A Halloween Link Up

Jeans: Gap Always Skinny...Sweater: F21...Cardigan: Gap Men's, shrunken...Scarf: Target...Boots: Biviel via Buffalo Exchange

It's a good day! Pleated Poppy's What I Wore Wednesday and Marionberry Style's Trend of the Month Challenge (Boots or Booties!). Worn during my weekend of working (yup, no days off this week just before Gala), I thought it would be fun to do a casual look for a link up. Even Boss Lady told me I was fashionable. So, that's a perk.

Hope you guys are having a good week. I've been missing this community, missing the interaction, missing the fun. A quick daily "hi and bye" with little time to read your blogs is the pits. Gotsta make the monies somehow, and for this one last week, it's a matter of diving in way over my head and making deadlines happen.

Until next week...

The Catalog

Pants: Gap Really Skinny...Blouse: Target...Cardigan: Target...Trench: Target...Shoes: via Buffalo Exchange...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange...Earrings: Banana Republic

Stretchy pants. Loose tank. Cozy cardigan. And a trench to keep out the chill that's rolled in.

Bluuuuugh, it's been a long couple of days. We had a 5:00 pm deadline yesterday for the Auction Catalog (for which I've wound up being responsible) and it did not go well this year. Boss Lady freaks out about how much there is to do, insist on controlling and writing the verbiage with me, but won't focus her energies or attention on doing so. So we work for 6 hours on both Saturday and Sunday. And we technically miss the deadline. Thank goodness our vendors are amazing and our graphic artist is awesome.

I'm pooped. I can't wait to talk with you guys about more than this dumb catalog. Thanks for sticking around!

Little Black Jacket

Skirt: Target...Sweater: Zara...Jacket: Armani Exchange via Buffalo Exchange...Scarf: Gap Men's...Shoes: Naturalizer...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange...

It was a meeting day off-site. Simple, profesh, easy, and wrinkle-free. Black and white pattern-mixing for the win. Seriously, between these Target skirts and those Naturalizer pumps with a barely 3" heel (over 6 years old, baby!) I have no-brainer dressing handled.

And this silly jacket. Bromance and I did a little shopping together the weekend my Guy was out of town and I found this weird little number buried in the racks. It isn't a raincoat. It isn't a trench. It isn't a swing coat. It isn't peplum. It's just its own funny little thing. And I love it.

Overdressed. Again.

Dress: ASOS...Cardigan: Target...Trench: Target...Shoes: Nine West via Buffalo Exchange...Scarf: Target...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange...Belt: Target...Shades: via TJ Maxx

I actually wore this to a concert a few days ago. And, per my whining and moaning about what's appropriate, I was far-and-away the most overdressed person there, excluding performers. And I'm over the whole conundrum. If I have to look nice for work, what's the fun of dressing like a schlub in a concert hall? None. That's right. It's more fun to look nice for 18 hours than like a varsity-basketball-cheering undergrad goon.

And if you wear manageable heels, you can rock 'em all day. So, that's a bonus.

Hanging In

Skirt: thrifted & refashioned...Tank: Old Navy...Cardigan: Target...Belt: Target...Shoes: Nine West via Buffalo Exchange...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange

That's twice in one week for that little olive belt.

Not much to say, I'm working long, long days, I'm tired, I'm managing to keep my spirits up, and my husband made a really tasty pot of chili. Life is good. Days are long. It's okay. This is what your late 20's are for, right? Overcommitment, a flurry of trying to fit everything in, and eating something delicious.

