Neon Fun

Recently my husband and I got a new truck and with it we got a few months of XM radio for free.  The last time we got a truck we got it free then, but felt it was silly to pay for radio after the free trial.  I'm loving it this time around, especially the 90's station.  How can you not smile while Warren G is singing "Regulator" or Lou Bega is singing "Mombo #5?  Anyway this outfit is a little bit early 90's too.  I got this shirt at Goodwill back in the fall, it's actually too big, but I couldn't pass it up.  I've successfully worn it tucked to work, but wasn't sure how to make that work this summer, until I also remembered the "tie your tee" trend.  Success. 

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Shirt: Target $3 (thrifted) similar

Shorts: Gap $5 (Plato's Closet) similar

Necklace: Express $30 similar

Bracelets: Stella and Dot Harlow, Foundation, Light

Shoes: Target $30 similar

Linking up with:

What I Wore Wednesday

Get Your Pretty On

Summer Fun Steal with Chippmunk.com

As you ladies know, I recently submitted a steal I'd gotten at the Loft for Chippmunk's Expert Shopper Contest, well, thanks to you all I was one of the winners, and I have a $100 gift card coming my way!  So exciting!  Good news for you all, Chippmunk is hosting another expert shopper contest that you all can enter! 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this contest, you can easily submit a look to Chippmunk's Expert Shopper Gallery is a place where community members express themselves by sharing steals and finding style inspiration based on a budget.

Here are the contest details: Submit a steal you got to Chippmunk starting today. The contest will run for two week's. There will be 5 winners who will each win a $100 gift card to the Chippmunk store of their choice.  3 winners will be determined by community votes, 1 editorially (by the other featured bloggers and myself), and 1 chosen at random.
  For those of you who love Instagram, you can also enter via Instagram using hashtag #chippmunkexpertshopper and mentioning where you shopped, how much you saved, and tips you have for others saving money too.

Also, for you non-blogger fashion-lovers, you can win too!  Just go to Chippmunk's Expert Shopper Gallery and pin your favorite steal using the hastags #summerfun #chippmunkExpertShoper and two winners will each win $50!

 In addition to winning the gift card I mentioned above, Chippmunk has generously given me $100 to create a summer fun steal of my own that I'll share with you today.  When looking around their site for coupons a few stuck out to me, like 20% off at Kohl's and free shipping for Loft.  I clicked Loft's link and found that they were having a huge sale with 50% off everything.  Score!  I looked around and found a number of great deals, thanks to Chippmunk's links. 

Since I'm a teacher I've had a pretty laid back summer style, and the few times I've gotten to dress up have been for Stella and Dot Truck shows.  I thought this look would be perfect for my next show and great for when I return to school in two weeks (eek!!!). I very rarely go out and buy a whole outfit at once, however, Chippmunk made it easy for me to hunt for deals (you know I love that!), and score a few pieces I've had on my wish list.  For example, this navy blazer is perfect!  I have a wool one, but this light-weight version will be so much for versatile for year-round.  I also love this blouse with it's embroidered details, I'll be able to wear it with everything!  I've also been drooling over this skirt for quite a while and seen it on multiple bloggers, I'm so happy to now have it.  Also, these wedges from Kohl's are fab!  I didn't have a nude summer shoes, so I'd been missing have a nude option, I think I might wear these everyday!

Total Retail Cost of outfit c/o Chippmunk: $278

Total Spent via Chippmunk codes, sales, and coupons: $98

Blazer: Loft $32 similar (sold out online) c/o Chippmunk

Blouse: Loft $22 similar (sold out online) c/o Chippmunk

Skirt: Loft $ $20 same c/o Chippmunk

Shoes: Kohl's $26 same c/o Chippmunk

Belt: Kohl's-my own

Jewelry: Stella and Dot-my own

The Sutton- Five Ways

I seriously love this necklace! I had so many of you comment on loving it's versatility I thought I'd show you ladies the five different ways to wear it today.  If you decide you can't live without it, you can purchase it here OR if you want me to get credit for the sale email me at: mynewfavoriteoutfit@gmail.com and I'd be happy to place the order for you. 

Lately...

