Casual Friday Night

This one will be short and sweet. It is a relaxing Friday night, and I felt like wearing my favorite concert T and jeans. My first thought was that it wasn't a very 'fashionable' thing to share on the blog - but it is part of my style, and that is what this is all about. This T-shirt sports the name of my favorite band, The Avett Brothers, and so it is an authentic expression of me - and that is what style can be. My husband gave me this shirt for Christmas, which makes it even more special. I bought these jeans at a resale shop over 9 years ago for under $20. They are so soft and almost thread-bear in spots. There is something so satisfactory about wearing jeans until they develop holes. And while I love getting all gussied up, this is my husbands favorite look.  So while I don't wear this everywhere, it felt perfect for a night like tonight. 

Longing for a long dress

As I have mentioned before, I am short - barely 5'2". I am plagued this summer by the barrage of beautiful maxi dresses and printed, long knit skirts. Oh how I want them to fit and flatter me. But alas, they do not.  I know a touch dramatic but that is how it sounds in my head. I have tried. I think I have purchased 3 maxi dresses and have taken them all back. There was one I just couldn't part with so I had it shortened  - it is the navy print dress shown in this post. And therein lies part of the inspiration for this post. 

And here is the other part that lead to this post. I was checking out at a store and mentioned to the clerk how I just loved her long dress and how I wish I could wear them. She responded, 'I wish I could wear your dress but my butt would be showing." Touché. Maybe she was just being nice, but it made me look on the bright side. 

I am not saying that short people can't wear a long dress. I just don't like them on me - "It's not you, it's me." I have heard other shorties share my sentiments - this list was the first time I knew others agreed with me #32. Lol. I have seen 1 super stylish short friend pull it off - the dress had a tie at the waist, so I think that helped break up the column of fabric. 

You always have the option of making something work for you - like getting a maxi dress shortened. I will say you have to make sure it is not too billowy or they will have to take in the seams as well as take up the hem. 

I was wearing this short number during the story I mentioned. I picked up at Target about 2 years ago. I am being redundant with my printed dresses on this blog, but hey - it is about my style and short printed dresses are part of it!

Versatile Dressing with Dresses

Sometimes you look at an item and you just know - we are meant to be, it 'looks like me'. That is how I felt about this dress this instant I saw it at paperdolls - adorable boutique in St. Louis. Not only is it an amazing shape and fit, but it is so wearable. It is a "fit-and-flare" style dress which is one of my favorite shapes - fitted at the top and flared at the waist. There are varying degrees of the fit and the flare, but this classic shape dress is flattering on all body types. 

Not only do I love the shape of this dress, i love the print! Prints and patterns are everywhere this summer. When looking to add some to your wardrobe, pick ones that interest you and that you are drawn to (chevron is one of my favorite right now). Be careful not to overdo it with one type of print. You might find you are always drawn to polka dots and all the sudden you have 8 polka dot items in your wardrobe. Each item might be a great piece, but I like a little more variety. 

Show below I wore wedges, simple jewelry and a colored purse for date night, add a navy or white blazer and nude pumps for work, or cowboy boots and a denim jacket for a more casual look. Another casual options is to just throw on a cardigan and flip flops for daily wear. 

I verified through this shoot that I am not a model and Jason is very sweet, but not a professional photographer. I tried shooting the looks flat, but it just didn't do my new, favorite dress justice. So again bear with me while I post pictures of myself while I figure out the best way to showcase the clothes. 

Packing for Vacation

Well this weekend is the unofficial start to Summer and the vacation season, so I thought I would write a post about thoughtful packing. Some of you may hate packing but I love it! If feels like a fashion game of Tetris - how do I fit the perfect clothing items that all go together in 1 space? 

I was lucky enough to go to Hawaii earlier this year and it was my best packing story to date. We were there for 4 nights and for most of the events, the attire was labeled as "resort casual". 

First I started with 2 base colors/neutrals  - navy and white. Then I picked 2 accent colors - coral and mint. And if there was a third tier, it would have been 'print'. This allowed me to consolidate shoes and accessories. All shoes were metallic gold - flip flops, Sperrys, and wedges. And all of my jewelry was gold, coral or mint. 

