Investment in-schm-estment

sweater 12.97 || jeans 30 || tank 10 || scarf 12.50 || boots 19.97 || earrings 8.94 || leather tote 120

As a poor college student, I didn't have the luxury of "investing" in great quality clothing. But once I could afford better, I bought it. And bought. And bought. After all, good quality pieces are an investment that will last a lifetime, right?

But you know what the problem is with "investment" pieces? You cannot gain one ounce. You cannot have a baby, go back to work full-time, be sick every other week, and have no resistance against Parmesan Truffle-Oil French Fries. You cannot skip the gym (for 2 years) and eat ice cream for dinner. Because you know what happens to your "investment" pieces? They are still in great condition, but somehow 2 inches smaller than they used to be.

So here is my advice to you: be a teen mom. When you have babies at 17, your body jumps right back to a size 0, your boobs are still perky, and you don't have any money to spend on "investment" pieces to begin with, so you can start from scratch.

Ok, maybe that's not the best advice. At least you now can find affordable pieces and quality control is getting a little bit better than when I was in college. For example, the above look is completely from Old Navy and all on sale totaling under $100 (except the bag from BR). So maybe it only lasts a season....I think we can all say the same thing about our waistline.

*Total sarcasm. Not endorsing teen pregnancy.

{chic finds} F21 slip dress

If you're on a budget and looking for one piece to add to your wardrobe this fall, this is the dress for you. Only $15.50 at Forever 21, it's available in this season's must have color - wine - as well as mustard, cobalt, black, and rust. Here are two looks incorporating fall trends for under $150 each.

dress 15.50 || blouse 13.50 || belt 21.99 || bag 35.94 || boot 52 

  sweater 98 || desert wedge boot 36.94 || cuff 4.90

Look 1:
This season is all about ladylike fashion so after seasons of telling people to not worry about matching shoes, belts or handbags, this season you get full permission to be matchy-matchy. A sheer blouse in a similar hue with a red belt and structured handbag gives this dress a lady chic, color-blocked feel.
To wear the blouse with the dress and belt, twist or pin the ends so it looks like it's tucked into the belt and makes the dress act like a skirt. You can also skip the belt and tie the ends of the blouse in a knot. Obviously, ditch the belt that comes with the dress for either of these.

Look 2:
For a more casual fall look, pair the dress with a textured fisherman's sweater and desert wedge boot. A longer sweater with a long skirt evokes a easy 70's boho style that begs to be worn every weekend.

Other ways to wear it:  With a black or creme blazer, a cobalt sweater, a knotted v-neck white tee, a long chunky cardigan, a loose crochet sweater...if I get ambitious, I may actually take outfit pictures featuring one (or more) of these suggestions. But don't get your hopes up.

Black and white

Source: Uploaded by user via Cameron on Pinterest

Isn't this just an easy look to meet friends for coffee on a Saturday morning, peruse around a flea market, ride your beach cruiser bike around the city with fresh flowers in the basket...wait, I was day dreaming again...

Cut to real life: wake early, make breakfast, play with Bitty, try not to get strawberry-jam-baby-hands on white skirt, run errands, find peanut butter in your hair (again), lunch, nap time/clean up, bathe, dinner, bed.....

Ahhhh, well, a girl can dream.

Get the look here:

• Striped top, 39.99
• Skirt, 89 - not the exact same but still a really cool look
• Belt, 14.50
• Hat, 40 - complete with red feather
• Glasses

What to wear now & later: scarves

School is in session, football season has begun, the Halloween decorations are on display at Target, fall fashion season has supposedly arrived....so why is it still 90 degrees outside?  And more importantly, what's a stylish mom to wear right now?

Answer: scarves.  Wrap a lightweight scarf around your neck with a plain tank top or v-neck tee back with shorts and gladiator sandals.  So easy.  When the weather finally cools, you can wear that scarf draped around a trench coat or cardigan or pair it back with a long sleeve tee.

The scarves listed below are all under $20 and add instant chic to a basic jeans and tee look.  For those of you who lack skills in the scarf-wrapping department, you can pick up a basic circle scarf (also called infinity scarf) where the work is already done for you - just throw it on like you would a necklace.

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White hot

Not wearing white after Labor Day is as old a rule as not mixing black and navy or wearing matching belt-shoes-purse.  Aside from summer weight fabrics, you can wear white all year round.  (Exceptions to that rule are: no white hosiery, white shoes or white bags.  Sure some people can pull it off, but most will look like Nurse Betty.)

Here are a couple of ideas to wear white now:

Look 1: Turn your summer white jersey dress to fall by layering a faux-fur vest over a long cardigan and pairing with over-the-knee boots.

Click on links below to purchase or view retailer's site:

Faux fur vest, Old Navy $29.50

Long boyfriend cardigan, Mossimo Black $20

Over the Knee boot, LOFT $198

Tunic dress, Vila $20.22

Double wrap bracelet, J.Crew $26.50

Look 2:  White jeans work all year when worn with a long wrap cardigan and booties.  Add a khaki sequin-front tank to add sparkle and texture.

Click on the links below to purchase or view retailer's site:

Wrap cardigan, Old Navy $49.50

Sequin front tank, Charlotte Russe $18

White jeans, MICHAEL Michael Kors $48.50

Suede lace up boot, ASOS TOTALLY $185.35

 Happy Labor Day!

Caped crusader

Click on the links below to purchase or view retailer's site:

1. Nordstrom $78
2. J. Jill $29.99 (on sale from $99)
3. Anthropologie $58
4. Old Navy $39.50

I can't say the word "pancho" without thinking about Ugly Betty, so while magazines and retailers may be using that term, I prefer to refer to them as capelets.  Whatever you want to call them, they are everywhere this season and provide the volume on top to balance your skinny jeans or leggings.  They're also great for days when you're afraid to walk by a mirror and catch a glimpse of last night's too-much-Mexican-food-bloat.  Throw them on over a long-sleeve tee or turtleneck, some boots or clogs and a big statement ring and you're done.  Bring on the margaritas, extra salt.