The January Dress

I'm a sucker for new year's resolutions and find myself making at least five or six each January. I'm not sure I love actually thinking up the resolutions as much as I like writing the list. This is also a good time to mention I'm a sucker for stationary.

In developing my list for 2012, I incorporated a fashion resolution for the first time. I thought about the big themes in my wardrobe and what might be missing. I realized that most of my dresses fall into one of two camps: day or night ... but never both. I have a lot of knee-length collared dresses that are great for work and several black strapless dresses that are great for going out.

So I made a resolution to try to purchase or otherwise obtain (clothes swap, anyone?) one dress a month that can be worn easily from day to night. There are a few other stipulations that I have (blog post coming soon...), but that's the jist. I figure by the end of the year, I'll have a great section of my wardrobe to create outfits for those long days when work quickly transitions into a night out.

My January dress was purchased about two weeks ago during a major sale at STRUT in Austin. I've already worn it on a day-to-night circuit and on an excursion to eat dinner and see "Wicked." I figure if I can wear it again on a day where I attend a religious ceremony and then go to a night club, I'll have really gotten my money's worth.

What I'm Wearing
Final Touch Red Dress (STRUT)
Black Leather Belt (J.Crew Factory Store)
Black Tights (Forever XXI)
LC Lauren Conrad Black Platform Pumps (Kohl's)
Gold Glasses Necklace (Forever XXI)
Black, White, and Gold Bracelet (Forever XXI)
Gold Michael Kors Runway Watch (Macy's)
Gold-Plated Bangles (Luxe Apothetique)
Pearl and Beaded Bracelet (Gift from a craft fair)
OPI Nail Polish in "Bullish on OPI"

My Weekend in Instagrams

This weekend provided a healthy mix of relaxation, productivity, and fun times. Friday night was extremely low key, meaning the sweatpants came on early. Saturday, however, started with a run at Town Lake and ended with a friend's birthday party, of which I unfortunately took no photos. And on Sunday, the fella helped me make a few updates on my blog and made chili and cornbread for dinner. It's like a have some dirt on him, but I don't! 

12

3

45  

1) Getting a lot of use out of my Starbucks refillable mug... all coffee is free when I take this to a Starbucks anytime in January :)
2) Shopping trip to the J.Crew Factory Store with my discount before I work my last shift as an employee
3) Cooper taking one of 17 naps during the weekend
4) The fella helping me with the blog
5) Homemade chili for dinner

Wish List: Neon Accents

I can definitely respect the neon trend happening right now, but I certainly can't pull it off. As one of the lost cast members of the Twilight films, neon colors look scary with my pale skin. I figure in order to incorporate the current neon palette within my spring 2012 wardrobe, I'll do it safely through accessories (and cosmetics), so I've compiled a few of my favorites, all priced below $60:

Where to Buy | Photo Sources

1) Is It Spring Yet? Ring | modcloth.com

2) Revlon Orange Flip | drugstore.com

3) ASOS Bow Skinny Belt | asos.com

4) Hue-Kissed Cameo Necklace | anthropologie.com

One of Those Days

Yesterday was just one of those days -- when nothing goes wrong, but nothing really goes all that well. I should have known, even at 8:00 a.m., when trying to decide on an outfit was harder than trying to decided between gummy bears or Reese's Pieces as a fro-yo topping.

When I got home from work, I was so dissatisfied with my outfit, my hair, my skin ... everything. (Don't worry -- I'm not fishing for compliments here. If I was, I would have named this post "Tell Me I'm Fabulous.") But, we've all been there, right? I knew as soon as I took these photos I needed to change clothes and do the one thing that makes me feel confident and refreshed. I went for a run. It sounds cheesy, but as soon as I slip on my running shoes, I feel infinitely better. Is there anything you do when you're just having one of those days?

What I'm Wearing

Lincoln Tee in Heather Grey (StyleMint)

Xhiliration Faux Leather Jacket (Target)

Vigoss Jeans (Nordstrom)

Mossimo Patent Leather Ballet Flats (Target)

Retro Print Scarf (J.Crew)

Gold Michael Kors Runway Watch (Macy's)

Black, White, and Gold Bracelet (Forever XXI)

Essie Nail Polish in "Cocktail Bling"

My Weekend in Instagrams

The cedar allergies that tore me up last weekend reared their ugly head again on Friday, and I spent the day recovering from the effects. Luckily, the next day, the fella and I took a quick road trip to Houston to watch both the Olympic trials for the marathon event and the Houston Marathon. Not only did we get to see some amazing athletes, I was able to flee cedar season for a couple of days. Here are a few Instagram photos I took during my weekend retreat:

12

3

45

1) After a day of living off orange juice and soup, I was ravenous for Indian food (my favorite!) on Friday evening

2) Packing for the quick trip to Houston

3) Setting up our chairs to watch the Olympic trial qualifiers whiz by

4) Hanging out with Gadget, the fella's dog, at mile 7 of the Houston Marathon

5) Enjoying a glass of vino and admiring my new manicure (Essie's "Cocktail Bling") on Sunday night

Stay tuned for some more posts this week!

