Final Installment of #bestnine of 2015

The final installment of my #bestnine of 2015 is here! 

#7 Stitch Fix

Towards the end of 2015 I finally jumped on the Stitch Fix bandwagon. A few of my friends were doing it and I could see them pinning wildly to let their stylists know what kinds of clothing and accessories they enjoyed and would love to have picked out for them. If you are not familiar with the concept or idea behind Stitch Fix it is similar to Birch Box, Ipsy or other home delivery product services. With Stitch Fix you fill out a very detailed personal style profile. You are assigned a stylist and your stylist picks out 5 clothing and/or accessory items that match your style profile in some way. They ship you these 5 items on a schedule which you set. I get my fix every other month but many people have one arrive every month. I'll admit-- I really do enjoy getting my fix each month--I was hesitant at first because I wasn't sure if I trusted someone else picking out shirts, jewelry, and pants for me. Didn't I know my fit, size, and style best? I love fashion and am fine with searching for the perfect blazer or the latest trendy piece to add to my closet. However, if you hate to shop (I do not understand this but...it takes all kinds to make the world spin) this service is for you. You do pay a $20 stylist fee but it goes towards any purchase you make. You can keep all 5 pieces and pay the full amount or you can keep none of it and conveniently send it back in the postage paid, addressed package that comes with your fix. The biggest benefit of my fix is that I am being exposed to styles and fits that I would not normally choose for myself. Two of my favorite shirts currently in my closet were both from recent fixes. Check it out for yourself! 

#8 Investment Pieces

 I am ALWAYS down for a good ol' fashion bargain. I get a thrill when I get a really good deal on an item I have had my eye on. I'm also not one of those that buys something I don't need or want just because it was on a great sale. However, ever since I purged my closet and worked my way through a capsule wardrobe, I have been very selective in what I add to my closet in the form of new purchases. My capsule wardrobe experience helped me see that fewer, high quality pieces are more versatile than many mediocre pieces that don't fit right or are not the right color or fabric. I have decided instead to save up and invest in classic pieces that compliment my wardrobe from season to season and that will become staples for years to come. Here are my favorite items that I have purchased this past year--despite the higher price tag. (My husband would accuse me of employing shopping math here but it really is plain old price per wear math :) 

Michael Kors purses: I have a black, cognac, and gray MK purse in my collection. I am not really a purse person--meaning I don't have a large collection that I trade out regularly. I tend to stick with the same purse for months and months at a time. These three purses take me through each season and go gorgeously with any outfit, coat, and shoes. They are timeless styles that when considering their everyday use, are a great investment. 

Sperry Wedges: I have the Sperry Wedge in gray and it is hands down my favorite shoe of 2015. These were actually a birthday gift from my  hubs ( I know, right?) The wedge gives me height and look great with skinnies and boot cut jeans. The kicker is how comfortable they are! I am desperate to buy them in cognac as well. 

Frye Boots: I very recently added my first pair of Frye boots to my collection.....again thanks to my hubby.  I have pinned, stared at, and coveted these boots for over 3 years, but could not justify their hefty price tag. These are not boots for the faint of heart. The Frye company began making boots for soldiers in the Civil War and have grown into a company known for their amazing leather riding boots. The quality of the boots is really unmatched and I know 2 people who have owned theirs for over 30 years. Each pair molds to each person for a custom fit. I'm not ashamed to say that I have worn them every single chance I get. Investment for sure! 

#9 Our New Home

There will be many posts to come about our new home. It was a years-in-the-making/labor of love process that we could not be more blessed and humbled by. We love our new space and a new chapter for our family. We truly felt that we were able to build the home we have always wanted and that we were able to add in features that are personal and handmade. I can't wait to share the process we went through in designing and creating the ultimate pantry. Also, there will be a tutorial coming soon on how we built a gorgeous barn door from scratch. This home took a lot of our time and energy for most of 2015, but it was so incredibly worth it. Subscribe to the blog to catch all of our new posts!

Comment below with your #bestnine of 2015

#bestnine 2015 Part 2!

Here I am with Part 2 of my #bestnine 2015 post. Last week I shared #1-3 with you and today I'm pumped to tell you about #4-6.

