I saw this red, buffalo plaid blouse with ruffle detailing and thought it was very cute, but I wondered whether it would end up being a one trick pony if I bought it. You know, the kind of piece that you only wear with that one pair of pants and your black shoes? We all have those pieces and they can become frustrating. However, the more I thought about this shirt, the more possibilities I came up with. Here are four ways that I’d wear this shirt. Oh and best of all, it’s super cheap!
Find the shirt at Forever 21. Click the pic for details on the rest.
I remember when Vera Wang first introduced her collection for Kohls stores. It was a pretty big deal. I suppose I assumed that it would be a short-lived collaboration, but actually, there are new items each season. I have made semi-regular appearances at Kohls to see the new wares and I’ve found that many of the garments are quite voluminous and probably tend to look best on the very thin. They’re the types of items that lure you in because they look so cozy and comfortable. They are generally made from soft, touchable fabrics and they’re full of interesting details. I have purchase a few items that I mostly wear to work.
So, this week as I was traipsing through Kohls in the pursuit of the perfect black, low cut bra for the generously endowed - a task that is not only impossible, but odious - I was distracted by the new and beautiful Vera section. Have you noticed that every time you go in that store, every single thing is on sale? Why don’t they just lower the prices? Oh yeah, because they like their jedi mind tricks. Anyhoo, I spotted this adorable sort of painterly-esque, gray and cream “grafitti print” skirt with a bunch-y/ruched-ish waist band and POCKETS! I know it doesn’t look that great in this picture, but it is seriously so cute. I tried it on and it was a great fit.
I’m wearing it today with a black tank tucked in, it does kind of a higher waist thing and then it has a slight tulip shape. I wore a black cardigan and magenta patent peep toe heels from DSW. I think it’s really cute and I wish I had an actual photo to share, but I don’t. Maybe you can get the idea from this:
Oh, and I didn’t find a bra. Oops!
Everyone has at least one. The white t-shirt is a classic American staple. It is probably the most versatile and affordable item I own. It can be dressed up or down with great ease. It never looks like you’re trying too hard and, in a pinch, you could just steal one from you boyfriend/husband. The only thing this item requires is a little creativity. So instead of just throwing it on with your favorite jeans, let’s see what else we can come up with…
Four outfits just like that! Dinner out, date night, weekend and work day. And the white T reclaims its spot as MVP!
I’ve mentioned the floral print trend on this site before and I’m sure you’ve noticed that Spring has sprung, quite literally, in all of the shops. I found this little beauty at the ever reliable Forever 21. Since the weather was still rainy and slightly chilly on this particular day, the floral pattern did a lot to lift my mood. The tights, boots and military-inspired jacket were key to keeping me warm. This is also the photo debut of my new patchwork leather bag. I got it at Urban Outfitters and the first time I brought it out, my mom commented that she had one just like it in the 70s. I love that!
Dress - Forever 21, jacket - I don’t remember (it’s really old), bag and aviators - Urban Outfitters, boots - Delia’s, tights - Assets for Target, Location - classy St. Charles County :)
Luella’s Spring Summer 08 collection was pretty great and must have been pretty popular considering how many similar items are now in stores. All the better for those of us who can’t afford the real thing. Here is an example of how to do the look now. This skirt is from Topshop and can be ordered online. If you don’t want to pay shipping, there are similar iterations in the mall shops. The jacket is just an example of the classic little biker jacket. The boots and tights would be nice for now, but as the weather gets increasingly warmer, you could go bare-legged.
I just realized that you can’t really see the skirt so, here is a bigger photo of it.
I know plenty of you think that these boots are ugly, but there are plenty of us who are strangely attracted to them. Check out this recent post from Who What Wear Daily:
There is just something so easy, casual and chic about them. They really put me in the mood for the Spring/Summer dressing. So, I bought a pair of Minnetonkas from Urban Outfitters.com. They haven’t arrived yet, so I’ll have to post when I get them, but in the meantime, here is how I plan to wear them:
Ok, so maybe the bag is YSL and there is no way I’ll be buying, but a girl can dream right?
Remember a little while ago when said that I had bought these jeans and belt from H&M?
The jeans are kind of a sore subject because I took them to the tailor to get them hemmed a bit and the tailor made a complete mess of them. One leg is longer than the other and the hem is hideous. I’m quite certain I could have done a better job with garden shears and rubber cement glue. Hopefully, they can be fixed. But, I did make good use of the belt on a recent night out with the boyfriend.
Coincidentally, that dress is from H&M too, but I’ve had it for awhile. The cardigan is from Target. I am big on wearing black. I always have been. So, my challenge is to add some colorful accents to keep things from getting too boring. This belt made the dress a little more flattering to my figure and added some interest. Now, if only I could find a better background for taking these shots…
It has been a busy week, so I’m kind of late in getting this post up. We had a great Easter lunch at my parents’ house on Sunday. Our good friend Ashley joined us and she looked so cute that I convinced her to let me snap a couple of photos of her.
That jacket is so cute. She got it at H&M. Bright color is such a great trend for Spring and she’s doing a really great transitional look by pairing her black dress and tights with bright color. I love the yellow scarf too. Extra warmth + punch of color = happiness.
The yellow scarf also goes nicely with her gold accessories.
The gold shoes add some really nice texture to the outfit. Don’t be afraid to pair colored shoes with dark tights or hose. I think it looks unexpected and modern.
I also got a shot of myself on the same day.
I like combining all of these neutrals with just a little touch of turquoise in the accessories. This is an incredibly affordable outfit too. The sweater and dress are from Forever 21. The belt and purse are from H&M and the tights are from Spanx.
That was a lot to put in one title. I like to get as much bang for my shopping buck as possible, which means that a lot of the pieces in my wardrobe need to be able to pull double duty. Today, I thought I’d use one really cute dress and put together looks for day and night. The challenge was to use all items from one, reasonably priced store. I used the always fabulous Forever 21.
First, the dress:
Cute right? Next, the day look:
Add dark tights, shiny heels, a long-sleeved T for those cold cubicle conditions, a bright bag adds some punch and a leather belt adds some refinement.
The evening look:
Simple and chic. Strip off the bottom layer of tights and T. Add some strappy heels and a little clutch. I also switched out the jewelry to add a colorful, slightly boho chic look. Everything you see is from Forever 21 and is currently available on their website.
Remember about a week or so ago when I did a post about the resurgence of light-wash denim? Yeah, I thought so. Well, the following is an H&M ad depicting a fine specimen of these jeans.
I actually bought these jeans and the adorable red belt last week. I had to take mine to the tailor to be shortened a little. They were a little to long even with my highest wedges. I guess that’s to be expected when you’re short like me. Anyhoo, I found a pic on a great blog (Le Blog de Betty) of a super-stylish girl wearing her H&M denim in a totally accessible, yet uber cool way. Check it out:
Um, how cool does she look? I think she looks so easy and comfortably cool. The belt, the cardy, the necklaces, the hair?! Love…
