New Years Retrospective - A Look Back At My Favorite Looks of 2014

With another year behind us, I think it's always fun to look back and see where we've been and to think about where we're going.

Today on the blog, I'm looking back at my year in fashion and have picked my favorite looks over the past year.  Here they are in chronological order:

Black Pants for Work: High-Waisted Trousers
I love a black suit for work, and this one has such great drape and flatters curves perfectly.  The sheer blouse, gold necklaces, and red clutch add personal touches.

Dress Week 2: Mixed Prints & Cobalt
I love black and white mixed with a pop of bold color.  Throw in mixed prints and a moto jacket, and you have a fun and versatile look!

Black for Spring:  Cutouts and Lace-Ups
EShakti really got my attention this year, and this dress with the cutout lattice detailing was an instant favorite.  This dress feels really fun and youthful.

Date Night In Black and White
I have really learned to love my legs this year, and I've had fun showing them off in lots of short skirts.  The large ruffle detail on this top mixed with a black and white color palette won this girl's heart!

Tickled Pink:  Romance and Tulle
As I've said on the blog before, I just love a tulle skirt.  There's just something so romantic about it!!  This one was customized through eShakti, so it had just the fit I wanted!!

Sweet Romance
Another eShakti dress, this cute polka dot number has a retro fit that works well with curves, but the cutout detailing makes it oh so modern.

Make It You
Fit and flare dresses are an easy and curve-flattering favorite, and this polka dot dress is an office workhorse during the summer months.  Always looking for ways to make this dress feel fresh, I added a bold art print tote.

Savanna Sunset
I love zebras, giraffes, and elephants, and I fell head over heels for this dress when I spotted it.  The print is so cute up close, but I also love that from a distance, it can also just read as a cool graphic print.

Earthy Glam
When it's hot, nothing's better than easy clothes that you can just throw on and go.  This maxi dress was a summer favorite for casual wear, and I especially loved it with my comfy feathered sandals for a bit of a bohemian flair.

Tropical Fruit
This fun and fruity outfit was so breezy for a casual summer day.  There's nothing I love better than neutrals, but sometimes, it's nice to throw on something so bright and cheery!

Comfy Work Wear
This outfit was a surprise hit.  It was thrown together one morning before work, but it makes sense that it's a favorite.  It has my favorite color palette, fringe, peplum detail, comfy knit wear, and a figure enhancing silhouette.  Really, why didn't I come up with this outfit sooner?

Maxi and Moto - 3 Ways

Maxi skirts and moto jackets - two of my favorite things.  Throw in a touch of lace and a fun clutch, and boom...an outfit that is just so me it's like I know myself or something. ;-)

Fall Color Week 2:  Blues

My cobalt moto jacket is a personal favorite.  Pairing it with this amazing lace skirt I picked up on clearance at Ann Taylor over the summer was even better!!

Fall Double Feature:  Loving Leather
I wear a lot of faux leather, and whether it's a jacket or a skirt, I love the versatility of this fabric.  The cropped tuxedo jacket adds a more formal vibe to the skirt.

Favorite Pairings
I have mostly worn this jumpsuit for evenings, but I love the idea of taking it a more casual direction.  Rolling up the cuffs of the pants and throwing on a cognac moto jacket, black and cognac increasingly becoming a favorite combo, lends a more relaxed vibe to this super comfy onesie!

 

Cozy In Leather & Lace
Again with the leather!  A lace top adds a bit of romance, while the comfy sweater is so warm and cozy!!

eShakti Holiday - 70s Child
Yet another winning look from eShakti.  I've loved lace-up detail like this neckline since I was in junior high.  Add in sequins and some sky-high heels, and I feel ready to party!!

Holiday Double Feature - Casual Cocktails
Last but not least is this look from my recent holiday collaboration with Irene of Petite Plus, Meow!  The sweater and skirt are both have such an ease about them, but the interesting details give them a wow factor in my book.

Do you have any favorite looks from 2014?  Find me on Facebook and share your favorite outfits from 2014!

Happy New Year to you all!

Back To Reality

Happy Tuesday!

Dress:  Ann Taylor Petites

Yesterday was back to the office.  I figured if I had to be back at work, I might as well embrace it and opted for an office-ready sheath. 

After a few too many cookies this month, I decided this oversized black wool jacket was a good choice to disguise a few extra pounds and to feel comfortable while working.

Jacket:  Eva Mendes for New York & Company (Available here)

Clutch:  Target (Available here)

Boots:  Target

Plus, I really like how the shape of this jacket works with this dress.

Peach and black is a favorite color combination, and the peach works well with my burgundy hair!  :-D

Tights:  The Limited

I completed the look with silver sparkly jewelry and a color blocked clutch to add a bit of contrast.

Earrings:  Target (old)

Rings:  The Limited
Bracelets:  The Limited, LOFT, Ann Taylor

Do you find yourself reaching for looser clothes during or after the holidays?  How do you deal with extra winter weight and bloat?  I've been trying to detox a bit with more salads and fewer sweets.

For this dress in another look, see here.
For this jacket in other looks, see here, here, here, and here.

Lounging in the Flowers

These pants are so comfortable that I love the idea of pairing them with other comfy pieces for a relaxed look that feels as good as pajamas.

Pants:  LOFT Petites (Available here)

Top:  Mossimo Petites for Target

The black floral pants, bright watermelon top, and boyfriend cardigan are all soft, easy, and most importantly, ultra comfortable.

I would wear this look out for drinks or on a date, but I would also swap out the clutch for a tote and wear this to work on a more casual day.

