Cobalt and Stripes Two Ways

Today I'm going to show you a dressy and casual take on a similar look.  I've really been enjoying dressing up jeans lately, but I really only get to them one day a week at work, that leaves four other work days where I need to dress up. This winter has really make me dress more casually, but I really do love a good skirt, so  I love how easily this outfit can transition from casual to dressy by simply switching the the jeans out for the pencil skirt. I'm not going to lie, after taking these pictures I added tights, it was too cold. The jeans look I wore when it was pretty nice a few weeks ago....maybe I should have worn the skirt then. ;) Speaking of jeans, I'm on the hunt for some new ones, I'm wondering if I should give these a try, being I love everything else from there. What jeans do you love and recommend?  

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. : )

Teal, Stripes, an a $200 Giveaway

Today's outfit is one that I am so loving. It was inspired by Tara and I absolutely love it.  I had it mixed in with my fall and winter pins, (I think she wore it last fall) but after putting it on, I can totally wear this again this spring and summer.  I love outfit that can cross seasons. Speaking of spring, I'm ready, especially to get to wear spring dresses like this,  but every year time I'm anticipating a season change I feel a weird closet scramble of "Oh, I need to wear this again before it get's too cold/hot."  I have have the same scramble on my Pinterest boards.  I look at all these outfits I want to wear and have to figure out a way to fit them all in.  Tell me I'm not the only one who experiences this???

Also, I'm super excited for Jenn and my Style Swap link-up that starts this Friday.  Check on the details on how to link up here.  I can't wait to see your posts!

Introducing Style Swap with The Brandied Pair

I’m excited to me starting a new weekly link-up with Jenn from The Brandied Pair called “Style Swap.” 

Our goal is to help you share your great style, as well as a blogger whose style you love.  Each Friday you can link up in one of two ways:

1. Pick a blogger buddy and choose to do a “Style Swap” with each other, just like Jenn and I did today.  Pick one of each other’s looks you love and create your own spin on it, therefore “swapping styles,” then link to each other and to us.  This will build your audience in two ways: one, with the blogger collaboration, and two by linking up with us.  Awesome, right?
2. The second way is to simply choose a blogger you love and take one of their looks and swap your style for theirs.  Then, link to the blogger out of courtesy and link up with us as well.

At the end of each link-up Jenn and I will take one of the looks we love best, and we'll “Style Swap” your look and create our own spin on it.  Then, we'll showcase your look and link to you on the next link-up.

We politely ask that you follow Jenn and I on at least one social media outlet before linking up.  Here's all the links you need to easily follow:

Jenn: Bloglovin / Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook
Ginny: Bloglovin / Pinterest /Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / GFC (use button)

Here’s our button to grab, and the link-up will go live each Friday at 7:00 Central time.

<div align="center"> <a href="http://mynewfavoriteoutfit.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="My New Favorite Outfit" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDY9DHUOiFvTpBsLfr7RblOQ9g9JcF6L8pRqK715qvnJsorWbtOoOYSCkwGHheOqcipp-o0v_IVdu2Jx_Qq6ya_XPfUt_2_FvojuuaPRWftNBhdoMaTsyJ221jWzO8Bv0gyT8aBEkkerc/s1600/style+swap+12.png"/></a>

Teal and Polka Dots

I recently this to work and I actually picked up this blazer for $.99 at Goodwill and found this Lauren Conrad blouse for $3 that day too. I actually went in to try to find an ugly sweater for a Christmas party, but no luck. I was pretty excited to find these pieces though, especially since the blazer is Tahari by Authur S. Levine and retails for around $140! Say, what? The blouse is also studded with polka dots, similar to this one. I'll have to wear it on it's own soon! I decided to pair the blazer and shirt with my polka dot skirt and Phoenix Pendant. I mentioned recently I wouldn't go without tights until spring, but I just couldn't do it with this outfit . Luckily my bare legs made it through the short walk into school.

Blazers and Boots

I found this Loft blazer last year at Goodwill and wore it a ton, but for whatever reason it's been totally under utilized this winter.  I decided to pair it with my polka dot sweater, also totally under utilized this winter and my red scarf.  I feel totally cozy and warm, and when it's ridiculously cold outside that's a winning combination.  

Floral and Stripes

This combo has been in the back of my head for awhile, but I just hadn't tried it out until today, and I have to say I love it! I found this blazer at Goodwill a month or so ago and have worn it a few times with jeans, but love it with is dress today. I added the bright scarf for something different and finished it off with my boots.  I think I'll mix it up and wearing it with a scarf like this and my black boots next time.

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.

Building A Wardrobe: Jeans and Dress Pants

I'm excited to be continuing my Building a Wardrobe series with you today! One the first day of the series I shared Essential Blazers and Jackets, one day two I shared Essential Cardigans, and on day three I shared Essential Skirts. and today I'll be sharing essential jeans and dress pants with you. Here are my thoughts on essential jeans and dress pants:

