Aug 28, 2013
I’m SO excited to bring you a VERY special guest model/stylist on the blog today. Meet my niece, Lauren!
She’s bringing us three different looks for that awkward transitional time of the year she likes to call “Fummer” – not quite fall, not quite summer.
By adding just one single layer, her base pieces from ASOS are doing double duty as both summer and fall outfits.
[Jumpsuit: c/o ASOS/Flat Sandals: Sam Edelman/Blazer: Similar/Belt: Bebe/Heels: Guess/Necklace: Vintage]
[Dress: c/o ASOS/Denim Vest: Forever 21/Buckle Boots: Lauren Conrad/Necklace: Express/Fur Vest: Similar/Tribal Boots: Similar]
[Blazer: c/o ASOS/Shorts: c/o ASOS/Blouse: c/o ASOS/Watch: Michael Kors/Heels: BCBGeneration]
A HUGE thanks to Lauren for styling these outfits and showing us how to get more use out of what we already have. Fummer doesn’t have to be a fashion bummer!
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 me what made you feel pretty this week in the comments!
Link up your outfits or anything else that makes you feel pretty. There are just a few simple rules:
1. Follow GYPO. (Facebook, Twitter, Bloglovin‘)
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.
That’s it! Let the fun begin.
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Getting my pretty on with Style Sessions, Real Girl Style, Shanna, The Pleated Poppy, Trend Spin, Sarah and Amy.
Aug 26, 2013
Just because Labor Day is right around the corner doesn’t mean you have to stop wearing your white jeans. Throw out the old style rules – white denim is perfectly acceptable throughout fall and winter. And super chic too! Cozy it up with some layers and you have a look that’s simply perfect no matter the weather.
Today I’m collaborating with Simply Lulu Style to bring you our takes on transitioning white denim from summer to fall. Lulu is the gorgeous and stylish mama of boy/girl twins behind the blog Simply Lulu Style. I love her mix of simple, chic, preppy and trendy that she brings to every one of her looks. She shares daily inspiration on her blog on how to feel and look more beautiful – perfect for us busy moms. Be sure to stop by and visit her at Simply Lulu Style for her outfit details.
SUMMER LOOKS
FALL LOOKS
[On Alison – Sweater: Mossimo/T-shirt: Mossimo/Jeans: Similar/Scarf: Similar/Boots: Frye/Earrings: Similar/Watch: Michael Kors]
GET THE LOOK
On another note, I could use some virtual mama hugs today. Our oldest headed out the door this morning for his first day of senior year – his last first day of school. It’s seems like just yesterday that he was strapping on his big boy backpack and I was fighting back tears on his first day of kindergarten. 🙁 My heart is hurting but I’m SO proud of him.
It’s Your Turn: Do you plan to continue wearing white denim after Labor Day? Tell me in the comments!
Getting my pretty on today with Style Sessions, Monday Bloom, Funday Monday, Visible Monday and Monday Mingle
Aug 22, 2013
Next week we’ll be working on getting your fall wardrobe essentials in place. So right now, let’s talk about your closet.
Question: Do you swap out your wardrobe seasonally? Or do you keep everything in your closet year-round?
I rotate the clothing in my closet each season. Let me tell you why, it forces me to clean it once a quarter and it makes getting dressed easier by reducing the clutter of items that aren’t weather appropriate. I can also more accurately gauge where any “holes” are in my wardrobe needs and what needs to be replaced or filled in.
A few years back, I started the quarterly closet cleanse, not just in my closet but all three of our kids’ too. It’s become such a valuable exercise that I even devoted a whole chapter to it in my book Get Pretty, Kick Butt!
With cooler days on the horizon, now’s the time to start thinking about how you’d like to organize your closet for fall. Today, I’m going to share some tips from chapter four of my book, The Closet Cleanse.
The Closet Cleanse Method
STEP 1: Find three medium to large boxes and label them CASH, STASH and TRASH. If you don’t have boxes on hand, trash bags will do.
In each box, you will categorize the following:
CASH – These are items that can be sold or donated. They are in good condition, but you haven’t worn them in a year or more and will probably never wear them again.
TRASH – Anything stained, worn out or damaged beyond repair.
STASH – This is the stuff you want to keep. Put items in here for now and we’ll organize them later.
STEP 2: Pull every item out of your closet one by one, including shoes, handbags and scarves or other accessories. Find a category for each item and place it in its respective box.
But how do I know what to STASH?
That’s entirely up to you, but here’s a good litmus test of questions:
- Have I worn it in the past year?
