Building A Wardrobe: Cardigans

Yesterday I started my Building A Wardrobe Series by sharing with you Essential Blazers and Jackets, and for the second day of the series I'll be sharing with you my thoughts on cardigan essentials.  Cardigans are great for laying and can be worn both to dress an outfit up, as well as easily worn with a casual outfit as well.  Here are my tips for building essential cardigans into your wardrobe:

• Must have colors include black, gray, and tan.  In my experience, it's worth it to by quality pieces, as you will probably wear these the most.  There are a lot of inexpensive options out there, say at Target or Old Navy, however, they inexpensive options don't seem to last or wear as well and pill much sooner.  I've been most happy with the quality of cardigans I've purchased from Loft, Banana Republic, The Limited, and J.Crew.
• Consider the type of cardigan that fits your style best.  Traditional lengths will probably be the most versatile, but I love a good boyfriend cardigan and think they can be dressed up for worn casually depending on how you chose to style them. 
• When purchasing, pay attention to how to wash the item, if it's dry clean only, it will limited how often you can wear the piece. I've used Dryel, and in-home dry cleaning product, for over a decade and have been happy with the results, however I still spend the money to get pieces professionally dry cleaned at least once a year and this definitely adds to the overall cost of owning a piece of clothing.
• I've also included some additional options for you to consider purchasing.  These include purchasing a few cardigans in bright colors, as well as a leopard or other print option.  In my opinion you won't wear these as often, so purchasing a less expensive option, like this or this makes sense to me.
• Regardless of what you chose to buy, wash these pieces inside out to help protect the them in the washer.

Here's a visual of my recommendations for cardigan purchases:

tan cardigan /gray cardigan  / black cardigan /  mustard cardigan / bright cardigan /  leopard cardigan 

Today I'm wearing a bright cardigan, which is a fun addition to any outfit. It helps define my shape and pull the overall look together too.

I'm crazy about today's combo. I score this skirt for $4, new with tags, from thredUP (use this link to get $10 off your first order). I wasn't sure about a top, but tried the polka dots and love it.  I might freeze today with bare legs, but this just didn't look right with tights.  Hurry up, spring!

Building A Wardrobe: Blazers and Jackets

I'm really excited to be starting a new series today that will focus on helping you to build a wardrobe full of pieces you'll not only love, but that will be timeless and versatile.  Today I'm starting with one of my favorite things: blazer and jackets.  The thing I love about them is there ability to be worn both for work wear as well was weekend wear.  They can be the perfect touch to finish off any look, so today I'm showing you pieces I feel are essential, as well as a few pieces to add once the essential pieces are in place.

On my list of essential blazers and jackets are a classic black and navy blazer, as well as a denim jacket. Here are some things to keep in mind when purchasing these pieces:

•  When buying these pieces definitely pay attention to quality, as they pieces can be utilized frequently and worn for years to come.  I purchased my black blazer at H&M for a very fair price to replace one I used for nearly a decade from The Limited.  My navy blazer is probably my favorite piece in my wardrobe and although I found it on sale at Loft, it definitely would have been worth the full price. 
•  Also, pay attention to how to wash it, if it's dry clean only I pass on the piece.  Look for one that can be washed normally, as this will help you to utilize it more.
• The quality of a denim jacket, in my opinion, doesn't vary much from store to store, so buying an inexpensive option shouldn't impact how it wears much.

After you have these essential pieces in your wardrobe, then you can begin to add on additional options, like the ones I've listed below. The additional options I'm loving are a striped blazer, a mixed media moto jacket, and a bright blazer.  Unlike the pieces above which are truly wardrobe staples, these pieces can be the "show piece to any look," that is, the piece of clothing that takes your outfit from cute to perfection.  Right now I'm on the look out for a mixed media jacket.  I recently tried one on at TJ Maxx I loved, but it was dry clean only, so I passed.  These pieces should definitely be added over time, and when the price is right. 

