Shop Smarter, Not Harder

Reposted from My StyleLife Philosophy

What's in your closet? Seriously, what does your wardrobe look like? How do you feel about it as a whole? How do you feel about the clothes individually? How often do you wear every item you own? Do you have a quality, functional wardrobe or one where "I have nothing to wear..." is a daily saying? These are important questions to ask yourself and to honestly answer as you evaluate your wardrobe.

Prioritizing "quality over quantity" definitely should apply to your wardrobe. If you own many pieces that you don't wear, it's time to re-evaluate what's in your closet. If you don't wear what you own, then why is it still in your wardrobe? Try each item on and be honest with yourself. Do you like it? Does it fit and flatter your figure? Any unworn and/or unflattering items just clutter what could be a fabulous boutique-like closet (that is, if it doesn't already look like that, of course).

We want options so we may buy a large quantity of clothing, but how much of it actually fits and flatters? How many of those clothes are actually worn once purchased? It's time to "shop smarter, not harder." Changing it up is important so it's extremely important to shop smart and with a plan. If your wardrobe contains QUALITY pieces that fit and flatter AND mix and match and coordinate, then you will have many more outfit options with fewer items. I'm not saying not to fill your closet. I'm just saying to have more options and less of the "I-Have-Nothing-To-Wear" syndrome, it takes strategy and effort.

Basic wardrobe staples and accents, including trendy items, should be tracked so when shopping you know what's missing from your wardrobe and what will work well in and with your current wardrobe.

Below are some outfit "switch-ups" to illustrate how you can transform an outfit by simply switching up the accent pieces.

Day Look 1
Imagine: Lunch with the Mother-in-Law

Main Staple: Calvin Klein dress  

Accents: NY&Co. earrings, bracelets, belt and bag, Bakers heels, For Love headband

 Evening Look 1
Imagine: Cocktails with coworkers

Main Staple: Calvin Klein dress  

Accents: NY&Co. belt, Express earrings and clutch, Charlotte Russe heels

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Day Look 2
Imagine: Shopping about town

Main Staples: Max Studio dress, Forever 21 coverlet

Accents: Jessica Simpson bag, For Love earrings, Target flats

Evening Look 2
Imagine: Dinner with old friends

Main Staples: Max Studio dress, Forever 21 coverlet

Accents: Express clutch, Express earrings, Target heels

For even more of a switch-up here, 

I could have left off the coverlet for day or chosen a black cropped coverlet instead for evening. 

This dress could also look more casual and just as charming with a cute denim jacket. 

Add flats or wedges and voila, perfect fall weather carnival date outfit!

Of course, any switch-up has MANY options if you're creative. :) I just want to drive the point home that quality staples and switching up the accents are important in any functional wardrobe.

It's fun to take pieces and dress them up or down, for whatever the occasion calls. 

Styling outfits, just like applying makeup, is an art form because dressing often relies on your emotions/mood of the day. How do you feel today? Translate that into your outfit and see what happens.

______________________________________________

Day Look 3
Imagine: Brunch with girlfriends

Main Staple: Scarlett dress

Accents: Miztique bag, Bakers heels, For Love earrings, Belt (n/a)

Evening Look 3
Imagine: At a winery

Main Staple: Scarlett dress

Accents: Steve Madden booties, Tommy Hilfiger wallet as clutch, For Love earrings

You may have noticed that:
I used the turquoise Bakers peep-toe heels in 2 of the above outfits. I also used the smoke and pewter For Love earrings in 2 of the above outfits. Additionally, I used the black Express clutch and the Express earrings twice in the above outfits. The strategy of choosing outfits early and being able to mix/match and coordinate also makes packing for travel much easier and maybe even fun instead of stressful.

It's not about how many items you have... it's about the quality of each item and your confidence to style each outfit with the pieces that work for you. As always, have fun and have a fabulous day every day!

<3 Catherine

July Drunken Monkey Blogger Meeting

Chitty Chat, so much to talk about!

Planned for a month, hyped and talked about throughout - the July Drunken Monkey Blogger Meeting united some fine fashion power with the purpose of making three dimensional what has been deemed by the mighty internet god that is google to have "a better grasp of social media than any other" (fashionista.com) as well as of course having a good time. Set up and organized by ever partying, awesome bird-plastic-scenery-jewelry wearing Fi from SaveOurShoes (or short: fashion SOS), the combined force of twenty or so fashion bloggers was seen strutting their vintage or/ and fabulous self in Shoreditch, getting stuffed on Dim Sum at the very busy Drunken Monkey Bar. Although Rena from The Fashion Dreamer seemed to have had a bad experience of waiting and service at the bar, mine was wonderful. I got served almost immediately by such a lovey girl I gave her a 15% tip on top of the incredibly overpriced but very tasty Caipirinha.

Wahey, I was sitting with fellow vegetarians. And there's Cillian in the striped mariner shirt!

