Thrifting Walmart

You know that thing where you find yourself thinking "This is a bad idea" while you continue doing it, immediately proving to yourself the wisdom of that observation?

I felt that way while trying to drop a tiny 3" chain necklace extender into its tiny little drawstring bag in the bathroom over the sink.  Buh-bye, necklace extender!  It was great knowing you!  What's weird is that I didn't see it go down the drain or the water overflow hole -- it just totally disappeared as I dropped it.  It was like a strange optical illusion or magic trick.  It was kind of cool watching it happen, actually.  I felt around in the bag and then turned the thing completely inside out because how could it disappear that way?  But nope, gone.  Robert and I hunted for it on our hands and knees, and though we found a lot of blonde hair, there was no chain on our bathroom floor.

I ordered a replacement chain on Amazon but it hadn't arrived yet, like 2 days later, when I wanted to wear a necklace over a button up shirt and thick knit top (worn as a pullover sweater).  So I dug out my black embroidery thread (to match the black shirt) and made my own extender.  It worked just fine, though I am looking forward to the convenience of the chain extender.  Tying the thread to the necklace at 6:30 in the morning in the dark bedroom was not the kind of fashion challenge I enjoy.  But this was a pretty good "Be resourceful on the fly" effort.

Anyway, about that black shirt -- it's a Walmart shirt (George brand) that I bought at Goodwill.  Some people will advise you against buying inexpensive clothing (Walmart, Target, Old Navy, whatever) at the thrift store, saying you should focus on buying costlier/higher quality brands instead.  I sort of get that.  Certainly it is more satisfying to buy a Banana Republic skirt for $5 (like the microcheck one I wore the other day) than a Walmart shirt for $5 because wow, I saved a whole bunch of money compared to buying it new!  Yay me!  But even though it's cool to "save" money in this way (even if the savings are only theoretical because you wouldn't have bought the BR skirt new for $100 and it's not really "savings" if you're spending money), I think there's something off about the logic.  I mean, bottom line for me is, Is this item worth to me the $X they're asking for it?  And the lower the price tag is than the amount I think it's worth to me, the better.

Perhaps there is an assumption that cheap clothes will fall apart faster, so you won't get your money's worth out of the item even at thrift store prices.  OK, I can see that as an assumption, but it hasn't matched my experience where Walmart clothes are concerned.  My problem with Walmart clothes is that they never die!  Old Navy, though...yeah, those things do fall apart pretty easily.  Read the reviews of any given item at Old Navy's website and the complaints are pretty much "Why the hell do two ostensibly identical items in the same size have such completely different measurements?" (amen, sister) and "I loved it until I washed it once and it developed holes/unraveled/basically totally fell apart."

In any case, I was happy to (finally) get a black button up shirt that fit well and was in good condition for $5.

 Day 29: Never Before Worn -- Wednesday, 12/10/14

The only challenge for me here was picking out a never-worn item from all the candidates.  But red and black stripes?  Yes, please.

(Note: I wore sheer knee highs with this, not bare feet.  It is winter.)

*Red/black/tan/white striped pullover (thrifted, Kohls)
Black button up shirt (thrifted, Walmart)
Black on black striped pants (thrifted, JCP)
Black claw/tooth necklace (Outfit Additions)
Tan captoe flats by Clarks

And here's how the necklace looked with my embroidery thread extender in place.

Silent and Grey

Day 20: Monochrome -- Tuesday, 12/9/14

What could be better for a dark winter day when you simply cannot believe you have to go to work when you're this tired and omg it's only Tuesday....waaaaah! than wearing grey head to toe?  It's more professional looking and subtle than a "mood" t-shirt stating #Tired, and the pieces can be worn separately when for whatever odd reason you are not actually completely exhausted at work.  Bonus: you do not look like an idiot.

Holy shit!  On a whim, I searched for a t-shirt with #Tired on it, to see if such a dumb thing exists, and I didn't find one.  But I did find this.  Absolutely perfect.  (See, it's in French so it's chic!  And chic is chic because it's French!)  Also, that woman is so tired that she only put on half of her button up white shirt beneath the mood shirt!  Way to commit to the look, lady.  Personally, I would have worn a pair of army green camo pants with it ("fatigues") for a visual pun, but still, a solid A for Effort here.

My outfit is distinctly less remarkable.

OK, please be hella impressed that the grey t-shirt and grey cardigan are almost identical colors.  I was basically astonished to see that, given that greys are so freaking hard to match.