Here's a visual of all the pieces I've listed above to help you out:

  LOFT black blazer / LOFT navy blazer  / Gap denim jacket  /LOFT stripe blazer / LOFT mixed media jacket / bright blazer

Today I'm wearing one of the additional options I've listed above, a bright colored blazer. Adding a blazer dresses up any look, and the bright color is such fun too!

Sponsor Spotlight: Charming Lucy

I'm excited to have Susan from Charming Lucy stop by today to share some great ideas for Color Blocking.  Take it away, Susan!

Today I am guest posting with my friend Ginny over at My New Favorite Outfit. Her blog is one that I read daily. She has fabulous fashion tips for women on a budget. Her style is chic, comfortable, and easy to replicate. I am super envious of her thrifting ability, and I hope she offers a class to help those of us who need to shop with a purpose! Ginny is the master! Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you enjoy our lesson in color blocking(: Color blocked sweaters are one of my favorite trends this fall! They are popping up everywhere! They are super easy to style, come in gorgeous colors for fall and winter, and there are many affordable options. I have created a collaboration of a few of my favorite color blocked sweaters for fall. Old Navy and JC Penney offer some beautiful and affordable options this season! I even purchased a gray and orange color blocked sweater for my hubby, and he loved it!

Chelsea and Ginny Take On: A Fall Bash

 Fall can be such a great time of the year, so Chelsea and I decided to take on a Fall Bash.  We had a one at my church this last weekend. It included a Trunk or Treat, inflatables, games, and fun fair type treats.  Grant had a blast and was pretty excited to get to wear his Spider-man costume.  I decided to wear this outfit, since it was cool outside, but honestly I've had this outfit in mind since last spring when I got this puffer vest from a clothing swap at church. I paired it with my stripe scarf and polka dot shirt for a fun monochromatic look.  I added my skinny jeans (cuffed, which is my new favorite trend) and my sparkle booties.  The vest was perfect for being outdoor on a cool evening and it was a great time together as a family.

What to Wear With Orange

For the last day of my series I'll be sharing my tips on how to wear orange. On the first day I shared with you how to wear wine, and on the second day I shared with you how to wear mustard, and of the three I think orange can be the trickiest to wear.  Here are my tips on what to wear it with:

• Neutral tones are an awesome pairing for orange, though I think warm tones like tans and browns are best.  I would recommend steering clear of pairing orange and black, for fear of looking like you're dressed for Halloween.  
• The second way to wear orange is with complimentary colors and you might be surprised at all the colors that work to pair it with. I love orange with different shades of blue, but it can also be great with army green and wine.

Today I chose to pair orange with a combination of neutral and complimentary colors. I love the neutral cardigan and navy skirt with this fun top and I think it's a perfect look for fall. Make sure to check out my collage at the end of the post for some additional ways to wear orange.

Here's a chart for you all to help you see what to pair orange with:

What to Wear With Mustard

Today is my second day of my mini-series focused on styling colors.  Yesterday I shared my tips for styling wine and today I'm focusing on another hot color for fall, mustard.  My boyfriend cardigan is quickly becoming one of my favorite things in my closet and I was excited to style it today for a nice casual look.  When it comes to styling mustard here are some tips for what colors to wear it with:

• Wear mustard with another shade of yellow for a monochromatic look.
• Although mustard is a warm color, it can easily be worn with both warm and cool neutrals.  Mustard and gray is an awesome color combo, but mustard with browns and blacks is also great.
• Lastly, wear it with a complimentary color like navy or teal.  Today I chose to wear it with navy, which is one of my favorite color combos.  I added my skinny jeans, then cuffed them (I love this!) and added my booties.  This outfit is not only comfortable, but perfect for all your fall activities (Pumpkin Patch anyone?) 

