Sept 11, Hostess

I’m titling this post ‘Hostess’ because my before outfit reminds me of something I would have worn back in 1987 when I was a hostess at the Steak and Ale in Kansas City! Those were the days…not!

I love a good pencil skirt, and on certain occasions I will wear mine, but definitely not styled like this! With the starched shirt and black ballet flats, I look too formal. I’m not working in an office, or hostessing at the Steak and Ale, so I need to change this look asap!

Instead of the prim and proper pencil skirt, I have chosen this bamboo skirt from North Face. If you look closely, you can see the hemline is uneven, which gives it some interest. Since it’s bamboo, it is super soft and hangs well, giving a more casual vibe. Instead of the oversize formal button down shirt, I have chosen this cute linen top from Uniqlo. I really like this top- there is something about the shape of it that I love, and it pairs well with everything. To add some spice to the outfit I have chosen my leopard slides and a huge bag for running errands.

August 29, Back to School Shopping

I took my daughter back to school shopping today. Yes, I know- most of the country is already back at school, but in the PNW we wait until after Labor Day to start, so we still have a few more days of summer. Yeah!

I knew I wanted to wear jeans because I am always cold in the mall, and I decided to keep it simple and classic by pairing my jeans with a white button down. However- comparing the two looks above, you can see that in order for this to be a cute outfit, I need to make a few changes.

Instead of the dark straight leg jeans, I decided to go with distressed skinnies from Nordstrom (7 for all Mankind). Since a button down is a little dressy, the distressed jeans balance it out by being super casual. To keep from looking like I’m wearing my husband’s dress shirt (which I am in the before photo), I swapped out this thick starched shirt for a much thinner, casual one from Nordstrom (Treasure and Bond). Then I rolled the sleeves and unbuttoned a few buttons. To add some interest, I choose my leopard belt from Target and added a white cuff bracelet. My leather braided sandals completed the outfit.

August 3, Blue and White Again

Another day, another blue and white outfit. Today I’m showing a very simple, basic look of blue jeans and a white blouse. But in the photo on the left my proportions are off.

The wide leg jeans and the boxy blouse don’t work well together. When you have big on top, you need to go skinny on bottom. So the skinny jeans on the right are an improvement. I also wanted to keep this outfit super simple with neutral shoes. But I don’t love the loafers on the left, they seem old and tired. I think the cute tie up shoes on the right are much better, don’t you?

And check out the details on this blouse- I love the pattern, and the detail on the shoulder are so cool.

Blouse- Madewell

Jeans- Lucky Brand

Shoes- Paul Green

April 2, Anything But Boring

My fear when wearing black pants and a white top is that I’m going to look like a waiter in an upscale restaurant. Yet, I love wearing black and white- I just have to make sure that it’s anything but boring!

In today’s before photo I am wearing black dress pants that are way too long to be worn with flats (see how they puddle on the floor) and a plain v neck white sweater. Since I don’t work in an office, I’m replacing the black pants with black jeans, which add a little more style to the look- but the real eye catcher is this cute white top from Madewell. I love the details of this swingy top. First off, the diamond pattern is adorable, the cut is fun and different for me, and last- it has the cutest details on the shoulders- see below.

To complete the look, I’ve chosen my leopard pointy toed flats. I think it’s a fun way to add a little pattern into the otherwise pretty simple outfit. And, if it gets chilly, I will throw on this cute black jacket. However, yesterday we got up to 70 degrees here in the Northwest! Loving this spring weather! Is it warm where you live?

Jeans- Gap

Blouse- Madewell

Shoes- Franco Sarto, Nordstrom Rack

Jacket- Evereve

May 13th, Happy Mother’s Day

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!

Feb 1st, Work It Wednesday

Today I am participating in Work it Wednesday and showing a pencil skirt worn 3 different ways.

I’ll be totally honest here- when I first became a stay at home mom, I wore sweats every day. It was so easy to just wear comfy, lounge type clothes all day.

However, I’d go to the grocery store or a playgroup and see moms that looked adorable and stylish and I would feel insecure.

That was when I decided I was going to put some effort into my look. I was tired of looking and feeling frumpy.

I felt a bit weird getting dressed up when all I was doing was running errands. But after a while, I started to enjoy creating outfits- and I enjoyed the way I felt put together when I was out and about.

So if you’re stuck in a rut and needing some inspiration, you’ve come to the right place. Hopefully you will find some tips and suggestions on how to update your wardrobe and how to wear your clothes no matter where you are going!

Here are my different outfits using a brown pencil skirt as a base:

I’ve paired it first with a white tank, and then added this pink ruffled cardigan and a belt.

The next look is my favorite. Here I’ve paired the skirt with a crisp white button down layered over a tank and my leopard belt. It’s so simple and so classic and I love it.

Be sure to invest in a good white shirt- this one is wrinkle free fabric from Brooks Brothers, which I love! This is a classic piece that I will wear for years.

Isn’t it interesting to compare how much longer my legs look when the shirt is tucked in (middle picture)  as opposed to with the cardigan (on left). Amazing!

The third look is with a denim shirt and brown braided belt. This is a much more casual version, perfect for someone who doesn’t want to seem too dressy!

So hard to see the detail of this cute skirt in this lighting. Sorry!

Skirt: Nordstrom, Cardigan: J Crew, White Shirt: Brooks Brothers, Denim Shirt: Martin and Osa, Boots: DSW, Leopard Belt: Target, Braided Belt: American Eagle