Putting Me Together

Lace & Leopard

2013-05-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

I'm recovering from being away for a week on two different trips. My souvenirs from one trip were a bunch of mosquito bites, complete with eight ON MY FACE. Seriously, who does that? At least on the next trip I got to see our best friends and their new baby. Is he precious or what?

I tried lace and leopard another time a couple of months ago but I had mixed feelings about it because of some of the other elements. Too many other trends happening. This time I took the same top and shoes and paired them with more classic and neutral elements, like the cognac faux leather jacket and navy chinos. Though it's more subtle with just a hint of some trends, that's pretty much right up my alley.

Links to Shop:

one | two | three | four

five | six | seven | eight

Shop for the Look:

Top: Forever 21 (similar, similar)

Jacket: Forever 21 (splurge)

Pants: Banana Republic (exact, similar)

Shoes: Target (exact, 5 more options)

Necklace: World Market

Datevitation Giveaway & Discount - Great for Father's Day!

2013-05-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I hardly ever know what to get my dad for Father's Day. If you're looking for a great gift for your dad, listen up because Datevitation has a fun, thoughtful, and creative solution!

You might remember Datevitation from a giveaway we did back in January. But in case you're new around here, Datevitation is the first online platform to let you create a little booklet with date coupons that *you* get to customize for your loved one.

I honestly didn't think much of the idea when I first heard of it, but as I started to look through their activities I genuinely came to love it. There were so many great date ideas there, and recently they added a bunch of new activities (like over 150 new ones) that are fantastic for kids and parents!

These are perfect for anniversaries and birthdays, but I got to make one for my dad in time for Father's Day! Datevitation's ideas totally helped me think outside of the box and make me really excited to do some creative, quality activities with my dad. Such a fun Father's Day gift!

This week you get the chance to win your own customized book from Datevitation!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't wanna wait? Books start at just $20, but the GREAT news is that you can get $10 off your May or June purchase with the code TOGETHER! What a deal! That means you can get your own custom one-of-a-kind Father's Day book starting at just $10!! The order cut-off date for guaranteed delivery by Father's Day is June 6th, so make sure to get your order in before then!

Old Favorite

2013-05-19T08:55:00.000-07:00

Betcha didn't know I was out of town at a retreat center last week, eh? I wore this one day, and though this may seem a little overdressed for a retreat center for some people, I beg to differ. I always question keeping this dress until the summer rolls around, and I realize it's my absolute favorite thing to throw on. (Sans cardigan, of course.) Don't be fooled, a dress may seem high maintenance or overdressed to some, but for me, a dress like this is wayyyy more comfortable than shorts and a tee. Is that just me, or does anyone else feel the same way?

On another note, Target has a ton of summer sandals, and I only listed a tiny few of them below. I want to buy a new pair, but it's really hard to choose! I'm wearing the first pair below and want to get number two, but I also really like number number three.

*Random note: this dress is black, not navy.

Links to Shop:

one | two | three

four | five | six

Shop for the Look:

Dress: Old Navy (similar, similar, similar)

Cardigan: Old Navy (similar, similar)

Belt: H&M

Sandals: Target (exact, similar)

Dresses for Nursing Moms (and everyone else)

2013-05-16T06:30:00.000-07:00

I've had this dress for a few years, and while it's not necessarily hip or trendy, it's really comfortable and figure-flattering, and therefore it totally works for me. Plus I've gotta keep it around because it'll probably come in handy someday.

You see, very often I get asked by new mothers what to wear to look put together while nursing a baby, and without fail I will say to get a v-neck cotton jersey dress with an empire waist. Aka this dress, along with nearly every dress in my closet. It turns out I have a great wardrobe for a new mom...now all I need is a kid. (Not hinting at anything--don't get your hopes up. :) )

Here are some great v-neck jersey dresses with defined waists, great for whether you're a nursing mom or not! NOTE: A lot of these are available in different colors if you click through the shopping links.

Links to Shop:

one through four | five

six | seven | eight | nine | ten

Would you wear any of these?

Shop the Look:

Dress: Banana Republic (similar)

Jacket: Target (exact, similar)

Wedges: Target (similar, similar)

Springtime Mentality

2013-05-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

I don't have much to say about this outfit, except that I had it in my Go Chic or Go Home Ensembles foreverrrr waiting to be worn. This is how I do springy looks when the days are a little chillier--I trick myself with colors. Do you do that too? Instead of my go-to dark colored jeans and a dark sweater I went for a brightly colored lightweight sweater, light colored pants, and colorful accessories. Even though I'm just wearing jeans and a sweater, choosing lighter colors gave me more of a springtime mentality, know what I mean? You gotta do whatchu gotta do!

