New black suit by Ann Taylor

Tropical wool Rosmonde jacket in black (size 6):   Ann Taylor, here
Tropical wool Clairette pencil skirt in black (size 6 Tall):  Ann Taylor, here
Non-iron fitted shirt (size 6): Banana Republic

Apologies for the unexpected lack of posts this week.  My husband is out of town and I've had an incredibly busy week at work and absolutely no time for anything else except taking care of the kids.  My mom has been a huge help but still...to all the single moms out there, you have my utmost respect.  It is VERY difficult to parent alone.  I'm completely exhausted and it's only Wednesday.

I had a very important day at work so I wore my new suit that I bought for a steal at Ann Taylor.  The jacket and skirt were a total of about $95, which I think is fantastic for a tropical weight wool suit I can wear for all but the hottest of seasons.  The jacket has the slightest peplum flair in the back, a little detail that I love.

I find that as much as I love color, when I'm wearing a full-on suit it has to be black, gray or navy...any other color and I'm feeling more Golden Girl than Working Girl.  Is that just me? 

Sorry for the blurry picture.  It was taken at 6:30 AM by my 7 year old son.   Now we're all off to bed.  Thanks for reading!

Striped tippi + bubble in pink

Striped tippi (size small): J.Crew, fall 2012
Silk peter pan collar top (size 4):  J.Crew, 2010
Skinny jeans (size 6 Long) Banana Republic, 2009
Boots:  Coach, 2009
Bubble necklace & earrings in neon azalea:  J.Crew, summer 2012

Sunday evening once again!  The weekends just fly by around here.  We had a birthday party for my middle son who is turning 6 today, and here is what I wore.  We went to one of those places with a bunch of huge bouncy castles where the kids ran around like maniacs for 2 hours, and I felt way overdressed.  Apparently 90% of the general population believes that putting on clothing other than huge hoodies and sweatpants is too much work. Why I ask you?   It can't be good for one's state of mind to dress like that and be seen in public.  I witnessed firsthand today what Stacy and Clinton call the "pajamafication of America."  Anyway, don't worry... I didn't feel bad or out of place, even though I was overdressed.  What would make me feel bad?  Schlepping around in  sweats and gym shoes all the time.

What are your thoughts on the pamajafication of America?

J.Crew Factory banded shift dress in viridian green

Banded shift dress in viridian green (size 6):  J.Crew Factory, fall 2012
Intyce boots in black leather:  Steve Madden
Necklace:  Anthropologie, fall 2012

Happy Friday!  It's freezing and gloomy here but this pretty dress kept me warm and colorful today.  I bought this on a totally impulsive whim a couple weeks ago when the Factory website was offering an additional 40% off.  It looks a little rumpled now because this picture was taken at the end of the day, but it really is a nice piece.  I've been really happy with my Factory purchases lately, and with the additional percentage off I paid around $45 for it.  It is a wool blend but that's ok...the material still feels nice. I love the thick band around the waist...very flattering.  Also see Blondie, Esquire looking very cute in it here!

Hope everyone has a healthy and fun weekend!

Giant bow sweater + festival blue + metro coat

Giant bow sweater (size small):  J.Crew, fall 2012
Wool No. 2 pencil skirt in festival blue (size 6):  J.Crew, fall 2012
Heels:  Jones New York (DSW)

I wore this sweater casually with jeans here and loved it.  Today I wanted to give it a try with a pencil skirt for work.  A simple sweater and skirt combo is really kicked up a knotch with the fun bow and leopard shoes, which are low enough to run around painlessly all day.  Sadly most people didn't see my cute bow sweater though, as most of my day was spent in my coat: 

Double cloth metro coat with Thinsulate in vintage berry (size 6 Tall) : 
J.Crew, limited sizes here
Wool plaid scarf in fuschia/green:  J.Crew, fall 2012

I was on the fence about this coat when I first purchased it, and now I can't believe I ever questioned it.  I love it!  The color, shape, length...love it all.  I do wish it had functional pockets though.  J.Crew, what's up with these useless flaps?  Fortunately I loved the coat enough to overlook this feature...but I know pockets or lack thereof can be a deal breaker for some girls.

Thanks for reading!  For a fun post about dressing warm and stylish, check out one of my favorite bloggers, Tasia, over at Ruffles and Sequins.

