Stay Warm-Keep Cool

I just got this cute jacket in the mail from Modcloth, and I wanted to show it off right away!

I usually wear pretty girly stuff, but the other side of my fashion personality loves classic urban easy going style.  This jacket, with it's hidden hood that zips into the neck, is so cool and comfortable.  I also like that it isn't boring since it has some interesting details, and also because the color-a mix between tan and mustard-isn't a typical color you see on jackets.  I can't wait to wear it in California this weekend when I visit my grandpa and my California cousins!

I was headed out for a walk when I had my husband take these.  His dirty truck is an appropriate background, since he was working on it when I requested my impromptu photo shoot.  :)

All About Leggings: Part Two!

I got to do another photo shoot with my friend Jenn this weekend and I decided to use this opportunity to show off three different outfits that incorporated leggings with ridding boots.  

First of all, a rule to live by when wearing leggings: always make sure your bum is covered and you are good to go.  Ladies, leggings aren’t pants! They look awesome under dresses or a long shirt, but please understand that no matter how hot you body is or what size you wear, leggings by themselves just give the world way too much information; including but not limited to: the color of your undies, the fact that you aren’t wearing undies, camel toe, every lump and bump on your behind (skinny girls, this includes you!).  

Okay rant over.  As you may have read, I love leggings, and these supper soft ones from the GAP are my favorite, but they are a bit expensive if you don't shop sales (which, of corse, I do). Target also has some nice ones for a decent price.  

To make the look more sexy than darling, and a bit more casual, leggings look awesome under a long shirt.  Just make sure you can lift your arms above your head and still keep covered before you leave the house.  It never looks nice to be pulling on your clothes all night in order to ensure that all your bits and pieces are covered. 

The first outfit I wore for the photo shoot was my very favorite dress of all time.  To me, this Urban Outfitters dress is just so perfectly flattering and special.  I always feel like it was just made for me!  I live in fear of the day when this dress starts to fall apart, but I don’t let that keep me from wearing it.  I used to have a tendency to “save” my best stuff for a special occasion- but now I try to remember that clothes were meant to be worn!  This dress is so pretty, but it also has a casual easy going look to it that makes it incredibly wearable. 

My second outfit consists of a Modcloth dress with a pattern of little baby deer covering it.  This dress is completely un-fussy and simply pulls on and ties in the back.  It is lightweight, but even in the summer I don’t think I would wear it without leggings because it is a bit short and flimsy.  It is perfect for layering in the fall and winter though!  

My last outfit of the day is a long GAP top, with a target tank underneath.  I bought his top to wear with leggings, but when I did the arms test, it was too short, so the long tank makes the outfit work.  I am also wearing an Urban Outfitters bowler to top the outfit off.  This is the outfit I wore for the rest of the day after the shoot to hang out with my husband and pick up groceries.  I don’t think you need to dress up every day; it just makes life a little bit more fun for me.  :)

Thanks Jenn for the beautiful photos!  As usual, I had a great time doing my photo shoot and I’m already looking forward to the next one!  

All About Leggings: Part One

First of all, I love leggings! 

Since I feel that dresses look better on my curvy body type than pants, I needed a way to continue to wear my dresses year round.  Leggings are the perfect solution to the problem, allowing my legs to stay warm while I stay stylish and cute during the fall and winter months. 

Leggings are also a great choice for anyone who wants to try wearing dresses casually (not just for dressing up) and doesn’t want to feel like they are being too precious or fancy. 

I also like to wear leggings as they are a quick way to cover panty lines under a dress.  During the spring and summer, I usually have a pair of cut off leggings hiding under my dresses for this very reason, and also because I live in a very windy state and don’t want to worry about my skirt blowing up. 

The leggings in all three of these photos are actually part leggings, part tights.  I got them at Fred Myers one year while I was visiting my parents in Alaska.  They are awesome because they are thick, the feet are cut out making them more comfortable than regular tights, and they were happily made with enough room for even my big ol’ booty. 

Tip:  I know a lot of people are afraid of pants and leggings that aren’t super low waisted, but a slightly higher rise really can be more flattering than low rise if you chose well. First of all, look for mid-rise not high-rise to avoid the dreaded mom jeans look.  Mid-rise pants eliminate muffin top and create a nice smooth line.  Mid-rise leggings also eliminate the side fat that gets pushed into creating a lumpy silhouette under dresses and long shirts. 

