Holy cow, it’s September! Kids are back in school, the leaves are starting to change, and last week was one of the hottest weeks of the summer for us here in Chicago. Typical, haha. August was a busy month for me, but I still managed to shoot 19 random outfits for you, which I am pretty sure is some kind of record. I had a lot of great looks, some of which will no doubt be among my favorites when I look back at year 3 of Suburban Style Challenge. Here they are!
August 1: Skirt & Boots
I ordered these combat boots to replace my old, beat up pair, so that I’d have something to wear to work in fall and winter. My other pair was so beat up, wearing them anywhere but super-casually just wasn’t going to happen any more. I decided, the first time I wore this to work, that I’d wear them with something nicer to dress them up a bit. I wore my satin, Forever21 skirt, which I got a few years ago at Plato’s Closet, a thrifted striped tee, a blush-colored cardigan (also from Forever21, but bought new), and a chain necklace.
While I like where these boots hit me, and the fit of them, I’m not sure how I feel about this outfit. I think it’s the cardigan, which I was attempting to breathe some more life into before decided whether or not to pitch it. I still haven’t decided, though I do know this look isn’t one for that piece.
August 2: Lace, Studs & A Duster
I snagged this duster sweater at Salvation Army, on a random swing through the sleepwear section. It was brand new with the tags still on it, and while it’s an XL, I couldn’t resist its cozy texture. It was the perfect cooler weather topper for my black studded tee and lace skirt, and the platform wedges (Lela Rose from Payless, a few years ago), really finished the look off nicely. I kept jewelry simple and went with one basic necklace and a midi ring.
While I felt a little strange wearing this sweater in August, I really liked this look. It had really nice texture, and I was comfortable at work, which was great. I’ve worn this skirt a little more, recently, and am becoming increasingly less worried about getting it dirty (surprisingly). I’m looking forward to wearing it in the fall, with boots and tights.
August 3: Rompin’ Around
I rarely wear this romper, but can never bear to part with it. It’s just too cute! I took the opportunity to wear it over the weekend at the beginning of August, and topped it with a red cardigan, my white vest from Forever21. I opted for Chucks and some random necklaces and bracelets, and this turned out to be a perfect outfit for visiting an art fair and otherwise wandering around the area around my parents’ summer home in Michigan.
When I wear this heart print romper, I’m reminded of why I never get rid of it. It fits me great and is super comfortable, and doesn’t really look like a romper, since the shorts are so full. Of course, I’m also reminded what a pain it is to use the restroom in a romper. Nonetheless, I’ll be hanging on to this one for awhile. I loved this look, and can easily make this work for fall too.
August 4: Scooter Chic
A play on biker chic, this look was a good one for hubs’ and my casual-turned-adventurous ride into Michigan City on a nice Sunday morning. The original plan had been to ride into Michigan City and catch some of the boat races that were going on, and maybe grab an early lunch. Instead, we found a dog running around about halfway to our destination–no tags, no leash, and no owner. We ended up having to get him back to my parents’ house, where we waited for an owner to call the police and get our information. All the vets offices and local animal control offices were closed, it being a Sunday. Fortunately, his owner called and we were able to get him back home safe. Hopefully, they learned he needs tags, regardless of the fact that he was “bound” by an invisible fence.
For the ride, I opted to wear coated jeans, since it was cooler out, with a mint cropped top and my Chucks. I added my American Apparel hoodie for while we were cruising along, since it was a bit chilly. I added my skully bracelet, my “Fashion Girl” watch, a purple bracelet, some random necklaces, a skull ring, and a midi ring. While things didn’t go quite as planned, we did manage to catch a little bit of the races. Instead of taking pics with the scooter, I decided I’d grab some by the Michigan City lighthouse before we headed back home.
This was a fun look that was perfect for a scooter ride along the lake. It got a little warm when we were standing on the side of the road with our new friend, Mr. Lost Dog (his name was Boomer, turns out), but when we were moving or walking around, it wasn’t too bad. I really liked this look, actually.
August 5: Brights
This outfit was a huge risk for me, and the result of my originally planned outfit not looking good at all. At this point, I can’t recall what my originally planned outfit was, but I knew it involved my floral socks from GAP, my Steve Madden cut out booties, and my new bright teal cardigan from Carson’s. Either way, I ended up throwing my neon yellow dress on over a white tank top (to keep it work safe), adding my Syd Rocks necklace, and running out the door late.
While I felt like a highlighter all day, I actually kind of liked this outfit. The fabric of this dress is a bit unforgiving, though, in terms of showing everything underneath it, and it’s a bit better suited for more casual special occasions, I think. I think if I were to do a jean jacket, denim shirt, or black cardigan, I could swing this dress with black tights in the fall. But otherwise, this look was a little too bright for me.
