30x30 - Days 18 & 19

shirt: Express, sweater: Old Navy, jeggings: Discount Fashion Warehouse (Express brand), boots: JC Penney, necklace: Target

tee and scarf: H&M, blazer: Kohl's, pants: Discount Fashion Warehouse (Limited brand), shoes: Old Navy

Playing a little bit of catch up the next few days! These are actually outfits from Saturday and Monday. On Saturday my husband and I went out to a nice dinner, then joined some friends downtown for some drinks at one of our favorite breweries. Sunday was spent being so lazy that I just hung out in leggings and a sweatshirt all day, watching movies with my husband (yes, we watched more than one!). Those days are my favorite, but we were both feeling a little bored and restless by the end of it. It's been such a tiring week at work this week though that I'm looking forward to another lazy weekend to re-charge!

Although those pants are technically jeggings, and not leggings...I don't care - I'm linking up over on Ada's blog to show off a legging and boots look! :)

30x30 - Day 17

sweater: gift (from Gap), tee & boots: Target, jeans: Kohl's, scarf: Giant Eagle

Beth nominated me for the Golden Blog Award and it's the perfect excuse to write some random facts about myself. :) Here's the rules:

 Either use the award logo in the post, or create your own. 

-Link to whoever nominated you.

-Write 10 facts about yourself.

-Nominate bloggers

-Tell the bloggers so that they know they have been nominated.

1. For the longest time I thought I was purely an extrovert - I'll talk to any stranger, anytime. But the past year or so I've realized that I'm much more of an introvert than I ever thought. I really need my alone time to re-charge, and lately I make a point to having at least one night on the weekend that my husband and I don't make any plans but to hang out at home together.

2. I have a really good memory for names and faces and can remember things people have told me about themselves for a really long time. It comes in handy professionally as an Academic Advisor (and previously as a Case Manager), but there's times I feel bad about it. For example, my sophomore year of college I was at the gym when a girl a few machines down from me fell and went flying off the treadmill. Everyone was really nice about it thankfully, but I saw her at a conference this past November and still recognized her...10 years later. I would be mortified!

3. My first job out of college was as a Case Manager, working with ex-offenders. I was 21 when I started working there and the youngest person on staff by at least 10 years. I think I was proposed to at least twice, and let's just say I never ever wore skirts. :) 

4. I haven't really been single since I was barely 17 and I'm perfectly ok with that. I was in a 6 1/2 year relationship, then started dating my husband pretty much as soon as that ended. 6 months later we moved in together. It sounds cliche, but I really did just know from the start that my husband was right for me. 

5. I come from a really small family, but married into a really big one. It was a little bit overwhelming the first year, but I kind of love the crazy that comes along with a tight knit family of 40 (that's including all the aunts, uncles, and cousins in the family!)

6. When we planned our wedding, I was also in graduate school, working full time, and trained for a half marathon. In fact, I ran the race, turned in final projects, and got married all within one week. I have a feeling there's a lot of you out there who are parents and think that sounds like a vacation, but for me it was an accomplishment and I just remind myself of that time when I start to feel overwhelmed with just work.

7. I ran a marathon, but was a little disappointed after the race. It's another accomplishment I'm proud of, but it was a lot of work and I remember when I came down from the runner's high after finishing the race thinking "ok, now what?". The training was much more challenging than the actual race and dominated our lives for a good 5 months. (my husband ran the race too)


8. I'm a recent library lover. I work 2 blocks from our main branch and will request books online, then go pick them up on my lunch break. Confession though - I've had a book on hold for me since last Friday, but it's been so cold I haven't been able to talk myself into even that short walk yet!

9. I've never dyed my hair. Only had an unfortunate experience with sun-in when I was in high school and my mom refused to let me dye it back to my natural color.

10. I'm a details person, mostly at work though. My poor students often get a novel of an email response from me because I'm so thorough (at least that's what I like to think!), and I'm constantly considering how an action would potentially impact future situations. 

If you want to join in, I'm nominating:

Inge - This Ever Evolving Life
Brynn - Brynn Ash
Ada - Elegance and Mommyhood
Andi - Just Another Smith
Heidi at Literate & Stylish

And for fun, skinny jeans. Not the same pair, but no denying the style is a favorite of mine...Also linking up with AJ with some other ladies who are taking on this 30x30 challenge.

