A sleeveless white blouse and jean shorts are two pieces made for Summer. They’re both classics that are like the the perfect blank canvas for a great outfit. Today, I want to show you three easy ways to build on your white tank and jean shorts combination to take this outfit to the next level. These three outfits not only show that you put some thought and effort into your outfit, but they are also way more stylish than a basic shorts and tank top combo! (In case you’re interested, I also showed you how to wear a grey tee and jeans, another Building on Basics post, in October)

THE BASICS: Madewell Silk White Tank // J. Crew Cuffed Jean Shorts

WHERE TO WEAR: Day of shopping, Brunch with Friends

ONE: Beetle Necklace // TWO: Topshop slit back cardigan // THREE: Kate Spade two tone crossbody // FOUR: Loeffler Randall sandals

WHERE TO WEAR: Lunch out, Casual dinner

ONE: Tortoise Link necklace // TWO: J Crew striped jacket // THREE: Essie nude polish // FOUR: Dooney & Bourke bag // FIVE: Jessica Simpson wedge sandals

WHERE TO WEAR: Drinks with friends

ONE: Jeweliq necklace // TWO: Tory Burch snake crossbody // THREE: Marc Jacobs iphone cover // FOUR: Zara nude and white sandals

Also – in case you’d like to see – I was interviewed by another Lauren for her “Careers in Style” feature. Hop over to her blog Sophisticated in Style to see!

Left:  Archipelago Bib Necklace // Polka Dot Blouse // Gold Messenger Bag // Gathered Skirt // Ankle Strap Sandals

Middle: Ivory Dragonfly Necklace // Yellow Dress with slit sleeves // Two tone heels // Valentino Clutch

Right: Iris Bib Necklace // Silk Camisole // Linen Shorts // Two Tone Metallic Sandals // Pink Clutch

I am loving the bold, bright necklaces that are so popular right now.  With a simple, pretty outfit as a backdrop, these bright and fun necklaces really take the outfits to the next level.  I think they’re the perfect way to up your fashion game this Summer.  The best part is that these necklaces are being made at a variety of price points – the necklace on the right and the one in the middle are both under $40 in case you don’t feel like making a huge investment.  They’re the best way to create a more interesting look for upcoming weddings and they definitely make work outfits a lot more fun.  Have you given this trend a try?

Over the next few months I will be posting a new series I’ve developed that I am calling Stylized Existence Defined.  These posts will be everything you’ve wanted to know about wardrobe basics – I’ll cover how to create a wardrobe from the ground up – chock full of information illustrated both through text and photos, as well as helpful links and personal picks.  I hope you’ll enjoy the series as it continues through the next few months.

To kick off Stylized Existence Defined, I wanted to create a handbag guide to help women wade through the enormous variety of choices available today in the realm of handbags.  To begin, let’s first discuss the different types of handbags – and this is certainly not an exhaustive list, but these are the types of handbags that I think you will come across most often.

Top Row: The first, and my particular favorite is a structured bag.  The structured bag is viewed as bit more classic and dressy.  A structured bag is good to have if you need to look professional or if you have a more classic style about you.   There are plenty of structured bags on the market and can be used for work/laptop bags, as well.  Next is the crossbody style, which is perfect for students or those who enjoy weekend gallivanting when wanting to be hands-free.  Crossbody bags are best if you don’t need to carry a lot in your bag, and while you can find some bigger crossbody bags, but the current style is smaller, more compact bag with one or two small compartments.  The doctor’s style bag generally has a flat base but a more rounded body and is modeled after the bags that doctor’s used to use to transport medical supplies when making housecalls.  Similar to the structured bag, this is also a fairly classic design.

Middle Row: The saddlebag is a small bag similar to the crossbody but with a more rounded shape, and in particular a rounded flap.  The satchel bag is a classic style that has morphed over the years and makes its way into both mens’ and womens’ bag options.  One of the most popular high end satchel bags is the Mulberry, and Proenza Schouler also makes a luxury version in the PS1 satchel.  Satchel bags are characterized by the two straps that come down over the front of the bag and the long strap to be worn over the shoulder.  The drawstring bag is a less popular but still widely available bag.  It features a drawstring top and usually only has one main compartment with a flat base.

