Guest Post: Katie of The Mishaps and Mayhem of a Solitary Life

Ni hao!  As you read this, I'm on a grand adventure in Beijing, China.  Don't worry, I will tell you all about it when I get back!  But for now, please enjoy the company of some of my best blogging friends who have generously agreed to guest post while I'm traveling.

Hi All!  I'm Katie from The Mishaps and Mayhem of a Solitary Life. There I blog about everything from fun, family, friends and fashion to my life as a teacher-librarian! I'm so excited to be guest posting today for Whitney, my fellow Blended Blogger, teacher friend (and single gal), while she's away enjoying China!!


I must admit when I heard where she was off to, I became a little bit jealous.  I have never been outside the U.S., except to Caribbean vacation destinations, but China is definitely on the Life List for me.  All this talk of travel though, I decided that for today's post I'm going to share my favorite vacation destinations!

These days, I don't travel too, too much!  I used to travel more before I had a mortgage to pay!  In fact this past summer was the first time I've traveled in about five years! But it's ok, because I really love my home, my town, and where I live!  There is so much fun to explore right here!  Find out a little bit more about where I'm from here!

When I do travel, I'll admit, I'm a repeat offender!  :) I'm not one who embraces change easily, so I don't mind going to destinations over and over!  Here are some of my most favorite places to visit!!

Family Vacations to North Carolina:

In 1988, my family started renting a beach house on the Crystal Coast of North Carolina at a place called Emerald Isle.  It was pure heaven!!!  Back then it was not too well known, and not very crowded.  Pretty perfect!  We went there for years and years and years and I loved it.  Each year, our crowd got bigger and it made it that much more fun.

These past few years though, we've gone to the Outer Banks.  It's about three hours closer.  (Still a 10 hour drive, but that better than 13, especially with all the kids in tow!  These days just my family alone fills up the house!!  We've come a long way since 1988!

Caribbean Cruising:

I've been on lots of cruises. I started going on cruises after college with my best friend, Mel.  They were affordable on my measly Catholic School teacher salary (especially when you go during hurricane season!) and lots of fun.  Ironically, my favorite days cruising are the super relaxing days at sea!  It's really hard to beat a beautiful day, laying out on the top deck, looking out and seeing nothing but beautiful, blue water. But I've done lots of awesome excursions, too!  Swam with dolphins, para-sailed, swam with sea otters, zip-lined in Belize, took a Mexican cooking class (where the margs flowed like water!). Such awesome stuff!!   Actually one of my best vacations was when I went on the Mexican Rivera cruise out of Cali!  We broke the bank that trip!!  Went out to California a few days before the ship set sail! Stayed in West Hollywood and toured Hollywood Blvd in a red convertible, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Disneyland...the whole nine!! So much fun!!

High above Labadee!

Nashville:

One of my favorite places ever!!  I love country music and one day my Mel and I just decided we would go to the Country Music Association festival, a 4 day music fest they have each June for fans.  We got an awesome deal for the event, so we jumped on it.  That trip was a lot of fun, but it was the hottest June ever there and we pretty much died.  Like 10 p.m. and still 100 degrees, hot. So the next time we went in April! That was more bearable.  The CMA trip was packed with so much to do, when we went in April, we basically did the touristy things, went to bars and listened to music...pretty perfect! Oh and we took a road trip to Dollywood!!  It was further from Nashville than we thought (and in a different time zone!) but it was so much fun and not to be missed! We even ended our long day with dinner at Sonic! My first Sonic (and still only) experience ever!!  I will return to Nashville one of these days!!

Disney World:

I thought I'd end with a little funny!!

Is it bad that I've been to Disney so many times and loved it each time, but my favorite was probably when I was 8 or 10. My whole family got to go with my dad on a business trip. We probably stayed in one of the nicest hotels I ever remember staying in The Lake Buena Vista something.  At that hotel they had the BEST waffle cones ever!!!!!!!  I got one every night!!  I wanna say that my 10 year old self  thought they were free, but they probably weren't.  I know that probably pretty pathetic that my favorite part of that trip were those waffle cones, but that seriously was the best ice cream I've ever tasted!!  And who doesn't love Disney World? (Whitney even celebrated 30 there!) Space Mountain Forever!

Since I couldn't find a picture of me eating ice cream cones at 10, I thought I'd include this one.  Even as adults we wait on line to to see the characters.  And let me just say, I liked it better when they just roamed the parks!!

Eyeore is my spirit animal!

Thanks so much for having me today Whitney!  I hope you are having the BEST time!  And I can't wait to hear all about your trip!

Guest Post: Deena of Shoes to Shiraz

Ni hao!  As you read this, I'm on a grand adventure in Beijing, China.  Don't worry, I will tell you all about it when I get back!  But for now, please enjoy the company of some of my best blogging friends who have generously agreed to guest post while I'm traveling.

