September Pin-Spired

I can't believe it's Labor Day weekend!  Did the summer fly by for you too?  With September right around the corner, it's time for another round of Pinspired looks!  Linking up with Pinterest Told Me To, Mix and Match Family & The Larson Lingo.  Even though it's the end of summer, there will be plenty of warm days still ahead so I'm recreating looks that will transition well into fall.  All of my recreations are from things I already have in my closet.

Pin-spiration #1

Gray tee, statement necklace, boyfriend jeans, pink flats and bracelets

My Recreation

Tee / Jeans / Necklace (Similar) / Shoes (Similar)

This is my favorite outfit!  Comfy and laid back, yet still put together.

Field Trip!

Hello Everyone!  I don't regularally post on Tuesday's, but today we are going to take a little field trip.  When Tiffany from Bright on a Budget asked me to write a guest post for her wardrobe re-wear series, I jumped right on board. Tiffany's blog has a little bit of everything: fashion, beauty, DIY projects and some fun tips on looking great and having fun on a budget. I know you will enjoy her blog as much as I do!  Are you ready?  Let's go!

August Ipsy Bag Review

Ipsy is a monthly beauty and makeup subscription where you get full or deluxe size samples of a variety of products and a cute makeup bag.  I initially tried Birchbox, another beauty subscription, but after a few months of disappointing products, I decided to try Ipsy.  This is my third month with Ipsy and so far I have been very pleased with my glam bags!

Ipsy sends out different variations of the glam bag each month. Here's what I got in mine:

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
This mascara gives you both volume and length in only a few strokes.  It did not smear or smudge and lasted all day.  The only downfall for me was that it was not waterproof.
Verdict:  

How to Style the Barefoot Dreams Cardigan Four-Ways

If you read my July Favorites post, you'll remember that the Barefoot Dreams Cardigan, a.k.a. the Blardigan was on my list.  It has been on my wishlist since Pinterest Told Me To highlighted it as a Santa Alert last fall.  This open front, wrap cardigan is a must have and is the softest piece of clothing I've ever worn!  It's lightweight, flattering, and drapes perfectly over your body. While it is a splurge item, it will keep you warm and cozy through the winter and is a great piece to transition into spring and to wear on cooler summer nights.  Working from home, I know that I will wear this all of the time.

My good friend Laureen, also works from home and recently purchased the Blardigan too. On the Nordstrom site, the Blardigan is shown as lounge wear.  We thought it would be fun to show you how versatile this piece is and worth the price, by dressing it up and styling it for every season!  Laureen has the wrap cardigan in the ombre color and I have the pewter color. 

Here is how we styled the Blardigan for each season!

Chicago Staycation

The hubs and I both got time off work, our daughter had a break from swimming for a few weeks and we found a cabin in Michigan to rent.  But then time got away from us and the cabin was no longer available so, what to do?  We decided to head downtown for a few days instead.  We moved to the suburbs 10 years ago and I still miss living in the city.  Usually at this point of the summer, we would have made it downtown at least 4 or 5 times but since we haven't been at all, this was the perfect alternative.

We stayed on Michigan Avenue so we would be close to the beach, restaurants, shopping and the buses to take us to the museums. While we never made it to the beach or the architectural cruise due to the temps in the 60's, instead we hit the museums and ate some amazing food!

Argo has the best chocolate mint tea!  They have a little outdoor garden that we hung out in for awhile.

Summer Cutoffs and Style Confessions Linkup

Hello Everyone!  Today I'm co-hosting the Style Confessions Linkup with Lindsay from Sequins & Style and Crystal from That's So Crystal!  They both have amazing style and are great sources for inspiration!  I hope that you will join us and link up some of your amazing looks!

Cutoffs are a summer staple and like your favorite jeans, are not reserved just for tee's. Looking back at my OOTD photos over the past week I realized I had worn mine several times, each creating a fresh look.

I revamped the classic cutoff look by adding strappy wedges and a dressier tank top.

Cutoffs / Tank/Similar/ Sandals

July Budget Recap

Last month I did a post here on Looking Fabulous on a Budget and showed you what I have purchased since I started blogging in February.  Fall is my favorite season for fashion and I had put myself on a spending freeze for July and August so that I could get a few things on my fall wishlist.  

