2010 Wrap up!

Mustard Cords (My new favorite pants!)
Green Coat that has no pockets, what a horrible thing to forget.
Seersucker in the freezing cold?
Winter florals and the start of a style challenge.

Neon snake print and ruffles -the outfit everyone voted for!
V-day cuteness.
Out playing in the snow!
Freezing on my little sis's Birthday.

A day that actually felt like spring, so more florals were in order
In my sailor suit to go and see the play "On the Town"
The start of a capsule wardrobe challenge
An outfit styled for me by Ali of The Drawing Mannequin

A trip to Italy begins -- Rome on my Birthday!
And I pretty much live in my purple scarf...
I find a Desigual skirt that I have to add to my closet,
And when I find out I'm not going to be able to leave because of the volcano, I buy a new dress (and bag and sandals and earrings)!

Wearing a pair of shorts I made and never ever wore - I finally got over my shorts aversion.
A rushed morning produces a cute outfit.
My J.Crew steal making it's debut on Mother's Day.
My new bag and scarf from Italy refresh an old dress.

I pulled out my boots for some summer boot action.
Embraced horizontal stripes more than ever before.
Remixed some old favorites.
Put together a look inspired by Lucky Magazine (one of many).

For lack of a white top, I wore pjs out.
Lots of white layers always feel like summer.
Got the white top, and a fun pair of shorts that look like a skirt!
Some bright poppies make for a wonderful summer dress.

Ahhh summer, days spent at the beach...
I got my amazing fabulous Jeffery Campbell Splendid sandals after stalking Nordstroms website for a week.
I made a new skirt.
Actually, two new skirts.

 

September came and things started to get a little bit cooler, I pulled my red bag out of it's slumber.

And made a red skirt (which I can't seem to get enough of).

Put together a perfect military inspired look.

And wore the leopard pencil skirt.

I tried out my first monochrome look, piling on layers of navy.

Stretching the potential of the LBD, as always...

Enjoying an unusually warm fall day, and playing in the leaves.

Finally realizing I should just add a belt to a huge shawl to make it a perfect piece of outerwear.

A surprise pop of turquoise makes a statement outfit.

Keeping warm and cozy in the dropping temps.

A Thanksgiving outfit probably better for an evening out...

My thrifted fur collar starting to make an appearance on every coat I own.

Turning office wear in to polished party apparel.

Transforming a summer dress into winter wear.

Leopard and red - is there a better combo?

Well, maybe leopard and pink?

Well, that is it!! My roundup post for the year. This took me four hours to put together, which is insane, so please enjoy it, and spend a very long time looking at these photos. 

I've decided if I do a collage post next December 31st, I'm going to have to make the collage at the end of each month rather than waiting and doing them all in one evening. 

I've been loving everyone else's end of year round ups - it has been a very stylish year ladies - and I'm sure we will only be more fabulous in 2011. 

Hope you all have a wonderful time bringing in the new year!

No one notices the contrast of white on white

It's cold out there gals. Really cold. And for the first week since I started taking outfit photos for the week over the weekend, I really didn't feel like getting dressed.
I was seriously contemplating spending the rest of the week under layers of fleece and not stepping foot outside of the house. It's a slow week at work, would they really miss me??
Right now my survival is resting on a pair of fleece lounge pants I got at Old Navy for $8.
The moment I walk through the door after work I make a beeline for the pants and slip into cozy fleecy warmness.

I think I'm doing really well with the No Repeats Challenge, and I did stratigically wear this leopard sweater right before the challenge started so I could wear it again during. And I'll probably put it on again soon after the challenge is finished. I really love this sweater!

I'm also happy I didn't pack my white jeans away with my summer stuff. I can totally wear white in the winter, and stuffed into boots, I don't have to worry about the hemlines getting all muddy and ruined with the snowy mess outside.

The Rundown

Sweater Calvin Klein - Jeans TJMaxx - Jacket Free People - Boots Steve Madden - Scarf PacSun (Christmas Gift) - Pendant Kohls - Gloves Old Navy

Small announcement: my kittycat @ snet.net email address will be no more as of the first of the year. I'm almost a little sad to lose it, it was my first ever email address and I've had it for 14 years. Hence the reason it is something as immature as kittycat.
So I now have a new email just for the blog, which is ChicLyddie {at} gmail{.}com and is maybe just as silly as kittycat, but both lyddiegal@gmail.com and chiconthecheap@gmail.com were taken, so I combined the two.
Be sure and direct all your future questions, comments, love letters, and belated Christmas presents to ChicLyddie {at} gmail{.}com

Almost a white Christmas

Snow is currently piling up outside my window, in what weathermen are predicting will reach a foot deep before it stops. So it was almost a white Christmas - I'll take it.

