The Martian-Inspired Outfit

Last week I reviewed The Martian and last night I saw the movie.  Verdict--I loved both!  And there were enough differences to keep my interest throughout the entire movie. 

Wardrobe in this book is pretty normal for an astronaut--you've got the standard spacesuit and then just comfortable work clothes.  All NASA-issued, of course. 

So for my outfit inspiration I decided to create a NASA-inspired outfit that would be perfect for a fall walk around the neighborhood.  So much of Mark Watney's story featured him walking around, fixing broken equipment, considering his survival plan.  So I wanted to design an outfit that was easy to work in, appropriate for outdoor weather, and representative of NASA's clean lines in design. 

And here's what I came up with:

Let's break it down:

• The puffy jacket of course is about as close as we get to a spacesuit.  I love the silver color; white coats aren't as practical and this still has a NASA feel to it.
• A comfortable sweater and leggings are perfect for walking and working.  I love the clean lines of the sweater with just a touch of blue.  
• Black combat boots are comfortable (yes, really) and good for all kinds of terrain.  Trendy right now, too.
• Astronauts don't mess with dangly jewelry, so simple pearl earrings (these are only $12!) add some femininity but just a touch.

So what do you think?  Would you walk around your neighborhood in this outfit?

Throne of Glass-Inspired Outfit

Psst...I posted a YouTube video today.  Did you see it?  It's an outfit inspired by Josh Sundquist's book We Should Hang Out Sometime.  Check it out if you haven't!

But I'm also giving you ANOTHER outfit today!  This one is inspired by Celaena from Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas.  Celaena is one kick-butt character.  She's an assassin who can take down an opponent pretty quickly.  She's also in a love triangle (and I LOVE both guys!) which makes her softer side come out a bit, too.

So here's what I designed for a strong, fearsome woman who might also want to show off her girly side:

Doesn't this look like a tough yet girly girl?

• Black skinny pants, a black-and-white striped shirt, and an army green jacket are the perfect combination for looking "tough cute."  The colors aren't girly but they flow together well (and stripes are really in right now!).
• Black slip-on shoes were chosen because they're flexible and comfortable--exactly what an assassin needs, right?
• A spiked bracelet gives the look an edgy feel, as do the ear jackets.  Ear jackets are very trendy right now and I love them!  Although I don't own any yet...sigh.

So what do you think?  Does it fit Celaena?

Want to see how to buy this outfit?  Check all the details here.

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!



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!  

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

Glow-Inspired Outfit

Hello, friends!

So it's been about a week and a half since I posted...I know, I know!  But let me tell you about that last week and a half.  First, we closed on a new house!  I am so so excited to get my decorating hands on this new house!  Then Luke and I were both gone on different retreats (me for church, him for work) PLUS I was on Fall Break and just decided I needed time to rest and READ!

So here's the outfit that I designed for Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan (I reviewed it in my last post).  I was designing for protagonist Waverly, so I wanted an outer space theme with a girly touch, and I think that's exactly what I got with this!  Here it is:

So let's break it down:

• I wanted the outfit's main color to be black because, let's face it, that what Waverly is mostly seeing in Glow--a black universe. So the majority of the outfit is black.
• The T-shirt is a solar system diagram, and it pairs so well with this girly skirt.  The two together makes a casual but sweet pairing.  And since all of the girls are being kidnapped so they can help women bear children, I knew I needed to accentuate the girly part of an outfit.
• Black tights and black boots keep the feminine touch.  However, since Waverly IS trying to escape for most of this book, she needed some kick-butt shoes that gave her some edge.
• Since Waverly and the rest of the characters are on a mission to start life over in a new universal existence, I wanted a pop of white to represent rebirth.  Hence this killer leather jacket.

And there you have it!  An outfit that Waverly could wear to express her femininity in space while also going on high-speed chases.

Jacket--Miss Selfridge
T-shirt--Fluffy Co (Modcloth)
Skirt--MSGM
Tights--Whistles
Boots--Ugg

*I am not associated with any brands/companies mentioned.

Want to see the cutest little boy clothing?  Check back this week to see my stylish boys!

Takedown-Inspired Outfit

I recently reviewed Takedown by Allison van Diepen--a book that I was so excited to see published since my students (and I) love van Diepen's urban-themed books.  Takedown was excellent, and I have to admit that the brass knuckles on the cover had me feeling pretty tough!  I was excited to design an outfit based off the characters in this book, because I am definitely the OPPOSITE of gangster and this gave me a chance to play around!

