outfit of the day – Page 59 – L'ensemble du jour

June 21, 2017 – It’s the Summer Solstice, and I’m Dressed For Fall (OOTD #49)

Published on June 21, 2017June 22, 2017 by lensembledujour20 Comments

I’d be lying if I told you I liked summer.

Granted, I like certain aspects of summer – being off school, wearing shorts, eating ice cream – summer’s not a terrible season at all. Like any season, it has its merits and its faults. But for me, living in the hot and humid state of Kentucky, the faults outweigh the merits.

I can stand heat. I don’t mind when it gets into the upper 80s (don’t mind, I say, as in can tolerate – not like), but when it’s in the upper 80s and has a humidity of over about 40%, that’s when I draw the line. When the humidity hits in Kentucky, all those pleasant aspects of summer – the sunny skies, the warm air, the bright colors – melt into a hot, unpleasant, sticky mess that no one wants to out be in, especially me.

So naturally, today, being the summer solstice and the first day of summer, I decided to break out my fall jacket, scarf, turtleneck, jeans, and boots. Sensible, right?

Actually, my reasoning for dressing this way wasn’t purely vanity (though I’m sure that does play a part – as I’ve mentioned many times before, I don’t like to let the weather determine how I’m going to dress…mostly); I had work today, and it’s just easier to wear pants than a dress or skirt. Plus there’s the shaving…there are plenty of reasons where pants can be a good choice in summer.

And the turtleneck? It’s actually very lightweight and thin – if I’m not careful, you might even see my bra through it. So for modesty (and yes, fashion) I threw a light blazer on top. And what outfit could be complete without a scarf to tie it together – literally and figuratively?

So at first glance, this may seem like a fall outfit, totally impractical for summer heat, but it was actually quite comfortable. I stayed modest, stylish, and best of all, kept the blazing sun off my skin.

…or maybe I’m lying to myself and every time I stepped outside today, I felt like I was cooking in an oven, but I’m too stubborn to change. You can take your pick of explanations 😉

That’s it for today! I’ll see you in the next one. Don’t forget to check me out on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr! For business inquiries, shoot me an email at lensembledujour@gmail.com

Pants: J. Crew

Shirt: Forever21

Jacket: Kohl’s

Shoes: Steve Madden

June 20, 2017 – All The Trends! (OOTD #48)

Published on June 20, 2017June 21, 2017 by lensembledujour15 Comments

I like to think of myself as someone who doesn’t feel the need to follow trends.

Like I said, like to think of myself – I’m not necessarily always that way. Case in point – today’s outfit, which covers three trends all in one – an off-the-shoulder top, loose shorts, and a choker. Clearly, I belong in an issue of Seventeen, or perhaps an ad for Forever21.

(Actually, unlike a lot of days, today’s outfit features nothing from Forever21!)

There’s really nothing wrong with being trendy: it’s just that following trends means there’s less room for original thought and creativity. And that’s something I value quite a lot in fashion – I would much rather wear something that makes people go “that’s different” than “that’s boring.”

But being original takes effort, and being trendy does not (though it does take a lot more money…), and today, I was rather lacking in the effort department. I woke up a bit late, and I had to rush to get ready for a lunch date with a friend, so trendy it was.

One of the nice things about trends is that they come in all varieties, and these varieties are very easily mixed and matched. Today, for example, I mixed the off-the-shoulder trend with the loose, boho-ish shorts trend with the choker trend. It made for a very simple, stylish outfit that required very little thought on my part and still looked very good in the end. That is something you risk when going with more unusual outfits – you may put all this thought and effort into creating interesting layers or silhouettes, and you can still just wind up looking weird.

Also, about today’s lunch date – my friend and I used it to discuss things we wanted to do in London, when we visit in early July. So I figured I would ask you guys, anyone who’s visited London or lives there or just feels like offering an opinion, what should we make sure we do while we’re there? We don’t necessarily feel the need to do the super-touristy things and would actually really love to go for something a little more off the beaten path, so if you have any suggestions, please leave a comment below!

