Fashion on a budget

There are a few things I’ve learned over the years most come from the magazines and articles that I spent countless hours reading. I think the most important tip I have picked up along the was is what to splurge on and what to buy at a bargain. I am a big follower of trends, I almost always love all the new items that are hot each season and I always want to give new looks a try. This is where learning to buy at a bargain comes in handy!

What to splurge on:

Everyone has staples in their wardrobe, it’s different for every individual. One of mine happens to be a great pair of jeans. I love them and wear them all the time therefore I will spend more money on finding the perfect pair that will fit me the best. When jean shopping y suggestion would be to start at Nordstrom, they tend to be more expensive but I find they are generally of a better quality and have a longer life which is useful since I wear them so often. The three staples of any jean collection is to have a great fitting pair of dark, light and black jeans on hand, they are classic styles and can be worn with many different things.

The second item I splurge on is a great pair of boots. If you read one of my earlier blogs you know I love boots! Once the weather switches jeans and boots is my go to outfit choice! Much like the jeans, it normally makes sense to spend a little more on a quality pair of boots since you getting a little more life out of them. Since I get a lot of wear out of my boots I like to try and buy at least one pair that are a classic look that will last me a few seasons. Usually I tend to spend a bit more on a knee high black pair or a knee high camel colored pair.

What to buy at a bargain:

Rule number one: anything you think is quick fad--buy cheap. For instance, I am currently love the plaid trend! I think it’s so adorable for the fall and right now I can’t buy enough plaid/flannel type shirts. I know though next year I probably won’t be as fond of them therefore I try to not spend as much on them. I have great luck at Forever 21 with these types of items. I recently just purchased this plaid shirt from their and it’s perfect! If I don’t wear it next season I don’t feel too bad either because I didn’t break the bank on it.

I'm a big believer in buying layering items on a bargain. I buy all of my layering tank tops, long sleeve shirts and t-shirts on a bargain at Forever 21 also. They are meant for layering and not really seen so this created a great opportunity for some savings. They range from $1.90- $9.00 depending on the item and for the most part they are good quality and get a lot of wear out of them. These are a few tips I've picked up along the way. Happy Shopping!

Photos from Forever21.com

I am someone who loves to wander around any makeup department; I am like a kid in a candy store at Sephora. I love to see all the latest and greatest things in beauty and skin care and ooh and ahh at all the amazing products. I am a pretty basic girl when it comes to make up.  A little concealer, eyeliner and mascara and I am good to go! I always look but never try but I decided it was time to give some of the new trends a whirl! Currently this fall a big trend is a dark matte lip. This is absolutely something completely out of my comfort zone; I am a Chap Stick girl thru thick and thin with maybe the occasional lip gloss for a special evening. I went to Sephora and decided to try and find a color that would work for me but also venture out of my comfort zone a bit. There were so many gorgeous colors, I really loved the deep wine and burgundy shades. It has been such a huge trend this fall I knew I had to try it. I choose a Nars lipstick; I have tried this brand before and have really liked it. The color is called oxblood burgundy and while it was definitely different from my norm I have to say I didn’t hate it! I have seen this look worn with a very minimal makeup look and that was the same way I wore it. I got loads of compliments and even my husband thought it was a nice change! Another look that has been really all over the magazines and runways this fall is a bronzed smoky eye. I have a love hate relationship with eye shadow. I love it on other people, I love to own it but I hate it actually on myself. I never feel like it looks right on me. I decided to put my fear aside to give this trend a try. I knew I did not need to purchase anything new for this look as I already own 3 of the Urban Decay Naked Pallets but have never used them. I did some online research and decided to use my Naked 2 pallet and use the colors snakebite, suspect and pistol. I used these 3 to create a typical smoky eye, I used suspect all over my eyelid and snakebite and pistol in my crease and as eye liner. I was pleasantly shocked! While I don’t think I would wear this everyday it was super fun to do for a night out! It really made my eyes pop and I had a lot of fun attempting to recreate the trend! All in all I am very glad I got over my fear of trying new makeup and gave these Fall trends a go! I plan to recreate both again very soon!

