Fresh Florals with Zaful

During the holiday season I love wearing all of the reds, greens, plaids, sequins and cozy materials.  But when January arrives, even though it's still cold outside, I find myself wanting fresh neutrals, flowy fabrics and floral prints.  If you are feeling the same way, this dress from Zaful will be right up your alley!

I mentioned last week that I plan to be shop free for the next three months, meaning that I will not be purchasing any clothes, shoes or accessories.  I do, however, have a couple of pieces that I've received from companies to review.  I just want to be completely transparent with you!

As with the other Zaful products I've received, I'm super impressed with the quality for the price!  This dress is made from a nice, thick linen material and the print is beautiful!  I do however want to mention that the dress is awfully short.  It is a "one size fits all" type of deal so depending on your height, you might want to think of this as a tunic.  I am 5'4 for reference.  Other than length, I find the dress to fit well!

What styles do you find yourself reaching for now that we've moved past the holidays?

What I'm Wearing:
Dress: Zaful (exact)
Tights: unknown (similar)
Boots: Belk (similar, similar)

Where I'm linking-up!
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Styling Fall Boots with the Blended Blog

Hey, ladies!  I'm fresh off of a spectacular weekend spent celebrating the wedding of a dear friend from high school!  There is something about spending time with the people who truly get you that is so very good for the soul.  I feel blessed to have stood by Michelle for this momentous occasion in her life.  On top of that, the San Antonio weather was delightful, I felt beautiful in my bridesmaid dress and I got to meet Carrie in real life!  Talk about good for the soul!  Meeting Carrie felt like a long-needed catch up between two old friends...like we've known each other forever.  I'm happy to call her a real friend now!

After all of the activity of the weekend and missing the first two days of school this week, I'm totally taken aback that it is already Wednesday and time for the next installment of the October Style Series with The Blended Blog!  Please head over that way to see how a few of our lovely contributors are styling their fall boots!

I didn't have time to take outfit photos this weekend but I have assembled a few posts featuring my must-have boots for the chilly weather!  These have all been staples in my wardrobe for the last couple of years and I don't see that changing any time soon!  Click on the title for each picture to be taken back to the original post!

Black Wedge Booties

Riding Boots

Flat-Heeled Neutral Booties

Low-Heeled Neutral Booties

Bean Boots

What are your cool-weather boot essentials?  And which look is your favorite?  Don't forget to link-up your fall style below!

Create28: Rose Quartz February

Good morning, lovelies!  I'm back today with my second post about how to wear Rose Quartz, one of Pantone's colors of the year, all year long!  Here's how I wore this pretty shade of pink in January!

To me, February is the month of romance!  I know that Valentine's Day is only one day out of the month but all 28, err 29 days have me thinking pink, flowers, chocolate and love!  And in my opinion, nothing is more romantic than a blush pink, lace dress!  And there are lots of these lovely dresses from which to choose.

Since it's a little too chilly for just a romantic dress, my trusty denim jacket  (I've been wearing this hand-me-down for a decade, maybe it's time for an upgrade?), grey tights, cozy socks and booties create a look fit for the February weather.

So this month, use Rose Quartz to create an outfit with a romantic, feminine vibe!  And let's see your version of Rose Quartz at our weekly link-up on Monday or on Instagram (#create28winterlooks)!

Monthly Rose Quartz Series

What I'm Wearing:

Dress: Hand-me-down (similar, similar)

Tassel Necklace: Raw Sugar Sunday (exact)

Jacket: Hand-me-down (similar)

Tights: Anthropologie (similar, similar)

Socks: Gift (similar, similar)

Booties: Kohl's (similar)

Where I'm linking-up!

Create28: Favorite Winter Look

You guys, where have the last few months gone?!  It's already time for the next seasonal round of Create28!  This time, Carrie, Casey and I will be joined by some of our blogging friends to show you 28 brand new looks inspired by our daily prompts.  We hope that you will join in the fun by linking-up your looks on Mondays or by posting pictures to Instagram (#create28winterlooks).  Here's a look at what we have coming-up this week:

When deciding what my go-to look has been this winter, I thought about what I've been reaching for in my closet the most frequently.  My most-worn items have definitely been thick, over-sized cardigans!

One of these cozy little numbers with skinny jeans, camp socks and booties have been my uniform lately!  So much so that you will see similar combinations for a few other prompts this month!

A lot of the cardigans that I have been drawn to are in soft, neutral tones like these.  bb dakota sweaters just seem to have the perfect drape to them, don't you think?

What's your favorite look lately?

