skirt J. Crew// sweater Anthropologie
Wow, it feels like months since I've last posted when in reality it’s only been a few weeks. These past two weeks have been crazy hectic with finals, work, and getting ready for Christmas and it has left me with very little time for myself, let alone blogging. This morning I finally got a chance to take some pictures with a little help from my lovely mother and after working all day today I'm just now getting the chance to post. So, here it is: I know it's the day after Christmas, but this week's post is about Christmas style. I'm not much one for dressing in all red or green for the holiday, but find this week's plaid skirt from J. Crew to be fitting for Christmas. Interestingly, I got the skirt as a Christmas gift several years ago. I absolutely love the colors and preppy style, and the wool fabric makes it perfect for cool winter days (although thanks to El Niño, this Wisconsin winter has been practically nonexistent). I paired it with a pair of grey cable knit tights (can be purchased for very little here), my Darby Loafers (again), and a chartreuse cardigan from Anthropologie. This cardigan, much like the skirt, was also a Christmas gift from several years back. In the years following its addition to my wardrobe, I have found the sweater to be a staple. I usually am not one for bright colors and have a closet full of rather mute tones. So, having a knit like this is fabulous. It allows me to add a pop of color to the dullest colored outfits. Ok, I know what you're probably thinking right now. You're probably thinking, "Anna this is supposed to be a blog on how to dress well without spending too much and you're wearing all J. crew and Anthropologie. This doesn't make sense." Well, I have two explanations: 1. Yes, Christmas is a time for giving and Jesus is, in fact, the reason for the season. However, we inevitably get gifts and it can be a good time to ask for a few nicer things that you may not purchase for yourself. (I'm not saying you should be greedy, but maybe ask for quality over quantity when it comes to gifts) 2. Christmas is a good day to pull out some nicer clothes and get dressed up. It's a time to grab your more expensive pieces and sport them for an evening. Lesson of the Week: Christmas is for nice clothes. It's a day, an evening, a time to sport some of your finer items and enjoy getting dressed up. And remember, quality over quantity.
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jacket Forever 21// top and booties H&M// jeans Zara
Meet Jacie Jermier, a soon-to-be wife, sass master, music-lover, and crazy good athlete. Jacie so graciously agreed to model for me amidst her busy life of preparing to graduate in a short week and move to Seattle shortly after, and I couldn't be more grateful for her time. She is a beautiful soul with effortlessly cool style and natural beauty. This week she is sporting a lightweight utility jacket (no parka needed- MKE is oddly holding off on the cold weather), relaxed-fit henley tee, simple black jeans, and some killer black booties. The look is the epitome of Jacie's style- simple, chic, effortless. My favorite parts of the look are her H&M henley and booties. Jacie's love of henley tees has rubbed off on me and I've been in love with the shirts lately. The tops are perfect for layering or simply wearing on their own and offer that effortlessly cool style. Stores like H&M and Forever 21 most always have basics like these and for reasonable prices. Similarly, these same stores also have a great selection of shoes. If you're looking for low-cost boots, booties, heels, etc., there is rarely a shortage at H&M. Jacie's black chelsea booties (totally in right now!) are the perfect combination of "going out shoes" and everyday footwear. While chelsea boots like Jacie's are a hot style right now, I believe they are timeless- they go with nearly everything and can be dressed up or down. For Jacie, their simple look is consistent with her effortless style, but are adaptable to fit nearly any style. What makes Jacie's style unique or admirable is her dedication to who she is. She wears what she likes and sticks to pieces that define her style, but most importantly, she wears confidence. Confidence and a smile are the two most important accessories in any wardrobe, and Jacie has both. She's effortless, gorgeous, confident, and inspiring- someone I admire and thank the Lord for putting her in my life. Lesson of the Week: Don't change your style for anyone. Whether you're an edgy dresser, a prep, or a hipster embrace your style and find pieces that define you. Be confident in your style and always wear a smile! sweater Forever 21// purse Kate Spade
"Women who wear black lead colorful lives." -Neiman Marcus Black, arguably the most important color in fashion industry, never goes out of style. Everything about the color says chic and clean, and even a little mysterious. It's a color quite easy to wear and makes nearly everyone look good. So, this week I donned my all black ensemble. Yet, I felt the need to add a splash of color with my red structured handbag because I always need a little pop. This week's outfit is composed of mainly piece I have already featured in posts, such as the pants a few weeks back in Take Care and the shoes from my very second post, Steals & Deals. For me, dressing well doesn't require five different pairs of essentially the same piece. Black pants are black pants and there is no need for several pairs of the same thing. It is quite easy to re-wear pieces and with slight changes to other aspects of the outfit, you will have a completely new look and people will not even recognize that you are re-wearing anything. By re-wearing the basics in your closet, it allows you to be able to spend more on unique or "not so basic" pieces. This past week, after months of not shopping, I finally splurged on a new sweater. However, I'm not quite sure you can call a $20 sweater a splurge, but it has made a great addition to my closet. This week's black turtleneck sweater is from Forever 21. I happened upon it earlier this week and simply had to have it. Its thick knit and turtleneck make it warm and perfect for winter weather. Paired with black pants and shoes, with a colorful bag (like I've done here) make a simple, sophisticated holiday look. It can also be paired with blue jeans for a more casual look. Any way you wear this Forever 21 find you will see that it is worth having in any wardrobe. Lesson(s) of the Week: Wearing black- slightly mysterious, yet totally chic and with a pop of color, perfect for the holidays. Also, don't waste your money on buying too many items that are too similar. Basics are basics and there is no need to have excess of these pieces. It is okay to re-wear basics and no one will ever know! |