It’s been one of those weeks – long.  Today thankfully is not as cold as it has been, which is a good thing because I decided to wear dress shorts with tights today for casual Friday.

I got this shorts about a year ago. They were on sale at JcPenney and I had been wanting a pair of long ones to wear with a jacket and other nice tops.  We are allowed to wear jeans to work on Friday and I really don’t like to wear denim in the office so I opted for this look.  I wear jeans, but you’re more likely to catch me in a denim skirt when I’m at work.

To create my look I picked a black and white striped tee (Cato, fall 2009) and black short-sleeve cardigan that I purchased on clearance for $12 (regular, $48) at Macy’s on Wednesday during my lunch. ( I used the last of my holiday gift card and also got a skirt and top too  for a total of $25 .) I  accessorized with three heart necklaces along, blue stone earrings,  silver bracelets and my Candies booties ($17 clearance with gift card at Kohl’s, January 2011.)

It’s my casual look. What do you think? What do you wear to work for casual Friday? Are you a gal who wears jeans or do you like a dressier look?

I get some of my fashion inspiration from a magazines. One of my favorites is InStyle. I like the layout of the clothing rather than seeing a model in an outfit. The simple white background allows me to picture the outfit and possibly what it would look like on me, rather than a size 2 model something I couldn’t possibly fit into.

I like the ideas I get from perusing magazines there are so many looks. My inspiration for today was for Mixing Metallics.

Here is my look

The skirt is one I purchase several weeks ago. I actually bought it before I got a copy of the magazine.  I picked the Charter Club skirt on clearance at  Macy’s for $17 .  I  used a gift card so it didn’t really cost me anything. I thought my white ruffle Dereon blouse (clearance Macy’s, January 2010) and Lane Bryant lavender cardigan ($6,  thrifted new, summer 2010) would go well and I topped off the outfit with my metallic flats (Payless, fall 2009) and various jewelry pieces.

I like this skirt because it’s one that I can wear to work – like I did today- or pair it with another top and high heels and go out on the town on the weekend? I have a few metallic pieces in my wardrobe that I plan on wearing more often.

If you don’t have any clothing pieces with shimmer or shine then simply wear some solid colors and add lots of accessories to make your outfit sparkle.

There is nothing like going to the theater. One of the reasons I enjoy going is it gives me another reason to dress up. Tonight I have plans to see Shen Yun at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis.

I always enjoy going to the various musicals and shows throughout the year. What I really enjoy is watching the people who attend.

What I’ve noticed is the “dress” of the patrons there. It’s not the same anymore. Years ago people dressed to the “nines” when they attended an event. The evening was a special occasion and people dressed accordingly.

Nowadays people wear more comfortable clothing. Many wear jeans with a nice top and a nice pair of shoes. I feel the biggest faux pas of the night though is anyone who wears tennis shoes.

Maybe I sound a little snobby, but if you take the time to attend a show, then why can’t you take the time to dress up?

Today I wore a dress that I thought would easily transition from day to night.

I got this Dana Buchman dress on clearance last spring ($10.80,  Kohl’s) and I paired it with brown tights, brown boots, a new belt ($3.99, clearance Cato) and a brown jacket.

I think the look works for both work and a night at the Fox. Is there anywhere that you go that you like to dress up? Or are you just comfortable in tennis shoes and tees?

I’m snowed out. I’m ready to go where it’s warm. I get tired of wearing layers of clothes day after day. How about you?

Here are a few of the most recent outfits I’ve worn, which includes one of my newly thrifted purchases as well as a few  new items too.

No. 1 Sweater Steal- I thrifted this Apt. 9 sweater for $3 and paired it with a sleeveless summer top, brown pants and shoes I thrifted last fall for $3.

No. 2 Red Hot- I decided to wear my new red plaid hat I got at Cato for $3.99 and red tights for $5 from Target.  I think they look great paired with my ribbed red turtleneck sweater, black sweater, denim skirt and black booties ($17.99, clearance Kohl’s.)

No. 3 Designing Dress - I’ve worn this Daisy Fuentes print dress before. I picked it up on clearance at Kohl’s last fall for $10.80 (0riginally $54)  I recently was on Old Navy’s website and came across a “Shop the Look” that I liked and thought this dress would work.

