Today while at work several people stopped me to tell me they liked my outfit. It made me feel super pretty and also very uncomfortable. Despite being able to open the door to my private life and let myself be completely self-absorbed here… I hate when people focus on me in real life. I’m kind of awkward and introverted… which gets mistaken for being a bitch quite often. I’ve learned to care less about people thinking I’m a bitch, I can’t help my behavior. However, I can totally be charismatic while hiding behind a computer screen. All a ruse. Enough about that and back to the task at hand. Its not the first time I’ve worn this outfit and I usually get loads of comments on it when I do, so I thought I’d share it with all of you. It’s been a while since I opened my closet for you, here goes nothing.

This outfit came about when I was looking through my clothes at items I’ve had for a while but never wear. The shirt and sweater both have been collecting dust in my wardrobe for years, and now have a brand new life. I’ve been doing that a lot lately, it’s great to find new ways to wear old and seemingly useless stuff.

Outfit: Skirt: H&M, Shirt: Gap, Sweater: Aéropostale, Shoes: Aldo, Tights: Macys, Bow Ring: Modcloth, Specs: Warby Parker

I skipped Part 5. October was a miserable month and I was in no mood to wash my hair or take a photo. I didn’t want to disappoint two months in a row, so in spite of having just gotten into a really annoying car accident… I still took a photo for you. I was fine, the car wasn’t and 3 weeks of taking the bus was lame.

But back to hair. I dared to get length (sort of) cut off in November. It was time to shape up the mishap from Mays hair homicide. I returned to Lynn at Makeovers and we discussed all the things I didn’t want and the things I feared. Then she fixed the botched job. Its really nice to have hair that’s all one symmetric style.

I didn’t lose that much length and I almost feel like its growing faster now that its not a head full of mayhem. Might just be wishful growing. Although I am quite content with my haircut now that it’s not handicapped. Today I was looking through the sad photos that I took in my brothers bathroom a few hours after the butcher tossed a foot of my hair in the trash, I don’t know if I’ve made huge progress, but I am so much happier now that I’ve gotten my locks to an acceptable length.

If you have a lady in your life that’s anything like me… she’ll want these things under her tree. Sadly, my beau has already finished his Christmas shopping. Maybe if he’s payed attention to the many times I’ve sent him links or flashed him the laptop screen while saying “I can has?” my wishes will too come true.

Like this laptop sleve from The NY Public Library shop.

I’ve been coveting this dress from Red Velvet for months now, I’m hoping to snag it soon. On the other hand I do have a soft spot for owls… thankfully so do a lot of people.

Just a few finds from my loved items on Modcloth, 1 A Beautiful Mess Necklace, 2 Blog On Satchel, 3 Stylish to the Chorus Coat

I’m seriously crushing on this handmade skirt from The Velvet Bird.

And my heart beats faster for these random internet finds, 1 Hamish, 2 JoTotes Camera bag, 3 Winstons, 4 Chelsea Crew Oxfords.

Personally, I can’t wait for the holidays to be over so I can get back to shopping. My many wishlists are busting at the seems, it truly is torture.

Happy shopping everyone.

I have this rule when I shop online, which is where I do 90% of my shopping. The rule is, only cotton. I fell like in the last batch of years fabrics have become more and more cheap feeling. Whenever I go to stores I get grossed out by how awful the clothes feel by comparison to how much they cost. I’m confident that you can’t screw up cotton all that much, in my experience it’s always a been good choice. Sometimes I browse online and fall in love with something only to feel it in a store and be taken back by how cheap it feels. So, my experiment was this… try a new fabric… without being able to touch it first. I know, terrifying.

The dress is polyester, I was excited for its arrival and also very nervous. I was hoping it would be okay while keeping my trigger finger ready to hit print for the return label. Thankfully, everything turned out fine. I’ve worn the dress twice in the last three weeks, I’m absolutely smitten with it. The straps are a little long, but I’m used to it, this happens with most dresses on me. My mother is always ready for me to drop off piles of dresses for her to alter. I’m going to have to ask her about these blind stitches one day and be more self sufficient.

I’m growing braver with my fabric choices. Feeling a bit more daring. It’s comforting knowing I can always return things if they’re horrible. But it also helps to trust the shop you’re buying from… or in my case the website. Lately I’ve been testing the waters with handmade items from small online shops and random blogs. More on that soon. I’m starting to enjoy shopping again, which is nice. For a while all the crappy fabrics had me down. I would walk into a store and do a full circle right back out the door. I’d go months without having a new article of clothing and throw temper tantrums when I had to dress for events. I’m glad that their are some crafty young ladies out there making some great dresses now, I don’t know how I got on without them.

I hope my braveness rubs off on a few of you and you go out and do something out of closet character. Trust me, it’s lots of fun.

♥ Ana

Dress: Modcloth, Necklace: And Mary, Cardigan: H&M, Shoes: Charlotte Russe, Specs: Selima Optique, Tights: Target

I’ve stopped wearing my hair pin straight, I no longer have to in order to get the length I want. I also dislike my hair being straight with this haircut. My curling iron is my best pal. When it came time to take this months photo (back in September) I didn’t want to flatten it, and gave up on getting it pin straight… but you can still see the length.

Its been so long since my last hair post, I thought I’d remind us how far we’ve come. With all that happened in October I hadn’t bothered to take a monthly photo. When it comes time to do so this month the difference will be much more apparent.

I wish I could say that I recall the milestones from September, but sadly I don’t. But back in October my girlfriend, Amanda, told me that she liked my hair and asked if I would consider keeping it short. Eh? I will be cutting my hair this month, but not to keep it short, only to start fixing the horrible haircut. Nothing significant, I’ll most likely keep the length but tend to the horribly choppy and uneven layers. More news on that to come shortly briefly.

After years of grooming dogs I found myself in a fashion rut.  I didn’t see a need to shower for work, or style my hair.  I wore old man tees and sweatshirts to the salon and came home to slip into my pjs.  Well… that hasn’t changed, I do love me some pjs (I’m trying to break out of that habit).  So when I changed jobs to a position that forced me to not only shower but dress business appropriate, it took some getting used to.  I spent the first few years reluctant to shop for work clothes, convinced I could get by on a few items in heavy rotation.  But once it became apparent that this job was a long term affair, as well as the bump from part-time to full… it became time to give in to fashion. In the last year I’ve been shopping more for work than for personal, but in recent months I began only purchasing items that could work for both.  I love being able to go from work to class, or work to hanging out with friends.  I’m also working on making these items more comfortable, to eliminate post work pajama parties.  Since taking on more hours and a transfer closer to home I had packed on about 20lbs, which unless you understand how grotesquely thin I was beforehand you’ll wonder where exactly I’m hiding it.  Trust me, its all there.  This year I also purchased my first one piece bathing suit since elementary school. Comfortable clothes are nice, especially when you stubbornly hold on to your size twos as if you should still be buying those. Oh, they’ll fit right again soon, trust me (I joined the gym back in July and have gone twice, don’t trust me).

Last week one of my co-workers told me that I’m a lot better looking this year as opposed to last year.  Not in those exact words, but the sentiment is there. I took it as a compliment.

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Sweater: Anthropologie
Skirt and top: H&M
Tights: Macy’s
Belt: Modcloth
Shoes: Payless
Glasses: Selima Optique
Necklace: Gift from Terrence

I’ve never been one for shoes or accessories, not very girly I guess, until recently… I’ve had my eye on some things on the interwebs.  I still am a bit hesitant to spend a lot on bags and shoes… I think my lady genes will kick in soon though.