Blazers and Glue

Dress: Beijing tailor...Blazer: Gap...Belt: Target...Shoes: Nine West via Buffalo Exchange...Necklace: Target... Earrings: Banana Republic...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange

A return to neutrals, and I like it better. Blech, yesterday was way too "loud" and I feel so much more like myself in stuff like this. Also, I bought this blazer over 3 years ago- it was the first thing I purchased when I started working at Gap part time and I was dirt poor. We'd just moved cross-country (again), had to spend all our monies on rent deposits, yearly vet bills, beginning-of-school fees with very little coming in while I was hunting for full time jobs in earnest. And it was marked down twice, with an extra percentage off, but still hovering around the $40 mark. Which I really didn't have, but it called to me. Big time. Good thing I listened, it's been a cherished work-horse item that keeps showing up every fall and winter. I have the worst time finding a good blazer, but the cropped silhouette, taupe-mushroom brown tweed and (for Gap off-the-rack) great fit were all right on. And I looove a good neutral layer.

In tragic news, I broke my camera. Nothing big, but the battery and memory card cover got swung too far backward when it was opened, so it bent and snapped off. I've got it pieced back together with glue, which seems like, assuming I got the fit tight enough, should work to keep it put back together. We'll see tomorrow when I pop the battery back in and try to close and lock the little flap. I'm feeling good about it. I've been known around Boss Lady's house as the "glue guru." Let's hope I live up to the name with repairing something of my own.

And, as always, I'm linking up with Pleated Poppy's What I Wore Wednesday!

Messy

Skirt: Target...Tank: Target, thrifted...Cardigan: Target...Belt: Target...Necklace: Target...Shoes: Naturalizer...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange

This was not a great look... Too contrasted, too stylized, too loud. Just because the colors are there, doesn't mean you should use them all to be matchy-matchy. But, I did indeed wear it all day, so here you all go. Holding myself accountable.

It's down to the final two weeks before the Gala... the auction is a wreck- stuff and information scattered, undocumented, verbal conversations only between the Chairs, none of whom are keeping track of the data... so we've got a lot of holes in our database. And I'm a little nervous! It will fall together, it always does, but c'mon! Fill out the dumb forms, turn them in like you're supposed to and follow, at least a little bit, the protocol we've set up. That way I have a fighting chance of answering your out-of-left-field questions about the status of an item. And don't get mad when I've never even heard of a new piece of art. If you don't tell me about it, I have no way of knowing! Shocker how that works, huh? I'm really not that worked up, but I think it's so funny how messy these events get.

KaPow. Zing. Gotcha. Kate, the little guy, smack talking the Chairs. I'm the worst.

Recharged

Skirt: Target...Blouse: thrifted...Cardigan: Target...Shoes: Naturalizer...Belt: Gap...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange...

Remember this blouse that I so magnificently altered (Um, overstatement much)? I tucked the tail in and wore it a little more fancy pants. Minus the pants. Plus a skirt.

My Guy is home from his trip back to the Midwest. He had a new percussion quintet called "Break Point" premiered during a pretty major New Music festival. The most fun thing about the whole thing was that it's hosted by our undergrad university, which is only 35 minutes from our hometown, so he got in a whole bunch of family visits and friend time.

And I got to be home alone. My favorite thing! I love the solitude, I enjoy sprawling out in the mornings with the dog and cat in bed with a cup of coffee. Doing what I want, hauling the dog around with me without the complaints that's he's annoying. Organizing in the method that works best for me- yank everything out, sort it all, pitch, purge and donate, then put it back... after leaving it scattered everywhere for a few hours. I'm glad he's home and it was a worthwhile and important trip, but I'm so grateful for a few days of solitude. As a pretty major introvert, it recharges me.

Happy Monday, you all!

Scattered

Skirt: Target...Tee: H&M...Belt: thrifted...Shoes: Steve Madden...Scarf: via TJ Maxx...Shades: Coach via TJ Maxx...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange...Bracelet: Target...Earrings: Banana Republic

Well, I'm "out there" to a bunch of longtime and current friends. After my birthday post, my husband linked it to facebook, and now I'm out there. Oh well.