I could not completely decide whether I thought the maroon/navy/yellow striped ribbon along the edge of the cardigan looked a bit strange in the context of the monochromatic outfit or whether it added a pleasingly unexpected bit of contrast to the ensemble.  Also, against the solid grey background, my leopard scarf looks especially beige-grey (which it is) rather than true grey. 

Verdict:  Adequately expressed my mood (while meeting the requirements of the style challenge) without requiring me to buy a stencil set and fabric paint to create a word art T-shirt.

*Grey long-sleeved T (Kohls)
Charcoal grey cardigan (thrifted, Tommy Hilfiger)
Grey trousers (Kohls)
Grey leopard scarf (Target?)
Grey ankle boots by Seychelles

P.S. Bonus points if you recognized the title of this post as a quote from the Morrissey song "Everyday is Like Sunday."

Revise and Resubmit

The paper from my first year project at My Masters University continues to wend its way through the review process.  We have a "revise and resubmit" without the need for additional studies -- just revisions to the discussion section, etc., to clarify what the hell we're getting at -- which is pretty much a totally great place for us to be with it. 

After I got off the phone with my parents earlier, I thought I'd come down, check my email real quick (delete the 50 buy-now-get-by-Christmas sales spiels), and play some Oblivion before bedtime, but instead I found the good news in an email from my advisor, so I spent the time reading and making comments on our current draft manuscript.  (I wanted to get something back to my co-authors right away so they can continue working away over the winter break.)  So, yeah, instead of playing a computer game, I was engaging in meta-metacognition (thinking about "thinking about thinking," which is what the paper is, at heart, about).  I still love that research, and think the findings were totally cool, but after a long day at work, hell, a long week at work....well, to quote my most commonly used Thieves Guild fence in Bruma, "I'm glad that's done.  I need a nap."

You know what else I need?  A vacation.  I started my job at the beginning of April and have taken a grand total of ONE (1) vacation day.  I am looking forward to starting a nice, long two week vacation this weekend!  Woo hoo, people. 

Over this winter break, Robert and I are going to be as happy as two rabbits with an abundance of carrot, if not as absolutely adorable. 

Throwback Thursday:  The World's Best Bunnies Chow DOWN with Joy

World's Easiest Refashion

Day 26: Be Resourceful -- Monday, 12/8/14

Yep, this was one of the easiest refashions ever.  I liked a teal knit jacket I found at Goodwill but the huge plastic buttons looked odd and dated to me.  But instead of closing the jacket with buttonholes in the jacket fabric, there were fabric loops that stuck out along the edge of the jacket that went around the buttons.  (I forgot to take a before photo, and struck out finding a similar photo on the Internet, so I have to hope that description makes sense.)  I bought the jacket, and when I got home, I cut the fabric loops off and removed the buttons in about five minutes.  Viola!

I liked the opportunity to wear this new (thrifted) black/white microcheck skirt.  I love these tiny black/white patterns that look vaguely grey at a distance but with such texture and depth -- and that up close, have a "softened" black appearance that lends itself really well to subtle pattern mixing.  For example, with a floral scarf.

And I wore one of my newly rediscovered Walmart long-sleeved knit shirts with it -- another way to be resourceful.  

Be Resourceful summary:
- Thrifting items
- Refashioning items
- Shopping my closet

Black long-sleeved T (Walmart)
*Teal ribbed knit jacket (thrifted, Coldwater Creek, refashioned)
*Black microcheck skirt (thrifted, Banana Republic)
Black leggings
Tall black boots by Fitzwell
Teal/blue floral scarf (Target)

Green Leopards Live in the Forest

Living the Green -- Sunday, 12/7/14

One of the benefits to our ridiculously warm apartment is that on the weekends, when our neighbors are home blasting their heaters, I can often get away with wearing a single layer of clothing.  And a scarf.  Because: scarf.

In addition to silly lapin swag, I also ordered myself some new long-sleeved knit shirts from Kohls and Macy's for my birthday.  I have often bought Lands End, but for some reason, they didn't have the colors I wanted in my preferred style from them.  But luckily, Kohls and Macy's came through with some thick knit T-shirts in a range of colors.  (I love the thin, lightweight knits made with modal fabric for sleeping in, but have a strong preference for thick knits for normal shirts -- I like the added structure that the thicker knits offer.)

