Stylin' Iowan: Statement Piece

Showing posts with label Statement Piece. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

J.Crew Spring Forward Event Recap

Classy Houndstooth Poncho...

When I was a young girl, my mom bought me a beautiful houndstooth coat to wear to nice functions. It was a gorgeous coat, and as a rambunctious pony-tailed girl who only wanted to play soccer, I think it was my first, undeserved taste of classic style (the amount of ranch dressing that was spilled on that coat was pitiful). Although I was the opposite of a budding micro-fashionista, I did develop a love for houndstooth.

Fast forward 15 years...

Ok so I still want to dress in soccer shorts 80% of the time, however this poncho feels so much like a blanket, it's that comfortable (and flattering!). It's perfect for those days where you just want to curl up in a blanket, but this poncho lets you do that without having to play hooky! I love that the print isn't too tight, so the pattern isn't harsh looking. I wore this to work the other day with a black long sleeve tee, ponte pants and these bow flats, and it was a comfy but classy work look.

On another note - it's become clear to me that I need a black handbag. Seriously, how have I gone this long without one?? If you have any handbags that you love and want to share, please let me know! I'm thinking slightly smaller in size than my Tory Burch tote.

Have a great day! xoxo

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Bow Tied...

Anything with a bow is a "win" in my opinion - bows add a nice touch of class and they also pull together an outfit and keep it clean. I love how the white bow is so striking against the black dress. I gravitate towards pieces that have a unique neckline or a collar (I blame the Catholic school uniforms in grade school!) and the bow on this dress brings all of the attention upwards towards my face. Its an easy dress to wear too - I feel like doing twirls in it, so girly! Ha!

I've been told that a bow-tie collar on women's clothing has another name... I won't even say it because I HATE the name (check out this article to see what I'm talking about). Personally, I think it should be called a "boss bow" because I think of myself (and my readers!) as total girl bosses. So from now on I'll just refer to it as that! :)

Photos by Jordan Stumbo.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Boyfriend Blazer...

What's better than a boyfriend blazer? A pink boyfriend blazer! One reason I prefer boyfriend blazers over structured ones is because they are usually longer in length and in the sleeves. I usually roll my sleeves anyways, but this blazer has extra long sleeves and it would be perfect for those of you with longer arms! I recently wore this out to dinner and I received quite a few compliments on the color! If you're not into bright pink, it comes in a lot of other colors (black, pastel pink, sherbet, teal and white!!) and I'm also obsessing over this adorable blazer with a cape - it would be perfect for date night or girls night out this fall and winter! I ordered it in a small and it gave me the slouchy look I was hoping for.

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On to something a little deeper... I want to leave you today with a quote from the Facebook page ProThirtyOne (written by Samantha Ponder): "Happiness, in my opinion, isn't a worthwhile ultimate goal. There is no happy without sad, no rejoicing without mourning. I want peace. Peace in struggle and triumph, loss and victory. Happiness is free, and it's available everywhere..."

Although buying a new boyfriend blazer might give you initial happiness, I hope you find peace in the confidence you'll receive from my blog's uplifting messaging. And that, my friends, is one of the few things you'll find on here that's FREE! Have a great Wednesday and thanks so much for reading :)

Photos by Jordan Stumbo.

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Colorful Shift Dress...

I love a good shift dress - easy, comfortable and these bright colors definitely make for a show stopper :) Lilly Pulitzer happens to be one of my favorite designers for summer, and I'm excited to do a fun post with them soon. In the mean time, I'll be running around town in this comfortable shift dress that's sure to turn heads! Happy Tuesday!

Photos by Jordan Stumbo.

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Pre-Fall Basics...

OK I know summer is only half-way over and we still have a lot of hot days left, but fall always has a way a sneaking up on me, so I'm stocking up on some of my favorite fall pieces now! I've owned this Piko top for a few years and OMG is it versatile. I like tunics that are long enough to tuck into jeans or skirts, and it would also be super cute untucked paired with leggings and boots. Oh and this faux fur vest paired with this outfit would be ah-mazing! It is veeeeery stretchy though, so I would size down. I bought a small! UPDATE: For all my Iowa gals, I bought this top at Spotlight Style Boutique and Salon in Cedar Falls, IA, and they have this top available in heather gray! Check out their website to order.

