How To Style: Casual Menswear 2021

As a child, my mother dressed me in plenty masculine clothes. Did I love it? Absolutely not! Ugh! I hated those baggy, brown plaid, squarely designed and patterned clothing. It was not me and I spent time trying to wear as many clingy pieces that I could when I got old enough. 

As an adult, I somehow always find the appeal in menswear. I style my husband and son quite often because I love the intricacies of suits and accessories, matching and contrasting colors, plaids and stripes. Once when my son had school pictures, I dressed him in a hoodie and jeans. I couldn’t be “normal” though so I had to add a blazer on the outside and a button up shirt underneath the hoodie. He felt so cool and I think I almost loved the outfit more than he did!

I was a bit inspired this time around to wear something inspired by what my son wears these days. He’s almost a teen which I can’t believe but I enjoy watching him put things together. It gives me inspiration to get put together on days where I feel like being frumpy. Since I still feel frumpy most days, I wanted to put an outfit together that not only reflects that but something of a outfit that I can go out for drinks in and still feel cozy. Maybe it’s just me, quarantine can really damper the desire to get all dressed up!

I grabbed what I had in my closet but with tags still on and created the look I was going for: casual menswear. One of the most comfortable things I wear are my husbands shirts and joggers. This time I wore my clothes even though I felt like I was wearing his…but in style!

Hat: Pretty Little Thing.

Boots: SOLD OUT.

Shirt: Calvin Klein.

Joggers (Green SOLD OUT): J Lux Label.

Blazer: Boohoo.

 

Thrift Shopping: @LoveDollShoppe 

I am a person that loves thrifting. I’m definitely not alone. There are so many that thrift, not out of necessity but because of the fabulous finds that thrifting has to offer. For instance, if you’re looking for brand name items, thrifting offers that freedom of having designer on a budget. Thrift shops also often offer wardrobe pieces that can be very versatile in function. 

I am wearing a piece from an online vintage boutique called Love Doll Shoppe. This piece is beautiful with plaid and velvet detailing topped off with the glamour of gold buttons. It was originally made as a dress but I’m wearing it as a coat. As a dress it would have been too big on me because I still have room in it but the extra room allowed me to layer it over the rest of my outfit. This piece kept me warm on a rather cold day and was comfortable to wear for hours. I love this coat! 

The price point was about $16 (I can’t remember exactly) which is not a bank breaker at all and awesome if you’re buying vintage and thrifting for the first time*. Shipping is AMAZING! I received my order in two days! There are other pieces that I’m currently loving on the site and I’m sure you’ll see why when you check out the site. Check it out and let me know what you think! 

Use the code “stylecake” to save some money (20% off) on your order while you’re there! www.lovedollshoppe.com be sure to also check out their Facebook page: Love Doll Shoppe and their IG

*Just a word of advice, keep an open mind when it comes to style and know that a piece of clothing can serve multiple purposes. The coat I’m wearing is a clear example of this. 

The Style Cake 💋

Coat: Love Doll Shoppe (similar coat here). Skirt: SheIn. Shoes: Pleaser Brand Pumps. 

Grey Day…

It’s Saturday although I usually post on Fridays so we’ll just acknowledge the entire weekend instead lol. That means this post will be very brief. 

Unseasonably warm weather and the prediction of rain always puts me in a relaxed mood. I know, it seems a tad bit weird right? Well, I am going out with my girls so this is my comfy but cute outfit. The highlight? This oversized sweater. I love this piece so much because it’s so carefully constructed and made for the off the shoulder purpose. I paired this sweater with a pair of flared black pants from Forever 21 and platform booties. Of course pictures are to follow, what are you doing this weekend and what are your plans for an outfits? 

Happy Weekend! 

The Style Cake 💋

Sweater: United Front. Pants: Forever 21. Shoes: Poshmark (sold out). Bracelets: eBay. 

Edit

This. Is. A Remix

If you’ve enough of my blog posts you know that I love thrifting. I’ve thrifted some great one of a kind pieces. One piece that I happen to love is a vintage Detroit Pistons tee. I honestly can’t remember where I found this tee but I it almost immediately caught my attention. 

This tee boasts a great contrast in color and the vintage Pistons logo makes this shirt a bit of a collectors item. Last year, I wore this shirt with a simple pair of jeans and a pair of my favorite sandals. Check it out here. This time around, it’s cooler outside and plus I wanted the look to be a bit more chic. 

