MARCH UNIFORM

Back when it was March, I wore a variation of this. A lot. 

I was able to pick up this excellently flowy denim top and these black pants from a great boutique in uptown Minneapolis called Proper & Prim. Both pieces fit into the season and my closet seamlessly. I was so excited to wear less layers as March came in full swing. With less layers I want to keep the layers I do have more interesting. Maybe integrating pieces that have unique shapes, different textures, or a-typical proportions. In any case, I want the items I wear to be a little more impactful. To me, dressing is all about having fun and being comfortable.

Here's a breakdown of this March Uniform:

HAIR
Curls! I actually used my curling wand sometimes! 

ACCESSORIES
Sunglasses. I actually wear sunglasses throughout the winter too, but they take on a new vitality when spring comes, dontcha think?

MAKE-UP
I was really playing up the eye lashes and filling out my eye brows, not like you can tell in the photo with my sunglasses on ;) but I have been keeping the rest minimal. However, I am on a very real hunt for a new mascara. My favorite from Bare Minerals isn't made anymore and everything I've tried since has been a disappointment. Suggestions???

SCENT
I wore a lot of different scents, some deep, some sweet and clean, it really depended on the day and weather. My favorite re-discovery in my collection has been the Dirty Springwash by LUSH. That stuff is for sure in my top 5 favorite fragrances of all time. Would any of you like the know what the rest of them are? I might want to do a post or video about that! Yay? Nay?

TOP
Chambray-ish boxy top with cute little mother-of-pearl style buttons. I love that this top covers my arms for the cold but lets the breeze in for warm days.

LEGS
These black pants have been a staple. I wasn't kidding when I said I would wear them multiple times a week in this video. They fit amazingly well and feel akin to the nicest pair of leggings I own.

BAG
Vintage Coach. One of my very best thrifted finds!

FEET
I love that wearing sneakers is so fashionable right now! It's like the this little treat for my feet to fit cozily into a pair of shoes. Granted, most of my shoes are comfortable, but not all of them started that way. And this black and white color palette for the shoes means they match everything and even elevate my outfits if I'm doing it right/am lucky enough :)

Annnnd with that, there you have my uniform from March!

I hope you have all been well :) As for me and the rest of my world b-school, freelancing and my day job have been leaving me pretty empty at the end of each day. That means little energy to put long winded posts around here. As I've said before, I'd like to keep it casual around here, easy and fun. So I hope to see you around here again real soon!

BOUTIQUE & ART SUPPLIES

not pictured: the paint brush. oops!

Hello! So this is an unplanned post that I decided to publish!

I spontaneously decided to film a video of what I picked up yesterday! My thought behind this is to just share the things I'm excited about and to be a little less formal around here in general. I'm not a very formal person so yeah! Sharing stuff like this feels pretty excellent to me :)

If you are in or visiting Minneapolis and love women's fashion, check out Proper & Prim (located in Uptown). They have a great selection of unique, fun items and really great prices, IMO. 

Secondly, if you are into creating art and needs supplies, check out Art Materials! It has everything you would need for art projects. ALSO, it is a local business with locations in Minneapolis and Fargo. So if you want to support local retailers, check them out. I think they will be my go-to for supplies from now on! 

Both of these stores are pretty close to where I live so that means those long treks out to the burbs can be minimized a little! Woohoo to that!

With that, enjoy the video!

FEBRUARY UNIFORM

I was delusional to think that February would mean I could take it easy on the heavy clothes and layers.

I had it in my head that February would mean I could wear lighter blouses without freezing. That seems so dumb now, of course. It's not like I haven't lived through many winters already, but I think it could have been a bout of wishful thinking?

At this point, I'm sick of wearing sweaters, though I do still love what I have. So yeah, more of the same, sweaters, boots, scarves, But I'm trying to spice it up with more interesting textures and some color.

All fall and winter I had been drawn to neutral colors in my wardrobe, but for spring I am feeling a big change. All of the pieces I have my eyes on are colorful and vibrant with colors like kelly green and coral orange. I don't know when I'll do my spring/summer shopping, but I am excited to make some plans.

With that, welcome to how I kept the style magic alive in February!

JACKET
I've loved wearing my black pea coat style jacket with a mandarin collar. It's lined, long and whenever I wear it, it looks like I tried much harder than I actually did.

ACCESSORIES
A colorful blanket scarf. Like I said earlier, I've been dying for more color and this scarf has some of my favorites!

TOP
A sweater with the fringe on top! You can't see it in the photo BUT I have more posted on the North Nabe's website so check it out!

BOTTOM
Skinny black pants. Pretty standard stuff!

