Tag: tuck

Why I tuck…

by Budget&BrunchLeave a Comment on Why I tuck…
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)!

 

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

by Budget&Brunch
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 ❤️!

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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 😉!

 

How to Maximize Your Suitcase this Summer

by Budget&Brunch
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:

  1. Basic tops (tee shirt, button downs, tanks)
  2. Shorts
  3. Pants
  4. Bathing suits
  5. Shoes (limit 5 pair-this was a personal preference, you can limit this even more if you want)
  6. 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:

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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!

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The pink and green earrings are by Jules Co.

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(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!

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Madewell Overalls styled 6 ways!

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Madewell Shorts styled 8 ways!

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Abercrombie Pants styled 8 ways!

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Madewell Slim Wide Leg Jeans styled 8 ways!

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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)!

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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.

  1. Clothes
  2. Toiletries (including makeup)
  3. 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!

How to Style Denim Shorts

by Budget&Brunch
How to Style Denim Shorts

I think we’ve all been there, simply not wanting to wear shorts…at least, I have. I used to hate the thought of wearing shorts and showing my legs. Things I used to tell myself:

“I’m too pale”

“My calves are too thick”

“My thighs are too thick”

“My thighs make my shorts ride up”

“I’ll look inappropriate”

Lets break down why this is completely wrong to do. First of all, none of the above are validation for not wearing shorts. All of the above are society based thoughts that have been cultivated after years of being told “what beauty is”.

Be like Daenerys and break those chains! Start telling yourself why you should wear shorts…

“It’s hot outside”
“I want to wear shorts today”
“I don’t need a reason”

Now that we’ve got that covered…shorts are actually super versatile and easy to style. Over on my IGTV channel I styled the High-Rise Denim Shorts in Erwin Wash: Cutoff Edition from Madewell three different ways! For size reference, I am 5′ tall and usually wear a 27 or 28 at Madewell. These shorts are pretty stretchy so I went with my most common size there, a 27.

The fit of these shorts is to die for! They come up to my belly button and hug my curves, yet they flare out just a smidge on my thigh which creates an a-line affect and flatters my figure.

Since these are high waist shorts, they look best with a crop top, tucked shirt, or tied shirt. I chose to either front tuck and front tie  for all three of my looks.

Look Number 1:

The Weekend Look

Headband | Sweatshirt | Shorts | Belt Bag | Shoes

I decided to pair a graphic sweatshirt, which is currently on sale, with these shorts for the ultimate weekend look. The sweatshirt helps to dress down the shorts and add a comfy casual vibe. I front tucked the sweatshirt to create a waistline and make way for my belt bag (hehe). The belt bag allows you to be hands free and compliments the weekend vibes!

I added the headband to pull from the colors in the sweatshirt. This creates contrast and allows the faint colors in the sweatshirt to pop and draw the eye to the message “the modern woman”!

Throw on any old sneakers and it will look good, but I decided to pair this outfit with my converse , because they simply slide on and I can go!

 

Look Number 2:

The Brunch Date Look

To me, this look screams brunch date/farmer’s market/plant lady. I’m not sure if it’s the hat, the graphic tee, or the look as a whole, but I do so love it!

I decided to front knot my graphic tee to, again, create that waistline. This also makes me look taller, because it elongates my legs and torso. The graphic tee says, “Here’s to Strong Women” and has a cute graphic of different types of women. I love the message and I love that it supports a small business owner. Her name is Emily and she has a shop called A Little Papery, click here to visit her Etsy shop! She has the cutest graphic tees and more! I am wearing a size M and if gives me enough length to front knot tie it.
The hat is quickly becoming one of my favorite accessories! It is a dupe for the Madewell one and it looks identical. To me, it adds some flare that says, “I tried to get dressed today”, but also hides that day 4 hair…ya get me?
Add some sneakers and you’re ready to walk out of the door!

Look Number 3:

The Dressy Casual Look

Hat| Shirt | Blazer | Shorts | Shoes

You don’t often see a blazer paired with denim shorts, which is exactly why I decided to pair this blazer with these denim shorts! When it comes to fashion, I feel like you have to step outside your comfort zone and try different things.

To dress up these shorts a bit, I added an oversized blazer over a front tucked blousey top. This combination creates a super dressy feel. The blazer is longer and almost meets the end of the shorts, so tucking the shirt creates a nice break up and, yeat again, gives that waistline!

I paired this with the hat to make the outfit a little more fun and the loafer mules to keep it dressy.

Moral of the blog: wear what you want!

Same jeans, four ways

by Budget&Brunch
Same jeans, four ways

Let’s talk about jeans for a second; if you follow my Instagram or you read “A Short Girl’s Guide to Madewell Jeans” you know that I love Madwell! I truly believe in their brand and their jeans fit my body so well.

With that being said, I often end up with jeans that are similar in style and vary in color. Don’t get me wrong, that’s cool and all, but I have challenged myself to go for jeans that are different!

I love a good pair of skinny jeans, I think they are so versatile and can be worn in so many different ways. However, I ave a closet full and I really wanted to venture out, so when Madewell came out with the new Cali Demi-Boot Jeans  I knew I had to try them on for size!

