Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Fashion Friday: A Comfy Dress and That Scarf!

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Affiliate links included at no cost to you. Thanks, Cents of Style for sending review products my way! 

One of my all-time favorite places to shop, Cents of Style, is having a fun sale this week on the Remi Swing Dress, which is a great little dress to wear all fall and winter long. It comes in a variety of colors (17 different shades, to be exact) and has a sweet, simple look (and it’s quite roomy so you can feel extra comfy in it!).

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The dress is on mega sale today for $21.95 with free shipping (use code DRESS2016 at checkout) and I thought you might like to know about it! It comes in sizes small to 3XL (I’m rocking a large). Perhaps my favorite thing about this dress, besides how comfortable it is, is the fact that it makes the perfect backdrop for a showstopper accessory, like this fantastic Lori multi-color blanket scarf, also available from Cents of Style.

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How I wish there was a way to reach through the computer screen and feel this fabric! It is SOOOO soft (it reminds me of alpaca, though of course without the alpaca price tag!) and the colors are so fun. Basically I put this scarf on and I just want to snuggle all day. And yeah, put it over my head, too.

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I have no idea why I like to wrap stuff over my head like this, but I’ve been doing it since I was a teenager. Now you know something weird about me! 🙂 When I wrap something over my head that’s like my gold stamp, y’all. This scarf is such a winner, and the whole outfit is a perfect example of my favorite types of clothing to wear this time of year: cozy, comfy and rich with color. This scarf is going to be the piece that I wear with anything and everything this season. The fact that it has so many colors woven throughout it ensures that it goes with pretty much everything.

Definitely check out the hot new items on Cents of Style today. They have awesome sales on the regular, so it’s well worth signing up for their newsletters!

Spring Scarf Clearance (Like WOAH!)

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Affiliate links included at no cost to you. I only promote what I love, and these scarves are AWESOME!!!

scarf clearance

Alert!!! If you’d like some spring scarves for your wardrobe as the weather starts to warm a bit, then you do NOT want to miss this amazing sale at Cents of Style!

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Use code SCARVES2 at checkout to snag 2 spring scarves for just $8.99. Look at the pretty options (they have lots more than what I’m showing you, too!).

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As if $8.99 isn’t awesome enough, at checkout, you’ll also get the option to add a floral scarf for 99 cents! 

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So that’s 3 scarves for $9.99. And did I mention that shipping is free?! Woo hoo! Jump on this one, friends. If you don’t need all 3 for yourselves, snag one for a girlfriend. What a great gift this would be, and it’s even cheaper than a latte at Starbucks!

 

The Science of Dressing Well: How I’m Learning to Adore My Wardrobe

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Affiliate links included at no cost to you. I am personally taking this course and I love promoting services that can truly chance your life, like this one!

A few weeks ago a blogging friend of mine reached out to me about something super cool. Kelly, of Redefined Mom, let me know that she had been working really hard on a 30-day educational series for women about the science behind putting together a Pinterest-worthy outfit. Kelly was a fellow Vanity Fair ambassador and I recall when I met her last July that she looked very well put together, but in a very realistic way, if that makes sense (she wasn’t rockin’ stilettos or crazy expensive clothes, in other words).

So I knew based on the way I have seen Kelly dress that she would be a great tutor for the rest of out there who are struggling to pull together looks that rock and who seem to have a closet jam-packed with NOTHING TO WEAR.

Adore Your Wardrobe is an eCourse (Ever tried one? They are fun!). It spans over 30 days with 9 different modules and one final master class. You receive videos, written overviews and worksheets (and those worksheets are WHERE IT’S AT…I’ve got a few of them printed and pinned to the wall in my closet now!).

Kelly wants you to have fun and to feel comfortable experimenting with your wardrobe, but she also wants you to know that it’s a common misconception that fashion is all about artistic choices. NOPE! According to Kelly, fashion is 80% science and math.  In the course, you will learn about the principles of proportion, balance and geometry, as well as determine your unique body type. Additionaly, you learn that if you can count to 4, then you can put together a really cute look in just a few minutes.

