Red & Black Week: Friday Jacket

Well guys, red & black week is over! I hope you enjoyed it because I know I did. I'm already thinking up a new theme week for May.

Red & black week may be over, but my move is not. It has barely gotten started, in fact. I think we are renting the Money Pit of apartments. The place is FILTHY. My scrubbing shoulder is sore today. And I'm pretty sure the landlord is avoiding us because he knows I'm going to ask for about a million things to be fixed/replaced. Tough cookies guy, you should have done this stuff before we moved in!

Anyway, if you want to see how things are progressing, follow me on Instagram (@katastrophe313). Expect a full move update post as soon as we get settled. So, in about six months by the looks of things.

Jacket: Zara
Jeans: Gap
Boots: H&M
Shirt: French Connection via TJ Maxx
Necklace: F21
Me Factor: High. I love this jacket. Like I've said before, jacket + skinny jeans + tee = perfection.

Black & Red Week: Sock Bun

So this was my first attempt at the ubiquitous sock bun! It's safe to say I am now hooked. It was super easy and definitely classier looking than my usual third-day-hair messy bun/pony. I used this tutorial and it was great. Plus her blog is super adorable, so you should all go check it out anyway.

I keep forgetting I own these boots. I feel like they look the cutest with skirts and dresses and cropped pants and bare legs, but it's still so damn cold here! Come on spring, I have cute boots to wear.

Cardigan: Old Navy
Skirt: H&M
Boots: Aldo
Me Factor: Low. I just didn't feel like myself in this. I think I'm over the cardigan + skirt/dress combo.

Black & Red Week: No... & Red Wedges

Wore this out for shopping and dinner with my new pal Gabby last week! We had such a great time, and I'm so happy to have a new girlfriend in the area. Best of all, I'm moving to the town she lives in, so it's going to be so easy for us to hang out and have girl's nights! Can't wait.

This is SUCH a me outfit. Blazer + skinny jeans + heels is my favorite look ever. The red shoes and watch added the bits of red to this outfit. I wanted to make sure I had a look in the mix that wasn't such an extreme interpretation of black and red.


Blazer: Limited
Jeans: Old Navy
Tee: StyleMint
Shoes: Urban Outfitters
Watch: Gift
Me Factor: High

Black & Red Week: Red Tights & Polka Dots

This is one of those rare occasions where the outfit photographed better than it looked in the mirror. That never happens. Usually it's the complete opposite with me. (My mirror is very forgiving.)

The red tights were a bit out of my comfort zone, but I ended up not even noticing I was wearing them. Neither did my co-workers, which either means they thought I looked ridiculous or totally normal. Could go either way, I guess.

Apologies for my wrinkled skirt - I was working hard all day, sitting down. For hours on end. Wrinkle city, baby.

Shirt: H&M
Skirt: Target
Tights: Target
Boots: Zara
Sunnies: Forever 21 (splurge option that I really want)
Me Factor: Medium - Skirt + shirt = win.

Black & Red Week: Pants & Plaid

As I'm sure you've noticed by now, my special plan for this week is a theme! I decided last week that I would base all my outfits around a black and red color scheme. It's a pairing I go to a lot, so I thought it would be fun to try wearing black and red in some combination every day for a week.

I could have kept going a lot longer, if truth be told.

This was a lot of fun and I want to do more "theme weeks" like this in the future! It's also a great way to focus on wearing everything you have in your closet and finding new ways to pair things.

I've also been thinking a lot about personal style lately, and what my personal style actually is. I love trying different looks and trends, but certain outfits just feel more ME than others. So, at the bottom of my posts along with my outfit info, I'll now be including the "Me Factor" of each outfit. I'm hoping this will help give me a clear vision of what my personal style really is.

Shirt: J.Crew
Pants: Urban Outfitters
Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell
Necklace: Forever 21
Me Factor: High - I'm a jeans and a shirt type of gal. I feel most comfortable in this kind of look.

painted skirt

This is one my favorite outfits to date. I just love the colors in this skirt. Layered up with tights, a sweater, and a leather jacket - it's the perfect mix of girly and tough. I keep trying to curl my hair while it's at this shorter length, but it's not always working for me. I'm trying to grow it out a bit, but my hair is so thin it gets straggly really quickly (even though I get trims diligently!). Ah well, woe is me I guess! I had curly/wavy hair most of my life, now it's gone mostly straight on me and I don't want that either! Can someone just plop Blake Lively's hair on my head?

Jacket: New York & Company (similar)
Sweater: H&M
Skirt: J.Crew (similar)
Boots: Zara

turtle, turtle, turtle

I honestly haven't worn a turtleneck since maybe the third grade. I have a short neck and always thought they made me look like I had a floating head. I still think they make me look like I have a floating head. But in my never-ending quest to look like a J.Crew model, I thought I would try one out.

