When I wear outfits like today’s, our 10 year-old horse lover Ava gives me a hard time and calls me a want-to-be equestrian. She’s partially right. I love equestrian style, especially riding boots. But, truth be told, I’m scared to death of horses. They are massive, unpredictable beasts that I have a healthy respect for. Both of the times that I’ve dared to get on the back of one, the horse took advantage of my fear and had a little fun with it. Once by taking me back to the barn, the other by refusing to move. I preferred the second time but still, I won’t be riding again anytime soon. 🙂
Here’s Ava, our little hunter jumper. She’s WAY braver than me.
And here’s my non-horse-riding equestrian-influenced style.
It’s the day of the week at GYPO where we celebrate what makes us feel pretty. Whether it’s a new outfit, hairstyle, or makeup, the I Feel Pretty link up is about anything and everything that makes your life prettier. Even if you’re not a blogger, you can still play along. Just tell us what made you feel pretty this week in the comments!
When I ask for feedback from challengers, this is the one thing that I hear over and over again. Many of the women who participate in these challenges have life changing experiences.
It’s something that’s hard to explain to someone who hasn’t been through one. How could a shopping list with 21 days of outfits really change someone’s life?
Because it’s not about the shopping list or outfits, it’s about so much more.
When I did the first Style Me Pretty Challenge earlier this year, it was to provide a way to make a personal stylist affordable to every woman. My goal is for all of us to feel pretty every day.
What I didn’t realize is that it would lead to so much more.
These women find something that a lot of them thought they had lost. They find confidence, better self-esteem, improved health and relationships and lasting friendships with a tribe of other women just like them.
And no, I’m not giving myself credit in any way. These women are the ones doing all of the work.
Because it’s so hard for me to put into words, I thought I’d share some stories and confident, smiling faces from the Fall Style Me Pretty Challenge with you today.
“As a first-time participant in the Style Me Pretty Challenge, let me just say that it has definitely had a positive impact on me. I feel much more confident in knowing how to incorporate colors and patterns in my wardrobe and am learning to step out of my comfort zone and try something new that I may not have worn before! The positive comments, compliments, and encouragement from fellow challengers is so uplifting ~ you ladies really know how to make a girl feel good about herself! Best of all, knowing ahead of time what to wear the next day is such a time saver! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge with us and helping me gain some much needed self confidence!” – Jill E.
“I’m currently living the dream…I’m a new mom to a 16 month old little girl and married to a wonderful man (he’s younger to boot!) I work from home 50+ hours a week, so it’s easy to get stuck in a rut of t-shirts and sweats, because I really have no where to go and no one else is going to see me. I recently gave up on the idea that I was ever going to fit back in to my pre-baby clothes, coming to the realization that our bodies are just different after giving birth. So, hesitantly, I threw out nearly everything in my closet with the mindset that I will embrace this new body and start shopping for my body today, not my body 2 years ago. My dearest friend told me about you and this style challenge, so I jumped at the chance to join. It sure has been a fun experience. I can absolutely say that it has changed my life for the better. I feel better because I know I look better, and that goes a long way each and every day, both professionally and personally. I get compliments every time I step out of the house, and of course my husband loves the new looks. I didn’t realize how my dressing down every day was affecting him as well. What’s so great about this challenge is how easy you make it for us newbies, and then the Facebook group just lets women empower each other with compliments, advice, etc. It goes way beyond clothes! Thank you for what you are doing! You are touching thousands of women in ways I bet you had never considered. Keep on rockin’ it!” – Becky W.
“As a busy stay at home mom of three, fashion hasn’t been my priority since my first child was born almost 7 years ago. I have literally gained and lost 140 lbs over the course of three pregnancies and now that I am finally back at my goal weight, it felt so awesome to go shopping again! With Alison’s list in my hands, I went on a shopping marathon and I have been so pleased with my purchases. It feels amazing to have my outfits picked out for me the night before. No more staying in my PJs all day or wearing my yoga pants for the 99th time. It is hard to be in a bad mood when you are in a fabulous outfit! It may seem silly, but this challenge has given my self esteem a big boost and as a result, I am nicer to everyone around me. Thank you Alison!” – Sheryl J.
