We Were Liars-Inspired Outfit

Last week I reviewed We Were Liars, a summer mystery about Cady and her super-wealthy family. The suspense surrounding this book and the tight-lipped reviews of readers have made this a fun one to jump into...but of course, I could be lying...

Cady, her two cousins, and a friend have become the Liars, and with a name like that, you know they aren't 100% trustworthy.  But you just want to believe them.  Isn't that how it goes with liars?

So today's outfit is inspired by the Liars.  Because it looks sweet and trustworthy....but it hides a secret.

Here's a simple outfit to throw together when you are headed out to dinner:  A summer dress, scarf, jacket, and boots.  Easy enough, right?

These are no-brainer pieces to throw together when you need to rush out of the house.  They all tie together to make the outfit look planned.

But what's the secret?

This dress is actually a...

...swimsuit coverup!  

See?  It really IS easy to throw a few items over this to make the outfit look like a nice summer dress.

I can see Cady lounging around the beach all day and then throwing this outfit on to go out to dinner with the family.

Would YOU wear a swimsuit coverup as a dress?  I've done it!  And no one knew!

Tomorrow I'll have another review...and more videos are coming this week!



Unravel Me-Inspired Outfit

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Wow, it is COLD in Indiana.  Absolutely frigid.  The perfect weather for eating soup, drinking coffee, or cuddling up under a blanket!

Today's post is an outfit inspired by Juliette from Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi.  Juliette is an interesting character--she can't touch anyone without the risk of them getting hurt, or worse, killed, so she needs to cover herself from head to toe. 

In the book she has a pretty kick-butt body suit designed for her.  It serves multiple purposes and helps ensure that no one around her gets hurt.  Because a bodysuit like this isn't very suitable for everyday clothing, I decided to design an outfit for Juliette as she goes out on the town.  Something that she can wear that is body appealing (she has a killer body!) but keeps everyone safe.  And on the off chance that she and character Adam ever got to go out on a fun date, this would be a great outfit for her to wear!

Pretty chic, right?  Let me explain each piece:

• The jumpsuit is a one-of-a-kind piece.  And it's a more wearable version of a bodysuit.  I love the bright, bold color.  I think blue makes everything look more sophisticated.
• The black gloves and head scarf obviously keep Juliette covered but also give a sophisticated, vintage vibe to the look.  Can't you just picture her and Adam driving around?  If only they had such freedom...
• The black boots hold the outfit together and of course keep Juliette's feet covered.  Gotta keep that girl covered up, right?!

A lovely outfit for a girl that is probably more concerned about her threat to the world than her beauty.  But she deserves to be beautiful, too!

Interested in any of these pieces?  Check them out here!

Slaying the Debt Dragon-Inspired Outfit

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Last week I shared about my friend Cherie's new book Slaying the Debt Dragon.  I am 100% behind this book and oh-so-proud of Cherie and her husband, Brian, for sharing their story.  Which means I couldn't wait to design an outfit for the book!

But before I share it...let me backtrack a minute.  A while ago, I came across this image from Pinterest (oh, Pinterest!) and thought it was a great look:

(Image source link broken/unknown)

I love the mix of the navy and mint and the hint of a nautical theme.  

Now back to Slaying the Debt Dragon...if you learn anything early-on from Cherie, it's that getting out of debt probably means (well, let's be honest--surely means) cutting back on spending.  So going out and buying pieces for a new outfit just wasn't practical.  So I did what we all need to learn to do--shopped my closet!

Did you know that the majority of Americans only wear 30% of their wardrobe (heard yesterday on The Today Show)?!  That's crazy, right?!  Why are we buying pieces and not wearing them?  So I hunted my closet and created this FREE outfit (did you hear that, Cherie?  FREE!):

A pretty good match, right?  Nautical, mint, navy, jacket, scarf...

I used mint skinny jeans, a navy tank top, jean jacket, striped scarf, and nude heels.

It was so fun to create an outfit that I've never put together before!

What are you missing out on from your closet?  I DARE you to shop your closet to put together a new outfit!

