Going to the Symphony--An Outfit of the Day

A few weeks ago, one of my husband's work contacts offered us free tickets to the Indianapolis Symphony.  We had never been to the symphony before, so we jumped at this chance.  And we were pleasantly surprised to hear that Kenny G would be performing with them.  Yes, that ages us about 40 years, but Kenny G!  And I can say--he was spec-tacular.  Amazing in person.

I wanted something nice to wear that was modest and classy, and maybe a bit of a throwback to the time when classical music was common with young adults (was that ever a time?).

I put together this look which I absolutely loved!  I can't wait to wear this to our upcoming graduation ceremony.

Here it is:

I love how the dress cinches at the waist but has mid-length sleeves.  Modest yet young!

And it has pockets!  Dresses with pockets are the best.

Hot pink nails complemented the black in the tights, shoes, and clutch.

The gold necklace pops against the green.  I got this necklace on clearance at Target because a few of the gold strands are permanently tangled (but my hair covers that up!).

A lovely dress for a lovely date.  And seriously, friends--give Kenny G a try.

Dress--H&M (similar here)

Tights--Target 

Booties--Rack Room

Necklace--Target similar here)

Handbag--Jessica Simpson (a yard sale find!)

Nail Polish--Butter London

Atlantia-Inspired Outfit

Ahhh, I am so excited about today's outfit!  After reading Atlantia by Ally Condie, I couldn't wait to design something fit for a siren!  Atlantia is all about the setting and characters, so your senses are in total overload as you read.  I could hear the water outside Atlantia, hear Rio's Siren voice trying to break through, see the beauty of an underwater city--there was beauty just in the setup of the story!

Today's outfit is completely inspired by Rio.  She's a Siren (but trying to hide it), and with Sirens comes this insane beauty and hint of danger.  So let me show you what I designed:

Umm, I need a place to wear this dress.  Someone throw a really fancy party and invite me--fast!

Gosh, can't you just see a beautiful, dangerous Siren wearing this to a party?  Now Rio herself doesn't want to flaunt her Siren status, so I can't say she would wear this...it's just an inspiration.

• The dress--which is GORGEOUS--is completely inspired by the water, the scales of fish, and the sexiness of a Siren.  It completely draws the eye and takes all the attention--just like a Siren.
• The black tights and black heels give a sense of power, control, and danger.  Again, all Siren qualities.
• The silver clutch keeps the feminine side of the look.
• A little cheesy, but I couldn't resist throwing in this necklace.  I wanted a silver dainty necklace, and a music note was too good to pass up.  What would be a Siren without her voice?  A Siren like Rio trying to hide her voice!

So what do you think?  Do you think I got a Siren spot on?
Want to know the details of the outfit?  Find them all here!

I can't wait to show you the outfit I wore yesterday while the hubby and I played hooky!  Well, not really--we took vacation/personal time like a good adult should.  But not being at work on a Tuesday felt like playing hooky!  That will go up tomorrow!

Glow-Inspired Outfit

Hello, friends!

So it's been about a week and a half since I posted...I know, I know!  But let me tell you about that last week and a half.  First, we closed on a new house!  I am so so excited to get my decorating hands on this new house!  Then Luke and I were both gone on different retreats (me for church, him for work) PLUS I was on Fall Break and just decided I needed time to rest and READ!

So here's the outfit that I designed for Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan (I reviewed it in my last post).  I was designing for protagonist Waverly, so I wanted an outer space theme with a girly touch, and I think that's exactly what I got with this!  Here it is:

So let's break it down:

• I wanted the outfit's main color to be black because, let's face it, that what Waverly is mostly seeing in Glow--a black universe. So the majority of the outfit is black.
• The T-shirt is a solar system diagram, and it pairs so well with this girly skirt.  The two together makes a casual but sweet pairing.  And since all of the girls are being kidnapped so they can help women bear children, I knew I needed to accentuate the girly part of an outfit.
• Black tights and black boots keep the feminine touch.  However, since Waverly IS trying to escape for most of this book, she needed some kick-butt shoes that gave her some edge.
• Since Waverly and the rest of the characters are on a mission to start life over in a new universal existence, I wanted a pop of white to represent rebirth.  Hence this killer leather jacket.

And there you have it!  An outfit that Waverly could wear to express her femininity in space while also going on high-speed chases.

Jacket--Miss Selfridge
T-shirt--Fluffy Co (Modcloth)
Skirt--MSGM
Tights--Whistles
Boots--Ugg

*I am not associated with any brands/companies mentioned.

Want to see the cutest little boy clothing?  Check back this week to see my stylish boys!

Add a Little Painting to your Weekend...and an OOTD

Hi, readers and fashionistas!  Well, the weekend is almost ever and Thanksgiving week is here!  I'm so excited to have this week to celebrate with my family!  But let me share a little bit from my weekend first...

One of my first pieces of "big girl" furniture that I bought on my own when I graduated college was a dining room table set.  And it's the same set that we use in our dining room today...but I'm kind of over it.  The wood finish on the tabletop was pretty weak--hot plates would often leave burn marks on top.  So we started using a tablecloth...and I hate tablecloths.  They're always uneven or need washed about every day.  With Christmas almost here, buying a whole new dining set wasn't really in the budget, so I decided to paint the table.

With the AWESOME advice of my cousin-in-law, Morgan, we bought chalk paint.  Specifically Annie Sloan paint.  Guys, if you are painting furniture, you HAVE to use Annie Sloan's chalk paint (not to be confused with chalkboard paint--it's called chalk paint because of its chalky feel).  This paint requires NO priming or prepping of the furniture.  And a little paint goes a long way!  Even though a quart of the paint is pretty pricey--about $38--it covers two tables plus a few chairs.  

You can't find Annie Sloan in a typical paint store, but it's sold in antique and small business shops.  You might have to do a little research to find it, but honestly, it is SO worth it (and my husband, who grew up painting with professionals, agrees!).

So here's how our table looks now:

And I LOVE it!  It has that shabby chic look and we haven't had any burn mark issues!

The chairs are going to disappear soon--hopefully with some great Cyber Monday sales!

So if you're a fan of painting furniture or adding some life back into some old pieces, you must check out Annie Sloan!

Ok, now on to an Outfit of the Day.  I've worn this outfit to work twice and both times received numerous compliments (from both co-workers and students).  And it's practically all from Target!  I love this outfit because it keeps me looking young and fresh but it meets all dress code standards.  Here it is:

• The skirt, which--let's be honest--is the center of attention of the outfit is a pink houndstooth print.  Hot pink.  I love it--and it's from Target!
• The black boyfriend tee and cami are also both from Target.
• The thick black belt is from Charlotte Russe, and a student told me that this outfit wouldn't nearly be as good without the belt.  It definitely brings the pieces together.
• Black tights (Target) and black heels (Madden Girl) keep the outfit professional.
• Simple accessories--a thick black bangle (a gift) and an initial pendant necklace (Linx & More) keep the outfit dainty but focused on the skirt.  I also wore stud earrings from Charlotte Russe.

So what do you think?  Would you wear this outfit to work?

I'll be back tomorrow with a review!  See you then!

*I am not associated with any of the companies or brands mentioned and purchased everything with my own money.