June 1st, Reader’s Request: What to Wear in Disneyworld

Welcome to a second week of Reader’s Request! This week’s question has come from more than one reader- and I’ll admit it’s a tough one. It almost stumped me!

The question is: what to wear in Disneyworld?

This is a great question because while you want to look cute, you must also keep in mind that you will be on your feet all day!

No matter how comfortable you want to be, please- whatever you do- don’t wear the outfit on the right!

This oversize t shirt is so unflattering, and the cropped yoga pants make my legs look really short! Don’t even get me started on the tennis shoes!

However, you do want to wear something that is very comfortable.

That being said- my suggestion is a short, loose, cotton dress. The fabric must be breathable (hence the cotton), and the length should be at the knee. I wouldn’t suggest a maxi dress because climbing in and out of rides could get tricky with a long dress. I like black because it won’t show dirt as easily- and the loose fit will allow me to eat all day long and not worry about a food baby!

Remove the scarf as soon as you warm up.

I love a dress because it can transition from day to night easily- (especially if you are going to Disneyland- it gets cold in CA at night!).  A dress is so easy to layer- throw a scarf, a cardigan and a pair of leggings in your backpack- and when the sun goes down you can easily add whatever you need.

By far, the most important part of your outfit is your shoes. You will be on your feet for probably 12 hours, so more than anything you need your feet to be extremely comfortable.

Let me just share with you my new FAVORITE shoe! It’s a Dansko sandal and I am seriously in LOVE with this shoe!

I wore it last week when I flew to California- I put them on at 4:30 am and wore them until 9:00 pm and my feet did not hurt at all. I swear!

This is coming from someone who usually has horrible lower back pain, serious fatigue and aching feet and I honestly felt amazing. I never knew a shoe could make such a difference.

Please take my advice and go buy yourself some. Wear them around the house a few days before you go- don’t ever wear brand new shoes to Disney (I’ve made this mistake and had to wear my clunky tennis shoes on the second day- and you know how I feel about that!).

There you have it- please feel free to comment and let us know what you would wear to Disney!

Use your scarf as a blanket when the sun goes down!

Throw on a cardigan if you get chilly.

It’s Fashion Friday– so be sure to click over to see more inspiration!

May 25th, You Again?

 When I first started this blog I was so concerned with wearing something different every day. My goal was to not repeat any outfits for as long as I could… (I know, crazy, right?!)

However, in reality- that’s not very realistic. Most of us only have a limited number of items in our closets, so of course we repeat outfits!

The key is, to try make each outfit look original and different. This is done by choosing accessories and layering.

For example, the dress I’m wearing today I’ve worn several times- as seen here and here and here.

Today I’ve paired it with a bright orange cardigan, a colorful belt and off white wedges.

When I originally saw this dress I didn’t like the way it fit at all- it’s too loose and unstructured. But- it was on clearance, and you know I love my stripes- so I decided to see if I could find a way to make it work. By simply adding a belt- I have given this dress the shape it needs. This may seem really obvious, but until recently I would have never added a belt if there weren’t any belt loops! Don’t let a simple thing like that stop you from creating the look you desire!

For more cute fashion ideas, check out Fashion Friday!

I love the way this colorful belt ties in the blue and orange!

Dress: Land’s End Canvas, Cardigan: Gap, Belt: Target, Shoes: Nordstrom

May 18th, I Hate This Dress

 Today’s post is a bit different, because truth be told- I hate this dress!

I bought it when shopping with my mom, and lesson learned! She’ll tell me I look cute in anything, when in reality this dress is so unflattering.

I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating. When in doubt about something, take a picture of yourself wearing it. For some strange reason, the camera seems to be more honest than the mirror!

The major problem with this dress is the high waist and the diagonal stripes. Now you all know how much I love my stripes- but in this case- they are working against me. They make me look really large through the hip and tummy area. The denim jacket is emphasizing that- by drawing your eye right to my middle. ARGH! The flat ankle strap sandals are also shortening the length of my legs- not to mention very matronly!

To salvage this look (because I already cut the tags off the dress), I’m wearing it paired with a blue trench coat and heels. The trench coat helps break up the stripes, defines the waist and the light blue adds a nice soft contrasting color to the yellow.

It still isn’t my favorite look- but I decided to show it to you all so that you can see how something as simple as a diagonal stripe can be so unflattering.

It’s Fashion Friday, so be sure to click here for some cuter looks! Enjoy your weekend.

The high heel sandal makes my legs look a lot longer (although my feet will probably ache at the end of the day).

