Wear for Play: Aztec Print Blouse with Jeggings and Boots

DISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase an item using the link, I will receive compensation at no extra cost to you.

The Aztec Print Blouse was provided to me free of charge from Laurie Felt Los Angeles as a promotional item. All opinions expressed are my own.

One of the questions that I get asked most often is why did I start sharing pictures of my clothes? Well, to be honest, I think the seeds were planted when I was a stay-at-home mom {SAMH}, but the idea didn’t really start taking root until I started working as a librarian.

Prior to being a SAHM, I was in the Army, so my daily outfit consisted of BDUs and combat boots. And, when I was off duty, jeans, sweater, and boots. I really wasn’t going anywhere that warranted much more than that. After I got married, I switched things up and started wearing my husband’s shirts. Yeah, I went there.

Then we separated from the Army and moved to Pennsylvania and I returned to school to finish my degree. While working on my MA in history, I started working in the library as a graduate assistant, so I needed “real” clothes. I wasn’t sure what to wear. This was before style blogs and Instagram and Pinterest…

I needed inspiration.

So I started thinking about the people on TV who inspired me:

Lisa Bonet from The Cosby Show {eclectic and funky}
The Solid Gold Dancers – seriously {bling, y’all, bling}
The women in the Soul Train line – yes, still serious {confidence}
Julia Sugarbaker from Designing Women – {shoulder pads and sass}

The places:

Italy – warm, romantic, friendly
New Orleans – historic, eclectic, sultry, mysterious

And, finally, the colors:

Warm neutrals – grays, blacks, olives, and browns
Deep saturated colors – purples, reds, and golds

From this, I determined that my style is bohemian with a touch of quirkiness. I like vintage inspired pieces with lots of embroidery and flourishes. I absolutely adore lace and ruffles {but not in a girly sort of way}. That’s why I chose to pair my Aztec Print Blouse with the tulle extender; it takes a beautiful piece and makes it just a little quirky and fun.

I also like a bit of edge.

So that’s how I started putting together my outfits. I start with a neutral base, pop it with deep colors, add in accessories in gold or silver with some earthiness to them {like the owl necklace}, and then add some fun shoes just to punch things up a bit.

Leather Earrings – Nickel and Suede | Aztec Print Blouse – Laurie Felt Los Angeles for QVC | Tulle Extender – Old {similar} | Ponte Pants – Target | Boots – Musse & Cloud for Evine {similar}

My biggest tip is take whatever piece you have and make it your own. I almost never wear items as purchased. That’s the fun part of getting dressed – you want your clothes to reflect who you are.

For more fashion fun, check out the following linkups: