BIG NEWS!

Remember how I told you how much I wanted a bright pink satchel in my latest Wishlist Wednesday?  Well ask and ye shall receive.  Guess what I juuuuuust got at Target?

Mossimo Supply Co. Small Lady Satchel

What? What?!  How great is this?!  The quality of this is much better than the neon ones from a few months back. Those ones were a great color, but I felt that they always looked wrinkled -- like you just took them out of the plastic wrapping and box they were shipped in.  Anyway.

No, the quality of this is not as good as the Cambridge.  And probably not even as good as the Steve Madden. BUT, it's $25, and you can't beat that.  There were a bunch of comments on the Steve Madden that the color was very neon in real life.  The Target version is very true to the pictures on their website.  I have to say, I am very excited about this bag.

What I liked about this is that the inside is lined and has a zip interior pocket.  I don't think any of the other versions (the Cambridge Satchel, the Steve Madden Cross Body, or the felt one) had this option.

I spent a lot of time trying to decide what color to get because this bag comes in a whopping EIGHT colors. I was very tempted to get the gray.

There is also a larger, more square version of this satchel. It comes in 4 colors.

Mossimo Supply Co. Large Lady Satchel

I do like that top handle.


Please make sure that you check the sizes.  The small satchel is of a similar size of the smaller Steve Madden (7.5 " H x 10.0 " W x 3.0 " D).  The larger satchel is almost square (10.5 " H x 11.0 " W x 4.0 " D).  These were almost sold out at my Target.  You get free shipping for orders over $50 at Target, and you can return for free in stores for up to 90 days.  With such a generous return policy, I would consider buying and returning if you're not happy.

30X30 Outfits 24 and 25 - Weekend Wear

Mr. Matched and I had a date night on Saturday.  It's also MarionBerry's link-up challenge this week, which is pattern mixing.  I thought this would be a good excuse to mix it up!

Shirt (Madewell); Skirt (J. Crew Factory, similar); Shoes (Cole Haan); Necklace (Francesca's Collection, similar); Bracelet (LOFT sent it to me last year for being a top client); Glitter belt (Ann Taylor -- just bought it. It's only $9.99 in stores)

I took these pictures before makeup.  Looking a bit rough.  Mr. Matched was monopolizing the bathroom though, and we were running late, so I had to take these when I could.  The trick with mixing patterns is keeping things in the same color palette and mixing the scale of the prints.  The narrow stripe balances out the much larger polka dots and the navy in both pulls everything together.  These are not hard and fast rules, but it helps to have a general guide when braving the pattern mixing world.

Sunday was another casual day. We had to run a bunch of errands, so I wanted to be comfortable. This is what I pulled together with the dregs of my 30X30 clothes. Not bad.

Chambray Shirt (Ann Taylor -- it's now $29.99 in stores); Shorts (J. Crew); Belt (LOFT); Bracelet (LOFT); Shoes

 No, that isn't a stain on my shirt. I'm not really sure what it is, to be honest.  It wasn't on my shirt later on. Maybe just water that splashed up when I was washing my hands. Unsure.  I love these sunshine shorts, don't you?

And here's what I wore today:

 Dress (Calvin Klein via Ross -- ridiculously cheap); Necklace (Target); Bracelet (LOFT); Shoes (Kate Spade via T.J. Maxx)

I had my performance review today, so I had to be more conservative than normal. That meant my 30X30 clothes were sort of out.  I don't know if you can tell, but this dress has more green in it that I think shows in the picture.  I love the faux wrap to this -- I think it makes me look so slim!  I also like the faux mandarin collar.  Despite my performance review, I still wanted to be stylish, so I added some red red beads and my fabulous Kate Spade pumps (scored for a song at T.J. Maxx):

Animal print = always a neutral.

Full Mustard Skirt

I've decided I really need a fully mustard-colored skirt.  I have a pencil skirt, but I really want a full one.  I bought a sewing pattern for a box pleat skirt, so I may try my hand at making one.  Look at all these fun outfits!

Atlantic-Pacific

The New Professional

A Fashionable Stitch

Lilly D.

Possessions

via Pinterest

What do you think? Don't I need a mustard skirt??!!

30X30 Outfits 22 and 23 - YAY OLYMPICS

Every two years,  I watch more Olympics than any person alive. More than even those people on SportsCenter whose job it is to watch sports.  I love everything about it.

I was so caught up yesterday in soccer and tonight watching the Opening Ceremonies, that I totes forgot to post.  I mean, all I was doing was sitting on my couch and working, so I really don't know why I didn't just watch at the same time.  So, here we go:

Yesterday was another polka dot day:

Sweater (Old Navy); Skirt (J. Crew Factory); Pumps (Ann Taylor); Bracelet (Gift from my mom for passing the Bar :) )

Green Necklace (some small shop in TX); white necklace (LOFT)

I got this necklace at a tiny shop in a tiny town outside of Houston last year. I love the color and the style, but I have worn it maybe only one other time before this. I find it really hard to figure out what to wear with!  I decided just to go with it today.  I layered it wish another necklace from LOFT to try to blend it better.  I had on pearls too (which I loved), but decided it was a bit much for work, so I edited it out.

