Feb 7, 2014
Welcome back for the second post of my new series Casual Chic Outfit Basics. Last week, I featured the first outfit basic, dark wash skinny jeans and this week we’re talking riding boots.
If you’ve been following my Daily Style Diary posts, you’ve probably already noticed that, other than dark wash skinny jeans, my other daily outfit essential this time of year is riding boots. I wear a pair almost every day.
I’m normally not one to advocate for spending a lot of money on something. But I have an exception when it comes to a few investment items and riding boots are one of them. “Good” to me means quality, not necessarily name brand. Don’t get me wrong though, a lot of times designer brands do equal good quality. A brand name just shouldn’t be the main criteria.
Good also means real leather. There are a lot of faux leather riding boots out there. If you have a pair, it’s time to upgrade!
If you’ve been around here for long, you know I wear my Frye riding boots, like ALL the time. From the time the weather cools down in early October until it warms back up in late April, they are in constant rotation. Here are some ways I’ve paired them this fall and winter.
I can honestly say there has never been a piece of footwear I’ve loved more than these boots. I’d marry them if I could (sorry Craig!). They’re just that good – such high quality, a classic design that will never go out of style and the cognac color is drop dead gorgeous. Plus they go with almost everything I own.
BUT they’re expensive.
As a matter of fact, they’re the priciest pair of shoes I’ve owned. But also worth every penny. Let’s do a little cost per wear breakdown, shall we? On average, I wear them 2-3 times per week in the cooler months. Take that times five months per year and divide by the purchase price and they are about $3 per wear (for the two years I’ve had them). I’ll definitely be wearing them for a few more years so that number is just going to keep coming down. Compare that to a pair of $50 heels I’ve only worn five times in two years and they are almost $10 per wear. On a cost per wear basis, my Frye’s have been way more economical than a lot of the shoes I own.
My boots are the Frye Melissa Button Boot. If you search Zappos.com for highest rated boots, they are right there on top for a reason – 583 reviews and 5 stars! They come in nine different leather colors. The cognac just happens to be my favorite.
[Frye Melissa Button Boot]
I understand that you might not be ready to buy the budget buster, though. It took me a long time to pull the trigger. That’s why I was so excited to find these similar looking boots, for a fraction of the price and they’re real leather. They don’t have a lot of reviews, but the ones they have are really good. They earned high marks for comfort.
[Rieker Riding Boots]
And now for some outfit inspiration…
COGNAC RIDING BOOTS
[1/2/3/4]
I realize that Frye doesn’t make the only cognac riding boot around. There are plenty of other gorgeous options out there at every price point. Here are a few higher rated pairs.
HIGHER END ($200 AND UP)
Another beautiful Frye boot with a small heel. These are on sale right now for 40% off!
[Frye Jane Strappy Boot]
MID-RANGE ($100-$200)
These boots are just the perfect color of cognac and have a nice distressing on the front. They’re also a great alternative to the Frye at about half the price.
[Sam Edelman ‘Penny’ Boots]
It’s rare to find a boot this gorgeous at this price point. These boots are normally $200 but on sale for 25% off. Hurry if you want them, all sizes are in stock now! I’m really going to have to exercise some self control because I want these pretties in my closet.
[Corso Como ‘Stirrup’ Boot]
UNDER $100
Yes! There is a great leather option at this price point.
[Lucky Brand ‘Andria’]
THE PERFECT VALENTINE’S DAY OUTFIT
While I was looking up cognac riding boots outfits, I stumbled across this little gem. Let’s just call it the perfect casual Valentine’s outfit!
[Via]
The red and white gingham, lightweight v-neck sweater, white skinny jeans, statement necklace and cognac boots scream casual, chic Valentine’s Day. Don’t you think so?
GET THE LOOK
[Necklace/Sweater/Gingham Shirt/Jeans/Boots/Watch]
TWO TONE RIDING BOOTS
[1/2/3]
Two tone boots are HUGE this winter. I’m usually not one to recommend investing in a trend but this one is here to stay for awhile.
HIGH END ($250+)
This pair is the budget buster, but oh my! Are they ever pretty.
[Frye Melissa Logo]
The original riding boot – Ariat.
[Ariat ‘York’ Boots]
MID-RANGE ($150)
[Donald J. Pliner ‘Prize’]
[Tommy Hilfiger ‘Delvin’]
BLACK RIDING BOOTS
[1/2]
You just can’t go wrong with a classic black riding boot and I found some bargains in this category.
