Eleven Again. But Really Thirteen.

Numbers just aren't my thing. One of hubs' favorite games is throwing out two numbers at me and laughing when I randomly guess, always incorrectly. Maybe that is why I labeled this thirteenth outfit of the 30 by 30 as eleven again? Hmm.

* black and white F21 sweater * red Target skirt * black CG oxfords * 

*black tights--Hue * black skinny belt--taken from Grace Elements skirt * yellow flower earrings--gift from oldest sister * grey beret--Anthropologie *

Hopefully now that Thanksgiving, our Philly weekend and all but one campus visit are done, I'll be back to a more regular posting schedule. I've been adhering to my 30 at nearly every occasion (since I can't take pics on Sabbath I decided to discount it), and I'm really having fun with some of the combinations of my 30 pieces. Like the above: I love this chunky sweater to pieces, and thought the primary pops of red and yellow added a fun, 60's-mod feel to the outfit. And for those of you who went looking for the skirt in your Targets-- keep looking. Because this puppy is totally worth it. I wore it again over the weekend, and had to stop myself from wearing it again today.

Giveaway Winner

Drumroll, please..... the winner of the Bergman Wrap giveaway is Ally from Modestly Fashioned. Can't wait to see how she styles it! Thanks all for entering, and stay tuned for more fab giveaways on alltumbledown soon.

Twelfth Night

How to make a casual Friday outfit out of my admittedly work-heavy 30 for 30 selection? Normally, I'd just reach for the jeans, but after wearing them more than once already I decided to go with a tee, pencil skirt and cardigan. Tucked, this outfit would be just perfect for a day at the office, but I thought the loose tee and hip-slung belt created some day-offness. Which is now a word.

*pink Target flowered tee * black American Apparel skirt * brown buckle flats * grey H&M cardigan *

*brown striped sparkle tights--Cynthia Rowley * tan hip belt * H&M * grey wool beret--Anthropologie * red flower earrings--F21 *

The past few days have been a bit busy- campus visit, Thanksgiving with the fam, and Philly for the weekend for a good friend's wedding. Whew! The wedding is a few hours and I am so excited. You should be, too-- the Bergman Wrap giveaway ends tomorrow night! Don't forget to enter.

Eleventh Heaven

Or: a very tired Nina swaps in two items at 5:30 AM. That is right, folks, I took photos before heading out to Philly for the day for a campus visit. Dedication, thy name is 30x30. This challenge is really kicking my butt into action-- not in terms of remixing, since I do that with nearly every outfit, but with trying to get pictures of every outfit. Which has worked almost perfectly (I took some terrible shots of an outfit that I may have to dress up in again so 30x30 doesn't end when I'm 74.)

*purple striped CPW button down * grey H&M grandpa cardigan * red Target pencil skirt*

*navy tights--Calvin Klein * studded belt--ebay * red flower earrings--F21 * brown jelly headband *

Last week, I went to target to get a mouthguard so I can stop grinding my teeth down to nubs in my sleep. While there, I noticed this adorable little skirt marked down to... $6.24. I may be doing 30x30 but I ain't no fool. Red pencil skirt, less than $7? Welcome to my closet. Though I had intended on wearing my navy jersey dress, this was the only thing I wanted to wear when I woke up that early, so I swapped it in (I've only worn 24 items so far. Yup, I went through photos and counted.) Something about the bright red with the collegiate cardigan and stripes screamed "Take me into your graduate program instead of retiring." At least it did to me. Hope the prof I met with got the same message.

Ten (by Pearl Jam)

Finally, my hot pink satin shirt makes an appearance in the 30x30. Hubs thought I was cheating, so I had to dig up the original pics to show him that I had indeed included this in the list. I like that every few days, either hubs or my coworkers ask if I'm still doing the challenge. Um, no, I wear this sweater 3x week just because.

* hot pink DKNY shirt * purple Cynthia Rowley ruffle cardigan * black American Apparel skirt * black CG oxfords *

* black tights * black wide belt--UO * black and white chunky bead necklace * black wool beret--Target *

Things I remembered this day: jewel tones are fun. As is getting all gussied up for work. While I enjoy being able to rock my slouchy jeans, there is just nothing like a pencil skirt/cardigan combo to make me feel like I'm doing something special with my day.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a Bergman wrap from Sarah by Edelweiss!

