Spring Transition

Texas doesn't really have distinct seasons.  We pretty much just have summer and not summer.  Even so, I still try to be mindful of seasons when choosing an outfit even when the temperature doesn't require it.  Yes, it is probably just an excuse to have more clothes and shoes, but it keeps me from getting bored with my outfits. I did give up shopping for Lent though, so I won't have any new clothes or shoes to show you until after Easter!

As we transition into spring I'm trying to lighten things up both with colors and fabrics without pulling out white linen jackets and colorful sandals just yet.  I think this is a great transition outfit for early spring, and it would also work well in early fall.  The dark red skirt and suede cage heels lean towards cool weather while the oatmeal crop jacket and silk dot shell are more warm weather pieces.  It's this balance that makes great transitional looks.

  

Striped Dress for Valentines

Dresses can be tricky if you're not the same size on your top and bottom halves. I was skeptical about this one and them pleasantly surprised. It fits really well all over. The dress is a super soft stretch knit, so it feels like wearing my favorite night shirt! It has light and dark pink stripes, and the top part is white. The black vertical stripes down each side are very slenderizing and keep the horizontal stripes from overwhelming my frame.

I paired the dress with a berry pink jacket and black pumps. I love this jacket that I've been wearing at least once a week. I'll post more combinations with it soon. I'll definitely wear it on Valentine's Day next week.

The dress and jacket are both still available at White House Black Market in regular and petites.

 

 

Houndstooth for Fall

 

The Houndstooth pattern originated in the Scottish Lowlands in the 1800's.  During the 1930's it became the design aristocrats used in for casual wear.  By the 1960's Christian Dior and others brought it main stream and it can now be found on all types of clothes and accessories.  My first item in houndstooth was a scarf I bought while in college that I still have. The pattern seems to be reinvented every few decades, as with most fashion trends.  The size of the pattern changes as does the color combination, but the small size in black and white is always classic.  Here are two outfits with my houndstooth skirt. 

 

I'm wearing it with this pumpkin blouse again (see how I last styled it here). This time I paired the blouse with this collarless J. Crew blazer in the same color (see previously styled here). I like this outfit formula of a matching blouse and blazer with contrasting skirt.  I tried it for the first time only a few months ago, after seeing it on Pinterst over and over.  I use this formula often now. 

 

 

Houndstooth skirt - Albert Nippon (similar)
Orange silk blouse - Joie (similar)
Orange blazer - J. Crew (similar)
Black pumps - Ralph Lauren (similar)
Handbag - Celine Nano (similar)
Belt - Hermes (exact, pre-owned)


For my second outfit I paired my houdstooth skirt with a cobalt blue blouse and a black blazer.  Until I saw these pictures together I didn't realize that I always wear my Hermes belt with this skirt! The skirt doesn't have belt loops, but it does have a defined waistband, so I guess in my eye that needs a belt.  My blazer has a subtle snakeskin print.  A bolder print would have been too much paired with the houndstooth, but this is subtle enough that it's not overpowering.  I finished the look off with my awesome suede cobalt heels.

Houndstooth skirt - Albert Nippon (similar)
Cobalt blouse - The Limited (similar from Target)
Black blazer - Tahari (love this similar one)
Cobalt pumps - French Connection (similar and cute)
Belt - Hermes (exact, pre-owned)

Charity - I use affiliate links in this blog.  That means each time you click on a link to a product I get a few cents, even if you don't purchase anything.  I have a full time job and I keep this blog purely for fun.  All proceeds I make here I donate to charity, so please click away and know it's for a great cause! Also, please tell me what your favorite charities are in the comments.  I will donate to the ones that are most popular. Many thanks!


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Three Color Combinations

Creating outfits with two colors has always been easier for me than outfits with three colors. Of course there's black and white which can be paired with any number of third colors, but once I depart from that it gets a little tougher.  In my experimenting I've found that it works best as long as you use one or two neutral colors, and use colors in the same tone.

In this first outfit my navy blazer is my neutral color, and all three colors are deep jewel tones. I wore my burgundy ponte pants that I got last year.  I'm glad to see this color is still going strong again this year.  If you don't have anything in ponte yet, it's a very thick knit that offers lots of stretch while still maintaining it's shape and it's wrinkle resistant.  That translates into being comfortable and looking good all day, even if you're traveling!

On top I wore a teal blouse with a front zipper.  This is a great alternative to the more common button down shirt.  The zipper pulls the fabric evenly all the way down, preventing any gaps that tend to happen when I wear button down shirts.  I matched my shoes and purse to my burgundy pants to keep things simple.

