Pencil Me In: Skirts With Style

    Pencil skirts are scary for some; women today are afraid of curves.  Ladies, if there is one piece of advice that you take from this blog, let it be this:  Love your curves!  And a cute little pencil skirt is the best way to show them off.

    I'm a curvy gal, always have been and the idea of a pencil skirt was pretty scary for a long time.  I didn't want to show off that part of my body, I wanted to hide it.  When I actually tried a pencil skirt I found that it did the opposite of what I expected.  It drew attention to my waist at its narrowest point and created a smooth silhouette.   An area I used to hide, is one of my favorite  features in this style skirt.

Some examples from my closet:

    This pencil skirt is a thick wool fabric making it office appropriate, and it's bright yellow color makes it fun and interesting.

This satiny skirt by LOFT blue and green watercolor print has a higher waist and is so figure flattering.  When paired with heels, a cardigan, and some chunky jewelry it's perfect for the office.

Same watercolor skirt with flats and short sleeves for a more casual look.  I could easily take this look one step further and wear it with a tee shirt or cotton blouse and sandals for a totally casual look.

When looking for a casual pencil skirt, look for a fun print and cotton or other light weight fabric.  This little pink and tan paisley print is a vintage piece that I found at a flea market for less than $10.  It's my go-to skirt for a strolling the farmer's market or the antiques shops on lazy weekends.

With this skirt I wore a simple cotton blouse which is too short to wear just with jeans, but perfect tucked into this skirt.  I altered this ModCloth bow belt to give it the right fit.  And, I made this sundae purse and the cameo earrings myself so I could get exactly the look I wanted.

And Now for a few pencil skirts that I think a pretty sharp:

Stop Staring! Railene dress at Unique-Vintage.com for $150

This dress is aptly named.  It's absolutely stunning and comes in sizes S-XL.

Scarf Print Pencil Skirt at Forever21.com for $19.80
Love the boho feel of this skirt, it has so many possibilities.  At the time of this post it is available in XS, S, M.  Large is sold out.

Curvy Fit Floral Lace Skirt at Loft.com for $64.99

It has a summer casual feel and the lace texture creates a little visual interest.  Available in regular sizes from 4-14.  Petite and Tall sizes available too, so check the website.

Cosmopolitan and Effect Dress at ModCloth.com for $104.99  This dress has a center floral print and solid side panels which creates a narrower shape.

Paillette Pencil Skirt at Anthropologie.com for $198

Wow!  This skirt is a stand-out piece, so I have to include a few extra pics.  It's available in regular and petite sizes from 0-12.

If this post has inspired you to give pencil skirts a try, send me you outfit pics and I may use them in a follow up post!

Monochromantically Attached

There is something simple and elegant about black and white.  Not to mention its total diversity when it comes to accessorizing.

I found this out first hand with my In the Key of Chic dress.  There's no end to the possibilities.  I'd say it's better than a blank canvas because you're starting with something so easy to work with.

And now for some more monochromantic lovelies that have caught my eye:

In All Modesty Dress at ModCloth.com for $99.99

B&W Bicycle Fit 'n Flare dress at Unique-Vintage.com for $58.00

Love these Adrenasa Peep Toe pumps by Aldo at Asos.com for $77.00

Forever21.com has lots of B&W options.  My Fave is this Abstract Heart Print Blouse for $22.90

Smoke and Mirrors Blouse at Catherines.com  for $54-$60

Seriously Easy Curls: (for real, they're super easy)

    My hair has changed a lot as I've aged, which means I have to keep changing the way I style it.  The trouble is  I.  Hate.  Doing.  My.  Hair.  I always have and I only see more of the same in my future.  I've had my hair all different lengths and colors, but I've never been interested in styling it.  I want to wake up and have it look great each day.  That is how my hair used to be in my teens with thick natural curls, and it may have ruined me.  All the other girls I knew were learning to crimp, curl, spray, mousse, and flat iron.  I just washed it and let it air-dry and it was gorgeous. 

