Top Three - Link Up

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Welcome to my first ever link-up! Since I have been recapping my favorite three looks of each month for a while now, I decided to do a link-up so I could see other bloggers and their favorite three looks of the month. There are some incredibly stylish women out there and it's a shame to not share their favorite looks with everyone. 

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Please remember that you must be a follower of this blog and link back here in your post. Thanks!
  

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Double Shimmer

H&M blouse, MNG by Mango skirt, Nine West heels, F21 necklace and bangle, Charming
Charlie cuff, Francesca's earrings, Zara clutch

Sometimes wearing one shimmery piece isn't enough. I've worn a variation of this outfit before (here) but decided to add a different skirt and change my hair up a bit. I still liked the idea of wearing my gold collar necklace over the buttoned up blouse so I kept that element.

My husband asked me if I ever wore the same outfit twice on my blog. My answer would be no (at least not on purpose). Part of the challenge of being a fashion blogger is re-working the pieces you have without having to shop all the time. Of course it would be easy to put a brand new outfit on the blog every day consisting of brand new items, but I have neither the money nor the time to shop that much. (I won't lie; I wouldn't be upset if I did though!)

Don't forget to get your Top Three post ready for tomorrow's link-up. See Monday's post for specific instructions. Have a great day!

Perfect Trio

(Click picture to shop)

Normally I like to think of accessories as duos instead of trios. I think only in terms of what jewelry will work with my clutch, or what nail color to pair with my outfit of the day. Sometimes it is fun to coordinate your bag, jewelry, and polish together. Of course, most people don't plan their polish in advance so they just work with whatever they already have on their nails (I do that all the time). I put together a few combinations that I think are fun and can hopefully inspire you if you are bored with your current accessory combinations.

(Click here to shop)

(Click here to shop)

Thank you all so much for your sympathy yesterday after this weekend's computer disaster. We are going to take it to a place in town and see if they can fix it. I am keeping my fingers crossed!

Don't forget to get your top three outfits from January together in a post for the link-up on Thursday. I can't wait to see what you all come up with!

Also, I am on twitter now (okay, I've had a twitter account for a year but I finally decided to try and figure out just recently what all the fuss was about). You can find me at @Amyshaughnessy1.

Have a great day!

Lesson Learned

Francesca's blouse, Old Navy blouse, H&M blazer, Seven jeans, Carlos Santana heels,
Steve Madden clutch, belt from TJMaxx

This past weekend was a little busy and rough. As my friend would say, 'holy buckets!' I knew I had a lot to get done this weekend. I needed to plan seven classes for next week (it takes a lot to come up with new, interesting things for my dance classes). I usually spread them out over the weekend, giving myself plenty of time to think about them. Friday though, I decided to hammer them all out in one day. I always email my lesson plans to my husband just in case. I'm so glad I did because my computer crashed and burned on Saturday. I was on a shopping website looking for some things to plan my next post and BAM. Dead computer. I'm not blaming that particular site but let's just say I probably will never go there again.

I think the worst part about my poor dead computer was that nothing had been backed up. External hard drive, people! Get one today. I lost every single bookmark in my bookmarks bar (that is a lot of blogs and important dance links). And I lost five of my seven recital dances that I had typed out. Fortunately I had looked over each one of them Saturday morning before my computer crashed so they were still somewhat fresh in my head.

On a lighter note, I have decided to start a monthly link-up. At the end of each month, I normally do a post with my top three outfits of the month. You can see an example here. The post will always happen on the last day of the month unless the last day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, as I do not post on the weekends. The first Top Three link-up will happen this Thursday. I would love to see your top three looks of the month! A few guidelines for the link-up: You must be a follower of this blog, place a link to this blog in your post, and visit a few other blogs for lots of fashion inspiration!

Have a great day!

