Fall Inspiration

I have not been inspired to write in this space the past few months. Maybe because we are in our sixth month of summer and I am so over the heat and the clothes that go with it.  Or maybe because my body has changed recently and I don't like how a lot of my clothes fit #thisisalmost40.  Or maybe because there are other things taking up that space in my brain like work, or laundry, or kids sports schedules, or God. Regardless of what it was, I feel inspired today. 

The first little nudge came when in 24 hours, 3 strangers complimented me on my earings. This is not something that happens often, and it made me feel sparkly.  These are the fabulous earrings, purchased from a local shop Union Studio that features St. Louis artisans. 

Last weekend we were fortunate enough to take a little vacation to the mountains in Vail, Colorado. It is Fall there! The mornings are crisp, the leaves are golden and the air is fresh. I took it all in. I mean really, deep breath, inhaled it in to my bones. I got dressed for a morning mountain adventure and I felt absolutely fabulous. I came out and said to Jason, "This is Fall."  
Level99 Jeans, UGG Boots, Sun & Sand sweater, tweed crossbody from Ireland, Colorado hat. 

We strolled around the Farmers Market in Vail on Sunday morning and I took in all the textures, patterns, fabrics and trades and I felt inspired. This felt so much better than searching the internet or roaming aimlessly around the mall and department stores looking for something to grab my attention.
I bought the black jacket below in about 30 seconds.  I saw it, felt it, and purchased it before Jason even knew what happened. I said, "it's like buttah." He looked very confused. I just googled this for some context expecting Barbra Streisand or Coffee Talk info to pop up - but no, apparently Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are the more recent 'like butter' reference #Ifeelold. It looks like it has leather accents but it a fabric treatment and it is SO soft. I just wish it wasn't 90 degrees here today so I could wear it! Normally I prefer structured jackets to help give my small torso some shape, but this silhouette is easy to wear and so versatile.   

I have also been getting little nudges and inspiration from my podcast addiction - Rachel Hollis, Jen Hatmaker, and Anne Bogel  - who has a podcast about books (my other passion) but talks about all sorts of other things on her blog. This one got me thinking. I have written about the cost-per-wear before, but I had never heard the 'spend to your weakness' tip.  I have been trying to figure out what my weakness is. I have too many! What is yours?

Thank you for taking the time to read! 

I'm over Winter......and much more

It is April 1 as I type this, and it is snowing outside. I have barely written anything in 2018 because I have been patiently waiting to show of my spring styles. Yet, Spring evades me. I am so over Winter! I am so over all of my winter clothes! And there are a few other trends I am over (in no particular order)...
- Mom Jeans. Not high waisted pants in general, but specifically the Mom Jeans. Girls - we figured out about 20 years ago that those aren't the most flattering style. Why must you ignore the wisdom of your foremothers?!
- Shoulder cutouts. I was never really in on this one, but I'm over it. How many of these can you have?
- Bell Sleeves (and huge rufflely sleeves). I love how they look - but have you tried to actually do anything while wearing them? Type? Work? Cook?
- High-waisted pants with a huge bow?? Not for short people.
- Cropped wide leg pants. Seriously?
- Shirts with a tied knot that drapes right above the crotch. No thank you.
- V-Neck choker shirts. I feel like it is literally choking me.

***Just because I say i'm over it, doesn't mean you have to be :) You do you!

It is so frustrating to go shopping and not see anything you like. I have found that you have to be patient. Wait until you see something that you really love, or that just looks 'like you'. Don't feel pressure to buy something new just because it is a new season or there is a new trend.

