Colorblocking stripes

Happy Wednesday! I  wore this outfit this past Monday, the most recent day of sunshine before we were plunged back into a cycle of rainy weather. The combo of blue, white, and green felt fresh for spring, inspired in part by this look.

And based on several recent positive comments about headbands and headscarves (thank you!), I added this striped headscarf at the last minute. And I’m so glad I did!

Details:  Colorblocked cardigan:  Target, last spring  /  Striped tank top:  Gap, gift-carded last summer  /  Tan trousers:  The Limited, Fall 2011  /  Denim wedges:  Payless, last summer  /  Striped scarf:  Thrifted in Texas, old  /  Drop earrings:  Lia Sophia, gift, old

Link ups:  WIWW  /  Wardrobe Wednesday  /  Whatever Works Wednesday  /  Dress for the Day  /  I Feel Pretty Linkup  /  Trending Pretty Wednesday

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I’ll take that as a compliment

I had a different plan for what to wear today, but had to change course due to… laundry needs. (Sigh.) Vicious cycle.

So I kept things simple again. And the result? A compliment about my cardigan (!) in an early morning class, and a student coming up to me at the Reference Desk in the afternoon to tell me that I looked more like a student today. By his tone, the student’s remark came across more like he was unsettled that I didn’t look like the “typical librarian” image in his mind. But I grinned widely and replied, “Thank you! I’ll take that as a compliment.” I don’t think he knew how to react to that.

I felt a little ’50s retro in this outfit, due to the ankle pants and flats. Perhaps the gingham headband — subtle pattern-mixing alert! — gave off that student-y vibe?

Details:  Graphic top:  Macy’s, gift-carded this winter  /  Blue cardigan:  August Silk via Macy’s, winter  /  Tank ankle pants:  Macy’s, gift-carded this winter  /  Gingham headband:  Free gift from ModCloth purchase, last summer

The headband is a wire-tipped version, so the ends are bendable into different shapes. I chose to wrap the ends of the bow underneath for a more streamlined, knotted effect.

Link ups:  Look What I Got Thursdays  /  Friday’s Five  /  Casual Fridays  /  Fashion Informant Linkup

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• Throw Back Pieces: Knotted Headband (ohmymadeline11.wordpress.com)

May Day simple

Oh my goodness, it’s May! And to commemorate the saying about May flowers, I posed in front of some. Because I totallllllly had that in mind when I chose this flowering bush as the backdrop. Yep, that’s me, an accidental genius.

Details:  Patterned top:  gift-carded at Macy’s in March  /  Cardigan:  August Silk via Macy’s, winter  /  Skinny jeans:  Target, last winter  /  Flats:  Payless, last summer

It’s funny how the simplest of outfits can make an impression. I put this outfit together very quickly because I had an early morning dental appointment and had to get out the door to catch my bus. And my husband, bleary-eyed as he was this morning, went “Oooh, pretty!” when he saw me (awwwww ♥ ), and I got a  compliment from a co-workers on how slimming this ensemble was. Noted.

And here’s my post and outfit from last May Day, which is still one of my personal faves.

Link ups:  What I Wore Wednesday  /  Random Wednesdays  /  Wardrobe Wednesday  /  Whatever Works Wednesday  /  Dress for the Day You Want  /  Trending Pretty Wednesday  /   Look What I Got Thursdays

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Variations on a theme

If you’re a regular reader, y’all know my go-to formula for casual Fridays is a pair of jeans + a blazer. Here are a couple of recent variations on that theme, from the prior two Fridays.

By the way, it feels so strange to see pics taken before getting my new glasses, doesn’t it?!

Look 1:

Details:  Green camp shirt:  Old Navy, gift-carded last spring  /  Tweedy jazer:  JCPenney, old  /  Jeans:  Gap, old  /  Flats:  Payless, last summer  /  Skinny belt:  Target, winter  /  Black statement necklace:  Florence Adams, c/o giveaway

Look 2:

Details:  Blazer:  The Limited, old  /  Skinny jeans:  Target, last winter  /  Peep-toe wedges:  Franco Sarto, old  /  Striped tank top:  Old Navy, last summer  /  Silk animal print scarf:  Echo, c/o giveaway

And do y’all recognize the inspiration for Look 2? It started out the same foundation as this look, but I simply switched the tan blazer for a black one, and threw on a brightly patterned scarf. Amazing how simple things like that can change up an outfit!

Happy Friday!

Link ups:  Casual Friday Link Up  /  Friday’s Five Linkup  /  Fashion Informant Friday

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• 5 Days, 5 Ways: Remixing casual Fridays (librarianforlifestyle.wordpress.com)
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In the shade

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

This morning, I decided to pair a couple of different shades of green, mint and a teal green, as well as a dark floral top to pull everything together.

Details:  Cardigan:  August Silk via Macy’s, on sale this winter  /  Floral top:  Fall fashion swap  /  Jeans:  Gap, curvy style, 2011  /  Flats:  K-mart, old  /  Mint skinny belt:  Target, this winter  /  Jade earrings and ring:  My grandmother’s mother’s

My mom reminded me of these jade earrings that she gave to me from my grandmother. So I gladly wore them again today to add to the mint accents.

Update from my mom (via email):

Your grandmother had the earrings and ring made for me when they were still in Okinawa.

Thanks, Mom, for the update! ♥

Link ups:  My Style, Your Style Sunday Link-Up  /  Sunday Style  /  Watch What I’m Wearing  /  Monday Bloom

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