- Is it a classic piece that will stay in style?
- Is it still in good condition?
- Can I pair it up in more than one way?
- Do I feel good when I wear this?
- Does it fit?
If you answered “no” to one or more of the questions above, it’s probably not a keeper. However, you can create a fourth box of items for storage if there are things you just can’t bear to part with yet.
STEP 3: Once you’re done categorizing what you have, it’s time to organize what’s left in your STASH box.
Most people have a preferred method of organizing their clothing. Mine is hanging it in groups of like items (short-sleeved shirts, cardigans, blouses, denim, dress pants, skirts, dresses, etc.) Others prefer to sort by color. It really doesn’t matter as long as it makes sense to you and you know where to find everything.
It’s Your Turn: Carve out an afternoon for your own closet cleanse this week. Report back and let me know how it goes!
For more organization, time management, self-care, fashion and beauty tips, check out my book Get Pretty, Kick Butt! The Moms’ Guide to Looking Your Best and Getting More Done.
Available now on Kindle.
Aug 21, 2013
Pumpkin scented candles, chili in the crock pot, cornbread in the oven and FOOTBALL!
Hurry up fall, I’m ready.
[T-shirt: Express/Scarf: c/o Wallis/Jeans: c/o Rose Royce/Leopard Flats: Sole Society/Glasses: Warby Parker]
It’s Your Turn: What are you looking forward to most about autumn? Tell me in the comments!
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 me what made you feel pretty this week in the comments!
Link up your outfits or anything else that makes you feel pretty. There are just a few simple rules:
1. Follow GYPO. (Facebook, Twitter, Bloglovin‘)
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.
That’s it! Let the fun begin.
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Getting my pretty on with Fashion Informant, Summer Style, Shanna, The Pleated Poppy, Real Girl Style, Style Sessions and Sarah.
Aug 20, 2013
The Back to School, Back to Pretty series continues today with the second installment. If you missed the first post on goal setting, you can get caught up HERE.
Today we’ll be tackling scheduling.
It’s the bane of many a mom’s existence – the family calendar. Ugh. Ours is so full right now that I get heart palpitations just looking at it. While the family calendar is essential for keeping up with everyone’s activities, I also keep a calendar for myself that’s even more important – my daily hourly schedule. Or as I call it, my Kick Butt Routine. It’s how I get stuff done and make time to take care of myself.
One of the first exercises in my book Get Pretty, Kick Butt! focuses on getting into a daily Kick Butt Routine. This lays the foundation for everything else to fall into place. When I left corporate America and started working from home, one of the keys to organizing my life was to treat my week days like work days. I like to call it “keeping hours”.
THE POWER HOUR
Today I’m going to share with you one of the juiciest time management tips from my book – the Power Hour. If you’ve been around here awhile, you may have heard me talk about it before. The Power Hour is one of the single most important aspects of establishing your Kick Butt Routine.
I can’t say enough about the Power Hour. The first hour of the day sets the tone for how the remaining hours will go. So I get up a full hour ahead of the rest of my family for my daily Power Hour. It’s my own personal staff meeting, a daily planning session just for me where I set my intentions for the day and get them down in my schedule. I use this hour to strategize how I can be most effective for that day. This includes creating my daily Kick Butt Routine – an hourly daily schedule which, in addition to work, includes time for my workouts, quality time with my family, personal errands, housework and “pretty time” for getting dressed and ready for the day. This is also when I read devotions, write in my journal and have some quiet time to reflect on what I have going on in my life. I like to wake up early enough to watch the sun rise. It’s the most peaceful part of my day.
“But Alison…I HATE getting up early!”
OK, OK, I hear you. I was not a morning person either until about two years ago. If you absolutely cannot get up early, then plan your Power Hour for the night before. Make it the last hour of your day, or schedule it when it’s most convenient for you. It could be the hour immediately after your kids go to bed. It doesn’t matter as long as you’re scheduling it.
It’s Your Turn: Try starting your day with a Power Hour tomorrow morning. Use this hour to plan out your day and spend some quiet time.
Ready for more tips? Get the book available on Kindle!
[Dress: c/o ASOS/Denim Vest: Forever 21/Buckle Boots: Lauren Conrad/Necklace: Express/Fur Vest: Similar/Tribal Boots: Similar]
[Blazer: c/o ASOS/Shorts: c/o ASOS/Blouse: c/o ASOS/Watch: Michael Kors/Heels: BCBGeneration]
Link up your outfits or anything else that makes you feel pretty. There are just a few simple rules:
