sweater: Gap (gift) ~ shirt: Old Navy ($24) ~ jeans: Target ($14) ~ boots: Chinese Laundry via Macy's ($65) ~ necklace: Free People (gift)

Date: January 20, 2012
Ensemble message: A mid-week casual look!  I wore this on a Friday in January after being inspired by this photo on Pinterest.  You should know that my thinking at times can be very straight and narrow, so I'm always looking to expand my perceptions so I don't limit my creativity.  This outfit is a great example of this... at one point in my life, I would have looked at the original photo and scoffed that it's silly to pair a collared shirt with a turtleneck.  Fast forward a few years later, I may have admitted that it looked cool, but that I couldn't pull it off for a number of reasons.  Fortunately, an older and wiser self saw this photo and immediately thought, "Awesome!  Now I know what to wear on Friday."

I guess the moral of the story is to keep your mind open.  Do you find yourself limiting what you wear, eat, do, etc.?  How do you break out of that comfort zone??

t-shirt: Target ($8) ~ blazer: Zara (old - $35ish) ~ collar-actually a scarf: Express (gift) ~ silk scarf: vintage (my mom's!) ~ pants: Calvin Klein via Filene's Basement ($24) ~ shoes: Mia via DSW ($60)

Date: January 17, 2012
Ensemble message: While I love getting inspiration from my fellow style bloggers, Pinterest has jumped the ranks and is now one of my go-to places for style ideas.  And DIY ideas... and home decor, recipes, etc etc etc.  When I saw this pin, I was instantly drawn to the fur collar and silk scarf.  I personally would not have pair them together - in my head this is too much.  But they actually balance out well, and this has been one of my favorite outfits from the past month!


My collar is a fake one - both the fur and the fact that it didn't come with this blazer.  I carefully pinned the edges to hold it in place.  What do you think - would you wear a fur collar and scarf together??

sweater: Express (gift) ~ jacket: Olive & Oak via Century 21 ($30) ~ jeans: Target ($14) ~ shoes: Steve Madden via Famous Footwear ($14) ~ bracelets: self-made & old ~ necklace: gift ~ earrings: won from Acute Designs

Date: January 13, 2012
Ensemble message: I like to read style blogs that focus on professional style, but I also read many that have a more casual vibe.  Off of Broadway is one of those - Amanda has a great sense of style and wears mostly thrifted items.  Which makes sense, since she runs her own thrift store :)  As soon as she posted this outfit, I knew I could remake it from my own closet.  Amanda lives in a warmer climate, so she can get away with wearing the lightweight jacket on mild winter days, but I used my jacket as another inside layer.  This is perhaps a little more casual than a normal Friday at the office, but some weeks call for slouchy layers and flats.  Thanks for the inspiration, Amanda!

For more of my style inspirations, check out my Pinterest account - you'll find Amanda's original photo here as well!

dress: Target ($28) ~ cardigan: Banana Republic (gift) ~ boots: Steve Madden via DSW ($120) ~ belt: Anthropologie (gift) ~ necklace: gift

Date: January 11, 2012
Ensemble message: When I received this cardigan for Christmas, I immediately wanted to pair it with all things olive! I started with my favorite olive pants, so I decided to wear it with my favorite olive dress next. I really like how the raspberry color brightens up an otherwise neutral outfit. Also, I’m loving the preppy nature of the overall look (belt, boots), but that the color of the cardigan gives it a twist!

shirt: Old Navy ($7) ~ skirt: Atelier via Nordstrom Rack ($20) ~ boots: Chinese Laundry via Macy's ($65) ~ belt: Target ($15) ~ necklace: Free People (gift)

Date: January 9, 2012
Ensemble message: Hi, my name is Nicole, and I'm addicted to stripes.  Except, I don't really want to overcome this addiction.  There are few prints that I find myself turning to over and over... actually, stripes are the only print that I can wear multiple days in a row.  And stripes are the only print that I don't mind buying multiple of in one shopping trip.  So, I'll stay addicted, thank you very much :)

cardigan: Banana Republic (gift) ~ cami: Target ($9) ~ pants: Calvin Klein via Filene's Basement ($24) ~ scarf: Express (gift) ~ shoes: Mia via DSW ($60) ~ watch: Fossil (gift)

