The Xmas sweater - now stylish! x

The Christmas countdown has begun and we couldn't let the season pass without paying homage to the honorable Christmas Sweater. It has gotten a bad reputation over the years, so I wanted to see if I can change some thoughts on this and show you some super cute winter sweaters for the season 2014!

It's only fitting that I adorn one of these festive fashions myself. My journey for christmas sweater heaven was enjoyable and playing with how I could dress it, well, that's what YummoMummo does so well, styling! I've chosen a super cute Reindeer Christmas sweater by Jolt. It's current and at Nordstrom Rack www.nordstromrack.com for $22.95. And at that price, everyone can afford to get in the Christmas spirit. 

My super cute choice of Xmas sweater. It's a great example of a Christmas sweater that doesn't scream "Ugly Christmas sweater". How can a cute reindeer be ugly?

If you read my blog post on "Shark Bite Sweater", you will know I talked about the knee-high sock trend we are seeing this Fall/Winter. Here I am in my Steve Madden Knee-High Cable Knit socks in Speckled Cream. $7. Nordstrom Rack.

Following is a fun idea if you want to take the ugliness into your own hands and have some control. This sweater comes simply as a red blank canvas and with the shown embellishments. You can choose how you want to decorate it, go crazy and make and it as understated or as blinged out as you possibly want. The uglier, the better.

Olivia and Vivien Make Your Own Ugly Sweater Kit, $20
www.nordstromrack.com

And being a blonde myself, I just adored this sweater. Maybe I should wear it when I take the kids to visit Santa next week and see if I can get a good old chuckle out of Saint Nick! Also comes in Brunette so blondes don't take all the fun.

Ella Santa's Favourite Blonde Christmas Sweater. Comes in Brunette too! $26

www.boohoo.com

So I hope I have shed a new light on the christmas sweater. Maybe one christmas season, it will call for an Ugly Sweater Party!  Egg Nog, anyone?

*Disclosure: I am not a trained photographer nor trained in how to pose for photos, I am just a Mum trying to share some insights and inspiration with you. In being truly authentic to my cause, I have used my own clothes and used myself in the photos whole-heartedly. Enjoy!

Got a comment? You know where it goes, down below! Keep on Stylin! (For those having problems posting comments, you will be asked to type an authentication code before your comment can be published by me). Let me know if you have any issues, I'm working with Blogger on this.

Style on a budget: Old Navy Fabulously $50 x

Last weekend, I got to spend my Saturday afternoon shopping my local mall so that I could bring you this month's most fabulous 'Style on a Budget' outfit. Lucky me!  As I suggested last month, I want to show you how you can find an entire outfit for not a lot of money by choosing wisely and using some key pieces from your own closet.

Chambray dress shirt ($20), tangerine ballet flat shoes ($11), cross body bag ($11) , statement necklace ($8) & a brown belt (free).

San Francisco, California! 

This month, I have chosen an outfit more appropriate for the cooler months as we are now heading into Winter and looking for some warmer layers.

The Chambray dress shirt can be totally worn alone, but I chose to put it on top of a pair of darker wash jeans. If you love to show a bit of leg, then you would be able to absolutely wear it without the jeans. As I talked about in my post "Denim on Denim",  a darker wash of denim on the body part you want to flatter is suggested, for me, that's my bottom half. I'm a delicious juicy pear!

The only items that I added from my wardrobe were the jeans and the belt. The belt was from a clothing swap party I attended last Spring.  I highly suggest clothing swap parties, too much fun and you can pick up some super cute things for zero dollars.

Since I was going to pair this outfit with a colorful statement necklace, I chose to pick up the colors from the necklace in the shoes. I just adore the color, a yummy tangerine orange. I like wearing flats especially with a boot cut jean, as shown here.

VERY comfortable flats, only $10 on sale. Love the color against the darker denim!

The Chambray shirt dress is oh so versatile, wear it alone or pair it with jeans like I have. Some leggings and brown boots could be another suggestion. Brown boots would tie in really well with the thick brown belt.

The necklace was a very recent purchase in a Macy's clearance sale (so I cheated a bit outside of the Old Navy there). It was originally $50 and reduced to $8. Seriously!

Statement necklace found at Macy's sale, $50 reduced to $8, that's right ladies!

The cross body bag, in brown, picks up the brown belt. The whole outfit put together would be so perfect for strolling the Sunday morning markets,  shopping the mall with girlfriends, really just a super stylish casual outfit for the Fall/Winter months. Cool it down for the summer months by using it as swimming costume cover up!

Brown belt from my own wardrobe, picked up at girlfriends clothing swap party. Fun night! Free.

Any comments? You know where they go, down below!  Keep on Styling!

*Disclosure: I am not a trained photographer nor trained in how to pose for photos, I am just a Mum trying to share some insights and inspiration with you. In being truly authentic to my cause, I have used my own clothes and used myself in the photos whole-heartedly. Enjoy!

