We managed to catch my favorite secondhand store yesterday before they closed, and while my husband took the boy to look for dress pants, my daughter dragged me into the ladies' blouses to see if we could find anything "holiday" and "not knit."

I found two tops... and then ran over to the skirts to see if I could find anything that looked good with them. Here's what I found... all for just under $20! (paired with my existing jewelry & handbag, to try & get a more complete picture.)

New Tops & Skirts

The tops fit PERFECTLY and are seamed such that I can tailor them myself, if I manage to lose an extra inch before wearing them. The skirts are literally floor-length when barefoot, and just above that with my thicker-soled flats... and again, these can both be cut down MANY times so they'll be with me for some time. I'm going to see if I can find a nice black & "diamond" hairstick, and some nice black tights... but what about shoes? I know black would be safe, but am I missing something more fun?

Could I pair the silver/black outfit with THESE shoes that I've been wanting for months anyway? And if I did... would that rule out tights? I know you're not supposed to wear hose with open toes, but what about a thick tight?

Congrats on your new finds! I like 'em, and I'm glad that you have the tailoring skills to make them last.

I like the red shoes a lot, too. I think they would go very well with the black/silver outfit, and I think that thick tights would look just fine. You could even copy the J.Crew peep-toe/ankle-sock look.

Outfits have been updated with new shoes HERE.

I went to place the order for those shoes from Target, only to find they were sold out of all sizes but a 10... I could NEVER wear a shoe that big, so it was back to the drawing-board on finding a red shoe I liked. I ended up deciding on THESE pretties that should be arriving tomorrow. I also managed to find a pair of silver (but not TOO shiny) flats secondhand, that looked like they'd work well with my red top. Whaddya think? And - what's wrong with the jewelry? I know that a nice bold gold necklace would work nicely here, but with my metal allergies that's absolutely not an option. Is there something better I COULD do? Because these necklaces seem to be too... small? dainty? I dunno, but it seems to be a proportion issue with the more complex necklines.