A cute outfit for the weekend is a casual flannel and some ripped jeans.
The problem in the before look is the ripped jeans are not flattering at all. The buttoned up flannel looks dull this way, and the heavy black boots add weight to the outfit.
In the after version, the skinny jeans are more flattering, and to improve the boxy look of the flannel- I tucked it in and rolled the sleeves. Similar to this outfit here. I also replaced the dark boots with these cute black slip on loafers. These are a great spring shoe- and so comfy!
As for my ripped jeans I did not make them myself (as I did here)- they are 7 for Mankind, and I love them. They have a lot of elastic in them, so they are stretchy and comfy… and I got them at Nordstrom Rack (my favorite store!)
I’ve always been a fan of J Crew. Their clothes are well made, classic- and totally my style.
Today’s outfit started with blue jeans and this checkered blue and white shirt from J Crew. Untucked and buttoned up, it looks boring- and the bulky Uggs aren’t adding any style.
To add some interest to this outfit (and because I am always cold!) I threw on this cute blue sweater over my shirt. I love the tails peeking out underneath. To top it off, I added this cute military inspired jacket and rolled up the sleeves. This style of jacket is very popular right now- and let me tell you a little secret, mine is from Ross, I think I paid about $30 for it. What a steal!
To complete my outfit I swapped out the Uggs for my favorite boots- my Paul Green grey suede booties. These are almost as comfy as my Uggs, and much cuter!
If I get too warm, I can take off my jacket and still have a cute outfit.
The school I’m teaching at today is having a ‘Wear Blue for Kindness’ day today! I love that elementary schools are teaching kindness! We could all stand to be a little kinder!
I wanted to show how this cute sweater dips down in the back.
Do you remember pajama day in grade school? Today’s look is like pajama day for grown ups! I know I’ve said this before, but I am so excited that joggers have become mainstream. They are just so comfy to wear! However, you have to be sure the fit is right. For instance, in the look on the left-the joggers are too baggy, my giant fleece is too big and my tennis shoes are ugly. It’s not a cute or flattering look.
These cute ones come from Target. Yes, you heard that right, Target! They are Champion brand and were only $29. They come in a variety of colors. Mine are sort off grey-ish green, and they are the most comfortable thing in the world! Today I’ve paired them with this cute black top that covers my butt (notice the half tuck to give my waist some definition). I’ve rolled the hems to show a little skin, and threw on my slip on tennis shoes. I’ve mentioned this before, but I am wearing my no show Smart Wool socks with these shoes- they are the best. It’s a simple, casual look- perfect for everyday moms!
This top is sweatshirt material, softest ever! From Nordstrom Rack. Champion Joggers from TargetSmart Wool socks!
Today’s look is all about finding good jeans that fit right. I’m wearing a simple, casual outfit- that’s sort of a staple for me. It’s my uniform- when I can’t think of anything else to wear, I rely on skinny jeans and a sweater. Which alone can be kind of boring, but with a little attention to detail (belt, shoes, jewelry), and the right jeans, it can be a cute outfit.
For a little research project, I went to my local Value Village (which is sort of like a Goodwill) and tried on lots of different pairs of jeans so show how the right cut and right fit make all the difference in the world. All of these are a size 6 (28). Notice how differently each brand fits.
The Gloria Vanderbilt jeans are probably the LEAST flattering ones I tried on. Notice how they dart in at the hip- I’m not sure what this is all about, but it creates saddlebags. It also has way to high of a rise (length of zipper) and the waist is too high. Yes, I know I mentioned a few weeks ago that I like high rise jeans- but not this high! And the solid blue is not flattering at all. This is definitely a mom jean, just not this mom!
These are Loft brand. The waist height is better on these jeans, and the color is better. Notice the whiskering- which are the lines formed by natural creasing over time, giving them a well worn look. Nowadays whiskering is made in the factory- and it gives jeans a natural distressed look. The problem with these jeans is the cut of the legs. Notice how they bag and gape around my thigh/ knee area. There is just a little too much fabric there.
Not your Daughter’s Jeans- This is another pair where the rise is too long, the knees are baggy and the whiskering is bad- it makes my tummy look big and my legs look short. These are not flattering jeans.
This is a brand I’m not familiar with, called Silver. In my opinion, this much bling is dated and out of style. The shorter rise is more flattering to my tummy area and I like the rips at the knees, the white stitching, and the boot cut, but I wouldn’t wear them simply because of the bling!
These are Banana Republic. I like the dark wash, but they are a little plain- they look like leggings, there is nothing to trick the eye (which is what good fading and whiskering will do). They make me look extra curvy. Quick note on that- I know I am thin- but I am also curvy. All this means is that my hips are way wider than my waist- which gives me the curves. Some women are built straight up and down- and clothes look totally different on them. Other women are pear shaped- small on top and big on bottom. Some women are big on top and skinny on bottom. We are all different and we are all beautiful- and we should embrace our shape and work with it, not against it.
Calvin Klein- these are too short, and the high rise, giant pockets and tummy area is not flattering. These look like mom jeans to me.
Denizan jean joggers! You know I love my joggers, but not so sure about denim ones! I will admit these were incredibly comfortable, but they make me look pear shaped and there’s just something weird about denim joggers. I think it’s an oxymoron?!
These are Free People- and clearly they are way too long. They have a totally different style- with the buttons at the side instead of a center zipper. On a really skinny straight body, these would be really cute. To me- they just make me look even wider through the hips.
Joe’s Jeans- These Joe’s fit me the best, although I still don’t love the straight leg. However, if you absolutely refuse to wear skinny jeans- than try something with a very straight leg. To me, the boot cut is a little outdated.
These are the Gap jeans I am wearing in the photo at the top. Notice the whiskering and the stitching. Both of these details add interest and help minimize my tummy area.
