Create28 ~ Summer Remixing

Remixing is one style trick that allows you to extend pieces throughout seasons and create new looks easily. Although I like to remix my pieces, I can sometimes have a creative block and get into a rut where it is way too easy to grab the same few items over and over again. If I take a few moments and plan ahead I am more likely to remix my looks. My example of remixing is my little striped dress. I do believe that a black and white striped dress can be a great staple in your wardrobe, I have yet to find one that I like. It's one of those elusive pieces for me. Since blue has become a go-to color in my wardrobe I'm using a white and blue striped dress as a basis for my remix.

After starting with the basic dress, I simply looked in my closet for a piece that would allow me to remix the dress and create a different look. The blouse I chose has the same basic colors but an opposite print. Since I'm remixing, I thought I would add a little pattern mixing too. Creating visual interest and variety continues to keep your wardrobe fresh.

By adding an untucked blouse and belt, the dress takes on a whole new look. It appears to have a look of a jacket and gives a professional flair to the ensemble.

Next, I simply removed the belt and tied the shirt tales to create a put together look with a more casual vibe.

dress/ON {similar, similar} blouse/the limited {similar, similar} shoes/dsw {similar, similar}

I kept the accessories minimal for this look because there is a lot going on with patterns, belting and tying. I actually tried to add a necklace but it just looked out-of-place.

This is a three-fer type of look. Using two pieces and a few accessories, three outfits were created. Did you notice the shoes remained the same? This was actually a really simple look and I'm sure you can do the same by just perusing your own closet a little bit.

One of my blogger friends, Alex {Undergraduate Style} created a board for remixing. Hope you'll check it out for more inspiration.

Follow Alex Welch's board Remixaholics on Pinterest.
Tomorrow Whitney's here with her favorite jewelry. She's a Rockbox girl and should have some lovely pieces to share.
Last week our link-up grew! We were excited to see it grow. Feel free to spread the word to your friends, too. We loved seeing your looks on Instagram too. #Create28Summer Looks. We each chose a favorite look from the link-up last week. Here's our reveal our favorites and the most clicked. Sandy, at Sandy a la Mode, you stole our hearts with a picture perfect look and that baby...we were just gushing! Morgan, at Pampers & Pearls rocked the crop top and culottes with confidence. Jess, at Elegantly Dressed and Stylish pulled off all white with perfection. Good job, ladies! Hope to see you back again this week. The most clicked was Katie at The Mishaps and Mayhem of a Solitary Life. She also rocked the all white with a little pop of color in just the right way.
It's time to share your looks from last week. Link 'em up ladies! We can't wait to see your lovely looks!
Be sure to scroll all the way down to enter the giveaway, friends!

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  Where I'm linking up.

An InLinkz Link-up

Seven on Sunday ~ Week 30

We got back from our little summer vacation last weekend (vaca recap HERE) and tried to get back into the groove this week!

Day 1: Sunday ~ This pretty much sums it up.

Day 2: Monday ~ Back to the pool with friends. I love watching these kiddos! The pool is freezing right now, but they don't care one bit!

Day 3: Tuesday ~ We decided on an impromptu picnic lunch on the grass in Tiburon. We watched the boats come in and had ice cream--nothing better! It was such a gorgeous day!

Day 3: Wednesday ~ I made an appointment for Sarah's 1st (yes FIRST) haircut! I know, she's 3! I just knew I got Brooke's hair cut really young and all her beautiful curls disappeared, never to return. I was so bummed! I took a pic of Sarah's curls so I could remember them :)

Day 4: Thursday ~ Haircut day! We cut about an inch off so some of her curls stayed in tact! Yay! Probably after the next cut, they'll be gone forever, but glad to have a little curl until then :)

Day 5: Friday ~ We went to the pool every day this week-i think this kid is turning into a total beach bum :)

Day 7: Saturday ~ We are rearranging the kid's rooms which entailed us making our annual pilgrimage to IKEA (definite love/hate relationship with that place). On the way home, we stopped at this Food Truck Court thing, which I've always wanted to do. Scott and I shared the best chicken sandwich I've had in my life from a Southern Comfort food truck. I may have eaten my weight in fried chicken and eaten a week's worth of calories, but it was worth every bite!

Have a great Sunday!! XOXO


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Create28 ~ Summer Shoes

I can't believe we are already on Day 19 of Create28!  Today I'll be talking about my favorite shoes for summer!

Listen, I am a recovering flip-flops addict, so while I don't get super fancy with my summer shoes, I have found some fun, new shoes that are GREAT alternatives to flip flops.

First, here is why I was a flip flops addict for so many years:

~ They are comfy
~ They are easy to just slide on
~ They go with everything
~ They **can** be cute if you get the right pair!

