Reader Question - Help me with this sweater!

I was hoping to get your thoughts on a sweater that I loved in the store but am not loving so much in reality (and it's too late to return it!). It's a shawl-collar sweater from Kohl's. I have been wearing a lace cami underneath, which looks great in the morning, but by the time I get to work, the collar has unrolled itself to the point you can no longer see anything underneath, and I don't really like the way it looks on me. So I spend the whole day readjusting it, which is totally annoying. Do you have any suggestions for other ways I could wear it? The picture is attached.
Thanks so much for your help, and I love your blog!!
-Lisa

Lisa, thanks for your email and so glad to hear you are loving on FFUF! That is a gorgeous sweater, so let's see if we can make this work for you.

My first recommendation for keeping the shawl collar perfectly put is to invest in some Fashion Tape. Let me just say this stuff has been a life saver for me on more than one occasion! I keep some at home and at work because you never know when you will loose a button or rip out a hem. In additon to being great for fashion emergencies it is also great for keeping stuff where it is suppose to be. Simply affix the collar down with a couple of strips to keep it from rolling up. (Also, ladies, this makes a great holiday gift or stocking stuffer for all the gals on your list - they will wonder what they did before they had fashion tape!)

Clockwise from top left:
Hollywood Intuition Fashion Tape - Clear - Target, $8.99
Fashion Tape - QVC, $16.50
Hollywood Red Carpet Assortment - Hollywood Fashion Tape, $9.99

Also, with shawl collars like this I think they look great layered over a turtleneck, especially a striped one. Additionally, these collars are a great way to showcase all of the fun bib, statement necklaces that are everywhere right now in fashion. Simply layer a round neck tee underneath the sweater and add an eye-catching necklace.

Striped Turtleneck - Ann Taylor Loft, $29
Long Sleeve Tee (shown in Chaulk & Navy) - American Eagle, $17.50
Jet-Tone Beaded Bib Necklace - Kohl's, $13.40
Buoyant Bib Necklace - Anthroplogie, $19.95
Peacock Bib Necklace - NY & Co, $12.47

Lisa, I hope these quick ideas help you make your sweater work better for you in the future! Have fun styling it up!

Daily Outfit - 11/30/09

This black dress has unintentionally become my "Monday Dress" - this is the third Monday in a row I have worn it. However, after the 4-day weekend I wasn't feeling very creative. Luckily, I had this awesome new cardigan and necklace to wear today making the outfit an easy one to pull together. Plus, it keeps with the Outfit Inspiration Calendar for the day (Add some "Michelle Flair" to your outfit layering on a cardi).

Speaking of Outfit Inspiration Calendar, I posted the new December one over the weekend. Hope you see some ideas you like!

Black Dress - Target, clearance for $12.50 (Jan. 2009)
Cardi - compliments of Lane Bryant (Nov. 2009)
Necklace - compliments of Maurices (Nov. 2009) (Make sure you enter for a chance to win a $20 Gift Certificate, click here)
Purple Belt - Kohls, clearance for $9 (2009)
Purple Heels - Nine West/Endless.com, on sale for $55 (Fall 2008)

A look at the past two Mondays featuring this dress:

Don't forget to enter all of the great giveaways (Affordable Scarves, Famous Footwear and Maurices) currently going on at Fab Finds Under $50. Look above (just below the blog header) for quick links to all of the posts.

Happy Cyber Monday, everyone!!

December Inspiration Calendar

Can you believe it's time for another Outfit Inspiration Calendar? This is the 8th month now that I have been doing this. I hope that you find it entertaining and maybe even use it for a day or two (or more) to help decide what to wear. This month's inspiration is pulled from some reader submissions (thanks, gals), looks I spied in magazines and looks I created on Looklet (the majority of the looks) and include a mix of dressy and casual looks for Monday - Saturday.

Speaking of Looklet - - have you tried out this site yet? It is a lot like electronic paper dolls! I love it!

All looks go Monday - Wednesday, left to right on the top row and Thursday - Saturday, left to right in the bottom row in the collages below.

