Why I tuck…

February 23, 2020February 23, 2020by Budget&BrunchLeave a Comment

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

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

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

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)!

How to Style: Wide Leg Pants

September 6, 2019September 6, 2019by Budget&Brunch

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

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 😉!

How to Maximize Your Suitcase this Summer

June 26, 2019June 26, 2019by Budget&Brunch

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!