Style Swap Link Up!

Welcome to the first addition of my weekly link-up with Jenn from The Brandied Pair called “Style Swap.” I can't wait to see all our your looks today!  This week I swapped with Jenn, and starting next week Jenn and I will pick a favorite from the link-up to "Style Swap" with and share on the next link up. I love Jenn's look I swapped for my own today!  I got this blazer earlier this fall but it's been totally under-utilized.  Jenn does such a great job of making a jeans outfit look dressy and I love this one for casual Friday or a date night with Brian (hint, hint). The details on link-up are down below, let the fun begin. : )

Red and Leopard

I'm loving this combo today. I think I pinned something red and leopard awhile ago and have been waiting to wear them together. I feel like some outfits just don't work with tights. Tell me I'm not the only one who thinks this???? However, I totally think they work here, which is good because I'm pretty sure today is supposed to be pretty cold today, so my fleece lined tights are a definitely a necessity.

*I found out we get a cold weather-no school day today, so this outfit will have to wait for tomorrow. To those of you dealing with these freezing temps, stay inside, keep warm, pin some stuff, and follow me on Instagram while I try to keep the Grantster entertained and inside.

Chelsea and Ginny Take On: New Year's Eve

Christmas is right around the corner, and I'm so excited for that! However, I bet some of you are already finalizing your New Year's Eve plans.  Today Chelsea and I are going to take on New Year's Eve.  Now, I have to be honest with you, Brian and I are not party goers.  We enjoy the occasional BBQ and we did host a Christmas party at our house, but it was nothing fancy and with kids involved everyone cleared out my 8:00.  Yep,  we're living on the edge.... So, I'd be lying if I said I was going to wear this outfit on New Year's Eve, even though I do think the outfit would be perfect if you're going to a party.  The patterned tights (I really want this polka dot option too!) and fancy necklace make this look perfect for a New Year's party where you want to look nice, but age appropriate.  Face it, we're not all 20 anymore.  : )  Instead I am wearing this to celebrate Brian and my wedding anniversary this following Saturday.   It'll be six years, crazy how time flies.  On New Year's Eve Brian and I typically stay and home and don't even make it until midnight, so I sure am not going to waste this cute outfit on that. 

Have you entered my giveaway for $200 in Amazon cash yet?

Bows and Dots

Today I decided to pair my bow cardigan with my polka dot blouse and my purple pencil skirt. I was feeling pretty optimistic about the weather when I took these pictures about a week ago, but reality: I'll be wearing tights with this outfit today, and probably with every skirt I wear until spring.  Sigh....

Stripes and Dots

Life is pretty busy right now. We've been working on finishing our basement and are finally at the painting stage, which is where I come in.  Fun. The light is at the end of the tunnel and we are having the carpet laid next week.  Everything is set to be done by Thanksgiving and I couldn't be more excited!  I'm sure I'll post some pictures once it's all done. : )

I'm loving this professional look today.  This blazer, top, and skirt were definitely smart purchases this fall, the outfit possibilities are seeming to be endless.  I rarely thrift anymore, but the one time I went this month I found this new Loft skirt for $3 and I couldn't believe it, I have a bunch of pinned looks with red skirts, but actually came up with this one on my own.  I feel like I've come a long way since last year and now see possibilities in my closet that I never saw before, and that's pretty awesome.

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: Cocktail Hour

This week  Chelsea and I are taking on "Cocktail Hour." Gone are the days of weekends at the bar, but getting invited to a cocktail hour or Girls' Night and home can be great.  I'm going to cover how to dress and Chelsea has the best idea for a "Mix Your Own Beer" Bar.  Say what?  Look for the link down below to go check Chelsea's post out!

As I've gotten older I feel like I've done a pretty good job of perfecting work wear, weekend wear, my casual style, and church clothes. However, I feel getting dressed for a girls' night or cocktail hour is tricky.  My 20-something's self was a pro at this...my 30-something self is not.  Today's look is one that I think is perfect for a cocktail hour after work or night with the girls.  I really like the polished look a blazer gives, but the sequined top takes this out of the normal realm of work wear. I also love the contrast of the black top with the fitted white jeans. Add a heel and some jewelry with bling and you've got a great cocktail hour look.

