Clothed Much

Modest Dresses under $20

2013-05-22T07:46:00.000-07:00

Target orange long sleeve shirt dress - $10
~~jpenney striped sheath dress - $14~~ sold out :(
Walmart maxi dress - $15
~~J.Jill linen tie-front dress - $20~~ sold out!
Target maxi dress - $20
Lands' End French terry dress - $19

I was organizing my closet the other day and I realized I don't have any dresses. Not just nursing-friendly dresses, but dresses period. (Also, nursing-friendly dresses..) I found a few online that I loved and wouldn't mind having. And guess what? They're all $20 or under! A cheapskate's dream. So, click away, lovelies! Just know that some of them have limited sizes like Dress #2 sadly. I really like that one.. Which one is your fave??

This post is sponsored by http://www.missesdressy.com/dresses/modest-dresses.

How to: The Perfect Eyebrows by Becky

2013-05-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! My name is Becky and I'm the new contributor on Clothed Much as a makeup and beauty guru. I'm so excited for this opportunity to share all my makeup tips, tricks, and tutorials!

For my very first post, I'm going to share my favorite makeup tutorial, "How To Fill in Your Eyebrows." I'm obsessed with eyebrows. They frame the face and can instantly change the way you look. You can shape and fill them in however you like, and I'm going to show you the easiest way to do it.

You'll need...

1. Brow powder or brow pencil*

*If you have dark hair, choose a color 1-2 shades lighter than your hair.

*If you have blonde hair, choose a color 1-2 shades darker than your hair.

My favorite: Wet n Wild Ultimate Brow Kit. So cheap and effective. It comes with 2 shades of brow powder and wax.

Another favorite: Wet n Wild Brow Pencil.

2. An angled liner brush and spooly

You don't need an angled brush if you're using an eye brow pencil, but you still need a spooly to blend.

I hope you find this tutorial helpful! Let me know in the comments down below if you have any questions.

Need some more eyebrow tips? Here's a post on how to groom your eyebrows.

Modest Fashion & Color for Spring Weddings by Emily

2013-05-20T07:49:00.000-07:00

Lets talk about weddings! Finding a fabulous modest wedding dress is an adventure and (sometimes) a hardship. But the dress isn't the only 'fashion' aspect of the wedding day. Though the dress may be white, COLOR is crucial for any spring wedding...

What colors do you love in a wedding palette?

Also, today is the last day to enter the 4-year blogiversary giveaway! Get your last minute entries in here.

Date Night by Melissa

2013-05-17T07:39:00.000-07:00

Blazer: Forever 21 (similar) | T-Shirt: J.Crew (similar) | Pants: J.Crew (similar) | Shoes: Anthropologie (similar) | Jewelry: Portobello Road Market in London

Does pink and black sometimes feel really 80s to anyone? Meh - I still love it, and I made it more summery by bringing in my white pants! Okay, it's true I just really love my white pants. This was the latest date night outfit. (The last date night involved scrubs and suturing techniques. So fun.) How are you bringing your style into summer mode?

A Name and a Blessing

2013-05-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

I wore this the Sunday we blessed Grey. It was during the same weekend my family was here. It was nice to have them included for the baby blessing since my parents gave Grey his middle name (which is a Korean name). Traditionally in Korea, the grandparents name the grandchildren. My own paternal grandfather gave me my name. ("Elaine" isn't my legal name! My mom randomly picked it out of a baby book when I was 7 because I was tired of people mispronouncing my Korean name.) But since we're in America and I feel more American than Korean, we gave them his middle name. They still loved it. Win win!! So, tell me....who named you? and what inspired them?

You voted, and I bought the...

2013-05-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

GOLD FLATS!

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They won by one vote. You guys are tough!! But I'm glad I chose them. I'd probably get more use out of them than the pink ones. I actually had a pair of nude snakeskin flats from Wanted Shoes that I wore until they were shreds, so I think I'll get good wear out of these. Also, they were cheaper and we know how much of a cheapskate I am. Happy Mother's Day to me!! Hope you all had a fabulous Mother's Day and called your moms!

5 Steps to Defined Curls for Curly Hair by Kristina

2013-05-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

Frizzy hair--it is what it is.

