Fashion Friday Marshalls Style

It’s been awhile since I posted a fashion haul video so I decided it was overdue. I’ve written recently how my shopping and fashion budget has been dramatically reduced since I started Financial Peace University. Lucky for me I am awesome at winning free stuff on Twitter and blogs! So awhile ago I joined my friend Colleen from Classy Mommy on a Back to School Twitter party. I won a great new backpack I will save for next year and a $25 gift card to TJ Maxx or Marshalls. I happen to love both stores, but I’ve been saving the card since then.

So when Mike decided we should head to the mall last Saturday morning to find some jeans for him, I jumped at the chance to spend my gift card. I found three fabulous deals, a pair of Michael Kors stilettos for $40, a silk dress/tunic for $19.99 and a brown leather jacket for $29.99. Check them out in the video.

The downside is that I think wearing the stilettos to church on Sunday, compounded with wearing high heeled boots to the ice hockey game on Friday, may have caused a stress fracture in my foot. Because OUCH. The pain started Wednesday and has steadily increased to the point where I can’t bear much weight on my right foot. That’s the foot I hit the gas pedal with too, and yes, even that hurts. 
But no, I’m not giving up my stilettos even if it is a fracture. I’ll just take a little time off. That’s the price of fashion. 

The Final Fifteen of the Ultimate Fashion Diet

If I’ve learned anything in this life, it’s that life is short and a month is even shorter. I’ve already told you how my lovely fashionista friend, Pam, threw down the gauntlet of the ultimate fashion diet…wear only 15 pieces of clothing for the entire month of September. I can do this. It’ll be fun. My bank account will like it. And I know the 30 days will fly by. 

So here’s my final list. The only way this will change is if my new running habit really takes off and I happen to drop a full size this month. A girl can dream, right?

Choosing these clothes was an amazing exercise, I have to say. Fit mattered more than anything in my selections. I was actually surprised that the pieces I ended up choosing were mostly from higher end labels, not LOFT and Target which have been my go-to brands for the most part. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that more expensive clothes are manufactured better. One piece that almost made the list but didn’t is a black sheath dress I pulled from the back of my closet, since I haven’t worn it in years. I realized the accessorizing options with it are endless, and after this month it will go back into heavy rotation.

1. First up are my gray wool (with stretch!) trousers from Michael Kors. They are lightweight, fit really super awesomely, and of course go with everything. I have had these for years and even had to restitch the inseam once when it split open a bit. 

2. Next up are my new Lucky brand, Sweet and Low jeans. Dark denim bootcuts rock. Screw the heat. 
3. Ok so I have to face the heat. These golden khaki bermuda shorts from J. Crew are my nicest pair. They are wrinkled in this pic because I took them off my body to take the photo. I suppose I need to bust out the iron.
4. And again with the heat, my J. Crew favorite fit capris. I like these so much that I have two pair of them, which may make things easier in the laundry department. 

5. On to the skirts. I found this dark wash denim pencil skirt at Ann Taylor and it is awesome. I wear it ALL the time now.

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6. The last skirt is a black faux-wrap skirt from Michael Kors. It doesn’t go with everything because the draping makes it only look right with certain structured tops, but I love it and it’s versatile enough to make the cut.

7. Next up is are some basics. It doesn’t get more basic than a plain white V-neck tshirt from J. Crew. 

    

8. Stretch ivory tank top from Casual Corner. Since you probably know Casual Corner went out of business, you know how old this is. I admit I generally like more color than this, but it works with everything and provides a great backdrop for accessories. 
9. I picked up this navy striped blouse at the LOFT BlogHer Style event I attended in Philly. I can’t tell you how much I love it.  

   

10. At the risk of being somewhat redundant, I am going with another navy striped blouse, this one sleeveless and from Ralph Lauren. The foundational color of this 15 piece wardrobe has turned out to be blue.

   

11. Case in point, more blue. I just love this seafoam blue silk blouse from J. Crew so much I had to include it. I just hope I don’t ruin it from overuse.
 


12. This sheer silver tshirt from LOFT has become a staple of my wardrobe, I’ve gotten countless compliments on it and it goes with everything.

13. For dressier occasions like church (ok, my church is FAR from dressy, but I dress up) I chose this structured but sparkly shell by Alfani.

14. A late addition to the final group was this black silk top from LOFT. Solid black looks great on anyone, is fabulous for accessorizing, and I happen to have two of this exact top. Don’t ask. 

  

15. And finally, a girl cannot live on blue, black and grey alone. I would die. The rest of my closet is loaded with color. So I figured this bright pink camisole from Talbots would fit the bill. 
So that’s it.  I’ll be photographing completed outfits with accessories and adding them to Susan Wagner’s Working Closet group on Flickr
I’d LOVE to hear your suggestions for pairing and accessorizing these pieces.