Whitney à la mode: style perspectives

Showing posts with label style perspectives. Show all posts

May 25, 2016

A Nautical Look for Style Perspectives

It seems to me that nautical-inspired outfits are a fresh and in-style look each time summer rolls around. Because who doesn't think about the seashore and salty ocean waves when the weather is warmer?! I think the reoccurring appearance of nautical pieces every year makes this look a true summer classic! Nicole has picked this sunny style for the ladies of The Blended Blog to feature today.

What comes to your mind when you think about putting together a seafaring-inspired outfit? Stripes, navy, blues, espadrilles and gold accessories are, to me, defining elements of nautical style.

Stripes, check! Navy, check! Blues, espadrilles and gold accessories, check, check and check!

I wanted to wear this swing dress from Old Navy as soon as it arrived at my doorstep! It is so so comfortable and flattering (not to mention classically nautical). It will be fun to play around with different cardigans and accessories but for its first outing, I stuck with monochromatic blues.

I actually wore this outfit on Mother's Day. My mom and I had a lovely day spent shopping, indulging in sushi and sipping on wine. I'm lucky to have a mom who I have so much fun with!

Can we take a quick moment to admire this purse? This is possibly the nicest purse that I've ever owned. I love the color for spring and summer but the quality leather and shape make it a purse that I can use for years to come. I purchased the purse using Shopbop credits. I'm so grateful for my experience working with Shopbop because I can treat myself to quality pieces that I wouldn't normally be able to afford.

Well friends, this wraps up the Style Perspectives series for The Blended Blog! Please link-up your nautical looks below!

But before we get to that link-up, I'm excited to announce the next style series with TBB! Do you remember Create28 that I've done with Carrie and Casey? Well we are switching it up and doing it with our friends from The Blended Blog this time. YOU are still an important part of this challenge so you will still receive daily style prompts and link-ups will be available on Wednesdays. Here are the prompts for the first week!

Style Perspectives: A Graduation Look for Teachers

It's hard to believe but this is already my fifth week of participating in the Style Perspectives Series with the lovely ladies of The Blended Blog! Does this time of year fly for anyone else? As a teacher, it feels like the end of the year is so far away but at the same time we are speeding right ahead!

This week Sheila chose our Style Perspectives prompt, a graduation look!

I do believe I am done with my own graduation ceremonies, having completed my Master's degree, and I don't yet have children of my own to watch graduate. But teachers often attend these ceremonies to celebrate the success of their students! This is the first year that I don't teach seniors so I will not be attending graduation, but I will be attending our 8th Grade Awards Night where I get to present the French Award to a few of my outstanding students.

To me, this is the perfect graduation look for a teacher. It is bright, fun and celebratory! But it is also modest, work-appropriate and comfortable. I definitely don't want to stand in front of an auditorium of 8th graders and parents feeling over-exposed!

This dress was a recent find at Ann Taylor on sale! The material is thick and flattering while still being comfortable. I decided the floral print seems retro to me so I decided to up the vintage vibe with my oversized pearls.

What I'm Wearing:
Dress: Ann Taylor (exact)
Necklace: Amazon (exact)
Tights: Nordstrom (exact)
Shoes: DSW (similar)

Make sure to visit the other ladies of The Blended Blog to see their graduation looks and continue reading this post to link-up your very own!

Next week we are wearing our nautical navy stripes!

And here are our blazer looks from last week!

ONCE UPON A TIME & HAPPILY EVER AFTER : Library-Lovin’-Lady

DAILY STYLE FINDS: The Personal Stylist

FOXY’S DOMESTIC SIDE: The Crafty Engineer

SIMPLY SHAUNACEY: Reformed Frumpy Mommy

TWO TEENS AND THEIR MAMA: Stylish Midlife Mama

RSQUARED: The Not So Nerdy Accountant

SHOES TO SHIRAZ: The Shoe Hoarding French Teacher

PUPPIES AND PRETTIES: Cube Dwelling Fashionista

MISHAPS AND MAYHEM OF SOLITARY LIFE: Single Girl, Simple Style

A LOVELY LITTLE WARDROBE: A Casual Petite

MAKING THE MOST OF EVERYDAY Classic Yet Current Over Forty

NICKANDNIK: Mama with Curves

LIVING ON CLOUD NINE: Blissful Fashionista

WHITNEY À LA MODE: A book-loving French Teacher

An InLinkz Link-up

Where I'm linking-up!

May 11, 2016

The Spring of the Blazer for Style Perspectives

I know I've mentioned a few times that I made it a goal to wear my blazers more this spring. I have so many that I really like but find myself reserving them for special occasions that never occur. I am happy to report that I have been wearing my blazers more frequently and a few of these outfits have even made it to the blog (here and here).

I'm excited for Carrie's Style Perspectives prompt today because she encouraged me to wear another one of my blazers! The ladies of The Blended Blog are all wearing a blazer, jeans, a tee and sneakers today!

The last couple of Style Perspective prompts made me think a little bit, but not this one, I knew immediately what I wanted to wear! This blazer is one of my absolute favorites because of the bright color and the pretty ruffle at the bottom. I think it has more character than your average blazer. I also love it because it is an Anthropologie piece that I got for a great deal! I fell for it when it was full-priced and then watched it until a sale made it affordable for me. There is something about scoring a major deal that makes me love an item of clothing even more!