Side note: If you have more narrow hips or a small bum, low rise might be more suited for you.  Just don’t go so low that you can’t even bend down without feeling uncomfortable or giving the people standing behind you a show.  Even so, even skinny girls get lumps from their leggings if the elastic is too tight, so I recommend mid to high-rise tights and leggings for everyone, no matter your shape or size. 

This concludes part one of All About Leggings.  Stay tuned for part two, complete with a photo shoot from my favorite photographer Jenn (sorry honey)! 

I have had this dress for years, and I still love it!  Dress: Limited, shoes Dillard’s, Legging tights: Fred Myers.  Photo by Jeremy Osborn. 

Yes, I am a fancy lady.  Photo by Jeremy Osborn. 



I wish that I had a better picture of this dress, because it is beautiful.  Maybe in a future post.  Dress: Modcloth, shoes: Dillard’s, legging tights: Fred Myers.  Photo by Jeremy Osborn.



I Agree with Garfield



Shirt: Urban Outfitters.  Jeans: H&M.  Boots: A gift from my friend Kimmi.  :)  Photos by Jeremy Osborn. 

I have a bad case of the Monday blues today.  I was so warm and cozy in bed this morning with my dogs and my husband and I just did not want to get up and go to work!  My cure for the Monday blues?   A healthy breakfast and a cute outfit!  Blueberries, soy latte’ and two boiled eggs: check!  A comfy cute plaid button up, my favorite jeans and tall boots: double check!

My husband called this a “sexy cowgirl” outfit, so I’m going to go with that.  It goes pretty well with my red curls, right? 

On that note, I’ve kind of decided that this red is going to be my signature hair color.  I am supper happy with how much it brightens up my light skin and shows off my greenish blue eyes.  I still can’t decide if I should grow it out or cut it all off (I am supper jonesing for super short hair!), but at least I have finally decided on a color I want to stick with for more than an hour.



Yesterday



Today



Just for fun-more hats!

Halloween 2010 (but I have worn this hat too work as well).  Hat: Urban Outfitters.  Dress: forever 21 or Urban Outfitters (can't remember for sure!  I've had it forever).   

Winter (?) 2010. Hat: Urban Outfitters (?). Dress: Urban Outfitters.

Summer 2011.  Hat: forever 21.  Dress: Urban Outfitters.

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Working It

Office dress codes, hum-drum cubicles and bad lighting can make dressing for work a drag.  I for one never mind standing out and dress up for work every day, but if you just want to add a little bit of style to an otherwise pretty bland office uniform, hats and headbands are a great accessory to try.  They also work wonders for not-so-newly washed hair for those days when you hit the snooze button one or two too many times. :P

These photos were taken within the last two weeks with my camera phone under my own terrible office lighting.  Don't I make a cute little office drone? ;)

Headband by Forever 21.  Earrings and sweater from the Limited.

Cloth bow headband from Urban Outfitters.  I wore it with a stripped long sleeved tee, black skinny pants and maroon leather flats (all from GAP).  Very Audrey Hepburn!

This maroon beret is from H&M.  I wore it with a cable nit sweater dress, skinny jeans and my Dillard's ridding boots. 

 Of course, hats and hair accessories aren't just a way to brighten up the office.  I borrowed this awesome hat from my friend Rachie last time I visited her in Portland.  I wore it with my favorite Urban Outfitters dress and leather platforms (both of which will be in future blog posts for sure!).

So be bold and try an accessory for your noggin!  You are sure to stand out without looking inappropriate or too flashy.  I'll be sure to share some more awesome headbands and hats with you all soon.  Until then, get to work!  

This is Halloween

I don't have enough photos (sadly) to do a full post today, but I did want to share my Halloween costume with you. I was Joan from Mad Men this year, and I rocked it!  Our whole house was decked out in blood and severed heads and I didn't manage to take one picture!  Oh well, lesson learned for next year I guess. 

Me as Joan.  Dress by Modcloth.  Photo by Jenn Maestas.

Me as Joan, and my friend and photographer Jenn as Pepper Ann.  I'm not sure who was manning the camera here...



The "real" Joan

The real Pepper Ann





And just for fun...



My husband Jer as Justin Bieber 

My sis Rachel as Peggy Bundy



Happy Halloween Fashion lovers!