So, for whatever reason, last week I decided to do a monochrome theme with every outfit, and this was another attempt – hence the jade/teal overload. On the plus side, plenty of people at work seem to think this is “my colour” so I’m happy to call this one a success. I only cheated a little, too, by letting a print sneak into the mix. A week without florals is a lot to commit to, you guys. Lesson learned.

As an unrelated side note: I’ve been thinking about getting a book club feature started here on the blog. It would work … exactly the way you’d imagine. Every month, a book would be selected (I can get the ball rolling, and then we can figure out where to go from there in subsequent months), then I would put up the corresponding post at the end of the month (last Friday, say?) with my thoughts on it, then open it up to discussion in the comments. So, if anyone is looking for some fun new reads, and a place to talk about them, drop me a line in the comments. (And ditto if you have other ideas for similar recurring and/or interactive posts.)

Sorry, Cassie, for stealing your line. It was too good to pass up. Here’s another one of my recent J. Crew pencil skirt buys. Actually, come to think of it, the whole outfit (minus the bag) is J. Crew. Predictable, c’est moi. I really wanted to wear head-to-toe mauve, but I realized that my burgundy cardigan is … burgundy and not even remotely mauve, so I went with black. Snooze-worthy but dependable black – oh how I love thee, let me count the ways.

Last week was rough; between a tough project at work, trying to find time to write, and some personal issues, I was just about done. By Friday, I had more or less decided to hit “pause” on the blog, just to get some breathing room. Having to work on Saturday didn’t help matters. Sunday turned out to be a great day, however – not least because I got my first (5 star!) book review on Amazon US. I was so freaking excited! I have a feeling I have one of you guys to thank for that, so – thank you! You have no idea how much it means. More to the point here, it made me realize that, as much as writing this blog can sometimes be a source of stress, it has also brought me so many opportunities to connect with some really cool people. So, here I am.

Ahem. So, the outfit. I called this “Hitchcock at the office”, because the vibe of the sweater (and skirt) reminded me of something Tippi Hedren might have worn.

The sweater is by Judith & Charles, which is a brand I knew nothing about until I started seeing it at Holt’s (last year?). I think it’s Canadian, but I’m not sure. In any case, I was pretty happy to find this sweater for $20 – I love the boatneck style, and it’s an uber-soft cashmere blend. I’m also, dare I say it, becoming a fan of this oatmeal colour. My friend J., who hates beige, will not approve, I’m sure. But we can still be friends, right?