The Faux Fur Vest Part II ~ Casual

Last week, I admitted that finding a faux fur vest that didn't look horrible on me was quite an undertaking! Glad I was patient and held out for one I really liked. Although I was orignally looking for a tan/brown vest, I am finding that this black one is working pretty well!

Fur Vest: JC Penny- i can't find the link but it is from the Jrs. section (similar, similar)
Top: Lush (exact)
Jeans: Wit & Wisdom (exact)
Boots: Frye (similar)

One night I wore it dressed up with a little cocktail dress and heels (pics to come) and in this outfit, it pairs well with jeans and boots for a casual look. I love really love when a "trendy" piece like this can be dressed up or down and do double duty in your closet. Typically, we find very few ways to wear trendy pieces and tire of them quickly. At least, I do :)

Here are a few of my current Pinterest faves with the black fur vest ~

1. I need to try it with chambray! I might go with a slightly lighter shirt:

...and how cozy is this look with the red pants??!

2. The all black look intrigues me...with maybe a pop of color in shoes, handbag or scarf?

3. With plaid..because OF COURSE! I have this exact plaid shirt so I will be replicating this outfit soon!

Time to link up! Don't forget to use the hashtag #lovelylittlealamode on social media!

Hosted by ~

Carrie/A Lovely Little Wardrobe ~ Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram

Whitney/Whitney à La Mode ~ Bloglovin/Instagram

Casey/A Little Bit of Cheer ~ Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram

Each week we choose a favorite...check out Carrie and Whitney's blogs to see if it's you! My favorite look this week was Laura from I Do Declare! I have been wanting red jeans FOREVER and she pairs them perfectly with black and camel. I absolutely LOVE this color combo!! Read her entire post HERE.

Now let's get linking! We like to keep things simple around here. Just link up your favorite posts--fashion, beauty, food, DIY, anything goes! Follow your hosts on social media, have fun and be inspired! Thanks for linking up!

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12/7 {Pearl Harbor - okay I'm a former History teacher}

An InLinkz Link-up

Create28 Fall ~ Four Essential Vests for Fall

I rarely come in contact with a vest I don't like...cargo/military, puffer,denim, herringbone, fur you name it! I love vests! They are such a nice, functional layer to your Fall outfit. Here I'll show you my top FOUR favorite vests for fall...

Vest #1: Herringbone ~ This vest is an oldie but goodie. It's a "look for less" vest I picked up from Jane.come, a knockoff of the original J. Crew herringbone vest.

The Herringbone vest works great with ~
~ Jeans
~ Burgundy Jeans/Cor
~ Plaid

Herringbone Vest: Splurge, The Look for Less

Vest #2: The Puffer ~ I love puffer vests on days I just don't want to wear a full-on jacket or coay but need the extra warmth and layer. This down one from Eddie Bauer has been in my closet for YEARS and I wear in constantly on the weekends, to soccer games and other causal outings.

The Puffer vest works great with ~
~ Jeans
~ Casual outfits
~ Sneakers
~ Plaid shirt

Puffer Vest: Eddie Bauer (cute option, cute option)

Vest #3: Cargo/Military  ~ This is hands down my most worn vest. I wear all 3 seasons...with shorts and tees in the summer and with jeans/dresses/tights in the fall and winter.

The Cargo/Military vest works well with ~
 ~ Jeans
~ Casual dresses and tights
~ Leopard
~ Plaid
~Stripes
~ Layered over sweaters
~ ANYTHING!! :)

Cargo/Military Vest: option, option

Vest #4: Faux Fur  ~ Yes, it's a trendy item (see yesterday's post HERE), but since I was able to get this vest for a steal, I latched on to the trend :) Fur vests, if you find the right one, are just a little trendy update that your wardrobe might need for Fall!

The Fur vest works well with ~
~ Plaid and Gingham
~ Jeans
~ Dresses
~ Black Jeans
~ Sunglasses (just kidding..it was literally 90 degrees when I took this pic!)

Grey Fur Vest: option, option

Are you a vest lover like me? What are your favorite vests for fall???

I can't believe it, but October is coming to a close and we are winding down #Create28 Fall Looks! Join me on Friday as I recap my favorite looks from the month including my faves from Carrie and Whitney!

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Create28 Fall ~ Pinned It & Did It!

