Karina Dresses: My Style

My style. It continues to challenge me, but I like exploring it via my blog. There are days I can tell what it isn't by the outfit pictures you don't see, or those days I don't feel quite right in my clothes - and therefore maybe not quite right in my skin.

The Deets: Gala Wrap Ladybug (courtesy of Karina Dresses); Fergalicious sandals (discounted to $20 on Amazon); Vintage silver bracelets (including two gifted from Jean)

My style. Sometimes I see my style shining true and clear through the better photos, and the feeling of total relaxation I have when I know my clothes express who I am and are appropriate for the occasion - and I feel absolutely natural and comfortable in my skin.

Wardrobe Workhorse: Red Cardigan

I'm so pleased that Megan (Mee-gan) is the first person to share her Wardrobe Workhorse. Her cutting edge style and beautiful shoe collection make her blog, The Fashionable Bureaucrat, a must-read and see. In her email to me, she describes why she wears her red cardigan so often:

I wear this red cardigan at least twice a week. It gives an instant pop of colour to any outfit and its bright colour makes me feel happy. It's also practical since it keeps me warm in my already freezing office and covers my tattoos when I don't want them on display. 

I keep trying to replace it since it's starting to show its age but I haven't yet found anything suitable.

Megan's tattoos are as lovely as she is. I hope you'll check out The Fashionable Bureaucrat!

Got a Wardrobe Workhorse or a Goodwill Career Wear Challenge (I'm upping the secondhand outfit ante to $15 after seeing the prices in NYC Goodwills) you'd be willing to share with us? You don't even have to be a blogger; we like reader contributions here, too. It's as simple as emailing a photo to me at lynne dot devenny at gmail dot com, with your outfit details and a  few sentences about it.

Many thanks to the gorgeous Megan for helping me get this started!

Wardrobe Workhorse: The Sofa Dress Again

Or, Real Women Wear the Same Clothes & Spend Time in Parking Lots

Part of dressing on a budget is wearing what you already own, maybe more often than you'd like. That seems way beyond obvious, but some of us (okay, me) like variety in our attire (as incentive to get up on weekday mornings). Plus, wearing the same thing twice is the kiss of death for a style blogger, right?

NO. Uh, well, I hope not.

Recently, I've discovered that I actually like - and need - simplicity in my life. If I find a piece of clothing, usually a dress or a skirt, that I love, I want to wear it over and over and over. It comforts me.

I know this "sofa dress" is a repeat on the blog, but it's a beloved wardrobe workhorse. It's made out of cool sofa fabric, it has a nicer shape than I do, and it could practically go to work without me.

 The Deets: Dress (Ross, 5-6 years ago); Cardi (Goodwill); Shoes (jcp clearance); Assorted jewels

Goodwill Career Wear Challenge: Lydia

When I saw the super-chic and budget-conscious Lydia of Chic on the Cheap wearing this lovely Marc by Marc Jacobs dress last week, thrifted for under $10, I asked her if I could feature it in my Goodwill Career Wear Challenge, and she graciously said yes! I highly recommend her blog to new readers. Her photographs are beautiful, her personal style is modern and sleek, and she does a good job of intentionally shopping for economical items that re-mix well with her current wardrobe.

The Deets: Marc by Marc Jacobs (thrifted, $9); Sam Edelman Shoes (purchased with gift card); Tahari bag (courtesy of TJMaxx); Ray-Ban sunglasses (courtesy of TJMaxx)

The only article of clothing Lydia paid for is the thrifted dress. The rest of her outfit is a combination of blogger giveaways, company sponsorships, and gifts from people who love her.

Real Women Wear Wet Pants

This is what happens to those removable faux fur collars that many winter coats have.

See, designers? Only a real woman's cat loves those scruffy add-ons.

I ventured into budget style blogging a few years ago, because I wanted to see real women wearing affordable clothes to work. So I present you with an outfit photo you'll never see in a catalog, even though you might really want to know what the clothes look like after a day in a real woman's life.

The Deets: SayWhat cardi (real old); J. Crew boat neck top (J. Crew Factory Outlet last year);

Express Design Studio fully lined wool pants (thrifted); Clarks loafers (Rack Room last year); Silver stretch belt (I've had it for at last three decades)

I know, seriously, wet pants!