The understated t-shirt.

The older I get the more I appreciate simplicity. So the thought of styling a basic t-shirt is pure bliss....not to mention so much more comfortable to wear while running after a toddler.

If you think a not so special t-shirt is just too casual, think again! Any simple tee can be made fashionably chic by tucking in either fully or half way. And this will work with just about any type of bottom: everyday jeans, skirts of all types, shorts, slacks, etc. Be creative! A quick shirt tuck here and there will pull an entire outfit together. Not to mention it'll make you look totally put together as well.

I paired my striped tee with an a-line denim skirt, block heeled sandals, and a red saddle bag for a pop of color. Remember, if you are like me, being comfortable is the goal at the end of the day. And, it can be achieved fairly easily with that t-shirt in your closet that you've completely forgotten about. Go ahead...fall back in love with it.

Yours Truly,

Julie

Spring Fling: Dress up or down closet staples by changing up your shoes and bag

Spring is here and life has kicked into full gear with showers, weddings, graduations, food truck fairs, runs at the lake, marathon training, and whatever else floats your boat. Smell the air full of allergies, we're fully defrosted and alive again in Minnesota. Life is good and so is fashion.

In this post, I'll share how you can dress up or down a simple spring look by changing up your shoes and bags. 

Nowadays, I tend to look more for comfort in my shoes. When I saw these espadrilles in the clearance section at DSW, I knew they would be a hit! I was pleasantly surprised to see they were a pair of Franco Sarto's. I have a pair of Franco Sarto wedges from last season that have held up well. They provide enough support and cushion for my feet and so I figured I'd give Mr. Sarto another shot. These espadrilles have just enough height for me to be able to wear to work without looking silly and also perfect for wearing to brunch or church on the weekends. They nicely dress up and update the skinny jeans and cardigan I'm wearing here.  

Espadrilles can be paired with almost anything and still look chic and comfortable. I have paired them with a maxi dress, chino shorts, and ankle jeans like shown here and they never failed to give me an updated look for the season. I've been eyeing a pair of lace up Soludos Wedges but these will work in the interim at half the cost.  

The black tote I'm carrying here is from Target. When I first saw this bag in person, its texture and look reminded me of a Dooney & Bourke bag at a fraction of the cost. It comes in a variety of colors online and in-stores. I would highly recommend this bag as a weekend carry-it-all bag for the beach or that short getaway. It also works great as an everyday tote for work. 

In the next look, I'll dress this outfit down with flat gladiator sandals and a cross-body saddle bag for a more casual and relaxed look. This is great for grabbing coffee with a friend or running around town doing errands. 

Sandals: EuroSoft Candace in Black, size 6.5 and Saddle Bag similar here. 

These gladiator sandals by EuroSoft have a slight wedge heel and provide better arch support than most flat sandals. They come in colors black and gold, of which I bought both. I found them originally in store at DSW but did some online comparison shopping and found that they were carried at 6pm.com for almost half the cost at $34.99. To get the best deals, I highly recommend doing comparison shopping. One easy way to do this is just to take the name of the shoe and the brand, enter that into google and select the "Shopping" results to list where you can purchase the item. Amazon's barcode finder is also another option for you loyal Amazon customers. 

I looked up the brand and found that EuroSoft is a subsidiary of Softt which is a well known shoe company who designs comfortable shoes for women.  The Softt brand is carried at major department stores like Macy's and in many independent shoe stores focused on comfort. 

Cross-body saddle bags  have been very popular this season. I have seen them range in prices from the thousands to a few dollars. When you want to update your look, it's easy to do that with an accessory that won't cost you a few hundred dollars. This one here was $30 found at a local small boutique. 

One thing to keep in mind when shopping for a bag that won't break the bank is to pay attention to details. You don't have to spend an arm and a leg for details but you may have to sacrifice a specific detail you're looking for, for something else. For example, I love hardware details on my bags but instead, I'm getting a tassel and stitched (faux) leather; these small details give the bag a finished, upscale look without the hefty price.

Below are just some images of a few cross-body saddle bags I found online, the lowest priced bag here starts at $100 and goes up to $1500. 

I hope you found this entry helpful. Our goal with this blog is share with you how easy you too can obtain updated and chic looks without going overboard on the price tag. Shop smart and be selective about the items you add to your closet, there will be specific pieces that are worth investing in and we'll continue to share our adventures with you. 

Thank you for reading and hope you enjoyed this entry!

Yours Truly,

Audrey Xia