Today I'm sharing one of my favorite tricks for making getting dressed easier. It's buying multiples - but not the same item, different color - a different item, same color! For example, I recently had a shopping client who wanted a white pencil skirt for work, so we also added white jeans to her closet, because any outfit we created with the skirt, would also work with jeans. I also do this with shoes. I have five versions of cognac shoes (my favorite shoe color) - the boot, the pump, the wedge, the flat and the sandal. Sound excessive? Well, it actually makes things really easy. I always have a matching shoe, because most outfits match all five pairs of shoes - it's just a determination of which heel height I want to go with, based on the practicality of my day.

That's how I wound up with these red shorts. They were an exact color match to my favorite red pants, so I immediately scooped them up. These are two of my favorite outfits, so being able to convert them into spring/summer outfits with shorts was a no-brainer! Have you ever tried this trick?

ps. As you know, I was recently sent a box of clothes for the Lauren Conrad blogging contest. Most of the items weren't my size, so I returned them in exchange for Kohl's store credit. I used it to buy the red shorts, along with these lavender jeans and mint shorts, which I'll be posting outfits with soon! :-) (I also got these blush pumps, but I'm still deciding.)

Inspiration photo: my outfit in Europe last September
Shirt: Ralph Lauren outlet, $20 (similar, similar)
Shorts: SO c/o Kohl's, $12 (pretty sure these are my shorts, in the orange color)
Belt: H&M, $18
Shoes: Michael Kors c/o Marshalls, $50 (similar, similar)
Purse: Calvin Klein/TJ Maxx, $120
Rings: LOFT pink ring $11, My Stella & Dot website $49
Watch: Michael Kors, family gift
Left bracelets: My Stella & Dot website $49, My Stella & Dot website $59
Right bracelets: Banana Republic $10, Kohl's $9