Cashmere + tweed for a cold winter day

Shawl collar cashmere sweater (size small):  Ann Taylor, old
Ruffled silk cami (size 6):  J.Crew, 2010
No. 2 pencil skirt in multi-tweed (size 6):  J.Crew, fall 2012
Booties:  Steve Madden, 2010
Aviators:  Anthropologie, fall 2012

Southern Ohio typically has fairly mild winters.  We may have a few snow days, and a few days in freezing temperatures, but for the most part, winter days are between 32 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit and without a huge amount of snow.  But this week a seriously freezing cold front is moving through, and the high tomorrow is only going to be about 16 degrees F!  Today wasn't much better, highs in the 20's and whipping wind and flurries in my face all day.  So the question becomes:  How do I dress functionally, as I am in and out of my car all day, and still look decent?  My solution in the past has been boring dress pants and my winter coat.  I didn't even worry about what top to wear, because if I don't have any set meetings or appointments during the day I won't even remove my coat during the work day!  So it makes sense that in winters past I've actually been quite unmotivated to dress cute.  Winter is my least favorite season for fashion AND weather!  But my little blog has definitely challenged me to step it up a notch this winter, and make more of an effort.  Today's tights and heavy tweed skirt kept me just as warm as pants, and the cashmere sweater under my winter coat felt nice and cozy. 

How do you continue to dress fashionably when it's freezing cold?  Thanks for stopping by!

Schoolboy blazer in heather coral + stripes

Schoolboy blazer in heather coral (size 6): J.Crew, 2009
Striped sweater by Moth (size medium): Anthropologie, fall 2011
Skinny jeans (size 29): Seven for all Mankind
Intyce boots in cognac leather:  Steve Madden here
Necklace:  Limited, gift from my mom
Aviators:  Anthropologie, fall 2012

 Hope everyone is having a great weekend!  I found this Anthro sweater stuffed away in my sweater chest feeling lonely and unloved.  I remembered that the ONE time I wore it when I bought it (ridiculous) I wore it under this schoolboy blazer.  Such a pretty combo, isn't it?  I love coral and tan together.  I can't believe I haven't worn it more, it will definitely be in my rotation now!

These boots were for sale over at Shop Colorful Corporate (which is in desperate need of updating, that is on my to-do list I promise) and I had many emails about them but no one bought them.  They've been sitting unworn in my closet forever.  I actually really love them, just don't need them.  I wear the black ones all the time though.  If you're interested, shoot me an email.  I'm asking $50 plus shipping.  They are really comfortable and look exactly the same as when I bought them...so any distressing you see is intentional and they came that way.  They're size 9 and TTS with thin socks. 

Thanks for visiting!

Blue Tippi & trench + plaid & pink

Double cloth slim trench in brilliant blue (size 6 Tall):  J.Crew, fall 2012
Tippi sweater in blue:  J.Crew (size small): fall 2012, other colors here
Wool No. 2 pencil skirt in vintage berry (size 6):  J.Crew, fall 2012 other colors here
Wool plaid scarf in fuschia/green: J.Crew, fall 2012
Boots:  Ann Taylor (old)

Today was the brighest, sunniest day we've had in quite a while.  I could barely open my eyes for the picture it was so bright!  Note to self: wear shades next time it's this bright for picture time. 

I wanted something easy for a Friday where the temperature wasn't going to get much above freezing, so I went with my slim trench and matching Tippi.  I am so happy I found this plaid scarf, it really pulls together an outfit and it's so warm and cozy. 

Any fun plans this weekend?  Our dinner plans with friends tomorrow night may be getting thwarted by the flu...not us but the couple we're supposed to go out with.  It's really knocking people over left and right, isn't it?  Hope you're all staying healthy! 

Have a great weekend, thanks for stopping by!

Feeling sunny in Lexington jacket and sunnie pencil skirt

Lexington jacket in citron (size 6): J.Crew, 2007
Sunnie pencil skirt in yellow (size 6):  J.Crew Factory, fall 2011
Lace shell (size 6):  Banana Republic, fall 2011
Brown tights:  J.Crew
Brown heeled loafers: Via Spiga

So yeah, you can't really be "yellow bellied" about color and wear an all-yellow ensemble.  Good thing I don't like being a wall flower, as there was no blending into the crowd today.  The day started out gray and gloomy, and this cheerful outfit really lifted my mood.  Amazing how color will do that, isn't it? Well, that and a triple grande latte from Starbucks.

