Denim Jacket and Diamond Studs

If you know me in "real life" you know that I am not an outdoorsy type of person. In fact the last time I went camping I totally cried. I am a city girl through and through. So when Mike suggested we take a short hike to capture some outdoor photos- I was hesitant and suspicious. Turns out his idea of a short hike is FOUR hours, where as mine is about 30 minutes. Needless to say - I am still sore from the hike, which was three days ago...

I have to admit, it really was worth it. The photos he took are fantastic and the scenery was beautiful. If you live in the area and have not checked out Grant Ranch- take your dog up there and go on a (little) hike.

With our backpacks full of clothes and camera equipment we took off ready for adventure!

#26. Denim Jacket

A short reminder - this blog is all of my average girl tips and tricks for beauty. I also have an ongoing segment based off of Nina Garcia's book "The One Hundred" Which is an amazing short book on how to build an adult wardrobe, and how to dress well and not be a "fashion victim."

Here are a few tips from Nina on buying and wearing the denim jacket "Be extreme. It should either be really dark or really worn out. Buy it a size too small or find a really fitted model. In general, don't wear it with another piece of blue denim."

That last one, I believe, is the most important. There is nothing worse than a denim on denim outfit, ladies! Caution!

I have two denim jackets. The lighter of the two I picked up at Crossroads Trading Co. for dirt cheap. Probably less than $20 dollars. The darker, I honestly cannot remember where it came from. It has been in my closet that long. Probably since middle school- I basically stopped growing in 7th grade so some of my clothes from then still fit me. I don't know if that is good or bad. Both jackets are originally from The Gap.

 The only thing jean jackets do not go with- are more jeans. Unless they are white. I like to wear mine with short skirts and dresses. I like mixing the masculine with the feminine. I wouldn't recommend spending more than $50 on a denim jacket. This isn't one of the items you need to buy brand new. In fact, they are kind of uncomfortable brand new. Better to buy one second hand that is already broken in. It will give you that "cool girl" vibe.

#27. Diamond Studs

"Best when large, real, and received as a gift. But large, fake, and self-purchased do the job, too (if you lose one, you won't want to kill yourself). They are a perfect everyday earring, as they add a bit of sparkle without being obnoxiously in-your-face about it. There are not many outfits that the diamond stud doesn't get along with" - Nina Garcia in "The One Hundred"

Real or fake-diamond studs are my favorite go to earring. Let me rephrase that- fake diamond studs are my favorite go to earring. I do not have real diamond earrings, nor do I plan on ever buying or receiving them- as I am fairly definitely positively sure I'd lose one and cry forever.

I have small dainty ones I purchased at Target or Nordstrom for less that $20. But the award for my favorite pair goes to Kate Spade. What girl doesn't love Kate Spade?! You tell me!!

A link for ordering the Kate Spade pair I am wearing in my photos can be found here. I throw these babies on ALL. THE. TIME. They make a casual outfit look chic, they dress up an already dressy look. They are versatile, funky, and fun. Plus super affordable!

 Squinting from the oh-so-bright sun. 

The cuff in this photo is also manufactured by the same company as Kate Spade and Tory Burch- I picked it up at Therapy in Downtown Campbell- the proceeds go to charity. 

I hope you girls are enjoying my posts! Please let me know if you would like videos or tutorials on specific things. Also keep your eyes peeled for the next free beauty giveaway! It should pop up some time next week. 

Your blushing beauty, 

Miss Ally Jean 

Jeans

I am so short. Little, tiny short thick legs. Shopping for pants is a nightmare. I always end up feeling really bad about myself when I'm trying on jeans, and then I have to stop and remember most jeans are made for tall, slender humans.

Recently I discovered a store called Uniqlo, where all their jeans come in one length, and they hem them for free. FREE I tell you. It's a wondrous, beautiful thing. You pick your waist size based on inches, and then the person working in the fitting room marks your jeans exactly where you want them hemmed, and two hours later they are ready. AH! If you have not experienced this I highly recommend going. They have jeans in all colors and fades. It's fantastic.

