Heart on my Sleeve

Head to Toe: Sweater and skirt, Thrifted; Blouse, Loft; Shoes and Jacket, Target.

For me, it's important to start Monday with a good outfit. It sets the tone for the whole week, right? I had originally styled this skirt with a tweed blazer, but it felt a little stuffy so I opted for a whimsical sweater instead. Sunday I picked out all of my outfits for the work week in hopes to make my mornings a little less stressful. So far so good! Now, let's see how long my over-preparedness lasts.

 Photos by CTL

Cape Town

Head to Toe: Cape, Thrifted; Cords, TJ Maxx; Booties, Target; Bag, Michael Kors.

I've decided that capes are totally work-appropriate snuggies. It's super warm and cozy, plus makes a simple outfit look chic. Thank you Goodwill!
I hope you're all geared up for Monday. I'm feeling refreshed after a beautiful fall weekend. I baked, carved pumpkins and took Monti for a walk through the foliage. Le sigh.

 Photos by CTL

"Either you run the day or the day runs you." -Jim Rohn #MondayMotivation

Last Minute DIY Halloween Costumes

If you're like me, you started planning your Halloween costume in September. If you're like pretty much everyone else on the planet, you probably didn't even think about it until you got a text invite to a costume party this weekend. For those of you in the latter, check out these easy DIY Halloween costumes that can be made from items in your closet or a quick trip to Goodwill. Now go pop some tags!

Betty Boop

Betty really doesn't require much work...A red dress and pumps plus gold jewelry is all you need. Extra points for dark curly hair, cat-eye makeup and a heart garter (you can craft one from ribbon and felt).

Clueless

Pair knee socks and Mary Janes with a yellow skirt and blazer and you're the perfect Cher. Even better with a bestie as Dionne.

Orange is the New Black

If you don't have a stylish orange jumpsuit, your brother's mechanic-wear will also do the trick...Or an orange tee and sweats. A white tee layered underneath adds to the affect. Lesbian lover optional.

Effie Trinket

With Catching Fire coming out in a few weeks, it's the perfect time for an Effie Trinket look. Pretty much any dress will work (puffy sleeves a plus). Just add a crazy wig and some flower pins (or make your own from tulle) and have fun with makeup. "May the odds be ever in your favor."

Miley Cyrus

Since I'm guessing you'd be a little cold in a spandex bikini, a nude dress will do the trick for this VMA Miley look. Any foam finger will work, or this one is only about $10 on Amazon. Princess Leah pigtails and superior twerking skills a must.

Color By Number

Head to Toe: Sweater, Gap; Skirt, Thrifted; Booties, Target; Bracelet, Loft; Watch, Fossil; Wallet, Marshall's.

Happy hump day! I sported this colorful look on a sunny Monday, but it's about that time for layers, tights and jackets. Fall's chill is here, but I'm loving the changing leaves across the river from my office. It's looking like the perfect weekend to cuddle up with hot cocoa and a Redbox. Halfway there peeps!

DIY Costume: Gatsby, What Gatsby?

Head to Toe: Dress, Burlington; Wig and Headband, Saver's; Jewelry, Misc; Fur stole; H&M.

One of the highlights of my year is planning my Haloween costume. As soon as I saw The Great Gatsby  (after I re-read the book, of course), I knew I wanted to be Daisy Buchanan for Halloween. As a Leo fan and literary nut with a thing for the roaring twenties, it's the perfect fit. I found the wig at my local Saver's (if you have one near you, it is the ultimate thrift shop for costume shopping) and everything else fell into place. I had lots of pearls leftover from a flapper costume I wore a few years ago (seen in this post). I scoured several secondhand shops for the right dress, but finally found this perfect match at Burlington. My total look costs about $50, which is comparable to a store bought one and looks 100 times better! Plus, how good do I look as a blonde??

Photo Cred: CTL

At the party with my bestie, Liz, a Dexter victim.

Back in Black

Head to Toe: Dress, Loft; Jacket, Target; Booties, Target; Socks, Urban Outfitters; Bag, Michael Kors.

I normally don't do head to toe black, but I love the look of this edgy jacket over a more conservative dress. Bunched-up socks and booties add a little whimsy to the outfit, the perfect combo for a  warm fall day (which we've been lucky to have many of this month). I snapped these photos at a tiny park down the road from my job with perfect views of the river and changing leaves. Could that sky get any more blue?

New Heights

Head to Toe: Dress, Francesca's Collections; Tights, Loft; Sweater, Simply Vera Wang via Continuation's Consignments; Boots, Frye.

Hey fashionistas, hope it was a glorious hump day. It's been a hectic week, but I managed to snap some outfit pics of this layered look (fear of heights and rooftop awkwardness included). I have been squeezing in some fun things, though, like finishing my Halloween costume! Mum's the word on this year's outfit, but I'm working on another Easy DIY Costumes post for you last-minute planners. For now, check out last year's ideas, and when in doubt, throw on nude underwear, grab a foam finger and call yourself Miley!

Photos by Mackenzie

Leather Skirt and a Long Weekend

Head to Toe: Sweater, Loft; Skirt, TJ Maxx; Heels, Vince Camuto; Bracelet, Loft.

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a nice weekend, even though the weather was dismal. Thursday, I wore this outfit to an event for work to close the week. Friday I went down to Maryland for a long weekend for my Grandpa's memorial service. Though it was sad saying goodbye, I got to spend time with a lot of relatives I haven't seen in years and it was overall a good visit. Now, it's back to my normal routine and time to tackle that to-do list.

Photos by Cynthia