Memo Repeat

Memo dress in super 120's, color royal violet:  J.Crew, here
Pumps:  Joan & David
Handbag:  Kate Spade
Necklace:  Chico's ("borrowed" from my mom)

This is a total outfit repeat from a little more than a month ago but one worth repeating!  I can't wait for other colors of this perfect work dress to go on sale.  I'm especially hoping for the landscape green color- gorgeous!  It was too warm today to wear a blazer over it, but I think that's great option for when it's colder outside. 

My neon orange bag has finally grown on me, and I love the jolt of color it provides. 

Hope you're having a great week!  Mine has been really, really busy at work.  I'm ready to head out for Mexican and magaritas tonight with the family and relax a bit.  Thanks for visiting!

J.Crew's sovereign paisley

Ruffled jacket by Tabitha:  Anthropologie, fall 2010
Black Elizabeth silk cami:  J.Crew factory, fall 2008
Long No.2 pencil skirt in sovereign paisley:  J.Crew, spring 2012
Black bow pumps:  Mojo Moxy, DSW

I'm drained after a productive but long day of work, and my boys are waiting for me to play kickball in the back yard (which is a hilarious sight, by the way, because our back yard is tiny) but I wanted to share my OOTD before shutting the laptop down for the evening!  I haven't worn this skirt in ages, and I really like how it looked with this jacket from Anthro.  I felt totally professional, but creative too.  Plus I think this skirt will work with tights too, so it's not just a 1 or 2 season item. 

Is it bad that I'm already looking foward to the weekend?  This is just a really busy week, and we have fun plans for both Friday and Saturday...so I'm excited!  Hey, the work week is already 40% over, did you know that?  Bet you didn't realize Tuesday was so close to the weekend, didja?

Thanks for stopping by! 

I love old J.Crew prints

Silk Alessia blouse in coppelle paisley:  J.Crew, spring 2008
Flair skirt in navy:  J.Crew, fall 2011
Coral suede heels:  Steve Madden

Monday, Funday!  Said no one, ever.  I pulled out this old J.Crew top from the depths of my closet, it hadn't seen the light of day in forever.  Loved it!  I adore older prints from J.Crew, don't you?  I can't remember what this print was named, and I tried searching for it with no luck.  Anyone, anyone?  Leave a comment if you know!  I know that Target did a knock off of this print the following year, and I think a few other retailers did prints inspired by it too.  I also noticed a magazine ad for Target in a Redbook magazine today and it looked eerily familiar to a J.Crew ad.  One of the models had blackwatch plaid capris and a tipped blazer, another had a plaid shirt and a pencil skirt...has anyone else seen this ad?  It looked awesome...but it did look like Target is definitely being greatly "inspired" by J.Crew right now!  I guess we can all use some inspiration every now and then, right? 

I'm working on another non-fashion related blog post about why I'm a runner.  Maybe I will inspire someone?  That's the greatest compliment, in my opinion.  Have a wonderful week!

Cocktail party attire featuring beading & lace

Silk beaded bow cami:  J.Crew Factory, fall 2010
Antique lace tierd skirt:  Ann Taylor, spring 2011
Pumps:  Max Studio
Bow necklace:  Ann Taylor, holiday 2010

Saturday morning, and before the rush begins to clean the house for a showing (fingers crossed) and getting out for a soccer game I wanted to post my outfit picture from the cocktail party last night.  In all honesty I was overdressed... most of the other ladies were doing the "jeans and cute top" combo.  However, I like to dress up and I was one of the hosts so I figured being overdressed was better than underdressed, right?  This outfit was a good reminder that I have so many fun pieces in my closet that are not brand new but still lovely!  I am guilty of always wanting something new when we have a holiday party, or any kind of dressy event.  But then that means all the items I buy get worn once and put in my closet to collect dust.  I was so tempted to buy something new for this party, and I am SO glad I didn't.  I felt great in this outfit and was reminded me how much I love this special beaded top and lace skirt.  This skirt was the last item I got really excited about at Ann Taylor.  I don't know what happened to that retailer but it seems like in the last year or so it has geared toward an older demographic.   Anyone else feel that way? 

And now, I have to share a picture of my boys:

Look at the baby doing a jig.  Ahhh, I love them!

Have a great weekend!