“I’m not sure where to start but I think it is best to begin with the shopping list. This tool has changed the way I shop. Instead of wandering aimlessly through the mall trying to find what is in style, I now have a guide for both the season and what is in style. Next would be the daily outfits. In the beginning, I thought I had to mirror them exactly. After the Facebook group began posting, I realized I feel better about myself and my outfit when I tailor it to my colors and body shape. However, the basic principle is provided for me to have a visual idea of what I’m trying to put together. Lastly would be how my confidence has grown to try things that are outside my comfort zone and embrace the tall person I am today. With this knowledge, I’ve been able to adapt my outfits using things I pin on Pinterest as well. I’m so happy that I stumbled across your blog. It has been such an inspiration for me and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!” – Bonnie B.
“After the birth of my second child I have lived in yoga pants and my hair in a pony. He is two now, but is a horrible sleeper, up at all hours every night. I am always exhausted and unmotivated to take care of myself. Your challenge has kicked my butt into getting dressed for the day and having a routine for ME! I may not do anything outside of the house, but I feel like I get more accomplished around the house when I am put together!” – Jessica D.
“Thank you for giving me some direction and guidance for it has helped me take more interest in making me be the best all around me that I can possibly be.” – Deeanne P.
“Thank you for making getting dressed in the morning fun again…like the movie Groundhog Day, I feel like every morning is the first day of school and I am excited about all of the new ways I have to wear my clothes!! The best part of the challenges for me has been the ease with which I am able to create my own outfits and get dressed for almost any activity. BC (in this case)=Before Challenge, I would stand in my closet and look at all of my clothes but not be able to figure out what to wear. Now, no matter the season, the weather or the occasion, I feel like I have the pieces to (pack and) put together appropriate outfits. I no longer wonder if what I am wearing is age appropriate because I feel comfortable and confident in every challenge outfit. Sure, some of the pieces are a step or two out of my comfort zone but that’s what makes these challenges great. They CHALLENGE YOU! They challenge you to try something new, to use the essential pieces in outfits you adapt to fit your lifestyle. Since my retirement, I have been rediscovering myself from the inside out…BUT I have also been rediscovering myself from the outside in!” – Leslie C.
“This fall challenge has been so good for me, I’m learning so much about putting outfits together, but the best part to me has been the support from other women! Women can be hard on each other! But this group of women is just fabulous and so sweet in offering suggestions and help in such a lovely way! My husband has had a blast taking my picture and seeing what I’m going to put together each day! Young moms at church say “I hope I look like you do when I’m your age!” And, that is such a nice feeling.” – Susie B.
“This Challenge has been exactly what I needed! Fashion has never been my thing. My focus has always been my kids and husband and house decorating. Shopping for clothes was something I dreaded and only looked for something new for Holidays or a special occasion and my wardrobe reflected that. Now, I love shopping for clothes because I know what I’m looking for and this casual chic style is spot on for me. 🙂 Thank you so much Alison for giving me the ability to feel confident again!” – Sandi M.
“Thank you for the time and effort you have invested in creating stylish, casual outfits that can be worn by women of any shape, size or age! I’ve been feeling the need and on the lookout for something such as your Style Challenges for years and am so happy I found out about them in time to join the Fall Challenge. I’ve learned so much during this Fall Challenge. I’ve learned some fashion rules to follow (leopard is a neutral and goes with anything) and some fashion rules to break (It doesn’t have to “match”, it just has to “go”). I have found the most interesting thing though, is the word CHALLENGE. It is truly a challenge to trust someone else with what we are going to wear every day! There have been days when I didn’t think a particular outfit was going to look good on me, but I challenged myself to put it on and take a picture anyway. There have been other days when I didn’t think I had the right components to complete an outfit. But I challenged myself to take a second look at my Challenge pieces, scour my closet, and be persistent until I found a combination that fit the guidelines of the day and that I felt comfortable in. In both instances, I ended up discovering a new way of dressing that suited my taste, and made me feel up to date. Whereas, if I would have not trusted your judgment and challenged myself to see each day’s outfit through to completion, I would be stuck in my old wardrobe rut, growing frumpier and frumpier with each passing year. One day it occurred to me that this challenge is a good life lesson to not be prideful and think we know what is best for ourselves, but to humble ourselves, and admit that we could use some help. If we would always be as open to suggestions as we have been during this Challenge, our lives would be so much richer and fuller and more vibrant in every area! Thank you once again for everything!”- Nancy C.
“You have made my mornings much less stressful, and I feel better about myself because I know I look better (than I would have otherwise)! The shopping wasn’t too much, and I had a number of things on the list anyway. The bonus is that my husband (who always would say he didn’t care what I wore) has been telling me how sexy I look! Definitely worth $30 to you for that! Thank you so much!” – Alyssa W.
