Creating Outfits with Toms

I like the idea of having themed blog posts, so I have been collecting outfit photos and noticed these all have Toms Shoes in them. Toms are a new thing for me, I've only had mine a couple months. One of the things I like about them, besides the cute factor, is that they have really nice soles and arch support. "Beauty is pain" is a mantra I've accepted in conjunction with my footwear, happily, Toms do not require me to chant as I take each step.

The jeans I am wearing are called "slouchy skinny" and they are by Gap. I love the beat up look of them and, with a fun F21 tank, they are the perfect casual accessory to my Toms.

This shirt has been sitting in my closet since I saw an unflattering picture of me in it. I had made up my mind that, if I didn't find a cute way to wear it, it was going to the thrift store. This is something I have to do from time to time or nothing will leave my closet.

Great news! After adding the vest, I now love this top! Defining the waist and adding some pizazz, my NY&co vest was the chicken soup to this sick top. You may also notice that I have big, fun necklaces on in each shot. When wearing something as androgynous as Toms, adding a little femininity can go a long way.

Work Day to Date Night

I was feeling super frumpy and knew I needed to spice things up. The quickest way I know to get me in a good mood is change the way I look. Though I try and stay away from hoochie, short shorts and a long tank top are one of my favorite summer looks. Keeping the tank top long and full coverage helps to stay away from trashy. My shorts also have a tailored look to them with the single cuff on the hem.

I always like the option of having something that can go over my tank top. Looking into the far reaches of my closet, I found this short-sleeve jacket. My issue with it is it gets bunchy in the middle with the buttons, sash and fitted fabric. People knot the ends of trench coat sashes, so why not knot the ends of my sash? It is something different for me but I am happy that I finally got a chance to wear this jacket.

My solution to easy, cute hair is to simply pin back one side with crossed bobby pins. By french braiding with small sections, starting with the crown, a small braid is created which helps the hair stay in place.

Accessories!

Black and denim are the perfect base for adding a funky edge like my favorite, vintage coral necklace and cork peep-toe wedges. It would be easy to add lots of extras to this outfit, since it is simple, but by choosing the accessories deliberately allow for a sleek sexy look.

59 Days of Style: Day 56-59: The End Of My Challenge

Day 59... Amazing that I completed this challenge. My clothing is way more personal than I thought it would be. I will admit that, looking back on the past 59 days, I did have some blunders. The core of this challenge was to be creative with my outfit choices by wearing a new combination each day without repeat or adding to my freshly cleaned out closet. Learning first how to dress my body by having a wardrobe overhaul by Minh Le, then taking those tools and really using them has shown me a new side of myself. A classier, more polished version of myself. In high school I was always complimented for my "unique" style which was mainly made up of old-lady thrift store clothes. Matching was boring and the more colors I could thrown in one outfit, the better. I have come a long way from there! With my new tools, and some new favorite outfits, my style has transformed from "unique" to beautiful, fun, polished and maybe even a bit sexy ;)

Inspired by my friend Loreal's Italian flair, I layered dark pieces with a scarf.

Going to the 2011 Wiener Festival had to wear jeans and a T, good thing I have my doxie pin my friend Cate gave me!

I don't know what I was thinking. Trying to wear this skirt has always been hard for me.

Last day! Love having light, short sleeve cardis to put over tanks for a more layered spring look.

Now that my 59 day challenge has ended I'm working on coming up with some ideas for a new challenge, preferably a shorter one so I don't lose interest. I am off to the airport in 3 hours to go to San Padro, Belize for vacation. I'll start my blog back up with a nod to vacation style. Thanks for reading!

59 Days of Style Day 51-55: Shorts and My New Favorite Business Outfit

With only 4 days left of my challenge I've started to slack off. I am amazed that I've gone this far. Honestly, I sort of thought I would document my outfits for a couple days then stop. What happened is it has become a habit to take pictures of myself everyday.

Monday was warm in SoCal, so shorts were a must. I was inside most of the day, so I added a thin, long-sleeve Gap top. A great way to let my feet breath, and keep them comfortable was to add my new favorite TOMS shoes.

Monday evening I went on a date night with my husband. I swapped out my top for a sweater (Day 12 Day 28) and scarf.

Tuesday I set up for a trade show. It is always a difficult balance between wearing something that you can move in and is work appropriate. This has now become one of my favorite outfits. My stylist, Minh, had the hem let out of these $12 Gap pants. The H&M tank top was about $5 and the Forever 21 striped sweater was $22. I personalized the look with my vintage beads and nude flats.

In my work shirt, ready for the trade show!

Yesterday was my wonderful Mom's birthday :) I ran errands before our family dinner, so I needed a look that would work at a nice restaurant and Target. I wore my favorite sundress (Day 14 Day 26 & Day 41) and black jacket.

