Madewell is having another insider sales event and everything is included! Here are the links to my top picks! I either have these, have a similar version, or have tried these on!
Madewell Insider Sale Picks
Tag: jeans
My Madewell Sale Picks (up to 70% off)
When in doubt, cuff ’em, tuck ’em, and go!
Ya gotta love being either too short or too tall for clothes, am I right?
In my case, I am always a little too short for clothes that aren’t sized “petite” or “short” and lets be honest with ourselves, there is always a piece of clothing that doesn’t come in your size. Rather than trying to make myself fit into clothes, I am a firm believer in making clothes fit me 😏. When I find that my shirts or even my pants are too long, I “cuff ’em, tuck ’em, and go”.
What does that even mean?
Well let’s take shirts/sweaters for example, if you have short arms, like me, you may find yourself constantly pulling up your sleeves of feeling like you have no waist due to your extra long top. This drives me absolutely crazy, especially when I am doing something with my hands!
To solve this issue I have learned to cuff my sleeves, tuck the front, and be on my merry way out the door. I do this with pants as well. I personally do not like to tuck my pants in my booties (knee boots are different story); therefore, I cuff my pants–only when needed.
When cuffing my sleeves I try to follow the wrist rule. When I stretch my arms out, I want to be able to see my wrist bone. I also cuff only once or twice. I don’t like to add too much bulk (especially when layering).
When cuffing my jeans I take into account a couple of things. First, my shoes. Are they high? If so, I try to cuff them just above to where a little bit of skin is showing. Are they low? If so, I definitely want to go just above my ankle–this adds height! I also consider the jean and how I want the cuff to look. Sometimes, I go for a thicker cuff. This is to add visual interest. Other times, I cuff at just the hem line. This typically depends on the top I pair it with or my mood haha!
This “cuff ’em, tuck ’em, and go” technique not only adds visual interest, but it looks purposeful and thus, nobody will even notice that the clothes you’re wearing weren’t exactly “made for you” 😉.
With that being said, I pulled together some examples of outfits for you guys in which I have had to “cuff ’em, tuck ’em, and go” and I truly wouldn’t have it any other way ❤️!
Photo 1: Flannel | Turtle Neck | Similar Jeans / (Petite Option)| Boots | Bag | Sunglasses
Photo 2: Similar Sweater | Jeans / (Petite Option)| Boots
Photo 3: Blazer | Turtle Neck | Jeans / (Petite Option)| Boots | Bag |Sunglasses
For reference, I am 5 ft tall. In photo one, I am wearing petite, photo two I am wearing regular, and photo three I am wearing regular!
*This also works with clothes that are slightly too short. Don’t get me wrong, there is a point of no return with some clothing, but if things are slightly too short, you can “cuff ’em” and pair them with higher boots to make the outfit look more purposeful and if you have high waisted pants you might even be able to tuck ’em 😉!
4 Ways to Style a Blazer with Jeans
First off, let’s talk about the blazer. When Madewell came out with the Caldwell Double-Breasted Blazer in Desert Check I knew I wanted it; however, it didn’t (and still doesn’t) come in petite…with me being 5 feet tall, I figured it wasn’t going to fit me well. Nevertheless, I went to Madewell just to try it out and lets just say, it’s what my blazer dreams are made of! So this blazer is supposed to be oversized which helps my issue of being short and there not being a petite option. The blazer hits me just below the widest part of my hips so when wearing it I always either front tuck my top or make sure it is a fitted top–this helps create a waistline and give your body more of a shape!
I did size down 2 sizes! I would normally wear a M (medium) in something like this, but I ended up getting an XS (x-small). This could be in part because of my height, so I would recommend trying this or if you don’t live near a Madewell maybe order two and send one back after trying them on! I was worried an XS may be too small on my arms, but it seemed to fit fine, but if you plan on wearing a chunky sweater under it, that may be something to consider when choosing a size!
You could wear this blazer buttoned, but I don’t mainly because I want to create that waistline I mentioned earlier. With that being said, if you do choose to button it the sizing could vary a bit there. Now, let’s get to the fun stuff…the outfits!
