Ciao, bellas!
Opening up my fashion haus today for this summer fashion fun blog hop. Three of my bloggin’ buds and I are all participating in the Get Your Pretty On (GYPO) summer style challenge together. I have been late to the party because I was out of town when the challenge got underway. But have enjoyed seeing all of the great interpretations of the challenge’s first outfits on Dani at Family.Love.Inspiration., Michael Ann at Out and Back, and Jamie at No Delusions of Grandeur. As well as, all the other gals in the closed GYPO Facebook group.
For this blog hop, the four of us decided to feature our interpretation of one outfit we all loved, Day 7. Then a few of our own personal favs as well. We are on Day 17 of the 3 week challenge so it will be winding down shortly. When it does, maybe I can talk these gals into doing another blog hop featuring some of our other favorite looks from summer. You may be asking…
What’s a Get Your Pretty On Style Challenge?
That’s a great question!! If you are unfamiliar with the Get Your Pretty On challenges, let me take just a minute to explain how they work. And who better to explain the style challenges than creator, Alison Lumbatis.
Style Challenges® is an online wardrobe styling program that provides members with a seasonal shopping list of trendy and classic pieces styled into mix and match outfits. Since the first Style Challenge® in 2014, over 10,000 women in 20 countries have rediscovered their style, regained their confidence and made new friends in our vibrant community.
I got on board when Alison did her very first style challenge in 2014. Don’t know how I stumbled across them, but so thankful I did. Otherwise I probably would never have ‘met’ Dani, Jamie and Michael Ann.
Once you decide to register for a GYPO challenge, here’s what happens next.
✔ Select a Style Challenge® (there are seasonal challenges as well as SAHM and work wear challenges).
✔ Download the shopping list which includes 20+ coordinating tops, bottoms, accessories, and shoes.
✔ Check your closet for items you already have.
✔ Complete your wardrobe by shopping at stores YOU love.
✔ Get daily outfit ideas in your inbox.
✔ Check ‘getting dressed’ off your to-do list!
To learn more, please click here to visit the Get Your Pretty On website. And if you are interested in registering for the next challenge, I would be tickled to have you use my affiliate link. Click here to register through my affiliate link for the summer work wear challenge. Thank you!!
The fall challenges will be opening in a few months!! Stay tuned.
My Fashion Haus: Summer Fashion Fun Blog Hop
Now that we have all of that background business out of the way, it’s lights, camera, action on the catwalk. Meow! If you have stopped by here after visiting Jamie at No Delusions of Grandeur, welcome. So glad you have hopped by. Going to share outfits from Day 1, Day 7 (the outfit we are all styling) and Day 8.
Day 1
White Top + Patterned Bottoms + Bright Shoes
Dress It Up: Go for the skirt option and pair up a block heel sandal.
Dress It Down: Swap out the top for a plain white tee.
Have you noticed that gingham is really trending this summer? I love it, don’t you? It’s crisp and fresh looking, even here in El Paso where we have had over 21 days above 100*F already. For my interpretation of Day 1, I originally paired my Ann Taylor black and white gingham skirt with a Target pink tank and a Loft Outlet lace tee, Limelight pink pumps from Rack Room Shoes.
But I didn’t like the way the tank and tee looked on when paired with the skirt. When that happens, what’s a girl to do? Go shopping, of course. And I found this white OTS ruffled tee at Target that I like much better with the skirt. Had to get a pink necklace at Charming Charlie, too.
Not sure why, but I felt very Maria Von Trapp from “The Sound of Music” in this skirt. Have never been a nun, or a nanny and I sure can’t sing. Anyone else hear “…the hills are alive?”
Day 7
Kimono + Bright Top 1 + Denim Bottoms + Metallic Shoes
Dress It Up: Pair with metallic heels.
Dress It Down: Wear denim shorts and skip the kimono.
Along with gingham, kimonos are hot this summer. Ha! See what I did there? And I love them. They are the perfect wrap for 3 of 4 seasons in far West Texas. Found this one on Amazon. Paired it with a periwinkle Loft Outlet tee and a JCPenney denim skirt, old faithful metallic sandals from Target.
My straw bag…also a trending item this summer…was a gift from my daughter Lauren.
Wore a similar version of this OOTD while I was in Ft. Worth for Brennyn’s wedding celebration. Brennyn liked that outfit so well that she took about a dozen photos of me in it, posing by the front door of her shiny new house.
