I Feel Pretty | In Skirts

I Feel Pretty | In Skirts

Since my corporate days are (thankfully) a thing of the past, I don’t dress up much anymore.  Honestly, sometimes I REALLY miss it.  Nothing makes me feel more feminine than a great fitting pencil skirt with a tucked-in blouse and some heels.

But one of the best things about blogging is I get to play dress up when I want.  🙂

Leopard Alison Half[Skirt:  Loft (Similar)/Shirt:  Loft (Similar)/Purse:  Wallis/Shoes:  DSW]

OK, so playing dress up at the barn isn’t ideal but this is an example of one of those outfits that makes me feel like I can conquer the world.  Skirts and heels give me that powerful combination of confidence and femininity like nothing else.  The same goes for dresses but I’ve always been partial to skirts for some reason.

 Here are some other ways to wear different lengths and styles of skirts.  Which one is your favorite?

Maxi Skirt
Floral chiffon maxi skirt with a sleeveless ruffle top

Midi SkirtRed midi skirt with a white short sleeve top

Aline SkirtClassic a-line skirt with a maroon sweater

Mini SkirtWhite mini skirt with a button down blouse


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!I Feel Pretty Logo

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 pretties. That’s it, now go have some fun!


I Feel Pretty | On My Birthday

I Feel Pretty | On My Birthday

Birthdays really should last more than one day, am I right?  If possible, I’d like to celebrate all month long.  Since I can’t do that (and quite frankly, my family would get tired of it really quickly) I do at least stretch it out for a weekend.  Even though my official birthday was on Sunday, this past weekend was all about me.  🙂

On Friday I got my hair cut and then did some “research” at the mall for the fall style challenge.  If you’re following me on Instagram, you already know that this whole outfit came home with me.

 [Scarf/Shirt/Pants/Shoes]

On Saturday, I had my first surprise, Devon came home from college!  That evening, we had a dinner party at our house.  Craig cooked a delicious feast and invited my sisters and brothers-in-law.  My brother-in-law Victor brought me my first ever pinata in the shape of a giraffe.  It was almost too cute to crack open, but we did anyway.

photo-1

After dinner, we had my all-time favorite cake, the Berry Chantilly cake from Whole Foods.  I could eat the whole thing myself. Then it was present time.  In traditional Craig fashion, he tricked me by wrapping up a little box and hiding my real gift, a new Macbook Pro, in the bottom of the laundry basket.  When I found it, I started crying.  You have NO idea how long I’ve been waiting to get one.  My dinosaur PC was five years old and gave me grief on a daily basis.  The Mac learning curve has been a little steep but I’m getting the hang of it!

On my actual birthday, we went to brunch at my favorite Mexican restaurant and relaxed the rest of the day.  It was so nice having Devon home and being able to celebrate as a complete family!

This is what I wore for our dinner party Saturday night.  It felt good to get a little dressed up, even if we were just staying in.

pink-blouse-jeans-leopard-clutch-heels

pink-blouse-jeans-leopard

pink-blouse-leopard-clutch

pink-blouse-leopard-clutch-jeans

[Blouse: Same/Jeans: Same/Clutch: Similar/Necklace: Same/Shoes: Similar/Earrings: Same/Watch: Same]

Let’s talk about these jeans that I’m wearing for a minute.  I love them so much that I walked out of Loft with four pairs in different colors.  That NEVER happens!  They are perfect in every way – great length for ankle boots, just right stretch, hold their shape, perfect rise.  Just get them already, you’ll thank me later.

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! I Feel Pretty Logo

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 pretties. That’s it, now go have some fun!

Getting my pretty on with Friday Favorites, Fashion Friday and The Pleated Poppy.

Q & A Wednesday + A BIG Thank You!

Q & A Wednesday + A BIG Thank You!

Happy Wednesday pretties!  Before we get to today’s Q&A post, I just want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart.  On Monday, my book went on sale and you all responded in a BIG way.  So big that you put “Get Pretty, Kick Butt” at #1 on the Parenting & Relationships best sellers list on Amazon!

Thank YOU for making my dream of becoming an Amazon best selling author come true.  I’m over the moon!

