9/20/2011

Catchy title, huh? Basically, it's a Tuesday. That's about all of the creativity I have left. I struggled getting up this morning; I think the dreary weather we're having is not helping. On our (mine and Jackson's) walk this morning, the fog was so thick that by the time I got home I had actual water droplets on my hair! Needless to say, my hair went into a ponytail today! I had to put my outfit together mentally as we were walking because again, the dress with the silk shoes was not going to work today. Maybe I should consult the forecast before planning my outfits. I kinda feel like a 1950s housewife today. I did watch the new TV series, Playboy Club, last night, so perhaps subconsciously I was feeling the 50s/60s!


Skirt: White House Black Market


Shirt: Old Navy (Clearance, hello!)


Belt: Scarf, no telling where I picked it up, have had it forever. You can't tell from the picture, but it's black with multicolored polka-dots all over it.


Watch: MK


Necklace: Charming Charlie

Shoes: Nine West (found at Marshalls, love!)

Weekend Chores & a Groggy Monday

Aside from my shoe-venture this weekend, I really got a lot done! I had to take a picture to be framed at Hobby Lobby. Hobby Lobby is an evil (wonderful) place. I was lured in by the beautiful autumn colors and I fell face first into their evil trickery! I ended up leaving with a new wreath for my front door and stuff for a table centerpiece as well as mantle decorations. I wanted to buy a few picks for the mantle decor as well but they were not half-off and I was not ponying up that much when I am pretty sure they will be half-off this week. So, for right now, the mantle is a work in progress, which I hope to complete this coming weekend.

In addition to the decorating, I cleaned up around the house and switched out the chaise portion of my couch, which really made a difference in the look of my living room. I vacuumed and dusted and put out all of my wonderful fall candles. Once I got all of the shoe boxes put away, the house was looking(and smelling) awesome. Oh, and I cooked an amazing brandied chicken dish last night...try it! I didn't bother with the salad. I used Gouda instead of whatever cheese she used in the rice and I didn't flambe the brandy (not trying to burn the house down) I also used 2% milk instead of the heavy cream, so my sauce was not thick at all but it still tasted delish!

The only project I didn't have time to tackle was putting up the new free-standing shelf unit in the third bedroom closet to hold my big bulky sweaters that have just kind of been shoved in the corner of the closet. I will do that one night this week or next weekend if I can't muster the energy this week.


I did not workout at all this weekend, which disappoints me, but I stayed so busy so I hope I burned enough calories with my other projects to make up for it. I'll get back on the Turbo bandwagon this evening. I plan to do a longer cardio workout and follow it up with some weights to start getting some more tone to my muscles!



Today's outfit is what I threw on this morning because the weather changed my originally planned outfit (which included raw silk shoes, not gonna happen on a rainy day). One of the perks of working in an office that doesn't concern itself with fashion, is that I can get away with wearing something that is sort of off-season. This dress is super comfy. I found it a few weekends ago on a Kohl's clearance rack for $15. I am wearing gold jewelry and my earrings have some turquoise in them. The shoes are summer shoes but they are exactly what I needed today. They are my best steal of the past month. They are Cole Haan Nike Air sandals, which I've found are the only comfortable walking shoe for me besides tennis shoes for the summertime. They were originally $150+ and I found them when Neiman's was taking an additional 25% off clearance and I paid... wait for it...... 32.00 total (free shipping) for them!!!! I mean happy frikkin days!!!! That is amazing. I was elated. I would've broken my shopping fast for that!!! That is practically medically necessary! 

 I swear it isn't this tent-looking in person!

 Can we say dark-circles? Sheesh....

The Shoe-ventures of Allie

Wow! I really underestimated my shoe collection and the process of cataloging my shoes. I originally thought the project would be fun, and while I did enjoy looking at each pair individually, it was soooo time consuming! The project literally took 2 days. Here's what I did...


Step 1: Pull out each stack of shoes in the closet
Step 2: Take the left shoe out of each box
Step 3: Take an individual photo of each shoe (somehow I missed 2 pair, go figure)
Step 4: Put each shoe back in box and re-stack
Step 5: Take memory card to Walgreens to get photos developed
Step 6: Pick up photos
Step 7: Sort photos (major help that I kept the boxes in stacks)
Step 8: Trim photos to fit boxes (didn't anticipate this step, added significant time)
Step 9: Tape each photo to box
Step 10: Stand back and admire my work
Step 11: Re-organize the shoes by type of shoe
Step 12: Put new stacks back in closet


This was a huge project. I am so happy I did it though, because even though I knew exactly what shoes were in each box, it is amazing the difference it makes when you have a visual of the shoe and can simply skim for what you are looking for when you're working with an outfit plan.


And the confession of this post is this..... 171 pairs. That does not include flip flops, tennis shoes or boots. I got rid of 6 pair (not included in the 171 total) and pulled about 6 pair that need to go to the cobbler to get 1/2 soles to preserve their lives. Now you see why this took so long!!

 The stacks and stacks......

 Jackson getting in on the shoe-venture....

With pictures attached.....

Big Weekend Plans....?