When I purchased them, even the woman that worked at Madewell said that people were afraid of them. I thought, you know what…I am gonna buy these and wear them with confidence, because I want to! Below I have styled these cuties 4 ways. if you caught my Instagram stories I did a little style session, but for those who didn’t, I wrote this blog post!

These jeans fit tight through the hips and have a super stretch through the legs with a slight flare. As I’ve mentioned before, I am 5 feet tall so I tend to purchase petite or short clothing items. I got the petite size in these and they hit above the ankle to create a really fresh spring look!

 

The French Gal

The French Gal
The French Gal 2

Is it just me or is this “French girl style” the epitome of a fashionista? I am in love with the tied scarf around the neck look! For your inner french girl, I decided to pair these beauties with a simple, classic white shirt. The Courier Button-Back Shirt by Madewell  goes great with just about anything. My theme is versatile style so I try to only get pieces that I can style over and over and it not be obvious 😉. I gave it a front tuck to enhance my waist line and paired the Tropical Coral bandana (or scarf) with this simple outfit to add a pop of color and add a stylish little detail. I, of course, wore mules with this outfit. I mean I cannot get over mules and how perfect they go with jeans, dress pants, and even some dresses! These are the Willa Loafer Mules in Brown (not sure that these are still available at Madewell, but they might be at Nordstrom)!

*If you haven’t quite channeled your inner french girl or you simply don’t care for the bandana around the neck, you can always utilize yours differently (see above how I styled it as a headband).

 

The Valentine Gal ❤️

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To keep it true to Valentine’s Day this week, I decided to add in a cutesy valentine’s day inspired look that can totally be worn any other day of the year! I decided to pair a mock-neck black and white stripe shirt with the Cali Demi-Boot Jeans  and an oversized cardigan. I decided to tuck the mock-neck, because anytime I wear a longer layered piece, the tuck helps create a waistline and make you look taller!

The mock-neck is from Target’s Universal Thread line and I purchased it last year. I am not sure if they have it anymore in that color, but here is a link to a different colored one. You might also like this one from Anthropologie, but it is on the pricey end. They shouldn’t be too hard to find, since stripes are in style always ❤️! The cardigan is also from Target’s Universal Thread line and is no longer found in stores, however, they have some similar options here and here! Note that it is a little longer on me because of my height and I bout it in an XL even though I wear a M, because I wanted the baggy look.

I paired my Willa Loafer Mules in Glitter, because they instantly make me feel fancy, but keep the comfort levels high 👏🏻. I also used the Tropical Coral bandana again as a hairband to add some visual interest! I also thought the red and pink combo made for an extra Valentine’s Day appearance.

 

The Casual Gal

casual gal

For this look, I went for a more casual denim on denim approach. I, again, paired my Cali Demi-Boot Jeans  with the same top from my Valentine Gal look, because as I have mentioned, I am in to versatile style and pieces that I can wear over and over. The denim jacket is a little darker than the jeans so it adds some contrast and I decided to leave my shirt untucked, which is a rarity for me, to add some length since my jean jacket is shorter. The jean jacket pictured is very old (by about 2 or 3 years), so I know J. Crew doesn’t still carry it; however jean jackets are EVERYWHERE. You can find some that are oversized or fitted depending on your style and comfort level!

I, again, paired my Willa Loafer Mules and Tropical Coral bandana to keep this look fun and “put together”. You could also pair some cute white tennis shoes with this look if you are going out for a day of walking and want something more supportive, but I will say that these mules don’t hurt my feet in the slightest bit once I broke them in. Switching them out for tennis shoes would completely change this look which is another amazing thing about versatile style! The bandana adds a nice pop of color and helps hide that day 3 hair am-I-right 🤗?

The Working Gal

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This look gives me serious #boss vibes. I mean fist of all, the bright pink blazer is an eye catcher and I think it gives these jeans such a sophisticated look. I am wearing The Courier Button-Back Shirt again and tucked it in all the way around. I popped the collar too, because “ever since I can remember I been popping’ my collar” 😂 (anybody else remember that song?). The blazer is Halogen and I got it from my TrunkClub box! It is such an amazing piece and I couldn’t be happier with it. I got it in a MPetite and the length is perfect. It covers my butt just a bit and I roll the sleeves to create a more casual look. You can button the button if you want to look even more professional! You can find the blazer here, but it looks like there are limited sizes. Click here and here for similar options.

I paired The Frances Loafer Mule in the color Vintage White with this outfit. These are also from Madewell and are a great shoe, especially if you want to add some sophistication to your wardrobe! I have a wide foot and these feel great!  I skipped out on the bandana for this look, but you could definitely incorporate it if you wanted to!

 

There you have it, same jeans, four ways! I hope this inspires you to go out of your comfort zone and try some new pieces. I also hope this helps you shop your closet! Re-using pieces to create different looks is so fun and nice for the wallet 😉! If you decide to try and recreate any of these tag me on Instagram @budgetandbrunch and use the #budgetandbrunch hashtag!