Sometimes, Always, Never - Frost Yourself

I'm a bit of an accessories junkie. Forever 21's accessories section is borderline crack for me. I can't leave without buying a new pair of studs, a stack of bangles or especially, a cheap pair of fun sunglasses. Jewelry can be a cheap way to re-invent your style and spice up your wardrobe.

I love displaying my jewelry and accessories in my "closet room." They are bright and shiny and make me happy -- why wouldn't I want to look at them all the time? Plus, I'm more likely to fight my minimalist nature and throw on a fabulous cuff or statement necklace if they're sitting in plain view.

Sometimes

Rings. A good cocktail ring can be a great capstone to a party outfit (first). Too many and you start looking like a member of Aerosmith (second).

Arm Party, AKA stacked bracelets. I love this trend, especially atop a classy gold or rose gold chunky watch. However, if you work in a formal office, have to give a presentation or you are interviewing for a job, keep it simple. The arm party is not quite professional.

Always

Every girl should own a classy watch. I know we all have cell phones and sit at computers all the time, so wearing it to check the time is not necessary. But wearing a watch is just so timeless to me. My husband got me  a coveted Michael Kors gold watch for Christmas and I'm pretty sure I even shed a few surprised tears. That's not to say it needs to be expensive. There are tons of affordable options at Forever 21, Icing, etc.But why not drool over this Kate Spade for now?

A dainty pendant or charm necklace that has meaning to you. My mom gave me and my sister classic necklaces from Nordstrom with silver and gold heart charms when Brooke graduated from high school and I was leaving for England. They are beautiful and I can wear them every day, not to mention they remind me of my family and how lucky I am. Get a pretty one - even if it's just one of Forever 21's little animal pendants  or exotic looking fake stones for $2.

A killer pair of dangly party earrings. I bought some jade green wood earrings on a whim at Cozy in Provo when I was picking up some of my fave undershirts. I end up throwing them on whenever I'm heading out to a party or concert. They are such a fun addition to my standard black outfits.

Never

Lose the Young Womanhood in Recognition necklace. That belongs in a display case or a special box with your 8 year old CTR ring.

Overload. When I was probably 13 I heard the rule

Pick Two: Hair accessories/Earrings/Necklace/Bracelets/Rings

I still follow that.

Nail earrings. Yuck?

What in the WORLD is this?

All images from Pinterest.

Type A Fashion

Situation: I'm a very Type A (red) personality. I like structure, schedules, planning, countdowns, lists and deadlines. I am a control freak, a leader and bossy. As I type that, I realize how incredible it is that anyone married me. Thanks, Beard! Despite my obsession with structure and minimalism, I love fashion, style, flair.

Problem: I'm sick of wearing the same predictable outfits. BUT I'm not creative. When I do feel spontaneous my chambray shirt is wrinkled, the sweater that matches my classic but rarely worn J.Crew pencil skirt is in the wash, and my running-late mornings lead me straight to my predominately black outfits.

Solution: A combination of the left and right brain. Planning + Creativity.

I decided to start planning all my outfits in advance. And I'm not just talking the night before. Every lazy Sunday night while I'm eating popcorn, The Beard is online gaming, and I'm watching AFV or The Office, I browse my Pinterest style board and outfits I've tagged in Google Reader. I put together a few inspiration outfits that I got from my couch session. Then I pick a few items in my close that I haven't worn in a while or only wear with the same black trousers or whatever. Then I force myself to create an outfit with those items. I (glamorously, see below) iron everything and plan which days to wear certain outfits.

I tried the trick at the beginning of the year where you turn all your hangers backwards. After you wear an item, you turn the hanger back normal-ways (really technical jargon today). By now, almost everything is turned around. However, I still have 5 or 6 things I still haven't worn. That makes the decisions easy. I take one of the sad, lost clothing items and try to wear them. Sometimes I love it and it starts getting into the rotation. But more often than not, it's impossible or I hate it. So when I toss it in my DI pile it's easy to let it go.

I also try to mix up my weekly outfits with a few rules.

• Professional dress on Mondays and Wednesdays - that's when my meetings are. 
• Heels once a week. I don't mind wearing heels, I'm just lazy. Its best if I force myself. 
• Find a new way to wear my School Spirit Sweater each Friday. It got boring to rock it with a white tee, jeans and wedges each week. 
• Try something new with my hair once a week. Otherwise I go crazy. Thanks, Pinterest!
• Lately, I've been trying to wear my glasses more. They give me a headache but I look smart, so... tradeoff?

How do you guys choose outfits?