   Alas, the curls and much of the thickness have gone, but I'm still looking for an easy out on styling it. I'm frequently searching pinterest and youtube seeking advice and tips from others.  What I find more often than not is something labeled "easy"  or "quick" and it turns out to be anything but quick or easy and it never looks like the instructor's.  But, I. Hate. Doing.  My. Hair.  I'm not good at it, or just too lazy to get better, or both.

If you can relate then behold my truly easy and somewhat quick fix for soft curls.

    I wash my hair right before bed with just shampoo.  I don't usually use conditioner or styling products since they tend to weigh my hair down.  Use your best judgement on whether or not to use them yourself.  I have had good success with just shampoo followed by a dollop of Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Definer.

    Then I divide my hair into about six sections.  I don't put them in any kind of a grid pattern because I want the curls to look natural.  I also put them up higher on my head so that they'll be easy to sleep on.  Nothing at the center-back of my head or at the sides near my ears.   I do a very loose twist which wraps into a loose curl.  If you twist your sections too tightly, they may not dry over night.  Then I put a bobby pin through one side to the center.  The next morning I take the pins out and run my finger through the curls a bit to separate them.  I don't like using hairspray unless I'm heading out to some event.

    These pics were taken six hours after I took the curls down, with no hairspray and I love how bouncy and soft they still look.  You'd never know I was sick the day before and spent this day doing laundry and getting organized before another week begins.

If you try these curls yourself, send me pics and I'll post them here!

Applique Bouquet

    Confession:  I was a huge fan of What Not To Wear on TLC.  I only got to be a fan for about a year and then the show ended.   But, true to its name, this Learning Chanel show really taught me some things and I'm extremely grateful for the advice and how-tos from the hosts and more importantly the empowered "you-can-do-it" feeling I got from sharing in the transformations of women who felt just like me.

    Now, that's the big picture.  Let me zoom in for a minute.  In the last season I saw an episode in which a "nerdy" scientist needed to update her look from college to professional.  She tried on this stunning teal dress with ivory floral embroidery at the center...and she passed on it!  She really did need help!  I determined then and there to find that dress and make it mine.  I feel I need to note here that I saw another woman try on the same dress and go home with it in a later (I think) episode, and literally applauded her for her good taste.  Fast forward about two years.  I had long since given up finding the dress when it found me.  I was on Ebay looking for a mint green dress (see my post titled Winter Mint to see what I finally found)  when Ebay suggested some "similar items."  Low and Behold.  There it was...blink...blink...the long desired dress.

 

    It took another four months and some price negotiating with a cooperative seller before I actually bought the dress, but oh my, oh my, I'm so glad I did.  In case you're searching, this dress is by Studio M and was made in a turquoise color (shown above at the left and middle).  And, while I have found a photo of this dress in a minty green (above right), I haven't seen it for sale anywhere, so it may just be a monitor color difference.   

    I had lots of ideas for this dress, so many that I may do another post at a later time.  For now I'll show you my fave four.

Dressy:

 For this outfits I used a lime green cardi by August Silk (from my local mall), nude peep toe wedges, and layered pearl necklaces from Forever 21.  Pearls dress up anything!

Country Club:

First of all, Yes, I did have to look up what "country club" style meant, because I've only been to a country club once.  I was there for a wedding and spent the entire time chasing a toddler while balancing a baby on my hip.  As a result, I have no idea what anyone wore.  So, basically I'm using it to describe an outfit that's a little too dressy to be casual but a little to casual to be dressy.   I swapped out the pearl necklace for a pearl beaded cardigan in a lovely light peach color.  A bit more casual than the necklace and I love pairing turquoise and peach.  Closed toe wedges and a peacock print scarf complete the look.  I'm doing a bit of print mixing here with the scarf and dress.

Mixing Prints:

I really jumped in to mixing prints for this one.  I wanted to use my tribal print scarf from Charlotte Russe since the teals are the same in the dress and scarf.  I used my ivory crop cardi and some raspberry peep toe heels since these colors are also in the same palette as the scarf and/or dress.

Casual: 

With the bright Turquoise color and all the applique, it's hard to call this dress casual.  But when I wear it with a cropped denim jacket and beaded sandals, it's suddenly a very relaxed, Saturday afternoon dress.  If you don't have a little jean jacket, I highly recommend acquiring one; they're a versatile addition to your wardrobe.

