Comments (31)

By kilax, May 10, 2011 6:42 am

Good thing I spent all of that time ironing my dress this morning.

Apparently, if you sleep on the train, when your messenger bag on your lap, it undoes any ironing previously performed. Good to know. Good to look like a doofus at work.

Ha. What do I care? I still look better in a wrinkly dress than I do on a normal work day. Signs people normally think you dress like a slob: you get lots of compliments when wearing a dress or skirt, even if it is incredibly wrinkly.

I don’t remember the last time I have gone a whole week without blogging, but honestly, I just haven’t been feeling it. I don’t even feel like writing a race report for the half marathon I ran on Saturday. I kind of drafted something up, but whenever I publish it, you’ll see that it’s pretty “meh.”

I miss being excited and happy. I just haven’t felt like myself these past few weeks. I am hoping that some downtime at home will make me feel better. Steven and I were really on the go throughout the month of April (and part of March) and I just feel worn out.

And I think having some fun events coming up soon (that do not involve traveling) will help too. We’ll see!

Comments (18)

By kilax, April 14, 2011 2:48 pm

Thank you so much for all of the feedback on last week’s outfits! I really took all of your suggestions seriously. The ones I am going to focus on the most is finding nice shoes for work and clothes that compliment my figure. And maybe some jeans that fit well?

And I thought this visual guide to shoes I stumbled across last weekend was funny. Perfect for me, no?

Day 8 – April 8, 2011

This was a “work at home” day, so I only wore this outfit in the evening, to take Data to the vet. Do you guys think these jeans fit me better? They feel a bit saggy (okay, okay, they are one size too big!).

Jeans – Eddie Bauer (love their jeans!)
Top – Puma Outlet
Shoes – Asics Gel Cumulus 12s

Day 9 – April 9, 2011

I wore this outfit to the race. I got in to jeans and a silly t-shirt later in the day.

Top – Kohl’s (Tek Gear)
Capris – Kohl’s (Nike)
Shoes – Asics Gel Cumulus 12s

Day 10 – April 10, 2011

I had to dig out my capris and enjoy the warm weather! Unfortunately, I think these capris are a bit too big. I wore them last summer when I was a bit heavier.

Top – JCPenney
Capris – Kohl’s
Shoes – Adidas Outlet
Necklace – Gina bought it for me from Etsy!

Day 11 – April 11, 2011

You guys inspired me to look nice for work! Here is my attempt (I think it may have worked – I got some compliments on “looking so nice”).

Skirt – Liz Claiborne Outlet (for $12!!!)
Top – JCPenney
Necklace and Earrings – holiday gift from Steven!
Shoes – Payless

Day 12 – April 12, 2011

Stayed at home sick and didn’t get out of my pajamas.

Day 13 – Day 13, 2011

Ugh. This picture turned out really crummy!

Top and Sweater – The Limited
Pants – The Limited
Shoes – Macy’s
Jewelry – Earrings from H&M, Necklace from my Grandma (note: these earrings are a byotch to put on)

Day 14 – Day 14, 2011

Work from home day – I really doubt I will be getting out of my lounge wear.

So… I only have two work outfits in here, and the rest is bum clothes. I guess you guys can get a good idea of what I look like when I bum around?

Comments (19)

By kilax, April 13, 2011 6:15 am

1. Has anyone else ever had muscle pain in their outer, upper shin (area circled in red below)? Both my legs ache in this spot. It makes me a bit wobbly when I start to run, then goes away. It’s happened before, but it has me worried.



2. Does anyone know how to use bird books to actually identify birds? I received these books for Christmas, but when I see a bird I want to identify outside, I can never seem to look it up fast enough. And a lot of the birds in the books look the same to me! I know you are supposed to look at their beaks, and the shape of their heads, etc., but I don’t have it down yet.



3. Is this fashion blurb from the May issue of Glamour serious? Feline-themed clothes are in? If so, I was way ahead of the fashion game when I wanted to buy this swimsuit in April of 2009 and you all advised that I didn’t. Hee hee.

Comments (29)

By kilax, April 7, 2011 7:03 am

Erin just finished doing a 30 Day Fashion Shoot Meme on her blog (for March) so of course, I had to copy. I think the point of this whole thing is to re-evaluate your wardrobe and get creative? I think you guys are just going to get an idea of how little I know about fashion and how crappy I look on a day-to-day basis. Please feel feel to provide input! I am pretty tough-skinned (well, about my wardrobe, anyway).

Day 1 – April 1, 2011

I was going to my brother’s rehearsal dinner, so I got a little dressed up (for me)!

Top (cami + blouse) – New York & Company
Pants – The Limited
Shoes – Payless (of course)
Purse – Target (threw away the next day)
Necklace – New York & Company

Day 2 – April 2, 2011

In the am (I will post race outfit pictures only, not all workout outfits)…

Top – Chicago Marathon
Capris – Kohl’s
Shoes – Asics Gel Cumulus 12s

… and in the pm, at the wedding!

