Seeing Spots

Animal print.....treat it like a neutral or use it as a simple, yet perhaps unexpected statement. 

It's easy to think about throwing on a leopard or cheetah print scarf with an all black outfit as your pop of print & color, but you can also mix it in with other prints as if it were one of your neutral pieces. 

Animal print has changed over the years, and there are now so many new versions of this print that may have been viewed at something a "much older" woman might wear. I am loving the prints I'm seeing on bloggers and in stores this fall, and can't seem to find enough reasons to wear my own Madewell printed heels.

This leopard jacket is an unexpected & updated version of the classic blazer. Throw it on with jeans and a tee and you now have a chic & put together look.

I love pairing my Madewell leopard heels (circa fall 2011) with one of my favorite polka dot blouses (Zara)....it's such a fun way to mix prints!

Dots & Spots

Madewell is very much in on this trend again this fall, as they just recently sent out an email about "Trend Spotting." They have fabulous pieces, and always unique versions of the cheetah print. My above shoes are from Madewell last fall -LOVE them! 

Here's a better shot these fabulous heels:


I love how fashion/style blogger Julie (Jules) of Sincerely Jules styled a similar version of my dots & spots:

JCrew is another retailer in love with the leopard look. I'm loving this "wild side" bangle, and these leopard round toe pumps are fabulous as well!

Here's another chic look that includes a leopard jacket paired with denim and the very on trend cap toe heels. LOVE!

Another way to embrace the animal print is to add a simple skinny leopard print belt to a dress or with denim and a print blouse. This is one easy way to slowly begin mixing prints.

above 2 photos courtesy of Pinterest

Animal print is a chic & easy way to add something new to your wardrobe. Whether it's a simple bangle or skinny belt, or an investment pair of pumps or printed jacket, you are sure to be spotted in style!

Fall Fashion: Favorites

With the first "official" day of fall just around the corner (Saturday, September 22), I'm getting more and more excited to pull out my boots and sweaters.

It's still been fairly warm here in MN with even a day earlier this week that reached 90 degrees!!! Since then, temperatures have remained in the 70s, which is the PERFECT weather for jeans, a sweater, and boots (no jacket, hat, scarf, or mittens required)!!!

With that, I thought I'd share some of my favorite fall pieces from my own wardrobe and a few other items that I've seen & love for this season.

AG jeans

Printed & Colored Denim

Houndstooth boutique

I still can't seem to get enough of the colored & printed denim. I am so excited to pair mine with a sweater & boots!
I am a lover of the "color of the season," oxblood, in all of it's varieties of shades, and I am SO excited to wear my JBrand gold brocade skinnies (pictured right).






Denim/Chambray Shirts
I will also continue to be wearing my denim/chambray shirts throughout the fall and into winter. They are another fabulous pairing with the printed & colored denim, as well as a fantastic layering piece. As the temperatures continue to drop, throwing a chunky knit sweater over my denim shirt makes a chic outfit that's winter-weather appropriate.

shopmama.com

Here are a few of my favorite looks from Nordstrom's fall catalog showcasing printed denim, chambray shirts & vintage inspired jewelry:

Vintage-Inspired Jewelry & Stacking your Wrist
I can't say enough fabulous things about our local jewelry designer Jen Scheffler and her jewelry line, realia. I am obsessed with my newest piece, as I have worn it 3 times in the last week! (pictured left)

Stacking your wrist with fabulous jewels is also "on trend," and I love the look! Now, you don't want to go too overboard, but if done right, it can look fantastic! Check out realia's selection of fabulous wrist baubles to create the look that works for you!



With that I'll leave you with just a few more looks/pieces that I am loving for fall! Here's to enjoying the crisp, colorful days ahead!!!

7forallMankind

Burberry

Quality

What does the word "quality" mean to you?

I have been re-examining my wardrobe (even more than usual) since my shopaholic challenge, and I have been really trying to make an effort to only add "quality" pieces that I LOVE to my closet.

I've been shopping all my life and still have nothing to wear.  ~Author Unknown

I don't want this above quote to be a description that fits me & my closet, I want to love every piece I own and have a hard time choosing what I want to wear every morning-not because I don't like any of it or I'm tired of it, but because I love it all, and can't pick just one outfit!!!