I know some people don't like yellow, and many will say that it doesn't look good close to the face.  I'm either blind to its sallow-ness or in denial, because I've never felt like yellow was a bad color for me.  Mauve, on the other hand, makes me look like I am sick and need to be in bed.  Salmon is terrible on me too...but yellow...I heart you, you cheerful lemon-y color you.  Especially on gray days.

Thank you for reading!

Velvet + Sovereign Paisley

Black velvet jacket (size 6):  Ralph Lauren, 2006
Long No. 2 pencil skirt in sovereign paisley (size 4): J.Crew, spring 2012
Boots:  Ann Taylor, old

What a busy week I am having!  I keep saying to myself that things will calm down "after."  After Christmas, after New Year's, after my business trip.  But here's the thing:  Life with three kids, a husband, and a full time job never calms down!  I just have to learn to enjoy the here and now more and not fret about the future and things beyond my control.  Easier said than done for a Type A like me.

I so rarely wear black that I actually feel a little strange when I do wear it.  But I've always loved this little velvet blazer, and it's such a classic shape it still works after all these years.  I " winterized" this lightweight skirt with the velvet jacket and tights and boots.  I thought it turned out just OK but I received a lot of compliments all day.  It always surprises me when I wear an outfit that I think is just so-so, and everyone else likes it, and then when I wear an outfit that I think is awesome, no one says anything. 

Hope you're having a good week!

Hacking jacket in sheer mint + plaid scarf in fuschia/green

Hacking Jacket in sheer mint (size 6):  J.Crew, here
Wool plaid scarf in fuschia/green:  J.Crew, fall 2012
Gray pinstripe pants (6 Tall):  Banana Republic, 2011
Collette pumps:  Tahari

No, of course I did not need another wool blazer.  You think that's going to stop me from grabbing a gorgeous hacking jacket, which retailed for $250.00, when it was on sale for $70?  Never! 

Hope you're having a great Monday!  I could not believe when the hacking jacket went to $99.99 last week on J.Crew's website with an additional 30% off!  I am still seriously considering buying the coral one as well, although I SO don't need a coral blazer.  The deal is just too awesome to pass up.  Now I know there were complaints that the quality of this year's hacking jacket is not as good as last year's.  I do own last year's in bright turquoise, and I guess I do see a difference in perhaps the thickness and texture of the wool.  But I still maintain that this year's version is gorgeous, and you're not going to find a better blazer at any mass retailer that is higher quality than this one.  The color, while not as saturated as I normally go for, is lovely and soft.  I see J.Crew is still offering the extra 30% as of today, so if you're in the market for a new blazer, definitely consider this one.  What a great price right now!

I had to run to Anthropologie yesterday to exchange a sweater, and of course I popped into J.Crew since it's not too far down the mall.  I found this lovely plaid scarf in the clearance section, marked from $68.00 to $34.99 with an additional 30% off.  The colors in it are so pretty and match many of my coats and blazers.  It's a huge scarf, and it definitely kept me cozy today.  I don't see it online, but if you run across one in-store, check it out.  I know many of us share madness for plaid, and this scarf adds great visual interest to a winter coat or blazer!

Who else has scored a hacking jacket this year?  Thanks for visiting.

J.Crew's hothouse floral silk blouse

Hothouse floral silk blouse:  J.Crew, fall 2012 (size 6)
Skinny jeans:  7 for all Mankind
Boots: Coach
Cuff:  Banana Republic

Just a rainy Sunday here with errands to run and emails to send!  Hope everyone's weekend has been good.  We spent it with our boys since I was gone most of last week.  It's been really nice.  We usually like to go out with friends or a date night at least one evening during the weekend, but sometimes spending all of the weekend with the children is more important.  It's hard to imagine now that there's going to be a time when my boys will not necessarily want to spend Saturday nights with their parents...but I know that day will come.  It reminds me that I need to enjoy them while they're still little!

I purchased the hothouse floral top on popback during one of J.Crew's mulitiple promos around Christmas time.  It was still expensive in my opinion...$109.99 + 30% off.  But I've been drooling over this print since it came out, and I love silk blouses I can wear with pencil skirts for work and jeans for the weekend, so I went for it.  LOVE it.  I wore this blouse with the vivid jade pencil skirt for work last week, and it looked great.  I also dig it with these skinnies and boots.  I know I'll get a lot of use out of it, so the cost per wear will be decent. 

Thanks for reading! 

