"Hello and welcome to.... a day in the life of J!" No really, my life is straight boring. Maybe not boring (because it is what you make it) but it's pretty average. That's why I get so frustrated when I look at magazines and blogs and wonder where the heck people are going in these outfits?!?! So today I'm showing you what I actually wore yesterday. To a normal person's day. Doing normal person things. This first outfit is what I wore out with my friends for a lovely SATC-style dinner. Nothing crazy, but I still took the opportunity to show a little fashion flare with my new tuxedo jacket and leopard pumps over a basic black sweater and jeans.
Below is my outfit I wore for errands. I had lunch with a friend, went to the insurance office, and ran a couple other quick errands. What I love about this outfit is that it's super-casual and almost boyish with just little hints of sexiness in the leopard and v-neck. Definitely doable stuff for an average person, without raising too many eyebrows. (I don't know about you, but I prefer eyebrows to stay in place when I walk into a room.) How do you balance being stylish in real life?
Inspiration photo: People.com
Tuxedo jacket: c/o Express, $55
Sweater: Express, old
Jeans: Gap, $35
Necklace: Banana Republic, $20
Shoes: Banana Republic, $60
Purse: Urban Outfitters, $30
Sweater: American Eagle, old
Necklace: Banana Republic, $10
Jeans: American Eagle, $33
Shoes: Banana Republic, $60
Purse: River Island, $60
Watch: Michael Kors, family gift
Bracelets and ring: My Stella & Dot website
Every single day I wonder where fashion bloggers where their uber-stylish outfits. Thanks for sharing both of your looks! :)
ReplyDeleteBoth outfits are really cute - this is a great segment.
ReplyDeleteI don't do the balance very well, I tend to do jeans/nikes to work (I'm bad) but I'm trying to get there :)
I know what you mean! It is so frustrating to see all the blogs out there that seem to be nothing more than girls playing dress up! Of the hundreds (or close to it) blogs I've found, yours is by far my favorite. You're a practical woman. Your outfits aren't comprised entirely of J. Crew. You know what is good for your body type and complexion. But I'm sure you already knew all of this :-) You are fabulous! Keep up the great work (please! I would miss you too much if you stopped)!!
ReplyDeleteI tend to go lazy on errands - jeans and hoodies, plus moccasins, but since finding your blog, I'm much better about getting dressed up for class (I'm a part-time teacher, full-time student)!
I take what I wear to work pretty seriously, since my students aren't that much younger than me in age (9-10 years). I have to look distinguished from them somehow. When I'm at home, I'm completely in pajamas, but if I have to go on errands, I'm pretty basic in jeans and boots or flats and no makeup. Gotta be able to relax some time.
ReplyDeletehttp://stylishsass.blogspot.com/2012/01/tweedy.html
I definitely got more dressed up when I lived in Manhattan since it felt the city as a whole is more fashion forward. Now that I live in Jersey, it seems a lot of people are out and about in sweatpants and hoodies. But that's just not me. I enjoy getting dressed up and I'd rather be overdressed than under dressed any day. :)
ReplyDelete-Sharon
HOLD UP. Are the outfits you typically post NOT what you wore that day!? I never realized that!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way!!!! Wondering where are people going dressed like that ... and sometimes it doesn't even go with the climate outside! :P
ReplyDelete♡ from © tanvii.com
Lol that is so true. Some outfits are amazing and I'd love to wear them but, where? I love both outfits here!
ReplyDeleteI am so happy to read this post and the comments below. I am not from the USA so I see some of these fashion blogs and think that you guys must get soooooo dressed up everyday haha. It's good to know that that isn't the reality for most.
ReplyDeleteI love this blog because i can actually use it for ideas in everyday life and look more polished but not over the top. Thanks for all your hard work J :)
I love this Sarah! I never even thought about it from that perspective. A lot of bloggers live in NYC or LA, where it is acceptable to wear pretty much anything and a lot of people dress up! Tons of fun but I live in this suburbs, which is a daily life that I think many of us are living, and the clothes are generally much more casual.
