One-Dollar Wonders

As you may remember from Monday, Angie helped me realize that my outfit was indeed more manly than boyish - fine with me, once it clicked that there are different styles of menswear!

Today has meeting set up and a fire drill on the agenda, so I'm going with a variation on that same outfit - soft blouse, trousers, rugged belt, and my faux-flat 80%20 boots.

Citron blouse - Christmas/Bday money via Ann Taylor
Gray cardi - $10 via Target
Leather belt - $3 via swap meet
BR Sloan pants - Christmas Money via BR
80%20 Rina ankle boots - Christmas Money via Karmaloop

(Wow, I really went on a spree beefing up my work wardrobe in December!)

I'm a little high on my love for super-cropped jackets right now - for my purposes, that means something that hits above my natural waist, so it can adequately reveal my waistline while still allowing me to cover up my arms and break up the expanse of my chest. My favorite one hits around my bustilne as an empire waist would.

I've worn the look a lot lately with positive response, so I thought I'd share a few options I've come across in my online travels. There seems to be a lot out there if you focus your search on young, trendy stores. This may also help create an even more cropped look, since younger clothes may hit higher on a more developed bod.

Denim:
http://www.forever21.com/Produ.....=affiliate

http://www.gbyguess.com/Catalo.....rralID=NA#

Woven:
http://www.forever21.com/Produ.....=affiliate

http://www.forever21.com/Produ.....=affiliate

http://www.bluefly.com/bcbgmax.....IA_jackets

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004J.....=481921409

Faux Leather:
http://www.charlotterusse.com/.....-_-ADZCHIC

http://www.bebe.com/bebe-Cropp.....ch-results

http://www.bebe.com/bebe-Cropp.....ch-results

Genuine Leather:
http://www.drjays.com/shop/P87.....rop-jacket

I can't not wear wintry colors, even though it's Spring, but I picked up this cropped trench at the swap meet (before May Madness, yay!) as part of my realization that black won't be going anywhere for me this season. This won't be making the cover of any S/S catalogs, but I'm at least hoping the bare arms and legs mean it's not seasonally confused. :)

Cropped trench - $1 via swap meet
AT red dress - $0.50 via swap meet
Frye Julias - 1/2 off via Dillard's (just over $200 before GCs, rewards points)
Pearl bracelet set - $1 via swap meet
Calf hair bag - 3 Euro via Italian flea market

I used to have a Big Issue with wearing orange with black - nowadays, I do it often, but I still felt a wee bit strange colorblocking orange and black. Hopefully no one thinks I look like a jack o' lantern! Browns chosen to soften the black here. Meeting with personal injury adjuster this morning, then chiropractor in the eventing, so I didn't want to be too put together or constricted. Normally, I would have more structure in an outfit, but today all there is is my chest pockets, of course a fitted shoulder seam, and my leopard bag.

I think the effect is very tomboy - not the usual menswear vibe with a vest and tie and such, but an overall slouchy effect like a boy in a school uniform who still wants to run about and cause mischief without splitting his pants. ;)

Since I didn't post these in my blog before, here's my review of this week's YLF Nature Challenge - lots of soft, tonal, and pastel colors pushed my style boundaries but yielded some fun results (if I do say so myself)!

1: Worn to work and to chiropractor appointment. The bag saved the day, since pink and purple are very scarce in my wardrobe - I have plans to dye this baby, but have not gotten around to it yet.
- Purple suede Kenneth Cole hobo - $3 via swap meet
- Gray cascade cardi - $12 via Target
- Hinge draped cowl top - $1 via swap meet
- brown leather belt - $3 via swap meet
- BR Sloan pants - Christmas gift card
- 80%20 Rina fawn boots - Christmas gift card

2: Another day and work and the chiropractor's office. Wore my new dress after prompting from Natalie - one of my new favorite outfits!
- Michael Michael Kors agate print dress - $85 via 6pm.com
- Cristina Valentina handbag - years old gift from Mom
- AS leather jacket - via Ebay
- Boutique 9 booties - ?? Still don't know... appeared in my trunk!
- Sheer black tights - $1 via dollar store

3: Not worn at all! I arrived at this outfit only after making a return and finding this blouse waiting for me. After feeling off in my skirt all day and thinking about tossing it, the blouse made everything right.
- Nexx silk blouse - $88 via Nordstrom
- J Crew ombre skirt - $1 via swap meet
- Report Marks booties - $30 via Amazon ($15 after CC rewards points!)

4: Worn to work. I was worried what I'd wear for this picture, since there are no bright, vivid colors to wear near my face, but white is just as bright.
- Brooks Brothers no-iron shirt - $25 via Ebay
- paisley green skirt - $1 via swap meet
- BR gold button cardi - CC rewards
- Squirrel necklace - 2 Euro via flea market in Rome
- repeat of mystery Boutique 9 booties
- B. Makowsky python embossed bag - vie Ebay

5: Worn for Casual Friday at work - a very busy day full of month-end and quarter-end shenanigans. Possibly the last soft color in my closet, and it happened to fit with the photo - what luck!
- AT blouse - $20? via AT extra 50% off sale
- Hudson signature jeans - $40 via Ebay
- AllSaints Mini Mac - $40 via Ebay
- Fergie Major boots - Birthday Gift Card via Nordies
- Same B. Makowsky bag as day 4

All in all, I was surprised how easy it was to stay true to my own style while dressing for this challenge. Despite the soft colors, the moody and dramatic qualities really spoke to me. The best part of the challenge, though, was how all the YLF forum members stayed true to THEIR styles as well - we all dressed to the same images, yet came up with totally different outfits. A great example of how "it is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors."

Good old Oscar Wilde... he liked his outfits, too.

I remember Natalie DIYed some waxed denim but that the wax ended up a little stciky - I came across this video with an alternate technique that should dry down all the way. The downside is that it involves paint to match your denim - so if you want to wax printed denim perhaps just use the gel they recommmend?

http://www.fabsugar.com/DIY-Ho.....C+Need.%29