HAIR
Messy and sliiiiightly unwashed…

MAKE-UP
My skin is looking translucent (not a good look) so I've been reaching for the bronzer constantly. The rest has been minimal.

SCENT
Jo Malone Mimosa & Cardamon. I am obsessed with that scent. I got a small bottle for myself at the Jo Malone counter in Nordstrom's as a birthday gift to me. It's the best. Everything from Jo Malone is the best, really.

FEET
Fun fact, I have worn my tall riding boots zero times this winter. I still love them, but I have much preferred the look of biker style boots, like the ones in the photo above. Casual shoes have been my number 1 jam.

BAG
My large and in charge tote bag has been a great companion for taking my work supplies on the road in a little bit of a more stylish way.

JANUARY UNIFORM

Minneapolis has reached very very very low temps lately. I'm talking a string of days sitting in the negative temps. These are true hibernation times. When I have left the apartment I have decked myself in the warmest and most functional pieces, which actually look quite nice together, IMHO.

JACKET
This anorak jacket has been great! The hood is perfect. I love the faux fur trim. One of my favorite features is that the lining is removable, so in the warmer months it will have a second life. 

ACCESSORIES
Hats and mittens! My favorite hat is the one I'm wearing here. The color is amazing paired with neutral coats, and best of all, the hat is fleece lined so it keeps my ears warm when I'm walking around the city. If I'm going to be out for a while wearing other hats have been a fail when the wind picks up.

BOTTOM
Smartwool socks and skinny jeans, the easiest way to wear boots comfortably.

HAIR
Down and relaxed to keep the neck warm and it is the easiest to wear with hats.

MAKE-UP
I've been trying my hardest to keep my skin and lips hydrated. I'm not using much, if any, make-up in favor of keeping my skin in shape. When I do wear something, it's a bold red lip. That is the biggest impact for minimal effort.

SCENT
Estée Lauder's Modern Muse. I got a small bottle as a gift for Christmas and I can't get enough!

FEET
These boots are quickly becoming my most worn pair of boots. They are perfect for stomping around. They are not real leather, so I don't think they'll last too long, but they were inexpensive when I got them (cuz they were on clearance) and most importantly, they're weather proof.

BAG
When I'm going to meetings or work sessions in town I only like to carry one bag. This is the one I prefer to use because it is waterproof and can easily fit my computer and other necessities like pens and paper. I also got it when I interned in Switzerland so it brings back great memories :)

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How have you been dressing during this time of the year? Do you have any wardrobe hacks that make your life easy and comfortable?

To see more photos of this look, check out the full blog post on the North Nabe!

DECEMBER UNIFORM

During the month of December I went to a couple holiday dinners and get togethers with friends. Nothing too fancy, but excuse enough to get dressed up. I wanted to look nicer than normal (which means giving my skinny jeans a break), but because of the cold and the occasional snow fall I wanted to make sure I would be comfortable. So this is what I came up with!

TOP
Slightly cropped, blue slouched sweater with a large knit design. I love the color of this sweater too, it's not really Christmasy but it's very wintery so it could be worn any time during the cooler months. That kind of versatility within my closet is the ultimate goal. 

ACCESSORIES
A smile? To be honest, I kept it pretty simple. I did wear some brass earrings that look a little like holly berries with red stones.

BOTTOM
I believe this kind of skirt is referred to as a 'skater skirt' you can't tell from the photo but it's made from sweatshirt material and it's ribbed. Gosh! It's such a beauty. Also, I am rocking out some festive sparkly tights, cuz…holidays ✨

HAIR
Low relaxed pony tail pulled this look together, gives it some structure, but I really wanted to still be more relaxed in general, so this hair-do was perfect. I did wear my hair down and a bit wavy on one occasion too, it looked a little more girly, at times that's a good thing.

MAKE-UP
I was really into a darker coral shade with this look or a nice matte red lip. Thanks to my birthday gift from Sephora, I was able to get a NARS lip pencil to use when I wanted to go red.

SCENT
Speaking of Sephora, I got another free gift from their rewards program and I picked the scent Indigo by Nest, which is a nice dark but floral scent, so it transitions from day to night easily. It also came in a tiny roll on bottle. It's precious!

FEET
These healed boots from my October Uniform were perfect for walking outside, adding extra height and looking fly, which is kind of why I bought them in the first place! These babes are the best for winter.

BAG
My trusty satchel was still very used, even for parties. What can I say? It's looks good with everything!

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How did you dress for the holiday season this year? Did any tips help you out or did you learn something that you'd like to try for the next party you attend? Do tell! :)