Author Archive for J9 STYLE

Casual Friday: Nautical meets Equestrian

by J9 STYLE • 17 May, 2013 • 4 Comments

As mentioned earlier this week, I’ve captured some outfits during my blogging hiatus. Some of these outfits include boots and tights from the winter. I loved this casual Friday outfit that I wore a few months ago when the weather was still cool. It blends two of my favorite preppy looks: nautical and equestrian.

I neither sail nor ride horses, but a girl can pretend right? I’ve searched TWO YEARS for a navy blazer within my budget and finally scored this one at Marshalls (surprise) over Christmas. I love the nautical feel and gold buttons.

Navy Blazer: $25, Marshalls

Navy Striped Shirt: $14, Target

Gold Statement Necklace: $0, Christmas Gift

Skinny Jeans: $20, Old Navy

Cognac Riding Boots: $74, DSW

Total Outfit: $133

Do you like to combine different looks together? Which ones?

Shop Navy Blazers:

Dressing For Pear Shape Body Types

by J9 STYLE • 15 May, 2013 • 4 Comments

A-shaped. Hippy. Triangle. Too Much Booty in the Pants. There are many terms to define the pear-shaped figure. As a pear-shaped gal myself, I’ve heard them all. It basically means that you tend to gain weight on the lower half of your body right around the hips and ba-donk-a-donk (yes, I wrote that). While we may have narrow shoulders and a slim waist, we can’t help but make an exit.

Let’s face it, the fashion world has not been kind to our feminine frames recently. With skinny jeans, bold color pants and peplum silhouettes (don’t even get me started on print skinny jeans), it seems fashion designers have forgotten about us.

But don’t fret, I’ve been navigating these treacherous fashion waters for some time and I have some tips and tools to share.

Pear-Shaped: Green Light

Pear-shaped girls always have the green light to wear flare and boot cut jeans. For the most flattering look, select dark washes and pair them with bold and print tops to draw the attention upward. Neutral heels and wedges add height and make up you appear longer and leaner.

It’s probably no surprise that A-line dresses and skirts are the most flattering. If you want to rock a pencil skirt, choose one that has a slight flare (like the navy skirt in the middle).

Pear-Shaped: Yellow Light

Pear-shaped ladies are not destined to wear flare jeans and A-line skirts all the time. We can rock some trends too with some caution. If you want to try the color pant trend, opt for cropped. A full flare color pant can border on the clown side and not flatter your figure. Also, if you want to try peplum, wear the trend as a shirt rather than skirt or dress.

We can also wear skinny jeans! I know many pear-shaped girls who refuse to do so, but if you select a dark shade and pair it with a busy top, you can totally rock them! Skinny jeans do accentuate the hips, so be sure to wear them with confidence!

A horizontal striped skirt is usually a bona fide no-no for pear shapes. However, if you wear the print with an A-line silhouette and pair it with a great statement necklace, this trend can be conquered!

Pear-Shaped: Red Light

Although the trends above are super cute, pear-shaped girls must tread lightly. Printed, skinny bottoms as well as peplum dresses draw all the attention to the hip and bum areas. On pear-shaped figures, it’s a lot going on. If you do decide to try these, make sure the items fit well and that the rest of the look is simple.

The most important asset (pun intended) for a pear-shaped girl to have is confidence. Be proud of your feminine figure and flaunt what you got! Plus, we’re in good company. Here are some other fabulous and gorgeous pear shaped ladies:

Kristen Davis, Michelle Trachtenberg, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Love Hewitt

Are you pear-shaped? What style tips can you share?

Back to BloggingLand

by J9 STYLE • 13 May, 2013 • 9 Comments

My classes are finally over! My last semester was a challenging one and kept me away from the blog, but now I am all done with grad school classes and only have my thesis to finish. I am very excited to immerse myself back into my beloved blogging world.

Along the way, I have still documented my outfits and wrote some other fun posts that I can’t wait to share. Here is one of these outfits:

Peter Pan collar shirt: $23, Marshalls

Black Pencil Skirt: $50, LOFT

Gold Button Earrings: $8, Target

Cap-Toe Pumps: $38, DSW

Total Outfit: $119

I’m still obsessed with the Peter Pan collar trend. Are you?

Find Peter Pan Collared Shirts:

Always Time for Vintage

by J9 STYLE • 7 April, 2013 • 6 Comments

With my crazy work load and grad school projects coming to a close, I haven’t been able to tend to my precious blog or satisfy my shopping cravings. I’m going through fashion blogging withdrawal! To ease the ache, I attended the Vintage Clothing and Vinyl Record Affair at one of my favorite boutiques Retromended. It was a fun event to celebrate vintage fashion and music and hang with fellow bloggers.

Denim Dress: $6, on clearance from Target

Statement Necklace: $18, at a convention in San Antonio, TX

Aztec Clutch: $14, Dots

Wedge Sandals: $22, on clearance from Macy’s

Sunglasses: $5, Stein Mart

Total Outfit: $65

Me and Iris from Focused on Fashion:

Me with Iris and Lisa from Lisa Sails:

A HUGE thank you to Iris for providing me with these fab photos and to Lisa for featuring me in her Street Style post.

Casual Friday Argyle Sweater

by J9 STYLE • 29 March, 2013 • 5 Comments

Although it’s technically spring, we’ve had a few cold snaps in Florida allowing me to still wear layers and boots. I’ve always been on the fence about argyle sweaters. I’ve debated this before here.

Sometimes, I love them and other times, I feel like I belong on a golf course. Whether you love or hate argyle, the print works well for casual Friday at the office.

