Ah, the exciting topic of work wear! I have talked before about my aversion to work pants - mostly because they seem to be incredibly hard to find! Rather than deal with figuring out what length to hem my pants, I just go for cropped trousers. These are the wool skimmer pants from J.Crew Factory & I wish I had ordered them in every size!
To keep my work wear wardrobe fresh without breaking the bank, I make sure to stick to what I like - no one likes to be uncomfortable at work - and collect very mixable pieces!
Make sure to check out how all the other Bloggers Who Budget rocked budget friendly work wear pieces this month!
I got my first pair of Hunter rain boots when I was in college, & 10 years later they are still saving my feet when walking the dogs, or treking out & about in the rain (see how I have worn my Hunters on the blog over the years). Sadly, they recently got a small crack in the bottom, so they will have to be retired for those not-so-rainy days. But I was spoiled this Christmas with a shiny new pair!
What were you most excited about unwrapping under your tree this year?
Tyler and I decided to stay in Nashville for the holidays & had a wonderfully cozy time curled up together on the couch, reflecting on what an amazing year 2015 has been! Now off to the woods to ring in the New Year! See you in 2016 folks!!
A month or so ago I was out with a fellow blogger & she made a statement that caused me some inner-blog reflection. We were shopping & she had found the MOST adorable skirt on the clearance rack. I remarked that the skirt's fun colors/patterns would make for a really pretty blog post, but she replied that no, the skirt would most likely not be featured on the blog, because it was a clearance rack item & she wouldn't be able to link to it with Reward Style (meaning it was older, & probably wouldn't be in stock for people to purchase from her commission links)…
This stopped me in my tracks & has stayed with me over the last few weeks. Why would you not want to share an awesome skirt you found just because you couldn't make any money off of it!?
Since I started down this blogging road 5 years ago, I've seen bloggers that started their sites around the same time as me catapult to internet fame, some pulling in tens of thousands of dollars each MONTH. But along the way many of these same bloggers lost the spark that was the reason I started following them in the first place. Now, after reading some blogs I'm left with the feeling of, "I have to go out and SHOP to create that look" - which has been responsible for some feelings of envy & even inadequacy.
The feeling I want to leave people with after they read my blog is: "Wow, I want to go recreate that in my closet". I know my focus on "closet staples" has been less explicit than it was when I first started blogging, but I still firmly believe in building a strong foundational wardrobe, one that doesn't require you to go out & do massive amounts of shopping each month.
The only new piece in this post is the Old Navy swing dress that I scored on sale for $15, & will be featured in other outfits to come. The other pieces are older, & in the instance of these shoes (which I'm obsessed with), the exact style is not currently available, but I highly recommend this type of shoe & I did enjoy looking for similar styles for you. In this case, I love these shoes, they have been extremely versatile for me, & if you too want shoes like this, I've already started the search for you - linking 1 option above & some more in the shopping gallery below.
So the point? I want to stick true to my "personal style" blog's goal, while I sometimes get carried away with thoughts of "I could totes be making money off of this", at the end of the day, the part of blogging that I enjoy is sharing my outfits, & hearing comments along the lines of: "I have pieces similar to this in my closet & I can't wait to try them in this combination"…
Style doesn't mean purchasing a new item each week, I believe that the truly stylish can create unique outfits using the pieces already hanging in their closet.
What are your thoughts on this battle of the shopping blogger vs. the style blogger? What do you read blogs for? To have a personal shopper? Or to see items that you might already have, styled in a new way?
Skinny jeans are perfect for Fall because they work with ankle booties or tall boot styles. I love the stretch in these James Jeans, but if you are looking for a more affordable style, I just tried on these high rise jeans from J.Crew Factory & think they are perfection!
It hasn't gotten cold enough to pull out my faux fur leopard jacket yet (see my outfits featuring it here) - but if you are looking for one to call your own, this style is right on the money!
Finally, I had to save myself from regular trips to Target long ago because I just couldn't handle the attacks on my willpower, however, I made a quick visit the other day & holy moly it is just as dangerous! Particularly the shoe aisle. These 4 styles below are sure to be your go-to for work & play this Fall:
What are your Fall staples? Any secrets to finding affordable styles this time of year?
