Sept May I Suggest: Fashion.

I am thrilled that these fashionable ladies are here again to share with us their fashion favorites. It has been such a fun month having these three guest posters. They've given us all some great suggestions. Please be sure to stop by their blogs. They are three of my favorite reads.

I have another set of fabulous ladies lined up to share their secrets with us during the month of October, so please be sure to check back next Friday!

CHRISTINA
As I've mentioned before, I love a good bargain, but I don't want to sacrifice quality just for a great price.  Here are a few shopping tips mixed in with some of my recent favorite finds.

1.  Nordstrom Rack-  All of my other finds will tie back to the Rack, so stick with me as I share my love for this store.  Not that Nordstrom isn't great on its own, but Nordstrom Rack is the clearance store filled with Nordstrom quality but more affordable prices.  One of the most gratifying things to do at the end of a trip to the Rack is add up the original Nordstrom prices and then compare it to what I actually paid.  I've literally had what would have been a $700 purchase at Nordstrom turn into a $150 purchase at the Rack.  The shoe bargains are my great love, but I often find other fun things around the store.  A few tips:1. Don't be discouraged if you don't find anything the first time you go.  Sometimes there just isn't much to be had.  Signs are often posted letting you know when new arrivals will be coming in.  2.  Play the ugly shoe game when you go with a friend.  Enjoy modelling those shoes you'd never be caught dead in, just for fun.  See if you can decide on a winner.  It's always a hit on a trip to The Rack.

2.  Joe's Jeans- I'd been wanting to try these out after recommendation for a friend with similar proportions to me (i.e. petite with a few curves).  The Rack had them for about $100 off retail taking them into the still-a-splurge price range for me, but not entirely-out-of-the-question any more.   It's hard for me to spend too much on clothes when I think about what I do all day which pretty much involves getting messy chasing kids.  At any rate, I love that these jeans have petite sizes that are still long enough, and they do good things for my booty.  Not sure there's much else to ask for in a pair of jeans.  

3.  Miz Mooz shoes- I've been waiting for the perfect pair of Miz Mooz to come along for a while.  Not that I haven't loved many a style, but I hadn't been ready to pull the trigger on a go-to pair.  Recently while at Nordstrom (shoe-shopping with my kindergarten-er who talked me into the least cute pair of twinkle toes on the market), I saw an adorable pair of flats on sale, but still $56.  Sometimes Nordstrom is great just for inspiration to put me on the hunt for the same items at a better price. I came home and did a little on-line shopping to see if I could find them cheaper, and I purchased the same pair (in a better color, I must say) for $35 through Amazon.  Whether it's through Amazon or Nordstrom Rack, Nordstrom quality without the Nordstrom price tag is fashion success in my book! 

MIRANDA

About a year ago I started my personal mission to "find my style" and "learn to put together  decent outfit for crying out loud."  I have high aspirations of a wardrobe like Zooey in 500 Days of Summer or Chuck in Pushing Daisies.  I have been making progress, but I am definitely a slow learner.  I don't feel at all qualified to tell The Internet anything about fashion.  Mostly because I use blogland as my personal Stacy and Clinton and I'm pretty sure I would never run up to Stacy and tell that I think she should be wearing TOMS instead of whatever sweet pair of stilettos she's wearing.  But since I love Hannah, I'll do my best.

1.  Hair:  Do something with your hair. Okay that's a little general.  One of my favorite things in the whole wide world is to get my hair done.  Trimmed, cut, colored, highlighted, lowlighted, pink-streaked, whatever.  I feel instantly more stylish if my hair is trimmed and glossy.  Figure out what looks good on you and run with it.  There are about a million variations on the bob.  Embrace the fact that hair grows back and it is okay if you get a bad cut once in a while (though I might suggest being honest with your stylist (and yourself) about it or finding someone else).  Color is a great way to change up your look if you don't feel like you can pull off different styles.  A good stylist will help you find colors that look good on you and a really good stylist can help you be more brave if you're wanting something bold.   

2.  Shoes:  I don't consider myself a big shoe person.  I tend to buy shoes and wear them until they are done for.  So...I suppose you could say that I'm loyal.  I'm working on increasing my inventory of flashy flats to go with my skirts and of course I will always need more heels.  But in meantime, I have professed my undying love for the following shoes:  TOMS, Dansko, Chacos, Reef, Earth, and Sseko.  Nothing too flashy, nothing that I would wear to church, and not fancy enough for a night out on the town; these shoes are all built for day-in/day-out.  I realize that these are mostly summer/fall shoes, which is probably because in the winter I either pull on my galoshes or don't go outside.  Of course that will all change this year when I complete my mission of "finding the perfect boot." P.S.  I don't have those yellow striped TOMS that are in the picture but oh how I wish I did.

3.  Skirts:  One of the biggest changes I made to my wardrobe this year was to add more skirts and dresses.  And wear them.  Not just on Sunday.  It was kind of hard at first since I was a jeans and hoodie/T-shirt sort of girl.  At first a lot of people asked me why I was so dressed up but eventually the questions stopped and I started feeling more comfortable.  It helped that I made this transition in the summer when it was so blasted hot that I would have rather died than put on a pair of jeans.  Now I have to stock up on bundles of stockings and find that dang "perfect pair of boots" so that I can keep wearing my skirts into the colder months.  If you're looking to add a little fancy to your style, I have to give a big shout-out to skirts.  There is a flattering shape for everybody, they are fairly easy to make, and are always on sale somewhere.

 HILARY
Before I list my fashion suggestions, I just want to thank Hannah for having me this month!  It has been fun spilling the beans on all my favorites and I have loved reading all of the other suggestions.  It's been a great feature to be a part of.

1.  TOMS shoes ::  I wear these shoes more than any other pair I own.  My brother and sister in law gave these to me for Christmas last year and I have been hooked ever since.  They are my absolute favorite.  Comfortable, versatile and cute!  I currently own the ash canvas pair but have been dreaming of the saffron cord beauties for fall.  They are a little on the pricey side, but you can read about the TOMS shoes movement here and you'll learn that by purchasing a pair of shoes you are giving a pair to someone in need.  That's what I call a win/win.

2.  Target :: This is my go-to place for clothing.  Inexpensive, stylish and great quality.  In fact, I think it's safe to say my son's entire wardrobe is from here.  We love us a good Target trip.

3.  love21 maternity :: Being largely pregnant right now I was so excited to find this new line by Forever21.  I really have a hard time spending money on maternity clothes.  I guess mostly because I know I'll only be wearing them for a short while.  This clothing line is inexpensive and has some cute mix and match items that can make a very pregnant woman feel cute.

HANNAH
Three fashion trends I suggest for fall:

a. TROUSER JEANS. I've been wanting a pair for a long while. This pair from the Gap is calling my name. I've been holding out for a sale, but I think I might just have to run over their with a gift card I was given and buy them full price. I'm worried they will sell out!

b. COWGIRL BOOTS. I am in no way a country girl, but I still love the look of the boots. This pair from Forever21 is so cute. I also love this shorter pair. And with Forever21 prices, why not get both?

c. SKINNY BELTS. I am late jumping on the skinny belt bandwagon, but I haven't really had the waist for it. (Thank heavens pregnancy produces cute kiddos, cause it certainly ruins cute waistlines.) I've never been a Charlotte Russe shopper, but I have recently discovered their accessories. Super cute jewelry and a brilliant belt selection for next to nothing. (Seriously...three belts for under $10? The bargain-hunter in me is overjoyed.)

Do you have some fashion suggestions? Please do share in the comment section!

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