if you learn one thing...

If you learn one thing from my blog, it is that when you have things in your closet that you LOVE, the outfits just make themselves!

Every item in this outfit is something that I shopped around for, planned for, budgeted for, and ADORE now that it lives in my closet.

And this outfit also came from me standing in front of my rack of clothes, lamenting "I have nothing to wear", so I just grabbed a top I loved, a skirt I feel great in, a pair of shoes that go with everything, and my favorite purse to throw in my work bag & went with it. It isn't the most style-shattering, OMG outfit, but I felt great wearing it, & it feels like ME!

So stop holding on to those clothes that make you feel meh, and only keep the LOVE pieces.

**An anecdote from today: The sweater I wore to work is super cute, but after an hour of wearing it, I remembered that I actually HATE to wear it because the arms bag out like WOAH! So I came home, threw it in the wash & then into my donation pile... no use holding on to clothes that don't make me feel like the goddess I am, and I'm pretty sure bagged out sleeves do not accomplish that goal!

top: J.Crew Factory white collar tee (no longer available), but my other go-to with this skirt is my striped long sleeve tee (shop it here)

skirt: J.Crew Factory pink pleated skirt (I also have this pleated skirt - available in lots of colors, just not pink & picked this midi skirt on super sale & love both of them)

shoes: Sole Society leopard pumps (loving this pair of sandal leopard wedges too!)

bag: "Carly" convertible clutch c/o Gigi New York

All Photos: Noah Berg Photography

Don't have a pleated pink skirt of your own? Shop my top picks:

What is the most loved piece in your closet?

What about it just makes it work for you and your lifestyle??

pep

shirt: Nordstrom striped peplum top (currently sold out, similar styles below). Additionally, this top is from the brand Chaser & I am super impressed with the quality of their items & how soft each tee is. How cute is this lip print tank!?

jeans: Citizens of Humanity flare leg jeans

shoes: Sole Society leopard pumps (one of the best leopard prints I have seen on a shoe yet!)

necklace: LOVE necklace c/o Sheer Addiction Jewelry

purse: "Carly" convertible purse c/o Gigi New York (told you I would be wearing this purse a ton! See how I wore it as a clutch in Monday's post)

All Photos | Catherine Truman Photography 

Here is the problem with my budget shopping ways: I usually purchase things when they go on super sale, & then by the time I receive the item, photograph it, & write up a post for this here blog, the specific items are typically gone! Which is sadly the case for this adorable striped peplum tee (original link here in case they restock it - fingers crossed!).

But what I love about this top is the shape, so I have found several similar tops with peplum details for you. The peplum style this year is slightly less structured than the manifestations we have seen in previous years (some brands are even calling it a "flounce" instead of a true peplum), so pair it with more fitted bottoms or skirts for a super polished look!

Ladies - don't throw out your skinny jeans, but jean styles for Spring/Summer are popping up with more and more bootcut/flare leg options! I have had this pair of flare jeans since college (see all the ways I've worn them on the blog here) & I love how they look with a pointy heel!

If you have abandoned your wider leg options since their last round of popularity, I am linking my favorite premium styles below. These are all from denim brands I have worn & loved like Hart Denim & BLANK - with a couple of them under $100! And this style I found at Old Navy looks extremely similar to the style I am wearing today & they are only $30 (with most sizes in stock).

So what goes around really does come back around - if the resurgence of the 90s clothing I wore as a kid weren't enough of a reminder - it now time to embrace the peplum & flare leg styles once again!

What old-is-new again trends are you planning to rock for Spring?

Bloggers Who Budget: Holiday Layers for Less

hat: J.Crew Factory felt fedora

coat: J.Crew lady day coat  (currently 30% off)

sweater: Old Navy cable knit turtleneck (no longer available, but this similar style from J.Crew Factory is under $50)

jeans: Citizens of Humanity flare leg jeans (loving the wash on this pair, and this similar pair is now on sale!)

shoes: Sole Society leopard wedges

purse: Pour La Victoire (several years old, but I found this similar style for $44)

lipstick: Nars "Heatwave" (one of my all time favorites!)

All Photos | Kate Davis Photo 

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

Coats can be a major investment in your closet & is a difficult piece to find within the budget. My only tip for finding your dream coat, at a price that doesn't crush said dreams, is to buy your jackets in February/March. Many retailers slash prices on coats at the end of the season, and graduate school Jessica managed to snag this J.Crew jacket (usually $300+) for close to $100 by stalking it until it was reduced + additional discounts.

I am going to be doing a round up post of my must have coats in the coming weeks, the ones that are worth the splurge and the ones that probably aren't. If you are in the market for a nice new coat you should totally put your dream coat on your radar now so that you can stalk it for the next couple of months!

Make sure to check out the other Bloggers Who Budget, because this month we are dishing on our must have layers, all at budget friendly prices!

What is the most expensive coat in your closet?

Any tips for score deals on pricey outerwear?

Bloggers Who Budget: Holiday Style for Less

jacket: oversized wool blend coat ℅ Chicwish (LOVE this coat - see how I wore it last year)

shirt: striped J.Crew Factory turtleneck (very oversized, order a size down for a more true to size fit)

jeans: Citizens of Humanity (super old from college, find similar styles on my Lyst below)

heels: leopard pumps ℅ Sole Society

accessories: hat, scarf, gloves, purse all ℅ Vera Bradley (love the chic studs!)

All Photos | Kate Davis Photo

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

The Bloggers Who Budget are back, showing off some of our holiday style! This month we've also teamed up with Lyst for some holiday style inspiration, which is perfect for this time of year because Lyst will send you sale alerts for your favorite items - when they go on sale, or get re-stocked!

Never used Lyst before? Let me fill you in on what you have been missing!

From their website: Lyst is a shopping experience unique to every user.  The more you use the platform, the more it learns about you and your shopping habits so you start to only see things you love! In addition to making a tailored shopping experience, users can also 'lyst' items to plan their wardrobes, create "wish lists", and also be alerted when anything they lyst goes on sale or comes back in stock. 

I think of Lyst as my most helpful shopping buddy! Showing me similar items, allowing you to create new outfits, and the sale/restock alerts are so clutch! For example, some of the pieces in my outfit are way old, so I took to Lyst to find budget friendly similar items that are available now. Shop my look (+ some items on my wish list) on my Bloggers Who Budget Lyst.

Be sure to check out all of the other budgeting bloggers' Lysts (links to all of their posts above). And stay tuned for another fun Bloggers Who Budget post coming on 12/14! 

{Shop this post}

Bloggers Who Budget: Fall Shoe Trends

shoes: leopard "Jillian" heels ℅ Sole Society 

skirt: "skater skirt" ℅ Belk

top: J.Crew Factory classic blouse

purse: Rebecca Minkoff quilted convertible crossbody

sunglasses: Carrera sunglasses ℅ Sunglasses Shop

My Fall/Winter skirt wardrobe centers around versatile black skirt options. I'm loving this faux leather skirt or this slighlty longer midi option! And don't even get me started on the suede fringe number that is totally calling my name! 

All Photos | Kate Davis Photo

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

Bloggers Who Budget is baaaack! This month we are teaming up with Sole Society to show you some budget friendly Fall shoe trends!

Leopard is pretty much a year-around staple in my closet, but it is extra luxe to add a punch of spots to your cooler weather outfits. These leopard heels have a low wedge and comfortable pointed toe, making them all day favorites - even when I'm teaching!

I'm OBSESSED with these sunglasses & you can enter to win your own pair here: Sunglasses Shop Designer Sunglass Giveaway