I'm wishing for Fall as much as the next girl but it is still WARM. For crying out loud, could we not just get like into the low 70's? I just wanna drink a hot drink without wanting to die, you know?
I wore this cute sleeveless textured pullover sweater the other night and loved the way it fell. I also tried it on with a black n white stripe turtleneck before I left just for funsies and I LOVED it. I added a sparkly statement necklace and loved it even more. These sleeveless sweaters are great for layering but can be worn now too! Win Win!
I wore my FAV jeans and theeeeeee most comfortable black heels. I also added this cute tassel choker from Dress Up. Their prices on jewelry are amazing!
My favorite thing about these jeans is that the holes in the knees make them so easy to move in! As a mom of two littles, I do a lot of up and down throughout the day so I need something that can move with me. Call me crazy, but I like to feel like I can take a breath in my pants. These are the best!
I'm so excited to be going out with some friends tonight to plan for an upcoming trip! You know after dinner will include a PSL. I gotta get a start on those September goals!
Hope you have a great Thursday! All outfit details listed below!
I cannot believe we are already talking about September!
Fall is hands down my absolute favorite time of the year so I'm giddy with excitement to be sharing my goals with you.
1. Drink a pumpkin spice latte - Starbucks introduces all the Fall flavored drinks September 1st! Even if you're not a fan of the PSL, you could still try the salted caramel mocha. It's life changing. Trust me. I might have already planned my outfit for my inaugural trip to get Fall beverage and it might include this shirt, these boots, and these jeans. Don't judge.
2. Wear a blanket scarf - Just ordered this one from Nordstrom but I'm going to need the weather's cooperation before I can realistically wear it outside. In the meantime, I'll crank down the air and wear it around the house.
3. Read a book - I really want to continue my August goal of reading a book a month (or was it two?) by actually reading a book this month. Thinking about "Uninvited" by Lysa TerKeurst or "Present Over Perfect". Would love to hear your recs if you have any! Here's hoping I'll actually get one (Both?!) of these read this month!
4. Buy Christmas gifts for family - I know. I'm a nut. But I really like getting all my Christmas shopping done before Thanksgiving. I'm a huge fan of thoughtful gifts so it takes time to think and plan for my family. I have to get a head start! Plus, it gives me an excuse to bust out the Christmas tune. To be honest, I don't ever need an excuse to listen to Christmas music!
I'm trying really hard to remember my 5th goal but it's just not coming to me so four it is! I still plan to continue my monthly goals of eating clean 80% of the time and eating whatevs 20% and also exercising 5 times a week. The cooler weather should definitely help with the outdoors workout routine. Gracious this heat just kills me.
Hope your August was incredible and that your September is even better!! Here's to cozy sweaters, fires in the fireplace, hot soup, cider, and FOOTBALL. Go Dawgs!
My favorite shirt of all time is FINALLY back in stock! Run, don't walk to get this top! It's the only shirt I've ever owned that causes literal strangers to stop me and swoon. It might be back to regular price but it's worth every. penny.
I wear it with white denim, dark denim, distressed denim, olive pants, black pants. EVERYTHING.
This year more than any other I've gotten ridiculous amounts of inspiration for building my dream fall wardrobe. There's still time before the temps really begin to Fall (see what I did there?) so let's hop to it!
I've been spending a loooooot of time on Pinterest lately. I'm working with some clients on prepping their closets for the coveted cool and I've begun to notice that so many dreamy Fall looks have a few things in common.
First off, white denim! I know it's tempting to pack away the white pants after labor day, especially for you rule followers. But they add the perfect amount of pop to any outfit. So keep them. And if you don't have any yet, buy these because they're $20 and still available in most sizes.
I talk to a lot of moms about their wardrobe needs every day and one thing I hear often is how hard it is to put on "real clothes" when the yoga pants just feel so goooooood. The problem is that you're not buying the right jeans! Great jeans give you an awesome look AND an awesome feel. Here are my current favorites in dark denim and in a distress.
I can't say enough about getting a great pair of tan booties. They're neutral enough to go with everything and they're just necessary as a Fall wardrobe staple. A few of my favorites are linked here...
Cardigans are so wonderful to dress up an otherwise completely basic look. I love layering over peplum tops like this perfect basic from Target for less than $15!. Add a layered neckalce and you're in business.
Once the temps drop even further, you can pull out the moto jacket. This look works overtime for your figure, flattering your wasteline while adding a little edge to your look. I've linked a few here in a couple of different price points. I do think this is one thing worth the splurge because of how many different ways you can wear it. Over skirts, dresses, with skinny jeans, wide leg jeans. I could go on and on.
