9 pieces/9 outfits for spring

The 9 pieces/9 outfits series continues to be one of the most popular here on the blog!  It's always a really great resource for so many gals (myself included!) on how to make our wardrobes and our investments in those wardrobes really work for us on a season basis.

The premise of this series is simple.  I pull together 9 seasonally appropriate pieces and then mix and match them into 9 outfits!  I strongly believe that each piece we invest in for our wardrobe should be easy to wear and should mix and match within our wardrobe to make pulling together outfits simple and fun.

This spring I chose the wardrobe pieces from my Spring & Summer Wardrobe Essentials post that I recently wrote. If you were thinking of investing in any of those pieces, now is the time because today I am giving tips on how to style them as well! It's a win-win!  I hope you enjoy this post, I know I am already planning on recreating some of these looks this spring and summer!

the 9 pieces: 

peplum top, off the shoulder top, striped top, pink v-neck sweater, white jeans, wide leg jeans, denim skirt, black shorts, striped dress

accessories, 

top row: earrings, brown cross-body bag, tassel sandals, white cross-body bag, ankle wrap heels, black tote, blue espadrilles

middle row: black tote, wedges, ankle wrap espadrilles, necklace, pale pink tote, nude/white sandals

bottom row: brown cross-body bag, nude/white sandals, necklace, tassel sandals, blue espadrilles

9 pieces | 9 outfits - winter 2016!

It's time for another 9 pieces | 9 outfits...  these posts are without a doubt the most fun posts to put together.  And you gals seem to love them as well!

The basic premise is to take 9 wardrobe staples and mix and match them into 9 looks.  Why nine? Nine is the perfect capsule of pieces to invest in each season.  Although I betting many of you have a lot of these staples in your wardrobe already. It's an exercise in stretching our wardrobe and getting the most out of the pieces we invest in.  This winter I am (still) really into neutrals and lately it seems I've really been into red as an accent color.  These outfits mirror similar pieces in my own wardrobe that I am really loving and wearing a lot this winter.

I featured a few fun and bold pieces like the fringed sweatshirt, red coat and red shoes alongside tried and true staples like a cable knit sweater, gingham, stripes and blazers.  It the perfect balance of simplicity and trend paired together. Enjoy! And happy mixing and matching!

Shop the pieces...

9 staples: striped tunic, blazer, skinny jeans, black jeans, distressed boyfriend jeans, cable knit sweater, sweatshirt with fringe hem, red coat, gingham top

accessories:  riding boots, black flats, black ankle boots, red flats, leopard clutch, black hobo bag, gold necklace, earrings

Shop the pieces...

9 staples: striped tunic, blazer, skinny jeans, black jeans, distressed boyfriend jeans, cable knit sweater, sweatshirt with fringe hem, red coat, gingham top

accessories:  riding boots, black flats, black ankle boots, red flats, leopard clutch, black hobo bag, gold necklace, earrings

Or shop the pieces below...

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9 pieces | 9 outfits… fall 2015!

It's HERE!  The 9 pieces/9 outfits post for Fall 2015!  This time I changed things up a little bit… if these 9 pieces look familiar to you, it's because I snagged them from the 'fall wardrobe essentials' post from a few weeks back!  You gals LOVED those pieces so much I thought I would bring that post full circle with tips and tricks on how to style some of those pieces.  So I chose my 9 favorite pieces from that post and worked them into outfits here.  How awesome is that?!

If you are new around here the 9 pieces/9 outfits posts take 9 seasonal wardrobe staples and mixes them into 9 outfits.  It's the ultimate mix and match game where everyone wins!  It's a great way to take a fresh look at the items you already own, or that extra nudge you may need to a purchase some new pieces for your fall wardrobe now that you know how versatile they can be for you! As always… the outfit options here are endless - so try and come up with your own combos of these 9 pieces too!  It can be quite addicting once you catch on…   If you love this post… there is an entire series AND an ebook with tons more inspiration.

This fall I chose some simple and classic pieces that are easy to layer and mix and match.  These are pieces that I will be wearing tons of this season, and hopefully you will too!

The 9 pieces: 

blazer, army green pants, black jeans, boyfriend jeans, chambray dress, striped top, plaid top, blue oxford, red vest

The shoes:

leopard flats, burgundy flats, brown ankle boots, black flats, black riding boots

The accessories:

grey tote, leopard clutch, white scarf

9 pieces | 9 outfits… summer!

