Style Tip: Layer Your Necklaces

My friend Kim has been begging me to post about this for weeks, since she discovered I was wearing not one necklace on an outing, but three.  I had planned to take a bunch of pics of examples from my own jewelry box, but, truth be told, I've been lazy this week and couldn't be bothered.  So I'll try to give some e-examples and hope it translates.

I, like most women, like switching up my jewelry.  One day I want a dainty strand, the next I want a neck overflowing in chains.  But the budget doesn't quite allow to have a new necklace for everyday of the week.  So I do what I do with my clothes - switch it up and layer it up.  A necklace will look new and dramatic when paired with another necklace (or two) already in your collection.  Try it out!

Try one of these combinations:
1) High-low - pair a choker with longer strands
2) Same tone - everything gold or everything black, doesn't matter shape or size
3) Pendant with chains - I love pairing something like a big animal pendant with a bunch of chains.  Looks great.
4) Beads, beads, and more beads - go all glass, go all stone.  Get a great collection of baubles around your neck.

Here are some great layering pieces from Forever 21 for a steal!

$14.80 @

$12.80

$7.80

$6.80

$6.80 @

$4.80 @

$6.80

$4.80

@Available in more colors

So what do you think?  Will you give layering necklaces a try?  If you request nicely, I might actually take some pictures of my personal examples for you :) 

Do: Tailoring

Sorry for the delay in your do's and dont's. I know you've probably been very sad about it. You can blame Comcast. Our internet has been out for a week. BOOOO Comcast! But after a visit from Miguel, the Comcast tech who frankly creeped me out, we are back online. Yay!

Today's do: getting to be buddies with your tailor! Look at him, he's so sweet. Why wouldn't you want to be friends with him?

I don't know why people are so anti-tailoring. Fear? Price? Laziness? But I'm telling you, simple and very inexpensive tailoring fixes can make a huge impact on your wardrobe.

No one, I repeat: no one, is exactly a perfect fit for off the rack. These fit issues can be glaring at times and make a nice outfit look shabby, and make you look a mess who is drowning in her clothes or whatever fit issue it is. But there are such EASY fixes. Short on top? Get the straps of a dress taken up for about $8. Short legs? Get your pants hemmed or your dress/skirt shortened for about $10. You can even keep your original hem on your jeans for just $5. There is NO excuse for frayed, dragged-on-the-floor hems on your jeans. Get those jeans hemmed, girls!


And since we're already on the subject of helpful clothing fixers, let's talk about my other friend: the cobbler.

I have discovered the wonderful cobbler Brooks Shoe Service, and by discovered I mean that both Barney's and Neiman's told me to use them and I obeyed. And I'm so glad I did.

A trip to the cobbler to fix the shoes you love will give you many more years with them. Get the tips fixed, get the soles reinforced, get them cleaned. Take care of those shoes!

EWP Tip: Maternity Tights

You know me, as an avid skirt and dress wearer, I heart tights. Wear them all fall and winter. They seriously make me so happy.

So when it was time to stock up on fall/winter maternity wear, I obvi picked up some maternity tights. I was a little annoyed at the higher price tag ($18 as opposed to the normal $7-$10 I spend) but thought it made sense since there was all that extra tightage to cover my big ol preggo belly.

Pea in the Pod, $18

But I found that maternity tights were still really uncomfortable over my stomach. It was just too much pressure on the baby and me. I didn't like it. And ended up just rolling them down under my stomach. And then it occurred to me, if I'm just rolling them down, why can't I just do that with my regular tights? So I did and haven't gone back to maternity tights since.

Seriously, just rolling a regular pair of tights under my preggo belly has been totally fine. The tights stay put, there's no uncomfortable pressure on my stomach, and I don't have to buy new tights. It's the best. Now, this wouldn't work for some depending on how you gain weight while pregnant - if your bottom and legs get a lot bigger, then you can't just keep wearing the tights you already own, but you could still just buy bigger tights that are just regular tights. It'd still be cheaper than buying actual maternity tights.

So EWP tip of the day: don't bother buying maternity tights.

EWP Holiday Tip: Holiday Cards

Now that it's after Thanksgiving, we can officially talk Christmas. Nevermind that I'm basically done with my Christmas shopping. Good thing I got it done early, now I have more time to help all of you!

First up, something that needs to be ordered early so it has time to be printed, addressed, and mailed: holiday cards.

Here is a MAJOR MAJOR EWP pet peeve in the holiday card department - photo holiday cards printed on glossy photo paper. Yuck yuck. Maybe I'm a stationery snob, but cards should be sent on card stock, not photo paper. If your card comes and is on photo paper, I swear I won't even put it up on my fridge. I can't even look at them. If you're going to go the personalized card route, don't do it halfway and cheap out with a glossy photo paper card, throw in the extra few cents and go with card stock.

My card site of choice is TinyPrints.com. I love that place. Shower invitations, holiday cards, even personalized stationery for BabyWP, all of it gets ordered from Tiny Prints. There are of course lots of sites to use - minted.com is also an adorable one - but I'm lazy and only got examples from Tiny Prints. But you get the idea. Say no to glossy photo paper. Say yes to card stock.