The travel outfit must always be layer-able and super comfortable. I felt like a real jet setter in this picture. My travel outfit was white jeans, navy cami, navy/white pattern top, navy knit blazer and navy/white/yellow scarf. I was going from 20 degrees to 80 - so I was prepared to peel off the layers or add as needed. 

Here were the rest of the outfits - pictured below
Navy/Multi pattern skirt with mint top, coral jewelry, flip flops
Navy/White nautical dress, gold wedges
Denim chambray shirt (counts as navy)/White shorts/coral white swimsuit
Coral Dress, mint/coral jewelry, mint wrap/scarf, gold wedges
Navy/White polka dot shorts, white tank, mint jewelry, gold Sperrys
Navy Multi color print dress, mint wrap
Coral/White printed pants, navy tank, white sweater

I was also prepared with a black knit LBD (little black dress) if an event felt dressier than I was prepared for, and my gold wedges would have been okay for shoes. 

I almost had as much fun re-living this through my post as I did when I actually packed for this trip.

Now I do not get this involved with packing for a weekend trip or a family trip to the beach. BUT some of my same rules apply. I like everything to coordinate so I can mix and match. This gives me a lot of flexibility to create several outfits out of 1 batch of clothes. 

I hope you enjoy your summer vacation regardless of your outfits!! I of course am always most grateful just to BE on vacation with loved ones. 

Safe travels!

Goldie Locks and the 3 shorts

Ah shorts. Not one of my favorite things, but when it is 90+ and humid here you rarely have another choice. I usually prefer a cute, flowy skirt or sundress, but life and activities with kids doesn't always make those a practical choice.

The biggest problem I have found (post 3 children and over 30) is what is the appropriate AND flattering length ? This is where the Goldie Locks post title comes in - I often feel like her when looking for shorts - 'this pair is too short, this pair is too long, oh but this pair is just right! 

My favorite trend in shorts this year is all the fun prints!! It makes a basic short look more fun and can be a bit dressier. Stripes, polka dots, geometric and florals.

First I'll say that for my body type, I prefer a structured short. Any drawstring, pleat, silk or flowy short is out for me (that is just me - again if you like them on you that is wonderful). Length - Here is my rule for short shorts - if you bend over and can see your butt hanging out, they are too short.  Butt peak-age aside, if you have some kick ass legs and want to wear some short shorts - rock on with your bad self. 

The easiest way to evaluate shorts is by the inseam - most of the time it is listed on the shorts or in the description online. There is the 3" inseam - this might feel too short for some people. I am short (5'2" on my very best day) and so this length is okay for me, but the 5" inseam is a bit more comfortable depending on the day. Then the next step is the 7" inseam - harder to find, but Old Navy does have some - I imagine this might be to 'average height' people what the 5" is to me. And finally the 9-10" or official 'Bermuda'. I did buy a pair of these after kid #3 when I swore off shorts forever, and they have grown on me. When wearing the longer shorts, I like to balance it with super feminine pieces - like the tops I posted about yesterday . Or If paired with a blouse and cardigan and some flats I think it can have a cute, retro feel.  I would always prefer to wear a wedge or some elevated shoe with my shorts, but that is sometimes counter-intuitive to the reason I'm wearing shorts in the first place, like to go to the park with the kids. 

So join me and Goldie Locks this summer on our quest for the shorts that are 'just right'. 

First photo: Animal print and geometric print from INC at Macys, Orange polka dots Old Navy, and Blue Print The Limited. 

Second photo: white 3" (Target), navy 5" (Target), taupe 10" (Old Navy)

Printed 'Perfect' Tops

I did some 'personal shopping' with my mom today which was much overdue and very fun. We have been doing an overhaul of her wardrobe lately as she has shed quite a few LBs and looks great! A few weeks ago we got her all settled with bottoms - navy, black, and white Exact Stretch from the Limited (they carry PETITE ONLINE!!!) and of course several pairs of denim. But she was struggling with tops. Her closet looks full, but she was struggling with an 'everyday' top that wasn't a T-shirt. No disrespect to T-shirts of course, but sometimes you want to take it up a notch. 