I just recently got this olive green military jacket in the mail and I am obsessed with it. The fit is perfect and it's just light weight enough that I'm super tempted to pull it out and wear it in the 90 degree heat. I love it with stripes or chambray.
Finally, I think every girl needs a great pair of riding boots. I found the perfect pair in an awesome price point. Picture these tromping through the freshly fallen leaves on a brisk October morn. Dreamy, I tell you.
I hope this helps you get a jump on some Fall wardrobe ideas! If you need any further inspiration, hop over to my Pinterest to see alllllll I'm pinning. Get comfy. It's a lot.
I got the funniest text from a friend the other day that went something like "Hey, needing a blog post on how to dress your post-pregnant self without buying a new wardrobe that won't fit in a few months and also not wearing maternity clothes anymore because I just can't.'
Oddly enough, that description didn't make a great blog post title so I'm simplifying it but still including all the necessary details on how to dress your "in between" body.
It's been two years since I last gave birth but it feels like yesterday. I'm fairly certain that all I wore for the first six weeks was my blessed maternity clothes. But then you hit that awkward phase of post-pregnancy when the maternity clothes don't fit right but your "normal" clothes don't fit either.
If you're living there right now, I feel you. It's tough to be in transition and that's where you are. Not only are you dead tired, emotionally drained, and dealing with nasty hormones, but you also are most likely dealing with the most limited supply of clothing options you've ever had.
Regardless of how long it's been since you had your last baby-- hey, maybe you're feeling four months along with a food baby. You can navigate this in between phase with grace. So let's get to it!
First of all, stop trying to buy clothes that used to looked good on you. This is not the "you" that you're accustomed to. Start thinking about clothes that look good on every body. Including the body you're rocking right now.
Start thinking about styles that are going to flow away from your body in certain areas, while staying close to your body in others. Enter: the swing dress.
Swing dresses are your new best friend. They have enough structure to be flattering without hugging the areas that you do not want to be hugged. Old Navy has some cute options right now that are so reasonably priced! Throw on a denim jacket and some converse and you're set. If you're a nursing momma, look for dresses that button down the front for easy access for baby.
As far as tops go, peplum fit will cover over a multitude of problem areas! Also, loose fit v neck tee shirts with a button down (left un-buttoned) is a way to enhance your waist line without necessarily having to feel constrained by the buttons. Keep those button downs around for when everything goes back to normal. You'll button again. Promise.
Your pants will probably be your biggest hurdle but this is where maternity jeans come in handy. No one is handing out medals for fitting into your normal jeans three hours after giving birth (though if you did that, just WOW!). So if you need to hang onto the maternity waste line for a bit longer, then DO IT.
Once you're out of that phase, get some pants that have a good amount of stretch to them. Target has greatjeggingsthat are super affordable so you don't feel like your wasting money on something you won't wear that long. Chances are, you might need a good pair of in between jeans at some other point in your life so hang onto them!
Also, please PRETTY PLEASE for the sake of all that is good in the world, take advantage of the fact that Athleisure is a thing and it is a good GOOD thing. Crop up those pants, throw on some cute nikes and a loose fitting tee and walk into motherhood like whoa.
Think about items like cardigans, jackets, cute shoes, and jewelry that will always fit no matter what! You can dress up the most basic outfit with accessories. Some of my favorites are a great pair of comfortable booties, a good cognac bag, amd a slimming leather jacket.
I think as women we beat ourselves into the ground over not being a specific size by a specific time but just cut yourself some slack. You're in transition and it's nuts-o right now. The last thing you need to be worrying about is your body image. Sometimes it seems like we punish our current selves for not being where we feel we should be by saying things like "I'm not wasting money on buying for my body type right now".
But guess what? This is where you are right now and even though it's not where you'll be forever, it is worth it to feel good about yourself no matter what stage of life your body is in. So don't be afraid to invest in some in between pieces. Rest assured you can find a TON of cuteness that will carry you from "post-baby" bump to "what baby bump?"
I'll leave you with a bit of perspective... It took me a solid year and a half to lose all my baby weight with Rowe. And I didn't even gain that much to begin with. But between nursing for sixteen months and just struggling with consistent eating and exercise, I was like a Yo-Yo of weight management.
I lamented over my body and if I could go back and say CHILL OUT, I would. You have so many years to be where you're really comfortable. These are baby growing years and baby growing is tough stuff. You're amazing and don't you forget it. Stick those maternity pants back on and own where you are while getting excited that you won't be there forever.
