Just Add a Beret

Ooh la la, of course I wore a beret with this outfit. How could I not?

However, I did not draw on a little mustache even though I should have.

Best. Outfit. Ever.

I'm gonna have to work this look into the rotation because boy did I look slick! I've been trying to style this yellow shell since I bought it this summer, but nothing was ever quite right. It's because this shade of yellow does nothing for my complexion. By breaking it up with a shirt collar and a statement necklace, I'm able to distract from how pale yellow makes me look ill and draw attention to how amazing this necklace is. Seriously, it's rad. 

Polar Vortex

We had a very cold week here in Minnesota, so I thought I'd highlight some of the ways I managed not to freeze to death.

I've never worn this huge angora sweater outside of the house before, but I found it necessary on this extra cold day. Sometimes you just need to dress like a bear to feel safe.

Dottir

Ooh whee!

I've lived through all of the cold, mid-western winters that have occurred over the last 35 years, but I don't think I've ever been so afraid of the cold. I'm literally shaking in my boots. You guys, I know everyone is so sick of talking about the Polar Vortex, but it was terrible and I'm not happy about it.

One good thing that has come of all of these cold winters is that I'm very adept at layering. 

People always wonder why I wear skirts and dresses in the winter. I'm always way warmer in skirts than pants because I can easily add layers under a skirt.

Another abysmally cold day and fantastic feat of layering. Can I get another sweater under there? Certainly.

Honorable mention goes to this coat.

I wear it every time temperatures dip below zero

It's very ridiculous and at the same time very necessary.

Every time I put it on, I say "Don't worry, I've got my big coat" and then I do a little dance.

I'm sure by now, after all of the below zero days we've had this season, my friends and family are very sick of my coat announcements, but I don't really care. It's the only happiness I have. 

I Breathe Sparkles

I took a friend shopping to buy business casual basics for a new job. We went to Nu Look Consignment and found a lot of great classic pieces for her to mix and match. 

I, on the other hand, found these shiny genie pants and a sheer, gold sequin top (not pictured) for $20.00

Overall, I'd say it was a successful trip.

It's All About the Shoes

This is one of the best outfits I've worn in awhile. I love the color scheme and this 1940s meets 1980s silhouette is so very me. But most of all I love these shoes. They're the perfect color to compliment my wardrobe and they're incredibly comfortable. I've been wearing them almost non-stop since I bought them this winter. I long for another pair in black, just so that I never have to wear another pair of shoes again. 

OH MY GOD I LOVE THESE SHOES! 

They even look good tucked under skinny cut pants.

I always get a lot of compliments on this dress when I wear it, but I don't wear it very often. I wonder why. Probably because I never used to have these shoes.

Catching Up 4/4

This post is the last of my old outfit drawings and I'm excited to post more drawings soon that showcase my current style.

Handmade by Kristina

Poppy

I love these earring that I'm wearing! My friend Kristina made them out of shrink film, but they look like sea glass. They're super elegant and go with everything, especially this outfit.

Lula Vintage

This dress is one of those garments that has never lived up to it's imagined potential but I continue to hold on to it and wear it anyway. My main problem with it is that it's too tight in the bust. Every time I put it on, I have to get my husband to zip me into it and then I spend the entire day with a limited ability to breath. When I take it off, I exclaim "I'm free" and I vow never to wear the dress again. 

It is cute though...

Poppy

This one is a sure fire winner. I've gotta get this skirt back into rotation immediately.

Poppy

I don't know what crack I was smoking when I wrote that these vintage earrings came from Urban Outfitters, because they most certainly did not.

Lula Vintage

This all beige outfit reminds me of my Grandmother and I'm pretty sure I kept saying that all day while I was wearing it.

Catching Up 2/4

For the entire year of 2017, I've been tired. It seemed that all of the energy that I used to have for anything in my life was completely zapped and anything I had left was used in an effort to stay afloat. So here I am posting outfit drawings from nearly a year ago. Hey, they're still relevant, right?

The following outfits illustrate to me the feeling of hygge, which I try to embrace when all of the days are so damn cold and dark.

Poppy

Ooh, this sweater is lovely. It's very soft and warm and it's sweaters like these that make the winter months bearable.

Lula Vintage

Sorel boots and a gigantic sweater. Everything about this is bliss.

Blanket scarves...are those still a thing?

Liz Carlson Art & Illustration

I do believe that this day was crazy cold and that's why I wrapped my body in sweaters. All of the sweaters!

Lula Vintage

This outfit makes me wish I was at a ski lodge. I don't ski, but I do like to drink hot toddies by a fire.

Catching Up 1/4

For the entire year of 2017, I've been tired. It seemed that all of the energy that I used to have for anything in my life was completely zapped and anything I had left was used in an effort to stay afloat. So here I am posting outfit drawings from nearly a year ago. Hey, they're still relevant, right?

All of the outfits in this post are mainly colorless, which I find fitting, considering my state of mind.

