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| Shirt: French Connection via Marshalls($20) Jeans: Gap(curvy boot-cut, hemmed by me$17.50). Jacket: Old Navy($12). Shoes(6), Belt: Thrifted($2). Earrings, Watch: Target($13). Scarf Necklace: The Loft($15). Bangle: H&M($5). |
Total outfit cost: $90.50
Did you know that I used to call myself a “jeans and t-shirt girl.”
True story.
That was who I thought I was, or at least who I said I was for a long time, mostly because I had no idea how to dress myself and trying to find clothes that fit was depressing. I convinced myself that if I didn’t put any real effort into myself, sartorially speaking, that I wouldn’t care. And if I didn’t care, how I looked wouldn’t matter to me.
Except it did matter. And pretending that I didn’t care about dressing like an adult and looking like a woman just made me feel sort of ugly and frumpy, and kind of ridiculous most of the time. I’d see myself in pictures, (especially the ones with my sisters, who always looked like they just walked right off the runway) and inwardly groan. I was too intelligent to trick myself. I knew that I looked like a kid at best, and a frumpy adult at worst.
You know that scene in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” when Toula is trying to explain why she looked so bad the first time she met Ian and she goes, “I was going through a phase… up until now. I was frump-girl.”
Yeah, that was me.
I was 22 when the change happened.
Smack dab in the middle of my second pregnancy, I woke up.
This wasn’t who I was, if it was I wouldn’t feel so uncomfortable in my own skin.
It was the second time I had been pregnant in less than 2 years and I was beginning to feel as though I had been blossoming in the mid-section forever. I didn’t want to feel gross any more. We were still in college, so my funds were limited, but we were away for the summer doing an internship, so Mr was bringing in enough for me to spend just a little fixing myself up. There wasn’t a lot to do (at least at my ability level back then) with my tummy all abloom, so I started small with accessories.
We were living in Wichita for the summer and it was ridiculously hot and very humid. Layers on my pregnant body were not an option, so I bought a cute pair of maternity jeans, and some bright colored tees for summer. Then I went and splurged.
On some earrings.
I know, I know. Big whoop.
But, up until this point the only pieces of jewelry I wore were my wedding ring, and a simple silver watch. It was amazing. I threw on a pair of chandelier earrings and suddenly I felt a little more pulled together. Then one day, I was walking through a parking lot, and a girl stopped me. I was wearing a pair of bootcut maternity jeans, a fitted lime green t-shirt, with a pair of bright green chandelier earrings.
She said, “You look so cute! Look at your sassy little earrings! I never looked that cute when I was pregnant.”
And that’s when I learned about the power of accessories.
Tip #6 Accessorize.
When you’re in the beginning stages, and honestly even later, of developing your style and building your personal wardrobe accessories are a great tool to utilize. Not only can accessories help to polish off an ensemble, but they can also change the entire look of an outfit you might have worn before. And they are also a good way to fool people into thinking an outfit is more than it really is. For example: look at this ensemble. What am I really wearing here? Essentially, just a t-shirt and jeans (I can’t get away from them apparently).
But, then you add a pair of funky heels, a scarf, with a statement necklace stacked on top, some chunky earrings, a belt, a cropped jacket, and a bangle, and it looks like a lot more than just a t-shirt and jeans.
Accessories are also an inexpensive way to stretch your wardrobe. There are tons of places to find great accessories on the cheap. Forever21 carries great colorful skinny belts, scarves, and jewelry. Charming Charlie’s, is like accessory mecca. Target is a great resource for finding shoes on the cheap. Like 95% of my ballet flats are from Target and I got them all for less than $10.
And here’s the coup de grâce for accessory hunting. Thrift stores.
It’s like colorful skinny belt heaven. You can get amazing vintage jewelry for a couple of bucks, and if your shoes size is bigger than a 5.5 (bah-humbug) then your going to have your pick of the most fabulous second-hand shoes for a steal.
Accessories also give you the opportunity to experiment with colors, patterns and textures without such a huge investment.