Now for some things I love....
- Almost anything from Draper James.  Reese, you just let me know when you want to open a store in St. Louis, MO. I'm your girl.  The dress below is one of my favorites and she is so ridiculously adorable.
- Sneakers - so fun and comfortable.
- Jeans - (always) I tried a new brand called Just Black - similar to the ones shown below and I love them.
- Spring Colors! I'm a sucker for navy/white stripes, polka dots, and gingham prints. And these are my favorite mix of Spring colors: yellow, kelly green, navy, coral and mint.  I use navy, white. or a light grey as my neutral with these colors.
- The Jenna floral toe high-heel from Jessica Simpson was perfect for my Easter ensemble.
- Fun Sunglasses can add a little whimsy.
- Sundresses! My Easter dress was from Vera Fishbaugh. It fit great and when I went to look at the care instructions, it said "I will be fun. I will be confident. I will be carefree." Made me love the dress even more!

Here are my people in their SPRING, Easter best!  Come on Spring!!!

Sharing my truth

For the past few weeks, Oprah's words have been swirling in my head. In her acceptance speech for the the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 2018 Golden Globes, she said, "What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have. " 

It made me want to speak more of my truth. Like many girls and women, I have struggled with body image and body confidence for most of my life. In my teen years, I battled anorexia. During all of that, I used clothes to help make myself feel better. I could draw confidence from how I expressed myself on the outside, even though I didn't always feel that way on the inside. Dressing in an aspirational manor is not a unique idea of course. There are adages like 'dress for the job you want, not the job you have', 'fake it 'till you make it', and 'look good, feel good'. 

After a lot of hard work, my inside did catch up - mostly. Like everyone, I'm a work in progress who has good days and bad days. On some bad days, I wear sweatpants, and on others I dress to the nines to help lift myself up a bit. In sharing this, I hope to help lift up others. We are inundated with images of people and things that appear perfect. Remember that behind every staged photo, there is a story. Now you know part of my story, my truth.

I worry most about our young girls, like my daughter. It is my mission to make sure she does not grow up feeling the way about her body that I did. It will be even more difficult with today's social media. At home, we are focusing on confidence!!! After all, that is the best accessory. You can make anything look good when you wear it confidently. 

I was thinking about why I like writing this blog, and why I like sharing my photos and thoughts on clothes. I still worry about appearing vain or narcissistic and in these times, talking about clothes feels superficial. But to put it simply, I want to help others feel beautiful. As I have grown, I know feeling beautiful truly comes from the inside, but sometimes dressing the outside can get you going in the right direction. 

I've been sharing more photos on Instagram @gmrstyleshare when I can't find the time or the inspiration to write.  Over the past weeks, I shared my holiday outfits, some cold weather accessories, and this amazing dress I got to wear from Rent the Runway.  I certainly did feel beautiful in this dress. 

"Mom, what should I wear?"

I hear this question from my children every time we are going to an event other than school or a sporting event. They have worn uniforms for most of their lives, rendering them nearly incapable of independently choosing an outfit. Over the weekend, I helped my daughter by taking photos of all the potential outfits she could wear that did not include 'play clothes'. We also took anything out of her closet that she said she would not wear, didn't fit, or was out of season.  Next, we printed the sheet below and hung it inside her closet door. Now when getting ready, all she has to do is reference this board and pick one! This is a great way to reduce the stress and anxiety for anyone trying to decide "what to wear".  Adults, you can easily store the pics on your phone - and I'm pretty sure there is an app for this - I'm researching and will report back. 

Playing Dress Up

It is finally fall here in St. Louis!! Bring out the sweaters and boots!! This is also the time of year when it is socially acceptable for adults to play dress up - Halloween. I heard somewhere that the Halloween industry gets bigger every year. It is no longer just a children's holiday. Adults my age seem to enjoy dressing up more than ever and have turned Halloween into a giant party. We have outgrown the need to use Halloween as an excuse to wear slutty clothes. Instead this is a true competition of the creatives, cultivating unique costumes sourced on Pinterest, and ordering bizarre merchandise from Amazon Prime. I had a blond wig and peter pan collar at my house in 48 hours!

I like to play dress up all year long. Sure there is an element of  personal style that is tied to your authenticity and true expression of yourself, but the other side of that coin is playing dress up, trying on different costumes, experimenting with new looks and having fun!

