That was today's mantra surrounding this outfit. I surrounded the ensemble around this vest that I originally wasn't too happy with. It was too short with not enough fur. I was disappointed and thought "Well this is going to be another donation because I obviously can't use it." But when I went on my mini shopping spree this payday, I saw the perfect dress to bloom this not so great vest into something worthwhile. And that I did. I made lemonade.


The dress is from Rainbow. What I love about this dress is the comfy and cozy cotton +spandex like material that made it very comfy. The burgundy color wasn't as serene as far as burgundy goes. There was an extra oomph and pop. Another addition that I enjoy of a lot of Rainbow garments are that they normally come with some kind of jewelry in addition to the clothing item. That's right, this dream catcher like necklace came ATTACHED to the necklace. 

My boots were also from rainbow. I normally wear them over jeans/tights/leggings, but was happy to know that they're just as comfy against my bare leg. No marks, no muss, no fuss.

Overall, this outfit cost me about $35. It's one of my thriftier outfits, but also one that was super comfy. As I've said before, fashion can be frugal. It's not about what you wear, but how you wear it. Happy Sunday. 

Faithfully,
Brieana

Today's outfit was an ode to Valentine's Day and one of my favorite 
80's 
chick flicks:Pretty in Pink. Pink is one of my favorite colors for various reasons:it's soft doting nature that instantly adds a bit of femininity to everything. It adds a Cinderella princess delicacy that my girl Molly Ringwald achieved in her outfits. No matter how you really feel  ,pink will have you looking your prettiest. 

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Today is the day to remind your loved ones how much and why you love them! It's not just for those with that special someone. Its for those who are looking to love themselves more completely and remind themselves to look themselves in the mirror on the other 364 days of the year, reminding themselves that they are "flawless".

Today's outfit inspiration came straight from how "mixed-up" I've been feeling this past week. I have gone through and surpassed a few trials and tribulations this week, and the mixed print theme just illustrated that I don't need to have it altogether to have it all. This ensemble is fire if I do say so myself! When I showed my mother my outfit today, she gave me this sideways stare. You see, back in her style days, everything had to match. From the shirt all the way down to the shoes. But in more recent days, I see more and more mixed prints and I absolutely love it!



This plaid top is form Old Navy, one of my favorite places to purchase basics and key pieces for your wardrobe. The red and pink scheme screamed Valentine's Day. It has a nice cozy feel to it, which made it all the more difficult to head outside in the -5 degree weather.

My skinny jeans are from Forever 21+. You can literally find these babies in a bunch of different washes, and I believe  paid about 11.80 for them. Forever 21 is also a good one stop shop for basic items. I always have to resist the urge to buy one of everything in each color.

Now, to mix things up a little but. These cheetah print booties are from Lola Shoetique. The heel is only a couple inches, making my needed Sunday comfort possible.

One of the most important things I do when mixing prints is find pieces that carry the same unifying color. Have fun with it! And remember not to think about it so much!

How do you mix prints? I'd love to hear form you!

Enjoy today's National day of Love!

Faithfully,
Brieana

So I have a confession. Last week's OOTD (see prior post here), was on a whim. I didn't quite plan on wearing those items besides the floppy hat, and I took a second to be disappointed before I had to gather myself and get ready for church. I had PLANNED on re-creating one of my Polyvore creations (link below to my Polyvore page). I had everything all put together. All I needed was the faux fur vest to go with it. So off I went to my favorite online superstore, Amazon.com, in search of the perfect vest to pull off my mid-winter look. I plugged in my search words, looked through about 30 vests, attempting to find the right color and size for my ensemble, and then I ordered it. The whole process took me about 30 minutes (because who just buys one thing when items are literally at your fingertips?!)In hindsight, I should have known that it was way too easy. My vest came at warp speed (2 days in online shopping world), and I was SOOOO excited...until I opened up the package. Please see below for the reason behind my ensuing sadness at a #FAIL.

It is NOT as fluffly as it looks!

I could go on and on and on about how much of a disappointment this purchase was. But in all reality, this was partially my fault. In my haste to create my newest look, I had overlooked my rules for scoring the perfect item online. And because I do not want this to happen to you, I'm going to give you some tips and tricks for sorting through the "Too good to be true items" of the online warehouse.

As you can see, we have 2 of the 3 offenders; can you find which ones?

1. Read, read, read the reviews!- Your online shoppers in crime are here to help! Take a  second and scroll through the reviews of the item your heart currently desires. And when I say read through, I mean read through the 2-star reviews just a fervently as the 4 or 5-star reviews. And if there are more 2-star reviews, it may be time to look away.

2. Has anyone bought items from the store?- On websites such as Wish or eBay, sellers have their own personal stores to virtually set up shop for us to peruse. One of the biggest red flags when I go to someone's online store, is if they've been around for over 6 months with less than 20 purchases. A lack of clientele screams a lack of experience in online customer care.

