Inspiration Look: Prep School

Another Inspiration Monday challenge with Two Birds. I just love these, don't you?! I really branch out on Mondays at the office now.

This week's look is super cute and also caters to the bloggers do it better: prep school challenge.

Hey, I can never pass up a 2 for 1 deal so of course I was going to participate!

When I got dressed this morning and pulled back my hair into a bun, I felt very androgenous chic. I'm not sure if that's a term or not, but pre-makeup, I really was feeling the men in menswear.

I decided that my preppy/menswear look needed minimalist accessories. I opted for some (fake) pearl earrings and the necktie was a great replacement for a necklace.

I've had this red tie that I have worn very little and immediately thought of when I saw the inspiration pic. That was the easy part.

I wore comfortable brown pants and very simple black flats to keep the look very clean and classic.

I have a white button up shirt with short sleeves but I really wanted to go with more color (go figure!) and decided to go with a pink shirt. Pink shirt and red tie?? What was I thinking?!?!

But seriously, who started that rumor that those colors don't go together? The right shade of any colors can be paired together and I LOVE red & pink as a pair, don't you?!

I am freezing every day in the office so despite the 80 degree weather in these pics, I wanted to be true to the outfit I wore all day and show you the cardigan I also wore. My friend Em calls these the Grandpa cardigans and I think that's so cute and true! They definitely remind me of Mr. Rogers.

I honestly don't think I would've worn the outfit without the cardigan. To me, it really pulled it all together. I felt like I nailed the preppy look while keeping some femininity in it as well. Would you agree?

Thanks for stopping by, neighbor. Now mosey on over to Two Birds and Bloggers Do It Better to see what the other participants are wearing! And hey, why don't YOU join in next time? I swear it's fun and totally helps you get dressed on time!

Outfit:

Target flats & cardigan, NY & Co pants, LOFT shirt

Inspiration Outfit: Floral Dress

Another week and another great inspiration outfit photo from 2 birds.

This week's inspiration look is this adorable floral ensemble and jean jacket on Nicole Richie.

I thought this was a floral dress but now it looks like a romper. Either way, I'm not wearing a romper. They would NOT be flattering to this pear shape!

I love love LOVE floral prints! I love little vintage-looking florals, mod chic florals, and big bold florals, they're all beautiful to me!!

You've probably realized that I wear most of my inspired looks to work, so I had to tame it down a little in order to be appropriate. But I wore it on Friday so I could keep it casual!

The spaghetti straps on the dress would be a no-no at work without the cardigan.

lots of skin showing from the front as well without the cardi

My puppies were camera shy this time. They were having too much fun sniffing around the backyard.

floral look: Target dress & cardi, GAP jeans (long & lean), UO shoes

James Avery necklace, Target earrings

Forever 21 belt

First time I wore these shoes from Urban Outfitters and I love them!

Nicole Richie has great style and looks super cute, but I like my look better...at least for me! :)

What do y'all think?



I'm also using this link for EBEW too, so be sure to check out other florals in the fashion blogosphere.

Inspiration Outfit: Katie Holmes

Inspiration picture this week from 2 birds is a very cute and casual outfit from Katie Holmes:



She does NOT look happy in this pic, does she? Remember back to Dawson's Creek when she was super cute and naive-looking and all pre-crazyTom days? Ya gotta feel a little sympathy for the girl.

But hey, at least she's still fashionable! And here's a look I can sort of duplicate...not exactly, of course, because where's the fun in that?!

Here's my take on the look:

At least I look happy in a candid shot! :)

I don't own any high waisted pants (and I'm not sure I could ever find any for this pear shape!), but I do have some amazing wide leg trouser pants from J. Crew Factory that I ADORE!!

Oh my goodness, y'all, these short peep-toe wedges are SO comfy! AND...get this...from PAYLESS!

yellow elbow tee: Downeast Basics / wide leg trouser pants: J. Crew / cardigan: Target / shoes: Payless / necklace: Charming Charlie / earrings: James Avery

So how do you like my version of the look? I think it's different from the inspiration photo, but maybe a little more cheery as well. You like?

