It's finally feeling like winter in Houston! Our temperature dropped to the 30's and 40's. The autumn and winters in Houston are my favorite seasons. No crazy humidity, no mosquitoes, just good hair days, holidays, and sales galore!
I loved my outfit today. I got to wear my new Zara black puffer vest, my new $7 striped shirt from Banana Republic factory, and my new Naturalizer riding boots. I also pattern-mixed a leopard scarf with a striped tee for the first time in my life! The pattern-mixing took some getting used to and was definitely not in my comfort zone, but it worked out beautifully. After putting on the boots, I felt ready to conquer the world! It never fails to amaze me how closely correlated looking good and feeling good are. They say confidence is the best accessory...or is it a smile? Either way, I had both.
Knowing that the cold front was coming today, I finished swapping out my spring/summer clothes with my fall/winter clothes yesterday evening. I loved how my entire summer wardrobe can fit perfectly into the four storage boxes. This is how I make sure I don't have more than I need. I treat the storage boxes like luggage space. If all the clothes for the season don't fit in the storage boxes, something has to go.
Allow me to regale you with tales of my shopping adventures:
Yesterday, I was so proud of myself for resisting yet another plaid shirt at Old Navy. I went in to return a boyfriend cardigan, but then came out with a light chambray shirt and a wide brown belt. Seems like I hardly ever make a true return without turning it into an exchange and then some! I felt a bit guilty because I already bought my chambray shirt, although a darker shade earlier this week at JCPenney for about $10. However, both items were on sale at Old Navy and I like the contrast of the white buttons against the lighter denim. While at Old Navy, I saw a pair of the pyramid studs that looked exactly like my Fall Challenge Nordstrom ones at a quarter of the cost! Who knew Old Navy sold jewelry?
Not satisfied with my black sheath dress that I have because it gathers to one side, I stopped by Nordstrom Rack because it was practically next door to Old Navy. I fell in love with a Calvin Klein black sheath dress. Who better to design a black sheath dress than Calvin Klein, right? True to their minimalism design philosophy, the dress has these vertical insets that also function as hidden belt loops. Ingenious! This way, you can wear the dress with or without a belt.
I'm still in search of one last piece for the Basics Challenge: the jewel-toned blouse. I saw an emerald green collarless blouse at Old Navy, but it failed my gaping bust test. Basically, I just put my hands on my hips and throw my shoulders back. It seems so hard to find a button-down shirt that will lay flat across the chest without pulling at the buttons and exposing your bra. It's not like I have a huge chest or anything. I had a whole set of H&M button-down work shirts that I used to wear in my 20's that are now notorious for gaping at the bust. I noticed I started having this problem when I hit my mid-thirties and my fiance, now husband, kindly pointed out I was getting back fat. I'd like to think the cuts are made to be slim-fitting for juniors. I recently discovered the St. John's Bay brand from JCPenney of button-down shirts which successfully pass the test. I was so happy to finally find shirts that didn't gape that I ended up buying three of them: 2 plaid and the darker chambray shirt mentioned earlier.
Anyways, Nordstrom Rack had these awesome berry-colored and teal button-down blouses which were extra long and could be worn as tunics. Unfortunately, they also didn't pass the test. I think I'll need to check out Nordstrom later on.
Today, I went to the GAP to exchange my sexy boyfriend jeans for a smaller size since they were almost falling off my hips. While I was there, I saw a darker, distressed pair of sexy boyfriend jeans also on sale that fit much better and looked fantastic. Totally worth the $6.60 difference in price!
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Happy Veteran's Day!
Okay, so I think my closet is reaching its limit. My drawers are barely closing and I still have one last item to get for the Basics Challenge - the jewel toned blouse. Yesterday, I went to Old Navy looking for a chambray button-down shirt and ended up with this light taupe brown boyfriend cardigan. On the other hand, I managed to score this denim shirt at JCPenney for only $10! I wasn't sure if the chambray shirt should be light or dark, but I think darker denim has always looked better on me. I'm starting to really love this St. John's Bay brand that JCP carries - all of their button-down shirts fit perfectly on me without any gaping at the bust. I already have two of their plaid shirts.
A couple of the challengers posted some really informative resources on the challenge Facebook group that I want to share with you:
Mary Munkelwitz posted a great link for determining which colors look best on you:
http://www.thechicfashionista.com/seasonal-color-analysis-2.html
Apparently, I'm a deep winter. Yay for jewel tone colors!