Make sure to check out my collage at the end of the post for some additional ways to wear mustard and here's a chart to help you see what to wear with mustard:

What to Wear With Wine

This week I thought it would be fun to do a mini-series focused on color.  I recently joined a fashion page on Facebook where women post their OOTDs.  It's a great group with a lot of stylish women, but one of the things I see people post often is a picture, then the question: "Do these go together?" Another common question I see is: "What color goes with this?" This prompted my mini-series.  I thought I'd pick three color that are big this fall and try to help give some direction as to what to wear with them.

Today I'm focusing on wine, burgundy, ox blood....whatever you call it, it is definitely a great color for fall.  The problem can be deciding what colors look best with it.  I came up with some different colors which I think pair nicely with wine.  

• The first is another shade of the color for a monochromatic look; this is also a big trend this fall, and definitely one worth giving a try.  
• The second is to pair it with neutral colors, either a combination of warm tones, like browns and chocolates, or cool tones like grays and blacks.  I chose to pair it with cool tones today (mainly because I wanted to wear my Phoenix Pendant again.  
• The third is with a complimentary color like mustard or navy.  I'm a big fan of both of these combinations too. (Look below for examples of these color combos).

To help out you visual learners (like myself) here's a handy little chart for you to reference:

Blush and Black

I recently wore this look to church and love everything about it. I seriously never would have guessed when I picked this dress up on the clearance rack last winter I'd get so much use out of this dress. I've also decided that shawl cardigans are amazing. You've seen me wear this one a number of times, but seriously, it's perfection. I added my Phoenix Pendant and felt like a million bucks. 

Chelsea and Ginny Take On: Fall

Today Chelsea and I are taking on Fall. One of the biggest trends for fall is Leopard print. After buying this polka dot top I knew I needed this leopard one from the same line too.  Today I decided to show you how to style this top for both the workday and weekend.   

Leopard and Stripes

I'm loving this casual look today. It's actually starting to cool down here, so breaking out my cargo jacket made sense.  I love the leopard and stripes combo and I feel really put together, but comfortable at the same time.  Pants and I aren't always the best of friends, but these red jeans and I get along just fine. Now, if I could just find another pair in a different color that fit this well.   I'm really liking this cobalt option, I'll let you all know what I think once I get in to try them on. What about you all, do you have any suggestion for a good place to buy colored jeans?

Cobalt and Orange

Last year I was ecstatic when I found this Loft skirt at Goodwill and decided to pair it with my cobalt blazer and lace top today.  The first time I wore this skirt I wore it like this, and I was so pleased with myself.  Yipes, that was pretty bad. Today, on the other hand, I really like this. I really like the texture and color mix and definitely think it's an outfit I'll wear again, although I think I might wear it with my cobalt  Portfolio Shirt first.  What do you think, how would you style this skirt? 

Buy All The Leopard!

Ok ladies, I think I have a serious case of "buy all the leopard!"  Case in point my Sunday Post.  Last year I was all about leopard heels, now I'm all about leopard everything.  Today I'm wearing my favorite thrift of all time, this leopard dress. I decided to pair it with my teal blazer and I love the overall look.  I'd had this outfit in mind then I saw Lauren pair her cheetah dress with a bright blazer and Tara pair her leopard dress with teal; I was sold!  I think cobalt might be next!  

 

Cobalt Two Ways

Cobalt is definitely one of my new favorite colors and I'm excited to collaborate again today with Lauren from Modern Modesty to show you two ways to wear cobalt. I love Lauren's take! She just look beautiful. :)This peplum is amazing, and I've been looking for a skirt like this Lauren snagged hers at J.Crew for a steal! Make sure to stop by Modern Modesty to check out the outfit details and to say hi to Lauren. :)

As for my look,  I got my dress this summer for a steal at H&M and I decided to pair it with black today and my new Phoenix Pendant necklace. If you follow me on Instagram you've already seen this beauty a few times, as well as me raving about it. It's the perfect addition to this look. 

Preppy Professional

This blazer is definitely one of my favorite things in my closet.  I LOVE it, I've worn it with this top before, but I seriously never realized how versatile a navy skirt was until I bought this skirt.  I'm kicking myself that I haven't had a navy skirt before.  I'm excited about all the ways I'll get to wear it this fall and winter and am really happy with the way I wore it today too. 

