Daily Style: Tuesday, 3/26

black dress (Gap via eBay, $20)

white oxford (Merona @ Target, Mom's, $free)

"Bailey" green pumps (Worthington @ JCP, $35) 

necklace (Target)

Can we talk about my hair for a moment? I'd been thinking about going back to the "mohawk" style for a bit, but I was waiting for my hair on top to grow out. Right before the KMFDM show, I decided, fuck it, it's ready now. Only problem was, my stylist/cousin was not. (Ready, that is.) So, impatient as I am, I decided to find a new stylist that wasn't related to me. This is really scary for me, because I've had a lot of bad haircuts. A lot of stylists don't know how to cut short hair on a woman. They just do men's cuts, which are NOT the same.

One day before the show, I made an appointment at Barbara & Barbara, a salon in my neighborhood. I chose Barbara & Barbara for their obvious hipster-rep and cheap-ness. They charge $20-$40, depending on the length of hair and time spent. This I love. I've been complaining about being charged the same as those long-haired folks for awhile now. My cuts are not that complicated and I don't require a wash or blow-out.

I went to Jarvi, because, well, she was available. I was nervous the whole way through, especially because I had my glasses off for most of the cut. (The important part, anyway.) Anyway, I think she did a fantastic job and I will be seeing her again. My haircut took about 30-45 minutes and I was charged $20.

If you are in need of a great haircut at a great price in Chicago, check out Barbara & Barbara and specifically, Jarvi.

(This is NOT a sponsored post. The opinions contained herein are my own, and are not influenced by any person/Corporation, etc.)

Daily Style: Thursday, 3/21

jersey pencil skirt (Old Navy, $20)

sheer black shirt (Allen B. @ JCP, $25)

camel sweater (Mossimo @ Target, $30)

leopard belt (Merona @ Target, $17) 

black boots (Steve Madden via eBay, $46)

I took a stay-cation from Wednesday to Wednesday and didn't take one, single, solitary outfit pic. Most of my outfits were pretty blog-worthy too, though I had a few repeats. I'm not used to dressing casually for that many days in a row, so to keep things interesting I decided to wear a different scarf every day. It was a fun little challenge. 

Any time you get bored with your clothes, and/or are feeling a little uninspired, I propose coming up with a challenge of your own. You can make it whatever you want and for however long you want, just make sure you stop when it isn't fun anymore. The point of the challenge is to inject some joy into dressing, after all.

Daily Style: Tuesday, 3/12

black/grey cow print sweater (Nina Leonard, thrifted, $1.50)

olive skirt (c/o eShakti) 

leopard belt (Merona @ Target, $17) 

black boots (Steve Madden via eBay, $46)

I think I'm so clever, mixing animal prints. 

Truth be told, the splotches on this sweater reminded me of my pup, which, in addition to the $1.50 price tag, is mostly the reason I bought it. Here's a pic of my pup, wearing headphones. Just 'cause.

Daily Style: Friday, 2/8

tennis-ball yellow tunic (a.n.a. @ JCP, $25)

leggings (Simply Vera by Vera Wang @ Kohl's)

camel sweater (Mossimo @ Target, $30)

brown boots (Steve Madden via Amazon.com, $80)

leopard belt (Merona @ Target, $17) 

On Friday I went to Trenchermen for Restaurant Week. Some dishes were OK, but most of the meal was terrible. I was mad for days later. There are 2 things one can fuck with that will turn me into 4 year old (i.e. temper-tantrum-inducing) - money & food. They fucked with both. Not cool, Trenchermen... Not. Cool.

Daily Style: Tuesday, 2/5

beige dress (Jones Wear Dress @ JCP, $36)

chambray shirt (Converse One Star @ Target, $12)

gold belt (Michael Kors, Macy's, $gift)

nude wedges (Shoedazzle "Carla", $40)

Can you tell I'm on a layering kick? Specifically with shirts under dresses? When I find something I like, I tend to over-do it until I hate it. Then I take a break for awhile but will always revisit it again in a few months. 

I did this with Mexican food this past summer. 

Daily Style: Wednesday, 1/30

black/white sweater (Kirna Zabete @ Target, $25)

faux leather mini (Allen B. @ JCP, $14)

splatter paint print scarf (JCP, $15)

nude wedges (Shoedazzle "Carla", $40)

So, as I'm sure you're aware, NYFW (New York Fashion Week) is either starting soon or has already started. 

I have a confession, y'all...

I give 0 fucks about NYFW. Please tell me I'm not the only one.