The Rule of Four (It’s FREE!)

how to look well-dressed

Making a time and financial commitment to a course like this requires careful consideration for most people, so Kelly wants to give you a sneak peek at what you’ll be getting with the course by letting you go ahead and see the video from module #8, called The Rule of Four. I started with this module and then gave myself 5 minutes to use the rules to put together something other than yoga pants and a ratty long-sleeved t-shirt, which is what I was sporting earlier this morning (and pretty much every day…I’m totally in that “work at home fashion” rut). Using Kelly’s Rule of 4, I put together a cute outfit in record time, and I noticed a boost in my confidence throughout the day because I looked so well dressed.

I’ve been using the Rule of 4 ever since I learned about it, and while I have identified some particular fashion needs that might require a little shopping (need a few statement necklaces….I completely didn’t understand them but I’m starting to, now!) I’m also happy to report that I’m realizing I have a lot more to work with in my wardrobe than I realized, now that I better understand how to put things together. I’ve been rockin’ some cuteness this week. Thanks, Kelly!

Try The Rule of 4

Don’t just take it from me, try the Rule of 4 for yourself and see if you don’t instantly transform your outfits with this one important tip. It’s totally free to check out, so you have nothing to lose and some really cute looks to gain, friend!

Try the Whole Course! 

If it makes as big of a difference for you as it did for me, then I hope to see you in the Facebook group for folks who have committed to the entire course. I’ll be hanging out over there sharing the insights I’m gaining, asking questions I have, and learning from other women who are ready to celebrate how they look RIGHT NOW by dressing in ways that flatter their shape rather than hiding in baggy clothes (guilty) and waiting for their bodies to magically look like they did 15 years ago.

I’m 4 modules in to the course right now and I’ve gleaned some seriously great tips that are going to make a world of difference in how I dress. I’m pretty blown away by how much Adore Your Wardrobe is helping me feel more confident and put-together, which is exactly why I knew I had to share it with all of you. I can tell you that the money spent on this course will come back to you in the form of no longer making bad fashion purchases the next time you go shopping. You are going to learn what looks you should be rocking and which ones are best left at the store. 🙂

Let me know what you think after watching The Rule of 4, and certainly say hi to me if you decide to take the course and join the Facebook group! 🙂


Does Jewelry Confuse You? Me, Too (That’s Why I Love BaubleBar!)

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Thanks to BaubleBar for sending along a gift card for me to use and the sweet discount code for my readers. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always. Affiliate links may be included. 

Friends, I don’t meant to sound like an octogenarian, but I just can’t keep up with what’s hip these days when it comes to jewelry. It’s all I can do to grab a few pieces from each season’s clothing line at Target, and if you request that I accessorize myself in addition…well you’ve just gone too far.

Jewelry just overwhelms me. 

But I still like to look put together on any day where my standard uniform of a t-shirt and yoga pants isn’t going to cut it. That’s why I’m happy to have found BaubleBar, which is an online site devoted to bringing you a carefully edited collection of on-trend jewelry pieces that will work for you, whether you are in a corporate setting, a more laid-back environment, or even if you can push the style boundaries with really edgy looks. There’s something for everyone there, for sure!

Take a moment to look around on the BaubleBar site, friends. You’ll find amazing curated collections, ideas for ways to wear different pieces, and you’ll even see instagram photos that other shoppers have taken with their purchased pieces (this is one of my very favorite things about the site…seeing this jewelry in real life on other customers!).

I recently did some shopping on the site and took a video of my unboxing. Check it out to hear more of my thoughts on BaubleBar and to see the pieces!

Ok, so the question I said I would answer for you is whether or not you have to pay shipping on your returns. If your item was on sale, it is a final sale, so that’s important to know first and foremost. The return label that I had in my package was one that would NOT require me to pay postage, so that’s good!

Ok, so here are closer looks at each of the pieces I purchased. The photos are hyperlinked to the website, so feel free to click on them to check out the piece on the BaubleBar site.