Links to Shop:

one | two | three | four

five | six | seven | eight

Shop for the Look:
Sweater: Forever 21 (exact, similar)
Jeans: Old Navy (similar--sale for $19)
Flats: Old Navy (similar, similar, more options here)
Necklace: c/o Outfit Additions (exact, similar, similar)
Scarf: Target (exact, similar)

Printed Maxi Dresses

2013-05-13T06:30:00.000-07:00

I wore this over the weekend for a late 30th birthday celebration. You might remember me saying on Friday that I was going to an indoor trampoline park. I wore this dress to the trampoline park of course. It was hard not to flash people while doing flips, but I managed. Ha. Okay, obviously NOT, but I did wear it for tacos afterwards.

I've wanted a printed maxi dress for a long, long time. I had my eye on this one knowing it'd be perfect with basically every colored cardigan and belt I own, and I knew I could wear it for baby showers, bridal showers, and some summer beach/park weddings. However, I could not swallow the price tag, so I just drooled over it from afar. Then lucky me, my husband gave it to me for my birthday! I still have to hem it, but I just threw on some wedges and wore it anyway because I was so excited about it. It was a perfect weather kinda day, so it felt appropriate to pair it with a pink belt and a bright yellow cardi! I think printed maxis are soooo fantastic in the spring and summer, so I'm very excited for this and very grateful to my husband.

There's a bunch of great options below that will be fantastic for summer and can be worn a number of different ways. Also, another version of this dress without the slit can be found here.

Links to Shop:

one, version b (no slit) | two | three | four

five | six | seven

Shop for the Look:

Dress: Piperlime (exact, similar)

Belt: Forever 21

Cardigan: Old Navy (similar, similar)

Wedges: Target (similar, similar)

Snakeskin

2013-05-10T06:30:00.000-07:00

Sheesh, it's been a very full week. I'm so glad for the weekend, but it's also going to be full since I'm celebrating my 30th birthday...yes, a few weeks after the fact. We're going to an indoor trampoline park(!!!!) Think a warehouse of trampolines, a foam pit, and a trampoline dodgeball court. Whaaaat? And afterwards we're catering a taco truck from Tijuana because I could eat TJ tacos all day, errrday.

Anyway, clothes. So I bought this top a couple of weeks ago and have worn this outfit maybe three times already. I wouldn't have said that I was a fan of snakeskin (though maybe on bags and shoes), but when it's a lighter print on a flowy top I can dig it. The one I bought is currently on sale for $20, and also comes in grey. Maybe my perception of snakeskin is limited, but I was pleasantly surprised to find options like numbers two and six as they're different than what I typically think of snakeskin prints.

Snakeskin for you--yay or nay? Would you try any of the ones below?

Links to Shop:

one | two | three | four

five | six | seven | eight

Shop for the Look:
Top: Kohl's (exact, similar)
Jacket: Forever 21 (similar, similar, splurge)
Jeans: Gap
Shoes: Target (similar, similar)
Tote: eBags (exact)

Ruffles

2013-05-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

This is probably one of my favorite dresses because it's just easy to wear. It goes with a lot of different colors and it fits well, plus...see those ruffles on the top half of this dress? For someone like me who doesn't mind a little boost in that area, ruffle-front dresses (and tops) are great for adding volume to help fill out your top half. The ruffles on my dress cover the whole top panel of the dress, but if you want to add volume to your bust and you're worried about adding volume to your midsection try something with ruffles only at the bust, like option three below.

And if you don't want to add extra volume up top, the bottom row below has non-ruffled dress options.

Have you tried any ruffled pieces, and do they work for your body? My guess is that it's not really about what size you are but more about your shape and the proportions of your body's top and lower halves, but I'm not sure about that so I'm curious to hear from you guys.

Links to Shop:

one | two | three | four | five

six | seven | eight | nine

Shop for the Look:

Dress: Target (similar, similar)

Cardigan: H&M (similar, similar, similar)

Belt: Target (similar, similar)

Wedges: Target (similar, similar)

Graphic Prints

2013-05-06T06:30:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but I really love this outfit. I think I love the contrast of the dark top with the crisp white bottoms. I wore the outfit with the cardigan and wedges to a meeting and then to run errands. I originally planned the outfit with the blazer (last pic) but I wanted to feel less constricted so I opted for the cardigan and ended up liking it even better.

Have I talked about this top before? It was once a dress that was way too short but I bought it with the intention of turning it into a shirt anyway because I wanted more printed tops. It has turned out to be another one of those pieces that I didn't know I would end up wearing so much. (Recap to come, maybe?) I think it works so well because it's a graphic print which makes things interesting, but it's not too annoying or overwhelming, and it's made up of dark neutrals. Maybe that's why? Anyway, the first top below seems pretty similar to the one I have, just in black and white instead of periwinkle/black/white. However, I also really, really adore number five! I also love the Ikat print in number three.

