Clearance Shopping

I was going through my closet the other day and realized I was seriously lacking in the layering tank department. I use to rely heavily on the AE Boyfriend Tank for layering and I still do wear them, like I did with my red sweater, but they can skew a bit to casual sometimes. I have some nice tanks like the one I was wearing yesterday, but I didn't seem to have any that were plain enough to truly be versatile. So I did a little shopping. Some in person at Target while the husband was trying on jeans, you know at his twice-a-year shopping outing. I'm not even kidding, the man shops for himself twice a year, at most. Usually a new pair of jeans, a pair of work pants, a few casual shirts, a few work shirts and a few crossover shirts. That's it! I would never make it.

Sale Shopping by Sara 2579

Back to my shopping, because let's be honest, it's much more interesting. I think it's clear from the polyvore set that I needed some neutrals. I snagged the black lace layering tank and the skinny jeans at Target for $10 each. The other tanks are all from Forever 21 online; four tanks and the embellished tunic for under $40. So I got everything in this set for under $50! I call that shopping success.

Now, I'm challenging myself to not buy any more clothes until the new year. We'll see if I make it.

Casual Chic.

Honestly, what does that mean? A friend of mine told me last night that an event she is going to says "Casual Chic" on the invitation for the dress code. It got me thinking, what exactly does that mean? I feel like everyone is using it as the dress code for their events lately. The first thing that pops into my mind is a funky, somewhat dressy top, fitted jeans and hot shoes. But, I imagine there are some people that do not think jeans, fitted or not, are acceptable at events.

For instance, I feel like my outfit for work today almost fits the Casual Chic bill. I would probably dress up the jewelry a little more and add a fun clutch, but otherwise, I feel pretty casual, yet chic in this outfit.

**Pretty please, pay no attention to my hair and face in this photo. I had not yet straightened my hair or put on make up. I was going to take a new picture after I was finished, but my batteries died, so you are stuck with the frumpy head.**

Lace cardi, Target. I think it's got just the right amount of funky-prettiness to it. The tank is actually a little sparkly, this picture does not capture that. The skinny jeans have studs down the legs for a little flair and the shoes, I think, speak for themselves. A nice heal, a little point and patent leather.

What does Casual Chic mean to you?

Scarf Weather

It's nice and chilly today. Sweaters, boots and scarves! Could a girl be happier?

I finally pulled out my more fall/winter items out of my upstairs closet and one of those items was this long gold sweater. I've had it for a couple years, it's from Macy's. I really love it. Only draw back is that I wish the zipper was a double zipper so that I could bring it together just at my waist.

The tank is from Target, clearance for $4. Leggings from NY&Co. Not sure I love the color based on how it's photographing here. Boots are from Avenue. Current. Love them.

For going outside, I added this fabulous long wrap/scarf. It's a beautiful floral print and it's oh-so-warm. Here's a tight shot of the boots, too.

My Review of Leslie Studded Wedge Boot (Wide Width)

Originally submitted at Avenue.com

Studded details add wow factor to these tall wedge boots.

• Man made materials. Side zip closure. Stud trim. Wedge heel. Imported.
• Cloudwalkers by Avenue. ...

Leslie Studded Wedge Boot (Wide Width)

Fabulous Boot

By SaraS from Detroit, MI on 10/27/2010

 

5out of 5

Sizing: Feels true to size

Width: Feels too narrow

Pros: Versatile, Great with Jeans, Comfortable, Stylish, Durable

Best Uses: Work, Wet Weather, Travel, Casual Wear, Date Night, School

Describe Yourself: Style Driven

I love this boot. It's very stylish and can be dressed up or down, which is always nice. I've worn it somewhat dressy with a dress and tights and casual with leggings and a tunic. I checked feels too narrow, but for me, that is a good thing. The great thing with this boot is that it fits my calf in the shalf without being too big and isn't too wide on my foot. Regular tall boots are often too tight in the shaft, but fit in the shoe and then plus sized tall boots are often too big in the shaft and too wide in the foot for me. So, if you are in between when it comes to tall boot, this boot will be perfect for you.

(legalese)

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Have a great weekend, lovlies!

Berry Boots

I love this time of year. Warm enough to zip in-and-out of places without a coat, yet cool enough to pull out all of my boots! These are one of my favorite pair of boots. They are a fabulous berry colored suede and I got them for a steal at JCPenny.com. They still have them, too. They are super comfortable and the best part is they fit my curvaceous calves! They have a nice little elastic panel in the back, although I think these would fit with or without it. They are also versatile because they can be pull up to about 3/4 of the calf or scrunched down for a different look.

