Oct 10th, Dress Pants!

I have a business meeting this morning- and the old me would have worn a plain top with dress pants (on the right). Looking at the picture- you can tell these pants aren’t doing anything for my figure.

First off, they are way too long. Look at the way they puddle around my ankles.

Next is the cut- look at the way they skim my hips, then get narrow towards the knee then flare out around the calves. It makes me look like I have saddlebags!

Worst of all- look at those weird crease marks in the crotch area- that is not where I want to draw people’s eyes!

Let’s not even talk about my boring round toed black boots…

On the left is my re-do.

Here I decided to try a different purple top with my green cargos- the slimmer skinny cut makes my legs look much leaner- and this style pants are much more fashionable.

I used to feel like cargo pants weren’t appropriate for the work place- and depending on where you live, and where you work- they may not be!  Luckily in the Pacific Northwest, almost anything goes- so I am going for it.

To keep the look polished and professional, I replaced the boring black boots with these cute pointy toed snake skin heels.

Many fashion forward gals will tell you that you MUST own a pair of neutral heels- and many chose those in flesh tones-which are really pretty.  Personally, I love the snakeskin. These shoes act as a neutral and look great with any outfit. The best part is- they are actually comfy! I swear! They are Anne Klein Flex- and they are meant for working women- so there is a little extra something in there for comfort.

Pants: Michael Kors, Sweater: Nordstrom, (similar) Shoes: DSW (similar) Necklace: Stella and Dot

Sept. 28th, Skinny Cargos

If you’re a regular reader- you may remember that I was on the hunt for a pair of skinny cargo pants last year.

Thanks to the excellent shopping eye of my little sis (love ya Kara), I found these at Michael Kors.

Even though they are skinny, they are very stretchy and comfy (as they should be)!

Today I have paired them with what I consider to be a bit unexpected- a bright blue silk shirt.(similar)

I used to only wear my cargos with neutral colors (think black and white), but I have been trying to branch out a bit and treat the cargos as the neutral and add color on top.

I have to confess, originally I wore this shirt untucked with my black stretch pants. I was incredibly comfortable- but after seeing my photos realized it looked like I may have a bun in the oven or I forgot my pants! Yikes!

I quickly changed into the cargos- and love the way it looks! Just look at how much longer my legs look! Amazing! And, I like the contrast of the rugged pants paired with a silk shirt!

I was going for the ‘half tuck’ where the front is tucked in to reveal my belt, but the back is left out to cover my butt. It looks a little strange- I know! I can’t seem to get this quite right. Argh!

I’ve linked up with Girlymama for Fashion Friday. Go check out the adorable Sorel boots she is showing… I’m jealous!

Side view of the half tuck!

Yes, these are my orthopedic Dansko sandals… my feet were sore today and these are so amazing!

June 12th, Better Late than Never

 So sorry for the late post today! It’s been one of those days where I have been on the run since 8:00 am.

Today I’m wearing my skinny cargos and a blue tank with a striped short sleeve vest over the top.

At first I tried it with blue jeans, a button down shirt and brown boots. I even attempted to belt it- thinking it would define my waist.

However, you can see from the photos, this outfit doesn’t work. The button down seems awkward under the vest- not sure why, but it just doesn’t seem natural.

The blue jeans are fine (although they are bunching at the knee- which I hate), but I like the contrast of the cargos better. The boots- well,if it were winter they would be fine. However, it’s June- and not matter how cold it is outside, I’m wearing sandals, dammit!

As for the belt! Yikes! Instead of defining my waist, it actually makes me look large and hippy! The belt draws your eye to my middle- and then sees the diagonal stripes covering my hips- making me look huge!

By opening the vest and then adding the pendant necklace, I am now creating a slimmer look.

Ok, there you have it! Now I’m going to start cooking dinner! Hope you had a great day.

Pants: Michael Kors, Tank: American Eagle, Vest: Marshalls, Shoes: Naot

May 31st, Month In Review

Well ladies, it’s the end of the month- so it’s time for a review of all my outfits.