On the 5th I will be going to San Pedro in the Caribbean. Why not try out some of my outfits for you guys? This one will probably be good for site seeing and mini-adventures. The shorts are from Old Navy and I do have to tell you, if you are looking for shorts, Old Nave has millions of options.

59 Days of Style Day 44 & 45: Forever 21 and Michael Kors Stripes

Since I'm nearing the end of my 59 day challenge, I am looking for ways to improve my blog and getting ready for my next challenge/ topic. One of the things I have done is added the response buttons. If you would like to leave a reaction to the posts, you can click the buttons at the bottom. Thanks!

Yesterday I had a casual work lunch. The weather is still wavering between cold and warm so a sweater and sandals it is! (Don't mind my dachshunds in the photos, they just get excited when I get ready to leave)

I love this stripped Forever 21 top ((Day 10 Day 23) with a cropped cardigan (Day 22). The stripped sleeve peeking out of the cardigan keeps this look fresh. This Gap corduroy pencil skirt (Day 7) is a great basic. My favorite part of this outfit has to be my vintage jade beads my husband gave me. If you are curious why there is an extra thick white stripe at the bottom of my shirt, it is just my white tank top showing up. The top is a little thin and too short for me to wear with this skirt- the white tank is key!

I'm working from home today and going to my friend's pilates class tonight. Not in the mood to get all dressed up just to change, I put on this cute, gold-stripped Michael Kors top over my yoga pants and tank top. It's a bit chilly today so I added my sheepskin boots (sadly, not real Uggs) and the hat my Grandma knitted me. (She has started selling them, so let me know if you want one)
Close up of the hat:

If you are like me, you don't like a bunch of makeup on while working out. What I like to do is put on a little concealer (Arbonne makes the creamiest, full-coverage concealer that doesn't dry chalky) with a a bit of mineral powder foundation and mascara. I feel fresh but not over done.

59 Days of Style Day 37 & 38: Coral and Cowboy Boots

We've all heard that we need to buy quality clothes, that is partly what this blog is about- enjoying the clothes I do have and not over-stuffing my closet. (Can't believe I only have 21 days left on my journey!) Yesterday and today, I pulled older items out of my closet that have been highlighted in spring 2011 fashion.

Coral:

You can't look through a fashion magazine without them telling you that coral is the color of the season. I thought about this then realized the top I bought last spring is coral! Of course, I thought it was orange when I bought it before I was informed by the fashion world that it is, in fact, coral. If you are going to wear coral, keep the rest of the outfit simple. I wore dark Calvin Klein skinny jeans and black Jessica Simpson ballerina flats.

Keep the makeup simple too. I used pretty brown shimmery shades by Arbonne on my eyes, black liner with brown shadow over to make the look softer.













 Western Wear:

Western wear is a strong spin off the 70's vibe a lot of collections have for spring 2011, this is why it is important to have one pair of cowboy boots you love, like I illustrated on my Cowboy Boots for All post. Western boots are a great punch for this Forever 21 cardigan (Day 20) and my favorite skinny jeans (Day 13, Day 18 and  Day 23 Day 28).

I'm in love with these boots from Tener's

Tener's Link

Tener's Link

It is important to buy quality pieces that fit you nicely and give you good feelings, then take the clothes you have and look for current fads among them. Alright, you can buy a couple fad pieces but just don't go overboard ;)

59 Days of Style Day 20-26: Cardigans-Tanks

 My original idea was to showcase the different cardigans I wore Saturday-Monday, however, I didn't get a chance to blog! So here is my catch-up blog.

Forever 21 cardigan with black F21 tank and cuffed jeans (Day 11). This cardigan has the same odd "wing" style as the one I wore on Day 12. Even though it looks strange on a hanger, it is flattering and easy to wear; a nice, shear option for those not-cold-not-hot-days.

What to wear hanging out with friends and going wine tasting? I wanted something pretty, stretchy, lightweight and all-over comfortable. Black leggings with a white tank can be the base of many wonderful outfits. The cardigan is Anne Taylor and the skirt, you guessed it, Forever 21! I LOVE adding a unique necklace to most outfits. This one was given to me by a friend Ellie for my Birthday.

After a busy weekend, I wanted to be comfortable. You should know these black Guess leggings by now, they are an easy go-to item. Inspired by Audrey Hepburn, black flats was a must. The tank top is the same long black one from Forever 21 and the cardigan I wore in Venture on Day 7. I didn't know how much I liked these vintage beads until I started looking through all of these photos of me wearing them! They came from Love Fox Vintage in Ventura. Be happy, Love Fox has an etsy shop!

