Some magazine inspiration- Leslie

Cardigan: Express

Cami: The Limited

Skirt: The Limited

Shoes: Steve Madden


Magazine Inspiration: Marie Claire, July 2008

A few weeks ago, Kimberly mentioned keeping a file of favorite outfits from magazines for inspiration on new ways to wear clothing items. What a fabulous idea I thought!! I read all these magazines but do nothing with them except fold down the corners of outfits or items I like and then never ever go back to what I folded down. So a couple weekends ago, I took my years worth of old issues piled up on the floor and went through and cut out outfits I like and could similarly copy from my own wardrobe. I put them all in a binder with tabs for each month of issues the photos were from (figuring in the fall, I would know to turn to fall months for inspiration).

So last night, I went looking for inspiration and found this picture. What I didn't realize until this afternoon is that it is the exact same outfit Kimberly gained her inspiration from a couple weeks ago--too funny! Great minds think alike!

I actually had another photo that I didn't have enough guts for--one magazine had this actual skirt in their April issue--paired with a black and white striped top (it was showing how to incorporate stripes and florals together). I had the items in my closet to copy the photo almost exactly--but I just don't know that Louisville is fashion forward enough to appreciate stripes and florals and not look at me weird as I walk down the street so I went for the more conservative look.

Only thing I did not have--no chunky necklaces and seeing my photo, I think that really would have tied everything together. Must look for long, chunky necklaces!

So this is my new thing--with my "Binder of Inspiration", I'm going to try to post a few outfits a month with my inspiration photo, just so you can see a magazine photo on a "real gal". It'll be fun!