Peter Pan Paillettes sweater for Saturday night

***Peter Pan Paillettes sweater by Corey Lynn Calter:  Anthropologie, here
Jeans:  AG Adriano Goldschmied
Pumps:  Seychelles
Clutch:  Banana Republic
Headband:  J.Crew

It's Saturday night, and I have no reason to dress up other than wanting to look cute for my husband and 3 boys!  I've missed  blogging very much!  You didn't miss much during the days I was traveling for business... 2 out of the 3 outfits were repeats. 

I have serious love for this pretty sweater.  I love anything baby pink (shocker I know) and I adore how sweetly retro it feels with the Peter Pan collar.  It feels almost ballet-inspired as well, so I went with a bun and headband to go along with that theme. 

Hope you are having a good weekend!  Thanks so much for visiting. 

***Update:  After wearing this sweater for a few hours, it stretched out completely!  I had purchased a size medium to begin with, and I don't know what I was thinking.  I guess I thought it would give me more length.  But I returned it for a small, and it fits much better.

Navy suit + French hen

Navy lightweight wool blazer (size 6): Banana Republic, here
Martin fit navy lightweight wool pants (size 6 Long): Banana Republic, similar here
Silk boy shirt in French hen (size 6):  J.Crew, fall 2012
Red suede heels: Banana Republic Mad Men Collection, fall 2010

I almost didn't post this outfit.  I mean, let's be honest, a pants suit isn't exactly lighting the world on fire with excitement.  But the spirit of this blog is meant to show what a 30-something mom in the corporate world wears to work on a daily basis.  Sometimes that means a suit.  I actually appreciate the no-brainer that a suit can be on days that are busy, and it certainly is a very professional look. 

So I know that one of my main reasons to read other blogs is to determine sizing on certain items that I haven't gotten around to seeing IRL.  It really helps me to decide what size would be best for me if I'm ordering the item online. For that reason I'm going to start posting the sizing of all of the items I'm wearing.  Hope it helps!

I'm traveling for work for the rest of the week, so I am not sure if I will be posting any OOTD's.  If not I will post something on the weekend.  I hope you all enjoy the rest of your week!  Thanks for visiting!

Soft azalea + snakeskin print

Shrunken shawl collar cashmere cardigan in soft azalea:  J.Crew, 2008
Wool No. 2 pencil skirt in snakeskin print:  J.Crew, fall 2012
Taupe ruffle silk top:  J.Crew, 2010
Brown tights: J.Crew, fall 2012
Heels:  Mojo Moxy, DSW

I must admit, I originally bought this skirt based mostly on price.  It got marked way down, and then an extra 30% off.  But it really grew on me, and now it's one of my favorites.  I love that it's neutral enough to pair with every color, and the fit is great.  I find that I can sometimes be blinded by a good sales price only to get the item home and have a "what was I thinking?" moment.  Thankfully this skirt doesn't fall into that category.

Hope everyone is having a great Monday!  Thanks for visiting.

Giant love for J.Crew's Giant Bow Sweater

Giant bow sweater:  J.Crew, holiday 2012
Skinny jeans:  Express, so old
Intyce boots in black leather, Steve Madden, here

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!  We spent the morning cleaning frantically for another showing... one good thing about selling the house is it has never been so clean.  Afterward my husband and I desperately needed some caffeine so we took the kids out to shop and grab Starbucks, and this is what I wore.  I bought the giant bow sweater on popback right before Christmas.  At first I was concerned because it seemed so short...I measured it against the Tippi sweater and it's a good 2 inches shorter than that.  For sizing reference, this is a size small, which is my normal J.Crew size.  After I got used to the shorter length I kind of fell in love.  I mean, I know the giant-ness of the bow was too much for some ladies.  But for me, being a lover of all things kitschy and cutesy, it is perfect.  And how fun does it look with plain old jeans and boots?  I think it is so much fun!  I topped it with my wool crepe shawl collar blazer:

Wool crepe shawl collar blazer:  J.Crew Collection, fall 2012

I have gotten a lot of use out of this fun, bright blazer.  It was a good purchase for me. 

By the way, this is my hair au naturale...air dried, with a little Bumble & Bumble hair tonic and serum.  It has some natural wave but not much frizz...I kind of like it.  Thanks for reading!