Today I'm wearing the "spruce night" shade of this v-necked Karen Scott shirt from Macy's.   I bought a size large and it fit well.  Oddly, I also bought what I thought was the same shirt from the description, only with a scoop neck, and it was a tad too small.  (I bought two Vs and two scoops, and both Vs fit and both scoops were too small -- due to this inconsistency, I assume it's something to do with the actual styles themselves and not that the shirts were different only because of sloppy sizing a la Old Navy.)  For $10.98 minus whatever amount the sale is on any given day at Macy's (never shop at Macy's without looking for a coupon/sales code), I can recommend it.

Also, in the process of trying on clothes to find things to donate to Goodwill prior to our move next month, I found that I have several old long-sleeved Walmart knit shirts that I thought were too small and/or clingy and/or old and worn out to wear by themselves that actually look just fine.  Two cheers for shopping the closet.  Better yet, I did not duplicate the colors of the old shirts when I bought the new ones.  Perhaps at some level, I remembered that I had red, maroon, and blue long-sleeved T-shirts, even though I hadn't been wearing them.  Sometimes keeping old stuff in your closet screws you up because you have a mental check mark next to Clothing Item X and don't buy another one, but when you want to wear X, you look at it and remember, Oh yeah, this item isn't workable after all.  But in this case, my laziness about going through my closet might have helped me.  Of course, better still is being conscientious about trying on the clothes from your closet regularly so you remember what you have and how it fits.  I could have been wearing that blue shirt all along!

*Forest green long-sleeved T (Macy's)
Green leopard scarf (thrifted)
Bootcut jeans (thrifted, Target)
Light brown ankle boots by Easy Spirit

In Which I Embrace a Trend Unexpectedly

Feeling French -- Saturday, 12/6/14

It absolutely boggles my mind, the ubiquity of French-themed "fashion" T-shirts in the US marketplace.  I don't mean tourist souvenir type T-shirts, but trendy T-shirts for daily wear.  It's like, French women are famously fashionable, so let's all wear a shirt with the Eiffel Tower on it...

...or some French words...

or hell yeah, a drawing of a fashionable French woman (who is not wearing a French-themed T-shirt, mai oui).  Indeed, the skinny French woman design has risen to the level of plus-size fashion trope.  (I have tried so hard several times to re-find the hilarious website where I read about plus-size fashion cliches but can't. Boo!)

I am distinctly not a fan of the weird stand-alone word(s) on clothing thing, whether it's the obnoxious Pink/Juicy/etc. sweatpants ass or the slightly more grown up "mood" words on shirts and sweaters.

It probably doesn't help that an accurate mood shirt for me would spend 80% of the time declaring: No Fucking Way, What Fresh Hell?, or Hulk Smash.  About 15% of the time, it would read: BUNNIES! LOVE!

But when I was perusing the 25% off Style & Co. clothing sale at Macys.com on Thanksgiving, I found the perfect French themed shirt.  No, it did not say "MERDE."  It said:

Yep, a disapproving lop in a beret.  For $8.50.  No words needed, French or otherwise -- that grumpy face transcends verbal language.

Now they just need to complete their "rabbits in hats" clothing line.  May I suggest a Rhinelander in a Tyrolean hat?  A rex in a fedora?  A Dutch in one of those silly white bonnets?  A Xmas themed disapproving rabbit in a Santa hat, with optional wording: "Bah, humbun"?

*Beret bunny T-shirt (Macy's)
Navy cardigan (Kohls)
Bootcut jeans (thrifted, Target)
Grey ankle boots by Seychelles

In the Navy (Boots)

Day 23: Buttoned Up Statement -- Friday, 12/5/14

What the hell is going on with 5 day work weeks?  I was perfectly content working 3 days the previous week.  This 5 day week thing is just tough!  I guess it's good that I'm so close to taking my Christmas vacation and not going to work at all for two weeks straight.

When I saw that this challenge called for a statement necklace (worn on top of a button up shirt), I immediately picked the blue and green and pearly one from Target that I've only worn once so far but totally love.  The rest of the outfit was obvious from there.  The only question was whether to wear denim trousers or a denim skirt for a Friday outfit, and because my denim skirt hasn't seen any love this winter, I went that route.  All the better to show off my pretty navy boots, my dear!