My husband has actually been gone since Wednesday afternoon- one of his pieces was selected and played as a part of a pretty major New Music festival annually hosted by our undergrad university. His performance was yesterday (and it went reeeally well- the perfomers played it with a lot of energy, he said), He's helping to perform in a really large ensamble piece that will take place outside, there are more concerts scattered through the weekend. And he gets to pack in some significant family time, too! Not the least of which is doing breakfast with our godson and our dear friends tomorrow morning. Little (ha!) Quinn is ONE today! He missed being my Guys's birthday buddy by only 1 1/2 hours. I got to spend a bunch of time with our friends when I went home in July for my grandparents' birthday bash. He was huge then, I can only imagine how big and silly he is now! As a proud godmother, I have to say this kiddo is exceedingly cute.

I'm pretty scattered today, but the moral of the story is that my Guy had an awesome birthday- excellent performance of his piece, the Tiger trounced the Yankees, which sends them into the World Series, he gets to hang out with his best girlfriend from college tonight, gets a homemade breakfast with our friends Saturday, and gets a little taste of fall (it still isn't really here in Houston).

Happy Friday, you all!

Happy Birthday!

It's someone's birthday. And he's awesome. 

Freezing cold 12 degree New Years Day 2008 trip to the Grand Canyon

Sampling the reading glasses selection together. 80's style

My Guy and his darling Bromance as Napoleon & Pedro. Amazing

I'll be honest, I don't know what this is, but our friends are the bomb.com

Our honeymoon. No joke, he spent the entirety of the week crabbing off a pier while wearing that hat and aviators.. 

I fell for the moody front man. How cute are they?

I love him!

My husband is kind of my favorite. I love his sense of humor, energy, inclusive nature. I love that, in so many ways, he's my exact opposite. He's extroverted, he's never mired in the details, he lives fully and cheerfully. I'm so proud of his academic drive and success, it's providing him with bigger and better opportunities in surprising ways! More than anything, he's my buddy. We've been pals since our groups of gradeschool friends merged in 7th grade, we've been dating since late sophomore year of high school, and made it through undergrad (Music Ed for him, Interior Design and Art History for me), grad school in AZ and his Doctoral work (including an extended 3 total years of teaching) on time and on top (I'm going to say it- he's had all A's since kindergarten. No joke.). We've managed to do a lot of growing up together, but always have stayed conscious of retaining our own sense of self. We choose to fight fair and set egos aside. After nearly 6 years of marriage and 11+ years together, I still get excited to spend my free time with him. And I think that says a lot. He's the fun to my spazz out. The sunny side of life to my spazz out. The encouraging shoulder to cry and snot on when I spazz out. We really are opposites in so many ways, but I couldn't be more grateful that he's my partner in life.

He really loves celebrating his birthday. And, because I bought him a new backpack as a gift (how awesomely lame and practical is that?), he deserves a little birthday shout out.

Happy Birthday, Rob. You really are freaking awesome.

No, I'm Not 18

Skirt: Target...Blouse: Banana Republic, thrifted...Cardigan: Target...Belt: Gap...Shoes: Naturalizer...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange

I've been making a shift in the way I use my wardrobe. With summer ending and my new job ramping up, and Boss Lady consistently around while I'm still working with her through the end of the month, gone are the days of wearing things casually, wearing strange color combinations, wearing dumpy shapes for the sake of "comfy." Rather than mourn the changes, I look at it as an inadvertent push toward more lady-like, professional dressing. All the time. And that's really not a bad thing! So, three cheers for simple, lovely, still-totally-mindless professional dressing. You're asked a lot fewer times whether or not you attend the local college in prude-ish bow blouses and modest heels. And I didn't get carded buying a bottle of Malbec. Then again, what 20-year-old would buy a Malbec?

Can't wait to see what you lovelies are wearing today! Link up with me- Pleated Poppy's What I Wore Wednesday!

That Darn Cat

Pants: Gap Really Skinny...Tank: Target...Cardigan: Target...Blazer: Express (very old)....Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction...Necklace: Target...Shades: via TJ Maxx

I love houndstooth.  I would own a lot more of it, but you kind of notice when it gets worn, so perhaps a scarf, a cardigan and an 8' 0" sofa in my living room is plenty to satiate my need for houndstooth. Although that may not really be a great argument, since polka dots are pretty noticeable  too, and I have 5 pieces that I can remember off the top of my head.

