Staple Item: Striped Tee

I had a few extra days off from nannying this week (and some extra hours at Express...thanks, Black Friday). I was able to spend some quality time with my family, my boyfriend, and the pup! It was great to take a breather. However, tomorrow it's back to work, and I couldn't be happier to see the boys I nanny!

This Sunday I had some errands to run in the morning, a lunch date, and a closing shift at Express. I wanted to dress for comfort, yet still presentable. I chose a basic stripe tee with my faded, medium-wash jeans. I dressed this casual outfit up by adding a colorful scarf and pumps. As you may already know, when shopping for shoes I prefer to buy leather or suede. Being a New England girl, I need a shoe that can last through all the various weather we experience! My motto is: Why buy a cheap shoe if you will just need to buy it again next season? Recently I have also loved the pointed-toe and straps; and these green leather pumps have it all! They add just the right amount of sophistication to an outfit, with a pump low enough to be casual. 

A striped tee is 100 times better than a plain white tee! A white shirt is fundamental and can be seen in most people's closets. However, wearing a simple white tee can become some what of an annoyance, especially while working with children. The smallest stain or tear can be seen; making you look less pulled together. 

Here's a secret for all you practical fashionistas out there. Replace that white tee with a striped one! It is just as versatile, neutral, and timeless as a white tee, but with other perks! Let's face it, as great as a white tee can be, it can become meh. A striped tee can give a nice touch of patterning to an outfit. And all those stains from playing with children (all my fellow nannies know mistakes will happen)? Hidden! This is why it will always be filed under one of my favorite wardrobe essentials. 

Since a striped tee is the perfect "neutral" of the print world. It goes nicely with many other patterns, denim, khaki, and leather. The possibilities of what to wear with this amazing wardrobe staple are endless, but here are some of my favorites to pair it with:

-Leopard print (also a neutral pattern)

-Floral print

-Plaid

-Denim shirt/jacket

-Knit poncho

OUTFIT DETAILS: Nautical Stripe Oversized Top: Forever 21. T-Strap Pumps: Nine West. THESE PUMPS ARE CURRENTLY $40 OFF! Jeans: Express. Leather Belt: Express. This belt is currently only sold in select stores. A link to Express' black belts is located here. My scarf use to belong to my late Grandmother. Links for floral scarves are here, here, here, and here.

I hope you all have a great start to the week! As always, thank you for reading.

Thanksgiving 2015

My favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, has come and gone.  There is something so refreshing and heartwarming about slowing down and spending time with family and friends.  This Thanksgiving I had my heart set on wearing my new suede flats from Nine West. These flats are not only comfortable and stylish, but they are also the perfect color for this holiday.

This Thanksgiving was much warmer than last year's (I'm pretty sure we already had snow)! With the sixty degree weather, I wore a light sweater with a silk scarf.  My flats made the orange accenting in the scarf pop, and tied my outfit together. I wore mid-wash jeans to match the blue hues in my patterned scarf.

OUTFIT DETAILS: Scarf: Thrift Store find. Similar Styled Scarves: H&M Patterned Scarf and H&M Patterned Silk Scarf. Sweater: Express. This sweater is from last winter. Similar sweaters here and here. Jeans: Express. Suede Flats: Nine West.
RIGHT NOW THESE STORES ARE HAVING BLACK FRIDAY SALES!!!!!

I hope that you all had a safe and happy holiday! As always, thanks for reading.

Faux Fur Vest

There is something so wonderful about a nice vest! When it comes to New England weather, it can be cold one minute, warm the next. For this reason, vests are a great choice for outerwear during the fall season.  Pair it with a cozy sweater (like I did below) and you are all set for the ever changing fall weather! 

  

I have always been a sucker for vests, but lately I have been particularly drawn to faux fur vests.  They add a nice pop of texture to an outfit, and can go with almost anything.  Recently I have been on the look out (and still am) for a nice black faux fur vest.  However, on my hunt, I have found a beige faux fur vest that caught my eye.  

 

I spotted this vest and absolutely fell in love with how unique it was. Unlike others I have seen, this one has a substantial amount of faux fur in the front. The material collects in the front, and causes it to beautifully fold open.  This gives the vest a nice detailing.  

