Modcloth, Will You Be My Valentine?

Modcloth's If, And, or Bud dress, Modcloth's Sweet Sprite Skirt, Ruche's Meeting Before Dusk lace dress, Modcloth's Red Garnet Glamour dress, Modcloth's Bake Off Champion top

My roommates and I have decided to throw a little Valentine-themed party this weekend, which means I have been scouring the internet for the last week trying to decided what I'm going to wear. Here are some of the Valentine-esque items I've stumbled upon. To say I have a bit of a Modcloth obsession would be an understatement. Although I don't actually own anything from there, I stalk their website pretty frequently. I also love Ruche, and I find that they can sometimes be a little more affordable. I love Modcloth's If, And, or Bud dress, but it's a little out of my current price range, as is the Bake Off Champion top. Have you found any affordable Valentine fashions around the web? Do share, otherwise Modcloth might be running off with all my money!

An Investment Piece: The Blazer

What I'm wearing: Forever 21/Heritage 1981 button-down, Gap blazer, Old Navy skinny jeans, Aldo boots, Forever 21 necklace

It's blazer day at Everybody, Everywear! I usually don't wear blazers during winter because I think it awkward to wear a winter coat over them, but today I tried it out anyways. And I actually kinda liked it! I love blazers; they make me feel so polished. I bought this as one of my big "back-to-school" items in 2009, and while it cost a little bit more than I would normally spend on one item, it was definitely worth the investment. Now I just need a black one to round out my collection. So go ahead, get on over to Everybody, Everywear and see how everyone else styled up their blazers!

Is it Spring Yet?

What I'm wearing: Forever 21 top, Forever 21 cardigan, Gap jeans, J.Crew flats, Target scarf, J.Crew bracelet

Ughhh, Mondays are the worst. Class in the morning, then work, then class again at night. SO not fun. And the worst part? Having to wear my work uniform, which means no cute outfits, which means no outfit pictures! But I finally wised up and took some outfit pictures over the weekend, which I am now using to fill the Monday void. I wore this particular ensemble on Saturday to go to dinner with a friend from home who happened to be in town. Last week, Betsy mentioned Kelsey's strategy of wearing 6 different items in every outfit. I've been pondering this idea ever since, so I decided to try out her method. This outfit could have been left plain and simple with just the top and cardigan, but I loved it so much more once I added the scarf and sparkly bracelet. If there's anything I learned from the 30x30 challenge, it's that accessories can go a long, long way. I also would love to say that I wore these flats all night, but I didn't. It's just too darn cold for flats right now. I tried to be defiant and wear them anyways, but eventually I broke down and threw on my gray cowboy boots. Is it spring yet? I miss my flats.

30 for 30: Link Love from the Sidelines

Image via

As you've probably figured out by now, I've decided to sit out this round of the 30x30 challenge. After participating twice in 2010 (seen here and here), I decided I need a little bit of a break. But that doesn't mean that I'm not still keeping up with all the remixers out there who were brave enough to give it a try. The link list of remixers is HUGE, so I'm slowly trying to work my way through it. The 30x30 is such a great way to find new blogs and connect with amazing bloggers with similar interests. Here are some of the great posts I found this week:

-The remix master herself, Kendi, shows how to work multiple bright colors at once. She puts my wardrobe of black and gray to shame.
-Linley of Dwelling and Telling is another person who could teach me a thing or two about color. She wore bright red pants and completely rocked them! She was also featured over at KendiEveryday explaining why she remixes.
-Kelley from The Eclectic Owl shows us how easy it is to mix patterns in the same color family.
-Betsy from Miss B Gets Dressed looks fabulous with her scarf, jacket, and blogger bun combo. Plus she has some great advice via Snappy Casual about piling on the accessories for a more unique look.
-Keira from A Pretty Penny looks so cozy but cute in her cocoon sweater. Plus, I'm super jealous of her dressform; I really, really want one for myself!

I found all of these bloggers (minus Kendi) through the last two 30x30 challenges and am really excited to see them working their remix magic again. I'm also really excited to find a bunch of new amazing bloggers through this round of the 30x30. Keep up the good work, ladies!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

Purple and Polka Dots

What I'm wearing: J.Crew cardigan (gift), Old Navy polka dot shirt, Gap Always Skinny jeans, Ciao Bella boots, Forever 21 scarf, Pink Box earrings

Today I woke up and really wanted to wear this Old Navy top I got a few weeks ago. It was a steal at only $5! Since its black (like everything else I've worn this week), I decided I needed to add this cardigan for some color. The top is a little bit low cut, so I added the scarf to make it a little less scandalous and a more winter appropriate. I honestly don't even know if these two shades of purple go together, but I just went with it anyways and pretended I knew what I was doing. I can't wait to wear this shirt on its own come summer; it has adorable ruffles that are hidden by the cardigan. Okay, well I'm running late to the gym, so I'm keeping it short. Get excited...it's almost the weekend!

Simple Math

What I'm wearing: Loft sweater, Polo RL outlet tee, Loft Outlet jeans, Ciao Bella boots via DSW, Handmade necklace

The equation I'm living by right now: Nasty weather+ bitter cold= warmth and comfort are first priority. Its ridiculously cold here; I'm already mentally prepping myself for the long walk to my evening class tonight. I was hoping classes would get canceled today, but no such luck. I miss the days when I lived at home and drove everywhere. Living on a big campus is great for getting exercise, but it really has its downside in the winter. Today I layered up with the thickest sweater I could find in my closet. A pretty boring outfit, but I tried to liven it up a little with one of my handmade necklaces. I made this one over winter break, but today is the first time I've actually worn it. Here is a closeup of it (taken for my Etsy shop, which unfortunately is still nonexistent):

On a positive note, although my Etsy shop isn't up and running yet, I HAVE been consistently making things for it. I love cozying up on the weekends when its too cold to leave the house and just crafting my little heart out while watching a movie. My latest venture? A bracelet that's a hodgepodge of buttons and bows. I can't wait to share it with you guys :)

The Long, Icy Trek

What I'm wearing: J.Crew sweater, LOFT outlet jeans, Ciao Bella boots via DSW, Scarf via NYC street vendor, Vintage earrings, Forever 21 bangles

Just like pretty much the whole rest of the country, the weather in Ohio is awful right now. Since my school is super stubborn about calling off classes, this morning I woke up and knew I had a long, icy trek ahead. The long walk to class required my oh-so-reliable Ciao Bella boots; they have really good traction but are so much cuter than bulky snow boots. And thank goodness for cute scarves; this one brought a little bit of color to my otherwise all-black outfit. I've been relying heavily on black and gray this winter; come spring, I'm going to need a big dose of color. I'm already dreaming up a spring wishlist. How are you getting yourself through these winter blues?