Bottom Row:  The clutch is the quintessential evening bag.  Often carried under the arm, this option is a bit cumbersome, but is seen as the most formal option of all handbags.  Clutches can be even more formal in the form of satin or in a beaded-variety.  The most common style is probably the “envelope” clutch, as seen above, but there have recently been more foldover clutch options popping up, as well as a variation on the clutch known as the wristlet, which is basically a mini clutch with a wrist strap attached so you don’t have to hold the clutch all evening.  The tote is also known as a “carryall” for obvious reasons.  Totes generally have open tops  and are worn on the shoulder, and can hold an extreme amount of items.  Lastly, the hobo style bag is the last of the main handbag styles.  Hobos are generally characterized as “slouchy” bags because they don’t have a lot of structure to them and they also don’t have a flat base.  Hobo bags usually only have one strap and one main compartment

To invest or not to invest?

Luckily for all of us, handbags are available at basically any price point.  However, if you have the ability (even if it requires some savings over a long period of time) I would recommend waiting to purchase a long-term bag until you can afford something made of leather or a sturdy canvas. If you really need an affordable bag, Zara has great prices on leather bags, but make sure to check the “composition” section of the product details before you purchase, because surprisingly, their polyurethane bags sell for prices similar to their leather bags.  For a higher end classic bag, I like Tory Burch bags and Coach’s legacy collection.  Below are quality bags, at a variety of price points, that would be worthy of a purchase.  I usually give guidance to make sure you have a neutral bag or two before you branch out into really bold/colorful bags, so I’ve focused on mainly on neutrals below, but I’ve also included a few of my current favorite fun options as well!  (I’ve included a few non-leather options in case I have any readers who are opposed to leather).

ASOS leather doctors bag / Tory Burch viva satchel / Rachael Ruddick delphina

Forever 21 faux leather crossbody / Joy Gryson liibeca / Rebecca Minkoff woven MAC

Topshop Aztec Weave / Mango touch leather bag / Proenza Schouler PS1

Ralph Lauren newbury shopper / J. Crew tartine tote / Tory Burch thea tote

 Top Row: Mango satchel / Zara structured zip bag / Pour La Victoire nina saddle bag

Middle Row: Loeffler Randall lock clutch / Tory Burch perf logo clutch /DVF mini leopard bag

Bottom Row:  Tory Burch robinson middy satchel / Loeffler Randall pouchette / Zara bowling bag

My Current Handbags

I also thought it might be helpful if I shared photos of the handbags and clutches that I use most often.  I’ve made a few investment purchases in my daytime bags and my travel bag, but the other bags were all purchased from very cheap sources to balance out the cost of the other handbags.

Small bags/Clutches:  Target (leather!) crossbody bag, Metallic gold clutch from Forever 21, Gold and black clutch from Forever 21.  (Not pictured – K.slademade foldover and H&M black clutch)

Day bags:  Louis Vuitton speedy 30 in damier canvas (left), Bottega Veneta Montaigne Bag (middle)

Although the Louis Vuitton speedy is a very popular bag, my love for this bag remains after almost 4 years and I still carry it most days.  The one downside to the speedy is that has just one big compartment and I almost always have to search at the bottom of the bag for whatever it is I am looking for.  I am not a huge fan of the shape of the Bottega Veneta bag, but after a few failed attempts at selling it on Ebay, I’ve resigned myself to the fact that it wasn’t my best purchase but I am keeping it and I’ve moved on.

Travel bag:  Bric’s medium micro-suede holdall (right)

This bag is a life changer!!!  This almost never happens, but I was in TJ Maxx the night before I was leaving for Portland a few weeks ago and was hoping I’d find a duffle or carryall of some sort.  Shockingly, I stumbled upon this Bric’s holdall for $140 (and they regularly sell for about $415) and brought it home with me.  I wasn’t certain I was going to keep it until I decided to put some of my stuff in it to test it out (and solicit opinions on Instagram!), at which point I knew I had to keep it.  I highly recommend this bag!

