Monday, November 10, 2014

Monday Workday

Check out that coffee mug! Next time someone tries to make a problem yours, just say, "Not my circus." But of course if you start saying that, the next time something is your problem, you are obligated to admit, "Yeah, those are my monkeys." Try it some time this week. It's sure to be an office hit and not at all awkward.

I love white sweaters, and this one is just my style: loads of chunky texture, lovely color, and 3/4 length sleeves. Trying to match tops with patterned skirts can be tricky without just throwing on a white or black super-plain top and calling it a boring day. The texture of the sweater makes it its own statement piece, but it still goes nicely. And you can't go wrong with leather.

In case you are squirming about the shoes, the "no white shoes after labor day" rule was thrown out the window by the fashion world eons ago, so just do it. Don't be scared! This creamy color is definitely a safe bet. I learned this while working retail one holiday season (David Sedaris explains working in retail during the holidays better than I ever could). The holiday collection included "Winter White" pants and skirts. I bought a pair of the gorgeous lined wool pants, and predictably completely ruined them with gravy and red wine during all of the Thanksgiving-Christmas-birthday-New Year's festivities, but they were still worth every penny.


Monday Workday

Friday, November 7, 2014

Saturday, Chill day

Relaxing weekend ahead. Maybe some freezer/crockpot meal prep for the week. King penguin and I are definitely listening to either a) Miles Davis, or b) Led Zeppelin, because those are my Saturday motivation jams.

I know, I know, the sweater is a bit twee. But is it not so adorable and soft and comfy looking? I just love that little king penguin, and I don't even know him. Hearts for eyes? I mean, come on!

Happy weekend!


Weekend

Casual Friday

Navy blue is my favorite neutral. It's elegant and cool and classy. It looks beautiful with gold and brown. The yellow pants are a pretty contrast honoring the tan and gold everywhere else, plus it's a way to incorporate yellow pants into your wardrobe, and we could all use a little help there. Did you notice the kitties on the umbrella? How sweet!

TGIF, my friends!

Casual Friday

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Party night

Thursday night is party night, right? Maybe not normally for parents who work, but whatever! It's my husband's birthday so the rules are out the window.

The gold shoes make me think of one of those high collared jackets from the 80s. In fact, the outfit reminds me of the drunk girl in Sixteen Candles who cuts her friend's hair because it's stuck in a door. Anyone recall that scene? I think she's wearing a fancy dress and a fur coat. Though, the wearer of this getup could NOT get sloshed before driving a $200K car, or even a bicycle for that matter. Party responsibly, people.

Party night

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Happy hour

I absolutely did not intend to come up with a holiday outfit, but when you have Christmas music on in the background (who, me?) these things can happen. But just because it is green and gold with a hint of red, doesn't mean it has to be for the holidays; I think gold sequined shoes are perfectly acceptable for a weekday at work. The martini, however, should probably wait until happy hour.



Happy hour

Monday, November 3, 2014

Fall sweater dress

So much for mild weather in the south, it's gotten to near freezing the past few nights and sweater weather is in full swing. Not to mention that it seems the heat hasn't turned on yet in our building, so BRRRRR!

Simple one today, but this dress has a lot to say all on its own. It looks so cozy and soft with lots of sass. Collarless coats seem to be a thing this year, and this one is pretty cool with the leather lining and details.

Fall sweater dress

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Weekend - Keep Paris Burning

As far as I can tell, the Keep Paris Burning shirt is a reference to a 1991 movie about an underground culture of minority transgender and gay people in New York in the 80s and 90s. Or to a crazy rebellion in Paris at some point in history. Hard to tell. Of course I Googled it (I'm a legit writer, not a heathen!), and most of the sites that popped up were just selling this shirt, so your guess is as good as mine, unless you are an historian or anthropologist, in which case, please help.

I know I'm bucking the white Chuck Taylor trend with these gray beauties, but call me a rebel. What really started all of this was the very inviting blazer that is sophisticated with just enough bad-ass hidden on the inside to inspire a rebel's shirt, dramatic nails, and army canvas. I wore something similar to this outfit (minus the obscure cultural reference) to take my son to the pumpkin patch for Halloween. Yeah, I'm hardcore.


Weekend - Keep Paris Burning

Friday, October 31, 2014

Autumn cool

Down here in the south, it's only just starting to cool down to sweater weather, so a dress with a light scarf and some tights is plenty warm. I'm imaging trolling a used book sale, collecting squash and greens at a farmer's market, or just doing some reading on a blanket at the park. Fall isn't my favorite because it means the daylight is getting shorter, but we all have to admit that the weather is dreamy!


Autumn cool

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Date Night

I'm a mom. I'm totally a smokin' hot mom, but I've gone through nine months of growing another person, then through childbirth and recovery so I have all the sags and stretch marks and a belly pooch and cellulite like every other female human who has pushed her body to it's most miraculous limits.

