Author: K.L.

calm, cool, collected

Posted on by K.L.

Hellllooo Saturday! It feels so good to catch a breath of fresh air after two weeks of non-stop work at my “real job”. I’ve missed blogging the past ten days or so, but sometimes real life comes first. Still, you know what they say,”Don’t quit your daydream”. I’m back this lovely Saturday sharing how to keep things mixed with a limited wardrobe.

I have less than fifteen tops in my wardrobe right now (I’ll be sharing my entire collection of tops in the next few days), which makes choosing what to wear a pretty simple process in the mornings. I won’t kid you, though – things can get pretty  boring if you go with a straightforward top + pants combo every day. I simply don’t have the quantity of clothes to do this without looking like I’m wearing the same thing all the time. However, with a little creativity and some layering (especially in these cooler months) you can find an almost endless amount of combinations in a basic wardrobe, which keeps you from getting bored. Take a look at how I styled this chambray shirt three different ways for three totally different looks and occasions.

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calm

By layering a chambray shirt with a casual jacket and scarf, the chambray shirt sort of fades out of sight. It’s a more casual version of the classic white button-up. This relaxed look is great for running errands. I wore the chambray shirt with a pair of very dark denim to avoid looking like I was wearing the same color head-to-toe.

shirt: similar from Urban Outfitters | jacket: Nordstrom | jeans: old from 7 For All Mankind; similar here | shoes: Converse

cool

To keep things casual but cool for a date night out, pair a chambray shirt with a flare skirt and some knee high boots. For a more flirty look, you could opt for a pair of black leather heels. I kept things minimal with almost no jewelry, but if the look is too simple for you, add a statement necklace.

skirt: Old Navy (and less than $5!!) | boots: old from Nordstrom; similar here | purse: Kate Spade; similar here | sunglasses: Ray Ban

collected

A black wrap dress is a great article of clothing to own for work, church, or any more formal occasion. To mix things up, try adding a button up layer underneath, especially on a day with cooler weather. It still looks polished enough for work, but adds some visual interest and makes the outfit more modest if the wrap dress is somewhat low cut (as they often are). If the chambray shirt is too casual for work, try the same look with a classic white button-up instead.

dress: old from Gap; similar here | flats: Tory Burch

See how easy it is to wear the same top without looking like you’re sporting the same outfit day after day?

What is your must-have, most versatile piece of clothing?

the three dresses you want to own

Posted on by K.L.

Last week I posted about bottoms that are sure to get tons of use, and represent key, versatile pieces in a pared-down wardrobe.

We’re keeping with the spirit and talking again about basics for three main categories: office/formal (aka the “serious” category), date night (aka the “party” category) and casual (aka the “I-like-to-sit-on-patios-and-drink-Sangria-with-my-friends-or-take-my-family-on-picnics” category). This time, with dresses. Oh girl… you fancy.

the three dresses you want to own

office: pencil dress | date night: LBD | casual: maxi dress

Truth be told, I’m not a big dress gal. I’m one of those who owns a few multi-purpose dresses I can pull out for any occasion, not the type that gets all excited about “getting to buy a new dress” to go to a wedding or party. Not surprisingly, I kept things pretty simple when it came to choosing dresses: one for every category. Dudn’t git any easier than that. Not to say that you should throw out everything else or that you won’t need other pieces, but you will find that the right selection of a few main ingredients will fill a lot of “holes” in your wardrobe.

office attire: pencil dress

As long as it’s not too snugly fit or low cut, this dress can’t offend anyone. Not even the guards at the Vatican or your Southern Baptist grandma. Which makes it the perfect dress for the office. It’s long enough to be modest but the fitted cut still makes it feminine. I say 3/4 length sleeve is the way to go, and I would lean towards simple with minimal or no embelishment, so you can frequently wear it and easily pair it with different accessories and not be noticed for the being the proud outfit repeater that you are. If you feel like the pencil dress is too formal for your work setting, a wrap dress like this one would be a good alternative.