I’ll be back tomorrow with a Reader’s Request- so be sure to drop by then to help a reader with what to wear to Disneyworld!

For now enjoy the summary, and let me know which one was your favorite! If you haven’t had the chance to ‘like’ me on Facebook- please do so! I’m almost to 200 likes- which would make my day! 🙂

May 23rd, Homesick

Today I’m feeling a little homesick for the midwest. Even though I haven’t lived there in 18 years,  I still miss their gorgeous spring/ summer weather.

Adding to my gloom is the fact it’s my nephew’s last day of school today- which means his summer starts tomorrow.

Meanwhile, here in the cold and rainy Northwest, we still have a full month of school left. ARGH!

Can you blame me for being depressed?

Anyhoo… my outfit today is based on my cargos. (By the way, I keep the pair on the right in my closet purely for comparison). The loose baggy fit makes them really comfy pants, but they are not flattering at all!

To improve the look I have swapped them out for my skinny cargos. I’ve also switched out the plain boring shoes for these booties. Now, most people in the country are probably wearing sandals today. BUT, if you live in a climate like mine- it’s too darn cold for sandals- hence the booties (with socks)!

I have paired my cargos with a white tank and a purple open cardigan. I’m showing a close up below so you can really see the color and the texture of this sweater. It’s pretty cool. Also, it’s a small detail, but on the right I have on a plain tank, and on the left I’ve switched it up for a tank with a cute little sheer panel and ruffle at the top. Small details like this make a big difference. Of course, to top it all off- I’ve added a necklace.

Enjoy your day… I’m going to try to enjoy mine. By the way, if you’re looking for summer looks- check out The Pleated Poppy. I bet there’s a bunch of cute (and summery) outfits over there…

Also, I apologize for the quality of these photos. The auto focus seems to not be working. Not sure why?!

The little ruffle at the top of this tank makes it interesting.

Purple and army green are a cool color combination!

Pants: Michael Kors, Tank: Express, Cardigan: Nordstrom, Necklace: H&M, Booties: DSW

May 11th, Casual in Khakis

For those of you who are following my foot pain saga, I think I may have some good news!

Taking readers advice, I decided to do a little shopping and check out Danskos. Originally, I thought there was no way that I would find any that I liked. In my mind, Dansko is a big, black, clunky, masculine shoe!

Much to my surprise, I found these – dare I say it- cute sandals! They definitely aren’t something that I would ordinarily be drawn to- but once I put them on I was hooked!

They are so sublimely comfortable- and my feet are so happy! However, before I decide to keep them for sure, I need to know your thoughts.

Are they keepers?*

As for my outfit. I decided to play it safe and wear my new shoes with khaki cargos and a striped shirt- but these stripes (on the right) are so close together they make me dizzy and the cut of this shirt is too short and very boxy and not flattering. It just looks weird!

To improve the look, I rolled the cuffs of the pants to make them a little more ‘on trend’, and then switched out the striped shirt to a cute blue and white one. Notice the cute details on the sleeves. The necklace is the final touch.

Don’t forget, it’s Fashion Friday, so be sure to click here to see some other very cute ideas!

Side view to show the shoe from another angle. The heels are a little clunky, but luckily that is ‘in’.

*I won’t wear the shoes out of the house today, (so I can return them if necessary) so please feel free to be very honest!

Shirt: Anthropologie, Pants: Anthropologie, Shoes: REI, Necklace: Plateau Jewelers

May 8th, Construction Worker

 I have always steered clear of pairing these two colors together (army green and orange) for fear of looking like a construction worker.

I’m not sure why?! I actually think these colors compliment each other- and this top is such a fun, bright spring color- who can resist?

On the right I’m showing my old cargos- paired with this plaid shirt. The old cargos were too loose, too baggy and not flattering.

The plaid shirt is ok- but isn’t working here.

The skinny cargos, the bright, solid top and the fun leopard flats make for a more polished and put together look.

Cargos: Micheal Kors, Top: Nordstrom, Shoes: Target, Necklace: Forever 21

April 28th, Sports Mom

I’m on the run!

