Red, White, and Plaid (and hooray for a link up!)

Some pretty ladies and I are hosting a themed link up this week. Gather your red and your pink for a week of Valentine's Day celebrations. Link up your delicious cuisines, your snazzy sartorial creations, or your home decor (which I will drool over as I sit within my crappily-painted apartment walls). I do hope you'll join us for one day (OR ALL!). Look, I'm even starting off the week in my red pants.

This navy blazer is perfect, the knees of these pants are too wrinkly, this belt is almost 15 years old (vintage?), these boots are my favorite pair, and this flannel is just the right length. 

The Look:

Blazer: The Gap (a gift from Mom)

Pants: Candie's via Kohl's

Boots: Franco Sarto via Marshall's

Flannel: Old Navy

Belt: OLD American Eagle 

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I'm also linking up with

Molly

The Style Record

and

Mix It Mondays

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5 Days, 5 Ways: Casual Friday

This outfit never made it onto the blog, but it's so sinfully comfortable that it belongs with today's Casual Friday post. Seriously, I felt like I was wearing pajamas all day. Oh, and I didn't adopt a carpenter; that's my Dad. He rocked chambray before chambray was cool on anyone other than a cowboy. Yee haw.

Look #1: A blazer pulls everything together, especially if it's a gold blazer.

Blazer: Mod Cloth

Jeans: Lauren Conrad via Kohl's

Flats: Target

Scarf: Handmade by Momma, of course

Look #2: Chambray and colored pants

Chambray: Rock & Republic via Kohl's

Pants: Candie's via Kohl's (noticing a trend?)

Boots: Franco Sarto via Marshall's

Studded Necklace: Forever 21

Look #3: Peplum, Dark Skinny Jeans, Flats, and a Military Jacket

Top: LOFT

Pants: NY & Co.

Flats: Urban Outfitters

Jacket: Forever 21

Necklace: The Limited

Look #4: Wide Leg Jeans & Blazer

(I swear you could wear this on a Monday.)

Blazer: Jennifer Lopez via Kohl's

Top: Express

Pants: J Brand via Marshall's

Brown Wedges (can't see 'em): Aersoles via Marshall's

Look #5: belted cardigan with skinny jeans

I remember only where I got the cardigan: Express.

All of the looks in one place. 

Which look is your favorite? Mine is, without a doubt, the orange blazer and wide-leg jeans outfit. 

No contest. However, the red pants outfit is soooo comfortable. 

Joining Fran & Whitney for the last day of 5 Days, 5 Ways:

Chambray

"Trends" I Wish Would Die a Fiery Death:

1. Low pants: My mom claimed that this trend has died off, but my students are still wearing their pants too low. They've evolved from just showing boxers to wearing sometimes three layers under their pants, all of which peek out in varying degrees. Bottom layer = pants, next layer = athletic pants/sweatpants, next layer = athletic shorts, and final layer = underwear. 

Die, low pants, die. 

Oh, and girls who still let their thong straps peek out above their pants? STOP. Just stop. 

2. If my friends ever referred to me as their "bitch," I would smack a bitch up. Why do ladies call each other their "bitches?" It's not cute. It's not endearing. It's not funny. It's dumb.  Why has this trend not died? Sure, I can rest easy that "I heart you" has waned, but this "my bitches" thing still rages on. I don't know if I can call this one a trend, but I needed to acknowledge it somehow. 

3. High socks: Unless your socks are the bomb diggity because they're argyle print, striped, or something fun like polka dots, please do not wear them with your athletic shorts and Sperry shoes. If you wear them with sandals, someone needs to beat you with your footwear. You see, it started with my male students. They wore t-shirts and athletic shorts to school; they topped it all off with tall Nike socks and either Sperrys or sandals.  They said it was cool. I reminded them that it was sloppy. Then the girls started doing it! Ladies, ladies, ladies, expose your socks under two conditions: one, your socks are wicked cool; two, the rest of your outfit coordinates with your sweet socks. 

Otherwise, I will be forced to follow you as I sing my self-made parody of "Shots." 

(Instead of singing "shots," sing "socks.") 

Are there any trends you wish would die? 

It's okay if you say skinny pants, chambray, or colored pants.

I won't stop wearing mine, but I won't be offended either.

Outfit Deets:

Chambray top: Rock and Republic via Kohl's--it's soooo soft, the perfect length, and has some fun on the collar. (can't find it online, but it was in the store--here is a similar one)

Pants: I wish I could remember (similar pair here)

Boots: Franco Sarto via Marshall's (cute from Target, love these, and these)

Necklace: Forever21 (exact for $6.80)

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy, Because Shanna Said So, and Tucker Up & All Things Alisa :)