date night attire: party/cocktail dress

This is your LBD (“little black dress”). Every gal should own one. I imagine this being a dress worn on a special date like an anniversary, a cocktail party, a New Years Eve bash, or a wedding. I think simplicity is still key so you can mix and match accessories, but it can be more fun than the office dress. Lace, a beaded neckline, or a simple cutout in the back are all subtle details that can add interest to the dress without giving it away as that dress you wear to everything (but you will wear it to everything). Sadly, the YSL dress pictured is about $4,000 out of my price range, but I found a nice, simpler alternative.

casual: maxi dress

Maybe the maxi dress has seen its day, but I still hold a special place in my heart (and my closet) for this trusty solider. If possible, try to find one in a breathable material so it doesn’t get too hot in the summertime. This is a great vacation piece because it’s the ideal travel dress (layer with a jean jacket or cardigan for the plane ride) and can double as a swim-suit cover. I imagine this being the perfect dress to wear to the beach, a wine tasting, a casual patio lunch, or any spring/summer outing with your family. If you’re over the floor length, another option would be a shirt dress.

What do you think about these three dresses being staples? Do you a different go-to for any of these categories?

the six bottoms you want to own

Posted on by K.L.

Imagine that you had a job interview, a date to a cool new art gallery, and a trip to the zoo with your nieces and nephews all planned for next week. What are you going to wear? Do you have 20 options to choose from for each? Do you have even one?

One of the most nerve-racking things about doing a closet purge is thinking, “What if I have to go somewhere and have nothing to wear because I threw it out?” or “Will I have any clothes left after this?!”

Cleaning out your closet can be overwhelming. If you’re like me, it may have left you going, “Ok. So basically all I own that I like to wear are dark skinny jeans and cotton shirts”. Knowing what articles of clothing you “should” own is like trying to determine what to pack for a surprise trip, there are tons of factors and many unknowns. Still, I think most women have a need for certain basic items (and probably multiples of some of those items, depending on their daily activities).

I found a great resource in Brass Clothing about choosing essentials for your wardrobe, and it inspired me to make my own list, starting from the bottom.

I have three categories, with only two items in each category: office/formal; date night/semi-casual; and casual.

the six bottoms you want to own

1. pencil skirt | 2. trouser pant | 3. black jeans or leggings | 4. dark jeans | 5. utility pant or chinos | 6. lightwash casual denim

office attire: pencil skirt and trouser pant

Although I no longer work in an office, I still think it’s a good idea to own a good pencil skirt and trouser pant to wear to church, a formal meeting, or to make a presentation. A mid-length pencil skirt is an ideal piece of clothing to own, because it is appropriate in so many circumstances, and not too short.

“date night” attire: black denim and dark skinny jeans

Black denim (or a dressy pair of leggings like my favorite H&M ones) and dark skinny jeans are easy to dress up and down. If tailored properly, they can be worn with heels or flats and their possibilities are pretty endless. Short of a funeral, I would pretty much wear them anywhere.

casual attire: modern cargo and light-wash denim

Cargo pants?! What is this, the 90s? This style of pants may not be for everyone, so a slim fitting chino style pant in khaki would also be a good choice. They look great with sandals, tennis shoes, booties and tall boots and pair well with a casual button up or cotton tee.

The light-wash denim could be boyfriend style jeans or something more fitting with some distress. The idea is that they can be thrown on to go see a ball game with your husband or go junk shopping with your mom. They go well with t-shirts and even heels for an edgier look.

 

What items would you add to this list? What items could you live without? I’d love to hear what you think!

southwest cardigan: winter 2016 capsule

Posted on by K.L.

All dressed up with no place to go? Ain’t nobody got time for that.

I’m one of those people that doesn’t like to waste a good outfit on a day where no one is going to see me. But those days are few and far between, if I’m honest with myself. Even though I might work from home, on any given day I’m still out in public at least 3 or 4 times (school pick up, post office, grocery store – see, three already), not to mention the occasional run in with a neighbor or someone dropping off a package. Realistically, not having plans is not the same as being legitimately locked up out of sight for the day. Still, I’m not going to put on my best duds for a weekday of working at home. There is a happy medium between pajamas bottoms and business attire, and I think I’ve found it in comfy cardigans.

