Two Ways to Wear Denim

Today is a super fun post--I'm showing you two ways that I styled denim.  Denim button-up shirts are all the rage right now, which I am so excited about.  They can be dressed up or down and can take a really outrageous wardrobe piece and tone it down.

Here's how I styled my denim shirt last week for two more "dress-up" moments--Easter and work.

This was what I wore on Easter day--I love this tutu!  You may remember it from my post here.

A tutu can be totally outrageous or it can be toned down.  It helps that my tutu is gray rather than neon, but nevertheless the denim shirt make the tutu more casual than crazy.

I put a gray and white striped tank top under the denim shirt to tie in with the gray of the skirt.  Again, a casual touch to the outfit.

Tucking in the shirt makes the outfit "less sloppy" as well.

 

Blush pink sandals kept the feminine touch in the outfit.  And since I knew I would be chasing my two boys on Easter, I didn't want to wear heels!

 A faux-diamond chunky necklace and blush pink chandelier earrings dressed up the look.

And what's more fun on an Easter outfit than colored nails?  Purple with gold speckles!

Skirt--Windsor

Denim shirt--J Crew Outlet

Striped Tank--Von Maur

Sandals--DSW

Necklace--J Crew Outlet

Earrings--my own collection (pretty old!)

Purple nail polish--Sally Hansen

Gold speck nail polish--Sephora by OPI

A few days later I wore the same denim shirt to work like this:

 The navy and tan dress has a tank top, so obviously I can't wear it to school without some sort of jacket/cardigan!  Again, the denim shirt dresses down the look.

On this look, I left the denim shirt untucked (obviously there's nowhere to tuck it in!).  But so it wouldn't look so sloppy, I added a thick belt with gold detailing.  That really ties the shirt and dress together in a more cohesive look.  Because the belt is thick, I didn't add any extra jewelry.

Again, sandals dress down the dress and get me ready for Spring weather!

Dress--local boutique called Dottie Couture

Denim shirt--J Crew Outlet

Belt--Charlotte Russe

Sandals--Target

So what do you think?  How do YOU wear denim shirts?  I can't wait to throw one on with colored/patterned shorts this summer!

Landline-Inspired Outfit

Happy Tuesday!

Yesterday I shared a review on Landline by Rainbow Rowell, and today's outfit is inspired by the protagonist Georgie McCool.  Georgie has a really cool job--and may be getting her big break in launching a new TV show--but her marriage may suffer for it.

For much of the book, Georgie is camped out at her mom's house, talking to her husband on a magical landline phone or hiding from her writing partner and their looming deadline.  She's constantly throwing on sweatpants and wrong-sized clothes because her appearance is the least of her concerns right now.  Which leads us to our outfit today--a comfortable outfit that Georgie can just throw on...but STILL look good.

Here's what I designed:

And here's how I came up with it:

• I knew I had to give Georgie sweatpants.  But these sweatpants are fitted around the ankles (which are so popular right now!), so they give off a little more of a put-together look.  The zipper pockets add to this, too.
• The tank top is of course a reference to the CBS show Big Bang Theory.  I'm not sure if Georgie would actually be a fan of this show (people seem to either love it or hate it), but I think she would at least support other TV comedies in her clothes.
• The aqua sweatshirt jacket is the epitome of comfortable and a chance to add a little girly color to the look.
• Vans are so easy to throw on, and these are fun.  The aqua background ties in with the jacket and the floral pattern screams "I'm not too matchy matchy!"  And I don't think Georgie would be so matchy.
• Messy buns are all the rage (thank goodness--I am too rushed in the morning to curl my hair every day!), and Georgie would definitely want her hair out of the way.

So what do you think?  Would you lounge around in this outfit?

If you love this look, check out all the details here.

Tomorrow you'll see two of my outfits and how I styled them with denim!

REVIEW: Landline

Happy Monday, everyone!  I SO hope you are having the lovely weather that we're having in Indiana right now!  Our family spent the weekend exploring the creek behind our neighborhood, going on "tractor" (lawn mower) rides, and just soaking in that beautiful sun.  I feel refreshed and energetic to start another week.

Today's review is on Landline by Rainbow Rowell.  I met Rainbow at an author event a few years ago and she was exactly as I pictured her--both bubbly and quiet, appreciative, and genuine.  With a little bit of flower power mixed in. :)

Last fall, Landline was ALL that I was hearing about from so many readers.  Although it's one of Rowell's adult novels, readers of all ages were eating it up and singing its praises.  And that's what's so great about Rowell...she takes something like a magical yellow phone and turns it into an engrossing, can't-put-down story.  So let's jump right into my review!

