The Learning Curve, Jan. edition

January was a hugely busy month at work. In NY, January is a month of testing, analyzing and reporting testing results, and oh yes, teaching. But now it’s a snow day followed by mid-winter recess next week (yippee!). I did keep up with my daily outfit photo taking in Jan. (four snaps, choose one, I’m done). Grouping the photos in iPhoto really does help me take a look at what’s working and what’s not. Here are my observations from January:

Blue is my black. Black washes me out, but navy or ink blue does not (or at least I don’t think it does). #1, 3, 5, and 8 all have shades of blue on top. I've been focusing on more of this in my wardrobe, and recent purchases have been navy/ink blue tops from Zara and JCP/Joe Fresh (you'll see those next month).
I have a lot of casual favorites for my fantasy life of spending endless hours on YLF, playing all day with Cosmo Edward, and riding every roller coaster in the world. Since this has been such a cold and brutal winter (we are currently buried under almost 2 feet of snow), I refreshed my winter wardrobe with a few new sweaters and booties. The new sweaters are on the middle and right side in #6 (Joe Fresh) and the right side in #9 (Zara). The Zara sweater is my new favorite - it is super soft, comfy, and not itchy at all despite having a little wool in it. The new booties are a Vince Camuto snakeskin (two of the photos in #7) and the Sam Edelman cream-gray booties in #10.

So there you have it. Sorry for such a long post. I am getting to live part of my fantasy life today (a snow day) since I’m spending endless hours on YLF and playing all day with Cosmo Edward!

Comments and critiques are considered helpful and are appreciated!

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12 years ago

Catnip

Veteran

Wow! What terrific outfits! Karie, you're absolutely right. You look great in blue.

Day Vies

I love that blackwatch jacket in #1 but The gray jacket in #3 with the print and cobalt has seriously caught my eye I love it. I think you look fabulous in shades of blue. I love that red jacket especially so paired with the blue jeans and red boots. Catnip is right these are terrific outfits!

Liz A.

Karie, I'd hazard a guess that brown might be your black with your coloring. These are great outfits. I especially love #3.

April

"Blue is my black." I love that you know and honor this. There is so much ill-advised black out there.

Favorites are your leather jacket, the jean jacket outfit, and all the sweater-and-boots combinations, which look cozy and chic at the same time.

Karie

(website)

Yes, Liz, most shades of brown are also good colors for me. I am loving blue at the moment - it seems to add a bit of depth and sparkle that I don't get with brown. Plus it matches my eyes!
Catnip, DayVies, and April, for the first time since I started taking daily outfit photos (so since Sept.), I have been pleased with all my outfits for the month. Now that makes me happy!

MuseumGal

YLF fab in blue. Great set of outfits. LOVE that burgundy moto!

Anonymous

These are all great outfits on you. You are making great leaps with your style. My favorites are 1, 4, and the middle outfit of 6. What is the name of the style of those SE cream/grey booties in 10? You have an amazing boot collection.

carter

So many fabulous outfits! I love them all but especially #4. That pink is so pretty on you!

karymk

The variety here is unbelievable. You can swing so many different looks. I especially love number 2 for its edginess.

Helena

Wow, it's so true, you can pull of so many different styles, that's amazing. I can't pick a favorite - I did take extra note of the pink and gray, and as well, all your more casual ones are terrific.

missvee

Lots of great outfits here. My favourite is the burgundy moto and boots in 9.

Sharon

I love #2 as well. I also think #5 is fantastic. Both of them take a conservative, lady-like formula and then add great, fashion-forward elements that are cool and interesting. The brown sweater dress looks great on you too, and of course you know I love the red moto outfit.

cheryl

Wow! These are all fantastic. I have a bunch of favorites lol.

Sharon and Kareymk, my favorite way of dressing is mixing conservative and fashion-forward/edgier elements. Angie gently nudged me in this direction a few months back and I have been happily attempting to follow her advice.

Joy, the booties in the middle #6 pic are Sam Edelman Circus. I was really on the fence about keeping them as they're not plain beige, which was what I was looking for - they have a band of studs on the heel and a darker beige/gray color in the back. What sold me on them was the high comfort level and the gray tone to the beige - it goes with so much in my closet. The scarf in that pic is my personal favorite - a gift from DH many years ago from a handwoven boutique in the Catskills.

Beth Ann

You are looking amazing! I appreciate teachers taking the time and effort to dress for work while teaching. It seems like the dress culture varies hugely from school to school and is set by the Principal. At my kids' grade school it was cleaning out the garage attire. Seriously. I thought my daughter's teacher was the janitor. Then I met the janitor, and he looked great!

I'm a bit fan of the red/gold/black outfit. It's bold, but amazing! I agree with the others that you have found a great style groove!

Angie

Fashion Stylist

Wooohooo. I like #10 best. Modern and fresh. And #2 melts my heart. xo

Greyscale

These are all so great. I especially like the denim jacket, white shirt, pencil skirt outfit.

Your outfits remind me of the J Crew catalog styling, which has recently really impressed me with ways to make preppy classics pop.

Missey

I cannot get over outfit #2! My very favorite...I went back to look at it three times! The burgundy moto is absolutely gorgeous on you. #9 is my next favorite.

deb

These are all wonderful but my favorite is the last pic in #7, the grey, black, and white.

Lyn D.

Another vote for blue here too!
I like the pics of details you have supplied, because attention to detail elevates your outfits to greater Fabness!

Debra

Some gorgeous outfits here, you look fabulous.
One that really caught my eye is the white jeanne with white boots and print sweater # 10 I think

rachylou

Boy, Karie, you've really upped your game. The far right of #10 is my very fave, but I also love #2, 8 and 9. I love you in the blue of #3, but confess to liking it better when you punk things up a bit.

I guess, I'm consistent. Punk for All! Lol.

Lisa

A great series of strong looks here. You really have nailed down your style, I can't even pick a favorite here. And blue is gorgeous on you. So is that pink blazer in #4.

Your description of your fantasy life made me giggle!

All of these outfits look great on you. You're definitely on a roll! If I had to play favourites, 9 & 10 jump out to me. I love the colour combinations on you & that leather jacket fits you perfectly.

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