my everyday style: fully vested!

Vests are the perfect alternative to jackets on winter days.  They layer well, can go under a heavy winter coat… and really spruce up the whole sweater and jeans or in this case, sweatshirt and jeans combo that I tend to gravitate to each fall and winter. 

Here I paired an army inspired vest with a faux fur shawl and voila! Not only does this vest have new life… (see how I wore it here this past summer) but so does this sweatshirt (which I have worn before here).  

Maybe you've realized, or I know I've said it before, this blog is less about showing off new clothes or the new styles of the season (which I DO love to do!) and more about showing how your closet can be versatile from one week to the next or even one season to the next.  I don't believe that "fall" clothes or "winter" clothes always have to fit into that one season.  The more you can make pieces bend and stretch to your will all year long, the more wear you can get out of them.  Thus, making your entire wardrobe not only a good value or return on your money but also making your clothes a fun and rewarding part of your day.  Like I've always said: getting dressed each morning should be fun!

(photos by Jennifer Ketchum)

Details:

Faux Fur Shawl, Asos (similar, similar or similar)

Vest, Old Navy ℅ - old (similar or similar)

Jeans, AG

Boots, Sam Edelman (similar or similar or similar)

Lace Sweatshirt, LOFT (similar or similar)

Sunglasses, Warby Parker

Bracelet, Banana Republic - on sale!

Or shop the pieces below!

my everyday style: bundled up!

Every now and again I like to bust out a monochromatic look and since I'm not exactly the queen of color these days - neutrals are the way to go.   Here I paired cream and camel hues together for a cozy winter monochromatic look and I really liked the result.

Winter has been pretty kind to us so far (except that big 3 foot of snow storm in November, which has since melted) and it's been fun to experiment with two or three layers instead of the standard five to six layers that it seems is necessary to keep warm in winter.  It's always surprising to me how warm a vest can be and paired with a cozy sweater and scarf it was nice to be warm enough to ditch a coat for a bit.

(photos by Jennifer Ketchum)

Details:

Scarf, J.Crew Factory (similar less expensive)

Vest, J.Crew Factory (or similar)

Sweater, J.Crew Factory - on sale! (or similar - also on sale!)

Jeans, Gap (similar or similar less expensive)

Ankle Boots, Sam Edelman (similar or similar)

Bag, J.Crew (similar or similar)

Or shop the pieces below!

my everyday style: it's plaid from here on out!

This is a fall outfit of favorites… these four pieces: leopard shoes, distressed jeans, plaid top and army jacket are probably four of my most worn pieces in my closet.  So combining the four of them into one whopper look is a win in my book.

On a personal note… today is my son's tenth birthday! It's so cliche but I feel like we just brought him home from the hospital to our tiny little first home in Eastown, Grand Rapids yesterday.  With all his teensie tiny baby blue clothes and huge swings and carseats and highchairs that filled our entire home.  Now he is turning into a little man that is thoughtful, athletic and a little (or a lot) crazy! His tenth year on this Earth also marks ten years since I became a mom.  It's crazy to think back how young and clueless I was, and in a lot of ways how simple life was back then.  They say little kids, little problems and I always thought that was silly.  But it's true.  Standing on the edge of the teens as a mom is somewhat scary… but also exhilarating.  Our family's sweet little past and our hopeful future is exciting  to think about. Someone's getting lots of extra hugs today… I'm sure he will just love it (wink!).  

(photos by Jennifer Ketchum)

Details:
Jacket, H&M (similar or similar less expensive)
Plaid Top, J.Crew (similar, similar or similar)
Jeans, Gap (similar or similar)
Shoes, Madewell (similar or similar less expensive)
Bag, J.Crew (similar or similar less expensive)
Necklace, Gorjana via Rocksbox (I'm totally hooked on Rocksbox! Check them out!)

swoon… it's sweater season!

What's better than a fresh crop of sweaters this time of year?  I'm loving the monochromatic and graphic selections at J.Crew Factory lately. These are just begging to be layered under or over your favorite fall and winter pieces to keep you looking stylish and warm all season!

one, two, three, four (love!), five, six, seven (want!), eight, nine

my everyday style: a little sporty!

Athleticism and physical activity don't come naturally to me whatsoever. I think it's because I tend to be quite uncoordinated and I'll be frank - I don't love to sweat so much either.  So this past summer when we had two quite "active" vacations on the docket I knew I needed some footwear that could work on mountains and trails and keeping up with my kids.  

I'm so glad that sneakers are having their moment "in style" right now because I wore these a lot this summer… all while still feeling like I was at least a little on the fashionable side.  Since then, I continue to get a lot of use out of these puppies.  They are perfect for fall weekends around town - or for hiking. I'm all for a versatile and handsome shoe.

(photos by Jennifer Ketchum)

Details:
Sweater, H&M (similar or similar)
Gingham Top, Gap
Jeans, AG
Shoes, New Balance (or similar)
Sunglasses, Warby Parker (or available here)