"Who says you can't cut a bagel with a spoon?!"

So, the title of this post really has nothing to do with what I'm blogging about today, but I just wanted to share a little of my grad student wisdom with you: when in doubt, a spoon can be used for a make-shift knife to cut a bagel--not the greatest, but better than nothing :)

Ok, so I've been sucking about posting the past couple of days.  Not feeling well, combined with being super busy has, unfortunately, put the blog on the back-burner.   But today, something amazing happened...my superpowers were renewed by the presence of the sun!  That's right, the sun was actually shining when I woke up this morning--I know I've talked about this before, but I really am in such a better mood when the sun in shining--I wasn't even planning on going onto campus today, but here I am, and I don't even regret my decision (granted it is early and I haven't started my dreaded coding yet, but I'm going to try to stay positive!).  So I'm sitting at my desk, enjoying my spoon-cut bagel with a DMD (Diet Mountain Dew, for all you newbies out there!) and will share with you my past few outfits.

LOVE THESE!!

Let's start with Sunday...I don't think since I've began this challenge that I've actually worn "normal clothes" on a Sunday...and this time was no exception.  I felt awful, but had to go run some errands, so I sported my MSU School of Criminal Justice sweatshirt (won from a raffle at Alpha Phi Sigma--free is always the best!), some black leggings, and my new Minnetonka moccasins!!!!  I received a pair for Christmas from my parents, and apparently I've inherited my mother's "one foot is bigger than the other" syndrome, and they didn't fit :(  I've been on the hunt for a better-fitting pair, and Macy's just happened to have some, and they were 50% off, none the less.  Now, I just want to clarify--I WAS NOT shopping.  I was exchanging a Christmas gift, definitely NOT the same thing! :)

Go Green-Go White!

Since last week was "Inspiration Week", I wanted to introduce to you what this week's theme is.  I received a request from my BFF Jenna, who asked me:

"so my request... i now live in the world of wearing teacher clothes everyday, and my wardrobe is boring & full of sweaters & dress pants. im struggling to wear cute clothes because i have to keep things pretty conservative for school. ideas? :)   and/or how can i incorporate my "going out" clothes into my teacher outfits (while keeping this appropriate for school)? haha ive been thinking a lot about this"

I think this is an issue everyone deals with: when your job requires you to dress conservatively, how are you able to still have fun with fashion, while still following the dress code?  I've dealt with this a lot, especially working within a lot of government agencies, where the standard outfit seems to either be an officer's uniform, or simple shirt and pants.  There is no way I could keep wearing the same old boring thing day in and day out., so I've had to get creative when it comes to work clothing.

J--I'm determined to try and help you out, and if I fail, I'll take you shopping in a few weeks and we'll have a fashion show with everything in your closet (ok, we should do this anyways, but still :P )

The first thing I want to start with are a few basics I think every woman should own:

1.) A tailored, or well-fitted suit

2.) A pencil skirt

3.) A black dress

If you have these three things, all you have to do is add fun accents and accessories, and you can create so many different, fun outfits! (suit and skirt: limited.com; dress: gap.com)

Problem #1: "I rock the basic black cardigan WAY too much"

Solution: Add a fun color underneath and some accessories

Yesterday I decided to wear a simple leopard-print black cardigan.  Usually I wear something black underneath it, but wanted to show how just the simple inclusion of color can change an entire outfit.  This outfit also shows how you can bring in a texture that you may not think would be appropriate (i.e. animal print) and how you can tone it down with a basic solid.

Shirt: Gap; Sweater: I <3 Ronson; (worn with Gap jeans and Simply Vera knee-high boots

Add a few accessories (I chose my Michael Kors watch--bought at TJ Maxx, a few rings, and my beautiful new bracelet from Andy for Christmas--he KNOWS how much I love purple!), and this is a perfect way to update the plain, old cardigan.  To use the basics from above, I would suggest either wearing this with the pencil skirt or the pants from the suit.  Possibly add a sparkly belt to add a little more something to the outfit!

Problem #2: I always wear the same combination of clothing!

Solution: Play around with colors and different patterns

There seems to be two categories of clothing in a woman's closet--patterns and solids.  I've noticed this a lot in my closet, and have struggled in the past being comfortable enough to mix and match slightly contrasting colors/patterns.  I've gotten a lot of advice from fashion magazines (InStyle is GREAT for this), so I've tried to branch out and have some fun with this.

Today's outfit is going to show three different outfits: one patterned top, with three different sweater options.

