2016 Re-cap: Your Favorite Posts of the Year!

Happy New Year's Eve!  I hope you have some fun plans for tonight whether you're staying in or going out!  We plan on staying in this year, spending some time with the kids drinking sparkling grape juice and maybe a little moscato.

The end of the year brings with it a time for reflection, and I always find it interesting to reflect on my most popular posts from the year - the ones that YOU clicked on and read the most.  Sometimes I see patterns or trends in what you liked which allows me to better focus my blog content.  So, even if you are a quiet follower, please know that you're still giving me feedback and that your support is immeasurable!

Without further ado, here are your favorite posts from 2016 ranked in reverse order from tenth to most popular:

#10 Wild Card Wednesday:  All The Bells and Whistles 
This soft textured look was a popular post not just on the blog but also on my various social media. 

#9 Shop Your Closet:  Plaid Shorts
This look was one of my favorites this year, and it was the most popular part of a trio of looks featuring these awesome plaid circle shorts from fellow petite plus Myrda J Designer Apparel.

#8 Getting Comfortable in PinkBlush Boutique + A $50 GiveawayEveryone loves a giveaway, and this post giving away a gift card to PinkBlush Boutique was a fan favorite.  This cardigan was seriously the perfect lounge piece!!

#7 Shop Your Closet:  Ruffles
I have been enjoying the resurgence of ruffles over the last few years, especially when this feminine detail is done in a sophisticated way that isn't too girly.  I looooove how this Eloquii tunic worked as a dress on my petite frame!

#6 Spring Double Feature:  Citron Chartreuse
Bright colors are always a crowd favorite, so I wasn't very surprised that this colorful citron and cobalt look was popular.

#5 Shop Your Closet:  The Blush Trench
This blush trench was a favorite piece of mine this year, and it proved to be popular on the blog as well.  The skirt and dress looks are some of my very favorite outfits from this past year, and I just love the color combos!

#4 Body Politics and the Not-So-Little Black Swimsuit
I didn't get around to doing as many body image related posts as I had planned, but this post about being a plus size advocate was my favorite and yours.  It doesn't hurt that I'm rocking a fantastic GabiFresh swimsuit on a beautiful beach either!  Wish I were there now!!!!

#3 Manic Monday:  The Relaxed Trench
This work look was my third most popular post of the year, and it's also definitely one of my favorite looks.  This year, I really fell in love with the mix of black and olive/army green.  Gold accents keep the color combo from feeling too drab and heavy.

#2 Top Ten Posts of 2015 + What's Coming in 2016
Apparently, you like these re-cap posts, as my similar post from last year had the second most hits of the year.  This look from 2015 continues to be a favorite of mine!

#1 Imitation Game:  The Blogger Midi
This skirt won the hearts of many bloggers this year, and apparently, it won your hearts too as my most popular post of 2016!  I styled this skirt several ways on the blog over the year, but this styling was the fan favorite. I guess chic really does happen!  ;-)

Just as dusters/soft trenches were a favorite go-to piece of mine this year, they took center stage on three of your favorite posts this year. 

My "Shop Your Closet" feature was also popular, which encourages me to continue to offer this feature in 2017.  I think it's helpful to see how key wardrobe pieces can be worn in different ways.
Hope you enjoyed this re-cap!  Did your favorite posts from last year make the cut?

Casual Friday: Selfie Star

Happy Friday!  With the last Friday of 2016, I decided to be my own star with this cute star print shirt dress from Boohoo Plus.

Dress:  Boohoo Plus (Available here)

I think star prints can sometimes read a little too juvenile, but I really like this dress. The relaxed shape and color palette help make this an easy choice for a casual day.

Boots:  Target (Available here)

I played with the graphic print of the dress by adding a novelty statement clutch also in black and white.

Clutch:  Torrid

Earrings:  The Limited

Glasses:  Tory Burch

My glasses and the booties maintain the monochromatic palette. 

Even though this dress is a little more casual than I would normally wear to work, I decided to rock it today with a marigold moto jacket for a true casual Friday look that I decided I could get away with since it's the last work day of the year!  :-)

Stay tuned tomorrow for a round-up of the ten posts that YOU liked most during 2016!

Winter Trends: Velvet

As 2016 comes to a close, so does my winter trend series with Irene of Petite Plus, Meow!  For our final installment, we are talking about our favorite tactile treasure - velvet. 

Dress:  Smart Glamour (Available here)

I love wearing velvet - it is just so soft and comfortable, and it's hard to resist touching the fabric while you're wearing it! 

Irene and I both stuck with pretty velvet dresses in neutral shades.  I'm wearing a grey Joan sheath dress with customized 3/4 length sleeves and full skirt from Smart Glamour.  The dress has a cutout detail which gives it a little extra flair.

Glasses:  Valentino

Clutch:  NY&CO

Heels:  ASOS

To dress the look up, I added gold lace-up heels and gold jewelry.  I love the contrast of grey and gold.  Silver is more expected, but I think gold creates a more sophisticated mix.

Bracelets:  LOFT

Irene styled a taupe bodycon slip dress for a recent holiday house party.  She layered her dress over a black tee for a cool 90s feel.

Irene of Petite Plus, Meow!

See more of Irene's look on Instagram or Facebook or head over to Petite Plus, Meow! to catch up with what's new on her blog.

Necklace:  Express

Hope you enjoyed our winter trends series!  