*Light blue button up shirt (thrifted, Kohls)
Blue polka dot blazer (Target)
Denim skirt (thrifted)
Navy leggings
Navy ankle boots by Seychelles
Blue/green/pearl necklace (Target)

Verdict:  I think this outfit....wait, have I got this right?  I went five days in a row, in the Snow City winter, without wearing a scarf to work?  (Technically, I did wear a scarf to work, and home from work also -- a black fleece scarf from Lands End to match the fleece hat and gloves I've been wearing with my excellent super-long 100% wool vintage coat that I just realized last week has a velvet collar, so pretty).  Is this a sign of the apocalypse?  Or global warming?   Or a natural consequence of wearing so many shirts with collars that I want to show?  Next week has got to be all about the scarves, people.  Of course, it'll probably be like 50 degrees next week, but that's OK, I've demonstrated that I'm happy to wear a scarf in warm weather, too.

Whistler's Rabbit

Jess at Animated Cardigan is awesome, and I am grateful to her this week for this post.  Art, bunnies, and Christmas -- an irresistible combination.

These Boots are Not Particularly Made For Walking But Whatever

Personal Style Challenge: Feminine + Masculine Revisited, with Mom Inspired Olive + Pink -- Thursday, 12/4/14

Whew.  OK, that was a challenging challenge name.

This week I was all over the button up (up! up, I tell you!) shirt with wool pullover sweater idea, but I controlled myself and only wore two variants on the theme -- and made them into two personal style challenges because this combination was not part of the 31 Days, 31 Ways challenge (although a similar challenge was, as you will see in Friday's outfit).  Over the weekend, I'd been looking at the weather forecast -- no snow, but cold -- with a bit of dread and something about a wool pullover seemed more appealing than a cardigan.  (Perhaps that something is the fact that it automatically covers the entire front of your body with a layer of wool?)

I think I've only worn this particular sweater once, and the outfit was a total fail for me -- too dowdy and blah.  This time, I decided to wear it with my recently purchased olive pants (the sweater has olive stripes) but the overall look, while much better than the other one, was still very dark and unexciting.  Then I remembered Mom's suggestion that olive and pink are a great combination and put a pink button up shirt underneath.  Add a sparkly pink necklace for extra girly brightness and the drabness is defeated!  (My new maroon ankle boots have also supplanted the middle-aged-looking loafers I wore last time -- those were a thrift store purchase that is going back to the thrift store for a new owner who does not need modern kicks to escape complete frump-out...or who enjoys pairing modern ensembles with old-fashioned shoes...or who flat out embraces the frump for that matter).

Pink button up shirt (thrifted, Liz Claiborne)
Maroon/grey/olive striped wool sweater (thrifted, Target)
Olive pants (thrifted, Coldwater Creek)
Maroon ankle boots by Dolce Vita
Pink "floral" necklace (Target)

Verdict:  Yes, this sweater can be saved!  Also, these boots are the bomb.  I really liked wearing them with the wide leg pants.

I'm not sure why the reviews -- all four of them, so beware small sample size -- are so split between the love 'em and hate 'em crowds.  Maybe the taupe is not as nice looking as the eggplant?  I agree that they don't have a lot of cushioning, so I wouldn't wear them to walk any distance, but they're very comfortable for wearing at work.

My review: "I spent all day at work sitting on my ass, working in SPSS and Excel on my computer, and my feet were perfectly content to rest there, looking awesome, in these boots.  Occasionally I walked for a minute to the bathroom and back, and my feet were cool with that.  Then I changed into snow boots to walk out to my car and drive home.  I got home, put these boots back on, and sat in my comfy chair while my Eggman cooked me scrambled eggs and brought them to me to eat.  After dinner, I sat at my computer all evening playing games and writing blog posts, and my feet were like, Rock on, man.  I thought about wearing the boots to bed but realized -- oh my god, how ridiculous, my feet will get way too hot wearing boots under my blankets!  So I didn't.  And my feet thanked me for it by not getting all sweaty and gross."

The Winterization Continues

Day 19: A Specific New Spin on an Old Favorite Look -- Wednesday, 12/3/14

When I saw this prompt, I knew that I wanted to wear a winterized version of this blouse and skirt combo (that I wore in September).  I really loved how well the two pieces went together.

September:

Let's start with the obvious -- add black leggings/tights and tall black boots.  Now add a scarf...oh, already have a scarf (and I was not yet clued into the double scarf idea), so switch it out for a necklace instead.  And naturally I have to wear a cardigan or jacket, so this teal waterfall cardigan is a nice addition.  Finally, it's time to test out the Thermaskin camisole I bought from Lands End (for $11 on sale) with the hopes of giving myself a little bit more warmth on top without adding more outer layers/bulk.

