Comfy Christmas Break Style + Link-Up

Ahh, I have finally made it to Christmas Break!  While I am super passionate about teaching, it can be a physically and emotionally draining job.  Lately I have been feeling particularly zapped of energy and a little bit down in the dumps so I am really ready for this time away from work.

I'm not going to lie, I plan to spend most of my vacation days in leggings, a comfy top and fuzzy socks.  But when I do actually have to get dressed, I plan to be in outfits just like this one!

Tunic top + cozy scarf + comfy jeans + Converse = done!  I think that the scarf and the Converse take this outfit from a little bit boring to put-together without being much work at all!

And since it is winter in Michigan, a cute coat is a must for any last-minute holiday errands I will be running.  I bought this coat years ago at H&M when I lived in France and I still love it as much as the day I bought it.  The plaid and toggles add fun details to any outfit!

On the day that I wore this ensemble, I actually took a turn behind the camera to take maternity photos for one of my best friends and her husband!  (Fun fact: I have two best friends and they are both pregnant right now!)  We had so much fun and I don't remember the last time I laughed as hard as I did while trying to pose the two of them in Pinterest-y ways.  Luckily, Best Friend's Husband was accommodating enough to snap a few photos of Nicole and me, too!

Showing Best Friend's Husband how it's done!

Nicole is due on Thursday and I CAN'T WAIT to meet the little one!

What I'm Wearing:

Top: Banana Republic (similar, similar)

Scarf: LOFT (similar, similar)

Jeans: American Eagle (exact)

Converse: DSW (exact)

Coat: H&M (similar, similar)

Now it's time for that weekly Lovely Little à la Mode Link-Up!

Hosted by :

Carrie/A Lovely Little Wardrobe : Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram

Whitney/Whitney à La Mode : Bloglovin/Instagram

Casey/A Little Bit of Cheer : Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram

Each week we choose a favorite...check out Carrie and Casey's blogs to see if it's you! Here was my favorite this week:

I had such a hard time choosing a favorite this week!  From the glamorous holiday party looks to the cozy, lounge in front of the fireplace outfits, I just love clothing this time of the year!  I finally decided upon Katey of Two Peas in a Blog for my favorite this week.  I'm just loving the blush and cranberry color combination as well as all of the perfect little details of her outfit!

Now let's get linking! We like to keep things simple around here. Just link up your favorite posts--fashion, beauty, food, DIY, anything goes! Follow your hosts on social media, have fun and be inspired! Thanks for linking up!

<a href="http://www.alittlebitofcheer.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/button%20small_zpsujefyz2q.png~original" alt="A Lovely Little À La Mode Link Up" width="125" height="125" /></a>

An InLinkz Link-up

Where I'm linking-up!

Fall Transitions for the Lovely Little à La Mode Link-Up

I know that I'm just one of many personal style bloggers to profess my love of fall.  Not only do I love fall fashion elements like layering, blanket scarves and booties, but I also love the exciting start to the school year, football season, and acorns crunching under my above mentioned booties.  And of course I have to throw in the mandatory shout-out to the pumpkin spice latte!

It can be so hard (in a first world problems kind of way) when you are ready for fall but Mother Nature is still enjoying summertime.  What's a cool weather loving girl to do?  My favorite way of transitioning into fall attire while it's still warm outside is to throw on a light, gauzy scarf!

I love scarves because they are one of the easiest ways to add interest too an outfit.  Not to mention they are a cool weather staple which makes my fall-loving heart very happy.  However, if the scarf is lightweight, it's perfect for transitional days...plus you can obviously take it off if it gets too hot!

You are also witnessing my first step into the world of joggers.  I received this pair in a Le Tote delivery and really enjoyed wearing them because, well, who doesn't enjoy sweatpants that are acceptable to wear in public.  I did feel a bit nervous, though.  I went shopping with my mom and kept asking her if it looked like I was just wearing your average sweatpants.  She assured me that this pair is truly worthy of a public appearance.  So here you go!

What I'm Wearing:

Shirt: LOFT (similar, similar)

Scarf: Le Tote (exact)

Joggers: Le Tote (exact)

Sandals: DSW (similar, similar)

Before we head into this week's Lovely Little à La Mode Link-Up, I just want to remind you that Carrie, Casey and I are starting Create28: Fall Looks on Thursday!  We hope that you'll join in by creating 28 brand new looks based-on our daily prompts.

And now it's that time of the week!

Hosted by ~

Carrie/A Lovely Little Wardrobe : Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram

Whitney/Whitney à La Mode : Bloglovin/Instagram

Casey/A Little Bit of Cheer : Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram

Each week we choose a favorite...check out Carrie and Casey's blogs to see if it's you! Here was my favorite this week:

Sheree of Posh Classy Mom wore such a stunning trench this week that it just had to be my favorite!

Now let's get linking! We like to keep things simple around here. Just link up your favorite posts--fashion, beauty, food, DIY, anything goes! Follow your hosts on social media, have fun and be inspired! Thanks for linking up!

<a href="http://www.alittlebitofcheer.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/button%20small_zpsujefyz2q.png~original" alt="A Lovely Little À La Mode Link Up" width="125" height="125" /></a>

An InLinkz Link-up

Where I'm linking-up!

Blogging Besties: Olive You

Wow, it has been one crazy week and I'm happy that it's Friday!  The weekend takes on a whole new meaning during the school year, amiright teachers?  I am so ready to sleep in and watch a little Michigan State football!