Blazer - Brooks Brothers, similar

Top - Lafayette 148, similar from Ann Taylor

Ponte pants - White House Black Market Similar, similar

Purse - Via Spiga, similar from Tory Burch

Shoes - French Connection, exact

 

In this next outfit I wanted to wear my olive green blouse.  I love all shades of green paired with navy so I opted for my navy pencil skirt.  I could have added a navy blazer, but in an effort to practice putting three colors together I chose to go with my camel blazer instead.  Since the camel blazer and navy skirt are both neutrals I felt like I could do a little more with my accessories.  I wore these peep toe pumps, a Louis Vuitton purse, and a Tigers-eye necklace that all have multiple shades of brown in them and blend with the camel.

Camel blazer - J.Crew, similar

Olive top - White House Black Market, similar, similar

Navy pencil skirt - J.Crew, exact

Shoes - Monolo Blahnik

Purse - Louis Vuitton, exact but pre owned

 

How about you, what are your favorite three color combinations?

Charity - I use affiliate links in this blog.  That means each time you click on a link to a product I get a few cents, even if you don't purchase anything.  I have a full time job and I keep this blog purely for fun.  All proceeds I make here I donate to charity, so please click away and know it's for a great cause! Also, please tell me what your favorite charities are in the comments.  I will donate to the ones that are most popular. Many thanks!

Bootie Trends

There are some trends that I never adopt.  Off the shoulder tops have been big this year. I think they are pretty, but who wants to wear a strapless bra? No, thank you! I'm not a big fan of cold shoulder tops either, they just don't look right to my eye.  And don't get me started on distressed denim! I know people think it looks edgy, but I think it just looks sloppy.

One trend that I'm all for though is booties! Although, I just realized booties might be more of a staple than a trend at this point; I just saw this post reviewing 3 years of booties and it was posted in 2012!  Anyway, I just started wearing booties last year so they are new to me!  Recently I've figured out how to wear booties with skirts too. 

It took me a while to get the combination right. The first few times I tried booties with a skirt my legs looked short and stumpy.  If you have average calves (14" around) it seems effortless! Erin from Living in Yellow recently posted about booties in every combination and she looks great! If you have bigger calves like me (16 inches) it takes a little more effort, but I have found two combinations that work.You can either (1) wear any style booties with matching opaque tights, or (2) you can pair bare legs with a skirt that hits the top of your knee (or shorter) with booties that have a deep "V" in the front to help elongate your leg as seen here.

Gray suede booties - exact they come in black and red too, similar, and I love these too

Jacket - White House Black Market similar, similar

Blouse - White House Black Market similar,  similar in lace 

Skirt - White House Black Market similar from JCrew 

Purse - Via Spiga similar  similar

 

What about you? Do you like off the shoulder or cold shoulder tops?  What about distressed denim: yay or nay? Have you tried your booties with skirts?

 

 

Charity - I use affiliate links in this blog.  That means each time you click on a link to a product I get a few cents, even if you don't purchase anything.  I have a full time job and I keep this blog purely for fun.  All proceeds I make here I donate to charity, so please click away and know it's for a great cause! Also, please tell me what your favorite charities are in the comments.  I will donate to the ones that are most popular. Many thanks!

Pumpkin Spice

I'm starting to see pumpkin flavored everything in the grocery store, and this morning when I went outside it was almost cool. Fall will be here soon!

This pumpkin colored blouse will likely be in heavy rotation for the season. I just purchased it and it's made of a beautiful silky fabric that drapes nicely. With short sleeves it will be easy to wear with a jacket for work, or on its own on weekends. And, bonus, since orange is opposite of blue on the color wheel, if you have blue eyes the orange will really bring attention to them!

This crop tweed jacket is also a recent purchase from White House Black Market. It's light weight so I'll be able to wear it year round.  I've always loved military inspired details like these Epaulettes. I'm so excited to see military details trending. The neutral color is so versatile, and matches my suede sandals and belt.

I wore my favorite denim skirt for a more casual look, but my navy skirt or black skirt would have worked too. I chose the denim because it has belt loops, which gave me the opportunity to wear my reversible Hermes belt, that I usually only wear on the black side.

My Celine Nano inspired the whole outfit, and ties everything together by repeating the color palette. 

 

 

Crop jacket: White House Black Market, similar, similar 

Top: Joie available in several colors

Belt: Hermes

Denim Skirt: White House Black Market, similar, similar, and this similar on that's under $40

Purse: Celine Nano black and white version

Shoes: Audrey Brooke/DSW similar, similar under $50, similar

 

Over to you, what's your favorite pumpkin flavored food, or pumpkin colored item in your closet?

