casual fashion

Bedhead & Denim

May 7, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

This post is all about Spring coziness — bring on the sweaters, messy hair and jeans! It seems like everyone is feeling sleepier and more morose lately. I think we’re in the doldrums phase of the lock down…and it’s taking a bit of a toll on everyone. Could be the boredom, could be the fact that the days are starting to feel the same.

Well thank God we’re still in that phase of Spring where oversized sweaters can still be worn. Can you imagine being in a lockdown in the heat of Summer? Sheesh, no thanks. Comfy sweaters and messy hair are made for this moment! These jeans from Levi’s (721s), while entirely optional at home, are nearly as comfy as leggings since they have a nice amount of stretch to them. Love the classic blue wash too! Oh yeah, and when I do go outside in this outfit, I will be wearing these Birkenstock’s — the comfiest footwear ever! Just waiting for that day to get out and enjoy it. For now I will keep busy with working on the garden and brainstorming more Spring and Summer looks!

**Outfit Details:** Sweater: Forever 21; Jeans: Levi’s; tee: American Eagle; shoes: Birkenstock Mayari

Pointelle Sweater

February 9, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

It’s been a very mild January/February so my thoughts have been turning more toward Winter-to-Spring transition looks. This pointelle sweater from Asos fits the bill as it’s very cozy but also has a bit of a Spring vibe going on. The length is pretty average and not overly cropped which is gives it some versatility. It looks great with high-waisted jeans but works well as a pullover with dresses and skirts. It’s always a treat to order something online and surprise–the thing is majorly cropped! And nowhere does it say on the listing that it is of course. This seems to be one of the casualties of online clothes shopping, especially with fast fashion brands (looking at you Forever 21). Luckily, Asos just made a normal sweater of normal length –incredible, I know! I paired this sweater with some comfy jeans from Levi’s–I’m a big fan of their stretchier jeans. They are ridiculously comfy and feel like you are wearing leggings!

Lately, I’ve been slowly putting together some minimalist capsule wardrobe ideas and a cozy reading corner in the new place! Still works in progress but I’ve chosen a few neutral and minimal looks suitable for everyday, work or travel. Shown below are a few tops that fit perfectly into a more minimalist wardrobe. Simplification will be the key word for me in 2020!

**Outfit Details**: Sweater: Asos; Jeans: Levi’s; Bag: LeatherStrata- Etsy; Shoes: Anthropologie; Jewelry: Etsy

Spring in December

December 26, 2019 by The Partial Ingredients

Technically this shoot was taken in November (before the big storm hit) buuut it has been warming up here in Colorado and most of the snow has melted off — yay! I’ve even had a few chances to wear skirts in December which is a nice change of pace. In my opinion, skirts help break up the monotony of pants during the winter a bit. Lately, I have been loving this skirt from Main Street Exchange. Their site describes it as ‘feminine meets practical’ and I couldn’t agree more!

This skirt comes in three other colorways and this one in Taupe seems like more of a rosy peach than a tan/beige color. The material is on the heftier side and has several layers going on which is nice on chillier days. You can’t beat the price point on this one too. And of course it has some very nice pockets–a feature that sells! I got this for Spring but since it has warmed up here it’s nice to be able to showcase it earlier. This sweater from American Eagle is the same style as the one in rust I blogged about a few weeks ago. You know it’s a winner when you get it in more than one color! The length is perfect for both high-waisted jeans and skirts, and its incredibly soft and cozy. So now I’m kind of wishing I got it in a third color, waaah. Oh well, can’t have everything.

**Outfit Details:** Sweater: American Eagle; Skirt: Main Street Exchange; Shoes: Free People Royale Flat; Bag: Etsy – Leather Strata

Duck Hunter

December 8, 2019 by The Partial Ingredients

Sometimes it’s fun to dig up old clothes you’ve hung on to for a while and re-discover them. I recently moved to a new place and was going through my old clothes and found this quirky sweater in storage. I got this duck hunt themed sweater from a thrift store like ten years ago. You can see the cute design of a duck hunter and ducks flying in the upper left-hand corner. It’s a quirky thing that I couldn’t help but find charming then and I still do now! I’ve considered donating it a handful of times but just can’t seem to have the heart to get rid of it. Plus the colors are perfect for Fall and Winter.

If you’re feeling stuck on an old, hardly worn item, try mixing it up with something new. In this outfit I gave this old sweater a refresh by pairing it with my favorite pair of Levi’s high-rise distressed denim and this gorgeous rucksack from Etsy. It made the sweater feel a lot more new again! So before you donate your old, unworn clothing I recommend mixing it up a bit with something new to see if you still have a use for it. It cuts down on textile waste and is way more environmentally friendly than just throwing your clothes out.

**Outfit Details:** Sweater vintage/thrifted; Jeans: Levi’s; Boots: Born, Bag: Etsy

Last of Summer

September 21, 2019 by The Partial Ingredients

What do you think of when you think Summer style? I personally think of cut-off jeans, a comfy striped tee, a woven bag and strappy sandals. You can’t get much more Summery than that. This is (I swear) going to by my last Summer post but I had to get one more in. As September goes on, I’m less able to justify open-toed sandals and cut-off jeans. Luckily the days are still warm and sunny so I can still get away with it. This top from American Eagle (a store that I have been absolutely loving recently) has been one of my go-to Summery tees. It’s soft and flowy and looks great with high-rise denim (like these Levi’s cropped jeans).

Next are a couple recent hair and makeup finds that I wanted to highlight. Since I sometimes curl my hair, I wanted to find a loose and flexible hairspray for those occasions. This hairspray from Tresemme is awesome and not your mom’s hairspray from the 80’s. It’s works great for keeping loose curls in place but doesn’t give you that crunchy hairspray feel. It’s super natural and soft which is exactly what I was looking for. Next up is this excellent neutral lip by NYX, an incredibly affordable brand. I love their “Lingerie” line, which offers a soft matte lip in lots of different shades. My favorite so far has been this dusty mauve called “Lace Detail” and it’s great for every day wear and the price point can’t be beat.

Outfit Details: Top: American Eagle; Jeans: Levi’s; Bag: unbranded; sandals: Lucky

Desert Vibes

September 14, 2019 by The Partial Ingredients

Sooo Fall snuck up on me pretty fast and I still have a few more Summer ideas to go through–dang it! Is it just me or has this season gone by way too fast? That’s coming from someone who absolutely loves Fall, but I’m not quite ready for Summer to end just yet. Luckily it’s still been quite warm the last few weeks so it’s still jeans and t-shirt weather during the day. This latest look features one of my favorite desert themed graphic tees from Etsy and these acid wash jeans from Levi’s. Yuuup, they are acid wash. Thought I would never say those words ever but here we are. Gotta say I’m a big fan of this updated offering from Levi’s. It’s like a more mellowed out version of the ~~ugly~~ classic 80’s acid wash. They are also super soft and feel more like leggings than jeans. I don’t like super stiff jeans and these have the perfect amount of stretch. They go great with my favorite pair of Vans sneakers. Now that the nights are getting cold, throw on a pullover and you will be good to go for Fall!