Boot Uncertainty

necklace - Forever 21 (buy similar) | cardigan - Maurices (buy similar)

dress - Marshalls | boots - Maurices (buy)

I bought these boots almost two months ago, and finally got around to wearing them for the first time. I noticed other people at work noticing them, but nobody said a thing. So I'm not sure if they were just thinking "oh, boots," or "ew, boots."

I like the outfit ... What do you think?

xo, Kellie

Locked Out

necklace - thrifted (buy similar) | Franco Sarto wedges - Marshalls (buy)

dress - Maurices (buy) | cardiwrap - Maurices (buy - ON SALE!)

I've been absent for a little over a week now thanks to my move and the fact that two of my husband's friends were staying at our house over the last week. I didn't feel like explaining to them why I was taking photos of myself in the backyard, and the time just wasn't there to take photos. 

I finally found the time for photos today after I got home from work. Imagine my frustration when I had finished with my photos and headed inside to change into my "at home" clothes, only to find that my dog had manged to lock the front door while I was outside. After a half hour of frustrated pacing, attempts to get Elwood to unlock the door the same way he had managed to lock it, and attempts to "break in" to my own house, I finally managed to get inside.

So that's my tale of woe. Happy Tuesday!

xo, Kellie

Hazy

necklace - gift from Barcelona (buy similar) | shirt - Forever 21 (buy similar)

skirt - Marshalls (buy similar) | Franco Sarto wedges - Marshalls (buy)

I've had this outfit in my head for three weeks, and I finally worked up the courage to wear it to work today. By the time I got home and got my camera set up, it was starting to rain (yay, hurricane season in Florida!) and my camera didn't want to un-fog, so I didn't end up with the best images. But dangit, I got this outfit photographed, and managed to suck in my stomach enough to feel comfortable posting the picture.

Has anyone decided to follow along with me while I do my Fit is in Fashion series? I'm on day four today, and I am SO SORE! Let me know if you're working on getting in shape as well, I'd love some tips and peer pressure motivation!

xo, Kellie

Semi-Pro

dress - Francesca's (buy similar) | LC by Lauren Conrad blazer - Kohl's (buy similar)

Merona wedges - Target (buy similar)

At my old job as a catering manager this was a typical outfit for me, but now that I work in a setting where flip-flops and jeans are acceptable, I don't do the "business casual" look as often. Today, however, I had a meeting with my boss, so a slightly more professional ensemble seemed more appropriate. Depending on how my meeting went today, I might have another semi-business professional outfit to share next week!

(Wish me luck!)

xo, Kellie

You know what's sad?

bracelet - gift from Oman (buy similar) | Billabong dress - Marshalls (buy similar)

Limited jacket - thrifted (buy similar) | wedges - Maurices (buy - ON SALE!)

And by "sad" I mean "pathetic," not go-cry-in-my-closet unhappiness.

I now have a list of outfits to wear (and photograph) once I lose weight. I have managed to put on enough pounds that a large majority of the clothing in my closet doesn't fit the way that it should. I could sit here and make excuses and tell you that between my sedentary job and all of the jewelry orders I've been getting, I just haven't had the time to exercise, but the truth is, it's my own damn fault. Exercise is important to my long-term health, and if setting time aside a few days a week to go for a jog means that my orders will take a couple of days longer to complete and ship, then so be it.

I'm not telling you this in an effort to get "aww, you look great!" comments, so don't bother. I'm telling you this because studies show that if you make a public announcement that you are committing to exercise and lose weight, you're more likely to stick to it.

So there it is: I have pounds to lose, I am going to exercise, and I am posting it on the World Wide Web in hopes that a bunch of strangers knowing my goal will help me accomplish it.

xo, Kellie

Pattern Mixer

necklace - heirloom (buy similar pendant) | Merona belt - Target (buy)

dress - Marshalls (buy similar) | Franco Sarto wedges - Marshalls (buy similar)

What did I learn while wearing this outfit? 1. Don't go to Walmart "dressed up" or even remotely presentable-looking unless you want to be leered at by every male between the ages of 18 and 50 that walks by (even while your husband is right next to you). 2. Wear mixed patterns to Walmart (or really, in public at all) with caution and thick skin. I got some sideways glances and even caught a girl whispering to her friend when she thought I wasn't looking.

There was a time when catching people talking about me -- or even suspecting that people were talking about me -- would send me into a spiral that could undo years of confidence boosting and send me running to my closet to put on the most generic ensemble I could find. But you know what? I am the only person that I get dressed for, with the secondary goal of my husband also giving me his stamp of approval. Everything after that is just a bonus, and if people (forgive my snarkiness, but I should say poorly dressed people) insist on being so small-minded that making fun of or expressing their distaste about my choice to wear leopard print with stripes is something they find necessary, then let them make fun. I'm glad the highlight of my day doesn't involve not-so-covertly whispering about someone's outfit when I'm wearing an outfit that hasn't fit me since 50 pounds ago.

Phew. That's a side of my you've never seen, eh?

xo, Kellie

All Tribal, All the Time

 necklace - World Market (buy similar) | bracelet - gift from Oman (buy similar) | earrings - Target

dress - Marshalls (buy similar) | cardigan - Maurices (buy) | Xhilaration sandals - Target (buy similar)

When my manager saw this outfit yesterday morning she said something along the lines of "that's it! I'm coming over and raiding your closet!"

