Tough Decisions

Style-minded internet, I need your help.  I'm trying to chose between two pairs of shoes. 

One is a pair I own but have never worn, a recent acquisition and my treat to myself for passing boards.  They are beautiful shoes, but not quite everything I'd hoped they'd be, and I've been on the fence about keeping them.

The other pair I have just discovered today, a fun new colorway of a style I've been keeping an eye on for a while.
 

The first pair is from a brand known for high quality.  It is leather, and the saturated jewel tones are absolutely luscious in person.  However, my foot is short and wide whereas the shoe is...not; while I have the correct size, the fit is sub-optimal.  The t-strap part bulges out from my foot rather than pulling taut (skinny ankles, maybe? never had this fit issue before...), and the heel, while one of my favorite heights, is higher than I'm willing to do more than a few times per month.  I also already have a favorite pair in a similar rusty tone and heel height, and I just don't think these beauties would get the wear they should.

The second pair I have only seen online.  While I've seen the brand pop up across the style internet and my swing dancing friends' wishlists, I have never handled a pair in person and do not know what to expect for quality, or how comfortable they'll be.  It is synthetic, not real leather, and I definitely prefer natural materials.  But look how cute!  I've been actively bringing that deep teal into my wardrobe, and I think these fun, quirky shoes would totally liven up an otherwise conservative, unremarkable professional outfit.  The lower heel, while still higher than I'll do day-to-day on my feet in clinic, is totally workable on a weekly-ish rotation.  I am enamored with the sweet color, adorable round toe, and two-tone styling...did I mention how cute they are?

Writing this out, I recognize that I'm 85% sure I want to return the t-straps and snag a pair of the mary janes, but I'm second-guessing myself.  Especially with shoes, I'm leery of bringing something into my collection without being assured of its quality/value.  So I am asking you, what would you do?  Which shoes should I pick?   

I Love My Job!

Evidenced by the fact that I've used that title for both of my blogs within the past week, it's probably no surprise that I really love my job! Charlotte's question about dreams and what we want to be when we grow up gave me another opportunity to reflect on how really, truly content I am now.  We still have dreams -- someday the mister and I will have a dog, and kids, and a farmhouse on an orchard with chickens and a goat -- and there's some substantial uncertainty in our immediate future, but compared with the Very Unpleasant Recent Past, life is edifying and I am exactly where I'm supposed to be and it is good.

So, here's another day-at-the-pediatrics-clinic outfit.  This is totally true to my sartorial professional self, and I wore green and red (okay, burgundy) without looking like Christmas, and it's even a good hair day.  Winning on every front.

 Blouse: H&M, thrifted (from near Rocket Baby, char-let!) | Skirt: thrifted | Shoes: Camper, via eBay | Belt: thrifted, a favorite | Necklaces: gifts | Watch: Fossil, via Amazon | iPad cover: Make Things Better (front & back)

 
I got an iPad Mini to be my ectopic brain for rotations.  I am very much *not* a Mac person, and there are things about it that drive me absolutely bonkers, but it's a helpful tool.

The best part?  Getting to pick out an awesome, subtle-ly geeky cover.  River Song's journal was awfully compelling, but I ultimately went with the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.  Because...that's what it is!

P.S.  The weekend away mentioned with the honeymoon skirt was an absolute delight.  If anyone is interested in where to find a(n amazingly affordable!) slice of mountainous-but-near-the-seaside heaven in the Santa Cruz redwoods, I can totally hook you up.  Don't lie, you wish you were here...

Memories Revisited

A while ago I talked about chopping my honeymoon dress into pieces and not regretting it because at least one of them, the tunic top, was getting worn significantly more frequently.

Well, now both halves can get more love, since I've finally gotten some close-enough-in-color jersey and whipped up a yoga-pants-style waistband for the hacked-off skirt. 

It's a longer length than most of my summer skirts, which makes for nice variety; the breezy rayon is light and comfy and will be perfect for biking and strolling and whatever else may befall on our anniversary trip to the seaside this weekend.

I can never get the colors to come out quite right...this is the closest, and the embroidery is spot on, but the dress is actually greener, a lovely deep teal.    

I'm beyond pleased that this worked, and I can keep wearing, enjoying, and making new memories in such sentimental garments...

Working It

My First Day

Friends, I have officially entered the realm of Productive Adult Members of Society.  I may still be making absolutely no money and paying well for the privilege, but now no one mistakes me for a stay-at-home mom, I am a regular rush-hour commuter (three cheers for carpools and the reverse commute!), and when I get home the mister asks me, "How was work?"

