Saturday, August 27, 2016

Triplets



You know those outfits that you see in magazines or on models and you think "I could never pull that off”...well, that was these pants. After 4 kids in 3 years even the word "waist" makes me shudder. However, these pants fit all three of us perfectly and were also the perfect price! ($15?) I decided to pair them with a tight fitting tank and a modern asymmetrical blazer with pointy pumps. I wanted to go with something that was a little bit 80s-meets-modern and I think it worked out. 



I definitely wasn't so sure about these pants at first, but peer pressure from the sisters tricked me into buying them. Now I'm glad I did!
These pants are different from any I've worn before: high waisted, with a length that I couldn't quite wrap my mind around, and an interesting shape around the hips (as a result of the high waist, I believe). I originally planned to style them with a new shirt I bought at the same time, but when I tried it on Wednesday night I just wasn't feeling it. The two new pieces together just didn't feel genuine, and I didn't feel like myself. Enter: trusty shirt in a color I love. I got this shirt from Kohl's in two colors because I love it so much! The pocket flaps, the pleats in the front, and especially the sparkles on the collar all come together for a cute, classy look that always makes me feel feminine and put together. That's why it was the perfect shirt to help me feel comfortable with these new pants--at least if they looked ridiculous on me, I'd still look ok from the waist up! From there, the rest of my choices were pretty easy. I put my hair up to show off the shirt collar. My shoes were based on style and comfort. The length of the pants called for heels, but after the first couple days of school my feet were killing me. Thank goodness for these Famous Footwear shoes that give just the right amount of height while also having the most comfortable sole I've experienced! Overall, the combination of new with tried and true made this a huge success for me! I felt confident and fierce all day.






I have always wanted to be triplets with my two wonderful, gorgeous, older sisters, and even just pretending, when we wear the same clothes, makes my inner child absolutely giddy! I wish I had a little more freedom to style these pants, because they've got so much potential! But I did have a lot of fun wearing them for my state board exams. One of the most critically important things for me, as a hairstylist, is that my clothes are comfortable and functional--these pants definitely fit the bill. They don't hug anywhere that I don't want them to, and sit so perfectly on top of my hips. Pairing them with a simple Downeast shirt was great for my mobility (my arms need free movement!) and my trusty h&m flats kept me comfy throughout the day. Five hours of stressful testing on your feet isn't easy, but with this outfit, it was a dream.

Saturday, August 20, 2016

The 30 Wear Challenge

Hi all!

This week I have been thinking a lot about my wardrobe.  I saw a post on Instagram about the "30 Wears Challenge", and decided to do a little digging.  It all seems to have started with Livia Firth, wife of actor Colin Firth, who is trying to lead a campaign for more sustainable fashion.  She has suggested that when considering buying an article of clothing, we should ask ourselves, "Will I wear this 30 times?"

While researching this idea, I came across some statistics that were shocking to me:

  • "The average woman keeps a piece of clothing in her wardrobe for only 5 weeks" (http://www.styleconscious.net/eco-fashion/sustainable-style-30-wears)
  • "Women generally wear  their clothing only 7 times before disposing of them" (@TheNew_Wardrobe twitter)
  • "The average party top is worn 1.7 times before being discarded" (tortoiseandladygrey.com, Aug. 8, 2016)
There were some other, equally shocking statistics that I can't seem to find now.  It's unbelievable how wasteful we can be in the name of "fashion"! So while I definitely can do better, and will begin asking myself the #30wear question at the store, I decided to highlight a couple articles of clothing in my closet that I have worn at least 30 times.


This navy blue dress is very flattering and has a classic fit/shape that definitely stands the test of time!




Everyone needs a trusty pencil skirt, right?  It's these great, versatile pieces that never go out of style

I've had these jeans since my freshman year of college...that's right, going on 6 years of wears!



 Both of these shirts have been in my closet since high school.  
Definitely go-to shirts for me that I love!


In case you haven't noticed from the Instagram feed, I also have quite a few pieces from thrift stores, and my sisters and I are always swapping clothes when we're done with them.  These are great ways to get even more wears out of an article of clothing and help prolong the life of a garment.

What pieces in your closet have you worn 30 times?  What can you do to sustain the life of your clothing and combat the "fast fashion" waste? We'd love to hear your opinions!

Love,
Becky

Saturday, August 13, 2016

Introductions



It's hard to narrow things down to one paragraph when I feel like I've lived so much life and experienced so many things in just the last 5 years alone...but here goes. Just under 5 years ago I married the man of my dreams, we have since moved 9 times with a combined distance of over 8,000 miles. We also have 4 undeniably beautiful children: Gideon age 4, Annelise age 3, Olivia age 3, and Naomi age 1. While my husband pursues his dream of violin making, I am pursuing my dream of higher education while working in the admissions department of a locally founded university. My favorite color is grey and I wear a lot of neutrals. I love trying crazy things with my hair and aim for a classic style with an edge to it.









Hi! I'm Becky! I've been married to the most amazing man for four and a half years; no kids yet, but we are so looking forward to that. I teach math in high school, and yes, I am as big of a nerd as that makes me sound 😉. My husband and I watch way too much TV, including sitcoms, dramas, reality tv, sports, and everything in between. I love shopping of any kind, even for groceries. Every few years I chop my hair off, and then grow it out ridiculously long (currently in the ridiculously long stage).  I consider myself to be a pretty happy person, so I love wearing bright colors. I never feel fully dressed if all I'm wearing is neutrals. It's hard to tell you all about me in a little blurb, so I'm so excited to be sharing about my life and style through this blog and on Instagram with two great sisters!




So, first off, you should know that I'm terrible at introducing myself. In high school, when people would ask me what my life story was, I would talk about the boys I had liked in each stage of my life. So, in other words, I'm Elizabeth and I'm super awkward. However, I'm a lot more confident about my awkwardness now. I've been married for two and a half years and I have a fifteen month old baby girl. I'm currently in cosmetology school (which is a huge reason I've become so confident) and I am loving it! Being a hair stylist has changed my personal style a lot as well--mostly showing me that I can pull off anything I want to. Style is what we decide it is. And so I chopped all my hair off, I'm rocking a pixie, and I wear whatever I want (barring that which goes against the dress code at school) and I'm very happily being me.