Triple Layers

F21 blouses, blazer, and bracelets, Target faux leather pants,  Zara shoes and clutch,
Charming Charlie necklace, sunglasses

I have been trying a lot lately to come up with different outfits by layering. To be honest, the thought of layering a few weeks ago was intimidating. I didn't think I knew how and certainly didn't think I had the appropriate pieces for doing so. By simply adding a short sleeve blouse over a plain white long sleeve button up, I was able to create a new look for my pink blazer. And I can't stop wearing these faux leather pants. Somebody stop me already.

Have a great weekend!

Transitioning

(Click picture to shop)

When it comes to changes in the weather, sometimes it is difficult to find something to wear. Where I live, sometimes we experience temperatures in the 60s (sometimes 70s) in the winter. On those days, you can't quite wear a sundress but you can't wear multiple layers as well. Mixing spring and winter pieces together is your best bet for those awkward days.

In the first set, the dress is perfect for spring and summer. Throw a chunky knit sweater over it and suddenly you have a sweater and skirt look. I love mixed prints and I love the wide stripes of this sweater paired with the thin stripes in the dress.

Since I loved this sweater so much, I picked the same one, only in another shade, for the second look. These days leather can be worn year-round, as it is no longer considered strictly 'cold weather only' appropriate. However, there is something about leather in winter that just feels right. Keeping some season-appropriate elements (such as leather) and pairing them with others (the chunky knit) makes this outfit feel perfect for those in-between days.

Other options for in-between seasons that I love:

• A blazer over a sleeveless top
• Wearing a blazer with shorts and sandals (you can see how I wear this one here)
• Cropped trousers, pumps, and a thin 3/4 sleeve sweater

What do you wear for in-between weather?

Color Bright

Old Navy blouse and glasses, LOFT striped blouse, Zara blazer, Gap jeans, Nine West heels, F21 jewelry

There are some things in my closet that get a lot of wear (like this navy blazer seen here, here, and here) and then there are some that don't get a lot (like this striped top). I get so stuck on wearing certain pieces and forget to give other pieces a chance. Part of stretching your wardrobe means wearing as many things as possible instead of just sticking to your favorites. 

Have a great day!

Modern Workwear

(Click picture to shop)

Gone are the days that women have to wear plain black or navy suits in the workplace. With so many women working these days, companies have made it their business (quite literally) to create pieces that are not only appropriate for the work environment, but are also fun to wear (and can be transitioned into your weekend wardrobe as well).

(Click here to shop)

Not every work outfit has to be finished off with a blazer. Picking a dress with contrasting colors or a dress with peplum details is perfect for the workplace. Look for interesting embellishments when selecting pieces to add to your work wardrobe. 

• Subtle colorblocking
• Peplum
• Contrasting materials (leather accents, etc.)
• Ruffle necklines and hemlines

If you are just starting out as a professional working woman, check places like JCPenney and Forever 21. These are two of my favorite stores for affordable fashion (trendy and professional). 

Have a great day!

Black Stripes

Worthington top, Francesca's blazer and clutch, ASOS skirt, gifted scarf, Charming Charlie
bracelet, rings, and earrings, Target heels

Once again I found myself putting on an outfit with black and white. I've mentioned before that it is my favorite combination of colors to wear but I will take a break (a short one, at least) after today. To balance my black and white obsession, I have two fun color posts coming up later this week.

Instead of wearing a necklace, I opted for a thin scarf around the neck of my blazer. I knotted both sides to add a little interest. This is a great way to wear a scarf other than just looped around your neck. Try a thin scarf with a blazer or a thicker scarf with a heavy winter coat.

Have a great day!

Spotted

F21 blouse, LOFT sweater, Target faux leather pants, Steve Madden heels, Charming
Charlie cuff and necklace

When I put on this polka dot blouse, I realized that the sleeves were too short. No worries, I just turned the cuff back and pushed up the sleeves to give this more of a relaxed look. Cuffing a sleeve and pushing them up a bit is a great way to still get plenty of use out of a blouse, sweater, or blazer if the sleeves are just a tad too short.