#4 Invisalign

I've had fairly crooked teeth by whole life. When I was younger I had a space between my two front teeth and dentists hoped that that meant plenty of room for my adult teeth. Well....over the years the overcrowding in my upper teeth has caused by eye teeth to overlap my two front teeth. This arrangement makes for a pretty sweet "snaggle" tooth in photographs. Fun times. My bottom row of teeth are much worse than my top. I have a tooth in my bottom row that is almost a row of its own in the back. You may be asking why I didn't get braces as a youth? Well, rumor has it that my parents "asked" if I wanted braces as a teenager and I responded with, "no." Because the phrase "my teen knows what's best for them" is standard operating procedure for parents everywhere. I digress. So here I am as a 30-something woman who hates to smile in pictures. Boo. After my oldest daughter--who had an eerily similar bite and arrangement to my own--got braces and had awesome results, I told my hubs that I wanted straight teeth before I turned 40. One problem--braces are not cheap. Especially when you are already paying for child #2 to get braces. Through lots of consults and deal searching my oldest sister hooked me up with a great deal with Invisalign through the orthodontist she works for. I am currently in week 16 and am head over heels with the results. There have been tough and painful times (dang attachments) and adjustments (no gum, no sipping coffee, no snacking at will, a bit of a lisp, and a few other minor annoyances), but overall the process has been a breeze. The aligners are barely visible and the benefits far out weigh the drawbacks. Find out more here! 

#5 Binge worthy TV
I just had to share with all of you how I've spent some of my "down" time. My husband and I enjoy a good binge worthy show as we rarely can watch TV shows when they air. We are the masters of our DVR and our date nights consist of wine (ooooooh that reminds me of my favorite wine--Red, White, and Blue by Tassle Ridge. If you are ever passing through Iowa--the only place to get it--snag a case) pillows, pups, and our favorite show of the moment. One show I was nervous to watch was the Starz period drama, Outlander. I had read the first book in this mega almost 9 book series and was deeply traumatized by some events in the book. I took a leap and watched the show from the protective arms of my hubby and ended up loving it. Don't get me wrong, the book series and TV show are not for the faint of heart as there is some fairly graphic scenes, some of which are sexual in nature. However, the storyline, romance, and acting are superior and so so enjoyable. Our other guilty pleasure binge watch was the DC Comic show, The Arrow. We were immediately sucked in by the tortured main character and his quest to avenge his father. There is also a spin-off show, The Flash that we love too. What did we ever do without NETFLIX!? Get your binge on!


#6 Plaid
I am not the only one obsessed with plaid these days. It is everywhere. Button ups. Scraves. Pillows. The works. I've tried each and every plaid trend and none have disappointed so far. My favorites tend to be my button up shirts especially those from J. Crew and Old Navy. I dress them up and dress them down and they just plain work. I also have blanket scarves in every plaid configuration and love layering them and experimenting with new ways to wear them. My obsession with all things Outlander (set in Scotland) definitely contributes to my love of all things plaid!

Old Navy Plaid Shirt

 Plaid blanket scarves

Plaid pillows

New Year's Resolution and #bestnine of 2015

New year, new blog goals! The second half of 2015 was a complete whirlwind for my family---Selling our house, being "homeless", building and moving into our new home, unpacking and decorating said new home---whew. I'm just glad I managed to clothe and feed my children in all that chaos. Can I get a holla from some peeps who lived through something similar!? My apologies for not posting the latter half of the year but some things had to be re-prioritized and this girl needed sleep more than she needed to share what was in her closet. However, so many of you sweet, sweet people gently commented here and there about missing my little piece of the internet called Tutor My Style. Soooo.... I resolve (I'm better at following through with resolutions than the average Joe so, have faith) to pick up posting on this blog and sharing little slices of my life with my small and lovely band of followers. In an attempt to recap 2015 and share with you a few things y'all missed due to my crazy circumstances, I am going to steal from the end of the year Instagram trend of #bestnine. If you haven't seen this or don't have Instagram, here's the skinny: A special site gathers together your best nine (most liked) photos of 2015 and puts them in an eye catchy 9 photo grid. Voila! I'm going to recap my 2015 in the same fashion and let you in on my #bestnine/favorites of 2015. I will share all nine here and then blog about three at a time over the next couple of posts. Then we can all start fresh with outfit of the days, pinterest projects, and favorite products here at Tutor My Style! C'mon!!