She takes much better pictures of me than I do! For this post, I tried so hard. But I am no fashionista. Set up my light kit, my tripod with my good camera, connected my phone to the camera so I could use it as a remote. Even tried my luck taking pictures outside. In 107* heat, I might add.
When I finished, sat down inside on the stairs to look over the photos and realized I had my tee shirt inside out the whole time. Here is a photo I somehow accidentally took while turning my shirt right side out.
See how hot I was? And yes, I turned it around and wore it the rest of the day. Have no idea how I took this picture. Both hands are on my tee. I am good after all.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I told the girls about my faux pas (thinking they might not want to link-up with me after all). But they all stuck by my side. Now that’s friendship. Told them you can put lipstick on a pig but it’s still a pig. Said they could just call me Wilbur or Babe.
[source]
Day 8
Black Top + Olive Bottoms + Neutral Shoes
Dress It Up: Wear an olive skirt or pixie pants.
Dress It Down: Skip the wedge heel and style flats instead.
Remember those olive pants I bragged about being able to wear in this post not so very long ago? Yeah, well, the zipper wouldn’t stay up on them when I tried them on today. What exactly do you think that means? Surely not too much wedding cake. Say it isn’t so.
At any rate, for Day 8, I styled both my too tight olive pants from Loft Outlet and my new Caslon olive shorts from Nordstrom with my black Express tee (has the cutest little layer of crepe fabric below the tee part), kerchief from H&M, Charming Charlie tassel necklaces (I knew better than to wear both at the same time) and Unisa wedges from DSW. Kerchief is an odd little word, isn’t it? Not used much any more for some reason.
Tried so hard to be nonchalant about clicking my phone as the remote control to my camera. Stealthily hiding it behind my back in this pic.
Not too sure about these shoes with the shorts. What say you?
Didn’t even try to hide my phone in this picture. And then guess what happened? I took all of my clothes off and somehow got a photo of myself from behind dressed only in my birthday suit. Have no idea how I did that either. Won’t share that with you here. Deleted it as fast as I could. No one should have to see that. EVER.
Your Turn
Have you tried gingham, kimonos or straw bags this summer? Is there a fashion trend you’ve seen and fallen in love with? I think one of the reasons I enjoy the GYPO style challenges so much is because it introduces me trends. Always say that El Paso is about a year behind the trends. For example, looked everywhere for gingham; wound up ordering my skirt online. Gathered a few samples of each of these trends for your window shopping pleasure. By clicking on any of the images, I earn a few pennies per click. Thank you!
But the best thing about the style challenges is the friendships I have made. While I haven’t met Dani, Jamie and Michael Ann in real life, they are still dear friends. Dani and I message back and forth, share family photos and sometimes she sends me pictures and video of her parents’ cows. So cute! I love cows. Jamie and I have done a couple of link-ups together and I always enjoy reading about this Retro Cutie. Michael Ann and I have actually spoken on the phone…once…and share similar tastes in books and I love camping vicariously through her blog posts. If you haven’t visited their blogs, please do so. Dani at Family.Love.Inspiration., Michael Ann at Out and Back, and Jamie at No Delusions of Grandeur.
Also linking-up with the very fashionable Carrie for Thursday Fashion Files, Jennie for Fabulous Friday and Laura for Confident Twosday. They are always on trend!
Thank you for spending a few moments with me in the ole fashion haus. It wasn’t quite as dusty this time because I was in there for this Style Imitating Art post in May, and even spring cleaned the room in April. Hope to get back in there again in the near future.
Hugs and kisses,
Valerie
I love that your shirt was wrong side out and that you took that interesting picture without knowing it. I took a semi crotch shot in the middle of my lake pictures. Shared my lake pics with my couple friends and booyah there I was too much of me. At least I had on shorts. I am going to get my kimono you gave me out today and wear it. Let’s shop the outlet while I am there. Save a little money or sell some stuff!!!!
Dara
I love your interpretations of the challenges! That is really funny about the picture you took with no hands!
Jamie Moore
I love love love the gingham skirt outfit on you! The ruffles really add a little extra something!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you so much. I couldn’t find a single piece of gingham anything here in El Paso so I ordered this ruffled skirt online. Always worry about doing that because I never know what size to order. It fit with a little room to spare! Now to have somewhere to wear it!
Jodie
Girl…you are fabulous….maybe a babe, but not the pig, Babe!!