December:

Black fold pencil skirt (JCP)
Teal drape cardigan (Coldwater Creek)
Black/teal/yellow floral top (thrifted, Kohls)
Black leggings (Target)
Black tall boots by Fitzwell
Black/white floral necklace (Kohls?)

Verdict:  I think the drapey cardigan worked well with a pencil skirt, and though the black tights/boots cannot be as perfect a complement as the mustard flats, they are a satisfying way to make the skirt wearable into winter (leggings + tall boots + socks = warm!).  I declare this outfit a success.

Boy Meets Girl (Clothing)

Day 30: Masculine + Feminine Pieces -- Tuesday, 12/2/14

I don't think I've really ever purposely put together an outfit with this type of contrast, but it was very easy to do.  Add a girly light pink lace-front sweater and some pearls to black pants, black oxford shoes, and a blazer and you're good to go.

Pink lace-front sweater (Kohls)
Black on black striped pants (thrifted, JCP)
Black and white windowpane blazer (thrifted, Target)
Double strand pearls (Macy's)
Black oxfords (thrifted, Munro American)

I think these shoes are one of my favorite Goodwill finds ever.  They are comfortable, high quality, and have a great masculine look, but are a bit more interesting than your standard oxfords because the top of the shoe is suede while the rest is leather.  Nice and subtle.

Verdict:  Masculine + feminine pieces is a good formula.  Will do again.

Of course, one thing thinking about "masculine" and "feminine" with respect to clothing brings to mind is how much more strongly gendered female clothing is than male clothing, and how much more acceptable it is for a woman to "dress like a man" than a man to "dress like a woman."  I guess it makes sense that it would be acceptable/understandable for women to wear masculine clothing, especially in the workplace, as they attempt to take on the positive qualities (tough, smart, level-headed, business-like, strong) of men, but the idea of a man wanting to seem more like a woman (soft, emotional, weak, vulnerable) by wearing feminine clothing?  Ridiculous!

Thanksgiving Weekend

OOPS.  I posted in the incorrect order, so I guess tonight is a two-post night.

----

My Thanksgiving weekend consisted of pumpkin cheesecake and Oblivion for the most part.  Not a standard holiday experience, to be sure, but it was great.  Oh, and I also did some Black Thursday/Friday online shopping, so that helps establish my bona fides as a real American.  I also spent time sitting in my comfy chair getting my butt kicked at Words With Friends by my mom (the usual) and reading the gargantuan Edge of Eternity by Ken Follett, the third book in the American trilogy.  So far, it's maintaining the quality of the previous two books and is a very interesting read.  (I think it helps that when he changes books, he skips ahead about 15-20 years and introduces us to the next generation of the families on which he's focusing.  That approach must make it easier to keep the story new and engaging than trying to write a gazillion and a half pages on the same people.)

Putting Yet More Birds On It -- Saturday, 11/29/14

Another great part of the weekend was wearing this new bird shirt that I bought at Kohls recently. They look like barn swallows to me.  (I wore it like this for about 2 hours before I added a navy cardigan to hold up to the 63 degree temperature in my office.)

*Blue bird (swallow) knit top (Kohls)
Jeans (thrifted, Target)
Navy scarf (Target)
Blue leopard shoes (6pm)

Like Robert?

Book Review:  Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

5 stars

If you have any interest in traditional fantasy, I highly recommend this book.  It's a sort of high fantasy caper novel with a hint of political intrigue and a whole delightful heaping portion of magic-fueled martial arts (the comparison to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is inevitable).  One of the most striking things about it to me was how well-developed the magic system is -- it felt novel and well-thought-out.  I am glad that we got to watch as the female lead (a strong female character who does not come across as the standard "strong female character" that has plagued way too many otherwise enjoyable fantasy series of late, though in general character development is not a strong point of this book) learned how to use her powers -- her instructor's explanations were interesting and satisfying.

This is the first book in a series, and I am eager to read more of it.  If the second book is as good as this one, I'll be happy.

Personal Style Challenge: Like Robert -- Monday, 12/1/14

Even though Robert has branched out significantly from his old uniform, I still associate him with red and blue -- especially stripes, of course, but he actually doesn't own a red and blue striped shirt anymore. He does, however, own a red and blue check shirt that I love on him, so I decided to see if I could wear it to work.  And I did.  The sweater rode up some in this photo (grr) but I did leave a bit of the tail sticking out on purpose.  I don't know why, but I sorta like the casual vibe of that look.  One could argue it doesn't do my hips any favors, but my hips are so awesome they don't need favors from anybody or anything.

