Traveling Scarf - Scarf #1, Stop #6

The Traveling Scarf has gone international!! I was so happy that we could include some of my favorite UK gals in this round and definitely was not disappointed when I saw Boutique Girl put her fabu twist on the scarf with not one but TWO outfits!! Be sure that you get a daily dose of her fantastic style by checking out her blog!

In her words:

I am so excited that the travelling scarf has made it all the way over to me in sunny (and it actually is) Scotland! As you see I could not resist adding to my outfit yesterday but today is the outfit that I had in my head for my time with the beautiful scarf!

I have to say that the pictures do not do this beauty justice at all! The pattern and colours are just amazing when you see it in person!

I decided that a nice soft jersey dress in black was how I was going to go with the scarf. Letting the scarf (oh and my new shoes) have all of the glory. The dress that I have on today is new stock and it has a cowl neck so I decided to use the scarf as a belt! I am so happy with how it turned out. It is a beautiful hot and sunny day here today and I feel stylish (and cool).

Thank you Kimberly for for organising this and providing the fabulous scarves!

Today's outfit is:

Black cowl neck dress - BlendShe @ i am.....
Black cropped cardigan - Primark
Scarf as belt - Travelling scarf
Shoes - Matalan

[Editor's Note: I do believe the scarf and those awesome shoes are meant to be together. Now the question is when this project is over do I send the scarf back to you or do you send the shoes to me?! Ha!! :-)]

I was not feeling to well yesterday and I ended up not getting the chance to post. The inspiration for yesterday was J.Crew and never had I been so glad. I did not feel like being anything other than casual and comfy!

On a more positive note, the fabulous travelling scarf has landed on this side of the pond - with me! Being the way that I am I absolutely HAD to wear it, so I folded it into a triangle and wore it around my neck! Having not planned it at all, it totally worked with the outfit that I was wearing! I would like to point out that this is not my actual travelling scarf outfit - that has still to come!

Friday's outfit was:

Rolled jeans - Vila @ i am.....
Mustard vest top - J.Crew
Red Stripe cardigan - Vila @ i am.....
Red Walkstar Fit Flops - Fitness Footwear

I have to say I absolutely adore both outfits!! The casual look with the bright tee and cardi is great and letting the shoes and scarf take the spotlight with the simple black was a great idea too. Thanks so much for participating, Boutique Girl!

Beauty Ticket Discount

Hey, loves, I just did some shopping over on BeautyTicket.com. I got all of the stuff above for $36! It would have been $140 if I had paid normal retail. How awesome is that?! To find out more about Beauty Ticket click here or here.

Also, don't forget that you can get an extra 10% off your order with promo code FABFINDSUNDER50 (good through June 1).

Their inventory changes everyday and quantities are limited (in fact, I just bought the last China Glaze set shown above and the last Smashbox Gloss in one of the colors above) so get to shopping!

Need Your Opinion & Weekend Round Up

It's time for me to buy a new pair of simple Black Wedges to keep at work. There are some days when I have to be out walking around a lot and instead of slipping on a pair of flats I prefer a pair of wedges. They are just as comfortable but go better with my work outfits. I have picked out a few pairs, but would love for you to vote on what pair you like best! Please simply make your selection in the poll below the pictures!




Also, here's the HLMN Round Up - lots of great post this week!


Affordable Fashion has spotted 9 bikinis under $50.
Brides and bridesmaids take notes.

Beauty Junkies Unite has the ultimate bridal season survival kit.

Beauty Luxe has 5 gorgeous lip stains for you to try.

Diary of a Style Addict spotted a new trend: the slashed jean.

Dirt Cheap Beauty reviews Vaseline's new Aloe Fresh line.

Hot Beauty Health discusses her new love for eau fragrance Fresh Mangosteen.

GIVEAWAY ALERT: Makeup Masala is giving away a $25 giftcard to TJ MAXX.

Noir Lace has the latest on a fashion tragedy. Christian Lacroix bankrupt?

Show off your legs in one of the 5 cute minis at Style Luxe.

Tres Chic Style has 10 more trends for Summer.

Workchic shows how you can go from the office to cocktails in style!