My favorite part about this vest is that it is reversible! Versatility in an item is always a plus when shopping.  One side of this vest is beige faux fur, while the other is dark gray cotton. The cotton is comfortable, but the faux fur is unbelievably soft when worn on the inside! The combination of the two makes a thick, cozy vest that is warm and perfect to snuggle up in. Which, as us New Englanders know, is always something to consider when making a fashion purchase. This vest is a little out of my comfort zone, but the way it felt made me go for this purchase.  And I am so glad that I did!

OUTFIT DETAILS: Faux Fur Vest: Target.  This vest also comes in Plus Size.  Over-sized Cable Knit Sweater: Express.  Mine is from last season.  I have links to a similar Express sweater here and here.  Low Rise Dark Wash Denim: Express.  Gray Suede Booties: White Mountain.  However, I purchased mine from DSW at a great price!  Necklace: Nigeria. Satchel: Fossil.  This was last year's color, and is unavailable at this time. This satchel comes in various other colors, located in the Fossil link (seen above).

Thanks for reading!

Fashion vs. Style

As Alexander Wang once said, "Anyone can get dressed up and glamorous, but it is how people dress in their days off that are the most intriguing."  This quote inspires me in many ways.  It inspires me to dress "better" on a daily basis, and to dress more true to my self and my sense of personal style.  But this quote also brings up the question, what is the difference between fashion and style?

The Marriam-Webster dictionary's definition of 'fashion' is "a popular way of dressing during a particular time or among a popular group of people."  Seems simple enough.  Fashion is what designers produce for us, four times a year, at their shows.  It is the trends the stores and media present, and what the shoppers/readers consume.  But as Yves Saint Laurent once said, "Fashions fade, style is eternal."  So if fashion is external and fleeting, what is style?

Style is internal.  It is who you are as an individual.  Many people can follow a fashion trend.  Style is more personal.  With style, there is no herd to follow.  Rachel Zoe said, "Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak."  In a world where first impressions are important, one must know what image they are portraying to the world.  Style is not only the clothes we wear, but how we carry ourselves.  A pet peeve of mine is when people wear pajama pants out in public.  This shows defeat.  If you are going out of your home....put some pants on.  Please.  Dressing for success will not only have you looking good, it will have you feeling good.  And by success, I mean an outfit true to you.  If you are self-confident and embrace your own sense of style, you will radiate beauty.  But how does one begin to understand, build, and maintain their style?  I have a few tips to help you with just that!

First, assess your wardrobe and then downsize.  How many items in your closet do you actually wear?  Do you stand in the middle of your closet, frustrated because you have "nothing to wear?"  Do you try on multiple outfits and then end up leaving the house in your original outfit?  If so, you need to revamp your wardrobe!  I always find it hard to do this.  Being a shopper, and the daughter of a mother who loves to hoard (sorry Mom!), I never want to get rid of anything.  The common thoughts of What if I need that one day?, What if that comes back in style? and But I used to love that!, pop into my head.  Because of that, I have made a rule to follow when downsizing my closet.  I ask myself, have I worn this in the last year?  If not, toss it.  At times I need to be ruthless.  Favorite shirt from when you were a teen?  Toss it.  That favorite trend you were really into two years ago (mine was skulls)?  Toss it.  You've evolved past it!  Remember, it is better to have five amazing pieces in your closet, than twenty-five mediocre ones.

Once you have pulled all the old, it's time to focus on the key items.  This will not only help you discard other unwanted and unworn clothing/accessories, but it will also help you see what you actually do need to shop for.  You might not have noticed that you were missing an essential wardrobe item, such as black heels, because all the clutter.  I listed a few essentials for the working woman in my previous post, 9 Things Every Nanny Needs in Her Closet for the Fall.  Of course, there are other key items that a woman will need in life. It is all dependent on your life style, daily routine, and personal views.

