28, Locked In

Forever21, H&M, Forever21, Old Navy, H&M, H&M, H&M, Urban Outfitters, Forever21

American Eagle, Forever21, Old Navy

Old Navy, Old Navy, H&M, BB Dakota

H&M, AngelEyes

Old Navy, H&M, H&M, H&M

American Eagle, Gap, Gap

Steve Madden, Mia, Gap, 2 mystery shoes from Aldo

Here are my 30, well 28 pieces.   The other two are sitting on a shelf waiting for me to slid my tootsies in and hand over my hard, earned cash so as to make my home theirs.  Now all the rejected items in my closet are mad, or maybe they are secretly happy that they won't be treated poorly for a month.  Instead of ending up on the floor, getting spilled on and inevitably spending way too much time in the laundry room, they will remain warm and cozy hanging up in my closet.  Yes, they definitely got the better end of the stick.

Tough Stuff

source

This weekend I will be getting together my 30 for 30 pieces.  Holy cow, this is hard!  I thought the difficult part was suppose to be remixing them into 30 different outfits (and no shopping), not picking them out.  I'm getting nervous since I am already having a hard time.  Hopefully this is the hump and it will be smooth sailing after this.  Here's to hoping.  I will post my pieces either tomorrow night or Sunday, gotta get some last minute shopping in.  I swear someone will have to drag me out of the stores on Monday at 11:59.  I need to learn self-restraint.  I have three days, so I am sure that is enough time to change my ways, easy-peasy.

Problem Solved

Long-sleeve - Old Navy, Horse Top - Forever21, Jeans - American Eagle, Shoes - Mia

What do you do when you have no idea what to wear?  Wear what you wore the day before of course!  The only problem with this is that I had no idea I did this until after dinner.  I guess I know some items that will definitely be in my 30 for 30.  Lets just hope I wash them before the weeks up.  If you knew my laundry skills, you'd know this is a problem.  Oh and by the way, these pictures were taken in a bowling alley on LEAGUE NIGHT!  I was super nervous at first (because of all the old men around, I don't think they understand style blogs), but loved being able to utilize a retro backdrop.

American Girl

Blazer & Socks - H&M, Shirt - Old Navy, Jeans & Necklace - American Eagle, Shoes - Mia, Belt - Forever21

I went for an All-American look today.  Usually I like to keep my reds, whites and blues separate.  They can join up for a twosome, but never all three together.  Today I went for it, my rebellious side from yesterday must still be kicking.  I really wanted to wear my new blazer and my little red socks have been crying out to be worn since the day I bought them thinking they were knee socks.  I kept in theme throughout dessert by eating fried dough and frozen milk with sugar.  That's right doughnuts and ice cream.  Pair a warm apple fritter doughnut with a few scoops of Haagen Daz Banana Foster's ice cream and you will be extremely pissed at me.  Pissed at me because you will not be able to stop eating this delectable treat.  It tastes exactly like a deep fried banana, which has been my favorite dessert ever since I went on a "date" with my best friend Caitlyn to P.F. Changs and got their banana wonton dessert. So try this re-creation and share it with a friend or don't (more for you!).

On another note, I got Photoshop!  Yay!  Be ready for pictures in all different styles and shades.  I am so excited.  Now fair warning, I am new to this, so be prepared for a crazy variety of pictures.  Already in my saved folder, Scott and I in front of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, tan us with rainbow hair, and rainbow skin.  

Just in, me and Photoshop are fighting.  Yesterday I was fighting with H&M, not even ten minutes after I declared war with them I walked into one and bought a new blazer and top.  Don't fight with me, I kick back hard.

Rules

Tank & Skirt - Forever21, Chambray Shirt - American Eagle, Tights - Old Navy, Shoes - Gap, Flower - Bath & Body Works (holiday gift tag) 

I used to follow fashion rules.  Don't wear white after Labor Day, don't wear velvet after Christmas and don't wear sequins after New Years.  Yea, that's right, I just made those last two just so I could go ahead and break them.  Be scared, I am a major daredevil.  I am a rule breaker, or maybe more like a rule stretcher.  For work I have to follow an all black dress code.  A black top and bottom must be worn, at first I followed this strictly wearing very little color covered up completely by a black cardi or jacket.  Now I push this rule to its very limits, as seen here.  This all black rule is starting to scare me for the 30 for 30 challenge.  As for working in the mall; how do you not shop when you work in a mall.  To quote my friend today, "Caity you cannot go a month without shopping?"  Straight and to the point, scary stuff.

30 for 30

February starts the beginning of my first 30 for 30 challenge!  Don't know what that is?  Venture on over here and read all about it, and while you're at it read all of Kendi's blog.  It will entertain you for hours upon hours and then maybe it will even inspire you to start your own fashion blog, hint hint that is maybe what happened to me.  Kendi Everyday was the first blog I started to read and I probably check it about 5 times a day just to see if she's written another post.  I think my boyfriend is maybe starting to get a bit annoyed with my constant grabbing of his iPhone just to catch up on my reads.  I am really excited for the challenge, I think it will push my own personal style to a new level, which I will greatly appreciate.  And it will take a much needed load off my wallet, which she will greatly appreciate.  Of course my wallet is a she, she's the real shopaholic, and you thought I was the one with the problem.  Really what all this means is that I have got to get my shop on this week!  For my wallet's sanity.

