Ellie's Closet {Jean Skirt}

I remember mocking those crunchy homeschooling mamas in their jean skirts and tennis shoes herding their small flocks through nature walks at summer camp in the 90s.

Now I am one.

But I do have to say, jean skirts have come a long way. So have practical walking shoes, and being crunchy is cool in more places than just Portland! I think a lot has to do with accessories and paying attention to details.

Just for fun, I thought I'd see what would happen to Ellie's closet if she added a practical, nicely cut, long jean skirt. And you know what? Every top she has goes with the jean skirt! I quickly was able to throw together a ton of new outfits, and that's not even with layers!

*Please accept my apologies for the weird arms and boring shoes. They are attached to Ellie's skirt but I couldn't crop them, and I spent hours looking for another acceptable jean skirt without arms and feet and just couldn't do it!

Jean skirts are similar to a well-fitting classic pair of jeans. Once you find a comfortable one in the style that fits, the options in your closet might just multiply exponentially!

Ellie's Closet {Winter 2}

This outfit looks so cozy and practical! I seriously dress like this a lot and I can vouch that it's super comfortable. I love adding leggings under skirts in the winter. Red is my signature color, so of course I had to make it one of Ellie's favorites too.

Ellie's chambray or denim shirt is new to her, but the rest of the outfit is from her original wardrobe. Like I explained last week, I've switched out a couple items for the same thing only better. Like the gray skirt--there was one in her original closet, but it seemed a little bulky and see-through, so I chose this one this week.

Any winter favorites you love to layer?

Ellie's Closet {Winter 1}

I really have fun putting outfits together on Polyvore. It's like virtual shopping without spending any money! Of course that means I'm sometimes disappointed with my real closet, but it also gives me inspiration for a few items I feel I would really use and like when I get a chance to look for them.

This week's crush? A beautiful plaid skirt.

I really avoided skirts for a long time. First I felt that they were just too feminine and girly and not very practical. Then I felt that they were hard to wear with little boys/babies, so I stuck to pants even for church. I also felt that long skirts make us shorties seem even shorter!

Lately I've swung clear around on most of those points. My boys are a little older and I don't hang out with them on the floor so much. A beautiful skirt like this one I would probably reserve for church or kind of dress-up times anyway. I learned first from The Modest Mom that layering leggings under a skirt makes you warm and cozy all winter! Recently I've been wearing my summer skirts that way, and I feel warmer than when I wear jeans. Try it!

Ellie's winter wardrobe will be very similar to her fall one. Because duh! I don't get a new wardrobe every season, do you? The one above has been tweaked a little and I can't seem to find how to switch out one or two things without having to build a whole new collection on Polyvore. Oh well!

What items in your closet do you find yourself reaching for over and over? What is something new that you wished you had?

Ellie's Closet {Fall 3-6}

Hi. It's been awhile. Again.

Oh well, such is life.

I missed a week before Thanksgiving because life is busy, then we went to see my in-laws for Thanksgiving and are still with them. I'll tell you more about it in my next post.

So. What has Ellie been wearing the last few weeks?

I created Week 3 when we were having a warm week. I left out sweaters and coats for several outfits. I also changed a couple items in Ellie's wardrobe at some point. I can't remember exactly what, so maybe you can spot it!

By Week 5, fall was really getting nippy! I added more jackets and coats and picked out warmer scarves for Ellie's outfits. I think the gray coat here was traded for a black one. They're both really versatile with her wardrobe, but the gray one is more flattering. I think the gray dress is new, traded for the black one that just wasn't working.

So there you go, 6 weeks of mix-and-match modest outfits that are still current, fun, and flattering. These outfits are appropriate for a stay-at-home mom, a teacher, or several other jobs, and I wish it was mine!

Next week, I'll be adding a few winter pieces, but I'm trying to limit Ellie's purchases as that's reality in my life right now.

Hope all is well!

Ellie's Closet {Fall 2}

Hi! How is every one? Did it snow where you are? We got a light dusting and my boys were thrilled but it seems awful early to me.

I think if Ellie lived in Nebraska, she'd need to add a coat and warmer shoes to a couple of her outfits this week. What can I say, it was still warm when I created this week's wardrobe.

I have to say, I'd love to have a few of these pieces in my own closet! That polka-dot dress would be so fun, and I love the red rain boots! What items do you like?

Thanks for stopping by!

Ellie's Closet {Fall 1}

I sprung the news last week that I was going to start a series called Ellie's Closet. I'm taking a basic wardrobe that I created on Polyvore and mixing and matching the wardrobe into several week's worth of outfits. I'm trying not to repeat any outfits, but if you catch one, don't fire me! Please also remember that this is for fun. I'm not trying to make any fashion statements, just trying to inspire myself to mix and match my own wardrobe to keep my outfits more interesting. And to inspire myself to wear something other than yoga pants and a sweatshirt.

So, here's week 1!

Ellie is not me. I don't dress that nice all the time, and she's thinner than I am. She was also really insightful about building her wardrobe to include so many mix-and-match basics. While some of her outfits are super cute, they wouldn't be as practical for a stay-at-home-schooling mommy of little boys. White pants? Love the look but they wouldn't stay clean until breakfast time! Booties? Cute! But would I wear them if I had them? Not on most week days.

Having said that, we can use Ellie as an example to bump up our daily selections. For instance, I started wearing a lot of skirts this summer. I love the look and found them so simple and comfortable! I also LOVE scarves and usually throw one on.

Ok, looking forward to sharing the next set next week!

Ellie's Closet {Day 30}

Do you ever wish you had the perfect wardrobe? Everything coordinates, everything matches, everything looks amazing on you, and you don't have too much stuff.

Mine isn't like that. I have my share of complaints in that department, but you know the wonderful part of this virtual world?

You can change it!

So today I'm introducing you to Ellie's Closet. I'm not Ellie, by the way, nor is she me. She doesn't truly exist, remember? My name is Elizabeth and I was always called Lizz. Or Lizzard or E-Lizzard-Breath, or E-Lizzard-Buggers. Such a beautiful name.

I made up Ellie when I started this blog four years ago. I was shy and felt an alias would help me find my voice. I don't know how much of that is true, but for the purpose of this series, because I'm going to make it an on-going thing, Ellie is not me. Savvy?

Anyway, I spent way too much time this week developing Ellie's wardrobe on Polyvore. I thought I published the collection but then I couldn't find it anywhere and basically had to start over. The second incarnation isn't as perfect, but Ellie is working on that. You know, your own closet doesn't have the perfect everything!

I've purposely left Ellie's bio pretty vague. She could be a stay-at-home mom, but she really dresses nicely if that's the case! She might be a teacher. Or a secretary. Or a stay-at-home business owner. Or a work-at-home mom with client meetings on various days. She definitely goes to church most weekends and leaves her yoga pants and sweatshirts out of the wardrobe series!

The purpose of Ellie's Closet is to inspire. It's a mix-and-match approach with everything following a set color scheme. I can see Ellie getting tired a red by springtime and maybe changing it for a few pink things. Or feeling like her turquoise things need a break for the winter, you know, small tweaks. Ellie will once in awhile buy a new piece or two, but she'll play by the rules of having to get rid of something when she does that.

I'll be trying to do a What Did Ellie Wear weekly series starting in November, but for now, here's a glimpse of Ellie's basic wardrobe.