Option #1: Blouse, with a contrasting bright cardigan (Crimson)--what I normally wear with this blouse

(Blouse: Gap; Cardigan: Target; Jeans: AE; Flats: Nine West; Belt: J Crew)

Option #2: Textured blouse, with a textured cardigan (leopard print) --Bold choice

(Cardigan: Gap)

Option #3: Showing another option of a different contrasting bright cardigan (Royal Blue)--what I wore today

(Cardigan: Old Navy)

This just goes to show you how you can take one blouse, and create three different outfits with it, with each one looking slightly different--this way you can continually rotate the same shirt, but aren't getting bored with the same color combination.  My suggestion is to play around with different combinations--such as I never would have thought to combined this blouse with the leopard cardigan, but I think the colors and patterns work.  I mean, don't go WAY out in left field paring polka dots with zebra stripes or anything like that, but don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and have some fun!  Also, this would go great with either dress pants or the pencil skirt :)

Again too, if you're getting bored with your outfit choices, ALWAYS play around with different accessories, they are the simplest way to update any ensemble.  I added my "Las Vegas" necklace ( memento from last summer), and my rose ring (of course it's purple, I told you it's my favorite color!).  Just simple additions like this can do wonders to any outfit!

 Necklace: Urban Outfitters

Ring: Forever 21

I'm almost done, I promise (God, this has been a long post--I should try to keep up!).  Besides accessories, another way you can change up an outfit is to try different hairstyles.  Now, I am in no way a hair expert (in fact, I'm quite challenged in the area--what you get growing up with a mom who has short hair!), but for today's outfit, even a simple change from wearing my hair down, to wearing it in a funky bun, changes the overall concept from sweet to a little bit edgy...

I parted my hair down the middle, and then took only the front half and set it off to the side.  I took the remaining hair in the back and put it into a bun.  I took the front half and french braided each side, continuing the braid all the way down to the end.  I then tucked both braids into the bun, to create a different twist on the basic bun.... 

More suggestions to come!  J--I'm sorry I haven't shown these outfits with dress pants or skirts, but it's been cold, and I haven't wanted to walk onto campus like that!  I'll do better the rest of the week!


And just one more pic--just to show you how beautiful and stylish Miss J is:

Getting ready to go to Heather's wedding :)

Tale as old as time....

When asked what the best chick flick of all times is, most girls respond with the same few answers: THE NOTEBOOK!!  PRETTY WOMAN!!  WHEN HARRY MET SALLY!!  Now, I'm not knocking any of these movies at all, and I actually enjoy each one--ahem "I'll have what's she's having"--brilliant!!-- but why don't more people think of Beauty and the Beast?  I mean, come on ladies--here's a love story about two outsiders, rejected by society, who learn to love each other for what's on the inside--there's comedy, tears, romance, magic--that's like the ultimate chick flick!!  And do you know what makes it even better------IT'S IN 3D!!!!!!

The Ultimate Chick Flick!

Tonight was girls night---dinner (made by me!) with Maggie, Amelia, and Brooke, followed by reliving our childhood by going to see Beauty and the Beast!  Yes, we laughed at all the cute jokes, sang along to all the songs, and wished, someday, we could have that moment of wearing a beautiful dress, descending a grand staircase, and dancing with a beautiful man in front of a starlit sky!  Does no one else get chills during that scene???  Beauty and the Beast truly is a fantastic movie (fun fact: it is the only cartoon ever--before the 10-nomination change in 2010--to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards)--THAT'S how good it is!  And yes, I'm 24 years old, and yes, I am not quite the hopeless romantic most girls are, but I love Beauty and the Beast, and I love feeling like a kid again, if only for a few hours!

Ok, now that I'm done raving about Belle and the Beast, time for some pictures!  I had some fun today playing around with my Canon 35mm Digital camera, so please forgive me for all the pics.  As mentioned before, I decided to make dinner, which was rigatoni in the crock pot.  Sounded simple enough to me!

This recipe actually required "some" pre-cooking, such as browning up some ground turkey (suppose to be ground beef, but I don't like beef, and turkey is much better for you):

And cooking the rigatoni:

And cutting up mushrooms:

Add a little cheese, some pasta sauce, cook on low 4-5 hours...and you get this:

Actually tasted pretty good (and the girls didn't complain), so I'll take this as a victory.  This recipe fed four people, plus plenty of leftovers, so guess what I'll be eating for the next week!!

Moving on-----Today's outfit was kind of just chosen on a whim--no real planning went into it, just grabbed a shirt, some jeans, and away we went.

Jacket: Simply Vera; Blouse: Target; Tank: J Crew; Jeans: AE; Slippers: Target

I was really trying to find ways to avoid doing work today--this involved cleaning the entire apartment, cooking, and even painting my nails.  Now, along with blow-drying my hair, I would have to list painting my nails as one of the things I hate most about being a girl--it takes forever to dry, you always smudge it somehow, and within a day or two, it's already chipped--all that work for nothing!  But I went through with it anyways, mostly because I wanted to try out my new neon blue crackle polish.  This stuff is awesome and available in a number of different colors.  You paint your normal base color (I chose "Russian Navy")--let it dry, and then paint on the Crackle.  It goes on solid, but then starts to dry in a 'crackle-like' design--so cool!  I like to have fun with my nail polish--it's my way of expressing my fun, quirky side, without having to display it with my clothing!

