Handmade By Yours Truly

What I'm wearing: Forever 21 slouchy top, J.Crew outlet long cardigan, Gap Always Skinny jeans, Aldo boots, Handmade necklace (by yours truly)

The past few days, I've been gravitating towards looser, more comfortable clothing. I think its partially because of post-holiday pudge and partially because I like to be comfy while running around doing all the things I want to finish before I head back to school. I wore this yesterday for a day of working on necklaces for my Etsy shop (coming in 2011!) and for dinner with some girlfriends from high school. It was only a small portion of our big group, but it was really nice to catch up with everyone who was there. I purposely chose an outfit that could showcase my new necklace. On Monday, I found these beads at JoAnn Fabrics, and I fell in love. I used to make a lot of beaded jewelry, but it's an expensive hobby. But these beads were on sale, so I gave in and bought them. I really like how it turned out, and you can look forward to seeing more necklaces like this one in my Etsy shop. Here is a little sneak peek of what else I've been working on for the shop:

I had so much fun at JoAnn's picking out different color combinations of fabric and buttons. I love black and white things, so a black and white necklace was a given. I'm excited to launch my shop in the next week or two, and I hope you are too! Stay tuned for Best Foot Forward's first Etsy giveaway :)

A Very Merry J.Crew Christmas

What I'm wearing: J.Crew button-shoulder sweater, J.Crew outlet circle scarf, J.Crew outlet jeans, J.Crew flats, Pink Box earrings, Forever 21 skinny belt

Those of you who have been reading Best Foot Forward for awhile have probably figured out I'm a bit of a J.Crew fanatic. So imagine my glee when I discovered on Christmas morning that majority of my presents were from there! Some I had helped pick out, but others were surprises, like my gorgeous bracelet! I had told my mom I liked it way back in November, but I hadn't expected that she would actually buy it. Because of my abundance of J.Crew presents, I ended up in head-to-toe J.Crew in the outfit above, which I wore for Christmas day with my mom's side of the family and my boyfriend's family. The sweater and scarf are both new, and I have a feeling I'm going to be wearing this scarf all the time. I love it! What was your favorite gift this year?

[some of my J.Crew spoils!]

Day 30- The Grand Finale

What I'm wearing: Gap outlet turtleneck, J.Crew wool mini, Target tights, Target ankle booties, Forever 21 necklace, Forever 21 skinny belt

This is my 30th outfit and what I wore for Christmas Eve. I wore this for Christmas Eve mass and my dad's side family Christmas. I've had this outfit planned out since before the challenge even started because I knew I would want to dress up a little for Christmas Eve (I always do) and made sure to include these items for that reason. Honestly, this outfit is the main reason the turtleneck was even picked as one of my 30 items. I really like how it turned out, especially when I added my favorite Forever 21 necklace. So I finally made it; I'm finished with my second 30 for 30! It took me longer than most, but it was a lot of fun and much more successful than my first time. I'll be putting together a recap within the next few days. The best part of being finished? My shopping ban ended just in time for post-Christmas sales. Yesterday, my Mom and I hit the mall at 7:30 AM. I walked away with hunter green and maroon Hue tights which I have been wanting for forever and were on sale for $7 each, a Calvin Klein winter coat 50% off, a pair of gym shoes for $30 for work, and two calendar which were both 50% off. I think I may have done even better bargain shopping than I did on Black Friday. Nothing beats a good sale!

Day 29- A Holiday Celebration

What I'm wearing: Loft sweater, J.Crew dress, Gap tee, Gap tights, Kelly and Katie flats via DSW, Forever 21 belt

I hope everyone had a very merry and relaxing Christmas! I was absolutely spoiled this year with great presents, lots of food, and abundant time with family. I'll be putting together a Christmas post soon, but first I want to finish up my 30 for 30! I'm officially done but am a little behind on posting. This outfit was what I wore for my little holiday celebration with the boyfriend. We exchanged gifts (I got The Fashion File by Janie Bryant and a DIAMOND bracelet! Like I said, I was TOTALLY spoiled!!) and then planned to make a gingerbread/Rice Krispie house. Then we decided to be lazy and just made peanut butter cookies instead and hung around with my family and played board games. I'd be lying if I told you I wore this outfit the whole time though; eventually the tights started to bug me, so I took off the dress and put on jeans. I also realize after looking at these pictures that my tights were on completely crooked...oops. I guess next time I'll know to be a little more careful when I'm wearing ribbed tights where you can see the lines. Well its officially nap time; I've been up since 6:30 catching the good post-Christmas sales at the mall! Yay for my shopping ban being over!

