Pink Pants and a Sassy Attitude

If you've been with me all week, you will know that this is pink pants look number four.  Just like look one with the grey, I think the light chambray blue is a perfect foil to the warmth and brightness of the pink pants.  The pants easily translated to a super casual look with the rolled hem and addition of my trusty chucks (a nod here to Ms. Mary at Trusty Chucks)!  I did feel like the pieces were a little separate though...sort of like the pieces in the game Life--did you have a boy or a girl?  So in search of a scarf to link the colors, I found something even better...

A TIE!!!  How fun.  I confess though, I do not know how to actually tie a tie even though I have watched DH do it a hundred times.  If I had taken a close up, you'd see it is balanced up there very precariously.  So much so I resorted to this.

Yep, a tie adjustment picture, with a BIG attitude!  LOL.  I'm a big goof, what can I say.

XO,

Alyssa

**I am going home (back to the East Coast that is) for the holidays ya'll and I leave tomorrow!!  I will be away for 2 weeks and am still not sure how I will manage to blog or even if I am bringing my computer.  No one in my family or any of my friends know that I even HAVE a blog so keeping that secret might be a bit tough if I continue it in their presence!  If you don't see me in the next few days, then I've opted out and I'll be back in January!  I wish you all God's blessing this season and always.  Much love!!

Birthday Pink Pants

It is my birthday today;  I am 43 years old.  To make me feel awesome, I wore my pink pants and my favorite shoes!

Age is merely a number, and as far as I am concerned I am still on my way to the top of that hill--not over it yet!! ;o)

XO,

Alyssa

YOLO Visibly Pink Pants

That's how you title for effect people.  Today is day two of the tale of the pink pants.

This ruffly shirt is seriously the first thing I thought of when I got the pants.  IT TOTALLY DOESN'T MATCH YOU GUYS.  But that is a good thing, because it does GO and that is the whole point.  I sort of hate the shoes and in "real life" will wear some other footwear, but overall the outfit worked just like I planned.  Excellent.

XO,

Alyssa

Pink Pants Week

I got something new last week.  I know that I wasn't going to shop for myself this holiday season and I have been very good.  BUT, and obviously that's a big but, I had to have these pants.  I paid $12.54 for them with the promo and my employee discount.

Pink Pants

I bought pink pants ya'll.  They are not light pink, baby pink, hot pink or fluorescent pink but a beautiful crisp flamingo pink.  They are the PERFECT color pink IMNSHO (in my not so humble opinion).  I am not a pink person normally but I knew that these would work well in my wardrobe and fill a hole for some outfit ideas that I had in my head.

Why the solo picture of pants?  Well, I had to immediately upload it into my closet on Go Chic or Go Home (see that sidebar button over there) and start making ensembles.  Hoo boy was that fun!  I think I made 13 without even trying very hard.  If you want a sneak peak of what's to come, go to GCOGH and check it out.

As a result of my closet mixing...and because I am getting ready to leave for a two week trip to the East Coast and won't have time to take outfit pics...this week is hereby named Pink Pants Week.

Grey is an obvious pairing with pink, and I never wear this shirt so I grabbed it first and liked the slouchy effect.  I also have several other grey tops and cardigans that I can use to mix and match for the same kind of look.  Even looking at these pictures I can see swapping in a plain white tee or tank top and keeping that grey cardigan for yet more variation on the theme.  I am so very happy with my purchase!!!  

Stay tuned tomorrow for Pink Pants look 2!  

XO,

Alyssa

**Prayers for all in Newton, CT and around the world suffering unimaginable losses.

Inspired not Pinspired

Like the rest of the computer savvy world today, I too tend to spend a whole lot of time reflecting on the beautiful images on Pinterest.  Whomever thought of that idea is genius, and between that and Flipboard on my iPad I am never short of things to see.  Add those to my lengthy list of must read blogs and you get a clear picture of how I spend my leisure hours.

This week for copycat, inspiration came from a blog.

