Sneaky Win: The T-Shirt

I know, this is groundbreaking stuff right here. But seriously, how often do I find myself looking for the perfect  T-shirt? Answer: Very often. As a mom, I would say that about 40 percent of my shirts are tees. I am very particular when it comes to buying. I don't like anything that needs another layer, I hate ribbing and it's gotta be supersoft and super thin because it's blazing hot here still. In fact, I find myself buying the same brands over and over again, like GAP and Joe Fresh.

Here's the thing though: Can we all agree that most of the time, T-shirts are kind of a snoozefest? Like, no one puts on a sloppy T-shirt and is like "Yes this totally brings out my inner sex kitten." But it doesn't mean that tees can't be a perfectly acceptable addition to a cute -- not sloppy -- wardrobe. Here I've got three types of tees and why YOU need to add them to your closet. Or overstuffed drawers. Ahem.

Old Navy pink tee / MICHAEL Michael Kors stretchy skinny jeans / Charlotte Russe black lace up ankle booties / Roxy long purse / Miss Selfridge neon bangle / Henri Bendel swarovski crystal earrings

Okay, you guys know I love graphic tees. But not just ANY graphic tees. I stay away from any that have huge logos, weird statements about the person wearing the shirt (ew novelty tees ruin everything) and anything that could be construed as teenager-y. Yes that's a word. I tend to grab vintage tees because they're uber-soft and have cool prints. When I wear them, I go more grunge. Boots are a major must, as is edgier jewelry. It's how a plain concert tee goes from a weird purchase you made once to an actual outfit.

J.Crew v neck t shirt / Boohoo long skirt / Black sandals / Pieces black stone necklace, $38 / Bow ring / Wet Seal studded belt

Oh, the plain tee. You get such a bad rap when paired with capris and flipflops. You're the uniform of moms everywhere without getting the recognition you deserve. But I contend that with the right accessories, you can totally dress up a plain tee. I love a deep V-neck -- I have a ridiculously heart-shaped face and I feel like the V balances out the wideness of my cheeks. Pull on a maxi skirt (I'm obsessed with the slit on this one) and some wedges and it's an adorbs date/church/ outfit.

Also, with plain tees, fit is EVERYTHING. You want something that gives your boobs a firm hug but basically floats over your tummy. I also like some length so I'm not yanking my shirt down all day. This isn't 1998 and you are not in the all-girl hip hop group TLC. Cover your stomach.

Wallis polka dot top / River Island dark wash bootcut jeans, $39 / ASOS ballerina shoes, $39 / Charlotte Russe wrap watch / Dot jewelry

Finally, if you're going to wear a T-shirt without the bells and whistles of crazy accessories, look for a top with tons of interest. Cool pattern - check. Neck pleating? Awesome. Puff sleeves? Yes. That way, you only have to wear one piece but it still packs a visual impact. This is for the minimalist in all of us. Wearing this to a girl's lunch? Shut up, adorable.

So even though T-shirts are kind of like, the kids picked last on the playground, they can actually make up some pretty cute outfits. Like, they could totally be the kid who gets picked last but ends up being really good at kickball so you have a sneaky win.

Wow, that metaphor got out of control pretty fast.

Alright, what brand is your fave for T-shirts? I'm always on the hunt. 

Sweater Weather!

After a really weird month where we had summer like temps (I was wakeboarding the first weekend in October) it's finally cooled down here and I'm kind of in love with it. I walked down to a friend's house the other day and she asked if I was freezing because I was still in shorts. Please. My two year old made me carry him the three blocks home UPHILL and I was so hot I briefly considered becoming a nudist.

Of course, with cooler weather comes awesome sweaters and nothing in the world makes me quite so happy. I plan to build up my sweater collection this year, since I tend to stray toward blazers and my sweater collection is woefully underpopulated. So I decided to go online shopping and see what's big this fall for sweaters. Would you like to see what I found? OF COURSE YOU DO!