Have you tried tops with graphic prints? If not, consider giving them a try as a swap out from a normal plain tee! Just as easy to put on, but you don't have to try so hard to make your outfit interesting.

Links to Shop:

one | two | three

four | five

Shop the Look:

Top: Forever 21 (similar, similar)

Cardigan: H&M (similar)

Jeans: Old Navy (similar)

Wedges: Target (similar, similar)

Bottom Pic:

Blazer: H&M (similar)

Grey Pumps: Target (similar--suede and lower heel, similar)

Win $100 to Outfit Additions!

2013-05-05T15:32:00.001-07:00

Outfit Additions is a California based accessories boutique with a fun collection of jewelry, belts and wallets. They just launched our spring/summer jewelry line of statement necklaces, colorful bracelets and more. Seriously guys, they have some beautiful, FUN pieces.

Even more awesome, shipping is free on all orders with no order minimum! Who doesn't appreciate free shipping?!

Also, spend $50+ and get 20% off with code PTM. Great for Mother's Day!

Wearing:

Tangerine Bead Drop Necklace (left)

Long Ivory Marble Pendant Necklace (right)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway is open to US residents, as Outfit Additions does not yet ship internationally.

Wardrobe From Scratch: Case Study - LEANNA

2013-05-03T13:24:00.001-07:00

Ohhh goodness, guys. Bear with me on this one. The task was not easy and I'm not confident in how well this wardrobe will suit her. Let's just say, petite women, I feel your shopping frustrations. I'll explain why below.

But first, let's meet Leanna! Leanna is a super active mom of a 6 year old and a 1 year old who has a full-time job and is the anchor for her large extended family. Not only does Leanna need help dressing for all of these different settings, she also needs help dressing her 5'2" frame and her body shape. She said, "The problems I've had with fit are finding the right pieces and styles that keep me from looking short and dumpy. I've had trouble highlighting my smaller legs, given I'm only 5'2" with a short waist, while also drawing attention away from my round midsection."

Leanna's style preferences are SO fun and exciting, so I wanted to give Leanna a colorful, funky wardrobe full of lots of patterns, but I also had to juggle finding pieces that would fit her petite frame and flatter her figure...and hopefully at reasonable prices.

The difficulty was that there aren't as many options for petite women, and whatever was in stores at this time tended not to be as fun and exciting as I think Leanna could do. I did my best, but I Just couldn't find as many pieces for her that I had envisioned. Instead I relied more on accessories to incorporate that pop to the outfits.

Some of these items are pretty expensive (compared to what's usually on this blog, at least), so please understand that this is not a list of specific items that Leanna should buy as it is more a list of types of items she could look for.

Almost all links are for petite sizes but often have petite and regular options. Shopping links throughout the post below.

TOPS

Shopping Links:

orange | chambray | zig zag | dotted top

blue print | orange tank | purple tee | purple sweater

Since Leanna is concerned about her midsection, I hoped for tops with structure built in, like an empire waist, a faux-wrap, an open neck, or darting or seaming in a "C" shape at the waist to create definition for her, but honestly the options available with those characteristics were mostly kind of boring. I ended up just choosing some pieces with more pattern and color that I hope will work for her shape.

I could at least find tops with open necklines to elongate her petite frame, and top #4 has an empire waist which should hit the narrowest part of her, right under her bust, and flow down to conceal anything she's worried about.

COMPLETER PIECES

Shopping Links:

blue cardi | green cardi

blazer | denim | cargo

The black blazer will be a great staple for her, particularly for work and for nights out. If you click to the one above you can see it has some seams that will nip in and create more definition for her upper body. "Make the clothes do the work for you," say Stacy and Clinton.

I love denim jackets and cargo jackets for on-the-go moms because they're durable for when you're with kids, but they can also be chic and worn for other occasions that don't involve kids. The cargo jacket I listed has strings to nip in at the waist too, also helping create some definition in the waist.

Cardigans are also excellent for moms (and for work) because you can move around really easily in them. Since Leanna didn't seem to be scared of prints, I thought a printed cardi would be great for her. Whether it's animal print, stripes, florals, or a fun geometric one, a printed cardi will be an instant piece to add interest to plain basics.

SKIRTS

Shopping Links:

black | striped | purple | denim | floral

The goal with the skirts was to add some volume to her lower half to balance out her top half with skirts that come straight down or a little away from her body at least around the knees.

Also, for someone who is petite (correct me if I'm wrong) I've read that a good rule of thumb is for skirts and dresses to hit just above the knee, or at least at the knee. That should help elongate the leg line.

