Le cardigan, il est fabuleux!!

This post is all about cardigans! I love cardigans! I own almost as many cardigans as shoes! There are so versatile. They add modesty and class to any outfit. They look great buttoned, unbuttoned, belted and layered. They can make a simple summer top into something warm for winter.



Before I reveal the new outfits, I wanted to show you my new hairdo! I absolutely love the color! I think it's my most favorite ever! :)



I also thought it would be fun to go back & show you how much I have already used cardigans on this blog. As you can see...you can wear them with just about anything.

Look One: Warmed-Up Summer Tee





I pretty much just throw this cardigan over any summer tee. It's neutral, it's warm and it goes with everything! By making summer items warmer, you can almost double your wardrobe year round without having to make special purchases just for fall!



I love these shoes!



I love them so much, that I bought both the brown & black! They go with everything, they are comfortable & I love the bows!
Cardigan: Old Navy, Tee: Express, Jeans: ReRock for Express, Shoes: Me Too

Look Two: Color Splash





I love mixing up color combinations. This is almost a complimentary color scheme...almost. Red & Green are complimentary colors: the pink is a tint of red and the blue has a lot of green in it. So here's a way to wear red & green without looking like Christmas! :) This is also a very summery shirt made warmer with the cardigan, jeans & boots.
Cardigan: Express, Top: American Eagle, Boots: Rack Room Shoes

Look Three: Black & Brown






Yes! You can wear black & brown together! I will confess that I have been very skeptical of this my whole life, but since I started mixing them together, I can't help but love it! I still don't think I would ever wear just plain brown & plain black together, but add some snake skin & I'm mixing it! This outfit also features a skinny belt & my new booties--two huge trends for this fall!
Cardigan: Express, Dress: Express, Shoes: Rack Room Shoes

Look Four: Plum & Grey





I am in love with this color scheme! It's perfect for fall! I also love the details in this outfit. Each piece has incredible details which is what I find most appealing in clothing.



The stitching & pleating on this waistband is incredible! Great for defining your waist!



These tights look like jeans! They even have the gold stitching & tiny diagonal stripes to make them look like a tweed weave which is how denim is weaved. I LOVE them! Perfect for tucking in boots & way more exciting than just black or brown!



This plum flyaway cardigan is my newest wardrobe addition. I love the color and it's made out of modal. Modal is one of my most favorite fibers! It feels incredible & drapes really well. The sheets on my bed are made out of modal & they feel so nice! I also love the huge ruffle that trims the whole cardigan. Flyaway cardigans are also a huge trend for fall!



I heart these boots! They have been so useful! They are warm for walking around campus & can be worn with just about anything. I love the textured leather & the studded straps are amazing!!
Cardigan: Express, Dress: American Eagle, Tights: Wal-Mart.

Pumps Are A Girl's Best Friend!

PUMPS! I love them so much! I just can't get enough of them! Pumps really are "a girl's best friend." What else can make you feel tall, slender, confident and fabulous like a pair of pumps? Not only do they create a flattering silhouette, but they come in round toe, pointy toe, peep toe, suede, patten leather, satin, metallics, leopard, striped, with buckles, buttons, ruffles & so much more that it is impossible to list them all. They are sold at all price points & heel heights. The variety is endless & so are the style possibilities!

Look 1: Dressed-Up Jeans






Ok! I know I'm obsessed with these amazing purple, patchwork snake skin pumps. This is the second week in a row that I've featured them! In this look, they dress up the jeans without being too formal. I chose my "skinny" jeans because I didn't want the leg opening to cover too much of the shoe. FYI: Skinny jeans are great for showing off shoes. Cardigan: Express, Plaid Shirt: Wal-Mart, Jeans: American Eagle, Shoes: BCBGirls

Look 2: Comfort For Work







I have had these shoes for a really long time. These were actually my very first pair of pointy toed shoes, so they will always have sentimental value. These are a great classic example because of the color, buckle & stitching. All of these elements add detail, but not enough to make them distinguishable from one season to the next. To make this outfit look trendy, I added the vest with the thin belt which is really popular right now. Another important aspect of these shoes is the d'orsay silhouette (shoes with a heel & toe, but no sides) and also the low heel. These two features make these shoes extremely comfortable. I can wear these to work & stand for hours without any pain. With the open sides, your feet are not squished inside & the low heel helps relieve pressure on the balls of the foot. Vest & Turtleneck: Dillards, Pants: JcPenny, Shoes: Gadzooks (shows you how old they are since the one here has been closed for almost 2 years!)

