Style Me November - Week 4

As you may have noticed, November has ended, and I'm actually a little sad. Before I get into the last week of outfits from this Style Challenge, I have to say that I LOVED doing this! There's a Style Me December challenge that started today, and I'm tempted to participate. Maybe I'll just participate for a day here or there. It did get a bit overwhelming near the end, but it was great help in getting my creative styling juices flowing, especially since I'm still getting used to wearing regular clothes (instead of a uniform) every day. I highly recommend doing a style challenge for those that can. It was also fun to follow the tag on IG and see how everyone else was working the style prompt. So, even if you can't participate, you can still check out the tag and live vicariously. Now without further ado, onto the outfits for the week. You can go back and checkout week 1 here, week 2 here, and week 3 here. (That doesn't count as ado does it?)

Purple Reign:

Top: ThredUp (LOFT)

Jeans: JustFab Signature Skinny in Dark Medium

Shoes: Vans Authentic

It quickly became apparent to me that I don't have any purple pieces of clothing with me so I opted to go with purple accessories. 

I didn't end up getting dressed on Saturday so "All About Eyes" got skipped.

Boots Made For Walking:

Shirt: Sweet Salt Boutique Classic Ultimate Scoop Tee

Cardigan: ModCloth Charter School Cardigan in Navy

Skirt: ThredUp (LOFT)

Boots: JustFab Sayana

I love the pairing of boots and pencil skirts!

Put a Belt On It:

Top: ModCloth Medium Format Memory Tunic in Navy Dots

Cardigan: Tilly's Essential Elbow Sleeve Cardigan (similar)

Leggings: Old Navy Jersey Leggings

Boots: JustFab Juneau

Scarf: Walmart

I was stranded in the house all day since the windows were being replaced, and I wanted to be as comfy as possible. This worked out great as both comfy and presentable. 

Girls In Pearls:

Top: LOFT Striped Shoulder Button Boatneck Tee

Jeans: JustFab Signature Skinny in Dark Medium

Shoes: ThredUp (Michael Antonio, similar)

This was a super simple outfit that I just threw my pearls on. Easy day.

Sporty Chic:

Top: Old Navy Vintage Style V-Neck Tee

Cardigan: Tillys Tribal Stripe Women's Cardigan

Leggings: Fabletics Lima Capri

Boots: JustFab Astana

This was definitely one of my favorite days (COMFY!). And it totally counts as "sporty" because those are workout capris. Bam!

And this is where I failed. I missed "Grateful For This Feature," "Scarf Smitten," and "Graceful in Grey" because...well because I didn't get dressed those 3 days. Did you? Seriously now.

Instagram Crush:

Cardigan: ModCloth Charter School Cardigan in Bubblegum

Skirt: ModCloth Adept Apprentice Skirt

Shoes: ThredUp (Qupid, same shoe as ModCloth Dynamic Debut Heel)

I blogged about this outfit (and my instagram crush) yesterday!

Again I say this was a ton of fun and I highly recommend this, especially if you feel like you're in a style slump!

Happy Shopping!

What I Wore To Church - Dotted Pencil Skirt and Boots

Shirt: Sweet Salt Boutique Classic Ultimate Scoop Tee

Cardigan: ModCloth Charter School Cardigan in Navy

Skirt: ThredUp (LOFT)

Boots: JustFab Sayana

Well we had a much easier morning this morning than last Sunday. My outfit came together without having to try on anything more than once, and I had no problem styling something to go with the style prompt from the Style Me November Style Challenge. (The prompt was "Boots Made For Walking")

I've had a hard time in the past finding a pair of black tall boots I was happy with. I have about 50 billion (number estimated) pairs of brown boots, but black boots that I like have always been harder to come by. I bought and sent back at least 3 pairs from JustFab for various reasons (too tall, too pointy, too narrow) before I found these. I like the detailing on them and the wide shorter heel. Downside: they aren't the most comfortable things ever, but I'm guessing I can put an insole in them to make them better. Regardless, I liked the way they look and I thought they went well with the outfit.

