i change shapes just to hide in this place but i'm still an animal

This is my second year working in retail part-time while going to school. In 2014 I worked at The Limited, then I transferred schools and moved to a different city in January 2015. In October I got a job at White House Black Market, which is, in all honesty, very similar to The Limited. It's just more expensive. I do like it for the most part, but it's really changed my outlook on clothes. Constantly being around brand new sparkling fresh clothing that I don't own is...weird. My sense of style hasn't changed, but I have gotten more varied when figuring out how to style something that I normally would pass right by, but...it's much more than that.

I've been typing and retyping this paragraph, trying to accurately describe the sensation that I get from new clothes and going shopping since I started working in retail, but I can't seem to figure out how to explain it.

Anyways, I thought I'd put together some outfits using at least one main piece from WHBM. This is how I would wear these clothes if: 1. I was allowed to style them this way, and 2. I had enough money to buy them. (I do get a decent discount, but I still have to be very selective with what I buy. If they want their employees to constantly be decked out head to toe in their clothes, they'd have to, like, quadruple our pay.)

Without further ado...

button-front pencil skirt 98.00 | leather ankle-strap heels 125.00 | fringe clutch 98.00 | others

florals? for spring? groundbreaking.

How many fashion blogs have used this quote during spring? Seriously, I should start keeping count.

So it's more than halfway through March and it's caught me off guard just a bit. February in Kansas is so blah, and suddenly it's the third week of March and it's warm enough to wear shorts some days and sandals most days. I love the transition seasons, which is unfortunate because more often than not they pass by in a blink here. We routinely see snow in April and then in May it'll be 80+ degrees out; in the fall, we can experience days where it's 100 degrees even in September, and suddenly in October it's time for coats. It's frustrating to live in Kansas if you do not like or cannot deal with extreme weather; on the plus side, it's never boring.

i do believe it's true that there are roads left in both of our shoes

I have a story that makes me sound like a bitter old woman, but I don't care

See these shoes?

The dirtier, the better.

The shoes epitomizing all things Instagram-posting, Starbucks-going, leggings and baggy sweaters-wearing hipster girls?

Queen of hearts

My all-black outfit was not very exciting, as I realized I have a lot fewer black pieces of clothing than I originally thought. Oh well.

SWEATER h&m JEANS Kohls FLATS Gap
NECKLACE&EARRINGS Djibouti..?

I'm still trying to figure out how to pose for these without looking like a tool. And I can't wait for my camera to get here within the next week! Hopefully outfit quality will improve as the picture quality improves.

Ciao!

Just an average day

Kind of my day-to-day, nothing special outfit. Some days I don't feel much like being fancy.

HOODIE permanently borrowed from ex SHIRT Walmart
JEANS Kohls MOCCASINS Target

I now fully understand how trying to pose for photos like this is incredibly awkward.

Outfit of the day - similar

My outfit today was pretty similar to yesterday. This is why I think it's easier to dress for the cooler months. Having to wear more clothes = having more options. So I am definitely counting down the days til fall, or at least until I can wear a shirt with long sleeves outside without instantly getting heat exhaustion.

PANTS: Rewind/Kohls 30.00   TANK: UnderArmour/Nordstrom 19.90 sale   EARRINGS: Nordstrom 6.00
NECKLACE: gift,  from Africa

So again like yesterday, not particularly special or exciting, but I did wear it to run errands and stuff, which normally I would only put more effort into an outfit if I happened to be going out to eat/movies/bar/whatever. I need to expand my wardrobe a bit but that won't happen for at least two or three months, until I figure out my budget. But working with what I already own is definitely forcing me to be creative!

Outfit of the day - baby steps

Because today (technically yesterday since it's past midnight) was my first day of trying to look more fashionable and put-together, I thought I'd document it even though it was nothing special (there are bound to be lots of boring outfits in the future too, but hopefully less boring than before).

Baby steps because I still chose something from my closet that i wear pretty often, I just tried to go the extra mile with all the finishings.

Most days this hot I would just stick to shorts or yoga capris and a $2 Hanes tshirt (which are wonderful), but I was surprisingly not uncomfortable in this outfit even in the 100 degree full sun.

EARRINGS: Nordstrom 6.00   SHIRT: Target 8.00   JEANS: Rewind at Kohls 30.00   BRACELET: gift, from Africa

Like I said, not too exciting. But I have to say, those jeans are ahhhhmazing! My sisters and I all have a pair. They're 95% cotton, 5% spandex, so they're quite a bit softer and stretchier than regular jeans but they still hold their shape well. Plus they're easier to wear than full-length jeans in this crazy heat.

Annnnnd of course, can't forget the ubiquitous flip flops:

Old Navy, 2 for $5

I love these because
1. they're super cheap
2. they're super comfy
3. wearing anything but sandals in the summer here sucks
4. I have not yet decided on a cute pair of sandals to get to wear instead
5. did I mention they're cheap?

Am thinking of something like this, for a bit of variety/for something that looks a little nicer:

Payless 20.00