Hey Whitney à la mode readers, I'm Deena, a blogger friend of Whitney's.  Like Whitney, I'm also a French teacher, I teach high school french in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Now go figure out where that is :)

I'm thrilled that Whitney would have me guest post for her, so today I thought I would share with you my key piece for the transition from fall to winter.  Yes, we're already thinking winter in our neck of the woods.

What is that piece, you ask? A turtleneck.

I find that I can pair a turtleneck with any outfit I put together.  Under a sweater, with a blazer, under a sheath dress or alone with high-waisted pants: a turtleneck is super versatile. Plus you don't have to break the bank buying them and can get multiple colours.  If you want to see how I style turtlenecks, I'll be posting my looks Wednesday on my blog.

Today I thought I'd show you how I transition my favourite piece from the spring and summer for winter using a turtleneck ( vest here).  I wasn't sure how much use I would get out of this vest in the winter but I am loving how it looks paired with a turtleneck.

The other thing I found challenging about this outfit was the colour combo.  I never pair black and greys with any browns, but when I look at the pictures, I really like the fall vibe that it gives.

Coming up with different ways of putting together outfits has me feeling creative and inspired.  I will definitely be looking at more ways to see how I can wear this vest during the winter months.  You can pop over to my blog today to see how I wore the vest in the summer.  Have a great Monday!

Guest Post: Carrie of A Lovely Little Wardrobe

Ni hao!  As you read this, I'm on a grand adventure in Beijing, China.  Don't worry, I will tell you all about it when I get back!  But for now, please enjoy the company of some of my best blogging friends who have generously agreed to guest post while I'm traveling.

Hello sweet readers! Today, I'm guest posting for my friend Whitney. You might be reading on her blog or mine but regardless..."Hello, friend! I'm glad you're here!" I hope you are doing well and enjoying the smells and colors of fall. I am beginning to wear some of my favorite colors for fall. One of my favorites is purple. I especially love purple in all of the hues and tones. That is a color that makes me feel pretty. Do you have a color or colors that just make you feel that way? What is it for you? I thought a little remix with one of my favorite fall colors would be a perfect way to share its versatility with you. First up is a look for work with a tweed skirt and a little purple sweater. This is a simple yet a put together look for the office.

If it's chilly, it would be easy to add a blazer or even a denim jacket. That's what is great about a completer piece - it can be added or subtracted as needed.

These nude wedges are new this season. I am adoring them and wearing them almost daily. Franco Sarto and I get along well. He's becoming my go-to when looking for something for the my feet.

 

The right shade of purple pairs well with mustard but be careful here because otherwise you might end up looking like a team mascot for various sports.

 

Again, simple and put together by adding a scarf. You can add and subtract a completer piece here too.

 

These two skirt looks are all put together with pieces from The Limited. The sweater is this season but all the other pieces are not. A fresh top or sweater can easily perk up older pieces in your wardrobe. Pick new pieces that will easily remix with older pieces and then you can extend the lives of pieces you love. For me, I love these skirts and want to keep them around again this season. This little purple sweater can also find ways to fit into my casual wear as well. My go-to skinny jeans are the best place to start in creating a casual weekend look. This particular shade of purple is perfect with a military vest or olive in general. The jeans could easily be swapped out for olive pants and a different color vest or other completer piece.

 

This pair of sneakers are from Keds. Cognac leather is so versatile in the shoe department. I know these will work with other skinny pants I currently have in other colors.

 

Another quick change in this look is to remove the scarf and change out with a long necklace. Sneakers can be replaced with leopard print flats or heels. I thought my wedges would be a good alternative to flats.

 

So there you have it, friends. Four ways to wear purple this fall. I hope I have convinced you of the beauty of purple in your wardrobe. I'm linking up with my friends at The Blended Blog and participating in the November Finds. The purple sweater is one of my November finds. What's yours? Link it up with us today.

 

Guest Posting at The Mishaps and Mayhem of a Solitary Life

What do these four outfits have in common?  Stop by Katie's blog, The Mishaps and Mayhem of a Solitary Life to find out!

P.S.  Did you know I just passed my three-year blogiversary?!  I totally missed it!  But I did choose one outfit from each of my four summers as a blogger for this guest post!

Guest Posting at Elegance and Mommyhood

Good morning, beautiful!  Today I'm filling in as a guest poster for my dear blogging friend Ada who is currently en route to Michigan!  In honor of her visit, I've designed a little 6x6 remix featuring an adorable "Smitten with the Mitten" graphic tee.  Here are the pieces I've chosen for the mini-remix!

