This Lafayette lady is loving the leather leggings look. Try to say that out loud, it's funny. Clearly I'm a lady, just look at my pinky! This super affordable outfit is perfect for the batshit weather we'll be braving for the next few months in Louisiana. Nothing here was over $50 and I can't wait to tell you how much the boots were! As usual, I like to mix it up with contrasting textures and silhouettes. Blending local boutique clothing with bargain basement chain store fashion is how I make it all work with less dough. 

So this chunky short sleeve sweater is pretty perfect right?? Thicker knits are popular right now but I am not trying to suffocate. A short sleeve sweater can be versatile when you layer a long sleeve shirt underneath. I wanted to make this look a little sexier so I chose to bare my arm-skin. Lookout boys ;) I love the neutral contrast of cream with black and the cowl neck is very cozy. I will come back to the cowl neck in a minute. This sweater was only $32 (on sale) at Vanessa V. Boutique in Lafayette. FYI- they are having a huge sale, drop everything and go now (finish reading first). 

Black leather-look studded messenger bag $24 (on sale) from Vanessa V. Boutique.

Ok, confession time. I got these black faux leather leggings at Wal-mart. For $12. When you're hiking to the back of the store for the large case of Luvs diapers and you spot something black and shiny out of the corner of your eye, you stop. You know you do it too. These were probably made by a child somewhere but they did a great job because the leggings have held up surprisingly well. 

Finally to the boots. They are by Mossimo, which is Target's private label brand. I got them at Dirt Cheap for 500 cents. $5! Black distressed leatherish booties, a basic everyone must own. I wear these ALL the time, what a steal. If you can believe it, my choker necklace was even cheaper than that. I'm like a bargain Jedi, let me teach you the way. 

A cowl neck creates an interesting necklace dilemma. Do you skip it and just wear earrings? You can go with a long necklace under the cowl neck. Or....since the 90's are cool again, you can wear a choker. Yes, it's a thing. I was fresh out of chokers but guess what? I made one out of an old leather and rhinestone head band. I just cut the strap, tied it around my neck, tucked the back under all the fabric and voila! You can add just a touch of edginess for free. Do you own any old accessories you could restyle? Check out these DIY fashion articles when you're done here for tips on upcycling and repurposing your old clothes and jewelry.

This fabulous gold Kendra Scott bracelet was a Christmas gift. Yeah, Santa nailed it. :) Kendra Scott jewelry is natural, fancy and trendy at the same time, I love it. Bracelets like this run around $50 and you can shop the brand locally at Brother's on the Blvd. 

Lastly, I would like to give a shout out to my new Wet-N-Wild Perfect Pair eyeshadow wand ($3). I am not sure what my deal is but applying powder eyeshadow is hard for me. This creamy grey-silver eye crayon makes it fast and easy to get a smoky eye look. A super smooth black eyeliner is on the other end and both formulas stay on well. Yes. I do still wear eyeliner on the inside of my lower lash line. I have been told lower liner is now a faux pas but I disagree. For me anyway. 

Thank you for hearing me out and for putting up with my silliness.  I hope you will connect with me on social media: @civilianstyle. You pinning one of my pictures would make my day.

Here are the links for Vanessa V. Boutique and Brother's on the Blvd. 

Have you tried a choker yet? What about eyeliner in the lower lash line? Yay or nay? Share your thoughts, I wanna know!

Only a few more weeks of winter. March 19th marks the official change from frigid air to warmer temperatures and longer days. This climate metamorphosis will require adaptable garments that can work hard no matter the weather. Choose affordable fashion pieces that can be layered now and then unveiled as things heat up.

This sassy back sleevless chiffon dress was a clever thrift store find and cost only $4! You can't beat the versatility of an LBD. This universal wardrobe staple can be worn for day or night and mated with a variety of accessories. For this rocker glam look I chose to accentuate the delicate chiffon fabric by contrasting the texture with denim and leather. 
Denim jackets are a personal favorite and this affordable style by Just Fab was only $29. The faux leather sleeves amp up the look and add a touch of sophistication. 

SHOP THE LOOK!

To reinforce the tough yet glam look of this thrift store outfit I added interesting accessories that mix feminine with fierce. This Jessica Simpson "Aisha" bag (below) features a metallic finish and funky fringe. Everyone should own a black statement necklace. Mine came from Burlington ($8) and mixes rhinestones with antiqued gold and black. 