Becky Ratliff Podhajsky posted this awesome link about one of my favorite stores of all time:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/laraparker/things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-target
I love the discount scheduling info! Since today was Tuesday, I had to check out the Target clearance section and found a great sweatshirt for only $9!
I learn so much from these challenges - which is why you should sign up for the Build Your Basics Wardrobe Challenge if you haven't already!
Okay, so I think my closet is reaching its limit. My drawers are barely closing and I still have one last item to get for the Basics Challenge - the jewel toned blouse. Yesterday, I went to Old Navy looking for a chambray button-down shirt and ended up with this light taupe brown boyfriend cardigan. On the other hand, I managed to score this denim shirt at JCPenney for only $10! I wasn't sure if the chambray shirt should be light or dark, but I think darker denim has always looked better on me. I'm starting to really love this St. John's Bay brand that JCP carries - all of their button-down shirts fit perfectly on me without any gaping at the bust. I already have two of their plaid shirts.
A couple of the challengers posted some really informative resources on the challenge Facebook group that I want to share with you:
Mary Munkelwitz posted a great link for determining which colors look best on you:
http://www.thechicfashionista.com/seasonal-color-analysis-2.html
Apparently, I'm a deep winter. Yay for jewel tone colors!
Becky Ratliff Podhajsky posted this awesome link about one of my favorite stores of all time:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/laraparker/things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-target
I love the discount scheduling info! Since today was Tuesday, I had to check out the Target clearance section and found a great sweatshirt for only $9!
I learn so much from these challenges - which is why you should sign up for the Build Your Basics Wardrobe Challenge if you haven't already!
Friday, November 7, 2014
I just joined the Style Me Bloggers link up series. I'm a completely new at this, but thought I'd try my hand at adding the link-ups to the other blogs. I take it we were supposed to give you a peek into our closets and provide organizational tips this week.
My walk-in closet is one of my favorite rooms in our house. Granted, I share it with my husband, but it has one section for hanging tops and bottoms, another section for hanging dresses, above that there's a pull-down rod for more tops, multiple shelves, 4 drawers, a 3-way mirror, and a built-in vanity with multiple drawers.
When we first moved in, I was adamant about having consistent hangers since your clothes will look so much nicer on uniform hangers - just like a store! It was something I picked up in college when I bought these cheap white plastic hangers from Target. I love them because they always have them in stock, they take up very little space, don't get tangled with each other, and are so inexpensive, I can always buy more! There are two versions of the hangers - one with little hooks on the inside which are my default hangers, and one with wider grooves on the shoulder of the hangers which is better for sheath dresses and tank tops.
I organize my clothes first by type (tops, bottoms, dresses, sweaters, workout, etc.), next by style (sleeveless, short-sleeved, long-sleeved), followed by color (rainbow order: roy g. biv) and pattern (solids first, then more complex patterns after) going from front to back. It makes sense to have your tops located on top of your bottoms, so with any sort of vertical organization such as my drawers, I'll have tops in the top 2 drawers and bottoms in the bottom 2 drawers. I also have 4 very nice boxes that I took over from my husband which I use to store out-of-season clothes.
I try to be minimalistic and make sure my closet isn't overflowing with clothes. This goes a long way in making your closet look organized. Every season, I'll prune my wardrobe when I move the clothes out of the storage boxes and into my closet. I'll donate or toss items that don't work, are worn out, or no longer fit. If I find I can't close my drawers, or my shelves or racks are spilling over, I reduce and recycle. To avoid a surplus, every time you add an item to your wardrobe, pick out another item that will need to go.
Someone in the group suggested a wonderful idea of holding a clothing swap. It would be so much fun to trade items that no longer work for you with your friends and family. Not only is it a fantastic way to recycle, but one gal's trash could be another gal's treasure!
Build Your Wardrobe Basics Challenge by Alison Lumbatis and Cyndi Spivey
The basics challenge is on! We just received the shopping list last night via email. I am both super thrilled and relieved to discover that I have almost all the pieces already in my closet. I guess having a classic wardrobe is coming in handy for this challenge. I just need a couple of items: chambray shirt, leopard belt, and a jewel tone blouse. This time, I'm doing the challenge with my mom and a few other friends, so I'm really excited to see what they come up with!
