April 16, Shop your Closet

One of the things that bugs me about fashion is the idea that you have to constantly be buying new stuff.  It seems like everyone is trying to sell you something- and that you have to have this top, or these jeans, or this purse for your life to be complete. Let me fill you in on a little secret. YOU DON’T!  

Your life will not be better because of new clothes, new shoes, or new anything. In my opinion, the secret to happiness is threefold. 

1. Finding fulfillment through work, hobbies, exercise or whatever excites you
2. Service to others 
3. Gratitude 

That’s it!  Period. 

What you do for that fulfillment is up to you. For me, it’s doing this blog, practicing yoga, playing tennis, volunteering, reading books, getting lots of sleep and spending time with my family and friends (not in that order!!) 

So why do I bother with this blog? Because I do think taking care of myself and putting some effort into my appearance is important. And, strange as this may sound- playing with my clothes is fun for me! I love looking in my closet and seeing potential. It’s sort of like my friends who are excellent cooks who can look in their fridge or pantry and whip up a gourmet meal (I could NEVER do that! And I admire those of you who can!)   

Anyhow… enough of my preaching, let’s talk about my outfit! Today’s look is my ripped jeans and a bright yellow silk tank. I used to wear this top paired with this grey cardigan, but doesn’t the blazer look a little more polished? So what if I don’t work in an office? A blazer can be worn anywhere- it adds instant style to an otherwise simple outfit. And, it helps dress up these very casual ripped jeans! My cute neutral Paul Green flats complete the look.

So- back to the idea that we have to be constantly buying stuff… my challenge for you (and me) the next month is to not buy anything new to wear. I have a ton of clothes already, so I’m going to ‘shop my closet’. Can I really last a month without buying anything? I’ll admit- this will be really hard for me. But I’ll give it a try.  Who’s with me? (Do I sound like Jerry Maguire?!)

Jeans- Seven

Top- Banana Republic

Blazer- Nordstrom

Shoes- Paul Green

March 10, Leopard Flats

Momma got new shoes!! I’ve always loved the look of leopard shoes- and I’ve had this pair of ballet flats (on left) for years. But now I think a pointy toe might be a more current style. So… off I went to my favorite store Nordstrom Rack (I actually went online) and voila, there were the perfect shoe for me. They were inexpensive ($50), low heel, and so on trend with the d’Orsay style and cute print.

In my before look I am wearing a black t shirt under this cute cream blazer. Are you sick of black and white yet? I’m clearly not!!

The problems with this outfit are that the neckline is too high (gotta show a little skin ladies!) and the blazer tied in front is awkward. My straight leg jeans and round toe flats also date the look.

Switching out the tee shirt for this cute faux silk shirt (with gorgeous detailing- see photo below) and opening up the blazer and rolling the sleeves make for a more stylish outfit. The pointy toed leopard flats complete the look.

Jeans- Gap

Blazer- Banana Republic

Blouse- Stitch Fix

Shoes- Franco Sarto, Nordstrom Rack

Oct 19th, Date Night

Sorry for the late post- I ran out the door early this morning and didn’t have time to write!

Instead of showing you my outfit for the day- I decided to show my outfit for tonight!

I’m going out tonight to a CCFA fundraiser- (supporting one of my good friends who has Crohn’s disease). The theme is Casino Night, so I wanted a fun outfit- similar to something I would wear in Vegas.

The invitation said ‘smart dress’, which really could mean anything. Some people might opt for dress pants and a cotton top- like the one you see on the right.

The problem is- the dress pants are boring (perfect for the office, but boring for a night out),  and the cotton long sleeve shirt is too plain. All in all, I’d say the outfit on the right is too safe.

Instead- I opted for skinny black pants, a silky top with a modern print and pointy toed black heels. It’s basically the same outfit as on the right (black pants, off white top) yet the sleek pants and silk top make it much more dressy- and the pattern adds interest.

Now I look modern, appropriate and ready for a fun night out!

Another cool top from CABi! Pants: Gap, Shoes: Nordstrom

Sept. 28th, Skinny Cargos

If you’re a regular reader- you may remember that I was on the hunt for a pair of skinny cargo pants last year.

