First Day of Work Outfit

Hello lovelies! Yesterday was my first day of work at my new job and I really enjoyed it. The office is unique because the interior of the building is made from repurposed wood, bricks, barn doors, and an old movie theater tin ceiling. My desk is especially cool because it’s made from an old stained wood floor. The people in the office seem to be a great group with lots of enthusiasm and outgoing personalities.

Any time I’ve ever started a new job my biggest concern was what to wear on the first day. Dress too casually and you’ll feel out of place; dress too formally and you’ll appear stuffy. For my first day, I wore a Lauren Conrad gray and white fit and flare dress with a light pink Charming Charlie blanket scarf. This dress is so comfortable and looks really nice when worn with a pretty pair of heels!

I found these Ann Taylor navy blue stilettos at the outlets and they were on sale for $30! Not being able to pass up a great deal like that, I purchased them and they’ve become a staple shoe in my wardrobe. Since I’m a bit taller than average, I tend to avoid heels and opt for flats instead. One shoe that I’ve been trying to get my hands on is a pair of kitten heels. They look much easier to walk in and won’t make me appear so tall. Let me know if you see any on sale!

I hope your Thursday goes quickly and smoothly. Leave me a comment with your favorite “first day” outfit (I need inspiration for the rest of my work week!)

Wearing Peplum for Fall

Part of enjoying any city is getting a taste of it’s food! San Antonio is no exception to this. Monday night, my man and I went out to dinner at the Southerleigh in the exciting new Pearl district. What used to be a few old breweries, has been transformed into incredible restaurants and great bars. On the weekend, the district even boasts a quaint farmer’s market. San Antonio is largely a casual place. For occasions when I’m going out to eat at a sit-down restaurant, I like to turn casual into sophisticated.

A trend I’ve loved since it started is peplum tops. The black and white striped top I’m wearing is absolutely perfect for creating a lean silhouette on any woman. The stripes all meet in the center, just over my belly button, thus creating the illusion that I’m thinner than I am. Peplum also does an amazing job at hiding a muffin top just in case your jeans have gotten, ahem, a little tighter. I love this style for fall especially because it adds a lighter look to an otherwise layered season.

My favorite part of this outfit are the ankle jeans! I found these babies at Kohl’s from the Lauren Conrad collection. Normally, they go for about $54 but I scored them for $13! Usually every season she comes out with some great jeans and it doesn’t take long for them to go on a 50% off sale and then down to the clearance racks. I love ankle jeans because they’re really flattering and slimming! Even my mom has a pair!

With any great outfit comes even better accessories! This gorgeous Kate Spade bag was a surprise gift from my boyfriend (he spoils me!) I can’t tell you how much I love this bag! The main compartment is in the center, with two large, zippered pockets on either side. It also doubles as a crossbody purse for extra usage!

Another wonderful gift from my boyfriend are these fabulous Kate Spade earrings! I’ve been eyeing them for awhile and he once again surprised me with them in the mail one day. Aren’t surprises the best? These earrings go with everything and are a really good quality. They add something to an outfit but don’t steal the show. You should wear the outfit, it shouldn’t wear you!

As for our dining experience, it was wonderful! The food was southern style with an elegant twist. The Southerleigh is also a brewery, so if you enjoy craft beers, then this is the place for you. My favorite thing on the menu was their Crab Spiked Mac & Cheese. This Maryland girl knows good crabs and I was pleasantly surprised with this appetizer!

As usual, I’m enjoying San Antonio and will be headed home in a few weeks. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for updates!

Shop my look here (remember to always wait for a sale):

Peplum Top (Similar) Ι Lauren Conrad Skinny Jeans Ι Kate Spade Newbury Lane Bag 

Kate Spade Earrings

Road Trippin’ Style and Eats

Hello lovelies! I’ve been gone for the past few days because I’m road tripping to Texas. Currently, I’m sitting in a hotel room in the middle of Arkansas. When we got here, we sat outside by a fire pit the hotel had to unwind a bit. It’s amazing what sitting on your backside for 10 straight hours can do to you. My biggest complaint has been my inability to use my iPhone the whole time because I’d go over my data limit. First world problems, right?