I just started in a pediatrics clinic.  We don't wear our white coats -- White Coat Anxiety is a real thing, and I imagine even freakier for little kids -- and my boss introduces me as "Doctor" because it's simpler and more impressive.  I have no idea what I am doing, but I will happily dress the part.

 Blouse: Kohl's, thrifted | Cropped trousers: J.Crew, thrifted | Shoes: REI

Somewhat surprisingly, the award for Professional Wardrobe MVP goes to my trouser crops, both these and the ones I hacked up myself.  Love my dresses, but they're more memorable and I don't want to wear skirts every day, and two months of furiously desperate studying/nervous breakdowns/stress eating left my other trousers all a little tight.  These feel just right for the balmy temps, and let me wear cute summery shoes without tripping over longer hems. 

I also finally(!) found a mousse that makes my hair do the curl thing the way I want it to.  Surprisingly, it's designed for "mixed hair" -- the unique hair types & challenges found in girls of mixed race, which I am definitely not.  Still, can't argue with success.

Snagged these awesome flats at REI recently.  I'd been pining for similar grey wedges for a while, but by the time I heard about them they no longer existed, so finding these made me very happy (and even better, on sale!).  The bright woven ethnic textile reminds me of when I lived in Peru, and they have the best arch support I've ever found in ballet flats.  All in all, a fun way to liven up professional-able garb.

What does your work-wear look like, now that we're rolling into the dog days of summer?

Summer wardrobe

Whew, it's been awhile!  I've backed away from blogging for a bit, and unfortunately, my fashion posts fell by the wayside.  But I wanted to pop back in to share one of my typical summer outfits.  This post was thought of on the fly, so it's complete with segmented I-phone pictures.  You're welcome.

Items Necessary for a Perfect Summer Outfit:

Beanie (a gift):  Summer in Wisconsin means humidity.  Curly hair with humidity means frizz.  To control the masses, and allow you to be in public without taking a shower - a beanie to the rescue!  Cuter than a baseball cap, and less obnoxious than a sunhat, it's an ideal all-season accessory.  

T-shirt (purchased at a concert):  The perfect summer t-shirt is more of a challenge than it appears.  The fabric needs to be lightweight.  It can't be too tight, causing it to cling, but too loose leans towards looking disheveled.  Once found, the perfect summer t-shirt should be treated with the upmost respect and care.

Jean shorts (Goodwill):  Skirts are cuter, but shorts are safer.  No wardrobe mishaps here!

(Iced coffee is always a welcome accessory.)

Shoes (Wal-Mart):  I prefer closed toed shoes.  I've gotten used to them, since I have to wear them for work, but I wear them more frequently outside of work as well.  There's less risk of them slipping off your foot, and typically more support for your sole as well.

What are go-to items in your summer wardrobe?

Dressed for Success

Do you know what time it is?

 

It's Go Time. This is Test Day.  I am taking boards, right now.  (I am not live-blogging -- I totally took these pictures early and pre-scheduled the post.  You can't even have a StupidPhone in the exam with you, much less access to the internet).

 

I think I have everything that I need, but I'm thinking I probably should have sharpened my brain before we began.  It's feeling a little dull.

Someday, I will tell the story of this sweater and how it came to be mine.  Someday, I will talk about eating disorders, nurturing one's soul, and how my face is clear evidence that I've gained 10% of my body weight in the two months I've been prepping.  Someday...but not today.

Today I am taking boards. 

Getting My Geek On

I am just tipping past the 50%-through-my-study-program mark today, and I am *so* ready for it to be done.  I want to see people again.  I want to be able to drink some of the beer brought back from my home state without worrying about borking my higher-order focus & functioning.  I want to have to time for our Sunday night Doctor Who dates with my mister!

Despite the utter lack of anything fun in my life these days (you know I'm writing this with a review lecture up on my other screen), I'm still totally getting my geek on.  Not just because terminal nerd-ness is necessary for survival at this point, but because...well, yeah, it's the best way to cope.  And oh look, the top t-shirt on the stack today features my favorite Japanese animation studio!

I have to admit, I'm not nearly so well-versed in Studio Ghibli's works as I'd like, and I had to look up the tin man dude because I completely couldn't place him.  (Turns out he's from Castle in the Sky, which I haven't seen, so I feel a little bit better.)  So, from left to right we have Turnip Head (Howl's Moving Castle), a Laputan robot, Princess Mononoke (Princess Mononoke), the [unnamed?] dog from Spirited Away, and of course, Totoro.

 Shirt: shirt.woot | Skirt (actually a skort!): thrifted | Belt: Target, eons ago

It's been bea-u-ti-ful these last few days, finally warm enough to properly do the bare-legged thing.  Sadly, just about all of my time these days is spent right here like this...

Just three more weeks...!