Berry Boots by Sara 2579

Today I'm wearing them with my Target black kimono dress, an American Eagle boyfriend tank peaking out and grey leggings.

Sorry for using Polyvore instead of pictures, but my camera is still on the fritz and I haven't bucked up the cash for a new one yet.

My Review of Nora Sueded Scrunch Boot (Wide Width)

Originally submitted at Avenue.com

These suede like scrunch boots look perfect over skinny jeans or leggings for a chic and casual look.

• Man made upper. Pull on. Scrunched shaft with foldover cuff. Studded tab details at back top shaft. Imported.
• Cloudwalkers by Aven...

Nora Sueded Scrunch Boot (Wide Width)

So-so

By SaraS from Detroit, MI on 10/20/2010

 

3out of 5

Sizing: Feels full size too big

Width: Feels too wide

Pros: Stylish, Comfortable

Cons: Poor Quality, Wear Out Quickly, Poor FIt

Best Uses: Going Out, Travel, Date Night, Casual Wear

Describe Yourself: Comfort-oriented, Trendy, Stylish

Unfortunately, I had to return these boots because they just didn't fit me. I wear a 7.5 and usually, in the case of whole sizes, I go up to an 8. But this shoe was so big, I could have fit both my feet in one. They seemed like they would be super comfortable though. They are very stylish and were exactly what I was looking for. The quality was low, but so was the price so can't complain too much there. They would not have been good for snow or rain though, and that is important in a boot. I went to my local store and tried on the 7 and it was way too big too, so the shoe just runs big. I ended up getting the black studded boots at my local store. I'm very happy with them and they are true to size.

The only real issue I had here though was that I couldn't exchange at the store. I had to buy the black ones there and then send back these. I like to be able to exchange at the store. It's much more convenient and saves paying for shipping twice.

(legalese)

The Saga of the Grey Boots

I imagine by now that if you read Be Styled with even the most remote amount of regularity, you are aware of the grey boots. Finally, the conclusion to the saga.

I decided to send them back. They were exactly what I wanted, just way too big. I was a little put off by the expensive shipping to return the boots. It might not have been so bad if I hadn't paid so much to have them shipped to me and it taking nearly 10 days. Okay, shipping rant over.

I've been on the prowl for grey boots ever since. I found some at Payless that were fabulous, but they didn't have the grey in extended calf sizes. They do carry the black and brown in extended. I decided to head down to my local Avenue store so I could try things on in person. I tried on the original grey boots in a 7, but still too wide. That's a whole other problem I have with tall boots. The extended calf sizes are all-to-often also wide width in the shoe part--which I don't need! So I'll find a boot that fits in the calf and is too big in the foot. So frustrating. After shopping around though, I found two pair that fit me both in the shoe and in the calf. Neither of them were grey, so that was disappointing, since that was my original criteria, but they are both fabulous. And since it was BOGO, I treated myself to both.

Tall Boots by Sara 2579 on Polyvore.com

Flashing Back to the 90's

Not gonna lie, I love 90's fashion. Probably because I was between the ages of 10 and 19 during that decade. It was a critical fashion exploration time for me. I'm kinda enamored of all the 90's styles that are coming back in to fashion. Today, I did a little clearance shopping at Target and put together a fabulous little 90's-inspired look.

The lace boyfriend sweater is what started the look. It's $20 at Target.com, but in my local store it was only $13! Then I found the fabulous floral dress for just $10. I couldn't find the exact one on target.com or polyvore, so I added something really similar for this set. The only unfortunate thing is that the dress is really more of a tunic. I could never wear it without leggings for very opaque tights. I will probably style it with booties and minimal jewelry. Although, I could really amp up the 90's feel with some combat boots or clogs. Unfortunately, I donated any that I owned about five years ago. Really regret that right about now.

The 90's by Sara 2579

Red, Red, Sweater

I love the color red and all variations of it. I was told at a young age that the color suits me well, so I've always gravitated toward it. Today, I'm featuring my Victoria's Secret Multi-Way Sweater. It's on their home page today. It was a birthday gift from my hubs last year.

I truly love it. It's part cashmere and oh-so-soft. You can style it five or six different ways, and sometimes I do, but most often I like to wear it open and flowy like this. I styled it simply today with an American Eagle Boyfriend tank, black skinnies, gunmetal patent booties and a self-made necklace.