Daily Style: Thursday, 1/24

neon yellow dress (Old Navy, $35)

camel sweater (Mossimo @ Target, $30)

leopard belt (Merona @ Target, $17) 

tan booties (Arizona @ JCP, $45) 

I have a question. WTF is a "sock bun"?!

Daily Style: Wednesday, 1/16

mod print dress (J. Taylor @ JCP, $35)

chambray shirt (Converse One Star @ Target, $12)

black belt (a.n.a. @ JCP, $18)

"Dempsey" boots (DV by Dolce Vita via Akira, $45)

Fashion is Evolution recently did a series of posts touring her home. I was inspired, and wanted to show y'all my little desk area, from which I blog, cause I'm proud of it... and it's my blog, I can do what I want.

Complete with glass of wine... cause I like to drink whilst blogging.

The desk is a family piece, handed down from my Mommy. It's vintage birdseye maple from the 1920's (or so I'm told). The laptop was a hand-me-down from the BF. You do not want to see what I had previously. It was a brick. The monitor is also from the BF. (I benefit from his hatred of PCs.) You will notice the red stapler, as Office Space is one of my favorite movies. The chair is a Craigslist purchase - $20 - it's mid-century. Speaking of mid-century, the radio is from an estate sale - also $20. It was half-off the second day, because at that point they just don't want to have anything left. It still works! The filing cabinet (also mid-century) is another CL purchase. A pricier piece at $45, but it was currently the only piece I could find that fit the space and my aesthetics. Finally, the art on the left is a DIY, seen here, and the other two were gifts. They are from Etsy from a shop called When Pigs Fly.

What do you think? Would you be interested in seeing more of my home?

Daily Style: Saturday, 1/5

hi-lo tank (Bisou Bisou @ JCP, $7)

cropped tuxedo jacket (Mossimo via eBay, $5)

denim shorts (Mossimo @ Target, $17)

 fishnet print snood (c/o Goth Barbie)

studded wedges (Deena & Ozzy, UO, $28)

shredded tights (JCP, $4)

"Renegade" necklace (JewelMint, $30)

This snood was a gift from Goth Barbie, a fellow blogger (Military Fashion Show). You can snag one just like it, or similar, on her Etsy site. Her snoods are very versatile because they're reversible. The underside of this is mainly red with some specks of black. Next time I wear this, I'm probably going to wear it with fishnets, cause you know what they say? Double the fishnets, double the pleasure. (No one says that, btw.)

When planning this outfit, I knew I wanted to wear tights w/shorts, but I wasn't sure how to style them. I found a bunch of advice for curvy women suggesting loose-fitting, long shorts. I'm going to go ahead, on record, and state this is probably NOT the best look for those of us with curves. Actually, I don't think this would be a good look on any body type. Baggy shorts just sound like a bad idea.

On the topic of shorts length, there seems to be a thought that larger women should wear longer shorts, but I believe the length of your shorts depends more on your height than anything else. I'm 5' 3" so I won't be caught dead in long shorts; they cut me in half and make me look like I'm part of the Lollipop Guild. That was a long way of saying, screw advice you find on the internet (including mine) you must try different combinations and find something that works for you.

Daily Style: Friday, 12/28

turquoise tunic (Allen B. @ JCP, $14)

liquid leggings (JCP, $15) 

leather lapel blazer (Nicole by Nicole Miller @ JCP, $35)

aztec print scarf (Target, $15)

 knee-high socks (Betseyville, JCP, $8/2)
 engineer boots (Mossimo @ Target, $40)

So nice, I wore it twice! I wore this on X-Mas Day and I liked it so much, I washed everything and wore it again a few days later. It's incredibly comfortable and this scarf... Oh! The scarf! It's like a soft blanket! For my neck... a neck-blanket! I love it!

I'm so glad the X-Mas season is over. I was going to do a post about the 12 ways X-Mas was ruining my life, but I came up a little short. Here's what I had so far...

1. X-Mas music on XRT. I listen to XRT daily and they were playing X-Mas music non-stop for at least the entire month of December (if not longer) and I despise X-Mas music. It's the worst music ever! Take that song "Last Christmas (I Gave You My Heart)". Have you ever actually listened to the lyrics? First of all, there is no creativity, it's just a chorus over and over and over again. And second, the chorus is horrible. Let me get this straight. They re-gifted your heart? Am I getting that right? How does one even do such a thing?

2. Crowds. Leaving my house to go to a store or the mall, I would forget that it was the X-Mas season. Upon entering said store or mall, I would quickly be reminded. There were mobs of people, everywhere! I had to make a note to stay away until it was all over. For the sake of my sanity.

