I Freely Admit it. These are Crazy Pants

Dollar Store Sunglasses, Tank: H&M (via The Clothes Exchange) Cardigan: TJ Maxx, Paisley Lounge Pants: H&M, Sandals: Payless Gem Ring: Charlotte Russe, Bar Ring: Downtown ThreadsI love these pants. Yes, they’re totally outrageous but they feel like pajamas and the print is perfect. To balance out the voluminous lounge pants I kept everything simple, using lightweight fabrics and a crisp, clean color palette.

While I love the leisurewear vibe these pants have I can’t wait to dress them up. I have a pair of grey suede heels and a perfectly slouchy black tank top I can’t wait to pair with these “high fashion Hammer Pants” as D calls them. It’s the perfect outfit for drinks with the girls or a night out on the town.

What “crazy” pieces have you added to your wardrobe lately?

What’s New Pussy Cat

Sunglasses: Dollar Store, Dress: H&M, Pumps: Steve Madden

Saturday D and I spent the day in Montreal and since Burlington is less than 100 miles from this cosmopolitan Canadian city it makes a perfect day trip. While we were there I popped into H&M and this colorful cut-out dress was one of my purchases. I am such a cat lady at heart I couldn’t resist when I saw the dresses print. Some of the cats have different colored heads and tails, giving them a certain Frankenstein vibe.

I wore this with fun feline frock to work and out to lunch with friends. When I was in the office I had a black blazer on but it was such a nice day that I shed it as soon as I stepped outside. I love Burlington this time of year. There’s always something going on: the farmer’s market on the weekends, the annual Church Street Sidewalk Sale, tons of concerts on the waterfront, and of course Brewfest.

what summer fun are you looking forward too?

Concrete Perch

Sunnies: Dollar Store, Leaf Print Tank: Downtown Threads (last seen here), Belt & Black and Silver Bracelet: Forever 21, Skirt: Thrift Shop in Maine, Heels: Target, Blue Beaded Bracelet: Gifted, Ring: Vending MachineBright and sunny Mondays always make the start of the work week a bit easier (or at least that’s what I keep telling myself.) I’m finally feeling better and after spending close to a week on my couch in my pajamas it felt good to do my hair, put on heels, and bust out a few bright and bold pieces.

I found this skirt at a small charity shop in my hometown for 75 cents and after wearing it half a dozen times I’m considering having it shortened so that is falls just above the knee. I’m hoping taking a few inches off the bottom of the skirt will leave me with a more streamlined, pencil skirt like shape. I love having thrifted pieces altered because not only do I end up with exactly what I want but I still save money, even after having pieces tailored.

How often do you have pieces tailored? 

Leaves and Lockets

Sunglasses, Blouse, & Locket: Downtown Threads,* Jeans: H&M, Sandals: TargetAfter spending years avoiding pinks, reds and oranges I had a fashion breakthrough and this funky leaf print tank was the piece to bring me around. While the top is very orange the print is the focal point so the bright orange becomes almost secondary (or at least that’s what I’m telling myself). Add a black blazer and cream scarf over this look and you’re ready for a day at the office or toss on a moto jacket, an arm full of bangles and nude heels for a night out.

Whether you’re trying out a new silhouette or giving warm colors a second chance stepping outside of your fashion comfort zone can be intimidating but if you write things (trends, colors, silhouettes) off entirely before experimenting with them you may miss out on a fashion breakthrough of your own. I spent years convinced that wearing any shade of orange would make me look like a giant ginger pumpkin and here I am loving my bold new orange blouse.

What trends/color/silhouettes do you steer clear of? Have you had a fashion breakthrough?

*full disclosure: while I receive items from Downtown Threads all ideas, content, and opinions expressed are my own.

Wore Out’s Look of the Week

Happy Friday All! D and I both have today off from work and tonight we’re going to see John Brown’s Body! They’re one of my favorite bands to see live, their energy is amazing and it’s great dancing music.

Speaking of good energy, Wore Out’s Look of the Week is…

Bonnie from Flashes of Style!I didn’t think it was possible to be jealous of a cardigan collection… until I found Bonnie’s blog. Not only is Bonnie’s collection of cardigans enviable but she has some of the cutest toppers and bags out there. Her effortless style and uber chic wardrobe result in inspiring outfits and looks.  How can you not love this look?

The gold pants work perfectly with the colors in the blouse and create a classic silhouette. I like how Bonnie paired them with a classic loafers but I can see this outfit being just as awesome paired with black pumps or platform booties. As the fall weather really sets in I’m excited to see how Bonnie layers and mixes pieces. She’s an expert at incorporating the hottest trends into her looks without compromising an ounce of her personal style.

What’s your favorite part of Bonnie’s outfit? What are your weekend plans?

Wore Out’s Look of the Week

Happy Friday all! I want to start by wishing my wonderful boyfriend D a happy birthday, he’s turning the big 2-5 today! I can’t wait to spend the weekend celebrating with good food and good friends.

I knew that this lovely lady had the Look of the Week (LOTW) in the bag when I saw this awesome outfit. I’m so excited that Wore Out’s LOTW is…

Catherine from Small Town, Big WardrobeLook at this fabulous print mixing in action!