I think boots and pencil skirts is a fairly classic look, and I love adding some fun tights to the mix. The rule I follow for boots and skirts is that there should be some leg showing, even if it's just a bit, especially if you are wearing tights. They add to the look so they should be seen!

This fantastic LOFT skirt was another ThredUp find (did you have any doubt?)! I love the black on white dots and the cute bow detailing. It did most of the styling for me so I didn't have to add much. Just a simple tee, cardigan, and statement necklace! Such a classy look without much effort. That's my kind of style.

If you've never shopped with ThredUp before, use my link and get $10 off your first purchase. I also have a couple of 30% off coupons for first time shoppers. Just let me know, and I'll send them out!

If you're interested in shopping with JustFab, use my link and get 20% off your first order. They are having a sale on their fuzzy boots (Ugg-like). They are $19.95 a pair if you order a full price item. Standard disclaimer: they are a shoe club, so be sure to read the terms and conditions about monthly charges and skipping.

Happy Shopping!

What I Wore To Church - Heart Cut-Out Blouse

Top: HauteLook (Sugar Hill Boutique)
Cardigan: ModCloth Charter School Cardigan in Jade
Skirt: ThredUp (LOFT)
Shoes: ThredUp (Mojo Moxy Bettie Pump, similar)

If you read my blog frequently, you may have heard me say that a pencil skirt and blouse is my "signature look". You may also have noticed for a signature look, I wear it very rarely. I'm realizing that 2-3 years ago I wore that combination almost every Sunday (I had maybe 8 pencil skirts in different colors, materials, and prints), but since I got pregnant, and after having the baby, I've had trouble buying ones that fit. You might think "well she's wearing one today. I guess she found one that fit." You would be wrong. While this skirt fit when I bought it about a month ago, it's too big now. I usually like to wear my pencil skirts a little higher-waisted, but because this one was too big, I had to sit it lower on my hips, and it was still a bit big. *sigh* I guess there are worse problems to have. Now I go on the hunt for another good (low-priced) pencil skirt.

I think if I were to style this again, I probably would've left the blouse un-tucked and belted over the cardigan at my natural waist. Next time!

The blouse has been sitting in my closet begging to be worn since I got it for a steal off HauteLook. The heart cut out and bird print are just TOO CAYOOT for words. I purposely didn't wear a necklace today because I didn't want to cover up the cut out. The minty color of the cardigan brought out the same color that was very subtle in the print.

Now the shoes (THE SHOES!) were a result of perfect timing. I'd been eyeing these shoes for awhile, but wasn't a fan of the price. Then one day I was doing my usual scrolling through ThredUp on my phone (the app is SO handy), and BAM! There they were! And for under $30! They had never even been worn. I love the cute cut outs, the scalloped trim and of course, the bows. It really helped that they were much lower than my usual heels too. I had no problem wearing them while carrying a baby around. It's odd for me to be on the constant lookout for mid heels. A couple years ago, my motto was "the higher, the better". Oh, how my collection has morphed.

If you've never shopped with ThredUp before, you can read my post about it here or just use my referral link here for $10 off.
If you've never shopped with HauteLook before, you can read my post about it here or just use my referral link here to take a look around.
If you've never shopped with ModCloth before, you're clearly living under a rock and you should check it out immediately by using my link here for $15 off $50. This cardigan is on sale in limited sizes as well as the shoes I wore last week!

Happy Shopping!

What I Wore To Church - Animal Print Skirt

Shirt: Old Navy
Cardigan: ModCloth Charter School Cardigan in Orchid
Skirt: LOFT via ThredUp
Shoes: JustFab Cecily

For church today I decided it was time to go back to my signature style of a blouse and pencil skirt. Thanks again to ThredUp, I was able to get this awesome pencil skirt from LOFT for $15. I took a gamble on the size since I wasn't sure where I'm sitting post-baby. Turns out I guessed right and it fit perfectly. The print is a stylish animal print (although you've got me on what animal, maybe a snake of some sort?), without being tacky. Also, SURPRISE! It has pockets! Seriously the perfect skirt.

