Fall Fashion 2012: Steph's Wish List

It has been a privilege to host the Fall Fashion series over the past few weeks. My Style Panelists (the wickedly awesome Jo-Lynne, Kelly, Melissa, Julie, Hillary, Nancy and the Jennifer and Terra from Reel Attire) have schooled me.

Like. Schooled me. 

I'm ready to purge my closet, and finally let go (ie: donate) of all the outdated, ill-fitting and ill-fated clothes that I've been clinging to for all these years.

I've worked hard the last few months and saved up a little bit o' money to splurge on myself. Now, this is difficult for me. I hate spending money (remember my gift card hoarding debacle?) and it makes me feel bad because I immediately wonder, "What could I have better spent that money on?" But I think you can keep your spending frugal while coming away with some chic purchases.

At least, that's my goal.

Hubby has graciously promised to watch the girls on an agreed-upon date and allow me Steph Day. On Steph Day, I have the opportunity to go out for, like, an entire day by myself (or, let's be honest, with my girlfriends) without kids to shop, eat and be merry.  

I am SO looking forward to this day.

Because, friends?

We need "ME" time every once in a while.

Yes, you'll feel bad. You'll miss your kids. You'll wonder what work you are forgetting. You'll worry about the cleaning and errands that could be done.

But having time, even if just a few hours, where you can regroup, have fun and breathe?

It's healing.

To your soul.

So hear me when I say: TREAT YO' SELF.


Now, since I can't cart my Style Panel along with me (although I will most likely be sending pitiful help me tweets throughout the day), I can use their wisdom to create a list of some Must Haves for my closet.


So, without further ado:

Steph's Wish List: Fall Fashion PANTS by donnareedsteph featuring zipper jeans

Steph's Wish List: Fall Fashion TOPS by donnareedsteph featuring a peasant blouse

Steph's Wish List: Fall Fashion DRESSES & SKIRTS by donnareedsteph featuring long skirts

Steph's Wish List: Fall Fashion SHOES by donnareedsteph featuring high heel pumps

Steph's Wish List: Fall Fashion ACCESSORIES by donnareedsteph featuring chain jewelry

So how did I do?


Friends, take a day. Heck, take a few hours. And enjoy the freedom of relaxing, pampering and having a little fun.


Also?


Don't let this happen to you.

Now I want to hear from YOU!  What's on YOUR Fall Fashion Wish List?  Leave a comment - I'd love inspiration!


Who's coming shopping with me?



PS - For your viewing pleasure: Treat Yo Self







(This post is linked up with Fashion Friday sponsored by a plethora of chic bloggers including a few of my Style Panelists: Musings of a Housewife, Centsible Life, Juliverse and Girlymama).

Fall Fashion 2012: Dresses and Skirts

    

 I can't believe the Fall Fashion series is coming to a close today! 

Are you holding Closing Ceremonies today? It really has been a landmark event.

In case you missed the last few weeks, we've covered all the Fall Fashion advice to make sure you are stepping out in style this Autumn: pants, tops, shoes and accessories. 

Well, by we I mean my Style Panelists. Because let's be honest: could I have come up with this fantastic fashion advice?

Why are you laughing?

We're ending the series with a BANG, discussing the ever-important topic of Dresses and Skirts.

Spoiler Alert: there is much to say about Kate Middleton, pantyhose and pencil skirts.

I love the idea of dresses and skirts, and definitely want to incorporate them into my wardrobe this Fall. I think the neat thing about dresses, as told to me by The Panel, is that they are a great base for layering and accessories.

Who knew?

Well, apparently everyone else in the world but me.

Keep reading for fantastic advice on being chic in a dress (or skirt) this Autumn!

"Right now I have three dresses in my closet that are PERFECT for fall – simple styles that will look fantastic with boots and bare legs for September through October, and with tights right through winter.  I think a well-fitting dress is always a great wardrobe staple.  Think LBD (ie: Little Black Dress) but for daytime.  In fact, take your LBD (plain black sheath?) and add a bright cardigan, a scarf or necklace and some cute shoes or boots. Instant casual glam."

