2016 style resolution: black shoes!

I am quite picky when it comes to purchasing shoes and boots for myself.  Especially since in the last few years I have overall tried to curate my wardrobe more thoughtfully.  Instead of buying whatever is inexpensive or on sale or the latest trend from Target (all of which find their way to the 'donate' pile faster than I would like) I have been focusing on investing in shoes that I not only really, really (really!) love but also that will hopefully last multiple seasons. If a shoe can last two seasons that is good, four or five seasons is even better!  But as you may have experienced or can guess, finding that perfect shoe that fits the budget and is stylish and can last that long isn't an easy task.

I recently snagged a new pair of black mocs on crazy sale at Nordstrom Rack.  But not before humming and hawing a great deal about it.  I literally walked around the store for an hour with them in hand while trying to decide.  But then I had an "aha!" moment.  One really can't have too many black shoes.  Or at least this applies to me.  (Does it work for you too!?)  Black shoes always end up sticking around my closet longer and are also the first color of shoe I reach for on a regular basis.  They simply go with everything and are (almost) season-less. So one of my 2016 Style Resolutions is to remember that black shoes are always good to add to the mix.  Do you agree?

Have you made any style resolutions for 2016? If so... what are they?

Here are some of my favorite black shoes that I either already own... or wouldn't mind adding to my collection!

top row: pumps, slip on sneakers, ankle boots

middle row: loafer moccasins, tory burch flats, lace up ballet flats

bottom row: over the knee boots (I've acquired the most awful crush on these!), riding boots, hunter boots

Or shop them below...

jeans I love… and you will too!

You know I am a jean fan to the end… I wear jeans pretty much 99% of the time. As a busy mom that still wants to stay stylish, these jeans are just what I need to accomplish both! Today I have rounded up 7 of my tried and true denim cuts and styles.  These are jeans that have stood up to tons of wear, always look great, and are the pairs I pull out again and again.

Read on to see check out my favorite jeans and why I love them so much. Maybe you will find a pair you love too!

7 for all Mankind Slim Illusion - on sale! … these jeans suck you in at all the right places.  7's usually run long on my short legs… so I cut off them hem on these myself.

Gap Black Coated Skinny Jeans… sadly Gap no longer makes this style. But I've found similar pairs here and here.  Coated denim add a dressed up feel to any look.

Target Frayed Hem Skinny Jeans - free shipping today!… after happening upon these jeans over the summer they have quickly become a favorite. Plus, the price is definitely right on these!

AG Stevie Ankle… these are my most tried and true jeans… the ones I always pull out, they always look great and are a great basic but refined pair of jeans.

AG Prima Legging Jean - free shipping today!… these are the best legging jeans.  They are super soft and ultra stretchy but thick enough that they are still very flattering.  These feel like sweatpants on the inside but look like jeans on the outside… can't go wrong with that!

Gap True Resolution… The Gap True Resolution jean is awesome.  These jeans fit GREAT and feel great on.  I have a few pairs of these jeans and they are a true favorite.  Plus, the price is right on these.

Blank NYC Distressed Jeans… these ultra-distressed jeans are fun to wear and are my favorite distressed jeans by far.  They are super soft, but also a nice thick high quality denim.

Or shop them all here…

spring staples at all price points!

There are a few wardrobe pieces this time of year that are absolute staples to have on hand. These are the pieces that get worn over and over again and really become the foundation for your spring wardrobe.  These pieces work great with the trendier pieces you may choose this spring and also are great for the sometimes cool, sometimes warm weather that the spring season throws our way.

Shop these pieces below at all price points… so that no matter your budget your closet will be set for spring!

striped top: steal, spend (shown), splurge

white jeans: steal, spend, splurge (shown)

field jacket: steal, spend, splurge (shown)

sunglasses: steal, spend (shown), splurge

classic tee: steal, spend (shown), splurge

boyfriend jeans: steal, spend, splurge (shown)

clutch: steal, spend, splurge (shown)

cross sandals: steal, spend (shown), splurge

sneakers: steal, spend (shown), splurge

striped dress: steal (shown), spend, splurge

delicate necklace: steal, spend (shown), splurge

summer sweater: steal, spend (shown), splurge

the damage… september, 2014!

At the end of each month this year I am planning to pause to take a look at my spending as it's related to my closet. I call these posts "the damage." Each month my target budget is $300 and only 5 pieces of clothing or shoes. For 2014 I chose 5 items because I am working on making my closet a more curated place and also to try to put an end to the constant closet clean outs where loads of clothes get sent to charity - but I have failed pretty miserably at the 5 things goal. It was a lofty goal I experimented with this year and I guess you win some you lose some, but this was in the "lose" category for sure. Oh well, just keeping it real here for you gals!

 For some this budget may sound like a lot and for others it may not... for me personally this is my monthly goal. It works for my budget and lifestyle and doesn't break the bank. Shopping budgets are a personal thing, but I share mine here to show how I stretch my budget and work to create a well curated and fully stocked closet.

September was a bad month for shopping for me… I came away with a few great pieces but I mostly did my shopping online this month - which isn't necessarily out of character for me - with little to no luck. I returned a TON of stuff that didn't fit or I didn't like - which is very out of character for me.  I hate returning stuff and rarely, rarely do. I like to make final decisions in the fitting room.  Not only is it a huge pain to run to a million stores (again) to return or pack up boxes to return I always just feel disappointed doing it.  I hate to send back a gorgeous jacket or pair of jeans when they don't fit.  So overall it was a weird shopping month. I feel like I am a little behind on my fall wardrobe because of it.

