Inspiration for an OOTD!

One of my favorite fashion blogs (and one of the reasons I started my own) is J's Everyday Fashion. The best part of her blog and the foundation behind nearly every post is an inspiration photo. She must scour fashion catalogs and magazines for hours for these photos! Does she have a stock pile? I would love to know her process! Magically, she then pulls items she already owns and puts together an outfit eerily similar to the inspiration photo. There are times when instead of creating the exact outfit in the inspiration photo, she simply tries to replicate the color scheme or pattern. I have always marveled at her ability to do this.

One of my favorite places to go for inspiration (as crazy as it sounds--I don't subscribe to really any fashion mags or catalogs) is Polyvore and of course, Pinterest. Polyvore is an account based site where you can build outfits using fashion pieces they provide. We have all probably pinned these "body-less" outfits that we wish would just magically appear in our closets. I have found myself in a winter clothes rut the last few weeks and have been relying heavily on outfits I have pinned from Polyvore. I'm telling ya--they have come through when I am desperate for some outfit inspiration. The plan is to share a few of these with all of you!

Here is a super simple look that looks super pulled together. I love combining black and brown (which a few of you are still afraid to do...bah!--get over it!!) I boycotted our endless winter and showed some pretty white knees but stayed warm with some cozy boot socks. I tried to stick very close to the inspiration photo using items from my own closet. Sometimes the best part of this process is getting to try out a combination or color scheme that you would have NEVER come up with on your own. Go ahead and get some outfit inspiration and re-create the look!

{Shop the Style}

Scarf: Steve Madden at Herberger's

Cardigan: Old Navy

Dress: Ann Taylor Loft

Boot Sox: TJ Maxx

Boots: Steven Madden 

Denim: Dark vs Light

There is a definite time to wear a great pair of light blue jeans (more on that a different day), however overall a darker wash is much more flattering. The darker color minimizes curves and adds class to your look. Take a peek at the example below. See how the darker color elongates the legs. This is a great tip for all sizes of women. It really is the staple of the entire look. If you need more ideas of how to wear dark wash jeans, check out a previous Six Ways post HERE. This is a great basic piece, so make sure to have it in your closet.

(Our favorite places to buy darker jeans are linked in the previous post above.)

As always, have fun creating your look and let us know what works for you!

~Holly

Denim: Dark vs Light by hollymuilenburg featuring blue jeans

Christmas Cheer

Here are a few ideas that are sure to bring Christmas Cheer this year! Take the basic color schemes and remember to add a little sparkle. You can always get away with extra bling on Christmas. We hope you have an AMAZING Christmas, so make sure to take time to enjoy this beautiful season. Merry Christmas from Tutor My Style!

Look 1: Black & Red

Look 2: Purple & Gray

Look 3: Cream & Gold 

~Holly

Christmas Cheer by hollymuilenburg featuring a brown skirt

Lots of Layers

Stay warm and cozy this winter! Going from negative temps outside to 70's inside, it's a bit tricky to dress. An easy way to stay snuggled in is to use lots of layers. A great rule of thumb is to find a combination of three + a scarf. This way you can remove layers if you need to, but stay warm when it's important. I know sometimes "more mature"women need to shed an article or two in a hurry. Following this guidelines, the scarf and outside layer can be removed and you can always push up the sleeves on the middle layer. Check out a few examples below...

Look 1

layer 1: chambray shirt

layer 2: cute sweater

layer 3: leather jacket

+ Scarf

Look 2

layer 1: white shirt

layer 2: printed cardigan

layer 3: vest w/detail

+ Scarf

Look 3

layer 1: longer tank top

layer 2: printed shirt

layer 3: solid cardigan

+ Scarf

Let us know which look is your favorite!

~Holly



Lot of Layers by hollymuilenburg featuring white sheer tops

Masculine and feminime: Leather anad Lace {+ our GIVEAWAY]

Most people don't think to put leather and lace together. I'm hear to tell you that it is a GREAT idea! They are the perfect pair of masculinity and femininity for a stunning look. Take a peek at a couple of looks I created. Notice how they both look so natural--like the fabrics were meant to go together. I used neutral color just to focus on the textures, but add some color pizazz!  Have fun and don't be afraid to try something new. Scroll down to hear about our give away!

  

Masculine and feminime by hollymuilenburg featuring lace tops

~Holly

So--10 days ago we put a little push out there to see if our readers could help us reach a milestone here at TMS...20,000 views! We needed to get 3,000 views in under a week which is a pretty big deal. Well...we didn't make it in under a week but we did make it in under 10 days! Whoo Hoo! We just rolled the big 20 and are beyond pumped! We would like to honor this huge milestone by doing a give away! 

We are giving away two prizes~

Naked 2 Palette

OR 

Super versatile leopard print scarf

Two requirements to enter our giveaway...

1. You must follow our blog using your email. Look on the right side of our blog for the Follow By Email box. Type in your email address. You will need to confirm your submission and type in a code to prove you are not a machine. You will be sent a confirmation link to your email. Click the link and you are subscribed to TMS! (If you are already subscribed you are good on this one!)

2. Leave a comment on this post telling us how TMS has helped you with your style! 


The giveaway will go for one week. We will randomly choose a two winners (one for the palette and one for the scarf) after Thanksgiving! 

We are so thankful for you! Thanks for supporting us! Please spread the word! Post this on your FB page. Tweet it! Encourage your friends to check us out! 

 

Trend Watch: {Print on Print}

Trend Watch: Print on Print

 So many times I catch myself grabbing a plain "undershirt" to go with a printed "overshirt". I started experimenting with mixing prints and take a peek at what I came up with! Too Cute!! Adding another print can totally add to the style of your outfit. I was so afraid of being "to busy". Take a look for yourself-- it's not too busy-- it's too AMAZING! I chose more subtle colors to explain what I'm talking about, but don't limit yourself. Add in some dimension with color. Add colored bottoms if you chose the same tones on top. Or a great statement necklace for a pop of color.  Catch my drift?

First Look: Striped over plaid

Second Look: Dots over stripes

Third Look: Striped over animal print

I also LOVE big polka dots over small polka dots. Same pattern, but slightly different. You can put together almost anything! Let us know what you find or which look you're willing to try.  

Print on Print by hollymuilenburg featuring blue jeans

~Holly