Vera Bradley

Lately I have become obsessed with Vera Bradley.  

It all began about a year ago. I was shopping at my favorite store for deals (TJ Maxx) and I came across a few Vera Bradley bags in the purse section.  I was thrilled to see the discounted prices, and picked one to try.  I got this Attache in "Folkloric" (the name of the pattern).  

It retails at $88 and I found it for $39.99.  

I began a new job and used this bag exclusively to carry my laptop, power cord paperwork and wallet in it. a few months later, My husband bought me a Vera Bradley carry-it-all wristlet in "Lime's up". (This we did pay full price on, which was steep- $42)

It has been almost a year since these purchases. And I am amazed at the usefulness of these items, as well as how well they have worn.  Both look in great condition. Neither show dirt (despite everyday use), and neither have any wear or tear.  I began to pay more attention to Vera Bradley, and started to find some great deals!  A local shop had a sale on some of their discontinued patterned bags, and the Vera Bradley outlet had 50% off everything!  My mother and sister both had a great time shopping too.  My sister even got all her bridesmaids gifts from Vera!  I love the E-reader sleeve, and the lunch totes!

So, if you are looking for some bags with great style, and are well constructed, check out Vera Bradley.  She's got so many patterns to choose from, you are bound to find one that fits you.  

The Basics

There are a lot of things in my closet that I rely on as my basics. I rely on these things a lot.  Sometimes, I just mix and match those basics to get my look, but other times, these basics can get swapped between outfits to complete the look.  

1.  Camisoles:  This is something that I wear almost every day.  Although most of the time, these things cannot be seen, they can add length to the bottom of tops and they can be a little more modest higher as they cover the cleavage.  My favorite place to buy these are the Gap Outlet.  They have great color options and feel great. Plus they wear well, and after repeated washes still look great.  Most stores will have camisoles of some kind or another- find one that you like and that fits well. Then get white, black, grey, and any color that you will use a lot.  (I have many- including off white, pink, magenta, purple, navy, yellow, and green, teal, brown, and many more. I love to pick these up when they are on sale!)  

2.  Leggings: I live in Michigan, where things are cold for about half of the year.  Leggings are a great way to bring some of your skirts and dresses into those fall and winter months. Adding a pair of leggings and boots keeps you fashion forward and comfortable. My favorite leggings are from Vera Wang (at Khols).  Her leggings are comfortable, long, stretchy and warm.  I have them in Black, Grey and Brown.  PLUS Vera's legging lines expand to Corduroy leggings and others.  I have a few of her other leggings that make great pants underneath longer tops.   

3. Cardigans: This is another favorite of mine.  These in plain colors can be great ways to bring tops into the colder months- or to add to a dress in the summer. Typically I have these in black and white, but lately I have been wearing my grey, navy and beige ones more often!  I love to add these to long sleeves to add warmth, or to tank tops or t-shirts.  

 

4. Plain Tops:  This can be a lot of fun to have-- I have some plain jane t-shirts, as well as different textures, sleeve length and necklines.  If you have a variety of colors you can adding a polka dot or patterned cardigan to your closet because you already have the basics.  This is also a great starter for a fun new scarf.  Find a patterned scarf with lots of color in it, and match one to a top you already have.  A $15 Scarf can give you a totally new look!  

Winter Review: Must Haves

My closet is full, but I am always keeping an eye on Pinterest, and blogs to see what sort of things I can add to my closet, to keep it current. Here are a few things I had to get this winter.

Chevron Prints:

 

Polka Dots:

  

Lace:

Lace Top from Red Dress Boutique

Stripes:

 

Graphic Scarfs:

 

Keep it Fabulous!
Meredith

Fashion Trends: The "No thanks" List

For one reason or another, I love some fashion trends, and do not care for others.  Sometimes, I will try something I previously thought was not good look for me, and changed my mind, but for many they never make it to my closet.  Here are a few trends this year that I have ignored (at least, so far). 

1. The Romper

There are so many things that I do not like about this trend. When I see rompers, often times they look like outfits for toddlers. I do not think It is a mature look.  When was the last time you saw a professional woman wearing a romper?  Finally, my body has a pear shape, and that is not a romper kind of body.  They do not look good on me.  

2. Ankle Boots

This may just be a preference because I do not like wearing things that add bulk to my body, but seldom have I seem a an ankle boot look that I loved.  Even on these models above, the ankle boots are adding bulk where you don't need too!  Also, boots are a cool/cold weather look, yet because these boots are ankle boots, people are wearing them in the summer.   Don't their feet sweat all the time?  

3. Animal Prints

This is one trend that I may change my mind on (and I do not hate the tops pictured above), but for now, I am not a fan. The word "Cougar" has become a common phrase that refers to an older woman looking for a younger man.  Whenever I see a woman wear animal print, I can't help but think of it.   I especially hate when we turn the animal print into colors that are not orignal to the animal, (especially neons).  And If you are going to wear an animal print, pick one animal.  Don't wear more than one print at once- even if they are on the same top (like the sweater above).  

Are there any trends you could live without? Why?

Meredith

Fashion Trends: Bubble Necklace

You may recognize this necklace.

The Bubble Necklace

You may know it most from JCrew where you can buy it for $150.  I bought mine from Ebay, where it is an imitation, but much cheaper. You can also buy it from Amazon here- where its much cheaper.

I had seen it so many different places, including J's Everyday Fashion, Putting me together, and High Heels and Bubble Gum.    When I decided to get one, I bought a red one- thinking it would add a splash of color to my outfits.  Soon after I got it, I bought it in black. I love the black one even more- it is more versatile than the red one.  Besides, I wear a lot of black based outfits and the necklace easily fits into those as a statement piece.

Here is a great example of when the black necklace has come in handy-- the first outfit seemed pretty color saturated already.  Using the black necklace to tie in with the black boots just topped it off. In the second outfit, the patterned top was pretty busy and when I added a colored necklace it got lost. The black necklace gave a focal point to the outfit.

Outfit Details: 
Turtleneck: Khols
Necklace: Ebay
Skirt: Khols  or similar one 
Boots: Macy's or similar ones

Here is how I have worn the red necklace. (forgive me for these pictures- I took this with my laptop at work). The red necklace added the right punch of color to both of these outfits.

Now, before you go and buy this necklace in all of the different colors, there are a few variations that you might want to consider.  Here is one of my favorites.

This turquoise necklace has a thicker weave than the bubble necklaces, but the color is a great addition to so many outfits.  I love the way it pulls together this grey and white striped shirt with a grey cardigan.  (Besides, Turquoise has been a great color this year!)  I got one of these on ebay here. 

Here are a few other statement necklaces you should consider adding to your wardrobe.

From the Red Dress Boutique

Found on Ebay

Found on Ebay

Thats all for now!  Have a great weekend!
Meredith

Let's start at the beginning

So many of us have a passion for fashion.  But often times, fashion is expensive!  and its hard to keep up with the trends without blowing your  budget.  For me, my husband is a graduate student, and I work in ministry.  So my income is not very large, and most of that goes straight to his tuition payments.  Even though I may not be able to finance a luxurious closet, I can do some good bargain hunting and make the money that I do have count!

I hope that as I write and develop this blog, that it is full of outfit inspiration, and helps give you ideas of what kind of pieces you can get to fill in the gaps in your wardrobe.