August 7: Floral Jeans
This is actually a variation on an outfit I wore back in December (the 6th, to be exact), with the same buttondown and jeans. The similarities end there, though, since this time around I went with a white tank under the buttondown, which I left open, and I cuffed the jeans (nixing the mis-matched socks). I went with my Lela Rose for Payless platforms, and added a couple necklaces. Yes, the Syd Rock again. I’d misplaced it at some point and found it looking for something else, so it went back in the rotation and got worn quite a bit. I missed it!
This was a good look for the office, which is proving to be more relaxed than the old job, actually. Like, I can wear shirts with writing on them and no one cares (I was legit told “no one cares”). Kinda nice, though I’m still trying to keep jeans limited to Fridays and sneakers a no-no. I liked making these jeans work for summer too. I don’t wear them enough, despite the fact that they fit me perfect. I’m hoping to change that.
August 8: Chucks at Work
I know, I just said I’m trying to not wear sneakers to the office at all, and here I am posting that I wore Chucks to work on a Thursday. In my defense, I wore them because I was spending the day bouncing between taking photos in the warehouse (where my photobooth used to be located) and packing my desk up so we could move our offices. I needed to be comfortable, mobile, and not have to worry about maneuvering in heels. So I opted for Chucks with my olive skinnies, a grey tee, and (because why not) my thrifted zombie belt. I threw my Syd Rocks necklace on with my ShopBevel necklace and tried out two messy buns instead of one.
For what I needed on this particular day, this outfit worked. It’s not something I think I’ll ever wear again to work, but perhaps on a weekend. I almost didn’t get this belt when I found it at Salvation Army, but my friend Laura talked me into it. I’m pretty glad she did, as it’s a fun alternative to my everyday black leather belt.
August 9: Working from “Home”
Because of the move at work, I opted to take a half day and work 4 hours from my parents’ summer home on Friday. It worked out nicely, and I spent the morning in my PJs working in front of the computer, enjoying the quiet. That afternoon, I finally joined the rest of the world and set foot outside looking somewhat normal. I wore my custom Holy Chic tee with my patched up jeans from GAP and my Steve Madden Repp booties, which took on a totally different look tucked under jeans. I added a few random necklaces, including my spray painted rhinestones and my ShopBevel piece, and that was that.
Snagged a shot of the back of this tee for you too, since usually I wear it with something over it. Loved this look, since it was kinda like my uniform of skinny jeans and a tee, but amped up a bit with the patched denim and custom tee. It was a fun look, though not very summery because it was kind of on the chilly side.
August 12: I Treated Myself
August 12 was the first full day I got to wear my new Michael Kors Limited Edition Paris Runway Watch. I got it for an incredible deal from the Fossil Outlet (fun fact, Fossil makes all the MK watches, along with other high-end brands) at the Lighthouse Place over the weekend, and I’m so glad I decided to wait for a sale before I treated myself. And I’m also super glad I treated myself, because I’d been lusting over the rose gold Runway Watch forever, and managing to get the deal I did on the watch I did… ok, ok, I’ll stop rubbing it in! Anyway, for my outfit on the 12th, I went with something really easy. Sheer grey tights, my swapped H&M dress/tunic that’s kinda leopard print, black wedge knee-high boots, and my teal cardigan. I added my leather cuff, left the tunic/dress loose, and rocked my new watch.
I liked this look quite a bit, but this tunic or dress or whatever definitely needs to be worn with opaque tights or leggings to the office. It’s one of those pieces that, when I sit, gets way short. Ugh, drives me nuts! This was a good swapped piece though, as it’s pretty versatile and easy to wear. And it’s comfortable, without looking schleppy.
August 13: I’ve Discovered How to Secretly Wear Sweatpants at Work
Fleece-lined leggings! Yes, in August. I probably could have gotten away with standard leggings, but I really wanted to wear my new Monroe & Main Fleece-Lined Leggings, and it was chilly enough where it was actually ok. So I wore them with a black tank, which was under my burgundy high-low, oversized tee. I added a loose bolero-type cardigan, which was a brand-new-with tags Forever21 piece I thrifted, and I finished the whole look off with layered chains and teal rhinestones, a skull ring, and a midi ring. You can see my ShopBevel earrings nicely here too–I wear them pretty much every day. The whole look came together around my Balenciaga cut-out buckle boot knockoffs, which can be had for just over $40 at UrbanOg. Obsessed.
This was so not a summery outfit, but the weather wasn’t very summery either. This was a perfect fall look, actually, and I’m sure I’ll be revisiting it when it gets cooler again. I liked it, and so did my coworkers, which was pretty cool.
Oh! And don’t forget to go enter the Monroe and Main Giveaway for your chance to win one of ten $100 gift cards! Hurry… the event ends September 16!