Cardigan:  LOFT Petites

Clutch:  Target

Necklace:  The Limited
Cuff:  New York & Company

Black and gold accessories are bold, but don't overly compete with the bright colors and patterns.

Heels:  Target
Earrings:  Mix of two sets from Target & trendylittlepieces (Available here and here)

What's more important to you in choosing an outfit - comfort or aesthetics?

For the pants in another look, see here.
For the top in other outfits, see here, here, here, here, here, and here.
For the cardigan in other looks, see here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Countdown to New Years!!

With Christmas over, the countdown to New Year's Eve and 2015 begins!

With thoughts of noisemakers and sparkly bubbly in mind, I decided it would be fun to come up with some ideas for New Years Eve fashion.

Dress:  eloquii (old)

Blazer:  The Limited (old) (Similar here)

Everyone tends to think sparkles, glitter, and sequins for New Year's, and those are certainly great choices, but sometimes a mini dress in a shocking color is all you need.  Seriously, the pink of this dress is so vibrant in person!

Boots:  Target

I played around with other toppers - a leather moto jacket and a sparkly cardigan - but, ultimately, I decided that the basic black blazer was the best choice with this dress. 

If you don't own a black suit jacket or blazer, I highly recommend one.  It's the most versatile closet staple you'll ever own!!

Clutch:  The Limited

Bracelet:  Swarovski (Gift)

I finished the look with ankle booties and a gold plated clutch to add a little edge and shine.  Simple accessories add interest but don't get in the way of all night dancing.

Earrings:  trendylittlepieces (Available here)

If it's cold in your parts or don't love showing too much leg, a pair of printed or sparkly tights would be perfect for the occasion!

What do you plan to wear for New Year's? Are you going out or staying in?

For this dress in other looks, see here, here, here, and here.
For this blazer in other looks, see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Merry Christmas!!

Sorry I've been absent for a while from the blogsophere.  I did almost ALL of my Christmas shopping at the last minute this year, and the last several days have been a whirlwind of hectic shopping trips, frantic gift wrapping, and oodles of cookie baking.

Presents for five kids wrapped and ripped open and two Christmas dinners down, I am finally enjoying some relaxation!  The holidays can be super stressful, but thankfully, it's mostly a positive stress.

The magic of Christmas is alive with this one!!

I loved watching the excitement on my kids' faces as they opened up their gifts.  I loved seeing five generations of my family together for the holidays. I loved spending time with my honey wrapping presents, laughing at how awful he is at this task, and commiserating over our aching feet.

As much as I've been going the last few days, Christmas is often the one time of year that I truly stop and enjoy my family.  It's so easy to get caught up with the stressors of work and day-to-day life that we often don't get that chance to step back and appreciate, listen, and engage with our families and friends.

I just love sharing in the magic of Christmas with my kids, especially my youngest, Savanna, who is such a true believer in Santa and so enthusiastically appreciative of each and every aspect of the holiday.

The motley crew - at 3 am after Santa had arrived!!

I'm not a very religious person, but I tend to see all religions as teaching very similar ideals and values.  The values of peace, love, sharing, compassion, forgiveness, and hope that the winter holidays bring help warm the heart and the home.  I grew up with Christmas as a cultural tradition, so it's still an important part of my life.  And, I love sharing these traditions and passing them along to my family.

To those of you who celebrate, I hope you had a wonderful holiday filled with love, laughter and warm moments. 

Thank you to all of who read and follow my blog, and as we wrap up 2014, I wish you a safe and happy new year! 

Casual Friday + Winterizing a Dress

Happy Sunday!

Sweater:  New York & Company

Hope the weekend has found you well!  I'm excited to have some time off work during a very busy and stressful patch.  That said, the next week will be busy with lots of Christmas shopping, baking, and family visiting.  I plan on being fairly laid-back and casual during the next week - wearing sweatpants when I can and lots of stretchy knits, oversized sweaters, and jeans when sweatpants just won't cut it.

Jeans:  The Limited

Camisole:  LOFT

I'll be bringing you some of these casual looks, and today, I have one for you.  This one is actually a recent casual Friday look.  When it's a  casual day at work, I tend to prefer to stick with dark denim as I think it looks most professional.  A comfy sweater and loose cami underneath were super comfortable, but still managed to have a crispness with the dark denim. 

Tote:  New York & Company
Booties:  Target (Available here)

Wanting comfy shoes as well, I went for my beige booties.  While heeled, these have a thicker heel that is very sturdy and provides a lot of support to the foot.

Bracelets:  Ann Taylor and Target

When it's not a casual day at work, I'm always looking for new ways to wear the more professional pieces in my closet.  One of my favorite ways of expanding my wardrobe is winterizing dresses.

Dresses tend to be the least versatile part of a wardrobe.  Unlike separates, you can't mix and match them to create new looks.  Adding or taking away blazers or sweaters, layering tops underneath, and changing up accessories/shoes are helpful though in giving your dresses a little more range.

Dress:  Ann Taylor Petites (Similar here)

Blazer:  New York & Company

Tights:  New York & Company (Available here)

Some dresses are easier to mix than others.  As much as I love this neutral color blocked dress, I've struggled with ways of increasing its versatility. 

Today's look isn't too far off from the first way I wore it.  Same boots, same necklace and purse, even a black blazer. 

See first look from "Neutral Zone" here

But, to winterize the look, I added cheetah print tights, and I changed up the basic blazer to one with faux leather sleeves.

Satchel:  Express
Boots:  Target

Necklace:  Ann Taylor

How do you transition dresses for the season? 

For the sweater in other looks, see here and here.
For the jeans in other looks, see here, here, here, here, and here.

For the blazer in other looks, see here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.