So I officially don't like weekday games. I didn't do anything for the game and was in bed by 10:30 but man it throws off a routine! I felt like I was coming to work on a Sunday today! I think today may feel like a really long day because of that, too. I'm going to try to get my game-plan together today for what I want to accomplish over the weekend. It's sad, but I'm already a little uneasy about not "running errands" i.e. shopping, tomorrow morning. As everyone who knows me can attest, I'm weird about needing to get out of the house in the morning. I can't just sit around the house. I don't know why and I can't explain it, but when I stay in the house in the morning, I feel sick. It's like my brain associates staying in the house with sick days home from work and I actually start to feel sick. In the past, I would run to the mall or somewhere just to get out of the house. 

My plan for tomorrow is to go back to Walgreens to get another 2 boxes of Kellogs cereal (they are on sale for 2/$4) and to pick up some new foundation because I used the last of mine this morning. Once I do that I may go by the grocery store and pick up some chicken. I'm going to try to find a recipe that calls for brandy since I have a bottle going to waste on my counter. My BIG plan for Saturday is to catalog my shoes. I want to take a picture of each pair and then put that picture on the outside of each shoe box. This is going to be quite an undertaking but I plan to use it as an excuse to check all of my shoes for repair issues/cleaning/ etc... I think this will likely take the better part of the morning/early afternoon to complete. So by the time I finish that it should be about nap-time and all will be right with the world! 

Should I don any fabulous outfits this weekend, I will certainly take pictures and post Monday, as I intend to still stay away from all things computer/internet on the weekend! 

Oh! Side note... that jacket from SmartBargains, that I mentioned in my Online Shopping tips? It came yesterday. I LOVE it! It is so unique and really really adorable. Best $19 purchase I've made in awhile! :)

My outfit today is fabulous! (At least in my not so humble opinion!) I got this dress in a big haul from JCPenny online clearance. I think I paid 16 bucks for it. It is so comfy and classic. I will get a lot of use out of it. What I really like about it is that you wouldn't think it came from Penny's.. It does not have a mass-produced look to it, which I love. Turns out it's a brand they don't usually carry in the store (I researched it b/c I didn't recognize the name) but the brand has also been carried in Kohl's and Kmart.... Kmart? Really? Ok, that turns me off, but I'm not losing faith in this dress! I'm happy with it. I also brought a black cardigan to throw over this when I get chilly. And the red shoes? Eh, couldn't help myself. I needed them today! The old saying "the only people who wear red shoes are little girls and hookers"? Yeah, I think about that every time I wear them and I smirk. And then I second guess them, and then I just go with it.


Dress: Corey P., JC Penny online


Necklace: It was a gift

Shoes: Max Studio


Watch: Michael Kors

Game Day! But wait, it's Thursday....

It's Gameday! I don't like this idea of Thursday night games. I think I'd be okay with Friday, but this makes the thought of coming to work tomorrow vomitous. (i.e. so bad it can induce vomiting) Regardless, here's hoping everything goes well with the game tonight and we beat Miss. State. In honor of gameday, I'm bumming today. The office is usually very casual on Fridays, so I'm merely adjusting the days and I'm using today as my casual day. I still took pictures, to get in the routine, but needless to say, it's not like I think this look is "hot" :) 

Yesterday, I got a package in the mail from Penny's... Forgot that my last order had some back-ordered items... they came yesterday. I almost felt guilty about opening the package (almost), like I was cheating on my new adventure. But, technically I ordered these items over two weeks ago so I don't think they count. I got two pair of the same pant, one brown, one black. The pants are Worthington, I think. They have a slightly higher waist and are a slim leg. They will be right on point with the fall trends and they are long enough (sometimes a problem with Penny's pants) that I can wear them with heels and they fall correctly. I will not be able to wear them with flats, but that is okay because with my proportions, I would probably end up looking like an oompa loompa in them if I didn't have some added height. They were on clearance online for 14 bucks. I also got a nice tribal print orange dressy tank for 8. I think the pants really were a good deal because they are a nice material and a heavier weight. 

Outfit Today:

Jeans: Citizen of Humanity

Top: Izod

Necklace: Sterling silver horseshoe I randomly found at Dillards and wear almost every day

Watch: Michael Kors

Shoes: Reaction by Kenneth Cole- They don't really "go" with this outfit but they were the height I needed and they are comfortable and since the jeans cover them, I went for it. 

Well maybe I already have that....

This email came today, thanks to StyleFind.com. I like these emails because they do a good job of staying on trend,but not being either too wacky or too overpriced. Anyway, I am now trying to use these emails (and the 15 others I get daily) as inspiration, or even a challenge to find something like these things that I already have.... StyleFind Email Link Here! Check it out!

Oatmeal color cable sweater? Check... mine's a V-neck, but certainly will do. Lace dress? Um, no. And will be no. Not gonna happen. However, I can take a cue from the burnt orange color... I do have a pretty wrap dress in this color. Suede colored booties? Hmmmm..... I know I have booties... but I think they are all brown, black or grey... the grey ones are suede.... so not a bootie fan. I have some suede pumps this color, those will do. :) Gold necklace, obviously, check. Navy silk scarf? Yes, but mine has brighter colors. And frankly, I usually end up ripping scarfs off after awhile because my neck gets hot, so I'm not sweating this trend. (Literally) Finally, the satchel.... this is big this fall and this one hurts... I have a grey patent bag that is this shape, but patent is not working this fall. This is the one part of the email ad that hurts me a little, as I fully intended to get a satchel bag (somewhere under 100.00, didn't plan to break the bank) this fall. So, while I obviously have other purses and will make do, I do not have exactly what I want in this department... but, the great lesson to be learned here is that I will live. Satchel-less, yes, but I will live. :)