Look 3: Vintage





I absolutely love this dress that I found for only $7.50 at JcPenny's last week! It's a very small leopard print with satin trimming. It's also a very slimming shape for just about any body type--it creates a well-defined waist, hides hips & the widest part of the arms. I love the purple with this! You don't have to have purple in your outfit to wear purple. Who wants to be boring "matchy matchy" anyway!?!? Not me!

Look 4: Classy Elegance











This is another dress I found at JcPenny for $20. (Regulary $110!) I love the elegance of black & cream with the gold & pearl accessories. It's so beautiful together! These pumps were my first pair of BCBGirls! I bought them at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, MN one Christmas on a family vacation, so they will always hold those memories for me as well.

Shoe Dispenser

I found this amazing little tape dispenser at work last night! (Office Depot $5.99) I couldn't help it! I just HAD to have it! I call it my "shoe dispenser" in hopes that someday it will start dispensing pairs of shoes....maybe someday. :)

Week 2: Pencil Skirts

I am so excited to bring you Pencil Skirts! This is another one of those classic pieces that every wardrobe needs. They are extremely versatile & a lot of fun to dress up with. They can be very slimming & make your legs look amazing with the right shoe. I have 4 pencil skirts in different colors & styles, but I chose my most basic black one to show you that these classic pieces don't necessarily have to be anything special, just simple, quality pieces that will last you for years to come!



Ok...Next time, I promise I will iron my examples! Lol. I bought two of these skirts, one black & one gray, at Dillard's for $15 on clearance about a year ago. I love the details & also the cotton stretch fabric.



This is the back. I love the buttoned yoke! It looks awesome with a tucked in shirt!

This week seems to have an animal print theme! Almost every outfit has something leopard or zebra print! What can I say!?! I LOVE IT!

One: Work to Evening





The metallic finish on the wrap tank instantly adds a more dressy look to the outfit. I have worn this several times to work with the cardigan over it, but it would look equally as fabulous for a nice dinner with a clutch & some strappy heels. Metallic zebra wrap tank-Express, Black Lace Cardian-Express, Shoes: BCBGirls

Two: Layered Up





With winter on the way, I thought it would be nice to show you some looks that are both warm & stylish. Buffalo Plaid is HUGE this season as well as opaque tights. I snatched this purple plaid button down at Wal-Mart for only $12.00. For this photo, I would like to point out my rule about tops & skirts--Never wear a flowy top with a flowy skirt, but it's okay to wear a flowy top with a fitted skirt like this pencil skirt. I would also like to point out these shoes! I'm in LOVE! Plaid Top: Miley Cyrus & Max Azria for Wal-Mart, Coat-Wet Seal, Tights-Vera Wang for Kohls, Shoes-BCBGirls (I heart these!)





Three: Leopard Print & Ruffles





I love how slimming the black on black is! Tip: If you want to look taller & slimmer, wear one color from head to toe-it doesn't even have to be black! You will notice, however, that even though I am wearing black from head to foot, I have varied the textures. The top is horizontal ruffles (also way hot for fall!), then the cotton skirt, opaque tights & leather boots. Ruffle Top-JcPenny, Cardigan-NY&Co, Boots-Journeys

Four: My Favorite!









I love this outfit for several reasons. Number one-black, white & red always look amazing together & number 2-This outfit only cost me around $50 for the whole thing! Zebra coat-$20 JcPenny, Red Top-$12 Miley Cyrus & Max Azria for Wal-Mart, Shoes-$7.99 Vanity, Skirt-$15 Dillard's! I also love the variations with the coat buttoned & unbuttoned.

'Til Next Week....Happy Dressing!

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