goldenpig

This was a lot trickier than I thought! I have a lot of fab clothes, but not much that I would consider "very 2014". As Angie said though, it's all in the styling. What do you think, did I achieve a "so 2014" look? This is a new silhouette and new combination for me, but still feels very me!

Theory Lanai leather trim blazer
Missoni for Target floral blouse
Helmut Lang draped black trousers
Kate Spade Japanese floral satchel
Kate Spade Japanese floral sneakers
Forever 21 studded bracelet
Alexis Bittar pendant

1. Irregular Outfit Juxtaposition: "Suit" with sneakers--this reminds me of the 1980's when women (including my mom) wore power suits and sneakers to the office! I'm actually wearing this to work today...
2. Just Enough Structure: Baggy slouchy trousers, with a cutaway blazer to provide a little bit of waist definition. Definitely not the fitted waist tailored fit look I was wearing when my Demure Bombshell persona first emerged!
3. Combining the Classics with Trends: Classic blazer, button down blouse and satchel, yet trendy with the pattern mixing (floral blouse and floral purse/sneakers) and pattern matching (matchy matchy floral purse and sneakers).
4. Hip to Be Square: Geeky glasses, clunky bracelet and Converse sneakers.
5. High-Low style: High-end Theory blazer, Helmut Lang pants, Alexis Bittar necklace and Kate Spade purse & sneakers, combined with low-end Missoni for Target blouse and Forever 21 studded bracelet.

These two outfits were inspired by my daughter. I woke up on Sunday to find her dressed all in dots! She had picked out her own outfit and put it on herself. She had on a red polka dot dress with matching red polka dot headband and blue polka dot leggings. She even wore polka dot socks! So cute! So I decided to match her matchy matchy outfit and go with a polka dot theme too, with polka dot shirt, polka dot skirt, polka dot bracelet, polka dot necklace, and typewriter bag with polka dot keys (and polka dot socks and polka dot iPhone too). I was on call and working that weekend. It was so busy that these pics were taken when I got back home right before their bath and bedtime. The pics accurately reflect the chaos and rapid swirl of emotions that is my life with young kids. First DD is "typing" on my bag. Then DS1 is simultaneously bugging DS2 and trying to grab the stuffed llama from DD. Then they're hugging sweetly. Then DD is smiling because she's in the middle, then suddenly pouty because DS1 wanted to be in the middle. And DS2 is chewing on my stethoscope (fortunately I had cleaned it before he grabbed it out of my purse!)

She liked the outfit so much she wore it again the next day for school. That morning she said, "Mommy, you have to wear a headband that matches your dress, like me." So I took up her challenge and wore a chevron skirt with chevron headband, chevron bracelet and pointy black shoes. (I couldn't decide between Ms. Scarlet and the typewriter bag). So fun that I was inspired by my DD and that she has inherited the hypermatchy gene from me! I don't think I was ever that coordinated as a kid!

1-10. Foxcroft black polka dot blouse via swap
Red bow belt
Bobeau polka dot midi tube skirt
Kate Spade typewriter bag and polka dot bracelet
WHBM dot necklace
Rieker booties

11-15. WHBM white shirt, chevron skirt, and pointy black flats
Kate Spade chevron bracelet and typewriter bag

Missoni for Target chevron headband

DD in H&M polka dot dress, headband and leggings.

Jen, I'm sorry I've been so busy that I didn't post this earlier, but I wanted to let you know that you and Mardi are in my thoughts. I am so sorry for your tragic loss! Here are three outfits I wore, each with pearl earrings and a Longchamp bag in the last one that I bought in her honor. I know that there is very little we can do to ease your pain, but I want you to know that I am sending you lots of hugs and I will think of you and her every time I wear "Mardi's bag". She was such a lovely woman inside and out, with a shining spirit and kind heart and she is an inspiration to me and many other YLF'ers. I am hugging my kids tighter and trying to remember to enjoy the little moments with them as time is so fleeting and unpredictable. Wishing you strength, peace and comfort in your darkest days....
XOXO, Natalie

1-4. Hugs for Jen. Wore a "Snuggie" blue fleece cardigan to express comforting thoughts, and a circle pendant to signify an embrace.
5-9. Flowers for Mardi, and butterflies to symbolize her spirit. Hugging the kids tight!
10-15. Longchamp bag and matching horse shirt to symbolize Mardi's strength and grace. Gold bag and boots to symbolize what a treasure she was. Wearing a necklace with my kids' names on it to honor the mother-child bond.

Another set of "edgier me" outfits from my shadow style. I basically wore the same outfit two days in a row, but changed out the bottom from ripped jeans to leather pencil skirt to make it work for both night and day. The first outfit was for a moms' night out with a bunch of moms from DD's class. We went to a local "dive bar" and all I could think was "Watch out! Here come the cougar moms! Rawr!" Hahaha.

The next day (let's pretend I was out all night and slept in my clothes..) I pulled on the leather pencil skirt for work. It has some cloth insets between the leather panels and the Theory Lanai blazer has leather panel insets in between the black cloth, so when I wore them together it looked like a "suit". Then when I took off the blazer, the leather sleeves on the T bookended the leather skirt. (I also bookended the silver pumps with the silver purse and silver bracelet). Fun to get away with wearing black leather at work. One patient in her 80's (who talks and acts just like Zsa Zsa Gabor) was petting my leather sleeves, saying, "Dahling, what a fabulous outfit. I love the leather sleeves and those amazing shoes." Got lots of comments about the shoes from patients and staff, both women and men! Also, how fun is it that my edgy/RATE outfits include Kate Spade? (See my earlier RATE Kate Spade outfit here).

Theory Lanai leather trim black blazer
Vince leather sleeve tee
Vigoss destroyed skinny jeans/Halogen black leather pencil skirt
Kate Spade Janice silver bow pumps
Alexis Bittar Miss Havisham necklace
Michael Kors silver studded satchel
White House Black Market hammered silver bracelet

I've been absolutely drowning in work and kid stuff lately (just got off a hugely busy week of call and then yesterday threw a big superhero birthday party for my boys who turned 1 and 4!), so it's been hella crazy to say the least, and I haven't had a chance to post in a while. Finally getting a bit of a breather (now back to just regular everyday crazy). Here's an outfit I wore to work. Very monochromatic--dark grey, black, white, silver. I'm excited about this new pair of silver pointy toe pumps with a mirror-finish silver bow. I was looking for a pair of nude pumps to replace my worn out 15 year old ones that are peeling, so I went to the Kate Spade store to try on a pair that I had seen on sale online. The nude ones I tried weren't comfortable, but the SA suggested these silver ones which were on sale. They are mid-heel height so they're pretty comfortable for heels. They seem versatile--I could wear these for workday or evening or even to dress up a pair of jeans. People seemed to like the shoes a lot...got lots of comments on them. Paired them with my Vince luxe sweatshirt (yay for wearing sweats to work!), lace print midi tube skirt, and a statement necklace. Feels very "new new me" if you know what I mean. What do you think? Is this polished enough for work, or too trendy/blogger-y? Thanks for your comments!

Vince grey sweatshirt, Vince Camuto lace print midi tube skirt, black Michael Kors studded satchel (thought about doing matchy matchy with the silver satchel but in the end decided to let the pumps shine on their own), White House Black Market statement necklace, Kate Spade Janice pointy silver pumps