Going to Disneyland and didn't want to get a sunburn, so I wore a long sleeve top (Day 10) over a black tank and my Gap skinnies (Day 13 and Day 18). My friend asked me if I took a picture of my outfit before going to Disneyland; of course I did! It's the blogging that takes time, not the photos, as you can tell by their amazing quality ;)

HOT! Yesterday was the first of an unexpected heatwave. I began reaching for a plan tank to pair with my "custom" cut offs when I remembered I am being held accountable to my outfits by this blog. Alright, so the goal is to still wear tank tops, but ones that are actually tops, not undershirts. This is a cross back tank I got a Target last summer, it has a fun flower detail at the shoulder and floats nicely away from my tummy :)

Today! Finally made it through. LOVE this Anthro dress (layered on Day 14) I got for about $30, paired with a little white cardigan and some sandals and I'm ready for the 90 degree weather Dallas Rains was threatening me with. It is hard to see my hair, but I want you all to know I am sporting the "bang french". Easy way to get rid of your bangs and add a touch of boho to an outfit.

Want to free your legs from winter but lacking the confidence? Fake it! This self-tanner is awesome because it doesn't have any harmful stuff in it and it actually has SPF 15 so your, actually white, legs are protected from getting burnt. To add some color to my face, I used bronzer in the hollows of my cheeks and for eye shadow (thought you'd like that little trick).

Happy Summer, Californians!

59 Days of Style Days 15 & 16: Confidence and Pashmina

Yesterday was an all day work marathon as I prepared for a company-wide meeting that we had last night. Since most people were going to be dress casually, I didn’t want to look too out of place. I selected these wide-leg trouser jeans, an asymmetric patterned Ann Taylor red cow neck top with my chain cardigan. I have had a bit of a hard time figuring out how to wear this read top, since it is bold. By wearing a cardigan, I could show part of the pattern while not being over the top. 

Confidence is huge when it comes to running a meeting, meeting with clients or just to have a productive day. You have now seen me wear this cardigan three times (Day 9, Day 14 )there is a reason for this, it gives me confidence. Not sure if it is the slim fit, the soft material, the deep color or just the awesome chain but something about this sweater says to me “CONFIDENCE”! Everyone should have one go to item in their closet they know will give them this feeling, especially when they are having an off day. As I’m going through this journey I am becoming not only more thoughtful about what I chose to wear but the way I feel in my clothes. That is my challenge to you; ask yourself “how do I feel in this outfit?” Confident? Sexy? Happy? Or just “okay?” On our journey of wardrobe discovery, we might as well discover a thing or two about ourselves.

Today I am worn out, tired and a bit droopy feeling, time to get comfortable. Velour track suit??!?! Hmmmm? Not today, my friend. I pulled on my black crew-neck sweater,  (Day 3) favorite Gap jeans and sheepskin boots. I feel 100% comfortable and cozy. The only way I allowed myself to wear this as an actual outfit was by adding this gorgeous pashmina scarf my Grandma gave me. I also added two current trends: insect jewelry and berry lips. The brooch was in my Great-Grandmother’s “not special” jewelry box passed over by the matriarchs, so I got to adopt it. Berry lips are pretty but I’m not about to commit to a day of thick lipstick when I just want to take the day slow. This lip gloss by Arbonne is perfect, you can layer it on as light or as dark as you want and… it’s not sticky! I can’t stand sticky lip gloss, ick. 

 

Today’s lessons:
-Find out what in your wardrobe makes you feel confident and wear it!
-Have fun with scarves and spruce them up with a vintage or vintage looking, brooch
-Bust out a fun lip color

As always, thanks for reading.
<3
E

59 Days of Style Day 14: Layering is Fun!

My Mom always told me to dress in layers when it's cold out. What about when it's just kind of cold and a chunky sweater would be too much? Here is what I wore today and how I did it.

Step one: black tights, black boots (Day 1) it is cold, after all. This is my favorite sundress from Anthropologie. Super cute but not too appropriate for going to church in March. I also would not pair it with a complete black leg. To rock this on it's own, I would wear sandals or brown boots sans tights.

Step 2: My dark purple, Ann Taylor, cow neck (Day 4) is loose enough so my dress fits nicely underneath but hits at the right place so the dress looks like a skirt.

Step 3: Not quite warm enough so I layer on the black cardigan with the chain detail I wore for my work meeting (Day 9).










All three pieces are not bulky, therefore perfect for layering with different outfits. The dress has a bold print and bright colors. Some might scare away from trying to use it as a layering piece. The best thing to do is pick pieces that can all be categorized as neutrals. Have no fear, dark purple is definitely a neutral. The chain detail breaks up the dark colors on top allowing for a more vertical or "skinny" look. The goal is always to look skinny and tall! No frumpy or bulky here!