Chelsea and Ginny Take On: Halloween

This week Chelsea and I are taking on Halloween.  This year the Grantster is going to be Spider Man.....wearing snow boots, because they give him "power."  I'll definitely share pictures with you all after Halloween.  I bet there are a few of you out there that don't have you costume or your child's costume figured out yet, though.  Here are some fun ideas I found and thought I'd share with you today:

Here are some great kids DIY costume ideas.  I'm so loving the shark one! Link below to check out the details.

Fall Must Have: Leopard

It's no secret that I love all things leopard, and luckily Target has some great options for leopard, all of which would be great additions to your wardrobe this fall.  I'm so loving the pencil skirt, what's your favorite?

  belt / pencil skirt / heel / cardigan / scarf 

Professional Neon?

This outfit is pretty much this outfit's first cousin.  I didn't do it on purpose, but as I was looking at these pictures I realized the similarity.  When I got this top, I loved it, but I had no idea what I'd wear it with, now a year later I'm amazed at all the different combos I've come up with for a neon green shirt. Who'd have thought it? Needless to say, I love this combo and yes, I am declaring this outfit "Professional Neon" and seriously considering adding this one to my collection next.  What about you, have you embraced neon?

Jewel Tones

Almost two months ago I tried on this top and was in love....with everything but the price, that is.  What do you know, it went on sale and they only had one left in the stores, and it happened to be in my size.  It was fate.  You guys.  I love it.  I also got this skirt and love it too.  A navy skirt had been on my list for fall and I really like the structure of this one, but that it's not a traditional pencil skirt.  I've got a number of looks lined up for these too pieces and I'm pretty excited about it. 

Stripes and Floral

I thought I'd share with you all some of my favorite "Grant" moments recently.  Being a mother is definitely the best thing that has happened to me, but before I was a mom I had no idea what to expect.

Sweetest thing: Grant was sitting next to me at dinner and declared I am his best friend. : )

Silliest thing: Grandma recently found a bunch of dress up clothes for Grant and he feel in love with the Scooby-Doo costume.  While pretending to be a dog, Gracie (our Beagle) came up wagging her tail.  Grant said to her "Hey, we match!  We both have tails!"

Surprising thing:  I was making dinner, talking to my sister while I thought Grant was watching Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood (best kids' show in my opinion).  I turned around and surprising had to ask why Grant was naked.  Yep.  Evidently he had spilled his water, so he took his clothes off.  Logical, right?

Superhero thing:  While wearing his Spider-Man costume he also added his snow boots "because they give him power!"

Kid cracks me up.

Now to my outfit: After finally picking up this pink skirt at Target I wore it like this the first time.  I seriously love it and really wanted to wear it again before it got too cold for bare legs.  Many of you thought this could be cute with black tights, and I do think I'll give that a try too.  As for today, I totally love this combo.  I recently wore it for girls' night and plan to wear it to school too.  I think the floral scarf is such a fun option with the striped blazer.  

Save vs. Splurge: Target and J.Crew Addition

As you all know, price is something that is important to me, and as I was putting together my wishlist for this fall, the pieces below made it onto my list.  Now, I get emails from J.Crew daily, but just can't justify a lot of the prices of things at J.Crew.  That's where Target comes in, specifically Merona at Target.  For the price, I feel the quality is great and below I've put together a side-by-side look at some pieces on my wishlist at both Target and J.Crew.  At the top of my list is the sequin collar shirt from Target.  I'm seriously in love and it's only $22.  What's on your wishlist for the fall and where do you plan to shop for them?

Save: Leopard Flats / Splurge: Leopard Flats

Save: Navy Pencil Skirt / Splurge: Navy Pencil Skirt

Save: Striped Sweater / Splurge: Striped Sweater

Save: Sequin Collar Shirt / Splurge: Jeweled Collar Shirt

Save: Striped Dress / Splurge: Striped Dress

Chelsea and Ginny Take On: Date Night

This week Chelsea and I are taking on Date Night.  Now, I don't know about you, but date nights don't happen as often as they used to now that I'm a mother.  That being said, when Brian and I get to go out we really like to take advantage of the night together. 