But before we get there, let's take a moment to reflect and remember those who lost their lives on September 11th, 2001.  And speaking of fallen heroes, my town is experiencing a devastating and senseless loss this week.  Whether you pray or simply send positive vibes, please keep the family and friends of a fallen firefighter in your thoughts today.

I'm not sure there is a very good way to transition from these somber thoughts to a "take one, pass it on" style challenge, but here is Alex's neutral-cool outfit from last week.

I've been hearing for years that olive is a great pseudo-neutral to work into your wardrobe, and I finally jumped on the bandwagon by buying not one, but two olive skirts!  I actually own the exact olive skirt that Alex is wearing, but to mix it up a bit, I decided to work with my olive maxi skirt this week!

Since I'm itching for fall but stuck in summer weather, I picked autumn-like hues to create my outfit.  An orange lace tank and a fun scarf added visual interest while allowing me to teach comfortably in my warm classroom.

So, my friends, here are your options that you can pass on for next week: orange, olive, lace, a scarf, flat sandals a (maxi) skirt, or an uneven-hemmed skirt (handkerchief or hi-lo).

What I'm Wearing:

Scarf: LouLou (similar, similar)

Tank: Banana Republic Outlet (similar)

Skirt: c/o Le Tote (exact)

Sandals: DSW (similar, similar)

Where I'm linking-up!

But first I want to see what you passed-on from Alex's look last week!

An InLinkz Link-up

Create28: Summer Blues Look

There are a couple of common sayings that relate to summer. "Dog Days of Summer" and "Summer Blues". Both seem to relate to a long hot summer that can sometimes be wearing on a person. I know I've heard the "Dog Days of Summer" repeated over and over during the month of August when the temps are high and no break in it is seen on the horizon. Summer blues is tied to the emotional heath of a person who tires of the heat. For the most part I enjoy summer and the heat. Don't get me wrong though, by the end of the summer {Octoberish} I'll be impatiently waiting for cooler temps...but not today! I'm making a little play on summer blues and featuring an outfit centered on blue.
 



I featured these striped shorts for my All-American Patriotic Look {here} and am glad to be remixing them for this look. I'm a big fan of stripes and these shorts give me the opportunity to try stripes in a different way other than a top.
 



Navy and mint create a sweet color combo with dark {bolder} and light {softer}. In order to focus on blue I added a scarf which brings in other blue tones while being complimentary to the mint as well. Summer blues = summer ease for this look.

shorts/ON {similar, similar} tank/ON {similar, similar} scarf/gift {similar} wedges/dsw {similar}

Styling with blue provides so many options. It's one of your basic neutral colors which gives you lots of options when adding color. You can check my Pinterest board for more inspiration.

Follow Carrie Carson's board Summer Blues on Pinterest.

Whitney's up tomorrow with a favorite sneakers look for summer. Hope you'll stop back and see what she features. Have a lovely day, friends!

Where I'm linking up.

Create28: Summer Scarves Looks

Hello, FRIDAY!!!

Fall and scarves go hand in hand. I always look forward to breaking out my scarf, ahem.....collection come Fall. Let's just say I have a few scarves....let's just say I may have a slight scarf, problem :) Scarves are just such an EASY way to add color and life into an outfit. Not to mention, they are functional so you know I'm all over easy and functional :)

However, in the summertime, you might not always think to reach for a scarf. I get it. When it's 100+ degrees out, any type of clothing besides a swimsuit on your body is enough to make you sweat--especially anything around your NECK! But on warm days, it is possible to wear scarves without overheating. Here are a few ways to make scarves work in the summer ~

1. The Jersey Scarf ~ Small and lightweight, this scarf is almost like a glorified necklace! It's just the right size to add color to an outfit, without being too close to your neck . The jersey material is cool and won't make your overheat. This scarf is a 27 inch infinity loop and measures 26 inches wide., so it's pretty small. Look for similar dimensions if you are buying a scarf online.

2. The Necklace Tie ~ When you have a bigger scarf and you want to keep it away from your neck, you can "twist tie" it up using the method below. It becomes almost like an infinity scarf and a cute little "necklace." :) The "twist tying" keeps it away from your neck. This scarf measures 72 inches long and 26 inches wide.

The Necklace Tie Method (Twist Tie)

~ Start with the ends of the scarf evenly down your back.

 ~ Bring the ends forward, to the front of your body

~ Starting on one side, wrap the loose end of the scarf around the loop that's formed. Keep wrapping until you get near the end of the scarf. 

~ Repeat on the other side. Adjust as necessary. You should end up with both sides twisted and away from your neck. I like to leave a little out and let it hang a bit.

3. As a Belt ~ What a fun way to add a little something different to a boring jeans/tee outfit! And nothing near your neck! Score!

4. On the Bag ~ If all else fails, a pretty scarf always looks nice tied to your purse or bag!

If you are really awesome, you can use scarves in your hair in the summer, too! I'm not that advanced yet, but I'm trying :) I will keep you posted, but don't hold your breath waiting for any scarf-hair-tying tutorials! HA! Stop by tomorrow when Carrie will show off her awesome summer statement necklaces!

In the meantime,  here is more summer scarf inspiration for you!

Follow A Little Bit of Cheer's board Summer Scarves on Pinterest.


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