Alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic

Clearly, that toned-down, scholarly look just wasn't cutting it. I love pastels and preppy clothes as much as the next girl, but sometimes you need brightness and bows and polka dots.

Each season, I usually buy one or two "nice" things to wear to more formal occasions, like this dress which I bought last year to wear to Midnight Mass at Christmas. Knowing that it was purchased for a dressy holiday, I only wore it for nicer, dressier things the rest of the year. This year, though, now that it's not the new nice dress, I wear it all the time, dressing it down with layers or colored tights or cowboy boots. It's become an everyday staple, but it took a while. This year, I bought this great vintage dress for Christmas on Etsy, but apart from the holiday and a couple days of teaching, I haven't really worn it again. I guess I'll just have to wait until next year, and then I'll start wearing it everyday.
I realize this might be one of the most basic facts of fashion, but wide belts are so flattering. Seriously.
I love how the small polka dots on the dress match the ones on the shoe -- I can't believe I haven't worn them together before! I think this look would have been better if, instead of white socks and a nude fishnet, I would have worn a white fishnet, which I tried. I put my white fishnets on this morning and they are tragically ripped. Just another push towards some brand new white crocheted tights. I try not to complain about the life of a grad student, since it's actually kind of great, but it is kind of depressing to think about how much I have to consider my finances before replacing my ripped tights.This outfit was a lot of matching -- polka dots with polka dots, the stripe on the sweater with the color of the dress -- but perhaps most enjoyable was the bow earrings to match the bow headband.

Blazer: Target

Sweater: Of the Wall

Dress: H&M

Shoes: Old Navy

Headband Bow: Hot Topic

Tights: the Bay

Earrings, Belt, and Sunglasses: Gifted by Erin, the fairy godmother of my wardrobe.

And, Libby McGee, where are you? xoxo Anna Rae