Passionate Fashion - Black to the setting sun

The weather here has been unseasonably warm. We don't have any snow yet! We have hardly even seen snow! I have been enjoying working with layers and getting extra wear out of my open shoes and heels. With a bad ankle, I have to be careful about my heels and ice. I hurt my ankle on flat floors. I don't need to slip on ice, that is what happened to get my ankle hurt in the first place.






Black Cardigan - ?
Black Pants - Worthington via JCPenney
Boots - Aldo
Tank - via Old Navy Outlet
Necklace - gifted

Passionate Fashion - NEW YORK

This outfit would be another case of trying something new and wearing items previously unworn in my closet. I thrifted the tank a couple weeks ago and have been wanting to wear it. I wasn't sure that it was work appropriate but then I decided that I would layer it under my slouchy cardigan with some serious pants. (That is what I tend to call plain black dress pants. It is hard to construe them as fun pants when they go as part of a boring suit.) My black boots finish this outfit off.

I think this is a good example of being able to dress up or down an item to fit your lifestyle.

I used to think that casual clothes were casual clothes and work clothes were work clothes. I am glad that I have found that that doesn't have to be the case.



New York tank - Converse One thrifted
Gray Cardiga - via Marshall's
Black Pants - via Gap
Blue and Silver Necklace - via Target
Gold and Gray Necklace - Fossil via Herbergers
Boots - via DSW
Leather Jacket - Worthington via JCPenney gifted

Passionate Fashion - Spotted in a LONNNNNGG scarf

I will tell you this... this scarf.... is not for people under the height of 5'3".

It would drag on the ground for people of that height, but that is because that is how my mom made it! Because I asked her too... and because she is awesome like that. (My mom makes lots of great sewing and knitting items for me!)

Luckily, I am not 5' 3" tall. And when I wear these shoes... I am over 6 feet tall. I LOVE IT!!!!!!



This outfit is a product of utilizing more of the items in my closet. I am trying to make it that I wear the items in my closet more often or that they leave! It's all part of my attempt at a more simplistic lifestyle.



Cardigan - via Marshall's
Khakis - Ann Taylor Loft
Gray Tee - Mossimo via Target
Shoes - via DSW
Black Jacket - Merona via Target (clearance $4?)
Belt - Kenneth Cole via Marshall's
Scarf - made by Mom

I am trying to focus more on loving the items that I have and that I buy. This ensures that I will get more wear out of them. And hopefully save money, learn what to buy, and be happier with what I have!

The cardigan was one of my favorites last year and I am excited to get more wear out of it this year. The pants are a much worn favorite. The tee is a layering basic for me. The jacket (not my outerwear jacket as I believe I wore my leather jacket outside... WHAT you say? You wore your leather jacket? I know, I cannot believe it either. (Teehee, ok. I wear it all the time other than when I am dog walking. ((Oops, I think I wore it dog walking two posts back.. shhhhh!!!)))

As an aside, I am very proud of my leather coat. Not only do I look great in it... I know don't I? (teehee conceded?) But I am definetely getting "the" money's worth out of it. Can't say my as I didn't buy it.


Lifestyle Change Status-
Something bad for this lifestyle but that I am not giving it up, is this thrift store by my parents! They sell shoes for 50 cents, clothes $4 for a brown grocery bag, other miscellaneous items in the bag or tagged for next to nothing. I leave with bags of things each trip. Sometimes I spend $10 sometimes $25 every once in a while $40. It is great!!! I love that each time I go there seems to be something that I am suuuuper excited about. The downside to this, is that there are a lot of items coming in whenever I go.

To combat this, I wash everything immediately and try to put it to use that week. If I haven't loved it or have a plan to love it in a few weeks, back out it goes. When you spend pennies for it, it isn't as hard to let it go. Sure beats the feeling of buyer's remorse you get from plunking down moocho money on an item and not being able to return it for some reason and then not wanting to let it go.

Taking a step back

Blogging friends and readers in this lovely blog world-

I need to tell you guys that I am cutting back the number of blogs that I read in an attempt to make my life mine.