What I'm Wearing:

Shirt: LOFT (similar, similar)

Cardigan: Gap Outlet (similar, similar)

Necklace: Raw Sugar Sunday (exact) <--Can't say enough about this Etsy shop!

Jeans: American Eagle (exact)

Socks: L.L. Bean (exact)

Booties: Kohl's (similar)

Where I'm linking-up!

And now it's time for that Lovely Little à la Mode Link-Up!

Lace + Link-Up

On Saturday, Carrie posted the style prompt Upstyle, Update for Downtown.  I had so much fun participating in her little challenge from the previous Saturday that I immediately knew I wanted to try this one, too.  One little problem though, I had no plans to get gussied-up to go downtown this weekend.  In fact, my plans were quite the opposite.  I wanted to do absolutely nothing!  You know, this kind of weekend:

So this may be considered cheating, but I had these pictures sitting on my computer from the last time I dressed-up for a night!  I wore this outfit to my parents' restaurant's holiday party.  Have I ever mentioned that my parents own a restaurant?  If you are ever in Lansing, Michigan and are looking for a delicious bowl of soup, fresh salad or sandwich, please head to Zoup! and say hello to Mark and Sue!  Anyways, I've worked for them before and am there eating frequently enough that I'm friends with most of the crew.  I was pretty excited when they all wanted me to attend their holiday party so that we could have an opportunity to socialize beyond work hours!

Now, there's something about lace that just feels so fancy to me!  I know that you can wear it during the day as well, but it really does add a little something to an evening outfit.  The same thing goes for white jeans and heeled booties.  They feel a little bit more special than the usual jeans and and flat shoes that I wear to work and run errands.  Do you agree?

If you are looking for a special something to spice-up an evening look, here are some beautiful lace blouses, good quality white jeans, and fun taupe booties!

What I'm Wearing:

Lace Blouse: LOFT (similar, similar)

Necklace: Gift (similar, similar)

White Jeans: LOFT (exact)

Booties: Target (similar, similar)

And it's that time of the week again!

Create28: Aztec Pattern

I think I might have a thing for blush pink Aztec print.  But seriously, what could be better than a cute print in my favorite color?  ...Especially when it comes in cozy pieces like that scarf and this over-sized cardigan!

Really though, is this called Aztec print, southwestern print (like I called it last year), or something else?  In any case, I love it and I had been on the hunt for big, chunky cardigan in this print for over a year.  It's one of those pieces that I would see on other girls but just couldn't find the perfect one for my closet.  But then I found SheIn with cute, trendy pieces for the right price and this cozy sweater was delivered to my doorstep!

I do want to be honest about my experience with Shein, though.  While I love this cardigan, I was a bit disappointed with the company.  I ordered three pieces and sent two back because they felt as cheap as they had cost.  On top of that, the return process seemed a bit shady and return shipping wasn't free (a luxury that I have become used to).  I suppose you get what you pay for!

But let's get back to the outfit details!  My first inclination was to wear this cardigan over skinny jeans with a basic tee and flat booties.  But since Create28: Fall Looks is about pushing ourselves to be creative, I decided to try the chunky cardigan with a basic dress and all black except for my booties.  And I love the way the look turned-out...although I'm already looking forward to that cardigan and skinny jean combination!

You guys, we are almost done with another month of Create28!  Can you believe it?  I'm loving the looks that you are posting on Instagram (#Create28FallLooks) and I'm looking forward to another Monday link-up tomorrow where Carrie, Casey and I will each be featuring a "Pinned It and Did It" look!

What I'm Wearing:

Dress: Old Navy (similar)

Cardigan: SheIn (similar, similar)

Necklace: LOFT (similar, similar)

Tights: Target (similar)

Booties: Old Navy (similar)

Create28: Cape

Every once in awhile you have to branch out and try something new!  And what better time to do it than during Create28: Fall Looks!?  Late this summer, I noticed that capes and ponchos were hitting fall style line-ups.  Given my love for oversized cardigans, it was just a small (fringy) leap for me to fall for a warm, cozy cape!  Knowing that this was a look I wanted to try, I bought this beautiful reversible one from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (my first #NSale purchase ever)!

But then I got it aaaannnnnddddd I didn't know what to do with it!  So what's a clueless cape owner to do?  Consult Pinterest of course!  You can check out my board devoted entirely to capes here or the pin that inspired this look here!

I don't know about those model-looking girls on Pinterest, but I don't think this is an indoor, all day kind of an outfit.  It was very, very warm!  So heading further into the fall, I think I'm going to wear the cape in lieu of a jacket.  And next time I can't wait to wear it with the beautiful grey side facing out!