I paired my Old Navy denim jacket I bought for $1 last year at a yard sale with my fringed leather mocasins (clearance, $5, Nov. 2009) and jewelry- earrings (clearance, $2 Fashion Bug) and necklace (yard sale, $1)

As I look back on some of my outfits for the past few months all I can say is I’m so ready for spring and the ability to once again wear sandals. I’m can’t wait to put on a skirt and a pretty pair of slides.

Are you snowed out too? Are you ready for spring? Do you have a pair of shoes/sandals you are looking forward to wearing once again?

I’m on the search for a new fashion item. Not only am I looking for a pair of new gloves, but they also need to be technological savvy. Yes, I need a pair of gloves I can wear to use my iPhone.

Although I’ve had an iPhone for a year, recently work provided me with one. This week I’ve covered two events outside — fire and ice rescue training. In doing so my digits nearly froze off.

I can write with gloves on. It’s not easy, but it can be done. But due to the touch screen technology of an iPhone I need to take my gloves off.

There are lots of gloves out there for this purpose. They range in all prices, but what I want is something fashionable.

Do any of you use  gloves with your iPhone or other type of touch screen smart phone? Let me know which one you like best and what looks good too.

This past weekend I couldn’t take it anymore and I decided I needed a fix and went shopping. I know what you’re thinking. She’s on a diet, right? Well let me say that I hit Goodwill and the clearance rack at Cato. In total I spent $36.

What did I get for my purchase? I thrifted five tops at GW (as I like to call it) for a total of $16, which included two Old Navy shirts, two Apt. 9 sweaters -Kohl’s brand – and a new ribbed off-white turtleneck. At Cato I scored two pair of shoes a brown peep-toe pump and a purple suede Mary-Jane, a brown belt and a red-plaid hat all for $20.

Not only did I find these good buys, but I also won a new handbag at a Quarter Auction Friday night at Alton High School. The event was held as a fundraiser for Eunice Smith Elementary School. If you’ve never been to a Quarter Auction then you don’t know what you’re missing.

It’s basically a game of chance and a way to win prizes from local vendors. Items that you bid on cost anywhere from .25 cents to $1. To play you need a paddle, which includes a number. You can buy as many paddles as you want, but for every paddle it costs the amount of the bid. For example the purse I won was a two quarter bid. My friend didn’t use her paddle, so I did and put in $1. My number was called and  I won. Remember though if you don’t bid and your number is called you don’t win. (It happened to me three times that night and I didn’t win the goodies.)

No. 1 Golden Girl – I paired my new purse with a gold sweater I picked up on clearance at Macy’s (Feb. 2010), a tank, denim capris and boots. I attached a scarf I hard to the handbag to give it some extra flair.

No. 2 Heart & Stripes – This striped sweater A.N.A. from JcPenney (March 2010) went well with my pinstripe pants and new purple shoes ($7.99 Cato.) I wore a heart pendant I purchased several years ago at Value City.

No. 3 Flannel Femme -A blue plaid flannel shirt (thrifted, Old Navy $3)looks good with my white tank, white jeans and black belt.

No. 4 Paisley Proud – I wore this brown and orange paisley print Apt. 9 dress from Kohl’s (clearance, $5.40 with gift card) with brown tights and brown boots. (I have this dress in an aqua blue hue too that I also picked it up on clearance.)

I love a good bargain and since I found some great ones i haven’t exceeded my budget. Finding these great deals though has me in mood for yard sale season. What about you? Where do you find your bargains?

OK, this weekend is the Miss American pageant and I plan on attending a watch party. Yes, I know that may seem a little strange to some, but really a bunch of women getting together in support of younger ones trying to earn scholarship money is a good thing. Plus it makes for a fun “girls night out.”

At the party each of us is planning to vote for our favorite contestant and if they win – we get a prize. Prior to going I decided to do a little research and discovered there is one woman I want to see get it — Miss Delaware Kayla Martell.

If she earns the title she would become the country’s first bald Miss America.

Kayla suffers from alopecia areata, a rare condition that causes unexplained hair loss. She began losing her hair around the age of 10 and by the time she was 13, she was completely bald.

Kayla wears a wig while competing on the pageant circuit.  After all possessing gorgeous, lush, shiny, long locks of hair is a prerequisite to being considered beautiful/confident/attractive in our culture, right?

However, she forgoes the look on her down time.