What I mean by this is that I was reading so many GREAT, EXCELLENT, EXCITING, FUN blogs that I was missing out on other things in life.... and I was not happy.

I am still reading a few of my absolute favorite blogs and commenting on those. I am also going to continue blogging here. I love it too much! It pushes me to try new things!

I also need to cut back on the blogging because I have a really bad case of the "I want but can't haves". I have very little will power when it comes to shopping. I LOVE to have new things. I have a hard time watching some of these people get whatever they want whenever they want without feeling like I should/or can do that too.

I need to learn to be happy in my life without buying everything. I need to learn to be happy in my life with the things that I have. In an attempt to foster this, I am going to spend more of the time that I used to spend reading blogs on hanging out with my husband, puppy, and family. I am going to try to spend more time cleaning and organizing my house and being happy with the things in it and not with the things that I think I need or want to fill it.

I am going to spend more time working on all the projects that I buy the items for but never get around to them because I have been spending ALL of my time reading the GREAT, AWESOME, GOING TO BE MISSED blogs. You will still find most of these blogs in my blog list on the side bar so we can all browse through them from time to time, but my google reader will not be reading 100+ items after 3 hours.

If you guys find something that I NEED to read feel free to drop me a link. I still want to be in touch!

Hopefully the result of this will be a happier, better blogger on my end!

Don't forget me blogging world!!

p- DOG Bookmark

This is me and my p - dog. I call her p dog short for Puppy Dog. Her name is really Skylar.

Skylar is here to tell you that I will be back here soon with some outfits.

Passionate Fashion - First Denim Skirt

Yep, I will admit it. This is my first denim skirt since I was a little tomboy. Back then, I refused to wear skirts of any sort. This time around I was excited to find a way to work it into my fall wardrobe.

I purchased this skirt at the Old Navy outlet several weeks ago just before I got sick. Since then there didn't seem to be the right time to wear it. Today, I WORE IT!

Note to self. Denim and tights... need a slip. The front of the skirt kept bunching up.

These shoes! I thrifted these shoes at Goodwill this summer with my one of my favorite shopping partners, Jess! I had to fight the 6 foot tall amazon girl for them but since she got my dress, I got the shoes!

We thought these would be Jess's wedding shoes but at 9.5 they were too big for her. I thought they would be too small and they are a bit on the tight side but with tights they actually slipped off. I swear I am missing a hook or a curve on the back of my foot that keeps heels on!

This outfit was layers built to keep me warm and business like. And it mostly did it's job. I am proud of myself for wearing more of the items in my closet and pushing myself more in my wardrobe. I just need to remember to dress for the position I want not the position I have and to dress old enough to be taken seriously. Sometimes I have a hard time being taken seriously because I like to be silly and people think that is me all the time. Grrrr!!!! I don't want to be boring and serious!

If only my hair would grow up and be fun and professional like me.

Cardigan- via Marshall's
Black T - via Walmart
Black Long Sleeve Tee - Mossimo via Target
Denim Skirt - Old Navy Outlet
Tights - via ShopKo (I need more of these. They actually fit!)
Shoes - Jessica Simpson via Goodwill
Necklace - via Herbergers
Bracelet - Fossil via Herbergers
Watch - Fossil via Herbergers

A new winter coat?

Click on the coat if you would like to see where to buy it for me... I mean you. Nah for me! It is too cute. I have been telling myself that I don't need a new winter coat for a while. I haven't purchased a new winter coat for quite a while. I have coats for everything I do. I have a plaid wool peacoat for dressier (but not dressy), I have a snowmobile jacket for snowmobiling and fourwheeling, and I have a ski jacket for skiing. Since I don't need to replace either the ski or the snowmobile jacket, that would mean it would be a suppliment or replacement for my wool coat. I am not ready to get rid of that coat yet. Maybe it would be nice to put it in the closet for a later date? I LOVE this coat! I think I need to stop into an American Eagle soon.