Week 1 - December 1 - 5:

Tuesday, 12/1 - Black Top with a Dramatic Skirt
Wednesday, 12/2 - Black & White Combo with Pops of Colors in your Accessories
Thursday, 12/3 - Mix of Patterns and Textures
Friday, 12/4 - Color Mix: Brown & Gray (submitted by Megan aka Green Violet, check out her blog here)
Saturday, 12/5 - Mix of Denim & Leopard

Week 2 - December 7 - 12:

Monday, 12/7 - Layer textured tights over a colorful pair and add a scarf
Tuesday, 12/8 - Neutrals with a pop of color (submitted by Rose of From Sneakers to Stilettos)
Wednesday, 12/9 - Pair a long cardi with a fun skirt
Thursday, 12/10 - Belt a Patterned Dress
Friday, 12/11 - Layer on the necklaces with a feminine top
Saturday, 12/12 - Layer up the neutrals and finish off with cowboy boots (American Eagle Look submitted by Jo of My Fav F Words)

Week 3 - December 14 - 19:

Monday, 12/14 - Dressy Plaid
Tuesday, 12/15 - Non-Preppy Argyle (submitted by Everything is Better Tinted Purple)
Wednesday, 12/16 - Pair a Patterned Cardi with a Pretty Graphic Tee
Thursday, 12/17 - Pattern Mix: Plaid & Stripes
Friday, 12/18 - Belt a Puffy Vest and Go Casual (American Eagle Look submitted by Jo of My Fav F Words)
Saturday, 12/19 - Go Holiday Casual Chic (submitted by Shoegal)

Week 4 - December 21 - 26:

Monday, 12/21 - Pair up some basics and add some hot shoes! (submitted by Rose of From Sneakers to Stilettos)
Tuesday, 12/22 - Go Preppy Glam!
Wednesday, 12/23 - Keep it simple with black pants and bright, printed top
Thursay, 12/24 - Feminize a boyfriend cardi with accents including a scarf and pink
Friday, 12/25 - Keep is casual with black and white with pops of color
Saturday, 12/26 - Pair Black with Red Roses

Week 5 - December 28 - 31:

Monday, 12/28 - Color Mix: Purple, Navy & Black
Tuesday, 12/29 - Pair a Bold Dress & Booties
Wednesday, 12/30 - Pair a Capelet with wideleg pants
Thursday, 12/31 - Go Glam for New Years Eve

Also, don't forget, if you are inspired by the calendar and want to share a picture or polyvore set/collage of an outfit you wore join our Flickr group.

*Don't forget to sync your Blackberry, iPhone or other PDA and Google Calendar for easy access to this month's inspiration!

To check out past months' Inspiration Calendars click on the quick links in the left hand column.

Maurices Gift Card Giveaway!!

And the great giveaways just keep on coming!! This time Maurices is offering a $20 Gift Card to a Fab Finds Under $50 reader. Maurices has stores in 43 states plus has recently expanded and spruced up their website making it better than ever to shop on line with them.

Also, have you heard - Maurices now offers "Splurge Parties". A Splurge Party is a private, after-hours shopping party, complete with personal shopping and style advice! Oh and let's not forget about the 30% discount you get for hosting the party and the 15% discount get for attending! Talk about a VIP experience. If you are interested in hosting a Splurge Party simply talk with an associate at your local Maurcies for more information.

Want a chance to win the gift card? It's simple - here's how:

1) Go visit Maurices website, come back here, and leave a comment on this post telling me what you are loving from them right now.

Bonus Entry - Are you already a Maurices shopper? If so, leave a separate comment telling what you love about Maurices.

Entries are due by Friday, December 4 and the winner will be posted next weekend. Good luck and happy shopping!!

Here are a few things that I am loving!

View my wish list on Wishpot »

Famous Footwear Giveaway!!

Famous Footwear wants to help you, fabulous Fab Finds Under $50 readers, be tagworthy this holiday season. With that they are giving away a $25 gift certifcate to one lucky winner! How cool is that?