August 15: More “Fall” Than “Summer”
Another cooler day brought me an opportunity to bust out my oxblood coated denim. I wore these Rock & Republic jeans with my thrifted boys’ blazer, my American Apparel tri-blend tee, a pile of necklaces, and my cut out boots, which I highlighted by wearing mint socks. I cuffed the sleeves of the blazer, as I usually do (I should really just tack them down cuffed, since they’re too short otherwise), and ended up with a good rocker-chic look that worked really well for the office.
I didn’t feel at all over- or under-dressed in this look, and definitely decided that I’m comfortable wearing these unique boots to work. They’re eye-catching, for sure, but all I’ve gotten has been complements, so it’s good. I really liked this look, ignoring the fact that it’s something I should have busted out in, say, mid-September instead of mid-August, but that’s ok.
August 16: Live Like There’s No Tomorrow
It’s what the shirt says, so why not? I wanted to wear my camo skinnies really bad, but didn’t just want to wear them with black or white. So instead, I wore a black tank under a cropped top totally reminiscent of the 90′s (keepin’ it work-friendly), topped it with my batwing silver striped cardigan, and added my head-turning buckle boots. I wore my Syd Rocks necklace and my long claw necklace with a smaller simple drop to add some sparkle, and that was it.
I totally loved this look. It worked really well, and I love that I could wear it to work with no questions asked. It’s fantastic that they allow all of us to express ourselves in terms of fashion, without being too restrictive. I really liked the way these boots (which I actually, admittedly, kind forgot I had) worked with these jeans, and I’m going to have to try them with other looks. Another look that wasn’t all that summery, but that I really liked.
August 19: Pink & Navy
These pink jeans from Kohl’s are really proving to be a good addition to my closet. I was a little worried that I’d fall into a rut with them, but each time I wear them I find myself trying different things, instead of just going with the same ol’ neutrals. They will be fun to work with in fall, that’s for sure. Summer came back to us on August 19th, and it was warm enough to wear this sheer navy top over a black tank. I layered 4 different necklaces over it, which worked despite the gold dots that cover the top, and opted for my nude flats. They seem to work really well with these jeans.
I liked this look quite a lot. The navy and the pink played very nicely together, and the nude kept it all relatively soft. This was a good Monday outfit, since I felt good in it and it was comfortable but looked nice. I’m glad to have found a way to make this navy shirt not look drab or boring.
August 20: Distressed Floral
Now that I’ve started wearing this dress, I can’t get enough of it, and I find myself wondering what took me so long to put the darn thing on. It’s comfortable, versatile, and fits me really well. Plus, even though it has some bright colors on it, it’s still neutral enough to not be overpowering (meaning I don’t feel like a highlighter when I wear it). This time around, I paired it with my shredded cardigan, which I belted with three belts (per usual). One of the three belts is “new” in the sense that the purple leopard print layer was peeling off. I was going to throw it out, but then realized I could just peel the whole layer off and it would work. It does, so yay! I left the purple on the loop, because why not. Since it was warmer out still, I wore my Steve Madden T-strap pumps, an old pair of shoes I purchased on the way to an event and wore that evening. Not always the smartest thing, but it worked in my favor. They are a good fall-back classic shoe that works with almost anything.
I ran some errands on lunch and got a lot of random complements on this look. I liked that it was a good mix of office-friendly and rocker-chic, with the multiple belts and distressing mixed with classic shapes and colors. With tights and boots, this will be a good fall look. Still wondering why this dress sat in my closet, looked over, for almost a year.
August 23: All Love is Equal
I won this RevengeIs shirt in a giveaway randomly, ages ago, and love that I can finally wear it to work, since it’s crazy soft. I wore it with my camo skinnies and boys’ blazer, along with my cutout booties. I added grey floral socks, because they went with everything nicely. A simple outfit that worked together really well.
Also not all that summery, but it got cooler again… except for when I was leaping around the backyard like an idiot for these pics. But oh well, they came out cool. I am starting to think I need a new camera. Or I need to start shooting with our DSLR (hubs uses it at work 98% of the time). We’ll see… I’m, uh, up in the air about it.
August 24: Jimmy Buffett
I’m pretty sure I’m the only person who wears three limited edition pieces to a Jimmy Buffett concert. Yup, three. My watch, for one. I planned on staying a little more sober this time around (I’ll readily admit, last year’s concert did not end on a healthy note), so I wasn’t worried about losing anything, especially my new watch. While I was out and about, scouring the sale racks at Old Navy for good summer deals, I found this great coral dress that screamed “wear me to Buffett!” at me. I tried it on, fell in love, and only after I bought it realized it was a limited edition, Old Navy Studio Spotlight piece. Pretty nifty! I wore it over my black bralette and cream lace biker shorts, and paired it with my well-loved combat boots (which my custom orthodic insoles fit perfectly in). I opted to carry a purse, and was thrilled with I found this little fringed number at Target–yes, my third limited edition piece. I’d been looking for a bag like this for quite sometime, so I was glad to have found it in time for the concert. It made carrying my phone, pill box, hydrocortisone cream, lipgloss, and wallet nice and easy. I tied a scarf around the strap for the evening, which I ended up wearing as it got cooler out. And, of course, I piled on necklaces and a variety of rings, including two midi rings from Forever21. I couldn’t resist taking shots by my bother-in-law’s boat with a Hamm’s in hand.
