Today's Everyday Fashion: The Brooch Necklace

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On the right is a close-up of today's necklace. It's actually a brooch that I looped a chain through! Handy, huh? It's one of my favorite tricks. I also sported a brooch as a necklace here and here.

Also - this is my first time wearing ankle socks and bare legs, but I have to say I quite like it! I can't wait to hear your reactions, so let me know what you think in the comment section below.

Occasion: Work
Sweater: Gap, $20
Brooch (worn as necklace): $15
Belt: Limited, $15
Skirt: J.Crew, $45
Shoes: Frye (really old)

Today's Everyday Fashion: Sequins for Day

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Okay, the secret is out: I love sequins. But I really don't think they should be reserved for special occasions. Take today's tank top (a recent find at TJ Maxx!)  - I paired it with some jeans and my army jacket for a casual look. No reason to not use your good china from time to time. :-)

Occasion: Church, errands (I also wore this to the FL Mall lunch last week - yes I repeat outfits and even sometimes in the same week, do you?)
Shirt: TJ Maxx/Chan Luu, $20
Jacket (left): Gap, $25
Jeans: True Religion, $145
Belt: H&M
Shoes: Chinese Laundry/DSW, $40
Earrings: Urban Outfitters, $5

Bonus Everyday Fashion: The Lace Blazer

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Ultimately I decided to return this lace blazer from Charlotte Russe, but I thought I'd share this outfit I put together with it! What do you think - how would you wear this blazer?

Occasion: Nighttime work event or dinner
Lace blazer: Charlotte Russe, $40
Jeans: Gap, $35
Boots: Cynthia Rowley/TJ Maxx, $85
Tank top: Forever 21, $3

31 Gifts Giveaway! [now closed]

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Thirty-One Gifts is a faith-based company that specializes in personalized products and gifts - and now you can win a $25 gift certificate just in time for the holidays! The name 31 comes from the Old Testament - Proverbs 31 speaks of a virtuous woman who worked inside and outside of the home. Because of her qualities she was worthy of honor, reward and praise. Sound like someone you know? Get them a gift from 31 Gifts this year to show them how much you appreciate them!

To enter:
1. Leave a comment below and let us know what you'd like to buy with your $25 gift certificate.
2. Become a fan of Ashley Haley's 31 Gifts Facebook page here.

Be sure to check back to see if you've won! (or leave your email address so we can contact you) The winner will be picked at random, and please leave your initials or name because Anonymous entries will not be counted. Contest closes Tuesday (11/23) at midnight. Thanks for entering! :-)

Today's Everyday Fashion: The Suit Jacket

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I love finding uses for my suit jackets - here, I layered it over some polka dots and fun necklace for a casual Friday work look! What are your favorite ways to wear a suit jacket?

Occasion: Casual Friday
Blazer: Banana Republic, $70
Shirt: LOFT, $20
Necklace: Stella & Dot, c/o Denee Brochart
Jeans: Gap, $44
Boots: Forever 21, $33

Get More Mileage Out of Your Holiday Dress

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Have you recently invested in a sparkly dress for the holidays? Don't let it sit in your closet! Here are six different ways to wear a sparkly holiday dress.

(This is my fourth guest blog post with Shecky's.com. You can see the post on their website here.)



1. Layer a black blazer and suede booties for a glam night out. Add a scarf and some skinny jeans (or leggings) for especially cold weather!

Dress: Wet Seal, $30
Blazer: Express
Belt: Forever 21, $8
Booties: Cynthia Rowley/TJ Maxx, $85
Scarf: Banana Republic, $20
Jeans: Gap, $35

Just like J:
1. Gap Blazer Cardi, $69.50
2. Flirt Catalog Sequin Mini Dress with Chain Straps, $59.50
3. INC International Concepts Dress Sleeveless V-Neck Sequin Tank Dress, $99 at Macy’s
4. Modcloth Gold Dust Gal Dress, $90








































2. Tuck your dress into an A-line or tulip skirt and wear it as a shirt to the office, or to a holiday work party.

Dress (worn as shirt): Wet Seal, $30
Cardigan: Banana Republic, $30
Skirt: J.Crew, $45
Belt: Limited, $15
Shoes: Restricted/Endless.com, $39

 Just like J:
1. Forever 21 Wool Blend Tulip Skirt, $17.80
2. Express Sequin-Front Tank, $39.99
3. Charlotte Russe Sequin Mesh Tank, $22.50
4. New York & Co Red Label Matte Sequin Tank Top, $42.95









































3. Go casual by layering a sweater and army jacket over the dress. Add some lace-up booties to complete the look.

Dress (worn a skirt): Wet Seal, $30
Army jacket: Gap, $25
Sweater: American Eagle, $30
Booties: Forever 21, $33

Just like J:
1. Victoria’s Secret Belted Cargo Jacket, $69.50
2. New York & Co Red Label Matte Sequin Skirt, $49.95
3. Charlotte Russe Matte Sequin Mini $32.50









































4. Wear your dress as a skirt by layering on a collared shirt. Pair with some sexy pumps for a date or night out with the girls!

