2009 Recap

I did it - I blogged and took almost daily outfit pics (261 to be exact!) again in 2009. It was a great year and you, my lovely readers, were a big part of that!

I thought a little trip down outfit memory lane was in order.

In 2009, Skirts and Dresses dominated my work wardrobe. Also, my love of layering and belting continued!

Here are some stats:
I wore a belt 57% of the time (+9% from 2008), a scarf as a belt 7% of the time (-3% from 2008) and utilized built in belts on dresses and tops 8% of the time (+1% from 2008) for a grand total of 72% of the days having some sort of waist definition (+7% from 2008). It appears I found a look I really liked and stuck with it!

I wore black or charcoal gray as at least half of my outfit on 145 days for a total of 56% of the time (hmm, I try to add lots of color - promise!)

I wore a skirt or dress 64% of the time (up a whopping 16% from 2008)!

I'm looking forward to a great 2010 with all of you! Thanks for being a Fab Finds Under $50 reader!

New Year - New Makeup - Stock Up Now!

Wanna See Under My Tree?

If you are nosey like me then you do! I love seeing what others received for the holidays, so I thought I would share a few of the many wonderful gifts I received for Christmas from Dave and my family.

(please note most of the items pictured are similar, but not exact to what I received)

Drawer Pull Knobs from Anthropologie
Philosophy Snowman Shower Gel
Set of Temptations Casserole Set with Insulated Carrying Case (I am so ready for the pitch-ins now!)
Custom Made Blue Jeans (still have to order)
Super Duper Totes Umbrella with LCD Flashlight in Handle (awesome when walking the dogs!)
Super cute lunch tote
Hangaway Rack (great for drying laundry)
Jewelry Tree
Oversized Gold Watch
Tory Burch Reva Flats
Tripod (perhaps daily outfit pics will go on location in 2010!)
Coach Clutch (mine is a gorgeous whiskey color)
Paloma Picassa Ring from Tiffany & Co
Diamond Solitaire Necklace made with one of the diamonds from my Grandma's wedding band

Reader Question - To Ugg or not to Ugg?

Just like everyone else, I LOVE your blog and I check it everyday, even at work! (shhhhh) I want to know how you feel about Ugg boots. I have noticed that people either love them or hate them. I personally like them and got a pair of chestnut (light brown) ones for Christmas after giving my boyfried several hints! Do you think they can be stylish? Do you have any ideas on how to make them look fashionable and cute? Or do you say "NO WAY" to this trend? I would love to know.

Thanks a bunch, Sarah

Sarah, you are too sweet. Congrats on the new Uggs and having a boyfriend that picks up on hints! :-)

Personally, I am all about functional fashion, and with that I am for Uggs when they are worn "appropriately". What I mean is when they are worn in the winter when keeeping warm is called for and with casually styled outfits. With those two things they are all good in my opinion. Living in the midwest I understand wanting to toss on jeans and comfy boots when it is cold and snowy outside and needing to run weekend errands or grab a casual dinner out.

However, putting them on in November and wearing them daily till March is a bit much. So, I guess what I am saying is Uggs in moderation is great as long as you watch what you pair them with. Let's take a look:

What not to wear them with - even if your life is being threatened! :-)

Casual looks that work with Uggs:

Want to sport the look yourself? Here are a few "Ugg-Alternatives" that are a little nicer on your wallet.

Sketchers Knit Pull-on Tall Shaft Boots - QVC, Item #A95421, $47.16
Skechers Knit Faux Fur Lining Low Boots - QVC, Item #A85979, $36.75
EMU Suede Pull-on High Shaft Boots w/Wool Lining - QVC, Item #A65433 $72
Lamo Suede Pull-on Boots with Faux Fur Lining - QVC, Item #A85132, $29.96
Bearpaw Suede Pull-on Mid Boots w/Sheepskin Lining - QVC, Item# A94610, $54.84

Reader Question - NYE Outfit

I know you probably will get hundreds of reader questions like this, but I'm wondering what I should wear for New Year's Eve.

We're taking a limo up to the Minnesota Wild hockey game. Last year I didn't feel well but wore my Wild hockey sweatshirt and jeans with boots. But the other girls that came - who I don't know at all - dressed up. I'd like to go more dressy this year, possibly with a skirt or dress and tights, but it also needs to be warm enough to wear in the rink. There is a strong possibility that we will also be stopping at a bar or two on the way back.

