What I Wore

How I Spent My Summer

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White Pants | Shoes | Purse | Earrings | Bracelet 1 | Bracelet 2 | Lipstick

Good news, guys, I’m still around! My Labor Day weekend has kicked off with a trip to the Minute Clinic to find out my husband has a sinus infection and bronchitis, so I thought it might be a good time to explain my absence while he hopefully sleeps those antibiotics into his system. You may notice a bit of a change of scenery there in the background there, as we’ve started redoing our bedroom this summer! I’m obsessed with the changes so far, but that’s a post for another day.

I said awhile back that I needed to press pause, and at the time, it was because I was just too overwhelmed with work, training for the half-marathon, and just general life stuff. Although my training ended, work didn’t start to slow down until very recently. I was so exhausted by late nights (the kind where your husband asks if he was dreaming or were you actually on the phone with your coworker at 1 a.m. – yikes), deadlines, and everything else we had going on this summer, that the idea of getting back on my computer and blogging was just too much. I missed it and still took lots of pics though; my phone is basically an “I should blog about this” graveyard.

I’m excited to say that things have finally slowed down enough that I think I’m finally able to make my return. I’m ready to share outfits, recipes, and all of the other stuff I’m excited about again. To make up for a complete lack of posting all summer, and in honor of the time-honored tradition of starting the school year by sharing all of the details of your summer break. I figured why not finally share some of my photos, so get ready to scroll!

Run 317 Circle

My cousin and I ran a 5k through downtown Indy less than 2 weeks after the Mini Marathon. The Run 317 series goes through Indianapolis neighborhoods, supports local charities, and comes with two beers at the end from Thr3eWiseMen! This one started and ended on Monument Circle – so fun!

Indy 500

We went to the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. It was an awesome day with our friends and family. It was also HOT, so this one is me in all of my sweaty, unfiltered glory.

Colin-Liza Wedding

We celebrated the wedding of one of our oldest friends (Colin, my chili-adoring bestie)…and thought we were still young enough to close down the bars in Bloomington like college kids (we’re not). If you’re ever in B-town, check out The Big Cheeze! True love is your husband surprising you with a grilled cheese at 2 a.m.

Happy Camper

We spent a weekend in Chicago catching up with old friends and celebrating one of my best friend’s baby shower. The picture is a little blurry, but the look of pure joy on my face is because the Happy Camper is a bar with tire swings. Beers with friends from high school, pizza, and tire swings made it basically the best thing ever.

Run 317 Mass Ave

We did another Run 317 in the Mass Ave area of downtown Indy, and this time my sister joined us for her first ever 5k! It was the kind of ridiculously hot and humid day where you sweat just standing still, so they had to turn it into a non-timed “fun run,” which was just fine for us. We have one more Run 317 left in October, so hopefully my sister will be joining us again!

My very favorite weekend of the year every year is Dave Matthews Band weekend with my husband, brother-in-law, and our friends. Dave plays two shows in Indy, and each night is a totally different show and setlist, so we go both nights. Our first night was up-close and personal in the pit so you can really see the band, and then the second night is on the lawn and dancing barefoot on our blanket (although that part is more just me…). It was SO HOT – are you noticing a theme here for this summer in Indianapolis?

Alyssa Wedding

August kicked off with my cousin’s wedding and an after-party at our house that lasted into the wee hours of the morning. I have a lot of cousins, and I LOVE hanging out with all of them. It was so much fun, and will definitely be a night we remember for a long time.

First Anniversary

Speaking of weddings, we celebrated our first anniversary on August 15th! I cannot believe it’s been a year already, time truly does fly when you’re having fun. I honestly planned to do so many wedding-related posts about how I got ready for our big days (we had two weddings: one on 8/15 at a church with just our family, and one that was a great big party with our family and friends on 8/21), but we’ve already been over my lack of posts. Now that we’re getting ready to ramp up planning my sister’s wedding, I fully plan to share my tips, tricks, lessons, and memories from ours as we go, so stay tuned!

Speaking of our anniversary, Kendra Scott just happened to open a store in Indianapolis the weekend before. My sweet husband knew I’ve been lusting after this necklace forever, so he played detective to find out when exactly they’d be opening, and he even figured out that if we went on opening day, I’d get this (perfectly Colts blue) bracelet for free! Isn’t he the best? Did you know that if you go to Kendra Scott during your birthday month and show your ID, you get 50% off of a piece of jewelry? August just happens to be his birthday month, so it was even more of a bargain. You can guess where I’ll be heading in October!