Look back at our featured trends of faux fur, gold, and sparkle, and stay tuned for tomorrow's Casual Friday post - my last outfit post of the year!

Do you enjoy velvet?

Winter Trends: Sparkle

Have you been keeping up with the winter trends collaboration with Irene of Petite Plus, Meow!?  So far, we have shared our personal takes on faux fur and gold, and today, we take on sparkles!

Dress:  ELOQUII (Available here)

There's something about a shiny, sparkly piece that is so hard to resist.  I had been eyeing this cute striped dress from Eloquii for quite a long time before I finally took the plunge and got it.  The stripes are a pretty candy-colored mix of pinks and purples.  It reminds me of a sparkly candy cane!

Glasses:  Tory Burch

To add even more sparkle, I added a black sequin bow and sparkly earrings.

Sequin bow collar:  ELOQUII

Purse:  Betsey Johnson

My husband got me this too-cute-for-words gingerbread woman purse and gave it to me before Christmas so that I could enjoy it during the holiday season.  I thought it was a great addition to this dress.

I wore this look to my office holiday party and received a lot of compliments.  

To get more wear out of the dress, I may try it with a simple trench later on to tone down the sequins.

Boots:  FarylRobin Fawcett

Irene provides some great ideas on how to tone down a sparkly sequin piece, pairing a sequin pencil skirt with various sweaters to add a cozy or sexy feel.  

Petite Plus, Meow!

Head over to her blog to see more.  You can also find her on Instagram or Facebook.

Stay tuned next Thursday when we finish up our winter series with one of my verrrry favorite fabrics - sensuous velvet!

Wild Card Wednesday: Unconventional Holiday Color

Most of us think of red and green when we think of the holidays, but non-traditional colors can be just as festive and are a little more unexpected.  For example, today's looks with a magenta skirt would be perfect for a holiday party. 

Skirt:  Eloquii (Available here)

Jacket:  Torrid (Available here)

I featured this skirt on the blog before, but I decided to shorten it from a maxi length to a midi length to make it a little more versatile.  Today's two looks dress the look up with faux fur and metallic heels.

Clutch:  The Limited

For the first look, I paired the skirt with a bodysuit and added a soft gray faux fur scarf.  I like how the scarf helps pull the look together with the silver shoes.

Shoes:  ASOS

Bracelets:  NY&CO, LOFT, and Wet Seal

Scarf:  The Limited

For a little added warmth, I lost the scarf and add a faux fur jacket.  This Torrid jacket is thin, but surprisingly warm!!! It was about 10 degrees Fahrenheit when I was taking these pictures, and I was about as cozy as one can possibly be in such weather!

Bodysuit:  Boohoo Plus (Available here)

Glasses:  Valentino

The leopard print lining is such an amazing touch and am looking forward to playing more with this lining in future looks.

Stay warm, my friends!!

Manic Monday: Jingle Bells

With many of us gearing up for the holidays, my work style definitely reflects this festive, most-dressiest of seasons. I'm not taking any days off for the holidays this year, but I figure my office clothes can still be a little fancy.

Dress:  ELOQUII (Available here)

For today's post, I am wearing a bell sleeve velvet dress from Eloquii.  Velvet is such a fancy fabric, but it's also a soft and comfortable option, making it perfect for spending the day in the office.

Booties:  FarylRobin Fawcett

Earrings:  Gift

The collar and bow neckline makes this a conservative option for the office, while the bell sleeves definitely make this a fun choice for work.

Clutch:  The Limited

I added rose quartz accessories for a soft accent.  I love the look of soft blush pink against black.  Against black velvet, it creates such a romantic feel.

Glasses:  Valentino

Ring:  The Limited

Are you working through the holidays or do you have some planned time off of work?

Winter Trends: Gold

It's Thursday which means it's time for the second installment of my winter trend collaboration with Irene of Petite Plus, Meow!!! 

Skirt:  ELOQUII (Available here)

Today, we are sharing our love of gold, this season's "it" metallic.  Seriously, gold was all over fall runways, and it's definitely a trend that is perfect for the holidays!

I recently picked up this gold foil skirt from ELOQUII.  It's lightweight and has such an amazing shimmer and sheen!  

Blazer:  ELOQUII (Available here)

Sweater:  ELOQUII

Since I wasn't quite sure how I wanted to style this skirt, I played around with a couple of different options.  The look with the blazer is my favorite as I like how the ivory brightens up the look.  The gift purse perfectly ties the look together.

Purse:  Betsey Johnson

Heels:  New Look Wide Fit

Necklace:  The Limited

Top:  ELOQUII (Available here)

For the second look, I kept things a little simpler with a black cropped sweater.  I added a little extra shimmer to the look by pinning a brooch on the skirt's waistband.

Brooch:  NY&CO

Pom pom keychain:  Torrid (Available here)

Irene is also rocking ELOQUII today with her adorable fit-and-flare dress that is available in PETITES!!  

Irene of Petite Plus, Meow!

The gold glitter band is such a fancy addition to the perfect little black dress!  Learn more about Irene's look at Petite Plus, Meow!  or check out her Instagram or Facebook pages.

Glasses:  Tory Burch

Clutch:  Eva Mendes for NY&CO

Catch up with the first installment of our winter trends series here!  And don't forget, we're here all month, so stay tuned next Thursday for our next winter trend!