sweater – the Spiff

Cheap + Tight: How I Made it Work Anyway

February 22, 2017 2 Comments

ootd, knoxville fashion, knoxville fashion blog, midi pencil skirt, pencil skirt outfit, skirt and sweater outfit, professional look for moms, mom blog, knoxville mom blog, forever21 for moms, waterfall sweater outfit, february sweater outfit, west town mall, west town mall style

Shop this look: Skirt | Similar Sweater | Booties

Do you remember what Forever21 was like in 2008?

It had a sparkly floor, clothing racks as far as the eye could see and a jewelry section with a giant chandelier. I would often drive three hours just to be there and gaze at all the beauty. Then I could scoop up whatever I wanted, because it was so dang cheap!

There were so many great tops and jackets (OH THE JACKETS!!).

So what’s changed?

Probably (honestly) me. I’ve watched my taste shift from trendy and cheap to craving more classic and sturdy. Like needing fiber for my closet. Good thing that doesn’t sound like I’m getting older!

Forever21 has changed too, but only because that’s the nature of their business. They’re here to provide us trends. And it seems the trend is now to wear shirts that stop half way down your torso. Yay.

I still wander in there.

I made myself a promise (you were there, it’s in a blog post somewhere) that I would always shop at Forever21 no matter my age. Because the jewelry is great. I often snag pieces that look like they came from J. Crew for less than $10.

Or hey, this skirt! It was $8.

And while it is tight (like TOO MUCH INFORMATION tight) I rose to the style challenge and made it work…for a Sunday morning…at Church!

Here’s how I did it…

Knowing the length and straightness this skirt would bring to my frame; I knew it would need to be severely balanced out with some volume. Enter: this waterfall sweater that thankfully covers my bum. That made the skirt a little less sexy office assistant and a little more mother appropriate.

You know what else would work? This vest.

Because the skirt is so long, you want something that does cover your bum, but doesn’t go much longer past that. Too much length can drag your whole frame down.

To continue the volume up top, I went with a loose gray shirt. I tucked it in for a couple of inches just to define my waist. Again: it’s all about balance and I needed to balance all of that volume I had added with a defined waist. I didn’t want to get swallowed up!

In the spring this can also work with a shorter kimono and maybe some taupe booties instead of black. Just remember…Balance is key!

And know that 30 years from now you’ll still bump into me, shopping for cheap jewelry and possibly really tight skirts ;)

fall, Fashion, what to wear, winter

The Perfect Graphic Tee and Plaid Sweater

January 25, 2016 1 Comment

she is clothing, proverbs 31:25, proverbs 31:25 shirt, plaid sweater, black and white sweater, ootd, knoxville fashion, beauty blogger, knoxville fashion blogger, elizabeth ogle

As a writer and lover of words, I’m always on the hunt for a good graphic tee. Unfortunately it’s hard to come across ones that I can get behind (ha, literally, cause I’m right behind…you get it).

I love coffee just as much as all the shirts claim to, but you can talk to me before I’ve had it. I wake up pretty happy. I’m generally not a sassy pants, so shirts that have text with underlying attitude don’t reflect who I am, nor do shirts that say harsh things like “Satan is a liar.” Yes, he is. But it just comes across pretty strong/weird when imprinted in gold letters on your sweatshirt.

This shirt, with it’s perfectly scripted text and message of strength (without crossing over into soap-box territory) is just perfect.

And I love it paired with this sweater I picked up from Target. A black and white plaid is juuuust what my closet needs. It’s not stripes or animal print so it’s the perfect pattern for me right now.

You can pick up your own “Elle es Forte” shirt here (it’s French for “she is strong – from Proverbs 31:25). And you can get your own plaid sweater (on clearance) here!

Fashion, Spiffy

Polished Comfort Clothes

January 15, 2016 No Comments

A cozy sweatshirt is like a big bowl of mac and cheese – pure comfort.