Frustrating. Annoying. Unmanageable and unruly.

Except when it isn't.

I've been through every curly hair stage you can possibly imagine. I treated it the same as you would glossy, straight hair for years before I realized I probably should NOT brush it out dry...before I discovered what a world of difference a dab of mousse could make. I tried to deny its existence along with every other curly girl in the early 1990's. I've worn it so crunchy with product you could hear it crackle if you touched it. But all that came before I learned how absolutely fun and low-maintenance a head full of curls could make a girl's life.

I'm not one to mourn about how much I wish I had straight hair. I don't. But take it from me--great curls don't just happen (and I've got the bad yearbook pictures to prove it).

This is the regimen that works for me.

Oh. And one more thing. This only works on curly hair. I'm pretty sure you won't get the same results with beautiful, stick-straight hair...unless you get happy with a curling iron. HA.

Nursery Wrinkles by Rebecca

2013-05-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

thrifted Guess jacket (similar) | Ann Taylor top | Love, Audrey skirt | Bare Traps shoes | Sugar Pie Girl headband - c/o

See all those lovely wrinkles in that skirt of mine? Those are brought to you by two hours of sitting on the floor/little chairs in nursery. Seeing as we'll only be in this ward a few months while our house is being built, my husband and I were called to serve in the nursery at our church. Nursery can get a bad wrap sometimes but I've already decided that it's one of the best callings ever. Crying kid... go find their dad. Stinky kid... go find their mom. Happy kid... let's sit here and play and color and sing songs! Bored with those blocks? Here play with my headband! Problem solved.

I've decided I need to get back to wearing headbands more often. I have quite the collection that has its own collection.. of dust. I gave up on them for two reasons. First, all of the ones I had made me look young. That wasn't helping my cause starting out in the professional world. And two, they gave me headaches! Luckily, neither of those things apply to this headband from Sugar Pie Girl. It is so comfortable and the feather style doesn't feel childish. Though they also have some adorable styles for young girls. They're such a great price, I want to get one of each for my nieces! In the meantime, I'm thinking this feather headband would be perfect to wear the opening night of Great Gatsby. If only I had that old flapper dress I used to dress up in as a kid..

Sugar Pie Girl sent Rebecca the Florence headband for this review and outfit post. Visit them to see their other headbands and flower pins.

I need your help!!!!!!

2013-05-10T08:13:00.000-07:00

Which pair of flats should I get myself for Mother's Day? I like the neutrality and simplicity of the gold flats but I also like the pink ones because it's different and a bit unexpected. This isn't just about shoe shopping - I'm having an identity crisis.

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How To Make Beaded Sandals by Kristina

2013-05-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

There's something about beading on an otherwise comfortable pair of sandals that falls outside the ordinary-all-day comfort. (Actually, I wish I'd thought to slip into a pair like this for my wedding reception.) There's really no wrong way to do this. You can use tonal colors like I did here or create a fun and summery look by choosing brightly colored beads. Use a variation of clear and opaque beads for the best multi-dimensional effect.

SF in less than a day

2013-05-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Kind of a long post. You've been warned! Carry on.

My family came to visit us a couple weekends ago to meet Grey for the first time. I think they like him!! It was also their first time in northern California so we had to take them to San Francisco for a quick day trip. We basically drove to all the major touristy stops, hopped out, took pics, and hopped back in the car. Everything takes five times longer to do with a baby. At least. Road trips included.

In my left hand: BBQ pork bun from Chinatown that I'd really love five of right now. Also, a pooch that has made its permanent residence. I surrender. For now.

But onto the most important part about this post.. my outfit!!!! Since we'd be in the car basically all of the day, I wanted to be comfy but cute...comfy cute. I chose a loose t-shirt (maternity FTW), skinny jeans (pre-preg!!! whatwhat!!!!), and sneakers.

I've mentioned before how I don't have any fashion sneakers or even know how to style them. Well, I was browsing Forever 21 one night and considering how everything is always on sale there, it's impossible + infinity to NOT buy something from that gigantic fastfash store and I happened upon these sneakers for $10 thinking, "Why not?" I mean, they were cute, cheap, and had gold cap toes! I also had a bad shopping itch and I was afraid I'd buy something I'd regret later like a purple muumuu. And tomorrow some fashion blogger will probably make muumuus like really good and I'll be eating my words. Naturally.

