April 25th, Ain’t no Sunshine (Award)

 Yesterday I was nominated for a Sunshine Award- which was so sweet! Thank you Laura from Who Planned This. 

Since it’s another grey, rainy day in Seattle, it’s nice to have a little sunshine coming from somewhere!

I’m wearing jeans, a tank and a blazer today.

On the right you can see the original look-a bright blue zip up fleece.

I wanted to show that by changing 1 tiny thing- in this case replacing the fleece with a blazer- and the whole look changes.

A blazer with cropped jeans just looks so much more polished and put together. Don’t you think?

I’m linking up with Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesday- be sure to click here to see other great ideas!

Adding the chain necklace gives a little 'edge' to the look.

I opted for flats to keep it real. I'm running errands today- and want to be comfy!

Jeans: Old Navy, Tank: Express, Blazer: White House, Black Market, Shoes: Cole Haan

Sunshine Award rules:

• Include the award’s logo in a post on your blog.
• Answer 1o questions about yourself.
• Nominate 10 other bloggers.
• Link your nominees to the post and comment on their blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.
• Share the love and link the person who nominated you.

Answers to the 10 questions about myself:

1. My favorite color: Pink… or blue. One of each!
2. My favorite animal: My puppy, Sadie (Havanese)
3. My favorite number: 10, I guess. Never really thought about a favorite #, but this is my son’s # for basketball.
4. My favorite drink: Chardonnay
5. Facebook or Twitter: Both! Come see me on Facebook or on Twitter.
6. My passion: Husband, kids, reading, exercising, yoga, friends
7. Prefer giving or getting presents: both!
8. My favorite pattern: This is an easy one- stripes, of course!
9. My favorite day of the week: Saturday
10. My favorite flower:  Tulips

I now get to share 10 of my favorite sites for a Sunshine Award!

Here goes:

1. Accessory Challenge– online inexpensive jewelry auction. Love this!

2. A Happy Habitat– cool style ideas for the home!

3. Memoirs of an Evil Stepmom– this gal makes me laugh each week!

4. Pixiwoo– makeup tips/ videos. Love these sisters!

5. Cozi– online organziation/ calendar for moms

6. Living in Yellow– another really funny gal!

7. Hostess with the Mostess– great party planning ideas!

8. Seattle Boutique Blogspot- love this site for finding all the cool places to shop in Seattle

9. Gracefully 50– this is one HOT momma! She radiates elegance and class!

10. Passive Aggressive Notes– again, a great place to sit for 5 minutes and just laugh!

April 19th, Ugly Blouse Contest

This is one of those blouses that I can’t decide if I like it, or if it’s ugly!

I bought it at Marshalls last fall- trying to expand my wardrobe with some color and pattern.

On the right- loose and untucked with these work trousers- it’s definitely not working!

On the left, tucked in and paired with the skinny pants and these cute ballet flats it sort of works, right?

Maybe not…

Please comment and let me know if this blouse deserves to be worn- or is it the winner of an Ugly Blouse contest?!

Going for the 'skinny girl' crossed leg pose again! Why not?!

Outfit update- it’s a lot colder outside than I realized- so I have now switched my pants to my black long skinny pants- added black boots and a long black cardigan. One person just commented that this blouse looks like it’s poor quality- and she’s totally correct- which is why the stripes don’t line up- and also probably why I don’t like it. It feels cheap!

This looks a little wintery, but at least I'm warm now!
Please keep the comments coming- this is interesting to hear everyone's opinion!

 

 

April 5th, Missing Something?

I’ve worn this asymmetrical sweatshirt top with skinny jeans, but today I’ve paired it with my skinny cargos.

While I really love this top- it’s warm, comfy and interesting with the cool hemline… something is definitely missing!

I think I need a necklace! Something to tie the look together!

At least it’s better than my original look on the right.

These are my old cargos- and they are just too baggy and shapeless (sort of like my khakis from yesterday).

I have to say, this outfit is cuter in person… I swear!

I really love these pants- they are so comfy and a great alternative to jeans!

Outfit update! Great minds think alike- my sister saw my posting for today and emailed me a pic of herself- totally by coincidence she is wearing basically the same outfit as me today! LOL! I actually like hers with the red jeans better! So cute!

Here is Erin wearing the same top and red skinnys. Strangely, she opted to skip a necklace as well- although I still think I need one!

Pants: Michael Kors, Top: Nordstrom, Shoes: Cole Haan

March 25th, So Simple

One thing I’ve learned in this ‘fashion journey’ is how a very simple outfit can either look stylish or not- depending on small details.

A good example of that is today’s outfit.  I’ve paired blue jeans with a white t shirt and a black cardigan.

But- as you can see on the right, this outfit is awful.

The loose, baggy jeans are too long (see how they puddle around my ankles). The white t shirt has a neckline that is too high- and the cardigan looks awkward (the neckline is so much lower than the t shirt). And to be honest, the outfit is just a little too boring.

On the left I have replaced the baggy jeans with these cute slim and cropped ones (Old Navy, Diva style)

I’ve switched out the cardigan for this longer, short sleeve one and then added a scarf to add interest and color to the outfit. Now my outfit has a focal point.

For my shoes, instead of the ugly black Sketchers (on the right), I’ve got on cute black ballet flats.

Simple little changes that make a big difference! Enjoy your weekend. The sun in shining in Seattle today! Thank you Mother Nature!

I love this faux Burberry scarf!

Don’t forget to check out my Facebook page, and also to vote for Top Mommy Blogs. Thank you!

Jeans: Old Navy, Cardigan: Standard Style Boutique (Kansas City), Flats:Nordstrom, Scarf: gift from hubby!

Feb 27th, Red Jeans Again

I talked a bit the other day about my shopping/ wish list for spring.

One of my items was colored jeans. I resisted this trend for a while, worried that I was too old for it- but when I saw a cute pair (that actually fit me… more on that in a minute) at Marshalls I had to snap them up.

I have a real problem getting jeans to fit me- my hips are larger than my waist, and my butt is large- so I end up with a huge gap at the waist. I hate that!

These jeans actually work for my figure, and I like that the red is somewhat muted- although in these pictures they look really strange, it’s just bad lighting- I swear! To see their true color, click here.

In order to keep the outfit sophisticated and age appropriate, I’ve decided to stick to a neutral black top. On the right you can see that this plain black t shirt is not quite right. The high neckline is unflattering, and the plain style of the shirt adds nothing to the look.  The ugly black shoes aren’t helping at all. The whole look is too plain and simply boring.

On the left I’ve replaced the bad t shirt with this cool wrap shirt that I bought years ago on a girls trip with my sister to LA. As much as I love it, I rarely wear this shirt, partly because I never knew what to pair it with. I think it’s perfect with the red jeans.

I like the draping of the material, love the asymmetrical hemline and love how it covers my bum! To add a little rocker glam to my look I’ve added this cool chain style necklace. I’ve also replaced the ugly shoes with these patent black ballet flats- my black wedge heels would work as well (for the office).

Thanks to the advice of Musing of a Housewife– I now feel confident and stylish in my new red pants!

Also- it’s Monday, so time for Monday Mingle! This week it’s hosted by BonBon Rose Girls! Be sure to check them out for some other cute styles!

Play it safe and pair your red jeans with a neutral top.