Hi Pretties! Welcome to this month’s Pretty Fix. To say life has changed a lot since the last Pretty Fix is an understatement. I think right now our priorities are more on being safe while creating new routines and habits that will also help us maintain our mental sanity. There are a lot of good resources out there and our pretties have not disappointed in helping to provide ways to keep us distracted as well as pushing us forward. One thing that keeps coming up as an easy and useful tool for helping us not fall too deep into a rut is the importance of getting dressed. While I know that being on-trend may not be at the top of our priority list, feeling good about what we’re wearing can still go a long way.
While there are many trends I saw for spring, the reality is that we’re leaving the house very little and while we’re home, there’s no reason we can’t feel good, look great and still be comfortable. This month’s Pretty Fix is all about comfort and functionality. That’s why I’m featuring joggers. I know some love them and some may not be sure about them, but with all the styles, colors and features, you’re sure to find ones you love.
If you’re new to GYPO and you’re wondering what the Pretty Fix is all about it’s where I recommend a look featuring six items to keep you on-trend. You can shop where you want to shop, I recommend starting with your closet first, and spend what you want to spend. What I love about this month’s Pretty Fix is that most of these items can be found in your closet and if not, you can easily make a substitution to make it work and make it your own.
A chambray shirt is a great closet staple to invest in. It’s perfect for spring and fall. Wear it alone or as a light layer to any shirt. I love rolling the sleeves up on mine and adding a cute bracelet or even a wrap bracelet. For this look, you can easily sub in a denim jacket as pictured below or skip this layer altogether.
Hoop earrings go with any outfit and come in an array of sizes and finishes. I chose a silver finish to go with this look but feel free to sub in some gold tones or you can even opt for simple studs if you don’t feel like wearing hoops.
I can’t say enough about a great graphic tee! This is something most of us already have in our closets and while I’m loving this pink blush color, any color will work with this neutral base. Whether you choose a graphic tee that has a picture, words or both, here’s a great opportunity to let your personality shine! If you don’t have a graphic tee, feel free to sub in any solid color tee or tank.
Since this look has a more casual vibe I opted for a simple crossbody. While I picked a pretty gray color you can also opt for black instead. And if you’re feeling colorful, a bright crossbody would also work. Just be sure to coordinate complimenting colors between your crossbody and your graphic tee.
Joggers are really on-trend right now but more importantly, they’re pretty comfortable. They are available in a variety of fabrics and cuts which also makes them a very versatile piece. While they can be paired up with a flowy, half-tucked blouse and some cute leopard heels, the vast majority of us are opting for a more comfy and casual pairing. Think of Goldielocks when picking your perfect pair of joggers, not too big or they’ll look sloppy, not too tight or you’ll feel uncomfortable, but ones that fit just right. If you don’t have joggers or you tried them and they’re just not a heck yes, then easily sub in a pair of black leggings.
Another one of my favorites, metallic slip-ons. This is the perfect middle ground between the white sneaker and snake or leopard print shoes. When it comes to metallic slip-ons they come in a variety of ‘finishes’ so you’re sure to find one that you love. You can’t go wrong whether you choose a more subdued pewter color or maybe you like a shiny patent leather finish. And did I mention all the different textures they come in? If you find a pair you love they will be a closet staple you can enjoy season after season and year after year.
Your turn! Are joggers a heck yes or a heck no for you? Are any of these pieces already in your closet?
Normally this is the time of the year where I am popping in to do my quarterly style Q&A with all our Pretties, but our plans have changed a little bit this time around. Instead, we decided to poll the community to see what you all would find most useful right now. What’s helping you? What are you struggling with the most? We got a huge response back stating that the most helpful thing right now is if we could share some of the tips we are using to help us navigate the space that we’re in. These tips aren’t necessarily style-related, although I do have some of those too, but it’s really about sharing with you some practical resources and ways that we can all get through this together. I have shared on here before that I’m a person who is anxious by nature. I have dealt with anxiety for many years, so I’m right there with you in this struggle. You are not alone! Click below to see the full video.
