Polished Fall Looks

I took a poll on Facebook & Instagram this weekend about the cost of items that you’d like to see featured here – the vast majority of you said you don’t mind there being a few higher price points ($80-120) mixed in with budget-friendly finds.  Personally, I am finding that the older I get, the more value I place on having quality wardrobe staples that I don’t have to repurchase year after year.

In many cases, this means paying a bit more upfront…but I believe that it actually saves money in the long run!  One of my favorite comments from the thread on Facebook (thank you, Catherine!) was: “Perhaps we can think of penny pinching in terms of the number of wears/years a piece will last rather than just in terms of the original price paid.”  Love that perspective!!

So, after reading through all of the comments & carefully weighing your response, I have decided that I will be showing a few items in this higher price range from time to time.  I want to be clear that I don’t plan to shift the vision for my site or to feature a large amount of more expensive things on a frequent basis.  It will be the same approach I take when I’m shopping in my own day to day life – I want to be purposeful, intentional & thoughtful.  So, when I do showcase these styles, I commit to you:

• That it will be classics you can wear over & over again
• That I will do my best to keep an 80/20 ratio (with most items being in the $20-65 range)
• That I will show you multiple ways to style it, thereby lowering the cost per wear
• That I will also include similar options in a more budget-friendly price range
• That I will report back to let you know how it holds up after multiple wears & washes
• That I will watch it closely & let you know when it goes on sale

I hope this will add further value to the content I’m already creating here & that you will find it helpful as you strive to create a stylish, long-lasting wardrobe that you love.  As always, I would love to hear your feedback & thoughts on this in the comments below or you can email me directly.

Now that I’ve spelled all that out, we can move onto some outfits!  Several of you requested to see more work-appropriate style, so I put together four new fall looks below featuring polished neutrals for the office & beyond.  I’m also sharing a few reviews of new items that I’ve recently added to my closet – read on for all the details:

ONE: Banana Republic Blouse, H&M Skirt (similar here or here),
Dorothy Perkins Booties (similar here or here), Similar Scarf

TWO: H&M Shirt (similar here or here), BP Scarf, Halogen Belt,
c/o Lysse Leggings (similar for less here, here or here), Similar Flats (here or here)

1) I love the gathered detail & ruffled sleeves on this blouse.  It’s a looser fit, so I definitely recommend sizing down when you order (it comes in 4 other pretty colors too!).  I also plan on layering this underneath some of my fine-knit crewneck sweaters & letting the ruffled cuffs peek out under the sleeves.  Once you add it to your cart, it will show a discount of 40% off (no code needed!).

2) These leggings are one of those pieces in the higher-end price range, so I did my best to find similar budget-friendly styles for you to shop.  Although these were gifted to me from the brand, had I tried them on in store, I would have splurged & bought them for myself because they are just that good!  Similar to the Spanx faux leather leggings that I bought during the Anniversary Sale & the Banana Republic scalloped leggings seen here, I know I will wear them a lot.  Lately, I’m finding myself preferring more comfortable pants that are easier to move around in (versus skinny jeans) so I want to have a few classic options in my wardrobe.  Next week, I’ll be sharing another post showing you multiple ways to style these & reporting back on how they hold up after laundering (they are machine wash/line dry).  For reference, I’m wearing a small so I’d say these run true to size.

ONE: Wild Pearl Blouse (similar here or here), Express Skirt,
Express Fishnet Socks, a.n.a Booties (similar here or here)

TWO: LOFT Blouse, Forever 21 Leggings, MIA Pumps (similar here or here)

1) This skirt is so flattering and, because it’s a knit pull-on style, you can decide if you want to wear it lower on the waist for more coverage or if you want it to be high-waisted & a bit shorter.  It runs true to size & is currently on sale for less than $30 (also comes in maroon & black).  It’s hard to tell in this photo, but I’m trying out the trend of wearing fishnet socks with ankle booties – I saw this in a magazine and thought it would be a fun & inexpensive way to add some edge to more feminine looks.

2) Here’s an example of leggings on the other end of the price spectrum that I also love!  I rarely shop at Forever 21 anymore, but I had some money left on a gift card that I wanted to use up so I ordered these on a whim (along with this scarf).  I’ve been wanting a buttoned pair of pants like this & had actually bought these first, but the fit was all wrong and they weren’t flattering on my shape.  Strangely, this under $20 pair was perfect!  These are a thicker ponte fabric, so they smooth out any bumps and hug in all the right places.  They’re a higher-rise so I’ll be wearing them with blouses tucked in or with shorter-length sweaters.  I ordered both a medium & small and after trying them on & walking around the house, I could tell they would stretch a little with wear, so I decided to keep the small.