For more information on The HLMN or on becoming an affiliate visit our website.

Daily Outfit - 05/29/09

Yeah, I know I just wore a belted vest yesterday, but I had this outfit in my mind to wear today before I came up with yesterday's.

White Shirt - Old Navy, clearance for $7 (2007)
Vest - Lane Bryant, sale + coupon for $15 (May 2009)
Belt - Audra Jean on Etsy, $35 (May 2009) (you may know this seller as the Awesome Audi. Also, a brown and olive combo is still available - buy it!)
Black Cigarette Pants - Macy's, on clearance for $35 (May 2009)
Shoes - Nine West, super sale for $20 (Feb. 2009)
Ring - Pier 1, $6 (Spring 2009)

As Cynthia Rowley, Tracy Reese and Betsey Johnson shared recently on the Today show Statement Jewelry is one of the top five trends to have in your wardrobe (to see the other four click here to watch the video) If you need some statement jewelry check out Rilee and Lo's jewelry offerings - granted most things are a bit more than $50, but they have a ton of great stuff by really cool designers. Right now all of their sale jewelry is an extra 25% off (use code SS25 now through 06/03) or save 10% all CC Skype pieces with code CCRL now through 05/31. Just had to share the awesome deal!

Daily Outfit - 05/28/09

I was running a bit late this morning and only had time for one quick snap - luckily, it was a decent one. I am amazed by people that take 20+ pictures each day. If I had a photographer or remote for my camera it would be different, but after 2-3 times on a normal day of setting the timer, getting in position and back again I am sick of the process!

See what's over my left shoulder - those pretty purple flowers? Dave brought those home to me last evening. He was out of town on Monday and Tuesday for a last minute business trip so when he got home at 9 pm last evening the last thing I expected was flowers. What a sweet surprise.

Shirt - JC Penney, sale for $15 (Spring 2008)
Vest - Simply Fashion, clearance for $5 (Spring 2009)
Belt - NY & Co, sale for $14 (Summer 2008)
Skirt - Thrifted, $3 (Early Spring 2008)
Necklaces - Grandma Judy Collection
Shoes - Nine West, $55 (Fall 2008)

Farmers Market Fashionista

I don't know about where you live, but every Saturday around my 'burb there are Farmer's Markets everywhere. Here are a couple of cute, casual outfits to keep you cool while looking cooler during the warm summer months!

Left Outfit:
Pastel Straw Hat - Forever 21, $14.80
Pleated Henley - Old Navy, $24.50
Bermuda Shorts - NY & Co, on sale for $18.86
Indigo by Clarks Thongs - Amazon.com, $29.99

Right Outfit:
Smocked Crepe Top - Old Navy, on sale for $9.99
Drawstring Crop Pants - NY & Co, on sale for $20.96
Lucia Metal Aviator Sunglasses - Delia's, $12.50
Metallic Braided Sandals - Old Navy, $19.50

Left Outfit:
New Frontier Sunglasses - Delia's, $12.50
Crossover V - Neck Empire Dress - Target, $39.99
Skinny Braided Belt - Delia's, $24.50
Beaded Thong - Delia's, $44.50

Right Outfit:
Straw Hat - Forever 21, $10.80
Roll-Up Camp Shirt - Old Navy, $24.50 (online only)
Odette Floral Scarf - Delia's, $19.50
Cotton Crop Pants - NY & Co, on sale for $17.97
Blowfish La Villa Snake Sandals - Delia's, $44.50

Daily Outfit - 05/27/09

Today's Inspiration Calendar called for Pretty in Purple and that is just what I did. I had thought of pairing this shirt with this skirt a couple of weeks ago, but didn't feel like I had the right belt (ha, out of my collection of 50+ none of them seemed right!).

I scored this purple belt a couple of weekends ago and really like it with this outfit.

Purple Patterned Shirt - Dots, $18 (March 2009)
Purple Skirt - Thrifted, $3 (Jan. 2009)
Purple Belt (Steve Madden) - Stein Mart, super clearance for $5.50 (May 2009)
Ring - ShopKim on Etsy, $8 (April 2009)
Nude Pumps - Kohl's, on sale for $16 (April 2009)

Speaking of the inspiration calendar, I have created another one for June (see below or click here). Also, I have improved it a bit and set up a Fab Finds Under $50 Google Calendar. With that you can add the content your own Google Calendar or print a copy to keep for easy access.