So why am I posting pictures of these clothing items when I was on a shopping ban? Well, I failed when Anthropologie had an extra 20% off the markdowns on three tops on my summer wishlist. Then, I got a few amazing deals using Gap rewards.  

Maeve silk racer tank / Clovelly peplum top / Deletta ruffle rim tank / 
Barefoot Dreams Cardigan /Old Navy chiffon maxi skirt / Steve Madden calf hair slip on sneaker

Fall Goals

With summer coming to an end it's time to think about what I want to accomplish before the end of the year.  I always seem to have a never ending list of projects and goals. I thought if I share them, it will help me focus and I'll be more likely to accomplish the things on my list.

Blue & Yellow Summer Style and Confident Twosday Linkup

Today I'm so excited to be co-hosting Confident Twosday with Laura from I do de Claire!  I hope you will join us and share your latest looks that make you feel confident!  

On Monday I did a post on Pin-Spired outfit recreations and I was curious if there was already someone out there that had pinned a similar look to what I was wearing today.  I randomly typed in polka dot shorts, blue top, and yellow cardi to see what came up.   

August Pin-Spired

August is here and it's time for another round of Pin-Spired looks.  Linking up with Pinterest Told Me To, Mix and Match Family & The Larson Lingo.  I love Reese Witherspoon's style, so I thought it would be fun to recreate all Reese looks this month. All of my recreations are from items I already had in my closet.

Pin-spiration #1

White sweater, black skirt, black booties, black bag, sunnies

My Recreation

Skirt: J.Crew / Sweatshirt: J.Crew Factory / Booties: VanEli (Similar) / Sunnies: Brighton / Bag: Big Buddha

I love this outfit for work and had never thought to wear this embellished sweatshirt with a skirt before.  The booties add an edgy touch and are a great alternative to sandals.

Pin-spiration #2

Chambray top, white shorts, brown belt, dainty necklace, neutral sandals, sunnies

My Recreation

Chambray top: Halogen / Shorts: Similar / Belt: TargetNecklaces: Stella & Dot / Sandals: Steve Madden / Sunnies: Brighton

I have gotten so many wears out of my eyelet shorts this summer. When the weather is cooler or you are in air conditioning all day long, pairing shorts with a long sleeve top is a smart way to be stylish and comfy.  

Pin-Spiration #3

Coral tank, black skort, leopard sandals, black cross-body, sunnies, fedora

My Recreation

Top: AnthropologieShorts: Necklaces: Stella & Dot / Fedora: Target / Cross-body: Hobo / Sandals:Scychelles

Reese's black skort has been on my wishlist all summer.  I didn't have the skort but I achieved the same look with black dressy shorts.

Pin-Spiration #4

White top, black pants, jean jacket, turquoise necklace, sunnies, fedora, floral heels

My Recreation

Tee: Gap (Similar) / Pants: Gap / Jacket: Old Navy / Necklace: Stella & Dot Sunnies: Ray Ban / Fedora: Target / Flats: (could not find similar)

My recreation seems more casual than Reese's but that fits better with my everyday style. I swapped out the floral heels for these striped flats with the turquoise toe.  

That's a wrap!  Thanks for stopping by and reading today!  If you want to see more of my everyday style, I'd love it if you followed along with me on Facebook, Bloglovin or GFC!

Linking up with these fabulous bloggers here.

Dynamic Red & Blue Family Room

Chairish is an online consignment marketplace for design obsessed people to buy and sell exceptional pre-owned home furniture and decor. Chairish's mission is to make the world more beautiful, one room at a time and save people money in the process.  Chairish.com makes it fun and easy to buy and sell pre-loved decor to one another. Their shop exclusively features curator-approved treasures in a full-service and trustworthy environment.

Chairish recently contacted me and asked me to choose one of their vintage chairs and create a room around it that was bright and full of color. This challenge was right up my alley and I gladly accepted! I love bright, vibrant colors and there is nothing more fun for me than designing a room!

They offered several chair options that spanned traditional to modern.  To shop Chairish's selection of accent chairs click here. I chose the Vintage Red Pod Chair as the starting point for my room.  This chair is comfortable for lounging yet firm enough for upright seating and I liked the angular lines of the legs.