1. String Fling set ($25)

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2. Amethyst Sea Glass Drops ($62) (no longer available, sorry!)

baublebar amethyst sea glass

3. Neutral Foliage Studs ($38)

baublebar neutral foliage studs 4. Tiered Crystal Pendant ($34)

baublebar tiered crystal pendant

5. Silver Bojangles Bracelet Set ($48) (no longer available…stuff goes fast on BaubleBar, I guess!)

baublebar silver bojangles bracelet set

6. Gold Bolt Collar ($36)

baublebar gold bolt collar

So what was your favorite piece from the items I selected for the fall? So far, the piece I’m wearing out like crazy is the fall foliage earring set. I’m still warming up to the collar necklace…it’s just so different for me! But I love its simplicity, so I think once I find the right neckline to pair with it, I’ll definitely be wearing it.

If you are ready for some updated looks, I’ve got a coupon code just for you! Use STUFFPARENTSNEED at checkout and you’ll score 20% off the bill. And don’t forget to check out the sale section before you check out, as they have stuff staring at $10. AND…shipping is FREE! 🙂

Go get yourself some pretty baubles for the fall! 

How to Wear a White Sweater in Summer

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Wearing a Sweater in Summer

If you live in the South, then the idea of wearing a sweater during the summer is beyond crazy. It is muggy, the heat index is often in the triple digits, and the sun is beating down on you without mercy for about 12 hours each day.

That is, except for this summer. Here in Chattanooga, we’ve had days in July that barely got past 80 for the high. And we’ve had evenings and early mornings in the low 60s. It has been pure bliss, and has inspired me to go outside of my summer wardrobe comfort zone and try something that folks further up north get to experience: the summer sweater!

My friends at Fresh Produce, a clothing company for women that I will tell you more about shortly, sent this cozy retreat top and I was SO nervous to even try it on. I mean, it’s July, people! This just can’t be happening!

But look at me! I went outside last week in this outfit early one morning, and I felt super comfortable in it. What a treat!!!

white sweater for summer: fresh produce

I paired the sweater with a white tank top I’ve had for ages (something underneath it is a must, as it is semi-sheer). I added a necklace from LOFT (no longer for sale, sorry) and my rockin’ aqua pants from Stitch Fix.

This is my first time ever wearing Fresh Produce, and if the brand is also new to you, let me tell you a little bit about it. The brand has been around nearly 3 decades (so we are contemporaries, though I’m a bit older!). It has a few key trademarks: vibrant colors, original prints, and comfortable clothes. This company is proudly made in the USA, and it also has a line of clothing for children.

The color inspiration for Fresh Produce comes from the coast, and the vibe is everyday style that all shapes and sizes can feel confident and comfortable in.

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I will say that when I first received the piece of clothing in a size medium/large, it was MUCH too big on me. Now, I typically wear a size 10 or 12, so I was confused about why it was so huge. We exchanged the piece for a size extra small/small and I sweated it out while I waited for it to arrive. Because you guys, I NEVER wear those sizes! But that’s the size I’m wearing in the photos.

I asked the representative I was working with if this was vanity sizing to the extreme, and she explained that the sizing might have to do with the unique dying process at Fresh Produce. Everything is first pre-shrunk, and then it goes into a very high heat dying process. Each piece of clothings is individually dyed, and sometimes pieces that are closer to the heat source will vary in size from pieces that are further away. The process they have is what gives their clothing that amazing vibrancy, but it also means that from time to time, a piece of clothing might not seem consistent with its labeled sizing. Exchanging the product was an absolute piece of cake, just in case you were wondering!

From Summer Sweater to Winter Whites

Now that I have broken through a fashion barrier and worn a sweater in the summer, I fully plan to break another fashion barrier and rock this sweater throughout the fall and as much of the winter as the weather will permit. White sweaters just might be the new white t-shirt!

Do you live in a part of the country where you can wear a sweater during the summer? Or will you wear white in the fall and winter months? Definitely add a white sweater to your wishlist if you don’t already have one. They are surprisingly versatile!

Thanks to Fresh Produce for providing the cozy retreat top in exchange for me sharing my honest opinions, which I have provided.