Let's take a look at the pieces I did buy and keep this month…

Black Drapey Sweater, LOFT, $54.50 with coupon $29.50 (worn here)

White Lace Front Sweatshirt, LOFT, $59.50 on promotion for $29.50 (worn here)

Grey Jeweled Sweatshirt, LOFT, $54.50 on promotion for $29.50 (worn here)

Grey Button Back 3/4 Sweater, LOFT, $44.50 on promotion for $29.50 (worn here)

Space-Dye Blouson Tank Dress, LOFT, $54.50 on promotion for $21.80 (worn here)

Scarf, Zara, $29.90

Total Spent: $169.70 (saved: $127.70)

Thoughts on the budget: Obviously when shopping doesn't go as planned and there are returns it can be good to be under budget!  And last month I was quite over budget - so it does even the budget out a bit.  I am thankful for that.  LOFT always has great promotions and I took advantage of them this month for sure!  There are a few stores where it never makes sense to buy an item full price… LOFT is one of those, they have so many great deals.

Thoughts on the pieces: I didn't mean to buy only from LOFT this month (with the exception of the scarf). But I really love their offerings lately.  It's no surprise that I am into neutrals lately and this shopping month proved that as well.  I am sure you gals will ask, so these are the items I returned: these boots, this jacket, these jeans, this jacket.  These items would have definitely put me over budget and for October I am deciding if I should re-order in different sizing or not.  Stay tuned!

Do you share your monthly shopping budget on your blog? I would love to read it - share in the comments!

timeless classics for fall with Ann Taylor!

When the calendar flips to August I immediately start thinking fall clothes (it naturally comes with the territory as a blogger). Not that I wish one day of summer away - no way… I'm still in full on summer mode.  But in between lazy mornings, afternoons poolside and bbqs I am already working on scouring the sites to see what surprises fall has in store for us style-wise.   I will feature a lot of these finds here on the blog… hopefully to make your fall shopping easier!

I randomly ended up on the Ann Taylor site recently - drooling over this jacket - and the more I poked around the more goodies I found and loved.  Ann Taylor is the epitome of classic style and what I love so much about all these pieces is that not only will they be timeless enough to wear for seasons to come but they are also great transitional wear to fall.  Black jeans can still be worn with a tee shirt and sneakers this September or a leather jacket can easily be layered over a great summer dress for a perfect summer to fall look.

And since Ann Taylor pieces are always so beautiful but conservative… they also translate well to an office environment as well.  You really can't go wrong with any of these gorgeous pieces for fall!

top row, from left: sunglasses, black skinny jeans, flats, peter pan top

2nd row, from left: tote, striped top, leather jacket, drapey pant

3rd row, from left: navy blouse, clutch, cheetah print dress, earrings

4th row, from left: tortoise belt, pleather skirt, ankle strap sandals, sweater

how to build a wardrobe!

Lately I have had a lot of reader emails to the effect of "I just lost a lot of weight and need to rebuild my wardrobe, help!" or "I am done having kids and feel like I can finally buy new clothes for myself but I don't know where to start" or "I am in a total fashion rut and need to start fresh, what should I buy?"

Sometimes major life changes call for a shift in your wardrobe or sometimes it's just time to make that shift for other personal reasons.  Building a wardrobe can be daunting. It's hard to know where to start and it's hard to know how to make it all work on a budget as well.

Building a wardrobe (or re-building a wardrobe) should happen in two steps.  One is to stock up and invest in the basics.  Find really great fitting jeans, a simple dress you can wear anywhere, classic tops like stripes and chambray and a few pairs of classic and simple shoes.  For the first part of your building period focus on these simple and classic pieces - make sure you LOVE them and they fit you PERFECTLY.  Spend a good deal of time trying stuff on and shopping around online or in person.  The basics will be the foundation of your wardrobe today, tomorrow and hopefully throughout the year.

Then comes the fun part… Once you have your foundation set you can shop for the "fun" pieces that make a wardrobe personal and interesting.  Think patterns and colors - bold or subtle depending on your personal style, throw in some fun accessories like a great bag or earrings and feel free to add in a few trends as well.  Some of these "fun" pieces you may want to invest in, but others may be cheap thrills from Target, Old Navy or H&M - it's up to you, your budget and your style preferences.  One very important tip is to try and stay in a color story for these pieces.  As you can see below I focused on navy, grey, coral and neon for the "fun" stuff.  This helps keep your wardrobe easy to mix and match which makes getting dressed each morning very simple.

Finally keep a healthy balance between the basics and the fun stuff. Don't go overboard on the fun stuff while leaving out important building blocks to your wardrobe and alternately don't over-buy basics and leave your wardrobe lifeless.  Find a healthy balance that YOU feel comfortable with.

I hope this post really helps those of you working on building or re-building your wardrobe… if you have any more questions please feel free to ask in the comments!

the basics: 

jeans, black pants, white jeans, shorts, maxi skirt, striped dress, chambray top, grey sweatshirt, striped top, denim jacket, sandals, black flats, leopard print flats

the "fun" stuff: 

polka dot top, neon tee, "new york" tee, coral blouse, baseball tee, earrings, bracelet, coral sneakers, silver sandals, tote, grey varsity dress, striped shorts, embroidered dress