I've never worn this blazer in a more casual look before but it was clear to me that I had to pair it with one of my classic, striped tees. When you throw in my Converse that I have been wearing all of the time lately, voilà, outfit complete!

I hope that you will stop by and visit the other Blended Bloggers to see how they styled their blazers and sneakers! And don't forget to link-up your own look below!

What I'm Wearing:
Blazer: Anthropologie (similar, similar)
Tee: Banana Republic (similar, similar)
Jeans: American Eagle (exact)
Converse: DSW (exact)

In Other Words, Work Leggings for Style Perspectives

I worried a bit when planning my outfit for this week's Style Perspectives with The Blended Blog. Each lovely lady of TBB is featuring a leggings and scarf look today. Why was I worried, you ask? Because I don't frequently wear leggings unless I'm lounging around with my cat (and you probably don't want to see that look). I'm certainly not a "leggings aren't pants" kind of a girl because, well, comfort. But, at least for me, I need to wear a tunic if I'm going to wear leggings outside of my apartment, and I just don't own that many tunics.

Cue ponté pants for the win! Because ponté pants, in other words, are really work-appropriate leggings, right?!

Do you own a pair of ponté pants? If not, you should really try a pair! They are stretchy and comfy like leggings but are thick enough to pass as pants in public. The pair I have are a few years old but I've heard (from Fran) that these are are a great alternative!

Once I figured out the pants part of the outfit, the rest was easy! I haven't worn this scarf in awhile but it's one of my favorites. And blush pink pairs so well with grey so the cardigan was an obvious addition on a chilly morning.

What I'm Wearing:
T-Shirt: Old Navy (exact)
Scarf: Anthropologie (similar, similar)
Cardigan: LOFT (similar, similar)
Ponté Pants: Gap (similar)
Converse: DSW (exact)

Make sure to visit the other ladies of TBB to see how they styled their leggings and scarves today! And by the way, here are all of our plaid looks from last week!

And how are you styling your leggings and scarf? Please link-up below so we can be inspired by each other! We hope you will join us next week with a blazer, jeans, a tank or tee and sneakers!

Style Perspectives: Plaid

I'm so excited to be participating in Style Perspectives with The Blended Blog for the second week in a row! This week I'm joining the fifteen lovely ladies of TBB to show you how we wear our plaid!

I actually found this prompt to be a bit of a challenge because I usually consider plaid to be a colder-weather staple. Not that it's been super warm around here lately, but I've been opting for pieces that feel more like spring.

That being said, I think the plaid look that I created is totally seasonally appropriate! What do you think? I went with this particular buffalo plaid shirt because the colors are the softest and felt the most spring-like to me.

And I was totally inspired by the lovely Shea Lennon when creating this outfit to wear my plaid shirt open over a shirt with another print. Thanks for the idea, Shea!

What I'm Wearing:
Buffalo Plaid: Gap (similar, similar)
Striped Tunic: Banana Republic (similar, similar)
Jeans: American Eagle (exact)
Converse: DSW (exact)

How are you wearing your plaid this spring? Us ladies over at The Blended Blog want to know so please join our link-up below! And join us next week with looks that consist of leggings and a scarf!

How to Style a Graphic Tee with the Blended Blog

You guys, I have some really exciting news this morning! I have been invited to be a contributor to The Blended Blog! TBB is a collaboration between fifteen (now sixteen!) lovely women. Each writes her own unique fashion or lifestyle blog and also creates content for The Blended Blog. I haven't worked with them for long but I have already found them to be a warm and encouraging group of women who have a lot of interesting things to say!

The ladies of TBB are in the middle of a personal style challenge called Style Perspectives, so today I'm jumping right in! Each Wednesday, all of us will feature an outfit that follows weekly prompts that you can find below.

This week, the ladies of The Blended Blog are styling our favorite graphic tees! Since I just joined this collaboration, I didn't have time to take new outfit photos. Instead, I've compiled several of my favorite graphic tee looks as well as some of my favorite tips for styling them!

I've mentioned it before, but graphic tees are one of my favorite ways to express my personality through my clothing! I love supporting my favorite restaurants, showing my state of Michigan pride, cheering for my favorite sports teams and showing my Frenchie-ness through my graphic tees!

As I teacher, I also find myself wearing shirts to support my school rather frequently as well as in a work setting. I think this is where I started getting a bit creative in how I style my graphic tees.

Here are my top three tips for wearing graphic tees so that you aren't just wearing jeans and a t-shirt:

1. Graphic Tee + Skirt

Original Post

This is definitely my favorite way to style a graphic tee! Instead of pulling on a pair of jeans, just throw on a skirt instead! I've found that tucking the tee into the skirt looks best because it defines your waist. And in terms of choosing a skirt, almost anything will work! I've matched a color in the tee to the skirt, I've chosen a bold contrasting-colored skirt and I've even gone with patterns!

2. Graphic Tee + Dress

Original Post

The key to this look is to wear the graphic tee over your dress to create a t-shirt and skirt look! I find that this works best with more fitted tees and dresses that have a-line skirts.

3. Graphic Tee + Over Layer

Original Post

If you really are just a jeans and tee kind of a girl, that's alright! You can spice up your outfit just a little bit by adding a layer over your tee. This works with patterned tops (plaid, gingham, etc.), chambray shirts, cardigans or blazers! Here are a couple of other over layer looks for your inspiration.

Original Post Original Post

And now let's talk a little bit more about the Style Perspectives series! You can find the schedule below and we hope that you will play along and link-up your looks every Wednesday!