3. Credit card fraud. Yes, 'tis the season, folks. I was victim to credit card fraud on 2 occasions surrounding the X-Mas season. Apparently, some degenerate scrubs desperately needed to buy their chitlins some X-Mas presents at Toys "R" Us, but didn't have the funds, so they just used mine! Excellent.

4. Everything is closed! Except for 7-11. Good thing they sell wine.

OK, just so you don't think I'm a total Scrooge; there are a few things I like about the Holiday Season - time off of work, sales, balsam-scented candles, and liquor gift sets for starters.

Daily Style: Tuesday, 12/11

cashmere sweater (JCP, $60)

purple slacks (Mossimo @ Target, $25)

felt booties ("Jacqueline", Shoedazzle)

1. This sweater isn't really cheap. I will admit it. However, it's 100% cashmere, so it may be cheap-ish, relatively speaking.

2. I love the baggy sweater look that's become popular recently, but I'm not entirely sure I can pull it off, and I'm wondering what else I can do. Should I try pairing it with a skirt? Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

3. These shoes are soooo cute, but way too high for me. They were final sale, so I'm selling them on eBay, in case you're interested.

Daily Style: Thursday, 11/15

faux leather skirt (Worthington @ JCP, $25)

chambray shirt (Converse One Star @ Target, $12)

black tank (H&M, $5)

Assets shaper tights (c/o JCP)
gold/pearl necklace (JCP, $10)

leopard print peep-toes (Carlos Santana via TJ Maxx, $35)

This look was inspired by this pin.

When I'm feeling especially bored uninspired, I turn to Pinterest. This may be a complete 'duh', but whatevs. Are you following me on Pinterest? You should, cause I pin so much awesome stuff! (Ha! I barely pin at all...)

You can follow me here.  Or by clicking the link on the right that says "Pinterest".

Daily Style: Monday, 11/5

corduroy dress (Old Navy, hand-me-down, $free)

white oxford (Merona @ Target, Mom's, $free)

nude open work tights (Kmart, $13)

brown oxford pumps (Vince Camuto via Amazon.com, $39)

This dress is one of my favorite pieces I didn't spend any money on. I mean, I love corduroy and I love pockets, so what can go wrong?

A friend and I have a little club we started (currently only 2 members, open to more), where we swap clothes with each other. Like most women, we have a wide range of sizes in our closets, and like most women, we fluctuate weight frequently. So when I started gaining weight and she started losing, it worked perfectly, as she got the clothes that were too tight on me and I got the clothes that were too loose on her. 

She made away like a bandit, ('cause my closet is ridiculous) but I get the pleasure of knowing some of my most amazing thrift finds aren't going to waste (sitting in my closet, waiting for the weight loss that may never happen). And if there ever comes a day that I fit into said clothes again, they will be there for me. 

I suggest you get some friends, in the same size-range, and start your own swap club. You just might get a dress as awesome as this one.

Daily Style: Thursday, 8/23

peplum top (Worthington @ JCP, $8)

denim pencil skirt (Bisou Bisou @ JCP, $25)

"Bailey" green pumps (Worthington @ JCP, $35)

necklace (Target)

I rarely never do this, but I'm gonna get personal. I haven't been posting as many outfits for numerous reasons, but one of them is weight gain. Lately I've noticed I'm gaining weight at a rapid speed. I'm trying to accept it, and appreciate the way my body is now, but beyond the fact that a good amount of my clothes don't fit, it's hard to get over the stigma attached to it. You know the one. The feelings of failure, guilt, that you appear to be lazy, gluttonous, undisciplined, unhealthy, etc.

I don't believe in diets and I don't believe in working out to the point of vomiting. I believe in HAES. I believe in finding ways to move your body that are enjoyable for you. That is why I dance. I take ballet class an average of 3 times a week. I try to get my fair share of fruits/veggies/whole grains. I also love cheese and butter and bread and I would be unhappy without those things. I believe there should be a good balance of healthy and happy. I believe your mental health is more important than how many miles you can run on a treadmill. I believe how you feel inside and how you treat others is more important than how much you can bench. I believe your character is more important than your six pack (or lack thereof). These are some of my mantras. But...

In this society, it's extremely difficult to combat the feeling of worth based on weight. We praise the thin and degrade anyone larger than a size 8. We applaud the overweight* for taking on the lifestyle of an Anorexic. We have "Thinspo" Pinterest boards. We use the ever-popular "health concern" excuse in order to fat-hate on our loved ones and strangers.

I've put a lot of hard work into getting where I am with body/self-acceptance, and I've hit a lot of hurdles on the way. Mostly in the way of friends/SOs/etc. I suppose my work is never done. I suppose this is yet another hurdle.

