A belated Christmas post

It may not be what you'd expect in a Christmas outfit, but when do I ever follow the rules!

I decided to put together a few of my new pieces for this outfit - the Forever21 skirt is super stretchy and comfortable; it's tight enough to be scandalous but just long enough to stay classy. I topped it off with this pussybow blouse I scored on sale at my local New York & Company outlet. Black cardi, black tights, and these awesome pumps from Payless finished the look.

I went on the hunt for these pumps after seeing them on Kendi and Jessica...I found the very last pair which so happened to be a 9. They're so snug though, I'm not sure if I can really wear them (yea, I switched them in for the photos - I'd originally been wearing boots). Anyone interested in them? Email me and we'll talk :)

Cardigan: Mom's
Top: NY&Co
Skirt: Forever 21
Tights: Hue
Pumps: Payless
Necklace: Vintage
Bracelets: Brooklyn Flea
Watch: Syms

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends, and that Santa treated you well! He sure treated me nice this year!

Bronze glow

Jacket: eShakti. Tank: Lane Bryant. Jeggings: Old Navy. Pumps & Ring: Nordstrom Rack. Necklace: H&M. Bracelets (from left): Brooklyn Flea, Mom's, a Brooklyn street fair, Forever21, purchased in Greece.

Do you like this jacket I picked up from eShakti?? I've been eyeing it up for a while and finally took the plunge a few weeks ago! The fabric is different than what I expected, I thought it'd be a thick cotton, but it's quite thin and almost a swishy sort of fabric...the sleeves hit below the elbows but I like my shorter so I rolled them for now; I'm planning to shorten the and perhaps take them in a bit as they're slightly baggy on me. All in all though, a really cute jacket - It'll be great as a dress topper!

If you want to snag it for yourself, you can still use code FFF0811 for $20 off until October 31st!

Did I tell you I have the best boyfriend ever?? How can you not love a man who surprises you at work with flowers and the like :D

Quick and comfy

Please excuse the fuzzy pictures, night photography is a skill I'm still working on! But I wanted  to share photos of this comfy little outfit I threw together over the weekend. Stretchy jeans, a silky, blousey tank, a cardigan to ward off the chill, and a kitten heel - perfection!

By the way, what do you think of my hair straightened like this? I haven't worn it this way in ages, but I wanted to give my HANA flat iron from the peeps over at Misikko.com a try! I love how smooth it got my hair without losing all the volume - a difficult feat considering how fine my hair is! Have you ever visited Misikko? It's great, they have tons of different hair tools and flat irons from name brands like Chi, HANA, BioSilk, even Paul Mitchell!

Cardigan: Mom's
Tank: ASOS Curve
Jeans: Forever21
Pumps: Nordstrom Rack
Belt: Old Navy
Watch: Syms

Autumn leaves are falling

As fall finally starts making itself know around here, I find myself gravitating towards deeper, richer colors and earthy neutral tones. This open cardigan from Forever21+ was the perfect topper to my neutral party and goes beautifully with the gold jewelry I keep going back to - this leaf pendant I added to my F21 crystal necklace, amber statement ring, and a stack of various gold bracelets. I've noticed that when I find a combo of jewelry I like I'll stick to it for a while rather than mix it up. So sue me!

Cardigan: Forever21+
Top: Old Navy
Jeans: Forever21
Pumps: Bandolino via Lord & Taylor
Leaf pendant: thrifted ($.99!)
Crystal necklace: Forever21 (similar)
Amber ring: Fairfax, VA street fair
Bracelets: Brooklyn Flea
Watch: Syms

A new species discovered...Arianis Bloggeristrus

The nonstop rain we've been having here in NJ has turned my backyard into a veritable jungle. Standing there in my bit of leopard print, I have to say, I felt right at home!

My red skirt from F21+ continues to be one of the best $7 purchases I've made all year, and I was happy to step away from my usual red/black/white combo by pairing it with this shimmy bronze tank and a touch of sheer leopard. I've had this button down from Old Navy for ages but always have trouble styling it. I know, I know - leopard, sheer; what's the problem? Well I figured it out, for today at least, by simply rolling the sleeves and twisting the front into a knot for a high-waisted look.

Are you surprised to see my nude Bandolino's make yet another appearance on the blog? They've been my footwear of choice for the past three OOTDs and many unblogged outfits in between. I just can't contain myself!

Button down: Old Navy
Tank: Lane Bryant
Skirt: Forever21+
Pumps: Bandolino via Lord & Taylor
Ring: Vintage via La Casita
Necklace: Gifted
Bracelets: Syms, Brooklyn Flea, F21

Thanks to the BF for being my photographer for these photos, even though he insisted on cutting off my feet in half of them ;) Gotta keep training him I guess! 

Oh, and don't miss my LucieLu Giveaway!

Yucky.

First and foremost, let me apologize for the quality of these photos! I forgot just how frustrating indoor pics can be! I suppose I'll need to get used to it with winter and bad weather looming...

But back to the clothes, hmm? I picked up this red pencil skirt at the same time I ordered my polka dot dress - it was another steal for only $10 from Forever21. Yesterday was rainy (hence the indoor pics) and only in the 60's, so out came my very favorite black puff-sleeved blazer - You've seen it before here. Now, one of my very favorite color combos is red, black, and white, so I sifted through my numerous black and white print tops until I came across this sailboat tee, another F21 gem that I usually wear loose.

I went on a shoe rampage last week, guys. I was trying to find the perfect shoe to go with my dress for last weekend's wedding - never before have I been so challenged by a pair of shoes! I had a vision of some sort of metallic pump, one with a sort of purple sheen to it, not too silver. I went to about 6 different places before I gave up that dream and settled on the nude pumps I ended up wearing. But I spotted this pair of low heeled, almond-toed KensieGirl nude pumps for a steal along the way and couldnt say no. Not to them, nor to the black suede wedges I encountered...

Blazer: Macy's
Top: Forever21+
Belt: Off some dress or other
Skirt: Forever21+
Pumps: Kensie Girl
Bracelet: Thrifted
Necklace: H&M
Ring: Nordstrom Rack

A perfect pair

I have to say, this is probably one of my favorite outfits I've ever posted on the blog. And it's funny, because this is not the type of ensemble I really wear on the regular nor one I would think I'd fall in love with. Maybe it's the colors (I do have a thing for blue), or the fact that the flowers on the top match so perfectly to the print on the skirt (how did I never see it before?), or how the pattern repeats again on the necklace. Whatever it is, this one's a winner for me.

The last time I wore this skirt, it was in a completely different way. Which do you like better?

In other news, I've had this belt for probably 3 years, and this is the first time I'm wearing it. Touche.

Top: Syms
Skirt: Thrifted, NY&Co
Pumps: Nordstrom Rack
Belt: Old Navy
Necklace: Gift from BFF
Watch: Syms
Ring: NY&Co
Polish: Gift from Case