Shirt: Hollister

Pants: Francesca’s

Band-aid with little fish on it: UK Hospital

June 19, 2017 – Cheap Clothes=Best Clothes (OOTD #47)

Published on June 19, 2017June 21, 2017 by lensembledujour8 Comments

If I remember correctly, I got this shirt for like $3 at the LOFT.

I don’t even recall exactly how it happened – I think it was like 50% off on clearance already, and then my mother had an extra 40% off on top of that for her birthday, and it might’ve an additional discount for having snag in the front. Anyway, it ended up being a really great steal, and I bought it without even trying it on.

I’ve got a bit of a problem with buying clothes on discount like that – purchasing things I don’t necessarily need simply because it’s on a really good sale. Never follow me into a Goodwill; we’ll be there for hours, and I’ll be down $50 and up 20 pieces of unnecessary clothes in the end. My father can certainly attest to that.

Actually, I often look through the sale section when I’m shopping before I even look at the new, full-priced things. The middle school version of myself would’ve been completely embarrassed to have said that – there was once a time when I was a status-obsessed egotist poser child who wouldn’t want to be caught dead doing anything to save money.

That’s changed…mostly….I think?

Anyway, today’s outfit – in addition to my plain white shirt (which isn’t so plain when you look at it a bit more closely; it’s got a nice architectural silhouette that makes it rather interesting), I wore a bandana-printed neck scarf, which I bought for the pure intention of looking trendy and green skinny jeans that make my legs feel just a tad like they’re being suffocated.

But sometimes, that’s the price you pay for looking nice, right?

Shirt: The LOFT

Pants: American Eagle

Scarf: American Eagle

June 18, 2017 – Father’s Day Fashion (OOTD #46)

Published on June 18, 2017June 21, 2017 by lensembledujour11 Comments

Sorry for the late post, but it’s been a busy day.

It’s Father’s Day here in the US, and my family likes to celebrate by taking a day to spend out doing some things of my dad’s choosing. He opted to get lunch at a new(ish) restaurant in the Summit called Ted’s Montana Grill, and we walked around and window shopped for a while.

We also invited my grandmother (my father’s mother) into town to join us, making it a nice little family outing. I actually shared my lunch with her – it was a half chicken, and neither of us could eat the whole thing.

I wish I had gotten a picture of the thing – it was so good! Best chicken in my life? Well, no. But pretty solid. I did get a picture of our appetizer, some homemade chips, so you can look at that instead and pretend I was a good blogger who actually documented what she ate like she was supposed to.

On a more serious note, I do rather like Father’s Day – not just because I love excuses to go out to eat, but because I rather love my father too. He takes a lot of pictures for this blog for me (including almost all of the ones for today!) and does all of the proper fatherly duties very well. I must give him something of a shoutout – he’s pretty cool.

In addition to my father, I also love my outfit from today. I layered a sheer, lacy top underneath my sleeveless dress to create a really interesting, unique look. I particularly liked the mixture of the velvet texture of the dress with the sheer top. For accessories, I added my trusty black sun hat, which seems to make any outfit look more chic and trendy.

I also added some cute rings – I got this little bird one in New York, actually, at a street market. Only $10. The little sales lady said it was sterling silver, and my fingers haven’t turned green yet, so I guess I’ve got to believe her.

And that’s all, folks! A huge thank you to all of you for helping me reach over 200 followers! I couldn’t do it without you (obviously…)!

Dress: Kohl’s…I think. I honestly can’t remember and the tag doesn’t help!

Shirt: Altar’d State

June 16, 2017 – When You Forget a Shirt (OOTD #45)

Published on June 16, 2017June 21, 2017 by lensembledujour5 Comments

Exercise is a great thing.