Someone on the Facebook group recently asked how much money do you spend on these challenges. I know I felt as if I went on a shopping spree with the fall challenge since I had only a minority of the pieces on the shopping list. However, I was glad to know others said you tend to spend more on your first challenge. It's incredibly hard to stop yourself from buying multiple variations of the pieces when you know that they work so well. I ended up with 3 more plaid shirts than I needed, 2 more scarves, an extra puffer vest, dressy sweatshirt, long sleeve tee, sweater, necklace, and am thinking of getting another cardigan! I decided yesterday that I was going to cut myself off since I finally got all the pieces for the fall challenge. Now, I have a new problem: I can only wear one item out of the multiple options for my outfit of the day!
The basics challenge is on! We just received the shopping list last night via email. I am both super thrilled and relieved to discover that I have almost all the pieces already in my closet. I guess having a classic wardrobe is coming in handy for this challenge. I just need a couple of items: chambray shirt, leopard belt, and a jewel tone blouse. This time, I'm doing the challenge with my mom and a few other friends, so I'm really excited to see what they come up with!
Someone on the Facebook group recently asked how much money do you spend on these challenges. I know I felt as if I went on a shopping spree with the fall challenge since I had only a minority of the pieces on the shopping list. However, I was glad to know others said you tend to spend more on your first challenge. It's incredibly hard to stop yourself from buying multiple variations of the pieces when you know that they work so well. I ended up with 3 more plaid shirts than I needed, 2 more scarves, an extra puffer vest, dressy sweatshirt, long sleeve tee, sweater, necklace, and am thinking of getting another cardigan! I decided yesterday that I was going to cut myself off since I finally got all the pieces for the fall challenge. Now, I have a new problem: I can only wear one item out of the multiple options for my outfit of the day!
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Alison Lumbatis' Style Me Pretty Challenge Fall 2014 Review
First off, Alison Lumbatis is amazing!!! I heard about Alison through the Bellaire Young Mothers' listserve. One of the moms, Trish Taylor, posted about upgrading your fashion style for fall and mentioned Alison's unique service. Trish stated that if you ever wanted a personal stylist, but couldn't afford one, this is seriously the next best thing.
I grew up with fashion magazines and although I always had an interest in fashion, I knew I did not really have an innate knack for it. I would watch shows like "What Not to Wear" or "How Do I Look" and read books about style, but having a real fashion sense of my own remained elusive. So my wardrobe consisted of fairly basic foolproof pieces along with impulse purchases. I prefer classic over trendy. Only in the last year did I realize that to make my outfits more interesting, I should add a pattern, color, or texture. Yet, even then I would play it safe and made sure everything matched. I should also mention that it would take me hours to pack for a trip. I would be up at 3 am the night before trying on all the different outfit variations to make sure all the pieces I was packing worked together.
Once you sign up, Alison sends you a shopping list which you have 10 days to obtain the pieces. You can shop your closet, buy her recommendations, or use them as guidelines to make your own selections. After the 10 days, she releases an outfit everyday for 21 days.
I was intrigued and decided to give it a try.
Best idea ever!!! I joined the Facebook group for the challenge and got to "meet" lots of genuinely warm, extremely supportive, plain funny, and awesome ladies. I got so much inspiration, styling tricks, and shopping tips from the group!
Upon receiving the shopping list for the challenge, I was happy to see that I already owned about a third of the items listed. Getting the other items was similar to a scavenger hunt. It made shopping a lot easier and more efficient since I could just walk into a store knowing exactly what I was looking for. Plus, everyone on the Facebook group was in the same boat and sharing shopping tips on their finds as well as pictures of their capsule wardrobes that they put together.
I had a trip to California and packed all the pieces I had off of the shopping list. It cut my packing time down in no time! I loved how convenient it was! I could actually get some sleep the night before the trip without worrying that the pieces I packed wouldn't work. Too easy!
Getting the outfits for the day was great too. It was such a luxury to wake up and know exactly what I was going to wear that day without spending forever trying on outfit after outfit. I didn't have to think about what would match what or whether it would work or not. I loved knowing that what I put on would automatically be stylish and pretty.
The main lesson I learned from doing this challenge was to keep an open mind. It's good to push yourself out of your comfort zone. That's how we grow - when we stretch ourselves beyond the familiar. After all, isn't that why it's called a challenge? I noticed playing it safe such as matching black boots with black pants wasn't nearly as exciting as matching cognac boots with black pants, same goes for matching only silver or gold jewelry - why not both?
Here are 10 other notes regarding my experience with this challenge:
1. I learned how to wear a scarf using this incredible video Alison recommended called 25 Ways to Wear a Scarf in 4.5 Minutes! Wendy must have spent lots of time editing it.