I love to look for printed tops that can be worn casually or dressed up. We found this one for her today in the Nordstrom Petite department - only $38. I thought it was the perfect mix of pattern and interest. It is a striped knit and the flowers are on a sheer overlay that wears like a T-shirt. It looks like it could be a work of art! She did not like it at first, but once she tried it on - she loved it! (I always recommend trying on). 

For me this is one of those 'perfect shirts'. It can be worn with some black or denim capris for casual wear, a black skirt or skinny pants with heels and fancy jewelry for a night out, or with a black suit for work. You can choose to pull out the orange, purple, navy or black with your jewelry and accessories. 

These are two of my favorite tops in my wardrobe that fit this bill. I found them in the 'trendy' possible juniors section of TJMax and Marshalls. Don't be intimidated by the crop tops you will currently find there this season. If you like to hunt, this is a perfect place to find affordable, different pieces.  I have worn these with jeans and cowboy boots, skinny black dress pants with a jacket, and cotton shorts.

Preppy Pineapple

I saw this shirt at Target yesterday and I thought it would make the perfect spring outfit for a woman on the go. It is lightweight and comfortable which is perfect for this time of year when the temperature varies during the day. Add a cami underneath for some warmth or throw a denim jacket or colored cardigan over the top. I love the pineapples. They add a bit of whimsy to an otherwise casual shirt. If you don't like pineapples, pick something else that you think is fun and says something about you. The yellow detail is small enough that you can pair it with almost any color bottom. I paired it here with a pair of navy blue shorts and yellow sandals. It would also look adorable with colored denim such as yellow, coral or mint. Add a yellow or gold sandal to tie it all together an your good to go! 

Depending on your lifestyle and love for accessories, here are a couple ideas you could add - a pattern scarf, gold bangles or layered gold necklaces. 

Pineapple shirt Target, Navy shorts target, Yellow Sandals Nine West via Zappos, Denim skirt H&M, Coral Sandals Seychelles via Zappos, Scarf Kate Spade via Nordstrom, Bangle and Necklace from C Wonder. 

I will provide where I pull pieces from us much as possible, but my goal is to just provide an idea or an inspiration that will help you pull together something in your wardrobe. 

Texture, Pattern and Jeans

It is a grey, rainy day today. A perfect day to perk up your mood with a cute outfit.

Here is mine today....
I'll start at the top. This navy/cream striped jacket is from The Limited and my first thought was to pair it with a solid color top. Then I remembered texture and pattern! You could add texture with some layered necklaces, but I used a lace overlay sweater. Then I used my purse as my accent color. Shoes are another place to add color and they do not have to match your purse. I would have loved to add some yellow sandals to this outfit. 

On the bottom, I'm wearing these adorable, high-waisted  Liverpool Jeans that I found at Leopard Boutique here in St. Louis. At first glance you think - maternity jeans? What? No! Elastic waist? Isn't that a fashion no-no? Don't knock it 'till you try it. I was a die-hard fan of low-rise jeans. But 3 kids later and in my mid thirties, the low rise can create a few problems - the muffin top or keeping your rear stuffed in. The elastic band on these helps suck in the muffin top and create a smooth line under your tops. They are like jeans with a control top! The band starts right at the natural waist or your belly button, and stops right at the top of your hip bones. I was skeptical at first thinking - I don't need those. I am way too young! But I really like them. The high-waist, smooth band creates a very flattering fit. And they were affordable for designer denim. 

Bear with me on the photos. I promise they won't all be of me. 

**If you don't live in St. Louis, you can also find Liverpool Jeans at Nordsrom. 

"I love my red shoes, I love my red shoes, I love me red shoes!" - Pete the Cat

This post title comes from Eric Litwin, author of Pete the Cat and this song . It is a wonderful book if you have kids. I wish I was as laid back as Pete.

Okay back to fashion. For Mother's Day, my wonderful husband gave me shoes! He is an awesome gift giver, and this is not the first time he has given me shoes. I'm a lucky lady.  He gave me this adorable pair of TOMS. If you don't know the story of TOMS read more here - the gift that keeps on giving, even better. It was the perfect gift because while I love them, I wouldn't have splurged on a pair for myself. And he thought I specifically needed them to wear to Cardinals games - and he is a CUBS fan.