ReplyDeleteCheck out the "What is J's Everyday Fashion?" and "Q&A with J" tabs, and the About Me in the right hand column. It's about 40/60. If I wore it, I'll tell you where in the caption. But this blog is mostly meant to be a magazine format, where I'm showing you practical, everyday ideas for all climates and for all occasions (I don't work in an office, but I used to!) and hopefully some of them will work for you!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree Sharon! I would love to bring dressing up back! I love the way people used to wear suits and hats to church. :-)
ReplyDeleteKate, this is so sweet, thank you! I think a lot of people don't "get" my blog, which is one reason I do it (lol). Not all of us want to see outrageous outfits day after day, but a little creativity in everyday life, that's what I'm after. :-)
ReplyDeleteLOVE this post! I completely agree about seeing outfits and thinking "where do you wear that?!". Keep it up :)
ReplyDeleteI never really realized you shopped on a budget!! I just thought you always lucked out and lo and behold it says right there in your statement-"
ReplyDeleteIf J can create cute, practical looks on a budget, you can too!"
So do you actually have a budget every month/week? How hard is it to stick to? I have to confess that I am a full on shopaholic and even though I used to work for an auction house that did business traditionally and on Ebay..I really just discovered Ebay for my shopping needs! I also started to keep a tab of exactly what I spend every month and how many pieced I buy-in my mind I guess it helps keep me on the straight and narrow but I really like to see when i get something for less than half price that I just saw in the stores!!
I love your looks and how you can take an inspiration and tone it down for everyday life!! It really helps with getting dressed in the morning. In my neighborhood the normal mom "uniform" right now is the Northface Jacket, jeans and UGGs( I call them UGGlies) or sneakers! I don't like to raise eyebrows wither but I refuse to wear that uniform, I always get "what are you dressed up for?" my smart ass answer is usually "Life!"
Thanks for all the great outfit ideas!!!
Cryst, I definitely have a budget (usually $100/month) that I try to stick to. I write a post every month to show you guys what I bought, how much it cost and why I bought it. They are all archived under "Table of Contents" in the Budget section if you want to check them out: http://www.jseverydayfashion.com/p/favorite-posts-and-videos.html
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't consider your outfit super casual (heels ≠ casual in my book) but it is very cute. I love that leopard bag!
ReplyDeleteA lot of the fashion blogs we see have outfits that look more like a magazine as than something in real life. They look great of course, but if I wore something like that around Baltimore I would definitely raise eyebrows!
ReplyDeleteMy daily goal is to leave the house looking like I actually CARE. Work, a movie or even just down the street for coffee, I try to actually take a few minutes to think about what I put on my body. It might not be fancy, but even in jeans, I try to look put together. And it works. In the past year, I have had more compliments on my appearance than I had in the first 45 years of my life. And I am no model. But playing in my closet can actually be FUN - even if everything doesn't fit the way I want it to!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you wholeheartedly! I've actually just stopped reading blogs with really high-end labels and super high fashion styling, because there's not much I can take from them to incorporate into my daily outfits. I do live in NYC, where a lot of women dress to the nines for work, but I don't work in a very glossy industry (mental health), so I need everyday looks that are practical but pretty. That's why I love your blog. Plus, you have a way of making every brand look expensive!
ReplyDeleteI love your casual outfit! I avoid heels when I'm running errands but still try to look like I made an effort. I usually achieve that with flat boots or wedge sandals, depending on the season.
ReplyDeleteThis is why I love and read your blog. Because I can relate to it! I truly believe what you post is what you wear! So much is emphasis is placed on fitting into a mold of a style, and a price budget that IMHO isn't practical for most. I love that you switch it up, mix high and low, and are SUPER stylish all the while.
ReplyDeleteSo sweet, thank you for this!! :-)
ReplyDeleteMy real life style is made up mostly of bleach stained yoga pants and old mens t-shirts. . . thats why I read your blog. I seriously need some ideason how to step it up a bit! I like what Patty said about "having a goal to leave the house looking like I actually care." Thanks for all the practical ideas J, keep it coming!
ReplyDeleteOhh you are rocking that blazer!! Now I want a white blazer too! I seek to just always look put together with my looks and have a little bit of flare no matter what I'm doing! I feel like (as is the case with your 2nd outfit) accessories MAKE the difference and give outfits a little flair and style!
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