Stripes:

Hollister Co boyfriend shirt, $50
H M cotton knit sweater, £15
ANM knit sweater, $50
Almost Famous loose shirt, $22
Old Navy knit sweater, $27

Of course stripes and sweaters are pretty much synonymous, but stripes can be scary and tricky to wear. If you're in love with a cute nautical sweater style, remember to choose a pattern in proportion to your size and look for more abstract prints if you have problem areas. For instance, I am loving the more freeform Fair Isle stripes and they'll let you in on the trend AND be super flattering. Also, stripes on different structures. Don't always think that sweaters must be old school. I love a Dolman sleeve or poncho-like construction. Just not an actual poncho. Ew.

Ladylike:

Hollister Co scoop neck top, $50
Striped top
H m cardigan, £15
Hollister Co beach top, $36
Floral Waffle-Knit Cardigan, $13

I just cannot handle the level of cuteness here. Bows? Lace? Swoon! Ladylike details are awesome because the cardigan is kind of conservative as it is. The trick is to add balance. I would love a bow cardigan worn with uberhigh heels or a floral cardi and scuffy boots. The juxtaposition of sweetness and something more rebellious makes my heart warm inside.


Boyfriend:

Hollister Co cotton shirt, $35
Fox hoodie, $32
Soul Cal sweater, £30
Soul Cal ruched top, £20
Cardigan, $25

The boyfriend sweater is supposed to look like you stole a sweater out of your hubby's or boyfriend's closet. I just did a look with one and I'll show you on Monday, but for now you can check these out. Now, just because boyfriend sweaters are in doesn't mean you can just wear a man's sweater. Look for male-inspired details on sweaters cut to fit a woman's body, if you place. Wearing your hubby's Hanes sweatshirt isn't going to fly with me.

Structured:

Old Navy cable knit cardigan, $33
Brown cardigan, £25
Daytrip oversized blazer, $44
Denim jacket, £28

H m blazer, £25

Remember when I told you that I tend to stray toward blazers? Yeah, I love me some structure. It's magical for making your body look super put together. I especially love blazer construction on a sweater. It ALWAYS looks right. Pair any of these with a scarf, skinny jeans and knee-high boots and you're the cutest mom at the PTA Fall Festival, my friend.

Alright, so fess up... which one of these sweaters would you buy if you could? I'm heavily contemplating that Fair Isle loosey goosey shirt. What is it with me and hippy clothes lately?

Fall Sweaters on the Cheap

Hopefully the weather has turned crispy where you live. Here in the deserts of Utah, it's finally starting to cool off. I crave the days of fall and lately I've been thinking about Christmas WAY too much lately. Kinda hard when it's 80 out. BUT! The weatherman promises me 60s weather this week, so I am dreaming about and surfing around for sweaters.

I love to layer. Summer clothes don't do much for me, but oh how I love a drapey cardigan or a cute hoodie. They just seem warm and huggable. Although I will admit that I was sick on Monday and I took my kids to the library wearing camo thermal shirt, yoga pants and a hat jammed over my messy hair. So I scared people at the library and got germs all over the place, you're welcome. Luckily the library where I live is basically a glorified motor home and I don't think anyone minded.

But ah, yes. The sweater. I already bought two to kick off the season; a brown loose cable knit and a knit drape blazer with fabric flowers. And I've worn them both exactly once. Seriously, Utah, we get it. You're warm. Although I am excited that I won't have to stuff my kids in winter coats under their Halloween costumes. Not pointing any fingers, CANADA.

Here's a selection of sweaters to make you feel autumn-y, and as an added bonus, they're all under $50. Now go bake an apple pie and pick a pumpkin.

(Vanity - $20) If you're going to wear a hoodie, make sure it's a form-fitting one. Your husband's college sweatshirt need not apply. I love hoodies with non-hoodie patterns. Plaid? Yes please!


(Gap - $37) I am 100 percent on the lookout for a big furry sweater this year. I love this one in winter white. I rarely wear a real, live coat during the winter here because I am so used to the icy cold winters back home that sweaters and jackets are my lifesavers from December to February.


(John Lewis - $24) Orrrr I could just die of cuteness overload now. This with skinny jeans and flats and you are basically from France.


(Buckle - $34) I love the asymmetry of this cardigan. Hey, pear shaped girls! This would look awesome since it draws the eyes upward. Also, I love the masculine detail of the hunting plaid peeking through. With worn in jeans, this would be awesome for the pumpkin patch with the fam. Photo op!