Outfit Perfection

You are looking at two of the best purchases I've made lately. One, this dress and two, this blazer.  If you read my post Wednesday you know I felt like I was playing dress-up with my clothes while trying to prepare some posts lately. I wasn't feeling like "me." This outfit today is me. I wore this to church recently and felt like a million bucks. I feel like I've been working to create a polished look and a cohesive closet. Over the last few months I've stepped away from thrifting and shifted towards more purposeful shopping; this blazer and dress have come from that. I still pay attention to the price tag, but that's no longer the biggest contributor into me deciding to make a purchase. I'm thinking tats a good thing.

Dress: Loft $35 same (with giftcard from Chippmunk giveaway I won)

Blazer: H&M $25 similar

Necklace: Stella and Dot just bling from Sutton

Bracelets: Stella and Dot Renegade, Urbane

Shoes: Bandalino $30 similar

Season Switch: Add a Blazer

Today I'm going to share with you my third tip for switching seasons. I have a lot of dresses that I tend to think are strictly for summer; this dress is one of them.  What a waste of a cute dress though! That's where the blazer comes in.  I recently found this great cobalt one at Loft on sale and it's the perfect addition to this dress.  Simply adding a blazer makes this outfit make the "Season Switch" and I don't have to solely enjoy this dress in the Summer.  Hint: I find this works best when the materials are similar, as they are here.  If you try add a poly-blend blazer to a jersey dress, this look probably won't work. But a cotton jersey blazer with a jersey dress will be perfect.

Also, wanting to grow your blog?  I'd love to help you!  Check out my sponsorship opportunities here. : )

Have you entered my giveaways for a $25 gift card to Target or Gap/Old Navy/Banana Republic here yet?

Blazer: Loft $30 same

Dress: Plato's Closet $3 cute option

Belt: Kohl's $5 similar

Necklace: Stella and Dot Sutton

Bracelets: Stella and Dot Renegade, Peacock, Urbane

Heels: Bandalino $30 cute option

Linking up with:

Tre-Chic Fashion Thursdays

Summer Style Link-up

Mint and Polka Dots

Getting back in the groove of school has been a process. Every morning Grant cries for me to put my jammies back on when I'm dressed. I wish, buddy.  Every afternoon I'm having these "Oh no, what's for dinner moments."  Then, every evening I'm trying to catch up on blogs, relax, and hang out with my husband simultaneously.  Not easy.  Being at home is summer was such a treat!  I love teaching but those summers off are such a teaser!

I'd love for you ladies to take a second to vote for me in the #AllNaturalStyleSecrets challenge here. Thanks so much!!!

Have you entered to win my giveaway for a $25 gift card to Target or Old Navy/Gap/Banana Republic here yet?

Blouse: Express same

Skirt: Loft similar

Belt: Kohl's similar

Necklace: Stella and Dot Juniper

Bracelets: Stella and Dot Chimera, Renegade, Moxie

Shoes: Nine West similar

Linking up with:

Tre-Chic Fashion Thursdays

Summer Style Link-up

Feeling Great with Hanes Undercover Color-Sponsored Post

Hanes is unveiling a brighter, more colorful look this summer with panties, bras and tees in on-trend patterns and vibrant hues that women want the most. With this being said, I was excited to get to try some of these new great pieces first hand. 

I got to try the Bandini ComfortFlex Fit Bra, which is super comfortable.  I got one with light foam padding and two without any padding in great bright colors.  I'd say the coolest thing about them, other then how comfortable they are, is that they can work with a varity of tops.  Because of the flexible straps I can wear it traditionally with both straps, I can wear it with one strap for one shoulder tops, or I can wear it with the straps down for strapless shirts and dresses. Seriously cool.  I'd happily wear the one with light foam padding ($10.99 retail) to work and the two without padding (two pack retails for $10.99) for relaxing at home or trips to the store. They basically have the comfort of a sports bra without looking like that's what you're wearing.

