how to "winterize" a summer dress.

F21 dress & jacket, Banana Republic belt, Etienne Aigner Costa boots, gifted scarf, watch via Kohl's

I am a big fan of multi-purpose clothing.  In fact, I usually don't buy pieces that I know I can only wear in a unique way, or with only a certain set of accessories.  Naturally, I also love clothing that can cross seasons.  Hey, if you can get more wear out of what you already have in your closet.  Why not?!

So, without further adieu,here are some things I've learned along the seasons on "winterizing" a Summer dress:

1.  Print and color matter. It's much easier to get multi-season wear out of a piece whose color/print don't scream a certain season.  I would probably not attempt to "winterize" a pastel floral dress. Actually, I probably wouldn't wear a pastel floral dress.  But, that's for another time!

2.  Texture matters.  But, only sometimes.  I have a light wool grey sheath dress that I have worn in all seasons.  It's not too hot, so it works.  If a dress is okay in print and color, but it's a little too thin or light, throw a slip under it.  It will keep you warm and give you an extra layer of fabric.  

3.  Warm up the look with a jacket or sweater.  Not only will a jacket or sweater help you keep warm, it will make the look more Fall or Winter appropriate.

4.  Add a big scarf!  Big, heavy, scarves scream Fall (and Winter!).  Throw one on.  Even better?  Try some pattern mixing!

5.  Throw on some boots (tights are good, too!).  Boots & tights are Fall/Winter staples.  Some "winterized" looks are even cute without tights.  So, experiment a bit and see what looks better!

6.  Belt it.  Belting a dress gives it a little bit more weight and can add some edge and heaviness to a look.

6.  Chunky accessories.  Chunky accessories are great for making a dress look less dainty and heavier and "warmer".  Watches are my fave for Fall & Winter!

I have now imparted all my "winterizing" knowledge upon you.  Go forth and Winterize, my friends!  (And let me know if you have any extra tips!)

outfit parade!

Hello my lovely readers!  Happy Friday!

*This* girl is exhausted and ready to wind down for the weekend. This week was crazy busy- but, busy is good!  The hubs is cooking us a delicious taco dinner, and I can't wait to eat it!

So, please indulge me in a quick short post. :)  

Here's what I wore this week:

|Monday|

Express button-up, GAP outlet cardi, LOFT skirt, H&M belt, Nine West pumps, Banana Republic outlet necklace, NY&Co watch

|Tuesday|

LOFT outlet sweater, Target Mossimo ankle skinnies, flats & watch via a boutique in LA

|Wednesday|

Express button-up, NY&Co cardi & watch, The Limited Exact Stretch Skinny pants, Etienne Aigner Costa boots

|Thursday|

Old Navy blouse, Express pencil skirt, LOFT outlet necklace, NY&Co watch, Nine West pumps

|Friday|

Old Navy Chambray button-up, Old Navy sweater, GAP pencil skirt, Etienne Aigner Costa riding boots, Banana Republic outlet necklace, NY&Co watch

Have a great weekend!

weekend style confessional.

I have a confession.  I am that girl who always says that leggings are not pants and that wearing them as pants is just sloppy.  But-look what I wore this Saturday...

LEGGINGS AS PANTS.  WITH BOOTS.  

Not only did I break my rule--I BROKE my rule!  So, I guess 'never say never'.  ;)

American Eagle hooded sweater, leggings, Etienne Aigner Costa riding boots, Banana Republic outlet necklace, NY&C watch

American Eagle hooded sweater, leggings, F21 chunky sweater, Etienne Aigner Costa riding boots, Banana Republic outlet necklace, NY&C watch

Do you have any fashion rules that you stick by?  Do you ever break them?!

work appropriate boots!

Gooooood evening, Gorgeous(es)!!  

TGIF.  I, for one, am exhausted!  I have been up since 4:30 this morning. I had a 7 a.m. presentation and had to get up extra early to get ready and arrive on time.  