So that was our summer in a nutshell. Can you believe it’s already September? I love summer, and it’s my favorite season, even when it gets ridiculously hot. I have to say though, I’m ready for the calm that comes with fall. Fall means calmer schedules, bonfire and chili nights with our friends, football Sundays (and the snacks that go with them!), and so many other great things. I love my sundresses, but I also love the fashion that comes with the cooler temperatures.

Thanks for bearing with me while I took some time to re-group, and I promise to be a much better blogger in the weeks and months to come.

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Indianapolis Mini Marathon!

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My cousin and I after the race.

Top | Crops | Headband | Shoes

Although I’ve been MIA for a bit, I had to share an update on my half-marathon experience. We did it! And lived to tell about it!

After 12 weeks of training, lots of miles logged, and sore muscles, we officially crossed the finish line of the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon. It was hard, but we ran almost the entire thing (our walking breaks were definitely less than a mile total). Our time was 2 hours and 41 minutes, so only 11 minutes over our goal of 2:30, and still pretty respectable for our first go (and not running at all prior to mid-February). We ran through sun, light sprinkles, and a straight-up downpour at various times, and although my body was aching by the end and my feet were KILLING me, I’ll definitely be back for more.

In case you’re wondering what I wore – because let’s be honest, picking out what to wear for the big day was pretty fun too – I EARNED my Lululemon reward. This mint top is described as “light support,” but I can tell you it was very secure and way better than any other “light support” sports bra I’ve ever worn. I’ve also learned I have to have a (moisture-wicking) headband of some sort, otherwise sweat drips in my eyes and I hate everything. This one from Lululemon was great and never felt like it was about to slip off, plus it’s reversible. My leggings were a find at the Gap outlet on our way back from Garth Brooks. These are similar, but if you want the contrast stitching and don’t mind a different color combo, these are $11. I’m also still completely in love with my Mizunos. You may have also noticed that I matched my outfit to my shoes, because of course. (There was also a jacket from Lululemon in the perfect berry color that would’ve really completed the ensemble, but Husband heard the price and it became a “we’ll think about it.” Sigh.)

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Waiting to start.

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Kissing the yard of bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

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About to cross the finish line and finally seeing my husband and sister waiting for me at the end. My cousin was long gone – she decided to end her suffering and took off for the finish line around mile 11. I couldn’t blame her, I totally would’ve too.

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After we crossed the finish line! 

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Toasting our accomplishment and recovering (right before we ate sooo much pizza).

The biggest surprise out of all of this has been that I’ve found myself looking forward to running. When I was growing up, people always asked me if I was a runner, just like my dad was. I remember my mom telling me that he had planned to have me start running with him before he got sick, and I laughed because I’ve NEVER been a runner – it’s always sounded more like torture than anything enjoyable. I won’t miss the “homework”aspect of knowing I have to get a certain number of miles in each week, but I’ve come to enjoy the clearheadedness that comes from putting in a few miles after a stressful day. Plus, I’ve never felt stronger than when I realized I could go 6 miles without having to walk at all, a feeling that’s grown after completing the 13.1 – walking bits and all. I’m not going to lie, that final half mile or so was absolutely brutal. While the encouragement of the other girls helped me when my feet were screaming at me at the end, the thing that really got me through was thinking of my dad running it so many years before, and fighting through to cross the finish line just like he did. I’m not sure I’d ever thought I’d find myself becoming a runner like he’d always hoped, but better late than never, I suppose.

Dad Running

My dad running track in high school. He’s the one with the long, flowing, 1970s hair who’s receiving the baton. 

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OOTD: Spontaneous Garth Brooks Concert!

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Top | Jeans | Earrings | Booties (similar)

I may not have done better about finding time to post this week, but I did at least do something exciting! While watching the ACMs on Sunday, we decided to see if there were any shows left on the Garth Brooks tour. To our surprise, there were shows in Louisville on Friday night, so we decided to be spontaneous and snag some tickets. (Special thank you to my husband for indulging my whim. He likes the old-school Garth Brooks stuff, but I’m definitely the country fan in our relationship.)

Because everyone likes something new and fun to wear for a night out like a concert, I took the opportunity to finally pick up a new pair of jeans. I’m no stranger to the distressed jean – I worked at Abercrombie all through college. The thing about working there, is that I ended up with a ton of jeans. I have a tough time buying something new when I know I have the same thing that still works, so replacing all those jeans has been an embarrassingly slow process. While I’ve seen rave reviews for the the AG Legging Jean, my bank account can only handle so much spontaneity. I decided to go for the very reasonably priced and equally stylish dark distressed legging jean from Express, and let me tell you, they’re amazing. Perfect fit, super soft, and comfortable enough for the two-hour car ride down to Louisville. I’ll definitely be going back for another pair.