Hope your week is going well!

Check out 2 Birds for more Inspiration Monday looks.

Inspiration Outfit: Gwen Stefani

Were you missing my outfit posts? Never fear, one is here! Yes, I'm Dr. Seuss now. But I'm not a doctor, so Mrs. Seuss perhaps?

Ok so I have to forewarn y'all. You're going to see the inspiration photo and then my outfit photo and go "huh?" But remember, the inspiration outfit is just that...inspiration...not replication, people! At least that is how I view it.

Although I have to admit that I do wish I had some closer options for this one, but I think I still managed fairly well.

So here's the original inspiration outfit, picked out by 2 birds:

Gwen, you are so effortlessly hot. Seriously. I mean, who else can pull off 6 inch heels, sagging bf jeans with plaid shirt open to show off flat killer abs?!

Hey, don't look at me. I definitely can't pull that off...so I went the easy route with this one.

But what I love about these little challenges is that it's just got me thinking more about the clothes in my closet. I have worn unique outfits each week that I wouldn't have normally paired together. And it's not that I'm going so crazy creative, it's just that I hadn't thought of it before.

My take on Gwen's outfit:

Plaid shirt: Walmart (I know!), green tank: JCP, skirt: LOFT, Steve Madden pumps: DSW

necklace: Francesca's, earrings?

Lucy is such a jealous little B, wanting all the attention!

Now that you're thoroughly confused as to my choices, here's my thought process.

1. I had to make this work appropriate. So even though I can wear jeans to work, I wouldn't cuff them like that anyway and I'm really trying not to wear jeans until I hit Thursday. It just forces me to wear nicer dress pants and skirts I don't normally wear. As a side note, I also went to a concert that night and tried to cuff my jeans with the rest of the outfit the same. Husband said it looked good, but all my jeans are bootcut so I felt like it was too bulky.

2. I totally had the perfect blue checkered shirt to wear that I had bought at the J. Crew Outlet. I wore it under a v-neck sweater one day (this was obviously while it was still cold in Houston, so probably about 6 weeks ago) to work and at the end of the day, I was stretching my arms and riiiiip. Thankfully they took it back. So I had no other plaid shirt options.

3. Even if I a) had heels that tall, then I still wouldn't be able to b) walk in them or c) wear them to work all day.

4. I like the outfit I ended up with and I think it still points to Gwen's inspirational outfit a tad. Hey, I'm taking her outfit and making MY version of it, so there!

So what are your thoughts on my version of the outfit?

also, look what I made this past weekend.

the flowers, not the nosy puppy.


but really I just planted them in a planter on the patio.

Oh and hey guys, come over to 2 Birds to check out how other people were inspired by Gwen's outfit!

Inspiration Outfit: Diane Kruger

I decided to join in again for Two Birds Inspiration Monday. I'm just a day behind.

This week, we are basing our looks on Diane Kruger's look below.

Super cute, right?

Definitely not wearing boots in April though! I live in Texas...it was almost 90 degrees this past weekend!

My look below is about as inspired as I could get yesterday morning. I had such little sleep Sunday night with neighbors having a party and VERY loud music until 3:00 am!

I mean, really?? On a Sunday night?!?!

Top: Target. Skirt: Sears. Shoes: Endless. Earrings: White House Black Market. Ring: James Avery.

I'm actually pulling my skirt up in the pic above. Sexy, I know. And thank my dog Lucy for grabbing the spotlight with her butt shot, haha.

The skirt was so big it fell at my hips and kinda become a midi skirt for the day.

If it were a straighter skirt as it looks in this pic, I think it might work better.

Trying to pull off a messy cute bun...falling down by the end of the day.

This is the skirt I wanted to wear with this striped button down. Isn't it super cute with the belt over it? It would've been my first attempt to rock a belt over the waist of a skirt.

But I couldn't walk around all day like this...I actually pulled this skirt up (also too big), folded over a portion of the waist and put the belt on. It worked fine for a pic, but not so much in the real world.