I need something that I feel comfortable in, that's warm enough for the rink, but sexy so I feel like partying.

On a side note, New Year's Eve is also my birthday, so I need to have a lot of fun and that includes my outfit!

I'm more than willing to provide you with some of the things already in my closet if you'd like more details. Also, for the record, I'm 5' 4" around 190 lbs, an inverted triangle shape, and I really hate wearing heels over 2"! :)

Thanks!
Tiffany

Tiffany, girl, you really made me think on this one!! You need an outfit that can run the gammet for the variety of activities you have planned on NYE. However, I think I came up with a good idea though - layering up a sweater dress!

Layer on a drapey, open front cardigan over the sweater dress while at the Hockey Game and once you are at the bars later you can take this layer off if it gets to warm. Also, while not shown don't forget to wear tights (or a couple of pairs) to keep your legs warm.

Also, toss on a fun statement necklace to dress up your outfit for later in the evening. At the game you can wrap on a large scarf pashmina to keep you warm, but then before the bars you can shed this layer and you will feel like you had a mini-wardrobe change to kick the night into party mode. Also, add a pair of knee-high boots to keep you warm and stylish for the night.

Have a wonderful NYE and birthday, Tiffany!!

Shopping Guide:
AGB Dress, Scoopneck Pleated Sweater - Macy's, $34
Crochet Lace Cardigan – Charlotte Russe, $18.99
Silence & Noise Marled Cocoon Cardigan - Urban Outfitters, $48
Short Sleeve Sweater Dress - Macy’s, $19.99
Short Sleeve Babydoll Sweater Dress - Macy’s, $19.99
Drape Front Cardigan – Arden B, $38

Floral Chiffon Collar – Forever 21, $8.80
Leopard Print Wrap – Affordable Scarves, $16.11
Lindsay Rose Scarf – Affordable Scarves, $16.11
Black Boots – Aerosoles/6pm.com, $35

Reader Question - New Clutch Purse

I got this new clutch [from Handbag Heaven] for Christmas. I love it, but lately my fashion brain has been operating in black only. I used to almost only wear brown so I have plenty of brown clothes, I'm just having a hard time putting something together. I'm ok with mixing brown and black, I just don't want the only brown part to be my purse. Any ideas?
-Anna

Anna, fantastic clutch!! I actually bought the same one for my mom for Christmas. You can definitely get by carrying this clutch with black since the chocolate brown in it is minimal and very dark in color. However, a couple of things that would help bridge the gap in the outfit is adding a pashmina or scarf that has similar orange or turquoise tones along with wearing a pair of neutral tan/brown shoes as this look demonstrates.

Dolman Shrug Cardigan - Kohl's, $29.99
Stretch Crew-Neck Tee - Old Navy, $14.50
Butterfly Pashmina Wrap - Affordable Scarves.com, $14.41
Levi's Flared Jeans - Kohl's, $34.99
Coby Flats - Nine West, super sale for $25

Another great look for this clutch veering from the black mode completely is pairing it with a gorgeous turquoise and brown with orange accents.

Flower Applique Sweater - Nordstrom, $45
Brown Flare Pants - NY & Co, $20
White Tee - Target, $9.99
Orange Belt- Target, $12.99
Michael Antonio LUZ Dress Pumps - FlyJane.net, $49.90

Also, this is a great piece to do a lot of pattern mixing with. Pair it with a boho dress and pashmina for a fun but not overwhelming look.

Boho Dress - Target, $10.48
Butterfly Pashmina Wrap - Affordable Scarves.com, $14.41
Tights - Charlotte Russe, $6.99
Cuffed Boots - Target, $29.99

Lastly, you can definitely still keep things simple with a brown sweater and super fun heels paired with denim.

Cowl Neck Sweater - Kohl's, $17.99
Levi's Flared Jeans - Kohl's, $34.99
Orange Belt - Target, $12.99
Delilah Heels - Gotham City, $39.97

Anna, enjoy your great new clutch! I think you will find it will go with a ton!