Turns out, I didn't hate it. My neck was toasty warm! I still didn't feel completely comfortable wearing a turtle neck, but I'm going to try to mix it in with my wardrobe a little more. Under sleeveless dresses to make a summer dress more winter appropriate, with black pants and a ski mask for stake outs...the possibilities are endless.

How do you guys feel about turtle necks? Yay or hell no?

Turtle neck: H&M (similar)
Shirt: J. Crew
Jeans: Old Navy
Boots: Zara
Necklace: Forever 21

all the leaves are brown

Hey. Remember me? I've been crazy-busy, hence the absence. Other than my Friday Challenge posts. I'm hoping things will calm down slightly after the holidays. Or that I'll at least feel more calmed down after some time off. Work is absolutely killing me right now and it's torture being there all day, so by the time I get home I don't have much motivation for anything else.

I've also been trying to make plans for My Future that will hopefully allow me to leave that horrid place, getting ready for Christmas, and being a good friend and going out and being social. I've also been doing a MAJOR purge of my belongings. I'm trying to set myself up to start the new year nice and fresh and clean. What's new with you guys? Excited for the holidays!?

Sweater: H&M
Jeans: Old Navy
Shoes: Converse
Shades: Forever 21

taking care of business

Hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving and relaxing long weekend! My Thanksgiving was lovely and this weekend I did too much shopping for my own good (though some of it was for Christmas!) and spent time with friends.

By next weekend I should be all finished Christmas shopping! Booyah! I like getting it all done early so I can spend the rest of the month enjoying the holiday season rather than scrambling around for last minute gifts. How do you holiday shop? Do you get it done early, or are you the last minute type?

Shirt: J.Crew
Pants: Gap
Belt: Marc by Marc Jacobs
Shoes: Urban Outfitters
Bag: Coach
Jewelry: all gifted, except
Necklace: Target

girls guide to hunting

I love these boots. I got them at H&M while I was in New York last month. I was in an H&M in SoHo when I spotted them but they didn't have my size. The sales girl looked at me funny and said "Why don't you check the H&M down the block, we have the same stuff." THE H&M DOWN THE BLOCK. I'd have to drive to a whole 'nother mall here in the burbs if this happened at home! So that's what I did. I walked down the block and they had my size.

And I lived happily ever after.

Also, at one point this belt fit around my hips, you know, like a belt should. In order to hold up pants. Then it got way, way too small, but it fit my waist perfectly. So I kept it. Now it's too big for my waist, hence the last clutching-at-my-belt picture. It does, however, seem to fit around my hips again, for the most part. This belt and I have come full circle.

Dress - Modcloth
Belt - of unknown origins
Boots - H&M

rebel yell

I wore this outfit last weekend to go shopping and grab some pizza with my bestie. I was feeling pretty cute in it. I love when the temperature is perfect for shorts with long sleeves. For some reason I just love this combo. I've been trying to take advantage of it every weekend when it's warm enough. I think we've pretty much crossed the line into "too cold for this" territory. Maybe I'll just pair this type of look up with some boots...hmmm. This blog post has turned into an outfit brainstorming session, haha.

I'm just gonna keep it pretty short and sweet today. I feel like I have a million things I'd like to get done before bed, and I am already super tired. What is wrong with me, it's 8:30! Haha, I'm really getting old. Happy Monday night!

Headband: Forever 21
Jacket: Forever 21
Shirt: H&M
Shorts: H&M
Sandals: American Eagle

playing with proportion

This might be one of my all-time favorite looks I have ever come up with. It was definitely a risk for me, actually. The tops is kind of floaty and boxy and the skirt is more figure conscious. Normally, I would tuck the top into the skirt, but that just wasn't looking right to me, and it felt too dressed up for work. So I un-tucked the shirt. I didn't think this look would be flattering on me, but I liked the way it looked in the mirror, so I went about my day. I got home, took some pictures, and even liked the way it looked in pictures. Which I'm sure as we all know isn't always the case - you know you've put on an outfit, looked in the mirror and felt pretty fly, then took a picture and cringed.

But sometimes the risk pays off. Even if it's not a huge risk. Even if the risk is as small as untucking your shirt. Risks are important. Take one a day and call me next week if your life doesn't improve.

In other news, I am completely addicted to the game Spy Mouse on my iPhone. I can't stop. This little mouse with the bow tie (bow ties are COOL) (Meg) has stolen my heart. And all my free time. Plus? The nemesis in this game is obviously cats, and I don't like cats! So Spy Mouse and I are united on that front. I think I need to go feed my addiction...

Top: Forever 21

Skirt: H&M

Shoes: Forever 21

Necklace: Forever 21

Lipstick: Sephora - "It Girl"