Here is a tight shot of the necklace. Chain is from Michael's, the wing bead is the same as my self-made earring from the other day, but a larger version and the little blue bead is one from my glass-bead-making days. If you click the picture, it will come up larger and you can see more detail.

Unrelated, I'm a little unsure of what is up with my camera. It's not that old at all, maybe six months, but I just feel like I'm having a hard time getting clear pictures. I'm using a tripod, so it's not like the camera is moving. Oh well, more practice, I guess.

Home Style

Today, I'm leaving the clothing style to the rest and I'm talking about home decor--it's style, too! We built our house five years ago. I love our house, but we were very young and we didn't have the extra cash to really decorate quite the way I would have liked. We used our extra money for longer-lasting things like wood-wrapping all of the windows, putting ceramic tile in the kitchen and bathrooms (instead of linoleum like the builder used), adding a large window to the half-sunken basement knowing we would finish it someday (which we are in the process of doing now), adding a large pantry to the kitchen. You see, we spent money on things that would last the life of the home. So that left very little for things like nice carpet, hard wood, fancy door fixtures, stylish bathroom vanities, etc... As a result, we have the cheap-ass crappy carpet that our builder uses on all of his builds. I hate it! I hated it from the day it was installed. But now that we have been walking on it and living on it for five years, I really hate it! It's not so bad upstairs because we aren't up there quite as much and guests are never up there. But in our living room and our master bedroom, it's just awful. It's almost white (!*%#!*%@) and it just doesn't wear well at all. Plus they didn't put any stripping down where the carpet meets the kitchen tile, so our cats have ruined the transitions. We are currently saving our money to put bamboo flooring in the living room and master bedroom. Unfortunately, that comes after we finish the rest of the basement!

In an effort to curb my hatred of the carpet, we put an area rug in the living room. I don't love an area rug on carpet, but my friend spilled buffalo chicken sauce on the white carpet and that shit does not come up, so I went with the hub's suggestion of a $15 Ikea area rug. It looked decent, but after being there for about three years, it doesn't look so nice anymore.

See exhibit A to the left. I decided I couldn't live with it anymore... It's possible that decision came after I spilled my Vertical Rush nail polish on it. If you look hard enough, you can see a streak of bright burgundy polish right up the middle of the rug, just to the right of the candle on the table. Shhhh, don't tell hubby, m'kay, thanks. He's on a business trip, so the timing was perfect to blow off half a day from work, grab my mom and head out on an Ikea pilgrimage. The rug was getting old and worn and the cats had picked at it a little here and there. It had a run in it that I filled in with a dark brown furniture marker. It needed to be replaced. And knowing Ikea as I do, I knew I could find another great rug for a similar price. Truthfully, a $15 rug lasting nearly three years, that's a pretty good value in my opinion.

Ikea was a success. I found a fabulous new rug for just $20. It was grey, so I decided to get new throw pillows to tie it all together. It was not going to match my current pillows. I ended up going with throw pillow covers, they were significantly cheaper than actual pillows ($10 for a pair of covers) and i was able to simply stuff my old pillows inside.

See exhibit B to the right. Complete with cat, of course. The rug is still rolling up on the one end because of being rolled for so long, but I think it's clear that it looks SO much better. So for just $40, I totally reinvented the look and style of my living room.

What would you reinvent in your home with fewer than $50?

Going Out.

First of all, I must apologize for the quality of my pictures today. The batteries in my camera were dying and I couldn't find any new ones. I would get one picture and it would turn off! So I got one picture of the full outfit that was clear, but my pose was terrible, and I got one picture that is a bit blurred, but I think I look better in it--so you get that one:)

This was an evening look that I threw on to go out for drinks and Monday Night Football with some friends. There was no need for me to wear my jersey because my allegiances lie firmly with the Chicago Bears and they had already won on Sunday, so I could play with my look a little more than jeans and my football jersey.

I got this fab plum colored, studded tank at Target. I didn't try it on and thought it would be a little longer, more tunic-like. But I still like it a lot. I paired it with my thrifted grey cascading cardi--one of my very few successful thrifting finds--and my black skinnies. Topped it off with my mismatched self-made earrings from earlier in the day and silver Seychelles flats.

I have to take a minute to talk about Seychelles shoes*. I love them. They are incredibly comfortable and always stylish. I have four pair that I have acquired over the years. I'd have more, but they are a little tough to find. DSW usually has a few styles and Dillard's carries them sometimes. The pair I'm wearing in this picture, I actually found in a little specialty boutique while on a trip to Atlanta. They now sell them on their website though, so it just got a little easier.