#42. Jeans

I can't even begin to describe the frustration, the bicep workout, the pulling on the belt loops or breath holding that has occurred while trying on jeans in the dressing room. I'm getting worked up just thinking about it. In her book "The One Hundred" Nina Garcia gives great advice when it comes to trying on jeans "Do not assume that because a brand is expensive or a friend or celebrity 'swears by them' that they will be the right jeans for you. One brand does not suit all."

She goes on to advise trying on many, many pairs until you find that magical one. I don't think a woman needs more than 2 pairs of jeans. Also, you will most likely/definitely need to have them tailored. All bodies are not made alike. And that is a GOOD thing.

There are so many brands out there that cost so much money! More than $100 for a pair of jeans? I don't think so! I paid $30 dollars for mine and Uniqlo and that included hemming! I have a very mobile job- even when I come in when I am not teaching I am usually picking things up or bending down to grab this or that. I need jeans that have a bit of stretch. Unless you are just sitting all day you probably do too.

Here are a few photos of how movable the jeans I chose from Uniqlo really are.

I can literally jump, bend over and pick something up, run, everything! Which is really important to me. When I bend over to grab something I don't need the world to see my crack. And neither do you- so pick a pair of jeans that fit properly! Sit down in them in the dressing room, jump up and down, you are going to be living your life in these, not just standing perfectly.

 Uniqlo Jeans Rolled Up-  Ballet Flat Shoes  

  Shot of My Awesome Burberry Trench

They are a super dark wash, I went a size up from my normal because I don't think jeans need to squeeze your butt to look good. Sometimes less is more. Actually all the time. My next pair on my hit list are Levi's 501s which I will most likely buy next week. I won't do an entire post about them but I'll make sure they are in a photo and tag it accordingly.

Happy denim shopping, ladies!

I hope you are reading and enjoying. Feel free to follow my blog, email me, find me on facebook or follow me on Instagram @Miss_allyjean

Your blushing beauty,

Miss Ally Jean

Frye Harness Boot and Watch

Hello fellow fashionistas. It's been a little over two months since I started this journey of collecting all 100 items from Nina Garcia's "The One Hundred." Nina's book describes, in great detail, one hundred items every woman should have in her closet.

Since this journey began, I discover every single day, how much easier it is to get dressed in the morning. I have my "core" items that I know will look great on, and I bring in my own little flair by accessorizing. Every day, at least when I'm not teaching, I grab a great pear of jeans and white Hanes T-shirt. Or maybe a simple black dress that I jazz up with a big necklace. Or perhaps a leopard print dress with a big cocktail ring for date night with Mike.

No matter the occasion, I feel armed and ready to go to any event, at ANY moment. All of this I must credit to the lovely and brilliant Nina Garcia.

Today, I wore several of the items from the book into work. Jeans, trench, cable knit, watch, and Frye boots. Once I came home, I realized I had only mentioned one of these so far- so I pulled out the camera and took some shots of today's look for you ladies!


#33. Frye Harness Boot

I truly enjoyed reading this entry from Nina. Here is a short introduction about the Frye Boot:

"In the 60's, women began to wear Frye boots in clear and bold defiance of restrictive 1950s femininity. They were a boot that meant strength and power, which women were intent on claiming at the time.  High heels took a backseat to these clunky, chunky boots." -Nina Garcia 

Nina goes on to tell how a pair of Frye's even lives in the Smithsonian Institution. How cool is that?!

I am 100% on board for clothing and accessories that support an androgynous feel. It may surprise you that until my early twenties, I hated shopping. HATED. I wanted to be comfortable in my stretchy pants and plain white T-shirts until college came along and I had to learn how to present myself in a professional way, while still maintaining my individuality. I love the look of boots and jeans, a mens watch, and a flirty pony tail with soft makeup. That is what inspired today. 