I still LOVE my Havaianas flip flops, don't get me wrong. I will never abandon my first love :) But they don't exactly scream "style!" Here are some of my new faves that are comfy, easy and go with virtually everything!

Options 1 & 2 are just as easy to put on as flip flops, but gives an outfit WAY more style.

Option 1: Slide-On Sandals ~ These slides are probably the most worn shoes in my closet right now!! I never dreamed I'd wear them so much. They are just like flip flops in that they slide right on, but the embellishment and style make them so much more put-together-looking :)

Slide-On Sandal Options ~

Option 2: Slide-on Sneakers ~ You probably know my Converse love by now and I especially love these that don't tie. Yes, my Chucks have seen better days and I need a new pair, but just looking at them, you know I wear them...like, A LOT!!!!

Slide-On Sneaker Options ~

Options 3 & 4 are not slide ons and for this reason I thought I'd HATE them, but they're really not that much trouble at all! I'm glad I tried something new :)

Option 3: Low Wedge Sandals ~ Although I love tall wedges like THESE, I just don't wear tall wedges on a daily basis. These low wedges, though, I DO!! They are tall enough to elongate my short legs,but not too tall where I can't run around and chase my kids in them! I wear these with shorts, skirts, jeans, whatever!!!

Low Wedge Options ~

Option 4: Glitter or Embellished Sandals ~ Something about glitter or embellishment on shoes can really "make" a plain outfit feel special. I snagged these at Target for about $12 on sale and I love wearing them. They're flat and comfy and I just can't argue with glitter :) Click HERE for my exact sandals.

Glitter/Embellished Sandal Options ~

These four pairs of shoes (AND my flip flops!!) are what I live in...all the way until October! I'm really glad I finally have some "new" options besides just always reaching for my Havaianas just because I think they're easy....but they're just too good to abandon completely!

What are your "go to" shoes in the summer?? Don't forget to show us your faves by linking up tomorrow OR at #Create28SummerLooks! AND!!! Tomorrow the raffle opens for a $75 gift card to Gap Brands, Nordstrom, Loft or Tarjay....I think that's enough to make everyone happy!! :)

 I'll leave you with more Summer Footwear inspiration!

Follow A Little Bit of Cheer's board Summer Footwear on Pinterest.

 See where I link up HERE.

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

I'm on Instagram now! Yippeee! Follow me HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Follow me on Bloglovin' HERE 

Create28 ~ Sneakers

In April I treated myself by purchasing a pair of classic, white Converse sneakers.  At first I was unsure about how this footwear would work with my typically feminine style.  Three months later, however, they are one of my most-worn pair of shoes!  They have made four previous blog appearances and have been worn countless other times.

I find that my Converse work really well with my girly pieces to create more of a fun and playful vibe.  I also find that they add dimension to some of my more classic items of clothing.  Take this basic romper, for example.  I can dress it up with heals and a crystal necklace for a summer dinner date.  I could step it down just a notch by wearing it with a cute pair of flats and a belt for lunch with girlfriends. And finally, by pairing it with my Converse, I have a comfy look for grabbing a morning coffee.  Before I purchased these sneakers, I had only two variations on the romper look.  Now, one romper = three looks!

What are your favorite sneakers?  Are they a classic pair of converse or a bright pair of Nikes?  As usual, Carrie, Casey and I want to see how you styled your sneakers.  Show us on Instagram (#create28summerlooks) and by linking-up on Monday!

Need some more inspiration?  Here are some other ways I've worn my Converse plus a Pinterest board full of ideas!

Follow Whitney R.'s board Favorite Sneakers on Pinterest.

We're going to continue talking shoes tomorrow when Casey shows you her favorite summer pair!

What I'm Wearing:

Romper: H&M (exact)

Denim Jacket: Hand-me-down (similar)

Necklace: Kendra Scott c/o Rocks Box (exact)

Converse: DSW (exact)

Create28 ~ Summer Blues

There are a couple of common sayings that relate to summer. "Dog Days of Summer" and "Summer Blues". Both seem to relate to a long hot summer that can sometimes be wearing on a person. I know I've heard the "Dog Days of Summer" repeated over and over during the month of August when the temps are high and no break in it is seen on the horizon. Summer blues is tied to the emotional heath of a person who tires of the heat. For the most part I enjoy summer and the heat. Don't get me wrong though, by the end of the summer {Octoberish} I'll be impatiently waiting for cooler temps...but not today! I'm making a little play on summer blues and featuring an outfit centered on blue.


I featured these striped shorts for my All-American Patriotic Look {here} and am glad to be remixing them for this look. I'm a big fan of stripes and these shorts give me the opportunity to try stripes in a different way other than a top.
Navy and mint create a sweet color combo with dark {bolder} and light {softer}. In order to focus on blue I added a scarf which brings in other blue tones while being complimentary to the mint as well. Summer blues = summer ease for this look.

shorts/ON {similar, similar} tank/ON {similar, similar} scarf/gift {similar} wedges/dsw {similar}

Styling with blue provides so many options. It's one of your basic neutral colors which gives you lots of options when adding color. You can check my Pinterest board for more inspiration.