Handbag tips and tricks

• I learned about a good source for “base shapers” which are basically acrylic panels sized to fit in the base of your handbag in order to help it keep its shape.  Although the site may not look totally legitimate, Jean from Extra Petite posted a thorough review of the site and it is indeed a great source for an affordable shaper for your bag.

• For handbag storage, I recommend keeping your bags in separate compartments rather than throwing them on a rack in your closet or hanging them.  Hanging them can cause the straps to stretch out, and tossing them on a rack together can lead to misshapen handbags.  The container store has a good compartment storage option that allows your bags to have individual space while keeping them organized.

• When purchasing an investment handbag, remember to keep receipts, tags, and dust bags in case you have any desire to re-sell your bag at some point in the future.  Although most reputable consignment stores have ways to verify authenticity, if you ever want to sell to an individual or through Ebay, it’s best if you have proof that your handbag is authentic.  My trick is to keep the items in the dust bag within a box in my closet so it is all in one place if I need it in the future.

• If you’re interested in purchasing a handbag but want to talk to other owners about their experiences, or if you have an issue or question about your handbag,  the PurseForum is a fantastic resource for information about both designer and contemporary purses.  There is an entire section dedicated to handbag care & maintenance which is worth checking out if you have any problems with your handbag.

If you made it through this whole post – thank you SO much for reading!  I hope this was a helpful post, especially for those of you who are working on building a new wardrobe or rehabbing your current wardrobe.  Please share it with whomever you think might benefit from this information and stay tuned for another Stylized Existence Defined posts in a few weeks.

After a much-needed break, I wanted to let you all know that I am back and ready to hit the ground running with fresh content and ideas galore for Stylized Existence.  I still worked with a handful of clients (who were all really, really great) during my time off from blogging, but I am excited to get back into the swing of things over here and work with even more clients over the next few months.  Aside from that little admin update, I wanted to tackle an important topic today and hope it will spur some conversation in the comments, because it’s really important.

As I was wandering through the sites I’ve neglected (basically all of the blogs I used to read regularly), I saw that one of my blog friends, Audrey, posted that she recently read some negative comments about her style, something to the effect of it not being “chic” enough, on another site.  I’d like to use Audrey as an example for all of you.  Audrey has a very relatable style – she shops at stores that are budget-friendly, which is a plus for a lot of women watching their spending.  She also wears clothes that the “every woman” would feel comfortable and confident wearing.  Frankly, I’m pretty bothered by the fact that someone thinks enough of themselves to say that Audrey’s style is not chic enough for a style blog.  Here’s the thing:  we can’t all afford to buy Valentino rockstud pumps or 3.1 Phillip Lim satchels.  And even if we can afford it, we may not even want it!  We need not all look like fashion clones of each other just because the top style blogs on the internet may be touting the same trends.  Am I inspired by the pages of Vogue and the high-fashion editorials?  Absolutely.  Do the outfits on those pages or on some of the high-fashion blogs fit my current lifestyle?  No, not really.

My take on this whole topic, after working with a variety of women over the past two years, is that we all want to feel comfortable and confident in our clothes.  If that means shopping at Target and H&M for your clothes because they fit both your budget and your body, great.  If it means that you can spend a few thousand dollars per month on clothes at high-end stores like Saks and non-chain boutiques, I am really happy for you too.  If you feel your best in jeans and a t-shirt with touches of bright or fun accessories, that’s fine.  If you like bold clothes and prefer to print mix in a manner that still looks put together, more power to you.  The only thing that matters is is that your clothes flatter you, you feel good in them, and they fit your lifestyle.  Don’t try to be something that you’re not, or wear something that doesn’t work for you because it’s the trend of-late. Be true to yourself, your body, and what you genuinely like …. and you’ll be much happier and admirable for it.

Prague at night - a photo I took during my stay there

I thought I’d pop in as I ease my way back into blogging to share five things that you may not know about me… so here goes!