My son has 3 games today, so I’ve opted for a casual, layered outfit of cargo pants, a tank and a cardigan (this seems to be my uniform these days).

On the right I have on my old loose black cargos. Paired with this baggy tank, I look frumpy- and large in the middle.

The bright pink cardigan is cute- but it’s lost in this outfit. Everything just looks too big.

On the left I have slimmed the look down. The first thing I did was match my tank to my pants (almost). This creates a long vertical line, making me look taller and thinner.

The cut of these cargos is skinny, which also helps create a more slimming look. This tank (in this cool shiny fabric) is also more fitted- and partially tucked in.  To add some brightness to the outfit, I topped it with an orange cardigan.

The small details of the belt and dainty necklace help create a more pulled together look.  To finish it off, I’ve got on my leopard ballet flats. It’s a fun way to add an unexpected pattern into the outfit.

Go enjoy your Saturday! I see sunshine in Seattle! Yippee!

Strange pose, I know- but I wanted to show this cute belt- from Target! It's also a great way to see how large my caboose is! My girlfriend commented the other day, 'wow! you've got junk in your trunk!'. Thanks to JLo I don't mind having a big butt!

Technically, my shoes don't match- but since they are leopard- it works. Think of leopard as a neutral- it goes with anything!

Pants: Michael Kors, Tank: French Connection, Cardigan: Target, Shoes: Target, Belt: Target, Necklace: made by my sisters!

By the way, you can still vote for me for Top Mommy Blogs! Just one tiny click at the top of the page, above right. Thanks!

April 10th, Cargos with Some Color

 Today I’m wearing my cargo skinnys with a cute bright tank and my blue blazer- which is all tied together with this colorful belt, that I’m wearing backwards!

It may be a little strange, but I wanted to really show the colors on the belt, and when it is on the normal way, you can only see the leather buckle.

So I figured, turn it around, the jacket hides the buckle part, and now you can see the colors!

For my before picture I’m showing my old cargos AGAIN! I know I should donate these to Goodwill, but there are just so perfect for comparing to the skinny cargos that I have to keep them. The loose, baggy fit isn’t current and looks sloppy.

In the before picture, I kept the tank white- just to compare how different the bright tank under the blazer looks. Then to break up the solid pink, I added a necklace.  Finally, for my shoes- I chose these off white wedge heels- they are perfect for spring- and being a wedge- very comfy!

The belt is on backwards- and looking at the picture it isn't fitting quite right, but maybe if I loosened it a tiny bit it might fit better.

Sadie wanted to be in the picture!

Cargos: Michael Kors, Tank: Gap, Blazer: Land’s End, Shoes: Nordstrom, Necklace: Gift

March 19th, Mad for Plaid

 Today it’s just Kara and me… Erin had to leave yesterday. Bummer! 

Today we are showing two versions of a plaid shirt. On the right is my before look- which Kara so lovingly described as ‘you look like you are in your pajamas!’

I think she’s right!

These loose, baggy cargos have no shape and do indeed look like jammies. Maybe that’s why they’re so comfortable.

On the left I have traded out the baggys for my new skinny cargos. I’ve layered a sweater over my plaid shirt and then, to define my waist, I added a belt.

To finish the look, I threw on a necklace. Best of all, my plaid shirt is from Target (love a bargain).

Kara, on the other hand, is wearing a plaid shirt from J Crew. Hers is paired with skinny jeans, a thin wool sweater and then she’s also added a necklace.  My favorite part of her outfit is these fabulous J Crew booties. They are so comfy and so cute- and definitely on my wish list for next year…

To those of you who have been reading for a while, you know I’ve tried plaid shirts several ways and failed miserably each time. I think I finally got it right today! Go me!

An alternative to the sweater is a denim jacket. This cropped and fitted one works.

By the way, it’s monday Mingle, so be sure to check out those cute Bonbon Rose Girls!

Me: Pants: Micheal Kors, Shirt: Target, Sweater: Nordstrom, Shoes: Nordstrom

Kara: J Crew from head to toe!! (lucky girl)