Have you tried a cape or a poncho this season?  Show us on Instagram (#Create28FallLooks) and make sure to come back tomorrow to see how Casey styles a skirt for fall!

What I'm Wearing:

Chambray: Old Navy (exact)

Cape: Nordstrom (exact)

Scarf: Zara Knock-Off (similar)

Skinnies: American Eagle (exact)

Booties: Old Navy (similar)

Where I'm linking-up!

Create28: Trying a Trend + Link-Up

What's your favorite trend this fall?  Perhaps you're excited that flare jeans are back in style?  Or maybe you're content to continue to curl up in your cozy blanket scarf?

I don't really consider myself a trendy dresser in that I don't jump at the opportunity to buy every "it" item.  I'm on a tight teacher budget so I would prefer to purchase classic pieces that look current but stand the test of time.  That being said, it's fun every once in awhile to try something that's on trend!

The trend that I decided to try today is fringe!  Or tassels!  Or tassely fringe?!  In any case, I love how fun the fringe is but also that it's subtle enough that I can wear it beyond fall of 2015.  And this top is so comfy that I will definitely want to keep wearing it!

I know that it's not exactly a trend, but I'm also wearing white jeans for the first time ever (thanks Casey)!  And you guys, I didn't spill anything on them!  I'm still not entirely sold, however.  I like the idea of them but I'm not sure they are the most flattering on my curvy bottom half.  At least this swingy top helped to balance out the look.  And I think that adding the booties totally took this look into fall!

What are your thoughts on fringe and white jeans?  And what trend are you so excited to wear this season?  Tell me about it in the comments!

And have you been playing along for Create28?  I've been admiring all of your fall looks on Instagram (#Create28FallLooks) but now it's time to link all of them up below!  And head over to visit Carrie and Casey today to check out their favorite trends this season!

What I'm Wearing:
Shirt: Anthropologie (exact)
Jeans: LOFT (similar)
Booties: Old Navy (similar)

Hosted by ~

Carrie/A Lovely Little Wardrobe : Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram

Whitney/Whitney à La Mode : Bloglovin/Instagram

Casey/A Little Bit of Cheer : Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram

Stepping Out

One of the reasons I started Whitney à la mode was to motivate myself to look at my closet and use my wardrobe more creatively.  In other words, I wanted to get out of my style rut!  I think that this goal is more about the journey than the achievement.  No matter how well I master remixing my clothes, I can always look at what I have in a different way.

I'm writing this post as a motivator more so to myself today than to anyone else.  I feel that I've fallen back into a style (and therefore a blogging) rut.  Part of the problem is exhaustion due to work.  I think I mentioned before that I've taken on more responsibilities this year and they have left me feeling drained of all my creative juices.

The other factor to blame actually sounds like the opposite of a problem at first: I really like all of the pieces in my closet!

I know, I know, this is great, right?

YES!  This is something that I've been working towards!  The problem, though, is that I like my pieces so well that I can get away with boring and repetitive combinations.  As a result, I haven't felt excited about getting dressed lately.  This really isn't me and this certainly isn't à la mode behavior!  It's time to step out of the box!

Two of my favorite bloggers receive inspiration credit for my first step out of that box!  Last week, Maricel layered an open button-up and an open cardigan over a shirt.  I thought to myself, "Why haven't I tried this before?"  So I did!  And I liked it!  Layering is one of my favorite ways to add interest to an outfit so double the layers is double the fun in my book.  

Over at Putting Me Together, Audrey is putting together weekly challenges to encourage all of us to use our closets more creatively.  This week our task is to wear a bright color.  Done, done and done!  As much as I love color, this was a bit of a challenge this week since I've been so drawn to neutrals lately.  I liked the outcome so much, though, that I've been reaching for more and more of my vibrant pieces.

Have you gotten into any style ruts lately?  How can I help you out of them?  Let's do this together!

What I'm Wearing:

Shirt: LOFT (similar, similar)

Gingham Shirt: Old Navy (similar, similar)

Cardigan: Old Navy (similar, similar)

Skinny Jeans: American Eagle (exact)

Booties: Old Navy (similar, similar)

Linking-Up:

The Brandied Pair and Styled Honestly- Fab Five Fridays

I Do DeClaire- Confident Twosdays

Putting Me Together- Style Challenge

Class Reunion Style

Last week, I asked you all for advice about which of three potential dresses I should wear to my 10-year class reunion.  Merci to all of you lovely readers who provided your two cents!  You helped me to understand the look that I was going for as well as which features of which dresses fit with my desired outcome.

