Oct 21, Monday Flannel

Another Monday, another flannel! This time it’s my grey flannel from Uniqlo. Boy do I love this shirt! It’s soft, cozy & warm. And, since it’s from Uniqlo, it’s super affordable. Mine is old, but they have some cute ones this season, check them out here. In my opinion, a flannel shirt is the perfect choice for a crisp fall day.

At first I thought I would try the flannel with grey jeans and grey Converse, but then I decided that’s a little too much grey, so I switched to dark wash jeans. These jeans are from Lucky, and I cropped them myself. They have the perfect amount of stretch to make them super comfy. For my feet, the slip on pointy toe booties from Target are a little more stylish than the sneakers. Tucking the shirt, rolling the sleeves and adding this big statement belt complete the look.

Have a great Monday! I’m off to sub in middle school again. Yikes! What was I thinking?! If you are a middle school teacher- I applaud you! All teachers are amazing, but middle school is a whole other story!

Oct 9, Menswear

Today’s Nordstrom inspired outfit is based on the theme of menswear.

I don’t own any menswear inspired pieces, so my black blazer will have to do. But wouldn’t you agree, it does add instant polish to my outfit!

A black cardigan could have worked, but the blazer adds a layer of sophistication that the cardigan lacks. Replacing the cotton t shirt with a cute striped silk top is also an improvement, and the cropped jeans & slip on driving shoes complete the look.

Jeans- Lucky

Blazer- Nordstrom

Top- Ann Taylor

Shoes- Vince (Nordstrom Rack)

Sept 20, School Spirit

There are some days when I am excited to share what I’m wearing, and then there are days like today where I struggle. The issue for me is that I have a really hard time figuring out what to wear to the high school football game tonight. I know that sounds silly, but since I am always cold, the idea of having to dress in an outfit that can withstand sitting outside for 3 hours freaks me out a bit.

In my before photo I am wearing cropped jeans, a spirt wear shirt from my daughter’s high school and tennis shoes. Really bright tennis shoes. This outfit is one that I see women in all the time. And while I totally get it, it’s a quick and easy outfit that shows school spirit, it’s just not very cute (or warm!). So, to fix this look I have replaced the t shirt with a sweater in the same deep red that is our school color. I’ll be much warmer in the sweater, and the fun ruffle sleeves add some interest. To bring in even more interest, I have added a leopard belt. The pointy toed shoes are a huge improvement over the bright tennis shoes. And even though it is supposed to be around 60 degrees tonight, I will also bring a jacket and a stadium seat. If you attend a lot of outdoor sporting events, I highly recommend buying a stadium seat. They really come in handy and are much warmer than cold metal bleachers! 🙂

My sweater is old, from Nordstrom. My jeans, shoes and belt are all Target!

Sept 14, Waffle Top

I first noticed the waffle top last winter and knew I wanted one. They are comfy, casual and inexpensive- so really- in my opinion, the perfect top!

But, as usual, it all comes down to the styling. The shirt with just a pair of dark jeans looks a little blah. To improve my outfit I changed into cropped faded jeans- which are perfect for the weekend. I then added a black vest, both for warmth and style. Push up the sleeves, do the half tuck, add a belt and finish it all off with cute leopard slides, and now I have a cute outfit perfect for whatever is in store… unless it starts raining- and in that case will have to replace the slides with rain boots.

The jeans, top and vest are all from Nordstrom Rack and the shoes are from Marshalls. Belt is Target.

August 16, Wide Leg Jeans

You may be thinking to yourself, didn’t she just post this outfit last week? You’re close, I posted the before photo, but my after is new. That being said- it is basically the same outfit as last Friday, blue jeans and a black top.

The difference is that today I am wearing faded, wide leg cropped jeans instead of these dark skinny ones. I also changed out the tank. Instead of the casual cotton one, I’m wearing a faux silk v neck camisole from Uniqlo. If you’re a regular reader, you might recognize it. I also have it in white, and I wear it ALL THE TIME! It truly is one of my absolute favorites, and the sad news is that I tried to link it, but don’t think Uniqlo is still selling it. Darn.