Day 28- J.Crew Copycat

What I'm wearing: Gap blazer, Forever 21 sweatshirt, Nine West boots, Forever 21 necklaces

Although I'm not wearing anything from there, this look is straight out of a J.Crew catalog. I cut a similar image out of one of their catalogs about a year or two ago of a girl wearing a sweatshirt, navy blazer, and a tangle of gold necklaces. I had been wanting to recreate it for a long time, but I didn't have a thin sweatshirt that would look right with a blazer. I picked up this one at Forever 21 right before the 30 for 30 challenge began. Unfortunately, the original catalog cutout is on my bulletin board in Columbus (shown here), so I can't share it with you, but I think I did a pretty good job of copycatting. I would have liked to have worn my tan boots instead of the cognac ones, but I'll have to try that after the challenge is over. I wore this outfit for dinner and game night with my aunts and girl cousins. Since I go to school out of town and one of my cousins just moved to Florida, I don't get to see them very often, which made the night even more special and fun.

Day 26 & 27- Comfy Chic

What I'm wearing: Forever 21 slouchy tee, Gap Always Skinny jeans, J.Crew flats, Vintage earrings, Forever 21 necklace, Forever 21 ring

I can't believe how soon Christmas is! My goal was to be done with the 30 for 30 by then, so I took some pictures of outfits I wore but never had a chance to photograph. I wore this earlier in the quarter for a study day when I wanted to be comfortable but stylish. I'm kind of in love with this slouchy top; it was one of my purchases from the huge Forever 21 in Times Square over the summer. It's baggy, yet shows the perfect amount of collarbone to look feminine. Jazz it up with some silver accessories, and you have a low-key, cute study outfit.

What I'm wearing: Gap tee, Gifted scarf, Gap Always Skinny jeans, J.Crew flats, Vintage earrings, Tiffany's bracelet (gifted)

I wore this outfit yesterday for just hanging around the house. I've been steadily getting ready for the holidays, wrapping presents and listening to the NSYNC Holiday Pandora station (it's the best!). This outfit was perfect for a day around the house, getting things finished. I'm kind of sad Christmas is so soon, because that means I'm running out of time to watch silly Christmas movies and listen to holiday music. It's always a little bit of a bummer when Christmas is over. Luckily, I still have three days left to use up my holiday cheer, which will include making Rice Krispie houses with the boyfriend tonight and forcing him to watch Christmas movies with me. How are you planning to use up the rest of your holiday spirit?

Day 25- My Favorite Flats

What I'm wearing: Forever 21 printed top, Gap Always Skinny jeans, J.Crew flats, Urban Outfitters earrings

I wore this outfit a few weeks ago to a party at the end of the quarter. This top is one of those items that I think looks better in person; the way it photographs doesn't really do it justice. I bought this top right before the 30 for 30 started, so I'm excited to see what other items I can pair it with in my closet once the challenge is over. I think it will look really nice with some of my longer cardigans. Also, I'm sad to say that I am wearing these flats out. This summer I had to part with my beloved black Gap flats, and these flats have been my go-to pair ever since. So now, of course, these ones are starting to fall apart. I find that its really hard to find a pair of flats that are comfortable and don't give me blisters, so when I do find a good pair, I wear them to death. Any suggestions of brands that have comfortable but cute flats? It looks like I'm going to be shopping for some replacements soon!