Review - Burt's Bees Lip Crayon x

I had been hearing great things about Burt's Bees Lip Crayon and was ready to give it a try for myself. As you know, I am a lipstick lover so I'm always up for trying a new lipstick, but I am also very picky when it comes to any lipstick making my list.
It was relatively inexpensive, I chose the color 'Hawaiian Smolder' and at just under $10 at CVS, I think it's reasonable. What I like most are the ingredients and I love these health facts - Phthalate-Free, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Free, Paraben-Free. It comes in six creamy, full-coverage shades of matte lip color in a modern crayon for truly beautiful lip color. Lightweight moisture for a comfortable, everyday wear formula infused with Shea Butter, Kendi Oil, and Jojoba Oil. It's color that truly cares for your lips. Some more tidbits for your reading pleasure:
• Creamy matte color and moisture-rich wear
• For everyday wear either alone or layered under a Lip Gloss or Lip Shine
• Precise application in a playful form without the hassle and mess of sharpening
• No added flavor or fragrance
• Hydrates and moisturizes lips, leaving them feeling soft and smooth

So I was all dressed up and out for the morning at a 'Gratitude Brunch' to importantly reflect how grateful I feel at this time of year as Thanksgiving is next week. And I myself, am grateful for so much, but one thing on that list is lipstick, I am grateful for how lipstick makes me feel, it makes me feel awesome!

You wind up at the end when you ready for more, just like a regular lipstick but this is in the shape of a crayon.

Burt's Bees Lip Crayon in Hawaiian Smolder.  $10. I bought mine at CVS!
And I love the tamper-free packaging.

Featured Ingredient/s

Shea Butter — Shea Butter helps to hydrate and moisturize dry lips leaving them feeling soft and smooch-worthy smooth.

Enriched with conditioning Jojoba Oil and Kendi Oil, which are chock full of Omega 3 to hydrate and moisturize lips. And don't forget the Shea Butter for an extra dose of moisture.

Ingredients / Ingrédients: ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, candelilla cera (euphorbia cerifera wax, cire de candelilla), cera alba (beeswax, cire d'abeille), cera carnauba (copernicia cerifera wax, cire de carnauba), butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, hydrogenated vegetable oil, aleurites moluccana seed oil*, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, tocopherol, lecithin, silica, glycine soja (soybean) oil. +/- (May contain / Peut contenir): CI 77891 (titanium dioxide), CI 77019 (mica), CI 75470 (carmine), CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 (iron oxides) *kendi oil

I feel naked without my lipstick on. I am wearing Hawaiian Smolder.

Here I am after wearing it a few hours. Still subtly there.

There is no fragrance and it survived the morning well. Our lips are busy things and we need a lipstick that will stick with us through the morning. Mine enjoyed a lovely cup of coffee, a yummy glass of Mimosa at the brunch, some delicious snacks and a loving kiss goodbye from my husband! I think it is perfect for a person who is wanting a subtle lipstick that ticks all the boxes in the way of ingredients and philosophy. I would be keen to try their darker/redder tones as that's more my style but this is what they had on the stand at time I purchased.

Got a comment? You know where it goes, down below! Keep on Stylin!

*Disclosure - I am not asked by Burt's Bees or paid to write about this Burt's Bees product. I write whole-heartily from my own free will and experience.

Wardrobe Work x

I was asked to go through a wardrobe and it was truly so much fun, I just had to share.
Our goal was to go through her entire wardrobe including clothing and accessories and see -

• what items she liked/ felt good wearing (this shows and is important)
• what was outdated/ill-fitting/had lost shape
• what items she simply hadn't worn for many seasons or was pre-pre-pre kids
• some tips on the best way to dress for her body shape
• what staples she did(n't) have
• what items could be updated e.g a fresh white tee
•  And lastly, assess her accessory situation i.e what she did(n't)  have. And how to best utilize the accessories she has.  Accessories are a HUGE asset when it comes to your wardrobe. Trust me, I'm the Accessories Queen, read my "Im the Accessories Queen" post!!

Simply put, she is a busy Mum (Mom) to three little ones and needs to know what she can wear and feel fabulous in, in a New York minute.  I decided to make three piles-

1. Items to keep
2. Items to donate or save for a 'clothing swap'.
3. Items that can be simply and inexpensively altered. Here you have to decide if the piece is of good enough value to alter it, or you might as well simply buy it again. Eg, it's worth altering a $200 pair of jeans vs altering a $20 shirt. 