Charity - I use affiliate links in this blog.  That means each time you click on a link to a product I get a few cents, even if you don't purchase anything.  I have a full time job and I keep this blog purely for fun.  All proceeds I make here I donate to charity, so please click away and know it's for a great cause! Also, please tell me what your favorite charities are in the comments.  I will donate to the ones that are most popular. Many thanks!

Running Through the Airport

Last week I had a short business trip to Dallas. I usually schedule my flights so that I can drop my daughter off at school and then drive to the airport. This time my flight was cutting it a little close, so of course everything went wrong! The entrance ramp to the freeway was closed so I had to detour through downtown, then once I got to the airport and parked the parking shuttle took forever to arrive, then my terminal was the last one on the route, my bag had to be screened twice....you get the picture. As I'm going through security I here the final boarding call for my flight. I made my flight, but not before I ran all the way down the concourse to get to my gate...in my Louboutins!

The next time someone asks me if my shoes are comfortable I'm going to say, "Yes! I can even run in them!"

This is what I was wearing. The print on this jacket gives it a lot of versatility. I paired it with pink and yellow today, but it works with lots of different combinations. I've been seeing bell sleeves a lot this fall already. I prefer flared sleeves at 3/4 length like they are here so that they don't fall into my food, knock over papers, or get caught on door knobs. 

I paired the jacket with a yellow shell from Ann Taylor, and this dusty rose A-line skirt from Theory. I like to carry this Louis Vuitton purse when I travel because my iPad fits in it, yet it is still fairly compact. My nude Louboutin's with the rubber sole savers (see post) ended up being a great choice!

Jacket: Lafayette 148

Shell: Ann Taylor similar

Skirt: Theory Similar, Similar

Shoes: Christian Louboutin exact

Bag: Louis Vuitton Monogram Looping GM  No longer available, but here's a used version

 

After my meetings were over I swapped my skirt and pumps for jeans and mules and I was ready for dinner.

Jeans: WHBM very similar

Shoes: WHBM Similar and on sale

Shell: Ann Taylor similar

Bag: Louis Vuitton Monogram Looping GM  No longer available, but here's a used version

 

Charity - I use affiliate links in this blog.  That means each time you click on a link to a product I get a few cents, even if you don't purchase anything.  I have a full time job and I keep this blog purely for fun.  All proceeds I make here I donate to charity, so please click away and know it's for a great cause! Also, please tell me what your favorite charities are in the comments.  I will donate to the ones that are most popular. Many thanks!

I Love Jackets

I love jackets. I know cardigans are a more popular outer layer, but nothing beats the crisp lines of a structured jacket to add polish to an outfit.

 

This red jacket is from White House Black Market (so is my shell and skirt.) I love the motorcycle inspired details that I started seeing last year and are now everywhere this fall. The 3/4 sleeves and little bit of spandex make this it comfortable and easy to wear. In addition to pairing it with a skirt as I did here it would also look great with a white or black t-shirt and jeans.

My black pencil skirt has an exposed zipper in the back which may be too edgy in some work places, but I think it pairs well with the edginess of the moto jacket.

 

My shell has black polka dots on top that fade to beige polka dots toward the bottom. It's a great piece that is still basic enough to go with everything, without being boring.

I'm in my Louboutin patent leather pumps today, and my carrying my black Prada hobo. When I'm in a bright jacket I like to keep my shoes and purse neutral.

 

Charity - I use affiliate links in this blog.  That means each time you click on a link to a product I get a few cents, even if you don't purchase anything.  I have a full time job and I keep this blog purely for fun.  All proceeds I make here I donate to charity, so please click away and know it's for a great cause! Also, please tell me what your favorite charities are in the comments.  I will donate to the ones that are most popular. Many thanks!

 
 


Red Moto Jacket White House Black Market exact, similar
Polka Dot Shell - White House Black Market similar
Black Pencil Skirt - White House Black Market similar
Shoes - Christian Louboutin similar
Purse - Prada similar

Style Statistics

What I love most about the Stylebook Closet app is the statistics it gives me on my wardrobe (see previous app reviews here and here). When I first started using the app 5 months ago I worked on my "Never Worn" list. It took a couple of months to wear everything in my closet once...and actually there are still 143 items on that list. Those last remaining items are sweaters, corduroy pants, boots and jackets, so once the weather gets cooler I'll clear out my "never worn" list.