As much as I adore color, I can't seem to get away from black and white (you can see a few cases here and here). I think it just might be my favorite combination.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Layering 101

(Click picture to shop)

With winter in full force (for most of us; we had a rather warm weekend), layers are of the utmost importance. To me, there is nothing more annoying than wearing a winter coat, so layering shirts is the best option. 

• Start with a thin blouse. Picking one with a print or an embellishment on the collar will look so cute peeking out from under the layers.
• Add a chunky knit sweater on top, leaving the hem of the blouse peeking out of the bottom. 
• Add a bright blazer. (Make sure your sweater isn't too thick or you won't be able to put on the blazer.)

(Click here to shop)

If bright color in winter isn't your thing, opt for neutral layers. You can always finish off your look with small touches of color in your jewelry or handbag.

• Start with a t-shirt that has a print or texture. It will add dimension to the layers.
• Wrap a scarf around your neck and forgo the necklace. (Or if you really want to accessorize, pick a long necklace that will hit somewhere along the top of your rib cage area. It needs to hang far enough below the scarf.)
• Add a studded button-up shirt and leave it unbuttoned.
• Finish the look with a blazer and make sure that the scarf is centered.

Have a great day!

Warm(er)

A.N.A sweater and shorts, Zara blazer and sandals, F21 earrings, Charming Charlie ring

I don't know what's up with the crazy weather but it was 74 degrees this weekend. I took advantage of the warmer weather and pulled out my shorts and sandals. I tried to keep it somewhat season-appropriate on top. It is January, after all...

Have a great day!

Dressed Up and Down

(Click picture to shop)

In my post yesterday, I took a single blouse and styled it two different ways. In addition to that, I mentioned that I liked taking a dressy look and pairing an edgy jacket with it and doing the opposite with a casual look. I seem to be drawn to black and white a lot lately but I couldn't resist throwing in a bright red pump and slightly over-the-top red earrings for the dressed up look.

(Click here to shop)

These two looks may not share the same blouse but they are both great examples of how to add a polished vibe to a relaxed look, and take a dressy look down a level with a cargo-style jacket. Instead of wearing a sweatshirt with jeans (my frequent go-to option), try a pair of leather shorts. The studs on the loafers take this relaxed look up a few notches and the black blazer polishes the look off perfectly.

The dressed up version to the right can easily feel too girly so throwing on a parka with faux leather sleeves instantly takes this glam version down a bit. 

Of course, not everything has to be in opposition. There are plenty of times when I want to wear a blazer with my dressy look, and my leather jacket with my ripped jeans. It all depends on my mood.

Have a great day!

Remixed

Francesca's blouse, TJ Maxx skirt and jacket, Nine West heels

I wore this blouse two weeks ago with the intention of wearing the pencil skirt pictured above. Of course the temperature was a little chilly, so I opted for jeans and boots instead. I knew I wanted to do a dressed up version of that look this weekend and went to grab my tan blazer but decided on my moto-style jacket instead. I liked the look of a classy pencil skirt paired with an edgy jacket. 

In the dressed up version I play down the dressy factor by adding an edgy jacket. In the dressed down version, I keep it from becoming too casual by adding a classic, structured blazer. Part of the fun of fashion is mixing up looks by swapping out expected pieces for the unexpected.

Have a wonderful day!

Tweed Shimmer

F21 blouse, Worthington jacket and skirt, Target heels, handmade earrings, Charming Charlie
rings, Francesca's clutch

When I saw this cream tweed jacket (with tiny flecks of gold woven in the fabric) at JCPenney for only $20, I couldn't pass it up. It is the perfect weight jacket for in-between weather. I realize most of you have snow at this time and would probably need a coat in addition to this jacket. For those of us in the South, it is all you need. 

I also plan on wearing this dressed down at some point. I can see it with jeans or leather pants. It's definitely a versatile jacket and I plan on wearing it multiple ways.

Have a great weekend!