It's no surprise WHY these 9 for 9 posts are always well received.  We all want to simplify, we all want to make getting dressed fun and easy, we all want to look and feel our best… and I would bet that for most of us we don't have a ton of time or money to make these things happen.  My 9 pieces | 9 outfits posts pull together what we all desire most for our wardrobes. Beauty and simplicity.  The holy grail in getting dressed each day.

When pulling together a seasonal wardrobe (or even packing list for a trip) that mixes and matches easily the key is to choose a tight but flexible color scheme. For today's summer version I chose chambray, white and a pop of color as the basis of the looks (you could swap this yellow skirt for pink, red or green if you aren't into yellow).  The color scheme is tight blue/white/yellow but also flexible in that these colors got well with a multitude of other colors or pieces you always have in your wardrobe. You won't ever get stuck making outfits when you have plenty of neutral and flexible pieces on hand. Then adding in simple and beautiful accessories to pull the looks together is the final piece of the puzzle. Always have on hand some beautiful shoes, handbags and jewelry to make the looks come to life!

I hope you enjoy these summer looks! And for you die-hard 9 for 9 fans (I know you are out there!) read on for a great resource I have pulled together to help make getting dressed each morning even easier…

the 9 pieces:

yellow skirt, white shorts, denim shorts, white dress, chambray dress, cream tank, navy blouse, chambray tank, jacket

the accessories:

shoes - striped espadrilles, brown sandals, black sandals, gold sandals

bags - brown cross-body bag, 'ciao' clutch, navy satchel

misc - necklace, bracelet, 'xo' earrings, scarf

So now for the extra goodies!!! I've put together an awesome e-book featuring the five most popular 9 pieces | 9 outfits layouts of all time.  One for each season (summer, fall, winter, spring) PLUS one season-less layout.  The e-book contains five full layouts in an easy to print format to have on hand.  That equals 45 total outfit ideas!  FORTY FIVE!!! It's sure to make getting dressed SUPER easy and fun year round… for more information and to get the e-book click here!!!!

(or click below!)

9 pieces | 9 outfits… spring 2015!

My 9 pieces & 9 outfits posts continue to be super popular here on the blog… and it's not hard to see why.  (check out the archives here)

We all want our wardrobes to be more versatile and as hard working as possible for us.  Mixing and matching 9 pieces into 9 outfits is proof that simplicity and style is not only within reach for all of us… but it's easy too.

This spring my style is all about neutrals, but it's fun to add a small pop of color in there as well.  Here I relied on a little pop of pink and a little dash of red to bring life into these simple spring looks.  I think you will like them… and I hope you get a little inspiration for how to build a versatile wardrobe this spring!

the 9 pieces: 

chambray blazer, cream cardigan, red sweater, striped dress, white linen blend tunic, navy camisole top, striped tank, denim skirt, white jeans

the accessories:

black cross body bag, sneakers, baby blue scarf, nude pumps, camel satchel, black sandals, coral d'orsay flats, gold bangle bracelet, earrings

9 pieces/9 outfits - winter to spring 2015!

By leaps and bounds the 9 pieces/9 outfits posts are my MOST popular posts around here.  You gals love 'em - and so do I!  To see all the posts click here for the archives.  Since winter is in it's twilight and we are all pining and wishing for spring I thought I would do a small capsule that was still perfect to wear this winter yet, but that also had a little hint of spring within it!

Capsule dressing seems to be all the rage these days… if you are a capsule dresser, these pieces are perfect for you. If you aren't into the capsule thing (I'm on the fence) these pieces are very capsule-esque in that they are great for mixing and matching but with less of a commitment of a full on capsule. Either way these pieces are SUPER easy to wear and can be dressed up or down for whatever your wardrobe needs may be this winter into spring!

the pieces: 

white jeans, boyfriend jeans, ponte leggings, striped duster jacket, black vest, grey sweater, white tuxedo top, pink sweater, cream sweatshirt

the accessories:

top row, from left:

tag necklace, black flats, cross body bag, brown ankle boots, bucket bag, sneakers

middle row, from left: 

strippend weekender bag, sneakers, lip gloss, necklace, brown ankle boots, leopard clutch, leather strand necklace, heels

bottom row, from left: 

riding boots, earrings, double ring, zipper bag, sneakers, scarf, ring, nude flats

9 pieces | 9 outfits… fall 2014!

One of the most popular series here on the blog is definitely the 9 pieces | 9 outfits posts.  This fall I had fun pulling together some classic pieces with some great trends to create an easy to wear capsule wardrobe for fall.   I love the laid back vibe this season has with comfortable sweaters, track pants, tailored jackets and simple and gorgeous shoes.

