Look of the Day: Wardrobe Staples

I'll be honest, the outfits I usually feature on the blog are not always my everyday outfits. It's not like I dress drastically different from the blog, but in the past few years I've definitely become a staple dresser. Partly, I'm inspired by my husband who is the type of guy who buys 3 of anything he likes. Even jackets! Jackets are his jam. He had to put some in storage, because his closet rod was bowing. You get what I'm saying.

If it's in your budget, I highly recommend buying things you love and wear regularly in multiples. You never know when mustard might happen! Or even worse, the store discontinues them! That is the case with my favorite BDG pants, and the inspiration for this post.

These first ones are kind of all "Duhs".

- Scarf: you probably have 75 of them. They're warm and colorful.

- Black coat: sleek, goes with everything.

- Striped shirt: I honest-to-god have 11 different Breton striped shirts. My go-to-staple. Goes with almost everything and I feel good in them. Perfect for mornings where I set my alarm for 7am instead of 6:30 and have no time.

- White Sneakers: Find a good pair of cheap ones and buy 5 pairs! You will always have fresh, white kicks! I found these on clearance at JCP for $14 and bought 2 pairs, since that's all they had.

My other wardrobe staples are as follows:

- Fake Frames: Or, if you need them, real ones! They're perfect for puffy-eye days. Distracts from my bloodshot allergy face! Get a god pair, like the Madewell ones I'm wearing. They have UV protection built in and they're nice enough to have real lenses put in when my eyesight finally goes.

- Red Lips: Ok, duh. Another thing I have at least 5 of. My favorite is an called orangey-red from Revlon called Siren.

- Denim Jacket: This classic piece should be in everyone's closet! Plus, it's fun hunting for vintage denim! Find a rare one and you could get rich!

- Neutral Knits: If you live in a warm climate, this doesn't really apply. If not, then you know you need at least 2 good neutral sweaters! Look for good, vintage wool at your local thrift store. It won't pill as badly as new stuff. My favorite is a heather gray men's sweater by Blumarine that I wear probably too often. The one I'm wearing above is from GAP, and it's majorly on sale right now.

- High Waist Pants: I've sung the praises of high waist pants before. They're so much more comfortable than the crap the kids are wearing right now. You don't have to pull them up every 5 seconds! My all-time favorites are BDGs that have been discontinued in the past year. I've been on the hunt for replacements and I think these GAP high rise skinnies are it. 

- Fun Flats: For me, I can't wear anything else. Dumb feet. When I find a pair my feet actually like, I buy as many as possible. Easier said than done, of course.

Little Extras: A wear-with-all watch and a classic bag!

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Look of the Day: Oasap Coat & Vintage Heels

 I've been thinking about this plaid coat from Oasap for 2 months and finally decided it was meant to be mine. There's nothing better than a coat with texture and pattern neutral enough to wear every day. It's bold, but not outlandish and the moto-style asymmetrical zipper makes it oh so cool. My favorite way to wear it is with this neon pink turtleneck from J.Crew, but I can only wear the same outfit so many times before people start noticing. Neon pink is hard to miss.

 If you're a regular reader, then you can probably guess that I only wore these shoes for the photoshoot. I love them, and if I had normal feet I would be keeping them. Instead, they're up for grabs on my Etsy shop! These beige suede heels are minimalist perfection.

Top Shop stocking cap - Oasap plaid coat - BDG pants - vintage suede heels - vintage sweatshirt

Styling Overalls: Now & Later

I've taken it up a notch and acquired a pair of full-blown overalls. Well, two actually. One denim and one velvety, black velour. I can't stop wearing them and I have a feeling I'll keep wearing them even when the weather gets colder. If you're not convinced yet, here are some points I'd like you to consider.

Style them NOW:

1. Pair them with a crop top

 This is the best way to wear both trends! If you're insecure about your stomach, the overall bib hides all that. Plus, the tight fitting fabric of the crop top and peek of skin balances out the relaxed slouch of the overalls

2. Wear a hat

A sun hat or baseball cap are both cute options.

3. Cuff  'em

I am not super tall, so I prefer my overalls cuffed. This also gives them a relaxed, boyfriend-jeans look and shows off the most slender part of your leg.

Style them LATER:

1. Collared shirts 4ever

A white, collared shirt is my favorite way to style overalls. This one has little blue polka dots that didn't show up as well as I'd hoped. They're a little girly without being too frilly.

2. Texture

Add layers of detail with a textured coat or scarf. It also makes the look more cozy on chilly days.

3. Another hat!

  A felted wool hat adds a bit of bohemian style and a lot of warmth.