I opted for a cape, the ultimate style piece and a pair of nude pumps. I know, I know…it’s not Friday and I’m doing a casual look. Well this weather is telling me to keep my legs covered lol. Remember we talked about using leopard print as a neutral? I’m expressing that concept right here in this look! All the colors balance out very well and compliment each other. The tee remains the focal point and the cape provides a polished finish for style and warmth for functionality. I could easily swap out the pumps for a pair of nude pink ballet flats for more comfort. This look is perfect for the current basketball season. What do you think? 

Jeans: Fashion Nova. Clutch: To Be Announced. Cape: Boohoo. Tee: vintage. Shoes: Here and Here. Earrings: gifted

Hot Flashes…

Some of you may already know, I have Hashimoto’s disease. I also have Fibromyalgia. Both of these cause symptoms that include night sweats and hot flashes during the day. So unlike some, I could negate wearing any outerwear during the cooler seasons sometimes. It was pretty cool that I decided to wear a fur vest.

This particular vest I had gotten from Forever 21 a few years ago and it was definitely an investment piece for my closet. The only problem with this vest (maybe only a problem caused by my hot flashes lol) is wearing it for so long can cause sweating. This vest is really dense and definitely warm. It’s too dense to wear with a coat (although I have an alternative to wear with it and I’ll share in a future post) but it may not be feasible to wear on a day where it’s thirty degrees outside.

I suggest wearing a thinner piece of outerwear inside the vest, making sure to coordinate the outerwear with the overall outfit for a seamless look. Needless to say, I am simply wearing a dress under my vest for a cooler option lol. Later in the season and early in the next I promise to showcase two more styling ideas with this vest so be sure to be subscribe to the blog! For now, check the pictures below!

Later,

The Style Cake

Dress: ASOS (sold out). Vest: Forever 21, similar here and here. Shoes: old. 


“Hot As July”

It’s 100 degrees outside, my body is 98.6 (abnormal for me lol) but let’s talk about how to make your style “hot as July”! (Insert silly faces emojis here). Anyhoo, I can tell you that I am in the mood to celebrate nothing for no good reason. Nothing wrong with that right? Well, getting dressed up was extremely exciting for me because I’ve been working my tail of to get my body together. Yea I know, summer is already here. You know what? There’s always time to get yourself together, no matter how late it may seem. I may not have a summer body but my autumn body will be everything! 

In spite of not reaching my summer body goals I am wearing a bodycon dress. I told you guys I’m celebrating nothing for no reason lol. Typically, a bodycon dress is worn for a night out but I wore mine for the day. Instead of wearing a dramatic statement necklace with it, I chose to wear a tribal inspired necklace with bright colors. It being so bright and sunny outside, the yellow sort of celebrates that. I threw on an old pair of Justfab heeled sandals to coordinate my dress, American Apparel clutch and necklace. Pretty simple right? It’s way too hot for a ton of pieces and jewelry. A simple dress and a couple of poppin accessories make for a look hot as July! Let me know what you think! What are some staples you love when it’s the middle of summer?

Later Cupcakes 💋

Shoes: Justfab (old). Dress: (gifted). Necklace: eBay. Clutch: American Apparel, similar

Hair Info: Model Model – Alpine Meadow #1




Hot Days & Cooler Nights

Note: Very short post.

After a long break from social media to enjoy my 13th anniversary with hubby ( and to maintain my mental health) I am back to share this look I’m wearing. Now although the days are super hot, the nights can drop down in the 50s. With no sun, that can be pretty cool. The solution? I added a light to medium weight cargo jacket to my outfit. It also adds a “polished” layer of look to the entire outfit. I am wearing a tank and some denim shorts because lately I’ve been bent on comfort and simplicity. The chicest part of my look would be my sunnies. It pulls the entire look together. Let me know what you guys think! I’m getting out of here to go find some shade lol. I’ve got a few fun posts coming up but until then…

Later Cupcakes 💋

Jacket: Fashion Nova. Tank & Shorts (sold out): Target. Necklace: Aldo, similar. Shoes: Ross (sold out). Sunglasses: eBay. Clutch: A.A (sold out). 