59 Days of Style Day 12 & 13: It's Gettin Cold Again

Just when I start to think it's summer time, the temperatures drop to the 50s and 60s. Cold weather like this just makes me want to get in my velour track suit and drink hot chocolate. Why do they call it a "suit" anyways? It didn't help much that Thursday was St. Patty's Day, a holiday known for drinking. That makes getting up and dressed for Friday all the more difficult. Not only am I planning new outfits everyday, but I'm doing my hair and make up daily too.

Friday:

Notice the black leggings worn on Day 10 with cowboy boots. The "skirt" is actually just a long tank from Forever 21. The sweater looked totally crazy on the hanger with the wide top and narrow bottom but totally cute on. If you find a sweater in the store and it has a bizarre shape, try it on, you might end up loving it. This one is also from Forever 21.

Saturday:

Favorite boots? Yes! These Steve Madden boots were recommended by Minh Le, the amazing stylist. Side tip- always check Retail Me Not before ordering anything online, you might find some great coupons. These boots have three notches on the top so you can tighten them up then scrunch them down. Jacket also seen on Day 1 with a dress and the scarf was Day 3 as a casual accessory. Paired with skinny jeans and I'm ready to go to the movies with friends! Look at me, mix-matching outfits :)

59 Days of Style Day 8, 9, 10: Business to Casual

Hello friends! After a two day trip to SB my life didn't take a break as I had two days of important meetings on Monday and Tuesday. Here are my outfits for Monday, Tuesday and today, Wednesday.

Here are my two meeting looks. The first was for a more casual meeting with a current client and the other for a big kick off meeting with new clients. The trick to meeting outfits is always plan them out in advance so you don't have to worry about it when you have other things on your mind. I love my necklace from Minh Le, the bag my love, Christine, got for me and my new Forever 21 cardigan. I saw the same looking cardigan in InStyle for $198! It's hard feeling bad about wearing a straight up copy even though you buy it before you know it was designed by someone else. I'll just have to get by with a little guilt and a lot of style. If you weren't aware, chain details are HUGE right now.

Here is me today! Hairsprayed ponytail brushed out and washed. My hair enjoyed the much needed hair mask from Arbonne, so I went curly today. Finally out of slacks and enjoying my new leggings from Guess Inc. with my Forever 21 stripped shirt, vintage beads and Steve Madden cowboy boots. I spent 3 days and went to over 12 stores to find these leggings. My stylist, Minh Le, said I need thick black leggings I can swing as pants. All the leggings I found were great for under knee length dresses but not so much for showing thigh. Guess, Inc had a couple designs left on sale and I was able to find these wonderful leggings. Originally $60, got them for $15! Love a bargain. They do have side zippers on the hips, which are totally cute. When I tried them on I unzipped them first. It took me about 7 min before I realized you can't zip them up after the leggings are on. I took them off, zipped them up, then put them back on. If you take one thing away from this post it is NEVER UNZIP YOUR LEGGINGS.

Can't believe I've already gone 10 days without wearing the same outfit twice. It is so tempting to go back to a favorite outfit instead of trying new things. Love to all!

PS If you ever have tips, suggestions, or just want to say "hi", feel free to leave a comment.

59 Days of Style Days 6 & 7: Weekend in Santa Barbara

We all know it is always difficult to pack for a trip, even a one night trip to Santa Barbara. Are you the over packer wanting to be prepared for every situation, any possible mood? Or are you the under packer, thinking 2 pairs of underwear and one shirt will hold you through a weekend, weather unknown? Being that I'm doing this blog- and yes, I do post pictures of my daily outfits, not one day of trying on lots of outfits and taking pictures-I was faced with making sure my outfits were planned to the Nth. This meant trying on the outfit I packed to make sure I felt comfortable enough in it to not be bummed that was all I had.

  
Saturday: Driving to Santa Barbara, walking around then going to dinner with my husband's family for my brother-in-law's birthday party. I layered my black padded shoulder tank with black tights, my cute Forever 21 shorts with the same Ann Taylor jean jacket from Friday. This outfit is comfortable and edgy. The only problem I had was lots of walking made the flowy shorts ride up a bit :( Might be too much information, but better I tell you not to layer leggings with shorts on days you are doing a lot of walking then you find out the hard way.

Sunday: Going to our old church in Ventura and hanging out with friends at the Ventura Harbor. So happy I planned this outfit Friday night! Remember to always try on any outfit you haven't worn together before to make sure you are happy with the shapes. This corduroy mini skirt came from my pile of not-warn-often pieces. I don't like the way it makes my butt look and feel it is sometimes a bit short. Wearing this nautical sweater with a long tank top and tights literally coveres up my issues. The star of the outfit is these textured tights. If you don't have any textured tights, make sure you pick up a pair and WEAR THEM.