Dress (worn as skirt): Wet Seal, $30
Shirt: Abercrombie, $20
Pumps: Boutique 9, $70

Just like J:
1. Ann Taylor LOFT Striped Button Down Shirt with Pleats, $44.50
2. Charlotte Russe Matte Sequin Mini, $32.50









































5. Go preppy with a navy blazer and a rough brown belt. Another date-night look that will have you looking both sexy and sophisticated.

Dress: Wet Seal, $30
Navy blazer: Gap, $70
Belt: American Eagle, $5
Shoes: Restricted/Endless.com, $39

Just like J:
1. Gap Lightweight Wool Blazer, $98
2. Forever 21 Sequined Strapless Dress, $27.80
3. Wet Seal Ruched Sequin Dress, $25








































6. Finally, make sure to let your dress shine on the most sparkly night of the year - New Year's Eve! Pair with some metallic shoes and you'll be ready to ring in the new year.

Dress: Wet Seal, $30
Necklace: Stella & Dot
Shoes: Wild Pair

Just like J:
1. Wet Seal 2 Tone Sequin Dress, $28
2. Forever 21 Sequin Sweetheart Dress, $28

Which one is your favorite?

5 Things to Know about Black Friday at the Florida Mall

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Photo: OrlandoInfo.com


















Today I was invited to a blogging/technology lunch with some other bloggers and the marketing folks at the Florida Mall. We talked about the upcoming holiday events at the mall and enjoyed some tasty lunch from Buca de Beppo!

Here are 5 things you need to know about Black Friday at the Florida Mall:

1. Approximately 50 stores will be opening at midnight on Black Friday. Night owls rejoice!
2. They are expecting 100,000 guests. Pack a snack and be ready to shop, shop, shop.
3.  Lanvin hits H&M on November 20th. Check out this FabSugar feature to see pictures from the line.
4. There are a bunch of new stores at the mall to check out including Charming Charlie (affordable accessories), A'Gaci (a Forever 21 type), and Cotton On (an Australian brand that reminds me of American Eagle).
5. Finally, check out these apps to help with your Black Friday shopping:

5,000 fans!

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I hit 5,000 fans on Facebook today and just want to get sappy for a moment... I started my page just over 6 months ago and I never, EVER thought I would have 5,000 fans. Those fans + everyone that reads my posts here = truly mean the world to me! Three things I want you to know:

1. I am so, so thankful for each and every one of you!!
2. I really believe in what I'm doing here (proving media wrong, that fashion is only for people with tons of $). Let's make getting dressed a more positive experience for everyone!
3. Please tell your friends. It's how I got 5,000 fans and here's to 5,000 more! :-)

xoxo,
J.

Today's Everyday Fashion: The Sweater Cape

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Anyone else super-excited that sweater capes are back in style? Not only are they adorable, but I think they are about the coziest thing around. (I could also be biased because I have two sweater capes, including this one, that I'm excited to pull out of storage!)

Photo left: My inspiration from FabSugar.com
Middle photo: My re-creation of Dakota Fanning's look
Right photo: I recently figured out how to belt sweater capes (big surprise, I figured out how to belt something!). The key is to leave the back open and just strap the front of the sweater to your waist! Which way do you prefer the sweater?

Occasion: Shopping, traveling, many a holiday activity
Sweater cape: Gap
Pants: TJ Maxx, $17 (recent purchase with my gift card)
Belt: H&M
Boots: Aldo, $75

Crush Luxe

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What do you get when you combine eBay and blogging? A really cool website called Crush Luxe, that's what! The creator, Genevieve, has knack for finding designer clothing at really, really steep discounts. But she doesn't keep them all for herself - they are for sale on her blog so you can score great deals too. (I love this idea!)






































Take these Paige denim shorts for example -- the MSRP is $158, but on Crush Luxe the price would be $29. (Luckily for me Gen was feeling generous and sent me my very own pair!)  Make sure you check out Crush Luxe for other amazing deals and click here to subscribe to emails to get the best stuff before it sells out.

Disclaimer: This post contains my own opinions and I was not compensated for it. I only share links to companies and websites that I think you guys would enjoy. Check out my disclosure policy for more info!

Today's Everyday Fashion: Camel Cravings

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Camel is my favorite color. I haven't had much success finding it in stores, but when I see it I always snap it up! Like this H&M sweater, which I've had for about 4 years. Today I styled it into a mix of neutrals inspired by the J.Crew picture, left!

