Petite Fashion Challenge #13: Stylish for under $100

This month’s Petite Fashion Challenge, hosted by Really Petite (thanks for hosting!), was to put together a professional outfit for under $100, with bonus points if you included shoes and accessories in the price. I managed to meet the challenge, shoes and all!

I’m including two photos, but they’re basically the same outfit. I got these beautiful argyle-knit cardigans from New York & Company several weeks ago, and I’m enjoying trying to figure out how to wear them. I couldn’t decide what looked best here, so I thought I’d include both and ask for opinions. What do you like better? Blue or Yellow? Tucked or untucked?

Outfit Breakdown

Cardigans: New York & Company Pointelle Argyle Pattern Cardigan in Olympic Blue and Yellow (yellow is sold out online now). Originally $49.95 each, but on sale at buy one, get one half off, and I also had a 30 percent off coupon, making each one $26.25.

Skirt: Banana Republic pencil skirt. Found at Goodwill for $5; total cost with alterations about $20.

Tank top: Old Navy Jersey-Stretch Tank in Russian Navy, $10.

Pumps: Payless (old), $20.

Earrings: Cracker Barrel, of all places, approximately $6.

Necklace: Gifted, $0.

Total outfit cost: $82.25.

I had a great time with this challenge. I know I try to shop smart, price-wise, but I never really think about how much an entire outfit costs. Because I’m a college student, most of my clothes are inexpensive, but I guess it all adds up! A fun learning experience. Can’t wait for the next challenge!

Petite Fashion Challenge #7: The Little Black Dress

My second Petite Fashion Challenge! So exciting. Last month this was an extremely fun day — I got a chance to ‘meet’ a lot of new petite bloggers, and a lot of people visited Grammar and Style for the first time, too. I love challenge days because they really make you feel like you’re part of a community!

Today’s challenge, hosted by Jessy of The Little Dust Princess, is the Little Black Dress.

A little black dress (LBD) is essential in every woman’s wardrobe. It’s always great for back-up if you run out of outfit ideas for a night out. Adding a pop of colour to your LBD will change up its look and make your dress a little less boring.

For this challenge, add a pop of colour (or two) to your little black dress to change up the look. You could add anything from an accessory to a blazer, or even nail polish!

Be creative anddddd good luck!

I know the Little Black Dress is the classic “night out” dress. Wear one for a night on the town, going to classy places and hanging out with friends. They’re easy to wear, flattering and always in style.

However, sadly, because I am a 20-year-old college student, I don’t really get excuses to wear fancy LBDs. So, here’s something a little different for you: the dressed-down LBD. Still not anything I would wear to class, but simple enough for a day out shopping or a casual dinner.

The dress itself is super basic —  I got it for about $14 at Forever 21 last year. I love the cut of it — the length is perfect, and tie-waist dresses are my favorite. I’m not crazy about the low-cut  front, but, as you’ll see, I generally work around that.

To dress it up, or down, I suppose, I add a colorful tank top under it. The color brightens up the dress and makes it a little less night-out-LBD, and having the extra layer prevents the whole “This feels uncomfortably low-cut” issue, which also makes it more acceptable to wear in a casual setting. I thought the neckline and color plus a necklace would be too much, so I skipped a necklace in favor of flashier earrings.  If I was going out to dinner, I’d throw on wedges or heels, but to wear around all day I’d stick with my flat black sandals.

Tadah! It’s an LBD, but it’s worn simply. Cute and classy but not overdone.

Bonus outfit: My formal LBD. This dress, from Macy’s, was love at first sight. I needed a formal black dress because my school colors are black and gold, so at some point I will be required to wear formal black and gold; I figure a black dress with gold accessories will be the easiest way to do it. I wore the dress to my aunt’s wedding a month ago and was so pleased with everything about it. The cut is fantastic and extremely flattering, and it was comfortable, too.

I stuck with a black belt and black shoes for the wedding, because it was a “Black & White” wedding, but I would love to experiment with it by wearing different accessories. Red belt/shoes? White? Pink? So many possibilities. An adventure for another day.

Can’t wait to see all of your LBDs!

Cheers, MG

Day 10 — Petite in Pink

Today was day 10 of the Color Rotation Challenge — pink instead of red because I messed up yesterday — but also the day of my first Petite Fashion Challenge. Cheers!

I love the Petite Blogger community, because they’re all extremely stylish women who are as tall as or even shorter than me. I’ve struggled with being 4’11” for a while, but these ladies rock it, and they all inspire me.

The challenge was to “dress up your jeans and tee.” Easy enough. Started with a basic Old Navy T — hot pink, XS — and pair of my favorite Old Navy skinny jeans. I have always been totally in love with Old Navy’s t-shirts, because they’re cheap and comfortable and come in a ton of colors. I’m a little concerned about how this one looks super tight in the chest area, but I just bought it and they always stretch, so it should be okay.

For the dressed-up version, I added my other wardrobe staple: my black Target cardigan. I feel like I cheated at this challenge because it’s really my basic uniform, as a college kid: jeans, t-shirt, cardigan. I went a little out-of-habit by wearing a scarf instead of a necklace, so that’s a good thing, and I finished it off with my favorite black boots.

Sorry I’m kind of late to the challenge — I ended up traveling home for spring break today and didn’t have WiFi access! Better late than never. If you’re new, checking out my blog through the challenge, hope you stick around! It’s a good time.

Also, a heads-up to my Color Rotation friends: Because I am home on spring break and have a limited wardrobe, I might be mixing up the rotation. If I have to dress nice and I only have a casual yellow outfit, I might swap those days. Bear with me! The important thing will be, I will still wear a different color every day, which is the real thing I’m getting out of this challenge. I’m breaking out of my black-white-gray-blue standard.