Tippi + blackwatch plaid + bubble necklace

Tippi sweater in celestial blue:  J.Crew, here
Victoria silk cami in antique white:  J.Crew, 2008
Wool cafe capris in blackwatch plaid:  J.Crew, fall 2011
Bubble necklace in kelly green: J.Crew, other colors here
Ashley ballet flat in royal blue:  Banana Republic, here

Hello lovely ladies!  Just a quick post... it's been such a busy day and now I have to rush to get ready for a cocktail party.  My husband and I are one of five hosting couples and while I'm so happy it's not at our house, there is still so much to do!  Of course I'll try to snap an outfit picture!  Priorities, right?

I love these blackwatch plaid capris so much.  They didn't come in tall length, but I think they look ok with flats.  Speaking of flats, verytime I wear them to work I ask myself why I don't do it more often...I feel so comfortable and quick on my feet in them!  Anyway, back to the blackwatch plaid:  J.Crew Factory has a blazer and a skirt in a similar plaid right now if you love it as much as I do!  Check out their new website, www.factory.jcrew.com I like it so much better than the old website.

That's all I have time for right now, I will be back tomorrow.  Have a great weekend!

Splurge on: Collection cashmere polka dot sweater

Collection cashmere polka dot sweater in green/navy:  J.Crew, other colors here
Telegraph pencil skirt in super 120s wool in majestic purple:  J.Crew, other colors here
Colette reptile pumps (again!):  Tahari, here
Necklace:  Anthropologie, fall 2012

NOTE:  Shop Colorful Corporate is back up and running.  Sorry that you couldn't see the pictures before, they are up now!!

Hmmmm...sorry for the super awkward pose here.  Not sure what's going on with that.  Anyway, wanted to start out with a warning that you will be seeing a lot of this sweater in the next few months.  It was a major splurge for me, and only one that I made after I earned some extra cash at the consignment shop.  I bought it during the 25% off $150 promo J.Crew ran last month.  I had the most difficult time deciding between this one and the red one with burgundy dots.  I reeeeeeally wanted to buy both, but that would have put me over the edge of sanity with the price tags.  Even with the sale price of $179.99 + 25% off, it was a splurge for me, for a sweater.  But I love it so much, and so far, so good:  No pilling or pulling today on the first time wearing it, so I'm hoping the quality of the cashmere is worth the hefty price tag.  I traded in about 40 old sweaters that I hadn't worn in years for this one beauty!  I don't regret that decision for one minute...I felt like a million bucks all day.

If you are considering splurging on this sweater, let me add a note on fit:  This is a size small and it fits great.  A tad bit big in the torso area, but I get that with most sweaters.  An XS would have been too tight in the arms, and a medium would have been too big, so my opinion is this sweater fits TTS.

How do you feel about splurging on one special item?  Thanks for reading!

Anchors aweigh + tweed

Scoopneck blouse in anchors aweigh:  J.Crew, summer 2012
Purple tweed pencil skirt:  J.Crew, early 2011 I think?
Reptile Colette pumps:  Tahari, here
Necklace:  Anthropologie, fall 2012

I've had this outfit laid out for a while now, (yes people, I am a dork and lay out my outfits for future wearings) and I was kind of just "meh" about it.  But wearing it today, I wondered why I felt that way because I ended up loving it.  I think the necklace really made it come together nicely, and without if, the outfit definitely would have been lacking.  I bought this top way back in the early summer and never got around to wearing it, it just was so hot here all summer and the darker color made me hesitate.  It got a lot of mixed reviews from J.Crew lovers, but I knew right away it was a top for me.  The anchor print and little buttons at the shoulders with anchors on them are darling.  Plus I've kind of been having a love affair with navy lately. 

These Colette pumps have turned out to be my favorite work heel.  I wore the nude patent version to death in the summer, and now this taupe reptile-print leather pair are quickly becoming my go-to fall pumps.  They are extremely comfortable and the heel is the perfect work height.  Trust me, when you're close to Amazonian height like me, you don't want to frighten coworkers and customers by wearing 4+ inch heels in the workplace.  But hey, maybe that's just my conservative view.

Further proof that I am a compulsive J.Crew hoarder:  After carrying the green/blue version non-stop since I purchased it last Thursday, (see this post for the bag) I decided I had to have the pink/orange version too.  (See here).  So I went back to J.Crew, as they had several last week, and they were all gone.  But once again a fabulous sales associate took down my information, hunted it down for me and then called me to say she was having it mailed to me.  (THANKS Samantha!)  The customer service of the sales associates in my local J.Crew cannot be beat.  I can't wait to carry the pink/orange version!  It's such a steal! 

Are you a hoarder?  I know a lot of people are against owning multiples of an item.  I, on the other hand, always have to fight the compulsion to own a item in every color if I love it...and sometimes I lose.

Thanks for visiting!