Aida ~

Pants, dress, hair, it's all cropped ^^ Opted for cropped lengths for cooler weather this week. Also got my hair shape changed a bit -- shorter all around and a little more square. For now having fun with the 80s-ness but it should soften back to its usual 70s vibe pretty quickly.

#2,3 Tuesday 06.14. Pulled out an old favorite top which looks best with high-waisted pants; this pair still needs hemming but meantime I'll just wear with my highest heels. Accessorized with silver+gold and finished with a swipe of berry gloss. #3 taken just after hair cut.
 
#4 Wednesday 06.15. I gambled on these trousers final sale, expecting them to be truer red; if I was smart I'd have realized they're the same tomato pair Tanya has! So they're a near-duplicate for my orange cropped flares, though very different fabrication (perhaps these could be dyed raspberry?). Paired with a modern 80s top half to roll with the hair -- light pink+light blue, holographic clutch, plus the vest itself has a good 80s vibe. Accented with orange elements: orange/gold earrings, cognac shoes, orange tortie sunnies, and lightly frosted orange gloss.

#5 Thursday 06.16. Initially planned to re-wear this outfit from last fall but after getting dressed it warmed quite a bit so decided to skip the cardigan and just go with the boxy short dress. Didn't have a good short slip so took a long silk scarf and wrapped it around then pinned in place (bossed!). Was a little self-conscious but made it through the day ;) Played up the boho feel with fringey clutch and floral nude hosiery, then finished with double-ball earrings, new metal-rimmed sunnies, and a mauvey-orange matte balm.

#6 Friday 06.17. Feeling a little floppy today, hectic work week catching up to me! Super oversized openweave sweater over a column of dark (black cami and silvery waxed cuffed denim, shows through more in person) and kept it bright with white sandals. Of course, needed glam accessories -- giant silver hoops, leo clutch, big sunnies, and bubblegum pink lipstick -- though I had intended to also wear a very long, fine chain and completely forgot to actually, you know, put it on.

#7. Detail photos.

As always comments, critiques, thoughts and questions welcome!

A few casual weekend outfits with the light blue, white, and pearl gray ensemble, a favorite palette of mine! These colors are well represented in the casual part of my wardrobe, definitely less options on the dressy end right now.

#2 Saturday 06.11. Worn to run errands. A little sporty with the linen striped sweater and perforated flats, and a little boho with the gray fringed clutch and silver jewelry. Finished with better-than-nude peachy lip balm.
 
#3 Sunday 06.12. Worn out to lunch and a walk on the waterfront. My best options for the ensemble! Accessorized with aqua metallic snakeskin box clutch, rock crystal stud earrings, and cherry lip gloss. This is one of my most worn weekend outfit formulas -- patterned sweater, skinny jeans, sleek footwear, light gloss, and soft extra-messy hair.

#4 Monday 06.13. Worn to pick up my sis from the airport, so the main outfit goal was "comfortable for 3 hours driving in the car." Went with an ultra soft ultra oversized aqua sweater, white slim BF jeans, and taupe shooties. Added a little "gray" with the silver holo clutch and new marbled double-ball earrings (H&M). Finished with bubblegum pink lipstick for a little brightness.

#5. Detail photos.

As always comments, critiques, thoughts and questions welcome!

Feeling graphic and bright this week ^^

Definitely feeling like my style shift is coming together. New pieces that fit help but so does reminding myself of two things:

1. Just because things CAN be paired together doesn't mean they HAVE to be.
2. I can, and more importantly should, boss my clothes around to make them work better for me!

Monday 06.06. Previously posted here. To recap: bright saturated red-rust with muted orangey-rust.

#2 Tuesday 06.07. A repeat outfit (top, skirt, shoes) with different support cast (jacket, jewelry, clutch). Liked the color clash with the clutch, and finished with cherry-pink gloss.
 
#3 Wednesday 06.08. Sportier red/white/black outfit. Initially planned for white pumps but red sneaks felt more fun. Liney clutch for a little hectic print/color mix and same cherry gloss as day before. New giant silver hoops! Now my favorite gold pair can get a break which is good because they're starting to look worn *sniffle*

#4 Thursday 06.09. BRIGHT! Not for everyone perhaps but for me ridiculously high happiness -- bright happy colors (yes, plural!), lots of white, pretty, and most importantly everything fits right. Finished with more white (earrings, cuff, new pumps), matching candy pink lipstick, and matte silver clutch. Also liked the outfit sans jacket for a warmer day. Favorite outfit of the year. Have a hunch this outfit is going to overshadow the others ;)

#5 Friday 06.10. Double florals and a whole pile of bright white (would be happy to throw in a floral clutch if I had one!). Still in a color clash mood: the sheer blouse (made by our wonderful Firecracker! colors are correct in detail photo) is a warm print while the pumps are cool. Quite enjoyed the look of the blouse tied up a little prim with the fitted skinnies+pumps; ties left long to skew boho. Blush rock crystal earrings for a touch of sparkle, fringed gray clutch to add a little more boho, and plum gloss to keep things from getting too sweet feeling.