“I am a busy 30-something mom with two year old twin girls and I also own a financial planning company with my husband. It has been a tremendous help for me to plan my outfits the night before and to see ideas for mix-and-matching to get more mileage out of clothes I already own. I tend to wear things just as they are displayed in stores when I purchase them and don’t take the time to think of other styling options. I was amazed at how many of the items in your challenges I already owned, but had never realized how many ways they could be styled! Thank you so much for all that you do!” – Jessica H.
“When I got married I was a size 2 I am now a size 8. I am 5ft 2 inches. As you can imagine my self-confidence is almost nonexistent. After being told for 25 years that no one else would ever want me …I believe it. I have no idea how to dress my bigger size and I stumbled upon your blog and love to see the basics and how to put all of this together. I am learning! Being a single mom of a college student I do not have a huge clothing budget and the fact that some of these things are not expensive is awesome!! I thought I was too old for riding boots and for leggings…..and still haven’t worn them but I have to admit I have bought them. Thank you!! THANK YOU! I look forward to your email and will be lost without it!” – Name Withheld
I am truly, truly BLESSED to be a small part of this and humbled beyond belief. Thank you all for sharing your stories with me!
This time around we got together around the country for a few GYPO GNO’s – Get Your Pretty On Girls’ Nights Out!
We also had the cutest mother/daughter duo join us to give us their spin on the daily outfits.
I’m excited to share with you a new program at Get Your Pretty On that allows me to give back a small portion of the blessings in my life. There’s quite possibly no harder time to feel pretty than when undergoing cancer treatment. That’s why I’m thrilled to introduce the Pretty Strong program. Pretty Strong is for women currently undergoing or who have recently completed cancer treatment. It’s a way to make their lives a little easier by providing a complimentary Style Me Pretty Challenge. Pretty Strong members also receive other special membership benefits. You can learn more about the program and apply at this link.
If you’ve never tried a challenge and would love to see what it’s all about, it’s not too late to join Build Your Wardrobe Basics, a special collaboration I’m doing with Cyndi Spivey. The shopping list went out this morning and late registration is now open. Sign up now to get your shopping list immediately and start shopping this weekend. Cyndi and I would love to have you join us!
Hey pretties! I recently had the opportunity to pick the brain of one of my favorite actresses, the fabulous Julie Bowen. You probably already know Julie as the perfectly imperfect mom Claire Dunphy from ABC’s Modern Family. But she is also one of the faces of Neutrogena and joined me via Skype to share some of her juiciest beauty and style secrets with us.
In our interview, Julie spilled her secret to younger looking hands (which I immediately stole!), talked skin care for women over 40, shared her must-have beauty products, explained to me why she refers to her everyday style as “Derelicte” (Zoolander fans rejoice!) and much, much more. Tune in to check out our full interview below.
It’s Your Turn: What was your favorite tip that Julie shared? Tell me in the comments!
MOODSTRUCK 3D FIBER MASCARA GIVEAWAY
Speaking of makeup, have you girls tried 3D fiber mascara yet? My friend Nicole sells Younique products and she recently got me hooked on their Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes. When she asked me to try it, I turned her down at first because I have really sensitive eyes and can only wear certain brands of mascara. The cool thing is you apply the 3D fibers over your regular mascara so they don’t irritate my eyes at all. They add tons of thickness to my natural lashes. Now I’m wearing them every day, even when I don’t leave the house!
Here’s a picture of Nicole wearing the 3D fiber mascara on one of her eyes. Big difference! P.S. Isn’t she gorgeous? Nicole is giving away a starter set of Moodstruck 3D Fiber Mascara (a $29 value) to one lucky GYPO girl. Just pick one of the ways to enter below. A winner will be drawn next Wednesday. a Rafflecopter giveaway
Registration for the Build Your Wardrobe Basics Challenge closes tomorrow night! Cyndi and I would love to have you join us to build your capsule wardrobe and 21 days of outfits perfect for just about any occasion. Sign up and get more information HERE.
I FEEL PRETTY
It’s the day of the week at GYPO where we celebrate what makes us feel pretty. Whether it’s a new outfit, hairstyle, or makeup, the I Feel Pretty link up is about anything and everything that makes your life prettier. Even if you’re not a blogger, you can still play along. Just tell us what made you feel pretty this week in the comments!
First off, I know what you’re thinking…she’s posting an outfit in her yoga pants! Isn’t Get Your Pretty On supposed to be about getting out of our yoga pants?
Well, the reality is I still spend A LOT of time in mine. My goal each day is to work out by 10:00 a.m. so that I can shower and get ready for the rest of my day. But that leaves me with four hours every morning where I’m wearing my yoga clothes. That’s still a lot of my day spent in them so they need to be comfortable, hold up well wash after wash and look cute too!
