Bell Sleeves for Spring

March 20, 2018March 20, 2018 - Sarah Leave a comment

Happy first day of spring! If you’ve checked the weather at all, you know that it is decidedly not springlike outside. Luckily, I got a taste of some of the greenery to come (eventually) during a trip to Terrain last weekend. Plants, brunch, girl talk — what else could you want? (Answer: warm weather.)

I wanted to dress up a bit for our day trip, but I also wanted to be comfortable. Inspiration struck, and I wore this dress (you may recognize as my NYE dress) as a top. Bell sleeves may be a tad impractical, but this trend has had some staying power — I snagged this dress from a Target clearance rack years ago. To keep up the seventies vibes, I wore my new button front jeans and newsboy cap. Aside from my Fossil bag (a graduation gift from many moons ago), this one of the most affordable outfits I’ve ever blogged. (You’d tell me if it’d look that way though, right?)

It looks like I’ll be wearing sweaters for a few more weeks, but I can’t wait to wear some of my more fun clothes this spring. Don’t be surprised if this isn’t the only seventies-inspired outfit I share on here!

~ Sarah

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Dress (worn as top): Target (similar)
Jeans: Walmart
Cap: Primark (similar)
Boots: Target (similar)
Bag: Fossil

Nostalgia

January 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - Sarah Leave a comment

Time is a funny thing. Sometimes it feels cyclical: what goes around, comes around. Sometimes there’s a clear beginning and end. Style, it turns out, can be a little bit of both.

Take this hat for instance. First off, if you found my blog post expecting me to give this cap a name, I am sorry. Fiddler cap, newsboy cap, cadet cap… it doesn’t matter what you call it, but it is definitely trending. And it’s been trending on and off for years! (Just take a look at these outfits inspired by a 1970s comedy.) A sweet older man even stopped me at Starbucks and told me my cap brought back memories for him. For less than five dollars at Primark, it’s definitely a throwback trend worth trying.

I love hats, but they can definitely be a little intimidating to style, especially if your sense of style leans towards simple (like me). So for my first outing with my newsboy cap, I kept things basic with a bold but cozy sweater and skinny jeans. To add a touch of masculinity, I also grabbed my heeled oxfords. These are an all-time favorite for me (flashback to wearing them back in 2013!). I wore them down, and eventually took them to a cobbler. They are originally from Payless, but I loved them too much to let them go. When you find something that just works, you want to keep making room for it in your wardrobe. It’s proof that “fast fashion” can last if you take care of it well.

~ Sarah

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Sweater: Primark (similar)
Jeans: GAP Factory
Cap: Primark (similar)
Shoes: Payless (similar)

Hip To Be Square

May 19, 2016May 20, 2016 - Sarah 4 Comments

Blouse with Blazer for Spring | Shades of Sarah

Outdoor drinking season is almost upon us. What’s still missing? Outdoor drinking weather. When the PHLbloggers got invited to a patio preview party at Square 1682, I knew I wanted to dress summery, but warm enough to be comfortable. I ended up liking my outfit so much that I asked my friend Melissa from Skinny Affair to snap some pictures of me on her phone.

Blouse with Blazer for Spring | Shades of Sarah

This outfit came together because of the blouse. The print resembles flowers or pinwheels, but either way, it’s fun and whimsical. I originally bought the blouse last year to wear with my navy suit for job interviews (always have to add some personality), but it hasn’t really been worn much outside of that. I think that’s going to have to change though, because it’s fun and the silky fabric feels really nice.

Since the blouse is sleeveless, I definitely needed an extra layer. Luckily, this blazer is a pretty close color match, and it honestly feels like a hoodie. I’ve had the blazer for almost five years now, and it’s definitely one of my better finds from Forever 21 (even though it’s only been on the blog once before!). To dress down the blazer, I went with skinny jeans and flats (these are really getting a workout this season).

Blouse with Blazer for Spring | Shades of Sarah

Lesson #1 here is a colorful blazer can be an awesome addition to your spring wardrobe. As much as I love my denim and cargo jackets, they’re not always appropriate. Mixing things up never hurt anyone! Lesson #2 is order the black bean burger and blackberry tequila cocktail on Square 1682’s summer menu. So yummy!

Try a colorful or print blazer for yourself:

~ Sarah

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Blazer: Forever 21
Blouse: Nordstrom Rack (similar in a cool print)
Jeans: Old Navy Rockstar (similar)
Flats: Old Navy (similar)