Anthropologie had this exact same necklace in store recently (after I bought mine) for about $38.  I think I paid $12.  Anthro buys some of its clothes and much of its jewelry and knick knacks from independent designers (many of whom they find on etsy), so you can often find the exact same item somewhere else without the Anthro mark-up. If you're crafty, there are also a ton of tutorials out there.  Search for "Akela Necklace."

And this is what I wore today:

Sweater (J. Crew Factory, similar); Tank (LOFT); Jeans (LOFT): Pumps (Ann Taylor); Scarf (LOFT, similar); Necklace (LOFT and one I made myself, similar)

This is actually a cardigan backwards:

Yes,I know, backwards.  I've seen a few bloggers turn their sweaters around so that it's a crew neck in the front with the buttons down the back. You can buy a lot of sweaters these days with the buttons up the back. So, why not?

But then I chickened out.

What can I say?  I'm a wimp.

30X30 Day 20 and 21 - Yellow and more Yellow

When I'm having a bad day (or in my case, really a bad month), I like to wear bright colors.  Colors are transformative, don't you think?  There's just something about neon yellow that just cheers you up.

Sweater (Old Navy; similar for super cheap, or splurge for a cashmere version); Seersucker skirt (Macy's); Pumps (Cole Haan; similar)

Necklace (J. Crew Factory, similar, similar); Braclets from left to right (H&M similar for only $22.99, J. Crew Factory similar, H&M)

Woooo, Nelly. My hair looks rough.  I'll let you in on a little secret if you promise not to tell.  That chambray shirt is my old H&M chambray shirt with the hold in it.  I cut the sleeves right off (yes, I'm wearing a cut-off shirt) so that I could wear it under sweaters and things.  I like wearing sleeveless shirts under sweaters and cardigans because I have massive arms from sports and fried chicken and don't like things bulking up my arms.  Noone's going to see the sleeves,  so it doesn't matter.  What do you think?

Today, I went for yellow again:

 

Shirt (Old Navy, similar); Skirt (Target; this version from LOFT looks even better than mine and it's on sale for $20); Pumps (Cole Haan; similar)

Maybe I should have compared yesterday and today. I'm essentially wearing the same outfit :)  Whoops!

Necklace (Forever21); Belt (LOFT, similar); Bracelets (Forever21 similar; Kohls??)

I just bought this necklace at Forever21 for $6.80.  I thought it would be great for layering!

What do you do when you've been having a bad day?

Wishlist Wednesdays

Thought I'd start a new feature that I see other bloggers doing -- showing what I'm currently craving in my fashion wardrobe.

I don't have an iPhone, nor do I particularly want one, but this cheeky case from Kate Spade sorta makes me want one. About the only reason I am jealous of iPhone users are the cute cases.

This necklace is amaze-balls.  It's $58, so do-able for a splurge, but you have no idea how badly I do not need this necklace.  I already have one that will do just as well.

Splurge of the Week:

I have been wanting this Florescent Pink Cambridge Satchel for as long as I can remember.  If you go through Cambridge Satchel's website, you can even get your monogram on it! It's $155, which is not a ton for a bag, but it is a lot for a neon pink trendy bag.  I love the classic shape and I feel like I could tuck a ton in there.  Steve Madden makes a similar one for less, but it's still expensive for a trend at $98 and the reviews say it's not good.  There's a smaller one for $78, but it seems too small to be practical for the amount of stuff I jam into my purse.  The other one I've got my eye on is this felt number from ChicWish:

So all three satchels are about 13," which is good for a weekend walking about DC.  I like the felt one, but it doesn't seem as much fun. But maybe I need a practical color over fun.  Le sigh. What will probably happen is that I won't end up with either of them.

30X30 Day 19 - PINK

This is my Victoria Beckham pose:

Blouse (Alexa Chung for Madewell, similar); skirt (Limited; similar, similar); Bow Belt (LOFT; similar; super cheap one for $4.80); pumps (Ann Taylor Perfect Platform Pumps, spend, splurge, steal)

See?  Just like her! (Minus the fact that I'm not 5'10," a size 00, don't own a single pair of Louboutins let alone an entire closetful, and I'm not married to David Beckham (damn)).  Note to self: reverse position of hands.

This outfit was inspired by Pink Peonies:

The Pink Peonies

She wore hers with the white version of the ubiquitous J. Crew bubble necklace (not all white, but similar and the bits of pink is cute, bright white).  I really want a white one, but (a) I already have 3 bubble necklaces; and (b) I have this white necklace:

Necklace (Francesca's Collection, similar; this is pretty fierce; this one is my fave and I'm sad I have no excuse to get it)

Don't need it, do I?  I also have a pair of pink shoes that I may wear with this outfit on date night to really match Rachel's outfit:

From Macys awhile ago (similar here; these glitter ones are fabulous; Ivanka Trump is one of my fave brands)

Last night, instead of working, I did my nails. I'm feeling a lot bummed at work, and this is my method of being subversive.