Robert's blue and red check button up (Target)
Navy wool pullover (thrifted, Ralph Lauren)
Navy Dockers
Navy ankle boots by Seychelles
Bulbous silver tone necklace (JNY)

Verdict:  I enjoyed wearing this Robert shirt, and the wool sweater was appropriately warm for a day with a high of 8 degrees.

And to be perfectly clear, I like Robert every single day.

Dressed for the Holiday...or Not

Day 15: Color Blocked -- Wednesday, 11/26/14

There is nothing that screams "day before Thanksgiving," while it's snowing outside, like the bright, spring-like hues of pink and teal, right?  Right?!?!

Pink/green/purple/white striped button up shirt (thrifted, Bass)
*Pink sweater vest (thrifted, Fieldgear)
*Dark teal pencil skirt (JCP)
Grey tights (Kohls)
Grey ankle boots by Seychelles

Verdict: I wish I'd worn a chunky silver tone necklace with this but otherwise, it was fabulous.  The bright pink color was very cheery on a cold, snowy day, and despite the fact that my arms were only covered with a thin layer of cotton, I didn't get cold wearing it (as long as I kept my heating pad turned on).  These tights are Apt 9 brand, if I recall correctly, and I love how they look.  They are not as opaque as the Spanx and have a different color and texture -- darker and more heathery.  But alas, they are also not as warm as the Spanx.  I am in the market for fleece-lined tights now, and perhaps next weekend I will check out the selection of $4/pair fleece-lined tights at Walmart.  (They were sold out online.  Of course, Walmart's online shopping is pretty much a joke.)

Scarfing Down

Day 18: Add a Scarf -- Tuesday, 11/25/14

The maniacal laughter you hear is me thinking of adding a scarf to an outfit as a challenge.  One of the best things about living in the frozen north is that I can wear scarves year-round, and I have the collection that befits such a useful and versatile outfit staple.  Today's outfit features a new (to me) scarf that I recently bought at Goodwill.  It also features a beloved color combination -- red, black, and white.  Yes!  Love!  I liked it so much I didn't even care that I wore the herringbone jacket to work two weeks in a row.

Black and white herringbone blazer (thrifted, Studio 1940 [?])
*Red corduroy skirt (thrifted, H&M, new with tags) -- I really have trouble remembering that corduroy start with "cord" even though pants made of out this material are often called "cords"
Black knit top (thrifted, Liz Claiborne)
Black tights
Black ankle boots by Sam Edelman
*White/red/black plaid scarf (thrifted)

Verdict:  The thick tights and leggings from Spanx are pretty warm -- certainly warm enough indoors (even if my office is on the chilly side) when it's in the upper 20's outside.

Button Ups

Thank you, thank you to this blogger for making me not feel like I am the only person in the world who calls shirts that button up the front "button up" shirts and not "button down" shirts (which I would only use for e.g., old-school oxford shirts with button down collars).

My favorite ways to wear a button up shirt are:
1) With a sweater vest
2) With a pullover sweater
3) With a cardigan or blazer (tied)
4) Under a sleeveless dress

Or, you know, under an Alice in Wonderland t-shirt worn as a vest with a blazer on top!

Sparkly Goodness

For the short Thanksgiving work week, I decided to start making winter compatible skirts outfits.  

Day 8: Sparkle and Shine for Day -- Monday, 11/24/14

This is a winterized version of an outfit I had put together a couple weeks earlier -- before it got so cold (high temp 27 degrees) and before I determined that I really didn't care for the way that particular grey sweater looked on me (a peplum that had an oddly semi-empire style waist).  I swapped the grey leopard camisole and grey sweater for a grey t-shirt and grey leopard jacket, and the outfit was both more weather-appropriate and looked better.  Can't say fairer than that.

The jacket has some subtle silver metallic threads, and it was cool when I went through my scarf collection and realized the one that has pink and black in it also has silver metallic threads.  Some things are just meant to be.  Double metallic thread = sparkle and shine in my book.  So done and done.

Grey leopard jacket (thrifted, Macy's)
*Burgundy pencil skirt (Nordstrom) -- this is the Halogen seamed pencil skirt that is the love of everyone on the Interwebs; also note, it's not the same color as my hot pink skirt from JCP (a skirt that gets some love in that second link, too, and I could not agree more)
*Grey T (Kohls)
Black/pink metallic thread scarf (Target, I think)
Grey leggings (Kohls)
*Tall grey boots by LifeStrider (Zappos)