Giveaway: Bergman Wrap from Edelweiss by Sarah

In the summer of 2008, inspired by her own German heritage and love of fashion, Sarah launched her own label, Edelweiss by Sarah. Receiving inspiration through old movies showcasing 1940's Hollywood glamour, this translates into her modern approach to vintage style. Sarah was taught by the best early on, apprenticing under such fashion elites as Vena Cava, Elise Overland, and Maggie Norris Couture. She has independently built her brand to be what it is today. You can check out her musings and inspirations at her blog.

 Sarah has graciously allowed me to offer one of her fabulous designs to my readers. The Bergman Wrap is an excellent way to accessorize any outfit. Featuring a loop through tie to keep you warm and comfortable. Made of 100% wool, this high quality wrap will keep you looking fly in the depths of winter time. I thought the cranberry color was particularly pretty, so the winner will receive a cranberry Bergman Wrap.

To enter:
1. You must be a follower of alltumbledown. Let me know how you follow (Google Friend Connect, Bloglovin', Google Reader or any other RSS feed fetcher) in a comment below. Tell me how you'd style the wrap in the comment.

Additional Entries:
2. Like Edelweiss by Sarah on facebook and let me know in a seperate comment.
3. Follow @alltumbledown on twitter and let me know in a seperate comment.
4. Like alltumbledown:a modest attempt at style on facebook and let me know in a seperate comment.

The giveaway will end next Monday, November 29th at 11:59 PM.

Happy commenting!

To the Nines

I wore this outfit this past week on a campus visit. After traveling for 3 hours by train, I had 3 meetings with professors, toured several libraries and met with an incredibly gracious grad student who took me around campus and gave me the lowdown on life there. My sartorial requirements included looking professional but not stuffy, as the meetings are rather informal, and something that would travel well. Somehow, no matter the equation, the solution always seems to be a sweaterdress.

* blue Target sweaterdress * brown Studio Polini boots *

* grey chevron tights * vintage lace earrings *

Last time I wore this dress, I mused on ways to mix it up, but I err on the side of simple during these campus trips. While I plan on whipping out my often-bolder style during grad school, I want my proposed project to speak for itself, rather than my brightly colored tights. I couldn't resist the bit of pattern in the tights and earrings, but kept these touches subtle.

What do you wear to interviews? How do you balance personal style with more conservative requirements?

Can't Believe I Eight the Whole Thing

As a severe acid refluxer (seriously. I haven't had a real cup of coffee since August. Hardcore suffering right here.) I definitely relate to the alka-seltzer theme of today's title. Still haven't weaned myself off chocolate, though. I'm just not certain life would be worth living without it.

* patterned black vintage dress * grey Lux robe sweater * brown Studio Polini boots *

* black tights--Hue * brown belt--H&M * goldish earrings--Chinatown store * fuzzy fuschia beret--H&M *

A bit of a random mix here, but I really loved this in person. The sweater, as I've mentioned, is just so yummy and warm, and I was able to take it on and off during the day as my office switched from inferno to icebox and back again (no, the alliterative value doesn't make the extreme shifts in temperature any more pleasant.) Since I don't wear sleeveless or short sleeves, I especially love this dress, which has adorable puffy shoulders and 3/4 sleeves but is still light and layerable. Thanks, etsy.

How do you cope with weather changes during the day?

Seventh Heaven

Boy am I glad I swapped in these jeans. Though I only own 3 pairs of pants and an embarrassingly large number of skirts, for a comfortable day at my desk these can't be beat. And hello to my new followers-- welcome and thanks for joining me!

* Zara boyfriend jeans * Ralph Lauren button down * Cynthia Rowley purple ruffle cardi * brown buckle flats *

*ebay'd stud belt * Ayala Bar earrings, gift from Mom * Anne Klein knit camel beret *

 

 Tonight some awesome things happened. I won a giveaway at Sweet Fuzz for a pair of Sperry Topsider boots, woohoo! And I made a delicious butternut squash and sage lasagna that even hubs, an avowed cooked veggie hater, decided tasted like restaurant food. In a good way. Even better? Leftovers. Oh baby.

What do you wear on a desk day at work?

The Sixth Sense

Life before this jersey dress was a sad affair. Before its simple cut, floral embellishment and waist-emphasizing tie belt came along, colors were duller, music was off-key and flowers smelled like cheap perfume. I'd like to thank Target for making my life complete with this $29.99 piece of heaven.