I played dress up this morning for church. I bought this grey skirt from Ann Taylor at the end of the season last year and couldn't wait to wear it now that is finally below 80 degrees. I started with black tights, grey skirt and a black shirt. I told Jason I thought I looked like a nun (no disrespect, just not the costume I was going for). So I added some accessories: some sassy over-the-knee boots, sparkly statement necklace, tartan plaid shawl, wool hat, and finally THE purse - the one from my first return to the blog. My parents are amazing and they surprised me with this purse.

I swore I would never wear the over-the-knee boots. I thought they made my legs look even shorter than they are. Sometimes a trend wears me down and I give in. I'm only human. I loved this costume!

Go play dress up in your closet. Challenge yourself to wear something you haven't worn in awhile or dare to differ from your normal uniform. You might be surprised to find out how much fun you have!

a new day

a new day  or and ea wy

Have you been to Target recently?  This is their new clothing brand and it is adorable, despite confusing the hell out of me with the name.  Read vertically..... see what they did there? Apparently I'm not the only one. I tried to tell my friend Lori about these cute ponte pants I thought she would like from Target and was confused about the brand.  She found the explanation on Facebook

Anyway, of course I went to Target for a 3-ring-binder and some vitamins, and just cruised by to see what was new. There was a whole new clothing line, and it is great! It is current, but not too trendy and perfect for work or play.  My only criticism is that it is not quite cut for a petite frame.

I am terrible at taking selfies. It is one of my least favorite things about trying to share my love of clothes with you. So here are some cute outfits laid out on my floor - and clearly I'm not that great at staging these shots on the floor of my closet.

I love this printed blouse - it gives you so many colors to build your outfit. I show it with the navy ponte pants. If you're not sure what those are, check out my old post: all leggings are not created equal. Gold sweater and jean jacket are super old. Metallic Gold shoes are from paperdolls - perfect way to add shine and this men's style loafer is gaining popularity.

This jade, jewel tone top is one of my favorite colors for fall. I tried it on and it made me look a bit too stocky, but I loved the style. Same pants and shoes from above.

I had to show this navy dress . Although, as I'm linking to this product, I could have just showed it on this girl. Oh well. So it is a midi dress - and that length will never be worn by me. I'm 5'2" on a good day, if I stand up really tall.  You can see it is too long for me, but I thought it was so adorable. I'm obsessed with navy - it is my black.

Target also had this adorable new fitness line called Joy Lab. So cute! By the time I made it back to this department, I was in a hurry.  Jason would know if I was at Target this long, surely I was buying more than I "needed". I quickly felt a few pieces and they seemed like great quality! I snagged this Moto jacket. You wouldn't even know by looking that it was performance fabric. It has great wearability.

There. I just did a style blog all about clothes from Target! Husbands - you're welcome.

Everyday Me

Creating is cathartic - and that is my purpose for this blog - my creative outlet, my cathartic outlet. So I was trying to think about what I could post this week, and I realized I haven't  gotten dressed in a real outfit all week. Part of my reason for sharing this blog, is to be real. I want more real-ness in the world, so I'm putting some out there. When I am out and about I often hear, "you always look so cute." This feels great to hear, but I have begun responding with. "I wear sweatpants sometimes." This I my way of saying I'm real. I don't wear this all the time. You do not have to look good or put together or do your hair and makeup all the time. I'm a working mom with 3 kids and I can't do it everyday. I marvel at the women who can, but I think to myself, that must be exhausting. If she is doing it for herself - more power to you! You do you! But don't do it for anyone else. 

As I think more about this, I get more complements from my husband when I am 'dressed down'. I look for the compliments from him when we get all dressed up to go out, but it always shocks me a bit when I'm wearing what I consider nothing special and he says, "You look cute today." What? This ? Perhaps it is because I look more like everyday me - less like someone dressed up for everyone else in the latest trends. 

Here is everyday me today in my favorite jeans and white t - telling Jason nevermind quit taking photos