Windswept

I know that it's been windy as all get out up in the Midwest, but it's was pretty darn windy this morning when I went out to take pictures.  My makeshift tripod had been blown all over, although fortunately not off of my balcony.

This is what I use as a tripod.  There's also at shoebox and lid that sometimes come into play if parts of my body keep getting cut off in the photos.  Super high tech and snazzy, amiright?  I might actually invest in a real tripod soon, so that I can position the camera without worrying about it blowing over in the wind or falling to the ground.  It would be nice for it to be more secure- any suggestions on tripods?

I don't typically wear new things as soon as I get them- I usually prefer to let them sit around for a little while so I think about whether I really want to keep it and whether it's cost is worth it's value.  These two pieces?  I didn't wait on them- taking them out of their packages delighted me, the texture of the fabrics made me want to pet them, and even better- they actually fit.  Admittedly, the fit is not ideal- It'd be even better to be able to wear this dress as a dress, and I'm not sure how I feel about the hanging scarf type bits.  However, I can always layer something underneath and the dangling bits were kinda fun to play with during talks today.

 And this sweater?  It's gloriously soft and unexpectedly detailed.  I've been lusting after it on-line for months, and it finally went on sale this past week.

It's not what I typically go for, but this pattern and color combination made me swoon when I saw it online, so I wanted to give a view of what it looked like up close.

These shoes were purchased about three years ago (which is totally fabulous since oxford type things are all over the place and adorable, and already having these babies keeps me in check).  The awkward little story about buying these shoes involved a male sales associate who heavily encouraged me purchasing them by making some comment about how they looked from "this angle" and then held them upside down.  I could be wrong, but it gave me the impression that he was trying to convey how they would look during an activity frequently practiced in bedrooms.  Which is not the selling point you want to make in the middle of a suburban Kohl's to someone of a much younger age who's there with her mother.  Fortunately, I still decided to buy the shoes, and I'm pretty sure they were under $10.  Win!.  Also, my co-worker asked how I ride my bike in these.  The answer is that I'm an unstoppable force of awesome.  The real answer is that it's a little trickier in heels that are this high than in say a wedge or a flat, since I want to put the forward part of the shoe on the pedal to get the best leverage and avoid damaging the heel, which will cause my foot to sometimes slip, since it's a little awkward as a knee position.

Outfit details: Cardigan, Belt- Anthropologie, Dress: Marc by Marc Jacobs via Gilt Groupe, Shoes- Kohl's, Necklace- Urban Outfitters