In Spades

Style... in abundance

Closet Upcycle: How to Breathe Fresh Life into Your Wardrobe Without Spending a Dime

Matron Saint dressMatron Saint dressMatron Saint dress Matron Saint dressMatron Saint dressMatron Saint dress // Anthropologie jacket (sold out, similar here and here)
Valentino boots (sold out, similar here and here) // Janessa Leone hat
Love Tatum Kali wrap necklace and initial pendants

I recently came across a fascinating article in Vanity Fair that follows the haunting true story of a fake heiress.  It got me thinking about our current culture of Instagram stars, extreme excess and mass consumption.  Nowadays it’s commonplace to hear about influencers attending the Cannes Film Festival, touring Morrocco with a private butler and owning a slew of designer outfits.  While I would love to attend Cannes and wear Valentino on the regular, that just isn’t reality – at least not for me.  Further, the more common and in your face this reality becomes, the more the masses expect it.  It becomes almost normal.

One of the challenges of running a fashion blog is having content to shoot.  And by content, I mean clothes.  Nordstrom recently cracked down on bloggers who were abusing their generous return policy.  These bloggers would buy tons of clothes, shoot the outfits for their blogs and then return everything.  While I would never do that, I do feel the pressure to have new material to share with you.

I reflected on this pressure and realized that I don’t need to go out and buy a bunch of new stuff.  I can upcycle.  In other words, go shopping in my own closet!

You may remember this trench coat from way back in my archives.  It can be styled as a dress or a jacket, which is awesome because you know I love a dual purpose piece.

Out of all the Janessa Leone hats I own, this one is probably my favorite.  It reminds me of one of my favorite movie characters and has the ability to transition from fall to spring.  I love dressing it up a bit, but it also looks fabulous with a ponytail and jeans (a look I’m quickly realizing is awesome with a baby).  Read: no maintenance.

These boots are oldies but goodies – the leather still smells as fabulous as the day I bought them.

Upcycling is a great way to breathe fresh life into your closet.  Michael Kors famously told us that we only wear 20% of our wardrobes anyway.  I challenge you to take a look at what you have in your closet and see how you can re-style things into new and exciting looks.

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Soft Tones for Spring + A Bumpdate

Matron Saint dressMatron Saint dressMatron Saint dress Matron Saint dressMatron Saint dressMatron Saint dressMatron Saint dressMatron Saint dress Matron Saint dress (non-maternity here) // Barney’s cardigan (similar here and here)
Janessa Leone hat // Dorateymur boots

I’ve long been a fan of Janessa Leone hats.  Each season I incorporate a new piece into my collection.  It’s usually a straw boater for summer and a wool fedora for winter.  With her continually changing line-up of fabrics and colors it’s easy to find new pieces that feel different from what’s already in my arsenal.

Last week she announced the debut of her JL Mini line and I about died.  For the little ones in your life, they are just as cool as their big sister counterpart.  Talk about the chicest girl on the playground.  Be sure to check it out for a major dose of cuteness.

Bumpdate

That brings me to my next point – we have very exciting news!

Two weeks ago my husband and I welcomed a little girl into the world.  Our daughter is perfect in every way and we are over the moon in love with her.  As we determine our comfort level of how much of her we’ll share on the big, bad interweb, I wanted to share this incredible news with all of you that have stuck with me over the years.  Thank you for continuing to support me by reading In Spades, engaging with me on social media, and being interested in what I have to say from a style perspective.  It truly means the world to me.  As you’ve shared your thoughts and ideas with me, sharing this life-changing news with you is very important to me too.

Since our little lovebug came almost two weeks early, I still have tons of pregnancy-related style content to share with you!  In the coming weeks you’ll still see me rocking the bump, but my hope is that my commitment to non-maternity fashion that can be worn while pregnant will continue to inspire your spring wardrobe decisions.

Happy Spring!

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Not Just Another Maternity Line

Matron Saint Queen V-Back DressMatron Saint Queen V-Back DressMatron Saint Queen V-Back DressMatron Saint Queen V-Back Dress Matron Saint Queen V-Back DressMatron Saint Queen V-Back DressMatron Saint Queen V-Back dress c/o (non-maternity option here)
Sunset & Sprint faux leather jacket (similar here)
Nordstrom sunglasses // Rebecca Minkoff ankle boots (similar here)

Well, we’re in the home stretch.  Only 5 more weeks of pregnancy to go before I reach full-term.  I’ve been incredibly lucky to feel great throughout this pregnancy.  One aspect of feeling great is looking great, and finding comfortable clothes that fit is essential with a growing bump.

I’ve talked before about my aversion to maternity clothes and was thrilled when Matron Saint reached out to me.  Their philosophy is to encourage women to rock their personal style, baby bump or not.  Being pregnant doesn’t mean sacrificing what you love to wear or conforming to a societal “mom uniform”.  Their clothes are designed to be worn post-partum too, allowing you to mix and match accessories and layers as your body changes.

This long sleeved dress is so comfy I could sleep in it.  I love the deep “V” detail in the back and the soft grey is perfect for transitioning from winter to spring.

To play up the arrival of spring, I paired it with white accessories.  These sunglasses come in three colors and are only $14!

I first acquired these white booties prior to NYFW September 2017, and they haven’t let me down since.  There are so many fabulous white boot options out there right now – I’m loving the slouchy look, the knife boot silhouette and the kitten heel (all linked below).

As I near closer and closer to my due date, I’ll be sharing more pregnancy style tips and thoughts.  If there’s anything specific you want to hear about, let me know in the comments!

Stay tuned for a post on my new diaper bag.  If you follow me on Instagram, you know it’s a stunner!

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