There were quite a few skirt options, but since this is just a starter kit wardrobe I went with ones that could function in at least two, if not three, of Leanna's lifestyle activities. I also looked at skirts with pleats and a-lines but the particular options I saw didn't seem like they could serve dual purposes.

PANTS

Shopping Links:

grey trousers | jeans | olive | white straight-legged

Similarly to skirts, I chose pants that would go from her hip and make a nice straight line down to add some volume and balance out her top half. Also, since Leanna's lower half is smaller, her pants can be lighter to draw attention to them.

Grey trousers will be a great work staple for Leanna. I looked for a lighter or medium shade of grey.

Straight legged jeans in a medium-wash. I'd prefer something even slightly lighter for Leanna than the ones I showed, but that's what I could find.

Olive kahki/cargos is always a plus for time with kids, but I could also see these dressed up with heels.

White jeans...I just threw this one in there even if it might not be practical with little kids. But you never know, that doesn't scare some people! She has such a thin lower half that white straight legged jeans would look so great on her!

DRESSES

Shopping Links:

black | purple | blue print | green print

Faux-wraps, v-necks, empire waists, and a-line skirts. Like I mentioned above with tops and skirts, these are exactly what Leanna needs. The wraps and empire waists will create definition for her, the open necks will elongate her neckline, and volume at the bottom of the skirts will balance out her upper half.

I think each of these dresses will serve her in two to three of her different lifestyle activities too!

SHOES & ACCESSORIES

Shopping Links:

The possibilities here are endless, but I chose fun colors for her. And honestly, looking at her style preferences on Pinterest, leopard pumps and striped flats might be mild for her! She could totally rock a zebra print wedge! But the point isn't the specific pieces...the point is to incorporate pattern and funkiness into her outfits by using printed shoes, colorful jewelry, and colored/patterned scarves.

Seriously guys, I'm wiped from shopping! This one was really difficult to do, especially online, because like I said, I'm not confident that this will suit her style preferences well. Usually if the person is in front of me this is a good starting place but we get to tweak things if my hunches don't work well. Without having her actually in front of me for feedback and that kinda stuff I wasn't quite sure about everything so I hope this works out for her!

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Your encouragement is much appreciated!

Like last time you can create outfits for Leanna below. What might be helpful is if you labeled them for the types of activities you think she could wear the outfit to based on her profile above. :)

**For more posts like this, see the Wardrobe From Scratch Series.

Get your own Mini Editor from Polyvore

Plain Basics to an Outfit #2

2013-05-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

I've done something like this before where I showed pieces you could quickly add to turn plain basics into something that looked more pulled together. A lot of you said you liked that, so here's another one!

Last week I worked all day at home in this:

At the end of the day I had to run a few quick errands, and since I'm vain (ha, let's be real here) I wanted to look a bit more pulled together. I quickly grabbed a scarf and threw on my trusty moto jacket in a flash and had an instant outfit!

It's not a groundbreaking outfit, but I felt way more stylish than what I originally had. And the whole thing took less than 15 seconds. Really.

I think pieces like a moto jacket, a cargo jacket, or a denim jacket are great pieces that you can throw on quickly to take a plain t-shirt or plain dress up a notch. I love those pieces because they provide a light layer and they keep things casual but really pull together a look.

Links to Shop: one | two | three

Shop for the Look:
Tee: Target (similar--Madewell on sale)
Jacket: Forever 21 (similar)
Jeans: Loft (similar)
Booties: Target (similar, similar)
Scarf: c/o Daily Charms (exact)

Delicate Things

2013-05-01T06:30:00.000-07:00

I've had this dress for like a year and a half and have not worn it ONCE. Shaaaaame! I finally wore it for my birthday dinner last Friday. I acquired it from a clothing swap, new with its tags still on, and while I didn't really have anywhere to wear it to I couldn't pass up a FREE brand new H&M dress!

Even though this dress looks white in these pictures, it's a very, very, very pale pink in person, the way that this dress is pink. I know I said that yesterday too, but I swear I'm not crazy or colorblind! I would rather have it be white, though, because it's so pale that it is pretty much white, but it's not, and I just want it to make up its dang mind. Like, commit. Don't be pink but look white, dress. Psh.

Regardless, I keep wishing this was a hot pink like this one or at least something more saturated. My style tends not to be terribly feminine, like in the sense that you don't see me with a lot of bows and pastels and frills, so a pale dress in a lightweight fabric with a pleated bust is almost too much for me. One idea I've caught onto from magazines is to mix feminine pieces with pieces that have a tougher edge, a bit of grit, or at least some structure to ground the feminine pieces. Like, a delicate lace dress paired with a cargo jacket and spiked booties or a feminine top paired with a faux leather moto jacket. If I had a cargo jacket (still looking for the right one) I would have worn it with this dress, but for now a denim jacket and animal print accessories will do. With these pieces, this dress didn't feel too delicate to me at all, and it felt very much like me!