1. Maskcara foundation: 

I don't even know really where to begin about this foundation. I don't even like calling it foundation. It seems like it deserves more of a title. I've followed the lovely Maskcara and her amazing blog for YEARS. This past year she launched her new and improved foundation/contouring system and I am head over heels in love with it. I used to apply a liquid foundation and then add in contour, blush and highlight ON TOP. Maskcara has cleverly put together a system that eliminates steps in the process and provides a beautiful, flawless finish. The palette is magnetic so you only replace each color as needed. I highly recommend purchasing the brushes she sells as they do work perfectly with the texture of the cream products. These are my two favorite tutorials on how to use the stuff.....

Kate from The Small Things Blog has a great post and video about Maskcara foundation.

2. The Giving Key
Some of you may be in tune to the "word of the year" trend. You can go to THIS website and choose a word to inspire you and motivate you for this year (You can do it at Giving Key too!) Last year my word was RESTORE. I desired restoration in several relationships and this word kept me centered and focused on my goal. When I found  The Giving Tree through Fixer Upper's Joanna Gaines (more on that later----trust me) and that they had an actual repurposed key with the word RESTORE stamped into it, I knew it would aid me in keeping restoration at the front of my mind and prayers. I wore my giving key necklace nearly everyday under or over whatever I was wearing. It was and is a constant reminder of my word and my goal. The Giving Tree company also does great, great deeds for those in need. My 2016 word----renew!

#3 Matty B Leggings
I love leggings, but I completely agree with this lady. #sorrynotsorry


Like I said, I enjoy leggings. A lot. They are comfy, stylish, and versatile. I do believe though, that you get what you pay for when it comes to leggings. Buying leggings at Target will most likely not end well for anyone. They tend to be thin and lose their stretch and slimming ability very quickly. Hence, why they cost $5. I've gone the opposite route and spent a pretty penny on leggings and enjoyed how the higher end ones feel like butter, yet still keep all my jiggly bits in their place. These were my favorite leggings by far until I stumbled upon a magical pair at COSTCO. Yes, you read that right. Costco. The brand is Matty B. Costco carried them in 5-6 colors for.....wait for it...... $14.99. I may have even snagged a few towards the end of their run for $10. Let me say I was shocked when these leggings showed amazing stretch and slimming properties. The slam dunk feature is the waistband height. They come up nice and high and tuck in my entire tummy area without letting any of it spill over the edges. Can I get an amen?! The waistband can twist on you a bit but its very easy to get back to its correct spot. Hey, to get high end leggings at a bargain price you might have to give a little!

Follow me to hear when #4-6 is on the blog!

Capsule Wardrobe: {The Why}

What the heck is a capsule wardrobe you say? I stumbled across the idea on one of my Pinterest binges and followed about 20 links to find out the deal. My favorite source and one of the first (I believe) bloggers to suggest a capsule wardrobe was Unfancy.  She does an awesome job giving her rationale and walking you through the process. Another blog that I really enjoyed was Project 333. They have slightly different numbers and rules for your capsule, but the blog is full of great tips and tricks, especially if you are getting bored with your wardrobe. Check out my Pinterest board for more blogs and ideas on creating a capsule wardrobe. I did a ton of weeding through several blogs and came up with my own set of rules and rationale.

BASIC RULES

1. One capsule per season (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer)
2. 33-40 items in each capsule
3. Store/Donate/Keep/Purge each season
4. No additional shopping during a capsule unless it is for the next capsule
5. Workout wear, intimate items, and lounge wear do not count in your number.
6. Accessories do not count in your number


Next, I'll share my motivation for looking into capsule wardrobes in the first place.

1. We sold our house and would be homeless for about 6-7 weeks. Wonderful family and friends volunteered to put us up over this time which we are so grateful. However, we did not want to invade their homes and completely take them over with all of our stuff. We are a family of 6 and two dogs which is overwhelming enough without all of our clothes and such. Limiting each of our girls to just one bin of clothing seemed a bit torturous. To be fair my hubby and I put the same limitation on our own clothing. THIS WAS A BIG. HUGE. deal for me. How would I ever choose just one bins worth of clothing??