Reader Question - Gold Flats

Hi there, I need some fashion advice please. I saw these cute gold colored pointy flats by Apostrophe (there is no photo of this shoe online, the closest I came to finding something similar is this one). They are a very light colored gold, like almost white, very pretty in my opinion.
What else could I wear (in everyday wear, not party) with gold colored flats aside from all black or jeans? And black tights with gold colored shoes, bad or ok?
Love your blog. :)

Thanks!
Jennifer

Jennifer, your shoes sound gorgeous!! I hope you picked up a pair for me too! The great thing about gold is it is a neutral - - you can wear it with EVERYTHING. Below are a few images from a couple of J.Crew's recent catalogs (their stylists are fantastic!) that are great examples of outfits that would look great with your gold flats.

Cords and trousers would look great with gold flats and don't be afraid of color - everything from pastels to rich jewel-tones are complimented nicely with gold.

Black tights could be a bit harsh with your flats, but there are so many great hoisery options out right now with lots of great colors and textures that would work well with gold flats.

Lastly, even if you just toss on the flats with jeans don't be afraid to wear some bright socks to give the outfit a little kick!

Fab Finds Under $50:
Corduroy Pants - click here
Fun Hoisery - click here
Bright Socks - click here

Reader Question - Inspiration Calendar

Hi Kimberly,
I came across your blog a few days ago, and LOVE it!! Just out of curiousity, do you create your inspiration calendar from items you have in your closet, or from ideas you have in mind or viewed on the web and then create outfits or buy items to suit the theme? I'm looking at my closet, and know it'll be hard to create an outfit from your calendar, unless I do some serious shopping. Do you have any suggestions on mixing and matching from simple basics?

Stuck in a clothing rut, Angela

Angela, thanks for the great question. I have been meaning to take the time to explain the inspiration calendar in more detail lately.

I started the inspiration calendar back in May 2009 at the request of one of my readers. She felt she stood in front of her closet filled with clothes, but no new and creative ideas on how to mix and match the stuff.

At first the calendar was just a collection of trends, color combos or pictures of outfits that I liked from magazines and other media sources. Over the past several months it has expanded to include interior decor pictures, food, outfits worn by other bloggers, outfits I created with Looklet and more.

The point of the inspiration calendar isn't to make you feel like you need to run out and buy a whole new wardrobe so you can play along, but rather inspire you to mix and match your current wardrobe and act as a springboard for new outfit ideas. Or even if they aren't new combos or ideas to help you decide which outfit to wear on that particular day. Also, if you are inspired by a combo but it doesn't make sense for you to wear it on the day it was suggested for go ahead and mentally file it away for another day.

Here is a little sampling of some of the outfits I created last month using the calendar. As you can see my looks are all over the board compared to the inspiration pictures, but the calendar did inspire some new combos for me.

Monday, 11/9 - Add a chunky cardi with a button-up shirt and pencil skirt

Friday, 11/13 - Stripes with denim and a pop of color



Thursday, 11/19 - Layer-up a patterned dress



Monday, 11/30 - Add some "Michelle Flair" to your outfit layering on a cardi for a fun color combo

Don't forget that you can easily access all of the past Inspiration Calendars by clicking on the links in the left hand column. Also, the January Calendar will be out this week!!

Have fun getting inspired!

Merry Christmas!!

I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday time!

Christmas is about so much more than buying things I know, but this is a fashion blog! So I thought I would share some of the Christmas Gifts I purchased for myself over the past few weeks during all of the fantastic sales and promotions that stores have been having.

Gray Chino Pants - Lane Bryant
Navy w/ Satin Trim Cardi - Old Navy
Black Ruffle Front Hoodie - Old Navy
Red Suede Heels - Nine West
Neutral Flats - Nine West
Purple Wallet - Coach
Blac/White Striped Tunic Top - Lane Bryant
Necklace - HSN
Neutral Winter Coat - Old Navy
A serious pair of snowboots - Keen
Black Slingback Heels - Michael Kors
Chanel-esque Quilted Bag - Handbag Heaven

What did you buy yourself for Christmas? What did Santa bring you?

