Hello and a belated Happy Holidays to you!
I actually started this post in the MIDDLE of the Holiday Season and now I sit in the last days of Winter Break, brain in a hibernational fog (inventing words, it seems), trying to finish what I started before the clock strikes New Year! …I’m still working on the holiday cards, too. sigh ADD-Time Management Issues are AWESOME! Anyway, I know it’s late but I HAD to complete this post for my own sanity! Posting consistently is one of my greatest blogging challenges and it DRIVES ME NUTS! I actually DO work on posts regularly but often get pulled away from the task so many times that the posts never get completed in a timely manner and by the time I finish and have them ready to post, the seasonal content is usually outdated so I choose not to post it at all. It looks like I have abandoned my blog since October, and I haven’t! And that’s why you are seeing this Holiday Style post at the end of the season and not in the middle where it would make sense. I am forcing myself to complete this, even though it is outdated. A personal challenge, so to speak! An attempt to get over my own hurdles.
shiny ornament catches my eye Oh yeah, back on topic, the Holidays… I LOOOOOOOVE the Holiday Season! I mean, LOVE! The music, the movies, the cheesy Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas Specials, the decorating, the crafting, the food, the clothes, SHOPPING, gifting, the cold weather, and tons of family time! (Wait, did I just live up to the cliche of bloggers listing all the things they love about Fall or Winter?)
Yeah, I’m one of those. And I make NO apologies for it! From Thanksgiving through New Years, it’s ALL Holiday, ALL the time in my bubble, and that includes everything I wear. If I could get away with it without public ridicule, I would start the day after Halloween. I adore the fanciful whimsy of this season. It’s like the one time each year when I get to live in an environment that more closely resembles my over-the-top inner self. It brings me bliss at a time my brain is battling the affects of SAD, thanks to our shorter days and lack of sunlight here in the Pacific Northwest. And, well, it’s just plain FUN! I love FUN! Or, at least half my brain loves fun, the other half likes to hibernate and find ways to get out of fun. I do my best not to let that half win and the easiest way for me to battle the blues and gloom? A cute outfit!!!
Today’s style shares are all holiday festive looks that have served to brighten my days while still being everyday friendly (at least, I think… HA!). You will see many pieces are “from my mom’s former wardrobe”, a continued part of my grieving process, trying to lighten the weight of a complicated and painful relationship by remembering a shared love of personal style. These posts are intended to give outfit styling inspiration and reviews of clothing as worn by an average everyday person (not a model or fashion blogger). Most of these outfits were styled to fulfill Style Challenges on Instagram which request specific items and often require me to think outside my usual style box (Great Fun!). All pics were taken by me using an iPhone and a selfie stick. If an item is currently sold in stores I will include a link to where you can find it.
One of my favorite winter looks, a bright paid flannel styled up with pearls. I bought this flannel at Old Navy and it is THE softest flannel I have ever owned! I followed a style tip I found in the reviews and ordered my shirts as TALL (despite my not being “Tall”) so they would be tunic length and not shrink up too much when washed. On my 40+ year old mom-bod I find a tunic length to be the most figure flattering. Average shirt lengths that hit at my hips only serve to highlight the dreaded lower abdominal overhang that 2 c-sections blessed me with. I’m always having to find ways to extend my shirts. Awesome to learn of this trick and THANK YOU Old Navy for providing your customers with Tall and Petite sizing options! Since this shirt was on sale I bought two, one in a medium for a fashionable fitted look and one in a large for a super comfy boyfriend look. I’m wearing this with distressed skinny jeans and a pair of booties.
My Holiday Mani! I love painting my own nails and like to play around with attempts at nail art. =o) Here is this year’s creation!
These beads and sweater poncho (poncho with sleeves) are both from my mom’s former wardrobe. I thought I’d never find a way to wear this style of beads but they were perfect for this outfit! They remind me of a garland of cranberries set against the Blue Spruce green of the poncho.
A home day spent in workout clothes but I totally glammed things up with a wrap and statement necklace before I made a run to the store! How easy is that for a busy mom on the go?!? I could grab a sweatshirt or a wrap; both are comfy and warm, both fast to put on, yet this wrap looks a lot better and gives me a mood boost! I love this necklace as it reminds me of Christmas ornaments, perfect for this time of year. Both pieces from my mom’s former wardrobe, likely from QVC.
