{Fabric & Threads} Blazer, Drop Down Waist, Leggings.

In this series I've been sharing with you a few of my favorite outfits. When I went shopping for work clothes, for more suitable Downtown business attire, I knew I wanted a navy blazer. And I also knew I did not want to spend a fortune. I ended up finding a blazer at Charlotte Russe (believe it or not) for $20. It really has pulled together so many of my work looks. Worn with a t-shirt and trousers, over dresses, and to make jeans a bit more dressy on casual Fridays, it really is the most versatile piece in my closet this fall. And I love that it is lined with a silky fabric (navy with polkadot hearts), so that when the sleeves are rolled, a bit of the pattern peeks out! The blazer combined with navy knit leggings and a drop waist shift dress make the outfit casual cute yet put together for the workplace. The purse is the most costly item in the entire look (from my trip to Rome!) and the turtle necklace I bought at a car show in Burbank, California (random, yes). The shoes and leggings are hand me downs (thanks, mom!). Leaving just the drop down dress, which was a sale item at Anthropologie. I wore this outfit to work today actually, and the children wanted my necklace! It spurred on many renditions of "I had a tiny turtle, his name was tiny Tim, I put him in the bathtub, to see if he could swim...." I hope you are enjoying this series! 

xo,

Lauren

PS.  Anyone else notice that this outfit coordinates so perfectly with my last DIY project?  I just did!

Fabric & Threads: Paisley, Cords, and Polkadots

If you know my everyday style, you know that I often mix prints. One of my lovely readers asked if I could share a bit on my print and pattern mixing. Being such a visual person myself, I thought that showing you photos every now and again of my daily looks may be of some inspiration to you, especially if they combine prints and colors you may not have thought of before! (HERE you can see the past Fabric & Threads post). This year I feel my personal style has both matured yet also brought back parts of my past. As a teenager, mostly what I wore was thrifted and vintage. I lost that zest for the thrift through my college years, and now with a love for being frugal and finding a bargain, thrifting is back in my life, and also allows for interesting patterns and pieces of the past to be a part of my wardrobe again. I can also say I feel a bit braver in my personal style. Feeling more confident in my own skin and in the layers beneath the fabric and threads has really made me more daring to try bold prints and trends I might not have tried in the past. And when I say layers, what I really mean is that I have grown in my confidence as a woman, in my inner beauty, and have learned to embrace my imperfections and be thankful for the body I have.

Mixing Prints for Fall:

This look incorporates skinny floral corduroys, a polkadot wedge top, grey suede ankle boots, and a top knot. The patterns and tones are subtle, yet compliment each other. The blousey top paired with the skinnies creates a fun sillohuette. Corduroy for fall is perfect, especially in colors like plum, eggplant, mustard yellow, and navy. Let's keep colors in the season, shall we? And of course the booties are in right now, but I would love them regardless of the trend. They're a great boot option while it is still eighty degrees out (no sweaty calves!). I'll have you know ALL of these items were purchased for my work wardrobe revamp. And ALL were purchased on sale! Paired with other items in my closet, a more formal work look can be put together with each piece. But on the weekend, I can wear all three of these elements together and BOOM a playful look for day and night. What is a print combo or look that you are loving for fall?

top ANN TAYLOR | corduroys ANN TAYLOR | booties TARGET