Reader Question - Make these shoes work for NYE

Dear Kimberly,
I have these Nine West Sandal Heels that I love and only got to wear once in the fall. They are similar in color to the ones shown here [below], but mine are peep toe, and have cut outs on the sides. I am having a hard time matching them with something to wear for New Years Eve. Is there any way to fashion an outfit around brown instead of the typical NYE black ensembles? Is wearing brown or earthy tones on NYE a no-no? What would you suggest I pair with these shoes?
Love your blog! Thanks!
Melanie

I don't think brown on NYE is a no-no at all. Granted, it doesn't have quite the glam factor that black tends to have, but you can definitely make these shoes and the color brown work for you!

Here are a couple of looks I pulled together utilizing my favorite brown and berry color combos!

First off, grab a great jewel-tone dress, glitzy necklace and finish the look off with a pair of open-weave/lacey tights in brown.

Johnny Collar Dress - Target, $20
Glittering Pointelle Tights - Forever 21, $6.80
Line-Cut Leaf Necklace - Forever 21, $6.80
Disco Reign Necklace - Forever 21, $8.80
Ponte Bell Sleeve Dress - Target, $20
Rose Lace Tights - Charlotte Russe, $7

The next look is a bit dressier with the sleeveless dress and fun embellished hemline - keep the color palette simple and finish the look with a great pair of earrings.

Leaf Lace Dress - Charlotte Russe, $29
Rose Lace Tights - Charlotte Russe, $7
Gypsy Dangle Earrings - Forever 21, $4.80

Lastly, jazz things up with a pair of bright raspberry tights and a fun colorful necklace!

Belted Sweater Knit Dress - Charlotte Russe, $25
Candy Chain Jewel Necklace - Forever 21, $15.80
Hue Tights - Bare Necessities, $20

Have a fantastic New Year's Eve and 2010, Melanie! Be Safe!

Is it time for new glasses?

Are your glasses dated looking? Bent? Would you die if you had to wear them anywhere but to watch TV in bed after taking out your contacts?

If you answered yes to any of those questions then its time to buy yourself a little holiday present! GlassesUSA offers tons of great, fashionable glasses for fantastic prices. Seriously, we are talking $18 - $70 a pair and that includes the single-vision lenses!! At these prices not only can you score a cute pair, but a couple of pairs to go with all your outfits.

Plus, to make the deal even sweater, GlassesUSA is offering the following deals:

December 23 - Take $25 off of any order $80+ with code almostxmas

December 24 - Take $18 off any order $65+ with code silentnight

Daily Outfit - 12/23/09

Wow, its getting really quiet around here (by here, I mean the office and the blogosphere). You can tell the holidays are almost here! We were allowed to wear jeans today if we paired them with red/green or holiday wear. It was a perfect time to pull out this cute Holiday Tee from Old Navy. I loved this tee the minute I saw it - I think because it reminded me so much of the super cute "tree" I discovered on flickr a few months back.

Holiday Tee - Old Navy, $14 (Nov. 2009) (hard to tell with the cardi, but the "pretties" create a tree shape on the tee)
Purple Cardi - Target, clearance for $6.24 (Feb. 2009)
Scarf - Jule, $12.50 (Dec. 2009)
Jeans - Avenue, on sale for $20 (Summer 2009)
Black Clogs - Zodiac/Famous Footwear, with BOGO deal for $12.50 (Dec. 2009)*

*I went with super casual and comfy footwear today since I twisted my ankle 2 1/2 weeks ago and its still a bit swollen and ouchie. Hopefully it will finish healing up soon!

Reader Question - Pile on the Brooches!

Over the past couple of weeks I have been loving up on clustering mutliple brooches at once. I did the look both casually and professionally recently and a few readers asked for a little tutorial on how to create a mix of brooches. While there is no exact science, I did play around with a few brooches to show some ideas on how to create little clusters of blingy goodness.

Here's a look at a handful of brooches that I have acquired through my grandma's collection, flea markets, various inexpensive retail stores and even a couple of small earrings that work well "pinned" on chunky knits.

You can never go wrong with just wearing one brooch all by itself.

It's when you get to multiples that it can be a little tricky. I'm not saying it can't be done though (just look below at the mix of feather brooch and small crystal one)

As with interior decorating, as my Grandma use to say, it is best to decorate in odd numbers. Mixing three brooches together seems to work really well, as long as, the three brooches are of a similar style. You can do one large with two small, two large with one small, three of similar sizes and more!

