Summer Heat

In this outfit:
Top: thrifted ($5)
Skirt: Madewell from last year
Tote c/o Ruche
Sandals: Marshalls ($25)
Earrings: gift from Moorea Seal
Bracelet: Thrifted ($2)

Where I wore it: A taco date!

When it's too hot to cook- which it has been for pretty much the past two weeks- there's only one thing to do: have someone else cook for you. This past weekend, we hit our limit for how much heat and humidity we could stand inside our apartment and decided the only way to feel better was tacos. Lots of tacos. Outside of the office, I've been living in the same cut-off shorts and ratty tank top day after day, so I decided to dress up a little. This little crop top was a thrift find from over the winter, one of those summery items that despite being way out of season, I just couldn't say no to. Plus, it's silk, and if there's anything that I can't say no to, it's silk. Paired with my other summer staples- jewelry that only touches your ears, and a straw tote bag- to me, it's the recipe for the perfect summer outfit.

It may sound counter-intuitive, but I find some of my best thrift scores out of season, few people are going to be looking for sweaters in July, and perhaps even fewer looking at the tank tops and breezy fabrics in the middle of frigid January. Also, if you're looking for crop tops and mini-dresses, always look in the children's section. I'm not saying to wear children's clothing, but I've found many a mis-categorized gem hiding between the Oshkosh. 

Happy 2012!

Coat: J.Crew (cinema coat, last year)
Radiant Panache Sequin Top c/o Ruche
Shirt: Ralph Lauren (thrifted)
Jeans: Madewell High Riser (last year)
Loafers: Ralph Lauren (thrifted)
Bracelet c/o Motherland

Happy 2012! Did you have a wonderful time celebrating the new year? Chris and I stayed in because I was sick, but we still had a great time cooking food and hanging out. Because of my mystery sickness (we still don't know what it was, despite going to the doctors), this is about as sparkly as things got (on Thursday). But I love having a versatile sequined top in my wardrobe now! I have so many plans on how I want to remix this!

Have you made your New Year Resolutions yet? I've actually been thinking a lot about mine. 2011 was such a great year, I want to keep that momentum going. So, here are my 2012 Resolutions:

1. Continue to learn.
I've noticed something in the past few months: I haven't been reading as much. I want to push myself to get to the library when I say I'm going to, to check out new classes in the area, and to follow my interests.

2. Explore our new city and explore our new region.
We're now living in a part of the country that neither Chris nor I have ever really explored. Now that we're close to all these new states, I want to take advantage of that with plenty of road trips and new experiences.

3. Continue to push myself athletically.
In 2011 I went from using three pound free weights in my weight training regimen, to using twelve and a half pound free weights. This is something I'm extremely proud of, I have my arthritis under control and I'm stronger than I have ever been. I never saw myself as someone who could stick to an exercise regimen, but suddenly I am that person. This year, I want to get outside more for hikes, and start swimming at the gym.

4. Pay off debts and start saving for a home.
This will be the year that I significantly pay down my student loans and my credit card. Last year was hard, this year I'm vowing to get it done.

5. Go on more dates with my husband.
more romance is always a good thing.

6. Make more of an effort to write letters, and keep in touch.
This was one of last years goals as well, but it's especially important now that I live so far away from everyone I love.

7. Be more outgoing.
Here's my little secret: I have a terrible habit of being a recluse. This is another thing that is very important for me to change since we've moved. I want to do more and meet new people!

So, these are my resolutions! Are you making resolutions? What's top on your list for things to do this year? Things to change?

Black and Blue All Over

Dress c/o Ruche

Booties: Kate Spade v. TJMaxx

Tights: American Apparel

Necklace: Black Sparrow (gift)

Bracelets: Forever 21

It's strange seeing these photos and knowing they weren't taken in Beverly, I absolutely love having new locations for outfit photos now, although I will definitely miss my old haunts. You know what else I love? Getting dressed for work in the mornings! I'm so excited to have an office to get dressed up for again, I feel as though I've had so much inspiration over the past few months, but was unable to express much because I was either in jeans and a t-shirt for the cafe, or working from home. So, when I received this amazing dress from Ruche over the weekend, I knew it would be the first thing I wore this week. The temperature has definitely dropped over the past few days, so I paired it with some thick black tights and warm booties.

October 5, 2011: Black & Blue

Top: Thrifted

Skirt c/o Ruche

Shoes: Swapped

Necklace: Swapped

Belt: Vintage

A few photos from before the rain. Yesterday we had crazy flooding, and I ended up with a few inches of water in my car. Not fun. I've had this skirt from Ruche for (admittedly) a couple of months, I love the polkadots and uneven hem! I paired it with one of my favorite combinations: black and gold. I think I may be in the minority when I say I love blue and black together, and black and brown too.