Over the past week, I feel like collectively we all hit a wall. The novelty of this has worn off and we’re starting to wonder just how long this is going to last. That’s where the anxiety comes in, there’s so much unknown and there are so many factors that are outside of our control. When we polled our Pretties the recurring themes were, worry about the economy, worry about the health of vulnerable family members and also the struggle to adjust to working from home. I have some tips for you today, specifically about working from home but also about the things that we can and can’t control that are really, really helpful to me. I’m going to share the three ways I’m coping that are truly helping me through the days and maybe you’ll find some good practical things in there that you can use too. Then, I’m also going to share with you all of the things that our community shared with us that they’re doing.
Three Ways I’m Coping
I know I touched on some of these in my previous Coffee Chat, but GYPO was born out of my rut. I started working from home and it was hard for me to navigate. I lost my routine and my accountability so I had to figure out what was going to get me back on track.
1. Create an Hourly Schedule
Setting and sticking to an hourly schedule was one thing that really helped me establish a new routine. I know that hourly seems really rigid, but this is how I was able to create a flow to my day. I recommend trying to stick to a schedule Monday thru Friday but I know that can be tough because each day brings new challenges. I promise though if you can create and stick to a daily schedule it will help keep you organized and give you a sense of control in your day. Also, don’t forget to schedule time to nourish and take care of yourself because if you don’t, you’ll leave yourself till last and that’s not good for your well being either.
2. Meditation, Exercise and Sunshine
The second thing that’s really been helping me are actually three things, meditation, exercise and sunshine. Meditation is a word that a few years back I wouldn’t even have thought twice about but I’m really in this season of life where I’ve learned to embrace meditation and for me, it means simply being in the moment. You don’t have to go practice some course to learn how to meditate. It’s just about slowing down, calming your anxious mind and being in the moment. For me, I love child’s pose. Child’s pose is just my place where I relax and let go of everything and I meditate on things. Either I do a prayer for meditation and thank God for all the blessings in my life, or I do one with a positive mantra. “I am safe. I am safe.” Now I remind myself to come back to the present moment. It could be as simple as you grounding, looking around a room and listing off the objects lamp, floor, heater, whatever you see and your space. It can be as simple as that, but it’s all about coming into the present moment and not allowing your mind to project out into fearful situations. If you just spent ten minutes a day doing this I promise you it will be life-changing.
Exercise and get some sunshine! Yes! Move your body. I’ve seen so many people outside and I love it because everybody is getting out. It feels like we don’t have control over this but we do. If the weather is nice, get outside and soak up the sunshine, take a little walk to get moving. I know, we can’t control the weather, but on the days when the sun is out. Get out there. Get some vitamin D and hopefully get some exercise mixed into that at the same time.
3. Get Dressed
Then number three is pretty quick and easy but it’s going to have a huge impact on your day, getting dressed every day. Getting dressed was a springboard that helped make my day better. I realize now that I can only spend a few days in my yoga pants or gym clothes before it really starts to take a toll on me. I need to get dressed. I promise this will have a huge impact on how you feel throughout your day as well.
Controlling What We Can
Before we move on to how the Pretties are coping, I wanted to share with you two things. The first is this graphic that I’ve seen floating around that not only related to control but also specifically to control during the coronavirus pandemic. I think this is a great resource because anxiety can come from lack of control and we need to realize what is within our control and what we have no control over.
The next thing I wanted to share was a great article I read in the Harvard Business Review titled, That Discomfort You’re Feeling Is Grief. We are all in a state of grief right now and this discusses the stages of grief that we are going through. Educate yourself on what those stages are and why you’re feeling the way that you’re feeling and know that this will not last forever. Eventually, we’ll have to get to a point of acceptance because that is the final stage of grief that is described in this article. Actually, there’s another stage of grief that’s been added since this original research and it suggests the sixth stage of grief is finding meaning. It’s when we’re able to assign meaning that we can start to heal. For me, my meaning is being able to use this time to be with my family.
How the Pretties Are Coping
Now I want to share how some of the Pretties are coping. I’m going to go through these in list form and I’ll try to provide links where needed. This is a great straightforward list to help us all get through this time together!
Limiting TV
Doing yoga
Going for walks
Face timing with family and friends – especially people you haven’t seen or talked to in a while.
Journaling
Daily devotion and prayer
Open your windows and air out the house
Go for a bike ride
Deep clean and organize the house
Listening to podcasts
Virtual coffee dates or happy hour with friends
Listening to music and dancing
Making the bed every morning
Craft projects
Set a schedule not just for you but for your kids if you have them. They miss structure too.