Now that you have cleansed your closet, it is time to start building on to it!  This is the fun part!  Keep in mind that you should shop strategically, not aimlessly. Look for pieces that you identify with, but are also versatile.  I like to think of possible outfits while shopping.  I also like to think of my fashion inspirations, and favorite style icons, and take from there.  However, it is important, when buying clothes, to buy the correct size!!  I cannot stress this enough!  Do not buy things that you "want to fit into."  Buy clothes that fit you now.  Trust me, you will look and feel better.  Once you have the basics, you can start to add additional pieces and accessories to complete your looks.

  Remember, don't follow the herd.  Once you gain self-confidence you'll be able to fully embrace your own style.  As Coco Chanel once said, "In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different."  Focus less on fashion trends and more on your sense of style, and how you carry yourself.  Your fashion sense may have people liking the way you look, but your style is what will keep people intrigued.

Have a great rest of the week!  Thank you for stopping by, Cute Teachings!

Nine West BOGO 50% Off Sale!

Nine West is having an amazing shoe sale, that I just had to share with you.  I know, I know...I wrote about shoes on my previous post (A List of Strappy Flats), but this sale is too good to pass up.  Right now they are having a BOGO (Buy One, Get One) 50% off sale!  And here's the best part...it's on EVERYTHING!  And by everything, I mean everything.  This includes mark-downs and clearance items!  Finally, they are offering free standard shipping.  What's not to love?!  

Of course, I took full advance of this sale.  I went to the Nine West located in the Copley Place.  They are located at 9 Copley Pl, Boston MA 02116, on the second floor.  The manager assisted me and was extremely helpful and welcoming. I made sure to get her business card so I could give her a great customer survey.

My first purchase where these black Lavish T-Strap Pumps.  

Believe it or not, I did not own a pair of black pumps!  I believe that black pumps are a staple item to any woman's wardrobe, so I needed to quickly change that.  I had seen these online and fell in love.  I love the T and adjustable ankle strap because it took a nice pump and made it ultra feminine.  The cap-toe also added a nice detail to these leather pumps.  I am usually a size 6 1/2 or 7 but after talking to the manager, I found out that these run big so I ended up leaving with a size 6.

The second pair of shoes I bought were seen in the October issue of Oprah, and are exclusively from Nine West.  I purchase the Nutcracker Dress Bootie in gray leather.

Originally I fell in love with these Military Green Suede Nutcracker Dress Booties.

However, I went with the gray leather booties.  I absolutely LOVED the military green coloring, but I like leather over suede.  I feel that a suede heel is very dangerous when you live in New England.  Our side walks are uneven and you can get the heel stuck in a crack.  Furthermore, the weather can be unpredictable and you do not want to get caught in the snow/rain in suede.  For me, the leather was the best choice.  The side goring make this bootie easy to slip on and off.  They are perfect for making a statement this holiday season!

Now the next thing that happened to me was amazing!  About a week before this sale started I purchase these Elicia T-Strap Pumps.  

I had been eyeing this clearance item for a while and finally pulled the trigger and bought them!  They arrived Friday night, just as I was getting home from my trip to the Nine West store.  I absolutely fell in love with them!  They are extremely comfortable and will dress up any jean outfit without being too much.  But now I had three pairs of shoes.  I wondered if I would be able to use my third pair of shoes, and get another BOGO 50% off discount.  Well as any great shopaholic will tell you...it doesn't hurt to ask.  And that is exactly what I did.  I got on the phone with Nine West and they responded with "Of course we will honor it".  If they had these pumps in either purple leather or natural leather, I would have bought them in a heartbeat.  Sadly, they were sold out of my size, both online and in store.  So I headed back to Copley Place.

The fourth, and last, pair of shoes I bought were these Shindig Smoking Flats.

These comfortable, pointed toe flats feature a notched, low-cut vamp.  They are made of leather and have a padded insole.  The website says that these are red suede, however, once seeing them in person, they have an orange tinge to them.  These will be perfect for a Thanksgiving outfit!  

I could not be more excited to spoil myself before the holiday season.  I hope you go and check it out and spoil yourself as well!  I have provided a link to the Nine West website here.  But hurry!  This sale has gone on throughout the weekend, and I am not sure when it will end.

As always, thank you for reading!