Shop Your Closet: The Red Suit

For the past two years, I did a series on color and confidence.  This year, I was struggling to come up with a purple look, so I decided not to do the whole series, but expect to see a lot of color this week anyway!

Pants:  c/o Eloquii (Available here)

For today's post, I am showing some ways to get a little more mileage out of a suit.  Red packs such a bold and powerful statement, and for the first look, I wanted to go all out.

Jacket:  c/o Eloquii (Available here)

Shoes:  ASOS (Available here)

I paired my red suit with a red crop top and a red lip for a strong dose of color.  The gold heels and fun clutch make this look ready for evening.  For work, I could simply pair with a more formal blouse and basic pumps.

Top:  Eloquii (Available here)

Sunglasses: Tory Burch

The next two looks I actually did wear to work.  I paired the red pants with a black tunic, white pumps, and a skinny white scarf for an easy colorblocked look.  

Black Top:  Eloquii (Available here)

Scarf:  Eloquii (scarf from jacket here)

Purse:  Torrid
Glasses:  Coach

For work, I added a basic cardigan to stave off the air-conditioning chill.

Heels:  Candie's

For the last look, I went more colorful, pairing one of my favorite dresses from last year with the red blazer for a fun take on primary colors.

Dress:  Eloquii

Satchel:  The Limited

Booties:  ASOS (Available here)

I used to wear a lot of suits but have gotten a little more casual as of late.  A great suit though is such an important investment, and it is a truly versatile purchase!

Normally, I would suggest sticking with a neutral like black, navy, or grey, but a red suit can be almost as versatile and definitely projects a confident appearance!

Need more red inspiration?  Check out these posts from the last year for more ways to incorporate red into your wardrobe:

Pair red with faux leather and/or leopard print!
Left to right:  Spring Transitioning; Winter Romance

Something about red and stripes!!
Left to right:  Reading Between the Lines; Baby, You're a Firework!; Fall Colors

For the dress in other looks, see here and here.
For more red looks from Color & Confidence 1 & 2, see here and here.

November Budget and Wish List

I talked on the blog recently about how I've been working on my shopping skills, attempting to shop more thoughtfully and mindfully.  I want to have a closet full of only pieces I love.  I also want to include more unique pieces in my wardrobe to create a more individualized feel to my look.

In addition and perhaps more importantly, I'm working on reducing how much I buy and spend.  For the sake of my family budget, I need to get better about sticking to a monthly shopping budget.

To that end, I decided to start doing monthly budget posts on my blog.  Each month, I'll discuss what I want to get with my budget and how I actually spent my budget.

I'm a major budget/coupon shopper, so I will continue to rely on those to get more out of my budget.  See my post on how to save money for some helpful details and advice.

Now, comes the part about my budget.  How much to budget for fashion is a personal decision based on your individual finances, family status, and preferences.  For me, my budget is 5% of my monthly take-home income.  I've excluded my partner's income.  This leaves me with a budget of $150 per month for clothing, shoes, and accessories.

For the month of November, I'm budgeting for shoes and jewelry.

I'm always on the look out for shoes.  I've mentioned on the blog before that I have really hard-to-fit feet.  It's very difficult for me to find any that fit.  As a result, I have holes in my shoe wardrobe that I'd like to fill, and I have some shoes that are wearing out that I need to replace.

Juicy Couture Mila Peep-Toe Heels

Simply Vera by Vera Wang heels

I've also been obsessed with the Dior tribal earrings.  Since I can't afford the hefty price tag, I'm looking at a similar black pair on Etsy.


Etsy Tribal Earrings in Matte Black

Honorable Mentions 2

Last summer, I featured a few looks in one post and called them "honorable mentions."  These were outfits that didn't make the cut for whatever reason as their own post.  Today, I'm bringing four more honorable mentions - all looks worn to work over this past fall and winter.

For work, I tend to stick to certain formulas (skinny pants or jeans+blouse+blazer) that satisfy my personal aesthetic and the demands of the workplace.  I rarely wear the same exact outfit more than once, but I often tweak outfits that I love, creating only minor variations.  Since a lot of these looks are similar, I don't feature all of them on the blog.  That said, I thought I'd give a few of them an honorable mention...

A work version of this previous outfit:

Pants:  The Limited
Booties:  Target (Available here)

Cami, Blazer, and Scarf:  LOFT

I love red pants with black and white prints.  This fun tote adds a new touch.

Bright red lipstick really doesn't work for me, but my love of a red lip makes me "forget" that sometimes!

Pants and Blazer:  The Limited
Tote:  Isabel and Ruben Toledo for Lane Bryant (Available here)

Top:  Ann Taylor Petites
Heels:  Target (Available here)

Casual Friday options:

A python clutch, burgundy heels, and gold accents add interest to a simple look.

Jeans, Blouse, Blazer, and Necklace:  The Limited
Clutch:  Ann Taylor

Ring:  LOFT
Heels:  Target

Grey jeans are polished for work with a flowy aqua blouse and navy blazer.  Silver and turquoise accents help tie the look together.

Jeans and Blazer:  The Limited
Blouse and Heels:  Target

Cuff:  Gift

What do you typically wear to work?

For the purple blazer in another look, see here, here, and here.For the lace cami in other looks, see here, here, and here.

