Casual Wardrobe Essentials: Fall & Winter

Everyone is out shopping for fall, but what do you really need in your closet?  Last year I did a series on Building a Wardrobe, so this year I thought I'd follow it up with a casual addition. I recently had a reader ask about about where to find affordable basics like stripe tops and polka dot sweaters.  I did a special weekend addition post for my email subscribers (you can sign up too, the link is on my sidebar).  I decided to create a post for you all too.

As much as I love skirts and dresses, once the cold weather hits I tend to dress more casually, because heels and ice are not a good combo.  I searched and found some great, affordable pieces that are all mixable and great additions to a fall and winter wardrobe.  Links to all the pieces are down below. : )

shirts: striped boatneck top / striped blouse / checked blouse

sweaters: blue polka dot sweatshirt /  green polka dot sweatshirt / bow sweater 

vests: red vest / green vest / black vest 

jeans: Old Navy red ankle jeans / Old Navy skinny leg jeans / Old Navy super skinny jeans

shoes black boots / brown boots / loafers / Sperry Top-Sider sperry top sider shoes / black short boots / leopard ballerina shoes / brown booties

Coral and Lace

This last weekend I had the opportunity to have a getaway girls' weekend.  It was fantastic and such a fun break.  We went out one night and this is what I wore.  I recently found this top at Target and couldn't pass it up.  I love the details and the scalloping at the bottom.  

I actually went to Target the day I bought this for a Husker shirt.  I didn't find one but I did find this, and a dress I'm wearing on here Wednesday for $7, and a super cute pair of shorts for $4 (that I also wore this last weekend).  It's been a long time since I've gone to Target to "just look," and now I remember why, it's hard to leave without at least a couple of cute things. #targetdoesitagain 

Bold Blue

It's not secret that maxi dresses are one of my favorite things, so when I saw this dress on thredUP for $8, I was sold.  I also got this wallet for $30 (it retails currently for $139!). I wore this recently to church, but plan to wear it a lot this fall.  I'm thinking it will be fun with my lace cardigan too. 

If you haven't tried thredUP you can sign up here and get $10 off your first purchase.  Seriously you guys, I have gotten some of the most amazing pieces for next to nothing!

Today I'm headed out for a fun weekend in Kansas City with friends, I'm so excited guys! I'll tell you all about it next week :)

Maxi and Denim

This maxi from J.Crew is one of my favorite purchases from this summer. Today I decided to pair it my denim jacket and my pink Kendra Scott inspired necklace.  This look is perfect for those days at school I wish I was wearing pajamas.  I really do love dressing up, but when I see a kiddo strutting around in t-shirts and sweats with a top knot, I'd lie if I said I wasn't a little bit envious at times. ;)

Also, I just learned that #PSL stands for "Pumpkin Spice Latte," yes, I'm a little late to the game.  It should also be noted that I absolutely can't stand anything with pumpkin in it, hence not knowing the whole #PSL thing.  Gross. I can't stand it.  One of my friends at work told me I was failing in my role as a "white girl" and mentioned this Buzz Feed, which does a pretty good job at poking fun at white girl stereotypes during the fall.  What about you? Pumpkin, yay or nay?

Beauty Routines and Style

Ever since I was a teenager when I realized I was blessed with less than perfect *cough* eyebrows I've taken the time to shape, fill, and gel my eyebrows as part of my beauty regiment each day.  The problem is, every eyebrow pencil is different, how do you know which color to get, and brow gel isn't always the easiest to find.  So, when I was given the opportunity to try out Billion Dollar Brows available exclusively at Kohl's here, I jumped that the chance.

The products were really easy to use and I love the idea of a brow highlighter too.  I love that the pencil is a twist up and doesn't require sharpening either. I also love the brush and found it worked really well for blending.  I'm excited to add these products to my routine and glad I can get them all at once and in one place too.

 After getting ready and using Billion Dollar Brows Kohl's I wore this combo to church recently and I wore it for parent teacher conferences yesterday too.  I got this dress on the clearance rack at Target a few years ago and still absolutely love it, it was an online return and I scored it for $8.  I really like it with my new necklace from chloe + isabel too.   

Loving Lately

Today I thought I'd share a post of some things I'm loving lately. : )

1.  We had family pictures taken at my parents' house, this is the first time we've done something other than JCP since Grant was born. It was really fun and I love how they turned out.

2.  I got a new planner! I've had a Coach one for the last decade or so and it was on it's last leg.  I love this new one!

3.  I'm not ready to put my summer stuff away and can't get enough of  these shoes!

4.  I'm soaking up all the time I can outside.  We recently went apple picking at my parents' house.  Yum!

5.  This. Face.

6.  My new wallet from thredUp!  It's Ralph Lauren and retails now for over $125 but it was only $30 on thredUp and I had credits to spend.  If you haven't tried thredUp yet join here for $10 off your first purchase.

Fall Style with Gordmans

One of the pieces that has been on my wish list is a jacket like this one, so I was ecstatic when I got the chance to partner with Gordmans this fall. I was able to visit my local store and check out all their new fall pieces.  Gordmans has brands like Jessica Simpson, Kensie, BB Dakota and Lush- all that feature the latest fall trends, and all at affordable prices. 

