Category: Women’s Style

How many times have you seen a print or color that you love but you leave it behind at the store because you just aren’t confident enough to take the risk and wear it? Accessories are a great way to try out some of those trends and colors while accomplishing the goal of adding a little extra punch to an outfit.

Today, we’re talking about clutches – a fabulous accessory that can accomplish your fashion experimentation goal.

When you’re used to carrying around a large handbag filled with items that meet the needs of your children, it can feel exhausting to carry around and less than stylish to say the least.

But what about those times when you actually get out for date night with your significant other or some fun with your girlfriends? Well ladies, it’s time to forgo the oversized bag and spruce up your outfit with a rockin’ clutch.

What Is a Clutch?

A clutch is  a small handbag that fits just the necessities for an evening out – identification, money, cellphone, lip gloss and small compact. There are larger clutches that fit more, so depending on the look you are going for or your needs, you can choose accordingly. Most clutches do not have straps, some come with handles.

Take a Fashion Risk with Your Clutch

So how do you choose a clutch that works for you? It depends on the outfit and personal style, but trust me when I tell you that accessories are a great way to take risks with fashion and try something new, so don’t play it safe my friends.

Not sure if you can pull of animal print? Pick up a clutch like the snakeskin bag pictured. Love the idea of the peacock feather trend we’ve seen a lot of lately? Pick up a cobalt wrap dress and pair it with the clutch we found.

Have a lot of solid prints in your closet? Add a pop of magenta or mustard yellow to your little black dress or chocolate brown maxi sundress with these clutches we found over at Polyvore.

Finally, a silver and black clutch are solid investment pieces, so don’t hesitate to pick both of these up. Consider them in a textured material for a little extra interest and you’ll go back to these pieces for years to come.

Fashion risks don’t have to be bold choices taken only with your clothing, start with your accessories and build into bigger pieces, or simply stick to the accessories – that’s ok, too.

Would you purchase any of these clutches? What accessories do you love to take fashion risks with?

Image: Polyvore

I believe I am evolving with my fashion sense because I am in love with ModCloth. It is a vintage inspired fashion and accessory site that began simply as a reseller of vintage finds. At this point, they’ve grown and they sell both authentic vintage clothing and also carry lines that are inspired by vintage looks.

And they are simply fantastic.

I love the girly feel, the clean lines and the overall refined look. What I also love is they keep in mind all body types. You will find petite through plus size models on their sites, making all women feel welcome and beautiful while shopping, and I love that.

So why Modcloth? Well, let’s get real, when it comes to fashion in the last ten years, there has been a decline. Jeans, tees with flip-flops (complete with muffin tops and plumbers) and don’t even get me start with the words JUICY written across velour bums! It’s been a sad state of fashion affairs folks.

But in the last few years, things have started looking up again. I’m seeing variety, and I’m seeing refined looks coming back into trend – Modcloth being a site that taps into that, which I love.

It’s not to say I think we should be walking around looking like we are the stepford wives, but as mothers, being put together is a good thing. Taking care of ourselves and finding a sense of personal style is a good thing. It makes us feel more confident within ourselves which then permeates all that we do – plain and simple. Good enough reason to shop for me!

I get that we’re busy moms. I get that spending days in stretchy yoga pants makes sense when we’re chasing after toddlers, but why not spruce up your look a bit every once and a while when you head out on that lunch playdate with other moms? Why not feel great when you’re sitting at your desk at work?

I realize it’s not for everyone, and if this isn’t your cup of tea, then it’s not your cup of tea. But, personally, I know that I like to feel and look my best when I’m trying to work amongst my peers. I like to get my head in the game and part of that is presenting my self in away that makes me feel like I’m at my best. BUT, I also don’t dig the drab, traditional suit. So, Modcloth has me inspired with their new nine to five line.

Add in some of their flirty finds for this summer as seen in the main image and I am smitten with this company. Truly smitten. I want to throw away the jeans and tees (Yes, I own and wear them all too often. I didn’t say I had not fallen prey to the drab mom look.) in favor of a fun dress on occasion.

Sure, maybe it will only be for date night or a girls afternoon out when I’m not with my kids – I get the logistics of being mom and unloading a stroller out of the minivan, but I’m not dead and neither is my fashion sense. So, Modcloth may just be my new splurge, because splurges are allowed.

What are your favorite clothing sites to find unique fashions? 

Images: Modcloth & Polyvore

I was watching the Real Housewives of Orange County the other evening when they showed an episode with the ladies go “Glamping” and I thought to myself, “what in the world is “Glamping?!”

Apparently, “glamping” is when you go camping…but you don’t really “rough it.” You enjoy the great outdoors, but you have amenities….like the ability to call someone up to light your campfire for you.

Where can I sign up?