So here it is:

Don't mess with me, yo.

So here's the breakdown of the look:

• I knew I wanted a quote t-shirt, and this one had the perfect amount of "urban" without being too much.  It's a little tough, right?
• You gotta have high tops if you're going for a gangster look.  The book mentions shiny shoes, and I thought these added a nice feminine touch with the aqua stripes.
• I paired the high tops with skinny cuffed jeans.  I know, I probably should've added saggy jeans, but this is a girl's look, after all.
• A leather jacket to accent the shoes and add a touch of "tough girl."
• I didn't want to over-accessorize with a giant $ necklace (although the book mentions them!), but I thought a star was something a girl would wear.  A bright spot of bling.

So what do you think?  Does it pull off a "gangster" look?  Would YOU be bold enough to try it?

I can't wait to show you how I've been styling my bedroom--we have the coolest accent wall above our master bedroom.  That post will come this week and then I'll share about some fun posts coming up!  See you back here soon!

Shirt--Monki Katy

Jeans--Frame Denim

Jacket--Diana New

Shoes--Adidas

Necklace--Isabella via Overstock

*I am not associated with any of the companies/products mentioned.  All opinions are my own.

OOTD--Mom's Night Out!

Hi, readers and fashionistas!  This post was supposed to go up on Tuesday, but this has been a very unexpected week.  Some unforeseen issues at work and home have left me emotional and exhausted, so I'm just now getting to posting.  Sorry!

Today's post is a fun one--an outfit of the day!  
Last week I blogged a review of Candace Cameron Bure's new book, Balancing It All.  In it she discusses the value of having "girl time" as a woman.  After that review, I designed a "how to look like you have it together" outfit along with a movie review of Moms' Night Out, coming Mother's Day weekend 2014.  So if it all wasn't flowing together so perfectly already, I then went out for my own Mom's Night Out with some girlfriends so we could talk parenting, marriage, and just life.  So here's the outfit that I wore that night:

I also wore this outfit for a video I'm making for my YouTube channel, hence the library background.

This outfit is feminine yet edgy, pairing soft and hard prints and fabrics.

• The floral blouse is from Von Maur and gives the outfit a soft look.  And I needed a print to remind me that Spring is coming!
• I paired the blouse with a faux leather jacket from JC Penney...this is obviously the "harder" part of the outfit and makes the outfit less predictable.
• Skinny jeans from American Eagle (I can still fit into American Eagle!) are just a staple in my wardrobe.
• Watermelon-colored flats from DSW (the box literally said watermelon) add some of the color from the blouse and were a little more fitting for the slippery parking lots I'd be walking in.
• Delicate jewelry--black jeweled hoop earrings and some monogram necklaces from Linx & More--keep it sweet

So what do you think?

Last week I blogged that blouses, blazers, and heels make a great outfit, and I just tweaked that a little for this outfit.

What are your staple fashion items?

Tomorrow I'll be back with Diamond's outfit from the book Panic.  Hope to see you then!

*I am not associated with any companies or products mentioned.

Under the Never Sky-Inspired Outfit

On Monday I reviewed Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi, and in the book Aria is a Dweller.  This means she has lived in a Dome all her love and has experienced many technological advances.  So that's the inspiration for today's outfit--someone who hasn't been outside much and is technological.  And this is what I designed:

So let's break it down:

• I wanted a clean, sleek white jacket to really show the futuristic, technological side of the book.  This leather one is gorgeous (It's a Guess brand for $140) and a perfect fit!
• I decided to pair the white with black because I just didn't see a lot of color happening in Aria's Dome (if they want color, they just create their own imaginative space).  These black skinny jeans were a practical pick (although the price isn't too practical--$220 from Frame Denim).
• Black suede ankle boots (from Karen Millen--$299) keep the outfit contemporary and serious.
• A silver watch is sleek and shiny, and I always think of metallics when I think of the future.  This one is DKNY for $265.
• Aria wears a SmartEye, so I picked some sleek glasses to complete the outfit.  These are Fulton glasses for $39.

So what do you think?  Could this pass as a Dweller look?  
I'll be back tomorrow to review Through the Ever Night, the sequel to Under the Never Sky.  And Friday you'll get to see an Outsider-inspired outfit!