They will go great as a pop of color with most of my summer outfits - any outfit that is navy and white, navy and yellow, black or white. And they are super comfortable. If your summer is like mine you will be on the go and these shoes will be perfect to walk in all day. 

TOMS would also be great for summer travel! I have a good friend that wore them for 2 international trips with LOTS of walking and they held up great. They are a great alternative to tennis shoes when you are trying to be comfortable and not look like a tourist. 

"Just keep walking along, singing your song. Becuase it's all good" - Pete the Cat

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the important women in our lives - Moms, Grandmas, Aunts, Moms-To-Be and Special Friends!  What a wonderful day today was to celebrate these women and their important place in our lives. 

I had a wonderful day with my family, but first I woke at 4 AM with ideas swirling in my head and decided to finally start this blog. As I alluded to in my intro post - my mom was instrumental in helping me develop my sense of style, so this post is for you MOM!

After having two boys before me, my mom loved shopping for a little girl. Bonnets, fluffy dresses, fancy pants and anything smocked. She enjoyed dressing me for a few years, but I quickly took over making those decisions around 4 or 5 years old. Luckily we didn't fight about it too much. We both loved clothes. I'm sure there were a few battles here and there, but I only remember the fun. Shopping quickly became some of our best bonding time. Not because we bought a lot, but because in the craziness of life we found we had great conversation while walking around and shopping. We love to find a good bargain or the perfect outfit for a special event. 

As part of her style, Mom believes in getting dressed up for church and so we were required to always dress nice for church. She did not bend on this rule......ever. As an adult with my own family, I now enforce the same rule. I know God doesn't care, but it is a ritual for us now that I enjoy. In honor of you Mom, here is what I wore to church today.  

(Dress: Banana Republic Outlet, Shoes Via Spiga DSW) Now I would have loved to put a pair of orange wedges or orange patent heels with this, but from a budget standpoint I tend to skimp on shoes and jewelry in favor of more clothes. Some people are the opposite, lots of basics and then they jazz it up with shoes, jewelry and scarves. I love both options, I just tend to want more variety in my clothes. 

So this is my style share.....

YEAH!!! So excited to start this blog.

As the name indicated, I am here to share my style. Clothes, jewelry, accessories, and more. Style is in the eye of the beholder, so you will not like everything I share and that is okay! We are all different people and like to wear different things . This is not a space for negativity.  I may report a trend or two that is not my favorite, but the whole point of this for me is to have fun and share my passion. So if you comment, please be kind. 

I'll put more in the 'About Me' section as I get this thing developed, but might as well start with the first post.

I have been mulling over starting this blog for about a year and I woke up at 4 this morning just ready to do it.  I left the 'corporate world' about a year ago to begin honing my skills as a stay at home mom - 3 kids 8, 6, and 4. The idea of starting this blog popped into my head immediately, but I figured I should take some time to adjust to my new life. So the blog has been simmering for a year and I'm ready!

I have always loved getting dressed and putting together outfits for as long as I can remember. I used to get in trouble for changing my clothes too many times a day. Fashion is my creative outlet. I do not have a penchant for drawing, painting, even hand writing is not my strong suit. But I love clothes! I'm the youngest of 3 and only girl and my mom loved dressing me up, so I have to give her a shout out for influencing my style. And I can't forget to acknowledge Dad. He has been in the apparel manufacturing world for 40ish years. Not many dads teach their daughters about the difference between a pique and jersey knit.

What I really love to do is to help people edit their wardrobe and shop - a la What Not to Wear .  I have been doing this with my Mom for probably 15 years. My life long friend Julie let me have a go at her closet last year and it was so FUN! She had just had a baby and was getting back into regular clothes - perfect time to edit your closet. Lori came too, we had some wine - it was a blast! It was part of the catalyst that got me to this blog.

Since this is about sharing my style, I figure I should let you know what it is like. My style is of course ever evolving, but if I had to summarize, I would say classic contemporary with an edge. I envision myself a "Carrie" in that I like a little whimsy and like to take a risk  (not this risky). But I'm known to show up as "Charlotte" as well. 

Most of all I like to have fun with clothes. And I hope you have fun reading my blog!