* Outfitted *

I felt like mixing textures a bit, so I grabbed a lacy dress and cardigan and matched it with some sparkly blue tights and thick leg warmers (necessary for winter).

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* Outfitted *

This outfit was inspired by two things: Hilary Duff, and a new necklace I bought.

To explain, I watched part of a movie starring Hilary Duff while I was at the gym, and I noticed her wearing a simple white turtleneck with a large gold pendant necklace. It just seemed so easy and elegant, I had to try it.

I had recently bought this awesome gold necklace at an antique store for $10. Change white to black, add jeans and comfy booties, and you get a great fall/winter outfit that can go from the grocery store to a night out pretty easily.

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* Outfitted *

When layering a monochromatic outfit I usually like to have a pop of color. In an outfit like this you could add color in the tights, a bright skinny belt, or a bold necklace.

I added my pop of color in my lipstick. I don't usually wear lipstick, but I found this $0.99 bright pink and had to try it.

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* Outfitted *

I recently bought this pretty dress on sale at Target. It is very ballerina-y, so I matched it with a dark brown jacket, boots, and some hardware to add some weight to it. Blending the hard and soft pieces achieves a more casual look than if I wore the dress alone.

P.S. I found these blue silly bands in my yard!

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* Outfitted *

I bought a silky black tunic for $8 at Khols last week and was trying to figure out how best to wear it. It wasn't quite long enough to wear as a dress by itself, and a little too long to wear as an untucked shirt.

I started layering skirts under and over it for different looks, and it turned out to be a very versatile piece. Here are just a few of the ways I remixed the tunic from fancy to casual.

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* Outfitted *

This outfit was inspired by the Emma's style post I did Collar Me Gleeful. It is not something she would wear all together, but the neckline of the shirt is similar to something she would wear. I also think she had this exact cardigan in one of the episodes. I dressed it down with jeans.

Shirt, jeans, necklace, watch, bracelet all from Target (big surprise!) and all under $25 each. $10 cardigan on sale at The Limited. $30 shoes on clearance at Famous Footwear. I love a good deal almost as much as the clothes themselves.

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* Outfitted *

One of the recurring trends in the fall collections is over-the-knee socks. I wanted to see if I could design an outfit using the trend without looking like a little girl. First off, the biggest problem is keeping the socks up where they belong (this is why they invented pantyhose and garter belts!).

I received these blue lace over-the-knee trouser socks when I was probably 12, from my late auntie Louise. They are really thin, and fall down almost immediately without help. I decided to use a plain pair of cream over-the-knee socks to act as a base. The cream socks are tighter to the leg, so they stay up easier. You can't even tell that there are two socks. ta-da!

The rest of the outfit I wanted to keep plain. The belt adds a little interest and gives some shape to the waist. I felt pretty comfortable in it, and only had to hike up my socks a couple of times. I approve of this trend. However, it could very easily go very wrong.

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