I used a combo of these three colors:

I like it! It sorta feels very Hunger Games, girl on fire :)

30X30 Day 18 - Overcast Saturdays

It's overcast today. Not really raining (spitting every now and again).  It's kinda sucky because you don't get the benefit of a sunny day or a fun rainy day where you can just cuddle up on the couch.  I went to Starbucks today to get some work done. I always forget how slooooow the internet there is. That's probably a good thing, because it really prevents me from surfing.  Starbucks also doesn't have television, so I get some more stuff done.  My Starbucks was packed today. The bar exam is this week, so there were a lot of folks studying. I also think the rain sent a few people inside to wait things out.

Top (LOFT); Shorts (J. Crew); Scarf (LOFT); Belt (Old Navy); Purse (Kate Spade); Shoes (OKA b Priscilla)

Goofy me before I left the house.  I was hoping that if I wore sunglasses, it would get sunny. No such luck.  I was there for about 5 hours, but only had 3.5 hours on my timer. Where did the time go?

30X30 Day 16 and 17 - Whoops

Sorry, folks. Things got busy yesterday and I got tired and didn't feel like jumping on and posting.  Here's what I wore yesterday and today.

Cardigan (J. Crew Factory); Striped Shirt (H&M); Polka Dot Lace Skirt (LOFT); Pumps (Ann Taylor Perfect Platform Pump)

I'm trying some new poses, so work with me here.  I felt very fun in this outfit and liked mixing my striped shirt with these polka dots.  Tip for mixing prints: the prints should be different scales and stick with the same color palette.  Obvi, you can branch out from this, but it makes mixing prints less daunting.

MRS Necklace (Kate Spade); triple charm necklace (American Eagle); Hang in There Glasses Necklace (Kate Spade via T.J. Maxx)

Aren't these glasses cheeky and cute?  Mr. Matched spotted them in T.J. Maxx and pointed them out, knowing I would love them.  I think they're cheeky!  Since they were at T.J. Maxx, I got them for a great price.

Black Square Bracelet (Plato's Closet); Crystal Chain Bracelet (Forever21, recent); Polka Dot Bracelet (J. Crew via eBay)

And for today:

Shirt (LOFT); Scarf (LOFT); Jeans (LOFT): Shoes (Ann Taylor Perfect Platform Pumps)

Earlier today, I had on some bracelets, but I forgot to put them back on for this picture.  Just pretend my wrists were bedazzled.

Hoo Boy.  This was taken at the end of the day so I don't look quite so fresh. I don't think I would ordinarily wear this to work, even on Fridays, but I didn't have many options in my 30X30 closet. Next time I do this, I'm going to need to do a bit more planning.

This is the second time I've layered a scarf over this necklace and the third time I've layered a scarf and a necklace. I really like the look and will probs do it with my other statement necklaces, particularly when the weather gets a bit cooler.

Scarf (LOFT); Smaller necklace (J. Crew via eBay); Bubble Necklace (ILY Couture; I'm tempted to get the white)

I feel a little bit like sunshine on a cloudy day (sorta like the day today, actually. It was overcast alll day, but towards the end, the sun desperately tried to make an appearance).  Yellow and gray is one of my fave color combinations.  I've worn it several times already on this blog.  You can check the post out here.

What's your favorite unexpected fashion statement?

HA! I'm a fashion inspiration

J. Crew just released their fall Look Book.

Does that middle one look familiar?

Yeah. That's right.  J. Crew clearly follows my blog and copied my styling.  Now you know.

Will get on the internet tonight to post my outfit from yesterday and today.  It's been a hectic few days.

30X30 Day 15 - Woo Dots!

This outfit makes me happy:

Chambray top (Ann Taylor, blogged about here); polka dot skirt (J. Crew Factory, similar)

Mostly because there are pockets in this skirt!

I mean, really.  How can you go wrong with pockets?  I'm wearing these shoes today:

Pretend I have them on.  I took these pictures and didn't realize I had cut my feet off and didn't have time to redo them.

I know I just wore this skirt on Friday night, but I needed the pick me up that polka dots always give me. I've had a rough couple days at work.  I was thinking about wearing my bright pink cardi, but I may wear that tomorrow.  Gotta spread the happy out.

I thought I needed a shock of accessories so I added a bit of hot pink.

Turquoise necklace (Forever21, also comes in black); MRS necklace (Kate Spade); Pink necklace (Francesca's Collection; pink isn't available anymore, but here's the blue and yellow and a cute similar one in orange)

Rope Belt (Banana Republic Factory); Pink Bracelet (Thrifted ages ago); Link Bracelet (Forever21, comes in gold, but I could only find the silver online)

I'm working on layering my jewelry. I see a lot of bloggers that do such a good job layering necklaces and bracelets and it just looks so effortless.  This, I don't think quite made the mark. It definitely looks a bit forced. I probably should have figured out something else instead of the turquoise necklace.  Well, live and learn.  I'm just going to keep on trying, though! I try to layer bracelets, but I really only think I can do 3 on one wrist (at most) at a time. I work and type all day, so I can't have too many things clanking around.

Are you branching out in your fashion choices?

In other news, today marks the halfway point for my 30X30!!! YAY!