I have my fair share of days when comfort is top priority, but I don’t want to have to sacrifice looking polished either.

There is a fine line between comfortable and sloppy and I try hard to not cross over into “I just stopped caring, now I’m going to roam Wal-Mart” territory (even when the care factor has bottomed out – usually around the same time that precious Aunt Flo has come to visit ;)

Pieces like this sweater from The Loft really come in handy when the comfort cravings start.

The detail of the tiny jewels elevate the whole sweater. Really, they elevate the whole look. As an added bonus I can dress this up with heeled boots, or keep the comfort train rolling with some nicer tennis shoes.

It’s like I said in my style goals for 2016, I need to stock up on things I can throw on and look good in. And by putting a little bit of effort into finding great tops like this one, I can put a little less effort into getting dressed without looking sloppy.

You can find a similar sweater here, here and here. And here’s where I got ma boots!

christmas, Fashion

One Sweater – Three Outfits

December 14, 2015 No Comments

Sometimes I wish we lived in the Lucille Ball days.

Those days the men sported suits and hats more commonly. And the women got dolled up in dresses with swirly skirts, putting on dainty gloves and hats before walking out the door.

Gosh it would be so glamorous. But realistically, it would be a nightmare.

Dry cleaning would be a constant thing with the suits and the dresses and then the suits again. We’d be running around in heels all the time. We’d miss pants.

My biggest nightmare? The fact that it would be harder to get multiple uses out of the dresses. In this day and age I can buy a sweater and wear it with so many outfits, but a dress! Unless you do this…you can only wear it the one way.

Let’s be thankful we live in a more casual society and talk about this sweater and how it can work at your every holiday party…

There are typically three dress codes for parties this time of year: Business Casual, Dressy Casual and Festive. Today I want to show you how to wear this sweater for a Dressy Casual occasion.

The beautiful thing about this sweater from The Loft is the fact that it’s already bejeweled at the top, so if you don’t have time to accessorize you’re not going to look blank.

Dressy Casual is a fun way to go (although I imagine I’ll say that about all of them by the end of the week). With this dress code you get to balance your dressier pieces with more casual things, which usually translates to looking good and being comfortable. (And all the women said Hallelujah).

I layered the sweater with a long white tee to bring the fancier sweater down a notch and let it more smoothly transition to the boyfriend jeans. Then I balanced the jeans and the white layer with some nice black heels and added a touch of red with a bold lip.

No dry cleaning in the future, just enjoying the evening in pants ;)

Check back in the rest of the week to see what else I pair the sweater with!

fall, Fashion

How to Wear a Voluminous Sweater

November 11, 2015 No Comments

Enjoy this post from last winter, when it was just me and Zack around to “cute” up the photos. Little Baby J was just a nugget in my stomach at this point…too much information? Yeah, I sensed that. Don’t let that stop you from reading this great post on how to style a big sweater…

I’ll tell you what helps motivate you to get out of a comfortable warm bed in the morning – a big cozy sweater that’s actually cute.

But when you’re going with something that’s got a lot of volume, you’ve got to balance it out with something that’s not so voluminous. Like a black skirt and tights!

This combination is especially perfect if you’re rounder in the middle. The volume of the sweater will drape over your mid-section and help draw all the attention to the smaller spaces on your body.

I picked up this sweater at the fantasy factory that is the Dillard’s outlet in Asheville, NC. That place is a shoppers paradise. Well, let me rephrase that – it’s a deal-hunters paradise. If you don’t like picking through rack after rack in a sea of sale clothing then it’s not for you. Party pooper.

And since I can’t provide a link to that, there are two similarly shaped sweaters…here and here.

A black skirt like this is invaluable in the winter. I picked this one up at Forever21 years and years ago. I’ve yet to find a substitute, but I’m going to need to fast as I’ve really worn this one out. One like this is great with black tights which I will never stop wearing no matter how old I get. They make your legs look so skinny!!

Think about the balance of volume with the next outfit you put together and see how great it makes you look!