Below are great options that I think can be dressed up for weddings or showers or dressed down:

Links to Shop for Dress:

one | two | three

four | five | six

Annnd a second collage because there were so many good leopard pump options:

Links to Shop for Leopard Pumps:

one | two | three

four | five | six

Shop for the Look:

Dress: H&M (similar, similar)

Jacket: Target (exact, similar)

Pumps: Target (exact)

Belt: Target

Linked up for WIWW!

Pink, Olive, and Grey

2013-04-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

I guess this outfit is totally unhip because it was pretty difficult to find decent links to similar items for almost everything I'm wearing. It's probably because it's kind of a fall look and we're all supposed to be wearing bright colors and springy dresses, but whatevs. No worries, springy dresses to come soon, today it's pink animal print!

If you can't tell from the pics, my tee is a really light pink. I think I saw this color combo once on Wendy from Wendy's Lookbook and it stuck with me. Olive is a color that kind of baffles me even though I know it shouldn't. It's a pseudo-neutral which means it goes with a lot of things, yet I still get surprised when I see it with anything besides other neutrals. I've found that olive goes really well with pink, dark purple, or teal, but for some reason I have a hard time remembering that when I'm staring at my olive pieces!

Do you wear olive? What color combos (besides neutrals) have you done with olive?

Shop for the Look:

Top: Shade (similar, similar)
Cardigan: Target (similar)
Jeans: Target (similar)
Booties: Target (similar, similar)
Scarf: c/o Daily Charms (exact)

Weekday Weekend Look

2013-04-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all of the birthday wishes, you guys!

Despite the fact that this totally looks like a weekend outfit and that I'm posting this on the weekend, I wore this earlier in the week on a normal work day. A few of you said you wanted to see what I wear on the weekend, but you guys DO see my weekend looks...they're basically the same as most of my weekday looks! I took these chinos from this business casual outfit and paired them with relaxed pieces for casual outfit.

I think it's been a year or more since I've worn these flats. I thought yellow flats were losing steam by the time I had bought these (and I wore them a lot regardless)...but now they're all over stores. And they're cuter! Dang it. It's taking a LOTTTTTT of will power to not buy this pair right now. And number three are my beloved, comfy mint flats, just in a pale yellow.

Yellow flats: Would you ever give them a shot?

Links to Shop:

one | two | three

four | five | six

Shop for the Look:

Top: Old Navy (exact, more options here)

Jacket: Forever 21 (similar, similar, similar)

Pants: Banana Republic (exact, similar, similar--available for all body sizes)

Shoes: Old Navy (similar, similar)

Necklace: Old Navy (similar, similar, similar)

The Big Three Oh.

2013-04-26T06:30:00.000-07:00

source

Though some of you might be surprised because I look young, I turn the BIG 3-0 today! And lemme tell ya: it. feels. awesome.

While in movies and TV and even among some of my friends there seems to be an aversion to getting older, I'm embracing it with open arms. Why? Because I absolutely love the person I've become after these 30 years!

I've done a lot of hard work--a LOT--over the last few years to become who I am today. While I did spend some energy thinking of what I would accomplish in my 20s, a wise mentor advised me at 19 years old and through out the rest of college to focus my 20s on the question, "What kind of person am I becoming?" Rather than focusing so much on things I would do in my 20s or adding to my list of accomplishments my primary focus in my 20s was to shape my character. Was I becoming the type of person I wanted to be with the type of character I wanted to have?

I did the hard work of letting myself be shaped into someone that was more patient, more loving, more gentle, and more faithful. I sought to have stronger character and deeper integrity by doing the harder things that you know are right even when no one is watching. I learned to be slower to anger and quicker to forgive. Even before I got married I sought to become someone that would love, serve, and honor my husband well. I learned not only to walk alongside the poor and the marginalized but I learned to learn from them, find God in them, and to receive from them. I received the hard lessons in life that made me more selfless and humble and less self-serving while at the same time growing in being rooted and established as someone who is deeply loved. And I learned to lean into grace.

Sometimes it was fun, but most of the time it was not pretty. (Right? Who really thinks rooting out your pride and growing in humility is fun? Not my idea of a good time.) But as I sit here at 30 years old, more free in myself and more free than I've ever been to love others well, I can very easily say that all of it was worth it.

So yes, I love that I'm 30 because I see each year of my 20s as a badge earned by the hard work of letting myself be smoothed out and shaped more and more into the person I want to become, and there's no way I would want those years taken from me. No way--I've earned every one of those years!