That's a good thing, right?

xo, Kellie

The Visitor

necklace - heirloom (buy similar) | shirt - TJ Maxx (buy similar)

jeans - Forever 21 (buy) | Mossimo flats - Target (buy)

I wasn't even planning to share this outfit, since it ended up looking a lot more boring in photographs than it did in person, but I thought it was worth sharing in order to tell a little anecdote:

As you can probably tell, I take my outfit pictures in my backyard. My camera is placed in front of the sliding glass doors leading into my house, so I'm looking into the house while taking my photos, and my dog, Elwood, is usually looking out at me. 

As I was taking photos this day, I heard a rustling behind me, turned around, and saw that a tiny little puppy from the house next door had slipped through the fence and into my yard. I'm a huge dog person, so as soon as I see a dog -- and especially a puppy -- any concentration that had been dedicated to anything else is gone. 

I could hear my neighbor next door calling to the dog, so I tried to call it over to me to help him out. When Elwood saw that puppy running to me, he lost it. He started barking and whining and jumping at the GLASS doors to try to get out. Needless to say, my photo shoot was over and I had only ten photos to work with, when usually I take at least twice that many. But I got a photo with my little visitor in it, and that's what counts!

xo, Kellie

Florida Music Festival 2013 - Day 3

LC by Lauren Conrad necklace - Kohl's (buy similar) | belt - came with Maurices dress (buy)

dress - Urban Outfitters (buy similar) | Franco Sarto wedges - Marshalls (buy similar)

Florida Music Festival 2013 - Day 1

necklace - handmade | bracelet - gift from Oman (buy similar)

dress - Marshalls (buy similar) | vest - thrifted jacket, sleeves cut off (buy similar)

Franco Sarto wedges - Marshalls (buy similar)

Unusual Neutral

LC by Lauren Conrad necklaces - Kohl's (buy, buy)

striped top - Loft (buy similar) | jacket - Forever 21 (buy similar)

Mossimo jeans - Target (buy) | Mossimo flats - Target (buy)

A couple of weeks ago at work one of the male co-workers that sits in my area turned from his computer and told my (female) neighbor and I, "I just read that leopard print is a new neutral."

He and my neighbor had a little scoff, after which I spoke up and said that I had just worn a red and beige striped top with leopard flats the day before, and was a huge fan of mixing other prints with leopard. I'm not sure I have them sold on the idea, but it's become almost an intentional effort now to work pattern mixing with leopard print into my outfits.

How did I do with this one?

xo, Kellie

Tell me about it, stud.

necklace - Kellie Creates (buy)

dress - Maurices (buy) | Limited jacket - thrifted (buy similar)

bracelet - gift from Oman (buy similar) | Franco Sarto wedges - Marshalls (buy similar)

I feel like I'm channeling Sandy Olsen in this dress . . . Before the makeover, of course. 

I went on a little bit of an internet shopping spree last week. A Maurices catalog came in the mail -- along with a couple of coupons -- I found myself coveting a few of the items pictured, and out came the store credit card. You should check out their site, they've got quite a bit of cute stuff for spring! 

(This post is not sponsored by anyone but my wallet, by the way.)

xo, Kellie

On Being Overdressed

BCBGeneration necklace - TJ Maxx | Calvin Klein shirt - Marshalls (buy similar)

pants - Old Navy (buy similar) | Merona wedges - Target (buy similar)

At my old job, this very same outfit would have been for the days when I was able to "dress down" at work. Now when I wear it to work I'm slightly more dressed up than the people around me, but I'm okay with that. I used to get self-conscious when getting ready to go somewhere and would under dress to avoid sticking out, but as I got older I realized Mr. Wilde had it right:

 (source)

So here's to always overdressing, and never being ashamed of good grammar!

xo, Kellie

Sandal Season

Mime tank - Marshalls (buy similar) | Mossimo jeans - Target (buy)

Franco Sarto wedges - Marshalls (buy similar) | bracelet - gift from Oman (buy similar)

There were times from November up until now when sandals or other open-toed shoes would have been weather appropriate, but I try to segregate parts of my wardrobe for warm and cold seasons so that when spring truly starts to make an appearance, the items that were tucked away during the "colder" months will feel fresh to me. 

I think that time has come, because a sleeveless shirt and wedges paired with my brand-new jeans seemed perfect over the weekend! 

xo, Kellie

Anchored

bow - A Pink Lemonade Designs (buy) | iPhone case - Zazzle (buy) | Xhilaration top - Target (sold out)

Betsey Jonson earrings - Piperlime (buy) | cosmetic bag - Cheeky Leopard (buy) 
necklace - Vintage Penny Lane (buy)

All things anchors, in patriotic colors. I'm a big fan of anchors paired up with red, white, and blue, it makes for a very timeless, American feel.

xo, Kellie

Hello, Sailor

dress - Marshalls (buy similar) | Mossimo cardigan - Target (buy similar)

Lower East Side boots - Payless (buy - ON SALE!) | necklace - heirloom (buy similar)

I would tell you that my love for nautical style comes from being married to a real-life Navy sailor, but I've had a thing for anchors and stripes since long before I ever knew him. I think there is something so nostalgic about the style, and it never seems to be out of fashion!

xo, Kellie