UNDER $150
The lines on this boot are just perfect and it’s 50% off!
[Louise et Cie ‘Verrah’ Boots]
This boot is also on sale and comes in four different color combos in all leather or leather and suede (as shown).
[Anne Klein ‘Ciji’ Boots]
TAUPE RIDING BOOTS
My second most favorite pair of footwear is my taupe suede riding boots. They’re such a pretty neutral and go with so many things. I swap them in when it’s time to give my Frye’s a break.
UNDER $150
The color and style of this boot is very similar to mine. They’re also 30% off!
[Seychelles ‘Nothing to Hide’]
Be sure to stop by on Monday for a recap of last week’s Daily Style Diary!
Getting my pretty on with The Pleated Poppy, Fashion Friday.
Feb 5, 2014
I really appreciated all of your comments about age appropriate fashion on last week’s mother/daughter style post. Apparently there are a lot of us that struggle with finding the right balance between looking trendy and feeling comfortable walking out the door wearing a trend. Especially those of us with teens who don’t want to embarrass ourselves or them!
Thanks to Sheaffer’s awesome idea (and many of you agreed, because let’s face it, she’s brilliant!), I’ve decided to make this a regular monthly feature. Once a month, my 15 year-old daughter Aubrey and I will be showing you two age-appropriate ways that we’re styling the same piece of clothing. One way for a teen and one way for a mom that’s, well, let’s just say young at heart. 🙂
Since it’s February, the month of love, we decided to style this graphic sweater.
[Sweater: c/o Persunmall]
GRAPHIC SWEATER | MOTHER + DAUGHTER STYLE
When I first saw this piece, I honestly didn’t think I could pull it off and am still not 100% sure if I did. It was fun to create an outfit around it, it’s just not something I would probably reach for to wear in my everyday life.
We both picked leopard prints to pair it with, which I found interesting. Like mother, like daughter!
On Aubrey:
Aubrey went with a cozy, casual look with leopard print leggings, a long layering tank and her Ugg’s. This outfit is SO her!
[Sweater: c/o Persunmall/Leggings: c/o Persunmall/Boots: UGG/Tank: Forever 21/Bracelet: c/o Ettika]
On Alison:
The sweater is a little on the short side so I started off with a long layering tank too. The blush jeans worked really well with the rest of the neutrals and kind of give it more of a Valentine’s Day feel. I felt like it needed something more so the leopard scarf was added as a finishing touch.
[Sweater: c/o Persunmall/Jeans: Loft (on clearance!)/Scarf: Similar/Tank: Mossimo/Boots: Similar/Bracelet: c/o Ettika]
Yes, I’m still crazy about my blush jeans I bought last fall. I’ve worn them all winter and will continue to through the spring. If you are still considering a pair, they’re 60% off on final sale.
[Moto Ankle Zip Jean]
I love them paired up with my taupe suede boots. This pair is very similar to mine and on sale for 30% off. The taupe/gray color goes with everything.
[Seychelles Taupe Suede Boot]
Since we’re styling other members of the family on the blog now, here’s a little kitty couture.
Yes, she hated every second of this! 🙂
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!
There are just a few simple rules:
1. Follow GYPO. (Bloglovin‘, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest)
2. Link up your pretty post.
3. Link back to my blog (using the button above or your own link).
4. Visit other pretty peeps.
Getting my pretty on with Fashion Friday and The Pleated Poppy.
Feb 4, 2014
Question: How often do you wash your hair?
I only shampoo mine twice a week and have for years.
It’s quite an ordeal with over 40 minutes of blow drying and flat ironing to get my very naturally curly hair more manageable. I don’t have time in my mom schedule to do that often so once it’s done, I do everything I can to extend my blow out for a few days.
I’ve discovered a few tricks for making my blow out last longer between washings. One is to use conditioner on the ends of my hair only. Applying conditioner near your roots can boost oil production on your scalp. The same rule applies to styling products. I apply them sparingly and avoid my scalp in order to keep my hair cleaner for a longer time.
But my real secret weapon is dry shampoo. A few days into my blow out, I spray some near the roots of my hair to absorb oil and give it a fresh scent. An added bonus of dry shampoo is that it creates volume. This is especially nice on the days when I decide to pull my hair up in a ponytail.