1. I have this weird problem when I am about to eat an apple or an orange, I will pull the pesky sticker off and absentmindedly put it on the kitchen counter… or my desk… or wherever I am.  I have probably been doing this for years and it has only been brought to my attention because it drives Joe absolutely batty.  So now, I will catch myself taking the sticker off my apple, and in the process of placing it somewhere I will FORCE myself to walk over to the garbage can with it instead.  But sometimes Joe can still point out stickers when it slips my mind
2. Despite spending my days looking at clothes online and consulting with people on their own wardrobes, I am VERY deliberate about my purchases and often go through rounds of thought, returns or exchanges before I comfortably settle on a purchase.  This stems from the fact that I have always struggled with spending money (I really like to see my bank account continue to grow), so I tend to have buyers’ remorse if I make a rash decision.
3. I grew up in Pittsburgh (go steelers!), then went to Virginia Tech for college and majored in Finance.  I am a proud Hokie and was in the (now defunct at Tech… too much partying) Delta Zeta sorority.  Some of the best years of my life.
4. I got the opportunity to live and work in Prague for 6 months early on in my corporate finance career.  It was the opportunity of a lifetime and in my time there, I got to go to Florence (3 times!), Rome, Vienna, Munich, Barcelona, random Czech towns, and Paris.  And since then, I have been to London and Lisbon.  Florence is still probably my all-time fave.  Go there, visit Dolce Forte (a small shop on Via Della Scalla), buy me some Amadei chocolate, and I will love you forever.
5. I eat healthy about 90-95% off the time, but I really do LOVE all types of food, so I splurge on 1-2 meals per week (and make it a concious decision).  I love going out to breakfast (La Poste in Cincinnati started serving brunch about a month ago and it is AMAZING!).  We also frequent Dewey’s for a splurge and order half pepperoni/half ryan’s inferno and one of their delicious salads.  That’s the thing – if you eat healthy for 19 or 20 meals out of the 21 in the week (assuming you all eat 3 meals a day), the 1 or 2 splurges you make on the weekend will be more satisfying (assuming you don’t have any food allergies and are mindful if you do).

Have a great Thursday and thanks for reading!

Wanted to put out a quick post to let you all know that things are going to be low key around here while I work on some things in my non-internet life.  Don’t worry, it’s nothing too crazy or terrible, but I’ve been having some health issues that are starting to affect me enough to the point that I need to deal with them.  One of the ways I am trying to deal is through vastly lowering my stress levels.  I gave up caffeine as of 2 weeks ago (a stressor on my system), I’ve also been taking an extended break from my high-intensity CrossFit workouts, and I’ve really reigned in my diet.  I’ve also committed to getting a minimum of 8 hours of sleep per night.

So that’s where this blog comes in.  First of all, I’ve never been great about working on posts ahead of time, so I usually get home from work, cook dinner, then sit back down for another 2 hours to get a blog post ready for the next day… and then at 10:30 I try to relax my mind enough to fall into a calm sleep at night.  It just doesn’t work that well.  I know I am only posting 2x per week, and that may not seem like much, but along with a full-time job and wardrobe consulting on the weekends, it’s enough of a stress for me that I know I need to cut it out right now while I work on my health.

I hope you understand how important this blog and you, the readers, are to me.  I hope you won’t go too far, as I know I will be back shortly, but at the moment I need to focus on me.  I may pop in and share some random tidbits while I am away, but no full-blown content for a bit.

While I am away, I thought I’d leave you with a few links to enjoy!

- One of my favorite blog friends, Gaby from The Vault Files, has been knocking it out of the park lately with content.  Go visit her while I am gone to get your fashion fix.  I also get daily style inspiration from Liz (and adore her site).

- We decided on LA in a few weeks for a much needed vacation.  We’ve narrowed our accommodations down to two contenders – I love this apartment for the rooftop, the ladder, and the books!  I love this apartment for the furnishings, the brightness in the apartment, and the Tempurpedic bed!  Do you have any restaurant recommendations for us?

