Mis-Matched

The weather here has been atrocious. I'm talking cold, rainy, and miserable. It's making me super cranky and I have no idea what to wear anymore.

This outfit is actually from a few weeks ago when I was clearly feeling more creative. Hence the random red shoes. I have no idea what possessed me to put red shoes on, but mama like. They're comfy, they're fun and really, what more can you ask for?

I'd like to say looking at these pictures is inspiring me to pick out a creative and adorable outfit for tomorrow...but it's not. I'm stumped. I'm in a rut right now where I just don't know what to wear and have zero motivation to come up with anything. I blame the weather.

Blazer: Nordstrom
Shirt: H&M via my mother
Jeans: Old Navy
Shoes: Urban Outfitters (similar)
Me Factor: High - shut up you guys, the red shoes coordinate, they don't have to match!

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.

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

red

Sometimes, when I don't know what to wear, I pull a bunch of stuff out of my closet that's the same color and I put it on. It's quick and easy and brainless and those are all things I value. Someone should tell the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz that  he really shouldn't bother. Not to mention he already seems to be more intelligent than 75% of the people I come across in my daily life. Oy.

Cardigan: Target
Shirt: J.Crew
Jeans: Gap
Flats: Jeffrey Campbell

all the funny things you do

I'm back from a little blogging summer vacation. A lot of reading and spending time with friends has been happening lately and I just couldn't bring myself to be in front of the computer when I was home. I expect things will continue to be a bit sporadic for the summer, and a little bit different, too. Less outfit posts and more of my normal life posts.

[Dress - Forever 21/Belt - H&M/Sandals - American Eagle/Sunnies - Betsy Johnson]

These are from the week leading up to the 4th. I had a lot of red, white and blue outfits stretched out across that week. Red, white and blue is one of my favorite color combinations but I always feel weird wearing it when it's not Fourth of July. So when the 4th does come around, I go all out.

The weather finally got the hint that it's summer and started warming up around here! It's been nice and hot and sunny with the occasional thunderstorm or rain storm - perfect. Good thing, too. I just bought a white bathing suit and it just isn't going to look good without a nice, golden tan! ;)

To be honest, I went a little bathing suit crazy this year. Losing 20lbs + warm weather = bikini overload! It felt so liberating to toss all my ill-fitting ones too. Isn't that the best? Being able to donate all the clothes that are too big for you suddenly?

eat your heart out, dorothy

glitter, and platforms, and laces....oh my!