This vest used to be a big shapeless tunic made out of flax or something. I had the sleeves removed and it's still big and shapeless, but I like it better this way.

Lalunette

One of my favorite winter outfits right here. I love everything about it. The layering, the black and tan color combo, the mixed materials, the proportions. 

10/10, would wear again.

Yes, yes yes! I want to wear this tomorrow!

Dottir

This is a very classic winter look for me. If I had a uniform, it'd look a lot like this.

This reminds me that this shirt has a rip in it that I need to mend. 

Thanks outfit drawing from my past! You're a real help!

Lipstick Obsession

I've been super into lipstick lately, so much so that I've been avoiding the drug store because I can't seem to leave Walgreens without buying a tube. This week's drawings all include a face (a rarity) because I thought it was significant what shade I was wearing with my outfit.

Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink - Voyager

I've been loving classic colors this fall. School or team colors like red, green, navy, yellow, etc. This outfit is a great example of my current fall style. I love wearing this 70s jacket with these navy blue bell bottoms. The jacket is red, green, white and navy plaid, which could scream Christmas, but I think that when I highlight the blue with the rest of my outfit, the color combo works. 

Revlon Pearl Lipstick - Violet Frenzy

I LOVE this outfit! I have no need to dress like this at work, but sometimes it just makes me feel good to look professional.

Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink - Voyager

This sweater is something that I got at a clothing exchange and I'm still trying to decide if I like it. It's a tad small, but I love the color and the mock turtle neck. Unfortunately, it only works when tucked in. 

I wore this skirt backwards because it looks sleeker that way. That means that the pockets and fly are in the back, but no one seemed to notice anything amiss. Unless it's all happening behind my back.

Lalunette

Revlon Creme Lipstick - Va Va Violet

I'm loving on this color combo. This outfit was a hit, but it was like 20 degrees that day and I wore sandals.

Idiot.

Dottir

Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink - Voyager

This crop top is new. I've worn it twice since I got it and I think it's going to become a versatile piece in my wardrobe.

Festive Holiday Style

Here's to layering! I love this white dress, but it's oh so summery and the neckline is a bit low for work-wear. To get around those two hurdles and wear this dress to work in December, I layered the dress with a sleeveless, mock-turtle neck swing dress that is the same length and voila! Instant coverage from the cold and the oglers. This is also a bold combination when it comes to pattern mixing. The red plaid combined with the star burst pattern is a lot to take in and my coworker said that I looked like Punky Brewster but I decided to take that as a compliment.

I wore this for a a performance with my choir at the Fitzgerald theater. This is the second time that I've worn this dress and the second time that the dress has ripped in the armpit. I was able to patch the tear up the first time, but it might be torn beyond repair at this point. I must have a larger upper body than the average 60s woman because this is where my close fitting vintage dresses always get torn. So sad.

I had been envisioning this outfit ever since I bought this skirt at My Sister's Closet last year. The skirt is made out of a heavyweight velvet fabric and the bottom half of the skirt is adorned with many embellishments. It's very lush and beautiful, but it's not entirely versatile. It's a winter party skirt and that's about all it is. This skirt reminds me how much I dislike ugly Christmas sweater parties because I don't want to wear ugly clothes to a party. Never have, never will. I want to wear this skirt, dammit! And I don't have many opportunities. While I still have not had the opportunity to wear this skirt to a Christmas party, I chose to wear it out to dinner with my in-laws and to see my husband perform with Nicholas David at the Pantages Theater and it was just lovely.

On this particular Sunday, my husband and I were invited to a number of Holiday parties. I know what you're thinking. "Why didn't you wear your damn skirt, Anna?" Well, I put the outfit with the skirt on and while I was still in my house, I couldn't stop shivering. It was so cold this weekend that the people of Minnesota were advised not to leave their homes. But we're hearty Minnesotans and we had plans, so I changed my outfit to what you see here and I think it's perfect. I've got on many layers of silk and wool and I even threw on a fur stole under my coat for extra warmth and glamour. In my opinion, this outfit was even better than my fantasy Christmas party outfit. It's still got the richness that the velvet skirt has, but it's warm and cozy and comfortable too.

This is what I wore on Christmas after spending the day cooking for my family. I thought it would be nice if we got dressed up and enjoyed the delicious beef tenderloin that I had prepared. My husband, however, had other ideas. I had to fight him tooth and nail to put pants on. This is my life, people.

I don't know why, but I always wear black on New Year's Eve. I also always wear a fur of some kind. And glitter! Lots and lots of sparkly glitter!

Boxy Silhouette

If you follow me on Instagram, you may already be familiar with some of these outfit drawings as well as drawings from blogs that I have yet to post. In an effort to get myself back into the swing of things, I made it a point to post something every day during the month of December and label it with the hashtag #31daysofstyle. So far I've managed to keep it up and I don't feel overwhelmed about it. This is a good thing and hopefully this exercise will be the thing that will change my habits and make blogging a more regular activity.

