Anybody going to the Texas Style Coucil blogger conference?

I would love to attend the Texas Style Council blogger conference in Austin during SXSW Interactive in March.  It's affordable ($45 and relatively nearby!) and looks to be amazing opportunity to meet other bloggers and learn from some of the best.

However, it doesn't look to be something I'd like to attend by myself and I'm not exactly part of the local blogger scene here, so nobody I know will be going.

Is anyone interested in attending?  Wanna be my friend?  Email me (cardiganjunkie at gmail dot com) if you want to chat about it.  :)

From the Archives: Wearing Big Necklaces

Today's post is one I wrote for a friend long ago and think it's still helpful for those who are unsure of how to style necklaces.  I'm obsessed with statement necklaces and think everyone should give them a shot!  Yes, you can wear them and you won't look weird.  :)

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So many times I've had women tell me "I like your necklace.  I wish I could wear something like that, but I would look weird."  I can relate to that feeling because up until 2006, I was the same way.  I wore a small diamond solitaire on a white gold chain almost every day.  I still wear it sometimes, but after college I was pretty poor (not gonna lie) and had to find ways to make my nine outfits look like more than nine outfits. 

Since it took some trial and error for me to figure out what works, I thought I'd show how to style a few beginner necklaces in hopes of growing the ranks of Brave Necklace Wearers. 

Long Silver Necklace
Besides a solitaire, there isn't another necklace that's easier to wear.  I have two, one thick and one that's more delicate, and wear them with every style of outfit I own.  I'll throw them on with a tank top and bermuda shorts, or with my work outfits.   If you're only getting one, I'd go with something a little on the thicker side so people will see it.  As you get comfortable, add a gold or bronze necklace to your collection too.

Colorful Beads
These necklaces take a touch more courage, but make a plain top into an outfit that looks like you planned it.  I have this type of necklace in turquoise and red and wear both quite often, especially in the winter with my 3/4 sleeve v-necks, but also with tank tops and dresses in the summer.  To prove the versatility, I styled a winter work outfit, a more formal evening look, and super casual summer dress all with the same Fossil necklace.

The Bib
Too many people are afraid of necklaces as big as their hands, but I think they look so great on most people as long as the necklace sits at the neckline of your top (or you're going strapless).   If the necklace is bold and bright, like the one below, it still goes with a lot of things but you may have to adjust the length so that it sits in the right spot.  I'm not above extending my necklaces with a chain of safety pins to make it line up with my top.  I think colorful stones go as well with jeans and a neutral cardigan as with a more formal look for an evening wedding.

Hopefully this inspired a few of you to be brave and branch out.  If you see a necklace you like, but don't know how to wear it, let me know and I'll help out.

From the Archives: What to Read Vol. 1

I'm back with another old, but good post today.  Since everyone seems to be talking about books right now (whether on paper, or on a Nook or Kindle), I wanted to repost my original list of some great books that I read and shared before this blog was visited by lots of people I don't know in real life.  These are still some of my favorites - check them out!

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Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Vanora Bennett
I'd be Captain Obvious if I posted a Phillippa Gregory book for you, so I'm going with this one instead.  The story is historical fiction in the Tudor era, but if focuses on the family of Sir Thomas More instead of Henry VIII.  I stayed up all night reading this and if you like historical fiction, you'll enjoy it.

Getting Over It by Anna Maxted
Anna Maxted is my favorite author for non-historical books.  Her characters are eerily relateable and the stories are not like the thousand other chick lit books at Barnes and Noble.  This book is about a woman dealing with the death of her dad, but it's not a Debbie Downer read, and if you like it you'll probably like all her other books as well.

Digging to America by Anne Tyler
This book is about two families who adopt Korean babies on the same day.  One family is Iranian and the other American and the books follows their story as the girls grow up.  The story sucks you in quickly and it's a quick read that makes you think about what it means to be American.

I'm a Stranger Here Myself by Bill Bryson
Bill Bryson is my favorite non-fiction author.  His travel books are great for when you want to read a little each night and laugh out loud (and learn!).  I'm a Stranger Here myself is actually a collection of newspaper columns that he wrote after moving back to America after 20 years in England.  If you like his style, you'll like his other books as well.

The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier
Tracy Chevalier wrote The Girl with the Pearl Earring (which was made into that movie with Scarlett Johannson) but I think this book was better.  Her books often start with a painting or work of art and then she creates a story about the people who made it - in this case the famous Cluny tapestries depicting a lady and a unicorn.  The story is really interesting and it's another book I couldn't put down until 1am when I was about to pass out.

The Virgin Blue by Tracy Chevalier
Yes, same author as above.  This book is part mystery, part historical fiction and flips between the story of an American woman who moves to France and her relatives 400 years ago.  I read all the time and this story has stuck with me for about 4 years.  I just may read it again this summer...

The English American by Alison Larkin
This story is about a British woman who learns that her birth parents are American and she heads to the US to meet them.  Hilarity ensues, but not in the ridiculous chick lit way.  It's a true story and very entertaining.

