Winter Weekend Getaway

I've been itching to get out of town for a while and ended up working a lot over my Christmas "break" so I decided to take advantage of the 3-day holiday weekend.  I decided to hit the road head to KC to visit some friends and family and, of course, do some shopping!  

By the time you read this, I'll probably be on my way back, but I thought I'd share a peek at what I like to take for a short weekend away.  I did a similar post last fall, but a few things have changed, plus it was still pretty hot then and I was going to a wedding.

Winter Shopping Weekend by conolley featuring a double zipper wallet

Since I stayed with 2 different friends on my 2 nights there I tried to keep my packing pretty simple and go for multitasking items.  I've totally left my entire cosmetic bag at a friend's house up there before!  The weather was cool, but mild, so I opted for Columbia fleece jacket and left my big puffy black coat at home.  (I hate shopping in that puffy coat!  It gets sooooo hot!)  

I'll be sure to post my purchases when I do this month's Budgeting Bloggers post in a week or so.  This was kind of my last big shopping excursion for a month or 2, so that's going to be a pretty big post!

I must say, I love road trips...  iPods and GPS make them even better these days!  

What do you pack for a weekend away?

HAPPY MONDAY!

Fashion Friday: Baby, It's Cold Outside

As much as I hate hot weather, I'm not much of a cold weather fan either...  I feel like my classroom is either blazing hot or freezing cold (no matter what time of year), so dressing for work can require some thought.  It can also vary from day to day, so that makes things even more {not} awesome.

Cold Weather Work Layers featuring a slouchy tee

Here are a few quick tips for dressing for work when it's cold outside:

• Layer, layer, layer!  I wear layers almost everyday and usually keep an extra jacket at school just in case.  Choose items that can be worn alone or with a jacket or cardigan so that you can add or subtract layers as the need arises.
• Make items work for multiple seasons.  If you don't have to be outside during the day, add tights or leggings to your skirts and dresses to give you more wardrobe options.  
• Have at least one pair of dressy, dark wash jeans.  I don't know about you, but there are some super super cold days when I just don't want to wear dressy pants.  Sometimes it's because there's snow on the ground and I don't want to mess them up...  Sometimes I just plain don't want to wear them.  I don't make it a habit, but for "those days" it's always nice to have a dressy pair of jeans on hand.  I think you can still look professional in jeans.  (Read a whole post on wearing jeans to work here.)
• Brighten things up!  I've totally been into brights lately, but I love this trend for winter.  I feel like a bright sweater is so cheerful on a gloomy winter day!

How do you dress for work during the cold weather months?

Fashion Friday: Winter to Spring Wish List

Every few months I like to come up with some sort of wish list of items I'd like to get during the coming months.  As I was thinking of the items I really want to try to focus on getting as we move from winter to spring, I revisited a few items I already have or items I've already been looking for.  

Winter to Spring Wish List featuring slim fit t shirts

Here's the low-down on a few of the items on my list:

1. I've seen so many good reviews on the Tarte Amazonian Clay blushes, so I'd like to try one out.  I have some other blushes to use up first, but I'm excited to give one of these a try!
2. I've needed workout shoes for a while, but I can be very picky about those.  I really like these Nike Free running shoes and would like to track down this pair or something similar.  I've been wearing Nike Free for the past year and a half or so and really like them for my workouts!
3. One thing I would like to do with my spring wardrobe is update part of tee collection.  I bought a few of J.Crew's vintage cotton tees on clearance last summer and really liked the fit and weight.  I'd like to get a few in springy colors to pair with pretty much everything.
4. I'm still loving the bubble necklace trend and would like to get one in a neutral in a color like ivory or gray.  
5. Still on my wish list is a pair of Sperry Top-Sider shoes.  I'm excited to see what colors and patterns come out as spring approaches!
6. I'm still on the hunt for a nice, cute gold boyfriend watch.  I love the ones from Michael Kors and Marc Jacobs, but I'm not sure I'm willing to pay the big price tag that goes with them.  TJ Maxx has been getting some in, though, so I'll continue to keep a lookout for ones there!

What's on your wish list as we transition from winter to spring?