During the day, Grey did what he did best and spit up and pooped 29,874x on his clothes and his back up clothes so we made a quick detour to H&M to see if we can find anything so as not to run around SF with a naked baby. Hiding in the corner of H&M kids, I ran into Tiffany and Lizzie!! I was dumbfounded. Like it took me a minute or two for it to register that I wasn't sitting in front of a computer looking at their blogs. It was SO FUN to see them and I sense many SF trips in the future.

Right before Oli kept grabbing at my boobs. Handsy, that one! (and ADORABLE.)

You've still got some time left to enter the blogiversary giveaway if you haven't!

White by Melissa

2013-05-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

J.Crew top | J.Crew pants | belt from my great-grandmother's closet | Dolce Vita sandals | J.Crew necklace

With summer arriving I assumed the ban on white pants has been lifted. Yes? No? Either way I am whipping them out. Nothing like a little white outfit to negate that summer heat.

Here's another all white outfit from Elaine for more inspiration!

Thrifting Virtue #1 by Rebecca

2013-05-06T09:12:00.000-07:00

thrifted blazer (similar) | Macy's top | AG jeans | New Balance sneakers (similar) | RayBan sunglasses

A year and a half ago I decided I needed a blue blazer. But one can't be too picky when one relies heavily on thrift shops. After a month of searching, I found one. It wasn't perfect, and it needed altering, but it would do. A year later, the altering had still not occurred because it really wasn't worth the time. And so, it got thrown into a pile of donations to head right back where it started. But then I happened upon this beaut and paid full price because I worried that if I came back on a discount day it would be gone. And by golly I do believe it was worth the many pennies that were spent.

Pssst..... Have you entered the Clothed Much blogiversary giveaway??

Clothed Much is 4 years old!! (CLOSED)

2013-04-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

How to Dress Your Postpartum Body

2013-04-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

I am finally out of the 4th trimester, the three months after the baby is born. I'm not gonna lie - those three months were tough emotionally, physically, and mentally. I knew my body wouldn't be the same, but it was still a reality check to be in a body that didn't feel like mine. I mean I just had a baby, why was I being so hard on myself? The human body is beautiful. The postpartum body is beautiful. And I wanted to dress to accentuate that beauty, while camouflaging the inevitable pooch.

Here are some tips I've learned while dressing my postpartum body...

The easiest way to dress your postpartum body? LEGGINGS!!!! The best part about having maternity leggings during your pregnancy is you can wear them after very comfortably. But please make sure your crotch and butt are covered and we can't see your underwear through it. That's three of my pet peeves and obviously you must appease me at all times. If you don't have any shirts that are long enough, try maternity t-shirts! I still wear mine regularly. They're roomy and a little longer than regular shirts. Check and check.

For a dressier option, peplum tops are so great at disguising the pooch! It flares at just the right spot (below your rib cage) and gives you that hour glass figure. So far I've paired it with boyfriend jeans and a fitted skirt.

Along the same lines, there are the full and A-line skirts. When they're placed at the smallest part of your body, they create a more exaggerated hour glass figure than the peplum top. If your skirt isn't full enough, you can wear another full skirt underneath! Hopefully, it's not too hot and you have a sweatfest down there because that's just gross.

Here's an outfit combination to remember: loose top + loose pants. It sounds big and messy, but with the right accessories it can work! Think eye-catching jewelry and shoes. It also helps to wear a print on top so the eyes are distracted by its busy-ness.

Loose pants also include boyfriend jeans! My favorite!! I had to buy a bigger size to accommodate my new curvalicious body. If you're worried about not being able to wear bigger jeans when you get down to your pre-pregnancy weight, you can take the waist in or use the Instant Button.

Dresses. Other than being super easy, they can make or break you. That's why God invented the Spanx. I most definitely wore shapewear with that white dress!! Accentuate your waist with a belt. Make sure it doesn't blend into your dress so it creates that pop against the dress like I did in both of these outfits with the contrast of dark and light.