• I think it is essential to have good pair of skinny jeans, boyfriend jeans, and black, gray, and tan dress pants. I realized today that these are much more essentials for fall and winter, for spring and summer I'd definitely add white jeans.
• Although skinny jeans and boyfriend jeans are kind of a trend right now, they are definitely to key to making a casual look look great.  I also love the trend of cuffing skinny jeans to show your ankle; I think this is much more flattering then wearing them long.  I also love wearing skinny jeans with boots for the sleekest, most put together look.
• With dress pants, black, gray, and tan will be the most versatile.  Now, when I say tan, I don't mean khakis.  I'm a teacher, so I still see these everywhere, but I don't suggest spending money on them right now, as they are seeming dated at this point (we'll see when they come back, I'm sure they will).
• As for dress pants and jeans, fit is key. I'm not going to lie, I think finding great jeans and pants is pretty difficult. I also don't think buying because the price is right is the right way to tackle purchasing pants.  In the past I tended to focus on if pants fit my waist and I stopped there.  I didn't check how it fit in the thighs or check out the pants/jeans from the back either.  Bad idea.  This summer I took the time to try on all my jeans and pants and check them out from every angle.  They all fit in the waist, but if the thighs were too baggy it made me look much bigger than I was, and if the back didn't fit right, I looked very...well saggy.  I kid you not, I got rid of nearly a dozen pair of pants and jeans.
• I'm the most happy with a style I found at The Limited, they were not cheap (about $45 a piece) but the fit is perfection and I know the classic feel will mean I can wear them for years to come.

Now that I've shared my essentials thoughts on jeans and pants, here are some additional options to consider:

• I suggest investing in one pair of colored jeans, I love red. 
•  I also think a good pair of boot cut is a great go-to option for the weekend, I wear mine a lot for errands.
• I also love trouser jeans and depending on where you work, you might be able to wear them at work too.  The fact that they have the structure of dress pants makes them dressier and can give a casual outfit a more polished look.
• I'm also seeing a lot of black denim now and I love it. They haven't been cool since the early 90s, but they're back!

skinny leg jeans / boyfriend jeans / gray dress pants / black dress pants /  tan dress pants / red jeans / black jeans / boot cut jeans / trouser jeans 

Today I'm wearing black skinny pants, which I wear like crazy, they are great with a boot, heel or flat; a must have for every closet!

On Valentine's Day Brian and I had the day to ourselves, which was great. Prior to going out to dinner we stopped by the mall, as Brian had a giftcard to Scheels and I had one to J.Crew.  I found this striped sweater on super sale and was pretty excited because my other one needed to be thrown away. Black and white stripes are so great, but it seems like I need to replace mine each year. I got the inspiration for this outfit from this pin and love how it came together.

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!

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!  

 

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. 

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.  

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!

Chelsea and Ginny Take On: Casual Friday

This week Chelsea and I are taking on Casual Friday. We get to wear jeans on Fridays, as well as school pride tee shirts, but that's just not my style. I like to wear dressier jeans or boyfriend jeans, but stay more professional on top. I love this blazer and would love to get this option too. This look would also be great with cute ankle pants or a pencil skirt, and I like that versatility. I added my leopard heels to keep it fun and I'm super happy with the result. What's your casual Friday go to look?

Interesting in growing your blog?  Let me help, check out my sponsorship options!

Blogger Love: Respect the Shoes

Today I'm going to share with you Lisa from Respect the Shoes. Quite a while back Lisa commented on my blog and when I went by her blog to return the favor I was immediately smitten. This woman has style. Not only is she probably the best pattern mixer I've seen, but she engages her readers with interesting post topics. She's genuinely interested in her readers thoughts and they share them with some of the longest comments from readers I've seen.

Picking an outfit of Lisa's to make my own was pretty difficult, because honestly, I kind of wish I could recreate them all.  I chose this casual look because it has two of my favorite things: pattern mixing and boyfriend jeans.  I also love the nude heels, I never who have thought about that detail on my own. I added a blazer to make the look perfect for casual Friday and love the final look.

Be sure to stop by Respect the Shoes and say "hi" to Lisa and check out her great style for yourself.

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

Structured Chic

First off, thanks to everyone who left such sweet comments yesterday. It's so encouraging to hear you  guys are here for MY style, and it pushes me to make sure I'm staying true to myself each day. :)

I'm not sure what has caused the changed, but I'm so preferring more structured looks to more casual ones. Last year I loved a-line skirts and cardigans and this year I'm completely drawn to blazers and pencil skirts. Don't get me wrong, I still love a good cardigan, but I feel so much more put together in an outfit like this.  I also feel like I know my body better and what looks good on me; I guess that's a good thing.  I wore this outfit to church recently and felt like a million bucks, and that's always a good feeling. 

Blazer: Loft $30 (gift card from Chippmuck.com) same

Top: Forever 21 $16 similar

Skirt: Rebecca Minkoff $5 (thrifted) cute sale option, three colors

Necklace: Stella and Dot Sutton

Bracelets: Stella and Dot Renegade, Peacock, Urbane

Heels: Bandalino $30 similar

Linking up with:

Tre-Chic Fashion Thursdays

Summer Style Link-up

New for Fall

I had so much fun this week showing you all how to make the "Season Switch." Today I'm showing off some new clothes from Loft. I think this look screams Fall and my navy blazer is turning out to be one of the most versatile pieces in my closet. I went in to Loft to check out the new Fall styles and came across this top on sale that I've been wanting since July and this new skirt. I love the lace details of the top and pretty print of the skirt. Bonus the were both 40% off. I'm really looking forward to coming up with different outfits for this skirt for sure.

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

Linking up with Thirties Two Cents

Nothing like a Granster photo bomb to make my photo shoot complete. : )

Blazer: Loft $30 c/o Chippmunk similar

Top: Loft: $17 c/o Chippmunk from Expert Shopper Contest I won : ) same

Skirt: Loft $40 c/o Chippmunk from Expert Shopper Contest I won : ) same

Necklace: Stella and Dot Sutton

Bracelets: Stella and Dot Moxie, Renegade, Julep

Shoes: Fergalicious $30 similar