I've been highlighting a few silhouettes that I wear on the regular. This is what I call the boxy/mini or the boxy/slim. It's usually a boxy high collared top paired with a very short or slim fitting skirt. I like the juxtaposition between the legginess and volume that this silhouette creates.

My Sister's Closet

This look was a good idea in theory, but it just didn't turn out quite right. The material of the top and the skirt are rather heavy and kind of bulky and they did not play well together. While the colors looked stunning together, I was constantly adjusting my clothes because of the friction that these two fabrics created. I think that this top would work better with a lightweight pleated tennis skirt, but I don't have anything like that.

Poppy

I'm playing with a lot of layers here to achieve this casual and studious look. I feel like I should have drawn in a stack of books under one of my arms. Maybe it's the color scheme of bright red, mustard yellow and light denim that reminds me of school. Whatever it is, it make me want to go to the library.

Handmade by Kristina

This bodycon dress from LulaRoe is so much fun and pretty versatile. I can easily dress it up or down. I can wear it by itself, layer it with jackets or vests or wear it as a skirt like I'm doing here. I'm really happy that it matches this sweater that I wear all the time.

I Like You

Here's that sweater again. I wish I had more of them in different colors like black or white, but I'm glad that the one I have is yellow. Yellow goes with everything and I've worn this sweater in innumerable outfit combinations since I got it at a very good clothing exchange

I love this sweater just as much as the yellow one, but I don't wear it as often. This is an around the house or weekend low key hang sweater. It's incredibly warm and kind of delicate so I never wear it to work where I do a lot of physical activity and regularly catch myself on merchandising hooks or protruding corners. I would ruin this sweater in an instant at work. A lot of people don't see me wearing this sweater on the regular, but during the colder months, I'm almost always wearing it when I'm at home. I had a mostly event free weekend and I wore this sweater everyday on top of boxy mini dresses with tall wool socks or leg warmers and I knew the meaning of hygge.

Ode to Pattern Mixing

I love clothing with fun patterns. I also love to mix patterns when building outfits. Not everyone knows how to do this successfully. I'm not even sure if I know how to do this successfully, but I do know how to dress fearlessly and through trial and error I am able to achieve some bold and successful combinations.

My Sister's Closet

This outfit might be slightly ridiculous, but I love it. This was when I was unapologetically wearing scarves in my hair a la Little Edie. If your hair can't make you feel glamorous, cover it up with something that does. This is why I love hats and scarves. I haven't gotten into wigs, but If I had the funds to buy natural looking wigs, I would be all over it.

Urban Archaeology

Here's a fun dress from the 80s that has been altered to fit like a babydoll dress. I love the print. It's like hounds tooth meets Three Men and a Baby. Seriously, wasn't their apartment like an 80s bachelor's wet dream? I'm not an 80s bachelor, but I'm into it.

Go Vintage

7 months later and I still can't decide if this print mix works or not. The dress and sweater are the same colors, one of my favorite combos, kelly green and navy blue. The two different prints are variations of each other. In theory, I think this looks good, but in reality it kind of gives me a headache, which is a bummer because I have yet to find a successful outfit for this cropped vintage sweater that I love so much.

Lula Vintage

I Like You

This dress is so unique and classic at the same time. I bought it this fall and have been having fun pairing it with different shirts underneath. This was my first attempt at styling the dress after I bought it. I played up the western vibe that the piping on the chest suggests. I think this dress will be really versatile because it also has an East Asian vibe that is hidden under my shirt collar and the dress is overall kind of nautical. You'll be seeing more fun combos with this dress in the future.

I love that it was still warm enough in October to wear this incredible linen dress that I bought at a vintage clothing store in Portland. Obviously, I have mixed emotions about global warming.

Who Knew I Liked Blue?

I've never been fond of the color blue. I've always considered it to be the most boring of colors, besides South Dakota beige, of course. However, I've noticed that blue has been creeping into my daily wear more and more lately. This is partly because I've been wearing a lot more denim and chambray, and also because I've discovered that blue looks great with my hair, which is currently dyed bright red/orange.

Giant penny earrings from I Like You

I think it's in my DNA to love the look of denim on denim, or the Canadian tuxedo, if you will.

Some people think it's tacky, but it reminds me of my dad and makes me feel strong. I'm gonna keep wearing it, fashion faux pas be damned.

Earrings made by Kristina

Navy and sea glass. This is a beautiful color combination.

Earrings from Poppy

The first day that I wore these chambray overalls, the side zipper split open in the middle. The only way I could get out of my pants, was to cut them off of myself. This experience really enhanced my fear of getting trapped in a jumpsuit when I really have to pee. Thanks a lot fashion.

Earrings made by Liz

Batik skirt from Aviena

Teal is a shade of blue that has never been far from my heart. I've always considered teal to be closer to green than blue so I've been wearing head to toe teal ensembles for awhile now. Nothing new here.