Have a great day!

Inspiration for June

I received a lot of positve feedback on the Inspiration Calendar for May that I put together at the beginning of the May and hope it has helped some of you in some way over the past few weeks. So, I decided to put one together for June also!

Once again, it is just here to help on those days when you stare at the closet with absolutely no idea of what to grab, use it once, use it daily - whatever works for you (I know not everything I post is going to work for everyone with their lifestyle/work environment!). I certainly didn't use it everyday, but it did help from time to time.

Thanks to the readers that gave me a couple of ideas as it was a bit trickier this month since I strived to not repeat any May ideas!

Week #1: June 1 - 5
Monday - Pretend its still the weekend and go Nautical
Tuesday - Color Combo: Coral & Turquoise
Wednesday - Make the main focus your jewelry today!
Thursday - Pattern Mix: Double Stripes
Friday - Make Khaki Pants look cool!

Week #2: June 8 - 12
Monday - Go classic like Michelle O with black and pearls
Tuesday - Pair a bright colored blouse with a pencil skirt
Wednesday - Flower Power!
Thursday - Color Combo: Purple & Yellow
Friday - Mix a little vintage in with your outift

Week #3: June 15 - 19
Monday - Flashback: Go Fifties today
Tuesday - Menswear
Wednesday - Color Combo: Green & Purple (without looking like Barney!)
Thursday - Layer Short over Long
Friday - Wear a Maxi Dress or Skirt

Week #4: June 22 - 26
Monday - Monochromatic Blue
Tuesday - Keep it Simple with a Patterned Dress
Wednesday - Make it all about the shoes today!
Thursday - Color Combo: Tan/Beige and Yellow
Friday - Try a simple and chic Audrey Hepburn look

Week #5: June 29 & 30
Monday - Dress & Scarf Combo
Tuesday - Show off your wild side with Leopard!

I put a link over in the Left Column to this post for easy access, and I'm going to leave the link up for May also. Have a great June!

UPDATE: At the suggestion of a fabulous reader and friend, Hillary, I created a Google Calendar with the monthly fashion inspiration on it. By clicking on the lower right hand icon "+ Google Calendar" you can add the daily info to your own Google Calendar for quick access, you can click on the daily event and add just that day's event or you can print the calendar. I will continue to update the calendar in future months.

Daily Outfits - Weekend Update and Today

Monday

This outfit actually consist of 3 new items that when I picked them out I wasn't sure what I was going to wear with them with. I love it when things like that just work out. I spied this necklace on a blog over a week ago and just had to order it even though I didn't know how it would work in my wardrobe. Then on Saturday while stopping by TJ Maxx I spied this gorgeous Michael Kors belt on clearance for $15 and next thing you know I found this skirt on clearance for $10 just dying to have a yellow belt paired with it! Seems a bit like fate to me! Added bonus is it goes with today's inspiration of Bright Colors + White!

Necklace - Alloy, $20 (May 2009)
White Shirt - Target, $20 (2007)
Skirt - TJ Maxx, clearance for $10 (May 2009)
Michael Kors Yellow Belt - TJ Maxx, clearance for $15 (May 2009)
Purple Patent Slingback Heels - Kohl's, on sale for $32 (April 2009)
Flower Ring - Dots, $6 (March 2009)

Sunday

Super casual Sunday afternoon. I had just told Calli we were going to go see Grammy, Papa and Sammi (my mom, her partner and their dog) and she was way excited.

