Nov 2, 2012
I know, I know. Payday Pretty is *supposed* to be about taking twenty bucks a week out of the family budget to buy something pretty for yourself. And I’m *supposed* to be providing you with $20 and under inspiration to do just that.
But this week, I’m feeling a little rebellious and decided to switch it up a bit.
So what’s this splurge-worthy stuff all about?
My definition of a splurge might be a little different than yours. I rarely buy an item over $50. Call me a tightwad or frugal or whatever, the fact is that’s my upper limit on just about everything – with a few glaring exceptions.
Some of those exceptions include purses, shoes and jeans. Quality items that stand the test of time sometimes require loosening up the purse strings a little. If I run a quick cost per wear analysis and an item makes sense, then I don’t mind shelling out extra.
Below is a list of some splurge-worthy items that I’ve bought this past year. I’ve worn them over and over and over and they have been worth every single penny.
1. Classic Purse
[Dooney & Bourke Florentine Satchel – $398, Nordstrom]
I bought this purse last fall as soon as it came out and I still ADORE it. The color is perfect and it gets even more beautiful the longer I carry it. This bag gets compliments on a weekly basis. I have no plans of switching it out anytime soon.
2. Premium Denim
[Hudson Krista Skinny, Zappos – $154]
Every woman should have one great fitting pair of jeans. Premium denim brands tend to hold up a lot longer and fit much better than cheaper brands. These Hudson jeans have a mid-rise and the perfect amount of stretch. Since I live in jeans, I never feel guilty for spending a little more on them.
3. Cashmere Sweater
[Striped Cashmere Crewneck, Garnet Hill – $128]
My hubby bought me a classic crewneck cashmere sweater last Christmas. Somehow I felt a little richer every time I wore it! Cashmere may be a luxury but in a casual style like this, it works great for every day.
4. Riding Boots
[Frye Melissa Riding Boots, Zappos – $328]
These were the first item on my Christmas list this year. I’ve been waiting patiently for the perfect pair of cognac riding boots, and this is it. These boots have often been imitated but there’s just nothing like the real thing. And I will wear them for many, many years.
It’s Your Turn: What are some of your splurge-worthy favorites? Tell me in the comments!
Linking up at: Six Sisters Stuff
Nov 1, 2012
Back when I was a yoga pants addict (I’m in recovery now, thank you very much), I scoured the web for a good list of mom wardrobe basics but came up empty. Many of them were tailored to women who work outside the home or they were just a tad too outdated for my tastes (khaki pants, anyone?).
So I decided to put together my own list of my top five casual wardrobe basics for real moms. These are the pieces that I wear every day to look put together and still feel comfortable. These basics will see you through practically any modern mom activity, both stylishly and comfortably.
1. Dark Wash Skinny Jeans
Universally flattering, dark wash skinny jeans in stretchy fabrics build the base for so many different looks. They can easily be dressed up or down by swapping out flats for heels and cardigans for blazers. One of my favorite brands is Kut from the Kloth. They have the perfect rise, not too high or too low and they offer just the right amount of stretch.
[Kut from the Kloth “Mia”]
2. Cardigans
What can I say? I have a whole closet full of cardigans in every color of the rainbow (and some prints) that get worn on an almost daily basis. Combine them with scarves and statement necklaces. Throw them over a dress or printed blouse. The possibilities are endless. Some of my favorite cardigans are these cotton summerweights from J. Crew Factory.
[Summerweight Cotton Cardigan]
3. Fun Flats
My go-to shoes for every mom activity are cute and comfy flats. Leopard goes with virtually everything and adds a little bit of fun to each outfit.
[Sam Edelman Leopard Flats]
4. Tees and Tanks
The basis for building every look – you can never have enough quality t-shirts and tank tops to layer under everything. J. Crew has great high quality basic knits.
[J. Crew Perfect-fit V-Neck]
5. Scarves and Statement Jewelry
Easily add style to any look with colorful printed scarves and statement jewelry. These pieces create an instant outfit without breaking the budget.
[Bluron Infinity Scarf]
[Vintage Floral Statement Necklace]
It’s Your Turn: What other pieces are absolute must-haves in your modern mom wardrobe? Tell me in the comments!
