside, but it's also a tank top, so I can't really wear it in the winter. I ended up wearing it on one of the hottest days of the year, so it wasn't incredibly comfortable while taking these photos, but I was in an air-conditioned apartment most of the day so it wasn't too bad the rest of the time. (I realize in some of these pictures my top looks like it has weird swirly lines all over it, but it's just the effect of the camera - in reality, it's green and white striped.) I paired it with my granny skirt (also worn here and here) on a whim, and even though they don't really match, I liked the general look of it. I topped it all off with my Casita wedges, which I have been living in this summer. They're so comfy, and I kind of wish I had purchased other colors too. As much as I love my heels, shoes like this are what you'll find me in for running errands around town or walking to the nearest sushi restaurant for lunch.

Top: thrifted

Skirt: thrifted from Village Merchants

Shoes: Casita wedges from Blowfish Shoes

Belt: Urban Outfitters

Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta from TJ Maxx

Necklace: gift from aunt

Earrings: free from aunt