4. Add elegance & height

Overalls are a lot like maxi dresses: when fitted right, they can make you look super tall and slender. Heels, obviously, will make this effect even more exaggerated. A pair of heeled booties would be even better (and warmer), but I don't own any :(

Have these styling tips convinced you yet? Good! You can actually buy the overalls featured in this look!

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Gap straw hat - A. Byer crop top - Forever21 sandals - Oasap sunglasses -Vintage felt hat - thrifted coat (similar) - vintage velour overalls - Coach purse - Forever21 shirt - Cooperative heels

Look of the Day: The Husband Repeller

 Oh geez, it's been a while. Feels good to be back! May, which is usually my favorite, turned out to be a weird month. Lot's of ups and downs, drama, a poorly dog, and a cold that also came with a bout of lethargy (cough syrup may be to blame). I haven't been totally lazy, I just didn't feel like writing or blogging. I felt like reading, painting, gardening, etc. These hobbies have been ignored for too long. I've almost finished my beetle quartette, which is a small painting I've been working on for years. Am very excited to finally be able to display it properly! 

What a month I have coming up! My sister is graduating from college, which is going to be quite the celebration! It's also my 10 year high school reunion. I'm pretty excited, but am getting nervous as the day draws closer. I am one of those rare nerds that loved high school, so I really want to go see everyone, even if I haven't talked to them in 10 years. I also have a pretty good reason to go: I've lost about 60 pounds since then. Still not completely sure how it happened, but I am so different from my high school self, that it makes it worth going to, well, show off. Why else would you want to go, haha. I am more looking forward to the picnic I'll be having with the BFF's I've stayed in contact with.

Bring on June! More bright days, more barbecues, more reading in the park while my dog rolls in things she thinks "smell great!" 

 One the outfit: This is one of those ensembles that, as I'm putting it on, I think about how Trevor is going to react. "Oh. Those pants. You know I love them... and that necklace. It's weird." Instead of avoiding these man repellers, it just makes me more confident in the fact that I love them! 

Look of the Day: Double Coated

For the past few months my husband and I have been shaking our heads at J.Crew's styling in regards to denim jackets. Under a coat? That's just silly. Under a blazer? That's down-right ridiculous. Until, the other day, when I realized they might actually be onto something. I was lamenting the fact that it was too cold to wear my denim jacket, when I finally made the connection. Maybe J.Crew was just being J.Crew and layering things in weird ways, but a denim jacket under an outer coat actually makes sense to me now!

However, a denim jacket under a blazer will never make sense. It would be so lumpy and uncomfortable!

Sometimes I forget about my little Chloes; my babies. I hide them away like treasure, and then forget about them like a squirrel. Despite the cold, though, I've worn them two days in a row this week.

Forever 21 coat (similar) - GAP denim jacket (similar) - GAP t-shirt - BDG cropped pants - Top Shop skater rib beanie - American Apparel tote bag -Chloe flats (similar)
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#1: Pink/Fuchsia

This week I have a little series planned. I love all the lipstick colors that are out right now, so I've made Polyvore sets for four of my favorite shades and written little articles for each. Enjoy!

Pink/Fuchsia by catiebeatty featuring a zip handbag

Neon pink and fuchsia lips have been popping up all over the place lately! Everyone from the models at the Spring 2011 Jil Sander show to Emma Stone have been donning this vibrant yet wearable color.

This color is so bright that it kind of breaks all the skin tone rules out there. I'm pretty sure anybody can pull off this look! It looks lovely paired with soft pastels, but can also be worn with other bold colors.

Try MAC's Lipstick in "Quite Cute". If you can find it! It's been very popular and has sold out at many MAC counters. If you can't find it or prefer something cheaper, try Maybelline's Color Sensational Lipcolor in "Fuchsia Fever." I own this one and it is pretty much identical to the MAC shade. Pair with eyeliner and false lashes for a super flirty look.

Lips

All of a sudden I'm very into lipstick, glosses, especially stains. I never wear them on a regular basis, but when I'm buying them I like to pretend that I will. I recently bought this lipstick from MAC. My plan is to do a just-bitten look applied with a lip brush, but I think I need a good matte nude lipstick first to wear as a base.

Just this last Sunday I bought a Just Bitten lip stain by Revlon. I was disappointed that the color was nothing like what it showed on the tube. It goes by the name "Flame" and it is NOT a coral-red it is simply bright pink. My boyfriend liked it, but I am not a fan. I might exchange it for a different color. Lip stains are lovely because they don't make me talk funny. I get so worried that I will mess up my lipstick that I sometimes feel like I have paralyzed lips.

In this pic:
Lipstick by MAC in Viva La Glam
Top is vintage, found at a garage sale