You asked for more work wear looks and I’m happy to deliver! One of the things that I miss most about my days working in an office is getting to play dress up. In some ways, it was easier to get dressed back then. I had my work wear outfit formulas down pat – pretty blouses, ankle pants, pencil skirts and of course leopard print shoes. These are still the pieces I turn to when it’s time to get gussied up a bit and they never let me down.
Today’s outfit incorporates so many of my favorite things – a pretty emerald tie waist blouse, bi-stretch black ankle pants and some classic leopard loafers.
This emerald tie waist top is the perfect color of green and you can tie it in the front or back. I paired it with basic black sailor skinny pants that are both comfortable and flattering! Both of these pieces are awesome basics to have in your work wear closet year-round. Just add gold accessories and leopard flats to give it that perfect finishing touch.
I’m just going to say it, you are worth it! You are allowed to feel pretty! And when I say pretty, I don’t mean this as a vain pursuit. I don’t mean what one might traditionally tie this word to. But a prettier life to me means so much more. It’s all encompassing. It means better relationships. It means going out for wine with your girlfriends once a month. It means more quality time with your family. Or maybe it means changing up your makeup or reinventing your wardrobe or buying a top that brings out your eyes or getting a new lip gloss. It’s little things that make you feel better and allow you to open yourself up to confidence and happiness! For more details click on my Coffee Chat below.
So why do we not always allow ourselves to feel pretty? Why do we need to give ourselves permission to feel this way? Why do we feel guilt when we do something for ourselves?
It’s My Party, I’ll Wear Leggings If I Want To
Recently I was inspired by an email I received from a 77 year old woman who celebrated her birthday last Sunday. She told me that she is wearing her faux leather leggings to her birthday party and I was so stinking proud of her. I just had to share part of her email.
This coming Sunday is my seventy-seventh birthday. Because of you, I bought a pair of faux leather leggings and I plan on wearing them for my birthday dinner out in public. I’m wearing them with a longer fuller top but what I am stating is, “I’m not dead yet, so why not?” Thank you for the push. In the past year, I passed on a lot of things because I thought they were too young for me or my body was too matronly. I have been going for elegant and chic, but for my birthday I’m going for fun.
I hope you guys are as inspired by her as I am. She is my new hero! That’s what it’s all about though. It’s about doing things that make you feel pretty. That makes your life better in some way or fuller. You absolutely have permission to do that and without guilt! You don’t have to worry about what other people are going to think of you. It is OK to make yourself a priority.
Feeling Pretty Regardless of Your Season of Life
We are all in different seasons of life but that doesn’t mean we don’t all deserve to feel pretty. It’s doesn’t matter if you’re the young mom that’s in the trenches, raising babies. You want to spend all your money and time on your kids making them look cute but putting yourself last. Or maybe you’re the woman over 40 like me. Maybe you’re working in corporate America and you look cute and put together for the office. But when evenings and weekends roll around, you’re just not quite sure what to wear anymore, what is age-appropriate or where to even shop. Maybe you’re an empty nester and you’re looking to kind of reinvent yourself or you’re heading into this next phase of life and you’re not quite sure what that looks like. It’s about the woman who feels like she’s been focused on other people but hasn’t really been focused on herself in a while.
You Deserve to Be Seen
You’ve heard me talk about this before, but I truly feel like I am here to help unlock your potential, to remove your limiting beliefs and to inspire you to take action. I want you to feel seen! I want you to have something just for you. I want you to live your prettiest life and feel worthy of it. Because when you do and you take that first step, whatever it may be, it makes all of the difference and a funny thing starts to happen. We start to believe it. So what is your small action that you can take today? Is it getting a new lip gloss? I don’t know. Run to target and get one, whatever it may be. You have permission to do this. You have permission to put yourself first. You have permission to make yourself a priority!
What is the one thing you’re going to do today to feel prettier?
Rediscover Me 28 Day Challenge
Feeling pretty is about so much more, it’s about finding out what makes YOU feel great! That is why I’m so excited to be kicking off the Rediscover Me 28 Day Challenge on February 1, 2020! This program is absolutely free! Whether you’re just taking that first step or you’re many steps into your journey, this program can help you keep moving forward. Click HERE to learn more details about the Rediscover Me 28 Day Challenge or if you already know this is something you want to be a part of, click HEREto sign up and I’ll see you in the Facebook group!