Thirties, here I come. Let's get it poppin!

source

Pink and Polka Dots

2013-04-25T06:30:00.000-07:00

since some of you asked for more side views

This pink top reminds me of how when I was about 16 I swore off pink. If I recall correctly, I said, "I would NEVER be caught DEAD in pink!" I grew up kind of a tomboy and though I started wearing heels in high school (yes, high school, cuz I be classy like that), I still didn't want to be mistaken for being prissy. I wore heels, but I was hardcore, okay? Black clothes from Bebe, dark brown lipstick and a smug look prove it. (Like I told you--classy. A hardcore kind of classy, of course.) And definitely NO PINK, because as it turns out pink clashes with brown lipstick and smug looks. Little did I know that by 17 I would be all over pink like white on rice. And little did I know that 16 year olds could not be trusted.

I found lots of great options for polka dot pencil skirts (except one) so I made another collage. I think the first one is absolutely adorable and last time I checked it was 50% off! Number five is pretty dang cute too.

BTW, do you guys like these collages? I figure it's more helpful to be able to see the item first so you don't have to click through as many "similar" links, but if they're not helpful let me know. Shopping links below the collage.

Links to Shop:

Top Row: one | two | three

Bottom: four | five | six

Shop for the Look:

Top: Old Navy (similar, similar, similar--cute peplum blouse)

Cardigan: H&M (similar, similar--has bigger buttons like mine)

Skirt: Forever 21 (similar, similar)

Necklace: c/o Calypte Collection (exact, similar)

Shoes: H&M (similar)

Linked up for What I Wore to Work!

Polka Dot Blouse, How I Love Thee

2013-04-24T06:30:00.000-07:00

I wore this to meet with some women professionals last week. This polka dot button up blouse is quickly become one of my favorite and most used pieces. It's so easy to wear it casually or dress it up! I also like that the dots on the one I'm wearing aren't perfect little polka dots. This shirt has similar dots and describes them as "scratched" dots. Regardless of whether they're scratched or normal I also love how the dotted pattern gives it some interest to set it apart from a plain white button-up but that it's still subtle. Love love love! I'm not gonna tell you that everyone needs one of these babies, but I will say that I recommend them for their versatility!

In my search for similar shirts I found soooo many options, so I made a collage of them below. With the exception of the first option below, all of them are under $25, and actually four of them are under $20! (Thank you, Forever 21!) As usual, shopping links are below the collage.

I also showed some non button-up options that I still think could be dressed up or down and worn with pants and be tucked into skirts because I know some of you don't like button-ups. I really like number five! I'm tempting myself here. Ahhhhh!

Would you wear any of these?

Links to Shop:

Top Row: one | two | three

Bottom Row: four | five | six

Shop for the Look:

Top: H&M (similar, similar)

Blazer: H&M (similar, similar, similar)

Jeggings: New York & Company (similar)

Shoes: H&M (similar)

Bracelet: similar

Linked up for WIWW!

Your Business Casual Staples?

2013-04-22T09:56:00.002-07:00

side view of the shoes

Monday hit us like a ton of bricks. I know Monday's just doing its job, but does it have be so rude sometimes? Bahhh.

I wore this outfit last week to interview a potential hiree. If it's not obvious by the outfits I post, my organization is very, very, very casual. I could get away with wearing jeans and a sweatshirt most days and it would be normal, though as you can see I don't do that. One of the reasons I started this blog was to figure out some balance for myself of being put-together but still pretty casual.

I feel like I settled into that pretty well for a while, but for the last couple of months I've felt an itch for more business-casual looks (whatever that ambiguous term means). Heavy emphasis on the "casual," though. :) Part of it is out of necessity as I have a different job role and have new types of meetings to attend on a regular basis. And maybe part of it is because I'm turning the big 3-0 very soon or because I care less than I used to if people ask me why I'm "so dressed up." (Seriously guys, I put on a jersey dress and slap a belt over it and get asked why I'm so dressed up.) Whatever the reason I feel like I've been creeping into a new evolutionary stage in my style. I'm not making any statements or promises that I'm all of a sudden going to have business-casual looks all the time because come on, I live in laid back San Diego after all and my org is still very, very, very casual. I'm just reflecting on the itch I've been feeling and I'm ready to let it go there and have fun with it!

My recent shopping list has been a bunch of pieces that I want to add for more business-cas attire which I'll show soon. But I'm curious to know for those of you have to do business-casual regularly, what do you consider your 1-3 staples for business-casual?