Went for a lovely 2 mile run this morning, and I must say, while it kind of hurts and feels gross while I’m actually running, I feel so great when I’m done. That’s kind of funny, I guess – that my favorite part about exercise is it being over, but the feeling is addictive enough that I keep doing it. Hooray for my laziness that actually kind of motivates me to work out?

But here’s the not-so-great thing about exercise: it means you get hot and sweaty, and you have to change after you’re done. Normally, that’s no problem – I run near home, in the neighborhood park, so when I’m done, I just walk up to my room and put something else on. Today, I had the brilliant idea to go running while away from the house and just pack some clothes to change into in a gym bag. Sounds okay, right?

Not if you’re an idiot like me and forget to pack a shirt.

I remembered a jacket, a pair of pants, a pair of shoes, socks – but no shirt. Of course, I didn’t realize that until after I had gone running and sweated through the t-shirt I wore, leaving that practically unwearable due to the scent it must’ve carried. And of course, I had to go to work in 30 minutes, and of course, I lived too far away to drive back home.

Thankfully, there was a grocery store just around the corner, and they recently made the (slightly unusual, but I’m not complaining!) choice to begin selling clothing, My wonderful mother slipped in and grabbed a cheap tank top for me to put over my blue sports bra, and I made it to work with 2 minutes to spare.

Never a dull day in the life of a fashion blogger.

Jeans: Abercrombie

Jacket: American Eagle

Shirt: Kroger?

Shoes: Juicy Couture

June 15, 2017 – Tim Gunning It (OOTD#44)

Published on June 15, 2017June 15, 2017 by lensembledujour7 Comments

You know, “make it work.”

I got this absolutely lovely dress less than a month ago from Anthropologie (one of my favorite stores, by the way) on clearance for 60% off. I didn’t want to pass it up, but sadly, it was a size too big.

What to do?

In many cases, there’s nothing to be done. Sometimes a dress that’s too big is just too big. There’s always the tailor, of course, but, as I’m the type of person who can only afford Anthropologie when I shop in their clearance section, I’m definitely not the type of person who can afford a tailor for everything.

Regardless of the fact I knew it wasn’t likely to work, I decided to try it on and give it a chance anyway. Maybe it wasn’t quite as big as it looked on the hanger? I’m a hopeful person, especially when it comes to clothes.

So I tried it on, and things were exactly as I expected – it was simply too big to be worn as-is. The shoulders actually fit okay, and the sleeves looked appropriately flowy, but the rest of it was baggy and awkward. I was thinking I ought just to give up, regardless of how much I loved the complementary blue-orange color scheme and mixed textures, when I thought of an idea. What about a belt?

The end of this story is obvious enough – I bought the dress because I couldn’t resist the price, and when I brought it home, I simply threw a simple black waist belt around it to balance out the bagginess. The perfect solution? Maybe, maybe not. In general, I prefer to respect the will of designers and wear clothes the way they’re meant to be worn (except in the case of oversized vintage work shirts that can be worn as dresses…), but sometimes, you’ve got to do as Tim Gunn says, and make it work.

(And yes, Project Runway is a guilty pleasure of mine. I wonder when its next season will be on?)

Dress: Anthropologie

Belt: Forever21

June 14, 2017 – Nice to Meet You, My Name is Oscar (OOTD #43)

Published on June 14, 2017June 16, 2017 by lensembledujour8 Comments

At least, that’s what the shirt says.

I got a wonderful surprise the other day – a package in the mail from my Uncle Tim. If you read my post from about a week ago, when Tim visited my family in Bardstown KY, you’d have read that he has a little quirk where he likes to wear old work shirts with other people’s names on them. I guess my father mentioned to him that I thought that that style was both hilarious and actually quite interesting, because Tim saw it fit to send me my own misnamed work shirt: this one proclaiming that I am Oscar of SB Cox’s Demolition and Construction Services, out of Richmond, VA.