O.P.I. nail polish

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And now, because I'm a complete dork and was really bored today--here are some fun shots with the Canon!  Since today's outfit was simple, I decided to curl my hair to add a little 'something-something'--that's also one of the pains of being a girl, but it always looks so nice!

Tv setting; ISO: 1600 (quicker shutter speed)

Av setting; ISO: 200 (longer shutter speed)

**Inspiration #5**

Last day of "Inspiration Week".  I am in a super good mood today (yes, I said super-it's a great word, everyone should use it more often!) but I got to sleep in, got a good run in, meeting got cancelled...and THE SUN IS OUT!!!  It's been like a week of crappy cloudiness, so any sign of sunshine makes me smile!

I drew inspiration for today's outfit from this photograph:

Now, I want to say that I respect and admire Japanese fashion.  For those of you who don't quite now what I'm talking about, think Nicki Minaj--but wearing that during everyday life!

  I love the bright colors and inventive aspect of their fashion sense, but I don't think I would EVER be brave enough to wear it.  This girl's outfit (above), however, is a little more my style--very laid back (if you haven't already figured out my style is very comfortable and casual--most of the time).  And this outfit is the perfect way to make sure those summer shorts still fit after a long, cold wint (I don't know if I'm the only one who forgets about having to try them on before I actually have to wear them--hahaha!)

But here's my outfit for a beautiful, sunny Friday:

                                                               

 (Sweater: Macys; Shorts: American Eagle;
     Tights: Gap; Sunglasses: Marshalls)

And since today's outfit was so simple, I wanted to highlight the accessories, cause every girl knows, they either make or break an outfit!

Let's start with the shoes:

Adrienne Vittadini (bought at TJ Maxx)

A perfect, neutral color, that works great for either casual or more dressed-up occasions.  I bought this pair last May for my internship with Las Vegas Metro Police Department.  I knew I didn't want to wear heels while going out on investigations, so these were perfect.  A little bling and very comfortable.

Next, the rings:

Now, anyone who knows me will tell you I absolutely LOVE rings.  I think of every accessory I own, I have twice the number of rings than anything else.  I think they are the perfect way to accessorize any outfit, without looking over the top.  Oh, and I also follow the mantra of: The bigger the better!  (And I'm talking about rings here, all you sick people out there-lol!)

But here are two of my favorite gold rings:

"Mr. Tiger"--bought at a vintage store in Albany, NY

 I love anything to do with animals in jewelry (and clothing as well!).  I bought this ring because 1.) I love anything vintage (means one of a kind!) and 2.) It reminds me of my dream ring:

http://www.cartier.us/show-me/jewelry#/show-me/jewelry/n4193100-panthère-ring

Now, not everyone can own this beautiful, Cartier ring (especially since it retails at about $23,700!!!), but I think my $20 find is pretty close.

This ring was bought for me by my cousin Hailey while she was studying abroad in London.  She actually told me she had bought a turquoise ring for me first, but she liked it so much she decided to keep it and gave this one to me instead.  I think we both won in the situation.  I wear this ring all the time, because it goes with almost anything.

Hope everyone has a great weekend, and hopefully the sun stays for a little while! :)

**Inspiration #4**

jcrew.com

Almost done with "Inspiration Week".  I've actually enjoyed this week, and once I gather more ideas, I may have to bring this themed-week back!  Today's inspiration comes from J Crew:

Nothing special, but I love the simplicity of this look. A blazer is the perfect way to make an outfit look put together and classy.  The brass buttons on this make it a little more dressed down, the perfect weekend (or weekday in my case) ensemble.

These articles of clothing are probably something everybody has in their closet--in some form or another.  I'm starting to become a believer that one's closet can literally be made up of only a few things, that can continually be mixed and matched to make different outfits.  This blue blazer, button-up shirt and jeans are perfect examples of what every woman should own.





Here is what I pulled out of my closet:

Blazer: Banana Republic;
Blouse: Ann Taylor
Jeans: AE
Boots: Coach

Necklace: J Crew; Watch: Fossil

This blazer is a little more cropped and only a 3/4 sleeve, but still works.  I bought this at the Banana Republic outlet store for $20 (originally $100).  I loved (as stated above) the brass buttons, and the blue color.  So many blazers tend to be black (and yes, I do own many a black blazer), but blue has such a different look, more laid-back instead of "I'm going to a job interview".  Paired with a cream-colored blouse, dark skinny jeans and riding boots, I think it's the perfect Thursday-sitting in my office outfit!