I love those booties with the shorts. I’ve worn that style a couple of times, and I like it because I feel more covered up that way!!
I think all of these turned out wonderful!! I’m going to start calling you fashionista!!
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Laura
Love all your outfits! I participated in the second GYPO challenge (I can’t remember if it was Spring or Fall) and really enjoyed it! You are too cute and cool for Summer, Leslie!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you, Laura. If you ever decide to do another GYPO challenge – fall is my fav – let me know. We could blog about it. They are a lot of fun and I always discover some piece of clothing or fashion trend I would never have tried on my own. I think they keep me young!
Jill
Hi Leslie! Glad to stop by and get caught up on your blog! All of these outfits are fabulous! Loving your gingham skirt and that beautiful kimono! Hope you are having a great summer!
Jill
Doused in Pink
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you, Jill, for coming by. Was so happy to see your pretty self guest hosting for Carrie.
amy
All these outfits are so good. I love that gingham skirt! I have yet to jump on the gingham trend. I always feel I’m wearing a tablecloth, yet I love it on everyone else. I incorporating the trend in small ways. I bought a gingham bag and I would love a pair of gingham shoes. The kimono outfit is so cute! I love the bag in that outfit. And olive and black are one of my favorite color combos!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I loved your gingham bag!! And have seen gingham shoes on several gals that were just adorable. So incorporating it in little ways is great. I just ordered and received a pair of gingham cropped pants. When I took them out of the packaging, I thought to myself that was a lot of pattern to put on my behind!! But I tried them on and liked them. Would like them better if I could lose the three pounds I have gained recently.
Danielle Park
I love all of your versions. And I’m still giggling about your your shirt being inside out. I’ve totally done that before.
Thanks for the kind shout out and for all the encouragement.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Hey baby girl! Hope you are enjoying a wonderful vacation. Hope that everyone stays healthy this time. Will be looking forward to photos. Can’t believe how much Zaeya has grown sincethe first day of school. Crazy!!
Thank you for always being so supportive of my ventures and ideas. Sure appreciated your enthusiasm for all of the summer outfits. You styled them and wore them so well. Is summer your favorite season to dress for?
Glad I am not the only one who tends to put on clothes backward. After wearing my shirt inside the other day, that night I put my pjs on inside out. There’s no help for me. One time I paraded around our school office for ten minutes with my skirt tucked into my panty hose in the back. I need a dresser!!
Debs
Oh Leslie, what a fantastic blog post – you made me chuckle! I love the idea of the style challenge, I’ve never heard of it before but what a great idea to get you wearing things you already have and also encourage you to go out and buy more!
I think you’ll find that sometimes if you leave clothes too long in a wardrobe they shrink a little, nothing at all to do with eating wedding cake and drinking wine – that’s probably what happened with those olive trousers (sorry, can’t bring myself to use the American ‘pants’ – to us Brits that only ever refers to men’s underwear 😉 )
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I had such a laugh at your comment. Please, please think of joining me for the fall challenge. Oh, Debs, it is such fun. And it is perfect for we retirees who are kind of updating our wardrobes from work wear to retirement wear. Would love to do it with you and we could blog about it, too!!
Thank you for cluing me into what in the world happened to my olive pants/trousers that made them fit more snugly. That darn wardrobe shrinking things! Glad it wasn’t the cake or the doughnuts I ate while out of town.
Laura
You always make me laugh! I love that you don’t ever take yourself too seriously! I recently wore my utility vest to target completely inside out and only discovered my error when I tried to put my phone in the pocket. How embarrassing! I love that olive pants outfit! Those shoes are really cute with it!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I am glad I made you laugh! I was all prepared to try to be a serious ‘fashionista’ with this last post but the real me got in the way. Even put my pjs on inside out that night. Hopeless over here. Got a giggle from you wearing your utility vest inside out. It is hard for me to imagine that because you are always so well put together. I imagine if anyone noticed they just thought you were a trendsetter. Thank you for making me laugh!!
pat
I adore that kimono…. looking into getting something similar. I think I can pull that off for an evening out. My days are chino shorts and T’s with flip flops…but evenings out I do try a bit more.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Hope you will try a kimono – even with your chino shorts and flip flops. They are so easy to wear and are perfect for just a little warmth on cool nights or from AC on hot days. I have about a half dozen different kimonos…probably half were given to me. They get a lot of wear!