Dress – The Limited
Shoes – Payless
Earrings you can’t see – The Limited

I bought one pair of these earrings for me and one pair for my sister to wear to the wedding:

Day 3 – April 3, 2011

A casual day, for sure! We spent it hanging with the new bride and groom.

Top – Asics “Run Your Own Life” top (it’s so comfy and soft, love it!).
Jeans – Target
Shoes – Asics Gel Cumulus 12s
Necklace – “Sisters” necklace from Red Envelope

Day 4 – April 4, 2011

I ran in the am, and totally bummed around the rest of the day. This is what I look like when I am a bum! P.S. I didn’t pay for any of this outfit!

Top – Essential Fitness shirt (given to me by trainer)
Bermudas (?) – Walmart? (from my sister)

Day 5 – April 5, 2011

Ugh, work. Here we go. This is where I need help!

Top – Target (just scored two days earlier for $10!)
Jacket Thingy – Kohl’s
Pants – Kohl’s
Shoes – Asics Gel Cumulus 12
Earrings – New York & Company

Day 6 – April 6, 2011

Ugh. Notice how tired I look in the am? (These pictures are taken before 5:00 am!)

This top is too tight! I need to lose some more weight if I want to keep wearing it.

Top – Kohl’s
Pants – The Limited
Shoes – Asics Gel Cumulus 12
Earrings – from my mamba

Day 7 – April 7, 2011

I was hoping the lighting would be better at work, but… nope. I might have to take these photos at the end of the day when I have natural light.

Top – JCPenney
Pants – ? Not knowing when or where I bought them is probably a sign I need to get rid of them. They look awful. And kind of baggy.
Shoes – Asics Gel Cumulus 12
Earrings you can’t see – from New York & Company

I feel kind of weird posting a bunch of pictures of my outfits, but please know that I do not at all think I look “cute” or “put-together.” The only outfit I like of this bunch is the purple dress. And the race outfit. Ha ha.

Alright, does anyone else wear sneakers at work like me?

I change in to “nice” shoes when I go to meetings. My feet feel better if I wear sneakers most of the time!

Comments (28)

By kilax, April 6, 2011 6:04 am

If I didn’t know better, I would think Data wants to learn how to apply makeup (I am not sure I should be the one to teach him though!)!

Actually, Data just wants to be fed. He is so cuddly in the morning.

I think I need someone to teach ME how to apply makeup. Or what makeup to wear. Every morning, I put on four things:

Eyeshadow, eyebrow gel, mascara and eyeliner (not in that order). It’s the same four things everyday (well, everyday I wear makeup! Ha!). Ho Hum.

I actually seem to have nicer makeup at work (photo below) – what’s up with that? I need to buy some of that Clinique mascara and eye stuff for home. Actually, I would like to have ALL Clinique products. They don’t test on animals and I like their products.

If you wear makeup, do you wear the same thing everyday or do you switch it up? Do you have a favorite brand? Do you even wear makeup everyday?

I don’t think this post will help me win any male readers!

Comments (39)

By kilax, March 24, 2011 6:07 am

Erin took me shopping at The Limited on Tuesday and I now have pants that fit! No belt required!

I actually got a few other things too, like this sweater:

I actually bought it to match this cute top,

but I felt bloated today so I wore the white top instead. Erin actually suggested the whole ensemble! Well, minus the lack of shoes and messy hair. There is still work to do here. No one can fix that.

I have to thank Erin for waiting while I tried on approximately one zillion pairs of pants and two zillion dresses. And a few tops. I did come home with two dresses! My younger brother is getting married on April 2nd and I thought it would be fun to buy something new for the wedding!

So far, everyone thinks I should go with the purple dress. What do you think?

I am happy I have some pants that fit now. I felt so sloppy before. I was hesitant to spend the money on pants, because I hope to be needing new ones again in a few months, but it’s worth the money to feel comfortable in the meantime.

I also think I was a little scared to shop at The Limited. I had never been in there before and was worried they wouldn’t have clothes to fit a bigger girl like me. But they did! And the salespeople were really nice!

Have you ever felt too intimidated to shop in a certain store? For what reason?

I remember one time Steven and I were on Michigan Avenue and decided to stop in the Armani Exchange (was that the store, Steven?) or something similar and we basically walked in… and walked out! We didn’t belong in there!

Time to announce the two winners of the Sony W-Series Walkman MP3 players!

Number 29 and 52! That would be Chad and Kristi! Congrats! Please email me (kimilax@yahoo.com) your mailing addresses and I will send the MP3 player your way.

As a reminder, you can buy the Sony W-Series Walkman MP3 player here for only $48.99! That is a special discount for ilaxSTUDIO readers!

I have really been loving mine. It’s so nice not to have cords in the way of my run, or have to worry about carrying an MP3 player on my arm or in my pocket. And the sound quality is AWESOME.

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway!

Comments (40)

By kilax, March 10, 2011 5:27 am

I think I need new work pants. Mine literally fall off if I don’t wear a belt.