Staying merry and bright with a basic green top and red scarf, both from my mom’s former wardrobe. Top from QVC.
Workout leggings, white tee, thrifted buffalo plaid vest and my winter jacket from Costco! I couldn’t find this jacket online this year to give you a link, but in general, Costco is my go-to spot for winter jackets for the entire family! GREAT quality and an incredible price, Costco has never let me down when it comes to winter coats!
Here we have an outfit styled entirely for an Instagram Style Challenge: Cotton Candy Colors! I normally avoid pastels like the plague as they make me feel washed out with my pale skin but I was able to shop my closet and found these pieces from my mom’s former wardrobe that surprisingly don’t have that effect =o). I think it’s the pop of bright candy tones in the scarf that makes it all work. I absolutely love this fun scarf!
This A-line tunic sweater in a gorgeous rich red, accessorized with a faux fur scarf, helps me channel my inner Mrs. Clause for our school’s Holiday Luncheon! And, I have to tell you about these boots!!! I’ve been on the lookout for an affordable, heeled, lace-up, black boot for a few years now and I have FINALLY found the PERFECT pair at Target!!! These are fabulous boots! In height they come up to the bend in my knee, taller than most riding boots but not quite Over-The-Knee height. They have a thick, stacked 3″ heel that is very easy to walk in. I love the velvety, faux suede texture that seems to add to the depth of the black color. They have a totally customizable shaft fit due to corset-like laces that can be pulled to shape tight to the leg or worn loosely giving them more of a riding boot look. I love that I can wear them with skirts (they look adorable with my full, leopard print midi), skinny jeans and leggings, creating a wide variety of looks.
Another of my favorite holiday looks… this boho style white tunic and red sweater are both Style & Co (Macy’s) finds from past years. These red cowboy boots were also from Macy’s for only $19, last year. These Christmas leggings were found at Walmart this year and were under $4 each so I bought several for myself and the girls!!! Lots of different prints were available! They were totally sold out online so I’m not providing links. Just know for future reference that you can find fun holiday leggings for really cheap at Walmart if you go into the store early in the shopping season before they sell out!
More leggings from Walmart, I liked the neon colors of this pair and the deer in the leggings matched the deer on this tank that I found last year (also at Walmart)!
This super cozy red flannel plaid tunic dress is from PinkBlush and I bought it last spring on clearance. They offer it in other colors, sometimes it’s listed on their Women’s site and sometimes it’s on their Maternity site so don’t be afraid to look in both places! As I write this post, they have a black plaid version on their Women’s site but offer 3 colors on their maternity site. It is the SAME dress and can be worn by anyone regardless of their childbearing state. That’s one of the things I love about PinkBlush, they offer regular clothing (not Maternity cuts) that is comfortable and flowey allowing it to be worn through all of life’s transitions without having to purchase separate wardrobes. Leggings from Walmart. This amazingly soft cocoon style cardi is from QVC (mom’s former wardrobe) and as I post it is on SALE for only $22! They have several colors to choose from. This is an awesome layering piece and very versatile!
I’m wearing my deer tank from Walmart again but this time I’ve paired it with neutrals! Faux fur scarf found on clearance at Target a few years ago. This long, fringed cardi is a long time favorite and is from back in my size 20 days but can still be worn with style now that I’m a size 6! Don’t be afraid of shopping a wide range of sizes, ladies! You never know what you might find in a size you don’t think is your own!
Another holiday sweater top from Walmart! I paired it with this quilted, green blazer from my mom’s former wardrobe.
This festive and classic look was inspired by my Style Challenge circles on Instagram! I kept seeing plaid blanket scarves that totally popped against green tops and had to try it myself; I love this look! Sweater tunic from my mom’s former wardrobe, blanket scarf from Target over a year ago.
And, finally, we have Christmas Cozies! These leggings are amazingly soft (they feel just like Lularoe leggings, if you’ve ever tried those) and were found at Walmart for only $10. I am going to hunt for more next x-mas!!! Slippers were from Santa, last year, but Sears also carries them and has updated versions each year.
That’s it for this year’s version of Holiday Styling Bliss! You can check out last year’s post, here, for more inspiration.
Again, I hope you all had a fabulous Holiday Season and I wish you a New Year filled with Good Health, Peace and as much Bliss as you can possibly find!