And who can teach me how to make my hair look this cute when I go? Read more…

Well, they’ll think of everything, won’t they? Pottery Barn. Just when I think I’ve gotten all that I can out of them – my storage boxes, bookshelves, glider, play kitchen(!) – Pottery Barn Kids draws me back in. It’s like I don’t want to look at their catalogs anymore. But. I. Can’t. Help. Myself!

So, here’s what I found for ME (yes, me, not my young lovelies) at Pottery Barn Kids. I’m telling you this in case you still have hints to drop for upcoming Mother’s Day. Or you’ve got to get your mother something from the grandchildren and G-Ma, as a woman and mom, might just love some jewelry! Read more…

Maybe you’ve heard of the latest diet craze? I first heard about it on the news but now have seen countless stories on it. It’s called the K-E diet or more descriptively, the feeding tube diet. And yes. It involves an actual feeding tube.

I suppose adding my opinion to the mix won’t really matter here – it seems like people are appropriately up in arms about this diet, about the doctor who is promoting it and about the women who are on it.

Oh, and about the society we live in that might give rise to such behavior. I support any and everyone who thinks this goes way beyond drastic and thinks that it is a wildly bad idea. Read more…

I’ve seen it stated it time and time again among mothers that we don’t have time for fashion, and while I can empathize with the lack of time and energy for the intricacies of some looks, I think there are some things that we can all make work.

One such look we can all pull of is adding a pop of color which will always spruce up an otherwise drab look.

Yes moms…we are becoming a bit drab in our yoga pants. I, too, am guilty of this. Read more…

As a mother, it’s hard to justify spending a significant amount of money on ourselves. We often will have our children dressed far better than we dress ourselves, which is a shame. I see kids all over the place looking all kinds of fashion forward with their frumpy mama following behind them.

This is unsat my friends.

I’m here to tell you it’s time to balance things out and invest in yourself a bit, too. Pick up a few key pieces that are timeless when the budget allows to pair with those trendy pieces that are less expensive to spruce up your look, because you’re worth it. Read more…

I’m a self avowed jeans and tee girl. Seriously, almost every day I wear this. I cannot help myself; it’s an addiction. I know there must be a secret club out there to help us mommy uniform wearing bunch but I have yet to find it…maybe J. Crew or Madewell can sponsor us?!? Oooh, that’d be cool.

How about you join me? Let’s make Stacy and Clinton of What Not To Wear proud and start wearing adorable, easy, comfortable dresses. Get out of the jeans. AND the yoga pants. C’mon, you know you do it. You know you wear yoga pants as real pants. I know I do. And, no, I don’t work out enough to justify them either.

I know, I know, dresses are hard to find…they feel so (ahem) dressy…yada yada yada. But if you can find a good dress source, then choosing to wear something other than jeans and a tee would be super easy! Read more…

Is it bad that I wish these new looks from Giggle would come in my size? I swear, I’d totally wear these adorable dresses for girls if I thought I could. My sister-in-law has a saying: “mutton dresses lamb” for this exact situation. When women (I won’t add ‘of a certain age’) try to dress too young they can look, how should I say, ridiculous.

Now, when I go shopping with her, she’ll come out of the dressing room and simply ask, mutton? With her British accent, it’s beyond endearing. Read more…

One of my favorite new fashion icons is Wendy Nguyen. Her Lookbook is always chock full of great fashion ideas, though to be sure, I never look that dressed up in my life. That said, I do always seem to gather good inspiration from her. So, thanks for that Wendy!

I’m headed to the mom conference in Miami in a few weeks and one of the evenings we will all be attending a dinner party on the beach, white attire requested. Now, I love love love the mental image of this. I can’t wait to go. Only, I don’t have anything to wear. Read more…

I just had a facial at La Petit Rose Spa, thanks to my good friend Michelle, and I feel all glowy and amazing. Only, I’m a little frightened, too.

You know that part in a facial where the bright light comes out and your pores get uber-inspected? Well, as Michelle was doing this, she asked me about my skin care routine. I told her what I use – L’Occitane Immortelle Divine Cream, which I love by the way – and she told me about Safecosmetics.org. Read more…

Just yesterday, a good friend of mine went to India to visit her parents. So sweet! She took along her whole family, because of course she did – it’s a visit to the grandparents! On a 20 hour ordeal, though. Their first flight was 15 hours alone! Not to mention multiple connections and then a drive. With 3 kids! Urgh.

And also, if you’re not gasping yet, lemme throw the kicker out at ya. She doesn’t watch TV. So, that means the children don’t watch TV. They don’t have an iPad with apps, they don’t have computer games, they don’t even have headphones to plug into the airplane’s TV. I’m in awe of her spirit. Read more…

The color blocking trend is here to stay. So the question is, can you make it work? For a person who usually sticks to neutrals out of comfort and safety, color blocking makes me nervous. But I stumbled upon a fabulous video by blogger Kitty Cotten who shares some great tips for making color blocking work, and I’m starting to feel optimistic about the trend.

Using a color wheel as a reference, she offers the following tips for Making Color Blocking Work Read more…