J. Brand jeans are also my new fav denim brand! The dark blue shade is great for any season, and they're surprisingly comfortable for having a lot of structure. I ordered a size 28 (size 6) and they fit like a glove.

Hope everyone's having a great week so far! I'm headed to the local radio station this morning for work - if you're listening in NW Iowa I'll be on the air live at 103.9 KUOO at 8:30am!

Monday, July 13, 2015

Lemon Lime...

A lemon lime skirt and (the start of) a summer tan seem to be a complimentary pair! This skirt happens to be extremely flattering and, BONUS, it's on sale! The pleats give it an a-line shape (a great cut for all body types!), and it's on the shorter side making it perfect for hooooooot days like today. It would be so cute with a white t-shirt and flats to make it more causal too! It comes in a pretty pale pink shade that's on SUPER SALE, but the lemon lime is definitely a show stopper! :) For sizing purposes, I ordered a 6 (I'm usually a 4-6) but it's a tad big, so if you're between sizes I would size down!

Hope everyone's weekend was a good one! I took a three hour nap yesterday after my cousin and his friend left town... clearly I can't hang with the college kids anymore ;) I'm actually excited for early bed times this week!

Monday, July 6, 2015

Fourth Fun...

^hello ugly tan line! sunscreen and I haven't meshed well this summer :(

Lipstick - Sephora N20

Independence Day is one of my favorite holidays - I love all the lakeside BBQs, hanging out with friends and family on the boat, and all the red, white and blue! I spent my fourth of July by waking up early to make breakfast, going on a long walk with my dad, boating and laying out with good friends, eating a LOT of amazing food and watching the fireworks fly over the lake on the boat. Why can't every weekend be the 4th of July?

If you couldn't tell from my Instagram this weekend, stripes have been my go-to lately, and this adorable Umgee USA dress fit the bill. It has a nautical feel to it but is still casual enough for everyday wear, and I especially love that it has a slight high/low to it. Sometimes cotton dresses can get too short after a few washes, but this one you don't have to worry because it's so long in the back! I actually prefer the length of this dress after washing it a few times because the back of the dress was a little long on my 5'5" frame! I've linked a few of my favorite nautical dresses below. I'm stocking up on some of those long sleeved ones for fall!

Thanks so much for reading! Have a great Monday!

Photos by Jordan Stumbo Photography.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Downtown...

Confession: I have never been a fan of the flannel-tied-around-your-waist look. Do you all know what I'm talking about?? I can't really put a finger on it, but it's just not for me. Then I wore the above look in a very hot bar on a Saturday night and I quickly realized why this might be on-trend... I do love the playfulness of tying a cardigan, jacket, etc. around your waist! It definitely transformed this look into another that, in my opinion, is quite different! What really stands out though are the pops of bright color in my accessories and makeup. Super bright lip shades, like Candy Yum Yum, are a fun way to add some spice, but I try to keep them more for weekends or after work occasions!

Have a great Wednesday! We're halfway there - woohoo!

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Day to Night...

Hey guys! So today I'm switching it up a little to show you a simple way to make your outfit work from day to night! I have a few easy tricks that I use on Fridays to help me get ready for both the work day and for a fun night out with friends!

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Day: I chose this gorgeous fuchsia blazer from Nordstrom to be the key piece of both looks. I love how it's professional but the fuchsia color makes it fun and different. I kept everything else simple, like a basic white blouse, black ponte pants, an understated shimmer scarf and nude bow flats to polish off this work-appropriate look.

Blazer: Nordstrom | Top: similar & similar | Pants: Jolt | Scarf: old, similar | Flats: J.Crew Factory

*****

Night: To make this outfit more appropriate for a night out with friends, I ditched the scarf to show off the deep-v neckline and added a long gold/black chain necklace for balance. The dark denim also pairs well with the fuchsia blazer, and I added leopard accents and pumps to create a more playful look.

Denim: 7FAM | Pumps: J.Crew Factory | Necklace: old, similar | Bag: J.Crew, similar | Lipstick: MAC - Creme Cup

photography c/o f8 creative

We all have such busy schedules that it can be hard to keep up with the pressure of creating completely new outfits, but these easy tricks have honestly helped me get out the door on time and helped make creating the perfect Friday night outfit easier!

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