In the meantime I've been working my "Worst Cost per Wear" list. This list takes the price you paid for an item and divides it by the number of times you've worn it, and then ranks the top 25 items. There's also a "Best Cost per Wear" list. Most of the items on that list tend to be my less expensive pieces like shorts and tee-shirts, but my top item on that list is a black pencil skirt that is currently $1.11 per wear! I've obviously gotten my money's worth out of it! Which is exactly what this app is helping me do. I want to get my money's worth out of my clothes. I don't mind spending a little more on an item if I know I'm going to wear it many times, but I hate to see high end items languishing on the "Worst Cost per Wear" list.

My outfit today includes three items on my "Worst Cost per Wear" list: the blouse, purse, and necklace.

I bought my necklace at the Gold and Diamond Mall in Dubai. It was pricey, but I wear it often, and will continue to for decades, so it may one day be $1.11 per wear too!

I also love my Celine Nano Tote. It was a little pricey too, so even though I've carried it 10 times since April it is still on the list. I carry it much more in the fall and winter, so it will be in heavy rotation soon, and will work it's way off the list in no time.

My blouse on the other hand is a reasonably priced item but prior to today I had only worn it twice. This black wrap top is from M M Lafleur, and it is one of the most comfortable, yet polished business tops I own (see previously styled here), so I don't know why I don't wear every week! I love the 3/4 length sleeves, and the front draping. Another plus is that the wrap part it fully sewn so I'm not fussing with it all day to insure I'm not flashing any cleavage.  It looks polished enough to wear on its own as I did here, but it also looks great under a blazer, and it pairs well with jeans too.

M.M. LaFleur is an interesting company (read their story here), started by a woman in finance who wanted a more inspired wardrobe. They design and manufacturing professional women's wear, and pay a lot of attention comfort, quality, and ease of care.  On top of that their customer service is excellent.

If you want to give them a try I recommend ordering a Bento Box. A stylist will curate and send you some items. You get to try everything on and keep what you like. My first box wasn't quite me and I ended up sending everything back. Then I got a sweet email from their marketing director, apologizing for missing the mark and asked if she could send out another box. I of course accepted their gracious offer and ended up with this lovely blouse. It currently comes in wine and ivory as well as black, and both are on my wish list.

Blouse - M.M. LaFleur Deneuve Blouse

Skirt - White House Black Market

Spectator Pumps - Lauren by Ralph Lauren

Bag - Celine Nano

 

Charity - I use affiliate links in this blog.  That means each time you click on a link to a product I get a few cents, even if you don't purchase anything.  I have a full time job and I keep this blog purely for fun.  All proceeds I make here I donate to charity, so please click away and know it's for a great cause! Also, please tell me what your favorite charities are in the comments.  I will donate to the ones that are most popular. Many thanks!

Denim Skirt

It's the last days of August.  I wanted to wear these Guess Heels one more time before they get pushed aside for fall and winter.  With lots of colors in them they are fun to wear, and go with lots of things in my closet.  I like to wear them with my lavender pants too. They are still available and true to size.

 

I pulled out my denim skirt today, but I've worn this outfit with a white skirt and a khaki skirt also.  My blouse is a silk knit top in a lime yellow.  It's a hard color for a lot of people to wear, but I've loved it since I was in high school. I think it works if your skin has blue undertones, not yellow.

My white jacket with a mandarin collar and zip front completes the look.  The sleeves on this jacket are too long on me so I always roll them up, I should just get them hemmed to this 3/4 length, it would look so much more polished!

 

 

 

 

Denim skirt - White House Black Market

Blouse - White House Black Market

Jacket - Alfani

Shoes - Guess

Purse - Chanel

 

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Color:

Guess Heels

 

 After work I ran some errands.  I took my jacket off and and changed into these shoes and was good to go.  These wedges are by Vionic and they feel like athletic shoes.  They have a super-duper orthopedic foot bed just like my Nike's. I used to wear flats when running errands, but these days they make my feet hurt; I need a little bit of heel.  I replaced my leopard flats (that needed to be retired!) with these leopard wedges and I can go all day.

 

 

            

 

Vionic Wedges

 

Charity - I use affiliate links in this blog.  That means each time you click on a link to a product I get a few cents, even if you don't purchase anything.  I have a full time job and I keep this blog purely for fun.  All proceeds I make here I donate to charity, so please click away and know it's for a great cause! Also, please tell me what your favorite charities are in the comments.  I will donate to the ones that are most popular. Many thanks!