What are your favorite colors to wear? -- Mine are camel, turquoise, white, blush pink and navy! Oh, and just about every other color in the rainbow ;-)

Turtleneck: H&M, $20
Trench (left): New York & Co, $40
Belt: Gap, $40
Skirt: Banana Republic, $40
Shoes: Restricted/Endless.com, $39
Necklace: Stella & Dot, c/o Denee Brochardt (http://www.stelladot.com/sites/deneeb)
Photo left: My inspiration from J.Crew!

Celebrities vs. Everyday Fashion

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I swear Forever 21 has it out for me. They are torturing me with a bunch of pretty dresses that I want but don't need. :-) Doesn't mean that you guys shouldn't miss out on the fun though! First up is this gorgeous lace number for $27.80. Celebrities are all over this look, as seen in the People.com photo on the left.





































Almost a perfect match to the inspiration photo (from InStyle.com), this sequin party dress is perfect for a New Year's celebration and only $27.80!




































I'm crushing on polka dots lately and this adorable bow dress is only $24.80! Similar styles have been seen on Rachel Bilson (InStyle.com, left).

Today's Everyday Fashion: The Sweater Vest

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I love this outfit from Banana Republic.com (far left) - so I created my own version. One for colder weather (center) and one for Florida weather (right). I'm loving my new sweater vest and can't wait to create more outfits with it!

Occasion: Work (I wore the right version to church yesterday, but I would also wear this to work)
Sweater vest: Forever 21, $22
Shirt: Ralph Lauren Outlet, $20
Belt: American Eagle/Filene's, $5
Jeans: Gap, $30
Watch: Fossil
Boots: Aldo, $75 (middle)
Pumps: Boutique 9, $75 (right)

Today's Everyday Fashion: LOFT Feature

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The LOFT recently started a feature on their Facebook page with photos from different bloggers showing how they wear LOFT (love this idea!). They asked me to submit a couple photos, and this is what I came up with! Outfit left is my favorite blush pink cardigan from them, and outfit right is a LOFT dress shown with navy and cognac accessories to transition it into fall. Which one is your favorite?

LEFT
Cardigan: LOFT, $20
Shirt: Banana Republic, $35
Necklace: J.Crew, $40
Belt: Gap, $10
Jeans: Gap, $44
Shoes: Banana Republic, $22
Bracelet: Banana Republic, $15

RIGHT
Cardigan: Gap, $15
Dress: LOFT, $29
Belt: Gap, $40
Earrings: Urban Outfitters, $5
Shoes: Restricted/Endless.com, $39
Bracelet: Banana Republic, $15

Fabulous Finds: My New Boots

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1. Aldo, $75 (I used a 10% off coupon)
I'm so in love with these boots and will pretty much be wearing them every chance I get. I don't normally go for faux leather but you seriously can't tell these aren't leather, and the price is phenomenal!
2. Cynthia Rowley/TJ Maxx, $85
I didn't own a pair of black boots, so I recently picked these beauties up using my TJ Maxx gift card.
3. Forever 21, $33
I earned enough with "Shop J's Closet" to pick up these boots too. I'm surprised at how comfy and high-quality they feel! (ps. They were online yesterday but seem to have disappeared, check out these similar booties.)

I only own two other pairs of boots so you will be seeing these new boots in tons of outfits! :-)

Video: How To Belt a Cardigan

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People ask me all the time to show them how to belt a cardigan, so I thought I'd put together a little video and show you guys! My method doesn't require pnching any new holes in your belt. Let me know what you think, and feel free to suggest ideas for future videos! 

Four Ways to Update a Blazer

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This is my third guest post with Sheckys.com. You can see this post on their website here.


Blazers are the ultimate workwear piece for winter, but like any staple they can start to feel a little drab. Here are four ways to jazz up the blazers you already have in your closet!

1. Add a brooch: Embellish your blazer with a brooch (or two!) as an alternative to wearing jewelry.

Just like J:
Gap Lightweight Wool Blazer, $98
Aldo Wieczorek brooch, $16
Aldo Elford patches, $10
Express Dangling Charms Pin, $35

2. Add faux fur: Attach a faux fur collar with safety pins to the lapel of your blazer. Adds instant drama and warmth to your outfit!

Just like J:
Ann Taylor LOFT Military Wool Jacket with Fur Collar, $128
Gap Double-layer tuxedo blazer, $88
The Limited Brown Faux Fur Wrap, $39.50

3. Add a belt: Belts are the ultimate accessory this fall—don’t be shy about belting your blazers to give them a new shape and style.

Just like J:
Gap Boyfriend Belt, $34.50
ASOS Tailored Heritage Check Jacket, $103

4. Add a scarf: A take on the menswear trend, a scarf tucked into your blazer pocket doubles as a pocket square and adds a fun detail.

Just like J:
Gap Lightweight Wool Blazer, $98
ASOS Pieces Chains Print Scarf, $25