Finalize this 'fit with some killer stiletto ankle boots and a red lip stain. My pre-owned suede booties were a Clothing Loft find at only $24. The Clothing Loft is one of my style destination for consignment and resale fashion in Lafayette. As spring progresses, ankle boots like these can be worn without tights and also with cuffed denim. I chose a red lip stain to add a punch of color and sex appeal to this otherwise monochromatic and modest outfit.  

Thanks for joining and until next time: "Let your fashion freak flag fly."- Sophia Amoruso 

By Jennifer Craft
For more pictures and affordable fashion join @civilianstyle on Instagram and Twitter!

Because I was so pleasantly surprised with the Glamoflauge, I obviously had to try two other products that looked interesting. All the packaging was so pretty after all! #sucker.

Lash Ink promises to be a lash stain, lasting up to 4 days. Having about 70 seconds to put make up on after chasing a toddler all morning, I always look for short cuts. If I can put mascara on less, I'm all for it. The plastic brush is great for separating lashes and the consistency is rich with a dark black color. The first day wearing the lash ink was good, it didn't budge or smear. I washed my face that night and it didn't stream down my cheeks. I woke up and had exactly 6 lashes the next morning! All my lashes had clumped together. They were still long and black but I had to pull them apart with a floss pick (a clean one). After that ridiculous process, my lashes looked pretty good again and I didn't feel like I needed more. Day 2 was fine, no dark circles caused by rubbing my eyes. Next morning was back to clump city so I removed the lash ink with a little olive oil. Basically, this mascara is great for a long day or night out but I would suggest taking it off at night. I will probably also use this mascara for festivals or pool days because it was extremely humidity and water proof. Click image to shop. 

The next thing that caught my eye was the contour bronzing stick. I see all these contouring tutorials and think: who has time for that?! I also worry about looking too overdone or embarrassing myself with dark unblended spots on my face. I actually love this product too. One side has a mild highlighter with a light concealer consistency and one side is a shimmery cream bronzer. You can do all the contours with one side and then flip the stick to accentuate your highlights. Another method, and how I do it, is to place the stick flat on your cheek with the light side above your cheekbone and swipe, creating a line with dark and light stripes. Then just blend with your fingers. I also contour my forehead with this, creating the dark/light line above each eyebrow with the dark side closer to my temples. Then blend. It's not a full contour effect but it adds dimension and a little color without looking like I'm wearing a ton of makeup. All for under 30 seconds and $6.

Have you tried any of these products? I am curious to hear what you thought. 

Affordable Spring fashion is what we all need right now, along with warmer temperatures and more sun. I like to transition into Spring with pretty blouses, denim and neutral accessories with an interesting touch. Here is an easy outfit inspiration for a day date, brunch, or shopping trip. 

This coral chiffon top is perfect for brightening up overcast skies and was an absolute steal! This $3 H&M blouse with the tag still on it was found at Plato's Closet in Lafayette during one of their recent sales. The feminine long sleeves are convertible so I can adjust for different weather and roll them up as summer approaches. I recommend these button up style chiffon tops because they easily transition from work to play. Buttoning the top button can ad a touch of trendiness and would work well with a short statement necklace for a different look. 

Medium wash skinny jeans are perfect for spring, not too dark and not overly faded. These Jessica Simpson jeans were purchased from Burlington for $16, and could easily be used to create 16 spring outfits. They have a bit of stretch which is good for retaining shape as you move. And you'll be moving a lot with the fun outdoor activities coming up this season! Hopefully even dancing at some point. 
Warm brown accessories are great for transition because they work with a variety of colors and keep this outfit from looking too summery. This quilted chain strap bag came from Harwin St. in Houston for $15. If you haven't been to Harwin, and you love a good deal, you need to plan a road trip. I will touch more on that later...These suede leopard booties are GB from Dillard's. I hit one of those extra discount sales and ended up paying about $24. Leopard is always a go-to for any season, the print can add a fierceness to any outfit! To finish off this super affordable outfit, I added an upcycled necklace and gold ring. The medallion in the necklace is vintage and it was given a new chain/ a new lease on life. 

Stay tuned for more interesting outfits and budget fashion tips.