By no means does "quality" have to be a designer label or a piece of clothing that costs 100s of dollars, but yet it's that item that you know you won't get tired of, and will last. It may even be one of those pieces that your daughter covets and is so excited that you saved it, as it's now an excellent vintage piece! 

(I only WISH that had happened to me....Mom: you had great style, why oh why didn't you KEEP any of it?!?!)

Although the item doesn't have to be a high priced piece, it can be. This doesn't mean that your entire closet contains expensive name brand items, but you may have some, because as we know, typically the more you spend on something-the better the quality! (No, that's not always the case, but usually!)  Besides....

A bargain is something you can't use at a price you can't resist.  ~Franklin P. Jones

How many times have you purchased something just because it was on sale, only to find it in your closet 6 months later still with the tags on??!!  Hmmm.....guess you didn't really love that one, you just loved the price!

A bargain ain't a bargain unless it's something you need.  ~Sidney Carroll

I think one way to think about trying to buy quality pieces, is thinking of your wardrobe as an investment. You want things to last... you don't want to see the $$ end up in a bag to be donated!  Again, just as saving/investing your money, you don't put all you have into one place at one time, you add/save slowly. So think about your closet in the same way. Slowly begin to weed out the items you don't love and one by one add those quality pieces you will love forever.

One place to invest in is your denim. I am a true believer in the quality of "premium" denim. It really does last, and it FITS & WEARS so much better than the less expensive brands. Now I'm not saying Gap denim is horrible, but I do know that I can only wear my Gap skinnies once or twice before I get that "saggy butt" versus my James, AG, or 7 for All Mankind jeans!  I wear jeans every day, even in the summer, so this is an easy category for me to "invest" in. I don't have to wear "dress pants" to work, I can wear jeans every day, and I pretty much do!!  When investing in a good pair of jeans, make sure you TRY ON lots of different styles, sizes, and brands....you will most definitely be a different size in every brand and style.....and who cares about the size, you want the best pair that makes you look and feel great!

Another place to invest is your shoes. You not only want shoes that are comfortable, but also shoes/boots that will last!  I have become a lover of Frye, and I now own 3 pairs of Frye boots that I absolutely love!  (I definitely didn't buy all 3 at the same time, but rather one pair per year, slowly adding to my wardrobe.) Now these can definitely be harder on the wallet, BUT right now, during all the summer sales, is the best time to buy!  I believe I have purchased all 3 of my Frye boots on sale!  Check out the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, they always have Frye boots marked down!

Now, I'm not telling you to stop shopping at H&M or Kohls or even Target. I just want you to think about the pieces you are purchasing and truly love each item that you add to your closet. Especially with more "trendy" items, it's better to spend less as you play with the trend and determine if it works for you, then you can always find a similar, higher quality piece like it. 

If you need more pointers in investing in your wardrobe, check out some of our earliest posts: here or here, read the style guide books by Nina Garcia, or check out Tim Gunn's book: A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style!  If nothing else, he can at least offer some advice in helping you "Make it Work!"

The best wardrobe is one where you have that perfect blend of the inexpensive pieces with the more expensive items.  Have fun, experiment with your style, and don't be afraid to "invest" in those "quality" pieces... You'll find yourself saving more money in the end than you might think!

Summer into Fall: Chambray

Chambray/Denim shirts have returned!  These "80s" style tops are back, but with a bit more "style/shape" & available in so many shades of denim making them more versatile and so easy to wear. I've heard that the denim shirt will be the "new cardi" for fall, which sounds great to me, as I own 3 that I love and I'm always glad to hear that what's in my closet is still "in style," right?!!

The denim shirt has complimented all the colored and printed denim we've seen this spring/summer....it's a perfect piece to add, giving a casual, yet stylish look.

I wouldn't suggest pairing the denim shirt with your regular denim jeans UNLESS you can pull it off as stylishly as this:

The two denims MUST be VERY different in wash colors....you wouldn't want to appear as if you are attempting the "Canadian tuxedo" look!!  I'd highly suggest keeping the bottom the dark wash, as that always gives a more slimming look, and then find a lighter, even distressed washed denim shirt....add heels + accessories & you're ready for a girls' night out or even a casual Friday at work!

It will definitely be a perfect piece to wear as the weather begins to turn cooler in the evenings & we head into Fall weather & fashion!  I do love the look of this "colorblocked" version from JBrand (pictured below), available at Nordstrom.