Today I'm linking up with Susannah for her In His Image link up. I don't talk about my faith on here very often, although it's very important to me. I really liked the idea of this link up, but struggled to put any thoughts down on here. 

Blogging has been such a great experience and I love the support I get from each of you readers and from so many friends and family members, however, sometimes I catch myself just not feeling like I'm not  "good enough." You know the old saying, hear seven compliments and one criticism and what do you remember? The criticism. I have had nothing but such great support from so many, but I have a couple of friends who I've come to the conclusion just think me blogging is weird. It's not what they say about it, it's what they don't. And I let it get to me and stupidly let  it overshadow all the kind words and support I get from others. I'm just a girl....with a blog, and if that's not for everyone, I shouldn't take it personally.

However,  I hate feeling inadequate and letting others have such an impact on my emotions, it's then I'm reminded of who I am in Christ. Galatians 2:20 says: I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God. who loved me and gave himself for me. By golly, God thinks I'm good enough to die for, why would I let a select few make me forget that??? 

*I wrote this earlier this week when I was feeling pretty bummed, shortly after that I had a number of people I know who have never mentioned my blog to me said something really sweet to me about it.  I think that's pretty cool and definitely a sign that I needed to just get over my above feelings and focus on all the good people I do have in my life : )

Cardigan: Loft $5 (thrifted) similar

Top: Express $30 similar

Shorts: Kohl's $20 similar

Necklace: Stella and Dot same

Bracelets: Stella and Dot Light and Kalahari and Kohl's similar in gold

Shoes: Target $30 similar

The. Sutton.

 Tuesday I got to go to Stella and Dot's fall meet up to see all the new fall and winter jewels.  Love.  Especially the pieces I'm wearing today.  The necklace is called the Sutton and you can wear it five different ways.  Say What???? Seriously awesome.  I'm pretty sure I'll be wearing it all the time.  I'm also crazy this dress.  I snagged it at Plato's Closet for $3, and am crazy about the print.  I also like that it kind of has sleeves, so I can wear it to school without having to layer too, which is nice. 



 Dress: $3 Soprano (Plato's Closet) similar

Belt: Express similar

Necklace: Stella and Dot Sutton

Bracelets: Stella and Dot Renegade, Kalahari, Urbane

Heels: Nine West $30 similar

Linking up with:

Tre-Chic Fashion Thursdays

Summer Style Link-up

Bright Stripes and a Survey Recap

Seriously, summer is the best thing, and this dress is the perfect addition.  I snatched it up on special at Target and love the ease of it.  I wore this to a friends' kids' birthday party and it was cute and comfy (which you all know is my favorite combo).  I think I'll get a lot of use out of this bad boy. : )

Also , about a week ago I asked you ladies to give me some feedback about my blog and I want to thank all of you who participated! I really enjoyed looking at the results and wanted to share some of the with you all today.

• Of those that took the survey about 60% didn't have a blog and 40% did. This surprised me for some reason. I get the chance to "get to know" other bloggers, but not the non-bloggers. I think it's so awesome that you non-bloggers take the time to stop by! I wish I go the chance to know you too!
• I also asked about how frequently those who took the survey visited my blog. 90% said they visited either daily or multiple time a week. Wow. I'm humbled by this. Thank you so much!
• My content has really been specifically OOTD posts and I really wondered what you guys thought about that. About 50% said my content was fine as is and 40% said they'd like to see more "How to Wear" posts. I'm hoping my Styling Series last week was what you ladies were looking for. I also have another "How to Wear" post coming next week. I do think I'll try to show posts like this to you all on a more regular basis. It pushes me to think outside the box too, which is great.
• I was also curious about my pictures. 95% of you said they were good as is. (Whew!) A couple of you did say you'd like more detail shots and different poses. Since I take my own pictures and I'm not a model my photo bag of tricks is limited, but I will try to work on showing more details and poses.
• I also asked about your age demographics and found about 30% were 21-29, 40% were 30-39, and 20% were 40-49. This wasn't super surprising being I'm 34 so right in the middle of these ranges.
• The last thing I was curious about was adding links to similar/same items. 70% said yes to this. When I first started my blog I had links, but they were so time consuming I eliminated them. I've decided to try them again, especially if the item is still available. I'll re-assess once school starts depending on time.
• I also decided to add labels, mostly colors and clothing types. Their are links on my sidebar for these now too.  I thought it might be helpful and honestly I didn't realize how easy it was to do. It'll take me a while to get everything labeled, but it's been fun looking back at past outfits. I also now realize how often I wear blue, stripes, and florals. Hmmm.