Do any of these sound interesting to you?  Do you have any suggestions for me?  I've only got 3 more books in my To Be Read pile...

Check me out on the LOFT Facebook page!

Today I'm super excited to be featured by the fabulous ladies of the LOFT team as part of their How Bloggers Wear series.  Today's album focuses on New Year's Eve style, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to put together a party outfit from the 2011 Holiday Collection.  (Full disclosure: I was provided a gift a card that paid for most of the outfit)

Since this blog is all about realistic style, I decided to pick something that will fit right in if the party you're attending is more casual than cocktail. 

 

The red cords, top and jewelry are all from LOFT and I think they're a nice alternative to wearing jeans and a black top, which was my previous uniform.  As you can see, I still need to work on my posing and photo locations but I'm a big fan of the outfit and have worn it a couple times since this picture was taken.  If you have a minute, please check out the other bloggers in the album.  They put together some amazing outfits!

 
P.S. Now you can Follow my blog with Bloglovin

From the Archives: Baby Sitters Club Style

Good morning! I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas this weekend, and that you're enjoying a break from work today.  I'm back in the office, but still taking a little blogging break.  However, I thought it would be fun to republish some old posts that I love since they went up before I had much of a following around here (in 2010).  I'll be back with new stuff later this week.  Stay warm and safe!

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Last week there was a guest post on Dooce about the Baby Sitters Club, which sent me and my friend Julie on a trip down memory lane and led to the discovery of a hilarious blog called What Claudia Wore

I cannot tell you how obsessed I was with the BSC when I was 9-11.  I probably had about 90 books once you counted the mysteries and Super Specials (Remember when the club went to NYC together?) and really wanted to live in Stoneybrook instead of Highlands, TX.   Once I got to 8th grade I moved on, but I will always love the BSC and the years I kept my local Waldenbooks in business.

I learned that Ann M. Martin has just written a new BSC book (yes!) but it's a prequel and not the "Where are they now" update I was hoping for.  Since she's not going to write one and describe their fantastic outfits, I decided to give it a shot my way.  I apologize in advance if you're not the right age to enjoy this, but I'm having fun here.  

Kristy Thomas
I think Kristy probably grew up to be a teacher/coach who lives with her partner, 2 kids, and dog Louie Jr. in Massachusetts.  She played softball in college and is still a tomboy, but not in a hopeless way because her friends Claudia and Stacey take her shopping once a year when she visits them in NYC.

Claudia Kishi
I think Claudia managed to get accepted to RISD (she learned to spell and focused more on her art in high school) and is now working as a designer/painter in NYC.  She still dresses like a crazy person and is married to a graphic designer who wears hats that she makes.  When she's been drinking, she bitches about how Lady GaGa is stealing her look.

Stacey McGill
Stacey went to NYU and still lives in New York (of course).  Since she is so great with numbers, she landed a job in finance, a Wall Street husband, and spends her downtime shopping for Burberry, Louboutins and designer pieces on Gilt.com.  She's still close friends with Claudia and they go out for cocktails once a month.

Mary Anne Spier
Mary Anne and Logan didn't stay together after high school.  He got a scholarship to the University of Kentucky and she didn't want to leave the east coast.  She's now a high school guidance counselor and lives with her husband and young daughter in Connecticut.  She and the BSC girls keep up on Facebook, but her life is more about being a mom and visiting Dawn in California.  Stacey bought her that fancy diaper bag.

Dawn Schaefer
Dawn is still in California and runs a small vegan restaurant in Santa Monica with her surfer husband.  She's all about casual, fair trade clothes (those are PVC sandals) and surfing.  She visits Stoneybrook a few times a year to see her mom and Mary Anne, but mostly grew apart from the others since she moved away in 1995.

Mallory Pike
Mallory moved far away from her giant family and does not have or want any children.  She went to Northwestern and now works in a library in Chicago and has a snarky blog where she makes fun of chic lit books and Twilight.  She and Jessie grew apart after high school, but still see each other at Christmas and laugh about how the residents of Stoneybrook let them be in charge of children at the age of 11.

Jessi Ramsey
Jessie went to Julliard and is a member of a dance company in New York.  She's tried out for So You Think You Can Dance a couple of times, but they don't pick ballerinas very often.  She lives in a 1 bedroom apartment with two other dancers but wears more than leotards and a ballerina bun these days (thank goodness).

So who was your favorite character?  Do you agree with my picks?

May peace be with you!

Source: google.com via Haley on Pinterest

It's finally our time to take a break from work and internet, and spend time with the people you love, regardless of what this weekend means to you.  I hope you all have an amazing holiday, and I'll see you next week!

Happy Holidays!!

What to Wear: Christmas Church Service

Today I'm continuing the what to wear series with outfit ideas for those set to attend a church or temple service over the weekend.  Nowadays, you'll see people dressed up and down in the same pew, so I made a few options with varying degrees of fancy. 

You could add tights to either of the first two outfits, and top all of them with a nice coat, which I'm hoping Santa brings me for Christmas.

What to Wear: Christmas Church Service by cardiganjunkie featuring leopard print pumps