If you missed my styling video, you can catch it on my IGTV channel!
Blazer |Necklaces | Top | Similar Jeans | Shoes | Bag
I cannot get over this tee, it has honestly just completed my wardrobe! I love the effortless look any graphic tee can give to an outfit. When paring a tee shirt with a blazer it tends to give off a put together look even when you’re actually as comfy as you can be! With the colors in this blazer being more neutral, I decided the pop of green from this tee would pair nicely. You could even pair a bright tee with it to go for a bolder look–however, I tend to stay within the duller more neutral color palette when it comes to my clothes.
I wanted to go with a “fun” cut denim so I went with my demi-boot cut jeans to carry the eye down my leg and flare out. Since I wore my heeled boots, this helped create some height! I’ve mentioned how comfortable these boots are before and I’ll say it again…they’re great! No, I don’t recommend hiking in them, but they’re a nice heel to have and go with virtually anything! Tie it all together with a cute bag and there you have it, an easy comfy yet put together outfit!
Blazer | Necklace | Top | Jeans | Shoes | Bag
*There are only two sizes in the striped top left so here is a similar top.
This outfit is one of my favorites because of the pattern mixing. This can be intimidating, but here are a few helpful tips I’ve picked up along the way…
- Keep your patterns in the same color family! For example, I paired my navy blue and white striped tee with a blazer that has hints of navy blue in it as well!
- Choose patterns with different scales. For example, I paired chunky stripes with a pin striped pattern.
- Keep it simple. What I mean but this is that although I mixed patterns up top, that doesn’t mean I need to mix them on the bottom too, which is why I went with a dark jean and white sneakers!
If you want more advice on different ways to mix patterns and prints, let me know! I could go into a lot more detail, but for the sake of this blog post not being a mile long, I’ll move on!
Blazer |Necklaces | Top | Jeans | Shoes | Bag
For outfit number three, I paired a classic white button down with a straight jean and boots! This is perhaps the simplest and most classic option for pairing a blazer with jeans. This look is chic and probably will never go out of style! The jeans I decided to pair with this outfit go over the boots just slightly and give me all the 90’s throw back vibes, which I am loving!
Pairing minimalistic jewelry with this outfit dress up the look while also making it look effortless! If you haven’t noticed by now, effortless style is my goal in life!
Blazer | Similar Top | Jeans | Shoes | Bag
The final outfit gives me all the fall/winter vibes with a cozy turtle neck under the blazer! This is perhaps the only time, if at all, that I would button the blazer. I still kept the front tuck to create the waistline, as I did with all the other tops, but this look is very easy to wear. I went with a dark solid turtle neck (mine is navy blue, but I linked a similar one in black), which draws your eye to the blazer versus the top and helps make your waist appear smaller, not that you need to girl 😏! And again, I paired this with straight jeans and boots giving off those 90’s vibes!
So, those are my tips, tricks, and ideas for how to style a blazer with jeans. I hope this was helpful on some level and helps encourage you to mix up your outfits and dress outside of your comfort zone. Thanks for dropping by my corner of the Internet and reading style advice, until next time 😘.
How to Style: Wide Leg Pants
I have done several style sessions with wide-leg pants. There are a lot of different retailers now that offer, the “Slim Wide-Leg Cropped Pants” and the “Wide-Leg Cropped Pants”. I love them both ❤️!
What’s the difference?
The Wide-Leg Cropped Pants
Outfit 1: Headband | Earrings | Necklace | Top (similar) | Pants | Bag | Shoes (similar)
Outfit 2: Hat | Earrings | Necklaces | Top | Pants | Shoes
These pants have a very “wide-leg” that hugs (me) at the hips and thighs and flares out just above the ankles. The great thing about these is that they flatter your figure. By being much wider than your actual leg, they make your legs/ankles appear smaller. Bonus, they’re really comfortable.
Outfit 1 are the wide-leg cropped pants from J. Crew–these are very light weight and have a cute pocket detail in the front. I love to pair them with a white/cream top to create a fun monochromatic look. As pictured, I tied a white tee at the waist. When styling wide-leg pants, it’s important to create a waist line so that you don’t look shapeless.
