Springing into summer style

Today’s “Inspiration Monday” style challenge is a sweet, feminine combo worn by Lauren Conrad. Since this past weekend was sunny and gorgeous, I, too, was able to break out a sleeveless dress! This is also very much my summer style – an easy dress, colorful accents, and a straw hat — so it felt GREAT to break out this summer look so early!

Inspiration:

Inspiration Monday – June 3, 2013 – Lauren Conrad

Interpretation:

The foundation of my outfit is the same as the inspiration photo:  wedges + sleeveless dress + straw hat. But because pastels don’t work too well with my coloring, I went with saturated versions of Lauren’s color combo, flipping the periwinkle in her shoes to my blue dress, and the pale pink of her dress to a brighter pink in my wedges.

Details:  Blue dress:  Old Navy, gift-carded this spring  /  Pink wedges:  Payless, gift from my mom last summer  /  Straw hat:  DSW, gift-carded last month  /  Pale pink bar earrings:  Made by a friend, old  /  Beaded necklace:  Maurice’s?, old  /  Nail polish:  Wet n Wild, winter

I could have left my hair long and loose like Lauren’s, but I felt like making a loose side braid instead. I also repainted my toes a few nights ago, with a deep purple shade called “Night Prowl” last seen here.

And here is the last time I wore these bright pink wedges, all the way back in September:

Hope y’all had a great weekend!

Link ups:  Inspiration Monday  /  YOLOMondays  /  Monday Mingle  /  Sunday Style  /  Watch What I’m Wearing  /  IFB Project #98:  What’s Your Summer Style?  /   My Style Mondays

Related articles:

• Adding a little sunshine into my closet (librarianforlifestyle.wordpress.com)
• The Hat Accessory (madisonmuse.com)
• Pretty in Pink (debenhams.com)

Inspiration Monday: Classic combo, denim + white

Today’s “Inspiration Monday” challenge was great for a sunny Saturday morning of running errands. And Emmy Rossum’s combo is so classic, my interpretation is pretty straight-forward this week.

Inspiration:

Inspiration Monday – May 13, 2013 – Emmy Rossum

Interpretation:

I donned my mom’s vintage ’60s dress again, adding my darker denim jacket and my striped canvas flats. And to echo Emmy’s bright orange bag, I grabbed my yellow canvas tote bag, my go-to bag for the weekend this spring.

One of our errands took us by the neighborhood of Ladd’s Addition in SE Portland, a beautiful residential area that revolves around a large roundabout that also serves as a small park. Sam and I had fun exploring the little niches around the park.

And part of that fun included making silly poses, happily captured by Sam.

Details:  Denim jacket:  Old Navy, gift-carded last fall  /  White sheath dress:  My mom’s from the ’60s  /  Striped canvas flats:  Target, spring  /  Silver earrings:  Gift from husband on my last birthday  /  Canvas tote bag:  Gift from my mom

Link ups:   Inspiration Monday  /  Copycat Linkup  /  YOLO Mondays  /  Monday Mingle  /  My Style Monday  /  Style Sessions  /  Real Girl Style  /  Anything + Everything Blog Hop

Related articles:

• As Seen On: Emmy Rossum + Jamie Chung (explife.express.com)
• Inspiration Monday: Stripes + glasses (librarianforlifestyle.wordpress.com)

United in stripes

For the past couple of months, my faculty union has sent out weekly style challenges for us to show our support. Work and blogging worlds collide! This week’s challenge was to wear stripes. Done. And it was the first time I’ve worn my new black-and-white striped dress to work.

Sam and I took a little stroll down our street after work and made the acquaintance of a friendly cat. Turns out his name is Maxamillion. That’s so money.

Details:  Striped dress:  Old Navy, gift-carded in March  /  Blue camp shirt:  Old Navy, gift-carded last summer  /  Flats:  Payless, last summer  /  Silver collar necklace:  Kohl’s, gift-carded last spring

I cracked up at this photo above and how similar our stances are. Two typical Leos!