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old Paige denim; similar here | Ugg Cambridge

I notice a very positive change in my behavior when I dress in clothes that wouldn’t make me embarrassed to be seen in the grocery store. I am a more productive person when I feel presentable. Of course, if I was in a ball gown, I wouldn’t feel like reconciling accounts or loading the dishwasher, so you have to be practical. I’m not going to be running around in heels at home any time soon (if you want to, rock it!), but I am making so much more of an effort to stay out of loungewear and in regular clothes on a somewhat daily basis.

Right now, my winter go-to combo for being at home most of the day includes:

  • Comfortable jeans
  • Soft 3/4 or short sleeve cotton tee
  • Cardigan
  • Comfortable shoes

I like still having layers, even when I’m at home. My house may be nice and toasty, but having a cardigan set out to throw on if I need to run outside is really handy. And by planning one in to my outfit, I’m less likely to reach for the comfortable but questionable hoodie in the hall closet (maybe it belongs to me, maybe it’s my husbands… maybe it’s my Dad’s… why are you judging me?)

Makeup and hair, now, is a completely different story. But I’m working on that, too 😉

p.s. helpful tip

When choosing items for my capsule wardrobe, I was focused on items with versatility, which often meant a lot of neutrals. Still, I didn’t want to become bored with my wardrobe, so I looked for ways to incorporate some color. So far, I have found that by making my base layers mostly neutral and allowing some of my “second layer” pieces to be more colorful, I can make many, many outfit combinations without them all looking the same. I think key pieces (a trench, a dress, a cable-knit sweater) are best left neutral, and more “accessory” type pieces (a scarf, a hat, a cardigan, jewelry) are great for adding color.

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southwest Cardigan by Selfie Couture; similar for under $10 here | Tee Madewell

a beautiful story of letting go

Posted on by K.L.

Last weekend, my husband and I had a date night and joined our friends Nick and Samantha for dinner at Ember’s Steakhouse in Amarillo (if you haven’t gone, go! The food was great.) While we were there, I ran into Rene’ Brain. I have known Rene’ since before I could sing a musical scale. She is not only incredibly beautiful inside and out, but she has amazing style! We got to talking about her recent move, and she said something I just adored – “If I didn’t love it, it did not get to come with me”. Moving is the perfect time to purge! She totally embraced her new beginning, and I could tell she was so happy with her decision to not keep things she did not need and love. A couple of days later, Rene’ sent me this story-

 

“My Mother sewed a beautiful saddle blanket jacket for me several years ago…it was exquisite! Beautifully lined… Gorgeous! I wore it ad nauseum….with jeans, with dresses, (short of swimsuit)

When I moved, I realized I had not worn it for 6 or 7 years

I had lost some weight and it just didn’t make me feel fabulous anymore

My Mom is dead….very sentimental to have the jacket, but still doesn’t meet requirements…I love it, but it doesn’t make me feel pretty.

So I shoved it in a box for Downtown Women’s Center

2 months later I am sitting in Embers with the Ron and Donna who are there for a weekend visit…Jeff drops his jaw…I look over…this beautiful 5’8″ red haired 30 something has my jacket on and sits down to dinner.

I wait til she and her Mom go to the bathroom and wait in the hall to ask them…”where did you get that jacket?”

The lovely girl says,”I was at the thrift center downtown and I walk in and this jacket said “take me home with you!”

I explain the situation! What a blessing for both of us….they cried…I cried…God knows! God loved the meeting! God wanted me to be free!

Yay God! We don’t need excess!”

Doesn’t this just embody everything good about letting go? To Rene’, seeing the jacket again was God’s way of saying, “See, you didn’t need to hold on to that.” Things can be sentimental, but they are still just things. If you aren’t using them, then you can “set them free”, so to speak, to be loved by someone else. Imagine how amazing Rene’ felt seeing someone else love her jacket. You never know who will be helped by your donation or who will find joy in an item you no longer treasure. It inspires me to continue on my journey. I hope it does the same for you! Thank you for sharing, Rene’.

date night: winter capsule 2016

Posted on by K.L.

Here is a very quick post on what items I wore for a date night this past weekend. My capsule wardrobe (remember, 48 items) is extremely casual. I am working with a pretty strict budget and focusing on building my wardrobe one quality piece at a time, so I am hoping I can add more dimension in the seasons to come.

