Reader’s Q&A: Style Edition

[Wearing Target Vest]

I recently took to Instagram, Twitter & Facebook and asked you all what your favorite thing about style is and what you find to be most challenging.  I really enjoyed reading everyone’s responses and surprisingly a lot of the challenges were very similar.  So in today’s post, I have teamed up with Target to have an open & honest discussion about some of these style concerns.  I am definitely not an expert, but I have experienced a lot of these issues before. Hopefully after reading this post, you will feel a little more confident to tackle these style woes head on!  Now let’s get down to business.

Challenge 1:  Walking in heels all day.

 Yes, I wear heels almost all the time, but I do not walk around in them all day every day.  I always pack a pair of flats in my bag and switch out my shoes when needed.  Sometimes I will wear my flats until I reach my destination and just change into my heels at that point.  On the rare occasion that I forget a pair of flats, let’s just say my feet will hate me for the rest of the week. This may seem like an obvious answer, but there are many women who don’t do this.  My favorite flats to wear are the kind that you can just fold up and toss in your tote like these Mossimo Scrunch Ballet ones.

Challenge 2: Accessorizing 

Accessories can make or break your outfit, which is why I completely understand this being a challenge.  Don’t worry about matching your shoes to your bag and your jewelry.  Mix it up!  If you’re wearing solid colors from head-to-toe, then accessorize with a printed bag, like this Sam & Libby snakeskin one, to bring some dimension to the look.  Or, throw another color in the mix.  I like focusing on one statement accessory to tie my whole outfit together.  Statement necklaces are one of my favorite things to wear.  If that’s not your thing try going with a bold bracelet instead, like this multicolor one.  Remember, this should reflect your personality so just have fun with it.  And I always like to say that Less is more.  Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many accessories, but add just enough to complement the other pieces you are wearing.

Challenge 3: Dressing for your body type. 

This seems to be a very common challenge and for good reason.  Dressing for your body type is not always going to be easy, but I’ve learned what fits me best through trial and error and by doing a little bit of research online.  Now when I go shopping, I have a very good eye for the things that will and will not fit me right.  I’m petite, so my challenge is finding pieces that won’t “shrink me” or overwhelm my figure.  I love oversized pieces, but some of them just don’t work well for me. The girls who mentioned this concern said that they were a little curvier, and I hope you are all embracing those curves!  Now again, I am no expert on dressing for every body type but here are a few tips that I have learned from friends and research.  A-line dresses and skirts are very flattering and work well on almost all body types.  It’s also a really versatile piece that you can rework in many ways.  Focus on your best features and look for pieces that will emphasize them.  Tops with a lower neckline will help to elongate your neck making you appear taller.  Skinny belts are great for emphasizing your waistline.  Darker colors on the bottom are very slimming.

Challenge 4: Stepping out of your comfort zone and experimenting. 


The great thing about personal style is that it’s personal to YOU.  So much of finding who we are in life is going through different obstacles, making mistakes and experimenting.  The same goes for fashion.  My style evolution has changed tremendously from my high school days to my college days and to now.  As I evolve as a woman, so does my style.  I’m not the same person I was when I was 20, so it’s only natural that my style is not the same either.  I’ve learned to be more open minded to trying new things.  Experimenting is fun and a great way to discover new things about yourself, so do your best to keep an open mind.  If you typically shy away from color, start off by incorporating one bold piece into your outfit.  Afraid of prints?  Start off with a darker color palette first and try out a pair of printed pants or a printed skirt.  You can add a pop of color or just keep the rest of your look neutral too.  Start off slowly; see what works best and you can always enhance it from there.  I guarantee you will be surprised at all of the new looks you can put together. And most importantly, be confident!

Challenge 5: I have nothing to wear. 


I laughed at this one because I literally say this on a weekly basis.  I know all women do!  Our closets are filled as well as our drawers, but after wearing something once or twice we tend to either forget about those pieces or we feel as though we can’t wear them a 3rd or 4th time.  Let me say this as a reminder. WE HAVE PLENTY TO WEAR.  It’s all about reworking those pieces girl! On your next shopping trip, try looking for more staple pieces this season that you can mix and match endlessly. Whether it be a chambray top, white button down, colored blazers, skinny jeans, moto jacket, little black dress… the list goes on!  When you stick to the basics, you will never run out of options.  This is where stepping out of your comfort zone comes into play too because it forces you to start getting more creative with what you have.

Hope you enjoyed today’s post.  By the way, if you click on any of the photos, it will bring up each item’s product info via Cosmic Cart in case you are interested in any of them!
 Happy Wednesday loves!