Gardening in High Heels

cultivate a beautiful life

On A Shoestring: Transition Summer Clothes

Okay, I don’t know about y’all, but I don’t really dress seasonally appropriate. I don’t put summer clothes in storage and bring out the winter stuff. I like to have it all at my fingertips (sometimes to the detriment of my schedule in the morning), but sometimes that leaves me looking really not right for the season. And cold. I’m a person who likes to be warm. Oh, and save my money.

Enter a new series: On a Shoestring. I’m collaborating with Amy over at Amy and Angie on a series of posts to re-imagine fashion, food, decor (sorry, there’s no f-word for that) and more all on a shoestring budget. It doesn’t take a Rockefeller-sized closet (or house) and budget to look good.

It's so easy to take your summer outfits and make them fall-ready and fabulous, even on a budget!

Today’s mission: transition summer clothes. I love my summer dresses, but they don’t always scream autumn. And I’m like, I paid for it, I’mma wear it as much as I can! Gotta keep that cost-per-wear low.

I took this adorable summer dress (from Rosewood Boutique in Sewickley – they’re currently having a going-out-of-business-25%-off sale) and added three really budget friendly elements to make it jewel toned and weather-friendly.

Take any summer dress and easily transition it to a fall-ready outfit.

It already started out with a fall color, navy, so the transformation process was pretty simple.

First thing’s first: add in structure, especially with a flow-y dress like this. Nothing screams structure more than a good leather jacket (yeah, yeah, yeah, leather jackets aren’t cheap, but find one that fits within your budget and buy it. Take care of your clothes and it’s great investment.)

After the leather comes some tights. Stay warm, right? I buy most of my tights on clearance at Target. They have amazing patterned tights and beauties like the ruby-hued ones I’m rocking.

Finally, a dark vampy lip. Hell, even a berry lip will do.

Transition Your Cloest To Fall -- add leather! Love this jacket!

Transition Your Cloest To Fall -- add tights

Transition Your Cloest To Fall -- add tights

Transition Your Cloest To Fall--add dark lipstick.

You absolutely have to check out how Amy refashioned a white lace dress into a cute skirt and totally nailed a cozy fall look. For $3. Three stinkin’ dollars! Killin’ it.

Here’s the details on what I’m wearing. Everything was already in my closet. I just had to mix it together.

Dress: ETWO (from Rosewood Boutique)

Jacket: BB Dakota (from No. 14 Boutique – see it here another way)

Tights: Merona, Target

Booties: Old Navy

Lips: Notion, Ultra Matte Lip from ColourPop Cosmetics

Transition Your Cloest To Fall-Three Easy and Budget Friendly Steps

How do you transition your summer clothes?

Save

Creative Closet: Favorite Denim

I love denim so much, I could live in jeans.  LIke, find-a-large-pair-and-make-myself-a-tent live in jeans.It’s another prompt from The Creative Closet that was made for me.  Denim is my favorite.  It’s casual, classic, dressy.. It can be whatever you want it to be.

This is an outfit I wore to work on Friday and got so many compliments on it, I couldn’t not post it.  And it’s an outfit that I don’t want to take off.  You know that feeling when you just nail something and it all comes together juuust right?Denim is perfect any time. Love casual, destroyed denim looks.The problem is…I didn’t take pictures that day.  In true Angelica fashion, I let it go until the last minute, but I absolutely had to participate today because my girl Jaelan is co-hosting the link up.

That is another post for another day, but it involved a self timer, a car, and a scarf.  I need one of those remote thingies Katy told me about from Amazon like, yesterday.

Despite all that, I still couldn’t narrow down the pictures.  I told you, I’m never taking this outfit off.  Pardon me, but I look damn good if I say so myself.  It’s all in the accessories (and a confident attitude is the best accessory, but rockin’ necklaces really help.)Destroyed denim from American Eagle. Perfect for spring with a light sweater and a bright lip!Destroyed denim from American Eagle. Perfect for spring with a light sweater and a bright lip! Add a scarf for a little extra something on a chilly day. Destroyed denim from American Eagle. Perfect for spring with a light sweater and a bright lip! Destroyed denim from American Eagle. Perfect for spring with a light sweater and a bright lip! Add a scarf for extra texture.Most of my jeans are from American Eagle because they fit the best to me.  The thing about denim is that what feels good on one person doesn’t feel good to the other.

Usually I wear jeans that are skinny (here, here, here) or that have a boot cut flair (here, here), but these straight jeans rolled up just a bit work on me for some reason.Isaac Mizrahi Live watch, Studebaker Metals brass cuff, and Pandora #armparty American Eagle Straight Jeans Destroyed denim from American Eagle. Perfect for spring with a light sweater and a bright lip!Paired with my other favorite polka dots and some bright lips, I have spring casual written all over me, don’tcha think?

Top: Sonoma
Sweater, scarf, jeans: American Eagle
Booties: Old Navy
Watch: Isaac Mizrahi Live
Cuff: Studebaker Metals
Triangle necklace: from The Shop in East Liberty
Lips: Almay Smart Shade Lip Butter in Pink Medium

What’s your favorite denim look?

[disclaim]Don’t forget to enter my giveaway for a chance to win a copy of Hausfrau, Jill Alexander Essbaum’s new juicy read![/disclaim]

Creative Closet: Polka Dotted Polka Dots

Polka dots are amazing.  That said, I don’t have many items with polka dots.  I usually gravitate towards things that are a little more plain (blah) and add lots of accessories on top.  Or I add fun tights (and here I do both).

This past weekend, I needed something that would keep me warm but would also be theatre-appropriate.  I joined Jonathan on an outing to the ballet with some of his trivia friends.

Old Navy Polka Dot sweater dressChloe and Isabel Heirloom Chain + Pavé Convertible Necklace

When I saw this dress, I was instantly drawn to it.  First, it’s gray.  We all know how much I love me some gray things.  Second, it’s a sweater-dress.  Perfect for winter.  Third, it was a cool pattern!  Usually, polka dots are smaller and closer together.  I love that this is a little more “graphic” with it’s dottiness and less like a repeating pattern.

Polka dot sweater dress for winter

Dress: Old Navy | Sweater: one of a kind made for me! | Tights: Target | Boots: Michael Kors | Necklace: Chloe and Isabel

Of course, I had to add on a fun necklace.  I love the orbs of sparkle in here and they reflect the dots in the outfit.

I was going to wear booties so you could see more of the pattern in the tights, but it was cold, so I was going for as much body coverage as possible.  For that purpose, I love these boots.  I found them for a mad steal at an end-of-season sale.

My favorite part of this outfit is the sweater.  My mom made this for me and it fits perfectly without her measuring it against my body while she was making it.

Make a statement with polka dots and Chloe and IsabelLet me emphasize her talents.. She lives in Virginia.  I live in Pennsylvania.  And she knit a sweater that fits just based upon knowing my shoulder span.  Insane.

It was freezing when I was taking pictures, so that’s why we only have a couple of shots.  Props to Jonathan for standing outside with me and taking pictures.  He was wearing a coat, gloves, hat, ear wraps, scarf and still complaining that he was cold, though!  Men… (Thanks, sweetie!)

Side note: where does “polka dot” come from?  Also, does it start to look wrong the more you write/say it?  Because I’m over here like “polka dots…poka dots…poke-a dots…wait what’s right anymore?”
Linking up with:

The Creative Closet
[disclaim]The Chloe and Isabel link isn’t a referral link, but Carly is a friend of mine and I want to support friends where I can.  So go check out her boutique![/disclaim]

Let’s Play

           

People Really Dug These

We Belong in the Garden Together