"Dresses are great year round! You can layer them which is a huge trend, or wear them with leggings, jeggings, or tights to get more wear out of them. I love a good pencil skirt, and they are still very in right now. Look for them in fun fall colors (mustard, red) or prints (leopard, floral).

And, NO. No pantyhose unless you’re Kate Middleton."

"Dresses with boots and tights are a great look for fall. Try a patterned or textured tight for a more modern look."

"Dresses and skirts are definitely in for Fall! The only thing you need to do to take dresses/skirts from summer to fall is put away the lightweight cotton and linen, and swap for tweed, satin, wool, and knits. Color is definitely ok, just look for jewel tones and neutrals instead of pastels or neons. I’m admittedly more into dresses than skirts, because you don’t have find a shirt to match! Great dresses make your life easier because all you need is a pair of patent nude or black pumps and some accessories. And since you already learned about shoes and accessories in previous weeks, you’re a pro now! 

Pencil skirts, high waisted styles, and anything tweed or hounds-tooth are in, if you want to go the skirt route. Same advice about proportions apply to skirts as did pants in week 1. I think depending on the climate you live in, you should wear tights or stockings of some kind later in the fall, but when the weather is still fluctuating between 50 degrees and 80 degrees like it is is here Philly recently, feel free to hold off a little longer. When it does get cold, tights can be warm and a fun way to make an otherwise classic outfit different or add texture with an argyle or polka dot tight. 

And if you ever need to borrow a dress, call me! I have 100s, seriously."



"Fall dresses are my favorite. Cozy fabrics, warm colors... its perfect. In fall, swap your sandals for tights with boots or booties. Colored tights are so trendy and so easy to wear. Take that typical black dress and black pumps and swap out burgundy tights and black knee-high  boots! 
WOWZA! 

Pencil skirts are also everywhere this fall. I love them - they are almost universally flattering. Just be careful to get the perfect fit, so you don't look (and feel) like a sausage. 

And pantyhose?? Just because Kate Middleton is wearing them? No. She is wearing them because she is a princess, people. She HAS to. If you want to, go for it. But personally, I don't think they are necessary."

"Skirts are VERY in this fall/winter, especially the pencil skirt. You'll see them in lots of colors and color blocked. You'll even see some with peplums. (There's that peplum again.) 

Dresses are great as well, especially when they have a pencil skirt, like this colorblocked dress. Or this one that's a faux-wrap.  (I should stop linking because my cart is filling again.)

When wearing skirts, wear them with fitted or tighter tops, rather than bulky sweaters. Keep in mind that layering is also in this winter, so a fitted top with a fitted jacket or a wrap will keep you warm. 