I got this dress last year to wear for our anniversary and love the feminine look of it. I'm currently crushing over this dress from Banana Republic right now, just waiting for the right price. As for today's dress,  I decided to wear it with my favorite bejeweled cardigan for a monochromatic look.  I added my leopard heels to finish of the look and now Brian and I are ready for date night!

Stripe Dress, Take Two

Whelp, I'm glad it's Friday.  That's for sure.  I had some sort of a weird bug this week and missed a day of school.  I'm very thankful to our Media Specialist who took over my classes, so I could go home and sleep for for next 18 or so hours.  Seriously, I did.  I'm feeling much better, but we've had a lot of kids absent from school too.  Although I love fall and the fact I get to wear my favorite new booties, I am not a fan of the germs and sickness that seem to come along with it too.

On a brighter note, I'm pretty excited about today's look. This dress is quickly becoming one of my favorite things in my closet.  I was also super excited when Target put this cardigan on sale for $15, then I had a $3 off coupon.  Score!  Last winter I found a great LOFT cardigan thrifted for only a few bucks, but it was really too big, so I was looking for a replacement and I'm pretty pleased with this option.  I really feel like I've learned a lot about shopping in this past year and am being more purposeful with my purchases and I find myself ultimately being happier with them too. My next big purchase will probably be brown leather riding boots (which would be amazing with this outfit, by the way).  I love these, now I just need to find the time to get into DSW to try them on and see if they fit my ridiculously large calves.

Polka Dot Love

Last week we had parent teacher conferences, which seems crazy that it's time for that already.  I like to make sure I dress very professionally, but still be myself. Our conferences are two nights, so for one of the nights I wore this outfit  again, seriously, it's one of my favorites. For the second night I wore this look. When I came across this blouse at Target, I knew it would be a great addition to my closet.  I feel like I can tend to neglect tops, but adding this blouse to the outfit as apposed to wearing just a plain white one makes the outfit a little more special, and I like that.

I'm still amazed by all the great options Target has like this blouse, and I can't believe its such a great dup for this Gap one at less than half the price. Crazy.  I might need that one too, two polka dot shirts is definitely not two too many. : ) So, what tips do you have for making your outfit special?

It's My Blogoversary!

Today is a year since My New Favorite Outfit was started, and what a year it's been!  I'd have to say I've really enjoyed the time, but I had no idea how much work or how much fun it would be.  I feel like I've gotten a style I'm happy with again, and I definitely know I've gotten more self-confidence along the way too.

I thought it would be fun to share my first outfit picture with you (taken with a my iPhone no less) and then show you how I'd wear it today.  I thought about doing a whole week of this series: then and now, but honestly, I wasn't crazy about a lot of the "then" pictures, so I really didn't want to share them "now." One of the things I remember from Go Blog Social in August was someone saying that if you're not at least a little bit embarrassed of some of your early posts, you aren't growing.  I like that, I don't ever want to feel like my style is stagnant.

I really do like my first outfit picture though, I was so excited to wear it and after countless compliments at school that day, I decided to take the dive and share my outfit with the world.....or like the 17 people who viewed my blog for it's first month of life.  Hehe.  Anyway,  my take today is a little bit different.  Last year I owned like a million cardigans and no blazers, today I prefer the structure a blazer gives.  I also wore this with a plain white tee last year, and now I prefer a blouse with a little bit of texture and interest (I'm currently craving this one, it has sequin sleeves, people!). I think style is an ever changing process, and I think it's fun to see how mine has changed throughout this year.

To all of you who take the time to stop by and check out my style, and those who comment so regularly:  I genuinely want to thank you for your support, and you definitely help make my little hobby worth while!