I also picked up this super cute off-the-shoulder top from H&M. It’s part of their Coachella collaboration, so I figured what better way to get in on the off-the-shoulder trend than a collection inspired by music and concerts. It was also an absolute steal at under $15.

Have you ever shopped for a shirt specifically to go with a pair of earrings? Because that’s exactly what I did when looking for a top to wear, I knew they had to go with these squash blossom Baja Drops from BaubleBar. They’re gorgeous and so fun, but I will warn you, they are heavy, so make sure you pair them with these.

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(Please excuse my chipped nail polish.) The concert was a 10:30 show, so we stopped by Down One Bourbon Bar in Louisville for a quick drink before attempting the crazy crowds waiting to get into the second show of the evening. They have over 160 bourbons, so I decided to fully embrace our Kentucky night out with a Kentucky Mule – basically a Moscow Mule made with bourbon instead. I love a Moscow Mule, but I’ll definitely be recreating this one at home sometime; it was the perfect combination of bourbon and ginger.

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I actually ended up losing an earring back, but luckily I heard my earring go crashing to the floor before the show, so I was able to rescue them to have for future wears. I would’ve been absolutely devastated otherwise. Hence, the no earrings pic.

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The show was AMAAAAAZING! We both grew up on Garth Brooks’ music, and he played literally everything we could’ve wanted to hear and then some. Unfortunately, Trisha Yearwood was sick and unable to perform, but he made up for her absence with a solid two-hours of fun and great music. We had such a good time, it was the perfect mini-getaway to take a break from the craziness!

P.S. At least I can tell you some fun new stuff is coming. No trip down I-65 is complete without a stop at the outlet mall, and ours included a crazy sale day at J.Crew Factory. Here’s a sneak peak at skirt and necklace I picked up and cannot wait to wear this week!

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OOTD 3.31.2016

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Dress (white) | Necklace | Lipstick

It’s important to have some clothes for the office that make you feel like you’re ready to kick some butt that day. For me, a good sheath dress does exactly that, so I always reach for one when I have a meeting or I know it’s going to be a busier day at the office in terms of who’s there that day.

I shared my love for this particular dress from J. Crew Factory when I almost wore it for St. Patrick’s Day, and I wasn’t kidding when I said I was ready to get it out for the year. Though it seems the green isn’t available anymore, this white option is just as polished and chic – especially with little white dresses being a must-have this spring and summer. My other go-to sheath dress is this one from The Limited. I currently have it in black, navy, and gray (and now that I’m seeing it in khaki and light blue, I may need to expand my collection…). Whether you work in an office that tends to be on the dressier side or just need an alternative to a suit for big meeting days, the sheath is an always classic way to look pulled together with minimal effort. Use your jewelry to either make a statement or keep things simple, you’ll look great regardless!

This top knot has become one of my favorite styles for day-two hair, partially because I feel like I’ve finally figured out that perfectly full Lauren Conrad-esque version I’ve loved for years. Yes, I’m still doing the not washing every day thing, and no, I haven’t forgotten about still needing to post about it. In the meantime, I’ve been trying all sorts of dry shampoos, and I’ve definitely found some favorites and some I probably won’t be buying again once the can runs out. Training has added a new layer to my little experiment, but I have to tell you, I’m pretty hooked…the extra bit of sleep in the morning thanks to the shortened shower is a pretty solid selling point too!

I know I’ve been slacking on the posts lately, and I promise, I’ll work on it. As the race gets closer (just over a month away!), my mileage during the week is increasing, so long days at work plus the time to put in my miles is zapping my weeknights. Like I mentioned in the beginning, this is my fun spot, so when time is short and I have to choose between a post and time with my husband, he wins every time. I swear, I’m still around and will get better at the posting thing.

Happy weekend!

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OOTDs: Easter (Weekend) Lillies

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Dress | Clutch

Some weeks are just crazy and busy, but this week was just plain challenging for all sorts of reasons. Needless to say, we were ready for the weekend. It’s no secret I’ve been ready for spring weather and spring clothes, but there’s no better time than Easter to rock all Lilly Pulitzer, all weekend.

On Saturday, we went to a couples wedding shower for an old friend and his awesome fiancee. I knew I wanted to wear this tunic dress I snagged during the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale back in January – it felt like I’d ordered it forever ago and I’ve just been waiting for it to get warm enough. The day started out pretty chilly (it was a rough run that morning), so instead of the sandals I hoped for, I stuck with with booties. Note to self: I really need some closed-toe espadrilles for these in-between days…and just in general. Fun tassel earrings and my monogrammed clutch were all I needed to complete my party outfit.