I wasn't going to wear the cardigan, but I felt like the outfit needed just a bit of color and what better color than orchid? If you've read more than 2 of my posts, you know how much I love my Charter School cardigans. Right now ModCloth has 2 deals going on. They have a one time use 20% off your order deal, and a Charter School cardigan specific code. The 20% off can be found as a side banner on the site. Click it to take the 20% off your order. The cardigan code is CARDI and it takes $10 off your order if you buy 2 or more Charter School Cardigans. I'm assuming they can't be used together.

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I'd been stocking up on lower heels and wedges. These shoes were part of that. I was so happy when JustFab released these because they are quite unlike their usual 6" platform heels. They were quite comfortable, and I didn't feel like I was going to trip and drop my baby.

It was nice to get back into a pencil skirt (that wasn't maternity), and the price I paid for it made it even better. I'm telling you, ThredUp is addicting!

If you’re interested in trying ThredUp, use my link here and get $10 off your first order.
If you’re interested in trying JustFab, use my link here and get your first pair for $20. They are also doing a site wide BOGO right now so it’s worth a look-see. Standard warning applies that it is a shoe club membership so be sure to read the terms and conditions.

Happy Shopping!

What Crystal Wore To Church - Mint and Grey

Still no baby, and if I were you, I wouldn't ask Beth about it. She's good natured and doesn't like to complain, but she is a 10 month pregnant lady at this point, it's just not polite to remind her she still hasn't had a baby. All calls should probably go through me. I'm far more cheerful about the wait.

But that just means you're stuck with my outfit to church this week. Get used to it, we've been brainstorming and she's got some posts ready for maternity leave like frozen casseroles in the freezer, but I'll be filling in any other missing posts. I'm happy to do it because well, sometimes I get stuck without deadlines. I've got at least 80 ideas for posts on my own blog and I've just not found the motivation to write them. But here there's an expectation! You folks deserve a weekly post, so here we go!

I do singing time in the children's classes at church so often I try to dress to accommodate the fact that I'll be singing Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes as well as feeling the pressure that some people I attend church with know that my sister runs a fashion blog. Today's singing time involved me acting out some fun for the kids and ditching the heels (these ones have a fake crocodile pattern) and putting on comfy flip flops. It worked great because I can look cute and then be functional with the kids.

I decided this morning I was mixing patterns. The pencil skirt comes from Target (Merona brand) and is a gray houndstooth. It's wintery but here in Pensacola it's a balmy 85 so I needed to pair it with the springy mint polka dot top from Cato. I loved how the statement necklace worked. The pearls around the roses felt like a perfect match with the polka dots on the top and then my earrings were also roses, but a different material and style. It felt like it went together without being too matchy matchy.

The earrings are something I picked up when I was buying a different mint dress with lace at Maurices. I thought a different set of earrings would work, but I wasn't sure, so I asked the associate in the store. If you're not able to shop with friends, I think asking an associate is a great idea. They typically know the products and can recommend something that can look even better than what you'd pick. I ended up buying both pairs of earrings but the rose ones the gal suggested have been worn much more than the ones I picked myself.

Overall I was happy with the outfit's functionality as well as style. Don't you love it when you can reach that dual goal?

Easter Guest Post - What Crystal Wore to Church

So we had a bit of a false alarm last night, and I was up until 2 in the morning hoping it would progress into something but it didn't. As such, I was way too tired to go to church this morning. So, my awesome sister, without even having to ask, filled in for me. And doesn't she look fabulous? Thanks a million, Crystal!!

Happy Easter! I'll be your host for today because well, Beth thought maybe, just maybe she'd have a baby last night. Just like that scene in Father of the Bride 2, turns out she wasn't ready to go to the hospital, but she was monumentally tired in the way that only a 39 week pregnant lady can be. So she ditched church to nap and probably eat Cadbury Mini Eggs. (I'm not sure about the Cadbury Mini Eggs but it's what I'd do and we often are of the same mind so I think it's a pretty solid assumption.) 

I woke up to the text that she wasn't at the hospital and thought, yikes! I need to step up my style game! So here we go.

