Tag: how to

Comfy Working from Home Outfits

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Comfy Working from Home Outfits

Ok so…wow. This is just…wow. Very surreal what is going on in the world. For those of you that are new here, I teach Interior Design and now I am officially out of school until May. Of course, things are changing daily, so we will see how that goes.

With that being said, I am thankful that I am still being paid and am working from home. Let’s face it though, I am dressing super comfy on the daily now. By comfy I mean sweats and leggings most days 😉!

I don’t know about you, but actually getting dressed and even (sometimes) doing my hair and make-up just makes me feel more productive. So, I decided to put together 5 outfit ideas to get you through the week.

Side note: I used leggings with every look, but you could swap them out for jeans (or sweats) depending on your mood!

 

Monday: Layers

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Turtle Neck | Similar Sweater | Leggings |Shoes

 

Tuesday: Black on Black & Denim

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Denim Jacket | Top | Leggings | Shoes | Yeti

Wednesday: Hump Day Cas Graphic Tee

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Graphic Tee | Leggings | Shoes | Planner

 

Thursday: Button Back Collard for Sophisticated Vibes

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Top | Leggings | Shoes | Planner

 

Friday: TGIF Cas Graphic Tee

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Tee | Leggings | Shoes | Planner

 

I hope you enjoyed this little read. Stay safe out there and continue to practice that #socialdistancing folks! Click here if you’re interested in my work from home schedule!

 

 

Mini Packing Capsule

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Ok, so I have mentioned maximizing your suitcase for the summer in an older blog post, see here. But when you’re going out of town for a shorter time, sometimes packing (at least for me) is harder, because I only need 3 and it’s hard to decide!

So, I thought I would share what I do when packing for a mini trip. For reference, we are heading to Charleston for a long weekend. This is a joint bachelorette/bachelor party that my husband and I are attending. We will be spending some time jointly and other times seperate so I’ll be with the girls.

Consider the Activities

When packing, I try and consider what I will be doing. For example when going to the beach, I know I will mostly be in a bathing suit and I will need more “cover up” type clothes that are easy to throw on over a bathing suit. For this trip, our itinerary is flexible and I know some key activities we will be doing.

We are going to a concert one night and I don’t know about you, but concerts tend to be a little gross and I want to make sure I pack clothes/shoes that don’t easily show dirt and aren’t fragile.

Us girls are going to be doing a lot of Charleston exploring (eeek)! So I know I want to pack comfortable shoes as well. I also know we will be attending some semi-dressy restaurants.

Consider the Weather

I mentioned this in my How to Maximize Your Suitcase this Summer post last summer. Considering the weather is one of the most important things when packing. I’m sure you already knew that! So I know that in Charleston, it will be in the 50s/60s and mostly sunny on the days we will be there! Therefore I want to pack layers, we will be walking quite a bit and while it may start out chilly it can quickly get warmer with all that movement (at least for me haha).

Consider how You’re Styling Your Hair

What? Haha, yeah I say this, because a straightener or curler will take up room in your bag and if you aren’t planning on styling your hair much, it will probably be an unnecessary space taker.

 Consider Your Accessories

I tend to not wear a ton of accessories anyway, but when I travel I especially don’t. This is in part due to the fact that I don’t like the carry the extra things and also in part due to the fact that I don’t want to lose things that I care about! So I may pack a cheap necklace or pair of earrings, but not much.

I also consider my purses. Am I going to need a huge purse or would a belt bag be better? Or maybe I need both? These are questions I ask myself.

All things Considered…

Now it’s time to plan out your wardrobe for your trip! I sometimes jot down a few notes about what I need or want. This is just an organizational tool I use, but it isn’t for everyone!

So, here are the key things I wrote down for this trip:

  • I need shoes of some sort that won’t get ruined at an outdoor concert.
  • I need comfortable shoes
  • I may need semi-dressy clothes for dinner one night.
  • I will be styling my hair so I will need my styling tools
  • I need to pack layers for the weather.