In the meantime, I have learned that even if an outfit is very casual, it only takes one or two items to dress it up, for example, a nice jacket or some stylish heels. My outfit this past weekend was basically a t-shirt and jeans with just a tiny bit of flair. My mother-in-law Tasa found the Eileen Fisher jacket I’m wearing at the New Years’ Day Sale at Dillard’s and we went back on forth on which one of us would buy it. I am so glad I ended up with it! (But I told her she could borrow it whenever she wanted 😉 ) It was a ridiculous steal. I am still hoping I can find it marked down somewhere else to share with everyone. Check it out and let me know what you think!

How do you add interest to your plain outfits? My mother-in-law, Kelly, (I am so lucky, I have two!) suggested that I try adding leg warmers (I know what you’re thinking) and it was genius! I just folded down the top of my boots so you could see the top of the leg warmers. GREAT idea to add a little more personality to your boot-and-jean routine and so warm for Winter – like sweaters for your calves! Ha!

Shop this look:

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Jacket: Eileen Fisher (warning: I got this on MAJOR sale at the Dillard’s big New Years’ Day sale. I have yet to find it marked down anywhere else!)

Gray denim: Old Navy

Black long sleeve: old from Banana Republic

Over-the-knee boots: old from Nordstrom; similar here

Purse: Kate Spade; similar in two-tone here

Necklaces: francesca’s and Kendra Scott (not counted in my 48)

new you, new do

Posted on by K.L.

January gets a bad rap. Especially mid-January. And I can see why. Christmas is over, the tree and lights have come down (although if you ask my friend Sarah, the tree belongs in place from Halloween night to Valentines Day-ish). Everyone gets back to school, work, and the ho-hum of life. It can also be dark and cold thanks to the sun going down before 6 PM and, well… that whole “Winter” thing.

For the record, I like January. I love, love, love the New Year. It’s also the birthday month for a lot of my family. And the “fresh start” feeling that other people seem to lose mid-month somehow sticks with me. But I know a lot of other people don’t share my love for the first month of the year. So,

To beat the “January Blues”…

I say this is the perfect month to do something new — or even to re-invent yourself. How? Here is the key. Are you ready? If one of your goals this year is to be a healthier person, stop saying “I want to make healthier choices” and start saying “I am a healthy person”. What’s amazing is, you will actually listen to yourself. Your conversation in your head shifts from “I want these french fries, but I’m trying to be healthy this year” to “I’m a healthy person. I don’t eat french fries right now”. Isn’t that fascinating? Just try it! I’m reading about this type of thinking right now in a book called The Art of Possibility.

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Feeling like you’re in a rut of the same old same? Why not try a new restaurant this month? Don’t just say you’re going to, call up a friend and make plans to eat there. That book you’ve been saying you were going to read, get it! And read for just 10 minutes a day (if it’s as good as you hear, you’ll probably get glued and read more). Go to that exercise class you’ve been talking about just once – to see if you like it! If all else fails, treat yourself to a tiny pick-me-up. Set aside a little bit of cash on your next fews trips to the grocery store and in a couple of weeks you can get your nails done or go get a facial. Trust me, if you are feeling this so-called “blues”, a little bit of “me time” can go a long way.

Sometimes we don’t give ourselves permission to do something we really want to do. Instead, we set these noble goals (which I still love by the way), and put so much pressure on ourselves that it’s not fun anymore. We don’t enjoy it, or we questions why we made the commitment in the fist place, so we just stop.

January blues? Ha! I don’t think so. I have a whole January bucket list, and it is going to make the next couple of weeks just breeze by and be so. much. fun.

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And many thanks to Letty at Hair FX in Dumas! I followed my own advice in this post and made my first hair appointment in over a year, and I’m so glad I did! Fresh starts (or the continuation of the one we started on January 1st) deserve fresh locks! (Don’t you just love awkward angles? My sweet six year-old took these pictures, so I finally had to sit on the ground to get a straight-on photo 🙂 )

Katie

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Shop this look:

Pants: Madewell

Shirt: old Banana Republic; similar here

Flats: Tory Burch

the shoe crew: winter 2016 capsule

Posted on by K.L.

