stripes – the Spiff

Stripes, Chambray and a Teeny Bit of Camo

September 11, 2015 No Comments

This past Sunday was Jackson’s first trip to church. I wore my bright heels so that people would remember that I still existed ;)

Really, I was happy for him to take all of the attention. I was just excited to get all fancied up. As nice as it is to lay around in your pajama’s, sometimes getting dressed up for a couple of hours helps you appreciate laying around again.

Aside from all of that, I was very excited to wear this great striped skirt I picked up for $10 at Ross. Target has one a lot like it and I was planning on getting it, but it was $30, so I saved $20 at Ross just by walking in the door!

A patterned A-line skirt like this will go for MILES in my closet. I can dress it down with this chambray shirt and statement necklace (that I got at the Walz-Mart, by the way), or I can pair it with a black top and make it look more like a dress. I can wear it with tights and a blazer in the fall, and a long sleeve shirt and booties in the spring. The options never end.

Here’s one like it from Express, and here’s a great chambray shirt from Ann Taylor.

fall, fall fashion, Fashion, stripes, sweater, the limited, west town mall

What to Wear to Work in the Fall

September 26, 2014 No Comments

So you may not be able to match my level of excitement about the fall season, but let me get you to at least admit that having a seasonal shift is a nice closet refresher.

While tank tops and flip flops are great, just think back to how good it feels when you slip into a comfortable pair of boots and a big cozy sweater. Mmmm yeah. Welcome to the dark side.

Let’s talk about building an easy fall work week wardrobe.

What I have pictured is a great base for getting you through a full five day work week (all of which can be found at West Town Mall). Each top can be worn alone or layered, giving you a great variety of looks. And because there’s a great mix of pattern and texture, they’ll keep you looking modern and seasonally appropriate.

Notice I have a pair of ankle length pants (these are “So Slimming” pants by Chico’s). They are so perfect for fall weather…I’ve already explained why here. I added a pair of wide leg pants because they’re growing in popularity. I’ll give them a little more air time on my body, but my main squeeze is still my skinnies (pun so ridiculously intended…”squeeze” get it?) These wide leg trousers are from The Limited, who have the perfect selection of classic/trendy/well-made work pants this side of the Mississippi.

The striped shirt (far left) is from Tommy Hilfiger and I don’t know about you, but looking at it makes me want to run down to a college campus and stand under a color-changing tree while drinking a pumpkin spice latte. It really couldn’t be more fall appropriate if it were made out of pumpkins. It would also look just as fall-ish under that chic GAP blazer too!

That checkered black and white plaid (or gingham) print shirt from American Eagle Outfitters is a great layering piece. Get ready because you’re about to see this pattern explode all ova-tha-place…even into spring. For now, wear it alone or peaking out from under that gray sweater. Oo then add the blazer on top of the whole thing. Boom. (Grab about 40 other sweaters like this gray V-neck from GAP. Get one in every color, trust me. They’ll go far).

And let’s all take a vow to stray away from boring black flats. The taupe and leopard flats pictured from Rack Room Shoes will add such pizzazz to your looks! Think about how cute those leopard flats will look with either the striped or the checkered shirts!

Yum. Getting dressed for a fall work week is so delicious. Have fun with it!

forever21, pattern mixing, reason to love winter, stripes, Why this works, winter

Why This Works

January 28, 2014 No Comments

Right about now, you’re probably over this cold weather.

And you’re probably growing weary of all your sweaters and boots, and can’t wait to slip back in a sun dress. I’m not with you at all.

I’m still basking in the fact that I don’t have to think about how tan I am, or paint my toes (I really hate doing that). I’m also very good with the fact that I haven’t seen a bug in a really long time, or that I’ve not walked outside and started sweating even though I just took a shower.

I’m still very cool with this whole winter thing. So I’m hoping this outfit break down will get you there as well.

Just think in a few months we’re not going to be able to cocoon ourselves in a cozy sweater like this one from Express.

That’s why I’m loving every minute in these long knit cardigans. I decided to pair it with a striped pencil skirt from Forever21.

Before I edited the outfit, I had started with a plain black shirt underneath. But on second look I thought how it needed something else. So I went back and added this slightly peplum top I got from American Eagle a couple years ago. It’s got just the right amount of flair at the bottom which makes it perfect for adding a leopard belt.

Now the outfit has more visual interest and just the right amount going on around my waste so as to not look boring.

This black and gold necklace from Aldo is just the right length for this neckline, and of course I’m going to add tights (another thing to love about this time of year) and my favorite favorite boots from Dillards. Oh ladies, I’ve talked myself into a winter-loving frenzy.

Just embrace this time of year and all the wrapping up in cute/comfortable clothes that comes with it!

stripes, Why this works

Why This Outfit Works

November 18, 2013 No Comments

This quickie little photo shoot was honestly just for myself.

I wanted to document this outfit because I liked the way it all worked together. But then as I looked at it more closely I found that it incorporates many a trend, so it’s worth writing about.

Most of the time, you don’t want to go trend happy and pile on as many as you can. But in this case it turned out find and here’s why…

The foundation of this whole thing started with me wanting to wear these J. Crew pants. They are so comfortable and such a fresh take on the classic kaki with the tuxedo stripe down the side.

I added the striped shirt because I love the way it hangs, and the pattern compliments the pants. Then I realized I would probably be cold in the shirt alone, so I knew I needed a jacket.

This military-style jacket came from Forever21. It doesn’t work with everything because it’s shorter and sticks out some in the back, but it does work with this shirt because the shirt has a little volume to it which compensates for the jacket’s shortness. I don’t want to come off looking like I’m wearing something that shrunk in the wash.

For the finishing touches I added leopard (of course) by way of my shoes and watch and finally a gold chevron necklace. I could have gone for hoop earrings, but I was in need of some swing and I just love how a longer necklace swings about giving you that threw-this-on-and-it-looks-amazing vibe.

That’s five trends incorporated into one outfit without looking like I’m trying too hard or going for extra pins on Pinterest.

stripes

How to Stripe Yourself Skinny

July 9, 2013 No Comments

Let it be stricken from the record that stripes are only for the slim waist-ed. They’re not.

If you are a fuller figure and you want to make stripes work, have no fear-it’s possible.

Vertical Stripes-Even Better!

Remember, clothes are your constant ace in the hole. They’re not your enemy, they’re your secret weapon when it comes to looking slim. It’s all in how you use them for your advantage.

The way to make stripes flattering is by pairing a striped piece with a blazer. This goes for a shirt or a dress-anything that’s bringing stripes to your torso-if you’re wanting to look slim throw a blazer on over it. This creates the illusion that you have a slim waist because the stripe stops right where the blazer begins making it look the same for your torso.

The picture to the left is the perfect example of this. Skinny vertical stripes under a blazer-you may as well have lost ten pounds! (It’s from The Limited, by the way).

Speaking of the size of the stripe, if you’re wanting to downplay a larger chest, I would recommend going with smaller stripes. Small stripes do draw less attention to that area and give more of a slimming illusion.

Now I realize it’s not necessarily what you would consider “blazer weather” outside. BUT what you can do to make your jacket more heat-appropriate is roll the sleeves a bit, or scrunch them, or both! Jackets are my closet potato chips-I can never have just one :)

Don’t fear your closet-put it to work making you look good!