I'm keeping today's post super short, things have been crazy around here and I have to run out the door to work! Happy wednesday!

Mini Spotlight: ModCloth, Ruche, Blowfish, & Mitu Vintage!

Clockwise from top left: Tank: ModCloth, Blazer: Ruche, Necklace: Mitu Vintage, Loafers: Blowfish Shoes, Shorts: ModCloth

This week's Swap DC has had me thinking of swap style. With the advent of another swap comes the inevitable "but what do I wear?" question. A veteran swapper myself, I have been to enough clothing swaps to tell you this: wear something comfortable that you can move in! Sure, you'll be socializing with other bloggers and you want to look cute, but what are you really there for? The clothes! So when those doors open and you rush in and start swapping, you want to make sure your cute outfit also has staying power:

DC will be hot! Start with a breezy tank like The treasured Moments Top from ModCloth, this won't bunch or ride up and it's thin enough to try stuff on over it. Next, add some statement shorts like the Pep in Your Step Shorts, also from ModCloth, donning shorts insures you won't have to worry about flashing people as you would in a skirt or dress. No one wants squished toes, so make sure you wear some easy to walk in loafers like the Nexi from Blowfish. Opt for simple jewelry, like this vintage chinese lion necklace from Mitu Vintage. And For those post-swap drinks you'll definitely be needing, throw on a light blazer like the Make Me Blush Blazer from Ruche.

Have fun DC'rs! and remember you can receive 25% off your tickets with the code ORCHIDGREY!

July 8, 2011: Cerise, White, Bronze

Cherry a la Mode Dress c/o ModCloth

Belt: J.Crew ($5.99 sale)

Vintage Shoes c/o Haberdash

Bracelet c/o ModCloth

Necklace: Spotted Moth ($32)

worn beneath: Sweet Ceylon Shorts c/o Ruche

I am in love with this outfit. This is what I wore to Prairie Home Companion at Tanglewood on Saturday night, and it turned out to be the perfect thing. Summer has finally arrived, so light fabric is a must, I grabbed this dress last week during ModCloth's So Haute sale and I'm so glad I got it! It's light and breezy and extremely versatile. I knew I'd need sensible shoes, so I added my favorites from Punky and replaced the self tie belt that came with the dress, with a matching one from J.Crew. Then I threw on some bronze accessories and I was ready! So easy!

I've definitely been trying to add some brights to my closet, there is a lot of blue and white in there! I love this summer's color blocking trend, and it has certainly made finding bright clothes easier. I've also found these shorts (which are back in stock, BTW) to be the perfect pair to wear under a dress for modesty. I live about 1/4 mile from the ocean, so our town is extremely windy all the time, making short dresses rather scandalous. Wearing a cute pair of shorts underneath is the perfect solution, and this particular pair adds very little extra bulk.

June 20, 2011: Navy, White, Brown

Dress c/o Lulus.com

Shorts (worn beneath) c/o Ruche

Belt: American Apparel

Necklace: Black Sparrow (gift)

Bag: Thrifted ($10)

Gimmik Heels c/o Blowfish Shoes

How was your weekend? Ours was beautiful (and way too short), the weather has been unbelievable, just so, so gorgeous! On Saturday, Chris and I had the afternoon together, so after running a million errands, we decided to take a drive over to Salem and take photobooth pictures. It was so nice being by the water and walking around.

Since I've been working from home, and my coffee shop attire consists of ratty t-shirts and cut-offs, I've been making more of an effort to look put together the rest of the time. It's really easy (for me) to fall into the rut of excessive casualness when there's no everyday reason to get dressed up. Especially in the summer, when it's hot out, simplicity is key. That's why I love this dress from Lulu's: It's super light and breezy, but still looks nice. It was a little windy down by the water, so I added a cute pair of shorts from Ruche for modesty, I don't want to be flashing the whole boardwalk! I also wore my new shoes from Blowfish for the first time, I love them! Something I really appreciate about Blowfish shoes is that they're made a little wider, so they're super comfy and don't pinch. I felt wonderful in this outfit, and it reminded me that I really do enjoy getting dressed up, even though cut offs and a t-shirt can be so much easier.

(not our best work)

This whole week is looking like it's going to be gorgeous, do you have any fun plans? I'm working most of the week, but I'm hoping to make it to the beach one of these days.