Date: December 29, 2011
Ensemble message: Pretty simple message here... it was post-Christmas and I wanted to wear a couple new items I had received as gifts.  I was also going to be moving offices that day, so a skirt or dress wouldn't be the most practical.  And done.
But seriously... this faux fur scarf is ah-mazing!  My secret santa (aka my younger sis) bought it for me, and it adds the right amount of fanciness to every outfit ;)  What accessory adds fanciness to your outfits??

dress: Fossil (gift) ~ shirt & scarf: Target ($14 & old - $8ish) ~ tights: c/o We Love Colors ~ shoes: Mia via DSW ($60) ~ cuff: gift

Date: December 21, 2011
Ensemble message: Looking for something comfy for work, so I grabbed this Fossil dress that I got as a gift a couple years ago.  It's a grey sweatshirt material, so it's nice as is, but can be difficult to layer in cold weather.  This time I went for a simple striped shirt, and mixed things up with a printed scarf.  This is probably my favorite way of wearing this dress, and I would totally wear a similar ensemble on the weekends - but maybe with bolder colors and prints!

sweater & shirt: Gap (gift & $13) ~ skirt: Target ($23) ~ shoes: Marc Fischer via Macy's ($36) ~ necklace: gift

Date: December 8, 2011
Ensemble message: So in case you were wondering, this is what I, as an HR person, chooses to wear as an interviewer.  Less formal than being the interviewee, but I still like to wear traditional office pieces (pencil skirt, trousers, cardigan, blazer, etc.) to show respect to the candidates.  Now, I wouldn't suggest going overboard as an interviewer... afterwards, you want to properly reflect your company and team's culture.  So, in some cases, jeans might be appropriate!  As always, remember that the clothes you wear to work are a reflection of you as a professional and also your company.

dress: Target ($28) ~ shirt: Old Navy ($24) ~ belt: Anthropologie (gift) ~ tights: c/o We Love Colors ~ shoes: Mia via DSW ($60) ~ necklace: Macy's ($11)

Date: November 28, 2011
Ensemble message: The message of this outfit is pretty simple... it was the Monday after Thanksgiving, I was still in a turkey coma, and I probably didn't know what was on my schedule for the day.  So I grabbed a few items I consider to be "ol' reliables" - olive dress, button down, a belt - threw them on, and hoped for the best.  In my humble opinion, this dress can do no wrong, so it probably wasn't a huge risk.  But that's what having a smart wardrobe is all about... you can grab a few items and have an ensemble without much thinking!

What are your "ol' reliables" ??

dress: Spotted Moth (gift) ~ sweater: Target ($14) ~ boots: Steve Madden via DSW ($120) ~  necklace & cuff: gifts

Date: November 23, 2011
Ensemble message: This outfit is from the day before Thanksgiving... and man was I burnt out from work (and still have several more weeks of craziness ahead of me - yikes).  Yes, yes, I'm still behind on photos but hey, what a great way to drag out the holiday season just a little more!  Better than keeping your Christmas lights up AND lighting them til the spring ;)  This outfit incorporated orange and purple/maroon, a color combo that I recently wore in another post.  One of my goals for this fall and winter was to incorporate more colors into my outfits, and using jewels tones has made this easy to do.

Have you incorporated colors into your fall and winter wardrobe?  I'd love to see links to your colorful cold weather outfits!! :)

shirt: Anthropologie ($35) ~ sweater: Target ($16ish) ~ pants: Calvin Klein via Filene's Basement ($24) ~ shoes: Mia via DSW ($60) ~ necklace: Macy's ($11) ~ cuff: gift

Date: November 9, 2011
Ensemble message: Today I bring you a mid-week casual outfit that would probably have been best for a Friday (oops).  November and December have been nuts for me at the Day Job, so comfort and easy-to-style outfits were key for me every day.  Between my hectic schedule and the weather cooling down, I'm really loving the more utilitarian looks that incorporate finer pieces (silk shirts, statement necklaces, heels).  Is your closet following any one theme this season?

Also, I was only in my house for a couple weeks and was still trying to figure out the best place for photos.  I now know that outside with my back to the house is best, and that I can get halfway decent indoor shots in my dining room.  For this post, you'll have to deal with these dark results ;)