Enter this awesome dress. Every perfect imperfection round the middle is hidden with just a hint of sexy ass and a great rack making mysterious shadows. That beautiful ever-slender lady shoulder comes out the top, and rock-hard calves from toting said baby up three flights of stairs every day is all the skin I need to share for date night this weekend!!!

So how about this black/white trend going on? The fashion world likes to pretend old ideas are new, but I'm grateful for the kick ass shoes we're going to get out of it. Would you wear this dress? Anyone know what kind of martini that is?


Date Night

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Plaid pants

Ah, printed pants. The desire and downfall of wide hips and generous thighs worldwide. Many years ago, I was more courageous with printed pants (including a horribly unflattering pair of snakeskin jeans), but now I generally steer clear. But that's just silly. If they fit properly, and are a good cut, they'll work just fine. The flat front and straight leg below with that sweet little peplum top and waist-slimming blazer are completely doable for those of us with generous curves. I think the dark color helps, too.

How brave are you on the bottom half? Is the tan bag with the tan jacket just too much together? Please note that I did not resist the temptation to include an anchor (and ships wheel) today like I did yesterday. But it's cute, right?




Plaid pants


Monday, February 17, 2014

White blazer

Precedence tells us that spring will come again. Keep the faith!

Green and navy together are refreshing, and is tough to screw up. I started with the navy blue pants based on what's in my closet, and struggle until I found this green shirt. Then it took about 30 seconds to put the rest together. I'm really into the white blazer since it's a wee bit easier to keep clean than white pants or shoes, but still brings that beautiful crispness to an early spring outfit. This look is so very me, and I can't wait to try it out!



White blazer

So what do you think about impractical fashion like white? And what about open-toe shoes and sleeveless shirts at work?

Please note that I resisted giving this imaginary girl anchor earrings. 'Cause I thought about it...



Friday, February 14, 2014

Casual Friday: Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day! To anyone who loves someone or who is loved by someone, this day is for you.

In an effort to show the love, but skip the pink/red/lace/roses thing, I went with cool and casual. Gentle accessories, gentle colors, comfortable shapes. A tiny little heart ring, a single heart to warm your coffee. And tell me the color and shape of this chambray shirt isn't perfect. See how the tuck pleating makes the fabric go from straight to on the bias toward the bottom? Lovely. I originally started with some brighter colored accessories, but I decided I didn't want anything to overshadow that shirt.


Casual Friday: Valentine's Day


Do you think it's sacrilege to skip the V-day colors? What have you done with your Chambray? Is it at all feasible to change one's nail color on a daily basis?



Thursday, February 13, 2014

Pink Dress

My inspiration came from an unlikely source today: a refinished bureau I saw at Better After. Lindsay at Better After loves before and after shots of refinished furniture, and I love her blog, she's hilarious! A dark, elaborate looking chest of drawers was painted in a sweet blush color (much like the dress below), with gold accents including heart-shaped knobs. The refinish-ista was Jessica at Dear Emeline. Very Valentine indeed.



Pink Dress

I couldn't resist that hardcore jacket with all the sugar sweetness in the rest of the outfit. Did you notice the adorable necklace with the heart and arrow? Want! Do you think those earrings are enough for this outfit, or a little too dainty? Is your waist even close to as teeny as that dress?



Sunday, February 9, 2014

White Cashmere Dress

I really like white clothing, especially in winter. It isn't always the most flattering or practical, but I often gravitate toward white items on the rack. This luxurious cashmere dress looks warm, sexy, and like something no one else would be wearing at cocktail hour. I went a bit more intentionally luxe with some of the accessories than usual (Givenchy shoes, Cartier necklace, Tiffany earrings, Chanel bag, Hermes scarf, a crazy-expensive-designer-I've-never-heard-of jacket) because the dress just felt so rich, like it deserved some true luxury. Of course, you could definitely pull off a similar look with some earrings from Claire's and a scarf from Target, but when you're just shopping, the real thing can feel so nice.

White Cashmere Dress

How do you feel about white in winter, or ever for that matter? What about the luxury designers and brands? I dream of wearing the same lovely Hermes scarf and carrying a classic Chanel bag every day when I'm an elegant old lady.


Saturday, February 8, 2014

Blue skirt

I don't always have great success wearing flowy A-lines like this one (dubbed "Skater" style in current fashion lingo) because they can kind of be seriously hip enhancing. But it doesn't mean I can't look at it and think about how cute it would be if I had smaller hips, and a backside that wouldn't make the back of the skirt go up three inches. Amiright? A cozy white sweater and boots bring this little skirt into cool-weather territory. Tights and a wool coat could take it to cold weather attire, and a fur cap with four additional pairs of socks and ski mittens would make it wearable this winter.