Day 24- Interview Experience

What I'm wearing: Forever 21 button-down, H&M skinny pants, Ciao Bella boots via DSW, Vintage earrings, Vintage clock necklace, Forever 21 belt, Forever 21 bangles

My next few posts are going to be of outfits that I wore earlier in the challenge but didn't take pictures of at the time. I did a bit of a photo shoot this morning with four different past outfits; my neighbors probably think I'm nuts, parading around on the front deck posing in different outfits. I wore this outfit in early December for an interview for an ambassador position for a clothing brand. They told me to dress in a way that represented my personal style, and I thought this look did a good job of both conveying my style while also keeping with the aesthetic of the brand. Unfortunately, I found out a week ago I did not get the position, but hey, I'll take all the interview experience I can get right now. Internship application season is coming up, so hopefully I will have a chance to do some more interviews in the near future, preferably with a better outcome!

Day 23- Pulled From the Archives

What I'm wearing: Uniqlo wrap sweater, Forever 21 printed top, J.Crew outlet jeans, J.Crew flats, Forever 21 belt, Necklace handmade by me

Day 23. Goodness gracious, I feel like I've been doing this challenge for forever. I think most of the others are finished at this point, but I got a slow start because of my class and work schedule. Tomorrow, I think I am going to do a big post on outfits I wore earlier in the challenge but never had a chance to take pictures of. Before the challenge started, while I was picking my items, I put together a few items that I thought would work nicely together and snapped some photos to remember them. Because I've been feeling particularly lazy lately with winter break and everything, this outfit was pulled from that archive. I wanted to accessorize this outfit up but had no silver necklaces that looked right. I also realized I don't have a single colorful necklace (excluding the one I wore yesterday). And then I remembered the box in the closet with all the jewelry I used to make. I discovered this necklace, which matched PERFECTLY and ta-da...today's outfit! I had completely forgotten about all of the beaded necklaces and bracelets I made a few years back, but after looking through them, some are actually really cute. They might just make into the Etsy shop as well (which I will be setting up after all the Christmas madness is over)!

Day 22- Simple Outfit, Statement Necklace

What I'm wearing: Loft sweater, Gap striped tee, Gap Always Skinny jeans, J.Crew flats, Handmade necklace, Lauren RL earrings, Kate Spade tote

You caught me. This is almost the exact same outfit I wore on the first day of challenge. But today was all about the necklace, so I needed a simple outfit to showcase it. For those of you who follow me on twitter (and if you don't, you should start!), you know I've been working on some DIY necklaces since I got home for break. This is the first one I've completed, and I LOVE it! Next time, I'm going to tweak the shape a bit, but besides that, I really like how it turned out. Today, a random girl at Target even stopped me and told me she liked it. Pretty darn impressive for my first test drive.

I'm thinking about opening up an Etsy shop with similar items. Thoughts? Any color combinations you would like to see?

Day 21- A Brave Soul

What I'm wearing: Forever 21 sweatshirt, Scarf via NYC street vendor, Old Navy jeans, Ciao Bella boots via DSW, Forever 21 pearl earrings, Kate Spade tote

Today, my mom and I did the unthinkable. We braved the outlet malls the Saturday before Christmas. It is so unlike me to be this behind on my Christmas shopping, and even after today's adventure, I'm still not finished with everyone on my list! Please tell me I'm not the only one who has procrastinated this year.

This was the line outside the Coach store at the outlets. I'm more of a Kate Spade fan myself, but we promised my aunt we would pick something up for her, so we got to enjoy this lovely line and the even longer one at the register inside. But it was all in good fun; it's Christmas time!

Days 19 & 20- Dreaming of a White Christmas

What I'm wearing: Gap outlet turtleneck, Gap Always Skinny jeans, Ciao Bella boots via DSW, Forever 21 pearl earrings, Forever 21 floral bib necklace

Brrrrrrrr. Just looking at these pictures makes me cold. It's been snowing quite a bit here in Ohio, which is kind of uncommon in December; normally, the big snow comes in late January or February. But hey I'm not complaining; this year might be our first white Christmas in quite awhile! I wore this outfit for the ride to Columbus to celebrate my two year anniversary with the boyfriend. I wanted to be warm, so this turtleneck was an easy decision. Plus, it was one of the only items I hadn't worn yet out of my 30. I paired it with this floral necklace I hadn't worn since summer. And this is what it turned into: a simple yet stylish travel outfit!