To me, this camisole is perfect because it has a draped front, which hides my tummy (which you know is an issue for me). It also has a well cut neckline, the v is not so plunging that I’m showing too much skin. I also love that it is machine washable- making it easy and practical for moms! To add some interest to my outfit, I threw on cool leather bracelet and selected my new leopard slides. These shoes make the outfit interesting by adding a fun pattern to an otherwise simple look.

August 3, Blue and White Again

Another day, another blue and white outfit. Today I’m showing a very simple, basic look of blue jeans and a white blouse. But in the photo on the left my proportions are off.

The wide leg jeans and the boxy blouse don’t work well together. When you have big on top, you need to go skinny on bottom. So the skinny jeans on the right are an improvement. I also wanted to keep this outfit super simple with neutral shoes. But I don’t love the loafers on the left, they seem old and tired. I think the cute tie up shoes on the right are much better, don’t you?

And check out the details on this blouse- I love the pattern, and the detail on the shoulder are so cool.

Blouse- Madewell

Jeans- Lucky Brand

Shoes- Paul Green

June 10, Blue and White

As you know, blue and white are one of my favorite color combos! It’s just so classic, so crisp and so easy! Today I chose my cropped white jeans and a simple blue button down blouse from Loft.

I love this blouse because it is rayon, which means it hangs really well. I hate things that cling to my tummy (my problem area), so a blouse like this is perfect because it looks nice- and is slimming at the same time! Looking at the photos, I like it better with the cropped jeans and the cuter sandals, and I suggest tucking it in and adding a fun leopard belt to really elevate the look.

It looks black in the photos, but it is actually a deep navy blue.

Jeans- Gap

Blouse- Loft, old, but here is a similar look, and another one here

Shoes- TJ Max (link is to a similar pair on Amazon)

Belt- Target

May 13, Asymmetrical Sweater

I bought this cute asymmetrical sweater years ago, and I don’t wear it very often because I was always unsure what to pair it with. I’ve tried blue jeans, and didn’t love that- so today I decided to try pairing it with black.

The before photo looks messy, the pants are too long and baggy, and the proportions are off. Since the sweater has a flowy feel to it, I need something sleeker on the bottom. My ripped, cropped black jeans are perfect. Also, I pushed up my sleeves so show a little more skin (it is spring after all), and swapped out the dated black ballet flats for cute strappy black sandals. I may go back and switch the tank in the after photo for the one on the right- I actually like the thinner straps better. It’s a small, minor detail but it does make a difference. Have a great Monday.

I love the cute hemline and details in this sweater.

Sweater- Prana

Jeans- Zara

Sandals- Lucky Brand

May 12, Happy Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you amazing moms out there! I hope your family is spoiling you today. Mine sure is! We started the day with breakfast in bed- and later this afternoon we are going on a boat ride around Elliot Bay.

For my boating adventure I have chosen my cropped white jeans and my blue and white gingham J Crew blouse. On the left it’s a little to buttoned up and boring, so I changed things up a bit by swapping out my black Birkenstocks for my cute leopard flats. I also unbuttoned the blouse to show my tank underneath, did the half tuck and added a bright sweatshirt draped over my shoulders. If it’s cold on the boat, I can throw it on over my blouse- see below. you’ll notice I untucked the blouse to let the tails hang out underneath the sweatshirt. Enjoy your day!

Shirt- J Crew

Sweatshirt- Target

Jeans- Gap

Shoes- Franco Sarto, Nordstrom Rack

May 10, Orange and Blue

One of my favorite color combos is orange and blue. I just love the way they look together, so today I have paired this cute orange tank with my dark cropped skinny jeans.

In the before photo my jeans are a bit longer than the ones on the right- it’s subtle, but honestly it does make a difference. Also, I have on a bright orange work out top- which is a little too clingy and shows everything. Plus, I always feel weird wearing a work out top when I’m not actually working out! The patterned tank on the right is made of rayon, which is much more forgiving and drapes well (and hides any lumps or bumps). As usual, I have done the ‘half tuck’ to define my waist. I also like the cute brown leather sandals instead of the casual flip flops. To me, this outfit just looks more pulled together.

You know I don’t wear a ton of patterns, but I think this is so fun and cute! This top is old, but it’s from my friend Kriss, who has an in home boutique (she ships everywhere). Her clothes are very affordable. Check out Shop OC Style over on Instagram!

Tank- Shop OC Style (old)

Jeans- Gap

Sandals- Target (old)