The key with accessories, is to remain structured, the same with remixing. Make sure there is an overall structure to your outfit. You can stack patterns and colors with your accessories, but just make sure there is something (even subtly) that pulls them all together with what you are wearing, otherwise you’ll just look like a kid who snuck into her mom’s jewelry box.
Now get out there and accessorize!
PS. The winner for the Bip and Bop giveaway is:
Angelina!
who said:
Congrats girly! Email me to redeem! And for the rest of you, get on over to Bip and Bop and get yourself something lovely.
PSS. Go check out Ashley’s blog over here. She doing a massive online raffle to raise money for her scholarship program that I talked about here. And I might just be donating two of my custom made skirts, one of which isn’t even available in the shop yet…
I went to bed last night thinking these exact same thoughts! I love my t-shirts and jeans and as much as I try to get around it, I just can’t. So, the next thing to do is figure out how to make it work. Yup – accessorizing seems to be key. Now if only I could figure out how to accessorize!
Thanks for featuring Charming Charlie in your blog!! We have added your blog to our blog mentions page on our website. It’s a page we created exclusively for showcasing Charming Charlie blog mentions!
http://www.charmingcharlie.com/blog-mentions
When I’m not supposed to be shopping for clothes, I love shopping for accessories to update my wardrobe without spending much money!
Thanks for hosting the link party!
I went through a similar awakening. I revamped my whole wardrobe over a few years. But I think the transition was from a teen/young adult into a more classic grown up style. Dont get me wrong I still like wearing trendy clothing but I always pair it with classic pieces to look like a grown woman. I am much more comfortable in my skin now in my late 20’s. I feel like I look almost grown up. I am a mini woman like you, so I look as grown up as I can possibly look a just an inch over 5 ft. : ) Have a great day, you always look super cute!
Love this post! Also I need one of those chevron skirts ASAP! I am in love with it. When will they be available?
Stumbled on your blog the other day – I’m a new Seattlite as well and had to comment after I saw that you lived in Wichita for a summer since that’s where we just moved from! Hope you are enjoying Seattle as much as I am!
Ur lucky u found style at 22. I’m 30, mother of three kids and I’m just realizing that I haven’t been dressing myself to feel comfortable for about 10 years. I have just started these past few months to really care and change my wardrobe. Thanks for all the inspiration. Yes. U give me inspiration and probably give it to many other women. Keep it up!
Great post! You built a new wardrobe while in college and in the middle of building a family. If you can afford it doing that, then I can afford it as a grad student. You are great inspiration!
I love your outfit, and the accessory lesson was great, I totally agree!
Natalie
http://www.projectdowhatyoulove.wordpress.com
Amen sister! It was after my second pregnancy too that I had this revelation. I always loved fashion and had my own “style” but it never quite fit until after I had my second son and was in college. Love this post!
What a great necklace! I’m looking for my own style right now, and am on an itty-bitty budget, so your advice is timely and relevant. :)
I’m so excited about winning the giveaway! I never win anything!! :)
LOVE your blog! And I’m really liking this Dressing on a Dime series!
I tried to email you…but here’s my email just in case… amartell5@hotmail.com
Love this post! You expressed how I feel about fashion a lot of the time… But I’m working on it. Thanks to this blog, I now have more inspiration!
I’m also thrilled I found this blog — I’m 20, married and still in college.
I just found your blog via clothed much and I LOVE it!! I’m 5’1″ so I know how it is to be short (and have ridiculously small feet). I love how you dress, and that you came form a “t-shirt and jeans girl” view. I feel the same way about myself! I can’t wait to read more from you!!
Rebekah
headoverheels26.blogspot.com
So, I have this thing about reading and following directions…I just never do it. I tried to delete the first picture that I linked up since it didn’t follow any of the directions and linked up a different one instead, but the I think you will have to do that. :( Sorry!! I will do better next week. I promise! :) Thanks for hosting! I love this blog hop :)