FEED

I am a fan of Forever21 jewelry.  It's cheap, fun and adds a big bang to your outfit.  This bracelet does even more though.  Each bracelet gives two school meals out to hungry children through the United Nations World Food Program.  The bracelets are made by women artisans in Guatemala and come in six different colors.  Each color designates a different country that the meals will go to.  The bracelet is $4.80 and goes to an excellent cause.  It is easy to forget how very fortunate we are, this is a nice reminder.

She's Got Her Nose in a Book

Top - Forever21, Tank - American Eagle, Pants - Gap, Heels - H&M

Today we went to the library to take pictures.  Me and libraries get along well.  I worked at one throughout college and I love diving into a good book, especially if the book begins with a Harry and ends with a Potter.  I read other books too, I just always find myself venturing back to these worn out spins or I guess now a glossy new kindle.  I have a Gryffindor pendant on my wall and a full out crush on Ronald Weasley, so yes I am a devoted fan.  Before my boyfriend meet me he knew nothing about Harry Potter, oh how things have changed.  I am still the number one fan in this relationship but he has his moments, and boy do they make me smile.

- At breakfast while pouring creamer into his coffee, "it looks like a dementors cape floating"
- Whenever I'm moody, "what's wrong Mad Eye"
- When I say quit it, "what about quidditch"
- And my all time favorite, his perfect impersonation of Dobby's "Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts"

Yea, he's pretty awesome.

Blank

Top - Urban Outfitters, Vest and Earrings- H&M, Jeans - Small Town, Flats - Gap

I have a very bad case of writer's block today.  Maybe it's because I have been forced into watching sports for the past two hours or maybe it's because I wasted my days worth of writing on the cover letter I just churned out, either way I'm blank.  I do remember suffering fake writer's block quite a bit in college, but that was fake so it's a bit different.  I heard the antidote to writer's block is a strict regimen of no sports and tons of candy.  What you haven't heard of that?  You better switch doctors and fast.

I Like My Music Loud and My Perfume Strong

Pants & Corset - Macy's, Gingham Top - Oldnavy, Heels - H&M, Earrings - Francesca's

I work with an older crowd so I am never in danger of showing up to work in the same outfit as a co-worker.  The only time I had this problem was while working at Cedar Point (an amusement park) one summer, we wore long blue shorts and I mean long with red polos, it was hideous.  But now I can proudly say I wear my outfits and I wear them alone.  The only minor speed bump to consider while getting ready for work is the giggles and smirks I will have to endure from moody teenagers dressed head to toe in very snug fitting Abercrombie and Fitch.  Now I have to admit, I think I was one of those teenagers and I'm sure I scoffed at others as well, blame it on the peer pressure.  But it's intimidating, at first.  Sure when I use to hear "look at the girl in the tutu" whispered a little too loudly I would shuffle off in the other direction, but now I proudly stay in the area and do a little twirl (in my mind of course, and the twirl is an awesome one if you were wondering).  It is a nice feeling to feel confident enough to wear the clothes you really love and not just the ones you stuff yourself into to feel "cool".  Of course I am just a naturally cool gal, so I guess it just comes easy.  Cool is a relative term, but I am going to stick with it.

Cupcakes

I have actually started my new years resolutions already.  I know most people have no problem starting up at first, but I am the opposite.  I think of it as, I have all year why start now.  I mean if I get them all done now then what am I going to do the rest of the year?  I know smart thinking.  I have started the overhaul on my room, it was bad, super bad.  Now it's practically empty.  Okay not empty but very organized and no excess clutter.  I also made my first batch of mini cupcakes!  They were store bought (baby steps), but I did order a cupcake cookbook off amazon.  I smell some fresh, homemade cupcakes on the way.  These ones were banana flavored cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, and they were delicious.  And I think being so small makes them actually less healthy.  I eat them like they are nothing, and it's not fair.  I mean really anything that's gone in one bite shouldn't count as calories.

Getting started

Spooning the batter in

All done

Delicious!

Business in the Front, Party in the Back

Thats right I got a mullet today.  But not for my hair, for my nails.  I now have you thoroughly confused.  You are no doubt thinking up some weird and disgusting (a short and long nail length mixture) ideas or that I have just completely lost it, but really it's quite tame and secretly fun.  My finger nails are a neutral taupe, the business side of this equation.  And my toe nails are an explosion of color and glitter, hence the party.  I know the mullet name kind of gives it a bad spin, but maybe we can reinvent the mullet and make it something special and wanted.  That should of been my new years resolution, making a real change in the hair and nail industry.  There's always 2012.