Wedding Shower 2Wedding Shower 1

The shower was super fun and eventually transitioned from your pretty typical wedding shower to just hanging out with some of our oldest friends. My friend, Amanda, and I have been besties since the first day of first grade when we got lost together before the school day even started (true story). She, Colin (the groom-to-be), and I all went to elementary school together, and then my husband joined the group in middle school. Colin’s house was where we’d all hang out, and Amanda made my husband and I admit we liked each other during a 7th grade field trip, so to say we all go wayyyy back is an understatement. It’s also why we’re apparently incapable of getting through a normal photo together without laughing hysterically (though I’m sure the margaritas didn’t help much either)…this was the best of the bunch. The boys’ antics haven’t changed much since middle school either!

Easter - GroupEaster - JandJEaster - with Mom

Dress (similar) | Cardigan | Shoes | Earrings

The only downside of the Lilly After Party Sale is that you end up waiting so long to get to wear your new treats if you don’t go anywhere warm during the winter. I’ve been waiting since the August sale to wear this Bentley v-neck dress,  and it was totally worth the wait as the perfect Easter dress. (It’s no longer available, but this one is pretty similar.) My heels are favorites from J.Crew Factory – they’re amazingly comfortable and go with literally everything. And yes, my Kendra Scotts again, because they also go with everything and I have no self-control. We were staring directly into the sun for this series of pics, which is why we’re all squinting and the boys were being ridiculous.

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This year, my mom put together an Easter egg hunt for us to do after mass, but it was no ordinary free-for-all egg hunt. Each of our (color-coded by person) eggs was filled with pieces of a poem we had to unscramble. Once the poem was unscrambled, you had to solve your riddle to figure out where your Easter basket was hidden. You can see our intense concentration as we all tried to solve ours (I figured out mine first!), and the whole thing was pretty funny.

Hope you had a gorgeous and happy Easter weekend!

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OOTD: 3.17.2016

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green top | black pants | monogram necklace | lipstick

Can you believe I was the only person at my office to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day? I love dressing up for holidays, mostly just because I love themed anything. (I firmly believe adult life needs more theme parties, college totally spoiled me.) I also just love wearing a bright, springy green, so this holiday works out well for me.

To be completely honest, I half expected to be the only one even in the office on Thursday. Had I realized I wouldn’t be sitting alone all day, I would’ve pulled out one of my favorite spring dresses for the office. This green dress from J.Crew Factory was a favorite last year, and another dress I couldn’t wait to pull back out this year. But you know how you hate to waste a good outfit on a day you don’t really see anyone?

Instead, I went with my green, flutter-sleeve top, which has been a favorite since I ordered it last spring. Luckily J.Crew Factory is good about bringing back classics and brought it back again this year, along with my green dress (although the fabric on the dress is a little different this year). The flutter-sleeve top also pairs perfectly with jeans or tucked into a pencil skirt, and I can guarantee this won’t be the last time you see it on here.

I paired my green top with my trusty black pants and basic black peep-toe pumps. I love the floral jewelry trend this spring, so I decided to join in with these fun white flower earrings that were my Grandma’s. She’s always been ahead of the trends.

Nars’ Cruella is a matte, scarlet red has been my go-to red lip since I got it with my Sephora birthday gift in October, but I was ready to trade it in for something with a little more pop. Bite’s Pomegranate is a perfect brighter red for the warmer days, while still staying a rich, true red.

I may love a good holiday theme, but this is a spring outfit I’ll definitely be wearing again!

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OOTD 3.7.2016

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I’ve been so excited to share this outfit all week. Yes, all week, because it’s been one of those weeks. I thought I’d post Tuesday, or Wednesday, or…you get the idea.

I said last week I was ready to pull out my Spring wardrobe, and I wasn’t messing around. One of my favorite bloggers/Instagrammers, Sara Matthews (check out her blog, Lilly and  Leopard!), has been posting adorable outfits with this blazer for as long as I’ve been following her, and I’ve been drooling over this blazer for just as long. I’ve been working on adding more blazers to my wardrobe, but the issue is those things can be pricey. Not this striped beauty from Old Navy though. It’s already super affordable, and I was able to snag it for an extra 30% off a couple weekends ago, making it a perfect Spring steal. I knew a Monday meeting day would be the perfect debut, and I couldn’t wait to wear it. I also can’t wait to wear it again, so expect to see (a lot) more of this one. (PS, the reviews are right, go down a size from what you’d normally wear.)