I’m back with an all-new Five Ways To Wear It! This time I’m gonna be styling one of my all-time favorite closet staples, no it’s not the striped shirt but it’s the chambray shirt! You guys know that I put a chambray shirt on almost every single capsule wardrobe shopping list for Outfit Formulas and for good reason. I want to show you just how versatile this piece of clothing is. You can wear it as a shirt just as it is, or you can put it on over other things. These are my five favorite ways to wear it, including some dress up ways that you may not have considered.
For my first look, I threw my chambray shirt on over my striped shirt and buttoned it about halfway down. You can leave it untucked or do a half-tuck as I did here. Then I paired it up with a simple pair of white jeans and my snake print sneakers. I think this is the perfect spring outfit for running around. Not too heavy, not too lightweight, but a chambray shirt just makes a great top layer. You could also skip the striped top if you wanted to and just wear the chambray shirt untucked or with the half-tuck.
For this look, I’m dressing up the chambray shirt a bit. I paired it with my leopard skirt and did a full tuck on my shirt. Then I added some nude heels and I put on a little bit of bling with my statement necklace. You can totally make this dressed up for the office by pairing it with any printed or solid skirt then just add a little statement necklace and some heels and you’re ready to go!
This look is one of my go-to favorites for spring and fall. This outfit formula is just a chambray shirt tucked into black jeans with a pair of bright shoes. In this case, I have my red loafers on. Then I add a leopard print belt just for a little bit of fun because leopard makes everything better, right?
This look is sporty and fun. I put on a black t-shirt dress and then added my chambray top over that. I then tied the shirt in a knot at the bottom but you can leave it open and untied if you want. This is a short sleeve dress and by adding my chambray shirt it gives me just a little bit of warmth and it also finishes out the outfit a little bit. Finally, I added some fun leopard sneakers because again, a little leopard makes everything better.
Hi Pretties! How are you holding up? To be honest, I am struggling to navigate the waters of what’s going on in our world right now and I’m really not sure what the best way is to address it. But what I do know is that we are all in this together, whatever challenge you’re facing. Maybe you’re dealing with a totally new routine or having kids around for the first time while also trying to work from home for the first time. Maybe you’re isolated, feeling down or scared or maybe it’s all of the above, whatever your struggle is, it’s so important for us right now to come together through these challenges and to navigate the waters together. That’s why I wanted to share as some of the things that have helped me during this weird life transition. For more details, check out my Coffee Chat below.
Most of you may already know that my platform started from a dark place for me. I was going through a big shift in my routine. I was able to work from home for the first time which had been something I prayed about for many, many years and finally came to fruition. But I now had to learn how to establish a new routine and how to keep hours when someone else wasn’t keeping me accountable for that. I lost my accountability and things quickly snowballed out of control for me after that. I think that that’s the position that a lot of you are finding yourselves in right now. It can make you feel like things are spiraling out of control and having a sense of control and normalcy is so important to our mental and emotional health. Keeping our routines in place or even just sitting down and creating a new routine is something that’s going to be crucial to getting through these days and weeks ahead of us. We don’t know how long this is going to last. That’s a big part of this, uncertainty, how long is this going to go on? None of us know that. All we can control is what we have going on today.
Make A Schedule
The first thing that really helped me whenever I was in this place was to pull out a piece of paper and a calendar and make a schedule. I did an hourly schedule and I still do this today. This is the way I plan out my weeks. The hourly schedule allows me to really prioritize all the things that I need to do for my mental health as well as the things that I need to get done for the day. So if you haven’t done that yet and you’re in a new routine, then pull out your calendar today and go ahead and make up a schedule and do it for the next week.
Get Dressed
While you are making your schedule, make sure you allow time to get yourself dressed and ready for the day. This will make a huge difference in your day! Just having that routine of getting dressed, putting on your makeup and fixing your hair. It’s not shallow. There’s absolutely nothing vain about wanting to feel good about how you look. At first you’re going to fall into the same temptation that I did a few years back where it’s like, oh my gosh, I get to wear my yoga pants all day and stay in my sweats all day. But in the long run, that’s not serving your mental health very well.I want you to try an experiment today. If you have been stuck in that rut and you haven’t been getting ready on a daily basis, then try it today and see how much better it feels.
