Tuesday, January 29, 2013

The 27th

Orchid Grey 1/27-1 photo OrchidGrey_January272013-1_zps3b7d9af3.jpg
Orchid Grey 1/27-2 photo OrchidGrey_January272013-2_zps45d1318d.jpg
Orchid Grey 1/27-3 photo OrchidGrey_January272013-3_zpsdb0d0dc6.jpg
 photo OrchidGrey_January272013-10_zpsa4bd2a11.jpg
Orchid Grey 1/27-7 photo OrchidGrey_January272013-7_zps76b0d96d.jpg
Orchid Grey 1/27-8 photo OrchidGrey_January272013-8_zps66f27060.jpg
Orchid Grey 1/27-6 photo OrchidGrey_January272013-6_zps9c30ccb3.jpg
Orchid Grey 1/27-5 photo OrchidGrey_January272013-5_zps4ea1ba54.jpg
Orchid Grey 1/27-4 photo OrchidGrey_January272013-4_zps7a4408af.jpg
What I wore:
Coat: BB Dakota (2011)
Scarf: KVT Knits via giveaway (2010)
Hat: Target ($2 sale)
Dress: Free People ($30 sale)
Tights: Free People ($9 sale)
Boots c/o Lulu's
Bag: Vintage Coach/ Thrifted ($5)
Bracelet: Thrifted ($2)
Necklaces: gift & flea market gem

Where I wore it: On a birthday date to the Natural History Museum

Sunday was my birthday. I'm 29, which is wild. I used to get pretty uncomfortable about people making a big deal about my birthday, but well, I got over it. Bring on the cake and gifts. On Sunday, Chris and I put our Carnegie Museums membership to use and spent the day wandering through the hall of gems and admiring some dramatic taxidermy scenes (a lion attacking a camel? bring it on.) at the Natural History Museum. I wore this dress, which I picked up on a Saturday sale-shopping date with myself. It's pretty much the perfect weekend dress because it feels like pajamas.

I must have looked pretty good too, because a little girl goosed me as I walked through the dinosaur exhibit.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Six Degrees

Orchid Grey 1/24- 5 photo OrchidGrey_January242013-5_zps0845482e.jpg
Orchid Grey 1/24- 4 photo OrchidGrey_January242013-4_zps8e2c9925.jpg
Orchid Grey 1/24- 3 photo OrchidGrey_January242013-3_zps6871f88b.jpg
Orchid Grey 1/24- 2 photo OrchidGrey_January242013-2_zps416df7bb.jpg
Orchid Grey 1/24- 1 photo OrchidGrey_January242013-1_zpsa43f042f.jpg
What I wore: 
Sweater: J.Crew
Dress: Vintage/ Beacon's Closet ($18)
Lace top c/o Lulu's
Tights: American Apparel Super Opaque ($25)
Boots c/o Lulu's
Bracelet: Thrifted ($2)
Bag: Vintage Coach/ Thrifted ($7-ish)

Where I wore it: to the office

Let me start by saying: this outfit is not practical. at. all. I know that. Tuesday was one of those hurried mornings that resulted in me throwing on an outfit that I had stored away in my brain, with no thought given to the fact that it was six degrees out. Whoops. Needless to say, my hair didn't exactly make it "in" to the outfit, which is fine because it spent the rest of the day buried beneath a hat (I had a puffy coat and moccasins close by too, for the drive to and from work). January has finally shown it's true colors, and those colors are cold. Sometimes it's nice to be able to escape the cold to my warm office, but I've spent this whole week daydreaming about hibernation.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Brunch Baby