For the red pants in other outfits, see here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
For the black and white top in other looks, see here and here.
For the black tuxedo blazer in other looks, see here, here, here, here, and here.

For the dark jeans in other looks, see here, here, and here.
For the white wrap blouse in other outfits, see here, here, here, and here.
For the black blazer won in other outfits, see here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

For the navy blazer in other outfits, see here, here, here, and here.
For the aqua blouse in other looks, see here and here.
for the grey jeans in other outfits, see here, here, and here.

Hello Yellow

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Skirt: Target (Available here)
Jacket:  The Limited (Available here)

For work yesterday, I had fun styling my A-line print skirt with a black bow-front blouse and citrine yellow faux leather jacket.  

Blouse:  Old Navy (old)
Necklace:  Express (old)

I love how the yellow jacket brings out the hints of yellow in the skirt.

Bag:  The Limited (old)
Earrings:  The Limited (Available here)

The bow-front blouse and hemline is conservative enough for the office, but the print of the skirt and strappy heels gives the look a more youthful edge. 

Shoes:  Target (old)

I'm actually considering hemming this skirt.  Sometimes, it takes a few wears of a garment before I decide it needs alterations.  Due to the volume of this skirt, I think cutting off an inch or so would be more proportionate.

What do you think?  Do you get many clothing items altered?  How do you decide the "best" fit?

To see this skirt styled differently, see here.
To see this top styled differently, see here, here, and here.
To see this jacket styled differently, see here, here, and here.

Prabal Gurung for Target

I have been eagerly waiting for the latest designer collaboration with Target.  Prabal Gurung's collaboration hit stores and the net today, and I just had to go to my local Target to check it out!

The collection is available in limited supply and for a limited time only.  The clothing comes in misses sizes up to size 16.
Unfortunately, my favorite piece of the collection was sold out on-line and in-stores before I had a chance to get it.  ;-( 

I'm hopeful that someone will return this top in my size because word has it that no further shipments will be made.

This heart lace top is just gorgeous and so fun.  It would be perfect for Valentine's Day.

Prabal Gurung for Target lace overlay top

Overall, I was very impressed with the design and quality of this latest collaboration.  Unlike some of the collaborations of the past, the price points, quality, and design were all spot-on.  The tops appeared to be true to size, but the skirts and dresses seemed to run about a size smaller than normal.

Other favorites from the collection:

Prabal Gurung for Target colorblocked dress

Prabal Gurung for Target red ruffle dress

Prabal Gurung for Target heels in "Meet the Parents" print

These two red dresses would be great for Valentine's Day.  The colorblocked dress didn't catch my attention at first, but it is soo flattering thanks to the strategic colorblocking in the waist.  The ruffle dress is so romantic, and ruffles are a major spring trend.
The floral lace-up shoes are just so romantic and sexy.  They would look perfect with either of the dresses above.

Prabal Guring for Target "First Date" print top

Prabal Gurung for Target heels in "Nolita" print

Prabal Gurung for Target enamel bangle

I love the neon colors of these pieces above.  The kaleidoscope print top looks more expensive than it is and the striped pumps are actually brighter in person than they appear in the photo, making them a great match for the top.

Prabal Gurung for Target crystal teardrop pendant

Prabal Gurung for Target crystal teardrop earrings

These crystal earrings and pendant remind me of an oversized version of a set I had as a kid.  The pendant has more of a casual vibe, but the earrings would be perfect for an evening out.

Do you plan on getting any of the pieces from Prabal Gurung's collection for Target??

Make it Work (For Work)!

Happy Thursday, everyone!!

Blouse:  Ann Taylor Petites (Sold out on-line, see here)
Pants:  The Limited (Available here)

I have decided that even though this blouse isn't very corporate, it's too fun not to wear it to work.  Wearing clothes that make you smile makes the work day a little brighter!

I think to make a top like this work-appropriate, it's important to keep the look overall look simple and toned down.

Jacket:  The Limited (old) (Similar here)
Heels:  Target (old)

Moonstone earrings:  Gift
Shoes:  Target (old)

Today, I paired the top with a simple black cropped jacket and my new periwinkle skinny pants.  I wore the more simple black heels for week to keep the look a little bit more conservative.

For an evening out, I would go with the lace-up shoes and add bolder jewelry and a fun clutch.

Tote:  The Limited
Cuff:  New York & Company (old)

For this blouse styled differently, see here.

Cashmere Cozy

Happy Sunday everyone!

Today, I paired my black skinny pants with a purple cotton/cashmere blend sweater for a comfortable and cozy outfit.  I like that the outfit is basic but refined. 

Sweater:  The Limited (Available here)
Earrings:  The Limited (Available here)

Pants:  The Limited (Available here)
Clutch:  Jason Wu for Target

The fit of this sweater is loose without being too baggy and a little longer than other similar sweaters, making it an ideal pairing for dress pants, jeans, leggings, skirts, and more.

V-necks are super flattering for most everybody.  They help elongate the neck and are great for women with larger busts and/or rounder faces.

I added burgundy pumps and green accessories for a few pops of fall color.

Heels:  Target (Available here)
Necklace:  Forever 21
Jade ring:  Vintage (gift)

Hope you all had a great weekend!!