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30x30 - Days 14, 15, 16

blazer: Target, tee: H&M, pants and necklace: Discount Fashion Warehouse (Express brand), boots: Clothes Mentor

blazer: Target, dress and necklace: Old navy, tights (they're fleece lined!): Walmart, shoes: JC Penney

sweater: thrifted, tank: Old Navy, pants: Discount Fashion Warehouse (Express brand), shoes: Target, scarf: gift

Short on inspiration this week, and although I'm sure we're all sick of hearing about the weather, I'm sure I'm struggling because all I want to do is curl up inside with my sweatpants and a blanket! Since that wasn't an option, I figured I would catch you up instead on what I wore instead. I know I professed my love for my black jeggings from the first picture in this post, but my black jeggings have quickly become one of my go-to pieces and have proven to be well worth the $12 or so that they cost. Although they're a more recent addition to my closet, check out my favorite ways I've worn them so far...

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Linking up over at Work Clothes, I Suppose for Third Thursday Threads, wearing whatever we want this time around...

30x30 - Day 13

sweater: thrifted, tee: H&M, jeans: Kohl's, boots: Target

inspiration photo - Lea Michelle

Joining in on the Inspiration Monday fun today over at Two Birds! I'll look for any excuse to put on a nice, comfy baggy sweater and some skinny jeans. According to my Pinterest board, apparently that's the only style I ever want to wear!

I had grand plans of wearing the black boots from my December budget post, but I only left the house to wear some errands today and the Target boots are way more comfortable to shop around in. Maybe that should be my new tactic though...pick the less comfortable shoes and I guarantee I won't shop as long. My budget could use it! But really, the Target boots have been perfect for just about any occasion. Check out how I've styled them for work, then a casual and dressier weekend look too...

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30x30 - Day 12

hat: gift, sweatshirt & scarf: Old Navy, pants: Discount Fashion Warehouse (Express brand), boots: Target

Yes my friends, we are calling this an outfit. Mostly because on Saturday if I wasn't in running clothes, I was in sweatpants hanging out at my parents house and I didn't want two days of nothing to share for fear of not finishing this 30x30 challenge before spring! So this is the outfit I put together for my 30 minute trip to the grocery store, before coming back and changing right back into sweatpants. Whatever. Let's break it down. Hat because why on earth would I want to do my hair for just a trip to the grocery store, fancier earrings than usual because they had been sitting on top of parents' bathroom cabinet and I threw them on this morning so I wouldn't forget to pack them, scarf to hide the bright pink straps from my sports bra, pants because they're super stretchy and comfortable, and boots because it was gross outside and they hide my white socks I was wearing with black pants. I promise to do better tomorrow. :)

And here's a few more put together looks with these black pants, clearly a recent favorite...

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30x30 - Day 11

tee: Target, denim shirt: thrifted, pants: Discount Fashion Warehouse (Express brand), boots: JCPenney

This shirt typically gets tons of weekend wear because a baggy button up is my way of looking just a little bit put together (as put together as a denim shirt allows!) while still feeling like I'm hanging out in something as comfortable as my hooded sweatshirt. This is my attempt at making it appropriate for a casual Friday at work, although the great news today is that only half of my day was spent there! We get to head home tonight for a beer tasting with both sets of parents, then hanging out with my family the rest of the weekend. The best part for me is that I get to come back and still have Monday off work! I love my husband, but I'm looking forward to a day to myself. A workout, reading my book, watching more Orange is the New Black, and maybe doing some thrifting because it's been a really long time are the only things on my to-do list. High achiever over here!

Other ways I've worn my favorite shirt...

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30x30 - Days 9 and 10

shirt: Discount Fashion Warehouse (Express brand), vest: Clothes Mentor, bracelet: thrifted, pants: Discount Fashion Warehouse (Limited brand), shoes: Old Navy

shirt and pants: Discount Fashion Warehouse (Limited brand), blazer: Kohl's, shoes: Target

link to pin here!

Playing catch up today, with days 9 and 10 outfits. I'm linking up for Heather's Pinned It and Did It link up again! I pinned this look awhile ago, which reminded me that I actually own a pink blazer and should wear it more often. It used to be such a favorite, but for some reason it got pushed to the back of the closet for the past 2 years. I included it in the challenge with the hope that it would start to wear it more often again. 

So here's a a little bit of a funny/embarassing story for your entertainment - today was a co-workers' birthday so we decided to throw her a fiesta. We had a potluck lunch with buffalo chicken dip (only because it's not a party without buffalo chicken dip!), tacos, and chicken tortilla soup. We decided it would be fun to make the birthday girl look ridiculous, so we got her an enormous sombrero that we had her wear all afternoon. If you're interested in checking out the ridiculousness, check me out on instagram for the photo! Right before lunch I headed out to my car to get that enormous sombrero and as I'm hustling back to the building because it was freezing and I refused to wear socks today, my heel got caught in the crack of the sidewalk. Thankfully I didn't trip or fall - it actually didn't even slow me down - but one shoe went flying off my foot and I had to turn around and go back for it. I was hoping nobody saw me when I heard a laugh from across the street and somebody yell "I didn't see anything!". I turned around and it was our provost/senior vice president of academic affairs. Yes, our provost saw me lose a shoe while speed walking, ridiculous sombrero in hand....