I hope these 9 pieces and 9 outfits give you inspiration on how to mix and match your wardrobe and key pieces this fall.

the 9 pieces: denim jacket, grey blazer, lavender blouse, white sweater, black sweater, striped top,  distressed denim, track pants, black coated jeans

the accessories: 

top row, from left: camo flats, leather tote, necklace, black flats, boots

middle row, from left: handbag, leopard flats, necklace, black ankle boots, camo flats, clutch

bottom row, from left: tassel necklace, leopard flats, scarf, leather tote, sneakers, bar earrings, cuff bracelet, black flats

To see all the 9 pieces | 9 outfits posts - click here!

9 pieces/9 outfits… summer version!

My 9 pieces/9 outfits series never fails to be a popular one with you gals and also on Pinterest.  Which tells me one thing, you gals are just like me in that you want to be able to mix and match your wardrobe as much as possible.  Never is mixing and matching as easy as it is in the summer.  With warm temps you need minimal layers and the pieces you love can be worn again and again with one another with absolutely no fuss.

Here I took some fun summer basics and mixed and matched them into 9 summer outfits…

the 9 pieces: 

denim jacket, gingham top, white top, striped top, navy dress, striped maxi dress, denim shorts, navy shorts, white lace skirt

the accessories: 

top row: brown sandals, sunglasses, flats, bag, pumps, clutch

middle row: brown sandals, earrings, gold sandals, brown clutch, necklace, wedges

bottom row: striped sandals, purse, necklace, hat, gold sandals, brown sandals, clutch

Like these types of posts? You can find more here...

see you around...

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9 pieces / 9 outfits.

Transitional dressing between seasons can be challenging… one minute it's sunny and you are feeling warm and the next the sun goes behind a cloud and you are freezing again!  Spring is very slowly starting to make itself known here in the mid-west (albeit quite slowly it seems!) and it's time to pack away the winter boots and bulky sweaters (yay!).

Here are 9 easy to wear pieces that mix and match simply to create a great transitional wardrobe from winter to spring.  My closet is having a moment with neutrals and navy and these outfits definitely reflect that… it's amazing how many outfits you can make with such neutral pieces.

the 9 pieces: jeans (similar), black pants (similar), white jeans (similar), grey tank (similar), oui/non tee (similar), striped top (similar), navy sweater (similar), denim jacket (similar), navy blazer (similar)

accessories, 

top row: double pendant necklace (similar), black flats (similar), camel leather tote (similar), nude pointed toe shoes (similar), sunglasses (similar), printed tote (similar), sandals (similar)

middle row: fringe scarf (similar), cuff bracelet (similar), black shoes (similar), tortoise clutch (similar), nude pointed toe shoes (similar), necklace (similar), sandals (similar)

bottom row: bucket bag (similar), nude ankle strap sandals (similar), black cross body bag (similar), sneakers (similar or similar), scarf (similar), earrings (similar), black flats (similar)

see you around...

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9 pieces | 9 outfits!

Good morning lovely ladies!  Today I have a great post on mixing and matching for you... I am working through all of your amazing comments and suggestions from the recent survey that many (oh so many!) of you completed.  Thank you so much for doing that!  I plan to do a little recap to let you know what I have learned and to talk about blog stuff in general.  But in the meantime I've got a killer post today for you.

A lot of you left comments that you miss the wardrobe consult posts.  (sad face) I know you do gals, I know you do. But since I am no longer offering wardrobe consultation services and focusing more on the blog I can't offer those specific posts any more.  However I get that you like the idea behind them - a budget and then mixing and matching. Am I right?  The 9 pieces | 9 outfits series is actually very close in concept!

For these outfits I focused on budget friendly pieces (all the clothes are from Target, because their fall/winter stuff rocks right now, and usually always) and I also focused on pieces that I would likely recommend in a wardrobe consult.  These pieces are a spot on for the season, mix and match well and easy to wear!  Plus I worked to have a few outfits that are ultra casual while others are great for the office or at least a casual day in the office.

All the clothing in this post amounts to only $274 (I went ahead and did the math for you!) and the accessories come to an additional $347.  If you have a monthly shopping budget of around $300 (like I do) you could buy half of these pieces this month and half next month. OR you may already own some of these basics... like a black blazer or jeans or black flats and then these pieces would cost much less all together if you supplement the pieces you already own.  And then pow! you have 9 new outfits to wear through out the late fall and early winter.  That is nine less days of asking yourself "what should I wear today?" Or of course you could just buy a few pieces and still complete a few looks.  I hope this is helpful whatever your budget!

clothing featured:

cream blouse, black jacquard pants, burgundy coat, grey sweater, jeans, striped top, burgundy cords, black tee, black blazer

shoes featured:

black pumps, black loafers, brown boots

accessories featured:

necklace, wrap bracelet, earrings, scarf

see you around...