I say shirt – it’s more of a dress, really, on me. I have no idea what size Oscar was, but it’s suffice to say he was a bit larger than me. I don’t really care though; I ended up wearing the shirt more like a dress, or maybe a long tunic.

No worries, there are shorts underneath though. I like to stay mostly modest – and to keep my mother happy.

To accessorize, I wore a black tank top and a black choker underneath. I guess that’s not terribly exciting, but I really wanted the shirt to speak for itself. It’s already a bit of a risky move, a) wearing a shirt as a dress and b) wearing a shirt with some guy named Oscar’s name on it. No need to go overboard.

Anyway, I spent most of today at home in the kitchen, working on a cake for Father’s Day. I used this little recipe from The Cake Blog that I saw on Pinterest. I’m actually still working on it, but assuming it doesn’t turn out a horrific, ugly mess, I’ll post some pictures of it on tomorrow’s blog.

Spending the day at home, I also got to make myself a nice little lunch of a gorgonzola, walnut, and apple salad, a cup of tea, and some macarons. And what better thing to do when you make yourself a chic lunch than to take overly staged photos of it so you can post it on your blog?

(Also, Uncle Tim, if you happen to be reading this – thank you so much for the shirt! I love it!)

Shirt: SB Cox’s Demolition and Construction Services

Choker: Claire’s (cringey, I know. But it was cheap and no one has to know where it can from!)

June 13, 2017 – Is This a Sweater, a Jacket, or a Blouse? (OOTD #42)

Published on June 13, 2017June 13, 2017 by lensembledujour3 Comments

No, really – I mean that question.

I got this lovely jacket/blouse/sweater thing at Francesca’s the other day, but I really have no idea what it is. It’s open in the front, like a sweater or jacket, with a little tie to close it, but the fabric is a sheer cotton like a blouse.

That makes wearing it an interesting experience, because when I was picking out what to wear this morning, I really wasn’t sure how to style it. Obviously, I knew I had to wear something underneath for modesty, but otherwise, it was open to interpretation. That actually made for a rather fun experience creating my outfit because I wasn’t bound by what the “proper” thing to wear was – I could be more creative.

So in the end, I opted for a pale pink top for under my sweater/jacket/blouse thing that pulled from the colors from some of the colorful embroidery, and then same plain black leggings on bottom since I was working today. A rather simple ensemble, I’ll admit, but one made all the more interesting because of the unusual jacket/sweater/blouse element.

I don’t know, what do you think? It’s definitely different outfit; I love pieces that challenge me to think of new and interesting ways to wear my clothes. I think next time I wear this particular piece, I’ll want to wear it in a completely different way, because that’s what makes fashion fun to me – the ability to change up your look every day.

Also, you might’ve noticed – I’m wearing my aviators today instead of my usual Ray Bans. I took the dog for a walk last night, and for the life of me, I haven’t been able to find them since. Ah well, I know they’re in the house somewhere – I’ll find them eventually.

Blouse/sweater/jacket thing: Francesca’s

Shirt: Forever21

Boots: Steve Madden

Sunglasses: Fossil

June 12, 2017 – Boho Feels (OOTD #41)

Published on June 12, 2017June 13, 2017 by lensembledujour4 Comments

These Kentucky summers can get devilishly hot.

It’s presently 90 degrees out, and to be honest, I’m not a fan. As soon as I got this shot done, I rushed right back inside to air conditioning and some cold water! The heat is bad enough, but you add the Kentucky humidity on top of it, and you have a muggy, awful mess that is simply no fun.

But that doesn’t matter, because I’m a middle class suburban teenager in first world country and I have a climate controlled home that I can spend my whole day in! And that’s just what I did today. I didn’t work today, for the first time in what felt like ages (though it’s probably only been five days or so), so I got to wake up late, pour myself some coffee, and simply relax.

It was lovely.

As I was relaxing, I figured it was a good idea to do some work on this blog. In addition to creating a lovely new logo (which you can see at the top of this page!) and adding some sidebar widgets that link to my social media (which, if you’re on desktop, you should be able to see on the right!), I also did some photography.