Ways to enter:

1) Go visit Famous Footwear's site, come back here, and leave a comment telling the pair you are drooling over currently (the Fergalicious Rockouts currently have my heart skipping a beat!).

2) Go be Famous Footwear's Facebook Friend and leave a comment letting me know.

3) Follow them on Twitter and leave a comment letting me know.

Go get Tagworthy!! Entries are due by Wednesday, December 2 and winner will be announced on Thursday, December 3.

Note: A separate comment must be left for each entry and open to US Residents.

(images courtesy of Famous Footwear)

Daily Outfit - 11/25/09

This picture didn't turn out too bad considering I took it at 5:45 am!! Had an early start at work today to complete a walk-thru before a lot of people got to work. However, that just means I get to leave early and start my 4-day weekend!

White LS Tee - Walmart, $8 (Nov. 2009)
Leopard Faux Fur Jacket - Dots, on clearance + coupon for $10 (Feb. 2009) (click here to see how I've worn this jacket previously)
Belt - Mark/Avon, $8 (2007)
Dark Grey Trouser Jeans - JC Penney, on sale for $25 (Dec. 2008)
Necklace - by me (Spring 2009)
Black Boots - Guess/TJ Maxx, super clearance for $20!! (regularly $190, Feb. 2008)

I hope everyone has a fantastic Thanksgiving!

Check back later - I think I am going to roll out another giveaway!! Plus don't forget to enter the one to win a $25 Gift Certificate to Affordable Scarves - click here!

Inspiration Wanted!

Want to give me an early Holiday Gift? Well, how about sending me an idea for the December Inspiration Calendar? Please submit an idea along with a picture (can be from a magazine/catalog, a picture of yourself, a polyvore set you have created and more) to me at kimberly @fabfindsunder50.com (or use the Kontactr form at the bottom of the page) by the end of the day on Saturday, November 28.

In the calendar I will give credit to those that participate and link back to your blog (if applicable) and who knows I might even randomly select a participant to send a little gift of gratitude too.
:-)

To check out past Inspiration Calendars look in the left hand column for quick access to the past seven months of calendars!

Thanks in advance!

Daily Outfit - 11/24/09

I do believe my mind has already gone in holiday mode! I just wanted to snooze in this morning leaving me to grab an easy dress to layer up (imagine that!).

Dress - Dialogue/QVC Brand, NWT from Selective Seconds Consignment Store, $10 (Oct. 2009)
Black LS Tee - Walmart, online clearance for $3 (Jan. 2009)
Black Open Front Cardigan - NY & Co, on sale for $10 (Dec. 2008)
Black Belt - Mark/avon, $8 (2007)
Necklace - Dots, $8 (Nov. 2009)
Black Booties - Kmart, $30 (Jan. 2009)

Did you see the great giveaway posted yesterday afternoon sponsored by Affordable Scarves? Be sure to check it out and enter below or click here.

Giveaway - $25 Gift Certificates for AffordableScarves.com

It's a great day to be a Fab Finds Under $50 reader if I do say so myself!! The wonderful people at AffordableScarves.com are giving away not one, but two $25 gift certificates!!

Now, you might remember last week when I rocked the awesome Jessica Loop Scarf from AffordableScarves.com. Or check out all of these lovelies:

The best part is all of their scarves are less than $20 so you will really be able to cash in with the gift certificate!

Want to win? You can get up to FOUR chances to do so. Here's how?

1) Leave a comment telling me which scarf you love from AffordableScarves.com.

2) Add Affordable Scarves' Blog to your list of daily reads, Google Reader, etc. and leave a comment telling me you did so.

3) Follow Affordable Scarves on Twitter (affordscarves) and leave a comment telling me you did so.

4) Leave a comment explaining your favorite way to wear a scarf!

Entries are due by Tuesday, December 1 and the two winners will be announced on Wednesday, December 2.

Note: Open to US Residents and you must leave a separate comment for each of the three chances or else you will just receive one entry.

