How I wore it: new beginnings

Hello, all! Today was a day full of new accessories and new-ish (new to the blog, at least) clothes in general. Sometimes there's nothing like wearing new(-ish) duds to make you feel as if all is right in the world.

I bought this awesome buffalo plaid (we know how I feel about this pattern) dress online at Old Navy a couple of weeks ago and wore it once before (not documented). When I first got the dress, I planned to wear it the way I did today, but that first day, the weather was too warm and sunny for boots. Today? Right on point:

Pay no mind to the play mouse at my feet…

Baby Boots is such a ham. She loves having her picture taken and now insists on posing with me and holding my hand for the camera. 

Anyway, so that's my new dress. It's fun, huh? It's also short. I mean, thank goodness I've gotten so into leggings lately, because DAMN. I felt a little inappropriate today between my short hem and my tall boots, but -

Oh, what's that? The boots? No big deal. JUST THE SAME BOOTS THAT I'D BEEN LUSTING AFTER SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2008 AND FINALLY GOT LAST MARCH. 

I don't know where to link to, as I've told this story a bajillion times (I think), but the boots you see above are pretty much the reason I'm so obsessed with boots. On election night of 2008 (six years ago today - did you vote?), I came across these beautiful Frye lovelies in an Urban Outfitters where my friend and I were killing time before going to a party. Not knowing anything about boots (or Fryes, for that matter), I looked at the price and hurriedly put the boots down, although knowing in my gut that I'd never seen such pretty boots. Wouldn't you know it, they were limited editions, never to be made again. There was much mourning. A few years ago, Sal talked about setting a saved search on eBay when looking for a particular item, so I decided to try my luck. After years of getting e-mails from eBay about Frye Paige boots in size 10 appearing, I finally spotted this pair - my pair, in my size - for sale this past spring. After a tense auction, I won them, and here they are. I love them so much. In a perfect world, they would've been new (gently used), but whoever owned them before took amazing care of them and they're almost perfect. The leather is this buttery, soft pebbly leather that's just so good. The grey is perfect. You…see why they started my boot obsession (or compensation?), no?

I didn't get a picture of the back, but this is the full cuff detail (these are the now-disappeared Paige Cuff models, after all):

Frye Paige Cuff (Slate) - Casual Women's Boots   (see more cuff bangles)

I love that contrasting buckle on the back.

Mmmm, so anyway. I really liked this outfit. 

But, I also have to think about my outerwear choices now, as we set the clocks back on Sunday morning and now I come home after the sun sets. I want to keep bike commuting as long as I can and I don't want to feel unsafe biking home just because it's 4:30. So… I bought a really reflective running jacket. Aaaaand a new helmet, just because it was there:

Upon arriving at work. I am such a Fashion Babe, no?

The jacket is neon, obnoxious, and VISIBLE. The helmet? Ahhh, well, it's an indulgence. I've had a deep love for the Union Jack ever since I got super into the Who in college - there was a time in my life where I had a Union Jack somewhere on my person at almost all times. I'd seen this helmet around for some time now and I'd always resisted it because I had a perfectly good, serviceable bike helmet already. Well, on Saturday I went to a fancy bike store (which mostly serves twee biking ladies) to look for reflective outerwear. Since they didn't have quite what I wanted (I got my jacket at a City Sports), I decided to drown my disappointment in an indulgent new helmet. My husband thinks that I'm being a disloyal Argentine; I think I'm showing off my love for Quadrophenia. 

So, whaddaya say? Today I felt great having all this new stuff to enjoy. Do you ever feel like that?

This was the take where we yelled "Cheeeeeese!"

Plaid dress: Old Navy (online)

Black leggings: Hue by way of Lord and Taylor (Boston), remixed

Grey boots: Frye Paige Cuff, by way of eBay