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Oct 29, 2012
Besides getting out of my yoga pants every day, one of my goals with this blog is to challenge myself to restyle some of my favorite pieces in more creative, interesting ways. Even though I love a lot of the staples in my closet, I get bored with pairing them up in the same normal, predictable ways. It’s time to step out of my outfit comfort zone!
Today I took two of my favorite outfit builders– a bright yellow tank and some embellished flats – and remixed them to create two new, less predictable looks.
Outfit Builder #1: Bright Yellow Tank
[Yellow Tank: Old Navy (last season)]
The Usual Suspects: Yellow trimmed gray cardigan and silver flats.
[Yellow Trimmed Cardigan: Old Navy (last season)/Skinny Jeans: Forever 21/Flats: Nine West]
Normally I pair this bright yellow tank with a matching cardigan and silver flats. While I love this look, I’m craving something a little more fun and less expected.
Remixed Look: Blue ruffled cardigan and animal print flats.
[Teal Ruffled Cardigan: Target (last season)/Leopard Flats: Target (last season)/Earrings: New York & Company]
By choosing a peacock blue ruffled cardi and leopard print flats, it went from ordinary and conventional to unexpected and interesting. Plus the blue really makes the bright yellow pop!
Outfit Builder #2: Teal Embellished Flats
[Embellished Flats: Ross]
The Usual Suspect: Matching shirt.
[Shirt: Target (last season)/Skinny Jeans: Forever 21/Earrings: New York & Company]
These cute flats usually get paired with a top in the same color family. Again, there’s nothing wrong with this. I’m just trying to dress “out of the box”.
Remixed Look: Magenta Top and Scarf
[Shirt: Forever 21/Skinny Jeans: Forever 21/Scarf: Marshall’s]
Instead I went with another jewel tone by adding the magenta top and this multi-colored scarf. Way more fun! Oh and I wore this to a doctor’s appointment last week and got five compliments, FIVE. This will definitely be staying in the outfit rotation. 🙂
It’s Your Turn: Which side do you tend to fall on, predictable or unexpected? How do you play with mixing up your wardrobe? Give me some inspiration and tell me in the comments!
Check out these links for more outfit inspiration:
Visible Monday, YOLO Mondays, Monday Meet Up, Steppin’ Out, Life Lately, My Froley, Weekend Update, Real Girl Style, Loving Lately
Oct 17, 2012
The Red Denim Diaries – Part Two
The Red Denim Diaries is a special series of posts featuring the piece of clothing I’m living in this fall, my new red jeans. This is the second post in this four part series. You can also see how I styled them with an orange tee, brown cardi and floral scarf here.
Can you believe my husband picked out this whole look for my birthday by himself? Well, actually he texted pictures to my thirteen year-old daughter for opinions while he was shopping but for the most part he did it on his own. How awesome is that???
[Chambray shirt: H&M, Scarf: Marshall’s, Jeans: Joe’s Jeans at Nordstrom, Earrings: Target]
This shirt is great, I’m wearing it with everything. I love how chambray looks next to red and the scarf really pulls the whole look together.
It’s Your Turn: How are you wearing chambray this fall? Tell me in the comments!
Check out these links for more outfit inspiration.
Six Sisters Stuff
Oct 14, 2012
The Red Denim Diaries – Part One
This is the first post in my four-part series “The Red Denim Diaries”. I love these jeans so much that they get a whole series of posts paying homage to their greatness. My hubby got them for me as a birthday present. He has great taste. When I first saw them, I wasn’t 100% in love with them or sure that I would even wear them. Now they’re a wardrobe staple that get put into rotation at least twice a week. I’m surprised at just how versatile they are. The red/burgandy color is perfect for fall.
[Beige Cardigan: Target, Orange T-Shirt: Old Navy, Red Denim: Joe’s Jeans at Nordstrom, Floral Scarf: Old Navy, Heels: Zappos, Belt: Target, Earrings: Target, Watch: New York & Co.]
This is the first time I’ve worn heels in a very long time! I decided to get a little gussied up for church. Couldn’t wait to get home and get those puppies off and my flats back on.
Definitely one of my favorite scarves I’ve ever owned. I picked this up at Old Navy last year. The colors scream fall! Read Part Two of The Red Denim Diaries to see how I paired them with a chambray shirt and scarf.
It’s Your Turn: Does your hubby ever buy clothes for you? If so, do you usually love them or hate them?
Check out these links for more outfit inspiration.