I absolutely adore the work of lifestyle organization bloggers, such as Alexandra and Co, who create beautiful but minimalistic arrays of…basically just pretty objects. It’s kinda hard to explain what makes it so beautiful – there’s something just really visually pleasing about the bright colors on the stark white background. Thus, I decided to give it a shot. I gathered up all of my bright pens, cut some flowers, found some colorful candles, poured myself some tea, spread out a white bedsheet over the kitchen table, and tried my best to pretend I have an organized life.

What do you think? I’m planning on posting all of them on Instagram sometime in the future to give myself some variation to my feed, so be sure to follow me there to see them when they go up!

And as for today’s outfit – I’m gonna be honest, I didn’t actually spend a whole lot of time wearing it today! I spend a good deal of my time in just my pink Victoria’s Secret robe, and I probably would’ve spent my whole day like that if it hadn’t been for this fashion blog! I don’t mind; I love getting dressed up. With the heat today, I was feeling a summery boho vibe, so I went for these fun tribal-printed shorts with a lace-up sweater. For accessories, I loaded up on thin beaded bracelets, and topped it all off with a simple choker and a black sun hat.

Sweater: American Eagle

Shorts: Target

Bracelets: Altar’d State

June 9, 2017 – Like a Scarf in the Wind (OOTD#40)

Published on June 9, 2017June 9, 2017 by lensembledujour7 Comments

…Never knowing who to cling to 🎶

FullSizeRender 64.jpg

I love wearing big scarves on windy days. The way they fly around and billow in the air is so dramatic, like a super hero with a cape. Is it a little excessive and a touch theatric? Yes. But it looks cool, and when I look cool, I feel cool – even though I know it’s a generally accepted fact that I am not.

FullSizeRender 65.jpg — Don’t judge the smudge of lipstick in my teeth.

That’s actually the reason I started getting into fashion in the first place. As a kid in elementary school, I was definitely a bit on the dorky side, and for many years I had trouble interacting with the other students. That probably had to do with the fact I hissed at people and refused to smile in pictures and once got into an argument with my entire first grade class about how Santa Claus wasn’t real (I lost)…but when you’re 7, you don’t necessarily understand that the other kids don’t think crawling around pretending to be a cat is as cool as you think it is.

FullSizeRender 67.jpg

Then, sometime in second grade, my parents bought me the first Hannah Montana CD. I loved that thing to death. Listening to the CD, of course, led to watching the show, and watching your first Disney Channel show is just a gateway drug into the world of preteen sitcoms. And what did I learn from watching shows like Hannah Montana, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, and Sonny with a Chance?

FullSizeRender 68.jpg

That cool clothes make a cool person.

FullSizeRender 69.jpg

So I devoted myself to mimicking the styles I saw on my favorite shows. I started shopping at Justice and Limited Too, got my ears pierced, and started styling my hair. It didn’t make a big difference in my social life, actually – there was no dramatic makeover that led to instant popularity – but I think people started thinking of me as less the weird girl who hissed at people and more the girl who always dressed nicely. I found I liked that label, and the label stuck.

FullSizeRender 70.jpg

Sorry, I’ve gotten a bit distracted. Today’s outfit: I worked again today, so comfort and practicality took center stage. The white t-shirt and plain khakis (funnily, the same khakis I wore when I had my first job at Kroger two years ago) are so boring they could be worn for any job, but I accessorized them to make things a bit more interesting. The scarf, of course, was one of those accessories, but I also found a pair of bright Sperry’s, bright earrings, a bright bracelet, and some bright lipstick to – you guessed it – brighten myself up.

FullSizeRender 71.jpg

If you’re also into fashion, what got you interested in it? Any interesting stories to tell? Leave me a comment below! And for good measure, here’s a super stylish and not at all embarrassing photo of me circa 2008 playing dress up.