Apologies for being a bit MIA. It’s been a stressful week for me, but overall, I’m in good spirits.
The downs: This week has been extremely stressful at work. We’ve had some important projects get into full swing recently, and everyone on the team is a bit on the fritz. I’m still working with 17 Excel files and 5 databases open on my computer (yes, at one time). You knew I was a bit of a geek, right?
The ups: I’m getting back into the groove with Zumba. This was pretty much my second week of being back in the routine of things, and I’m more thankful than ever for my health. I’m hoping to continue my normal routine of Zumba about 3-4 times a week. I’m back to teaching 2 nights, and I’m loving it. Good health is such a blessing.
In outfit news, the work stress has me pulling more comfortable clothes to wear to the office. Take for example this slightly (ok, very) oversized gray sweater. Do you ever look at something in your closet and wonder why the heck you bought it? That’s what I’ve been thinking with this sweater. It’s pretty cute, comfortable, and machine washable/dryable (which I love for convenience purposes), and I even got it on mega-sale, but it’s just so darn big. I bought it in my normal size, but I think I should have gone down one. I like oversized sweaters that are meant to be oversized, but I think this one just looks a bit like it doesn’t fit.
I’ve also been questioning the sizes I purchase, just in the last couple months. My weight has fluctuated quite a bit over the last 10 years causing my size to range about 3-4 sizes, but while I tend to adjust my bottoms accordingly, I’ve tended to order the same size top. No clue why. I’ve started actually trying on one size smaller in tops just to see. As you know, the fit varies from style and brand, so it looks like I’m just going to have to be more careful and pay closer attention when I’m trying things on. This will suck for my new found love of online shopping. I really prefer trying things on, but I do love the convenience of online.
Ensemble:
Black pants: Banana Republic (scored on sale and extra mark down for about $30)
Sweater: Ann Taylor Loft
Scarf: Urban Outfitters
Nude Wedges: J Crew (also seen here)
Purse: Sigrid Olsen
Pearl Studs: family gift (from my college graduation!)
In home & yard news, here are the last flowers of 2011 for the Chic house backyard. They’re so tall and pretty. I think my neighbor called the purple ones “weeds”, but I’m enjoying them.
And I’m waiting for these leaves to start turning tan, gold, red, and orange. Can’t wait…I love fall. 🙂
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Thank you so much for reading! Hope you have a great rest of the week.
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Reader question #1: Do you purchase any type of clothes in the same size every time?
Reader question #2: Do you dress more comfortably when you know you’re going to have a stressful day at work?
Reader question #3: What color are the leaves in your yard?
That is totally an outfit I would wear, I <3 baggy sweaters!
You look super cute! I’ve had the same experience at Loft though and almost always go down a size.
Leaves are green as ever in San Diego (mostly palm trees in my neighborhood). But I did see some red leaves on my run around the UC-San Diego campus on Sunday!
You look good! I’m enjoying the outfit section to your blog 🙂 I tend to try all the clothes on that I buy, which puts me off internet shopping. Also American sizes differ from here even when you translate, so a size 2 in BR I think is a 6 here, but I’d never fit into a European 6, so I tend to go shopping early on a weekday morning and just go with it and pay zero attention to the size label that I need. Especially when it comes down to H&M – their sizing is seriously crazy!
#1. Shoes are the only thing I buy in the same size.
#2. I love to dress comfortable on stressful days.
#3. The leaves in my backyard are red and brown. They are
also very wet! I live in wa.
I love your blogs, thank you! And, have a super week!
Oh, I think you look absolutely adorable in this outfit! The sweater is oversized but in a really good, really chic way. You’re pulling this look off really well. That’s totally something I would wear. LOVE it! 😀
I love dressing comfy on stress days as well. It makes it more tolerable somehow. And I tend to buy fitting pants in the same sizes (since they always seem to stretch out by an hour or so, which can be horribly annoying!) but shirts tend to fluctuate quite a bit on the size, depending on where I’m shopping.
Thank goodness shoe sizes stay pretty much the same! 😀
I love wearing comfortable clothes to work when I’m feeling kind of blah or if the weather outside is horrible. I try to disguise them though. Here’s my “secret” LOL – black yoga pants (no logos on them), boots or black low heeled shoes, a loose-fitting non-wrinkle tee or shirt. I have a few J. Crew tissue tees that have a knot design in the front, a long cardigan, then add a nice scarf and that’s it. You are neat, pulled together, don’t look sloppy but are REALLY comfortable.
My sizes fluctuate too. From my previous experience working in fashion, I found that you just have to try on different ones and ignore the sizes, and go with what fits. Cut the tags out if you want to – LOL (I used to do that).
The leaves in my backyard are minimal but they have not changed yet. Fall is my favorite season but it goes too fast!
sorry you’ve had a stressful week!! i definitely like to dress comfy when things are stressful but sometimes i like being more dressed up because that makes me feel more confident.
I don’t have to dress for work at all. I can wear whatever. Today I’m wearing leggings, ugg-style boots, a shirt and sweater. Fashion fail, lol. But I really wanted to be comfortable and I am!
Okay, that outfit is SUPER cute! I love! Sadly it’s a little more casual than I can get away with at work 🙁 I pretty much whine every day about the fact that my fiance gets to wear jeans or khakis to work and I have to wear a stupid suit. lol
That looks amazing! You accessorized it so well that it looks way more “chic” than “slouchy”. That’s my one fear with oversize sweaters. I have a love-hate relationship with them, and I’m still trying to figure out how to pull them off. One one hand, I’m afraid they’ll look dumpy, but in most magazine ads and in your post, it looks so chic and relaxed-casual. What are your tricks to building an outfit around a less form-fitting top?
Sorry about the stress! This outfit is the EXACT way I dress in the fall. It’s comfy but nice enough for work. Except I swap the wedges out for flats because I just can’t do height on shoes.. my feet hate me when I do that. You are so cute!
I purchase shirts in the same size. Sadly, the bottom of me flutuates but the ‘girls’ just refuse to grow. Oh well. I like going comfortable on stressful workdays. Stressful work is about all I can handle so there’s no sense in trying to be cute in restricting wear. Luckily everyone else is also busy so your style is the last thing on their minds. The leaves here in Austin are still green. The foliage hasn’t realized that the calendar says it’s fall. Enjoy your views!
I love that scarf! Actually I love this whole outfit! Yay for being back to Zumba!
I don’t think it looks too big, it looks great on you and super comfy!
I love the bag and scarf though, gorgeous colours 🙂
Hopefully this next week will be a lot less stressful!
And good health is most definitely a blessing!