I wanted to wear this fab skirt that my mom bought me on a trip back in November. We got it on the clearance rack and at the time I was a little apprehensive. But once I put it on I was in love. The mint makes it hip, even if it was last year's color, my check of people at church says it's still a popular color. But I also loved the coral, the army green, and the black. I don't have the kind of expendable cash Beth has, so I try to look for pieces that are really versatile. I've worn it before with a fancy black top but I think I like this look better. I've got a black cami and my fav coral sweater that Beth gifted me. (Guys, she's really out to make the world better dressed. She's constantly sending me the cutest pieces.)I have a pair of coral wedges that I really wanted to wear, but I felt like it was just too much coral so instead I went with these wedges from Just Fab.I bought several statement necklaces because I always want to wear them, but then I chicken out or worry they don't quite work with the outfit but I wasn't backing down on this. If you're not sure you want to invest in like 10 statement necklaces, don't worry, I noticed Walmart has a design that come in at least 15 colors with silver and gold that are $5! This one came from Cato and was $8.99 and I love the  sparkly bits. Still beats Target's for $16.99.

I'll bet your Easter outfits looked nice and springy but I'll be honest, I'm a little jealous of Beth's Easter outfit, a good pair of pajama pants is my fav Sunday look.

What I Wore To Church - Pencil Skirt and Blouse

Sweater: American Eagle
Shirt: Zulily
Skirt: H&M MAMA Pencil Skirt
Shoes: Iron Fist Indecent Obsession

Since it's been rainy and chilly today, I decided to dress a bit warmer. My signature look used to be a pencil skirt and a blouse with tights and heels, but once the belly started showing, none of my pencil skirts would work. So, I was delighted to find this one at H&M in their maternity line. It worked out even better than expected because I bought it on Cyber Monday for 40% off.  It's nice and stretchy and should fit through the whole pregnancy.

I bought the blouse on Zulily awhile back and was saving it for when I got a bit bigger. Well that time has arrived, and I thought it went well with my pencil skirt. I bought the cardigan years ago, but pull it out every so often when I need a warmer layer. It was nice that it complimented the tights too.

The shoes (quite accurately named Indecent Obsession) I bought from Iron Fist directly probably a year ago, but could never find quite the right outfit for them. Well they are just too darn pretty to be kept on the shelf, so I was super happy to finally be able to wear them. They didn't match the blouse perfectly, but they were far enough away from it that it didn't matter. I love how stinking cute they are. Strawberries, roses, polka dots, and bows, in mary jane form. What more could you ask for? They may be too much for some, but I absolutely love them.

I'm so happy to be able to reclaim my signature style, and I'm sure this pencil skirt will get a lot of use. A pencil skirt is the closet staple that I most suggest everyone have. It's flattering on almost everyone if you get it to fit right, and it can be worn with so much. It always looks super classy and gives you a pulled together look without much effort. If you don't have one, I suggest you start the hunt to find a good one.

Happy Shopping!

What I Wore To Church - Bird Print Blouse and Pencil Skirt

Top: Old Navy Printed Chiffon Shirt
Skirt: JC Penney
Shoes: JustFab Juanita

I absolutely adore non-traditional animal print (meaning pictures of animals for the print). So I was super excited to find this top at Old Navy. I used one of their coupon codes so I didn't pay the full $32 for it. If you're interested, they currently have a 25% off code for non-card holders and a 30% off code for ON card holders. Use code BDAYGIFT. I also love that flowy tops are in right now. They work really well for hiding the tummy without looking frumpy. Make sure to pair them with something fitted on bottom to balance out the proportions.

I got the skirt at a Black Friday sale at Penney's years ago and it's been one of my favorites ever since. If you don't have a black pencil skirt in your closet, you should definitely look into buying one. They are such a versatile piece. For awhile pencil skirts and blouses were my "signature look". They never go out of style.

The shoes are JustFab Juanita from the sale I posted about awhile back. 1/2 size up fits perfectly. They were my pop of color for the outfit, and it was mentioned to me that combined with my orange nail polish, my outfit had a Halloween feel. I may have to recycle this look when it gets closer to Halloween.