Oct 15, 2014
It’s time for another Q&A Wednesday! Every month, I open up my Facebook page to your questions about style, beauty, blogging and life and choose a few to answer here. It’s a fun way for us to get to know each other better and for you to get answers to anything you want to know.
October Q&A Wednesday
Q. Really curious how you got this business started and how you fit it into your life with family responsibilities, etc. Do you have a web background or do you get technical help from someone? – Lori
A. Great question, Lori! I always call this my “accidental business” because it didn’t start out as one, by any means. I started GYPO after I fell into my own yoga pants/mom rut back in September of 2012. This blog became my accountability partner for getting dressed on a daily basis and feeling pretty. From that it’s grown into what you see today – a place of inspiration and accessible style for every woman. I couldn’t have imagined a better fit for me because I’m both creatively and technically inclined. Plus I’ve always had a desire to help women feel good about themselves. Just a perfect fit. I don’t have a web background but I do everything myself from A to Z. I love figuring things out and being a DIY’er. As for fitting in family life? I have really good boundaries around work. It has to fit in from the time my girls go to school until they get home and rarely do I work on weekends, unless everyone is sleeping or occupied with something else. 🙂
My girls getting silly with selfies.
Q. I love the Sonia Kashuk blush/bronzer combo that you’ve recommended (it works great!) but do you continue to wear bronzer in the winter? – Libby
A. I love it too Libby! It adds just the right amount of warmth and shimmer for everyday. To answer your question, yes, I do wear bronzer year-round and actually think it’s even more important in the fall/winter when my skin tends to be duller. I just use a lighter hand with it during the cooler months. A little goes a long way toward brightening your complexion!
[Sonia Kashuk Chic Luminosity Bronzer/Blush Duo]
Q. I’m always stumped about tights. I can’t go bare legged in the winter, but sometimes tights/stockings/etc. just ruin an outfit. Do you match your tights to your skirt, your shoes or pick an entirely different color? – Susanne
A. Tights are a fun way to stay warm and add some interest to your winter skirts/dresses. If you want to go with a long, lean look, especially if you’re petite, I’d recommend matching your tights to your skirt and shoes. But it’s so much more fun to go with a patterned or colorful tight! Here are some great ways to pair them up.
[1/2/3/4/5]
Q. Socks ? What happened to them? We who live in areas that get too cold to go without or don’t want to wear knee high boots all the time are at a loss. How can we wear socks and still look fashionable?? – Shannon
A. Socks are still alive and kicking (pun intended!). I’m very cold natured and couldn’t live without socks in the fall/winter Shannon! There are definitely ways to wear them and still look fashionable. Check out these looks from my recent Two Ways to Wear Boot Socks post.
Q. I’m always curious how SAHMs and WAHMs organize their day. What does your daily routine look like? How do you fit in housework etc.?
A. This is something I’ve written extensively about on a few occasions. If it weren’t for meticulous scheduling, I’d seriously get nothing done. I really mean nothing. I schedule out my days almost to the minute. It might seem extreme but it’s the only way I can get anything accomplished. Because I only work while my girls are at school, that makes it that much more important that I use my time wisely. In this post, I detail a typical day in my life, this post is about the importance of “keeping hours”, this post is all about planning, and this post is about creating a WAHM routine. I also share lots of scheduling, planning and organizing tips in my e-book “Get Pretty, Kick Butt!”.
Q. What’s on your DVR this fall? – Carrie
A. Our evenings are so busy with taking the girls to horse riding and cheer, if we didn’t have a DVR, I wouldn’t watch TV! We love watching The Voice as a family and my husband and I are really into Sleepy Hollow. My other must-see’s are Modern Family and every night I fall asleep to an episode of Bewitched.
That’s it for this month, thanks so much for your awesome questions! I’ll be back again in November to answer some more.
There’s still time to join me for the Fall Style Me Pretty Challenge. It’s the biggest and best one yet! The girls in the Facebook group have been swapping shopping tips and fashion advice, posting selfies and making friends. We’d love to have you along for the fun. Get more details and sign up here.
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 pretties. That’s it, now go have some fun!
Oct 13, 2014
If you’ve been following GYPO for long, then you surely know that I’m a little bit obsessed with scarves. Which is kind of unfortunate considering that I live in a state where we don’t get enough cool weather to wear them as often as I’d like. But you can bet if it’s spring, fall or winter and under 70 degrees, my outfit is likely to include one.
This fall, I’ll be wearing a lot of my old stand by’s plus adding in a few more, just for good measure. Here are five scarf trends for fall 2014 that you can bet are here to stay.
1. Leopard
2. Polka Dots
3. Tribal Prints
4. Fall Florals
5. Plaid
Bonus: Fur
Shopping Options
1. Leopard
2. Polka Dots
3. Tribal Prints
4. Fall Floral
5. Plaid
Bonus: Fur
It’s Your Turn: Which one of these scarf trends is your favorite? How will you be wearing it this fall?