Link ups:  Look What I Got

Related articles:

• My first giveaway & blogiversary countdown (librarianforlifestyle.wordpress.com)
• 168. Facts about Breton Stripes (shwezadinacharya.wordpress.com)
• Blue stripes + florals (librarianforlifestyle.wordpress.com)
• Stripes for spring: women’s fashion trend (fashionising.com)
• Stripes at Style Summit (soanthro.com)

Simple in stripes

I kept it simple again today with stripes, remixing previous combos with this drop-waisted striped dress (seen here with my other denim jacket and here with these berry flats).

There’s subtle pleating in the front of this drop-waisted striped dress, which has a mixture of chevron and horizontal stripes.

Details:  Striped dress:  Kohl’s, gift-carded last spring  /  Denim jacket:  Old Navy, gift-carded last fall  /  Flats:  Payless, last spring  /  Bead necklace:  Made by my husband, old

Am I the only one feeling an early ’90s vibe with this outfit? Like I’m Janeane Garofalo’s sister or something. Oh my goodness, I’m the missing link in Reality Bites!

Link ups:  Friday’s Five  /  Casual Fridays  /  Fashion Informant Fridays  /  Stripe Style Linkup

Related articles:

• Coral pleats (librarianforlifestyle.wordpress.com)
• Stripes, Stripes, Stripes (magentachic.com)
• Blue stripes + florals (librarianforlifestyle.wordpress.com)
• The French Influence is Spot On (savoo.co.uk)

My first giveaway & blogiversary countdown

Today marks the one-week countdown to my first-year blogiversary. No fooling! This is a hodge-podge kind of post, so stick with me. (Details about my first giveaway are at the end.)

First up, my (belated) entry for ”Bloggers do b&w stripes better,” the latest Bloggers Do It Better challenge. I wore this casual combo this past weekend, on a glorious 75-degree, sunshine-y Saturday. This outfit was also inspired by this look from Seersuckers + Saddles.

And I am amazed at this hair flip shot that Sam was able to capture — cracks me up!

I wore flats and rolled-down sleeves on my way to pick up Sam from the airport, as it was a bit cooler in the morning. But when we went shopping for patio furniture later in the afternoon, I switched out my flats for black strappy wedges and rolled up the sleeves on my cotton jacket.

Details:  Striped dress:  Old Navy, new and gift-carded  /  Red jacket:  Macy’s, new and gift-carded  /  Flats:  Payless, last summer  /  Strappy wedges:  Target, last spring  /  Tote bag:  Christian Siriano for Payless, winter

I call this one, above, “Secret Agent Jen.” You can also see the way the stripes on this dress make a chevron detail on the sides. And below is a shot of our new patio furniture!

My first giveaway!

To help celebrate my one-year blogiversary, I am giving away a $25 Old Navy gift card, which can also be used for Gap, Banana Republic, Piperlime, or Athleta (in-store or online). This giveaway isn’t sponsored by Old Navy or its affiliates; it’s an e-gift card of my own that I will pass on to 1 lucky winner.

To enter for the $25 Old Navy gift card giveaway:

Mandatory entries:

• Leave a comment on this post and be sure to include your email (you don’t have to leave your email in the message itself, just in the form field)
• Like Librarian for Life & Style on Facebook & leave a comment letting me know

Optional bonus entries:

• Follow Librarian for Life & Style on Bloglovin & leave a separate comment 
• Follow Librarian for Life & Style on Pinterest & leave a  separate comment 
• Pin, or repin, a favorite look from my blog & leave a comment that includes the URL of your pin via Pinterest
• Participate in the poll below & leave a separate comment 

Good luck! The giveaway will be open for entries until midnight on Saturday, April 6, and I will announce the winner on my blogiversary, April 8. The winner will also be contacted via email.

But wait! There’s more!

Also starting next week on my blogiversary, Erin @ Loop Looks and I will be embarking on a week-long “Mutually Inspired Series,” recreating looks inspired by each other that hopefully will inspire you, too.

Erin and I have done this a few times already (see here and here), but we’ve about to take our mutual inspiration to the next level! I’ve been busy pinning possible inspiration looks, but I’m asking y’all to help me with the final inspiration look. So please vote below for your favorite outfit of Erin’s, and I will then recreate the winning look next week.

Thanks in advance for helping me out!

Look 1 | Look 2 |  Look 3  |  Look 4

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Link ups:  YOLO Mondays  /  Monday Mingle  /  Monday Bloom  /  Anything and Everything Blog Hop  /  My Style Monday

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