*I hate this term (over what weight?) but I can't think of anything less insulting. 

(NOTE: I usually have a free-for-all mentality in the comment section, but due to the subject at hand, any comment that is found to be insulting to myself or my readers will be removed.)

Daily Style: Tuesday, 7/31

denim pencil skirt (Bisou Bisou @ JCP, $25)

black tank (H&M, $5)

sheer floral jacket (Xhilaration @ Target, $18)

teal heels (Just Fabulous, $40)

red coral necklace (Mimi's The Look, $18 w/Groupon), black stone ring (MNG by Mango @ JCP, $15)

Here's another way I wore this shear jacket, that I never got to show you.

This also might be a decent Lollapalooza get-up.

Anyone going to Lolla this year? I went a few years back, and that was the point at which I realized I am an old lady. It was too hot, the booze line was too long, my red wine was spilling all over the place as I tried to walk from one stage to the next (who orders red wine at a concert? ↑ this girl!)... I watched one band, then said f**k this, went home, ordered Chinese, and sat in the air conditioning. I used to enjoy outdoor concerts - Further Fest, Ozzfest, really anything at Alpine Valley... not anymore. Yep, I'm old. I've embraced it. Pretty soon I will be spending my Saturday nights watching Lawrence Welk with my TV dinner and turning in around 8 PM.

Daily Style: Friday, 7/13

printed pants (Express, thrifted, $3.50)

tank (Mossimo @ Target, $5)

ruffle sandals (Corso Como via Marshall's, $40)

necklace (LOFT, $gift)

The perfect outfit for heat, drama, and a 3.5 hour drive to Champaign, IL.

Don't get me started...

Daily Style: Thursday, 7/12

pink pleated dress (MNG by Mango @ JCP, $32)

denim bolero (MNG by Mango @ JCP, $45)

pink pumps (Madden Girl "Sursey" via Plato's Closet, $12)

mustard yellow belt (Merona @ Target, $13)

I have a wedding to attend this weekend, so I can finally break out my new shoes, dress and clutch.  Does anyone else buy a whole new outfit for someone's wedding?  (NOT your own.)  It's a little ridiculous, but I find myself doing it quite a bit.  And then I won't wear those items until the wedding.  Like I'm going to spoil them.  I actually think that's the best part of weddings - dressing up.  After that's done, I'm a little over it.

Daily Style: Wednesday, 7/4

striped top (PayHalf, $12) 

black shorts (nicole by Nicole Miller @ JCP, $20) 

black patent pumps (Steve Madden Luxe, thrifted, $6)

leopard belt (Merona @ Target, $17)

large stone ring (John Clayborn via Shecky's, $45), silver spoon ring (flea market find)

Happy 4th, bitches!

I'm going to try something new here and share some links that I found interesting this week.  Feel free to tell me if you absolutely hate this idea, or find it a fun change.  (Seriously, I love feedback!  And my feelings will only be hurt a little.)

Slate.com - Why Willow Smith's Video is Unnerving

Cracked.com - Fat is Officially Incurable (According to Science)

Stamp Tramps - Peanut Britta Cup?

Jezebel.com - Dating Sites Encourage Men to be Interesting, Women to be Doormats

Be In Style - Cost Per Use by Thrifted Shift

Black Girl Dangerous - From One Skinny Girl to Others: A Few Words on Fat Phobia

WTF, Pinterest? (trust me, you'll LOL)

Daily Style: Saturday, 6/9

cut-offs (Xhileration @ Target, $13)

black tank (Gap Outlet)

coral blazer (east5th @ JCP, $22)

floral printed platforms (Decree @ JCP, $25)

gold necklace (Claire's), gold ring (MNG by Mango @ JCP, $15), gold bow ring (F21)
skull printed clutch (Loungefly, $gift)

Don't look @ my toenails, please!

Oy, I wore these new babies out for drinking on Saturday.  I fell out of them 3 times and eventually took them off and went barefoot.  A word to the wise - Practice walking in your new heels for a full day sober, before you decide to take them for a spin under the influence.

How was your weekend?!

Daily Style: Friday, 6/8

green floral high low dress (I <3 Ronson @ JCP, $32)

suede booties (Target, $30)

You know that blogger thing goin' around? Things I'm afraid to tell you? I guess it's supposed to make the blogger appear more real (read: flawed) to their readers. I have conflicting feelings about it.  On one hand, it's nice that big bloggers are striving to make a deeper connection with their readers.  On the other hand, the "things" listed are sometimes relative, and it may make the blogger appear even less in touch with "regular" folk.

 I'd love to hear your thoughts on it, readers.  (That's you!)