The Chambray shirt is a staple piece to add to your wardrobe, so if you haven't yet succumbed to purchasing one yet, I highly recommend it!

Here are a few places that have several options of 

chambray/denim shirts:

Madewell

JCrew

Urban Outfitters

Nordstrom

Anthropologie

Happy Shopping!

30 Jeans

So.....how many pairs of jeans do you own?


That's the question that ultimately led to this "shopaholic challenge!"
...when I started to list them, and then tried to write them all down, and then eventually just went through my drawers and counted, I ended up with 30!!  Is 30 pairs of jeans "too many?"  
Is there such a thing as "too many jeans??"  
This quote by the infamous YSL, just sums it up for me completely:


I have often said that I wish I had invented blue jeans: the most spectacular, the most practical, the most relaxed and nonchalant. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity - all I hope for in my clothes.   ~Yves Saint-Laurent


My only "defense" to this is: I don't have to "dress up" for work. I wear jeans every day, thus I have 30 pairs of jeans & only 3 pairs of "dress pants" -for those occasional events that jeans or a dress won't work for.  But....is 30 still just too many?  I did realize that 5 of those 30 I haven't worn in almost a year, and probably need to take at least 3 & consign them....which could mean that during this "challenge" I might actually be making some money??!!


I know that my body has changed, unfortunately, after passing the age 31 mark, thus my choice in style, fit, and brand of jeans has also changed. I have also worked at a retail store over this past year that specializes in fitting denim, so I have been exposed to more brands and styles than I had tried on in the past, and have found to love so many more than I could have imagined!  Even though you think you have "enough," the next style of AG or James or Joe's comes in and you fall "in love" again!  Am I crazy?


I have also fallen in love with the colored and print denim "trend" that we've seen more and more of over the past year....of those "30 Jeans," 8 of them fall into this category, including: mint, white, cobalt blue, polka dot, floral, and others. Here are links to a few of my current favs for spring/summer.  I do know I will be able to transition almost all of them (except for the white & mint) into fall....just by adding a chunky sweater and boots I can wear many of them year round!


My most recent addition: the floral denim from citizens of humanity....I LOVE them!! There aren't many available on piperlime or at nordstrom.com, but searching ebay can often result in finding a brand new pair for even less than retail price. The link I attached to the photo will bring you to piperlime's wide selection of floral denim (just click on the photo to get to the website)...which does include a NEW version of these same jeans, but with a light blue or a darker tan background = also fabulous!

I also am IN LOVE with MINT this season....I just cannot seem to get enough!  Perhaps it's because it's a shade of green, and we all know green looks fabulous on redheads, or maybe not, who knows??!! And even though I've never been much of a pastel color girl, mint just does it for me! 
I love my mint JCrew crops, especially the zipper detail-so 80s!

Have any of you succumbed to the print/colored denim "trend?"  If so....what are your favorites?


As I continue through this "shopaholic challenge," and examine my wardrobe, I will say that of those 25 pairs of jeans that I do have and wear, I LOVE just about every one of them. I have now established a denim wardrobe that is made up of pairs of jeans that fit me well-both my body and my personality, which is exciting and creates the basis to establishing the perfect "Mara Wardrobe"!!!


I will leave you with this fabulous quote I stumbled upon in my search for my denim quotes & photos. (Rita Kumar is an Indian designer I had never before heard of, but I love her take on denim!)


When women wear denim it (the derriere) must look elegant. It's the second thing every woman looks at in the mirror, but it's the first thing she cares about. She does that half twirl, her back arched and her head craned around. If the jeans are right, the experience is transforming, like putting on a magic cloak.

~ Ritu Kumar

Recycle Your Blues is Back!!

We are SO EXCITED that Gap is bringing back their AMAZING campaign from last year!!

From this Wednesday, October 6th thru Wednesday, October 20th, you can donate your old denim (any brand) and get 30% off a new pair of 1969 denim!! Your old denim will be recycled by being converted into UltraTouch natural cotton fiber insulation and donated to communities in need.

What's better than that?? Well, since you asked...Facebook Fans will get an ADDITIONAL 10% off their new jeans - so 40% off new denim!! This campaign is perfectly in time for Fall and also a great time to try their new Flare Jeans, which are very figure flattering.

Check out their fun video here about the campaign & be sure to become a fan of their facebook page.