Layered top: Chadwicks. Pants: Ann Taylor. Pumps: Nine West. Zipper / Stud Detailed Purse: Nine West. Necklace: vintage.
A sleek business look for this working day. I really wanted to highlight the fun necklace and thought it stood out well against the black. Over the last year or so I’ve collected quite a few more gold items than I ever used to. I probably still wear silver or colored jewelry more, but really I love them all!
Dress: XXI. Necklace: Macy’s. Shoes: Steve Madden.
After ages of letting my hair grow, I finally got it trimmed (and darkened). Unfortunately, this coiffed picture did not last long… – within about 30 minutes I was a sweaty mess. Yuck.
What did I do that was so strenuous? I went to a Cincinnati based clothing swap of course! You may wonder what happened at a clothing swap that would cause this amount of “damage” … thankfully – it was only the heat. Zero fights over ruffled clothing items materialized, but much perspiration and heat exhaustion transpired in the small unventilated unairconditioned room during a high humidity mid 90’s Cincinnati summer day. God willing, I made it out alive.
All in all, it was a great event. You were allowed to bring up to 10 items and you could leave with as many items as you brought. All clothing items were displayed and swappers could grab at will. Any items not swapped would be donated.
Pros: no time restrictions, no worrying if people will take your clothes or not, support of charity fundraising ($5 donation required), on the spot alterations (by The Brush Company), and a group a fabulous swappers.
Cons: heat, heat, heat…, limitation of items you can bring, with the open start time there was no way to see all clothing options unless you stayed the full 3 hours, and finally, as it was a “drop your stuff” kind of swap you could really lose your shirt (literally!) if you brought a lot of really nice quality clothing and others brought things you didn’t like.
I ended up with 3 of Kasmira’s items and she ended up with 1 of mine! Next time we’ll have to just try a friend to friend swap (with air conditioning please).
Here are a few of the goodies I came home with:
Shirt: Express. Pants: NY & Co. Shoes: Michael Kors. Necklace: Macy’s.
Super casual look for me, but I’m keeping my promise by posting all pics – casual or otherwise! It was actually nice to be a bit more comfortably dressed today. Don’t get me wrong – I’ll always love my high heels, cinched belts, fitted skirts, and layers, but every now and then I just have to take a day off. Today is my day! That said, even on a day off clothing should fit well and be appropriate for the situation. No sweats for me (well, not outside of the house anyway!).
If you’re looking for affordable stylish feminine work and cocktail-hour clothing items and you haven’t been to The Limited – it’s time to get there! The Limited designer Jodi Arnold is featuring some great new looks that are inspired by 1920’s and 1930’s fashions – playing with a mix of masculine and feminine designs, and always keeping glamour and versatility in the forefront.
**For those of you in the Cincinnati tri-state area, you’re in for an extra special treat. The Limited designer Jodi Arnold is coming to Cincinnati!
Event: You’re invited to an exclusive fashion presentation and cocktail party, including 40% sales, giveaways and gift bags (while supplies last).
Where: The Limited, 7875 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH.
When: August 18, 6-9pm
Why: Celebrate the spirit of the modern woman and discover your own freedom of expression!
In addition to all that goodness – you have the chance to win a $25 gift certificate for The Limited (Note: This giveaway is limited to the US).
To enter the giveaway, all you need to do is log on to The Limited, tell me what you would put your $25 gift certificate towards, and why. I will choose a random winner and announce on Monday, August 2nd (make sure to include your email address in your entry so I will have a way to reach you if you win).
To wet your appetite, below are a few of The Limited items to drool over:
Vest: Express. Brown Wrap: Sunny Leigh. Shoes: Nine West. Necklace: Macy’s.
Most people in my office wear jeans on Fridays, and I sometimes do too – but not today! I felt like being a little more dressy as I was meeting one of my girlfriends for dinner / happy hour after work. My feet were a little tired at the end of the day, but it was worth it!
