Style Cassentials Turns Two!

My blog turns two today, and I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their viewership and support. 

It really means a lot to me that anyone reads my blog, let alone comments or follows regularly!!

Dress:  Sophie Theallat for The Limited

This past year has been a year of change and growth for my blog, and I'm very proud of my efforts to offer various content over the last year.  While I did not achieve all the goals I had planned a year ago, I also adapted and changed some of these goals as the year progressed.

Heels:  Target (Similar here)

In December 2013, I started working as a contributing writer for The Curvy Fashionista, and this experience has taught me so much!  (Thanks Marie!!)  It has given me tons of tips, tricks, and ideas that I have started intepreting for Style Cassentials.

I have also expanded my presence on Facebook this year.  If you're a Facebook user and you're not already following me, check out my page here for lots of additional content not offered on the blog!

My blog has always been about personal style and its evolution.  That focus is based on the foundation that ALL women deserve to partake in fashion, if they so choose.  Body size, shape, age, income, race, sexual orientation...NONE of these things should be relevant in having fun with fashion.

I hope to continue to promote these ideas and share body-positive content with you in the coming year.

I will continue to explore my own personal style and share my fashion joys, challenges and growth with you.

In addition, I have ideas that I hope will make my blog a more interactive experience for all of us.  More on that later...

I have some questions for you: 

What would you like to see more/less of on the blog?  Do you have any style questions you want answered? 

LET ME KNOW!

In the meantime, a birthday celebration wouldn't be complete without a birthday look!

I had wanted to do a really fun photo shoot like I did last year, but I seriously could not decide what I wanted to do!

So, this year, I'm a little more subdued and classy in a lace dress that I actually wore on MY birthday last year.  :-)

I'm looking forward to the year ahead, and hope you'll stick around with me because there's so much more to come!

Again, thank you so much for joining me on this journey!

It's My Birthday, and I Can Wear What I Want To!!

So, today was a great day.  It was my birthday, and I was in a really good mood.

The weather was positively dreary though!  Grey, rainy, and chilly.

Dress:  Sophie Theallat for The Limited (Similar here)

Belt:  Torrid (Sold out on-line; May be available in stores)

The man and I were going out to dinner to celebrate my birthday, and I really wanted to wear this outfit.  The weather was not cooperating, but I decided to wear it anyway.

We went out for a nice Italian dinner, so what could be better than a dress that makes me feel like Sophia Loren?

Shoes:  Vera by Vera Wang (Kohl's - sold out on-line)

I like the juxtaposition of the ladylike dress with the moto jacket.  Some would say that these two pieces don't go, but this gal likes her sweet mixed with a little spice.  Leather and lace is a new classic in my book.

Clutch:  Target (old)

As I looked around the restaurant, all I saw were jeans and other casual clothes.  I suddenly felt a little overdressed, but I'd rather be a little overdressed for an occasion than under-dressed. 

After dinner, we picked up the kids from the grandparents and went to DQ to enjoy dessert as a family.  I was DEFINITELY overdressed for Dairy Queen, but as the man and kids loudly and embarrassingly sang me "Happy Birthday," my wardrobe choices hardly seemed to matter.  I felt special and silly and had fun with my family.  Also, the new pumpkin pie Blizzard...not too shabby.

Bow ring:  The Limited

Moto jacket:  The Limited

Who cares if this outfit was not exactly weather or event appropriate?

It's my birthday, and I can wear what I want!    :-D

For this moto jacket in other looks, see here, here, here, here, and here.

P.S. I altered this dress to suit my needs.  The dress was too long, but hemming meant losing the pretty scallop hem detail.  I opted to have only the lining hemmed to keep the lace and to show more leg.  I love that the flash of skin at the hem echoes the neckline.  The shortened lining creates a longer leg line that I find more flattering for my petite frame.  I am all about making clothes work for my body and for my personal aesthetic.  Alterations are a great way to make that happen.   After all, we should ALL be able to wear what we want EVERY DAY!!