Mini Spotlight: Blowfish Shoes, Ruche, & Mitu Vintage

Dress: Mitu Vintage, Hat: Ruche, Belt: Ruche, Necklace: Ruche, Wedges: Blowfish Shoes

So I thought I would do something a little different with this week's mini spotlight and show you a few of my favorite things from Orchid Grey's sponsors, in an outfit! Isn't this dress from Mitu Vintage cute? I think it would look fantastic with some spring-y accessories from Ruche, and a pair of comfortable wedges from Blowfish Shoes. Also, you can save 15% off your order from Blowfish Shoes with the code BFORCHID15!

Mini Spotlight: Ruche, Blowfish & Pulp Vintage!

Happy Monday! Today , Monday is living up to it's reputation: it's cold (I had to turn on the heat!), dreary, and generally gloom and doom. These are some things that make me look forward to sunny June weather:

A few items from Ruche that I'm loving right now: The Truly Inspired Top, Mint Condition Shorts, and the Feeling Sanguine Dress. So pretty!

I'm Kind of in love with these sandals from Blowfish Shoes: the Wren, the pretty purple Lowbow, and the Luster. Perfect with a summer dress!

Add a few patterned separates from Pulp Vintage: A sheer orange skirt, the perfect summer bag, and a peppy polka-dotted blouse.

Mini Spotlight: Spotted Moth, Ruche, & The Spice Rack!

After the horrible weather on Friday, we're finally getting a little taste of spring around here. The sun is shining and the birds are chirping wildly. When warm weather shows it's pretty face, it's difficult to deny the simplicity of dresses. Sure they may not take any effort at all, no real thought is involved in throwing on a dress, but that is why I love them: after spending half the year in the cold and dark, spending countless hours finding the perfect equation of warmth x layers, I welcome the opportunity to wear one single item of clothing. Add some shoes, a necklace, and a bag, and you're done:

Spotted Moth is getting new dresses in almost daily. Wouldn't the Floral Rosemary Dress look nice with a brown belt and sandals? I love the unique lace collar on the Battenburg Lace Dress. The fiery red Claxton Dress would look amazing on someone with dark brown hair, I wish I could pull of red like that!

Ruche boasts a pretty amazing selection of unique dresses in a great variety of prints and fabrics. I'm in love with the Spanish Nights Dress, that print! those colors! I'm also loving lace and eyelet for Spring: the Dainty Darling Dress and Summer Dream Dress would be great for a graduation party or cookout.

If vintage is more your speed, then I highly suggest checking out The Spice Rack. Not only is the selection of vintage amazing, but everything is named after food and candy. I personally love the Brown Rice Dress, the Grilled Cheese Dress, and the Fig Newton Day Dress. Are you hungry yet?

What is your Spring Style Staple?

March 25, 2011: Stripes, Leopard, and Khaki

Trench: GAP (Swapped)

Dress: H&M ($? old)

Belt: Vintage ($3?)

Tights: We Love Colors

Bag: Coach ($6 thrift)

Sunnies: Ray Ban ($60 TjMaxx)

Fashionably Fierce Flats c/o Ruche

I love outfits like this, comfortable and cool and comprised of my favorite things: leopard print and stripes. It's funny how well the two go together, considering how extreme they are. In fact, this week seems to have been all about breaking the fashion "rules": A maxi dress on a short girl, Blue and black worn together, and mixed patterns. Do you believe in fashion "rules"? I don't, at least not anymore, too much time is wasted on worrying whether colors match, whether wearing white shoes in winter is faux pas, and if you can wear a floral and stripe together. I say, go for it! If it looks intentional, people won't notice, and they probably won't care either. I declare leopard a neutral! Speaking of which, I've been on the hunt for a pair of leopard flats for what seems like forever, and I've finally found the pair! They remind me a little of Audrey Hepburn, a little demure with the cute bow.

My hair is what happens when you're outside in freezing temperatures teaching simple machines to fifth graders. I've been volunteering at the Shipbuilding Museum for the past two days and the weather has been less than ideal. When I got home yesterday afternoon my hair was one giant knot after being whipped around by the wind, so this is my lemonade out of lemons hairstyle. When all else fails, make a bun. These pictures probably make it seem like the weather was nice, believe me it wasn't until about 5 o'clock. It was raining, then snowing, then sleeting, all while remaining an unsavory 30 something degree.

A couple of readers asked what it is I do at the museum, I'm an educational volunteer. Lately I've been running the ship themed scavenger hunt, but I'm learning how to teach Simple Machines and the Steam Box. (This is not what I wear when I'm there)

Have a great weekend!