“When I go grocery shopping, when I’m out with my friends, when I’m at home, I’m without the wig. That’s me. That’s the real me.”  she said during a television interview.

Kayla competed in the Miss Delaware pageant five times before winning it this past June — and now she’s in “Sin City” for her chance at the crown.

It’s inspiring to see the 22-year old beauty queen breaking down barriers for women who suffer from the condition. Hopefully it will also inspire others to do the same.

She may wear a wig for competitions, but it’s nice to know she embraces the fact that she is bald.

Miss America contestants competed in different categories throughout the week in Las Vegas. The final is 8 p.m. Saturday on ABC.  Tune in to see who’s will be at the top to wear the tiara. I know I will.

I got a little inspiration today from my InStyle magazine. I was glancing through the January issue and came across an outfit that for winter is most definitely bright, but cheerful. It pairs navy pants with a yellow crew neck sweater.

The moment I saw it I thought about a pair of pants I had hanging in my closet. I also have a yellow top that I knew would go well with the trousers because it’s the same yellow. However since the top is more of a summer one (it’s sleeveless) I knew I would need to pair it with a cardigan. I picked a white one with ribbed pattern similar to the one in the magazine so it would keep the outfit cheerful. Then another idea came to me.

Michelle Obama made headlines last fall when she was seen wearing one of her sweaters two ways.

Not everyone will agree on whether the look, backwards and forwards, works. But most can probably get behind the idea of the first lady wearing an outfit more than once. So I made the decision to switch my cardigan around and opt not to go with the yellow.

I took a shot inside so you could see my whole look including shoes and then I decided to go out and shoot one too (standing somewhere other than my dinning room.) Once I got to work a co-worker said my outfit had a nautical appeal. I agree and it makes me want spring even more.

I’ve worn this cardigan multiple times and I’ve never had a problem repeating an outfit. This time however I decided I like the look in reverse.

What clothing pieces do you have that you can wear different ways? Do you repeat any of your outfits? Would you consider wearing a sweater in reverse?

When I woke up today all I could think about was how I wish that warmer weather was here. Maybe it’s because I’m ready to start wearing sandals again or I was supposed to be in Florida this week, but the snow that blanketed the south postponed my plans until the end of the month.

Anyway today I dug deep into my closet to pulled out a pair of pinstripe pants, floral tunic and red ribbed turtleneck to wear on the bitter cold day.

I once again have the Boho chic going on.  I realized some time ago that I’m inspired by such clothes. I didn’t notice until I started snapping a pic of myself on a daily basis for my blog. I also have learned what does and doesn’t work for me.

By no means am I a model, nor do I aspire to be one. I do however like sharing my style finds with everyone. I also like reading differnt blogs by real women who write about fashion.  Check of Fab Finds for under $50, Big Beautyful Mess and What I Wore Today.

The reason I read these three gals is I like their style. I like to see people wearing clothes that I can actually find in a store. Not that I couldn’t find a Dolce & Gabbana dress that’s on some model in Marie Claire, but I’m not likely to find it here. They’re keeping it real.

Are there any bloggers you like to follow? What do you like about them?

Today was one of those days. Snow on the ground and not sure if I would have to leave the office. Rather than dressing in something that would require me to wear boots all day I actually wore an outfit and brought another pair.

Preview post

Everything I’m wearing came directly from my closet.

My Crocs boots are perfect for when snow is on the ground, but I really don’t like wearing them all day. My feet get too warm. Nothing beats wearing an outfit that I can swap shoes. The brown Mary Jane shoes I picked up last fall for $3 at a thirft store. They’re Naturalizer and really comfortable. (It’s the first time I’ve worn them too.)

I layered a tank under my striped turtleneck and paired it with a corduroy skirt. The tights are DKNY and one of the best pair I’ve ever purchased. I bought them  while visiting a friend in Kansas City seasons ago. I picked then up at an outlet store and at the time they were $12. I remember because they were the first designer tights I bought. I had never spent that much money on tights or hosiery before because I didn’t believe that got much out of them.  I was wrong. I’ve had these for at least seven years.

My coat is a Jones New York I got on clearance at the former Famous & Barr Co. department store. I picked it up for $20  on clearance. It’s original price was $120. I love end of season sales because you can find so many great things. The best deals are usually coats and swimsuits.

Do you shop end of season sales? What are some of the best things you’ve found?