So now I'm realizing that all my a-line skirts are now hitting me at the hip. I haven't worn some of them in so long that I've lost inches since I last wore them. I'm not complaining that they are too big, I'm super excited about that! I'm just sayin' that I didn't realize I actually had an excuse to go shopping!

But it's a lot harder to shop when you actually need a specific piece...don't you think?

So anyway, how do y'all like my inspired outfit? How would you change it?

I definitely want the skirt to be higher so I could wear a skinny belt with it, but that wasn't gonna happen this morning. And maybe I'd incorporate more color because I definitely think it's lacking my usual bright and cheery colors I like.

What I enjoy about these inspiration outfits is that I think outside the box (or closet!) a little more than usual when I am getting ready. I haven't worn this top with any skirt yet and I rarely wear this skirt.

Inspiration Monday Follow-up

So I am finally posting the actual outfit I wore for two birds' inspiration monday this week. Check out my last post to see what I thought I might wear without having my closet right in front of me.

Um, please just scroll down...I think it would look dumb if I linked to my last post.

Here are the changes I made.

Cardigan & Scarf: Target / T-shirt: Old Navy / Coach bag: gift from in-laws / Skirt: too old to remember

Tights: Urban Outfitters / Snakeskin Heels: Steve Madden

James Avery necklace

I think this outfit would work even better if my skirt was a little shorter.

I have to admit...I may like just the tee and skirt together the best.

The screen print tee that I have in a bluer shade of green was just being cut off too much by the skirt and not working. So I went with a plain kelly green tee instead.

The purple cardigan looked decent with the green tee, but the orange just caught my eye more and made me go Hmmmm, that's interesting.

Y'all know I love color (did you think I was gonna channel Paula Deen and say butter??), but I don't think I've ever paired green and orange together. I've just never thought of it.

But I think it's a pairing I like...almost as much as a fudgey brownie & a glass of milk!

Because of this challenge, I also found how versatile this polka dot skirt can be! I wore it higher today to make it skim the knee and look more empire waist. I'm thinking it will be an easy piece to remix.

How do you like the outfit I ended up with?

What changes would you make? Hey, I'm all for constructive criticism!

Inspiration Monday with Two Birds

So I was going to participate in Two Birds' Inspiration Monday that they did today. They share an inspiration picture of a certain look and then whomever wants to shares their take on that inspiration with clothes from their own closet.

Here's this week's look.

But this morning, I actually dried my hair and fixed it (only because I just got it cut on Saturday), so I lacked the motivation and the time to find a cute outfit within the parameter of the Monday challenge.

Here's what I wanna do instead. Now that I'm obsessed with Polyvore (and maybe have 5 more sets I have yet to share with you all...you are so excited now, aren't you?!!), then why not take a few minutes here and there at work today to recreate an outfit there?! I tried to use similar pieces to what I have in my closet so it would sort of be the same idea. And maybe...I said maybe...I will also go home and recreate the look with real live clothing! Then we'll see how my clothing compares to my Polyvore set, which compares to the Two Birds Inspiration Monday look.

Whew...are you even still with me?

If so, check out my Polyvore inspired look below.

2 Birds Inspiration Monday Polka Dot Skirt by lemondrop_linz

So let me explain this set. What I'm centering this look around is a black polka dot skirt, green tee, and ruffle belt that I own.

I couldn't just show you similar things from my closet that I'd pair with it. Obviously, I had to give myself...er, you...more options to choose from. Everything on the left, from those adorable yellow oxford heels and Kate Spade purse to the retro glasses and striped blazer...and even a blue blazer thrown in there for a slightly more casual look. This is what I'd want to own and wear with the outfit.

But my runner-up outfit, AKA items similar to ones I actually own, is on the right. I'd go with the snakeskin heels, my (still new) Coach bag, some bright yellow accessories, and then either a gray striped or purple cardi. I'd have to see the cardigan on to decide what I liked best.

Stay tuned this week to find out how I really wore my inspired look.

Notice I didn't say tomorrow...who knows which day this week I'll actually wear it. You'll just have to come back to find out!

So which are your favorite pieces?