So, as you can see there are no set rules, so grab a handful of your brooches (or borrow some when you are home for the holidays) and start playing around. The groupings look great on a blazer lapel, the neck of a turtleneck sweater or even pinned to a simple long-sleeve tee to add a little sparkle to a comfy basic.

Reader Question - Winter Wedding

I've been a follower of your blog for a long time and always love your ideas and outfits.
Well...I just got invited to a wedding in January and really want something different to wear. I would love something berry-colored and with sleeves (I'm not too fond of my upper arms), but any color would be okay.
And some accesory ideas would be great. Hope you can help me out!
-Elisa

Hey, Elisa! First let me say I love the idea of berry-colored dresses for a winter wedding. It is still seasonally appropriate without being boring or a super flashy color like red, plus it is easy to accent with basic black.

I pulled together a few looks that incorporate dresses, sleeves to keep you warm along with some fun accessories.

The first one is a fun patterned dress that you can add a sequined shrug or satin bolero jacket to to keep warm and your upper arms diguised. Finish the look off with tights and patent heels and you are good to go.

Cassie Scroll Print Dress - Delia's, $44.50
Sequin Shrug - Arden B, $38
Tights - Kmart, $9.99
Satin Bolero Jacket - Dillards, $39
Clare Heels by Nine West - 6pm.com, $29.95

The next couple of dresses offer sleeves along with deep v-neck necklines that are perfectly accessorized with all of the statement and bib necklaces that are so on-trend right now. Also, open lacely black tights are a perfect alternative to opaque tights. They still keep your legs warm, but the look is a little more dressy along with adding a bit of visual interest from the pattern.

Dolman Sleeve Dress - Victoria's Secret, $59 (also available in Sangria Red)
V-neck Dress - Victoria's Secret, $49.99
Jeweled Flowers Bib Necklace - Forever 21, $12.80
HUE Medallion Tights - Bare Neccessities, $22 (Dots and Target also have good selections of open weave tights in their stores for around $6 a pair)
Feather Trim Ribbon Necklace - Forever 21, $14.80

Lastly, for a bit more of a casual look you can add a knit shrug to a simple but pretty dress.

Alayna Shirtdress - Delia's, $44.50
Pear Jewel Chunky Necklace - Forever 21, $14.80
ELLE™ Dolman Shrug Cardigan - Kohls, $29.99
Emperor Heels by Anne Klein - 6pm.com, $34

Have a great time, Elisa and happy holidays!

Daily Outfit - 12/22/09

I feel like this outfit is a bit of an ode to my collegiate years at Purdue University with its Gold and Black. However, it must be a winning combination because I have already received more compliments today than usual!

Also, I don't usually mix up my earrings very often, but when I spied these at Charlotte Russe the other day I thought they were too unique to pass on.

Black Dress - Target, clearance for $12.50 (Jan. 2009)
Black/Cream Stripe Turtleneck - Target, $13 (Jan. 2009)
Mustard Gold Cardi - Target, $20 (Dec. 2009)
Belt - Target, $25 (Dec. 2009)
Tights - Spanx/TJ Maxx (I'm really liking these because they aren't tight, but nice and thick!), $15 (Dec. 2009)
Earrings - Charlotte Russe, $6 (Dec. 2009)
Black Heels - Michael Kors/6pm.com, 65% off for only $49 (Dec. 2009)

Daily Outfit - 12/21/09

It's a good thing that Christmas is this week because wrapped gifts are taking over my living room! And I've already had one Christmas and gotten rid of about 15 gifts from beneath the tree. Last week the inspiration calendar called for "dressy plaid". I didn't get around to it then, but decided to pair this new plaid shirt with a skirt for today.

Green/White/Navy Plaid Shirt - LL Bean (random I know, but I ordered gifts from there for family and decided to get this for myself), on sale for $16 (Dec. 2009)
Navy Satin Trim Cardi - Old Navy, on sale for $16 (Dec. 2009)
Necklace - compliments of Maurices (Nov. 2009)
Navy Skirt - Thrifted, $3 (Summer 2009)
Navy Belt- came with a dress
Gray Tie Heels - Shoedazzle, $39 (Nov. 2009)