Dress Review:  This dress originally sold for $128 but all the listings I've seen on Ebay have it at around $50.  The material is 100% cotton and very light and flowy.  The waist is a bit narrow and the bust is too low for me, so I'll have to make some adjustments there.  The applique accents the narrowest part of the waist and the skirt has a nice flare.

Posey Does It Dress

ModCloth regularly comes out with sweet little dresses for around $50 but they rarely come in my size.  So, when I see one I tend to pounce before it's sold out.  Posey Does It dress is light weight and a lovely mint with a pink, white, and blue floral print.  The pleating at the neckline is kind of a beast to iron, and it definitely needed to be ironed!  But really that's my only complaint about the dress.  The colors are so versatile I can create lots of different looks with this dress.  It's also the right length to pair with tights without looking frumpy.

Posey Does It Dress at ModCloth $54.99

I'll show you the two styles I've already tried with this dress, but I have several more in mind.  For this first style I wanted to bring out the bright blue by pairing the dress with a crop cardi and raspberry flats by Aldo.

For the second look I used my Magenta Charter School Cardi and some beaded sandals from Target.com  for a casual look.

Shop the Outfit:

Charter School Cardigan in Magenta at ModCloth.com  $34.99

Women's Evelyn Thong at Target.com $29.99

Let the Sunshine In: How to Wear Yellow

Yellow is one of those colors that most people seem to avoid.  I've heard so many women say, "oh, I can't wear yellow."  Why not?  Just a little?

A make-up consultant once told me that women have red and yellow pigments in their skin and whichever of those two you have in abundance is the color you can wear.  She told me that I have more yellow in my skin and should therefore avoid red...and I did for years.  Then one day on a whim I bought some red lipstick and suddenly all those years of going without seemed to be a waste.  I now own and enjoy regularly wearing several things that are red as red can be. 

It's the same with yellow.  If it's one of those colors you think you just can't wear, reconsider.  Now I'm not suggesting head-to-toe yellow (that's the other extreme to which people go and it's worse than just avoiding it all together).  But a little bit here and there adds such visual interest that it's worth at least owning a piece or two.   It brings such a pop, a burst of sunshine to an outfit.

A few examples from my own wardrobe:

A scarf here, a belt there and suddenly the whole feel of the outfit becomes much sunnier!  Here are a few more cheery picks to brighten your style.

Nina Forbes Canary Peep Toe Satin Heels $78.95 at Zappos.com

Ana Luiza Necklace $88.00 at Anthropologie.com

Kingdom & State Color Block Bombshell Swim Top $58.00 at UniqueVintage.com

Thank You Cherry Much Sweater in Lemon $34.99 at ModCloth.com

Sunshine State Crossbody Bag $248.00 at Anthropologie.com

Hello, Kelly!

St. Patrick's Day has passed, but that doesn't mean we have to put away the kelly green.  Months of winter are finally giving way to spring and this bright green is on my mind.


 My contribution to this week's color pick is a dress is by Banana Republic and though I loved the pleated ruffle neckline and the flowy fabric, it needed some work to make it fit just right.  A couple of darts in the back drew in the bodice for a better fit.

These are a few more Kelly items I'm drooling over:
ALDO Hatchet Mini Structured Tote With Luggage Tag On Strap $49.00

Kelly to My Green dress by Trina Turk

Dream of the Crop Cardigan in Kelly Green $29.99 at ModCloth

Nine West Women's Lanae Fabric Dress Sandal $29.00 at amazon.com

Confectioner's Dream Dress

I was in a pinch for a dress for family photos and so I decided to spring for this one.  It is lovely, and if you love ironing this is definitely the dress for you.  After 20 mins I got most of the wrinkles out, but once it was smoothly pressed, I noticed that the fabric was full of pulls.  I have to have this dress for family photos, so I can't send it back.  My "Plan A" dress was too big; this one was "Plan B" and I am totally out of time for a "Plan C."  So, this is a cute little number, but maybe not worth the $90 price tag.  If it I had it to do over, I'd hold off on purchasing until it goes on sale.