But I don’t want to shop for pants. Even though I know I like the pants at Banana Republic (I even have a gift card to there!) and Erin has recommended the pants at The Limited… I just don’t feel up to pants shopping. It’s not as fun as shopping for workout clothes or cute tops. It’s hard work. It can be upsetting. No matter how much you tell yourself to just buy the pants that fit, you secretly hope you will fit in to a certain size (even though you know the sizes change from store to store!). And the dressing room mirrors… yikes, they can be harsh!

Ugh, sometimes I feel like I am barely female*. I can’t seem to figure out how to dress nice (I mean, look at that picture!), do my hair, or make an effort to be put together. I’m barely in to fashion, wear the same things for days in a row, and hate to shop. As soon as I get home at night I change in to sweatpants! And I wear sneakers to work! And avoid buying pants that fit!

Why do I always dress for comfort?

And why am I am comfortable this way?  Why doesn’t it bother me that I am not more feminine?

You know, at my review for my first job, my boss took me aside and told me I needed to dress nicer. I did look like a slob. I wore slacks and a untucked button-down every day. And I was quite overweight. I didn’t take care of myself.

I feel like I have improved a lot, but could still make a lot of changes.

But at the same time, I am kind of  fine with me the way I am. Right now anyway.

Do you like to shop for clothes? Do you feel “put together”?

P.S. What do you think of the new “Yoga with your Pets”** concept?

*Not for anatomical reasons, mind you.
**I made that up.

Comments (29)

By kilax, February 15, 2011 5:09 am

Whoa, look at the forecast:

It looks like we are getting a premature taste of spring. Yippee ki-yay! I don’t care if it rains. I don’t care if it’s only like this for a week. I’ll take it.

Are you getting a taste of spring where you live?

Does the warmer weather inspire you to wear more “spring-like” clothing?

I bought this top at Kohl’s awhile ago, but didn’t want to wear it until it was more “spring-y” outside.

Yay flowers!

Okay, and I have to confess – I wore this top to the Auto Show on Sunday and to work on Monday. Muah ha ha. Ha…?

The winner of the Yoga Mat Bag is Heidi! Heidi, please email me your mailing address and I will send it your way.

(Side note: Heidi is another Chicagoland blogger that I just found – check out her blog!)

Thanks to everyone who entered! I was thinking no one would want a yoga mat bag. I was dead wrong!

Comments (28)

By kilax, December 13, 2010 6:17 am

I have one wool sweater, and I only wear when it gets really cold – otherwise, I feel WAY too hot.*

Today it’s kind of cold. High of 15°F, negative wind chills, blah blah blah.

When I get dressed for work, I think about two things:

1. Will I be comfortable? and
2. Do I have any meetings today? (implies I might wear something “nicer”)

Today, comfortable means “are the clothes warm enough for the 10 minute walk from Union Station to the office?” I wore this sweater and turtleneck, warm pants, knee-high ski socks, utility boots, my Columbia jacket with a hood, and of course, a hat, gloves and scarves. I skipped the running tights – sometimes when it gets really cold, I wear them under my pants. So I was warm enough, except for my thighs.

What do you wear when it gets really cold and you have to go walk outside? Do you have certain things you only wear “when it’s ‘cold'”? How cold does it get where you live?

I’ve actually walked to work before in below 0 temps accompanied by well below 0 windchills. I don’t mind the cold, as long as it’s not a suprise. I check the forecast the night before and plan what I am going to wear that way. I am shocked** to see people outside without hats and gloves!

Aww, Data is so cuddly in the morning when he wants to be fed. Muah ha ha.

*I was too hot in it getting ready for work this morning – our bathroom lights are really bright (that is not our bathroom in the pictures above – that’s the guest bathroom). But I don’t have to worry about getting too hot in the office, because it’s always cold.
**And I am equally shocked by the people who constantly*** complain about the cold – it’s the midwest! You know it’s going to get like this! Duh?
***I don’t mean the occasional, “WOW! IT’S COLD!” I mean the constant, “It’s so cold outside, wah wah wah, I am a little baby who loves to complain all the time…”****
****Don’t worry, I am not referring to anyone who reads this blog with that statement! I am referring to someone who always complains to me in person about how cold it is, and not in a fun, “Wow, it’s cold” (as mentioned above) way.

Comments (23)

By kilax, December 11, 2010 9:38 am

I decided to get a new running jacket a few weeks ago (most of mine are cotton and they were getting too sweaty and damp) and ended up with one with thumb holes. Thumb holes weren’t a deciding factor in buying the jacket, but I really like having them!

Usually, on cold days, I tuck my Under Armour top in to my gloves to keep my wrists warm:

The thumb holes add an entire extra layer of protection:

It’s nice, especially since I am running in this now:

And sometimes it’s kind of cold.

I might keep an eye out for tops with thumb holes. I like that you can use them when it’s really cold (15° during Tuesday’s run) or choose not to use them, when it’s warm.

Do you have any tops with thumb holes? Do you like them?

I wonder if sometimes the thumb holes are in the wrong spot – for people with really long arms? Maybe?