Mint n Stripes

Well, okay, so this summer has been super busy and I haven’t had much time to put into my blogging. I thought that with the kids being out of school and none of that school stuff to worry about, maybe I’d have lot’s of blogging time. NOPE!!! Now I’m just busy with other things. That’s okay though, cuz it’s definitely better than being bored all the time!

Since summer IS unfortunately more than half way over and I haven’t YET posted a shorts outfit, I decided that it’s about time! Well, okay, maybe I did when I did my copycat look with Alicia here. Now, once again, I’m styling those same navy shorts, but in a lil more casual way.

I started by pairing the shorts with a  mint top (it’s hard to tell cuz of the lighting, but it really is mint). I LOVE the striped sleeves on this top. They’re such an fun unexpected detail.

To keep things on the casual side, I went with the Contour Lightweight Slide by Avon. I’d never thought I’d wear this type of sandal, but after seeing them all over the Instagram and the Pinterest, they’ve really grown on me. Now they’re one of my go to sandal for the summer, especially for a casual look.

I like to add a touch of dressy to my casual looks. The easiest way to do this, is with jewelry. The mark natural charm necklace is the perfect piece for that. It’s neutral colors literally go with everything!

I finished off the look by doing a quick side braid in my hair and pinning it back with a pretty clip. I love pinning my hair back like this cuz it looks cute and it keeps my hair out of my face without tucking it behind my ear.

Top – ROOLEE / Shorts – Old Navy / Necklace | Hair Clip | Bracelets | Rings – mark / Slides | Watch – Avon

 

 

Spring Styling Tips: A How To

Now that Alicia and I have finished our Spring Styling Tips Series, we thought it’d be fun to each pick one of each others styling tips and recreate the look. I love recreating looks using pieces from my closet, so I had a lot of run with this one. Of course everything isn’t going to be exactly the same, but that’s the whole point! Showing that YOU can easily recreate our looks too! 

The look I chose to recreate was Alicia’s Spring Layers look. Here’s her look….

And here’s how I recreated it….

1. Start With a Cool “Bottom Layer”

For the bottom layer, Alicia suggested going with something cool enough for the warmest temps of the day. She suggested something like the mark. Easy Does It Romper, shorts, tank, ect. Since I don’t have the romper in my closet, I chose a pair of navy boyfriend roll up shorts to keep the colors similar. Then since I was wearing separate pieces, rather than the one piece romper, I decided to go with a navy and white polka dot top rather than a solid navy top for visual interest.

 

2. It’s All About The Fabric

For this step, Alicia suggested layering lightweight fabrics over the bottom layer so they don’t look bulky and out of season. Lucky for me, I actually have the exact same blazer as Alicia! That’s because it’s a mark blazer from a few years back. The blazer is definitely light weight and the perfect color for Spring.

 

3. Layer More Than One Layer

Next Alicia suggested layering more than one layer because it not only gives your look more dimension, but it’s also functional. It gives you one more layer in the cool early morning and allows you to remove layers as the day warms up. I actually ended up wearing this look the rest of the day after doing the shoot just cuz I loved the look so much! It was a cooler day so I removed the blazer and just wore the look with the chambray button up.

 

4. Spring Neutrals Layer Nicely

Alicia recommended that if you’re going with multiple layers, to keep them in the same color family. She said by keeping a like color scheme, it will keep you looking put together rather than hodge podge. She said you could add a print, but keep it in the same color family. I did this by adding the polka dot print top. As I said early, the top is navy and white, so I’m keeping things in the same color family with it. As Alicia also said, leopard is also a neutral. I added a leopard flat to the look like she did. I love how they add a lil visual interest to the look without looking crazyish.

 

5. Layer Your Spring Accessories

Now is the time Alicia says to bust out the Spring Accessories! Things like straw hats, beachy bracelets and shimmering spring accessories. Since the Twice as Nice Necklace Set, Cube Affects Necklace and bracelet Alicia is wearing in her look are by mark, I happen to have the same ones in my jewelry collection, so I decided to add the same pieces for my look. Then I also added the mark Tool Around Ring Set and a watch cuz I ALWAYS have to wear a watch! Then I added my straw fedora hat to top things off like Alicia did.