(Buckle - $34) This is such a refreshing alternative to the drape cardi. I love that the color isn't traditionally fall, brown , red, mustard, yawn. Blue is awesome. The waffle knit means it won't be heavy. Imagine this with a crisp button up and wide leg jeans for a play date. I can almost smell the jealousy.



(American Eagle - $25) How cozy-looking is this. I love the longer length, which would be really cute with a white linen belt, or unzipped for warmth. I like that it's a basic hoodie, but the soft fabric and coloring makes it more elegant.


(American Eagle - $40) Short sleeved sweaters are my boyfriend. The colors on this are loverly. Wide stripes can be tricky, so wear this with something slim sitting on the bottom, like jeans tucked into boots. OR isolate the stripes by wearing with a blazer. LOVE! You might even be able to talk me into jeggings with this but don't push your luck.


(Old Navy - $30) Looking for something to wear to American Thanksgiving (yes, it is necessary for me to stipulate the nationality) Look no more. Or, if you're not weird like me and don't plan outfits up to a month in advance, wear this to lunch with your husband and look put together even if there's drool on your tank underneath.

Ahh, don't you feel comforted and fuzzy? Unfortunately, online window shopping always turns into online legitimate shopping for me, and then I feel rejected by my budget. I hate you, budget. I love you, fall sweaters.

What's your favorite thing about fall? (And OMG I had that Nick Jr song "I feel like I'm falling for fall" ALL DAY LONG TODAY.

Endowed: Dressing Your Knockers!

So I have had tons of comments regarding big boobs and how hard it is to find things to wear. I have never had this problem, as I stopped developing at about 12 years old. I remember I was in grade 8, and asked my mom for a bra for the sole reason that the boys liked to go around snapping the girl's bra straps (which by the way, now I am like wow, that was really pervy.) and I was afraid I'd be the only girl without a bra strap to snap. My mom bought me a padded one. However, now that I am pregnant I can pretend like I have big boobs. WOO!

Anyhow, I can understand your pain. Having a feature that throws off your whole wardrobe is rough. Later this week we'll look at some other problem areas as well. But today, boobs it is!

I think the biggest (HAH! pun VERY intended) problem with you Pamela Anderson-boobed girlies out there is that your chest is off in plus size territory, while the rest of you is not so anxious. So you end up wearing baggy stuff that conceals your super cute shape, just so you can have something FIT without looking like a stripper.

There are a few types of tops that are going to work for you.

First. DEFINE A WAIST. Blousy tops are not for you, oh big chested one. They will make you look big all over. Consider this one from Baby Phat. It uses a belt to define that waist, so you can say to the world "I PROMISE THERE IS A BODY UNDER HERE!"

Check out this top:

It's cute, but BAD for you. Its going to stick out about 3 feet off of your body and look awkward, just bringing more attention to the ta-tas, but not in an attractive way. More like "I wonder if she has to wear special back supporting undergarments" way.

Choose non-low cut scoop necks. They flatter everyone. And the empire waist? Great

if your tummy needs a little camouflage. I love something like this for just running errands or whatever. Its SO easy.

This pic is tiny, but if you're feeling exposed, add a little cami underneath. Not only will it make you a little more modest, but I'm not going to lie. I've totally used a tight tank top underneath a tight shirt to suck me in a little. Plus, puff sleeves? VERY good for big busts. It'll balance them out in proportion to your body. Go check out the nicer pic at Torrid (I HATE when I can't copy pics from a site. BOO)

A v-neck like this, though it seems counter intuitive, is a great way to keep the girls under wraps. Think about it. What happens when you wear a turtleneck? Your boobs look MASSIVE right? Because you have all that fabric covering them, you can see the full outline. So if you try a deeper v instead, its going to cut down on their size. This one is from Bluefly, and is adorable.

So then, take a deep v, (with a cami if you want) with an empire waist = pretty much pure perfection as far as you're concerned. (Nordstrom)

Now, wrap tops are going to be great if you can adjust the actual wrapping. Again, a deep v is great, and then wrap that top right at the smallest part of your waist, wherever that may be. For most big busted girls, it'll be the stop right under the bust. This one from Bluefly is great, because the tie is so wide.

Another really great one from Kristian Alfonso. Again, if your smallest point is a little higher, just yank that belt off and reposition.