Creature Comforts

During the weekend, it's hard for me to part from my black leggings. One of the perks of living in Austin is that the city is so casual, it's perfectly acceptable to walk around in items most consider pajamas. When I was in college, I used to bum around the city in sweatpants, but I figured I would have a change of heart once I graduated and got a job. Turns out I did. Now I'm classy... Austin-style, that is.

What I'm Wearing

Plaid Shirt (J.Crew)

Xhiliration Black Leggings (Target)

Steve Madden Patent Leather Ballet Flats (DSW)

Unisex Circle Scarf (American Apparel, purchased with a Groupon)

Mosaic Ring (JewelMint)

Essie Nail Polish in "Glamour Purse"

My Weekend in Instagrams

This weekend, I survived the epic battle of Cedar Allergies versus Jenn. Cedar nearly won, so besides venturing out for a couple meals with friends, I remained a homebody. Here are a few Instagram photos I took during my low-key weekend.

12

3

45

1) Ordering a Tom Collins at dinner on Friday

2) Trying out my lovely new candle stands, a Christmas gift from the fella's family

3) A forgotten surprise, the American Apparel circle scarf, arrived after being on backorder for weeks

4) My new (teen fiction) book for an upcoming book club meeting

5) Baking peanut butter cupcakes from this book, another Christmas gift from my aunt

Stay tuned for some more posts this week!

Flavored Fur

When I cut my hair, I immediately rejoiced in the thought that the days of getting hair in my soup, spaghetti, and other plates of food were over. Why learn good table manners when you can just chop your hair off, right?

Today, however, as I finished up my Greek salad at lunch, I noticed a large enormous hunk of feta cheese embedded in my faux fur vest, near the area under my arm. Besides the obvious questions of "How did it get so stuck in the fur?" and "How did it land under my arm?" -- to which I still do not have answers -- I realized I was still getting food stuck in hair. It's just that this time, it's not my own. Am I allowed to consider that progress?

What I'm Wearing

Pilcro and the Letter Press Top (Anthropologie)

Faux Fur Vest (Old Navy)

LC Lauren Conrad Navy Twill Pants (Kohl's)

Brown Ankle Boots (Old Navy)

Pashmina Scarf (Gift, purchased from a street vendor in NYC)

Gold Michael Kors Runway Watch (Macy's)

Essie Nail Polish in "Glamour Purse"

Closet Discoveries

In honor of the new year, I cleaned my closet over the weekend (I'll be sharing the process in a later post) and uncovered a lot of great pieces. I also found a shoebox full of headbands, which was basically like experiencing a second Christmas.

One of the most exciting clothing finds was this embellished top from Madewell, which is the closest to the 80s I'll ever get, save for a few Madonna songs on my iPod and some of those rediscovered headbands.

What I'm Wearing
HiLine Embellished Top (Madewell)
Black Minnie Pants (J.Crew)
Tahari Tan Pumps (DSW)
Shanghai Eclipse Pendant (JewelMint)

Black, White, and Gold Bracelet (Forever XXI)

Gold Michael Kors Runway Watch (Macy's)

Gold-Plated Bangles (Luxe Apothetique)
Pearl and Beaded Bracelet (Gift from a craft fair)
Essie Nail Polish in "Glamour Purse"

My Weekend in Instagrams

I know I am way late to the party here, but I got an iPhone over the holidays! I made a goal to get one before the end of 2011, and in true Jenn fashion, I made the purchase on December 31. Here are a few Instagram photos I took during the long weekend:

12

3

45

1) Cooper supervising me while I unpacked from my parents' house after Christmas

2) My friend Jeanine and her fabulous 'do and hair piece on New Year's Eve

3) The last days of the Christmas tree in my apartment

4) Drinking Moscow mules while watching the Cowboys lose game with the fella

5) A new haircut for the new year

Stay tuned for some more posts this week!