still got it

When I go "home" for the holidays, I head to this quaint little town in Arkansas, where the lake is my backyard, camo is a neutral & dressing up certainly isn't expected. But sometimes I like to bring some special pieces, just to show my old high school pals down at the bar that I've still got it. (yes, everyone shows up at the same bar, it's a bad episode of Cheers).

This year I discovered Le Tote right before heading down the road to home sweet Arkansas. Like a "Netflix for clothes" (and jewelry too!), Le Tote lets you check out stylish items, wear them as many times as you want in a month & then send 'em back, letting the Le Tote elves deal with the dirty work (i.e. your laundry!)

This orange vest number hailed from Le Tote & I almost didn't send it back (which is ok, if you want to keep the pieces, you can - for a flat price). I was this pier's most stylish occupant! 

Interested in Le Tote? A little birdie told me they are going to be giving away a 1 month subscription here in a few days… better sign up & start picking out the pieces that are going to come visit you soon! 

pumpkin pie

{ What I Wore: dress c/o Gentle Fawn // Francesca's cardigan, old (similar 1, 2, 3) // Charlotte Russe booties }

{ earrings c/o Jeweler's Wife // necklace c/o IN PINK }

'

Happy Monday. My brain is fried from a wild weekend, but I do have 4 random things to share:

{1.} I totally skipped Halloween this year, I think I'm too old for drinking holidays that fall on days that aren't Saturday. But I dressed in the colors of the season, so that counts right!?

{2.} Gigantic statement necklaces have their place, but I love this dainty necklace from INPINK. Score your own jewels with a 30% off coupon (code "HEREANDNOW30", expires 11/30/2013)

{3.} This past weekend I had the great pleasure of experiencing Raiford's Disco in Memphis... I definitely recommend it for anyone visiting... there is literally no other place like it.

{5.} Tis' the season for giveaways. I'm thrilled to bring you fabulous people another chance to win a $500 Visa gift card. This time brought to you by Sweet Lemon Magazine & a group of super talented bloggers that you should definitely befriend & put on your regular blog roll!

  My Style Vita // Waiting on Martha // Life With Emily // Katie's Bliss // Marionberry Style 

The Serena Saga // One Fine Day // Smashing Style // Tiffany Style // Side Smile Style

 Pearls & Twirls // Mae Badiyan // Paris Rouzati // A Little Dash Of Darling // Here&Now

 Living After Midnite // Kirstin Marie // Sparkling Footsteps // Suppose Anything Goes // Hunted Interior 

 A Lacey Perspective // Style Cusp // Lemon Stripes // Let It Be Beautiful

a Rafflecopter giveaway

wrap it up

{ What I Wore: burgundy red Esprit fedora hat c/o Surfdome (similar here) // "Keeping it Cozy" sweater c/o Fringe & Lace // J.Crew tank // "Emerald City" necklace c/o Fringe & Lace // Denizen bootcut jeans c/o People Style Watch StyleHunters // "All in One" clutch c/o Gigi New York // Charlotte Russe wedge booties } 

stack 'em up, all bracelets Fringe & Lace.

Well what do you know, I haven't managed to fall off the "Take One, Pass It On" challenge wagon yet.

In fact I even took 2 items from yesterday's outfit & styled them up today. Boo-yeah! 

In news more exciting than how I may or may not be competent enough to dress myself, I have an exciting announcement to make! You are looking at the newest contributor over on Fringe & Lace, an online shop featuring everything you will want to add to your closet, all for under $100! I have talked about my darling friend Natalie's online boutique before & I'm beyond excited that she has invited me to be a member of her team. 

What do we have cooking? Well, to start with, a weekly feature where I will style up a Fringe & Lace item TWO ways. You just saw the first way I wore this fab open front sweater, but you will have to head on over to the Fringe & Lace blog to peep my other outfit (it involved liquid leather... go on, click it!)

Thank you for always being supportive of the new endeavors I take on, very excited about what the future holds!

white button down: pumpkin spice

{ What I Wore: J.Crew white button down & utility jacket // Choies skirt c/o // Charlotte Russe booties // Nars "heat wave" lipstick }

{ Get the Look }

white button down {$39.50, exact} + orange skirt {$49.99, exact} + woven tights {$25.00} + wedge booties {$15.50} + utility jacket {$42.97}

When Fall is just around the corner, my girlfriends and I start talking about PSLs. PSLs, or Pumpkin Spice Lattes, define Fall around these parts.

Now that Spring is just a few weeks away, what are you craving?

New skirts in bright colors define Spring for me, & my wish list keeps growing!

My Spring shopping list includes this laser cut leather pencil skirt, this sweet hi-low number, & a feminine-feline leopard bell skirt.

What defines your Spring wardrobe?

*I am rocking my white-button down this week to show you doubters just how versatile this wardrobe staple can be... check out my first date-night look here.

daily mint

{What I Wore: J.Crew Factory striped blazer // J.Crew silk tank & leopard belt // ModCloth mint jeans  // Charlotte Russe booties (currently on sale!)}

{Get the Look}

stripe blazer (exact) + silk blouse + mint jeans (super cute & under $20!) + leopard belt + wedge booties

Ok, first off, yesterday's conversation about fast fashion vs. investment pieces was so great to read. It really made me consider both sides differently, & I loved getting everyone talking!

Oh & I still can't make up my mind about that dang bag... I think I might think too much!