Outfit 2 are the wide-leg pants from Madewell and are my fav! They are a thicker material than the ones from J. Crew and they tend to hold their shape better and get less wrinkly. The blush color is perfect for Summer and can easily transition to Fall. Again, I created a waistline by tucking in my shirt, paired with heeled mules and a hat to instantly dress up the look!
The Slim Wide-leg Cropped Pants
Outfit 1: Hat | Top (similar)| Pants | Shoes
Outfit 2: Earrings | Necklace | Top | Pants | Shoes
The slim wide-leg cropped pants essentially have the same concept, they compliment your figure. I would suggest these if you just can’t quite get on the wide-leg pant trend. They are slightly smaller. These would look particularly good on people whom have a very petite frame–that was the pants don’t swallow you whole! Pairing these with a front tucked shirt or even a body suit look good and, again, creates that waistline!
Both pants pictured above are from Madewell. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, Madewell has my ❤️! I adore the fit and quality of the Madewell brand. The burnt orange colored pant has become one of my wardrobe staples and can be dressed up or down!
Overall, finding pants that make you feel good is what is important. I know that we sometimes get swayed by popular opinions on whether or not we should or shouldn’t wear a particular pant, but I AM HERE FOR THIS TREND! I adore the way I feel in both the wide-leg and slim wide-leg pants and I won’t apologize for it 😉!
Madewell Denim vs Everlane Denim
If you know me, even slightly, you know that I love Madewell; especially their denim. I am truly Madewell obsessed 😳. Not only do I love their fit, but I love that they have fair trade denim. I first saw Everlane popping up on some larger blogger accounts that I follow and was intrigued by their ethically made clothing.
When I looked in to Everlane clothing, I couldn’t help but notice that they had some cheaper options for denim. When they had their “Choose What You Pay” sale, I knew I had to try some of their denim. Once I ordered a pair, for only $48, I noticed some similarities in my Madewell jeans and thus decided to compare them for you all!
Let me preface by saying that anytime I purchase online, I research. Meaning, I read reviews and make sure I am getting the “right” size for me–I think is so important to keep in mind that sizing is different in every store.
Just because you have to go up or down sizes, doesn’t mean you should punish yourself or your body.
With that being said, the Madewell denim that I am referencing here was trial and error to find my size. I got The Curvy Perfect Vintage Jean in Fitzgerald Wash from Madewell for $98, that’s right I said the curvy fit and I am not ashamed. The Perfect Vintage Jean in Fitzgerald Wash fit me in the waist and the sales lady told me they looked awesome, from the outside looking in, they probably did. You couldn’t tell that they literally made my butt feel (and in my opinion look) like a pancake, I could barely move in them, and I was very uncomfortable. I definitely could’ve bought them if I gave a shit about size and the “regular fit” versus the “curvy fit”…but I don’t. I ended up with the petite size 27, also keep in mind that in the regular fit of these jeans I had to go up a size.
When it came to the Everlane jeans, I got The High-Rise Skinny Jean and wasn’t expecting to see any similarities in them versus my curvy fitted Madewell jeans. For reference, I got the ankle size 29 in these. Below is a side by side photo of the jeans.
Left: Madewell Right: Everlane
You can see that they are cut differently in the hip/thigh area and the ankles seem to be more fitted on the Everlane jeans. But when I put them both on, they fit so similarly. The wash is also very similar! With the Madewell jeans being 100% cotton and the Everlane jeans being 98% cotton, I feel that I get more stretch out of the Everlanes and slightly more gapping in the waist.
