Velvet is everywhere right now and I am loving it! One of my favorite part of adding something velvet to an outfit is the extra textural dimension it gives. Pairing this velvet dress with these lace tights and patent leather heels, to me, is such a fun mix of rich textures, begging to be worn this holiday season. I love how luxurious the velvet looks with these vintage style stockings too! So glam.
Cyber Monday sales are still going strong! Have you guys shopped til you dropped yet? Well, if you need to take a little break from shopping for others, I would highly recommend snagging some holiday dress apparel for you and the family while the sales are still available. For instance, this holiday party ready look. The burgundy velvet is so pretty for the holidays and my tights practically scream special occasion.
My velvet skater dress is currently on sale for 30% off with code CYBER, and while the sizes are selling out like crazy for it in this burgundy hue, it also comes in black, and I am seriously considering picking another up! With 30% off, this dress is only $42 and would be a great option for any upcoming Christmas parties or even for NYE. I've also linked some of my other favorite velvet dresses that are also currently on sale in the shopable links below.
And can we talk about this coat? Hello, gorgeous! I fell in love the moment I found it online and bought it almost instantly. I sized down one size and it fits perfectly, even with the bulk of a sweater underneath. The shape is also swoon worthy. The belt cinches the waist and the cut on the bottom half are so flattering, plus the length is perfect for keeping your bum warm. Oh, and the leopard print. Duh. It is too good! I have received so many compliments on it already. And did I mention it is also 30% off with code CYBER? #rundontwalk
Lastly, I just wanted to give a little non-sponsored shout out to Target for upping their tights game! I mean, this pair is kind of a game changer. I have always loved tights (ever since Rory on GG went to college and started sporting them all the time, remember that?) and I love that these are a little dressier and more elevated than just a plain black pair. Target currently has so many chic options, and so many style reminiscent of the 1950's, I know, because my grandma told me she used to have some just like these. Anywho, I got my normal size in these and they fit perfectly.
Today I'm sharing 6 different outfit ideas for you to wear to Thanksgiving dinner this week. The great news about all of them is that they can probably be created or re-imagined with pieces you already have in your closet! I have included links too just in case you want to ask Santa for any of these versatile pieces.
The first two options are variations of what I would call casual, preppy, and easy to wear outfits. I love this style of dressing, it's very fresh and clean in my opinion. Most of you probably have a pair of dark skinnies, brown boots or booties (depending on the temps of where you are at), a plaid shirt, sweater (again, depending on how cold your Thanksgiving weather is) and a quilted vest in your closet. I love mixing patterns with plaid, or don't be afraid to grab a leopard print scarf or fair isle sweater to pair with your plaid. Lastly, throw on one or two statement pieces of jewelry and you are good to go!
The next two outfits revolve around leggings, which I am convinced were created for Thanksgiving, so that we can comfortably eat our weight in turkey and pumpkin pie. One of my favorite things about leggings is how easy they are to style; they can be dressed up or down, with pretty much any shoe or boot, and with a dress, tunic, or any over-sized shirt that covers your bum. To create a more dressed down look, I paired leggings with a striped turtleneck & knit poncho, easy flats, and simple jewels all in a neutral palette. I added some visual interest with pop or red with a cozy beanie, tote, and plaid red with hints of red to tie everything together. This same strategy can be used with any color. To dress up leggings, I focused less on that pop of color, and more on playing with different textures; like a big knit turtleneck, floppy felt hat, faux fur vest, and suede over-the-knee boots, keeping the jewelry simple again, and the palette much more subtle.
The final two outfit ideas I am sharing are for dresses. While my family's Thanksgiving is more on the casual side, I know that some of you might be attending a dressier dinner or just prefer to dress up a little more for the holiday. One great thing about throwing on a dress is that in one piece you have an outfit, and pretty much anything goes with accessories. This time of year is perfect for wearing sweater dresses, they are super cozy and it's cold enough to wear tights with either a great pair of boots or booties (wear black tights and heeled black booties to give the illusion of super long stems). And of course, I am loving plaid shirt dresses, they are the perfect casual option and can be easily dressed up or down. Since my sweater dress option is a little dressier I opted to show a more casual styling of the plaid dress.
Still playing a little catch-up, this summer has been crazy busy! This weekend will be the first we've been home since the first weekend in May. Looking forward to catching up on house work, blogging, shopping, and hanging with our local friends and family.Tune in tomorrow for my top Nordstrom sale picks!
Recently I have been thinking a lot about the concept of a capsule wardrobe. I have always been a more is more kinda person when it comes to my closet. I tend to dress based on how I am feeling, and this often requires a plethora of options to cover all of my many moods and feelings. However, over the winter and now as I am examining my closet in preparation of its springtime refresh, I am realizing my more is more mentality is starting to weigh me down. I just have so.much.stuff.ahh. And it's not like my closet is a mess, I am incredibly neat and OCD, so everything is in its place and all items are carefully tucked into drawers, shelves, and sorted by color and pattern on hangers. I am not stressing out about not having the space to fit everything, but more about the shear volume of space it takes up, regardless that I have the room to accommodate it. Does that make sense?