2. Leopard prints are your friend. They add instant pizazz to any outfit and yet, are surprisingly considered a neutral! Imagine that! A wild animal print that can go with anything! I think I remember Oprah saying something like, "If it doesn't go with anything, it goes with everything!" I had one leopard print cardigan that I used to only match with khaki and black pre-challenge. Now, I have a scarf and flats that I can mix with teal, mustard, red, cobalt blue, blue jeans...everything!
3. Boyfriend jeans were the hardest part of this challenge for me. During the 10 day shopping period, I tried on several pairs of boyfriend jeans and couldn't believe they could be considered stylish. They just reminded me of the dreaded, frumpy "mom" jeans of the 1990's with the high rise and the bagginess in the thighs. I realized during the challenge that these boyfriend jeans were unlike the old boyfriend jeans which had no shape from before. This new version had tapered legs that you could roll up and after seeing it on other ladies, I decided to buy a pair at the end of the challenge. I was surprised by how comfortable they are. I even got them in a lighter wash other than my usual dark wash because I wanted to try something different. Besides, they were on sale! The best thing about these boyfriend jeans is that you don't have to worry about a muffin top because they are looser around the waist for a more relaxed fit.
4. Leggings are not pants. I couldn't help laughing at this post. Too funny!
5. Neutrals can be paired with other neutrals. I don't know why, but this combination as obvious as it seems never occurred to me as something you would pull together on purpose. I always knew white and black would go with anything, but gray and taupe? Brown and gray? Navy and brown? Leopard print and gray? Why didn't I think of this before? So chic!
6. Speaking of combinations, you can also pair patterns. Stripes, leopard print, floral prints, and plaid can all be mixed together.
7. I discovered mustard yellow is an awesome fall color after seeing it on some of the challengers. I got a long mustard yellow cardigan from Target that I love! I would never have thought to wear such a color before.
8. Taking selfies are much harder than you think. Trying to get the right angle, lighting, posing yourself in a flattering way, looking in the mirror the right way while pushing the camera phone soft button with one hand is a challenge in of itself! However, it's amazing to be able to document your outfits this way and view yourself objectively. It was so nice to see the other challengers post their outfits of the day or OOTD (a new abbreviation I learned on this challenge). You realize this is what real women look like, not the Photoshopped models in the magazine, but working women and moms who have busy lives taking care of their loved ones.
9. Since getting dressed was such a breeze, I could spend more time on my hair or makeup. Looking my best as I headed out the door gave me a feeling of renewed confidence.
10. Shoes are an investment. I tried to go with a cheap pair of leopard flats and ended up with cuts on my heels. They were so uncomfortable, I could barely walk and I ended up returning them. Plus, it defeats the purpose when you're wearing something cute and you're grimacing the whole time because your feet hurt. So when it comes to your feet, always opt for comfort!
This time, Alison is teaming up with Cyndi Spivey to bring us a Build Your Wardrobe Basics Challenge. So why don't you join me and challenge yourself to another great fashion adventure? Your wardrobe will thank you for it!
First off, Alison Lumbatis is amazing!!! I heard about Alison through the Bellaire Young Mothers' listserve. One of the moms, Trish Taylor, posted about upgrading your fashion style for fall and mentioned Alison's unique service. Trish stated that if you ever wanted a personal stylist, but couldn't afford one, this is seriously the next best thing.
I grew up with fashion magazines and although I always had an interest in fashion, I knew I did not really have an innate knack for it. I would watch shows like "What Not to Wear" or "How Do I Look" and read books about style, but having a real fashion sense of my own remained elusive. So my wardrobe consisted of fairly basic foolproof pieces along with impulse purchases. I prefer classic over trendy. Only in the last year did I realize that to make my outfits more interesting, I should add a pattern, color, or texture. Yet, even then I would play it safe and made sure everything matched. I should also mention that it would take me hours to pack for a trip. I would be up at 3 am the night before trying on all the different outfit variations to make sure all the pieces I was packing worked together.
Once you sign up, Alison sends you a shopping list which you have 10 days to obtain the pieces. You can shop your closet, buy her recommendations, or use them as guidelines to make your own selections. After the 10 days, she releases an outfit everyday for 21 days.
I was intrigued and decided to give it a try.
Best idea ever!!! I joined the Facebook group for the challenge and got to "meet" lots of genuinely warm, extremely supportive, plain funny, and awesome ladies. I got so much inspiration, styling tricks, and shopping tips from the group!