Look For The Good
Right now we are all experiencing a total and complete shift in what your routine used to be into something completely new and different, and not for good reasons. But I will say that even during these times it’s important to try and look for the good things that are around us and the opportunities that may come from this. It’s great to see communities coming together, to see companies step up and help their employees, to see people pull their resources to help others during this time of crisis. The way our very own GYPO community has been supporting each other is amazing! I’ve always believed that God can work anything for our good and I’m definitely seeing that even in this situation. For our family, Craig and Ava now have a routine of playing basketball together in the evenings and I’m enjoying having my whole family under one roof. We are getting a chance to create memories and I’m choosing to see the good in that. What good are you seeing today?
Shifting Gears
As a blogger and business owner, I’m not really sure how to navigate things right now especially in the world of business. So as many of us are shifting gears, at GYPO, we are also shifting gears. We’ve put a hold on any type of sales or promotional stuff that we have going on because I think it’s more important right now for us to come together as a community and to do the things that are going to help each other navigate this.
One of the other things that we’re doing is we’re going to be pumping out tons of free resources to you over the next week or two. One of those things you can download right now is Five Spring Outfit Formulas. This is a free download and most of these are things you can probably shop your closet for. There are a few trends on there, but you can definitely shop your closet for a lot of the stuff. I also have my 21 Days of Leggings Guide. If you spend the day in leggings, then be comfortable, look cute. That’s totally my mantra.
We’re also going to be releasing some other things that were previously paid content to our older programs, but we’re going to be offering those for free to help make it easy for you to get dressed every day because I promise you this is gonna make a huge difference in your day and how you feel. If you’re not already signed up for the GYPO newletter you can sign up here and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram so you don’t miss anything. And although I have talked for many years about my aversion to social media, I have to say that it has been one of my saving graces, especially during our quarantine. I’m definitely enjoying it so much more now and seeing our community come together and support each other. It has just been such an incredibly huge blessing. I appreciate all of you guys so very, very much and this community means the world to me. We have gone through valleys before and I promise, we will get through to the other side.
So here we are, in our second week, of a totally different world. How is everyone holding up? I believe it’s now more important than ever to check on those around us. We are social beings by nature and while the way we socialize has changed, it doesn’t mean we have to be totally shut off. I love seeing the creative ways that people are staying in contact with their friends and family and even reestablishing connections with people they haven’t spoken to in a while. And to say I’m blown away by the support our Pretties have offered to me, to each other, and to their communities is an understatement! It is by leaning on each other and doing our best to stay positive that we’ll make it through this.
Last week, in an effort to inspire you to get dressed in your new daily routine, I released a free guide, Five Outfit Formulas You Need This Spring. It’s a free download that showcases five spring outfit formulas you can style by shopping your closet to create a new outfit and don’t worry, I also provided shopping links if you need to fill in any gaps in your wardrobe. By using the outfit formulas it allows you to come up with your own variations that fit your life, your style, your size, and your budget. Below are the outfit formulas plus my own take on them. I did some closet shopping to create these looks but I’ve linked up similar pieces if the item is no longer available. If you missed getting the free download click here. The free download will go into a little more detail then what’s below, plus it’s a great reference guide for you to keep on hand.
This outfit is a perfect mix of closet shopping mixed with a few items I bought for spring. The green cardigan and striped top are new to my closet this year but my leopard shoes and jeans are from my closet. The jeans are still available and these leopard mules are very similar. I also decided to add this fun leopard cuff from my closet as well. Unfortunately, the Kelly green cardigan is sold out but here is one that is similar.
Day Four
Denim Jacket + Graphic Top + Colorful Bottoms + Neutral Shoes or White Sneakers
If you’ve seen any of my previous posts then you know this skirt really pushed me out of my comfort zone but I’m so happy I took the risk. I love it! This is a perfect example of how you can make the outfit formula truly your own. For this look I’m wearing the graphic sweatshirt, hoop earrings and white sneakers from above, but opted for a pink pleated skirt as my colorful bottoms. Unfortunately, there are only a few sizes left in the graphic sweatshirt but this graphic sweater is similar.
Day Five
Utility Jacket + White Tee + Medium Wash Jeans + Snake Print Shoes
If you like these looks and want to see more like it, the Outfit Formulas® Spring 2020 Capsule Wardrobe is now available! You’ll get 31 days of casual outfit ideas that will inspire you to get dressed every morning and tackle whatever your new stay at home routine throws at you. Click here for more information.
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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