These are my Paige jeans. I love the skinny cut and the high waist. These jeans hug my curves, but don’t make me look huge. The dark wash makes them great for dressy occasions.
These are my Joe’s jeans, which I mentioned earlier and I love them! So comfy! Great fit. The lighter wash makes these more casual.
Here are some of my favorite jeans that I own:
From left to right: Top Row- Joe’s, Paige and Gap jeans.
Second row- 7 for all Mankind, Joe’s and Good American
Below are all the jeans I tried on! As you can see, my body looks totally different in each pair. When jean shopping- try on as many pairs as you can and don’t get caught up in sizes! Ask the salesperson to help you- that’s what they are there for. I suggest jean shopping at Nordstroms- they have a great selection and very helpful salespeople!
What are your favorite jeans? Do you have a ‘go to’ brand that fits your body great? And if so, what body type are you? Since I am curvy, I really only know what works for me… as mentioned previously, all of us are shaped differently.
My before look in today’s outfit is something I actually wore a few months ago. It was such a comfy outfit, and I thought it was cute at the time. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my joggers, but now looking at the photo I realize that the bulky sweater needs a slimmer bottom to balance everything out.
I love this sweater for both the color and the texture. I’m not sure if you can tell from the photos, but it’s a soft lavender color, which is something I never wear! Paired with my ripped skinny jeans and cute slip on tennis shoes and I am ready to go run some errands today. My sister gave this purse to me years ago, but I thought it would be fun to show with my outfit. Do you change out your purse everyday? I never used to, but now that I’m trying to be more stylish, I am making more of an effort with purses and jewelry!
One thing you may have noticed about me is that I very rarely wear any patterns, except for stripes. However, occasionally I like wearing a patterned camisole as a way to add a little color and interest to my outfit.
In my before picture I am wearing a printed t shirt (and for you eagle eyed readers that is from Free State Brewery in Lawrence, Kansas. That shirt is from back when I was in college, it is almost 30 years old and I still have it).
As much as I love it for the memories, the T shirt does not look good in this outfit. The neckline is way to high, it is super wrinkly and way too big. In my after look, I have replaced the t shirt with this cute printed camisole. Yes, it’s 40 degrees outside, but layered under this cozy long cardigan I am warm. The pattern on the tank is fun- and the neckline is more flattering.
Instead of blue jeans, I am wearing grey ones- and as you can see, I rolled up the hems a little. For my feet I replaced the orthopedic Danskos with my cute Paul Green booties.
One thing I’m trying to be better at is wearing more jewelry. I love the look of stacked bracelets, yet rarely wear them, so today I’ve added a few.
I used to love this striped maxi dress (on the left), I used to wear it with a t shirt over the top- and thought I looked cute, until I saw this picture of myself wearing it. Yikes! First of all, it’s way too long, and the horizontal stripes on my curvy body just aren’t flattering!
The mixed up stripes on the blue and white maxi are more flattering than the stripes on the grey and white dress. It also has a looser cut, which doesn’t hug my hips as much. The denim jacket adds a nice casual touch. Roll up the sleeves & add some cute bracelets to add a little style. Swap out the Birkenstocks for cute wedges and I’m good to go!
As you can probably tell by now, I don’t wear a ton of colors, especially bright colors- but today I feel like wearing this pink sweatshirt. Sometimes there’s just something fun about bright pink!
Let’s compare the before and after photos. In my before photo, I’m wearing this shapeless pink fleece, baggy joggers and clunky tennis shoes. The fleece is super warm, but it’s not as cute as this pink sweatshirt on the right. The slimmer cut, the more flattering neckline, the half tuck, and the pushed up sleeves give this a little more stylish look. Paired with my skinny ripped black jeans and black Adidas, and it’s a cute, casual weekend look.
This cute sweatshirt is from Target! I love how the front comes up higher than the back.
You may notice that I took these photos before I went on vacation- a girl’s gotta plan her outfits, right? One thing I like to do when traveling is pick a few basic colors to build outfits around- then I can mix and match as needed. I usually stick to black, white and denim. They all compliment each other well, and it’s easy to come up with several different looks from just a few key pieces.
In my before look, the black t shirt’s neckline is too high- notice how in the after look the lower V neckline of my camisole shows a little skin (but not too much!). This is a great camisole as it has a cute little fold detail (see photo), which causes it to hang really well. I got this at Uniqlo, and it also comes in a bright orange color. Adding a necklace to the tank also gives it a little interest.
To change up the jacket, I rolled the sleeves, giving it a casual vibe. Lastly, I changed out my Birkenstocks for these cute summary wedges. These are from Clarks, and they are old- but what a great shoe. The color is so versatile, it goes with everything! I usually have a hard time wearing heels, but wedges are so comfy you can wear them all day. And look how much longer my legs look! Now I just need the desert weather to warm up a bit! It rained all day yesterday. Guess I shouldn’t complain, it’s better than snow!
Happy Valentines Day! Whether you are spending it with your sweetie, your best gal pals, your parents, your children, or whoever, I hope you have a very special day.
In today’s look, the before outfit is a little blah. The loose blouse is not flattering, and the black dress pants are better suited for the office. To create a more special look I have swapped out my black pants for these on trend ripped black jeans from Zara. I also got rid of the boring black boots and replaced them with pointy toed heels (let’s hope I don’t have to do much walking!) and finally, replaced the baggy blouse for this cute lace top that I found at Forever 21, yes, you read that right. Forever 21.
Forever 21 blouse
Normally I avoid that store like the plague, but my teenage daughter likes to shop there, so occasionally I wander in with her. On one of those wanders, I found this cute blouse for $17. I think it’s perfect for a Valentines date night!
I hope you have a great day filled with love! xoxo, Megan
Everyday Mom Style 