This whole outfit cost me a grand total of $25:

• top: thrift store $4
• cardigan: DownEast Basics $15 (on sale)
• belt: hand-me-down from Grandma
• skirt: thrift store $2
• shoes: thrift store $4

Adding cardigans, tights, and scarves makes any look more appropriate for fall. Cardigans don’t have to be expensive, they just have to show some variety: animal print, stripes, black and a couple of solids in your favorite colors.

This outfit cost me $11.50:

• scarf: thrift store $3
• cardigan: thrift store $3
• top (unpictured): $2.50
• skirt: ModBod (gift)
• tights: Gap (gift)
• shoes: thrift store $3

Like the first outfit, this one is based on a knee-length skirt and top/cardigan combination. Adding brown tones (a must for fall!), opaque tights, a thick cardigan, and scarf gives it a fuller fall feel. Tights are also a must for fall/winter wardrobes. Gap tights are adorable, but can run a tad tight. Buy a size larger if you’re looking to buy them. Hanes tights are FABULOUS, but if you’re lucky enough to live near an H&M, STOCK UP! Their tights are the best thing since sliced bread. Scarves are also a great way to transition a summer look into fall. Thrift stores are a great place to find funky scarves that you wouldn’t ordinarily see anywhere else.

This outfit cost me $55:

• earrings: Payless (gift)
• blazer: thrift store $4
• top: The ModBod (gift)
• belt: thrift store $1
• shorts: Puramania $20
• tights: Hanes (gift)
• boots: Forever 21 $30

This is the quintessential transitional outfit. The shorter, colder days aren’t really lending themselves to shorts, but with a pair of rockin’ colored tights, who cares? Wear ‘em anyway! See why tights are so important for a fall wardrobe? Dress up your shorts by pairing them with a blazer. This particular blazer was found in the boy’s department of one of my favorite thrift stores. Another DIY fashion tip: don’t be afraid to wander outside your designated department. You never know what you’ll find. I’ve found blazers in the Boys section & women’s dresses in the Girl’s department! I’ve even wandered the teen aisles of H&M, Target, & Walmart with great success. Try it sometime.

Here’s a little list of my go-to places for inexpensive fashion:

• DownEast Basics
• Deseret Industries (D.I.)
• Forever 21
• H&M
• Uber Chic for Cheap – a fashion blog devoted to finding the best looks for less
• Kmart
• Target

Have fun experimenting with layering this fall!

]]> http://momitforward.com/diy-fall-fashion-how-to-stretch-your-wardrobe-and-your-pocketbook/feed 4 http://momitforward.com/warming-up-your-winter-wardrobe http://momitforward.com/warming-up-your-winter-wardrobe#comments Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:51:02 +0000 Jyl Johnson Pattee http://momitforward.com/?p=2807 The days are getting shorter, the nights are longer, and Halloween is around the corner!  Timex Trend Director Amy Goodman shared some great fashion tips with us this week, giving us food for thought on how to add a few …

The days are getting shorter, the nights are longer, and Halloween is around the corner!  Timex Trend Director Amy Goodman shared some great fashion tips with us this week, giving us food for thought on how to add a few new pieces to last year’s wardrobe.  Try these trends for a fast closet pick-me-up.

• Autumn ushers in a range of rich colors and dark neutrals. Transition into the season and strike a happy medium with the “new” neutral color: gray. The hue, while classic, makes a fresh impression in gray top-handle bags, light gray cardigans and charcoal pleated pants. All pieces complement the jewel tones popular for the season.
• It’s no surprise that black is also back, so dress it up with color and metallics for a modern approach. Try a red silk scarf with a sleek little black dress.  Mix black with silver in any jewelry combination – like a chunky necklace and bracelet watch.
• Since the rule of no white after Labor Day has long been null, take a classic vestige of summer – the white bag – and pair it alongside your black outfit for a flash of bright on a cold day.
• Take your sunny floral print dresses—yes, your summer ones—and top with a blazer.
• Shoes are a great accessory—this season’s embellished flats, sexy heels and sporty sneakers are all great to pair with last year’s basic outfit. Let your feet do the talking!

Join TimexStyle’s Facebook page for style tips, access to special promotions, and more.

Photo used with permission from Flickr.

