styling tips – Budget & Brunch

20 x 20 Challenge–What does it even mean?

January 13, 2020January 15, 2020by Budget&BrunchLeave a Comment

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!

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

Brown Sweater
Chunky Sweater (size down)
Striped Turte Neck
Black Turtle Neck
Blazer (size down)
Cardigan (size down)
Stripe Sweater
Graphic Tee | Similar Graphic Tee
Vintage Jeans | Petite Option
Cali Demi Boot Jeans (size down)
Skinny Button Fly Jeans | Petite Option
Black Skinny Button Fly Jeans | Petite Option
Everlane Loafers | Madewell Loafers
Mules
Similar Boots
Sneakers
Bag
Bar Necklace
Horn Necklace
Bandana Scarf

Below are the 20 outfits I put together.

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

Madewell VS Old Navy: The Sherpa Coat

December 10, 2019December 10, 2019by Budget&BrunchLeave a Comment

Ok, by now we all know the deep love I have for Madewell! It is a land full of magical clothes that I cannot resist…however, when I saw an $84.99 Old Navy Sherpa Coat for Women dupe for the $258 Sherpa Estate Coat I knew I had to order it and give it a shot!

Lets compare shall we?

Color

The color is actually very similar in person versus how it may look in the photos. The Madewell Sherpa Estate Coat has more of an off white/yellow tint to it than the Old Navy Sherpa Coat for Women in some of the online images, but it is hard to see in person. If you like the color of one, you should like the color of both.

Pockets

The pockets are placed in the same spot on both coats and have the same lined look. Both pockets are deep and lined with sherpa!

Buttons

Both coats have a zipper and snaps. However, the Madewell version doesn’t show the snaps when it is closer whereas the Old Navy version does. You may notice it in the photos I have, but just an FYI if not. The Old Navy one seems to be sturdy. I have had it for a few weeks and wear it daily. So far, it has lived up to my expectations.

Length

Left: Old Navy Sherpa Coat for Women Right: Madewell Sherpa Estate Coat

The length looks extremely different, as you can see in the photos from above, but this in part due to the fact that Old Navy has a petite option in this coat. Other than the price, this was another reason I went with the Old Navy one, I didn’t want a coat that was quite so long and Madewell doesn’t have a petite option (yet) in this coat!

Lining

The lining of the coats are different. The Madewell Sherpa Estate Coat has italinan sherpa on the inside while the Old Navy Sherpa Coat for Women has more of a faux-suede lining on the inside. I have to say that the Madewell one seemed like it was warmer and slightly thicker because of the lining. However, as warm as I tend to get in all of the seasons, I am ok with it!

Texture

Both pictures: Old Navy Sherpa Coat for Women

The texture of these coats is pretty similar. I do think that the Madewell one is softer that the Old Navy one, however the Old Navy one is still pretty soft. The faux-suede lining inside of the Old Navy coat is also very soft and I love the way it feels!

Long story short…

…if you are on the market for an investment coat that will be sure to last throughout those harsh cold winters, the Madewell Sherpa Estate Coat may be the coat for you, but if you are looking for a warm enough coat to get you through the winter, the Old Navy Sherpa Coat for Women may be the one for you!

Side note (as of 12/10/19): Both coats are currently on sale! The Old Navy Sherpa Coat for Women is 20% off with the code: SWEET making it $67.99 and the Madewell Sherpa Estate Coat is 25% off with the code: GOODCHEER making it $193.50!

Other outfit details:

Staged photos 😏:

Fitting room photo:

Top | Similar Jeans | Mules

When in doubt, cuff ’em, tuck ’em, and go!

November 25, 2019November 25, 2019by Budget&Brunch

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 2: Similar Sweater | Jeans / (Petite Option)| Boots

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 😉!

Dressing for the Holidays

November 19, 2019November 20, 2019by Budget&BrunchLeave a Comment

The holidays can be stressful, from spending money to dealing with the absence of loved ones…it’s hard. I try not to worry to much about my outfits and whether or not they “look” holiday enough. Sometimes I think we get too caught up on this type of thing and forget to just be! That’s not to say I don’t buy anything or put effort in to my looks, but I don’t buy specifically “holiday” looks.

So, I teamed up with Lindsae Metz and Adriana Kincaid to bring you some Holiday inspired looks without the hassel!

P.S. Both of these ladies are amazing! I strongly suggest following them on the ‘gram and their beautiful blogs!

*Everything mentioned is TTS unless otherwise noted!

I try to shop my closet!

Monochromatic with a Dash of Holiday Cheer

If you’ve followed along with me for a while, you know I LOVE a monochromatic look, especially a white on white/cream on white situation. I feel like white on white/cream on white can certainly pass for a holiday look (think winter wonderland). Thus, I paired my cream mock neck with white denim, a brown bag, and leopard shoes (because lets face it, leopard is a neutral too).

To pull the look together I added a simple “holiday” scarf! This scarf is so soft and cozy. Not only is it super stylish, but it keeps me nice and warm in the cool temps and is easy to take off when you get into a warm place!

Just add Plaid

Another similar pair of shoes*

Plaid always reminds me of winter/holiday cheer! I am so happy I purchased this Loft top years ago! The neutral colors in it always remind me of Thanksgiving for some reason! I also adore the ruffled shoulders!

I paired this top with white denim to, again, go for that winter wonderland vibe! The sparkly mules remind me of New Year’s so I always try to wear them around the Holiday season! The great thing about this outfit is that most people own some sort of plaid in their wardrobe, so it’s super easy to duplicate!

For the Warmer Holidays

Top | Similar Jeans | Boots | Bag

I decided to throw in an outfit that could be warn in your warmer geographical areas! An easy “go -to” option for Holiday looks are jeans and a green or red top. I went with an olive green, because I don’t own a lot of “Holiday green” and since this is all about using what you have instead of breaking the bank, I went with it. I paired this top with slim-wide leg cropped pants to keep it cooler.

I added my booties since it is November/December! This is a simple outfit and can easily transition to a warmer outfit with long sleeves, a coat, and/or a scarf!

Jeans + a Scarf

Nothing screams fall/winter quite like a turtle neck! That’s why I decided to pair this black turtle neck with a plaid scarf and jeans to create a simple, no fuss outfit. Just add booties and you have a chic holiday inspired look!

Subtle Holiday Colors

Another similar pair of shoes*

If you celebrate Christmas, you know that red and green are “Christmas” colors and I don’t know about you, but anytime I pair those two colors together I always think of Christmas even if it’s July!

So, for this outfit I decided to take my green paper bag pants, black turtle neck, and red bandana scarf to create subtle Christmas colors! Just add sparkly mules and you have a true holiday look!

Slightly Dressy Vibes

Top | Bottoms | Similar Mules | Bag

Another similar pair of shoes*

I bought this dark green mock neck as part of my birthday present to myself from Madewell. I LOVE it, it fits just like my red and navy ones from last year! The color is a beautiful deep green and I decided to pair it with some black pin checkered pants and sparkly shoes to go for a slightly elevated look.

This would be perfect for a holiday office party! Not to mention these pants feel like PJs!

I hope this helps. I tried to use staple pieces that a lot of people have in their closets! Let me know if you replicate any of these looks by tagging me or using the hashtag #budgetandbrunch