I decided on this jacket, although the choice was tough, because they also had a great version in wine, a tan one, and a gray one. The outfit I'm wearing today is great for casual Friday, minus the jacket, than I can add the jacket for a fun night out with friends.  I'm actually getting to go on a Girls' Weekend to Kansas City this next weekend.  It's the first time I've ever been away from Grant for more than 24 hours and I'm so excited!  We're going to keep it pretty low key, but we do plan to check out the Power and Lights District one night, so this jacket will be perfect!

Gingham and Pearls

 Today I decided to wear my much-loved navy dress and my gingham shirt from last year with this cardigan I've had forever.  I really love how it came together and it's a transitional look for fall I can hop on board for.

Have you entered my giveaway yet?

Holding Onto Summer

I wore this outfit to church last Sunday because the weather is still pretty nice, by nice I mean in the 70 degree range.  I did pull out jeans on Saturday, as we were outside in the morning and it was cooler, but I haven't pulled the trigger and switched my summer clothes out for my winter and fall. You know we'll all be sick of those layers by January???? I do have an outfit planned for tomorrow that I will count as a transitional outfit, but I'm wearing peek toe heels, what can I say, I'm a rebel ;)

Have you entered my giveaway yet?

Fall Trends Worth Trying

I was recently reading up on some of the trends for this upcoming fall season and today I thought I'd highlight some that I think I'll try. They include wearing sneakers (other than with sweats to the store), neon (I love this for summer, but hadn't considered fall),  Fair Isle (love this!), and bold prints.  Now none of these are a huge stretch to the imagination, but they're easily attainable and adaptable to an existing wardrobe.  Some other trends for fall like head to toe knit and dresses over pants (say what???) are trends I think I'll be passing on.  What about you, what trends are you loving for fall?

Sneakers: Image Source / chambray / black skinny jeans / scarf / Converse Chuck All Star Sneakers

Neon: Image Source / top / jeans / pumps / scarf

Fair Isle: Image Source / white blouse / jeans / boots / crossbody handbag / Fair Isle sweater

Bold Prints: Image Source / chambray / leather biker jacket / skirt / pumps / necklace

To those of you who are new my page from Pinterest, thanks for stopping by! I'd love to have you stick around.  Check out my sidebar for ways to follow along.  

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Fall is nearly here, and if you're anything like me you've been on Pinterest looking for inspiration.   I'd like to make it easy for you.  I've creating 20 fall and winter looks for outfit inspiration I'd love to share with you.  Simply sign up for my mailing list below and the link to the outfits will be shared with you.  

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Weekend Casual

It's starting to cool down and that means breaking out my jeans for the first time in months.  This summer I came across Joe's Jeans, similar to these at Goodwill for $3. So, at the age of 35 I got my first pair of fancy jeans.  You guys.  I love them.  Today I decided to pair them with my beloved utility vest and J.Crew Factory shirt.  The finishing touches on this outfit are my favorite new leopard flats and these Kendra Scott inspired earrings.  I wore this for a day at my parents' house this last weekend.  My sister and her husband came back to visit, so we hung out, picked apples, and Grant entertained the bunch with his antics.  

Mariposa Medley has a fun treat for you today, they're offering the winner's choice of Kendra Scott Inspired Earrings just for you! Enter using the Rafflecopter down below!

Cobalt and Stripes

Last spring I scored these cobalt dress pants from Loft for $4, I ended up altering them to ankle pants, which I like a lot more, these cobalt pants are very similar.  I haven't worn them all summer, so I'm excited to pull them back out for the new school year.  I decided to keep this outfit simple with my striped blazer and a basic black top.  I don't wear pants much, but if I had more like these I sure think I would. 

This week at school the kids were introduced to Passion Projects as part of Genius Hour.  Each of the kids will get one hour each week in class (we'll rotate) to work on something they are passionate about.  On Tuesday we introduced it and the kids came up with their "fat questions." (i.e. what they want to learn) Over the next 16 weeks the kids will research and at the end create "something" to share what they've learned.  Questions ranged from "Why is Louis Vuitton a brand beloved by so many people?" to "How can I make kids with cancer feel like they're normal while they're sick?"  I'm so excited to see what these kids come up with and have so many amazing teachers at my grade level who slaved away to get all of this ready!

Online Shopping

Up until this last year I almost never bought anything online.  I was always worried about fit and I hated the hassle of returns.  However, I've kind of changed my tune.  I feel like I know my body better, and the store options here are somewhat limited. One of my favorite collaborations lately has to be getting the "Hayden Faves Bag" with  Kika.  I shared this concept with you all a few times now, and can honestly say I really like all the of the six pieces I received.  Sometimes I just come across across a brand I really care about and this is one.  I love that it's Eco friendly and made here in the the U.S. I also love how each of the pieces has fit so well. 