I was so happy to come home after work that I changed into my PJs within 5 minutes flat and have been laying on the couch canoodling with a blanket and the TV remote since. 

But, this post is really about my efforts to find work-appropriate boots.  It's starting to get chilly out and I have been on the hunt for chic boots for work for a while.  It seems I can never find boots that are perfect for the office.  I need something that is stylish, versatile for skirts and dresses, and not too tall or sexy.  I am at WORK, after all! I don't wanna look like I'm werkin' it. ;)

Well, it seems like the Fashion Gods smiled down on me this week when I came across this perfect pair at Kohl's.  They were around $70 and exactly what I was looking for!

Dana Buchman Tall Wedge Boots (via Kohl's)

They are dressy and sleek, and the heel is the perfect height.  They fit pretty true to size and are SO comfortable!.  If you're in the market for dressy/work-appropriate boots, you've gotta check these out!

Here's what I paired them with today:

Banana Republic tank, GAP outlet cardi, F21 belt, Tissot watch, Dana Buchman wedge boots via Kohl's

Enjoy your weekend! :)

fave looks!

Hey, everyone!  How's your week going so far?

Mine is going well.  The weather is finally turning a bit cooler.  And I am so excited to wear boots and cozy sweaters!

Here's a few of my fave looks that I wore the past week:

This one is a casual Friday look.  I'm in love with this Old Navy sweater.  It's so cute and sophisticated at the same time.

Old Navy polka dot sweater, F21 jeans, Banana Republic Factory necklace, NY&Co watch, Target Merona loafers

On Saturday, I went to another tailgate/football game and wore jeans and boots.  I was a little nervous about being too hot with the boots.  But, it turned out to be perfect for the temperature!

Game Day Outfit: MSU top, Express Zelda skinny jeans, Etienne Aigner riding boots, Banana Republic Factory necklace, NY&Co watch

And this is Monday's work outfit.  I wanted something easy and comfortable.  The only problem is that this skirt ended up stretching out a lot by the end of the day.  So much that I may have to get it altered and cinched in at the waist.  

F21 blouse, Banana Republic factory pencil skirt, LOFT necklace, NY&Co watch, flats from a boutique in LA

If you're curious about other looks, click here and check out my threads tab.

Have a great rest of the week!

what i wore: skirts & blouses.

I've been making good use of my new purchases in the last couple of days.  I'm seriously obsessed with this JCrew corduroy pencil skirt and the new Banana Republic necklace!!  The pencil skirt is a mossy-green color, and the necklace is just perfection.

F21 blouse, JCrew Factory corduroy pencil skirt, Banana Republic Factory necklace, NY&Co. watch, H&M belt, Target Ona Flats

Old Navy Chambray button-up, LOFT zebra print skirt, Banana Republic Factory Store necklace, NY&Co. watch, faux snake skin flats via DSW

Hope you're having a great week!!

sunday round-up: outlet haul (with pix!)

Hello, Gorgeous ones!

How was your weekend?  Friday night hubs and I dined at this cute little Indian restaurant(YUM!).  Saturday was spent at the outlet mall.  It was supposed to be mostly for buying work clothes for J, but yeah... that didn't happen!  There were great deals and so I ended up picking up a few things as well.  

Whenever I shop, I try to dress as comfortably as possible while still looking fashionable.  I wore a simple tank, jeans, comfy flats, and a leather jacket.  I also brought a roomy purse to contain my scarf (in case I get cold!), granola bars, water, and other necessities.  

Banana Republic tank, Express Zelda skinny jeans, leather jacket from Italy trip, black ballet flats, Coach bag

J's purchases included sports wear from Puma, Adidas, and Under Armour.  He also scored a few nice sweaters from Banana Republic and JCrew and a pair of great jeans from Banana Republic.

I also got lucky with sales, and it helped that we went early-- we got the good stuff first!  

I purchased:

-JCrew corduroy pencil skirt that I had been eyeing for some time ($25)

-Banana Republic khaki pencil skirt ($25)

-Old Navy chambray shirt ($0.97--  YES, 97 cents! I don't know how this happened, but apparently it was on super clearance.  Either way WOOHOO!!!!!!)