Another idea instead of donating, is to put aside your clothes and organize a night with your girlfriends for a good old "Clothing Swap". We all have things in our closets that we think would look great on our girlfriends and vice versa. I myself, have picked up some amazingly fun jackets from a clothing swap. And don't just stop at clothes, add jewelry and handbags, shoes, scarves etc, your children's' clothing. As we went through her closet, we wrote down staples that could be added to her wardrobe or pieces that needed to be freshened up.  I wanted to show her the different outfits she could make with her "keep" items so we decided to document below how we have taken some items and worked on how they can be worn different ways.   I really think it's beneficial to photograph and document your own outfits (you could either do this by laying them out on the bed or actually photograph yourself wearing them). If you are ever stuck for what to wear that day, think of it as your 'cheat sheet'.

I just adored this midnight blue sweater with a golden burnt orange oriental design. Here we have dressed it up and then worn it more casually, by adding the denim jacket and swapping out the heels for flats.

And again, with the same sweater, to make it more casual, we 'prepped' it out by draping it over her shoulders but still seeing the gorgeous design from behind. And by adding cheetah slip on sneakers! Since there is so much space between the two prints, they are not competing.

We have the same camo top and jeggings changing from 'day to night'. We switched out the sneakers for heels, added a black statement necklace, changed out the jacket and earrings and voila..... from the school run to drinks with the girls!

This black dress is a true staple in her closet and she's had it for many moons. Here she is wearing it casually, two different ways. 

Here you can see by taking a basic base of a pencil skirt and a denim shirt and adding high heels and this fabulously fun fur jacket, she's ready to go and have some fun! The shirt could be tucked in or tied.

A favorite dress of hers. She normally wears it like on the left, which I think is super cute and comfortable. On the right, we switched out the shoes for cheetah flats, and added a denim jacket with maroon embellished flower for another way to wear the dress casually. 

Here we had some more fun with the black dress. On the left, she is ready to rock the Sunday morning markets. On the right, we added the fun fur vest and a pop of color in the red shoes for something really different. 

We really hope you enjoyed seeing the wardrobe transformation. It was so much fun that it wouldn't be right if I didn't share it.  Big shout out to the lovely lady, Suze,  in the photos for letting me share her particular experience with you all.

Any commments? You know where they go, down below. Keep on Stylin!

Shark Bite Sweater Fun x

I wanted to share this super cute sweater I found at Nordstrom Rack. It's by Vertical Design and it's the V-Neck Sharkbite Sweater in Navy Blue color. Sounds awesome right? Well, have a look for yourself. With our colder months on the way, I am always on the hunt for a stylish sweater and something a little bit more unique than the usual design. It also comes in black and charcoal, I loved the charcoal especially but they didn't have my size in stock. Here I am wearing a medium. And the price, just $44 at Nordstrom Rack, compare $89 elsewhere. I love a fashion steal. www.nordstromrack.com

Here I wanted to show you how I paired it with an infinity Leopard  Print scarf that I had in my wardrobe. I felt it picked up the brown boots and the black in the skirt and the contrast of pattern against the midnight blue sweater married well.

I also wanted to share these awesome boots I found at DSW, I just love the red zipper detail. Honestly, I find it hard to find decent boots as I have a wider calf (a.k.a more of me to love). Actually, I think anyone finds it hard to find boots, sometimes it can take a season or two to find the ones you love. These are Madden Girl from DSW. 

Madden Girl Cactus Riding Boot.  $69.95. Compare $90.
www.dsw.com

I'm excited to show you a trend I've seen this season. Pairing your boots with knee high socks. This is so Clueless/Alicia Silverstone from the 90's and I am thrilled to see it back. Imagine all the gorgeous ensembles you could make by just switching out the color/type/design of socks. Cable knit socks look especially fun. I'd love to find some gold or brown glittery knee high socks, but that's just me! 

Since this is an oversized sweater, I could afford to go more fitted on the bottom half so I chose to wear my basic black pencil skirt. Totally cotton and totally comfortable.

Any comments? You know where they go, down below!  Keep on Styling!

*Disclosure: I am not a trained photographer nor trained in how to pose for photos, I am just a Mum (Mom) trying to share some insights and inspiration with you. In being truly authentic to my cause, I have used my own clothes and used myself in the photos whole-heartily. Enjoy!

Four Simple Hair Tutorials x

As a busy Mum (Mom), I know that time, the lack of it, is always a factor for me. I  have very limited time so I wanted to show you four very easy hair tutorials to give you some inspiration if you find yourself with an extra 5 minutes to get ready. Who doesn't want to rock a super cute braid or a big fat hair bun?

Many thanks to my hair model, the yummy April. It's a bit hard to photograph myself doing this so she willingly agreed to let me use her beautiful tresses.

As you know, I am fan of You Tube www.youtube.com tutorials so check out all the cute hair style suggestions out there and you will find the right one for you. Also, Pinterest www.pinterest.com is another great place to find some inspiration and 'Pin' it for another moment when you have time to play around.  You know I always say that styling is really all about mucking around and playing with style, so this is exactly what we did here. 