This is the first time I paired this ruffle top with a vest, and I think I dig it. I wouldn’t suggest it for a more top heavy or broad shouldered woman, but for someone who’s a bit smaller on top, it brought nice attention upward and didn’t feel too busy. A colorful necklace (and shoes!) completed the look.
Whether online, from a magazine, or while chatting with a friend, I love finding out new beauty tips and recommended products. I also love when I learn tips for treatments I can use at home with products I already have!
Click this msn link to find Celebrity Tips to Beautiful Skin that include using things like honey, extra virgin olive oil, sugar, and washcloths!
Some of my favorite beauty products include:
Keep that skin firm ladies! This product is a winner for smoothing out any little facial lines, and it’s a bargain!
Neutrogena Sugar Scrub Body Exfoliator
This citrus scrub is invigorating and rejuvenating. I adore it!
Avon Lip Balm
Avon lip balm has been a staple of mine since my mom first bought if for me in junior high. I still haven’t found another that keeps moisture as well!
Bath & Body Works Pure Simplicity Pumpkin Purifying Face Mask
I use this mask 1x per week when I need to relax and feel refreshed. The smell is intoxicating!
Olay Refreshing Toner Astringent
This toner is great quality and such an easy way to clean and wake up your face at the end of a long day. I use this and then moisturize every morning & also when I get home from work everyday.
Neutrogena Oil Free Moisture, SPF-15
I need an oil free moisturizer because I have combination to oily skin, and I also like my moisturizer to have spf protection – this product has all it all! Plus it’s easy to take on trips b/c of the lock-top.
Quote of the day:
Your attitude is like a box of crayons that color your world. Constantly color your picture gray, and your picture will always be bleak. Try adding some bright colors to the picture by including humor, and your picture begins to lighten up.
Allen Klein
Not everyday will go perfectly (ok- hardly any of them will), but I always hope there’s a bright side to any situation, even if it seems small and distant.
Today, I kept my focus on the bright side by making myself bright - literally!
Tip of the day: I like to balance really bold items by accessorizing with neutrals. The same tip holds true (but vice versa) if I were wearing a neutral dress – then I would balance the look with bolder brighter shoes. It’s an easy and goof-proof way to keep interest in an outfit while not overdoing it.
***
Dress: Bisou Bisou. Vest: Express. Necklace: thrift. Shoes: Alfani. Purse: Nine West.
Lace Detail Top: Chadwicks. Belt: Beatnix. Lace Detail Skirt: The LImited. Shoes: Steve Madden. Bracelets: can’t remember…
I love my mornings. People may think I’m odd, but I get up about 1 1/2 hrs before I actually have to leave for work every day. Yep, that makes for a pretty early wake up call (particularly since my commute is close to an hour!), but it’s worth it.
I make coffee and eat a nice breakfast, take a long shower or bath, watch a little TV, pick out my outfit, pack my lunch and workout clothes for the day, and finally take a quick blog pic before heading out the door.
*****
On to the clothes --
I like to mix more classic softer pieces with bolder modern accent items - so the belt, bracelets, and shoes helped give this girly look just a hint of drama.
My only issue with the outfit originally was the fit of the skirt. I’ve lost a couple pounds of late and have found a few of my skirts too big around the waist. The best option is, of course, to have them taken in – but until I get to my seamstress, I’m using this handy trick: a belt!
I just tucked the excess skirt fabric under the belt and cinched myself right up! It isn’t something I’d recommend on a regular basis, but in a pinch it definitely works.
Just a basic easy summer look for a weekend trip to the movies. Top: Old Navy. City Shorts: Daisy Fuentes. Shoes: Restricted.
***
These last couple weeks have actually been pretty difficult for me. Two people have passed away and another person has been in the hospital in serious condition. Outside of a Sunday morning movie excursion, the weekend was spent at a wake and a hospital.
Though I didn’t know the two that passed away, they were both very significant to people very close to me.
For better or worse, I’m fairly good at putting my emotions on the backburner when I’m at work, etc… but it is truly heartbreaking to see people you love lose people they love, and to see others close to you struggling for their health.
