Announcing the April “Looking Lucky” Style Challenge (and giveaway)!

You know what? It’s been too long since we did a style challenge, don’t you think? I sure do. Let’s do one.

This one is really pretty easy…and fun! My partner in crime style who helped me come up with this idea was Brandi, the owner of Lucky B Boutique here in Indianapolis. Between the two of us, we came up with a list of 10 current trends. The challenge? Interpret each of these trends and use them as “prompts” for 10 different outfits throughout the month of April. The idea isn’t to look like a trend whore, but to mix these trends in with classics and other favorites in your closet.

The best part: If you participate in the Looking Lucky style challenge, a couple of you might be looking extra lucky by the end of it because Lucky B Boutique is going to hand out a few gift cards to their store (which can be used online too)!

Here’s how to participate and be entered to win:

For anyone [with Instagram]:

Whenever you wear an outfit with one of the 10 trends, just post a photo of your look on Instagram. In the caption, say which trend it is and tag: @sarahsreallife @Shop_LuckyB #LookingLucky. Then, Lucky B will pick a favorite each week of April to win a $15 gift card (that’s 4 winners)!

For bloggers:

One blogger has the chance to win a $75 gift card (woot woot)! For this prize, you must complete all 10 trend challenges. And that means 10 different outfits…no cramming 4 of them into one day or anything tricksy like that. You can do them in any order, and you have the whole month to finish! Document your outfits on your fabulous blog, and please link your readers back to this post so they can learn about the challenge and giveaways too. Once you’ve finished all 10, just shoot me an email and tell me where to find them. After April 30, the big winner will be chosen!

Oh, and bloggers, don’t forget to post your Looking Lucky outfits on Instagram too, because you are eligible for the $15 prizes in addition to the $75.

So to recap, I’ll do the math for you. That’s THIRTY days to make TEN outfits, and FIVE winners of shopping money. I have no idea what kind of crazy person wouldn’t do this challenge. Have fun!! Anyone in the world can enter, just keep in mind if you get one of the Lucky B Boutique gift cards, shipping outside the US will cost more.

Last but not least, Brandi is also offering 15% off any $30 purchase from LuckyBBoutique.com during the month of April. Just use the code LOOKINGLUCKY.

Bye, Winter. It’s Been Real.

It is officially the last day of winter! I think I speak for all of us when I say: Good riddance. But I must admit, I did cozy up to some great outfits during these past few months. Just for kicks, I decided to choose my top 10 favorites to share today. I hope you brought your snow boots, because we’re taking a walk down Memory Lane.

Fur and plaid: a combo I saw on Pinterest and couldn’t wait to try // Being a ballerina at Barristers’ Ball // Something about this outfit gave me a whole new appreciation for last year’s coat

Wore this to see the Christmas tree lighting downtown // It was incredibly frigid this day but I managed some cute and colorful layers // First time wearing my OTK boots and it was an instant friendship // Sparkles and leather for NYE

That day it felt like spring in December and then it all went downhill // Letting my accessories do the talking //  A really fun outfit for a really fun night

What’s your favorite?

Happy (almost) spring!

Wardrobe Workhorse: Polka Dot Jeans

I was out at dinner the other night and I noticed the waitress was wearing these adorable polka dot jeans. Then I realized the reason I liked them was because I have the same ones (from Target!). In a stroke of genius (which I have hourly), I thought they would make a great next installment of Wardrobe Workhorse!

On your typical list of must-haves, you’d probably find “a pair of great fitting jeans” or “dark wash trouser jeans” or something like that. Poppycock. What good are jeans without polka dots?

Mine have come in handy for some fun print mixing (as in looks 1 and 2), denim on denim (look 3), and just to add some fun to your otherwise average jeans-tank-cardigan outfit (looks 4 and 5).

You guys already have polka dot jeans, right? If not, we can still be friends, but see below for some shopping links, all under $100. You’ll thank me later.

Shop Here: 1. Lucky Brand (on sale) // 2. Merona (same as mine) // 3. J. Crew (on sale) // 4. Forever 21 // 5. Merona

Summer…ish

After I got these photos uploaded and I was ready to tell you how I wore this outfit on the first day of summer, I realized that I actually wore this on Thursday…which was the last day of spring. But because (1) I’m lazy and (2) this would in fact have been a perfect first-day-of-summer ensemble, I’m just going with it. I’ve always been ahead of my time. In this case, it was just one day, but still.

Shirt (40% off with code GIRLSNIGHT) // Skirt (on sale) // Necklace*

*This necklace was gifted to me by Flourish Boutique. You can enter to win $25 to shop at Flourish here!

Mod Dress & a $25 Gift Card Giveaway! [GIVEAWAY CLOSED]

Dress // similar Shoes // similar Necklace // Lipstick “Corail In Touch”

If you hate getting compliments, do not – I repeat: DO NOT – wear this dress. Seriously, if the idea of random strangers tripping over themselves to tell you how cute you look leaves you shuddering, then this is not the dress for you.

