Teal and Polka Dots

I recently this to work and I actually picked up this blazer for $.99 at Goodwill and found this Lauren Conrad blouse for $3 that day too. I actually went in to try to find an ugly sweater for a Christmas party, but no luck. I was pretty excited to find these pieces though, especially since the blazer is Tahari by Authur S. Levine and retails for around $140! Say, what? The blouse is also studded with polka dots, similar to this one. I'll have to wear it on it's own soon! I decided to pair the blazer and shirt with my polka dot skirt and Phoenix Pendant. I mentioned recently I wouldn't go without tights until spring, but I just couldn't do it with this outfit . Luckily my bare legs made it through the short walk into school.

Blazer: Tahari by Arthur S. Levine $.99 (thrifted) in velvet

Blouse: Lauren Conrad $3 

Skirt: Loft $20 drooling over this option

Neckalce: Stella and Dot Phoenix Pendant

Bracelets: Stella and Dot  Chimera, Moxie , Renegade

Shoes: Bandilino $30 similar / DSW Coupons

Bag: Coach (Christmas gift)

Linking up with:

Tre-Chic Fashion Thursdays

What I Wore to Work Link-up

Love and Gingham

I picked this sweater up about a year ago from Target for a steal. I love it, but it's been totally under utilized in my closet.  Anyone else have pieces like that? On the other hand, this skirt and shirt seem to be in constant rotation. I don't think it was a bad idea to buy this sweater, it was only like $6, but I think if I'm going to have something in my closet I better find a way to wear it.

Speaking of wearing what I own, the heels I'm wearing today have officially bit the dust. I've worn a hole in the soles, yep, I definitely buy my shoes to be work horses. Luckily, I was able to replace them with these for half the price. Now, I just hope they'll be comfy.

Also, make sure to stop my Whatcha Makin' Now, my sister is starting the coolest idea today. She's going to be sending sweet treats to one lucky person each month...for free. Go check it out!

Sweater: Target $6 similar

Shirt: J.Crew Factory $25 almost exact

Skirt: Target $16 same

Necklace: Born Pretty c/o  same

Bracelets: Stella and Dot Renegade, Urbane

Shoes: Bandilino $30 similar / DSW Coupons

Linking up with:

What I Wore Wednesday

Building A Wardrobe: Cardigans

Yesterday I started my Building A Wardrobe Series by sharing with you Essential Blazers and Jackets, and for the second day of the series I'll be sharing with you my thoughts on cardigan essentials.  Cardigans are great for laying and can be worn both to dress an outfit up, as well as easily worn with a casual outfit as well.  Here are my tips for building essential cardigans into your wardrobe:

• Must have colors include black, gray, and tan.  In my experience, it's worth it to by quality pieces, as you will probably wear these the most.  There are a lot of inexpensive options out there, say at Target or Old Navy, however, they inexpensive options don't seem to last or wear as well and pill much sooner.  I've been most happy with the quality of cardigans I've purchased from Loft, Banana Republic, The Limited, and J.Crew.
• Consider the type of cardigan that fits your style best.  Traditional lengths will probably be the most versatile, but I love a good boyfriend cardigan and think they can be dressed up for worn casually depending on how you chose to style them. 
• When purchasing, pay attention to how to wash the item, if it's dry clean only, it will limited how often you can wear the piece. I've used Dryel, and in-home dry cleaning product, for over a decade and have been happy with the results, however I still spend the money to get pieces professionally dry cleaned at least once a year and this definitely adds to the overall cost of owning a piece of clothing.
• I've also included some additional options for you to consider purchasing.  These include purchasing a few cardigans in bright colors, as well as a leopard or other print option.  In my opinion you won't wear these as often, so purchasing a less expensive option, like this or this makes sense to me.
• Regardless of what you chose to buy, wash these pieces inside out to help protect the them in the washer.

Here's a visual of my recommendations for cardigan purchases:

tan cardigan /gray cardigan  / black cardigan /  mustard cardigan / bright cardigan /  leopard cardigan 

Today I'm wearing a bright cardigan, which is a fun addition to any outfit. It helps define my shape and pull the overall look together too.