Thanks, everyone. Good luck!

Traveling Scarf - Scarf #1, Stop #8

While the Traveling Scarf #2 is still MIA somewhere between Australia and Washington I am happy to report Scarf #1 made its way safely from New York to Texas to visit Tina. Now a lot of you probably already know of Tina from her great blog, T Plus T Minus (and if not, you should).

In her words:
Kimberly's fabulous Traveling Scarf #1 made it's way to Texas this week. As soon as I got it, I knew I had to wear it the next day. As a couple of people have mentioned previously, the colors in the scarf are much more subtle and subdued than you expect. Once I saw the dove grey in the paisley pattern, I immediately thought of this grey jacket that I recently picked up from Goodwill. Plus I wanted to wear the scarf in a way that it had not been worn yet, so I tried a bib-style worn under the jacket lapels (I don't think anyone has done that yet). And it all just came together from there.

- scarf (loan from Kimberly)
- grey jacket (Lane Bryant via Goodwill)
- hunter green dress (Target)
- grey striped tights (Lane Bryant)
- grey suede boots (Lane Bryant)
- red patent belt (Target)
- red earrings (vintage, borrowed from Maria)
- green ring (Etsy Dallas fair)

Thanks again for letting me participate. It was so much fun!
--*--*--*--
Thank you, Tina! You looked great, and I can confirm you are the first to do the bib style! Also, please send me those boots - I love them!

The scarf will be spending some more time in Texas with a couple of other lovely ladies so hopefully we will have another update soon.

To read more about the Traveling Scarves and their travels click here.

Daily Outfit - 11/23/09

It's Monday and guess what - I'm wearing the same LBD that I did last Monday! Seriously, what would I do without this thing. I needed something that would get me through the day including a visit from corporate and a possible business dinner out.

Gray Ruffle Shirt - Dialogue (QVC Brand) NWT from Selective Seconds Consignment Store, $8 (Sept. 2009)
Black Dress - Target, clearance for $12.50 (Jan. 2009)
Belt - Came with dress
Gray Heels - Nine Wes/TJ Maxx, $35 (Sept. 2009)
2 Larger Green Brooches - Jewelry Expressions, on sale for $5 each (Fall 2008)
Small Gold and Pearl Brooch - Grandma Judy Collection

Giveaway - Beauty Ticket Winner

I'm happy to announce the winner of the Beauty Ticket DKNY 3-piece lipgloss set is . . .

BELLA!

Bella, email me at kimberly @fabfindsunder50.com with your address and the fab ladies at Beauty Ticket will have your goodies on their way to you soon!

Have a great weekend, everyone, and don't forget with promo code GIFTS15 (now through 12/15) you can save 15% off all Beauty Ticket Gift Sets!

Also, check back soon for another fabulous giveaway sponsored by Affordable Scarves!

Daily Outfit - 11/20/09

No time for a picture today!! I had to be at the office by 6:30 am for a meeting, so here is polyvore set of what I wore. I have to say I am loving this knit blazer from Kmart. It is basically like a comfy t-shirt, but so much more polished looking!

Knit Blazer - Kmart, on sale for $13 (Nov 2009)
White Long Sleeve Tee - Dots, $7 (Nov. 2009)
Green SS Tee - Kmart, clearance for $6 (Nov. 2009)
Lee Comfort Fit Waist Jeans - JC Penney, $25 (Jan. 2009)
Scarf - H&M, $10 (Spring 2009)
Purple Flats - Madden Girl/TJ Maxx, $20 (Summer 2009)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Daily Outfit - 11/19/09

I told you yesterday that I could wear a patterned dress and layers about 95% off the time so my outfit fitting in with the Inspiration Calendar today was no problem!