What I'm wearing: J.Crew outlet tiered tank, J.Crew beaded cardigan, Old Navy jeans, J.Crew flats, Lauren RL diamond studs, Forever 21 necklace

This is what I wore for our anniversary date. We went to P.F. Chang's for dinner, did a little light Christmas shopping, and got Jeni's ice cream for dessert. We were considering going to see a movie, but opted to go home and watch Mad Men instead. Yes, we realize that we act like old farts already, but we're okay with it. It was a really nice, relaxing evening. I was planning on wearing my Target ankle booties with this outfit instead of flats, but because of all of the snow and slush, I chose the flats. And with this combination, I have officially worn all of my 30 items at least once, yay! Last time I had quite a few that I didn't wear at all, so I think this round can already be declared a success! Since I'll be in Columbus until tomorrow, tonight we have plans to check out a fro-yo place that neither of us has been before. From what I hear, its pretty darn good; there are apparently tons of toppings to chose from and you get to build your own! And for those of you who have been reading BFF awhile, you know I looooove fro-yo. What are your big Friday night plans?

Day 18- This is What Happens When I Run Out of Jeans

What I'm wearing: Gap striped tee, J.Crew dress, Target tights, Ciao Bella boots via DSW, Forever 21 belt, Pink Box earrings, Headband made from dress sash

It's true what everyone says about this challenge: it really does change the way you get dressed. There is nothing particularly outlandish about this outfit, but it's not something I would normally put together. Today I was out of clean jeans and realized I had yet to wear this dress from my 30 items. I slowly pieced the look together, topping it off by using the sash from the dress as a headband. I originally intended to wear red tights instead of black, but I put a big hole in them while putting them on. Oops. But I'm in the middle of cooking dinner for the family, so short post tonight. I hope everyone has a relaxing evening; I know I plan on it!

Day 17- Chugging Along

What I'm wearing: Old Navy jacket, Forever 21 button down, Gifted scarf from London, Gap Always Skinny jeans, Nine West boots, Vintage earrings

It's so nice to be getting back to my normal blogging routine. I missed not getting to take regular outfit pictures towards the end of the quarter, which seriously prolonged this 30 for 30. Most people are finishing up right about now, and I'm still chugging along at day 17. Surprisingly, I'm still feeling inspired even though its getting later in the challenge. Last time, I was pretty much freaking out at this point because I had no idea what else to do with the items I had chosen. I wore this outfit today, knowing I needed something comfortable to wear for a productive day. My day included picking up books at the library, getting my phone looked at at the Verizon store, dropping my computer off to get fixed (currently blogging using my parent's clunky old desktop...blahh), and stopping by Michael's Craft Store and JoAnn Fabrics. I love that there is a little strip mall near us that has a Michael's and a JoAnns right next to each other; it's like crafting heaven. I've been working on some fun projects with my mom, and I can't wait to show you all when we're finished!

Day 16- Snowed In

What I'm wearing: Old Navy long sleeve tee, Target scarf, Thrifted belt, Gap Always Skinny jeans, Nine West boots, Vintage earrings, Vintage bracelet, Forever 21 bangles

I'm finally home in Cincinnati! And not a minute too soon, since we have been getting hit by snow ever since I arrived home last night. I've spent today helping my mom decorate the tree while enjoying watching the snowfall. I also took a nice, long nap...oh, how I love you winter break! I also took an outfit picture for the first time in a week. I've been wanting to try the belted scarf look for awhile now, but every time I tried it, it just didn't look right. So I decided since I had all the time in the world today, I was going to conquer it. I used Sydney's scarf tutorial, and I think it turned out rather cute. And don't let the little amount of snow in these pictures fool you; its been coming down steadily all day and we are now snowed in because the streets are a mess. I have a night of hot chocolate and ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas ahead. Oh, how I love this time of year :)