Sept 1, Blue and White Dress

Today we are headed to friend’s for a bbq and I decided to wear a blue and white striped dress. You all know how much I love blue and white together, it’s such a classic, crisp color combo!

To be clear, there is nothing wrong with the dress on the left- it’s just a simple, cotton blue and white striped dress that with the right styling could be cute… however, isn’t the dress on the right a lot more fun?!

It’s still a blue and white cotton dress, but the halter neckline and the fun geometric stripes are so much more interesting than the simpler version in the before photo.

I bought this dress years ago at the Gap and it is one of my all time favorites. Its one of my ‘go to’ dresses for any occasion. It’s not too dressy and not too casual, just the perfect staple in my closet. If it gets chilly I can throw on a denim jacket or a sweater. I can pair this dress with tennis shoes, flip flops, flat sandals or even wedge heels as I’ve done today. It’s so versatile!

Happy Sunday!

April 27, Wide Leg Jeans

I’ve really become a fan of my wide leg jeans, they are a nice change from my skinny ones! The important thing to remember with wide leg jeans is balance.

Looking at the before photo- this top is just too big and baggy, and paired with the loose jeans it looks frumpy. The orthopedic tennis shoes are not helping!

This paper thin sweater is a better option. The cut is a little slimmer, the weight of it is perfect for spring (not to heavy) and the shape works with the wide leg jeans. To complete the outfit, I chose my cute snakeskin slingbacks and added a necklace to give the look a little color.

When shopping for wide leg jeans and important thing to consider is the cut of the wide leg. Make sure the wide cut is only in the leg- and not throughout the entire pant. Otherwise, you will just look really wide all over. I hate to share this photo below because the quality is terrible, but here I am trying on some wide leg jeans at Target. As you can see- the width is throughout the entire leg- making me look lumpy and frumpy.

Sweater- Zara (gift from my son a few years ago!)

Jeans- Eddie Bauer (old), but here are a similar pair in a lighter wash

Shoes- Franco Sarto, similar pair here

April 4, Silk Tank

Today’s outfit is jeans, a silk tank, cardigan and cute sandals. In my before look, I am wearing straight leg jeans with a huge cuff (which actually could be kind of cute with the right top and shoes). However, today- with the loose fitting tank, the bulky grey cardigan and flip flops- I just look frumpy! 

So, to improve this outfit I have selected skinny jeans in a dark wash, I’ve tucked in the silk tank and changed to a much lighter weight cardigan. The length works well to make my legs look longer, and the cute (and very on trend) sandals replace the boring flip flops. As for this tank, I used to think silk was only for special occasions- or as a ‘going out’ top. But then I realized that it can be worn during the day too. It’s a great fabric because it doesn’t cling to my tummy- it has the softest feel and makes any outfit look more pulled together than a regular t shirt. Wear it alone, or under a blazer or cardigan.

This cute silk tank is from Banana Republic. I bought it years ago. I love the way the front is polka dot, and the back is striped! So cute!

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This sandal by Steven is a knock off of the Hermes Oran Sandal- as can been seen here! The only difference is mine has a heel… oh, and mine cost $39 at TJ Maxx, the Hermes is $650. Yes, you read that right. $650. My college tuition when I started college back in 1989 was $800 a semester. YIKES!

March 31, Floral Skirt

Today I’m not doing a before and after outfit post, instead I’m asking for your help. I was shopping at Value Village looking for jeans for my demonstration on distressing jeans, and I stumbled across this floral skirt (with the tags still on it), so I bought it. It’s a bit of a risk for me, but I kinda like it. However, my husband said, where on earth would you wear that?

So, that’s where you all come in. Is this a keeper? And if so, what else should I wear it with? I like the black tank (although I may need to add a long necklace) and I think the denim jacket looks cute, but what else? When buying something new, I always try to think of at least 3 different ways that I can wear it, but in this case I am stumped! And if you hate it, that’s ok too! It won’t hurt my feelings! This is a learning process for me more than anything! That’s the whole reason I do this blog, not because I am an expert on style (I’m clearly not), but because it forces me to try new things, experiment with my clothes and have a little fun! Thanks for being a part of it!

Feb 28, Geometric Skirt

In today’s before look I paired this cute geometric print skirt with this giant sweater. I LOVE this sweater, just not with the skirt. Since the skirt is so voluminous, I need something fitting on top. This sleek black turtleneck is perfect- it balances out the top and bottom. Adding this cute necklace gives the outfit a little color and I completed the look with these black booties.

I bought this skirt years ago at Target, and I love it because the waistband is elastic, and so it’s super comfy. The length is good for me (not too short) and the black and white make it easy to pair with anything. It would be fun to try a colorful top with it, but today I’m playing it safe and sticking to black and white.

True confession here- I am not really wearing this outfit today. I actually have a tennis match, so I’ll be wearing a tennis skirt and hopefully kicking some ass on the court! But… since you probably don’t want to see me in my tennis skirt (those things are SHORT!) I decided to show a different outfit.

Skirt- Target

Turtleneck- Nordstrom Rack

Booties- Born, Nordstrom

Feb 26, Camo Leggings

We all know how much I love my camo leggings! If not, check out these posts here and here. But I do want to say, there is such thing as too much camo- as seen in the photo below!

I would have never really worn the outfit on the left, but I wanted to demonstrate how a little camo goes a long way. This pattern is so strong that the outfit it much cuter with this plain top and bomber jacket.

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I love this top because of the length and neckline. It covers my butt- plus has draping in it to give it interest and shape. See photo below-

The draping is great for hiding my tummy!

This bomber jacket I bought at H&M and I love it.! It’s a nice alternative to a cardigan, plus it’s warmer! Best of all, it’s fun to wear! In the next few months I will pair it with jeans, joggers or even over a dress. It’s a perfect staple piece.

What is one of your wardrobe staples? I love hearing from readers to get inspiration. Have a great day!

Leggings- Nordstrom Rack

Top- this top is very old. I bought it about 6 years ago!

Jacket- H&M

Shoes- Adidas- Nordstrom Rack

Jan 28th, Comfy Flannel

Let me tell you about this flannel shirt!  I love it so much that I have to force myself to actually not wear it!  I got it at American Eagle when I was shopping for my daughter- but it caught my eye as something I could wear, so I bought it. It is so warm and soft. I love the colors and now it has become one of my weekend go to’s! But buttoned up and untucked it looks frumpy.

 

In my ‘after’ look I have layered the flannel over a black tank from the Gap, unbuttoned the shirt a few buttons, tucked the front in and added a belt.  Looking at the photos, I think I should add some necklaces as well.

On top of it all, I threw on my black down vest- which will help keep me warm in addition to adding interest and texture to my outfit. For my feet- I’m wearing my black Adidas- they just look a little more sporty and cuter than the old running shoes in the before pic.

One thing to note is this shirt is great because it hangs down really low in the back- covering my bum. (see photo below)

This is an easy, comfy but cute outfit perfect for running errands- or whatever you have planned today!

 

Jeans- Joes- Nordstrom Rack

Shirt- American Eagle

Tank- Gap

Vest- Nordstrom Rack

Shoes- Adidas Nordstrom Rack