Style Number. 1 - Our first hair tutorial is going to require nothing but two elastic bands . A variation on this is to pull the hair into a fun bun or continue to leave the rest of the hair down and out and just tuck it behind your ear. This is also a hair style that got me through when I was growing out my bangs/fringe. Disclosure : if I do this when I am really close to needing my highlights done, it can really show my regrowth so best to do closer to just having highlights done. 

Steps: Top Left - seperate the bangs/fringe section from rest of hair, Top Right - start braiding/plaiting. Bottom Left - plait all the way to end. Bottom Right - you can leave like this OR.... turn it in to a cute bun with all the left over hair!

Style Number. 2 - The second one is using the EZ Twist Hair Styling Tool from www.claires.com. While we are on the subject of Claires, if you have a  look in store in online at their Styling Tools you will get a lot of inspiration for making Vintage Rolls or Pretzel Braids, things to really help you create some fun looks.

If you want to take this lovely side style a step further, keep tucking it over and in, secure with some pins  and you will get this lovely number..............

Style Number. 3 - Our third hair tutorial includes a "Hair Donut" that is really going to let us fatten out a regular hair bun. I have bought mine from H&M instore for $2.95 and it comes in many colors to match your own hair color, although I feel that doesn't matter too much as the donut gets hidden.

Once you secure the bun with the elastics, pull it out a bit to 'fatten' it out. Then pin the wispy bits in to tidy it up.

Such a classic and elegant look. 

Style Number. 4 - Our final hairstyle is incorporating our second and third tutorial. I love love love the look of this from the back, it's a little different.  Doing a braid with your head upside down was a bit challenging for me but I know with some practice it will come easier and I also know we all didn't find it easy to braid hair when we were learning many moons ago.  As they say, Practice Makes Perfect! And who knows, you might be more co-ordinated than me from the get-go.

Turn your head upside-down, start braiding half your hair from the neck  and secure with an elastic so you have a high ponytail. Then go back to hair tutorial THREE and make a bun as shown. 

So there you have it my stylish friends. Many thanks again to my wonderful hair model, April, she certainly has gorgeous hair. Some styles might seem daunting to begin with, but if you find yourself home one night with a glass of wine, head on over to the bathroom mirror and give it a try! 

Keep on styling!  Any comments? You know where they go, down below.

Slip On Sneakers x

What I especially love about this amazingly casual, yet stylish, shoe is how effortlessly and easily it can take a simple outfit and turn it around. Take some Leopard Print Slip On Sneakers, for example, with something as simple as some black track pants and a simple fresh white tee,  you have a styled up basic outfit ready to rock on errands. 

When it comes to choice and price point, you've got it made. You can find a pair of these babies for your footsies either totally plain, with pony hair, embellished in jewels, in all kinds of animal prints, shiny, metallic, in colors of the rainbow and even psychedelic. The list could go on and on and on and on. Price can vary from $20 to $100's, so something for every taste and every budget.  With winter on the way, we are bundling our feet up more and more but I don't believe this is just a shoe for colder weather. No. These are also super cute with shorts and denim skirts, such a versatile shoe to take you from season to season! Below, I have chosen some of my own favorites to share with you just how varied and funky these shoes are. 

Circus By Sam Edelman Cruz Slip On Sneaker $88
www.threadsence.com via www.polyvore.com

Ash Joe Slip On Sneakers Black/Gold $180
www.shopbop.com

Black Glitter Slip On Plimsolls $24
www.newlook.com

Sam Edelman Braxton Slip On $100 (reduced from $205)
www.atterleyroad.com via www.polyvore.com

I just had to put these in as the name says it all ...Melissa It Cat Special Trainers $190
www.selfridges.com

Marcus Lupfer Plaid Canvas Slip On $320
www.net-a-porter.com

ASOS Slip On Plimsolls $37.90 *Free shipping both ways*
www.asos.com

New Look Mingle Black Embellished Slip On Sneakers $28 *Free shipping both ways*

www.asos.com

Factory Metallic Slip on Sneakers $48
www.factory.jcrew.com

Bronx Snake Print Cobalt Slip On Sneakers $132 *free shipping both ways*
www.asos.com

Following are some examples of how they can be worn in different ways from more casual to dressier. 
I hope I have inspired you to try this little shoe number when you next go shopping. 

Photo www.stlyecaster.com

Photo www.collagevintage.com

Photo www.carolinesmode.com

Here you can see slip on sneakers in a very casual outfit with Culottes from Asos.  Pairing this simple outfit with a leather jacket makes it even more edgier. Shown here are Asos White Whisky Sneakers $94.75
www.asos.com

Photo courtesy of Vans
Van Checkered Sneaker $47
www.vans.com

Time to go shopping? Keep on styling!  Any comments? You know where they go, down below.