In case you haven’t already picked up on this, one of the things that lights me up more than anything else is helping women live prettier lives in EVERY possible way. When I say prettier lives, this can mean anything from more quality time with loved ones to wearing an outfit that makes you feel like a million bucks to traveling someplace on your bucket list. It basically means anything that makes YOUR life more beautiful and brings more joy to your days.
Way back before I was blogging, I wore quite a few different hats. One of the most fulfilling was that as a life coach. Working one-on-one with women to unlock their potential, define their goals and support them on their journeys was some of the most rewarding work I’ve done. I knew when I started GYPO that I wanted in some way to weave this deeper work into my mission. Yes, how we dress has a powerful impact on our confidence but there’s also a deeper component to it. It’s about how we value ourselves and show up in the world.
A few years back I created a life coaching challenge for the GYPO community called Rediscover Me. It’s a 28 day challenge created from feedback collected from my private coaching clients on the most beneficial coaching exercises and techniques. I took their responses and broke it down into bite-sized daily chunks. When Rediscover Me first launched, it was a paid program but I quickly realized that I wanted it to be something available to everyone and cost shouldn’t be a factor. So for the past few years the Rediscover Me challenge has launched live every February for the GYPO community absolutely free. All you have to do is join HERE to get in on it.
Here’s what to expect in the Rediscover Me 28 Day Challenge:
A step-by-step guide to gain satisfaction, confidence and clarity in key areas including goal setting, self care, appearance, health, wellness, personal growth and relationships.
Daily videos and exercises to inspire you to dig deep and create lasting, positive change.
Printable PDF’s and journaling exercises based upon my most effective life coaching techniques for women.
Weekly accountability and focus forms that you can continue to use even after the challenge ends.
Group support and accountability in our Rediscover Me community.
This challenge might be for you if:
You’re ever felt like somewhere along the way you’ve gotten so busy “doing life” that you’ve lost yourself.
You’ve spent so much time taking care of everyone else that you’ve forgotten to take care of yourself.
You have a vague sense that you’re out of touch with who you really are and what matters to you but have no idea where to start.
You’re ready to have rock solid confidence and a sense of who you really are.
You’re stuck in a rut and not sure how to get out of it.
You’re wanting to rediscover a sense of your identity outside of your typical roles of mom or wife.
You’re an empty nester ready to reinvent yourself. You may have a vague sense of what’s next but aren’t really sure.
You’re an at-home mom who feels so caught up in your day to day taking care of the family that you’ve forgotten what matters to you.
Most importantly, you’re ready to dig deep and DO THE WORK. This course is called a challenge for a reason. It’s intensive and life changing.
The four week program focuses on these areas:
Week One – Defining What Matters
Goal setting in the areas of self-care and appearance, healthy living and wellness and personal growth and relationships. Eliminating tolerations.
Week Two – Self Care/Appearance
Self care maintenance schedule, getting rid of what doesn’t fit or flatter, learning to affirm yourself, putting your best face forward, upgrading to a first class life and more.
Week Three – Healthy Living/Wellness
Baby steps to healthier living, finding and doing an activity you love, nutrition and hydration, preventive maintenance and your personal health plan.
Week Four – Relationships/Personal Growth
Developing a gratitude practice, relationships inventory, personal growth plan for the year ahead, how to have more fun in life and discover what you love.
Each week also includes one implementation day plus a worksheet to set your intentions for the week ahead. There’s also a private Facebook group where I post a daily video and have discussions on the topic. This is also a great place for accountability and support for your goals!
Rediscover Me kicks off on February 1st. Be sure to sign up for free HERE and I’ll see you in the Facebook group!
P.S. Can you do me a HUGE favor? Share this with anyone you’d like to do the challenge with. The more women we can reach, the better!
Today lets talk about leggings! One of the questions I get asked most is “Am I too old to wear leggings?” I love my leggings, especially this time of year because they are so easy to throw on and they look great with sweaters, boots and all kinds of winter attire. But women are asking “What’s the cut off for leggings or is there a way I should be wearing them differently once I’m past 40″ and as a blogger over 40, I feel like this is a fair question to ask. It seem like some of us have this alarm that sounds in our heads when we turn 40 and we say all of a sudden, should I be wearing this? Is this appropriate for me anymore? And it’s a perfectly reasonable question. For more details on this topic check out my Coffee Chat below.
Is something age-appropriate is a topic that’s I’ve talked about in the past and it refers to many clothing items, not just leggings. It’s ripped or distressed jeans. It’s skirts above the knee. It’s over the knee boots. It’s figure-hugging dresses. There are all of these things that women bring to me and say, “Is this something that I can continue to wear?” And if I’m being totally honest, I don’t have the definitive answer to this question. I’m really not an expert on this subject, but I do have a formula. It’s kind of a litmus test of sorts that I personally use when I’m trying to make decisions on what I wear.