Now back to today’s business.  I put out a request to GYPO Facebook followers yesterday to submit questions for a Q&A today on the blog.  First off, I LOVED your questions.  Some of them made me outright giggle, so I knew this was going to be a lot of fun.  So much fun, that I might just make this a regular monthly feature.  Without further ado, here are my A’s to your Q’s.

Facebook Q and A

Q&A Wednesday with Alison

Q:  What was your worst style purchase/decision?  What was your best?  What’s the one item you’ve had the longest and still wear?

A:  Worst, hmm.  Can we just count most of the 90’s and early 2000’s?   I didn’t understand fit back then so I had a lot of ill-fitting clothes.  Mainly baggy jeans and pants that made my lower half look out of proportion.  Now, I know myself so well that if I don’t love how something looks on me, I just don’t buy it.

On the other hand, my biggest appearance faux pas (which my kids are more than happy to remind me of) was when I got my hair chopped off super short while wearing braces…as an adult.

Not my best look.  🙂

short-hair-braces

Moving on…

Best style purchase?  Definitely my Frye Boots in Cognac.  When the weather turns cooler, I wear them almost daily.  Totally worth the splurge on a cost per wear basis.

The item that I’ve had the longest and still wear is my pair of cheap leopard flats from Target.  I’ve had them for five years!  They’re starting to wear out now but they’re just so darn comfy and worn in that I can’t quit them.  Really, I should just spring for the $14.99 for a new pair but I don’t want to break them in all over again.

Q:  If they made a movie of your life, which actress would you want picked to portray you?

A:  Tina Fey or Sandra Bullock.  Yes, I’ve given this some thought. 🙂 They’re both incredibly funny, smart and down to earth brunettes who aren’t afraid to poke fun of themselves or look silly.  I LOVE that.

[Via]

Q:  Who is your style hero?

A:  Another easy one.  Hands down, Kate Middleton.  She has classic style nailed.  I love that she throws in some trendy elements and sometimes even wears things that I can actually afford.  What’s not to love?

[Via]

Q:  Can you give us some ideas on transition pieces that we can turn into fall outfits?

A:  My all-time favorite transition piece is a boyfriend cardigan.  You can throw it on over t-shirts, button downs, tank tops and pair it up with skinny or boyfriend jeans and ballet flats or ankle boots for a cute fall look that takes the chill off without being too warm.

This outfit is totally me in the fall.

boyfriend-cardigan-striped-tee-jeans-outfit

Boyfriend Cardigan + Striped Top + Scarf + Gold Watch + Boyfriend Jeans + Leopard Loafers

That’s it for today’s Q&A.  Thanks everyone for submitting your awesome questions.  Let’s do it again next month!

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! I Feel Pretty Logo

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 pretties. That’s it, now go have some fun!

Fall FB Cover Graphic White Learn More

Getting my pretty on with Fashion Friday and Friday Favorites.

I Feel Pretty | Chambray, Pink and Whales

I Feel Pretty | Chambray, Pink and Whales

My style goal this summer was to break out of the daily summer rut of my typical tank top, shorts and flip flops.  It may not sound that hard but it has been.  Mainly because it’s HOT in Texas so that severely limits my options, especially when it comes to layering.

So when I paired up this outfit wearing my favorite chambray, a bubblegum pink tank and my embroidered whale shorts, I was pretty excited.  The layers are light enough to work even on a hot day and let’s talk about these shorts for a second.  I may have squealed with delight (and embarrassed my daughter) when I found them at Marshall’s.  They are just so darn cute!  Every time I wear them, I get compliments from strangers.  (You can find some similar pairs here and here.)

whale-shorts-chambray-pink

whale-shorts-detail

whale-shorts-close

[Chambray:  Similar/Tank: Same/Shorts:  Similar/Earrings:  Same/Bracelet:  Same/Wedges:  Similar]

It’s Your Turn:  How would you pair up these shorts?  Tell me in the comments!

*I’m taking a blog break through 7/20 Even though I won’t be able to respond to comments, I still love reading them!  In the meantime, you can follow along with our family’s adventures on Instagram.

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!

I Feel Pretty
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.

That’s it, now go have some fun!