Trying to get a detail shot of the studding on the tank. Probably didn't get it switched to close-up shot because of the battery issue.

I also tried to grab a snap of my makeup for the night. Unfortunately, my brows got cut off and the camera was totally dead after this. I went for a slightly dramatic eye with a black shadow liner, smudged and blended with a sparkly light brown from my favorite Sephora palette. The one I linked is the same palette style, but different colors. They don't seem to have the colors that I have anymore. I finished with a nude gloss lip. I'm lucky enough to have a little pinkish tone to my lips, so I can get away with a heavy eye and light lip.

*I was not compensated in any way for this review. I really do just love the shoes.

Mix n' Match

I got some cute new booties at DSW last week. I have been dying to wear them and finally did today. I've been struggling with my fall fashion this year because it has been unseasonably warm here in Michigan. Don't get me wrong, I like not needing a coat, but just 10 degrees cooler would be perfect, because then I could get out all of my tights, leggings, sweaters and boots.

I decided to mix patterns a little with these tights from NY & Co. and the plaid Diba booties. Some people would probably think the two patterns is too much, but I like it and let's face it, I'm dressing for me and my style, not other people. Whoa, that sounded so angsty!

The rest of the outfit is a black kimono dress from Target that I got on clearance for just $8! A steal. I really need to hop online and see if they have more. For that price, I'll order and save it. It's such a classic piece. It's layered over an American Eagle boyfriend tank and the bag is from DSW as well.

The earrings I'm featuring today are a mix and match pair that I made myself. By no means do I consider myself a jewelry maker, but I like to make simple earrings using a pair of needle nose pliers. I buy the fish hooks at Michael's and sometimes I take apart earrings and mix up the pieces to make my own, sometimes I buy beads at Michael's and in the case of the purple bead, sometimes I make glass flame worked beads. I took a few classes at the local art

museum so I have a plethora of pretty glass beads. I never made any matching sets of glass beads, so they usually get mixed and matched like this. I just try to keep the earrings the same length.

Creamsicle

I love me a creamsicle! However, I don't love this Tangerine Cream nail polish by N.Y.C. The color is great, but it doesn't go on well. The first coat went on so streaky that I almost stopped and took it off. I decided to do a second coat, just to see. It got better, but still really streaky, almost clumpy looking. I just couldn't get a nice smooth coat out of it. Once I put my top coat on, it was better, but still not great. Because I like the color though and it looks fine from a distance, I'm going to keep it on for a few days.

I'm wondering if maybe it needs to be thinned a little. It's a new bottle, but who knows how long it's been on the shelf, I suppose. I may try to thin it.

The Boots Have Arrived

Let's talk about them. I'm unsure of them. This makes me SO sad because I've been waiting for them with baited breath for nine days--NINE DAYS! They are too big in the foot. That's the biggest issue I have. They only came in whole sizes. I wear a 7 1/2, so I usually bump up to 8 in that case, but I should have bumped down to 7 this time. Plus they are not the best quality. Granted, for $37, I wasn't expecting much, but they do fall below my quality expectation. Definitely not suitable for snow/rain. My local story has a 7 on hold for me. I guess I'll run over and see if it fits better and if that helps my decision. Bonus, you got both cats today.

You can see it in my face that I'm just not sure if I want to keep them.
Pros:
Comfortable
Stylish
Color is what I wanted
Fits through the calf
Cons:
Too big in the foot
Poor quality
Not suitable for snow/rain














I feel like they look better in pictures than they do in person. You can fold down the top flap, although I don't love that look. A little too Robin Hood for me. And then a picture of the back detailing.

For fun, a snap of my cool earrings. They were a gift from my mother-in-law for my birthday last year. She always gets me a cool pair of earrings.

Quick Post - Nail Polish

Last night I decided to paint my nails with Vertical Rush by China Glaze. This is a fav color, always a go-to. I try to paint my nails once a week. It keeps them looking nice and it keeps me from picking at them.

I snagged this picture on my phone, so probably not the best quality, but the color looks true on my screen. Just sort of a nice red wine color.

I'm really hoping my grey boots come today! I have to say, I love online shopping, but sometimes the shipping is just awful. This has been one of those times. But, if they do show up today, I'll have an outfit post for later with them. Luckily I have no where to go until later this afternoon.