Tunic (initially purchased to be a swimsuit cover-up) - Old Navy, $30 (Feb. 2009)
White Tank - Old Navy
Necklace - Alloy, $20 (May 2009)
Jeans - Target, $20 (2002)
Silver Sandals - Burlington Coat Factory, $10 (May 2009)

Saturday Evening

Headed out for a BBQ

Yellow Shirt - Kmart, $13 (March 2009)
White Pants - JC Penney, $20 (Spring 2008)
Silver Necklace - Target, $15 (May 2009)
Scarf - Thrifted, $1.50 (Spring 2008)
Sandals - Avon, $17 (Spring 2009)

Friday

Cool and casual for Carb Day

Coral Tank - American Eagle (2004)
Tunic - H&M, $30 (May 2009)
Jeans - Target, $20 (2002)
Sandals - Target, $25 (May 2009)

More Info on Shoedazzle

As you know I have been a member of Shoedazzle's Shoe-of-the-Month Club for a couple of months now. I have received a lot of questions about it and posted some answers here (in the comments) and their website has a good FAQ section, but today I also came across a mini interview with Kim Kardashian about it. Check it out by clicking here.

Traveling Scarf - Scarf #2, Stop #6

The Traveling Scarf made a recent stop in Chicago, IL with the super adorable Clare that you may know already by reading Between Laundry Days (if you don't already follow her - great outfits and super fun pictures!). Clare didn't disappoint with her outfit or pictures last Wednesday when she rocked the scarf either!

In her words:

Outfit details:
Black and white dress: shop in Lakeview
Scarf: Sisterhood of the Traveling Scarf, courtesy of Fab Finds under $50
Gold ballet flats: Target, endlessly remixed
Anchor necklace: Etsy
Ring: shop in Toledo, Spain

To top off the great day I had, I am waaayy digging this outfit. I bought this dress about a month ago with a friend (same friend with whom I had lunch today!) and have been wanting to save it for something special. When I found out I'd be participating in the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Scarf" I knew that would be it. I love how the scarf just completely pulls the outfit together, bringing out the gold of the shoes and accentuating the cut of the dress. It really did feel like the perfect coming-together piece to create a great ouftit on the first real day of summer. I know the belted thing has been done before with this scarf, and I hesitated to even attempt the level of chic that these ladies accomplished, but it just felt like the right thing to do with this dress. And I'm glad I did! So thank you so much, Kimberly, for initiating this wonderful experiment, and all the rest of you who also participated, for inspiring me!

Once again, this rocks, Clare!! Thanks for participating! The scarf is now on its way to Ohio to the lovely Katie (who you may remember rocked the first Traveling Scarf in not one, but four differents ways!)

Denim Skirts - Great for Summer Casual Looks!

I've written before that I think denim skirts are a great way to be chic yet casual, especially during warmer months. They work on all types - misses, plus sizes and gals sporting maternity clothes. Below is an assortment of of denim skirts that are currently available for sale along with a couple of outfits to wear them with. I bet you have similar items already in your closet too!

Top Row Left - Right:
Women's Plus Refined Denim Skirt - Target, $29.99
Denim Pencil Skirt - Kohl's, on sale for $19.99
Button Front Denim Skirt - Lane Bryant, $44.50
Women's Mid-Rise Denim Skirt - Old Navy, $26.50

Bottom Row Left - Right:
Converse® One Star® Dean Skirt Roxy - Target, $26.99
Maternity Full-Panel Denim Skirt - Old Navy, $26.50
Women's Lightweight Denim Drawstring Skirt - Old Navy (online only), $24.50

Outfit on Left:
Jenny Sheer Floral Blouse - Forever 21, $19.80
Simply Vera Vera Wang Leia Wedge Sandals - Kohl's, on sale for $42.99
Rhinestone Strip Bracelet - Forever 21, $9.80
Floral Toggle Bracelet - Forever 21, $8.80

Outfit on Right:
Ruffled Polo - Target, $12.99
Skinny Braided Belt - Forever 21, $3.50
Kimberly Button Ring - ShopKim on Etsy, $8.50
Floral Print Ballet Flats - Target, $19.99

Maternity Outfit:
Print Eyelet Trapeze Top - Walmart (online only), $14
Rope-Trim Sandals - Old Navy, $19.50
Spring Bloom Hoop Earrings - Forever 21, $3.80

Plus Size Outfit:
Embroidered Squareneck Tee - Avenue, $21.90
Shell Cuff Bracelet - Avenue, $6.90
Woven Brass Medallion Belt - Torrid, $22
Whitley Wedge Sandals - Walmart, $20

HLMN Weekend Roundup!

