Reverse 30x30: Please Help My Khaki Pants. And me.

I have a confession to make. I pulled together this outfit, but khaki pants still leave me utterly confused. Well, not all khaki pants. That one pair of dark khaki skinnies blends into my closet, and they've earned their keep. But, these khaki pants? What is it about them? Maybe it's the years I spent waiting tables while donning a dark green polo and light khaki pants (possibly these...I think I blocked the memories after that one early morning I ripped my front bumper off on the bumper of my neighbor's stupid illegally parked truck. Still went to work that day. With a grill that looked twenty shades of pissed off.) I feel like I'm one shirt change away from serving customers at Target. I love Target, but do I want everyone to think of it when they see me? 

Is my perception of these pants absolutely skewed? Do I need to set the sewing machine on them and make the bottoms more tapered/cropped? Is it the fabric? Is the khaki too light? AM I TOO CRAZY FOR WORDS? (That last one is rhetorical.)

* See, this pin shows more cropped khaki pants. I think they work.

* These pants have polka dots on them, but the khaki is the same color, and they're skinnified (not a word, which is totally fine). I like the look of them. 

* I love this combination, but the bottom of the pants look different. (I'm completely amused by the commenter who said she wasn't sure about the pants.)

I don't want to get rid of these pants because I like that I can wear wide belts with them, I love the pockets (not those stupid, you-can-fit-half-of-your-thumb-in-me pockets), and I do like the color. However, I think it's the bottom of them that perplexes me. I feel weird in flats (sort of bunches). I'm not entirely sold on the booties here. Regular boots won't go over the pant legs without causing serious leg wrinkles. I tried the khaki exact stretch pants from The Limited (have them in maroon, brown, and navy), but I didn't like the shade or the look of the khaki ones, which is odd since I have them in three other colors. 

What would you do if you were me? (Aside from the obvious, which is to scold yourself for writing so many sentences about one pair of pants.)  

Help. me.

(This is my "what am I doing outside in the cold without a coat on and, Mom, why aren't you stopping me from this madness" look. I tell you only to explain why I felt compelled to grab my scarf. My hands inherently search for warmth.)

The Look:

Cardigan (reversed item 1): Target (gift!)

Shirt: Target

Belt: Ummm...so old I couldn't tell you with complete honesty

Scarf: Calvin Klein via DSW

Booties: hand-me-downs from Momma

(I'm laughing right now because I said these are not I-can-fit-half-a-thumb-in-them pockets, and I'm totally sticking only half of my thumb in the pockets. However, the previous picture is a full-hand-in-pocket pose. This post just keeps getting more and more awkward.) 

Feel free to rebuke me for my trivialities.

"Reverse" 30x30: Navy Dress & Printed Blazer (it's a twofer!)

Thanks to Jess over at J's Everyday Fashion, you're meeting this outfit today. Until she said something, I had not even considered these two items (both from my Reverse 30x30) together.

The dress, thanks to this self-imposed challenge, will remain a part of my closet. I have not yet determined another way I'll wear it, but, my word, is it comfortable. Any item of clothing this snuggable (not a word?) deserves a million more wears. Plus, I could totally use the same formula again this winter: dress + tights + blazer + scarf + booties. Easy peezy, lemon squeezy.

The blazer might be taken out to pasture. I'm not sure how I feel about the fit. If it were a bit longer and a true boyfriend blazer, I could deal with its being a little looser, but it's not. I know a tailor could (maybe) take in a blazer to fit my itty bitty chest, but does it go with enough items in my closet in order to justify the expense? I'm not sure. I haven't given up on it quite yet. I'll try it with jeans and a blouse. Maybe a different silhouette under the blazer will breathe a new, better life into it? Crikey, I need to stop personifying my clothes. What are your thoughts (on the blazer's fit, not my need to anthropomorphize articles of clothing)?

Granted, my husband and colleagues approved of the look, so am I being too hard on the blazer? Give it to me honestly.