The Madewell jeans fit a little looser in the hips and ankles while the Everlane jeans are more fitted. However, both give the elusion of a loose fit toward the bottom. They both hug my hips and butt very well. I will say, it’s easier to sit in the Everlane jeans, but somehow I find the Madewell jeans more comfortable. Here are three comparison photos to see how each pair fit me:
Left: Madewell Right: Everlane
Shirt | Madewell Jeans | Everlane Jeans | Shoes
Left: Madewell Right: Everlane
Hat | Shirt | Madewell Jeans | Everlane Jeans | Shoes
Left: Madewell Right: Everlane
Shirt | Madewell Jeans | Everlane Jeans| Bag | Shoes
I like the look of both and I feel like both can be dressed up or down. The price comparison is $98 for the Madewell pair and $48 for the Everlane pair. So if you want to go the cheaper route, then you may want to try the Everlane pair. However, keep in mind that everyBODY is different and how these both look and feel on me may be completely different for you! Great news is, if you decide to purchase online, you can always exchange or return!
How to Maximize Your Suitcase this Summer
Ok, raise your hand if you’re an over-packer 🙋🏻. I mean yeah…I tend to over pack ok? It’s something I am actively working on. With that being said, I have tried a few different tips and tricks that I have found to be very helpful. I decided to condense these for you into one post!
Number 1:
Research the climate. This is probably something you already do, but when you’re packing for vacation, you should definitely research what the weather will be like, temperature, humidity, that sort of thing.
I am going Holden Beach soon and it looks like the weather is going to be in the 80s with humidity at about 45%. Now, this is in NC and it is HOT. In my suitcase, I have packed three pair of pants. This is because I typically find myself getting chilly when going out to eat or going in to stores. If you do not get chilly easily, your suitcase may look a little different. Also, if I am on the beach, I won’t be wearing anything but a bathing suit and sunscreen 😎.
Number 2:
Make a list. What? Make a list? Are you kidding? Nope, it actually REALLY helps me to make a list. Now, you may be thinking what a time consuming thing to do when packing for vacation. But I decided that if I made a realistic list of items I wanted to pack, it would save me time in the long run.
I literally used to just grab stuff off of hangers and throw it in my suitcase…big mistake. I rarely wore ANY of it and ended up washing it all when I got home and taking up too much time to unpack.
Ok, with that being said here was my list:
- Basic tops (tee shirt, button downs, tanks)
- Shorts
- Pants
- Bathing suits
- Shoes (limit 5 pair-this was a personal preference, you can limit this even more if you want)
- Accessories (a good rule to follow with accessories is to pick some that will go with MULTIPLE outfits. I also limit myself to two purse options)
I am a visual person so I layed out all the pieces I wanted to bring:
P.S. I packed two other swim suits, but wasn’t able to find a picture of them! The leopard swim suit can be found here. My other swimsuit is by Kortni Jeane!
The pink and green earrings are by Jules Co.
(FYI, you can find the linkable items here)
Number 3:
Make sure you select items that can be mixed and matched. I treated this like a capsule. Making sure my pants worked with multiple tops and vice versa. With that being said I came up with, drumroll please,
44 outfit options!
I know…probably overkill, but hey, I told you this gal likes options! See below all the outfits I put together!
Everlane Jeans styled 8 ways!
Madewell Overalls styled 6 ways!
Madewell Shorts styled 8 ways!
Abercrombie Pants styled 8 ways!
Madewell Slim Wide Leg Jeans styled 8 ways!
Madewell Midi Dress styled 6 ways (this exact dress is sold out, but here are some similar options: Cami Tier Midi Dress, Silk Cross-Back Midi Dress, Lanhtropy Linen Cactus Button-Front Dress)!
Number 4:
Have “fold awareness” (I just made that up). Be sure that you are folding your clothes in the most efficient way. For example, Marie Kondo folds like a champ. Now, her whole angle is to love your clothes and it isn’t about making your clothing more compact, but for me it is 😂. I want to fit AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE in my suitcase that I share with my husband 😳.
Bonus tip: Make sure your cover the bottoms of your shoes as well, a good trick is to use shower caps or plastic bags. Shoes are germ-y (haha). You could pack your shoes in a completely different bag as well, which I have done before, but I try to limit packing to three bags.
- Clothes
- Toiletries (including makeup)
- Towels (for the beach and bathing)
I hope this somewhat helped you! If you want to see the final product of my suitcase, let me know and I will post some photos! Be sure and share any tips and tricks you have with me, I would love to hear them!
