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.

Stripes!

I really can’t say enough about how excited I am that stripes are big right now. I used to think horizontal stripes just make you look bigger than you are. The truth is it is easy to use stripes to flatter your body.

Here I am dressed for a meeting. This particular top has good size stripes and a little give, making it forgiving in the midsection.  The stripes continue over the arms; this is a great trick if you have broad shoulders, the sleeves also help to make my arms look longer and thinner. To make a black pencil skirt a little less Joan on Madmen and a bit more conservative, I added black tights and black pumps. I am still on my quest for pointed pumps, which would have worked much better with the outfit. The pashmina scarf adds texture and color. For some reason, I have it in my mind that if I wear a watch people will think I am punctual and dependable so I added my Mac Jacobs watch.

I often work from home with little chance that anyone will see me, however, I never know what my day is going to look like. Wearing a cropped (shorter, not necessarily belly showing) striped top can actually make you look skinnier when paired with a tight, long tank. Comfy, dark wash jeans and Toms make me feel homey but ready. Since I don’t like wearing makeup when I’m home, putting on red lipstick is a fun trick to help me feel feminine and takes about 2 seconds to apply. 

If you are not sure which size stripe will look good on you, consult a professional or try on every stripe top you can find in a store and have a trusty friend with you to help you be objective. Stores like Forever 21 are great for having many variations of the same style. This is especially helpful if you have a hard time NOT criticizing yourself while trying on clothes. The second striped top is one that was picked out by my stylist, Minh Le. Having her pick out the top gave me an idea of what I should look for when shopping by myself. 

Have a fun, stripe-filled summer!

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 48, 49 & 50: One Dress, Five Outfits and Toms Shoes!

My friend told me Saturday that, since I was painting my bathroom and not wearing a cute outfit on Friday, I needed to make up the day with an extra outfit.  I had some time on my hands so I decided to take one “fancy” dress and make 5 different outfits out of it. 

The dress with nude peep-toe heels.

This is the outfit Minh Le put together for me. Love the volume of the sleeves (Day 4 Day 11 Day 33) to balance the skirt. Nude fats; a great way to make this outfit versatile.

Here is a quirky option of adding a mustard jacket (Day 1, Day 13, Day28)to the coral and white dress. The navy scarf brings the outfit together and adds warmth.

Casual look, even beach appropriate, with a denim motorcycle jacket (Day 5, Day 6, Day 19, Day 34) and gladiator sandals.

I would wear this look to work with the Steve Madden cognac boots and black jacket (Day 17).

Adding an antique broach adds polish.

Here is what I ended up wearing. These coral shoes are the shoes I wore at my wedding. The “skirt” and shoes are feminine while the jacket is casual. Perfect for today!

 

Saturday was lunch, shopping and a birthday party.

 

I love wearing this belt around my hips, never thought of this before meeting my stylist. I’m a big fan of Toms shoes. Super comfy and a nice alternative to nude flats, if there can be such a thing. 

Outfit with my Gap shawl collar sweater= slouchy-comfy!