New Week Kickoff

Pants: Zara...Sweater: Target...Scarf: thrifted...Shoes: Calvin Klein via Buffalo Exchange...Coat: BB Dakota via Piperlime...Mittens: who knows

I'm heading out bright and early this morning, we have a coffee date for Auction stuff for the Young Audiences gala. BTW, we've decided on Pop Art Soiree as the theme... Does anyone in Houston who might want to support arts in education have a connection to Kate Spade? We want a donation to our auction baaaad.

Anyway, the weekend shaped into a pretty good one. Friday night was dull, Rob got sucked into going to a classical concert and I would have just napped, so joining him was a no-go. Saturday, he sat in on a sight reading session, for which he didn't write a piece. Super lame and long for him. Window shopping wasn't a terrible alternative for me. And Sunday. Oh, Sunday- lazy morning, a few hours of silly data entry, and an excellent curry-filled evening. Natalie, Matt- rockstar beginning to the week! I'm so happy you were game to join our Sunday tradition of a too-big dinner and cheapo beers.

Happy Monday, you all!

Mixer

Dress: BCBG MaxAzaria via Buffalo Exchange...Tee: GapBody...Belt: Banana Republic...Scarf: Gap Men's...TIghts: Gap...Shoes: Steve Madden via Ross...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange...Bracelet: thrifted

Do you have any completely fabulous articles of clothing that you keep reaching for, but never actually wear because they seem just a little bit too fabulous? Meet my fashionable sweater dress. I'm so glad I got bold enough to wear it out of the house- I kind of can't wait to give it a whirl in the spring.

I attended my first ever Young Professionals' mixer/ Holiday party last evening. I thought I would hate it, and at first I did while some goober chatted me up and admitted that he attends them to try to meet ladies. I did a lot of holding my drink in my left hand, way up near my face. But, then I scooted around the perimeter to search for my boss, who met me there later, and I wound up being invited to chat with a very chill, nice and lighthearted group of late-20-somethings. And they were enjoyable. I'm never ever ever going to be the type to chat up a perfect stranger, but to Samuel NoLastName, thank you for being warm and inclusive and not even a little creepy.

The norm: linking up with Pleated Poppy's What I Wore Wednesday, A Little Bit of Lacquer's Work it Wednesday and Rolled Up Pretty's Whatever Wherever Wednesday. Join the fun!

How To: Tie a Scarf

Skirt: thrifted...Tee: H&M...Cardigan: Gap...Jacket: Armani Exchange via Buffalo Exchange...Scarf: Target...Shoes: Kenneth Cole via Buffalo Exchange

Happiest Wednesday! As a special feature, I thought I'd share my slop-tastic method of lumping on a scarf. Seen here, or here, or here... You get the point. It's simple, really.
1. Hold opposite corners along the length to tug the fabric on a diagonal bias behind your neck with 1/3 on one side and 2/3 on the other.
2. the 2/3 side arm wraps the scarf around the front of your neck, making sure you don't twist (flat fabric makes bigger scarf volume and fewer folds).
3. Once the 2/3 side gets swung all the way around, grab opposite corners and swoop them up to the back of your neck, tie and tuck.
4. Yank and pull until you have volume and coverage you're happy with.
5. Shazam! You're wearing a delightfully messy scarf without ends to get stuck in desk drawers or get sucked out an open car window.

And I'm linking up! Pleated Poppy's What I Wore Wednesday, A Little Bit of Lacquer's Work It Wednesday and Rolled Up Pretty's Whatever Wherever Wednesday.

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...

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.

Continued

Skirt: H&M...Tank: Banana Republic Outlet...Cardigan: Target...Belt: Target...Scarf: Gap men's...Shoes: Naturalizer...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange...Bracelet: thrifted

I love wearing stuff like this. A silly, totally girly polka dot pencil skirt, a simple, borderline-boring oatmeal cardigan, a $2.50 clearance bin men's scarf from Gap, a mish-mash of black and tan neutrals... it's all a little bit innocuous, a tiny bit refined, a lot bit confused. I think lady-like silhouettes save me in this case.

Thanks for all of your sweet words yesterday! It was a kind of nerve wracking decision process... Remember that incredibly overwhelming weekend and week when the dog barfed his guts up and got crazy dehydrated and my guy was in up to his eyeballs with the comprehensive exams? Yeah, there was more. I got to interview for the grants and special projects job that I've started with a local non-profit on a Thursday, got an offer a week later. It was, however, a real struggle to coordinate a start date/ shared time between the new opportunity and Boss Lady. The enormous Gala happens November 3 and I'm trying to be fair to Boss Lady because I know how poorly the planning has been going, but I can't ask my new opportunity to wait a month for me. Aaaand, the Thursday before my Guy's comps, he had a Skype interview for a Fall '13 teaching job. Which looks like it may progress to the next level. Oh. My. Gosh. I'll know more in December. Lots of stuff that's big and exciting and keeping me on my toes!

But, I'm also so excited about my new position. I'll be learning even MORE about non-profits and, hopefully, will successfully add my own thumbprint on their donor relations. Learning about grants is going to be daunting, but the skill set I will learn is going to be invaluable to my career. And it's growth opportunity I wouldn't be able to gain in my position now. So, here's to my next step.

Excuse me while I go nervous barf again.

Back in Town and Linking Up

Jeans: Gap Always Skinny...Tank: J Crew...Cardigan: Target...Scarf: thrifted...Shoes: Nine West Outlet...Earrings: Banana Republic

Three points of business today:
1. Marion is hosting another Trend of the Month Link Up: Pattern Mixing. Participate? Yes, please. (In stripes, floral and leopard. I'm clearly an overachiever.) And you can join, too! Links can get added for several more days.
2. Elaine put out a call on Twitter a while ago for guest posts... and I can't believe she let me have a go at it! What an honor to be in the Clothed Much guest line-up! Take a peek at my tips and tricks for dressing in high heat and humidity.
3. Pleated Poppy What I Wore Wednesday... of course I'm on board!

Okay, 4. Just thought I should share that I cried like a faucet on five separate occasions yesterday while I said goodbye to my family. And I'm not even ashamed. My nose was still puffy and red even after I made my way through security after holding my dad's hand for a while in the ticketing area. And then I cried again in the bathroom. My family is awesome, I miss them all like mad and 5 days wasn't enough real time together. It was amazingly well-used time together, but it wasn't enough.

So, a here's a mish-mash of photos from the family weekend.