One of my favorite ways to get outfit inspiration is of course, Pinterest! Problem is, I Pin a zillion things and follow through on one or two! This is why I love these Pinned It & Did It posts! It forces me to go back through my pins and find ones I have been dying to try.

Here is one of my VERY first pins--one of the first Fall outfits I pinned when I first opened my Pinterest account a year or two ago!

I have LOVED the fur vest (I love vests of any kind...more on that tomorrow!!)  but I know it's a trend and I typically am very cautious when I purchase "trendy items." I will wait a season or two to see if the trend sticks or goes away because the last thing I want is a closet of things I can't wear.

So I am going to lay it all out about the backstory of this vest ~ First, it's a kid's vest (Justice!!!). Next, I found it at a kids consignment store! The best part was, it was $7. I figured $7 wasn't bad to "try the trend."

Will I splurge for a more expensive version? Probably not. Fur vests can go bad really quick if you don't get the "right" one and you can end up looking like you had a dead animal draped around you. So the ones I have found and actually LIKED are pretty pricey. There are other more classic pieces I want to spend my money on (AKA: The Blardigan)!!

Verdict: Consignment stores and the kid's section work well for me when trying trendy items!!! :)

Here are some of the fur vests I like where the "dead-animal-look" factor is low :)

Time to link up! Don't forget to use the hashtag #lovelylittlealamode on social media!

Hosted by ~

Carrie/A Lovely Little Wardrobe ~ Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram

Whitney/Whitney à La Mode ~ Bloglovin/Instagram

Casey/A Little Bit of Cheer ~ Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram

Each week we choose a favorite...check out Carrie and Whitney's blogs to see if it's you! My favorite look this week was Hilary from EmbellishMINTS. I am a sucker for cobalt and stripes and she wears both PERFECTLY. Read her entire post HERE.

Now let's get linking! We like to keep things simple around here. Just link up your favorite posts--fashion, beauty, food, DIY, anything goes! Follow your hosts on social media, have fun and be inspired! Thanks for linking up!

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Casual Classic Wardrobe Staples ~ Fall Edition + LINK UP

It's MONDAY!!! As usual, Carrie, Whitney and I are hosting A Lovely Little à La Mode Link Up today, so if you're a blogger, please join us! The girls and I are also continuing a little mini series for the next 3 Mondays, so feel free to join in!

Monday 9/7 ~ Summer Dresses (see post HERE)
Monday 9/14 (today!) ~ A Classic Piece
Monday 9/21 ~ An Essential Bag
Monday 9/29 ~ Fall Transition

Today our mini-series focuses on a Classic Pieces. Last Spring when I first started blogging about clothes, I shared my "Mom Essentials" or what I called Casual-Classic Wardrobe Staples for Moms. Read the original post HERE. These aren't trendy or ground breaking items. They are just classic items that serve two purposes ~

1) These items rarely go out of style, so you can wear them for years to come.

2) With these items, no matter what, you will always have something to wear to look pulled together.

My Current Faves

1 ~ Great Jeans: Wit and Wisdom Skinnies, Express Mid Rise Skinnies, Express Mid Rise Baby Boot
2 ~ Striped Tee: LOFT, J.Crew Factory, Old Navy
3 ~ Scarves: Leopard Option, Floral Option, Plaid Option, Fringe Option
4 ~ Neutral Flats (don't forget leopard is a neutral!!): Lucky Brand, BCBG, Sam Edelman,
Leopard Flats, Leopard Flats
5 ~ Layering Tees: Caslon/Nordstrom, J. Crew Factory, LOFT
6 ~ Long Necklace: Express, Stella and Dot, Kendra Scott

I also shared 4 simple outfits you could wear, just with these few items above. See original post HERE ~

I thought I would update this post and show you some of my current favorite items AND add a few more Casual Classic Wardrobe Staples for Moms with items specifically for Fall. In addition to the basic items above, here are a few more classic pieces you can throw in the mix for Fall ~

My Current Faves

1. Tunic/Tunic Blouse ~ (exact above, chambray tunic, sweater tunic)
2. Plaid Shirt/Button Down ~ (exact above, plaid tunic, chambray button down, casual button down)
3. Light Sweater ~ (exact above, option, option)
4. Leggings ~ (exact above, my fave, option)
5. Vest ~ (exact above, option, option, option)
7. Riding Boots ~ (exact above, option, option)

With these items (along with the original Casual Classic Wardrobe Staples) you can put together endless amounts of casual, "everyday" outfits! Here are just three outfit formulas you can put together ~

*** Just a behind the scenes note...it was literally 100 degrees when I took these pics so please bear with the sunshine, beads of sweat and forced smiles!! LOL!