The cat's been a real jerk lately. Not really mean spirited intentionally, but exceedingly nosy, helping herself to whatever snack is on the side table, rifling through Target bags, chewing on my hair, starting out a playtime batting adorably at my hand under a blanket but diving violently into grabbing my arm/ biting the bejeezies out of my wrist and stab-kicking with her back claws. The spazzed out and overzealous playtime is actually okay, she's fast-approaching 10 years old, so seeing her wound up is a good thing. But, really? You needed to lick a hole into the center of my cheese slice while I was trying to get the dog to eat a pill? You needed to submerge your whole paw into my icewater after I saw you playing in the toilet? You needed to swipe that magnificently orange cheeto from my stash and claim it for yourself? Jerk.

But then she makes up for it by seeking me out at night, snuggling and doing adorable things like this:

A Very Baseball Weekend

Skirt: H&M...Tee: Gap...Cardigan: thrifted...Belt: Target...Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction via Buffalo Exchange...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange...

I just can't keep away from this skirt... or this cardigan. I know I've only worn it in photos a few times this season, but evenings, weekends and all the in-between times it's made its presence very well known.

My guy and I attended the kick off BBQ for the Orange Show Gala yesterday afternoon. I looove the event- we all decorate as many of the centerpiece features as we can, people watch to our hearts' content, stuff ourselves silly with lemonade, potato salad and ribs... Not a bad way to spend the day!

Aaand, BASEBALL! Our beloved Tigers are putting in their fair share of hard work and doing pretty well so far this post-season. My guy would pee himself if they made it to the World Series (actually so would I). The last few years, the marketing campaign surrounding the team has been "Who's YOUR Tiger?" to give fans a sense of connection to their favorite player. My Tiger was originally Magglio Ordonez (who went out as a free agent last year, but is unofficially retired after a season or two of building injuries. If you want to see his rockstar Home Run that sent the Tigers to the ALCS series in 2006, click here. At least watch until seconds 12-15... his teammate was cllllleeeearly excited). My  current Tiger is the adorable and super talented Austin Jackson. Ummm, just check out this insane running-full-speed-and-he-never-looked-for-the-ball-but-still-caught-it clip:

What's your team? Who's your player? And just a heads up, if you have stories about football or hockey, I'll gladly read them... but I can't get excited. I can't ever track the ball/ puck, who has it, who's passed it, what's happening. I guess you can't like a sport you can't see what's going on or figure out :)

It's a Fiiiine Life

Skirt: Target...Sweater: Banana Republic Outlet...Scarf: via TJ Maxx...Shoes: Nine West via Buffalo Exchange...Belt: Target...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange...Earrings: Banana Republic...Shades: via TJ Maxx

Happy Friday, you all! I really am workin' for the weekend. Phew, I'm wiped out. PS- name that tune from the title...

The high points of the week:
The couples' photoshoot that our amazing neighbor did with us last Sunday are, in her words "TOTALLY AWESOME!" I am so in awe of her talent and natural ability to both shoot effortlessly and make her subject feel totally comfortable.
We successfully assembled and stuffed around 1000 invitations for the Gala and mailed 'em.
I got to attend a board meeting and met a ton of wonderful people with my new job.
Finally got photographs and more concrete information on a ton of auction items, no small feat for how very behind we are.
I made up a really delicious asian noodle recipe. And made/ate it twice.
St. Arnold Brewery (local!) Oktoberfest. Many, many.
Found the best greige nail polish for my skin- not too dull, too grey, too light or too much like putty: Essie Miss Fancy Pants.

I know this stuff is fluff, but I'm wiped out. It's going to be an absolutely insane month- I'm confident I'll be doing 12 hours with my new job each week and proooobably darn close to a full 40 hours with Boss Lady and the Gala! But, it's only a month... I'll make it! And I'll do it with a smile.

BTW, isn't my neighbor good?!