 If you're shopping for new fall clothes, the Kika Bag is the perfect way to go. Here' a re-cap on how it works: For $149 you get this maxi dress plus four to five more pieces picked by the stylists specially for you. After adding the Hayden Faves Bag to your cart and you begin to check out, you can add comments in the "comment section" about what type of pieces you're looking for.   I said I was looking for pieces to transition to fall and that I love prints and bold colors too.  These details will help your stylist pick the perfect pieces just for you! 

One of the pieces I got was this great blazer.  I adore the color and I think the cut is super flattering.  I decided to pair it with my navy printed top and skirt I picked up at Loft last fall. I also have worn it like this.  I added some gold accessories to finish it up and it's collaborations like this with Kika and make me like the idea of shopping from my couch a lot more. : )

Fall Essential: Leopard Flats

I just picked up these leopard flats over the weekend and am crazy about them. They were a bit of a splurge at $50, but they are so comfortable and they've been on my wish list for quite some time. That being said I thought I'd share some outfits for this fall that feature leopard flats to use for inspiration.

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Here are some more leopard flat options, all at reasonable prices:

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To those of you who are new my page from Pinterest, thanks for stopping by! I'd love to have you stick around.  Check out my sidebar for ways to follow along.  

1 / 2 / 3

Fall is nearly here, and if you're anything like me you've been on Pinterest looking for inspiration.   I'd like to make it easy for you.  I've creating 20 fall and winter looks for outfit inspiration I'd love to share with you.  Simply sign up for my mailing list below and the link to the outfits will be shared with you.  

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Sparkle and Lace

 I am definitely not ready to put my shorts away. This last weekend I saw girls sporting vests, scarves and boots on Instagram at 64 degrees....this is what I wore that that same temperature.  This outfit is inspired by Shanna, I just love the black with this lace cardigan, but I really wanted to wear these new shoes from Target.  They were $12. I seriously want to wear them everyday. I also really wanted to wear this great new pendant necklace from chloe + isabel too.  I wish I could say I went somewhere glamorous, but I wore it to go to Target, then the library and park with Grant.  Yes, I was overdressed, but no, I didn't care. ;)

Today at school we are doing some testing in the morning and in the afternoon we are hosting our very own 7th grade Amazing Race.  The kids are divided into team and we each have a mental and physical challenge they have to pass, first team home wins.  It'll be a blast and I will be exhausted at 3:30.

Cobalt and Chevron

Today I decided pair my cobalt cardigan with my maxi dress from Kika.  I wore this for church and was super comfortable the whole time, which is the best, in my opinion. I think I've also got ton more compliments on this dress than anything else recently, so that's fun too :) I'm seriously crazy about all the pieces I've gotten from  Kika and the combination of quality and fit makes them a total winner in my opinion!

For $149 you get the "Hayden Faves Bag"too, which included this maxi dress plus four to five more pieces picked by the stylists specially for you. After adding the Hayden Faves Bag to your cart and you begin to check out, you can add comments in the "comment section" about what type of pieces you're looking for.   I said I was looking for pieces to transition to fall and that I love prints and bold colors too.  These details will help your stylist pick the perfect pieces just for you! 

Radiant Orchid

This dress has been begging to be worn all summer, so I was excited to pull it out for school.  I wore it with my denim jacket last time, so I decided to try it with a simple black cardigan this time.  I really love this dress and plan to wear it like crazy until I put it away for fall. 

I've been back to work for almost a month now.  So crazy! It's really going pretty well and I'm really liking this group of kids.  I've also been successfully getting up early and doing devotions too.  I'm really loving She Reads Truth and her daily posts.  It's amazing how my attitude is so much better all day when I start it on the right foot!

Ikat and Pinapples

School is going well and having Monday off was a nice treat.  I was feeling the effects of being back to school full time last Friday, and Grant was super exhausted too.  We took it pretty easy last weekend, which was really nice too.  Today I decided to pair my pineapple print shirt with my ikat skirt.  I haven't worn this skirt since school got out in May so I was excited to pull it out. I really wanted to wear it again today before it starts to cool down. I'm really not ready to put my summer clothes away yet!

I also have a super annoying cold, so flats and comfy clothes will be good today. What's a new scool year without a cold, right? 

How Gorgeous

Recently my blogging friend Amy opened a super fun online shop called How Gorgeous.  Amy has amazing style, so you can only imagine the fun pieces in her shop.  I was super excited when she sent over the Isabel necklace.  It' right up my alley, but unlike any other piece I already have. I decided to pair it with my Loft blazer and Gap dress that are favorites of mine for an outfit for school.

How Gorgeous pieces are all affordably priced and shipping is super cheap too.  Make sure to check this shop out and I'm sharing a collage of some of my favorite pieces down below and take advantage of 15% off your order when you use the code "GORG15."

Fashion for Fall

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Fall is nearly here, and if you're anything like me you've been on Pinterest looking for inspiration.   I'd like to make it easy for you.  I've creating 20 fall and winter looks for outfit inspiration I'd love to share with you.  Simply sign up for my mailing list below and the link to the outfits will be shared with you.  

Get My New Favorite Outfit in your inbox!

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What would you like to see in your inbox?

• Weekly Wrap-up
• Daily Posts
• Tips and Trends
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