(SAHMs, don't worry. I've read your emails and comments and requests and I'm thinking of putting together something for you that doesn't include business-casual anything. :) )

Shop for the Look:
Top: Forever 21 (similar, similar, similar, similar)
Cardigan: Tilly's (both really good options: similar, similar)
Pants: Banana Republic (exact, similar, similar--straight leg in regular, tall, petite, plus)
Pumps: H&M (similar)

Six Dolla Holla

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As if I needed another striped tee, I scored this one for $6 at Old Navy. I had no idea it was $6. I was gonna pay full price and take it home to figure out if I really liked it that much or if it'd go back to the store. When the cashier rang me up and told me my total I was all sorts of confused and all sorts of excited. I didn't even bother asking why it was so cheap, I just took it and ran before they realized they had possibly made a mistake! There's my integrity for ya. And nope, there was no mistake. It's just a super comfy, relaxed, 3/4 sleeve striped tee that doesn't shrink if air dried (hooray!) for $6. Bam. I accept "thank you's" in the form of cupcakes and most other baked goods.

Have a great weekend!

P.S. If mint jeans aren't your thing, this outfit will look super duper crisp with white jeans.

P.P.S. Thanks for all of your responses so far on the reader survey. I'll recap it all later, but here's my question for now--a lot of you want me to post outfits MORE OFTEN. Like, on weekends. You would read them on the weekends too?!

Shop for the Look:
Tee: Old Navy (exact, for more options see here)
Navy Blazer: H&M (similar--Target, similar--ponte, similar--sale sizes 10+)
Jeans: Target (similar, similar -- both are from Target, different fits/cuts/rises)
Shoes: Target (exact)
Necklace: similar

Linked up for What I Wore to Work!

Reader Survey & Win a $50 Visa Gift Card!

2013-04-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I've been thinking of ways to make Putting Me Together more helpful to you all, so I've come up with a survey to hear your thoughts.

Would you mind taking a couple of minutes to fill this out?

As a bonus, one lucky participant will win a $50 Visa Gift Card!

Survey must be filled out by Sunday, April 28th to qualify.
Use the Rafflecopter widget to enter the giveaway.

Thanks for helping me make this blog better! :)

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More Yellow & Polka Dots

2013-04-17T06:30:00.000-07:00

For some reason I cannot NOT pair yellow and polka dots (like here and here). I used to not even like yellow before I started this blog and I didn't own polka dots. What the heck happened to me? Who am I and what has this blog done to me?

Anyway, I've been wanting to wear this combo for a while but it had been way too warm in San Diego for it. So when I saw that the weather during my time in Madison was gonna be chilly you'd better believe the first thing I packed was this outfit! I'm pretty sure that while I was itching to wear layers and boots you were/are all dying to wear SPRING clothes. Am I right? I could go either way now, since I finally got to wear this outfit. I've still got plenty of layered looks in my Go Chic or Go Home ensembles that are waiting to be worn, but I'm totally up for continuing with the spring outfits too. I'm just glad I finally got to wear today's outfit though. I wasn't sure that I'd get to wear it until next year! What outfit can you not WAIT to wear when the weather is right?

Shop for the Look:

Sweater: Target (similar, similar--reversible...pretty cool, similar, similar)

Top: Target (similar--sale for $12, similar, similar)

Jeggings: New York & Company (similar)

Boots: Dolce Vita (go here for a few options)

Linked up for WIWW!

What is business casual, anyway?

2013-04-16T06:30:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago I showed a casual look with printed pants, and today here's my business casual printed pants look. And I use the term "business casual" very loosely because who really knows what that means? I believe Stacy and Clinton when they say that "business casual" means a lot of different things to a lot of different companies. Some say no jeans, some say yes jeans, some say no jeans but no one really listens, blah blah blah. So I'm curious...what is your (or your company's) definition of business casual? What would fly and what wouldn't?

BTW, I updated the Where to Buy My Closet Staples list in case you were looking for anything. You can always find the link on the bottom of the sidebar.

Shop for the Look:

Sweater: Forever 21 (exact--still just $10!)

Pants: Joe Fresh (similar--"navy print", similar--navy ones are so cute!, similar)

Necklace: I actually can't remember...

Shoes: Target (similar--lower heel, similar)

Neutral Striped Dress Options

2013-04-15T06:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday!

I thought I'd update you on some of my March Purchases. I returned a few of the items, including the striped dress. Though I loved it I had to come to grips with the fact that it wasn't serving the purpose I wanted it to. It didn't go with as many of my completer pieces (cardigans, blazers, cropped jackets, etc.) so I went back on the hunt for a new one.

I *really* want a neutral striped dress. Why? No compelling reason except for the fact that I LOVE stripes. Stripes are pretty much always "in" and they are interesting without being too in-your-face for me.

Below are some of the dresses I found during my search and what I like about them:

Take a closer look by clicking on the links below:

1. Loft | 2. The Walk-In Closet | 3. ELLE via Kohl's | 4. Daisy Rae

5. LC by Lauren Conrad | 6. Target | 7. ModCloth | 8. Sonoma via Kohl's

1. Loft (shop). I love that this dress is easy but still has shape to it with the ruching at the bust and the elastic waist. Perfect for spring and summer.