Julia from Gal Meets Glam

Gal Meets Glam is a fantastic blog and little Julia up there has style for miles.   She is gorgeous and the photography on the site is really just beautiful.  I am sorry that the link doesn't take you to the photo post directly, but I'm sure you will have no end of fun scrolling through her archives looking for it!  She is on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook,  Instagram etc. but I found this photo through her blog directly and fell instantly in love with the look.  

Of course, to make the look my own I felt the need to tweak things a bit.  The inspiration photo shows a shirt loose but I tucked my shirt in and added a belt to draw up the coral color from my skirt.  Julie had on some chunky wedges, but I added fancier shoes because, well hell, I will make any excuse to wear these.  In the inspiration photo Julie is wearing a loose chambray shirt which I switched to a denim jacket because I need more structure and less length for it to be flattering. I also threw on a necklace to bling up my more casual shirt.  

All in all, I am VERY pleased with this look and I can't wait for the time when I can wear it for real!  Of course, since I jinxed myself about the weather, the cold has arrived in AZ so I will possibly have to wait until spring for this one.

XO,

Alyssa

check the sidebar for this week's link-ups...its where I'll be!!

Colorful

I am a woman who is not afraid of a little color.  In fact, I try really hard to inject color into my wardrobe most of the time.  I am rarely an all neutral girl, although recently I've started to try that too since it is something different for me.

Do you know a person who is afraid of color?  Who wears outfits that invariably consist of either black, white, grey, denim or some combination thereof.  She always looks great but she would fade right into a crowd and get lost due to her lack of color.  I refuse to be that girl (uh, woman).

Forgive the headless shots, I was having a bad face day.  Or I didn't shower, take your pick.

This tunic/dress was a recent TJ Maxx purchase.  I like it a lot, but have been wearing it as a top because it is a wee bit short for this old gal.  Then I saw somewhere that someone added a lace border to a skirt to make it longer and I thought to myself how about you just let the lace of your slip show?  Know what happens when you do that?  It looks like your slip is showing.  Amazing right?  LOL.  So....if anyone knows how to sew on a lace border could you send me directions???   Then maybe I won't end up looking like this.

Looks like an audition picture to be an extra on The Walking Dead....aren't you glad I spared you?

XO,

Alyssa

It's Not Feeling a lot Like Christmas

I have been wearing sweaters and cords and boots and scarves since October trying to will fall into the air.  Here we are two weeks from Christmas and its still hot. Let me remind you that I live in central Arizona, and temps during the day are still in the upper 70's or low 80's.  So every once in a while I am forced to ignore the date on the calendar and follow the weather instead.

Don't mind the weird face/pose

Black and blue again.  I freaking LOVE these shoes and so worked my outfit around them.  All I had to do was run around town to about a thousand stores to pick up random stuff for the Holidays, no big.  What, you don't run errands in 5 inch wedges?  Don't judge.  The Salvation Army bell ringer loved it and called me Sassy.  Winner.

Check sidebar links, that's where I'll be this week!! ;o)

XO,

Alyssa

p.s.  I just wanted to take a second and thank all the lovely ladies who wrote such nice comments on my last copycat post.  Please know that I do not write disparaging remarks in order to gain your sympathy or to hear my praises sung and get my ego stroked.  I write things sometimes just because I think they sound funny--and because it is the truth as I see it.  I do, however, appreciate all your kinds words.  Thank you!!

Serendipitous

It is so great that I work in a cool and casual store where I can wear jeans every shift if I want to.  Finding outfits including jeans and NOT repeating my favorites is a challenge however.  Sometimes though, serendipity happens and I find some great inspiration from fellow bloggers. This week, lightning struck me twice!

This is Misty from Across and Down a Little Bit

I've been talking about Misty this week because of her Count up to Christmas Linky Party, but that picture is what made me stay on her site after my first visit.  First of all, its hella fun that she posed mid "hands to the sky" dance.  Secondly, I own that exact same blazer and I have never ever considered wearing it with a neutral top and rolled sleeves.  Ever.  But I thought it was a great look and determined to copy it ASAP.