What are some of your tips on dressing a post-pregnancy body?

How To Lengthen a Mini Dress by Kristina

2013-04-25T13:50:00.000-07:00

I've been drooling over the mixed print trend that floated down the spring runway, especially since mixing prints opens up all kinds of DIY opportunities -- it's like an invitation to break all the rules. I used an oversize mini dress from Charlotte Russe to create this look. The base color of the floral pattern was navy blue, so I thought a navy polka dot fabric would be an obvious choice, then made sure to incorporate the navy print with a small rectangle pocket flap. DIY win!

MFB Crush: The Daylee Journal by Tiffany

2013-04-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Meet Marsa from The DayLee Journal! She is our current Mormon Fashion Blogger Crush! We love her style and cute personality. Read on to learn more about her...

How did you come to choose your blog name? Any special meaning? Hmm... I guess I should start by introducing myself just a bit. The husband is Jerry, and I'm Marsa, but together we're the "Lees." I wanted this blog to be a place for us to document our daily life happenings together as a married couple. Hence, "The DayLee Journal." It actually took me a long time to come up with with this name. Probably because I'm not very creative - haha. I wanted it to represent us, as well as the blog as much as possible. And I think I did a pretty okay job, dontcha think?

Where do you hope to see you, your family, and your blog in five years? Five years, aye? That's a long time, mate! But let's see... in five years, this girl would like to be done with college, hair school, and possibly have some minnie munchkins running around the house. AH! Babies? Scary thought. But an awesome scary thought. As for the blog, I'd really just like for it to have lots of awesome pictures and stories of my family to look back on. And let's be honest, some sponsors would be awesome too! Hahaha.

What is your spouse's style like? Jerry's style? Well, that's an easy one. Sweats, t-shirt, Nikes, and a hat. My simple man - so chill and relaxed. I love it. I never feel pressured to dress up because he likes me in my sweats too. And I sure do love my sweats. Sometimes he'll wear jeans and that's when I know we have a special date comin' up! :) Woohoo!

How would you best describe your personal style? You know, that's an interesting question. I have no idea! But I do like a variety of specific styles like boho, edgy, slouchy, girly, and anything with stripes and Aztec. This blog was never supposed to be a "fashion" blog because I never considered myself to be "fashionable." And I still don't! I just like clothes, guys. That's all.

What is one fashion tip you would like to share with Clothed Much readers? How about you give me a fashion tip. Because I could use one.. or two... or three. I will tell ya one thing though. It's something I've always stuck to and I think it's sooo important, especially to those who are still trying to find their own personal style. Never ever buy something just because it's "the trend." Trends will fade and so will your money if you're constantly trying to keep up with the trends. Just stay true to yourself and buy something because you love it and because it's "you." Not because it's "the cool thing to do." Hey, that rhymed! Two points for me.

What is your least favorite style trend of all-time? Urr... I would have to say those animal sweater thingies. I don't get that. I'll admit though, some are really cute and I've seen girls wear them really well. But for me, no way.

What was your biggest wardrobe splurge? Was it worth it? My Nike wedge sneakers! Ah, I love Nike and so does the hubs. So when Nike came out with their wedge sneakers, I really really really wanted them. But I waited a couple of months because I was unsure of spending that much on shoes. And then when I finally decided that they were worth it, my size was sold out everywhere. Boo. I was sad. But then for valentines day Jerry surprised me with them and I was a happy girl again. He's the best.

Thanks, Marsa! Don't forget to check out her blog, The DayLee Journal! You can see our past blog crushes here.

Photo Tips for Fashion Bloggers #2 by Emily

2013-04-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

There's many elements of photography that make up a good picture. There's lighting and posing as well as the more technical side of it. Having the right lens makes ALL the difference in portrait photography! Read on below to hear the answer the most common photography question I get...

What lens do you use most?

Definitely the 50 mm (which took that image on the right). Notice the different depth of field (aka "blurriness") of the two pictures. For fashion blogging shots, as well as all portraits, a "blurry" depth of field is KEY to focussing the image on the subject! It offers a little bit of zoom, too, so less of the road/branches/etc get in the shot.

