HOW TO WEAR WINTER WHITE'S

One of my very favorite styles during the winter is the winter white trend. It's easiest to start with white jeans as your base, so pull them back out of storage and try these tips for wearing this chic and cozy combination!

1. Wear obvious winter pieces. If you're wearing cotton or linen, your outfit feels summery. Choose white pieces that are obviously winter pieces, like sweaters, coats, scarves, cardigans, wool hats, and turtlenecks. They'll automatically make your outfit feel cozy. I chose this pretty oversized sweater from Nordstrom, and I love the button details on the back.

2. Play with various shades of white. Cream, gray, camel, tan, blush....these are all good choices that pair well with crisp white and make them feel more winter-y.

3. Keep your accessories and shoes in the same color family. I like to wear darker shoes, like these gorgeous brown ankle boots from Nordstrom, because the dark piece helps ground the outfit. A pair of gray or brown over the knee boots would look gorgeous with this outfit too.

4. Play with texture. I have a knitted sweater, button details, raw hemmed jeans, a leather bag, and shoes with perforation details. You don't have to go overboard, but if you have a variety of texture in a monochromatic outfit, it has a lot more interested.

SWEATER (wearing size small)  ||  SIMILAR JEANS  ||  ANKLE BOOTS  ||  BAG  ||  SUNGLASSES 

For a dressier look, you could start with a white dress or skirt as a base and add cozy neutral layers like an oversized cardigan or a cream wool coat.

There are so many possibilities with this style. Think you can wear it??

Also I've rounded up some of my favorite cozy neutral pieces that would be perfect for those winter white outfits!

thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post
photos by rad and happy 

HOW TO MIX FEMININE AND MASCULINE PIECES

sponsored by zappos

LOOK 1:  SIMILAR SHIRT  ||  JEANS  ||  BAG  ||  SUNGLASSES  ||  HEELS

LOOK 2:  DRESS  ||  SIMILAR LEATHER JACKET  ||  SNEAKERS  ||  BAG c/o GIGI NEW YORK

One of the biggest styles that I saw over and over at New York Fashion Week this year was menswear inspired. I think it's such a fun style for any woman to try, and today I've teamed up with Zappos to share two ways to wear it.

1. Boyfriend jeans and heels. I love the look of boyfriend jeans paired with heels, and for this look I took it a step farther and wore them with a white button up -- another piece that feels a little masculine.  I've tried a lot of boyfriend jeans over the years, and this pair is my absolute favorite. They're so comfortable and are perfectly distressed (I have a tutorial on how to patch the thigh hole if you need it).

I paired them with these velvet heels that I had to have the second I laid eyes on them. They're stunning and so great for fall, and make a statement with this very basic look. I added a large, simple bag and some funky sunglasses, and feminine/masculine outfit number one is complete.

2. Sneakers and a dress. If you've read my blog or followed me on instagram for the last year or two, you know how obsessed I've become with sneakers. They're an absolute closet staple for me. I wear them with everything, including dresses, because I love the mix of masculine and feminine that it creates.

Typically I choose shorter dresses to pair with my sneaks, but this midi dress looked so great with my velvet superga's that I just couldn't say no. Add a leather jacket for a little bit of edge, and you have one of my favorite outfits ever.


Zappos has such a huge selection of sneakers, dresses, jackets, accessories -- you name it. They're definitely my go-to for great pieces in my closet. And now with their new free VIP rewards program, you can earn points every time you shop. Check out the program and sign up right here!

photos by rad and happy

BODY CON DRESSES + THE BEST SHAPEWEAR

DRESS  ||  HEELS (less expensive version here)

With the holidays approaching, we're heading into party season. I love a good party dress, but along with all the holiday treats, I also like some good shapewear to make sure those dresses look the best they can. 

Shapewear is tough, so I did the grunt work for you today and tried out a few different brands and styles to tell you all the pros and cons of each!

Every woman should have at least one piece of shapewear in her closet, so do yourself a favor and pick one up now so you're not scrambling at the last minute when you're headed to a holiday party and that dress just isn't laying quite right. 

There were three styles that I tried: slip dress, bodysuit, and shorts. 

BRAND #1: Commando. 

I hadn't ever tried this brand, but I tried both the shorts in a small and the slip dress in a small, both in the "nude" color. I really liked the color -- it was a good, natural nude so it wouldn't be obvious if it showed. They had no hems, so the bottom laid flat against my legs and didn't create a line under my clothing. 

The fabric on both of these were really lightweight but gave great control. You could wear these all day and night and never feel constricted or uncomfortable. The shorts were great for tummy control, and smoothed everything out nicely without being tight. The slip was the same -- great smoothing capabilities, and I liked that it came all the way up over my bust, rather than cutting underneath. It even gave my bust a little lift which I'll never complain about ;) The length is a little longer, which gives great coverage and shaping down your leg, but not great for shorter dress hemlines. It hit me a few inches above my knee and I'm 5'6".  

The price on the Commando brand is very reasonable -- the shorts are under $60 and the slip is just under $100, and based on the fabric they are sturdy and will last for many, many wears. Definitely recommend. 

BRAND #2: Yummie. 

I tried both the slip (in x-small) and shorts (in x-small/small). The slip was definitely more of a standard slip, but in a strange plastic-y fabric. It claims to smooth and slim, but honestly it was so paper thin that it did nothing for me, and the straps felt like they were going to snap because they were so thin. And even in the x-small it was slightly loose. I don't recommend this one. 

However, the shorts were great. They were thick and very fitted -- a little more challenging to get on, but comfortable once they were on and had great control. They do have a hem though so if you're wearing a dress with thin fabric, the hemline could show through. It had built in silicone dots at the waist for no-slip control. I actually liked these quite a bit, and these are a great price point. 

BRAND #3: Spanx. 

Of course Spanx is the most commonly known brand of shape wear and has become a proprietary eponym (have you ever looked up a list of proprietary eponyms? So interesting). Since it's such a well known brand, I was excited to see how it stacked up against these other brands. I tried the high waisted shorts in a small, this bodysuit in a small, and this bodysuit in a small. 

The shorts were my least favorite of the three Spanx pieces I tried, and definitely not as good as the Commando or Yummie ones. You can't tell from the product photo, but the nude is more of a gray color rather than a true nude. Also the tummy was very tight on me, while the legs were normal. Probably great if you're a pear shaped body type. 

I liked both of these body suits -- the one with the open bust was very thin and comfortable and a good nude color (although fairly light), but if you carry weight in your tummy and have a large bust, this cut-out will probably cut you off in the wrong way, and the next one will probably be better. 

The second bodysuit was perfect. Great color, super comfortable, sucked everything in, and I loved that it had built in shaping elements you could actually see. Plus it had chest support and, like the Commando one, gave my bust a little lift. 

Shop the post here:

photos by rad and happy