There are many, many options when choosing a Frye Harness Boot. I recommend trying several pairs on in different styles and colors. It's worth noting that I went a size down from my standard. This pair set me back about $300 at Bloomingdales on Boxing Day. However, I've worn them at least 5 or 6 times since then, and I plan on wearing them very frequently. Take some time reading over this part of Nina's book. The history behind these boots is fascinating and empowering. 

Frye Harness Boot

#94. Watch 

There is something romantic about wearing a watch. Not relying on your cellphone for the time but actually taking a look at your wrist. Who would have thought?? 

I actually own three watches. One is a beautiful Kate Spade watch my Mother gave to me on Christmas several years ago. Second is my work watch, used only for timing exercise, its blue and somewhat ghastly. The last I picked up recently at a going out of business sale in the Men's section. 

Today I was already going for that "masculine" feel so I opted to wear my new men's gold Nixon watch. Here is Nina's take on men's watches, "...Or you can opt for a man's watch. I personally love the look of a man's watch on a woman's wrist. The big, bold masculinity of the design draws the eye to the wrist, one of most feminine parts of a woman's body." 

Plus its ahem SEXY! Dressing with a masculine edge is fricken' sexy. It makes you feel empowered and kind of bossy. I love it. Here is a close up photo of the Nixon I wore this morning. 

Gold Nixon Watch 

I paid 40% less than face value for this watch at the sale, but I believe it retails for around $225. I get compliments on this watch any time I wear it out. It's just fabulous! I recommend having one feminine and one masculine watch in your jewelry box. They make great statement pieces and act as jewelry. Two birds.

I hope you are enjoying my entries for each of these 100 items! It really is changing my life, the way I see myself, how I spend my money, and how I get dressed every morning. My eyes have been opened to an endless world of possibilities! Ladies- take inventory of your closet. Sell what you don't wear or need and start collecting the things that will make you feel beautiful, and stand the test of time. 

Your blushing beauty, 

Miss Ally Jean 

Trench Coat

#86. Trench

The trench coat entry deserves to stand on its own. This will be only about the trench and nothing else.

Breakfast at Tiffany's, Audrey Hepburn. Her in that gorgeous trench coat. So chic, so simple, so alluring. Who didn't want to be Holly Golightly after watching that film? (Minus the smoking)

The Burberry trench coat is something I have wanted to add to my wardrobe for years. YEARS! I purposefully have never purchased a coat in order to truly appreciate the trench when, if ever, it came into my life.

Lucky for me, that day was today! Never mind that I will be paying it off for the next year... my husband agreed to buy it for me if I made a payment plan so currently we have a little trench payment thermometer on the fridge that will take some time to fill up!

I think this part of Nina Garcia's "The One Hundred" was my favorite section of the book. That and the little black dress. She explains the importance of having a great trench coat, and how it can save any outfit. However my favorite part was the history of the trench.

Here is a short excerpt by Nina about the trench;

"Every aspect of the trench coat is purely functional, since it was originally created as a coat for British soldiers to wear during WWI. It is made of tightly woven gabardine, for water resistance. It is long enough to keep the rain out of a soldier's boots. It has a double-breasted closure and straps on the cuffs to tighten when it rains. (...) The coat became a British institution, a film-noir mainstay, and a style staple for both men and women." (p.245)

Did it ever! So many companies make a variation of this original trench coat but the first were in fact made by Burberry and in my opinion, they are the best. They are waterproof, handmade, the buttons are made of horn, the list goes on. 

Pictures of all the Burberry coats can be found here and the specific one I purchased can be found here in the color Stone. I made an "unboxing" video for the coat but I will tell you a bit more. 

I originally purchased this coat in Honey. But after a night of sleep I realized that the Stone was really the color that would stand the test of time. For me at least. The Honey was beautiful too! I will say this is the MOST I have ever spent on a single item of clothing. So take your time picking one out. Ask the person helping you at the store to bring out all the colors, lengths and styles that you are considering. You do NOT want to drop two grand on something you can't see yourself wearing in 30 years. Unless your a wealthy celebrity and maybe not even then.