Anywhooo, waiting with me at the bar was my favourite new bloggerista of the night, Maria who contributes to Mediacation. Fun and witty, I later found out that, strangely enough, the very same mentioned blog is Nik's - who just so happened to have been my favourite new blogger (isto?) of the evening and equally as fun and witty, someone I'm sure I could hang out with every day if must be. Isn't that a strange coincidence? Perhaps not.

My favourite people of the night, all in one picture!
Image courtesy of Mariana Moyano

Perhaps it simply shows they really are a match made in heaven and that his blog must be absolutely my type. Another of my now favourite male fashion tweeple to join my personal top list made up of Anastasia and Duck, The Very Simon G, Prince Pelayo, Jim Chi, the designer David McGee and of course Bryanboy and Nik Thakkar, is Cillian from Male Mode. Cillian and Nik are awesome. I had some really nice chats with them about my upcoming male collection and they graciously agreed to be part of my 'focus group' in case I needed any advice to support Ciello Leirner in his endeavor.

Party like it's hot!

My friend Alex from AlexLoves was there in her amazing new dress that she had snapped up from My Sugarland recently, chatting wedged in between the new face of Motorola, our little star Frankie from SwellVintage and Kate from The Fabric of my Life. I also finally met Katie from The London Plinth, the stylist who found me and whom I have to thank for asking me to make the Royal Mail Stage Dress for Gabby Young, the lead singer of Gabby Young and Other Animals.

It's time to pose!
First two images courtesy of Mariana Moyano

Sitting at the table I got quite excited about meeting the doll face Natasha from Natasha Bailie who I waved at once I found out who she was (my god she is pretty!) yelling "NATASHA!!" like a relieved happy monkey (relieved because Maria was helping me put names to faces). Luckily, she seemed to know who I was (or at least pretended to), reducing any embarrassment that could have quite easily be bucketed over me. Another doll face of the evening was Jenny from The Style PA who I had only heard of through other people's tweets so far. I do have a thing for doll faces (much like I do for long legs) so I'm afraid I may have stared in their direction quite a bit.

Pretty Fashion Dreamer Rena

Not long after everyone was hungry enough to order more food than any amount of bloggers could possibly eat, my gorgeous friend Mariana, a writer for Sketchbook Magazine, with more rhythm in her little finger than Ricky Martin has in his whole body, showed up in a Lira Leirner dress which she borrowed - the Snowflakes Rose Dress (which is still available and a size 8- 12), paired with a black bust top underneath, black pearl studs and cream and black heels. I myself was wearing a Lira Leirner piece as well - the Leather and Silk Jumpsuit which was inspired by the five inch Japanese Silver leather and Patent platforms by Lanvin.

The Jester dress that diffused my argument

We made it out and continued our pursuit of blogger happiness at the Electricity Showrooms club, which involved a little and a big drama. The little drama was that Mariana and I lost the group and waited outside the club for a while before Alex's dress flashed through the night and guided us, the big drama being a crazy/ drunk guy throwing shots glasses in the air, scattering glass and cutting Natasha's beautiful shoulder!! Everyone let me pass to the front of the bar upon telling them what for and I quickly acquired a massive blue patch for her, but we made sure to leave those haunted grounds and moved onto a bar so full, I didn't even manage to get the name! All I remember is that it was located in Hoxton Square at the corner, had an upside down (face) bike, the film "one flew over the cuckoo's nest" projected onto the middle of the room with random , candles, sculptures and general colorful lights and awesomeness. I am so going back and I recommend it to anyone. If only I had paid attention to the bloody name!

Now everybody say "We are awesome and we know it"

We danced and chatted the night away. However, at around one in the morning I had to make my way home and after a painful two and a half hours I finally landed in bed. And slept. And slept. And slept some more. Fashion bloggers may be deemed by google to know social media better than anyone else, but you know what else they do better? PARTY!

Reflection in the ceiling... that's Cellian in the Mariner shirt!

FALLING FOR

The up and coming fall season and the new fall GAP line!

Just look at this sneak peak photo:


This girl (ME) is excited to RECREATE THIS ENTIRE LOOK!

It just SCREAMS: "Me, Me, ME!"

:)

I love the bag, the pants... OhMG the pants... I like them!!, and the top.
This outfit looks comfortable; it's GAP, so it's affordable; it's simple, which is my style...

Wayne's World flashback.
(But if reference to an outfit and not a guitar)


Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

GOODNESS ME

Update...

items recently lusted over have officially been PURCHASED!

Amici Accessories Braid Trip Shopper in Cream
Juicy Couture Gardenia sequin espadrilles
(LAST PAIR--now SOLD OUT)
Sun Dot Dress

And my credit card weeps with both the joy of new items and the loss of invisible money.

Poop.


NOW I am officially done spending $$ for the month of March. No more extras just bills... :(