New Year, New Fashion Game: Heading Into The Neutral Zone

"Never abandon your style. Just take it to the next level and get out of your comfort zone a little." ~ Joe Zee

Happy New Year! For me, a new year means new choices, new goals. I don't make resolutions. Because I find that resolutions set me up for failure because I put unnecessary pressure on myself and set unrealistic goals. The one thing I learned in 2015 is to be kind to myself and take it one day at a time.

For me, my birthday (August 19) was the start of a new year for me. I made the commitment to myself on that day that I would step my fashion game up and evolve my style to the next level. It's like what Joe Zee said above, evolving and changing it up does not mean you are abandoning your style. You're just getting yourself out of your fashion zone. As we evolve with age, our style/fashion is part of that. 

One thing I tend to shy away from is light/neutral colors. I wear dark rinse jeans and always gravitate towards black outerwear. I like color and will go for a vibrant color like red or blue. But white, light grey and beige? Oh no.

Again, it's what was programmed in my head from when I was younger... light colors make you look bigger. But now I know that, that might not be the case. And if it is, well, I'm a big girl. Why hide it? If you truly love yourself, you are not trying to hide.

I saw this cream colored open shimmer cardigan at Catherines and fell in love. It's like a wrap AND it has a hood! I love the versatility of it. You can wear it open as I am in the above image or cinched with a belt or even with one side tossed over your shoulder as a wrap. The hood comes in handy for those brisk days, too. Here's me wearing it closed with a belt.

The hood on this cardi is EVERYTHING. I loved the sporty chic vibe I get from it.

I love pearls and metallic. And I learned completely by accident that you can actually mix gold and silver and not look a hot sparkly mess. That is why it is so important to play around with accessories to see what works. You just never know. I am loving how the cream color goes well with the gold, grey and metallic shades. And the fact that this cardi has a light shimmer to it, helps it pair well with the metallic shoes and gold belt.

I paired the cardi with the Suprema Long-Sleeve Mesh-Trim Tee in Grey Heather, the Comfort Slide Jean (in grey), the Soft Metallic Belt (from Lane Bryant), this beautiful Pearlized Crystal Statement Necklace from Ann Taylor and metallic flats from Old Navy and a black tote I borrowed from a friend.

First, let me say I AM WEARING GREY JEANS. Mannnn, listen... I would never choose these jeans on my own because they are lighter than what I usually wear. But since I was trying to get out of my fashion zone. I went for it. 

They were a little of a challenge to get on (LOL) since they are a skinny jean fit BUT once I got them on, I didn't want to take them off. They're so comfy and soft. I love them so much. For reference, I am wearing a size 26W in the jeans and my hips measure about 68". They really stretch well. (Pls note: the jeans look dark in my images but trust me, they are much lighter.)

How the jeans look on the Catherines site

This tee is a great basic to have. I wore the black version in my last Three-Way Style post and want it in every color it comes in. It's a great layering piece in any look. 

I'm also learning to embrace belts more. Since I have a waist, a belt just enhances that. But if you don't have a defined waist, a belt can really help you give the illusion of a waist.

I love floppy hats and as I have mentioned many times before, I love Audrey Hepburn. So I decided to add this amazing grey floppy hat from Lane Bryant and channel my inner Audrey.

This outfit is not just chic and fancy but it is comfortable! And I am all about the comfort chic life. Next time, I want to pair this cardi with some print leggings and booties with a tee that offers a nice pop of color (maybe a plum shade). This cardi is well on its way to becoming another three-way style item of mine. 

Shop my look with the links below:

Cardi: Shimmer Flow Cascade from Catherines (available up to a size 5X!)

Top: Suprema Long-Sleeve Mesh-Trim Tee from Catherines

Jeans: Comfort Slide Jean from Catherines (available in petites, up to a size 32!)

Belt: Soft Metallic Belt from Lane Bryant

Floppy Hat: Sold out but similar in black here

Necklace: Pearlized Crystal Statement Necklace from Ann Taylor
Metallic Flats: Old Navy - sold out - similar here
Bag: borrowed from a friend

Check back next week where I really go out of my fashion box with a statement dress that's knee length and I wear heels again!

Please note: While this is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own.