What I Ended Up With: Fashion Update

I got a lot of good advice on my fashion dilemma last week. And considering how little I gave people to work with, it was surprising the results. From twitter to Facebook to emails, I got a lot of ideas. Enough to wear the shoes several more times.

So, I actually decided to bust them out today on casual Friday with a different look than the skirts. What I ended up with is to the left. Orange check blazer from Goodwill, white Ellen Tracy t-shirt that feels like heaven on my skin, dark skinny jeans and a colorful necklace to accompany the shoes. Not too shabby if I do say so myself.

This one worked so well that I plan on throwing up another pair of shoes onto the blog for some more help. It apparently takes a village to dress me.

I Need Some Help From You-- yeah, You, please!

Am I the only one who thinks these shoes
have a,  um,  "Georgia O'Keefe" quality to them?

I've been stuck in many ruts lately. Not cooking. Not cleaning. Not writing enough. Not doing much of anything or at least doing anything well. One of those ruts is what I wear every day. I'm getting pretty boring. Usually wear the same outfit combos (some of which are combos that I came up with years ago) and some fun shoes.

I am bored with my closet, but too cheap to buy new clothes when I feel like I'm going to be losing more weight. I have a fair amount of clothes that are currently my correct size and actually fit. And by fair amount, I mean about five shirts/ blouses, two pairs of pants, two pairs of jeans, one skit and three dresses. Everything else is either just slightly too big or WAY too big. The kicker is that that includes my belts, which are too lose and have elastic so cutting another belt loop isn't an option.

All of that is beside the point because even if I were to have my entire wardrobe fit properly, it would still bore the hell out of me. When did I get so boring?? I need help!! PLEASE, for the sake of my sanity, help me out by  sharing with me any or all of the following:

• Cheap clothing or accessory web sites or stores (especially hidden gems)
• Any budget fashionista-type blogs for inspiration
• Any looks that can actually be worn to a legitimate workplace without being mocked for being ridiculous
• Looks that COULD be laughed at for being ridiculous because on second thought, I might try them
• Tips or advice for how you've freshened up your closet or look
• The least practical-seeming thing you ever bought but ended up loving (For example, I used to only buy shoes that were black or brown because they matched everything in my closet. Now, not so much--colored or interesting shoes only, please).
• Any trends you're thinking of trying (Are booties silly or cute? I can't decide on this one)

Thank you, in advance!

Our Smart Ass T-Shirts were Better Than Theirs

As I stroll through the Kroger on Friday nights (my usual shopping trip time-easiest to get in and out), I get to observe a lot of the workings of human nature. Mostly I get to do it from afar, but occasionally I get sucked in.

Like a few weeks ago, I got hit on by several middle aged divorced men. I even got sucked into a conversation about diabetes and frozen dinners with one of my weird neighbors, who last week went back to Kroger at the same time and parked next to me.

But nothing beats the first Friday when the students come back. It's when my quiet little ghetto Kroger turns into a fashion runway for the misinformed. The Kroger is closest to Belmont which has a music business school and even with its Baptist roots, the students tend to dress like roadies and rock stars. It's a little disconcerting. Mostly I noticed the abundance of faux hawks (which I thought were out of style, but I guess I was wrong) and clever t-shirts that say things like "Analog" and try to be ironic.

Maybe it's the nostalgia washing over me, but when I look back at my college pics, I realize two things: 1) my t-shirts were much better and 2) I dressed like an idiot. My fashion mostly consisted of flannel t-shirts and men's hanes v-neck white t-shirts. I was on such a budget that I didn't care if things were flattering, I just wanted clothes. Now I'm a little more discerning.

Either way when the faux hawks start popping up, it's time to batten down the hatches. The students are coming! The students are coming!