Over-the-knee boots

OOTD: Transitions

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Dress | Shoes | Necklace | Earrings | Bracelet 1 | Bracelet 2 | Work Bag

The calendar says it’s fall, but as usual, Indiana weather has its own ideas. We’ve gone from 80s to barely 60 within a few days, and we’re supposed to hit the 80s again all in the same week. As much as I’m itching to get out my plaids, flannels, and wools for fall, it’s just not practical, so I’m making it work with transitional pieces and accessories for now until the weather catches up.

I’m ecstatic that Old Navy brought back my favorite swing dress from last year – so much so that I’m debating what color(s?) I’ll be getting it next. This dress is perfect year-round; just throw on some tights once it gets cold, and you’re good to go. As a heads up, I had to size down from my normal last year, so you may have to do the same.

I finally got in on the lace-up flats trend, and my favorite part about these is that it isn’t hard to find them for less than $20 thanks to Target’s sales. (Ahem, like right now.)

This is definitely an outfit I’ve worn more than once over the past month, swapping out the flats for booties (like these or these, depending on the occasion) and rotating my ever-present Kendra Scott necklace and earring favorites. I know that as the temperature keeps falling, I’ll be reaching for this dress – and whichever color I get next – to pair with a cardigan, tights, and over-the-knee boots. It really is the best!

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OOTD 2.18.2016: OTK Boots & The Office

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OOTD 02182016

We’ve officially reached the point in February when I am so over winter and winter clothes, I can’t stand it. When the temperatures first dropped in the fall, I was excited to pull out the wools, tweeds, darker colors, and tights. Now? Over it. Soooo over it!

Today wasn’t nearly as warm as tomorrow is supposed to be (62 degrees! A heatwave for Indiana in February!), but I decided to ditch the tights and go for bright colors, despite the temps in the 40s. That’s where my beloved OTK boots came in.

The key to OTK boots at the office ensuring you’re not showing much – if any – skin. OTK boots can pack a whole lot of va-va-voom, which is the opposite of what you want for your standard 9-to-5 office environment. I never wear mine to work without opaque black tights and/or as much coverage as possible to tone them down, usually in the form of a knee-grazing skirt. Since I was boycotting my tights today, coverage was extra important.

My fit and flare dress is a few years old from Old Navy, but a good fit and flare is always a comfy classic. This one also comes to my knees, so only a centimeter or so of skin would show when I was walking, meeting the coverage requirement. Not satisfied with the bright dress alone, I had to add in my Lilly Pulitzer Murfee scarf (a birthday gift from a sweet friend a few years ago), and my hot pink Kendra Scott earrings. I topped it all off with some bright lipstick. For being described as a balm, the color of this bareMinerals “Lip-Oil Balm” sticks around all day.

Bring on spring!

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OOTD 1.20.2016

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Wednesday in January calls for some fuchsia gingham, don’t you think? We woke up to a winter wonderland (and all sorts of traffic), so I figured a little bight pink couldn’t hurt. My top is an old one from C.Wonder (sigh, still sad they aren’t around anymore), but I’m a big believer that gingham is always in style. I’m also a big believer in cardigans, as evidenced by the drawer I have with a full rainbow of them. I worked at Ann Taylor Loft right after graduating from college, which both fed my addiction and gave me a solid collection to build on that’s still going strong. My skirt is a winter go-to wool mini from J.Crew Factory – this one is a little darker, but pretty close and on solid markdown. Add on a sparkly necklace (an oldy-but-a-goody from BaubleBar) and earrings, cable knit tights, and my beloved over-the-knee boots, and I was good to go.

Despite the crazy weather, I thought it’d be a good idea to curl my day-two hair, but it seems my hair had other ideas, so into a ponytail it went. My hair is super straight and baby fine, so figuring out just the right way to curl it has been a battle I’ve been fighting for most of my life. When we had to have a full head of curls for show choir in high school, it required sleeping in hot rollers the night before to get the curls to last through prelims, and even then, a touchup was required before finals at night. A battle, I tell you. I’ve found I have great luck when I use my tapered curling wand, but when I want bigger curls, my standard 1.5 inch barreled curling iron just doesn’t seem to hold the curls. I’ve eyed a few 1-inch wands, but can’t bring myself to bite the bullet on price. I know I will, it’s just a matter of figuring out which one is really worth it. Do you have any favorites?

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I’m SO excited that these beauties showed up in the mail today (with a little help from my Mom – thanks, Mom!), so it looks like I’ll be finding a way to work in some hot pink tomorrow too…and maybe even the day after that…

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