Through the years, I’ve tried many different brands of dry shampoo – expensive brands from the salon and cheaper options from the drugstore. Recently, I decided to try out two different drugstore brands of dry shampoo that I hadn’t used before – Dove Refresh + Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo and Tresemme Instant Refresh. Both products were under $4.
I rated the products on a scale from 1-5 on their abilities to absorb oil, the feel of my hair, how much volume they added and how they smelled.
THE RESULTS
1. Dove Refresh + Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo earned almost perfect marks across the board. It’s light enough that I could use it two days in a row without build up.
- Oil Absorption – 5
- Lightweight Feel – 4
- Volumizing – 4
- Scent – 5
2. Tresemme Instant Refresh Dry Shampoo got low marks on everything except oil absorption. Anything this heavy should absorb oil exceptionally well. It’s too powdery, too thick, weighs hair down and the scent is really bad.
- Oil Absorption – 4
- Lightweight Feel – 1
- Volumizing – 2
- Scent – 1
Dove Refresh + Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo was the hands-down winner in this showdown. It’s a great alternative to more expensive brands and my new go-to dry shampoo.
Note: This post was not sponsored by either of the brands mentioned. It’s just my independent review of two products I’ve been wanting to try.
It’s Your Turn: What are some ways you make your blow out last longer? Share them in the comments.
BEAUTY BUZZ LINK UP
It’s time to link up your beauty posts for this week’s Beauty Buzz link up. Join me along with Lulu of Simply Lulu Style, Nicole of MomTrends and Janise of Mama in Heels to connect, share and sparkle!
Nicole is hosting this week, link up HERE.
Feb 3, 2014
Happy Monday after the Super Bowl! I hope you got your fill of wings and nachos. I’m still cleaning up the kitchen from our party last night. At least there’s lots of FUN stuff on the blog today, so let’s get right to it.
SHAY’S PAJAMA PARTY!
Head on over to Shay’s blog because I’m the special guest for her February Pajama Party today! If you haven’t seen her monthly pajama party feature yet, you have to check it out. It’s one of my favorites in all of blog-land. Stop by to see me in my PJ’s and read all about the ways Shay and I celebrate Valentine’s Day with our families. With Shay involved, you can guess there will be lots of talk about food, fashion and family! Speaking of food, be sure to check out her Meal Planning Monday on her foodie blog too.
DAILY STYLE DIARY
If you’re new here, welcome to my Daily Style Diary. On Monday, I compile my daily pics of my casual everyday outfits that I’ve posted on Instagram this past week, along with links to what I’m wearing. I’d love to have you follow me over there to get the daily looks live. You can also check out more of my recent outfits HERE.
Monday
Brr…it was a cold one, so I went for warm and comfy with a fur snood, layers, fleece leggings and penguin socks, of course!
[Sweater/Fur Snood/Fleece Leggings/Boots]
Tuesday
Another cold day, another day for leggings! I kept warm on my trip to Target in my Aztec cardigan, striped tunic, leggings and boots.
[Cardigan/SPANX Leggings/Tunic/Boots]
Wednesday
Wednesdays are barn days when Ava has her riding lesson. She always tells me to wear the right shoes, probably because I got one of my leopard flats stuck in the mud a few weeks back. Lesson learned, I’m wearing wellies from now on.
[Sweater/Scarf/Jeans/Striped Tee/Boots]
Thursday
When I saw this pretty green cardigan at Target, I had to have it. It makes me feel like spring isn’t so far away!
[Cardigan/Tee/Jeans/Boots]
Friday
TGIF! Craig and I met my sister and brother-in-law for dinner and cured my craving for some brisket tacos. Yum!
[Sweater (On Sale!)/Similar Scarf/Jeans/Boots]
Life Lately
Snippets from our daily life.
- Muddy barn boots on the front porch seem to sum up life lately. Craig and I have been on the go with the kids non-stop! I need a full day to tackle some projects around here and get some cleaning done this week (including getting those boots off the porch).
- Wink & Winn sent me this adorable welcome kit last week along with their 3-in-1 crossbody bag. I’m in the process of designing my own custom made bag with them and will share the process with you in a coming post. This is one of the coolest concepts I’ve seen in a long time!