Black LS Tee - Dots, $7 (Nov. 2009)
Printed Jumper Dress - Avenue, with coupong for $30 (Late Summer 2009)
Black Boots - Target, $38 (2006)
Koi Necklace - For Love/Forever 21, $5 (Summer 2009)
Infinity Scarf - courtesy of Affordable Scarves.com (retails for $17.95)

Here's a look at how I have layered up this dress over the past couple of months:

But let's talk about my favorite item in this outfit - my new Loop Scarf aka Circle Scarf aka Infinity Scarf (surprisingly enough Infinity Scarf is the second most searched term for people being directed to my site according to Google Analytics, so welcome if that's how you ended up here).

AffordableScarves.com has three different styles of Loop Scarves, including the Jessica Style I am wearing today (image below courtesy of Affordable Scarves.com) all for under $20! The Jessica has a fantastic texture to it and drapes so nicely without feeling bulky up around your neck or making you break a sweat. I can't wait to pair this scarf with a multitude of looks.

Want to keep up on all the great new products and styles AffordableScarves.com has to offer? Check out their blog and be sure to follow them on Twitter (@affordscarves).

Daily Outfit - 11/18/09

Today's Inspiration Calendar called for "Be a femme fatale in lace", and I really wanted to do it. However, the one lace thing I own just felt way too dressy no matter what layering combos I thought up. So I decided to skip ahead to tomorrow with "Layer-up a patterned dress" which I could seriously do 95% of the time!

I did decide to put a Sex and the City twist on the combo though to celebrate the announcement of The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell being released in April 2010 with my "Roger" Belt and my House of Field Scarf (as in Patricia Field, lead stylish for the SATC show and movie).

Now I know not everyone likes SATC, but for me it struck such a cord. I remember once the buzz really started up about the show after the 1st & 2nd seasons (didn't have HBO in college) my mom and I ran out to get the VHS tapes (DVDs hadn't even really kicked off yet either) and had a marathon session of TV watching to get caught up.

I made sure never to be without HBO again . . .

Black Turtleneck Sweater - Lane Bryant Outlet, on sale for $20 (2008)
Swirl Dress - Avenue, with coupon for $36 (Sept. 2008)
Roger Belt - Belt from Walmart, $8 (Summer 2008) with DIY Studs
Scarf - House of Field/HSN, clearance for $15 (Spring 2009)
Booties - Kmart, $30 (Jan. 2009)

Reader Question - Wishin' for Christmas

Hi Kimberly :]
I'm a senior in high school, and I've been reading your blog since the summer and you inspire me to try new things! I went shopping at Old Navy and TJ Maxx because of you and now I love those place! So, I was wondering what type of clothes do you think I should add to my Christmas list? I don't have a specific style yet, so I'm up to anything.
Thanks! :]
-Victoria

Victoria, can I just say you gave me a Christmas present right here with your email! I love that you find inspiration from my outfits, especially since I graduated from high school (gulp!) 12 years ago!

I pulled together 10 types of items that I think will serve you (and many others) well now while you are in high school and will transition into work and/or college wardrobes also.

The cool thing about the list is I created it with Wishpot. Wishpot is a fun site to gather items from all across the web into your wish list. You can then add the list to your blog, twitter, email it to friends and family, etc. It's the perfect kind of thing this time of year!

View my wish list on Wishpot »

Daily Outfit - 11/17/09

Are you having a case of deja vu? Well you aren't wrong for feeling that way. This outfit is VERY similar to one that I wore not quite a month ago, but what can I say it what works for me on this rainy day full of work and class.

Dress (solid navy on top and navy/white on bottom) - Dressbarn, clearance for $24 (Sept. 2009) Grey Cardi - Ann Taylor Loft, super clearance for $11 (Dec. 2008)
Grey Long Sleeve Tee - Walmart, super clearance for $3 (Dec. 2008)
Navy Belt - came with dress
Necklace - I made a couple of years ago
Grey Heels - November Shoedazzle.com selection, $39 (Nov. 2009)*

*If you like my shoes but aren't a member of Shoedazzle, Alloy also offers them in 3 colors for $32.90 (don't forget to try to the promo code at the top of the page for an additional 15% off!).

How I wore this outfit last month (notice I did add a long sleeve tee for warmth and swapped out the cardi, necklace and shoes this time around):