Pantyhose? No. Before my wedding, we tried to convince my future-SMIL that hose and open-toed shoes were not required. That was 12 years ago. Hose are still not required. People tried to make them in again because Kate was required to wear them as a princess and she's super stylish, but she's also likely the only one wearing them. However, opaque tights are very in style, and look great with pencil skirts. Especially colored tights. As for shoes, I'm not big on booties because I think they cut off the legs at an awkward spot, so don't recommend them. But tall boots and heels are great with skirts because they define your legs. The easiest way to know what shoes to wear with a skirt? Go to Nordstrom.com, search for a skirt similar to yours and see the feet at the bottom of the legs. Boom. Instant style advice!"

~~~~~

Say it with me, folks: 

NO pantyhose, NO pantyhose, NO pantyhose...

But is it fair to say I am, in fact, a princess?

Yep. I thought so.

Have your Style Say: 
What do you think of the advice?
What dress or skirt items do you need to add to your "Must Have"?
What trends are you inspired to try?


Share a comment!

Fall Fashion 2012: SHOES

The Autumn-esque weather that has descended upon the Philly area has me itching to pull on my fave jeans and layer with a basic shirt and a fab cardi. Can you tell I've been trying to learn from the past two weeks of  Fall Fashion advice? Between what we've been told about pants and tops, I feel like I've got a good list going of what I need, how to rework what I have, and ::gulp:: coming to terms with letting go of some clothes I've been clutching on to far too long.

Sorry, clothes. 

It's not you, it's me.

Actually, it's totally you.

Now that some of my clothing is in order, I have to look at the next logical issue: shoes. 

I'm not much of a shoes girl. At least, I wasn't. But I'm becoming one. Hubby? Somehow, he's always been all about the shoes. He's specific and tries to follow the trends of what guys are wearing on their feet. I used to go with what was comfy. And while there is something to be said about comfort, it was not working in my favor.

I've slowly started to weed out the bad shoes in my closet (it is going to be a long, painful process, people). I'm happy to report that in the recent past, I've added some cutie-patooty shoes that I'm not ashamed to wear in public. 

Meet my lovely flats:

Love you guys!

Now, as I've watched the fashion trends (and as you'll hear from my Style Panelists below), boots are in. Yes, even I knew this. I have not invested in a good pair of boots in years. YEARS. Especially not since people have been doing that cute move where the wear the boots over their skinny jeans or leggings. 

Unfortunately, the boots I currently own do not make the cut. When Nancy comes over to burn my entire wardrobe, I'm pretty sure all 3 pairs of boots will be heaped into the inferno.  

Meet the 3 Ugly Stepsisters:

The Lady of the Night: Flimsy, tight boot that goes above mid-calf with a rounded toe and heel.
I used to love these. But flirts with the line of Hooker Boot.

The Black Widow: Far surpasses the line of Hooker Boot.

Misguided Ugg Wannbe: ::sigh:: A gift from my mom that she excitedly purchased
from a CLEARANCE sale from the QVC OUTLET. That's like...ultra sale. For a reason.
Yes, that is faux fur fringing the top. No bueno.

As you can see, I need to make some decisions about my current shoedrobe (see what I did there?), and make a list of some shoes I should consider adding.  Any shopping trips will be preceded by a trip to the zoo, as apparently animal prints are in. And Pop POP! So are pops of color!

Read on and get ready to be SHOE DAZZLED!

"Every girl needs three things:
 
A pair of comfy black heels that she can wear anywhere. These are an investment - go totally classic and buy the nicest you can afford, because they will be in your closet for the next 20 years. Mine are 15 years old and - with a little polish - they still look and feel great! 

Boots. Boots are perfect. If you're really a classic, invest with a black or brown riding boot. Personally, the boots I wear most often are a pair of brown lace-up casual boots. They may not be in style 5 years from now, but I wear them at least once or twice a week and they are the perfect way to jazz up my usual cardigan/tank/jean uniform. Boots go with everything - skirts, jeans, dressy pants, everything!!! 

BRIGHT flats. Yes, a really nice pair of Tory Burch black flats will never ever go out of style. BUT - a pair of bright flats are awesome! Think of how a pair of bright red or leopard print flats would expand your everyday wardrobe!!"



"BOOTS! But, that’s pretty obvious.  The thing we love most about boots is that even flats can be dressy enough for a date night or a night on the town.  You’ll also need a great pair of classic pumps.  If your wardrobe is simple and chic, try to find some pumps with a fun pattern, like polka dots.  If you tend to have a brighter, funkier wardrobe, pick up a pair of classic pumps in a nude tone.  Lastly, every woman should indulge in at least one pair of fun, sexy shoes a season.  Hot trends in shoes this Fall include: gold accents, straps (especially the comeback of the T-strap), healed loafers and lace-up boots.  Also, one thing we’ve seen some of is pairing pumps with dress socks, kind of like how boot socks were big last Fall.  A somewhat daring trend, but it can look super cute especially with some skinny ankle pants or a great pencil skirt."