Blue skirt

So are you wearing these super-cool skater skirts? How do you feel about the so-last-year fringed bags? What about the fancy-schmancy white headphones?



Friday, February 7, 2014

Casual Friday: Green with Jeans

My mother used to wear a gold digital stretch-band watch just like this one when I was a kid. I didn't realize quite how rad it was until today when it dawned on me that no one who isn't jogging wears a digital watch anymore. Not that I think it's the most beautiful, but it's special and unusual and my mama wore one so I dig it.

The goal with Casual Friday posts is to put something that feels comfortable and casual, but still nice enough to be presentable in front of professional colleagues. Here's where I'm not quite certain about the cowboy-style boots. They're beautiful, don't get me wrong, but are they too casual? Meh. I saw my boss wear legit Justins with a suit once, so I think that's a green light. Oh, and the "Boss" earrings? Yeah, we all need to feel in charge once in a while.


Casual Friday


How are you feeling about bootleg jeans in this somewhat tiresome era of skinny and boyfriend cuts? Would you wear this totally eighties watch? And what's in your office mug on Fridays? I had hot chocolate with marshmallows in mine last Friday. True story.


Thursday, February 6, 2014

Sequins and Denim

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Today, I absolutely fell in love with Jessica Abbott's Sequin Maxi Skirt outfit at The Sewing Rabbit. Mixing glam and casual makes sense to me, because it brings some hollywood-esque sparkle to daily life. Jessica's inspiration was a tutorial on making and styling a sequins maxi over at Mimi G Style (does that girl dress spicy hot, or what?). So here is my take on mixing casual weekend gear with some serious sparkle. I chose sandals because when I wear a maxi I feel like I should be barefoot. Maxis are so comfy regardless of how fancy the fabric is. And we all know how our hips do that swing-over-to-one-side thing in a maxi (both of these hot ladies do it in their photos), which is arguably safer in flats.


Casual Sequins


So what do you think, would you wear a combo like this? What do you think of statement bracelets on both arms? Something about this outfit makes me wish I could shave my head for just one day, because no sort of ponytail is going to do it quite right...am I the only one who feels that way?

p.s. The links to individual pieces below come directly from Polyvore when I import the images, so blame them for any odd text.

p.p.s. Again like I mentioned in my first post, I don't discriminate by price or brand (usually), so embrace the vision rather than the practicality of actually purchasing exact pieces. I fully appreciate that the jacket is more than $600 which is lunacy, but it looks cool, so there you go.


Monday, February 3, 2014

(Another) Floral Dress

Like this past Saturday, this outfit has a nineties feel to it. I love the sweetness of that dress contrasted with the bad ass denim jacket.


Floral dress

Do you own oxfords like these? I've tried them on a few times at the store thinking they're beautiful, but never quite sure if I've got the clothes to go. 


Floral dress by janetnewhall

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Riding


For the Year of the Horse contest on Polyvore, I put this set together. I was inspired by a day of horseback riding on the English countryside. Now, I've never been to the English countryside, and I've only ridden a horse twice, but this is what I imagine a fashionable lady wearing in the afternoon after a day of riding. You know while she's drinking tea on the veranda.


Riding

Something about this blend of a delicate and feminine dress with the strict tailoring of the jacket and a pair of hardy boots brings me back to the 90s. Do you remember the vintage-style button front peasant dresses with construction boots? But this look with more modern pieces is much prettier and more cohesive, I think.

What do you think about hard boots with soft dresses?



Friday, January 31, 2014

Casual Friday: Blue and Brown

We are back to work and the kids are back in school after the most recent winter storm, so casual Friday it is!

Super high-heeled boots spice up the otherwise conservative attire of the (quite lovely) granny sweater, and simple navy shirt. The bright red bag will take you from blend-in-with-the-trees while you've got your coat on to second-glance-worthy. Though of course, we are all worth a second or third glance already...

Casual Friday
Happy Friday!


Thursday, January 30, 2014

Floral dress

This dress made me drool with the possibility that spring might come again someday. Is it weird that I love white shoes? Your skin just can't help but look tan in them, even if it's been hidden under tights and wool socks all winter. But tell me this: don't those heels look like they'd snap at the first sign of a crack in the sidewalk?

Floral dress


So would you wear a dress this crazy? Do you think it could be winterized?



Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Bird Sweater

So I'm not quite as non-functioning from this nasty cold as yesterday (as I reach for my 87th tissue of the day), so I've taken off the jammies, brushed my teeth, and put on some big girl clothes.

I love the cream/tan family mixed with denim. The colors look soft, warm, inviting. The wool hat along with those suede boots make me think about hanging at a coffee shop with a girlfriend for hours while we avoid the drizzle outside. You know, one of those awesome coffee shops with ancient leather sofas, a fire place, and a few well-worn copies of the New York Times. Where hipster students, aging intellectuals, and bums like me and my bestie get cozy together with our gargantuan cappuccinos.