Upon receiving the shopping list for the challenge, I was happy to see that I already owned about a third of the items listed. Getting the other items was similar to a scavenger hunt. It made shopping a lot easier and more efficient since I could just walk into a store knowing exactly what I was looking for. Plus, everyone on the Facebook group was in the same boat and sharing shopping tips on their finds as well as pictures of their capsule wardrobes that they put together.
I had a trip to California and packed all the pieces I had off of the shopping list. It cut my packing time down in no time! I loved how convenient it was! I could actually get some sleep the night before the trip without worrying that the pieces I packed wouldn't work. Too easy!
Getting the outfits for the day was great too. It was such a luxury to wake up and know exactly what I was going to wear that day without spending forever trying on outfit after outfit. I didn't have to think about what would match what or whether it would work or not. I loved knowing that what I put on would automatically be stylish and pretty.
The main lesson I learned from doing this challenge was to keep an open mind. It's good to push yourself out of your comfort zone. That's how we grow - when we stretch ourselves beyond the familiar. After all, isn't that why it's called a challenge? I noticed playing it safe such as matching black boots with black pants wasn't nearly as exciting as matching cognac boots with black pants, same goes for matching only silver or gold jewelry - why not both?
Here are 10 other notes regarding my experience with this challenge:
1. I learned how to wear a scarf using this incredible video Alison recommended called 25 Ways to Wear a Scarf in 4.5 Minutes! Wendy must have spent lots of time editing it.
2. Leopard prints are your friend. They add instant pizazz to any outfit and yet, are surprisingly considered a neutral! Imagine that! A wild animal print that can go with anything! I think I remember Oprah saying something like, "If it doesn't go with anything, it goes with everything!" I had one leopard print cardigan that I used to only match with khaki and black pre-challenge. Now, I have a scarf and flats that I can mix with teal, mustard, red, cobalt blue, blue jeans...everything!
3. Boyfriend jeans were the hardest part of this challenge for me. During the 10 day shopping period, I tried on several pairs of boyfriend jeans and couldn't believe they could be considered stylish. They just reminded me of the dreaded, frumpy "mom" jeans of the 1990's with the high rise and the bagginess in the thighs. I realized during the challenge that these boyfriend jeans were unlike the old boyfriend jeans which had no shape from before. This new version had tapered legs that you could roll up and after seeing it on other ladies, I decided to buy a pair at the end of the challenge. I was surprised by how comfortable they are. I even got them in a lighter wash other than my usual dark wash because I wanted to try something different. Besides, they were on sale! The best thing about these boyfriend jeans is that you don't have to worry about a muffin top because they are looser around the waist for a more relaxed fit.
4. Leggings are not pants. I couldn't help laughing at this post. Too funny!
5. Neutrals can be paired with other neutrals. I don't know why, but this combination as obvious as it seems never occurred to me as something you would pull together on purpose. I always knew white and black would go with anything, but gray and taupe? Brown and gray? Navy and brown? Leopard print and gray? Why didn't I think of this before? So chic!
6. Speaking of combinations, you can also pair patterns. Stripes, leopard print, floral prints, and plaid can all be mixed together.
7. I discovered mustard yellow is an awesome fall color after seeing it on some of the challengers. I got a long mustard yellow cardigan from Target that I love! I would never have thought to wear such a color before.
8. Taking selfies are much harder than you think. Trying to get the right angle, lighting, posing yourself in a flattering way, looking in the mirror the right way while pushing the camera phone soft button with one hand is a challenge in of itself! However, it's amazing to be able to document your outfits this way and view yourself objectively. It was so nice to see the other challengers post their outfits of the day or OOTD (a new abbreviation I learned on this challenge). You realize this is what real women look like, not the Photoshopped models in the magazine, but working women and moms who have busy lives taking care of their loved ones.
9. Since getting dressed was such a breeze, I could spend more time on my hair or makeup. Looking my best as I headed out the door gave me a feeling of renewed confidence.
10. Shoes are an investment. I tried to go with a cheap pair of leopard flats and ended up with cuts on my heels. They were so uncomfortable, I could barely walk and I ended up returning them. Plus, it defeats the purpose when you're wearing something cute and you're grimacing the whole time because your feet hurt. So when it comes to your feet, always opt for comfort!
This time, Alison is teaming up with Cyndi Spivey to bring us a Build Your Wardrobe Basics Challenge. So why don't you join me and challenge yourself to another great fashion adventure? Your wardrobe will thank you for it!
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