 photo OrchidGrey_January232013-1_zps1849bfd0.jpg
 photo OrchidGrey_January232013-2_zpsfb3e607a.jpg
 photo OrchidGrey_January232013-3_zpse5125f58.jpg
 photo OrchidGrey_January232013-5_zpsa2378b1f.jpg
 photo OrchidGrey_January232013-4_zpsd6d147cf.jpg
 photo OrchidGrey_January232013-8_zps272eb2f9.jpg
 photo OrchidGrey_January232013-6_zpsbce5ce3a.jpg
 photo OrchidGrey_January232013-7_zps2d247292.jpg
What I wore:
Coat: Ichi via ModCloth
Sweatshirt: Rachel Antonoff via ModCloth (find it here)
T-shirt: Target ($8)
Jeans: J.Crew sale ($10 old)
Sneakers: Nike Dunk Sky Hi ($120)
Hat: Brixton (from Chris)
Black & gold bracelet c/o Lulu's
Gold chain bracelet: Thrifted ($2)
Bag: Vintage Coach/ Avalon ($22)

Where I wore it: Sunday brunch

Lately it seems the only thing we're capable of accomplishing on Sundays is brunch. And maybe a little window shopping. There are always grand plans of hitting up a museum or going for a hike, but when it comes down to it, Sundays in January are meant for brunch and not much else, at least to us.

So this is what I wore on a freezing cold day to eat good food. It has been incredibly freezing the past few days, making me thankful that I finally purchased a puffy coat this year. I've been wearing iterations of this outfit on and off over the past week, always with my two new obsessions: this sweatshirt and these sneakers. When all is said and done I'm a creature of comfort- I like jeans, and sneakers, and sweatshirts, and comfy t-shirts, and if left to my own devices I revert pretty quickly to my old ways.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Necessary Accessories

 photo OrchidGrey_January222013-4_zpsb21e300b.jpg
 photo OrchidGrey_January222013-1_zpsdd8ee2b1.jpg
 photo OrchidGrey_January222013-3_zps5b8e5e0b.jpg
 photo OrchidGrey_January222013-2_zpscf3e8c44.jpg
 photo OrchidGrey_January222013-7_zpsafefeeb8.jpg
 photo OrchidGrey_January222013-6_zpsfcb0d4c0.jpg
 photo OrchidGrey_January222013-5_zpsa9fc9834.jpg
Photos by Christen
In this outfit:
Sweater: Thrifted ($1)
Skirt: Vintage/ TXSC Swap Lulu's
Tap Shorts c/o Ruche
Tights: American Apparel Super Opaque ($25)  
Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell ($60 sale- 2010)
Bag: Vintage Coach/ Avalon ($20)

Where I wore it: To the office!

The last time I wore this skirt, I unintentionally flashed the grocery store parking lot, so this time around precautions were taken. Precautions in the form of red sequin hot pants. Big thanks to Christen who took my photos yesterday, for putting up with me awkwardly flashing her my shorts over and over again in order to get a not-entirely-awkward shot of them. It's been cold, cold, cold the past few days (it's six degrees right now), making the extra layer not only helpful in keeping me covered up, but also keeping me just a little bit warmer. 

Stay warm!

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Shades of Pink and Bronze

Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
What I wore:
Coat: J.Crew (sale, old)
Hat: Brixton (Chris's)
Gloves: Urban Outfitters ($9 sale)
Sweater: Thrifted ($7)
Jeans: Kill City via giveaway from Another Day to Dress Up
Boots: Jeffrey Campbell 
Necklaces: Gift/ Dolly & Boy (2010)/ flea market crystal
Lipstick: Radiant Cosmetics "Reef" (c/o) worn with Urban Decay "Ozone" liner ($19)

Where I Wore it: To work

Sometimes the only way to cheer up a rainy, drizzly day is to put on gold pants. Yesterday was that day. I admittedly woke up in the wrong side of the bed, and pretty much stayed there for the remainder of the day.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Neutral Ground

Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
What I wore: 
Cardigan: J.Crew outlet ($20 old)
Dress c/o Ruche
Belt: Thrifted/ Vintage ($2)
Tights: American Apparel ($25)
Sneakers: Nike Dunk Sky Hi ($120)
Bag: Thrifted/ Vintage ($7)
Bracelet: Thrifted ($2)
Lipstick c/o Radiant Cosmetics "Montana" worn with Urban Decay "Ozone" lip liner ($19)

Learn how to do this hairstyle!