* grey H&M grandpa cardigan * navy Target jersey dress * brown Studio Polini boots *

*navy tights--Calvin Klein * lace earrings--gift from hubs * grey fuzzy hat--H&M *

I'm not even kidding about my love for this dress, y'all. Over my year of not shopping, I was able to seriously analyze my wardrobe and zero in on categories I was lacking. Number one? Dresses. I love a good dress, which is essentially an outfit unto itself. With the right accessories, a good dress can take me from work to dinner to synagogue to drinks with friends (all in the same day? Whew. Sounds tiring.) This dress has been my go-to for meetings with potential grad school advisors, and I even convinced a coworker to buy it. We matched on Sunday.

One of the interns asked if we were wearing the same dress. When I said yes, she said "Oooh.. awkward." As you can see, we matched on purpose... sadly, my 30x30 doesn't include a light brown cardi or it would have been perfect.

 

On Friday, my sister asked if I was really doing the 30x30 challenge. When I replied in the affirmative, she shot back: "Well, I've been wearing the same skirt for the past 5 days. Take that." Word.

Fives

Hello, first swapped item. Surveying my 30x30 right after I posted my list (before the challenge began, so no cheating!), I realized that I was missing a few things I wanted- a blazer, jeans and heels- and swapped them in mentally for other items. I have a to-do note to rewrite my list, but I am generally not very good at the do part.

* nudey pink H&M shirt * grey Lux chunky robe * Zara boyfriend jeans *

*Anthropologie knit beret * cameo necklace *leather bow belt * Richard Taylor metallic leopard flats *

If I could, I would wear this sweater everyday. I just wish it had sleeves to make it even better. While it may look suspiciously like a robe, it was sold at Urban Outfitters as a sweater, which in my mind makes it a-ok to wear outside. I wore this on Friday, my day off (since I work Sundays), but can't wait to remix it throughout the next 25 days.

How are my fellow remixers doing? Don't forget to leave me your links so I can check on your progress. Love the community feeling on the blogosphere these days (thanks, Kendi!)

Four Tops

The ubiquitous cabinet shots return. Sadly, I sometimes don't have five minutes to leave my desk and see the outdoors until it is too late, but kitchen shots will never let me down. When we first moved into our apartment, my one requirement was that we paint immediately so it actually happened. These kitchen cabinets were my task, along with the bathroom, while hubs and his brother tackled the living room/dining room. While I like a subtle color as much as the next girl, my feeling on kitchens is: go bold or go home. I love this bright, shiny turquoise, and who knew it would serve as the perfect backdrop when I started my blog?

* 2--August camel cashmere sweater * 13--white Banana Republic tunic * 16--black and silver brocade Kenneth Cole skirt * 30--brown Studio Polini boots *

* sparkly knee socks--H&M * black leggings--Zara * purple snakeskin belt--Calvin Klein * lace and glass earrings--gift from hubs * black cotton beret--Parkhurst *

It may be the rebel in me, but I adore mixing gold and silver tones. When I picked up the skirt, I knew immediately I wanted to pair it with this warm (heat and color) cashmere sweater. I know a lot of you were crushing on my grey velvet skirt yesterday, but for versatility, this brocade skirt has served me incredibly well in the 2 years I've owned it. I pretty much wore it every other day last winter, and something tells me this year won't be too different.

Paying homage to what seems to be the trend of 30x30, I layered leggings and knee socks instead of a pair of tights under the boots. I love hidden (and revealed) sparkle, and the scant bit of sock showing at the top made me smile.

Three Blind Mice

Hubs: That title has nothing to do with your post

Nina: I know, but get it? Third day of 30x30, 3 blind mice?
Hubs: I get it. There aren't too many songs with number 29 in the title. Just so you know.

* #8--pinky nude H&M tee * #18--grey velvet Elevenses skirt * #29--metallic Jeffrey Campbell laceup booties *

* beige fuzzy hat--H&M * locket necklace--Ann Taylor Loft (before it lost the Ann Taylor) * grey heathered tights--UO *

The heat went on at the museum last week, which means my office is now approximately the temperature of Dante's Inferno. Not that I was there, or anything, but if I had to imagine what it would feel like- hot, itchy and dry- my basement office with no windows would make a good stand in. Rather than try and fight it, today I went with just a plain cotton tee, which I thankfully included in the 30x30 lineup. Apparently not planning works out really well.

While taking these pictures, a little girl and her grandmother decided to park down on the bench next to me. I moved away, but as I walked away from the park saw the little girl posing for her grandmother with her hands on her hips. Adorable and embarrassing, all at the same time.

And can I say again (but for the first time this season) how much I love these booties? Even the high school girls that are still sitting outside my apartment at 8:30 PM (yup, I can hear you. Loud and clear.) told me that they were hot. I am now slightly less annoyed at being woken up by their conversations about hair and boys every morning.