Follow Carrie Carson's board Summer Blues on Pinterest.

Whitney's up tomorrow with a favorite sneakers look for summer. Hope you'll stop back and see what she features. Have a lovely day, friends!

Where I'm linking up.

Create28 ~ A Casual-Sporty Look

"Sporty" can definitely encompass many different looks. You can be "gym sporty" with cute workout attire, you can be "baseball sporty" like Whitney's look yesterday or you can be "casual sporty" which is one of my favorite, easy looks.

In this look I am just wearing a cotton, striped jersey dress --a wardrobe essential in my opinion! I added my Converse sneakers and a baseball hat which are also two wardrobe essentials!! My Chucks have seen better days because I wear them SO OFTEN! I am in the market for a couple more pairs--maybe one white pair and a colored pair. I can totally picture a nice red pair with this outfit!!

A cute baseball cap can cover a multitude of sins, let me tell you! From tired eyes to a bad hair day--a fun baseball-style hat can be both cute and functional.

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Striped Dress Options (click on any image for details) ~

Chambray Options ~

Sneaker Options ~

Cute Baseball Hat Option ~ 

A few of my "casual sporty"-look DOs and DON'Ts ~

1. DO wear casual, wash and wear fabrics for ultimate ease and comfort!

2. DO choose a cute pair of sneakers or slip ons.

3. DON'T wear tennis shoes--I leave my bulky gym shoes for just that--the gym! Or when I'm in the mood for the "gym sporty" look. "Casual sporty" is supposed to look like a put-together outfit, not workout attire :)

4. DON'T over complicate things and add lots of accessories. I know as people who enjoy fashion, we always like to add, add, add...accessories, pops of color, layers, etc. But the beauty of an outfit like this is it's simplicity.

Here is more "Sporty" inspiration for ya!

Follow A Little Bit of Cheer's board Sporty Looks on Pinterest.

Join us tomorrow as Carrie sings the Summer Blues!! Hint: There is nothing SAD about her outfit!!


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

I'm on Instagram now! Yippeee! Follow me HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Follow me on Bloglovin' HERE  

See where I link up HERE

Create28 ~ Batter Up! A Baseball Look

One of my favorite things to do on a sunny, summer afternoon is sit back, relax and enjoy a baseball game!  I grew-up attending games in Chicago with my family because my dad is a big Cubs fan.  While I'll still root for the Cubbies, I've grown into a fan of my home state's team, the Detroit Tigers! In any case, a few hours spent at the stadium with a hot dog (my favorite part) and a good game to watch make for the perfect summer afternoon in my book!

Obviously a tee supporting your favorite team and a pair of comfy shorts make for a perfect baseball-watching ensemble.  However, the cute clothes lover in me always wants to spice things up a bit!

One way to add interest to a simple "jeans and tee" outfit is to add a completer piece.  A completer piece can be a cardigan, blazer, denim jacket, vest or any other element beyond your top and bottoms.  You might be thinking, "Whitney, it's summer.  I do not want to be wearing a jacket!"  And you're right!  If it's too steamy outside to wear an extra layer, try tying it around your waist instead.  Or you could add a denim or cargo vest for a lighter option.

Another idea for creating a more interesting baseball look is to work with color.  Maybe you have a skirt that is the perfect shade of Washington National's Red!  Pair it with your tee!  Or perhaps you own a cardigan that really brings-out the orange in your Baltimore Oriole's gear, perfect!

My last tip in putting together your perfect baseball uniform is to add a pattern.  Patterns always add interest to an outfit.  You can work with neutrals (I bet those black and white striped shorts in your closet would look super cute) or the colors of your team!

For my Create28 Batter Up Baseball Look, I've followed each of these tips!  A navy and white gingham shirt worn open (so you can see my Tigers tee, of course) adds detail, color and pattern to my jeans and t-shirt.  You could replicate this look with jeans or shorts depending on the weather and I think that sneakers add the final sporty touch!

Who are you rooting for this summer and what are you going to wear to cheer them on?  Show us on Instagram (#create28summerlooks) and at our Monday link-up!  Also, check-out my Pinterest board for some more baseball inspiration!

Follow Whitney R.'s board Batter Up Baseball Looks on Pinterest.

Carrie, Casey and I have sports on the brain so check back tomorrow for Casey's Sporty Look!

What I'm Wearing:

Tee: Meijer 

Gingham Shirt: Banana Republic (similar, similar)

Jeans: American Eagle (exact)

Sneakers: DSW (exact)