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9 pieces | 9 outfits!

I'm back with another 9 pieces for fall mixed and matched into 9 outfits for you!  Early fall is one of my favorite times of the year to get dressed.  The mornings are cool and the afternoons are warm so it's really the best of all the seasons combined into one!

Layers are great this time of year, but not necessary so you can layer a little one day and then not the next.  Pretty blouses don't need to get covered up with a jacket yet and ankles can still show comfortably peeking out of your favorite jeans (although I can be caught doing this year round to my own demise!).  It's a sense of freedom of wearing what you want whenever you want that I love about fall. T-shirts are still totally acceptable while blazers are as well.  How can you beat that?

Here I took 9 super neutral fall pieces (I'm obsessed with black and white these days, these outfits prove that!) and mixed and matched them into 9 great outfits.  The shoes don't technically count into the 9 items, but here I re-used the same three pairs because I happen to think they are great staples to own this fall: the orsay flat, a leopard flat and a pair of riding boots.

I hope you enjoy the looks and get some inspiration on how to make the most out of your new fall pieces!

 (in order of appearance)

nine essential pieces: grey sweater, skinny distressed jeans, black dress, polka dot tee, boyfriend jeans, denim jacket, black and white color blocked top, tweed jacket, tuxedo style top

three pairs of shoes to own this season: riding boots, orsay flats, leopard loafers

accessories and handbags: #1 camel cross body bag, #2 floral scarf, earrings, #3 camel scarf, #4 tortoise chain necklace, #5 earrings, #6 glasses, orange/red clutch purse, #7 tote, #8 bracelet, #9 earrings

see you around...

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9 pieces | 9 outfits - take 2!

The last time I pulled 9 pieces and made 9 outfits out of them you all seemed to like it... and so did I!

That last post had more of a "spring" feel to it, so for today's post I focused on summer pieces exclusively.  The 9 outfits with 9 pieces idea originated when I was traveling recently and found myself mixing and matching only a few pieces to make several outfits - that's the best way to travel in my opinion!  But really the idea can be useful even when you are not traveling. Say you have a limited budget or a small closet and don't want to store a lot of pieces that won't get worn or you are a minimalist and don't want your closet cluttered with hubris.  Whatever the case may be... I'll bet you will be surprised by how many outfits can be born from so few pieces. I know I was!

the nine essential pieces:

coral maxi, striped tank, white shorts, linen neon sweater, cropped geo print jeans, striped dress, white henley, navy skirt, mint eyelet top

footwear featured: 

brown sandals, black ankle strap sandals, black & gold plated sandals, nude flats, 

gold flip flops, pink flip flops

accessories featured: 

cream scarf, tassel necklace, neon drop earrings, coral clutch, navy bib necklace, sunglasses, bucket tote, pink lucite necklace, tortoise earrings

see you around...

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9 pieces | 9 outfits

While I was on vacation last week I changed my outfit like 3 times a day.  Do you ever have that? It's like one outfit for breakfast, another for shopping in the afternoon and another for dinner and a movie that evening.  I found that all the pieces I brought were versatile enough to be worn in several outfits and even though I had only brought a limited amount of pieces, I never ran out of outfits to wear!

I found that I was only getting dressed for 4 days but I had enough outfits for many more. I thought I would round up the ideal pieces here to illustrate how to mix and match your heart out with minimal pieces.  This is the perfect wardrobe for a long weekend out of town, your weekend wardrobe this summer if you are in business clothes most days, if you need to spruce up your summer wardrobe and don't know where to start (hint: start with these 9 pieces!) or just if you want to see how to make the most of your summer wardrobe!        

The secret to all these amazing pieces on a budget? All these clothing pieces are from Target because while I was there recently I was amazed by their summer offerings.  These pieces are super fun and perfectly priced for summer.                   

key pieces: 

striped maxi dress, mint tank, black maxi skirt, chambray top, peach skinny jeans, blue & white striped sweatshirt, blue shorts, printed skinny jeans, striped peplum top

shoes:

flats, thong sandals, strappy sandals

accessories: (in order of appearance, left to right, top to bottom)

chandelier earrings, pink clutch, black necklace, yellow bangle, floral scarf, orange belt, green earrings, peach necklace)