Glen plaid + festival blue, and mixing old and new

Glen-plaid blazer with sash:  Ann Taylor, old
Wool No. 2 pencil skirt in festival blue: J.Crew, fall 2012
Polka dot ruffle top:  J.Crew, 2009
Black boots:  Ann Taylor

These early morning photos with the blinding sun shining in my eyes are just not flattering.  Eeps!  But I wanted to show you this OOTD because I like when I wear the older items in my cloest.  It reminds me time and again that I don't always need something new.  It's such a tempting time of year, with all of the post-holiday sales beaconing, isn't it?   I actually feel a little guilty and shopped out right now. 

What about you?  Are you shopping out are do post-holiday sales not your thing?

Review: Double-cloth slim trench in brilliant colbalt

Double-cloth slim trench in brilliant colbalt: J.Crew, here
Navy pinstripe super 120's pants:  J.Crew, 2010
Booties:  Enzo Angiolini
Pink cashmere scarf:  T.J. Maxx

I look half asleep in this picture, which is kind of how I felt all day.  First day back to work and school after a two week break is always a little tough.  I bought this gorgeous coat during one of J.Crew's recent promos for a steal...$169.99 + 30% off, which is the price right now too.  So if you are in the market for a new coat, I LOVE this one, even more than the Double-cloth metro coat, which I reviewed here.  I am going to keep both coats, because I tend to tire of wearing the same coat all winter and I like that the metro coat is longer.  But for an everyday coat, this one is really wonderful.  First let me address the warmth issue:  Many bloggers had noted that this didn't seem like the warmest coat in the world, and it doesn't have thinsulate like the metro coat.  However, I wore this coat today, when the high was only 32 degrees and I had a very thin shirt on underneath.  I was in and out of my car all day and I wasn't a bit cold.  So it's definitely warm enough for my everyday needs.

Another complaint was that this belt is too short to wrap around the back of the coat and tie, or tie in a knot in front.  That is probably true.  But again, I had no problem with this, as I think it looks much more chic to belt it as it was meant to be belted. 

On the sizing front:  I ordered a 6 Tall.  Some ladies thought the length of this coat was a bit short, but the Tall length is pefect for me, with trousers, and I am just shy of 5'10".  The 6 Tall is totally roomy enough for a sweater underneath, but not too bulky at all.  It fits pefectly except for being a bit big in the hip area.  That's ok with me.

One more feature I will address: The color.  This blue is divine, so bright and saturated.  I LOVE it and I think it will look great with many different colored scarves.  I know a lot of ladies loved the carribbean pink as well.  I didn't see that color in person, and since I have the metro coat in vintage berry, I thought the blue was the better choice.  If you are a fan of blue, this coat is gorgeous.

Hope this review helped!  This coat is a steal right now, with the extra 30% off it comes to $119.  The original price was $350, so that is close to 65% off!  Thanks for reading.

Tartan for New Year's Day

Navy schoolboy blazer:  J.Crew, 2010, this year's version here
Perfect shirt in tartan:  J.Crew, holiday 2012
Skinny jeans:  Banana Republic, 2009
Willow riding boot in deep cognac:  Banana Republic, fall 2012
Green bubble necklace:  J.Crew, fall 2012

Happy New Year everyone!  Hope 2012 was a great year for you, and 2013 even better!  I have so enjoyed reading my favorite fashion bloggers' favorite purchases and/or outfits of 2012.  What a great idea for a blog post!  I really wanted to put something similar together myself, but with traveling back from Florida and cleaning the house for a showing today (!!!) there was no time.  But I did have time to snap a quick photo of my New Year's Day outfit!  I figured I'd get at least 1 wear of my new tartan shirt as it's still appropriate to dress festively for New Year's Day, right?  I grabbed this shirt on popback last week.  After seeing it on literally every single one of my favorite bloggers, I of course felt the burning desire to jump on the tartan bandwagon!  I can see why all of you ladies love it...it's really fun, and I'm so glad it popped back in a size 6.  I probably would have loved it in a 6 Tall...but that wasn't an option.  That's ok.  Such is life for a giantess.

Any New Year's resolutions out there?  I usually hate resolutions because I never stick with them and end up forgetting what I resolved to do by May.  But this year my resolutions include being a more organized mom, trying at least 1 new recipe a week, and expanding my blog content/quality.  Not too terribly out of reach, right?  I already have all the boys' bags, coats, gloves, lunchboxes, etc...out for tomorrow morning, so I'm off to a good start!  I'm still having a bit of trouble wrapping my head around the fact that Christmas break is over, but I'm sure it will be nice to get back on schedule. 

Thanks for reading!