Oh, and I'd have better quality images for you today (crappy iPhone pictures in natural lighting versus crappy iPhone pictures in awkward, yellow lighting), but it's all wet snow filthy mcnastiness out there, and my husband isn't home yet, and my neighbors generally creep me out. Plus, I'm rocking out in front of my new floor mirror from Target. (It's this one, and I did in store pick-up, which might be the best invention...aside from the floor mirror, of course. It's $49.99. NOT bad compared to the prices I saw on Amazon, Overstock, and elsewhere!)

Reversed Item 1: Navy Dress (dress I took in from Old Navy 'cause it looked like a sack for spuds)

Reversed Item 2: Printed Blazer (The Limited)

Tights: Simply Vera via Kohl's

Booties: Old Navy

Scarf: Calvin Klein via DSW

Necklace: The Limited 

Let's keep a running tab of the items I reverse with some notes thrown into the mix. 

Feel free to tell me some combinations you see or ideas you have. This brain made of Swiss cheese could certainly use all the help it can get. 

Reverse 30x30 Items

1. coral and khaki skirt

2. gray and yellow skirt

3. white pencil skirt

4. teal velvet pants

5. polka dot tights

6. khaki pants

7. brown boots

8. black wedge booties

9. red heels

10. tri-color wedges

11. aztec scarf

12. teal necklace

13. striped dress

14. tan dress

15. navy dress (off probation but not officially reversed)

16. polka dot shirt (officially reversed)

17. polka dot cardi

18. polka dot blouse (tomorrow's look!)

19. printed blazer (on probation, might be leaving the closet)

20. chambray

21. paisley blouse

22. gray shirt 

23. paisley blouse 2

24. emerald sleeveless sweater

25. navy sweater

26. blush sweater with silver polka dots

27. silver sweater

28. black sweater

29. white lace sweater

30. orange sweater

Anyone joining me today?

Linking up with All Things Thursday and What I Wore to Work.

Trendy Tuesday...A Date Late (Again)

Eventually, Trendy Tuesday will happen and post ON TRENDY TUESDAY. You can thank the inclement weather for this week's delay. Don't worry; she also peed all over the plans I took four hours to write for my AP students this month. It's cool, Mother Nature. It's cool.

Anyway, a few weeks ago, my co-teacher thought up the idea of a themed day once a week. A bunch of us got in on the action and decided to pick a day and name it. We landed on Trendy Tuesdays. Here was last week's if you're curious. 

This week's theme was flannel and scarves. The rules are relaxed, so interpret the theme as you wish. (My co-teacher settled on a scarf that was flannel, a double threat kind of wardrobe piece.)

Who wants to join us next week? 

Next Tuesday's theme is Red and White (read: candy cane).  

We post on Instagram and tag with #trendytuesday. 

I don't know how to do those fancy link ups (feel free to tutor me if you wish), but my colleagues and I would love your participation. Feel free to write up a post on Tuesday (or a day late), tag me on Instagram, send a picture via carrier pigeon, whatever strikes our fancy, and label it Trendy Tuesday. It's a revolution, people. I don't know what we're revolting against exactly, but it might have something to do with Uggs and leggings worn without something to cover one's bum. 

Let's carry on with our looks of the day. 

First up: my look.

The Outfit:

Flannel shirt: Old Navy (it's current, folks.) Get yours here. 

The Dress: Target (best dress I've ever bought. If they made it in 50 colors, I'd buy them all. I already bought the blue floral/whatever it is pattern and the coral and black striped one.) 

The Boots: Etienne Aigner via Macy's (does anyone know how to pronounce that brand's name?)

Tights: The Limited (they have the BEST opaque tights. They're on sale for $10. Go get ya some.)

Scarf: Calvin Klein via DSW 

Belt: Target clearance last year or something 

And here are all of our outfits! I told students today, and they are already so excited to jump on the Trendy Tuesday train. I hope the next picture is of a LOT more people! 

Will you join us next Trendy Tuesday for our red and white theme? 

Linking up for WIWW.