you asked...about fashion

have to admit...when i got the questions about fashion, i chuckled to myself. and then i chuckled out loud. i spent a good portion of my life wishing i was a bit bolder and able to wear fun, cute things. usually, my sister would wear my clothes and get compliments while wearing them. i rarely got those compliments. guess she just pulled them off better? but...it helped me realize that fashion is all about yourself and your confidence in what you're wearing. kelli had that confidence. {the girl sported a sweatshirt - the SAME, oversized, navy blue, nike sweatshirt - every day for an entire year and pulled it off}.

i don't really have fashion picks for the fall...mostly because i think many of the trends in the store right now aren't super attractive...at least on me. so instead, i've decided to list my fall fashion rules {the rules i try to live by when purchasing and putting together my look} and a few of my favs...

maren's {fall} fashion rules:

{1} layer. 
especially in fall, the weather is unpredictable and can change dramatically in the course of even a few hours. layering, for me is key. lots of tops, long sleeves, cardigans and jackets clutter my closet.

{2} accessorize. 
i've never been amazing at this and even still hesitate as i'm adding to an otherwise dull outfit. but, i rarely regret it when i actually go through with it. accessories like belts, hats, scarves, jewelry, bags and even shoes are a relatively inexpensive way to spruce up any outfit. accessorizing is also a great way to stay with {some of} the trends while staying within your budget. i'm a pearl girl. i currently have 9 pearl necklaces and 7 pair of pearl earrings on my jewelry tray. a bit overboard? maybe. but the different lengths, sizes, clusters and colors really change the look of an outfit at not much cost. figure out what you like and go with it!




{3} shoes, shoes, shoes. 
i never used to be a shoe girl. and i'm not sure when or how the transformation occurred. and i know shoes can be expensive, but they don't have to be. i have one or two nice pair of shoes - not including my running shoes {which HAVE to be quality, but that's another post}. the others are inexpensive additions that add pop of color or sparkle or even a dainty ruffle to my wardrobe. most were under $15, none were over $30.

{1-old navy; 2,3,10-target; 4-my sister's closet; 5-dsw on clearance; 

6,7,11,12,13-twiggshoes.com; 8-payless; 9-forever21}

i also love a good boot and can honestly say with the seven pair i have {acquired over just as many years, if not more}, i have never spent over $35 on a single pair. i've found most at target and most, if not all, have been on sale. 

{1-boku.com, $30, 2-street market in hong kong, <$10; 3-old navy, $20; 4-rain boots from bed, bath and beyond!, $10; 5-target, $29; 6-target, $35; 7-target, $25}

i can't be a true fashionista because i don't love the new trend of booties. just sayin'. feel free to wear them on your cute feet, but these cankles won't be sporting them any time soon. which leads me to...

{4} know your style. 
you can experiment with trends without becoming a slave to them. find what you like and rock it. and don't feel bad about not owning or wearing...or even liking...things others are wearing this season. if skinny jeans aren't your thing, so be it! rock the boot cuts or trousers. if you just can't swallow the 80s and early 90s trends finding their way to the shelves, don't sweat it. just figure out what you like and go with it. 

{5} modest is hottest.
i know, i know. cliche. and, while i'll admit this rule originally stemmed purely from my religion, i truly believe modesty is beautiful. the shorter the skirt, the lower the pant, the deeper the neckline, etc., etc., the more you tell others you care more what they think about what you wear than about wearing what you feel comfortable and confident in. plus, not many people can truly pull off showing a lot of skin. 

{6} it's all in the presentation. 

i've always been a firm believer that, no matter what you wear, you should take pride in you and your appearance. this isn't to assume vanity or to try to one up a friend or coworker. i don't care if you're wearing yoga pants and tennis shoes five days a week; it's how you present yourself that matters. run a brush through your hair {and get a hair cut that meshes with how much you know you will actually do your hair}, iron out the creases {or buy non-wrinkle clothes like me...i do not like to iron}, put on some mascara {or under-eye concealer if you're me}, sit up straight {still working on that}, smile and own it. take pride in you and your own personal style and you can't go wrong. 

my top 5 fall colors:
1. gray
2. purple
3. yellow
4. teal
5. off white


my 5 fall go-tos:
1. straight cut jeans

2. ballet flats if it's warm, boots if it's not
3. plain ruffle shirt
4. colored cardigan

5. one accessory {scarf, earrings, necklace...}

5 items out of my comfort zone:
{but i'm oh so glad i tried...}
1. bangs
2. boots
3. straight cut and skinny jeans
4. leggings
5. red lipstick {as if my lips aren't already red enough?...i LOVE it!}

**along the lines of stepping out of my comfort zone, i think it's fun to remove staples from my closet in order to try out new things. so next week i'm going denim-less. ALL week. i'll take pictures. it could be a huge flop. we'll have to wait and see.**