1. Does this piece make me feel more confident and stylish?
So the first question I want you to ask yourself is, does this piece make me feel more confident and stylish when I wear it? Because really, this is the most important question that you’re going to ask. If something makes you feel good, then wear it. It’s that simple. If you’re comfortable in it and when you look in the mirror, you can say this just feels like me and you’re comfortable walking out the door, then that is absolutely something that you should be wearing.
2. Does this piece fit and flatter my body?
Question number two is, does this piece fit and flatter my body? If a piece that may feel younger fits and flatters you better than another item, then, by all means, wear it. Why not? Right? We don’t have to completely cover ourselves up to be age-appropriate. As a matter of fact, it’s best, in my opinion, to pick your favorite body part and highlight that one. Show it off!
3. What are my motivations behind wearing this?
The third question is what I call the “gut check” question. If you feel at all uncomfortable in what you’re wearing then you should ask yourself, “what are my motivations behind wearing this?” This is not for me or anyone else to judge but for you to ask yourself. This is your own gut check that you’re going to do when you put the item on. We all know ourselves. We know what motivates us and why we make decisions. So if for any reason, it makes you feel, for lack of a better word, icky, when you do that gut check, then maybe that’s a piece that you need to re-examine.
At the end of the day, it really comes down to two things. What makes you feel good and what do you want to tell others about you with your clothes? Because we send messages out into the world with everything that we put on. So leggings are absolutely no exception to these rules. When you put them on, if they make you feel great, then absolutely wear them. There is no age cutoff limit. There is nothing out there that says if you’re over 40, you cannot wear leggings anymore. I just want you to know that if you take away one thing from this is that if something makes you feel comfortable, if it fits and flatters you and you feel great in it, then it is perfectly fine to wear. So wear your leggings ladies!
And with that said I’m so excited about the newest Outfit Formulas® freebie, 21 Days of Leggings! Three weeks worth of leggings looks absolutely free! You’ll get the shopping list and links, in case you need to fill in any gaps, and a 21 day outfit calendar. But ladies, don’t forget to shop your closets first because I promise, you probably have some of these pieces already in there. This is a free downloadable guide, detailing exactly how to style them – perfect for any woman, size, age, and budget!
Keep the conversation going? What does age-appropriate dressing mean to you? Tell me in the comments.*
*This is a judgment-free zone, so please be respectful of each other and me. But seriously, I want to know what this means to you and how it affects your decisions.
Whether you like to work out before your errands or after, the last thing any of us want is more laundry which is why I love an outfit that can pull double duty! That way I can go straight from the gym and finish up all my errands before heading back home. Plus, sometimes once I get home I loose that motivation to go back out or I get sidetracked with other things that need my attention. This way, once I’m out of the house, I can get everything accomplished that I need to, including my workout.
I’ve been checking out some of the cute, new athletic wear from our friends at Walmart and pulled a look that is perfect for those days when your running includes more than just hitting the gym.
This jacket is the perfect item to throw on post-workout. The quilting is a fabulous little detail but it also has stretch so you won’t feel constricted while out and about. Plus it comes in three different colors that honestly would all go with the printed leggings. I would just swap out the mint tank for gray or black if you decided to go with the Lunar Glow color.
This is what I would call a workout closet staple, a great, solid color tank top. This one comes in a variety of colors and they are super budget-friendly. For this particular look I selected this amazing mint color but you could easily swap it out for this bright pink or even a neutral black.
I first fell in love with these leggings and built the outfit around them. I love the print and that they will go with so many different colors since snake print is considered a neutral. They also had high reviews and come in a range of sizes.
If your current sports bra isn’t giving you the support you need then it’s time for a new one! This full-coverage bra from Avia comes in a variety of moisture wicking colors and a wide range of sizes.
Lastly, every outfit needs a great pair of shoes! These cute sneakers from Athletic Works will take you from running on the treadmill to running to the grocery store without missing a beat. They come in three different colors but I’m partial to the gray as they will go with anything and won’t show dirt as much.
Want more workout style inspiration? Sign up for the GYPO newsletter here and ensure you won’t miss future posts featuring more double duty looks!
Big thanks to Walmart for sponsoring this post and making it easy to feel trendy and stylish when we’re working out and running errands!
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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