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Remember the 80s? The awe-inspiring punk green, bright blues and hotter-than-hot neon pink that we wore in the 80s are again splashed all over the fashion pages. But can anyone over 18 make it work?  Never fear, there are many ways to wear this trend other than going head-to-toe dayglo.  Timex Trend Director Amy Goodman suggests five ways to work bright colors into your everyday wardrobe without making you look like you’re trying to turn back your clock – and they also won’t break the bank!

1)     Pair bright blue flats with black leggings and a cozy long black sweater.

2)     Bring a bright pink scarf into your outerwear wardrobe to liven up black, grey or winter white coats.

3)     Rock some neon jewelry, like bangle bracelets or chunky necklaces – get affordable versions at Target, H&M or Claire’s.

4)     Grab a neon clutch handbag to liven up every outfit, day or night.

5)     Strap on a bright watch for a flash of color under those long sleeves.

Watch Amy’s video on TimexStyle’s Facebook page for more tips on 80’s fashion.

I just went there, took a short quiz, and found out my personal ice cream flavor is “Double Bubble Sorbet,” which means that I have the following ingredients: “tons of fun, a few rays of sunshine, a little bliss, some flirtatiousness, vivacity, brightness, and spunk.” Who knew? LOL!

I can’t wait to hear what your flavor is when you enter this stylish, not to mention FABULOUS, giveaway!

Prize

Grand Prize

Two lucky winners will receive the following. (See entry requirements below.)

• $100 Famous Footwear gift certificate
• $100 Ice cream gift basket, including ice cream, toppings, and sauces

Coupon

Whether or not you win this week’s giveaway, make your back-to-school shoe shopping spree a little more affordable by visiting MakeTodayUnexpected.com where you can enter to receive $10.00 off your next Famous Footwear purchase of $50.00 or more.

Entry Requirements

To enter for a chance to win, you are required to do four things (make sure you leave a separate comment for each of your entries).

Note: Entries that do not follow all of these requirements will not be considered.

1. Take the ‘Find Your Flavor’ quiz by clicking here. Leave a comment on this post with your flavor and e-mail address.
2. Become a fan of the Famous Footwear’s Make Today Unexpected Facebook Page. (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Make-Today-Famous/112646406371?ref=ts)
3. Follow @maketodayfamous on Twitter.
4. Post these messages on Facebook and/or on Twitter and leave comments here, linking to your messages:

What’s your flavor? Find out by clicking here: http://www.maketodayunexpected.com/#/quiz. PLS RT

GIVEAWAY! Enter 2 win $200 in shoes & ice cream from @maketodayfamous #famousfootwear. http://bit.ly/Vq5Qf PLS RT

Extra Entries

You can earn up to four extra entries for this week’s giveaway. Leave an additional comment for each.

• Become a Famous Footwear REWARDS club member (free).
• On the Make Today Unexpected Facebook wall or on Twitter, post something unexpected that has happened to make your day or week more positive and link to it here.
• Make Today Unexpected in your life by commenting on this post: http://bit.ly/2qVE5X.
• Post the following message on Twitter and/or Facebook and leave a comment here, linking to your message:

Download #FamousFootwear coupon 4 back-to-school/fall savings: http://bit.ly/fogQH PLS RT

The Fine Print

No purchase necessary to enter. Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. Famous Footwear and Mom It Forward employees are ineligible to participate. All entries received after Sunday, August 30 at midnight PDT will not be considered. Entries that do not follow all of the entry requirements will not be considered.

What: Famous Footwear on #gno (Click here to learn about #gno!)

When: Tuesday, August 25, 9-11 p.m. EST

Where: Click here to party with us on our custom Tweetgrid. (Use hashtags #gno & #famousfw.)

Topic: Shoes and ice cream (making today ‘unexpected’)

Who: @barefootmomma from Barefoot Mommies, @dcrmom from Musings of a Housewife, @extraordmommy from Extraordinary Mommy, @famous_footwear, @maketodayfamous from Famous Footwear, @momspark from Mom Made That, @OhMommy from Classy Chaos, @sthrnfairytale from A Southern Fairytale, @shanmorris from Famous Footwear

Party Favors: Click here to check out this week’s giveaway sponsored by Famous Footwear.

RSVP: Please leave your Twitter ID in the comments to follow and be followed (on Twitter, of course!) by other #gno gals. The best format is as follows: http://twitter.com/jylmomIF.

Check out this fun video! Can you relate to the enthusiasm these women feel for shoes?