I hope, with fingers crossed, that you consider investing in a trench coat. It does not even need to be from Burberry. There are tons of different options, styles, and brands to choose from! One quick google search will offer endless choices. I feel very strongly that a good trench coat is an essential part of every woman's wardrobe. That and a good pair of heels, and you are ready to rule the world. 

I have to thank Nina Garcia for finally giving me that extra push towards making the investment. I'm sure you will be seeing many future posts with me wearing the coat! 

In other news I have now entered spending hibernation. A: Because I need to pay off my coat. B: Because there are other things on my "one hundred list" that need saving up for. I do have a lot of the items on the list, because I owned them before I read Nina's book. I will be making future posts on my preowned items and nothing brand new out of the box. But they will be FABULOUS none the less. 

Cheers, darlings! 

Miss Ally Jean 

PS: Here is a link to the video! Yes my hair is messy, whatever!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga6QBmPVUAI

Driving Shoes and Hoop Earrings

Words cannot describe how happy I am that Christmas is finally over. Nothing is as over as Christmas. 

I will say that my family and friends are so generous, and I do love giving gifts as well. This year considering I am writing this blog about Nina Garcia's "The One Hundred" I definitely had a list of items I wanted, and ideas how to use any money I received as a gift. 

#28. Driving Shoe 

I asked my husband, Mike, for a pair of metallic driving shoes. 

Here is a little information from Nina;

"Also called the car shoe, it is a light shoe with its roots in the loafer. The car shoe is differentiated by the tiny rubber gussets on the soles, which were intended for traction when driving."

She describes how the driving shoe was originally worn by men on the way to black tie affairs before changing into a dress shoe. Such a concept! Nina also suggests Tod's which is an Italian company known for their driving shoes. 

Nina encourages one to buy the driving shoe in a fun color, keeping the hardware to a minimum, and stepping outside the box with prints. So many possibilities! I have always been a big fan of Sperry Top Siders, who are known for their boating shoe, but I feel as though my petite frame cannot accommodate such a shoe. They always look too thick on my feet, like I am trying to compensate for my height. But a sleek driving shoe?! Why had I not thought of this before?

The pair I asked Santa (Mike) to bring me is the pair seen here:

Sperry Top Sider Driving Shoe

I've been playing around with different ways to wear these. So far my favorite is with the white pants, and a fun preppy top. Examples include: Cashmere sweater, polo shirt, striped boat neck shirt. 

 Under different lighting these shoes either look gold or silver, which I love. 

They are extremely comfortable and can be worn with almost any casual outfit. I would definitely recommend them with pants, maybe not skirts or dresses but who knows. With the right accessories I'm sure you could make it work! 

# 39. Hoop Earrings

Nina keeps her advice about hoop earrings short and sweet. "They can be bought at any price point and in an array of styles and sizes. But stick with silver or gold. In general, the thinner, the better." 

She also advises to stick to hoops that are in proportion with your face, hair and neckline. Again as a shorter person this can be challenging. Big hoops would probably end up looking silly on me. You know what they say, "The bigger the hoop..." Just kidding. Kind of. 

After some research and hunting I came across a pair of Michael Kors thin silver hoops. (This man can do no wrong I tell you!) And instantly these were on my Christmas list. A link to the earrings here

My dear friends April and Nelson were kind enough to give them to me as a present! So awesome! Here is an up close photo of the jewelry. 

They are thin and delicate, dainty and perfect! 

Here is a photo of the entire outfit.  

Easy white pants, a boat neck striped shirt, driving shoes, and hoop earrings. 

Today's post is shorter than usual but I am getting back into the game after the holidays. Learning how to use all of my photo equipment- great things are happening. 

Your blushing beauty, 

Miss Ally Jean 

Knee Boots and Wellington Boots

This is another post about my journey of collecting all 100 items from Nina Garcia's "The One Hundred". A brilliant book about one hundred items every woman needs in her closet...

Oh what a joy! The rainy season is finally here after what felt like years of drought. We need this rain so badly.