I also like to try and direct specific attention to pieces I am really in love with.  Today, I want to highlight my necklace:

Andy's mom gave this to me for my birthday a few years ago, and I absolutely love it.  It's perfect to add a little glitz to any outfit, whether it be dressed up or for today's outfit, dressed down.  It's also a great color to go with anything.

**Inspiration #3**

Today's outfit inspiration is a mix of two different ideas, combined into one.

http://shopruche.com/shop-pastel-palette/pastel-3.html?limit=all

To the naked eye, this looks like a cute blouse/skirt combination, right?  Well, that's what I thought, until the website broke down the entire outfit, and come to find out, the "skirt" is actually a dress.  I thought this was the coolest idea ever, and gives you another way you can wear a dress!

And my other inspiration comes from a website I can't remember right now (will work on finding that later!).  But it talked about how lace tops are all the trend right now.  I must admit, I have a little love affair with lace--I always want to buy anything that has even a little bit of lace on it.  One of my favorite purchases is the dress below (Love the sleeves!!):

Awww-so cute :p

Seeing my BF Lindsey in Vegas!

I think lace is the perfect combination of sexy and sophisticated...when worn properly.  If you're wearing a dress purely of see-through lace, I might ask you what corner you're working on!

So in attempting to combine these two outfits, I took one of my favorite dresses to act as the skirt, and a black lace blouse to put over the top, and this is what I came up with:

Dress: Forever 21; Blouse: New York & Company; Belt: Banana Republic; Necklace: AE;
Cuff: Ann Taylor; Boots: Coach
I never would have thought to put these two pieces together, but I think it works really nicely!  Also, I think a belt is in order, no matter what you decide to mix and match, just so you have a little separation between the two!  I paired this outfit with my Coach boots, turquoise beaded necklace (to add a little pop), and even though it's about 30° out, I, honestly, was too lazy to put on tights--I'm a midwest girl, I can handle a little cold!

And time for some fun shots--I get really bored having to try and self-timer pictures of these outfits, so I just like playing around with different angles, colors, poses, etc!  And, yes, I'm a fan of the jumping pose--it's fun...and it makes me look like I can jump really high :p































































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Oh, and an update on how my attempt at a 'lighter' version of General Tso's chicken went last night...well, I am pleased to say it was quite the success!  I was really nervous because 1.) homemade Chinese food can be tricky; 2.) I am scared to death of cooking chicken (always afraid I'll undercook it); and 3.) I'm always nervous when cooking!  But I did my best to follow the recipe, and here's what I came out with:

 

Yum!!

I got the recipe from Martha Stewart.com (http://www.marthastewart.com/314942/lighter-general-tsos-chicken), and I have to admit, it was nice to finally eat Chinese food and not have that bloat from all the sodium you've just consumed!  I used light sodium soy sauce instead of the regular stuff, and everything else was pretty healthy/fresh.  I think it turned out great, although next time I would add a little more "kick" to it, maybe with a jalapeno or more red pepper flakes!  But for all of you out there looking for an easy Chinese recipe, this is it---if I can make it, anyone can! :)

**INSPIRATION #2**

Continuing with "Inspiration Week", today's outfit idea comes from a photograph of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.  Now, I want absolutely no comparisons to this woman: she's a model, she's gorgeous, and she kicked some serious ass in Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon--three things that will never be associated with my name.  But I loved her simplistic outfit in this picture, so I decided to try to recreate it:

Stripes are big this season--in fact, they've never really gone out of style, I think people just tend to associate them too much with "sailing" and don't want to look to nautical.  But InStyle shows you that you don't have to go all out nautical in order to make stripes work: (http://www.instyle.com/instyle/package/general/photos/0,,20398276_20522658_21045255,00.html).  Unless you plan on wearing the stripes with the rest of your sailor ensemble (think Popeye-lol), you shouldn't be afraid to incorporate them into your wardrobe.

                    

I loved the effortless quality of this outfit--it's stylish, yet super basic.  A sweater, jeans, and scarf--doesn't get any easier than that!  A perfect "running errands" outfit--which is exactly what I did this morning!  Also going along with the 'effortlessness' of the outfit, I decided to go 'au-natural' with my glasses today (you all should feel honored, there are maybe only a handful of pictures with me actually wearing my glasses)!  Completed with my other leopard scarf (complements of my equally-fashionable roommate Georgette) and my heeled booties, I think I did a good job for inspiration #2!

Booties: Old Navy

Sweater: Gap; Jeans: Express; Scarf: Kohls (Jennifer Lopez)

And to top off a great outfit, the rest of my day will be spent enjoying: Biggby Coffee, Netflix (I'm obsessed), Coding Russian Carding Forums, and Pilates with Amelia!!  Oh, and attempting to make homemade General Tso Chicken tonight--results will be posted tomorrow--fingers crossed it's edible and I don't burn down the house!