3. Is it too good to be true?- In my case, YES. I "scored" this vest for lest than 12 dollars. Now while we all love a steal, we also have to be realistic when buying items. Doing research here is KEY. If you've shopped around at a department store and found that your item cost $50, realistically you will be looking at a 15-25% decrease at an online shopping warehouse-type site. Anything less than that is either a knock-off, or the lovechild of really good stock pictures and shoddy workmanship. You've been warned! Don't cheat yourself by being cheap!

These tips along with plenty of preparation can save you time, money, and hurt feelings when shopping online. Shops like these were created for their convenience and quickness, and the consumer who specializes in social avoidance. That being said, the online scammer preys on the super thrifty with ease because sometimes we don't take the time to research our decisions. Below are some of my favorite online marketplaces. Keep these tips in mind and happy hunting!

Faithfully,
Brieana

Good afternoon everyone! Today I decided on a more structured and professional-esque look. Since I've started working consistently again as a therapist l,I've pulled some of my blazers and wide legs slacks and pants out of the back of my closet to get some more sunlight and use. I also pulled out another sweater to battle against the bitter cold this morning. 

      Happy Friday and Happy February. And what a windy one it is! This past week,our favorite groundhog poked his head out of his home and said "early spring". Well,he didn't actually say that (because that would be weird), but age old tradition says that no shadow means less winter. That revelation inspired me to bring out some of my  cute accent pieces that normally jazz up a rather ho-hum ensemble. 

We all have our problem areas. Too skinny legs. Thunder thighs. Knocked knees. My personal problem area are my arms. When I work out (consistently) they'll be the last thing to shrink. For the life of me I can't figure out a formula for ripped arms. With that being said,it's a trying task to find fitted items of clothing that fit my arms. Blazers are especially difficult, so when I find one that works,I care for it like a small child and make a mental and physical note of where I got the item. The right blazers don't come by easily for us plus sized girls,similar to the difficulties of wearing sky high heels. When we do find the right arm fit,the rest normally lacks in fit. Thankfully,I was able to score both fit and flare from this blazer I got from Forever 21. They have a wonderful assortment of fits and colors.




 My struggles have inspired me to look for some of the best (and cost effective) blazers and jackets. Below are some of the places I've found fantastic blazers for awesome prices. We are all shaped a bit differently, so when in doubt, find a good tailor. Keep in mind arm lengths and button placements. You too can perfect the #1 layering piece!


What are some of your problem areas? And where do you shop to have them looking their best? Leave a comment below!

Faithfully,
Brieana.

Good evening everyone! I just want to start this post off by saying I'm happier than a clam at this beautiful and breathtaking backdrop. I know most of us don't like the work of shoveling, slipping, and falling due to the snow, but I truly enjoyed the lazy Saturday I had watching it fall and then (dare I say) going out and "playing in it" later that evening. Of course, by playing in it, I mean shoveling all 16 inches, but those are the breaks when you're an adult. I enjoyed snowstorm Jonas, and as someone said to me today, "If its January 24th and this is our 1st snowstorm, we have a lot to be happy about." Truer words have never been spoken.


I own few tribal prints in my wardrobe, and one of the reasons for that is mainly because I always though they were too busy and I wasn't sure how to tone them down. I then learned that they didn't need to be toned down and that I should allow them to be its natural self. And breathtakingly so. I scored this wrap from Forever 21 Plus a while back. It has a fringe effect on the sleeves and its a very nice cotton blend. The wrap feature allows me to either wear it open or closed. Naturally, for this shoot, I chose closed. I love you guys, but tomorrow is my first day at my new job, I can't afford another cold!

These high waist pants are from an IG boutique that's no longer in business. I'm happy I was able to get them before they shut down. The marled black mixed in with the burgundy red creates a nice two toned look. This pants are awesome because they not only have a nice high waist, the only zipper on them is in the back, which gives an even more slimmed down and neat look.

The necklace is from one of my favorite jewelry small business, Lindo Jewelry. They also came with a matching pair of earrings,but my new 'do made them tough to see.

Did you step out fashionably during snowstorm Jonas? I'd love to see it! Comment below,

Faithfully,
Brieana

Besides my trusty ACER laptop,this evening I'm armed with some orange juice,NyQuil,and a word to battle against this sinus infection that's attacking my eyes and ears! Being sick sucks,but the fabulous must continue to slay. I can do all things though Christ who gives me strength. And today,I had a slew of doctor's appointments to get myself together. And it wouldn't be a sick day if I didn't do it in sweats! Today's outfit featured all of my comfy cozy items "thrown" together to create this easy,yet not so breezy (chest cold beware) ensemble.