On the other hand, the rain has caught me somewhat off guard- as I do (did) not really own any clothing or shoes that are suitable for sloshing around.

I feel as though I cannot talk about rain boots without first discussing other knee boots. I have a particularly difficult time finding a good knee boot because my legs are so gosh darn short. Not to mention thick due to lifting weights.

So the journey for the perfect knee boot begins...


#45. Knee Boots

"The version that every girl needs comes just below the knee and looks best when worn with skirts that hit just above the knee." - Nina Garcia

Easier said than done Nina! ARGH! Last year I spent hours in Nordstrom trying on every. single. pair. of knee high boots in the shoe department. Curse these muscular calves!! I finally put on a pair that zipped right up- no shoving of calf into boot needed.

I am also wearing knee high socks in these photos- more info later

These boots are Via Spiga, and I am assuming they do not make them anymore because they were on clearance last year. The name brand and the style are not important. What is important is that they fit, they are comfortable, and they hit me just below the knee. Also, the simple design guarantees they will go with almost any outfit.

The boots look stellar with above-the-knee length skirts, tights and a dress, skinny jeans. The works. When going out to find the perfect pair of knee length boots I highly recommend wearing one of those three items - so you can be sure they will work with your wardrobe. Nordstrom seems to always have great sales on boots, especially this time of year so go check your local store!

Oh if it were only that simple. I feel (very) strongly that a woman needs one pair of flat black boots, and one pair of heeled boots. So the challenge this year was to find a heeled boot that didn't make me look like a stripper (not that there is anything wrong with that) and had a simple yet fun look.

I had a gift card to Macy's and I had been eyeballing a pair of Vince Camuto boots for some time. So a few days ago I went to try them on to test out the comfort and fit.

It is worth noting that these also come in a "wide calf" version seen here:

http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/vince-camuto-emilian-tall-wide-calf-dress-boots?ID=1659675&CategoryID=13247#fn=sp%3D1%26spc%3D12%26kws%3Dvince%20camuto%20knee%20boot%26slotId%3D6

I would check your local Macy's because I only paid $99 dollars for mine and they are listed for more online. Are these lifetime knee high boots for me? The gold zipper on the side says "No." But I think they are appropriate and fun for my late 20's and possibly early 30's. I will more than likely be replacing them with a non-zippered version in a few years but for now these are just the ticket.

"If wearing knee-high boots with mini skirts, it's probably best to wear opaque tights." Good advice, Nina!

#96. Wellington Boots

Nina references a photo of Kate Moss wearing Hunter Wellington boots at a music festival in 2005. Upon a google search I came across several images of said boots. Here is one:

Does this muddy look inspire my glamorous side? No. But it's cute and I like music festivals too so it was worth diving a little deeper. 

Again, I found myself at Nordstrom, looking at the Hunter boots. It was as though they were staring back at me, mocking me with their "knee high" length. Saying "Ally, your tiny little legs will never fit these rain boots!" With some hesitation I grabbed the boots off the display, luckily in my size, and tried them on. BAM! 

A perfect fit! 

I could see myself wearing this with everything but the kitchen sink. They are so comfortable and easy to walk in. Unlike some other stiff and stubborn rain boots. They were on sale, how could I say no?! They do run large. I usually wear a 7.5 and I purchased these in a 7 and they are a great fit with socks and tights. Hello rainy days!

If you are considering investing in several pairs of boots for winter, or even one pair, I would suggest getting a pair of over-the-knee socks. I tend to struggle finding pairs that do not smoosh my legs like little sausages. Yesterday I discovered a pair that fit well and do not cut off my circulation.

$12 Black Socks Worn in all the Photos

I hope you found this post helpful for your own journey of finding the perfect knee length boot, and gave you ideas of what to wear them with. The truth is your boots should really go with everything you have! So take your time finding the right pair! Put on a pair of boots and you'll be ready to conquer the world! 

In the wise words of Nancy Sinatra "These boots were made for walkin'".

Your blushing beauty, 

Miss Ally Jean