Is it Friday yet?! :)


And lastly, here's a few more ways I've worn that fur vest, which is probably the best $6 I have ever spent...

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30x30 - Day 8

tee: H&M, sweater: Old Navy, skirt: Walmart, shoes: Discount Fashion Warehouse (from Lane Bryant)

and another shot because I think those heels are worth highlighting :)

In case you hadn't noticed, I got my bangs cut over the weekend. I got to talking to the girl who cuts my hair and before I knew it, they were just enough shorter than I thought they were going to be that I may have freaked out a little bit on the car ride home. But they're bangs, and they'll grow pretty quickly. Today I was told that they had a little bit of a Betty Page look going on...still not sure how I feel about that, so don't be surprised if headbands make quite a few appearances for the next week or two. :)

But onto my outfit because I think these heels are worth talking about...I love the snakeskin heel! They're Lane Bryant and I never would have discovered them had they not been at Discount Fashion Warehouse for $12. Because if you've been around my blog for awhile, then you know that if the price is right and I think it's cute, I'll give it a try. If you're local, you should check the place out. Four of the items included in my 30x30 are from there and are either Express or Limited brand. You do have to inspect each piece to check for things like that all the buttons or there and that there's not any tears in the clothing, but when you can find pieces for $12 and under, then I'm willing to put in that effort!

And here you go - a few other ways I've styled this blue skirt...

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30x30 - Day 7

shirt: Express, blazer and necklace: Target, pants: Discount Fashion Warehouse (from Express), shoes: Discount Fashion Warehouse (from Lane Bryant)

It's true, I am as exhausted as this picture makes me look. Blame it on one late night over the weekend that this old lady can't handle anymore, a long day at work, or most likely the fact that I went from not working out at all to fitting in either a run or short yoga session into 5 days last week. I have a long way to go, but was proud of myself for at least a week of consistency and hope to keep that going! As probably part of that exhaustion, I found myself in front of my closet this morning feeling like I had nothing to wear, just like I predicted I would. To make myself feel better, today was the day I selected the 30th item for my 30x30. If you're not sure what I'm talking about then read this post, and yes I was still late for work today! :) 

officially item #30 in the 30x30

And although full length black pants are probably what I would consider the least interesting in my closet, they're a necessity for anyone working in an environment that calls for a business casual dress code. Here's a few ways I've managed to style them and add some personality to the look in other ways...

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30x30 - Days 5 and 6

tee and sweater: Old Navy, jeans: Kohl's, boots: JC Penney

tee and sweater: Old Navy, necklace: gift, pants: Discount Fashion Warehouse (from Express), shoes: JC Penney

Here we have an outfit I put together when my husband and I decided to get out of our sweatpants, out of the house, and have somebody cook dinner for us on Saturday night then the outfit I wore to go volunteer at graduation for a few hours today. I think we can officially say these black pants are one of my favorite purchases.  They're super stretchy so they're comfortable, tight enough to look stylish when they need to, and have pockets so I feel like they're not too legging-ish to out of commission for the work week. Although I do try to mostly save them for casual Fridays, they made it into last Wednesdays look because pants and tall boots were the only thing that cold weather made me even want to think about wearing! 

And to prove that these black jeggings aren't the only things that are pulling their weight in my closet, here's some other ways I've styled a gray t-shirt...

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30x30 - Day 3 and 4 (kind of!)

shirt and boots: Old Navy, jeans: Kohl's, scarf: gift

Not too much of interest to see here in this look. Just an Academic Advisor who was simply impressed she made it out of the house on time Friday morning without looking like too much of a hot mess. :) How I’m this exhausted after 2.5 days of work is beyond me, but maybe we can say it’s from trying to cram 5 days of work into those 2.5 days. Despite being tired, we did make it out for drinks for my best friends' 30th birthday last night, so I did put together another look with a little bit more effort. For the sake of playing catch up in this 30x30 challenge, we're counting Fridays' efforts as 2 of the 30 looks! Linking up with AJ today for the 30x30.

button up: H&M, sweater: thrifted, pants: Discount Fashion Warehouse (Express brand), shoes: Old Navy

And for fun, here's two other ways I've worn this black and white sweater...

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