I’m just going to go ahead and say it now. I have a bootie-shaped hole in my wardrobe. Not a BOOTY, a bootie. As in the cutest fall/winter short-heeled boot there ever was. I actually ordered a pair from what I now consider a sketchy online boutique, and they never came in. I’m pretty sure I now have $73 “store credit” to this boutique if anyone is interested in taking that off my hands…

What was I saying? Oh! This isn’t my most perfect, dreamy shoe line-up.

“But, Katie! You can only wear and own what you really love”.

True. But there are budgets, and contentment is a major theme in this experiment. It is not about buying everything you want — it is about no longer wanting to buy everything. See the difference?

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So, this season I bought one pair of shoes. I had two given to me as gifts. The rest are shoes I already owned. Each pair has its purpose, for the most part.

the current lineup

Uggs: I can say with some assurance I will not be wearing these out of the house, so I probably could have left them out (I don’t include loungewear in my “48”). They feel so much like house shoes, but they definitely get a lot of wear this time of year — and even though they aren’t the most attractive, they are a must if your husband leaves your home thermostat on the 60s during winter 😉

Over-the-knee boot: Great with skinny jeans, a skirt, or over my favorite faux leather leggings. Edgy and cool, but not so out there that you couldn’t wear them in an “every day” sort of way. These count as one of two pairs of dressier shoes in my capsule wardrobe. Bought these last year. Similar for under $100 here and here.

Hunters: Although these look like ordinary rainboots, these popular duds are basically all-weather. Somewhat funnily, Uggs are the worst winter boots of all time. They can’t really even get wet. Enter Hunters. They are warm and perfect for stompin’ in the snow and slush. A duck boot would also be a great buy for dealing with wintry weather. These were a Christmas gift.

Black Flats: A quality pair of black flats are something I wish I would have invested in sooner. I replaced pair after pair from their soles wearing quickly and the shoes not being worth the money to repair. Approximately six pairs later, I caved and got these. Best flat decision of my life (until I one day own these – not really but a girl can dream). This is my second pair of “dressy” shoes in my capsule.

Black Tennis-shoes: This is my answer for non-grungy “athleisure”. ‘Nuff said. These were also a Christmas gift.

Converse: Easier to work into an outfit than the tennis shoes, Converse are versatile,  easy to clean in the washing machine, and so, so comfortable. They will be in my wardrobe year-round, guaranteed.

Keds: Slip on, neutral in color, these are the “winter sandal” for those warmer winter days (no socks required). The felt material is still wintery-ish, so they are light without appearing out of season. This was the one pair of shoes I bought for this capsule wardrobe. Found here.

There you have it. These are the only shoes to my name this winter (besides, those missing booties I allegedly “own”).

modification for the office

As you can tell, I have a very casual wardrobe. I work from home, so my need for professional and dressy attire might be less than the average person. If I had to make a capsule wardrobe work for home and the office, I would:

  • lose either the Converse or Keds
  • and ditch the Uggs
  • in their place: have a simple black suede pump (such as these) and pair of heeled or wedge booties (like these)

p.s. – helpful tip

If you have some shoes in your closet that you don’t really love to wear, I encourage you to start there and PURGE! Shoes are a great item to sell at a resale or consignment shop. From my experience, you get the most money for shoes. No lie, a consignment store bought a pair of dog-ugly, paint-splattered Asics from me last week that I was going to ask them to donate for me.

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the red flannel

Posted on by K.L.

It’s Sunday! Do you consider Sunday to be the beginning of the week or the end of it? My former boss insisted all of his calendars showed Monday as the first day of the week, not Sunday. I guess we call Sunday part of the “week-end”, so that makes some sense. I think I’ve always treated Sunday morning like the weekend and Sunday evening like the beginning of week. It makes me feel like I’ve got a head start on Monday. Ha, Monday – take that!

So here’s my head start on the week, taking a look at my favorite outfit from last week.

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Red is definitely not my color. No, I’m not being modest. I actually know very few people who look great in red. Like, three people come to mind. Basically, you have to look like Snow White with porcelain skin and ebony hair.  It is a very powerful color that can draw a lot of attention. However, as long as it’s not too in-your-face-red, like a solid red dress or a red coat, I feel like most everyone can pull off a touch of red.