 

• Standalone novel
• A mixture of realistic/fantasy/romance

The Gist:

Georgie McCool (yes, that's her real name!) has finally hit her big break in Hollywood--she is about to pitch her own sitcom to the network.  The only problem?  The network needs multiple scripts in just a few days and it's the week of Christmas.  The week when Georgie is supposed to fly with her husband Neal and two daughters to Omaha to visit Neal's family.  And even though Neal and the girls allow Georgie to stay behind in California, Georgie knows that this might be the one thing that pushes her marriage over the edge.  And that by gaining a sitcom, she might be losing a husband.

When Georgie tries to call Neal from her mother's old yellow landline phone, she gets Neal to answer.  But not present-day Neal.  Neal from their dating days, when his father was still alive and Neal and Georgie were in the midst of an argument.  And Georgie realizes--if she's talking to Neal in the past, she may have the chance to fix their later marital problems.

What I Loved:

• Like I said, this is a book about a magical phone.  So to most people, that might sound too silly to read.  But Rowell has a way of making this a nonstop read.  Her writing makes her characters (and even a magical phone) real.  I can completely picture this family living today.
• This isn't straight-up romance.  There's bittersweet moments, arguments, frustration, questioning...but there's also romance.
• I love the wittiness of the characters.  It makes me want to be friends with them in real life.
• The secondary characters are so good.  I want to work with Georgie's partner or eat pizza with her sister...maybe even babysit her mom's dogs!
• I had no idea how it would end...and it ended greatly.

What I Didn't Love:

• Like with so many other things, I think this book got hyped up to me SO MUCH that I expected it to change my life.  It was a great read, but I just know that I'm less enthusiastic about it than just about everyone else.
• I'm sad to say this...but I just wasn't in love with Neal.  He seemed so moody, and at times I felt like he darkened Georgie from her bright, bubbly self.  
• I couldn't stop picturing Georgie as Rainbow Rowell herself...is it just me that did this?  Every time I read about Georgie's physical description, I just kept thinking about Rainbow herself.  Hmmm.

Rowell never disappoints, and this was a great one!  A great read for teens and adults alike!

An outfit for Georgie coming up this week, a review and outfit for the book Belzhar (so good!), and I'll show you TWO ways that I recently styled denim and LOVED it! Catch you back here tomorrow!

The Saints-Inspired Outfit

A few weeks ago I reviewed The Saints by Lex Thomas, a crazy, unexpected, even disgusting dystopian book about a group of teens stuck inside a school.  And I loved it!  So today's outfit is completely inspired by one group of students who distinguish themselves by the color blue (I featured another group in this post from the first book in this series, The Loners).

I had a lot of fun designing this outfit--I LOVE the color blue (I have a bright blue velvet sofa in our living room!) and love that I can wear so much of it with jeans.  The blue clique, the Freaks, are artsy and ok with being weird, so I knew I could layer on blue for this look.

Here's the look I designed:

 

Here's what I love about this look--blue is the obvious inspiration for the outfit, but it's not overwhelming.

Let me break it down:

• I LOVE wearing chambray/denim shirts with dark jeans.  Half of my outfits right now do this.  You can add whatever you want on top and it looks like a whole new outfit.  Love.
• I really love this fun striped heart sweater.  Your eye immediately goes to the blue heart, so the gray stripes remind me of a blank canvas that I could totally see the characters in the book drawing on.
• Sky blue shoes and blue stud earrings give that extra blue pop and show off the various degrees of blue that you can have.

I totally love this outfit!  I would rock it as a casual or even a date night look.  Would you wear it?

Want to see all the details of this outfit?  Check it out here!

REVIEW: The Saints

Happy Thursday, everyone!  I'm so used to starting off all my posts with "It's so cold in Indiana!" that I'm so excited to say that it hit over 60 degrees yesterday!  You can just feel the excitement in the neighborhood yesterday as everyone went outside!

A while ago I reviewed the book The Loners, a very CRAZY dystopian book by co-authors Lex Thomas about teens getting stuck together in a school.  I recently read the sequel, The Saints, and oh my goodness.  One of the craziest books I've ever read.

• Dystopian
• #2 in the Quarantine series

The Gist:
It's been 18 months since a virus outbreak hit McKinley High School.  Will and Lucy think that they will soon be leaving the school, but a surprise accident leaves them trapped inside with even more teens.  New alliances form, a new gang--The Saints--starts up, former leaders lose power, and a group of parents appear to offer help.  But who can really be trusted?  And did Will's brother David make it to safety?