I really liked this outfit. I was so comfortable, and felt so music festival chic… I just, it worked. I felt very me in it, despite it not being torn jeans and a tee. I’m not sure if it was the freeness of the dress, the combat boots, the fringed purse, or the pile of necklaces, but regardless, I adored this look. I’m going to try to make this dress work for work this fall too. I’m thinking it will work on weekends with tights, one of my Papa’s cardigans, and boots. But for work it’ll be more of a challenge. A fun one at that. This piece was an excellent find!
August 25: Made in USA
The Buffett aftermath this year was non-existent. I was smart and kept a drink talley on my hand so that a bunch of shots didn’t hit me all at once and get me sick, like last year. I’ve been “conditioned” as my brother-in-law put it this past weekend. It only takes one year of bad life choices, apparently, haha. I’m really happy that I didn’t feel like shit when I woke up Sunday morning. Hubs and I left Fontana, WI early and headed over by the house, where I changed into my floral Docs, and we headed out to take care of some random errands, including our first trip to the grocery store in, I’m pretty sure, months. In addition to my floral docs, I wore an oversized “Made in America” shirt from Forever21 (got it on sale, and it appears to be sold out) and my newest pair of cutoffs, which feature some floral designs. I made them from an old pair of Black House/White Market jeans that I couldn’t bear to part with, but didn’t wear because of the cut. Solved the problem by making them shorts. I added my long claw necklace, my fringed bag, and rocked my black bralette again to avoid showing sideboob to all of Mariano’s.
Another look I loved. I wish I had found this shirt (and the sale price, and the coupon code I used to get it) earlier this summer. I would have lived in this outfit… at least during the warmer weekends. I’m looking forward to seeing if I can pull this shirt off this fall, with my lace shirt underneath and a scarf on top. With skinny jeans, it’ll work, I think… just not for work unless I add a cardigan. Either way, I dig this top.
August 27: Je Tàime
One of the perks about being able to wear shirts with writing on them to work is also being able to wear skirts with writing on them! I fell in love with this Je Tàime skirt at Forever21 the second I saw it, and for the price? I bought it immediately. The widest points of the skirt hit me at my widest points, but I don’t care. I adore it! The first time I wore it, I paired it with a black and white striped shirt, all Parisian-like, my clear wedge shoes (really taking a risk for work, but not caring), and my three-quarter sleeved mustard cardigan. It was hot out the 27th, and the cardigan was really only needed in the office. But I snapped a shot with it because I really liked the way it looked with everything.
I loved this outfit. I was so worried the skirt wasn’t going to fit, and that the words would stretch and distort, but the fit is perfect, and it’s jersey, which is awesome. And when I chose these shoes for work, I was worried they were going to be too much. But the first thing the new guy said to me was “nice shoes”, and they either didn’t get a second glance, or I got complements, so it worked out great. I’m glad I can wear these to work! Looking forward to playing more with this skirt too. It’s bold, and I love it!
August 31: Easy Weekend
The Saturday of Labor Day weekend hubs and I spent the afternoon back in Fontana, WI along the shores of Lake Geneva for my niece’s 10th birthday party. I wanted to be comfortable but feel like myself–like the way my Buffet outfit made me feel. But instead of duplicating that outfit (especially with a good chuck of the Buffett goers at the birthday party), I decided I’d give this navy peasant top a try. I swapped it at one of the swaps earlier this year (but can’t recall which any longer) and had been looking for a way to wear it that was me. So I paired it with my flower cutoffs, Steve Madden Repp booties, and fringed purse. Underneath is my black bralette, and the boots are hiding sheer cream lace ankle socks. I added a few random necklaces, including my new Rachel one (which is hiding, of course), brought back the leather cuff, and off we went.
This outfit was the perfect way to end August. I felt summery, and easily went from condo to boat and back again without feeling like I wasn’t dressed for the occasion. I felt very similar to how I felt in my Buffett outfit–comfortable, chic, and like myself. This top, while an XL, is one I’m definitely going to have to try to wear more. I’m sure I can make it work with a cardigan and leggings this fall.
So that’s it for August’s Random Outfits.
Do you have a favorite look? See anything that surprises you, or that you’d be willing to try out at all? Let me know in the comments below!
The post Random Outfits: August appeared first on Suburban Style Challenge.