Oct 15, Camo Sweatshirt

I’m honestly a bit surprised by how little camo I show here on the blog, considering it is one of my favorite prints. I have camo leggings, camo jeans, camo t shirt and two camo sweatshirts! And since today is Camo day in my themed week, my OOTD is my camo sweatshirt!

While I like both of these sweatshirts, I think the one on the right (American Eagle) is just a bit better for today’s outfit. The colors are more vibrant, and the cute stripes on the sleeves really tie in with the off white jeans. To keep the jeans looking current, I rolled the cuffs. I also pushed up my sleeves and added my bracelets. Finally, the cute pointy toed slip on shoes (from Target) look better than the tired old loafers.

Now- on to more important things (in my opinion). I need your help! What shows do you like to watch on Netflix or Amazon Prime? At the end of a long day I LOVE sitting with a glass of red wine and watching a show. And boy have I watched a ton of good shows! Here is what I have watched and enjoyed… but I am in need of something new! (list is in no particular order)

1. Indian Summer
2. Fleabag
3. Dorrells of Corfu
4. Happy Valley
5. Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
6. Friday Night Lights (my all time favorite)
7. Bosch
8. Sex Education
9. Schitt’s Creek
10. Call the Midwife
11. Broadchurch
12. Breaking Bad
13. Crazy Ex Girlfriend
14. Goliath
15. Sneaky Pete
16. The Americans
17. The Staircase
18. Parenthood
19. Wonderland
20. Making a Murderer

Wow! I can’t believe all the shows I’ve watched (mind you this is over a few years time…). But still, makes me think I need to get out more! lol! As you can see, I like a variety of different genres. If you like what I like, and see something missing from my list- please comment! I’m desperate for a new show! Thank you!

June 18, Grateful

After a very busy 3 days (Convocation, 16th birthday for my daughter, Father’s Day and Graduation) I am GRATEFUL it’s all over! Today I want to chill in my comfy clothes. It’s grey and drizzly outside- so joggers and a sweatshirt are perfect for today.

In my before photo I am wearing my super comfy (but not very stylish fleece lined Lululemon pants. While these truly are the warmest and most comfy pants ever (and they were great when my kids played soccer), they aren’t flattering. The way the leg flares out below the knee is awkward, plus they are too long. My grey joggers are much cuter and fit better! My new white slides (Target) are also a cuter option than the white Birkenstocks (don’t get me wrong, I love my Birks, but the slides add a more stylish!) and the Grateful sweatshirt is a little more flattering than the big white hoodie on the left. The hoodie has a pocket in the tummy area, which adds bulk in a place where I do not need any!

This whole outfit is from Target!! Gotta love that!

June 6, Sweatshirt

My daughter is mad at me because the sweatshirt in the before picture is hers, and truthfully, on a 16 year old paired with leggings, this oversize sweatshirt is adorable. On me, not so much!

It’s especially bad when worn with ankle socks and dorky tennis shoes! I know better than to wear this, but I wanted to show actual looks that I see people wearing.

My after outfit is still super casual, super comfy, but a little more stylish (if you can call ripped jeans and a sweatshirt stylish?!) But, the slimmer sweatshirt, with a cuter neckline and sporty black tennis shoes* are definitely an improvement.

Jeans- Target

Shoes- Adidas

Sweatshirt- old!

*and Kelly D, this post is for you!

April 20, Grateful

I’ve worn this sweatshirt once before, as seen here, but I thought I’d wear it again today. As I mentioned in my post on Tuesday, in my opinion, the secret to happiness is gratitude.

Looking at the before outfit, there are just two tiny things I am going to change.

1. I rolled down the jeans. In the before picture, they are too short. Just a couple of inches makes all the difference in the world. Be sure your cropped jeans aren’t too cropped!

2. I swapped out the gigantic sweatshirt for a slimmer, more fitted one.

That’s it! But boy, doesn’t it make a difference?!

Happy Saturday everyone!

Sweatshirt- Target

Jeans- Levi’s (these are regular length, I cropped mine myself)

Shoes- Birkenstocks

April 15, Color!

After a week of grey, black and army green- I decided I needed some color! Plus, I’m still feeling really exhausted from my trip and just need something super easy to wear to school today. Jeans and a sweatshirt is as easy as it gets!

I chose this bright pink/ purple sweatshirt and my cropped wide leg jeans. The sweatshirt on the right is a big improvement over the fleece in the before picture. My motto is that fleece is only for hiking, camping or anytime you are going to be outside and it is freezing cold. In my opinion, it is not a very fashionable look- but very practical for keeping warm!

Now, to be honest, I’m struggling a bit with my shoe choice. I know anything will be better than the grey orthopedic shoes on the left, but I’m not sure about the slip on loafers. They feel a little dressy with a sweatshirt. I think I will wear my white Superga tennis shoes instead- go for a more sporty look.

I also want to comment on wide leg jeans- be really careful that they don’t make you look wide all over. I tried some on at Target the other day- and the cut was so wide through the entire leg that they made me look enormous. This pair is nice because while lower part is wide, it is still fitted through the thigh. Also, if you are petite, try a heel or a wedge shoe. I’m 5’5, so I should be ok with a flat shoe.

Ok, gotta run and get to school. Monday after Spring Break is HARD!!!

Jeans- Eddie Bauer

Sweatshirt- Target

Shoes- Vince, Nordstrom Rack

March 7, How to Distress your Own Jeans

Hey friends! I am SUPER excited about today’s OOTD post. I am going to show you how to distress your own jeans. Trust me, I am not a very crafty person, and yet if I can do it, anyone can! So… if you have a pair of old jeans laying around, and you’ve always liked the look of distressed jeans but didn’t want to spend a fortune on them, this post is for you!