Coral Blazer 5 Ways

Here's my favorite coral blazer again.  I bought it last year at White House Black Market and had no idea what a wardrobe workhorse it would turn out to be. Even in such a bold color it has so much versatility. It easily pairs with black, white, blue, and tan which are the most common colors in my wardrobe.  I've worn it to work, I've worn it on date night, and I've worn it to casual events as well.

 

The cropped style and shawl collar let it stand out.  The 3/4 sleeves and linen blend fabric make it wearable for 3 seasons here in Houston. White House Black Market brings back many pieces year after year in a new colors or a slightly different cut. I kept my eye out for a repeat of this blazer all year, but no luck.

For Look 1, I paired it with a fit and flare knit dress that I got at Marshall's. It's in a heathered blue that makes it look like denim, and easy to dress down for weekends too.

Matching shoes also from WHBM and multi strand coral necklace from San Miguel complete the look.

 

Look 2: I've worn this bight jacket over a white dress with matching belt and shoes (see blog post).

 

 

Look 3: I've paired it with a nautical stripe dress for a patriotic look.

 

Look 4: I've worn it with a navy skirt and blouse, this time with brown studded sandals.

 

 

Look 5: And, I've worn it for date night with an embroidered bustier and black skirt.

 

 

Look 6 (bonus!): Paired with a matching knit top and white skirt with lace up leather sandals (See post). 

Black and White and Bold All Over

I love how black and white is effortlessly chic in any situation.  Here, I'm in my the little white dress I just got from Nordstrom via Trunk Club  (styled before here). This time I topped it with a black pin stripe blazer with short sleeves. I just buttoned the middle button and added a belt over the blazer. I've found that while models can pull off the belted blazer look effortlessly, I can only manage it with fitted blazers that are intended to be belted like this one!

The blazer is the top half of a two piece suit. I used to hang my suits in sets in my closet.  I always kept the blazer with the skirt or pants it came with.  About a year ago I tried separating my suits so I have just the blazers with all of my blazers and the skirt with my other skirts, etc.  I found that by doing that I found other ways to wear the pieces separately; giving me more unique outfits and more mileage out of my existing wardrobe.  It's been a great trick.

 

 

White Dress - Classiques Entier, available here it comes in four colors, regular and petite

Blazer - Tahari ASL (old)

Booties - Tahari (old)

 

I've had these black and white booties for many years; long before booties were all the rage and became trendy to wear with skirts and dresses. I still think they look better with Capri pants, trousers, or jeans, but I figured I'd give the trend a go.  I think booties with skirts work better on women with super skinny calves or really long legs.  I need that extra couple inches of skin to help elongate my legs!

 

 

Charity - I use affiliate links in this blog.  That means each time you click on a link to a product I get a few cents, even if you don't purchase anything.  I have a full time job and I keep this blog purely for fun.  All proceeds I make here I donate to charity, so please click away and know it's for a great cause! Also, please tell me what your favorite charities are in the comments.  I will donate to the ones that are most popular. Many thanks!

Embroidered Skirt Two Ways

I've enjoyed this skirt all summer. It is white with a subtle beige geometric embroidered pattern on it. I usually wear it with my tan blazer and nude shoes. I like to change up my blouse and jewelry though for more variety. Here I'm wearing it with a sky blue wrap blouse, and below with a simple white shell.

 

Embroidered skirt - White House Black Market

Blue wrap shell - Lafayette 148

Nude Heels - Christian Louboutin

Tan Blazer - Brooks Brothers

Blue chalcedony necklace - Sri Lanka

 

Embroidered skirt - White House Black Market

White shell - White House Black Market

Nude Heels - Christian Louboutin

Tan Blazer - Brooks Brothers

 

Tropical Print Skirt

Several bloggers I follow are already talking about transitioning to fall clothes. We still have two months of summer weather left here in Houston, so wardrobe adjustments haven't even crossed my mind yet! On the flip side, I tend to start thinking about spring outfits while others are still wearing their Uggs.

Even though I won't be able to pull out my knee high boots until November. There are some things that I put away in mid September. My seersucker suit doesn't feel correct after Labor Day, even when the temps are still pushing 100. Tropical prints, linen garments, and sun dresses will all be relegated to the back of my closet in a month too.  With that in mind I'm putting my overtly summery pieces in high rotation until then since I won't have a chance to wear them again until next year.

I'm not usually a fan of floral prints, but lately a few have crept into my closet. They are all bold and tropical like this skirt, so I guess I just don't like grandmothery florals! 

 

Skirt - Ann Taylor current season

Blouse - Vince 

Blazer - Brooks Brothers 

Suede sandals - Audrey Brooke (one of DSW's in house brands)