Thanks to the excellent shopping eye of my little sis (love ya Kara), I found these at Michael Kors.

Even though they are skinny, they are very stretchy and comfy (as they should be)!

Today I have paired them with what I consider to be a bit unexpected- a bright blue silk shirt.(similar)

I used to only wear my cargos with neutral colors (think black and white), but I have been trying to branch out a bit and treat the cargos as the neutral and add color on top.

I have to confess, originally I wore this shirt untucked with my black stretch pants. I was incredibly comfortable- but after seeing my photos realized it looked like I may have a bun in the oven or I forgot my pants! Yikes!

I quickly changed into the cargos- and love the way it looks! Just look at how much longer my legs look! Amazing! And, I like the contrast of the rugged pants paired with a silk shirt!

I was going for the ‘half tuck’ where the front is tucked in to reveal my belt, but the back is left out to cover my butt. It looks a little strange- I know! I can’t seem to get this quite right. Argh!

I’ve linked up with Girlymama for Fashion Friday. Go check out the adorable Sorel boots she is showing… I’m jealous!

Side view of the half tuck!

Yes, these are my orthopedic Dansko sandals… my feet were sore today and these are so amazing!

May 3rd, Faux Pas

I know, I know- this is really tacky- some might even consider it a ‘faux pas’. I wore these pants Monday and here I am wearing them again- but you know what, I don’t care!

Originally I was planning on wearing this cute bright yellow top with a black pencil skirt and black blazer- but then I walked into my closet and saw these pants from the other day and I thought- oh wow- the buttons on this top match these pants perfectly.

But, I thought- I can’t wear them again, I just wore them.

Then I thought- who cares!

It seems so much more ‘spring like’ than the dark black skirt and blazer- that outfit just seems so boring and predictable. The yellow paired with the white pants is a crisper, fresher look. Plus, look how much longer my legs look in the pants. Crazy, right?

The only concern would be ‘what shoes do you wear with this?’- and my answer is snakeskin! They are the perfect neutral shoe to blend this whole look together.

So, don’t judge me for the repeat pants, please?!!

Can you see the pearl buttons? They are the same shade of creamy white as these pants. I also have a necklace on that ties the colors together… sorry you can’t see it.

I love this silky bright top- it is a color I never really wear- and neon’s are really in this spring.  This is as close to neon as I’m willing to get! I know, my arms are bare and I need a belt- but hey, I never said I was a fashion expert!

Top: Loft, Pants: Express, Shoes: DSW

April 20th, Girl’s Night Out

I’m playing tennis today, so instead of showing my tennis skirt, I decided to show you what I wore the other night for a Girl’s Night Out!

I decided to pair my white toothpick jeans with a bright pink top.

However, the look on the right is not what I had in mind.

While I love the cute shoes and the pants- the pink collared shirt is more appropriate for a round of golf than a round of drinks!

Honestly, it’s very hard to make this type of shirt look stylish.

On the left I have replaced the golf shirt with this cute salmon colored top. This shirt is so much cuter than the one on the right- not only is the color fabulous- but it has great details. The 3/4 sleeves, the asymmetrical hemline, the v neck- all make for an interesting shirt.

To complete my ‘rule of 3’ I’ve threw on a turquoise necklace and a stack of bracelets.  For shoes I chose these cute snakeskin wedges that I bought at Marshalls last summer.

This outfit definitely says 'spring!'- even if it's only 45 degrees out! And, yes- my feet were a little cold. Oh well...

One thing I want to mention is that when my sister was here she had a gorgeous top in almost the same color- but her’s was Diane Von Furstenberg and was probably around $200! Yikes!

I’m too cheap (and poor) to spend that kind of cash on one top- so this shirt is a great alternative. It is from Point Of View section in Nordstrom and cost around $60.

Below is Kara’s pricey top! Can you tell the difference?

Kara's top is made of silk- so a much nicer fabric, but otherwise, it's pretty similar to mine.

Thanks so much to everyone who commented on my ‘ugly’ blouse from yesterday. I loved hearing everyone’s feedback- you all had some great suggestions!