And with that here is my Mini Packing Capsule:

Outfit 1 (travel day)

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Outfit 2

Day Time Outfit

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Night Time Outfit

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Outfit 3

Day Time Outfit

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Night Time Outfit

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Outfit 4 (travel day): Outfit Repeat!

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Links:

Day 1 Outfit (travel day)

Bing Tee

White Leggings

Similar Sneakers

Bag

 

Day 2 Outfit Day

Yellow & White Striped Tee

Jean Jacket

Jeans

Shoes

Bag

 

Day 2 Outfit Night

Jean Jacket

Bing Tee

Jeans

Shoes

 

Day 3 Outfit Day

Layer 1 Top

Layer 2 Top (similar)

Jeans

Shoes

Bag

 

Day 3 Outfit Night

Top

Similar Jeans

Shoes

Bag

 

Day 4 Outfit (travel day)

Bing Tee

White Leggings

Similar Sneakers

Bag

 

Hope this helps!

Why I tuck…

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Why I tuck…

Let me preface by saying that I am aware that not everyone likes the look of a tucked in shirt and that is totally fine. However, if you’re on the fence about it or just simply wondering why some people tuck their shirts I am here to tell you!

I have thick thighs, it’s something I used to struggle with when shopping for jeans, because they would fit my legs and not my waist or vice versa. Now that I have found a store that carries jeans that fit my body type (thanks Madewell) I have found some style hacks to help make me feel like my best fashionista self. Hence the tucking.

So, let’s cover the different types of tucks and why they do for your outfit…

The Front Tuck

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Turtle Neck | Similar Sweater | Jeans | Shoes

The front tuck is probably my favorite tuck. This tuck looks particularly good when you are layering shirts as I did in the picture above. If you try and tuck layers all the way around it can sometimes add bulk to your jeans.

Since I have thick thighs, as I mentioned earlier, when I wear shirts that aren’t tucked in, they tend to hit me at the widest part of my body. This gives me no shape whatsoever. Tucking the shirt not only creates a shape, but it leads the eye to the smallest part of my body. Not to mention, the slouchy look gives off a very effortless, but put together vibe and I am here for it.

*Interested in layers? Check out my layering for winter post here.

The Side Tuck

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Similar Shirt | Similar Jeans | Shoes

The side tuck is similar to the front tuck in the way it creates a shape for your body. I like to side tuck with shorts and lighter jeans. To be honest, this is just a personal preference, because it gives me summer vibesI think it’s because I wear a lot of tees in the summer!

Side tucks look best with tees (i.e. not button down shirts) and regular button jeans (i.e. not button front jeans). Otherwise, the eye would be carried in different directions and this would appear odd visually.

The Complete Tuck

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Turtle Neck | Cardigan | Jeans | Similar Shoes

I don’t rock the complete tuck as much as I would like to, I tend to just front tuck and walk out of the door, but I love to tuck all the way around when I am feeling a little bleh with my outfits. A complete tuck just gives a whole different vibe to an outfit.

This tuck is nice when you layer a cardigan over a shirt and you wear the cardigan open (as pictured), because it creates less bulk under the cardigan. A complete tuck also looks good when you are going for a casual look with a tee shirt and jeans!

*Keep in mind that for each tuck, I wear high waisted jeans. This is because they hit my waist at its smallest point. Every body is different, so of course you should do what works for you and makes you feel the most comfortable.

Hope this helps! Also, keep in mind that tying your shirts in knots can also create a shape, not just tucking! Play around and find what works best for you! I love to see you guys recreate looks, so tag me on insta if you try any of these out (@budgetandbrunch)!

 

20 x 20 Challenge–What does it even mean?

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20 x 20 Challenge–What does it even mean?

Ok, so I have done a lot of research on this. I first saw it when I was in the Instagram rabbit hole. Intrigued, I clicked on the # and began scanning. Essentially, the idea is to select 20 pieces from your closet and make 20 days worth of outfits.

