Fashion Friday

Hi everyone!

It's been another crazy day. I say that a lot lately...lol, but it's true. The day started out really bad. I purchased a new desktop for myself during the pandemic (2020). We had to get DS a laptop for school and I have needed a new desktop for work. I still prefer a desktop, because I have a nice big monitor that I can actually see things on...lol. The laptop is my backup plan.  As you know, computers were really hard to find during that year, but we finally managed to purchase a laptop directly from Dell. As I've mentioned before. That turned out to be a pos (excuse the french). I also purchased a desktop from them, since it's all we could find. I always use HP products, but hey, beggars can't be choosers. I put off using my new desktop, because the old desktop had a spreadsheet programme (I've never heard of it, but all spreadsheets work the same) that I used for business. This saved me from paying for Excel every year. Well, I finally installed the new Dell yesterday. Set it up, signed up for Microsoft package and downloaded it. Turned on the desktop this morning and the darn thing had system error, diagnosing problem messages. WTH?! This is a brand new computer!!! I tried every single thing they told me to do, including trying to reset the darn thing & it kept telling me it couldn't fix the errors. What errors?! I couldn't even get to the login page. Absolutely nothing worked. I know it's not the Microsoft software, because my devices are synced and the software works great on my laptop. Bloody hell!! Several hundred dollars down the drain. This thing is even worse than the pos laptop we got DS. Now I have to purchase a new desktop. Found one that I liked, but the price made me cringe. It was a bundle (CPU, monitor, keyboard, mouse) and you can't just find the CPU on it's own. Did some searching and found an even better model. I don't need all those extras. I already have that. I haven't purchased the item yet. I hate these unnecessary expenses. I feel like I'm just bleeding money lately. Why does this always happen when we want to save, instead of spend? 

Anyhoo, I thought I'd do something a little different. Rachel mentioned not knowing where to start when it comes to a polished look, so I decided to share a few tips and tricks. I don't know if anyone else is interested in reading about it, but I'd be happy to help with putting outfits together. So, without further ado...

• I don't spend a fortune to look good and neither should you. I buy good quality items on clearance. Many of my items are several years old. 

• Not all of my items come from high end retailers. I often shop at TJM, Marshalls, Burlington etc. Burlington and JCP have provided my 2 wool coats. My JCP coat is about 16 years old and I paid a whopping $20 for it. You can't find good wool coats anymore. Everything's made with polyester these days. I'll have to post a pic so you can see that it's still in excellent condition.

• I don't follow trends, except for color trends. I have my own personal style. 

• For the most part, I stick to simple solid pieces (especially black & white) then mix & match prints and colors to it. 

• I wear no more than 3 colors at a time. Again, I like to keep things simple. Less is always more.

• I don't mix prints.  I don't like my outfit to be too busy. I always wear one key piece that makes a statement. I don't want anything to distract from that piece. 

• I don't shop all the time. Many times I'll add a new piece to a very old piece or outfit. By purchasing classic, timeless styles, I can wear the items for years without it looking dated. 

Here's how to get started. If you don't already own it, get yourself a pair of black dress pants or a pencil skirt. Why black? It goes with everything. Same with white. Some of you might prefer skirts to pants. Either one will work. I would suggest a slim fit (skinny) or boot cut pants. Add a matching black blazer to it. You don't have to buy the expensive blazers. I've seen one for around $25 at Marshalls recently. Please just make sure that the quality's good. You want a blazer that will last many years. 

Then add a simple plain white shirt to it. Here's one at JCP for $20. When I say shirt, I'm referring to those button front shirts. (I hate that they call it button down. A button down shirt is a shirt with buttons at the collar). Then add a pair of black pumps to it. It doesn't have to be 4" heels. You can wear a lower heel, but please stay away from kitten heels. That won't do anything for your outfit. 

If you don't like the stiletto heels or can't walk on it, get a pair of block heel pumps (this is the only block heels I have, but you get the idea). 

Just think of this skirt as a plain black one. Do you see how easy it is to put that outfit together? Well, my plain white blouse has billow (wide) sleeves, so it will still make a statement if I remove the blazer. I'll just wear my plain black blazer (that I posted before) with it. Easy peasy. 

I own exactly 3 skirts. This one, a tan one and a denim one. This is just to give you an idea of what a pencil skirt looks like. It's basically a straight cut skirt (usually above the knee, knee length or slightly below the knee). 

Here's what the skirt actually looks like. It's actually a short skirt with a longer overlay (kinda like a skorts). I paid exactly $7 for it during a Flash sale (pre pandemic). I bought the gingham pants and jacket too for the same price. I absolutely love gingham (it's slightly different from plaid) and paisley. 

I can pair any of the above shoes to the outfit, to create a different look. Again, I'll just add my plain black blazer to it. I can also add a pair of tall black or red boots to it. 5 Different outfits by just changing my shoes. 

If you have colored shoes, try to pair them with your black & white outfit to create a new one. It will kick your plain outfit up a couple of notches. Not all colors will match, but you'll be able to see what does. I wouldn't wear any of my blue shoes with this. Above is a pic of the black pants, so you have a better idea of what it looks like to add colors to it. You can also change your blazer. Mix & match is the name of the game :)

I can switch the blazer for my green velvet one. I have a black velvet one too. I bought this blazer pre pandemic too and just noticed that it's the exact same color as the shoes (which was purchased a few months ago). I love the crest buttons on WHBM blazers. It makes their blazers look expensive. Wait, it IS expensive because they charge over $200 for a blazer these days!!! I paid around $40-50 for my velvet ones. Do you see why you should never pay full price? Everything will eventually go on sale. 

Or I can add a fancy black blouse to the skirt. Again, I can wear black or red shoes with it.

This is the back of the blouse. The pearl buttons add a touch of elegance to the blouse. 

My purchases are always well thought out. When I buy something new, I always make sure that it matches several things in my closet. Shop with purpose. Don't just buy something because it's on sale or it looks good. You can stretch a few simple pieces into a full or large closet, by just mixing & matching. 

I don't wear my pants or skirts that high. I was just trying to fit everything into the pic. Please excuse the crooked pics. I stood on a chair to take pics and tried to avoid hitting the lighting above my head. 

I hope this information is useful to someone. Please feel free to ask if you have any questions or if there's a specific area you'd like me to write about. 

Have a wonderful weekend peeps.