Now for jackets. We did blazers last week, and someone asked why her jackets was all gappy and made her look even MORE busty. Ah, that would be the button placement, commonly known in the fashion world as the "stance". Basically, as a big busted girl, you cannot buy a jacket with a low stance. This is reserved for people like me, when I'm NOT wearing my padded bra. You need to choose a jacket with one or two buttons ( I would shy away fro 3 buttons though, it's just too much) and they should button right across the center of your bust. I am going to give you WAY too much info, and tell you that by center, I mean like, nipp-age. Got it? BEcause I'm not going to tell you again.

Check out the difference here:

These buttons are terrible for a big busted girl. This jacket is going gape and look totally weird because of the placement. Way too low.

This is just about perfect. Lock those girls down and leave the rest to imagination. If you are having trouble finding one that buttons up, buy a size up and have it tailored down. I know it sounds like a bother, but I do it with all of my pants (big butt, little waist, we'll address that later) and it takes a pair of ho-hum jeans to fitting like a GLOVE and being my favourite. Tailors do this all the time, and it'll be like $12. Totally worth it. Especially because this jacket is at Dr. Jays for 5.99, so yeah, its cute, you should buy it.

K, so hopefully you had a guide for next time you and your girls go shopping. Above all, flaunt it, and know that somewhere out there, I very jealous of you.

For the Full Figured Gals

K! Story time!

So once, my father in law was out and about, and he saw an acquaintance that he'd heard was pregnant a few months back. So he went to go talk to her, and just as they parted way, he patted her belly and said, "So, aren't you going to have that baby yet?"

She had. A few months ago.

Awkward.

So, they both learned a valuable lesson that day. He never says anything to anyone ever about pregnancy, and she learned to rethink the way she dressed.

I have four brothers, and if there is anything I learned from them growing up is that wearing bigger clothes does nothing but draw attention to the fact that you've got something to hide. I remember them mocking relentlessly the girl who would show up to the pool in full shorts and t-shirts. It was like a big sign: INSECURITY! INSECURITY!

The truth is, you work with what you have. If you happen to be plus size, stop wishing for a smaller body and stop punishing yourself by not buying clothes until you're a size 4.

There are some ADORABLE things that I turned up, courtesy or Torrid and Lane Bryant, the latter which I don't usually love, but after some hunting, found to be pretty adorable.

I love layering, but it can be tricky if you're full figured. However, this piece was made to look like two, so you can get the effect without the bulk.

K, I covet this dress so very much. So VAMPY! And not ordinary- You'd have to have some serious curves to pull it off. Buy it.

These pants are fantastic in their fit and proportion. See that thicker tab waist too? It'll flatten out and look super svelte.

K, patterns can be tricky with plus sizes. Don't choose anything too big or too contrasting, they are going to emphasize everything you don't want them too. This linear shirt is just about perfect. The stripes are running vertically, making you look longer.

See the difference with the pattern on this shirt? It's bigger, and what's worse, the pattern is ROUND. Not good.
"
Boo.

And you don't always have to do flowy shirts. Check out this super cute structured one. The frill down the middle detracts from any problem areas, bringing your eye right to the center instead.

Finally, this is pretty much the perfect dress for a fuller figure. Nips in at your smallest part, and then flares out in an a-line. And the square neckline adds a bit of interest using a faux shrug. LOVE.

K. Bottom line? These are not your grandma's plus sized clothes. I better not catch you in your husband's basketball shirt EVER. AGAIN.

Sweet Deals on Stuff You Should Buy

This is horrible. I set out looking for good deals, and I ended up buying a lot of stuff. Don't tell my husband.

I'm sticking with tops and dresses today because I don't recommend you buy pants or short over the internet. They really need to be tried on before buying.

Changing up your wardrobe shouldn't have to be expensive. There are pieces all over the place that aren't going to break your budget. All of this stuff can be found at the clothing company's corresponding websites. Happy shopping. Direct your husband's hate mail to me.

Nordstrom - $14

Venus - $10

Venus - $10

15DollarStore.com -$15 (Obviously)

Body Central - $15 (love this one an obsessive amount)

Body Central - $15

Macy's - $18

Venus - $24

Nordstrom - $12 (Oh my gosh, this with a little brown cardigan? Adorable.)