And what better way to incorporate red into your winter wardrobe than with a flannel? Ah, the flannel. Everyone’s favorite cozy button up. The thicker, the better, in my opinion. This flannel from Madewell is so thick and super warm, you just need to pair it with a light jacket on a 40s/50s day – which are common during Texas winters.

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I’ve chosen a very casual “every day” look here – flannel, light jacket, jeans and some Converse. You could also easily dress up a more fitted flannel by pairing it with some dark jeans or black skinnies, heels, and a cool black motto jacket. I think at least one flannel in your winter wardrobe will go a long way. And red flannel is pretty much an All-American staple. Buy one of good quality and you will get a lot of use out of it. Maybe even as a piece in your Brawny man Halloween costume. See? Endless possibilities.

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Shop this look:

Shirt: Madewell

Shoes: Converse

Jeans: old Paige Denim (Skyline); similar here

Jacket: old Blu Pepper; similar here

BE SURE TO HIT “FOLLOW” FOR UPDATES ON MY WINTER CAPSULE WARDROBE, Y’ALL 🙂 And thanks for stopping by!

 

 

cure for yoga pants

Posted on by K.L.

Activewear. “Athleisure”. Whatever you want to call it — sometime during the last decade, it took our world by storm and suddenly made it socially acceptable to wear gym clothes to do just about anything else besides working out. It’s these kinds of trends that I wonder if I will see on a VH1 episode of “I Love the 2000s: 2010-2019” one day. But please believe, this gal right here loves her some gym clothes. Gym optional. (There is a 24 K gold video at the end of this post – because we all need to laugh at ourselves occasionally).

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Let me take a step back here. One of my goals is to share with others how to listen to yourself and find your unique style, not just try to pull off current trends. In order to do this in the most authentic way, I had to be very honest with myself when deciding what should go in my 48-piece wardrobe.

For example: boyfriend jeans. Somewhat ironically, boyfriend jeans usually do not look good on women who are shaped like teenage boys (that would be me). I’ve owned a pair before, and it wasn’t pretty. I certainly would not want to share photos of myself wearing boyfriend jeans and talking about how you style them when they are not an article of clothing that I enjoy wearing. If I’m going to do this whole capsule wardrobe thing successfully and also enjoy the journey, I am going to have to listen to myself and dress the way I know I like to dress, regardless of what is “in”. Personal style is far more interesting than bandwagon trends, anyway. And don’t you want to be excited to get dressed every day?! Not feel like it is a chore.

I knew when I was creating my capsule wardrobe I would need to find a way to incorporate “activewear”. Trendy or not, I dig it. After all, last year as a new-again Mom, I lived in stretchy leggings and t-shirts. I love me some yoga pants. If there was a clinical diagnosis for yoga pant addiction, I would have it. I would be medicated.

So, to keep myself honest (I knew I would be reaching for tennis shoes several days a week, no matter what my other options were) I added some items to my wardrobe that are comfortable, practical, and let me feel relaxed without looking like a yoga instructor on pajama day.

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For Christmas, I asked my husband for a new pair of tennis shoes. I joke that they are my “shopping shoes” because I don’t ever plan on working out in them. Having a clean pair of tennis shoes does make a semi-atheltic outfit look more polished. Great investment.

I’m also wearing another Christmas gift – the vest! It is so warm. I do plan on also using this when I go running outside on cooler mornings, but since it’s not “strictly workout”, I counted in my 48. I like a vest because it keeps an outfit more interesting than just a plain long sleeve shirt, but it’s not too hot, so it’s a great versatile layer to have on hand.

So there you have it. You can have your athletic clothes and wear them (in public), too 😉

Is there a certain type of clothing you love, but you don’t think it fits into every day life? I say go for it! Find a way to work it into your wardrobe. Life is too short to not love how you look every day!

What kind of clothes could you not live without in your wardrobe?

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Shop this look:

Vest: Under Armour

Shoes: Nike

Purse: Michael Kors

Shirt: old Banana Republic; similar here

Jeans: old Paige Denim; similar here

Scarf: old from World Market; similar here

And now, the gold I promised. I cry.