As much as I sometimes try to be edgy/hipster, I am a preppy clothing lover at heart. Something about this combo of crisp red, tartan plaid, & varsity inspired stripes makes me beyond happy.
Remix alert: I wore this skirt last school year in a quintessentially teacher outfit - see it here.
How would you describe your style?
Do you ever try to fight your natural style tendencies?
A quick casual outfit to send you off into the weekend with!
Another case of pieces I have had for years & LOVE (sweater, scarf, shoes & hat are all oldies but goodies!)
If you are looking for some soft casual tees, be sure to check out Howling Pup! These are some amazing human beings that are making amazing tees, & for each shirt sold, they give back to puppies in need - focusing on finding secure homes for rescue dogs, saving them from high risk "kill-shelters". Buy a shirt, save some puppies! What is there to loose?
What plans do you have on the books for this weekend?
My big date is with my bed - going to try & kick this cold once and for all!
shirt: J.Crew Factory oversized turtleneck(very oversized, order a size down if you want it to be fitted. I am wearing the Small here & am purposely going to try to shrink it when I wash it)
Happy November. I hope everyone had a wildly fun Halloween. Ty and I were Dr. Grant & Ellie Sattler from the original Jurassic Park movie. We shook our children-of-the-nineties groove things at a 90s cover band & I was totally blown away by the amazing costumes - including a guy who dressed as the original Nintendo game, & you could play his costume #mindblown.
I do not consider my self super fashion-y. I don't keep up with all of the new designers, & don't own any couture pieces, but I have learned to dress my body, and these are some things I know that I want to share:
1. I often forget about BB Dakota, but I consistently like their pieces & need to remember to check them out more often. After getting this vest over the Summer, BB Dakota got put back on my radar, now I am lusting after this mixed material jacket & this dramatic cape.
2. Elaine Turner knows how to do python. This is an animal print that can sometimes look tacky & straight from the 80s, but these pieces are chic & timeless. The heels that I have on in this post are super comfortable & I like the low heel + bonus points that they are named the "Jessica" heels! I'm also crushing on these python sneakers, this clutch/crossbody bag & perfect ballet flats.
3. Finding slacks that are the right length is impossible for me - do I get them hemmed for flats or keep them long to wear with heels?!?! So instead, I take the easy way out & live in cropped trousers. My favorite styles are the Winnie & Skimmer from J.Crew Factory. I really like the metallic touch to the pair I'm wearing here - will be so fun for upcoming Holiday Parties!
What style truths do you swear by? Any secrets to share!?
I don't know how many days I was supposed to wait before showing a repeat wear on the blog, but I just couldn't wait to pull this skirt out again! I previously wore it during our Bloggers Who Budget collaboration with a blazer and strappy heels, but I wanted to show off how fun this skirt could be for those of us who live in flats.
The midi length can be tough to pull off with flats, as anytime you cut off your body at a wider part (i.e. your calves, they are the widest part of your lower leg), you run the risk of creating an unflattering silhouette. Many people offset this widening effect with elongating heels, but I think that these pointy toe flats do a great job of slimming the line of the look too.
These flats are recent from Rockport, but for some reason I can't find them online yet. However, I keep an eye out & let you know when I find them. Sometime today I am going to have to make Snapchat showing off how much padding is inside these flats - seriously like walking on a cloud! Find me on Snapchat by searching "jesshereandnow" in the add by username screen.
I declare this sneaky-PJ season! You can wear clothes that are seriously as comfy & cozy as your jammies, without sacrificing style. Blanket like sweater - check. Stretchy pants - check. Comfortable tank + shoes - check. Handy purse for all my things - check!
I stopped in to Old Navy last week to shop for this post & was literally a kid in a candy store. I love the poncho trend, and Old Navy has so many chic options! This open front cardigan that I'm wearing has the most gorgeous colors & is perfect for wearing to work or out on the weekend. I just switched over my closet for Fall/Winter, and was happy to be reunited with my Old Navy sweaters & flannel button downs from last year. If you haven't tried out their selection yet, scroll down to shop all of my favorites (sweaters, purses & more!).
Shop these exact pieces + more Fall favorites from Old Navy (be sure to click over, as these items are all available in other fabulous colors too!)
This post was compensated by Old Navy, but all thoughts & opinions are my own.