Affordable Fashion has 6 fab Summer dresses priced under $50.

Amber of Beauty Junkies Unite reviews Cargo Lash Activator Mascara.

Beauty Luxe has listed the 6 best lip glosses. Do you agree?

Work your own fierceness! Deborah Estelle shows you how to accentuate your fab five features.

Dirt Cheap Beauty uncovers a new summer beauty must have.

Memorial Day will be here soon and no matter what set of fashion rules you follow White Pants are perfect for so many activities. Fab Finds Under $50 has you covered.

Fab Glance Nashville is letting you know about a great sleeper trend: white jeans.

Style Luxe has the 25 hottest handbags and The Ultimate Guide to Memorial Day Sales.

Tres Chic Style has the inside scoop on the debut of Real Housewives of Atlanta's Sheree Whitfield's fashion debut.

Workchic shows how you can still be Mom-to-be chic even in the summer heat!

To learn more about The HLMN or about becoming an affiliate please visit our website.

White Pants Round Up & Outfit Inspiration!

Memorial Day is fast approaching and White Pants will be "allowed" no matter what set of fashion rules you follow. Before last summer I was anti-white pants for myself, but loved their crisp look on others. Fortunately, I found a great pair of white pants at JC Penney last summer and they quickly became one of my favs.

So, here is round-up of white pants, jeans and capris along with a couple of outfits to sport them with!

Clockwise from Top Left:
Perfect Khaki Capris - Old Navy, $26.50
Jordin Low-Rise Crop - Delia's, $39.50
Twill Pant - Target, $32.99
Equestrian Trouser Pants - Kohl's, $27.00
Low-Rise Skinny Jeans - Old Navy, $20.00

Left Outfit:
Pintuck Tunic - Old Navy, $24.50
Lorena Abstract Scarf - Forever 21, $7.80
Palesa Flat Sandals - Target, $24.99

Right Outfit:
Black One Button Blazer - Target, $34.99
Jackie Chiffon Dot Top - Forever 21, $17.80
Petrova Gladiator Sandals - Target, $29.99


Left Outfit:
Chunky Wood Bead Necklace - NY & Co, $19.95
Colorblock Wedge Sandals - NY & Co, on sale for $18.86
Purple Flowy Cami - NY & Co, $22.95

Right Outfit:
Embellished Flutter-Sleeve Top - Kohl's, on sale for $19.99
Hammered Bangle Bracelet Set - Kohl's, on sale for $11.70
Amalfi Wedge Sandals - Dana Buchman for Kohl's, on sale for $33.99

Daily Outfit - 05/21/09

It's my Friday today!! Woo-hoo! As some of you may be aware its a big weekend in Indianapolis with the Indy 500 Race on Sunday. While I am not a racing fan I am a fan of all of the BBQs, parties and boating that go on this weekend. Tomorrow I will be out at the track for Carb Day with a whole group of friends, co-workers and more. I can't wait!

Also, this evening I am getting together with a big group in honor of one of my good friends coming home for the weekend from California. I've missed her and can't wait to see her.

Purple Top - Target, clearance for $14 (May 2009)
Black Skirt - Thrifted, $3 (March 2009)
Necklace with Scarf Woven through - Necklace from Target, $15, Scarf thrifted, $1.50 ***
Ring - ShopKim on etsy
Shoes - Kohl's, on sale for $16 (April 2009)

*** I can't take credit for coming up with the necklace with scarf woven through idea. I saw it the other day on Love Maegan's blog and thought it was genius!

Traveling Scarf Update!

White Pant Round Up and Outfit Ideas!

Traveling Scarf - Scarf #1, Stop #5

The Traveling Scarf made its way to another gorgeous lady, Lana!

In her words:

The scarf arrived in my mailbox safe and sound. I knew that the scarf's color scheme includes reds and blues, but I had no idea that there's also lovely shades of gray, pink, and yellow, too! As the mother of a soon to be four month old, I have to be careful about my accessories for risk of them getting grabbed! Therefore, I opted to wear the scarf as a belt, using coral, turquoise, and brown as my wardrobe colors. I wore the scarf while running errands on a Sunday with great success! I'm glad that I decided to participate in the challenge—I don't fancy myself as a scarf person, but I think that's going to change soon!