*All pieces are from my closet and probably no longer in stores, but here is where I found each piece:

Mint pants--TJ Maxx

Jean Jacket--Old Navy

Tank Top--GAP

Scarf--J Crew Outlet

Heels--DSW

Lockdown-Inspired Outfit

Monday's review was over a really scary, creepy, and super-exciting book called Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith.  Being framed for a crime and thrown into an underground prison for life?!  Ahhh, no thanks!  But I definitely had to design an outfit inspired by this book!  And here it is:

 

A prison-inspired look that isn't too heavy on the prison!  Let me explain it:

• The black romper--such a trendy piece.  And let's be honest--prisoners basically wear full-length rompers.  I love the white detail around the armholes on this one.  *This is a Chalayan Gray Line Organza Trim Romper and runs about $257.
• The scarf--classic black and white prison colors.  This scarf (Julie Egli and a whopping $474!) is nicely oversized to add some comfort to the romper.
• The black sandals have some neat chain detailing and keep the outfit's attention toward the top.  These are Jeffrey Campbell Shacked Chain Sandals for $135.
• And speaking of a chain sandal, I always think of the cartoon "ball and chain" when I think of prisoners, so I added ball earrings to complete the look of the chain sandals.  These are 9 mm sterling silver ball earrings from JC Penney ($18).

So what do you think?  Do you see the prison inspiration in the outfit?

I'll be back tomorrow with another review!  See you then!

Awaken-Inspired Outfit

Happy Friday, everyone!  Yesterday I reviewed Awaken, the third book in the Abandon trilogy by Meg Cabot.  For today's outfit I was inspired by Kayla, Pierce's (human) friend in the book.  She's adventurous and feisty but also a bit of a romantic.  Plus in the book she wears a beautiful lavender dress, which led me to today's look:

 

Oooh, I think it fits Kayla perfectly!  Let me explain why:

• The polka dot shirt (an Equipment "Riley" polka dot blouse for $168) reminds us that Kayla has an edgy side to her.  In other words, she'd not going to be wearing button-up cardigans.
• I added the lavender scarf for a few reasons.  It complements the stark black and white shirt so well!  It brings in the color of her lavender dress in the book.  But it also represents the necklace that Pierce wears in the book (which turns lavender any time Kayla is near).  It is a perfect choice for this look!  *It's a Halogen Linen Blend Scarf for $29.
• Skinny jeans just complete the outfit and make it super contemporary.  These are Seven for All Mankind and are $275...ouch!
• The black ankle boots (Camille Block Heel Zip Ankle Boots, to be exact) again bring in the edgy, don't-mess-with-me aspect to the look.  And that is so Kayla's attitude.

So what do you think?  Would you be willing to wear a "Kayla" outfit?

I'll be back tomorrow to share a cute Christmas tradition of mine, and then Monday with another review!  See you then!

The Host-Inspired Wardrobe

In the book The Host, the Seeker and her cohorts wear black all the time (in the movie, they wear white, which I know can be kind of confusing).  So it got me thinking about the best black accessories/pieces that you should have in your closet.  Black is one of my favorite colors to wear because it can match with just about anything or tame down a bright outfit.  So here are my favorite choices:

 

• A large black purse.  A black purse can basically fit every season and go with any outfit.  A staple must!
• Black nail polish.  Yes, I know this can seem bold, so give deep purple a try if you're afraid to take the leap.  Or start with your toes for a less dramatic effect.  But dark nail polish highlights your nails and sharpens your outfit!
• A black scarf.  I love scarves for fall, but even a black scarf can tame a bright summer outfit!  I especially love infinity scarves tied in a circle.
• Black heels.  Wear them with dresses, skirts, jeans--you name it.  So classy!  The ones pictured are my favorites--they're from Madden Girl.
• Black skinny jeans.  I can't imagine my life without skinny jeans.  Black is just a go-to color that gives you a blank canvas for your outfit.

So what do you think?  What black items are staples in your wardrobe/beauty closet?

Catch me this weekend for a peek at a new bathroom accessory and an outfit of the day!  And Monday I'll be back with a review on Pregnant Pause by Han Nolan!