2. More than once over the years a student or two or three has commented on my wardrobe. How I never seem to wear the same thing twice (I hope this isn't true). How I must have at least 20 different colors of cardigans. How everything matches down to my shoes. I used to take pride in these comments, but as of late they are starting to sting a bit. Do I really need 173 completely different outfits? Would 10 cardigans do as much as 20? How might mixing and matching make less be more? I was also convicted on several of these fronts after reading Jen Hatmaker's book, 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess.  She goes to a bit of an extreme for my taste but her sentiments and observations during her experience hit a bit too close to home.

3. I added an ADDITIONAL closet just for my shoes and accessories. Gulp. Don't get me wrong--it was pretty and functional and just plain awesome. However, I always felt a bit guilty showing it to anyone as I strongly feared their judgement and mental gasping when they laid eyes on it. Shouldn't there be a way for me to get my wardrobe into the closet I have? This was my goal for my new house. Plus, my initial closet was so packed that despite all of my clothes being hung up, they still came out wrinkled because they were so squished together.

TIME. TO. PURGE...Check back to see the purge! FYI.....How my closet started...

OOTD: Countdown to Capsule Wardrobe

Greetings peeps! Here I am posting nearly a month later! Ugh. Our  move is a mere 14 days away and I promise I'll be a better blogger then! Plus it will be SUMMER. Speaking of summer--our MN weather cannot decide what it wants to do. One day it's 75 and sunny and the next day its 49 with pelt-y rain. I have not fully transitioned my winter clothes over to my spring and summer due to this manic approach to the weather. I am trying to transition from one season to the next by wearing skirts with tights and utilizing layers. In addition, I am just a mere weeks away from implementing my first capsule wardrobe--the packing and moving is my impetus--and am trying to wear a few questionable pieces to see if they make the cut. More on my capsule wardrobe to come!

My go to neutral this winter and now into spring has been NAVY. It simply goes with so so much. I feel like every color I pair it with is an immediate yes. Gray? Yep. Coral? Absolutely. Yellow? Ding!

 I have also worn this exact outfit without the tights and just the boot sox when the weather was nice enough to expose my painfully white knees.

{Shop the Style}

Sweater: The Limited

Skirt: Loft

Tank: Gap

Necklace: Premier (ancient!)

Tights: Target

Boots: Target

Product Love: {Fitbit}

I consider myself a decently active person. I am a teacher which means I rarely sit down while I am working. I work out 2-3 times a week and I have four kids who keep me on my toes--literally and figuratively. However, I was very curious to see HOW active I really was so I asked for a Fitbit Flex for Christmas. We got mine at Target on a screaming good deal on Black Friday. They normally run about $100 for the basic model. The main point of the device is to where it on your wrist so it can monitor the number of steps that you take in a day. It syncs with an app where you can keep track of your sleep, calories, and water intake as well. I convinced my hubby to get one too--he got the Big Daddy one with the heart rate tracker and such.  I was a bit concerned that I would not like wearing it all of the time, but I really hardly even notice it. It is also extremely motivating. My daily goal is 10,000 steps and I do my darndest to make it! Even if it takes jogging in place next to my bed to get there!! Ha!! You can even add friends with a Fitbit and hold some harmless competitions. Keep scrolling for some links to Fitbit fun!

Great video tutorial that walks you through the basics of your Fitbit!




Don't like the color of your Fitbit band? Here are some options!

Target 1

Target (I have this one and my decal has never peeled!)

My dream Fitbit Band

Hello AGAIN!

Whoa. It's been over two months since my last post. Some of you may not have even noticed--whew. Some of you may have been wondering, "what gives?" Well....life has been Crazy with a capital C. We have been mired down in the process of selling our home and building a new home. My focus has been diverted to things out of my normal routine and I am exhausted! Thanks for being loyal and sending me adorable messages as to where I have been hiding out! The hardest and biggest humps and hurdles of our home process are hopefully behind us and I hope to get my life AND mind back. I will be present and accounted for with some brand new posts in the coming weeks. I have a long list of things to share!!! See you soon!