Anyways, this time of year always makes me think about new beginnings and fresh starts. As I look around my closet, I can't help but want to purge. Slowly, I have been sifting through and removing shoes, belts, accessories, and, of course, clothing. If I haven't worn it in a year, if it doesn't fit, if I don't like how I feel wearing it, if I don't love it, it's gone (and probably being listed for sale in my instacloset). I want to reduce to the things that I love, that I wear, and that have lots of styling potential. Because let's face it, if I look at it and my response is "meh" then its just going to sit there untouched.
Spring cleaning and refreshing also means I will probably be adding a few new pieces to my closet as well. Keeping to my new less is more mentality, I will be much more particular when adding new pieces. To help guide my choices, I have started thinking about pieces in terms of a capsule. I have done no-shop and shop your closet remix challenges before, but the idea of narrowing my closet down and mixing only a confined number of things over time has been really intriguing to me lately. There are a lot of variations floating around on blogs and pinterest; such as the 30 pieces for 30 days or the 7 pieces for 7 days challenges. I wanted to take this idea and use it as a tool for expanding my closet so that I naturally develop a more capsule style closet without forcing a challenge.
Today I have put together a 9 pieces 9 ways graphic to help illustrate some of the pieces I have considered adding and how I could style them. I have also included 9 accessories that can be mixed and matched with the pieces as shown. Looking at the pieces, it is pretty easy to see that 9 ways of styling them is just the beginning. Sidenote: this is also a great strategy to employ when packing for a trip!
Shop the pieces:
Shop the accessories:
So let's talk about these pieces. First of all, all the items shown are from J.Crew and J.Crew Factory. I shop this retailer often because they always have a great mix of classic and trendy pieces, their pieces are great quality, and they usually have some sort of sale going online - like right now (PS - this post is in no way sponsored by them). Now, that mix of classic and trendy pieces I just mentioned is key for me when selecting new items to add to my closet. When I'm shopping for new clothing, I try to look for classic pieces in neutral colors and staple patterns, simple pieces in bright colors to add contrast to outfits, and a few trendy pieces that are versatile. These 9 items featured are a great example of this mix.
Classic pieces in neutral colors and staple patterns are the majority of my picks. These types of clothing are really wearable and provide the base for most outfits. In this set, I have chosen a denim jacket and shorts, a white and black striped tee, white skinny jeans, a navy and white stripe skirt, and a black and white stripe dress in a simple but classic cut. Most of the accessories I chose also follow this; the cognac bucket bag (trendy in style but classic in color and material), the black birkenstock sandals, cognac sandals, and over-sized sunnies. In all of these pieces, color, cut, and style are important in making the neutrals feel both classic and modern. Additionally, of these pieces "go" not just with other neutrals and patterns, but also just about every other color under the sun.
Next I will look for simple pieces in a bright color to add contrast and visual interest in my outfits. In this set I have selected a lightweight sweater in poppy, lace embellished shirt in aqua, a citron tote, and the multi-colored bangles. These items can all be added to otherwise neutral outfits to create or accent a focal point in the outfit. Look for colors that are not present or prominent in your closet to provide more mixing and matching options as you expand your wardrobe.
Lastly, when shopping, I will look for a few pieces that are currently on trend that may or may not be considered in a year or two from now. In this set, I selected a fun parrot patterned romper, bright tassel earrings, woven tote with pom poms, and pastel d'orsay flats. As fun and lovely as all of these things are, they are all very of the moment and there is no guarantee that I won't be replacing them next spring with a new trend. To save money, I keep trendy pieces to a minimum and stretch their dollar amount further by sticking more to accessories and less to clothing. To maximize a trend's versatility, I look for pieces that can also fall into one of the above categories, like the woven pom pom tote which is basically a neutral tan with a classic strip pattern on it, or the tassel earrings which are a bright but simple piece that can be added to an otherwise classic outfit for a fun pop.
Looking at the graphic you can probably spot quite a few other combinations; throw the denim jack over just about anything pictured, the bags and shoes can all be swapped around, accessories can be added, the dress can be turned into a skirt by throwing on and knotting a shirt along the hem, etc. This is one of the reasons I think this strategy is so great for packing too. It minimizes how many things you need to bring while allowing a lot of versatility in your outfits.
I hope this has been a helpful way of thinking about what you buy seasonally and different ways different pieces can be paired together. Remember to take inventory of your closet for the current season before adding pieces to make sure you have your basics covered and don't be afraid to reach for a few new colors to add focus to your outfits this spring!
There is nothing I love more than a good sale. Actually. Scratch that. There is nothing I love more than a good sale on sparkly things! With the holiday season right around the corner, I nearly squealed with delight when I saw the newest arrivals at J.Crew Factory this week - tons of glitter, metallics, and sequins. I was already penning an epic lust list when news of the 50% off sale reached my inbox this morning. I can't wait for these pumps to show up, I am already planning on all the ways I can pair them through the new year! Below are some of my other favorites, take advantage of the sale now and start planning your festive outfits too.