As random as it seems, this blog has consistently served as an outlet for me and a source of encouragement. It’s a release of sorts to blog about fun lighthearted things like fashion to ease away from challenging (and sometimes heart wrenching) situations. To my readers - I truly love to get all of your comments and hear your thoughts, and it makes my day to be linked with such fabulous people.
Unfortunately, when I logged on to be encouraged this evening I was not only welcomed with one of the rare but memorable “you look horrible” comments, but also found that my photo was used on an online blog fashion magazine as a “fashion don’t”. Can you guess why? It was because I wasn’t wearing designer or high-end boutique clothing. The author stated that if you wear clothing items from places such as Target / Kohl’s, etc… you shouldn’t consider yourself fashionable.
While I appreciate that people will have varying views of what true fashion consists of, I would never steal a copyrighted picture and trash talk someone else’s wardrobe choices.
Let's be realistic - unless you've got money to burn or you’re in the fashion biz, most people don't spend hundreds/thousands of dollars for each of their clothing items. I’m a normal person working a normal job in a business casual environment, so don’t be shocked if you don’t see me in Dolce & Gabbana. I do visit high end, low end, vintage, boutiques, and the like – but don’t require one of any kind of store to be my only option.
Maybe I’m naive, but I would hope fashion lovers would support each other and recognize that we all will have different lifestyles and means of embracing fashion. I don't have to have the most expensive outfit in the room to feel good about myself and I can stand out from the crowd by using my imagination to mix and match things vs. buying a 1 of a kind pricey top.
I'm proud of my clothes and the way I look - if people think I'm unfashionable because I'm not in top designer brands, that's their issue, not mine.
Anyway – I’ll continue to enjoy the commentary and will keep smiling through the good and the bad.
In the meantime, thanks for the support and blogger love.
Yours truly - Londyn
Photos by Neysa Ruhl. Location: Lofts@4120
Dress: Fredricks of Hollywood. Shoes: Steve Madden. Necklace: Macys.
Cincy Chic is an online lifestyle magazine for women in the Greater Cincinnati area that shares information on topics such as fashion, health, beauty, social and career.
And… (drum roll!) Cincy Chic recently did an article featuring several local blogs in which I had the pleasure of being one of them. Check out the article!
Anyone who has read this blog for more than 2 minutes will know that I love shoes. I’m a shoe lover of all shapes and sizes, colors and fabrics – yes, you could pretty much say I’m a shoe slut.
For all my love of shoes, I have quite a few that don’t get regular wear. It’s not because I don’t adore them, but I just figure they’re a bit impractical or just too sexy for everyday wear.
That said, when did pretty shoes become unprofessional work wear? At the end of the day my body is covered and I’m still wearing professional attire, so why should a fabulous high heel shoe be deemed inappropriate?
What do you think? Vote and let me know if you think a few of my shoes should come out of hiding!
Qupid Red Ruffle Heels: YES OR NO
Steve Madden Luxe Purple Snakeskin Heels: YES OR NO
Steve Madden w/ Flower Bud T-Straps: YES OR NO
Black Leather BCBG Heels: YES OR NO
Jessica Simpson Cutout Heels: YES OR NO
Aldo Clear Heel Wedges: YES OR NO
Steve Madden Sky High Suede Blue Pumps: YES OR NO
Studded Marc Fisher Pumps: YES OR NO
A few weekends ago, the man and I took a trip to the Cincinnati Zoo. I always notice what a great link to fashion there is in just about anything, so I thought I’d show you a glimpse into a few of my inspirations…
***
An elephant may not seem to many an obvious fashionista inspiration, but gray is all the rage this season and I love some womanly curves!
Flowers are an easy inspiration for any kind of ruffles, detailing, or interesting color combinations.
SJP, Queen of all fashionistas, may have looked to a beautiful lioness for her bold fur choice. Grrr!
Leopard will forever be a sexy staple print. Feel the fierceness!
Peacock blue – need I say more??
A monkey suit…! Kasper has some classics.
I’m not sure what exactly inspired our fashion on this trip, but we were definitely feeling stripes and color!