May 4th, Oh So Plain

 Today’s look is another extremely simple, yet stylish (in my opinion) outfit.

I’ve simply paired skinny jeans with a plain white shirt. Nothing to it.

Well, there’s something to it.

I’ve said this before- but please don’t wear golf shirts- or polo style shirts- (unless of course you are golfing). They really aren’t stylish or fashionable at all.

On the left is a much better version. I’ve got on this cute white button down shirt layered over a white tank and then added this cute necklace. It’s a super casual, super easy look that comes down to small details.

This shirt’s details are in the side panels, the breast pockets and the 3/4 sleeves.

A cool pair of sandals finish the look.

It’s Fashion Friday, so I’m linking up with Melissa over at Girlymama! Have a great weekend!

*I realize this outfit is very similar to Wednesday’s outfit. I seem to be lacking creativity this week. I apologize!

This shirt is made of very soft cotton and has stretchy panels in the sides- making it super comfy!

Here is another option- a crisp white shirt.

Shirt: James Perse, Jeans: Madewell, Shoes: Target, Crisp White Shirt: Brook’s Brothers

April 20th, Girl’s Night Out

I’m playing tennis today, so instead of showing my tennis skirt, I decided to show you what I wore the other night for a Girl’s Night Out!

I decided to pair my white toothpick jeans with a bright pink top.

However, the look on the right is not what I had in mind.

While I love the cute shoes and the pants- the pink collared shirt is more appropriate for a round of golf than a round of drinks!

Honestly, it’s very hard to make this type of shirt look stylish.

On the left I have replaced the golf shirt with this cute salmon colored top. This shirt is so much cuter than the one on the right- not only is the color fabulous- but it has great details. The 3/4 sleeves, the asymmetrical hemline, the v neck- all make for an interesting shirt.

To complete my ‘rule of 3’ I’ve threw on a turquoise necklace and a stack of bracelets.  For shoes I chose these cute snakeskin wedges that I bought at Marshalls last summer.

This outfit definitely says 'spring!'- even if it's only 45 degrees out! And, yes- my feet were a little cold. Oh well...

One thing I want to mention is that when my sister was here she had a gorgeous top in almost the same color- but her’s was Diane Von Furstenberg and was probably around $200! Yikes!

I’m too cheap (and poor) to spend that kind of cash on one top- so this shirt is a great alternative. It is from Point Of View section in Nordstrom and cost around $60.

Below is Kara’s pricey top! Can you tell the difference?

Kara's top is made of silk- so a much nicer fabric, but otherwise, it's pretty similar to mine.

Thanks so much to everyone who commented on my ‘ugly’ blouse from yesterday. I loved hearing everyone’s feedback- you all had some great suggestions!

That being said- I just didn’t feel very cute in the top- so it will go in the donation pile. My theory is I should feel great everyday- and this top didn’t make me feel great! Oh well… I tried. This is definitely a learning process for me too!

It’s Fashion Friday– so be sure to check out all these other great sites!

April 13th, Cheap Thrill

Let me tell you a little story about a mom who wandered into a consignment shop and found a cheap thrill!

My son was getting his hair cut the other day- and lo and behold right next door was a consignment shop, so of course I had to go in and explore.

Let me tell you- it was SO MUCH FUN!

I’ve always been a fan of bargains- and love finding something on sale, but I never imagined the thrill I would get in a re-sale shop!

Who knew?

Yes, it smelled a little funny in there.

Yes, there were a lot of awful clothes.

Yes, I felt a little weird looking at other people’s discards.

But- there were also some great finds and great prices- including this fun little vest I’m wearing today.

Now, here’s the weird part.

Just the other day I was at an intersection and saw a cute gal walking by. She had on workout pants, a t shirt and the coolest vest.

I wondered where she got it- I thought it was so unique and so interesting.

I walked into the consignment shop and the first thing I find- I swear- is this vest.

It is almost the exact same vest as the one I saw!  It was fate!

And it was only $12!!

I brought it home, washed it in hot water (twice) and now here it is, complimenting a white V neck shirt and paired with red jeans. It adds so much interest to what otherwise would have been a boring outfit (as seen on the right).

The morale of the story is- if you are wanting to re-fresh your wardrobe, and don’t want to spend a fortune- consider checking out your local consignment store. You may be surprised by what you find.

A piece of advice, go with an idea in mind of what you are looking for- and it’s ok to leave empty handed. The thrill is in the hunt!

And for a good laugh, check out this post on jeans I found at the Goodwill! It shows some really bad Mom jeans!

This vest was meant to be mine!

These pockets are perfectly placed!