Hanes comfy and colorful styles are available in a variety of silhouettes to offer a great fit for every body type at a price point that everyone can feel good about. They also sent me some great boy shorts in bright fun colors.  The cut helps to eliminate panty lines which is a total plus.  These would great for everyday wear, and are seriously comfortable.

 Hanes also sent me a  Live.Love.Color tee, which is available in various colors to help women feel bright and carefree all season long and a pack of boy briefs in bright colors too.  The shirt was super soft and the boy briefs are perfect for bedtime.  I've been wearing them most nights with the  Hanes tee and am loving them.

Here's all the cute pieces I got from Hanes.  So cute, right?

This is how I styled my Hanes bra and undies for the Go Blog Social this last week.  I love the bright colors and the comfort of the product was great, as I was having to sit and listen for most of the day.

Hanes also created this fun mood board with tons of different great graphic to show your mood.  Bonus, they're tweetable : )  My Hanes #Undercovercolor is pink.  Click on the Hanes link to pick and tweet your own : )

Bras, undies, boy briefs, and tee: c/o Hanes

Cardigan: Old Navy $5 (thrifted) similar

Dress: Loft $35 same (with giftcard from Chippmunk giveaway I won)

Necklace: Stella and Dot just bling from Sutton

Bracelets: Stella and Dot Chimera, Julep, Renegade

Shoes: Bandalino $30 similar

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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

Stripes and Dots

I recently found this on a trip with my sister to LOFT, they had some great deals and I actually by chance tried this top and skirt on together and loved the combo.  I'm bummed the top is showing as yellow, as it's actually more like lime green.  This is one of the last dressy outfits I'll be wearing for a while.  School is getting out on Friday, (yes!!!) so I'll be sporting a lot more casual looks, however, if I do dress up you better believe I'll want to wear this outfit.

Top: LOFT $10

Skirt: LOFT $20

Necklace: Target $8

Bracelets: Stella and Dot  Kalahari/Renegade/Chimera

Shoes: Nine West $30

Bag: Coach

Linking up with:

What I Wore Wednesday

Get Your Pretty On

Fashion and Beauty Finds
Real Girl Style
We Love Target

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Niki did a post like this a out a week ago and I thought it was a great idea, so I thought I'd take a crack at it too. Here goes nothing:

The Good:

• I'm devoted to my friends and family and will try to be there for them at all times.
• I'm empathic, I always try to see where others are coming from, and walk in their shoes. I truly believe most people are doing the best they can. I don't think anyone wakes up in the morning and says, "Hey, I want to suck as a human being today!"
• I'm a hard worker, I try to do my best at my job and at home. I can't just sit and do nothing when there's a list of things to do.

The Bad: 

• I take things personally and stew about things I can't control. I had a parent issue at school and although this parent was on a tirade and bringing up other non-issues with about a half dozen other teachers and administration, the situation was all I could think about for days.
• Because I can't sit still when there are things to do around the house, I don't always stop what I'm doing the second my son wants to play with me. I feel guilty about this. When he's grown up he won't care if the dishes were put in the dishwasher, but he will remember the times we played. I really need work on this!
• I don't eat very healthily and I don't work out. Bad combo. I worked out daily before Grant was born but haven't been to the gym once in almost three years. This will come back to bite me if I don't do something about it!

The Ugly:

• I'm a perfectionist. I like things "just so" and can be critical of myself when things don't work out as I'd like. 
• I can be obsessive, like checking planned posts multiple times before posting to make sure they're "just so," see above... 
• I lack confidence, specifically with certain friends. About a decade ago I was pretty wild and ran with a group of similar girls. My life was chaotic and I finally came to a point where I knew I needed to change. I decided to quit drinking and get right with God.  My friends did not take this well, and I soon realized drinking was the common denominator in our friendship. They pretty much dropped me like day old bread. I have some really great friends now who I know love me for who I am, but there are times when I don't speak up like a should for fear of rejection. I am working on this. 

Top: Target $6

Skirt: LOFT $5 (thirfted)

Necklace: Express $10

Bracelets: Express $14

Shoes: Nine West $30

Linking up with:

Real Girl Style

My Thrifty Chic