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.
Today I have chosen my faded, distressed jeans and a cute black and white blouse. Originally I thought about wearing my flannel, but realized that it is too wintery for a spring day.
So I opted for this cute, lightweight black and white blouse instead. This blouse has cute details, I love the stripes, the collar & neckline. To style it, I rolled the sleeves, did the half tuck, added a belt and replaced the orthopedic shoes, which look so awful I can’t even believe I once wore those in real life! UGH! What was I thinking? These cute black loafers are a huge improvement. One thing I’ve really learned is that shoe choice really makes a difference in an outfit. And, truthfully, my feet hurt most of the time, so comfort is essential. These cute Vince loafers are comfy and stylish!
You may have noticed this about me- but in case you haven’t, I’ll state the obvious. I love neutrals! I feel very comfortable in neutrals- and especially love wearing clothes in the same color family. The only problem is that it can be really plain and boring- as seen on the right!
In my ‘after’ look, I replaced the tan t shirt with a cable knit sweater. The cable knit adds a subtle pattern, and the denim shirt underneath is a nice contrast. I especially like the tails hanging out below the sweater (breaks up the solid cream) and the sleeves rolled up (another place to add a bit of color). As for my feet- I chose my loafers.
Now I have a comfy, warm and cute outfit- too bad I’m just heading back to lay on my couch! LOL!
It’s funny, whenever I do a post on shoes I get more comments than usual. I think it’s because so many of us suffer from foot (or back) issues- and we know how incredibly important it is to wear comfortable shoes.
To be honest, I get so tired of seeing other mom blogs with pictures of moms in stilettos. To me, that just doesn’t seem practical or reasonable. There is NO WAY I would (or could) wear those!
Yes, on days when I work I sometimes wear heels- but I am uncomfortable most of the day and rip those babies off as soon as I walk in the door of my house (and immediately put on my beloved Birkenstocks! LOL)
So anyway, after that rant I thought you all might like to see more options for cute shoes that are also comfortable and realistic for moms!
These are made by Clark and can be found here! They can be worn with socks (which is nice in the winter), or tights and would look great with jeans (as long as they are NOT wide leg). Opt for straight leg, or better yet- skinny or boyfriend style!
Here is another style option, the Oxford.
These can be found here. Oxfords can also be worn with socks (as long as they are very low profile and can’t be seen), but are cuter with bare feet. Pair these with jeans (rolled at the ankle to look cute), or skirts.
Another cute style of shoe, the driver (or loafer as some people call them), which can be found here. These don’t work with socks- but are a cute substitute to ballet flats. They can be worn with anything as seen below in this great collage by The Glitter Guide.
A great alternative to my Puma’s are Chuck Taylors- these are super sporty and also really cute with jeans rolled at the ankle. They can be worn with socks but make sure they are very low profile.
Another cute, option- (also similar to the Pumas) are made by Clark and can be found here.
This is a brand I’ve never heard of before, Ahnu. They can be found here:
I could do this all day- there are a lot of options out there! My point is, don’t be fooled by pictures of Hollywood stars (or other mom style blogs) strutting around in their crazy high heels, believe me- they are wishing they could wear comfy shoes like us sensible moms! 🙂
By the way, if I missed a shoe that you want to share, please let me know!
Hi friends! Sorry I skipped yesterday. I actually had a very early appointment with a specialist about my sciatica- and then spent the rest of the day in bed resting. ARGH!
Anyhoo… it’s Thursday, so time for another edition of Three for Thursday. For you new readers, this is where I show 1 item worn 3 ways. Pretty simple stuff!
As usual, my lighting in my bathroom is terrible, so you can’t really tell- but these are my purple skinny jeans. They look black in the pictures- but they are actually purple- I swear! To give you a true idea of what color they are, I included the picture (above right) from Pinterest.
In my first outfit I chose to keep it very casual and just added my blue and white striped shirt and my denim jacket. For shoes I chose my short boots.
For the next outfit, I also kept it really casual. This is a great weekend outfit- very simple, yet stylish. I chose my denim shirt and then added this cool infinity scarf and some fun bracelets. For shoes I chose my brown boots.
Denim shirt- J Crew, Scarf: Macy’s
My third look is more for a casual work outfit. Here I chose to wear a sweater (notice the cute ruffle detail around the neckline), and then I added a necklace and a stack of bracelets. For fun, I rolled the hems of the jeans and chose my leopard ballet flats.
Sweater: Loft, Shoes: Target, Necklace: Stella and Dot
Because I was inspired- I decided to try 2 more looks with these purple jeans. The first is a bit strange- and I’m not sure if I like it or not. Here, I chose a blush colored silky blouse and then added a cable knit dark grey cardigan. I like the contrast of the feminine blouse and the chunky sweater. It’s the shoes I’m not sure about. I love these slip on loafers- but the bare ankles paired with a big cardigan may be too much of a contrast.
For the last look I chose to show a date night look. Rather than just wear regular denim or black jeans, I decided to try a cute going out top with these purple jeans and added strappy black heels. Since the neckline of this top is so decorative, I skipped a necklace. Instead I added a fun chunky silver bracelet.
Which outfit would you wear? Any of them? Please comment, I love hearing from you!!
I’ve titled this Good Old J Crew because I bought this skirt 2 years ago and it’s one of my favorites. I usually wear it all summer long- with a t shirt and sandals as seen on the right.
Today I decided to try and make this a fall/winter look by pairing it with tights and a black turtleneck. Typically turtlenecks can be really matronly- but with the short sleeves and paired with a mini- I think this works. The long necklace creates a v down the front of my body- which breaks up the solid black a bit and also draws the eye down- a good slimming trick.
To keep my legs warm, I’ve put on black tights and black menswear inspired shoes- this is all the rage this fall, and although I hate to be too trendy, I decided to give this look a try. I bought these at DSW and they are ultra comfy and I think they are super cute.
To keep the look current, I’ve created a small arm party with a group of silver stacked bracelets.
Hope you have a great Monday. Sorry for the delayed post- I had a rough morning. Two kids who both got up on the wrong side of the bed… it wasn’t pretty!
Skirt: J Crew, Tights: DSW, Shoes: DSW, Tops: Louis Permilia, Necklace: Gift from my sisters! (love you guys!)
Everyday Mom Style 