#6. Detail photos.

As always comments, critiques, thoughts and questions welcome!

This past weekend we had a mini heat wave, far hotter than is normal for this time of year (or even in the dead of summer, some years) for the Pacific Northwest -- temps from the mid 80s through low 90s. The area I live is a bit milder so we maxed out at 85F, but I did see up to 93F in other areas I ventured to. Should cool down to more normal temperatures tomorrow. Casual, simple, and heat-beating was in order!

#2 Saturday 06.04. Breakfast at a favorite small coffee shop near the water, then spent most of the day in the garden leisurely planting flowers and cleaning out our waterfall-pond water feature. Outside was sans cardigan and I did swap to simple thong sandals for the wet work. Jersey roomy tank with baggy denim shorts, finished with a little shine (sandals, earrings) and peachy nude lippie. Cardi was a great leg-protector from hot leather car seats!
 
#3 Sunday 06.05. Hottest day, mostly spent lounging on the back patio sipping iced tea in the shade and enjoying the new flowers. Did a quick outlet run with my husband for a summer shirt and jeans for him; I looked for white denim shorts but didn't find anything good. Short linen dress with mint (earrings, sandals) and blue (clutch) accents.

#4 Monday 06.06. Ruffle sleeve blouse and slouchy pleated tencel shorts for work today. I know the mixed saturations won't be everyone's cuppa but I am enjoying it; top is a very saturated red-rust, shorts are a very muted orange-rust. Finished with loads of shine (bronze sandals with gems, looooong metallic beaded earrings, rose mirror sunnies) and a little contrasting blue/turquoise (clutch). Finished with a swipe of rusty-mauve lipstick.

#5. Detail photos.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend, and that my fellow Cascadians were able to keep comfortable! As always comments, critiques, thoughts and questions welcome.

This morning I had to get up verrryyy early -- 4:30am, and 
I'm so not a morning person! -- to drive my sis to the airport. For that part of the day I groggily managed my tuxedo-stripe sweats, an oversized charcoal sweater, checked flats, and gray rock crystal studs (+oversized sunnies, of course) with hair up. No photos but it was quite comfy for three hours in the car.

After that I returned home and got ready for work as usual. Angie's ensemble post this morning was just what I am in the mood to wear! Debuting one of two new ruffle hem tops; the color in the stock photo is more accurate than mine though it's as bright as my photos show. Juicy watermelon shades are usually too cool for me but happily this one is nice and warm! This top also needs a little torso slimming if I manage to get around to it but I might also just leave it extra roomy as it's a very lightweight cotton and quite comfortably breezy. Paired with white and more pink (why not!), along with matching lippie and new hoops/sunnies picked up while shopping with my sis yesterday (I might have a problem with giant hoops! Can't stop wearing!).

Loooove wearing cheerfully bright outfits so this has a super high happiness factor :D

Comments, critiques, thoughts and questions welcome!

On Angie's post yesterday about the neckerchief trend, I wrote that I'm on the fence though there is a fun retro appeal; I wore them back in my practicing punk/ska days and have a little box full of pretty vintage silk squares tucked away. Couldn't get Joy's fabulous outfit from yesterday out of my head. So! Of course I had to wear something inspired by it today ^^ 

Pulled out one of the few squares that never got put away in the holding box, vintage to either the 1960s or 1980s. Paired with a "new" oversized boxy leatherette-front tee -- a piece gambled final sale in fall 2013 that turned out a size+ too large, so has remained unworn (could definitely use some taking in at the top and through the sides, if possible). The leatherette part is thick but pliable so it doesn't exactly drape but it also isn't overly stiff; the back/sleeves are ponte. I'm gambling today that it doesn't look as oversized as it feels!

Faded jeans and black ankle-strap flats to finish the outfit, as Joy had in hers. Accessorized with gray rock crystal studs for a little extra glam, striped clutch because two patterns just isn't enough (hah! but, seriously, it's not), retro sunnies to go with the retro vibe of the scarf, and a swipe of cherry pink lipstick for a little sweetness/color contrast.

Surprised to find I enjoyed the little silky neckerchief (probably from the retro/western vibe), and will likely wear one again. Might even dig up an old gray/white bandanna from the motorcycle gear bin for a more casual weekend outfit. Thanks for the inspiration, Angie and Joy!

Comments, critiques, thoughts and questions welcome.