That being said- I just didn’t feel very cute in the top- so it will go in the donation pile. My theory is I should feel great everyday- and this top didn’t make me feel great! Oh well… I tried. This is definitely a learning process for me too!

It’s Fashion Friday– so be sure to check out all these other great sites!

March 21st, Soft and Sweet

Today’s outfit isn’t earth shattering, but come to think of it- none of mine are! 🙂

But it’s a simple outfit that I think looks soft and sweet.

I think it’s because of this silk top with the ruffle neckline. It seems very dainty and ladylike to me!

The color is a muted blush pink, and paired with this soft grey boyfriend cardigan I think it makes for a simple, but cute look.

On the right you can see my original outfit- instead of the boyfriend cardigan I tried this cropped one.

While I do love this sweater, in my opinion, this outfit looks out of proportion. With the skinny jeans, I think I need the longer sweater to help provide some balance.

On my feet I have on my Tory Burch flats. These are a great pair of neutral flats- the snakeskin goes with everything.

To finish the look, I’ve added a necklace. I seem to do this almost every day- and believe me, a year ago I never wore necklaces! EVER!

However, I’ve accumulated quite a collection over the past year and I store them on a belt rack in my closet- so I can see them all at once. It makes it so much easier to just grab one and throw it on when they are easily accessible!

Don’t forget, it’s Wednesday, so be sure to check out the Pleated Poppy for more ideas!

A close up of the cute neckline and my necklace (which my sweet sisters made for me).

Such a simple, yet easy outfit.

Jeans: Anthropologie, Shoes: Nordstrom, Top: J Crew, Cardigan: J Crew, Neckace: Gift

March 18th, Girl’s Night Out!

I’m posting pictures from our night out last night- enjoy!

Love this jacket! Green is the color for spring!

This silk DVF top is truly gorgeous!

I chose a green top and this fun statement necklace.

March 6th, Stumped!

For the first time since I started this blog, I am completely stumped on what to wear.

For some reason, I stand in my closet and stare at my clothes and can’t seem to put together a single outfit that you all haven’t already seen.

Luckily, my sisters are coming out for a visit next week and we’ll do lots of shopping. We also have some fun blog posts planned- so be sure to tune in next week to see what we are up to!

That being said, I’m sorry if today’s outfit is another bust (yesterday’s was a toss up- but I do agree with most of you that the length on my dress was too long and the sleeves were funky. I still love the color though!).

On to today…

When I first bought these grey skinny cords I thought I’d wear them all the time, then I got home and looked in my closet and couldn’t figure out what the heck to pair them with.

The grey threw me off a bit and I wasn’t sure what colors would work as tops so I would only wear them with white or black shirts.

I’ve finally decided that the grey is basically a neutral and can be paired with anything, so I decided to try this cranberry colored faux silk blouse. It’s loose, flowy, and very on trend right now. The loose fit of the top is a better look than the tight white shirt above right.

It’s a pretty simple outfit, not much to it, but I like the way it looks effortless and carefree (I can assure you it was anything but effortless- this took me about 45 minutes to come up with, it’s that bad. I guess it’s a bit like writers block, huh?

The loose top is balanced out with the skinny bottom. The necklace adds a final touch to show I put some effort into my look.

Pants: Banana Republic, Top: H&M, Shoes: DSW, Necklace: Forever 21

Feb 7th, Black and Blue

  I have a work event this morning and I want to look professional, yet current so I’ve opted for this gorgeous silk shirt and black pants.

On the right I am wearing baggy dress pants- and although they are very nice pants, paired with this large and loose top it looks out of balance.

On the left I have re-worked it by pairing the large top with skinny pants. This works much better because  when you go large on top you should go small on bottom, and vice versa! Adding the long necklace and black boots finishes the outfit.

Remember, when wearing pants these tight, just be sure the top is large enough to cover your bum.

If you are not comfortable wearing skinny pants- try a cigarette  (or straight leg) style pant- they are not as tight- but still very slimming.

As long as your top covers your bum, anyone can rock the skinnys.

Blouse: Nordstrom, Pants: Gap, Boots: Nordstrom, Necklace: Gift