Professional Fairy Attire: Polished Metal.

I felt like being monochromatic and relatively casual on this day. This top (cap sleeve tee) is from The Limited, and I have it in several colors. Basic tops are so important, and I build all kinds of outfits around these with jackets, cardigans, and necklaces. They're soft knit, and the banding around the neck makes them look a bit nicer than most tees. I got these cute little crops at The Limited a couple of years ago. I was teaching and slowly building my wardrobe, and these seemed like a good way to bear the Carolina heat while looking professional. Heels dress them up.

And these heels are perfect! I saw them on Zappos but bought them super cheap(ly?) on Amazon. They're Madden Girl, Steve Madden's younger and less expensive line. I'd been searching almost two and a half years for gray heels. They're surprisingly rare, especially in round toe and low heel. The bows make them interesting. These are probably the most comfortable heels I own. I wish I had them in the black and burgundy versions too!

My mom put this necklace in my Christmas stocking. Stocking stuffers don't get much better. Most of my favorite necklaces are from Loft's crazy sales. I love the thin silver chain on this one. Instead of having several chains that tangle, this one has layered segments. It can still tangle but not as much, and I don't get so confused about how to layer the strands. The little shimmery gray bows, pearls, and silver flower charms are darling. The one pale blue porcelain rose is my favorite charm.

Josh and I recently put our vision insurance to good use and got new glasses. We'd had ours for four years (frames and lenses!). I got my squarish, tortoise shell-ish ones in a rush, reluctant to admit that I needed glasses at all. My recent headaches, however, reminded me that I do need them, and that I need to wear them most of the time instead of just at work and while I'm driving. So I wanted some fun glasses. I knew I wanted an interesting color, wide temples, and some embellishment. These were perfect, and the woman who helped me was delighted that I was "brave enough" to try them. I love the shiny black, the slightly rounded shape and wink to the cat-eye style, and the silver and rhinestone squares on each side. I barely take my glasses off now, and I feel prettier. They seem like me. My mom complimented them a few times (I'm not sure if any praise is more exciting to me than my mother's, especially regarding anything beauty or fashion-related since she is, well, lovely and stylin') and even wanted to try them on. They're like jewelry I wear every day, and they have other benefits such as giving everything sharp edges and making the world seem more three-dimensional.

Eyeglasses: Catherine Deneuve

Top: The Limited
Crops: The Limited

Heels: Madden Girl

Necklace: Ann Taylor Loft