- Joe has acquired quite the collection of Nike’s over the last few months.  His shoes are now making me jealous.  He has this awesome pair called the Jordan Spizikes in the Bordeaux color and I like that it’s his way of embracing “style”.  His shoes are also inspiring me to get a pair of dunks  (I finally found and ordered these and I am so obsessed!!!!!!)  I am going to wear them with skinny jeans.  So psyched to change up my style.

- I love looking at the photos on this blog – they’re so beautiful, aren’t they?  Bonus:  The recipes are all clean-eating, feel good recipes.

I know I post a fair amount of expensive items on the blog, but I don’t want you to get the idea that you can’t look amazing on a budget.  There are so many really pretty dresses out there right now, so I wanted to show you 8 dresses that I’d be happy to have in my closet, especially for these low prices.  There’s a good mix of girly, preppy, and relaxed in the selection above, so hopefully you can all find at least one dress that fits your style.  Which dresses would you like to add to your wardrobe?

One:  Old Navy | Two: Gap | Three: Forever 21 | Four: Forever 21

Five:  Forever 21 | Six:  Lulus | Seven:  Old Navy | Eight: Gap

I’ve been trying to follow a pretty “clean” way of life for a few years now and try not to put too many chemicals on or in my body – I also aim to eat as healthfully as I can.  I try not to make myself (or the people around me) crazy with these choices, because it definitely shouldn’t be an added stress in my life, and if it becomes one, at that point it sort of defeats the purpose of trying to do a good thing for my body.  Honestly, though, it can be really tough sometimes!  I spend a lot of time reading labels and researching things to try to decide whether or not its a good product to use.  I have a found a few products that I find myself buying repetitively, so I thought I’d share these healthy choices with you in hopes that if you are trying to make some of the same choices that these might help!

One:  When it comes to beauty, I know very very little.  But I do know that most of the soaps on the grocery store shelves have a ton of crap in them.  I recently found Dr. Bronner’s soap and it’s the only kind of soap I use now.  I wash my face with the bar, and use the liquid soap in the shower.  The peppermint variety is my personal favorite because it wakes me up a bit in the morning, but the almond is another good choice (although it’s pretty strong, so keep that in mind!)  This soap is awesome because the only ingredients are all things that I feel good about.  Has anyone tried any of their other products?  I’d be interested to hear about them!

Two:  This Josie Maran Argan oil is the thing I put on right after I wash my face with #1.  I really like to moisturize my face before bed and let my skin soak in the goodness all night.  It leaves no oily residue – just soft skin.

Three:  I haven’t had soda in years, but occasionally I get the craving for something other than still, plain water.  LaCroix is basically just fizzy water with different natural flavorings mixed in.  Currently the pamplemousse (grapefruit) is my favorite, but I have never tried the coconut and that flavor seems to get rave reviews.  Lime is also good, but steer clear of the peach-pear (BLECH!) and berry flavors…. because if you ever drank berry flavored vodka in college – let’s just say it will bring back some not-so-good memories.

Four:  A “special” treat – at $3.50ish per bottle, GT’s Kombucha certainly isn’t cheap, but it really helps with my sugar cravings.  Of all of the varieties, I think the most sugary of the bunch only has 8 or 9 grams of sugar in the whole bottle, and the one I like the best (Synergy with the rainbow label) only has 4g of sugar.  It can be kind of fizzy, so don’t shake it up!  Some have a more “interesting” taste than others, but they’re full of good bacteria and these drinks help me keep my sugar cravings in check.

Five:  Another treat when I am trying to eat clean – these macaroons are also low in sugar but are so rich that I only need to eat one to feel satisfied.  They’re completely gluten & grain free, raw, and are made with very high quality ingredients.  I’ve only tried the chocolate and blonde (blonde aka vanilla is better in my opinion) but I just checked their website and apparently they also come in Salty Caramel and Strawberry Almond…. uh, yum!  Definitely going to need to try those soon.

Six:  A simple snack that satisfies me every time – a ripe banana with some Justin’s almond butter and cinnamon sprinkled on top.  Simple, easy, and delicious.