I'm crazy about today's combo. I score this skirt for $4, new with tags, from thredUP (use this link to get $10 off your first order). I wasn't sure about a top, but tried the polka dots and love it.  I might freeze today with bare legs, but this just didn't look right with tights.  Hurry up, spring!

Building A Wardrobe: Blazers and Jackets

I'm really excited to be starting a new series today that will focus on helping you to build a wardrobe full of pieces you'll not only love, but that will be timeless and versatile.  Today I'm starting with one of my favorite things: blazer and jackets.  The thing I love about them is there ability to be worn both for work wear as well was weekend wear.  They can be the perfect touch to finish off any look, so today I'm showing you pieces I feel are essential, as well as a few pieces to add once the essential pieces are in place.

On my list of essential blazers and jackets are a classic black and navy blazer, as well as a denim jacket. Here are some things to keep in mind when purchasing these pieces:

•  When buying these pieces definitely pay attention to quality, as they pieces can be utilized frequently and worn for years to come.  I purchased my black blazer at H&M for a very fair price to replace one I used for nearly a decade from The Limited.  My navy blazer is probably my favorite piece in my wardrobe and although I found it on sale at Loft, it definitely would have been worth the full price. 
•  Also, pay attention to how to wash it, if it's dry clean only I pass on the piece.  Look for one that can be washed normally, as this will help you to utilize it more.
• The quality of a denim jacket, in my opinion, doesn't vary much from store to store, so buying an inexpensive option shouldn't impact how it wears much.

After you have these essential pieces in your wardrobe, then you can begin to add on additional options, like the ones I've listed below. The additional options I'm loving are a striped blazer, a mixed media moto jacket, and a bright blazer.  Unlike the pieces above which are truly wardrobe staples, these pieces can be the "show piece to any look," that is, the piece of clothing that takes your outfit from cute to perfection.  Right now I'm on the look out for a mixed media jacket.  I recently tried one on at TJ Maxx I loved, but it was dry clean only, so I passed.  These pieces should definitely be added over time, and when the price is right. 

Here's a visual of all the pieces I've listed above to help you out:

  LOFT black blazer / LOFT navy blazer  / Gap denim jacket  /LOFT stripe blazer / LOFT mixed media jacket / bright blazer

Today I'm wearing one of the additional options I've listed above, a bright colored blazer. Adding a blazer dresses up any look, and the bright color is such fun too!

This dress I scored from thredUP (use link for $10 off) has to be hands down one of my favorite pieces in my closet. I thought it would be fun to pair it with teal today for work.  I also adore that it has pockets in the front, it's such a fun touch!

What to Wear With Wine

This week I thought it would be fun to do a mini-series focused on color.  I recently joined a fashion page on Facebook where women post their OOTDs.  It's a great group with a lot of stylish women, but one of the things I see people post often is a picture, then the question: "Do these go together?" Another common question I see is: "What color goes with this?" This prompted my mini-series.  I thought I'd pick three color that are big this fall and try to help give some direction as to what to wear with them.

Today I'm focusing on wine, burgundy, ox blood....whatever you call it, it is definitely a great color for fall.  The problem can be deciding what colors look best with it.  I came up with some different colors which I think pair nicely with wine.  

• The first is another shade of the color for a monochromatic look; this is also a big trend this fall, and definitely one worth giving a try.  
• The second is to pair it with neutral colors, either a combination of warm tones, like browns and chocolates, or cool tones like grays and blacks.  I chose to pair it with cool tones today (mainly because I wanted to wear my Phoenix Pendant again.  
• The third is with a complimentary color like mustard or navy.  I'm a big fan of both of these combinations too. (Look below for examples of these color combos).

To help out you visual learners (like myself) here's a handy little chart for you to reference:

Here are some more detailed pictures of today's outfit:

Cardigan: Old Navy $3 (thrifted) similar

Top: JC Penney $1 (thrifted) similar

Skirt: Express $30 same

Necklace: Stella and Dot Phoenix Pendant 

belt: $12 Target same 

Bracelets:  Chimera, Moxie , Renegade Stella and Dot

Shoes: Bandilino $30 similar / DSW Coupons

Here are some other ways to wear wine: 

 Look 1/ Look 2 / Look 3 / Look 4

Come back tomorrow to see what color I'll be styling next. : )

Linking up with:
What I Wore Wednesday
Get Your Pretty On

Chelsea and Ginny Take On: Fall

Today Chelsea and I are taking on Fall. One of the biggest trends for fall is Leopard print. After buying this polka dot top I knew I needed this leopard one from the same line too.  Today I decided to show you how to style this top for both the workday and weekend.   