Don’t forget to check out Fashion Friday over at Girlymama!

I’m being profiled on Mommypage.com today- so if you want to see my face, here is your chance! LOL! Click here!

March 9th, Khaki and Black

This outfit is so simple that I almost feel silly showing it!

I’m telling you right now, if you are looking for cutting edge fashion you’ve come to the wrong place. If you want simple mom outfits- welcome to my blog!

That being said, I really love this look- just khaki and black! It’s classic, easy and cute!

I bought this skirt a long time ago- and have worn it several times- I love that it’s been a such a versatile piece for me.

On the  right I’ve paired it with a black turtleneck. There isn’t anything wrong with this look- but it might be a little too covered up.  It’s too safe (and wintery).

On the left I have replaced the turtleneck for a v neck sweater. By showing a little more skin, it looks better. To complete the look, I’ve added a long pendant necklace. This is a good trick to draw the eye up and down (making me look thinner!).

Happy Friday! Have a great weekend!

ps. where are you spring? I’m ready and waiting…

pss. thanks for all the votes for Top Mommy Blogs! You all are awesome!

psss. it’s Fashion Friday, so of course I’ve linked up with my pals at Girlymama… check them out!

Simple, yet stylish!

Sweater: Ann Taylor, Skirt: Anthropologie, Boots: Nordstrom, Necklace: Lia Sophia

Feb 3rd, Black and Tan

With the high neckline and plain pants, this outfit is boring!

I am wearing such a simple outfit today (khaki and black) that I almost didn’t post it- but I wanted to show that black and tan doesn’t have to be boring, especially when paired with a gorgeous necklace. This pendant, with it’s vibrant green color, draws the eye immediately to it.

It is from one of my absolute favorite jewelry lines, Stella and Dot*, which my friend Carrie happens to represent.

Every girl needs a statement necklace- and I think this is a perfect addition to this otherwise plain outfit.

Paired with my cargos and a black tank and a black cardigan, it makes for a stylish, yet very easy outfit.

I never would have worn black on black, but I think this works.

Love this bold statement piece!

*Stella & Dot is found only through Trunk Shows or Carrie’s personal website.  Book a Trunk Show with Carrie and  receive $50 in additional Hostess Rewards!

Pants: Louis Permilia, Top: Nordstrom, Tank: Gap, Boots: DSW, Necklace: Stella and Dot

I am not being compensated for this post.

Jan 27th, Baby It’s Cold Outside!

This crazy Pacific Northwest weather!  After what felt like spring yesterday there is frost on the ground today. It’s cold out there!

Today I’m wearing jeans again- and this time I’m showing looser fitting jeans- since not everyone wants to wear skinnys!

These are my Paige Premium denim and they fit so well. They are a dark blue wash, the waistband is high (no whale tail peeking out the back) and I like the boot cut.

On the right I’m showing just jeans and the turtleneck. Nothing wrong with this look- add a necklace and it could be really cute. However, because it is so darn cold- I decided to add a vest and a scarf.

I like the multiple layers and the contrasting patterns (quilted vest, cable knit sweater and the floral scarf). On my feet I’m wearing my wedge black shoes again! I knew I’d love these babies!

My linkup today is with Girlymama for Fashion Friday! Have fun!

This scarf is huge (it honestly looks like a blanket) which is why it's so voluminous. Don't wear a wimpy scarf! These jeans look black (bad lighting in my bathroom), but they are blue.

Jeans: Nordstrom, Turtleneck: J Crew, Scarf: Lucky, Vest: Nordstrom, Shoes: DSW

Jan 20th, On the Fence

Hello Friends! After an entire day of no electricity, I’m so happy to have the power back on and access to my computer! Yeah! Thank you Puget Sound Energy!

Since it’s yet another cold and snowy day, my outfit today will need to be warm, comfy and casual! Big surprise there, huh?

I’ve opted for my gray skinny cords and this cute striped turtleneck from J Crew.

I think it looks great alone, but to add just a little something different, I’ve thrown on this utility vest. Not 100% sure that I love this outfit- the color combo is something I’ve never worn before.

Please let me know what you think. You won’t hurt my feelings, I promise!

One more thing… You know I love these link up parties, so today I’m linking up with Girlymama and All Things Chic for Fashion Friday today. Be sure to click here to check out other great ideas! I also am participating in My Greatest Hits ABC’s of Fashion.

What do you think of this combo? Does it work? I honestly am not sure!

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Pants: Banana Republic, Turtleneck: J Crew, Vest: Old Navy, Shoes: Kohl’s