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www.Birthofafashionblogger.com Collab: (How To) Summer Dresses 

It’s unofficially summer time and I was graced with an invitation to join Chanda from over at www.birthofafashionblogger.com to join her in a collaboration. Of course, I accepted! I love her blogging style and her blog is amazing, not to mention, have you seen her style?! So fabulous darling! My favorite look has to be the one where she wore a green floral print dress and no, I never forget a great outfit. If you have a chance to check out her blog, please do. She’s also a mommy and wife like I am, (she lives in Michigan too) and a Youtuber who does great styling videos…I LOVE her haul look books!! I’m joining her in sharing how to style a maxi dress. You can check out her post HERE. In the meantime, get a peek of her look below.



I love her look because it’s so effortlessly chic. I promise we didn’t plan to wear the same color but hey, you know what they say about great minds lol. This beautiful lady always wears fabulous looks and this time is no different. My FAVORITE part of her look is the actually two things lol, (because I couldn’t pick just one) is her dress paired with her handbag. Both are are so modern and classy. The black in the bag works perfectly making the normally neutral safari green pop! By the way, I don’t know about you but I’m going to go ahead and grab the same handbag in that black color!


Her outfit details:

Dress: (similar). Handbag: Francois by Justfab. Shoes: Charlotte Russe. Necklace: old. 



Initially, I was going to style another dress but due to real life and mishaps lol, I opted for this dress as a great alternative and it worked out even better! I grabbed a nude tank dress and layered underneath a safari green crochet maxi. Now, I like this look because it offers an immediate day-to-night outfit in one. If you are out for the day (and then onto get drinks after five), you can easily just take the crochet dress right off. The nude dress acts not only as a base for the crochet dress but also for an additional look! No dramatic changing needed. The nude gives off an illusion and the crochet offers a laid back beachy detail that can be worn around town as well.

I paired the dress with a large straw bag that boasts colorful accents and enough room to carry essentials to freshen up and also can hold the clutch to be worn for the going to grab drinks. My shoes are snakeskin printed high heels. They add that bit of “wild factor”. My jewelry is slightly glam, my necklace is a statement necklace. My bangles are glam and boho to allow a smooth transition into an after five look. I didn’t show the dress underneath simply to focus on the daytime look but offering a benefit of the layering in this look could be a big help for those on vacation this summer.

I’m wearing stud gold earrings, shaped like diamonds. Again, offering day to night benefits. My hair is an easy breezy bun for that same reason. Anyhoo, let me know if you liked my look. Don’t forget to check out Chanda’s look!

Happy Friday loves! 💋

Crochet Dress: Windsor. Tank Dress: H&M (similar). Statement Necklace: Forever 21: (similar). Bracelets: Aldo (no longer available). Heels: (similar). Handbag: Target.

A Pop of Gold

I apologize in advance for this post being so late and short. It’s Friday and I know you guys are ready to get out to enjoy your weekend like I certainly am. Don’t worry, next week I’m totally going to make up for it lol. So I wanted to be casual but still at the boast of a dress. 

Originally, this dress was maxi length but true my stylist nature I believe in making pieces work for me. I love a good contrast so my cardigan is a maxi cardigan to contrast the shortness of my dress. Believe me, I can’t have two maxi pieces on at this point. I’ll explain why in a totally different post. Since we’re finally experiencing my cardigan is sheer and doesn’t add any warmth (temperature wise) but it warms up my look with the undertone. My shoes add glamorous features to my look. My choker is actually a headband that I got from Purple Love. Again, I did what I needed to turn this look into a “pop of gold”! 

Til Monday Cupcakes! 💋

Cardigan: Naked Wardrobe. Dress: Thrifted. Shoes: Steve Madden. Belt: Thrifted. Bracelets: Jewelmint & Aldo. Choker: Purple Love. Head scarf: Forever 21. 

   

  

  

  

 

The Concept of Color Block

So with the back and forth of warm and cool weather, dressing and planning a look is like playing the guessing game. I like to keep a good coat in my wardrobe in case of style emergencies so I grabbed a trench I had to round out the concept of this look. 

One of the hardest concepts to pull off successfully is color blocking. Why? Well, it’s definitely easy to pile on too many colors and to appear too matcha-matchy. The key to color blocking (for beginners) is building around a color that you want to “pop” or stand out with neutral colors. I would suggest grabbing a color that is your favorite bold color and allow that to take “center stage” while blocking with colors that are absolutely neutral. I say absolutely because nude is neutral however it has “tones” that can be hard to figure out which goes well with your own skin tone. Try starting with black, white, or another primary color. If you are unsure about color blocking, you can also contrast colors for ease of manipulation of color. If you have a question, please ask me! (smile)  I’ll explain more in my pictures….

Later Cupcakes 💋