1. Jeans + Light Sweater + Scarf + Riding Boots

2. Jeans + Striped Tee + Vest + Riding Boots

3. Leggings + Tunic + Flats

...I could go on and on! There are so many ways to wear such a small number of items!

Many of us love clothes and shopping but for many women, it's overwhelming. I feel like going back to the basics and looking a simple "classic" list like this helps us focus on what we really need to build a great wardrobe.

What are your classic wardrobe staples?? Don't forget to check out the fabulous Carrie and Whitney and see what their Classic Pieces are!

Time to link up! Don't forget to use the hashtag #lovelylittlealamode on social media!

Hosted by ~

Carrie/A Lovely Little Wardrobe ~ Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram

Whitney/Whitney à La Mode ~ Bloglovin/Instagram

Casey/A Little Bit of Cheer ~ Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram

Each week we choose a favorite...check out Carrie and Whitney's blogs to see if it's you! Here was my favorite this week: Adriele from Style Assisted! She combines 3 of my absolute favorite items--gingham, vest and Converse!! I'm in love with this casual look for Fall and I will be copying you, Adriele!!! See her original post HERE.

Now let's get linking! We like to keep things simple around here. Just link up your favorite posts--fashion, beauty, food, DIY, anything goes! Follow your hosts on social media, have fun and be inspired! Thanks for linking up!

<a href="http://www.alittlebitofcheer.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/button%20small_zpsujefyz2q.png~original" alt="A Lovely Little À La Mode Link Up" width="125" height="125" /></a>

Don't forget to follow A Little Bit of Cheer on Facebook HERE

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See where I link up HERE

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Remixing & Tips for Shopping on thredUP

Happy Wednesday! Last month, I featured this black lace skirt (originally $108!) that I bought on thredUP for $11! See original post HERE.

Today, I am remixing this awesome skirt and transitioning it to Fall!

Lace Skirt: J.Crew via thredUP (option, option)
Olive Top: Target (similar, similar)
Vest: via Jane.com (the "real" one, option)--check Jane and Groopdealz, often! I have already seen this vest on both sites and they sell out FAST!
Ankle Boots: DSW (option, option, option)
Necklace: Stella & Dot (exact)

This little lace skirt is SO versatile and spans the seasons, which you know I LOVE! Later on, I will definitely throw on some tights and tall boots or black wedge booties as well.

Can you believe I got this $108 skirt for $11? I used a $20 credit that I got for initially signing up. You can do the same!! Click HERE to sign up with thredUP ASAP and both of us will get a $20 credit for anything on their site!

Now, if you haven't used thredUP before, it can be a little overwhelming. They are SO MANY ITEMS on their site, which is a great thing, but it can get time consuming to sift through it all. Since I have become a regular thredUP shopper, I put together some tips that will hopefully help you easily navigate their site and find things you LOVE!

1. Computer ~ Use a PC or home computer/laptop vs. a tablet or your phone if you want to search for something really specific such as "striped skirt" "polka dot top." There is no search bar on the app (see #2).

2. Search Bar ~ At the top right of the website (not the app), there is a search bar that works really well at narrowing down a specific item. For instance "long cardigan" or "polka dot top."

3. Sizing ~ After searching for something specific, always put in your sizing and save your search--use the orange "Save Now" button on the top left. This makes it really easy to go back a few times a week (day?!) and see what they have added. They seem to add new items by the hour!

4. Personal Shop ~ Create a personal shop of brands you love, along with your sizing. For instance, I know my sizing at J. Crew Factory, so I have a J. Crew Factory shop with my sizes entered. I can just go to my personal "J. Crew Shop" and it's just like shopping at that store, but everything is in my size! Score :)

5. Specific Searches ~ It's too overwhelming to just search for "Casual Tops," so what I do is add all the brands I love and ONLY search on those brands and my specific size. By adding brands you know and love, there will be a much better chance it will fit you, too since you are familiar with the sizing.

I hope this helps encourage you to check out ThredUp! Use this link and enjoy your $20 shopping spree!


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