But if you like compliments, and you like to channel your inner Twiggy, then this is definitely the frock for you, my friend. I am one lucky duck because Flourish Boutique sent me this adorable chevron number on the house, and YOU could be another lucky duck because Flourish Boutique is also going to send a $25 Gift Card to one Sarah’s Real Life reader! 

If you win, you’ll probably be so excited that you’ll do the twist. Like this:

To enter, here’s what you have to do:

1. Follow Sarah’s Real Life and Flourish Boutique on Facebook.
2. Leave a comment below telling me you followed, and tell me what you might get from Flourish Boutique if you win!

This giveaway is now closed. Congrats to the winner, Sharon Roze!

Jet All the Way

I know you’re 90% here for my supreme literary wit, but the comments on this post will be short because I’ve been too busy this weekend having a fantastically exhausting time entertaining my family while they’re in town!

I wore this outfit last week to see the Broadway tour of West Side Story which was seriously SO. GOOD. Speaking of Broadway, did anyone else watch the Tonys last night?!

similar Dress // Jacket (on sale) // Shoes // similar Clutch // similar Bracelet // similar Earrings // Lipstick “Plushest Punch”

Breaking the Rules

I guess there’s a fashion rule about wearing black and brown or black and navy together. Is there a rule against navy and brown together? If there is, I’m totally breaking it. And I’m going to write to my Congressman proposing an amendment to the Fashion Constitution. And while they’re amending, they might as well repeal the “no white after Labor Day” rule too. Oh and I’ll throw in a little something about making it unconstitutional for states to deny marriage rights to same-sex couples (maybe if I sneak that in with the fashion stuff they won’t notice). Thank you and good day.

similar Dress (on sale) // similar Belt // similar Bag (on sale) // similar Shoes (on sale)

Blogiversary

Guys, can you believe what’s happening right now? I’m celebrating the 1-year anniversary of my blog! My very first post went live on May 29, 2012. What a difference a year makes, huh? I had no idea what I was doing back then. Then again, do I really know what I’m doing now? Not really. I just wear stuff and then put pictures of myself on the internet. Groundbreaking, right? And yet I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

Thanks so much to all you lovely readers, old and new. All your comments and likes and follows are the reason I’ve stuck with this little endeavor. Without you, I would have no reason to get dressed every day. I would just go naked, and then I would end up in jail or on a pole. And I really don’t think I would fit in well in either of those situations.

I’ll try to get a giveaway going soon as a more material “thank you.” For now you just have my non-material affection and appreciation. Cool? OK.

Now for your viewing pleasure, a little walk down memory lane. I selected some of my favorite outfits – one from each of the last 12 months – to sum up my journey so far!

I hope you’ll stick with me for another year! There are several ways to keep track of me and my style adventures under the “Follow!” menu at the top of the page (hint hint).

Comfy Chic

What a great outfit for a Saturday night, right? Yeah. Except I wore this on Tuesday night. OK, here’s what happened…

I wasn’t going anywhere fancy or dressy (a pub then a comedy club), which is why I wanted to change out of the pencil skirt and cardigan I wore to work that day. The temps had climbed to 80 by the late afternoon, so I knew I wanted to wear a skirt. This skirt might look constricting, but it’s actually really soft and stretchy. Bottom: picked.

So then I thought, hmmm…I should wear a top I haven’t worn in a while. But something loose and comfortable. Top: picked.

Finally, I needed to put something on my feet. Since nearly every day of the past 4 months I’ve had to go to either work or school (or both), I thought I’d wear a pair of shoes I wouldn’t wear either of those places. Shoes: picked.

I put all this on, looked at myself in the mirror and thought “Where are you going, Sarah? It’s Tuesday.” But hey, I thought I looked pretty good, and I felt super comfortable, which is what I was going for. The fact that I looked kind of dressed up was just an accident.

Here’s my advice for when you feel overdressed: just strut with confidence like you’ve got somewhere really important to go later, or like you’re visiting from a much more sophisticated city. Everyone will think you’re awesome. Or at the very least you will think you’re awesome, and that’s what counts.

similar Skirt (on sale) // similar Top // similar Shoes // similar Bag (on sale) // Lipstick “Pourpre Preview”

Stay Warm, Stay Cool

I used to think wearing long sleeves and shorts was ridiculous. Long sleeves are for cold weather. Shorts are for warm weather. So the only logical reason for wearing them together is if you have some malfunction in your car where it blows cold air from the top vents and hot air from the bottom. Right? No, silly. I finally get it. I don’t know about the rest of you, but my top half tends to get chillier than my bottom half. So shorts keep my legs from sweating when it’s warm out (we hit 80 last week! yay!) but long sleeves keep me from freezing once I get inside an air-conditioned building.

Shorts + long sleeves = springtime comfort. It’s like a whole new world has opened up for me. And speaking of new, are you digging these new Cole Haan shades? Because I totally am. I went looking for classic black sunglasses, so naturally this is what I bought. You can’t tell that well from the photos, but the lenses are tinted blue! I think they look like perfect poolside shades (where I probably will not wear long sleeves but you never know).

Blazer (on sale) // similar Shorts (on sale) // other similar Shorts // similar Shoes // Sunglasses (on sale)