My workday look is my favorite go-to combination: a  blazer, a blouse, and a pencil skirt.  I feel comfortable all day and always feel so put together.  

Blazer: H&M $25 similar /H&M Coupons

Blouse: $19 Target same / Target Coupons

Skirt: $16 Target this year's version 

belt: $12 Target same 

Necklace: Stella and Dot same

Bracelets:  Chimera, Moxie , Renegade Stella and Dot

Heels: Bandalino $30 similar

My weekend look is inspired by Tara and encompasses my favorite pieces for fall. Boots: check. Cozy cardigan: check. Leopard print: check. 

Cardigan: Ann Taylor $5 (thrifted with tags) similar

Top: Target $17  same 

Jeans: Old Navy $19 similar

Necklace: Stella and Dot 

Bracelets: Stella and Dot  Chimera, Moxie , Renegade 

Boots: Aerosoles $47 similar

Now to my lovely sister, Chelsea, at Whatcha Makin' Now: She has made another amazing dessert perfect for your fall get together.  Just look at these amazing caramel apple cupcakes!  Make sure to stop by Whatcha Makin' Now to get the details on this great recipe!

Cobalt and Orange

Last year I was ecstatic when I found this Loft skirt at Goodwill and decided to pair it with my cobalt blazer and lace top today.  The first time I wore this skirt I wore it like this, and I was so pleased with myself.  Yipes, that was pretty bad. Today, on the other hand, I really like this. I really like the texture and color mix and definitely think it's an outfit I'll wear again, although I think I might wear it with my cobalt  Portfolio Shirt first.  What do you think, how would you style this skirt? 

Blazer: Loft $30 c/o Chippmuck from contest I won

Blouse: Loft $16 super pretty option

Skirt: Loft $5 pretty option

Necklace: Stella and Dot same

Bracelets: Stella and Dot  Chimera, Moxie , Renegade

Shoes: Fergalicous $30 similar

It's My Blogoversary!

Today is a year since My New Favorite Outfit was started, and what a year it's been!  I'd have to say I've really enjoyed the time, but I had no idea how much work or how much fun it would be.  I feel like I've gotten a style I'm happy with again, and I definitely know I've gotten more self-confidence along the way too.

I thought it would be fun to share my first outfit picture with you (taken with a my iPhone no less) and then show you how I'd wear it today.  I thought about doing a whole week of this series: then and now, but honestly, I wasn't crazy about a lot of the "then" pictures, so I really didn't want to share them "now." One of the things I remember from Go Blog Social in August was someone saying that if you're not at least a little bit embarrassed of some of your early posts, you aren't growing.  I like that, I don't ever want to feel like my style is stagnant.

I really do like my first outfit picture though, I was so excited to wear it and after countless compliments at school that day, I decided to take the dive and share my outfit with the world.....or like the 17 people who viewed my blog for it's first month of life.  Hehe.  Anyway,  my take today is a little bit different.  Last year I owned like a million cardigans and no blazers, today I prefer the structure a blazer gives.  I also wore this with a plain white tee last year, and now I prefer a blouse with a little bit of texture and interest (I'm currently craving this one, it has sequin sleeves, people!). I think style is an ever changing process, and I think it's fun to see how mine has changed throughout this year.

To all of you who take the time to stop by and check out my style, and those who comment so regularly:  I genuinely want to thank you for your support, and you definitely help make my little hobby worth while!

Blazer: Loft c/o Chippmunk similar Loft Coupons

Blouse: Loft c/o Chippmunk similar

Skirt: Target $6 cute option / Target Coupons

Necklace: Rue 21 $10 (in stores) love this option

Bracelets: Stella and Dot Bracelets: Chimera, Moxie, Renegade

Shoes: Audrey Brookes $26 similar DSW Coupons

Linking up with:
What I Wore Wednesday
Get Your Pretty On