Christmas was it's usual crazy self, complete with last minute shopping on Christmas eve (I discovered one of the gifts I'd purchased was damaged and had to run back to the store and make an exchange), and ended up being an hour and a half late for Christmas Eve; though in my defense I think three pm is much too early to start Christmas Eve.

Santa was good to me, the G By Guess Wonda Oxfords and the sweatshirt blazer from Express found their way under my tree, as well as a new coat, and enough Starbucks gift cards to last me through 2012. Some of my gifts accidentally got packed into my brothers car and went to his home out of state, so they sadly wont be appearing on the blog anytime soon...

Last week I won The Cohabitating Closet's Pineapple Mint giveaway, and the sweater I chose as my prize arrived on Christmas Eve and was packaged with a whole bunch of vintage belts - so fun!

We have so many Christmas cookies to eat, we only managed to put together two plates to giveaway. (Not that I'm going to complain).

Other than running out in the snow for a few minutes, my Sunday was just spent relaxing and watching movies. It's a Wonderful Life is truly one of the best movies ever. And I always cry.

Bless these snow boots. One of the smartest purchases I've made.

The Rundown

Dress Chiara Mente - Coat Nine West - Boots Pajar - Leggings TJMaxx - Scarf Bobs - Gloves Old Navy - Belt Pineapple Mint Vintage - Hat Avon (Christmas gift!)

I hope you all had wonderful holidays, and if you are facing piles of snow and ice, are staying nice and warm cozy!

One sequined outfit

Just one last quick post before I rush off to be with my family!
The last thing I love about christmas is having a good reason to wear sequins!

So I've got on as much sparkle as anyone could stand!

 

Skirt Urban Outfitters - Top Simply Vera - Shoes - Kohls - Tights Simply Vera - Ring The Cavernous Jewelry Box

Wishing you all a wonderful, safe, and happy Christmas!!

Two family members coming home

I'm counting down to Christmas with my 12 favorite things; today is day two and I'm looking forward to spending time with my family tonight and tomorrow.

I thought it would be fun to share some old Christmas family photos...

Today I donned my antler tee and my red skirt, which I love even though I hate that I made it out of thin annoying cotton. I've been saying I want to remake it and maybe someday I will. It's funny how sometimes I will make something and put so much time and money and effort into it and then completely hate it when I'm done; and sometimes I will put no money, little effort and hardly any time into something and I can't seem to stop wearing it. Such is the case with the little red skirt, now appearing for the sixth time since I made it this September.

I did, finally buy a slip. I have been wanting one ever since static electricity decided that it needed to make life with tights and skirts a living hell. I'd take two steps and my skirt would adhere to my legs in a manner that made me look like I was wearing shorts. It has been really annoying.I ended up choosing the absolute best slip I could find at kohls. I tried getting little vintage slips from the thrift store but they weren't working out for a number of reasons. This slip is quite wonderful though. The material is lycra rather than poly and it lays so well. It has lace at the waist band and is really comfortable. I got the 16" version so I can wear it with all my mini skirts. Originally $25, I paid $13.

The Rundown

Skirt Made by Me - Top J.Crew - Cardigan Avon - Pumps Nine West - Tights Simply Vera - Earrings Kohls

Well, it's time to start cleaning the house, wrapping the last of the gifts and figuring out what I'm wearing tomorrow...

Three million tiny flakes

I'm counting down to Christmas with my 12 favorite things; today is day three and it was a toss up between exterior illumination and snow, and then I thought about people who put giant inflatable creatures on their lawns and decided it would have to be snow.

So yes, I am dreaming of a White Christmas, and I always am. It's now, when the snow would be fresh and novel and fun that I would like it. However by the time March rolls around and we've had storm after storm and there are piles of slush and ice everywhere, I'll start to wonder what I though was so darn majestic about it in the first place.
But, for now, lets just focus on the positives; those unique flakes, that clean white blanket, the potential for work to get canceled (I can hope). Yes, I love snow.

Above photos are not my own, please click for source!

This purple top hasn't seen much blog action in the years I've had it. I can't say why. It's a perfectly nice top. I like the color and the bit of detail on the neckline.

This outfit is also an example of getting stuck on a color, hence the purple cardigan and purple shoes. These little berry wedges also haven't seen as much wear as they should. So I'm glad this No Repeats Challenge is getting me to bring out more of my closet.

Can you believe there are only three days until Christmas? I still have cookies to bake, and a few presents to wrap (they were ordered on line and just arrived today).

The Rundown

Top TJMaxx - Skirt Tahari - Cardigan Kohls - Shoes Poetic License - Belt Thrifted

Last night I won a Twitch Vintage auction for the first time; this little striped dress became mine for $10 and is on it's way. Now just several long months before I can actually wear it...