-Banana Republic embellished chain link necklace ($20)

-Two cardigans from GAP ($15 each!)

Pictured: GAP Factory Cardis, Banana Republic Factory necklace & khaki pencil skirt, and JCrew Factory Corduroy Pencil Skirt

Old Navy Chambray Button-Up

So, all in all, I spent about $100 and bought so many amazing pieces!  And I can't even describe how excited I am to style these looks and share them with you!!

Oh, and before I forget, check out my "threads" tab to see what I wore during the week! 

Have a fantastic Sunday!!

 

odds+ends.

Hey, guys!

How's it going?  How was your labor day weekend?!

I'm just hanging out at home, wrapped up in my leopard blanket, unwinding from the day.

How cute is my little (big!) kitty cat?!

Oh, and here are a couple of outfits I wore this week:

Banana Republic top, Target Mossimo Ankle Stretch Pant, bubble necklace via e-bay, NY&Co watch, Jessica Simpson pumps

Gifted top, NY&Co. cardi/watch, LOFT skirt, H&M belt, Target Ona flats

It's so nice to have a 4 day week--Tomorrow is already Wednesday!!

dressing for an outdoor sporting event and NOT taking a purse.

Football season is here!  Yaaaaaaay.  Do I mean that?  I'm not sure.  Ask me in 4 months when it's freezing and I am tailgating in the bitter Michigan cold with icicles hanging from my Spartan face sticker. 

This may seem silly, but, dressing for a football game (or any outdoor game) and tailgating can sometimes be a challenge.  Our alma mater now has a new (stupid) rule in which you are not allowed to have a bag, purse, or umbrella of ANY kind.  The first time I heard this I freaked out: WHAT?!  Where am I going to put my ID/credit card, my phone, my lipgloss, my compact? What if my nose runs and I need kleenex?  What if I get a HUGE headache and need medicine?  What if I don't have my camera-- WON'T THE WORLD END?!!! THAT'S IT, I can't go to the game if I can't take my purse.

Yes, that really was my train of thought.  I'm that much of a spaz sometimes.  But, you'll be happy to know that somehow I've come up with a few ways that allow me to still stay fashionable and prepared WITHOUT taking my purse.  

Here's what I've learned:

1.  Take only a few things that are absolutely necessary for you to feel good and prepared.

2.  Skip the skinny jeans.  Wear jeans that are comfortable and roomy so that you can utilize the pockets.  Guys do this all the time-- it works!  But, if you love your skinny jeans, take a coat that will do the same job (see suggestion 3).

3.  If it's cold, take a jacket or sweater with pockets that zip.  You can use those pockets to store your stuff.

4.  My essentials are: 

-lipgloss in a tube

-MAC blotting powder compact

-a small tube of eye drops (my contacts get dry)

-1 or 2 sheets of kleenex (I get sniffly often)

-4 Advils (or whatever pain med you prefer)

-driver's license and credit card

-phone

-camera-- but, if and only if you are also taking a coat/sweatshirt with a pocket.  There's no way that you can store a camera in your pant pockets (with the rest of that crap) and still feel comfortable!  This is coming from a girl that's seriously attached to her camera.  You can take pictures on your phone.  Just go with it.

>>>I tuck the lipgloss in my right-front pocket, closest to the inside of my thigh.  I put the Advil in the little tiny pocket that no one knows the purpose of.  I place the eye drops in the inside of my left-front pocket.  My compact goes in my left-back pocket.  And my ID/credit card/kleenex/phone get placed in my right-back pocket.  TA-DA! 

I know that sounds like a lot.  But, if you spread it all out to the different pockets in your roomy jeans and jacket, you can carry your essentials and skip the purse. 

And last but not least, always remember to take your team spirit!!  (A team face sticker or two won't hurt either!)

MSU jersey, Charlotte Russe boyfriend jeans, Banana Republic Belt, Target Ona flats