Not all of them are as broke as you'd think

The skirt outfit is great - I'd just swap out the white shoes for something softer. There is too much of a contrast going on there between shoe and skirt - but I love the idea of the cobalt top . Just wear your metallic cage sandals here....you have those, right ?

Yeah. Got them. They weren't here when I wore the outfit, though. I was travelling and had only room for a set number of shoes...agree on the contrast levels -- it's too much.

And #$*% those publishers if they have money they are not giving their writers...

Perfect! It doesn't read preppy to me at all....but it does look Minimally Fab. I think it's that red of the scarf and the sandals.

I actually really like these sandals. They look amazing with the jeans! I was considering a very similar pair of brown sandals for myself a while back...now I almost regret not buying them because the block heel is super comfy.

Suz, can you close your denim jacket and wear it like a top? I do that with my flared skirts sometimes. See below:

Hey sis you are so analytic when it comes to your thinking I love it. I wonder if your hair evolution means something more deeper.

Angie, I love that outfit on you. The skirt is so vibrant -- you wore it for Mother's Day once, did you not?

I can do my denim jackets up, absolutely! I have the white, the faded denim, and the darker denim with leather sleeves. I will try that. Will have to wait for a cooler day than the one I was wearing that outfit -- maybe in September. That outfit was a 33+ with humidity day in Montreal -- phew!

I also have a chambray shirt that works with it and a striped linen button down for some pattern mixing. And a black cropped top with split back. And a black mock t (sleeveless) and some other options. I'm going to experiment. It's not a failure because I love the feel of the fabric and it's always nice to have a change. I just need to find the right way to wear it.

This works! I am so inspired by you to try it myself now.

I think this outfit hits every note of how I want to dress myself right now.

Hah, the canvas book bag is missing:-)). I find the white sandals(which I did not really like to the shorts outfit) are working so great here, and looking trendy once again:-). So very controversial, I know they were current buys and fab shoes, still they were not really doing any favor to the other outfit somehow... Love the outfit with the new hair and so-it is all gorgeous, again!

Wow, just read the comments, and saw the skirted outfit-love the big white earrings to it!!! Wow, wow, wow!!!

Very puzzling.
I see nothing wrong in both outfits.
And I'm afraid to say it, since you didn't feel good in them, but they both look typical Suz to me : blue&white palette, modern classic pieces.
Do you hate those sandals or what ?!?

Gorgeous outfit on you Suz, the red scarf totally makes it and the color is so vibrant with your hair.
I also adore the J Crew skirt outfit on you and would like to thank you for your help in choosing the correct size in the skirt; i got size 2 at your recommendation and it is a perfect fit. We are twins now, yet again I have a somewhat silly question regarding the skirt background color: is it black or very dark inky navy? I keep changing my mind about it depending on the lightening and what I put next to it.

I am wondering if anyone is capable of looking bad with this formula. And Suz, you look particularly chic and spiffy. You own this type of look. I'm madly in love with your shoes, btw.

Those shoes definitely inspire a lot of love and hate, don't they? Isabelle, you ask a good question, but honestly I think I like them -- they are extremely stable and comfortable and I have been looking for white sandals for years. I just like them better with pants than with shorts or skirts, I think. And I was feeling sensitive about "preppy" perhaps. I definitely lean that way in my style but might like to alter that a tiny bit...

Tanya, I'm so glad the skirt worked out! It's a lovely fabric. I wish I could answer your question about the background colour. I have the same question myself! I guess that is a quality of silk, that it is changeable. On the whole I think it is black, but it could be ink. I tried it with an ink tee from J. Crew and it looks great -- but then it also works with black. So I'm just going to say it's either or both!

Denise, I am gobsmacked! You want to dress like preppy me? No, it's the ease of the sweater, I think -- it's really a great cut.

Ledonna, Lyn, thank you!

Hate????

Suz, YES. I wore heck out of that skirt - that it tore. *sobbing*. I believe it's cooler where you are now - no? You mentioned so on the blog this morning. Or do I need more tea??

I look forward to the outfit experimentation with the skirt. You really need a crop top!

Oh, so sorry about your skirt, Angie!! But it was very well loved. That is always some consolation.

LOVE your crop top with the striped skirt - that is a look I can absolutely get behind. Now to find one of those tops in a fabrication that will work. The AT ones were all sold out in my size when I looked and we pay hefty duties on AT anyway (even though we have AT stores now in Canada...though of course not where I live...)

I'll be in Toronto next weekend and plan to sneak out of my conference to do a little shopping. I might meet with success in an actual store.

Yes, much cooler here today! I am dressing for work at home but might have time for some experimentation later.

YAY.

I WISH you could get these tops. You would have LOVED them.