Winery Wear - Good Wine and Great Music

Hello all!  This past Sunday I had such a wonderful time at the Springers Creek Winery in Edwardsville, IL.  This little winery was basically a few old houses connected by some patios.  Decorated with a shabby chic array of portraits, lamps, and carpets, it offers a warm, "coffee shop from Friends" vibe.  I had the Orchard Hill, a Riesling with hints of apple flavors, so delicious!  It is run by a fantastic family who makes you feel at home.

My pretty talented, song-writing brother played for a few hours.  With a mix of original songs and covers of 90s classics, he rocked it!  He has some clever word play in his lyrics and the calming melodies were a perfect mood-setter.

As for my outfit, I wanted a relaxed sweater for sure and what is a winery trip without a hat!  Details are below.  ~B

Grey Solid Caftan Sweater - Jennifer Lopez for Kohls - $30.00
Jean Leggings in Dark Blue - Old Navy, check out my favorite pair out here
Mauve Hat with Bow - Forever 21 (clearance baby!)
Silver Layered Necklace - Sonoma for Kohls (clearance again!)

Jeggings....There I Said It.

I am not a fan of the jeggings personally.  I picture the light stretchy fabric and yellow threading...and I shiver.  Yes they are comfortable and yes, I can tell they are jeggings.

Well I have finally met my no waist band having, denim made, "can these be real?" jeans!  Formally known as the "J" word.  I was recently shopping at Old Navy grabbing some new work pants.  Yea those really fun and bright ones, my Fancy Pants.  I happened upon this pair of denim leggings.  The material is thick and there is stretch to the fabric but not too much.  If not for the waistband, I would have thought they had a zipper, button, and pockets as well!  

The best part is, they come in every shape and size so you have some decisions to make.
1.  Petite, regular, & tall
2.  Sizes 0-16 or plus sizes 18-30
3.  Black wash  or dark blue (Pictured below: Black wash on the left and dark blue wash on the right.  Both $34.94 at oldnavy.com but Old Navy always has deals and discounts.  Just sign up for their emails!)

These are the perfect jean for those fabulous Fall boots.  You no longer need to origami your jeans into the bottom of your boots or put sock on just to keep the jeans in place.  I think the leggings rules still apply though, I am not a fan of how they are styled above!  Check out my Golden legging rule here.

I have worn my denim leggings several times now and I am in love!  They are flattering to my legs, the dark blue wash (on the right) is a good "dressy" wash, and they play well with boots.  Danny has been encouraging me to get a pair of tighter jeans too and these fit the bill so they are husband-approved!  (Not a necessary perk but a bonus)  I am glad denim leggings and I could finally agree on something!

~B

Part 2 Leggings: Solids and Prints and Leather, Oh My!

Now that you have read my post, Leggings: Tales of the Misunderstood Tights, you can proceed to the next step.  If you haven't read it yet, start here before reading what is below.  
With great body comes great responsibility...to cloth it tastefully! ~B


The Legging Breakdown (break it down now!  And I'm dancing...)

1.  The Solid Legging:  A tried and true closet staple.  I like to stick to dark colors such as black, brown, and teal.  The best leggings around are from American Apparel, no contest.

American Apparel Cotton Spandex Jersey Legging - $28 (In 36 colors)

2.  The Patterned Legging:  Proceed with caution.  Prints can be very fun but stick to only a few colors per pair and make sure you try them on first!  What looks good on the rack doesn't always translate once you put them on.

Floral Jersey Leggings - H&M $12.95

3.  The Faux-leather Legging:  I love this option.  I own a pair and I feel like a chic bad ass when I wear mine.  If your outfit is getting a little to girly or over thought, throw on these bad boys.  There are some great legging options with patches of faux-leather.  Try these patched pairs on, they don't always hit in a flattering place!

Simply Vera Vera Wang Faux-leather Leggings - Kohls $26.99

 

4.  The Fleece Legging:  Holy crap, talk about wearing clouds on your legs!  Fleece-lined leggings are just about the coziest thing around.  Pair these with a chunky knit sweater (long of course) to bring it on home.  The coziness factor of this combo will cause you to take a nap and drink hot chocolate, just warning you.

Anthroplogie Fleece-lined Leggings - $18

 

5.  The Embellished Legging:  I am in love with embellished leggings.  I can't afford them, but they are fabulous.  I am also convinced you have to clean them gently with a toothbrush for about three hours.  They are amazing and I wouldn't hesitate to rock them with a long tee and blazer!

I don't have the heart to tell you the price of these.  Sigh.

Part 1 Leggings: The Tales of Misunderstood Tights

Leggings...don't get me started.  Leggings are misused every darn day.  It is so easy to fall into this trap and I have been there too, but we have to stop.  Leggings do NOT equal pants.  Bottom line, panty line, and camel toe.  Let's go over my #1 rule and then check out part 2!

The Most Important and Imperative Legging Rule: Leggings are Tights, not Pants (Say it with me now)   
Ladies, even if you are a size 0, leggings are not pants.  My #1 styling rule for leggings is that your crotch and buttocks must be covered by the shirt/dress you are wearing!  Over-sized sweaters, tunics, dresses are all great partners to a legging and length is everything.

***The one place I don't strictly apply this rule is when someone is working out.  But maybe don't run to the grocery store right after?***

YOU ARE BETTER THAN THIS.

I don't really have any other rules...that solves all other "legging" related issues such as see-through leggings.  If they are that tight that I can see the stripes on your underwear you should probably find a bigger size or better quality legging.  I don't care to see your privates at the Zoo but thanks anyway! (True story)