Polka Dot Top – Poshmark / Fedora | Chambray Button Up – DownEast / Boyfriend Roll Up Short –  Old Navy / Leopard Flats – Shoe Carnival /  Necklaces | Watch | Bracelet | Rings | Blazer – mark

 

Alicia’s How To

Alicia also chose to recreate my Spring Layers look using the mark Luck of the Drawstring Anorak and mark Four Seasons Scarf. The jacket and scarf are perfect for the cooler mornings. Then they can easily be removed once the temperatures rise!

I LOVE how the jacket and scarf style beautifully together along with her neutral bottom layer. The deep purples in the top really make the purples in the scarf just pop!

See more pics and read how Alicia recreated my look over on her blog, Word of Alicia.

 

 

 

Pink Gingham and Florals

If you’ve been following my blog for awhile, you’ll know my LOVE for mixing prints. I guess I just love the fun visual interest it adds to a look.

Today I’m mixing a pink gingham button up with a floral skirt. The pink in the top perfectly compliments the pinks in the floral skirt so they just look amazing together! I love the abstract florals in the skirt.

If you remember, I got this skirt at a steal deal at Walmart last Spring for just 3 bucks!!!! True Story!!! It’s from a brand that the local Walmarts in my area used to carry called Bella Bird. Unfortunately they no long carry it. 😦 Bad move Walmart, bad move! This was actually a great lil boutique style brand that greatly upped the Walmart clothing image. At least I got myself this great lil skirt (plus a few other pieces) before they decided to pull the line from the store.

Skirt – Walmart / Top – Old Navy / Necklace | Watch | Bracelet – mark / Shoes – Avon

Holy Chic

Whenever I see A LOT of something, I refer to it as Holy “whatever it is” in replace of the “Holy Cow” saying. Like if I see A LOT of shoes, I’d say “Holy Shoes”!!!! That’s why as soon as I saw the Holy Chic tee all over the Instagram, I had to make it mine! Plus I like the fun play on words. I asked another blogger where she found hers, she told me Old Navy. Lucky for me that’s one of my FAVE places to shop!

Besides the Holy Chic on the tee, a graphic tee is just a great way to dress down an otherwise dressy outfit. Pair a graphic tee with a blazer and you have the perfect dressed down “chic” look. I went for a complete casual look today with a graphic tee, cardi, boyfriend jeans and espadrilles. I added just a touch of dressy with a pretty statement necklace.

Necklace | Rings | Watch | Bracelet – mark / Espadrilles – Avon / Holy Chic Tee – Old Navy / Cardigan – Walmart / Boyfriend Jeans – Kohl’s (LC Lauren Conrad)

Camo n Coral

I used to wear camo A LOT, but not so much lately. So I decided it’s time to break my camo button up out for the day. My FAVE pair of colored denim lately has been my coral ankle skinnies, so of course I styled it with them. It was still a lil chilly out, so I layered the top with a denim jacket. Besides, the jacket just adds more visual interest to the look.

I’m really liking the sneaker trend and the leopard is just more fun! I LOVE leopard shoes! If you were to ever see my shoe collection you’d have to agree. Camo Top – Old Navy / Denim Jacket – DownEast / Colored Denim | Sneakers – Poshmark / Necklace | Watch | Bracelet | Rings – mark

Old Navy Copycat

We’re having a food day at work today for all the March birthdays, so I wanted to go with something loose fitting (gotta be able to hide all the extra goodies I eat). I decided that my buffalo plaid tunic would be PERFECT. It’s loose fitting and it has great style to it. That’s when I decided I wanted to recreate a look from an Old Navy email ad I’d seen a few months ago, but with a Jill style twist.

I had first seen the look in my email inbox and fell in LOVE with it. I love the print mixing, especially between buffalo plaid and stripes. Then later that day, I got a FB message from my friend Alicia from over at Word Of Alicia sharing the email ad with me. She knew how much I’d been obsessing over my striped blazer lately and thought of me when she saw it. To make the look Jill style, first I had to work with what I already had in my closet. I have the same buffalo plaid tunic (had to get it after seeing the ad), but that’s it. My striped blazer is a slightly different style, but still works. I don’t have a light wash super skinny jean, so I went with a grey pair of skinny pants and rolled them similarly. Pumps don’t quite work for my work day attire, so I went with a dressy snake print flat instead. The last thing I did to make it Jill style, is add a long pendant necklace. It’s not very often you see me without a necklace on of some sort.

