I'm Not a Dancer

...But sometimes I like to dress like one.

You know, the classic dancer instructor look.   Super thin black leggings, tap-like heels, of course, the mini skirt/tunic to go over aaand lastly to give a bit of age, a men's shirt.  

So fresh and simple!  And yes, aerobic.

Yeah, definitely not a dancer.  But a girl can dream :)

I've been feeling under the weather these past few days so I won't be posting for Thursday.  It took a lot just to get my butt in some heels even today!  

Boo.  I can't stand being sick.  On the upside though, that's when I eat the healthiest... 

Soooo I think I need to take a break and catch up with you Friday.  

Hope you're week is going well so far!

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Fun In The Valley

On Monday, after finally getting my internet installed(!!!!!!), Theo and I partook in one of my favorite things:  superstore spreeing!

So after Ikea, Costco and Target, we took a stroll in a park in North Hollywood.

One of my favorite duos to wear is a cropped jacket with high-waist pants.  And even though it's been quite cold lately (soooo deceptive with all this sun), I still wore my super comfy platform sandals.  I didn't really have a choice, the pants are way too long for anything else.

pants: Value Village / top: Original Gangster / denim jacket: American Eagle / necklace: Philippines / bangles: Forever21 / sandals: Nordstrom 

On another note, I've been juicing lately and it's actually pretty incredible.  Since moving to another state, I haven't really had the extra funds to buy my weekly face masks from Lush so I decided to get the magical potions I need for my skin by drinking them.  It's cheaper but it works like, Whoa.  Like Blossom's brother "Whoa".

Thank you for visiting!!

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Layering Handsomely

Exploring our new hood on a walk on Sunday, I didn't feel like wearing my usual jacket or sweater or blazer or or or...  So many options that I've worked to death it seems, and I was completely uninterested in all of them.  I try my hardest not to let that negative feeling of the there's-nothing-in-my-closet syndrome get to me, but when I open my Tiny Closet and it comes over me, it's the worst.  Talk about closet interruptus.  heehee!

Thank goodness my attention has recently landed to rest for a moment on men's fashion!  Otherwise, I don't know how long it would have taken me to leave the house that morning, omg.  Drama drama, right?  Anyway, the things boys have been doing with clothing and textures lately is pretty inspiring and snapped me right out of my funk.  I was inspired in fact, to try out a bit of their handsome styling tricks myself by taking something I've been seeing a lot in the boy mags: 

layering a denim jacket with a tweed blazer.  Handsome!  

And as it turned out, I just so happened to have those same ingredients in my Tiny Closet to brew up the very same look for myself :)

 The key is all in the tailoring.  Men are wearing such fitted clothing these days and I'm loving it.  Loving it for myself as well.

My cropped, fitted denim jacket is just tight enough to be layered underneath my conservative fit all-season tweed blazer.  If these items were any bigger or more loose, the styling effect wouldn't have worked.

 I also wore Theo's socks 80s aerobic style, bunched over my skinny denims.  And of course, my favorite Bass brogues were right as rain for the look.  I love these girls!  The suede bow ties make the shoe and never get old.

denim jacket: American Eagle / tweed blazer: Value Village / tee: James Perse / denim: Zara / socks: Happy Socks / brogues: Bass

 Looking forward to the sun this week so I can use my pool!!  Okay okay, all you Californians go ahead, roll your eyes and chuckle at my enthusiasm, I don't care!  Just because every single apartment/condo/complex in L.A. has a pool or two doesn't make it any less amazing to this Seattleite.  

I might as well be J.Lo right now, y'all.  Hahaaa!  Hope you have a wonderful week!

Natalie Out.

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Staying In, to Stepping Out

I've been focusing inward lately.  Like on my new home, specifically :)  Focusing on decor, colors, fabrics, new furniture, whoooo!  My head is spinning with inspiration!

So Thursday, I took a break from going out and stayed in to marinate in all my ideas.  And possibly watch Goonies. 

But these days, I'm living in the middle of everything as soon as I walk out of my front door.  And since I like to always feel my best (and feeling my best means looking my best), even when I was cozied down inside, the couple times I needed to escort my doggie outside for a tinkle, I quickly transformed my house wear into an ensemble that was more than doable for a quick outing.

From staying in to stepping out, all I needed was a crisp business shirt and earrings.  Nothing more.

A pair of gypsy pants, an old business shirt and my comfy little bra top I always wear to bed.  Coming together, it made the best outfit for a me-time day.

gypsy pants: AllSaints / mens shirt: PINK / bra top: Free People / earrings: Karla Deras for Roman Luxe

These absolutely gorgeous earrings I'm wearing by Karla for Roman Luxe were a gift from my mother for Christmas.  I love Karla Deras's blog, Karla's Closet and I equally adore her collaboration of jewelry with Roman Luxe.  That girl is on point!!  And her jewelry designs are just as incredible.  

As casual of a day it was, this was actually the first time I wore them.

And while inside, I kept it even more simple.  

For the record, I didn't wear my earrings inside but kept them on for the shoot cus I'm fancy like that.

I also took some photos of things that have been taking up my idle attention lately: 

 our Stendig calendar newly hung in our living room....  Some mags and my favorite interior decorating book, Domino...   And my artsy husband put our kitchen chalkboard to use that morning.  Not for groceries.  It's been raining lately so of course he felt poetic.  As he does :)

The day was also spent avoiding dealing with my not so Tiny Closet.  Ugghhhh :(  But I've got some ideas that I'm excited to share that may alleviate the stress... 

More on that later!

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Changes

For one, I will be in technicolor.  Like all the time.   

Not just when I take a vacation to the tropics.  

Secondly, I will have to shave my legs.  Like all the time.   

Not just for funerals and picnics in the Summer time.

Ladies and gentleman...  

I am now a permanent resident of the state of California!  Los Angeles to be exact.

And it's been a while, huh?  Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year, the same president and now I'm back!  Are you as excited as I am?  No?  Well, let me just show you this new ensemble before you go:

 

After a few weeks of being in this Golden State, I finally put on a pair of shorts (!) only to wear them on the one day it was cloudy and cold.  No matter!  I chose a pair of wintry shorts (does that exist?), black and leather :)  And get this, they've been in my Tiny Closet for almost 5 years.  And they're still perfect for the inevitable occasion.

 

And since I've been sweating like a basketball player these days, I've been living in tank tops.  Not necessarily because it's literally 40 degrees hotter here than the state I left but because I'm slaving away in a constant state of unpacking.  After this post, my complaining about the sun and heat will be complete, I promise.

So I decided to layer a couple.  To tie in the somewhat dressy leather with my kick-around tanks, I threw on a simple glitzy necklace.  And since I wasn't meeting the Queen of England, I skipped the earrings.  All these changes - it's best to go comfy, casual and simple! when one is feeling spastic.

gray tank: FIDM Selvage / black tank: H&M / shorts: Forever21 / booties: Buffalo Exchange / necklace: Swarovski

 

And like TC style, I've worn most of this before.  Take a look!

heels here

necklace here

Soooo, as we break down the boxes one by one, and my heels stand tall and organized, I am slowly making a home for myself.  My new Tiny Closet, while different and unfamiliar still holds all the cool, quirky, creative ensembles I've worn before and will wear again but in newer, cooler, different ways.   

Visit me tomorrow and see!

 

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

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