A Short Girl’s Guide to Madewell Jeans
Madewell is perhaps my FAVORITE clothing store. I first discovered them while shopping–yes, actually shopping in person not online😂! Their visual display window caught my eye. As I walked in and fell even deeper in love with their overall style, I was a little taken back by the prices.
Sticker shock is an understatement. But, as I often do, I told myself I would try their clothes on “for fun”.
THE JEANS FIT LIKE A GLOVE…A GLOVE I tell you!
I have a very difficult time buying jeans, because of my body type. I am 5′-0″ and have, what I like to call, a thicker frame. My thighs and calfs have always been bigger, I credit that to my soccer playing years ⚽️. So anytime I find jeans, or shirts for that matter, that fit me well I tend to want to purchase ASAP!
The jeans were perfect and I just knew I had to buy them. I told myself that I would purchase them and they would be my “good” pair of jeans. Little did I know that I would be purchasing about 5 pair after that…and counting.
The key with Madewell is to purchase on sale. First of all, they are currently doing a promotion where you can bring in ANY old pair of jeans and you get $20 off your next jean purchase. They also have sales quite frequently and you can find their jeans at Nordstrom.
*Side note: Madewell offers petite sizing (this sometimes means that everything is sized differently, but a Madewell associate told me that their “petite” is basically a “short” meaning they cut off a few inches). Correct me if I am wrong on that!
Now, let’s break these jeans down shall we?
These are the 10″ High-Rise Skinny Jeans in Hanna Wash
These are one of my favorite Madewell jeans. They fit so good and those pockets that Madewell has literally make me feel so tiny. I am pretty short and have a lot of curves; these jeans definitely enhance those curves and make me feel super good! They are tight fitted, but slightly flare at the ankle. I love them with a cute bootie or even a sock boot!
These are the Roadtripper Jeans in Jansen Wash
These babies are only $75 which is pretty cheap for Madewell. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, if you donate a pair of jeans, you’ll get $20 off! I love this wash, you can dress them up or down! They fit very well, but I have found them to be the stretchiest of all the Madewell jeans. I would recommend sizing down!
These are the 10″ High-Rise Skinny Jeans: Drop-Hem Edition and they are currently only $59.99, but there are limited sizes so hurry!
These were the first Madewell jeans I ever purchased–the ones I mentioned up top 👆. They are my favorite of all time, probably slightly due to the fact that they introduced me to a whole new world of jeans and partly due to the fact that they go with just about anything. They’re comfy too–I hate jeans that are high waisted and feel like they are cutting you in half when you sit down, these aren’t like that! The button detail add so much visual interest when you tuck a cute top. They also have a cute detail at the ankle that makes them pop from just any old pair of jeans.
These are the Wide-Leg Crop Jeans in Finney Wash
Talk about the perfect summer jean…these are it. I am really digging the wide leg trend and these hug in all the right spots. Another awesome thing about these jeans is that they can totally transition to fall/winter. They look great with a cute sock boot and dressy top to give off a modern 70s vibe. These jeans fit nice and tight to your waist and start to flare right at the high to elongate your legs and make you look smaller around the waist!
These are the 9″ High-Rise Skinny Jeans: Seamed Step-Hem Edition
I have to say that these are my least favorite. Although I love them, they fit big and I got the wrong size; however, they are a great weekend, errands to run, baseball game to attend, carpool duty jean! They offer some visual interest with the front leg seam and look extra cute with some sneakers! The drop hem and light color are nice for a dressed down look.
These are the 10″ High-Rise Skinny Jeans: Drop Step-Hem Edition
These are also on sale for $59.99 and they have a lot more size options! When I purchased these, they didn’t have any petite in stock, but luckily, Madewell hems FOR FREE…yes, free! You also get to pick the hem you want! So I got these bad boys hemmed and we both lived happily ever after 💕! They have a similar fit to the 10″ High-Rise Skinny Jeans: Drop-Hem Edition , but I would say these are little less stretchy. Is it just me or is this totally a Christmas day outfit?
There ya have it, my Madewell jeans explained! I hope this helps you with any future purchases from Madewell and remember they’re an investment piece 😏.
Budget & Brunch 