Confectioner's Dream Dress in Sky at ModCloth.com

I only had two styles in mind for this dress, I may post more later as ideas come to me.  For the first, I ditched the lace belt, though it is cute and fits well, for a yellow gross grain ribbon.  Then added my go-with-just-about-anything Charlotte Russe peep toe pumps.  This style is by far my favorite.  I love the little extra pop that the yellow adds.

For the next outfit, I brought back the belt, traded out the peep toes for brown heels and an ivory crop cardi.  I feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland in this combo, but that won't stop me from wearing it.

Shop the outfit:

There's an Apple for That Cardigan in Ivory from ModCloth.com

Definitive Drama Heel in Brown from ModCloth.com

Greenhouse Grandeur Dress

Now, before you take a look at this lovely dress, you should know that it has already sold out, and so has the skirt of the same fabric.  But, since it sold out so quickly there's a fair chance ModCloth will bring it back, especially if enough admirers ask them.  So, now that you've been warned, let's see the dress!

 Greenhouse Grandeur Dress by ModCloth $109.99

The print is much bolder than I usually wear, but it's so gorgeous, I couldn't resist.  I love the satiny-cotton fabric, the fact that it has pockets, and the full skirt.  The belt is not removable which can be a little limiting when it comes to accessorizing it.  No matter, I'll work around it and show you three ways I styled this dress.

Work or Brunch:

This time around when choosing the style for this dress I really didn't want to buy any new accessories, so I only used items I already had in my closet. My trusty burgundy Qupid heels and bright blue crop cardi make this dress pop even more.  I cannot wait to wear this to a weekend brunch!

Going Out:
For date night, I'll ditch the shrug and add my black patent pumps from Charlotte Russe and some chunky jewelry.

Casual:
And this is probably the look that will get the most wear.  The hair goes up into a pony tale, the heels become comfy Soda flats and the shrug returns in a conservative navy blue.

This dress is so lovely, I highly recommend it if it comes back in stock.  Pretty please, ModCloth!

How to Wear Leggings

As I mentioned in a previous post or two, I commute on foot and by train most days.  It hasn't always been this way, but this is my life now and I'm adjusting quite well.  I love wearing dresses, but it's a long, arduous walk when the day turns windy and I'm desperately trying to stay covered to make it home.  Bicycle shorts and capri leggings seemed like the obvious solution, but all my research said the same thing:  Unless you're an little girl, leggings and bicycle shorts are a major don't.

Well, I disagree.  So I bought a few pairs of capri leggings and proceeded to try to figure out how to make them work. What I discovered is that they look best when you're not trying to hide them.  One person said she wore bicycle shorts under her dress so she could ride her bike to work, but the line of the shorts showed through the skirt.  That's definitely a problem, but it's one that goes away if you don't try to hide the shorts.  My personal rule for wearing them is that they must be longer than the dress.   Here are a few styles of dress that I wear almost exclusively with leggings.

The Sheer Dress

I love a watercolor print and this little dress from Target gets lots of summertime wear with my teal flats.  However, the fabric is sheer and has a deep V in the back so a slip is not an option.  I'm not really sure how anyone could wear it without leggings. 

The Shirt Dress

This Forever 21 red geometric print dress was an instant favorite, but it just didn't look right until I added the leggings.  I usually wear it with Jessica Simpson ballet flats and my Charter School Cardi by ModCloth in Navy Blue.

The Tunic Dress

Another Target purchase and again very sheer and an open back, but also so short I cannot bend over in it.  However the cut is so flattering, I can't just let it sit on the shelf.  I normally wear ankle length leggings with this dress to give it more of a tunic feel.

The Knee-Length Dress

This is a tea dress by Effie's Heart.  The capri leggings here barely show, but they do coordinate with the navy color of the dress.  If the dress is a cotton fabric like this one, I usually add a nylon half slip to keep the dress flowing freely.  Cotton on cotton tends to stick together.

If you're looking for your own Capri leggings, check out ModCloth's Across Town Shorts

with lace trim.

I usually go for cotton like ShopRuche's Forest Cottage Leggings