Fall Must Have Item

A couple days ago I posted a fall love list; things I want, things I got and fall staples. There was one item that I've really been hunting for that I totally forgot--a military-style jacket--something with a little toughness to wear with some of my girly items to create a look with both hard and soft edges.

Here are a few that I really like. I particularly like the Lane Bryant and Alloy jackets because of the sinched waist. It's flattering to my body type.

Military Jackets by Sara 2579

Stop over to see the Bon Bon Rose Girls for a chance to win an amazing bag from Mimi Boutique.

Styling the New Grey Boots

Here are two casual ways I plan to style my fab new grey boots.

Casual Style #1: Striped sweater and basic leggings.

Grey Boots by Sara 2579

Casual Style #2: Purple cascading cardi, skinny jeans and a sparkle tank.

Grey Boots by Sara 2579

Fall Love List

Fall is most definitely my favorite time of year. The seasonal change is perfect for changing up the wardrobe a bit and the weather is perfect for layering, but still warm enough to go sans coat, so the outfit is always front and center. It's also the beginning of boot season here in Michigan, and I do love a fab boot.

Here's a list of things that I'm lusting after this fall, items I've purchased for fall and more.

Wants:

I don't know what it is about these earrings from Etsy, but they scream fall to me. Maybe it's just the earthiness and fall-like colors of them.

Totally lusting after this tipped cardigan from Old Navy. It's got the perfect pop of color combined with a cozy and casual cut. Perfect with jeans and a cami.

Got:

I just ordered these beautiful grey boots from Avenue. They are a steal at just $37. They also come in brown and black. Look for a post later this week about how I plan to style them.

Flat boots are so great for fall because you walk in them all day with no pain and still be as stylish as ever. Don't get me wrong, I love a heal, but flat boots are great for every day wear.

Fav Fall Style:

The chunky sweater, leggings and boots. It doesn't get more fall than this for me. It's a simple outfit that is comfortable and still has enough style that I don't feel frumpy. This sweater is from Macy's, I got it last season and I really wish I had gotten two. It's so warm and cozy, plus it has pockets, always a plus. Leggings are basic leggings from NY & Co. And boots are last season as well, from DSW.com.

10/1/10 Daily Wear

I really love my outfit today. I find that it is so important to feel comfortable and stylish. It makes me feel more confident and just makes me have a great day. Today is one of those days.

I have a thing for layering. No matter what season or the temperature outside, I love to layer. I had a lot of fun this summer with light weight vests and tanks. But it's getting cooler outside, about 65 today, so I needed to make the outfit a little warmer.

Pay no attention to hair and make up, I've gone au natural today in those departments.

I've gone with a nice basic black three-quarter length sleeve tee, this fab blue/teal point vest, grey straight/skinny jeans and my highlighter yellow flats.

I love this vest, I think the cut is very flattering for my body type and I like the straight, almost skinny cut of the jeans to off set the volume of the vest. The shoes are meant to be a pop of something bright. The rest of the outfit is edging on very neutral.

For jewelry, I kept it simple with some silver bangles from Alex and Ani and a layered chain necklace that I got ages ago at Charlotte Russe. The shoes are from Charlotte Russe, too

My cat, Vinnie, is making an appearance in the door.

Here is the gorgeous back of the vest. A pretty floral detail and kind of a surprise. It's much like the vest I posted a few months ago on Be Styled that my mom got for my little sister.

Oh, and enter to win a $100 gift certificate to Lulu's over at Bon Bon Rose Girls.

I really want to make this blog work

I do. It probably doesn't seem like it since I haven't posted in I don't even know how long. Suffice it to say, I had some personal issues in August and basically stopped doing a lot of things, but I'm back at it now. Promise.

I need a floor length dress for a fancy shmancy event this month. I have one from an event a few years ago, but I don't really feel like it's in style anymore. It's pretty, but not stylish. I finally went over to David's Bridal to look through their clearance section. I got a nice, flattering dress for under $50, can't really beat that. I had a really hard time choosing between the one I got and another one. I chose the one I got because it was $20 less expensive and I wouldn't need a long-line bra with it.

I got the one pictured to the left here (the one with the detail shot). The store only had this green color in both of them. I'm still struggling. I really like the halter dress, but the $20 price difference and lack of need for an uncomfortable undergarment sold me on the other dress. Online they have the halter style in a beautiful sapphire blue and a lovely purple. Maybe I'll watch the price and see if it comes down over the next few weeks.

What do you think? Also, I'm thinking gold shoes and dangly gold earings for accessories. Thoughts on that?