Turquoise earrings—made by co-worker
Turquoise camisole—Old Navy
Coral v neck—Old Navy
Traveling scarf—dddgirl79
Brown jersey skirt—Old Navy
Turquoise sandals—Cabin Creek

Lana, Coral and Turquoise is one of my favorite color combos (did you by chance see layout in May's InStyle featuring this color combo?). It is absolutely lovely!

The scarf is now headed across the "pond" to some of our great UK Readers!

HLMN Midweek Roundup

Check out some other great posts from this past week!

Affordable Fashion has a fashion relic we though was extinct. Cute dresses priced under $10.

Beauty Junkies Unite has the lowdown on the best concealers on the market.

Beauty Luxe has tips on how to wear brown mascara. Hint: It's not as hard as it seems.

Kimberly of Fab Finds Under $50 found a convertible dress perfect for all Summer weddings.

Fabuless Beauty reviews several shades of Max Factor Vivid Impact Lipcolor.

Check out the trends for Summer 2009 Image and Style News

MissLikey has a review of the Chanel 2010 Resort Collection. He's going back to Venice, y'all.

Who doesn't love shoes? Style Luxe has 20 fab Spring sandals.

To learn more about The HLMN or becoming an affiliate please visit our website.

Daily Outfit - 05/20/09

Often times I come up with new outfit combos based on just one new item - today it is the shoes. I ordered this fun pair of flower espadrilles from 6pm.com on Sunday and the UPS man made a little visit to my place yesterday. So, of course I had to wear them today!!

Green Dress - Dots, $13 (Summer 2007)
Pink Tank - Old Navy, ?? (Summer 2007)
Black Cardi - NY & Co, sale + coupon for $20 (Spring 2009)
Flower Locket - Thrifted, $4 (Spring 2008)
Belt - Target New Stock @ Goodwill, $1 (Summer 2008)
Flower Espadrilles - Betseyville/6pm.com, $38 (May 2009)
Ring - Payless ShoeSource, w/ coupon for $5 (May 2009)

With the success of the May Inspiration Calendar I am going to put together a June one as well. If you have an idea for a day please feel free to leave a comment or shoot me an email!

Traveling Scarf Update!

Daily Oufit - 05/19/09

A bit of Boho as the calendar stated for today just didn't work for me. I have a much more formal day ahead of me hence the dress and blazer!

Black Dress - Target, clearance for $12.50 (Jan. 2009)
Pinstripe Blazer - JC Penney, clearance for $18 (Winter 2007)
Scarf - H&M, $8 (May 2009)
Purple Patent Sling Back Heel - Kohl's, on sale for $32 (April 2009)
Turquoise Ring - Payless, w/ coupon for $5 (May 2009)
Necklace - Grandma Judy Collection

Have a great day, everyone!

Daily Outfits - 05/17/09 & 05/18/09

So today you get an action shot of my pushing the hair out of my face. For some reason with each picture I take the exposure gets lighter and lighter. This was the first shot of the day. The next two were so washed out it wasn't even funny. My camera acting up makes me a bit sad - it's less than 6 mos old!!

White Tee - Target, $6 (Summer 2008)
Cardi - NY & Co, on sale + promo code for $12 (Dec. 2008)
Skirt - Isda & Co/Thrifted, $5 (March 2009)
Black Belt - Came with a thrifted dress (May 2009)
Shoes - Shoedazzle Shoe-of-the-Month Club, $39 (May 2009)

Yesterday my mom and I ran to an outdoor mall for a while. It was sunny which I love, but the temps only in the low 60s and breezy. I decided to toss on the pashmina in case it was a bit chilly. My most random purchase of the day was Dive Defense - Pepperspray with Style (where I work isn't the best part of town anymore, so my mom suggested I get some).

Shirt - Target, clearance for $13 (May 2009)
Jeans - Target, clearance for $21 (May 2009)
Pashmina - Free from Shoedazzle with my first month! (April 2009)
Shoes - Nine West with embellishment by me