It’s no secret that I love print mixing so when I saw Catherine’s post on Tuesday I nearly swooned. The subtle and smart pops of color she expertly added give this look dimension and that little something extra that every girl is striving for.

The blue belt not only creates a perfect silhouette but also break up the black and white prints beautifully while the yellow flats keep this look fun and fresh. The other part of this outfit I love are the chic yet subtle additions of pearls. The pearl earrings and bracelet add a touch of sophistication (without being overly stuffy) and work perfectly with Catherine’s color palette.

This post is full of inspiration, not only is Catherine’s outfit the perfect example of print mixing but it’s also a great example of transitioning summer favorites into the fall (which she talks about). Personally I can see her wearing this look into the winter with  a blazer, jewel tone tights and a great pair of booties!

Not only is her content great but Catherine’s warm personality just shines through in her posts. Filled with honesty and spot on humor her content keeps me coming back just as much as her outfits do. Hopefully we can actually meet in real life one day as I’d love to be able to shop the Midwest with this gal!

Have you gone out on a fashion limb lately? What summer pieces are you still wearing?

A New Staple

Sunnies: Tom Ford (gifted), Tank: Charlotte Ruse, Jean Jacket: T.J Maxx, Skirt: Downtown Threads, Bangles: Gifted, Sandals: Payless

Last week while I was at Downtown Threads for Fashion’s Night Out  I fell head over heels for this skirt’s pattern when I saw it hanging on the rack. The skirt itself is a medium weight knit making it crazy hot today perfect for cooler fall days and even into winter when layered with tights. There’s about a million ways I want to style this skirt and honestly it’s quite frustrating that I can’t wear it everyday.

Originally I wanted to wear my black wedges (seen here) but the skirt isn’t quite long enough and too much of the heels were visible. I’ve always thought the perfect length is when your shoe is fully covered and the hem of your skirt/dress/pants is just barely brushing the ground but now that I have so many fun heels I want to show them off. Most of my heels are at least three inches so unless I purposely buy “tall” pants/skirts there’s no way I’ll be able to cover them up come cooler weather. I guess I’m still trying to find the sweet spot as far as length goes.

How much shoe is it acceptable to show?

Printy Printy Princess

Shocked that I forgot I had this sweet rose and leopard print sundress. Amazed that I have a clutch that matches, perfectly.

Heading downtown for drinks with friends, have a great night all!

Day to Date in a Step

Sunnies: Downtown Threads, Jacket: T.J Maxx, Romper: Target,

Sandals: H&M, Wedges: Charlotte Ruse, Rings: Charlotte Ruse & Gifted 

Over the weekend D and I met with his parents and grandparents for lunch to celebrate Father’s day; giving me the perfect excuse to break out this new to me romper! My younger sister bought this romper last summer but after a few months of it hanging in her closet (with the tags still on) she ended up giving it to me. The shape/style of the pockets remind me of an elementary school art smock but I’m totally digging it.

For lunch with D’s family I kept it casual but fun in my coral sandals. Later I opted for a sexier look pairing the romper and cropped jean jacket with black wedges when D and I grabbed drinks on Church Street with friends. The wedges not only add height but lengthen my legs counteracting the pear shape look the romper gives me. Next time I’m thinking of pairing the romper with these coral stilettos for an extra pop of color and 2 inches of height!

After looking at these pictures I was really amazed by how much the look/feel changed just by switching shoes. Changing up accessories is one of the cheapest and fastest ways to remix an item in your closet. Adding a pair of heels and some bold accessories can take an outfit from day to night in a snap.

How do you take an outfit from day to night? Would you wear a piece of clothing even if it wasn’t exactly flattering?

Wore Out’s Look of the Week

Happy Friday All!

I started the week off with a brand new favorite, I dusted the cobwebs off this old dress, found my new summer scent and added a splash of cranberry red into my wardrobe.

This week my work schedule changed and it totally threw me off. I woke up on Tuesday thinking it was Thursday (sadly it was not) and on Thursday I was sure it was Friday (again I was wrong). Unfortunately mixing up the days of the week wasn’t the only downer this week as I really struggled with inspiration for outfits. In an effort to start fresh next week I plan on diving head first into pintrest and finally catching up on all my favorite blogs.

Speaking of my favorite blogs, Wore Out’s Look of the Week is…

Christine of my style pill!In this outfit how could she not be the Look of the Week?

Everything about this look just screams sophisticated summer!

Besides the amazing dress Christine is wearing her accessories really do steal the show. The yellow strap on her adorable heels is the perfect compliment to the bright and bold print of her dress. Everything is well balanced and works together to bring out the beauty of the dress.

The brown tones from Christine’s belt and clutch also work to balance the final look and pull everything together from the dark brown of her strappy heels to the color of her sunnies. This ensemble just oozes effortless elegance (and I can’t wait to copy it!)

Make sure to stop by my style pill for a fashionable dose of inspiration and while you’re there make sure to congratulate Christine on being named Modcloth’s Blogger of the Moment!

Which of Christine’s accessories would you be most likely to wear? How have you been styling bold prints this summer?