Once again, tanks to all of you who participated! I love this hobby and you all really help make it worthwhile!

Cardigan: Target $3 (thrifted) similar

Dress: Target $15 same

Necklace: Stella and Dot Rebel Pendant same

Bracelets: Stella and Dot Renegade, Foundation and Chimera similar

Shoes: Target $30 same

Linking up with:

What I Wore Wednesday

Get Your Pretty On

It's in the Styling: Tip Four, Add a Heel

Now, I love flats and flip-flops as much as the next girl and tend to wear them a lot in the summer to the park, zoo, etc., but they tend to make my already short (5'4") frame appear even shorter and bulkier. The simple fix, add a heel. Almost every outfit I put on suddenly looks better in a heel or wedge then it does in a flat. Want to look longer and leaner? Make a heal your new best friend :)

I also decided to enter Chippmuck.com's Expert Shopper Contest again with this outfit. I came in 7th last time and the top five won. Help me make the top five this time by loving my look here. You can vote each day too. I seriously appreciate it ladies!

It's crazy how adding a heel instantly lengthens and slims my figure.  Like I said above, I love sandals, but I'm wearing this with heels for a lunch date with a girl friend. This look was inspired by Tara, I loved the mix of print and texture in her look so decided to give it a try here, and am loving the result.   Here are some more pictures of this outfit:

Top: Target $9 same

Shorts: Loft $16 (now can't find online)

Necklace: Express $12 same

Bracelets: Stella and Dot Foundation, and Harlow Kohl's similar in gold

Shoes: JCrew similar



It's in the Styling: Tip Three, Tuck Your Shirt

Ever put on an outfit that in theory should look great, only to find you look frumpy and dumpy? Me too. However, the simplest trick to styling an outfit and taking it from bad to fab is to tuck your shirt. Seriously. Sometimes a shirt is just fine un-tucked, especially for more casual looks, but if the shirt is too long/flowy/loose a simple tuck is all you need to dramatically change your outfit's look. I usually try an outfit both ways, then decide which is best.

I also decided to enter Chippmuck.com's Expert Shopper Contest again with this outfit. I came in 7th last time and the top five won. Help me make the top five this time by loving my look here. You can vote each day too. I seriously appreciate it ladies!

Do you see the difference?!? I probably look 30 pound lighter by just tucking this shirt in!  I honestly didn't realize the power of the "tuck" until I started reading blogs and seeing what other girls were wearing.  I also didn't own a lot of skirts before tucking in either, just look at "Exhibit A" and you'll understand why.  Now that I realize that tucking your shirt in can make such a great change in the outfit, my skirt collection has grown tremendously, and I have a much more polished professional look too. Here are some more pictures of this look:

Cardigan: Old Navy $20 similar

Top: Target $3 (thrifted) similar

Skirt: Target $16 similar

Belt: Kohls $1.5 similar

Necklace: Loft $5 similar

Bracelets: Stella and Dot  Julep, Gilded Arrow, and Chimera similar

Shoes: JCrew similar

It's in the Styling: Tip Two, Accessorize

Ever put on a great dress or "in theory" great outfit only to find it's just so-so. Your problem: no accessories to make your look stand out. Today I'm gong to show you a casual way to accessorize a basic navy dress.

I also decided to enter Chippmuck.com's Expert Shopper Contest again with this outfit. I came in 7th last time and the top five won. Help me make the top five this time by loving my look here. You can vote each day too. I seriously appreciate it ladies!