When Boden asked me to try out their new active wear collection, I was so excited. If you’ve ever joined me for a Style Me Pretty Challenge, you already know that I adore all things Boden and their classic British style.
Boden’s new active wear collection is just as high quality and fashionable as you’d expect. The thickness of the material is perfect. No thin, flimsy yoga pants here! The pieces come in great prints and colors too. My golden retriever Bailey definitely approves. New yoga clothes for mommy equal more walks for Bailey. 🙂
It’s Your Turn: Tell me about your yoga pants. Are you in need of a refresh in your active wear?
Registration for the Build Your Wardrobe Basics Challenge is open now through Thursday at midnight! Join Cyndi Spivey and me to build your core wardrobe and get 21 days of mix and match outfits. Sign up and get more information HERE.
The second week of outfits in the Fall Style Me Pretty Challenge is coming to a close today. We’re having so much fun mixing and matching the pieces in this challenge. Many of the women have commented that they are finding that they need less clothes as a result of participating in the challenges. When you know lots of different ways to pair up your basics, you can actually spend a lot less.
Let’s take this basic outfit as an example. All of the pieces in it are things you probably already have in your closet – a cardigan, layering t-shirt, print scarf, boyfriend jeans (or cuffed jeans) and oxfords (or flats).
Check out all of the different stylish interpretations the girls in the challenge created from this versatile outfit.
Even though the Fall Stye Me Pretty Challenge is underway, you can still join us and get your shopping list and first two weeks of outfits immediately. We’d love to have you! Get more information and sign up HERE.
Do you struggle to put outfits together? Are you stuck in a yoga pants rut? Not sure if you can make the latest trends work for you? You’re in the right place!
I’m Alison, a mom of three and recovering yoga pants addict on a mission to make getting dressed and feeling pretty the easiest thing you do all day! Learn more about my story HERE.
I am so glad I was part of the Fall 2019 Style Challenge. It gave me confidence and so many great outfitt ideas. The ladies in the group were very supportive and I will defintetly be doing another challenge in the future.
Betty Weyandt December 20, 2019
I’ve been participating in the GYPO Style Challenges for three years now and I’ve loved it. I’ve always loved clothes, but I didn’t know how to put outfits together. My closet is now full of mix-and-match outfits, I have learned how to dress myself, and there is no more stress in figuring out to wear. The private FB group is full of wonderful ladies that build each other up. It’s so fun and is seriously the best group on FB.
Kirstin Rasmussen November 20, 2019
Get Your Pretty On has changed my life, seriously. I have always chased what is trendy but found from season to season, that things go out of style and I was wasting money on items that I would only end up wearing a few times. GYPO has enabled me to simplify my closet, helps me make smarter purchasing decisions, and I feel so put together and confident using the outfit formulas that are provided. This program is a GAME CHANGER. I've been following GYPO for a few years now and my only regret is not jumping on board sooner.
Michelle Kline November 20, 2019
Great community of ladies, helping each other look stylish, without breaking the bank, and using much of what you already own.
Chosen Faith November 19, 2019
GYPO challenges have been one of the best things I have done! It had taught me so much more than just creating a closet of clothes that I love but also to have confidence in myself, how to pick and choose colors that work for me instead of against, and had given a wonderful community of Pretties who are so special.
Maraline Freeman October 16, 2019
I love GYPO!!! I finally feel put together and stylish! The shopping lists and outfit combinations make shopping and getting dressed effortless.
Krista Probst October 16, 2019
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“Thank you for making getting dressed in the morning fun again…like the movie Groundhog Day, I feel like every morning is the first day of school and I am excited about all of the new ways I have to wear my clothes!! The best part of the challenges for me has been the ease with which I am able to create my own outfits and get dressed for almost any activity. BC (in this case)=Before Challenge, I would stand in my closet and look at all of my clothes but not be able to figure out what to wear. Now, no matter the season, the weather or the occasion, I feel like I have the pieces to (pack and) put together appropriate outfits. I no longer wonder if what I am wearing is age appropriate because I feel comfortable and confident in every challenge outfit. Sure, some of the pieces are a step or two out of my comfort zone but that’s what makes these challenges great. They CHALLENGE YOU! They challenge you to try something new, to use the essential pieces in outfits you adapt to fit your lifestyle. Since my retirement, I have been rediscovering myself from the inside out…BUT I have also been rediscovering myself from the outside in!” – Leslie C.