Photos from Sephora.com 

Outerwear… something I have a serious love hate relationship with! I am a huge fan of layering and wearing a great bomber jacket over a perfect sweater but I tend to not be so thrilled when I have to wear a full winter coat and be bundle up to walk to my car out of my office. But we take the good with the bad and when the time comes I will ready to wear my full length North Face.

 For this time of year there are a few options I absolutely love. First I think wearing a vest is fantastic! Not only is it functional and a great way to add an extra layer on a semi breezy day, they also can be super fun! How cute is it to throw on a patterned winter vest over a warm long sleeve thermal with a great pair of Hunter boots! That exact outfit is pretty much my fall staple! I am obsessed with these adorable vests from Lands End. They have so many great patterns and colors that are sure to make any fall look stand out!

My next favorite for this time of year is a great black leather bomber jacket, it is such a versatile look as it can be dressed up with a great pair of heels or worn casual with a pair of great Nike’s and an awesome pair of leggings. My go to outfit with this jacket would be a pair of distressed jeans, a casual ankle bootie (possibly with a wedge heel) a cozy over sized v neck white t-shirt and the bomber jacket. Currently there are so many out on the market but I really love the selection at Nordstrom’s, they have so many great options that are sure to suit everyone!                            

Lastly who doesn’t love a cozy warm jacket, the kind you want to throw on when you take your dog for a walk or maybe spend a Sunday afternoon running errands. I have a few different ones that I rotate in and out of my current wardrobe but I do have to say my favorite it just a simple black North Face. It is easy, comfortable and it’s not as heavy as my full length North Face that I wear when it’s blistering cold and dreading leaving the house!


I hope this helps everyone looking for a great mid season fall jacket!! Check back next week when we will talk about new beauty trends for this season!!

                                               

 

(Pictures from North Face, Nordstrom’s and Lands End website-

www.northface.com, www.nordstrom.com, www.landsend.com) 

Welcome to my first blog!

This week I want to tell you about my most favorite season...FALL! I love everything about it, the cool crisp weather, pumpkin everything and most importantly Fall Fashion! As much as I love summer and wearing maxi dresses and cute rompers, I live for Fall clothes! I love everything about a giant over sized sweater, leggings and the most perfect boot to wander around the pumpkin patch in. In this blog I want to discuss my first major necessity for Fall fashion... a great boot! Boots are perfect for almost any outfit in Fall; a great skirt, skinny jeans and a bomber jacket, a relaxed sweater and jeggings. I have 3 types of boot that are in my closet that are a must in my book for this time of year.

First lets discuss the UGG boot. While many consider this to be not so fashionable as of late, I still think they are a great option for a more casual day outfit. UGG has many new options this season for a great comfortable stylish boot. My favorite happen to be the new "Samantha" over the knee boot. Not only will these be so comfortable you will be able to take on any tailgate or pumpkin patch trip they are so cute too! I would pair these boots with a great pair of jeggings (jean leggings) or black leggings with a giant oversize sweater and a great scarf.





My next boot that is a must for fall is the bootie. Bootie's are great for so many reasons, you can dress them up or down and wear them with almost anything. I have fallen in love with a particular pair of Tom's wedge booties that have literally almost not come off my feet since I bought them. They are so comfortable and they look great with everything! I tend to style these with a cuffed jean and either a blouse or a fitted sweater .  


                                                    My last pair of boots that I think are a fall necessity are a great pair of riding boots. They are so versatile and can be worn with anything from a dress to jeans and a collared shirt. I like a clean riding boot, I do not like to many details such as buckles or hardware on them. A great tan or camel color for fall is perfect because it can be worn with any color. I would pair these boots with either a black sweater dress or skinny jeans and a flowy blouse.


I hope this blog helps anyone looking for a great pair of boots to take on fabulous fall with! Check back next week for my favorite outerwear for this time of year!