First off, here is what you will need to do the job: A pair of good scissors (fabric scissors are ideal), a marker (or pencil) and a pair of tweezers. That’s it!

I label my scissors ‘fabric only’ to keep family members from using them for other things!

Start by trying on your jeans and bending down and marking the top and bottom of your knees (or wherever you want the distressing/ holes to be).

Awkward photo, but wanted to show how to mark the knees! 🙂 Don’t do it while standing, you will be off.

Once you’ve marked where you want to distress, take your scissors and cut a tiny slit in the jeans. Be careful not to cut too large of a slit.

I cut a little above my mark- that’s ok! I’ll end up cutting that out later.

After the first cut, cut as many more strips as you want- depending on the size of the hole you want. Your first slit should be small (about an inch), then cut bigger strips towards the middle, then back to small cuts. You are making sort of diamond shape.

Notice my strips aren’t even- and they are biggest in the middle of the area. I also cut out holes at the top and bottom (where my knees start and end).

Now, this is the tricky (and time consuming part). Flip the strip over and use tweezers to carefully pull out the strings that run the length of your jeans (up and down). Basically, your jeans are woven threads and you are removing the vertical threads. For some reason, it’s easier to do it with the fabric twisted. See photo below.

This takes a long time… be patient!

Leave the horizontal threads (and it’s ok if some rip or tear, this just adds to the distressed look). You can also just cut out a giant hole- if you don’t want the threaded look. Keep doing this until you are happy with the results. Then, throw your jeans in the washing machine and wash and dry a couple of times- this will really add to the distressed look. You can also use a sandpaper block to roughen up the pockets or hemline.

Using sandpaper creates even more distressing!

And here they are! The final look- after being washed!

The brighter camo sweatshirt with the cute white stripes on the sleeves and the ripped jeans make for a more interesting outfit!

Sweatshirt is from AE, and it’s on sale! Jeans are from Vallue Village, they were $12

A couple of tips-

1. Chose an inspiration pair to use as your guide. (See photos below)
2. Go to the Goodwill or Value Village and buy a cheap pair of jeans to do this to! You won’t feel bad if it doesn’t work- although truthfully, this is so easy- you can’t go wrong!

Nordstrom

Nordstrom

American Eagle

Feb 25, Joggers

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 Target

Smart Wool socks!

Vince slip on shoes

Feb 17, Bright

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.

Ripped skinny jeans from Zara

Feb 9, Grateful

I know you can’t read my sweatshirt (that’s the problem with taking photos in the mirror), but it says Grateful. I’m grateful we survived snowmaggedon! We did get a ton of snow… but we are all safe and cozy in the house- and here we will stay.

Since I’m just lounging around all day, I’m wearing comfy joggers and sweatshirt (and slippers, but the tennis shoes looked cuter for the photo) and watching TV, reading my book, or playing games. Has anyone played Splendor yet? It is so addictive and fun.

In my before picture these pants are messy looking. They are super wrinkly, and the pockets on the sides (cargo style) aren’t working for me- they just add weight to my legs, which no one wants. If you are going to wear cargo pants, then they need to be skinny- so the cargo pockets aren’t adding any bulk.

The hemline is also awkward. It goes up too high on one side, then is baggy on the other.

I have replaced the cargo pants with the dark grey joggers. Maybe I’m just being hopeful, but it seems like my legs look thinner in the after picture?!

 

These joggers are from the Gap, and they may actually be pj’s… at least that’s how I’ve always worn them, but now that I study style blogs all day, I am seeing joggers everywhere, so I thought I’d give them a try.  To add a little style, I pushed up the hem a little and opted for my cute black Adidas.

As for my sweatshirt, by just doing the little half tuck I have altered the straight line across my body. For some reason, this is slimming. Check out this photo below of the exact same outfit, without the legs pushed up and the half tuck. Amazing, right?

Now, back to my grateful sweatshirt. Not to be all preachy or anything, but years ago I was going through a time in my life where I was struggling with finding joy. Nothing serious, but I just wasn’t as happy as I felt I should have been. I decided to start a gratitude journal, where I started listing 5 things a day that I was grateful for. This really forced me to recognize how blessed I am, and to look for beauty in the world (and in people), and honestly helped me become a much happier person. I strongly suggest starting your own gratitude journal. Even if you don’t write things down, just noticing things you are thankful for will make a huge difference.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

One thing I am grateful for is this blog. I love playing with my clothes and putting together outfits, it helps me express my creative side and honestly brings me joy.  Thanks for being a part of it. xoxo, Megan

Joggers- Gap

Sweatshirt- Target

Shoes- Adidas, Nordstrom Rack 

 

Oct 25th, Purple People Eater

Does anyone else remember that song? Probably not… 

Anyhow- I’ve decided to wear my purple skinny jeans again today. I have a casual client meeting, so I thought these would be appropriate. I wanted to pair them with something simple- so I chose this cool black cardigan.

It’s made of sweatshirt material, so it’s super soft, super warm and super comfy! I like how it’s different than your typical cardigan too!

To add a little personality to the outfit I decided to wear my animal print tank underneath the cardigan. This way, you get a tiny little glimpse of the pattern, but it’s not overwhelming or too busy.

Lastly- I opted for my black boots- these are such a wardrobe staple! As you have probably noticed- I wear them almost every day. Definitely worth the investment!

Hope you have a great day- and thanks for all your comments yesterday. Wearing the dress without the belt seemed to be the consensus! Thanks!

Jeans: Target, Boots: Nordstrom (Frye), Tank: Express, Cardigan: Nordstrom (Bobeau)