When I went to pull out some of my Spring dresses, I knew exactly the dress I wanted to pair with my blazer. This coral scalloped shift from J.Crew Factory has been a favorite since I got it last Spring. So much so, it was my Easter dress and I wore it for our engagement pictures. It’s a perfect shift for wearing to work, and for just about everything else you may need a dress.Easter 2015Engagement Portraits -93 copy

After a crazy week, I was elated to hear my husband say his thoughts on dinner Friday night were to go to our favorite Mexican restaurant, Chile Verde. It’s actually owned by my sister’s fiancé’s family, and is some of the best Mexican food you’ll find in Indianapolis. They even let me customize my favorite enchiladas to be shrimp instead of chicken since it was a Friday during Lent. Chile Verde has become a staple in my family – and I mean my whole, extended family. They don’t mind when we need to make a reservation for an intimate family dinner for 20+ (I have a big family), and they’re amazing when we want to get carryout catering. Full disclosure: I skipped my scheduled workout for this:

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Don’t worry, I still did all of my other training this week, and have 5 miles to put in today. Sometimes, you just need some beer and queso.

If you look closely, there’s also a tiny peak of my first wear of one of my dresses from the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale in January. Who else is ready for Spring dresses?

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OOTD 2.29.2016: Fitness Edition 

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As I’ve continued my training for the Mini Marathon, one thing I learned pretty quickly (other than the limits of my asthmatic lungs) is that there’s a good reason all of that fancy workout gear exists. In college, random tshirts and leggings leftover from dance classes and show choir rehearsals were just fine for the half-hearted time I occasionally logged on the elliptical at the gym. My workouts after college got a bit more serious with regular Zumba classes and ballet barre method Pilates, but even then a loose tank, sports bra, and some leggings were all I really needed. Last week on the treadmill, I realized my (drenched) concert tshirt and few remaining pairs of athletic leggings just weren’t going to cut it anymore.

Though I’d love to just go nuts in Lululemon, that’s not exactly in the budget right now. Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely earning a Lululemon treat with all this training (I’ve got my eye on some things…), but for now, I needed to restart my workout wardrobe with a much lower price tag.


 After my miles on Saturday, I decided to swing into Old Navy on whim to check out their activewear selection, and I was not disappointed. I might actually be a little obsessed. The whole store was 40% off for the day, so this pretty blue seamless long-sleeve and my striped compression capris were an absolute steal! All of the moisture-wicking, breathable goodness for what ended up being about a quarter of the price of all of the various brands I’d been looking at for gear. If you haven’t checked out Old Navy Active for your workout clothes, you definitely need to!

As a training update, it’s going. This whole asthma thing is no joke, and learning the difference it makes when I’m running outside in the colder air can be unbelievably frustrating. I go from feeling good and lasting longer running on the treadmill, to not even making it through a mile outside before I need to walk. My husband reminds me that it’s still early in my training and the most important thing is getting in the miles to keep building up, whether they’re walking miles or running miles. Moving forward indoors (even though I still think the treadmill is miserable), just to feel like I’m going backwards outside can be annoying. But I’m still going, and I know I’m getting a little better every day, even when it doesn’t always feel like it.

At least now I can put in my miles in cute workout clothes too!

OOTD 2.24.2016

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It seems that despite my best efforts to be done with winter clothes, Indiana is not yet done with winter. Womp womp. 

Today was a return to temps in the 30s and snow tonight (remember when it was 72 degrees just four days ago?), but fear not, we’re supposed to be in the 50s by Saturday and 60s by Sunday. This is Indiana, after all. Transitioning weather calls for transitional outfits, and although I posted a version of this one here, part of what I love about it is you can change the outfit up just by changing the scarf. 

Today was a black-and-white plaid blanket scarf from Old Navy last year, but it can just as easily be swapped for a lighter and brighter scarf when the days get warmer. Draping the scarf lengthwise around your neck and belting it gives a bit of a polished, faux vest look, while secretly keeping you warm and cozy at your desk all day. A basic black long-sleeved top  (like I said, I may have a slight obsession with black tops), my favorite Minnie pants from J.Crew, and some black pumps provide a sleek base for the outfit. Topped with my faithful Kendra Scott earrings, monogram necklace, and this pop of bright pink lip color I can’t get enough of, and I was ready for the day. 

Here’s hoping this is the last of the winter things for awhile! 

  

OOTD 2.18.2016: OTK Boots & The Office

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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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