Winding Down

Skirt: thrifted...Sweater: Target...Scarf: Target...Belt: Swiped from a skirt...Shoes: Naturalizer...Earrings: Etsy

It's been a long couple of days. Work has been (and will continue to be) totally nuts, Rob has been getting his dissertation entered into a digital musical score until past midnight most nights, Eddie has an itchy ear that I'm watching like a hawk, Miles is eating garbage and being a real butthole. We all need our schedule and routines back!

The bright spots coming up will more than make up for the madness- we get to sort of help puppy-sit for Homer, our bassett neighbor dog while his mommy is out of town and daddy has evening shifts scheduled (he and Miles had better doggy-playdate-exhaust themselves, they both NEED it!). Hopefully, we'll get a little time in with Matt and Natalie to catch up. Rob and his bromance are making plans to make the best out of a school-stuff-clogged St. Patrick's Day, so perhaps there's a little Beer Golfing to be done after they get finished with a special composition Master Class in the afternoon. We're kind of planning to sneak into Valhalla early to stake a claim at the bar and NEVER leave our seats. That's OUR bar, our SUNDAY TRADITION, dangit, and those MBA poser pub-dwellers better scoot themselves out of our spots. Go find a crappy Irish pub elsewhere and celebrate!

I actually don't have that strong of an opinion on the matter, but Rob's Bromance is a very big St. Patty's fan and I have to send as many good thoughts for a rockstar evening out into the universe for good measure.

Ah, Happy Friday, sweet friends!

Houndstooth

Coat: BB Dakota via Piperlime...Cardigan: Target...Skirt: Target...Scarf: Target...Tights: Gap...Shoes: Naturalizer...Pearls: Beijing vendor...Bag: Longchamp

Pleated Poppy What I Wore Wednesday link up. And a little Work it Wednesday over at A Little Bit of Lacquer,  you know, because it's Wednesday.

It's been so inappropriately cold and drizzly, I haven't wanted or been able to get photos of a few of my outfits... until now. I felt like such a dud, I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to get my flash to trigger, even if I popped it up. Duh, Kate, wrong setting. Read the manual to figure out what you're doing wrong before you harumph about trying to hold still for 1/4 second exposure times rather than using flash. Moral of the story, I got the flash to work, it's not grainy as crap (like when I go for a 400 ISO to make up for the slow exposure), the semigloss paint gleaming in the flash on my door is a small nuisance compared to freezing my buns off at dark, shadowy 8 am. Camera flash, you saved my frozen toes.

And do I care that I spent a day in way-too-loud-and-graphic black and whites? Not even a little. I haven't been loving this cardigan- I bought it and thought "it's so me! Houndstooth, black and white..." and then realized it's awfully noticable and it's not a great outer layer if left unbuttoned. It's kind of an awkward length and a little dumpy worn that way. Did it make its way into the possible donate pile? Yes, it did. Has it been redeemed? Yes, it has. And it's all because I realized it can be tucked into my tights, smoothed out under a skirt and worn as a mere top, not just as an accented cardigan. Some days my brain farts and creativity-crap-outs surprise me. And then I spring back. A little.

Black Basics

Skirt: Target...Tee: Gap Body...Jacket: Armani Exchange via Buffalo Exchange...Scarf: Target...Belt: Gap...Shoes: Circa Joan & David...Earrings: vintage

New Yorkers are on to something. I spent literally 2 1/2 minutes picking out and and yanking on this look. It's aaaall about pieces that play nice together, even if they're simple.

It's amazing how much you can wrap your head around when you have a full day to do so. Working full time in my new position feels weirdly like a luxury since I'm able to sit down, prioritize, and actually spend some time reading through grants to absorb some of the finer points and nuance. I'm a pretty fast learner, but it was tough for me to have spent the last three weeks with the new organization working a measly 12 hours each week as a transition period... and not feel like I really absorbed anything. Shocker, right? Anyway, I'm so pumped about diving in and knowing more. I think needing to be prepared enough to man a table at a volunteer recruitment drive tomorrow is a solid start. Eeee!

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.

Late Evening

There's something wonderful about pairing a slim pencil skirt with a big personality with a crisp white button-down. I should have left this cardigan out of it, though, especially since this thrifted white blouse has the most wonderful tuxedo-shirt details like box pleat all the way up the back and high arched details on the hips. Another "live-and-learn" outfit.

Last night was strange- I was ready to walk out the door at 5 to come home and make a crappy dinner so my guy could eat and head back to school to work at a piano, but I have work ethic, which is oftentimes my downfall. I called Boss Lady before I left and she said "I'm so glad you called- could you please please help me pick up my granddaughters? Their mom is taking their brother to the hospital for his knee and I'm stuck at Verizon still." I figure, sure, no problem, I'll buzz over, grab them and pop back by the house to drop them off for family dinner. Too bad Valentine's Day meant all the crazies were out driving, road raging their way home for their own celebration- both the freeway and back-roads options were completely clogged. I spent an hour driving the 7 miles to their house. Aaaand, one of the ladies of the Board (who had a meeting at the other office which is about 3 miles away from the house) left her laptop on a chair and needed it to work that night. I agreed to pick it up and meet her at a grocery store parking lot after I dropped the girls off.

7:25 rolls around and I make the hand-off of the laptop, abandon my dinner plans and grab a handful of crappy grocery store sushi because there's nothing to cook and a very large container of ice cream and book it home.

I'm tired today. Unexpected late evenings at work are exhausting.

Skirt: thrifted...Button-down: Express, thrifted...Cardigan: Target...Shoes: Target...Belt: Banana Republic