The first day of the trip we set out from my house in Maryland and got lunch at an adorable brewery in the Blue Ridge Mountains. My attempt to eat healthy during this road trip began and ended with this lunch. I ordered a vegetarian black bean burger with guacamole and a special white sauce on top. It was the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten! Unfortunately, any attempt to be healthy ended after that when I went and bought chocolate-dipped pretzels.

After the brewery, we continued on our way down through western Virginia and into Tennessee. There were so many picturesque scenes that I couldn’t capture them all. Some things are just meant to be viewed with your own eyes and not through the lens of a camera.

I tried to dress decently on this road trip but gosh it’s hard when all you want to do is wear sweatpants and a hoodie. On this particular day, I was wearing a red tunic from Rachel & Zoe, Lauren Conrad ankle jeans, and Daisy Fuentes sunglasses I found at Kohl’s on clearance. I love aviators for my face shape! I have a round-ish face, so to balance it out square or triangular shaped glasses look best. I simply cannot wear any rounded glasses without looking like a bug.

Follow me on Instagram (@wittynpretty21) for updates on my road trip!

Last Taste of Summer (and what to do with it)

August is flying by for me and frankly, I’m looking forward to cooler temperatures! I’m going to contradict myself with what I’m about to tell you but I think it needs to be said while it’s still so humid outside. Here it is: Don’t wish away the summer! Don’t wish away the smell of sunscreen or the drippy ice cream cones. Enjoy the season for suntans, flip flops, sandy feet, and BBQs! I love this time of the year even though half way through it I’m ready for fall.

These last few weeks of summer should be savored! If you don’t want to “savor”, stock up on summertime items for next year. Most stores are getting rid of their warmer-weather inventory and it should be on clearance. Swimsuits are all marked down right now and so are beach towels and sunscreen! I was in Kohl’s the other day and combed through a few of the clearance racks for things I had been wanting from earlier in the season. I found a Lauren Conrad ombre maxi dress for $11! I felt like such a winner.

I’d love to know what you all are up to for the rest of the month! Leave me a comment!

The Golden Rules of Shopping

Happy Friday loves! On Wednesday, I was super excited to find out that an article I wrote was published on the Money Saving Mom blog! I’m certainly not a mom, but I know how important it is to learn how to save money. In the article, I talk about my addiction to shopping and how I’ve slowly found ways to break free from it and save money too!

Today, I’m going to give you my golden rules for shopping so you can get the best deal wherever you are and no matter what you’re looking for.

• Read the fine print
  • I get so many emails from stores like Old Navy advertising a “great” sale their having. I get all excited at first that whatever I want is on sale until I realize that in order to get the sale price, I have to either spend a certain amount of money or I have to use my Old Navy credit card. Rarely is this a good deal. If I just need a blouse but I have to spend $50 to get the sale price, it’s not a good deal.
• Shop often
  • I get the best prices on things that I genuinely love by browsing the stores at least once a week. For example, I had been eyeing a really cute Lauren Conrad dress for awhile. I checked back at the store every Saturday for about a month. Finally, it came down in price from $64 to $34 and then finally to $15! It pays to wait awhile.
• Skip the BOGO
  • Since when did I want to buy one to get another one? Usually, I only need 1 of something, not multiples. This is only worth it if you’ve found a great layering t-shirt because you can always use several of those (necessary in every wardrobe, see post about this here).
• Shop in the opposite season
  • For example, if it’s the beginning of summer, look for things on clearance from the late winter season. I never pay full price for clothing. I don’t buy summer clothes during the summer, I only by them in the mid-late fall because that’s when they will be the lowest price.

Do you have any golden rules for shopping? I’d love to hear them! Leave me a comment!