I also have recently realized that I have been much harsher lately about which outfits I wear are "blog-worthy"... & I'm not sure how it got that way.

While I cringe at the quality of my earlier photos, in the beginning the blog served more as a personal style diary of what I wore, be it casual work wear, or fancier event-ready ensembles... but somewhere along the line, it came to my attention that more than just my mom, BFF & boyfriend were reading along, & I got the notion that I had to impress you, so I started sharing only the good stuff. 

While on the one hand this has made me more accountable to not simply put on the grad school allowed uniform of old t-shirt + ratty jeans, I also stopped sharing many of my day-to-day outfits. 

So here it is, one of my regular person outfits, when I wasn't going anywhere but to work to put on my white lab coat and play with frogs all day. 

When you look good, you feel good amiright!? (regardless of my irrational fear of wasting a good outfit)

So there you have it - not Jessica the "style blogger", but Jessica the grad student, pug mama, might have frog eggs on her sleeve at any given time woman

I am still figuring out my "personal style" & I thank each and every one of you for tuning in to see my journey! (Shhh, don't tell anyone, but I seriously have the best readers - YOU GUYS!!!)

P.S. These wedges are so super comfortable, and even though they only cost $15 from Charlotte Russe, they are the shoes I get the most compliments on (move over $235 Tory flats!)

spend it all in one place

{ What I Wore: J.Crew chambray button down & schoolboy blazer (Christmas present) // Gap red jeggings // Charlotte Russe booties // Michael Kors watch // Kate Spade bracelet (Christmas present) }

{ Get the Look }

chambray button down {$50.00} + blazer {save $69.90 // splurge $198.00} + red jeans {$44.50, buy one pair, get the 2nd 50% off} + booties {$30.00}

When I was little, my grandfather (AKA "Pops") would slip me a $5 bill & tell me to not "spend it all in one place". I'm not sure Pops knew how much things actually cost, & I always ran out to spent it all (on Beanie Babies... let's be honest!)

Well, things haven't changed much. I got moolah (we call it "Daddy Cash") for Christmas, & I have already spent it all (half in my head & half in real life)...

Super excited that this new camera lens is on its way to me right this second!

 

You know I will over-share everything else about my new camera accessory when it arrives and I can get my grubby little mits all over it & check it out!

Are you a spend it all in one place kind of girl?

How about wear all of your Christmas presents in one outfit?

I'm raising my hand for both!

hairy situation

Phew, over the 2/3 hump of my 30X30 Remix Challenge... and loving that it is Friday!

Can we talk for a second about my hair? This, my friends, is my hair in its natural "style" (aka what happens when I sleep on my hair wet, and let it do its thang)... not quite anything really - not curly, not wavy, not straight... just kind of there...

I used to be really into "fixing" my hair, and actually won the Yearbook superlative for "Best Hair" in Junior High (picture perfect hot curler waves that my mom meticulously fixed for me every morning!). But now I try to be as low maintenance as possible and I think my hair is suffering. I guess you could say that my hair is healthier now from a lack of heat products that touch it... (glass half full kind of stuff!), but that is mostly just due to morning laziness!

{ Thrifted moto jacket {similar} / Genetic Skinny Jeans / Charlotte Russe booties{similar} / Hobo Purse / J.Crew Button down }

 I am looking into mixing up my hair situation. I have only ever processed my hair once, when I got a perm upon entering high school (what was I thinking!?). I usually alternate between a cycle of growing my hair out, cutting it off to donate, then growing it back out long again. I currently am in the "growing it back out" stage after cutting off over 10 inches in December of 2010.

Right now I am really into ombre hair coloring, but also dream of one day being a red-head (crazy town!). Maybe I just need to chop it all off and be brave! Or how knows what!?

Any suggestions!?

xx

Jessica

P.S. TGIF, seriously, thank you Friday! I needed you!

scarf it up

Good afternoon! These are some pictures we took last Friday. 1/3 of the way through my 30X30 Remix Challenge, and still going strong.

{ Banana Republic Trench / J.Crew white button down / Citizens of Humanity Jeans {similar}  / Charlotte Russe Booties {similar}  / Vintage Scarf {lust list scarf} }

I love this look because it is made of completely "classic" investment pieces that I am proud to have in my wardrobe, and I tried to personalize the ensemble with this pastel scarf I found in a vintage shop a while back. I am a huge fan of cheaper accessories that define a look -

 this $5 scarf is totally doing that for me here!

xx

Jessica

all day everyday

Monday, Monday. Day 9 of my 30X30 Remix Challenge, and this was a "le duh" outfit. I am lacking originality this Monday morning (too much mustache-ing Saturday night), so I am thankful for my go-to chambray + colored denim uniform!

{ J.Crew Chambray Shirt / Blank Denim Mint Jeans, Modcloth / Charlotte Russe Booties {similar}  / Hobo Clutch {affordable option} }

Just add animal print!

xx

Jessica

red-y for spring

Good Morning
It is day 3 of my 30X30 Remix Challenge, and I am still going strong
Have you thought about joining me in my challenge? Sign up at the bottom of the post and we can cheer each other along!

{ Gap Jeggings / Style Mint Tee / Forever 21 Cardigan {similar}  / Charlotte Russe Booties {similar} / Vintage Clutch }

No but really, when is the weather going to stop teasing me and just be constantly Spring time?

xx

Jessica

P.S. It is Monday, and I figured we could all use a little pick me up...
play the video below, and just try not to be a little happier :)