Please pop over to Elegance and Mommyhood to see the six outfits I styled from these six pieces!  See you there!

Guest Posting at Work Clothes, I Suppose

Good morning!  I'm just dropping in today for a quick "hello" and to encourage you to pop over to Bri's blog, Work Clothes, I Suppose.  Bri is cute, genuine and stylish (of course)!  Not only that, but I'm guest posting today while Bri is off enjoying her honeymoon!  Here is a sneak peek at what you'll find there!  I hope to see you soon!

Guest Post: Alex from Undergraduate Style

Happy Monday, lovelies!  I have a special treat for you today!  I know that I have mentioned the amazing Alex from Undergraduate Style before.  Well, today you get the chance to know her a little bit better because she is guest posting for me here at Whitney à la mode.  You will love her genuine spirit, her adorable style, and her ability to dress on a dime.  Without further ado, here is Alex!


Hi! I'm Alex at Undergraduate Style, and I'm super excited to write a guest post for Whitney because I consider her my very first blog friend!

First, a bit about myself. I'm currently a student of Spanish and history at the University of Kansas. My blog is all about my attempts to develop my personal style and build a timeless wardrobe while still in college (and on a college budget!) I also occasionally blog about beauty, Greek life, and life as a resident assistant. But yeah, mostly style.

Anyways, Whitney approached me about doing a guest post about spring transition pieces--especially how I  transition between seasons on a college-kid budget! I've had to be especially creative in this transition season because I gave up clothes shopping for Lent! That means no clothes, shoes, or accessories until Easter. But never fear! Simple wardrobe remixing comes in very handy here. Here are a few ways I've transitioned on a budget that you can do too!

Especially here in the Midwest where the weather has been so fickle here the past few weeks, I haven't been able to go all-out spring. But that's why it's called a transition! It's important to keep your look spring-inspired while being prepared for weather that's just a little chillier than you'd like. Plus, tanks, shorts and sandals just aren't really in-season for spring--at least not together!

-Keep it balanced.

My rule of thumb is: keep one half of your body layered/covered up, and let the other half fly free (provided that it's warm enough, of course.) For example, you could wear a sleeveless blouse, cropped pants or jeans, and a pair of sandals or ballet flats. Your bottom half is more covered, but your arms get to soak in the sun! Conversely, you could choose to wear a refined pair of chino shorts paired with a light, 3/4 sleeve tee and booties or cute sneakers. You finally get to show off those gams after a long winter, but your arms and feet are covered up! See what I'm getting at here?

In this outfit, I chose a brightly colored sleeveless and sandals, but balanced it with longer pants! I also brought a cardigan with me to throw on when I was in a colder room.

-Play with color.

If you're wearing a traditionally-spring look, mix it up by using muted, cold-weather colors. On the other hand, if you find yourself forced to layer up in a sudden cold snap, surprise all the miserably cold people you encounter by choosing cheery spring hues! For example, make a patterned tank cold-weather-appropriate by adding a pastel cardigan. Add jeans and boots (and a coat, of course) and you'll be stylish AND toasty warm! In the look below, I wore a maxi dress and sandals (a traditional spring ensemble) but, in order to stay in season, kept the color palette neutral, adding only a muted mustard yellow cardigan for color.

-Pick one transition piece and WORK IT!

Pick up a fashion magazine or browse any online retailer and you'll see a million lists of must-have pieces for spring. I say, nay. Thou shalt not be ruled by what anybody has to say regarding must-have pieces. But, I do believe you ought to pick a transition piece that works perfectly for YOU and work it! This will save you tons of money and time spent shopping. Pick that one perfect piece, and use it over and over again in different ways. Use it as an exercise in creativity to see how many ways you can style that piece!

For me, this piece is a cargo vest. I've been searching for the perfect one since last summer, and I found one in the nick of time, right before Lent (and, therefore, my shopping fast) began! I personally really like having a vest as my transition piece because it is such a valuable layering tool. I can add it to a long-sleeved shirt on days where I need a little extra warmth, or to a tank or short-sleeved blouse for visual interest! It's so easy, but the possibilities are endless! But again, pick something that works for you. Vests aren't for everybody.

Here's one way I wore mine!

Thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to guest post, Whitney! It's been real! Happy remixing!

Guest Posting at Undergraduate Style

Happy Thursday, lovelies!  I am so excited to be guest posting for the first time today!  I hope that you will take a moment to visit me at my friend Alex's blog, Undergraduate Style.

Alex is absolutely adorable and has become such a fun blogging buddy.  Not only is she sweet and cheerful, she has a great concept for her style blog.  Alex is a college student and writes about looking put-together on campus while on a student's budget.

Please stop-by Undergraduate Style to read my post about remixing college spirit wear (and hopefully you will become a regular visitor)!