"Shoes – I LOVE boots.  All sorts of boots – low heeled, spike heeled, shoe boots, tall boots, rain boots. . . Every girl needs three pairs of shoes – a great pair of boots, a great heel and a comfy flat.  Now having said that – I have many more than three pairs, and flats are my hardest shoes to find. . .for some reason I just don’t like them.  I have always been a matchy-match sort of girl. . .but I LOVE the look of a pop of color on your feet.  I must say my fave purchase for fall to date is pair of leopard print pumps. Mee-yow!"



"Top 3 shoes for the season: knee high boots in a riding or straight cut style - not super western and not hooker boots - in black or brown; great flats in a neutral color and textured fabric; and my ultimate staple black closed toe, rounded tip, closed heel pumps - platform or no platform are both great. Flats are always a DO for moms, working women, and anyone who doesn’t want to be in pain after a long day on your feet. Luckily, there are a lot of cute flats right now. As I mentioned above, textured fabrics are in think tweed fabric, plaid, animal print, or suede. Flats are comfy and sensible but they can be fun too! Color can be worked in with shoes in moderation. Day time: use an animal print but in neutral tones. Night time: pick a color you want to pop on your feet and pair it with a neutral dress to spice it up (colors that are great for fall are purple, teal/green and yellow). Boots are in. Just take a step back from cowboy boots. The western trend is IN however that means a buckle here or there and maybe some stitching. Repeat after me: I am not in a Dukes of Hazzard remake. Tall boots look great with trim pant styles: leggings, slim jeans, and tights. Wider pant legs or bootleg pants should go with calf or ankle booties. If you wear boots with skirts watch the proportions, if you have to wonder if you look like a hooker or a 90s GUESS? ad you probably do, so don’t go out like that. Your shoes should be in the same color family as the rest of your look OR they can be the one pop of a bright color with an otherwise neutral outfit. If you are wearing a colorful dress,  and bold jewelry, skip the colorful shoe for example."

"I ventured to Nordstrom this morning with a hyper 3 year old and strawberry lemonade, so I didn't have too long to admire, but I definitely noticed a few things: 

1. Boots are big, small, oddly shaped, wedges, flats and pumps. They have pointy toes and rounded toes. Some are color, some are knit (not many), some have fringe and some have cowboy patterns. They go from tall (knee high) to short (booties) and there are a few in between. I saw very few black boots ( most black boots were embellished ), many shades of brown and a few that were colors. Get creative with your boots and buy a pair that are different than those you have from last year. Chances are you'll wear your old ones again.
2. Flats are definitely back this season. There are a few key colors (red, browns, blacks) and a lot of patterns (animal prints are especially hot.) From pointy toed to rounded, you'll see most leather shoes have a patent finish. Many have detail on the front of the foot: a bow, a small buckle or a small design. 
3. There are a lot of choices when it comes to heels. You'll see everything from stiletto heels to pumps to wedges. There were some unique colors like deep blues, but most of the shoes were browns, blacks, tans and reds. The dressier shoes were patent. 
4. I'm sure if you've been on the gym floor you've noticed the trend of brightly colored athletic shoes. They're everywhere and you just can't miss them for their brightness. This season, most of the big athletic companies are minimal sneakers. Minimal style athletic shoes were created to mimic the feeling of running or walking without shoes. Says Nordstrom, "Get the benefits of a barefoot fit plus support and cushioning with lightweight running shoes that also strengthen leg muscles." The soles are thinner and wider, to give your feet more freedom as they hit the pavement."

"Boots are always in style, and this winter is no different. Riding boots and wedge heels are both great styles that are easy to wear. Ballet flats are another must-have. And loafers are making a come back too! I’m not a huge fan of the loafer, but I do love a cute ballet flat. Try a metallic for something more modern than the basic black or brown. The great thing about metallic is that it goes with everything!"




"If I can only pick three I pick: one pair of classic ballet flats in a neutral but fun color (think outside the brown and black box and go with red or navy), a pair of sneakers that are cute and perfect for working out, and a killer pair of boots with a heel (preferably weather proof). If I could add one more it would be the perfect heels in nude or black.

I personally prefer a pop of color, brown and black are good when you need them, but if you can only get one pair go with color. Boots go with nearly everything! Skirts, pants, skinnies, bootcuts, and booties are fun with dresses.

I love a good sized sturdy heel for boots and think it’s smart to have brown and black boots. Matchy-matchy isn’t good, but blending is great. Though I see more and more color risks lately and if done right they really work!"

~~~~~

Boots. Heels. Flats.

Oh my.

Who feels ready to take on a shoe shopping trip?  Who is yearning to help me donate a bunch of very outdated shoes (The Three Stepsisters included)?  

Make those feet pretty!


Have your Style Say:
What do you think of the advice?
What shoes do you need to add to your "Must Have"? 

What trends are you inspired to try?


Share a comment!


Check back next week when we get glam with ACCESSORIES!  To catch up on the past Fall Fashion 2012 posts covering the topics of Pants and Tops, you can read them here.