It's Good to be a Girl!

I am excited to be back in cahoots with some of my favorite blogger babes! My ladies Julie, Shelby and Katie are gracing the blog today with their best tailgate outfits! We have teamed up with Vera Bradley to show off their amazing Fall, tailgate ready bags, and It's Good To Be A Girl campaign.

I got the gorgeous Sidesaddle Crossbody, and it is the best of everything! Vera is really knocking out of the park with their leather options!

purse: Sidesaddle Crossbody c/o Vera Bradley

vest: My favorite J.Crew Factory puffer vest (I only own it in 4 colors!)

dress: J.Crew Factory crepe work dress

boots: 4 year old boots, but these go with everything flat boots are my current favorite.

sunglasses: Ray Ban aviators

I can't believe I'm actually saying this, & Nashville me doesn't believe it either, but it is already boot and sweater season here in Denver. Not every day, but we definitely had some sold "Fall" feeling days in September!

I love that with the blog I'm able to look back & see my style evolve, and I definitely feel like I'm settling into a great feeling style groove lately with many beloved pieces hanging in my closet. This dress + boot combo has been in my Fall rotation for over 3 years, and I love it updated this year with my ready for the weekend ready cross body bag & latest J.Crew Factory puffer vest (the count is now up to 4!).

Vera Bradley nails it every time, down to the linings of their bags! This one has all the right pockets in the perfect size!

I hope everyone has a good weekend & be sure to check out the It's Good to Be a Girl campaign from Vera Bradley!

Shop these exact pieces + other favorites:

freshy freshness

dress: Old Navy long sleeved swing dress

scarf: handmade by my lovely sister, but this one from J.Crew Factory is almost identical. 

boots: Hunter rain boots (this is the original style in a high gloss finish)

vest: J.Crew Factory puffer vest

All Photos | Catherine Truman 

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! 

Nashville is still experiencing very mild temps, so bare legs are totally possible, but I added warmth to this Old Navy swing dress (previously worn in this outfit) with my shiny new boots, a DIY scarf (similar style), & this J.Crew Factory puffer vest (if you have had your eye on one, shop it now, they usually pull this style soon after the new year).

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!!

Bloggers Who Budget: Fall For Less

Always my favorite collaboration each month, it is the Bloggers Who Budget! This month we are discussing our favorite Fall piece, under $60! For me it is this J.Crew Factory quilted puffer vest. It really is perfection, & right now only $58 (+ they let you stack on any teacher/student 15% discounts!! score!)

News Alert: Want to join in on the fun? The #BloggersWhoBudget Collab will now be open for you to link up with us starting next month. Join us in November for  "Mad for Plaid" featuring your favorite plaid piece under $75 & in December for "Holiday for Less"! If you have your own budget style, we want to see your look too! Swing by every third Monday of the month starting in November and follow the instructions to link-up with us!

Sharing My Sole | The Style Letters | Let It Be Beautiful | Here & Now | Pearls & Twirls | Stylin in St. Louis | Living in Color Style | The Pumpkin Spot

As you have probably noticed, more & more of my wardrobe hails from J.Crew Factory. They really have established themselves as a place to find quality pieces, of both the seasonally trendy & closet staple variety, for less! In the past J.Crew Factory offerings were hit or miss, with varying levels of quality as well. But in the last year, the store has upped their selection, always bringing consistent construction, & prices that fall easily into my budget.

My J.Crew Factory shopping game? I have found their sizing to be different than regular J.Crew store sizing, so I like to place a large order online (always spending enough to get free shipping!). I can then try on all the items in the comfort of my own home, easily experimenting to find what will play well with other items in my closet, & weeding out the cute, but not so functional pieces from the rest. We have a local J.Crew Factory store, so I make any returns in store to avoid having to pay any return shipping costs.

The three pieces making it into my teacher capsule wardrobe? This puffer vest, bejeweled striped top, and crepe dress (with pockets!). I actually purchased this dress from the regular J.Crew store, as it was on SUPER sale at the end of the Summer, & I am super excited to have found it in the Factory store as well. I am definitely thinking about scooping it up in black, as I love it so much!

{ What I wore to work: J.Crew Factory striped top, quilted vest, crepe dress (worn under the shirt as a "skirt") // Vince Camuto booties ℅ Nordstrom Rack (shop all booties) }

vest sizing: order a size down, I wear a XXS and am usually a XS-S in J.Crew Factory clothing

all Photos | Kate Davis Photo

teacher me

{ What I Wore to teach: chambray button down, tan puffer vest, skinny cropped black pants - all J.Crew Factory // Old Navy ballet flats // scarf ℅ Boden // Anthropologie sunglasses // Michael Kors watch }

all Photos | Kate Davis Photo

I think that sometimes "fashion bloggers" feel the need to throw on that extra necklace, add one more pattern to the mix, switch out flats for sky high heels, all in the name of the blog. Sometimes it is real life with a twist, other times it is far from reality. We do this to dazzle, to inspire, to get our dang outfit images pinned 1,000 times gosh darn it!

However, I have always aligned my blog as a "personal style" blog. I hope you don't come here to learn about the latest trends, see runways looks recreated, or follow along with my trips to Paris Fashion Week. I am just a girl, trying to get dressed everyday. So, in an attempt to get back into my blogger groove, I am kicking off a new series. For the next couple of weeks I will be documenting my teacher style, creating outfits from what I have deemed my "capsule wardrobe".

I jumped straight from "wear whatever you want" grad school, to a "come to school at 5 am looking stylish and fresh" teaching career, & had to quickly identify the pieces in my closet that were go-getters, the heavy hitters that could pull together an outfit in a snap. 

These foundational pieces will be the base of each outfit (here it is the black pants, chambray shirt & puffer vest), but this will not be a strict limited wardrobe series like the 30 for 30 (see my 2 attempts at the challenge here & here). It is my hope that you can see how a closet full of basics is easily spiced up with accessories (this scarf, shoes of your choice), to stylishly clothe you for any occasion.

What is your dress code at work?

Do you have a capsule wardrobe for work? Or is your entire closet mixed use?