Bob Marley Style

"Don't gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver or gold" - Bob Marley  Because it's Monday, I'll let the pix do the talking. Cheers to another week!  You can also find Polished Practical on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest OUTFIT DETAILS: H&M jacket, Forever21 T-shirt, Nordstrom jeans, Halogen heels 

My Go To Colors

OUTFIT DETAILS: WAYF dress, Dolce Vita shoes, Chloe clutch ℅ Nordstrom Blues and greens are a red-heads best friend. The simplicity of the dress lets the colors do all the talking. I love having a go-to color I know will make my eyes pop or compliment my auburn hair. It makes those blah days easy to fix. What's your go-to color?  You can also find Polished Practical on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest

Blog Tour

Happy Monday! I had a great weekend with my kids and am ready to face this week with a big smile on my face. Blogging has given me so many new perspectives on fashion and media so it was an easy decision when Nicole from the Nicole Kelly blog asked me to join her on a Blog Tour.  Check out her blog to see how even though we're both bloggers our answers to the same questions differ. Plus she just had the cutest baby!  What am I working on? With blogging there's always something to work on, your blog grows as you grow. I'll be revealing my newest venture this week. I'm excited about it because it's with a fashion line that allows you to custom change items on their website at affordable prices. On a more personal note we just moved in the last two months so I'm trying to figure out how to put my home together on a major limited budget. It's just a tiny apartment but being a single mum puts other things much higher on the priority list. Be ready to see some DIY posts!  How does my work differ from others of it's genre? Even though there are volumes of fashion and lifestyle blogs out there I cater Polished Practical to the woman on the go. I've always found it frustrating when I find a good blog post or article to read in the morning but its too long to finish before work. I aim to inspire/encourage in under five minutes!  Why do I write/create what I do? Oh my, where do I even begin to answer this question. I started my blog as a platform for my writing - I was at a crossroads in my life in the middle of a much needed divorce. With very little time for free-lancing the only thing I could think to do was blog. Blogging ended up being a God-send for me. After being confined for so long fashion provided me with a sense of freedom and a push to step out of my comfort zone.  How does your writing/creating process work? If it's a fashion post I'm doing it's usually a piece of clothing that triggers a memory for me that turns into an idea for a blog post. On the other hand my motivation and lifestyle posts are usually based off of my real life observations I make day to day.  Blogging is a lot of hard work and fun all rolled up in one. It's predominantly a woman's world and I love it for that very reason. Embrace and empower!  Stay on the blog tour and visit Patricia and Hannah from The Fashion Cookbook on August 4th to see how they approach blogging. In the mean time here's what they have to say about themselves….We are a best friend blogger duo who have turned our love of fashion into our very own fashion cookbook. We share the ingredients to our recipes in hopes of inspiring others to create their own. Bon appetit!  You can also find Polished Practical on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest

Express Yourself

When I have a lot on my mind I let my clothes do all the talking. How do you express yourself?

OUTFIT DETAILS: Phillip Lim sweater for Target (c/o my sister), Levi's jeans, Zigigirl boots

Casual Vibes

Today is my sons birthday - can you believe I have a six year old! Time flies by too quickly. Whether you're a mum or just a very busy person most women know what its like to run around organizing things but still looking poised because let's face it, who knows who you will bump into today. My favorite concert t-shirt takes on a whole new vibe when paired with a structured jacket and heels.

Sweater Dressing

I'm sorry for the hiatus but last week was a tough one, between a trip to urgent care and ending the week by losing my voice!But I'm slowly getting back to normal. The weather here in Cali is killing me - yes it's beautiful but I really just want to wear my boots and sip hot chocolate. It is still January! The easiest way to combat this is wearing winter boots with a slouchy sweater and summer dress. Keep it simple. How are you dressing this January?

OUTFIT: Nordstrom Rack sweater, TJMaxx dress, Steve Madden boots and Longchamp bag

So long 2013

I think by now everyone knows I can't say no to flannel so lets just say I was a little too excited when I paired double plaid together one morning. This shoot was a lot of fun! Primarily because I was so comfortable in this outfit. In fact it's taken me the entire year to realize that I am so much happier if I don't sweat the small stuff, and learn to be comfortable with who I am. I'm ready to say Hola to 2014 and work on all of my wishes. That's right - wishes not resolutions! No one ever seems to keep New Years resolutions, far too serious if you ask me. Wishes however are magical things! Enjoy tonight and stay safe, Happy New Year!

OUTFIT: H&M Flannel, Topshop skirt, Steve Madden boots, Zara necklace

Polka Dots - Ladybug Style

I have to give credit to my daughter for finding this skirt. We were scouring the racks in H&M and I agreed to try it on more so to humor her than anything else - the length plus pleats had a princess appeal for her. I remember bursting into a fit of giggles with her in the dressing room as she asked me to twirl around and around until the skirt took on a life of its own. It was that moment I was sold! I guess the princess fantasy never really leaves...The built-in mini skirt underneath adds some edge to the overall look and the high waist finally allowed me to be a little adventurous and wear a cropped sweater. The polka dots give this outfit such a fun vibe!

OUTFIT DETAILS: Nordstrom Rack cropped top, H&M skirt, Target heels, BCBG Fox clutch

Pleat Me

The easy movement of this dress makes me feel like I'm flirting with my surroundings! The wider pleats lend a sophistication but the details of the belt make a subtle statement. The chunky heel of my favorite Rag and Bone booties brings enough edge to balance out the softness of the dress.

OUTFIT: TJMaxx Dress, Rag & Bone Booties, House of Harlow earrings

Print Overload

You may have read that bloggers have a style of their own. A style that defies all fashion rules, mixes multiple prints and screams look at me. I don't think I've ever reached that level but this outfit post did make me think of bloggerstyle. I rather enjoyed mixing the prints together, not to mention rocking the Big Sexy hair, thanks to my favorite Big Sexy hair products. My top three are the volumizing shampoo and conditioner, and the soy renewal serum!

OUTFIT: Phillip Lim for Target sweater, H&M trousers, Aldo shoes. Fab hair C/O of Big Sexy Hair