fashion – Page 2 – the Spiff

Style Goals for 2017

January 9, 2017 No Comments

You may ask why I like to set style goals for myself. Why not just keep dressing like I do?

Because 13 year old Elizabeth. That’s why.

Sure I kept it classic with the black velvet and pearls. And how ’bout that bow? The bow that was made for the heads of two grown women, but instead I clipped it to my 13-year-old noggin already heavy with hair. Yeah! Such a Rock Star.

This girl, while the embodiment of style and grace #obvs, needs to be edited a bit (I’m looking straight at those “bangs”). Which is why I like to keep it fresh. And taking a step back to look at your style and setting goals for polishing it is a great way to do that.

So what does 2017 hold for how I express myself in clothing? I’m so glad you asked!

1. Realize the value of investment pieces.

I think it’s a right of passage in your 30’s to quickly loose the taste for the quick and cheap clothing you hoarded in your 20’s and to start craving quality.

While I will always consider myself Forever21 *wink, I’m starting to realize the value of a slightly more expensive piece of clothing that will be with me for years.

I plan to realize that more often this year and choose quality over quantity.

2. Refresh my accessories.

Speaking of Forever21, they called and want their jewelry section back (we all know that’s a lie as their jewelry is final sale, duh).

I happen to own a lot of their pieces, and I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. I bought a necklace the other day that looks identical to one you could find in J. Crew but was one tenth the price. I appreciate that.

However, I’ve owned and worn a lot of their pieces over and over and over again, and this year it’s time to refresh.

Goal: go through, clean out what I don’t want and start devoting some funds to things like new bracelets, better quality rings I can wear on the regular, and necklaces that will jazz up my basics.

3. Shop my closet.

During the month of December I purposefully shopped what I already owned, and it was fun!

I saved money, agony, and came to realize just how many great clothes I have. Plus, what is the saying, necessity is the mother of invention?

This year I’m going to be more inventive with what I already own.

Set some style goals for yourself! It will help streamline your shopping and keep your style focused on the message you want to portray.

Fashion

How I Found the Best Diaper Bag

March 11, 2016 No Comments

skiphop, diaper bag, mom blog, knoxville mom blog, how to find the right diaper bag, knoxville fashion blogger, knoxville fashion

The original title of this post was “The Best Diaper Bag Ever” but really, it’s not. I’ll get to that a little later…

Probably one of the first daunting things to buy for a baby was a diaper bag. So I did my research. In fact I probably over did my research.

When it’s your first kid, you really don’t know what you need. You think you know what you need, but you really don’t figure it out till later (true with a diaper bag / true in LIFE).

I don’t lean towards girly stuff and a lot of nice bags had girly prints, bows, etc. Not only was that not my style, but it also hurt the chances of my husband ever picking up the bag in public (plus I knew deep down the whole time we were having a boy).

I made a list of my top priorities…

Pockets – but not copious amounts
A nice print that wasn’t like anything I owned but would still flow with my closet
Wipe-able *insert smiling poop emoji
Medium size – I didn’t want to carry the stretch hummer of diaper bags
Cross-body – it’s just better for your back and it looks cool, yo

After all my searching I settled on one bag. It was taupe and fit every requirement. The only drawback was seeing it in person (something I highly recommend for any important purchase) it was very cheaply made. And even though I was willing to shell out some cash for something I liked, quality was certainly a strong requirement (add that to the list).

Then one day I came across the perfect bag – for me. And here’s why I didn’t name this “The Best Diaper Bag Ever.” This bag is the best ever for me. It may not be the best for you. My goal with this post was for you to see my process so you can make your own list of requirements and start searching from there.

This system works for really any kind of purchase where you have a lot of options, not just diaper bags.

If you want a diaper bag recommendation, this little beauty by Skip*Hop is perfection. Just enough pockets inside and out (the outside ones magnetically close), not so large that I loose things in it, but large enough to hold his bottles and extra clothes; this print goes with EVERYTHING (it’s wipe-able) and it can be carried as a cross-body.

Done. Check.

(Amazing pictures provided by Brittany of SouthernRoots Photos!)

Fashion, west town mall

A Fun Girls Collection From GAP

August 31, 2015 No Comments

There are a few things I’d like to go back to childhood for. A designated nap time is one of them, eating anything I want and also guilt-free lazy Saturdays.

Probably the number on thing I’d like to recapture from childhood is being able to pull off some really snazzy outfits with no abandon (I unashamedly rocked a Nancy Kerrigan-esque leotard on ice skates as a kid. Jealous much?). I want back not just the ability to pull off fun clothes, but also the attitude, the childlike innocence that says, “Yeah, this is what I’m wearing booger breath, deal with it.”

GAP has teamed up with Ellen Degeneres to create a collection for girls that turns up the volume on that child-like boldness. It’s filled with cute pieces that cultivate that care-free attitude while leaving the door wide open for creativity and customization (see the great patch collection that can be used to stick on any of the pieces).

And true to the GAP brand, everything can be mixed and matched to create layers upon layers of outfit possibilities. So stop by GAP Kids in West Town Mall to snatch up some of the fun!

For more great GAP outfits for kids, click here!

Fashion, west town mall

Let Gap Put the Cool in School

August 3, 2015 No Comments

By the time you read this, I’ll have a son. Which is a wild group of words to type and then see written out. *Pause* My point with it is I’ve become acutely aware of how important great clothing is for kids. And this is only the beginning.

Gap Kids at West Town Mall has proven to be a great place to buy cool clothing that’s smart (as in functional), durable and mixable! I’m starting to realize the fact that so many of their items can be worn together in different ways is so valuable when you’re trying to get them dressed in something cute and out the door as fast as possible.

I cannot WAIT to dress my little guy up in their stuff!

Take a look at some of the great items they’ve got for back to school (can I borrow a pair of those adorable pleated leopard shorts?). And the backpacks…lets pretend it’s the 90’s and my backpack purse is just larger than normal, OK? OK.

Don’t forget they have a great uniform selection as well. Having been a child who had to wear uniforms I can tell you that having quality stuff from Gap will really save you money, time and frustration in the long run.

Fashion, styling, summer

Trending: Bucket Bags

July 13, 2015 No Comments

{Similar} Dress // Headband // Wedges // Bag

There’s a great new purse shape that’s been making its way through the crowd of bags out there, it’s called the Bucket Bag.

It looks just like it sounds too (as you can see).

I picked this one up at TJMaxx for a steal (a STEAL I tell you, at $20), but I’ve linked to one just like it and since the shape is becoming more popular the options are starting to increase.

Honestly, at first I wasn’t a big fan. And even now I don’t think I’d own one that’s not cross-body. I got this one because I needed a summer cross-body option and really with the quilting on it, I think I could carry this well into fall.

It’s nice in the sense that it’s deep and can hold my long wallet. It’s not nice in the sense that the opening is a little small and I have to work to get my hand down in there to pull things out. But if you’re not a fan of having a wide open purse for people to stick their hands or eyes down into, then this is the perfect bag for you. It’s especially great on vacation which is where I first carried it.

Grab one like this in a bright white and it will really refresh your summer purse collection!

Previous page Next page