What are your favorite healthy indulgences?  Anything to share with me?

Joe and I are currently having the hardest time trying to pick a place for a long weekend getaway in April.  We’ve both been feeling a little over worked, tired, and generally “blah”, so we’ve decided an April vacation is exactly what we need.  The problem, for us, with planning a vacation is that there are so many cool places we want to visit.  Currently sitting at the top of the list is LA (and Venice and Santa Monica) because we need a little sunshine and we’re both big foodies.  Healthy diet aside, I’ve spent the last few years drooling over Joy Cho’s photos from restaurants all over the LA area, and we’re itching to eat at places like Bottega Louie, The Hart and the Hunter, and Animal. And there are such cute places to rent on Air BnB!

Clothes I’d pack for Los Angeles:  Striped Tank | Bandeau | Rag & Bone Jeans | Nike Leopard Dunks | Ray Ban Sunglasses | Alexander Wang Rocco Bag

Another place we found that sounded amazing to us was an all-inclusive wellness resort near Austin called Travaasa Austin.  They offer about 20 different short classes per day ranging from fitness to cooking, all of which are included in the price – along with all meals.  How amazing would it be to start off the day with 25 minutes of stretching, then onto a hike, a detox yoga class in the afternoon, then round out the evening with a community dinner and wine tasting?  Sounds like a relaxing dream to me.  I’ve also heard they have a beautiful infinity pool and beautiful spa…. sold yet?  Yeah, me too.

Clothes I’d pack for Travaasa in Austin:  Grey Nike Tank | Nike Dotted Hoodie | Lululemon Wunder Unders | Sports Bra | Inov-8 sneakers |  Water Bottle | Sunglasses

Our last thought is to just go kick it on the beach for a long weekend and the Capella Pedregal in Cabo San Lucas looks like heaven.  Come on:  an infinity pool that stretches right up to the ocean, open air rooms with their own private infinity pools, beach bonfires — I could definitely make this work for a long weekend.  The price tag is pretty hefty, but when you’re a DINK family (duel-income-no-kids), you’ve got to enjoy some extravagant things while you have the chance, right?  Have you ever splurged on a five-star resort for a non-honeymoon vacation?  Did you feel super guilty (like I probably would)?

Clothes I’d pack for Cabo San Lucas: Mango Scarf  | Modcloth Maxi | J. Crew Floral Bikini Top | J. Crew Bikini Bottoms | Seychelles Wedges | Diana Warner Clutch | White Coverup | Striped Hat | Aqua Sandals

We’re all itching for Spring at this point, right? Well, except maybe you Southerners… (I’m giving you my evil eye). I was checking Zara’s new arrivals and spotted this gorgeous floral jacket and knew that I wanted to share the ways I would style it. Because there are so many bright colors in the pattern, there are so many ways you can wear this blazer (in fact, I could probably think up at least 5 more)!  If you check out the extreme close-up of the blazer on the site, you will see the browns, greens, yellows, pinks, corals, and oranges that litter their way through this print. If you can get over how loud it is (which I certainly can) then you can open yourself up to all of the possibilities for this blazer within your wardrobe.

You may have seen a few style bloggers rock a floral suit last year – so why not try your hand at it with matching floral shorts (only $36!), a basic boatneck tee, and some metallic d’orsay flats (sigh! get in my closet), affordable tiger tortoise sunglasses, and a sleek handbag. I also thought this blazer was screaming to be paired with an equally bright dress, and this yellow trina turk dress does the trick. Suitable for work, but keep it fun by adding strappy neutral heels, some cheapy cat-eye sunglasses and a two-tone $48 clutch. Lastly, dress the blazer down a bit with a flowy chambray tank (a perfect summer staple), white denim, folding aviator sunnies, and some pretty woven flats to pair with the coral in the blazer  (also, the cork invitation clutch is back at J. Crew this year so grab it before it sells out again!).

If $100 for a floral blazer isn’t in your budget – consider a cheaper version like this one or this one!

Is this blazer too much for you or would you be willing to give it a try in your wardrobe? How would you wear it?