 For this look I chose a bold statement necklace and coordinating gold bracelets as my jewelry.  I added my Limited striped blazer with it's classic tailoring to add a dressy edge, then added a yellow belt for a fun color pop.  Lastly I chose my gold scalloped heels as the final touch to this dressy look.  Here are some more shots of the look:

Blazer: The Limited $22 similar

Dress: Gap (free from clothing exchange) similar

Necklace: Stella and Dot Juniper same

Belt: Kohl's $6 similar

Bracelets: Stella and Dot Julep, Gilded Arrow, and Chimera similar

Shoes: Audrey Brooke $26 similar in silver

It's in the Styling: Tip One, Know Your Body

Blogging has really been such a great experience for me and other then the great blogging friends I have, the second best things that's come out of it is having a better understanding of my body, my style, and how to best wear my clothes.  This week I thought it would be fun to share some of the things I've learned about how to look your best each day.  Today I'm going to start by discussing body shapes.

I also decided to enter Chippmuck.com's Expert Shopper Contest again with this outfit. I came in 7th last time and the top five won. Help me make the top five this time by loving my look here. You can vote each day too. I seriously appreciate it ladies!

Joining the Trend-Spin link up today too here.

Have you ever found the cutest outfit on Pinterest or blogger only to try it and have it look not at all as cute as the original, even though you had very similar pieces in your closet? Yep, me too. The problem: probably a difference in body type. To correctly style an outfit, you've got to dress to fit your body type. The Chic Fashionista has some excellent info. on determine body types I'll share with you today.

	Pear Body Shape 1. You have a well-defined waist  2. Your bust and shoulders are proportionally narrower than your hip-line  3. Your thighs and maybe your butt might be full and rounded  4. Narrow or sloping shoulders 5. You may have short and/or full/muscular legs  Click here for fashion advice and tips on how to dress for your curvascious pear shape
	Inverted Triangle Body Shape 1. Your bust and shoulders are proportionally wider than your hips  2. Your hips are narrow or at least narrower than your bust and shoulders  3. You may have slim legs which often comes with this body shape  4. You might have a flat butt  5. You project a sporty-athletic physique.   Click here for advice and tips on how to dress for your athletic shape.
	Rectangle Body Shape 1. Your bust and shoulders are about the same width as your hip-line  2. You might look shorter and heavier than you really are  3. You have little or no waist definition  4. Waist measures from 1" to 8" smaller than the bust  5. You may have a short waist Click here for advice and tips on how to dress for your boyish shape.
	Hourglass Body Shape 1. Your bust and shoulders are at the same width as your hips  2. You have a defined waist  3. When gaining weight, the fat usually stores evenly throughout your body  4. Your waist is 8" to 12" smaller than the hip or bust measurement  5. Your figure resembles a coke bottle. Click here (opens in a new window) for advice and tips on how to dress for your proportional body shape.
	Apple Body Shape 1. You have the appearance of being round, slightly wide around the waistline  2. Your waistline lacks or has no waist definition  3. Your hips and butt might be wide and full along with your waist  4. Your silhouette is round usually due to overweight or childbirth  5. Bust, waist and hips are very close in measurements.  Click here for advice and tips on how to dress for your round body shape.

Did you girls figure out your shape?  Make sure to click on the links above to look for advise and tips for your shape, it's seriously good info!

I'm happen to be a "rectangle." Which basically means I have no waist.  To combat this I have two go to styling tips for you other "rectangles:"

 1. Add a layer (like a cardigan or jacket).
 2. Add a belt.

I was really excited when Whitney wore this outfit. I had those pieces in my closet and had wanted more inspiration on how to wear that skirt. This is a prime example of knowing your body, though. Because I'm a rectangle/ruler/boy shape Whitney's outfit looked great on her but not so hot on me.
I stated above my go to styling tips for defining my waist are adding a belt or adding a layer. Here, a belt does not work when the skirt has an elastic waist, however, adding a layer does.

Automatically adding the jacket gives me a more defined waist. Thank goodness! What about your, what tips do you have to help you look the best with your own body shape? Here's some more pictures of this look styled:

Jacket: The Limited similar

Top: Old Navy $4 same

Skirt: Target $12 same

Necklace: Stella and Dot Rebel Pendant same

Bracelets: Stella and Dot Renegade, Foundation and Chimera similar

Shoes: Target $30 same