UnStyled : 001

At the end of last year, I sent out a survey to all of my readers asking for some insight on what they wanted to see on this here blog in 2015. I’ve talked about this a couple times since, but seriously, my readers are the absolute greatest. You guys were so honest and sweet in those surveys, but there were a few surprises in there! One of which was the multiple requests for a style column.

I attempted a style column a few years ago, but I haven’t posted there in a while, mostly because I felt like it was super dorky. And goodness knows I wouldn’t want anyone thinking I was a DORK! Ha!

But seriously, in the past year or two my style has evolved from a lot of trendy, fun pieces to a more subdued look, and I just didn’t think it would translate in to a blog post. It’s funny, because it was only when I stopped caring so much what I was wearing that people seemed to notice what I was wearing! I can’t count how many times in the last few months I’ve met new people and told them I’m a blogger and they responded, “Oh, a fashion blogger?” And then I do my best not to laugh in their faces, because HUH?

I’ve done a lot of work in my life on letting go of the past and moving forward, and this process has caused some major purges of “stuff.” I have gone through my closet several times and ended up with trash bags of dresses, skirts, jeans, purses and shoes to donate. I tend to wear the same five outfits over and over again, so I decided to focus on buying more quality pieces and sticking with what I like. I used to be super into color and statement pieces, but now I’m finding myself in more basics with fun accents and accessories. It makes my life so much easier. I used to stare at my closet each morning and get so overwhelmed with what I should wear, but these days I just grab and go, because I literally love everything in there and it all goes together so I can mix and match without much effort.

Lately, a big online fashion trend has been creating a “capsule wardrobe,” a small number of curated clothing pieces, which you change out each season (you can read more about capsule wardrobes here). I’ve been reading posts all over the web about these capsule collections, and the other day I realized I’ve been unintentionally creating a capsule wardrobe for the past two years. It’s definitely the way to go if you’re having trouble finding your style or if getting dressed stresses you out. Since I’ve started curating my wardrobe, I’ve finally been able to find my own sense of style, instead of trying to emulate what others are doing.

My style is definitely a mix of form and function, which is the trademark of a mom and something I really focused on in the last style column I did. My days are a mix of work and parenting, usually simultaneously, so I need my clothes to be easily translated to both worlds. I like to look cute and put together, but I can’t be tripping over myself when I’m chasing Tate down the sidewalk! This outfit is pretty representative of a normal weekday. I would wear this to a photo shoot, then to coffee with a friend, then back to the office to get some work done before I pick up the kids from school.

Sweater – J. Crew
Legging Jeans – Hue
Blanket Scarf – Jane (sold out, but similar here)
Booties – Frye
Lips – Russian Red by MAC

Special thanks goes out to my friend Lane of Missalaneyus who shot these photos for me! We are so grateful that the rad staff at the Upper Crust Bakery allowed us to use their shop for a location, since it was 18 degrees outside on the day of our shoot. Their pies and pastries are amazing, and you know we couldn’t leave without a piece (or in my case, an entire pie).

Okay, the first UnStyled post is officially done! I decided to call this new column UnStyled because really, that’s what my personal style is all about. It’s not about looking perfect, but about being a little rumpled by life, and doing it with flair. I may not be the most fashionable girl in the room, but when I feel good about what I’m wearing, I think it shows.