Sunday Inspiration - Bedrooms

Lately I've been spending a lot of time on Zillow, entertaining the idea of finally having a space that I can call my own. While a lot of my (way over budget) real-estate dreams include beautiful victorians in the nice area of New Haven, as well as stunning waterfront properties (also over budget) there are a few feasible properties on my list as well!

Of course I'm getting ahead of myself and I'm already decorating the house that does not yet exist, and Pinterest endlessly tortures me with images of dreamy bedroom spaces. So I thought I'd share a few of my favorites, and hopefully when the time comes to actually furnish my future bedroom, I'll be able to do it on a budget with some great Target finds!

Check out Unattainable home style? Actually you can get it at Target.
by Lydia Abate at Mode

More leopard & Free People Inspiration

It seems that every morning when I think to myself "What is something chic I can wear today?" Leopard print is what comes to mind, and this top has become indispensable.
Knotted, of course, and mixed up with navy for a change. Boots without tights, since this outfit is from October after all.

The Rundown

Leopard Top Anne Klein - Skirt Charlotte Russe - Boots Migliorini - Ring American eagle

Now on to the inspiration. The Free People Holiday catalog arrived in my mail box and it was a feast for my eyes. I think this might be my favorite catalog from them yet, I want to don these clothes, I want to be in these places, in these photographs. Can I just please live in this catalog?

Their theme was "Through the Decades" and they are so chic, so decadent; lace, sequins, velvet, all utilizing pieces to create both vintage and modern looks. There is even a 2012 calendar in the center pages, with seasonally themed outfits.

It was hard to to not post every page, but here are some of my standout faves:

What if I promised to wear this to every holiday party this year?

I love these pieces together, and the dress is so cute, even though it seems better suited for warmer months.

These accessories are killer.

I'm not sure what I love the most, the dress, the boots, or the bike?

Leopard tights! So glad I just picked up that pair from Old Navy...

I do not need anymore scalloped shorts, but I'm crazy about that ring!

Are you seeing this Sequined Jacket?

Okay velvet pants. I might love you, or I might loathe you, but no matter what this look is awesome.

Malibu Barbie called, she wants her pants back

These, are my new Old Navy pink capri pants. I managed to score them for $10.50, because they were on sale and I got an extra 30% off. I might not have normally bought bright pink pants, but for $10.50, it seemed stupid not to, and best of all - they fit and are super comfortable!!

Even more remarkable is that once I got them, I noticed that I had more than a dozen outfits with pink pants in my inspiration folder, including the one that inspired this look, which I believe is from J.Crew.

Um, how exactly are you supposed to wear the hat with your hair in a bun?

The Rundown
Pink Pants Old Navy -Top NY&Co. Similar - Blazer Vintage Similar - Station Bag Coach Thrifted - Turquoise Pumps Karen Scott Thrifted - Earrings Aldo - Ring TJMaxx

I know it's Halloween and I haven't posted anything even remotely festive, so here is a scarecrow. Happy Halloween!

P.S. I was freezing taking these photos!

Jesus saves, I spend

A year ago I flipped through an issue of Lucky Magazine and spotted an adorable outfit inspired by the singer/songwriter St. Vincent. I fell in love with the look, and especially the cute cutout oxfords - so much that I wanted to go and buy them that instant.

They weren't available at the time, and after months of waiting, finally appeared in black (no brown ever existed). So I got them in December, but I hadn't forgotten about this outfit. At long last... does it live up to my expectations and a year of anticipation?

The Rundown

Floral Top TJMaxx - Lace Skirt TJMaxx - Cardigan Express - Studded Oxfords G by Guess Wonda - Bird Necklace Made by Me - Heart Earrings Thrifted - Turquoise Ring Gift - Sunnies Old Navy - Nail Color Sally Hansen The Real Teal - Dog Chloe

It's hard not to shop

This weekend started out with the May issue of Lucky, and I spent my morning, steaming cup of coffee in hand, engrossed; dreaming of bright colors and warmer days, drooling over these looks:

This is my hands down favorite look. I wonder if my Greek Key skirt could work for a recreation...

I can't get over this color mix - black and white and brown with pink and seafoam and leopard? Insanity? Perfection? I need to try it.

So, so simple, but with amazing accessories.

I want to duplicate all these looks. I need this lace top.

Look at those scalloped edges! Look at those color pairings.... so swoon worthy.

Bright, cute, and scalloped.

My immediate reaction was to take a mental inventory of the piece I have, and the pieces I will need to achieve summer style perfection.

Then, what do I do on my fashion and coffee high, but head straight to TJMaxx and hope to make some sartorial dreams come true. I search, meticulously, keeping an eye out for colors and prints and textures... but the only item I find is a tweed jacket, reminiscent of the one from the first look. It's on clearance for $10, the brand is Willie Smith. I try it on, a fellow shopper tells me it looks great on me... But I don't buy it. I think of all the items I was dreaming of finding, that was probably the one I was least interested in. Where are those black and brown sandals, the cream bow blouse, the black and white printed jacket, the striped sun hat... and that damn lace top!?

I tried not to let my lack of purchases bother me. I tried to be proud, but come 1 AM I am browsing Forever 21 and filling a cart with nonsense I don't need... a navy dress with a cherry print, a striped terry blazer, a white lace skirt, a red mini skirt, just because it was $5...
I forced myself to sleep on it, and by this morning I'd talked myself out it.
But the hunt continues.

The Rundown

Top Gap - Leopard Cardigan Gap - Jeans Kohls - Shoes Steve Madden - Necklace Monet

The Lucky look

I had put a big flag on this look in the December issue of Lucky, since it was one of the looks which was both adorable and easily recreated.

(Actually, all three are adorable, I might do them too!)

One of my coworkers told me my outfit was like a reverse Pippy Longstockings. So yeah...

The Rundown

Shirt Gap - Blazer Gap - Skirt TJMaxx - Tights Kohls - Bag Thrifted - Booties Madden Girl - Earrings TJMaxx

And earlier this week Shey from Modesty is Pretty did the outfit too!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Autumn leaves are falling, and there's nothing I can do

It looks like the after work photo taking party is over. Which is unfortunate, since I've been running late every morning since the sun stopped rising before 7 am. Oh how I hate the shortening of days!

The Rundown

Dress Avon - Blazer The Limited - Booties Madden Girl - Belt Nine West - Earrings Taken for Granite

I'd been waiting for the fall to wear this dress again, I love it layered with the purple.

I have a new color infatuation, seafoam green. I don't have much in the color; all I could find were these earrings. I took a head shot today, but it's awful, so here is one from June.

I haven't been seeing too much seafoam in stores; there is this ruffled cardigan in the Gap, which I tried on, and surprisingly hated.

It looks grey in the photo, but it's very much seafoam in reality.
Something about the combination of cotton ruffles on the knit, with buttons... it just felt awkward. And apparently I looked like a clown, according to my sister. (Not the first time she's told me that...)

But there are lots of other things in seafoam that are intriguing me. And I might be wanting to incorporate more of it into my closet. It's not really what I would consider an autumnal color, yet these looks really make work for fall.

Via

Other than the first image from Lucky Magazine, I'm once again a failure with the sources. If you know any let me know.
When you save things to your inspiration folders, do you rename them with where they are from? Because my folder is a mess of cryptic file names like "img6627qg" and more often than not, 10 minutes after I save it I've forgotten where I found it. Oops.