So, I'm not nearly as tiny as Misty, and my jacket fits so much bigger than hers does!  Plus I don't have booties so I had to sub in other neutral shoes.  All together, I liked the top half but felt the bottom was a fail.  So I moved onward.

As I continued reading my blog list that day I came across another picture of the SAME BLAZER.  Darn it, she paired it with a neutral top too AND rolled up the sleeves!  I'm always a day late and a dollar short.

This is Lisa at Respect the Shoes

Hers is a great look too, so I dug out my pieces and tried again...

OOOOHHHH k.  I am not a size 2, I don't own any funky blue pumps and again, my jacket looks too big and not big enough all at the same time.  Still like the top half though.  What to do, what to do.

Divide and conquer my friends.  I kept the top, ditched both bottoms in favor more flattering boot cut ones and while this isn't the best picture ever, this next one is worse.

Here's what I learned.  I really like the neutral combo and rolled sleeves.  I shouldn't keep trying to wear skinny jeans.  I haven't mastered how to stand yet.  I really need a photographer, a hair and makeup crew, and a trip (or 50) to the gym.

Best copycat post ever, right???  Go compare at Trusty Chucks/Texas Lovebirds (sidebar link).

XO,

Alyssa

Real Girl NOT so Glam

Admit it.  You don't dress up every day.  Some days, you just throw on whatever is handy and relatively clean.  It's a chore day, an errand day, a day where you just don't feel like impressing anyone.

When a fluffy girl meets baggy clothes, bad things can happen.

It's today.  And this is what I wore.  I'm linking the heck out of it too.  Why???  Because I'm a rebel, that's why.  I un-apologetically admit that I have quite a few of these days, especially when I have a large block of time where I'm not working.  5 days off of work, and plenty of other less glamorous work to fill the gap (that's kinda' a pun for me since I work at Gap).  I also refused to do my hair or wear makeup.  I didn't want to subject you guys to that horror show, but the rest of my town will have to suck it up.

XO,

Alyssa

Black and Blue Redo

There is something about the combination of cobalt blue, black and red that has caught my eye this season.

First it was the plaid shoe inspired combo I talked about here.

Now its with this dalmatian print top and cobalt cardi and red belt.  Wait a minute...I think it must just be these shoes!!  No matter how much I try, when I look in the closet and see all my cobalt, these shoes just scream "Pick me! Pick me!" And so I do.  I could easily wear a silver belt and silver shoes or a black belt and shoes.  But WHY????  It is Visible Monday after all!!  ;o)

XO,

Alyssa

p.s.  Remember to keep checking in at Across and Down a Little to see all the old posts!!!  It has been so fun hearing comments from everyone on the beginnings!! 

Reflections

I came across a really fun blog called Across and Down a Little Bit not that long ago, and Misty had a great idea to "Count up to Christmas"  by posting your first 25 blog posts--one a day, starting with your first ever post.  I thought it was a great idea, given that in the beginning no one is reading your stuff.

Click Here for Link

I haven't really been doing this blog for very long.  That doesn't mean I can't stop and reflect though.   I ALWAYS go back to the beginning when I find a new blog.  I like seeing the evolution of a blog(ger), not just how it is now.  Do you do that, or do you only follow forward??  If you haven't done it yet, go to some of your favorite blogs and check their history for the very first post they ever did.  You might be surprised at what you can learn, and how different their blogs are today!

I'm too new to have changed.  Wait, I'm too old to change.  Whatever.  To see where I began, go check out my first ever post linked for the Count-Up.  (or, you know, just check the history here).

I'll leave you with some early photos that I've never shared here.  Nor ever will again!  LOL.

One shirt, 3 ways Matchy Matchy Style!

Note:  I still haven't actually worn this shirt in real life.  It was another $2 bargain from the store that I couldn't pass by.  I do like option 3 the best though! ;o)

XO,

Alyssa