Tag Archives: belts

Wardrobe Reinvention + Shopping Checklist Printable

Everyone gets tired of their wardrobe from time to time. Clothing options can sometimes become boring for me even after it seems like I just shopped the mother lode. Right now I have other things I have to spend money on. Sigh. If I had Christmas money to spend right now, and I were going to do some clothes shopping, here are two outfits I would put right in my closet.

perfectly_cozy_casual2

floral_and_peplum2

If you’re in the same boat ~ tired of your wardrobe, getting the itch to buy some new clothes but it’s not in the budget ~ allow me to share a tip I have used to reignite my enthusiasm for the clothing and accessories I have to work with. This is a great winter weekend project. You’ll need to allow about two hours (give or take) to do this exercise but it will be so worth it.

1. Pull out 4 or 5 of your favorite layering tops (underneath layer). Choose tops that have some kind of detail front and center like lace, shirring, cutouts, etc.

2. Pull out 4 or 5 top layer pieces > jackets, see-through tops, button-down shirts, low-cut tops, etc.

3. Decide if you want to put together dressy outfits or casual (or both) and choose 4 or 5 bottom pieces accordingly (pants, skirts, shorts, jeans).

4. Now comes the fun part. Take each top layer piece and pair it with any of the under layer pieces that coordinate in color or style, keeping them on the hangers or laying them down in sets.

5. Add a bottom layer piece to each paired combo.

6. This step is crucial and I urge you not to skip it: Try them on! Yes it will take time but think of it as a shopping trip. Combinations that look good on the hangers might not look great on you, and vice versa. Things like length of top, cling factor, fullness and structure dictate how they will fall and mesh together. This is where it takes patience but once you find a combo that works you’ll have an outfit that flatters and you will feel great in it.

7. In my experience, some pieces go with everything and some don’t work with anything. Those in the second category (I call them loners) are pieces that I either get rid of or, if it’s something I really love, make a note to find something to pair it with next time I go shopping.

8. This might be my favorite part of the whole process. Once you have decided what works together, lay out your winning outfits and go to your jewelry stash. Play around with different pieces, try out-of-the-box color combinations, layer up on necklaces and bracelets. Take a fresh look at your cache and use it to the fullest to bling up your outfit.

9. At this point in the process, it may be a good idea to take pictures of your outfits, because if you’re like me, once everything is back in the closet you’re likely to forget (or not see) the exact combinations you put together.

10. You will be amazed at the new outfits you discover if you think outside the box. Now you can look forward to the next event in your life, be it coffee with the girls, date night or Sunday church, knowing you will feel pulled together and polished.

Just because you don’t have any immediate plans to go on a shopping spree, that doesn’t mean you’ll never buy anything new again. With the eventual shopping splurge in mind, I created two shopping checklists ~ one for your clothing and one for your accessories ~ for you to print and keep handy to stay tuned in to your closet and accessory “inventory”.

Use this checklist to take inventory before you shop. Just write “Have” or “Need” in the spaces to help you decide what CLOTHING to buy.
shoppin_checklist_clothing
click_for_printable

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Use this checklist to take inventory before you shop. Just write “Have” or “Need” in the spaces to help you decide what ACCESSORIES to buy.
shopping_checklist_accessories
click_for_printable

Do you have any tips for overcoming boredom with your wardrobe? Do share!

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Girls Want Pearls: It’s a Cinch ~ Pearl Belts

Ahhhh, it’s finally starting to feel like fall here in the midwest. We rolled out the firepit and had a campfire this weekend and it felt good! Didn’t have any marshmallows to roast though :(.
 
So last Monday the hint for this week’s Girls Want Pearls was It’s a Cinch…did you guess what it was?
 
cinch  noun  \’sinch\:  girth, restraint, belt
 
Okay, enough word play let’s have some fun with pearls.
 
Pull out those strands of pearls, long and short for an easy but sassy new belt. There are several ways one could go about creating this type of look and I will show you two. The first look uses approximately 3 necklaces and 2 open strands, depending on the lengths that you have on hand or purchase. I’m very much a mix and match kind of girl so I like to use different sizes and shades of pearls.
 
 Start by hooking the 3 necklaces together as shown in photo #2 . For the front you’ll use the 2 open strands, looping one through the necklace on one side and one through the necklace on the other side (see photo #1). Gather the 4 tails in the center at the fly and wrap a clear hair band around to form a tassel. Voila! Pearly belt with instant sass factor!
 
The second look uses one or two long single strands and a brooch. The length will be determined by your waist/hip size.
 If your strand is long enough to go around your whole waist/hips with a little to spare:
Start by placing knots in your pearls at intervals of your choosing. I placed mine roughly between each pair of belt loops. Thread strand through belt loops so that the beginning and ending of the strand meet at the fly. Connect the pearl at each end with a clear hair band. Run the pin on your brooch through the elastic band and clip closed.
 

If your pearl strand is not long enough, you can use two strands. Make the two strands meet in the back, wrap with a clear hair band to form a 2-tail tassel (as in the first look), OR secure with a band and brooch. Do the same in the front at the fly. Hopefully I haven’t made this confusing. Feel free to ask any questions!!

I’m having a lot of fun with this 52 week series and hope you are enjoying it too! I’ll be alternating the posts between fashion and décor with some facts and thoughts thrown in.

Next week on Girls Want Pearls: Web Design, The Other Kind (think spiders)

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