- Our sweet Aubrey turned 15 on Saturday. We celebrated with dinner at her favorite German restaurant and then picked up an assortment of little sweets on the way home. This girl loves sauerkraut but doesn’t like birthday cake. What is wrong with her? 🙂
- New Bath and Body Works scent alert! I picked up the new Golden Magnolia Sun lotion and shower gel over the weekend and oh my gosh, it smells so good. I’m also loving the Violet Lily Sky too. Have you guys smelled them yet?
You can see more of my Daily Mom Style outfits HERE.
It’s Your Turn: How’s the weather in your world this week? Are you getting spring fever yet?
Getting my pretty on with Fashion Friday, The Pleated Poppy, Style Sessions, Totally Posted Tuesday, Intentional Living and Monday Mingle.
Jan 31, 2014
Casual chic.
Honestly, I’ve never thought of the word chic to describe my style. My goal has always been “not frumpy”. So you can just imagine how thrilled and surprised I was when so many of you described my style as casual chic. Over and over again in my reader survey, a lot of you said that’s why you’re here.
Here are a few of your answers to the question “What keeps you coming back every day?”
- “Alison’s casual chic mom style.”
- “You take casual up a notch to chic.”
- “I love your chic SAHM style.”
- “You add chicness to mommy-hood.”
Therefore it was a no-brainer to include the word chic in the title for my new Friday series Casual Chic Outfit Basics.
CASUAL CHIC OUTFIT BASICS | DARK WASH SKINNY JEANS
If you’ve been following my Daily Style Diary posts, then you know one of the building blocks of my daily style is dark wash skinny jeans. They’re universally flattering for all body types, they look great with any kind of footwear – sandals, ankle boots, ballet flats, riding boots, and you can easily dress them up or down for a day of errands or a date night.
Here are a few of my recent outfits featuring two of my favorite pairs of dark wash skinny jeans.
Repeat after me: Every woman NEEDS a great pair of dark wash skinny jeans.
Here are some of my favorite pairs of dark wash skinny jeans – at price points for every budget.
HIGH END
At the high end are my Paige Premium Denim jeans. I have the Skyline Skinny in the Carson wash. They are made incredibly well, fit perfectly and are worth every penny. When I want that perfect fitting pair of jeans that makes me feel like a million bucks, this is the pair that I reach for.
[Paige Skyline Skinny – Carson Wash]
MID-RANGE
A nice mid-range option is this pair by Articles of Society. They have 33 five-star reviews.
[Articles of Society ‘Lana’ ]
If you’ve been around here long, you’ve heard me gush about my Kut from the Kloth jeans too. They have a nice mid-rise, not too high nor too low. And I’m not their only fan, this pair also has near perfect reviews.
[Kut from the Kloth ‘Mia’]
Of course Gap always has some great skinny jeans. I have this pair and love them.
[Gap ‘1969 Always Skinny Jeans’]
LOW END
On the other end of the spectrum are my trusty dark wash skinny jeans from Forever 21. When I say these are dirt cheap, I mean it. I have a few pairs of them to swap out when they start to fade or if they’re in the wash. They are just an all-around great everyday jean.
[Forever 21 – Dark Wash Skinny Jeans]
Old Navy is also a good choice for bargain jeans. The Rockstar is a great mid-rise jean.
[Old Navy ‘ The Rockstar Mid-Rise Skinny Jean]
CHIC OUTFIT PAIRINGS
Here’s even more outfit inspiration. I might have to copy a few of these myself.
Casual with Flats
[1/2/3]
Plaid Dressed Up or Down
[1/2]
More Chic and Simple
[1/2]
Come back next Friday for the next installment in the Casual Chic Outfit Basics series.
Be sure to stop by on Monday because I’m invited to be the special guest at Shay’s Pajama Party for February! It’s seriously like getting invited to the cool girl’s sleepover.
Getting my pretty on withThe Pleated Poppy, Fashion Friday and Getting Pin-spired with Sheaffer , Shay and Mel.
I can honestly say there has never been a piece of footwear I’ve loved more than these boots. I’d marry them if I could (sorry Craig!). They’re just that good – such high quality, a classic design that will never go out of style and the cognac color is drop dead gorgeous. Plus they go with almost everything I own.
[Via]
[Necklace/Sweater/Gingham Shirt/Jeans/Boots/Watch]
My second most favorite pair of footwear is my taupe suede riding boots. They’re such a pretty neutral and go with so many things. I swap them in when it’s time to give my Frye’s a break.
