well heeled – Budget & Brunch

Layering for Winter

December 19, 2019December 19, 2019by Budget&BrunchLeave a Comment

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.

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

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

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.

Left to right:

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 😏!

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 😉!

4 Ways to Style a Blazer with Jeans

November 8, 2019November 8, 2019by Budget&Brunch

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!

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!

*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!

*Petite sizing in jeans

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!

*Petite sizing in jeans

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 😘.

Madewell Denim vs Everlane Denim

July 18, 2019December 10, 2019by Budget&Brunch

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!