Where I wore it: to the office

For the past few months, I've found myself drawn to make-up more than usual. I've had the same concealer-eyeliner-mascara routine for the past six years or so, rarely straying from that combination, and before that- save for some ill-advised phases during college (pink eyeshadow, yellow eyeshadow, cheap-o fuchsia lipstick)- I didn't wear make-up at all. Cosmetics have always been a bit of a mystery to me, a mystery that I didn't necessarily care to solve, clothes are more fun (and easier in my opinion). But, maybe due to the doldrums of winter, I have a new found interest, and one of my goals this month is to upgrade to better quality, cruelty free cosmetics.

Radiant Cosmetics was kind enough to send me a couple of tubes of their moisturizing lipstick to help bring awareness to their Kiss Slavery Goodbye campaign, and I couldn't be happier with it. Not only is Radiant supporting a worthy cause- with 20% of profits going to anti-human trafficking organizations- but their products are also cruelty free, ethically sourced, and ethically manufactured. January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and I am wearing Radiant's "Montana" shade, which is a nice, blushy pink. To read more about Radiant, go here.

A little bit about my outfit: After a few years of sky-high platforms, I've decided this year is going to be about sneakers for me (we'll see how long this lasts), and I am all about these Nike Dunk sneaker wedges. While I love them paired with a comfy dress and cardigan, what I'm really waiting for is summer- to wear them with cut-offs and a tee shirt. They run true to size- maybe a little big, I'm usually an 8/8.5, these are 8's- and are the most comfortable shoes ever.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Over the Weekend: Maine in December

Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
To those of you who might be reading from Pittsburgh, I think it's pretty clear these photos weren't taken this past weekend. No, just a few left over shots from our trip home to Maine back in December. On the morning of our departure, my mom and I took the dogs down to the pond, which was a perfectly frozen sheet of ice. It would have been perfect for ice skating if there had been time. We were lucky enough to have a perfectly snowy holiday- and a very snowy drive home- which makes me thankful for all-wheel drive and new tires. Each time we visit, it's a little harder to leave, especially when we know there's a 15 hour drive ahead of us.

This past weekend was the exact opposite of these snowy pictures, it was 70 degrees! I actually saw people walking around in shorts and summer dresses. Unseasonal weather freaks me out, and I was completely unproductive. How was your weekend?

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Back to Myself Again

Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
What I wore:
Jacket: ModCloth (find it here)
Top: J.Crew ($3 sale)
Skirt: Thrifted ($12 similar)
Tights: American Apparel Super Opaque ($25)
Boots: ModCloth (sale, similar)
Necklace: Crimson & Clover/ Crompton Collective (gift from Punky)
Belt: Vintage/ Avalon ($12)
Hat: Brixton (Chris's)

Where I wore it: To work

I wish I could say I wore this somewhere new and interesting, but nope, just to work. Regardless of where I wore it, this might just be one of my all-time-favorite outfits. The kind of outfit I put on and feel like myself, something that's not necessarily true for everything I wear. My closet has changed quite a bit from when I first started writing Orchid Grey, though many of those pieces still live in my wardrobe, my focus has shifted and with it, my personal style. An outfit that I loved a year ago, I wouldn't necessarily wear now. I'm not sure where I'm going with this, suffice to say that one of my biggest goals for 2013 is to really streamline my closet, to pay attention to what I'm drawn to and translate it for myself. Ugh, Expressing yourself, sometimes it's difficult.

Also, this hat will be firmly planted on my head until A) I figure out what to do with my mop and/or B) Summer.

Also, thank you to Megan for telling me to get this jacket. Because I do not regret it. After wishing and hoping for a used leather jacket to appear in a thrift store for years, I gave up and bought this. And I feel like a superhero.

ps- I can't recommend these boots enough, if you can find them somewhere: confusingly, confoundedly comfortable.