So, without further ado, here is the dress that I chose!

You helped me to realize that I wanted to feel a little bit sassy and sexy at my reunion.  While the lace dress was absolutely gorgeous, the emerald leopard print of this dress just had the right vibe!

I wasn't sure how dressy the event was going to be so I wore tights (also to combat the chilly Michigan air) and suede wedge booties to make the dress a bit more casual.  Hopefully someone will invite me to a fancy Christmas party so I can pair this dress with some glamorous heels next time!  I did add a bit of glitz to my outfit with a sparkly necklace (because I doesn't love a bit of shine?!).

I had an absolute BLAST at my reunion!  You know, I thought reunions were supposed to be kind of weird and awkward but I didn't find that at all!  A few of my closest friends also attended so I always had someone to talk to, even during lulls in activity.  But I really didn't need my "security blanket" too much and spent lots of time reconnecting with formerly familiar faces.  It's kind of crazy to have a conversation with a group of adults who know what you looked like when you were seven years old!  I also danced my pants off (can you do that when you are wearing a dress) to some pretty fabulous 90s music (MMMBop, anyone?) and brought out my rusty stunting skills with a few other former cheerleaders.  All in all, a successful evening!

What I'm Wearing:

Dress: LOFT (exact)

Necklace: LOFT (exact)

Tights: Nordstrom (exact)

Booties: DSW (exact)

Linking-Up:

Brandied Pair and Style Honestly- Fab Five Friday

I Do DeClaire- Confident Twosdays

The Modern Austen- Sunday Best

Pink Sole and Cha Cha the Fashion Genius- #HowIFall

Style Elixir- Style Sessions

Casual Teacher Style

I wore this outfit last week on Tuesday for a teacher in-service day.  I enjoy these days for a number of reasons.  For one, we usually get to sleep-in a tiny bit because our meetings start later than the typical school day.  It's also nice to have a change of pace every once in awhile.  Obviously I enjoy spending my days with students (or else I wouldn't have become a teacher), but a quiet day spent in meetings feels good from time to time.  Finally, I like that I get to dress down in jeans with a cute top!  We are typically allowed to wear jeans on Fridays but only if we wear a shirt that supports or school or a college (in order to encourage our kids to continue their education beyond high school).  I have certain tops that I only like to wear jeans and it feels good to get to pull them out of the closet every once in awhile!

Do you have tops that you only like to wear with jeans or is your wardrobe fully mixable?

What I'm Wearing:

Top: LOFT (similar, similar)

Vest: Eddie Bauer (similar, similar)

Jeans: American Eagle (exact)

Booties: Old Navy (similar, similar)

Linking-Up:

DC In Style- Monday Bloom

Fizz and Frosting- Mix It Mondays

I Do DeClaire- Confident Tuesdays

The Modern Austen- Sunday Best

Pink Sole and Cha Cha the Fashion Genius- #HowIFall

Style Elixir- Style Sessions

At Last!

(Semi) fall weather has finally (temporarily) arrived...just in time for the official start of the season!  I celebrated the occasion by pulling-out all of the stops...a scarf, booties and vibrant fall hues!  Well, I guess not all of the stops.  I convinced myself that the tights can wait until it's just a little bit cooler.

I think that this scarf might just be my favorite seasonal transition piece.  It is light enough to wear during the spring and fall.  Plus, it is floral but in darker hues which I think makes it more appropriate for transitioning out of or into cooler weather.

You will be seeing this shirt again next week when I post my September purchases.  I just couldn't resist the warm color or the quilted shoulders.  I can't wait to remix it as the temperatures continue to drop!

Alright, mes amis, I'm off to drink my Pumpkin Spice Latte and peruse the lovely looks over at Skirt Week hosted by my friends Andi and Inge!  (Who am I kidding, I'm off to drink coffee out of my travel mug while teaching those crazy teenagers some French.)  But you should definitely check-out Skirt Week!

What I'm Wearing:

Shirt: Banana Republic (exact)

Scarf: Gift (similar, similar)

Skirt: Old Navy (similar, similar)

Booties: Belk (similar, similar)

Linking-Up:

Greater Than Rubies and Tucker Up- The Lovely Look Book

Just Another Smith and This Ever Evolving Life- Skirt Week

Perfectly Coutured and White Coat Wardrobe- Three-fer Thursday

Rachel the Hat and Lena B Actually- Passion 4 Fashion

Simple Sequins- Fashion Item Friday

Style Elixir- Friday's Fab Faves

Vodka Infused Lemonade- Très Chic Fashion Thursday