2. The Walk-In Closet (shop). I ordered this dress this weekend to try it out. I'm hoping the seaming at the bust will help flatter a smaller bust. Pleats on my hips are hit or miss, so I'm really hoping this one works!

3. ELLE via Kohl's (shop) - also comes in green and red. The whole search for a striped dress began because of a dress very much like this. By the time I was ready to order the other dress it was sold out (DAHHH!). Similar to the one above, I liked the seaming at the bust and hoped it would flatter a smaller bust. According to someone that owned the original dress I wanted, it was true! I think you can take off the red sash and wear it with a number of different colored belts, cardigans and shoes.

4. Daisy Rae (shop). I've loved this dress for a long time, but they're out of my size now. I love chevron, and the subtlety of these stripes and colors makes it really versatile.

5. LC by Lauren Conrad (shop) - also comes in red. I like both the red and grey version of this dress! So cute. I used this dress in Sophie's Case Study, but I want one for myself!

6. Target (shop). This is the dress that I just returned. It fits so well, but I don't know what it was--it wasn't working with my colored cardigans the way I'd hoped.

7. ModCloth (shop). I really love the gathering at the waist for this one, and I could imagine it working well for women with great curves. I read through the reviews for this dress and though women of all sizes liked it a good handful of the women who loved this dress were size L-2X. Might be worth checking out!

8. Sonoma via Kohl's (shop) - also comes in coral. I am such a fan of maxis, but I don't have many. This one is perfectly casual and neutral, and I think it would be great for day-to-day errands and weekend activities. It looks so comfy!

Would you try any of these dresses?

Sites to Love

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Hey peoples! I want to highlight this month's sponsors. Not only do our sponsors help this blog continue on, but I also straight up think they're great sites that would be helpful or interesting to you. So go on ahead and show them some love, yo!

Go Chic or Go Home Site | Facebook | Twitter

If you read this blog at all it should be no secret that I'm in love with Go Chic or Go Home. Honestly, I'm more addicted to GCOGH than to Pinterest! It's my (not so) secret weapon to coming up with new outfits and maximizing my wardrobe.

From its virtual closet feature to the ensemble creator to the pin boards to all of the inspiration and feedback from the wonderfully amazing Go Chic or Go Home community, it's a power-packed site to help you remix your wardrobe! Read some ways I utilize GCOGH in this post and this post.

It's completely free, nothing ever to purchase. In fact, you actually GET REWARDS (read: gift cards to stores) for using it more, so um, that's a no-brainer if you ask me!

P.S. Check out their Facebook page--they give away free stuff like $50 gift cards to any retailer GCOGH works with--like J.Crew and ASOS to name a couple!

Site | Blog | Twitter

Have you ever wished someone would just pick out your outfit FOR you? StyleUp to the rescue! StyleUp is a service that sends you an email every day with an outfit idea based on what the weather is going to be like in your area. It's perfect for those days when your brain isn't working but you can't leave the house in pajamas! Check 'em out!

Shop | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

If you don't know about Lisa Leonard Designs, you definitely need to get yourself acquainted! Lisa Leonard is a mommy to two boys, David, 10, and Matty, 8, and wife to Steve, and she creates beautiful and unique handmade jewelry. I know soooo many people who are head over heels for her products. No joke!

Also, they just launched a beautiful new fair-trade line, hope{full}. You can check out the line here or watch a video about it here.

Daisy Rae Boutique | Twitter | Facebook | Kacie's blog

Daisy Rae is an online boutique with unique pieces that help you look chic without breaking the bank. Owner Kacie Ellis works hard to provide great pieces for under $50, and she rocks them on her own blog. I love seeing how Kacie styles the pieces from Daisy Rae!

Items to check out that are GREAT for spring: Chevron Dress, Peplum Top, Snakeskin Print Top.

Calypte Collection Etsy | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

Calypte Collection is an Etsy shop of original handmade statement jewelry designed and created by Carol. She's got both some funky and classy pieces, and they make great statements!

Items to check out: chunky gold chain necklace, Emerald Green Swarovski Crystal Spikes Necklace, and spike earrings.

bonnilu shop

Bonnilu is an Esty shop filled with SUPER DUPER CUTE geometric jewelry! And prices are reallyyyyy affordable. (Like $8!) I mean, how cute are the ones above? Shop owner Bonnie takes delight in creating simple, but colorful jewelry.

Merrick's Blog | Twitter

Merrick is a mom of two young boys and she's one of my favorite bloggers. Some of my favorite posts are her outfit posts, her sewing tutorials, and her hair tutorials. Lately she made a killer J.Crew inspired beach coverup!

Tell me what you think about this month's sponsors!