Looking for some more fall fashion inspiration? Then let me be your personal stylist for fall by joining the Fall Style Me Pretty Challenge. Sign up and you’ll get a shopping list of fall wardrobe basics immediately. The 21 days of fall outfits started today but it’s not too late to join the fun! Get all of the details here.
Oct 10, 2014
Fall and blazers go together like peanut butter and jelly. They’re the perfect layer on a crisp autumn morning when it’s too cool for a cardigan and not quite cool enough for a jacket.
They also possess the power to take your favorite casual Friday look up a notch to casual chic. Try topping off your button down and jeans with a blazer to transform your entire look.
Casual Chic Friday | Fall Style
[Blazer/Oxford/Necklace/Watch/Jeans/Belt/Flats]
A tan or camel blazer is an incredibly versatile wardrobe basic that works with so many looks. The rest of this outfit works because the oxford is a lighter shade than the jeans, the leopard belt add just the right amount of interest and the bright flats bring a pop of color to the party. If you’re 100% opposed to blazers then swap it out for a neutral cardigan to take it to a more casual level, yet still look perfectly put together.
It’s Your Turn: What’s your favorite way to dress up your casual basics? Share it in the comments!
Looking for some more fall fashion inspiration? Then let me be your personal stylist for fall by joining the Fall Style Me Pretty Challenge. Sign up and you’ll get a shopping list of fall wardrobe basics immediately. The 21 days of fall outfits start next week! Get all of the details here.
Oct 8, 2014
Want a quick and easy way to upgrade your basic jeans and t-shirts for fall? Just add a long cardigan and printed scarf. This easy outfit formula is one that I turn to over and over. The light layers are especially great for fall and spring. Match a pair of colorful flats to one of the colors in the scarf to kick it up another notch.
Cardigan + Scarf + Jeans + T-shirt
[Cardigan: Same/Scarf: Similar/Ankle Jeans: Same/T-shirt: Same/Flats: Same/Watch: Same/Bracelets: Same/Purse: Same]
It’s Your Turn: What’s your favorite way to upgrade your jeans and tees? Share it in the comments!
Join me for the Fall Style Me Pretty Challenge for even more outfit easy fall outfit ideas. We’ll be styling jeans, t-shirts, scarves and cardigans multiple ways. Sign up today and get your shopping list immediately. You’ll also get 21 days of outfit combos delivered to your inbox daily beginning next week. Get more details here.
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 pretties. That’s it, now go have some fun!
Oct 6, 2014
One of the biggest tips I hand out about fit is this: To keep your proportions right, pair loose with fitted. For instance, if you wear a tight fitting top, go with something loose on the bottom, like slouchy jeans, palazzo pants or a flowy skirt. If you opt for an over-sized, long or loose top, go with a fitted bottom like skinny jeans or leggings. But don’t ever do an all-over look of either type. Too much loose doesn’t accentuate your shape, too much tight and well, you get the opposite effect. 🙂
My favorite real-life representation of this “fit rule” is leggings and long tops. It’s the perfect combo of comfort and style and just so happens to be one of my favorite uniforms for fall/winter.
Leggings lovers rejoice, your favorite tunics and tights are back for another round this year. If leggings aren’t your cup of tea, swap them out for skinny jeans to get the same effect. Add in your favorite boots or flats and you’ve got yourself an instant outfit!
Leggings + Long Tops
Here are seven ways that I’ve paired up leggings and skinny jeans with long sweaters and tunics.
With faux leather leggings, cobalt blue and leopard.
With a sweater, stripes and Hunter boots.
With a tunic and Aztec cardigan.
With polka dots and stripes.
With cozy cashmere and an oversized scarf.
With a long tank and sweater.
With stripes and leopard.
Thanks to Pinterest, my most popular post ever is all about leggings and long tops. Check out my Week’s Worth of Legging Outfits for even more outfit ideas.
OK, let’s start with a GOOD pair of leggings for the base of these outfits. My all-time favorite pair are these slimming leggings. They’re just the right thickness, hold everything in place and keep their shape wash after wash. I’ve had mine for two years and they’re still going strong! Definitely worth spending a little more on.
[ASSETS Slimming Leggings]
For a lightweight fall layer, try a tunic blouse.
[Plaid Tunic]
A long cardigan is the perfect partner on chilly days.
[Zipper Cardigan]
For a comfy, athletic vibe, try a long sweatshirt.
[Terry Fleece Tunic]
Solid tunic sweaters create the right backdrop for your favorite printed scarf.
[Cobalt Tunic]
Late Registration Open
If you guessed that leggings and long sweaters are on the shopping list for the Fall Style Me Pretty Challenge, you’d be right! Late registration is now open. Sign up now to get your shopping list immediately. The daily outfits will start next week.
It’s Your Turn: What’s your favorite way to wear leggings? Tell us in the comments!
