Happy Friday! I don’t know about you, but I am really excited it’s the weekend. The past few weeks have been busy busy, so this weekend I’m going to relax and I’m really looking forward to that. Last night, Cam and I worked together to clean up the apartment since it was a little bit of a disaster after having out of town company last weekend. During this cleaning spree last night, I finally tackled a project I had been dreading for weeks; cleaning out my closet. (I say “my” closet…technically it’s “our” closet, but since my stuff is what takes up most of the room/makes most of the mess, I just refer to it as mine) It has seriously been such a mess these past few weeks due to not unpacking from traveling and just being busy/too lazy to put away clothes when I am home, and then when company is coming over it’s the one place where I can just shut the door and no one has to see it, which is why it never gets cleaned. But it was really starting to stress me out not being able to find anything, so last night I finally took the time and got everything put away and now it looks so pretty. Organization makes me happy. I’m really glad I got that to-do checked off before the weekend, and thanks to Cam’s help last night, we were able to get the rest of the apartment pretty spankin’ clean. (How two people and a dog manage to make such a mess in the first place, I have no idea…it makes me shudder just a tad at the thought of having multiple children and a house to clean up after…) I just feel so much better when things are neat, and I just feel this peace sitting here at work right now knowing that everything at home is tidy and this weekend we can just sleep in and relax and not have any pesky chores to do. (Seriously, it’s a little sad how happy this makes me.)
If you’re reading this and thinking, I thought this post was supposed to be about fashion and not Jane’s crazy neuroses, you are right, it is about fashion. My closet clean out inspired me to wrap up my week of fall-themed posts by touching of some new items currently in my (now neatly organized) closet. I adore fall clothes; all the rich colors, cozy textures, boots, sweaters, pretty coats, etc, I love it all. However, since I’m currently working two jobs that don’t require me to be super dressed up, I haven’t gone too crazy this season on buying new clothing. I have picked up a few cute pieces that I’m enjoying though, and I wanted to share:
Poncho: One of the big trends for fall 2011 is ponchos and capes, and after seeing them pop up all over the place, I kind of wanted one. At first I thought they might be a little sloppy or matronly, but the more I saw them online and in-stores, I realized that it’s actually a very wearable trend that can look really chic. To me a poncho seems very fall-ish, perfect for apple picking or throwing on to go get a Pumpkin Spice Latte. When I was back in Michigan, my mom had just bought this poncho at H&M and when I tried it on and was drooling over it, she let me keep it because she is awesome like that. I couldn’t find it on H&M’s website, but it’s kind of similar to this one (which I think is also super cute) and it’s the same price (aka an awesome deal, love H&M). My poncho is knitted so it’s more like a sweater which is a good way to try out this trend without spending too much, where as some capes and ponchos are more like coats aka more of an investment. (You can check out some other cute styles here.) I also really like that my poncho is camel-colored because while trends may come and go, camel always looks classic in the fall and it’s one of my go to neutrals for this time of year…here are some more pics of me poncho (don’t mind that I’m not wearing any makeup, hence the sunglasses…I had Cam take these in the morning before he left for work…not the most flattering time for a photo shoot but it is what it is):
Riding Boots: Back in August, I was debating about ordering a pair of leather riding boots online from Target. I love the Frye Melissa Button Boot because it’s just such a great, classic riding boot, but it’s also $328. Boo for quality goods being expensive. Target occassionally does really good copies of shoes, and I actually purchased their version of the Frye Harness Boot a few years ago, and it’s held up surprisingly well. The Target version of the Harness boots were $60 and real leather, and since their version of the Melissa boots are $70 and real leather, I thought I’d take a chance. (Well actually, they were any early b-day gift from my parents…if you’re reading this–thanks Mom & Dad!) I got them in the mail the other day, and I love them!
They seem to be pretty well made and for the price, I think they look great. I plan on wearing them with everything this fall/winter. Plus, you can actually still order both styles of boots from Target online. Tar-jay for the win.
Maxi Skirt: Not just a summer statement, the maxi skirt is showing up everywhere this fall. I really wanted to try out this fall trend because I think this is a piece that it can look great in with cozy sweaters and blouses during cooler months, but I’d had trouble finding one that’s long enough for me. I happened upon this pleated maxi skirt by Bobeau at Nordstrom’s Rack the other day, and I had to have it (and not just because it was actually long enough for me). I like that the color is neutral, but not dark, as I think it will play well with black and other winter colors. Also, the pleats are fun.
I recently wore it to lunch with friends in Denver on what ended up being a particularly warm that day, which I wore a more summery option on top. This is one of those great pieces that can easily transition between seasons and it’s super comfy.
Moccassins: For those random warm fall days when it’s too hot for boots but too late for sandals, moccassins are a great go to shoe. Native American inspired prints and accessories seem to be popular this fall, and moccasins are a nice way to give a nod to this trend with out looking like Pocahontas. I just got this new pair of Minnetonkas (from Marshall’s, I can’t pass up a good deal!) and I’ve been wearing them all the time. They’re super comfortable and easy to just throw on when you’re running out the door. I like to wear them if I know I’m going to be shopping and trying on clothes because there’s nothing more annoying than having to take off and put back on a heavy pair of boots every time you’re in the dressing room. Plus, I just think they are kind of happy looking.
So that’s it…for now…I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before some other cool-weather clothing finds its way into my closet. However, I do feel like my style is changing a little bit being out West because people definitely dress differently here than other parts of the country. (I could do a whole post just about that!) People out here are much more into spending their money on high quality outdoor/active clothing like hiking jackets, down vests, and nice yoga clothes instead of super trendy, dressy clothes, and overall the dress code is much more casual. So while I still love classic, feminine clothing, I also like the more athletic way people dress here. Plus, I seem to not have as many occassions to wear dressy clothes as I do active ones these days, and I’m thinking that I’m going to need to allocate some of my clothing budget for a new ski coat, seeing as this is Colorado and all. But overall, when it comes to fashion, I think that style is a personal thing that you should build around what works for your body and your lifestyle and not just go along with all trends. At the same time, I find it fun to embrace certain new “trendy” pieces here and there as it keeps your overall look from becoming too stale, and I’m glad I got to share a few of things to wrap of my week-‘o-fall. Now I’m curious, what fashion trends are y’all loving this fall? What new pieces are in your closet (or on your Pinboards) right now?
One final thing while we’re on the subject of fashion…can someone teach me how to take outfit pictures with out looking like a tool? There are certain bloggers who are great at taking natural looking outfit pictures (Kendi Everyday is one of my favorites for this!) but I am not one of them. This blog is no means a “fashion” blog, but it is a reflection the different things in my life that make my smile, and sometimes that’s clothes. (Usually, it’s food though) For right now, I’ve taken down my “Fashion” tab because I really just disliked the way it was set up, but I’d like to figure out how to occassionally highlight outfits on those days when I do actually get out of yoga pants. Hmmm. Any tips would be appreciated.
Alright, I need to end this post before I keep rambling. I’m off to celebrate the weekend (yay)–dinner and drinks with good friends tonight, sleeping in tomorrow, logging some quality time with my Kindle, going to yoga, watching the Michigan game, eating pasta, drinking wine, cuddling with my husband and my pup, church and pancakes, going for a run around the lake, and hopefully throwing some baking and crafting in the mix too. Hope you all have a fabulous weekend ahead as well! Xoxo