Pinterest Fashion Applied

Hayley of The Tiny Twig first introduced me to the concept of piecing together real life outfits from your Pinterest style boards in her popular ebook, The No Brainer Wardrobe, and in this post. The idea was further reinforced in my mind by Trina Holden's brilliant ebook, Embracing Beauty.

Since this current season of a post full-term baby body {vastly different than my postpartum self after S's extremely premature birth!} has required a wardrobe overhaul, I was excited to turn to my "Get Dressed" board for inspiration.

Original Pin

Because the childbearing years can bring so much back-and-forth change to the body, and because my clothing budget is limited, I tend to be a second-hand shopper. In preparation for a Goodwill trip, I mapped out the aspects of this outfit that caught my fancy.

One, the length and color of the skirt. I am a turquoise and blue shades kind of gal. Cool colors suit me. Two, the cream colored lace shirt. I love lace, and I tend to wear off-white as an accent color often. Three, I like the way the camel colored belt pulls it all together.

While I knew there was no way I could copy this outfit exactly, piece for piece, I tried to find similar items. Here's what I came up with:

I know, definitely not the same... but the length and feel of the skirt is just right, and if I can't have that lovely light aquamarine shade, this dark (almost denim colored) blue is a great second. The top I found is a piece I might not have looked at twice if I hadn't of had this particular pin in mind... and I love it!

My only regret is that I haven't been able to locate a similar belt. I found a braided camel colored one, but it is super thin. It works, but I'm still keeping an eye out for a better match.

Bonus: my husband likes this outfit a lot. He says I look like a fifties girl in it... kind of fun since Call the Midwives was our show for the summer :).

Lessons learned from this pin?  Using my style board for inspiration gave me specific direction in my shopping trip {super helpful for a busy mom!}. I also picked up clothing that I might not have otherwise thought to, but ended up really liking. Finally, while it isn't perfect, it sure is pretty. 

Have you applied your fashion boards to real life shopping trips or your closet? How did it work for you?