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!
Well, I don’t know about fab– but the comparison between these two looks is quite a contrast, don’t you think?
Let’s start with the look on the right- these baggy rolled jeans paired with my UGGs looks frumpy. The plain white t shirt (part of the problem is the ultra high neckline) under the boyfriend style cardigan also contribute to the frumpy look.
In the look on the left I have replaced the frumpy (and baggy) mom jeans with some cute skinny jeans (please know that you DO NOT have to be a size 0 to wear skinny jeans- I am somewhere between a size 4 and 6). I’ve got on brown boots instead of the UGGs. I then switched out the plain white shirt for a cute tank- it’s a very small detail, but notice the cute ruffle around the neckline. Small details like that add so much interest to a look. Lastly, I added a cute necklace to tie the whole look together.
Tank- NY and CO, Cardigan: Nordstrom, Jeans: Madewell, Boots: DSW, Necklace: gift
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!
In honor of Mother’s Day I thought I’d show some pictures of my favorite moms! First off is my own mom, followed by my mother in law and then my sisters (taken when they were here in March!) I love you guys! 🙂
A simple outfit of a white shirt, a cute cardigan and a great necklace!My Mother in Law- love that top!Here is Erin wearing cute cuffed white pants with a solid top accessorized with an amazing necklace and cute sandals.Love the white trim and mandarin collar on Kara’s blouse!
Now here are two of my friends (who are also awesome moms) who are looking adorable! Love this top on Julie (on left)- such a pretty pink pattern. I also love MaryAnn’s heeled espadrilles paired with shorts and a cute black and white top- so cute!
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
Today we decided to try a little fashion challenge- we had to put together an entire outfit using only items from Target.
It was fun to see what we could come up with!
Here are our 5 tips for dressing in less expensive clothes:
1. Have a nice purse and shoes (real leather). These are items to splurge on, people will see a high end purse or shoes and assume the rest of the outfit is high end.
2. Make sure your clothes are well pressed, no loose strings or buttons. Look polished.
3. Choose wisely. Go with a critical eye and have a goal in mind of what you are looking for. Kara gets the Nordstrom catalog as well as email updates from J Crew, Saks and Barneys to see what is current. She then looks for similar styles at lower end shops.
4. Erin’s advice is to know your style. Just because something is fashionable, doesn’t mean it will work for you. Know your body and what works and what doesn’t. Don’t get caught up trends just because they are inexpensive. Wear what looks good on YOU!
5. Own your look- radiate confidence.
Below is Erin’s look:
She’s wearing a chambray dress with an empire waist. This makes her legs look even longer. She’s paired her dress with red ballet flats and a cute necklace.
This is a great day dress- perfect for lunch with friends.Love this necklace!
Kara chose a open knit sweater paired with a long cotton skirt. She added a tank and then accessorized with gorgeous necklace and bracelet and then finalized her look with her cute wedge heels.
Love this monochromatic look- it makes her look long and lean.Such cute jewelry!
I chose cropped skinny jeans, a white tank and this cute polka dot cardigan. I added a muted fushia beaded necklace and sandals. Looking at the pictures I wish I would have worn ballet flats.
Wish I would have worn flats instead of sandals.All items shown are from Target!
Don’t forget, it’s Friday, so we’ve hooked up with Girlymama for Fashion Friday edition. Check it out!
This outfit is so simple that I almost feel silly showing it!
I’m telling you right now, if you are looking for cutting edge fashion you’ve come to the wrong place. If you want simple mom outfits- welcome to my blog!
That being said, I really love this look- just khaki and black! It’s classic, easy and cute!
I bought this skirt a long time ago- and have worn it several times- I love that it’s been a such a versatile piece for me.
On the right I’ve paired it with a black turtleneck. There isn’t anything wrong with this look- but it might be a little too covered up. It’s too safe (and wintery).
On the left I have replaced the turtleneck for a v neck sweater. By showing a little more skin, it looks better. To complete the look, I’ve added a long pendant necklace. This is a good trick to draw the eye up and down (making me look thinner!).
Happy Friday! Have a great weekend!
ps. where are you spring? I’m ready and waiting…
pss. thanks for all the votes for Top Mommy Blogs! You all are awesome!
psss. it’s Fashion Friday, so of course I’ve linked up with my pals at Girlymama… check them out!
Simple, yet stylish!
Sweater: Ann Taylor, Skirt: Anthropologie, Boots: Nordstrom, Necklace: Lia Sophia
For you regular readers, you know I am a fan of very simple style. I love the classic look of khaki and white. There’s nothing fussy about it- it’s such an easy and stylish outfit.
However, it is possible to even screw this up! As you can see on the right- these cargo pants are cute- but like this they are a little boring, especially paired with this plain crew neck shirt. Blah!
On the left I have replaced the long pants for these cute cropped pants and then added one of my favorite shirts of all time. I LOVE this shirt- it is the softest cotton and has stretchy jersey inset panels in the sides, so it moves with my body- making it incredibly comfy. (Looking at the pictures I should have ironed it! Whoops!)
To add a little personality, I’ve added this gorgeous green necklace and my leopard flats. Again, nothing earth shattering- but a simple and casual mom outfit.
White doesn't have to be boring. Just make sure there is something interesting about your outfit.
I took all my photos for the upcoming week before I left on my vacation- which sure made for easy packing! And don’t forget to click on the link below to vote for my blog- I’m in the top 20, which is awesome! Thank you!!!
With the high neckline and plain pants, this outfit is boring!
I am wearing such a simple outfit today (khaki and black) that I almost didn’t post it- but I wanted to show that black and tan doesn’t have to be boring, especially when paired with a gorgeous necklace. This pendant, with it’s vibrant green color, draws the eye immediately to it.
It is from one of my absolute favorite jewelry lines, Stella and Dot*, which my friend Carrie happens to represent.
Every girl needs a statement necklace- and I think this is a perfect addition to this otherwise plain outfit.
Paired with my cargos and a black tank and a black cardigan, it makes for a stylish, yet very easy outfit.
I never would have worn black on black, but I think this works.Love this bold statement piece!
*Stella & Dot is found only through Trunk Shows or Carrie’s personal website. Book a Trunk Show with Carrie and receive $50 in additional Hostess Rewards!
Pants: Louis Permilia, Top: Nordstrom, Tank: Gap, Boots: DSW, Necklace: Stella and Dot
I swear, I must be either really tired, really jet lagged or just plain worn out- but it took me 30 minutes to get dressed this morning. I stood in my closet and stared at my clothes for 30 minutes. Seriously! I don’t know what was wrong, but I simply couldn’t put together an outfit.
Often when this happens, I’ll just reach for an old stand by- but since I’m trying to show different looks each day, I didn’t want to bore anyone with an outfit you’ve seen recently, so this is the best I could do.
I did warn you all yesterday that I’m a simple dresser… I didn’t lie!
Part of my problem is that I’m going to Costco today, and really wanted to wear something comfortable. I decided to go with skinny blue jeans (they look black in this picture, but they are actually blue), a black v neck shirt and then I added this cute striped open cardigan.
On the right you can see the outfit without the cardigan. This used to be my sister Erin’s daily look. It’s simple, easy and slimming, but it’s also boring. Why not throw on a little cardigan to add some interest? To finish it off (and follow my rule of 3), add a necklace. In this case, a long necklace is needed to help draw the eye down.
The long necklaces help break up the solid black of the t shirt.
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!
Everyday Mom Style 