Argyle Sweater: $8, on clearance from Target (similar at JC Penney)

Collared Shirt: $24, Express (really old)

Skinny Jeans: $15, Old Navy

Statement Necklace: $8.95, Forever 21

Black Riding Boots: $25, Ross

Sunglasses: $5, Stein Mart

Total Outfit: $85.95

How do you feel about argyle? Love it or hate it?

Stripes and Cognac

by J9 STYLE • 25 March, 2013 • 1 Comment

One of the stops in my many travels last month was Austin, TX. The weather was cool and sunny and I got to see some of the sights in between my hectic work schedule. After being in California for two days, I had to catch a very early flight to Austin. I was jet lagged, tired, and grateful for these boots as they provided the foundation for my outfits during this trip (see how I wore polka dots and cognac in California).

The light wasn’t great inside the Capital Building, but this one came out better (with my head cut off):

Black Wrap Sweater: $12, Charlotte Russe

Striped Turtleneck: $10, Steve and Barry’s (really old)

Skinny Jeans: $15, Old Navy

Cognac Boots: $74, on clearance from DSW

Purse: $12, on clearance from Target

Total Outfit: $123

I was so glad I brought these boots and this purse on my travels.What items are you always sure to bring when you’re traveling?

Photos from Austin, TX:

Houndstooth Blazer

by J9 STYLE • 11 March, 2013 • 5 Comments

Houndstooth is a print I adore but haven’t worn or owned until now. I scored this jacket for only $20 from Marshalls over the holidays. Although houndstooth is a nice departure print from polka dots, it seems like more of a winter and cold weather print.

Houndstooth Blazer: $20, Marshalls

Ruffle Tank: $11, on clearance at Target

Black Pencil Skirt: $49.50, LOFT

Black Pumps: $0 (from my Marshalls Miami trip)

Green Earrings: $12, So Good Boutique in NYC

Total Outfit: $92.40

Shop Houndstooth:

Dress, Jacket, Flats

Do you think houndstooth is a seasonal print? Or can it work year-round?

Polka Dots and Cognac

by J9 STYLE • 8 March, 2013 • 10 Comments

I was traveling a lot last month and my first stop was southern California. The weather was beautiful and it gave me a chance to experiment with different shades and prints.

This outfit was sort of an accident, but I kind of love it. I planned on the weather being a lot cooler and the sweaters I packed stayed in my suitcase (that is my unnecessary jacket in the back).

Polka Dot Tunic: $16, Marshalls

Grey Jeans: $20, Target

Sunglasses: $5, Stein Mart

Purse: $12, on clearance at Target

Cognac Boots: $74, on sale at DSW

Total: $127

Would you wear gray, cognac and polka dots together?

What is a combo you thought wouldn’t work at first and then tried and loved?

I Love Books: Abandon Series

by J9 STYLE • 3 March, 2013 • 0 Comments

Over the holidays, I had some time to get lost in a few great books. I realize it’s March and I’m writing about what I read over the holidays – that’s how far behind I am in life! I wanted to share this series with you since there is still time to catch up before the final installment releases.

Abandon series by Meg Cabot

Image

This trilogy is a modern take on the Hades and Persephone Greek myth. Meg Cabot, one of my all-time favorite writers, once again manages to tell a compelling story with vivid characters and witty humor. Abandon is the first book of the trilogy and takes place in Cayo Hueso (based on Key West). It introduces us to Pierce, a sixteen year old girl who escapes death and falls in love with John – a death deity. Abandon is followed by Underworld which explores Pierce and John’s unconventional relationship and its consequences. The much anticipated third book in the trilogy, Awaken, comes out this summer.

If you like Greek mythology and clever storytelling, you’ll die (pun intended) over these books. I know Awaken will be the first book on my summer reading list!

I haven’t been too impressed by the movies out lately, but there have been some wonderful books out! Here are some other books I’ve read and enjoyed:

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (the movie is now out in theaters)
Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (the movie was well done!)
Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

Have you read any of these books? What other books have you read and enjoyed lately?

How to Dress for Casual Friday at the Office

by J9 STYLE • 28 February, 2013 • 9 Comments

It’s been a while since I’ve posted. Grad school, work travel and a family emergency have kept me away from blogging. I have lots of post ideas swirling in my head along with many outfit and travel photos to share with you.

In the meantime, here is a post I wrote for one of my grad classes (gotta love synergy and multi-tasking). I’ll be back to checking out blogs soon!

While casual Friday is usually the favorite day of the week, it often misused as a way to dress a little too casually for the office. Every office culture is different, but it’s most beneficial to your career to always be seen looking your best. You never know when you will be called in to an executive’s office.

Here are five simple steps to create a stylish, but professional casual Friday look that will impress.

1. Choose well-fitting jeans.

Since it’s the only day you can wear jeans, opt for them. Make sure the jeans are flattering and have no stains or tears. Choose a pair of boot cut jeans with a dark wash and avoid bold color jeans, print jeans and skinny jeans.

2. Add a collared shirt or blouse.

Choose a shirt that you would wear to the office any other day. You can experiment with different colors and prints with the shirt as long as it is professional.

3. Pair the shirt and jeans with a tailored blazer.

Nothing looks more professional than a blazer. Make sure the jacket fits well and have fun with some color.

4. Add your favorite heels.

Casual Friday is not a day to wear casual shoes like sandals and sneakers. Pick a pair of heels that you would wear any other day in the office. Flats are appropriate too.

5. Accessorize the outfit.

Add your favorite jewelry and purse to complete the look.

What are your tips for casual Friday? Miss you all!

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