Another tip for your holiday card buying - pick a picture that actually tells the recipient something. If you've got children, you're in the clear. Just putting those cute munchkins is perfect. But I get so many generic posed couple shots but that doesn't really say anything to me. Did you get married? Buy a house? Have a baby? Go on a trip? Try to pick a picture that lets me know just a little something about your year.

Tiny Prints, $.86 - $1.69/card depending on quantity

Tiny Prints

Tiny Prints


Tiny Prints

Happy card shopping!

EWP's Least Favorite Things

Since I spent the last few posts telling you what my very favorite things are, I thought I'd do a post on the things that I really really dislike (my mama's always telling not to use the word hate, so let's go with dislike).

In no particular order.

1) Rubberband bracelets. There is absolutely nothing stylish or grownup about wearing theses.



2) Shirts with hoods on them. A sales associate tried to convince me to buy one the other day and, instead of laughing in his face, I chose to ask him whether he thought I was 12. No? Do I look like a grownup professional woman? Yes? Okay, then please burn all the hoods. Thanks.

3) French pedicures. OMG, there aren't enough angry words in the world to express my complete disgust for french pedicures. They are in a word - trashy. Just think about it - why would you ever ever want to draw attention to or emphasize how long your toenails are? Never? Okay, then let's all ban french pedicures.

4) While we're on the subject, let's give french manicures the boot too. Dear all future brides out there, you do not, I repeat DO NOT have to get a french manicure for your wedding. You will look really gross. You're welcome. xoxo, EWP

5) Rubber flip flops. I think I've already said all I need to say about these things. So let's just leave it at that.

6) Jean skirts. I just really really really from the bottom of my heart do not like these things. I've never seen a woman in a jean skirt and thought "oh, doesn't she look nice." I have, however, thought "oh dear, she looks like one of those Duggars."

7) Chunky heels. While we're banning things around here, how about we add chunky heels to the list. They do nothing for a woman's look. Completely unflattering and unfeminine. You'll look just as chunky and drab as the heel you're wearing in one of these.

8) Cargo pants. The same sales associate who tried to sell me the hooded shirt, then proceeded to try to sell me a pair of cargo pants. If looks could kill, he would have burst into flames at the moment he brought them to my dressing room. I do NOT do cargo pants. And neither should you.

9) Gym shoes when you're not at the gym. I had a picture for this but somehow deleted it. Apparently blogger hates them so much it won't even allow me to post a picture of them. Just don't do it, okay? Good.

Reader Question: Slip Sliding in Flats

What are you supposed to do about sweaty feet in flats? (And no, baby powder is not a solution.) The primary reason I have to resort to sneakers many times is that my feet get very sweaty when I'm not wearing socks, and I have yet to find a pair of flats that work with cotton socks... And when chasing down a run-away toddler, it's just not a good idea to be sliding all over the place in flats, which I have a tendency to do. So what's the solution?

Lots of flat questions these days! And obvi I am totally happy to help.

Below are a few tips to keep you from sliding out of your flats:


1) It's all about the fit.
If you buy the right size, there won't be room for your foot to slide around. I know we all fudge sizes a bit when we see a shoe we like, or if it's a really good deal. But when you want things to be just right, you have to invest the time and the money to find the right pair. If your foot is as snug as a bug in a rug in your flats, then there will be no slippage issues to deal with.

2) Create some traction.
Buy some inserts to put in your shoe that cancel pesky slippage.

Foot Petals, $6.95

Foot Petals, $12.95

3) Ditch the socks.

Most people don't wear socks with their flats. I definitely don't. Ditch the socks and you will definitely no longer slide out of your shoes.

Too worried about odor and sweat to go bare? Then check out the next few tips to keep your sockless tootsies dry and odor-free in your flats.


4) Leather is better.

Fact: man-made materials (e.g. plastic) do not allow your feet to breathe which leads to lots of sweating and lots of smelliness. Switch to natural materials, like leather, and your feet will breathe a sigh of relief and cut out that sweating.

5) Inserts

There are a host of inserts for the bottoms of your flats that will keep your feet dry.

These are both leather and ventilated - double the freshness!

Aldo, $8.99

These inserts can easily be popped out of your flats and popped into the washing machine. Soak up any unwanted sweatiness, and washable for wear after wear. What more could you ask for?

Aldo, $7.99

6) Sprays and powders.
I know you said baby powder wasn't working, but baby powder, for all its virtues, isn't specifically for fixing foot issues. I suggest you try something a little more specialized.

This kills odors

Odor Eaters, $5.99

This absorbs both odors and wetness!

Dr. Scholls, $7.99

Try those out and your sliding worries will be gone. Happy flats-wearing to you!

Clarification

Just wanted to do a quick clarification re: the new mom reader question post - that was not mom-specific advice. That is general wardrobe basics advice I'd give anyone, it was just tweaked a little for momdom (re: staying away from dry clean only, keeping it simple), but definitely generally applies to all hot women. So for those of you who texted and emailed that you got that wonderful Jackie cardigan, do not worry you are dressing like a mom, you are just dressing fabulously! :)