What I Loved:

• Just like with The Loners, this book is full of nonstop action and surprises.  I just couldn't predict ANYTHING that happened.
• There is one scene in this book that is literally the grossest scene I've ever read in my life.  So why is this in the love category?  Because I didn't see it coming and it added a lot of depth to a character.  But oh my goodness.  I still cringe when I think about it.
• I liked the addition of the new characters--The Saints, the parents.  And I liked that The Loners disintegrated, because it shows that you just can't trust everyone in your gang.

What I Didn't Love:

•  I wasn't very surprised by David popping up at the end of the book.  No one would believe he is dead.

Such a crazy but a fun read!  I can't wait to finish the series!

An outfit coming up, inspired by one of the gangs!

Panic-Inspired Outfit

Happy Monday, all!  Anyone else as tired as I am with Daylight Savings Time?  Man, this morning wore. me. out.  But after a super fun day with my students (we made paper cranes today to celebrate peace and diversity!) I'm bringing you an outfit inspired by Panic by Lauren Oliver--loved that book!

In Panic, teens have to face some pretty major challenges--the terrifying, daring, and unusual.  Most of their challenges are physical, so having an outfit fit for movement is key.  For one of our main characters, Heather, I designed this outfit:

Here's how I chose this look:

• We have the basics for any kind of exercise/working out.  The workout cropped pants, t-shirt, and jacket.  I chose black and gray in case a challenge caused the teen to need to be as "invisible" as possible.
• I love this graphic gray tee.  The finger point gives off the message of "Hey, I'm coming for you and going to win this game!"  And in the game of Panic, the teens need every amount of courage they can muster.
• The pink shoes and watch are again staples for a fitness challenge.  I chose deep pink in case the teen would want to be seen in some way, as a safety precaution.

So what do you think?  I would TOTALLY wear this outfit when working out or doing a physical challenge.  Would you?

Another review coming soon in one of the most disgusting, surprising series I have ever read!

Want to see more of this outfit?  Check out the details here!  

REVIEW: Panic

Happy Monday, everyone!  We got COVERED in snow this weekend in Indiana, but that gave my family a chance to watch movies, eat chicken soup, and just nap around...it was perfect!

Today's review is on Lauren Oliver's book Panic.  I listened to this book on my way home from YALLFEST and was able to listen to it all within that setting.  And what an experience that was--I was gripping the steering wheel so tightly during a tiger scene (yes, there are tigers!)!

But I'm getting ahead of myself.  Let's jump into the review:

 

• Standalone novel
• Realistic

The Gist:
In the town of Carp, graduating seniors join in a thrilling game of Panic.  The game started since there's nothing else to do in Carp, but has grown to be a much-anticipated and even deadly part of summer.  Here's how it works: graduating seniors who join the game complete very dangerous, terrifying tasks.  If they finish the task, they move on to the next round.  If they refuse to compete or fail, they are out of the game (if they aren't killed in the process).  The winner receives $50,000.
Heather wasn't expecting to play the game...but when she sees her recent ex-boyfriend pawing his new girlfriend, she impulsively joins the game.  She joins Dodge, a player who is out for revenge, and other friends in a game that will prove to be completely life-changing...and life-threatening.

What I Loved:

• I love reading about games and challenges and reality show-like dares (my favorite childhood book is The Westing Game).  And that's completely what this book is about.  The challenges are fun to read (and thrilling and terrifying as well!) and are unpredictable.
• Even though this is a book about a death-defying game, it's also all about relationships.  I loved getting into the deep stories of Heather and Dodge.  With this being a 400+ page book, it was nice to have a mix of the nail-biting with the relationships.
• The ending!  Everything wrapped up in a very surprising way for me.  This was the part that got me so impressed with Oliver's writing.
• There are some big issues (especially teen issues) in the book that made me feel like the read was worth my time.  Issues like family troubles, revenge, a secret crush, and secrets in general.  And like I said, they all wrapped up so well for as much as what was going on.

What I Didn't Love:

• Ok, so it was a little unbelievable.  This game could not be pulled off year after year with teenagers, at least not the teenagers that I'm used to working with everyday.  Teens can't keep secrets and this game is a complete secret every summer.  It was fun to think it could happen, though!
• The cover--I think it's a cool cover but I really don't think it fits the book that well. 

Such a fun read and so fun to read with my friend Emily on the way home from South Carolina!

Yep, 5 stars!  I know, that doesn't happen very often.  But so so good!