If you have bought a DLSR camera will know that they are often sold in "kits" that come with the body, a lens, battery, etc etc. That left image is taken with that standard 18 - 55 mm that is usually included in that kit. The starter lens tends to be "okay" at everything, but not "great" at anything. I always recommend the 50 mm lens to others, especially because it's also super affordable.

What other photography questions do you have? Comment below!

Check out these other fashion blogging photography posts...

Aperture and depth of field for outfit posts (Part one of Emily's Fashion Bloggers tips series)
Three types of shots fashion bloggers need

A Dress with Legs

2013-04-17T08:43:00.000-07:00

A jumpsuit is like a dress but with legs. You can quote me on that. There isn't much styling that goes into it besides accessories. In that way it's so easy yet so hard to wear. I wore this to go shopping and run some errands. I would've rather worn flats but these shoes were just screaming to be worn with this outfit and in the end so were my ankles. Oh, the things we do for fashion... Or in this case, fashion blogging. Vanity FTW!

Dropping Anchor by Sasha

2013-04-16T08:59:00.000-07:00

It was a glorious day when I thought spring had finally arrived in Utah and I pulled out one of my favorite skirts for church. I felt like dropping anchor with some nautical stripes. It was a perfect outfit for the perfect weather we had! Sadly, that beautiful spring weather was short lived. The following day, mother nature gave us couple inches of snow. Glorious? Not so much. I'm ready to pack all my winter clothes away. I'm envious of all my friends who live in warmer states like California!

Fresh Gingham Meets Mint Denim by Kristina

2013-04-15T09:14:00.000-07:00

J.Crew skirt (similar) | Land's End Canvas Shirt | Steve Madden flats (similar) | FOSSIL bag (similar) | AE watch (similar)

It's over. I've made the jump. I'm all spring colors and light-weight fabrics--no matter the temperature. There's only so much room in a girl's wardrobe for the winter and summer clothes to co-exist (especially the 2x5 hole I call a closet).

Out with the old, in with the new. Actually it's probably more like what's old is new again, considering I got my inspiration for this color combination from a photo of one of my mom's full-on flower-power dresses. But who cares where the freshness comes from if it's crazy awesome? Just sayin'...

The Easiest (and laziest) Scarf Style

2013-04-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

I loved WhoWhatWear's feature on wearing scarves simply around your neck with no intricate knots or tying involved. Sometimes it's too hot to be all wrapped up in a scarf, but you still want that little bit of added flair. I think this is a great way to do that.

I wore this outfit last weekend while we were apartment hunting, which is pretty much the worst.. But we finally found one that I think will suit us nicely. So we'll be moving...again. Boo.

P.S. Leggings are the best. I don't know why I hated on them so much before but I just want to boycott zippers for a while. Or forever. Who's with me? ;)

How to Make a Studded Wrap Watch by Kristina

2013-04-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

Whether you tend towards scientifically punctual or fashionably late, you will be totally of-the-moment with an embellished wrap watch. You can find these wrap watches everywhere from Walmart to department stores (mine was a clearance La Mer watch from Target). Use coordinating color gems or mix it up with metallics like I did here. No matter your color preference--such detailing will earn you extra credit for style.

Fake Out by Rebecca

2013-04-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

thrifted top (similar) | Target jeans (similar) | thrifted Hush Puppies flats | Kate Spade sunglasses | Express necklace

I guess I still haven't learned the number one rule here in Denver. Never, ever switch your clothes over before June. Ever. Yes, you will be tempted by those 70 and sunny days. You will drive around with your window down. You may even hear the ice cream man playing music through the streets. Do not give in! The moment you switch out your sweaters for your short sleeves, a blizzard will strike. Because Denver weather is a jerk.

The Last of the Cold Weather by Melissa

2013-04-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

This outfit is from a recent trip to NYC to visit my best friend from college. She warned me it was cold - and it even snowed while I was there! This chica has lost her touch with cold winters - I basically lived in my winter coat for a week. I was able to shed the puffy coat and furry hood for the one warmish day we had. This polka-dot jacket has been sitting in the back of my closet since I bought it (almost a year ago). I loved it but just couldn't figure out how to wear it. Anyone else have this problem? Blah... Impulse buyer.