Bird Sweater

Do you love these boots as much as I do? Would you wear a sweater with giant birds on a branch across your chest? Why do they call sweaters "jumpers" in GB?

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Blue Coat

Speaking of brightly colored coats, which seem to be the topic of the week, here is my entry in the Polyvore Wardrobe Staple: Bright and Cozy Coats contest.

Well, what is she wearing under there? Who cares! That's my point, folks. The only items we'll see when you take this coat off is those boots, earrings, and watch, and I don't think we can get more neutral with those pieces. Chances are you'll take off the scarf, stuff your gloves, phone, and sunglasses in your purse, and put them all under your desk. You could then easily be wearing any dress or skirt that jives with those boots, and it makes no difference that you've got a coral bag and a blue coat hanging out back in your office or at coat check.


Blue Coat

Blue Coat by janetnewhall


And isn't Audrey just the cat's meow?

What do you think about the whole idea of owning and regularly wearing a bright coat? How about pairing bright blue with springy coral in the winter like this?

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Red Coat

Here is my entry in the Polyvore Fab in February: Bright Red contest!

I adore a statement color coat because it is basically your whole outfit until you take it off, which means you can effectively wear a bright red/cobalt/neon yellow outfit for a little while every day. Then, when it's hanging on the back of the chair in your cube from 9 to 5, it's a little bit of crazy fun in an otherwise neutral (read: the opposite of crazy fun) environment. I also like a brightly colored belt with a neutral outfit for similar reasons. I probably wouldn't wear a full-on bright red dress to work, but a red coat and a red belt? Tres chic and professional. Plus bright red with barely-there pink is spicy sweet.


Red Coat


 I'm totally gonna win, right?

Friday, January 24, 2014

Casual Friday: Coral Pants

As a Friday series here, you'll find something less fancy-pants than my regular weekday office outfits.

Soon after the holidays, I'm totally over winter-wear, which is kind of crazy since winter has only just begun, but still. It's mostly the plethora of dark, rich colors that start to make me feel a bit smothered. This is why my (real life) winter coat is buh-right magenta. So lately, I'm into bringing spring and summer colors into play with winter clothes. Hence the summery coral pants mixed with a thick navy sweater and pastel scarf. The big gray bag tones it down a tad, and keeps it in season.


Casual Friday Coral Pants


While putting this together, I kept trying more bad-ass jewelry than these gently colored and textured bracelets, but they just feel right. What do you think of the pastel peach scarf with bright coral pants? How about mixing that gray bag with those tan shoes?

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Stay warm


I've been eyeing this adorable dress for a while, but those black cuffs kept stumping me. The warmth of the dress' color and shape kept calling for tan leather, but it would just clash like hell with those sleeves. So I started trying everything in black, but it was too dark for the sweetness of it. So, gray it is. The black outerwear complemented the all-grayness I nearly went with, which I like better. And the random summery-green nail polish? I'll explain tomorrow.


Stay warm


The closest thing to this look that I've got in my closet is a burgundy tank top that I could wear with a gray cardigan and black pants...snore.

How would you deal with the black cuffs on the dress? Ignore them and go with the tan leather boots? Skip the gray, and stick with black? Maybe just say "screw it" and wear orange pumps (kidding).

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Welcome!

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Hello, internet, and welcome to Polyvoring! Here, I'm going to show you outfits I've created on polyvore.com, which is just about the funnest free thing to do online. You know, in my opinion. Sometimes the outfits will be practical and replicable with stuff us regular folks have in our closet, and sometimes they'll be friggin ridiculous (like my Because it's my Birthday outfit), but they'll all be stuff I'd totally wear if I could afford it, had a rockin' body, and lived in Manhattan.

I don't discriminate by price, so you might see a $3K gown with $20 shoes (this dress kicks ass), and the like. I kind of have a soft spot for mixing the simple with the rock 'n roll, so you might see skull-and-crossbone earrings with otherwise lovely office attire (like this). I'm just enjoying the super funness of dreaming up outfit ideas based on what's out there, what's in style (or should be!), and most importantly, what I think is wicked awesome (shout out to my NH roots, yo). Sometimes the outfits are sweet and I can't stop looking at them (hello, cargo pants), sometimes, I'm kinda like "meh" when it's all said and done (I had such high hopes for you floral skirt), but that's kind of how getting dressed in the morning can go, no?

See outfits I've already done, and might revisit at janetnewhall.polyvore.com. I also pin most of my outfits, and other outfits I dig on Pinterest.

With that said, here's today's creation:


Yellow and red are cool, right? Whatcha think?