Statementnecklace

Fashion

Christmas Eve Outfit Under $150

Christmas Eve is my favorite night of the year! Every year, we have a nice family dinner and then go to the 11pm candlelit church service. I absolutely love the music and everything about that service – it really is so amazing! Then, we go home and get to open one present – it is always a new pair of pajamas. My dad then reads “The Night Before Christmas” to us and we head off to bed. Church is always fun because everybody gets super dressed up. I love picking out my Christmas Eve outfit and this year I had a little fun shopping for an entirely new outfit. I had a budget of $150 which I met, but I went slightly over it with tax.

The first item I purchased was this amazing skater dress. From B.P. at Nordstrom, it is the perfect LBD – fitted where I’m the smallest (my waist) and then it flares out where I’m the largest (my hips). It has a high neckline which I usually tend to stay away from, but I thought it would look beautiful paired with a statement necklace. It’s fancy enough to be dressed up for special occasions, casual enough to be worn during the day, and modest enough to be worn for an interview. Very versatile, flattering, and high-quality, it’s shocking that it was only $46! I paired it with a beautiful royal blue statement necklace also from B.P. Nordstrom that was $24 to add a pop of color and liven up the neckline.

This is the skater dress I bought from B.P. Nordstrom for only $46 paired with a lovely statement necklace also from B.P. that was $24

Next, I had to find shoes. Most of my heels are too high to be appropriate for church, so I wanted to find some that were lower but not frumpy. Immediately, I saw these amazing blue pointed-toe suede heels from B.P. Shoes at Nordstrom. They matched the color of the necklace perfectly, fit well, and didn’t look too old lady-ish. I fell in love! I had to buy them. They actually were not that expensive for the quality of the shoe, coming in at $70. Without tax, I came in at $140 – under budget! It was so fun to pull together an entire outfit for a set budget and really get quality items. I had a blast and I can’t wait to wear this outfit tonight.

Beautiful blue suede heels from B.P. Nordstrom to go with the rest of my Christmas Eve outfit for only $70!

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December 24, 2013 by wilsonmadeleine

Fashion

The Bigger, the Better: Chunky Sweaters and Statement Necklaces

I am crushing hard on two major fashion trends right now – giant chunky knit sweaters and lovely statement necklaces. I’ve always been fond of treasure hunting for big, cozy sweaters in thrift stores, so now that this oversized cuddliness is now in style, I couldn’t be more thrilled. My favorite aspect of big sweaters like this is that you can literally throw them on over anything – a skirt, dress, jeans, leggings, whatever. When I lived in Washington, the daily battle consisted of asking myself the question, “Do I want to be warm or cute today?” I found solace in sweaters because of the happy medium they offer – yes, they can look sloppy, but paired with the right accessories, you can transform it into a polished look! I found that I could look good while remaining warm and without much effort – truly a life-saver on those 34 degree drizzly days. Pair a chunky sweater with a cute statement necklace (like the one pictured), throw on a cute pair of earrings, or for extra warmth, add a scarf. Combined with a nice pair of denim jeans, black leggings, or flowy skirt (with tights of course), and a cute pair of boots, you suddenly have a look that’s not only warm, but one that’s going to turn heads. If you’re in California or a warmer state where you don’t have to ask yourself the warm vs. cute question, pair a chunky sweater with some high waisted shorts or some colorful pants. Beware, fashionistas, it is VERY easy to look sloppy when wearing a large sweater, so be sure to balance it out with some nicer elements.