Hello, Beautiful!

Anyone else LOVE a good plaid print but feel a little weird about wearing plaid after the holidays?

It almost feels . . . dare I say the word? Tacky. But, why?

Who says we can’t wear plaid after Christmas Day? After all, the winter season didn’t even officially begin until December 21, 2017 – just 4 days before Christmas – and won’t end until March 20, 2018! Plus, I don’t know about ya’ll, but here in North Carolina the weather gets chillier with each day lately.

That’s why I’m all about making those gorgeous plaid pieces last throughout the Winter season, not just for the holidays! If you love a good plaid print like me, keep scrolling for the lowdown on how to style that “holiday” plaid after the holidays!

I’ve also linked similar pieces to those featured in today’s post – just scroll to the bottom of my post and shop away. 🙂

This shoot with Rosie girl and Catrina Earls Photography was so much fun. It’s fun to style and create shoots for the blog in general, but it’s seriously so special to get to create these memories and moments with my puppers, too.

Rosie girl is feeling under the weather today, so I’m cuddled up with her and the hubs while we re-watch “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens” for the million trillionth time. It’s warming my soul to see this sweet day with her, and I know I’ll cherish these photos for the rest of my life.

Comment below if you’re a fellow “Star Wars” fan! I legitimately cry every time the theme starts blasting and that yellow font starts scrolling . . . whether we’re in the theater seeing an “episode” for the first time, or I’m re-watching it at home, something about that music takes me back to my childhood and reminds me of something so pure and fantastically free. I think if I had to sum up why I love the movies in one sentence, it’d be because even though they take place in outer space with entirely imaginary creatures and characters, the struggle between good and evil is all too real and meaningful.

Tip #1
Avoid Holiday Color Schemes

As long as you’re not grabbing the ultra-Christmasy green, red, and white plaid button down, I see no cardinal rules of fashion broken here. Pack anything with green and red colors combined until next year, and stick with one or the other – plus some neutrals like black and white – for the rest of the Winter season, and you’ll be golden.

Notice I’m wearing green and black plaid, which I toned down with opaque black tights and taupe booties. I love this plaid shirt dress from Target because it looks great with tights, but it can also be dressed down with jeans or moto leggings! Keep scrolling for more plaid styling tips – I’ve also linked all items featured in this shoot below. 🙂

Tip #2
Switch Up the Vibe

I used to get made fun of ALL. THE. TIME. for tying my shirts around my waist in junior high and high school. I mean, I definitely wouldn’t say I was bullied by any means, but you tie a hoodie around your waist and walk up to a group of people in junior high and someone is saying some ish about your lameness. Facts.

I still to this day have no idea why people thought that move was “uncool,” but you name it – sweatshirt, button down, cardigan, boyfriend’s jacket – if I got too hot to keep wearing it but didn’t want to risk losing it somewhere or carrying it, it was going around my waist. Then, when I got to college, I realized tying something around my waist was a way to hide my hips, which are what they are . . . the most hourglass freakin’ wide hips you’ve ever seen.

Since that time I’ve learned this move also adds a subtle pop of color to any neutral look! Just stick to darker, neutral colors for your entire look, then tie a plaid shirt around your hips for a nice contrast, and hey, maybe to accentuate your hips. Let’s try loving ourselves in 2018.

Tip #3
Take a “Fashion Risk”

When I was in my teens and early twenties, I felt a lot of “fashion pressure,” and I’m really not sure why in retrospect. Society said, “NO WEARING WHITE AFTER LABOR DAY!” and I didn’t want to be wrong or embarrassed by society. Damn. If you owned a pair of Crocs in high school – even to use for fishing or hiking – you were an outcast. If you wore cargo pants in college, you were a peasant. But that’s just silly. You’re only a peasant if you like almond milk better than coconut milk.

Honestly, the more I grow into my own unique person – and the more I study fashion trends year after year – the more I am convinced: There are actually very few wrongs and a whole lot of rights when it comes to fashion choices.

I was going to write, “There are really no wrongs when it comes to fashion,” but Lady Gaga’s 2010 MTV VMAs dress made of raw Argentinean flank steak immediately came to mind, and ya girl had to backspace.

So why not take a “fashion risk” every now and then?! Tuck a graphic tee into a plaid skirt, or experiment with mixing patterns by wearing a simple black and white striped shirt with a plaid piece, like a scarf! Throw a patent leather jacket over a plaid dress just like Emma Watson did for the 2011 GQ Men of the Year Awards – her look totally works for this edgy September event even though her choice of plaid is a deep maroon color that might remind you of the holidays when you first saw it on the rack.

Taking cues from Emma Watson? I am here for that.

Want to wear plaid all winter long? Shop my look and similar items by clicking through the grid below!

Happy shopping, Babes! I hope everyone is having a relaxing Saturday, enjoying this magical time between Christmas and the new year. Bring on 2018! What are some of your goals? Comment below! 🙂