I decided to do this, because I have entirely too many clothing items and I really want to hone in and figure out what pieces I need. This sounds simple, but in reality I had a hard time deciding what I did and didn’t want in my wardrobe for this challenge.

I decided to use Conni Jespersen’s (from @artinthefind) advice and ask myself some essential questions:

*FYI She is an amazing person to follow along with especially if you want style/organization tips!

  1. Look at the piece in question: how does it make you feel?
  2. Do you love the the cut, color, and style?
  3. Is it a piece you are “iffy” about?
  4. How much wear do you get out of the piece? (versatile pieces are key)
  5. How often do you wear it?

For me, I try  to select neutral pieces that can be worn repeatedly.

I consider the pieces I typically buy as investment pieces. 

What I mean by this, is that I wear them for years–if you didn’t know, I am a recovering fast fashion addict and I have tried hard to get back to repeating outfits/pieces. The cool thing about the 20×20 challenge is that the goal is to create 20 different outfits with 20 pieces!

So, I decided to hone in on a color scheme for this challenge which wasn’t hard, because I typically buy neutral clothes.

Below are the pieces I selected. I have linked each piece based on the number listed beside it (or similar options).

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  1. Brown Sweater
  2. Chunky Sweater (size down)
  3. Striped Turte Neck
  4. Black Turtle Neck
  5. Blazer (size down)
  6. Cardigan (size down)
  7. Stripe Sweater
  8. Graphic Tee | Similar Graphic Tee
  9.  Vintage Jeans | Petite Option
  10. Cali Demi Boot Jeans (size down)
  11. Skinny Button Fly Jeans | Petite Option
  12. Black Skinny Button Fly Jeans | Petite Option
  13. Everlane Loafers | Madewell Loafers
  14. Mules
  15. Similar Boots
  16. Sneakers
  17. Bag
  18. Bar Necklace
  19. Horn Necklace
  20. Bandana Scarf

Below are the 20 outfits I put together.

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Keep in mind these are outfit combinations that you can probably go in your closet and create. The pieces do not have to be exactly like mine, but rather use the formula. For example:

Cadigan + Graphic Tee + Straight Jeans + Sneakers = My outfit number 13

Hope this helps! Be sure to leave a comment for any questions and catch me on the gram trying to sport these outfits!

Click below to see how I maximized my suitcase this past summer!

How to Maximize Your Suitcase this Summer

Layering for Winter

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Layering for Winter

When it comes to layering, there are a few tips and tricks that I live by. Since I hate getting super hot, I thought I’d share how I layer in order to stay cool in those warm places…

I start with a basic neutral outfit. For example, a black or striped turtle neck + jeans + boots.

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Next, I layer something warm and easy to take off, i.e. a cardigan, flannel, or sweater.

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Then, I put on my outerwear, a coat, hat, and/or scarf.

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When layering, I always make sure you can see the bottom layer. This is why I like to build on top of a long sleeve turtle neck. It is easy to make sure the neck and sleeve peek out ever so slightly. The turtle necks pictured are from Madewell, they’re nice and thin which makes them great for layering, then you don’t get too hot. They’re also easy to tuck and don’t add a lot of bulk. Pro tip: I always size up in coats in order to have enough room to layer.

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Left to right:

Outfit 1: Similar Hat | Turtle Neck | Cardigan | Similar Coat | Jeans | Similar Boots

Outfit 2: Bandana | Turtle Neck| Flannel | Jean Jacket| Similar Coat | Jeans | Boots

Outfit 3: Turtle Neck | Similar Sweater | Similar Coat | Jeans | Similar Boots

*The Old Navy Sherpa Coat is SOLD OUT as of 12/19/19 which is why I didn’t link that one.

That’s it, it is really that simple! Don’t overthink layers, they are meant to be easy and basic. If you want tips on how I “cuff ’em, tuck ’em, and go” click here. I also mention pattern stacking in that blog post if you’re interested 😏!