What Mama Wears: Links and Stripes - Pin to Real LIfe #6 -

I love these two pieces separately, but was always concerned that putting them together looked a little... well..  HEEEEY Sailor! ;)

Y'know what I mean.

But after seeing these few pins like this one, this one, and especially this one with the big links necklace I was convinced to give it a try. I actually quite like how this outfit came out!

Pin to Real LIfe: Breaking the rules

Another Pin to Real life instalment!

So, just recently I refashioned a skater style dress into a hi-low peplum top (here), and I was initially going to style it the way I usually style a peplum, according to my rule that something with fullness on top should go with something trim and sleek like a black pencil skirt or cropped pants... but then I saw this pin and then this one (which I absolutely LOVED) and I thought - forget it! Mama's breaking the rules!

I paired this newly refashioned top with a previously refashioned tablecloth into circle skirt and a white belt, shoes and funky pearl necklace.

What Mama Wears: A Shorts Story - Pin to Real Life Style Challenge #4

My goal is to do a round 10 posts of the P2RL style challenge issued by Sarah of Sarah's Real Life. So I'm almost half way there!

I got these sailboat print shorts at Old Navy last summer and they got a LOT of wear - I expect it'll be the same this summer. And I love them, and I love most print shorts I see... but here's the issue I have pinterest.
Why... WHY are all these women wearing HEELS with SHORTS?
I'm sorry - I tried, I mean, I put them on, I looked in the mirror, I walked around my house... and I felt... ridiculous. I mean, RI-DIC-U-LOUS.

I just can't do it. Shorts go with flats in my little world, and these super cute navy boat shoes that I got at Walmart for a whopping $9.00 sure do the trick.

I did love the sleeveless button down and printed short combination in this pin - and it inspired me to pair this high-low sleeveless button down I have in my wardrobe with these print shorts - instead of my go-to white tee-shirt.

 

Source

So here's my version:

What Mama Wears: Flowy Prints - Pin to Real Life #3

I got this beautiful skirt as a gift from my parents for my 29th birthday. I haven't worn it too often for a few reasons - 1) it's made of silk, which while making it super breathable and light and flowy, also makes it SILK - I'm so darned afraid of dropping some food or something on it and staining it beyond recognition... cause that HAPPENS...  2) it's a wrap skirt and I never feel like I've got it wrapped correctly, however, adding the belt seems to make a huge difference

I was inspired by this simple outfit that I saw while searching "street style" on pinterest.

 

She looks comfy and chic in her swingy flowy skirt and t-shirt. Adding a little cardi over top makes it totally wearable if you're going from indoor A/C to outdoor heat and back again. And while I don't have sandals that are quite as cute as hers, I'd be looking to add some to my shoe wardrobe sometime soon!

I've also added some accessories because... well, I love jewellery, what can I say.

What Mama Wears: Pinspired - Pin to Real Life #2

Another instalment of Pin to Real Life! I'm absolutely loving this challenge so far! I've actually started searching on pinterest using some of my wardrobe pieces as a search term and have come across some great outfits that I never would have come up with on my own. I have a tendency to just stick with the same outfit combinations over and over again... it's very easy to get stuck in a rut, putting the same pieces together over and over again just because we know that it works. This is a great way to get some new ideas of how to put together the pieces already in your wardrobe.

This time I was totally inspired by this look on Jessica Alba:

 

I love her combo of bright denim and a loose blousey button down in a print. She, of course, looks effortlessly put together, and fresh... I figured, at best, I could look dressed. I knew I already had these items in my wardrobe and they made a great, easy summer outfit. 

What Mama Wears: Pinspired! Pin to Real Life #1

I have blogged before about one of my fave fashion bloggers, Sarah from Sarah's Real Life. Recently she started a challenge called Pin to Real Life (click for details) and while I don't generally blog about an outfit every day, I thought I might jump on this one for a few installments of WMW since I often find myself pinspired when I'm getting dressed in the am.

*Click the "Pin to Real Life Style Challenge" label at the bottom of this post to see all the P2RL outfits - or click What Mama Wears to see all the Mama fashion posts!
Sarah is a total inspiration to me because she's uber fashionable while still having a very real life. She's not a Mama like me, but she lives a full, busy life and still manages to look put together on a regular basis. Talk about a real-life style icon!

For my first pin-spired outfit I was drawn to the colour combo of this outfit: http://pinterest.com/pin/149604018844642768/

And I liked the shaping of this outfit: http://pinterest.com/pin/149604018844642770/

With a few mama-ified  changes to make this work for my regular day of cleaning my house, baking a cake and prepping for a family birthday party I came up with this! (Try not to be blinded by the pasty whiteness of my arms and legs - what can I say, I'm Canadian and I'm a WASP, it is what it is. I don't tan, people.)

tank: Walmart / skirt: Old Navy / Wedges: Sears / Earrings: Designs...by Patricia / 

Bracelet and Necklace: gifts

Blue and yellow feel really bright and summery. I probably wouldn't have combined these two pieces on my own, but with my pinspiration I thought I couldn't go wrong!

What do you think? Are you ever pin-spired when getting ready?

Tea.