How do you think I did on the copycat? Do you ever copycat a look you see? Tunic | Blazer – Old Navy / Necklace | Bracelets | Watch – mark / Flats – DownEast / Pants – Walmart

Buffalo Plaid

Buffalo plaid has been on my wish list for awhile now. I FINALLY came across this cute navy and white buffalo plaid tunic at Old Navy. It’s a new piece from their spring line. I like that it could easily transition to fall later this year, so for me, it’s a great buy!

I ordered the tunic from Old Navy’s online store. When it finally came and I tried it on, it looked a lil like an old night shirt to me because of the length and how loose fitting it is. So my first thought was to belt it. Then I rolled the sleeves to give it a lil more style. Next I added a pair of coral skinny ankle pants (they look kinda red in the pic, but I SWEAR they’re really coral!). I’m really into Oxford shoes these days and decided they’d be the perfect shoe for the look. I wanted to go simple with the jewelry today, so I went with small layered pendant necklaces, watch and a couple rings.

Today at work I had to audit our cafeteria, so that means my hair has to be pulled back and covered with a hairnet. So I opted to just have it pulled back in a pony ALL day, tying it back with a super cute pony band. Thanks to my pervious day’s curl, my pony had some great wave going on!

Buffalo Plaid Tunic – Old Navy / Coral Jeans | Oxford Shoes – Poshmark / Necklaces | Watch | Rings | Belts – mark

 

 

Window Pane

Window pane is the newest print trend I’ve been seeing lately all over Instagram. Since I’m really into the clean lines, I was totally drawn to it.

I’ve been seeing a lot of the window pane print on skirts, but since the only time I really get to wear a skirt is on Sunday, I decided to opt for a window pane pant instead. At Old Navy I found the option of either a black and white window pane or a cobalt and white window pane. Since I’m SO ready to start working some color into my spring looks, I went for the cobalt and white.

At first look, these pants definitely feel like a more dressy pant, but I wanted to share how easy it is to dress them down. So how do I do that? Chambray of course! If you know me, you know that chambray is my main go to!

To add a lil print contrast, I added a leopard skinny belt. Leopard is also considered a neutral, so it pairs perfectly with the cobalt window pane. To keep things casual, I again went with Oxfords. They’re just the perfect way to add some cute, casual style to a look. I finished off by keeping the jewelry simple with the mark Three Of A Kind Bracelet Set and mark Tool Around Ring Set.

Chambray Top | Leopard Skinny Belt – DownEast / Window Pane Pants – Old Navy / Oxford Shoes – Poshmark / Bracelet Set | Ring Set – mark

Spring Plaid

Now that spring weather is back and I think here to stay this time, I can’t resist wearing some spring plaid. Just a few weeks ago I was a lil sad about having to put away my fall/winter fashion for the season, but now that the weather’s warmed up, I think I’m completely over it! I’m SO ready to break out the spring fashion, especially the spring colors!

Plaid is still one of my FAVE prints, so what better way to welcome spring than with a spring plaid! I thought it would be fun to do a lil print mixing by pairing the spring plaid with a polka dot cardi. The navy polka dots in the cardi coordinate perfectly with the plaid. Then again, since I’m really into the Oxfords, I added them as well. Then I cuffed my jeans to show the Oxfords off just a lil bit more. I finished off by adding the mark Clear Choice Necklace and mark Tool Around Ring Set.

Spring Plaid Button Up – Old Navy / Polka Dot Cardi – Bella Me Boutique / Jeans – Alloy / Oxford Shoes – Poshmark / Rings | Necklace | Watch – mark

Chambray

Today was one of those days I was just bloated, needed to hide it and nothing in my closet was really speaking to me. That’s when I say, when all else fails, wear chambray!

Chambray is one of the wardrobe basics that will go with pretty much anything. Basically a no brainer when it comes to styling. Plus since it’s loose fitting, it can easily hide my bloated tummy. BONUS!!!

To add a lil bit of interest to my look, I added a pair of cuffed camo jeans with a pair of brown booties. Then I accessorized with a layered watch and name plate bracelet and a crystal necklace (can’t see it in the pics).

Top | Booties – Poshmark / Camo Jeans – Bella Me Boutique / Watch | Bracelet | Necklace – mark